Christmas Wishes - Take 2

Following yesterday's post, I'm sharing the second set of my uber CAS cards today. They were quite quick to make and although they're still cute, I think they'll be ok to give to the guys!

Card Recipe:

• Image - Purple Onion Designs
• Stntiment - Digi Stamp Boutique
• Colouring - Alcohol Markers
• Momento Stamp Pad Ink
• Lawn Fawn Large Stitched Square Stackables
• Kraft card

I've been inspired by:

• Allsorts - CAS
• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Christmas Wishes - Take 1

I'm posting a little set of cards that I made, they are a little smaller than my usual 6x6 squares as they're A5 sized, and they're uber clean and simple in layout, but still cute!  I thought they would be useful to have a little stock of unfussy cards for the guys!  I hope you like them.

Card Recipe:

• Image - Purple Onion Designs
• Stntiment - Digi Stamp Boutique
• Colouring - Alcohol Markers
• Momento Stamp Pad Ink
• Lawn Fawn Large Stitched Square Stackables
• Kraft card

I've been inspired by:

• Allsorts - CAS
• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Silver Santa

Whoops, I should have posted this yesterday, but better late than never!  We're talking gold or silver over at As You Like It Challenge this fortnight and for me it's definitely silver.  I feel that silver is a bit more modern than gold when it comes to jewellery and that preference also translates into my cards too.

I've used a silver mirri card as the backdrop for my Santa image, embossed and embellished with a frosty border die.  The only trouble with mirri card is that it's so hard to photograph!  I've also used silver on the image itself, where I've used a silver gel pen to colour the ribbon on the present that Santa's hiding behind his back!

This is my usual picture of the card, standing up, but the silver looks black .....

... so I've taken another picture which shows that it's definitely silver, but you need sunglasses to avoid the reflection of my lamp now ....

... and finally a close up to show the silver on the image.

Card Recipe:

• Image - Santa has a Prezzie from Stamping Bella
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers & Silver gel pen
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• Memory Box Frostyville Border
• Cuttlebug Swiss Dots Embossing Folder
• Happy Christmas Ribbon
• Silver mirri card

I've been inspired by:

• Magnolialicious - Christmas
• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
• Country View Craft - Christmas (using reinkers from CVC)

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Then and Now

I find it interesting to look back and see how my style (and hopefully skill) has changed since I started blogging my creations and so today I'm showcasing my sample for the 'Before and After' challenge which starts at Squirrel's Not So Random Challenge where we are revisiting one of our earliest images and creating something new with it for comparison.

I looked back at my earliest cards and an image from Penny Black called Snowball Fun was one of my first.  I've dusted it off for another outing for my sample and watercoloured it with reinkers.  I've kept the layout clean and simple with a typed / die cut combo sentiment and a pelmet of designer papers die cut with a stitched curve.

So here's my new version.....

.... and below, (said in a quiet voice) is its first inking, dated October 2010!  

Some things remain the same; I still like trios of pearls (although didn't add any on this card to keep it flat), I still like a splattering of glitter at Christmas, and yes, I still love purple.

But there are also some areas where I think my style has changed too, such as I don't believe I had invested in a die cutter back in 2010 so the corners were shaped with a punch.  Seeing the two cards in close proximity above also does make me believe that my colouring and shading has improved too, with more depth added to the colours.

I also think that my photography skills have improved, both in terms of lighting and staging, to showcase the projects better.

I hope you like this challenge and will join in to share your 'then and now' creations.

Card Recipe:

• Image - Snowball Fun from Penny Black
• Typed Sentiment (Kristen ITC font)
• Die cut sentiment - Winter Snow by Simon Says Stamp
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• Crystal Glamour Dust
• Glossy Accents
• Frantic Stamper Stitched Scene Builder Die

Original card: blogged October 2010

I've been inspired by:

• Sweet Stampin' - Got the Blues
• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Tilda with Lamb

It's another (sorry to bore you) stepper card from me today, but this time featuring Tilda with Lamb and my new Poinsettia dies!  I hope you like this one.

Card Recipe:

• Image - Tilda with Lamb
• First Edition Paper pad
• Christmas text ribbon
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• Viva Pearl pen
• Lawn Fawn Stitched Scalloped Border die
• Sue Wilson Poinsettia Additions Dies

I've been inspired by:

• Fab 'n' Funky - Christmas
• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Red Squirrels

I've really been enjoying making some simple stepper cards lately and this is a real sweetie featuring a small family of red squirrels.  I've just added some die cuts, as well as some bronze coloured gems to match the neutral colour scheme.

