Bear and Reindeer

There's nothing better than snuggling up in thick warm scarf when the weather's cold!  

I've been foiling again too, although it was a bit more hit and miss today and only shows up in a certain light / angle.  

Designed for:
Amanda Jayne Designs

Papermill Direct

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Bear: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Tattered Rose
• Reindeer: Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain, Tattered Rose, Tea Dye
• Green scarf: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness
• Sky: Tumbled Glass
• Reds: Festive Berries, Barn Door, Aged Mahogany

Card Recipe:

• Bear and Reindeer from Christmas Hugs Bundle by Amanda Jayne Designs
• Glossy Accents
• Flat Backed Pearls
• Crealies Double Stitched Squares
• Typed Sentiment (Fonts: "Cute Rita" & "Outside")

Papermill Direct:

• Plain Red Card 290gsm
• Apple Green Card

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Bear and Penguin

At As You Like It Challenge this week we're asking what your favourite Christmas image or animal is, and I think I may have found mine this week!  This adorable new bear has been released at Amanda Jayne Designs and I've totally fallen for him.  Normally, my favourite Christmas animal is a tuxedo wearing penguin (I adore love those funny little waddlers!) but this bear has seriously put my penguin addiction into question. However, just to be on the safe side though, I've added a photo-bombing penguin pal balancing on the bear's paw, but at the moment it's a hung jury!

Designed for:
As You Like It Challenge
Amanda Jayne Designs

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Tattered Rose, Tea Dye
• Paw Pads: Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain
• Greens: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Peeled Paint
• Sky: Tumbled Glass
• Oranges: Dried Marigold, Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge
• Reds: Festive Berries, Barn Door, Aged Mahogany
• Greys: Hickory Smoke, Black Soot

Card Recipe:

• Frosty Friends bear and penguin images from Amanda Jayne Designs
• Mocha Brown Plain Card
• Nitwit Collections Papers Always and Forever
• Crealies Crea-Nest-Lies XXL24 Rectangles with Stichline
• Heidi Swapp Minc Foiling Machine and Gold toner reactive foil
• Fonts: Cute Rita ("Merry") & Outside ("Christmas")
  
• Glamour Dust
• Dr Ph Martin's Bleed Proof White (snow dots)

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Tag Team (1)

I've created a festive scalloped circle tag using my Silhouette in layers of red, green and white card (which I've embossed for texture).  The image was stamped and watercoloured before fussy cutting and raising up on foam pads.  I've finished it off with some snowflake organza ribbon.

Designed for:
Dies to Die For

Papermill Direct

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Tattered Rose, Tea Dye
• Tree: Bundled Sage, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss, Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain
• Reds: Festive Berries, Barn Door, Aged Mahogany

Card Recipe:

From Dies To Die For:

• MFT Christmas Tree Farm
• Matching dies available (I fussy cut manually!)
• Whimsy Holly Slimline Embossing Folder

Papermill Direct:

• Plain Red Card 290gsm
• Apple Green Card
• Smooth White Card 160gsm

Other:

• 15mm Satin Ribbon
• Crealies Crea-Nest-Lies XXL41 Pierced Circles
  

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Happy crafting

Annette
xx

Gnome with Candy Cane

Today's card is a gnome, which usually I steer away from because I dread colouring their beards, but this one was too cute to resist.  I've watercoloured him and framed him in embossed red card for a pop of colour to match his hat and candy cane.

Designed for:
Lee Holland

Papermill Direct

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Skin: Tattered Rose, Tea Dye
• Sky: Tumbled Glass
• Reds: Candied Apple, Barn Door, Aged Mahogany
• Greys: Hickory Smoke, Black Soot

Card Recipe:

• Gnome with Candy Cane by Lee Holland
• Sentiments from Lili of the Valley
• Plain Red Card 290gsm
• Crafters Companion Scattered Dots Embossing Folder
• Crealies Double Stitched Square Dies
  

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Polar Bear

There's an adorable new character released today at Amanda Jayne Designs.  This cute bear has captured my heart and so I've made him the focus of attention on this simple Christmas card. 

