My first post for 2018

Hello everyone and welcome!  

Sorry I haven't been here for a little while but I took a bit of a break over the holidays just to recharge the batteries, so to speak.  So, as this is my first post for 2018, I would like to wish you all a very Happy New Year and hope this year turns out to be your best one ever!!

It's taken me a while to get back into feeling creative again.  This card I am about to show you took ages to complete but, once I got a taste of crafting again, it just took off like a rocket and now I've got six of them waiting for a blog post!  LOL!!  It really was nice to get back into my craft room.
The papers used on this card are from a 6.5" x 6.5" paper pad by Kaisercraft  called Rose Avenue. A really pretty collection with pale blues and pinks  with a bit of green thrown in as well.

A few bits of pretty lace for interest and texture and I cut the top layer of paper with a Tim Holtz MM die.

I very rarely use such large flowers on my cards but I really love this one.  It's made by Little Birdie and I really love the almost grungy look of it.  A great contrast, I feel, to the delicate papers behind it.

There is a bit of gauze tucked in underneath the cluster and, of course, I had to add some prills and micro beads.

I do love those pretty papers and I also love the bottom layer peeking through the die cut.  Adds such a lot of interest I feel.

Before I go I would like to thank all of you for all the encouragement and support you gave me in 2017.  For all of the visits, and for all of the lovely comments I received, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.  I really do appreciate it all.  Thank You.

And, thank you also for your visit today.  I love that you came by to take a peek.
Take care and God Bless.

 

A Christmas Trio

Hello everyone and welcome to my bloggy place. 

Thank you so much for stopping by at this very busy time of the year.  I hope all your Christmas preparations are going to plan.  

Hubby and I have just returned home from Victoria where we helped my sister celebrate her 80th Birthday.  Just have to point out that she is a bit older than I am .. LOL!!  We had a wonderful time while we were there catching up with family and friends but, it is so nice to be back home again.  The only thing I don't like about coming home is all the washing that has to be done!!  I hate housework.  I can think of many, many better ways to spend my time .. such as crafting for one!  Ha! Ha!  I am looking forward to catching up on everyone's beautiful works though!  Might take a little while but I will get there!!

I would like to share a few more of my Christmas cards with you.  These three cards are basically the same design with just a few different elements.

The papers I used are a mix by Kaisercraft and Crafts Smith.  I die cut the top layer on two of the cards with a Tim Holtz MM die.

I found those little plastic pine cones in one of our cheaper outlets but I can't remember which one.  Duh!!   I only bought the one pack and have been trying to find them again but not having any luck.

The pine branch is a die by Impression Obsession and the flair is handmade.  Simply printed out the greeting, used a circle punch to cut it out and then covered it with an epoxy sticker.

The poinsettia was made with a Poppy Crafts die and I simply added some prills for the center.

I randomly swiped the flowers and pine branches with Liquitex Matte Medium and then sprinkled on some glitter.
This time I used a scallop punch for the flair and covered it with Glossy Accents.

Lightly highlighted the flowers and pine cones with gesso and used some gold twine to make the bows.

As I said at the beginning of this post, the design of these cards is the same  but I used different papers and elements so they wouldn't all look the same.  Easy peasy!

Thank you so much for taking the time to come and have a look.

I would like to thank you all so much for the encouragement and support you have given me over this past year and would also like to wish you all  a very Merry and Blessed Christmas and a Happy and prosperous New Year!!

Have fun, take care and God Bless.
oxox Marg

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge #202 - Christmas

Hello everyone and welcome.  So pleased you dropped by, especially at this busy time of year.

The last Challenge for 2017 has gone live at Crafty Cardmakers.  June is our host and, surprise!, surprise!, the Theme is Christmas!!

As usual, anything you would like to enter is fine, as long as it is Christmas themed.

For this card I have used more of the papers from a 6" x 6" pad by Craft Smiths.

Instead of adding lace, I used some white cardstock which was edged with the Deep Edge Floral Vine border punch by Martha Stewart.

Placed some scrunched up cotton underneath the cluster for more texture and there is a small die cut doily hiding underneath there too.

