Madcap Manor

  Hello, my lovelies! Our new challenge at Dream Valley is the last one of the year, and the theme is Christmas. The challenge continues until 10th January 2022.  We have a collection of wonderful sponsors: Polkadoodles , Di's Digital Designs , All Dressed Up and The Paper Shelter. So there are lots of chances to win!  I used an older stamp from Di's Digis, this is 'Jingle Bells' which is now no longer available. I love the pleased expression on Rudolph's face as he prances along to the sound of all those bells! Di has a Christmas sale on at the moment, so do check it out! The background paper is from my stash, as is the ribbon. I used red mirror card for the corners and the sentiment is from MFT's Jingle All the Way stamp set.  Go and see my teamies' fab creations and join the fun!  Thanks for looking and take care!  love Mags B x

Hello, my dearios! I hope you all had a good weekend! To start the week we have a new Challenge at Dream Valley which is to use at least 2 patterned papers on your creation. If, like me, you have stacks of patterned papers, this is a very useful Challenge!   Our sponsor is Di's Digital Stamps and I have used Scarecrow Bear - he's on sale on the website at the moment if you want to check him out! My 3 papers are from an old pad by Kanban - the brown background has a subtle ombre effect which doesn't really show in my naff photo! I used sketch #16 by Jess Crafts - she has a Youtube Channel with loads of great ideas for using 6x6 papers.   Have a look through your papers and use some up in our challenge!   Thanks for looking and stay safe!   love Mags B x

  Hello there! It's Bank Holiday Monday here in the UK, and as is traditional, the weather is filthy. Cold, grey, windy, wet..... An ideal time to check out our new challenge at Dream Valley!    We'd like to see embellishments on your creation! (Remember, it doesn't have to be a card.)   Our sponsor is Di's Digi Stamps - check out her fab images! I used Daffodil Delivery which I have as an uncouloured image. I coloured the bunny and flowers with Copics. The papers are from a very old Basic Grey pad, which I have almost used up! My embellishments are: a ribbon and gems from my stash; and Spectrum Noir sparkle pen plus Glossy Accents on the sentiment.   Take look at my teamies' creations, then dig out your embellishments and join the fun!   Thanks for looking, and take care!   love Mags B x

There's a new Christmas Challenge in town! Check out My Time to Craft Christmas!    Our lovely Shell who is the Jedi Master of My Time to Craft Challenge has set up a Christmas Challenge to encourage us all to get ahead of our Christmas creating and ease the stress at the end of the year.   The Challenge will be fortnightly, with a different theme each time. The first one is Reindeer.    I have used an adorable digi from Di's Digital Stamps which I have had for so long that, sadly, it's no longer available. However, check out her website, there are so many cute Christmas digis available! My papers are from my snippets drawer (yes, once again my New Year's Resolution is to USE UP MY STUFF!) and I added Glossy Accents to the reindeer's nose and Spectrum Noir sparkle to the bells. Neither of which show up very well on my photo - sorry!   Go and see my lovely teamies' contributions and join in the fun! I know it's not that long since last Chr...

I am such a numpty! I was convinced that the last Dream Valley Challenge for the year was next week. So convinced that I only realised when I went to post my card. D'Oh!!!  We will be back on January 11th!   Our theme this time is Christmas! .  We have some terrific sponsors for this challenge, check out the blog post for details! I used an older digi from sponsor Di's Digital Stamps which sadly now seems to be unavailable. The background paper and sentiment banner are from my stash. I added Frosted Lace stickles to the snow and snowflakes.  Isn't this an adorable image?  Go and see what my teamies, who are much more alert than I am, have created, and join the fun!  Take care and stay safe!  love Mags B x

