Woooo Hoooo!!!! 24 Days To Go!!! Advent Countdown Chalkboard

Good Morning. Can you believe that it's the first day of advent??? No me neither - you just know that one blink and it's going to be Christmas Eve! :D Today sees the start of Crafty Ribbons Christmas Event which can only mean one thing...... lots of lovely inspiration and prizes each and every day! To enter simply pop across and enter your name in Mr Linky.

So to help keep us all on track I've designed this Christmas Themed Chalkboard. I've decided to use mine as a countdown calendar, until the big day when it will become a "Mum's Kitchen's Closed" sign!

I found the chalkboard in the poundstore and have used elements from Studio 12 Picknix Collection 2 - Gingerbread Twist to decorate it (and yes everything was handcut - sigh Santie I've been a real good girl won't you please deliver me a Cameo Silhouette???). The gorgeous gold edged organza ribbon is of course from Crafty Ribbons. To finish I've added Rock Candy Stickles, Star Dust Stickles and of course Glossy Accents.

Thanks for stopping by today

Claire x

I'd like to enter this project into the following challenges:

Vintage Keepsake Bauble Book Card

This is the last of my TV samples that I made for the launch of the Studio 12 Picknix Collection 2 - Gingerbread Twist CD. If you've been watching the shows you will doubtless have seen it! Just incase you missed it or fancy a closer peek, here it is in all it's glory!

I warn you now this post is going to be picture heavy, so apologies if the page is slow loading.

I wanted to make something using the traditional gingerbread man and after much umming and arrrghinhg and stash sorting I settled upon making a book card with a detachable bauble.

I've had some papier mache baubles in my stash for what seems like forvever. I'm really not sure why I haven't used them before as I really enjoyed altering the bauble and what's more it actually looks pretty good too!

The book card has been made to fit the bauble and so that it could hang and be removed I've simply made a hole in the top of one of the "pages" and pulled the thread through. It has been secured at the back using cinnamon scented melted wax.

The card uses papers from the cd which have been distressed, painted upon, ripped and faux stitched to within an inch of their lives! I've used a mixture of pre-coloured collage images and digital stamps coloured with Promarkers to create the focal points on the card.

If you look closely at the ribbon tie on the side of the card, you will see that it picks up the paper ribbon on the front of the card.... yep, homemade ribbon using one of the images from the CD. I'm sooo excited that this worked as it now means that I can get coordinating ribbons for all my projects :D

I do hope that you like my project and that I haven't bored you to tears with this long post.

Thanks for stopping by today

Claire x

I'd like to enter this project into the following challenges:
Paper Crafting Journey - Anything goes
Simply Create - Anything goes
Crafts & Me - Reds
Just keep On Creating - Christmas
Whimsy Inspiration - Christmas
Papertake Weekly - Anything goes
Through The Craftroom Door - Anything goes
Make It Monday - Anything goes

Another Glass Cube!!

Good morning. It's time for another giveaway over at Studio 12 and as always the entire DT have created a little something for your inspiration. My offering is another of these little glass cubes which I first showed you on Wednesday. Once again I'm going to have to apologise for the picture quality, but these are a devil to photograph! I actually tried to get a picture placed next to a 50p piece to give you an idea of scale, but failed miserably!

This time I've used Studio 12 Picknix Collection 2 - Gingerbread Twist and inkjet printable shrink plastic. Instead of being a standing decoration, I've made this one into a hanging one - I thought as the kids were older and I no longer have a kitty that this might look kinda cool on the Christmas Tree! :D Anyway, I don't think this is the last you've seen of these - I've a few ideas swimming around for them!

Thanks for stopping by today.

Claire x

I'd like to enter this project into the following challenges:
Inspire Me Friday - Anything Goes
Make It Monday - Anything Goes
Crafty Ribbons - Christmas
Crafty Ann's Challenge - Christmas in October
Fussy & Fancy Friday - Anything goes
Through The Craft Room Door - Anything goes
Crafty Bloggers Network - Anything goes

C&S Snowflake Card

This is another of my C&S makes that I did for the launch of the Studio 12 Picknix Collection 2 - Gingerbread Twist.

I wanted this card to have a really delicate look about it, so I printed the patterned paper from the CD onto some masking tape and laid it across the card. I then faffed around with trying to place a sentiment somewhere and decided that it needed to be where the tape was. At this point I considered running the tape back through the printer, but just knew that I struggle to get it placed correctly or worse still that the ink would smudge. So I decided that I'd try printing onto tissue paper and gluing that in place. Bingo! It worked!

