Category: Art and crafting styles

So I know the prompt was ugly sweater but I can’t do ugly – especially not with the cute polar bear!

I actually started by stencilling directly onto the card blank using new to me stencils – tartan from Sizzix (they were on sale in the local craft shop and I couldn’t resist!)

I decided to choose blues and greens and one colour per stencil layer.

When that was done I stamped the jumper for the bear and then masked it with a version I stamped on a post it note and then stamped the bear. I didn’t do it perfectly but could correct the line art with a black one so it was good enough! I then used my promarkers to colour in the jumper and add shading to the bear. Next I fussy cut him out.

I grabbed a scrap of cardstock and embossed it so he had a base to sit on. I then swiped over the exposed white core with the ink and this gave it a two tone look. Then I layered it up and kept everything flat for a change.

I used a sentiment from the stamp set and stamped it and mounted it onto the green to add a frame.

Then I finished off with the sequins in a colour I thought worked with the rest of the colour scheme.

So not ugly – but it is a bear in a lovely sweater!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Today I have a card for Martin’s challenge where the prompt is Wrapped In Wonder …

… I also decided to video so you could see the process!

I decided I wanted to use up some bits off the desk – the leftover sentiment from the colour prompt project from a few days ago and that die cut frame background. That was a leftover from another project I’ve not got around to sharing yet! So that gave me my colour scheme for my parcels.

I stamped lots and lots of the parcels in all four colours I chose and then added silver decorative elements to them with heat embossing.

Then I took another stamp set and added some leaves and flowers using the same ink colours to watercolour.

It was fiddly to do all of this because there was a lot of fussy cutting – but not difficult fussy cutting thanks to all those block shapes of the parcels.

I created my big pile of parcels on the die cut frame – then added the words and the leafy bits to finish the front.

Inside the card I added more parcels because I had some left over …

… but left plenty of space for the message to be written!

Loved how this came together!

Gems were added for the finishing touch!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Another of those projects I can claim ‘as featured on tv’ because Martin did a great job of showing it off on the show on the 9th November! I grabbed a little pic of the tv just to show you here (and to keep for my memories of course!).

I found a heart ornament in my stash and I figured it was a good way to showcase the super glittery nature of the glitter glue kit.

This was a stop and start type of project as it needed drying time – My hint to everyone trying something like this is to put it somewhere safe out of reach when drying so you don’t end up putting your finger in it mid drying! Please trust me when I say the urge to touch it is really really tempting! 🤪

I started with a base of the teal glitter – I spread it with my finger to get an even coat but when it had dried I thought it needed more – so a second coat was applied in the same way and I left it to dry overnight.

I decided to then dig around in my stash of paper flowers that I rarely use to decorate the hanging heart.

I chose 2 blue and one pink and a cheerful sentiment to finish off.

I then chose the teal ribbon to create a little hanger for the heart.

The sparkle in this glitter is amazing. It’s just so intense.

It coated the white heart so well and dried perfectly so it wasn’t shedding the glitter as it was adding the flowers and sentiment.

A sweet gift to brighten someone’s day I thought!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Another colour combo challenge today from Martin and I decided to join in!

I actually had a little bit of a change of mind half way through making the card so probably easier to see how it came together on my YouTube video.

Not 100% in love with the final card but I do think it is quite cute!

Just very busy! I certainly threw a lot at it!

Mainly used waffleflower stencils and dies which I adore – and I love the colour scheme for the background and the same for the words. Just think maybe all together it is a bit much!

Ah well – sometimes it’s not totally brilliant – but I liked it enough to continue and to share it so not saying it’s horrible – just a tad too busy!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

I did spot this card in a panning shot on the tv … it was cool to keep yelling out to the family (I made them all watch!) “I made that!”

It was featuring the fab Everyday cardstock kit.

I decided to make up a floral card which is my usual go to!

I started with just some strips of the pinks and purples and then decided on the pale grey base. I made up the front panel and then die cut the oval before putting it back in place and deciding to emboss the embossing for the full panel.

With the folder I chose it made it quite vintage and the added clear emboss worked well at enhancing the colour of the cardstock without too much of an obvious pattern.

I then stamped and white heat embossed flowers from the Altenew Smile more set straight onto the grey cardstock. I then used my distress oxides to watercolour the images.

This gave them a lovely finish and I was pleased with how well the cardstock coped with the bit of watercolouring. I die cut all the pieces out ready to assemble some floral clusters.

I decided that the oval needed to be smaller to have the grey poke through so I die cut it again and then adhered everything into place. I did raise the largest of flowers onto foam adhesive.

I added some clear gems around the sentiment that I also raised onto foam adhesive to give it some dimension.

Inside the card I added a panel of white and then used the oval frame I had left to cut in half and adhere to the inside to give it a little interest!

Love how this card came together and it was fun to stamp and colour images on grey rather than white for a change.

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Hi – back with another card for the #30dayschristmascardmakingchallenge that Martin hosts and todays prompt was Mistletoe Mischief.

So I went with a couple of stamps from a magazine kit! in fact there was mainly magazine kit stash used on this both new and old!

I started with the main image of the mistletoe and stamped it twice and coloured it with stampin write markers and then the same for the bow. I then cut them out, layered them up and adhered them into the little cluster. It was quick thick cardstock so it holds the loose shape well so there is some dimension to the cluster.

Next I grabbed a die cut circle that was in the ready die cut pouch – not sure how long I’ve had this ready made for but it’s been a while!

I used a stencil from another magazine kit to add some gentle colour and pattern behind the focal image – you can’t tell from this but it is a snowflake design.

