Christmas Wishes

Good morning all.

Apologies if I didn't get round to you yesterday commenting....Chrome was making life very difficult, IE doesn't like blogger very much so in the end I admitted defeat and picked up a magazine I'd bought whilst shopping!! I'll try again today!

Another Christmas card to share today.

Stamp and sentiment from Wild Rose Studio, coloured with promarkers and highlighted with stickles before being fussy cut. Background is a Creat a Card from Die'sire - Starry Night. Lacy seambinding from Crafty Ribbon and pearls from my stash.

All finished inside too.

Challenges entered:

CHNC Extra  - anything Christmas goes

Merry Monday - bingo (red, die cut, sparkle)

Papertake Weekly - oh how cute

Crafty Sentiments - Christmas in September

Deep Ocean Challenge - at least one flower

Love to Create - fussy cut

Holly Jolly Christmas Challenge - ribbon or lace

Acrylic Art

Good morning all.

Well last night was spent on the edge of my seat watching Liverpool playing football, never before have I seen a game go to 15 penalties to each team before a winner was declared!!

I was hunting for something last week when I came across some acrylic art pieces which have been lurking around unused for many a year (at least 5 or 6!). I decided it was time I took the plunge and used a piece...why, why, why have I not done so before now!!

I stamped the image with Stazon (stamp from my set of Anita's stamps) and coloured with gel pens, then stamped over with embossed ink and added some sparkly EP and heat embossed. I used red EP around the sides to make a border then stuck it to a Spellbinder die cut. Papers are from Kaisercraft and Dovecraft. Ribbon, twine and tag are from my stash.

Of course I had to finish the inside!

Challenges entered:

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - anything goes

Sparkle n Sprinkle - anything goes with glitter, EP or flock

Die Cut Divas - new things (first time using acrylic art)

WOW embossing powder - my favourite (although new this could easily become a favourite!)

Holly Jolly Christmas - ribbon or lace

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Good morning all.

Had a big washing day yesterday, then got waylaid after opening an email from Find My Past telling me about the new school records on line....I had to have a look to see which counties were included and having found Lancashire among them I had to look for some of hubby's ancestors (as you do!). Managed to lose most of an afternoon and evening after that adding bits to the family tree! I managed to find both of hubby's paternal grandparents and some of their siblings...one poor little chap had been sent to school at the ripe old age of three and a half and that was in the early 1900's!
Of course at 10.30pm I realised I still had eldest's bed to remake!!

A very CAS Christmas card to share today.

The little penguin stamp is from Stamps Away and I've coloured with promarkers. Die is from Memory Box. Snowflakes are punch waste. Gems from my stash.

Finished inside too...so glad I've kept this up this year!

Challenges entered:

Christmas at Sweet Stampin - Christmas critters

CHNC Extra  - anything Christmas goes

Merry Monday - bingo (red, die cut, sparkle)

Crafting from the Heart - anything goes

One Crazy Stamper - halloween/ Christmas

Sparkles Forum Challenge - things with wings

Squirrel's Penguin Challenge - feature a penguin

Merry Christmas

Good morning all.

A very quiet weekend had here, managed to get into the craft room and make some headway with the Christmas cards which I'm way behind on!!

A very quick one to share today.

A cream hammer embossed base card; Die'sire Create a Card die "Christmas Eve" cut with kraft card and inked with DI whilst still in the die; Merry Christmas stamp from Anita's stamps; gems from my stash.

Simples!!

And of course finished inside too!

Challenges entered:

CHNC - 20 minute or less

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes

ABC Christmas - anything festive

Stampotique Designers Challenge - one stamp

Christmas Cards all Year Round - kraft and cream

Christmas Card Club "Winter Wonderland"

Good morning all.

It's time for our fortnightly Christmas Card Club challenge again and this time the theme was set by Christine who gave us "Winter Wonderland".

Stamp is from Wild Rose Studio and I've coloured with promarkers and used stickles to highlight before die cutting. Dies from Spellbinders. Backing paper is also from Wild Rose Studio and was a magazine freebie (think the stamp was possibly too). Embossed panel is pearlised paper and the embossing board was another magazine freebie. Sentiment stamp from Anita's Stamps. Ribbons, gems and poinsettia from my stash.

All finished inside too!

Do pop over to see the rest of the gang's creations, their links are on my sidebar.

