Mistletoe Merry Kisses

Hope you enjoyed the extra hour in bed this morning, if you're in a part of the world where the clocks went back during the night. Instead of spending the extra time in bed, I used it to make a card.

I wanted to use the mistletoe image and fun sentiment from Hero Arts Happy Holly Days set on my card.

Stamps (Hero Arts) - Happy Holly Days
Embossing Folder (Darice) - Snowflake Scroll

I started by embossing a panel of kraft card and attached it to the card base with foam pads. Then I cut out and coloured two sprigs of mistletoe and added them to the card. To finish I added a gingham bow and added a coating of star dust stickles to the berries.

I'm submitting the card into Hero Arts Holiday Card Making Challenge and Simon Says Stamps Anything Goes Challenge.

I just want to say a great big thanks for all the lovely comments left on my last post, I really appreciate every one of them:) Now it's time to announce the winner of the free crochet pattern - it's Debra Rumpza! Debra can you please send me your email address so I can arrange to have the pattern you picked sent to you. My email address is stampingandstitching@gmail.com.

Love Mittens

My Christmas card making ground to a halt in August but thanks to my friend Linda sending me some goodies from Hero Arts new Christmas release I'm getting back into working on my cards again.

Hero Arts' cute Holiday Mittens set reminded me of the long crochet chains my Mam used to make to string through my jackets and attach to my mittens to prevent them being lost. So of course I had to make a card using the pretty mittens from the set.

Stamps (Hero Arts) - Holiday Mittens, Hand Drawn Snowflakes Bold Prints and Holiday Messages and Tags

I started by applying distress inks (broken china and salty ocean) to white card, spritzed with water and stamped the snowflakes in faded denim distress ink. Then I had fun colouring the cute little mittens and added diamond stickles to the centres of the snowflakes for a little sparkle.

Instead of crocheting a chain, I plaited thread and used it to connect the mittens. By using tiny pieces of a glue dot I was able to form and keep a heart shape in the plaited piece. Only 85 days till Christmas - I'll have to get cracking on making more cards!

I'm submitting this card into Simon Says Stamps Anything Goes Challenge.

Blog Title Christmas Challenge

It's Monday again so time to set my friend Linda a Christmas card challenge. This week's challenge is use your blog title as inspiration for your card. So Linda with Scrappin', Stampin' and Singin' you have lots of scope for some musical fun! I had to keep stamping and stitching in mind when making my card.

I started by die cutting a panel from kraft card using a die from Simon Says Stamp's Bundle of Stitched Shapes. After stitching the panel I added it to a white card base.

Stamp - Furry Christmas (Simon Says Stamp)
Dies - Bundle of Stitched Shapes (Simon Says Stamp) & Pierced Rectangle Frames (My Favorite Things)

Then I stamped the cute image and sentiment from Simon Says Stamp's Furry Christmas, coloured with Promarkers and added diamond stickles.

It's hard to see from the photos but the hat, scarf and taller dog's head have been cut again and adhered to the panel with foam pads for some extra dimension. After die cutting and adding the glittery frame I stamped and cut out another tail so it would curl out over the frame.

Here's the matching gift tag to go with my card.

Stamp - Furry Christmas (Simon Says Stamp)
Die - Bundle of Stitched Shapes (Simon Says Stamp)

I'm submitting these into Simon Says Stamp's 50th Flickr Challenge.

Linda has another fun challenge lined up for me this week. You can find it here on her blog.

Critter Christmas

Oh where did that weekend go?! Just before I head to work I want to set another Christmas card challenge for my friend Linda. This week I’m going with Critter\s Christmas so the card should have any type of animal\s on it.

For my card and tag I inked up a funny reindeer image from Art Impressions. As soon as I spotted the reindeer with the wobbly bottom I had to get it – I know some of my family and friends will get a laugh out of that fella when they see him on their Christmas cards.

Stamp – Jingle Set (Art Impressions)
Embossing Folder – Snowflake Scroll (Darice)

After stamping, colouring and cutting out the reindeer I adhered him to a card panel that had been embossed and stamped with the sentiment. Then I cut out and coloured an extra bottom which shakes as it’s been adhered to the larger image with an action wobble.

