Fairies and Gnomes

It's a special month long theme over at the  Butterfly challenge.

#68 All kinds of Fairies, Elves, Gnomes and Pixies.

The butterflies are all now in the chrysalis stage but will be back in the New Year ready to spread their wings.

Until then here are some cards to help inspire you to play along. 

First up is a Shaker card using a Lavinia stamp called 'Dancing  till Dawn. I created the background using sponge daubers to apply different coloured inks. The shaker element is stamped around the edge with a combination of small stamps from Heyda 'Roses and Leaves, Heyda  'Twines' and Cardio Majestic 'Summer Wreath' using the same ink pads that I used on the background. I made the sentiment in word and printed out onto white card.   The shaker is Stampendous 'Doodle Loots' Crystal mini stars which though they do look really good IRL have made the card difficult to photograph well.

Entering this card only into the following challenges:

Creative Fingers #121 Anything goes.

Crafting With Friends #32 Anything goes.

Brown Sugar #226 Anything goes.

Always Use Rubber #4 Things with wings.

Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends #Anything goes.

My second card using a cute digi by Bugaboo called Mistletoe Fairy. I have coloured her using my promarkers, a gold gel pen and platinum stickles. The sentiment is a die cut by Xcut. Cuts beautifully and easy to remove from the die. The plaid paper is a freebie from Making Cards Christmas Edition 2015. The holly is a ribbon from my stash . The packet says it is from The Ribbon Girl.

 Entering this card  into the following challenges:
Craft Your Passion #340 Anything goes.
Crafty Creations #329 Christmas.
Southern Girls #149 Anything goes.
Scrapping 4 Fun #79 Christmas.
Christmas Card Challenge #50 Anything goes.

Finally my last card features a digi called Sleepy Holiday Fred Gnome by Lacy Sunshine. I know I'm really chancing it letting a gnome near my blog but hopefully that naughty/delightful/pesky Elf will stay away this year!!
Again I have coloured using my promarkers, silver gel pen and glossy accents on his nose and the gold baubles.  Sentiment is another Xcut die cut . Design paper is from a bumper pack I got from the NEC for £1 (would have been rude not to have bought it) and the snowflake embossed card is from Jellybean crafts.  The embellishment is a really old one from my stash along with the silver bell which I attached to his hat.

Entering  this Gnome card only into the following challenges:

Aud Sentiments #169  Anything goes + a sentiment

Creative Moments #107 Anything goes.

Moving Along With The  Times #34 Anything goes with christmas

Crafty Hazelnut's #.309 Use a sentiment.

All Sorts Challenge #391 Anything christmas

Scraps of life by Scrappy Mo # November Rudolph challenge.

Hugs 

Mixed Media & Trees

Time again for the girls in the Christmas Card Club to show our latest cards. Mary H chose the theme of Mixed Media with Trees.
A quick search of my used christmas card box turned up this card front.

I raided my packets of gems and found suitable ones to cover the baubles and a large wooden sparkly star for the top of the tree. Then I just went to town on adding bits and bobs for the rest of the texture element. I found christmas tree ribbon, spotty ribbon, wooden sparkly presents, red netting and patterned acetate and this is the end result. Sentiment is a Britannia die cut.

I have spent all day trying to get decent photos and finally came back upstairs and took the photo below which show the true colours. 

I used dark green card stock and made the card up with three layers this time including the acetate front sheet. 

To make my second card I raided my christmas box and found this  Inky Delicious 'Winter Cabin' stamp. I created a background using several ink pads , a torn piece of card for the hills and Inky Delicious Fluffy Puffy Stuff dimensional. I covered several cardboard tree shapes with washi tape and created a collage of 4 different sizes. The white oblong border was left over from making a shaker card the other day and was still on my desk. 

Sentiment was from a packet of  premade  ones that I adhered to a slightly larger piece of the base card. I have used green christmas tree ribbon here. Photo below shows the dimension of the washi tape trees that I adhered to the front of the card with double 3d pads to gain the height as the Puffy fluffy stuff wasn't quite dry when I assembled it. Not showing up very clearly but the trees and snow have liberal helpings of  Stickles 'Disco Ball' applied.

Entering this card only  into the following challenges:

Pixies Crafty Workshop #257 Use up your snippets. (White aperture).

The Crazy Challenge #236 Getting ready for christmas.

Crimbo Crackers #120 Anything goes.

52, Christmas Card Throwdown # Use Glitter (used Stickles).