Challenges entered:

CHNC Extra  - anything Christmas goes

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - anything goes

Winter Wonderland - use two ribbons

ABC Christmas Challenge - S for something festive

Holly Jolly Christmas - ribbons or lace

Crafty Ribbons - 1st Christmas with ribbons (my 1st is first time stamp has been inked)

Hobbybook Designer Challenge - embossing

Penny's Paper-Crafty - embossing

One Crazy Stamper - halloween or Christmas

All Dressed Up!

Good morning all.

Another Halloween treat bag to share today.

Image and papers are from All Dressed Up. Image is coloured with promarkers before being die cut. Square dies from Spellbinders, banner die is a Signature die from Joanna Sheen with the waste hearts used in the corners. Fibres from my stash.

Challenges entered:

Crafting By Designs - childhood memories

Divas by Design - anything but a card

The Paper Shelter - ribbon, twine or floss

All Dressed Up - favourite colours

Dies R Us - fall festival

The East Wind - feel the fall

All Crafts Challenge - anything but a card

Fitztown - fall colours

Whoopsi Daisy - colours of autumn

Hiding in My Craft Room - banners

Fireworks

Good morning all.

Better Together...now everyone needs to work together to make it work for everyone!

I needed a card for a swap with the theme of fireworks!! Really had no idea what to do until this came to life....just hope my swap partner likes it and considers it follows the remit!

Another faux pearl background....this time I mixed some black acrylic in with my pearlescent one...I could probably have afforded to have been slightly heavier handed with this one but heigh ho! I then used various distress inks in orange and yellow tones to ink it up. Starburst die is a Signature Die from Joanna Sheen and the banner is from Spellbinders. Sentiment stamp is from Hero Arts. Card is finished with a few gems.

Challenges entered:

Crafty Sentiments Designs - autumn colours

The Mixed Media Card Challenge - autumn colours

The Sisters of Craft - anything goes

4 Crafty Chicks - fall

Crafty Girls Challenges - anything goes

Get Well Soon

Good morning all.

Well today is the day when those of us living in Scotland get to vote for the future of the country, goodness knows what we will wake up to tomorrow morning the polls are so close! Whatever happens half of Scotland are going to be unhappy with the result! I know ours is a divided family with the three kids erring the opposite way to us two oldies and whoever listened to their parents at that age??

At least my upload button has decided to work!!

Some more faux pearl today...I discovered I needed a Get Well card for a male relative soon after making the birthday card I showed on Monday so set to and made a similar card with an appropriate sentiment.

The backing was one of my heavy handed spare pieces but I decided to use the reverse of it and start again...I think I've made a better job this time although I'm pants at random colours.....I've treated myself to some mini blending tools to see if that helps.  I used salty ocean and squeezed lemonade distress inks for this one.

Note to self...let your distress inks dry thoroughly before buffing!

Die is from Memory Box and sentiment from Wild Rose Studios. Bow from my stash.

Challenges entered:

Cardz 4 Guyz - no patterned paper

Through the Craft Room Door - anything goes

Cards Galore Encore - make a card

Creatalicious Challenges - flower power

Die Cut Divas - new things (new background technique)

Crafting from the Heart - anything goes

Crafty Boots - anything goes

My Craft Creations - anything goes

Crafting for all Seasons #86 "Colours of Autumn"

Good morning all.

Grrrr!!! Why do they keep changing things....I can't upload anything from my computer unless I add it to my Picassa album first!! Just as well this post was already scheduled and most of the challenge post was already written...I'd have been tearing my hair out otherwise. Has anyone else got this problem?

Today it's time for our next challenge at CFAS and this time the theme is "Colours of Autumn". We're  looking forward to seeing all your makes. Our sponsor this time Limited Runs who gave the DT images to work with.

I've taken the opportunity to make a start on my treat bags for Halloween.

My image is called Halloween Sign and I've coloured with promarkers and added the wording with a stencil. Dies are all from Spellbinders. I've made the bag using a sheet of A4 paper printed on both sides two different papers from Bearly Mine. Ribbon from my stash.

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

Challenges entered:

Bearly Mine - colours of autumn

Come and Get It - digi plus autumn theme

The Corrosive Challenges - autumn/fall

Simply Create Too - fall/autumn

Milk Coffee Challenge - colours of autumn

Decorate to Celebrate - fall/birthday

Oldie but a Goodie - autumn (leaf and pumpkin die cuts are leftovers from last year)

Passion for Promarkers - make it digital

Merry & Bright

Good morning all.

Holiday Monday and it was dreich and dreary here all day, hope it improves for the rest of the week!!

Another card using the faux pearl technique, this time a Christmas card.

Hmmm the layers don't look very straight on this photo but I have been back and checked it out and it is straight!

