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