Let It Snow

The start of this year's Christmas cards!

I've used a sentiment die from Lawn Fawn with snow-foiled acetate by Hunkydory
Deer/ tree die from eBay.
The acetate layer has been cut larger than the mat it sits on and scored each side to give a bowed effect.

Just For You

Card blank is made from Papermania 12 x 12 acetate, cut down to 6 x 12 and scored  (a bit hard to photograph)
Sentiment die by Tonic
Flowers dies from China.
I've just noticed the missing pearl, never mind.

Acetate

Bit hard to photograph this one.

It's a sheet of printed acetate that I folded to make the card blank, then it just needed a topper.
Behind the topper, on the inside, is a piece of white card for the message - this means that the adhesive is sandwiched between the two and therefore not visible.

Because of the thickness of the acetate it was impossible to score so I just folded it over and then used a plastic roller to enforce the fold. I bought the roller in a DIY shop and I *think* they're sold to go over wallpaper seams, it's been so handy over the years when making my own card blanks.

Topper and acetate are both Papermania

Merry Christmas

Sorry for the long absence, I think I underestimated just how demanding a new puppy is - good job he is very cute!

As of tonight I have made the grand total of two Christmas cards, better get my skates on...

This was a club project, we used Chloe stamps for the flower and sentiment.
The card base is from Samuel Taylor,  I really like these as I'd need to buy A3 card to make them myself.
We folded the front back on itself, then added silver mirri card (hence the mad reflections here)

Snowmen

I bought this Woodware snowmen stamp with the intention of making acetate cards at card club.
It's quite a long stamp so I thought C5 landscape would be perfect. I sat making the card and then when it was finished ...realised it wouldn't stand up as the acetate wasn't quite thick enough.

Plan B - make the card portrait instead, using part of the stamp instead of the full image.

Eventually I managed to get the original card to stand by adding a couple of strips of card along the bottom edge. I do prefer this version but it was nearly thrown out of the window at one point!

Merry Christmas

Back from our last visit to the Lakes this year and time to crack on with Christmas cards!

Poinsettia and branch stamps are by Chloe, sentiment stamp is by Sweet Dixie. I've also used a set of SU snowflake stamps with clear embossing powder on the red background.

The branches have been stamped on heat-resistant acetate and the gold spirals were made from off-cuts of gold card wrapped around the handle of an embossing tool.

I mixed some fine gold glitter in with normal gold embossing powder to give it a little sparkle.

This is what I get up to in the Lakes, although obviously that's not me, it's my husband.

Last week we climbed Blencathra which is a prominent fell just outside of Keswick, not much of a view due to mist and cloud but it was a good day's walking. At 2848 ft it's officially a mountain and one of three we climbed that day.

Flower Planter

I spotted this style of card on Pinterest and bought the tutorial from Bronwyn Eastley, it's similar to the pop-up box that was really popular a year or so ago.

Quite difficult to get a photograph without all the flowers looking like they are leaning over, in real life they are straight.

The hardwood stamp, sentiment, and leaf punch are Stampin' Up!
The flower stamp and matching die are Heartfelt Creations.

Holly

Text stamp is by Woodware, I mis-stamped in the centre hence the positioning of the holly poinsettia.

I try to point out my mistakes to my card club ladies as I think there is usually a way of rescuing what you've done, and it can sometimes be disheartening if you think you're the only one who can't stamp properly!

The holly and branch stamps are by Chloe Endean
I've layered two different size holly, the card is a pearlescent midnight blue, not black as it looks here.

The branch has been stamped on heat-resistant acetate using Versamark and embossed with WOW embossing powder.
In the past I've struggled to stamp on acetate, using Stazon, because I find it too slippery. Chloe suggested using Versamark and embossing powder instead and it is so much easier as it's a 'grippy' ink.
It definitely does not work on normal, non heat-resistant, acetate though (ask me how I know this).

Shaker

The first couple of years after I started card-making I had to try every new technique and trend. I was a very regular visitor at my local craft shops they must have seen me coming and got sucked into buying things that with hind-sight I really shouldn't have.

Spirelli, decoupage, accordian cards, iris-folding, tea-bag folding, one of those Fiskars shape-cutters that everyone else hated too.

And shaker cards.

I really liked the idea of shaker cards but mine always looked a bit boring: they were okay when being shaken but the rest of the time (ie 99% of the time) they were just sad.

The other day I got it into my head that I should have another go at shaker cards, no idea why, I must have been ill.

So I gave it a go but hopefully have now got it out of my system and won't attempt another one for the next decade or so.

Snowflake frame is a Sizzix die
Stamp is by Woodware
Card is midnight-blue pearlescent . I've filled the shaky bit with Diamond Dust and some Bedazzles.

Celebrate

Bit of a grungy one.
Sentiment stamp is Waltzingmouse.
The 'splatter' stamp (can just make it out on the above photo) is Stampin' Up "French Foliage".
Patterned acetate is by Kanban.
The kraft tag is Papermania and I've distressed it and embossed with Cuttlebug Clockworks folder

Acetate

I love making acetate cards but they are a bit tricky to photograph.
Made at class, all materials are SU.

SU

Number three of three using 'Pick a Petal' stamp set.
We used black Stazon on acetate for the top petals.

Christmas card made at Stampin' Up class. This was a set of three cards all using the lovely 'Dasher' stamp.

We stamped on to acetate using white Stazon ink and 'Serene Snowflakes' stamps. I love the effect of stamping on acetate and actually find the white Stazon much easier to use in this way than the black Stazon (it must be a different formulation because the white doesn't have that almond smell).

Stampin' Up

 Another project from my SU classes.
This is the type of thing I just don't have the patience to make at home (I'd really have to be in the mood IYKWIM) so I'm pleased to learn at class.

This is a box to hold a tealight. We made the box itself from cardstock and a 'slide' lid from acetate.

We have used the Vintage Vogue stamp set a few times now at class and I liked it so much I bought it - I haven't took mine out of the box yet though! Keep thinking about using them and then putting them back....

This is the matching card. The right hand side of the card is perforated and tears off to be used as a bookmark.

Stampin' Up

Number two of three from latest SU class.

We learn a new technique each week, this time it was stamping on acetate, the butterfly has an acetate overlay (bit hard to see in the photo).

Stampin' Up

Latest SU class, I loved this one.

We made three cards using a butterfly theme.

This card was hard to photograph due to the acetate front so looks nicer in real life. All materials SU.

Acetate Christmas Card

Another old acetate card from 2006!

Made in the same way as the last one. I still love this rubber stamp (but can't remember who it's by, will try and search it out).