Happy Christmas

     A relatively quick and easy card to make using one of John Nextdoor's media plates.  I never bought a jelly plate but often wondered about trying it, so when John brought out his Mixed Media Plates I decided to get one.
     These plates are amazing in that they hold the ink long enough for you to create a whole scene on them and then you just press it on to your card, plus being clear you can see what you've got straight away. I ended up buying several shapes and a stamp press so I shall be spending some time playing around with these.
     This image is one layer of colour stamped, then another layer of darker edge stamped, followed by snowflakes stamped on to the plate then on to the card. All these layers mean a stamp press is vital, especially for me as I know I couldn't line it all up again and again without making a real mess of it.
 

     Here's wishing you all a good holiday and crafty new year.

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

Christmas Cards All Year Round - Anything Christmas Goes   (M)

The Holly & The Ivy - Anything Christmas   (M)

Have A Very Jelly Christmas

     Now that these gifts have been delivered I can share the pictures. Handmade gifts in handcrafted packaging for three very keen cooks.

      It all started with the Redcurrant jelly, after a bumper crop over the last few years the poor old bush decided to die this year, it will be sadly missed.
     Several of my close friends are very keen cooks so I thought it would be a good idea to give them all a jar of Redcurrant Jelly with a recipe tag for a port sauce.
     Then the quince tree decided to provide so much fruit that I made jelly, jam, lots of crumbles and gave some away too. The fruit is very hard, it has to be cooked to be eaten but is well worth the effort.
     The labels have been made using a digital stamp from MHK Designs, inked and die cut with a double sided sticky backing from Stix2.

     So now I had two jars with pretty die cut paper tops over the traditional cellophane one, both with recipe tags on, to wrap.
     A Kraft gift bag was the perfect solution, but a plain brown bag doesn't look very festive does it. A good reason to break out the Christmas dies and set to.
     All the dies used for the bag front are Sizzix but the tag dies are from other suppliers. Each tag has been edged with brown ink, as well as the cut out stags head and the little splash of red finished them off.
     I just hope the recipients get as much pleasure from the contents as I did  when making them.

I would like to enter my handcrafted gifts and packaging in the following challenges:

Creates and Makes - Anything Goes   (M)

Paper Minutes - Gifts   (W)

Merry Monday - Tic, Tac, Toe (Die cut, Twine, a little Green)   (W)

CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes   (M)

The Holly and The Ivy - Anything Christmas Goes   (M)

The Merry Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas    (W)

Penguins In The Glasshouse

     I recently attended a workshop at Keep On Crafting in Bury St.Edmunds hosted by a new tutor, Val, fab class and great lady, I'm looking forward to her next class in March.

   We made these little igloos using glasses from a charity shop, a Sharpie pen and lots of lovely Glamour Dust stuck on with PVA glue.
   The penguins were made with paper clay in a silicone mould. Val very kindly made these in advance so they were completely dry for us to colour with acrylic paints.
    While the penguin paint dried we had time to decorate the glass and turn it into an igloo. I didn't finish mine that day so when I got home I added sparkle to an old CD with three glass pebbles stuck on the bottom for feet and stuck my penguins on it.
    Once dry I stuck the glass to the CD and added the snow penguin outside the igloo. The top has a few die cut sparkly icicles around it but nothing on top yet as I can't decide what to put on it, maybe nothing.
      A table decoration with a difference, I like to have something new each year and it's always so much more fun to make it yourself, thanks Val.

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

Crafting By Design - Anything Christmas Goes   (M)

The Merry Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes   (W)    Top Pick

The Sisterhood Of Crafters - All About Christmas   (F)

Eclectic Ellapu - Christmas   (M)

Rhedd's Creative Spirit - Anything Goes   (M)

Seasons Greetings From The Male Room

     This will be our last challenge of the year at The Male Room, you have almost three weeks to link up your masculine project this time.

