Helen's Craft Haven...

ABC Christmas Challenge - B is for...

2012-01-25T07:30:00.000Z

We're on to the letter B over at the ABC Christmas Challenge this fortnight...and with Dorte as our host we have a 'B' tastic challenge for you:

'B is for Bears...with one or more of: Bunting, Banners, Brads, Bling, Buttons, Bows & Blooms!'

Phew...what a mouthful! lol

We have two fabulous sponsors for this challenge:

Our very own Lacey with her store Stamp and create:

and a whopping prize

and
Bugaboo

fabulous Prize

I've used an image from Bugaboo stamps called 'Christmas Teddy 2 Ornaments'...in fact my card is being showcased over on the Bugaboo blog today...how exciting! I coloured him using watercolour pencils to match my blue & brown colour combo....I'm hoping for extra brownie points for my extra 'Bs'! lol I used my Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' and Sizzix 'Snowflakes' folders to emboss my card...then added a Cuttlebug 'Ice Crystal' snowflake...with a button & bow in it's centre.

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

Card Crafter's Circle - Bears
Crafty Catz - Buttons & Bows
Creative Craft - Blue
Crimbo Crackers - For a Child
Digi Doodles - Blue & Brown
Dream Valley - Animals

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, and some of the Bugaboo girls, please pop over to the ABC Christmas Challenge.

Cuttlebug Spot Challenge - Box & Gift

2012-01-24T12:00:00.000Z

We have a brand new challenge starting today over at the Cuttlebug Spot Challenge...the theme is:

'Make a box & put something handmade inside'

I made a very simple set of little notecards (they're just under 4 inches square)...with a box of the same design. I used scraps of My Mind's Eye '29th Street Market' papers...cutting circles using Nesties, then embossing them with an assortment of Cuttlebug & Craft Concepts folders...sanding over the top to reveal some of the white core. I added a sentiment stamped using a satmp from the CCSR set by Papermania.

Here are all the little notecards (click the photo for a better view):

I'm also entering these into the following challenges:

2 Sisters - Embossing
One Stitch at a Time - Round & Round
Raise the Bar - Circles

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please stop by the Cuttlebug Spot Challenge.

Seize the Cupcake!

2012-01-23T06:30:00.000Z

I have an ultra simple card to share today for the Less is More 'Cut it out!' challenge. I don't very often cut apertures in my cards...not sure why...because I think it can be really effective. I used a circle Nestie to cut the 'hole'...then stamped one of the Hero Arts 'Cupcakes' through on to the inside of the card...adding one above and below on the front of the card too. I coloured them using watercolour pencils, then added sentiments to the front and inside (ooops...forgot to photograph that...but it just says 'Happy Birthday') from the same stamp set.

Challenges for this card:

Card Makin' Mamas - Something Old (I've had this stamp set for years...and not used it since last March!)
Charisma Cardz - Clean & Simple
Corrosive - Hearts
Less is More - Cut it Out!
Truly Scrumptious - Something Forgotten (I last used this stamp set on this card back in March last year...for another LIM challenge!)

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Food or Drink

2012-01-21T09:00:00.000Z

Please scroll down for my Penny Black Saturday Challenge DT post

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This week it's Francesca's turn to set the theme for the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge, and she has chosen:

'Food or Drink'

We are sponsorred for this challenge by The Stamping Boutique

The prize is 3 digis of the winner's choice from the Stamping Boutique.

I've used a Penny Black stamp in my card...it's called 'Cupcake Glory'...and doesn't he look pleased with himself! I coloured it using watercolour pencils to match the soft pastel colours of the Dovecraft 'Tea House' papers (a Christmas present)...I added faux stitching around all the edges, but it doesn't show up too well in the photo. The sentiment is a Cuddly Buddly stamp.

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please visit the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge.

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Crafty Bargains

2012-01-21T08:00:00.000Z

This week at the Penny Black Saturday Challenge, we're challenging to use your:

'Crafty Bargains'

Our sponsor for this challenge is Crimson Cloud...here's the prize:

A couple of my favourite online craft shops had post Christmas sales...and I some Christmas money to spend...so it would have been rude not to bag a few bargains! lol

Here are a couple of the things I picked up:

The Prima paper pad was £1.50 from Craft Obsessions...and the stamp ('Monkey See, Monkey Do') was reduced to £2.17 at Sir Staampalot...bargaintastic!

