Fan-tastic Tuesday challenge 61

This is my design card for Fan-tastic Tuesday challenge 61: anything goes with a twist ... add a ribbon. The challenge is being sponsored by Bugaboo Stamps and I have used their 'little penguin winter - skate' image, coloured with spectrum noir. The backing is Hunkydory card and the strip of ribbon across the bottom was from Crafty Ribbons called 'singing penguins'.

Please click here to see the lovely designs of the rest of the team and we would love to see your entries for the challenge.

This is a large A5 card that opens sideways.

This is also for:

The 12 months of Christmas card link up
Crafty ribbons 106: Christmas creation
AnMaCreatief 38: Christmas
Dream valley 94: getting ready for Christmas
Creative corner: Christmas
QKR stampede 112: let's talk Christmas
Jellypark friends: Christmas
Woodware UK: Christmas for kids large or small
Animal friends 20: it's cold
Emerald faeries 61: Christmas non traditional colours
Spectrum noir November (facebook): Christmas/winter
3 girl jam November: Christmas/holidays - with ribbon
Really reasonable ribbon 106: winter holiday and ribbon
Crafty calendar November: it's all about Christmas
Squigglefly 45: make a Christmas card
Crimbo crackers 69: clean and simple
CRAFT 284: winter
Let's craft and create 98: animal antics
Crafty catz 254: ribbon and/or lace
Crafty sentiments: anything goes
A girl who crafts November: anything goes
My craft creations: anything goes
Sister act 82

Cheerful stamp pad challenge 99

Today sees the start of the Cheerful stamp pad challenge 99: here, Kitty, Kitty. Please click on the link to see the lovely crafting of the rest of the team and we would love it if you joined in our challenge.

For my design card I used kitty 1 and kitty 2 kindly supplied by the sponsors, Stitchy Bear Stamps,, flipping kitty 1 horizontally, then coloured with spectrum noir pens. The background paper is some I got a long time ago from PDA card and crafts, twill ribbon from Hobbycraft and the two silver embellishments have been in my stash for ages (yes, they are both silver, although one looks gold in the picture).

This is also for:

Robyn's fetish 237: cats
Red carpet studio 82: Marley and me - animals
Art impressions 148: zoo or animal
Let's craft and create 98: animal antics
Eureka 114: 4 legged friends
CAS on Sunday 46: ribbon and/or twine
Crafty catz 254: ribbon and/or lace
Stamp and create November: ribbons or bows
Crafty cardmakers 127: a touch of charm
Creative fingers 55: anything goes
A girl who crafts November: anything goes
Papertake weekly: anything goes
My craft creations: anything goes
Sister act 82

The glory of Christmas challenge 46: biscuits/cookies

The theme for this fortnight's Glory of Christmas challenge 46 is 'biscuits/cookies', so for my design card I've used a lovely digi - The image is The Stamping Boutique 'for Santa' - that shows milk and cookies left out for Santa, but someone else has his eye on them! This was coloured with spectrum noir pens, torn round the edges and then coloured. The background is Hunkydory card with strips of washi tape added.

Please click on the link to see the lovely crafting of the rest of the team and join in the challenge over the next fortnight.

This is also for:

The 12 months of Christmas card link up
My perfect life festive 48 week 44
AnMaCreatief 38: Christmas
Dream valley 94: getting ready for Christmas
Creative corner: Christmas
QKR stampede 112: let's talk Christmas
Bearly mine November: Christmas cards
De creatieve zebra 15: Christmas
Jellypark friends: Christmas
Let's craft and create 98: animal antics
Catch the bug: show us your food
A girl who crafts November: anything goes
Papertake weekly: anything goes
Sister act 82

Suzy Bee's Bloomin' challenge 54

This is my design card for today's Suzy Bee's bloomin' challenge 54: anything goes with a twist ... for a male.

I used Bugaboo stamps AKV golf - golf bag (kindly supplied by the sponsor of the challenge), colouring with spectrums and mounting on an offcut of Hunkydory foiled card.

The background pearlescent card with silver foiled stars has been in my stash for years and years. The diamond panel is another offcut - it was originally pearlescent white, but I coloured with spectrums.

