Happy New Year

Well that's us nearly at the end of 2018.  It's been a funny old year, some highs, some lows and some very sad moments - I was at 8 funerals this year, definitely don't want to repeat that next year!  Anyway, if you're partying tomorrow night, have a great time.  I'll be in my PJs with some Baileys and some munchies ;)

My craft light blew a bulb so my pictures are a bit rubbish until the replacement arrives.  This one is an oldie from LOTV, my colouring looks much darker in real life.  I've used my lovely stripy DP from MFT, and added in some sparkly elements.  Gummapian butterfly die;  red heart sequin from stash.  Clear gloss added to the critters' noses and to her hair baubles.

• My layout is based on the sketch at CAS(e) This Sketch #302 (but I've probably added too many elements for it to be CAS now!)
• CASual Fridays #215 - dry embossing
• Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday - try something new - my new polychromo pencils
• MFT Birthday Project - Time to shine

This card is for my brother-in-law's birthday.  The inside reads 'You're not quite over the hill yet, but you have a great view' 

I've used this giraffe from Whipper Snapper, stuck on some googly eyes and added in some foliage.  Background embossed with a leafy pattern.  Not sure if I should have added a sparkly flower on a man's card though ;)

• The Library Challenge #23 is to pick a previous book from the challenges so I've chosen the Jungle Book.  Though actually now I think of it, do you get giraffes in the jungle??? Maybe he's on his holidays.  Ha.
• Time Out #125 - Celebrate, friends, family, life
• Pinspiration #231 - anything goes

New goodies

So that's Christmas over for another year!  We'd a gorgeous dinner down in Mum's with my sis and her family and had a fab time.  Of course, faced with over a week off work I've decided to take a stinker of a cold.  Typical.

Santa was a very good boy and (with a nudge in the right direction) left me some new Polychromo pencils under the tree!  Hurrah.  I've fancied having a go with these for ages but could never justify spending the £££s
It's a totally different way of colouring than I'm used to with my watercolour pencils, so I'll need plenty of practice.

This first one is an oldie from LOTV.  I definitely need to do a bit of studying on how to colour hair and folds in clothing, mines a bit rubbish!

• Tuesday Morning Sketches #484 - anything goes
• Through the Craft Room Door - anything goes

I'm a bit happier with this Whipper Snapper stamp, but he's a lot easier to colour.  I added some sparkle to the balloon, clear gloss to his nose, a snippet of this lovely DP from MFT and a new birthday die that I bought recently from Swedish House Crafts.

• Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday - try something new (my pencils)
• Cutie Pie #130 - add sparkle
• Pixies Snippets Playground #342

And here's a wee pic of our very own Christmas Elf,  needless to say, Ruby wasn't too impressed ;)

Graduation card

Ok, so you know the way we card makers have no life?
"Will you make me a graduation card?"
"Yip, when do you need it for?"
"Tomorrow"
Ha.

I don't really have any suitable graduation stamps, so used my Gummiapan star die again - just cut it to fit my shape again and then popped one of the larger ones up on a foam pad, along with a little heart sequin. And because I didn't have quite enough stars, I added a few silver sequin stars too ;)
Central panel also popped up on foam pads.

• Simon Says Stamp Monday - stitch it up
• That's Crafty - anything goes
• Your Next Stamp #104 - anything goes
• Crafty Catz #442 - anything goes
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A two-fer (Greg's Christmas card)

I was asked by a friend in work to make her a Christmas card, and I liked how it turned out so made another for my Beloved!
I reckon I maybe used Snowy on last year's card but would say the chances of him remembering are slim ;)

I've used this lovely stripy MFT DP and my stars are a Gummiapan die from the recent sale at Swedish House Crafts.  The die is smaller and more compact, so I just cut it in half to fit my space and then used the solid centres as extra embellishments.  Sentiment and star at the top of the circle popped up on foam pads.  MFT wonky circle dies.

• Layout based on MFT Wednesday Sketch challenge #415
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - Christmas
• Crafty Calendar December - Christmas time
• Penny Black Saturday December - Christmas
• Stamping Sensations December - Winter sparkle

Mum's Birthday Card

It's been a couple of busy weeks here, shopping is near enough done, parcels are nearly all wrapped and cards nearly all made.  Work's Christmas Do is out of the way and I still have a job hahaha ;)  I just have to get Greg's Christmas card made and a few bits and bobs bought and then that's me. Hurrah!

And this is Mum's Birthday card.  I made a nod to it being in December by using this oldie Christmas dog from Lili of the Valley.  The balloons are from a recent challenge win - the central one is popped up on foam pads and then I added some silver letters.
If I was making it again I'd stamp my image first and then the sentiment instead of the other way about, it's ended up a wee bit top heavy.

• Crafty Animals #21 - any animal
  
• That's Crafty - anything goes
• Your Next Stamp #104 - anything goes
• AAA Cards #130 - 3 of something

When is a Christmas card not a Christmas card

I needed to make some Christmas cards that weren't Christmassy for some folk who've been bereaved this year.  Not too happy, but not a sad sympathy card either.  So I've used this lovely floral stamp from Penny Black and zinged it up a bit with some sparkle on the petals, a holly die cut from a tiny snippet of silver card, and a little holly border from my stash.
I think it works?

• Penny Black and More December - traditional Christmas colours
• Pixie's Snippets Playground #340
• Simon Says Stamp Monday - B is for Bouquet

And here's the same stamp again, not just so sure if this one has worked or not, I think the Christmas elements in the one above work better..

I remember seeing a tutorial a while ago on colouring flowers and to add a hint of the other colour into the flowers.  Don't think I've explained that at all well but it's been a loooong week and my brain cells are pooped!

I added clear gloss to the vase but wish I hadn't as it's kinda bubbled my paper surface a bit.

• Penny Black Saturday December - anything goes
• Layout from MFT Card Challenge #414
• Addicted to Stamps #321 - anything goes

Babies and snakes

I'd big plans to be making Christmas cards this weekend, but didn't manage to get any made.  Instead I've been making a baby card requested by a friend in work.  I've used this good old baby stamp from Lili of the Valley and used alpha sets from MFT and Paper Smooches.  Coloured with watercolour pencils and sparkle added to the rims of the drum; and then a few wee silver stars to finish.  It's a shame I didn't quite manage to stamp his name straight, even with my stamping platform ;)

• Layout based on Sketch Saturday #542 (but I've just noticed I forgot about one of the horizontal panels!)
• As You Like It - rubber or digis - always rubber for me, I've no printer so I've no choice anyway LOL!
• Crafty Catz #440 - anything goes + too cute

I'd forgotten how much I love the splatter effect!  I've used blue and green here to link in with my images.  Snake from Jane's Doodles and rest of images and sentiment from (I'll just check)

Snake and balloon popped up on foam pads; sparkle added to his triangles and to the balloon, and clear gloss to his eyes and teetch.  I doodled a border to match the curly string on the balloon.

I must confess I love how this turned out.  I've been really mojo-less for ages, so it's nice to create something that turned out more or less how it looked in my head!

• MFT Birthday Project - have a wild birthday
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