Take a breath

I've been making this card for about three weeks. It's not that it's particularly complicated but just that all the nonsense of Christmas got in the way. 
Having fed people and washed up (with help) for two days straight, I now have time to relax. 
I don't know why we tidy up before Christmas as by the end of the day nothing is in the right place and there are piles of presents and paper everywhere. I've just about got it back to normal now. 

This card started as a one layer card but having stamped. coloured and added the greeting I didn't like the layout so I cut out the flower and leaves and started again as you see here. I like this much more.

I masked off the background and stamped a few leaves. The flower cut out is embossed in silver and coloured with Distress Oxide inks and water, Then, as I usually do,  I raised it up with snips of card on the back instead of foam pads. 

The die cut sentiment is coloured with the same ink and then double embossed with clear powder which gives a smart look, I think. 

The stamps are Pink Fresh from a recent Creative Stamping magazine and the sentiment is Creative Expressions. 

I'm nipping into Pixie's Snippets Playground. Pixie, aka Di, is running a bumper prize draw over the holidays but you have to be in it to win it. Do go over and have a look if you haven't already. Thanks Di for doing this when you might understandably feel like having a well earned rest. 
You need to use at least one snippet of paper, card, wool, ribbon or anything else. I've used several scraps of card here. 

I'm pleased to have another birthday card to add to my stash and now a bit of time to work on a few more. 
Thanks for visiting and hoping you all get time to do what you love this holiday. x

Are we there yet?

Welcome to our final challenge of 2019. If you've been following our 52CCT challenges all year and playing along then Well done! Hopefully you now have a good little stash of cards all ready to post. 
Huge thanks for joining in. 😊
Our final challenge of the year runs for the whole of December so there is plenty of time to join in with those final cards. 

You can find all our previous challenges on the tabs at the top of our page. There is plenty of choice and a challenge to suit everyone. 

My card is for 'Embossing Folder Backgrounds' - March but also fits into 'Ribbon' - July

I tried a new technique - partial embossing using a diffuser. The technique leaves you with an un-embossed area to stamp or decorate as you please. 
Never one to buy something if I could make it, I used cardboard to make mine after taking advice from You Tube etc. It's very easy. I just die cut the shape from 2 pieces of cereal packet and glued together. Of course, you are restricted to using die shapes you already own. 

It took a bit of fiddling to get the sandwich right. For my Big Shot I used:
Tab 1
Cutting plate
Embossing folder with card in it. 
Diffuser
Embossing mat

Here is the result:

 I made the first one into a Christmas Card using a Robin stamp and some red ribbon. In like the traditional colours. I used the same shaped dies to make a frame which looks the same white in some lights and different in others. 

Having had so much trouble with the whites, I chose purple for the second frame. It would have been fine without a frame but the first shape was not very well defined. You can see the partial embossing effect better without the frame. 

I wasn't sure if it was worth buying diffusers as I might not use them much. Having tried it, I like the effect so I think it's something I might do quite often. 

Thanks for visiting, enjoy your day. x

Joining in with
CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge - anything goes optional quick and easy. This technique turned out much quicker than I anticipated. 

Merry Little Christmas challenge - anything goes

Twofer - Greenery and purplery

Good morning
I found myself with a little more time recently so wanted to enter a few challenges. I've missed entering as it's fun to join in, get feedback and see other people's cards but it's also inspiring to try out different styles and learn new techniques. 

So here we go with the Twofer challenge which encourages us to use the same stamp (die or stencil) in two different ways. 

My first card makes use of the smooshing technique plus dabbling into watery ink to fill in the gaps. I love the green and orange together. 
Heat embossed the leaves, I then painted in with Perfect Pearls for some shimmer. 

This one is for our 52CCT November Technique Challenge:

The next one is much more CAS. I simply stamped and embossed the branch twice and painted in with inks and the obligatory Perfect Pearls on the berries. I find in annoying when things which are actually straight look squint.

I liked it so I made two more quick cards as my stash is running low. 
I had a design in my head but finding sentiments to fit wasn't that easy. The answer is obviously to buy more sentiment stamps change the design to fit your stamps so one card has the sentiment stamped direct which works for that stamp. 

 Green and purple

 Purple and pink

Green and pink (my favourite).

The stamp is from a recent Creative Stamping magazine and is a Pink Fresh set. I love them.

Thanks for visiting, enjoy your day. x

Also popping into Pixie's Snippets playground as I have used some tiny snippets plus a few and a really old card base on the first card. 

