Traditional Christmas

I've had a rather Christmassy day today...we decorated the tree this afternoon (aided by mince pies and mulled wine!), then I had a flurry of Christmas card making this evening...not sure how may more I need to make, but it can't be many! This is a quick one made using a Lili of the Valley die cut pre-coloured image from the 'Traditional Christmas' sheet. I used papers from the 'I Believe' pad by My Mind's Eye, the ribbon is by American Crafts, and the sentiment stamp is also by Lili of the Valley.

 

Challenges for this card:

• Christmas Cards All Year Round- Christmas Stockings
• Creative Corner - Traditional Christmas
• Friday Sketch - Sketch #58
• Hiding in my Craft Room - Holiday Colours
• Incy Wincy - Christmas Stockings
• Paper Crafting Journey - It's Christmas Time
• Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
• Ribbon Girls - Chistmas

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Christmas!

It's the first Saturday of the month...so that means it's time for a new Penny Black Saturday Challenge...and this month the theme is(of course): 

'Christmas!' 

As usual, we have some fabulous prizes on offer from our lovely sponsors:

The Ribbon Girl:

1-2-3 Stitch!:

Prize - a $20 voucher

I took the opportunity to make a few more one-layer cards (nice and cheap to post!), and got out my 'Before the Snow' Penny Black stamp...stamping it in Versamark, and embossing it using clear powder. I masked off strips at the tops and bottoms of the cards before blending 'Stormy Sky' Distress Ink over the top...then adding a sentiment from the 'Bubble Tree' set by Woodware.

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

• CAS-ual Fridays - Trees
• Card Makin' Mamas - Merry Christmas
• C.R.A.F.T. - Christmas 
• Crazy - Snowy Winter
• Created with Love - Christmas
• Everybody Art - Winter
• Holly Jolly Christmas - Anything Christmas
• Inky Impressions - Winter or Snow
• Pink Elephant - Winter
• Winter Wonderland - Embossing

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the Penny Black Saturday Challenge.

Pile It On! Challenge - P is for...

We have an extra special month-long challenge starting today over at Pile It On! where the theme is:

'P is for...'

Simply include at least one thing beginning with 'P' on your project...and pile on the challenges!

Our sponsor for this challenge is Jellypark:

Prize - 2 Jellypark images!

My 'P' things are Pink, Purple, Puppies & Polkadots. I used a Penny Black stamp called 'Xmas Pilgrims'...which I coloured using watercolour pencils...adding some sparkle to the snow with some Stickles. The sentiment stamp is from a little Studio G set, and the ribbon is from Hobbycraft.

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - P is for... (Pink, Purple, Pearls, Puppies & Polkadots)
• 2 Sisters - Anything Goes
• Addicted to CAS - Pets
• Challenges 4 Everybody - Anything Goes
• Crafter's Cafe - Anything Goes
• Crafty Ribbons - Anything with Ribbon
• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Creative Craft - Non-traditional Christmas Colours
• Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes
• Fab 'n' Funky - Cute Critters
• Hiding in my Craft Room - Freestyle
• Paper Playtime - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Totally Papercrafts - Ho-Ho-Holidays 

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the Pile It On! Challenge. 

Before the Snow in Black & White

I have a couple of  'the same, but different' cards to share today...I used the same stamps and technique, but in a couple of different colourways...

I started by inking an acrylic block with 'Faded Jeans' and 'Stormy Sky' Distress Inks...I then spritzed a little water on to them, before pressing the block down on to a card blank to make a wintry background. On the first card, I stamped my Penny Black 'Before the Snow' stamp in Versamark, then heat embossed it in white, and added a sentiment from the 'Bubble Tree' set by Woodware.

On the second card, I embossed the image using Black Sparkle powder:

Challenges for these cards:

• 4 Crafty Chicks - Christmas 
• 52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Acrylic Block Technique
• Aud Sentiments - Any Sentiment
• CAS on Sunday - Winter
• Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes
• Shopping Our Stash - Holiday/Winter
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Stampin' for the Weekend - Feeling Festive
• Sweet Stamps - The Holidays

I'm a fairy!

I have some exciting news to share with you all today...I've been chosen as one of the new fairies over at the Crafty Little Fairies Challenge...woo-hoo!

There's a brand new challenge starting today...with the theme 'Classic Christmas - use Red, Green & Gold'...so pop over over for lots of wonderful inspiration for your Christmas cards from the Crafty Little Fairies. I'll be on the blue team, with my first challenge in a couple of weeks' time. Thanks girls for choosing me...I'm really looking forward to joining your team!

PS - I'll be back later with a couple of cards.

ABC Christmas Challenge - X is for...

We have a brand new ABC Christmas Challenge starting today...Michelle is the host, and the theme is:

'X is for Out of the BoX'

I know that's cheating a little...but we were struggling to think of another X!

