Heirloom Christmas with a Shiny Red Bow

It may not be your obvious choice of Christmas pattern but I just love the houndstooth background builder die in the WMS Heirloom Patterns set.  For me this pattern is synonymous with shopping at David Jones which is where most of my Christmas shopping was done when I used to live in Sydney.  It was the department store in Sydney and the Christmas displays were AMAZING. I can still remember as a young child going into the city at Christmas time to see the decorated store fronts - it was a simply magical time of the year.

The present is a Sizzix Original die.  I've cut several layers at once so that it stands out more - no problem for the Sizzix Original Dies which can cut very thick layers.   A little glossy accents really made the red bow shine and I think it looks striking against the black and white houndstooth.  The Holly from the Tim Holtz Holiday Lamp Post adds even more festive spirit.

The sentiment from WMS Ornate Ornaments fitted perfectly on this Spellbinders Classic Oval which I matted with a Spellbinders Floral Oval - particularly festive with it's little star border. 

I am entering these cards in the last WMS Fanatics Challenge which closes tomorrow.  Deb and Tara and more recently Kathy, have done a wonderful job creating fortnightly challenges for us die hard WMS Fanatics.   This last challenge is an Anything Goes Challenge so I've spent the last few weeks linking anything I've created during this busy time of the year.  That's not hard when Waltzing Mouse Stamps have some of the most brilliant Christmas sets on the market (and I own most of them) !!!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great new year,

Kate

Art Deco New Year

No matter how organised you are with your Christmas card list (and I never am), there always seems to be someone you have overlooked, or you get a card late Christmas eve from someone you didn't expect and you realise they weren't on your list.  One could just accept defeat and put them on the top of next year's list or send a New Year's card.  Here is such a card.

I've used the WMS Art Deco Backgrounds for the background and WMS Putting on the Ritz for the sentiment.  I mounted the sentiment on a self matting WMS Pretty Panel #2.  Some glittery Quickutz photo corners and some glittery Sizzix Original Confetti added a little sparkle !!!

I'm entering this in the last ever Waltzing Mouse Fanatics Challenge

Thanks for stopping by,
Kate

Compliments of the Season

The theme over at the Curtain Call this fortnight is Candy Canes, which gave me the opportunity to try something I've had in my head for a while - to cut a panel stamped with WMS Pinstripes on the diagonal so it looks more festive.

This is a card I made for one of Simon's doctors - they love getting photo cards from him.  I've cut the pinstriped panel with a fishtail pennant shape and used this to spotlight the photo of Simon cut into a star shape ('cos he's a star) !!!   A sentiment from WMS Compliments of the Season fitted nicely under the banner.

I'm also entering this card in the last ever Waltzing Mouse Fanatics Challenge.

Thanks for stopping by,

Kate

Perfectly Matted Label

I don't know about anyone else but I have always wanted to mat labels perfectly and have spent a fortune on Spellbinders Labels trying to achieve the effect.  Then Claire Brennan of Waltzing Mouse Stamps has this brilliant idea of making dies which are self matting.  So far there are three self matting labels she has designed - this is Pretty Panel #1.  I'm hoping she brings out a larger one soon so it can accommodate some of the larger WMS sentiments in my collection.

I had some bits and bobs left over from previous crafting efforts and I needed one last Christmas card, so I combined this glossily accented Tim Holtz mini reindeer with a panel I had stamped in Satin Red Versafine using the WMS Vintage Christmas Backgrounder, a sentiment from WMS 'Tis the Season which was mounted on a matted WMS Pretty Panel # 1 and a stamped and cut WMS Festive Foliage Holly Sprig.

I am entering this card in the Waltzing Mouse Fanatics Challenge 33 which is Anything Goes.  If you love Waltzing Mouse Stamps as much as I do, head on over and play along.  Sadly it's their final challenge so let's make it memorable for Deb, Tara and Kathy - and difficult to choose a winner for the prize that's up for grabs (a £20 gift voucher at the WMS store).

Thanks for stopping by,
Kate

Saved by the Tag

Christmas has managed to creep up on me again, thanks to a bronchial infection which has done the rounds of the family and finally me.  Thankfully I produced a large batch of gift tags using the brilliant WMS Stitched Tag die a few weeks back and I've been able to match them to the various wrapping papers I've used for my presents, which has made wrapping presents sooo much easier.

I found the "Merry Christmas" sentiment and the "from" and "to" from WMS Ornate Ornaments fitted perfectly on the tags and they've been mounted on acrylic blocks for a few weeks now.  It was then just a matter of choosing what ink colour to use and a suitable image.

