Fancy Fold Card.

Another 2 weeks has sped by again 

and it's time for the girls in the 

Christmas Card Club to show our makes.

The challenge was set this time by Maureen 

and her theme was  'Feature a Critter or Critters'.

A quick look through my used Christmas card pile

turned up 3 possibles.

I spent ages waffling on the 1st picture but nothing 

seemed to work so in the end I went onto the 2nd

card of my choice and so glad I did as I love the result.

I found a great tutorial by Brenda of Floral Fantaises 

for this Fancy Fold Card.

I did change my measurements slightly to accommodate the 

card front I was using.

The Artists name is 'Audrey North'

and I cut the shape of the card to

 leave  it showing. 

The detail on the mice  is fantastic.

I did a search on the web but all I could

find out about her is that she is a

British Visual Artist.

Her prints sell well on auction sites. 

I cut the card down using my XCut  Oblong Parenthesis die

and backed it with a further die cut using gold pearlescent card.

Base was made using cream card stock and then the panels layered up

using cherry red card and the gold pearlescent card. 

I had thought that bit  was the most time consuming part

until I got to the Ivy die!!

The die is acutally a Joaanna Sheen Ivy corner

but the snippets of  green and brown card I wanted to use

were just that  'snippets' so I ended up cutting the leaves

with the die individually from the scraps. and then pieced/glued

the trailing  leaves down the outside side panels.

Sentiment is Briannia word dies.

Maureen  also runs the Rudolph Day challenge 

which is just as well as I spent so much time on this card

I can enter it there too and not miss the deadline!!

Entering into the following challenges:

Crafty Hazelnuts Extra#   Christmas cards only

Christmas cards All Yr Round # Cute critters.

Rudolph Day #  1  Chrismtas  card only.

Me and Mine #14 Beat the rush.

Fab 'n' Funky #252 Christmas.

Southern Girls # Punching above your weight.

Allsorts #304 Feature a creature.

Hiding In My Craft Room #193 Any holiday.

A Gem Of A Challenge #141 Shaped cards anything but square.

Pixie's Crafty Workshop #170 Use up your snippets.

It is going to be all go here for the next month 

as we are having a major refit done 

starting tomorrow with the electrics.

So if I go all quiet you'll know that our

temperamental Internet access    

has not rebooted when the switch gets flicked back on!!

Butterfly Corner.

It is new challenge time over at

my Butterfly challenge with the theme being

#27 Butterflies + C is for Corner

I have chosen to use a die cut as my corner piece.

I have layered up with Papermania cardstock in pink

and then white card ontop onto a scalloped edge card base.

The butterfly corner die is by Tonic from their 

'Butterfly Blooms' Set. 

This is a NUBUS (never before used schtuff)

so I will be playing over at Darnell's challenge.

Sentiment is a magazine freebie stamped

using Versa Magic chalk ink in Perfect Plumeria.

Quite a CAS style card for me and the only other item 

added is the one pearl on  the seperate butterfly.

Entering into the following challenges:

Through The Craftroom Door # Anything Goes

Papertake Weekly # Die cutting, fussy cutting, punches.

Wags and Whiskers # 150 Monochromatic.

Crafty Catz # 271 No Design Papers.

My Time To Craft # 284 Silhouette.

Darnell's  NBUS challenge #4  anything goes .

Tent Fold Card.

The  Craft Club that I do swaps in

required us to include 10 embellishments in with

our January cards for our partners in turn to create 

2 cards for the Febraury swap using those embellishments.

This is the first selection that I received from my 

Partner Merry.

The pink card is from my stash and was used to make the base card. 

The pretty rose patterned card is the notelet that Merry enclosed along with the 

embellishments  and I thought it much too pretty not to reuse. 

As the pattern was the same on the back of the card I cut it down the middle

to use on each of the cards that I made .

I decided to make a 'Tent Fold' card and to use the 
printed off cut of acetate to make a window in the front. 
I used my Xcut and Spellbinders dies to cut the 
circle and trim.  I cut the flower card to fit in the back of the card.

