WOYWW

Just scraping in for today's WOYWW. I haven't joined in for the past couple of weeks - it's been a bit hectic what with Christmas and New Year and John being in hospital on Christmas Eve - OK now, thank goodness - and his birthday on 30 December - some people have awkward birthdays, don't they? So many birthdays in our family around Christmas time.

And then I've had some commissioned cards to make which had to take priority - they come along like buses - and also my new Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge blog started up on Saturday 1 January - I'd love to see you join me there - it's not too late to make a resolution to make Christmas cards throughout the year.

So here is my workspace - the remains of making the latest Christmas card, a few purchases, including some PM precious metals (thought this was a paste and was surprised when I got liquid all over my fingers when I enthusiastically took the lid off one of them!). A little pile of BG paper pads (the rest are in a big box in the cupboard - love those papers.

Apologies for not having got round to visit many WOYWW bloggers - must try harder!

Old, new and recycled

This card uses the sketch for Polka Doodles 51, which also states that there must be an image coloured:
The PB caroling hedgehogs image was coloured with Promarkers, so I'm linking for I love promarkers 47 where the theme is 'recycled' - the red glittered card is recycled from a Christmas cracker.


It's another card for my own challenge 1: anything goes as long as it's a Christmas card, on my new Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge blog - if you haven't visited yet, I'd love to see you there - perhaps you'd like to join me and link up a Christmas card - you know it makes sense to start them early. If you've made new Christmas cards for other challenges, then perhaps you'd like to also link them to mine.

Another new Christmas card challenge blog has started this week called Jingle Belles and their first challenge is asking for us to use something old and something new. The papers I've used - Bo Bunny'tis the season carols' , SEI Christmas mint and Creative imaginations studio basics 101 - are all old (I really should have used them well before now) and the PB stamp is new - it was one of my Christmas presents and I've been itching to use it. This is good for Drunken stampers 48: new - use something new, Stamp n doodle: new, Order of the opus gluei 84: show us what's new, Paper sundaes 50: something new and Paper issues: new.

This is also for ABC Christmas: A for anything Christmas goes and also Christmas cards all year round: anything goes.

Another commissioned card

I was asked to make a 30th birthday card for a friend to give to her son, so I've used the sketch for this week's Going Grey (Scrap-Creations) challenge:

And I used the colours given for Curtain call colour challenge act 63:

The top paper is BG mellow and the bottom one is BG granola. The striped strip is an unknown piece from my offcuts box. The request was for a picture of a BMW sports car, which I mounted on silver, the computer generated sentiment also mounted on silver. The 30 is silver peel offs.
This is also for:

Moving along with the times 79: birthday & circles
Scrappy frogs: sentimental

Aud sentiments 18: anything goes

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
Craft your passion 39: anything goes
Aly's 32: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes

A very special birthday

I was commissioned to make a large A4 card for one of John's blind bowling club, a visually impaired man who was 100 on New Year's Day. We sent him a card for the special day - you can see it here - but this card, which will have the names of the club members inside - will be given to Bill at a surprise afternoon tea party for him next week. I'm safe to put this here because there is no way that Bill will be looking at my blog.

As the card is for a visually impaired gentleman, I needed to keep it quite clean and simple and with some texture, so I opted to use Jolly Nation Bowls Man (Senior) decoupage and matching background paper etc. I created the grass with the bowling mat with Microsoft Digital Image Pro 7.0 - I love that program - so easy to use.

This photo shows the build up of the decoupage:

I'm linking this for the following challenges:

Totally Gorjuss 61: for someone special
Mixed media Monday: size matters - this card is A4, which is normally outside my comfort zone
Pile it on 1: brand spankin' new - the Jolly Nation papers/decoupage were bought specially for this card
Creative inspirations 50: use something new (as above)
Ann's creative nook 118: use something new (as above)
Woodware 8: something new (as above)
Speedy the cat (Mark's finest papers) 36: use something new (as above)
Totally papercrafts 47: time to party
Creative Friday 34: let's have a party
Pixie cottage 50: party celebration
Totally papercrafts 47: time to party
Crazy4challenges 68: celebrate something
Freshly brewed 28: celebrate
Simon says: time to party/celebrate
Anything goes (Craft Den) 30: the letter C - celebration
Stampin' B 91: make a celebration card
Scrappy frogs: sentimental

Aud sentiments 18: anything goes

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
Craft your passion 39: anything goes
Aly's 32: anything goes
Cardmakin mamas 11: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes

Let's party

This card is for the sketch for ECP 28:

The background papers are PSX paper designs 'party pattern'. The Happy New Year digi is a freebie from Raise the bar. The 'party' banner is one that's been in my bits and pieces box for a long time. The papers are mounted on to gold mirror card, which, unfortunately, looks black on this scan.


This is also for:

Cutie Sunday 124: happy new year
Creative stamp friends 15: new year's cards
Dutch dare 94: new beginnings
Pixie dust studio 55: happy new year
Rainbow lady 133: new year
Bee crafty 46: happy new year
I did it 35: out with the old ... in with the new
Paper issues: new challenge
Ann's creative nook 117: new year bling - the gold gems
Ooh-la-la 70: a toast to 2011
Paper playtime 31: new year
Crazy amigo: new year
4 crafty chicks 18: new year
Created by hand: out with the old
Going grey (Scrap creations): ring in the new year
For fun: new year
Freshly brewed 28: celebrate and/or new year
Let's craft and create 9: new beginnings
Pixie cottage 50: party celebration
Simon says: time to party/celebrate
Your next stamp 32: let's party
Stampin' B 91: make a celebration card
S2G Twisted Thursday: happy new year
Stamp magic 27: new year
Creative Friday 34: let's have a party
Fun with shapes and more 73: new year's card
Paper cutz 72: new year using a banner
Lots to do: new beginnings
One stop crafts 112: new beginnings
Soartful: celebrate
Prairie fairy Fridays 43: new beginnings
Totally papercrafts 47: time to party
Crazy4challenges 68: celebrate something
Ellephantastic 22: new beginnings

Aud sentiments 18: anything goes

Digi doodle 39: anything goes (the 'Happy New Year' is a digi)
Digital Tuesday 91: anything goes (the 'Happy New Year' is a digi)
Southern girls 9: anything goes

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

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