10 'ordinary' Christmas cards

On bumbleberries, Kathy challenged us to:

'do at least one of the following by next Friday

make 10 *ordinary* Christmas cards
1 special Christmas card for a special person
1 Christmas themed LO
or
1 Christmas themed mini book'

Well, I've done 10 ordinary Christmas cards (to make two packs of 5):





The background papers are English Paper Company and the sentiment is computer generated. The snowmen are die cut from one of my old pink peril dies (I no longer have the die, but still have a stock of a few snowmen - using up some of my bits and pieces).

Rosie Dee's challenge 6

This card is for Rosie's challenge 6 on Rosie Dee's: 'we'd like you to make a Christmas card using Christmas patterned paper.'

So, once again, I've used Brenda Pinnick Christmas papers and the frame around the Santa Collage stamp - again using Brilliance pearlescent crimson and clear detail EP. I love this stamp.

Cupcake Craft Challenge 20: sketch

The challenge on Cupcake this week is a sketch supplied by Donna:



Paper, tag and other bits are all Brenda Pinnick and I stamped directly on to the tag with Santa Collage with Brilliance pearlescent crimson and clear detail EP.



Having done the card, I realise that I didn't put a sentiment in the top left corner, but, hey ho, I hope I'm allowed a little licence!

JB Friday night challenge 10 October

Another JB challenge, this time Lisa said: 'simply make a LO or card featuring at least one wee animal please.

I bought Cats Set 2 from Tanda Stamps ages ago and still hadn't used this 'cat's face' stamp, so I thought it was about time I did. I stamped with black versafine and embossed with detail clear. What a difference the ink makes - I tried at first stamping with versamark and heating with black embossing power, but, oh dear, I couldn't see the detail of the face at all. Versafine was excellent for this and the detail EP helps as well.

I think I went a bit too mad and too big with the computer printing, but nevermind. And why is it that cards sometimes look crooked on photos when they are not irl? (one of life's mysteries - and they say: the camera never lies!)

JB Friday night challenge 3 October

Sue set a challenge on JB three weeks ago (and, yes, I've only just got round to doing it):

'we want you to SING LOUD and while you are singing craft a LO or a card or an altered item whatever BUT the song you are singing MUST influence your design.'

Don't ask me why, but the song 'our house' came into my head (I now wish it would go away!) and so I thought a Christmas card 'from our home to your home' would be appropriate:



And if, by any chance, you'd like to have the song going round and round in your head, click here.

CBC 070 for free + Sketch Saturday 21

On CBC Carolyn has challenged us: 'You must have all sorts of things free with magazines or received in RAKs so now is your chance to use something in your project.'

My card uses an image and sentiment that was free with a magazine (I think it was Making Cards from a couple of years ago).

I've used the current sketch 21 from Sketch Saturday, so I'll link this on there as well.

The base card is from PDA and the papers are Brenda Pinnick (gradually getting through my stock left over from last year):

Basic Grey Challenge 7: stitching

The challenge on the BG challenge blog this week is to use stitching.

All papers used are BG boxer - I cut the flowers out and mounted them on a different piece of boxer paper - just added two pieces of stitched ribbon:

Secret Crafter Saturday challenge 3

'This week there is no sketch but a theme, set by the lovely KIM which is "Blue, White and a little bit of snowflake!' That's challenge 3 on Secret Crafter Saturday challenge.

The background is Brenda Pinnick paper, the image is from lili of the valley.

HS:MS:HS apple

'A round, firm, fleshy edible fruit - find Apple in your space today.'

A large Bramley cooking apple that needs cooking!

CBC 069 Tag it + Tag You're It!

I've been meaning to do a card for the 'tag it' challenge on CBC set by Carolyn, so here, at last is a card, using papers from K & Co Hannah; the tag is stamped with the Inkadinkado stamp of bare trees using Brilliance coffee bean and embossed with clear detail.

