Hang up the stocking for Christmas

I've used a tag on this card - the tag has been covered with some magic mesh (ages since I used this) - the stocking was left over from a kit bought a few years ago. The background paper is Memory Box yuletide and the strip of red and white from my offcuts box. The round Craftwork cards sentiment is gold foiled, although it doesn't look like that on the photo.

This is for:

Hippity ippity 23: Christmas in July using a tag
Our craft lounge 125: make a tag or use a tag on your project
The pretty little ribbon shop 12: tags
Through the craftroom door: Christmas in July
The pink elephant 156: Christmas in July
Lollipop crafts 84: Christmas in July
Hooked on crafts 22: Christmas in July
Little red wagon 141: Christmas in July
2 sisters 100: Christmas in July (I didn't go for the option!)
Totally Gorjuss 140: It's Christmas

A splash of blue

This card is for 52 Christmas card throwdown July colour challenge - black, white and a splash of blue - also another for Bloggers challenge colour splash: black, white and a splash of one colour of your choice.

Once again the background paper is Memory Box yuletide. The black and white picture was rescued from a card received a couple of years ago, so this is another for Charisma cardz 27: recycle. I've added some clear and blue gems to the Christmas tree and matted the picture on to blue mirror card.

This is also for:

Through the craftroom door: Christmas in July
The pink elephant 156: Christmas in July
Lollipop crafts 84: Christmas in July
Hooked on crafts 22: Christmas in July
Little red wagon 141: Christmas in July
2 sisters 100: Christmas in July (I didn't go for the option!)
Totally Gorjuss 140: It's Christmas
Crafter's companion 26: ho ho ho Christmas

A splash of red

This card is for Bloggers challenge colour splash: black, white and a splash of one colour of your choice.

The postbox scene was rescued from an old card, so this is another for Charisma cardz 27: recycle.

The background paper is Memory box yuletide and the red and white strip is from my offcuts box.

This is also for:

Crazy challenge 124: Christmas in July
Card crafters circle 31: Christmas in July
Through the craftroom door: Christmas in July
The pink elephant 156: Christmas in July
Lollipop crafts 84: Christmas in July
Hooked on crafts 22: Christmas in July
Little red wagon 141: Christmas in July
2 sisters 100: Christmas in July (I didn't go for the option!)

Christmas cards for men

I've got a bit behind with some things for the past couple of weeks. This is for last week's facebook Sunday's with Santa, which was to make a Christmas card for a man. I've made up for my lateness by making two.

For both cards I've used the sketch for Christmas card challenges week 32:

I've used offcuts for both cards - I think the black background paper with trees is from a Papermania pack.

The holly wreath 'circles' are both from recycled cards, so they are also for Charisma cardz 27: recycle.

These are also for:

Christmas cards all year round July: Christmas flowers/holly
Crazy challenge 124: Christmas in July
Card crafters circle 31: Christmas in July
Jellypark friends: Christmas in July
Through the craftroom door: Christmas in July
The pink elephant 156: Christmas in July
Crafty sentiments: Christmas in July

Time for some more inking

This is the third card I made this morning when playing with inky sprays. This actually was the first background I did with stream colorwash and I almost binned it because I didn't really like it. I softly went over it with stormy sky DI. Then I decided that it would look OK with a couple of pieces of the card that came with the antique set of the MCS everyday essentials kit.

Once again, this was inspired by the photo given for Allsorts 163:

This is also for:

Sir Stampalot July: what's your crafty passion (playing with inks)
Desert island crafts 33: I chose: teal, time, inked edges
Joanna Sheen: going round in circles
The artistic stamper creative team July: circles
ABC: S for surprise - show us your best

More inkyness

When I made the card shown in the previous post I put a piece of card on to the mask itself so it picked up the ink that had been sprayed to fill the gaps on the previous card. So this time the ink is on the cogs themselves. I then lightly sponged with stormy sky. The steampunk image was generated from the My Craft Studio Tinkering with Steampunk CD-rom, with the edges torn and lightly distressed with stormy sky.