I coloured the image using watercolour pencils...distressed and inked the edges of ecerything, adding faux stitching to the papers using my CutterBee Bug and a white gel pen. The snowflakes were cut using Marianne Designs and Cuttlebug dies

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

Christmas Cards All Year Round - Non-traditional Colours
Crafty Ann's - What's New? (The stamp & papers are new)
Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
The Squirrel & the Fox - Critters

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

ABC Christmas Challenge - A is for

2012-01-18T07:30:00.000Z

I have another Christmas card today...this time it's for our current ABC Christmas Challenge where the theme is:

'A is for Anything Goes!'

Nice and easy...anything Christmas will do!

We have three fabulous sponsors to try to tempt you to get cracking with this year's Christmas cards:

Simon Says Stamp with a fab $15 voucher excluding postage.

Stamp Fairy

$10 Gift Certificate

Ribbon Girl

Mini Christmas Ribbon Kit.

I had a play with some more of the goodies I picked up in the post-Christmas sales...a set of Prima cling stamps ('North Country') and the Winter 2011 Limited Edition Distress Inks. I stamped and embossed the tree in white, then blended 'Iced Spruce', 'Evergreen Bough' and 'Stormy Sky' inks over the top. I did the same with some of the snowflake stamps in the set to make the background...and that's it...simples!

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

Christmas Cards All Year Round - Non-traditional colours
Crafty Catz - Use Something New (the stamps & two of the ink pads are new)
Creative Stamp Friends - Winter
Lollipop Crafts - No Embellishments
Sisterhood of Crafters - Let It Snow/Winter
Stampavie & More - Winter

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, and some of the Stamp Fairy girls, please pop over to the ABC Christmas Challenge.

Par Avion

2012-01-17T06:30:00.000Z

This is the first of three Christmas cards that I'll be blogging this week...I've used a Penny Black stamp ('Par Avion') on this one that always makes me smile :0)
I coloured the chickens using watercolour pencils, and added a sentiment from a set by Three Bugs in a Rug.

Challenges for this card:

Cute Card - You're Having a Laugh (Well...the PB chickens always make me smile)
Less is More - One Layer Cards with Birds
Paper Sundaes - Pick your favourite challenge (I picked #37 - Things with wings)

Party Pup

2012-01-16T06:30:00.000Z

I have another 'boy' type card today...I'd coloured this image ('Party Pup' by Whipper Snapper) a couple of weeks ago and decided it was about time he made it on to a card. I coloured plain white card using 'Faded Jeans' and 'Brushed Corduroy' Distress Inks for the background, then used my Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' and Crafts Too 'Bone & Paw' folders for the embossing...then sanded lightly over the top to reveal the core. The sentiment is a stamp from the 'Anytime Messages set by Hero Arts (snipped in half). I added a few pieces of Card Candi...and a button threaded on to some twine...I'm not sure where the star shaped button came from...I have a feeling it may have been in a pack from a charity shop.

Challenges for this card:

Charisma Cardz - Happy Birthday
Dutch Dare - For the Boys

Pile It On! Challenge - Fuzzy Friends

2012-01-15T11:00:00.000Z

This week at Pile It On! our challenge theme is:

'Fuzzy Friends'

In other words show us some fuzzy creatures on your projects.

We are sponsored for this challenges by Di's Digi Downloads, and the prize is a $10 voucher to spend in her store!

I've used a somewhat neglected stamp on my card...he's called 'Ruffles - a Present for You!' by Helz Cuppleditch for Stampavie. I coloured him using watercolour pencils to match the bold colours of the My Mind's Eye 'Countdown to Christmas' papers. I distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment is from a little Studio G set, and the stars were cut using Nesties.

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

Pile It On! - Fuzzy Friends
Anything Goes - Anything Goes
C.R.A.F.T. - Celebrations
Dream Valley - Anything Goes
Moving Along with the Times - Spots & Stripes
PaperPlay - Stitches
Papertake Weekly - Die Cute
Simon Says Stamp - Spots & Stripes
Stamp & Create - Anything Goes
Totally Gorjuss - Include a Star
Totally Papercrafts - Spots & Stripes

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

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Anything Goes with Blue

2012-01-14T09:00:00.000Z

Please scroll down for my Penny Black Saturday Challenge DT project :0)

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This week it's Bridget's turn to choose the theme of the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge, which is:

'Anything Goes with Blue'

Our sponsor this week is:

The prize is a $10 voucher for the Digi Doodle Shop!