Good morning! I apologise that I'm a day late with my post for Dream Valley where our new theme is Favourite Colours. Our sponsor is the fabulous Di's Digi Stamps and I have used the adorable Ellie Wrapped with Love , she is so cute! My favourite colour is green, and in the spring I love it paired with yellow. The papers came from my oddments drawer, and I used plain yellow card and pearlescent green card to mat and layer. The ribbon is from an old American Crafts spool. I used Marianne dies for the sentiment, sadly they seem to be out of print. Finally I added Nuvo Crystal Drops in Soft Mint and covered the presents with Spectrum Noir Clear Shimmer Pen to give some bling. My teamies have used some beautiful colours and images on their cards shown on the challenge blog, go and see! Thanks for looking, and stay safe! love Mags B x

Hi, guys! I hope you're all looking forward to a good weekend. A lovely crafting friend is visiting us tomorrow, we'll be going on a big March in London together! On Sunday I expect we'll be a bit stiff and achey!!! In the mean time, there's a new challenge at My Time to Craft and our theme is either Halloween or Cats. Not everyone celebrates Halloween, which is why there's a choice. This adorable kitty is Squisshy Kitty from Di's Digi Stamps. The papers are from a very old Basic Grey paper pad. Iadded a row of silver Nuvo Drops to the top of the banner, and the silver mirri sentiment is cut with Lawn Fawn's Scripty Hello. My teamies have left some fab creations on the blog to inspire you to join in! Thanks for looking! love Mags B x

Good afternoon, all! We have a new challenge at Dream Valley - Four-legged Friends. I used an adorable digi from our sponsor Di's Digi Stamps called Hey Ho Hey Ho Mice - so cute! The papers are from Basic Grey's 'Out of Print' paper pad, which is now actually out of print! The ribbon is from my stash. I added Wink of Stella to the flower petals and Nuvo Drops to the flower centre. My teamies have used a wonderful assortment of images on their creations, do take a gander! Thanks for looking, and have a great day! love Mags B x

Hello! Today we have a new challenge at Dream Valley which is the last one of the year. And of course the theme is Christmas! We have several lovely sponsors this time, do check out the Challenge blog to see who they are as well as the lovely creations my teamies have made, using images kindly given to us by the sponsors. I have friends and family in Scotland, so when I saw this cute Highland Christmas image from Di's Digi Stamps I just had to make her into a card! I coloured her with Copics and added red Stickles to the holly berries and white glitter to the trim on her hat.  The papers are from my Christmas box and I matted them on antique gold paper using  scalloped dies.  The sentiment is embossed in gold using a Lawn Fawn Winter Scripty Saysings stamp. The star stickers are from stash. I hope you're all able to take some time to relax as the run-up to Christmas gets going! Thanks for looking, and have a great week! love Mags B x

Hi, guys! We have a new Challenge at Dream Valley - Vintage! Our lovely sponsor is Di's Digi Stamps and I have used this fabulous 1920s Flapper Girl image, which I have had for some time. Sadly she is out of print now. The background paper and sentiment are from the Downton Abbey collection from Crafter's Companion, they were a magazine freebie. The pearls and lace are from stash. For the frame around the image I cut 3 frames with Spellbinders dies and glued them together, then added gold Nuvo mousse to the top layer. All the edges are distressed lightly with Vintage Photo Distress Ink. My teamies have made some beautiful cards following the theme! Charleston over to the Challenge blog and have a look! Thanks for looking! love Mags B x

Evening, all! There is a DT Call at Dream Valley Have a look at the details which are on the blog and see if you'd like to join us! DV was the very first DT I was ever asked to join, and my teamies are so welcoming and kind. No experience necessary! We have a great Challenge this fortnight - Birthdays! I have made a card for a little girl: This is Ellie, and she's having difficulties carrying that big pile of presents - I love how the bottom one has slipped sideways and she's supporting it with her foot! She is from Di's Digi Stamps and sadly this image has been retired, but there are other equally adorable images on the site! The papers are from an old pad by Crate Paper called 'Little Bo Peep.' The narrow white ribbon originally came from a blouse - does anyone else snip those off to use on cards? The sentiment is from an old Hero Arts stamp set. Our fab sponsors are: Di's Digi Designs and Crafty Ribbons Thanks for looking, and ch...