Once again this was inspired by the photo that was shown this morning for Allsorts 163:

This is also for:

Going grey with Scrap-creations: use something bought in the last two months (the cogs mask)
Paper make-up digi makeover 44: monochrome
The poodles parlour: use a digi
Blog a doodle: monochrome
Paperminutes 225: shabby chic/vintage
Always crafting creative Mondays 11: for men
Nutcrafters 22: one for the boys
Joanna Sheen: going round in circles
The artistic stamper creative team July: circles
ABC: S for surprise - show us your best
Crafty creations 178: free for all
Tammy scraping corner 18: anything goes
Make it Monday 97
Inspire me Fridays 67
52 card pick up week 28

A welcome change

Having felt so poorly for a couple of weeks now, I didn't feel like making anything very creative, so I made cards mainly using a couple of kits I bought recently - I didn't have to think or make much effort with these.

I felt like a change this morning and so I got our my distress inks and sprays and made a nice inky mess, the remains of which you can see on my hand:

I sprayed on to a cogs mask by Creative Expressions, using a mixture of stream colour wash, some broken china distress ink and a little perfect pearl. I then sponged over this very lightly with a mix of broken china and stormy ski DIs.

The steampunk image was put together digitally using three or four images from My Craft Studio Tinkering with Steampunk CD-rom. I took round the edges of the printed image and lightly distressed with stormy sky.

I was inspired to do this by the inspiration photo that was shown this morning for Allsorts 163:

This is also for:

Desert island crafts 33: I chose: teal, time, inked edges
Going grey with Scrap-creations: use something bought in the last two months (the cogs mask)
Paper make-up digi makeover 44: monochrome
The poodles parlour: use a digi
Blog a doodle: monochrome
Paperminutes 225: shabby chic/vintage
Always crafting creative Mondays 11: for men
Nutcrafters 22: one for the boys
Little Miss Muffet 39: circles
Joanna Sheen: going round in circles
The artistic stamper creative team July: circles
ABC: S for surprise - show us your best
Crafty creations 178: free for all
Tammy scraping corner 18: anything goes
Make it Monday 97
Inspire me Fridays 67
52 card pick up week 28

Suzie's 365 photos day 196: motion blur

As I'm not going out today there is little chance of seeing any 'motion blur' for Suzie's day 196.

However, I remembered a photo that I took in Eastbourne. I was standing on our balcony looking across to the west lawns where there was a fair - you can just about make out the big wheel which was in motion. The lights along the road leading to the west lawns were swinging in the quite substantial breeze.

It's a naff photo really, but it's the best I can come up with today.

CHNC challenge 81: twinkle, twinkle, little star - second card

For my second card for today's CHNC challenge 81 I've used Merry Monday sketch 20 on Always playing with paper, another entry for their July challenges.

The image, coloured with copics, is 'Rudolph stars' and once again papers are from my Christmas offcuts box - another for Pixie's crafty snippets 28 and for Hiding in my craftroom 54: super scraps Saturday.

This is also for:

Catch the bug: Christmas card for kids
2 sisters 100: Christmas in July (I didn't go for the option!)
Totally Gorjuss 140: it's Christmas
All kinds of cards 58: Christmas in July
Card caravan (the hybrid chick) 22: Christmas in July
Forever friends 40: Christmas in July
Crazy challenge 124: Christmas in July
Lollipop crafts 84: Christmas in July
The pink elephant 156: Christmas in July
Divas by design 43: Christmas in July
Little red wagon 141: Christmas in July
Through the craftroom door: Christmas in July
Hooked on craft 22: Christmas in July
Crafter's companion 26: ho ho ho Christmas
Jellypark friends: Christmas in July
The poodles parlour: use a digi stamp
Jackson's digital 14: anything goes
LEJ 11: animals
Desert island crafts 33: I chose: inked edges, a sketch challenge, animal
Tammy scraping corner 18: anything goes
Creatalicious 35: anything goes
Crafty creations 178: free for all
Make it Monday 97
Inspire me Fridays 67
52 card pick up week 28

CHNC challenge 81: twinkle, twinkle, little star - first card

It's time for challenge 81 on my CHNC blog and this week I would like to see at least one star on your Christmas card. This challenge is being sponsored once again by Bugaboo Stamps, so my cards feature digital stamps that they kindly supplied.

