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Monday, 3 October 2011

O little town of Bethlehem

This is a card I made last night, using the front aperture of a card received a couple of years ago and a picture from another one that I put underneath this. The addition of a piece of white and gold backing paper from my offcuts box and the card was complete.

This is another card for my CHNC challenge 40: for a male (if you haven't yet discovered my Christmas blog, please hop over there - I'd love to see you join in).

This is for:

Bah! humbug 39: nativity
Christmas stampin all year long: resist the temptation - no stamps at all
Jingle belles: peace on earth (peaceful scene)
Sparkles forum Christmas challenge 9: Christmas songs - O little town of Bethlehem
Paper players 66: LeAnne's musical theme - Christmas carol
My time to craft 159: musical medley
One stop craft 151: just for men - suitable for a male
St Luke's October: let's hear it for the boys - suitable for a male
Simply create 53: older than six months (everything used is more than six months old)
There's magic in the air Magical Monday: go green - no, it's not the colour green, but using recycled cards
Catch the bug: October anything goes
Southern girls 28: anything goes
Sew many challenges: anything goes
Penny's 63: anything goes
Simon says: anything goes
4 crafty chicks 57: anything goes
Creatalicious 26: anything goes
Digistamps4joy 28: anything goes
Crazy4challenges 107: World Cardmaking Day - anything goes - donate to charity (this card will be among others sold at my sale next week to raise money for Tearfund)
Lothian crafts 19: anything goes

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Squares and hearts

I've spent a lot of time today putting inserts in cards and bagging up ready for my Tearfund on Saturday - I haven't actually finished the job yet and I said I wouldn't make any more new cards until I have, but I couldn't resist.

So here is a quick card for the sketch for Cards and things 89:

It was difficult to get a photo with a flash - the card blank is actually a darker navy blue. The epoxy hearts are Country Companion, the background paper is an offcut piece of HOTP that's been in my scrap box for some time and the ribbons and gems from stash.

This is also for:

Craft your passion 78: anything goes + ribbon
Woodware USA 46: anything goes
Party time Tuesday 35: anything goes
Catch the bug: October anything goes
Southern girls 28: anything goes
Sew many challenges: anything goes
Penny's 63: anything goes
Simon says: anything goes
4 crafty chicks 57: anything goes
Creatalicious 26: anything goes
Digistamps4joy 28: anything goes
Crazy4challenges 107: World Cardmaking Day - anything goes - donate to charity (this card will be among others sold at my sale next week to raise money for Tearfund)
Lothian crafts 19: anything goes
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Saturday, 1 October 2011

CHNC challenge 40: for a male

How the weeks go by - who would believe that it's time for another challenge on my Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge blog and that we are now up to week 40! Time to get serious with making those Christmas cards, so, if you haven't yet joined in, why not go over there and take a look and start to build up some Christmas cards before it gets to the silly season!

So for challenge 40 I'm asking for Christmas cards for males - men or boys, you choose. And this week, as it's the first Saturday in the month, there will be a prize for a randomly picked winner - details on the Christmas blog.

I've chosen to make a card suitable to give to a man (although I'm sure that a lady would equally like to receive it). I cut the corners from an A4 piece of silver foiled deep grey card, joining in the middle and then covering this with the stitched ribbon. The image is an Anita's stamp that I've had for ages, simply inked with memento tuxedo black - this didn't come out too black, which is just right for the deep grey background. I mounted the image on some grey mirror card.



I'm entering this into these challenges:

One stop craft 151: just for men
St Luke's October: let's hear it for the boys
Jingle belles: peace on earth (peaceful scene)
Fab's big Christmas October: something shiny and/or snowflakes - lots of shiny foiling
Sparkles forum Christmas challenge 9: Christmas songs - I'm dreaming of a white Christmas (but I'm not really!)
Simply create 53: older than six months (everything used is more than six months old)
Oldie but a goodie 27: one for the boys - the stamp is well over six months old)
Little Claire 13: black and white
PaperPlay 39: white + one
Addicted to stamps: stitching
Celebrate the occasion 32: any occasion (must use ribbon)
Heart song inspirations 17: use ribbon and/or a tag
Gingerloft 25: vintage or distressed
Die cuttin' divas 34: shabby chic or vintage
Ribbon girl: jingle all the way to Christmas
Craft room: anything Christmas
Beary sweet 35: free for all - anything goes
Just Tracy's crafts: anything goes
Catch the bug: October anything goes
Southern girls 28: anything goes
Make all with love 13: anything goes
Sew many challenges: anything goes
Penny's 63: anything goes
Simon says: anything goes
4 crafty chicks 57: anything goes
Party time Tuesday 35: anything goes
Lollipop crafts 50: anything goes
Anything goes 50: anything goes
Creatalicious 26: anything goes
Digistamps4joy 28: anything goes
Crazy4challenges 107: World Cardmaking Day - anything goes - donate to charity (this card will be among others sold at my sale next week to raise money for Tearfund)
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Friday, 30 September 2011

A lovely surprise to come home to

Before we went away I found out that I'd won a prize on Heidi's Hobbystuggu challenge blog for their July/August challenge - you can read about it here.

I have to admit that with going away for the week I'd forgotten about it. When we got back there was a note through the door from a neighbour who said that she had taken a package that the postman had tried to deliver - I couldn't think what it could be - so it was such a lovely surprise to find that it was a pack of over 50 12 x 12 papers - the photo doesn't do them justice - there are so many tucked away out of sight.

I'm itching to get on and use some of them, but those inserts and bagging need to be done!

If you'd like to see some of our photos from Eastbourne and some crafting goodies I bought then please scroll down or click here.
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Blogging again after a break

We returned from Eastbourne yesterday, having had a week of mostly beautiful weather (some rain one morning and one day when mist drifted in from the sea) - a fantastic bonus for this time of the year.

We stayed in a lovely suite which had a sitting room and two bedrooms, one of which had an en-suite bathroom as well as there being a main bathroom - we were thoroughly spoiled and very much enjoyed it.

Sitting room:




Main bedroom (huge bed):

Second bedroom (with en-suite bathroom through the white door):


A rare picture of me taken by John (because he has very little vision he finds taking photos difficult, so doesn't often taken them, but insisted he wanted one of me with my iPad) - a bit of the school m'am look with the reading glasses:

And a few photos I took when we went for a walk:




And now it's back to reality! I'm having a card sale to raise money for Tearfund next Saturday 8 October and I need to get prepared for it. Most of the Christmas cards I've been making throughout the year need inserts and then need to be bagged and labelled, as well as lots of other cards - I must get these done before I make any more - and I'm hoping to have time to make some notebooks and post-it note holders because they usually sell well.

I've already scheduled my new Christmas challenge for tomorrow (I did it before we went to Eastbourne), so that will be shown on here, but, apart from that, I think it will be a few days before I show any new cards.

Before I finish this post, I'll just show some craft goodies that I bought in Eastbourne:

I really would like to get on and use some of these new goodies ... but I must get the inserts and bagging done first (wish I could wave a magic wand and have them done because I find the job so boring).
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Saturday, 24 September 2011

CHNC challenge 39: for a child

For today's challenge 39 on my Christmas challenge blog I'm asking for a Christmas card for a child.

I've made mine for Baby's first Christmas, using K & Co Secret Santa papers, a chipboard tree and a Personal Impressions stamped image by Linday Mason, coloured with copics. The sentiment was generated on my dymo letratag.

This is also for Chris' 'anything goes' challenge for the Christmas card gang (members on my side bar - if you'd like details of this club please get in touch with one of us).

It's also for:

Chris's 'anything goes' challenge for the Christmas gang
Craft room: anything Christmas
Copic creations 58: colouring fur ... with a twist - with bright colours, not your usual brown bears
Crafty calendar September: let sleeping bears lie (but they don't have to be asleep!)
Lexi 49: a card for a child
My mum's craft shop 24: boys and girls
Top tip Tuesday 51: time for a kids challenge
Stamp with fun 129: anything goes
Try it on Tuesday: anything goes
Anything goes 50: anything goes
Creatalicious 26: anything goes
Digistamps4joy 28: anything goes
The paper shelter 32: anything goes

Location:Lushington Rd,Eastbourne,United Kingdom

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Wednesday, 21 September 2011

BF September inchies

The theme for the inchies swap this month on the BF forum is 'primary colours'. I've used a digi from Heartsong Inspirations, one of three that I won for their challenge 15 recently. The digital image is called 'book with flowers & apple'.

