Going crackers

This is another card for my own 'let's see some bling' challenge 4 on Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge blog - thank you to all those who have contributed so far to this challenge - there's still time to keep up with the New Year's resolution and make a card for this week's challenge - by Friday at 22:00 UK time.

This is also for this week's challenge on Jingle Belles: pretty in pink and green and Bah! humbug 3: Christmas crackers.

This cute little stamp of the robins pulling the cracker was in a set of three I bought this morning at Hobbycraft - 60p for the set - bargain or what?! (You can see the other bargains I got here).

This was one of those 'very hard to photo' cards because the panel on the lighthand side is a very reflective foiled mirror card - it would have been easy to have taken a picture of me with the camera reflected in it, but I didn't want that - lol! My bling, of course, is that foiled mirror panel and also some silver pen work on the cracker, the rest of the image being coloured with copics.

This is also for:

Christmas cards all year round January: anything goes
Gingerloft 10: things that fly
Challenge up your life 35: clean and simple
Truly scrumptious 49: brown, pink and green
Let's ink it up 8: anything goes
Paper cutz 75: your choice
Penny's 45: anything goes
Cutie Sunday 128: anything goes
Woodware 11: anything goes

Just a little shopping ...

I had the opportunity this morning to get a lift to Hobbycraft at Crayford, so I took advantage and managed to get a few 'essentials' - lol! and a few bargains.

I found all of the stamps in the bargain bin - the total cost for the stamps came to just less than £11, which would have been the original price of the one with the three fountain pens. The brads were cheap too.


Quite a long time ago I bought an encaustic art stylus having watched videos of Suze Weinberg using the melting pot and beeswax ... and until this morning I didn't have any beeswax ... so you never know, perhaps one day soon I'll try out the stylus.

BF January twinchies: ladies with bling

Last night I had an enjoyable time making my inchies for this month's swap on BF forum - ladies with bling.

I used one of my favourite stamps: Hero Arts 'gracious lady', stamping with Brilliance crimson pearlescent and heat embossing with detail clear. I then used dusty concord DI to lightly paint parts of the image and daubed glue around the edges, dipping in Art Institute glitter to create 'blinged' edges.


These are also for:

Alphabet: L for ladies
Fiskarettes Monday challenge: use a stamp
Creative craft: monochromatic madness
Crafts and me 22: monochrome
For fun: glitter
Kaboodle 51: bling it up
By the cute and girly: bling it on
Challenge up your life 35: clean and simple
Glitterbabe's 28: anything goes with sparkle
Woodware 11: anything goes

BF January inchies: green and orange

The theme for the inchies swap for January on BF forum is 'green and orange'.

I used part of a Personal Impressions stamp 'cherry blossom' by Lindsay Mason - I suppose you can say that I did 'orange' blossom!

I stamped with Brilliance pearlescent ivy and heat embossing with detail clear, coloured with copics, including the edges.



I enjoyed making these. I also had fun earlier making my twinchies for this month's swap on BF forum, but they are spending the night beneath a heavy box to flatten them - will show them tomorrow.

I'm linking these for:

Fiskarettes Monday challenge: use a stamp
Fairytale 6: flowers
Challenge up your life 35: clean and simple
Let's ink it up 8: anything goes
Paper cutz 75: your choice
Penny's 45: anything goes
Cutie Sunday 128: anything goes
Woodware 11: anything goes

Grey and red Christmas cards

Cutie Sunday 127 calls for the use of black/grey and a colour of choice - mine is red.

The base cards are black linen. I stamped on to grey stardream card. The stamp is one that was lent to me by a dear crafting friend - you'll be seeing more of these images because I stamped quite a few before returning the stamp.

The strips across the cards are SEI wintersong, which is foiled in parts. I added five red gems to each card and a computer generated sentiment.

These are also for my own Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge 4: let's see some bling.

Very difficult to get a photo because of the sheen of the cards.

