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Saturday 31 December 2011

Zebra notebook

This is a notebook I made before Christmas, using an offcut of zebra card that's been in the scraps box for some time and a few chipboard pieces.

This is for:

Lily pad the craft's meow: chipboard
Fussy & fancy 53: animal print
Sparkles forum 27: anything but a Christmas card
Ooh-la-la 95: anything but a card
Jules always with a heart crafty snippet 51
Phindy's Friday 86: scraps
Fairytale 31: something simple
Let's craft and create 35: anything goes
Secret crafter Saturday 166: anything goes
Simon says: anything goes
Everybody art 173: anything goes
Make it Monday 69
Inspire me Fridays 39


There is celebration candy over on my CHNC blog
You've got to be in it to win it, so why not hop on over there and get linking?!

Glitzy notebooks

A long time ago (when I first started crafting and thought that peel offs were OK) I bought some dress peel offs and they have stayed in the cupboard ... until I decided to alter these notebooks and mount the peel offs on gold mirror card. The background foiled cards are Hunkydory. The butterflies with gems and wiring have been in my stash for ages and ages.As I've had most of these items for ages, I'm entering these into If the shoe fits fashionista Friday 98: use our stash. But the background Hunkydory foiled cards were recently acquired, so I'm also liking for Jellypark friends: old year/new year - use something old and something new, also for Paper creations ink 15: something old, something new.


These are for:

ColourQ 117: basic black, white + any 1 colour (gold) - the first notebook
Create me pink 6: colour splash challenge - black and white with only 1 other colour - the first notebook
Sisterhood of crafters: black, white and one other colour - the first notebook
Pile it on 49: bling it up
Sparkles forum 27: anything but a Christmas card
Ooh-la-la 95: anything but a card
Prairie fairy Fridays 69: things with sparkly wings
Flutter by Wednesday 183: open + butteflies
Fairytale 31: something simple
Let's craft and create 35: anything goes
Secret crafter Saturday 166: anything goes
Simon says: anything goes
Everybody art 173: anything goes
Make it Monday 69
Inspire me Fridays 39

There is celebration candy over on my CHNC blog
You've got to be in it to win it, so why not hop on over there and get linking?!

A couple of birthday cards (for a change!)

Before Christmas I was asked to make a couple of birthday cards with dogs - these were made from a Kanban kit, using some card blanks with the bottom corners rounded. There is some gold foiling on the patches on the dogs.


These are for:

Totally Gorjuss 112: happy
Sparkles forum 27: anything but a Christmas card
Aud sentiments 44: anything goes
Fussy & fancy 53: happy birthday
Crafty boots: celebrations
Deep ocean 15: warm wishes
Fairytale 31: something simple
Let's craft and create 35: anything goes
Secret crafter Saturday 166: anything goes
Simon says: anything goes
Everybody art 173: anything goes
Make it Monday 69
Inspire me Fridays 39

There is celebration candy over on my CHNC blog
You've got to be in it to win it, so why not hop on over there and get linking?!

Oh Christmas tree

'Oh Christmas tree' is the topic for Crazy amigo's challenge this week, so I thought I'd share a couple of cards with embossed trees.

The first card has a Websters pages paper as background - anyone who has seen my recent posts will know how much I love these papers - that vintage Santa is so lovely - it's for I brake for challenges 15: vintage, and It's all about the vintage 9: anything goes.

These trees have lots of hearts hanging on them, so this is for Paper cutz 119: all hearts come home for Christmas, also for Some odd girl love inspiration challenge where there is a photo that includes hearts.


The second card has some Basic Grey eskimo kisses paper as background, so I'm also linking this for Basic Grey 59: anything goes.

I'm also linking for:

52 Christmas card throwdown 1: anything goes
Gingerloft 30: Christmas and winter
Fairytale 31: something simple
Let's craft and create 35: anything goes
Secret crafter Saturday 166: anything goes
Simon says: anything goes
Christmas cards all year round: anything goes
Everybody art 173: anything goes
Stamp n doodle: it's Christmas
Crafty purple frog: Christmas
PaperPlay 50: Christmas
Bizzy becs: Christmas
Make it Monday 69
Inspire me Fridays 39

There is celebration candy over on my CHNC blog
You've got to be in it to win it, so why not hop on over there and get linking?!

