Show A Leg

     June already! How did that happen? That means you've only got six months left to make those Christmas cards, so come and join us at CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra with your seasonal makes.
     We are sponsored by Bugaboo Digi Stamps so I have used Season's Greetings Feet for my card. It is printed to fit a DL card blank, that's one great thing about digi's, you can size then to fit your project.
     The image is coloured with Graph It markers using traditional colours. The white border is glittered although it doesn't show well in the photograph. I didn't have a red card blank but I did have some thin red card, so I have covered the front of the blank with it. I've found it's best to take about half an inch of the covering paper over the fold and stick it on the back, this stops the folded edge from peeling up and looking tatty.
     We have lots of inspiration for you over at CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra, it doesn't have to be a card for our challenge, as long as it's seasonal you can join us with your creation.

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

ABC Christmas Challenges - K is Keep It Simple

The Glory Of Christmas - Snowman/woman  (does 1/2 a snowman count?)

It's All About The Journey

     There's definitely a pattern to my Male Room cards, we are a family of vehicle enthusiasts so anything travel is always useful. The theme at The Male Room this fortnight is Washi Tape, so have a rummage in your stash and see what turns up.
     The DL card blank I have used is covered with an old map book page, then I have die cut the word 'Journey' using a Tim Holtz Alterations Mover and Shaper die, into white card. The word looked a little lost so I have coloured it with a blue grey marker pen.
     The word panel is mounted on the map background using foam tape, it's all the way around about 3mm in so it can't be seen easily. I have used two Washi tapes, one with a map on and one with cars along it. I don't usually add a sentiment until I know who it's going to and for which occasion.
     Please pop over to The Male Room and have a look at the DT inspiration, I'm sure you'll find something to get you started.

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

Tuesday Throwdown - Anything Goes

Crafting From The Heart - Anything Goes

Decadent Love

     This is my last project this month using Phill Martin's Decadent Damask stamps and Decadent Wine colours. I shall be coming back to these though as I have fallen in love with them completely. You can buy these at your local craft shop, they are distributed by Creative Expressions.

     I began with a mount board tag that I had lurking on my desk, it was cream already so I didn't have to paint a base colour. I die cut a shape similar to Phill's motif and stuck it on with Cosmic Shimmer PVA, then I sprayed it with Decadent Wine Spray Mist. Once that was dry I rubbed some gilding wax over it, I don't have the wine (yet!) so I used Vintage Plum. If you don't have texture paste but do have a die cut machine this is a way of achieving the raised look of paste, the wax gives it the gorgeous shine that the paste has.

     The gold swirl is made with the same mask but using one of the other shapes along with Royal Gold Texture Paste.
     The word 'love' is from a set called Winter Greetings, they're mostly Christmas words but I liked the shape of this type face. Both on the word and all around the tag I have used Inca Flakes gilding flakes.
     In the bottom corner I have used made three little dots with the Wine PVA, some flakes stuck to it, I should have used the flakes and then done the dots last but it doesn't look too bad, it's antiqued!

       Using one of the Corners and Icons stamps with Distress Ink Seedless Preserve I stamped a few images in the top corner.
     The glittery motif was done using Phill's Sparkle Texture Paste and a Special Touch mask called ornate frame. I taped off the areas I didn't want so the paste only went through the shape I did want.

     To finish it off I have used some ribbon that I've had for some time, I think it's an iridescent ribbon that Creative Expressions had a few years ago, they do have quite a range of gorgeous ribbons to choose from.

Materials used

Phill Martin stamps - Decadent Damask Corners and Icons

Phill Martin Decadent Wine colour range - Sparkle Texture Paste / PVA Glue / Ink Spray Mist

CE Cosmic Shimmer Gilding Wax - Vintage plum

CE Cosmic Shimmer Gilding Flakes - Inca Flakes

CE Cosmic Shimmer Glues - Dries Clear PVA / Flake and glitter Glue

CE Cosmic Shimmer Texture Paste - Royal Gold

CE Stamp Set - Winter Greetings

Distress Ink - Seedless Preserve

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

Inkspirational - Purple / and love or wedding
Simply Papercraft - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp - Stencil It
Love To Create - Anything Creative / Mixed Media

CASE-ing Christmas Golden Memories

     This week at CASE-ing Christmas we have a gorgeous card by DT member Pat to inspire us. I loved the simplicity of her card, it really makes the sentiment stand out. To see Pat's card and all the other DT inspiration pop over to our challenge blog.