This is also for:

Pixie's snippets week 149
Hiding in my craft room 173: super scraps Saturday
Cardsz 4 guyz 43: toys for the boys
Paperminutes 346: real men
The paper shelter 181: for the man in your life
Aloha Friday 36: sports
Artistic inspirations 116: anything goes/happy birthday
Creative moments 55: anything goes/celebration
Craft for the craic 10: birthday
Creatalicious 68: orange and green
A girl who crafts November: anything goes
Sisters of craft November: anything goes
Papertake weekly: anything goes
My craft creations: anything goes
Sister act 82

Completely Christmas 37

For Completely Christmas 37 the twist today is 'let's see some blue', so I'm showing lots of blue! Please click on the link to see the lovely crafting of the rest of the team and we hope to see your festive entries with some blue.

I'm also showing this card for my CHNC challenge 202: keep it flat - under 5 mm thick (to avoid higher postage costs in the UK particularly) - you can read more about the challenge by click on the link - I'd love to see your Christmas cards there.

A long time ago I took part in a sort of 'round robin' share-a-stamp group - I received this stamp to use and then pass on to the next one in the group. I went a bit mad at the time and stamped and stamped in various way and I still have a few of these left, including this one that where the stamp was inked with versamark and heat embossed with white detail powder. All the strips in the background are from my Christmas offcuts box, including the patterned piece that was originally run through the eBosser with the 8 x 8 'star of wonder' Embossalicious embossing folder which I then brushed over with stormy sky distress ink.

This is also for:

Pixie's snippets week 149
Hiding in my craft room 173: super scraps Saturday
The 12 months of Christmas card link up
Christmas card challenges 49: no embellishments
ABC Christmas: V for a very merry Christmas (sentiment included)
AnMaCreatief 38: Christmas
Dream valley 94: getting ready for Christmas
Use your stuff: snow
Woodware UK: Christmas collage
Creative corner: Christmas
QKR stampede 112: let's talk Christmas
Scrapping4fun 29: Christmas
Bearly mine November: Christmas cards
Crafter's companion facebook November: Christmas/winter (eBosser and embossing folder purchased at CC)
De creatieve zebra 15: Christmas
Jellypark friends: Christmas
Stamping sensations November: simply Christmas
Cute as a button 3: Christmas/winter
CRAFT 284: winter
Pile it on 44: feeling cool
Fashionable stamping 85: animals
Red carpet studio 82: Marley and me - animals
Art impressions 148: zoo or animal
Bunny Zoe: animals
Let's craft and create 98: animal antics
Animal friends 20: it's cold
Emerald faeries 61: Christmas non traditional colours
The artistic stamper creative team November: Christmas is coming
Sparkle n sprinkle November: anything goes (used embossing powder)
One crazy stamper November: anything goes
Treasured times 28: anything goes
A girl who crafts November: anything goes
Cards galore November: anything goes
Mema's crafts November: anything goes
Sisters of craft November: anything goes
613 avenue 96: anything goes
Sentimental Sundays 231: anything goes
Papertake weekly: anything goes
My craft creations: anything goes
Sister act 82

The sweet pea stampers challenge

It's time for a new challenge on the Sweet pea stampers challenge blog and this fortnight it's all about 'let us remember', thinking of you, sympathy. Please click on the challenge link to see the delightful crafting of the rest of the team and join in our challenge.

I used Ching Chou Kuik's Poppy, from the Mist digi (also available as a rubber stamp) coloured with spectrum noir pens, torn around the edges and mounted on to 7 Gypsies paper with a simple greeting.

This is also for:

Simon says Wednesday: thinking of you
Delicious doodles 109: remembrance, thinking of you
Corrosive 211: magical
One stitch at a time 223: anything goes with a distressing
Incy wincy: inspired by a song, book or movie - book: Softly grow the poppies, Audrey Howard
Squigglefly 44: use patterned paper
Whoopsi Daisy: add a sentiment
MilkCoffee: hand colour image
That's crafty: hot and spicy
Word art Wednesday 157: anything goes
Little Miss Muffet 98: anything goes
Digistamps4Joy 103: anything goes
Catch the bug November anything goes
Treasured times 28: anything goes
A girl who crafts November: anything goes
Cards galore November: anything goes
Mema's crafts November: anything goes
Sisters of craft November: anything goes
V's sweet 28: anything goes
613 avenue 96: anything goes
Sentimental Sundays 231: anything goes
Papertake weekly: anything goes
Through the craftroom door: anything goes
My craft creations: anything goes
Sister act 81

Fan-tastic Tuesday challenge 60

It's time for Fan-tastic Tuesday challenge 60 which is anything goes with a twist ... add one butterfly. Please click on the link to see the lovely crafting of the rest of the team and we would love to see your entries.

