Christmas shopping

No, I haven't been Christmas shopping - lol! - it's the lady on my card - a decoupaged Jolly Nation character. The background paper is DCWV. This is for Winter wonderland: let's go shopping - and another for Jingle belles: no time like the present(s) - by the smile on her face it looks as though this lady has managed to get some of the presents on her list.

This is also for:


Let's craft and create 35: anything goes
House of gilli 23: anything goes
Cupcake craftroom January: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Blog a doodle: anything goes
The paper shelter 45: anything goes
Bizzy Becs January: anything goes
Art impressions 46: anything goes
CES 67: anything goes
Gingerloft 31: anything goes
Lexi 56: anything goes
Inspire me Fridays 40
Make my Monday 71

That important date again

Following on from the last 'save the date' card, this is another that emphasises the 25th as an important day - another one for City crafter 90: save the date.

This time I've used sketch 1 for 52 Christmas card throwdown:

I've also gone with the numbers theme for Moxie fab world Tuesday trigger: by the numbers, where this photo prompt was given:

Papers are from My Mind's Eye Christmas Glitter book and the Santa is a chipboard element.

This is also for:


Drunken stampers 80: glittery holiday
Card caravan (the hybrid chick) 10: sparkle
Let's craft and create 35: anything goes
House of gilli 23: anything goes
Cupcake craftroom January: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Blog a doodle: anything goes
The paper shelter 45: anything goes
Bizzy Becs January: anything goes
Art impressions 46: anything goes
CES 67: anything goes
Gingerloft 31: anything goes
Lexi 56: anything goes
Inspire me Fridays 40
Make my Monday 71

Save the date

City crafter 90: save the date made me think straight away of 25 December, so here is a Christmas card that incorporates that all important date.

The background paper is My mind's eye Lost and Found Christmas trees. The elements I've used are chipboard, so this is also for CAS-ual Friday 34: chip off the ol' block - a clean and simple card using chipboard.

It's another entry for Sparkles forum Christmas 12: Christmas stockings - and another for Jingle Belles: no time like the present(s) (the presents in the stockings).

A big apology:

I had quite a few other links for this card, but somehow, unfortunately, I've deleted them - I am so embarrassed about this and sincerely apologise to those challenge blogs involved.

Black and white Christmas

I love black and white cards, so it was no trouble to make a card for Crimbo crackers 6: black and white. The background is a piece of wallpaper, so this is also for my own CHNC challenge 54 to 'give something a new lease of life' - recycle something - also for St Luke's January: new year, new start - to give a new lease of life to something.

The glittered and silver foiled stockings are from an old kit, the glittered stars are left overs from an Anna Griffin kit and I can't remember where the sentiment came from.

This is also for:

Christmas cards all year round January: non-traditional colours
Sparkles forum Christmas 12: Christmas stockings
The pixie cottage 102: monochromatic
Pixie dust studio 108: mono-tize-it
The craft garden January: monochrome
Drunken stampers 80: glittery holiday
Card caravan (the hybrid chick) 10: sparkle
Some odd girl: bling me - glitter and silver foiling
Let's craft and create 35: anything goes
House of gilli 23: anything goes
Cupcake craftroom January: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Blog a doodle: anything goes
The paper shelter 45: anything goes
Bizzy Becs January: anything goes
Art impressions 46: anything goes
CES 67: anything goes
Gingerloft 31: anything goes
Lexi 56: anything goes
Inspire me Fridays 40
Make my Monday 71

So far so good ...

... although it's only 9 January - lol!

I've managed to keep to my crafty resolutions so far  (you can see my crafty resolutions here) - I've been using up scraps (although, admittedly, I've accumulated others because I've cut into new papers), I've been making Christmas cards ... and this morning I spent time putting inserts in, labelling and bagging the cards I've made since last Monday.

I wonder how long this will last?

Lovely goodies

I've been so fortunate lately to be the winner of some fab prizes for challenges. The stamps on the right are from Victorine, I bough the embossing folders with a voucher for Joanna Sheen from Rainbow Lady and the bag of goodies on the left arrived this morning from Crafty Ribbons.