These are also for:

The lollipop ladies 12: allsorts of things - some black
PaperPlay 3: back to black - use a black base
Sugar creek hollow sensational Saturday: black and white and a splash of one colour
Ooh-la-la 71: bling it on
Order of the opus gluei 86: make a scene
Creative inspirations 51: celebrate
Delightful: let's celebrate
Gingerloft 9: celebrations
Challenge up your life 35: clean and simple
Glitterbabe's 28: anything goes with sparkle
Pile it on 3: anything goes
Let's ink it up 8: anything goes
Pear tree designs 32: free for all
Paper cutz 75: your choice
Penny's 45: anything goes
Christmas cards all year round January: anything goes

Fleur Anya for granddaughter

This card is for one of our grandchildren who has a birthday at the end of next week. I know that Faye won't see this - if by any chance her mum or sisters stray on to my blog, Shhhhhh, don't tell Faye!

More often than not I tend to follow a sketch for a challenge, but this made a change - broadband went down, so I couldn't access a sketch, so I just did my own thing.

Papers are Bo Bunny my darling dots and my darling motion (using the other side of both of them). The stamp is Fleur Anya by The Greeting Farm. I stamped and coloured with copics and then paper pieced the dress and the flowers in her hair using Bo Bunny paper - and then I decoupaged another layer of flowers, making some to decorate the corner of the card as well.

The number 5 was a white chippie and I coloured with matching cerise copic. I can't remember where the piece of ribbon came from, but it was just right for my pink and green theme.

This is for:

Anyone for Anya: pretty bows
Farm fresh Friday: goes pop
Totally Gorjuss 64: hot, hot, hot (the colours)
Paper pretties 137: paper piecing
Quirky crafts 2: in the spring garden - flowers and pink and green
Ribbon girl colour challenge 4: pink and green
Whoopsi Daisy: pretty in pink
Creative Belli 109: the letter P - pink
Do you stack up? 3: pink
Bildmalarna: pink
Top tip Tuesday 18: all sentimental
Sarah Hurley 26: birthday girl
Prairie fairy Fridays 44: happy birthday
Sisterhood of crafters: birthday
Die cut dreams Christmas club 51: winter birthday (hope this qualifies because the card doesn't look wintry, but the birthday is definitely in winter!)
365 cards day 328: Saturday's word of the day - happy
Creative inspirations 51: celebrate
Delightful: let's celebrate
Gingerloft 9: celebrations
Charisma cardz 3: magic numbers
Oldie but a goodie 10: bright and cheerful (the stamp is fairly old)
Pile it on 3: anything goes
Let's ink it up 8: anything goes
Pear tree designs 32: free for all
Paper cutz 75: your choice
Penny's 45: anything goes
Wee memories 40: free your creativity
Fairytale 6: flowers

CHNC challenge 4: let's see some bling

This card is for my own Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge 4: let's see some bling - anything that glitters or shines - glitter glue, holographic, foiling, gems/rhinestones - use a little or a lot, it's up to you. You will find all the information here - I would love you to join in my challenge.

Having established my own Christmas card challenge blog, I still like to support the other Christmas challenges that exist in blogland, so this is for Sparkle Christmas card challenge 7, which is this sketch:

I used papers from My Mind's Eye Signature Christmas glitter book. It was difficult to get a good enough photo because of the reflection of foiling, glitter and heat embossing, so I've included two photos so that you can get a better idea of what the card actually looks like.

The Inkadinkado reindeer stamp was heat embossed with detail gold. A few gold gems complete the bling look.

The circle was cut from one of the new nesties I had given me for Christmas.




I'm also linking for:

One stitch at a time 45: new (new stash - nestie)
Stampin' sisters in Christ 72: new (new stash - as above)
Creative sketches technique: punches (can include die cuts - I used a nestie)
Picture perfect creations speciality challenge: heat/dry embossing
There she goes 90: wet embossing
Papercraft star 29: stamped image, die cut and embossing
Creative inspirations 51: celebrate
Delightful: let's celebrate
Gingerloft 9: celebrations
Ooh-la-la 71: bling it on
Glitterbabe's 28: anything goes with sparkle
For fun challenges: glitter
Pile it on 3: anything goes
Let's ink it up 8: anything goes
Pear tree designs 32: free for all
Paper cutz 75: your choice
Penny's 45: anything goes
Wee memories 40: free your creativity
Christmas cards all year round January: anything goes

Cuddly

This card uses the sketch on Sketch Saturday 138:

and 'cuddly' is this week's theme on Totally Gorjuss challenge 63.

