Thank you Di x

This week the lovely Darnell is organising a Thank you Blog Hop for the lovely Di
Di tirelessly organises and runs Pixie's Snippets Playground challenge. The idea is to help us use up all those scraps of paper and card, ribbon and wool that we all hoard. You can enter using just one snippet and there are many, many great ideas for using up all those bits and pieces. 
Di has just celebrated 7 years running the playground and we want to thank her. 
The details and the link for the blog hop are here.  

A few weeks ago I showed a card I'd made using die cut white flowers. I cut out 9 then realised when I looked at them properly that they were not all the same shade of white. As Di said, who knew there were so many shades of white before they started card making? 
So I cut some more for that card and then had some left over.  

Here is the card made using the leftover flowers. 

I painted a little Perfect Pearls powder on to the flowers so they have a little shimmer. I love the look of the coloured centres though they do remind me of yummy chocolate sweets and I don't really need to be reminded how good they are. 


I was still left with one flower so I used a scrap of inked paper and the window die which, very appropriately, I won in the playground, to make this card.

I had to use up another snipped to cut out the leaves so I still have enough to make 2698 cards before I run out of snippets. 

Thank you Darnell for having the idea, organising this and contacting everyone to take part. 
Thank you Di for the time you spend crafting, posting, commenting, choosing picks, choosing and posting prizes and  creating a fun place for us all to meet in Blog Land. Also for all the encouragement you give to new crafters and anyone feeling a little down. 

xxx

Painted Holly

Good morning and welcome to the final week of January. 

As usual we have a technique challenge for you at 52CCT. This time it's everyone's favourite:

I embossed these holly leaves in Bronze and then filled in with Brusho inks. I like painting inside embossed shapes as it makes it easier to keep the paint inside the outline! I'd love to be a skilled artist but I don't spend the time practising so this is good enough for me. 

This panel was mounted in several ways and even went into the bin before I settled on this layout. One of my favourite and most used. 
I couldn't decide on where to add a sentiment so there isn't one. 

Thanks for visiting, enjoy your day. x

Silent Night

January is rushing by, as all months do, and it is time for our theme challenge at 52CCT.
Andreja has chosen:

A lovely theme with plenty of scope. 
I made a one layer card! Perfect for posting. 

This card came out almost exactly as planned and that almost never happens. 
I sponged through a stencil and added the trees and then sponged on the moon with silvery white ink. I added a few stars with white pen. 
The sentiment looked a little plain but I think adding the holly flourishes just finished it off. I hope you think so. 

Thanks for visiting. Enjoy your day. x

Joining in with CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge

Purple and Green

Hello everyone. I hope you've had a good week. It's been chilly here but bright and clear so that makes it better. 

We have a new challenge for you at 52CCT.  This week it's a colour challenge:

I created an inky background and then embossed a tree on it. It's very simple but I do love the way inks react with water. I've used Distress Oxide Pine Needles and Memento Grape Jelly as I don't have purple oxide pad. 

A few stars finished it off. 

Thanks for visiting. Do visit the rest of the design team as they have made some great cards and as usual everyone designs something completely different. 
Enjoy you day. x

Here we go again..

Just as you are getting over Christmas, taking down the decorations and sweeping up pine needles and tinsel, we start all over again here at 52CCT.

I don't blame you for running away and hiding. Do go over and have a look though. We have fancy new watermarks designed by Gill and a talented design team including 5 excited new members. Gill has been unwell for the last year but we are hoping she will be back with us sometime this year. 

We have a sketch to inspire you this week:

I found a piece of embossed vellum which inspired this card. 

Embossing vellum gives a really cool effect. It looks rather like parchment work. Not as fancy, of course, but no where near as much work. 

I should do it more often. 

I used some tape under the ribbon and some paper fasteners to hold the vellum in place. You do need to be careful how you adhere it as most things show through. It does mean the card is quite lumpy and my first one of the year its probably too fat to post!

Thanks for visiting, enjoy your day. x