The angels shouted for joy

Two cards made with Papermania Classic Christmas papers and one of my favourite stamps, the lovely Inkadinkado tin can mail stamp, simply inked with memento cocoa bean.


This is for:

Crafts4eternity R52 random recipe: feature a quote
Ruby's rainbow 18: monochrome
Timbro scrap mania 39: kraft + red
Sunday stamper 186: do anything you wanna do
Kaboodle 99: angels or fairies
Stamps R us: angels
Flutter by Wednesday 183: open + angel
Gingerloft 30: Christmas and winter
The artistic stamper creative team December challenge: Christmas
Fairytale 31: something simple
Let's craft and create 35: anything goes
Secret crafter Saturday 166: anything goes
Simon says: anything goes
Christmas cards all year round: anything goes
Everybody art 173: anything goes
Stamp n doodle: it's Christmas
Crafty purple frog: Christmas
PaperPlay 50: Christmas
Bizzy becs: Christmas
52 Christmas cards throwdown 1: anything goes
Aud sentiments 44: anything goes
Make it Monday 69
Inspire me Fridays 39

There is celebration candy over on my CHNC blog
You've got to be in it to win it, so why not hop on over there and get linking?!

Traditional Christmas colours

The photo inspiration for Cupcake inspirations 141 concentrates on the traditional colours of Christmas:


This is a card that I made with some more of the lovely Papermania Classic Christmas papers by Stephanie Dyment, using these colours. The centre piece has foiled leaves that shine in real life:


he colours are also good for the Play date cafe 112:


This is also for:

Gingerloft 30: Christmas and winter
Fairytale 31: something simple
Let's craft and create 35: anything goes
Secret crafter Saturday 166: anything goes
Simon says: anything goes
Christmas cards all year round: anything goes
Everybody art 173: anything goes
Stamp n doodle: it's Christmas
Friendship's garden 6: anything goes Christmas
Crafty purple frog: Christmas
PaperPlay 50: Christmas
Bizzy becs: Christmas
Aud sentiments 44: anything goes
Make it Monday 69
Inspire me Fridays 39


There is celebration candy over on my CHNC blog
You've got to be in it to win it, so why not hop on over there and get linking?!

Animal print altered notebook

This is an altered notebook I made before Christmas, but didn't get round to blogging. The background paper is an offcut from some animal print card I had long ago. The stickers are textured ones from the 99p store.


This is for:

Fussy & fancy 53: animal print
Sparkles forum 27: anything but a Christmas card
Ooh-la-la 95: anything but a card
Jules always with a heart crafty snippet 51
Phindy's Friday 86: scraps
Fairytale 31: something simple
Let's craft and create 35: anything goes
Secret crafter Saturday 166: anything goes
Simon says: anything goes
Everybody art 173: anything goes
Make it Monday 69
Inspire me Fridays 39


There is celebration candy over on my CHNC blog
You've got to be in it to win it, so why not hop on over there and get linking?!

Christmas bear hugs

Some quick cards using some Kanban toppers and, once again, some lovely Websters pages papers.



These are for:

Forever friends December 12: it's all about Christmas
Crazy challenge 99: bears
Bearly mine 26: anything goes
Gingerloft 30: Christmas and winter
My time to craft 169: winter pals
I brake for challenges 15: vintage
It's all about the vintage 9: anything goes
Fairytale 31: something simple
Let's craft and create 35: anything goes
Secret crafter Saturday 166: anything goes
Simon says: anything goes
Christmas cards all year round: anything goes
Crazy4challenges 117: it's Santa (2nd and 3rd cards)
Everybody art 173: anything goes
Stamp n doodle: it's Christmas
Friendship's garden 6: anything goes Christmas
Crafty purple frog: Christmas
PaperPlay 50: Christmas
Bizzy becs: Christmas
Aud sentiments 44: anything goes (3rd card)
Make it Monday 69
Inspire me Fridays 39


There is celebration candy over on my CHNC blog
You've got to be in it to win it, so why not hop on over there and get linking?!