I've also been playing with my new Heidi Swapp mini foiling machine to create this lovely festive gold sentiment.  I printed the sentiment in some fancy fonts before foiling it in gold.  I'm really pleased how it turned out although photographing it poses a challenge!

Designed for:
Amanda Jayne Designs

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Tattered Rose, Tea Dye
• Paw Pads: Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain
• Sky: Tumbled Glass
• Reds: Festive Berries, Barn Door, Aged Mahogany
• Greys: Hickory Smoke

Card Recipe:

• Frosty Friends from Amanda Jayne Designs
• Mocha Brown Plain Card
• Nitwit Collections Papers Always and Forever
• Crealies Crea-Nest-Lies XXL24 Rectangles with Stichline
• Heidi Swapp Minc Foiling Machine and Gold toner reactive foil
• Fonts: Cute Rita ("Merry") & Outside ("Christmas")
  
• Glamour Dust
• Dr Ph Martin's Bleed Proof White (snow dots)

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Santa and Friend

I've used one of the cute Christmas images from Amanda Jayne Designs for this oversized festive tag. I've watercoloured the image and die cut it into a square and layered it onto another square before decorating my tag with some snowflakes and a die cut sentiment. The papers are actually quite summery, but I love pink at Christmas!

Designed for:
Amanda Jayne Designs

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Browns: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs 
• Skin: Tattered Rose, Tea Dye, Worn Lipstick
• Antlers: Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain
• Reds: Festive Berries, Barn Door, Aged Mahogany
• 'Whites': Hickory Smoke

Card Recipe:

• Christmas Cuties Collection from Amanda Jayne Designs
• Plain Red Card 290gsm
• 15mm Satin Ribbon
• Nitwit Collections Papers
• Honey Bee Christmas Die
• Tattered Lace Lacy Layers Squares
• Simon Says Stamp Snowflake Border
• Memory Box Twilight Snowflake
  

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

No Peeking

I love this little kitty image from Colorado Craft, and I've used him on a gift tag for today's project. 

Designed for:
Dies to Die For

Papermill Direct

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Fur: Antique Linen, Tea Dye, Tattered Rose
• Greens: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Peeled Paint
• Sky: Tumbled Glass
• Reds: Candied Apple, Fired Brick, Aged Mahogany

Card Recipe:

From Dies To Die For:

• Colorado Craft No Peeking

Papermill Direct:

• Plain Red Card 290gsm
• Apple Green Plain Card 240gsm

Other:

• Crealies Crea-Nest-Lies XXL65 Double Stitched Circles
• Green Spotty Ribbon

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Advent Calendar

I usually make an Advent Calendar each year for my bestie and after a few years of carefully planned designs, this year's has gone right back to basics with boxes on a board, randomly placed wherever they fit.  

I've created some bespoke boxes tailored to their contents using various card in silver, white and red. Some of the boxes are shaped like crackers, and others are triangular, like mini Toblerones!  The hardest part was getting them to all fit on the base board, which I've covered with Christmas wrapping paper.

The numbers have been cut in black glitter card to contrast the silver and red.

Designed for:

Papermill Direct

Project Recipe:

• Iridescent White Glitter Card 220gsm
• Red Glitter 220gsm Card
• Black Glitter 220gsm Card
• Holographic Confetti Mirror 220gsm Card
• Holographic Checkers Mirror 220gsm Card
• Red Striped 300gsm Card
• Red Gingham 300gsm Card
• Silver Mirror 270gsm Card
• Red Mirror 270gsm Card

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Pingu Christmas

This week at As You Like It Challenge we want to know if you like Traditional or Modern style of Christmas cards.  Whilst I quite like the traditional festive colours of red and green, I do like a more cute modern style of image, and this little pingu stretching to deocrate his tree is right up my street.  Penguins are also my favourite Christmas Critter, so this little guy is a winner in my book!

