ABC Christmas Challenge - E is for enclosed

Sizzix photo album

I have had the Sizzix photo album die in my possession for some time, but have not used it. A bit daunted by it to be honest, but decided to bite the bullet when I saw this challenge. I have been meaning to make an album of photos for my Mum showing pics of the kids at Christmas and this seemed like the perfect opportunity.

The papers used are from the Papermania 12 days of Christmas pad. the tree and snowflakes are from one of the Sizzix Hero Arts stamps and dies sets. I have added some sprigs from the Spellbinders die d-lites holly sprigs set. The red gems were from my stash.

Now I have to go away and print out the photos and them to the album (only 9 months till Christmas).

I am entering the album in the ABC E is for Enclosed challenge.

Less is More - Yellow and Green

I was rummaging in my craft cupboard and found a stash looking for inspiration to start entering the Less Is More challenge again. I came across a stash of Gorjuss stuff and thought it might be interesting to use a different colour scheme.

The image is coloured with spectrum noir pens. The sentiment is from Craftword cards.

I am entering the card in the Less Is More challenge 161.

Flower Fairy Fun

I am a bit late to the Crafter's Companion Flower Fairy phenomenon, not surprising since most of my family are men and so fairy cards are not in great demand, but they are lovely.

I made the following card using the Wild Cherry fairy on the CD rom.

I used three styles of backing paper and one of the decoupage fairies. It doesn't show up in the picture but the wings are glittered with Hunkdory Fairy Wishes glitter. The WITH LOVE stamp is one I found in my stamp pile while tidying up. I stamped the sentiment onto pink card which was cut out with a spellbinders circle die and layered onto silver mirror card cut from the spellbinders scallop circle die.

I am entering the card in the Crafter's Companion Monthly Challenge 20 - Love is in the Air.

Craftwork Cards stash

I love the papercraft materials from Craftwork cards. The following card was made using various bits and pieces from their Boxing Day sale goody bag.

From the goody bag, I used the backing paper,  die cut buntings which I have glittered using Hunkdory Butterfly wishes glitter, the circles embossed card which I have coloured with distress inks, a die cut butterfly edged with distress ink and embellished with green jewels and a sentiment also from the goody bag. The green ribbon was from my stash with a pink jewel embellishment.

And I haven't even got to the gorgeous candi in the bag yet...

I am entering the card in the Crafty Cardmakers Challenge #59 No Floral Embellishments challenge.

Fun with Clearly Hand Stamped

I love my box of Clearly Hand Stamped stamps. There is always something in there that can add a finishing touch to a large card or can be used as the centre point for a small card.

The following cards were made using the stamps:

Owl and leaves stamp set with hello sentiment

A little birdie told me stamp

Owls and Hoot stamp set with a fancy scroll stamp for the "branch"

Birds and flowers stamp set with Live Simply sentiment

Birds in the rain stamp set with Smile sentiment

The images were all stamped using the black ink provided with the box onto a scalloped edged 3"x3" card blank, embossed with clear embossing powder and coloured using Copic pens.

I am entering the Hello card in the Less is More week 50 "Birds" challenge.

Sometimes its worth looking at your CD collection

I was tidying my craft desk and putting my various CDs into some form of order when I found Joanna Sheen's ATC Assistant. Its a gorgeous CD packed full of images and backing sheets and ideas. I can't believe it was gathering dust at the back of the cupboard. Although, that's more due to compulsive shopping and the newer CDs in front of it, because it is a superb resource CD. Whilst it may be aimed at ATC makers, the images etc also make perfect toppers for cards.

I had some scrap twelve by twelve paper on my desk and I was looking for an image and style to match and the ATC Assistant was the perfect solution.

The card uses the scrap paper as the backing, distressed with walnut stain distress inks. The topper is an ATC backing paper with a vintage image topper that I cut out and mounted on top. The flower was made from the remains of the scrap paper using a spellbinders Flower Creation die, distressed inked again and finished off with a jewel brad. The sentiment was also printed from the ATC Assistant. I edge the toppers and sentiment with distress inks as well.

I am entering the card in the Joanna Sheen Challenge and Daring Cardmakers First Friday Colour Combo 1 challenge

Less is More - week 49 - Predominantly Purple

Well purple is my second favourite colour and so what a perfect challenge to start my New Year's resolution to restart entering challenges and doing my blog.

The card is a simple card made from spellbinders (ironworks) with a bit of distress inking and a purple ribbon.

Sorry about the picture quality. The camera needs recharging after Christmas!

I am entering the card in the Less is More challenge.