Ice Cream Mouse

Today's card features an old Stampavie stamp called 'Ice Cream Mouse...stamped on to watercolour paper, then coloured using watercolour pencils. I paired it with papers from a magazine freebie pad called 'Ice Cream Sundae'...distressing the edges, then adding some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

Challenges for this card:

• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Anything Goes
• C.R.A.F.T. - Summer
• Crafty Creations - Anything Goes
• Creative Inspirations - Summer Fun
• Everybody Art - Summer
• Little Red Wagon - Stay Cool
• Moving Along with the Times - Cool it Down
• Simon Says Stamp (Mondays) - Food & Drink
• Sweet Stampers - Summer Fun
• Use Your Stuff - Summer Fun

ABC Christmas Challenge - I is for...

We have a new ABC Christmas Challenge starting today...Lols is hosting, and the theme is:

'I is for I Love You'

Make a card featuring a 'love' sentiment...an image of a couple...or for a loved one.

We are sponsored for this challenge by Bunny Zoe's Crafts:

Prize - £10 Gift Certificate!

I've used a sweet Stampavie stamp called 'Mistletoe and Mice' by Gillian Roberts. I coloured the image using watercolour pencils and paired it with some papers from the 'Bundled Up' pad by Crate Paper (the snowflake ones) and from the 'Yours Truly' pad by Pebbles Inc (the hearts & spotty ones). I distressed the edges of the papers, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from a Lili of the Valley set. 

I'm also entering this card into the following challenges:

• CCEE Stampers - Huggable Creatures
• Christmas Cards - Anything Goes
• Hiding in my Craft Room - Any Holiday
• Rudolph Days - Anything Christmas
• Top Tip Tuesday - Duo

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the ABC Christmas Challenge.

Mistletoe & Mice

I have a Christmas card to share today...using a Stampavie stamp by Gillian Roberts called 'Mistletoe & Mice'. I coloured the image using watercoour pencils to match the Echo Park 'Winter Wishes' papers. I distressed the edges of the papers, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from a set by Lili of the Valley, and the snowflakes were cut using Cuttlebug and Marianne Designs dies.

Challenges for this card:

• C.R.A.F.T. - Christmas
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Layers
• Crafty Little Fairies - Cute & Cuddly Critters
• Sparkles Christmas - Non-traditional Colours

PS - I have candy on offer at the moment...click the photo below for all the info:

Just Cute Bears - Christmas in July

The theme of this week's Just Cute Bears Challenge is:

'Christmas in July'

Well...it's never too early to get started on your Christmas cards! lol

I've used an adorable Gillian Roberts stamp called 'Teddy & Robin' on my card...watercoloured to match the 'Figgy Pudding' papers by BasicGrey. I distressed the edges, and added faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug, and a white gel pen. I couldn't resist a bit of bling, and added some adhesive gems, and some Stickles to the snow, and fur on the Teddy's hat.

I'm also going to enter this card into a few other challenges:

• Sunday Sketch & Stamp - Sketch
• Christmas Stampin' All Year Long- Bling
• Cute Card Thursday - Christmas
• Fussy & Fancy - Stitches, Scallops & Sparkle

For more Christmassy inspiration check out the fabulous cards by the rest of the Just Cute Bears design team.

ABC Christmas Challenge - K is for...

We've reached the letter 'K' at the ABC Christmas Challenge...can you believe we're already nearly halfway through the alphabet??? It's my lovely furry friend Squirrel's turn to host the challenge...and the theme is:

'K is for Kisses'

...and her 'optional extra' is to create a shaped card...ie. something other than a square or rectangle.

We are sponsored for this challenge by our very own Lacey...and her store...Stamp & Create.

I decided to make a little round card using the biggest of my large scalloped circle Nesties (being careful to place the 'hinge' of my folded card outside of the die...so that the front and back would still be held together!). The adorable image is 'Mistletoe & Mice' by Gillian Roberts for Stampavie, which I watercoloured, then simply layered up with some more Nestie shapes. I then added a bow which I tied through holes punched through the front of the card.

I'm going to enter this card into Totally Gorjuss' 'Round & Round' challenge.

