Guest spot on CCAYR

Hi All
Today I am lucky enough to be the August Guest Designer over at Christmas Cards All Year Round.
The challenge this month is Christmas Kids - make a card suitable to give a child for Christmas.

Now I did get a little bit carried away here and actually made 5 cards.
This first one uses a Lili of the Valley Die cut. The greeting is a Woodware stamp.
The background papers are from my stash and I stamped and embossed some snowflakes using silver embossing powder.

Card number 2 also uses a Lili of the Valley die cut, they really are so useful.
The holly square has been made using a Martha Stewart Punch around the Page.

This little cutie was an image that I found in my Christmas bits box.
I coloured the mitten and then added a couple of layers of embossing powder using a Versamark pen, a very useful tool to have in your workbox.
The holly background paper has been made using a stamp from an Imagination stamp set coloured with Pearlex and then I added a few punched snowflakes.

Another Lili of the Valley die cut, I hope that you don't think they are too similar!!
I cut this one out using one of my Nestabilities and and mounted it onto background paper from my stash which I first stamped and gold embossed using a Magnolia Holly Swirl.

This last card uses a lovely Magnolia image that I coloured ages ago.
This one is quite out of character for me with the spotty panel and snowflakes spilling over the edges of the card.
I hope that you will feel suitable inspired to join in with this great challenge.
I had so much fun adding to my pile of Christmas cards.
With my daughter being a Childminder there are always loads of small people who need a cute card at Christmas, so this has definitely got me off to a good start.
Why not stop by and see what the Design Team have come up with.
Happy Stamping.
hugs Kimx  

Anything but a Square or Rectangle

Evening Everyone
Another Monday, and the start of another new challenge over on the Woodware blog
This week they are looking for ANYTHING BUT A SQUARE OR RECTANGLE.

Now I must admit that a square card tends to be my favourite shape, but I'm always up for a challenge, and another favourite is the Grand Nestie scalloped circle folded in half.

I decided to make a card that I could also enter into the challenge at Christmas Cards All Year Round where the July theme is Christmas flowers / Holly.

The circular greeting on the card is a stamp designed by Jane Gill for the new Woodware catalogue. I was lucky enough to get to borrow it. It's not always what you know but who you know lol.
I made the flowers from a Nestabilities Poinsettia die set, and added some punches leaves. The border across the card is a Crafty Edger punch available from Woodware stockists.
I also added some tiny dots with my white souffle pen, and some stamped and embossed Holly using a Magnolia stamp.
I hope that you will join in with the challenges. I'm looking forward to seeing what the Design Team come up with for the rest of the week at Woodware.
hugs Kimx

Frosty the Snowman

Evening Everyone
Just a very quick post tonight before I miss the challenges that this card was made for lol.

Firstly I would like to enter it into the challenge at Winter Wonderland where they are looking for a snowman as the main feature.

At Christmas Cards All Year Round  the challenge is A Favourite Christmas Carol or Song so I think Frosty the Snowman is quite appropriate.
Weekly Christmas Card Challenges suggest that you use an Old / Neglected stamp, so this definitely qualifies.

I'm sure that I had some others in mind, but I can't find where I wrote down my list of suggestions so this will have to do.
The stamped panel was made by sponging dye based ink over a stamped and embossed image and then painting the snowman with bleach. Finally I covered the entire thing with Crystal Embossing powder to give it a bit of bling.
The background paper is from my stash and has been run through an embossing folder before being given a distressed finish with an emery board.
Another Christmas card to cross off my list.
hugs Kimx

Do die cut buttons count?

Evening Everyone
I've been trying very hard to get on top of my commenting today so not much has been achieved on the crafting front.
Just as well I have been quite productive with my Christmas card making over the last couple of days or it might have been a picture less post lol.

This week several of the challenges, including Woodware are looking for 'Buttons and Bows' on your cards.

This card uses a favourite Magenta stamp of mine which I have stamped and embossed and then coloured using a watercolour technique and dye based inks.

