Stencilled Brick with Houses and a New Baby Card

One Christmas and one non-Christmas today!

For Inkspirational "Use Stencils", I used a stencil to create a brick wall background for some festive buildings.  It's for a friend of mine who has little white porcelain houses that light up and she stands them on her mantel against the brick wall of her fireplace.

I created the brick wall with a stencil and embossing paste. Then die cut the houses once from white and once from light gold so that I could create the light inside the houses. I cut a narrow strip of kraft cs for the fireplace mantel the houses are standing on.

My second card is for the Allsorts "New" challenge.  A friend of mine's daughter is having a baby in a few weeks.  

I don't know if the baby will be a boy or girl so I went with colours that could be for either. As a retired librarian, I always buy books for new babies, so this very old stamp I have is perfect. It's coloured with coloured pencils and trimmed with a stitched oval die. The sentiment is also trimmed with a stitched die.

The background is made out of a paper gift bag that contained a gift the expectant mother received from her brother who lives in Sweden. I scooped it up thinking it would be fun to use it for the background for her baby's card. With green cs, I cut out an SSS thin frame die cut, and cut the same out of the background paper, then inset the green one into the background.

  

Supplies for card 1:
Stamps - Make an Impression sentiment
Ink - Versafine Onyx Black
Paper - white, gold, and kraft cs
Size - 4.5" square
Accessories - MFT brick wall stencil, Dreamweaver embossing paste, Charlie and Paulchen dies

Supplies for card:
Stamps - Kids Stamps mouse, SU sentiment
Ink -  Versafine Smokey Grey
Paper - Gina K Pure Ivory cs, green cs, printed paper bag
Size - A2
Accessories - coloured pencils, Lil Inker stitched oval die, stitched sentiment banner die, SSS thin frame rectangle die

Stockings

I chose the bottom right image on the new Peace on Earth mood board (see at end of post).  I had the perfect stamp to go with it, and I used colours that match the mood board image.

The sentiment is part of the stamp so this makes for a very quick card.  Stamped, coloured with coloured pencils in colours to match the image on the mood board, trimmed with a stitched square die, bordered and put on a red card base.

We'd love to have you join us at Peace on Earth with either a card inspired by the mood board or an "anything Christmas" goes.

I'm also entering the card in the Word Power challenge where the sentiment has to be a focus point on the card and Sweet Stampin' "Feature a Sentiment".

  

 

Supplies:
Stamps - Clarity Stamps
Ink - Versafine Onyx Black
Paper - red, greeny-yellow, and white cs
Size - 5.25" square
Accessories - coloured pencils, Lil Inkers stitched square die

Wild Reindeer and Pets Posting a Letter

52 Christmas Card Throwdown is asking for "Wild Animals" - I've gone with a reindeer.

I grabbed a background from my box of unused backgrounds - not sure how I made it - possibly just some smooshed ink on glossy cs, with some mixed media stamps added in pale grey.  I stamped various trees on in black ink,  and trimmed it down.  I topped it with a torn strip of white cs for the snowy ground, a black die cut reindeer (also cut from white cs and glued together to add substance), and a sentiment on a stitched banner die.

Today's second card is for The Paper Players whose theme is "Postman Bring Me a Letter".  It's also for the NBUS Challenge as I'd never used the stamp before.

I used an Anita Jeram stamp of the sweetest animals posting their letters.  It's watercoloured, trimmed with a wonky-stitched square die, and mounted on a contrasting card base.  I finished off by adding glitter to the snow on top of the mailbox.

Supplies for card:
Stamps - Penny Black sentiment, various tree stamps, various mixed media stamps
Ink - blue Distress inks, Archival Jet Black
Paper - coated cs, white and black cs
Size - A2
Accessories - reindeer die, stitched banner die

Supplies for card 2:
Stamps - Anita Jeram
Ink - Versafine Onyx Clair
Paper - watercolour paper, blue cs
Size - 5" square
Accessories - watercolour paints, glitter

One Christmas, Two Valentines

It seems appropriate since it's almost Valentine's Day to post a Christmas card for Jingle Belles' "Red" challenge.  It's also for My Time to Craft Christmas "Winter Birds".  What better than the gorgeous red cardinal!?

Stamped and watercoloured the image, added the sentiment, and used a Quickie glue pen and glitter on the snow on the branches.

My next card is for Double D "Heartfelt", Just Us Girls "Love", and Stencil Fun "Love / Hearts".

