All Wrapped Up

Hi there and many thanks for visiting. A very warm welcome too to new followers and a belated 'Happy Thanksgiving' to everyone who celebrates same.

A while ago the lovely Lynne kindly gifted me some canvas printer paper that I had admired on her blog. I held off using it until I saw just the 'right' image. Then a couple of weeks ago I saw a beautiful picture at Nancy's blog here that I felt would be perfect - thank-you Nancy for finding this beauty.

Papers: Bazzill, Papermania, SEI Velvet, Doily and Lynne's canvas paper

Dies: Cheery Lynn Reflections 'Pearl French Flair' and 'Horizon Coved Rectangle'. Simon Says Stamp 'Faceted Snowflake'. Memory Box 'Berry Sprig'. Sizzix Bigz 'Mini Styled Labels'

Sparkle: It is not showing in photo but oodles of Distress Dry Glitter 'Clear Rock Candy' has been added around rim of each layer and main image. Ditto on snowflake, berry sprigs and around sentiment. Edges of cream layer are also versamark inked and then embossed with Sparkle and Sprinkle EP 'Gilded Ivory'. I've frantaged the focal image using Stampendous 'Shabby White' aged embossing enamel

Dry Embossing: The cream velvet paper has been embossed through a Sizzix 'Holly Swirls' folder

Stamping: The stamped sentiment is by 'Cats Life Press'. It's been inked using versamark and then embossed with Ranger 'Queen's Gold' EP

I then tied silk bow using 'Boweasy' and wrapped the gorgeous girl up in luxurious lace, cosy feathers (despite my being allergic!) and other trims from stash. The metal snowflakes are by Nunn Design.

Isn't she lovely?

Wishing all a very happy weekend. Your visits and comments are truly appreciated.

Nicola x


I wish to enter card to the following challenges:
Cheery Lynn Designs - Non-traditional Christmas Colours
Craft Room Challenge - Vintage Christmas
Rhedd and Rosie - Christmas is Coming
Simon Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
Crafty Ribbons - Anything Goes With Ribbon
Crafts and Me - Christmas Vintage
Songbird Challenge - Die Another Day
Moving Along With The Times - Girly but NO Pink
A Creative Romance - Vintage Style

Let The Bells Ring - Spotlight at 'Crafts-Too Challenge You'

Hello and Welcome!

Recently I was thrilled to be selected in the Top 3 over at 'Crafts-Too Challenge You' blog and am delighted to accept their kind invitation to feature today in their Spotlight post.

Their challenge theme this month is 'Vintage Christmas' with the current twist being 'polychromatic' - meaning multi-coloured. I've adapted a Melissa Frances chipboard 'large church/house' for my spotlight piece. Here it is:

My three main colours are gold, blue and red. I've used all Scandinavian papers (By Inkido, Pion Design and Maja Design) as they have the perfect vintage look. The lacy roof is made using a Cheery Lynn die and the roof papers are sprayed with a Perfect Pearls mist for a frosty look. The little windows are painted with PaperArtsy 'Nougat'. The whole project has been liberally treated with Melissa Frances crushed glass glitter, Snow-tex and Mica Flakes. The eaves are painted with PaperArtsy 'Old Gold' before being wrapped in paper and speckled with glitter.

The surrounding fence has also being painted and then stenciled using Crafty Individuals mask and Dreamweaver paste. When dry I coated the fence with multi-matte medium, somehow the chemical interactions have produced a greenish tinge in parts - but doesn't that all add to the vintage feel! All the church/house edges were inked with Versamark and then embossed using my favourite Ranger's 'Queen's Gold' EP. I've hung some bells in the belfry so that they can ring out on Christmas morning! The spire was stencilled using a Crafter's Workshop 'damask' stencil, painted and then gold embossed. The same stencil was used on the doors - can you see Santa peeking out from one door? Idea-ology ring fasteners make really cute door knockers too.

I gilded a cocktail stick and attached a Moon diecut (Sizzix / Tim Holtz) and stamped/embossed sentiment (Artistic Outpost). There's also a lot of script type stamping on the 'ground' area but as usual I've gone and covered most of it up! I also ran a ribbon trim around the 'ground' edge. The little Christmas Tree has been gilded and frantaged (thank-heavens I noticed the smoke before it turned to flame!) and dotted with pearls.

It took a lot of careful training to coax those dashing reindeer to slow-down and stand 'unaided'! Added a selection of embellishments, tossed on even more glitter and stickles for good measure and afixed to the Idea-ology box feet that I had rubbed with some Treasure Gold to warm up. The whole piece sparkles fabulously in artificial light so I'm looking forward to seeing it on display at Christmas!

Very many thanks to 'Crafts-Too Challenge You' for generously allowing me feature - why don't you pop over and join in with their fantastic challenge blog.

Thanks so much for stopping by,
Have a lovely week,
Nicola x

Thank-you to the hosts, sponsors and design teams at the following challenges that I wish to enter:
Frilly and Funkie - Christmas Preparations
Vintage Udfordring - Christmas
Fashionable Stamping Challenges - Shabby Chic Christmas
Rhedd and Rosie Challenge - Christmas Is Coming (with key items)
Stamping Sensations - Christmas
A Creative Romance - Vintage Style
Allsorts Challenge - Bring On The Bling
Crafty Hands Challenge Blog - Sparkle and Bling
Vintage Stamping Challenges - Traditional Christmas
Bunny Zoe's Crafts Challenge - Shabby Chic / Vintage

'Tis The Season

Welcome to yet another Christmas card post. Thank-you for visiting and a warm hello to new followers.

Stamps: Graphic 45 'Christmas Emporium', Kaisercraft 'Twig & Berry Postmarks' and Artistic Outpost (using snowflakes from 'Snowy Woods' set)

Card / Papers: Bazzill, Neenah, Inkssentials 'Manila' CS, SEI Velvet 'Tomato'

Dies: Spellbinders 'Floral Ovals' and 'Decorative Labels 27', Joy Crafts 'Vintage Flourishes Corner'

Inking: Archival Ink 'Crimson', Sparkle & Sprinkle EP 'Japanese Lacquer' and 'Gilded Ivory', Versamark, Delicata Golden Glitz, Ranger 'Queen's Gold' EP, Embossing Antiquities 'Weathered White', Stickles, Frantage 'Shabby White'

Ribbons: May Arts (tied with Boweasy) and velvet from stash

Embellishments from stash and completed by adding Distress Glitter in 'Clear Rock Candy' to parts of little girls' outfits and Santa's beard (not showing up very well in photo).

Thank-you for spending time at my blog - I'll be catching up with blog visits later today.

Nicola x

I wish to enter card to the following challenges:
Vintage Stamping Challenges - Traditional Christmas Time
Vintage Udfordring - Vintage Jul
Crafty Hands Challenge - Vintage
Simon Says Monday Challenge - Got Ink?
Sugar Creek Hollow - Anything Vintage Goes
Crafty Little Fairies - Christmas in November
Stamping Sensations - Christmas
Deep Ocean Challenge - Winter