Christmas Gift Card Holder

Hi all,

Time again for another challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers and More, our theme being CHRISTMAS! Nice and easy as I'm sure most folk have been busy doing some sort of Christmas crafting.

This is my final DT post for Crafty Cardmakers as I am stepping down after a most enjoyable 2 years. My decision has come mainly from the fact that I do very little cardmaking now, I'm going through a "sewing" phase and I'm also volunteering at the local family history centre to help transcribe the 1911 census, so it's just a case of the usual "not enough hours in the day"!

I'm not totally disappearing though, I'll still be loitering in blogland visiting you fellow crafters.

Anyways, I have made a selection of Christmas Gift Card Holders.  It's a nice quick simple design which makes two holders from one A4 sheet.

All the fronts were covered with some Christmas DP and most have a simple Merry Christmas sentiment, embossed in silver and mounted onto miri card.  I also used a Tim Holtz santa stamp and a Hero Arts snowman stamp.

To make two holders from one A4 sheet, cut at 11 cm and 22 cm on the long side of the sheet.  This gives you two strips measuring 21 cm x 11 cm.

Score at 8.5 cm and 17 cm.  The second score forms the pocket.

I then just added a circle of white card for writing on.

If you have an envelope board maker, a 6 3/4" square, scored at 3", makes the correct sized envelope.

Our sponsors for this challenge are SIR STAMPALOT

and also DT member Kim has donated a fabulous crafty bundle of goodies.

Well that's it from me for today, I hope you are all further advanced in your Christmas preparations than I am.  I've only just started shopping and also this weekend decided to redecorate my living room.  A nice quick freshen up I thought, but as always it turns about to be a bigger job than expected. Couldn't get the blooming wallpaper off the wall, thankfully it's only on one wall.  I'm also intending making some cushion covers to fit my new colour scheme so I'll definitely be burning the midnight oil between now and the 24th. Lol!

P.S. I've just noticed that google verification has randomly appeared in my comment box.  I do not have verification switched on! I've just tested it and you can still leave a comment without filling in the verification box, so just ignore it!

Okay, thanks for popping in,
Bye for now

Suze xx

A White Stocking

Hi all,

It's been a while since I joined in with Chrissie and Jen over at Less is More, but this week's challenge of "White Christmas" really took my fancy - I do love a bit of "white on white"!

Very quick and easy, no stamping involved, just die cutting and embossing. The stocking is a Sizzix die, cut from white and glittery white felt.  The Spellbinder poinsettia is cut from vellum and the embossed sentiment is a Cuttlebug one.

Okay, that's it for today, I'm off out to enjoy the last of the good weather. It's so mild today but the temperature is forecast to plummet tomorrow!

Thanks for popping in.

Suze xx

Christmas in September

Hi All,

Well here we are in September, I can hardly believe it's autumn already. What a lovely summer we've had this year and  I have to say it's an absolute scorcher here today. I wish the British summer was like this every year.

Now I know a lot of crafters keep the Christmas spirit going all year round - and as such are well organised with their Christmas cards and tags, but I'm afraid I'm not one of them.  However, I had to dig out my box of Christmas stamps this weekend as the new challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers is CHRISTMAS SNOW AND ICE (Your creation must include either a representation of snow or ice plus a Christmas theme in order to qualify for the Winner or Top 5 slots)

I couldn't quite face making a Christmas card so I've gone for a tag .....

This one shows the gloss and sparkle better

The sentiment is American Crafts, all other stamps are Hero Arts.  I heat embossed the larger snowflakes then inked with Stormy Sky, Mr Snowman and the holly garland are coloured with Promarkers, then I added some textured snow, stickles and some glossy accents.

Our sponsors for this challenge are Di's Digistamps and Hobby Art.






Okay, that's me for today, I'm off to prep dinner.  It's so hot today we're going to have a barbie.

Have a lovely week everyone and thanks for popping in.

Suze xx

Origami Christmas Tree

Hi Bloggers,

It's time again for a  new challenge (#80) over at Crafty Cardmakers.

