Saturday, 30 September 2023

Santa Claus

I've tweaked this Silhouette box cut file to become a tent-fold card of Santa Claus with an embossed hat and sparkly bobble.  It's quite an easy card to create so I might make a few for hubby to give to his work-colleagues. I've raised Santa's nose using 3D foam pads, and inked around it a little to distinguish it from his face.



Wednesday, 27 September 2023

Polar Bear

I've created this adorable polar bear shaped Christmas card using a Silhouette cut file which I've amended to be a tent-fold card instead of side fold.  He's cut in some ivory textured card and I've embossed the scarf part with an embossing folder for additional texture.

Sunday, 24 September 2023

Gnome Christmas

There's a new Christmas release at Lili of the Valley tomorrow, and I've been playing with some of the images.  I've fussy cut this gnome image and given him pride of place on this snowflake shaped cardbase.  The lovely sparkly white snowflake is layered onto pearlised silver shaped cardbase and an embossed snowflake panel for texture.






Designed for:
Lili of the Valley
Papermill Direct

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Skin: Tattered Rose, Tea Dye
  • Greens: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
  • Reds: Candied Apple, Fired Brick, Aged Mahogany
  • 'Whites': Hickory Smoke, Weathered Wood, Speckled Egg

Card Recipe:

Papermill Direct:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Saturday, 23 September 2023

Your Friendship keeps me Warm on Cool Days

I've realised that it's nearly October and I'm behind with my Christmas cards. Hubby often jokes that I start making next year's festive cards on Boxing day, but that's not actually far from reality! Christmas is my favourite theme to craft for, so I do make wintry cards throughout the year. This year I've been slacking, so it's time to get a wriggle on!

For this card, I've stamped a cute polar bear and perched on an iceburg. I've masked both elements and used a sheet of paper to mask the horizon so that I can ink the sea using Salty Ocean (very apt!).  I've used a cloud stencil to lightly ink the sky with Tumbled Glass, and added a few hand-drawn sea birds inthe background.  

The panel is framed by a stitched line for a tiny bit of texture, and some card in a shade of blue that matches my sea to bring it all together.  Finally I've stamped the sentiment which is perfect for a close friend at Christmas.

White animals are quite a challenge because white is usually the parts left uncoloured, so instead I'm only colouring the shadows.  But too much and it looks dirty and too little makes it look like you've forgotten to colour at all!  I quite like the darker contrasts of the shaded parts of this guy so even though there is a lot of white space on the rest of the card, my polar bear still looks different enough despite some of his curvaceous belly still being left uncoloured.





Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Polar: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Hickory Smoke
  • Sky/Iceburg: Tumbled Glass
  • Sea: Salty Ocean
  • Reds: Candied Apple, Fired Brick, Aged Mahogany

Card Recipe:

Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Thursday, 21 September 2023

Autumn Colours

This week at As You Like It Challenge we're asking you to share your favourite harvest colours, and although orange wouldn't normally be one of my favourite colours, in autumn it's lovely to see all the leaves turning before they create their carpet. Does anyone else like kicking through the crispy leaves on the pavements?








Designed for:
As You Like It Challenge
Lili of the Valley

Friday, 8 September 2023

Trick or Treat Bear

I've made this Trick or Treat Halloween sign with some gorgeous purple plain and pearl card with some white and yello accents.  The little bear has been watercoloured and fussy cut to complete the decoration.



Designed for:
Papermill Direct

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs 
  • Purples: Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord, Wilted Violet
Project Recipe:
Papermill Direct:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Thursday, 7 September 2023

Christmas Tree Bear

At As You Like It Challenge this week we'd like to know if you prefer crafting for Autumn or Winter.  It's got to be Winter for me, because Christmas cards are my favourite theme to create for. I love the wintry images and the excuse to use a little glitter on the snowy scenes.  I have far more Christmas images than any other theme, so I think that supports my claim!



Designed for:
As You Like It Challenge
Lee Holland

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Fur: Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Gathered Twigs, Tattered Rose
  • Tree: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
  • Browns: Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain
  • Sky: Tumbled Glass
  • Reds: Candied Apple, Fired Brick, Aged Mahogany
  • 'Whites': Hickory Smoke, Black Soot
Card Recipe:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Sunday, 3 September 2023

Santa Suit Cracker

This cracker gift box is so easy to make and would make a lovely table decoration too.




Designed for:

Thursday, 31 August 2023

Santa Coffee Cup Box

I've used a Silhouette Cut file by Tanya Batrak to create this Santa Suit Coffee gift box.  It would help if you had 8 hands to hold the sides together while you're assembling it, so I used clothes pegs to keep the tabs in place while the glue dried.








Designed for:

Monday, 28 August 2023

Far too Cute to Spook

I've made this Trick or Treat Halloween gift-set using some adorably cute digi papers from Amanda Jayne Designs printed onto smooth white cardstock.

