Christmas Wreath Tag, Heart Shaped, Woodgrain

I've come up with a design for Day 20 of Tracey's 25 Days of Christmas Tags that on first impressions looks nothing like the set of inspiration tags.

Let me show you.

Here's my tag...

...  and here's the set of four tags that I chose to take inspiration from.

I spy hearts, a wreath, holly and berries and patterned paper in that mix of tags - as well as some green and red colouring.  Those elements combined (the wreath has been cut from individual 'branches' of patterned paper) are what ultimately led to this creation.

For some reason my husband looks at my tag here and thinks of chocolate macaroons!
Oh well...

Supplies Used:

Die:

Memory Box 'Grand Heart'

Simon Says 'Sketch Heart'

Impression Obsession 'Wreath'

Punch:

Martha Stewart 'Branch'

Other:

Altenew 'Woodgrain Bark' Paper

Twine

Button - Red

It just goes to show that you never can tell how a design will inspire you!

Thank you for stopping by today...

Donna. x

Mini Christmas Tags, Poinsettia, Torn Paper

I had so much fun making a mini tag for Day 9 of Tracey's 25 Days of Christmas Tags that I immediately decided to make two more.

Want to see?

Here's a picture of just one for a slighly closer look...

Once again I was very heavily influenced by one of Tracey's Guest Designers for the day.

Take a look at all those lovely greens, reds and hints of black with just a touch of sparkle that Amy has used.

Mine's a more rustic version and I've dropped the sentiment, but other than that all those elements are there to be seen.

I'd forgotten how much I loved making small, intricate things until this challenge kicked off again for this year.  It really is far more like play time for me to work on a tiny project than it is to work on a 'normal' sized card.  I guess that's why I love making tags so much...

(I have a feeling that those tiny, small 9cm and 10cm cards that I started off making will be back in for me this coming year.

I think I should concentrate on making what I enjoy)...

Supplies Used:

Dies:

Newton's Nook 'Tags Times Two'

Memory Box 'Fanciful Poinsettia'

Punch:

Martha Stewart 'Branch'

Ink:

Holtz/Distress 'Peeled Paint'

Other:

Paper Tearing Ruler

Gem - Black

Natural Twine

Patterned Paper

As always, thank you so much for stopping by...

Donna. x

Folded Tag, Candy Cane, Male/Female

It's time for a new Tag You're It challenge, everyone...  and I have a little confession to make!

But before I do that, here's my tag...

... and here's Kara's tag that was used for inspiration this time around.

As for my confession?

I have never heard of, yet alone seen Candy Corn before.  I even double checked with my husband and he didn't have a clue either!  I guess it's just one of those things that hasn't made it over to the UK...  like the MISTI :(

Needless to say my daughter knew exactly what it was (she spends a lot of time online) and proceeded to tell me how it used to be available just for Halloween but now you can have it year 'round...  Is that right my American friends/passers by?

I wonder if you can make your own?

This doesn't tell you how I came up with my design, though, does it?  After all, I'm very aware it looks nothing like the original!

Well firstly, I made the jump from 'Candy Corn' to 'Candy Cane' as they are both edible, sweet and instantly recognisable - allegedly!  

Then I chose to do something I wouldn't normally do - I took a free illustration off the web as I couldn't find a candy cane stamp that I liked...  

Just printing an illustration off the web and sticking it down doesn't sit right with me though, so I printed off two copies, cut the red pieces out of the one, stuck them to the other and then mounted the whole thing onto card and cut it out again!

Then I used a deeper shade of red to colour over the red pieces on the candy cane and added on some extra lines here and there...  just to give it a bit more realism.

Kara's design has a lot of white space, one central image and four colours - if you include the black and white.  

I stuck to this design brief but brought Kara's outside edge pattern to the middle of my design.  The only way to do that without it looking cluttered was to use my Martha Stewart/All Over The Page 'Aspen Flurry' Punch, and then place a piece of black textured card behind.

The Stitched Holly Leaves (Memory Box) were used to bring the colour count back up to four.  Rather than use the berry that came with this set I cut a button from the Poppystamps 'Stitched buttons' die, put some Ranger 'Glossy Accents' on top and used that instead.

If you look really closely, can you see what else I did before gluing down the pieces?

I put my folded tag through my Cuttlebug with my Memory Box 'Shimmer' Stencil to add some subtle extra dimension to my mini make :) 

I'm beginning to realise that I love adding texture to my cards and tags!

Before I use this tag, I may 'bling it up' a little with some Christmas bells or charms.  I couldn't do that today though as Tag You're It is a Clean and Simple challenge!

I wonder what you will do with Kara's design if you chose to play along?

Donna...

PS...  I'm also adding this little tag to Pixie's Crafty Snippets Challenge as the holly, (berry) button and the piece of black backing card were all cut from my snippets collection :)

Hope you have a good weekend...

'Removable' Christmas Bauble Card, Holly, Female

Hello...

It's a rare sunny day here in the UK.  

We don't get very many of those here in the West Midlands and it's been feeling distinctively cold lately...  so this card fits in beautifully with the Christmassy, Wintery theme that in reality will soon be upon us.  

I could lie at this point and say something poetic about Autumn leaves or blankets of Winter snow...  but in truth, I DO NOT LIKE this time of year that's encroaching upon us.  It's not just the 'being cold' that's the issue...  it actually makes me feel ill.  Is there anybody else out there who's the same in that respect...  just not 'made' for being cold???

Anyhow...  this card's been sitting finished on my desk for a few days now whilst I finished up a 'thank you' card my husband asked me to make for a friend of his.

