Winter Wonderland

I hope you had a fabulous Christmas.

A very quick post this morning to remind you all that the theme of the current Crafty Boots Challenge is 'Winter Wonderland'.

There was a time when I spent all of my spare time cross stitching but these days the hands and eyesight are not what the use to be and I cannot manage the big projects of the past.  However, this was a relatively quick project.

I found the design in an old cross stitch magazine.  I stitched in on a linen using DMC threads.  I think it is a stunning landscape and makes an amazing winter wonderland.


Dionne

The Carol Service

Happy Christmas fellow crafters.

The current Challenge at Crafty Boots Challenges is 'Winter Wonderland' and I have a couple of cards to share with you today.

This is another of my vintage rubber stamps, which I coloured with Promarkers and then mounted on silver mirri and green card.  I added lots and lots of glitter to the roof and I applied Liquid Applique around the chapel to create the snow effect.  The snowflakes are from Kanban Crafts

This card is the same image, coloured with Promarkers and lots of glitter.  The paper is from my stash.

I should like to wish my fellow Design Team Mates a very happy Christmas and New Year and share with you a couple of the cards I have received from them this year.  These are from my good friends Lisette and Zoe.

Have a wonderful Christmas and a happy, safe and healthy New Year.

Dionne

Snow is Falling

Happy Christmas Eve my friends.  Very busy today so a quick post this morning and a reminder of the current Crafty Boots Winter Wonderland Challenge.

These snowflake cards were quick and easy to make.

I used my favourite Bigz snowflake die to cut out the triple layered snowflakes in red glitter card.  I held the layers together with a brad with a red gem in the centre.

I embossed some white card and layered it with more red glitter card.  Finally, I added a strip of red glitter card and a Craftwork Cards sentiment.

I then did it all over again using green glitter card.

Just one more sleep now, I hope you are not getting too stressed out.

Dionne

Filigree Christmas Tree

Regular visitors will know that I have been very late making my Christmas cards this year.  I have a few more to share with you today.

I am sure that you will recognise a lot of the elements in this cards, this is because I made them from the bits and bobs left over from the other cards I have made.

The tree  and bauble die are from Memory Box and the festive words are Tim Holtz Alteration dies.

Just two more sleeps to go.

Merry Christmas.

Dionne

Brrrrrrr!

Hi

I am afraid that I am a bit late with my Design Team post for the new Challenge at Crafty Boots Challenges.  The theme for the next two weeks is Winter Wonderland.

Mo's Digital Pencil have some fabulous Christmas images but this is one of my favourites, it is called 'Winter Fairy Halla'.

I coloured the image with Promarkers and added a little glitter to her frosty breath. I then layered it with silver mirri and purple glitter card. I cut the fabulous snowflakes with a Bigz die and held the layers together with a clear gem brad. The backing paper is by Dovecraft and the sentiment is Papermania.  I recently bought some liquid applique and I used this to create a snow effect around her feet, however, I am not sure I like it and wish I had used Flower Soft now.

Don't forgot to take a look at the gorgeous projects created by my very talented Crafty Boots team mates.

Dionne

Christmas Baubles

The weekend is almost here and the countdown to Christmas has started in ernest.

I have been hard at it, getting my Christmas cards done in time to post.  There was a time I made and sent around 150 cards each year but I have lost touch with people over the years and quite a few people I know have stopped sending them because of the high cost of the postage and have asked me not to send them cards.  These days I make less than 100 cards.

As I have left my card making so late this year I have been making batches of very similar cards for speed.  Here is another batch, this time using three of the Memory Box bauble dies.

First I embossed the white card and then cut and mounted sheets of lemon pearlescent card and silver mirri card.  My plan was to make all of the baubles in either white glitter card or pale blue pearlescent card, unfortunately I quickly ran out of the pale blue card and switched to a few scraps of card I had left over from other projects.

The sentiments were cut using a Tim Holtz set of dies.

I hope you have a great weekend.

Dionne

Christmas Treat

One week to the big day and I am still making my Christmas card!

This little cutie is from Mo's Digital Pencil and is called 'First Christmas Girl'.

After colouring the image with Promarkers I added Polar White Flower Soft to the stockin and then mounted it on green glitter card.  The backing papers are by Dovecraft and the sentiment is from Papermania and the poinsettia is from Wild Orchid Crafts.

Dionne

Under the Tree

Regular visitors to this space cannot fail to have noticed two things:

i) The current Crafty Boots Challenge is Christmas, and

ii) I am way behind with my Christmas cards again this year (actually I think I am even more behind than last year, if that were at all possible).

