Pumpkin Greetings.

There is a new challenge on the block called Lets Squash It that emplores you to use your embossing folders and to dig them out and dust them off. . I am guilty as charged on that count as I have a  number of / quite a few actually, almost as many as I have pairs of shoes (and I'm not telling how many of those I have either) that have never seen the light of day.  Challenge #1 is asking you to use a Geometric pattern and Metallic Card or Metal Sheets. So I had a riffle through my stash and found this embossing folder which was to my liking and found some gold metallic card stock that was in a pack  6 x 6. This was as far as it got for a week as I couldn't think of a thing to make with it. I didn't want to make a Birthday or Christmas design or Halloween either but then remembered a digi paper I had seen on Etsy so went off to purchase it.  Trouble was I found some more I liked  as well and it sort of fell into the basket at the same time and ended up not using the one I went to buy!

The embossing folder is by Sizzix No 655837 -AL called 'Argyle (L)'  and does rather look like the pattern you find on sweaters of that name.  It was a devil to photograph with the gold metallic card without either seeing the flash or the actual camera in the reflection.  The digi paper is from an Etsy supplier called Design Lover Studio  ' Floral Pumpkin'  and as soon as I saw it knew it was the one for the card. Because the cardstock was only 6 x 6 and my card measures 6 x 7 I need to butt two pieces together so I embossed an extra strip and added it across the join behind the design paper before adhering to the card base. I have used a total of 3 different papers from the set. The base paper (no2)  has a diamond design on it and I fussy cut the two pumpkins (from papers no 6 and 7) and then interlocked them. The sentiment was created in word and printed off.  

Entering into the following challenges:

Lets Squash It #1 Use a Geometric Embossing folder and Metallic Card. 

 

Shopping Our Stash #431 Happy Fall Y'all

Crafty Creations #414 Anything goes.

The Sisterhood of Crafters # Lots of layers.

Creative Knockouts #372 Embossing heat or dry.

Creative Moments #200 Anything goes.

Crafty Catz #523 Anything goes.

Crafty Friends #145 Embossing Wet or dry. 

Pieces of Eight

Time again for the girls in the Christmas card club to show our latest makes. Kate chose the theme this time of Santa. I have a lot of stamps that I refer to as modern Santa's as they appeal to me the most.  I have made 6 cards using these stamps and then another 2 with  a really old traditional style Santa from my childhood.  the cards are all different sizes as I don't buy card blanks. I much prefer to make a card from cardstock and as I make all my own envelopes  it is not a problem. I sorted through all my christmas stash and found several 6" x 6" pads  so used some of the papers up  still left in them. To make them fit my cards I just cut them into squares, triangles and assorted width strips and mixed and matched the designs up. So here they all are after blogger made me do the post twice having gotten to the last piccy and having a message flag up update failed. Brilliant!!

Card No1 uses a wooden block stamp by Creative Stamping HH144H (which I think is the same company as Creative Expressions (below) as the code numbers are the same format. This stamp just begged to be on a long thin elongated card. All of the cards have been coloured using my Promarkers and this one has been edged with a silver gel pen.  I sorted through all my christmas stash and found lots of christmas 

Card No 2.  I love this wooden block stamp by Creative Expressions HH140H I have had the set of 3 in my stash for a long time so don’t know if still available. It looks like I have missed some of the colouring on his tunic but the stamp is made that way. The sentiment is a silver  sticker from my stash. If you look closely at the cards you will see little blobs of either silver or gold  in the corners. This is from what is left behind when you peel off the sentiment. The three blobs here are left from the  3 r’s in the Merry Christmas.  Waste not  want not is my motto. 

Card No 3. Uses a wooden block Santa by Creative  Expressions  HH447F. I call him My Roly Poly Santa. He reminds me of the toys we had as Children that were weighted at the bottom and when put on the floor just wobbled about. We loved them. Such simple pastimes we had as kids. He is actually the smallest of the cards made being only 4 x 5 but you can’t tell from the photo. The backing paper is a pad that is only 4 inches square so I divided  the sheet up to stretch it!  Silver sticker from my stash. 

