Snowmen melt my heart

Does anyone go caroling anymore?

I remember going door to door as a kid

and being caught out, when people actually wanted us to sing!!!

I think we only knew rude words to most carols. Ha ha!

Here's a cute group of caroling snowmen.

 I went with bold, traditional colours so that my snowmen would stand out - 

a touch of bling and a strip of ribbon.

I have struggled with sentiments this year - making do with what I have.

This one had to be masked off, in order to print it in a line.

I've promised myself a whole new set for next year's cards :-)

 

Challenges.

Stamping Sensations - Free & Easy

My Mum's Craft Shop - Winter/Christmas

Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes (Optional CAS)

Sentimental Sundays - Traditional Christmas Colours.

Digi Stamp 'Caroling Snowmen' from Meljen, coloured with Copics and Glamour Dust.

Sequins, Gems & Ribbon.

Sentiment Stamp, Wld Rose Studio Set 'Pickle with Tipple'.

 

Snow Much Fun

FUN!!! I don't think so.

Who chose ACETATE as our Totally Papercrafts challenge this week?

I am going to blame our original host Mel - 'cos her comp is out of action and she can't get me back ;-)

I can't wait to see your cards/projects this week.

And, if you're like me, and don't know what to do with acetate, just give it a try.

I followed this fab shaker card tutorial from Beate Johns at Splitcoaststampers. You don't even need to rush out and buy crafting acetate - I used a piece of old packaging.

Our sponsor this week is Meljen and the lucky winner will get to choose 4 of her fabulous images. I used her cute snowman - normally it's sharper than this, but my printer is just about to die and is only printing out in pale purple!!

Challenges - 

Meljen - Use a ribbon. (I know it's just a little piece of ribbon, but hope it qualifies! )

Wild Rose Studios - Christmas Card/Creation and a Blog Hop.

Supplies -
Meljen's Snowman digi image, coloured with Copics and Stickles.
The 'snow' in the shaker is Diamond Dust.
DP - Hot off the Press, Forever Christmas
North Pole stamp was a magazine freebie.
Buttons from my stash

If it's no fat, no sugar, no dairy... throw it out, it's no good!!

No surprises for what my specialist subject is, 

over at Totally Papercrafts today...

Food & Drink

We'd like to see food and drink related cards. 

At this time of year, I am on the look out for Christmas ideas too - so maybe you have a cute/clever idea for some food/drink packaging that you would like to share with us ;-)

We were given some fab images from this week's sponsor Meljen,  and I chose this Topsy Turvy Cake. 
Isn't it fab - I could definitely have a good go at eating my way through that!

Well, the cake just HAD to be chocolate and vanilla, didn't it? 
So that's what I based my card around.
 

I coloured it with Copics and used Glossy Accents on the 'icing'.
I used quite a lot of gloss so IRL the 'icing' is a nice thick layer.

There's also a dab of gloss on the flames, that the camera doesn't pick 

up very well.

Challenges

Divas by Design - Birthdays

Spoon Full of Sugar - Happy Birthday

Meljen's Designs - Use Black



Supplies -
Meljen's Digi - Topsy Turvy Cake.       Copics/Glossy Accents.
DP - GCD Studios Ella Blue                 Martha Stewart Doily Punch
Adhesive Pearls                                    Craftwork Cards Sentiment
Ribbon from my stash.
6 x 6 Card Blank from Crafty Emma's Store.

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Christmas in July

Do you know, that if you make one Christmas card a week from now on, you will have 23 cards by Christmas. Doesn't sound a lot does it?

So, if you want to get a head start,  why don't you join our challenge at CES this week, where the theme is

Christmas in July

This Gruffy Little Gnome, from Meljen, was a big hit last year, so it seemed like a good image to start with.

He is coloured with Copics and paper-pieced. Somehow, I even managed to get the snowflake design to be right on the front of his jumper. Go me :-)

The DPs are Dovecraft 'let it snow' - available from Crafty Emma's Store. They have either a glitter effect, or a co-ordinating coloured background and they are quite thick papers, so they would be great for 3D projects.

 Don't forget, if you join in the challenge you could win a £10 voucher to spend in Crafty Emma's, and besides lots of goodies she has some gorgeous papers available to pre-order.

Challenges.
Stamp Something - Christmas in July
Creative Inspirations - No Flowers Allowed


Supplies.

6 x 6 Card Blank from Crafty Emma's

Ticket made on my comp and punched with McGills Ticket Punch.

