Snowman Christmas Card

This will be my last post before Christmas and I'd like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Peaceful, Prosperous New Year. I'd also like to thank those of you who have supported and encouraged me in my artistic endeavours this year, you really have no idea how much it means!

Anyway, here's a little snowman card that I batch made using Sizzix/Tim Holtz stamps and matching dies. They're really quick and easy, so much so that I managed to create matching envelopes.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Claire x

Cat's Choir! Christmas Box

Good morning. It's my turn post over at the Stampotique Designers Blog, so I've decided to double up this post with the Crafty Ribbons Advent post.  I've been desperate to show you this wall hanging, but have been unable to do so until I knew that it been safely received! It was a complete devil to photograph, so please excuse the picture quality.

It started life as a simple kraft box frame from  The Range. I covered it with a thick layer of Gesso and dabbed at it with a palette knife to give it loads of texture. Whilst it dried I stamped out, cut and coloured Oh Tree, Small Tree Topper, Front Door Shrubbery, Christmas Ornaments Cube, Mini Christmas Ornaments Cube, Welcome Door, Line Up and Snowman. I then drew a little carol book and die cut a Lampost using my new Sizzix Die and coloured them with Promarkers.

Once the Gesso had dried, I layered up some torn,inked strips of paper and dabbed some textured modelling paste over them. As the frame still looked a little bare I added some silver heat embossing using Abstract Foliage. Once the base was completed, I created the scene.

To finish I chucked on a bit of glitter and some Glossy Accents. I then added the fantastic Merry Christmas ribbon from Crafty Ribbons, and some Pinflair icicles which were covered with Glamour Dust.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Claire x

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

It's a wrap! Stampotique Challenge

OK just in case you haven't guessed what this weeks challenge is over at Stampotique, I'll tell ya!! It is of course gift wrapping. Take a peek at what the other girls have done, there are some amazing ideas! As always you can use any stamp to play, just ensure that it fits the challenge theme.

I seem to have an abundance of small gifts to give this year, so thought that I'd take this as an opportunity to make another of the A4 gift bags that I showed you the other day.

I started off by spritzing a sheet of paper with Cosmic Shimmer Mist, I then unscrewed the cap and dripped some over the paper randomly. Once it had dried I layed some snowflake shapes over the paper and spritzed again and left it to dry again. I then made the bag up and decorated it with Snowman (coloured with Prismacolor pencils) and some snowflakes. To finish I added some glitter, Glossy Accents, Dewdrops and Seam Binding Ribbon.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Claire x

I'd like to enter this project into the following challenges:
Make It Monday - Anything goes
Inspire me Friday - Anything goes

Copy Cat? Or Inspired By?

Morning. It's time for another challenge over at Stampotique and this time we want to see you CASE a member of the DT's work. Now this is a challenge that I'm not altogether comfortable with as whilst I think it's OK to take inspiration from another person I don't think it's OK to copy their work in it's entirety especially when no credit is given to original artist. In addition when someone has created something brilliant, that little voice of self doubt creeps in and tells me that I'll never make anything as good/beautiful and as a result kills my mojo. Anyhow, as the challenge had been set I thought I'd play along, so I had a good look round my fellow team mates blogs and selected my victim!!!

I decided that I CASE my uber talented teamy Samantha Read and make one her fantastic glass cubes. I knew that it was going to be a challenge to make one of these that looked half presentable, but man I didn't think I'd fall at the first hurdle!! Oh and you'll have to excuse the picture quality on this post as well, it was an absolute nightmare to photograph!

Firstly, my Memory Glass was only 1 1/2" but I decided I could live with that, but then I spotted that Sam had used Super Glue :O - help........!!!! I'm such a messy worker that the words Super Glue struck terror into my heart. I've only used the stuff once and it almost ended in a trip to A&E with the kitchen worktop in tow!!! So with that in mind I was all but ready to go and CASE someone else! However, you know me I won't be defeated, so I slept on it and thought I'd try a couple of other things in place of the Super Glue.

I started off by trying UTEE which was OK but didn't allow me enough time line up the glass fully. Then I moved onto Memory Tape - this was reasonably successful but just looked a little cumbersome and kind of swamped my cube. So my last resort was Pinflair Glue - omg I love this stuff! It worked a treat!

I then stamped Snowman, Oh...Tree and Picket Fence onto white shrink plastic, coloured with pencils and then once shrunk glued them into position. I added some "faux snow" that I got in the Pound Store and then sealed my cube.

