Glowing Candles, First 2014 Christmas Card!

At last! I have the first of my Christmas cards to reveal. I am entering a few challenges with this one, I also challenged myself to only use dies, punches or embossing folders...

I used the Glowing Candles Memory Box die which I cut in gold card then created white candle insets so that the gold dripping wax effect was enhanced. I cut the foliage again in white, and added bits of it here n there! I made punched twiggy bits using the Martha Stewart branch punch in white and gold and a couple of sprigs of spruce using a Lea'abilities set. The poinsettia flower was hand cut

 The frame behind is the Victorian Lace die by Tattered Lace which was cut using white pearl card. 

I had a bit of a struggle with the sentiment I couldn't decide where to put it or even whether to use it at all, I'm still not happy but it's stuck down now! next time I will try it without!

To begin with I wanted to create a white on white card but half way through I changed my mind after seeing my gold and white card together on my desk! unfortunately I have found it very hard to take photographs of this card, either the white looks grey or shines too bright to look at. this gold is lovely but is looking more of a garish yellow, (very frustrating grrr)
I added a bit of bling with amber coloured gems to finish the card off.

I am entering this card into a few challenges.....
Crafty Card Makers.....cut it out! die cutting or punching
House of Cards.....use a punch or die
Winter Wonderland.....Gold Christmas
Allsorts.....Christmas
Crafty Bloggers.....Christmas

It's nice to find some challenges to enter that are not haloween based, as I am a Christian I do not celebrate halloween at all, I would much rather celebrate light than darkness! mind you, being totally scared of spiders even at my age  makes halloween something I want to miss!

Dies used: Glowing Candles by Memory Box, Victorian Lace Antique Ovals by Tattered Lace
Spellbinders Edgeabilites Classc Scallop and a decorative inset from another Edgeabilities set Lea'bilities Holly set (used spruce)

thanks for visiting today
have a good week!

As Lovely As A Tree.....Centre Step Card

Today I want to share a thank you card which is made especially for the mental health team who work from The Woodlands Resource Centre, in St Annes on Sea. I have had a lot of support during my illness and it was world mental health day last week so I though I should send a thank you card to them and what better image to use than this one for their card? (woodlands!!!)
I used this Stampin Up set below to create it...

 I have been trying to buy this Stampin Up "Lovely as a Tree" stamp set" for ages, I absolutely love the grove of trees (bottom stamp) I bleieved the set had been retired so didn't bother going to Stampin Up for it. I kept bidding on eBay for them but was always outbid at the last minute. in desperation I asked Cal a Stampin Up demonstrator (her username is HysteriCal on ukscrappers) for help.

To my surprise she told me that its the one set that has lasted so long without retiring it's that popular! So I ordered it along with my new Stampin Up paper trimmer (which is fabulous but that's another post!!!) I have marked the centre of the block with pencil to help me in a project I am trying out!

So the first card I have created with it is a centre step card but I used the landscape style rather than the usual tall portrait version as it fitted the image better! unfortunately I see looking at the photo now that 2 of my sticky back gems have dropped off at the bottom GASP!!! I shall go back and stick them all on properly with glossy accents! so glad that I haven't posted it already!

I used an embossing folder which gives a wood grain effect behind the image and I used the long spellbinders Parisian border die at the bottom. the "Thank You" is die cut using a Robert Adams die

To colour the image which was stamped with my Rich Cocoa Momento ink pad, I used Promarkers.

I decided to send the ground further back than the stamped tree mound edges as I didn't want to give the sense that the trees were on the edge of a cliff! 

I wasn't totally satisfied with the sky which I had coloured at the bottom and blended into the green and then brought colour down from the top too so I used a powder blue pan pastel very lightly but leaving some white till I got the desired effect.

I am really pleased with the card and cant wait to think up some lovely Christmas designs once I have played some more with this fabulous stamp set LOL

CHALLENGES...
I'm entering a few challenges again today as it inspires me to keep to crafting especially when in pain or just feeling blaaaahhhh!
Their name is linked to their respective blogs so just click to go to them!

Creative Card Crew.....Black Cardstock
Ooh La La Creations.....Inspired by Nature
Little Red Wagon.....Give Thanks
Creative Knockouts.....Thankful
Sisters of Craft.....Anything Goes
Inspiration Destination..........Antything Goes