Time for a Christmas card swap?

Yes that's right it must be time for you all and I mean ALL of you to get your Christmas stash out and start on your Christmas cards. How about I give you a helping hand and force you into making five cards to give away and in return you get five beautiful cards made by other lovely people to spur you and your imagination on even further!

The last two swaps were both fantastic with a lovely selection of cards created in different styles but all wonderful. Here is the post I made about the swap in July and this one about the one from May.

This time I intend to have the swap over October so all you need to do is let me know you intend to join in by emailing me at catiecuddles@yahoo.co.uk, create five similar cards (some people struggle with them being the same so I just ask for similar) and then get those to me in the post (details via email) with a stamped addressed envelope and in return by mid November you should have a little parcel filled with lovely cards delivered to the door! Couldn't be more simple!

So if you fancy joining in please just get in touch and then you have three weeks to get your cards made and in the post to me!

And to start the inspiration flowing you could be receiving a card such as this from me ...


... Or something completely different!!!

Looking forward to hearing from you and of course seeing what you create.


Happy crafting!

Catherine
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Exciting news...

... I am officially a Stampin Up demonstrator! My first brown package should arrive tomorrow with some goodies in it and then I am all set to go!

I am also moving blog and have been familiarising myself with using it so there are a few posts already up ... Why don't you go have a look ... Https://catiecuddles.wordpress.com

I am not completely set up with links to the catalogue or anything yet but if there is something you fancy and want to put an order in of any kind just email me at catiecuddles@yahoo.co.uk and I will contact you to sort it out etc.

This blog will remain open and most of the time I will be posting to the other blog but please don't unsubscribe this one just yet ... I promise there will be some bits and pieces shared here too! I would however love some new followers over at my new blog as I don't want to be lonely so please pop over to see me, leave me a message to say hi and if you like what I do then a follow would be great!

And one little card to share tonight from a batch made a while ago...




Cute little decoupage bunny with some flowers ... Cutesy indeed!

Happy crafting all!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad which means I probably haven't proof read the above and there is likely to be rubbish included that I probably should have thought about more! So please accept this post as it is and sorry that I didn't take more care!

Another scrap page

Tonight I went on a bit of a departure... I did a scrap page that was well out of my comfort zone and I took the lead on something!

I was in need of some quiet 'me' time tonight and decided I wanted to do a scrap page and handily Kirsty Wiseman hosts a Wednesday night online scrapping thing every so often and one of the group asked if we were cropping tonight so I suggested that even if Kirsty wasn't I was happy to search online and find us a sketch ... People agreed ... So that's what happened. I sincerely hope the lovely Kirsty doesn't mind we followed something other than her sketch etc and doesn't think I was taking over her Facebook group ... I was just in need of scrapping and company from afar in a strange sort of mood kind of way!

Anyways ... The sketch I found courtesy of Pinterest ... Which led me to this blog




Now I am usually a much more linear and clean scrapper so this was definitely out of my comfort zone and at first I was happily choosing papers etc ... But then the inner clean and smile me started to freak a little... Too many patterns too much going on! But I persisted and although I'm not 100% happy I am happy enough!





I used the Twitterpated designer series paper from SU and the stamping is a mix of stuff from the stash pile to be honest no idea what make of stamp they are but they seemed to fit the bill for the wonderful mix of patterns etc.

The next struggle was with the embellishments as I felt it needed something but couldn't quite decide what so went in the drawer and found random buttons and a bronze charm so decided these would do ok although not sure if I actually need something else as well as it doesn't quite seem finished!

I suppose the pushing my limits was interesting as experiences go ... Looking forward to doing another page which is much more me next time ... But I also loved the memories this photo brought for me as I loved maya in her little poncho and I love how chubby her cheeks were at that age. So so cute!

Now it's bedtime for me and I would like to thank anyone who came to see my scrap page and hope that you might give me some constructive criticism too! What do you think of the page . What else does it need?

Happy crafting!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad which means I probably haven't proof read the above and there is likely to be rubbish included that I probably should have thought about more! So please accept this post as it is and sorry that I didn't take more care!

I made some cards

Tonight I had some friends round for chat and craft time although two didn't want to craft I forced them into some stamping! I made me card using some dies and pretty bits of paper and immediately wrote it and sealed it in the envelope ... Forgetting of course to take a pic. Sorry!

Then from the stamping I did with my friends stamp set I made some cards!

No challenges for these to compete in ... Just some plain old blogging.










These were all created using the Stampin up stamp set that actually belong to my friend and using poppy parade, lucky limeade and island indigo ink and the twitterpated designer series paper which I had ordered from the last mini catalogue. It's the first bit of crafting I've managed to do in over a week and although I was in the mood to craft I did struggle a little knowing how to cope with the heavy pattern on both the stamp and the papers but in the end I was happy with them all.

Of course i was happiest of all to see my friends and have ourselves a good catch up and giggle.

Hopefully some more craft time will be had this week so you will see me again soon and hopefully when you do I will have some crafting news for you!

