A few more (8) Christmas Cards

Hello my blogging friends and family. I hope you have had a great Christmas and that when the new year rolls in your NYE celebrations are Super, Safe and Spectacular! I also hope that 2014 also brings you all the things you wish for.

We had a quiet Christmas with friends and on New Years Day the family arrive for a few days which will be wonderful. My second new knee (Surgery 4th December) has just started to get with the program. It has been a painful journey and so different from the first. However I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and it is beginning to feel so much better. Thank you to all my well wishers for a full recovery and recuperation.

Today I have a few more Christmas cards to show you.

Here they are:

This first one I think is just so cute. Made using the Stampin' Up Owl punch and Kaisercraft Base Coat Design Papers.

The sentiment was made using JustRite Christmas Antique Labels One Stamps and matching Custom Die with memento Bamboo leaves ink pad and Copic pen.

A la-La Land Christmas Elf Digi stamp sits at the centre of this card. Behind the image I used a Spellbinders Heirloom die as well as a Swiss Dots embossing folder. The paper is from a Bo Bunny Mistletoe Collection 6 x 6 paper pad and the merry Christmas sentiment is from a sizzix decorative strip die.

Similar to the card above but on different background paper.

Yes, you've guessed it another La La Land Digi stamp, with a Flourishes stamp coloured in Copics as are all the Digi stamps!

The Ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon.

A simple card using a couple of Christmas dies (see links below in the ingredients list).
 I used some foil design paper bought at Spotlight and cut out the oval using the Grand Ovals dies.
The design paper is from a Kaisercraft Christmas 6.5" x 6.5" paper pad.

Couldn't not show you a pop-up card. I saw this lovely idea on Pinterest and thought I'd have a go at replicating it. Here is the front of the card.
I used Sizzix embossing folder, as well as a Sizzix, Karen Burniston designed Noel Pop-up insert.

Here is the inside of the pop-up card. Using a Sizzix decorative strip die and a Spellbinders Fleur de Lis die.

Here is one of two cards that are pretty similar. White card base, Kraft card for the background, a Spellbinders Edgeability die, a spellbinders pinking die and the Hero Arts and Sizzix Reindeer stamp and Die set.

... and here is the (almost) twin version of the same design.
















... and there you have it 8 more Christmas cards. Here are the main ingredients I used to make these cards.

Stampin Up Owl Builder Punch	Kaisercraft Base Coat 12x12 Paper Tiles P1333	Kaisercraft Base Coat 12x12 Bricks P1057	JustRite Christmas Antique Labels One Stamps - CL 03785	Just Rite Stamps Antique Labels One Dies
Memento Bamboo Leaves Ink Pad	La La Land Christmas Elf Marci Digi Stamp	Bo Bunny Mistletoe Collection 6 x 6 Paper Pad	Sizzix Decorative Strip Die - Stacked Words: Christmas # 658257	Spellbinders 2011 Heirloom Ornaments S4-334
PORTACraft Self Adhesive 5mm Pearls	Flourishes Christmas Classic Stamps	La La Land Christmas Lantern Marci Digi Stamp	RRR February 2013 Ribbon Club	Spellbinders Grand Decorative Ovals One - LF 016
Memory Box Merry Christmas Tidings - 98643	Impression Obsession Santa DIE081-O	Sizzix PNC Insert Die - Noel - 658046	Spellbinders Fleur De Lis Squares S4-318	Sizzix Decorative Strip Die - Festive Greenery # 657467
Sizzix Reindeer - Happy Holidays Stamps & Dies 657780	Spellbinders Small Pinking Circles S4-172	Memento Lady Bug ink pad	Spellbinders Classic Ric Rac E8-004	COPIC Sketch Markers

InLinkz.com

Thanks for stopping by today. Hope you have a Fantastic New Year Celebration and a very special 2014.

Cards in a box - or are they???

Hi my blogging friends how are you? Not long until the big fellah makes his world trip - so the big questions is about Naughty or Nice right??? OK we won't go there!

I have two cards to show you today and I must say right up front that my inspiration came from Chris Peterson on her Calla Lily Blog. She has made many versions of these cards and and they are really worth taking a look at. I'll include the links later on in my posting. I have some photos as well as a video clip to show you.

Let's begin with my Christmas card - you will see Chris' influence here and this was a great confidence booster for my first attempt.

Here is the card all folded ready for posting - it fold almost flat.

The paper I used is from Echo Park, their "Tis the Season" Collection. I inked the edges with Vintage Photo distress ink.

I used an A4 sheet of red card stock that I had in my stash.

This is the back of the card. I used a sheet  from the 6.5 inch Kaisercraft St Nicholas Paper Pad and then fussy cut out a white panel and used my corner chomper to tidy the corners.

Here is the card opened up. I used a variety of dies for the trees and deer, see the ingredients below. I used a little of crystal Stickles to give it a little sparkle.
The star I hand drew and fussy cut out.

A view from the top. You can see the "Bridges" which create the perception of the layers on the card. All the instructions are on Monica's You Tube video (see below).

