Vintage/ Nostalgic at Ooh La La Creations

Well here we are again it's Monday and it's time for another challenge over at the Ooh La La Creations Challenge blog. Once again thank you to everyone who entered the last challenge there were some wonderful easel cards on show. The Top three are listed on the challenge blog. whilst your there take time to have a look at the vintage/nostalgic cards the design team have come up with they are wonderful.

I used the Yesterdays memories CD to create my card. I had been reading up on the history of greetings cards and discovered the work of Esther Howland (1828-1904) she created the most incredible valentines cards with paper lace and images so this card is inspired by her incredible work.

I started with the backing paper which is from the 'Floral Cross' folder on the CD and matted this onto a pale pink card. I added the silver peel off border and corners and then stuck the panel to the scalloped card blank.

I added the Anja Oval frame from Marianne, the backing is more of the pale pink card and the lace overlay is just cut from plain white paper. I printed off the traditional decoupage sheet for the cross and fussy cut the base image to stick on the centre of the oval. I curled the flowers using a ball tool into a soft embossing pad to add curvature and used silicone gel to build the image. The branches were die cut using the Marianne forest branch die and placed these to frame the oval.

The ribbon is vintage seam binding and it started out life white but with the addition of a tiny drop of worn lipstick distress ink and water I was able to crumple it into a tiny ball which I put to dry on top of a radiator it only took about 10 minutes and then I tied the double bow and added the pearl pins.

The flowers were some I had in my stash with the addition of the tiny rose buds from Wild Orchid. I did have some blue flowers I wanted to use but couldn't find them at the time (I found them yesterday in a box they had no business being in) so I improvised and fussy cut blue flowers from another floral cross which I printed on thin white card. I added the sentiment with the flat backed pearl, and the silver butterfly was one I had in my stash. The finishing touch was the flat backed pearls at the top of the oval.

I am entering this into the following challenges.

http://pennyschallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ - anything goes 

http://ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.co.uk/ - anything goes linky party 

http://theprettylittleribbonshop.blogspot.co.uk/ - spring is in the air 

http://theshabbytearoom.blogspot.co.uk/ - beautiful spring (not sure if the paper lace will qualify for teh lace part of the brief)

Red and Green

Red and Green is the theme for Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas challenge this week and I have come up with the following using a recycled image and sentiment, recycled fruit net bag, some washi tape, a paper flower, a couple of die cut holly sprigs and a gem.

I am entering this into the following challenges, 

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Red and Green 

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge2.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything goes so long as it's Christmas

Giving Thanks at CD Sunday

The Cd Sunday challenge this week is Thank you cards. It seems doubly appropriate as I have just discovered I won the challenge there last week. So this one is for all the girls in the design team who picked me as the winner.

I used papers from the Debbie Moore Shabby Chic Compendium collection. I had actually printed these papers off for another project and not realised I had my printer set to two copies. So I decided to put the extra sheets to good use. 

I used kraft card as a base because it works so well with the shabby chic look. I fussy cut flowers from one of teh papers and layered them over the main background to add dimension and then added the centre section from a die cut trellis. I had used the corners on another project and added a die cut branch and two punched butterflies. I then added the die cut sentiment and glittered over the letters to add a bit of sparkle.

I used papers from the same CD for the inside of the card and die cut an oval from kraft card for the space for the message and added another die cut branch and a flower cut from the backing paper.

I am entering this into the following challenge.

http://cdsundaychallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Thank you 

Easel Cards at Ooh La La

Welcome to another of my DT blog posts for Ooh La La. Thanks once again for all your entries in our colour challenge of  'Green and Orange' last time I had great fun looking at the entries and coming up with the top 3 was a real challenge. You can find out which projects I picked on the Ooh La La Creations Challenge Blog. Whilst you are there check out the DT inspiration cards for the latest challenge 'Easel Cards'

Here's my card

I used an Anja Oval frame die from Marianne as a template to draw the base card then carefully cut this out with scissors and folded the front over to form the easel. I then used the die itself to cut a panel of backing paper from the 'White Rose' folder on the Yesterdays Memories CD, which I used to line the inside of the card. I added two flourishes cut using the flourish die in the set and stuck them to the base card. The tag was from the tags and sentiments folder and I placed this at an angle and added the organza double bow and the pearls. So the tag would act as the stopper for the card.