The background papers are from my stash, and I added a die cut star and button.
I would like to enter this into the challenge at 52(Christmas) Card Throwdown where their embellishment challenge is also looking for buttons and bow, I hope that one will count.
Over at Weekly Christmas Card Challenges they are looking for you to have used punches, and Christmas Cards All Year Round have put out a call for Design Team members.
I am not sure that I am up to taking on another DT position but I think I am up to the challenge of being a Guest Designer.
Back to commenting now I guess, or I might even give it a miss and try and get a reasonably early night.
Tomorrow, as they say, is another day.
Night night
hugs
Kimx

Winter Blues

Evening All
Well that warm snap didn't last long did it! Although I must admit that I can live with any amount of rain just so long as it doesn't snow again lol.

Still no sign of anything vaguely crafty again today. I am sooo tired at the moment that I have come home and had a Granny nap, how sad is that.

This is a card that I managed to finish at the weekend. Once again it uses bits from my Christmas box, and these were definitely stamped quite some years ago. 

The background has been made using the resist technique (glossy card stock, versamark ink and dye based inks) and the image on black has been stamped and embossed and then painted with Pearlex. I also used a Versamark pen to cover the image with embossing powder.
I added a tiny blue gem to the centre of the star.
I would like to enter it into the challenge over at Christmas Cards All Year Round where they are looking for a Christmas Card with a Heart on it somewhere.
Tuesday Throwdown wants Winter Blues on your card.
hugs Kimx

21 and Counting!

Evening Everyone
Well I don't know how appropriate it will seem to be making Christmas cards in the beautiful Summer sunshine, but for the moment I'm going to make the most of being inspired by the bitterly cold weather and the Christmas blogs.

Both cards have been made using images from my Christmas bits box. In fact this one is so old I'm not even sure of the stamp company. I think it could be Stampendous, but I am perfectly prepared to be wrong.

The image has been stamped and embossed using cats eye pigment ink pads and crystal embossing powder, so it is very sparkly which doesn't show in the photograph.
I have gold embossed the green background card using a beautiful Christmas Swirl stamp by Inkadinkadoo.
The lace panel has been created from a DooHickey. I have added plenty of bling as I would like to enter it into the challenge over at 52(Christmas) Card Throwdown where they want to see Rhinestones.

The second card tonight uses a lovely Magenta stamp which I have stamped and embossed onto a piece of  brayered background. I have punched the edge of the brayered panel using a Martha Stewart punch and then layered it onto silver card.

I added some spotty ribbon, a greeting and some punched poinsettias and leaves. Of course this image lends itself beautifully to more bling so I would like to enter it into the same challenge at 52(Christmas) Card Throwdown.

I think the black poinsettias give the card quite a dramatic look, and not what I would consider to be a typically traditional colour combo. so I would like to enter it in to the challenge at Christmas Cards All Year Round where they have been asking for Non Traditional Colours all this month.
I have decided to add a tally to my side bar so that I can see how well I am doing with my Christmas cards each month. So to start off the New Year I made 21 in January.
Thank You to all the Christmas challenge blogs that I have found, you have certainly kept me on track
Lets see how well I get on next month.
Thanks for stopping by and for all the lovely comments I have received. I will try and get round to everyone but at the moment I'm rather busy making more Christmas cards lol.
Hugs Kimx

What's your favourite technique?

Hi All
Have you had a good weekend. I hope you have had a chance to watch Jenny from Hobby Art on the box this afternoon.
If not don't forget she will be back at 7pm with more ideas and card samples.
This afternoon she spoke about the play date that we had a couple of weeks ago and the Faux Mother of Pearl technique that I taught them all.
I didn't come up with the idea, I found it over at Splitcoast Stampers, but at the moment it has to be one of my favourite techniques.
The background for the card I am sharing with you tonight was made using this technique, a step by step tutorial for which can be found HERE.

Once I had made the background, I stamped and embossed the images on to it before adding colour using Distress inks.

The panel has been mounted onto background paper and then ribbon and glossy accents have been added.

I am entering this into a couple of challenges

Christmas Cards All Year Round - Non Traditional Christmas Colours.

Weekly Christmas Card Challenges - Favourite Technique 

I am finally getting down to the DT work, but I thought I would have a little bit of a break and do a bit of Blogging.

By the way Gill, I got an Honourable Mention over at 52(Christmas) Card Throwdown with this card that I showed you in class. But as they say, You have to be in it to Win it!!

Happy Crafting.