 So 

The rest of the embellishments were used on the front. 

Merry has received this card now so I can show.

Entering into the following challenges:

Craft Your Passion # 254 Anything goes.

Scrapper's Delights # 43 Anything goes.

Inspiration Destination # 25 Anything goes.

Fan 'n' Funky # 251 Spring into colour.

Decorate  To Celebrate # 96 Anything goes.

Brown Sugar # 138 Anything goes.

Fosted Designs # Think pink.

Sister Act # 98 Anything goes.

A Gem Of A Challenge # 139 Pretty in pink.

Pixie's Crafty Workshop #169 Use up your snippets  

Triple Framed Card.

It is week 2 of my Butterfly Challenge.

Here is my card for your inspiration.

I saw this idea over on  Helen's blog

but I have used a completely different 

construction to make mine. I chose to layer

up the frames with  3D pads and used  a

conventional card opening.

I fell in love with these digi papers by Pink Petticoat

from their 'Isabelline Collection'.

They all mix and match so well together.

I have used Spellbinders 'Deckled Rectangles' to create

the diminishing windows which lead you into the 

Butterfly which is made using Memory Box's

Pippi & Isabella Butterfly dies.

Xcut corner rounder  for the edges of card.

Sentiment is by Clearly besotted.

Pearls from stash.

Side view showing the 3D layered front of card.

Inside of card decorated to match .

I'm feeling a lot better now and will be round your blogs

asap.

Thank you for all your well wishes.

Entering into the following challenges:

Through The Craft Room Door # Anything goes.

Cuttlebug Mania # Freeze frame.

All Sorts # 302 Flowers and Pearls

Suzy Bee's Bloomin Challenge #71 Anything goes + optional spots or stripes.

Pile It On #60 Use 3 of something ( 3 layered die cut windows & 3 pearls used).

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper # Anything goes.

Fairytale.

It was Fluff's Birthday yesterday

and this is the card I made for her.

Yellow and purple being  her favourite colours.

I battled my innner deamons and got the 

'BRAYER'

out and actually used it for the very  first time 

to create the background  after looking at

loads of Lavinia tutorials on  how to do it!!

I knew  I wanted to use this colour palette but the colours 

were spread across 3 different stamp pad makers

that I had in my stash namely

SU, Adirondacks and Memento.

Now as I wasn't sure  if they  were  compatible I went straight 

to the oracle herself (Fluff) and asked the Q.

Back came the reply " If you tell me what your doing 

I can advise you more specifically".

To which I quickly replied nope  "It's on a need to know basis

and you don't need to know that" !!!!

Thankfully they all are.

I created the background using the Brayer 

and SU/Adirondacks ink pads. 

Torn strips of scrap paper to shape  the hills.

Lavinia Fairy 'Luna' stamped using Memento ink.

Lavinia flowers used were Wild flower,Bluebells,

Lavendar, Leaf trail and Trailing Ivy.

Sentiment is Anita's Stickers .

Card mounted onto yellow  SU cardstock.

I had fun making so much so that I made another 

scene up  in blue but that is now on it's way to Australia

so can't be shown yet.

Because the card was not a bog standard size 

I made a matching envelope for it too. 

Entering into the following challenges:
Pixie's Crafty Workshop #168 Use your snipppets.
Fashionable Stamping #93 Springtime.
Make My Monday # A scenic card.
Love to Scrap #50 Anything goes.
Craft Your Passion #253 Anything goes.
Crafting From The Heart  #51 Anything goes.
Create and Inspire #17 Anything goes.
Little Miss Muffet #107 Anything goes
Fairytale challenges #113 Flower power.
Creative Ladybirds #1 Anything goes.

Box Card.

Still not feeling Tickety Boo

 (as my dad would say)

with this latest cystitis attack

 but at least the antibiotics have  started to kick in now.

I did manage to sit and make this card last night 

despite numerous loo stops!!

