Winter Bear

It's New Years Eve, I am hoping to spend this evening with friends, we usually see in the New Year with a glass of Champagne.  How will you spend your evening?

My card features another of the images that I recently found in a folder, so apologies for not being able to tell you the name of this stamp.  I coloured the image with F&C polychromos pencils. 

 I used Aleene's Glitter Snow to highlight the snowflakes and the trim on his little hat, I also used it on the Christmas trees and the pine branch.

I should like to wish all of my followers a very happy, healthy and prosperous 2017.  Take care.

Dionne

Christmas Baubles

I am still playing catch up posting my Christmas cards.  Only a couple to go now.

This is however a very brief post, not much to say about this CAS card.

Another House Mouse stamp, this one is called 'Balancing Act', after colouring it with F&C polychromos pencils I mounted it on some silver mirri card.  The Christmas lights came printed on the backing papers, which is from a House Mouse CD.

I hope you have a lovely weekend.

Dionne

Christmas Candles

I recently saw some decorated candles on Facebook, they claimed that they had extra sparkle as they burned, from the candle light reflacted in the encrusted Epsom Salts.  My regular visitors will know that I enjoy decorating candles, so I had to have a go at this.

The Facebook post gave very little detail on how to do it, well no details really, so I had to guess.  I used a paint brush to coat the candles in PVA glue and then I rolled the candle in a tray of Epsom Salts.  If I am honest, I was not that happy with the results.  The glue started to dissolve the Epsom Salts and I had trouble making them stick to the candle - the results were rather patchy.

Not exactly overwhelmes with my lumpy looking candles I decided to scatter into the mix some picture candles.  This time I resorted to the tried and tested method for decorating the candles.

I stamped several Sugar Nellie Christmas stamps on to tissue paper and coloured them with Promarkers.  I then used my heat gun to 'melt' the tissue into the candle wax.

I finished most of them off with some sparkly washie tape, this little one I left plain and wrapped it in celophane and a red ribbon.

Those of you who are observant would have spotted that these candles were one of my Design Team makes for the Crafty Boots Christmas Challenge.  That was a couple of weeks ago and the current Challenge is 'Winter Wonderland'.  I am afraid that I am a bit behind with my posting, opps!

Dionne

Cute Carol Singers

Tidying up my craft space a few weeks ago I found a folder full of images I must have stamped years ago, I have no memory of doing this and I cannot remember the names of any of the stamps I used.  Being close to Christmas I really did not have time to go through my rather large stamp collection to work out which was which, sorry.

I coloured this one with F&C polychromos pencils and added Aleens's Glitter Snow to the snowflakes and fur trim to their hats.

The backing papers were scraps left over from cards I made a few weeks ago.  Both the snowflake die and the Christmas tree die are recent purchases.  Finally, the silver ribbon was from my stash.

Don't forget that the current Crafty Boots Challenge is 'Winter Wonderland'.

Dionne

Nothing was Stirring, Not Even a Mouse

Hi, how was your Christmas?  Good?

I was a little bit busy in the run up to the big day and never posted some of the cards I had made, so I  have a few Christmas card to post this week.  Starting with this one.

I think this image is so cute, it is from House Mouse.  The stamp is called 'Friendly Dreams', I coloured it with F &C polychromos pencils.  The backing paper and maching sentiment came from one of my HouseMouse CDs.

The glittery purple snowflakes were cut with my new Cheery Lynn snowflake die and the sparkly silver washi tape was from my stash.  The ribbon and little jingle bells were Advent gifts, my friend knows me so well.

Have a great week.

Dionne

Fishing on a Star!

Hi

How was your Christmas Day?  I hope it was a happy time for you and your family.  It is time for the Crafty Boots Challenges Winter Wonderland Challenge.

A very quick post from me today because it is hectic around here at the moment.

I used Promarkers to colour this seriously cute little image and I mounted it on silver mirri and blue card.  The paper came from a HouseMouse CD and the snowflakes are a Cheery Lynn die.  The silver glitter washi tape is from my stash.

I used Aleene's Glitter Snow for the snowflakes and fur texture.

