ABC Christmas Challenge - W & X

Time for another challenge over at the ABC Christmas Challenge and this time Carissa is the host. This month the themes are -

'W for White  

and  

'X for X marks the spot'.  

Our sponsor this month is -

Wild Rose Studio

and the prize is an A5 clear stamp set 'Winter Cottages'

There's also a prize from Carissa

My 'W for White' card.  #Not a particularly good photo I'm afraid, but it's the best of a bad bunch. I simply layered up die cuts from a 'Spellbinders 2012 Snowflake Pendant Die' and then added pearls. I say "simply", but I'd forgotten how hard it was to get the card out of those dies! Not to mention also having to poke out the wee bits that stay stuck in the small holes. I eventually had a bit of success by using greaseproof paper between the card and dies, but I'm getting myself some of that ejection/quick release foam as soon as is humanly possible!

Crafty Creations - Anything goes
Crafting From The Heart - Anything goes
Craftyhazelnut's Christmas - Anything Christmas
Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends - Anything goes
Christmas At Sweet Stampin' - Anything Christmas goes
The Corrosive Challenge - Anything goes
The Holly And Ivy Christmas - Anything Christmas goes

My 'X for X marks the spot' card

Image stamp - Lili Of The Valley 'My Snowman Friend'
Sentiment stamp - Lili Of The Valley
Papers - Make & Create 'Trendy Blue Lifestyle'
Colouring medium - Prismacolour Premier soft core pencils
Extras - Papermania 'Bare Basics' wooden button, Tim Holt distress ink, Baker's Twine and Stickles 'Icicle' glitter glue

 

Crafty Friends - Cute
Creative Craft Cottage - Use a sentiment
Through The Purple Haze - Untraditional Christmas colours
Little Miss Muffet - Anything goes
Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Extra - Anything Christmas
Creative Inspirations - Sparkle
The Merry Christmas Challenge - Anything goes + Christmas
The Crafty Addicts - Anything goes/Christmas

'Tis the season to be jolly...

..fa la la la la, la la la la. Not long to go now! Just under nine weeks, or almost exactly two months. I'm not sure which of those sounds worse, the time's just whizzing by, eek!

 

Image stamp - Penny Black 'Xmas Treat!'
Sentiment stamp - Lili Of The Valley 'Christmas Grungy Messages' set
Papers - Crafter's Companion 'Just For Men - Urban Collection'
Colouring medium - Prismacolour Premier soft core pencils
Extras - Card Candi

Crafting From The Heart - Anything goes
Christmas Card Challenges - Anything Christmas
Craftyhazelnut's Christmas - Anything Christmas
Crafty Friends - Cute
Creative Craft Cottage - Use a sentiment
Through The Purple Haze - Untraditional Christmas colours
Little Miss Muffet - Anything goes
Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends - Anything goes
Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Extra - Anything Christmas
Christmas At Sweet Stampin' - Anything Christmas goes
The Corrosive Challenge - Anything goes

Not a Christmas card!

Just in case anyone was wondering, here's proof that I do sometimes make non-Christmas cards. This one was for my mum, for her recent birthday. I think she was happy to get a card I made because for the past few years it's been shop-bought for birthdays, Mother's Days and Christmases and she's really missed getting cards with her beloved Penny Black hedgies on them.

Image stamp - Penny Black 'For You!!'
Sentiment - My own
Papers - First Edition 'Blank Canvas'
Colouring medium - Prismacolour Premier soft core pencils
Extras - Spellbinders Nestabilities circle dies and pearls

Crafting From The Heart - Anything goes
Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends - Anything goes
Crafty Catz - Anything goes
Crafty Creations - Anything goes
The Corrosive Challenge - Anything goes
Crafty Friends - Anything goes
Penny Black Saturday - Lace and/or pearls
Through The Purple Haze - Anything goes
Craft Rocket - Birthday or Pretty Pinks

ABC Christmas Challenge - U & V

Time for another challenge over at the ABC Christmas Challenge. Carol is our host and this month the themes are -

'U for Unlimited' (Anything Christmas)  

and  

'V for Vibrant'.

Our sponsor this month is -

Freckled Fawn

The prize is a $15 gift card

There's also a prize from Carol

My 'U for Unlimited' card. I bought the stamp with a voucher I recently won on another blog challenge, and of course had to get the die to go with it. The three wee snowmen would have come in handy for the 'T for Trio' theme of our last challenge but I got them too late.

