This Thursday challenge 19: Thrown a curve

I've done a card for another challenge site - This Thursday, it's all about - the theme this week is 'thrown a curve'.

Downloads were generously given by Pink Petticoat, so I've let them be the main focal point of the card, just running the edge of the dotted paper through my rotatrim and adding some rick rack and a sentiment:

Theme Thursday: the sun!

'The sun!' is the topic on Theme Thursday this week.

I've used a die cut and bee from Poundland, a rub on quote from DCWV and a few quilled flowers (no, I didn't make them):

Lili of the valley Thursday challenge 5: a colour challenge

This week on lili of the valley the challenge is a colour one - to use red, green and gold, so this is an opportunity crying out to make another Christmas card.

The background paper is Anna Griffin and the embellishments are Craft House. The wording etc is a rub on:

Cute card Thursday 33: the stars at night

On Cute Card Thursday challenge blog, the theme this week is 'stars': 'This week we would like to see some stars or something spooky on your cards.'

I've made another Christmas card (the stock is building up really nicely now) using some holographic stars that I've had for a couple of years and little gem stars stuck in the middles. The angels stamp is one of my favourite Christmas ones.

It was difficult to get a photo because of the holographic element of the stars.

HS:MS:HS office

Today's prompt on HS:MS:HS is office - 'A place of work and sometimes play. Find 'Office' in your space.'

An early one from me today - this is the office in my space:

Crafty Creations challenge 23: dogs and puppies

Time nearly ran out to do something for the Crafty Creations challenge - I'd intended to do something much earlier in the week - and would have loved to have included a picture of Josey, but in the end I've settled for a quickly put together card, using stickers from Poundland. The scan has shadows on the background because of the chipboard.

ABC challenge: nature

The subject on ABC this week is 'nature': 'we would like to see you using nature to inspire you this week. It can either be a creation using images (stamped or otherwise, eg leaves, flowers) or the colours of nature.'

These cards are very simple, but I felt that the 'less is more' suited them - well, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!

The lovely autumnal picture on the first one is a vellum:



The acorns are cut from a sizzlit die:

Cuttlebug Challenge 4: embossing on patterned paper

This is the first time I've done one of the Cuttlebug challenges. It was after I'd made the previous two cards that I realised that they would have fitted this challenge - to emboss on patterned paper (which I did with the trees).

Anyway, here is a card especially for the cuttlebug challenge. The gatefold card has a gold sheen to it (doesn't show in the scans, except to make the inside of the card look dirty!). The paper used on the fronts of the card has been cut from a Papermania card and then embossed with a cuttlebug folder and then inked.



I've used a 3d rub on for the inside of the card:

Basic Grey Challenge 8: shapes

This week on the Basic Grey Challenge blog the theme is 'shapes' - 'This week we would like you to get shapely by using squares, circles, rhomboids, triangles, etc on your creations :), and of course to use at least one item from BasicGrey somewhere on your creations.'

I've gone for adding triangles to a couple of simple Christmas cards (making 5 of each). The background papers of the cards of English Paper Company and the triangle trees are cut from BG boxer papers.

I recently bought the Cuttlebug Christmas trees die and embossing set, but thought it would be too fiddly to cut and then get into the right place in the embossing folder. So I embossed the papers, sanded them to get the white core showing and then cut round the shapes by hand.I think this has worked out well because it means that the trees have got the added embossed lines round the edges, as I've cut a bit of a distance away from them.

HS:MS:HS light

The word on HS:MS:HS today is light: 'A medium of illumination that makes sight possible. Find 'Light' in your space.'

I tried a few different settings on the camera and finished up with this:

Juliet's candy

Juliet is giving away some gorgeous crafty candy on her blog - it's worth popping along to have a look and leave a comment. And, of course, admire her crafting there.

HS:MS:HS glossy

On HS:MS:HS today the word is glossy: 'A substance that is shiny and smooth or printed on high quality paper. Find something 'glossy' in your space today.'

This is a glossy that I love using:

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!