Every Blessing

I honestly thought that I had made enough Christmas cards during the course of the year but once I started writing them I realised that I was not just one or two cards short but about 40!

So I set to making a card with a fairly basic design, which I could make relatively quickly.  Of course the boredom factor started to creep in and there were quite a few deviations from the general theme.  Here are one or two of them ........

The basic card features Stampin' Up's Every Blessing stamp in Cherry Cobbler stamped on a linen effect card, layered onto the matching coloured card.  The sentiment stamp is also Stampin' Up.  Each card had a red flat backed gem in the centre of the star.


Dionne

A Robin's Christmas

Christmas is behind us now and we are rapidly approaching the New Year, I have just one or two more Christmas cards to share with you before we get there.

Today's card features the Delicious Doodles image called 'A Robin's Christmas'.  I must apologise for the darkness of the photograph, but the lighting is not good at the moment.  I coloured the image with my F&C polychromos pencils and then mounted it on gold miri card and red coloured glitter card.  The background paper is from a Tim Holtz Paper stack and the sentiment stamp is from Stampin' Up. The snowflake die is from Memory Box.

The mirrored reindeer was one of my Christmas presents and the tiny candy canes are actually nail embellishments, but I thought that were perfect for cards.  I added a touch of sparkle to all the snow with a Wink of Stella clear Brush.

A quick reminder that there is a special Christmas challenge at Crafty Boots Challenges entitled 'Snow and Sparkle'.

Dionne

Join the Christmas Train

Just a quick post today as I am running a bit late.

I love this toy train image from A Day for Daisies, it is called 'Choo Choo Train', it is perfect for either a little boy's birthday or a Christmas card.  I wanted a card for a gift voucher for my young nephew and this long thin image seemed the perfect shape.

After colouring the train with Promarkers I added his name with peel-of stickers.  I then mounted it on some gold mirri card.  The peeled paint backing paper came from a digital paper stack, but I am afraid I cannot remember which company I got it from, it was possible Bearly Mine.  The little sentiment stamp is from Stampin' Up.


Dionne

Christmas Carolers

We have reached the midway point for the current Crafty Boots Challenge.  The theme of this challenge is 'Snow and Sparkle', most of my cards have at least a little glitter or glitz and at the moment an awful lot of them also feature snow.  So, for me, this is not a difficult challenge.

My card today features the Delicious Doodles image 'Frozen Fountain'.  I coloured the image with my F&C polychromos pencils and added glitter to the frozen fountain.  I then mounted the image on silver miri card and some silver coloured glitter card.  The musical paper is from Dovecraft and the sentiment stamp is from Stampin' Up.  And finally, the flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts.

We have three very talented Guest Designers joining the team for this Challenge, don't forget to pop across the the website and check out their work.


Dionne

A Little Elf Called Katie

Thanks to the weekend most of us get to celebrate Christmas a little longer this year.  We have been out visiting family the last couple of days, so today we are enjoying a lazy day at home.  Yesterday it was the turn of my other sister and her husband.

My card today features another of my fabulous Delicious Doodles images, this one is called 'An Emo Christmas'.  I have a niece who gets to dress up on one day a year with her job, as it is Christmas she usually chooses the elf costume.  It seemed to me that this image was almost perfect for her, with one small problem. she is not really into the whole Emo thing.  So, I hope Teri Sherman forgives me for taking my air brush to her beautifully drawn image.

I coloured the image with my F&C polychromos pencils and then mounted it on gold miri card and red coloured glitter card.  The fabulous paper is from The Digi Rainbow and the sentiment is from Craftwork Cards.  I covered the fur trim with Flower Soft, Polar White.

A quick reminder that there is a special Christmas challenge at Crafty Boots Challenges entitled 'Snow and Sparkle'.

