A little life update and two Reindeer cards

Life has been full over the last little while. Between a weekend away, coming down with a horrible head cold, and then flying down to Wellington to spend a few days with my dad, crafting has had to take a bit of a back seat. I came home still coughing, spent a couple of days tucked up in bed, and then eased back into work.

By Tuesday afternoon I was finally feeling a little more human, so I spent a couple of happy hours in the craft room. I had reindeer on my mind after seeing this month’s challenge at Christmas Kickstart, and that was all the inspiration I needed.

For the first card, I started with a digital image from my files: a Bugaboo image called Reindeer Trio. I printed it out, pulled out my alcohol markers, and enjoyed colouring this adorable little trio.

Once the colouring was finished, I die cut the image with a Gina K Master Layout die, using a little partial die cutting to get the panel to the right size. I found a Craft Concepts sentiment stamp in my stash that fitted perfectly in the open space and stamped it to complete the focal panel.

For the background, I used some lovely red music paper and added the coloured panel on an angle for a playful look. I really do think these three reindeer are just adorable.

My second card took a very different direction. I found a sweet reindeer stamp in a Rosie’s Studio set called Hearth + Home and stamped it onto a white panel with Memento Toffee Crunch ink. I added the bow in Catherine Pooler Peppermint Scrub ink for a cheerful touch of colour.

To build the frame around the image, I used an older Hero Arts woodblock stamp, Pine Bough, stamping around the edges with Distress Oxide Evergreen Bough ink. I then blended a little of the same ink around the edges to soften everything and bring the panel together.

The sentiment, from the same Rosie’s Studio stamp set, was stamped in VersaClaire Nocturne ink. I masked the words and deer before splattering white acrylic paint over the panel, then finished the card with a dark green mat on a white card base.

I'm adding this one to the CAS Christmas Challenge -  Woodland Critters 

It felt so good to be back in the craft room, even just for a short time. Sometimes a couple of hours, a few favourite supplies, and a pair of reindeer cards are exactly what is needed.

Season's Tweetings at Christmas Kickstart Challenge

 It’s been a busy week, so I really enjoyed having a little creative “play time” this afternoon while my hubby was out. I decided it was the perfect chance to make a couple of cards for the May Christmas Kickstart Challenge, Season’s Tweetings. After pulling out a few bird-themed stamps and images, I managed to put together two cards in no time.

The first card features the fun Funny Birds set from Mangocraft. I stamped the quartet of birds in black ink and heat embossed them with clear embossing powder for a crisp finish. I also added both the large and small sentiments from the Concord &9th Big On Christmas stamp set, again using clear embossing. To bring the birds to life, I used my Jasart Brights Metallic watercolour paints, which gave them a lovely bright shimmer. I softly blended pale blue ink around the images and added a little extra blue metallic splatter for detail. The finished panel was then matted onto soft red patterned paper and attached to a white card base.

My second card was a much quicker make. I used one of my Penny Black Masterpiece pre-printed panels and cut out the cardinal with a small square die. After matting it with dark brown card, I layered it onto a red square and mounted it on an "Ardyth" Square Card base measuring 4.25 inches. A sentiment strip from my stash was the perfect finishing touch. It came together so easily and makes for a simple but striking card.

It's been great to get a few more Christmas cards done. 

Dreaming of a PINK Christmas

 The January challenge at Christmas Kickstart is Dreaming of a PINK Christmas.  

Today 26th January is a holiday - to celebrate Auckland Anniversary Day - so the last day of 4 days off for me.   It's been very un-summery weather all of the last week or so and today was no exception.  Spend a little time in the craft room and made this card for the challenge

I started with some ombre paper - from Uniti.  Picked out the pinkest part of the paper and embossed it with a snowflake folder (from a magazine from a few years back) Ran some white pigment ink over top of the raised areas.   I used a Gina K stamp set called Playful Penguins to stamp and die cut the pair of penguins.  I stamped and fussy cut the sentiment.   I used some cheapo watercolour paint pens to add colour to my sweet pair.   Added some glossy accents to the beaks and boots and some kindyglitz sparkle glue to the ear muffs, pompom and the centre of the snowflakes. 

First Christmas card for 2026!   

Christmas Kickstart Challenge - Just Add Antlers!

