52 CCT Pick a Previous 2016 Challenge

Hello and welcome to the last challenge of the year at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown. For our December challenge you can choose any of our previous challenges - sketch, colour, theme, technique or stash - from 2016. We have lots of exciting changes coming up at 52CCT! We will also be announcing the new members who are joining our DT team very soon.

Here is my take on the theme challenge back in April - Christmas Foliage. I created a wooden 'shelf' with SU's Hardwood stamp, then made a bunch of foliage using the fabulous Pretty Pines Thinlits.

We can't wait to see your Christmas creations!

Happy festive crafting! April x

Boo Cat

 

 

Hello! Ages ago I used to enjoy making ATCs, then I started to find it oddly a bit stressy - all the labelling 1/6, 2/6 etc. and sending them off! It came in a flash of inspiration today that I could just make one for fun and here he is, a kind of monster cat with a pumpkin on his head.

 

I got the free digi here and coloured him with Polychromos pencils. I used SU's Labeller Alphabet to make the sentiment and added some black Glimmer Paper stars.

 



I would like to enter Boo Cat in the Wicked Wednesday ATC Challenge - Halloween Colours.
Happy Crafting! April x

Stripes

 

 

Hello! I'm on a bit of a snippet mission combined with a 'use those stamps you've never got round to actually using' drive...

This handsome chap is from a retired SU set called Zoo Review. I've also used a couple of snippets of old Stacked With Love dsp. The finishing touches include glittery washi tape, silver Glimmer Paper stars, sequins and a happy birthday sentiment from Clearly Besotted. I hope you like him!

My zebra is trotting off to see Parsnip at Pixie's Snippets Playground - freaky coincidence, Di! I made this card with a scrolled sentiment before I read your post!

I would also like to send my card to Retro Sketches, because I have used their fab sketch.

 

 and last but not least, Cards in Envy where the theme is 'Stripes'. Happy Crafting! April x

Balloon Celebration

Hello! I made this card at a crafty get together with one of my team members. I used SU's Balloon Celebration stamps with the co-ordinating punch and the sentiment was cut using the washi psunch (which I love!) The colours are Mint Macaron, Blushing Bride, Sahara Sand and a bit of silver glimmer paper for added balloon bling! Hope you have a good week, April x

I'm sending my bunch of balloons over to Di and Sarn at Pixie's Snippets Playground. Just hope that a certain bear doesn't get carried away by them! (that actually did happen to my friend's daughter's cuddly duck once!)

Valentine Cupcake

Hello! Here is another Valentine card - this time a shaker card with sequins and Blushing Bride glimmer paper hearts. I did a tiny bit of paper piecing with a snippet of Strawberry Slush dsp and the cupcake frosting is Dazzling Details.

 I have used a really cute digi from A Day for Daisies, so I am entering my card in the ADFD Valentine Challenge. I am also sending it off to the Friday Mashup, where the challenge is to combine Valentine's Day with images of candy (yum!)

This is also my second entry for Cards in Envy - From the Heart, and last but not least, Parsnip can eat the loveheart off the cupcake at Pixie's Snippets Playground, which I think he will prefer to having kisses blown at him!

52 CCT February Sketch Challenge

Hello! I am delighted to be hosting this month's challenges over at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown. I do hope that you will join us there. As it is the first challenge of the month, we have a sketch challenge for you:

 

It doesn't have to be a Christmas tree - any festive element will be great! I decided to use a Christmas tree that I had previously cut with my Silhouette. I backed it on some patterned paper and added it all to a Sahara Sand card that I embossed with stars. The silver glimmer paper sentiment is a die-cut from SU's Wondrous Wreath. Very quick and simple! See you over at 52CCT - April x

Kitty Valentine

Hello! A quick and very cute kitty valentine card today. I was inspired by this CAS(E) This Sketch design:

 

The cute kit is a Clearly Besotted stamp - You're Purrfect. I created a watercolour background with Blushing Bride and Regal Rose inks and an aquablender on white shimmer card. Kitty is coloured with Copics and I added some Blushing Bride glimmer paper hearts for a bit of bling. Miaow!

 



 

I am also sending this kitty over to Parsnip and Di at Pixie's Snippets Playground and to the ladies at Cards in Envy - From the Heart.

 

April x

 

 



White on White Card

 

 I was inspired to make this card for the 'White on White' challenge over at Cards in Envy. You are allowed a tiny bit of colour, which is a good job because I was internally yelling at myself the whole time, "Add colour!" I haven't made a white on white card before and it was a challenge (I know that's the point!) It's interesting because it brings home to you just how many shades of white there are. That textured cardstock is white, not cream - really it is!

