Merry Christmas Poinsettias

I enjoy stitching small designs and have a drawer with lots of small pieces of cross stitch waiting to be made into cards. I've spent a few hours today making some of them into cards.

To make this card I used:
     5.5" x 4.25" white matt card blank
     Christmas Cross Stitch Favourites 'Poinsettia' cross stitch chart by Debra Page 
     Snippet of aida
     DMC threads
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Rectangle STAX Die-namics' die
     Snippet of white matt card

I used the chart in the magazine to stitch the lovely poinsettias.  To make the frame I used the rectangle die on a snippet of white card  My rectangle die was the correct width (one block wider than the stitched frame) but was too deep so I cut the top half of the frame and then moved the die so it was the correct depth before cutting the lower half.  I then trimmed the frame so it was slightly smaller than the card blank.  The stitching was attached to the rear of the frame and then to the centre of the card blank.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     As You Like It Challenge - Cute or Floral (it's definitely floral for me as I love flowers and floral designs are my favourite to stitch)
     Beautiful Blossoms - Anything Floral Goes
     Christmas Kickstart Challenge - Positively Poinsettias
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
     Sparkles Christmas Challenge - Christmas Foliage

Kath x

Iris' Card

Although I've not done much papercrafting over the last few weeks as we've been away in our campervan, I have stitched a lot of small designs which will be made into cards.  I always take a few of these small designs away with me for when I want a change from reading a book!

The lovely floral design is from Carolyn's Garden by Serendipity Designs - another of my charity shop finds - and will be a birthday card for my friend Iris.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white hammer card blank
     Carolyn's Meadow 'Iris' cross stitch kit
     Small piece of white aida 
     Extra DMC threads to match colours in kit
     Lawn Fawn 'Outside In Stitched Square Stackables' die
     Snippet of white hammer card

The kit has been started but the stitching didn't look like mine, so I used a small piece of white aida and some extra threads to stitch the design from scratch.  After completing the stitching I mounted the fabric behind a stitched square aperture that had been die cut in the front of a 6" x 6" white hammer card blank.  A piece of the same card was attached inside to cover the back of the stitching.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     As You Like It Challenge - Cute or Floral (I love to make floral cards - whether stamped or stitched - mainly because I love flowers and gardens. - although I do make cute cards for the small people in my family)     
     Beautiful Blossoms - Anything Floral Goes
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes

Kath x

Cheers

I've recently stitched this design as a birthday card for a male member of the family and have used a lovely cross stitch chart from Lucie Heaton.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Lucie Heaton 'Cards for Him' cross stitch chart
     14 count white aida
     Oddments of DMC threads
     Spellbinders Nestabilities 'Classic Squares Large' die
     Snippet of orange textured card

I stitched the design onto white aida, although I did change the colours slightly as I was using oddments of threads for the design.  I trimmed a snippet of orange textured card so it was slightly smaller than the card blank and die cut a square from the centre.  After finishing the stitching I trimmed the aida so it was slightly smaller than the frame and attached it to the rear using double sided tape.  The panel was then attached to the front of the card blank.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     As You Like It Challenge - Monochrome or Colourful (I like to make both monochrome and colourful cards and choose colours based on the design - I enjoyed stitching this colourful card and then matching the orange colour to make a frame)
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     
Kath x

Everyone Needs a Friend Like You

This is the card I made to send to Brenda for the February Card Chain Challenge.  I used the Colour Option (Cherry, Butter & Sage), the Theme Option (Hearts and Flowers & Friendship) and the Product/Technique Option (Embossing Powder & Die Cutting).

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Woodware 'Bubble Bloom Jeanie' and 'Stamps for All Occasions 'Sentiment' stamps
     Sizzix 'Floral Hello' heart die
     Versafine Olympia Green ink
     Cosmic Shimmer Clear Detail embossing powder
     Promarkers - Pear Green and Pastel Yellow
     Glossy Accents
     Wink of Stella
     Snippets of white matt and red matt card

I trimmed a snippet of white matt card to a 5" x 5" square and placed it into my MISTI.  The flower stamp was too upright for the card, so I snipped between the leaves so I could bend the stamp onto my card.  I then placed the sentiment in the lower corner of the panel.  I stamped the flower and sentiment with green ink before embossing them with clear embossing powder.  I coloured the flowers, leaves and 'YOU' with Promarkers.  The panel was layered onto a slightly larger square of red card and attached to the card blank.  I die cut two small hearts from red card and attached them on each side of the sentiment.  To finish I added Glossy Accents to the yellow flower bubbles and a Wink of Stella to the leaves and 'YOU'.