I used a sentiment from Alpine Christmas on this blue snowflake tag which took seconds to make.

But I think this one has to be my favourite.  I added Glossy Accents to a Memorybox plush Bow and attached it to this stamped and cut gift.

I'm entering this in the Waltzing Mouse Fanatics Challenge 33 which sadly is the last one.  

Thanks for stopping by,

Kate

Universal Goodwill

I added some Waltzing Mouse magic to some plain wine bottle boxes.  I'm not sure if Claire had this in mind when she designed these stamps in the Seasonal Remedies set, but they seemed perfect for the job.  

My first attempt (on the right) involved placing a few WMS Snowflakes Two down the centre and labels on the top.  But then I realised that the labels resembled bottle labels so I placed them further down and just added a single WMS Snowflake Three to the top.  A medium WMS Stitched Tag and some organza ribbon finishes off the set.

Here are some more close ups of the label and snowflakes

On the second box, I coated the labels with Glossy Accents so they more resembled wine labels.  

I am entering these in the WMSFC 33 which is Anything Goes and sadly their last one,

and Male Room Challenge 25 which has a theme of Christmas.

Thanks for stopping by,

Kate

More Late Christmas Presents

I made these black, white and gold tags to match the pretty wrapping paper I used on these presents, with WMS Stitched Tags, WMS Snowflake Two and WMS Ornate Ornaments.  Initially I was going to die cut a white snowflake and mount it on a black medium stitched tag but then I thought it would be fun to use a negative die cut and this was what I came up with.

This sentiment from WMS Ornate Ornaments works perfectly on the bottom edge of the largest stitched tag and there is plenty of space to write gift details subtly obscured from view on the area that falls behind the upper tags.  I was thinking also that the top two layers could be reused by the recipients.

I am entering these tags in the final  Waltzing Mouse Fanatics Challenge 😢!

Thanks for stopping by,
Kate

Some Late Presents and Sad News

I know Christmas comes at the same time each year but for some reason it always catches me unawares.  Three craft fairs and a nasty bug which did the rounds of the family, eventually getting me too, have really undone me this year.  

These presents should have been in the post two weeks ago so I am not holding much hope for them arriving before Christmas.  Someone suggested that I shop on Amazon - as if someone at Amazon would put the love into wrapping and tagging these gifts that I do.  Christmas isn't just about spending money on someone is it (which is just as well 'cos we're pretty broke this Christmas), it's about showing that you care.  And I hope these presents show that, even if they're late.  Anyway Christmas is a season not a day !!!

The sad news is that the Waltzing Mouse Fanatics Challenge is closing.  There is a prize for their last challenge so head on over for their  last challenge which is Anything Goes as long as you use WMS products.  I'm entering these gift tags which I made to match the purple paper I used to wrap these presents.

I made double tags using the larger two WMS Stitched Tag Dies.  I got this idea from Claire Brennan, of Waltzing Mouse Stamps.  I stamped the upper tag with the smallest of the WMS Gingham and Co gingham backgrounds because there was gingham in the paper, and topped it with a Tim Holtz Mini Deer.  The Base Tag I stamped with sentiments from WMS Ornate Ornaments.  I used Dusty Concord Distress Ink for the gingham and the sentiment. I have all these pretty papers but it's often easier to make my own backgrounds and not have to worry about matching ink colours.

Thanks for stopping by,

Kate

Blue Snowflakes

I've been busy writing Christmas cards this week and of course found myself short so I came up with this quick card based on the sketch which is Waltzing Mouse Fanatics Challenge 32.

I die cut 5 of the WMS Snowflake 2 from pale blue and lined them up in two columns on some white card,  coloured some white pearls with a silver BIC Mark it pen and placed them in the centres of the snowflakes and then stamped a sentiment from WMS Alpine Christmas and embossed it in silver.

Thanks for stopping by,

Kate

Wedding Blues and Lilacs

A friend asked me to make up a wedding card in blue and lilac.  I struggled at first until I remembered this beautiful paper from Kaisercraft Utopia.  

I attached some paper to foam board and cut two primitive hearts from an Ellison Thick Cuts die.  I then partially cut one of the hearts from the other so they would nestle up close together and gave them a good coat of glossy accents to make sure they stay that way.

The sentiment is from WMS Big Day Additions.  I've mounted it on a Spellbinders Replendent Rectangle.  I tried some WMS Funky Flowers in the top left corner, but I just couldn't get them to sit right given the space available.  I ended up using these die cut loopy flowers.  They were cut with a Cuttlebug die but I can't remember what they're called since they were one of the first dies I ever owned and the packaging is long gone.  I gave them a liberal dose of Glossy Accents as well.

