Bah! Humbug! Challenge #8

The challenge this week over on the Bah! Humbug! blog is stitching/faux stitching, well you wouldn't need a crystal ball to guess which one I would chose, I have used my Cuttlebug folder to do the zigzag stich effect on the mat the mouse is sitting on and also for the wobbly strip holding the Merry Christmas. Getting the printing in the right place on the tag was a job in itself but in the end I had a eureka momnet and used one of the ones that had gone wrong as a template to put over the printed area and bingo it worked, my brain does still function at times.

The backing paper comes from The Christmas Multi Stack by DCWV that I have recently bought from Dies to Die for I have never bought from them before but will definately do so again, the service was super and so were the prices. The mat that the mouse is sitting on is done with alochol inks and it is on glossy card, must say that the little mouse is a digi stamp but he did have a coat around him which I have cut away and he is from Dulemba which has lots of free digi stamps so worth a look, this is were the snowman came from that I used on the snowman challenge card.

I have just noticed that I have taken the photo before it was finished, the fur on the hat is now glittered but you'll have to use your imagination for that bit!

Silver Wedding Card

A card I made for a friend to give her hubby for their 25th wedding anniversary, I wasn't sure how it would go down but I am pleased to say that she liked it so that was ok.

The background is an image on one of the MCS cd's and it was originally purple and gold but as she wanted blue I had a play and managed to get this colour, the words were popped on in as near as I could get to silver and then printed. I cut the other heart from the Indie Art cartridge on the Cricut and used foam pads to adhere it, finally I sprayed it with Spray and Sparkle in silver. A fairly smiple card but I was quite leased with it in the end.

Bah! Humbug! challenge #7

Last week I didn't have my pc as it wasn't very well and thought I'd missed a week with the Bah! Humbug! challenge but the ladies had been very thoughtful and decided to have a week off while they went gadding about York, I'm wondering if York has recovered yet, lol.

Anyway this week the challenge is trees so I thought it would be a good opportunity to use one of my new digi stamps a partidge in a pear tree. I have coloured it with Promarkers, what did I do before I bought these pens? I have also chalked around the edgees to make it look a little less stark and sprayed it with the Spray and Sparkle in gold, this card is made with an A4 sheet folded in half lengthways to make a lovely tall card and I've even put an insert in.

Prima has something new very soon

Prima has something really big coming your way….

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Bah! Humbug! Challenge #6 Snowmen

I am still managing to keep up with the challenges on the Bah! Humbug! blog, this week it is snowmen and or women. I have used a free digi stamp but am so sorry but I hopped around so many I now cannot remember where I got him, when I do I will let you know.

The card is a 6 inch square and the backing papers are from the free disc that comes with the Creativity magazine by Do-Crafts this month. I have only just got my Martha Stewart punches so had to give them a go and I am well pleased with them, I got four punches from QVC when they were the TSV last week. I decided not to put a greeting on the front but tied a bit of ribbon around instead.

I do hope you like him as he could be on his way to one of you this year, you just never know!

80th Birthday Card using the Elegant Fans CD

I've been asked by a friend to make her MIL an 80th birthday card, the only stipulation was it had to have both the word mum and 80 on the front.

This is printed onto silk finish photopaper and just dressed up a bit with the panels of lace using my Martha Stewart punch and a panel of pink card with some embossed lines, it had been my intention to bling it up a bit with some gems but now it's done I don't think it needs it but you never know it may end up with a few on the edge of the fan before it goes to it's new home. The word and numbers are done using the Hippy Chick dies in the Cuttlebug and of course a lovely tassle.

Rainbow Lady's Challenge # 89 - Four Seasons

Over on Rainbow Lady's Challenge blog this week the theme is the four seasons, you could use one or all so I've chosen to be topical and go for winter. I took this photo about 12 months ago at a National trust garden, it was freezing cold but such a bright day, once I got home I played about with it in photoshop and changed the sky colours. I did have the intention of printing them in a larger format and putting them in a frame for my hallway but have never got around to it yet.

I imported these pictures into MCS and made a background which I reduced the colour on so it isn't too overpowering and once I'd matted the three pictures I put the middle one onto foam pads for a little bit of height.

Bah! Humbug! Challenge #5 Holly

The challenge this week from Bah! Humbug! is holly so I have used an image from Pink Petticoat and coloured with Promarkers, I have folded the card to make an off centre gatefold just for something a little different and have cut the word Christmas out of the Hippy Chick dies for my Cuttlebug from the same card as the panel on the other side.