Card Recipe:

• Image - Red Squirrels (reitired) from Lili of the Valley
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• Lawn Fawn Stitched Scalloped Border die
• MFT Stitched Ovals
• Lawn Fawn Let It Snow Border
• Memory Box Stitched Snowflake Dies
• Gems

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Monday Challenge - Christmas Tree
• Inky Chicks - Winter Wonderland
• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Christmas To Die For
• Sketchy Challenges - Winter
• Seven Hills - Christmas Song Let It Snow (Lawn Fawn and MFT dies linked above)

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Bunny Hop

It's another CAS card from me today featuring another bunny from the MFT set I used yesterday but this time the bunny is hopping along a blossom branch.

Card Recipe:

• MFT Snuggle Bunnies stamp and die set
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• Magnolia heart papers (pink)
• MFT Stitched Circles
• Memory Box Stitched Clouds
• Cottage Cutz Blossom Branch die
• Mini brads

I've been inspired by:

• MFT Card Challenges
• Sweet Stampin' Blues Challenge

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Stargazing Friend

It's a CAS card from me today (although it's amazing how long these CAS cards can take to make, and (when I look at the recipe list) how many components there are on it still!)

It features a sweet little bunny gazing at the sparkly stars and an 'amazing' script die that I bought a long time ago but don't think I've used yet.

Card Recipe:

• MFT Snuggle Bunnies stamp and die set
• Amazing die
• WRS Friend stamp
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• Magnolia heart papers (pink)
• The Snowman papers (blue)
• MFT Stitched Circles
• Avery Elle Simply Said "Amazing" die
• Joanna Sheen Starry Night Edger die
• Marianne Design sprig die
• Crystal Glamour Dust
• Glossy Accents

I've been inspired by:

• MFT Card Challenges
• Crafty Catz
• Country View Craft Challenge

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Stepper James

I've got a JFF card to share today on a stepper base featuring James the Bear!  I really like this stepper fold at the moment and I love how it creates a focus on the image. I've actually used a gold base card which is quite rare for me, but I think it complements the colour of James' fur nicely.

Card Recipe:

• Image - James wrapped in Tinsel
• Sentiment tags
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers,
• Nitwit Collections Papers
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• Viva Pearl Pen - Ice White
• Crystal Glamour Dust
• MFT Stitched Ovals
• Button Twine
• Glossy Accents
• Magnolia DooHickey Lacey Border die
• Cheery Lynn Holly Corner die

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Monday Challenge - Trio Tastic (3 paneled stepper base, 3 dies, 3 colours: brown, green & red)
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Christmas to Die For (MFT Stitched Ovals)
• 
  

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Odd Dog Diary

I've got some exciting news to share because if you've not already seen some of the sneaky peeks, there is a new set of Lili of the Valley digi stamps out featuring the Odd Dog character.  Some of the digis are available in rubber, but some are completely new.  They're all cute and I've had a chance to have a play with them.  I've created a calendar / birthday diary out of them, printing them out small on a monthly diary that I typed in Word.  I've tried to match the dogs to the month, eg love for February, 'back to school' for September and presents for December. I hope you like them. There are 21 digi images being released, so I've only used a fraction of them in my project.

This is the front cover, which I made using strong card covered with designer paper before binding in my Zutter machine.

Card Recipe:

• Image - Odd Dog Digis from LOTV
• Diary - Typed
• Papers - Nitwits
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• MFT Stitched Circles
• Zutter binding machine

Created for:

I've been inspired by:

• Crafty Calendar - Autumn Colour

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Thank You Owl

Today's card is a little 'thank you' card with a love theme I've made to give to a friend as an RSVP for a wedding invitation.  I've used an adorable little owl image and typed sentiment. I think he's perfect for this theme. I hope you like him too. :0)

Card Recipe:

• Image - Sweetheart Owl with Heart
• Typed Sentiment
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• Magnolia Papers
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• Wild Orchid Craft Flowers
• Viva Pearl Pen - Ice White
• MFT Stitched Rounded Rectangle Stax
• MFT Stitched Ovals
• 15mm Satin Ribbon
• Flat Backed Pearls
• Lace
• Doily

I've been inspired by:

• The Sketchy Challenge - Sketch
• Simon's Monday Challenge - Trio (3 pearls, 3 papers, 3 types of ribbon/lace)
• MFT Colour Challenge - Blue, Pink, Green & Red
• Cupcake Inspirations - Thanks
• The Ribbon Girls - Any Image

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Rudolph Lights and Chicks, erm Penguins

I'm in Christmas mode again today with a Stamping Bella image called Rudolph, the Christmas Lights and Chick.  I've kept the design quite simple and used some festive coloured papers and embellishments.  As you can see the chicks are in disguise as penguins, which I think are more appropriate for a Christmas card!