     I picked up a box of kraft tags with a reel of twine and a bunch of mini pegs at a bargain price. They came in a neat little box with an acetate lid and a little card sleeve cover. I have ditched the cover in favour of a coloured twine wrap to be added when all the tags are decorated.
     Each tag has either a die cut shape, a stamp or both, in traditional colours and edged with brown ink. They can be used as gift tags or pegged to the twine to form a hanging decoration.
     The Male Room will return on the 3rd of January with a brand new challenge, have a very happy holiday season.

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

Christmas At Sweet Stampin' - Anything Christmas Goes   (M)

A Snowflakes Promise - Anything Christmas Goes   (M)

CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes   (M)

The Holly And The Ivy - Anything Christmas Goes   (F)

House Of Cards - Holiday Blog Hop

      Welcome to our Holiday Blog Hop at House Of Cards. Full details about the hop are a little lower down the page.
     I have used an image from Imagine That and coloured it with alcohol markers, then die cut using a stitched tag shape. The greeting is also die cut with the same set and coloured with Distress ink.
    The background paper is from MHK Designs with the colour altered in my photo package so it matches the image colours.
    After sticking the paper layer on a white card blank the tag were added with a few foam pads underneath to give the depth. A little curling ribbon was put through the hole to finish off the card.

Christmas Past

Snowman with tree hat

       

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

Aud Sentiment - Christmas with a Sentiment   (F)

Christmas Cards All Year Round - Anything Christmas   (M)

Sparkles Christmas - Snowman/men   (M)

You should have arrived here from Michele's Blog. 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!

 
Now get hoppin'!  Your next stop is Rosi'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!  Happy stamping to you all! :)

MHK Designs

Digistamps 4 Joy

Imagine That Digistamp

Beccy's Place

House of Cards Challenge Blog

Mynn | Judy |  Chanya13 | Cohenna 
Donna | Em | Heather | Jane

Karen | Katarina | Merethe

Michele | Rocky | Rosi 

Shawna | Shirley | Sue N. | Susan 

Twinkle, Twinkle

     More recycling for Altered Eclectics new challenge which starts today, this time you will have two months to upload your project as we are taking our January break to return on February 1st.

 
     Just incase you hadn't noticed I love working with magazine straws, it takes a while to make a batch but they can be done a few at a time and stock piled.
     These stars were made after watching a really good video on You Tube that takes you from start to finish.

   
    The addition of a little glitter on the ridges makes all the difference to them, the silver one is so pretty I shall hang it in my window for Christmas, these pictures don't really do them justice.
     Please pop over to the blog and see all the amazing projects the DT have made, it also well worth browsing through the array of stunning work submitted by our followers, you can't fail to be inspired.
     All that remains for me to say is Seasons Greeting to you and Altered Eclectics will see you again in February.

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

Crimbo Crackers - Anything Christmas Goes   (F)

Star Stampz - Add Some Sparkle   (F)

Jingle Belles - Baby It's Gold Outside   (F)

Vellum Snowfall

     For the new challenge at The Male Room we would like to see you use vellum somewhere on your masculine project.

   
     As I am running behind with my Christmas cards I have chosen to make a seasonal card with a simple winter scene.
     The trees were die cut from green card, I wanted to create the faded look the distant trees have so I inked the back layer with white Distress Ink which knocked back the colour just enough.
     With two layers of trees on white card I moved on to the deer.

     These two doe's were cut from kraft card and stuck down flat. The white panel was then stuck on to a square kraft card blank.
     I ran a large square of vellum through a snowfall embossing folder, I had to move the folder over to get full coverage. Fixing vellum to anything with glue or tape usually shows, so I decided to cut slots in the base card and slot the vellum through it. The corners didn't look very nice so I used a punch to round them off and soften their appearance.
     Using dark brown glitter paper I stuck it to double sided sticky sheet before die cutting the stag, this made sticking him on a whole lot easier.
     To finish I die cut a tattered banner from kraft card, coloured the edges with a brown pen and added a peel off greeting also coloured with a brown pen, it was then stuck on to the vellum with foam pads.
     Please pop over and have a look at all the vellum inspiration the team have come up with, there's lots to help get you started, then you can join us at The Male Room with your project.

