Hope you are all enjoying your weekend. We’ve had a great extended family day for DS’s birthday today and the sun shined on us – hurrah!!!

Let’s talk gift boxes – do you make gift boxes? I love to make gift boxes and bags – I think it really adds a special something to a gift but would have to admit that it’s something that I don’t get to do as much as I would like…  when I start my Christmas cards this week, I’m going to have do either a box/bag too… start as I mean to go on!

These beautiful boxes made by Amanda our guest designer are a fabulous inspiration – who wouldn’t be delighted to receive one of these?

“These triangle boxes are a perfect size for that special little Christmas treat, designer paper was cut to 8”x4½” and is held together with ribbon that has been threaded through punched holes. Handmade Christmas crackers are a fun way to decorate your table putting in a personal gift for each of your guests. Both these projects have been made using tutorials found on the internet.”

Supplies List:

Dovecraft 8×8 Let It Snow Glitter Paper,  Dovecraft Adhesive Gemstones, Hero Arts Create Your Own Snowman Stamp set,  Craftie Charlie Festive Ribbon, Kraft Cardstock, Rustic Jute Button Twine, Large Corner Rounder, SU! Close to Cocoa Ink, EK 1 ¼” and 1 3/8” circle punches, Scallop Circle punch.

Happy Crafting

Jane

I don’t know what the weather is like where you are but it’s been terrible here today in Sheffield – closer to snow than August sunshine!

It’s definitely the weather to put you in the mood for starting your Christmas cards – it’s my DS birthday this weekend and once the celebrations are complete, I’m going to get started on mine

Today we have two lovely snowman cards from our guest designer Amanda – they are quite different in style but both just gorgeous!

First up is this paper pieced little guy – SO cute:

“Snowman has been paper pieced and cut out, twigs were stamped onto the card before snowman was added. Two pieces of cardstock were embossed and edged to add dimension topped off with matching ribbon and sparkly gems”

Or how about this – so simple, so perfect! Doesn’t that beautiful paper just deserve to be shown off?

“This is a very simple card made from one of the fabulous designer papers from Dovecraft’s Let it Snow Pad. After cutting paper to size I added chipboard letters and matching ribbon. Hey presto a 10 minute card!”

Supplies List:

Dovecraft 8×8 Let It Snow Glitter Paper,  Dovecraft Adhesive Gemstones, Hero Arts Create Your Own Snowman Stamp set,  Craftie Charlie Festive Ribbon, American Crafts Thickers Dear Lizzy Bliss White,  SU! Close to Cocoa & Not Quite Navy cardstock, Memento Tuxedo Black Dye Ink, Cuttlebug Swiss Dots Embossing Folder.

Hope you enjoyed today’s projects, back on Sunday with the gorgeous boxes previewed on the newsletter

Happy crafting

Jane

Are you getting started on your Christmas projects and are looking for a some inspiration?  Well, you’ve come to the right place because we have SO many beautiful projects to share with you from our second guest designer here at Craftie-Charlie, Amanda Gill.

Some of you will already been familiar with Amanda’s gorgeous creations over at her blog http://littlespaceofmyown.blogspot.com/ and those of you who aren’t are definitely in for a treat! Here’s a little bit about Amanda:

“I have always loved craft…….. as a youngster I tried everything from knitting, crochet, macramé to making my own clothes. Later in life I had a go at cross stitch and then moved on to card making.

By day, I am a Teaching Assistant at our local Primary School which I find extremely rewarding and I even manage to take my hobby with me as I run a craft club during some of the lunch breaks, which is always over subscribed! It’s lovely to see the children getting great pleasure out of something they have made themselves.

My projects tend to be very simple and I use rather a lot of Kraft cardstock, which I adore. I particularly enjoy making packaging for gifts with matching cards and tags. I usually start with an embellishment or a paper that has caught my eye and work from there……..nothing very technical !

I have been a Design Team member for Papertake Weekly Challenge Blog since it first began in 2007. The world of blogging is a fantastic way to be in contact with so many lovely craftaholics!”

Today’s project is just SO cute – I have to confess that I do actually own this snowman set and have never used it (blush!) but if you are a member of my family, look away now, as I think you might be receiving a card very similar to Amanda’s come December

“Dots make a fab background, giving dimension to a project. White pigment ink added to borders allows a design to stand out, worked especially well here with the snowmen, which were stamped and cut out first. Glossy accents gives a really fun shine to the snowmen faces on the card.”

There is one small snag with my plan – I realised when reading Amanda’s descriptions that we don’t stock a white pigment pad, arghh!  But don’t worry, I’ve ordered some, they’ll be here in the next week or so – phew!

