One is not Amused

Good morning all, I hope you are all well and recovered from the festivities. My title does refer to the dog but I have to say I wasn't very amused to find the giblets missing from my turkey - Bisto just isn't the same as home made!! We had a fairly quiet time.....eldest woke up with a flu bug on Christmas morning, hoping now that the rest of us don't come down with it! We're off out for a family lunch today which should be nice.

Haven't made it back into the craft room yet but I have managed some digi layouts of Freya from Christmas day.

The first was made in My Memories Suite using Festive Time from Template Dreams and the second uses the same kit but was made in Craft Artist.

Challenges entered:

C.R.A.F.T. challenge - not a card

Simply Create - linky party #15

Divas by Design - anything goes

Top Tip Tuesday - anything Christmas

Anything but a Card - anything goes

Carol x

Season's Greetings everyone

Everything is prepared, so I'm now showered and in my night clothes enjoying a nice cool Bailey's over ice. I think Santa will be in bed before the kids this year!

I'd like to thank each and every one of you whether you visit regularly or just pop in occasionally for all the support and lovely comments. Wishing all of you a very Merry Christmas and hope Santa is good to everyone. 

Hugs Carol x

Whoopsi Daisy Celebrate

Hello all, just one more sleep (or two if you read this before you go to bed!). Sunday was a very productive day - all the beds stripped, washed and dried; ham joint cooked; batch of Patricia's Baileys truffles made; a dozen mince pies; two rounds of rum butter and some Amsterdam Cookies courtesy of the Hairy Bikers; all the ironing done and the turkey cooked; presents all wrapped and under the tree. Unfortunately we won't be having any lovely homemade turkey gravy though as the giblets were missing  from the turkey:(  Still got to do a quick clean downstairs and make a trifle.

I'd like to take this opportunity of wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas, hope Santa is good to you all. Many thanks to everyone who visits my blog and for all the lovely comments which you leave, I read and appreciate every one of them.

To all the spammers out there please do carry on leaving your adverts......I do so enjoy pressing the delete button!!

It's time for another challenge at  Whoopsi Daisy  and this week it's team A's turn to share their inspiration with you. The theme this week is "Celebrate" or you can do Anything Goes if you use a Whoopsi Daisy image on your project.

I've chosen a gorgeous pre-coloured images from sheet #398 die cut and layered up with a fabulous die set from Marianne Design. Sentiment and ribbon are from my stash and card is simply finished with some pink stickles.

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see the inspiration from the rest of the team and remember if you use a Whoopsi Daisy image you could win 2 image sheets, 1 sheet will be awarded to a winner using any other image.

As all the card came from the bit box on this one I will be trotting off to Di's playground to hang my stocking in the tree house - I've got my wellies on so I can jump in the puddles on the way there!

Challenges entered:

Glitter and Sparkle - use a digi

Great Impressions - anything goes

Kenny K's Krafty Krew - white and silver

OSAAT - use a digi

Hiding in my Craftroom - anything but Christmas

Pixies Crafty Snippets - #52

Bunny Zoe's - celebration

Digi Makeover - anything goes

Carol x

Snow Woman

Good morning all, hope you're safe and dry. I hope it stops raining soon - I wasn't dreaming of a wet Christmas!!

Today is going to be a baking day and I may cook the turkey and ham too so I only have to do a general tidy up tomorrow. Are you all organised?

Today's share is a scrap page made using a photo of my younger son, taken a couple of years ago when he decided to make a snow woman! This photo was taken before it's completion.

Created in Craft Artist using the new Snowmen at Play kit from Template Dreams.

I have managed to make some headway with scrapping the old photos this year as per my NY's Resolution but I think it will take a few more years before I catch up lol.

Challenges entered:

Our Daily Bread - snow/snowflakes

Shopping our Stash - winter theme (not Christmas)

Lexi's Creations - snow

Digitally Sweet - Christmas/Winter theme

Hiding in my Craftroom - anything but Christmas

Carol x

Face Book Headers

Good morning all. Gosh isn't the weather absolutely awful!! Think I'll have a day at home today cleaning, washing.....and maybe wrap some pressies. My shopping arrives from Tesco tomorrow morning and if I've forgotten anything we're doing without! Still got some baking to do and presents to deliver but I'm nearly there!

I've been having a play recently in Craft Artist and making my own headers for my Face Book page.

The first two were made using Festive Time from Template Dreams and the third using Snowmen at Play, also from Template Dreams.

