Miles to go ...

Hello All and thank-you for your visit.

I'm really on a Christmas card roll as here's another:

Stamps: Artistic Outpost (Snowy Woods), Crafty Individuals (Clock and numerals CI-354)
Papers: Pion Design 'Wintertime in Swedish Lapland' and cotton fabric for top edge
Dies: Memory Box 'Lantern', Memory Box 'Branch' and Bigz Snowflake On The Edge
Inks: Gesso, Distress glitter in 'Clear Rock Candy' (lots!) and 'Old Paper', UTEE, Adirondack Alcohol ink 'Rust', Brilliance 'Pearlescent Rust' and 'Pearlescent Chocolate', DI 'Tea Dye' and 'Vintage Photo', Prima Chalk 'Rust', Distress Stain 'Antique Bronze', Archival 'Coffee', Copper EP, 'Vintage Photo' EP, Frantage in 'Shabby White', Stickles 'Mercury Glass', 'White Fire' gilding wax, Glossy Accents, Dreamweaver paste. Paper Artsy Fresco paint 'Snowflake'
Stencil: Crafter's Workshop 'Art Is'
Punch: Woodware
Embellishments: Tim Holtz Ice Skates, bark heart, twine, pearls and clock charm from stash

Little details:

The adorable ideaology Ice Skates are 'aged' using the brilliant Tammy Tutterow's technique 'Distress stain on metal'. For the skates I used lots of rusty inks and metallic distress stain in 'antique bronze'. I opted to coat with UTEE instead of clear EP. Gesso is also on the blades.

The lantern has been aged to be 'Faux Rusted Copper' by adapting the always awesome Shelly Hickox technique for 'Faux Tarnished Silver' but instead using copper EP before the UTEE heat blast.

Before stamping the main image I painted the paper with Paper Artsy Fresco Finish paint in 'Snowflake' to have a matt 'snowy' base to stamp on once dry. The raised snow on the main image is done by sprinkling frantage onto wet gesso and drying with heat gun to puff nicely. All the 'snowy' edges are done with gesso and distress glitter.

To cut the cotton for the top edge I first needed to stiffen it ... so painted fabric with a coat of gesso and heat dried and then randomly dabbed chocolate ink. Once dry and stiff it was cut with the on the edge die.

I'm sorry I've not been blog visiting but I'm not too well this week. I hope to be properly back in action in a few days time.

Wishing everyone a warm and happy weekend,
Nicola x

I wish to enter card to the following challenges;
Simon Says Stamp Monday - Inspired by Tammy Tutterow
Crafts Too Challenge You - Christmas Festivities 'Scene'
Vintage Udfordring - Vintage card for a male with charm and twine
Vintage Card Cafe - Brown/Beige Colour Marathon
Artistic Outpost - October Referral Programme - Anything Goes
Fashionable Stamping Challenge - Use a mask or stencil
Deep Ocean Challenge - Christmas is round the corner
Try It On Tuesdays - Texture
Christmas at Sweet Stampin - Cards for Men
Simon Says Stamp - Use a rubber or clear stamp
Crafty Individuals - October - getting ready for Christmas

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Hello and welcome to my last post for 2012 as I've tidied away the craft goodies and am taking a little break. I'm looking forward to getting back into full throttle in January.

I began my blog in September this year. My venture into blogging was a kind of unknown as I didn't know what to expect - I could not have been more happily surprised with how it has turned out. I wish to extend my warmest appreciation for the wonderful welcome that has greeted me and to each and every one who has taken the time to visit. I am amazed at how much I have learned over the past 4 months from you all - your blogs, creations, posts, challenges, design teams and tutorials are an incredible university and a never-ending source of entertainment and inspiration! Heartfelt thanks especially go to those who have posted such lovely compliments and those who became followers - doing so makes you so much more real and your encouragement is what spurs me on.
“Instruction does much, but encouragement everything." Johann W. von Goethe.

I'm also THRILLED to advise that my card 'Oh Jingle Bells' will be shown tomorrow (21st) on the wonderful Melissa Frances Blog. I genuinely love Melissa Frances creations and products so to be published on her blog is the cherry on top of this Christmas. Thank-you so much to all at Melissa Frances.

My very first post in September was 'Starting with Santa'. I thought it would be a nice balance to end 2012 using the same stamp. So without further ado - here he is!

