Happy New Year

Wishing all my blogging friends all the best for 2012. Many thanks for all the help and support you've given me since I started my blog.

Carol x

Christmas Challenges (with sketches) Blog Hop Candy Winner

Many thanks to all those who joined in our first blog hop and special thanks to those who entered the challenge too. I have drawn one winner from all those who commented on my blog hop post using Random Org.

winning no 32

Lizy

Congratulations Lizy if you send me your details I'll get your ribbons in the post asap.

Carol x

Christmas Challenges (with sketches) Blog Hop

A quick reminder you only have until 5pm GMT to enter in the blog hop and optional sketch challenge. Each of the participating DT have a prize for one random commenter and there will be one random winner from the sketch challenge. My prize is a bag of gorgeous ribbons.

If you want to make a headstart on next years Christmas cards (or have any other winter themed project to make) you can join in our fortnightly challenges, you'll find the current one featuring a sketch designed by me here. You have until January 1st to upload your projects.

Carol x

Crafting for all Seasons #17 Fairies

Can't quite believe that's Christmas all over for another year, hope everyone had a good one. It's time for a new challenge at CFAS and the theme this week is Fairies. We're being sponsored by Whoopsi Daisy and The Stamping Boutique and the DT were given images to work with, I've used a Whoopsi Daisy image from sheet #264.

A very CAS card, the image is coloured with promarkers and highlighted with stickles then cut out with a nestie beaded oval die. Ribbon is tied around base card into a bow with a button added (both from stash). Sentiment is computer generated.

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see the inspiration from my team mates.

Challenges entered:

Daisy Doodles Creative - birthday, buttons and bows

Kaboodle Doodles - angels/fairies

Less is More - just one word

Shopping our Stash - use ribbon. twine or rik rack

I Love Promarkers - anything goes

Carol x

Blog Candy

Hazel has this gorgeous blog candy up for grabs on her Christmas Challenge blog. It's open until 10pm on the 6th January, so pop over and join in.

Carol x

Merry Christmas

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas, hope your day is wonderful however you are spending it.

Many thanks to all my friends and followers for the wonderful comments you continue to leave me, you've made my jaunt into blogging this year very enjoyable.

Hugs to all. Carol xx

Christmas Challenges (with sketches) Blog Hop

Hi and welcome to the the first Christmas Challenges {with sketches} blog hop! If you came here from Sandra's blog, you are on the right track. If not please start at Christmas Challenges {with sketches}, because you don't want to miss anything! There is a list at the CCWS Blog if you get lost! 

We have a new sketch by Janneke, especially for the blog hop. Each of the Design Team are giving a prize to a random commenter on their blog so be sure to call around to see everyone.


Managed to up-cycle a bag today so here it is:

Backing papers are all Papermania, image is a pre-coloured digi from The Paper Shelter, finished with a snowflake ornament off the Christmas tree and a recycled bow and berries arrangement.

Thank you for joining us in this bloghop, and don't forget to join us at our Bloghop sketch Challenge. You could win a lovely stamp . You can upload your card on the CCWS Blog until December 29th 18:00 PM (Dutch time) and you can find the winner on the blog the day after. When you leave a comment here too, you can win a bag of gorgeous ribbons and I will announce the winner on December 30th here on my blog. 

Now it's time to hop on over to Karin to see what wonderful creation she's made for your inspiration.


Challenges entered:
Karen's Doodles - spots and stripes
Ooh La La Creations - anything but a card
Paper Pretties - red, white + ? (green)
Bearly Mine - anything goes
Papertake Weekly - anything Christmas
Crafty Purple Frog - Happy Christmas
Crimbo Crackers - snowflakes
Digi Doodles Best - anything goes
DYSU - stripes
Pixie Dust Studio - 3 DP's
Delicious Doodles - anything goes
Stampin for the Weekend - anything goes
Stampin with the Dragon - let it snow




I'd like to take this opportunity to wish all my friends in blogland a very Merry Christmas and hope that Santa leaves lots of crafty goodies in your stockings.

Carol x

Aud Sentiments #44 Anything Goes

Our final challenge for the year at Aud Sentiments is "Anything Goes". We're being sponsored by Sassy Cheryl's and TLC, I've opted to use the sentiment from TLC for my card.

I decided to get ahead with my January birthday cards and as I have two football mad nephews with birthdays next month I thought this was very appropriate for one of them (especially as they both support Newcastle United!).

Border die from Spellbinders Edgeability set. Sentiment is matted onto black card and mounted with foam pads over black ribbon. Card is finished with a bow and button.

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see some more inspiration.