I coloured with copics and then put a nice blob of glossy accents on each of the apples - they are really raised and shiny irl.

I'm linking these for the following challenges:

Creative stamp friends 34: anything goes but not a card
Lollipop crafts: anything but a card
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Tuesday, 20 September 2011

How many candles?

'How many candles?' is the theme for this week on Daring cardmakers - we were asked to make a birthday card with at least one candle. To celebrate the launch of Funky Hand's latest CD, the random drawn winner will receive the CD. I've already got some Funky Hand CDs and would love to get my hands on the latest one.

For the background of my card I downloaded the September freebie paper from Funky Hand. This month's challenge on Get Funky is 'Birthday fun', so I'm entering this into that as well.

The large sentiment stamp is from Clarity, inked with versamark and heat embossed with detail gold. I then edged the card with double sided tape and also embossed this so that it became a frame - this is for Sir Stampalot September: it's a frame up.

The candles are from a whispers stamp that I've had for ages, with the candles coloured with copics - iCopic challenge 48 is to use 'unloved colours', so I deliberately used some colours that I don't often use - I thought they would go well with the Funky Hand dotted paper. Strips of Anita's glitzy borders were then added - these have a holographic effect not picked up very well by the photo.

This is also for:

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Monday, 19 September 2011

Indian summer with felt flowers

I haven't blogged and shown any crafting since Saturday, but I have made some cards, it's just that I can't share them yet. From Thursday I'll be in Eastbourne for a week so I've been preparing my cards for CHNC challenges for the next three Saturdays - because when we come back I need to promptly get sorted for my Tearfund sale on Saturday 8 October.

I've also been working on the draft for a Christmas card order (to make 300 - isn't as bad as it seems because it's a matter of preparing on computer and then printing - but I'm at the stage of trying out all different drafts till I'm happy with it).

So I thought I'd have a bit of a break and make a quick card. This BG Indian summer paper does most of the work of the card - it would be a shame to cover too much of it - so all I've done is add a sentiment and three layered felt flowers from Poundland.

The colours are for Cards and things 87:

The colours are also for Basic Grey 53: pink and brown.

This is also for:

Top tip Tuesday 51: birthday time
My mum's craft shop 23: happy birthday
CropStop 37: button up ladies
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Saturday, 17 September 2011

Fresh green

This is for the sketch on Stamptacular 128:

and Dream valley picture inspiration 15:

The background paper is from my Up & away pad by Mindy Terasawa and the other two papers are BG sultry. The circle was cut with a nestie and a HOTP stamp inked with stazon cactus green. Lace and pearls from stash and Craftime glittered sentiments.

This is also for:

Sparkles forum 20: white and one other colour
Just for fun: shades of green
Stampavie 151: pearls and lace
Make all with love 12: pearls/half pearls
Use it Tuesday 15: uninked stamp - the HOTP stamp is one of a set that I've had for ages, but hadn't used this particular one before
The stamp man 31: monochrome and one other colour - white and one other colour you love to use
The stamping boutique: Come celebrate with us in September birthday project
Top tip Tuesday 51: birthday time
My mum's craft shop 23: happy birthday
Di's digis 1: anything goes
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Quick and simple

This is a quick card for CPS 235:

The poppy image was one that came with a QVC kit quite a while ago - I just coloured with a copic. The doilies are wrapped around the back and the inside.

This is also for:

Less is more 33: anything CAS goes
Wee memories 68: no pattern paper
Alphabet: Q for quick and simple
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CHNC challenge 38: glitter

Yay! It's Saturday again - and that means a new challenge on my Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge blog. I know that many of my regular followers are visitors there and that many of you enter the challenges, but if you haven't ventured there yet then please follow the link and perhaps make this the week to start making those Christmas cards.

So for challenge 38 this week I would like you to make a card with glitter - a little or a lot - the choice is yours, use some designer paper that is glittered or add some glitter glue ... whatever you fancy, as long as it's glittery.

