Let it snow... just not yet !!

Now that we're in November, I need to step up my Christmas card making - here's one I made for a good friend,  I know she will appreciate the non-traditional style.

 I used the gorgeous 'First Snow' digi stamp from Sassy Studio Designs   coloured with Copics. I 3D'd the girl and coloured the background in with a pale green Copic and some stickles glitter. The green doesn't show up too well on the photo!!

Challenges
Sketch Saturday - Fab sketch this week and the chance to win some gorgeous Christmas stamps courtesy of The Craft Barn.
Die Cut Dreams Christmas Club - Use a Christmas digi image, with the prize on offer being 5 digi stamps from Prairie Fairy Designs.
Top Tip Tuesday - Create a 'Christmas Inspired' card or project or leave a top tip and check out Carol's great tutorial on how to stamp on candles.

DP - Memory Box a mix of 'Misteltoe' and 'Spiceberry'.       Fa La La stamp is Catslife Press.
'Let it snow' is a little button - I just snipped off the back.
Card candy and ribbon from my stash.

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Baby It's Cold Outside !!

Just a quick post today - it's already taken me half an hour to try and upload these pictures!!
I even tried to do it from Picasa Web Albums, but that was all gobbledygook to me.

Here's another Christmas card to add to the pile... not very traditional, but I think it's kind of cute.

Challenges I am entering...

Sketch Saturday - Fab sketch chosen by Paula
Cupcake Craft - Happy Hour - with all Faye's talk about a tipsy hot choklit I NEED one now!!
Crafty Emma's Store - Get Ahead, Get A Hat - Do you wear hats? I love them.
I have my eye on one of those woolly ones with ear flaps and dangly bits...
hubby says I can have one.. it will be dark out in the winter, so no-one will see me !!!

:-)

 

This fabulous digital stamp is from Sassy Studio Designs, coloured with Copics and a glitter pen.
Design Paper is K & Co, Peppermint Twist.
Raffia lace from Bunny Zoe's Crafts

Snowflake cut with Slice (Fa La La) covered with Diamond Dust and with a brad in the centre.
Sentiment from Craftwork Cards.

Ribbon and adhesive pearls from my stash.

********************************

Glitter Reindeer

I have been a terrible blogger recently, but in my defense, I have had a new toy to play with. I got a

Making Memories Slice machine for my birthday  :-)

So I have been playing at cutting out shapes and getting used to the machine. I already know I am going to LOVE it!

Here is my first card using it. It's a little bit different to my usual style, mainly because I used no stamping,

but the more I look at it, the more it's growing on me...lol**

My Slice machine cut the reindeer, the large snowflakes and the small tags.
I covered the reindeer with Diamond Dust, and I used a punch for the centre of the snowflakes,
then added a pearl and some stickles glitter.

I would like to enter for the following challenges 

Sketch Saturday - Jeanette's Sketch. (Now I have looked at the sketch again, I have missed out the strip across the middle, so just delete me if I don't qualify to enter!)
A Spoon Full of Sugar - 'Animal Crackers'.

Making Memories Slice - 'Fa La La' Design Card
Xcut Snowflake Embossing Punch
Design Paper - My Mind's Eye, Signature Christmas
Stickles glitter, Diamon Dust and Adhesive Pearls

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Back to School

I used to love the summer hols when my girls were younger -

having them at home
and making up lots of fun things to do.
I know it's not everyone's idea of bliss though -
so hang on in there if you are starting to feel frazzled -
only another 4 weeks to go... lol**

The thing I like about challenges, is that they make you try something different
and push you out of your comfort zone.

This card certainly did that, I'm not really sure about using the bright colours,

but that was the challenge over at Allsorts

'Red, Blue & Yellow'

I also used the great sketch by Emma at
Sketch Saturday
and followed Stampin' for the Weekend's

'Back to School' challenge.

I used this cute Digital Delights stamp of the school bus.

I wanted to make the characters look like they were sat in the bus,
so I cut out an extra bus layer and used foam pads to 3D it.

Stamp - Digital Delights School Bus & Sentiment, coloured with Copics.

Design Paper - Papermania Basics - Vibrant.

Buttons from my stash.

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Is it really summer?

Due to the vagaries of the great British summer,
I had to have ALL the lights on in my kitchen this morning!
So, I thought I would drag the camera outdoors...
and try and find some natural light.
I'm pretty pleased with the result,
the colours actually look like they do in 'real life'.
Maybe I will be an outdoors girl from now on!!

I would like to enter my card for a couple of challenges -
Sketch Saturday, where I have followed their great sketch
and Cupcake Craft, where the theme is
'Cats & Dogs'.

Congrats to
Faye of Stampin Fluffnstuff
who will be the new owner of Cupcake Crafts
from the beginning of August.

Stamp - High Hopes Heidi & Madison, coloured with Copics.
Design Paper - Basic Grey, Max & Whiskers.
Text - Craftwork Cards
Sizzix corner die, covered with glitter glue.
Buttons from my stash.