My first card is based on Merry Monday sketch 21 on Always playing with paper (the challenges for July are to use any of the past sketches):

The image is 'string of stars' and was coloured with copics; papers are offcuts (for Pixie's crafty snippets 28), the main paper from My mind's eye Christmas glitter pack The ovals were torn around perspex templates and the edges inked with copics.

This is also for:

Holly jolly Christmas challenge: Christmas angels
Card caravan (rhe hybrid chick) 22: Christmas in July
Crazy challenge 124: Christmas in July
Lollipop crafts 84: Christmas in July
The pink elephant 156: Christmas in July
Divas by design 43: Christmas in July
Little red wagon 141: Christmas in July

Floral silhouette

This is for the sketch for Totally Gorjuss 139:

I've used colours for Hiding in my craft room 53 colour challenge to use old olive, summer sun, certainly celery.

Papers are 'summer goodness' by Raspberry Road designs and include snippets for Pixie's crafty snippets 28.

I've stamped with the Penny Black floral silhouette using brilliance pearlescent ivy and added some sparkly gemstones. This is for Penny Black 209: summertime, also Penny Black and more at Allsorts July: summer blooms.

Not a good photo because of night time flash.

This is also for:

Daring cardmakers: lace & pearls
Craft your days away 49: doilies & lace
Emerald faerie garden 28: lace
Alphabet: L for lace
The cheerful stamp pad 47: silhouettes
The stamp man: anything goes/summer colours
Simon says stamp and show: layered
Totally papercrafts 125: lots of layers
Cupcake craftroom: layers
Cardmakin mamas 49: rubber - bursting out the rubber - rubber stamps
Frosted designs fabulous Friday: stamping
Soartful: all that glitters or is shiny/sparkly
Stampin' sisters in Christ 147: follow this plan - at least 1 circle, at least 2 different papers and at lease 1 embellishment
Stamp dreams 141: flowers
Crafty creations 178: free for all
Tammy scraping corner 18: anything goes
Creatalicious 35: anything goes
Make it Monday 97
Inspire me Fridays 67
52 card pick up week 28

Black and gold Christmas

For this card I've used the lovely Memory Box flowering Christmas tree die. I ran the gold paper through the Xyron before using the die so that the fiddly bits were sticky.

This is one of those difficult to photograph cards because the tree is matted on to a piece of black stardream card that is sparkly.

This is for:

Less is more 75: colour: gold
Card crafters circle 31: Christmas in July
CAS-ual Friday 61: let's strip - use strips of colour
Samuel Taylors July: die cuts

Lazy cats and lace

I've just made this step card with yet more of the MCS everyday essentials supplies, adding my own lace.

This was inspired by The shabby tea room 122: elegance and lace, where this photo was given and we were asked to use white/cream, kraft, pink and lace:

This is also for:

Cards und more 60: pink/lace/no flowers
Emerald faerie garden 28: lace
Alphabet: L for lace
Gingerloft 44: fancy folds
Shopping our stash 59: extra fold or pleats
Crafty creations 178: free for all
Tammy scraping corner 18: anything goes
Creatalicious 35: anything goes
Make it Monday 97
Inspire me Fridays 67
52 card pick up week 28

Here's that cat again

Another card featuring the cosy cat on a cushion, this time raised up inside the A5 card with a latticed window open out on the front.

This is for:

Alota: looking through a window
Ooh la la 109: whiskers
My time to craft 183: it's raining cats & dogs
LEJ designs 11: animals
Our creative corner: party - birthday
Crafty creations 178: free for alls
Tammy scraping corner 18: anything goes
Creatalicious 35: anything goes
Make it Monday 97
Inspire me Fridays 67
52 card pick up week 28

Floral fold

Yet another card using the MCS everyday essentials kit.