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

52 Christmas Throwdown - Brown, Green & Kraft  (F)       (HM)

A Snowflakes Promise - Anything Goes   (M)

CraftyHazelnut's Christmas - Anything Goes / option blue  (W)

The Holly and Ivy - Anything Goes  (F)
Cardz 4 Guyz - Reindeer   (F)         (Top 3)

MHK Designer Inspiration

  The digi papers are very good for making boxes, with so many to choose from it could be for any occasion. As it's fast approaching the festive season I have made a small gift box, a perfect size for gifting a few handmade treats.

      I printed the paper from Christmas Past on to thin card and then die cut the box, it measures 2.5 x 2.5 x 3 inches so it's a rather useful size.
     With just a little double sided tape the box is complete, it has a slot fastening star on top to go with the star paper. All that was needed to finish off was a tag which has a sentiment from Candy Canes and Crackers printed on it, a bit of red edging with ink to make it pop and a big foam pad behind it.
     I do hope you enjoy using MHK Designs images and papers for your projects, don't forget to join our challenge to show us what you've made.

Christmas Past

Candy Canes and Crackers

                             

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

Make My Monday - Anything But A Card   (F)

Incy Wincy Designs - NOT A Card   (F)

Crafting From The Heart - Anything Goes   (W)

The Holly And Ivy - Anything Christmas Goes   (F)

Sneaky Paper Piecing

     The new challenge at The Male Room this time is Paper Piecing, the DT have come up with several different ways to interpret this giving you plenty of scope for your project, just remember it has to be masculine.

     My trusty Woodware Sneaker stamp was used again, I have had this for a couple of years and it still proves to be very popular with the teenage boys around here.
     The image has been stamped on to patterned paper and on to white card, both images are embossed in black. I cut the uppers from the patterned paper and stuck them over the white image, leaving the soles and lace bow uncovered.
     Using a marker I coloured the toes and the insides of the sneakers along with the lace eyelets too. The bottom part of the sole is also coloured with a pen to make it a tiny bit darker.
     The laces on the patterned paper are coloured with a white Sharpie, one coat was enough.
     The white image has been cut out and is then mounted on to a pale patterned paper. The word is also a Woodware stamp, embossed in black and coloured in with a maroon marker pen. The mat layer is coloured with the same pen on white card so it would match the word.   
     The little heel guard has a small maple leaf stamped and embossed in maroon to match the word colour, then the whole paper panel is stuck to a Kraft card blank.
     Please pop over and take at look at the DT inspiration at The Male Room, our new teamies have come up with some great designs for you.

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

Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes   (F)

Retro Rubber - Fall/Autumn Colours   (F)

Glitter 'N' Sparkle - Fall/Autumn Colours   (W)

Stag Night At The House Of Cards

     
      A new challenge at the House Of Cards begins today, as we're fast approaching Christmas our colour palette is quite seasonal but you don't have to make a Christmas card.

      I'm really enjoying playing around with the media plates and my stamp press so I have used them to make this card.
     Using two shades of green to ink up the plate I then smoothed it out with a brayer and stamped the oval on cream card. I went back around the edges of the oval with the two inks to create a darkened edge, then I stamped the trees in dark green onto the plate and pressed it onto the card.
     Once dry I used a white pen to add snowflakes and a little snow on the trees. The deer is stamped in Versafine black, as he's a silhouette it was tricky to get a good even coverage but that's the beauty of a stamp press, I inked him again and stamped again in exactly the same place making him a perfect solid black silhouette. If you have ever struggled with stamping I would highly recommend one of these tools, with several brands now available the price has come down to a more reasonable rate.
     The greeting was stamped and gold embossed after gently drying off all the inking. To compliment the oval I used a punch on opposite corners to round them off before matting the cream panel on to a dark red layer. To finish off the panel has been stuck to a dark green card blank to compliment the trees and bring the whole colour scheme together.
     You have a month to create your card following our prompt so please come and join us at the House Of Cards, we'd love to see what you make.