I then the backing oval from plain white card and stuck this onto a very pale pink card and trimmed round the edge to leave a narrow border. The lacy frame I cut from gold card and then ran it through the sizzix again with an embossing mat to add the flourish details. The image is the white rose traditional decoupage and I cut the bas sheet using the small aperture die in the set and stuck it inside the frame and then layered the other elements of the decoupage on top. I sounded these using an embossing tool onto a soft mat to give some shape and used silicone gel underneath as this is easier to mould than sticky pads.

I added the pearls using a pearl paint pen and added some stickles clear iridescent glue over the image to give a little sparkle. The finishing touch was the little organza bow. Once everything was dry I stuck it to the easel frame I had already created.

My dad has a wonderful neighbour who is a wonderful cook and often pops round to see him with little gifts of cakes, pastries and soup. Her birthday is the day before my dad's so when we visited dad for his birthday I popped along to see her and gave her this card, which she loved.

I am entering this card into the following challenges 

http://ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything goes 

WOW with a touch of colour

I treated myself to a vagabond cutting machine this week and decided last night to have a play, I ended up with lots of white die cuts so decided on using them for a white on white background to show off one of the gorgeous digital stamps from the Sugar Nellie range. This lovely little lady is called Victoria and she is from the Simply Adorable range.

The back ground to the card is a pretty glittered velum which I wrapped around a tin piece of card so I could fasten it on the back and nothing would show through. I then wrapped a pretty white satin trimmed organza ribbon round the edge before fastening the panel to the front of an 8x8 card blank. I then layered up some of the die cuts from the test run of the vagabond using an Anja oval frame from Marianne, two corners trimmed from a trellis, and two different branch dies from Marianne.

I coloured Victoria using chalks which were fixed using hairspray and the cut her out using a technique called out of the box I cut around her hat and then inserted a plain circle die behind this but over the rest of the image to cut her out.

Once she was in place I added some gauze and three roses that I had made from the medium flower on the Sizzix/Tim Holtz tattered flower die, which had just been cut from plain white paper. I added a smaller rose made from the small flower on the same die to the trellis in the top right corner and then added a ribbon bow, the word Love and some pearls and butterflies to finish.

http://challenges4everybody.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything Goes
http://diecuttindivas.blogspot.co.uk/ - Pastels
http://incywincydesigns.blogspot.co.uk/ - out of the box
http://lilredwagon.blogspot.co.  lovely lace - paper lace die cut on the design
http://pennyschallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ - White on White only image can be coloured
http://2sisterschallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/ - hats

Wonderful wings with the WOW factor.

I love working on WOW cards, because it is all about texture and dimension.

I used lots of embossing and die cutting on this card. The angel is actually one of those stickies you are supposed to put on your windows at Christmas, I mounted her onto acetate and then cut round her before sticking her onto a plain white oval die-cut. I then layered up the background which is made up of dots embossed onto plain white paper, snowflakes de-bossed onto pearly white paper, and a piece of white card embossed with Christmas words. The corners on the left hand of the card were highlighted with pieces snipped from a trellis die-cut.

I added a paper lace edge to the snowflake paper, cut using a Marianne anja edge die and highlighted this with pearl paint. tow layered wooden snowflakes painted with white acrylic paint decorate the top right corner. At the bottom right I added a piece of folded gauze, a pearl spray and 3 flowers layered up using petals cut from different materials. 

I am entering this card into the following challenges 

http://trimmiescraftchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Christmas in April
http://challenges4everybody.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything goes
http://christmacardchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ - Something with wings
http://pennyschallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ - White on White

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ -Wonderful Wings

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge2.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything goes so long as it's Christmas

Happy Birthday Daugther

Whilst my last post was all about the gift box for my step daughter's birthday this one is about her card. She loves shades of purple, butterflies and pretty girlie cards so when I saw the bingo challenge over at papertake weekly challenges I decided to use their grid and try and get a full house.

I choose dry embossing as my free element and here is the card I have created 

The background of the card is embossed with 'Swiss dots' I have then layered on a strip of paper with delicate stripes in shaded of pale lilac. This has been wrapped with a strip of lace and a piece of organza polka dot ribbon, before being stuck to the 8x8 base card. The following layers have then been added, white paper with purple spots, purple paper with white spots, a panel of white mirror card that has been embossed using a sSzzix embossibilites flower trellis folder. 

