Christmas Cards

Hi Everyone

Ok so this year I decided I would make every single Christmas card that I send.  What I normally do is only make a few special ones for close family and friends and then use bought ones for the rest.  So I needed something quick and easy as I only started on Sunday afternoon.  Et voila, (I love it when Raymond Blanc says this on his cookery programmes), 5 hours later I have 25 matching Christmas cards and I have to say I love them.

I've used Crafters Companion Matte Black  card along with Crafters Companion Kraft card as the base and the main matting on the cards.  The matting and die cut piece is embossed first using an A4 snowflake embossing folder and then cut using a memory box die Grand Merry Christmas.  The folder is no longer available but they will be back next year ad there are lots of other snowflake folders out there.  I have to say using an A4 folder was a complete easy peasy way to batch make cards as it was less passes through my ebosser.  To complete I have added a die cut and stamped penguin, using Poppy stamp Arctic penguin and matching die set, coloured with my Spectrum Noir Markers and then the last thing is a wooden heart button I bought at the NEC.  I coloured the ones on the kraft background in black and they look fab but the photograph hasn't come out very clear.

Colours used, DR4, GB6 and CR3

Hope you like them

Louise xx

FOOD!!!!

Hi Everyone

The Spectrum Noir Blog Challenge for December is food............  So i have chosen a Lily of the Valley stamp i bought ages ago and had not even used once............  This one is called Icing the Cake.

All of the colours of the Spectrum Noir pens used are on the spectrum noir blog page and I've used crafters companion black matt card stock for the base.  Then some red card from my stash and the patterned paper is from Colemans when i demoed a couple of weeks ago.  Claire and i bought 2 packs and shared them.  Its an A4 paper maker pack in cream and black and its gorgeous, we also got the pink and blue too....  Then I've cut my coloured image out with the circle die from the Chantilly lace diesire die and used the black card stock for the matching Chantilly lace die.  I've also used some Frantage on the edge of my image, the smallest tag from the scalloped tag  diesire set and finished with a bit of matching black ribbon.

This card has gone to my friend Audrey who called me the other night to say she loved it. I'm just about to lock myself away in my craft room to make some more Christmas cards.  I am not allowed out until i am done as i have left it far to late this year.

Hope you like it and don't forget to pop over to the blog and take part for a fabby prize.

Louise xx.

Crafters Companion Blog Challenge - Ribbon/Twine

Hi Everyone

How amazing are those sweet treat boards...........  i just love them.  I've only demoed with them once but watched Claire too at Colemans a couple of weeks ago and some of the things you can make for gifts is fab.

So with another Crafters Companion challenge coming up for December i though it would be perfect to add some ribbon both faux card and real ribbon to my gable box.

So I've used the Sweet Things board for this box and followed Sara's you tube clip to follow so i got it right.  The card i have used is black crafters card adn then some patterned card from my stash.  Its from a 12 x 12 " pad from First edition Noir et Chic, i love it and it only comes out for special occasions.  I think i am going to make some hand made chocolates to add to this one.  The card bow is made using a template from the Sweet Treat CD and is so easy to make and lots of different sizes.  I've then stamped a Just for you sentiment from the Love is all you need sentimental stamp set and then matted onto a die cut using the Chantilly Frame die set.  The to complete I've added some black organza ribbon.

There's still time to take part so pop over and enter............  what have you got to lose.

And now to some pics from mine and Leanns London trip.  We had such a fab time but unfortunately she needed to jump of the train at Peterborough instead of coming all the way home with me as she has shows on create and craft.

Lots of drink, food and shopping with a fab show thrown in too, Jersey Boys.










And then a piccie with Jake Wood from Eastenders aka Max Branning.  He was sitting next to me in the theatre.

Hope you like it.


Louise

Little Ivy

Hi Everyone

I've been so busy that's its been a whole month since I've posted and i even missed the post of my next crafty make on the spectrum noir blog.  It went up on the 16th November i think.  But, its been a busy month what with the NEC, then a demo at Graces Middlesbrough and then this weekend gone at Colemans in Rushden.  I'm not complaining, i wouldn't have it any other way...............  although i need a weekend off soon.

Sooooooooo, tomorrow Leann and i are off to the big smoke.  We've been talking about this for a while and finally have been able to fit it in.   We leave tomorrow, hopefully if the trains are running......  what a weekend to pick........  although there is always plan B if there are no trains, drive to Peterborough and drop Leanns TV samples off ready for next week and then a quick train journey into Kings cross.  i think its only about 45 mins - an hour.  So either way we will get there and I'm sure i will have some photos to share with you.

Anyway, here's my card for the Spectrum noir Christmas blog challenge November, sorry you cant enter now as its finished.  Although there is another one already up for December so i will have to be quick and share that one.

I've used a Lily of the valley image, Little Ivy, coloured with my fabby brand new Spectrum Noir Pens, colours are on the Spectrum blog.  The base is our fab new Crafters Companion Kraft Card, with red coredinations embossed using a holly embossing folder.  Hope you have one as they are all sold out although a mistletoe 6x6 is still available and would be just as good.  The patterned paper is from my stash as is the ribbon.  I've also die cut a bow using the same embossed coredinations and a stamp from the Mistletoe kisses sentimental stamp set using fired brick distress ink.

Hope you like it.

Louise