Winter fun

It's those lovable little characters again, this time sliding down the snowy hill on their sledge. Once again, he background paper is Websters pages - I so love these papers (might have to buy some more because they are almost used up now).


This is for:


Little darlings 14: cold
Gingerloft 30: Christmas and winter
Incy wincy 126: winter wonderland
Paper pretties Monday challenge: winter wonderland
My time to craft 169: winter pals
One stop craft 163: winter wishes
I brake for challenges 15: vintage
It's all about the vintage 9: anything goes
Fairytale 31: something simple
Let's craft and create 35: anything goes
Secret crafter Saturday 166: anything goes
Simon says: anything goes
Christmas cards all year round: anything goes
Crazy4challenges 117: it's Santa
Everybody art 173: anything goes
Stamp n doodle: it's Christmas
Friendship's garden 6: anything goes Christmas
Crafty purple frog: Christmas
PaperPlay 50: Christmas
Allways something creative 20: merry Christmas
Bizzy becs: Christmas
Aud sentiments 44: anything goes
Make it Monday 69
Inspire me Fridays 39


There is celebration candy over on my CHNC blog
You've got to be in it to win it, so why not hop on over there and get linking?!


Here they are again ...

... those lovely little characters that you saw here. This time they are layered on to a lovely Websters page paper featuring Santa.


This is for:

Little darlings 14: cold
Paper pretties Monday challenge: winter wonderland
Fairytale 31: something simple
Creative inspirations 143: anything goes
Let's craft and create 35: anything goes
Secret crafter Saturday 166: anything goes
Simon says: anything goes
Charisma cardz 50: anything goes
Christmas cards all year round: anything goes
Crazy4challenges 117: it's Santa

There is celebration candy over on my CHNC blog
You've got to be in it to win it, so why not hop on over there and get linking?!

Another chance for CHNC celebration candy

Over on my CHNC blog today there is another opportunity to link for my celebration candy. I started CHNC a year ago and am so grateful to all those who have supported and entered my challenges and to those who have sponsored and are committed to do so in 2012. You can read all about it here. Don't forget that you need to be in it to win it. You might like to share a Christmas card as well.

I hope to see you there!

And I hope to see you there next Saturday 7 January when there will be a challenge sponsored by Whoopsi Daisy.

Friday 30 December 2011

Wrapped up in the cold

Another quick Christmas card with an embossed topper.


This is for:

Little darlings 14: cold
Paper pretties Monday challenge: winter wonderland
Fairytale 31: something simple
Crimbo crackers 5: snowflakes
Creative inspirations 143: anything goes
Let's craft and create 35: anything goes
Secret crafter Saturday 166: anything goes
Simon says: anything goes
Charisma cardz 50: anything goes
Christmas cards all year round: anything goes

Christmas quotes

Another couple of simple Christmas cards, this time using quotations:


These are for:

Crafts4eternity R52 random recipe: feature a quote
Ruby's rainbow 18: monochrome
Crimbo crackers 5: snowflakes
Creative inspirations 143: anything goes
Lexi 55: untraditional Christmas - no red or green
Let's craft and create 35: anything goes
Secret crafter Saturday 166: anything goes
Simon says: anything goes
Charisma cardz 50: anything goes
Christmas cards all year round: anything goes


Red and white Christmas fun

Yes, I'm still showing Christmas cards!