Card No 4 uses a clear stamp by Leane  Creatief called ‘Doodle Santa’. Outlined with a silver gel pen.  Banner sentiment is a sticker from my stash and is actually the negative space left when you peel off the words. Backed onto a small strip of the coloured Card so that the letters showed up. I do like to get my monies worth! 

Card No 5. Uses the same stamp as above. The packet it comes in shows him done with plain colouring and then as a doodle which is what I have done here. I think he looks totally different and has rather a Scandinavian flavour.  Outlined with a gold gel pen and the sentiment is a gold sticker from my stash. 

Card No 6. Uses a clear stamp from The House of Zanrda 2014. I bought quite a few from a craft fare That yr as I loved all her designs. I think Miss Di was with me at the time and also indulged herself! You can’t get them now. I think she has sold that arm of her business and the new owners do the stamps in cd format, Dolly Dimples springs to mind. . I haven’t used him before mainly because the stamps are quite hard to get to print clearly but now with the advent of stamping platforms that is not a problem so I will be getting the rest of them out to play with in due course no doubt. Love how he coloured up and I outlined him with a silver gel pen.  The sticker I have had in my stash almost as long as the stamps. 

Card No 7. Using a stamp set I bought purely because the Santa reminded me of the traditional Father Christmas that as children we went to the local Department store each Christmas and queued up to see. We would clamber up onto his knee and whisper what we wanted for Christmas and the present we got given for some reason was always a snow globe, albeit a different design each time.!  Oh happy days!! 

The stamp set is by Paper Mania from their Urban stamps set called ‘Noel’. 

Last card using the other Santa from the same set.  The sentiment comes in the packet. 

Hope you like my little selection of Santa cards Kate and sorry for the delay in posting. Blame the parrot that’s what I did.

Hugs

Envelopes.

Is anyone else having problems accessing their Blogger Dashboard because I sure am.  Firstly blogger prevented me logging into my account using my Ipad and said I needed to up date my browser to one of four being shown on my screen. Safari being one of them which my ipad has installed  and that I needed Java script enabled which it already is. Two days later and blogger prevented me logging into my dashboard from my laptop using Google Chrome + Java Script. After another 2 days Blogger relented and let me back in using my laptop +Google Chrome + Java Script and I hadn't touched or updated anything so I do not know what is going on. I still cannot access from my Ipad which is annoying to say the least. I am now running late with my posts. The tutorials for both of these cards will be up on the Butterfly Blog asap. so please be patient.  There are a lot of photos to process for the step by step instructions. 

Ok. Rant over.

Time for a new Challenge over on the Butterfly Challenge where the  theme is:

#148 Spin The Butterfly Wheel with E for Envelope Fold.

I have two versions of an envelope Fold card to show you today and another one for next week. 

My First card Version I

Uses all 6 elements of the above wheel. 

A simple wrap over card with one side left open so that the card stands up on it's own.  I have used a digital paper from Snap Click, Supply Co by Jodie Lee called Rustic Papers No2.  The stamped butterflies are  a freebie from a craft magazine.  The sentiments are from a clear stamp set by Kaisercraft.

This is the insert panel that tucks into the back fold and has room on the back for writing your message.Below showing the card free standing and the insert panel.  I have forsaken  my normal go to die cut butterflies  in favour of  Whidbey and Theo by Poppy Stamps.The gems and ribbon are from my stash and the Happy birthday panel is SU's Extra Large Modern Label punch.  The fancy edge is a border punch by Martha Stewart. I have had in my stash almost form the word go and it sadly gets overlooked but not today!

Entering this card into the following challenges:

My Second card Version II

Uses all 6 elements of the above wheel. 

This card might look complicated but all you are doing is folding a square of paper up. You end up with 3 pockets. One in the centre section and a pocket under each of the flaps front and back. Plenty of spaces to add your message and include a gift card or money.  I have used another digital paper from Snap,Click,Supply Co by Jodie Lee called Faded Vintage papers  No 6. Punched border and butterfly using the same as above. 