Added micro beads and glitter to the flowers and, of course,  I scattered some prills around the card as well.

The chipboard pieces are by Scrapmatts.

I hope you are inspired to join in with our final Challenge for the year.
To have a look at the fabulous creations by my Teamies and to link up your entry

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge #202 - Christmas
Please read the rules and take note of the 15 Challenge limit.

Thank you so much for your visit and enjoy the rest of your day
Take care and God Bless.

A Watercolour Christmas

Hello lovely visitors!!  Welcome to my blog.  Hope you are all having a wonderful day!!

I am here to share another Christmas card with you.  This one is a little different in that I created a background just using Lindy's Stamp Gang Magicals and,  I must say, I am really happy with the result.  Hope you like it too.

Lately, I've been playing around a bit with paints and sprays trying to create backgrounds for my cards instead of simply using dp.  I have quite enjoyed the process even though some things I tried  haven't worked  and, consequently, ended up in the bin but, some things actually did work.  
This one worked!!  It  is very simple but I really liked it and so, turned it into a card. 

To create that little bit of background, I used Lindy's Stamp Gang Magicals in Rizzo's Rowdy Red, Greased Lightning Green and Glory of the Seas Gold.

I simply laid down some water on my watercolour paper and then sprinkled the colours on one at a time, spreading the colour out with a paint brush.

Not difficult and certainly not fancy but I really love how it created those patches of colour.

Once it was dry, I simply added my cluster and some coloured prills.

The greeting is a simple gold sticker.

What I really love about these magicals, is the gorgeous gold shimmer you get from the Glory of the Seas Gold.  It is very difficult to pick up with a camera but, believe me, it is beautiful IRL and adds quite a bit of pazzazz!!

The flower was coloured with Cherry Red Dylusion S.pray

Very happy with this one.  Hoping to make some more in a similar vein!!

Thank you so much for your visit today and a huge thank you for any comment you may care to leave for me.  I love reading them and appreciate each and every one.

Enjoy the rest of your day!

Take care and God Bless.

A Tartan Kind of Christmas

Hello my lovely visitors and welcome to my creative space.  

A very warm welcome too to my new followers!  Thank you so much joining me on this creative journey!  Hoping you will enjoy the ride!

A quick post to share another of my Christmas cards. 
No Masterboard this time .. just some papers and a bit of  die cutting.

The tartan paper is from a 6" x 6" Christmas paper pad I bought a little while ago by Craft Smith.  I used a Tim Holtz Thinlits die on the paper for the front of the card and, for something a little different, I outlined it with a white gel pen.

Another of my handmade flairs using a computer generated greeting and an epoxy sticker.

Used some of the scrappy bits left over from the die cut on the front of my card to decorate the inside.

 Et Voila!!

As I said, just a quick post this time.
 Have heaps more Christmas cards to make and will be posting another soon so, I hope you will come back to take another look.

I have entered this into Challenge #25 at Christmas Card Challenges
UPDATE .. My card made the top 3 .. Yayy!!!

Thank you for your visit and do enjoy the rest of your day.
Take care and God Bless.

Masterboard Christmas Finale

Hello awesome visitors and welcome.
So happy you dropped by and hope your day is going well.

Can you believe it is November already??  The time seems to fly by faster and faster each year.  Wish someone could work out how to slow it down just a little!!  LOL!!

So, I'm here to share a card made with the last little piece of my Masterboard.

This one is really, really simple.  I didn't add much at all in the way of embellies.   I figured there's enough going on in the  background so it didn't really need much more.

The base card measures 6.5" x 3.5"

 The only additions are the pine branches, the flower and the twine bow.

 The greeting is a simple gold sticker.

A little decorating on the inside ..

 .. et Voila!!

Most of the work was done on the Masterboard.  The rest was easy peasy!!
Another Christmas card done and dusted!!! 

These Masterboards are such fun!!  I'm sure I will be making more of them.   Perhaps not for my Christmas cards but certainly for other things.  We shall see.
  
Thank you so much for dropping by and do enjoy the rest of your day!

Take care and God Bless.