Happy 70th Birthday

Back to birthday cards again with this post and this card was made for an Auntie who celebrated her seventieth birthday back in October.  Before this celebration Auntie Ann had a tough twelve months having been diagnosed with breast cancer just before her golden wedding anniversary last October which overshadowed their celebrations.  Following surgery and a three week course of radiotherapy she has since been given the all clear.  Not only was she coping with this but she also had a back problem which made walking and standing difficult but following her cancer treatment she had successful back surgery and is still slowly recovering.

This is another stamping squares card and makes use of the Stampin' up sets Stippled Blossoms and Baby Blossoms and a script stamp from the Charming set.  Using the second generation stamping technique for some of the images all were stamped on to white cardstock using purple Encore Metallic ink.  The two floral stamp sets use the 2 step stamping technique and Stampin' up's stampamajig was used as a positioning guide to do this and also to stamp the script stamp over two of the corner squares.  The corner squares were also embossed using a Cuttlebug rose embossing folder.

The nine stamped squares were die cut using a Spellbinders square die.  Backing layers were cut from lilac pearlescent card using a Spellbinders scalloped square die and, after being layered up, lilac thread was wrapped around their corners.  These nine squares made up the top tier of the card

The middle tier was the backing panel for the squares which was lilac card and patterned papers layered up with a grid of nine five centimetre squares stitched on top of the patterned paper.  The stamped images were attached to the centres of these squares using foam pads.  Foam pads were also added to the back of the completed middle tier before it was attached to the bottom tier of the card.

 

The bottom tier was also made up from layers of lilac cardstock and patterned papers.  The patterned papers on this card were from the Nitwit Collection Promises and also from the Pink Petticoat Colour Collection Little Swirls in the lilac colourway.

Ribbon was wrapped around the corners of the bottom layer and a bow added to the top layer.  Other embellishments added were self adhesive pearls and peel off butterflies made in to 3D embellishments by being attached to acetate.

 An insert created on the computer was added to the inside and double layered using lilac pearlescent paper.  This layout became a favourite of mine at the end of last year and I'll share the others I've made in another post.

Thanks for reading today and welcome to the two new followers of this blog.

Liz xxx

I'd like to enter this card in the following challenges
Timeless Tuesday Challenge 256 - Radiant Orchid (or shades of purple)
Going Grey with Scrap Creations Challenge - Favourite Embelishment - ribbon or a bow
Bunny Zoe's January Challenge - Stitching and Wings
Incy Wincy Designs Challenge - Ribbons and Pearls
Sweet Stampin' Challenge -  In Stitches
Crafty Catz Challenge - Monochrome
Country View Crafts January Challenge - Monochrome

The Holly and the Ivy

This is the last of the Christmas cards for 2013 and this one was inspired by a card I saw on Pinterest.  Whilst in Glasgow at the Hobbycraft Fair we also went to Craftworld and it was there I found the Dreamweaver holly stencil used to make this card.  I've bought from their online store before, as their Spellbinders prices are usually very competitive, but this was the first time I'd visited their shop.  Apart from at a craft fair I don't think I've seen so many dies and stencils in one place.

Patterned papers from the Cuddly Buddly collection Quilted Holly and Quickutz holly die cuts were also used to follow the holly theme.  The patterned papers and embossing were layered on to pieces dark purple and green card which had their edges distressed and stitching was added to create an extra frame.

Britannia dies were used to cut the sentiment and this was glittered using a Quickie Glue pen and Stampin' up's Dazzling Diamonds glitter. Gems, a bow, lilac elastic and corners cut using a Quickutz die were the added embellishments and the scalloped edges of the card were sponged with purple Encore Metallic ink.

Below is the card which sparked the inspiration for this Christmas card.  I'm beginning to wonder now if a die cut or paste and a stencil have been used to create the topper rather than embossing.

 

Thanks for reading today

Liz xxx

Penny Black Poinsettia

Keeping to the traditional red and green theme for this next Christmas card.  The poinsettia image on this one is Penny Black stamp Poinsettia and Pine and is one of their brushed strokes designs.  The image was coloured with Real Red, Old Olive and Daffodil Delight marker pens from Stampin' up and then stamped on to white card. After a bit of huffing this was a really easy image to create.

