Something Different Christmas Saturday...

Happy Christmas(ish) Saturday,

Well Mr ND collected and we start our drive through Spain in the morning to, hopefully, arrive back on British soil Monday evening!  If anyone wants to follow the progress just friend me on Facebook as I am going to try updating and checking in on the journey on there!


You will all be happy to hear that this is almost the last of Christmas in July!  Today's project is a set of simple Christmas cards and tags as well as a box to keep them in.  This is an idea I will expand on as we get nearer to Christmas.  I love the idea of gifting people boxes of cards and Christmas cards are always welcome!

Now there are a lot of pictures of this one as there is little description. I simply die cut the centre filigree die from Sue Wilson's Umbria die set in white hammered card.  All I then did was mount this onto mirror card in three different colours.  These toppers are then mounted onto hand cut card blanks (12 x 12) in hammered card and a matching gem added to each corner.  I have used Green, Red and Silver (how traditional can you get?)




The tags are made from hand cut tags at 8cm x 8cm when folded.  I simply cut the die off the edge of the front flap creating the impression of a wreath.  I then added small squares of the remnants of the mirror card on the back flap of the tag.

Ingredients:
Sue Wilson Umbria Die
White Hammered PMD Cardstock
Red, Green & Silver Mirror Card
'tis the season stamp (random set)

The box is a simple 4cm tall box with the die cut into the centre of the lid.  I added the same sentiment and a few More silver gems.  simple...


...really simple so should be on tomorrow lol.

Especially for Mrs B who wanted a head start on the marathon of cutting some of my Christmas Projects sometimes need there will be a bonus post going on tonight at 6:30 giving a sneak peek of some of this years Christmas Projects, there will also be a new page appearing to house this called Christmas 2014 so keep an eye out!

Enjoy...

Honest Really Traditional...

Happy Friday,

I have gone all out today to create something homely and traditional and yet I have used all the techniques I have showed so far this week.  Now this is the colour theme that I always seem to return to for my Christmas cards year after year.  Red and white are just so classic!

The background is made by using the versamark and mica technique from yesterday.  I then die cut the bauble from the centre of the background which makes the creation quite quick!

The red background square is stamped in the same manner this time using a platinum mica with a holly stamp.

The card is simply finished with gingham ribbon, and a hand cut flag tag with the sentiment.






Ingredients:
Spellbinders Bauble die 2013
DoCrafts Christmas background stamp
Versamark ink
Mica powders in red and platinum
Red gingham and White stitch ribbon.
Silver mirror card.


I hope a few of you try this technique!

Enjoy...

Blue and Silver...again?!?

Happy Thursday,

Today's Christmas card is, again I'm afraid, made in silver however this time I have added some blue.  I am not saying that this is my colour theme for this year however it does seem that I may have gone towards this theme.  Please feel free to take ideas from my cards and creations and make them in your chosen colour choices!

This started as an experiment where I wanted to see if the mica stamping technique would work on mirror card.  I find that mirror card on its own is too stark for the front of a card however it does bring some much needed bling to the Christmas season!  Therefore I was really pleased that the technique worked, it does however need a lot more sealing with a fixative or hairspray and drying before it can be handled.

I cut a large plain circle from the centre of the piece and mounted a simple white sheet behind into which I had die cut the wreath like centre die from Sue Wilson's Italian collection umbria die set (which is becoming a fast favourite for my Christmas stuff this year I cant wait to see what you think of Saturdays creation which is made exclusively with this die!)

Next I die cut 2 snowflakes from spellbinders snowflake pendant 2013 in sliver and blue card and foam mounted these over the centre of the 'wreath' .  The whole piece is then mounted onto silver mirror card then a few mats of white, blue and silver before being placed on a large 18x18cm card blank.

I added in  a few (hundred) stick on gems to highlight the snowflakes and the 'wreath' with three at each corner to frame the card.

Ingredients:
Chocolate baroque snowflake background stamp
Creative expressions platinum mica powder
Sue Wilson Italian collection Umbria die set
Spellbinders Snowflake Pendant 2013

I hope there are plenty of ideas you can take from this card if not the colours!

Enjoy...

Silver Anyone?!?...

Happy Wednesday,

A little light relief from yesterdays Dark Christmas Offering silver anyone?  This card is a real mixture of techniques and I have to admit I loved making it.  I may have mentioned before that I started out crafting as a stamper and sometimes I forget the pure pleasure in making and stamping your own background and flourishes!  This card uses lots of stamping as well as my much loved die cutting and the fabulous Sue Wilson dies.

I do like a die that can be used for many different things and when I find a set that will work for Christmas as well as normal cards then its for me!  The baubles on this card use one such die which is the Sue Wilson Calabria die from the Italian collection.  It makes a beautiful stained glass effect which got me thinking wouldn't it make a stunning bauble?!?


I therefore made the baubles first by die cutting in silver mirror and silver glitter card and mounted a circle behind that reflected the top, glitter on mirror and vice versa.  The hangers / tops of the baubles are made by die cutting spellbinders baubles die and sticking the circles on top.

Next I needed a background that would set these off and so I stamped a large background stamp in versamark and embossed it in cosmic shimmer detail clear embossing powder.  Next I inked a platinum pigment ink over the top and then wiped the piece to make the background show through (difficult to explain but there are loads of you tube videos on this technique).

