Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge 1

I had a lovely surprise recently when Rosemary from the Order of the Opus Gluei got in touch with me, asking for my details so that she could send something to me for participating in their challenges. And this is what arrived in the post yesterday:

Over on my new Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge blog, the theme for challenge 1 is 'anything goes as long as it's a Christmas card'.

I couldn't wait to use these lovely stamps, so I used a piece of BG blush paper as background and randomly stamped four of the stamps, using versafine onyx black and embossing with detail silver. Because the versafine is quick drying the embossing powder doesn't quite cling to all of it, giving a nice distressed look, a bit like antique silver.

I based the card on Arianne's sketch for Sunday sketch & stamp challenge 43:

The snowman image is one that I selected for a prize for being randomly picked as winner on Shelly's TTT. The image is called 'all wrapped up'. I coloured with promarkers, mounting on to silver mirror card. The addition of a silver sentiment and some silver glitter strips and the card was done.

I'm also linking for these challenges:

Order of the opus gluei 83: if you made it, we will come

Corrosive 96: bling it on

Stamptacular 91: snow much fun

Incy wincy 74: distressing

Gingerloft 8: distressing

Mixed media Monday: 'tis the season

Pink elephant 90: winter wonderland

Spoon full of sugar 133: Christmas card

Anything goes 30: the letter C - Christmas

Creative Belli 107: merry Christmas
Christmas cards all year round: anything goes

Hodge podge 6: blue and silver

Create with Connie & Mary 131: let it snow

Stamp insanity 40: sparkle

City crafter 37: stamp it out

My time to craft 121: brand, spanking new - the snowflakes stamps and the 'all wrapped up' digi

Sew many challenges 38: new things - stamps and digi

Stamp n doodle: new - stamps and digi

Passion for promarkers 80: mega Christmas challenge

Stamp something: something with glitter

Stamping with the dragon 17: your favourite winter colour - I love making snowy cards with blue and silver

Meljen 39: cold and snowy

Sarah Hurley 23: last minute Christmas cheer

I love promarkers 46: anything goes

Fun at fairy knoll: anything goes

Aud sentiments 18: anything goes

Digi doodle 39: anything goes (the snowman image is a digi)

Crafts and me 20: anything goes
Creative craft: anything goes
One stitch at a time 43: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Crafty Emma 17: anything goes
Aly's 31: anything goes

Cardmakin mamas 11: anything goes

So, are you going to make a New Year Resolution to make Christmas cards throughout the year? - I would really recommend it - then don't put that Christmas stash away - please go over to Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge blog and join in challenge 1: 'anything goes as long as it's a Christmas card'. I look forward to seeing you there. And this time there will be a prize for the randomly picked winner.

Top twelve of 2010

Wishing all my visitors a

Happy New Year

While blog-hopping a couple of years ago I found that quite a few crafters had shown their Top Ten makes for the year and so, at the beginning of January last year, I did the same.

Last year I extended my choices to twelve, one for each month of the year and that's what I'm doing again this year.

If you click on the links, you can go to the original posts and read more about each item.

My top twelve of 2010

January 2010: Bride and groom


February 2010: my schooldays


March 2010: card for mum



April 2010: postcard from Paris


May 2010: hot pink, black and white



June 2010: fun with the melting pot




July 2010: criss cross card with tag



August 2010: a Christmas present tied up with lace



September 2010: the roaring 20s



October 2010: Salt: God's righteousness


November 2010: buttons galore


December 2010: winter birthday



I have found it quite helpful doing this review of 2010 - it has brought back many memories, but has also reminded me of some techniques etc that I haven't tried for a while, not just in the items that I've chosen to show here, but in many of these other items that have been blogged over the months.

It's over to you

Perhaps you would like to do your own 'top twelve of 2010' - if you do I'd love you to leave me a comment with a link so that I can come and look at your choices.

And then encourage others to do the same.

I'm entering my June choice of 'fun with the melting top' as my favourite for Stamp man 13: show your favourite project of 2010

New Year's resolutions

This time last year I posted this on my blog.