Fiona is our hostess and the challenge is to make a card or project inspired by this photograph.  You can take inspiration from any part of it, be it the actual image or from the colours.










Our sponsors are Di's Digi Downloads who are offering a $10 gift voucher

and Crop Stop who have kindly donated a $15 voucher.

I've taken inspiration from the colour combo and the Christmas tree and make a tag ...

I made an origami Christmas tree (you can find plenty of tutorials online) from one sheet of 6x6" paper and glitzed it up with some glitter, gems and a chipboard star.  I mounted the tree onto an oval (die cut from embossed DP) then onto a Stampin Up die cut (using Co-ordination card) which I again edged with glitter.

Challenges I'd like to enter:
Artful Times - Anything Goes
Craft Room Challenge - Punches & Die-cuts

Sorry I've been a bit thin on the ground the last few weeks, I've been busy making stuff for a couple of local Christmas fairs.  Here's some other Christmas trees I made ...

Chocolate Brownie Christmas Trees

Okay dokes, thanks for popping in, hope you can join us this time over at Crafty Cardmakers.

Take care

Suze xx

Christmas Felt Decorations

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas .....

Hi bloggers, I've been busy this past week or so making felt Christmas decorations. First time I've had a go at these and it's not often I say this, but I'm rather pleased at how they've turned out.

I had to refresh my memory for doing blanket stitch.  The actual stitch is easy enough, it was joining the thread that was tricky.  After trying various ways, I found that tying the threads together, then hiding the knot in between the layers of felt worked best. (Sorry, if you don't follow what I mean, I never thought to take a photo but I'll add one in later).

They're all handstitched - no gluing - and all cut using various dies ...

         

I'd like to enter these into the following challenges ...

Addicted to Stamps & More - Red and White
Anything But a Card - A Stitch in Time
Let's Craft & Create - Getting Ready for Christmas
Out of a Hat Creations - Use some of your stash (I have so much felt!)

Okay, that's me for today, thanks for popping and I'd just like to send good wishes and hugs to those of you who are feeling a bit under the weather at the moment.

Take good care

Suze xx

Santa's Magic Key

Hi All,

It's time for another challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers. Challenge #79 is being hosted by BettyC  and she would like to see MORE THAN ONE PUNCH OR DIECUT.

You can have a combination such as 1 punch and 1 diecut as that equals two, or two punches, or two diecuts.  You can use more if you wish as long as there is at least two in combination or two of either on your creation.

There are super prizes on offer from our sponsors Hobby Art and Milk Coffee Digital Stamps 

Ages ago I bought a necklace from Primark which had a load of lovely keys on it - I knew I would use it for something one day - and today was the day ....

I'm doing a couple of school fairs in the next couple of weeks so with kiddies in mind, I've made a "Magic Santa Key" (if your house doesn't have a chimney, Santa can use the key to creep into your house to deliver your pressies!)

First I die cut a Tim Holtz label then stamped the Kanban Santa and house stamps with black Archival. The sentiment  on the front is computer generated, which I punched out with an oval punch and mounted onto a circle punch of red miri.  I then mounted this onto some red SU card which I'd silver embossed with little snowflakes.

Back of the tag

The back of the label is made with some christmas DP, the stamped sentiment is from American Crafts, which I again punched out.

I then laminated the whole thing to make it waterproof.

I used my Crop-a-dile to punch a hole top and bottom and then I attached the key and a little bell with some sparkly string and Christmas ribbon.


I'd like to enter my little Christmas hanging into the following challenges ...

Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - Anything Goes
Out of a Hat Challenge - Locks and Keys
Pretty Little Ribbon Shop - Diecuts/Punches, Ribbon and Charms
Stampotique Designers Challenge- SDC73 Hanging Decoration

Sorry if I haven't been round to visit you all as much as usual the last couple of weeks, I'm trying to focus on getting my stock ready for the fairs - I've got stuff piled up everywhere, my problem is I keep jumping from job to job - everything is only half done! Oh well, no doubt it'll be alright on the night!