I had to add a little sparkle so out came diamond stickles to go on the bells.

Next up I made a matching tag. Even reindeer are taking selfies now:)

Stamp – Jingle Set (Art Impressions)
Dies - Film & Polaroid – (Greeting Farm) and Romantic Rectangles 2 (Spellbinders)

Linda has already set her challenge here - it's a good one and one of my favourite techniques!

Linda's One Layer Challenge

Earlier in the week my friend Linda set a challenge to make a one layer Christmas card. I rarely make one layer cards but it was fun, and I have to admit a little challenging, to give it a go. Midweek I was in the process of making a card and as there was a lot of colouring left to do on it I brought it into work on Friday to finish it at lunchtime. Then what did I do - left it in work by mistake! So this morning I started again from scratch using the same images but made a less "busy" card which I think I prefer to the one that's still sitting in my drawer in work.

I started by heat embossing the sentiment in gold and then stamped a mix of images on part of the card. After that I used Promarkers to colour the flowers and pine cones. I wish I was brave enough to try a bit of splattering but after dropping an inky block and messing up what was my first attempt at this morning's card, I left the card as it was.

Stamps (Hero Arts) - Color Layering Dimensional Bird, Very Merry Christmas and Build a Wreath by Lia

To finish I just added diamond stickles to the flower centres - hopefully it's okay to do that on one layer cards!

Next up was the matching tag which I think I'll redo as I wrinkled it a bit when trying to flatten it after it got a little warped from heat embossing. Lol it has been a day for stampy mishaps so I think I'll try my hand at something else today!

Stamps (Hero Arts) - Color Layering Dimensional Bird, Very Merry Christmas and Build a Wreath by Lia

CAS Christmas

It's time again to set a Christmas card challenge for my friend Linda and this week it's going to be a CAS Christmas card. I have to say CAS cards are definitely a challenge for me but I thought I'd give it a go anyway this week. I see Linda has already posted a challenge for me here on her blog - can't wait to make a start on something!

After die cutting a window and stamping a sentiment on a panel of white card, I added a little elf peeking out of the window. I adhered an embossed circle to the card base before attaching the panel with foam pads. To finish I applied stickles to the trim and bobble on the elf's hat. It was such a quick and easy card to make especially as I had the elf image already coloured with Promarkers and ready to go on a card.

Stamps - Santa's Elves Stamp & Cut (Hero Arts) & Woodland Wreaths (WPlus9)
Die - Nestabilities Circles (Spellbinders)
Embossing folder - Cuttlebug Lace Tree (Provo Craft)

For my matching tag I used another elf image from the same Hero Arts set and sandwiched baker's twine between the embossed circle and a backing circle.

Stamp - Santa's Elves Stamp & Cut (Hero Arts)
Die - Nestabilities Circles (Spellbinders)
Embossing folder - Cuttlebug Lace Tree (Provo Craft)

If you'd like to join in on Linda's challenge and/or mine we'd love you to add a link to your card on either of our blogs.

Linda's Christmas Tree Challenge

The other day my friend Linda set a challenge to make a Christmas card with a tree on it. You'll find the challenge and Linda's gorgeous Christmas card with a tree here on her blog.

To start I embossed a panel of kraft card and after adhering it to the card base added baker's twine borders - just love using red and white baker's twine on Christmas cards! I wanted to use Lawn Fawn's super cute Trim the Tree set so after a little stamping, colouring and cutting had a decorated tree to add to the card. I've added stickles to the star and Glossy Accents to the lights but, unfortunately, with the overcast conditions here didn't manage to pick up the sparkle and shine in my photo.

Stamp set - Trim the Tree (Lawn Fawn)
Embossing Folder - Snowflakes (Cuttlebug)

While I had my supplies out I also made a matching gift tag.

Stamp set - Trim the Tree (Lawn Fawn)

I'm happy to have added two cards and tags to my stash for Christmas and since Linda and I are going to set each other Christmas card challenges each week in July and August I should have a nice little pile of cards and tags by September.

