Happy New Year

     Happy New Year to you all !   This is a little early, but as there are two posts tomorrow I didn't want it to get lost.
     The stamp is by Sheena Douglass, it's on the same set as the roof tops on Christmas eve. This one has been stamped on black Foundations card using an Adirondack Snowcap Ink pad.
     

      The fireworks are a splash stamp from Clarity stamped with Perfect Medium and dusted with Cosmic Shimmer mica powders, these powders look different colours at different angles but all look fantastic on black card. A light spray of inexpensive hairspray when the mica is finished will help keep it in place.
     There is a small white border around the black card and then it has been mounted on a blue pearl card. It was a quick, clean and simple card to make, perfect for a New Year greeting for those last minute card arrivals that you weren't expecting.

I would like to enter my New Year wishes in the following challenges:

Inkspirational - Photo Inspiration #72

Just Inspirational - New Year

Christmas Card Challenges - Anything Goes
Loves Rubberstamps - Something Old, Something New (Roof scene-new,splash-old)

Merry Christmas

     Merry Christmas wherever you are!  With so many family and friends many miles away Across The Miles seems appropriate. I hope you all have a good Christmas, however you wish to spend it.

   This stamp is by Sheena Douglass from a set called City Christmas, I'll show the other half for New Year. Stamped in Distress ink Chipped Sapphire on white card stock, the edges have been blurred a little with a water brush and the sky coloured with a grey alcohol marker.
    The main image is layered on white card coloured with DI Chipped Sapphire around the edge, then layered on white before being mounted on a white card base coloured blue with DI Chipped Sapphire. You only need to colour the edges that will be seen and it's a great way of getting a perfect colour match with your stamping.
    To finish off I have used Cosmic Shimmer PVA and clear glitter to make the snow sparkle and a sentiment printed on the computer, cut out and stuck on to an airmail style page tab. The sentiment is not raised so it will post easily without incurring extra cost. You would think with all the stamps I have I would have a 'New Year' and 'Across The Miles' somewhere....but no! not a one, so guess what I'm looking for after Christmas!
 

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Eureka Stamps - Add Some Glitter

Sparkle N Sprinkle - Anything Goes with Loose Glitter

Craft a Scene - Winter Theme

Holly Jolly Christmas - Anything Christmas

Jingle Belles - Anything Christmas

Sparkles Christmas Challenge - It's A Blue Blue Christmas

A Little Penguin Sparkle

     Welcome to a rather late Monday post. The Creative Expressions team are taking a break for a week or two so I have brought you something different.
     This little penguin is a stamp set from 'around-2-it' and has been on the market for several years but it's one that has to come out every Christmas because he's so cute.
     The penguin has been stamped on to acetate using black Stazon ink. There are two main stamps in the set, one front view and one back, as well as several different greetings that fit on the envelope he is holding behind his back.
     Each area of the image has been worked from behind using Art Institute Glue and various colours of glitter, the glue dries clear slowly revealing the glitter. Each penguin has been hand cut before putting the two images together. There is a small piece of white card backing his tummy so that it stays white and does not show anything from his back, a small loop of bakers twine from his hat means he can hang on the tree.
     He can be hung on the front of a Christmas card to be given as a small gift, taken off and hung on the tree.
     There are several projects on the desk but most of them are secret squirrel until the new year. I can say that for Creative Expressions we have something of a 'pet' project to bring you and there is a new Christmas challenge starting on the 2nd of January called CASEing Christmas.
     I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and thank you for calling in and taking a look at my work. Here's hoping Father Christmas brings you lots of craft goodies as I'm sure you have all been very good little crafters!

I would like to enter my penguin in the following challenges:

Sentimental Sundays - Anything But A Card
Crafting Musketeers - Use Bling
CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge - Whatever is Still Needed For Christmas

Life Is Short.....Eat Desert First

     Ooops! I meant dessert.  If I change the title now some of the links won't work, so I'll have to leave my spelling mistake as it is, sorry. 

     Welcome to the Monday project for Creative Expressions. This time it's a cup cake box, you could also make a matching card if you wish.
      I have used two single stamps for this project, one is a background stamp called Sketched Utensils and the other is called Life Is Short.
     I don't often work with pink but I thought I would use it this time and put it with brown, it made me think of chocolate cake with pink icing.
     The brown card is Foundations Chestnut, it's a good quality smooth card that is a dream to work with, firm but folds well.
   

