Saturday 25 December 2010

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Hi Everyone! I hope Santa has been good to you all and that your stockings were bursting with Christmas goodies! I'm looking forward to lunch and a glass of prosecco today (yum!). I know I'll be feeling ill with gorging myself on parsnips later but it's worth it!

I thought I'd share my last Christmas card with you today, it's another one I'm quite pleased with compared to my normal efforts!

I've used Tilda with Heart for this and she's just gorgeous. I thought I'd go back to my favourite paper set for DCWV for this one so stuck to browns and blues. At the top I used MS doily punch, and then cut some little tabs so I could hang a little heart charm off to mirror the image. The flowers are all from wild orchid crafts and I just LOVE these small flat gardenias in this colour, think I'll be getting more of these soon!


Tilda has been cut out at the bottom freehand and then with a cirlce die at the top. I've added a larger cirle behind covered in viva decor pearl pen (salmon). There's crackle glaze on the heart and stickles stardust on her wings. Around the larger cirlce I've added diampnd stickles.

Tha sentiment id from papermania and is on a spellbinders fancy labels die. I added some weathered wood distress paint before stamping the image. I've covered the label with viva decor pearl pen in salmon.

Well, I hope you ike my last Christmas card for this year - see you next week for another CI challenge!
Have a very Merry CHRISTMAS! Lots of love and Christmassy hugs. Katy. xxx

Wednesday 22 December 2010

A paler Christmas

Hi Everyone! I hope you are all well and ready for the festivities to begin! I still have one or two pressies to organise (arghhh!) so am feeling a bit rushed at the moment! I thought I'd take a break from all the wrapping and planning to upload another late Christmas card. I've sent this one already so it's ok!

I've been dying to use this Tilda with Amyrylllis? (is that spelt right?!) ever since I got her for bargain price at BunnyZoes crafts, there's still a lot of discounts off the Christmas magnolia stamps to have a pop over and grab a bargain! I thought she might suit some paler colours and so this is what I've come up with...


The pattern is vellum and I love these pale colours with her. In the middle is pearlescent white paper cut each side with MS doily punch and a silver ribbon. The sentiment is from a papermania Christmas set, sat on a spellbinders fancy labels die, and is stamped with weathered wood distress ink. The large snowflakes are die cuts from MD and have been covered with flock and edges with walnut stain DI's with a huge gem in the centre. The swirls are dies from Tim Holtz and I've used some extra glittery silver paper for these. The image is coloured with DI's and cut out with an MD die cut which I've threaded with some thin organza ribbon. UnderneathTilda I've used stickles stardust for that glittery feel.



I hope you like her, I think she's one of my favourite images at the moment so can't wait to ink her up again. Plus she doesn't look too Christmassy so I think she'll be versatile enough to use all year round.

Just a short post for today, if there's anything I've missed out send a comment and I'll add it on later!

Take care everyone! Hugs. Katy. xxx

Sunday 19 December 2010

Santa Edwin

Hi everyone, have you all had more snow? We've had some overnight and are supposed to be getting more later today... I'm not sure about you but I'm ready for summer now! Lets hope it's a good one!

Anyway, onto the card... I wanted to use my new Santa Edwin reading the Christmas list, but because he's sitting down was wondering what to sit him on. Then I looked at one of my Molly Bloom stamps of a bauble and thought this might look quite good so here's the result!


I've used crackle glaze on the bauble and some gold embossing powder and then added loads of stickles stardust to the ribbon. The stripey papers have had MS doily punch on the ends, and I've used Magnolias doily flowers in the corners with a rose in the centre from wild orchid crafts. The "Dear Santa" is from the paperpack,  I think it's a Kaiserkraft Christmas pack. There's a sheet of vellum behind the image, and around the edges I've used a viva decor pearl pen in bronze. The ribbon is from East of India.


I coloured Edwin and the bauble in distress inks, and added white flock to the fluffy areas of his cuffs, collar and hat. Everything has glimmer mist on it in pearlescent gold.

I hope you like him!

I'm off to make a start on Sunday lunch now so take care and wrap up warm everyone and I'll see you later in the week with another last minute Christmas card or two! Hugs and happy crafting. Katy. xxx

Wednesday 15 December 2010

Some lucky lucky lucky news & My favourite card so far!

Hi ladies and gents, first I just wanted to share some good news I had (drumroll!) Last week I was randomly selected as the winner of Jacque's magnolia-licious candy! Yippeeeee! That means I get $25 to spend at the magnolialicious store - I feel some Christmas/Birthday treats coming on! If you haven't already seen this candy, it is at Jacque's blog HERE and runs every Sunday and closes every Tuesday so that's 3 whole days to join in. You don't have to do ANYTHING other than link with Mr Linky, display the badge (see the purple one in my sidebar?) and become a follower! What could be simpler? And I have to say as someone who rarely wins anything I was thrilled to be selected, and if I can be picked so can you so give it a visit!

Right on with the card... I have to say this is the Christmas card I am most proud of this year, there are a few more to come this week so watch out, but this is my favourite so I hope you like it too..... I made this for the sketch challenge at Creative Inspirations...



I ADORE this Tilda, she's so versatile. I was sent a stamped image of her to use by a bloggy friend (Karen) and after colouring her I am so taken with her I think she might have to be bought ASAP! She's a joy to colour.

