Longed for Reindeer

 I hate it when you see something you like then you cant get hold of it don't you? I have been looking for this die for about 2 years and eventually found it on a facebook craft selling page - I love how it cuts out the rectangle and embosses the image all in one move.

along with the lush papers from papermanias last release I think I will be doing a few of these.

Hows your Christmas prep coming along? I am thrilled with how mine is coming together at last and not before time with 8 weeks on Wednesday to the big day!

Happy crafting folks xx

More Christmas cards

 This stamp has to be my fav one of the year its by stampedous and is so gorgeous it needs very little doing to it.

This was a play with my spellbinders snowflake die - its one I particularly love.

Hope you like them x

Janet

playing around......

After seeing a tutorial posted by a crafty chum on the crafty facebook page I run I set too to have a go - trouble was I had non of the kit list so improvisation was in order.

20 stamped and punched ornaments by stampin up - some lace, ribbon , button and twine

and here I have an ornament - now the pics don't do it justice really - its about  5 inches big

and I tidied up the back with my personalised stamp.

The facebook page is called Skipton Craft Club where tutorials, inspiring websites and blogs can be shared - its not just for Skipton folks any person interested in sharing crafting and having fun is welcome - we have a monthly challenge too as well as very talented people to inspire you with all sorts of crafts.  If you love crafting then look us up on facebook - check us out and ask to join in you would be most welcome x

I would like to enter this ornament into

Crafty Anns Challenge blog which is Christmas in August

and Delightful challenges which is punches and dies

August Christmas card class

 This month we were playing with cute so here is a gorgeous image from stampendous from last years range and lush papers by basic grey.

We also played a little with fantasy film with one of Clarity stamps night before Christmas stamps.

This time the papers are by Bo Bunny and very out of my Christmas comfort zone!

a little messing around

saw a bobbin wreath on someones blog then went back to look when I had bobbins and couldn't find it so I made it up as I went along.

These bobbins are tiny about 2cm high so didn't take much covering with Basic grey paper.  The fiddly bit was threading the buttons inbetween the bobbins with wire.

a little ribbon and its done.  All in my fav colours of red and green for Christmas with my ultimate hearts desire gingham ribbon to boot.

Have this in mind as a little Christmas stocking filler for a very dear friend.  Been thinking of her lots today so its seemed apt to make her something.  

Crafty Hazlenut is asking us to use our favourite colours on crafty Christmas projects this week so I hope this fits the bill!!

You can see the challenge here

Thanks for visiting today xx

Janet

Just Believe......

 This is the project from this months Christmas class - an amazingly simple yet effect wall hanging using distress inks, Stampers Anonymous stamps and promarkers.  The ladies were thrilled with their efforts and had the opportunity to play further with my stamp collection coming up with their own versions.

Wonky wire here but you get the gist of the finished piece.  I love distress inks and sharing my passion for them is always such a buzz.

Colours used here are antique linen, tea dye and aged mahogany.  Stamping in Momento so the promarkers don't bleed the ink.

A fun class.

Challenges I am entering with this are

Sugar creek hollow Vintage Christmas in July

Crafty Hazelnuts challenge - tie a ribbon 

Thanks for stopping by x

Janet

Upcycling for Christmas

 I am way behind in my Christmas preparations so was thrilled to see a fab project on Pinterest that grabbed my eye - they used a bean can but I had this can waiting for inspiration so decided to make it a useful decoration.

 Black card, promarkers and a bit of festive greenery from Tim Holtz dies - a little fake snow and here is a Snowmans hat!

Filled with snowballs in the guess of mint imperials.

Wow I loved playing with this and getting into the festive spirit even if we are still in July!

Challenges I am entering this for are

Crafters Companion Ho Ho Ho Christmas

and ABC challenge which is surprise (the surprise is the lid coming off to reveal snowballs)

Hope you are beginning to feel a little festive too x

Thanks for stopping by x

Janet

Mays Christmas card classes

 I have had a busy month so just knew designing Christmas cards would be a rush job so I thought I would use these fab papers, embelishments and images from Craftwork cards.

 I really enjoyed playing with limited supplies and coming up with 4 simple designs was no problem at all!

 The quality of the papers and images is brilliant and of course the fab card candi finishes them off a treat

I struggle with symmetry so just using 4 dots on this was just against my usual design rules but I think it works so its challenged my own thinking a little!

So I have 5 ladies coming to play along and they will make 4 similar cards to these - images will vary but will all be really cute!

Thanks for stopping by x 

Aprils makes

 Poor little sad neglected Christmas blog.  I have felt very sorry for it so here are some things to share.

First up a technique card with a little close up.

 It wasn't supposed to be pink but as I used aged mahogony DI thats the way it turned out.  I've used a reflections stamp by TH an embossing folder by papermania and gold embossing powder. The other DI is forest Moss.

Quite by chance this fits with Winter Wonderland this week!

 The next 2 have not quite turned out as I had them in my head but I love these fab stamps by Waltzing mouse and gorgeous spellbinders bauble dies.

Distress inks aged mahogony, chipped sapphire, tumbled glass and broken china.
This bottom card fits Crafty Hazlenuts challenge of music - who does not know Santa Claus is coming to town???

Must fit more Christmas crafting in its only April and I am sadly lagging behind!

Hope your Christmas Preparations are going well xx

Janet

Christmas card making

As the days are getting longer my Christmas card classes are due to begin again. A chance to play with my new stamps!

This one is using stamps by Waltzing mouse. I plan to hide from the world for a few days to play more with this set which has a wonderful Nutcracker in it. The local German shop has agreed to stock some of my cards before they have even seen them so I best get cracking!

I plan to do a cute version of a card everytime this year as folks do love the colouring in part. This is a Molly Bloom stamp from the 2011 Christmas collection. As you can see I have glossy accented his nose which was not quite dry when I took the picture!

For both these cards I have used free papers which came with various craft magazines - I am hoping to do some recycling of Christmas cards too to help them get thrifty this year.

I cant believe I got to March before even making a card - I am soooo behind!

I am entering these into Crafty Hazlenuts challenge which is seeing red - one of my favourite Christmas card colours - I am sooo traditional!

Winter Wonderland which is a photo inspiration

and Simon says stamp which is anything goes

Hows your Christmas preparations coming along?

Janet xx