We have two wonderful Guest Designers at Crafty Boots Challenges today, please pop along and see the beautiful projects created by Lisa and Kathie.

Dionne

Jumping for Joy

Christmas Eve has finally arrived, are you ready?  I have just sooo much to do today, if today lasts 36 hours I would probably still need more time.

Still there is time for a very quick post to wish all of my wonderful followers a very joyful, healthy and safe Christmas.  I hope you are all surronded by family and friends, doing what you all enjoy most.

A fun card today, three boy racers whizzing across the keyboard.  Mounted on silver mirri and green pearlized card.  The snowflakes are a Cheery Lynn die.

Have a great holiday.

Dionne

Postbox with Robins

A quick post today as everything is getting a bit hectic with the big day getting so close.  It is also the shortest day today, not that you would notice, the days around here recently have been so dark and overcast.

As most of you will know the current challenge over at Crafty Boots Challenges is 'Winter Wonderland'.  These little robins may not be covered in snow but there is something about their gorgeous plumage that says winter to me.

This card features one of Teri Shermn's gorgeous digital images, this one is called 'Jolly Holly Postbox'.  I coloured the image with Promarkers and then mounted it on gold mirri.  I embossed the whote card with Christmas trees and the sentiment is from Craftwork Cards.  The backing paper and snowy ribbon are both from my stash.

Don't forget to enter your wintery projects into this Crafty Boots Challenge.

Good luck.

Dionne

Winter Wonderland

Today sees the start of the final challenge of the year for Crafty Boots Challenges, the theme of this challenge is 'Winter Wonderland'.

I have lost count of the number of  Design Team projects I have made this year but this is my one for today.

I coloured this image some time ago and mounted it on the polka dot paper but then I did nothing more with it, so today I have turned it into a Christmas card for a good friend.  I am sure there is a term for this but I cannot think what it is. 

The stamp is a Gorgeous Girl one called Winter Friend, I coloured it with Promarkers. The polka dot paper is from Dovecraft, the evergreen paper is from First Edition (this paper really isn't this acidic in real life).  The pine branch die is a Marianne Creatable die but I am not sure of the make of the trees, it is a new one and all the pack says is 'made in China'.  The sentiment is from Anita's, everything else is from my stash.

The rest of the Crafty Boots Design Team have been busy, please pop over to the blog and take a look at their fabulous work for yourself. 

Dionne

Advent Tags

Good morning, I hope you are well.

As I type this I cannot help wondering how your countdown to Christmas is going.  I am a little behind with everything but my sister says that I function best when I am under pressure!  I sure hope she is right.

Last week I shared with you a fabric covered box I made for my friend to hold all of the Advent present I had bought for her.  Now to be honest, the box took several days to make and I was very short on time when I sat down to make my Crafty Boots Design Team Projects and all I had to share were the tags I have made to put on the Advent presents.

Each wrapped present needs a number on it so my friend knows which to open each day.  This year I cut two tags, the larger in either gold or silver mirri and the smaller one in either red or blue card.

I then added a different Christmas themed silver charm to the top of each one.  This one had a gingerbread man, others had things like a wreath, a snowflake, Santa, a sleigh, a Christmas tree etc.

As well as the Advent 'calender' I make for my friend each year, I also do one for my husband.  No box for him, one of the first containers I bought for him was a personalised Santa sack and I have used it for his calender every year since.  However, I do have to make tags for him as well.

No frilly charms for him and I made all of his tags the same size and, just to make things a little more interesting, I put the numbers under the top tag - te he!

Last week I promised to share the Advent calender my friend gave to me this year.  I apologise for making you wait but it was so worth it.  How cute is this?

Twenty four tiny houses and inside each one is a tiny present.  My friend has the greatest imagination, try I as I might, I just cannot think of 24 things that small.  Which is why I have to make a fabric covered box each year to put her presents in.

We have been doing this for something like 25 years now and it is so much fun and I would recommend it to anyone.  Another friend of mine decided that she would make her husband one this year but instead for going for small presents she bought her husband 24 bottles of beer.  Each night he posts a critique of that days beer on Facebook, boy is he having a good time.

Have a great day.