  

Image stamp - Penny Black 'Snow Family'
Papers - Penny Black 'Festive & Frosty'
Colouring medium - Prismacolour Premier soft core pencils
Extras - Penny Black Creative Die 'Snow Family Cut Out' and gems

Crafting From The Heart - Anything goes
Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Extra - Anything Christmas
The Sisterhood Of Crafters - Use your dies
The Holly And Ivy Christmas - Anything Christmas goes
Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends - Anything goes

My 'V for Vibrant' card. I looked through my (ever growing) stash of papers and couldn't find any that I would really class as vibrant, so I had to get messy with distress inks. I used the five colours of the drawers on my craft trolley for inspiration.

 

Image stamp - Penny Black 'Deer In Skates!'
Colouring medium - Prismacolour Premier soft core pencils
Extras - Spellbinders Nestabilities circle die, Penny Black Creative Die 'Frosty's Snow, Tim Holtz distress inks (Mowed Lawn, Spiced Marmalade, Seedless Preserves, Festive Berries and Peacock Feathers),Cuttlebug 'Ice Crystals' embossing folder, unknown Cuttlebug embossing folder, Glossy Accents, Glamour Dust and a pearl

Winter Wonderland - Anything Christmas goes
The Crazy Challenge - Add an animal
Craftyhazelnut's Christmas - Anything Christmas
Creative Inspirations - Anything goes
The Merry Christmas Challenge - Anything goes + Christmas
Christmas With The Cuties - Christmas animals
Christmas At Sweet Stampin' - Anything Christmas

Penny Black And More GDT

I was lucky enough to win both a prize and a GDT spot on the Penny Black And More challenge in August. The theme this month is 'Close To Nature' and here's my card.

 

Image stamp - Penny Black 'Fish Are Jumpin'
Papers - First Edition 'New Leaf'
Colouring medium - Prismacolour Premier soft core pencils
Extras - Twine

Crafty Catz - Anything goes
The Male Room - Anything goes
Crafty Creations - Anything goes
Craftaholics R Us - Anything goes
The Crazy Challenge - Add an animal

Christmas bleatings

The stamp I've used on this card was bought with a voucher I recently won on a blog challenge. It was perfect for this card because it meant very little colouring, which also meant less chance for me to fluff it up.

Image stamp - Penny Black 'Lamb And Mistletoe'

Sentiment - My own
Colouring medium - Prismacolour Premier soft core pencils

Extras - Glamour Dust and Glossy Accents

 

Penny Black And More - Get ready for Christmas

Creative Inspirations - Seasonal

Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends - Anything goes

Craftyhazelnut's Christmas - Anything Christmas

Penny Black Saturday - One layer cards

Polkadoodles - Anything goes

Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Extra - Anything Christmas

Christmas At Sweet Stampin' - Anything Christmas *Top 3*

Crafty Creations - Anything goes

The Merry Christmas Challenge - Anything goes + Christmas

Sparkles Christmas - Christmas animals

ABC Christmas Challenge - S & T

I've had to hold some exciting news in for nearly a month! I've been asked to join the ABC Christmas Challenge design team!

When I had my previous blog I did a few guest stints for this fab challenge, as well as another challenge blog, sadly closed now (not my fault!), but this is my first time being on a DT. So chuffed! Thanks again for asking me, Samantha.
Soooo, it's time for a new challenge. Lisa is the host and the themes this month are -  

'S for Sketch' 

and  

'T for Trio' 

You can choose to do either theme, both of them, or even combine them. It's up to you.

We have two sponsors for this challenge and they are -

Bugaboo Stamps

 The prize is 4 digi stamps of the winner's choice

and

Crafty Ribbons

The prize is a £10 voucher

There's also a prize from Lisa for one lucky person

I've chosen the 'T for Trio' theme. I've used a trio of papers and a trio of stamps (two separate sentiments and one image). There's also two trios of pearls and the cow has a trio of dangly bits on her bagpipes ;)

 

Image Stamp - Penny Black 'Bedecked Antlers'

Sentiment stamps - Lili Of The Valley 'Merry Christmas Words'
Papers - Make & Create 'Soft Sweetness'
Colouring medium - Prismacolour Premier soft core pencils
Extras - Pearls

 

Crafting From The Heart - Anything goes

Dragonfly Dreams - Patterned papers

Penny Black And More - Get ready for Christmas

Brown Sugar - Anything goes

Craftyhazelnut's Christmas - Anything Christmas

Sparkles Christmas - Christmas animals

Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Extra - Anything Christmas
Crafty Creations - Anything goes
The Sisterhood Of Crafters - Anything goes
The Merry Christmas Challenge - Anything goes + Christmas

Have a quacking Christmas

Another Christmas card to share today.  #The poor wee ducky looks a bit confused as to what he's meant to be doing. Might have something to do with it only being September.

