Diecut Divas Farewell to November

Here is my next set of 5 cards for Christmas using a very different image from Bugaboo.

Card Tip:

When mass producing cards you want to maximise your products and minimise your waste - So with this in mind, if you are die cutting your card stock, plan your die placement so you can then still use the outer edge for matting - like in the below image.

Card Ingredients:

Card Stock: A5 standard white card base. Cre8tive card stock in assorted colours.

Papers:Digital papers from Klouise Digiart - christmas snowman and snowflake H017, snowflake and stars Ho02, snowflake and stars H004 part one, snowflakes and stars H005.

Stamps:Bugaboo Snowflake Reindeer Silhouette

Ink: Versamark Ink Pen, Judikins Clear and Crystal embossing powder (applied to each reindeer after printing)

Dies: MPress ornate square.

Other: Home made enamel dots, pearls and white ribbon from stash 

Challenge List:

We Do Doobadoo Challenge-get festive

Top Tip Tuesday Challenge-buttons or bows
Krafty Hands Challenge-christmas cheer
Hiding in my Craftroom#176-freestyle
Crafty Sentiments Challenge-use die cuts
Christmas Card Challenges#53-anything goes
Outlawz Twisted Thursday Challenges-anthing goes with a winter sparkle at christmas twist

Jelly Park Challenges-ribbons and / or bows

Hiding in My Craft Room- anything goes

Crafty Calendar Challenge-its all about christmas

Diecut Divas Thanksgiving Holiday

Diecut Divas challenge this month is Any Holiday and you still have time to enter your cards whether they be Christmas or thanksgiving like I have done below. Even though this is an American holiday and we don't celebrate it here in Australia but I still love the idea of creating a card for someone to let them know that you are grateful for them.

Card Tip:

To add a slight border to die cuts that you don't have the next size up: -

•  just cut two shapes out of the same shape,one in a different colour
• cut the second shape in half
• then stick those pieces behind the first creating mating.

Card Ingredients:

Card Stock: White A5 card base, white blue card stock from stash.

Papers: patterned paper from my stash.

Stamps: Bugaboo Brat Turkey Thanksgiving

Ink: Memento paris dusk. 

Markers:

               Skin: E000+E00+E13+R20

               Hair: E23+E25+E29 
               Bonnet + Dress: BG01+BG02+BG05

               Apron:B21+B23+B24 
               Plate:YG03+YG06 
               Turkey: E33+E35 

               Shoes: E55+E57+E59

Dies & Embossing Folder: Cuttlebug swiss dots embossing folder, Spellbinders mega oval large.

Other: blue gems in assorted shapes, wink of stella clear pen for the turkey.

Challenge List:

Outlawz Monday Greeting Challenges - Anything Goes
Inspiration Destination Challenge 9 - Anything Goes
Southern Girls Challenge-Celebrate Challenge
Hiding In My Craft Room#175-Any Holiday
Crafty Sentiments Challenge -Use Die Cuts
Addicted To Stamps Challenge#123- Any Holiday
Pennys Challenge#205-Anything Goes
Cards and More Challenge#120-simply blue
Card Mania Challenges#60-Use A Digi
Cards In Envy Challenge-thankful for you

Perfectly Rustics Wet or Dry Embossing for Christmas

Well like many people this time of year its all about Christmas cards. Last year I created and sent out 50 Christmas cards - I couldn't believe it either, especially when I made them in between Christmas and New Year, just a smidge late. So this year I vowed to get started early. So I usually post out at least 40 of those cards so I like to consider three main points when I am creating these cards:

1. It has to fit into a standard size envelope for postage so not too crazy on the embellishments.
2. the design needs to be easily repeated with slight variation if possible.
3. Just because its Christmas doesn't mean I want to limit myself to the colour scheme of only red, green and silver or gold. 

So with Perfectly Rustics new challenge today of wet and dry embossing, I saw a perfect opportunity to get started.

