O Christmas Tree

This week at Card Crafter's Circle, we've  gone crazy with GIFTS!  And we have a wonderful sponsor returning.. MelJen's Designs!

I used Christmas Tree, from MelJen's Designs for this card...  My card is very basic layers in it's construction.  The image is coloured with Spectrum Noir pens, and a variety of glitter and glaze pens. I then followed the lead of the image, and added gold seed beads to where the tinsel strings lay... I've not stitched them individually, rather stitched a string of them, and then gone back and stitched through a number of them to really secure them.

I have used the whole image on a white layer (which has been chalked, and adorned with cream pearls). It is simply matted with green textured card, and fixed onto a pearly cream cardbase.

I'm entering this creation into these challenges....
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas For Someone Special (30/11)
The Paper Shelter - #92 Christmas is Coming (4/12)

Pixie Dust Studio's Winter Holiday Creations (5/12)

Do come along to the Card Crafter's Circle, and join in our GIFTS challenge! Thanks for peepin'!

Christmas Pooch

Here is another Christmas card share... the last of of my stylins' for my husband's country lovin' friends (many more than I thought!)!   This creation uses a MelJen's Designs image and sentiment... this little delight is called Get Along Little Doggie... love it!

In this card the image has been flipped to face right.  I made others that faced left.  I'm so glad that with so many cards, hubby was happy for a CAS layout!  It is coloured with Spectrum Noir pens, and Glitter pens. My obligatory bling (again) is shown as red rhinestones in the corners.  Yeehah!

I am also entering this creation into the challenges at:
Lady Annes Challenges Anything Goes (9/12)
MelJen's Designs #137 Anything Goes (29/11)
ABC Challenges #6 Anything Goes (1/12)

Thanks for peepin'! Now I gotta go git and make some more Christmas cards!

Bootiful Christmas

Here is another Christmas card share... my husband's country lovin' friends just keep coming out of the woodwork!   This creation uses a MelJen's Designs image and sentiment... I love these country style images!

In having to make many cards this year, I've kept this one on the CAS side of fun (although the layout is simple, it took some time for the colouring!).  It is coloured with Spectrum Noir pens, and Glitter pens. My obligatory bling is shown as red rhinestones in the corners.  Yeehah!

I am also entering this creation into the challenges at:
Crafty Creations #197 Christmas Is Coming (25/11)
Lady Annes Challenges Anything Goes (9/12)
MelJen's Designs #137 Anything Goes (29/11)
Cards for Men #24 Anything Goes (2/12)
ABC Challenges #6 Anything Goes (1/12)

Thanks for peepin'!

Beary Merry Christmas!

So I crazily said that I'd create 20 or so Christmas cards for my husbands 'cowboy' friends.... oh my!  Lucky for me, I had a couple of fabulous images from Meljen's Designs that I thought would be great... and I've topped them up with the purchase of a few more cowboy-friendly images... sshh... and I bought a few more yesterday at the fab sale!

I kept to 3 images, and changed the CAS layout, colour or sentiment, for a little variety in the cards, and given that all are travelling overseas, they are all relatively flat, so they don't get caught (literally) in the Christmas post... EMS (electronic mail sorts) love to eat lumpy bumpy cards!

Entering this creation into the challenges at:
Dream Valley Challenges #46 Non-traditional Christmas (7/12)
Cards For Men #24 Merry Christmas (3/12)
MelJen's Designs #137 Anything Goes (29/11)
Crimbo Crackers #25 Anything Goes (5/12)

Thanks for peepin'!

Blue Blue Blue!

This week at Twist of Faith Cards, we've got Blue Skies!  We have a colour challenge for you, and our colour is BLUE!!! It can be monochromatic, or not, but blue must be the predominant colour.  And it's one that I don't often work in!

Our sponsor this week is Stamp Art Design by Kathryne ... one of my favourites.... and I used a selection of images from the Little Bear Winter Fun set .... actually, I used two images from the set, and flipped the same two images, and changed the sizes. Also used is the bonus verse from the Guardian Angel image.

