Christmas Hanger

Final piece of moulded cardboard here for the base. Covered with gesso but leaving some of the cardboard showing through to suggest gaps in the snow. The outside edges are inked with distress inks and embossed with silver holographic powder. The hanger is embellished with a banner with the words Merry Christmas cut out of silver embossed cardstock and backed with a mat of black card, silver holographic embossed holly leaves and berries, red glitter embossed robin, silver embossed snowflakes and coins,a mailbox and sledge cut out of cardstock and edged with gesso for snow and glitter. A string of pearls makes the handle.

Thank you for stopping by my blog.

Christmas Hanger

This hanger is made from the last cardboard insert in the rice maker box. I painted the background with dark green acrylic paint and sprayed it with wheatfields glimmer mist to give it a metallic look. I cut holly leaves from metallic green cardstock and the berrys from metallic red. I heat embossed the edges of the leaves with gold powder and added red glitter to the berries. For the hanging Christmas bauble I heat embossed some tartan paper with the words from "Oh Christmas tree" and sandwiched it between two clear plastic shapes, threaded some beads on beading line and wound a tiny red ribbon with wire around the line. This I attached at the top of the opening at the back of the hanger with hot glue. I stuck a picture of the tiny mice on the back of another plastic shape and added a gold Christmas tree brad to cover the hole. Two Tim Holtz Christmas muse tokens heat embossed with gold powder fitted perfectly into the recesses either side of the tiny mice. The flower sprays at the top I cut from dry embossed paper and coated with crackle accents. The bells and holly I coated with gold pen and added green and red glitter. Finally I added a piece of wire at the bottom threaded with beads and a tiny church charm. This hanger I am entering in "Red Ribbon" over at Make My Monday.

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Another Christmas Hanger

This hanger was made from another cardboard insert from the rice maker box. I cut the insert so that it was not as thick. I coated it with gesso and glitter and embellished it with beads strung on wire, a toilet paper snowflake coated with mica dust and glossy accents, a star heat embossed with silver powder, handmade paper flowers,beads and pearls and a plaque with the sentiment snowcones.
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Christmas Hanger

This hanger is also going to be a Christmas Card for a dear friend. I recently bought a rice maker and this circle of corrugated cardboard with a hole cut out of it was a packing insert. Perfect for a Christmas hanger for a cupboard door knob. I pulled some of the top layer off the cardboard and coated it with gesso. I stamped with a postcard stamp in the top corner and other faint stamps around the rest of the circle. I embossed the postcard word to give it a bit more emphasis. Contrasting blue glitters and swirl shapes cut from pretty papers were randomly applied (sadly you can't see the shine in my photo). I cut the birdcage from cardstock with the Tim Holtz die and added splodges of gesso to look like snow. A lace flower with glitter was inserted into the birdcage. The tag is a black mat with a white gessoed tag added on top. I stamped different snowflakes in blue and mauve and then sprayed with water to make the run and blur the edges. The sentiment was stamped with versamark black ink and clear heat embossed. I curled the ribbons around a pencil and carefully heated them with a heat gun to set the curl. I attached silver foil snowflakes with a small blob of hot glue that shrivelled the centres and gave the snowflakes dimension. Finally I added some lace and pretty paper handmade flowers for final decoration. To finish the back for writing my Christmas message I attached a circle of contrasting blue paper.
Thank you for visiting my blog.

Holiday Cards

For these cards I cut a window in some white cardstock that I had embossed with snowflakes and mounted it onto a blue background mat and a flecked grey blank card. In the window I stuck a foil snowflake. I smushed some distress crackle paint clear rock candy in a sweep from the top left to the bottom right and let it dry. For the bird and reindeer embellishments I layered toilet paper onto a stamp with thinned school glue and let it dry in place. When removed I cut round the edges of the images. The reindeer stamp had some red ink left on it from a previous time and this came off onto the toilet paper. I filled the impression with crackle glaze and gave it a red stickles sparkle nose. The bird I sprayed with irridescent silver paint and coloured the berries with red stickles to make them stand out. After sticking these onto the cards I rubbed a small amount of blue stickles onto the embossed snowflakes at the bottom of the cards.