Looking back, some of the jobs were achieved, but there are still pieces of paper in the box, waiting for the jobs to be tackled - and a whole year has gone by. And it's about time I put some new pieces of paper in.

As for crafting resolutions, once again, I'm resolving to use up offcuts and scraps - but the box is just as full as it was this time last year, despite using a lot during the year - the trouble is that they just got added to because I like cutting into new papers as well as using up old.

Another crafting resolution I made this time last year was to make Christmas cards throughout the year - and I kept to that. So this year I'm determined to do the same - spurred on by setting up my new blog to also encourage others to do the same. Challenges on Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge blog start at 9:00 am tomorrow morning (1 January 2011) - I hope to see you over there.

Plum sparklers

This card is for the recipe on Penny Black 132: 3 papers, 1 ribbon, 1 charm - and I used the PB stamp 'sparklers'.

This is also for Colour create 60: plum and white, where this inspirational picture was given:

The papers are BG wisteria and euphoria, the ribbon is Papermania; the charm was originally silver, but I swiped it with Brilliance pearlescent crimson to match the inking of the sparklers stamp, heat embossing both with clear powder.

Not a good photo, but it does show the embossing a bit better:

and a close up of the altered charm:

This is also for:

Stampin' B 90: use ribbon - do not make a bow or tie it

2 sisters 19: thinking of you

Aud sentiments 18: anything goes

Crafty Ann 30: anything goes
Crafts and me 20: anything goes
Creative craft: anything goes
One stitch at a time 43: anything goes
Allsorts 83: free and easy
Sew many challenges 37: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Crafty Emma 17: anything goes
Aly's 31: anything goes

BF CJ: public art

It's posting time again for the CJ group on BF forum and this time my DLO is in Lynn's public art CJ - choose something in our area, so I chose the little parish church which is only down the road from us.

Papers are BJ boxer, PM ribbons and swirls that were cut long ago on the robo, with pearls added.


I'm linking this for:

Stamping royalty 52: scrapbooking - DLO
Flourishes timeless 98: pearls
Anything goes 30: the letter C - circle journal
Crafty Ann 30: anything goes
Crafts and me 20: anything goes
Creative craft: anything goes
Moving along with the times: anything goes (no Christmas cards allowed)
Fun at fairy knoll: anything goes
One stitch at a time 43: anything goes
Allsorts 83: free and easy
Sew many challenges 37: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Crafty Emma 17: anything goes
Aly's 31: anything goes
PaperPlay 50: anything but a card
Gingersnap SP6 once in a blue moon: Ginspiration - Stephanie's challenge to use this photo inspiration (I used the colours):

At the beach

This is a complete change from 'seasonal' cards - the theme at present on Daring cardmakers is 'at the beach', chosen by Keryn in New Zealand, who, of course, had very different Christmas weather to us in the UK.

I've spent time this morning sorting out a box of offcuts - and I came across some background pieces that I'd made a while ago using the shaving foam technique - if you've not come across this before, you can see a tutorial here.

The 'Sand' section in the middle is an acetate, held in place by brads, over a 'sea' coloured background. The base card is an aqua stardream. Both the marbled background and the 'Sand' section have been mounted on to aqua mirror card, which, unfortunately, doesn't show up here. The photo had to be taken at an angle because of reflection on the acetate if taken face on.


The acetate overlay is for Rainbow Lady 95 - this is for Rainbow Lady 132: your choice of 2010.

This is also for:

ABC: K is for keep it simple
Fab n funky 53: quick & easy does it

A special birthday

One of the members of John's blind bowling club will be 100 on New Year's Day, so this card is to send to him. A surprise afternoon 'do' has been arranged for him a week or so later, when he will be given a big card from everyone (I've yet to make that one!).

It's safe to show this here because there's no way that the gentleman concerned would know anything about my blog.

For this card I used the sketch for Pals paper arts 74, using various sentiment papers, including a vellum on the right hand side.


The base card is a stardream midnight blue which sparkles. I continued te white birthday greeting paper on to the back of the card for a couple of inches.