For my design card I used Sparkle n sprinkle 'dahlia' and 'dahlia bud half opened', kindly supplied by the challenge sponsor, using an edge cutter digitally around the latter image so that I could merge both one behind the other and then print with the digitally added sentiment, colouring with spectrum noirs. I then stamped and coloured the Inca 'queen of Spain' butterfly.

This is also for:

CAS on Sunday 45: one layer wonder
A little bit crafty November: CAS
Artistic inspirations 166: anything goes/happy birthday
Country view November: bugs, bees & butterflies
Digitally sweet 112: anything goes (everything except the stamped butterfly was produced digitally)
Digistamps4Joy 103: anything goes
Divas by design: anything goes
Brown sugar 118: anything goes
Catch the bug November anything goes
Treasured times 28: anything goes
A girl who crafts November: anything goes
Cards galore November: anything goes
Mema's crafts November: anything goes
Sisters of craft November: anything goes
V's sweet 28: anything goes
Crafty catz 253: anything goes
Scrappers delights 34: anything goes
613 avenue 96: anything goes
Sentimental Sundays 231: anything goes
Ppinky dolls 5: anything goes
Papertake weekly: anything goes
Through the craftroom door: anything goes
My craft creations: anything goes
4 crafty chicks: anything goes
Sister act 81

Cheerful stamp pad challenge 98 week 2

This is the second week of the Cheerful stamp pad challenge 98 anything goes using fall colours. Please click on the link to see the lovely crafting of the rest of the team and join in the challenge here.

For my design card I used Stitchy Bear's My Heart Pieces 'sunflower summer' digi kindly supplied by the sponsors, colouring with spectrum noir pens and die cutting using one of the Spellbinder's marvellous squares, with gold gems at the corners. The main background matt gold card was embossed with Embossalicious floral vine folder run through the eBosser and a piece of copper mirror card embossed with a polka dot folder.

This is also for Cupcake inspirations 285:

This is also for:

Stitchy Bear Stamps FB November challenge: anything goes
Scribbles designs 22: fall impressions
Try it on Tuesday (Tuesday taggers): colours of autumn
The stamping boutique: fall colours
Hiding in my craft room 172: fall colours
PumpkinSpice 90: anything fall
Craft and smash November: autumn
Paper pretties 334: polka dots
Crafty cardmakers 126: cut it out (die cut) - 15 challenges
Eclectic ellapu November: leaves and foliage
Paradise of stamps 5: halloween or autumn
Card mania 59: use your dies

Does anyone have sunscreen?

It was Lorraine's turn to choose the theme for this fortnight's Christmas Card Club challenge and she asked us to use snowmen.

I used a digital image that I've had for ages - Broken Boxstock 'snowman cartoon - it still makes me smile. Papers are offcuts of DCWV papers - you can just about see that the background snowmen are glossy.

This is also for:

The 12 months of Christmas card link up
Christmas card challenges 49: no embellishments
My perfect life festive 48 week 43
Perfectly rustics 34: holidays - Christmas
Fab n funky 235: Christmas
My craft creations: anything goes
The pink elephant 274: anything goes
4 crafty chicks: anything goes
Sister act 81

CHNC challenge 201: sparkle

For my CHNC challenge 201 this week I'm asking to see some Christmas sparkle.

For my card I used a topper and frames and a sentiment from a 'road to Bethlehem' Hunkydory kit, a background piece of card that I've had for years and some glitter tape and sparkly ribbon from Marks & Spencer.