The papers are BG ambrosia with a spotty piece from June bug. The stamp is a neglected Docrafts whispers, coloured with copics - and a sentiment and a few flowers and pearls from stash.

This is also for:

Basic Grey 35: dots and spots
My time to craft 124: spots and dots
Tellen's place: dot, dot, dot it!
Aly's 33: things with wings
Stampin' royalty 55: anything with wings
Flutter by Wednesday 138: open - includes butterflies
Oldie but a goodie 10: bright and cheerful (and the stamp is an 'oldie'
Stampin' for the weekend 2: getting warmed up (warm colours)
2 sisters 22: flowers
Fairy tale 6: flowers
Stamp something: cute somethings
Creative card world new card challenge: cute and cuddly
Crafty catz 66: a forgotten stamp
Top tip Tuesday 18: all sentimental
Pile it on 3: anything goes
Let's ink it up 8: anything goes
Pear tree designs 32: free for all
Paper cutz 75: your choice
Penny's 45: anything goes

BF January ATCs: grungeboard

The theme for this month's ATC swap on BF forum is Grungeboard. Now I have to confess that I had never bought any of this, but this was a good opportunity to get some. I know that I could have done other more adventurous things with it, but I suppose I played safe with what I did.

The pictures speak for themselves really.

I started with scribbling three noecolour II pastels:

wiped with a baby wipe:

inked up my Stampington Leonardo stamp (one of my favourites) and, instead of stamping on to the ATC, I carefully put it on to the upturned stamp and brayered, so that I got it in the right place more easily:

So this is what it then looked like:

When I'd made all five, I used some PM precious metals in copper to wipe over the right hand corners, but now I wished I hadn't done that because they looked better before that - but, hey ho, 'tis done now:


I'm linking for these challenges:

Crafty pad 104: something new (new stash - grungeboard)
Stampin' sisters in Christ 72: new (new stash - as above)
My partner in crafting crime 17: something new (new stash - as above)
One stitch at a time 45: new (new stash - as above)
Crafty Ann 32: ring in the new but don't ring out the old - (new stash as above and old stamp)
Little red wagon: one layer wonder
Pile it on 3: anything goes
Let's ink it up 8: anything goes
Pear tree designs 32: free for all
Paper cutz 75: your choice
Stamptacular: anything but a square
Penny's 45: anything goes

Snowy trees scene

A kind crafting friend has lent me a stamp by Personal Impressions for me to stamp some images before returning it to her.

I've used it to make a card for the sketch on Stampavie 125:

This is another card for my challenge on my Craftyhazelnut's Christmas challenge blog this week. If you haven't visited yet, there is still time to join in challenge 3 and make a Christmas card that includes a tree or trees.

I stamped on to a piece of very dark blue using Elzybells sugar candy pigment inkpad - the best white I have ever found - and heat embossed with detail white. I then coloured in parts of the scene with some of my new Neocolor 1 Caran d'Ache pastels - these ones are water resistant and have a metallic sheen to them, which isn't that apparent here in the scan (it's more vibrant irl). I then buffed over the image with kitchen towel.

The various papers are offcuts from my Christmas box.

The colours are for Crafts4eternity R2 colour recipe :

This is also for:

Everybody art 125: snow
Going grey (Scrap-creations): winter blast
Sentimental Sundays 38: winter (I hope the text counts as 'sentiment')
Creative stamp friends 16: winter
Order of the opus gluei 86: make a scene
Your next stamp 34: let's make a scene
I did it 38: brrrrr - I'm turning blue
Mami doodles 18: use mostly blues
Stamping for the weekend 1: new & blue - new stamp (borrowed) and new Neocolor 1 metallic pastels
Crafty pad 104: something new (new stash - as above)
My partner in crafting crime 17: something new (new stash - as above)
Crafty Ann 32: ring in the new but don't ring out the old - (new stash as above and old papers)
Fiskarettes Monday challenge: cold, cold, cold
Challenge up your life 35: clean and simple
Pile it on 3: anything goes
Let's ink it up 8: anything goes
Pear tree designs 32: free for all
Glitterbabe's 28: anything goes - the metallic sheen of the pastels shines
Stamp something: anything goes
Craft your days away 11: anything goes
Christmas cards all year round January: anything goes
Penny's 45: anything goes

Salt: Walking through the valley of the shadow of death

For today's challenge on Salt, Lythan has chosen the topic of 'walking through the valley of the shadow of death'.