 

Image stamp - Penny Black 'Carolling Duck!'
Papers - Make & Create 'Contemporary Christmas'
Colouring medium - Prismacolour Premier soft core pencils
Extras - Gems

Pile It On - Feathers and/or scales
Penny Black And More - Get ready for Christmas
Brown Sugar - Anything goes
Craftyhazelnut's Christmas - Anything Christmas
Sparkles Christmas - Christmas animals
Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Extra - Anything Christmas
4 Crafty Chicks - Anything goes
Crafty Creations - Anything goes
The Merry Christmas Challenge - Anything goes + Christmas
The Sisterhood Of Crafters - Anything goes
Christmas At Sweet Stampin' - Anything Christmas goes
Dragonfly Dreams - Patterned paper

Angel Cat

Another Christmas card to add to my collection. Only four months to go!  #Where's the time going, and can we please have summer in Scotland before Christmas arrives? Even a teeny wee one would do, we're not greedy.

 

Image stamp - Penny Black 'Angel Cat'
Sentiment stamp - Lili Of The Valley 'Christmas Grungy Messages' set
Papers - First Edition 'Blank Canvas'
Colouring medium - Prismacolour Premier soft core pencils
Extras - Sizzix Originals Die 'Snowflakes #3' and a dew drop

Polkadoodles - Anything goes
Little Miss Muffet - Anything goes
As You Like It - Fur or feathers? (Has to be fur for me, although on rats rather than cats. I just love those wee critters)
The Sisterhood Of Crafters - Anything goes
The Holly And Ivy - Anything Christmas goes
Penny Black And More - All creatures great and small
Crafty Creations - Anything goes
The Corrosive Challenge - Anything goes
Dream Valley - Christmas animals
Christmas At Sweet Stampin' - Anything Christmas goes

Fuzzy Balloon

I've made an easel card (do people still make them, or am I really behind the times?). It's been years since I last made one and this is the first time I've made a round one.

Image stamp - Penny Black 'Fuzzy Balloon'
Sentiment stamp - Paula Pascual 'Big Sentiments'
Paper - Make & Create 'Trendy Blue Lifestyle'
Colouring medium - Prismacolour Premier soft core pencils
Extras - Spellbinders Nestabilities circle/scalloped circles dies and gems

Crafting From The Heart -Anything goes
Crafty Friends - Anything goes
Polkadoodles - Anything goes
Dragonfly Dreams - Animals *Top 3*
Stamping Sensations - Anything goes
Penny Black And More - All creatures great and small
The Corrosive Challenge - Anything goes
Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends - Anything goes
Crafty Calendar - Shaped card
Penny Black Saturday - Shaped cards
Craft Rocket - Animal kingdom
The Crafty Addicts - Anything goes

Butterflies & Ewe

I've had this sweet wee stamp for years, but only used it a few times so thought it was time it had another airing. I've teamed it with some papers I bought with a voucher I won in a recent blog challenge.

Image stamp - Penny Black 'Butterflies & Ewe'
Sentiment stamp - Paula Pascual 'Big Sentiments'
Papers - Doodlebug 'Spring Things'
Colouring medium - Prismacolour Premier soft core pencils
Extras - Spellbinders Nestabilities circle dies, lace and pearls

Polkadoodles - Anything goes
Little Miss Muffet - Anything goes
Cards And More - Dots, dots, dots
Crafting From The Heart - Anything goes
Dragonfly Dreams - Animals
Stamping Sensations - Anything goes
Penny Black And More - All creatures great and small
Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends - Anything goes
Craft Rocket - Animal kingdom
Crafty Creations - Anything goes
Ooh La La - Anything goes

Skating Fun

Another Christmas card. This is technically a new stamp to me because I bought it either just before or just after my mojo left me, but this is the first time I've used it. When our mojo goes why doesn't the compulsion to buy stamps also go?

