Christmas cards and tags in a box

I was trying to think of a present for the Culinary Consultant's Sister for her birthday. I was thinking chocolates, or flowers, but it seemed a bit boring. Then I thought why not give her one of the boxes of cards I've made (here, here and here). But then I thought of something even better, why not make some Christmas cards instead. It's the time of year when everyone needs Christmas cards. And I thought why not add a few tags in there for good measure as well. 

I used this card from Michelle Last as inspiration for my cards. I stamped snowflakes from the Penny Black All is Calm set in white craft ink and added Perfect Pearls for a beautiful, subtle shine and colour. I also created two matching tags. I made a box using the instructions here from the same copper cardstock I used for matting on two of the snowflake cards.

I'm joining the Inspiration Journal challenge where the November challenge is Happy Holidays, the Christmas Stampin' All Year Long where the theme is Anything Goes and the Christmas Cards All Year Round where the Challenge is not to use any patterned paper.

Card: Stampin' Up Crumb cake, Hobbycraft 160 gsm white card, Centura Pearl copper card

Stamps: Penny Black All is Calm, Papermania Urban Stamps 12 Days of Christmas Word Banner

Ink: Stampin' Up Whisper White craft ink, Tsukineko Versamark

Other: Perfect pearls, Papermania adhesive gems, gold ribbon from my stash

Diamond sparkle snowflake

I really should get a snowflake stamp set with matching dies. Fussy cutting these snowflakes are a p-a-i-n! But I feel this time it was worth the trouble. 

This card is inspired by the great sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches. It's also inspired by The Friday Mashup where the challenge is to use the Diamond Dust Technique and the colours Island Indigo, Garden Green & Rich Razzleberry (or similar colours). I'm also linking up at Craft Your Passion where the theme is Bright and Sparkly and the new STAMPlorations November challenge where the theme is stamping and layers. I would also like to enter Completely Christmas where the theme is Anything goes with a twist... Add Blue and Sweet Stampin' Christmas where the theme is Snowflakes for a few more days.

I stamped the snowflakes in Marina Mist and Pear Pizzazz to create the background. I stamped and fussy cut three snowflakes in Marina Mist, Pear Pizzazz and Rich Razzleberry. Then I stamped the snowflakes all over with Versamark, and heat embossed with sparkling embossing powder. I assembled the snowflake using foam pads to give it some dimension. I love the subtle sparkle from the embossing powder. I stamped the greeting in Rich Razzleberry and tied a bow using purple ribbon. Last I matted everything onto Marina Mist cardstock and attached to white card.

The glitter embossing powder gives a nice subtle shine.

Card: Leonardo Stationery 300 gsm white card, Stampin' Up Marina mist card, Hobbycraft 160 gsm white card

Stamps: Penny Black All is Bright, Papermania Urban Stamps 12 Days of Christmas Word Banner

Ink: Marina Mist, Pear Pizzazz, Rich Razzleberry, Tsukineko Versamark

Other: Papermania Holographic glitter embossing powder, purple ribbon from my stash

I thank my lucky stars...

It' been a few days since my last post. It's that time of year again, when it's dark and cold and miserable. I needed a few days off everything, including crafting. But today I felt like I wanted to create something again, so I continued to play with the galaxy technique I tried out here.

This card was inspired by several challenges. I love the colour combo over at Colour Throwdown, and I thought it would be perfect for the galaxy technique. I was also inspired by this week's CAS(E) This Sketch. I'm also joining in with the Snarky Sisters, where the theme this time is T is  for Thanks (for nothing). Last but not least I will also join Stampin' Royalty where the theme is Silver. 