Dionne

Happy Boxing Day

Hi, how was your Christmas Day?  Did Santa bring you something nice?  My favourite present?  Well it has to be spending the day with my sister and her family .... and watching my great niece open her presents.  Leighanne is four now and mad on Frozen.  She had lots and lots of Frozen themed presents, the highlight of which was a singing Elsa.  She also received some money, her instant reaction to the money was to ask to be taken to the shops to buy her baby sister her own singing Elsa doll.  Aww!

Today is Boxing Day, I have often wondered why the day after Christmas Day is known as Boxing Day, so I have been doing a little reading up.  I always thought the Boxing Day was something peculiar to the UK but apparently it is observed across the Commonwealth and it is the day when the servants in the 'Big House' received their present from the 'family', this was known as their 'Christmas Box'.  It was also the day when the masters served the servants their dinner.

Another quick post today ......

This is another fabulous Delicious Doodles image. this one is called 'Snow Cuddles'.  I coloured the image with my F&C polychromos pencils and then mounted it on silver miri card and some pewter coloured glitter card.  The fabulous paper is from The Digi Rainbow.  The snowflake die is from Memory Box and the sentiment is from Craftwork Cards.

I coated the snowflakes with clear Wink of Stella Brush Pen and the fur trim is Flower Soft Polar White.

Don't forget that there is a special Christmas challenge at Crafty Boots Challenges entitled 'Snow and Sparkle'.

Happy Boxing Day.

Dionne

Wishing you a Very Happy Christmas

Wishing you a very happy Christmas, I hope that today you get to spend the day with your loved ones and doing all of those things that bring a smile to your face and a warm glow inside.

It is still quiet here so I thought I would take this opportunity to share Christmas card with you and apologise for my recent absence from this place. This was one of my favourite cards from the 125 cards I made this year.

This lovey wreath image is from Delicious Doodles and is entitled Holly and Rosehip Wreath.  I coloured the image with my F&C polychromos pencils and then mounted it on gold miri card and some gold glitter card.

The backing paper is from Dovecraft and the sentiment stamp is a Stampin' Up one - it is mounted on some red card and some more gold mirri (the mirri seems to be reflected something orange).  The rather splendid berries and pine cones are from Wild Orchid Crafts.

I must apologise for the picture quality, unfortunately the light these days is very poor and it hard to see the lovely reds in this photograph.

The current challenge at Crafty Boots Challenges is 'Snow and Sparkle'.  As always, the Design Team have been very busy making inspiration samples, make sure you check them out when you are entering your projects in the Challenge.

All the best.

Dionne 

Poinsettia Card

Welcome back, it is week two of the current Crafty Boots Challenge, the theme for these two weeks is 'Christmas'.

How are your preparations for the big day going?  I feel like I am loosing the battle at the moment.  I made my cards months ago but they are still not written.  I have done a lot of shopping over the last few weeks but I am not sure if I have presents for everyone, so I a trying to get them all wrapped and I am making a list as I go ....... I think I am almost there.

Since my early twenties I have wanted either a deep blue Christmas tree or a purple one.  I had a deep red on for may years, which I adored.  Last year my friend Mrs Beez told me where I could get a 5 ft purple one.  Sadly, after weeks of waiting for it, I got a letter to say they had sold out.  This year I have ordered it again but I am still waiting for it to arrive - and I have just realised that, when it does arrive, I do not have any decorations for it!

Enough of all of my Christmas dilemmas, here is my design Team card for today.  Very traditional colours and subject with  a few modern highlights.

The poinsettia die is by Susan's Garden from Sizzix. I used liquid pearls to create the stamen.  The card, snowflake charm and ribbon are all from my stash.  The sentiment stamp is by Stampin' Up.

The rest of the Design Team have been busy making some fabulous inspirational designs, please check them out.


Dionne

Christmas Wreath

Welcome back.  as you know, the current Crafty Boots Challenge is 'Christmas'.  I have another Christmas card to share with you today.