This is also for:

The 12 months of Christmas card link up
Christmas card challenges 48: anything goes
Perfectly rustics 34: holidays - Christmas
Fab n funky 235: Christmas
Moving along with the times: winter themed
My craft creations: anything goes
The pink elephant 274: anything goes
4 crafty chicks: anything goes
Sister act 81

Completely Christmas 36: anything goes with a twist ... add a robin

It's time for a new challenge for Completely Christmas and challenge 36 is asking for anything goes (Christmas) with a twist ... add a robin. My robin is a felt decoupaged one from Hobbycraft that sits nicely on the printed out Paper Pretties 'deck the boughs' with one of the greetings that came with the digi. Colouring was done with spectrums and art institute glitter added to the bauble.

As is usually the case with a mainly white card, it was difficult to get a photo that showed the card to full advantage - looks much brighter in real life.

This is also for:

The 12 months of Christmas card link up
Christmas card challenges 48: anything goes
Perfectly rustics 34: holidays - Christmas
Fab n funky 235: Christmas
The paper shelter 180: is it too early for Christmas?
Moving along with the times: winter themed
Cute as a button 3: Christmas/winter
Sparkle n sprinkle November: anything goes - used loose glitter
Crafters cafe 88: things with wings
Time out 17: birds of a feather flock together
My craft creations: anything goes
The pink elephant 274: anything goes
4 crafty chicks: anything goes
Sister act 81

Suzy Bee's Bloomin' challenge 53

For Suzy Bee's Bloomin' challenge 53 the theme is 'anything goes with a twist ... add layers. Please click on the link to see the lovely crafting of the rest of the team and join in our challenge.

For my card I used Paper Pretties 'a tail of two hearts', kindly supplied by the sponsors of the challenge, colouring with spectrum noir pens. I die cut this and the other mats using Spellbinder's marvellous squares run through the eBosser. The sentiment was part of the digi download. Everything then layered on to the Congratulations sentiments paper, so that the card would be suitable for engagement, wedding or anniversary.

This is also for:

My craft creations: anything goes
The pink elephant 274: anything goes
Simon says Wednesday: anything goes
4 crafty chicks: anything goes
Sister act 81

CCAYR November 2nd card

This is my second design card for CCAYR November challenge: no patterned paper.

The background was created with some stardream card that has a sparkly finish, like a mix of blue with hints of purple. The topper and sentiment are from a Hunkydory kit. Other elements from stash.

This is also for:

The 12 months of Christmas card link up
Christmas card challenges 48: anything goes
Perfectly rustics 34: holidays - Christmas
Fab n funky 235: Christmas
Moving along with the times: winter themed
Totally Gorjuss 260: non traditional Christmas colours
My craft creations: anything goes
The pink elephant 274: anything goes
Simon says Wednesday: anything goes
4 crafty chicks: anything goes
Sister act 81

CCAYR November challenge: no patterned paper

This is my first design card for Christmas cards all year round November challenge where the theme is 'no patterned paper'. Please click on the link to see the lovely designs of the rest of the team and we would love to see you entries there.

The shimmery pearlescent card was embossed with a Craftwell embossing folder run through the eBosser, then matted on to a piece of copper mirror card and then red mirror, likewise the sentiment panel. The lovely 3D felt robin was from Hobbycraft.

This is also for:

The 12 months of Christmas card link up
Christmas card challenges 48: anything goes
Perfectly rustics 34: holidays - Christmas
Fab n funky 235: Christmas
Moving along with the times: winter themed
Time out 17: birds of a feather flock together
Crafters cafe 88: things with wings
Totally Gorjuss 260: non traditional Christmas colours
My craft creations: anything goes
The pink elephant 274: anything goes
Simon says Wednesday: anything goes
4 crafty chicks: anything goes
Sister act 81

Buckwells crafty challenge 2: use ribbon

It's the beginning of a new month and time for Buckwell crafty challenge 2 for November. This challenge is being sponsored by A Lil Digi Heaven. Please click on the challenge link to see the lovely designs of others in the team and we would love you to use some ribbon and join in.

also at  Buckwell Craft Supplies there has been a price drop on all Cutting Dies plus an extra 10% Off all the Cutting Dies in stock from the 1st to the 8th November.

