Saturday - Halloween weekend

Morning readers, 

Well, the other evening we did our final Secret Santa draw and know who we both have to buy for ... YAY! I can now crack on and (HOPEFULLY) finish my Christmas shopping! There's just one drawback, what DO you get the man who has everything?!?!?!

I've a make to share with you today ....... it's not a Halloween card but it IS a holiday card ... a CHRISTMAS holiday card, with some new stash I picked up earlier in the week. I bought the set for the dog image but (weirdly enough) it was the bauble which saw ink first - check it out ....

My C6 card

Materials used:

• White, 250gsm, C6/A2 card and matching envelope
• White card, cut to fit, for my image panel and insert
• Red sharpie to edge my image pane
• Aall & Create bauble image (from set #560) stamped using Memento tuxedo black ink
• For the insert and envelope I also used a Clearly Besotted sentiment (from "mini calligraphy") stamped using Versafine Clair tulip red ink
• Creative Expressions grungey circles (from CEC784) stamped using Memento ladybug and bamboo leaves inks
• Sharpies in red, green and yellow - to colour the tops of my baubles, the leaves and holly berries - with a white Signo uniball to highlight the berries

I'll be entering the above make for the following challenges:-

1. Holly and Ivy challenge - challenge No. 104 - ANYTHING (Christmas) GOES
2. NBUS - challenge No. 31 - USE NBUS
3. HLS - October Christmas challenge - ANYTHING GOES + (optional) JOY
4. Dream Valley Challenges - challenge No. 257 - CIRCLES
5. Addicted to Stamps - challenge No. 417 - CHRISTMAS

And my new stash? Well, it was this fab set by Aall & Create - thanks, Val

And now for another make .....

My C6 card

Materials used:

• White, 250gsm, C6/A2 card and matching envelope
• White card, cut to fit
• I ran the card front panel through my big shot, partially in the brocade Sizzix embossing folder, to give a raised area to the top of my card front
• Using a die I was given a number of years ago (so sorry, I have no idea of the name of the manufacturer - I SUSPECT Sizzix but not sure) I cut a small tree to which I then applied a very light application of Memento bamboo leaves ink .. just to help it stand out from the embossed white area.
• Narrow grosgrain ribbon across the card panel, using double sided tape ... to conceal the "join" with the flat and raised areas
• I mounted my tree over the grosgrain ribbon, using adhesive foam squares
• Clearly Besotted sentiment (from "simply said Christmas") stamped using Versafine Clair morning mist ink
• Elsewhere on the card (where I couldn't easily use a die cut) I stamped my Inkadinkado tree (60-31346) using Versafine Claire morning mist ink
• Stardust stickles added to my tree, to give it some bling!

I'll be entering the above make for the following challenges:-

1. Simply Less Is More - challenge No. 455 - WINTER WHITES
2. Krafty Chicks - challenge No. 583 - ALL OCCASIONS
3. Creative Knockouts - challenge No. 425 - ANYTHING GOES
4. Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday challenge - ANYTHING GOES
5. Water Cooler Wednesday - challenge No. 327 - ALL THINGS FEMININE

I've used a sketch for the above card .... one I've used several times previously and really like - check it out on facebook (sorry "META") here.

I discovered that one of my makes was picked for the "Birthday Honours" list over at Seize the Birthday for their challenge #225 "use a stencil" challenge (and yes, the above sketch too) - thank you so very much