One card base , four different cards

I was truly blessed this Christmas with prezzies I really liked, lovely jewellery, nice new outfits and fabulous crafty prezzies YAY.
I admit I sent Kev an email with links to things I like but he still got some unexpected goodies for me which was lovely. So I have been playing over the last couple of days with some new dies and stamps. I designed a card base then set myself the challenge to make for different cards from the same base, what fun ;o)

Each card started with a white 5" square base, at the bottom of each card I used my scalloped borders die set to create a pretty border I chose four colours, lilac, blue, pink, and aqua green for the die cut lacy bits and each one was embossed using embossing folders, I used my new framelits from Stamping up along with the absolutely gorgeous set of stamps called Stippled Blossoms, wow I am so pleased with this prezzie (thank you Kev xx) I also used the stampin up set Apothecary labels (which I bought 2nd hand last month) on two of the cards

This was a wonderful exercise for me, it made me think a bit more about how to use colour etc....
The first card to share is in lilac / purples I used Momento Grape Jelly ink and teamed it with lilac card and delicate pearls, the little daisy type flowers were enough on this card which is quite simple but has an elegant feel to it.

The second card is the pink one, I used the big bold rose stamps using Stampin' Up inks Blushing Bride with Melon Mambo I love the colours and the blooms but would not use the same "happy birthday" die cuts next time its just too big and silver was not the right choice.

The swirls were made using the Tattered Lace rose corner die, I used tiny pearls in the rose centres to finished them off.

The third card used the same roses in a very similar position but I wanted to use a monochromatic colour scheme with stampin up Bermuda Bay, Coastal Cabana and Soft Sky,

I love these colours with crisp white card. I used the Apothecary label stamped background on this one and a Martha Stewart branch punch too.

The fourth card in pale blue uses a scripture stamp by Our Daily Bread Designs and a praying hands die cut which was made using a sizzix sizzlet die (this was one of the first dies I bought)

I kept this one simple by just using two daisies from the stippled blossoms set but this time I used icy blue gem centres and the same gems accented the bottom of the card.

I enjoyed this session of creativity and was glad to do something unrelated to Christmas for a change
I am entering my cards  into some challenges,

 the hardest bit is deciding which one to enter! decisions decisions.....
I will enter this one o the left into the following challenges...
click on the names to go to their challenge blogs

Stamping Sensations.....Dies and Punches
Sweet Stamps.....Something New
Red Rubber Inspirationals.....New Stamps
My Time To Craft.....All Things New
Cute Card Thursday.....Anything goes

I am planning to enter a lot more challenges this year so its good to get off to a good start, I had some other dies for Christmas so I guess I better get the big shot out again!

have a great week eveyone and a fabulous 2015

God bless you
Crafteresa UK

Happy New Year to all of my followers and friends out there in blog land, I hope the Christmas and new year festivities have found you blessed in abundance and that the year 2015 is a great year for you I have many friends who have struggled with illness over the Christmas period and pray you are all seeing a massive improvement healthwise, God Bless You All, and remember to never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God

Love Crafteresa xx

My Handmade Christmas Cards...GASP!

That's it! I have made my decision!! next year will be different!!!

Because of my restricting disability I got most of my shopping done early this year for Christmas! I went into panic mode in November and did a lot of online shopping which was very pleasing. Then on my better days when I felt I had the energy and Kev with me we went shopping together and happily by the beginning of December it was all done and dusted which is an absolute first for me. Trouble is that put other things out of sync as my focus was on the presents! so here I am on the 16th of December with only 5 handmade Christmas cards completed. I am not stressed this year about the prezzies but I am stressed about the cards. As I am quite a good card maker everyone expects a really nice card from me and this year I just cannot do that for everyone as I am not feeling very well either. Therefore I have had to bite the bullet and commit to only making handmade cards for a few of my many friends and church family. I have actually bought two packs of shop Christmas cards !!!GASP!!! the truth is I spent more time thinking about them and viewing Pinterest than getting down to doing them, oh dear!
BUT next year will be different! I have decided to make 4 Christmas cards per month so that when the time comes I should already have at least 40 cards made plus any more I make as a batch in October / November. Maybe I will join one of those card challenges especially for Christmas. have any of you done that? did it motivate you?
I don't make new years resolutions as they always get broken I make a kinda bucket list instead and this is definitely going on it for 2015!
not sure how much blogging will get done over this next 3 weeks but I do wish you all a very happy and blessed Christmas and New Year.
Sending special thanks and Christmas wish of peace to all my followers xxx

Poinsettia Christmas Table Papercraft

I mentioned in my last post that I have been busy making table and individual name place settings for my church Christmas fellowship meal, We had a fabulous time this evening, I really enjoyed celebrating Christmas with my church family. I love them all at Fylde Christian Service Church in St Annes, Lancashire.

 Firtly it was so encouraging to see that the same colour theme of red gold and green had been used for the table runners and crackers etc. 

Here's a close up below of an individual place name setting..