Thanks for coming to visit, hope you can join in with us over at Crafty Cardmakers. 

See you all soon,
Suze xx

More Calendar Catchups

Hi all,

Hope I find you all well today. 

I'm doing another quick catchup with The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge ...

Week 5 - Paper Tape

I covered some card with Tim Holtz tissue tape then die cut the TH snowman. Added some colour with Promarkers and Distress Ink.  Added Glossy Accents to the hat & arms and added a touch of tartan for Hogmany. Made a snowy background with Stormy Sky DI and Glimmer Mist and added a little chipboard robin.

Week 6 - Felt

I silver embossed a Hero Arts background stamp, bought two Christmases ago and has never been used! Die cut two Sizzix Gingerbread Men with felt and added seed beed eyes and pearl 'buttons'.

Okay Dokey, must dash, see y'all later.

Suze xx

Winter Wonderland

Hi lovely bloggers, 

I'm here today with the next Crafty Cardmakers Challenge (#78)  - which is "A Shaped Card featuring a Reindeer or two". (No squares or rectangles please).

This challenge is being hosted by Tracey.

Our sponsors are The Stamp Man who are kindly donating a £10 voucher, and 


Di's Digi Downloads who are also kindly donating a £10 voucher.








I've had another go at using my Silhouette machine and here's the result ...

I cut the sentiment card base with my Silhouette machine but you could just as easily print out the word and then handcut it.

I inked with Stormy Sky DI then overstamped with a Hero Arts snowflake stamp.  Postal mark is also Hero Arts, inked with SU Real Red.  I stamped the Tim Holtz trees onto some DP with Versafine Olympia Green and clear embossed. The reindeer is a Tim Holtz die, cut from DP. I then finished off with some sparkly red twine.

Thanks for popping in to visit today, hope to see you all over at Crafty Cardmakers.

Suze xx

Gingerbread Girl

Hello bloggers, 

I woke up last night and couldn't get back to sleep - guess what I started thinking about - "Brown & Pink" - this week's colour challenge over at Less is More.

Now, I like 'kraft and pink' - but 'brown & pink', I'm not really a brown person! So I lay awake for ages - thinking - and eventually it popped into my head - a gingerbread man! Well actually, I've gone for a lady - here she is ...

Brown felt cut with Sizzix Gingerbread Man die, pink glittery card, white glittery ribbon, border punch is EK Success and sentiment is Tim Holtz, stamped in Brilliance Pearlescent Orchid.

I'm also entering her into the Addicted to Stamps Challenge, which this week is "CAS Challenge #2". Why not pop over and give them your support - I'm sure you'll recognise some friendly 'faces'!

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday, thanks for popping in.

Suze xx

Pink & Bronze Christmas

Hello lovely bloggers, hope you're having a nice day wherever you are.

Today we actually have SUN! It's amazing how much better you feel when the sun is shining, so this morning I decided to go out for a little power walk to try and start getting fit! Well I was out for 20 minutes and I nearly collapsed when I got back. We live on a hill and I didn't think I was going to make it back!  Hmm, lots of room for improvement then!

Okay, now can anyone tell me what "Christmas in July" is all about - I don't really get it! However, as  the weather recently has been more wintry than summery, I have decided to play along!

Addicted to Stamps (Theme Challenge #1) are asking for "Christmas in July" and 

Crafty Cardmakers (Challenge #71) are asking you to make your own flower. (Thanks also to CC for placing my fabric bookmark in last week's Top 5).

I made a vellum poinsettia with my new Spellbinders die (I bought it early cause I couldn't get hold of it last Christmas) and layered it onto some origami and bronze papers.  Sentiment is Tim Holtz embossed in copper with a touch of Aged Mahogany DI.

Okay, that's all my crafting time for today - off to do a bit of weeding whilst it's still dry.

Bye for now

Suze xx

In a Word ...

What on earth am I doing blogging and crafting on Christmas Eve - I'm making my Husband's (ultra last minute) christmas card, that's what I'm doing, inspired by this week's challenge over at Less is More, which is ...