I have added a bit of red ribbon to the green panel and used some self adhesive gems to add a bit of bling finished it off with some red corner peel offs which I found in the bottom of a drawer this morning.

More Wings of Hope

I have made a second card with this fabulous image, once again I have coloured with my Promarkers and used a backing paper which I have had for years, it is a page from one of the Hot off The Press books. I have finished it with a strip of gold pearl card put through the cuttlebug and a bit of ribbon added and a few Flora Doodles.

Sweet Award

I've been given an award from Claire who has a lovely blog and some fabulous creations so do go and visit her, now there are few rules so here goes:

1. Copy and Paste the award on my blog.

2. List who gave the award and link back to them.

3. List 10 things that make you happy.

4. Pass the award on to other bloggers and visit them to let them know.

O.K. first two rules are easy but I'm not 100% about the 10 things yet, will have to thimk about it so I'll come back and fill in later, I'll also have to think about who to give the award to so again I'll come back to it.

Thanks for the award Claire.

I have decided who I want to send my award on to and I have chosen two people, one is Doreen who hasn't been crafting for too long and the other is Sue

I will be back with my list of top ten things soon.

OK I now have my top ten list, first lot were easy just the last few needed thinking about.
1. David, we have been married for 16+ years and are still very happy.
2. My dogs, although sometimes even I would argue about this choice.
3. Family, don't spend a lot of time together as we are quite spread out but we are all there if needed.
4. Sunshine
5. Friends, both close and cyber as all have a place in my life.
6. Work - grateful I still have a job!
7. Holidays - nothing better than being away from everything either in the UK or abroad.
8. Crafting as this keeps me sane
9. My friends daughter a little ray of sunshine.
10. A glass of ice cold wine on a Saturday night while I relax in front of the tv.

Wings of Hope 60th Birthday Card

Firstly sorry this is not straight, it looked it when I saved it! This is made with the beautiful image Wings of Hope which is on sale here to help the victims of Haiti, it is made for a young lady's 60th birthday and I do hope she likes it.
I have used Pro Markers to colour the image, the horse is done in blossom and the stand and accessories are done in pastel green with just a hint of gold so I am entering this into the Passion for Promarkers this week as these are the required colours. The word celebrate was cut on my Cricut and the 60 was done with the cuttlebug, I have finished it off with a string of pearls around the aperture and the flowers have a little bit of pink ribbon wrapped around.

Bah! Humbug! Challenge #4

This is my card for the fourth Bah! Humbug! challenge, the baubles are printed onto acetate and layered onto gold holographic card, these are then stuck onto a piece of card covered with some glittered material I bought a few years ago at the NEC, I used a small piece when I bought it and then put it away but I think it suits this card.

I have used a pale gold pearl card as the base and coloured a gold peel off to make it match the material, finally I have used a hole punch along the bottom of the card and threaded ribbon through finishing it with a bow. I love the look of the acetate baubles so will be using this idea again but probably not with peel off's cause I don't really like them.

Crafty Ann's GD spot #3

This is my final card for Crafty Ann's guest designer spot, this time it was something metal or metallic on your card. Well I decided as this is for my niece that I would use the metal hands to hold the card in place, I have used a backing paper from a set by Crafty Ann and the pocket comes from another of her designs. Sorry I'm a bit late posting but the days are running away with me.

Fur and Feathers Rainbow Lady's challenge

Over on Rainbow Lady's challenge blog this week the theme is fur and/or feathers, I have used an image from Popcorn the Bear birthday cd and as little souffle is in the picture I qualify for both.

Bah! Humbug! Challenge #3

I can't believe I'm doing another Christmas card but here is this weeks card for the Bah! Humbug! challenge. The theme this week is glitter so no problem there after all we all love a bit of glitter. This is a tent fold card and I have used the same backing paper as the card I did last week, waste not want not and all that. The image is a digi stamp coloured with Promarkers and I have used glitter on his hat, also the tree on the bottom left is glittered. The whole thing is finished off with a red crosgrain bow, I am going to have a box just for Christmas cards and with luck come December it will be quite healthy.