I've had another play with my new Hero Arts 'Swirly Paisley' stamp...I heat embossed it in white, then blended 'Stormy Sky' Distress Ink over the top. The flower stamp is 'Agapanthus Clusters' by Stampendous...I used the watercolour technique with more Distress Inks...'Forest Moss', 'Stormy Sky' and a touch of 'Faded Jeans'. I inked around the edges with more 'Stormy Sky', and added a few adhesive pearls.

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

Crafty Cardmakers - No Floral Embellishments
Crazy4Challenges - Monochromatic Blue
Creative Inspirations - Pearls & Swirls
Digi Doodles - Embossing (The paisley stamp is heat embossed)

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please visit the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge.

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Anything Goes!

2012-01-14T08:00:00.000Z

We've got a wonderfully easy challenge for you this week over at the Penny Black Saturday Challenge, where:

'Anything Goes!'

Our sponsor for this challenge is:

and the prize is a $20 voucher to spend in their online store!

I've decorated a little desk calendar that I got in the post Christmas sale in Boots...it's meant for photos...but I've used lots of those little tiny stamps you get in the Penny Black transparent sets...just the right size, as the space for the pictures is 2x3 inches. I've kept it all really simple as the space is so small...with just a single layer of paper and a cut out image...with some doodling too...and it's all flat, as I didn't want it to be too bulky. I'm using this for keeping track of birthdays...so hopefully I won't forget to send anyone a card!

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

Pollycraft - Anything, but a card
Stampin' for the Weekend - Out with the Old (All of the stamps & papers I've used on this are at least a year old...some of them are considerably older!)

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

ABC Christmas Challenge - A is for...

2012-01-11T07:30:00.000Z

We're starting another trip through the alphabet today on the ABC Christmas Challenge...Lacey is our host, and the theme is:

'A is for Anything Goes!'

Nice and easy...anything Christmas will do!

We have three fabulous sponsors to try to tempt you to get cracking with this year's Christmas cards:

Simon Says Stamp with a fab $15 voucher excluding postage.

Stamp Fairy

$10 Gift Certificate

Ribbon Girl

Mini Christmas Ribbon Kit.

I've used an image from the Stamp Fairy on my card, called 'Barry Countdown to Christmas' - isn't he cute?! I coloured him using watercolour pecnils, then added sprakle to his stars using a Sakura Stardust pen. The papers are from the 'Christmas Fancy' pad by Dovecraft - I distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching. The snowflakes were cut using Marianne Designs & Cuttlebug dies, and the brads are BasicGrey.

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

Christmas Cards All Year Round - Non-traditional colours

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, and some of the Ribbon Girl & Stamp Fairy DT, please visit the ABC Christmas Challenge.

The Cuttlebug Spot - Winter Scenery

2012-01-10T12:00:00.000Z

After a little festive break, the Cuttlebug Spot is back wiith a fun new challenge today...our theme is:

'Winter Scenery - With texture'

(Think felt, ribbon, lace, twine, pearls, buttons, flocking etc)

I've used some more new goodies...more sales purchases...on my card. The main image is 'Snow Dust' (by Penny Black) and the sentiment is from a set just called 'Sentiments' (by Hero Arts). I stamped them both in Versamark, then heat embossed them in white, then blended 'Tumbled Glass', 'Stormy Sky' and 'Faded Jeans' Distress Inks over the top. For the textured background, I blended 'Stormy Sky' and 'Faded Jeans' on separate pieces of white card, then embossed them using my Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' and Sizzix 'Snowflakes' folder, then inked lightly over the raised areas with the other blue ink to make it stand out a little more. I then added a white button threaded on to some blue baker's twine across the bottom.

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

Christmas Cards All Year Round - Non-traditional Colours (Optional Embossing)
Crafty Calendar - New (I've used two new stamps, and a new embossing folder on this card)
Crafty Creations - Heat Embossing
Crazy4Challenges - New (I've used two new stamps, and a new embossing folder on this card)
Sir Stampalot - Monochrome

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

Purple Irises

2012-01-09T06:30:00.000Z

Today's card is a real quick and simple one...I was supposed to be making my DT stuff for the week...but managed to sneak this one in while I had my inks out. I wanted to have a play with my new 'Paisley Swirl' background stamp by Hero Arts, that I picked up in Sir Stampalot's sale...they had some good bargains...so there may have been one or two more items that 'fell' into my basket! I stamped and heat embossed it in white, then blended 'Milled Lavender' and 'Custy Concord' Distress Inks over the top. I watercolour stamped the Penny Black 'Irises' with more 'Dusty Concord' and 'Forest Moss', and added a sentiment (also by Hero Arts)...inking around the edges of the white layers with yet more 'Dusty Concord'.