This one has Anna Griffin papers and puffy glittery stickers from the 99p shop:


This is for:

Winter wonderland: red and white
Christmas crafting 6: Santa Claus is coming to town
Use it Tuesday 22: Yay team! - colours of your favourite sports team - our family support Arsenal (my dad was a great fan) - red and white (and I'm still using up Anna Griffin Christmas papers - they seem to go on forever, not that I'm complaining!)
Gingerloft 30: Christmas and winter
Fairytale 31: something simple
Everybody art 173: anything goes
Stamp n doodle: it's Christmas
Friendship's garden 6: anything goes Christmas
Crafty purple frog: Christmas
PaperPlay 50: Christmas
Allways something creative 20: merry Christmas
Bizzy becs: Christmas
Craft your days away 35: snowmen
Christmas cards all year round: anything goes
Craft room: anything goes
Top tip Tuesday 66: anything goes
Let's craft and create 35: anything goes
Secret crafter Saturday 166: anything goes
Simon says: anything goes
Make it Monday 69
Inspire me Fridays 39

Thursday 29 December 2011

Christmas Day

I haven't got much crafting to show atm (I suppose I might get round to showing some of the cards I made before Christmas, but never blogged ... sometime soon perhaps) - anyway, I thought I'd share a few photos from Christmas Day - this was, as usual, a very quiet affair with just John, mum and myself, but we enjoyed the day, although I would have liked to have felt better.

Happy Christmas, mum
The table is all set
Christmas Day lunch menu
Waiting patiently!
Hors d'oeuvres
Seared scallops on a bed of rocket
Prawns
Light mayonnaise and light tartare sauce
I'm linking this for:

Ooh-la-la 95: anything but a card (please delete if Christmas lunch isn't appropriate!)
Jellypark friends: anything but a card challenge
CES 66: party, party, party
Mami doodles 40: home decor

Last minute card

I'm still not feeling well with this chest infection - not sleeping because of coughing and not feeling up to doing anything much - hate feeling like this.

Anyway, it's John's birthday tomorrow and I hadn't made him a card (haven't bought him anything either because we were going to go out together and choose something ... will have to be another day, unfortunately). So I really needed to at least make him a card, but it was a bit like trying to walk through treacle - I just couldn't get any inspiration and anything I tried seemed to go wrong.

I've ended up with this card, using some Kanban grass card as a base, the Personal impressions bowler stamp coloured with marvy alcohol pens and copics, mounted on silver mirror card. I used silver mirror for the rosette, scoring on my Hougie board and added a few other bits and pieces. It's certainly not the best card I've ever made, but at least I've now got one to give John tomorrow.


I'm linking this for:

Clearlyistamp 42: birthday
Crafty boots: celebrations
Alota 73: it's about the numbers
Pixie dust studio 107: numbers
Hiding in my craft room 26: use it or lose it - I bought the bowler stamp quite a while ago, but this is the first time I've used it
Sparkles forum 27: anything but a Christmas card
Totally Gorjuss 111: for someone special
The pixie cottage 101: someone special
Aud sentiments 44: anything goes
Craft room: anything goes
Everybody art 173: anything goes
Top tip Tuesday 66: anything goes
Let's craft and create 35: anything goes
Secret crafter Saturday 166: anything goes
Mark's finest papers speedy the cat 87: anything goes
Party time Tuesday 48: anything goes
Sunday stamper 186: do anything you wanna do
Simon says: anything goes
Rainbow lady 185: your choice
Make it Monday 69
Inspire me Fridays 39

Mo's digital 2011 favourite

Challenge 115 on Mo's digital this week is to select our favourite entry for a Mo's challenge during 2011.

So this is mine, using 'Jack and Ginger' digital image - you can see the original post 'Senior love - side by side' here.


Tuesday 27 December 2011

Winter trees

This card is a bit like the style of the previous ones shown here, but much simpler this time, using a Stitchy Bear digital image 'winter trees'. When I saw that this week's One stitch at a time challenge is 'Choccy's Christmas challenge' to use a Stitchy Bears digital stamp, I had a look on their site to see what I might purchase and the 'winter trees' seemed perfect to use with the brayer and Big & Juicy Happy Birthday (toned down by rolling on to rough paper a few times first. I put a post-it note circle for the moon before brayering and masked off the bottom for snow. In real life, the lower bit at the base of the tree looks far more pink than it does here.

It's hard to see the sentiment here because it's silver on grey, but it says 'Season's greetings'.

And, yes, this is my first Christmas card since Christmas!!