Merry Elves and Furry Christmas

Over in the Hero Arts Flickr group we had a Secret Santa and I was delighted to find out recently that Arlene was my Secret Santa. She sent me these absolutely adorable tags and card and lots of wonderful goodies including Santa's Elves Stamp & Cut set by Hero Arts. I had regretted not including this cute set in an order I placed with Hero Arts a while ago so I couldn't believe it when I saw that Arlene my Secret Santa had set it to me. Thanks again so much, Arlene:)

I love the three different elf images and the fact that the die can be used for all three images. So here is a set of tags I made using the set.

Stamp & Dies - Santa's Elves Stamp & Cut (Hero Arts), Fancy Cut Christmas (Hero Arts) & Nesting Gift Tags Set (Docrafts)

Next up is a Christmas card I made for my sister. She dearly loves her two dogs and cat so I thought Simon Says Stamp's Furry Christmas would be perfect for her card this year.

Stamps - Furry Christmas (Simon Says Stamp) & assorted snowflakes (can't remember which sets I took them from!)

As there is a lot of sparkle on this card from the glitter card and stickles, I'm submitting it into Simon Says Stamp's Make It Sparkle Challenge.

Now I'm off to do some more preparations for tomorrow. Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas full of laughter and fun:) Happy Christmas!

Snowflakes Christmas Card Set

This year I seem to be far behind on making Christmas cards compared to other years so I think it's time to start making sets of quick cards to help speed up the process.

Stamp (Hero Arts) - Hand Drawn Snowflakes Bold Prints
Die (Hero Arts) - Fancy Cut Christmas

I can't seem to resist pretty snowflake stamps or dies and this year I'm delighted to have added Hero Arts Hand Drawn Snowflakes Bold Prints to my stash.

Distress inks - shaded lilac, dusty concord & faded jeans

The snowflakes on this stamp are so delicate and gorgeous looking and I also love that the stamp is large (6"x 6") so it's the perfect size for anything I want to make.

Distress inks - tumbled glass, broken china, faded jeans & salty ocean

To make the cards I started by white embossing the snowflakes onto squares of white card. Then I applied distress inks and spritzed with water. As I wanted the snowflakes to be the main feature on the cards, I just added the Christmas sentiments I had die cut using one of the dies from Hero Arts Fancy Cut Christmas .

Distress inks - barn door & spiced marmalade

The sentiments have four layers, the upper layer die cut from either glitter card or plain card which had a coat of diamond stickles applied and the three other layers are die cut from matching plain card. After adhering the embossed panels to card bases, using foam pads, I added some gems to finish.

Distress inks - shabby shutters & mowed lawn

I'm submitting these cards into Hero Arts Holiday Card Making Challenge . This weekend is a bank holiday weekend here so no work or school on Monday. Also the clocks change this weekend, so an extra hour in bed on Sunday or maybe that will be an extra hour of crafting instead! There's lots to look forward to this weekend. Hope you have a great weekend too:)

Happy Birthday Rocket

I wanted to make a birthday card with a space theme for a two year old boy so pulled out a cute freebie stamp set (Rocket Thanks) that Hero Arts recently gave out with orders.

After stamping and cutting out the rocket, I coloured it with Promarkers and added stardust stickles to the flame. The star background was made by applying distress inks (salty ocean, peacock feathers & faded jeans) to white card and stamping the stars in faded jeans distress ink.

Stamps (Hero Arts) - Rocket Thanks, Fantastic Birthday & Tiny Star Background
Die (Tonic) - Advent Drawer Deco Die

I die cut numbers out of the side of the card base and added a panel of acetate behind the number two so that I could inlay the birthday boy's age. As I wanted it to appear that the rocket flame had ignited the number, I coloured it in the same colour as the flame and applied stardust stickles.

I'm submitting this card into Allsorts' Numbers Challenge and Simon Says Stamp's Anything Goes Challenge.

You Make Me So Happy

I wanted to join in a few challenges - the Makeover Challenge over at Hero Arts, the Happy Challenge over at A Blog Named Hero and the Die Crazy Challenge over at Simon Says Stamp.

This is the card I picked for a makeover

I wanted to stick with the same colours, sentiment stamp & die set, distress ink and sprinkling of sequins. The distress ink background was one I had originally made for the butterfly card but didn't like at the time, so left it in my bundle of scraps until today. It was made by applying distress inks (peacock feathers and tumbled glass) to an acrylic block, spritzing with water and stamping on white card.