It is time once again for the girls in the

Christmas Card Club to show our makes.

The theme this time has been set by Sylvie

and is for 'Anything Goes'.

My starting point was the idea of making a box style card.

I have used the frame idea before for making 

picture frames but not to make a card with.

So a rummage in my used christmas card pile turned up this 

sentiment for the front

and this card with the church scene

for the backing of the box frame.

There is an excellent tutorial here 

by Sandie Edwards

which gives clear instructions on how to make the  frame.

I used my own measurements to fit the card I was using.

Die used for the front and inside cover is

Spellbinders  'Romantic Rectangles'

Pearls from my stash.

Entering into the following challenges:

Crimbo Crackers #76 No printed paper.

C.R.A.F.T. challenge #302 Christmas.

Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends #6 Anything goes.

Scribble and Scrap #40 Anything goes.

Crafts Galore  # Anything goes.

Country View Crafts # Anything goes.

Crafty Hazelnut's Extra # Christmas cards.

Pixie's Crafty Workshop#167 Use your snippets (Parts of used Christmas cards)

Would have  posted this earlier

but Fluff and Co

popped in for a flying visit on their way back

to Derbyshire from a Weekend away

at Lego Land. 

Made my Day!!

Accordion Style Card.

Another new card shape.

Accordion style card.

I found an excellent tutorial

by Beate Johns on Splitcoaststampers.

I'm struggling with another bout of cystitis

so showing a card I made earlier for a swap. 

This is the 2nd card that I made

using stickers for my partner Merry in Oz.

Design paper is by Raspberry Road and is from 

their digital paper collection ' Ancient Page'

I used my Xcut   nesting dies 'Square Parenthesis'

for the page shapes.

Made a matching envelope which you can just see.

Stickers are by Paper Mania.

Pearls and ribbon from my stash.

The pages are actually an oddment of very pale green card

but it is showing as off white in photos.

I made a pocket from brown card for a tag on the 2nd page.

Last pages with more sticker decoration.
The card folds flat  and is tied with a ribbon bow.

Entering into the following challenges:

Ooh-La-La Creations #175 Lots of folds.

The Pink Elephant #289 Create a shaped card.

Inspiration Destination #24 Anything goes.

Scrapper's Delights #42 Anything goes.

Penny's Paper Crafty #218 ribbons and Bows.

Moving Along With The times  # 3 in a row ( Die, flowers, ribbon or lace).

Brown Sugar #137 Shaped cards.

Pixie's Crafty Workshop #167. Use your snippets (last bits of green card stock).

Crafts Galore # Anything goes.

Crafting Musketeers #23 Ribbons and pearls

Acetate Shaped card.

My card shape today is made from Acetate

which has been sandwiched between 

layers of patterned paper.

This is my inspiration piece for 

my Butterfly Challenge

#26 Butterfly/ies + P is for Patterned Paper

 I find acetate is normally quite a fiddly thing to use in making cards.

You either have to use as a window within a frame or 

attach using brads to the front so that you do not see

any of your fixing tapes.

I found a great  tutorial  here by Kristina Werner which uses none of these ideas.

Kristina used an actual acetate card base for her card

but I just used a sheet of acetate cut down and scored heavily using my Scor-Pal.

The design papers were a freebie in Papercraft Inspirations magazine

called Vintage Treasures by Jennifer Ellory.

Image is by Lily of the Valley from their pre coloured 

Art Pad Set 19 Cute Cottage Garden.

I used my  Xcut  rounder  for the corners.

Here is the back of the card which shows the whole 

of the acetate card with the design paper adhered to the back

which mirrors exactly the inside panel thus hiding all the double sided tapes.

The sentiment is made using Anita's silver peel offs.

Quite difficult to get good photos because of the glare you get

back from the acetate.  Don't think you can see me pointing the camera!

Entering into the following challenges:

Crafting From The Heart #50 Anything goes.

Craft Your Passion #252 Anything goes.

Buckwells Crafty #6 Flowers

Natalie and Amy's Challenge #30 Flowers.