Hugs Kimx

Christmas Flowers in Pink and Green

Hi All

After my win last week over at 52CCT I decided that I had better give it another try this week. At the very least it has enabled me to get another couple of Christmas cards made.

They are looking for Christmas Flowers. and I have used an old one from Penny Black 3241K
Solitaire and a lovely Penny Black sentiment 3226F True Wish.
The main panel has been created using an assortment of Cats Eye pigment inks and clear embossing powder in a technique known as Embossed Resist.
This has been layered over panels of background papers from my stash, some of which have been stamped with the lovely Hero Arts F5042 Leaf Flourish.

I also made a second card with the same lovely Christmas flower but a different sentiment  3268L My Wish.
Again I have layered the panel over background papers from my stash and some ribbons.

I actually think that this stamp would work every bit as well for a birthday card, I don't know about you.
I am entering them into the challenges at

52(Christmas) Card Throwdown - Christmas Flowers
Christmas Cards All Year Round - Non Traditional Christmas Colours - Pink
Colour Create Challenge - Pink and Green
Weekly Christmas Card Challenges - Colouring (I coloured the solid stamp before stamping does that count?)

Better get on now, I have a Valentines card to finish for one of the boys at work so that it can be sent to Pakistan. A class at Davina's on Saturday afternoon.  And then I have DT work to do for Barbara, so I see lots more playtime in my future, it's a hard life but someone's got to do it lol.
Oh and don't forget to tune in to QVC at 6pm tonight to watch Sue from Imagination and her wonderful Spring Decoupage stamps.
Happy Crafting
Hugs Kimx

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 60 - Beads

Afternoon Everyone,

Today sees the start of a new challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers. 

This time it has been hosted By Jack. 

For this challenge she would like to see beads used. You can make a project using just beads or use them as embellishments on something you make. The important thing is that beads are there for all to see.

We are kindly sponsored for this challenge by The Stampman (and Lady of course!) who are offering the winner a £10 voucher for their store, you can spend this on line, in the shop or if you're lucky enough to see them at a show! They have a ton of items in store, enough to tickle any crafty taste bud.
We also have a new sponsor who is offering a $10 Gift Voucher.

Di's Digi Downloads

$10 Gift Voucher

I'm not a great one for beads, although of course like most people I have loads of them, so this was a bit of a challenge for me. Then I remembered a card I once made for a magazine that had beads wrapped around a punched star and decided that I would make another card along the same lines.

I'm afraid that it is another Christmas card, but I'm on a bit of a roll at the moment so I hope that you will forgive me.
The main panel has been created by punching a large star from a piece of previously stamped and embossed card or paper.
Gold embossing on gold paper looks very classy I always think, and any Christmas background stamp will do.
Thread assorted beads onto some fine gold wire and twist it round a knitting needle or something similar. This will help to keep the beads in place once the wire has been attached to the card.

Wrap the beaded wire around the punched star and attach it to the finished card which has been made from various pieces of card matted and layered as illustrated.

The black card stock has been embossed using a cuttlebug folder.

I would like to enter this into a couple of challenges.

ABC Christmas Challenge - A for Anything Goes

Christmas Cards All Year Round - Non Traditional Christmas Colours

Truly Madly Crafty Challenges  - Anything Goes

I hope that it helps to inspire you. Don't forget to stop in on the other DT members and see the stunning creations that they have come up with.

I had better go and iron my uniform now, it's back to reality tomorrow lol.

Have a good evening.

hugs 

Kimx

A Christmas Flourish

Evening,
It has been so cold at work today, seasonal weather I know, but we never seem ready for it what ever the weather is like!!
We didn't have any snow just a very heavy frost, and cold enough to make me think of Christmas more than Spring so it must be time to share another Christmas card with you.

This card has been made using another stamped image from my Christmas bits box. I think it is by Stampendous, but I'm sure that Dorothy will let me know if I am wrong :)
I have stamped and embossed it and then watercolored it using dye based inks.

I have layered the panel over Bazzill Dotted Swiss card stock that has first been stamped and embossed with a lovely swirl.
I think the watercolouring is cool enough to enter into the challenge over at Woodware where they are looking for Winter Wonderland, cool, cool colours, even if the purple does warm it up a little.

