It's Henry!

I haven't used 'Henry with Cupcake' in ages...so when I saw the fab sketch for this fortnight's Whiff of Joy Challenge...I thought it was about time I inked him up again. I used sparkly paper from the Penny Lane stack by My Mind's Eye, a sentiment from the 'Sending Sunshine' set by Simon Says Stamp, flowers & ribbon from Poppicrafts and a few Papermania buttons.

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

• Create4Fun - Birthday Cards
• Incy Wincy - Buttons & Bows
• Sew Many Challenges - Happy Birthday

Fred the Elephant

I've had this Whiff of Joy image ('Fred the Celebrating Elephant') in my image box for ages...so long in fact, that I can't remember who sent it to me...but thank you whoever you are...he's so cute! I followed the sketch from the Whiff of Joy Challenge...although I did tilt the image the other way...he looked really odd looking 'down hill'! The papers are by My Mind's Eye ('29th Street Market'), and I used my Cuttlebug 'Perfect Paisley' folder to emboss the plain purple one. I distressed the embossing with a sanding block, then all of the edges using my distressing tool...so I'm also going to enter this card into the Crafty Creations 'Distressing' challenge. The flowers are a mixture of Kort & Godt and Wild Orchid Crafts.

Wee and Stocking

Katharina is having a Guest Design Team Call for Whiff of Joy stamps...so I thought I'd have a go, and make a card using the recipe of '1 cardstock, 2 design papers, 1 button, 1 ribbon'. I thought I'd combine it with the current Whiff of Joy Challenge...which is to make an easel card. I used the sketch from Totally Papercrafts for the layout. I've used 'Wee with Stocking' to make a Christmas card with papers by Sandylion. The snowflakes were cut using Cuttlebug dies, and they've been coated with Glamour Dust....although it doesn't show up very well in the photo. The sentiment stamp is by Paper Makeup, and the ribbon and button are from Poppicrafts.


I'll be back on Wednesday with another Christmas card...as it will be time for the next ABC Christmas Challenge. There's still time for you to get your entries in for the current challenge...'F is for Frosty'...if you haven't already done so, to be in with a chance of winning the $15 shopping spree at Simon Says Stamp!

Hot Chocolate Henry

Yes...I'm making an early start on my Christmas cards again this year...making at least one card a week worked so well last year...I ended up with some cards left over! lol
I'd used up most of my Christmas papers...so I had a bit of a splurge on some in the post-Christmas sales...well, I had to make sure I'd have enough to last 'til Christmas! ;0)
This combines quite a few challenges: the fab sketch from the Allsorts Challenge; the colour combo of 'Aqua & Red' from the Whiff of Joy Challenge; the 'Hot Chocolate' theme of the Simon Says Stamp and Quixotic challenges; Stamp with Fun's 'Snowflakes' theme; and Cute Card Thursday's 'All New' challenge.
I used 'Henry Mouse with Hot Chocolate' (by Whiff of Joy)...and was very brave, and cut into some of my new My Mind's Eye 'Colourful Christmas' papers...love the zingy colours on these...and they don't just have to used for Christmas either...I used some on a birthday card yesterday too...but you'll have to wait until later in the week to see that. I distressed all of the edges, and added some faux stitching too. The snowflakes were cut using a Cuttlebug die, and I couldn't resist adding some card candy in the corners.


I'll be back with another Christmas card tomorrow...with my DT card for the second ABC Christmas Challenge...if you haven't joined in with our first challenge...'A for Angels'...and our 'Say No' candy...it's not too late...but you'll have to be quick!