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Cards - Anything CAS Goes
     Allsorts - CAS
     Beautiful Blossoms - Anything Floral Goes
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Stamping Sensations - Hello Spring
     We Love Stamping - Hello Spring

This is the lovely card I received from Michaela:

Kath x

Have a Wonderful Birthday

I made this card for the Uniko 13th Birthday Celebrations challenge using my new Uniko stencil and stamp set.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Uniko 'Sentiments Outlined' stamp
     Uniko 'Ink & Flip Geometric Butterfly Layering Stencil'
     Distress Inks - Seedless Preserves and Spiced Marmalade
     Versafine Imperial Purple ink
     Bruynzeel orange pencil
     Snippets of white matt card

I used Seedless Preserves ink to stencil the butterfly onto a snippet of white card.  I cleaned the stencil and flipped it to stencil it again with Spiced Marmalade.  I then fussy cut the butterfly.  I trimmed another snippet of white card so it was slightly smaller than the card blank and put it into my MISTI.  I placed the butterfly onto the panel so I could see where to position the sentiment.  I removed the butterfly and stamped the sentiment in purple ink before colouring it with an orange pencil.  I attached the panel to the front of the card blank before attaching the butterfly along the body and slightly shaping the wings.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Addicted to Stamps & More - Make Your Mark (I've used Distress Inks, Versafine ink and a coloured pencil)
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Moving Along With The Times - Things With Wings
     NBUS - Challenge 71 (I have used my new stencil and stamp set)
     Triple B Challenge - Birds, Butterflies, Blooms (I've opted for a large butterfly)     
     Uniko - 13th Birthday Celebrations
 
Kath x

Love

I've made another anniversary card for the AAA Cards 'Follow the Leader' challenge using some more white snippets.

To make this card I used:
     C6 white matt card blank
     Impression Obsession 'Love' die
     Snippets of white matt card and red glitter card

I die cut 'Love' three times from white matt card.  I layered the die cuts before attaching them to the bottom corner of the card.  The three small hearts that had been cut from the heart on the sentiment were attached to the card.  To finish I die cut another small heart from the red glitter card and inlaid it into the 'Love'.

I am entering the following challenges
     AAA Cards - Follow the Leader
     Crafty Calendar Challenge - Add a Die Cut
     Cut It Up - Have a Heart
     Litlle Red Wagon - Can You Feel the Love Tonight
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
     Simply Clean and Simple - Anything Goes

Kath x

Floral Anniversary

I made this anniversary card for the AAA Cards 'Follow the Leader' challenge and used a few more of my white snippets.

To make this card I used:
     C6 white matt card blank
     Creative Expressions 'Finishing Touches - French Marigold', Tattered Lace 'Mini Butterfly' and Sizzix 'Floral Hello' dies
     Snippets of white matt card and red glitter card

I die cut the three different size flowers, two large leaves and a small butterfly from white matt card.  The flowers were layered and attached to the corner of the card.  The leaves were tucked underneath the flower and the butterfly attached above the image.  To finish I die cut a small heart from red glitter card and attached it to the centre of the flower.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Addicted to Stamps & More - Any Occasion
     AAA Cards - Follow the Leader
     Allsorts - Close to Nature
     Beautiful Blossoms - Anything Floral Goes
     Cut It Up - Something New (('ve used a new 'to me' idea of following the leader and taking inspiration from their design)
     Daisy Chain Challenge - No Designer Paper
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
     Snippets Playground - Challenge 498 (Love is in the Air)
     Triple B Challenge - Birds, Blooms & Butterflies (I have used Blooms and Butterflies)     

Kath x

It's Always Gin O'Clock

One of my friends reckons 'it's always gin o'clock' so I thought this design would make a perfect birthday card for her.