Dionne

Three Little Mice

Things are so hectic at the moment and I apologise because I owe you a couple of post.  I really need to find a few days that no one else knows about before Christmas, otherwise I am not going to get it all done in time.  I did manage to get a few decorations up yesterday, with the help of my husband, and Saturday I got about 50 my cards in the post, along with a couple of parcels containing presents.  But there is still so much more that needs doing, including around two dozen cards which I hand deliver.

Today the Christmas Crafty Boots Challenge reaches the midway point and I do have a card to share with you ....

These three silly billies are from a House-Mouse project CD, I have them all and I cannot remember which one they came from, sorry.  The matching backing paper came from the same CD.

I coloured the image with my F&C polychromos pencils and then mounted it on gold mirri and pearlised green cards.  I picked up the berries and leaf at my local garden centre and the mini cones are real, I got them from ebay along with the sentiment.

We have three fabulous Guest Designers this week Lisa, Cecilia and Marina.  They have made some amazing projects, please pop over to Crafty Boots and take a look.

I hope you have a great week.

Dionne 

Christmas

December and the countdown to Christmas has started in earnest.  Only last week I had been smugly sitting back congratulating myself on how well I am doing with all of my Christmas preparations but with the arrival of Advent I start panicking because I suddenly realise that actually I have so much still to do and little more than two weeks to do it in.

I have so many little traditions in the run up to Christmas, the first of these is the Crafty Boots Christmas Challenge.   For the next two weeks we are hoping that you will share all of your Christmas projects with us.  You can use any materials you like, to make anything you like, for example, a card, an altered box, a gift bag, an ACT, a scrapbook page, an inchie, just as long as there is a Christmas connection.

One of my other traditions is the giving and receiving of Advent calenders, not the tear off the door and eat the chocolate type but the collect together lots of smallish objects and wrap them up and place them in a suitable container type.  Some of you may remember that last year I decided to make a padded box for the presents I was giving to my bestest and oldest friend.  I decided to do this again this year.  The box I made this year is slightly larger than the one I made last year, so they will stack or nest, whichever she wants to do with them.

I cut the panels for the box from the type of card you can buy for mounting pictures, this was because I needed nice thick card to make a sturdy box.  I then attached the lining fabric to the panels using Pritt Stick, it is amazing what a great bond it forms and it does not mark the fabric if you get a bit messy.

I then hand stitched all of the panels together, this can be pretty time consuming and harsh on my poor finger tips but it cannot be done any other way.  I use wadding to give the lid a lovely cushioned look.  Next I covered the top, bottom and sides with a contrasting material, this is again hand stitched.  I love all of the sparkly gold in this fabric.

Finally, I added a little decoration to the lid, just to give it that extra Christmassy feel.  The berries and pine cones are from Wild Orchid Crafts and the cinnamon sticks and cute Gingerbread Man were from my local supermarket.  The ribbons were from my stash.

I have been so lucky this year, I was given not one, but two Advent calenders.  I know, how spoilt am I?  The first was from my lovely friend and Crafty Boots Team Mate Lisette (aka Mrs Beez).

Each night you light a little tea light candle in the dish on the top, isn't it adorable?  Watch out for my other Advent calender later in the week, it is sooooo cute, you will not want to miss it.

The rest of the Crafty Boots Team have been very busy making Christmas items, why not pop over to the blog and take a look, and don't forget to link to your Christmas projects.

May I wish you the compliments of the Season.

Dionne

Elegant Christmas Tree

Can you believe it, December already, oww that gives me an anxious feeling.  That well know phrase springs to mind ' So much to do, so little time'.

The current Crafty Boots Challenge is 'See the Woods for the Trees' and it has given me the perfect excuse to make a couple of much needed Christmas cards.

This gorgeous stylised Christmas tree is from Delicious Doodles.  I coloured it with Promarkers and added glitter to the decoratons and deep red gems.  It is so sad the glitter does not show up on this photograph.

I mounted the image on some silver mirri and also on some Real Red card.  I found the fabulous backing paper in my stash, the sentiment is from Craftwork Cards and the flowers. leaves and berries are from Wild Orchid Crafts.