Challenges entered:

Creative Moments - anything but a card

Digitally Sweet - walking in a Winter Wonderland (3rd header)

Hiding in my Craftroom - go digital

Carol x

Aud Sentiments #70 Use any Sentiment

The Theme of our new challenge over at Aud Sentiments is "Use any Sentiment".   We're being sponsored by My Heart Pieces who gave the Design Team images to work with. 

I've paper pieced the image digitally and made a digital background all using papers from Crafty Ann's. Sentiment is computer generated. Ribbon and pearl are from my stash.

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see my team mates take on this challenge, you won't be disappointed.

Challenges entered:

Carol x

Christmas Challenges (with sketches) #55

It's time for our final challenge of the year over at CCWS and we hope you've been playing along with us this year and stocking up on those Christmas cards and projects. The challenge will run until January 12th 2013. The whole of the Design team are taking part and the twist is you get to choose a sketch from one of the previous 54 challenges to use. Don't forget to tell us which one you have used.

We don't have a sponsor for this challenge but each of the Design Team will have a surprise for their favourite entry.

I loved this sketch that Nicole from the Holiday Fairies made for challenge #44. Great for using scraps from the bit box and my favourite Penny Black stamp die cut with a Spellbinders fancy rectangle. Image is coloured with promarkers and highlighted with glamour dust. Gems and sentiment from my stash. 

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see the creations from the rest of the team, you won't be disappointed.

Challenges entered:

Stamptacular Sunday - Christmas card

Come and Get It - Christmas

Opus Gluei - baby it's cold outside

Penny Black at Allsorts - it's your choice

The Squirrel and the Fox - Christmas

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - glitter and sparkle

Pixie's Crafty Snippets - #51

Anything goes - traditional Christmas colours

Celebrate the Occasion - Christmas anything goes

Carol x

Gift Packages

Good morning all, hope the weather is being kind where you are.

I made a couple of these boxes for my two youngest nephews containing a bar of chocolate and some money.

I used Festive Time from Template Dreams for the design which was created in Craft Artist. Pearlised card from Crafter's Companion.

Challenges entered:

Love to Create - winter fun

Tammy's Scrapin Corner - anything goes

The Crazy Challenge - Christmas 

Challenges 4 Everybody - anything goes

Come and Get it Challenge - anything Christmas

Creative Inspirations Paint - inspired by Christmas Gifts

Carol x

Ho Ho Ho

A digital card front made for my friends over on the Joanna Sheen forum.

Designed in Craft Artist using Festive Time from Template Dreams.

Challenges entered:

Digitally Sweet - sketch

Joanna Sheen - with love at Christmas

Carol x

Boxes

Good morning all.

Well I'm very pleased to say the happy couple loved the Wedding samples so it's going to be all systems go to get all the invites ready for February!

I needed a couple of small boxes for some jewellery and having seen both Rita and Patricia's origami boxes a week or so ago decided to have a go myself. I made a couple with 12" square paper but these were too large for my needs so have yet to finish them. These two were made with a sheet of 6" paper each and some scraps from the bit box.

I've decorated them very simply with snowflakes and some gems.

Challenges entered:

Anything but a Card - seasonal holiday

Crafty Emblies - box

Joanna Sheen - with love at Christmas

My Sheri Crafts - it's a wrap

Anything but a Card - #8

Live and Love Crafts' Inspiration - anything but a card

Delicious Doodles - anything but a card

Creative Moments - anything but a card

Crafty Sentiments - snowflakes

Creative Stamp Friends - Christmas packages

Carol x

Christmas Card Club - anything but square

Good morning all, hope you are well.

Our final challenge for the year - where did the time go to??? But at least I'm organised this time and my post is scheduled to go! I feel as if I have gained a day this week - I seem to have had loads of time to do everything I wanted to do!! Off out to lunch today with my little sister to hand over the wedding stationery samples to my nephew and his intended.....I hope they like what I've done!!

This week Clare has given us the theme of  "Anything but a Square".

I've made a rocker card using the fancy grand nestie dies - just love these dies. The decoupaged fan and backing paper are from Joanna Sheen's Elegant Fan CD. Snowflake punch is from Martha Stewart, doiley is from my stash.

You'll find the links to the other girls in my sidebar if you'd like to pop over and see their creations.

If you'd like to join our little club next year, contact Clare and she'll sort you out! (in the nicest possible way lol).