I've also won lots of digital images recently, some of which you've already seen and some will be used soon, no doubt.

Caroling snowmen

This is for Seems a little sketchy 3:

The image is 'caroling snowmen', which is one that I chose from Meljens as part of my prize for winning Meljens challenge 89, so this is for Shopping our stash 33: use a Meljen's image.

This was a ready-coloured image and I thought it would go well with the offcuts of Papermania lemon sorbet papers that I had left over from the previous card, so this is for Pixie's crafty snippets 2 and There she goes 137: new year, new new start - depicting your new year resolutions - to use up scraps and Creative craft: resolutions -  to use up scraps (you can see my crafty resolutions here)

The snowflakes were made with a woodware punch.

This is also for:

Paper creations ink 16 die cuts and/or punches
Pollycraft 121: punch it
Creative card crew 1: snow day
Everybody art: snow
Creative belli 134: snowflakes
Do you stack up 53: let it snow
My craft spot 39: winter wonderland
Christmas cards all year round January: non-traditional colours

Welcome baby

This card is for the sketch on Paper makeup 17:

The digi image from Bugaboo stamps called 'baby stroller' is one that I won for a challenge on Top tip Tuesday - I coloured the image digitally on computer in Paint; the papers and tiny buttons on the wheels are Papermania lemon sorbet, with just the addition of the bow with gem, the punched scalloped order and flower border. As I've used a bugaboo stamp this is another entry for Catch the bug January: anything goes.

It's also for:

Glitter geeks 1: hand in hand - things that go together - spots and stripes
Daisy doodles 50: new beginnings
For fun: new something - baby
Digi doodle shops best 89: new beginnings
Dutch dare 146: new beginnings
That craft place 3: buttons and bows
Gingersnap GC132 colour challenge: soft yellows and white

Suzie's 365 8: cosy

As soon as I saw Suzie's prompt for today I thought of an old photo of Oscar and Nelson. Oscar was John's first guide dog (sadly died last year) and Nelson was the cat we had then, who sadly got run over one day.

The big bed, of course, belonged to Oscar, but Nelson used to barge his way in as if he owned it and if he insisted on stretching out, Oscar would just get out and let the cat take over.

8: cosy:

I had a fun time with this card

When I saw yesterday's challenge on Sugar creek 'let's save some trees' I thought  'NO WAY!' - they were asking us to re-purpose paper towels, toilet paper or coffee filters! Well, I don't have coffee filters, so I was left with the choice of kitchen paper towel or toilet paper. I remembered that mum had some fancy Christmas toilet paper given to her, so I thought perhaps I could get some from her, but she might well have used it up by now.

Anyway, I put the challenge to the back of my mind, thinking it was one I wouldn't be taking part in. However, I'm still quite unwell with this chest infection (a bit better, thank goodness), so I was unable to go out to church this morning. I was miffed about that, but the bonus was that I was here to watch Barbara Gray of Clarity stamps on Create & Craft. One of the things she did today was to scrunch up tissue, distress it and sandwich it between acetate with a coloured-in stamped image. This gave me the idea of use some already-embossed kitchen towel paper, which I swiped with victorian velvet and then dusty concord and chipped sapphire DIs:

Having done this I found a piece of acetate that I've had for ages and ages - it already had silver foiled flowers on it, so I just coloured them with copic V09. I then stamped the Clarity stamp lady with Stazon ultramarine (having had a try first with some versafine that didn't stay put) and very lightly coloured with copic V04 - this was done on the 'wrong side' so there could be no smearing. I then ran this through my Xyron (I'm so glad I have this for tasks like this) and matted on to an offcut piece of lilac paper which has a slightly distressed look to it. This was then mounted on to a piece of 'oil on water' card that looks pink in some light and more purple in another. A couple of brads were added at two corners - so this is also for Paper pretties 187: use brads or eyelets, and Mark's finest papers speedy fox and friends 89: use brads of eyelets.

Then came the learning curve! I didn't want to just put the kitchen paper straight on to card because I'm sure it would have become tatty very quickly so I ran a piece of acetate through the Xyron and stuck the kitchen paper to it. Meanwhile, I backed an 8 x 8 card with some of the 'oil on water' card (I had gutted the inside of this because I only had one piece).

