Stamp and Emboss

 

Love the new Hero Arts/Sizzix Stamp and Embossing Folder sets.  

I inked the stamp with Evergreen Bough distress ink, wiped the ink away from the berries and coloured those with Festive Berries distress ink, then stamped and ran the card through the embossing folder, distressing the edges afterwards with Evergreen Bough. The sentiment is from Papermania.  Fast and easy Christmas card!

Here are some variations - the first one involved inking the embossing folder first with Hero Arts Soft Sand, the second with Soft Pool.

 

Thanks for visiting! Ger x.

Lots of Dies

Used lots of dies on this card!  Made a pleasant change to make something other than Christmas cards.

Dies: Spellbinders, Marianne Designs, Sizzix 3-D Flowers.
Papers: Papermania Capsule Collection
Stick Pins: Creative Expressions
White Pearl Beads

Thanks for visiting! Ger x.

Last Minute

I've had a bit of a production line going here over the weekend with last minute Christmas cards.  I kept this one free of dimensional embellishments for posting.

Hero Arts Greatest Gift stamp set, Papermania snowflake embossing folder with faux letterpress techinque, distress inks and stickles.

Everyone finished their cards already?!  Ger x.

Lists!

I am a compuslive list-maker, especially this time of the year.  I wanted a list of my Christmas lists LOL so I decided to make a book to keep them all together.  There are many things I should have been doing yesterday evening and this wasn't one of them!

Inside front cover:

Centre - bound with Baker's Twine:

Tabs:

Inside back cover:

I used Crate Paper Peppermint papers, some Papermania red alpha stickers, lots of Baker's Twine and the Naughty or Nice stamp is from Blonde Moments Christmas range.  Snowflake die from Whiff of Joy, button die from Die-Namics.

Thanks for visiting! Ger x.

Tag Day 9

It all looks so easy on Tim's blog until you have a go and it takes ages.

Background Stamp: Hero Arts Large Fabric Background
Distress Inks: Evergreen Bough, Festive Berries, Mustard Seed, Black Soot
Clear and Gold embossing powder
Dies: Vintage Market Alphabet, Festive Greenery, Hanging Sign (for the candlestick) 3-D Flowers (for the pinecone)
Candle was cut freehand
Pearl Paint dabbers, Gems, Stickles, ribbon, Glossy Accents

Don't forget Crafting Ireland have a prize for tags posted to their Facebook wall.

Thanks for visiting! Ger x.

Jingle Bells

I couldn't wait to use the gorgeous papers and dies I bought at Create with Kate's crafting event on Sunday!

Stamp: Penny Black, coloured with Papermania brush markers and water.
Papers: My Mind's Eye 12 Days of Christmas
Dies: Sizzix 3-D Flowers, Sizzix Festive Greenery
Sentiment: From free stamps in the gorgeous goodie bag Kate gave everyone - Blonde Moments Christmas Range stamped with Evergreen Bough distress ink.
Mat Layer coloured with Evergreen Bough distress ink
Pearls, Rock Candy Stickles

Thanks for visiting! Ger x.

12 Tags Day 5

Tim Holtz's 12 Tags of Christmas is in full swing this year again and this is the first one I have had a go at so far - Day 5.  I couldn't get the Archival Ink to remove the alcohol ink so I stamped with Blending Solution.  That worked - kinda!  Holly punch to make the wreath.

Card Tag, Acetate Tag, Red Pepper Alcohol Ink, Hero Arts Artistic Circles Stamp, Papermania sentiment, White Embossing Powder, Holly Punch, Pearls, white ribbon, seam binding.

Then I had a go at the Bonus Tag from Day 5.

I didn't have the sticky sheets of foil to make the bauble tops so used a silver pen instead.  I didn't know if you can heat emboss onto fragments - just about got away with it but one of them started to melt! Touched the silver pen to the centre of some of the background snowflakes too, and used the pen to 'hang' the baubles.

Distress Inks:  Iced Spruce, Tumbled Glass
Stamps: Sentiment - from the Goody Bag at Create with Kate's event, sorry don't know the brand.  Snowflake stamp is from Papermania.
Fragments, Seam Binding, Uni Ball Signo Broad silver pen.

Crafting Ireland  have a prize up for grabs on their Facebook page for uploaded tags.

Thanks for visiting. Ger x.

Scandinavian Christmas

 

Over at Create with Kate's blog they are having their first challenge.  The theme is Scandinavian inspired - red and white and simple.  There is so much of this in the shops this year and it's all gorgeous, so it's the theme for my tree and house this Christmas.  I've never quite managed to carry off a theme before - too many little people eager to throw guady tinsel and multicoloured stuff everywhere LOL so we'll see if I get away with it this year!