The snowflake is cut from patterned paper using my trusty Marianne Creatables LR0125 die. I've then covered it in Diamond Dust, attached one of the little snowflakes from the paper and topped it off with a gemstone.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Claire x

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Vintage Christmas Tag

It's my turn to post over at the Studio 12 blog today. This was a really quick and easy tag using up all of my left over scraps and a photograph/scan of my mixed media wall hanging. What do you think?

The colours on the photograph have been manipulated in my photo editing software. I've then sized the image to my required size before running it through my printer and cutting with a Sizzix Tag Die. The masking tape was left over from a snowflake card which you no doubt spotted on the launch show, but I have yet to show you, and the seam binding and embroidery thread were in my stash. Before I go I just want to show you a different view of the tag in particular the baubles, as I've used a Sakura Glitter pen for sparkle and a Sakura Glaze Pen for shine and dimension (have to say it is one of my most favourite gizmos at the moment!).

Thanks for stopping by today.

Claire x

I'd like to enter this tag into the following challenges:

Ho Ho Ho It's So Simple!

It's time for another giveaway over at Studio 12. I thought I'd show you another TV sample using the Gingerbread Twist CD. As you know the turn around time on these projects is always really tight, so whilst I'd love to be able to spend hours preparing gorgeous creations time just does not permit it which is why I always end up with a few C&S makes.

This one is relatively quick and easy, you just need a steady hand to apply the Glossy Accents and Sakura Glitter Pens to the letters. Sadly my photos don't show the effect this gives :(.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Claire x

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Inspire Me Fridays - Anything goes

Vintage Robin Christmas Card

Good morning. Today I want to show you another one of my TV Samples from the Gingerbread Twist CD. I have to say I think this one of my favourite cards ever! I just love everything about it which is really unusual for me as normally I'm not that bothered about my makes! I struggled to give this one away :(

What do you think?

Thanks for stopping by today.

Claire x

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Top Tip Tuesday - Recycle It (corrugated card from an old box)

We Three Kings.....

This another of my samples that appeared on the launch show for the new Studio 12 Picknix Collection 2 - Gingerbread Twist CD. I managed to make quite a few samples with the CD and will blog them over the next few days/weeks as and when I find time.

This card came about purely by accident to be honest. I was nosing through all the different sections on the CD and found one marked cutting files. Now as you all know I am lusting after an electronic cutting machine, but currently I don't have the funds nor the space for one, so I thought I'd torture myself and take a look at what I'd be missing out on! Well can you imagine how excited I was when I realised that the folder had amongst other things some PNG files and then to find this gorgeous image hidden amongst them ?? :D It was a proper Tena lady moment I can tell you!

I thought it would be rude not to use the image on a card, so this is what I did with it. Sadly in my excitement I completely forgot to add a sentiment to the card blank before mounting and attaching the image - doh! So I had to add it afterwards (kicks herself!!!).

The background is of course inked with Distress Inks and I've used a white gel pen to add some highlights to the image to make it pop a little.

So are you starting to get a feel for what the CD is about now? I do hope so, cos CD's get such bad PR and  to be honest the only limits to creating with them is your imagination!

Thanks for stopping by today.

Claire x

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Inspire Me Fridays - Anything Goes
Aud Sentiments - Christmas or Holiday Sentiment
Charisma Cards - No embellishments
Paper Crafting Journey - Anything goes
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
The Perfect Sentiment - Anything goes
Creative Card Crew - Christmas

Mixed Media Wall Hanging

So did you watch the show? What did you think? Surprised that CD crafting isn't quite what some of you thought? Are you converted to CD crafting yet? Did you manage to spot any of my samples and more importantly did you figure out what my sneaky peek was? No??? Good job I'm feeling kind today then and will put you out of your misery!!! But not before I tell about how you can get your hands on some fabulous Studio 12 goodies!

If you pop over to the Studio 12 blog, you will not only find loads of inspirational post and tutorials, but that Nikky is giving away some luscious goodies!

So what did I make?? It is of course a mixed media piece using the new Studio 12 Picknix Collection 2 - Gingerbread Twist. I have to say I had great fun making this and you'll definitely be seeing more projects like this from me.

The base is a canvas board (I picked mine up for 25p in a local store) which has been covered with torn papers, texture paste and paints before sticking the sentiment and images into place. I know it's completely different to my normal stuff but I do hope that you like it.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Claire x

I'd like to enter this project into the following challenges:
Allsorts Challenge - Anything but a square
Christmas Stamping All Year Long - Anything but a card
Inspire Me Fridays - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Anything Goes - Make your own background
Everybody Art - Anything goes
Make It Monday - Anything goes