Bookmarks for Christmas Junk Journals

I'm currently working on items to go in the Christmas Junk Journals that I've been putting together, so I decided to make some bookmarks, with a slight twist. Rather than a traditional bookmark, I wanted to create folded bookmarks which are held in place with magnets.

For my first bookmark, I used partial die-cutting with a Tonic tag shaped die to create a card base. I layered a  smaller die cut tag to each side with a magnet underneath. I decorated one side of the bookmark with a sentiment from the same die set, and the other side with a snowman and snowflakes. The inside is blank for journaling space. 

The first bookmark works for most pages in my larger junk journal, but the magnets aren't very strong and won't hold on some of the heavier pages, particularly the coffee-dyed cardstock which is a bit wrinkly. I'll probably use this bookmark in one of my smaller junk journals which don't have the thick wrinkly paper. 

I decided to create a second bookmark where the magnet is not covered, to see whether this would work well on thicker pages in my junk journal. The second bookmark was quick and easy, using a couple of offcuts of card and paper along with some die-cut elements from the Papermania "At Christmas" collection by Lucy Cromwell. I attached the magnets on the inside, and tested it on my junk journal. This bookmark holds well even on the thicker and crinklier pages, so I'll be making more bookmarks with the magnets uncovered to use in my other junk journals.

I'd like to enter this project in the following challenges:

1. The Paper Shelter Challenge Blog - Challenge #491 Bookmark
2. C.R.A.F.T. Challenge - Challenge #617 Christmas
3. Craft Rocket Challenges - Challenge 87 - Winter / Snow
4. Allsorts Challenge - Week 650 - Christmas
5. Dare 2B Artzy - November Challenge: Tags / Bookmarks

Tall Journal Cards Using the Geometric Mocha collection

This month's challenge on the Die Cut Diva's Challenge Blog is to create mini slimline and slimline cards, whilst the current challenge on the Double Trouble blog is a Tall Card with Thin Dies. I wanted to create some taller journal cards to tuck in to the pockets of my Geometric Mocha junk journals, so these challenges seemed like a great starting point. I'm going to create a few sets of cards using different sketches, and decided to start with challenge #530 from Try Stampin' - or not - on Tuesday:

For these cards I layered some scraps (left over from making the journal pages) on to pearlescent card-stock. For the first card I added a die-cut tag and circle from the collection, and for the second card I used a die-cut label and tag from the collection along with some circles that I die cut using Spellbinders thin circle dies. The base card and the card and paper used to cut the circles are also used elsewhere throughout the journal.

I'm entering these cards in to the following challenges:

1. Die Cut Divas - November is a Time for Mini Slimline and Slimline Cards
2. Double Trouble Papercrafting with Thing 1 and / or Thing 2 - Challenge #96 - Tall Card with Thin Cut partnering with Ellibelle's Crafty Challenge (including Tags, Triangles and Teardrops for Thing 3 challenge)
3. Ellibelle's Corner - November Challenge - Die Cuts and Punches - Partnering with Double Trouble
4. Try Stampin' - or Not - on Tuesday - Challenge #530

A Mini-Book for my Mum's 70th Birthday

It was my mum's 70th Birthday this week, so I wanted to make something special for her. 

I decided to make a mini-book using Tonic Memory Book dies, layering plain and patterned paper from the DoCrafts Papermania Capsule Collection in Lavender, including two flip-out pages. I assembled die-cut decoupage from the DoCrafts Forever Friends and Tatty Teddy ranges, printed quotes and die-cut them, then added these to the book with a couple of notelets from the same collection as the flowers and some layered paper flowers. 

I wanted to add a special finishing touch, so I decided to create a beaded dangle. I don't have much in the way of beads so I bought a couple of bags of broken jewellery from eBay. It was actually really fun sorting through the bags! I started by creating a tassel using various threads, yarn and ribbon from my stash then added some beads recovered from the broken jewellery. I finished off the beaded dangle by adding some charms to the glittery ribbon. 

Creating this project was really fun, but more importantly my mum really loved it!

I'm entering my mini-book in to the following challenges:

1. The Sisterhood of Crafters - Happy Birthday
2. The Paper Funday Challenges -  Challenge #34 - Anything Goes with Optional Twist: Halloween or Use Color Purple
3. Craft Catz Challenge - Challenge #569 Anything Goes with optional twist 'Add Some Layers'
4. Incy Wincy Designs - Kindness/Fondness and/or add lace
5. Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper - October 2021 challenge
6. Creative Crafting Uncles - #22 - Males go feminin
7. Happy Little Stampers - October Anything Goes With Dies
8. Creative Fingers Challenge Blog - Challenge #217 Always Anything Goes
9. Crafty Creations Challenges - October Challenge (#426) - Anything Goes

CAS Cards using the Geometric Mocha Collection

I don't generally make CAS (clean and simple) cards, but I spotted the Geometric challenge on Perfectly CAS. As my goals for this month include using the DoCrafts Geometric Mocha collection, I decided to try my hand at this challenge. The aim is to try and use at least some of everything in the collection and anything that doesn't get used at all will be cleared out at the end of the month.

The card blanks that are part of the collection are definitely not CAS, so I decided to use some shaped card blanks from my collection (octagons and circles) which fit the theme. Looking through the die-cut kit I found die-cut paper bows and some Hello and Thank-you sentiments which I probably wouldn't use in the journals that I'm creating with the kits.

I put together all of the bows left in the kit and created 2 sets of cards - 3 circular and 4 octagonal:

Unfortunately I missed the deadline for the Perfectly CAS Geometric Challenge, but I'm glad that I saw it and used up some more of my stash.

I'm entering these cards in the following challenges:

1. Allsorts Challenge - Week 645 Embellish It
2. Creative Fingers Challenge Blog - Challenge #216 Anything Goes
3. Through the Craft Room Challenge - ATG Challenge 12th October 2021
4. Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge - C# 167 Anything Goes

Pink Christmas Card Using Papermania "At Christmas" by Lucy Cromwell

When I spotted the latest challenge on the Jingle Belles blog, I knew I wanted to join in. This week's theme is "I'm Dreaming of a Pink Christmas". 

While trying to decide what to make, I realised that the supplies I pulled out when setting my crafty Goals for October included the DoCrafts Papermania "At Christmas" by Lucy Cromwell A4 Ultimate Die Cut and Paper Pack. This kit includes some toppers and papers in teal and pink alongside the traditional Christmas red and green. 

I found a patterned pink card blank from the Pampered Pets range by Andrea Jayne (another DoCrafts brand). These card blanks are really nice quality and the envelopes have a matching pattern inside. 

To top my card, I layered up a die-cut decoupage image of a Christmas tree in a pink pot, with presents under the tree. I left off the rectangular base layer of the decoupage so that the tree sits in the oval on the base card. I added a row of Christmas stockings and a die-cut sentiment from the same kit, and 3 gems for a little bling.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

1. Jingle Belles - I'm Dreaming of a Pink Christmas
2. ABC Christmas Challenge - U is for Under the Tree
3. Cut It Up Challenge - Challenge 236 Pink!
4. The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge - Challenge #103 Anything Goes
5. Through The Craft Room Door - ATG 12th October
6. Get Creative Challenges - Ch #106 AG / Opt Twist Holidays
7. 613 Avenue Create - Challenge #11 - Anything Goes