JUST ONE WORD

Text is Tim Holtz Vintage Market, coated in Stickles
Rosette is cut from Christmas paper using Tim Holtz die
Mirror Heart from Hobbycraft

Now I really must go - I STILL haven't peeled the potatoes!

Sending you all the warmest of wishes for a lovely festive season.

Take care.

Suze xx

Sleigh bells ring, are you list'ning?

In the lane, snow is glist'ning' .... A beautiful sight, we're happy tonight ..... Walkin' in a winter wonderland (are you singing along? Lol)

This week over at the Less is More Challenge, it's a one layer week and the theme is ... 

Let it Snow!

Sentiment is Docraft Penelope & Percy, embossed in silver

Snowflakes are Inkadinkado, embossed in white

Broken China and Stormy Sky Distress Inks

Our Christmas tree went up today so finally, I'm beginning to feel all Christmassy.

Hope you all have a great week and thanks for coming to visit.

Suze xx

Bling it Up

The recipe over at Less is More this week is ...

I'm not a very blingy person but I don't mind a bit of sparkle at Christmastime!

I used the Stampin Up Bauble punch on some textured white CS - added a piece of Christmas fabric behind it then layered it onto gold and red miri card.  The sentiment is also Stampin Up, gold embossed.

Thought I'd also share the beautiful sky we had this morning ...

Thanks for visiting - have a great week everyone.

Suze xx

Holiday Ornament Swap

Morning everyone and a Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate.

Just wanted to show you a little hanging Christmas decoration I made for my first ever swap - the Gingersnap Yahoo Group Holiday Ornament swap.

Stamps I used were Tim Holtz Santa Letter, a freebie Teresa Collins sentiment stamp, Hero Arts snowflake and a Stampin Up scallop circle.

and these are the fantastic festive creations I received in return ...

Kerry Hickton
http://kezzyscraftyjourney.blogspot.com/

Emma
http://thesparklyfairy.blogspot.com/

Laura Liddell
http://ashappyas.blogspot.com/

PetraB
http://kunterbuntcottage.blogspot.com/

Thanks for taking the time to visit, hope you're having a good day wherever you are.

Suze xx

Christmas Star

Oh my, where are the days going to,  I've usually done my Less is More card long before now.  I guess it's a downhill rollercoaster to Christmas now!

This week the challenge is *STARS* and this theme has prompted me to make my first Christmas card for this year.

Star was cut out of DP and coated with diamond Stickles

Flourish is TH die - black card, clear embossed

Sentiment is Hero Arts, Black Versafine ink and clear embossed

Thanks for stopping by.

Suze xx

Tim Holtz meets Stampin' Up

I'm not usually one for doing anything Christmas related at this time of year, however after seeing this post by Lynne Moncrieff who is on the design team over at The Stampsmith Challenge blog, I was inspired to have a go.

There's a chance to win a Stampsmith Voucher and on this occasion you can use any make of stamps.

Instead of a card I've made a hanging decoration and I haven't gone for traditional Christmas colours.

  

Stamps used: Stampin' Up 'Medallion', Tim Holtz 'Santa Letter', Hero Arts 'Magic of Christmas'
Inks: Versafine Sepia, Distress Inks Faded Jeans, Forest Moss, Frayed Burlap & Victorian Velvet

Thanks for taking the time to pay me a visit.
Suze x

Chocolate Money Decoration

Before Christmas is totally forgotten about, here are the chocolate coin decorations I made this year.  They were very popular at school fairs and one teacher put in an order for her class.

I've seen similar things done with chocolate mints but I used chocolate coins - Thorntons coins were the best ones to use as they were all the same size but I also used Cadburys (a bit more expensive but I have to say they were also a bit yummier).

I glue gunned a 10cm piece of curling ribbon to one coin, then glue gunned the 2 coins together (the glue cools instantly so it doesn't melt the chocolate).  I then mounted a stamped image onto a scalloped circle (make 2 of these - one each for front & back).  I then attached the scallops onto the coins with a craft dot, and voila .... as Nigella would say, "how easy was that!"

Happy Crafting

Suze x