Challenges for this card:

CES - Anything Goes (Thanks for choosing me in the Top 3 for the last challenge!)
Less is More - Predominantly Purple
Little Miss Muffet - Something New (The paisley background stamp)

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Let them eat cake!

2012-01-07T09:00:00.000Z

It's Andie's turn to set the theme for the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge this week...and she has chosen:

'Let them eat cake!'

In other words, we want to see yummy sweet treats on your projects.

We have lots of lovely new sponsors lined up for our challenges this year...and this week we are sponsored by Crafter's Companion...the prize is a £10 voucher to spend in their online store!

I have quite a few stamps with of cakes...and cupcakes...but settled on this one...Birthday Dog' by Penny Black...it's one of my oldest stamps, but I still love it! As you can probably tell, this card is for a little boy's first birthday...so I kept it quite simple...using embossed card (with my Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' and Craft Concepts 'Cupcakes' folders) for the background. I added a sentiment from the 'Sending Sunshine' set by Simon Says Stamp and a die cut number (using my Cuttleebug 'Olivia' alphabet) to some Nestie circles...with some blue baker's twine to make them look like balloons.

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

Critter - Celebrations
Simply Create - Layers

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please visit the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge.

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - CASE IT (Beth)

2012-01-07T08:00:00.000Z

We have a new challenge for you today over at the Penny Black Saturday Challenge...for the first challenge each month, we will be taking inspiration from one of the DT members...and asking you to CASE (Copy And Share Everything) their favourite PBSC card. We are starting with Beth...who picked this fabulous card:

There are two fabulous prizes up for grabs:

From Penny Black Inc

And from the Ribbon Girl

I loved Beth's card so much...I basically just copied it! lol But you don't have to be that literal...you could go the colour scheme...or the stars...or spots & stripes...some bling...doodling...use the same image...papers or layout. I found that I had the same image in my image box (called 'cinnamon')...but chose to use different papers (still with spots & stripes)...these are from the 'Hippity Hoppity' & '72 & Sunny' pads by We R Memory Keepers. I added some doodled borders...a la Beth...some die cut stars (cut with Nesties)...and bling.

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

My Favourite Project of 2011

2012-01-06T06:30:00.000Z

I'm back to early morning posts...the holidays are over, and it's my first day back at school today :0(
I'm sharing another of my 'favourites'...this time my favourite project of last year...to play along with the Stamp Man Challenge's Annual Award. I wanted to choose something other than a card, as I've already blogged my favourite cards, and Christmas cards in the last week or so...and in the end, I chose these baubles:

And the backs:

I made these back in November, and I'll link to the original post here in case you want to know any info about the products used. These ones went on my parents' Christmas tree...but I still have a couple more of these that I'll decorate for next year :0)

Quick & Simple Christmas

2012-01-05T10:00:00.000Z

I've made another Christmas card...well...one of my New Year's resoltions is to make my Christmas cards all year round again...so I'm afraid that (hopefully) you'll be seeing lots more unseasonal cards fom me! This was a really quick and simple card to make...I'd been working on new music arrangements all day, but just had to squeeze in some crafting in the evening. The ornament stamp is from the Forever Friends 'A Winter's Tale' set...and when I first saw it I thought it would look good simply stamped with a ribbon bow tied over the top, to make it look like they're hanging from the ribbon, so that's what I did! I coloured the baubles using watercolour pencils, then added some sparkle with a Sakura Stardust pen. The gingham ribbon is from Hobbycraft, and the sentiment is from a 'Me to You' set that came free with a DoCrafts mag.

Challenges for this card:

Creative Craft - Resolutions (One of my crafting ones is to make Christmas cards all year round)
Cute Card Thursday - What's New? (The image & sentiment stamps are both new)
Incy Wincy - Anything Goes
My Mum's Craft Shop - Something New (New stamps)
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes & Optional New (The stamps are both new)
Pink Elephant - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp - Something New (New stamps)
Top Tip Tuesday - Anything Goes

My Favourite Cards of 2011

2012-01-03T22:50:00.000Z

I'm joining in with Debby, and sharing my five favourite cards of 2011 today. When I went through all of last year's blog posts trying to choose...I ended up with a 'short list' of 22...lol...and there were definitely a few themes running through my choices...some of the cards looked spookily similar! I've linked each of the photos to the original blog post, so if you want to find out any details of any products used, simply click on the photo to find out more.

