It's Christmas Day ........

Has he been?

Merry Christmas ........

Happy Christmas Eve ........

The shopping's done, the presents are wrapped, and we're off to the panto this evening ....... oh yes we are!!  It's Christmas!!!!!! 

Before the festivities begin though, I thought I'd share with you a little project that I made recently. 

Over the last few years I've been asked to make some very special cards for Christmas for an old work colleague of hubby's.  'The Christmas Quest' has been a regular event, in fact, I think it was the 20th one this year.  

They always seem lots of fun, and it's always a pleasure making the cards. 

Here's a quick look at this years ........

Christmas trees done using a triangle aperture stencil from Sweet Poppy Stencils, and Distress Oxide inks in festive reds and greens .....

I dotted White Enamel Accents over the top to give a snowy look.

A pretty festive wreath ......

Heat embossed in gold onto black cardstock,  and then coloured using metallic paints

Lots of paint splatter onto the background too.

Next, you have to have twinkling fairy lights at Christmas ........

Die cut from glitter cardstock using an old Penny Black die and layered with silver mirri card ..... very festive!

And last up, a little robin .....

This little guy is one of my favourites from Penny black.

Stamped onto white cardstock, and coloured with markers and Distress inks. 

A little simple masking, Distress inks and a bit more stamping to create a winter background, and then finished off with some die cut foliage and a sprinkling of glitter.

All the letters and numbers were die cut using the Spellbinders Be Bold Alphabet dies.

Well, that's it from me, thanks for popping by. 

I'm off now to check my lists .... twice!  Catch up with any last minute jobs, and then get ready for this evening.  

We're out for a early meal with Lauren and Alex, and then we're off to see Aladdin ...... oh yes we are! 

Merry Christmas everyone!

 

xx

I'm usually a more traditional girl but ...........

Happy Monday .........

 

Have you had a nice weekend? 

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.  Just seven more sleeps to go until the big day ...... Ho! Ho! Ho!  Things are about to get a little crazy around here!   

The last of my Christmas cards are done (phew!).  One of the jobs on the list for today was to get them in the post so, it's now fingers crossed that they all get there in time!  I can't believe I'm so late!!

Now, you know me, I'm quite the traditional girl when it comes to Christmas cards ......... snowmen, snowflakes, baubles,  and Christmas trees (lots of trees!!).  

Pretty poinsettias, a Christmas wreath, and I do love my festive reds and greens.  So, when I saw the theme for the final challenge this year, over at the Color Hues Challenge Blog, I thought I'd give it a try.

What do you think? ........ I kinda like it

Pink and Silver ...... definitely not my go to Christmas colours but, it works.

The embossing folder I used is the pretty 3D Holiday Floral Swag from Spellbinders ...... I love it!!

I simply ran it through the Big Shot, using white cardstock, then blended Distress Inks over the design (Spun Sugar and Picked Raspberry),

fading out the colour where my sentiment was to go.

I heat embossed the sentiment in silver and added a few dots of white Enamel Accents

To finish off, and give the card a more snowy look, I splattered with a little bit of white paint

Here's another version of the same card but, just a little bit different .......

This time it was Spun Sugar Distress and Worn Lipstick, going a little more red instead of pink

and I changed the sentiment ever so slightly ........ 

I think I prefer the sentiment this way.

Anyhow, Pink and Silver is now definitely on my festive combo list!

And, as it's the first time I've used this embossing folder I'm also hooking up to Darnell's NBUS (Never Before Used Schtuff!) Challenge

Thanks for popping ..... enjoy the rest of your day.

I'm off to put my feet up for five minutes with a cuppa and a festive mince pie ...... yum!

And, just in case I don't get chance to blog again before the big day ............  

Have a Wonderful Christmas!

Cheerio until next time ......

It's that time of year again .......

Happy Thursday ........

How are you?  Full of the festive spirit yet?  

We're getting there.  This bug is still hanging on by a thread but, it will not beat me!!

Lists have been made (lots of lists!)  The shopping has started (note to self ..... I need to buy wrapping paper). 

I think I've eaten my body weight in mince pies (the diet starts in January ..... again!). I've tried the odd Christmas cocktail (or two ...... hic!) And,  I'm still making Christmas cards!

I guess he had to come out at some point now didn't he ...... my favourite little snowman.  I'm not even sure he's still available to buy.  He's an old wooden stamp from Inkadinkadoo, and every year I have to use him on at least one card ....... he always makes me smile 😊

I stamped the snowman onto a piece of white cardstock.  Masked around the edges to create a frame, and then slowly blended shades of blue Distress Inks inside to create my night sky

Once I was happy with the colour, I splattered the ink with a little bit of clean water and let it sit for a few seconds.

I mopped up the excess with a paper towel and then added a few dots of white Enamel Accents here and there, sprinkled with a touch of fine crystal glitter, to give it a snowy look

The snowman was coloured using brush markers ..... he's so cute!

And I finished off with a heat embossed sentiment and a touch more 'snow'

Speaking of snow, I've loved seeing all the pictures on Facebook of the snow across in the UK at the moment.  We might have even been in some of it had we gone on our trip ........ brrrrr!

If you're snowed in at the moment, stay safe and warm.

Thanks for popping by, enjoy the rest of your day.

Cheerio until next time ........

It's the 1st of December!!!! .......

Happy Friday .....

And welcome to December.  Let the countdown begin!

I've written, and posted my first lot of Christmas cards.  The first door on the advent calendar is open .... well it's Alex's advent calendar really but, we all got a little bit giddy this morning!  And one of the tasks for this afternoon is to hang a festive wreath on the front door.  I love this time of year ..... can you tell!

I've got another Christmas card for you today, and guess what? It's another tree ........ there's definitely a theme going on with my cards this year.

This was done using a cute little die from Simon Says Stamp called Corbel Tree Collage.  Not sure how long it's been in my die folder but I think this is the first time I've used it to make a card ....... isn't it pretty!

I used to the die to cut the design into a piece of white cardstock, then cut it again from green and red glitter foam from Spellbinders (I'm loving this stuff, and the good thing is the glitter doesn't shed)

I then inlaid the glitter pieces into the white card.  It was a little bit fiddly but I just took my time.  I love how it's given a raised effect, very touchy feely.  And just look at that sparkle!

A festive sentiment stamped underneath, and of course I had to splatter a little bit of gold ink here and there!

As it's the first time I've used this pretty little die I'm linking up to December's NBUS Challenge

Thanks for popping by ...... enjoy the rest of your day.

It's time for a coffee I think,  now where did I put the Christmas mugs?

Cheerio until next time .....