Card Recipe:

• Image - Rudolph, the Christmas Lights and Chick
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• Nitwit Collections Papers
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• Wild Orchid Craft Flowers
• Viva Pearl Pen - Ice White
• MFT Inside Out Stitched Rounded Square Stax
• WOJ banner die
• WOC & Mulberry Flowers
• Flat Backed Pearls
• Sweet Dixie Snowflake die

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Monday Challenge - Trio (Pearls, Diecuts or Animals)
• Bellarific Friday - Sketch
• Seven Hills - Fave Xmas Song (Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer!) (stamp & square die)

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Dropping the Shopping

The challenge at As You Like It Challenge is to use your favourite Christmas colours.  I'm not a great lover of gold, green and red, but I do like non-traditional colours at Christmas. I've opted for my two favourites, aqua and purple, a choice which just so happens to mean that I can also use my favourite Christmas paper pad, Snow Princess from Nitwits.

Card Recipe:

• Image - Dropping the Shopping (rubber or digi now available)
• Tags - Christmas Sentiment Stamps (I typed on the blank one) LOTV
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• Nitwit Collections Papers - Snow Princess
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• Viva Pearl Pen - Ice White
• Crystal Glamour Dust
• Memory Box Holly Vine Die
• MFT Stitched Ovals
• 15mm Satin Ribbon
• Flat Backed Pearls
• Glossy Accents
• Sue Wilson Poinsettia Additions die

I've been inspired by:

• Creative Inspirations - Frosted Florals
• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Christmas Critters
• Inky Chicks - Winter Wonderland
• Noor! Design - Winter

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Bunny Post

As you may be able to guess, this card was made to order and I've created a custom sentiment for the recipient.  The image is one of the recently returning friends from Lili of the Valley. I'm so pleased those bunnies have made a return.

Card Recipe:

• Image - Bunny Post
• One of my own custom sentiments
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• Nitwit Collections Papers
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• Viva Pearl Pen - Ice White
• Crystal Glamour Dust
• Seam binding
• Lace
• MFT Stitched Circles
• Memory Box Snowflake Corner
• WOC & Mulberry Flowers
• Flat Backed Pearls
• Glossy Accents

I've been inspired by:

• Inky Chicks - Winter Wonderland
• Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes
• Ribbon Girls - Card
• Noor! Design - Winter
• Penny Black & More - Anything Christmas

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Rainy Days and Sundays

I'm sharing a JFF card today featuring Puddle Jumping Twila from CCD.  I've used autumnal colours which I love in nature, but struggle with on paper.  What do you think of her?

Card Recipe:

• Image - Puddle Jumping Twilla
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• MFT Inside Out Stitched Rounded Squares
• Mama Elephant Thanks Script Die
• Memory Box Stitched Clouds
• Flat Backed Pearls

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Thanks
• Saturday Sketch - Sketch
• Sweet Stampin' - Photo Inspiration

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Man's Best Friend

It's the last of my four boy samples for Lili's latest release featuring the cute laddie images. This one is 'Sunday Stroll' and I managed to find a bone charm to complement the puppy image!

Cards for the boys are definitely not my 'normal' go-to theme, but I hope you've enjoyed my little flurry of boy cards as much as I've enjoyed making them. They were really fun to colour.

Card Recipe:

• Image - Sunday Stroll
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• Maja Design Papers
• Button Twine
• Bone Charm

Created for:

I've been inspired by:

• Creatalicious - Anything Goes

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Under the Bonnet

This is the third of my sample cards featuring the new boy images from Lili of the Valley.  This one's called 'Under the Bonnet' and is perfect for the guys in your life who like their motors.  I've also managed to find a spanner charm to match him. :0)

Card Recipe:

• Image - Under the Bonnet (digi and rubber available)
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• Maja Design papers
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• Button Twine
• Frantic Stamper Stitched Scene Builder Die
• Spanner charm

Created for:

I've been inspired by:

• The Ribbon Girl - Card Challenge (using Ribbon Girl Twine)
• Southern Girls - Anything Goes

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Workbench

There's a new set of boy images out at Lili of the Valley and they're really sweet (very "Lili" if you know what I mean!).  This one is called Workbench and I'm actually really pleased with how he turned out (considering I don't really 'do' male cards).  I also really enjoyed colouring him.

Card Recipe:

• Image - Workbench (digi and rubber available)
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• Maja Design papers
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• Button Twine
• Frantic Stamper Stitched Scene Builder Die
• Hammer charm

Created for:

I've been inspired by:

• Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Autumn Greetings

This is only the second 'layering' stamp I've bought, and I must admit that they're growing on me a bit.  My first was the GORGEOUS Altenew Lily which I liked so much I had to 'test' it three times!

Today's image is from Hero Arts (my first Hero Arts stamp, I think) and is called Layering Fall Trees.

I've stamped it with a range of DI inks in orange and green, and painted a colourful ground beneath them to complete the scene.  I think they do look very autumnal!

