BF November inchies received

These are the fab 'fireworks' inchies I received from the swap on BF forum - thanks, girls, and thanks, Leigh, for once again hosting:



The 'animal' inchie at the bottom is an addition to the October swap.

Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it!

Super surprise from Santa!!

A Secret Santa swap is taking place on BF forum atm - when it was time to sign up for it (and likewise for one on CBC) I decided this year not to take part because things are still quite difficult with John making a slow recovery and I just didn't know whether I'd be able to get everything together for the deadline - and I wouldn't have wanted to let other people down.

So I was really amazed this morning when the postie came and bought me a package, containing these goodies:



with a card which read:

Dear Hazel, though you deserved a little treat for being a "good girl". from a BF Secret Santa x

Whoever you are, SS, thank you so much - you've made my day. We've been up to Guy's again today and postie came just before we went, so I was able to undo and drool then!

As you can see, I've already opened the 'now' present - some rubber stamps - not sure how long I have to keep the others, but think I should also be opening the one that says 'first' - lol!

Another win!!

I've just learned that I've won this 'that's my boy' set:

for Rumble 18 on 'in the cottage studio' - you can read about it here.

Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it!

I'm officially a 'lady with attitude' ....

I won a prize for twisted Thursday 32 on Shirley's 2 girls - you can read about it here.

My prize arrived this morning, together with a note saying: 'Congrats! You are an official ... 'lady with attitude'.


I also had 20$ to spend at Paper Popsicles because I was the winner on 365 cards for PP week - you can read about it here. I had great fun picking out lots of digi images from their range - no doubt you'll be seeing some of them soon!

And, talking of Paper Popsicles, I was also able to choose 2 templates and a digi image from their range for winning wacky Wednesday's hump day sketch 7, as you can see here.

Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it!

Christmas trees

This is the sketch on Unscripted 33:

And secret crafter Saturday 60 is 'Christmas trees'.

Background paper is BG eskimo kisses.



Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it!

Flower pot card for my Mum

I needed to make a card for mum's birthday on Sunday - I'm OK to blog it because she doesn't go on the internet. I like to try and do something a little special, but, having been making cards for quite some years now, I'm beginning to run out of ideas to make something different.

It so happened that challenge 16 this week on Stamp, scrap and doodle Saturday was to make a 'flower pot' card - there were links to some instructions, which I mainly followed, adapting a bit - I put a strut at the back of the card so it could stand up.

As you can see, the 'flower pot', which was made out of DCWV textured card, was run through the cuttlebug with two different embossing folders. The swiss dots part fits in well with Sunflowers and dragonflies 19: 'polka dots'.

Of course, this is another form of pocket card, so I'm also linking for Creative inspirations 21: 'we want to see a pocket'.

Day 243 on 365 cards is 243: 'beautiful bouquet' - 'Now I know many, if not all of you have put flowers on your cards, but I'm looking for more of a bouquet - you know a bunch of flowers grouped together.'

This is also for Paper maniac inspirations: 'use those flowers' and, as I've used a lot of purple flowers, this is also another one for Lily-boo too November challenge: 'purple'.

Editing to add: I forgot Etsy Inspired 63: 'sleepless imagination', for which I chose this:







Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it!

BF November ATCs received

Today I received my ATCs from the November swap on BF - thanks, girls, for another fab lot of ATCs and Ali for hosting yet again.



Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it!

Summer card in November?

This card is for the sketch for Crazy 4 challenges week 12:


It's also for:

Play date cafe 6:


It's also for 365 cards day 266: 'Colour me with this' - asking us to use something other than markers to colour - I used inktense water colour pencils with sansador. Papers are BG mellow. And as it's a coloured stamped image I'm linking for Caardvarks: 'color it'.

I'm not quite sure why I chose a sunflower image at this time of year!



Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it!

Holly doodles

This is sketch FTL69 on Clean and Simple:


I used Tanda 'holly doodles' designed by a lovely crafting friend, Sheila Oliver. The hearts are felt raised up with foam pads.

This week's Daring Cardmakers challenge is 'I'd like you to put things on your card which begin with the first letter of your name. You can use other things too, but see if you can use at least 3 things that share their initial letter with your own name.

So, H for Hazel: holly, hearts, Happy Christmas.

