Sparkly Ornaments Christmas Cheer Card - 52 {C}CT Nov Pick A Previous Challenge

As there is a 5th Saturday in November we have a Pick a Previous challenge for you at 52 {C}CT this week.  Louise is asking that players make a Christmas card using one of our previous theme challenges.  Please visit our Themes Archive page to view the great themes you can choose from!

I opted for the July 2013 'Christmas Ornaments' theme - 'cos I wanted to use my new ornaments stamp LOL!  I expanded on the Pick a Previous and also used a previous sketch (from May 2013) and a previous colour combo - Navy, Light Blue and White - (from April 2013) as well as the previous Christmas Ornaments theme. 

I embossed the Soft Sky panel with snowflakes, added the strips of white and navy ribbon and glued the panel to the front of a Night of Navy side opening A6 card base.  I stamped the ornaments image and cut it out with a label die.  It's hard to tell from the photo but the image panel is very, very sparkly.  I patted VersaMark ink over the label, sprinkled Stamp 'n Bond powder over it, heated it, sprinkled on glitter and heated again to set the glitter.  I popped the label, Night of Navy oval and the sentiment label up.  I punched two white snowflakes and added a pale blue gem to each snowflake centre to complete the card front.  

I cut a white panel for inside the card, stamped a sentiment with a lovely retro font and added punched snowflakes.  I used circle dies to make the element for the envelope flap. 

Please join us this week at 52 {C}CT, have fun choosing a theme and then go and create a fab  Christmas card!

Supplies:
Stamps:  PaperMania 'Christmas Cheer' stamp, Stampendous 'Christmas Wishes' clear set
CS: SU! Night of Navy, Soft Sky & Whisper White
Ink: SU! Night of Navy, VersaMark
Tools:  Cuttlebug snowflakes embossing folder, Spellbinder's Labels Four, Petite Oval & Classic Circle dies, X Cut snowflake punch, heat tool
Embellishments & accessories:  SU! white organza & Night of Navy grosgrain ribbons, Stamp 'n Bond powder, ultrafine crystal glitter, PaperMania gems, SU! Dimensionals






 

Doily & Flower Thank You Card

My crafting and blogging time has been limited just lately and I'm not happy about it, grrr!  Anyway, today I'm sharing a thank you card I made for a friend a few weeks ago.  I started off by making a side opening A6 card base with Natural Composition Specialty DSP - it's lovely and thick, like CS so it's great for card bases and boxes.  I die cut and embossed the Rich Razzleberry scalloped border and added a narrow strip of Old Olive CS.  I die cut the doily and sponged the edges with Rich Razzleberry ink.  I stamped the flower in Crushed Curry ink, punched it out and inked the edges with Razzleberry ink and a sponge dauber.  The flower centre is made of clay - I mixed some Razzleberry ink into a piece of white clay before pressing the clay into the flower mould.   I stamped the leaves onto Old Olive CS, fussy cut them and sponged the edges with Old Olive ink.  The doily, flower and the sentiment circle are all popped up.

Here's the inside and the envelope.  I cut a Very Vanilla panel, inked the edges and stamped the sentiment.  I wanted to echo the music notes from the card front - I don't have the SU! Music Notes wheel but I do have the MDS digital stamp.  I printed that out onto Very Vanilla CS, trimmed it to size, sponged the edges and glued it over the top of the Vanilla panel.  Another flower went onto the envelope to finish off.

I gave this card to a friend back in October.  She has not been very well and I took a bunch of flowers round for her a few days ago.  I saw that the card is still out on display - that was so nice to see!