      I made a mock up in plain thin white card to begin with, just to make sure I had got it right, no point in wasting the good stuff. It also makes it easier to see the measurements.
     On the longest side measure and mark at 2.5, 5.5, 8.0 and 11.0 inches, both top and bottom and score. On the shortest side mark and score at 3.0 and 6.5 inches.
     On the long sides cut along fold lines from outer edge to the first score line. Trim small 0.5 inch area to form a tab as per the photo.

   Using the small plain oval from the Vienna die set by Sue Wilson cut the two handle holes. Round off all the corners on the top flaps and handles.
   Use the small oval again but this time inside the ornate die that is the next size up, I have used masking tape to hold them in place when cutting. Cut the hole in the front panel and back it with acetate. This is much easier if you have a machine that will cut A4, if not then you can still do it but you need to be careful not to cut through both layers of the box when it is folded. (Voice of experience on that one!)

     Cut four pink panel 1/4 inch smaller than the panel to be covered and round off the corners.
     Stamp the two narrower panels with the background stamp, Sketched Utensils, in Archival Coffee.
     On one of the wider panels stamp with Archival Coffee using Life Is Short and clear emboss it.
     On the remaining panel use the larger plain oval die from the same set to cut a window in the centre that will line up with the ornate window on the box.

     When all ink is dry use Distress Ink Spun Sugar to colour around the edges of the pink panels.

     Stick the panels on to the box before assembly, it is so much easier.
     Glue the tab on the side first, making sure the box is sitting square and not twisted. Fold in the two smaller base flaps, followed by the larger ones and glue.

     Once all panels are in place use Cosmic Shimmer PVA Dusty Pink to place small rivet like dots in the corners. Leave to dry, around half an hour in a warm room.
     Using some more of the pink card you can cut extra embellishments and a tag to hang from the handle.
     The tag is also distressed but with Brushed Corduroy and as yet has no greeting on it, this will come later when I know who will be receiving it. The tag is tied on with a small length of Pastel Pink Bakers Twine.

     Materials used
Life Is Short single stamp
Sketched Utensils single stamp
Archival Ink Coffee
Cosmic Shimmer Embossing Powder Clear
CS Pearl PVA Dusty Pink
CS PVA Dries Clear
Sue Wilson Die Set Austrian Collection - Vienna
Foundations Card Chestnut Brown
Pastel Bakers Twine
Distress Inks Spun Sugar / Brushed Corduroy

Pink Card
Acetate.

I would like to enter this box in the following challenges:

That's Crafty - Anything Goes
The Stamping Boutique - Anything But A Card
Baffies Creative Shop - Gift Packaging
Nutcrafters - Something To Do With Gifts

Magazine trees

     Hello and welcome to the mid month inspiration for CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra. We are a monthly challenge where you can enter anything you have created as long as it has a Christmas theme.
     These trees are quick and easy to make, all you need is a magazine with around 80 pages or more, with no spine, just folded and stapled.
     Begin by folding the pages to bring the top edge to the centre and crease, then fold the creased edge to the centre. Tuck in the small point of page that is sticky out at the bottom flush with the bottom of the page and move on to the next page. Continue all through the magazine until you have a folded cone shape.
     Once the cone is finished dab PVA glue along the outer ridges and roll in glitter. It shows more in the reflection on the table in this photo than on the trees and it looks great in the evening in artificial light.
     The little star on the top is made with glitter paper and origami folding. Both the tree and the star can be found as tutorials on you tube. This is something you could make with children, it's inexpensive, simple but effective and when Christmas is over it can be recycled.
     Come and join us at CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra with any of your last minute seasonal makes, we'd love to see them.