Please forgive the background mess which is my crafting table, it was the best way I could show you the card as it is meant to be placed.














OK next is a Birthday Card with a strong Australian influence (as requested by the person who asked me to make the card for her Mum).

Here is the card all folded ready to post. I used a piece of 12 x 12 Kaisercraft Tangerine weave card stock as the base. The Design paper has no name on it and I have had it for ages so I don't know what it is or where I got it sorry!
Again all inked with Vintage Photo ink pad.

The bakers twine is from Really Reasonable Ribbon.

The back of the card with an image of one of the Waterfalls near us at Danger Falls.

Here is the die on view of the opened card. I used Jolees Boutique Australian Stickers plus a few images I printed and fussy cut out from Google e.g. Cockatoo, King parrot, kangaroo etc.

I used "peel offs" for the Sentiment.

The helicopter view as I call it - just so you can see the bridges. I used three on both of my cards. I think the instructions suggest using two. You can use as many as you like.

.... and another view of my untidy craft desk, you do get to see all the bits and pieces in a more close up way though!!

I loved the Thongs - they had an image of the waterfall on them that is close by to us.













I also did a video, so if you'd like a different perspective of the two cards click on the image below:

Here are all the links to those people who inspired me with all the instructions and measurements etc.

Chris was inspired by Monica Gale who includes a great video giving instructions on how to make these cards. Her measurements are in cms so if you like metric this is the place for you.
http://monicas-passions.blogspot.com.au/2013/10/card-in-box-video-tutorial.html

Chris includes her measurements in Imperial on her blog here:
http://www.callalilystudioblog.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/card-in-box.html
She has a few posts on her blog showing the different cards she has made using this folding technique so take a look for lots of inspiration - particularly for Christmas Cards (next year!!??).


Here are the main ingredients that I used to make these cards:

Kaisercraft 6.5 x 6.5 St Nicholas Paper Pad	Echo Park Tis The Season - Be Jolly 12 x 12 paper	Xpress It DST 6mm - 50mtrs	Kaisercraft 12 x 12 Tangerine Weave Card stock	Scor-Pal Tool
We R Memory Keepers - Crop-A-Dile Corner Chomper - Scallop and Cloud	Sizzix M & S - Mini Reindeer & 25 #657493	Impression Obsession Fir Trees DIE084-V	ASC Mag issue 60 - Free Xmas Tree Die	Sizzix Decorative Strip Die - Festive Greenery # 657467
Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Ink Pad Vintage Photo	Stickles - Crystal	RRR - Baker's Twine Assortment #1	Craft Foam Pads 5mm x 2mm	COPIC Sketch Markers

InLinkz.com

Thanks for stopping by today and reading my blog. I hope you like the cards. If you fancy making them yourself pop over to Monica's and Chris' Blogs.

An Invitation to a 70th Birthday

Hi my blogging friends. How are you? I have been out of things for a little while. As some of you know it is now day 11 after my second knee replacement operation and this knee (on the the right side) is definitely not behaving like the first! I understand it was in particularly poor shape, hence why it needed replacing and that may have a lot to do with the struggle I am having with pain and swelling. It's getting under control but testing my patience some what!
I have the staples removed tomorrow and my second physiotherapy session. I'll keep you posted!

I can now reveal the big commission I was asked to complete and have mentioned to you previously. I can show you the project now as they have been received and will be in the post to people shortly. The actual date for the Birthday celebrations doesn't fall until February and I am told that the invites will go out with Christmas cards so people can plan ahead.

Here is the invite:

I just loved the stamp by Kraftin' Kimme which I had seen on one of the blogs I look at. I am soooo sorry I cannot remember which - if I think of it I'll certainly come back and let you know.
The key theme for the invite was to involve Motor bikes. I showed Alison who had asked me to make the invites for her; a couple of images and she loved and chose "Danny".

I made the base of the card on my computer. I used a variety of Google images on top of some layers of blue (to create what looked like matted layers). I really loved the Denim pocket, the rest were just different images of Denim, which I layered together. I "inked" the edges by using a shadow effect in the graphics program I used.  I then added an oil splodge which I felt just fitted with everything.

I used memento London Fog to ink my stamp and then I coloured the image using a variety of Copics. I then used foam pads to add dimension to the image on the front of the invite and also to the words "An Invitation" which I also made on my computer.

On the inside of the invitation, I made some background paper using an image of a Harley Motor Bike on top of which I adhered (with DST - Double Sided Tape) the two parts of the invite - Alison had provided for me what she wanted to say. I have covered details for privacy reasons.













... and there you have it. I made 50 of these and that was a first for me!

Here are the main ingredients that I used to make this invite:

50 Blank White cards and Envelopes	Kraftin Kimmie Danny Stamp	Memento London Fog Ink Pad	COPIC Sketch Markers	Craft Foam Pads 5mm x 2mm
Copic BLENDING CARD X-Press It Paper Pack of 10	Xpress It DST 6mm - 50mtrs

InLinkz.com

Thanks for stopping by today and reading my post. Are you ready for Christmas? "Tempus Fugit" - Time certainly is fleeing!