These mice, and the yummy papers were on a couple of my 'short listed' cards...along with plenty of inking, distressing & faux stitching!

Any regular visitor to my blog will know of my love for Penny Black stamps...this is one of my favourites...I love the versatility of this stamp...I've used just part of it on this card...and I do like a bit of patchwork effect for using up those paper scraps!

I've developed a bit of thing for Distress Inks and floral stamps this year...and had a few cards along that theme in my 'short list'...but I picked this one because it won me a prize in the Cardmaking & Papercraft Cardmaker of the Year competition :0)

I still love my white cards too...and embossing...and have been trying different card folds too.

And...I had to include a one layer CAS card...and a PB dog...this one makes me smile :0)

First Christmas Card of 2012!

2012-01-02T19:00:00.000Z

Guess what I did yesterday? Yep that's right...made a start on this year's Christmas cards! Well, it's never too early...I plan to make them all year round again...and besides, I got some new stash for Christmas! The image I've used is from the Forever Friends 'A Christmas Tale' set...which was a Christmas present...I coloured it using watercolour pencils to match the My Mind's Eye 'Countdown to Christmas' papers. I added the faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug & a white gel pen. The snowflakes were cut from kraft using Marianne Designs & Cuttlebug dies, and the sentiment is from a 'Me to You' set that came free with a Docrafts mag. The spotty buttons (also a Christmas gift) are from a 'Neighbourwood' set by Helz Cuppleditch, and the baker's twine is from the Ribbon Girls.

Challenges for this card:

Forever Friends - Sketch
Christmas Cards All Year Round - Non-traditional Colours (Teal)
Crafty Catz - Santa's Hat (On the dog)
Creative Friday's - It's Cold Outside
Crimbo Crackers - Snowflakes
My Time to Craft - Winter Pals
Paper Sundaes - Some Old (The MME papers) & Something New (The FF stamp & buttons)
Simon Says Stamp & Show - Some Old (The MME papers) & Something New (The FF stamp & buttons)
Squirrel & the Fox - Something New (The FF stamp & buttons)
Totally Gorjuss - Happy

Pile It On! Challenge - Anything Goes

2012-01-01T12:00:00.000Z

Happy New Year everybody!

Today sees the start of a brand new challenge over at Pile It On!...where our theme is:

'Anything Goes!'

As this is the first challenge of the month, we are sponsored by our fabulous regular sponsor:

The prize is a $15 voucher to spend in the wonderful Simon Says Stamp store!

We are joined today for the first time by our lovely new DT buddies, and both teams of DT members are playing this week, so there's a bumper crop of inspiration for you over on the Pile It On! blog.

My project is an easel card calendar...I usually make a few of these to give as gifts for the New Year...and for this one I decided to go for a 'non-cute' stamp...using my Hero Arts 'Blooming Meadows' stamp with the watercolour stamping technique. To make sure that my 'papers' matched...I blended the same colours of Distress Inks ('Victorian Velvet', 'Dusty Concord', 'Faded Jeans', 'Chipped Sapphire' & 'Forest Moss') on to white card. I used my Cuttlebug 'Victoria', 'D'Vine Swirls', 'Flower Fantasy' and Craft Concepts 'Budding Vine' folders to emboss, then lightly sanded over the surfaces to reveal some of the white card beneath. I distressed all of the edges a little, added a border punched with my EK Success 'Scalloped Diamonds' punch, and a calendar tab from Hobbycraft.

Here's a view from the front:

Here are the challenges I've piled on:

Pile It On! - Anything Goes
Aud Sentiments - Anything Goes
C.R.A.F.T. - New Year
Creative Stamp Friends - New Year's Card
Cute Card Thursday - Happy New Year
Digi Doodles - Anything Goes
Hotshot Craft - Easel Card
Little Miss Muffet - Anything Goes
My Mum's Craft Shop - Anything Goes
Pollycraft - Punch It
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Stampin' for the Weekend - Anything Goes
Wags 'n Whiskers - Fancy Folds

For lots more inspiration, and to meet the new DT members, please pop over to Pile It On!

2012 Calendar

2011-12-31T10:00:00.000Z

*Sorry...this post is rather picture heavy!*

It's become a kind of tradition, that every year I decorate some of the Papermill Shop's blank calendars to give as Christmas presents...this year, I made three...this is the one I gave to my Mum.