Of course the swirls just screamed out for a little bling.
I would also like to enter this into the challenge over at Weekly Christmas Card Challenges where they are looking for Flourishes, and Christmas Cards All Year Round where the challenge is Non Traditional Christmas colours with the added bonus of Embossing.
Better get some sleep now. Perhaps I ought to get my sexy thermal underwear out of storage ready for tomorrow first or will that mean that we have above average temperatures lol.
Nite nite.
hugs Kimx

A couple of Christmas challenges

Evening Everyone,
I hope that you have all had a nice restful weekend.
I have been working on some samples for Imagination which I will be able to share with you soon.
I was a little bit naughty and digressed slightly by making a couple of cards for the challenge over at 52 (Christmas) Card Throwdown where Colour Challenge No 1 is Black and White with a Hint of Red.

I did use a lovely Imagination Decoupage stamp for one of them so it wasn't all bad lol. I adore this stamp, it was certainly one of my favourite Christmas stamps from last year.

I have stamped and embossed onto both black and white card stock and mounted the focal panel onto a piece of Red. I used Weathered Wood and Black Soot distress inks to add a little colour to the edges, and a few tiny beads in the centre of the flower.

This card was made with an image that I have had in my box for quite some time.
We had him at the NEC some years ago when I was demoing for Janice and Andy and we sold him by the dozen.

This poor mite appears to have a little bit of a beauty spot on the side of his face which is why I ended up with him. I have given him a nice red nose and added a couple of swirly clips before mounting him on to some black paper. I think the greeting is by Hero Arts.

I made this card for the Sketch challenge last week but never quite managed to get the post done so I thought that I would add it here anyway.

More use of left overs, this time a Magenta image watercoloured with Fruitcake Kaleidacolor ink.
As these cards are all non traditional in colour I would like to enter them into the challenge over at Christmas Cards All Year Round where this month they are looking for Non Traditional Colours with a bonus challenge of some kind of Embossing, (dry, heat etc).
I have a nice short week at work this week since I have taken a couple of days holiday.
I am hoping to pop along to the show at Sandown on Thursday or Friday.
I haven't been to a show as a paying customer in years since I am usually demoing, but I need a few supplies and a catch up with a few friends who will be there.
Perhaps I will see you there, who knows.
Better get to bed now or I won't make it to the end of the week.
My cold has meant that I have had a very husky voice for the last few days. It sounds worse than it is but does make it a little difficult on the tills for 8 hours.
Oh well people will just have to lip read.
Bye for now.
Hugs Kimx

Christmas Cards All Year Round

I don't seem to have managed very much on the craft front over the last couple of days. Still I suppose that makes up for all the activity on the crafty front over the weekend.
I spent yesterday catching up with some blog posts, e-mails and commenting on the new challenge at Crafty Cardmakers, it's amazing how quickly people have entered. I've just checked and I'm way behind again!!
I still have a couple of posts to do if I stand any chance of keeping you all up to date with the things that I've made and also entering the challenges that I have found, and made cards for before they close.

I told you I was determined to keep on top of all my Christmas cards, well over at Christmas Cards All Year Round, the challenge this month is 'Non Traditional Colours' with a bonus challenge of some embossing if possible. Not a problem, well the embossing at least lol.
In fact even the colour choice wasn't hard to follow. I have never been a strict follower of Traditional Christmas colours. Because I like to make my own backgrounds and love playing with inks I always seem to end up with masses of bits, especially after a demo or class. Not always your traditional Christmas colours but what the heck. What it's all about is fun, and who said Christmas has to be red and green anyway.

Being on my using up leftovers kick I made this card out of my Christmas Bits Box. It's amazing what you find. The only trouble is when you come to post sometimes you can't for the life of you remember how you made the particular background bit that you have used, or what Company the stamp comes from. Never mind you get the idea, and you can always adapt it to fit with what you have in your bits box lol.

On this particular occasion I do know that the tree stamp is by Magenta Sketch Christmas Tree and the greeting is from a Hobby Art clear stamp set Christmas Sentiments.
The paper that the Christmas tree has been stamped and embossed on to is made from Adirondack Colorwash inks and I remember using some bleach on it which is what caused the image to go yellow in places.
I added some Card Candy and swirls. The brown card is from my stash, and the black card from my Christmas bits box.
Definitely not traditional colours but I really like it. Why not have a go yourself.
Nite nite
Kimx