This is also for:

Creative card crew: birthdays
Paper pretties: birthday card
Hodge podge 6: blue & silver
Anything goes 30: the letter C - celebration
Other lovelies 37: N - for number - a very special one!
Fab n funky 53: quick & easy does it
Crafty Ann 30: anything goes
For fun: anything goes
Aud sentiments 18: anything goes
Crafts and me 20: anything goes
Creative craft: anything goes
Simon says: anything goes
Moving along with the times: anything goes (no Christmas cards allowed)
Fun at fairy knoll: anything goes
Crafty pad 102: anything goes
One stitch at a time 43: anything goes
Allsorts 83: free and easy
Sew many challenges 37: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Crafty Emma 17: anything goes
Aly's 31: anything goes

Guest designer on Ooh La La: a toast to 2011

This card is for my last time as a Guest designer on Ooh-La-La - I have so enjoyed contributing for the last two months.

Today's Ooh-la-la challenge 70 is: a toast to 2011

I used one of the OLL reindeer papers from the Joyeux Noel CD - although there are no reindeer in sight! I scalloped the edges using my rotatrim cutter and used the groves to wind some PM glittery ribbon. The sentiment and the '2011' were computer generated and also scalloped with my rotatrim.


I'm also linking for:

Crafty Ho: photo inspiration: new year's ball
Cutie Sunday 124: happy new year
Paper playtime 31: new year
I did it 35: out with the old ... in with the new
Fun with shapes and more 73: new year's card
Rainbow Lady 133: new year
C.R.A.F.T. 82: new year
Let's craft and create 9: new beginnings
Ann's creative nook 117: new year bling (the ribbon is more 'blingy' irl than it looks here)
Creative stamp friends 15: new year's cards
Digital Tuesday 90: let's celebrate - the background paper is digi
Character cafe: sparkle (the ribbon)
Corrosive 96: bling it on (the ribbon)
Anything goes 30: the letter C - celebration
Fab n funky 53: quick & easy does it
Crafty Ann 30: anything goes
For fun: anything goes
Aud sentiments 18: anything goes
Crafts and me 20: anything goes
Creative craft: anything goes
Simon says: anything goes
Digi doodle 39: anything goes (background paper is digi)
Moving along with the times: anything goes (no Christmas cards allowed)
Fun at fairy knoll: anything goes
Crafty pad 102: anything goes
One stitch at a time 43: anything goes
Sew many challenges 37: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Crafty Emma 17: anything goes
Allsorts 83: free and easy
Aly's 31: anything goes
SPCC 80: colour combo:

Happy Christmas

Happy Christmas, everyone!

Salt: the greatest gift

It was my turn to choose the theme for this fortnight's challenge on Salt - there really was only one theme now that we're so near to Christmas - you can read what I wrote here.

My card for this is simple because the paper - one of the Webster Pages collection combo pack: Waiting for Santa & Sweet Season - is so beautiful it doesn't need much added. So I just stamped the words tree - it's a rubbadubbadoo stamp called 'Jesus Saviour' and decorated it with a few gems, with the addition of a few gems also on some of the surrounding flowers, and coloured in the star.

I'm linking this card for these challenges:

Cutie Sunday 123: Christmas
Sundays with Crissy 12: Christmas is coming
Creative stamp friends 14: typical Christmas colours
Alota 49: bling it on - addition of red gems
Fun at fairy knoll: Chrismas
2 sisters 18: Christmas
Craft your passion 37: Christmas theme
Stamptacular 90: TREEmendous
Sunday stamper 134: I can hear music
Spoon full of sugar 133: Christmas card
Paper playtime: Christmas
PPC speciality challenge 2: create anything Christmas related
Creative belli 107: merry Christmas
Mixed media Monday: 'tis the season
Stamp insanity 39: happy holidays, your way
Little paper shop: let's get a little square - sadly, this is their last challenge
ABC Christmas: Z for zero - I chose T for tree
Allsorts 83: free and easy - anything goes
Aly's 31: anything goes
Crafty pad 102: anything goes
Stamps R us 11: anything goes
One stitch at a time 43: anything goes
Crafty Ann 30: anything goes
Creative inspirations 49: anything goes Christmas
Creative craft: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
For fun: anything goes
Simon says: anything goes
Crafts and me 20: anything goes
Sarah Hurley 23: last minute Christmas cheer
Stampin 411: clean and simple - Christmas
Anything goes 30: the letter 'C' - for Christmas, of course!
Aud sentiments 18: anything goes

Prize from Italy on Sunday

Postman brought me a lovely package today - a prize for winning challenge week 55 on Italy on Sunday - you can read about it and see my card here.