I have then added the word daughter using letter cut using a Tim Holtz 'Alphabeticals' die. A layer of purple net which is actually from a bag that contained Clementines, a doily and die cut flourishes, and the happy birthday sentiment has then been added. 

The image is one I came across by accident whilst surfing the web and is Flora from the Simply adorable range from Sugar Nellie. I have coloured her using Kars pearlised chalks and then fixed the chalk using hairspray. 

I am a bit of a novice at colouring but these gorgeous digis make for really professional looking results because of the way they look like pencil sketches when first downloaded so it is really easy to add colour and shading in the right place. Once the image was fixed I then die cut it using a plain oval die.

The blooms I added were Woodware colour your own, which have been in my stash for a while,  and again I used the chalks and hairspray technique to get a really good match to the colours in the image. I added little cream buttons for the flower centres and then added some stickles iridescent glitter glue to the inner petals.

I punched the butterflies using an x-cut punch and then added ice stickles in lilac to their wings this makes them bend and makes them look more realistic when added to the card. I added gemstone bodies and then stuck them to the card by the central body leaving the wings free.

I finished off with gemstones on the Happy Birthday greeting and in the corners of the card before adding the  organza ribbon double bow to The bottom left of the image. 

I lined the inside of the card with striped paper and swiss dots card, ready for the verse to be added.

So there you have it a full house.

I am entering this card into the following challenges 

http://papertakeweekly.blogspot.co.uk/ - Bingo (Full House)

http://clearitoutchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Spring colours and flowers 

http://cinspirations.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything goes

http://diecuttindivas.blogspot.co.uk/ - Pastels

http://fabnfunkychallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ - Spring colours

Vintage Flower Box

It will be my step daughters birthday very soon and as far as crafting goes that can only mean one thing. It must have purple in the design and at least one butterfly. Whilst out shopping the other day I came across some plain boxes intended for use as a recipe file, I couldn't resist and bought some with the intention of decorating them. When thinking of a gift for Cheryl myself and hubby always struggle she isn't a great one for jewellery, if we give her money she ends up treating her children instead of herself and with four kids she doesn't tend to have the time to pamper herself. We decided that we would buy her a beautiful silk scarf in her favourite colours and package it in side the decorated box. We have yet to find the scarf but I am pleased to say the box is complete and once she removes the scarf she can keep the box for special keepsakes.

I used one of the plain recipe boxes gave it a couple of coats of white acrylic paint to stop the dark colour of the box showing through the papers I was going to use. I painted the inside of the box using pearlised acrylic paint that had been mixed with iridescent glitter to add some sparkle. 

The box was then covered with pretty vintage style paper from hunky dory I used stripes for the main body of the box and spots for the lid. I has some pretty vintage peel off borders in my stash that I have had so long I can't remember where I bought them and I used these on the corners of the body of the box and around the top of the lid. I gave the whole thing a couple of coats of matt decoupage glaze and then left it for a couple of days to dry out completely.

The pretty vintage style lace was stuck around the body of the box using a hot glue gun. I wanted to keep the vintage feel so when I only had white pom-pom trim in my stash I dyed it using a weak solution of Ranger Distress ink in bundled sage. and then fastened this over the lace using hot glue again.

On top of the box I created a pretty flower arrangement using roses and gardenias from Wild Orchid crafts. I only had white gardenias in my stash so I dipped them in a weak solution of Ranger Distress ink - dusky concord. Pushed them back into shape and left them to dry on a pad of kitchen paper over a radiator, before using them. The antique seam binding again from Wild Orchid has been given a crinkle finish and has also been dyed using bundled sage distress ink to match the pom-pom trim. Once I had dipped the ribbon in the ink solution I screwed it up into a little ball and dried it the same way as the gardenias. Once dry and opened out it had a lovely crinkle effect, I tied it in a double bow and added it to the arrangement. The Pretty pins I make myself from various beads and recycled charity shop finds from my stash and I just happened to have these purple beads in my box when I went looking. The white net is another recycled item and started life as a bag full of chocolate coins at Christmas. I added a couple of feathers from my stash. The final touch was the obligatory butterfly I always include one on any gift for Cheryl as she adores butterflies. I used hot glue to fix it to the top of the arrangement so that it looks as if it has stopped for a rest on the flowers.