Don't forget to enter your Christmas tree designs in this Crafty Boots Challenge.

Good luck.

Dionne

Deck the Halls

Thank you for visiting today and, if it is your first time here, welcome.  I hope what you see will encourage you to visit again.  Please feel free to say hello below, I would love to hear from you.

The current Crafty Boots Challenge is called 'See the Woods for the Trees', in other words trees or wood texture.  Today I have an image with a rather unconventionally decorated Christmas Tree, so cute.

I coloured the image with Promarkers and then mounted it on some gold mirri card and also on some pumpkin coloured card.  I found the backing paper in my stash - it even had a little sentiment.

The flowers, leaves and berries are from Wild Orchid Crafts.

Enter your Christmas Trees in this Crafty Boots Challenge.

Good luck.


Dionne

I Had a Little Nut Tree

I hope everything is good for you, it is such a busy time for me and I am reaching that time of year where sleep becomes a luxury.  It is already time for the Crafty Boots 'Mid Challenge Reminder', the theme for the current Challenge is 'See the Wood for the Trees.

This week I have been rather cheeky and used the theme of this challenge as an excuse to get on with my Christmas cards.

This has to be one of my favourite Christmas images, it is 'Little Nut Tree' from Delicious Doodles, I think it is so simple yet very elegant.

I coloured the image with Promarkers (I added a little glitter to my silver nutmeg) and then mounted on some silver mirri and green card.  The backing paper is printed from a HouseMouse CD and the sentiment is from Craftwork Cards.  Oh, and the red carnations are from Wild Orchid Crafts of course.

This week Crafty Boots Challenges are so lucky, we have two fabulous Guest Designers Branka and Deanne.  Make sure you pop across and take a look at their amzing work for yourself.

Have a great week.

Dionne

Woodland Owl

Hello and welcome to my blog.  As regular visitors know the current Crafty Boot Challenge is rather enigmatically titled 'See the Wood for the Trees' but it is rather simple really, it just means use images of trees or wood textures, or even something wooden, in your project.

I am afraid that the tree branches in this design are difficult to see because the backing paper is very delicate but trust me they are there, the backing paper is covered in trees and branchesl, it is not helped by the poor quality photograph.  I thought I had solved the problem of my photos by changing the bulb in my craft light .... maybe not.

The backing paper is one of the designs from one of my favourite paper stacks - The Promise by First Edition.  I also embossed some marbled paper with a wood grain effect before cutting the banner shape from it.  The Owl stamp was a freebe I got in a magazine many years ago and have never used before, isn't he cute?

The tiny butterfly is from a Stampin' Up Beautiful Wings Embosslits die and the sentiment is from Craftwork Cards.  The ribbon, charm and gems are from my stash.

Have a great weekend.


Dionne

Agapanthus Anniversary Card

Thank you for dropping by today, I look forward to your visits and would love for you to leave a comment and say hello.

I have been wanting this Stampendous 'Agapanthus Cluster' stamp for the longest time but there was always something I needed more but I took the plunge a few weeks ago and ordered it.

I used Promarkers to colour the stamp and mounted it on some silver mirri and SU Wisteria Wonder card.  The backing papers are also by Stamping Up.

The little butterfly dies are by Stamping Up (Beautiful Wings Embosslits) and Memory Box (Kaleidoscope Butterfly).

Have a great day.

Dionne

Three Little Butterflies

As regularly visitors will know, the current Crafty Boots Challenge is 'See the Wood for the Trees'.  The inspiration for my card today is a holiday we took in Rhodes many years ago.  We went for a walk through the woods in a valley and the whole place was smothered in butterflies - even us.  You will not be surprized to hear that it was called The Valley of the Butterflies.

I think that I must have been thinking about several of the recent Crafty Boots challenges when I made this card and combined them in this single card - 'Pink', 'Things with Wings' and the current challenge 'See the Wood for the Trees'.

I ran some pale pink paper through my Big Shot in the Stampin' Up Woodland Embossing folder.  I then mounted it on some Razzleberry coloured card and some checkered pink paper from DoveCraft.  I die cut the butterflies using a Stampin' Up die and added some small pink pearls to their centre.  Finally I added some pink ribbon.