I kept each page very simple, mounting each one on to kraft card (cut to 6x4 so they can be recycled into cards once the calendar is finished), distressing the edges and adding faux stitching to unite all the different makes of papers, and brands of stamps used. I'll try to list the 'ingredients' under each month.

Image: 'Cat on the Moon' (Penny Black)

Papers: 'Papa' (Fancy Pants)

Tools: 'Lacey Scalloped Circles'; 'Stars' Nestabilities

Image: 'Bunnies - In Love' (Lili of the Valley)

Papers: 'Adore' (My Mind's Eye)

Tools: 'Concentric Hearts' die (Cuttlebug)

Image: 'Pinky Joy' (Penny Black)

Papers: 'Hello Luscious' (BasicGrey)

Tools: 'Circle' Nestabilites

Flowers: Wild Orchid Crafts

Brads: BasicGrey

Image: 'Spring Bunnies' (Hambo Digi Staamps)

Papers & Die Cut: 'Hippity Hoppity' (We R Memory Keepers)

Tools: 'Circle' Nestabilities; 'Wild Honey' Distress Ink

Image: from the 'Hugs' set (Penny Black)

Papers: 'Penny Lane' (My Mind's Eye)

Tools: 'Circles' Nestabilities

Flowers: Wild Orchid Crafts

Brad: BasicGrey

Image: 'In the Shed' (Lili of the Valley)

Papers & Die Cut: '72 & Sunny' (We R Memory Keepers)

Image: 'Good Game' (Penny Black)

Papers & Die Cut: '72 & Sunny' (We R Memory Keepers)

Ribbon: Hobbycraft

Image: 'Toot the Flute' (Penny Black)

Background Stamp: 'Music' (Hero Arts)

Paper: 'Wild Asparagus' (My Mind's Eye)

Tools: 'Old Paper' & 'Brushed Corduroy' Distress Inks

Image: 'Clive Cockran' (Toodles & Binks)

Papers & Die Cuts: '72 & Sunny' (We R Memory Keepers)

Tools: 'Circles' Nestabilities

Image: from the 'Be Very Scared' set (Penny Black)

Tools: Spider's Web folder (Tim Holtz); Sweets folder (Cuttlebug); 'Lacey Circles' Nestabilities

Image: 'Circus Act' (Whipper Snapper)

Papers: 'True' (Fancy Pants)

Tools: 'Stars' Nestabilities

Image: 'Welcome Party' (Penny Black)

Papers: 'Countdown to Christmas' (My Mind's Eye)

Tools: Tree Die (Marianne Designs)

See...I warned you there was a lot of photos! Don't worry...I'm not going to show you the other two...they're not the smae as this one...different images, and papers...but very similar.

Challenges for this calendar:

Die Cut Dreams - Calendar
Dutch Dare - My Favourite Things (Penny Black stamps, My Mind's Eye, BasicGrey & We R Memory Keepers papers, Nesties, distressing, faux stitching, embossing...just about everything! lol)

Simple Thanks

2011-12-30T10:30:00.000Z

I have a set of (very) simple thank you cards to show today...

They're a variation on a theme...just with the squares placed in different positions...

A couple in portrait, and a couple in landscape...

The cards are A6 sized...not too much space to have to fill! lol...the papers are Stampin' Up! (a prize from Lady LIM Mandi from a challenge she sponsored on Totally Papercrafts a while back), and the sentiment stamp is from the 'Sending Sunshine' set by Simon Says Stamp. I lightly inked around the edges of the papers with 'Old Paper' Distress Ink, then added faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen.

Challenges for these cards:

Crafty Creations - Thanks
Less is More - One Word

Cute & Cuddly

2011-12-29T10:30:00.000Z

Hurrah - I have a new card to show you today! I haven't made a card in nearly two weeks...which for anyone who knows me, will know that's some kind of record! lol
I was aksed to make a 'new baby' card for the latest addition to our family...a baby boy (I hope!) due tomorrow. The image is called 'Cute & Cuddly' by Sugar Nellie, which I coloured using watercolour pencils, adding Glossy Accents to the balloon. The only instruction I was given was to keep it simple, so I used just a couple of papers (My Mind's Eye & Cosmo Cricket), embossing the plainish one using my Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' folder. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Sending Sunshine' set by Simon Says Stamp.

Challenges for this card:

Crafter's Companion - New Beginnings
Little Red Wagon - Something New
Paper Sundaes - Celebrate