I then made the larger background by using Sue Wilson's triple stamping technique, see her blog for more details, which I stamped in versamark and then dusted with Mica powder. (There is more on the technique of stamping and using mica powders on tomorrows post)

Finally  a few holly leaves cut in the different cards I have used and placed between the layers.

Ingredients:
Sue Wilson Calabria Die
Spellbinders Bauble Die
Cosmic Shimmer Clear Detail embossing powder
Creative Expressions Mica powders
Silver Mirror Card
Platinum pigment Ink.
Background & Stamps DoCrafts 2013 range


Time consuming but so fun to make and elements could be used on loads of different cards.

Enjoy...

More Traditional Colours...

Happy Tuesday,

Well the car is packed, the ferry is booked and we are all set I just have to collect Mr Next door from the airport on Thursday and off we go!


Today's card continues the Christmas in July session however this is a replacement as I really didn't think the card I had made for today was up to scratch so here is a more traditional Christmas card.

The large piece is cut, as I have so many times, with the Sue Wilson Californian background die I then cut a square from the centre to make a wide frame.  Of course I added a few pearls and mounted the frame on a piece of DoCrafts home for Christmas paper, cutting a large frame around the edge and centre.

The interesting technique on this card is the panel at the back.  This is made by stamping the holly swirl stamp form Sizzix in versamark on silver mirror card and embossing this in white detail embossing powder.  Next I ran the whole piece through my GC using the matching embossing folder this raises an area around the stamping giving a beautiful 3D effect.  I made two of the panels and hand cut pieces form one of them to be used in the spray with the ribbon on the front.

The remainder of the spray at the front is made with a ribbon bow, a snowflake and some silver mirror baubles all cut form spellbinders.

Ingredients:
Sue Wilson Californian Collection Background Die
Sizzix Holly swirl stamp and emboss set
Spellbinders Baubles Die
DoCrafts Home for Christmas Sentiment Stamp, backing paper and ribbon.
Creative Expressions Detail White embossing powder.

Hopefully this traditional style and colour choice will get you in the Christmas Mood!

Enjoy...

Christmas In July...

Happy Monday,

Those of you who were with me last year may remember that I ran a week called Christmas in August.  This was used to cover a week when I was on holiday in the U.K. doing my Christmas Crafty Shopping.  Well this year I am subverting this a little by presenting Christmas In July to cover the week when I am moving back to the U.K!  I am sure all of you are now aware that I am returning to the U.K. full time and whilst this move and the subsequent setting up of a new craft room (Mr Next Door has grudgingly agreed to let me convert the garage!) will take longer than a week.  However This should cover the travelling time and give me a little time to get a basic set of craftiness set up.









Today hen is the first of my Christmas In July and is inspired by watching Sue Wilson present an early Christmas show in June for C&C.  The first card is an all white and gold affair a colour combination that I love for Christmas as it stands out against some of the excesses of the season!

I started by die cutting the sue Wilson Californian background die from White cardstock then I placed this over a sheet of double sided adhesive and added gold micro beads (these are an old purchase so not sure if they are still available)  Then  I simply stuck this onto a sheet of the much maligned gold mirror card and added some ranger perfect pearls in gold.

The centre section is a layer of Spellbinders Elegant ovals cut in gold mirror card from which I have cut an oval to make a sort of mirror frame (hope the picture shows this correctly)  The remainder is a simple layering of plain and patterned ovals, each decorated with more perfect pearls, foam layered on top of each other.

The Poinsettias are cut then spritzed with water and scrunched up to dry.  This gives a beautiful natural look when they are shaped after they are dry.  These were layered up and a gold pigment ink pad was rubbed over them  to give some highlight and take away the starkness of the white.  The centres are made with more Perfect Pearls and the hand cut banner is stamped and embossed in detail gold embossing powder and is an old EBay set.

A deceptively simple looking and hopefully classic Christmas card that could be converted to any other colours just substitute the gold!

Ingredients:
Sue Wilson Californian Background die
Spellbinders Elegant Ovals
Spellbinders Classic Ovals Small
Spellbinders Poinsettia die
Gold Micro Beads
Gold perfect Pearls
Gold pigment Ink.

I hope you don't mind this early start on Christmas,  a quick update I have now, like all of you from the comments over the last few days, seen the new Sue Wilson dies and I can only say I am blown away!  I am waiting till I get back to England to order any however have just relented and ordered the beveled glass striplet just in case it sells out before I get there. I promise my first new creation as soon as I get back will faeture this in some way!

Enjoy...

Simple Sunday a Navy Tag...

Happy Sunday,

What could be simpler than a tag again made using only one die.  In fact this whole tag was made using scraps form different cards and so took very little effort really.  The tag itself is made with an off cut form making a sheet of A4 card folded to a card blank into a square.



 I often use the off cuts form making square cards into tags and decorate them with the scraps form the card, these I use as tags on the box's I present my cards in (those who received cards form me earlier in the year will know what the box's I present my cards in look like)  I will be doing a Saturday different on card boxes in a couple of weeks and once I return to the U.K I will resurrect the your card feature the postage got a little pricey over here and sometimes took weeks (ask Lesley for more info on the postal delays! lol)













All I did to decorate this tag was to add a few layers of blue and white scraps and then cut an aperture in the centre.  The final touches were a scrap of french harmony background die form Spellbinders behind the aperture, a few hand drawn stitches with a silver pen and a ribbon tie.



Ingredients:
Spellbinders French Harmony Background die
scraps of cardstock
silver fine line pen.
Really Simple and a good idea for using up the bits we usually throw away!

Enjoy...