Bruno Bear

I was sent this lovely Bruno Bear with Cupcake image (by Whiff of Joy) a while ago, by my lovely friend Samantha...but I've been waiting for the perfect opportunity to use him. I've combined a few challenges too: the Whiff of Joy Challenge sketch; the Our Creative Corner theme of 'Food or Drink'...well he is holding a cupcake; the Cupcake Craft Challenge to make a card for a 'Celebration'; and the Charisma Cardz Challenge of 'Anything - but Christmas!'. I've used some of my new stash on this card...the sparkly ribbon & pink pearls were a gift from my crafty Secret Santa (thank you!), and the Cuttlebug 'Diamond Plate' folder was a gift from my brother. The paper is My Mind's Eye ('29th Street Market') and the sentiment stamp is by Hero Arts (from the 'Anytime Messages' set).


Right, I'm off to have another little play...but before I go, just a quick reminder...don't forget to enter the ABC Christmas Challenge blog hop...there's lots of fabby candy on offer! The first stop is here.

Wee & Reindeer

Isn't this stamp ('Wee & Reindeer' by Whiff of Joy) just adorable?!
I just had to use it for this week's Whiff of Joy Challenge, where there's a fab sketch...although I did rotate it, so that the flowers didn't cover Wee's head. The papers are all BasicGrey ('Eskimo Kisses')...I love the colours on these. The sentiment stamp is by Studio G, the flowers are a mixture of Poppicrafts and Sarah's Cards Ltd, and the pearl brads are by Papermania. I threaded some thin silver ribbon through the raffia lace (from Hobbycraft).
I'm also entering this card for A Spoon Full of Sugar's 'Non-traditional Christmas Colours' challenge, and the Saturday Spotlight with Hidden Potential's 'Christmas Flowers' challenge.

Hot Chocolate Henry

Here's my card for this fortnight's BasicGrey Challenge...there's a fab sketch to follow...and I've combined it with the Whiff of Joy Challenge to create a 'Christmas Card'. I've used the adorable Henry Mouse...with his cup of hot chocolate, some more papers from the 'Eskimo Kisses' pad (by BasicGrey) and a sentiment stamp by Craft UK.

Christmas Angel

There's a fab sketch for this week's Cupcake Craft Challenge...I've combined it with the Whiff of Joy Challenge colour combination of 'Red, Cream and One Other Colour'...in my case Gold. I've used 'Confrimand Melinda' as a Christmas angel with papers by BasicGrey (from the 'Figgy Pudding' collection). The snowflakes were cut using a Cuttlebug die. As this card has an 'old fashioned' sort of feel, I'm also entering it for the 'Vintage' challenge over at Our Creative Corner.

Magical Christmas

When I first saw this gorgeous 'Confirmand Melinda' stamp (by Whiff of Joy) I immediately thought of using her for Christmas cards, but this is the first time I've actually done that. I followed the fab sketch for this week's Whiff of Joy Challenge, and went for a teal and silver colour scheme, inspired by the yummy My Mind's Eye snowflake paper. I used my 'Victoria' embossing folder on the silver card, and the 'Snowflakes' one on the aqua paper...highlighting the detail with a chalk inkpad. The sentiment is a stamp by Three Bugs in a Rug, the ric-rac is by Papermania, the snowflakes were cut using a Cuttlebug die, and I couldn't resist adding a few adhesive pearls. I'm also entering this card for the 'Angels and Fairies' challenge of the Papertake Weekly Challenge, and for Katharina's Guest Designer call for Whiff of Joy stamps.

Summer Willow

I've combined a few challenges on this card: the Whiff of Joy Challenge sketch (although I've just noticed that I forgot the sentiment! lol); the Papertake Weekly 'Seasons' challenge (I chose summer); A Spoon Full of Sugar's 'Floral Fantasy' challenge; and Pile it On's challenge to use at least 3 flowers.
I've used 'Kneeling Willow', and watercoloured her to match these summery Cosmo Cricket 'Hey Sugar' papers. The flowers are from Poppicrafts, the pearl brads are Papermania, and the raffia lace is from Hobbycraft.

Willow with Cookies...yum!