Supplies:
Stamps:  SU! 'Flower Shop', 'Gently Falling', 'Blooming with Kindness' & 'Simply Sketched' sets, SU! 'Music Notes' MDS digital stamp
CS: SU! Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive & Very Vanilla 
Patterned paper:  SU! Natural Composition Specialty DSP
Ink:  SU! Crushed Curry, Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry & Early Espresso
Tools:  SU! Delicate Doilies Sizzlits L die, Pansy & circle punches, Large Scallop Edgelits die, Delicate Designs embossing folder, sponge dauber
Embellishments & accessories:  SU! Simply Pressed Clay, Blossoms Simply Pressed Clay mould, Dimensionals

 

Snowflake Winter's Butterfly Card - 52 {C}CT Nov Technique Challenge

Louise has set a fab technique challenge for us at 52 {C}CT this week, the acrylic block technique.  You ink up an acrylic block, mist it with water and press the block onto CS - so easy and a great way to create a background.

 

I cut a panel of Whisper White CS and used three different sized acrylic blocks with Pool Party and Smoky Slate inks to create my background.   I stamped the snowflakes and the sentiment and popped up the central elements of the two larger snowflakes.  I layered the white panel onto a Pool Party mat, added the silver ribbon and bow and mounted onto a Bermuda Bay A6 card base.  I punched two silver foil snowflakes to go next to the sentiment and sprinkled on some aqua gems to complete the card front.

 

Here's the inside - I do love layered stamping! 

 A flurry of snowflakes decorates the front of the envelope. 

I hope you'll play along with us at 52 {C}CT this week and make a Christmas card using the fun technique, I'd love to see what you make!

Supplies:
Stamps:  SU! 'Festive Flurry' & 'Snowflakes' sets, Hero Arts 'Winter's Butterfly', Penny Black 'A Merry...', PaperMania 'At Christmas Time' clear set
CS: SU! Bermuda Bay, Pool Party & Whisper White, Silver Foil sheet
Ink: SU! Pool Party, Bermuda Bay, Smoky Slate & Island Indigo
Tools:  SU! size A, B & D acrylic blocks, Fiskars Snowflake punch, Stamp-a-ma-jig
Embellishments & accessories:  SU! silver ribbon, PaperMania aqua gems, SU! Dimensionals

 

Butterfly Just For You Z Fold Birthday Card

This is the card I designed for Angela and Janet to make when they came round yesterday afternoon.  The brief I had was "something simple they could do themselves at home".   I love Z fold cards, they're just that bit different but are so easy to make.  I kept to a simple, versatile layout - this design would work for any occasion with just a few changes.

I started off by making a Rich Razzleberry 5 1/4" square card and then I scored the front panel at 2 5/8" and folded it back to form the Z fold card.  I adhered patterned paper to the back panel and tied Pool Party satin ribbon around the card front.  I stamped the sentiment onto the clouds paper and used square Nestie dies to cut the paper and CS squares.  I popped the Rich Razzleberry layer up.  I folded the wings up of the die cut butterflies and placed half Dimensionals under the Razzleberry wings so they stay popped up.  I added a rhinestone to the Bermuda Bay butterfly to complete the card front.

Here's the inside of the card with a birthday sentiment and more pretty embossed butterflies. 

Of course, the butterfly motif had to be carried over on to the envelope flap!

We had such a nice, relaxing crafty afternoon and I'm pleased to say Angela and Janet both loved the card!

Supplies:
Stamps:  SU! 'Just Believe' & 'Wetlands' sets
CS: SU! Rich Razzleberry, Bermuda Bay, Pool Party & Whisper White
Patterned paper:  Doodlebug Flower Box 'Garden Garland'
Ink: SU! Rich Razzleberry
Tools: Square Nestabilities dies, SU! Beautiful Wings Embosslits die, Simply Scored
Embellishments & accessories:  SU! Pool Party satin ribbon, rhinestone jewels, Dimensionals

 

Two Star Thank You Cards

My friend Angela ordered the SU! Christmas Star stamp last month and when it arrived I wish I'd ordered it too!  Angela was very sweet and said I could borrow it until I got mine.  I've used the star stamp to make cards for Angela and Janet to thank them for their SU! orders - and to thank Angela for the loan of the star stamp!