This lovely poinsettia and holly wreath is from Delicious Doodles. I coloured the image with Promarkers and then highlighted it with a Wink of Stella Brush Pen. I mounted the image on gold mirri and red pearlescent card. Next, I embossed some white card and attached it to a square card blank. The ribbon and sentiment were from my stock and the flowers and berries were from Wild Orchid Crafts.

I hope you have a great weekend.


Dionne

Fairies in a Jar

I have a quick and simple decoration to share with you today.

I purchased some second hand Kilner jars from ebay.  The lids were a little rusty, I was not comfortably using them for food, so I looked around for something else I could use the jars for.  I recently saw something similar to this on Pinterest.

My initial idea was to hide the battery pack in the lid but the pack was too large for that.  However, because of the design of the Kilner Jar I was able to take the wire out through the top of the lid and the little fabric mop cap nicely hides everything.  (The micro lights can either be on static or flashing.)  Finally I tied some Christmassy ribbon around the lid and finished it with a bow.

The current Crafty Boots Challenge is 'Christmas'.  Don't forget to enter your Christmassy projects.


Dionne

Christmas Challenge

It hardly seems possible that we are approaching Christmas again.  It seems only weeks ago that I was complaining that I am no where near ready for Christmas and next year I am going to start my preparations earlier.

Unfortunately, twelve months later and I am no better prepared this year, I am afraid it is in my nature to leave things until the last minute.

Crafty Boots Challenges starts a new challenge today, for next two weeks we would like to see your Christmas projects.

For my card today I have chosen this vintage look Delicious Doodles image called 'Snowy Postbox'.  I coloured the image with my F&C polychromos pencils and mounted it on some patterned silver mirri.  I then covered the card blank with some deep red glitter card and attached the image.  The sentiment is a Stampin' Up stamp and the wooden snowflake charms are also from Stampin' Up.  Finally, I added a touch of frosting with my Wink of Stella brush pen.

Don't forget to take a look at the other Design Team makes when you enter your project into this Crafty Boots Challenge.

Good luck.

Dionne

Countdown to Christmas

It is the first of December already and the time many people set out their Advent Calendars.  I have made a very special Advent gift for a very special person.

Each year I put together an Advent Calendar for my oldest and dearest friend, but I have to confess that I am rubbish at finding very tiny gifts, so they never fit into one of those pre-made Advent Calendars, you know the ones with 24 little boxes to open, which are only really big enough for a wrapped chocolate.

Every year I search the shops looking for a suitable receptacle to put my gifts in, over the years I have used a variety of large Santa stockings, vases, boxes and baskets.  However, this year I decided to make my own fabric covered box.

I cut my box shapes from the card you can buy for mounting pictures and then attach the lining using Pritt Stick, it is amazing what a great bond it forms and it does not mark the fabric.

I then hand stitch all of the pieces together, it takes me ages as often I accidentally stitch through the board as well as the fabric.  I use wadding to give the lid a lovely cushioning and finally I cover the outside with a contrasting material.

As you can see, I have decorated the outside with some Christmassy ornaments, the flowers and berries came from Wild Orchid Crafts.  I have only put s few stitches in the decorations so they can be easily removed after Christmas, when hopefully, the box will have a new purpose.  Finally I wrap all of the gifts and this year I cut the tags from glitter card and numbered them with more glittered card.

Happy Advent.

Dionne

Off to School

It's time for the mid challenge reminder at Crafty Boots Challenges. The current theme is 'Spots and Dots'.

My card today features a Mo's Digital Pencil image called 'Erasmus'.

Once I had coloured the image with Promarkers I mounted it on some gold mirri and red card. The backing paper is by DoveCraft. The washi tape and cupcake charm are from my stash.

The card was for my little niece, who had just started school, I made her a couple of school uniform cardigans and a jumper to go with her card.

Now, don't forget to pop over to Craft Boots Challenges to enter you card featuring spots or dots.


Dionne

Minni Mouse

I have another card for you today featuring one of the nations favourite mice .., Minnie Mouse.