Challenge 18 on Pals paper arts is K.I.S.S. - 'keep it simple, sweetie' - lots of white space, simple design, minimum time, limited layers and embellishments. Mmmm, I'm not sure about the 'limited time' - by the time I'd stamped a few rejects and then coloured in with copics, I think it perhaps took longer than it should have done, but I think it fits this challenge.

Sunday stamper 80 is asking for either holly or ivy - no ivy here, but plenty of holly.

Penny's challenge this week is asking for random stamping - 'no dp allowed'.

Another one for Colour create 32: 'green, red and white - optional extra: Christmas'

This week Fab's big Christmas 46 is 'stamped background', so it's good for that - also for Whimsy 29: 'Christmas', Everybody art 67, Flourishes Timeless Tuesday 43, Papertake weekly: 'Christmas crackers' (anything Christmas), Charisma cardz 47: 'anything Christmas', Theme Thursday: 'Christmas - holiday creations' and the treehouse 25: 'Christmas colours' - old olive, real red, white and black. There certainly are a lot of Christmas challenges around atm (I wonder why!) - these are only some of them!




Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it!

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving

to all blogging friends in the US

The theme chosen by Mona for today's Salt challenge is 'giving thanks' based on the verse from Colossians 3:17: 'And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.'

As I pondered what to do for this I came across the challenge 120 this week on How much is too much?: 'With Thankgiving this week, on November 26, let's document the things that make us grateful. This week, journal 26 things you're thankful for and use 26 products on your page.' (I didn't manage though to use 26 products - although, I suppose if you count each letter sticker and each flower perhaps it would add up to 26!)

It got me thinking of the things that I wanted to include on my Salt LO - I thought it would be difficult to think of 26 things, but after I'd printed them out I started thinking of more - what a lot we have to be thankful for!

On this special day of Thanksgiving for our friends across the Atlantic, it's good for us all to reflect and be thankful - but not just today, but every day - as the verse says: 'and whatever you do ... giving thanks ...' and, of course, we give thanks for the greatest gift of all - Jesus' sacrifice on the cross.

I decided on a white, black and red theme for my LO - the papers are BG cupcake and the big spiky flowers were cut on my cricut using the Accent Essentials cartridge. The big 'thankful' letters are American Crafts.

As usual, you can read the words better if you click on the picture to enlarge.

T
here are lots of challenges atm with the theme of 'thanksgiving' or 'being thankful', not surprising with the celebrations today in the States. I don't often do this, but I'm going to link my LO to some of them as part of my Christian witness to being thankful to God.

Flourishes Timeless 43
Card*a*licious 31 (which asks for flowers and black and red - didn't realise this till after I'd done it!)
Cricut cardz 2 (I used a cricut cartridge)
Nutty nutshells 4
Paper Blooms
3 clovers 41
If the shoe fits Fashionista Friday 12
Paper cutz 18
2 red bananas
Stampin' sisters in Christ 14 - based on Galatians 6:9
Apron strings 17
Fiskarettes Monday challenge
365 cards day 271 (today)
Stamp something

Please pop along to Salt and read what Mona has to say and see the lovely crafting - and perhaps you might join in giving thanks by making something crafty and sharing with us.

Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it!

Blog awards

I've received a couple of blog awards from two dear crafting friends - my apologies to you both that I haven't blogged these sooner.

This award came from Gez:



And this one was from Sue:


Both of these awards ask me to share five facts about myself, so I'm doubling up on this (because I can't think of ten!):

1. My middle name is Mary.
2. I love nuts (I was obviously given the right name!).
3. I love dark chocolate even more!
4. I don't think I'll use up all my craft stuff even if I live to 100 and craft everyday (but that won't stop me getting more).
5. I love purple, but very rarely wear it.

I hope you don't think I'm not bothering, but I know that lots of my blogging friends have already received these, but I'm sure that there's lots of you who haven't yet - so, please, take these awards with love from me and pass them on - oh, and don't forget to share some facts about yourself.

Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it!

The mystery white blocks

Some people have asked about the white blocks in my WOYWW photo earlier today. They are foam stamps - I've got quite a few of these - most of the others I've got are bigger, in fact some are a good A6 size. They are from QVC and they are cheap when you compare the price of wood mounted or even unmounted. They give surprisingly good results. Having said that, I still like the feel of a good wood mounted stamp (and I do have a few of those, as you can see from the shelves in my WOYWW photo).