I took the easy route and used some fab papers that were already glittered. Last Saturday I went up to Covent Garden for a look around (one of my favourite places) - it was a real treat because I rarely go anywhere like that these days ... and I went on to Blade Rubber and made a few purchases - some stamps, some stencils and some papers, including these Lost and Found Christmas papers by My Mind's Eye.

I've added a some bows and a few red gems here and there. The three little trees on the first card and the large one on the third card were part of a kit I bought two or three years ago. They are much bright irl- gold foiling as well as the red glitter - I think they match the papers well. The papers are double sided, so the striped panels are from the other side of the first paper.




I had to smile when I saw that this week's theme on Bah! Humbug 37 is 'flourishes/swirls' because that, of course, was my challenge last week - and then I realised that these cards all have swirls on them, so I'm entering their challenge.

These are also for:

Cutie Sunday 149: Christmas cards
Phindy's Friday 72: Christmas is creeping up on us
Christmas card challenges week 41: vintage (or anything goes)
Aly's Sunday: add a bow
Craft your passion 75: use the F word - flourishes
Crafty ribbons 2: anything goes


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Thursday, 15 September 2011

Paper pieced autumn

This is for FTL 157 sketch on Clean and Simple (I turned the sketch):

This was inspired by the photo on Dancing in pajamas 176:

It's also for ECP 46: yellow and Jay Gee's nook 11 which has this inspiration:


and these challenges that focus on autumn:

Come and get it: happy (almost) fall, yall
Crazy 4 challenges 104: autumn colours

The background paper is from PM lemon sorbet - this was among a lovely box of yellow crafting goodies that I had for my birthday from one of my nieces.

The other papers, including those used for the paper piecing, were from my scraps box, so I'm linking this for Jules crafty snippet week 36, with just the addition of a piece of gold and silver ribbon.

The border along with bottom is Creative Memories bright autumn border, one of a lovely pack that I received a while ago as part of a challenge prize.

The leaf is a stamp by Stampers anonymous, stamped on to various papers and pieced - something that I don't often do because I find it fiddly, but I actually enjoyed doing it.

It's also for:

Simon says: sing it - inspired by the song Autumn by Barbra Streisand (extract video here)
Your next stamp 51: paper piecing
Crafty Ann 49: make yourself uncomfortable - outside your usual comfort zone - the paper piecing!
365 cards day 191: so not me! - the paper piecing!
Creatalicious 26: anything goes
Di's digi designs 1: anything goes
Crafty ribbons 2: anything goes
I did it 72: anything goes
Cute card Thursday 182: anything goes
Crafty boots: anything goes
Posted by at 40 comments:

Back to school with an apple

This is for A la card monkey 73: fun + sketch (I turned the sketch to the left):
It's also for AiFactory graphics 93: back to school/teacher, where the lovely 'Ella - apple for the teacher' digital image was given.

Papers are BG cupcake (it's a while since I used any of these, but the primary colours went well with the copic coloured image). The spotted grosgrain ribbon has been in my stash a long while, as have the ABC and award 3D stickers which originally came from Poundland, I think.

I applied stickles crystal ice to the bubbles around Ella and put glossy accent on the apple.

This is also for these 'back to school' challenges:

Guylou (make sure there is an apple somewhere)
If the shoe fits fashionista Friday 90: let's all head back to school
Simply create 51: school time
Craft us crazy 17: goodbye to summer and/or school theme

Also for:

Cutie stampers 111: dots/spots
Victorine 16: primary colours
Gingersnap GC116 colour challenge: primary colours - red, blue and yellow
Heart song inspirations 15: use glitter and/or chipboard
Ruby's rainbow 12: for the girls
Delightful: girly girl
Pattie's 30: girlie things
Ellephantastic September: here come the girls
Scrapbook sisters 52: Indian summer - Ella is obviously enjoying the September sunshine on her way to school
Fab n funky 90: eyes down for bingo - I chose digi image, ribbon and 3 papers or layers
The stamping boutique 15: recipe - 4 different colours, 3 different embellishments, 2 different DP, 1 digi image
Daisy doodles 42: raise it up
Pile it on 37: layer it
Sukkersott 136: use digital stamp
The paper variety 51: use stickers
Crafting misfit: show and tell
Di's digi designs 1: anything goes
Crafty ribbons 2: anything goes
I did it 72: anything goes
Cute card Thursday 182: anything goes
Crafty boots: anything goes
Creatalicious 26: anything goes
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Tuesday, 13 September 2011

First class delivery

One Layer Wednesday is back and challenge 63 is 'a baby themed one layer card'.