These are lovely - thank you, IOS!

Stylish blogger award

I've been given this award on my new Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge blog by Iris - you can read about it here.

If you haven't yet visited my new blog, please hop on over there - there is a candy draw until midnight UK time 23 December - you can read about it here. You've got to be in it to win it.

And challenges start on 1 January 2011 - hope to see you there! Why not make a New Year's resolution to get ahead with Christmas cards in 2011?!

Napkin rings

Having decided to have a bit of a silver and red 'theme' for Christmas this year, I went into M & S yesterday because I remembered they had had some rather nice red napkin rings, but, of course, they had sold out and only one left online.

So I decided I would make some of my own (not as posh as M & S, but I think they will do).

First of all I tried cutting through the cardboard tube from a kitchen towel, but the edges were too ragged, so I cut some thick card, covered with mirror card and stuck to form the ring - had to be careful not to crack the card because it didn't bend that well.

The wide silver ribbon is to cover up the joins and then a piece of the red flowery/beady ribbon around that - I've had this for ages, but had never found a use for it till now.

The bobbly glittery bits were cut from a spray. I'm hoping to use the rest of these with candles to make a table centre - but won't be making this tonight.




I'm linking these for:

Creative inspirations 49: anything goes Christmas
Sundays with Crissy 12: Christmas is coming
Top tip Tuesday 14: Christmas inspired - and my tip is to save money and make some napkin rings instead of buying fancy M & S ones!
For fun: Christmas
Freshly brewed 27: merry Christmas
Let's craft and create 8: it's Christmas
Penny's 44: merry ChristmasFun at fairy knoll: Christmas
Challenge up your life 33: Christmas
Mixed media Monday: December: 'tis the season
Totally papercrafts 47: time to party
Bunny Zoe 7: sparkle & shine
Character cafe: shiny/foil
Some odd girl: bling times two (or more) - mirror card, shiny beaded flower ribbon, silver glittery ribbon
Other lovelies thoughtful Thursday 37: N - napkin rings
There she goes 85: use your stash - the ribbons I used are definitely much older than six months
Scrappy frogs: holiday decor
PaperPlay 50: anything but a card
One stitch at a time 43: anything goes
Creative card crew: anything goes
Crafty Ann 30: anything goes
Crafty catz 63: your choice
Order of the opus gluei 83: if you made it, we will come - part of Christmas dinner setting
Critter 44: no pattern paper

A winning streak!!

I've received a couple of prizes in the post.

Firstly, these lovely pins for winning

Back in September I won a challenge on Papertake weekly - you can read about it here - I won a $25 voucher to spend at Simon Says. I must add that it was my fault that it's only just been dealt with, not SS. I was really spoiled for choice, because SS sell such a wide variety of crafting goodies, but in the end I chose 4 BG paper pads - these will add to my collection (I've now got over 40 delicious BG 6 x 6 pads, apart from a host of 12 x 12 papers). I chose jovial, cappella, pyrus and marjolaine. Simon Says also added a pack of rhinestones as an extra gift.

I've also won a few more awards recently - you can see them in my sidebar.

And I'm awaiting two or three prizes in the post - will show them when they arrive.

I've also won some digi images recently, including a lovely lion cubs one from stamp n doodle for winning one of their challenges.

I was very tempted yesterday when I was asked to be on a DT for a challenge blog that I love. With starting my own Christmas challenge blog in the new year and with my health not being brilliant (nor John's) I felt I couldn't commit myself to joining the DT - but I admit I was tempted and it was nice to be asked.