Purple and white

Good morning. Welcome to our colour challenge at 52CCT. 

This week they are slightly unusual but you will have lots of fun:

I chose to use this snowflake die which I recently got with Die Cutting Essentials magazine. 

I cut twice and then joined the two die cuts with a craft knife in a (nearly) straight line. I could have chosen a simpler design to begin with but you know how it is when you get an idea in your head!

The background is made with Wilted Violet Distress Oxide ink and water. A combination of smooshing and spritzing. There is a little Perfect Pearls as well. 
I used a few of the cut out snowflakes and some gems to finish. 

Thanks for visiting, enjoy your day. x

November Sketch

Our first challenge of the month at 52CCT is always a sketch to here is our challenge for you this month:

Looking very Christmassy so hopefully it will inspire plenty of cards to add our gallery.

I often struggle with sketches and sometimes it helps to turn them round and look from different angles. That's what I did here:

I used stamps from the latest Creative Stamping magazine. I love these, you'll have seen me use them over the last few weeks and I've also made a birthday card which I have not yet shared. 

I stamped and embossed the leaves and painted in with Brushos. Then did the same with the flowers. The berries are pained with Perfect Pearls again. They have been on every card I've made recently. Love that shimmer.

Thanks for visiting. Enjoy your day. x

Shimmer berry

We have a lovely challenge at 52CCT this week (obviously all our challenges are lovely!). 

In case you don't know Smooshing involves putting ink and water on your acrylic block (that's what I use anyway) and smooshing it around on the paper. You get different effects depending on what paper you use. 
Here I've just used one colour of ink on watercolour paper. 
Then I stamped the leaves and embossed with clear powder. 
As a final touch I painted the berries with a little Perfect Pearl powder and water to give a lovely shimmery effect. 

I hope you get a chance to join in with this fun challenge. 
Thanks for visiting, enjoy your day. x

Happy little snowman

Here he is:

Our challenge this week at 52CCT is :

I'm sure many people will want to join in with this one. 

I use a Leane Creatif stamp set for the snowman and lights plus Card-io stamps for the wreath. 

I stamped and coloured the lights and then added Glossy Accents. Once dry, I could stamp the leaves around it and wipe any green ink off the yellow lights. 

Then a simple Inkylicious sentiment. 

Thanks for visiting, enjoy your day. x

Joining in with 

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge

Oh Christmas Tree...

A bright winter night:

We have a colour challenge for you at 52CCT this week:

I broke out my beautiful tree die and made a very simple card. The tree does all the work again against that blue. 

The background is made with Danube blue ink sponged on and then slowly, slowly spritzed with water to give a galaxy effect. I hold the spray bottle over the bath, spray and then wave the card through the falling drops. Fine drops are best. Patience is needed if you like the fine look rather than large splodges. That happens to me often and it's a different look! 
I used a tiny amount of Perfect Pearls in the water so there is a little sheen. I think I could have used more. 

Come and join in with us and you will see that we are also having at DT Call. Fancy joining the team?

Thanks for visiting, enjoy your day. x

Joining in the fun at:

Merry Little Christmas Challenge
Crimbo Crackers
The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge
Sweet Stampin' Christmas
CraftHazelnut's Christmas Challenge

October Sketch

No time to lose now if you haven't started on your Christmas Cards. At 52CCT we're here to help with ideas. The week it's a sketch:

You can flip the sketch or use different shapes but we must be able to see the basic idea. 

I've used up various bits and pieces to make this card. 
The background is a piece that I'd embossed using green ink and water but then never used. I get it out every week but it's never been quite right. This time it was perfect. 
I used another leftover piece of inked card to cut out the swirls and to stamp the sentiment. 
It is really a bit more green than it looks here. 

I like the soft look and I'm glad I finally managed to use the green embossed paper. 

Thanks for visiting, enjoy your day. x

Departure

Here is a card which is a bit of a departure for me. 

I went into the shop The Works and found myself buying a book of die cut push out shapes to layer up and make cards. I never usually do this, I'm a stamps girl. I'm not sure I can bring myself to layer them up as they are intended as you would cover up so much of the patterns. It's called 'Winter Feelings' and is so pretty. 

Anyway one of the images was perfect for this card that I was making up as I went along!

I'd used this star die to edge the card, which I think is very pretty. I used some of the stars which were cut out and glued them on the front. 

I did a little inking in pale turquoise ink on the front and around the inner sentiment. It's quite pale and doesn't really show here. 