Then on to the final step - ah! this is where the learning curve really kicked in! I ran the acetate through the Xyron so that the kitchen paper towel side got sticky - laid it on the card only to find that, because the kitchen towel is 2-play, the bottom part stuck the card but started to come away from the top piece - I managed to rescue this by gently using my trusty ATG glue tape gun.

So, here it is - a large 8 x 8 card:

As well as the challenge on Sugar Creek, I'm linking this for these challenges that ask for something old and/or something new - the old being the supplies I used and the new being the new technique of using kitchen paper towel:

Crafts by Carolyn forum TTC12-01: something old, something new
Corrosive 140: ring in the new year
Order of the opus gluei 121: out with the old and in with the new (house button is very old, stamp is new)
Stamps R us: anything goes
Digistamps4joy 34: anything (something old, something new) goes
Freshly brewed January: use something new (technique)
My mum's craft shop 38: something new (technique)
Simon says: new something
Cute card Thursday 198: what's new (technique)
Fairytale 32: something new (technique)
Crazy4challenges 118: new year - new technique
Di's digis: it's all new (technique)
Our daily bread 91: in with the new, out with the old
Crafty calendar January: new news (technique)
St Luke's January: new year, new start - give new lease of life to something (piece of kitchen paper towel)

Also for:

Sparkles forum 27: anything but a Christmas card
Getting cricky simply Sunday challenge: it's a celebration
Alota 74: A, B or C - B birthday, C celebration
Kaboodle 100: let's celebrate
Critter 96: celebrations
Tuesday throwdown 79: shiny new year - something shiny
Craft your passion 91: anything goes + distressing
Let's craft and create 35: anything goes
House of gilli 23: anything goes
Heart song 29: anything goes
The pink elephant 129: anything goes
Cupcake craftroom January: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Blog a doodle: anything goes
The paper shelter 45: anything goes
Bizzy Becs January: anything goes
Art impressions 46: anything goes
CES 67: anything goes
Dream valley 23: anything goes
Gingerloft 31: anything goes
Inspire me Fridays 40
Make my Monday 71

Snowy card

This is a simple snowy card with snowflake background from a Pals patchwork kit.I love the way the red is picked up on the Santa hat to match the background.

This is for:

Stamp dreams 115: snow
Crazy amigo: winter
Creative card crew 1: snow day
Everybody art: snow
Creative belli 134: snowflakes (the background card is old and forgotten for ages)
Do you stack up 53: let it snow
Sentimental Sundays 84: snow, blue and/or glitter
My craft spot 39: winter wonderland
Stamp, scrap & doodle: winter something
Crafting when we can: new year's resolutions - to make Christmas cards throughout the year (you can see my crafty resolutions here)
There she goes 137: new year, new new start - resolutions - to make Christmas cards throughout the year (you can see my crafty resolutions here)
Creative craft: resolutions -  to make Christmas cards throughout the year (you can see my crafty resolutions here)
Let's craft and create 35: anything goes
House of gilli 23: anything goes
Heart song 29: anything goes
The pink elephant 129: anything goes
Cupcake craftroom January: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Blog a doodle: anything goes
The paper shelter 45: anything goes
Bizzy Becs January: anything goes
Art impressions 46: anything goes
CES 67: anything goes
Dream valley 23: anything goes
Gingerloft 31: anything goes
Inspire me Fridays 40

Put your feet up ...

... read the paper ... it's your birthday!

The background of this card uses some foiled embossed card that I've had for years, since I started making cards, which is a long time ago now. It's a very simple card with just the addition of the stickers, which have a nice feel about them with some felt being used. An ideal card for a man!