Of course I had to use my Nordic Winter stamp set from Waltzingmouse Stamps.  The images were stamped with Worn Lipstick distress ink and the same ink was used to colour the matting and layering card.  A bit of gingham ribbon and a couple of gems - done.  I think I'll be making quite a few red and white cards this Christmas, they're so easy!

Create with Kate are having a Christmas Crafting Jamboree in Athlone next Sunday Dec 4th and I can't wait!  Best bit of all - she's bringing her fabulous shop!

I'm entering this card into:

Create with Kate Challenge - Red and White

Scrapbook Sisters - Christmas Time

Crafty Ann's Challenge Blog No. 54 - Monochrome

Thanks for visiting. Ger x.

Boot Camp Card

Another card from Holiday Card Boot Camp 2011 .  A background stamp covered in Distress Stains Picket Fence and sprayed with Perfect Pearls water is stamped over the card giving a ghostly effect.

Stamps: Papermania tree and sentiment, Hero Arts Large Fabric Background Stamp
Distress Inks: Distress Stains Picket Fence, Peeled Paint, Broken China, Chipped Sapphire
Card: Hero Arts Earth Designer Papers
White Embossing Powder, Twine, Button, Pearls.

Thanks for visiting. Ger x.

Pink Box

I never did get around to showing this box which I made for Cliona Larkin's Summer Challenge.  Cliona has some fab tutorials, go take a look!

This box involved measuring, which I don't much like, but it was worth it.  I sponged the card with distress ink and added ribbon and a stickled X-Cut butterfly cut in half to emphasise the opening.

Thanks for visiting! Ger x.

90 minute scramble

Last night's Hero Arts Flicker Group 90 minute scramble challenge was to create a non-holiday card from holiday stamps.  I wasn't going to enter until with 20 minutes left on the clock inspiration struck and I used a snowflake stamp to make the card.

Stamps: Hero Arts Find Joy (sentiment); Hero Arts Snowflakes

Thanks for visiting! Ger x

Blue Nativity

I inked up the Hero Arts Artistic Circles background stamp with Perfect Medium and then removed some from the centre before stamping and white embossing, added Broken China and Chipped Sapphire.  Hero Arts sentiment black embossed, some stickles and pearls.

Thanks for looking! Ger x.

Image and sentiment: Hero Arts Greatest Gift stamp set

Holiday Card Boot Camp 2011

I was lucky enough to win a giveaway place at Holiday Card Boot Camp 2011 through Shari Carroll's blog - thanks, Shari!!

Today's videos included one showing the faux letterpress technique and I set out to make a card nothing like the one you see. LOL. Once things start to go wrong it just snowballs ... anyway I did end up with a card and although I didn't manage to accurately line up the outline sticker trees when sticking them back to back, it'll do.  Found a couple of cat's eye flatback blue gems which I liked.

Thanks for visiting! Ger x.

Outline sticker trees and sentiment
Cuttlebug embossing folder
Soft Pool Shadow Ink Hero Arts
Inside card stamped with Hero Arts Artistic Circles and Soft Pool ink

Quick Gift Bags

This has to be the easiest, quickest method for making a gift bag from any size sheet of paper.  I watched Hayley demo something similar to this on Create & Craft months ago and I hope to get a tutorial up this week.  The first bag was made from a sheet of A4 and the second from a 12 x 12 but I chopped a bit off the length of this bag before finishing it off.  Papers and embellishments are Papermania.

I know when I need a gift bag, I need it in a hurry so this is a great method for those moments.  Another advantage is, on the way to making the gift bag, you realise you've made something that can very quickly be made into an envelope!

Thanks for visiting. Ger x.

At Christmas Time

I bought the Papermania At Christmas Time stamp set on Saturday and I've been having fun with it. The images are lovely to watercolour.  Papers and sentiment from the same collection, added a pearl and stickles to the rolled flower.

Then I got the Kraft card out and white embossed the door stamp, coloured here and there with Papermania brush markers.  My little snowman was made by drawing around two different sized bottle bases with a Perfect Medium pen and white embossing.  Added a hat and scarf cut from felt, a bit of card coloured orange with a marker for his nose and black enamel accents for his coal features and buttons.

 

White embossed the village scene and sentiment, added a touch of colour here and there.  Very fast and simple.

The lovely Poinsettia stamp coloured with distress inks and water, Spellbinders Labels 22 and sentiment and paper also from At Christmas Time by Papermania.  Ribbon and gems.

Gorgeous stamp set, difficult to stop stamping!

Thanks for visiting. Ger x.