I think texture is pretty important when making a white on white card. I used some chevron embossing, textured card and glimmer paper to add some interest. I have also played with depth, by using the inlaid die-cut technique combined with dimensionals. I couldn't resist a tiny bit of pink courtesy of some enamel dots and a Hero Arts sentiment embossed with Donna Salazar embossing powder in chiffon.

I hope you like my card. It is off to a 13th birthday party tonight, so time was of the essence! It is also my second card of the week for Pixie's Snippets Playground because the very tiniest snippets of glimmer paper were deployed!

Finally, here is a member of the creative team post-snooze...

Happy Friday! April x

Black and Gold

LOVE this colour combo! You may remember from an earlier post that I was going to get a Silhouette Cameo back in October as a way of getting myself through the extraction of a tooth root. I had got myself in a right freaky state over the prospect of it and I thought a Silhouette would help! In the event, I felt a right fraud. I was in and out in less than fifteen minutes, never felt a thing and had no pain or swelling afterwards (lucky I know!) So, the Sihouette became an early Christmas present instead, but I'm glad it's here now!

My card is for Funkie Junkie's 12 Tags of Christmas which is sponsored by The Funkie Junkie Boutique. It is inspired by Linda's wonderful Week 2 tag. I have used her black and gold colour scheme and have also incorporated the rays and stars. The sentiment was cut using my Silhouette and I then embossed it with gold embossing powder. The ray stamp is from SU's Kinda Eclectic and I have added some Glimmer Paper stars and large black sequins. I backed it onto a Brushed Gold cardstock base. Hope you like it!

I'd also like to enter my card in the Cards in Envy Very Vintage challenge. I do think the rays and sentiment give my card a vintage vibe, even though I suppose it is also quite modern looking.

I'd also like to enter the Our Creative Corner challenge where the theme of the month is stars.

Have a crafty weekend! April x

52 CCT Sketch Challenge

Wow! Hard to believe that November is here. At the start of each month we have a sketch challenge for you at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown.

 

For my take on the sketch, I have used some cute snowman paper that came with a magazine. I inked a piece of cardstock with a variety of Distress Stains - Mermaid Lagoon, Blueprint Sketch, Cracked Pistachio and Tumbled Glass. I then cut a snowflake using one of Sara Davies' Trio of Snowflakes die. I cut another one from Glimmer Paper to layer underneath and added a snowflake sequin and an enamel dot.

I hope you will join us for our sketch challenge and be inspired by the DT's fabulous Christmas creations! Have a great weekend, April x

52 CCT Theme Challenge

Hello! We have a theme challenge for you at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown. When I was thinking of my choice of theme earlier in the year, I turned to my favourite Christmas music for inspiration. Every year, particularly when doing the dreaded wrapping, I have to listen to Annie Lennox's gorgeous version of 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen', Bing Crosby and David Bowie's 'Little Drummer Boy', Jona Lewie's 'Stop the Cavalry' and John Rutter's 'Wild Wood Carol'. It's the last one that I have chosen as my theme. Any combo of winter trees and/or woodland creatures would be fab!

For my card, I have used a fox stamp from Lawn Fawn's Joy to the Woods. The tree stamps were a magazine freebie and I have added a touch of Cosmic Shimmer to them. Mr Fox is trotting along a piece of SU Glimmer paper.

I do hope that you join us with your woodland inspired cards over at 52CCT! April x

I would like to enter my card in CHNC challenge extra for October.

52 CCT Theme Challenge

Our theme challenge at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown is to make a card for a child. I have used a cute freebie digi from a papercraft magazine. I have coloured my Christmas bunny with Promarkers and added some Cosmic Shimmer to his hat. I've also used my SU chevron embossing folder and surrounded him with champagne Glimmer paper stars. The finishing touches are a die-cut bow (from SU's mini treat bag), a pink sequin and a piece of washi tape.





The design team at 52CCT look forward to seeing your Christmas cards every week - I hope that you can join us! April x

52 CCT Pick a Previous Colour

Here is my DT card for this week's Pick a Previous Colour challenge over at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown. I decided to choose a classic combo from September 2012.

 

I must also have been inspired by that pile of gingerbread men because I have opted for a tower of the little fellas clutching their candy canes. This cute digi is from Pink Cat Studio and I have coloured it with Promarkers. The patterned paper is American Crafts Peppermint Express and I decided to fussy-cut some extra candy canes. Of course, I had to add some stars punched from Glimmer Paper and a scrap of embossed white paper that was hanging around.

I hope that you will feel inspired to have a poke around our Colour archive and make a Christmas or winter themed card. 

I am also packing my gingerbread men off to Pixie's Snippets Playground, Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge 231 and Crafty Hazelnut's Challenge extra for May.

