Christmas Boxes

Every year, I make some little gift boxes for family members using a We R Memory Keepers punch board that I picked up in TKMaxx. This year, I used 12x12 papers from a Make & Create pad from The Works (I really wish that they'd name these!) to make the largest size (4x4x4). They don't require any glue/tape and simply fold together - so quick to make! I cut some simple gift tags using an old Sizzix Bigz die from some snippets of silver glitter card, then added a snowflake (cut from matching plain card using dies from a Tim Holtz/Sizzix set called 'Paper Snowflakes Mini'), and attached them to the boxes using some white organza ribbon.

Challenges for these boxes:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Alphabet Challenge - R is for Ribbon
• As You Like It - Anything Festive
• Creative Moments - It's a Wrap!
• Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Wrap It Up
• The Sisterhood of Crafters - Christmas

Signs of the Season

Today's card was made using the other elements of the prize I won over at the Allsorts Challenge recently...a set of clear stamps and matching dies set from Oakwood Archer called 'Signs of the Season'. I started by stamping the large star onto some teal card using Versamark ink, then heat embossing it using metallic silver embossing powder from WOW before using the coordinating die to cut it out. I then used the edge dies to cut the side panels from some more teal card, adding an embossed sentiment using a stamp from the 'Christmas Hats' set by Anita Jeram for the Colorado Craft Company, then layered all the elements over some silver mirror card. 

Challenges for this card:

• A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes
• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• C.R.A.F.T. - Christmas
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Krafty Chicks - Christmas

ABC Christmas Challenge - Y & Z are for?

We have a fun new ABC Christmas Challenge starting today...Helene is the host, and the themes are:

'Y is for Yummy'

&

'Z is for Zebra'

(Stripes and/or Black & White)

The prize for the lucky winner is these Chocolate Baroque and Woodware stamps:

For my 'Y is for Yummy' card, I used a Christmas Pudding stamp from Personal Impressions, stamping it onto a snippet of watercolour paper, along with a sentiment using a stamp from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous, then coloured it using watercolour pencils. For the background, I used snippets of pudding-covered paper from the 'Peppermint Forest' pad by Craftwork Cards, trimming them into squares. I distressed all of the edges, then added faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen, then matted the pudding image onto a snippet of kraft card, then the paper squares onto some pink card before adding it to a kraft card blank.

For my 'Z is for Zebra' card, I went with the 'Stripes' option, choosing a piece of silver stripey paper from the 'Silent Night' pad by First Edition for my background, and matted it onto some silver mirror card. I took one of the 'plainish' pieces of paper from the same pad, and stamped the largest snowflake from a Stampendous set called 'Delicate Snowflakes' onto it using Versamark ink, then heat embossed it using metallic silver embossing powder from WOW. Using the matching die, I cut out the snowflake, then added it onto the stripey background using some 3D foam pads.

I'm also entering these cards into the following challenges:

• Addicted to CAS - Metallic (Second card only)
• Allsorts - Anything Goes (First card only)
• CAS on Friday - (Second card only)
• Christmas Kickstart - Anything Christmassy (First card only)
• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes (Second card only)
• Creative Inspirations - 'Tis the Season (First card only)
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets (First card only)
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Use Dies (Second card only)

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the ABC Christmas Challenge.

Poinsettia Panel

Today's card features part of a prize that I won recently over at the Allsorts Challenge...a lovely sentiment die by Tonic Studios. I started by stamping my 'Poinsettia Panel' stamp (from Stamps by Chloe) onto some black card using Versamark ink, then heat embossed it using metallic gold embossing powder from WOW, then watercoloured it using Cosmic Shimmers mica pigments mixed with a little water. I cut the sentiment from a snippet of gold mirror card, then layered it over the stamped and coloured panel. I matted it all onto some more gold mirror card before adding it to a white card blank.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Anything Goes
• As You Like It - Gold, Silver or Glitter (I love using gold on Christmas cards (especially on a dark background) to give a really luxurious feel)
• Flower Challenge - Christmas Florals
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Use Dies
• Sparkles Forum Christmas - Poinsettia
• We Love Stamping - Red & Green

PBSC December - Anything Goes (Optional 'Snow/Snowmen')

It's the first Saturday of the month, so that means it's time for a new Penny Black Saturday Challenge...where the theme is:

'Anything Goes'

or

'Snow/Snowmen'

We are currently without a sponsor, so this challenge is just for fun.

I have a fairly 'healthy' collection of Penny Black snowman stamps, and picked 'What a Snow!' to make a large 8x8 square card. I stamped it onto watercolour paper, added a sentiment using a stamp from the 'Joy to the World' set, also by Penny Black, then coloured it using watercolour pencils. I paired it with some pastel coloured papers from the 'Snowscape' pad by Woodware...I distressed the edges, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. I cut some snowflakes from matching pastel card snippets using dies from the 'Paper Snowflakes Mini' set by Tim Holtz for Sizzix, then added those to the card with some little gems in their centres.

I'm also entering this card into the following challenges:

• Aud Sentiments - Non-traditional Christmas and/or Winter + Sentiment
• Fab 'N' Funky - Christmas
• Jingle Belles - Anything Christmassy
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Use Dies
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Use Dies

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the Penny Black Saturday Challenge.

Little Snowy Gift Tag

I have a little gift tag to share today...featuring a Penny Black snowman stamp from the 'Holly Jolly' set. I stamped him onto a snippet of watercolour paper, coloured him using watercolour pencils, then carefully cut around the top of the image. I stamped my Simon Says Stamp 'Falling Snow' background stamp onto a kraft tag using Versamark ink, then heat embossed it using white embossing powder. I added the snowman to the tag, then carefully trimmed the excess before adding some pink baker's twine to attach it to the gift.

Here it is on the present:

Challenges for this tag:

• Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes
• I Spy With My Little Eye - Something Festive for Christmas
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
• Polkadoodles - Anything Goes

December Desk Calendar

As it's the first day of the month, I'm sharing the December page of my desk calendar. I picked one of the stamps from the 'Christmas Critters' set by Penny Black, stamping it onto a snippet of watercolour paper, coloured it using watercolour pencils, then carefully cut it out. For the background, I used a snippet of patterned paper from the 'Peppermint Forest' pad by Craftwork Cards, and layered a snippet of white card, with a torn edge, over the top. I matted it all onto a snippet of kraft card, then added it to my calendar.

Challenges for this calendar:

• Creative Fingers - Anything Goes
• Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes