Christmas in July- just!

Hi everyone. Thank you so much for all of your lovely comments on my last good news blog post, it really means a lot to me.

I am determined every year not to get behind with Christmas cards, but inevitably always do. However, this weekend I decided to start work on a couple of designs which I will use for lots of my cards this year. This is one of my first designs.

Products Used:
Trimcraft First Edition Jingle Bells 12 x 12 Paper Pad
Tonic Studios Christmas Sentiments A Very Merry Christmas die
Perfect Pearls
Craftwork Cards Ribbon and card blank

1. First I cut down a 6x6 kraft card blank to 12cm x 14cm.
2. I cut two pieces of double sided paper, one slightly larger than the other. I fixed the plain paper to the front of the cut.
3. I used the die to cut out the tree aperture and sentiment from the patterned paper. I added them to the front of the card. I die cut the lower part of the sentiment from red paper and paper-pieced the bow into place.
4. I cut a strip of stripey paper and added this near the top of the card. I fixed a bow to the left hand side.
5. I used Perfect Pearls in the centre of the snowflakes.

I really like this die (I have actually bought the full set of Tonic Christmas sentiments this year) and will be using it a lot.

Cathy x

I'd like to enter this card for:
Cardz 4 Guyz challenge 174 Christmas in July

Totally Tropical

Hi everyone. Please excuse my overexcitement today- I am really delighted to be able to share my first ever article in a magazine. I have 5 cards in the latest Papercraft Essentials magazine, made using Hunkydory's Tropicanarama- I was lucky enough to be first volunteer from the DT and so got to complete this commission. It's a bit strange seeing my face in one of my favourite magazines though!

One of the cards made the cover, so I'm sharing that today.

Of course, if you want to see what else I made with this collection you'll have to buy the magazine.

Thanks for visiting today and for all your continued support. Cathy x

Always and Forever

Hi everyone. I only managed one post last week- in a week of ups and downs which saw me suffer from a sickness bug and attend a funeral but also saw me secure an important work contract for next year and celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary! So, a few days late, today I'm sharing the card I made for my husband.

I made the background by smooshing Tim Holtz Distress Oxides in Worn Lipstick, Dried Marigold and Fossilized Amber. I stamped some small hearts using the Worn Lipstick DO and Abandoned Coral Distress Ink. I stamped the sentiment using Versafine ink and layered onto gold card and a tent fold card blank.

For the heart, I laid some watercolour card onto the same Distress Oxides but also added the Abandoned Coral DI to my glass mat. I did this several times, drying in between each layer of colour until I was happy with the result. I stamped the Leonie Pujol Swirled Heart onto the card using Perfect Medium. I then added Wow embossing powder in gold and heat embossed it. It isn't perfect but I kind of like the wonkiness! I hand cut the heart and added it to a strip of white card and gold ribbon. This was fixed to the front of the card.

I have lots to share this week, so I will definitely be blogging more often. Thank you for visiting today. Cathy x

Crocodiles and giraffes, oh my!

Hi everyone. Hope you are well. Yesterday I finally finished the teacher thank you cards so I'm sharing those today. I need to explain that all the classes in my sons' school are named after animals- my youngest is in Crocodiles key group but his main teacher is key worker for the Giraffes, so hopefully these cards now make sense!

My first card is for the Crocodiles' keyworker. She was also the keyworker for my eldest son in his first year at school, so we have got to know her really well and will be sad to say goodbye.

The crocodile was made using a Tonic Buildable fie. Boy was that hard work to construct! I used a mix of Tonic and Hunkydory card. The background paper is from Hunkydory's Animal-tastic paper pad and the sentiment stamp is by Dovecraft.

My second card is for my son's main teacher- she was also my eldest son's teacher in Reception and has been so fabulous with them both.

For this one I adapted a Hunkydory Box Pop do that it was flat on the card. The paper is again from the Animal-tastic pad and the sentiment stamps from Craftwork Cards.