This is for:

Critter 96: celebrations
Birthday sundaes 38: birthday
Pile it on 2: manly cards
Little red wagon 114: warm fuzzies - felt
Paper Pretties Monday challenge: clean and simple
I brake for challenges: clean and simple
Let's craft and create 35: anything goes
House of gilli 23: anything goes
Heart song 29: anything goes
Incy wincy 127: anything goes
The pink elephant 129: anything goes
Cupcake craftroom January: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Blog a doodle: anything goes
The paper shelter 45: anything goes
Bizzy Becs January: anything goes
Art impressions 46: anything goes
CES 67: anything goes
Dream valley 23: anything goes
Gingerloft 31: anything goes
Inspire me Fridays 40

Traditional Christmas colours

Today's challenge on the Sunday's with Santa facebook group is 'traditional colours'. So it was time to get out those lovely Anna Griffin supplies for these cards:

This one has flocking on it for Little red wagon 114: warm fuzzies:

These are also for:

Crafty Ann 56: let's think hot (lots of bright red)
ABC Christmas: Z for zingy colours
Crafting when we can: new year's resolutions - to make Christmas cards throughout the year (you can see my crafty resolutions here)
There she goes 137: new year, new new start - resolutions - to make Christmas cards throughout the year (you can see my crafty resolutions here)
Creative craft: resolutions -  to make Christmas cards throughout the year (you can see my crafty resolutions here)
Let's craft and create 35: anything goes
House of gilli 23: anything goes
Heart song 29: anything goes
Incy wincy 127: anything goes
The pink elephant 129: anything goes
Cupcake craftroom January: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Blog a doodle: anything goes
The paper shelter 45: anything goes
Bizzy Becs January: anything goes
Art impressions 46: anything goes
CES 67: anything goes
Catch the bug January: anything goes
Dream valley 23: anything goes
Gingerloft 31: anything goes
Inspire me Fridays 40

Red, white and blue notebook

Strictly speaking it's not just red, white and blue (a few other colours crept in), but the notebook is mainly red, white and blue for Paperminutes 198: colour of flags - the UK flag being red, white and blue. I've left the inside of the label blank so that the recipient can put their name/details there. Papers and elements used are Papermania, except the unknown glittered butterfly.

This is also for:


Sparkles forum 27: anything but a Christmas card
Flutter by Wednesday 184: open + butterfly
Prairie fairy Fridays 69: things with sparkly wings
2 sisters 73: things with wings
Let's craft and create 35: anything goes
House of gilli 23: anything goes
Heart song 29: anything goes
Incy wincy 127: anything goes
The pink elephant 129: anything goes
Cupcake craftroom January: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Blog a doodle: anything goes
The paper shelter 45: anything goes
Bizzy Becs January: anything goes
Art impressions 46: anything goes
CES 67: anything goes
Catch the bug January: anything goes
Make it Monday 70
Inspire me Fridays 40

Suzie 365 7: drink

It's the end of the first week of Suzie's 365 photo posts and so far I've taken part every day - I know, it's only a week so far, but it's a good start - lol!

7: drink - I thought I'd show a photo of John with the cuppa that cheers! This was taken when we were in Eastbourne a couple of years ago. I know I could have taken a new photo of a drink, but I love this cheery one.

Another thank you card

This thank you card is based on the sketch for Sketchy colors 98:

Sketchy colors 98 also asked us to use one of their color combos from the past year, so this is for which was the combo given originally for challenge 74:

I've used offcuts of PM Persimmon 'reminiscent of a bygone era' papers, so this is another one for Pixie's crafty snippets 1, also Aud sentiments 45 'any sentiments but you must use your scraps'.

 I've coloured with promarkers, so this is for Passion for promarkers 130 'thank you' . The image is a digi download from Designed2delight called 'spring fence' - Designed2delight have a Guest Designer call, so I'm entering for that.

I've distressed edges with shabby shutters and bundled sage DIs, also swiping the gold foiled band across the bottom of the card (this was originally white). This is for Craft your passion 91 'anything goes + distressing'.