After printing the image layer, I coloured with Spectrum Noir pens... and added sparkle to all the snowflakes and jammie buttons with a Clear Star (Sakura) pen.  I then chalked with pearlescent blues to rid me of that white background!

I've simply layered the image on three layers, pearly textured cardstock, and a snowflake print (that was a magazine freebie!). After adding all to the blue cardbase, I fixed Ice blue rhinestones to the corners.

I'm entering this creation into these challenges....
Joanna Sheen #113 Anything Goes (Except Christmas) (6/12)
Crafty Boots Anything Goes (9/12)
Songbird Challenges #9 Blue (9/12)

Come along and join our BLUE colour challenge at Twist of Faith Cards this week! Thanks for peepin'!

#50 Giving Thanks

Before I share my creation for this week's challenge at the Card Crafter's Circle... I want to say that I am particularly grateful and thankful for my teamie Jenn! Jenn emailed me to let me know that my blogpost was blank!  This is a blog 'spook' that I've not encountered before, because my post was all ready and scheduled to post!  

So this week, our challenge is all about GIVING THANKS! It doesn't necessarily have to be about the Thanksgiving holiday, as not all of us have that celebration...it's about giving thanks!  We have a wonderful sponsor joining us again... Milk Coffee Stamps! The challenge prize winner will have their choice of 3 images as their prize... and there is an image for each of our Top 3 winners too!

I coloured the image with Spectrum Noir pens, then highlighted with glitter pens. I trimmed the image out, and using foam tape, fixed it to layers of patterned paper, and blue card. I then fixed it to a white cardbase.  I fixed a sentiment in a similar fashion, but dusted it with blue pearly chalk.  I added red rhinestones to the corners, the sentiment, and on the wee yellow flowers on the image.  I added pearls to the blue cape.

I loved this image, because it reminds me of my precious nieces (well, my cousin's daughters) ...

I'm entering this creation in the challenges at
Crafting for all Seasons #40 Thank You 26/11
Cute Card Thursday #244 Girls Only 29/11
Digistamps4Joy #55 Giving Thanks 4/12

Do come see the fabulous cards our design team has created to inspire you, and I hope you'll join us at the Card Crafter's Circle in the challenge this week!  Thanks for peepin'! 

Birdie Birdie!

Here is a quick and simple (and snowy) Christmas card....

Ingredients: MelJen's Digi Cozy Winter Owl; Cardstock (white, red, green textured); Spectrum Noir pens; Glitter pens; Olive embroidery thread; Green Pearls...

I coloured the super cute image with alcohol markers, but left the show on the bough neat (silly me should have added Stickles or something, but at least itis as white as snow!).  I then stitched over the pine needles with green embroidery thread, to give them some depth.  I matted the image, and fixed it all to a crisp white cardbase.

I'm entering this creation in the challenges at:
Crafty Creations #197 Christmas Is Coming (25/11)
MelJen's Designs #137 Anything Goes (29/11)
Crimbo Crackers #25 Anything Goes (5/12)

Thanks for peepin'!

Sweet Holly Fairy

It doesn't matter how early in the year I start making Christmas Cards, I'm always in a cardmaking frenzy by November.  Last year I started to make one Christmas Card a week... but it didn't last very many weeks.  This year, I think I should be more vigilant in my creations and preparations!  Here is a CAS Christmas card hot off the press.

Ingredients: Bugaboo image, Cardstock (white, red, Green Vintage Core-diations),Spectrum Noir pens, Glaze Pens, Gold Peel Off Sentiment, Green Pearls...

All there is here is simple colouring, layering, and white cardbase.  I really think that a white cardbase really makes a card pop... especially in CAS layouts.  And of course when you're pressed for time, or you have many to make, CAS is always a welcome style!