I've just noticed that the angle of the photo makes it look as though I've stuck the Card Candi on wonky.

 

Image stamp - Lili Of The Valley 'Skating Fun'
Colouring medium - Prismacolour Premier soft core pencils
Extras - Spellbinders Nestabilities circle die, Crafter's Companion Embossalicious folder, Glamour Dust, Glossy Accents and Card Candi

Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Extra - Anything Christmas
Crafting From The Heart - Anything Christmas
Ooh La La - Anything goes
Christmas Card Challenges - Anything Christmas goes *Top 3*
Craftyhazelnut's Christmas - Anything Christmas
Crafty Friends - Christmas in July
Brown Sugar - Anything goes
Polkadoodles - Anything goes
Through The Purple Haze - Anything goes
Little Miss Muffet - Anything goes
Aud Sentiments - No sentiment on the front *Top 5*
Cute Card Thursday - Anything goes
Creative Craft Cottage - Anything goes
Crafty Creations - Anything goes
Creative Inspirations - Anything goes
Craft Rocket - Anything goes

Santa spotting

I'm getting really brave in my old age! Not only stamping straight onto card blanks but also stamping sentiments right beside images, after I've finished colouring them! That's what I call living dangerously.

 

Image stamp - Penny Black 'Spotting Santa'
Sentiment stamp - Lili Of The Valley
Papers - Nitwit Collections 'Homespun' digi papers
Colouring medium - Prismacolour Premier soft core pencils
Extras  - Card Candi

Craftyhazelnut's Christmas - Anything Christmas
Creative Craft Cottage - Anything goes
Little Red Wagon - Christmas in July *Featured*
Crafty Creations - Anything goes
Christmas Cards All Year 'Round - Anything goes
ABC Christmas - N is for New/O is for Old (the image stamp and digi papers are new, the sentiment stamp and Card Candi are very old, as are the Prismacolour Pencils used to colour the image)
Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Extra - Anything Christmas
Christmas Card Challenges - Anything Christmas goes *Top 3*

Bee Costume

A bit of a scary card for me. It involved not only stamping a sentiment straight onto the card but the image too, eek! Needless to say, it took more than one attempt to make this card.

 

Image stamp - Penny Black 'Bee Costume'
Sentiment stamp - Paula Pascual 'Everyday Sentiments'
Colouring medium - Prismacolour Premier soft core pencils

Stamping Sensations - Anything with flowers
Crafting From The Heart - Anything goes
Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends - Anything goes
Crafty Calendar - Anything goes
Penny Black Saturday - Flowers
Through The Purple Haze - Anything with wings
Creative Inspirations - Anything goes
The Corrosive Challenge - Anything goes
Craft Rocket - Anything goes
Crafty Creations - Anything goes
Dragonfly Dreams - Anything goes

Sharing Spring

Another auction site purchase. Everyone seems to be selling their Penny Black stamps at the same time I'm trying to add to mine, so it would be rude not to buy. That's what I keep telling myself anyway ;)

 

Image stamp - Penny Black 'Sharing Spring'
Sentiment stamp - Paula Pascual 'Everyday Sentiments'
Papers - First Edition 'Blank Canvas'
Colouring medium - Prismacolour Premier soft core pencils
Extras - Dew drops 

My Time To Craft - In the garden
Crafty Calendar - Anything goes
Penny Black Saturday - Flowers
Crafty Catz - Anything goes
Through The Purple Haze - Anything with wings (the wee butterfly)
Creative Inspirations - Anything goes
Crafting From The Heart - Anything goes
The Corrosive Challenge - Anything goes
The Crazy Challenge - Animals
Craft Rocket -Anything goes
Crafty Creations - Anything goes
Dragonfly Dreams - Anything goes
Stamping Sensations - Anything with flowers
The Crafty Addicts - Anything goes 

Another crazy dog

Another simple card using one of these fab dog stamps. I love the grumpy look on this dog's face.