Stamp & Die (Hero Arts) - Happy Stamp & Cut set

Another rummage through my scrap pile produced a piece of spiced marmalade card which had been left over from another project. I die cut the "happy" and applied some some diamond stickles to the piece.

Once this was dry I inlaid it into the background panel, stamped the other part of the sentiment and added a sprinkling of sequins to finish.

Polar Thanks

I couldn't wait to get my hands on Hero Arts' adorable Polar Set from the Lia Griffith collection. How could I resist a set that includes lots of cute polar creatures along with accessories and other fun images?

To start with I made the background for the penguin by dragging a Hero Arts ombré (mint to emerald green) ink pad across a panel of white card. Once this was dry I added it to my card base and die cut and stamped the sentiments.

Stamps & Die (Hero Arts) - Polar set by Lia & Thanks Stamp & Cut

After stamping and cutting out the penguin and ice floe, I coloured the images with Promarkers. Then to add some sparkle to the floe, I added a coat of diamond stickles to the upper part and covered the whole piece with a layer of glossy accents.

I'm submitting this card into the Happy Challenge over at A Blog Named Hero as this cute little penguin stamp makes me smile and Simon Says Stamp's Use a Stamp Challenge.

Another Makeover

I wanted to do another makeover on a card and picked this CAS card I made a little while ago.

Stamp set (Hero Arts) - Missing You

This time I wanted to stick with the same basic design but decided to add a blast of colour and include some hand stitching. After cutting a card front from kraft card, I stamped the sentiment and funny bird. Once the stamping was completed, I hand stitched a frame using embroidery thread. As I wanted some dimension on the card, I stamped the bird again on white card, coloured with Promarkers and added it to the card with foam pads.

Next it was time to add some sparkle and sheen to the bird with stickles on the crest, glossy accents on the eyes and wink of stella on the body.

I'm submitting this card into Hero Arts Makeover Challenge.

Just a Note

I haven't made a card in quite a while (lots of holiday gallivanting going on this month) but wanted to join in on the personal scramble that Linda organised over in the Hero Arts Flickr group.

As Scramble themes are only revealed at the start of the allotted 90 minute time frame, I decided to make the theme as much of a surprise for me as possible by jotting down various options on pieces of paper and drawing three of these out of a bag. I ended up with use a die, use only one colour as well as black, white or kraft, and add sparkle.

I started by stamping a Hero Arts mint to green ombré ink pad on white card. The pad was stamped twice with the second stamping a little lower than the original one. Oh I love this yummy ink - thanks again, Linda for sending to to me:)

After die cutting the butterfly I added some gems and diamond stickles. The butterfly is so sparkly in real life but I found it impossible to capture all the sparkle in a photo.

I embossed a panel of white card and stamped the sentiment. The panel was added to the card base with foam pads.

Die - Butterfly (Hero Arts), Stamp - Everyday Sayings (Hero Arts), Ink - mint to green ombré ink (Hero Arts) and Embossing Folder - Floral Cuts (Docrafts)

Needless to say the stickles on the butterfly hadn't dried by the time it came to adding it to the card so I ended up with sparkly fingers and thumbs. Of course I should have added the stickles after I had stuck the butterfly on the card rather than when it was first die cut - oh well I can often be afflicted by brain scramble when I take part in a Scramble:) Thanks again for the fun Scramble, Linda!

I'm also submitting this card in Simon Says Stamps Sparkle and Shine Challenge.

Card for 100th Scramble

Last night over at the Hero Arts Group on Flickr Barb hosted the 100th Scramble in the group. Her theme was to use your all time favourite Hero Arts image stamp as well as your all time Hero Arts sentiment set.

As so many of my Hero Arts stamps are my favourites I had a hard time picking just one. I had whittled my choice down to two different stamps and even though my hubby didn't see which stamps I was dithering over, he said "it's got to be butterflies" so that's how I picked between the two! The butterfly I used is from the Antique Engravings set and has been inked up over and over again as I love it so much.

Stamp - Antique Engravings (Hero Arts)

I started by embossing and sanding the background. Then after stamping and cutting out the butterflies, I coloured them with Promarkers and added touches of diamond distress stickles to the smaller white dots on the wings.