I, therefore, have another Christmas card to share with you today.

This image is one of my vintage rubber stamps and a particular favourite of mine as I have a massive soft spot for Teddy Bears.

After colouring the image with Promarkers I mounted it on blue glitter card.  The backing paper is from my stash, as is the snowflake charm.  The Christmas tree die is a Memory Box one and the sentiment is from Craftwork Cards.

Dionne

Christmas Present

Good morning, I hope you had a good weekend.

It is beginning to feel a lot like Christmas around here, with a family get together on Saturday and lunch with friends yesterday.  Sadly this left little time for crafting and really do need to make a few more Christmas cards.

The current challenge at Crafty Boots Challenges is 'Christmas', rather handy under the circumstances as it has given me the opportunity to make this card.

This sweet little image is from a Day for Daisies, it is called 'A Doll for Me'.  I coloured it with Promarkets and a little bit of paper piecing.  The backing papers are from my stash, come to think of it, so are the glitter card, Christmas charm and little pearl,  The sentiment is from Craftwork Cards.


Dionne

Christmas Tags

Another day of playing catch-up, that seems to sum up my life these days!

I have been busy making tags, something I started doing last year when I ran out of tags for my Christmas present.  Tags always seem so expensive to me and it make sense to make my own, if a little time consuming.

I have made two batches so far this year but have run out again and shall have to make some more in a few minutes.

With my Bigz tag die they are so easy to make and look like a decoration in themselves.

The die cuts two tags at the same time, they are a slightly different shape to I cut them in a colour and in white and layer them.

I used a Martha Stuart punch to add a Christmas shape to the top tag.

It's just a matter then to thread them on some baker's twine.  I made the first set in blue and white to match the wrapping paper I was using. 

I made the second set multi coloured - as you can see, the white card is underneath for me to write my message on.

I suppose I had better get my Big Shot out again and make some more.

There is still plenty of time to enter your Christmas projects in the Crafty Boots Christmas Challenge.

Have a good weekend.

Dionne

Santa's Little Helper

As promised on Monday, I am back with another of my Christmas cards today.

The theme of the current challenge at Crafty Boots Challenges is 'Christmas' and here is Santa's Little Helper checking that list twice, have you been naughty or nice this year?

This cute image is called 'Molly' and she is from Saturated Canary.  I coloured her with Promarkers and used Polar White Flower Soft and glitter to bling her up a bit.  I then mounted it on silver mirri and both green and silver glitter card.    The Christmas sentiment is by CraftWork Cards and the dark green organza ribbon came from my stash.

There is still plenty of time to enter your Christmas projects in the Crafty Boots Challenges.

Dionne

Mouse Tails

I hope you had a fabulous weekend.

I am only too aware that Christmas is upon us, I feel as if I have been locked in the lounge with arms full of wrapping paper and a mile of sticky tape, but I think I can see a light at the end of the tunnel ... well until the postman comes again.

I took time out from card making because we were rapidly disappearing under all of the bags and boxes containing our presents for family and friends.  I was even unable to turn the TV over because the remote signal would not bend around the boxes in front of it.  But now it is time to get back to the card making.

A new challenge starts at Crafty Boots Challenges today, the new theme is 'Christmas'.  We should love to see all of your Christmas cards, decorations and handmade gifts.

Before I show you my DT card, I wanted to give a big Crafty Boots welcome to Jess, who is joining the Crafty Boots Design Team today.  I know you are going to love Jess's designs.

Now for my DT card, I actually have a couple of cards to share with you this week, this is the first.  This adorably cute image is called Christmas Mouse and he is from Bugaboo Digital Stamps.

After colouring the image with Promarkers and Wink of Stella pens, I mounted it on some Dovecraft paper and silver glitter card.  The gorgeous ribbon is from the Really Reasonable Ribbon people and the charm is from Wild Orchid Crafts.  The Christmas sentiment is by Craftwork Cards.  Opps, I almost forgot, I added a little Polar White Flowersoft to his hat.

Your will be amazed to see all of the fabulous designs from my fellow Team Mates, please make sure you got to the Crafty Boots Challenges blog and see them for yourself.

Don't forget the enter your projects in the Challenge.

Good luck.

Dionne

Star of Wonder

Hi

The weekend is almost here and I am trying to do a few bits towards Christmas before it all gets a bit silly .... although I suspect things have already started to get silly.

There are still a few days before the current Crafty Boots Star Challenge closes.  This card is one of my Design Team projects.