Card: Leonardo Stationery 300 gsm white card, Daley & Rowney Aquafine watercolour paper, Hobbycraft Three shades of blue 160 gsm card, Coloured 240 gsm kraft card purple grape, Stampin' Up silver glimmer paper
Paints: Tim Holtz Distress Paint Black Soot, Broken China, Seedless Preserves and Picket Fence
Other: Xcut star die

Christmas Robins

Christmas is coming soon. Although that's probably not news to anybody, least the community of card crafters out there! This is a just a quick post with a few quick cards I made using some free toppers and papers that came with Cardmaking & Papercrafting magazine, inspired by Completely Christmas challenge where the theme is Anything goes with a twist - Add a Robin . I'm also entering Crafty Hazelnut's November Extra challenge where Anything Goes, The Christmas Card Challenge where the theme is No Embellishments, Jingle Belles where the theme is Creature Feature

Card: Craft UK kraft card, coloured 240 gsm kraft card red
Papers and toppers: Free with Cardmaking & Papercraft magazine
Other: red ribbon from my stash

Owl card

This card is inspired by the My Favourite Things sketch challenge. It's Finnish Father's day on Sunday and I made this card for Dad. I love the Paper Smooches Chubby Chums and thought pairing the owl with some owl paper I had in my stash would go well with the sketch. I couldn't help but add a few more chums inside the card. I'm also submitting the card to the Paper Smooches Sparks challenge where Anything goes and Timeout challenge, where the theme is Birds of a Feather Flock Together. 

For the inside, I printed the sentiment. It says "Happy Father's Day" in Swedish. Under "From" I stamped the chubby cow and chick and coloured with Copics.

Card: Leonardo Stationery 300 gs white card, Hobbycraft 160 gsm white card, Coloured 240 gsm kraft card Chocolate
Stamps: Paper Smooches Chubby Chums
Ink: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black
Colouring: Copics B41, B45, C05, E29, E34, E39, R43, Y13, Y15, Y19, YR04 
Paper: Lilly Bimble paper collection, Stampin' Up paper scraps
Other: Xcut star dies

A different Christmas card

I'm very bad at using DSPs. I hoard them, I love to look at them, but I feel like I should save them for a "special occasion". How cooky is that? So when I saw that the current CASEing the Catty challenge was to make a Christmas card inspired by the Stampin' Up Autumn-Winter cattie, I knew the lovely All Is Calm speciality DSP was the way to go. The reason for this is that the only stamp set I have from the Holiday cattie is the ever so lovely White Christmas, but as I have already used it quite a bit (for example here and here) I thought something different was in order. I did use the lovely "Merry Christmas" banner from that stamp set though, and paper pieced it despite swearing before that I would never do it again.

I was inspired by the colours and the "feeling" of the picture on page 32, but unlike my other makes for this challenge, this isn't a direct CASE, I was just using the picture for inspiration. I do love the Endless Wishes stamp set with the snowflakes, but I haven't been able to justify buying it as I already have another snowflake stamp set. At first I thought I didn't like the very stylised snowflakes, but the more I see it used, the more I want it. 

Stampin' Up Autumn-Winter Catalogue page 32

I was also inspired by the last Viva La Verve sketch for the month (that is for last month of course, still trying to get to grips with November). I'm also participating in The Christmas Card Challenge where the theme this week is No Embellishments and Sweet Stampin Christmas where the theme is Snowflakes.

Card: Leonardo Stationery 300 gsm White card, Stampin' Up Basic Grey card
Paper: Stampin' Up All Is Calm speciality DSP
Stamp: Stampin' Up White Christmas
Ink: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black
Other: Stampin' Up All is Calm Designer Washi Tape

Spring colours

I am in complete denial. I refuse to admit it's November. It's 20 degrees and bright sunshine outside. I picked raspberries from my garden yesterday. I cannot be November. Especially as it was August yesterday. I swear. So instead of making Christmas cards or fall cards, I decided to pick beautiful spring colours and flowers for today's card. 

The inspiration for today's card is a Viva La Verve sketch. I used papers from the lovely Stampin' Up Sweet Sorbet DSP and stamps from the Petal Parade set. Funnily enough, I didn't like the stamp set at all at first, but it grew on me. I also didn't like Summer Starfruit at all, but again it slowly grew on me. I didn't even like the DSP at first. So given that I didn't like any components of this card, I think it turned out rather nice after all.

Card: Stampin' Up Crisp Cantaloupe card, Hobbycraft 160 gsm white card
Paper: Stampin' Up Sweet Sorbet
Stamps: Stampin' Up Petal Parade, Bloom With Hope
Ink: Stampin' Up Crisp Cantaloupe, Pistachio Pudding and Pool Party
Other: X-cut scalloped circle die