Get punchy!

Hi everyone! I hope you're enjoying your weekend. We've been busy having a clear out in our house in preparation for moving house (fingers crossed!) but I've managed to fit in some crafty time this week though. Thanks to everyone for their kind comments on me starting my new job. It went OK- lots to remember- which is always the scary bit but I think I'm going to enjoy it.

So here is a card I made for my Auntie who's 81 next month. This card took me absolutely ages to do and there were times when I thought it wasn't going to turn out how I wanted. You know how you get an idea in your head and you're not sure whether it's actually going to work- well that happened with this card but I am pleased with how it turned out in the end!!

So this card originated with the idea of seeing a couple of challenges who's theme was to use punches which I'll admit I don't use that often. I also wanted to use this gorgeous image from the Autumn Leaves' Fine and Dandy set so I set out with trying to come up with an idea which incorporated the 2!

The Autumn Leaves stamp I embossed with red embossing powder and then added a couple of mini punched flowers and some gems, pearls and hot fix crystals. I saw the idea of punching a window and then forming a lattice of punched shapes over the top in a craft book by Julie Hickey. It was pretty fiddly glueing all the flowers down but the effect is worth it I think.

So here is a close up. Hopefully you can see the window and punched flowers in a bit more detail.

These are the 3 punches I used! The square punch was used repeatedly to form the window.

I'd like to enter this card for the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp DT call- "Punch it"

Creative Card Crew- "Punch it"

CRAFT Challenge- "Red"

Spoon Full of Sugar- "Use layers"

Crafty stash used: Stamp (Autumn Leaves); Red embossing powder; Paper (Basic Grey); Assorted cardstock; Punches (Woodware & Personal Impressions); Pearl embellie (Ebay); Gems (Joanna Sheen); Hot fix crystals (London Bead Co.); Ribbon (recycled)

My next make is an ATC- again not something I make very often so I thought I'd give it a go for a change.

I made this Sizzix ATC using the Chloe Sizzlit die and Buttons Sizzlit die. ATCs are so great for using up scraps of paper and card. Her body and face I actually coloured with copics as I find it's hard to get good skin toned card. The sentiment is Elzybells which I cut out and backed with one of the larger Sizzlit Buttons.

I'd like to enter this for the Creatalicious Challenge- "Nothing Stamped"- sentiments allowed.

Crafty stash used: Stamp (Elzybells); Dies (Sizzix); Assorted cardstock; Assorted paper scraps; Copics; Ribbon (recycled); Gem (recycled); Fine black liner

And lastly, how lucky am I??? I won these two fantastic stamp sets in the Elzybells blog candy draw. These are Elizabeth's new releases and I'm chuffed I won some of them!!! Thanks, Elizabeth!

Hope you've enjoyed popping by today x