Pink n girly

Papermania Kraft card and paper, silver mirri, pearls, image Flowersoft Moments in Time stamped, coloured and distressed with DI, lace coloured with same DI and twisted on sticky dots, pearl bead, Martha Stewart border punch, Marianne Creatables flourishes, made my own hat pins. Sorry about the terrible light.

No sentiment yet - it's going into my box of ready mades to wait for an occasion!

Thanks for visiting! Ger x.

Christmas Cheer

More Waltzingmouse Stamps fun! Using Nordic Winter and Seasonal remedies stamps, Hero Arts Latte ink, a Papermania red brush marker and black embossing powder.

I would like to enter this into:

Simon Says ... Anything Goes
Winter Wonderland: A Vintage Christmas
ABC Christmas Challenge: V is for Vintage

Thanks for visitng. Ger x.

Nordic stamping

My first Waltzingmouse Stamps arrived yesterday, woohoo! This is from the Nordic Winter set and I decided to keep things simple for my first attempt.  Used Broken China distress ink and Hero Arts Chalk Ink in Poppy.  Added a couple of gems and a pearl.

I would like to enter this into:

Crafty Ann's Challenge Blog - Clean and Simple

Thanks for visiting! Ger x.

Holly's Christening

Paper and pink core'dinations from a doCrafts Goody Bag last year, Spellbinders Ironwork Motifs and Fleur de Lis, alphabet Papermania Summer Bloom,ribbon, pearls, cross, outline stickers.

Holly's mother really liked the shade of blue in the beads and went with that instead of pink.  The little cross matches the tiny cross on the card.

Thanks for visiting! Ger x.

Paper Bauble

 

Sorry about the lighting - it's a miserable day here.  Stay inside and craft!

Made using Papermania at Christmas Time strips of paper, 90 strips per pack. You need to add your own beads, wire and crimp beads. Instructions use doubled wire, found that a bit fiddly so did it my own way LOL. A tassle at the bottom would be nice. Can't find the glitter spray to give it a spritz.

Thanks for visitng! Ger x.

Candles

Papermania Candles stamp and sentiment white embossed onto black card, some red gemstones and a scattering of pearls. Layered onto silver mirri then red cardstock.

I'd like to enter this into:

Scrapbook Sisters Card Challenge 56 - Anything Goes

Thanks for visiting. Ger x.

Christmas Robin

 

Isn't he cute? Digi image free at Sliekje digital stamps.  Coloured with Promarkers, Stickles and some Glossy Accents for the berries.  Raided my own and my neighbour's Promarkers for a berry red (well, my idea of what a berry red should be!) but was disappointed.  A red Papermania watercolour brush marker was the best for the berries. X-Cut ornate frame. Papers, sentiment, brads are Papermania. Silver mirri.

I'd like to enter this card into Wild Rose Studio Festive Frolics Christmas Card challenge. They're having a blog hop - take a look.

Thanks for visiting. Ger x.

Penny Black Snowman

Penny Black snowman coloured with Papermania brush markers and water, Black Enamel Accents for his shiny coal buttons and eyes.
Papermania snowflake embossing folder inked with Hero Arts Shadow Ink Pool before putting through
X-Cut Ornate Frames die, Papermania sentiment, white glitter, bow, flowers, and Spellbinders snowflake.

Not sure if Sarpreet has a Penny Black card for this Monday but do pay her a visit and see what she has created.

I'd like to enter this into:

Sparkle Creations Weekly Christmas Card Challenge - any Christmas card
Sparkles Christmas Challenge - Christmas song Frosty the Snowman
Crafty Ann's Challenge Blog - Inspired by a Christmas song - Frosty the Snowman

Thanks for visiting! Ger x.

GBCE Athlone

I could only get to GBCE Athlone on the Friday morning so myself and my crafting neighbour decided to make the most of it.  We left after the school run and arrived as shops were still setting up, so we had a great root around.  It was lovely to meet some very talented people again.  Cliona Larkin was demo-ing for docrafts and I spotted a card she made for docrafts magazing which looked much nicer 'in the flesh'.  I wished I had time to watch her but shopping first!

The amazingly creative Cathy Walsh was there this year again with her gorgeous samples and a fantastic shop with loads of hard-to-find Tim Holtz bits and pieces and generally things you don't see in many craft shops.  Had a lovely time shopping there! Among other things I bought Spellbinders Fancy Tags Two and some lovely Artemio floursh stamps.  Also on this card are Nellie Snellen multiframe squares and Spellbinders Ironwork Motifs (used to make the flower, which is a bit bulky on top of the bow.  You live and learn LOL).