 

Red, green and gold linen textured card were used to create the backing layers for the layout and the patterned paper was from the Nitwit Collection Simple Joys.  The Merry Christmas paper and the sentiment were created on the computer.

Spellbinders scalloped square and plain circle dies were used to cut the gold layer and the frame for the stamped image and Stampin' up's plain and scalloped oval punches were used to cut and layer the sentiment.  A bow and a few crystal dot stickers were the added embellishments.

I really liked how effective the stamped image was on this card and whilst at the Hobbycraft Fair in Glasgow last October I managed to pick up a matching border stamp in a reduced basket so this stamp may come out again next year.

I should add that the inspiration came from the card below from a post on the Stamp In Style & Cut it Cute blog.

Thanks for reading today

Liz xxx

Noel

Change of theme and colour scheme for today's card.  I'd had the Noel stamp by Woodware in my stash with the intention of glittering inside the letters after stamping but was inspired to use it to paper piece after watching Erika demonstrating this technique at the Papeterie with Woodware's Snow stamp.  I think I've only made one card with paper piecing on it but really like the effect Erika created and decided this would be quicker and less messy than using glitter on the letters.

The patterned papers used for this card were from an old Papermania 12"x 12" pad and the Merry Christmas paper was created on the computer.  The Noel stamp was inked with VersaMark ink and stamped on to a piece of white card and two of the patterned papers and then embossed using Stampendous Disco Black embossing powder.  I love this embossing powder as it really comes to life in lamp light when the different colours sparkle through.  The letters were then cut out taking alternate ones from the patterned papers.  The outline is thick enough after embossing that you can trim away a little when cutting out so that the patterned paper letter sits slightly inside the letter on the main topper.  

After sticking on all the letters the whole topper was embossed using Cuttlebug's Snowflake embossing folder which is really a random dots one.  This bonded the letters to the topper and gave it a printed look rather than a layered one.  To add a bit of Christmas sparkle the white dots on the letters were glittered using a Quickie Glue pen and Stampin' up's Dazzling Diamonds glitter.

Red and green card were used as backing layers and red and green stitching were added as an extra frame.  Ribbon, gems and brads were added as embellishments and the layered holly leaves were die cut using a Quickutz die.

Since making this card I've added a few more of the large word stamps by Woodware to my stash including the Snow one Erika used.  Here is a picture of how she used it at the demonstration and which has sparked off my collection.  The sentiment used is also part of the stamp set.

 

Thanks for reading today

Liz xxx

I'd like to enter this car in the following challenges
Rebel Challenge 31 - Paper Piecing

Another Snowman

Back with another snowman design today and this card was based around an embossing folder by Crafts Too.  After embossing a piece of pale blue card, blue Encore Metallic ink was sponged over the top to pick up the embossing and to add a shaded effect.  A VersaMark ink pad was used to ink over the embossed area and this was then heat embossed using Stampendous Kaleidoscope embossing powder.  This embossing powder magically changes colour the longer it is heated although if it's overheated it burns or goes dull.

 

The stamped image for this one is from Inkadinkado and was stamped using the blue metallic ink.  Parts of the image were then highlighted using a Quickie Glue pen and Stampin' up's Dazzling Diamonds glitter.  When I go on holiday or to a craft event I like to bring back a stamp to remind me of the visit and this is one I bought in Dundee after watching a demonstrator at a craft fair.  In my early crafting days I was a Joanna Sheen follower or "Sheenie" so when she came to a craft fair in Dundee I took the opportunity of going to meet her and Sharon Duncan.  Unfortunately the organisers made a blunder with their advertising banner outside the venue as it had "as seen on QVC" on it.  Ooops... 

  

 

Layers of pale blue and blue card were used to cut matting layers for this card and Spellbinder Labels Four dies were used to cut a frame for the stamped image.  The patterned paper is from the Nitwit Collection Great White North Too backing papers.  Two of the corners of the backing paper were stamped with a snowflake stamp and blue metallic ink and then it was embossed with the kaleidoscope powder.  This snowflake stamp was made by Create-it and was part of a QVC kit I bought when I first started to craft.  I loved that kit and all the bits and pieces that came inside the box.

Stamped snowflakes made using Paula Pascual's snowflake stamp and die set and Brilliance Pearlescent Sky Blue ink were added as embellishments and the final touches were adding a bow, some clear self adhesive gems and sponging around the edges of the card with the Sky Blue ink.