Our sponsor for this challenge is:

Shape EZ:

Prize - 2 Shape EZ Templates

I didn't go that far out of the box, and made some gift tags. I used kraft coloured tags...some snowflakes cut using my Cuttlebug 'Ice Crystal' die from felt...adding a crystal to their centres. The glittery letters are from Hobbycraft, and the Baker's twine is a mixture of Dovecraft and from the Ribbon Girls. 

I'm also entering these tags into the following challenges:

• Charisma Cardz - Christmas
• Crafty Catz - Tags & Bags
• Creative Knockouts - Snowflakes
• Crimbo Crackers - Anything but a Card
• Simply Create Too - Snow

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

Oldie but a Goodie Challenge - Ribbon and/or Lace

We have a new Oldie but a Goodie Challenge starting today, where the theme is:

'Use Ribbon and/or Lace'

Our sponsor for this challenge is Iva Nova Chest

I've used ribbon...lots of ribbon to make my card...I picked some Christmassy ribbons from a set by American Crafts (a TKMaxx bargain), and weaved them together. I simply mounted it on to a card blank, and added a Woodware sentiment (from the 'Bubble Tree' set) and some doodling.

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

• Crafty Cardmakers - CAS
• Corrosive - Happy Holidays
• Daring Cardmakers - Let's Weave
• Dream Valley - CAS

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the Oldie but a Goodie Challenge.

Matchbox Advent Calendar

I have something a little bit different to show you today...an advent calendar made out of matchboxes:

Having seen a few of these in blogland over the last few Christmases, I thought I'd have go at making one this year, and so picked up some packs of plain craft matchboxes in the Range a few weeks ago. I found a tutorial here which I used as the basis for making mine. I started by inking the edges of all of the drawer fonts using 'Brushed Corduroy' Distress Ink...just to take the edge of the 'white-ness' as I couldn't be bothered to paint them and wait for them to dry! I used scraps of BasicGrey 'Figgy Pudding' papers to cover all of the drawer fronts, sides, top and bottom...again inking all of the edges. I added glittery American Crafts brads for the drawer handles, and simply added the numbers using a black gel pen. Once assembled, I thought it kind f looked like a little gift box, so added a gold satin ribbon bow to the top:

Here's a peek at what's in the drawers:

Challenges for this advent calendar:

• Crafty Creations - Ready for the Holidays
• Crafty Sentiments - Christmas
• Created with Love - Anything Goes
• Cute Card Thursday - Anything but a Card
• Delightful - Anything but a Card
• Fab 'n' Funky - Anything Goes
• Stampavie & More - Christmas
• Whimsy Inspires - Anything Goes

Pile It On! Challenge - Give Thanks

We have a brand new challenge for you starting today over at Pile It On! and the theme is:

'Give Thanks'

Our sponsor this week is:

A Day for Daisies

I've used some Hero Arts bicycles stamps ('Classic Bike' and 'Bicycles' set) to make a set of thank you notelets (these are 4x4 inches). I stamped the bicycles using Versamarks, then heat embossed then with clear powder...before blending a single colour of Distress Ink over the top, and adding a sentiment (also by Hero Arts) from the 'What a Life' set.

(Colours L-R: Evergreen Bough, Faded Jeans, Fired Brick, Spiced Marmalade, Peeled Paint & Dusty Concord)

Here are a couple of close-ups...if you want a better view click the photo for an enlarged imageL

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - With Thanks
• CAS on Sunday - One Layer Cards
• Card Makin' Mamas - Thankful
• Challenges 4 Everybody - Anything Goes
• Delightful - Thankful
• Fab 'n' Funky - Anything Goes
• Love to Create - Thanksgiving/Thanks
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Thanks/Thanksgiving
• Simply Create Too - Give Thanks
• Sisterhood of Crafters - Embossing
• Sweet Stamps - Thank You
• Totally Papercrafts - CAS

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the Pile It On! Challenge.
 

ABC Christmas Challenge - W is for...

We have a brand new ABC Christmas Challenge starting today...Carissa is the host, and the theme is:

'W is for Winter Wishes'

We hae two fabulous sponsors for this challenge:

Saturated Canary

Prize - 2 digis from the Saturated Canary store

and our very own Lacey, and her Stamp and Create store:

The prize is a $25 gift certificate!

I've used Lili of the Valley 'Snowman' on my card...colouring him using watercolour pencils, adding some sparkle to the 'snow' using Stickles. The sentiment stamp is from a set by Prima, and the twine is from Hobbycraft.

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

• Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas - Outdoors 
• Creative Corner - Inspired by a Song (Frosty the Snowman/Winter Wonderland)

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

Oldie but a Goodie Challenge - Clean & Simple Christmas

We have a brand new Oldie but a Goodie Challenge starting today...the theme is:

'Clean & Simple Christmas'

Our sponsor for this challenge is:

Bugaboo Stamps

The prize from Bugaboo Stamps is 7 free digis!

I've used an image from Bugaboo Stamps called 'Ava Christmas - Sitter' which I coloured using watercolour pencils. The sentiment stamp is by Penny Black, the ribbon is a scrap that I think camr from Hobbycraft...I thought I'd got some more, and was going to tie a bow, but had already stuck this piece down before I checked...so no bow! Ooops!