I used my Silhouette Cameo to cut the poinsettia and a punch for the holly leaves. the sizzix banner die cut in gold holographic card made a good background for the name which was printed using my laptop with castellar font onto cream card. Inside each one I stuck a tiny envelope (which I made using a punch) with a scripture inside...

the table names were made with the same poinsettia and holly but the lovely lacy gold background was cut using a spellbinders die (ornate squares) I just made a kind of triangle to make it all stand up

We had a lovely evening which was finished off with singing carols.
The organising had been seamless, everything ran so smoothly, the food was lovely and everyone was blessed. Many of us at church have had struggles and trials this year. we have loved, prayed and encouraged each other through it all just like a family should. we have cried and we have laughed together as we have celebrated many victories and happier times too. none of us are perfect (not even me LOL) we have all contributed somehow to the church using our gifts which God has graciously given us and this is one of my gifts, the creative ability to make stuff thanks you God for that x

hello everyone
I'm just popping in to day hello and to say sorry for being AWOl !
My card making and challenge entering had to stop for a while as I used my time to help with some craft projects at church, Firstly I made some star decorations for an event, then as the the church Christmas meal was being organised I volunteered to create 70 place names and 7 table names!
I wanted to do a good job as this is the first Christmas meal in our new building, previously we had gone to a local hotel for our Christmas fellowship meal but this year is extra special.
well it's taken me a lot longer than expected, I am not as quick as I used to be but to be fair there was a lot of work it was like doing a wedding! I have to say I am blessed to be able to do it for the church, a lot of folk have prayed me through my illness and encouraged me and Kev when we were so in need of help they were all there for us and now its time to give a little something back. I will pop back at the end of the week with photo's of thesename places and maybe even some photo's of the meal too, I am so looking forward to this blessed time of fellowship together.
now although I have most of the prezzies sorted for Christmas I still have loads to do, can you believe I have only created 2 cards so far? GASP!! think I need to get a move on LOL

see ya soon

Fancy Labels Accordian Card with Message Bears

I have had some crafty fun this last few days....I already shared the shadow box card now I want to share another card I have made. This is an accordion die card created using the Karen Burniston Fancy Labels Accordion die from Elizabeth Craft.....

Here's a close up of the fancy labels and of one of the Penny Black Message Bear, there are four different ones in the collection, they were all coloured the with Promarkers.

Here the four message bears are spelling out the word "JENNI" (it's for my friend Jenni's birthday). Now as for the die its very clever how it works, The die is just one of those four squares with a tab down the side, you make as many as you want and connect them together so if your birthday boy is named "Christopher" you can make a card for him like this too! or you could even spell out "Happy Birthday!" if you desired, the possibilities are endless.

For he front of the card I cut some paper to cover it. That middle label image swivels to the 2nd side too, the rest of the frames are left white with the embossing inked up with my new inkpad Coastal Cabana by Stampin up, surprisingly this co-ordinated perfectly with the scrapbooking papers I used... Capsule Collection Eau de Nil its like a pale aqua jade! I love it with the crisp white.

I am entering this creation into a few challenges.....

 Ooh La La .....More Than One Fold.....check, lots of folds!

Crafting for all Seasons .....Birthdays.....check Birthday card!

Fab 'n' Funky .....Happy Birthday.....check birthday card!

Craft Your Passion .....Something Beginning with B..... check....Birthday brown bears!

Inky Impressions .....Animals ..... Bears are animals!

Penny Black and More .....Anything Goes

heres a view looking down from above the card, everything is linked up concertina style, this brings such a surprise to the recipient (Jenni another crafter friend loved it). the only embelishments I used were on the front....some stick on faux pearls. I could have added lots of flowers and swirl die cuts, but i wanted to keep the delicateness of the card and not overwhem the teddy bear images. I'm thinking now of getting the oval die in this collection, I will have to see what I get for Christmas but trust me i will drop some hints LOL

Shadow Box Card and a Cute cat

Some of my very favourite rubber stamps in my collection are made by Penny Black. I have used their stamps for many years. I love their Teddy Bear stamps and the Hedgehogs too, they also produce some lovely cat stamps, This stamp is entitled "Primp" its so cute. I have used Promarkers to colour the image which was stamped using a Momento Tuxedo Black ink pad, I made the mirror glass shine with Glossy Accents...

This is a birthday card for someone who is "very girly" so I used the colour combo of black white and pink with a touch of silver and some sparkly ab bling

I created a shadow box card using the Spellbinders Borderabiliies A2 Scalloped Borders One die set. I love that lacy edge the dies create, their are a number of different options on how to use them to create different edge effects from this 7 die set.

I used my Tattered Lace ornate rose die for the swirly silver flourishes (top left) The black dotted frame was created using sizzix labels framelits die with a circle die, Finishing off I stuck seven gupiure lace flowers with ab blingy little centres then tiny little gems on the cat's roller pins, mirror and perfume bottle.

Here's a view looking from the top to show the "box" this card can be easily sent in the post by pulling the 2 scalloped sides outward and laying the card flat in the envelope.

I am entering a few challenges again this week...
click on the challenge name it;s a link to visit their blog!

Addicted to Stamps .....Bling Bling

Robyn's Fetish .....Cats

Penny Black and More .....Anything Goes

The Paper Nest Dolls .....Anythng Goes

Ooh La La Creations .....More than 1 fold
Eureka Stamps .....Four Legged Friends

thanks for visiting my blog today, hope that you enjoyed the shadow box card
have a great week
Crafteresa UK xx