This is also for:

AiFactory 99: Christmas
Gingerloft 30: Christmas and winter
Incy wincy 126: winter wonderland
One stop craft 163: winter wishes
Digital Tuesday 141: winter wonderland
Paper pretties Monday challenge: winter wonderland
Fairytale 31: something simple
Everybody art 173: anything goes
Order of the opus gluei 120: I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
Lexi 55: untraditional Christmas - no red or green
Stamp n doodle: it's Christmas
Crazy amigo: oh Christmas tree
Creative belli 133: merry Christmas
Friendship's garden 6: anything goes Christmas
Little darling 13: Christmas
Crafty purple frog: Christmas
PaperPlay 50: Christmas
Rainbow lady 184: white Christmas
Alphabet: W for white Christmas
Prairie fairy Fridays 68: holly jolly Christmas - no red or green
Raise the bar 86: it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Bee crafty: it's Christmas
Allways something creative 20: merry Christmas
Joanna Sheen 1: Christmas wishes
Bizzy becs: Christmas
St Luke's: let it snow
Christmas cards all year round: anything goes
Crafft room: anything goes
Top tip Tuesday 66: anything goes
Aud sentiments 44: anything goes
Crafts and me 66: anything goes
Let's craft and create 35: anything goes
My mum's craft shop 37: anything goes
Scrapbook sisters 66: anything goes
Digi doodle 88: anything goes
Secret crafter Saturday 166: anything goes
Mark's finest papers speedy the cat 87: anything goes
Party time Tuesday 48: anything goes
Make it Monday 69
Inspire me Fridays 38

Inspired by Barbara Gray

For Christmas, I was very fortunate to get some DVDs by Barbara Gray of Clarity Stamps along with some of her stamps and other bits and pieces.

Before Christmas John had a chest infection - in fact, he ended up having to go to A & E two days before Christmas to be checked out - he's still being troubled by the airways disease, but the infection has subsided. Meanwhile, he passed his germs on to me just at the wrong time! I began to feel unwell on Christmas Eve and am not sure how I got through Christmas Day with all the cooking etc, but I did. However, yesterday is a bit of a blur and today likewise. I stayed in bed for quite a while today and am still in my PJs now.

I've been curled up watching some of the DVDs by Barbara, so I thought I'd have a bit of a play to see if it helps me to feel better.

This first card involved brayering with a rubber band round the roller. I inked up with Adirondack wildflower rainbow ink pad, but, unfortunately, this hasn't been used for ages and had become muddied, so the background turned out to be very dull and dark, but I stuck with it, using the Clarity tree stamp in various ways, including the hedgerows from using the stamp sideways.

For the second card, I've brayered with Big & Juicy vibrant primary (toning this down by brayering a lot on paper before committing to the card) adding a little stormy sky DI across the top. I stamped the Clarity Christmas tree and then used the tree silhouette that I'd used for the previous card several times in the background, all stamped with Adirondack espresso.


The background of the third card was brayered using Big & Juicy Happy Birthday, once again using the tree silhouette in various ways together with a My Mind's Eye wild asparagus stamp.


I think I need to practise a lot before I can get anywhere near the standard of success Barbara Gray achieves, but at least I've had a play and tried to divert my attention from how I feel.

I'm linking these for:

Anything goes 57: the colour blue and one other colour (the first card)
Gingerloft 30: Christmas and winter
Incy wincy 126: winter wonderland
One stop craft 163: winter wishes
Fairytale 31: something simple
Sunday stamper 186: do anything you wanna do
Crafty cardmakers58: use it three times - I've used the tree silhouette stamp more than three times in different ways on each card
The stamp man: use a technique you've not used before (rubber band for hills and paths)
Little miss muffet 25: anything goes
Stampin for the weekend 23: anything goes
Stampelsonne 52: free choice of subject
Our daily bread 90: anything goes
The crafty pad 152: anything but Christmas
Sparkles forum 27: anything but a Christmas card
Everybody art 173: anything goes


Friday 23 December 2011

CHNC challenge 52: Happy Christmas!!

Over on my CHNC today is a special day of celebration - yes, it's Christmas Eve and it's also almost a year since I started the challenge blog. I have been amazed at the number of people who have entered the challenges throughout the year. I am offering some blog candy as a big THANK YOU.