I am entering this into the following challenge

http://wildorchidchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Purple and green

Through the window

Having worked the whole of last weekend and had my normal travel arrangements severely disrupted ( I live just up the road from Aintree racecourse and the traffic is complete chaos during the weekend of the Grand National). I am a little late getting to my offering for this weeks challenge at CD Sunday, mainly because of having enough light when I get home from work to take the photograph. So I improvised and took it into work today and took the pictures in our rest room at lunchtime.

So here is my offering for the Challenge through the window

I used the Ooh La La Everyday Occasions CD, and the image is from the folder 'Mothers' I printed it onto card and also cropped the image of the bird from one of the matching backing papers and then die cut it using a Sizzix inverted scalloped circles die and mounted it onto a piece of pale blue card cut using the corresponding plain circle die. The woven effect backing paper the little tag and the white flowery paper are also from the same folder. I wrapped lace which had been threaded with pink organza ribbon around the woven effect backing paper before sticking to a 6x6 card blank then stuck a tiny piece of iridescent net from a girls hair bobble at the back of the die cut circle before adding to the lace. I added a bow at the top of the lace and hung a silver heart charm from it. The main image was placed at an angle and I added paper flowers that I had coloured with artists chalk and fixed with hairspray before joining together with pearly brads. I added some die cut leaves that I had left over from another project another small piece of the net and the tag.

The inside was decorated with pretty pink heart paper to match.

I am entering this into the following challenges.
http://cdsundaychallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Through the window
http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Spring is sprung
http://anythingchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Heavy metal add something metal the heart charm
http://cinspirations.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything goes with an option of hearts
http://fabnfunkychallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ - spring colours
http://lilredwagon.blogspot.co.uk/ - lovely lace

Keeping Christmas simple

This weeks challenge over at crafty Hazelnuts is to use the word Christmas on the front of your card. I have had a really busy week and finally managed to make something for the challenge last night.

By now most of you will be used to my cards from recycled bits but this one is slightly different not a recycled card in sight, but everything from a bits a pieces box I keep at home.The idea came when I was having a tidy up to make room for my latest craft purchase. I have treated myself to a Sizzix vagabond which I saw at a really silly price and couldn't resist. Anyway I digress back to the card. Whilst clearing space I came across the embossed panel which was left over from a number of white on white designs I made to send to family and friends last year, in the same box was the dotty paper, and the 6x6 aperture card blank. So I covered the front of the card blank with the dotty paper and inserted the embossed panel behind the aperture. I finished off with silver peel offs and three painted wooden snowflakes. really quick and simple to make but I like the simplicity.

I am entering this card into the following challenges.

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ -The word Christmas 

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge2.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything goes so long as it's Christmas
http://trimmiescraftchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Christmas

Sugar and Spice

and all things nice, that what little girls are made of. That is exactly what went through my head when I saw the theme of 'Sugar and Spice' at the CD Sunday Challenge. It reminded me of childhood and baking with my mum and here is the card I came up with.

I have been wanting an excuse ti

o use this lovely image from the Ooh La La creations Yesterdays Memories CD. I teamed it with a pretty peach paper that was a magazine freebie and the spots and tartan papers were from a free Raspberry Road Christmas paper stack that was also a freebie. 

I added a die cut doily, lace and bright orange and green gingham ribbon. I made a little gingerbread man charm from a left over Christmas embellishment. For me the Gingerbread man is the perfect mix of sugar and spice. I tied a bow with bakers twine for the charm to hang from and topped this with a flower I had coloured using Spectrum Noir markers to try and capture the colour of fresh baked gingerbread. 

The Sugar and spice sentiment was computer generated printed onto kraft card and die cut. I printed the birthday sentiment off from the same CD as the image and then used a smaller nesting die so it matched the sugar and spice sentiment.

-

I used Kraft card as a base so lined it with a pretty striped paper from the matching paper set for the image and added a doily and a small die cut of the little girl from one of the other toppers in the folder on the CD.

I am entering this card into the following challenges 

http://cdsundaychallenge.blogspot.co.uk/- Sugar and Spice

http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Vintage

http://audsentimentschallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/= for a child

http://cinspirations.blogspot.co.uk/- Get Krafty

All I want for Christmas is a A .......

....Beatle, so sang Dora Bryan in 1963 expressing the Christmas wish of the majority of teenage girls in England. Regular readers of my blog will know that I am still a massive Beatle fan so I couldn't resist using Dora's song as inspiration for this card.