Thank you for visiting today, I really do appreciate all of your comments. Cathy x

A very Winnie Christmas

Hi everyone. A change of season today, as I'm sharing a Christmas card made using the new Winnie the Pooh Christmas. I couldn't resist buying a couple of dies and the papercraft kit, even if I can't sell the cards I make. I guess all my friends will be getting Pooh Bear cards this year!

For this card, I began by layering rainbow mirri and paper from the kit onto a 7x5 blank.

I cut a smaller rectangle of white card and embossed it with a snowflake embossing folder (from Sara Davies). I layered this on mirri and wrapped a lilac ribbon around, before placing it in the centre of the card.

 I used the limited edition Shine Bright die to cut the Pooh image from the matching paper pad. I used foam pads to fix him to the card then added a bow. I cut a Tonic sentiment (one of the new Christmas sentiments) from Mattastic card and added that to the card. Finally, I finished with some purple gems.

I'm definitely looking forward to making more cards using this collection, it's so cute! X

Hello Sunshine

Hi everyone. Well there has certainly be no shortage of sunshine lately and it was so hot in London for the U2 concert. I had a fabulous time though and it was well worth going.

Today's card is inspired by the lovely weather we've been having and by the need to play with my Distress Oxides. Hello Sunshine is also the name of one of my favourite songs (by Super Furry Animals) so that is good too.

I deliberately set out to use some different colours to usual so I created my background by blending Cracked Pistachio, Dried Marigold and Fossilized Amber. I spritzed with a little water and lifted off a little colour.

The stamp set I used was Aloha from Hunkydory For the Love of Stamps. I stamped the large flower using Dried Marigold, Wilted Violet and Cracked Pistachio Distress Oxides, with Broken China and Dried Marigold for the small flowers. I fixed this to an orange Mattastic mat and onto a 6x6 card blank.

I die cut a circle of card and stamped the sentiment and open petal flowers, again with Distress Oxides. I added some small yellow gems to the flowers. I fixed this to the centre of my card.

Definitely something a little different for me today but I hope you like it. Thank you for visiting today xxx

Christmas Deco-Large

Hi everyone. I've just got back from another swimming gala, this time watching my eldest represent his school house. I'm so proud of my sporty boy- yesterday he also became a white belt in Tai Chi. We have no idea where he gets his sporting prowess from and little brother is beginning to follow in his footsteps too.

Today sees another Christmas launch from Hunkydory- this time it's a Deco Large collection. The images are stunning in this one.

Here are a few of my samples:

I couldn't resist putting the owl in a frame- it's so beautiful.

We have a busy weekend ahead. Tomorrow morning the whole family is doing a 2 mile sponsored walk in aid of the school and Cancer Research UK. After that my husband and I are off to see U2 in concert in London. I was totally obsessed with the band as a teenager and once slept over night in a car park to get tickets to see them, so I am a bit over-excited.

Have a lovely weekend. Cathy x

A* Teacher

Hi everyone. I'm taking a brief break from Christmas projects to share the card I have made for my eldest son's teacher.

For this card I've used the Hunkydory For the Love of Stamps A* Teacher stamps and mask.

I started by using the mask and adding the Thanks and stars using Distress Oxides in Spiced Marmalade and Fossilized Amber . I  then stamped the images in Versafine ink using my stamping platform. This really helped as I could get the design how I wanted it and stamp more than once to ensure a good crisp image. Finally I coloured the pencil and ruler using Spectrum Noir Aqua markers.

I made the card blank using card from the summer edition Adorable Scorable cardstock.

Some of you might remember the tractor card I made for my dad. I thought you might like to see a picture of him on one of his vintage tractors taken yesterday. It was taken on a charity ride he does every year. My husband and sons are in the trailer.

The main street of Martock was lined with crowds and it was such a fun event.

Thank you for visiting and commenting today.