Don't forget to check out the Crafty Boots 'See the Wood for the Trees' Challenge.

Dionne

Rosa Rosaceae Anniversary Card

The weather here at the moment is absolutely dreadful, I cannot remember the last day it did not rain and the last few days it seems none stop.  Such a long way from those endlessly hot days of summer.  The leaves have fallen from the trees and when it stops raining I really must get into the garden and clear at least the paths of the wet, slippery leaves.

My card today is in memory of those hot summer days, with the bees buzzing and the light scent of roses in the air.

My stamp today is another of my PSX floral stamps, this one is Rosa Rosaceae.  I coloured it with Promarkers and mounted it on some mirri card as well as some green card.  I made the tag with a scrape of Stampin' Up paper and some ribbon from my stash.  The busy bee paper is also from Stampin' Up.

Thank you for stopping by, I look forward to your visits.  Have a good week.


Dionne

See the Wood for the Trees

A new challenge starts today at Crafty Boots, the theme of which is 'See the Wood for the Trees'.  For this challenge the Design Team will be looking for images of trees, wood grain or perhaps even something made of wood, really it is up to you and your imaginations.

My card today features a Woodware stamp called Going to Seed - I hope you can see the detail.

I coloured the image with Promarkers and mounted it on gold card as well as some green card.  (I cut the banner from the same green card.)  The wooden plank effect backing paper came from my Timeless Texture paper stack.  The rest is from my stash.

(I know the Happy Birthday Craftwork Cards sentiment at the centre of the rosette looks very off center.  However, I have just checked and on the card it is perfectly centered, it must be the angle of the photograph.)

The rest of the Design Team have been working their fingers to the bone making cards, please pop along to the Crafty Boots blog and take a look.

Have a great week.

Dionne 

Through the Letterbox

We are at the mid challenge reminder stage of the current Crafty Boots Challenge.  The theme of this challege is 'Things with Wings'.

For my card today I dug out my favourite butterfly stamp - Stampin' Up's Swallowtail Butterfly.  Some time ago I saw something like this on Pinterest by Brian King and then I started seeing similar cards all over the place.  It has always struck me that the effect is rather like looking through a letterbox at the subject.

I coloured the stamped image with Promarkers and I then took my courage in both hands and cut away the wings top and bottom.  I mounted the image half a dozen times on different coloured card.  Finally I added some flat backed gems.

Crafty Boots has two fabulous guest designers this week, Keti and Carol.  Please pop over to the Crafty Boots blog and leave some of your wonderful appreciation for their stunning work.


Dionne

Red Clover Flower Fairy

The title of the current Crafty Boots challenge is 'Things with Wings'.  I know everyone expects me to head for my butterfly stamps and punches, and I am not saying that I won't do that, but today I wanted to share another of my vintage stamps with you.

This Red Clover Flower Fairy stamp was based on one of the illustrations from Cicely Mary Barker's Flower Fairies books - don't you just love that bumble bee?  I coloured it with Promarkers and then mounted it onto gold mirri and pink card.

The backing paper is from my current favourite stack by First Edition, which is called 'The Promise'.  The flowers are of course Wild orchid Crafts and the pearls and sentiment are from my stash.

Don't forget to enter your winged projects into this Crafty Boots Challenge.

Good luck.

Dionne

Butterfly Wings

A new challenge starts today at Crafty Boots Challenges, for the next two weeks the theme is 'Things with Wings'.   So many choices amongst my stamps, where to start.

I decided to start with a stamp I bought for a previous challenge but did not have the time to use.  This stamp came from Saturated Canary and is called 'Princess and A Frog'.  I thought about airbrushing the frog from the swing but, if I did this, I would not be able to use the cute sentiment.

I coloured the image with Promarkers and mounted it on silver mirri and green card.  The papers are from Studio Calico and the feather butterfly is from my stash.  I wish you could see the butterfly paper, it is coated and when it catches the light it shimmers.

The rest of the Crafty Boots Design Team have been busy making some gorgeous cards, do pop by and take a look for yourself.

Dionne