2016 Resolutions

One of my targets/resolutions for 2016 was to make more use of my blog, do regular posts, and beat my 70 posts per year total from the very first year I blogged as "@Cartway Cards". (2009)

I am pleased to have managed to double my posts to 144! The idea was to post three times per week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday as best I could, so I think I wasn't too far off doing that most of the year.

I am extremely happy to have a lot more hits and a lot more comments and I would like to thank everyone who came by my blog this year and left a comment for me. It is much appreciated and I have enjoyed blogging far more this year with the thought that someone might pop by and read it! lol.

Thanks everyone for being great chums this year and making it blogwise, my most successful year yet! :)

p.s. I sold the original of this illustration this year! Must start work on some new banners for 2017! :)

Bit of Festive Tim Holtz :)

Saw this gorgeous set featured in one of the craft mags so when I saw it half price the following year I snapped it up!

It's A Sizzix Framelit (So stamps and dies) called "Holiday Joy" and is part of the Tim Holtz Alterations Series.

I created a dark blue "Chipped Sapphire and Weathered Wood) distress ink background and flicked water to create a night-time snowy effect. I then stamped in white the fir tree stamp. I then blended three distress inks and stamped the topper elements.
Distress Inks: Seedless Preserves, Shaded Lilac and Wilted Violet.

Added ribbon, bling and sentiment to finish.

Hero Arts Christmas Set

I've had these three Hero Arts Cling Mini Sets for a while and thought it was time to use them for the original idea I had in mind when I bought them!

The three sets are:

Hero Arts Far out Holiday - CL247

Hero Arts Merry Always -  CL252

Hero Arts Gift for you - CL248 

I stamped the images randomly onto white cardstock using some distress inks and Versafine Onyx Black. I coloured them with Copic Pens and added stickles and glossy accents to embellish.  I used Baker's Twine and Ribbon behind the Sentiments which are made using the font "AntsyPants".

Another view. 

 

Boxing Day Robins - done two ways.

I'm a bit worried the title of this post sounds like I am about to cook some Robins for dinner! Oops. Actually these were the two Christmas cards I made this year featuring the "Tweet Birds" set by Woodware.(FRS226)

Randomly stamped robins and holly leaf to make a background paper.  Coloured with Copic Pens. Added ribbons and sentiment. Gems to embellish and Glossy Accents on the robin's eyes. Font is AntsyPants.

Cube stepper blank (From Everycraftsapound) and matt and layered individual robins. Coloured with Distress Inks as watercolours and stickles glitter.  Hobbycraft poinsettias to embellish. Font is Atlas of the Magi.

Distress Inks Used: Candied Apple, Tea Dye, Brushed Corduroy and Weathered Wood.

More little pugs!

Another Pug card made for the family with pugs and frenchies :) I saw this pug postcard and reserved it for the next time I needed to whip up a pug project! :)
I got some "Everycraftsapound" blank stepper cards and thought this would be a nice way to make the card more special.

Diecuts: Joy Clouds, Spellbinders Circles, Scallop Circles and Cattails and Sue Wilson Maidenhead Ferns,
Flowers: Wild Orchid.
Papers, Bling, Numbers and ribbon from stash.

Final Challenge of the Year!

Final challenge for 2016 on The Crafty Addicts Challenge Blog! Challenge 31 is optionally themed " Let it Snow" or Anything Goes, as normal :) Super sponsor this time, Lemon Shortbread, offering 3 free digis to the winner, tbh it will be very hard to only pick 3!

I used Poinsettia Girl by Lemon Shortbread for my DT inspiration card, if you enjoy colouring hair, she is fabulous to tackle!

I have to admit, I was going to do a black and white card with just a pop of red in the poinsettia, but then remembered It has to go with the theme "Let it Snow!" Doh! So it's now somewhat more colourful. I just used the copic cool greys and black to colour her on smooth cardstock. She's 3D foamed to add some dimension to the card.
The snowflakes are from a hunkydory christmas kit.
The stamp is one of the set called "Hand Drawn Greetings" (JGS457) from Woodware.
Background paper is from "Tis the season" collection by BoBunny.
With added Stash Bling, Yellow Stickles, Glossy accents etc.

Close up of the card.

This is the first time I have tried to colour black hair with copic pens. I can see now where I need to get more light/shine, but I think it was ok for the first go! :)

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Victorian Christmas Fayre at St.Leonard's Church.

Just wanted to share a few photos from the Christmas Fair earlier in December. It's hard to make blog posts at the moment because I am making tonnes of Christmas Cards which I can't post about until AFTER Christmas!

Bit of a disappointing fair this year, didn't sell enough to make it worth doing, so I think I will concentrate on online sales next year and do something else! :)

Catnips Kitties!

I always make a batch of catnip toys to sell at the Christmas Fair. I am working on some drawings for a set of new digis based around Furry Tails (Fairy Tales) and thought I would make a few catnip toys using those as designs.

Here is Catmodo Dragon, Purrmaid, Kittycorn and Frog Pawrince!

Just have a few Kitticorns left over which I shall probably gift to friends with cats over Christmas. :)

Winter Wonderland!

Time for the final Crafty Addicts Facebook Challenge! We have decided not to run them next year as a regular monthly thing, but we may have a few random challenges during the year as we still have access to some amazing sponsors!

This time the challenge is Winter Wonderland or Anything Goes and the two sponsors are Morgan's Art World ( Prize of 3 digistamps ) and A Day for Daisies (Prize of a $12 gift certificate). I had seen the "Penguin Flight" stamp in one of the craft mags and was so excited to be able to choose it as DT inspiration for this challenge. I seriously love it! And for inside the card, I made a sneaky purchase and bought "Penguin Snowman" too!

I loved making this, infact I have made several towards my christmas card orders this year. The background is done with a mask and Faded Jeans distress ink, directly onto the card stock. The stamps is from the Woodware set called "Hand Drawn Greetings" (JGS457). I printed the images out and then watercoloured them using distress inks. When dry I added a few sequins to one of the balloons.

Close up of the stamp.

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Sled Dawg! :)

Last but one challenge for the year on The Crafty Addicts Challenge Blog. As well as Anything Goes, there is an optional theme of Christmas Colours. Are red and blue christmas colours? I went with "yes" :)

Two awesome sponsors this time, Imagine That (Offering a $10 gift cert to winner) and Lacy Sunshine! (Offering 3 free digis to winner).

I did Christmas Sled by Imagine That for my inspiration card, it was super to colour!

I used polychromo pencils on smooth white card. Glossy accents on his eyes, nose and bells. The bobble trim, papers, snowflake and button were from the stash. The sentiment is also from Imagine that.

Here is a bit of a close up.

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Pop-up Box - Fifties Baking Styley

Really enjoyed making this commission! I had to feature baking and decided to go with a fifties style theme.

Pop up box template is from Everycraftsapound, really handy to have around, save a lot of time. I downloaded lots of the  free images/vintage advertising from the web and the papers are mainly from Papermania Happy Days set.

I finally got to use a magazine freebie pack of chipboard embellishments called "Nana Loves" by Jennifer Ellory - lots of great bright kitschy elements.

Font is Blessed Day.

Close up of the card.