Sister Act #96 Anything goes.

Scrapping4fun Challenges #37 Anything goes.

Use Your Stuff #176 Monochromatic.

Through The Craftroom Door # Anything goes.

Fab 'n' Funky #250 Focus on the image.

Hiding In My Craft Room #190 Freestyle

Patchwork 1.

A change of direction. 

I decided to join in a patchwork block swap this year. 

You can choose to make which 12" square pattern that you like

but you must use the colours chosen by your swap partner.

My January partner was Mandy in Australia

And her colour choice was to use greens, blues,

yellows, tropical  floral prints or colours .

I knew I had this beautiful parrot material

in my stash and wanted  to use it as my focal point.

The block pattern is called "Churn Dash"

Mandy is going to make all her finished blocks up into 

Cushions for her patio furniture. 

Trio Of Pink.

It's the second week of 

#25 Butterflies + H is for  Hexagons

so here is some more inspiration for you.

1st Card.

Base is made from smooth white card.

I stenciled with  Memory Box 'Texture Honey Comb'

using SU  'Blushing Bride'.

Sentiment is by  Clearly Besotted.

Butterfly  is a Dufex topper which i raised on 3D pads.

Blue and gold sequins from my stash.

Entering into the following challenges:

My Craft Creations # Anything goes.

Craft Your Passion #251 Anything goes.

Quirky Crafts #5 Pretty In Pink.

Country View Crafts # Anything goes.

2nd Card.

This one uses  SU Honeycombe Embossing folder.

Card base is SU cardstock

I embossed a strip of the pink card and cut out 

6 heexagons for the word.

Letters were stamped using a wooden alphabet set.

Butterflies were cut outs from previous projects.

Simple but effective.

Entering into the following challenges:

Crafting From The Heart #49 Anything goes.

The Shabby Tea Room #247 Pop of pink.

One Crazy Stamper # Anything goes.

Virgina's View #13 All things embossed.

3rd Card.

I cased the 3 hexagons with twine from a card

by Kirsty Maluga shown in Papercraft Magazine.

Backing paper is  Florals and Flutters 

a freebie in Making Cards 2013 the last in my stash.

Pink  SU card left over from card made above.

Sentiment is a Britannia Die, cut twice and layered

Xcut Hexagon Die Cut  and SU Embossing Folder

used to make the Hexagons.

Twine and pearl from stash.

Entering into the following challenges:

Crafty Card Makers #133 Stripes.

Use Your Stuff #175 Twine.

Crafty Catz #268 Use your dies/punches.

Pixie's Crafty Workshop #166 use up your snippets (design paper).

Hope you will join me for a Flutter.

Lattice Front Card.

It is time once again for the girls in the

Christmas card club to show our latest cards.

The challenge was set by Margaret

and is for a card showing Poinsettia's any colour.

I'm woefully late in showing my card.

I have been trying to make cards of a different shape

and also to recycle the pile of old Christmas cards in my stash.

I knew I had this card front

so went on a search for a design to compliment it.

I found this tutorial  by Valita 

which I thought would be perfect.

I waited till this morning to take photos

but they still do not give the card justice

 The individual strips of paper took

ages to cut and weave but I got there in the end.

Base of card is gold pearlised card stock.

I chalked round the edge and some of the lattice

with pearlised chalk too. 

Poinsettia die is by Poppy Stamps No 861

cut from dark red card.

Rectangle die by Xcut.

Ribbon and pearls from my stash.

Inside of card.

I used Stickles on the flowers and leaves but

it doesn't show up here. It does IRL.

Entering into the following challenges:

Scribble and Scrap #39 Amything goes.

Lil Patch of Crafty #5 Anything goes.

Crafty Hazelnut's Extra. Christmas cards.

Crafty Hazelnut's #218 Cut it up. (I did. Hundreds of strips!)

ABC Christmas  # D is for die cuts.

Me and Mine # Beat the rush.

The Glory of Christmas #53 Red and Gold.