Crafty Hazelnuts #309 Use a sentiment.

Christmas Card Challenge #50 Anything goes.

Crafty Hazelnut's Extra # Anything goes.

Sweet Stampin Christmas # Anything goes.

AnMa Creatief #62 Winter.

Crafting Museteers #43 Christmas wishes.

Navy with Butterflies

It is the second week of the #67 Butterflies + N is for Not Square and/or Navy so here is some more inspiration for you.

First card is a Side Stepper Card. Sorry photo is not very good but the lighting has been terrible and which ever room I use the results are the same. Card base is a pre shaped one that a blogging friend had sent me a couple of to use a while back and this is the last one. Design paper  is a freebie from Making Cards  February 20106 magazine called 'February Floral'.  I've used up snippets of plain navy pearlised paper and the small butterfly were cut out  with an SU punch from a scrap of silver foil paper.Sentiment is a sticker from my stash which says Have a Great Day ! and Surprise! The large butterfly is a Starform sticker which I peeled off the backing sheet and attached to some of the navy cardstock and then fussy cut round it. 

Entering into the following challenges:

Artistic Inspirations #168 Anything goes.

Craft  Your Passion  Anything goes.

Pixie's Crafty Workshop #256 Use up your snippets.

The East Wind #67 Oh so shapely.

My second card uses another  card shape that I found a packet of lurking in a box in the back of a cupboard. I used my Xcut  Square Parenthis dies in several sizes, some I drew round the edge of and fussy cut to get the next size up. The design papers are again freebies from Making cards March 2016

magazine called 'Pastel Petals'.  The butterflies are  Memory Box  Pippi/Isabella cut in pink and navy

card stock. 

Entering into these challenges:

Through The Craft Room Door #Anything goes.

Fussy & Fancy #177 Different folds or shaped cards

Paper Creators #53 Anything goes.

Love To Craft #4 Anything goes.

Tuesday Taggers # Layer It up.

My last card takes me out of my comfort zone colour wise but I found this scrap of paper which again had been a frreebie from a magazine and was begging me to be used.  Card Shape is a Dutch Fold Card shape which is very easy to cut out and put together. There are several tutorials on Youtube to follow. I have used bright yellow card stock to make the base shape.  The butrterfly dies are  Tonics
'Layering Butterflies'  I used some of the fall out pieces from the large butterfly on the first card above to add a bit of sparkle to their wings and body.

Sentiment is a silver sticker from my stash and I  have edged the card with silver edging strips.

Entering into the following challenges:

Brown Sugar #225 Anything goes.

Crafting With Friends #32 Anything goes.

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #46 Anything goes.

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper # Anything goes.

Elf Napped!

I know ,I know, I know I say it every year and really do mean it at the time but circumstances just keep coming up.  Take this little tale for example.
Last year in the batch of 6 that I had  made ( which were pre orders) was one special order  namely for my Daughter in Laws Kindergarten  class. The children had great fun arriving each day to see what the Elf had been up to in the night.  Well my DIL was sorting through the boxes in the classroom  (a couple of weeks ago and found the box he should have been in only he wasn't!. A thorough look round and he was nowhere to be seen. Elf Napped!!   I got this story from my son as DIL didn't like to tell me what had happened.
So I have had a busy week and made my very last ever Elf who is now on his way up North and  I do most sincerely mean this folks as I have run out of red material.

Toucan Talk.

There is an Australian swap that I like to enter every month when possible and this is the second of the cards that I sent to my partner for the September swap which had the theme of Animals. A quick check  with Oz confirmed that yes birds would be classed as animals. I'm trying to go through all the digi stamps I have on file and use them all at least once. This is one I bought from  'Patties Creations'

called Two_Can_ Love back in Mar 2013. Where does the time go!!

Base card is made from navy blue card stock and a panel of red card sandwiched into the spine. I downloaded the image onto white card and used my distressed markers to colour along with a brush dipped in water to move the colour around a bit. I added small googly eyes to the birds. There is a sheet of acetate in front of the white card. Rather than adhere with brads I still punched the four corner holes but  threaded twine through instead  and finished with a bow at the top. Sentiment is a gold sticker from my stash.

Entering into the following challenges:

Aud Sentiments #168 Anything goes + add a sentiment.

Southern Girls #147 Anything goes.

A Bit More Time To Craft #32 Anything goes.

Crafty Catz #347 Anything goes +add the colour red. 