An Siopa Bui had lots of the new Spellbinders (but I couldn't find Labels 22 there, or at any of the shops) and lots of Hunkydory.  I bought the Hunkydory mag and made this card from the freebies:

We spent until we had nothing left LOL and then had to rush back after just under 2 hours.  I could have happily stayed there all weekend browsing shops and watching demonstrations.  Sigh.

On Saturday I managed to make this card but it was too dark to photograph then.  Made from Me to You Winter Wonderland paper pack.  Made my own paper clip embellie.

Thanks for visiting! Ger x.

Orangey Thankyou

Hi all.  Made this thankyou card using a Tim Holtz embossing folder, sanding and some distress inks, can't remember which colours exactly.  The flowers are from Creative Expressions, stamped with DI and using a wet paintbrush to pull the colour out.  The sentiment is Hero Arts and the embellismhents from Papermania Capsule Collection.  The little paper buttons were die cut (Die-Namics) and also distressed.  Love that button die.

I managed to get to the GBCE in Athlone on Friday morning and will show you my goodies later!

Ger x.

Forever Friends Sunday 4

Big storm on the way, say the weathermen!  This card makes me think of being warm and snug, I hope we are tonight when that storm hits!

Pop on over to Sarpreet's blog to see her cute card.

Paper: FF Cosy Christmas
Images and sentiment: docrafts Goody Bag
Snowflake die: Whiff of Joy
Gold mirri, red felt.  Green and red cardstock from Papermania.

Ger x.

Me to You Gift Bag

 

Welcome to another of Sarpreet's Me to You Saturdays.

This week, I decided to make a gift bag for a change.  I used a single sheet of Me to You 12 x 12 paper and followed this tutorial.  Hope you like!

Image: Me to You square
Papers: Me to You
Martha Stewart Punch, X-Cut flower punch, Core-dinations Gemstone blue cardstock, flower centres punched from silver Mirri, blue ribbon from stash.

Ger x.

Christmas Blessings

Hero Arts Artistic Circles background stamp white embossed then heavily inked with Chipped Sapphire.  Sentiment silver embossed onto vellum, some gems, ribbon, Whiff of Joy snowflake die, Tumbled Glass and stickles on the snowflake.

Ger x.

Penny Black Monday 3

 

It's another Sarpreet's Penny Black Monday

Image coloured with watercolour pencils, Papermania Happy Birthday papers, embellishments and tag, white gel pen.

Ger x

Hero Arts Flicker Group 90 Minute Scramble

 

Last night I managed to participate in my first Hero Arts 90 Minute Scramble - only, by the time I got a chance to start the card, there were only 30 minutes to go, and I fluffed my first attempt and had to start again.

The challenge was to use the little stamps that come with a set of clear stamps - the ones you usually don't look at or forget about, to put those to use.  I used the tiny stamps from a sentiment set, Find Joy, plus a Tim Holtz die cut and Hero Arts Blush Paper.  Stamped with Peeled Paint and Worn Lipstick.

You should have seen my kitchen table at the end of those 30 minutes!

Ger x

Me to You Saturday 3

 

Welcome to another Me to You Saturday.

This stamp came free with a docrafts magazine.  I just added some watercolour pencil blue for the nose, went over some detail with a black watercolour pencil, and used the grey Me to You ink to add some shading.  A little Glossy Accents to add shine to the nose.  Me to You papers, Papermania pink cardstock, Me to You outline stickers coloured with blue Papermania Metallic Marker, some gems, flower punch, Anita's A6 card blank.

Have a look at Sarpreet's cute little Me to You bookmark

Ger x

Penny Black Monday 2

 

 

I would have liked to take more time with this but the family insist on eating LOL!

Penny Black stamps coloured with Papermania brush markers used a s watercolours, Papermania sentiment, silver embossing powder, lots of stickles, outline stickers.  DL card cut diagonally to give downhill effect.  Papermania Festive Frolics paper.

Have a look at Sarpreet's gorgeous card!

Ger x

Forever Friends Sunday 2

 

Using a free stamp from a docrafts mag coloured with Papermania brush markers used as watercolours, Forever Friends Cosy Christmas paper, red mirri paper, gems, Forever Friends sentiment, Anita square card blank, Cuttlebug embossing folder.

Have a look at what Sarpreet has made.

Ger x.

Me to You Saturday 2

I coloured the image with Promarkers but managed to let the pen slip, so the bow is there to hide the smudge!  Me to You stamps and papers, Papermania cardstock, Anita A5 card blank, Martha Stewart punch (used the punched circles as well), embossing pen and clear embossing powder.

Have a look at what Pinky and Sarpreet have made.

Ger x