Craft Barn 2013 Calendar

Here are my 12 tags for The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge made over the last 12 weeks.  I thought I'd better make something small so that I had a chance of finishing the challenge.

I decided I'd make the calendar for my daughter for Christmas - she's at University so it'll hang nicely on her pinboard and hopefully give her something bright and cheerful to look at every month.

I've also made an extra tag as a front cover - it's Walnut Stain and Salty Ocean Distress Inks, stamped with a Tim Holtz phrase and 2013 added with Making Memories glitter stickers.  I've fastened the tags together with a jump ring and used some spotty ribbon to tie it all together.

I've thoroughly enjoyed doing these tags every week so thanks to The Craft Barn for the challenge.  Hopefully my daughter has been too busy with her studies and hasn't been reading my blog!!

Thanks also to everyone that has looked at my blog and left comments - I appreciate them all.  Wishing you all a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year and more Challenges to come!!

Christmas

I'm going to have to pack my crafting stash away so just thought I'd post one last card.
 

I'd like to wish all my friends and followers a very Happy Christmas and a very Merry New Year.   Hope you all have a wonderful time, get lots of crafting goodies for Christmas and come 2013, are all refreshed for another year of Crafty Challenges!!

December

Here's my last tag for The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge week 12 where the theme is EMBOSSING.

I've gold embossed the large Poinsettia stamp from Oak House Studio twice - once on the tag and just the central part on other card to create a layer.  It's a great stamp to decoupage but my tag calendar is getting a bit fat as it is so I've stuck with one layer!!   The background is blended Bundled Sage and Pine Needles Distress Inks with part of Darkroom Door's Christmas Word Block stamped in Emerald Green Archival.  It's just finished with the calendar and some ribbon.

Thank you everyone for looking and for your comments.  It's been an enjoyable 12 weeks!!  Next Sunday I think there'll be a link to add a photo of all 12 months - I'm looking forward to that and seeing what everyone else has created.

Meanwhile, hope all your Christmas plans are going well and items are being ticked off lists!

November

Here's my November tag for The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge week 11 where the theme is to use CIRCLES.

Back to my daughter's love of History and I had in mind the Houses of Parliament and Fireworks for November so I've used Big Ben from the Paperartsy HP1208 London set.  To fit the theme I've added the circle stamp from Tim Holtz's Bitty Grunge set, masked off Ben Ben and then bashed various Distress Stains to create the fireworks - Wild Honey, Fired Brick, Broken China and Brushed Pewter. I've edged the tag with Silver Dabber and finished it with Remember, the calendar and some seam binding.

The Brushed Pewter metallic stain look quite effective (although it doesn't show up in this photo) so if I have time this week, I may redo this on black/navy card, emboss Big Ben in gold and then use the metallic stains to create the fireworks.

I can't believe we are nearly at the end of this challenge, but I'm hoping for a nice easy one next week. I have to pack my crafting stuff away for Christmas  - I use half my dining table and I think we might be needing it!!

Thanks for looking and I really appreciate your comments!

Toy Soldiers

Here's a One Layer Card for the Less is More Challenge week 97 where the title is IN A ROW.

It took me a while to decide what to do but in the end decided on a row of Toy Soldiers.  I used Tim Holtz's Mini Blueprints stamped with Jet Black Archival, cut out a mask from scrap paper and then tried to create my row......several times!!  These were the best three, so I've coloured them with Tombow markers and added some Gold Stickles.  I've added a sentiment and created a hill using another mask and the edge of a Beech Tree stamp, both in Archival Emerald Green.

I've decided the soldiers look like 3 of the 10,000 belonging to the Grand Old Duke of York, marching over the hill!!   Hope you like and thanks for your kind comments!!

October

Here's my October tag for The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge week 10 where the theme is to use TREES.

Well I was thinking of doing halloween for October but instead decided to go with an autumnal theme.  I clear embossed the Beech Tree from Oak House Studio and then swiped the tag through Distress Inks - a mix of Barn Door, Spiced Marmalade, Mustard Seed and a bit of Pine Needles spritzed with water.  I blended Vintage Photo and Pine Needles around the edges, added some brown ribbon and the calendar.

Only two more to go and I can't quite believe I've actually managed to keep up!!  Hope you like - thanks for popping by and for any comments too!!

Craft Indivduals Blog Candy

Check out the Crafty Individuals Blog - they're giving away £150 worth of stamps and goodies in their Mega Blog Candy including the new Alice Palace stamps.

I love the Puffin stamp and I have a feeling the Robin one will feature on some of next year's christmas cards.  If you want to be in with a chance to win, follow the link above.

Thanks for looking!!

Christmas Gift Tags

Here are some tags made for Hels Sunday Stamper Challenge week 234 where the theme is TAGS.  The design was inspired by Tim Holtz's 12 Tags of 2012 December Challenge.

I decided to make some gift tags to go on Christmas pressies and have used Tim Holtz's Mini Blueprints stamps.  The tags were cut using a Sizzix die and the backgrounds (and seam binding) inked with Stains -  Broken China with Brushed Pewter,  Peeled Paint with Tarnished Brass and Fired Brick with Tarnished Brass.

I've stamped tthe images twice - on the tag and on white card which I've coloured with markers.  I've added various Stickles, stamped a Ribbon (from Oak House Studio) and used words from the Christmas Word Block (from Darkroom Door) which were embossed in Midnight Sparkle.  I've also stuck a clean tag on the reverse so there is space to write.

Each week Hels's challenges are based on song titles and she tries to get you singing along, so I have Frosty the Snowman and Oh Tannenbaum stuck in my head.  Any suggestions for the Toy Soldier?? 

Anyway hope you like my take on Tim's tags and thanks for looking.  Your comments are always appreciated.

Red & Green

Here's a card for the Less is More Challenge week 96 where the theme is to use RED & GREEN.  Such a wide brief and I had loads of ideas but thought it best to go with the first one otherwise I'll still be thinking come Friday!!

I've gold embossed the Christmas Tree (from Oak House Studio) onto some green patterned paper from my stash, cut out and attached to the card.  I've added some red paper to create a frame and finished with the gold embossed sentiment.

A quick card but I love how the camera flash has highlighted the layers on the tree.  Thanks for looking and hope you're all keeping warm.   We're watching The Muppet Christmas Carol - how sad is that !!!