I've coloured her with distress inks (except face which I used copics on) and have added some white gel pen to the cross stich on her head scarf, and some clear star sakura gelly roll on the ribbon of the spoon and buttons on her shoes. The image behind her is a gorgeous Molly Bloom stamp which I thought sits well with her and makes it a clear Christmas card with that scrummy looking pud behind!

I added stickles stardust to the frosting on the pudding, and 3D glaze to the teapot, drawer knobs and cups/saucers. I also added stickles to the ornaments in the basket and some clear star gelly roll on the gift tag.

The sentiment is from Kraftin' Kimmie, I got it with the Marie Antoinette stamp and thought it went nicely with this to save me from printing out a sentiment. The lace and the flowers/leaves are all from wild orchid crafts and the ginham ribbon is from East of India (love their ribbon, it's such high quality, if a bit pricey!).

Recipe
Stamps: Magnolia - Tilda with wooden spoon; Molly Bloom - Christmas Table; Kraftin Kimmie - "Let them eat cake!" (from the Marie Antoinette collection)
Colouring: Distress inks, copics. All edges inked with walnut stain.
Glitz: Stickles - stardust and diamond; Sakra gelly Roll - clear star; Gelly roll - white; Viva decor pearl pen - bronze; Anitas 3D gloss
Flowers and lace: All wild orchid crafts
Ribbon: All East of India

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Just Magnolia: Christmas card
Stamp with Fun: Christmas Card
Bunny Zoes Crafts: Sparkle and shine
Creative Card Crew: Anything goes
Allsorts Challenge: last minute Christmas projects
Take Time for You: Christmas
Dutch Dare card challenges: Christmas card/tags

Wednesday 8 December 2010

White papers only! And such a cutie!

 Hi everyone, how are you all doing in the Big Freeze? It's been -16 degrees here - Brrrrrrr! Definate hot water bottle and bed socks weather - not the sexiest of sleepwear but essential methinks! At least the roads are a bit more passable now.
Well onto this weeks card, the challenge this week at Creative Inspirations Wednesday Challenge is white papers only, so I dug out my doodlebug papers and edged them in pale blue green. The image I've used is from this weeks sponser, and is the cutest little mouse skiing on an ice-cube! You can find this at Meljens designs here


I've used magnolias lace border die around the edges in pearlescent white cardstock, and then layered on my doodlebug embossed paper and the image, and added some sparkly self adhesive gems to the top left and bottom right corners. Around the doodlebug paper I've tied some pale blue tulle into a knot, and then knotted several more thin strips to it so it sits between the flowers...

The flowers are from wild orchid crafts (cherry blossom blue/cream and cream tea roses) and I am running out. I placed an order a couple of weeks ago but with the snow we've had no post so I am desperate for the postal service to bring me my order - I've opted for some flat gardenias too and am so excited!
The image is a digi which I printed on super smooth card and coloured with copics and whispers strokes markers. I've added tonns of stickles to the ice cube, swirls and his goggles, and 3D gloss to the goggles, his eyes and nose and the ice-cube. On the ski poles I've added crackle glaze. I'm not sure if any of this shows up particularly well but here's a close up...


Recipe

Image - digi design (skiing mouse)
Papers - doodlebug; pearlescent white cardstock
clouring - copics; whispers strokes
Embellishments - blue tulle, self adhesive gems, stickles, 3D gloss, crackle accent glaze (all the Paperlane), flowers (wild orchid crafts)


Thank you so much for having a peek at my card. I wish you all a warmer week of happy crafting!
Lots of hugs. Katy. xxx

Wednesday 1 December 2010

No cards allowed week at Creative Inspirations

Well hello again, I'm writing this on Sunday to overcome the internet difficulties I faced last week - fingers crossed! This week at Creative Inspirations it's no cards allowed, so I thought I'd have a go at making a cracker shaped gift box... Here is the end product and some closer views...

You cannot really tell from the photo, but the cardstock is a really shimmery pearlescent dazzle white, which has been edged at every crease (which took AGES) with fluid chalk ink pink. The lace I got from Boyes (I love it in there, real treasure trove of goodies!) and think it just adds that extra something. There's also some heart ribbon (Boyes) and pink gingham ribbon (East of India) over that underneath Tilda. The white ribbon is from the Paperlane. The paper is from magnolia, and I've gone around the sides with my viva decor pearl pen in ice white (my favourite item at the moment!).

This is Tilda with Christmas tree, she's a full length image but I've just used a small secion and cute her out with my circle nesties. The scalloped border is some gorgeous paper I got from Hobbycraft ages ago, and had a scrap left over at just the right size! I've added viva decor pearls and pink gems to the tree to match the pink and white colour theme, and then cut two smaller flowers with my magnolia lace flowers die. I've learned that this needs a couple of goes through the cuttlebug to cut completely, and afterwards you need to pop the holes out with a pin. Although time consuming, I do think it's worth it! I've popped a white rose in the centre and 2 rosebuds either side to complete (all flowers from wild orchid crafts)

On the other sides are snowflakes from marianne D dies. These have been covered in white flock, and chalked with fluid ink at the edges, before a giant gem added to the centre - scrummy! I love glitz!

I thought I would try to add a tutorial for this too, so I'm gonna attempt that over the next few days - wish me luck!
Happy Crafting!
Hugs
Katy.
xxx

I would like to enter this project in the following competitions:
Bunny Zoes Crafts: Christmas but not a card
Make it crafty: anything but a card
Fussy and fancy Friday: anything but a card