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Animal Thank Yous

Sorry about the Bank Holiday weather guys. I think the rain is my fault - I bought a new BBQ last week!!!
Never mind.. we have had a film day and I have even managed to get some crafting done.
When my daughter saw the little Anya Thankyous ( previous post ) she wanted a set, but she asked for animals. She looked through my stamps and chose this cute little giraffe and sweet elephant.
I made the cards with my largest, scalloped, rectangle nestie and made a little envelope decorated with a strip of design paper.
The box for the cards is a little pizza box. You can see Bev's great tutorial for one here
I did have to alter the dimensions for mine, as I used rectangle cards, as opposed to Bev's squares. It's easy to change, but if it helps, my measurements were the same as for my Anya box.

I am going to enter this little set into 2 challenges..
1. Allsorts Challenge, where the theme is 'Animals' and
2. Sketch Saturday, where I have rotated Maya's sketch and used it on the lid of my Pizza Box.

Recipe :
Elephant Stamp - from the Simon Says Stamp, Elephant Love Set.
Giraffe Stamp - from Woodware, Clear Magic, Jungle Pals set.
coloured with Copics.
Design Paper DCWV, Nana'a Nursey, Baby Boy
Peel off 'Thank you'

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Cupcake Mouse

Hope you all got chance to spend some time with your
loved ones, over the Valentine's weekend.
We had a lovely day, despite me managing to cut my finger
whilst preparing the dinner.
Ouch!!!
So, I am working one handed today!!

This is my entry for Sketch Saturday.
I used this cute stamp from Tina Wenke, coloured with Copics,
and with little, seed beads sewn onto the cupcake.
I also added some Glossy Accents to the balloons, ladybird and streamers.
For the embellies I used die cut balloons, again
covered with Glossy Accents.

Design Paper -
Parcels - Forever Friends, Party Time
Spots - Papermania, Sweet Nothings
Sentiment from Craftwork Cards

xxx

Sketch Saturday - Pets

Morning everyone.

Never mind what happened to the weekend,

what happened to September??

I blinked and it was gone.

My card is for this week's
Sketch Saturday challenge.

It's a fabulous sketch by Ria and the theme is 'Pets'.
We are pet mad here - I would love more animals,
but right now we just have Suzie (our Westie )

a hamster and two tankfulls of fish.

You don't want to miss out on this challenge,
because there are 2 fab sponsors this week -

Pollycraft and KreaTeja.
Check out the blog for some great inspiration from the DT

Recipe:
Stamp - Magnolia, Tilda with Puppy,
coloured with copics.
I messed up with the highlighter pen on her hair -
poor Tilda looks like she has eyebrows there now!

I never quite know where to add those accents.
Design Paper - Papermania, Sweet Nothings.
Blooms sprayed with Glimmer Mist, Tattered Rose.
Dew drops and ribbon from my stash.

Card candy and sentiment from Craftwork Cards.
xxx

Glitter Milly

Afternoon everyone,
hope you are all enjoying a relaxing weekend.

They fly by all too quickly, don't they?
I am in a good mood today,
hubby wallpapered the front room yesterday
and amazingly, the paper was still on the walls this morning!

I am cracking on with my Christmas cards
and this one is for the challenge over at

Sketch Saturday.
I just flipped the sketch to make it work for my image.

This week's sponsors are The Craft Barn
who have a great selection of crafting goodies.
They are nominated for the
Best Independent store in the south of England,
in the 2009 craft awards
and if you'd like to support them you can vote here

Recipe:
Stamp - Pink Gem, Winter Milly,
coloured with Copics and lots of stickles glitter!
Design Paper - K & Co, Peppermint Twist
Card candy and sentiment from Craftwork Cards.
xxx

25th Anniversary

Here's a card I have made for a friend's

25th Wedding Anniversary.
I have followed a lovely sketch over at
Sketch Saturday,
just tipped it on it's side.

Pop over there and have a look at the great DT work,

and don't miss the chance to win some fab goodies from
this week's sponsor,
Nikki Fairbairn at Bunny Zoe's Crafts

I thought there was something missing from this card,
so after the photo I ended up adding
some sticky pearls to the top right.

The stamps are coloured with Promarkers -

but without a blending pen for them

it's difficult to get the shading right.

I am also not convinced about the distressing on the white card.

I have used Tim Holtz Distress Ink,

but I haven't got the hang of the technique yet.

Moan, moan, moan... lol**

Recipe:

Stamps - Whiff Of Joy
Design Paper - K & Co, Classic

Blooms were punched from the paper
and I added some stickles glitter to them.

Pearl brad and heart charm from the Hobby House.

xxx

Bat Girl!

Here's card No2 of the day,

and it's the first outing for my new

Pink Gem stamp,

Mimi & Pumpkin.

I am entering my card for this week's
Sketch Saturday

Please check out the blog.
It always amazes me that from one sketch,
you can see so many varied and wonderful cards.