Challenges entered:

CHNC - Christmas birthday or anything goes

Cards Galore - Christmas

Jingle Belles - anything holiday goes

CRAFT - winter

ABC Christmas - your favourite punch or die

Celebrate the Occasion - Christmas plus punch

Tammy's Scrapin Corner - Christmas shaped cards

Unstampabelles - Christmas

Carol x

Crafting for all Seasons - #42 Green and Red plus sparkle/glitter

Time for a new challenge at CFAS and this time the theme is Green and Red with the addition of sparkle or glitter. We're  looking forward to seeing all your makes. We're being sponsored by Bugaboo, Some Odd Girl, A Day for Daisies, Robyn's Fetish and The Stamping Boutique. I've used an image from A Day for Daisies. We're having a special four week long challenge over Christmas and the New Year so do hope you can join us.

Image is coloured with promarkers and highlighted with stickles. Backing card is from Kanban and was a magazine freebie. Sentiment was in a candy I won, ribbons off a cracker and glittery snowflake is a Christmas tree ornament. Dies are all from Spellbinders.

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see the rest of the girls inspiration, you won't be disappointed. 

Challenges entered:

Anything Goes Challenge - traditional Christmas

Bearly Mine - anything goes

Clear it Out - Christmas

Holly Jolly Christmas - metallic (snowflake) Christmas

Crafty Sentiments - snowflakes

Ribbon Carousel - holiday spirit

Sweet Stamps - sparkle and bling

Crafty Boots - Christmas

Digi Makeover - sparkle

Incy Wincy - Christmas with snowflakes

Carol x

Design Team Call

Over at Christmas Challenges (with sketches).

If you like using sketches, love Christmas and would like to combine the two why not check out the DT call. Challenges are weekly but we have two teams, you comment each week on your nominated numbers. You'd be part of a very friendly team, get sponsor images to use sometimes and above all have a stack of Christmas goodies made without any of that last minute rush!!

Carol x

Whoopsi Daisy - use up your stash

It's time for another challenge at  Whoopsi Daisy  and this week it's team A's turn to share their inspiration with you. The theme this week is "Use up Your Stash" or you can do Anything Goes if you use a Whoopsi Daisy image on your project.

I've used an image from sheet #199 which was already printed and lying on my desk, coloured with promarkers and a gold gel pen. Base card is made with a fancy grand circle - I had one already cut and cut the other from a piece of card from the bit box. I've used the tinselly thread to hold the front and back of the card together. The backing paper was also a leftover from another project and I think it is Papermania. The sentiment and poinsettia are from my stash along with a couple of clear gems in the centre of the snowflakes.

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see the inspiration from the rest of the team and remember if you use a Whoopsi Daisy image you could win 2 image sheets, 1 sheet will be awarded to a winner using any other image.
Looking forward to a trip to the playground this week, just hope I haven't missed the Christmas party!

Challenges entered:
Christmas Card Challenges - die cuts
Dream Valley Challenges - Christmas
Joanna Sheen - with love at Christmas
Robyn's Fetish - Christmas
Ribbon Girls - Christmas
Sweet Stampin - dies and punches
Fussy and Fancy - I love Christmas
CRAFT - Christmas
Delightful Challenges - all about Christmas
Paper Crafting Journey - Christmas
Pixie's Crafty Snippets - #50

Carol x

Crafty Ann's #80 White Christmas

Another fortnight gone and it's time for a new challenge at  Crafty Ann's and this week the theme is White Christmas - we want to see white on white projects but you may use a coloured image.

Image is a pre-coloured poinsettia which I've printed several times and decoupaged, it is available from Crafty Ann's Digi Shop. The rocker card and layers are all cut using fancy grand nestie dies, the second layer being embossed with a tied together folder. Ribbon and sentiment from my stash. Snowflakes are punch waste. I don't think you can see the white stickles added to the snowflakes. 

I've left the card fairly plain and simple as I wanted it flat for posting.

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see Ann and the teams creations, you won't be disappointed. This is our last challenge of the year but we'll be back on the 4th January next year!

Challenges entered:

ABC Christmas - x marks the spot (embossing folder)

Fresh Brewed - Christmas

Paper Pretties Wednesday - Christmas inspired

Creative Craft Challenges - white on white

Hooked on Craft - Christmas

Paper Pretties Monday - use ribbon

Pretty Little Ribbon - Christmas

Platypus Creek Digitals - Christmas flowers

That Craft Place - no squares allowed

The Ribbon Girls - Christmas

Simple Salutations - winter flower

Carol x

Merry Christmas and Good News

Good evening all, hope you're well. 