For my design card I used Buckwell Craft Supplies 10 mm lilac and red ribbons and A Lil Digi Heaven's Olivia image kindly supplied by the sponsor - I coloured this with spectrum noir pens. Papers are some very DCWV ones that I've had for some years. Accordion flowers and sentiment circle from my craft supplies.

I apologise that my card for this November challenge is similar to the one I did for October, using red and purple ... in my defence, I sooooo love those colours together!

This is also for:

City crafters 235: stripes
Just inspirational: occasions
Digi choosday 42: birthdays
Crafty creations 275: brads, buttons or bows
My craft creations: anything goes
The pink elephant 274: anything goes
Simon says Wednesday: anything goes
4 crafty chicks: anything goes
Sister act 81

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper November challenge

This is a quick card I made for my Patterned Paper November challenge starting today - if you haven't discovered this challenge blog yet, please click on the link and join in the fun, using up some of your hoarded patterned paper ... or new ones if you can bear to cut them!

For this A5 card I used a piece of unknown paper from my offcuts box, a vintage piece of ephemera taken from an old pack and some Hobbycraft flowers.

This is also for:

Take a word: vintage
My craft creations: anything goes
The pink elephant 274: anything goes
Penny's 201: anything goes
Simon says Wednesday: anything goes
4 crafty chicks: anything goes
Sister act 81

CHNC challenge extra for November

This is my card for CHNC challenge extra for November - please click on the link and have a look at the lovely crafting of my team and join us with your Christmas creations - we'd love to see what you make.

For my card I used Christmas cupcakes - lights kindly supplied by Bugaboo Stamps, sponsors of the challenge. Papers and decorative strips were digitally produced from freebies from Far far hill and flowers, swirls etc from Hobbycraft.

This is also for:

The 12 months of Christmas card link up
Christmas card challenges 48: anything goes
Perfectly rustics 34: holidays - Christmas
Paperminutes 345: Christmas and red
Fab n funky 235: Christmas
The paper shelter 180: is it too early for Christmas?
Moving along with the times: winter themed
Paper pretties 334 polka dots
Catch the bug November anything goes
Digitally sweet 112: anything goes
My craft creations: anything goes
The paper nest dolls 22: anything goes
The pink elephant 274: anything goes
Digistamps4Joy 103: anything goes
Penny's 201: anything goes
Simon says Wednesday: anything goes
4 crafty chicks: anything goes
Sister act 81

WOYWW 282

I missed taking part in WOYWW for a couple of weeks because we were having our carpets taken up and laminate flooring laid instead. All my boxes had to be moved out and then back again - I didn't even do any crafting for a week.

Anyway, I am gradually getting back to normal, but it's always a tussle between organising everything and getting necessary crafting done - quite a lot of design team stuff and also I have a sale for Tearfund here on 8 November (help ... that's soon!).

So here I am for WOYWW 282 - click the link and join in the fun!

This is what's to the left of where I sit - there are some cards I made last night, seven of them - broadband was down, so I had no distractions! And some other bits for potential cards.

On the other side, some more bits and pieces that might be used on future cards - and, no, there's no chocolate in the bag, just scraps of paper.

But the 'piece de la resistance' today is what was delivered this morning - I've just assembled them:

They are to replace this, which is a bit broken in parts, but will be moved up to the summerhouse so that when I craft up there in the summer I'll be able to house a few things.

This means I'll need to empty out all the little boxes stored in this and change things around to use the drawers in the new units. I'm planning on swapping some stuff from the boxes in my other units to put in the drawers. Oh, if only there was more time and no other things to do in life!!

When everything is sorted (ha ha!!) I'll show photos of the whole room. Atm you can see glimpses of the new flooring - much more practical than the carpet.

Fan-tastic Tuesday 59: anything goes with a twist: monochrome

This is my design card for Fan-tastic Tuesday challenge 59 using Stitchy Bear whispering trees, an image kindly supplied by the sponsor. Please click on the challenge link to see the lovely crafting of the rest of the team and we would love you to join in with your monochromatic entries.