I took a stencil that has a random smattering of hearts and pressed my Versamark pad through it, and then heat embossed the hearts in silver. The sentiment is stamped in red to match the card base.  I wanted a bordering silver layer but none of my cs was the right shade of silver, so I took a piece of white cs the size I wanted, then rubbed Versamark on the edges and heat embossed with the same silver as the hearts.  The panel is popped up on fun foam and embellished with red and silver sequins.

My second Valentine is for Stamping Sensations "Animals, Birds, Creatures", Cardz 4 Guyz "Love", and Sweet Stamping "Valentine's or Galentine's Day".

Stamped, watercoloured, trimmed with a stitched square die, and popped up on fun foam.

      

Supplies for card 1:
Stamps - Stampendous cardinals, unknown sentiment
Ink - Versafine Clair Nocturne
Paper - watercolour paper, cream cs
Size - A2
Accessories - watercolour paints, glitter

Supplies for card 2:
Stamps - PTI sentiment
Ink - Versamark, SU Real Red
Paper - white and red cs
Size - A2
Accessories - silver embossing powder, Heidi Swapp Confetti stencil, red and silver sequins, fun foam

Supplies for card 3:
Stamps - Penny Black image, SU sentiment
Ink - Versafine Clair Nocturne
Paper - watercolour paper, red cs
Size - 4.75" square
Accessories - watercolour paints, Lil Inker stitched square die, fun foam

 

Decorating the Tree / Happy New Year

I'm a big fan of the original Penny Black Christmas stamps with the adorable animals in them.  So chose one of them for the Penny Black Saturday Challenge "Christmas".  I'm also adding it to ABC Christmas Challenge "Y is for Your Choice" and Sweet Stampin' "Christmas".

Stamped, watercoloured, trimmed with a stitched square die, bordered with gold cs, and added to an off-white card base.

My Time to Craft Christmas wants a Happy New Year card.  Here's mine:

I started with my top layer.  I die cut the large star and stamped and heat embossed the sentiment, then trimmed with a stitched square die, and then dry embossed with a little narrow star embossing folder.  I taped a small square of starry holographic paper on the card base and then popped up the top panel on foam tape over top of it.

It's also going to the NBUS challenge as I've never used the narrow star embossing folder or the holographic star dp before. 

    

Supplies for card 1:
Stamps - Penny Black, unknown "joy"
Ink - Versafine Onyx Black
Paper - off white cs, watercolour paper, gold cs
Size - 5.75" square
Accessories - watercolour paints, Glossy Accents, Lil Inker stitched square die

Supplies for card 2:
Stamps - SU sentiment
Ink - ColorBox gold
Paper - white cs, Hot off the Press holographic star paper
Size - 5" square
Accessories - gold embossing powder, MFT star die, Kokorosa narrow star embossing folder

Mouse on a Gatefold

Christmas is over but creating Christmas cards is never over for me!  Here's my first one for this year.

Simple stamped and coloured image, bordered with red glitter cs, on a gatefold card base with dp added to the two panels.

For these challenges:

Penny Black Saturday Challenge "Christmas"

SCS Ways to Use It Challenge "Open the Gate" - create a gatefold card

Sweet Stamping "Christmas Creations"

Winter Wonderland Challenge "Anything Christmas"

Supplies:
Stamps - Penny Black image, SSS sentiment
Ink - Versafine Clair Nocturne
Paper - red glitter and white cs, ColorBok dp
Size - 6x4.25"
Accessories - coloured pencils

Rainy Day Christmas Cards

It's supposed to be gardening season but it's a horrible wet day - the forecast says 100% chance of rain all day.  So what better to do than make Christmas cards!

For 52 Christmas Card Throwdown "Children's Xmas", I thought these sweet friends watching out the window for Santa were perfect:

A very simple stamped, watercoloured, bordered with navy, and popped up on fun foam on the card base. I added some snowflakes with a white gel pen.

I love these Colorado Craft Co. images by the artist Anita Jeram!  I've treated myself to a few of them recently.

 

Next up for Just Us Girls "Red, Black, White" and for We Love Stamping "Favourite Stamp", I chose my all-time favourite Christmas stamp.  Most of you know I love horses so of courseI love this stamp - so much so, I bought an extra one in case this one wears out!

 

 

Stamped in black, the hats coloured with a red marker, trimmed with a stitched rectangle die, popped up on fun foam, and Fun Flock added to the brims and pompoms on the hats, and added glitter to the fence line.