Precious Petals calendar

I made myself a calendar for work using the precious petals cd from Joanna Sheen, my work mate saw it and wanted one so I made her this, the backing paper is from the newest cd In Other Words, sorry yet another grotty picture but you can get the idea. I used an A4 piece of board which I cut a strip of the end to make the stand, I used my big bite to put the eyelets in to hold the stand on and also to hold the piece of ribbon in between the stand and board so that it doesn't stretch too far and fall over. She was thrilled with it and then I had to make a third one for another friend but it was slightly different, just as pretty though.

Week #2 for the Bah Humbug challenge

This is my attempt at the 2nd challenge from Bah Humbug! I missed the first one but am determined to have a go at as many as I can and it will be very helpful at the end of the year. This time the challlenge was something new but not just for Christmas so my new thing is the Precious Petals cd and this is where the backing paper has come from.

I have scanned the card and because the snowflakes have pearls on top of them some light has come in and it looks a little blurred, must get back to taking proper photo's.

Easel type card

Just made this from the newest cd from Joanna Sheen, I was so taken with how pretty this image is that I wanted to use it straight away. Sorry it looks a bit squiffy but it is straight just my lousy photo taking. I used one of the toppers and also the patchwork toppers which do have a little of the flower in so I thought it went rather well, as you can see the two little pieces of matting on the top have some gingham on, this is just fastened at the back of the card with an extra piece tied in a knot.

Off now to try and finish my card for the Bah Humbug challenge.

Rainbow Lady's Tea Time Challenge

Over on Rainbow Lady's challenge blog this week it's tea time but at a push you can use coffee, well I'm a coffee drinker so thought these atc's would fit the bill. Once again I've scanned the images because I can't find the lead to my camera and to be honest they look a bit flat and uninteresting but they do look better in the flesh.

I'm sure you can come up with something so pop over and have a look, would love to come to your place to see what you've done.

Card for Crafty Ann's challenge

Well this is the second card done for the guest designer spot for January, the theme this time is embossing so everyone can have a go as it is something we all do in one form or another. I cut the mats out on the cricut and then embossed with the cuttlebug onto the pink card making sure I lined it up properly in the middle. The patterned backing paper is one of Crafty Ann's as is the frame with the bow that the Tilda's are sitting in. The Tilda's and frame are coloured with Promarkers, I do like these pens.

Pop over to have a look at the other design teams cards, I'm sure you'll be impressed and hopefully inspired to join in.

Mum's birthday

It's my mum's birthday soon and I need to get a card into the post but I'm feeling pretty rough so am not really in the mood for making anything. I thought I'd have a play with the new MCS cd and do something quick, the cards came with the cd and although they look ok are a little bit lightweight for me so I have used a heavy duty photo paper and also the insert is 160gsm to add a bit of body. My mum isn't a fussy lady so this kind of thing suits her more than lots of frills and ribbons, I just hope she likes it.

1st Birthday card

Not a great picture, I don't really like to use scans but it is quite dark so couldn't use the camera. It is my friends daughters 1st birthday next week so as I have quite a few January birthdays to make cards for decided to get stuck in today, this image is from Crafers Companion Popcorn cd. I imported the backing paper into MCS and had a play to change the colour not that I changed it much but I do enjoy playing.

1st card for 2010 Guest Designer for Crafty Ann

I am one of the guest desiners for Crafty Ann's Challenge blog and this is what I've come up with, the inspiration was to use something new or a new idea or technique and I decided to use my new dies from Cuttlebug.

Ann's designs are all available from her site and they are well worth a look, I have used two different backing papers and of course the squirell which I have coloured with Promarkers. The leaves are cut from silver mirri card and coloured with alcohol inks and I love the way they lift the card.

I do hope you will join in with this new challenge and I'm looking forward to coming over to your blogs to see what you all come up with.

Super Blog Candy

Just go over and have a look at the great candy available here all you need to do is leave a link from your blog and you're in with a chance. Great blog to browse too.

Merry Christmas

I just want to say a very Merry Christmas to you all, your lovely comments on my bits and pieces have been very welcome.

I look forward to the next 12 months sharing my ideas with you all, CHEERS!

New Challenge Blog

Well folks if you are anything like me then you will be grateful for this blog, it is starting in January and looks like it could be a lot of fun but with a great result at the end of the year.

I know there are a lot of challenge blogs out there but this for me is a first so hopefully I will join in with the challenges and maybe you will too?