Please don't forget that there is candy to be won of my Christmas challenge blog - you've got to be in it to win it - it ends at midnight UK time on 23 December. And challenges start on New Year's day - such a good opportunity to make a resolution to make Christmas cards throughout the year so it doesn't become a rush towards the end of the year - I really would recommend it.

Bubbly Funk swaps catch up

During the last few days more post has been filtering through at last and so I've received swaps from the girls on BF forum. Thanks to everyone for their lovely crafting and for the hosts for organising.

November 'thanksgiving' inchies:

November 'black and white' twinchies:

December 'S' ATCs (sorry, terrible photo because of reflection - where it looks black it is silver mirror):

Commissioned birthday card

A friend asked if I would make a card for her granddaughter - she loves cakes and sweet things.

I used card, scalloped circles, cupcakes, etc from the DB cupcakes kit, just adding the computer generated sentiment and a plain chipboard 5 coloured with a copic pen with stickles crystal ice added (it's still wet, so I must be careful!).

This is an A5 size card.

I'm linking this for:

Hodge Podge 5: birthday cards
Flourishes timeless 97: food or drink
Cutie Sunday 122: anything except Christmas
Crafty Emma 16: anything but a Christmas card
One stitch at a time 43: anything goes
Order of the opus gluei 83: if you made it, we will come (especially if it's food, yum!)
Creative card crew: anything goes
Gingersnap GC82 spicy supply challenge: glitter
Alphabet: G for glitter
Character cafe: glitter, glitter, glitter
Freshly brewed 26: sparkle and shine
Pixie cottage 48: sparkle and shine
Lots to do: glitz
The paper variety13: the little ones - card for a child
Anything goes 28: all the colours of the rainbow (nearly all - certainly at least 2)
Fun with shapes and more 72: scalloped

Nativity scene

Today there is a new challene on Ooh-la-la: 'nativity scene'.

I am so enjoying my time as a Guest Designer on OLL - just one more slot to fill at the end of December.

For this card I used a Happy Christmas paper from the Christmas Presence CD, cutting the corners with Fiskars nostalgia corner edgers. put on to some gold matt foiled card.

The stamp is Penny Black 'the manger' coloured with copics.

This is also for:

Die cut dreams Christmas 47: a Christmas carol - Away in a manger
Creative Friday: Christmas cards to match your favourite Christmas song
Allsorts 82: last minute Christmas
Tuesday throwdown 28: clean & simple
Mixed media Monday: 'tis the season
Iris' spot 11: holidays/winter
Challenge up your life 33: Christmas
Sundays with Crissy 12: Christmas is coming
Crafty Hos theme challenge: a card for any religious holiday
Spoon full of sugar 133: Christmas card
ECP 27: Christmas
Stampavie: Christmas
Let's craft and create 8: it's Christmas
Stamping royalty 49: winter holidays
Penny's 44: Merry Christmas
Creative inspirations 49: anything goes Christmas
One stitch at a time: anything goes
Inspiration Avenue: believe
Pear tree 30: Christmas
Stamp with fun: Xmas
Totally stampalicious: Stampaliciously simple
CCEE 1049: song: do you hear what I hear - the verse:

The Child, the Child sleeping in the night
He will bring us goodness and light
He will bring us goodness and light.

White Christmas

This is for Little paper shop 97 sketch by Pam:

The papers are all white (with a little hint of silver) - the base one being embossed with a flock finish. The stamps are the Crafty Pad Little Ted baubles with Merry Christmas set, stamped and heat embossed with detail silver.

The embossed snowflake band near the bottom and the scalloped edging further down were made with embossing folder borders using my cuttlebug.

So I've used both dry and heat embossing, which is the theme of challenge 101 on the Crafty Pad, using some of their stamps as well. It's also for Delightful: embossing, and Southern girls 7: it's heating up - heat embossing

As I've used white papers this is for Stamp dreams 61: white, Creative inspirations 90: white design papers only and Pals paper arts 72: winter whites, with this inspiration picture:

Because the card is white with silver embossing it was difficult to get a photo:

This one gives some idea of the silver embossing better:

This is also for:

Town scrapper: nestabilities - the sentiment stamp was cut with a nestie
Winter wonderland: Christmas baubles