Madcap Manor

Good morning! It's well and truly autumnal today, damp and windy, and fallen leaves are everywhere! Time to have a look at this week's CRAFT Challenge methinks! Our theme this week is Shaped cards - but no squares or rectangles! Instead, go for a circular card, or a hexagon or even a dodecahedron!!! I took the easy route and went with a circle. You'll notice it's another Christmas card! I used Grand Circles and a Grand Scalloped circle and my Grand Calibur to cut the base, gold card, green card and paper (which is from stash and very old!) The 'Noel' sentiment is printed from a fab digi Christmas Alphabet Blocks by Melonheadz Doodles . I hadn't come across them before, but they have some fabulous images, and their alphabets are fun! Melonheadz Doodles is one of our sponsors, the other is: The Stamping Boutique Go and be inspired by my teamies' creation, then take up the Challenge of a Shaped card! Thanks for looking! love Mags B x

The carol 'While Shepherds Watched their Flocks by Night' can be sung to the tune of the folk song 'On Ilkley Moor 'Baht 'At' (I hope I have the apostrophes in the right place.) I seem to recall that the tune we now call 'On Ilkley Moor' was actually originally meant for this carol but the Victorians didn't think it sounded respectful enough, which is a big pity. Try singing it yourself - the original sounds so much better! And here is a card featuring a Shepherd and the Angel Gabriel from Lili of the Valley. I used Promarkers, and gold stickles for the stars, halo and to edge the background square and LotV sentiment, and Icicle stickles for the wings. The papers are Nitwits 'Still Joyful Hearts.' I used a Marianne die for the star border which has ribbon from my stash threaded through. I popped foam pads as usual behind the image to lift it up. The stars are stickers from Paperchase - they are VERY sticky, and not in the right plac...

Afternoon, all! It's another cold, grey day here in Hertfordshire - flaming August! I got out my snippets boxes and made a Christmas card! I cut 3 strips of 2 different papers and wove them into a square, stuck it on a blue mat, and added a die-cut snowflake and a Christmas tree, also out of snippets of plain card. I glamour-dusted them and voila! The dies are both Marianne, and the tree is new! I'm going to enter the lovely Jules's Snippets Challenge. On Sundays she challenges herself, and anyone else who wants to join in, to use up papers that have already been used before. If you haven't seen her blog, do go and see! Thanks for looking! luv, Mags x

At the Toddler Club where I work we are privileged to be visited by Santa at our Christmas Party, and this card is for him! Trad colours for a trad Santa! The paper is Dovecraft 'Tis the Season. The sentiment is Lili of the Valley - I love the script! All the borders have been stickled with Waterfall glitter. I matted everything twice, on red card and then green for a bit of variety, and raised Santa on sticky fixers. Now I must tidy my desk (again!) It's impossible to be creative and tidy at the same time, I find! Have a good evening, and thanks for looking! luv, Mags x Recipe: Promarkers: Lipstick Red, Poppy, Blush, Gold, Leaf Green, Emerald, Cocktail Pink, Azure, Satin

This week's Penny Black Saturday Challenge is 'Monochromatic Christmas. Isn't this Traditional Santa gorgeous?! It was love at first sight when I saw him on The Glitter Pot website. I thought I'd give him a vintage look for his first outing, and I'm really chuffed that he came out so well! IRL the browns are a bit darker, he's not really this faded! And the stickles dotted on his coat and on the star on his walking stick aren't showing too well! I also stickled the snowflake. I used a nice, straightforward sketch from Sweet Sketch Wednesday which gives the image the main emphasis. Ok, time to see to tea. I can recommend Salmon smeared with pest and baked in foil, it really is yummy! Stay warm this evening! Thanks for looking luv, Mags x Recipe: Promarkers Tan, Cinnamon, Cocoa, Putty, Ivory Papers: Papermania Vintage Christmas Copper stickles Marianne snowflake die Brown card and ribbon from stash

I do like this image of the Holy Family. It's by Francoise Read for Woodware - I have all 3 of her books on stamping, she has a great gift for explaining techniques. Promarkers again: Tan, Cinnamon, Powder Blue, Azure, Leaf Green and Emerald. The halos have been glittered. I need to cover the insides with dp to hide the Promarker bleeding, then I'll have finished all my generalised cards for family and friends! I expect there will be one or two more Chrimbo cards in the next few weeks, but now I can make non-Christmas cards without feeling guilty! The partridge casserole was delish, btw - I made it like a coq au vin and it worked really well! I love it when a recipe comes together!!! Thanks for looking, and have a good weekend. luv, Mags x

No, S-E Herts hasn't yet had any snow but I have made another batch of Christmas cards! This one is a Hero Arts stamp, isn't it lovely? I stamped it on the card (ulp!) and used Promarkers (Leaf Green, Emerald, Gold, Orchid, Pearl Blue, Lipstick Red, Tan, Cocoa). The stars are glittered and the red baubles covered with Liquid Pearls. The insideds have octagons of Christmas paper to cover the bleeding through of the Promarkers, but all the piccies I took were horrible so I deleted them! Gotta go, I'm potroasting two partridges in half a bottle of wine and I need to peel some spuds. Thanks for looking and stay warm! luv, Mags x

I made this earlier today, left it to dry, and I'm almost too late to upload to Friday Sketchers The cute snowbaby is Pink Gem, coloured with Powder Blue, Cocktail Pink, Antique Pink, and Burnt Orange for her nose. The fur is stickled. Papers are DCWV Rose-coloured Christmas (I think, the front's missing) poinsettias are Wild Orchid, rest from stash. Gotta love ya and leave ya! Thanks for looking luv, Mags x

It's another Chrimbo card! This is for the Penny Black Saturday Challenge (I've worked out why my links went wrong - I was linking to the page, not the blog. What a prat!) I love this cute cat crowned with holly! So pretty! I glittered the holly leaves and put dots of liquid pearls on the berries. I used a Woodware punch on the corners of the image and mat to give some interest. The holly papers are a Lili of the Valley download. The greens are brighter irl. The horizontal strip is a scrap from stash, edged with a holly border punch, also Woodware. (Can you see a holly theme here?!) The snowflakes are Marianne, cut from silver holographic card from stash. The big one is raised on foam pads, and so is the image. The corner is a sticker (Craft Creations), and so is the ribbon (Papermania) My, it's cold! I'm off to clean the kitchen floor: at least the hot water will keep my hands warm! Thanks for looking. Hope you're all having a good Thursday - not long till the ...

Ironically, one reason I lost last week was because I was producing Christmas cards! I made 14 of them in 3 days - phew! The first is a Woodware stamp, embossed in gold, from the Nativity set by Francoise Read. I used Tan and Burnt Sienna Promarkers. The trusty CB produced embossed white card and the gold holographic frame. White ribbon from Hobby craft, stickles on the halo and edging all the papers. The next has the same background, as you can see, but with a poinsettia pot (which I've had for ages and it's lost its packaging so I can't say who made it.) Promarkers are Tan, Burnt Sienna, Lipstick Red and Crimson, and Emerald for the leaves. There are stickles here and there, too! The snowflakes are Marianne, punched from silver holographic card. I reckon I only need to make another 12 cards and I'm done! Then my main problem will be finding a pressie for my old man. If mens' cards are tough to make, finding mens' presents is even worse! Thanks for looking, and...