For Janet's card I made a Midnight Muse A6 card base but because the star is dimensional and extends beyond the boundaries of the card front I cut a tad off the side and the bottom so that the card would still fit inside a standard envelope.  I stamped the star in Coastal Cabana ink, cut it out and scored along the lines to make the star dimensional.  I stacked 4 Dimensionals under the centre of the star, attached it to the card front and sneaked a tiny bit of PVA glue under the 3 arms of the star that were on the card front.  I attached the ribbon and popped up the sentiment oval.  I punched a small Midnight Muse star for the centre of the large star and punched 5 Coastal Cabana stars.  I glued the small stars in place, added rhinestones to the centres and added some larger rhinestones to the strip of ribbon. 

Here's the inside and the envelope.

 

For Angela's card I made a Pool Party 5" square card base.  I embossed a panel of Whisper White CS with the Fancy Fan folder and glued a piece of textured Smoky Slate CS underneath.  I covered the join with a strip of Bermuda Bay ribbon and added the sentiment banner.  I stamped the star in Island Indigo ink, and again I scored along the lines to make the star dimensional.  I stacked 4 Dimensionals under the centre of the star to adhere it to the card front.  To complete the front I adhered some small punched stars and added rhinestones to the centres.

Here's the inside and the envelope.

The star stamp is beautiful and I think it's versatile in that you don't have to use it for just Christmas cards.  I'll be giving Angela her stamp back today as she and Janet are coming round this afternoon to make a card.  I'm very happy to say I now have my own star stamp but I've had a very busy week with no crafty 'me' time and that is something I'm definitely not happy about!  I'm in desperate need of some crafty therapy - and soon!

Supplies for rectangular card:
Stamps: SU! 'Christmas Star', stamp, SU! 'Simply Sketched' set
CS: SU! Midnight Muse, Coastal Cabana & Whisper White
Ink: SU! Coastal Cabana & Midnight Muse
Tools: SU! large oval punch, small star punch, Simply Scored
Embellishments & accessories: SU! white organza ribbon, rhinestone jewels, Dimensionals

Supplies for square card:
Stamps: SU! 'Christmas Star' stamp, SU! 'Itty Bitty Banners' set
CS: SU! Pool Party & Whisper White, Smoky Slate textured CS
Ink: SU! Island Indigo & Bermuda Bay
Tools: SU! Fancy Fan embossing folder, small star punch, Simply Scored
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Bermuda Bay taffeta ribbon, rhinestone jewels, Dimensionals



 

Poppies Birthday Greetings Card - HOC Nov Colour Challenge

During November we're running a colour challenge at HOC.  You can use the colours (use at least 3 please) or you can take inspiration from the photo.  This week we'd like to see CLASSIC & ELEGANT style cards.

 

For my card I chose to be inspired by the poppies in the photo and I've used the pretty poppies stamp from the SU! Simply Sketched set.  I stamped the image onto watercolour paper using VersaFine black ink and coloured the stems with a Wild Wasabi marker.  For the flowers, I patted Pumpkin Pie and Real Red inks onto a ceramic tile and mixed them together with a waterbrush before colouring in.  I cut the image out with an Apothecary Accents label die, added the sentiment piece, fussy cut the flowers and popped them up.  I cut a larger Apothecary Accents label shape from Real Red CS, pierced around the shape using a template and attached the smaller label to it with brads.  I made a Wild Wasabi A6 card base, tied the ribbon around the card and adhered the strip of black CS.  I popped up the red label shape.

I stamped a sentiment on a white panel for inside the card and stamped and watercoloured poppies for inside and the envelope to finish off.   

I hope you'll join in with our HOC November colour challenge and make a pretty poppies card or use the colours and make any card you like - as long as it's in the CLASSIC & ELEGANT style.  I'd love to visit your blogs to see what you've created!  Everyone is welcome at our House!