I would like to enter these trees in the following challenges:

Splendiferous Creations - Christmas Ornaments

Crazy Catz - Last Minute Christmas

CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge - Urgently needed Christmas Creations

Sugar Creek Hollow - Not A Card

Volvo Snow Globe Trotter

     Welcome to the last challenge at The Male Room for this year, we will be taking a break for Christmas, join us again on the 7th January for a new challenge.
    This fortnight we are celebrating Christmas for our men folk, anything Christmas as long as it's masculine, card, gift or decoration.
     This is a card made using a photograph of a friends lorry. The snow globe is cut out from a printed download, it fits quite nicely over a frame built from foam tape that holds the glitter and caviar beads topped off with acetate. I always add a small amount of caviar beads to a shaker to keep the glitter on the move.
     The backing is black card stamped with Perfect Medium and dusted with blue mica powder. This is mounted on a goldish blue card.
     The sentiment is a die cut mounted on foam pads. A simple but personal Christmas card that I hope is well received.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Transportation

Sparkle and Sprinkle - Anything Goes with Loose Glitter

Coffee Time

     Welcome to the Monday project for Creative Expressions, another blackboard style stamp this week but with a slight twist. I'm often asked for card ideas for men, I think this one would do very nicely for a man or a woman.

      I have used Cosmic Shimmer Flake and glitter glue to stamp using the Espresso Yourself single stamp. CS flake glue is very easy to use, easier than I thought it would be. Put a little of the glue on your craft mat and use it to 'ink' up a small square of Cut -n-dry Foam, then use the foam to 'ink' up your stamp. Stamp firmly but DO NOT press down hard (you may stick your stamp to the card), remove and clean the stamp immediately, I use Grime Buster wipes, they're very good at removing anything and last for ages as they don't dry out quickly like baby wipes. Don't worry about the glue, it is ready as soon as the blueish bloom has gone and it will stay tacky for hours.
     Place CS Gilding Flakes over the stamped image, I have used Persian Dawn. Gently rub over with your finger making sure all sticky areas are covered, brush off the excess. I use a small piece of coarse foam, like the Ranger Rub It Scrub It pad, to remove any tiny extras and smooth down what is stuck.

      The card I have used is a chocolate brown pearl card from my stash. I would suggest stamping first then die cutting, I find it easier to get the die centred rather than the stamp.  Die cut with Spellbinder Labels One, the second largest die fits quite well with this stamp.
     I also wanted to make a matting layer with the same card and flakes, as well as using it as a base layer for the whole card. To save on card I cut the mat layer from the centre of the base layer, the hole won't show because it to is being covered up.

      Leaving the die on the card I used the CS Flake Glue again to 'ink' around the edge of the card, taking care not to get glue under the die, you don't need to cover the whole card as the centre will not be seen, once done I wiped the die immediately to clean it.
     Spread CS Persian Dawn across the glued area and work in again with your finger, use the rough foam to finish off. I collect all 'waste' in a separate jar, it can be used on smaller projects later.
   

     For the next layer I have used Foundations Card Taupe, it has a real Latte like colour to it. I have stamped across this with the background stamp Cafe Au Lait and Distress Ink Old Paper. I have trimmed my stamp right to the edge taking care not to undercut, I have then marked the edges where the coffee pot it so I can line it up and get a continuous run across the page.
     I have rounded two opposite corners on this layer and left the other two square.

     The extra coffee cup if stamped on Foundations Card Cream in Archival Coffee and clear embossed with CS embossing powder. Once cool it was fussy cut, the spoon is a brad from my stash that fits perfectly over the stamped spoon.
     The extra cup is mounted on foam pads and stuck in the corner, there is also a dark brown button in the opposite corner, it was the closest thing I could find to a coffee bean without having to make a clay one.

     If you make this card for a woman you could add a bow or even a flower but I rather like it as it is, it's also quite thin so it will go through the post without extra cost, it measures 5 3/4 inches square.

Materials used
Espresso Yourself single stamp
Cafe Au Lait single stamp
Gilding Flakes Persian Dawn
Cosmic Shimmer Flake and Glitter Glue
Foundations card - Taupe
CS Embossing powder Clear
Distress Ink Old Paper
CS PVA Glue Dries Clear
Spellbinder Labels One

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:
Top Tip Tuesday - Buttons or Bows (2 tips in italics by second photo)
Inkspirational - Anything Goes With Gold
Sister Act - Anything Goes

House Of Cards Christmas Blog Hop

Hi friends!  Can you believe we've come to the end of our third term at House of Cards?!  We are saying a fond farewell to some of our DT members and feel so grateful to those staying on.  To say goodbye and thank you, we're celebrating with a blog hop!  This hop will run FROM DECEMBER 1ST AT 6:00 AM CST THROUGH DECEMBER 15TH AT NOON CST,  ANY CARD STYLE is welcome and we've got a gorgeous photo inspiration for your crafting enjoyment! 