Card Tip:

For the colouring of the embossing folder I used a sponge dauber and I created a template by die cutting a circle out of scrap paper. This helped me to create the defined line around the outside of the ornament and saved me from transferring any where i didn't want it. It wasn't a perfect fit, I just moved the circle around as I went. I also used a brush to apply the colour to the top sections.

Card Ingredients:

Card Stock: White A5 card bases and white card stock for embossed piece, Cre8tive blue, green, pink,purple and orange card stock.

Stamps: AmyRus Stamps merry and bright for sentiment.

Ink: Memento bahama blue, Distress Inks seeded preserve, pickled raspberry, bundled sage,dusty concord, dried marigold.

Dies and Embossing Folder: Couture Creations xmas lights embossing folder, Spellbinders label 8

Other: Assorted coloured ribbons from my stash, assorted sizes and colours of gems.

Challenge List:

We Do Doobadoo Challenge#19-Christmas
Krafty Hands November Challenge-Christmas Cheer
All About Crafts-cas or clean and simple
Inspiration Destination Challenge#7-anything goes
Dies R Us Challenge#14-Christmas
Outlawz ChallengesTwisted Thursday - anything goes, twist thankful

Crafty Calendar November Challenge - its all about Christmas
Crafts 4 Eternity Challenge# 202-bright colours

Christmas Stampin Challenge#37-anything goes

Crafty Catz Challenge#255-Christmas is coming

Fitztown Glitz and Glamour

We are starting a brand new challenge over at Fitztown today with a theme of Glitz and Glamour. I think my only problem I had was choosing which of of cameo images I was going to use, they are all so glamorous. I decided on Cameo 14 which is my favourite and here is my card.

Card Tip:

Don't discount anything for using on cards, these flowers are actually from a $2 store that I pulled apart and reassembled with brads.

Card Ingredients:

Card Stock: Cream 5"x5" square card base. Kasazz SB Essentials Bling in opal.

Papers: pattern paper from my stash.

Stamps: Fitztown Cameo 14

Ink:Distress Ink antique linen, dusty concord.
Markers:

               Skin: E000+E00+E13+RV32+B21

               Hair: E23+E25+E29
               Hair Clip: V06+V09,R04+R06

               Earring: BG02
               Dress: V01+V04+V06+V09 
               Butterfly: R04+R06,V15+V17,BG01+BG02,BG49 

Dies: Spellbinders Label 5, Elizabeth Craft Designs agatha edges.

Other: Gems in assorted colours and sizes, wink of stella clear pen, brads, flowers.

Challenge List:

Inspiration Destination Challenge 6

Hiding in my Craft Room#173-super scraps saturday
Dragonfly Dreams Challenge#11-lets be girly and use a die-cut or punch
That Craft Place Challenge-anything goes
Corrosive Challenges#212-girly
Challenge Up Your Life#1-anything goes
Vandicrafts Challenge#16-anything goes
Sister Act Card Challenge#82-anything goes

Diecut Divas Too Cute to Spook

Over at Diecut Divas this month the challenge is Any Holiday and so with this opportunity I couldn't pass up this image and do my last halloween card. How cute is this little spooker, I am sure this would bring back memories of many a first time trick or treat.

Card Tip:

If you are fortunate enough to have different letter dies, use them on the same card, this way you can add greater emphasis on different areas of your sentiment.

Card Ingredients:

Card Stock: Kasazz A5 card base in taffy.

Papers: Pattern paper from my stash.

Stamps:Bugaboo Digi Stamps Boo Halloween Princess
Ink: Distress Ink antique linen.

Markers:

               Skin: E000+E00+E21+R20 +RV32 for pacifier.

               Hair: E25
               Stars: YR17

               Bow and Pinnafore: RV02+RV04+RV06 
               Underskirt: R81+R83+R85
               Bag:V01+V04+V06 

               Shoe: V04

Dies: Spellbinders Label 11, Cuttlebug typewriter and curls and swirls letter dies.

Other: Ric rac ribbon and adhesive back ribbon from my stash, yellow kindy glitz, gold pen, wink of stella clear pen, pink gems, black sakura gel pen for letters.