To make this card I used:
     6.25" x 5.5" white matt card blank
     Durene Jones 'It's Always Gin O'Clock' cross stitch chart
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Rectangle STAX Die-namics' die
     White 14 count aida
     DMC threads
     Snippet of bright blue textured card

I stitched the design and measured it so I could make the frame for the front of the card.  The rectangle die was the right width but too long for the completed stitching so I die cut the first half in a snippet of bright blue card and then moved the die to stitch the second half so it was the right size.  The cross stitch was then attached behind the frame and then onto the front of the card blank.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Try It On Tuesday - Feeling Blue     

Kath x

Gem of a Plant

I've recently won this lovely AALL & Create stamp at the Allsorts Challenge.  I've also been having a 'play' with some preloved Distress Inks I bought before Christmas - I know I'm a bit late to the party but I've only just discovered the joys of crafting with Distress Ink.

To make this card I used:
     DL white matt card blank
     AALL & Create 'Gem of a Plant' stamp
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Rectangle STAX Die-namics' die
     Distress Inks - Mustard Seed, Wild Honey, Spiced Marmalade & Ripe Persimmon
     Versafine Onyx Black ink
     Snippet of white matt card

I stamped the Distress inks onto my craft mat, spritzed them with water and laid the card on top to pick up the colour.  I let the panel dry and then placed it into my MISTI before stamping the flower a couple of times to get a good depth of colour.  I used the largest stitched rectangle die to trim the panel - moving the die three times to cut the top, middle and bottom of the panel.  The panel was then attached to the front of the card blank.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Daisy Chain Challenge - No Design Paper
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Pearly Sparkles Challenge - Something Old, Something New (I used my old MFT die and my new stamp)
     We Love Stamping - Anything But Square

Kath x

Best Wishes to You

I made this card for a friend's birthday using a preloved stamp I've recently bought as it's perfect for paper pieceing.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Woodware 'Bold Blooms - Vivian' stamp
     Versafine Onyx Black ink
     Lili of the Valley 'Heartfelt' paper
     Snippet of white matt card

I put a piece of white matt card into my MISTI and stamped the flower onto it before setting it aside.  So I could ensure the leaves (which are separate stamps) were in the right place, I cut a scrap of paper to the same size as the white card and stamped the flower again and then stamped the leaves.  When I was happy the leaves were in the right position I removed the scrap of paper and replaced the card into my MISTI to stamp the leaves.  The panel was trimmed, layered onto green paper and attached to the card blank.  I stamped the flowers onto a snippet of pink paper and the leaves onto a snippet of green paper.  These were fussy cut and paper pieced onto the card.  I stamped the sentiment onto a small snippet of white card, stamping a couple of times to get a good depth of colour.  This was trimmed and attached to the card with foam tape.  

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Krafty Chicks Challenge - Birthday
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Simply Clean & Simple Challenge - Something New (my new Woodware stamp)
     Triple B Challenge - Birds, Blooms or Butterflies (I have chosen Blooms)

Kath x

Happy New Year

I made this card for the CAS on Friday 'New Year' challenge using an old Woodware stamp that was one of the first stamps I bought when I started to make cards many years ago!  I thought it would be perfect to give to Steve at the start of 2025.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Woodware 'Champagne Celebration' and Clearly Besotted 'Cheerful Christmas' stamps
     Versafine Imperial Purple ink
     Promarkers
     Diamond Stickles
     Wink of Stella
     Snippets of white matt card and red mirri card

I stamped the champagne glasses onto a snippet of white card with purple ink and then added the sentiment to the bottom of the card.  I coloured the hearts and ribbon with a red Promarker and the champagne glasses with a cream Promarker.  The panel was trimmed, layered onto red mirri and attached to the card blank.  I added Diamond Stickles to the champagne bubbles and a Wink of Stella to the hearts.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     CAS on Friday - New Year
     Krafty Chicks Challenge - All Occasions
     Little Red Wagon - New Beginnings
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     The Male Room - Clean and Simple

Kath x

Mum

Now I have finished all my Christmas cards I've had a tidy up of my craft drawers and set aside lots of oddments and snippets I want to use for some quick cards to get ahead for the start of next year.  This card uses a Hunkydory Deco-Large topper and some snippets.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white hammer card blank
     Hunkydory 'Sunflower Surprise Floral Deco-Large' topper
     Crafts-Too 'Mum' die
     Snippets of white hammer card and gold mirri card

I trimmed the white hammer card, layered it onto gold mirri and attached it to the front of the card blank.  I removed the sunflower layers from the carrier card, then layered them with foam pads to give lots of lovely layers and attached the topper to the left side of the card.  To finish I die cut 'Mum' from another snippet of gold card and attached it to the top corner.