The envelope is stamped with a WMS Funky Flower.  I also stamped another and cut it out with the matching die to make an elegant envelope seal.  WMS Cutting Edge Dies cut so well that the double sided tape I attached to the back of the image didn't phase it.  If you're sending something through the post any embellishments have to be stuck down well or you risk losing them, or worse having your card mangled.

I'm entering this in the WMS Fanatics Challenge 31 - Flowers.  

Thanks for stopping by,

Kate   

Baby Girl Card

I recently bought the Memory Box Baby Carriage die and have been itching to use it.  I knew it would be beautifully paired with this sentiment from the WMS Big Day Today set.

I used a partial Label 14 die to frame the sentiment.  It reminds me of a cloud and I've dangled a die cut star, moon (cut one circle from another) and heart from it so it resembles a crib mobile.

The inside easel sentiment is computer generated - it's just something that came to me based on the front scene, though I dare say I'm not the first to think of it.  I tried to keep the font sympathetic to Claire's beautifully scripted Welcome sentiment.  Again I used a partial Label 14 die so that it matched the front.  

The little baby carriage on the envelope was stamped with an old wooden mounted stamp.  I last used  used this ten years ago when I made the birth announcements for Simon.

Thanks for stopping by,

Kate

Sassy Red Dress for Christmas

Evening all.  Using a very old Sizzix Original die I cut this dress, shoes and handbag from red satin.  It looked so festive I couldn't resist making it into a Christmas card though this was not the original intention.  The sentiment is one I thought up myself so I had to rely on the word processor.  I'm not really happy with the sentiment - the spacing of that capital "S" is not right.  I fiddled with character spacing and letter sizes but this was the best I could manage.

Thanks for stopping by - especially if you take the time to comment,

Kate

Box of Delights

I've made up a box of stamping goodies for Simon's friend Jess who's having her birthday tomorrow.  It was her idea not mine - though I'm always happy to advocate my favourite pastime.

I've upcycled a shoe box.  It was for a girl's pair of boots (courtesy of Simon's friend Niamh) so was already covered in a pretty pink paper.  I've created panels to hide all traces of the box's previous existence using a free stamp from Craft Stamper and WMS Splat That.    The colours are from the last Waltzing Mouse Fanatics Challenge and match the card I made for her earlier.

Using a set like this is not easy for a borderline OCD neat person like myself but once I surrendered to the freedom of mess I really enjoyed it.  Of course it does help that Claire has created a fabulous little set here.

There was a hole in the side of the box so I created a hole in the panel and used it to poke scraps of ribbon through - just what every budding card maker needs.

This may be a bit cheeky but I'm entering this in the November Pyjama Party Wrap it up Challenge.   It's not warm and cozy but I think the splattered background gives a certain comfy and cozy feel to it - like an old pair of dungarees LOL !!!

Once again thanks for stopping by,
Kate

Country Christmas Blessings

Pyjama Party Time Again !!!  Yippee !!!

This is my entry for the Bedtime Sketch, though it is somewhat more ordered than the sketch really called for.  Perhaps I'll go back to the drawing board and try again, if I have time.  Simon and I are going to a birthday party tomorrow, so not sure it will happen.

Using stamps from WMS Country Labels 4,  I built up a background of houses in Festive Berries and Evergreen Bough Distress Inks.  To mute the colours I overlaid a sheet of vellum.  To hide the tape that was needed to secure the vellum, I overlaid photo corners from Tim Holtz ATC and corners.

This is really a Thanksgiving sentiment rather than a Christmas one, but given  the red and green colour scheme and the sprig of holly, I think it works rather well.  The label has been mounted on a gingham panel which was stamped with smallest check from WMS Gingham and Co. set.  I'm getting great use from this set which I ordered just last month for my birthday - should have ordered it years ago !!!

The holly on the card is from the Tim Holtz Holiday Lamppost and has been given the glossy accents treatment to make it shine.   The envelope was stamped with the a sprig of holly from the Festive Foliage set.  I only realised last night that I have the die for the festive foliage holly and could have used it for the card as well. 

I've catalogued all the stamps and die cuts I possess in my iPhoto library and I use key words like sentiment, Christmas, birthday, thanks, baby etc in the description.  When I need something I search this catalogue and it helps me locate where the physical stamp or die cut is stored.  It saves me time usually and helps me when my Mojo is running low.  However, occasionally I slip up - must make a point of  using this die before Christmas.   I would love to know how others keep track of their stash.