WOYWW - Wednesday comes round quickly

Just realised that it's Wednesday (well, I did know that this morning!) and that means it's WOYWW. So here's mine atm:



Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it!

All in your pocket

The instructions for a pocket card were given on Dutch Dare this week - I had a few trial versions first, but in the end 'got it' and produced my card.

I used a digi image from here that fits nicely into challenge 33 on Stampin' B: 'red, black, white and a moon.

This is also for:

Another one for Crafty Ann 2: 'black, white and one other colour'.
ABC: 'H is for hidden' (I'm behind with this one - I intended to get it done in time, but had to practise getting the pocket card right first!).
Creative Inspirations 21 is 'include a pocket'
Little red wagon 4: 'buttons'
Try it out Tuesday 45 is 'all buttoned up'
Hand full of stamps 6: 'no plain Jane ribbon' - the ribbon has text on it - it says 'with love'
365 cards day 269: 'tied up in knots' - create some knots on your card

The red papers are BG cupcake and the black inside paper is BG scarlet's letter.





Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it!

Gingerbreadhouse

This is for SASSC41:


It's also for Dottie's world: 'What do I mean when I say gingerbreadhouse?' Of course, for Dottie's challenges we have to use a Charmed download, so I've used 'Christmas kiss' with Dottie and George beneath the mistletoe - I digitally superimposed them on to a free download clipart gingerbreadhouse picture.

And this is another one for Frosted designs: 'paper tearing' - the white hammered at the bottom to act as little drifts of snow.

I used some 'clouds' paper that I've had for quite some time - appropriate for 365 cards day 231: 'Imagine this: sky'.

As the predominant colours are brown and blue, I'm linking also for Spoon full of sugar 79: colour combo.

And, as it's a Christmas card, it's OK for Everybody art 67, 'winter love' on Simon Says and another one for Kraftin' Kimmie 7: 'merry Christmas, happy winter!!'



Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it!

Vintage rub ons

This card is for Paper popsicles Wacky Wednesday hump day sketch 8:

It's also for:

Pile it on 25: 'rub ons' - the three 'pictures' are glittered rub ons
My time to craft 67: 'very vintage'
2 red bananas: 'I am thankful'
Stampin' sisters in Christ 14: 'thanksgiving or expressing thanks'
Apron strings 17: 'thankful'
Fiskarettes: 'give thanks'
Flourishes Timeless Tuesday 43: 'thank you theme'
Another one for Paper blooms 'thank you' (sadly, their last challenge)
Paper cutz 18: 'thanksgiving'
SPCC finally Friday: 'tall card' (used landscape)
Hope stamps eternal cupcake inspiration 34 - the girl on the left particularly shows the colours given
Crazy Amigo: 'little girls'
Die cuts R us 17: 'create a girlie project'

The background paper is K & Co.




Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it!

Face to face with alcohol inks

While I'd got alcohol inks to make my inchies, I thought I'd make a tag for Dragons tag it on 23: 'face to face' using alcohol inks and/or markers.

I used red pepper, wild plum and denim inks with a touch of blending solution and then stamped a couple of faces (foam stamps from QVC) with black dye ink. I couldn't get a photo because of flash shine, so this is a scan - looks better irl - I hope you can see the outline of the faces. I just added the pieces of ribbon.

The colours used are right for 365 cards day 262.

It's also good for TGIF 112: 'face of a femme fatale'



Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it!

Teen terrors!

Cute card Thursday 87 is 'teen terrors!' - I hope this is OK for a teenage son (not mine!)

Ages ago on 365 cards for day 104 the challenge was 'Imagine this: grass' (I'm still playing some of the challenges I missed on there). I used some beige background that is a bit like straw and coloured it with an ink pad.



Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it!

BF October inchies received

I received these lovely inchies from the BF October swap 'animals' today - thank you, girls, for another lovely set of inchies and Leigh for again hosting.



Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it!

BF November inchies

We've been up to Guy's again today for John's foot health appointment, so I haven't had an opportunity to do very much, but I've got my inchies done for this month's swap on BF, the subject being fireworks.

I used alcohol inks for the background, silver and gold metallic Sakura pens and lots of gems:



Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it!

Postie brought me some candy

Postie brought me a package today all the way from Canada - some blog candy from Stacy (who is one of the team members of Salt). Thank you, Stacy, for such a lovely selection of goodies:



Don't forget: If you go to the top of my blog you will find the post about my celebration candy - you've got to be in it to win it!