Holly Berry Bouquet colours

Over at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown it's always Christmas time and this week is no exception, with a traditional/vintage colour scheme chosen for us by our lovely hostess for July, Patricia.

As soon as \I saw these colours I had one thing in mind, a DP from Stampin' Up's Holly Berry Bouquet range.  I know, I've used this loads but I love it! Having a DP and a colour combo is fine but where do you find the rest of the inspiration?  Oh...yes... at Craft Club! I went over to our craft club on Tuesday at fellow DT member Jacqueline's and we made tunnel cards.  Here's mine using the 52 CCT colours

Not only did I learn how to make a tunnel card, but also a trick with your nestabilities to make tighter fitting frames, by drawing around the edge of your die and cutting it out to make a mat.  Why tunnel card? Take a look inside

 I also borrowed the pine cone stamp. The little robins are a stamp I used at another craft club ages ago, when we were making toppers.Goodness, I hardly feel that this card is mine, now I've told you all this! Even the little fabric roses were supplied at the club! I'd not realised these came on a ribbon, apparently they were in a previous SU catalogue and are now retired - what a shame- I've only just discovered them!

Father Christmas Owls

Every now and then there are 5 Saturdays in a month and at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown we like to do something a bit different.  We have had Anything Goes (but a card, tag or ATC) for a while so we're ringing the changes with a new type of challenge.  Now we will ask you to do a 'Previous Challenge' BUT not any old previous one, a particular type, chosen by that month's hostess.  For June it is a previous sketch, so you can use any one of our sketch challenges -there are about 20 to choose from. I've gone for one that was before my time on the DT so I've never actually done it before, way back it's sketch #2!

and I've made a fun little card with it

I used some textured DP from the Holly Berry Bouquet range again and then some ivory and red cs to make my little owls in their Santa suits. The Santa hats and gold mirriboard buckles I cut out freehand and then I stuck on some googly eyes. I heat embossed the sentiment and popped it up on a banner I cut and scored. I've just noticed that one of my owls looks a little bit tipsy as his hat and belt aren't quite straight, too much egg nog I fear!

The other members of the DT have all chosen their favourite sketches so have a look at the blog and we'd love to visit yours, so do join in with us this week.

Christmas Greenery with pearls

It's week 4 at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown and that means it's an embellishment challenge.  Jacqueline has chosen pearls and/or sequins for us to play with this time and on the blog you will see that the girls over there on the DT have really come up with some fab ideas to help you get started (as if you need any help!).  Unfortunately, I think I've just run out of steam.  This is the best I could come up with ....

Luckily, I had the inspiration from Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Challenge to work with too this morning, Christmas greenery- well you can't get much more Christmas greenery than holly and ivy. The pearls are the mistletoe berries. When I looked in my stash I didn't have any white pearls left, so I've used very pale green ones.  The mistletoe image is from Easy Events and the DP is Holly Berry Bouquet (I think!). I made the red card base from Real Red card stock.

Poinsettias and Pinecones

It's week 4 at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown and that means embellishments... you know you love 'em!  This time it's something which I never use..eyelets. I thought you needed special tools, which as a rule you do, but I've cheated and used false eyelets, which look a bit like brads. I know we use eyelets in punched holes to attach ribbons and bows but I wanted to use them in a more creative way and so I thought about the centres of flowers.  Unfortunately, I don't have any Christmas flower stamps so I borrowed this set from another member of the DT and used an eyelet in the centre of the flower.  You can see what I mean on the close up. For better effect I think you would need a few more flowers, but crafting is often about trying something out and then improving on it later.

The card itself is a slider card and I made it at a workshop.  By the clever use of a strip of plastic bag the middle bit slides out to reveal the sentiment and space for you to write your message. Neat!
Do have a look at the other creations over at 52 CCT by clicking here - they've got some great ideas to get you started. Happy Christmas crafting!

Piles of Presents

The gifts of the season , or, as it is known in my house, piles of presents!

I must admit I have made a card similar to this one before, only it wasn't a Christmas card but when I saw the theme on 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown was gifts this week it immediately came to mind, especially as I remembered some beautiful DSP  from Stamping Up - Holly Berry Bouquet.  You only need small 'scraps' for this card too, which is a bonus!

I have used various 'ties' on my gifts; organza ribbon, bakers twine and some satin ribbon that I brought back from Turkey (what a bargain less than £1 for 10 metres and such fun hunting down the haberdashers in a foreign country!) and I used a gate fold card blank and peeloffs for the greeting banners.  I am also entering my card in The Christmas Cards All Year Round Challenge where September's challenge is to feature Christmas presents.
A quick, simple and, hopefully, effective Christmas card -It had to be quick as my daughter is off to University tomorrow in Loughborough, which is about two hours away from where we live. It's been a stressful September, trying to sort out accommodation, finance and do all the shopping for the things Ellie needs 'for the start of my new life' as she puts it! A few tears will also be shed, rest assured. Can't wait 'till Christmas now, because she'll be home again!

Christmas Cat Sketch

As many will know I'm definitely a cat fan, but when I first saw Mynnette's sketch challenge for September it was not this card that came first to mind. However, this is what evolved and, whilst it is quite a liberal take on the sketch I think you will find all the elements there - take a look and see what you think!

I used a piece of freebie paper for the window scene and cut a window frame out of off-white card stock. I stamped the cat outline, coloured it with Promarker and snipped it out.  The tiny heart shape is from SU's Owl Punch.  The oval chipboard shape I first covered with red glitter, before making the sentiment banner, using another freebie, this time from a Forever Friends set. The beautiful 'wallpaper' is actually from SU's DP set Hollt Berry Bouquet.
At 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown you will find some fantastic other cards from the DT,  and hopefully they will inspire you to have a go too. A sketch is just a starting point after all, I wonder what fabulous ideas will come out from this one!

The Holly and The Ivy

I am posting this even though I am not really here this week as I am enjoying a family holiday in the sun...weird feeling! Anyway, it's theme week for the August challenges and this time it's Christmas carols

I love a good Christmas carol, but I don't have any stamps with angels or kings or a stable so I chose The Holly and The Ivy as my inspiration for this week's challenge at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown (I even had to borrow the ivy leaf stamp, when I'd come up with my idea - thanks Jacqueline ;)

I stamped and cut out the leaves in various shades of green, then added silver or green Stickles to the edges. I used a woodgrain stamp to make the mantelpiece and picture frame and used some Holly Berry Bouquet DP for the 'wallpaper'. A freebie brad from SU -thanks to my wonderful SU demonstrator (also known as the evil temptress!) and a sentiment from a (retired?) SU hostess set completes the job.

Stars and Stripes

It's sketch week over at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown and this time Jacqueline has designed a fabulous one for you all to play with!

I liked it so much I made two, actually I have 'lost' the one card and made a second as I had forgotten that I had already saved a photograph of the missing one.  Oh well, I'll share both with you.

I made this one using glue stickers and adding the foil, I love doing this! I used a freebie background paper and I don't have a star punch so I cut all these out from glitter card by hand. I used silver mirri board for the mountings and the card stock is from my stash, chosen to match the paper.

For this card I used paper from SU's Holly Berry Bouquet set, and then I emptied my stash of Christmas toppers!.  I made the banner by cutting a strip from the DP and threading it though the chipboard sentiment.  This is the card that's gone walkabout - hope I find it back before Christmas!