Top Tips for Card Making!

This week has been a bit of a comedy of errors on the crafting front! Nothing has seemed to go right, so here are a few tips to remind myself and others when card making

1. don't stick anything down until you are happy with the layout - several times I have had to peel off embellishments that were in the wrong place or just didn't go with the the background paper
2. watch out for Australian cards - yes, sticking stuff on upside down.
3. beware of inky fingers - I have had to cover up smudged marks with strategically placed flowers or card candi.

What are your tips for us card makers??

Cards For Charity

Like many people, I get carried away and make far too many Christmas and Birthday cards than I need.  I always give  a box full to my local Cancer Care Centre and also to Macmillan Nurses. This year I've made over 120 cards for each.

I'm also hoping to sell a few birthday cards tomorrow as part of my works Wear it Pink fund raising- and then there is Children In Need next month too.

All good reasons to spend more time in the craft room!

I'm going to glow in the dark!

That's me in the yellow top and also wearing the orange tutu on the boards

For many years I have helped to raise funds for St Elizabeth Hospice in Ipswich, Suffolk - in fact I am one of their oldest volunteers, having done it for 26 years now!

They asked me to help launch the Midnight Walk for next year, which they hope will be their biggest and best ever - and the theme is Neon. It was launched at Ipswich Town Football Club yesterday and 

we were featured in the local newspaper too!

My daughter and several friends are going to do the walk with me next May, which I'm sure will be a bit of a laugh!!!

Joy to the World

A card made with the stamp and embossing set from Simply Cards and Papercraft  Magazine - loved the embossed village scene!

Re-using Old Christmas Cards

Several people give me their old Christmas cards each year so that I can reuse the ribbons, sentiments and toppers.

With a bit of mat and layering they can easily be reused as backgrounds too!

I also use the backs for stamping, so very little goes in the recycling bin!

More Nordic Christmas Stamps .....

Just after I made the last post, what should land on my doorstep, but the latest copy of Creative Stamping Magazine with another large set of Scandinavian inspired stamps!

I couldn't wait to start using them and made these Christmas cards - I love that Stags head!

A Couple of Nordic Cards ...

Although it's not my style, it seems that Nordic themed cards are 'in' this year. I reused a Christmas card from last year in the top card and added backing paper and a little wooden girl with a felt hat to the gingerbread house. 

The bottom card is using the free  heart shaped die from Cardmaking & Papercraft Magazine and layered it against yellow coregated card and Papermanias 12 days of Christmas paper from last year