 I'm still not well and after a very busy weekend, today I was shattered and still coughing so another day at home.  I did two half days - Monday and Wednesday and had Tuesday and Thursday sick.  Went to the doctors on Thursday - Chest infection and bronchial asthma - so antibiotics and taking time off.  

I rested up today and spent some time in my craft space this afternoon.  I had sorted some digital images over the weekend and two day I printed two old Bugaboo images to enter into the challenge at Christmas Kickstart Challenge.

 

First one used a favourite Christmas image - Puppy Reindeer.   I've used over the years since 2014.

Isn't it gorgeous!  The sentiment was part of the digital images.  I printed and used Spectrum Noir Tri-blends to colour.  Added little bits of Gelly Roll Sparkle clear pen to the bells and on his hat, the stars, the ground.  I masked off the edges and used a Blue Grey maker to add a faux matting layer.   Added some silver die cut sequins. 

My next card also uses a Bugaboo image from 2016.

A cute as reindeer.   Again used the Spectrum Noir Tri-blends to colour.  Added a Kaisercraft sentiment.  A little of the Gelly Roll Sparkle Clear pen on the starts and the Christmas baubles.  

I went to photograph the cards and for the live of me, I couldn't find the first card anywhere.   I honestly couldn't find it at all, then remembered I had cut and folded some card bases and put them in a folder.  Yep, sure enough there it was amongst the bases.    

Hopefully off to work tomorrow. 

Santa in September.

 The challenge at Christmas Kickstart this month is Santa in September.  Such a fun challenge. 

I'm slowly coming right - still a bit tired and lacking in energy.   Finally spent some time yesterday afternoon in the craft room.   And pulled out a Santa die (Die Cutting Essentials magazine September 2021) and went through some of my large stash of Christmas papers and here's what I made.

I die cut the Santa and layered him up.   Cut the circle from the green card and layered it onto some gold card.  Did the same with the background.  The card base is a 5" square. The sentiment is from a Tim Holtz set - Snarky Cat Christmas.   

Two more Christmas cards

I've got a couple of Christmas cards to share.   Didn't get a lot done over the weekend as we took a trip to visit hubby's sister in Tauranga.   A 3 and bit hours south of us.   Took her and her hubby out for lunch.   She has done her first round of chemo and other than losing her beautiful flowing locks... she said she is feeling good.  She starts round number 2 this coming Thursday.    Then it was back home.   A pretty full on day.  Sunday was spend doing ironing, shopping and finally a bit of crafting time. 

My first card used a negative scrap - when I die cut some white JOY sentiment for dimension for another card, I made sure they were all cut one below the other with the thought of using the negative space - and it turned out perfect. 

This is a 4.25" x 6.25" card.  I took a poinsettia patterned paper 6" square and put it behind the negative space and added the centre of the O back in place.  I used my computer to generate the sub-sentiment and used an Altenew die to cut it out. 

And my second card is for the Christmas Kickstart challenge - theme this month "Let's Wreath it Up"

I printed some tartan paper from a PNGwing image and trimmed it to a square.  Matted it onto some white card with some gold pen added around the edge.   Used a holly berry die to cut three times from dark green card and made the wreath.  I used a dotty die to cut a pile of red dots to add for the berries.  The sentiment banner is an old unnamed woodblock stamp.  I had purchased it about 8 years ago from a reject shop in Australia for just a few dollars.  I stamped and clear embossed it before fussy cutting it.   Added some 3D tape in the middle and glued the edges directly to the card.   

Slowly building up the Christmas cards.  

Christmas in July... Two cards with circles, dots and spots

 Do you know that there is a Christmas Card Makers Success Summit starting at the end of July - it's free but you can purchase the VIP pass and get to watch the tutorials straight away.   And that's what I did! 

I watched the tutorial from Ardyth Percy-Robb - which showed how to use a gel plate to get some gorgeous papers and how turn them into Christmas cards.  For my card I CASE'd Ardyth's example card, just using some different stencils and colours. 

I used a Hero Arts stencil called Crossing Waves.  I added some red paint to my gel plate and added the stencil.  I let the paint dry on the plate and then layered with some gold paint and added another paper. Once it dried I took my pull and this is what I got.   It took a few goes to get something I liked... but got there.  I used a circle die from Gina K Master Layouts 3 to make my ornament.  I used some of my roll off papers to cut the gold topper and the Merry Christmas die (both from a magazine freebie set)  For my background, I swinked some Catherine Pooler Juniper Mist onto some card.   I found a Memory Box stencil (Diamonds) that I used some texture paste to add in the corners.   I thought my background was dry but obviously not... it picked up the ink and coloured the paste.   Added some white dots of Posca paint and white gel pen and finished with some homemade star dots.  