This is one of those cards that I almost wished I hadn't started, but the further I went the more I felt I should persevere - it's by no means perfect, but I tried my best! The lovely image with sentiment is Stitchy Bear's whispering trees, kindly supplied by the sponsor of Fan-tastic Tuesday 59 - I changed the colour of the black and white image into brown and white in Publisher and cut out with one of the Spellbinder marvellous square ties run through the eBosser (such an improvement to cut since I bought the additional metal adapter). Having cut a grid using my Scan n Cut when I first got it - I was just experimenting with it - more information here - having found an svg file on Birds Cards and then used Scan n Cut canvas to convert. I made life more difficult to myself than I needed to because I cut a square out of the middle of the lattice, thinking the die cut would fit into it, but it didn't quite, so I had to cover the hole with the die cut instead, which by then I'd already stuck on to the offcut of paper used for the background. With a bit of lifting at the edges I got there in the end. By this stage I was all for abandoning it and starting again, but tbh I hadn't got the heart to do so.

The corner pieces and spotted flowers were from Hobbycraft and the burlap flowers from Poundland.

This is also for:

Creative cutting 41: anything goes
Simon says Wednesday challenge: get crafty and use kraft
Eclectic ellapu October: flowers
Card and scrap 84:flowers
Crafty cardmakers 126: cut it out 
Facebook Stitchy Bear challenge: anything goes with a Stitchy Bear product
The sailing pineapple 20: newsprint/wording/sentiment/quotation
Daring cardmakers: sentimental
The pink elephant: anything goes

Commissioned 80th birthday card

I was asked to make an 80th birthday card for a lady who loves flowers, so I thought Anna Griffin supplies would fit the bill. The A5 card blank isn't Anna Griffin - bought a pack of them some time ago and still have a few remaining. The centre rose and the small one at the bottom right are decoupaged. The gold foiled sentiment label was from Craftwork cards.

I've used flash photos as I needed to hand the card over and the first two don't show the more vibrant colours of the card, whereas the third one showing the inside is more true to life.

This is for:


Eclectic ellapu October: flowers
Card and scrap 84:flowers
Craft hoarders anonymous 18: layer it - I've had all of the supplies for ages
Crafty sentiments: use a sentiment
Dragonfly dreams 10: mainly pink
Miriam's crafting 17: at least two shades of pink
Paper pretties 333: happy birthday
Totally gorjuss 259: congratulations
Anything goes with a twist 4: anything goes with a touch of pink 
One stitch at a time 222: anything goes with a butterfly
The pink elephant: anything goes
Through the craft room door: anything goes
613 avenue create 95: anything goes
Scribble and scrap 30: anything goes
My craft creations: anything goes
Sister act 80

Cheerful stamp pad challenge 98: anything goes with fall colours

This is my design card for Cheerful stamp pad challenge 98: anything goes with fall colours - please click on the link to see the lovely crafting of the rest of the team and join in the challenge.

For my design card I used the Stitchy Bear's My heart pieces 'wine barrel' image, kindly supplied by the sponsors, coloured with spectrum noir pens and die cut using one of the Spellbinder's marvellous squares, brushing with spiced marmalade distress ink before releasing from the die. This was then mounted on to gold mirror card. All papers used were from my offcuts box, flowers from Hobbycraft.

This is also for Just us girls 264 photo inspiration:

This is also for:

Pixie's snippets week 148
Facebook Stitchy Bear challenge: anything goes with a Stitchy Bear product
PumpkinSpice 88: harvest or halloween
Baffies creative 37: fall & halloween
Paper sweeties 24: happy fall
Great impressions October: autumnal elegance
Sparkles 61: fall/autumn colours
Stamping sensations October: warm autumn colours
Stamp and create October: fall/autumn
Just inspirational: fall
CCEE 1443: fall colours
CRAFT 282: autumn/halloween/thanksgiving/bonfire night
Graph it markers 41: autumn colours
Pattie's creations 102: autumn colours in your image
Craftin desert divas 43: brown & orange
Craft your passion 237: trick or treat - give me something good to eat
Simon says Monday challenge: treats
Digi choosday 42: birthdays
Paper pretties 333: happy birthday
Fitztown 59: distress using digital elements
Inky impressions 182: checkmate
Eclectic ellapu October: flowers
Card and scrap 84:flowers
The pink elephant: anything goes
613 avenue create 95: anything goes
Scribble and scrap 30: anything goes
My craft creations: anything goes
Sister act 80
DL.ART October linky