I'm entering this creation in the challenges at:
Craft Punked #46 Anything Goes (22/11)
Totally Gorjuss #158 Plain and Simple (24/11)
Corrosive Challenges #162 Flutter By (25/11)
One Stitch At A Time #140 Use a Digi (25/11)
Our Daily Bread Designs ODBDSLC131 Christmas/Thanksgiving (26/11)
ClearlyIStamp #64 CAS
Can You Digi It?  #23 CAS (2/12)

I'm off to create some more Christmas Cards. Thanks for peepin'!

#12 Children

It will be a fun challenge this week at Twist of Faith ... our theme is all about... CHILDREN!  We are sponsored by the wonderful Bugaboo Stamps, and always, they offer the fab winner's prize of 7 digital images!

Oh and in case you haven't been to the Bugaboo Store lately, or haven't already seen the huge red logo advert on the right, Bugaboo Stamps is having a FABULOUS SALE!!! Look right... then scoot on over to the Bugaboo Store to score yourself some bargains! (How's that for a shameless plug for Bugaboo! Tee hee!)

This week, I created my card using the A Kidz View - God - Baby image....  as soon as I saw this image, my thoughts went straight back to my days at Sunday School.  My favourite song then was "Jesus Loves the Little Children" ... and that plays over and over when I see this image!

On a metallic blue cardbase, I've layered white cardstock, blue paper, finishing with the (initially) white image layer.  I printed the image and sentiment, trimmed to size, and set to colouring with Spectrum Noir markers.  I then stitched the Lord's hair and beard, with doubled thread, so it has quite the texture. Finishing off, I chalked the background with blue pearly chalks, and added ice blue rhinestones to the corners.

This card is also being entered into the challenge at
WordArt Wednesday #54 Anything Goes (21/11)
Totally Gorjuss #158 Plain and Simple (24/11)
Stampin Sisters in Christ  #166 Children (24/11)
Stampin For the Weekend - #21 All Stitched Up  (23/11)
Anything Goes #80 Stitching (27/11)
Chalk N Stock Anything Goes (Must Use Chalk) (29/11)


I hope you'll join with us in our challenge this week, and show us your CHILDREN creations!  Thanks for peepin'!

#4 Twisted Holidays 2

Here's a second creation for the challenge at Sparkle And Glitter With Rick... our theme of Twisted Holidays! asks you to create for a holiday, but twist it!  Make it tacky or spooky or something that is not normal for that holiday. Our sponsor is Smeared Ink and they offer a prize of a digi stamp shopping voucher of $15!

My creation uses the Rick St Dennis Outhouse Noel image... quite a popular image at the moment!  I love this image because we (in country Australia) seem to be known for our outhouses!

I printed the image, and coloured it with a variety of markers, and glitter pens (which unfortunately don't all show in this picture).  I matted the image with brown andcream/green/red striped papers. The striped paper reminded me of candy cane.  I took my pearly chalks, and added in a mix of browns for the ground, and orange, red, cream and even blue, to add for the  sky... I pictured a sunset, but I didn't want too many colours (trying to keep in a brown, green and red mindset for Christmas).  I didn't add a Merry Christmas sentiment sticker, because the NOEL says it all, huh?  I fixed the layers together, and then added them to a pearly cream cardbase, along with some rust/red rhinestones.  I must learn more about my camera (or software) because the picture here is paler than the card itself... which is in the yellow/brown spectrum...

I wondered what sort of twist I could add, even though I thought a Christmas card featuring an outhouse (or a Dunee in the politest Aussie slang!) was pretty out there.  So with 'out there' mind, I created a roll of toilet paper from a toothpick and a paper strip.   If the outhouse was really 'out there' it could have been a handful of newspaper!

Also entered in challenges at
The Crafty Pad's #197 It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas (26/11)
Crafty Catz' #159 Let's have Sparkle  (23/11)
Craft Punked #46 Anything Goes!  (23/11)

I do hope you'll join in our Twisted Holidays Challenge at Sparkle And Glitter With Rick.  You don't have to use an RSD image, but we'd love to see you create with them if you do (and there are so many awesomely twisted images to choose from)! Come on over and join the fun... Thanks for peepin'!

#4 Twisted Holidays!

