Happy Birthday

Good morning all.

Sharing one of my makes from Friday today. I was lucky enough to win some fabulous blog candy from Linda. My bundle included this decoupage stamp from Imagination Crafts. I think this will be hubby's birthday card...so another new card for him this year!!

I printed the image several times on both parchment and kraft card and coloured with promarkers. Papers are from Costco and Webster's Pages which I've matted onto teal pearlised card from Crafters Companion. I've used the additional stamps in the set for the sentiment, background and the bird peaking out of the birdhouse.

Challenges entered:

Card Makin Mamas - stack it up

Crafty Catz - anything goes

Jellypark Friday Challenge - things with wings

Sister Act Card Challenge - anything goes

4 Crafty Girls - anything goes

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - anything goes

Scribble and Scrap - anything goes

Challenges 4 Everybody - anything goes

Allsorts - spring is coming

Totally Gorjuss - happy birthday

Carol x

Christmas Crafting (with sketches) #35

Good morning all. It's my birthday today :) so I'm hoping to get spoilt all day!

 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 Marion has designed the sketch this time. We also have a recipe for you to use - at least 3 DPs,  flowers and a charm.  We are being sponsored by Elizabeth Bell.

I decided to upcycle a box for this challenge! I've used three different tissue papers to cover the lid and a paper from Papermania for the triangle. The image is from La Blanche and I've stamped with silver ink and mounted onto silver mirri card. The flower arrangement and ribbon were rescued from a Christmas cake. Charm, holly ribbon, sentiment and buttons from my stash.

It wasn't easy to get a good photo of the box!

A close up of the flower arrangement and charm.

Challenges entered:
CHNC - tie a ribbon
Sweet Stampin - Christmas in July
The Crafty Pad - things with wings
Addicted to Stamps - Christmas in July
Paper Pretties - 2 or more DP's
Lexi's Creations - Christmas in July
Incy Wincy - anything but a card
Get Hippity with Ippity - Christmas in July

Carol x

Crafty Ann's #65 Hide and Seek

It's time for another challenge at Crafty Ann's and this time the theme is Hide and Seek - we'd like to see something hidden on your project (eg journalling).

I've done a hybrid layout this time using one of the pages from an album I made featuring a Christmas spent in Dubai a few years ago. The main layout has been created in My Memories Suite using papers from Ann's Traditional Christmas Kit available from Crafty Ann's Digi Shop and some elements from MMS.  I've printed this out 8x8 and matted onto white card. The base is 12x12 green textured mirri card matted with some paper from Papermania forming a pocket to hold some of our holiday memorabilia. Layout is finished with some tartan ribbon and a Santa suit from my stash.

Hidden feature.

I've attached the top layer with a brad and a velcro fastener.

Sorry for the quality of the above photos, here's the original digi layout which is much clearer.

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see Ann and the teams creations, you won't be disappointed.

Challenges entered:
One Stop Craft - celebrations
Paper Pretties - use ribbon
Sparkles Forum - Christmas tree

Carol x

Christmas Card Club - Swirls and Pearls

Well guess who forgot to put the clocks forward before she went to bed last night..........yes that would be me!! Luckily I'd bought hubby a radio alarm which automatically adjusts itself and realisation eventually dawned on me after pondering the reason my clock had gone an hour slow!! Have to say no one else in the house remembered.

Well another fortnight has passed and it's Christmas Card Club time again, it was Hazel's turn to choose the theme and she's requested swirls and pearls on our cards. I had mentally pictured a card using a LOTV image and lots of dies but when looking at some of the other girls cards earlier I remembered some must have Kanban card I had stowed away unused and unloved and decided I'd make a card using old stash (if I didn't buy any Christmas goods for the next five years I don't think I'd run out!!).

The Flowersoft decoupage was one of four languishing in the same box as the card and as it's about 3 years old I thought it was time it made it onto a card! (I used these images for all my special cards in 2009 and had 4 left for hubby and the kids cards when I ran out of time and steam and decided to recycle and give them their 2008 cards again! The cards were well travelled as we'd spent Christmas 08 in Dubai but no one noticed that only the envelope was new!)