No recycling on this one. I drew the image of my Beatle and coloured him using Spectrun Noir markers. I actually copied him from an old newspaper cartoon in one of my Beatles scrapbooks from the 60's. He is representative of any of the fab four moptops but to me he is George because he is and always will be my favourite.

I then cut out the stocking from green,red and white felt and pieced this together so George is just peeping out. I added a layer of stickles to the white felt and added a green gingham bow.

I cut a piece of white mirror card using a plain oval die, which I then embossed using a snowflake folder. This was backed with the lovely stripy paper from Papermania and added the computer generated sentiments.

For anyone who is unfamiliar with the song - although I'm pretty sure any ladies of a certain age reading this will be I have reproduced the lyrics below.

Christmas comes but once a year,

They're really all the same.

I know just what I want

It really is a shame.

Yesterday I saw something that is my pride and joy.

I want it for Christmas 

It's a real live Liverpool boy.

All I want for Christmas is a Beatle.

Not a Teddy bear, a Beatle.

I told mum that nothing else would do.

There are four of them so she can have one too.

I don't care which ever one she gets me

Ringo, Paul, John, George, they're all the same.

I can't wait for Christmas day to come

'Cause all I want for Christmas is a Beatle.

There's nothing else I really want for Christmas

So mama please do help me get my wish.

Don't tell Dad 'cause I don't think he'll agree

To a Beatle hanging on our Christmas tree.

But if I know I'm really going to have one,

Then I'll know my life will be complete.

I can't wait for Christmas Day to come 

'Cause all I want for Christmas is a Beatle.

All the girls are really going to love me.

When I introduce him as my Christmas toy.

I can't wait for Christmas day to come

'Cause all I want for Christmas is a Beatle

(oh that fab 'airdo)

And yes before anyone asks I do have a copy of this record in my Beatle collection 

I am entering this card into the following challenges

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Christmas Carol/song

http://craftyhhttp://abcchristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk// - G is fir Girls or Guys well this card is for my friend who is a girl and it depicts someone who to ladies of a certain age was once the coolest guy on the planet.
http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge2.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything goes so long as it's Christmas

Away in A Manger

I found this beautiful image in the recycling bag and just remounted it onto a white base card and added the sentiment and the gems to finish.

I am entering this card into the following Challenges

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Christmas Carol/song

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge2.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything goes so long as it's Christmas

Oh Little Town of Bethlehem

One of the big advantages of my recycling project is that I am also using up scraps of cards and papers and free papers that have been collected over the years.

When I came across this lovely white and dark blue image it gave me the perfect chance to use an off cut of blue glittery card I had. really simple but very effective.

I am entering this into the following challenges.

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Christmas Carol/song

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge2.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything goes so long as it's Christmas

o Tannenbaum

or 'Oh Christmas Tree'. I Found this lovely label on one of the recycled cards and teamed it with some of the Raspberry Road Christmas Papers I picked up as a free gift last year.

I added the sentiment and a pretty gingham bow to finish it off.

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Christmas Carol/song

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge2.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything goes so long as it's Christmas

While Shepherds Watched

When I first came across this lovely card in the recycling I loved the way it had a collage appearance and the colours were just perfect for using with Kraft card.

I roughened the edges of the image and rubbed it along a brown inkpad. All I added to the kraft card base was a piece of hessian and three strips of Washi tape I then added the image at an angle and added a sentiment that I had mounted on gold card.

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Christmas Carol/song

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge2.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything goes so long as it's Christmas
http://crimbo-crackers.blogspot.co.uk/ - No Papers
http://cinspirations.blogspot.co.uk/ - lets get Krafty

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

I noticed from several of the recycled cards that the sentiment 'Walking in a Winter Wonderland' was being applied to just about any snowy scene. So determined to make sure the sentiment fitted the image I searched through the recycling bag to come up with an image of someone actually walking in the snow for this card.

I embossed a piece of white card using a snow flake folder and stuck this to the card blank I then added a piece of gauze and stuck the Image at an angle to overlap this. I added two snowflakes to the actual image. The larger one was a window sticker that I stuck onto acetate and cut out. I added a plain white snowflake to the centre to hide the glue under the acetate. The other snowflake was cut from plain white card. I added a further snowflake to the centre of the gauze with lengths of fine silver beading behind it. This snowflake was a wooden one that had been painted with white acrylic paint. i ten added the sentiment and finished off with a white holly leaf flourish and three small crystals as the berries,

I am entering this card into the following challenges.