Here's a fun challenge for you ... at Sparkle And Glitter With Rick... we have a theme of Twisted Holidays!  We have a new-to-me sponsor too ... Smeared Ink ... what a collection of alternative, vintage and gothic images... talk about creative designers!  The prize from Smeared Ink, is a digi stamp shopping voucher of $15... someone will have some fun with this prize!

My creation uses two images from our sponsor's Quoth the Raven Set ... Raven #1 and Edgar Allen Poe ... when I saw these, I thought Christmas garb would be a delightful twist on the dark and eerie character...

With the two images in mind, I had to find a background that suited ... one from my huge paper collection I couldn't find.  So I turned to my digi images, and found this really nice sandstone doorway... I flipped it to Black/White, and layered on the images of EAP, sat a raven on his shoulder a-la-pirate. I then printed the base image, and also extras of EAP and the raven, for fussy cutting and layering onto the base image with foam tape, and fixed slightly askew for a little glimpse of movement. At least that was the idea!

I did so very little colouring with this creation.  Although where I did colour, I used Spectrum Noir pens... EAP's face and the hat and scarf. His expression was just perfect I thought, for the addition of a Santa hat... I'm it was furtherest from his mind!  And the striped scarf, gives a perfect 'Where's Wally?" feel! That wasn't intentional.  When I trimmed the base image, I had overlapped the EAP image over the frame a little.  It is mounted on black, grey and black distressed papers. I pricked a border of holes, and cross-stitched while adding wee grey pearls.  I also added some red rhinestones to bling the image... so not Edgar Allen Poe style!  As was my choice of a white cardbase.  I was going to add a Merry Christmas sentiment sticker, but much to my dismay, I found I had no silver left... and gold just didn't suit.

Also entered in the Quoth the Raven, Nevermore Quest #15 Tic Tac Toe challenge... fitting the left to right down-diagonal (Raven, Poe, Beads) of the Left Top-Bottom (Raven, Ribbon/Fibres, 3D).  Thanks Lady B!


I do hope you'll join in our Twisted Holidays Challenge at Sparkle And Glitter With Rick.  You don't have to use an RSD image, but we'd love to see you create with them if you do (and there are so many awesomely twisted images to choose from)! Come on over and join the fun... Thanks for peepin'!

Sharing some Kindness

Tuesday 13th is Kindness Day... although it is already the 14th here in Australia!

Anyway, I just wanted to thank everyone who follows my wee blog, and takes some interest in my creations... I love sharing with you!  What is especially encouraging, is the comments that people leave for me... it makes my day when someone says 'Hi"!

And in sharing a little with you, I invite you to visit a REALLY kind person at her blog,
TLC CREATIONS ...she personifies kindness ... you'll see what I'm talking about!

You can grab this button, and take a few minutes to visit someone and spread some kindness too! The least it can do is make someone smile... but the best thing about sharing kindness is that is completely CONGTAGIOUS!

Antique Christmas

Here we are again ... another challenge at Twist of Faith!   Our themed challenge for you this week, is to create a Religious Christmas card... not necessarily just the nativity, but sharing a creation that has  specific Christian symbolism (you might be surprised!) There is a page of links at the challenge, so visit to find out!

Our sponsor this week is Clear Dollar Stamps, and they are generously providing a $15 voucher for our random prize winner!

From the Clear Dollar Stamps repertoire I have created a Christmas card in non-traditional colours, using an image and sentiment from the wonderful Antique Ornaments set.

I printed the image and sentiment on a base layer, and printed another image that I trimmed down, and fixed with foam tape (in places to give a curved look suiting the bauble).  Of course the cutting was done after the colouring, which was done using markers, and glitter pens. I added a loop of embroidery thread at the top of the ornament.  I chalked the background to offset the white starkness, and layered it onto patterned purple paper.  I trimed the corners with rhinestones, twisted and knotted organza ribbon, and fixed it to a mauve cardbase.  I'm not really one to create Christmas cards in non-traditional colours, but this image set reminded me of the antique ornaments that were metal, foiled, glass and coloured with mercury.  Just like Nans!