Creative with Stamps #8 Use a bird stamp (Digi's allowed).

Creative Ladybirds #21 Anything goes.

Crafts Galore # Anything goes.

Crafting By Designs # Anything goes.

Paper Creator's Crafts #53 Anything goes.

Easel Butterfly.

The new challenge for the Butterfly blog is

#67 Butterflies + N is for Not Square and/or Navy.

Here is my inspiration for you. An Easel card.  Base is from pink card stock folded to make the shape. The die cut is by Crafts-Too  Oval Frame PCD35 and I used all 3 pieces. Cut from navy card.



The butterflies are Dimensional effect stickers by Anita's and the sentiment is a silver sticker from my stash.



Sideways view to show the Easel shape. The Birthday strip has been raised with 3D pads to make a small lip to hold the card open. Card folds flat for mailing.

Entering into the following challenges:
Create and Inspire #56 Anything goes.
Inspiration Destination #112 Anything goes.
The Paper Shelter #273 More than 1 of anything (4 Butterflies).
The Sisterhood of Crafters # Up Up and away.
Creative Fingers #120 Anything goes.
Love To Craft #4 Anything goes.
Creative Ladybirds #21 Anything goes.
Crafts Galore # Anything goes.
Crafting By Designs # Anything goes.
Paper Creator's Crafts #53 Anything goes.

Reindeer

Next time I'm coming back as a Manx Cat as I seem to be forever chasing my tail in this life!!
It's time once again for the girls in the Christmas Card Club to show our next cards that we have made. Lorraine set the theme and chose Reindeer.   I have been away visiting family and didn't get back till late Sunday so I quickly made these two yesterday.
As usual I raided my used chirstmas card box for a suitable card front to use and found this rather cute  Reindeer.  (At first I thought it was a dog wearing antlers but on second looking it does have hoofs so that's ok!). There was not much I could enhance the image with so I decided to make a shaker card instead. (Got to get the acetate on there somehow).  I followed Jennifer McGuire's excellent tutorial on her blog here for the shaker element. It really is an easy way of making the frame up. I used a stack of Crafts-Too rectangle dies stitch hole. I filled with an assortment of white/cream sequins.  Where I had trimmed the original card down I had a small piece over so I used it for displaying the sentiment which is a Britannia Word Die Cut.  I  made the card base from red card stock  cut down to size.

Entering into the following challenges:

Craft Your Passion #338 Anything goes.

Scrapping 4 Fun #78 Christmas.

Crafty Catz #346 Anything goes.

All Sorts Challenge #389 Feature a creature.

Pixie's Crafty Workshop #255 Use up your snippets. (Used christmas card).

Crafting Musketeers #43 Christmas wishes.

Crafty Hazelnut's Extra # Anything goes christmas.

For my second card using up from my stock of christmas stamps/die cuts/stencils/embossing folders etc. I had recently bought this adorable Leane Creatief  Deer & Trees die cut which had been love at first sight. I had to have it!. Here I have used kraft card to make the base card and to cut out the pieces. Design paper is from a pack by First Edition 'Jingle All The Way' that I had picked up from the NEC for £1. Well it would have been so rude not to!!!!  I thought it went perfectly with the kraft card. I edged with some cream card stock. Sentiment is again a Britannia Word Die. I didn't have a small enough googly eye in my stash so I used a small spot die punch and added the black with a marker pen. 

Entering into the following challenges:
Melonheadz Friends # Add A sentiment.
Crafty Creations #328 Animals.
Brown Sugar #224 Anything goes.
Cards 4 Galz #35 A contemporary christmas.
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #45 Anything goes.
AnMa Creatief #62 Winter.
Crafty Hazelnut Patterned Paper # Anything goes.


Ok. I'm firmly grasping my tail and am off to catch up on all your blogs. See you shortly.

Poppies with Butterflies

It's the second week of  the

#66 Butterflies + Q is for Quotes and/or Quick silver.

Here is my next inspiration card for you. I have combined the design with  Poppies for Remembrance Day.

Card base is made from red cardstock cut to size. The silver card has been cut just slightly smaller and  then the Memory box Prim Poppy die cut to one side. I removed the die cut poppy and re cut using red and green card stock. Relaid the green poppy die cut inside and then cut the poppies from the red die cut and placed on top of the green. This gave the poppy heads a slightly raised look. 

The cut out butterflies Are Dufex Decoupage toppers in black /red/silver. I created the quote in word , changed the background to dark grey and the words into white print.   Backed onto red card and then punched out Using SU 's Curly Label.

