Gift Voucher Holder

I hate to give gift cards or vouchers. I always think that the person receiving it feels that I couldn't be bothered to think of something special so I just got a voucher. I don't feel like that when I receive one, but I always feel like that when I give one... strange I know.

And then they always come in the most boring envelope in the world... ever!!! I've tried stamping on the envelope or wrapping it up, but it just doesn't feel like any effort has been put in. So when I decided to buy a voucher for two very close, couple friends, I wanted to make something nice and inviting to put it in.

I searched the Internet for a template or design idea but only came up with Gift Cards and not vouchers, so I decided to just give it a try and see what I... me... could come up with.

I have to say, I'm pretty pleased with myself. I showed my hubby and he just said "yeah, that's nice". I really wanted to show my fellow scrapper and BFF but the present is actually for her and her hubby. I know she'll be really impressed and super excited about it when she actually gets it!!!

The little snowman has been embossed with the polka dot folder, but only half way to make it look like it's snowing. He also has some glitter on his hat but the photo has come out a little bright.

And just after I made these, I noticed that the Just Add Ink challenge this week is Just Add Fancy Packaging. Don't you love it when a plan comes together lol!! Oh and the challenge is running for TWO weeks, so it gives you all plenty of time, in between all the holiday celebrations, to come up with something.

So to all my fellow blogger out there, I hope you all have a super marvellous Christmas and an amazing New Year!!

Hugs and Merry Christmas,
Chlo

Ingredients

Cardstock: Whisper White, Old Olive and Real Red - Stampin' Up
Ink: Old Olive and Real Red - Stampin' Up
Stamps: Button Buddies - Stampin' Up
Others: DSP in Real Red and Old Olive - Stampin' Up. 1.5" circle - Spellbinders Nestabilities, 2" circle punch and 3" scallop punch - EK Success. Rhinestones - Kasiercraft.

Pals Paper Arts Challenge

Today I decided to make another challenge card, but this time for the Pal's Paper Arts blog. The girls and boys on the design team over there are amazing. I also follow a couple of them on their blogs too. Mary Fish, has to be one of my all time favourite designer. Go and have a look at her blog Stampin Pretty, not only is she very talented but also she's a regular blogger, Hooray!!!

Ok, so the challenge today for Pals Paper Arts is to use a sketch, designed by Margaret Moody:

Isn't it a great sketch. Very easy and you can't help but feel your creative juices working. So this is the card I came up with...

 

I made this card for my friend, who is expecting her second baby in a weeks time. We held a little baby shower for her and I wanted to make a baby shower card, without being too boyish or girly. She and I are both convinced it's a boy... but you can't ever be too sure!!!

Because that card came together so quickly and the sketch was so user friendly, I decide to make another quick card, but this time only using one colour... there's nothing like a double challenge to get the blood pumping.

I think I could get very addicted to this design. Oh and doesn't the Calypso Coral really pop!!!

Hugs and Merry Christmas
Chlo

Ingredients - Baby Card

Cardstock: Certainly Celery, Whisper White and So Saffron - Stampin' Up
Ink: Certainly Celery and So Saffron - Stampin' Up
Stamps: Button Buddies and Petite Pairs - Stampin' Up
Other: Certainly Celery and So Saffron DSP - Stampin' Up, Ribbon and Rhinestones - Kaisercraft, Designer label punch - Stampin' Up, 3" scallop circle punch and 2" circle punch - EK Success, Spellbinders Nestibilites.

Ingredients - Birthday Card

Cardstock: Calypso Coral and Whisper White - Stampin' Up
Ink: Calypso Coral - Stampin' Up
Stamps: Party Hearty - Stampin' Up
Other: Everything else the same.

That 1% of cards...

Pretty much 90% of the cards or scrap pages I make I love. Another 8% I like but feel somethings missing or somethings not quite right and then I have 1% which I really don't like, but they are done and I try to think of what to do better next time.

But then I find that sometimes you make that other 1%. A card that you simple adore. The colours are perfect, the design and layout are amazing and the card is a masterpiece. In fact it's so good you don't really want to give it to anyone. Ever felt like that... or is it just me!!!

Well, I made THAT card the other night. I have to admit the design is Cased from Teneale Williams Blog so I was already on to a winner. That girl is a Legend with a capital "L". Her cards are beautiful and I quite often find myself admiring them on Google images. So you see I couldn't really go wrong.

Teneale's card is an Easter themed one, but I have a friends birthday coming up so I decided to use little cupcakes instead.

I think what makes this card so lovely is the double layer. Everything is double layered and it makes such a difference. All very elegant. Now if only I could talk myself into sending it to the friend I made it for...