Carte a Jouer #24

The theme for this challenge is a Christmas Bauble and the Technique is 3D. Isa gave us a tutorial on making a 3D shape here at http://isasart.blogspot.com/2011/12/carte-jouer-challenge-24-boule-3d.html. For my card I took some green paper with a white fir tree branch pattern as my background. I stamped and embossed it with swirls and snowflakes with a snowflake white embossing powder to give a wintry feel to the base. The edges I embossed with copper and cut a small piece of copper ribbon to make the bow and line for the bauble. I made three baubles with a small sizzix fluted edged circle die, two white and one red. I stuck them together to make a fuller looking bauble. I may put some stickles along the fluted edges to make them pop even more.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

This is the card that I have made for the family who is hosting this years celebration. I used the cardboard from a popcorn box to make the card as I was going to add some heavy elements that come out from the front and I did not want it to bend or fall over. This I covered inside and out with patterned paper. I used my cuttlebug to cut and emboss the leaves and pumpkin from coke tins, and alcohol inks to colour them. I stamped the words on the same paper as the background and embossed with copper powder. This I mounted onto a piece of copper paper that was just a fraction bigger. I assembled the items with hot glue to make sure they stayed put.

So all that is left to say is to everyone in the U.S.A. that visits my blog I wish a very Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

Thank you for dropping by to look.

Wedding Card

This is the card that I made for my brother and his new wife. I used a piece of corrugated cardstock for the base and pulled pieces of the top layer away before covering with gesso. I printed a pretty vintage wedding photo onto cardstock and used my nestability dies to cut and mount it to look like it is in a frame. I made several flowers from contrasting papers and lace with tiny pearls on thread for the centers. I sponged some cut out lace flowers with ink and added pearlised sequins and tiny pearls for decoration. I am very pleased with the vintage look to the card. I hope they like it.

Thank you for checking in on my blog.

ART'n'SOUL Group Swap

I have been absent here for quite some time too. The swap this month is:

1. Make a BOOKMARK with a VINTAGE/SHABBY CHIC theme AND include LACE somewhere on the project

2. You must make a Christmas themed tag to go with your bookmark - so your partners will receive a scrummy Christmas pressie bookmark wrapped with a nice Christmas tag

I made the base of the bookmark with a piece of corrugated cardboard that I tore part of the top layer off and covered with gesso to give it a shabby look. I die cut a piece of printed cardstock with an elegant 1920's lady on it to include the words "Mode and Feminine" to give it the chic element. I used the nestabilities dies so that I could cut a frame for the picture out of contrasting cardstock, I also cut a piece of this for covering the back of the bookmark. The addition of some cut out flowers from lace and some paper and bead flowers, that I sponged with ink to give an antiqued feel to the whole thing. Finally two strings of tiny pearls and a few random dew drop shaped pearls finish it off nicely. I hope my swap partner likes it and gets some good use out of it.

Now to make the Christmas tag.

Birthday Card

It is my mother in law's birthday on Christmas Eve and I wanted to make her a special card as she always tells me she needs nothing in the way of a present. This is a heavy card so I used cardboard from a cereal package for the base of the card and painted it with pink and white acrylic paints and stamped flowers in pink along the edge and across the pocket attached at the bottom. I crackle glazed the petals. The tag insert is heavy cardstock embossed with script and I took an old spoon and flattened the bowl and embossed it completely with holographic powder. I tied ribbons and net around the shaft and added some handmade flowers. Two strings of pearls gave the card the finishing touch.

Carte a Jouer #23

This fortnight's challenge over at http://carteajouer.blogspot.com/ is
Theme : La Vie en Rose
Technique : Yo Yo

The centre rosette is made from felt gathered at the front round a circle of card and a smaller rosette of lace attached in the center to cover the gathered edges and a larger cream lace rosette for the outside. The background playing card is scraped with white gesso and pink puffy paint then heated with a heat gun to bubble the puffy paint. I then attached a small band with the words La Vie en Rose across the bottom. Thanks for the challenge Isa.

Carte a Jouer #22

#22 Theme : Blue Technique : Mapped Easel
The easel is made with contrasting blue cardstock stuck to the back of the playing card so that it will fold down flat and also stand up by resting one end into the other end folded up. Isa explains the technique so much better than me on her blog at http://isasart.blogspot.com/2011/11/carte-jouer-challenge-22-chevalet-bleu.html. The front of the playing card is decorated with an cardboard oak leaf that has been tripple embossed with UTTEE and then brushed with perfect pearls and then stamped to give texture. I finished the card off with two lines of silver pearls

Carte a Jouer #21

#21 Theme : Red Technique : Paper swirl
I made the paper swirl in the middle by folding a red patterned paper into a long narrow band and then wound it up to make a circle. This I then stuck into the middle of a flower made up of red cardstock and tissue heat shapes layered and manipulated to curl up around the paper swirl. I sprayed the playing card with red and olive glimmer mists and added the flower with the die cut ear of wheat behind it.