Ingredients for my card today;
Papers: Maja Design (It's Christmas Time)
Stamps: Inkadinkado (A Visit from Santa 98223) and Stampendous (Christmas Wishes SSC1068)
Ink: Versafine (Crimson) and papers edged with Encore Metallic in Gold. Edges also distressed with Distress Inks (Brushed Corduroy and Vintage Photo)
Embossing Powder: Sparkle and Sprinkle (Japanese Lacquer) and Ranger (Queen's Gold)
Punches: Edger and snowflake by Martha Stewart
Free vintage images printed onto TAP (Transfer Artist Paper by Lesley Riley) and then ironed onto muslin
Bunting embellishment: Melissa Frances (Countdown to Christmas)
Ribbon: May Arts Silk
Dabs of Stickles Glitter
Everything else from stash

Wishing you a joyous and peaceful Christmas,
Nicola x

I wish to enter card to the following challenges;
The Ribbon Reel - Nordic Noel
Holly Jolly Christmas - Vintage Christmas
LEJ Designs - Santa's Coming To Town
Loves Rubberstamps - Merry Christmas
Celebrate the Occasion - Christmas Anything Goes
Deep Ocean Challenge - Santa is coming to town
The Pretty Little Ribbon - Its Christmas
Simon Says Challenge - Merry Christmas
Charisma Cardz - Sanata Claus is coming to town
Craft Us Crazy - Merry Christmas

Oh Jingle Bells ....

Greetings from Dublin. Thank-you for stopping by and a warm welcome to my new followers. I've had my card today bobbing around in my head for the last week so am delighted to finally get it made and posted. This one was very tricky to photograph.

I've made an easel card to accomodate a musical scene with Rudolph, Dasher and Blitzen rushing over snowy stars (yes, climate change has a lot to answer for!) to bring wondrous toys to all the girls and boys. They are singing Jingle Bells as they go, with not a snowflake clinging to them as they are moving so quickly!

This might be a better angle;

CS is Bazzill. Papers and tags are from Melissa Frances (Countdown to Christmas and music sheet from 5th Avenue). Stamps are from the magical Stampington and Company (S7338 - Classic Christmas), with the dashing reindeer and Santa Moon inked with Encore metallic inks and embossed with Judikins sparkle EPs. The Jingle Bells ticket at front is from Unity Stamps IB-127 stamped with Versafine. The chipboard musical note has been inked with Distress Stains Metallic Pewter and then stamped with music stamp from Anna Griffin (580K21) using Versafine. (By chance I won some chipboard notes in a raffle at a crop last weekend, so I think it was serendipity to make this card). Same musical stamp also used on centre part of a doily backing the chipboard note. I've edged the top and slanting borders and punched snowflakes with Martha Stewart punches. Tied little bows to those jangling jingle bells (Anitas) and liberally applied liquid pearls and stickles for more sparkle. Dotted some of the snowflake centres with pearls (Artoz). The stars were handcut as I don't have a die cutting machine ... yet ... Santa?!

Thank you so much for checking out my blog. Have a lovely day! Nicola x

I wish to enter card to the following challenges;
Fashionable Stamping Challenges - Musical
Frilly and Funkie - Chipboard and Metal
Moving Along with The Times - Seeing Stars!
Milk Coffee Challenge - More Than 1 Fold
Crafts 4 Eternity - Marvellous Music

Little Angel in Blue

Hi there and thank-you for stopping by my blog. This is my 13th post so I've made another Angel Christmas card to ward off any bad luck!

CS is Bazzill. I deckle edged a square of white SEI Velvet paper. Then stamped the very beautiful image 'Angel Delivery' (Stampington & Co K5546) onto a white silk blend tissue thin paper. This I embossed with Judikins Silver Twinkle EP. I made frame from SEI Velvet patterned velvet paper. Merry Christmas text from my printer. I punched some snowflakes (Woodware) from a matching blue vellum paper. Then, stitched a lovely silver star (Nunn Design) to organza bow. Put it all together and dabbed with silver Stickles. Finalised with sparkling crystals.

Wishing everyone a really lovely weekend.

Nicola x

Thank-you to Hosts and Design Teams of the following challenges that I'm entering card to:
For Fun Challenges - Use a Stamp
My Mum's Craft Shop - Stars
Stamp n Doodle - Anything Goes
The Perfect Sentiment - Vintage Christmas
Party Time Tuesdays - Anything Goes
The Stamping Boutique - Embossing
Gingerloft Challenge - Embossing
Love to Create - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Frosted Designs - Embossing