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Birthday Card Challenge - Lovely Layers
     Allsorts - Lots of White
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
     Triple B Challenge - December Challenge (I have used Blooms)     

Kath x

Hello

I like to keep a few notecards in my card box and this Sizzix stamp and die set is perfect for making quick cards from my snippets mountain.

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" white matt card blank
     Sizzix Framelits 'Floral Hello' stamp and die set
     Sizix 'Dots' embossing folder
     Versafine Vintage Sepia ink
     Cosmic Shimmer Clear Detail embossing powder
     Gold, orange and green Promarkers
     Snippets of white matt card, brown pearlescent card, green textured card 

I die cut the 'hello' square from brown pearlescent card and attached it to the centre of the card blank.  I die cut the'hello' square from white matt card and embossed it with the dots embossing folder before inlaying the pieces into the topper.  I die cut the lower section of the square from green textured card and snipped it from the frame before attaching it onto the brown panel, offsetting it slightly.  I used brown ink to stamp the flowers onto a snippet of white matt card embossed them with clear embossing powder.  The flowers were cut with the coordinating dies before being coloured with gold, orange and green Promarkers.  To finish I attached the flowers to the 'hello' frame.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
     Snippets Playground - Challenge 495

Kath x

Santa Cross Stitch Card

I stitched this card to send with a 'Secret Santa' present and used a free chart from Durene Jones.

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" white matt card blank
     Durene Jones 'Santa' chart 
     Lawn Fawn 'Outside In Stitched Square Stackables' die
     Snippet of white aida
     DMC threads
     Snippet of white matt card

I made the frame by trimming the snippet of white card so it was slightly smaller than the card blank and die cut the stitched square from the centre.  After stitching Santa, I trimmed around the edge of the aida so it was slightly smaller than the panel and attached it to the rear with double sided tape.  The panel was then attached to the front of the card blank.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Moving Along With The Times - Christmas Characters
     Pearly Sparkles Challenge - Christmas
     Try It On Tuesday - Traditional Christmas

Kath x

Quick and Easy Christmas

I made this quick card using the snippet of backing card left over from my Christmas Rose card.

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" white matt card blank
     Creative Expressions 'Festive Collection - Season's Greetings' die
     Snippets of Hunkydory 'Christmas Rose' card and gold mirri 

I trimmed the Christmas Rose card to 4.25" x 4.25", layered it onto a slightly larger snippet of gold mirri and attached it to the card blank.  I die cut the sentiment from another snippet of gold card and attached it to the upper corner.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Alphabet Challenge - Q for Quick and Easy
     Crafty Calendar Challenge - Anything Goes
     Daisy Chain Challenge - Christmas and/or Winter
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes    

Kath x

Three Wise Men

I was gifted this cross stitch kit earlier in the year, but have only just finished stitching the design as my poor old eyes found it hard work stitching on the dark blue fabric, but it's finished at last!

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white hammer card blank
     The Counted Thread Embroidery Collection by Sarah May Designs 'Season's Greetings' cross stitch kit
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Rectangle STAX Die-namics' die
     Snippet of white hammer card

After completing the stitching I set the design aside to make the card blank.  I used a square card blank and trimmed it to 5.75" x 4.75" before die cutting the stitched rectangle from the centre.  I trimmed around the stitching and attached to the rear of the aperture.  To finish I attached a snippet of white card on the inside to cover the back of the stitching.  As the finished card wasn't a standard size, I used a piece of white paper to make an envelope to fit the card.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Christmas Kickstart Challenge - Wise Men Three
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes

Kath x

Summer Garland Paperweight

I was struggling to know what to give my mother-in-law for her birthday and decided to stitch a design to fit into a glass paperweight.  It's not her birthday until the end of the month, but as she doesn't read my blog I can post it now.  I'd bought the paperweight several years ago and never got round to using it, but the size was perfect for this design.