I created the trigangular box and teeny pillow boxes using my Silhouette and decorated them with the digi papers.  I've tried to get as many whole charactrers onto the panels as possible, so they're not all dismembered!  

The tags are cut using a Crealies XXL die and I've added a 'Trick or Treat' die cut which I've layered by creating an outline using my Silhouette so that they show up a little more clearly on the patterned paper underneath.











Designed for:
Amanda Jayne Designs
Papermill Direct

Project Recipe:

Papermill Direct:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Saturday, 26 August 2023

This Little Piggy

This little piggy didn't go to market, but instead he is going to decorate a gift in the form of a gift-tag.  I used a Silhouette cutting file which is meant to be a box, but I just cut the front of it, and then created an outline border in white to frame him.  




Designed for:

Friday, 25 August 2023

You must be Quackers

Does anyone other than me and my nutty husband refer to ducks as 'Jacobs'?  If you're not familiar with the brand, there is a company called Jacobs who make cream crackers, and because ducks are 'quackers', hence the connection!  

Yes, we are loopy in this house!!!






Designed for:
Amanda Jayne Designs
Papermill Direct

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Duckling: Scattered Straw, Squeezed Lemonade, Mustard Seed, Rusty Hinge
  • Grass: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
  • Sky: Tumbled Glass
  • Purples: Milled Lavender, Wilted Violet

Card Recipe:

Papermill Direct:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Thursday, 24 August 2023

Eeyore

I've always adored donkeys and Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh, so when the theme of 'favourite animal' was picked for the theme at As You Like It Challenge this fortnight, it wasn't a difficult choice for me.  I had a soft toy donkey when I was a baby and nearly 50 years later I still have him.  Thankfully I live close enough to the Sidmouth Donkey Sanctuary that I can visit real donkeys fairly often too. It's a great day out if you are ever passing.  Today I'll have to make do with a 2D version in the form of my donkey themed card.



Designed for:
As You Like It Challenge
Dies to Die For

Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Donkey: Milled Lavender, Wilted Violet, Tattered Rose, Victorian Velvet, Tea Dye, Vintage Photo
  • Grass: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
  • Sky: Tumbled Glass

Card Recipe:


From Dies To Die For:

Papermill Direct:
Other:

I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Wednesday, 23 August 2023

Pink Purse Box

I've made this small gift bag with my Silhouette and embossed the main part to give it some texture. 






Designed for:

Saturday, 19 August 2023

"W.O.L, that spells 'Owl' "

I've created this Owl pouch box using some gorgeous brown card and some scraps for the accents.







Thursday, 17 August 2023

Paws for thought!

I've made this Paw Note card with my Silhouette machine using some chocolate brown and textured cream card. The base is self-standing so that it can fold flat for posting.  It reminds me of those cardboard frames that school photos used to come in!







Designed for:

Tuesday, 15 August 2023

Badger Keys

I've made this keyring holder using an oval of MDF that I've covered with some pretty papers and decorated with a watercoloured badger. I bought the hooks a while ago, because my previous version used nails, and 3 of them had pulled out so I was only left with 2 remaining to hang keys on!  The hooks have sticky foam on the backs which is quite strong so it's going to hold the keys much better than the flimsy nails.







Designed for:
Lee Holland


Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Badger: Hickory Smoke, Black Soot
  • Grass: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss
  • Sky: Tumbled Glass

Project Recipe:

I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Sunday, 13 August 2023

Coffee time

I've used various shades of brown and cream card from Papermill Direct to make this Coffee mandala with my Silhouette cutter.  It's layered together with 3D foam pads for some extra dimension.






Designed for:

Thursday, 10 August 2023

Bunny Blues

This week at As You Like It Challenge we're asking what your 2 favourite colour combos are.  I love pastels, and in particular purple, pink and blue, but as I had to pick only two, I opted for pink and blue for this cute baby bunny card because I love the contrast of the two together.




Designed for:
As You Like It Challenge


Water-coloured on Ecoline Watercolour Card with Ranger Distress Ink Reinkers:
  • Bunny: Spun Sugar, Kitsch Flamingo, Victorian Velvet, Aged Mahogany
  • Blues: Stormy Sky, Faded Jeans, Chipped Sapphire, Tumbled Glass

Card Recipe:

Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Saturday, 5 August 2023

Watermelons

I'm sharing another of my crochet projects. 

For this watermelon placemat I followed a YouTube tutorial but I added the black seeds afterwards by stitching them onto the raspberry rounds once I'd finished.  





Matierials Used:
  • You Tube Tutorial
  • Stylecraft Special DK Pomegranite
  • Stylecraft Special DK Grass Green, 
  • Stylecraft Special DK Kelly Green
  • Stylecraft Special DK White
  • Stylecraft Special DK Black

Happy crafting
Annette
xx