Simon Says: Joy To The World...

Hi folks...it's Cyber Week over at Simon Says Stamp which means there will be lots of fun in store and Simon very kindly sent me the Joy To The World stamp set which is released today and available to buy now to play with...

and I created a cute Nativity scene card on a Distress Oxide Ink background die cut with Tim Holtz/Sizzix Stitched Rectangles..

I stamped the large star and the cluster of stars from the stamp set with Versamark and heat embossed with Simon Says Antique Gold and Fine Detail White and then sprinkled some of the white embossing powder very lightly over the background and heat set from underneath.

I added a Stitched Rectangle sandbank cut from Tim Holtz Metallic Kraftstock, stamped the stable, baby Jesus and animals on to Distress Watercolor Card with Black Archival, coloured with Distress Markers and fussy cut.

I coloured a scrap of Distress Watercolor card with Chipped Sapphire Distress Marker, stamped the sentiment with Versamark and heat embossed with Simon Says Stamp Fine Detail White.

There will be lots of new products to celebrate Cyber Week over at the Simon Says Stamp Store and amazing inspiration from lots of talented designers on the Simon Says Stamp Blog, so click on the links to check everything out and buckle up for Die-cember launching on Friday..

Hugs Kath xxx

Please note: the above links are affiliate links, for which I receive a small percentage of sales generated by the link, at no extra cost to you.

Back To The Shaker Ornament Production Line...

Hi folks...it hasn't half turned chilly in my neck of the woods and I have a sneaky feeling the snow isn't far away but the cubbyhole crew have been as snug as bugs in a rug and as busy as bees...back on the Christmas Shaker Ornament production line. To be honest, that not strictly accurate, it's been a "down to one-man" job because my cubbyhole companion has been caught red-handed on more than one occasion, sneaking off to have a snooze...

while I'm doing my best to prioritise and multi task...

if only I could be in two places at once...

if only I was ambidextrous and had longer arms...

I could be die-cutting with both machines at once...

or die cutting with one hand and stamping with the other...

and the shaker ornament marathon die cutting session would be done in half the time.

They do say that you can't teach an old dog new tricks but I wonder if extra rations would persuade my cubbyhole companion to have a go at cranking one of those die-cutting machine handles.
And I've had lots of e-mails from the eagle eyed amongst you who have noticed the Tonic Studios glass cutting mat on my workdesk... I got it from Amazon UK for a great price and I love it...heat resistant and easy to clean up, just what this messy crafter needs.

Have fun whatever crafty project you're working on

Hugs Kath xxx

Tim Holtz Holiday Inspiration Series - Christmas Classic

Hi folks...I'm sharing a card I made for the Tim Holtz Holiday Inspiration Series using this gorgeous Santa image from Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous Christmas Classic CMS 322 stamp set...

I tore a strip of the black sentiment paper and fixed it to the plaid paper from the Mini 8X8 Holiday Stash Paper and then stitched around the edge.

I stamped the Santa image on to the plaid paper using Versamark ink, heat embossed with Ranger Super Fine White Embossing Powder and coloured the holly sections with a Peeled Paint Distress Reinker using a small paintbrush. I stamped the image again on to Distress Watercolor card, fussy cut Santa's head, coloured with Candied Apple, Peeled Paint and Antique Linen Distress Markers and fixed in place with 3D foam pads to create dimension. I stamped the foliage image with Versamark ink and heat embossed with white embossing powder. I added Jingle Bell brads to the foliage and one to the end of Santa's hat, Gilded Christmas Remnant Rubs and Christmas Quote Chips.

I stitched around the edge of the Idea-ology Textile Surface panel, fixed the stamped panel on top and matted on to a black card blank.

It's hard to believe that this is now Week 5 of the Holiday Inspiration Series, time flies when you're having fun, doesn't it and if you missed out on any of the amazing inspirational projects from so many talented designers, you can catch up with them all by clicking on the photos below...

Don't forget to check Tim's Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter daily for new projects from the Inspiration Team. 

Toodle-oo for now
Hugs Kath xxx

Simon Says...Star Light Star Bright

Hi Everyone...welcome to another week on the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog...thank you for joining us for last week's challenge...we hope you can join us this week too because...

and the theme for this week is...

STAR LIGHT, STAR BRIGHT

I made a card with "surprise surprise" lots of star themed products from Tim Holtz...

I started off by cutting a panel of black card to measure 5.1/"2 square and used a Sizzix Circle Thinlits to cut out the apeture...

and shame on me, I've had the Distress Metallic Crayons for a while and had never got round to trying them out. So I looked out the Starry Layering Stencil and scribbled away with the Brushed Pewter Crayon, smudging the crayon into the stencil with my finger...

highlighted the edges of the card and the aperture with the crayon and oh boy, the shimmer and shine is absolutely amazing...

I added Splatters of White Gesso, die cut the snowy slopes from white card using the Tim Holtz/Sizzix Home For The Holidays Thinlits and added a piece of  Christmas Deco Sheet...