The matting for the image was all from the bit box and everything except the base card, ribbon and pearls was ancient stock.

The inside has been decorated to match using the metallic version of the Kanban card (probably should have used it on the front and the matt inside but hindsight and all that lol).

Challenges entered:

Forever Friends - 3d/decoupage

ABC Christmas Challenge - F is for furry/feathered friends

4 Crafty Chicks - inspired by music

Crafty Calender - spring clean

OSAAT - anything goes
Pixie Crafty Snippets - #13

Carol x

Teddy Bea

It seems like forever since I used a Teddy Bo/Bea image but this has been sitting in my bit box for months ready to use along with all the papers.

The image was a ready coloured one, spotty paper is from Anna Griffin, pearlised handmade paper is from Costco. Dies from Spellbinders. Lace, ribbon flower, pearls and sentiment are from my stash.

Challenges entered:

Teddy Bo - menu (blue and cream, flower and lace)

Crafty Sentiments - bears

Oldie but Goodie - Mum's the word (papers are about 6 years old!)

Crafty Ribbons - celebrate Mum

Cardmad Fairy's Digi Days - Mother's day
Polka Doodle - dots, stripes or both
Di's Digi Designs - lace and pearls

Carol x

PS Don't forget I have blog candy up for grabs!

Christmas Card Club - more than one fold

Crikey another two weeks have passed and it's time again for us Christmas Clubbers to show our wares. Lizzie picked the theme this time and she wants to see more than one fold, this is my creation.

The base card is an A5 trifold card. The pre-coloured digital image and backing papers are from Joanna Sheen's Daisy and friends CD and the image has been layered up four times. Dies are from Spellbinders. Border punch from Martha Stewart. Bows are made with the mini bowdabra using ribbons from my stash. Red lace is from Costco. White stickles finishes off the fur trim and the snowflakes.

If you'd like to join our little club get in touch with one of us (list in sidebar), it's a lot of fun and gets those Christmas cards made ahead of schedule.

Challenges entered:

Whoopsi Daisy - 3d project or card

Corrosive Challenges - another dimension

Crafty Sentiments - only 2 DPs

Digital Tuesday - make it sparkle

Crafty Creations - fancy folds

Moving along with the times - lots of layers

Winter Wonderland - glitter and bling

CHNC - ribbon and/or charm

Pile it on - fun folds

Carol x

PS Don't forget I have blog candy up for grabs!

Christmas Card Club - Critters

Good morning all, hope you're enjoying your weekend.

Gosh where did the last two weeks go? It was Pinky's turn to choose the theme this time over at the Christmas Card Club and she's asked for critters, big or small. 

The image is from Whoopsi Daisy sheet 265 and I've coloured it with promarkers and used glamour dust on the fur trim. Papers are freebies from a magazine. Glittery lace is from Costco, flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts, tartan bow, gems and peel off sentiment from my stash.

Just to prove I'm keeping to my resolutions, the inside is decorated to match.

If you'd like to join our little club making Christmas cards once a fortnight just for fun, please contact one of us (list in sidebar). Do check out what the other girls have made for the challenge too.

Challenges entered:

Pollycraft - warm it up

Little Red Wagon - winter wonderland

Jingle Belles - a banner holiday (I've used the colours)

Stamp Man - embellish it

Stampin with the Dragon - anything goes

52 card Throwdown - rhinestones

CES - check it out

CHNC - make it square

Sweet Stampin - animals

Dream Valley Challenges - animals

Whoopsi Daisy - bling it up
OSAAT - use a digi

Carol x

My Craft Room

Decided it was time to show you my new look crafting space, but first I must show you what the postie brought today - I won some blog candy from the Cutie Pie challenge at the beginning of the year and this is what I got:

Loads and loads of gorgeous bits and bobs, luckily I hadn't filled all the new drawers so still had room to stash it all away.