  Happy Birthday To Us Happy Birthday To Us Happy Birthday Dear CRAFT Challenge Happy Birthday To Us! Can you believe it? CRAFT Challenge is already  8  years old. Originally started by Tracy from Just Tracy Crafts and with a DT mostly recruited from Trimcraft forum members (Hence the term CRAFT Challenge, which stood for Crafters Residing Are Friendly Trimmies. Or if you wished alternative meaning of Can't Remember A Flipping Thing) on the 4 th  of May 2009. We have now grown to be a large team of Design Team Members from all around the world, supplemented with several Guest Designers who join us for a month or a week at a time. We have always welcomed all kinds of craft, not just paper craft (unless specifically stated so in the challenge at the time) and are happy to have such a large group of faithful followers. So, how are we going to celebrate this milestone? Well, how else can we celebrate than to have our...

Good morning! Welcome to the start of a new week, and a new Challenge at Dream Valley! The theme this fortnight is Our Four-legged Friends. I used an adorable image from Di's Digi Stamps who is our lovely sponsor. This is Squisshy Kitty - she is so cute! I coloured her with Promarkers and added gold Stickles to the centres of the daisies. The mat is cut with a Spellbinders' Stately Circles die which unfortunately seems to be out of print. The paper is from a magazine freebie many years ago and has a linen-effect print on the background. The stickers are from Paperchase and the ribbon from stash. The sentiment is from an old banner set by Clearly Besotted. Have a look at my teamies' Four-legged Friends creations and be inspired to join in! Thanks for looking and have a good week! love Mags B x

Good morning! For the first time in days we have blue skies and sunshine, and everyone seems to be smiling! We have a great Challenge at Dream Valley this fortnight, and it's to add a Charm to your creation. Our sponsor is the wonderful Diane at Di's Digi Stamps she draws the most adorable images! I have quite a few of her images already, and used the cute 'Hedgehog Blossom' to make an Anniversary card: I apologise for the faded photo, the colours are brighter irl! I used Promarkers to colour the Hedgies, and gold glamour dust for the centre of the flower: I chose purples to resemble a Michaelmas Daisy. The papers are a freebie (again!) and they are 'Rose Garden' by Marianne Designs. I used some lace from The Ribbon Girl and a length of purple thread over it. The charm was a RAK from my daughter. I added a Memory Box Breezy Wreath and some butterflies punched with a Martha Stewart punch and then glittered. Go and see the charming creations...

Good afternoon, all, and welcome to Dream Valley's 100th Challenge! Our theme this fortnight is Your Favourite colour Combo . I must admit, I find this one hard, because I have so many! However, my 'go-to' combo is green and pink, they always look so pretty together, and remind me of spring. Not a bad thing to be reminded of on a chill, grey, wet day! This time I'm using shades of mint green and coral. This sweet Flapper girl is 1920s Candy (scroll down the page to find her.) She looks so trendy with her headband and pearls, and isn't the feather fun? The paper is by Webster's Pages, from a 6x6 pad called All About Me - another magazine freebie. The feathers, too, are cut with a free die, this one is by Hot Off the Press. The circular mat is cut with a Spellbinders Lacey Circles die. The gem swirl is from The Hobby House and I cut it down to fit the corner. The sentiment is silver-embossed, it is from the Penny Black Gratitude stamp set. Our lovely...

For my DT card for The Squirrel and the Fox please scroll down to the previous post. Thanks! This fortnight's challenge at Dream Valley is a seasonal one - Halloween! Our sponsor is Di's Digi Stamps (which was Di's Digi downloads but she has a new site.) I used one of her adorable images for my card, this is called 'All Aboard' and she's available from the 'Halloween' section of the website here I love the traditional orange and black colours used for Halloween and Autumn cards! I couldn't actually decide what paper to use for my background, so I dug out various papers from my snippets Box and glued them at an angle to a snippet of white card. The vertical piece looks white in the photo (my camera skillz are not the best!) but in real life it's a pale blue. I used nesties to die-cut the image,which is coloured with Promarkers, and the mat is done with a Lacey Circle Nestie, using pearlised black card from Paqpermania. The spiders are cu...