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

• C.R.A.F.T. - Christmas
• Crimbo Crackers - Christmas Words
• Sweet Stampin' - Christmas is Coming

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the Oldie but a Goodie Challenge.

Bicycles...

I have another bicycle themed project to share today...this time I've given a freebie notebook (from Barclay's Bank) a makeover for my flatmate who is obsessed with bikes, and makes lots and lots of notes! This is how the notebook started life:

And this is what it looks like now:

I used stamps from the Hero Arts 'Bicycles' and Avery Elle 'Roll with It' sets...stamping them on to paper from the 'Party Days' pad by Crate Paper. I inked the edges using 'Brushed Corduroy' Distress Ink, doodled a border, and matted it on to sme kraft card before varnishing it (to make it more durable), and sticking it to the notebook. I decorated the back too:

I cut some notches out of a couple of the corners where the elastic wrap is, and added a sentiment from the Hero Arts 'What a Life' cling stamp set.

Challenges for this notebook:

• 4 Crafty Chicks - Anything but a Card
• Charisma Cardz - Anything Goes
• Loves Rubber Stamps - Anything Goes
• Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

Box of Decorations

I made this card last weekend...but just haven't had a moment to blog it until now...I've used a James the Bear stamp from Lili of the Valley called 'Box of Decorations', which I coloured using watercolour pencils...adding lots of glitter to the decorations. The papers are from the 'Serenade' collection by Bo Bunny...I doodled some simple borders using a black gel pen, added a Lili of the Valley sentiment, and some gold twine.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafty Little Fairies - Christmas in November
• Created with Love - Christmas Reds & Greens
• Creative Card Crew - Bears
• Fab 'N' Funky - Traditional Christmas Colours 
• Jingle Belles - Holiday Traditions (Decorating the Tree)
• One Crazy Stamper - Christmas
• Seems a Little Sketchy - Sketch
• Sparkles Christmas - Bears
• Stamping Sensations - Christmas
• Totally Papercrafts - Use Glitter

Cozy Winter Owl

I have a super simple Christmas card to share today...using a Meljen's Designs image called 'Cozy Winter Owl', which I coloured using watercolour pencils, then gave the 'snow' some sparkle with some Stickles. I used navy blue card for the card blank...added a Hero Arts sentiment (from the 'Very Merry Christmas' set), doodled some borders and added a few pieces of Card Candi...simple and cheap to post!

Challenges for this card:

• 2 Sisters - Christmas with No Red or Green
• CAS on Sunday - Sketch
• Christmas Cards All Year Round - Winter Wonderland
• Crafty Blogger's Network - Christmas
• Crafty Calendar - All Things Christmas
• Gem of a Challenge - Christmas is Coming
• Moving Along with the Times - No Papers
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Winter Wonderland - Blue & White
• Without Words - Getting Ready for Christmas

Pile It On! Challenge - Cute/Funny Animals

We have a nice and easy challenge for you this week over at Pile It On!...our theme is:

'Cute/Funny Animals'

We are sponsored for this challenge by:

Oak Pond Creations

I've used  a Penny Black image on my card, called 'Cheesecake Parade', which I coloured using watercolour pencils, adding a sentiment stamp from the CCSR set by Papermania. The papers are from the 'New Bloom pad by First Edition...I distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitiching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The flowers and twine are by Dovecraft, the ribbon is from (the long since closed) Poppicrafts, and the button is from my stash.

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - Cute/Funny Animals
• Card Crafter's Circle - Cute Cards
• Challenges 4 Everybody - Anything Goes
• Crafter's Cafe - Birthdays
• Crafty Ribbons - Anything Goes with Ribbon
• Cutie Pie - Embellishment Bingo (Bow - Buttons - Flowers)
• Delightful - Green & Purple
• Penny Black & More @ Allsorts - Anything Goes
• Squirrel & the Fox - Animal Antics
• Sweet Sunday Sketch - Sketch #196
• Totally Papercrafts - Button It Up

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the Pile It On! Challenge.

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Sparklers

It's the first Saturday of the month...so that means it's time for a new Penny Black Saturday Challenge...and this month the theme is: 

'Sparklers!' 
Show us your sparkly & glittery Penny Black makes.

As usual, we have some fabulous prizes on offer from our lovely sponsors:

The Ribbon Girl:

1-2-3 Stitch!:

Prize - a $20 voucher

Glitter & sparkle says 'Christmas' to me...so I've used 'Angel Cat', and covered his wings with a generous coating of Stickles. I've used glittery papers too...they're from the 'Countdown to Christmas' pad by My Mind's Eye, and I used some glitter card for the matting too. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Merriest Wishes' set by Hero Arts.

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

• Christmas Challenges {with sketches} - Sketch
• Cute Card Thursday - Sparkles
• Flutterby Wednesdays - Anything with Wings

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the Penny Black Saturday Challenge.