Christmas Cakes 2015 - 3

Continuing the Christmas Tree them, using the same cutters.  My pal wanted an "icy and cool" looking cake - so blue and silver it was.

Christmas Cakes 2015 - 2

This cake is the first on a variation on a them, using the tree and parcel cutters from Patchwork Cutters.

Normal recipe fruit cake this time for my son-in-law.  He loves my rich fruit cakes, so as I made the gluten free one for his wife I made another small one for him!

Christmas Cakes 2015 - 1

Very simple cakes this year, as I wasn't really in the mood to do anything elaborate for obvious reasons.   However, I did purchase some new Patchwork cutters earlier in the year when I attended a sugarcraft exhibition with my daughter.

This cake is just a small one as it was an experiment.   My daughter has become gluten intolerant, so I tweaked my usual recipe.   She said the offcuts from leveling the cake tasted ok - so fingers crossed the rest of the cake is ok.    She is mad on owls, so this one is for her.

Christmas Fairy

I gave the family heirloom fairy a bit of a make-over this year.  This fairy has sat on the top of either mine or my mother's tree since I was a child.

Every so often she needs a new dress - which is made (and always has been) from crepe paper with a net overlay.

Anniversary Card

Wedding Anniversary for a very good pal.   I knew she wouldn't appreciate a "slushy" card.  I chose this image of two mice with the man giving the lady a present of some cheese - thus the wording that I put on!

Hope she likes it and is still speaking to me when she receives it!

Christmas Cards (CAP)

Time was a bit short this year for doing cards, as I was so behind after my husband's death, and really couldn't get my mojo working.  I created three simple designs about 4" square, which meant I could get 6 on a page to print them off.   A quick chop with the guillotine, and a tape pen and voila done.  It also meant I could use up my stash of small card blanks.

variation 2

variation 3

and here are the original designs in CAP:

Playing with new TODO machine

So having received my new TODO ,machine, I had to try out the hot foiling.  This is the Christmas tree using the blue foil.  As you can see it is almost holgraphic as when I took the picture the light from the lounge lights has caused different colours to reflect.  (Even more so when I used the flash to take the photo.)

I also tried out stamping using the TOD - and the Noel was stamped using that, and then the little snowman from the Clarity little Christmas people was added in the normal way with a block.  I used an archival pad for stamping - Brilliance pearlescent ice blue.

I did another version of this card with a Chrismas tree in the middle, but forgot to take picture.

It's ages since I did any stamping, but the TODO does seem to help get a good image every time. Hopefully there will be some more TODO makes in the future.  Can't wait to try more foiling.

Distress Ink Christmas Card

I treated myself to some new stencils from Clarity Stamps, and used them with some distress inks, and the Clarity brushes  This is the first time I have done something like this, so quite pleased with my first attempts.   I used various shades of brown distress inks for the stag to try and get so dimension to him.

The candle window required a bit more of a play, as so many different coloured areas required.

Next time I want to try embossing the card first.  I did try using my newly purchased TODO machine, but I think I was using the wrong card, and I had problems getting the settings right.  However, I shall persevere

Birthday and a Christmas Card

A couple of cards for a Great Niece

Card for a Cousin

Quick little card using the Party Paws digikit