Now for the reveal, starting behind the door and moving around clockwise.

Click here to see what it used to look like.

Some of my ribbons, all sorted by colours.

General storage

My workspace

More ribbon storage!

Ink pads, embossing powders, H2O's, stickles.

Promarker storage and a space to colour in.

More storage

and a close up of my magnetic board holding some of my many nestie sets - this was a magnetic notice board which I've covered with magnetic mats. Marianne dies are kept in the holder below.

Ribbon and ink racks are from Craft Racks, trolleys from Costco, promarker storage from Ebay, drawers are all from Ikea along with the utensil hanger used for the ribbons on the door. I've a few bits still to sort out yet but it all fits in with room to spare!

I hope you like!

Carol x

Aud Sentiments #45 Use your Scraps

The current challenge over at Aud Sentiments for 2012 is to use your scraps - great one for those of you whose New Year's Resolution was to reduce the volume of your bit box. We're being sponsored by Floppy Latte and TLC Creations. As always TLC have provided a free sentiment for you to use should you wish, you'll find this on the challenge blog. Here is my card using an image supplied by Floppe Latte.

• Image - SS Angie by Sylvie (available at Stitchy Bears)
• Medium - promarkers
• Papers - from my bit box (Costco and Papermania I think)
• Dies - Spellbinders nesties and edgeabilities
• Gems and ribbon from my stash

You still have a week to enter the challenge, so what you waiting for!!

Challenges entered:
Stampin with Dragon - frames
Crafty Cardmakers - no floral embellies
Crafter's Cafe - Happy Birthday
Papertake Weekly - diecute special
Celebrate the Occasion - child's birthday
Digital Tuesday - punch it out
Fussy and Fancy - Happy Birthday/animal print
Birthday Sundaes - birthday card
Passion for Promarkers - inspired by a song (Angels - Robbie Williams)
Digi Stamps 4 Joy - monochromatic
My Mum's Craft Shop - here come the girls
Pixie Crafty Snippets
C.R.A.F.T. - celebration

Carol x

Crafting When We Can #9 Resolutions

Today sees the first challenge of 2012 at CWWC and the theme is New Year's Resolutions. My resolutions for this year include finishing my cards with an insert when I make them, sorting out my old photos and doing some scrap booking. In order to get all this done I will have to have some "me time" so I've made this calendar for my craft room. We're being sponsored by The Stamping Boutique and Crafty Ribbons.

• Image: Stamping Boutique
• Medium: promarkers and DI
• Papers: Costco (from the bit box) and Anna Griffin (one of my first crafting purchases)
• Dies: Spellbinders
• Fourish: Marianne Designs
• Ribbon, gems, button and flowers from my stash.
• Sentiment is computer generated.

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

Challenges entered:
Daisy Doodles Creative - new beginnings
Simon says Stamp and Show - something old, something new (old papers, new digi stamp and new year)
Anything Goes - blue plus one
Craft Room Challenge - anything goes
Ribbon Carousel - anything goes
The Stamping Boutique - use 12
Inky Impressions - anything goes
Paper Shelter - anything goes
Craft us Crazy - anything new (year)
Crafty Ribbons - new beginnings
Paper Cutz - new year
Poodles Parlour - button up
Simply Create Too - more than 2 layers
Catch the Bug - anything goes
Challenge up your Life - bingo (flowers, ribbons and swirls)
Crafty Emma's - anything goes
One Stop Craft - bingo (gems, dies and buttons)
Our Creative Corner - show us your shapes
Sweet Stampin - spots and dots
That Craft Place - buttons and bows
Crafty Calendar - new news (opt buttons and bows)
Creative Inspirations Paint - something old (BP)
Dream Valley Challenges - anything goes
Di's Digi Designs - all things new
Just Some Lines - New Year
Addicted to Stamps - January blues
Pixie Crafty Snippets - backing card and mats all came from the bit box

Carol x

Christmas Tag

Background made using the new Winter DI, following instructions from Tim Holz on Day 7 2007. Image from Polka Doodles coloured with promarkers and mounted onto a bauble die and gold glittered snowflake. Finished with tinsel, ribbon bow and a sentiment tag.