Carte a Jouer #20

#20 Theme : Spots Technique : Pass Band
I didn't have a button with wide enough holes to thread with ribbon so I used a small silver buckle instead. I threaded some vibrant pink flower shape ribbon through it and attached it to a rosette made out of pink brodraise anglaise lace with white leaves underneath. I covered the playing card with a contrasting pale pink paper and added metal corners with a spot jewel in each center.

Carte a Jouer #19

#19 Theme : Orange Technique : Patchwork
I forgot that the colour was orange and made my patchwork of patterned blue paper ooops! I tried to stitch the paper by hand but my needlework is pathetic. So I ended up imitating the stitching with dark blue gel pen. Two of the squares I stamped with blue ink bird and flowers. I attached tassels at the four corners and a crochet wire flower and leaves attached with brads.

Carte a Jouer #18

Firstly let me apologise to Isa for being so behind in this challenge. Travel and family business has kept me busy since July. I have however managed to finally catch up to the last challenge.

#18 Theme : Regal Technique : Matting
The playing card is covered with a pretty pink cardstock and a piece of lace and bead ribbon stretched from top to bottom. My stamp with the head of Queen Elizabeth II is matted on cardstock and then mounted onto embossed semi cirle of cardstock. A contrasting semi circle is attached at the top of the card. The whole playing card is then mounted on a lace punched piece of pink stain paper.

Oh Christmas Tree!

Another card made using a background made with a single ply napkin glued onto cardstock and appliqued random cardstock shapes for the tree and another handmade embellishment uteed and stamped with Christmas stamp.

Lesson in letting glue dry

I put this card together and stuck the rosette together with glue stick and the heavy embellishment on with E6000 glue. I put the whole thing flat on the table and walked away to do something else. When I came back the embellishment had slipped to one side and was off center and was fixed permanently that way and the word NOEL is turned slightly crooked as well. I was wondering how everyone else holds their work together while it dries. I have used paper clips in the past but they leave indentations, books work well if it is just matted layers. Any suggestions?

Deck the Halls

I wanted to use up some pretty papers, Christmas ribbon and some embellishments that I had made so put them together to make these simple Christmas carol cards. Sorry that the photo is not very clear, I must take some lessons in photography.

Christmas

Beginning to get my crafting mojo back. Needed to make some Christmas cards so took inspiration from Lene's blog and made a couple of card boxes to put gift cards in. I had a couple of pieces of Christmas cardstock that worked perfectly. Thank you Lene for the instructions http://lenesstempelkrok.blogspot.com/2011/11/stampartic-tutorial.html

The Craft Barn

I have been following this blog for some time now and they really do come up with some marvellous ideas. I have yet to join in one of their challenges but things have been so busy for me for a while now I have only just started to do some crafting again, birthday and Christmas cards were first on the list.

This is a wonderful freebie someone will be very lucky. Check out their blog at http://thecraftbarnblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/look-look-look-blog-candy.html

Trip To Key West

We went for a short 4 day break in Key West, oh what fun but oh so hot!!!! Our campsite was right on the gulf on Marathon Key where we could just step out of the travel trailer into the warm clear waters. All along the boardwalk nestled into the rock base were about 200 lobsters, protected so unable to catch and eat them. We spent a whole day walking around Key West looking at the wonderful houses, each an inspiration to me for a bird house. Hemingway's House was full so we didn't get to go in but we went to the Mel Fisher Museum and saw a lot of Spanish treasure that they found offshore Florida. We of course went to the Key Lime Pie Shop and had the most wonderful pie, best I have ever tasted. Was a lovely break and I would love to go again, but maybe in the winter when not so hot.

Painted Ladies

Phew! Just finished three new bird houses painted true to the Victorian/Edwardian "Painted Ladies" style. "Painted ladies" is a term used for Victorian and Edwardian houses and buildings painted in three or more colors that embellish or enhance their architectural details. I really enjoyed making these, with the help of my partner and his wood working tools, I made the houses from 3/4" outdoor plywood. Each house has two homes for small birds and they are suitable for placing inside or outside. The worst part of making these is the drying time wait.

Cards

A birthday card for my sweetie and a couple of christmas cards and matching tag, early I know but it is always a mad rush come December.