Image stamp - Stampers Anonymous/Tim Holtz 'Crazy Dogs'
Sentiment stamp -  Paula Pascual 'Big Sentiments'
Paper - Make & Create 'Magic Moments'
Colouring medium - Prismacolour Premier soft core pencils
Extras - Sizzix 'Crazy Dogs by Tim Holtz' Framelits die and Lawn Fawn 'Stitched Hillside Borders' die

Crafty Calendar - Anything goes
Brown Sugar - Anything goes
Crafty Catz - Anything goes *Top 3*
Through The Purple Haze - Spots and/or stripes *Top 3*
4 Crafty Chicks - Anything goes
Cute Card Thursday - Anything goes
Creative Inspirations - Dots and/or stripes
The Crazy Challenge - Animals
Crafting From The Heart - Anything goes
Dragonfly Dreams - Anything goes
Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends - Anything goes

Candy winner

Thanks to everyone who entered my candy giveaway. Random.org has done its job and the winner is...

That's you, Fiki. Congratulations. Can you please send me an email. You've got up until 9pm (UK time) on the 7th July to claim, thanks.

Crazy dog

I've made the following card with one of a set of new stamps I bought recently, using leftover birthday money I had (my birthday was in April, how restrained am I?). I've seen these stamps used on several blogs and they make me smile every time I see them. Imagine my excitement when I found out that they had co-ordinating dies!

This card is a bit out of my comfort zone as I don't really do clean and simple, more like messy and simple. I really enjoyed making it though so I can see me making more like this, although this is my second attempt as I realised, when the card was finished, that the sentiment was wonky.

 

Image stamp - Stampers Anonymous/Tim Holtz 'Crazy Dogs'
Sentiment stamp -  Paula Pascual 'Big Sentiments'
Paper -'Wallpapers Dandy Retro' from The Works
Colouring medium - Prismacolour Premier soft core pencils
Extras - Sizzix 'Crazy Dogs by Tim Holtz' Framelits die and Lawn Fawn 'Stitched Hillside Borders' die

Glitter 'n' Sparkle - Anything goes
Crafting When We Can - Use an image
Crafty Catz - Anything goes
Crafty Creations - Anything goes
The Cutie Pie Challenge - All creatures great and small
Crafting From The Heart - Anything goes
Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends - Anything goes *Top 3*
Creative Inspirations - Our furry/feathered friends

Good old Snowy again

Thank goodness I didn't get rid of my favourite stamp, during my craft stash purge, because I recently discovered there's a die for it! Wahay! I don't suppose it's one of the hardest stamp images to cut out, but I don't have the patience for that which is probably why I never took to decoupage. Please excuse the photo, I found this card a right pain in the bum to get a half decent photo of and this is the best of a bad bunch.

   

Image stamp - Penny Black 'Snowy'

Sentiment stamp - Lili Of The Valley 'Christmas Handwritten Phrases'

Card - Core'dinations
Colouring medium - Prismacolour Premier soft core pencils

Extras - Crafter's Companion Embossalicious folder (name unknown), Penny Black Creative Die 'Frosty's Snow', Glamour Dust, Glossy Accents and gems

Christmas Card Challenge - Create a Christmas card
Stamping Sensations - Use your favourite stamp
Incy Wincy Designs - Sparkle or shine
Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends - Anything goes
Craftyhazelnut's Christmas - Anything Christmas
Brown Sugar - Anything goes
Crafty Catz - Anything goes
Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Extra - Anything Christmas
Christmas At Sweet Stampin' - Anything Christmas
Winter Wonderland - Add snowflakes (the embossing)
Crafting From The Heart - Anything goes
Moving Along With The Times - Embossing
The Crafty Addicts - Anything goes, with an option of using die cuts
Crafty Creations - Anything goes

Blog candy *Closed*

I'm offering some blog candy, to celebrate my return to blogland. It's also a bit of a bribe, to see if I can get myself some more followers, although I'm not insisting you have to follow if you want to enter this giveaway ;)

The candy comprises of the following:

- House Mouse 'Potted Mouse' cling stamp
- 3 x 30 sheet paper pads from The Works (Soft Sweetness, Inspiring Vintage and Sweet Beauty)
- 2 packs of Core'dinations adhesive pearls (Snowflake and Chocolate Delight)
- A pack of 48 x 4.5" white doilies
- Darice hemp cord in 4 earthy colours

This is open to everyone, no matter where in the world you are.

If you'd like to be in with a chance of winning just add your name and link below. The only condition of entry is that you put a photo of my candy, with a link to this post, on the sidebar of your blog. You've got until 11pm (UK time) on the 29th June and I'll announce the random winner on the
30th.  Good luck.