Designed for:
As You Like It Challenge
Lee Holland

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Penguin: Hickory Smoke, Black Soot, Tattered Rose, Tea Dye, Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge
• Tree: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
• Sky: Tumbled Glass
• Reds: Festive Berries, Barn Door, Aged Mahogany
• 'Whites': Hickory Smoke

Card Recipe:

• Penguin with Star by Lee Holland Digis
• Plain Red Card 290gsm
• Nitwit Collections Papers

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Hedgehog Gift Tag

I'm still well and truly in 'gift tag' mode at the moment with this prickly little fella!

Designed for:
Dies to Die For

Papermill Direct

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs, Tattered Rose
• Reds: Candied Apple, Fired Brick, Aged Mahogany

Card Recipe:

From Dies To Die For:

• Gerda Steiner Hedgehog with Sign
• Honey Bee Christmas die

Papermill Direct:

• Plain Red Card 290gsm
• Red Glitter Card 220gsm
• Apple Green Card 240gsm

Other:

• Spotty Ribbon
• Nitwit Collections Papers
• Crealies Crea-Nest-Lies XXL Tag No.12 (with stitching)
• Crealies Crea-Nest-Lies XXL65 Double Stitched Circles
• Creative Expression Sue Wilson Poinsettia

I've been inspired by:

• Gerda Steiner Share Your Designs

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Trick or Treat

I've made another Hallowe'en decoration using one of the cute Chloe images from Amanda Jayne Designs.  Similar to the last decoration, I've created the text using my Silhouette machine and a spooky font called Kricky. This time I've embossed the top layer of lettering and layered alternating orange, black and green.  

Designed for:
Amanda Jayne Designs

Papermill Direct

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Cow: Tattered Rose, Tea Dye, Hickory Smoke, Black Soot
• Hat: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
• Broom: Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain, Tea Dye, Vintage Photo, Ground Coffee

Card Recipe:

• Halloween Cutie by Amanda Jayne Designs
• Embossing folder with linen embossing effect
• Font used on cardbase 'Kricky'

Papermill Direct:

• Intensive Orange 210gsm Plain Card
• Apple Green 240gsm Plain Card
• Black 240gsm Plain Card

I've been inspired by:

• Country View Challenges - Halloween or Harvest

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Too Cute To Spook

I've created a 'Too Cute To Spook' Hallowe'en decoration using a spooky font in my Silhouette machine in layers of Apple Green, Grey and Black card.

I've watercoloured one of the new Chloe Halloween images from Amanda Jayne Designs and merged her into my design to complete the decoration.

Designed for:

Amanda Jayne Designs

Papermill Direct

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Chloe: Hickory Smoke, Black Soot, Tattered Rose, Tea Dye
• Hat: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
• Oranges: Carved Pumpkin, Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge, Tea Dye

Card Recipe:

• Halloween Bundle from Amanda Jayne Designs
• Font used to create the base shape 'Kricky'

Papermill Direct:

• Apple Green 240 gsm Plain Card
• Antracite Sirio 290gsm Grey Card
• Plain Black 240 gsm Card

I've been inspired by:

• Country View Crafts - Halloween / Harvest

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

The Witching Hour

This Hallowe'en card is a really simple design which I've created by laying a cobweb frame over my watercoloured image. I have masked the image and created an inky background with my DI ink pads and some blending brushes.  Simples.

Designed for:
Lili of the Valley

Papermill Direct

Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Skin: Tattered Rose, Tea Dye, Worn Lipstick
• Skirt: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Peeled Paint
• Purples: Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord, Wilted Violet
• Moon: Scattered Straw, Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge
• Hat: Hickory Smoke, Black Soot

Shading enhanced with Derwent Inktense Pencils

Card Recipe:

• Cute Witches from Lili of the Valley
• Web Frame Silhouette Cut File by Rivka Wilkins

Papermill Direct:

• Ardesia Materica 250gsm Card
• Nude Sirio Colour 290gsm Card
• Cream Hemp Cardbase

I've been inspired by:

• Country view Challenges - Halloween

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Hello Pumpkin

I couldn't resist playing with these cute foxies again, but today I've also used a gorgeous pumpkin Silhouette cutting file that was drawn by my lovely crafting buddie Janine.  