Colours are for Critter 123:

This is for:

Gingerloft 44: fancy folds
Shopping our stash 59: extra fold or pleats
Alota: looking through a window
Kreativer Basel blog 1: purple/lilac
Crafty creations 178: free for all
Tammy scraping corner 18: anything goes
Creatalicious 35: anything goes
Make it Monday 97
Inspire me Fridays 67
52 card pick up week 28

More cosy cats

Another couple of cards featuring the cats from the pets elements of the MCS kit. These are window aperture cards.

These are for:

Alota: looking through a window
Ooh la la 109: whiskers
My time to craft 183: it's raining cats & dogs
LEJ designs 11: animals
Crafty creations 178: free for all
Tammy scraping corner 18: anything goes
Creatalicious 35: anything goes
Make it Monday 97
Inspire me Fridays 67
52 card pick up week 28

Wishing you love and happiness

A monochrome brown card made with some of the antique section of the MCS everyday essentials kit, using a dark brown card blank. The oval tags held with brads can move from side to side.

This is for:

Blog a doodle: monochrome
Here come the boys 31: tag on a card
Our craft lounge 125: use a tag on your project
Paperminutes 225: shabby chic/vintage
Always crafting creative Mondays 11: for men
Nutcrafters 22: one for the boys
Crafty creations 178: free for all
Tammy scraping corner 18: anything goes
Creatalicious 35: anything goes
Make it Monday 97
Inspire me Fridays 67
52 card pick up week 28

Two kinds of windows

I'm still blogging cards made the other day from the MCS everyday essentials kit. This time there is a fancy fold card and a window aperture card, both from the antique section.

The first card is for:

Gingerloft 44: fancy folds
Shopping our stash 59: extra fold or pleats

Both cards are for:

Alota: looking through a window
Blog a doodle: monochrome
Whimsy 47: monochromatic
Paperminutes 225: shabby chic/vintage
Always crafting creative Mondays 11: for men
Nutcrafters 22: one for the boys
Crafty creations 178: free for all
Tammy scraping corner 18: anything goes
Creatalicious 35: anything goes

Especially for you

Another card made the other day using MCS everyday essentials supplies with a dark brown card blank.

This is for:

Blog a doodle: monochrome
Whimsy 47: monochromatic
Paperminutes 225: shabby chic/vintage
Always crafting creative Mondays 11: for men
Nutcrafters 22: one for the boys
Crafty creations 178: free for all
Tammy scraping corner 18: anything goes
Creatalicious 35: anything goes
ATCs and cards with attitude 18: anything goes
Make it Monday 97
Inspire me Fridays 67
52 card pick up week 28

Antique just for you

Elements from 'antique' MCS everyday essentials, using a navy blue card blank.

This is for:

Paperminutes 225: shabby chic/vintage
Always crafting creative Mondays 11: for men
Nutcrafters 22: one for the boys
Sisterhood of crafters: let's hear it for the boys
Crafty creations 178: free for all
Tammy scraping corner 18: anything goes
Creatalicious 35: anything goes
ATCs and cards with attitude 18: anything goes
Make it Monday 97
Inspire me Fridays 67
52 card pick up week 28

Windows on Paris

A couple of cards I made the other day using elements once again from the travel section of the MCS everyday essentials kit.

They are both window aperture cards so that the die cut image is on the inside of the card.

The first card is for Cards for men 14: happy birthday.

These are for:

Alota: looking through a window
Blog a doodle: monochrome
Whimsy 47: monochromatic
Always crafting creative Mondays 11: for men
Nutcrafters 22: one for the boys
Sisterhood of crafters: let's hear it for the boys
Kaboodle 127: anything French
Crafty creations 178: free for all
Tammy scraping corner 18: anything goes
Creatalicious 35: anything goes
ATCs and cards with attitude 18: anything goes
Make it Monday 97
Inspire me Fridays 67
52 card pick up week 28