Madcap Manor

Morning, all! I hope you're all keeping well. I am at the stage of Christmas preparation where I'm like a swan - you know, all calm gliding across the surface of the water, but underneath paddling away like mad!! Or is it just me that feels like that at this time of the year????? We have a new Challenge at My Time to Craft and I gotta confess, it's a new one for me. Our theme is to make a Christmas ATC ATC stands for Artists' Trading Card. If you or your kids have ever traded Yu-Gi-Oh or Pokemon cards, you'll have an inkling of what this is about. An ATC is a small work of art (2.5 x 3.5 inches) that is made to be exchanged with other artists. I've had a look at several videos on Youtube, and many of the ATC creations are just amazing! It's like the crafting equivalent of miniature paintings on ivory! Techniques seem to be important in ATCs, so for my background I blended shades of Distress Inks (Chipped Sapphire and Broken China) and then splattered ...

For my DT card for The Squirrel and the Fox please scroll down to the previous post. Ta. Good afternoon, all! I hope you're having a happy and relaxing Sunday afternoon! Our new challenge at Dream Valley is up and running, and it's a great colour challenge: Monochrome - use shades of just one colour (apart from skin and hair if you're colouring a person.) There are some lovely examples from the DT - and the amazing Mel has once again created something awesome from paper, you really must go to the Challenge blog and see it! Our sponsor is the fab Robyn's Fetish and a lucky winner can choose 5 digis from the shop! I already had the beautiful Gilded Christmas Dove and I made a Christmas hanging: Here is a close-up: I coloured with Spectrum Noirs, GB7 to GB1. I added gold Liquid Pearls here and there. The ribbon is from my sewing box, I sandwiched it between the image and a backing of gold card from my stash. I need to find a large yellow bead to hang ...

I'm now on the DT for The Squirrel and the Fox! I've been biting my tongue for the last fortnight so I wouldn't let the cat out of the bag! And this is my first DT post! The theme this fortnight is Christmas in July and the sponsor is Digi Doodle Shop Here's my card: I used 'Christmas Ornaments' from Digi Doodle Shop. Isn't it pretty? Though I was very glad of my thin Promarker nibs when colouring the tiny pine needles! The ornaments have all been Glossy Accented. The papers are Papermania 'A Silent Night' - the burgundy stripes are glittered! The die-cuts are all Memory Box. cut from green paper from stash, and the green-and-gold ribbon was in a candy I won from the talented Lilackat . The sentiment is LotV, cut with a Whimsy Stamps ticket die. Do go and see the fab cards the DT has made, and then get your gorgeous Christmas crafty gear out and make a Christmas card! It's less than 6 months until Christmas - you know it makes sen...

Evening, all! I hope those of you going to a Bonfire Party have dry weather. I'm watching from my window as my neighbours send up rockets and whizz-bangs! On to the card: This week's Anyone for Anya Challenge is a lovely sketch. I had to shift the embellies, because my big snowflake wouldn't fit, so I hope this counts. If not, well, I had fun! I cut out Anya and mounted her on foam pads, and also the big snowflake. The image and sentiment are from the Xmas Sweeties set which I got from Dies to Die For here . Isn't she a sweetie? So happy! I glittered the trim on her hood and dress, and I glittered the snowflakes, and I stickled all round the papers. I also glittered my cutting mat, my trousers, and my hair. All now need a clean! That's what I'm off to do now before settling down in front of Have I Got News For You with a glass of vino. Thanks for looking, and have a good evening! luv, Mags x Recipe: Promarkers: Blush, Dusky Rose, Pastel Pink; Tulip Yellow, Gol...

It's another Christmas card! The challenge at Just Cute Bears is Bear Necessities and they want clean and simple. I confess, there is glitter on the LotV Teddy's hat and also on the snowflakes! I finally got out my snowflakes Cuttlebug folder. I really enjoyed putting this card together, because I didn't have to linger over choosing background papers - it always takes me ages to decide! The lovely, straightforward sketch is from Friday Sketchers I shall definitely be using it again, maybe even for another Christmas card! What a grey day it's been today! I've had the lights on since 4. Where did all the sunshine go??? At least the cricket has been excellent! Have a good evening and thanks for looking. luv, Mags x Recipe: Lili of the Valley Balancing Bear stamped with Memento Tuxedo Ink coloured with Promarkers: Cocoa, Cinnamon, Caramel; Amethyst, Orchid, Powder Blue. Paper: Dovecraft and from stash X-cut punch Ribbon and card candy: Paperchase Cuttlebug snowflakes...

Well, after a warm and sunny July day we now have grey cloud, rain and a chilly breeze. It's not quite suitable weather for 'Christmas in July' which is this week's Penny Black Challenge The sketch is from Sketch and Stash Challenge and my new bit of stash is the adorable image, which I bought from Blade Rubber Stamps when I went to London for my birthday a couple of weeks ago. The snowflake is punched from white card and given the Glamour Dust treatment. I went a bit OTT with the stickles (round the image, on the pine branch and dotted on the stocking) and Glamour Dust (on the stocking and snowflake), but, well, it's a Christmas card, after all! Have a good evening, everyone! luv, Mags x Recipe: Promarkers: Pine, Honeycomb, Satin, Blossom, Lipstick Red, Poppu, Lush Green Papers: Dovecraft (a Christmas stack that's lost its cover)and plain green and white from stash Image distressed with Bundled Sage Snowflake punch, Woodware; border punch Martha Stewart Red r...

This is for a Whiff of Joy challenge to use the colours from a lovely photo. I've tried to upload the picture here but the Force is not with my computer-fu. The adorable stamp is WoJ, of course, coloured with Promarkers and stickled. I used foam pads to give a bit of dimension. I stickled the edge of the Nestie in green and also the horizontal strips of the bp. Flowers are Prima. The sketch is from Friday Sketchers but I think I've missed the deadline. Never mind, I had fun! Thanks for looking, and go Japan! luv, Mags Recipe: Papers: DCWV Christmas Multi Stack. Promarkers: Almond, Vanilla, Caramel, Burnt Sienna, Lupstick Red, Leaf Green, Lush Green, Denim Blue. Martha Stewart doily border punch Flowers: Prima. Brads from stash.

I have been crafting while offline: it's amazing how much gets done when I'm not on Facebook or Twitter! This is my first card for ABC Christmas Challenge . The theme is Mistletoe. Up to now the themes haven't really suited the Christmas stamps I have (note to self: get more stamps!!) but this one seems to fit, I think. The stamp is from Woodware and I used a green Kaleidocolor pad to give some variation to the image. I like the faux buttonhole stitch around the leaves and border. I used a corner punch which seems to be by a firm called 'Make Me!', and stickled the edges. I'm gradually getting the hang of stickling, it's not as easy as it looks! Hope you're having a nice, sunny evening! luv, Mags Recipe: papers are Dovecraft for the bp; and DCWV 'Garden Party' for the strip, which I punched with a holly border punch by Woodware. The sentiment is from stash and the ribbon from a top from New Look!