Challenges entered:

Glitter Geeks - anything goes

Less is More - music

Paper Sundaes - celebrate

Sparkles Forum - anything but Christmas

Really Reasonable Ribbon - anything goes plus ribbon

Carol x

Christmas Challenges (with sketches) #16

I hope no one else is feeling as frazzled as me - remind me never to do work on the house within six months of Christmas ever again!! It's time for a new challenge at CCWS and this time it was my turn to design the sketch. The sketch is a fairly simple one which can be embellished or not as you please. We're being sponsored by Whiff of Joy. I've struggled to make my card as my craft stuff has had to be deposited back into my newly refurbished craft room in boxes in order to organise the sitting room for Christmas! Luckily I found this image in the bit box!

Stamp from Joanna Sheen, stamped and embossed with white detail EP. Backing paper is from my stash. Snowflake punch from Martha Stewart. Finished with some ribbon, snowflake waste, sentiment and some gems.

Do pop over to the challenge blog to view the sketch for yourself and see the other girls' interpretations.

Challenges entered:

The Crazy Challenge - Christmas

My Time to Craft - winter pals

Party Time Tuesdays - use ribbon

Top Tip Tuesday - anything Christmas

Try it on Tuesday - anything goes

Inky Impressions - winter fun

Craft us Crazy - Christmas or humorous

Delightful Challenges - anything goes

DYSU - winter

Meljens - no rectangles

Shelly's Images - anything goes

Fussy and Fancy - monochromatic and sparkle

Catch the Bug - baby it's cold outside

Di's Digi Designs - Christmas

Hiding in my Craftroom - embossing

Christmas Card Challenges - non traditional colours

OSAAT - anything goes

Always Something Creative - Merry Christmas

Fresh Brewed - Christmas

Sundays with Chrissy - anything goes

Joanna Sheen - Christmas wishes

Critter Sketch - let it snow

Paper Playtime - anything goes plus sentiment

Stamp n Doodle - Christmas

Inky Impressions - Christmas cheer

Paper Pretties - let it snow

My Mum's Craft Shop - anything goes

Crafts and Me - anything goes

Jules Snippets Challenge - since the image and all the blue card came from my bit box.

Carol x

Christmas Card Club

It was Pinky's turn to set the challenge this time and she chose a religious theme.

The decoupaged image and backing paper were magazine freebies. Border punch is from Martha Stewart. Card is finished with a ribbon. See the list on my sidebar to visit the other girls and see what they created.

Challenges entered:

CHNC - anything goes

Crafty Boots - Christmas

Lexi's Creations - Christmas (no red/green)

Squigglefly - CAS holiday

Celebrate the Occasion - Christmas no red

Little Red Wagon - Christmas

4 Crafty Chicks - Christmas card

Paper Play - Christmas

Fairy Fun Fridays - Holly Jolly (no red or green)

Sparkles Forum - nativity

Unstampabelles - Christmas

Carol x

Crafting for all Seasons #16 Christmas Cards and Projects

We saw some wonderful WOW creations last time at CFAS but it's time for a new challenge and we'd like to see your Christmas projects - dippy me didn't read the instructions properly until after I'd made a gift bag then found the challenge was to be Christmas cards! Luckily Dawn was very understanding and my mistake is your gain lol. We're being sponsored by Meljens and The Stamping Boutique and the DT were given images to use, I've used Holly Christmas Fairy from Meljens.

I've up-cycled a gift bag for my project. Backing papers and ribbon from Papermania. Image is coloured with promarkers and a white gel pen then cut with a square nestie and layered onto a scalloped nestie mat. Poinsettia from WOC. All other components are recycled or from my stash.

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see the inspiration of my team mates.

Challenges entered:

Crafty Ribbons - traditional Christmas

Crafts 4 Eternity - red, cream, green

Crafty Catz - anything goes

CHNC - traditional Christmas

CBGM - red and green

One Stop Craft -  traditional Christmas colours

Sweet Stampin - things with wings

Dream Valley Challenges - Christmas

OSAAT - use a digi

The Squirrel and the Fox - Christmas

Heidi's Hobbystuggu - Christmas

Crafty Boots - Christmas

Hooked on Crafts - Christmas

House of Gilli - red and gold

Lollipop Crafts - happy holiday

Ooh La La Creations - anything but a card

Stamp with Fun - gift wrapping

Victorine Originals - Christmas

Anything goes - anything but a card

Party Time Tuesdays - red and green Christmas

Stamp n Doodle - metallics or traditional Christmas

Use it Tuesday - holiday creation

Cards and Me - Christmas

Divas by Design - Merry Christmas

Little Darling Challenges - Christmas

My Mum's Craft Shop - cute and funky Christmas

Pixie Cottage - anything goes Christmas

Meljens - use green (a little or a lot)

Carol x

Crafting When We Can #8 Friendship

Our final challenge for this year at CWWC is friendship. We are being sponsored by Kenny K and the DT were given images to work with. I chose Reindeer to upcycle a gift bag for my eldest son.