From Locust to Lotus

At last I have discovered what it is that is eating my Crinum Lillies, a locust (they call them grasshoppers here), but he is a beauty. We have had no rain here for months now and the large pond that is usually 12 feet deep in the summer is completely dry. However it has given the Lotuses a chance to bloom, and how magnificent they are this year.

Carte a Jouer #17

PRINCIPE DU CHALLENGE :

Thème : Souhait - Desire
Technique : Foiling - Tin foil impression
The background of my card was embossed foil through my cuttlebug but that looked just like embossing and not the idea of the challenge. So I added a band of lace edge paper stamped with the sentiment and a coke can butterfly coloured with mica powders. For the tin foil impression down the left hand side I cut two layers of thick cardstock and punched them both with lace punch and stuck them together. I covered this with tin foil and pushed the tin into the holes of the cardstock which left their impression. Then I lifted off the foil and turned it over and highlighted the raised lace surface of the foil with rub-ons. I decorated a small tag with lace and a definition and attached it to the card with a brad.

Yard sale finds

We went to some yard sales yesterday and I picked up these three books for 25 cents each, I couldn't pass them up. I always wanted to do some teabagging but never got round to it so thought I would try this quickly today. This quick card is the result of my first attempt. Now to try some more intricate ones.

Carte a Jouer #16

The challenge over at http://carteajouer.blogspot.com/ this fortnight is
PRINCIPE DU CHALLENGE :

Thème : Bijoux, jewel
Technique : Carte marque-page, bookmark







For my card I started by cutting a small U-shape into the card to make the piece to fit over the page of a book. I then covered the playing card with pieces of gold leaf. For the jewel I chose a gold dome shaped button and then threaded beads to make a web to fit over it. I then crochet 2 strands of gold and green wire into a circle using a 6mm hook which gave it an open feel. The outer edge I crocheted with just the gold wire which pulled it in and up slightly. Next I threaded three strands of fluffy thread with beads at the ends and attached a dragon charm. To finish the bookmark I glued the threads and flower to the top section using E600 glue. Thank you for visiting my blog.

Carte a Jouer Challenge #15

This fortnight's challenge over at http://carteajouer.blogspot.com/
PRINCIPLE OF THE CHALLENGE:

Thème : Steampunk Theme: Steampunk
Technique : Récupération brique (de lait ou jus) Technique: Recycle a Carton(milk or juice)

The inside of a milk carton has a very waxy feel to it so when making the background I first swiped a perfect medium pad across it before running through the cuttlebug embossing folder. Then I brushed the surface of the embossed carton with two colours of perfect pearls. I then die cut a bird cage out of milk carton and cut it to resemble a hot air balloon and ran a small oblong piece for the basket and two birds wings through the embossing folder too. These pieces I coloured with alcohol inks. The basket I embellished with gear cog washers and clock hands. So as you see I have focused on the aspect of steampunk that incorporates the technology or futuristic innovations as Victorians may have envisioned them.

Star Card

Yet another treasure tutorial found on the web, this time from Maria. It uses a 12" x 12" sheet of card stock, some scraps of pretty paper and embellishments, you choose. I had some greenish blue papers I wanted to use so that became my base.

Thanks Bella Mio for the tutorial which is found here http://pysseltagen.blogspot.com/2011/03/tips-och-trix-torsdag-en-ny-kortvikning.html

Folding Card

Found yet another great tutorial for making a folding card. This is quite a substantial card as the base is made from a 12" x 12" piece of cardstock folded and covered with smaller triangles and squares of assorted pretty papers. I could not begin to explain the template and folding of the card so I will give you a link to the StampARTic site where I found this. I do wish I had a lace paper edge punch it gave Marianne's card a beautiful finish. Instead I edged the cardstock with a string of tiny peearls. In the middle of the tie wrap I embossed a square of cardstock with Watermark Versamark and clear powder. I then decoupaged two more layers of the same stamp only with decreasingly smaller pieces using sticky sponge squares to give it height. Thank you Marianne for the tutorial. Here is the site http://stampartic.blogspot.com/2010/11/folding-card-tutorial.html

Thank you for visiting my blog.

First Time Buyers?

The woodpecker house I made has only been up for a week and already there has been some interest. This pair of woodpeckers has been flying around, landing on neighbouring trees and finally checking out the house. So far neither of them has been inside, they just look in the hole from time to time. I hope they nest in it, would be great to see some little ones fledge from it.