I am adding this to latest Christmas Kickstart Challenge #100 - Merry Go Around.   Use spots, dots and circles-

And while I was in the mood for Christmas cards I made a second card for the challenge...

I used Altenew Wonderful Wreath stencil to make a half circle wreath - with two Altenew green inks - Sweet Leaf and Just Green.  I moved the stencil three times to get the three layers of leaves.  I stenciled the red berry circles, but after making a bit of a boo-boo so changed them to use circular red gems for the berries.  I used some off the left over red roll off from my previous card, covered with some clear packing tape to die cut the Hero Arts Peace stamp and cut set.  The sub-sentiment was stamped directly to the card.  Matted with some dark green card. 

Slowly building up the Christmas stash.  

Christmas Critters

 The June challenge at Christmas Kickstart is Christmas Critters.  I haven't made many Christmas cards so far this year.... and today I was home sick (again!!! - went to work yesterday only lasted 2 hours.  Coughing still 12 days from getting sick) so some time to play.  Went to the doctor today and have antibiotics for 7 days!  And off work for another day or two.    I was looking for a particular stamp and saw the Tim Holtz - Snarky Cats Christmas - perfect for the challenge.

I made a winter night scene... Made my own stencil/mask using a piece of card and a Spellbinders nesting circle die.  I masked off the bottom of the circle with a piece of post it note and added some yellow around the circle.  Then used the die cut circle as a mask and added dark grey and dark blue Altenew inks for the night sky.   I found a freebie magazine stamp (never been used) that had some snowflakes.   Stamped with Altenew Cloud White pigment ink and embossed with white powder.  Added some dots of white pen.  Added some grey and blue for the snow.  Stamped the sentiment and bird from the Tim Holtz set and then stamped the Snarky Cat onto some white scrap card and cut with the Scan'n'Cut to add to the card after adding some colour with alcohol markers.  

I also made another card today... using the new Waffle Flower Postage Collage Butterfly stencil.   But not sure if I'm sending this one to a friend for her birthday... so will wait till the decide before sharing.  

Thanks for stopping by. 

 

Winter Warmers at Christmas Kickstart Challenge

 I've been a bit slack on making my Christmas cards and joining Christmas Kickstart Challenge...  This afternoon (Saturday) Hubby went to watch some rugby so after I had done the housework - I hit the craft room to catch up on some DT work and then had a play.

Here's my take on Winter Warmers.

Last weekend while looking for some patterned paper to use on another card, I came across a pad from Milton & Co which had some printed panels.  I trimmed one and it was sitting on my desk with the idea to use it for this challenge.   I added a dark blue mat to it and then added some Kindyglitz to the hat and the edges of this little teddy's jacket.  Added some Glossy Accents to his nose and the bird's belly.  My background is some shimmery blue card and an embossing folder (reminded me of a winter sweater). The sentiment is from a Crafters Choice stamp set and was die cut with an Altenew die and then matted with the dark blue.  

After this one, I did some cutting with my Scan'n'Cut - stamped images cut for future use.  Had a few issues and messed up a few, but once I got it sorted got a few done.    Now to watch some more of the Stress Free Cardmaking Summit sessions.   

Animal Antics at Christmas Kickstart Challenge.

This month at Christmas Kickstart, the challenge is "Animal Antics"  - they want to see animals playing in the snow. 

Hubby tidied up the storage space under the stairs that is accessed through my craft room and made the access to the set of storage drawers that are in there, much easier.  Lots of old stamps are in there including lots of freebie sets from magazines.   So I had a look and found a freebie set that had some penguins and a seal as well as a polar bear.   I used the two penguins and the seal to make my card.

I stamped the little critters and then masked them while I used a hill mask I made, and blended some blue ink to make my snowbanks. I removed the masks and used some alcohol markers to colour them in.  I added some Nuvo Crystal drops in Simply White along the edges.  The little snowflakes are from another magazine freebie - stamped in a soft blue ink.  The sentiment is from the same freebie set as the critters.

