Thinking of you....

I truly love everything about this card.  It is on its way to my cousin who lives in the UK.  I received her Christmas card the other day, which I always look forward to, as the English cards are so lovely with the winter scenes.  Unfortunately she has been diagnosed with bowel cancer.  I couldn't believe what I was reading when she told us, but I knew I had to make a very special card to send to her, to bring us closer together than the thousands of miles that separate us, and to give her a few minutes reprieve from the worry she must be having when she receives this, along with a special little gift. 

Another cased card from Chat at Me, My stamps and I, and it was exactly what I was looking for.  I replaced the covered button with a brad from the SU antique brads selection.   The DSP across the bottom was from a little pad I have called Queen Bee.  It is 6" x 6" and has a selection of 30 sheets, one of each design.

Thanks for dropping by.  Have a wonderful Christmas, with much laughter and happiness and best wishes for a safe, very healthy and prosperous 2011!

Kind regards, Ann

A gift from me to you....

This is the first card in a bundle of 12, I have made as a Christmas present for my son's partner Amy. Amy commented to me once that she loved the way I made the handmade cards....and I've always thought I would do her a mixed bundle of cards as part of her gift this year. I purchased a little box with a Christmas tree on the front to place them in. As the box was narrower than the standard envelopes I usually use, I had to make the cards slightly smaller to fit inside the box with a smaller standard envelope to go with them.

The first three cards use the SU set called 'Just Believe'. It is a gorgeous set, which has become one of my favourites, and has so many possibilities for its use.  I got the ideas for these cards by purchasing a kit from one of my favourite stampers, namely Chat Wszelaki.  It was the October 2010 Kit Tutorial available on her website.

This one was created quickly with the Elegant Lines embossing folder and the Beautiful Wings embosslits Dies, I just love these and the SU ones gives such a deep and crisp image.  The die comes with 5 differently sized butterflies, 4 embossed and one left plain.  The blue mounting piece behind the 'happy birthday' image is a sizzlit from the 'lots of tags' pack.

These little 3" x 3" cards are from another favourite card maker Stampin-Style with Mike. Here you will find all the info to case them if you wish. I just love mini cards and feel they can give just as much pleasure as a larger card. These mini's also use another little addition to my card resources, namely the 'movers and shapers die cutting system'. I haven't played with it much, except to make these cards, but can see again a lot of possibilities.

 

 

And finally, a little hedgehog from the SU 'Fun and Fast Notes' set.  The 3" x 3" cards are unable to be posted through Australia Post obviously because of their size.  Sometimes I don't put them in an envelope, but just adhere them to the top of the present for added pleasure. 

Thanks for looking.  Keep smiling, Ann

Hold on to the Memories...

This is a very special card for a friend who has recently lost her husband to cancer.  The card is on its way to Sweden as I type where I know it will be treasured and bring a smile to the recipient's face which is just what I want it to do.  A card even though for a sad moment, oozes elegance I think, and was made with a feminine touch in mind.

I put together a stick pin which I just snuck under the ribbon and this can be removed to be used either in hats, scarves, lapels of a jacket or simply as a keepsake if liked.  The length of the pin was 3".  Make sure you zoom in so you can see the detail.  The pieces for the hatpin ingredients were purchased from Many Horses Jewellery supply, the link is here http://www.manyhorses.com/store.htm.  I found their customer service to be exceptional and the quality of their products certainly worth investing in.

The flower is stamped initially as the base flower and then just the head is stamped twice more and snipped out and layered to give a dimensional effect; I just love this look.  The ribbon was attached with a little snail glue and then a larger glue dot under the knot silently holds it in place.  I already have ideas for a variation to this card so keep watching this space to see what appears!

Until next time...keep smiling and treasure every day....
Regards, Ann

RECIPE:

Stamps: Bloomin with Beauty, Close as a Memory

Paper: SU Barley Banana, at home textured navy cardstock, Whisper white, DSP from the Blue Awning series.

Ink: Staz on Black for flower and Night of Navy for sympathy text. 
Accessories: Kaiser half pearls, handcrafted hatpin, wide so saffron ribbon and dimensions to pop up the flower layers.  The flower was coloured using the stampin markers - overall colour was bashful blue, outline/shadow was ballet blue, centre of flower was more mustard and leaves/stem was sage shadow.
Tools:

Card Size:  12.5 cm x 21 cm

With Heartfelt Sympathy

The stylish embossing and cutting machine called the Bigshot brings any card to life by adding texture and style with ease.  Simple embossing on the top half of this card and then the addition of the boskut butterfly (2), which is embossed by running through the swiss dots folder.  You just need to add a few pearls or rhinestones on the centre of the butterfly, ribbon and stamp and that's it!

Hope you like it.

Keep smiling.....Ann

RECIPE:

Stamps: Close as a Memory
Paper: Barley Banana, Lavender Lace
Ink: Lavendar Lace
Accessories:  Pearls, 1/4" Elegant Eggplant ribbon
Tools: embossing folders - Swiss dots, Victoria and bosskut butterfly, mini glue dots to hold the two butterflies together
Card Size: 

Close as a Memory

The Close as a Memory stamp set is ideal for these occasions.  The colours were an experiment but I think worked well.  I stamped the flower bouquet onto textured cardstock which didn't take too well, but I didn't mind the effect.

Hope you like it.

Keep smiling.....Ann


RECIPE: 
Stamps:  Close as a Memory
Paper:  SU Chocolate Chip, DSP and 'At Home' aqua blue textured c/s
Ink: SU Chocolate Chip
Accessories: SU Chocolate Chip grosgrain 1/4" ribbon
Tools: Horizontal slot punch
Card Size:  15 x 10.5 cm