Challenges entered:

Sweet Stamps - tags

Paper Pretties - tags, tags, tags

Paper Shelter - Christmas sparkle, red, green and gold

Penny's Paper Crafty - tie one on (sentiment)

Simon says Stamp - tag it

Delightful Challenges - red and green

Shelly's Images - red and green

OSAAT - seeing red

Stamp Man - Tim's Tags

My Partner in Crafting Crime - Christmas tag

Carol x

Christmas Tag

It's been a gorgeous day today, more like spring approaching than winter. I've spent the day dust busting and my there was plenty of dust to bust! Some more progress in the kitchen, we now have all the work tops and up stands in position and the plumbing is finished. Hopefully the electrician will get all his bits done tomorrow and I can start moving stuff back in. Still full of cold though so shattered tonight.

I made this tag yesterday:

Tag has been embossed with a music embossing folder then distressed with bundled sage and fired brick DI. Christmas tree die has been put through an embossing folder then distressed with bundled sage and shabby shutters DI. Image is from Joanna Sheen's Enchanted Christmas CD printed onto acetate and cut with a nestie then mounted onto a scalloped nestie oval which had been distressed with bundled sage and fired brick DI. The stiff lace, tartan ribbon and the gold metallic beaded rope are all from Costco. Tag is finished with a Christmas tree button stitched to the bow, some red stickles, a  sentiment and a pearl.

Challenges entered:

Bows and Berries - tags

Art Impressions Stamps - red, green and metallic

Charisma Cards - lace and pearls

Digi Doodle Shop's Best - red and green

Challenge up your Life - music

CHNC - music

Just Some Lines - tic tac toe (embossing, tag, glitter)

Paper Sundaes - beautiful bows

Sentimental Sundays - masculine gift tag

Get Hippity with Ippity - embossing

Carol x

CDACPC6

As I've made all the Christmas cards I need for myself I thought I'd set to and make some tags. I bought these super sized tags at the SECC recently and as they're really smooth they're great for inky techniques.

Talk about cutting things fine, I'd forgotten all about this the CDACPC6 which ends in about 7 hours time! Luckily I'd inked the tag earlier today and left it to flatten so was able to put this together quite quickly! Tag is stamped and embossed with a snowflake , then inked with different shades of blue DI  and finally over stamped with a different snowflake stamp (ancient stamp from QVC)  in the darkest blue. Image is from Designed 2 Delight and has been coloured with distress inks and mounted 3d. Tag is finished with some recently acquired bakers twine and a gorgeous blue snowflake ribbon bow.

Challenges entered:

(will check this tomorrow as it's bedtime !)
Bows and Berries - tags
Craft your Passion - snow/flakes/men
Critter Sketch - monochrome
Cutie Pie Challenge - bears
Forever Friends - Christmas is coming
Karens Doodles - anything but a card
Lollipop Crafts - embossing (no DP)
ABC Christmas - W for winter sports
Pixie Cottage - blue for a boy
Crafty Ribbons - anything but a card
Crimbo Crackers - make it sparkle
Delightful Challenges - snowflakes
Simply Create - bears
Pile it on - traditional Christmas
Whoopsi Daisy - colours of winter
Ellephantastic - weather related
StampArtic - monochromatic
Stamping Boutique - winter/holiday

Carol x

Christmas Challenges (with sketches) #13

Only four challenges until Christmas - are you panicking yet or are you super organised? Today it's time for a new sketch at CCWS and this time it was Renata's turn to provide the sketch. We are being sponsored by Hobbystempels NL. Here is my card:

Image from LOTV coloured with promarkers and a silver gel pen, highlighted with stickles and cut out with a deckled edge nestie. Blue BP's are from Dovecraft and are glittered, glittered vellum from Docrafts goody bag, silver card candy from Craftwork cards, ribbon from Costco. Silver mirri, stars and sentiment from my stash. Embossing folder from Cuttlebug.