The symbolism my ornament represents is that of bells, which were hung at the hem of priests... (see Exodus 28:31-35).


I am also entering this creation in the challenges at:
Play Date Cafe - #157 Plum/Fuchsia/Wisteria (14/11)
Stampin With The Dragon - Christmas - No Red/Green (15/11)
Eureka Stamps #14 Scripture or Inspirational Sayings (18/11)
House of Gilli- #45 Celebrations (19/11)
Southern Girls - Christmas (22/11)
Hooked On Craft - #26 Christmas No Red/Green (28/11)
Avadares Challenges - #5  Christmas/Hannukah (29/11)

Come on over and join in our RELIGIOUS CHRISTMAS challenge! Thanks for peepin'!

We Remember

Our challenge this week at Card Crafter's Circle is themed REMEMBRANCE, in commemoration of Remembrance Day observed on November 11, when we remember those that have served and paid the ultimate sacrifice in all too many wars.  Remembrance Day and ANZAC Day (April 25) are solemn and emotional days in my family, as many of my great uncles served in WW1, and my grandfathers in WW2, as well as my Father In Law serving in Korea.  We are staunch supporters of services for returned service men and women, and for families of those that have served.

I created this week using the Euro Red Poppy image from Rick St Dennis....  this image is a limited and exclusive one... it will not be available for sale, so please visit my Rick St Dennis Design Teamie Helen and collect the image while you still can! Please leave a comment of appreciation for her, and swing by the Rick St Dennis blog too!

I've simply used the image on white, along side a text digi I created, from the Ode of Remembrance.  Most of us military families in Australia  know these words as the "Stand To" which we recite in remembrance at sundown, and on Anzac Day, and Remembrance Day.  The image layer has been matted on two layers of the same brown colour core cardstock - the middle layer being sandpapered to reveal green from underneath.

The image was coloured with markers, and fussy cut.... I then fixed it over a second image of itself, to create a shadow, and I have chalked the background, creating a faded field of poppies... On the outside of the frame, I have fixed a Remembrance Day Poppy, and an Anzac Day Slouch Hat Badge.

This creation is also being entered into the challenge at
Crafty Sentiments Poppies (13/11)
Tuesday Alchemy  Anything But A Card (12/11)
Critter Sketch -#140  Remembrance/Veterans Day  (12/11)
Daisy Doodles - 71 Remembrance/Veterans' Day (18/11)

I hope you'll join with us in our challenge this week, and show us your REMEMBRANCE creations! Thanks for peepin'!
  

#10 Sketch at Twist of Faith

Sound the trumpets... my creation for Twist of Faith Card Challenges is finally up! Dang digital cameras ... after a little tinkering, I got the battery door to snap shut (I had to go buy a tiny screwdriver small enough for its needs) the batteries wouldn't lock in, so I couldn't take a photo! S'all right now!

Our challenge this week at Twist of Faith is a sketch challenge, and here's the sketch that you should follow:

Our sponsor is The Doodle Garden, and Jennifer has such delightful hand-drawn images! I love them.  I created with the "Song Bird" image.... that birdie is so darling!

The scripture digi sentiment that I created for my card,  uses Psalm 96:1 ... a wonderfully joyful psalm, one of my favourites...

Sing to the Lord a new song, Sing to the Lord all the earth.... Psalm 96:1

On a blue cardbase, I have layered a blue distressed paper and a really sweet floral paper.  The image and scripture are on the same layer, which chalked with pearlescent blues and I 'separated' with the overlay of border strips. The image is coloured with Spectrum Noir markers, and glitter pens.  I finished with ice blue rhinestone.   Instead of using a bow as the sketch suggested, I used a cutout of a dragonfly...in keeping with the springy joyfulness of the image. As I write this post, I am listening to a myriad of birdsong... sparros, wattlebirds, rainbow lorikeets, and I'm sure there are a few magpies and crows haunting my yard trees too!

Come join our challenge, create and share in our Sketch Challenge, and share your Twist of Faith!  Thanks for peepin'!