Challenge List:

Outlawz Wednesday Sketch Challenge

Top Tip Tuesday Challenge-chevrons
Send a Smile 4 Kids Challenge-happy holidays 4 kids
Inspiration Destination Challenge 6 - anything goes
Imagination Crafts Challenges-anything goes
Cute Card Thursday Challenge#346-stripes
Delightful Sketches Challenge - include pattern paper
Ikes World Challenge#25-trick or treat
Oldie but a Goodie Challenge-spooky, patterned paper, ribbon and card base
2 Cute Ink Challenge#118-halloween treats

Perfectly Rustics Sewing

Its time for a brand new challenge over at Perfectly Rustics and this fortnight we are talking about sewing, any kind of sewing as long as it is on your card, layout, or ATG. I would love to take all the credit for my card today but alias I had some help. There is a fantastic company here is Australia called Paper Quilt Creations. Michaela Laurie has created a huge amount of quilting patterns of all different shapes specifically for paper craft. They include templates, how many and what size squares to punch out and detailed instructions on how to put them together. It makes quilting super easy and enjoyable with fantastic results.

Card Tip:

Just remember that if you are using your sewing machine for any kind of paper craft you might need to change your tension on your machine, and always do a test run before sewing on your finished product. Of course this also means you will need to change it back when you want to go back to sewing normally. 

Card Ingredients:

Card Stock:

cream A5 card base.

Papers:

Pink glitter paper from stash, patterned paper scraps from stash.

Other: Paper Quilt Creations Masked Ball,Tonic ticket and tag corner punch. Sewing Machine, Metallic Thread, plastic flowers.

Challenge List:

Imagination Crafts November Challenge-anything goes

2 Creative Chicks Challenge#20-any sewing
Natalie and Amy Challenge#26-stitch it

A Creative Romance-pink

Alphabet Challenge-s for stitching

Brown Sugar Challenge#118-anything goes

Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge#253-anything goes

Sister Act Card Challenge#81-anything goes

Creative Knockouts-patchwork pretties

Addicted to Stamps Challenge#119-cas

Diecut Divas - Holidays

So here we are, the first day of November and you know what that means - a brand new challenge over at Diecut Divas. So this month we are talking about Holidays, any holidays. Of course this could be a perfect opportunity to start on those Christmas cards we have been putting off until now. So to kick it off I am using an adorable Bugaboo image for one of my many Christmas cards I'm sure.

Card Tip:

To make the spring card stand up, you either need to use 320gsm card or make a little box that will sit at the back, otherwise the weight pulls it down.

Card Ingredients:

Card Stock: Quill blue card stock for base, bright pink card stock from stash

Papers: Doodlebug Designs Santa Express 6x6 paper pad.
Stamps:Bugaboo Stamps Fairy Christmas, AmyRstamps merry and bright.
Ink: Memento tuxedo black ink for sentiment.
Markers: 
                 Skin: E000+E00+E13
                 Hair: E33
                 Cap + Beads + Belt: RV04+RV06+RV09
                 Tights: RV04+RV06, RV06+RV09
                 Dress: BG000+BG01+BG02
                 Hollie: YG03+YG06+YG09
                 Ornaments: R24+R27+R29, V01+V04+V06
Dies: Elizabeth Craft Designs snowflake, Cuttlebug snowflakes embossing folder.

Other: Wink of Stella clear pen, Ice Stickles, gold pen

Challenge List:

Imagination Destination Challenge#5-anything goes

Oultawz Friday Coloring Challenge - anything goes with a Christmas twist
Completely Christmas Challenge#36-anything goes with a ribbon twist

Audsentiments Challenge#118-2 or 3 word sentiment

Crafty Little Fairies Challenge-only one designer paper

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge#126-cut it out

Love to Create Challenge#139-more than one fold

Through the Craft Room Door-anything goes

Christmas at Sweet Stampin Challenge-snowflakes

Fab n Funky Challenges#235-christmas