This was the photo for Cupcake inspirations 127:

I've chosen the 'all pink' one at the top left.

I stamped 'baby's pram' by Funstamps with versarmark and heat embossed with geranium coral blush, which is an iridescent powder that leaves a lovely sheen (I poured it all over the card to get a sparkle, but, unfortunately I couldn't get a photo correctly so had to resort to a scan which doesn't show the sparkly sheen - I'll add a photo if I can get a daylight one that shows it).

I prepared the sentiments on computer and printed them - took me ages to get these in the right places and even now I've got the 'First class delivery' too close to the 'stamp', but that often happens anyway with franking, so perhaps it doesn't look too bad.

This is also for:

Pollycraft 110: baby love
Pixie dust studio 91: is it a boy or is it a girl - baby card
Just some lines: new baby
Freshly brewed 63: something new
Delicious doodles 1: fresh start - something new
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Birthday celebrations

For the past few days, Birthday celebrations have been under way at Annabelle Stamps and this card is for the 3rd challenge which calls for two embellies starting with B - so I've used two large brads.

I've taken the colours from the inspiration given for Penny's 61:

I love crafting with shades of purple. The background paper is BG wisteria and the paper on which I've started the large sentiment Clarity stamp and the cut out butterfly are from a K & Co Juliana pad (long neglected). The bows are Papermania and the brads were part of a couple of sets bought at The Works.

This is also for:

Cooking it up with Katie 74: show me a purple sentimental bow
Lollipop crafts: use eyelets or brads
Papertake: things with wings
Stamp insanity 75: black and purple
Make it colourful 34: make it purple (+ I coloured the little hearts with a purple copic)
Posted by at 10 comments:

Congratulations on your anniversary

A long time ago I was given some aperture cards by a kind crafting friend. I thought I would use one tonight with some acetate with Penny Black mouse love stamp coloured with copics in the background.

This is for Creative inspirations 128: acetate, also for Creative Belli 125: acetate or vellum (the aperture card blank was my old and forgotten item).

Colours are for Creative sketches 47C colour challenge:


It's so difficult to get a photo of a card that contains acetate, but I managed to get this one without any glare, but, of course, you can't really tell that there is any acetate there and the hearts on the acetate look black, whereas they are really silver foiled.



So I'm including this photo just to show that there really is acetate there!

This is also for:

City crafter 74: I heart you
Ooh-la-la 88: anniversary
Stampin' B 127: anniversary card
Our creative corner: wonderful windows
Mami doodles 33: all creatures great and small
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Brown and cornflower blue

This is for the sketch for Paper Pretties Wednesday 170:

It's also for Inky impressions colour challenge 23: brown and cornflower blue, and for Crafts4eternity R36 colour recipe: brown and blue, where this inspiration picture is given:



Papers are from the V & A linen paper pack, the large bloom has been in my stash for a long time (used to use these quite a lot, but they seem to have gone out of fashion), the crocheted flower is held in the middle by a brad. The scalloped strip is a velvet paper topped with some birthday ribbon from Hobbycraft (the white background of this is a lot whiter irl).

This is also for:

Craft your passion 75: use the F word - flowers
Ladybug 37: flowers
Top tip Tuesday 51: birthday time
Southern girls: lots of layers or a birthday theme (there's both)
Party time Tuesday 33: ribbon trim and fibers oh my!

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Monday, 12 September 2011

Sew simple

This is for Inspirational card sketches 129:

It's also for Crazy amigo: sewing.

The double sided paper was free with a Making Cards magazine ages ago and the bits and pieces on the pink diamond piece are Jolees stickers.

This is also for:

Stamp n doodle: anything goes
Crafty boots: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes

Posted by at 8 comments:
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