Another Christmas card added to the stash.   Time to do some card making other than Christmas cards!

 

Christmas Lilies.

One of the items I got at the Craft Show last week was an embossing folder from Altenew - Starry Patterns.   I did a bit of playing around with it - inking up the folder and getting different backgrounds.

For this one I inked up my folder with some Catherine Pooler It's a Boy ink.  I decided that I would make a frame with the panel - so cut with some square dies from Gina K Master Layouts #3.  I embossed a panel to layer behind with the folder.  I added the panel to a dark navy background and then onto a " square card.  I wanted to add a Christmas flower - so decided red lilies would look like a Christmas Lily.  This is an Altenew mini set called Calla Lily.  I stamped and cut with the matching die.  I used some red ink and green Alcohol pens. The sentiment is a pre-printed one - I'm not sure where it came from.  I trimmed and layered it onto some dark navy card.

As I used the folder to make a frame I'm adding this to the challenge at Christmas Kickstart - where the challenge is Festive Frames

And as this was the first outing for the embossing folder I'm adding it to Darnell's NBUS 

We had a lovely weekend, hubby and I headed up to our friends place in Mangawhai.  We haven't been up for awhile.  And our friends are travelling around England, Scotland and Europe.   We upgraded our car on Thursday - a 2013 Toyota Auris, so took it on a road trip.  The car drove beautifully and the weather over the weekend was very spring like.. I had a lovely afternoon sitting outside on the deck doing some colouring in a Zen Mindless colouring book.  

Used mostly greens and blues Prismacolor pencils to do this one.  I couldn't believe how relaxing it was... 3 hours just disappeared.    

Thanks for stopping by.   

Festive Frames at Christmas Kickstart Challenge.

 

Another wintery day here in Auckland, NZ so a bit more time in the craft room today.  While tidying yesterday I found a set of peg stamps by Rubber Stamp Tapestry.  I see my local stamp store has a number of these type of stamps.  The set I have is called Holiday Garden set.    

Here's how I used the peg stamps to add a festive frame around my sentiment. 

I lightly drew around a circle die and then used 4 colours of CP stamps - Rockin' Red, Peppermint Scrub, Eucalyptus and Green Tea to stamp the 4 different pegs.  Added a lot of little dots of the Rockin' Red and Eucalyptus inks and a few gems for the centre of some of the flowers.  The sentiment is from a NZ company called Montarga.  And to finish this CAS card, I used the Rockin' Red and Eucalyptus inks direct to paper to die cut 2 of the smallest die from Spellbinders Poinsettia dies, in the red, and the next size up in the green.  Added some yellow gems for the centre. 

Gifts at Christmas Kickstart

 This month's challenge at Christmas Kickstart is "It's A Gift" 

I has some play time on Sunday afternoon and got three cards made for Christmas 

This one is a mini slimline card.  I used some PP from Uniti - Christmas pack.  I used  Pinkfresh Studio Mini Slimline Bundle to cut the PP and some pale green card.  The sentiment is from a Kaisercraft set - Christmas Quotes.  Added lots of Sparkle shimmer pen on the card, snow, tree etc.   Hard to see in the photo but lovely and shimmery IRL.

Next I used the same PP - up the top of the page.  I used a sketch from Jess Craft - from the Stress Free cardmaking Summit)  The floral and red dot papers are both from a Carta Bella pack - Letters to Santa.

For this one, I used a sticker from Journalsay.   I added it to some white card and fussy cut it before adding to a red card that was embossed with a Holly folder.  The sentiment was a free print out from Craft Al last Christmas.  

My Christmas card stash is growing slowly and good to have three more added. 

Hope you managed to get some crafting done over the weekend.  

  

Playing with Plaid at Christmas Kickstart Challenge

Loving the latest challenge at Christmas Kickstart Challenge.   I love Plaid on Christmas cards.  So I pulled out a Plaid Background stamp and stamped some backgrounds.   And made two cards. 

For this one I stamped Catherine Pooler's Plaid Background stamp with Peppermint Scrub ink and die cut with Gina K Master Layout 2.  Used a  Navy mat and to cut the oval from Master Layout 1.  The little deer is from a Magazine Freebie (mag purchased in 2017!) I took some light brown inks and swinked it onto some white card.  I die cut the deer and then stamped the deer in a darker brown using the negative pieces as a jig.  Makes it easy to get the stamp lined up so well.   Stamped the sentiment from the same free stamp set, in Versafine Onyx Black ink.  Added the panel to a kraft card base. 