Rainbow Lady's challenge

I have just remembered that I hadn't made OH's card so set about it this morning, Cynthia's challenge this week on Rainbow Lady's Challenge is to use a deer or a large animal so thought this fitted perfectly.

I have used an image from Joanna Sheen's Animal Antics and the backing paper is printed from Decadent Brocade cd from Artylicious

I have sprayed with the Crafter Companium spray and shine although it doesn't show up on the scan and the snowflakes are cut on the Cricut, I have used sketch idea found while blog hopping and I think it is from the Magnolia blog but not 100% sure.

12 Christmas cards

I've made 12 Christmas cards today and they are all variations on a theme, I decided that as they had to go in the post I wouldn't put ribbons etc., on them as that just bumps up the postage so they are quite plain but hopefully the fact that I have spent time colouring them in with my Promarkers will show that I haven't just thrown them together. These images are both digi images and I fell for them whilst blog hopping, the backing paper comes from the Decadent Brocade cd from Artylicious and has been sprayed with the Spray and Sparkle from Crafters Companion.

Yet more blog candy

Those generous people over at the Stamp Man are giving away more blog candy so get on over and have a look and join in.

We Three Kings

Cynthia aka Rainbow Lady likes to make her challenges a bit different at times and this time she decided that we should make a card based on a christmas carol but with an extra twist, the base card had to be black.

I didn't think I would be able to join in as I couldn't think what I had that would suit but then remembered this stamp bought a few years ago, I have stamped it with Versamark and then used the Stickum Powder and put on some of the Polished Pigments I bought very cheaply on Ebay a few weeks ago. For the background I have again used the Stickum powder and in the set I bought there is some very fine glitter so have used that on the snowflakes, not sure that snow actually goes with the desert but hey it's Christmas!

The Stamp Man Blog Candy

The Stamp Man is giving away some great blog candy and you have until December 15th to join in, so have a look and have a go it must be worth it.

Black, White and another

This is a card for the challenge over on Crafty Ann's Challenge Blog this week it's black, white and one other colour, so I have used pink to highlight the flowers.

Tag it on challenge

Over on Dragon's Dream Tag it on challenge blog this weeks challenge is to use alcohol inks with a face theme, I only thought about this one image but now I stop and think I do have something else that would do. I have used red pepper, aqua and pearl mixative then used a bit of gold to highlight, I have also used promarkers to colour the image in, finished off with some threads I got free on the very first C&C roadshow which they don't seem to do anymore.

It's good to see that Frankie is up to posting and setting challenges again, go and have a look at her blogs she does some amazing things.

Easel Card

I feel like I've been a little more productive today and have even managed to find time to make this card which I am entering into the Basic Grey Challenge which this week is glitz and bling, hopefully this little offering will fit the bill.

I have used paper from the Two Sccops range and added some crystals, glass glitter and a couple of Flora Doodles, sorry for the poor quality of the picture but the flash has reflected and it is too dark to take it without.

Crafty Ann's 1st challenge

This card is made from a free download from My Craft Studio and I have decided to use it to enter into the challenge from Crafty Ann's challenge blog. This is her brand new challenge blog and the first one is celebration, well we tend to celebrate most things but as it is so near to Christmas I thought I'd use this, pop over and have a look and if you can give her your support you'll find her here

This is the first tunnel card I've made from MCS and it went together fairly well, although you can't tell there are five layers on this one. Hope you like it.

I made this for one of the girls over on Rainbows forum, couldn't show you before but it's her birthday today so it's ok now. This is made using tapestry card and images and backing paper from the Eastern Treasures cd from Joanna Sheen, I have printed it onto linen ink jet printer paper and it gives a fantastic result, the images are so sharp and I only have a cheap printer using a ciss system. I just hope she likes it.

More Candy

How's this for some candy worth having,
pop over to Jacque's blog and see
for your self, fabulous items to look at too.

This is for a workmate who's birthday is on Wednesday, I have seen a few of these side step cards around so thought I'd give it a go.

Yet more birthdays

This is for my sister who's birthday is at the weekend so I just hope it arrives in time.

The challenge over on Rainbow lady's blog this week is anniversary so this is my entry, it is made with a picture from the Joanna Sheen cd Hollywood Vintage which has now been discontinued.

More super Candy

Well over on Bev's blog there is a fabulous array of things in her candy and you only have to link your blog on Mr Linky to be entered, what could be easier and everyone is in with an equal chance of winning so get over and make that link.