     I have a set of stamps from Hot Off The Press called Christmas Cheer, they are all chalkboard style stamps which are perfect for a quick make.
     I stamped and embossed in gold on card suitable to use alcohol markers. The word 'season' was the only colour on the sentiment before a tiny gem was added to the little snowflake.
     The mount is a layer of white card coloured around the edge with the same marker so they match.

     The background is embossed with a snowflake folder I borrowed from a friend (thanks Rene), I shall have to get one of these myself.
     A very simple card to make and great in different colour combinations, like this one in silver and purple. There are eight different sentiments in the set so a few more of these will be popping up through the year.
     Come over to CASE-ing Christmas and join us, when you get to November you'll be glad you did!

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

Jingle Belles - Let It Snow

The Glory Of Christmas - Birds or Anything Goes

Holly Jolly - Clean and Simple

For The Bride

     This weeks project for Creative Expressions is a decorated box made just for the bride, if you know the wedding colours you can tailor it to suit.

      The box is a paper mache trinket box with a photo aperture on the top. There was a division inside but I removed that before painting with Cosmic Shimmer Gesso. To protect the aperture I have put a piece of acetate in the gap, it will stop the paint getting into the hole and sealing it.
      This box needed two coats of Gesso and two coats of cream paint. I have painted inside and out the same as I'm going to line the bottom for a splash of colour.

      I have used Cosmic Shimmer Royal Gold texture paste on the lid but if you know the wedding colour you could use that to make it extra special.
     The mask is That Special Touch Ornate Frame, I have used parts of the frame by masking off the bits I don't want. I waited for each piece to be dry before doing the next, that way nothing was smudged when the mask was re-positioned.

      The texture paste has a gorgeous shine to it, it's thick, creamy and very easy to spread. Once all the decoration on the lid was done  and dry I removed the messy acetate and replaced it with a nice new piece that will protect the brides chosen photo.

     Inside the box I have used a piece of Rich Plum card stamped with Phill Martin's Decadent Damask Icons to line the base, again if you know the bridal colour scheme this could be made to match her choice.
     On the inside of the lid I have put a die cut sentiment by Phill Martin from his Decadent Damask Everyday Sentiment, stamped and embossed with Cosmic Shimmer Bright Gold. It is cut with a Spellbinder die, the plum mount card is hand cut after drawing around the outside of the die.
     The outside of the box has strips of cream card stamped with Phill Martin's Decadent Damask Sentiment Borders, On Your Wedding Day has been embossed with Cosmic Shimmer Bright Gold.


Materials used
Phill Martin - Decadent Damask - Corners and Icons / Sentiment Borders / Everyday Sentiments
Cosmic Shimmer - Rich Gold Texture Paste / Bright Gold Embossing Powder
Foundations Card - Rich Plum / Cream
That Special Touch Mask - Ornate Frame
Perfect Medium Ink Pad

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

Rhedd's Creative Spirit - Altered Art/Mixed Media
Love To Create - Anything Mixed Media

Penguin Joy

     Welcome to my mid month inspirational project for CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra. You may join us with any seasonal creation, we are open for entries until the last day of the month so come and show us what you've made.
     We are sponsored by Bugaboo Digi Stamps, I have used Penguin Joy for this card. He was printed on white card ready for colouring, but before I did that I printed another copy on plain paper and cut it as a mask. I wanted to colour my background using a stencil so I needed to cover the penguin and the letters. I put the paper mask over the image and then lay the stencil, Memory Box Brilliant, over that before colouring with Distress Inks.
     Once the inks were dry I coloured the letters and penguin with alcohol markers and added some sparkling highlights with Cosmic Shimmer Aqua Twinkles. The image panel is then mounted on a black mat layer before going on to a red card blank.
   

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

ABC Christmas Challenges - J is for Joy

Merry Monday - Use A Stencil

Christmas Card Challenges - No Patterned Papers

The Glory Of Christmas - Focus On The Sentiment

The 12 Months Of Christmas - Christmas Critters

Male Room Motors

     The new challenge at The Male Room is a colour selection, I had a couple of ideas but settled on this rather simple one, it's a good one to make if you're short on time and it's flat too, so no expensive postage.

     I've used a DL card blank and cut a strip of black card in a slightly wavy line, then using a white gel pen added dashed lines down the middle of my road.
     The cars are punched out of paint charts, mounted on thin foam pads and added to the road.
     The greeting is a page from an old road atlas, I used a page of Scotland so the brown from the mountains showed up with the green forest and the blue sea. It's stuck on to card using double sided sticky sheet and then die cut. A very quick and simple card for a man or boy who likes to travel by car.

     Come and join us at The Male Room with your creation, pop over and take a look at the DT inspiration to get you started.

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

Crafting From The Heart - Anything Goes

Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes