Don't Stop Believin' or are you on the naughty list

Welcome to my share for this fortnight's Christmas Card Club. Kate up in bonnie Scotland has asked for Santa, Father Christmas cards and this gorgeous stamp instantly came to mind from the Stampin' Up! winter mini called Don't Stop Believin' .  

 It's a really simple technique using text printed papers although a text background stamp would work too, possibly with second generation ink.   I stamped the Santa with Tuxedo Black Memento Ink and then used Stampin' Blends to colour in and added the holly from the Poinsettia Petals stamp set.  There are also some Christmas facetted gems and lots of Wink of Stella, but not so easy to see in a photo.  The sentiment I stamped and fussy cut around it before then adding it to a piece of black card before fussy cutting it out again.  

I added a piece of embossed red foil card to bring out the red of Santa's jacket and hat and to make him 'pop' a little more from the text background.  

Hoping your Christmas makes are coming along, but if you are adrift and need supplies don't forget to visit my Stampin' Up! Online Shop via any of the item links below.  

Thanks for checking in and keep crafting!

Hugs Zoe x

Don't Stop Believin' stamp set

Poinsettia Petals Stamp Set

Wonder of the Season Papers

Wonderful Gems

Stampin' Blends

red and green foil card sheets

Which creature is your favourite?

I love this fun stamp featuring all these cheeky creatures.  The stamp set is call From All of Us and it really is a fabulous group of friends or perhaps it could be your family members? Who would be who!  

I've created this card for the MAWTT - Moving Along with the Times, October Challenge.  I watercolour washed a background onto watercolour paper with a rough spot for the stamp to go in left blank.  I then stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink which is what you need to then colour with alcohol markers in my cast Stampin' Blends.  I've limited colours at the moment and ideally would have made the monkey a different colour, but I tweeked it with my colour lifter and dabbled with different colours to make him a different colour to the bear. 

I added sentiments from the same set by stamping onto patterned papers from the In Good Taste pack and used die cut matt layers in Early Espresso.  The sentiments are embossed and to get the colour I first stamped onto Versamark then gently onto the Early Espresso Pad, before adding clear embossing powder.  

What a fun bunch they are don't you think? 

Our challenge in case you hadn't guessed is animals and or birds over at MAWTT this month so why not join us.  

Below is a second card I made using the same stamp, but I fussy cut out the Ostrich.  She is kinda sassy and reminds me of someone close to my heart.  If you watched I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here last year you'll remember Caitlin Jenner and her motto for each day of 'Another Day to Excel'.  Similar message here and in the current world we live in I think we all need to make every day AWESOME.

Have a great weekend and come back on Sunday for another round of Christmas Card Club inspiration.  We are sharing Father Christmas/ Santa cards this fortnight. 

Keep safe and keep crafting.  

Zoe x

 From All of Us stamp set

Stampin Blends

Alcohol markers

Simple Ideas for using Stampin' Up! designer series papers from the Tantalizing Stampers

Starting today and each Tuesday this October the Tantalizing Stampers are going to share some simple, fun ideas using the Designer Series Papers (DSP) that are on special offer this month. 

Today I've used the Peony Garden DSP and Peony dies to make a card that you can keep in your 'made cards' box and add just the right sentiment when you need it.  

The Peony Garden papers include the colours Basic Gray, Gray Granite, Petal Pink and Whisper White.  Here I've added a border using the dies and Soft Sea Foam card stock along with some Elegant Faceted Gems that are part of the Garden Peony Suite of products in the Stampin' Up! AC.  

I used a strip of DSP 7.5 x 14.3 cm adhered to a C6 white card base.  I've also die cut a white Peony and added some sponging in Petal Pink ink along with some Soft Sea Foam leaves which are fun because you can die cut detail pieces that you can sponge and give depth and definition to with some tone on tone ink sponging.  

Very easy to do and that gorgeous die cut flower says everything on it's own.  Although I do love the sparkly gems too.  

Do pop around the hop via the pictures below to see what the rest of the team have done with some of our October special offer papers.  

Happy Tuesday all, 

Hugs Zoe x

Peony Garden DSP

Peony Garden Bundle

Elegant Faceted Gems

 

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Stampin' for Christmas Blog Hop

Welcome particularly if you haven't visited my blog before and you are here as part of the Stampin' for Christmas Blog Hop. It's my first time joining the hop where we are sharing Christmas projects every month.  I hope you'll visit all the team and enjoy the inspiration on offer.  

I've created a card using a very simple, but elegant stamp set called Joyful Holly from the Stampin' Up! winter mini catalogue.  I love this set as although on the surface it looks simple you can create so many different techniques with it. I've done a watercolour wash using Coastal Cabana ink on shimmery white card using ink from inside the ink pad and a water brush.  I let the panels dry and then silver heat embossed one of the holly sprigs.  I've added some splatter stamping and also then water coloured the holly leaves with Misty Moonlight ink.  Two matt layers of Misty Moonlight and Magenta madness card and a finishing sentiment make a bright and cheery card.  I've also added some epoxy dots for a little more texture.  

I love this technique of highlighting spots or rectangles using water colour either with masks or free hand. You can see a circular version  if you click on Forever Fern set. 

I'll be back with more Christmas cards with the Christmas Card Club soon too so do pop back. 

Thanks for visiting and enjoy the hop! 

Hugs and keep safe 

Zoe x

Joyful Holly Stamp Set

Frosted and Clear Epoxy Droplets

Water Painters 

  

Gifts, Ribbons and Bows

I'm excited to share my Christmas Card Club card with you today as for once as my choice I picked something some months ago as a theme and didn't then think "OMG why did I choose this!!!" .  I chose this theme knowing that we would have a new winter mini catalogue with lots of gorgeous seasonal stamps and trimmings, but never did I think it would work so well as this; a stamp set with literally ribbons and bows and I've added the gifts.  

 I used the 'Tis the Season papers and the Swirly Frames stamp set to add box edges in gold embossing before trimming my gift box shapes.  I've then added embossed, stamped or coloured bows to them all and a sentiment tag to the largest.  I created an embossed matt layer and chose the de-bossed side to add the paper parcels onto it as it was smoother to stick the papers onto but I think looked better behind the parcels.  

Regular visitors know I'm a bling lover and so a few red rhinestones just finished off my middle parcel.  Wouldn't it be lovely to receive Christmas gifts like this all coordinating and bowed!!

If you are looking for other gift wrap ideas why not look at my previous post showing a 3D gift box idea. 

Happy Sunday and I hope you have a great week.  I'm into Christmas mode now so making cards in my Christmas card buffet which you can join by post. Please email me for more information at zoetant@live.co.uk 

Thanks for stopping by.  Keep safe and KEEP STAMPING!

Hugs Zoe x

Gift Wrapped Bundle

Swirly Frames Stamp Set

'Tis the Season papers