Art Deco birthday

Sorry the picture isn't straight but I guess you get the idea, I've printed the image and the backing paper onto semi gloss photopaper and matted it onto black satin mirri card.

The gold and white panel have been put the the Cuttlebug and the ribbon and flower have been coloured with rose pink promarker to tie it all together, the panel is quite large so I have made another 8" square and hopefully it works alright.

Fab blog candy!!

You have got to check out the candy available from Jak, this is such a fabulous thing to offer and just by linking from your blog and leaving a comment you have a chance of winning. Get on over and have a look, you have to be in it to win it and it's open until 29th October so lots of time left.

Halloween Swap card

Over on Rainbows forum this month the swap theme is Halloween so I have made this card, I don't know if I have a vivid imagination but the patterned background looks like it has faces in it and the fairy in the crystal ball has bats on leads. The crystal ball is glued onto folded acetate to give it a bit of movement, it was made with the My Craft Studio cd's.

I Love Promarkers Challenge

Another card for another challenge, this time it is for the I Love Pro Markers Challenge Blog we could use any colour but follow a sketch. This time I have done something a little different for me as I don't do many cards for boys, I have used a freebie image and it was from Tales From Pollycraft

They do a Friday Freebie and Feathers the Dragon was one of them a few weeks ago, I just couldn't resist him.

One card , two challenges

This is my entry for the Passion for Promarkers and The Pink Elephant challenges, I don't know what has come over me but I seem to be on a roll and while I'm in the mood I'll just carry on.

The Passion for Promarkers challenge is any colours and polka dots and the Pink Elephant is a sketch challenge so hopefully I've fullfilled the criteria for both of them.

I think this is my last for today but you never know I may still have time for one more before I go out for my tea.

Another 8 inch square

This size of card seems really popular at the moment and as this is for a lady of 83 it is ideal, so much easier to see. You can't tell from the picture but I have decoupaged some of the flowers on the panel and then sprayed with gold glitter, the flowery paper is also sprayed with the glitter. I have put a panel of the paper on the back and a small version of the topper, I think it finishes it off well.

Another challenge!

I needed a card for a friends mum and usually she get the traditional type so thought a cutie would be a nice change for her, I can also enter this into the Sketch and Stash challenge as I have used my new cd Popcorn the Bear which I got at a bargain price from that well known auction site. You should go and have a look at the challenge and some of the DT cards as they are stunning.

A Paper Gerbera

Just for a bit of fun I made this flower yesterday and am quite pleased with how it turned out, what do you think?

I've completed a challenge!

I'm very bad about joining in with challenges but Rainbow Lady's this week was to include an owl, well it would be rude not too as they are such wonderful creatures.

I did make a start on one cut with the Cricut but it didn't work quite as well as I wanted, I cut the design a little bit too large, so have used an image from JNM cd from Joanna Sheen. I have decoupaged the owl but it doesn't really show and I printed onto linen inkjet paper and it is so sharp and I think I'll have to buy some more as I have used quite a bit already.

Do pop over and have a look and see if you can join in too, the more the merrier.

A congratulations on passing exams card

I was asked to make a card for a young girl who had done well in her GCSE's so this is what I've come up with, I've used Basic Grey papers which I didn't want to cut up but as I bought two packs the same managed ok :) The image is from Charmed Card and Crafts and the sentiment is a free download from them.

I used my Cricut to cut the flowers and the colouring is done with Promarkers. I just hope she likes it!

Wedding card

My friends daughter gets married soon and she wanted a bookatrix card as she thought it would be unusual but her daughter is a teacher and as she was finishing for the summer holidays someone gave her a card almost the same as the one that was ordered so I have come up with this one for something a little different.

I have used the My Craft Studio for the images and as the wedding colours are cream and brown left the images as they were, I made four panels the same and stamped on the front one and added some small pearls and flowersoft, the other outer panels were left plain except for the flowersoft and a little glitter. I added the names and details to the one for the inside and the other two panels with the arches on are actually cards with verses in. I then stamped the bride with versafine and coloured with Pro-Markers, this stamp is one from Joanna Sheen but I had to trim some of the train off otherwise it would have been too wide. The ribbon has been sitting in my craft room for 12 months and it was rescued from a box of chocolates bought by an ex workmate when he was leaving the company.

I did decorate the top of the box but forgot to photograph it as I was in a hurry. I just hope the bride likes it.