Happy crafting all and thanks for popping by ... I'd love to know what you thought of the cards so please leave me a comment!

Ps I may blog some more before I sleep as the hubby is still awake and watching tv. But then again I am shattered so maybe not?!?



Posted using BlogPress from my iPad which means I probably haven't proof read the above and there is likely to be rubbish included that I probably should have thought about more! So please accept this post as it is and sorry that I didn't take more care!

Another scrap page

Really enjoying scrapping again so this morning made another page from some pics a friend gave me from our rock climbing experience for her daughters birthday.


I am really really pleased with this page... I think it's my favourite ever page I've constructed. I think for once I took it slowly rather than just going for it and sticking stuff down I paused and thought about it and tried things out for quite a while before settling on the final layout. I suppose the only thing I don't feel as happy about is the for and the the but they will do!

I used a new stamp I got in the sale box at a local craft shop which has recently changed ownership and so some stock is being moved out. I really wanted the mandala stamp from SU but couldn't justify the cost ... This wood mount stamp was only £3.49 and I think is a good alternative! I stamped it in the background on the green pearlescent card as a random pattern in the old olive so that it was a watermark.

Then I used scraps of the cream and the patterned paper which is double sided to create the little tags and mixed in some grosgrain ribbon too to add a different texture. The cream tags I inked the edges with the green to add some extra depth too. I spent ages clustering the tags in different ways before I was happy with them too.

Then a strip of the striped paper placed down the middle although slightly over to the left. Then I affixed the photos with a cream mat to them. I had cut down the ones of Hubby and I to make them fit nicely and left Maya's at 6x4. Then I added the title using two different alpha stamps for the middle words and the flocked letters for the reach and top.

Then I decided it needed a theme embellishment and didn't plump for the usual flowers as they weren't flowery pics at all. I had a hunt through the stamp stash and decided instead on the star stamp that came with a magazine a while ago.

I stamped it in the rose red and the old olive onto the cream cardstock and cut them out and then affixed them using pin flair to keep some dimension to them, having shaped them in my hand so they are slightly domed.

Then the card candi came out and I happen to have a pack that toned perfectly with the patterned paper. These I chose them at random and made a splatter effect with them over the three focus areas.

As I said earlier I am do pleased with this page and the way it came out.

Thanks for coming to have a peep and please leave me a comment as I'd love to know what you thought!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad which means I probably haven't proof read the above and there is likely to be rubbish included that I probably should have thought about more! So please accept this post as it is and sorry that I didn't take more care!

Scraptastic

Tonight the wonderful Kirsty Wiseman relaunched her live crop and although I was a little late to the party I really wanted to join in and so decided to scrap as soon as the stream had finished. Kirsty had provided the sketch as follows...




... And from this I created the following...





My starting point when I do a page is always the photo so I can colour balance and decide on the tone of the layout etc. so this photo is one of the princess and my hubby in Nottingham a few years ago doing what they do wherever they go ... Eat icecream!

So I decided to pick up in the pink in the photo and chose the cardstock from the big pile I have accordingly. I then chose some other cardstock from the coordinating pack to create some of the strips underneath the picture and top right. I decided to use a doily too to soften it as the papers were quite dark and broody and some of the beautiful trim I had bought in Scotland. I raided the crafty drawers that are desperately in need of a sort and found some stickers and chose the father and daughter ones and then found some letter stickers to add the Nottingham underneath the trim. Then I couldn't quite decide on other embellishments and settled for the wooden flowers I am never sure what to do with but quite like them clustered. I found some black and grey pearl type dots and so decided to add them in a row on both sides too and then choosing a title was tricky. Kirsty had suggested the approach of longest title ever... But as my creativity doesn't lend itself to these sorts of things I just went for the literal title of ice cream and used the flocked letters to do that instead!

The photo itself was matted on an ivory cardstock and I decided on rounding the corners as it felt right! As yet no journalling added ... Will have a think about that and add some tomorrow maybe. Decided I def need more title letter type of things if I do much more scrapping though as have a desperate shortage... Need to have a little look round as to what's around for this sort of thing as the letter stamps and coordinating punch type things or die sets are so expensive ... Need cheaper alternatives!

That's it for me tonight ... Had a fab afternoon with friends at Slatterys where we over indulged and failed epically to do the chocolate challenge. Much sickly fun was had and I am now well and truly back down from the sugar high! Sleep is a calling!

Night night all and thanks for popping by to see me! And please leave me a message so I know you've been... I do love to read them!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad which means I probably haven't proof read the above and there is likely to be rubbish included that I probably should have thought about more! So please accept this post as it is and sorry that I didn't take more care!

Anything goes ... Stamping experiment

This week there is an anything goes challenge at Tuesday Alchemy. I've decided to share this stamping experiment I tried last week.




I used the rich razzleberry ink to stamp the flowers which I masked off in a line with the idea of having a blank bit and then stamping some more but it didn't quite go right so instead I used the ink and a brayer to fill in the bottom part, added a punched border and then stamped on a separate piece of card and fussy cut it out to stick on the top. I then added the sentiment and the blue rhinestones to tone in the two colours. I then edged the card before affixing it to the card blank. So what was in the interim a bit of a disaster turned out to be quite a cool card in the end!