Here's our photo inspiration~

You should have arrived here from Monika's blog  .  If you haven't, and you'd like to hop with us, please make sure you start there and continue through the whole thing for the most chances to win!  Speaking of winning, we have some amazing sponsors!

Here are all of our fabulous sponsors.

Our team will be using a variety of products

from these amazing companies!

Daydream Designs
Prize: $20 to their digital store

Deedee's Digis
Prize: Gift Card to the online store.

Eclectic Anthology
Prize: $50 gift voucher to the shop.

Great Impressions
Prize: Prize Package with 5 Stamps

Paper Sweeties
Prize: $20 gift voucher to the shop.

Stitchy Bear
Prize: $10 gift voucher to the shop.

Here is my card made using some of the sponsor images.

      I started with a Stitchy Bear image called Lake Winter as a png file and altered the colour to shades of blue before printing on gloss paper. The image is mounted on a small silver mirri card mat. The next layer is a gorgeous paper from Eclectic Anthology range of papers called Coffee Bean, this is matted on a layer of pearl chocolate card and a silver mirri mat.

     The card base was white, it has been coloured with Distress Ink Broken China and water stamped with a pine branch. Water stamping is when you use a stamp spritzed with water on Distress Ink to lift the ink off again, leaving a subtle image.

     The deer is a Sizzix die, the branch is a Marianne Designs die, both are cut from white glitter card and mounted on foam pads. The tiny greeting is a peel off that says Season's Greetings, this helps make the card suitable for those who celebrate a holiday but not Christmas.

     The greeting inside is from Daydream Designs and reads Winter Wonderland. Once printed it was die cut with a scalloped Spellbinder oval, it has been coloured gently with Broken China DI before removing the die, this gives a white border around the shape which I have edged in silver.

Here is a list of sponsor images used on this card
Main Image - Stitchy Bear, Lake Winter
Patterned paper - Eclectic Anthology, Coffee Bean
Internal Greeting - Daydream Designs, Christmas Wonder Word Art

Now get to hoppin'!  Your next stop is Ang's  blog!  Don't forget to link up a project with us after completing the hop for an extra chance to win a mystery prize from one of our fabulous sponsors, too!

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Challenge Up Your Life - Turquoise and Brown

Inkspirational - Christmas, no Red or Green

Christmas Card Challenges - Anything Goes

Christmas Box Scene

     My contribution to the All Crafts Challenge design team is a box scene. I made one of these for a friend instead of a card and she was so pleased with it she is going to use it as a decoration each year, when something like that happens it makes it all worth while, thanks Ang.
     I found the box at a boot sale, it's a corrugated card box that came flat, it just folds into place with a couple of tabs to hold it, I think it was for a cosmetics firm originally.
     The base inside is cotton wool stuck down firmly. There are some tiny snowflake peel offs attached to the back of the box to look like falling snow.
     The decoration of the box has been kept simple to make sure the tree is the focal point.

     The tree is a demijohn cork for the base,with a drift wood trunk pushed into the hole. One of my favourite pastimes is beach combing and I love driftwood, I saw a whole tree on the beach in New Zealand but it wouldn't fit in my bag!!!!!
     The top of the tree is three layers of rosette die from Sizzix. The base layer is Tim Holtz Snowflake, the next two are from Medallions, all cut in thick white paper.
     When assembling the rosettes they need to resemble lamp shades in shape, it can be tricky holding them in place and using a hot glue gun but it is possible, Tim Holtz has this on his blog somewhere so you can see how it's done, all three layers are hot glue stuck on to the trunk.
     There is some clear glitter on the layers to add twinkle, but the main feature is the little angel on the top. She is made from beads and findings from a local bead shop, if you have a bead shop near you go and ask them for the bits, most of them will have them this time of year.
     To finish off the tree the angel is stuck on top and some crochet lace is added to the pot. When sticking the tree inside I have made a small hole in the cotton wool so that it sticks to the box and won't fall over.

