Traditional Christmas at TIOT

 Here we are at the end of November and time for another challenge at Try It On Tuesday.
Our theme this time is 'Traditional Christmas' and there is nothing more traditional for me than a Christmas Tree!

This is a little different for me.
I have been wanting to try something like this for a while and having been gifted a HUGE (and I mean huge - like 3 storage boxes worth!! 😵😵) amount of costume jewellery from my Mum in Law during one of her 'clear outs' with the words 'Take to the Charity Shop or do whatever you want with it', I did precisely that - what I wanted with it!

I have made four of these 'Christmas Tree shapes' using some of the jewellery - all different and there's enough left for at least 3 more!

The rectangular ones measure 9" x 7" in their shadow box frame and a square one which is 8". I'll share this in another post as it is a little different.
I have a small table at a local Christmas Market next week so I shall take a couple of these with me.

I wanted velvet for the background but decided it was simply too expensive - (how I wish we'd have kept all the material during a previous M-I-L clear out!) so opted for felt as an alternative.

I spent ages arranging bits of jewellery to make the shapes! A variety of gold, pearl and sparkly diamante brooches, earrings, and pieces from a pendant all framed with a yellow metal chain made this piece.

Am sorry the pic isn't brilliant - the camera doesn't like all the bling!

I was thinking though when I was making it that these would make lovely memory keepsakes - I have a few pieces of my Mum's in my own jewellery box so I may make one for me to keep.

Hope you can find some time to link up a make this challenge and please have a look at what the teamies have come up with - we all love visitors! 

Sharing over at -
CFTH - A/Goes
Use Your Stuff - Shine Bright
Peace on Earth - A/Xmas
Holly and Ivy - A/Xmas

TIOT's 'Cold Outside' Mid Way

 Tuesday marks the mid way point of our latest challenge over at Try It On Tuesday - which is called 'Baby It's Cold Outside'.
If you're not a regular follower to the blog and missed the launch post, my card is in the post immediately below!

I have had a lot of pleasure this year making snowy scenes and this one is where I finally managed to do a fox that I am happy with! ( I seem to have been trying to do a good one for such a long time!) I did though make a teeny mistake on his bum... but then other half said it could be a shadow so I left it!

Chipped Sapphire and Broken China used on the sky, trees stamped in Rich Cocoa and then coloured with pencils.

Foxy was stamped in shades of brown with a touch of Elements Russet Orange.

I considered white heat embossing the tree branches but experimented with a white acrylic pen instead to try and achieve frosty bits rather than a block of white!
My usual helping of white spatters for a snow storm and done!

Thanks for looking and you have just a week to get your entry into our challenge at TIOT! x
Sharing over at
Peace On Earth #52 - A/Goes Inspiration photo
Inkspirational - Seasonal (Winter)
Crafting Happiness - Turkey or Any Animal
52CCT - Winter Countryside

New challenge at Try It On Tuesday

 Our challenge at Try It On Tuesday this fortnight is called 'Baby It's Cold Outside' - and to be honest here today it is!!
Although not quite as cold as it looks on my make!
I have been completely devoid of any ideas for the last couple of weeks and currently am experiencing a bit of a struggle to make anything. The idea for this came from a FB craft group -there were a few examples of white ink on dark card - it also meant I could continue my quest to use up my coloured card.

The base card is called 'Curious Blue'. I bought it some time ago at a show so am not sure which brand it is and this is the last piece.
I liked the colour but it is a bit of a pain to work on as it has a subtle coating on it.
That said it took the white ink really well.
I think there was some white embossing on the original examples but I simply used the white ink without.

Began by ink blending the snow with Brilliance Moonlight White - it took a while to build up the colour but was quite chuffed with the result.
Added the fence and owl (both Card-io) using Versafine Clair Nocturne.

The trees were stamped several times using the Misti but on the last stamping I shifted the card ever so slightly to try and give a misty effect. Again was more than a little pleased with how it turned out!

The branches at the top are from a Stampin Up set and those at the bottom are Card-io.
I used a white Posca pen to add snow to the fence, highlight the owl and then spattered loads across the whole card to make a snowstorm.
Thanks to the Card-io group for helping me out in my time of need!

Hop over to the blog and see what the rest of the team have done this week - and hoping you will be able to take part in this challenge! x
Sharing over at
Christmas Bingo - Letter 'B' (Free/Stamped Image/Ink Blending)
Daisy Chain - Christmas/Winter
IYGACAC - White
Use Your Stuff - Winter/Snow
Cards4Guyz - Winter Scene

Mid Month at Try It On Tuesday

A little reminder of our current challenge at Try It On Tuesday which is called 'Sparkle All The Way'.
This is a remake of a card I made a few Christmases ago and it turned out to be one of my faves so every year I make a couple to send.

Sparkly die cut branch and a set of die cut sparkly stars on an ink blended background of Chipped Sapphire and Stormy Sky and a liberal helping of posca pen splatters - a really simple card.

The Inkylicious sentiment I think is just beautiful.

Thanks for looking - there's still time to join us if you haven't already - and even if you have you can do so again!!   

Sharing at -
MMM - Lighting the Way
Pearly Sparkles - Christmas/Winter
Dragonfly Dreams - Photo

October Card Chain Challenge Reveal Post

My card this month went to Linda in Minnesota and I received a lovely card from Jo!
I chose the technique option of 'Spotlight Stamping' and tried to incorporate the colours - which was a bit of a struggle!

My large background stamp is from Crafty Individuals - there's something so quintessentially English about stopping everything for Tea!
I love a cuppa - but only if it's in a china cup!
It's a long time sice I did anything even a tiny bit shabby so this was a nice change from ink stained fingers.

Stamped the image with Versafine Morning Mist hoping this would pass for Silver.....😉

Stamped again and cut out part of it and coloured in shades of pink (Cotton Candy) and a pale blue (Baby Blue) and a little splash of yellow, and popped it up with some dimensional foam pads.

To finish the spotlighted centre image I added a liberal helping of Glossy Acccents onto the dangly 'teabag' suspended from the middle cup
The lace is from my stash.

Still time to sign up for the November chain - it's great fun!