I've cut the main cardbase in brown and added embossing to the pumpkin segments. The watercoloured fox and sentiment have both been fussy-cut with a narrow white outline border and raised on 3D foam pads.

Designed for:
Lili of the Valley

Papermill Direct

Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Fox: Tea Dye, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs, Tattered Rose

Card Recipe:

• Hello Pumpkin Fox and sentiments from Lili of the Valley
• Whimsy Stamps Slimline Holly Embossing Folder
  

Papermill Direct:

• Terra Rossa Materica 250gsm Card
• Mocha Brown Plain 240gsm Card
• Green Grass Pearl card

I've been inspired by:

• Country View Crafts - Halloween or Harvest

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Bear with me

I'm trying to build up my stash of Christmas Gift Tags and this little fella is perfect for a fun decorative tag.  I've cut the base shape out using my Silhouette and lots of scallops and then just layered on some simple circles.

Designed for:
Dies to Die For

Papermill Direct

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo
• Greens: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Peeled Paint
• Sky: Tumbled Glass
• Reds: Candied Apple, Fired Brick, Aged Mahogany

Card Recipe:

From Dies To Die For:

• Gerda Steiner Warm Fuzzies

Papermill Direct:

• Plain Red Card 290gsm
• Apple Green Plain Card 240gsm

Other:

• Crealies Crea-Nest-Lies XXL65 Double Stitched Circles
• Red Twine

I've been inspired by:

• Gerda Steiner Share Your Designs

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Autumn Foxes

I had 2 foxies left over from my MIL's arched birthday card so I've used them to decorate today's Autumn themed project.

I've created some cardbases with my Silhouette and a font called 'Tasty Burger' which I've decorated with embossed pumpkin orange and mocha brown card.

I've used the brown negatives that were created from the first card to make the second card.

Designed for:
Lili of the Valley

Papermill Direct

Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Foxes: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Tattered Rose, Tea Dye
• Grass: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness

Card Recipe:

• Hello Pumpkin Polymer stamps from Lili of the Valley
• Nellie Snellen Marigolds Slimline Embossing Folder

Papermill Direct:

• Woodstock Arancio 285gsm Card
• Mocha Brown 240gsm Card
• Cream Hemp Textured 225gsm Card

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
• Country View Crafts - Halloween/Harvest

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Foxies

These adorable foxies are part of the soon-to-be-released polymer stamp set from Lili of the Valley, and I've been lucky enough to play with them. 

I've watercoloured 4 of them and fussy cut them out. Today's project has used 2 of them on a special birthday card for my mother-in-law and you'll see where I've used the others over the next week or so.

I've created an arched box card in bright autumnal coloured card, which I've embossed for some additional texture.

My little foxies are peeking out from the long grass and I've finished it off with some die cut flowers and a huge die cut "80" (just in case she forgets how old she is!).

Designed for:
Lili of the Valley

Papermill Direct

Water-coloured on Langton Watercolour paper with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:

• Foxes: Antique Linen, Tea Dye, Vintage Photo, Tattered Rose

Card Recipe:

• Hello Pumpkin Stamp set by Lili of the Valley
• Nellie Snellen Marigolds Slimline Embossing Folder
• Creative Expression Sue Wilson Camellia Open & Closed petals
• Whiff of Joy Grass die
• CC Designs number die set
• MFT Hanging Happy Birthday die
  
  

Papermill Direct:

• Pumpkin Orange Pearlescent Card
• Terra Rossa Materica Card
• Green Grass Pearl Card

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Monday Challenge - Emboss It
• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Happy crafting
Annette
xx