This is a sensitive subject for some, especially those who have recently been bereaved, but Lythan has written some very hepful thoughts with scripture verses - you will find them here.

I was going to create a LO about my dad who died on mum's birthday at the end of November 2003, but in the end the LO just didn't come together. So I made a condolence card instead.

Papers are BG wisteria with the sentiment and verse from Psalm 34 printed on computer. The paper centre of the flower was cut with a nestie and a flat pearl added.

I used the sketch given for Clean & simple 123:



If you create something in response to this Salt challenge, please leave us a comment on the blog with a link to your creation so that we can come and look.

WOYWW 85

It's a bit late in the day, but it wasn't worth taking a photo earlier because no crafting had been done yesterday or earlier today so I had a completely clear workspace.

However, this evening I needed to make my creation for tomorrow's Salt challenge, so what you can see are the supplies that I got out for this. You'll have to come back tomorrow to see what I made.

Sorry the photo is taken at a funny angle (looks as if I was drunk when I took it) - shows how tired I feel - the result of a difficult few days.

So here is my photo for WOYWW 85 (if you don't know what I'm talking about - anyone left in blogland who doesn't? - then click on the link and join in.



Update: If you want to see what I created then have a look here.

For anyone interested, 'Salt' that I referred to is the Salt Faith Challenge blog.

Oh - and, yes - that is an OTT lite in the background and I love it!

Absolutely no calories recipe

'Absolutely no calories recipe' is the challenge on Daring cardmakers this week - the recipe is:

1 image (stamped, digital or other type)
2 pieces of ribbon
3 different papers

Robyn's Fetish digital stamps and more, a division of I did it papers, are sponsoring the challenge. DCM says: You have the chance to win either your choice of 5 digital stamps or your choice of 4 digital stamps and 1 digital paper set from Robyn's Fetish by entering a card for this week's challenge.

I don't know the manufacturer of the three pieces of paper I used because I received them some time ago in a swap. It's a bit difficult to see what's what now the card is put together. I started by applying the black paper with white flowers all over it, then I added the pink, black and white striped paper, adding the spotty ribbon and the striped ribbon (which almost now looks like the paper, but it is definitely a strip of ribbon). Then I cut the swirly piece from a larger piece of another paper and added over the top.

The image was stamped (this is a stamp I've had for ages - haven't a clue who is the manufacturer) and coloured with copic cerise and edged with the same colour.

This is also for:

Kaboodle 50: black and white + 1
Freshly brewed 30: black + white + one more colour
The paper variety: pink, black and white
Tellen's place: let's see some ribbon

A fairytale prize

Today I've received this waterfall card set as a prize for winning Fairytale challenge 3:



Oh, I've just opened the package and discovered that it's not just one design, but there are three different ones.

I look forward to making these. Isn't it strange that I haven't made any waterfall cards for ages and it was only the other day that I made four Christmas ones. Now I've got some more to make - yay!

CHNC challenge 3: let's see some trees

Over on my Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge blog it's time for challenge 3 which is 'let's see some trees' - decorated Christmas trees - indoors or outside - bare winter trees, snowy trees, whatever. They can be stamped, a digi, embossed, painted ... use whatever medium you like ... or find a freebie or recycled element that features a tree. Of course, the end result must be a Christmas card. You will find all the information here - I would love you to join in my challenge.

I've used a Webster paper from the 'waiting for Santa' pack and also a piece of BG jovial. I covered a piece of chipboard with blue and green acrylic paint and then used white acrylic paint with my Inkaddinkadoo trees stamp, adding some white at the base of the trees. The trees stamped a bit suidgy, but I left it as I thought it looked even more smmowy with a bit of dimension.

As I said on my challenge blog, I used acrylic paint because that's the topic for this week's challenge on Jingle Belles and I'm trying to support them as they are also a new Christmas crafting blog, so I'm entering this card for their challenge. I'm also entering Frosted designs challenge, which this week is to use paint.