Image is coloured with promarkers and highlighted with a gelly roll pen. Glittered BP is from Papermania. Snowflake punch from Martha Stewart. Sentiment is computer generated and cut out with a Spellbinders shapeability die. Tag snowflake is a Spellbinders die. Mirri board strip has been cut with a Spellbinders edgeability die. Card is finished with punched snowflakes and gems.

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see the inspiration of my team mates.

Challenges entered:

Pollycraft - Christmas fun

Dude Time Doodles - holiday spirit

Penny's Paper Crafty - Merry Christmas

Charisma Cardz - no cards

Delightful Challenges - blue Christmas

Moving along with the Times - last minute Christmas

Card Makin Mamas - Christmas

Secret Crafter - all creatures great and small

Stampin for the Weekend - Christmas

Stampin with the Dragon - Christmas bling

Carol x

Let it Snow

What a week, I seem to have spent my time chasing my tail and never actually catching it! The kitchen saga is still rumbling on although I'm now down to just two missing doors both of which have been wrongly delivered twice so far!! Today I was going to work wonders and woke to a power cut (or should I say yesterday as it's now Sunday morning!). My mojo went completely awol last week and I have a veritable pile of green things lying on my desk none if which would make themselves into a card!! I have managed a quick one for this weeks challenge.

Taking inspiration from Chrissy, stamp is from Personal Impressions, stamped in versamark and heat embossed with detail white EP, masked with post its and inked with various blue DIs. Sentiment is from the same stamp set and is stamped in blue jeans DI. Snowflake has been stamped in versamark and embossed with vanilla ice sprinkle and sparkle EP. Finished with some gems.

Challenges entered:

Less is More - let it snow

Totally Gorjuss - let it snow

Phindy's Place - clean and simple

Simply Create Too - embossing

Allsorts - it takes two (colours)

Apologies for neglecting everyone last week, hopefully I'll get caught up with everyone soon.

Carol x

Football Crazy

Don't know where this week has gone or my mojo. I've struggled to make anything at all and I've got several DT projects to make before Christmas and my daughter's birthday next week. I have managed to get all my cards ready for posting though and made a dent in the Christmas shopping so perhaps my week hasn't been completely wasted!

Finally managed to make this for my nephew but will have to hand deliver it as it's his birthday today!

Using a decoupage image and BP from Daisy and Dandelion kit which I've had for some time, sentiment stamp from LOTV, punch from Martha Stewart, scalloped circle dies and numbers from Spellbinders and scroll from Marianne Design. Card is finished with ribbons, button and gems.

Challenges entered:
Paper Shelter Challenge - celebration
Inky Impressions - use ribbon
Cute Card Thursday - anything goes
DYSU - something old
Just Tracy - celebration
Allsorts - going round in circles
Cards for Men - two (2 ribbons, 2 footballs, 2 scalloped circles no 2)
Squigglefly - based on a song (I'm football crazy, I'm football mad)
Papertake Weekly - anything goes
Crafty Creations - card + sentiment
Totally Paper Crafts - anything but Christmas
Crafty Catz - anything goes

Carol x

Aud Sentiments #43 Anything Holiday

We're continuing the theme of "Anything Holiday" at Aud Sentiments this time with sponsorship from Prairie Fairy and a new sentiment from TLC. I've used Holly Fairy on my card and used the sentiment on the inside (silly me forgot to take a pic though!!).

Image is coloured with promarkers and highlighted with stickles and a gelly roll pen. Base mat has been cut with a Martha Stewart punch, circular mat is a Marianne design die which I've embossed with it's nesting dies, snowflake is a Spellbinders shapeability die which I've embossed with vanilla ice sparkle and sprinkle EP. Card is finished with punched snowflakes, gems, seam binding bow, ribbon rose and sentiment.

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see the inspiration of the rest of the team.

