Nutcracker Christmas

I'm not really sure when the Nutcracker soldiers became associated with Christmas - it certainly wasn't when I was a child! But now they are everywhere and are ideal for today's card - for a friend's child to give to his uncle and his husband - not the kind of card readily available in the shops...

I've used striped textured card as the base, some traditional tartan patterned paper for the backing and added a touch of shine with gold mirri card backing. The cute nutcracker men are die cut decoupage - I love them! I've added a simple Christmas greeting created in Publisher,

I'm playing along with the challenges at:

Southern Girls Challenge (Trace) - anything goes
Aud Sentiments Challenge #241 - Christmas/winter sentiment
Holly and Ivy Challenge #61 - anything goes
Just Us Girls #516 - wild card week
Always Fun Challenge #138 - anything goes
The Cat's Pyjamas Challenge # 363 - Nov/Dec/Jan holiday
Fab N Funky #459 - Christmas

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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Lovely Bubbly Birthday !

Today's card was a request from a friend at work - to make an 18th birthday card based upon a card she had seen in Clinton's card shop..

So I took the main elements: the vellum balloons, the present and the champagne glass and created this:

I used a lovely stripe embossed card for the base card and used various dies to make the tiny parcel embellishments for the elements. The balloons and champagne glass are also die-cut and I've added loads of tiny gems to add some girly sparkle.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Crafty Challenge Calendar - cute and girly
Creative Fingers #175 - anything goes
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #536 - make embellishments
Southern Girls Challenge - anything goes
Craft Rocket Challenge #65 - happy birthday
Crafting With An Attitude #57 - anything goes
Little Red Wagon Challenge #524 - you say it's your birthday

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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Frosty The Snowman

Today's card is for my lovely Mam...

I've used loads of different dies here - in fact the only part of this card not die cut is the snowman (an old digi from Digistanp Boutique which I fussy cut) and the 'snowscape' which I created free-hand. I've also used a tiny glitter heart sticker in the middle of the snowflake.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Crafty Friends Challenge #123 - Christmas
Outlawz Festive Fridays - anything Christmas
Stinkin' Inkers - die-lirious and punchy
Createful Heart #14 - anything goes
Try It On Tuesday - cold, cold, cold
Crafty Sentiments - Christmas
Addicted To Stamps #368 - holiday

Thanks for visiting my little blog

Sharon
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Magnificent Stags

Today's card is for a friend at work to give to her brother and his husband at Christmas - there are very few cards in the shops for gay couples and I love the challenge of making something original...

Last year when we were in New York I dragged my other half up to the Bronx as I had located a Michael's store there! I got this wonderful die set for $3 in a bargain bin ...

It would have been rude not to buy it! I love the stag die - it's perfect for masculine cards.. I used some grey toned wood-effect patterned paper for the background and kept the layout simple making the dies the focal point of the card.

I'm playing along with the challenges at:

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #535 - Christmas
Southern Girls Challenge - anything goes WINNER!
My Time to Craft #410 - Christmas animals
The Paper Shelter #406 - Christmas Spirit
The Sisierhood of Crafters - forest friends
Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Challenge #464 - anything Christmas

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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Gaming Birthday Boy

Today's card is for a little boy who loves playing on his PlayStation...

I've really raided my stash for this one! The papers came from a Making Cards Magazine from about 10 years ago. The image is of course from Lili Of The Valley - from an art pad which are discontinued (why do companies discontinue their best products???)

I've matted all the papers on red and blue card and added a greeting created in Microsoft Publisher.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Creative Fingers Challenge #174 - anything goes
Brown Sugar #295 - anything goes
Crafty Friends #122 - anything goes
Gem Of A Challenge #22 - anything goes
Paper Shelter #405 - card for a child
Cute Card Thursday #607 - anything goes
Penny's Paper-crafty Challenge #455 - anything goes

Thanks for visiting

Sharon
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Stag in Blue and Gold

I'm busy making masculine Christmas cards this week using my various stag dies I have acquired over the years - I do love a stag head on a Christmas card!

Here's one I made using blue and gold as a colour scheme...

I've used a large dots embossing folder for the background with some very shiny blue and gold striped card.

The die cut stag is mounted using foam pads onto white card then double matted using coordinating blue and gold card. I've added a greeting created in Publisher an 3 matching blue flat-backed pearls.

I'm playing along with the challenges at:

Gem of A Challenge #21 - anything goes
Incy Wincy Designs - animals
Dragonfly Dreams November - Christmas/winter
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #117 - anything goes
Crafty Friends Challenge #22 - anything goes
Aud Sentiments #239 - anything goes
A Perfect Time To Craft November - anything goes

Thanks for popping in

Sharon
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