Bah Humbug made on my comp.

Xcut Punched snowflakes covered with Diamond Dust

Pearls from Crafty Emma's - Don't forget you can use Copics to colour your pearls to match your card.

Beach Bum in Training

Our sun worshipper Sue, has chosen 

At The Beach

as this week's Totally Papercrafts Challenge.

So think sand castles, boats, surfer dudes and beach huts!

Our sponsor this week is Meljen, and I have used her cute

Beach Bum Baby  on my card.
DP is Websters Pages, Spring/Yacht/ Country, available at Crafty Emma's.

I made the little lifebelt using a couple of nesties and following

this tutorial.

I just added some extra red card to mine!















Challenges -  
Creative Inspirations - To the Seaside
Ladybug Crafts - Summer Birthdays
Secret Crafter -  Here comes Summer

Here comes summer

 Flip-flops, picnics, ice-cream, a jug (or two!) of Pimms, Wimbledon on the telly...

what does summer mean to you?

At Totally Papercrafts this week, our host is the lovely Sarah and

we want to see your SUMMER themed cards and projects.

Our sponsor is Meljen's Designs, who generously let the DT have some images to play with.

I chose this  double scoop ice-cream. 

I paper-pieced the ice-creams and embossed them with a little dots folder that came free with a magazine. 

Can you spot my deliberate mistake?? 

This is only the second time I have embossed and I didn't realise it mattered which way up you had the folder,

so my strawberry ice-cream has negative dots!!!

Challenges

ABC Challenge - W is for Wish.  

Simon Says Stamp - Let's Get fruity - Photo Inspiration

Party Time Tuesdays - Summer Birthday Cards/Projects

Meljen's - Pink and Pearls

Supplies

Digi Stamp from Meljen

DP - Prima Sweet Fairy

Sweet Wishes - WOJ Stamp

Totally Papercrafts #63 Wedding

Just a quick post from me today, got lots to do for the Easter weekend -
menus to plan, chocolate to buy, cakes to make!! :D))

This week's challenge over at Totally Papercrafts, is hosted by the lovely Joey, and the theme is 

WEDDINGS

 

Whimsy Stamps are this week's sponsors and I used the  'Sweet Wedding Cake' from Meljen's Designs  -  paper pieced with Pink Petticoat digi papers.

I punched a few blooms from the same papers and used pearls in the centre.

I kept it very simple and just added the ribbon and slider ( these sliders are available at Crafty Emma's Store).

Hope you all have a lovely Easter weekend

xxx

Totally Papercrafts - Sketch

Morning everyone... in this corner of Yorkshire I think Spring has finally arrived, and we have had a lovely couple of days. It almost made me want to do some gardening!!

The lovely Lols is our host at Totally Papercrafts this week and we have a sketch for you to follow - cleverly designed by our teamie, Sue.

 We are sponsored by Melissa at Meljen's Designs, who generously sent the DT some fabulous images to use. I chose this cute garden bird house stamp.
I layered up the house and birds using foam pads, and coloured with Copics.

Digi Stamp -  Garden Bird House from Meljen's Designs.

DP - Papermania, Birdsong Sentiment - Papermania  Scrolls & Sentiments Stamps  Organza ribbon and buttons from my stash.

Totally Papercrafts #57 Shaped Cards

We have a great challenge for you at Totally Papercrafts this week - we want you to get your thinking caps on and create a  

SHAPED CARD.

Yes... we know that rectangles and squares are shapes, but we'd like to see something a little different. Surprise us! :D)
If you want some inspiration, check out the fab work of my teamies over on the blog.

For my card I used the 'Lovely Little Apron' image from this week's sponsor - Meljen's Designs.
I increased the size of the apron to  175% and printed it onto my DP, (Gcd Studios, Tea Time) then attached it to a top fold card and cut around the shape.
I printed out the pocket and attached that with foam pads. I was going to put a slim sachet of Options turkish delight hot chocolate inside, but it just wouldn't fit, so I stamped a Happy Birthday tag and put that in instead!!!
It was easy to gather the lace up with a simple running stitch and then it was sewn in place.
Finally I added some ribbon and a bow, and the adhesive, pink pearls.