I would like to enter my Christmas box scene in the following challenges:

Creative Corner Challenges - Winter Wonderland

4 Crafty Chicks - Die Cuts

613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes

Try It On Tuesday - Christmas Is Coming

Winter Wonderland - Dies and Punches

Cornishware Inspiration

      We have a new range of stamps to play with this month from Creative Expressions. They are sold as singles, on U-Mount, cut out and ready to use.
     This stamp reminded me of my Grandmother's kitchen and Cornishware crockery.
     I began with a square white card blank and used Foundations card Cornflower Blue cut into strips placed across the front.
     The stamp used here is called Real Good, stamped on some more Cornflower card and embossed in Cosmic Shimmer Detail White.
     I have used a Spellbinder die Labels Seventeen to cut out the image. I wanted to have a small white border around the image but the next die bigger was too big, so I have drawn around the outside of the die I did use on white card and cut by hand, this has given me a small border to make it stand out from the stripes.
     The image panel is mounted on foam pads on top of the stripes. It looked a little empty around the image so I have decided to use parts of the background stamp called Sketched Utensils. Armed with a Perfect Medium Pen I have inked only the little images I wish to use and then stamped them on to the stripes, embossing in the detail white again. It would have been much easier to do this before mounting the panel but I didn't think of it then. There are ways around things if you think carefully and take your time, afterall, you wouldn't want to ruin what you've already made. Had it gone wrong I would have had to stamp them on spare card and fussy cut them to go over the mistake.

Materials Used

Real Good single stamp
Sketched Utensils single stamp
Cosmic Shimmer Detail White Embossing Powder
CS PVA Glue dries clear
Perfect Medium Ink Pad and Pen
Anti-static bag
Foundations Card - Cornflower Blue

                                                                                        

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Brown Sugar - Anything Goes

     Crafty Catz - Anything Goes

Christmas Brooches

      I am very pleased to say that I have joined the design team at Altered Eclectics. I have long been an admirer of their creativity, now I can say we are a challenge blog that embraces all things altered, with a monthly theme of Anything Goes as long as it's NOT a card.
     For my first challenge with them I have made some Poinsettia brooches using a very well known drink can, now that it's available in red and green it makes it a perfect choice for these flowers.
     The petals are die cut using a Bigz die from Sizzix and Tim Holtz called Tattered Poinsettia.

    I have cut one large flower in green, one in red, then one medium and one small both in red. Each flower set is scored with a ball tool to make veins on the petals before building the Poinsettia.
    The centre is cut in gold from a beer can (supplied by my friends husband!) and fixed together with a brass paper fastener.
     The die cutting process does round off the edges but I would not recommend these flowers for children, try using felt not metal.

    The brooch back has a felt flower shape, also a Sizzix die, to hold the brooch pin. Attach a small square of felt to double sided sticky sheet and die cut the flower, stitch the pin to the felt through the remaining paper cover, once the pin is secure remove the paper on the sticky side of the flower and press it firmly on to the back of your Poinsettia.  I hope you like them, they're fun to make.
     Please pop over to Altered Eclectics and take at look at the DT inspiration, there are some great gift ideas.

I would like to enter my flowers in the following challenges:

Anything But A Card - Five   Five Poinsettias, Five petals per layer, Five layers of metal.

613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes  optional calendar

4 Crafty Chicks - Die Cuts

Try It On Tuesday - Christmas Is Coming

Moose Present Tags

     This little chap is so cute I couldn't resist him. He's a Bugoboo digi stamp called Moose Present and these tags are for CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra. We are sponsored by Bugaboo but you don't have to use a stamp or make a card for our challenge, all we ask is something for Christmas that you have handcrafted, come and join us there's a lot of inspiration to look through.
     I have printed my Moose on white card, covering an A4 page with several images to get full use out of it. Once printed I cut them out with a tag die, you may find it easier to rough trim them and then die cut one at a time.
     Each Moose has been coloured with the same alcohol markers but I have varied the colour of the present, the bakers twine on each tag matched the present colour. The baubles on his antlers and the bows on the present have been coloured with a glitter pen in gold or silver.
    Once all colouring was finished I used a Perfect Medium pen and ran around the edges with it before embossing with Cosmic Shimmer Bright Gold or CS Silver Shine. Due to the nature of the pens each tag will have to have a backing put on to cover up the seep through but this can be done with a trimmed down version of the same tag shape.
    I hope all your Christmas cards and decorations are nearly finished, if not then pop over to CrafytHazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra and pick up some more ideas.

I would like to enter my tags in the following Challenges:

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge - Christmas Present

Meljens Designs - Tags