The last teacher's ....

.... Christmas card, ever!!  My son is in his final year of primary school, and next year in secondary school, he will have way too many teachers for individual gifts and cards!!  So this is the very last time I'll have this particular task to add to the Christmas panic!!  Yippee!!  I still haven't finished the present, there'll be a morning-dark picture taken tomorrow before we head in to school, but here's the card I made:

I used a recent Deconstructed Sketch and I'm also entering the following challenges: Basic Grey Challenges ("Anything Goes" - very sad, their last challenge - this was the first challenge blog I ever entered back in the day), Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge ("Use a stamp"), Stampin for the Weekend ("Use some Red"), Papertake Weekly ("Last Christmas card of the Year") and Creative Inspirations ("Anything Goes").

 

I used a plethora of Basic Grey on this card - papers from two different Christmas collections and a stamp from another.  How I love Basic Grey at Christmas!!  Here's a closer look at the little scene I created - the roof and windows have been stamped twice on different colours of card and decoupaged and popped up for dimension.  I wanted to put glitter on the snowy chimney and roof, but Jed said he didn't want to give his teacher a glittery card.  OK so!



Recipe:

Papers: Basic Grey "Figgy Pudding" and "Jovial"

Stamps: Basic Grey "Nordic Holiday", Hero Arts "Stunning Snowflakes" background

Die: Nestabilities "Lacy Circles"

Other: Font "Yummy Cupcakes", white e.p.

Thanks for looking - wish me luck with finishing the teacher's present!

The challengiest ....

.... challenge of the year for me, card-wise, is my husband's Valentine's card!!  In the days before I started making cards, we used to compete to see who could buy the most non-soppy, yet still recognisably Valentine-y, Valentine's card!!  I remember winning one year with a card that was just plain matt black, no sentiment, with a tiny embossed foil red heart in the centre.  Nice card it was too!!  I was reminded of it when I was thinking up this year's effort.  Here's what I made:

I used last week's Deconstructed Sketch, and I'm also entering this into a few of the Valentine's challenges around: Craft your Passion, Kaboodle Doodles, Little Red Wagon, Moving along with the Times, also Basic Grey Challenges ("Your Favourite" - it's my favourite BG Christmas papers - "Jovial"!), Card Crafters' Circle ("Paint the Town Red") and Stampin' for the Weekend ("Distressing").  Phew, that's quite a list.

Here's a side-shot of the layers of this card, I like the enamelled hearts.

Recipe:

Papers: Basic Grey "Scarlet's Letter" and "Jovial"

Sentiment: from an MFT Pure Innocence set

Punched Hearts: MS Valentine Lace

Other: Black Tulle, zig-zag scissors, Tim Holtz black enamel accents, glossy accents

 

I was chuffed when I found out that my last card won not one, but two challenges, nice to see the old name up in stars!!!  Not to mention getting a blinky for the sidebar and winning a set of stamps too.  Yippee!!

 

Thanks for looking!

 

Ahem, 'tis me ....

.... slinking back after yet another long break!!  Grim ongoing family stuff, no crafting, what can I say.  Not sure that I'll be doing much over the next few weeks either, but in the meantime, today is PaperPlay day!!  Our challenge this week is called "You're a Star", and we're sponsored by Stamp Fairy. 

I haven't made Christmas cards this year, first time in 7 years.  I was trying to get organised over Hallowe'en to order stuff, when I had a lucky escape.  The PTA at my son's school declared that the children would be designing their own cards and having them printed.  So our Christmas cards this year feature my son's 10-year old boy sense of humour (i.e. odd!), but have been printed all nice and glossy and his name is on the back which is the most important thing!! 

When it came to doing a gift for his teacher, though, I thought she might appreciate a different card, so this is the sole Christmas card I have made this year, and it's my DT entry for PaperPlay too:

I used last week's Mojo Monday sketch, too late to enter, though.  But I'm entering this into the following challenges: Basic Grey Challenges ("It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas"), The Shabby Tea Room ("Shabby Chic" with colour scheme: pink, aqua, silver + glitter), Creative Card Crew ("Star"), My Time to Craft ("Non-Traditional Christmas colours"), Simon Says Stamp ("What's your Favourite" - mine is paper, always!) and Creative Inspirations ("Contemporary Christmas Colours").

I used a Hero Arts snowflakes/star background stamp and heat embossed in white on the plain background paper.  I've stayed away from the stitching and images again this time, but added lots of layering and distressing - still really enjoying this style.  Here's a side view of the layering:

Recipe:

Papers: Basic Grey "Jovial" and "Marrakech"

Stamp: Hero Arts "Stunning Snowflakes"

Dies and Punches: Nestabilities "Labels 4" and MS "Aspen Snowflake"

Other: Bakers Twine, Hero Arts gems, Stickles glitter glue.

Thanks for looking!

Spring forward....

.... fall back!  That kind of describes my crafting these days, it's all long spells of inertia followed by manic bursts of activity, usually triggered by family birthdays!  I had two friends' birthdays this week, one female and one male, and I decided to make things easier on myself by using the same sketch for both cards.  I made one card yesterday, and then I was at a crop today and made the other (and dropped it to the birthday boy on the way home, talk about last minute!). 

The sketch is this week's Mojo Monday - I like the elements, especially the pennant shape.