For this one, my Plaid Background was stamped wth Catherine Pooler's Rockin' Red ink.  I trimmed the panel and added some navy card mat.  My focal image is a digital image from Mo's Digital Pencil called Shall I Play for You   I've had it for over 12 years!   Great to print and colour again.  I used Zig Markers this time around and fussy cut it out.  My sentiment is from a Kaisercraft set called Christmas Quotes... an other older set although this was the first time I used this sentiment from the set.    

So two more Christmas cards for my stash.  Happy about that.  

Friday fun - Two cards - two challenges.

 HI there.   I managed to make two cards today, in my breaks from work and after work.  Perks of working from home -early starting and finishing!   

My first card came about as on my Facebook post of one of my lily cards, I mentioned that I was going to do pink lilies and one of my commentor asked if I had done it.   So I decided to make a card for The Flower Challenge with pink lilies.   Their challenge is to use a square card. 

I cut the square die from Gina K Master Layout 3 and embossed it.  Used Altenew Pink Pearl and Coral Berry for the flowers and Frayed Leaf and Forest Glades for the leaves.  I used a Prismacolor pencil to add the colour for the stamen and to add extra texture lines on the flowers and leaves.   Finished with a little Easter Wishes sentiment from a Verve stamp set.  

My second card is for the Christmas Kickstart Challenge.- Get your Grinch on. Use Green 

I have been hoarding some Penny Black Masterpieces Made Simple printed card panels.  I got two sets of the Aglow ones - there are 4 panels in each pack.  They are so beautiful.   

I glued the panel to some dark green card from Scrapbook.com - Sprinkles pad and then die cut the Waffle Flower Postage die.  I then layered some green card under before adding to my white card base.   The sentiment is from Waffle Flower's Star Snowflake set.   Just love the simple CAS look. 

I'm going to be crafting my heart out tomorrow. Hubby is doing his refresher First Aid course all day.  My plan is to just play and have fun.  And do my Design team cards for when I'm on holiday in April. Just to make sure I'm ahead.  

Gold for Christmas - and the MG 100 Anniversary Rally

 Hi there.   Been a busy few days - getting ready to go on the MG 100 Anniversary Rally - but I did manage to get a few cards made on Thursday and Friday.   Today I'm sharing one for the Christmas Kickstart Challenge..The Midas Touch.. first Christmas card for 2014! 

This paper was some wrapping paper that was around a present from my hubby to me.  It is stunning so I save some of it and used it for my background.  I glue it with a glue stick to some light cardstock and cut it out with a Gina K Master Layout 2.  Added to my white card and then onto a dark base.  Finished with a die cut foiled sentiment from Spellbinders (in my "magic mug" a la Laurel Beard) 

And a couple of photos from yesterday's Concours - Were lots of MG Rover cars were on display - from 1931 through to the latest MG EV car.  

Our car - 1997 MGF

Matching outfits.

We had a great day but it did not end well.  After the nibble and a talk from a MG engineer who worked on MG's in the 1980 onwards, we went to the car to head home.  Only to find we couldn't turn off the immobliser.   We ended up call AA Roadside Assist who told us that often older car alarms etc can be affected by inference to the signal around areas that are build up or where there a cell towers, lots of microwave signals etc.  We were parked surrounded by tall apartment blocks and under electrical tram lines.   So after another long wait, we got towed home.  The AA guy told us that most probably as soon as we were away from the city centre the immobliser would work.  Sure enough as soon as we got to the top of our drive - the towee stopped and we tried it... Yeap it worked.  So 3 hrs after we started to go home, we got there!  Good ending but a long day! 

Today was a rally just a bit north of us... we went to Matakana to visit the Morris & James pottery.  Had a good look around and I'm sure I'll be back with the bigger car to get some pieces.

Here I am on our way out this morning.

Tomorrow we are off to Taupo ( 4 hours south of Auckland) doing an Observational Rally on the way... Means I'll have to take note of the clues along the way...

Thanks for stopping by -  I'm scheduling a post for tomorrow the other cards I did on Friday and Saturday.  Not taking my Laptop so not sure if I'll get to post again till we are back on Sunday.