Thanks for reading today

Liz xxx

I'd like to enter this card in the following challenges

Crafty Catz Challenge - Monochrome

Stamping Dragon Challenge - Winter Blues

Country View Crafts January Challenge - Monochrome

Scrap Creations Challenge - Snowmen

Shopping Our Stash Weekly Challenge 135 - Winter Blues

52 (Christmas) Card Throwdown Challenge - Double Embossing

Snowman Wreath

Stampin' up's large medallion stamp was used to make the wreath frame for the snowman in these two sets of cards.  Spellbinders plain circle dies were used to die cut the medallion, backing layer and also to cut out the frame in the centre.  The snowman image was made using a stamp from Serendipity. 

For this colourway the medallion stamp was inked with VersaMark ink, stamped on to pale aqua card and then embossed using Stampendous Aqua Tinsel embossing powder.  The snowman was stamped on to the same shade of card card using Stampin' up's Island Indigo ink.  This ink was also used to sponge around the edge of the Medallion layer and the scalloped edges of the card.  The stamped snowman layer was attached behind the wreath using foam pads.

Dark aqua card, aqua mirri card and patterned papers were used as backing layers for the wreath.  The Merry Christmas paper was created on the computer and the spotted paper was printed from the Serephina and Friends blue tones section of the backing papers and inserts CD.  Once these layers had been attached together a border was stitched around the edge of the patterned papers and a die cut circle of the dark aqua card was centred on top.  Aqua ribbon was wrapped around these layers before attaching the wreath and snowman image using foam pads.

Silver brads, clear crystal stickers and a bow were the added embellishments.

 

For the blue version Stampendous Blue Tinsel embossing powder and Encore Blue Metallic ink were used.  The Merry Christmas backing paper was created on the computer and the spotted paper was printed from the Pirate Bear download from Cuddly Buddly.

This stamped image looks quite like my able assistants smiling in the background.

Thanks for reading today

Liz xx

I'd like to enter this card in the following challenges

Crafty Catz Challenge 215 - Monochrome

Stamping Dragon Challenge - Winter Blues

Country View Crafts January Challenge - Monochromatic

Creatalicious Challenge 59 - Turquoise Winter

Going Grey with Scrap-Creations - Snowmen

Shopping Our Stash Weekly Challenge 135 - Winter Blues

Snowflakes

These sets of Christmas cards are based around the Crafter's Companion 6"x 6" snowflake embossing folder with a few added embellishments.

For this card the embossed white pearlescent panel was cut to a 13cm x 13cm square and layered on to shades of purple card and a purple ribbon was wrapped around the three layers.

The snowflake embellishment was made using purple Encore Metallic ink and Paula Pascual's stamps and framelits set from Sizzix which I couldn't resist after seeing cards made using them by Kath Stewart .  This was supposed to be my quick Christmas cards but it still took time to stamp out 60 snowflakes and die cut 120 to make up the embellishments.  It's a great way to use up odd pieces of white card though. 

Britannia sentiment dies were used to cut the the Merry Christmas greeting.  After being cut the card message was glittered using a Quickie Glue pen and Stampin' up's Dazzling Diamonds glitter.  I found it was easier to do this by keeping the words in the piece of card they'd been cut from and it also meant they kept their shape and didn't stretch.  The embossed dots gave me a grid so I knew where to glue the sentiment on to each of the cards.

The final touches were adding clear gems to the embossed and stamped snowflakes and also adding a bow.

This version used purple and lilac as it's colour theme.

 

The final version has a turquoise theme and Brilliance pearlescent sky blue ink was used to stamp out the snowflakes and sponge around the edges of the card.  The embossed card had a very faint tinge of blue in it.

Thanks for reading today and I hope you liked my able assistants in the background.

Liz xxx

Back Again with 300th Posting

Well, this 300th post has been a long time coming but hopefully I'll get back to posting on here more regularly again.  I've still been making cards and photographing them since the last entry but haven't taken time to write about and share them on here.  There are a few to catch up on. 

To start the ball rolling, and before we get further in to 2014, here are the Christmas cards I made back in December.  All ninety-four of them.

 

In the next postings I'll show a close up photo of each design and write about what was used to put it together.

Thanks for reading today
Liz xx