Have a great weekend! April x 

52 CCT Theme Challenge

Here is my DT card for this week's challenge at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown. The theme has been chosen by our hostess, Patricia and is:

 

Now this can be Bethlehem, but it doesn't have to be. We are looking for any festive or wintery scene containing buildings. I was thinking that lots of Christmas town scenes are lovely New England or Nordic ones, so I decided to create one from the industrial north of England instead - channelling Coronation Street whilst humming 'Life in a Northern Town'! This was very easy using SU's Holiday Home stamps. I just cut some additional roofs (I had to check that plural. I'm sure I was brought up with 'rooves', but apparently that is the 'old secondary form'). I've added some small piles of snow in Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper and stamped a slight snowfall, as that it usually all you get here in the North West anyway!

I hope that you will join us. We really look forward to seeing your lovely, inspirational cards. April x

52 CCT Sketch Challenge

At 52 Christmas Card Throwdown we are welcoming the new month with a sketch challenge. Patricia is our hostess and she has chosen this great design to inspire your festive card making.

 

I decided to use strips of washi tape to create the 'banners' topped by a little gingerbread man from SU's Scentsational Season. I have made quite a long card and have added Merry and Bright patterned paper by Pink Paislee on the ends. The Whisper White background is stamped in gold with Gorgeous Grunge and I have punched stars from champagne Glimmer Paper. The sentiment is from Good Greetings.

I hope you will take a look at the fantastic cards from the rest of the DT. We look forward to seeing your inspirational Christmas cards! April x

52 CCT Sketch Challenge

Over at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown this week, Louise has a fantastic sketch with lots of detail to get your crafting teeth into! It reminds me of patchwork and I made my card design up as I went along. I thought I was going to make quite a different card, but I ended up using lots of cool greys, blues and silvers. All my card was made from scraps - just like a real patchwork quilt!

I started off with some pieces of Eastern Elegance dsp and combined these with a panel of card embossed with the Northern Flurry embossing folder. I sponged the snowflakes with silver ink to highlight them. The stamped areas were created with Stampin' Up's Eye-catching Ikat set. I have also added silver Glimmer Paper and stars punched from scraps.

It was a really interesting sketch to work with and I'm looking forward to seeing all the different interpretations! Have a great weekend, April x

52 CCT Theme Challenge

This week at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown we have a theme challenge for you. Our hostess Gill has chosen the theme of Silent Night. I'm sure that we will see some amazing interpretations of this wonderful festive theme!

 

I've gone with quite a literal take! The Silent Night music and sentiment are both digis from Kim MacFarlane. I have combined them with Primrose Petal stars, stamped with the Many Merry Stars set and then clear embossed. The scroll work in Chocolate Chip was cut using the Sissix Winter Greenery die and I've added a few extra stars punched from scrap dsp and Glimmer Paper. Happy Crafting! April x

I'm also entering my card into Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge which this week has the theme of singing and Crafty Hazelnut's Challenge Extra for March.

52 CCT Colour Challenge

This week over at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown we have a colour challenge for you. Gill has chosen a wonderful combo of pink, blue and silver - very pretty!

 

I decided to use Soft Sky as my base cardstock. I then stamped snowflakes from SU's Snowflake Soiree, using a Mama Elephant inkpad (Fresh Mint, which sounds a bit green but looks blue to me!). The Merry Christmas sentiment is a Clearly Besotted stamp which I inked with SU's Colorbox Rose Coral. The pine needles were created using a Poppy die (Pine Boughs) with SU's Birthday Bash washi sheets. Not half as fiddly as I thought it would be! I have used Glimmer Paper to add some silvery elements to the card. 

I hope that you will feel inspired by this non-traditional Christmas colour combo. We would love to see your festive makes over at 52CCT! April x

Gelli Stars

Hello! My latest craft addiction is my Gelli plate - how did I last so long without one? The stars were cut from prints that had been made using three colours of acrylic paint. I then did some faux stitching around the larger stars using a Tim Holtz distress marker (Weathered Wood). The kraft card is stamped in silver ink with SU's Gorgeous Grunge and I've added some sequins and Glimmer Paper stars for extra bling. Hope you like it! April x

I'd like to enter my card in the Merry Monday Christmas Challenge.

52 CCT Colour Challenge

Over at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown we have a colour challenge this week - a lovely, subtle combination of white, silver and grey.

  

My walrus relaxing on ice beneath a snow-filled and starry sky is from Fawn Lawn's Arctic Critters. I have stamped him in Smoky Slate and made his tusks and nose glisten with a Sakura Gelly Roll pen. The ice is stamped in silver and the card is actually quite sparkly. Unfortunately, the SU Moonlight dsp perfectly matches the sky today, which makes taking photos a bit of a challenge. I feel a bit like an Arctic critter myself! Have a lovely Valentine's Day and do please join us with your festive creations over at 52CCT, April x