Merry Christmas

Wishing all my followers and friends who read this blog a very Merry Christmas

Love

Sharon
xx

Almost There!

I've just got a couple more to make tomorrow then the great Christmas card making extravaganza of 2018 will be over - the gold and silver mirri-card is starting to give me a headache!

Today I'm sharing with you a quick card I made for some of my friend to give to their Mams. The burgundy and gold makes a classic colour scheme but I'm also thinking this would look good in navy blue and silver....

These were so quick to make - everything is die-cut. I've layered 3 different sized snowflakes (Sue Wilson is the big die in dull gold, the middle one is Marianne designs in gold mirri-card and the smallest is a punch in silver mirri) and finished off with a gold pearl. The greeting is gold peel-offs which I've had since I first started card-making 12 years ago and die-cut letters.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Dies R Us 111 - anything Christmas
Crafty Cardmakers 224 - Christmas
Shopping Our Stash 384 - Tis the season
City Crafter 442 - snowflakes - SPOTLIGHT ARTIST

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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Silver and Gold Wreath

Back in my craft room after a wonderful pre-Christmas 8 day break in New York. It was so Christmassy and I even managed to do some crafty shopping! We found a Michaels while roaming around The Bronx (as you do) and I got some lovely dies and papers not readily available in this country.

Today's card is for a friend to give to her sister - the request was 'make it blingy'...

I have a box of 'special card and papers' that is often looked at and admired but very rarely used - there's some lovely muted silver and gold card in there that seemed perfect for this card.

I've used grey linen card for the base and the 'wreath' was cut from an unbranded die very similar to Stampin' Up's whirly dies. I added tiny star and heart dies and a tiny bow embellishment. Finally, an assortment of sparkly gems were randomly added. This was so quick to make I managed to make 5 in an hour to give to some of my girlfriends.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

CAS on Friday #147- Christmas card - TOP 3
Use Your Stuff Challenge #339 - silver and gold
Watercooler Wednesdays #199 - ag feminine - ROCKSTAR
Crafting By Designs - holiday ag 
Moving Along With The Times #86 - anything Christmas
Creative Knockouts #275 - Christmas Delight - WINNER
Muse Christmas Visions #114 - festive free-for-all

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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A Beige Christmas

Today's card is a very unusual colour scheme for a Christmas card - boring beige!

The tree is a sticker in a pack from The Range which lucky for me co-ordinated with a patterned paper pad also from The Range. I've tried to bling up the card by using lots of shiny pearls and some pearlised linen paper for matting. I think this colour scheme is very elegant - classy Christmas rather that in your face Christmas.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends 94 - anything goes
Crafty Friends Challenge 97 - gems or pearls
Crafter's Castle 11 - anything goes Holidays
C R A F T Challenge 491 - Christmas
Crimbo Cracker 171 - anything goes
As You Like It - monochrome or rainbow - definitely monochrome for me. I struggle to match colours and patterns therefore keeping to one colour gives me less stress! I also think different shades of the same colour looks very elegant.

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
xx

Metallic Wreath

Each year I make a personalised Christmas card for my friend's daughter, Amy. This year, as she's 16 now, I made something a bit more grown up and contemporary...

I used a circle wreath die which I cut in very pale pink and filled each of the 'holes' with a variety of pearls, gems and metallic mirri-card discs. I've added scalloped borders, again in pink and made a sentiment in Publisher using Copperplate Gothic font. Finally, I've added a two-part die cut bow with the top layer cut in the same pale pink card.

And in true crafter's fashion I've just noticed I haven't filled one of the holes!

I'm entering this card into the challenges at :

Less Is More #384 - metallics
Watercooler Wednesdays #195 - anything feminine
Creative Knockouts #271  - border time
Cut It Up Challenge #160 - clean and simple

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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Friendly Snowman

Another day, another Nanna card...

Today's card was made using a pre-coloured digi image from my files - the file was called PCS friendly snowman so I'm guessing it is from Pink Cat Studio? Anyway - it's certainly cute!

I seem to be making a lot of monotone cards lately and apart from the bright red scarf, I've stuck to shades of pale blue - two different sized polka dot patterns and a plain blue matting. I've added some die cut snowflakes to make a border and some blue flat-backed pearls as embellishments.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #93 - anything goes

Incy Wincy Designs - 5-17 Nov - Christmas

The Holly and Ivy Challenge #40 - anything Christmas

That's Crafty Challenge - winter wonderland

Crafting By Designs - anything goes November

Double Trouble - Christmas

Thanks for visiting

Sharon

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Glamorous Gran!

Today's card is for a friend to give to her glamorous youthful gran (or Nanna as we say up north!)