Supplies:
Stamps:  SU! 'Simply Sketched' & 'Wetlands' sets, Hero Arts 'Yummy Treats' clear set
CS: SU! Wild Wasabi, Real Red, Basic Black & Whisper White, watercolour paper
Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black, SU! Pumpkin Pie, Real Red & Wild Wasabi
Tools: SU! Apothecary Accents Framelits dies, SU! Essentials paper piercing templates pack & paper piercing tool, water brush
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Real Red stitched grosgrain ribbon, Brad Bases & Wild Wasabi Candy Dots,  Dimensionals

Embossed Ornaments Merriest Wishes Card - 52 {C}CT Nov Recipe Challenge

We have a recipe challenge for you this week at 52 {C}CT chosen by Louise.   The recipe calls for a one layer card, only a hint of colour and ribbon OR bling.  I haven't made a one layer card for ages and I enjoyed making something different to my normal style of card.

I made an A6 card base using white linen textured card and I embossed the front with a Cuttlebug ornaments folder.  I brayered Pistachio Pudding ink over the card front to highlight the embossing - I really like how this looks on linen textured CS.  I stamped the sentiment in Pear Pizzazz ink and then sprinkled on some green iridescent gems.

This card was so quick to make but it was challenging to get photos of the end result - faffing about with the photos took far longer than it took to make the card!  Here's a closer look at the embossed ornaments.

Here's the inside and the envelope - which I also kept to one layer.  I stamped the sentiment in Pear Pizzazz ink, stamped a tiny ornament underneath in Pistachio Pudding ink, drew a hanger with a Pear Pizzazz marker and added a tiny gem.  I stamped a Pear Pizzazz ornament onto the envelope flap to finish off.

If you're Christmas card stash is a bit low this week's challenge will give you the chance to whip up a quick and simple Christmas card - you could whip up a batch in fact!  I hope you'll join in with our 52 {C}CT Recipe Challenge, I look forward to seeing what you create!

Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts 'Very Merry Christmas' clear set, SU! 'Merry Minis' & 'Keepsake Ornaments' sets
CS: Woodware white linen textured CS
Ink: SU! Pistachio Pudding & Pear Pizzazz
Tools: Cuttlebug embossing folder, brayer
Embellishments & accessories: PaperMania green iridescent gems

 

Batch Of Leaf Thanks So Much Cards

I like to make a thank you card for each of my SU! customers and slip it into their bag of goodies and this is a batch of four cards I made.

I made Very Vanilla card bases measuring a tad over 4" square.  I stamped the Very Vintage wheel along the bottom, drew a line with a Soft Suede marker and stamped the sentiment.  I inked the solid leaf with Old Olive ink, added Early Espresso ink with a sponge dauber and stamped the outline in Early Espresso ink.  I fussy cut the leaf, popped it up and added a linen thread bow.  

The leaves from the Gently Falling set look lovely after being stamped, they're really beautiful images! 

Here's just one card on its own.

Here's how I decorated the inside and the envelope of each card.

I was happy how these cards turned out and I hope my customers liked them too!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! 'Gently Falling' & 'Simply Sketched' sets, 'Very Vintage' wheel
CS: SU! Very Vanilla
Ink: SU! Old Olive, Early Espresso & Soft Suede
Tools: Stamp-a-ma-jig
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Linen Thread, Dimensionals

 

Snowflake Greetings Of The Season Card - 52 {C}CT Nov Colour Challenge

Louise has chosen a wonderful monochrome combo for November's 52 {C}CT Colour Challenge.  I've made many black and white cards but I've never made a black, white and grey card so I relished the chance to try a new combo - and I really like it!