As the tag is pink, brown and green, it also fits the challenge on Tag You're It!:

DCM around the world sketch

Kathy set a midweek extra sketch on DCM - why not go and have a look at all the fab cards created by the team:



I've used Brenda Pinnick paper and some die cut snowflakes, cutting away the card around the curve:

CBC challenge 071: Bingo!

On CBC Jackie (okey-dokey) has set a new challenge: 'Today your challenge is to use a bingo call for your inspiration (you don't have to use the number - just the call) and there are loads to choose from.' I'm glad Jackie gave a link to a site that gives all the bingo calls, otherwise I wouldn't have known this one (I think my knowledge extends to two fat ladies and two little ducks and that's about it!)

My card is Dancing Queen number 17!

I've used Jolly Nation background and decoupage and made my own 'Dancing Queen' sign on the computer.



This shows the decoupage element:



I might replace the photos in the morning, with better light.

HS:MS:HS grain

On HS:MS:HS today: grain 'The seed of any cereal plant or the arrangement of fibres and layers of wood, find grain in your space today.'

A close up of a crust of bread (Kingsmill seeds & oats):



and even closer:

Fiskarettes' competition: bird song

Theae cards are for a competition being run on Fiskarettes - if you go and have a look, you can sign up to belong to this group and take part in this competition.

The photos on my cards were taken while we were on holiday in Eastbourne and the rest of the bits used speak for themselves. The quote, that had to be included, was computer generated. The stripy pieces of paper are Artic Frog Spring Break halter top (bits I had left over from doing my Salt challenge):

Salt: give thanks (with a grateful heart)

It's Salt day today (how the weeks go by!) and it was Esther's turn to choose the topic - you can read more about it here. Please do take a look at the fab creations of the other girls on the team - we'd also love you to join in with a creation of your own.

I printed out the words of the 'Give thanks' song and mounted them on to an Anna Griffin 12 x 12 card. The flowers were cut from a sheet of Arctic Frog Garden Party floral friend and the strips were cut from Arctic Frog Spring Break halter top. The big letters at the bottom are vinyl thickers. I just added some brad buttons to the flower centres.

If you click on the image you can see the wording more clearly:



Sadly, Gillian left our Salt team recently and now Casey has had to step down - we will miss them both so much and thank God for them.

HS:MS:HS moist

Today on HS:MS:HS the word is moist: 'Slightly wet or damp, find Moist in your space today.'

Breakfast cereal:

Stamp something: sketch something challenge

On Stamp something the challenge this week is a sketch by Katharina:



I used BG two scoops papers (mainly because they were already out from earlier, but also because they seemed to go so well with the stamped image that I watercoloured):

Friday Sketchers No. 24

I've suddenly woken up to the fact that I haven't made any Christmas cards for a while - had a grand flurry of making them before I had the Tearfund sale and have tailed off since then. However, I need to make a lot more, so from now on I think I need to use challenges to make more of them.

This is the sketch on this week's Friday Sketchers:



It seemed to lend itself to making a Christmas card. The papers are Brenda Pinnick - the circles were cut on my cricut and the image in the middle was from a Making Cards Christmas special (last year or the year before):

HS:MS:HS reflect

On HS:MS:HS today the word is reflect: 'A process in which light is thrown back after impinging on a surface, or to think, meditate or ponder. Find 'Reflect' in your space.'

The late afternoon sun is streaming in, so I've drawn the curtains and this is the reflection of them on my laptop screen:

Theme Thursday: Think Pink in honour of Breast Cancer Awareness

I saw the theme this week on Theme Thursday and didn't need much encouragement to make a pink card.

So here is a simple card to wish someone better using Basic Grey two scoops papers - the pig was cut on my cricut from the animal kingdom cartridge. Text is computer generated and scalloped with my rotatrim:

Ellie's really making herself at home!

We had an online grocery delivery yesterday and Ellie took up her position on top of the microwave in order to have a look to see if there was any chocolate:



Ah yes! She spotted some:



She wasn't sure what she thought of chilli chocolate, but her verdict is that it's a fantastic version of 'hot chocolate'!

In case you don't know, I won Ellie in the Think Pink raffle.