November - House Of Cards

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

Christmas At Sweet Stampin' - Anything Christmas   (M)

A Snowflakes Promise - Anything Christmas   (M)

MHK Designs - November Challenge

     MHK Designs has a seasonal prompt for you this month, you don't have to use one of our images to enter the challenge just take inspiration from the picture.

     Digital images are not just for cards, being able to change the size means you can make all sorts of things with them.
     The wreath has been printed four times, twice in mirror image, this means that I can back the wreath with a corresponding image.
     The wreath is coloured with alcohol markers and then cut out, the top part of the bow and some upper leaves are also coloured and cut out from the spare images.
     Once the images where cut out the edges were coloured to cover and white card that may still be showing.

     Before joining the two wreathes I put some Christmas twine at the top so it can be hung on the tree. After joining the two shapes together the bow and leaves where shaped and stuck on to the wreath on both sides.
     All that remained was to add some tiny red gems for the berries, this also adds a little sparkle as the wreath moves around.
     Please remember you don't have to use an MHK Designs image to play along but of course we would love it if you did.

Wonderful Wreath

MHK Designs blog

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

CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra - Anything Christmas   (M)

The Holly And The Ivy - Anything Christmas   (F)

Austin Comes In From The Cold

      Altered Eclectics new challenge had me reaching for my magazine straws again, this time to make Austin, he's a metro gnome, based on a jam jar.

   

     To make the base I began weaving around an empty jar, this particular brand has a lovely tapered shape. I find the flat base the hardest part to weave, once it begins to rise around the jar it becomes much easier, the trick is to remove the jar before it tapers too far and gets stuck. Leaving the jar in is an option depending on where your gnome is going to live, he will be breakable.
   

   

     The hat is worked the same method as the tree but for this one I have left the ends out. To get the curve I used a heavy duty rubber band to hold it while I sprayed it with red paint. The base has a coat of white primmer to knock back the print on the straws.

     Austin's beard is cut from thin white card folded in half and die cut using a bauble die. Having the fold in the card at the top keeps the two layers together so that the top layer can be fringed and they both stay in place.
     The beard was stuck on to the base with hot glue, then the top fringes were gently curled up slightly.

     All that was left was to give Austin a nose, how do you make a nose for a gnome?....hot glue of course. I made an oval of glue on my craft sheet, once cold I dusted it with a dark pinkish mica and then coloured the back with a brown peel off pen to get a weather worn colour.
     With the hat in place the nose was stuck on using a little more hot glue, Austin has no visible eyes as his hat sits over where they would be.
      This would make a great novelty container for gifting wrapped sweets, just remember a gnome is not just for Christmas.


      You can enter our challenge at Altered Eclectics with anything mixed media or recycled, just no cards or ATC's please, we run all month so please come along and join us with your projects.

I would like to enter Austin in the following challenges:

Make My Monday - Anything BUT A Card   (F)
Through The Craft Room Door - Anything Goes   (M)
Rhedd's Creative Spirit - Anything Goes   (M)
Eclectic Ellapu - Anything Goes   (M)

MHK Designs - Tick Tock

     This is the last of our new releases this month at MHK Designs, Tick Tock. The countdown to Christmas has begun in a couple of houses I know, and that's just the adults, so this card will be winging its way very soon.

     On this sentiment I have changed the 'o' for a clockface, then changed the colour to white before adding it over a paper from Christmas Past.
     A little white gel pen added to the trees to imply snowfall and a little dab of silver sparkle on the snowflakes adds interest without increasing the depth, making it completely flat for standard postage.
     The image panel is matted on silver mirri and then on to a white card blank that has the edges coloured blue.
     Inside there is a die cut tree shape with another sentiment from this set, the green was added before the die was removed so it has a small white border.

Tick Tock

Christmas Past

         








     
      You still have the chance to win this or all of the new releases from MHK Designs, just pop over to the MHK Designs blog to find out how. While you're there why not join our challenge, you DO NOT have to use an MHK Designs image to join us.

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

A Snowflakes Promise - Anything Goes   (M)
Digi Choosday - Anything Goes   (W)