The digi image is an old one from Jellypark - there's not a lot of nice images around that can be used to represent an older lady. I've used a pretty green and pink floral paper and a 'cloudy' pink paper for the background matted on black. I've added dome black die scrolls and some gems to add a bit of interest and a tiny pearl on the necklace.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Allsorts Challenge Blog #492 - use pretty papers
QKR Stampede Challenge #320 - anything goes
Pattie's Creations Challenge #152 - birthdays
Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends #93 - anything goes
Cards 4 Galz #83 - let's go digital
A Bit More Time To Craft #79 - anything goes - WINNER

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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Cute Penguin Couple

I'm snug in the craft room today adding to my pile of Christmas cards. I've used an old favourite digi for this card from Digistamp Boutique (I am so missing that store - I could have cried when it shut!)

I've coloured the image using Pro-markers and mounted it on die-cut ovals. The backing papers are from my stash and I've created a greeting using candy Round font. Finally, I've added a couple of tiny pom poms to the penguin's hats.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Winter Wonderland Challenge - colour it
Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge #39 - anything goes
Jingle Belles - not a creature was stirring
Sweet Stampin' Christmas - October anything goes
Fab N Funky #413 - Christmas
Alphabet Challenge Blog - P is for Penguins
C R A F T Challenge #488 - monochrome
Merry Christmas Challenge - anything goes


Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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Autumn Floral Birthday Card

A friend at work asked me to make a floral card for her Mum's birthday using reds and burgundy shades...

I used and old digital image from The Digistamp Boutique (now defunct) and coloured the image using pro-markers. I've kept the layout simple to show off the image and kept embellishments to a minimum by just using a few red pearls.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:


QKR Stampede # 318 - anything goes
Addicted To Stamps And More #314 - clean and simple
I Love Pro Markers #370 - anything goes/birthday
Creative Fingers #153 - anything goes
Crafty Sentiments - birthdays
Seize The Birthday - anything goes
As You Like It - clean and simple or fussy and fancy - always clean and simple for me. I like clean lines and I have trouble matching different papers and embellishments. I also like cards that are flat and fit in envelopes without bumps and lumps!

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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Gingerbread Couple

I love using pre-coloured toppers for Christmas cards - there's so many to make and this really speeds up the process.

Today's card is made with a very cute topper from the Gingerbread Wishes set from Hobby House...

I've matted the image on red card and used coordinating gingerbread patterned paper as one of the background papers. For embellishments I've added tiny red gems and a die-cut snowflake with a pearl. The greeting was computer generated and matted using oval dies.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

The Creative Crafters Challenge #9 - anything goes
The Merry Christmas Challenge - Oct 15 to November 15
A Perfect Time To Craft #10 - anything goes 
Crimbo Crackers #169 - anything goes
Die Cuttin' Divas #391 - food
A Bit More Time To Craft #78 - anything goes

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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Special Reindeer Couple

And so it begins - for the next month I am mostly making Christmas cards. The Christmas patterned papers box is out, the glitter is on standby and I've got Love Actually on in the background (yes - it is a Christmas film!!)

This cute offering was made using a basic kraft and red colour scheme with a Digistamp Boutique image, coloured with pro-markers. The papers are from a Christmas Kraft pad from The Range and I've embellished with two tiny red pearls for the noses.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

My Time To Craft - use kraft
Sweet Stampin' Christmas - October Challenge
Passion For Pro-markers #465 - animals
The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge #38 - anything Christmas
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #486 - Christmas
Merry Christmas Challenge Sept 15 to Oct 14 - anything goes

Thanks for visiting today

Sharon
xx

Simple Baptism Card

I needed to make a quick card for a baby girl's baptism this weekend and was inspired by some unbranded dies I recently received from the slow boat from China (Ali Express!).

All my card seem very plain and simple at the moment (ie boring) - I just can't seem to get into the glittery glitzy mode I need to be in to make Christmas cards.

I think white on white cards always look good for religious events so I just layered the different dies to add interest. The greeting was computer generated and I added a few pale pink pearls to show it's for a baby girl.

I'm entering this card into the 'anything goes' challenges at:

Crafting By Designs

Penny's Paper-crafty Challenge #400 !!! 

Watercooler Wednesdays #190

A Bit More Time To Craft #77

Crafting From The Heart #222

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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Will You...

I've hardly had time to craft lately - September and the beginning of the academic year is such a busy time for me! Today's card is for a friend to give to her niece to ask her to be her bridesmaid at her forthcoming nuptials. It was quick to make but I hope it's cute enough for this special request!