Recipe:
Stamp - Pink Gem, Mimi & Pumpkin,
coloured with whispers pens.
Design Paper - Doodlebug design inc.
The bat template was a download from Martha Stewart
If you follow the link there are some other great
Halloween templates there.
The sentiment was made up on my comp.
xxx

*************************************************************************

Make a Wish

Evening everyone,
hope you have all had a lovely weekend.
I have had a full house and we have just had the
most wonderful slow cooked lamb,
thanks to my new Nigella recipe book.
Delicious!

Here's a card that I finished this morning.
I followed the wonderful sketch over at

Sketch Saturday
I definitely did not want to miss out on the chance to win
a £15 voucher from

Bunny Zoes Crafts.

She has a fab selection of goodies in her online shop.

I admit a made a boo boo with this card.

I was going to turn the ribbon under the pink card,
but I got carried away on my sewing machine and
stitched the card down before I realised.

Recipe:
Stamp - Penny Black coloured with whispers pens
and stickles glitter.
Design Paper - DCWV Nana's Nursery Baby Girl
Border is made with a Fiskars lace punch

The flowers were punched from the DP
and I added some stickles glitter to them.

Heart charm is from the Hobby House
Sentiment from Craftwork Cards
xxx

Christmas Production Line

I tried something a little different today
and took inspiration from the hugely talented Michelle Wooderson
and her 'mass production' idea.
Pop on over to Michelle's blog, Mish Mash and have a look around.
I promise you, you won't be disappointed.
She has loads of fabulous ideas.

I went with this week's great sketch at
Sketch Saturday
I stamped and cut all the pieces I would need,
and punched and glittered the snowflakes.

I coloured all the stamps,
making 2 Millys pink and 2 green.
Then I began to assemble the pieces - like a little production line.

Recipe:
Stamp - Pink Gem Designs - Milly on Reindeer,
coloured with whispers pens and sprinkled with Diamond Dust.
Design Paper - K & Co, Peppermint Twist
Snowflakes were punched and covered withDiamond Dust.
Sentiment from Craftwork Cards.
Ribbon from my Stash.

Birthday Monkey

Afternoon everyone,

hope you are all enjoying the weekend.

I have a full house today, so this is just a quick post before I
start to cook a lovely roast dinner.

This is my entry for Sketch Saturday.

This is a fab sketch and the DT have made a wonderful selection
of cards to give you inspiration.
This week's sponsors are Simon Says Stamp
with a generous $25 gift certificate.

Recipe:
Stamp - Digital stamp from Dustin Pike,
coloured with whispers pens

Design Paper - DCWV Nana's Nursery, Baby Boy
Card candy and sentiment from Craftwork Cards
Dragonfly brad from Doodlebug Design Inc.

xxx

Have a great day.

Afternoon everyone..

hope you are all enjoying some of this lovely sunshine.

I have to say you probably have me to thank for it -
after the cold, wet week we have had, I decided to cook a nice warming,

beef casserole..... !!!!!

Guaranteed to bring the sun out.
lol*

Here is my card for this weeks
Sketch Saturday.
It's a great sketch and lovely to see all
the fab DT work.

Check out the fantastic prize too...
a choice of 3 downloads from

The Cutting Cafe.

Recipe: Stamp from Papermania, Stamping for him,
coloured with whispers pens.

I paper pieced the little golf bag and it looks so effective -

definitely going to try and use this techinique more.

Papers: Dovecraft, Masculine

xxx

Eat cake all day!!

I am craving cake today,
and all I have in the house are cereal bars and fruit bakes!!
I will have to content myself with making
paper cupcakes.. lol*

This is my entry for this week's
Sketch Saturday,
with the fab prize of a $25 gift certificate
for Simon Says Stamp.

Recipe:
The cupcake was made with a stencil I got free
in a cardmaking magazine.
Design Papers are K& Co Classic
Swirl is made with a sizzix die.

Card candy from Craftwork cards.

The lace was my bargain of the week -
I popped into my local button shop yesterday
and they were selling big bags of offcut lace for only £5
xxx

Cute, cute, cute!

Here's my 3rd and last card of the day.
I have to pack up my craft things now,
as the family are screaming to be fed..

lol*

This is my entry for the great sketch over at Sketch Saturday.
There are some wonderful goodies up for grabs this week,
donated by Clare of Thread-bare.

How adorable are these design papers?

They are Die Cuts With a View - Nana's Nursery.

The challenge for me was sticking to the sketch, but not covering up
the gorgeous paper too much.
You can't really tell from the photo, but
the paper is glittered, which makes it even cuter.

The stamp is from the Penny Black - Critter Party set,
coloured with whispers pens.

Sketch Saturday #43

Here's my entry for Sketch Saturday.

It's a great sketch this week and it has given me chance to
have a play with another of my new Magnolia stamps.
This is Tilda with puppy.

This card is for my daughter's birthday,

so I am really pleased with how cute it turned out. The stamp was coloured in with whispers pens,
design paper is Papermania - Sweet Nothings

and blooms are from Poppicrafts

xxx