I used the sketch for CPS 200, so I'm linking for that:


This is also for:

Sunday stamper 136: shine on you crazy diamond - diamond pattern on the Webster's paper
Sundays with Crissy 13: ribbons
Tellen's place: let's see some ribbon
Wee memories 39: for the love of ribbon
Creative stamp friends 16: winter
Stamp magic 28: winter
Stamp with fun 93: snow
Created by hand: snow
Creative belli 108: snow
Hanna and friends 77: snow
Papertake: cold and frosty morning
Stamp n doodle: winter in the woods
Aud sentiments 19: sentiment can only have two words
Inspiration Avenue: what inspires you? - trying new techniques - this is the first time I've stamped with acrylic paint
Sweet stampin': try something different
Crafty purple frog: new technique
Crafty Ann 32: ring in the new but don't ring out the old - mix of old and new technique - use stamping a lot, so that's old (as is the stamp I used), but new stamping with acrylic paint
Meljen 41: square card
ABC Christmas: A for anything Christmas goes
Christmas cards all year round January: anything goes
Stamp something: anything goes
Creative card world new card challenge: anything goes
Craft your days away 11: anything goes
Let's ink it up 8: anything goes
Pattie's creations 10: anything goes
Stamp, scrap & doodle: anything goes

Music tag card

Last night I made a 'face the music' tag that I blogged here - please look there for details of supplies etc for the actual tag.

This evening I decided that I would incorporate it into a card, so I stamped on to a stardream black base card, using one of my La Blanche foam stamps, embossing with silver detail. Just the addition of the Happy Birthday and the card was done.

This is for:

Wednesday stamper: music
Pixie dust studio 57: let's play tag
Paper cutz 74: use a tag
Try it on Tuesday: it's a man's world! maybe! - tag with a male theme
Stamping with the dragon 18: for that special stud - man or boy
Some odd girl: let's get embossed
Speedy the cat (Mark's finest papers) 37: embossing
Paper romance 33: birthdays and the men in our life
Crafty pad 103: happy birthday
Sisterhood of crafters: birthday
Gingerloft 9: celebrations - birthday
Prairie fairy 44: happy birthday
Sew many challenges: happy birthday
Totally papercrafts: happy birthday
Fiskarettes: celebration
Meljen's 41: square or round shaped card (no rectangles allowed)
Aud's sentiments 19: sentiment can only have two words
Crafty Ho: monochromatic theme
Kelly Jo's color chef 69: monochromatic
Cute card Thursday 147: monochrome
Just add ink 51: theme challenge: just add monochrome
Paper playtime 33: use black, silver & white only
Let's craft and create 10: just a note - hope my interpretation of the challenge with musical notes is OK
Stamp insanity 42: let it all hang out! - let your creativity flow past the edges of your paper
Sundays with Crissy 13: ribbons
Whoopsi Daisy: no designer paper
Craft your days away 11: anything goes
Pattie's creations 10: anything goes
Stamp something: anything goes
Let's ink it up 8: anything goes

Face the music

It's a long while since I made a tag for Dragonsdream tag it on, so I thought I would join in this week's challenge 65: face the music.

I used part of a very large stamp - Stamp Happen 'keys to music' by Troy Crisswell. I stamped with versamark and heat embossed with detail silver powder on the piece of black textured card. The piano notes across the bottom is a piece of ribbon (I bought this a long time ago and have never used any of it till now) - the addition of a stapled piece of glittery silver ribbon and the tag is complete. Music is also the theme for Wednesday stamper, so I'm entering the tag there.

It's also for:

Pixie dust studio 57: let's play tag
Try it on Tuesday: it's a man's world! maybe! - tag with a male theme
Stamping with the dragon 18: for that special stud - man or boy
Some odd girl: let's get embossed
Simply create 34: I'm the boss - embossing
Speedy the cat (Mark's finest papers) 37: embossing
Crafty Ho: monochromatic theme
Kelly Jo's color chef 69: monochromatic
Cute card Thursday 147: monochrome
Just add ink 51: theme challenge: just add monochrome
Paper playtime 33: use black, silver & white only
Let's craft and create 10: just a note - hope my interpretation of the challenge with musical notes is OK
Sundays with Crissy 13: ribbons
Craft your days away 11: anything goes

Stars and stripes for son's birthday

This is a card for mum to give to my brother for his birthday next week. It uses the same range of papers and cut out bits as my card here.