Can you see how this bauble hangs from the screw brad?

It's an idea I had a while ago...  the bauble's easily removed so the whole card can be reused as a separate tag at a later stage...  or possibly a hanging ornament somewhere?  I've glued five layers of the bauble base together and also layered up the holly, so it's durable enough for an upcycle/recycle.

Here's another picture.
This one's not so pretty, but it does show the embossed bauble that you really cannot see in the first photo...

Dies used...

Memory Box Drop Ornament

Memory Box Twigs and Berries (NBUS)

Penny Black Red and Greens (NBUS)

Embossing Folders...

Darice 'Tattered Page' (NBUS)

Leane Creatief 'Christmas Branch'

Punch...

Martha Stewart/All Over The Page 'Aspen Flurry'

Other...

Flower Soft 'Polar White'  (NBUS)

Acetate remnant (recycled) for bauble

I'm entering this card into the following challenges today...

Merry Monday #170 'Use Holly'

...  NBUS 'Anything Goes'...

...  Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge 'Use Greenery'

...  ABC Christmas Challenge 'Things beginning with 'R'

(Red Round berries and Ribbon)

...  and Winter Wonderland 'Anything but Square'

I am so thrilled to be a part of the latest NBUS challenge.  Darnell (NBUS creator) is one of those people who is simply like a breath of fresh air...  and her posts always leave me smiling.  That's a rare and wonderful gift...  and although I don't know her very well, I do treasure her for that.

Have a good week, everyone.

'Bye for now :)

Picture Frame Tag, Bird on a Branch, Male/Female

Hello.  

It's almost time for another weekend and my daughter's back at school Thursday of next week... which means back to some sense of normality for me!

With so little time this summer, it's been difficult to enter craft challenges and play along, but somehow I've managed to put together a little something for the latest Memory Box challenge, 'Cool thoughts for Warm days'.
Seeing birds trying to shelter in the cold certainly makes me feel chilly!

I don't know about you, but in our house we take care of the birds that come and visit our garden...  a year 'round supply of food and fresh drinking water has brought many a nesting family to us over the past few years.
It's very comical watching the young ones call out for food and equally amusing as they learn to navigate our globe bird feeders.  Some of them never manage this feat (who knew birds could also have coordination disorder issues)?  ...but that's okay as we also have nut feeders which they can handle.

There were a lot of layers involved in putting this 10cm x 10cm tag together...  and it's certainly not clean and simple, is it?  But it's almost exclusively with just the one die making company
and that's very rare for me!!!

Dies used:

Memory Box Medium Snow Globe

Memory Box Woodland Branch

Memory Box Nestled Bird

Memory Box Puffy Clouds

Poppystamps Christmas Baubles

Punch:

Martha Stewart/All Over The Page 'Aspen Flurry'

Other:

Embossing Folder/Sheena Douglas Festive (Snowfall)

Acetate Sheet

Kraft Card

White Card (Plain & Textured)

Pebeo Studio Gesso (White)

Distress Ink (Walnut Stain)

Distress Marker (Walnut Stain & Picket Fence)

Ranger Crackle Accents

Paper String (White)

Brown Cord

Gem Embellishments (Clear)

Texture Stamp (stash)
Silver Thread (stash)
Silver Bell (stash)

As I've glued together several layers of card, this tag is sturdy enough to be kept as a little keepsake if needs be.

 I like this acetate window look...   enough that I think I may duplicate this idea for a gift box lid at some stage.
But maybe something with a little more colour next time!



House of Cards 'Metallics' challenge is still up and running so I'm squeezing this one in.  My metallics may be embellishment touches this time 'round, but that's ok :)

Other challenges entered:
Simon Says (Wednesday challenge) 'Anything Goes'.

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #244 (Use some Silver).

Have a good weekend...

Donna

Christmas Tag Card, Polar Bear, Joy

Hi.  How's your weekend going so far?

It looks like I haven't posted anything for a while, but I have been busy crafting away.  Honestly, I have...  How about you?

Anyhow...  I'm later than I'd hoped for my entry into the latest Tag You're It challenge.  This is partly because I've been working on two birthday cards, but also...  I had no watercolour card and I had to wait what seemed like ages for it to arrive.  Not that I'm impatient, of course!

Here's my finished design...

...and here's the inspiration picture.  Isn't that 'Ruff Day' sentiment just the best?  

As you can see, I've kept to a similar colour scheme.  I'm guessing that Anja may have stencilled her card background on with ink, but I could be wrong.  I used the new 'Shimmer' stencil from Memory Box with some Sparkle Medium (Sparkle Gel) from Imagination Crafts.  Sadly, the camera doesn't do justice to the slight sparkle effect.  Never mind...   

My layers are different in style to Anja's, and in lieu of Washi Tape I've chosen to stamp on a distressed film edge. To be honest, I had so many different edging options, but by this stage I knew that I wanted to portray the 'captured moment' of a polar bear cub seeing it's first snowflake...   Does that come across in this design at all?  I hope so :)

The 'colour wash' was made using Tumbled Glass and Weathered Wood Distress Markers.

One large sentiment to echo Anya's original tag (coloured using my Stampin' Up Chalk Marker), some twine...  and then I had to walk away before the temptation to add some more punched snowflakes from my Martha Stewart/All Over The Page 'Aspen Flurry' took over!  

As my husband's into photography I'll be saving this card for him.

Thanks for taking the time to stop by.  If you can spare the time, I always enjoy reading any comments you may have :)

Donna...