Fancy folds and Gothic Christmas

Good morning, our new challenge at Allsorts starts today and Liz has selected More Than One Fold for our theme. For our prize there is a useful bundle of craft essentials from Stix2 plus a stamp set.

Above a triptych with three arches cut from Kraft,  stamps are Lavinia Lupin, Logan, Fox and several worker stamps, the leaves at the top AALL and Create and the trailing leaves Penny Black. The theme at Fab 'n Funky is Three of a Kind - three Animals may fit the bill and Critter Crazy, plus Autumn at Make my Monday, Craft Rocket, Daisy Chain and Try it on Tuesday.

Using an old but favourite die set, several of us have this set and want to say it's Studio Light but have to confess I'm not certain as no longer the the packaging. Stamps are again Lavinia Dandelion and Tall Dandelion, Some see a Weed plus workers stamps onto a brayered background. Adding to Ellies new Garden Party, Shaped cards at Di Cut Divas Girlz Creative and Die Cuts at Do-All Creative.

Now for a challenge in more ways than one. The other day Jo from Christmas Kickstart challenge told me the new theme was Gothic Christmas which she thought that would be my sort of thing, right Jo! Gothic to my mind is not far removed from Stempunk which I always struggle with, so was determined to rise to the bait and above is what I came up with. 

I've had the TH Gothic Arch die for years so cut a stencil then sponged white Pan Pastel's to create the window, next stamped Lavinia Starmoth and Christmas Joy using black ink and embossed with detail white EP (why use back and not Versamark - it shows up better on a dark background to remove excess EP). Two sentiment stickers and stickles. Adding to Holly and Ivy.

Final note of thanks for all the lovely cards received for our special anniversary which I mentioned a couple of posts ago. The children arranged a surprise meal at a favourite Italian restaurant for 22 consisting of us, children and grandchildren and how lovely it was to all be seated at the same table. We had a flypast by The Red Arrows (honestly, the restaurant sits beside the Great River Ouse and they regularly use it as a flightpath to displays and that afternoon just happened to be one of them) and finished off by the arrival of Thea, a baby Great Granddaughter, she went into labour just after the meal, two weeks early!