Apologies for being such an awful blogger at the moment, I've been trying to get ahead with Christmas and DT work as I have the stationery to make for my nephew's wedding as soon as the designs are finalised. Normal service probably won't resume until about Easter!!

My week hasn't exactly gone to plan, we've been trying to get to Edinburgh to finish the Christmas shopping - first try on Tuesday Lora was sent home from school poorly and second attempt today and hubby got up poorly!! If he thinks he's going to get out of going he's much mistaken lol. I'm fairly organised though and spent the extra time making DT and birthday cards so I've nearly finished up for this year!

And the Good News.......

Trish from Template Dreams approached me a week or two ago and asked if I'd like to join her design team.....it didn't take long to say yes!! I don't officially start until January but I couldn't resist using her new kit Festive Time which is due to hit the shop any minute now.

I made a Christmas greeting for all my cyber buddies in Craft Artist. The kit has some gorgeous elements in it and I've used only a small percentage of them!

Trish has a freebie template on her Facebook page at present....feel free to pop over like the page and help yourself :)

Challenges entered:

Digitally Sweet - Buttons

Carol x

Aud Sentiments #69 Anything goes for the Holidays

The Theme of our new challenge over at Aud Sentiments is "Anything goes for the Holidays" - but don't forget your sentiment!  We're being sponsored by Birdie Brown who gave the Design Team images to work with. 

I've done a digital card front this week. I've digitally paper pieced four of the images we were given then imported them to Craft Artist as photos before chopping off the background using cutout studio. All my papers and elements are from Crafty Ann's.

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see my team mates take on this challenge, you won't be disappointed.

Challenges entered:
Crafts and Me - anything goes
Whimsy Inspirations - anything festive goes
Bearly Mine - Santa is on his way
Deep Ocean Challenge - Christmas
Top Tip Tuesday - Christmas

Carol x

Christmas Challenges (with sketches) #53

It's time for our next challenge over at CCWS and we hope you're playing along with us this year and stocking up on those Christmas cards and projects. It's the Snow Angels turn this week and it was Sandra's turn to design the sketch this time. We are being sponsored by Make it Crafty and we have a twist this week of "Make a Bag".

 What a palaver I had making this!! This is my third attempt - I started by recycling a brown bag but was really struggling to get the sketch to work with the papers I was using. Today when looking for something else I came across a download from Bearly Mine which was perfect. I put the sketch together digitally then enlarged it to fit the bag....pressed print .....and hey ho....we'd no yellow ink!!! So the lovely browns and blues had turned sort of lilacs and purples. Not to be beat I found a white bag, re-stamped the image and bingo one bag!

Image is from La Blanche stamped in plum Archival ink. Layers are a selection from Bearly Mine's Christmas Wishes papers. Fibres and gems from my stash and snowflakes are punch waste.

You will have to pop over to the challenge blog to see the sketch for yourself, remember to check out

 the inspiration of the other DT members whilst you're there. 

Challenges entered:

Bunny Zoes - winter

Crafty Bloggers - anything goes

Critter Sketch - anything Christmas goes

Hooked on Craft - Christmas

Incy Wincy - non traditional Christmas

Pretty Little Ribbon - Christmas

Totally Stampalicious - anything but a card

Always Something Creative - packaging non traditional colours

Anything but a Card - #7

Carol x

Christmas Card Club - Snowman/Snowmen

I can't believe it's Christmas Card Club time again and only one more challenge until Christmas - eek! This week Margaret chose the theme Snowman or Snowmen.

Pre-coloured image from The Paper Shelter, die cut with a square nestie, highlighted with stickles and dusted with fire brick DI. Papers are from a magazine freebie called Cozy Christmas. Snowflake and sentiment from my stash.

You'll find the links to the other girls in my sidebar if you'd like to pop over and see their creations.

Challenges entered:

2 Sisters - Christmas sparkle

Crazy 4 Challenges - card with a snowman

My Time to Craft - snowmen

Totally Gorjuss - anything goes with glitter

Crafting 4 Eternity - Christmas chaos

Fussy and Fancy - I love Christmas

Jingle Belles - anything goes

Wags n Whiskers - Christmas

Crimbo Crackers - anything holiday

Cute Card Thursday - snowflakes

Willow Sketchie - Merry Christmas

Divas by Design - glitter and sparkle

Paper Shelter - Christmas

Ladybug Crafts Ink - snowflakes

Carol x