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see the sketch for yourself and feast your eyes on the inspiration from my team mates.

Challenges entered:

Truly Scrumptious - Bingo (glitter, punch/dies, ribbon)

Delightful Challenges - Sparkly Christmas

Digi Doodles Shop's Best - wintery theme

LOTV - bright and sparkly

Shelly's Images - monchromatic plus a pop (silver)

Winter Wonderland - make card sparkle

Always something Creative - sparkle

By the Cute and Girly - Christmas girls

Cupcake Craft Room - sweet Christmas

Fresh Brewed - anything goes

Glitter Fairies - non traditional Christmas 

Heidi's Hobbystuggu - bling/sparkle Christmas

Lothian Crafts - Christmas

Really Reasonable Ribbons - Christmas

Sundays with Chrissy - Christmas non traditional colours

Stamps & Fun = Creativity - Winter

Crafty Calender - winter wardrobe

ABC DT challenge - Christmas card

Christmas Stampin all Year - favourite sketch (find it here)

Top Tip Tuesday - anything Christmas

Top Tip - use an emery board to sand the top off your embossing to reveal the inner core of your card.

Stamp n Doodle - sparkle and shine

Inky Impressions - glitter

Carol x

Crafting for all Seasons #13 Texture

Another two weeks have flown by and it's time for a new challenge at CFAS, this time we want to see texture on your projects. We're being sponsored by Meljens and The Paper Shelter this time.

I've used three backing papers from the Pepe l'souris in love paper pack and the pre-coloured snowman image all available from The Paper Shelter. I've used a swiss dots folder to add texture to the layers and stickles on the image. Card is finished with some punched snowflakes with added stickles and a sparkly tinsel bow.

Do pop over to the challenge blog  to see the inspiration of the other DT members.

Challenges entered:
Heart Song Inspirations - embossing and/or 3 or more layers
Incy Wincy Designs - dots and stripes (on scarf)
Lollipop Crafts - anything goes
Paper Playtime - anything goes
Pollycraft - anything goes
Digi Doodle Shop's Best - anything goes
Moving along with the Times - no girls allowed
Sew Many Cards - background paper
Totally Papercrafts - glitter it
A Gem of a Challenge - cold and frosty
One Stop Craft - no sentiments
Christmas Card Challenges - liquid applique (not sure what this is but will stickles do!)
OSAAT - Christmas
Crimbo Crackers - anything goes
Christmas Inspiration - bows
Crafters Companion - let it snow
Stamp n Doodle - embossing
The Paper Shelter - Christmas fun


Carol x

Aud Sentiments #40 A Funny Card

Another two weeks have passed and we've loved seeing your winter projects but it's time for a new challenge at Aud Sentiments and this time the theme is "A Funny Card". We are being sponsored by Bugaboo and the DT were given images to work with. I've chosen to use the Stella Witch and if the broom fits images.

The image and sentiment have been digitally layered onto a free background from Jak Heath then then cut out with a circle nestie. I've reprinted the image and fussy cut after I've coloured it with promarkers. The black scalloped mat is handmade paper from Costco (rarely been used before) and has lovely metallic flecks through it, I've used the same paper for making the flower - 3 scalloped circles, dampened and scrunched then sewn together with a button and sprayed with glitter spray, all cut on the Grand Caliber (available from Scrapalicious). Card is finished with two bows and some pearls.