Hugs and Merry Christmas,
Chlo


Ingredients

Cardstock: Baja Breeze and Pear Pizzazz - Stampin' Up. Vanilla - Bazzill
Ink: Baja Breeze, Pear Pizzazz and Wisteria Wonder - Stampin' Up. Vanilla - VersaMark
Stamps: Flourish - Kaszazz, Party Hearty - Stampin' Up
Others: Pearls - Kaisercraft

Just Add Ink Challenge

I enjoyed the Just Add Ink Challenge from last week so much, that I couldn't resist having another go at it this week.

This weeks challenge is to just add SPARKLE... easy peasy. So I decided to make a sparkly, Christmas card using good ol' Dasher. I know I've said it before, but he has to be one of my all time favourite stamps. He's simply gorgeous!!

 

I even made them in the traditional Christmas colours of Red and Green, but just not together lol. This card was so easy to make that I think I will tuck is away and maybe send them out for next year as this year's have all been done... aren't I organised!!! 

Hugs and Merry Christmas,
Chlo

Ingredients

Cardstock: Red and green glitter card - American Crafts, Brown card - Bazzill, Whisper White - Stampin' Up
Stamps: Dasher - Stampin' Up
Ink: Chocolate Chip - Stampin' Up
Other: Rhinestones - Kasiercraft, Ribbon, button and thread.

Cute Reindeer Candy

Today is the day that all the teachers presents have to be taken to school and Niah also decided that she wanted presents for her friends, all 17 of them!! So I had a quick look around the house and in my craft area to see what I could come up with.

 

It's amazing what you can make with some candy canes, pipe cleaners and a packet of googly eyes. oh and did you know pipe cleaners are now called Chenille Sticks... What's that all about!!!

Niah was so impressed with her Reindeer Candy, that she wanted to take them to bed with her. I told her they might get too hot and sticky... could you imagine the mess the next day. There would be eyes stuck everywhere, hee hee hee. 

Hugs and Merry Christmas,

Chlo

Ingredients

Cardstock: Whisper White - Stampin' Up

Ink: Poppy Parade - Stampin' Up

Stamp: Merry and Bright - Stampin' Up

Other: Tag - Sizzix, Pipe Cleaners, Googly Eyes and Candy Canes.

A Quick Dasher

Hi all, Just a quick one today as the kids are all due to wake up very soon and are hanging out to go to the park as it's finally stopped raining.

So, I've decided that I hate making Thank You cards. By the time I've got around to making them, I can't for the life of me remember who sent what to which child. This year I decided to make some early, so I can pretty much write in them Christmas night and send them by new year, as I know my Parents and the Grandparents appreciate them.

I wanted to use Stampin' Ups Dasher stamp. Isn't he gorgeous!!! I think he pretty much stands for himself. All I added was a little glitter to his beautiful antlers and some little red rhinestones. I think red and brown together are my favourite Christmas colours.

Hugs and Merry Christmas,
Chlo

Ingredients

Cardstock: Red and Brown - Bazzill. Whisper White - Stampin' Up.
Ink: Chocolate Chip - Stampin' Up.
Stamps: Dasher and Petite Pairs - Stampin' Up.
Other: Polka Dot embossing folder - Cuttlebug, Rhinestones - Kaisercraft and Fine Glitter.

First of Many...

Today is the day I made my first Challenge card!!!! I know, it's a pretty big milestone. I had been surfing the web this weekend looking for a challenge that took my fancy and I noticed that alot of them are American and even though they allow everybody to enter, only US shipping address win prizes. So I decided I wanted to enter an Australian Challenge first.... Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!!!

I found this great blog called Just Add Ink which is not only an Aussie site, but the challenge this week is a colour challenge, using some of the colours I've been hoping to play with. This is the photo that we are too be inspired by:

Tiffanys no less. And the colours are Poppy Parade, Pool Party, Melon Mambo and Lucky Limeade. The design team have come up with some beautiful interpretations, well worth popping over to take a look!!!

So this is MY design:

I decide to be inspired by the colour and of course the bling. I have a few Christmas Birthdays coming up soon and I really like this stamp from Stampin' Up's Punch Bunch. I don't usually leave so much white card and I was very tempted to "pretty it up" but this is a challenge after all!!!

Hugs and Merry Christmas,
Chlo

Ingredients

Cardstock: Whisper white, Melon Mambo, Pool Party, Poppy Parade and Lucky Limeade - Stampin' UP.
Ink: Melon Mambo, Pool Party, Poppy Parade and Lucky Limeade - Stampin' Up
Stamps: Punch Bunch - Stampin' Up
Other: Rhinestones - Kaisercraft