Making my Xmas Cards

I've had a fun couple of evenings making my first ever Xmas cards ~ I've created two designs:


One is teal and the other is purple, and half of each either have 'Season's Greetings' or 'Tis the Season' stamped on them.


Purple with 'Tis The Season'


Teal with 'Season's Greetings'

I enjoyed the design process and created something I could mass-produce without too much difficulty:


Cards in production

All I need to do is add the purple ribbon (I ran out of Herma then double-sided tape), print the address labels and write in the cards, then I can post them!

I'm ahead of the game this year ~ for a change ~ probably because I usually struggle to find a design I like that doesn't have religious images/text. I know I'm a hypocryte to some, but I think Atheists can still enjoy the holiday season and have the decorations, prezzies, food, parties etc as for me it's about having fun, enjoying winter, and most of all, spending quality time with loved ones. You don't need to believe in Jesus for that!!!

Tan xxx

New Cards

I've made some more cards and I'm really pleased with how these two turned out.


Little Birdie

I made this for my friend's 21st Birthday and have to admit that I pinched the design from a favourite blogger of mine called Kath on the Fiskarettes blog site as I love it so much. I didn't have the same materials so I used a free backing paper I downlaoded, and made the flower myself from petal shapes I cut from paper, and I stamped gold flowers on white card for the paper trim. I cut the scolloped edges by hand as I don't have the Fiskars cloud scissors that Kath used (I've bid for them on eBay though and hope to get them soon!).

I made another version for my Nan's birthday but instead of 'a little birdie told me...' I wrote 'Happy Bird-day' on it instead. Hope you don't mind Kath!


King of Sleep

This is my first go a designing a scrapbook layout style card. I made it for my sister's fiance for his Birthday. I used a photo of him having a sneaky snooze (his fave past time) and used denim backing paper and decoupage elements (moon, hat) downloaded from free digital craft sites, printed a poem about sleep onto white card using a nice calligraphic font, and double embossed a crown in gold using a free stamp received in the Nov issue of Craft Stamper.

I distressed all the edges and the sleep poem paper using Tim Holtz Distress Inks in Antique Linen and Walnut Stain (more eBay bargains) using a makeup sponge and cut a 'K' out of patterned paper. I wrote the rest of the bits n bobs on the card myself.

I'm very pleased with this one as being new to crafting I'm still struggling with ideas and inspiration, but I don't want to copy other people's ideas, and this layout came to me as I was messing around with various elements I had in my kit.

My first cards

I've started making cards recently and decided to post some of my first cards made for my family.


Cupcake card

This was my second attempt at a card and I made it for my sister-in-law. The design and materials came from the Jan 08 issue of You Can Craft! magazine, great for getting started in card making as it supplies all the materials you need to make the cards in the magazine.


Oriental Birthday Wishes

I made this using the free stamp in the October issue of Craft Stamper - my favourite magazine out of the 5 or so that I've read so far. I haven't sent this card to anyone yet - it's in my stock of spare cards for emergencies (I'm terrible at remembering people's Birthdays!)


Thinking of You

I made this for my Nan who is having an operation at the end of the month - I wanted her to know I was thinking of her. This was the first card that I designed myself and I also made my own butterfly embellishments using blending chalks and sparkly paint from Hobbycraft, which I then punched out using a butterfly stamp. I love the Woman in Repose stamp - I got it on eBay and nearly missed out in the bidding war!!!


Birthday Boy

I made this for my nephew Thomas using a design and materials from the Jan 08 issue of You Can Craft! magazine. I didn't have any blue card so I edged my white card stock with Blue Encore! Ultimate Metallic ink, another eBay bargain.