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Christmas Carol/song

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge2.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything goes so long as it's Christmas

http://crimbo-crackers.blogspot.co.uk/-No Papers

White Christmas

White Christmas is supposedly the most popular Christmas song ever and it certainly lends itself to being used as inspiration for a card design.

Again I kept the background plain and used matt silver card to layer the photograph and the sentiment onto. This time I added a die cit snowflake and the larger snowflake above the sentiment is actually a sticky snowflake designed for sticking on your windows at Christmas. I stuck it onto acetate instead and cut round it then added a silver centre to hide the glue used to stick it to the card.

I am entering this card into the following Challenges.

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Christmas Carol/song

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge2.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything goes so long as it's Christmas

http://crimbo-crackers.blogspot.co.uk/-No Papers

Let it Snow

As well as Christmas Carols Crafty hazelnut's current challenge encompasses Christmas songs. So with all the snow we have had over the past couple of weeks I came up with this card.

I kept the  background plain and matted the black and white image and the sentiment onto matt silver card. I then added three wooden snowflakes that I had painted with white acrylic paint and glittered with stickles.

I am entering this into the following challenges

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Christmas Carol/song

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge2.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything goes so long as it's Christmas

We Three Kings

Continuing on with Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Carol theme I came across loads of images of the 3 Kings among the recycling bag far too many to make individual posts on all the cards I have created using the images. So here are two that I made. Both are really simple and I didn't use any backing papers just using white base cards to add the images to.

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Christmas Carol/song

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge2.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything goes so long as it's Christmas

Sing a Song of Christmas

This week over on Hazel's blog her craftyhazelnut's Christmas challenge is a Christmas Carol or song. Which probably explains why I have been humming Christmas songs completely at random over the past couple of days. Here are two cards with different interpretations of the 'First Noel'

Again most of the elements are from my recycling project.

The first card I wanted to use some Kraft cards and so used a lovely backing paper from Raspberry Road (a freebie with one of the craft magazines) I added a little bit of hessian,to one corner and then stuck the word Noel cut from a card from the recycling bag using a plain oval die. I then added the holly leaves and gems along with a paper flower and a bakers twine bow.

For my second interpretation of the First Noel I created a card to celebrate a baby's first Christmas 

I used a pretty blue gingham backing paper for the backing and added this cute polar bear, on the original card he was looking at a star but I replaced the star with a wooden snowflake painted with white acrylic paint and covered in stickles. I placed it so that it looks as if he is waiting to catch it on his nose, The sentiments I did on the computer.

I am entering the cards into the following Challenges

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ - Christmas Carol/song

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge2.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything goes so long as it's Christmas

Green and Orange for Ooh La La Creations

Good Morning everyone, once again we had some wonderful cards in our 'It's a Man Thing' challenge last time. You can check out the winners over at the Ooh La La La Creations Challenge Blog.

This time the theme is Green and Orange and once again the Design Team have come up with some lovely creations be sure to check out their blogs, they all produce some wonderful and inspiring work.

So here is my Offering

I used items from two of the Ooh La La range of CD's. Shoes in Bloom 2 and Fairies and Blooms. If you check out the site you'll see that Ooh La La are branching out and now do a selection of buttons and metal embellishments suitable for both cards and scrapbooking.

The backing paper and the patterned strip across the centre of the card were printed from Fairies and Blooms from the 'Sorcha' folder. 

The Ivy shoe is from shoes in bloom 2 as is the Ivy border, which was fussy cut from the backing paper. I added a mixed floral arrangement of gardenias, and roses from Wild Orchid and added some green blooms and orange berries I had in my stash.

I used the same papers inside the card but by cropping the plain paper to a small square and then stretching this to fit the 8x8 card blank I ended up with the lovely almost wood grain effect. I added a plain white oval die-cut overlapping a dark green paper doily and added die cut branches and a flower to the bottom of the oval. On the opposite side I made a pocket to contain a book mark which I had printed from the Shoes in bloom 2. 

Rather than stick the two pieces of the bookmark back to back I added an eyelet at the top and threaded this with ribbon so that both pieces could be fanned out to be seen at once.

I am entering this card into the following challenges. 

http://ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything Goes