I used an old Memory Box dress die cutting a bottom layer from a small scrap of pale pink card and a second layer from a piece of  tracing paper to give the illusion of a net petticoat. I trimmed and attached the tracing paper layer with a strip of pastel pink ribbon and added a tiny pearl on the neckline. I mounted the dress on a white circle and found a perfect sized piece of pink polka dot patterned paper in my scraps box for the backing. The three pearls in the top left corner balance the greeting in the bottom right corner.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Always Fun Challenge #78 - dies or punches
Dream Valley Challenge #187 - pearls or gems
Pixie's Snippets Playground #336 - use snippets
Crafting With Dragonflies #114 - clean and simple
Aud Sentiments #213 - use a two word sentiment
Southern Girls Challenge - spots and dots

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
x

Stripy Sixteenth

I'm back in the craft room today after a lovely holiday in Tunisia - nothing like an all-inclusive break in a beautiful hotel to get my mojo back!

Today's card is a last minute make for a neighbour to give to her grandson...

I used grey textured card for the base and added a wide strip of grey and whited striped patterned paper with a black border. I die-cut and matted some stars and added the die-cut numbers for the age of the birthday boy. The greeting was created in Publisher and I added some black gems to the points of the star.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Watercooler Wednesdays - masculine anything goes
The Corrosive Challenge #9 - anything goes
Crafting By Designs - you're the man
Avenue 613 Create - anything goes / CAS
Craft Rocket Challenges #52 - boys or men
Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends #90 - anything goes
Crazy 4 Challenges #453 - cards with a number

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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Fabulous 50 Polka dots

Today I'm going to share the card I made for my other half - he recently turned 50...

I've used a burgundy A5 card base and added a panel of burgundy polka dot patterned paper mounted with a white border.

The numbers and greeting have been die cut in white then mounted on golden mirri card die cuts to create a golden shadow.

I'm entering this card into the 'Anything Goes' challenges at:


Crafting By Designs - September
Crafting With An Attitude #43
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #89
Dragonfly Dreams - September
Through The Craftroom Door - 4th September
Penny's Paper-crafty Challenge #396
Creative Inspirations - September

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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Tiny Dancer

Today's card is for my niece Lucy who has just turned 10...

The image is from a topper sheet by Buzzcraft that I got at a recent Ross Papercraft fair. It's very cute and ideal for a little girl who loves dancing. I matted the image on a subtly pink patterned paper and mounted on panels of the patterned paper that came with the image.

I added a greeting created using Candy Round font and added the age using small number dies.

I'm entering this card into the 'anything goes' challenges at:

4 Crafty Chicks Challenge #418
Creates And Makes Challenge #24
Crafty Sentiments Designs #28
Watercooler Wednesdays #185
Penny's Paper-crafty Challenge #395
Through The Craftroom Door week 8-27-18
Crafty Gals Corner #173


Thanks for popping in!

Sharon
xx

Flying Scotsman

Today's card was a request from a friend for a card for her Dad's 80th birthday with a vintage train theme...

I found a die-cut decoupaged image of the Flying Scotsman, put it together and mounted it on a cream linen background. I mounted this on some sepia striped patterned paper to add to the vintage feel, and added a greeting created in Publisher using Copperplate Gothic font. Finally, I added the die-cut number and a couple of bunting pennants with coloured card candy.

I'm entering this card into the current challenges at:

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #88 - anything goes
Crafty Calendar Challenge - dots or stripes
Crafty Creations Challenge #373 - anything goes
Crazy 4 Challenges #449 - masculine
Penny's Paper-crafty Challenge #394 - anything goes

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
x

20th Birthday

A lady at work asked me to make a bright card for her grandson's 20th birthday - she couldn't find anything suitable in the shops! Here's my effort...

I used a scrap of star patterned paper from my large scraps box to die cut a circle and added a die-cut border and numbers in coordinating colours. For the background I used zigzag washi tape and added a few enamel dots. The wording was created in Publisher using Formal 365 font.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Cut It Up Challenge #155 - ABC or 123
Crafty Creations #373 - anything goes
Crafty Addicts Challenge #51 - boys or men
Seize The Birthday - anything goes
Double D Challenges - moon or stars
Creative Fingers #151 - anything goes

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
x

Fantastic Creatures

Oh gosh - where has the last week gone? Cards have been made but I'm not getting the time to photo them and post!

Today's offering is for a young lad who loves unicorns...

 I found the die and the patterned paper at The Range and I've tried to use as little of the pinky/lilac colour as possible to make it less 'girly'. The die really is super cute and it was only a pound!

I've mounted the unicorn onto matted star-shaped die-cuts and added a greeting in 'Mountains of Christmas' font created in Publisher.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

613 Avenue Create #212 - fantasy/magic
The Paper Shelter #349 - punches or dies WINNER!
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #88 - anything goes
That's Crafty Challenge - animal magic
Hiding In My Craftroom #366 - use die-cuts
Brown Sugar Challenge #281 - fairies and fantasy
Craftaholics R Us #33 - anything goes


Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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