Please go to my Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge blog here for details of the blog candy and how to be in with a chance of winning it - and you might also want to show some Christmas cards that you've been making in the last few days or weeks.

Here are some cards I made last week, using some lovely embossed toppers that I got ages ago in a kit. The first four cards have Basic Grey jovial papers as background and the fifth card uses Websters pages background paper.






I'm linking these for the following challenges:

Basic  grey 58: anything goes
Crazy challenge 98: Christmas
There's magic in the air magical Monday: bird image
Craft your passion 89: things with wings
Critter 95: let it snow and spread the holiday cheer
Order of the opus gluei 120: I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
St Luke's December: let it snow
Friendship's garden 6: anything goes Christmas
Little darlings 13: Christmas
PaperPlay 50: Christmas
Allways something creative 20: merry Christmas
Creative Belli 133: merry Christmas (the fifth card has the word 'Christmas')
Gingerloft 30: Christmas and winter
Raise the bar 86: it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Jingle belles: wrapping it up
Crafty boots: Christmas
Victorine 23: Christmas
Crafting for all seasons 16: Christmas
Papertake: last Christmas card of the year
Top tip Tuesday 65: anything Christmas
Crafty purple frog: Christmas
Rainbow lady 184: white Christmas
Alphabet: W for white Christmas

Wednesday 21 December 2011

For someone special

This is a very simple card that I'm going to give to John. Poor John is not at all well atm - I'm hoping he will be well enough to enjoy Christmas.

Because John is visually impaired (very little sight actually), it's best to give him something that is bright without too many embellishments to confuse.


This is for:

Paper players 76: Ann's clean and simple colour challenge:


Totally Gorjuss 111: for someone special
Annabelle: say it with ... Christmas 3 - cards

Monday 19 December 2011

Webster Christmas vellum cards

These are some cards that I made the other day - very quickly put together - Webster papers vellum overlays run through my xyron and stuck on to the Websters paper with the robins and sentiments and then on to a card blank, with a circular little topper and a sentiment. Once again, the vellum papers do most of the work.



These are for:

Crazy challenge 98: Christmas
Kaboodle 98: Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree
There's magic in the air magical Monday: bird image
Craft your passion 89: things with wings
Critter 95: let it snow and spread the holiday cheer
Do you stack up 50: winter
Order of the opus gluei 120: I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
My Sheri 75: let it snow
St Luke's December: let it snow
Mark's finest papers Speedy the cat's challenge 86: make a Christmas card
4 crafty chicks 68: Christmas
Friendship's garden 6: anything goes Christmas
Joan's gardens 14: quick Christmas card
Little darlings 13: Christmas
PaperPlay 50: Christmas
Allways something creative 20: merry Christmas
Creative Belli 132: winter and Christmas (I used 'forgotten about' vellum)
Penny's 68: merry Christmas
Paper-crafting journey: Christmas challenge
ABC Christmas: Y is for yippeee!! anything Christmassy goes
Gingerloft 30: Christmas and winter
Raise the bar 86: it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Jingle belles: wrapping it up
The paper shelter: it's a celebration - Christmas
Crafty boots: Christmas
Victorine 23: Christmas
The pixie cottage 100: anything goes Christmas style
Crafting for all seasons 16: Christmas
Little red wagon 111: another Christmas challenge
Aud sentiments 43: more winter holiday sentiments
Cutie pie 7: use a sentiment

Silver reindeer

For this card I used the same stamp as for this card I showed earlier, but this time I heat embossed with detail silver. Unfortunately, the photo is very blurred, so the embossing doesn't look as fine as it actually was - and I can't take another photo because the card has gone in the post.



This is for:


Oldie but a goodie: Christmas animals (the stamp is more than six months old)
Hooked on craft 14: Christmas - anything punched or diecut
Delightful: anything goes
Stempelsonne 52: anything goes
Di's digi designs: show us Christmas
Crazy amigo: embossing
Simply create too 2: embossing
Crimbo crackers 4: embossing
Hiding in my craft room 25: embossing technique