This card uses the sketch for Sketch and stash 52 (these papers have been a bit neglected):


This is also for:

Paper sundaes 51: circles
Paper romance 33: birthdays and the men in our life
Crafty pad 103: happy birthday
Sisterhood of crafters: birthday
Gingerloft 9: celebrations - birthday
Fiskarettes: celebration
Meljen's 41: square or round shaped card (no rectangles allowed)
Creative card world new card challenge: anything goes
Craft your days away 11: anything goes

Stars and stripes for brother's birthday

This card is for brother's birthday next week - I think I'm safe showing it here because I doubt very much whether he ever looks here - if by any chance you do, then please look away NOW!!

I used the sketch for Shabby tea room 44:

Papers are all from Making Cards Nancy Watt 'stars and stripes' collection, including the pieces I cut out. The base card is stardream so it has a glittery sheen to to.

(The scan is a bit crooked, not the card).

I'm also linking for:

Paper sundaes 51: circles
Pear tree designs 31: circles
Paper romance 33: birthdays and the men in our life
Crafty pad 103: happy birthday
Sisterhood of crafters: birthday
Gingerloft 9: celebrations - birthday
Meljen's 41: square or round shaped card (no rectangles allowed)
Creative card world new card challenge: anything goes
Craft your days away 11: anything goes

Vintage lady with lace

This is for Sweet Stop sketch 90:

The main background paper is Laura Ashley and the striped paper is Making Memories. The 'vintage lady' image is for this week's challenge on Soartful. I've gone for the grey colourscheme for Moxie challenge: gray is the new black. It's also for Crafty Ho's monochromatic theme, Kelly Jo's color chef 69: monochromatic, Cute card Thursday 147: monochrome and Just add ink 51: theme challenge: just add monochrome.

I've used the ingredients for Annabelle's say it with a 1, 2, 3 recipe: 1 border stamp, 2 petals (flowers) and 3 sprinkles (gems).

I used a lace border stamp for Shelly's terrifically thrilling Thursday: use lace on your project - there is also lace printed around the border of the vintage lady image.

The flowers were stamped with funstamps paisley background and dovecraft brads used. I've deliberately put one flower over the edge for Stamp insanity 42: let it all hang out! - let your creativity flow past the edges of your paper

This is also for 2 sisters 21: gettin' girly - lace, gems, vintage lady

This is also for:

Crafty pad 103: happy birthday
Sisterhood of crafters: birthday
Fiskarettes: celebration - birthday
Gingerloft 9: celebrations - birthday
Flourishes timeless 100: all about favourites - stamping, lace, gems, flowers, papers
Tanda teaser 162: dare to embellish - the stamped flowers and lace
Paper cutz 73: metal - the brads
4 crafty chicks 20: show us some metal - the brads
Ooh-la-la 71: bling it on - the brads and gems
Stamp something: January digi day challenge
Meljen's 41: square or round shaped card (no rectangles allowed)
Creative card world new card challenge: anything goes
Craft your days away 11: anything goes

Winterchill

This is for the sketch on Crafts 4 eternity R1:

The image is a free digi from Art Freebies called 'winterchill'. As the card uses a freebie it is good for my own CHNC challenge 2.

I'm linking this for these 'winter' related challenges:

Creative stamp friends 16: winter
One powerful hour: warm winter wishes
Cutie stampers 89: a winter scene
Stamp with fun 93: snow
Created by hand: snow
Creative belli 108: snow

The papers are all BG jovial 9they are lovely, aren't they?!).


It's also for:

Pile it on 2: it's all about the cute children
Basic grey 35: dots and spots
Fab n funky 55: let's get warm & toasty
Meljen's 41: square or round shaped card (no rectangles allowed)
Delicious doodles 7: new - use something new with digi - the papers are new - they were part of a prize I won from Papertake weekly - I had $25 to spend at Simon says - you can read about it here
Stamp something: January digi day challenge
Karber Christmas 5: create a Christmas card using a digi
Christmas cards all year round January: anything goes
ABC Christmas: A for anything Christmas goes
Creative card world new card challenge: anything goes
Craft your days away 11: anything goes