First. I embossed a sheet of white card with a small dot embossing board.  I folded a second sheet of card in two and covered the outer surface with the embossed card.  I then cut a square of the embossed card and mounted it on some dark blue card.

I used Stampin' Ups 'Christmas Star' stamp with Versamark and silver embossing powder onto white vellum and then heated it.  Once I had cut the star out I carefully creased it along the centre of each arm.  I attached the star to the card by filling the under side with Pinflair Glue Gel - this should ensure it keeps its shape when the card is in the envelope.

I stamped the sentiment on a small off cut of white card and mounted this on more of the matching dark blue card.

Finally, I added a card insert.

Don't forget to enter your star projects in the Crafty Boots Challenge.

Dionne

Three Kings Candle

Hi

I hope your week is going well.  I have been very busy the last couple of days.  I was up and out very early today and I have only just got home.

The stamp I used for these two candles is from a Stampin' Up set called 'Come to Bethlehem' and regular visitors will recall seeing it on a card I posted on Monday.

I think I may have mentioned once or twice that adding stamped images to candles is so easy, simply stamp your image onto tissue paper, then, after roughly cutting out the image, place it onto your candle.

Cut a strip of baking parchment to wrap around the candle to hold the tissue in place and to give you something to hold on to.  Use your heat gun to gently melt the skin of the candle and watch the tissue disappear into the molten wax.  Take care not to over heat the wax, you do not want it to run.  The wax will quickly set again once you remove the heat.

I finished these candle by adding some pretty navy blue polka dot ribbon to the top and bottom and holding it in place with small silver pins.

Dionne

To the Bride and Groom

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to attend the wedding of a dear friend.  It was a fabulous day, a beautiful service, a fantastic venue, wonderful food and lots and lots of good company.

A few moments peace before the other guests arrived

When I opened my invitation I immediately noticed the similarity of the stylish design on the invitation to one of my favourite IndigoBlu heart shaped stamps, of course, I immediately knew what my card was going to look like.

But sometimes what you have in mind does not quite come off when you start to put it together, this was my first attempt at a card, it seemed incomplete so back to the drawing board.

I was so much happier with mark II.

As the brides colour theme was navy blue and silver, I stamped the heart using Midnight Muse ink and mounted it on silver mirri and Midnight Muse card.  As you can see, I then mounted it on white card, leaving enough space along two sides to wrap navy blue organza ribbon around the card twice and add a double bow in the same ribbon.  

The flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts.  I started with an all navy spray but it was too dark and in the end I chose all white blossoms with just one dark blue flower for accent.

I added several pearl headed hat pins to the spray and a few very small roses.  I also decided that the sentiment spoilt the balance and it had to go.

Dionne

Christmas Stars

This is a very late posting today - and in more ways than one.

I meant to post this card last week but it completely slipped my mind.  I realised this yesterday and decided to rectify it today.  However, earlier today I was unable to get on line and hence the lateness of this posting.

Over at Crafty Boots Challenges the theme of the current challenge is 'Stars' and this card is one of my Design Team projects.

I die cut the stars from glitter card and added die cut words using Tim Holtz Alteration dies.  The backing paper is from an old Stampin' Up stack, which I then layered on some silver mirri card.  The silver ribbon is from my stash.

I decided this weekend that the only way I would get enough Christmas cards made in time was to start batch making them,  This card forms part of my first batch of 10 cards

Well, at least I have made a start ....... just another 90 cards to go.

Dionne

Follow the Star

Welcome.

Time is passing so very quickly at the moment. I suppose it is because I am panicking over how rapidly Christmas is approaching and how much I still hove to do.

For instance, I keep finding excuses for not getting on with my Christmas cards.  I think the only way I am going to get them done now is to keep them CAS and to start making them in batches.

So here we go ................................

This Stampin' Up stamp is called 'Come to Bethlehem'.  I stamped it in a shade of ink called Midnight Muse and then layered it in silver miri and a matching shade of card.  I love this colour but it is no longer available.  I made the sentiment from another Stampin' Up stamp set.

The current theme at Crafty Boots Challenges is 'Star' and as you can see this stamp has a lovely star image.  I tried to glitter it up and make more of a feature of it, but my star ended up looking more like a blob, so I decided to go for a more classically simple look.

There are three fabulous guest designers at Crafty Boots Challenges this week, please take the time to look at their wonderful projects.

I have made four of these cards so far, I am aiming to make at least ten ..... I suppose I had better get back to it..

Dionne