Challenges - 
Cupcake Craft - Pink Polka Dots (hope there's enough on the ribbon)
Fab 'n' Funky - Make It Girly
Simon Says - Anything Goes
ABC Challenge - P is for Pearls

Totally Papercrafts #53 Clean and Simple

 HUGE thanks to everyone who entered the Totally Papercrafts 1st Anniversary challenge last week. We had some amazing cards. There were lots of prizes up for grabs too, so check out the blog to see if you are a lucky winner.

Ok, I admit, I let out a groan (and I wasn't the only one!)  when I saw that Anne had chosen Clean and Simple, for this week's challenge - but, my fabulous teamies did an awesome job!   I hope you will join in, even if, like me, you have trouble stepping away from the embellies :o)

Our sponsor this week is Meljen's Designs, and the lucky winner will get to choose 4 of her wonderful digi images.

I used Meljen's 'Hope Ribbon', coloured with Copics -
and added the bow and heart button. Then, I just couldn't stop myself and I had to add the butterfly too... :-))

Challenges - 
Papertake - Have a Heart
Do You Stack Up? - Ribbon

Totally Papercrafts #49 Happy Birthday

Hello everyone, my teamie Lols has chosen a nice easy theme for you at Totally Papercrafts this week...

Happy Birthday

A great excuse to get a head start on your stack of birthday cards. This year the fabulous Meljen's Designs will be sponsoring us once a month, starting with this challenge, and the lucky winner will get to choose 4 digi images.

Are you one of those crazy people who sends cards to your pets???? This year Suzie had her own little pile of presents under the tree, so I thought.. why not a birthday card!!!   I know....   I need to get out more!!!   ;-)

I used the cute Bulldog's Bear digi, from Meljen's Designs - coloured with Copics and 3D'd. I kept the design of the card pretty simple, to show off the gorgeous Basic Grey, Max and Whispers DP.

For the pooch in your life I added some doggy treats, tied on with string - and the little bone and 'I love dogs' embellies are buttons.

Bah Humbug !!!

Can you believe there are people out there that actually don't like Christmas!!! And my brother is one of them, so when I saw this image I knew it would be perfect for his card. :-)

This cute 'gruffy little gnome' is from Meljen's designs, and is coloured with Copics.

I made the little 'Bah Humbug' tag on my comp - if anyone would like it, it's on my side bar (just right click on it and save it to your comp).

 Challenges

Papertake - A fab sketch by Dawny, with the chance to win a WOY Christmas stamp.

A Spoon Full Of Sugar - Sonja would like to see 'Snow/Snowflakes' and Bunny Zoe's Crafts is this week's sponsor.

Top Tip Tuesday - Use any image or sentiment. Check out the fab tutorial from Dawn, on how to get started with Copics

Meljen's DT and Challenge - Just got time to get my entry in for their '3 different shapes' challenge. Mine are the rectangles, the circles of the card candy and the snowflakes.

Stamp - Meljen's Designs, Gruffy Little Gnome        DP - Dovecraft, Christmas Fancy
XCut punched snowflakes.

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Andele! Andele! Arriba! Arriba!

Doesn't this cute guy remind you of  Speedy Gonzalez ? I loved that cartoon. This is actually Speedy's distant cousin... Chili Chihuahua from Meljen's Designs.
Instead of giving my girls sweeties this Halloween, I thought I would make them a Take-Away in a Box, and since Mexican food is one of their favs... that's what I went with.

The box came from my daughter's b/f  ( he got a birthday present in it ). I think he was a bit bemused when there was almost a punch up to see who got the box that he was just about to throw in the bin!!!
I filled it with some Tortillas, Guacamole, Salsa, Sour Cream, Enchilada Sauce, Cheese and even managed to squeeze some vegetables in there! All they will need to add is the meat.

I would like to enter for the following challenges...
Colour Create - 'Purple, Aqua and White'
The Wild Flower Patch - 'Twine'
Meljen's Designs - 'Anything Goes'
Stamp Something - 'Digi Day'
Craftalicious - 'Anything Goes'

 To decorate the lid of the box I used Papermania Capsule Collection, Aqua, design paper. The cute Chihuahua is by Meljen at Whimsy Stamps , and was coloured with Copics and stickles glitter.
The stars were cut on my Slice machine ( Fa La La Design Card ).  'Handmade' stamp is by Catslife Press.
Twine and buttons from my stash and I made the 'Mexican Take-Away' text on my comp.

Here's a close up of the twine and the 'Handmade' Stamp. Can you believe I actually practiced writing 'Mum' before I added it to this stamp? My writing is terrible!