Stamps (Hero Arts) - Antique Engravings & Lil Hoot

Then I added some thread for the antennae and stuck the butterflies on the main panel using foam pads. After adding the sentiment, again on foam pads, I used glossy accents to adhere the gorgeous green sequins that my friend Trinh sent me - thanks again Trinh:)

Some ladies manage to make two or even three cards during the Scrambles but I inevitably only manage one and literally end up scrambling to get the card made and uploaded in time. So please just pretend you don't see the wonky card, places I missed colouring and blobs of glossy accents;) Even though it's a mad scramble it is so much fun. If you'd like to join in on a Scramble you'll find the timetable here.

I'm submitting this card into the Die Cut Divas Anything Goes Challenge. Happy stamping and enjoy your Sunday:)

Snowy House Jar

I wanted to play along again with Hero Arts' Deck the Halls Challenge and Simon Says Stamp's Bling It On Challenge and used an empty jam jar and some stamps to make a holder for a night light candle.

Stamps (Hero Arts) - Snowy House & Christmas Reindeer

I started by making snowdrifts which encircle the jar and added shimmer with a layer of diamond stickles. After stamping and cutting out the house I cut out the windows and added a vellum backing so that the candle light would shine through. I coloured the vellum with a yellow maker so that there would be a warm coloured glow from the windows when the candle is lit.

After colouring the rest of the house I added lots more stickles and nestled it in the snowdrifts. The trees were stamped on patterned paper and some gems were added.

My camera doesn't seem to like taking photos in the dark but this is what the jar looks like when the light is dimmer.

At the moment I have an unscented candle in the jar but will use pine and cinnamon scented night lights in it too.

November CCC

It has been a little while since I participated in one of Deborah Nolan's fun CCCs (Card Chain Challenge) but was delighted to get a chance to take part in the November CCC. It was great fun making a card and receiving a card but best of all was getting to know my lovely CCC swap partners Dagmar in Germany and Betty in the US.

Deborah always gives us plenty of choices for the Challenge. Maybe one of these days I'll actually get to combine a few of these choices but this time I went with the CCC sketch. As I'm in full Christmas card making mode naturally enough Dagmar ended up with an early Christmas card:)

Stamp set - Woodland Wreaths (WPlus9)

I love the Woodland Wreath set from WPlus9 so wanted to use it on the card for Dagmar. To start with I embossed a wreath of berries and then stamped two types of wreaths from the set in different shades of green. I found that the berries ended up being a more vibrant red by doing it this way instead of embossing the berries on a wreath that had already been stamped. Then I stamped the bow, layered it and added a little heart shaped gem. After that I went mad adding stickles to the berries and bow. Christmas is always a good excuse for a bit of sparkle, isn't it?:)

Recently I picked up Docrafts cable knit pattern embossing folder and used that on a strip of kraft card. After embossing the panel I added touches of white ink.

Here is the gorgeous card I was delighted to received from Betty - I just love it and the way she combined so many of Deborah's themes.

Betty, thanks again for the gorgeous card and yummy sequins you included with it:)

Here on Deborah's blog you can see all the CCC cards that when whizzing around the world last month. If you'd like to sign up for the next CCC Challenge you should pop over to Deborah's blog on the 7th December to join in on the fun.

Snowman Shaker Tag

I want to make some more gift tags for Christmas and this time used the cute snowman from the Snowman and Snowflakes stamp by Hero Arts on my shaker tag. To start with I made the little shaker part by embossing snowflakes on white card, applying salty ocean distress ink and spritzing on some water. As I wanted my snowman to be on the outer part of the shaker I then trapped tiny beads and sequins between the background and acetate\die cut frame layer.

Stamps (Hero Arts) - Snowman and Snowflakes, Christmas Reindeer (snowflakes) & Stamp and Cut Ornament (sentiment)

Then I stamped the snowman a number of times, cut him out and did my colouring with ProMarkers. After layering his hat and scarf I added some diamond stickes to the white parts of the scarf. Then the shaker part of the tag was added to the die cut backing piece and thread added to finish. I'm submitting this tag into Hero Arts' Holiday Challenge (Tag It category) and The Die Cut Diva's Any Holiday Challenge.