I used Festive Berries and Pine Needles to colour the card...I've been exceptionally heavy handed with the acrylic paint on this one but the recipient won't know that lol! The bauble dies and stamps and the sentiment stamp are from Spellbinders, gem, bows and cord from my stash.

....and it wouldn't be a Christmas card if it wasn't finished inside!!

Challenges entered:

Paper Creator's Crafts - early Christmas

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes

CRAFT - Christmas

Christmas Card Challenge - colours

Crafting When We Can - Christmas come early

Faux Pearl Technique

Good morning all.

It's actually a holiday up here in Scotland, the kids had both Friday and today off school...we usually go away for the weekend but didn't get around to organising anything this year with all the bugs going around the family!

It was so nice yesterday to log in to my blog and be able to view most of it...wonder how long it will last this time!!

I had a play at the weekend after seeing  Karen's card showing the Faux Pearl technique....this was new to me but looked really nice so I thought why not?

I was a bit heavy handed with the acrylic paint but I'll know better next time! I used peacock feathers and spiced marmalade to colour the piece. Die is from Memory Box, sentiment stamp from a Daisy and Dandelion set and bow is from my stash.

You will probably see a few more cards using the technique over the next day or two as I painted several pieces of card with the acrylic to use up the huge squirt which came out of the tube!!

I'll definitely be having another go using less paint too.

Thanks to Loll Thompson for the tutorial.

Challenges entered:

Sue Bee's Blooming Challenge - anything goes

A Creative Romance - anything goes

Alphabet Challenge - P for pretty petals

Crafty Catz - clean and simple

Sister Act Card Challenge - anything goes

Delightful Challenges - simple times

OSAAT - anything goes with a die

Pile it On - flowers/feathers

Scribble and Scrap - anything goes

Simon Says Stamp - create your own background

Let it Snow!

Good morning all.

Eldest has announced he is going to Bulgaria next month....oh no a boozy weekend or such thought I....but no he's off with two mates to spend two weeks helping in an orphanage! He doesn't have any details apart from dates at the moment though...there's never a dull moment!

...and thanks to the helpful receptionist at the dentist we were able to confirm he would be back in time for his appointment which he'd forgotten all about.

Sorry my title isn't a plea for a change in recent weather lol!

Today's share is a Christmas tag.

Stamps are all from Anita's, part of a set I was gifted once. Everything was stamped in versamark then heat embossed with white EP. I've used various green and blue distress inks to colour the background. Decided I would resurrect my H2O's to colour in my snowman...I can't remember the last time they saw the light of day. Ribbons, cord and lace are from my stash. Tag is finished off with a few gems, some stickles and glamour dust was used to cover the sticky tape used to fix the lace on.

Challenges entered:

Christmas Stampin all Year Round - non card

Delicious Doodles - fancy and frilly

Polka Doodles - tag you're it

Dream it Up - Christmas and the holidays

Southern Girls - winter blues

Loves Rubber Stamps - glitter and sparkle

All Crafts Challenge - anything but a card

Sparkles Forum Christmas - snowmen

Wow - my favourite (white EP and distress inks)

Amusing - tags

Candi Circus Little Abi

Good morning all.

No problems at the dentist yesterday thank goodness but if the new nurse had shoved the squirty, sucky thing any further down my throat during the scale and polish I swear it would have come out the other end!! On the other hand it was nice to find a helpful receptionist who happily checked up to see if eldest had any pending appointments and then changed his details to include his phone no for a reminder....the usual receptionist would have sat very smugly and told me she couldn't divulge any information due to date protection!!

A birthday card to share today, for our neighbour's little girl who will soon be one.

Image is from PPinky Dolls Art, coloured with promarkers. Sentiment from LOTV. Oval dies and circle die are from Spellbinders. All other dies from Marianne Design....the doily die and flower shape have been in my stash for ages and this must be the first time I've used them!  Border punch from Martha Stewart which I've edged with distress ink. Backing paper from Crafty Individuals. Flowers from Petal Lu.

Challenges entered:

Crafter's Cafe - card for a child

Crafting by Designs - pretty in pink

Digi Sketch Challenge - sketch and/or girly

Incy Wincy Designs - girly

PPinky Dolls Challenge - anything goes/add flowers

Use Your Stuff - border punch

Whoopsi Daisy - flowers

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - anything goes

Lia Stampz - girly

Marianne Design Divas - anything goes with min 3 products (used 6 dies)

Wags n Whiskers - for the girls

Seasons Greetings

Good morning all.