The current challenge at Crafty Boots Challenges is 'Spots and Dots' and I have adored colouring these Minni Mouse images, with her fabulous red and white polka dot outfit.

I found this free colouring page on Colouring Book and I coloured it with Promarkers.

I mounted the image on some red glitter card.  The red and black polka dot paper came from Bearly Mine.  I layered this with some gold mirri and I added a round Craftwork Cards sentiment.  The gorgeous red polka dot grosgrain ribbon came from my stash.

Don't forget to check out the Crafty Boots Challenges blog and take a look at the projects done by the other members of the Design Team.

Dionne

Spots and Dots

A new challenge starts today at Crafty Boots Challenges, the theme for the next two weeks is 'Spots and Dots'.

When I sat down to think about my DT piece for this project, there was one character which kept coming to mind as representative of dots - Minni Mouse.

I found this free colouring page on Colouring Book.  Minni Mouse is so cute and she always brings a smile to my face.  Now, if I have done my maths right, last week was Minnie's 87th birthday.  She first appeared in Steamboat Willie on 18 November, 1928.  I suspect she looked a little different to this in that film.

I coloured the image with Promarkers and mounted it on some red glitter card.  I then covered the card with some embossed dots card and added some polka dot ribbon top and bottom.  Finally I added a round Craftwork Cards sentiment.

The rest of the Design Team have been making some amazing projects, so please make sure you check out the Crafty Boots Challenges blog and take a look for yourself.

Dionne

Merci

I decided to try something a little different with this poppy stamp.  First I stamped Stampin' Ups ' A World of Thanks' stamp with vintage photo ink.

I then stamped over it with Penny Black's 'Poppy Time' stamp using black ink. I coloured the stamped image with Promarkers before mounting it on red and silver glitter card. The sentiment is from CraftWork Cards.

I hope you have a great weekend.

Dionne

Pretty Poppy

I know what you'r thinking, not more poppies.  The trouble is I have so many poppy stamps and digi images, I just love their rich red colours and the fact that poppies also come in virtually every other colour too.

This card features another free colouring book page from Super Colouring, which I coloured with Promarkers.  I mounted it on silver mirri and white card, I then added a layer of red glitter card and some embossed white card.

The red flower is from Wild Orchid Crafts (apologies for the poor quality photograph but here it is in close-up) and the sentiment from CraftWork Cards.  The berries, buttons and ribbon all came from my stash.


Dionne

Vintage Poppies and Peonies

Regular visitors will not have failed to have noticed that I am having a bit of a thing with poppy images at the moment. It does not take much to get me rushing for my pens and pencils to colour poppy images because they are so much fun but this set came pre-coloured and they were just perfect to make into Artist Trading Cards (ATCs).

This set of nine images of rich red poppies and peonies came from Pics and Paper. At first glance they looked as if they was very little to do to them, but once I got out my craft supplies I found lots of suitable embellishments.

I printed two sets and layered some of the flowers and mounted them on glitter card. I also added some ruby coloured flat backed gems to each card. I added pearls to some and ribbons to others. I also added butterflies and leaves to others, all from my stash.

Apologies for the poor quality photographs, they weather here has been dreadful this week and it is constantly dark and overcast, this does not lead to very good quality pictures.

Of course, there is another reason I have been playing with poppies, the current Crafty Boots Challenge is 'Remembrance' and/or 'Giving Thanks'.  There is still time for you to play along with this challenge.

Good luck.


Dionne

With Deepest Sympathy

The current Crafty Boots Challenge is 'Remembrance' or 'Giving Thanks'.  I have a another sympathy card to share with you today.

It features a free colouring page from Super Colouring, which I coloured with Promarkers. I mounted the image on some deep red card and gold mirri. The background is black mirri card. I printed the sentiment on my computer.

Dionne

Avec Sympathie

We have reached the midway point in the current challenge at Crafty Boot Challenges, the theme of which is 'Remembrance' and 'Giving Thanks'.