This is also for:

Sundays with Crissy 25: beat the mid-winter blues
Cardmadfairy 24: thank you
C.R.A.F.T. 136: thank you
Clear it out Tuesday: thank you card (clearing out some butterflies I've had for ages)
Craft a scene 1: anything goes
Sweet stampin: spots & dots
Flutter by Wednesday 184: open + butterflies
Prairie fairy Fridays 69: things with sparkly wings
2 sisters 73: things with wings
Tuesday throwdown 79: something shiny (the butterflies)
Simply create too 4: layers, layers and more layers - six layers
Sentimental Sundays 83: anything goes
Pile it on 1 of 2012: anything goes
Let's craft and create 35: anything goes
House of gilli 23: anything goes
Heart song 29: anything goes
Incy wincy 127: anything goes
The pink elephant 129: anything goes
Cupcake craftroom January: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Blog a doodle: anything goes
The paper shelter 45: anything goes
Bizzy Becs January: anything goes
Art impressions 46: anything goes
CES 67: anything goes
Robyn's fetish 88: anything goes
One stitch at a time 94: use a digi
Catch the bug January: anything goes
Make it Monday 70
Inspire me Fridays 40

CHNC challenge 54: give it a new lease of life!

It's time for a new challenge on my Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge blog. For challenge 54 I'm asking to see some recycling - give something a new lease of life.

I hope you have made a resolution to make Christmas cards throughout the year to ease that sense of panic as it gets near to the end of the year and you realise that you need more Christmas cards. So please don't pack away your Christmas cardmaking supplies - keep them out to hand throughout the year. and get busy with those cards - joining in my challenges will help you achieve this.

For my card I used the sketch for Christmas challenges with sketches 17 - you will need to click on the link to see the sketch on their challenge blog.

I've used colours for Our craft lounge presents Kathy's Lily pad palette:

The same colours are also the challenge for Our craft lounge's own challenge this week:

The recycled element that I've given a new lease of life to is the silvery strip on the left hand side which was rescued from a Christmas cracker - too good to throw into the recycling bin - it's a pity that with all the shiny foiling on this card it's hard to get a photograph that shows the card as it really is, but these two attempts are the best I can do. The other card used was from a QVC kit a couple of years ago. The scalloped circle and  oval were cut with nesties. The image is from Whoopsi Daisy 264. Whoopsi Daisy are kindly sponsoring my CHNC challenge 54 - you can see details here. I am linking this for Whoopsi Daisy's own 'free and easy' challenge.  I coloured the image with a silver pen and a blue promarker. The wired and beaded stars were from the 99p shop.

This is also for:

Squiggle stamps: recycle!! upcycle!!
Totally stampalicious: make it sparkle
St Luke's January: new year, new start - give new lease of life to something
Gingerloft 30: Christmas and winter
Stamp, scrap & doodle: winter something
Lexi 55: untraditional Christmas - no red or green
Drunken stampers 80: glittery holiday
Jingle belles: no time like the present
Christmas cards all year round January: non-traditional colours
There she goes 137: new year, new new start - card depicting your new year resolurions - to make Christmas cards throughout the year (you can read my crafty resolutions here)
Crafting for all seasons 17: fairies
Flutter by Wednesday 184: open + fairy
Just inspirational 10: fairy
Prairie fairy Fridays 69: things with sparkly wings
2 sisters 73: things with wings
Tuesday throwdown 79: something shiny
Some odd girl: bling me - at least 2 types of bling here
Paper creations ink 16: die cuts and/or punches
Lothian 22: die cuts
Simply create too 4: layers, layers and more layers - at least five layers
Sentimental Sundays 83: anything goes
Pile it on 1 of 2012: anything goes
Let's craft and create 35: anything goes
House of gilli 23: anything goes
Heart song 29: anything goes
Incy wincy 127: anything goes
The pink elephant 129: anything goes
Cupcake craftroom January: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Blog a doodle: anything goes
The paper shelter 45: anything goes
Bizzy Becs January: anything goes
Art impressions 46: anything goes
CES 67: anything goes
Make it Monday 70
Inspire me Fridays 40

New home

This card is for Sketch Saturday 188 which is being sponsored by the Craft Barn:

 Also for Challenge up your life 59: recipe:

 5 pearls

1 flower

1 button

stitching

Papers are once again PM Persimmon collection 'reminiscent of a bygone era', the image is a new stamp I've never used before by Funstamps, with the additon of a house button (I've had this for ages), a sentiment, a piece of stitched ribbon, a Martha Steward bloom and five little pearls.