Here you can see the insert panel tucked into the middle section which has room on the reverse for your message. 

The stamped butterflies and sentiments are freebies from a craft magazine.  The gems from my stash

Here below are the front and back flaps which I have decorated and stamped before completing the folds and make nice pockets for inserting a gift card or money wallet. 

I do give full instructions for making this card which will be available over on the Butterfly blog.  

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Do hope you will pop over to the butterfly blog  and enter a card. The challenge will be running  for 3 weeks and closes on Tuesdsy 27th Oct. 

Till then stay safe.

Hugs

Shabby and Slim

Back as promised but with not one card but two  for more inspiration for the current Butterfly Challenge which still has another week to run. Here I am show casing just the colours and diamonds.You do not have to use the shaped card element of the wheel  to enter.

Card One uses:

Delft Blue

Dandelion

Diamonds (used as a pattern)

Butterfly.

The diamond die cut is by Tonic Studios. Quite an old one now and part of a four piece set.  The roses are Spellbinders Rose Creations which i have just a bit of gold gel pen around the petals for a shabby chic look.  The butterfly is an SU punch which has been given the same treatment.  The digital  design paper is called Vintage Flower Garden Market by 'Jodie Lee from Snap,Click Supply Co.  Sentiment is by Kaisercraft. Pearls from my stash.

Entering this card into the following challenges.

Always Fun Challenges #182 Die Cuts.

Crafty Card Makers  #264 Shabby Chic.

Not Just Cards # Anything goes.

The Creative Crafters #32 Anything goes.

Crafty Calendar #Anything goes.

Card Two uses:

Delft Blue

Damson

Diamonds (used as a pattern)

Diamonds (used as gems)

Butterfly

Card is a slim line which seems to be in vogue right now.  The design paper is another digital paper this time by Nitwits from their Flower Shoppe Too called Diamond Steel.  The die cut diamonds  is by tonic Studios called Parquet trellis. The sentiment is again by Kaiser craft and the gems were from my stash. butterflies die cut using the same SU punch. Whilst I was having a rootle around in my Tonic stash I came across the die cut for making the Essentials  Ornate Easel and as it had a diamond design I decided to also make it up using some of the delft blue cardstock so that I could display the cards with it. 

Entering this card into the following challenges:

Crafting Happiness #68 Anything goes.

Crafty Sentiments Designs # Anything goes.

Through The Craftroom Door # Anything goes.

Water Cooler Challenges #291 Anything goes.

Hope you will come and have a play with the butterflies. 

Stay safe and well and remenber to hang onto your Loo Rolls! 

Gifts, Ribbons and Bows.

Another two weeks just gone like a puff of smoke. Time for the girls in the Christmas card club to show our latest cards. Zoe set the theme of Gifts, ribbons and bows. I have had this wooden  stamp by Inkadinkado in my stash for a very long time. I think this is only it's second outing. I coloured up with my Graph'it pens and silver,bronze and gold gel pens. I have been looking at a lot of You Tube videos 

for inspiration and found one by Connie Stewart using diagonal strips of coloured card so this is my take on what she had made. I had loads of strips of white card stock so I coloured them up using the same pens as for the stamp and then cut into even narrower strips. Of course this meant that I had loads of the strips over and smaller bits too so I stuck these onto an off cut of card and used this to die cut the sentiment as you can see below. 

I do like the rainbow effect this gives on the sentiment which i also cut out twice more in plain card and glued together for strength. I fussy cut the stamped image and raised up on 3D pads and also raised the layered elements up on the green base card. Only one card this time round as though it looks a simple card it took ages to make the stripe panel for the die cut!!

Also entering into

ScrappyMo's  # September Rudolph challenge.

Tuesday Taggers #  Use your scraps.

Make My Monday # Christmas in september.

Artsy Stamper #24 Ribbons and Bows.

Keep safe and well away from those idiots flouting the lockdown rules. They will be the same ones grabbing all the toilet rolls again no doubt!!.  