Sam used molten embossing powder to create the "faux soldered" effect on her cube and mentioned that her's had fallen to pieces a couple of times whilst dipping - eeekkk - molten UTEE burns just do not do it for me!!! I contemplated leaving the glass joints as they were, but then noticed that I had a tiny gap in the top right corner. So, I thought I'd try my usual swipe with Versamark and embossing powder technique. So glad I did as it worked just fine and I felt like I had a little more control over where the embossing powder went. Also, where odd specks of the powder stuck to the glass it gave a frosty effect (this can be scraped off if you don't like that effect).

To finish I added a shrink plastic snowflake and some glass pearls. I then looked at it and thought that it needed something else, so I added some Pinflair Glue Icicles (idea for these nicked from here). I've tried to show you how gorgeous they look in the above picture, but seem to have failed miserably :(

So what do you think of my spin on Sam's cube, is it a copy cat one or simply inspired by her?

Thanks for stopping by today.

Claire x

I'd like to enter this project into the following challenges:
Through The Craft Room Door - Anything goes
Make It Monday - Anything goes
Stamptacular Sunday - No rules
Inspire Me Friday - Anything goes
Anything but a card - Anything but a card

It's A Rubbish Christmas Ornament!

This weeks challenge over at Stampotique is to Alter Something, and although it's not my week to play along, it is my turn to post over at the Stampotique Designer's Blog. As you know I love altering things, so I thought I'd still run with the theme, especially as I have an ever increasing pile of assorted tins which "might just come in handy!!" Plus it'll get Hubby off of my back. He keeps passing comment on them and I just know if they don't get used he'll sneak them into the re-cycling bin!!! So, I've dug out a sardine can to alter.

I started out by stamping and masking Picket Fence and then heat embossing Abstract Foliage onto a piece of card that had been cut to fit the inside of the tin. It was then Distress Inked and heat embossed with the Abstract Foliage again. The tree has been stamped and heat embossed onto card using Abstract Foliage, then cut out and then Distress Inked.

The tin was covered in moulding paste. Whilst it was still wet I tore strips of card to layer up as the snowdrifts, inked the edges and quickly slid them into position. The images Brrr... , Christmas Mosaic and Snowman were then stamped onto heavy weight card before being cut out and coloured with Prismacolor pencils. I added a light dusting of Stardust Stickles to the Snowman, the collar and cuffs of Brrr's coat and the edges of the snowdrifts . I fully assembled the scene once the paste and Stickles were dry. To finish I die cut two Marianne Creatables Snowflake's LR0125 in shrink plastic, attached a small blue gemstone and glued them in position.

I haven't decided yet as to if this decoration should hang, stand as shown or free stand.... such big decisions ;D

Well that's me done for today.

Thanks for stopping by

Claire x

I'd like to enter this project into the following challenges:
Creative Stamp Friends - Stamp a scene
Make it Monday - Anything goes
Whoopsi Daisy Challenge - Anything goes

It's A Pile Of Poop!!!

Charming I hear you say! LOL. Well take the post title as warning for what's coming! :D Yep it's another TV sample from the Polka Doodles Here Comes Christmas CD.
When I saw this sentiment on the CD it immediately appealed to the inner child in me and I knew that I was going to have to use it! The only thing was on what? So after a little bit of thought I decided that I'd adapt the template from the tealight card that I made a couple of years back and fill it with poop (aka Mint Imperials). I'm going to have to make a couple more of these as DS spotted it and asked if he could have it for his Christmas card and my friend also saw it and has asked me to make one for her son! Anyway, what do you think?

I'm pushed for time this week, so I won't go into my usual explanation of what I did, instead I'll list the materials. If you want further details please do feel free to email me or leave a comment below and I will get back to you.

Materials:
Here Comes Christmas CD
Promarkers
Marianne Designs Creatables LR0125
Memorybox Button Die
Glossy Accents
Black Copic Spica Glitter Pen
Martha Stewart Zig Zag Punch
Walnut Stain Distress Ink
Acetate

Thanks for stopping by today.

Claire x

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Inspire Me Fridays - Anything Goes
The Stampman - Anything Goes
Art Impressions Stamps - Stitching
Paper Crafting Journey - Anything goes
Die Cutting Divas - Anything goes
Holly Jolly Christmas Challenge - Christmas Gift Box
Make It Monday - Anything Goes