So here is my lady card:

And the man card:

I've also entered them into the following challenges: Totally Gorjuss ("Anything Goes with a Button"), Craft Your Passion and Papertake Weekly ("Anything Goes"), ABC Challenge ("Kraft") and Crafty Creations ("Stripes").

Here are some side-shots of the dimension and tags on the cards:

Recipes:

Papers: MME "Miss Caroline Fiddlesticks" and "Stella Rose Hazel", BG "Jovial"

Dies: Cheery Lynn "English Tea Party Doily Die" and Nestabilities "Pinking Circles"

Punch: MS "Doily Lace"

Other: Buttons and ribbon from stash, needle + thread

Thanks for looking!

Still. Haven't. Made ....

.... that bloomin' nephew's card, even though I said I would! That's because Christmas is galloping nearer every day, and this week's PaperPlay Challenge is upon us too. Our challenge is "Tags and Wrapping", and our sponsor is Simon Says Stamp

My teamies have made some absolutely stunning gift sets - it really wouldn't matter what was inside 'cos the wrapping is so beautiful.  Pop over and have a look!

I've just finished knitting a scarf as a Christmas gift for my son's teacher, it turned out really nicely and I decided to package it nicely too.  So here's how it turned out:

We've had yuck weather the past few days, it's currently lashing rain with accompanying howling gale, so the pics are atrocious.  Sorry!!  This does look very festive in real life, lovely BG red papers, with kraft bag and black cardstock, accessorised with starry red ribbon and sparkly snowflakes.

I forgot to take a pic of the scarf itself, and now that it's safely tied into the packaging, I'm not going to risk taking it out again.  You can see a peep of it through that round acetate window, though.

Thanks for looking - now, I've got a teenage nephew card to do (deja vu, anyone?!!).

Yawn ....

.... bit tired this week, 7am feels like the middle of the night!!  All those lovely holiday morning sleep-ins are a thing of the past!!  And as I can't seem to switch back into working week bed-times, despite having to get up early, I am officially a wreck!!!

It's Thursday and my team's week for doing the DT samples on PaperPlay.  Our challenge this week was set by Vera and it's called "Cutie Patootie" - use a cute image.

Well, I hit a bit of a wall on this one.  I pulled out my Tildas and my Sugar Nellies et al, and I just wasn't feeling the cuteness!!  Hmm, hmm, what to do?!!  Scrabbled around in the back of the wooden stamp drawer, and out came one of those never inked Peanuts stamps - it's called "Snoopy Kisses".  I think that would qualify for cute, don't you?!  And then I started thinking ahead - Valentine's Day - could this become the card for my hearts 'n' flowers hatin' husband?  Here's what I made (sorry about the light - very dark day here - I will have to try and retake):

I used the sketch from this week's Shabby Tea Room, and I'm also entering this card into Basic Grey Challenges ("Dots + Spots" - I've used Jovial papers), Crafty Cardmakers ("Use red and a die-cut") and Bunny Zoes Crafts ("Love is in the Air").

Here's a close-up of the Peanuts image - Charlie Brown is so funny with his eyes rolling up to heaven!!

And here's a side-shot of the embellishments.  I made these Xs and Os from cardstock, and put glossy accents on the red Os and black enamel accents (wonderful stuff!) on the Xs.

Recipe:

Papers: Basic Grey Jovial

Stamp: Stampabilities "Snoopy Kisses"

Colouring Medium: Distress Inks

Other: Nestabilities Labels 2, Doodlebug brads, glossy accents, black enamel accents, ribbon from stash, needle + thread

Thanks for looking - I would be off for a nap now, but my mother-in-law is coming over for dinner, maybe I should tidy a bit!!

The first ....

.... of my 50 Christmas cards is also, serendipitously, my DT entry for this week's PaperPlay Challenges, as our challenge this week is called "Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow".  How convenient!  Our sponsor this week is Craft Brulee, the lucky winner will receive a store voucher.  Here's my finished design:

I'm entering quite a few challenges with this card: A Spoon Full of Sugar (distressing), ABC Challenge (holiday), Simon Says Stamp (sparkle), Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge (Sparkle & Shine), Totally Gorjuss (traditional Christmas colours) and Magnolia Down Under (shabby chic).

I keep my Christmas cards simple, with only one layer of patterned paper - and hand-stitching would be out of the question (although it kills me not to do it!).  The shaped nesties were great for adding a bit of interest, along with copious amounts of vintage photo ink, and two colours of stickles on the image.  Here's a slightly closer view of the image:

Recipe:

Paper: Basic Grey "Jovial"

Stamps: Snowman from Inkadinkado "Holiday Silhouettes" set; Magnolia "Merry Christmas Seal"

Colouring Medium: Prismacolour pencils

Other: Nestabilities "Labels 8", Xmas Red and Diamond stickles, gold gel pen, hairy string.

Now, post done, I'm off out this evening to my daughter's school play.  She was supposed to be dancing in it but, unfortunately, has pulled a hamstring so can't dance.  But I'm going anyway to re-live the 80s, 'cos the play is "Footloose" - remember that movie?!!  Kevin Bacon and ....... whatsherface?!!!!  Now where did I put my legwarmers?!!!!

Thanks for looking!