To make this paperweight I used:
     Glass paperweight - make unknown
     Framecraft 'Summer Garland' cross stitch chart
     Snippet of 16hpi aida and iron interfacing
     DMC threads

The original chart was for a design on 18hpi aida to fit into a handbag mirror, but I stitched it onto 16hpi to make it a little larger to fit inside the paperweight.  After stitching the design I attached thin iron on interfacing to the back which helped avoid the fabric fraying when I cut it.  I used the paperweight as a guide to trim the fabric which was then placed inside the paperweight with a small piece of white card behind it.  To finish I attached the self-adhesive backing to the paperweight.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Beautiful Blossoms - Anything Floral Goes
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes

Kath x

You are Fabulous

I made this card to send to Renata for the October Card Chain Challenge.  I used the Theme Option (Bears and Friendship) and the Product/Technique Option (Plaid).

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Lili of the Valley 'James the Bear' Precoloured Art Sheet
     Clearly Besotted 'Modern Calligraphy' stamps and coordinating die
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Oval STAX Die-namics' die
     Versafine Olympia Green ink
     Lili of the Valley 'Twas the Night' paper
     Snippet of white card

I attached the plaid paper to a snippet of white card and trimmed it so it was slightly smaller than the card blank.  I die cut an oval from the left side and attached the panel to the card blank.  I die cut the precoloured LOTV image with the oval die and inlaid it into the panel.  I used green ink to stamp the sentiment onto a snippet of white card.  'You' was cut with the coordinating die and attached to the card with foam tape.  I trimmed 'are fabulous' and attached it below 'you'.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     As You Like It Challenge - Favourite Critters (I don't often make cards with critters, but when I do - it has to be a bear, especially a teddy bear as they are so cute and cuddly!)
     Cardz 4 Galz - Showcase your Patterned Paper
     Crafty Calendar Challenge - Anything Goes
     Krafty Chicks Challenge - Anything Goes
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes

This is the lovely card I received from Ella:

Kath x

Butterflies and Buddleia

This is another cross stitch kit I found in a charity shop - the kit was to make a needle case but I stitched it for a card instead. 

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" kraft card blank
     Textile Heritage 'Butterflies and Buddleia' cross stitch kit
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Square STAX Die-namics' die
     Snippet of kraft card

After stitching the design I trimmed around the edge of the fabric so it was slightly smaller than the card blank.  I trimmed the snippet of kraft card so it was a little larger than the fabric and die cut the stitched square from the centre.  I then used double sided tape to attach the stitching behind the frame and the frame to the card blank.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     As You Like It Challenge - Favourite Cardbase Shape (6" x 6" square cards are my favourite size and shape as they're perfect for CAS cards as they don't look too cluttered and they're the right size for my cross stitch)
     Beautiful Blossoms - Anything Floral Goes
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes

Kath x

Clarissa Bubble Bloom

I made this card to send to Julia for the September Card Chain Challenge.  I have used the Colour Option (Red, Bronze & Blue), the Theme Option (Friendship) and the Product Option (Embossing Powder).

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Woodware 'Bubble Bloom - Clarissa' and Clearly Besotted 'Dandelion Dreams' stamps
     Versafine Vintage Sepia ink
     Cosmic Shimmer Clear Detail embossing powder
     Promarkers
     Wink of Stella
     Glossy Accents
     Snippets of white matt card and bronze paper

I trimmed a snippet of white card so it was slightly smaller than the card blank and placed it into my MISTI.  I placed the flower and sentiment stamp onto the card and used brown ink to stamp them a couple of times to get a good depth of colour.  I then embossed the image and sentiment with clear embossing powder.  I stamped the leaves onto bronze paper and fussy cut them before attaching them to the panel.  The flower was coloured with red and blue Promarkers.  I added Wink of Stella to the circles and then Glossy Accents.  Once the panel was dry I layered it onto another piece of bronze paper and attached it to the front of the card.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Beautiful Blossoms - Anything Floral Goes
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     
This is the lovely card I received from Imke, who also kindly enclosed some die cuts so I can make another card.

Kath x