I decided to add the mistletoe cluster to this and then added the main sentiment (Waffleflower) over the top with some foam at either side to protect the dimension of the cluster.

Then I grabbed the lighter green cardstock from my Everyday cardstock from Kingston Crafts. I created the card blank and a separate panel to raise up. The panel I used an old magazine kit embossing folder which has a poinsettia design and the merry Christmas message. I sanded back the embossed panel to expose the white core which is such a cool technique you can do with this cardstock.

Then I raised this panel above the base with foam adhesive and then added the circle to the front flat onto the textured surface.

Then it was time for finishing touches and I used both the clear and the lime glitter glue from Kingston Crafts. I added dots to the circle elements in the embossing folder and to the mistletoe berries and the centre of the bow using the clear – and then the berries in the embossing folder I added the lime. It is subtle but provides some lovely little elements of sparkle!

Really pleased with how the card came out and all the textures.

Sorry the final card is a little dark – not sure what happened – maybe there was an extra dark bit of cloud at that point in the sky!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

You know me – when I get a product to play with, no matter what the original theme, I try and make something Christmassy with it! Well the Spring wax seals kit has got this lovely heart seal and that in my opinion does not need to just be for valentines – I thought it would work well for Christmas too.

In a break from tradition for Festive Friday though I decided to make tags rather than a card – I just was feeling the need to start on tags as we get closer to present buying season.

I started however with the stamping of some wreaths (these are old stamps from SU) and a few flowers and colouring them with my alcohol markers and fussy cutting them out.

Then I grabbed the seal kit and had a play with a few colours of the wax to create four seals with the gorgeous heart shape.

I pulled some of the dark green card from the everyday cardstock pack and cut it into 2” strips and punched the top with a tag topper punch and embossed some leftover green with various embossing folders to give some textural elements – I love sanding back this cardstock when it’s embossed – it really adds an extra element! I then had fun pulling various bits and pieces from the stash to make each one different…

I then started assembling… as I did I ended up messing up the silver seal so I made a different one and decided to jazz that one up a little … I added white posca to the heart and then when that was dry some of the clear glitter glue to make it sparkly white!

I added die cut bows, banners, sentiments and ribbons and stamped sentiments and generally had lots of fun. I added spots of glitter glue to a few too.

They all have a different look because of the colour and the accessories but those wax seals really help finish off the tags. So cute!

Perfect tags for adding to the top of wrapped gifts or a gift bag or even could be used as card toppers.

And such fun to make with all the little elements – I think my favourite is the bronze/brown one with the green glittery stars in the wreath…. Although the rustic looking one with the sparkly white heart on the seal is also fun! How about you?

I was delighted when I got to see these on TV – especially as Martin gave me the title of ‘Queen of Christmas’ – there were squeals of delight when I was watching that was for sure!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Hello! Back again with another Christmas card inspired by Martins challenge.

Today’s prompt is Twinkle Twinkle so I immediately grabbed a very old but lovely stencil from Claritystamps and embossed some sparkly white stars onto a panel of the green cardstock and turned it into a wreath!

I grabbed some stamps and dies from a magazine kit to add the floral element. I stamped the image and embossed with the same sparkly embossing powder and then the central element of the flowe I coated in the versamark and the same powder too so they all coordinate.

Then the Peace and Joy set of stamps and dies for the sentiment.

I mounted the panel onto a white card blank and called it done!

Simple and fun and super sparkly!

Happy crafting!

I saw the purple cardstock and decided it was such a regal colour I wanted to go to town with embossing to make a special card.

I started by cutting a card blank – whilst it isn’t the thickest cardstock in the world it still works well enough for making a card blank I think – especially as I always add a topper and an insert which helps strengthen it. Besides a store bought card can be pretty flimsy so this is still stronger than that!

I then cut a slightly smaller panel and added both silver and clear embossing. The swirls I stamped and embossed with the silver and then I did some messy script stamping and used clear embossing for that.

I then inked the edge of the panel and the same for the card blank to add some depth to the edge and on the topper I then distressed it to expose the white core.

I then splattered heavily with some purple shimmer paint and set it aside to dry.

I decided to use the Eclectic Bouquet from Altenew to stamp and emboss in silver and then I die cut it. I diecut the same shape again three times to give it a lot of dimension – I could have just used the adhesive foam but I like to die cut and stack sometimes instead.

I then took an Altenew sentiment and die cut and stacked that and a piece of shimmery glittery ribbon and added that under the sentiment for an additional texture.

I stamped the same swirl a couple of times onto a panel of the white everyday cardstock and then added that to the inside.

So a special and elegant card I think and that everyday cardstock stood up well to all the stamping and distressing and splattering!

This was another card that got its little moment on tv as I spotted it on display!

Happy crafting!

Catherine

Today I don’t have a video to accompany this card because I wasn’t in the mood to edit and knew it would take me a while to make the card over a few crafting sessions… so instead just sharing on the blog and instagram.

I love floral cards and had a lot of Poinsettia products I could have used but I went with the waffleflower layering stencil and layering stamp set.

I did a background onto the cardstock and then added that as an angled panel raised up on adhesive foam. I then did the stamped and die cut flowers and had then hanging over so that they needed some bits with adhesive foam squares and some straight onto the background panel.

I used the Noel die cuts from a previous die cutting session and layered them so the dark red shadowed the white and added a strip of vellum underneath to ground the sentiment.

I finished off with the gems to add sparkle.

Inside the card I added the background I had trimmed off the front piece and the final poinsettia stamped and die cut piece.

Love how this finished up but do wish I had used green not navy for the background stencilling to keep the colours similar. But that being said I still love how it finished up!

Happy crafting!

Catherine