I've got a quick trip to the dentist this afternoon for my six monthly check, hopefully there won't be any problems.

A Christmas card to share today.

The stamps are by Tiddly Inks and were a recent magazine freebie. I've stamped onto Neenah Desert Storm kraft card and coloured with promarkers. Papers are from Bo Bunny. Tree die was a magazine freebie; poinsettia die is from Marianne Design; all other dies are from Spellbinders. Sentiment stamp from Anita's. Ribbons from my stash.

All finished inside too :)

Challenges entered:

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - anything goes

CHNC - do you hear what I hear

Completely Christmas - anything goes

The Glory of Christmas - bingo (red, stamp, tree)

Holly Jolly Christmas - RED (red, ribbon, emboss, dies)

ABC Christmas - R for red poinsettia

Addicted to Stamps - make your mark

Christmas at Sweet Stampin - Christmas critters

CRAFT - Christmas

Reward

Good morning all.

Thank you for all the good wishes yesterday...a quiet day was spent at home as I was a bit under the weather after eating sausages for tea on Tuesday which had gluten in them. Hubby had bought two packs - one with and one without...note to self always check yourself rather than taking someone else's word for it!!!

A birthday card for a brother in law to share today. I was toiling for ideas this year and leafing through my box of stamps came across this reward stamp amongst a set of male stamps which were a magazine freebie...brain cells started ticking after remembering his ice bucket challenge stint on Facebook!

Image was stamped with Memento and coloured with promarkers before being fussy cut. I captured a photo from my computer screen using the snips tool and printed it out to fit the aperture. The backing paper is a freebie from Bearly Mine. Sentiment from LOTV. The lamp and bracket dies are from Marianne Design, fence die is from Magnolia and circle dies are from Spellbinders. I've die cut everything from Kraft card and painted with stone acrylic paint, added a crackle glaze then painted with black acrylic before adding a bit of gold gilding wax. Card is finished with a couple of black gems to which I've also added gilding wax.

Challenges entered:

Craft-room Challenge - something old (sentiment), something new (backing paper)

Through the Craft Room Door - anything goes

Artisitc Imspirations - anything goes or round

Crafting from the Heart - anything goes

Crafty Bloggers - anything goes

Melonheadz - 2 or more dies

Not Just Cards - anything goes

Aud Sentiments - for the men in our life

Wedding Anniversary

Good morning all.

It's our wedding anniversary today...26 years. I can't believe it's been a year since we were in Venice! Last year I was being wined and dined on the day before our silver wedding, yesterday I spent most of the day cleaning the cooker and it's surrounds!! I had to borrow the baking soda out of the craft room to get the glass in the oven doors clean...I wouldn't mind but most of it was other peoples spills!

This is my card for hubby using greens, golden tones and maroon with black and kraft.

Dragonfly decoupage stamp from Imagination Crafts which I've stamped onto Desert Storm kraft card from Crafter's Companion then coloured with promarkers...I really like how this turned out. I've layered up the dragonfly wings and added stickles for some sparkle. The hessian embossing folder is from Crafter's Companion and is an A4 size...I had to remove the white tray from my GC to fit it through as the hinges are on the side of the folder rather than the top and I still managed to catch the last one which snapped off. The folder is still usable but I'm afraid I won't be buying any more this size! I had added some DI to the folder before I embossed but it didn't show very well so I inked over the embossing too.

After layering everything up I've added some Baker's Twine and a charm to finish.

Challenges entered:

Imagination Crafts - anything goes

Crafty Cardmakers - dry embossing

Love to Scrap - let's fly away

Artistic Stampers - autumnal colours

Crafter's Companion - autumn

Creatalicious Challenges - up to the sky

The Stamping Boutique - glitter it up

Two Tubs

Good morning all.

Another lovely day here yesterday, so washing all done and after putting the tea on I managed to get ahead with some DT work. I did have to say goodbye to my trusty old bone folder which snapped in two :( I have had nearly 8 years service from it so it didn't owe me anything!

Another male card today. 

The image is called "Two Tubs" and is from Digi Stamps 4 Joy and comes complete with the sentiment...when I saw Annie showcasing it last week I knew the image would be perfect for a card needed this week. I've coloured with promarkers. Backing paper is a freebie from Bearly Mine. Lamp die cut is from Marianne Design.

Challenges entered:

Digistamps4Joy - celebrations

Hobby Cutz - for the boys

The Corrosive Challenges - let's hear it for the boys

The Squirrel and the Fox - male

Crafting from the Heart - anything goes