Hedgie Thank you card...

The sketch at the Sketch and Stash Challenge blog this time is such an inspiring one (and easy which is always good) that I just had to give it a go.  It also gave me the chance to use my new gadget bought with the last of my Christmas present cash - a Xyron Design Runner, which I used to print the sentiment on this card.

Initially I was a bit miffed that it doesn't actually do the things they said it could when it was being aired as Pick of the Day on Create and Craft.  I was so excited about it printing on acetate and was gutted to find that like any printer it won't unless you use the special printable acetate.  However, having played lots I do like what it can do and don't regret buying it.

Additional materials...

• Penny Black Hedgie stamp - from a T for Transparent set - I was very naughty and cut some of the flowers off the main image so that I could stamp them where I wanted them in the circle.  
• Flower punch and matching embossing punch
• Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder
• Pearl gem stones
• Embossed purple card and matching designer paper - unknown make
• Scalloped and matching circle nestability dies
• Lace

Challenges.,.

• Sketch and Stash - sketch - new stash = Design Runner - neglected stash = flower punch not used for ages
• Crazy 4 Challenges - a thank you sentiment
• Penny Black Challenge - Choose 4 items from a card buffet (really brill idea for a challenge - I chose patterned paper, 3 flowers, 3 gems and ribbon - please use your imagination for the ribbon.  Imagine it on the embossed band on the card.  Somebody around here forgot to stick it on - whoops!)
• Crafty Ann's Challenge - Ring in the new, but don't ring out the old.  See above.

Whoops, nearly forgot to say if you pop over to Bah! Humbug! today there is a Top Tip Tuesday all about economising on paper and card.
Double whoops - no wonder I forgot the ribbon -check out the date on the photo - 18th Jan and I'm still putting 2010 on my cards.  Sheesh what am I like?

Have a good day everyone.

Love and hugs.

Ann xxx

Winter Wishes...

Oh my goodness I seem to be making so many Christmas cards at the moment.  I really must get some birthday cards done and some other projects too.  Friday comes round so quickly and of course Friday means it's Bah! Humbug! day.  Yeah!  I just love our theme this week.  It's using stencils and oh boy did I have fun?

I decided to use embossing paste with a brass stencil by Sizzix.  It's actually one of their embossing dies that come in a  plastic folder, but I've pulled it off the folder so that I can use it in lots of different ways.  

On my first card I attached the stencil to white card and then scraped the Dreamweaver embossing paste over the top.  On removing the stencil I tipped dark blue glitter on the lower half of the image and light blue on the upper part.  It looked fabulous, but alas it didn't look quite so good after I dusted it with a paint brush supposedly just to remove the excess glitter.  Eek, to my horror, virtually all the glitter fell off.  Sheesh I was covered in the stuff and felt like crying as my pretty image now looked very bland indeed.  

Thankfully I was able to save the day by replacing the stencil, carefully painting glue over the design and then lifting the stencil and adding glitter in the same way as before.  Phew close shave, but the card survived.

My layout originated at Mojo Monday with some quite big changes that came about as the card developed.  

Additional materials used: 

• Snowflake frame die by Spellbinders
• Snowflakes die by Marianne
• blue glitter card, silver mirri card and plain white card
• Dots embossing folder
• gem brads, silver sentiment peel off and white/silver ribbon

Additional challenges...

• Sir Stampalot - A Winter's Tale
• Cupcake Craft Challenge - Something New (my glitter is new - usually only use a snowy sparkly one so very different for me to use coloured glitter)
• Cute Card Thursday - Monochromatic

My navy blue card uses the same stencil and I'm pleased to say that this time I applied the glitter super fast, stuck to one colour and pressed gently just a little to help it to adhere.  Seemed to work as when dry very little glitter was loose.

Of the two this is my favourite as it's more subtle and well I just like it.  The tiny snowflakes were cut using the tiny snowflake die from the same Spellbinder set as the frame.

This card was made using this week's sketch at Rainbow Lady's Challenge blog and also follows her theme of winter.  I've waivered from the sketch a little, but I'm sure Cynthia won't mind.

If you have chance do pop over to Bah! Humbug! to take a look at the fabulous designs by our Guest Designer Carol.  She is really talented and has contributed more than one sample yet again. 

Love and hugs

Ann xxx

Recycling...

So heartbreaking to take the Christmas cards down and just throw them away or donate them to recycling schemes.  This year, like many other crafters, I'm hanging on to mine and I'm going recycle as many as I can into new cards or parts of cards.  I'm not talking about the gorgeous handmade cards I received as those are way too precious to throw away, but the shop bought ones that are lovely but not keepsake cards.

This card uses a beautiful photo of a robin that was the front of a card sent to my mum.  It already had glitter on it and really only need trimming and then matting and layering on to matching papers to make an 8" x 8" square card.  I used my Fisker's Shapeboss to emboss the holly border and then sanded it to make it pop.  A ribbon, holly die cut and tags with a Merry Christmas sentiment on finish the card.

In addition to my card being featured on Top Tip Tuesday on Bah! Humbug! it is also intended for the following challenges...

• Papertake Weekly - A Cold and Frosty Morning
• Crafty Emma - All Creatures Great and Small
• Crafty Hazel Nut's Christmas Challenge - Recycling
• Top Tip Tuesday - Anything Goes

Have a great day everyone.  I'm off to play with my Cricut machine and try out an idea that I've been toying with this week.  Hope it works.  Fingers crossed.

Love and hugs

Ann xxx