Stamps are from an old Creative Stamping magazine and I'm not sure what brand the star die cut is. 

Join in with our challenge at 52CCT:

Thanks for visiting, enjoy your day. x

Like buses

Then like buses, two come along at once!
Here is my second card for Mrs A's Butterfly challenge. 

Your 6 elements are Lapis Lazuli /Laser Lemon/Languid Lavender/Layers/Lace +your Butterfly.

I wanted to try and use all the elements. Here is my card:

Flower centres - Lapis lazuli
Flowers - Laser Lemon
Gems - Languid Lavender
Layers in flowers and lattice
Lace Butterfly -  I was pleased and surprised to find I had a lace butterfly stamp. 

I made a small lattice and wanted it to look as though the flowers were growing up a garden trellis. I got in a bit of a sticky mess making the lattice. For some reason I used glue and not tape but I'm not sure that tape would have been less messy. Also discovered that I'd used two types of cards which were slightly different shades! That's what comes of working in the evening. No-one will notice but me. 

Thank you to Mrs A for running the challenge. Great ideas and we learn new colours every time. x

Thinking of you

Good morning

Here is a card I had to make for a sad occasion. 
For once it turned exactly as I'd planned. 

I just wanted something simple and pretty. I inked the background and spritzed lightly rather heavily with water but actually I quite like the look. 
I stamped in black and added a little gold embossing. I brushed some off before I heated. 
I'd meant to take a photo of the shine but I've sent it now so it's too late. I just wanted a little gold. It shows up when angled. 

I love inking and like these soft colours. 
I'm linking this to Mrs A's Butterfly challenge. #128 L

Here I have only used Lavender and a butterfly but I am working on a card with all 7 elements so I'd better get a wriggle on an finish it. 

xxx

Black and White

We have an unusual colour challenge for you this week at 52CCT. 

I was excited to have a go but then choosing which way to go with the challenge was difficult. I look forward to seeing all the inventive ideas in the gallery. The team have already done a great job. 

I used some simple silhouette stamps and sentiment which came with Creative Stamping magazine a while ago. 
The for extra interest I cut out snowflakes. 
It's very hard not to add a pop of colour but them's the rules!

Have fun with  our challenge. 
Thanks for visiting, enjoy your day. x

Smart snowflake

The year is flying by, as usual, and we will soon be into the chaos which comes before that day in December. Regular followers of 52CCT will have a nice, little stash of Christmas Cards all ready to send and a nice, little smug look on their faces. Lol. 
We start the new month with a sketch:

and here is my take on it:

It turned out to have a bit of a modern look which wasn't really the plant but hey. 
It's not too late to catch up and create some great cards all ready for December. 
Thanks for visiting, enjoy your day. 

What a relief

What a relief, I'm posting a card and it's not a Christmas Card. 
No it's a last minute birthday card. I used to like to plan ahead and get cards made in good time. Perhaps I'll manage that again with a bit of organisation. 

First stop for inspiration was the Butterfly challenge where Mrs A challenges us to Spin the Butterfly Wheel. 

Your 6 elements are Key Lime /Kobe/Kobi/Kraft/Knots+your Butterfly.

N.b Kobe = Dark Burgundy

       Kobi = Pink Lavender

Mrs A says she hasn't made these colours up but I'm not so sure. LOL.  My husband, who doesn't really think teal is a colour, would certainly think so. He also thinks pink is pink. 

You can choose any or all of these elements. In the end I only used the colours though I tried to get the others on. Maybe I'll have another go. 

Anyway, they are a lovely colour combination and here is my card:

I embossed the butterfly in bronze and the used inks to colour. I like the pooling effect you get with an embossed image. 

I added two strips of paper to edge and then the sentiment. It turned out almost as I envisaged. 

I did raise the butterfly up slightly with scraps of card on the back to give a little dimension but not too much. 

Thanks to Mrs A for running the challenge. 
I'm also popping into Pixie's Snippets Playground as I've used a few snippets.


Thanks for visiting, enjoy your day. x

Another new technique

I've been introduced to a new technique here at 52CCT. Netta has challenged us to use:

There are links demonstrating this technique here. It's really very  simple and I'm sure I'll have another go soon. 

I'm sure you could create all kinds of interesting effects with different colours and stamps. We look forward to seeing what you create and you have an extra week to be creative as there are 5 Saturdays this month. 

Thanks for visiting, enjoy your day. x