The rest of the design team have created some fabulous 'shaped' cards this week...so make sure you pop over to the ABC Christmas Challenge to check them out. There's also some candy on offer...as an extra incentive to get ahead with this year's Christmas cards...and we have something really exciting in the pipeline too...I'd love to share it with you...but it's a secret! Sssshhhh!!!!

Bear & Robin

Before I get on to today's card...I have a little bit of news for you. If you're a regular visitor to my blog, you were probably expecting to see my DT card for the ABC Challenge today...but the 'S for Sparkle' challenge was my last with the lovely ABC girls...I'm moving on to pastures new. As you may have seen, I became a permanent member of the Just Cute Bears Challenge DT last weekend, after a stint as a guest designer...and I've joined another challenge DT too...I can't tell you which one yet (it's a secret!) but all will be revealed at the weekend...

I've got a Christmas card for you today...using the sketch from Cute Card Thursday. The image is 'Bear & Robin' by Gillian Roberts for Stampavie, the papers are by Sandylion, the sentiment is a Cuddly Buddly stamp, and the snowflakes were all cut using Cuttlebug dies. I'm also going to enter this card into the Winter Wonderland Challenge...where 'Anything Goes' this week to celebrate their relaunch on Fridays.

ABC Challenge - K is for...

The theme for this week's ABC Challenge is:

'K is for Kissing'

So grab your mistletoe...and get crafting! lol

This week we are being sponsored by the lovely Wendy from the Secret Crafter, who has very kindly donated a £10 gift voucher for her shop as a prize...not only that, but she's joining us as a guest designer...and has created a beautiful card.

I decided to use this adorable 'Mistletoe & Mice' image (by Gillian Roberts)....watercolouring them to match the mistletoe paper by BasicGrey (from the 'Eskimo Kisses' pad), to make a gift tag.

The design team have created some gorgeous projects this week...so make sure you pay the ABC Challenge a visit.

I hope you're all prepared for the big day...I'm nearly there....just a couple of things to finish off...but if not, and you'd like to try to be more organised next year...you may like to check out the new sister blog to the ABC Challenge...the ABC Christmas Challenge! There's a blog hop tomorrow to celebrate the launch of the new blog...with lots of fabby candies on offer...it all starts at 8am.

Bear & Robin

I've had this adorable teddy ('Bear & Robin' by Gillian Roberts) coloured since last weekend...and have finally found the time to put him on a card. I followed the fab Papertake Weekly Challenge sketch, and since I used my trusty watercolour pencils to colour the image...I'm also entering this card for the Pink Elephant's 'Favourite Colouring Medium' challenge. It also fits the 'Christmas' theme of the Creative Card Crew Challenge, and the 'Glitzy' challenge of Stamp Something. The papers are BasicGrey 'Eskimo Kisses', the snowflakes were cut using the Cuttlebug 'Ice Crystal' die...and have been coated with Glamour Dust, and I added some 'Polar White' Flowersoft to the fur trim on the teddy's hat, and on the ground beneath him to look like snow.


I've had the day off today...I've finished teaching for the term at the school I work at on Fridays...and had planned to get my Christmas shopping done...but, I've had a cough all week, which has been getting steadily worse, and now I have another stinking cold! :0(
I'm making most of my presents again this year, so there wasn't much to get...and instead of venturing out, I've been Christmas shopping from my bed...just have to wait for them to be delivered now! :0)

Mistletoe & Mice

I received some adorable Gillian Roberts images from my lovely friend Cathy last week...I couldn't resist having a play, as this one ('Mistletoe & Mice') is perfect for the Simon Says Stamp Challenge's theme of 'Winter Love'. I followed the Creative Inspirations Challenge sketch...and have also managed to squeeze in a few other challenges: Stampin' for the Weekend's colour combo of 'Lilac & Silver'; the first Sketchy Colors Challenge where the dominant colour must be 'Purple/Lilac'; and the 'Christmas' theme of the Charisma Cardz, Everybody Art, Papertake Weekly, Pollycraft Monday Challenges. The spotty paper is My Mind's Eye (from the '29th Street Market' collection, the sentiment stamp is by Craft UK and the ric-rac is by Papermania. I used my Cuttlebug 'Snowflakes' and 'Snow Dots' folders to emboss the lilac card, and the 'Ice Crystal' die to cut the snowflake.