See you on Friday for the second instalment

Supplies List:
Dovecraft 8×8 Let It Snow Glitter Paper,  Dovecraft Adhesive Gemstones, Hero Arts Create Your Own Snowman Stamp set,  Craftie Charlie Festive Ribbon, Kraft Cardstock, Rustic Jute Button Twine, Large Corner Rounder, Polka Dot Background Stamp, Jumbo Eyelets, White Pigment Ink, SU! Close to Cocoa Ink, EK 1 ¼” and 1 3/8” circle punches, Glossy Accents, Cropadile.

Happy crafting

Jane

We just wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy 2010.

The cards are all made (finally – last two this morning!) so it’s time to relax. I have to admit that I buy most of my gift tags but I thought this curvy challenge over at SCS was really interesting so decided to have a go at some tags. Really clean and simple – yum!

Supplies used: Penny Black T for Transparent – Crystalline, VersaColor Atlantic, Ranger Clear Embossing Powder, Dovecraft Adhesive Gems, Corner Rounder, Bazzill Avalanche Cardstock

See you all in the New Year

Happy crafting

Jane

Like most crafters, I’m terrible for buying beautiful things that I love, then they sit in my stash unused (but much admired!) while I wonder what to do with them.  These beautiful brads from K&Co fall into this category   But they finally get to fulfill their craft destiny and be used as Christmas baubles!  The only question now is can I bear to part with these brads and send the cards

Supplies used: K&Co Ancestry Embroidered Brads, Hero Arts Pine stamp from ‘Create your own’ & sentiment from ‘Holiday Sayings’, Ranger Distress Ink Pad Pine Needles, Versamark Ink Pad, Ranger Gold Embossing Powder, SU! Chocolate Chip card stock for base

Happy crafting

Jane

The greatly anticipated K&Co Evergreen stock has arrived! It has definitely been worth the wait – Brenda Walton has designed an absolutely stunning collection with a real traditional feel.

“Inspired by the classic, timeless style of Victorian design, Evergreen brings whimsy and sophistication home for the holidays”

Just click here to take a peek

Happy crafting

Jane

Oh my goodness – it’s the 27th of November! Where does the time go?   I have actually managed to get some Christmas cards finished this week. I seem to have an ‘in progress’ problem at the moment -  I have lots of half finished piles of Christmas cards but I keep getting distracted   I saw this lovely card last week – that vellum is just gorgeous. I’ve used the same idea in this card (don’t look too closely at the white heat embossing – I’m not a tidy person!!)

I have used Bazzill Bling cardstock for the snowflake but decided it just wasn’t bling enough for Christmas, so added some Stardust stickles!  And look, I didn’t just finish one – I have a whole pile of these babies

Supplies used:

Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses 6×6 Pad, Eskimo Kisses buttons, Bazzill Bling Glass Slipper, Cuttlebug Ice Crystal Cut ‘n Emboss, White Vellum, Versamark Ink Pad, Ranger White Embossing Powder, Hero Arts ‘Holiday Sayings’ stamp

Happy crafting

Jane

I don’t very often do colour challenges but when I saw this combo on Dawn McVey’s fantastic blog,  I just had to jump right in!

I’m not sure why,  as they aren’t traditional Christmas colours but once I’d assembled some supplies in the appropriate colours it just seemed to scream CHRISTMAS!!  So here it is – I’m really pleased with how it turned out, it’s turned into a homage to Dawn’s style too but nothing wrong with that

The dotty background is made by using the Swiss Dots cuttlebug folder and colouring some of the dots – Jennifer McGuire had done a whole card this way (it looked stunning),  I don’t have that much patience but a little piece was okay!

Supplies used:

Aqua cardstock from Crate Paper Blue Hill Collection pack, Ruby Slipper Bazzill, Glass Slipper Bazzill Bling for snowflake, A4 Kraft card stock , Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder, Cuttlebug Ice Crystal Cut &  Emboss, Choc brown grosgrain ribbon, Basic Grey button, Stampin’ Up silver cord.

Happy crafting

Jane

New stuff makes me happy so I’m pretty delighted at the moment!  We’ve got loads of new items in from Cosmo Cricket and Basic Grey including the much anticipated Christmas 2009 ranges Eskimo Kisses and Jolly by Golly.

Go on take a peak…!

I’m a couple of days late I’m afraid – off on a sandcastle building expedition in Norfolk! – but the thought was there   I like to keep my cards simple and clean looking (I have a lot to make!) and at this time of year Christmas materials can be a bit thin on the ground.  These are great for using up last years bits and bobs as you don’t need big pieces (the squares are about 3.5cm square)

This gorgeous pale blue glitter isn’t even Christmas paper, it’s from the DCWV Spring stack! You can’t beat a bit of bling at Christmas!

Supplies used:  White cardstock base, DCWV Winter Mat Stack, DCWV Spring Glitter Stack, v old Woodware Snowflake punch,  Dovecraft Adhesive Gems, Penny Black Christmas set from last year, Colorbox Quicksilver & Warm Violet.

Happy crafting!

Jane