Challenges entered:

Cardmadfairy's Digi Days - winter wonderland

Crafty Catz - colours of Christmas

Catch the Bug - anything goes

Di's Digi Designs - WOW

Card Cupids - winter themed

Pile it On - bling it up

Quirky Crafts - snow

Sparkles Forum - one you love at Christmas (for best friend)

Whoopsi Daisy - snowflakes

Craft your Passion - anything goes + glitter

Crafty Bloggers - shades of winter

Digi Makeover - cut it out

Heart Song Inspirations - red, green and white Christmas

Kaboodle Doodles - Christmas colours

The Pink Elephant - snowflakes and sparkle

Crafty Sentiments - snowflakes

Creative Card Crew - tis the season

Deep Ocean Challenge - let it snow

Ladybug Crafts Ink - snowflakes and sparkle

Passion for Promarkers - celebration

Top Tip Tuesday - let it snow

Tuesday Throwdown - celebrate the season

ABC Christmas Challenge - y for yipee (anything goes)

Cooking it up with Katie - anything goes

Crafts and Me - winter, snow, snowflakes

Creative Belli - winter and Christmas

Pixie Dust Studio - glitter and bling

Crimbo Crackers - embossing

Colour Create - red, white and green

Southern Girls - ribbon madness

Carol x

Christmas Challenges (with sketches) #15

Just over two weeks until the big day, are we all ready? My Christmas cards are all sorted but I'm still madly trying to get the presents bought! Time for a new challenge at CCWS and this week it was Betina's turn to provide the sketch, we also have an added extra this time of incorporating twine and a charm into your design. We are being sponsored by Stempelstudio.

Image is called Fairy Little and is from Prairie Fairy she is coloured with promarkers and highlighted with stickles. Pink card is embossed with various embossing folders by Cuttlebug and Crafts Too (snowflakes, stars and swiss dots). Flowers are a Marianne Design die. Card is finished with Bakers Twine, a snowflake charm, pearl star and DI.

You'll need to visit the challenge blog to find the sketch and see how my team mates used it.

Challenges entered:

CCEE - snowflakes and bling

Rainbow Lady's - Christmas Carol (Oh Holy Night, the stars are shining brightly)

Chocolate, Coffee and Cards - celebrate

CHNC - monochrome

Drunken Stampers - monochromatic

OSAAT - be square

Dasiy Doodles - something sweet

Incy Wincy Designs - Christmas, non traditional colours

Paper Creations Ink - bling it up

The Crazy Challenge - anything goes

Bearly Mine - untraditional Christmas

Celebrate the Occasion - Christmas, no green

The Stamping Boutique - non-traditional Christmas

Craft Room Challenge - make own flowers

ABC Christmas Challenge - Y for Yipee

Carol x

Christmas Card Club

It was Vickie's turn to choose the theme for this fortnights challenge and we've been asked to use snow and/or snowman/woman. Here is my card:

The decoupage image is from Flowersoft and I've used a mix of flowersoft and glitter to highlight the snow. Image is matted and layered onto blue mirri card, base card has been scored and a gem added to the corners.  The rest of the gang are listed on my side bar and if you'd like to join our little fun challenge get in touch with one of us.

Challenges entered:

Totally Papercrafts - let it snow

Designed 2 Delight - let it snow

One Stop Craft - let it snow

Hooked on Crafts - winter wonderland

Kaboodle Doodles - bundle up for winter

Pollycraft - Christmas fun

Squigglefly - winter wonderland

Party Time Tuesdays - anything goes

Cooking it up with Katie - anything goes

Divas by Design - anything goes

My Mum's Craft Shop - keeping warm

Paper Shelter Challenge - anything goes

Delightful Challenges - let it snow

Digi Doodle Shop's Best - lots of sparkle

Meljens - inpired by holiday song (Let it Snow)

Shelly's Images - snow business

Mami Doodles - make it shine

By the Cute and Girly - let it snow

Crafty Calender - cold and frosty

Cupcake Craftroom - Christmas traditions

Desert Island Crafter's - itinerary (embossing, glitter, Christmas)

Emerald Fairies - Christmas non traditional colours

St Lukes Charity - let it snow

Carol x

Crafty Ann's #55 Tic Tac Toe

Another fortnight been and gone so it's time for a new challenge at Crafty Ann's. This time we're playing Tic Tac Toe so you need to pick any line from the grid - vertical, horizontal or diagonal and use the components on your card. This will be our final challenge this year and will end as normal in two weeks time.

I've used Cracker Teddy and a tartan BP from Crafty Ann's digi shop. Image is coloured with promarkers and cut with a octagonal die, then matted onto red, green and gold layers. Card is finished with a bow, holly ribbon and corner peel offs. 

I've used the bottom row - red, green and gold.

Do pop over to the challenge blog to be inspired by my team mates. See you again next year!

Challenges entered:

Addicted to Stamps - Christmas card

Crafty Boots - anything goes

Pollycraft - Christmas fun

Just for Fun - Christmas

Bee Crafty - it's Christmas

Christmas Cards all Year Round - anything goes

Forever Friends - it's all Christmas

Ready Teddy Go - anything goes

Anything goes - decorative corners

Stamp n Doodle - red and green + ? (gold)

Carol x