Tag Archives: christmas

LIM DT: Anything goes (as long as it’s CAS)

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In the penultimate challenge of the year, we’re looking for your clean and simple cards over at Less is More. Anything goes this week as long as you keep it CAS. Don’t forget to look at our definitions for more guidance on what this entails. I searched through my stash and looked for a rubber stamp that had never been used and found this one featuring a poinsettia. I chopped a strip from it to keep it CAS rather than use the full image. Here’s the card I made for the design team inspiration gallery:

Christmas poinsettia image coloured with watercolour paints

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AAA Cards DT: Colour scheme – purples and blues

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I’m occasionally accused of being monotone and predictable in the choice of colours I wear, typically blues and greys. The colour challenge at AAA Cards this week features tones of purples and blues, so I feel quite at home. I’ll also be picking the entries that we will be showcasing, so I look forward to seeing your makes based on the photo prompt below. Here’s my take on the clean and simple card challenge…

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Craft Fairs: BTS and an unabashed promotion

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I think I started making stuff for my annual craft fair appearances pretty much straight after I had packed away from the last one I did in December 2022. My laser cutter is well past its sell-by date so I use it as much as possible before it fails (which can be abruptly and permanently). I’ve spent the last few days prepping the stall, checking, barcoding and pricing stock, working out how to use a new card reader and app and making last-minute extras.

middle section of my stall for craft fairs

Dates for your diary

  • Active Arts Craft Market, Countesthorpe Academy (LE8 5PR)
    Saturday 28th October, 10-4pm
    Admission charge £2 for adults, children free. More than 50 stalls to browse and refreshments are available until 2pm.
  • Whetstone Baptist Church Christmas Fair (LE8 6LJ)
    Saturday 2nd December – details TBC
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Why I should charge more…

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I thought I would share some of the behind-the-scenes things that are going on at The Studio. I’ve been working on other projects (mainly in the garden) for the last few weeks which is why there have only really been the clean and simple cards published. By sharing this, you’ll also understand some of the processes that lead to a finished handcrafted product and why I should charge more…

why I should charge more - a layered backlit nativity sceneThis is the latest project I have been working on, ready for Christmas shows at the end of October and early December. Keep on reading for my observations, prototyping and a few more pics of the finished item.

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AAA Cards DT: 1/9th ± gnomes #225

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A tough challenge this week at AAA Cards blog – 1/9th. The idea is that all the elements on the card fit into a rectangle only 1/9th of the card area. Up to now, I’ve met the challenge following the guide image on the blog, which is in a grid pattern. This time, I’ve used a rectangle across the page in a landscape format 1/9th the height of the card. Within it, I have drawn and coloured my gnomes along with trees – all of which together look suspiciously like a Christmas card. Given at the time of making and writing the temperature here in Leicester is a roasting 39ºC, it was the furthest thing from my mind!

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Craft Label DT: Twelve Days of Christmas

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I’ve three more cards to share, this time using the First Edition Paper pack ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’, available from Craft Label. The 12×12″ pad features 48 sheets, 16 designs, with some in canvas effect paper, some with glitter or foil and about half are double-sided. The paper is a good 200gsm weight and printed with soy ink. Illustrations include drummers drumming, partridges in pear trees, candy canes and of course, the obligatory fiiiiivvvvee gooooollllllddd rings. Here are the quick, clean and simple cards I have made using the papers…

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Craft Label DT: North Star Christmas Cards II

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Time for another look at the First Edition North Star paper pad from Craft Label. As well as the glittered design, two foil designs and two pearlescent designs, half the pad is double-sided as well. It’s a 200gsm paper, so a decent weight for card making and also making 3D projects as well. Today, I used the grey-green papers which accompany the blue-silver colour scheme in the pad.

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Craft Label DT: Christmas Decoupage

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A quick and simple decoupage project, these upcycled powdered drinks containers could be used to hold candy canes, breadsticks or even Christmas potpourri. Paint over the drinks containers with black paint/gesso or be prepared to do a couple of layers of the decoupage paper to cover the text/pattern on the containers. Glue on the strips of decoupage paper with the decoupage adhesive and varnish and allow to dry.

Line the pots with paper from the North Star paper pad.

I decorated the blue with the foiled stars from the North Star paper pad in two strips edged with silver peel-off borders. Embellish with a mini gift bow and silver Merry Christmas sentiment. I’ve added a few glittered half-pearls in two sizes as a finishing touch.

I created a wreath effect on the red pot with alternating felt poinsettias and gold mini gift bows before glueing down one of the wooden Merry Christmas sentiments. Quick extra embellishments to finish: gold peel-off borders top and bottom and some gold ‘nail heads’ (sequins would also work here).

As it’s Black Friday, there’s a 3 for 2 promotion over on the Craft Label webshop, so pop over and get hold of the following to do this project!

  • First Edition Christmas Deco Mache decoupage paper: Sentiments / Snowflakes
  • First Edition Deco Mache decoupage glue adhesive and varnish: Matt
  • First Edition Deco Mache brush set
  • First Edition FSC Christmas Paper Pad: North Star 6×6″
  • Simply Creative Christmas Mini Gift Bows: Gold & Silver
  • Simply Creative Basics Felt Image: Poinsettias
  • Simply Creative Christmas Wooden Sentiments: Merry Christmas

LIM DT: Festive OLC

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Another challenge is live at Less is More. This time it is a one layer card with the theme ‘festive’. As before, one layer cards mean just that: no hiding behind layered papers or mats, perfect printing first time and minimal embellishments. Even die cuts aren’t allowed as they are an added layer. I normally paper-piece the stamp I chose to use, so that was not an option in a one layer card. Instead, I went with some colouring-in:

I stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black using a stamp platform, and then again with Versamark as I then decided to heat emboss the outline with clear gloss to make it stand out a little. I then coloured in with ProMarkers adding lots of layers and then highlights with a correction pen and Posca markers. Finally, I added some stickles and liquid pearls to give a little more interest to the card.

Used for this card

  • Woodware clear stamp: Huge Noel [FRS219]
  • Memento Tuxedo Black ink pad
  • VersaMark ink pad
  • WOW! Embossing Powder: Clear Gloss Super Fine
  • Letraset/Winsor & Newton ProMarkers: Denim Blue / China Blue / Cool Grey 3
  • Ranger Stickles: Waterfall / Gunsmoke
  • Ranger Liquid Pearls: Royal Blue
  • Tippex Correction Pen
  • Posca Pen [PC1-MR]: White

LIM: Colour Challenge

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It’s time for another challenge at Less is More… This time we have a colour challenge: Blue and Silver or Red and Gold. For me, they are classic Christmas colours, so I’ve used that theme for my cards this time around. First up, my choice for my design team card. It’s hard to see with the reflections, but the snowflakes are heat embossed in silver. The watercolour is Chipped Sapphire Distress Stain flooded into water, then splattered with water and blotted dry.

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