On a recent visit to the Glitter Pot I saw the Sizzix 'Lace Pattern Card Front' Thinlits die and I fell in love with it immediately, I don't think anything has landed into my basket quicker!  I die cut the lace from black CS, cut a piece of grey and white patterned paper to go behind the lace and glued them together.  I adhered the lace panel to the front of a 5 1/4" square Smoky Slate card base, cutting off some of the lace panel from the left side.  I stamped a snowflake in VersaMark on black CS and heat embossed with Winter Wonderland embossing powder which is a mixture of white and silver.  I die cut the snowflake, popped it up on a white larger die cut snowflake and popped that up on the card.  I stamped a smaller snowflake in Smoky Slate ink, fussy cut just the centre part and glued it over the top and added a rhinestone to the centre.  I stamped the sentiment, die cut the fishtail flag banners, glued the black one flat but popped up the white banner.  I added a bling snowflake embellishment to finish off the front.

 Here's the inside and the envelope.  I'm always happy to make a snowflake themed card!

So that's what I made with the fab colour combo - now it's over to you!  I look forward to seeing your entries into this week's 52 {C}CT challenge and I hope you enjoy making your cards as much as I enjoyed making mine!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! 'Festive Flurry' & 'Greetings of the Season' sets, Stampendous 'Snow Brackets'
CS: SU! Smoky Slate, Basic Black & Whisper White
Patterned paper:  SU! 'Winter Frost' DSP
Ink:  VersaMark, VersaFine Onyx Black, SU! Smoky Slate
Tools:  Sizzix 'Lace Pattern Card Front' Thinlits die, SU! 'Festive Flurry' Framelits dies, MFT 'Fishtail Flag Stax' dies, heat tool
Embellishments & accessories: Stampendous Winter Wonderland embossing powder, Creative Expressions rhinestone snowflake, SU! rhinestone jewels, Dimensionals

 

Poinsettia Joyful Christmas Wishes Gift Tags

We give out Secret Santa gifts at my card group during the December meeting and I make the tags for the gifts so they're all the same and I print the names on the back so the gift givers remain a secret!  I place the tags in a bag, take the bag to the November meeting and the ladies pick one out and then they buy a gift for the person named on the tag - if they pull out their own name it has to go back in and they draw another!  For the last couple of years I've made the tags so that they can be used as an element on a card after Christmas.

So here is this year's tag design.  Umm, a tad on the large size - the gifts will have to be fairly big LOL!  I die cut a tag from white CS and another from patterned paper, glued the two together and  stamped the sentiment.  I stamped the poinsettia twice on Real Red CS using gold pigment ink and I heat embossed with Jeweled Gold embossing powder so the flowers are very sparkly.  I fussy cut the two shapes, popped the small one up over the large one and then popped the whole flower up onto the tag so that part of the flower goes over the edge.  I glued gold sequins to each flower centre.  The last thing was to add the Real Red stitched ribbon.

Here's all ten tags ready to be put in the bag.  It makes me happy to see a group of items together like this!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! 'Joyful Christmas' set
CS: SU! Real Red & Whisper White
Patterned paper:  paper from My Mind's Eye 12 Days of Christmas collection
Ink: Encore gold pigment ink, SU! Real Red
Tools: Sizzix tag die, heat tool, Stamp-a-ma-jig
Embellishments & accessories:  Stampendous Jeweled Gold embossing powder, SU! Real Red stitched ribbon, gold sequins, SU! Dimensionals

 

November 2013 Card Group Projects

Today was our November card group get together - I can't believe we've only got one more to go in 2013!  We always give out Secret Santa gifts during the December meeting and I make the gift tags and put printed names on so there's no handwriting to give the game away!  I took the tags along today in a bag to be picked out  - I'm so glad we have this tradition, it's such great fun!

Anyway, onto card number one.  I saw the most gorgeous sparkly embossing powder at my local craft shop, the Glitter Pot, and it was love at first sight - I'm always seduced by sparkle!  I thought it would look fab used with this Christmas tree stamp and I was right!  I think the image and shiny sparkle are a wow in themselves so I kept the design simple.  I heat embossed the tree and sentiment, cut the panel to size and glued it to the front of a Bermuda Bay A6 card front.  I added the punched strip and three punched snowflakes.  I've added flat silver glitter stickers to the centres of the snowflakes to complete the card front.  This card will be great for posting as it's flat.