My Design Team card this week was influenced by the atrocities that took place on Friday in Paris.  I was based in London for my entire working life and saw my fair share of terrorist bombings and the impact they had on the people who live and work in the places affected, from the IRA attacks in the 1970's and 1980's to the horrendous bombings of 7 July 2005.

Times like this bring back some awful memories for me and my thoughts and prayers are currently with the people of Paris.

This card has a deliberately simple design, featuring Stampin' Up's Pleasant Poppies stamp, which I coloured with Promarkers and pencils.  I types the sentiment on my PC and I layered the image and sentiment on some silver mirri and added a band of black glitter card to represent the bright lights of Paris that are currently switched off.

My thanks to my good friend Mrs Beez for the inspiration for this card.

We have two lovely Guest Designers this week so make sure you pop across to Crafty Boots Challenges to check out their work.


Dionne

For the Fallen

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;

They sit no more at familiar tables of home;

They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;

They sleep beyond England's foam.

Extract from 'For the Fallen' by by Robert Laurence Binyon

The current Crafty Boots Challenge is Remembrance and Giving Thanks.  My card today gives thanks to all of those who have laid down their lives in the defense of this great nation, in the war to end all wars, and every war since.

This beautiful wreath of poppies is by Delicious Doodles and is simply called 'Poppy Wreath',  I coloured it with Promarkers and mounted it on silver mirri and black pearlescent card.  The embossed white card, ribbons and flat backed gems are all from my stash.

Dionne

The Last Post

A brand new challenge starts at Crafty Boots Challenges today.  For the next two weeks the theme of the challenge is remembrance or giving thanks for those things we have, like family and friends, those things that make our lives comfortable.

There have been services all over the UK, indeed all over the Commonwealth, this weekend to give thanks for those who gave their lives to secure and protect our freedom.  In honour of those brave men and women I have made a card featuring the poppy, which has come to symbolise remembrance of WW1.

My poppy image is a free colouring page which I coloured with F&C polychromos pencils and Promarkers.  I printed the sheet music for The Last Post from the internet and distressed it slightly with Vintage Photo and Antique Linen inks.  I fussy cut the poppies and glued them to the sheet music, which I had mounted on red mirri card. Finally I added a double bow of red ribbon and two of my favourite hat pins.

The rest of the Crafty Boots design team have been hard at work making inspirational pieces, make sure you take a look when you enter your project.

Good luck.

Dionne

Trick or Treat

I hope you had a good weekend.  I wonder. did you or the family take part in any of any Halloween jollity's over the weekend?

My family have held an annual pumpkin carving party on the afternoon before Halloween for the past four years, it is meant to be for the small children, but I think the big children enjoy it every bit as much.  We had fingers in a bun (sausages in a bridge roll) and baked philosopher's stone (jacket potatoes) for lunch and drank Slimaide (limeade), Dragon's Blood (cherryade) and Pumpkin Juice (orangeade).

This year the grandchildren are that bit older and helped with the carving of their pumpkins, but the adults did the knife work, here are a few of the pumpkins we carved.

As you can see there was something of an animal theme this year with the cat, fox, lion and rabbit.  I think my two nephews took the prize with their vomiting man and ghost designs.

Over at Crafty Boots Challenges it is time for the mid challenge reminder for the 'Autumn or Halloween' Challenge.  I made trick or treat bags for my neighbours and all the children at the party on Friday.

The images are all from Gecko Galz.  After enlarging the images I mounted them on orange and green card before attaching them to craft coloured bags.  The bows were made from a Marianne Creatables die from orange and green card and gold glitter card and I added lots of orange and green ribbon before attaching them to the bags.  

I also added a few Halloween stickers before filling the bags with all sorts of Halloween goodies.  To be honest with you, I think they were all far more interested in what was inside the bags than what was on the outside.

The rest of the Crafty Boots Design Team have been very busy so please make sure you hop across there and take a look.

I hope you have a good week.

Dionne