I'm also entering it in Festive Friday Challenge 14 which has the following inspirational photo

and the current Make it Monday which has the theme

Berries and Foliage

Thanks for stopping by,

Kate

Cozy Christmas Tote

In this month's WMS Pyjama Party Claire has challenged us to create some gift wrapping/gift bag or box with a cozy feel to it. 

I've created this little tote bag with my Cameo.  The panels have been stamped with WMS Vintage Christmas Backgrounder in Versafine Red Satin.  I layered a red Snowflake #3 and white glitter Snowflake #2 to adorn the bag.

Thanks for stopping by,

Kate

Red Robin Tags

I made up these tags for the WMS Pyjama Party Scandi Tags category.  They're not very Scandinavian with their French sentiments and distressed edges, but Claire said red and white would probably pass muster so here they are.

The WMS Stitched Tags have been stamped with a sentiment from the WMS Say it Loud Winter Holiday set in Festive Berry Distress Ink.  The little Memory Box Meadow Bird was cut from red glitter card as was the grommet for the tag.  The To and From on the back are from the WMS Ornate Ornaments set.

Thanks for stopping by
Kate

Alpine Christmas Wishes

I wasn't so happy with the debossed sky from my previous card so I had the idea of using this polka dot border stamp from WMS Gingham and Co. for the snowy night sky.  Once again I've used the WMS Alpine Christmas set, this time for the mountain range which was cut with its matching die.  This sentiment is from the newer WMS 'Tis the Season set.   I'm loving the bold flourished sentiments in this set - they add a real elegance to a very simple card design.  I made up 6 of these in an evening, applied some glossy accents to the deer and left them to dry over night.

I'm entering this card in the WMS Pyjama Party Old Pyjamas category.

Thanks for stopping by,

Kate

Shiny Red Deer

I fell in love with the red/white/black colour combination on these cards I made last week, so I've used it again.  This is one of my favourite sentiments from one of my favourite older sets - WMS Alpine Christmas and I'm entering this in the Old Pyjamas category of the WMS November Pyjama Party.  The pyjama party is a great opportunity to get inspiration for old and new WMS sets and the fact that there's a chance to win some more Waltzing Mouse Stamps is an added bonus.

The Mini Tim Holtz Deer has been given the Glossy Accents treatment, and the skyline has been given a snowy makeover.  A Memory Box Star of Wonder is set in a Swiss Dots debossed sky.

Thanks for stopping by,

Kate

Colourful Mess

One of Simon's friends is having a birthday party this weekend.  She wants a kit for card making for her birthday so I had this idea for her birthday card using the Waltzing Mouse Splat That set and this freebie stamp from Craft Stamper.  

I was going to save it up for the WMS Pyjama Party on Friday night because I was inspired by the Bedtime Story Sketch.  However when I saw the colours in WMS Fanatics Challenge 30 (two of which are Jessie's favourites), I thought I'd enter it there instead.

When I loaded the photos I realised the problem with colour challenges and indoor photography.  Those murky crimson splats are actually stamped with Dusty Concord Distress Ink and are purple IRL and the Shabby Shutters Distress Ink looks more yellow here than green.  At least the Picked Raspberry and Peacock Feathers resemble their true colours.  

I punched 1" squares in matching colours and assembled them on another piece of card.  I then stamped the image on this panel.  I stamped it again in white and fussy cut out the jar and utensils, painted them with one of those water pens and the same inks I had used for the background.  You can't see it in the photo but I applied Glossy Accents to the jar.  I mounted this panel on a black Spellbinders Postage Square.

The sentiment is from the Waltzing Mouse Big Day - Today set.

Thanks for stopping by,
Kate

Seeing Stars

My friend Jo asked if I could make a card for her to give to friends who celebrated turning 40 last weekend.  They're both American and accomplished musicians so I created this card with his and hers shaker stars filled with red, white and blue seed pearls and musical motifs.  The stars and striped DP were also a nod to their American heritage.

The stars were cut using the 2 largest Sizzix Star Framelits and layered up to give a good thickness to allow the shaker elements to move freely. 

The numbers were cut with a PTI die, the Musical motifs were cut with a Memory Box die and the Congrats was cut with a Clearly Besotted die.   Liberal amounts of Glossy Accents were applied to all the elements.  I also punched/die cut 40 confetti stars to go inside the card. 

Shaker cards are certainly much easier to make with die cutting machines and Framelits and Spellbinders dies to do the aperture cutting.  Who remembers the old days of using a craft knife to cut the inside window ???

Thanks for stopping by, especially if you take the time to leave a comment,

Kate