 

And finally for Jingle Belles "Earth Day" (recycle, re-use, up-cycle something), I took a tree off of the Christmas card I received from Julia of createwithjulia and used it on this card:

I found a piece of smooshed green background in my UFO box, stamped the Christmas text stamp on it, mounted it on a white card base, added Julia's Christmas tree to the centre and framed it with a white double-stacked frame die cut.

52 Christmas Card Throwdown

We Love Stamping "Favourite Stamp"

Just Us Girls 

 

 Jingle Belles

 

 

Supplies for card 1:
Stamps - Colorado Craft Co. "On the Lookout"
Ink - Versafine Clair Nocturne
Paper - watercolour paper, cream and navy cs
Size - A2
Accessories - watercolour paints, TH merry die, Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

Supplies for card 2:
Stamps - Impression Obsession horses, unknown sentiment
Ink - Versafine Clair Nocturne
Paper - white cs
Size - A2
Accessories - red marker, Fun Flock, Lil Inker stitched rectangle die, fun foam, glitter

Supplies for card 3:
Stamps - unknown text stamp
Ink - various green Distress inks for background, Distress Vintage Photo for text
Paper - white cs
Size - A2
Accessories - Impression Obsession frame die, up-cycled tree

CAS Christmas Critters

It's already time for the last CAS Christmas challenge of the year (we don't run a December challenge)!  Barb is our host and she wants to see cards featuring Christmas Critters.

A good chance for me to use a die and stamp I've never used before!  Love the sweet little mouse with his pile of gifts!

Stamped, watercoloured, bordered with gold shimmer cs that matches the gold paint I used on parts of the image, and a matching gold shimmer die cut sentiment.

Please come and join us at CAS Christmas!  There's lots more inspiration from our wonderful Guest Designer, Valerie (Le Scrap de Vava), and the rest of the Design Team.

I'm also adding my card to:

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - "Anything Goes"

NBUS Challenge - "Never Before Used Schtuff"

Sparkles Christmas Challenge - "Christmas Presents"

Supplies:
Stamps - Penny Black
Ink - Versafine Onyx Black
Paper - watercolour paper, gold and white shimmer cs
Size - mini slimline - 6.25x3.25"
Accessories - watercolour paints, Penny Black "Be Merry" die

No Dogs, No Horses, Just Cats - and Knitting!

Those who know me well know that I am passionate about dogs and horses but very lukewarm about cats.  I wouldn't say I dislike cats themselves, but I do hate the fact that they kill birds, and because I have bird feeders in my garden, I could never justify having a cat that went outside and I don't fancy the thought of trying to keep one indoors all the time.  So no cats for me.

But today I'm blogging two cards featuring cats!  And knitting (which is one of my other main hobbies).

First up for the ABC Christmas Challenge "C = Cat, D = Dog", (I chose "C = Cat") and for the Penny Black and More Challenge "Animals, Birds, or Butterflies", I created this card:

The Penny Black image is stamped and watercoloured with some Glossy Accents on the little light bulbs and a bit of Fun Flock on the cat's hat brim and pompom. It's trimmed with a stitched square die and popped up on fun foam.

Now that I look at the finished card, the cat came out a bit too yellow - she was meant to be more of a ginger/marmalade cat!


And for the Day of the Month Card Club "Send a Card to a Friend Day" challenge, I again went with a cat and knitting: 

Doesn't it look like the cat was about to play with the knitting and is looking up in surprise at being caught in the act?

A very CAS card - stamped, watercoloured, bordered in a matching blue, and popped up on fun foam.

It is for one of my friends who knits a lot and has a ginger cat.  We're in a knitting group together and she's a faithful attendee at the Christmas card fundraising sale I have every November, so I will send it to her to tell her how much I appreciate that support.

Phew, having survived two cards featuring cats, I definitely need to head off to my craft room and get out some dog and horse stamps!!!

 

Supplies for card 1:
Stamps - Penny Black
Ink - Archival Jet Black
Paper - red cs, watercolour paper
Size - 4.75" square
Accessories - watercolour paints, Lil Inker stitched square die, fun foam, Glossy Accents, Fun Flock

Supplies for card 2:
Stamps - Rubbernecker cat, Rosie's Roadshow sentiment
Ink - Versafine Onyx Black
Paper - watercolour paper, blue and white cs
Size - A2
Accessories - watercolour paints, fun foam