Treasured Moments

A card made using  a digital print out  from  Craftsuprint called Treasured Moments card topper which makes into a corner stacker. I have used the colour Damson with Butterflies as inspiration for you, showing that you do not have to use all the elements on the Butterfly Wheel Challenge #147 or even the the card shape which I have already showcased on my previous post.  The challenge is running until 6th Oct so there is still nearly 2 weeks left to run. I have 1 more card to show which I will post here next week. 

I made the card below with a dear friend in mind for her Birthday which isn't until next May but the early bird catches the worm so they say!!

I found some plain cardstock that was the exact colour of the green on the digital print so I matted some onto a tent shape white card base and then another layer of white cardstock. I darkened all the cut edges using distress inks so that the white didn't  show up on  the decoupaged layers. I used stickles glue for a bit of added sparkle   The sentiment tag was part of  the name of the print out which I simply cut down and aged with more of the distress ink.  I know Gerry will like  this card as those shoes are just the height that she loves to  wear!!  Below is the card on its side where I tried to show all the layers on the two opposite corners but it has come out a bit blurry.  

Entering into the following challenges:

Always Fun Challenges  #181 Anything goes

Crafting Happiness #67 Anything goes.

Dream Valley #233 Make it digital. No stamps allowed.

Crafty Sentiments # Anything goes.

Through The Craft Room Door # Anything goes.

Aud Sentiments #260 Anything goes with a sentiment.

Crafty Creations #413 anything goes.

Ally's Angels #38 Anything goes.

Classic Design Challenge #9 Anything goes.

Crafter's Castle #33 Anything goes.

Double Points.

Time for a new challenge and a new set of the Alphabet over on the Butterfly Blog.We are now on the letter D.
#147 Spin The Butterfly Wheel with D for Double Point Fold Card.

Here are my inspiration cards for you.  As usual you will find the tutorials for making these cards over on the Butterfly Blog under the tab Card Shapes. We are getting a nice collection of card shapes on there now and you are free to browse and make cards from the instructions  given. 

This card uses Version I 

I am using from the wheel:
Double Point Fold Card 

Theme: Diamante 

Colour: Delft Blue
Butterfly

The large floral  paper is a digidesign from Florjumka F-78 No 1 which not only being the right blue also reminded me a little of the Delft design.  The smaller design is by Nitwits from their Country lane too 'Circle Blue' I have used my go to Isabella and Pippi die cut Butterflies by Memory Box and diamante Gems from my stash. The sentiment is another of my go to stamp sets by Kaisercraft 'Birthday Wishes'. Below you can see how the card opens up.

This card uses Version II 

I am using from the wheel:
Double Point Fold Card 

Colour: Damson 

Butterfly

This pretty digi paper is called  Rustic Shabby Papers No 4 by Jodie Lee from Snap,Click,Supply co. I have teemed it with damson cardstock. The oval die cut is spellbinders Beaded Oval set  and the roses were made using the Spellbinders Rose Creations die set.  the butterfly is Isabella with a liberal coating of wink of stella.Big pearl from my stash.   Below the card opens up to reveal the sentiment from Kaisercrafts  Best Wishes set.  This version also shows a different way of  creating the double points. 

This card uses Version III 

I am using from the wheel:
Double Point Fold Card 

Theme: Diamante 

Colour: Delft Blue 

Colour: Dandelion

Butterfly

The butterfly design paper is a digi from Snap,Click, Supply co by  Prima called Sunkiss 05. The patterned paper on the diamond points is again from Snap, Click, Supply co by Bo Bunny from their Country Paper Pad 'Country Garden dot 2'.  Sentiments are by Kaisercraft from their Best Wishes stamp set and the diamante from my stash.  Below shows the card front opened up.

This version also opens up to reveal an added extra of the tent fold shown here.  The small butterflies are an SU punch and I made the front panel using an SU Tag punch

I hope my cards will inspire you to join in and have some fun. The challenge will be running for 3 weeks and will end on the 6th Oct. 

Tutorials will be up as soon as I can get all the images loaded using the New Blogger interface. 

N.B. Tutorials are now all loaded. 

Stay safe and well.

Hugs