Entering into the following challenges.:
Crafty Boots # Things with wings.
Deep Ocean Challenge #141 Use die cuts or punches.
Create and Inspire #55 Anything goes.
Jo's Scrap Shack #163 Anything goes.
Crafting With Friends #31 Anything goes.
Brown Sugar #223 Anything goes.
Love To Craft #4 Anything goes.
Creative Ladybirds #21 Anything goes.
Crafts Galore # Anything goes.
Crafting By Designs # Anything goes.

Mug Swap Reveal.

Back in September I joined Stephanie's of The Enchanted Rose

 9th Tea Cup and Mug Exchange.

A total of 192 ladies across the world joined in the fun with parcels being sent and received. It is now time for  the big reveal and I can show you the mug and goodies that I sent to my Partner Eva in Spain and the parcel I received back from Barbara in Cornwall England.

I first  joined in this swap back in March on the 8th Tea Cup exchange but  this time I elected to swap a Mug with my partner.  

This is the collection that I sent to Eva in Elche Spain . The information that I was given to work with was that Eva loves fruit infusions, espresso coffee , is romantic and likes vintage  style.  I had seen a very pretty mug which I thought Eva would like so I based the items that I sent her around the colour of the mug. 

Vanilla and chamomile  infused tea bags . The little glass kilner jar (decorated with lace )is filled with  Percol 'Black & Beyond '  Espresso Dark and intense coffee. I made a patchwork mug rug and used the same blue vintage lace to decorate it with . The mug has delicate small blue flowers and little blue butterflies adorning it  The small tea pot I painted pale blue and decorated with sprigs of tiny embroidered flowers as I had seen from  Eva's blog that she likes and collects miniatures. 

I enclosed a card which has a pre coloured image of tea cups on it by Hunkydory from their Little Book of Shimmer Designs. Front is my signature acetate decorated with silver stickers and pre made cream roses from my stash.

Here is what I received back from Barbara in Truro Cornwall. A delightfully decorated Butterfly box filled with gorgeous goodies.  Costa Cafetiere coffee , a little bag stuffed full of old lace and ribbons and embellishments , a lovely fragrant lavender mesh bag  and .............. 

this very beautiful rose bone china mug that tea tastes divine in (The doc makes my evening cuppa in it)  and this little book of quotes which certainly is a gift of happiness. Thankyou Barbara.

Lastly here is the card I made and sent to Barbara to say thank you for my lovely parcel.
The image is a digi stack of cups by 'Beyond The Fringe' and is a Freebie on their site. I have paper pieced each cup with a different complementary paper and coloured the cup handles with a matching promarker pen.  Front of card is y signature acetate decorated again with stickers and ready made pink flowers from my stash.

I'm off to the NEC tomorrow with strict instructions from Miss Di to keep away from a certain stall that I managed to nearly demolish on our last outing together and to not touch the soap dispensers in the ladies. I will keep you posted or better still just watch the ten o'clock news!! 

Hugs

Linking up to :  The 9th Teacup and Mug reveal. 

Quotes and Quicksilver.

There is a new theme  at the Butterfly Challenge.

#66 Butterflies + Q is for Quotes and/or Quick Silver

Here is my inspiration for you.

My first card uses a Hunkydory image from Their Little Book of Vintage Lace adhered to a slightly larger design paper (from my stash and unknown origin as unusually for me I had not written on the back of it where it was from) which I have then adhered to a base card using liquid shimmer card stock. The front is made using an already embossed pearlescent butterfly acetate sheet made by Lakeland Ltd from when they sold craft items so is quite old. Very kindly given to me by my blogging friend Kim. 

I have adhered silver sticker edging to the spine of the card and used silver sticky alphabet

to create the quote  'Use your wings and Fly'

My second card uses lots of odds and ends that were already on my desk from previous projects.
The card base is a pink shimmer blank which I have cut down to size. The silver card is the left over from the card above. The trellis work is a Crafts-Too Lattice frame  and is the inner most die of the set. It started out being cream but I quickly transformed it using a silver shimmer marker pen. (Simples.) The butterflies are by Memorybox  Cascadia Butterfly Trio sat in a pot on my desk. Pearls from my stash. The flower image is another Hunkydory image from their Little book of Flowers and slightly cut down to fit. The quote was computer generated and printed out in Silver.

Hope I have given you some ideas.