Card Recipe:

• Image & Sentiment - Hero Arts Fall Layering Trees
• Colouring - Distress Ink 
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• Kraft Card

I've been inspired by:

• Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes
• Crafty Calendar - Autumn Colours
• Cupcake Inspirations - Trees

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Mister Penguin goes for a Ride

I've had this image coloured for a while, and since I wasn't in the right mood for holding a paintbrush I decided to give this image a home.  I touched up the shading a bit just to give some extra shadow and also coloured the sentiment a pale shade of green to match the image and papers, but otherwise I kept the layout very simple.

Card Recipe:

• Image - Mister Penguin goes for a Ride
• One of my own Freebie Sentiments
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• Washi tape
• Crystal Glamour Dust
• Cheery Lynn Snowflake die
• Glossy Accents

I've been inspired by:

• Deep Ocean - Die cuts
• Simon's Monday Challenge - Shine Bright Like a Diamond
• Stamping Bella - Sketch
• Cupcake Inspirations - Trees

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Thinking of You

I've got a really quick and simple card to share today, using one of my few House Mouse stamps. I like this image because it's perfect for so many different themes. This time, it's a 'thinking of you' card, and I've typed the sentiment in pale grey and coloured over it with a marker.

Card Recipe:

• Image - Amanda Writes
• Typed Sentiment (Praying Angel font)
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Monday Challenge - Thinking of You
• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Thinking of You

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Snow Buddies

I've been having a bit of a lazy weekend as I've been feeling a bit 'meh'.  I had great plans to get lots done but I've done literally nothing except mooch.  I've not even felt like colouring, so things must be serious!

That explains why I'm a bit late posting this card, which is to support the November Lili of the Valley Colour Challenge. You can see the colour chart here and enter your card there too.

I wanted to make a Christmas card, and although red is a traditional festive colour, I decided to focus on the turquoise and add the red as an accent, which made it a bit more, erm, challenging!

I also knew what I wanted this to look like in my head, and it didn't turn out quite as good as I'd imagined, but this is as close as it's going to get!

I had wanted the sky background to be a little paler behind the characters and darker towards the edges but it ended up being fairly dark all over.

We'll just pretend that it's dusk, shall we!  :0)

Card Recipe:

• Image - Snow Buddies from Lili of the Valley
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• Crystal Glamour Dust
• Lawn Fawn Stitched Scalloped Border die
• Glossy Accents
• White gel pen

I've been inspired by:

• Deep Ocean - Die cuts
• Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - Glitter & Sparkle
• Penny Black & More - Anything Christmas

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Topiary

It's the release of the rubber today at Lili of the Valley and there are 4 new boy images and 3 cute critters suitable for every occasion.

This laddie is possibly my favourite of the new images, although I have to say that they're all sweet.

Card Recipe:

• Image - Topiary (digi and rubber available)
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• Maja Design papers
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• Button Twine
• Frantic Stamper Stitched Scene Builder Die
• Rose charm

Created for:

I've been inspired by:

• Deep Ocean - Die cuts or Punches
• Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Santa, Please stop here!

Well, a quick update from Halloween.  I got home at 6:20 when hubby casually pondered whether we'd missed the majority of Trick or Treaters as we were home late.

We'd had a gang of 3 ring the doorbell before we'd taken off our coats.

As I was taking off my shoes, another gang of five arrived.

Before I'd got into the kitchen, ding dong, and another gang of five were banging on the door.

I swear it was the same gang coming round for second portions.

Anyway, you get the picture!

By 6:30 all 22 treat pouches had gone and we had to put a sign up saying we'd run out of sweets.

In 10 minutes flat!

However, it did mean from then onwards we had a quiet evening with no more visitors!

In contrast to Halloween, I'm in Christmas mode today.  Today's card is to support the challenge at As You Like It Challenge where the theme is Teddies or Fairies!  I'm definitely a 'cute and furry' teddy kinda gal.  And I think out of all my teddy images, my favourite has to be James the bear.  He's adorably cute and I love this little image of him looking a bit thoughtful at his 'Santa stop here' sign.

Card Recipe:

• Image - James Santa Stop Here
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• Stazon Ink Pad
• The Langton Watercolour paper
• Wild Orchid Craft Flowers
• Viva Pearl Pen - Ice White
• Crystal Glamour Dust
• WOC & Mulberry Flowers
• 15mm Satin Ribbon
• Flat Backed Pearls
• Glossy Accents
• Magnolia DooHickey So Wrapped Merry Christmas Tag die
• Sweet Dixie Large Snowflake Die

I've been inspired by:

• Christmas at Sweet Stamping - Glitter & Sparkle
• Deep Ocean Challenge - Die cuts or Punches
• Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes with Optional Sketch
• Allsorts - Making a start on Christmas
• Creatalicious - Anything Goes
• Noor! Design - Winter

Happy crafting
Annette
xx