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Patterned papers ... Back to everyday enchantment again

Yes I really did make a few sheets and scraps of this paper go this far. For weeks now I have been sharing some cards made from the everyday enchantment designer papers from SU which I had leftover from a class I attended ... Well really I hosted but someone else taught the class if you know what I mean!

The papers are so beautiful and match so well with some of the stamps I already owned. This one however I went for a simple stamped sentiment punched and then framed with the paper, with some panels of the other papers and all with some crumb cake card and a few red rhinestones to add a little bling.





I have one piece of twelve by twelve double sided paper left to play with and still not decided what to do with it as yet ... Think I am holding onto it for sentimental reasons as I really love the patterns and colours of this paper. Definitely my fave set of papers ever!

Entering this into the Pink Elephant patterned paper challenge this week.


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Black and white with some blue

When it was my dad's birthday I decided on a clean and simple card ...



I used some freebie Teddy Bo stamps and mixed it up with the fresh vintage stamps. Firstly I stamped the teddy and then created a mask for it. I then stamped the blue patterned bands I then over stamped with the sentiment adding the dad and the stars. I then stamped the teddy onto the blue spot paper and cut out the jumper and hat to paper piece them onto the card. Cute, simple and of course lovingly created.

Entering this into the following challenges...

My time to craft ... Black white and one other colour
Crafty sentiments ... Male cards
Here come the boys ... Teddy bears
Dilly beans ... Black white and one other colour



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad which means I probably haven't proof read the above and there is likely to be rubbish included that I probably should have thought about more! So please accept this post as it is and sorry that I didn't take more care!

No embellishments

The challenge over at Charisma Cardz is to not use an embellishment ... Now this is something I struggle with but I found a card to share that I haven't shown before that I made with the lili of the valley stamped image which is a little out of season ... But hey ho!




I let the image and patterned paper do the talking for this card and so not an embellishment in sight! Such a cute little Easter card!


Posted using BlogPress from my iPad which means I probably haven't proof read the above and there is likely to be rubbish included that I probably should have thought about more! So please accept this post as it is and sorry that I didn't take more care!

Back to work

Today I had to go back to work after three weeks leave ... It really wasn't much fun... Although good to catch up with one of the team I have to say. I would have much preferred staying at home and crafting but never mind!

I thought I would share one more anything goes cards with a sentiment for the so here you go...




This was created from some beautiful everyday enchantment papers from SU leftover from a class I did a while ago to create the simple planes and then punched the sentiment out using the word window punch. Finally right in the centre of the middle flower I put a cute little red rhinestone. Simple but I love these papers... They need so little adding!

Also entering this for the challenge over at Craft Your passion where the card has to feature flowers and the winged things challenge at craftycardmarkers.



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Two commissions...

A lovely work friend asked me to make some cards for one of her friends ... Ahem ahem! And so this morning I was more than happy to sit down and create two girly girly cards!

The first is for a horse mad eight year old, Anna and so I chose the adorable Gorjuss stamp and coloured it as a magical rainbow horse and then chose pretty purple and pink papers, a doily, some flowers and some pearls to finish off the gorgeous image. Also some glitter card thrown in for added sparkle!
This card is entered in the challenge over at card makin mamas to use hearts ... Some on the image and some on the background paper. Also entering in the animal antics challenge at the secret crafters Saturday challenge
The second is for a slightly old girl ... 10!

I chose coordinating papers with the trendy bunting and some flowers and stripes and used a Martha stewart punch down one edge, some pink rhinestones and a Debbie Moore stamp. I decided on paper piecing for the image so after colouring some with promarkers I then used the same papers as the background to piece together the balloons and clothes. Again part of a doily (well I had them out of the cupboard so I thought why not!) Oh and a lengthy of organza ribbon to add the dimension and soften the card up a little.
I am entering this card into the perfect sentiments challenge ... Anything goes with a sentiment and the touch of sparkle card challenge at Stamp n doodle.
I love doing the larger cards ... And girly cards are so much fun. Tuesday I go back to work and so will hand these over then where hopefully the person ordering them will be happy.
I have not managed to tidy up after this mornings crafting session and so maybe some more crafting later on ... But now we are off to some friends for Sunday lunch ... Yummy!
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Jingle belles bingo

This fortnight at jingle belles there is a bingo challenge.



I decided to go with the top line for my card ...




I used the Hoopla Holidays stamp set recently purchased from a well known auction site as a bargain to stamp the Santa in basic grey and his hat in poppy parade. Matched it with some freebie papers and then added the merry sentiment from the another stamp set. Added the large rhinestone for his bobble and three small peel offs for the little star embellishment.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad which means I probably haven't proof read the above and there is likely to be rubbish included that I probably should have thought about more! So please accept this post as it is and sorry that I didn't take more care!