I can't resist showing you a closer look at the sparkle!  The colour is a gorgeous mix of blue and green.

I've made an effort with the insides and envelopes for this month's cards.  I know there's not always time for everyone to complete the cards plus insides and envelopes so I left it up to the ladies to decide whether they wanted to or not. 

   
Card two is an acetate snowman card.  I scored and folded a piece of acetate to make an A6 size card and adhered patterned paper to the inside back panel.  I cut a white curved snow bank and taped that to the front, stamped the snowman on watercolour paper, coloured with inks and a water brush and fussy cut him.  I stamped the sentiment and the snow swirl, popped the snowman up and added three punched snowflakes with gem centres.

 

When you open the card there's the surprise of seeing the back of the snowman!  Again, I stamped him on watercolour paper, coloured, fussy cut him and I coloured the snowflake with a silver pen.  The challenge with acetate cards is that any adhesive shows through.  I've taped elements to the front and back so any tape is nicely hidden.  I cut a second curved snow bank, taped that down and then adhered the back of the snowman.  I also added three more snowflakes to the back.  I stamped and punched the oval sentiment piece to complete the inside.  I'd adhered the patterned paper with tape which was visible from the back so I cut a plain piece of white CS and taped it to the back - all neat now, no adhesive showing anywhere!  

A simple stamped image on the envelope flap and the card is done.

Card three required just simple stamping and die cutting.  The dramatic look of black, white and red is a fave combo of mine and this time I've thrown some soft grey into the mix.  I used Nestie dies to cut the lacy and plain squares.  I stamped the snowflake in Smoky Slate direct to the white square and added the sentiment.  I stamped the smaller snowflake in Real Red, die cut it and popped it up.  I stamped a Smoky Slate circle from the Mixed Bunch set, cut it out with a 3/4" circle punch, popped it up and added a red crystal to the centre.

Here's the inside and the envelope.  Sometimes we want to remember and include people during the festive season but it may not be appropriate to send them a Christmas card.  This card fits the bill in those cases as there's no mention of Christmas, just seasonal and new year wishes are offered.    

Phew, what a mega post!

Supplies for tree card:
Stamps: PaperMania Home for Christmas 'Baubles' set, SU! 'Seasonal Wishes' set,  Penny Black 'Joyous Christmas'
CS: SU! Bermuda Bay & Whisper White
Ink: VersaMark, SU! Bermuda Bay
Tools: SU! Dotted Scallop Ribbon border punch, X Cut snowflake punch, heat tool
Embellishments & accessories: Stampendous Aqua Tinsel embossing powder, Anita's silver glitter circle stickers

Supplies for snowman card:
Stamps: Butterfly Kisses 'Frosty' clear set, SU! 'Best Yet' set
CS:  acetate, SU! Real Red & Whisper White, watercolour paper
Patterned paper:  Frances Meyer 'Snowy Stripes'
Ink:  VersaFine Onyx Black, SU! Real Red, Lucky Limeade, Island Indigo & Basic Black, SU! Silver Dazzle marker
Tools: Spellbinder's Card Creator Borderabilities die from 'A2 Curved Border One' set,  X Cut tiny snowflake punch, water brush
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Rhinestone Jewels, Dimensionals

Supplies for snowflake card:
Stamps: SU! 'Festive Flurry', 'Four the Holidays'  'Mixed Bunch' & 'Snowflakes' sets, Stampendous'Warmest Greetings'
CS: Papermania 5 1/4" square white card blank, SU! Real Red, Basic Black & Whisper White
Ink: SU! Smoky Slate & Real Red
Tools: Lacy Square Nestabilities die, plain square Nestabilities dies, SU! 'Festive Flurry' Framelits die, circle punches, Stamp-a-ma-jig
Embellishments & accessories: red Swarovski crystal, SU! Dimensionals