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

Challenges entered:

Sweet Stampin - trick or treat

Just Some Lines - Halloween

Allsorts - Halloween

Simply Create - shades of black

Card Cupids - Halloween card

Sentimental Sunday - Halloween

Scrappy Frogs - something that flies

Daisy Doodles Creative - Halloween

Incy Wincy Designs - Halloween

Kaboodle Doodles - Halloween/fall

Paper Pretties - colour combo

Our Craft Lounge - Halloween colours

Creative Inspirations Paint - inspired by Halloween

The Crazy Challenge - scary ladies

Sweet and Sassy - shaped card

CBGM - transport

The Stamping Boutique - spooky and scary

Top Tip Tuesday - trick or treat

Little Darlings - not square

My Mum's Craft Shop - spooktacular

The Paper Variety - Halloween

Scrapalicious USA - Halloween Spooks

Rainbow Lady - Spooks and witches

Carol x

Bah! Humbug!

I've been waiting for the opportunity to use this gift tag for a Bah! Humbug! challenge. I've made it into a hanging decoration using a scalloped and oval nestie. Finished off with a poinsettia. a ribbon and some baubles recycled from a cracker.

Challenges entered:

Incy Wincy Designs - recycle

Bah! Humbug! - Christmas food (hope the candy cane counts)

Cuddly Buddly - anything but a card

Whoopsi Daisy - free and easy

Halloween ATC

Spending an extra night at home as the kitchen designer is arriving first thing tomorrow so it didn't make sense to go away tonight and drive back in the morning. My old kitchen and the dining room have been completely dismantled, patio doors removed and new support beams fitted, wall knocked out between kitchen and new extension. The wall between the kitchen and dining room has still to come down and a double doorway to the hall has to be bricked up - we're getting there and although there's been a bit of dust today it hasn't been too bad.

I've managed to spend quite a lot of today crafting here is one of my makes:

Using a pyramage image (sitting in my spares box) from Joanna Sheen's ATC CD matted onto orange card and black glittery handmade paper (from my bit box).

Challenges entered:

Fun with ATC's - Halloween

Squigglefly - face your fears (the devil)

Shopping our Stash - black and orange

Wicked Wednesday ATC - all about you (full of devilment)

Pixie Cottage - dark and spooky

Moving along with the Times - ATC

Here come the Boys - Halloween

Jules Crafty Snippet Challenge

Paper Sundaes - Halloween

Carol x

Crafting When We Can #4 Christmas comes early

Well it's just over two months until the big day so over at CWWC we'd like to see your Christmas projects this time. We're being sponsored by Tickled Pink Stamps and the DT were given images to use. I chose Xmas Kitty:

I've made a hanging ornament for a special little girl's first Christmas. Image is coloured with promarkers and cut out with a circle nestie and matted on to two scalloped circles. The pink circle has been stamped with snowflakes and embossed with white EP (although it doesn't really show in the photo). Project is finished with pink ribbon for hanging, a bow tied with gorgeous blue snowflake ribbon, a snowflake button and some stickles.

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

Challenges entered:

Fab's Big Christmas - something shiny or snowflakes

Digi Makeover - anything but a card

Passion for Promarkers - Christmas critters

Ribbon Carousel - sparkle and bling

CHNC - baubles or something which hangs

Crazy 4 Challenges - holiday plus heat embossing

Stamp Man - circle it

Stampin with the Dragon - buttons and bows

Meljens - use a ribbon

The Stamping Boutique - someone special

Di's Digi Designs - girly creation

The Squirrel and the Fox - one for the girls

Carol x

Aud Sentiments #39 Winter Card

Well that's another fortnight been and gone so it's a new challenge at Aud Sentiments and this time we'd like to see your Winter Cards. We're being sponsored by Lili of the Valley and the DT were given some fab images to work with:

Image is coloured with promarkers then cut out with a grand nestie square die and matted onto a scalloped nestie square. Green mat has ribbon from Costco wrapped round. Sentiment is also from Lili of the Valley. Card is finished with a bow and some poinsettias.

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

Challenges entered:

Bling it On - no patterned papers

By the Cute and Girly - anything goes

Heidi's Hobbystuggu - 3 identical decorations (3 poinsettia flowers)

Little Claires - Christmas

Pretty Little Ribbon - anything goes

Carol x