I added dots to highlight the slopes using a Black Faber Castell pen, Gilded Christmas Remnant Rub stars and trees from Home For The Holidays die cut from black and white cardstock.

a die-cut Merry from Retro Merry Christmas and a Quotations Sticker...

I added a strip of Christmas Deco Sheet to the bottom of the card, the die-cut car and parcels from Home For The Holidays and a Mini Woodland Tree coloured with Peeled Paint Distress Spray Stain and tipped with Ranger Texture Paste.

I then matted the panel on to Metallic Kraftstock and a card blank made from Christmas Kraftstock.

You can find all the products I used over at the fabulous Simon Says Stamp online store...just click on the links below...

Why don't you pop over to the Monday Challenge Blog and check out the amazing creations from my very talented Design Team mates and as always you all have the chance to win a $50 gift voucher to spend at Simon Says Stamp. You have until Monday 8am Ohio time...1pm UK time...2 pm CET to join in...

You can also follow Simon Says Stamp on Instagram

and if you use Instagram...

please add #sssmchallenge to your entry uploads so we can see them on there too

I look forward to seeing what you create this week...

Have Fun and Happy Crafting

Hugs Kath xxx

* Please note: the above links are affiliate links, for which I receive a small percentage of sales generated by the link, at no extra cost to you.

A Magical Winter Wonderland...

Hi folks...I had no intention of posting today but just couldn't resist sharing with you my version of this gob-smackingly gorgeous Winter Wonderland project that Richele Christensen shared over on Simon Says Stamp Blog using an Idea-ology Vignette Tray and Tim Holtz/Sizzix Holiday Thinlits and if you too want to add this stunning decoration to your Christmas ornament collection, you'll find Richele's How-To tutorial HERE 

Despite the fact that I may well have to burn the midnight oil to finish off all the Christmas Crafty stuff...I was bitten by the " I have to make this now" bug...you know that feeling when you have an itch and you just have to scratch it. I'm totally in love with how it turned out, a big thank you to Tim and Sizzix for these beautiful dies and a huge shout out to Richele for the inspiration, this beauty will have pride of place in my TV room over Christmas.

I pretty much followed Richele's tutorial but used Tim Holtz/Sizzix Birch Trees Thinlits as the first layer on my Winter Wonderland background...

followed by layers of Woodland Trees and the deer from Winter Wonderland and then added Garden Greens foliage and Idea-ology Baubles coloured with Silver Mixative Alcohol Ink along the bottom...

this beautiful Christmas sentiment die cut from card covered with silver Deco Sheet using Retro Merry Christmas Thinlits

an Idea-ology Finial painted with Brushed Pewter Distress Paint, Crinkle Ribbon and more foliage die cuts and baubles...

 and that magical moment when the fairy lights are switched on...

 

This gorgeous decoration will be keeping us company in the cubbyhole in the mad run up to Christmas, adding a festive feel to our crazy workplace but it's back to the crafty list today and the motto is FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS on the "stuff to do" pile...

but first I'll be enjoying my morning cuppa...sitting mesmerised by the twinkling fairy lights and do you think I will be able to resist the temptation of using the second set of fairy lights to make another Christmas decoration? Those of you who know me well will know the answer to that question.

Hugs Kath xxx

Please note: the above links are affiliate links, for which I receive a small percentage of sales generated by the link, at no extra cost to you.

Tim Holtz Holiday Inspiration Series...Oh Deer Clipboard...

Hi folks...I'm sharing another project for the Tim Holtz Holiday Inspiration Series using the Oh Deer Clipboard. It was great fun to decorate but let me tell you it was not the easiest of projects to capture on camera, in fact "Oh Deer" was mentioned more than a few times during the process...

I started off by colouring the deer with Mushroom and Gold Mixative Alcohol Inks, filled in his eyes with Black Enamel Accents and once they were dry I added a dot of White. I added Grit Paste to his antlers, sprinkled with Rock Candy Distress Glitter, painted Collage Medium Matte on his nose and dusted with Distress Festive Berries Glitter. 

I fixed contrasting papers from the Idea-ology Holiday 8 x 8 Mini Stash Pad to the clipboard with Collage Medium Matte, added Christmas Ephemera and Christmas Remnant Rubs. I stamped the branch and images from the Noel Foam Stamp Set around the edges using Picket Fence and Candied Apple Distress Paints.

I coloured the tree with Peeled Paint Distress Marker and added the Paper Dolls, popped up on 3D foam to add dimension.

I coated the tops of the Alpha Dice with Grit Paste, fixed them in place with Ranger Multi Medium Matte and added a Mini Woodland Tree coloured with Peeled Paint Distress Spray Stain...

I stamped the image from the Noel Foam Stamps on to a wood slice using Candied Apple Distress Paint.

added White Enamel Accents to the berries, the tree and the centres of the snowflakes and finished off with a snowy splattering of Picket Fence Distress Paint.

Have a great weekend whatever you have planned and if you're in the UK, wrap up warm and take care if you're out and about in the chilly arctic weather. I'll see you all on Monday with my DT project for the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge.

Hugs Kath xxx