This is also for:

Allsorts 135: new beginnings
Addicted to stamps 20: something new
Fashionable stamping 12: anything goes using your new stash (the stamp)
Order of the opus gluei 121: out with the old and in with the new (house button is very old, stamp is new)
The squirrel and the fox 8: something new
The crafter's cafe: new year/new beginnings (new home)
Stamps R us: what did you get for Christmas - new crafty goodies (new stamp)
Party time Tuesday 49: something new
Sassy Cheryl 96: new beginnings
Digistamps4joy 34: anything (something old, something new) goes (old house button, new stamp)
Freshly brewed January: use something new (stamp)
My mum's craft shop 38: something new
Simon says: new something
Whimsy inspirations 20: new beginnings
Craft us crazy: anything new and/or humourous
Crafty ribbons 10: new beginnings
Cute card Thursday 198: what's new (new home and new stamp)
Little Miss muffet 26: something new
Cardmakin mamas: something new
Crafty catz 114: a new beginning
Delicious doodles 10: all things new
Fairytale 32: something new
Di's digis: it's all new
Sweet stampin: new beginnings
By the cute and girly January: new beginnings
The poodles parlour: button up
Stamp dreams 114: anything goes
Inky impressions: anything goes
Ribbon carousel 34: anything goes
Sentimental Sundays 83: anything goes
Pile it on 1 of 2012: anything goes
Let's craft and create 35: anything goes
Hiding in my craft room 27: freestyle
House of gilli 23: anything goes
Heart song 29: anything goes
Incy wincy 127: anything goes
The pink elephant 129: anything goes
Cupcake craftroom January: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Blog a doodle: anything goes
The paper shelter 45: anything goes
Bizzy Becs January: anything goes
Art impressions 46: anything goes
Make it Monday 70
Inspire me Fridays 40

Thank you card

I'm just scraping in at the last minute for A gem of a challenge 36 where this sketch was given:

My card is made with more of those lovely PM Persimmon collection 'reminiscent of a bygone era', with a few gems, a sentiment and a Martha Stewart bloom added - why is it that the bloom looks more yellowy irl and peach on this photo? Ah well, it really does match the papers - honestly! Paper edges were distressed with stormy sky DI. Shapes were cut with nesties.

This is also for:

Clear it out Tuesday: thank you card (I've had the Martha Stewart blooms for quite a long while but am reluctant to use them because they are so beautiful - and expensive!
C.R.A.F.T. 136: thank you
Sarah Hurley 57: giving thanks/thank you
2012 Christmas card challenge week 5: thank you card
Craft your passion 91: anything goes + distressing
Some odd girl: bling me - at least 2 types of bling - gems and Martha Stewart glittered bloom
Blog a doodle: anything goes
Paper creations ink 16: die cuts and/or punches
Simply create too 4: layers, layers and more layers - seven layers altogether

There is celebration candy over on my CHNC blog

You've got to be in it to win it, so why not hop on over there and get linking?!

Suzie's 365 6: frost

This is the only frost I could find today - in my freezer:

6 frost:

There is celebration candy over on my CHNC blog

You've got to be in it to win it, so why not hop on over there and get linking?!

Up, up and away

This is another entry for Rainbow lady 186 'travel through time to 2012'. This time it's an altered notebook with a Kanban topper. The background black and gold paper is an offcut from wrapping paper that I bought some years ago.

This is also for:

Sparkles forum 27: anything but a Christmas card
Ooh-la-la 95: anything but a card
The craft garden January: monochrome
The pixie cottage 102: monochromatic
Pixie dust studio 108: mono-tize it
Paper Pretties Monday challenge: clean and simple
I brake for challenges: clean and simple
Pile it on 1 of 2012: anything goes
Let's craft and create 35: anything goes
Hiding in my craft room 27: freestyle
House of gilli 23: anything goes
Heart song 29: anything goes
Incy wincy 127: anything goes
The pink elephant 129: anything goes
Cupcake craftroom January: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Blog a doodle: anything goes
The paper shelter 45: anything goes
Bizzy Becs January: anything goes
Art impressions 46: anything goes
Make it Monday 70
Inspire me Fridays 40

There is celebration candy over on my CHNC blog

You've got to be in it to win it, so why not hop on over there and get linking?!