We've had a really dull and dreary day here...so I've spent a bit of time crafting this afternoon...and managed to combine a few challenges on this card: the Sketch & Stash sketch; the Our Creative Corner Challenge to use 'Purple' on our cards; the One Stop Craft Challenge of 'Swirls & Pearls'; and the Whiff of Joy 'Floral' challenge. I used my new 'Willow with Cookies' stamped image (by Whiff of Joy), watercolouring her to match the My Mind's Eye paper ('29th Street Market'). I stamped some swirls (stamp by Whiff of Joy) in the corners, added a few adhesive pearls and some flowers (from Poppicrafts and Hobbycraft.

Willow with Flower Basket

We really are being spoilt by all the great sketch challenges this week...I don't time to do them all, but I couldn't resist this pretty sketch from the Spoon Full of Sugar Challenge. I've combined it with the Whiff of Joy 'Paper Piercing' challenge, and the Stamp Something Challenge colour combo of 'Pink, Green & Yellow'. I used 'Willow with Flower Basket', and watercoloured her to match these yummy BasicGrey 'Sugared' papers. The sentiment stamp was a freebie with a Docrafts mag, and the little roses are from Hobbycraft.


It's my last day of work before the summer holidays today...yippee...but I have a marathon concert to endure this afternoon...including a performance by the whole of Year 3...that's 60 kids playing the recorder...all at the same time...eeeek...so I'm sure that my ears will be ringing by the time I get home! lol

'Blue & Green...

...should not be seen without a colour in between'...what nonsense - I love blue and green together! There are plenty of gorgeous cards to prove the saying wrong over on the Daring Cardmakers blog too, which has this colour combo as their dare this week. I followed the sketch from this fortnight's Carol's Sketch Fun Challenge (this is my first time entering one of her challenges); and managed to use the Whiff of Joy Challenge recipe of '3 papers, 3 flowers & 1 ribbon' too.
I used 'Kneeling Willow', an image sent to me in a swap by my lovely ABC DT mate Vicky, colouring her to match these yummy BasicGrey papers (from the 'Two Scoops' pad). I embossed the 'plain' one using the Cuttlebug 'D'Vine Swirls' folder, and tied a piece of ribbon (from Poppicrafts) around it. The roses are from Hobbycraft, the sentiment is from the Clare Curd Signature Range set by Papermania, and I couldn't resist adding some card candy to fill the empty space in the top right-hand corner.

Distressed Melinda...

...well actually it's 'Confirmand Melinda'...but she is quite distressed too! lol
I used the fab Friday Sketcher's Sketch...but I was a little naughty and left off the sentiment...I just couldn't decide what to use...but I may add one when I come to use the card. I paper pieced her dress and hairband with some gorgeous K&Co paper ('Blue Awning - Polka Dots'), so I'm also entering this card for the Whiff of Joy and Creative Inspirations Challenges, which both have the theme of 'Paper Piecing' this week.


I used the same K&Co paper for the background of the card, with a strip of paper from the 'Boxer' pad by BasicGrey, and a piece of Core'dinations card embossed with the Cuttlebug 'Textile' folder underneath the image. As I'd used a deckled edge Nestie to cut out Melinda, I decided to have a go at distressing the edges of all of the papers with ink and sandpaper to stop them looking 'too neat'. The flowers are a mixture from Poppicrafts and Hobbycraft, and I also inked the edges of those to match the papers.

Yummy, yummy, yummy...

...it's Henry...and multiple challenges...again! This time I've combined the Whiff of Joy Challenge sketch, the colour combo of 'Pink, Brown & White' of the Pink Elephant Challenge, the One Stop Craft Challenge 'Sparkles' theme, and the 'Something Yummy' of the Charisma Cardz Challenge.
The papers are all from the 'Bittersweet' collection by BasicGrey, the cute little sentiment stamp is by Hero Arts (from the 'Fabulous Birthday' set), the ribbon and flowers are from Poppicrafts. It doesn't show up terribly well in the photo, but I added some Stickles to the frosting on the cake, and a touch of sparkle to the flowers and candle flame with a Sakura Stardust pen.

Triple Challenge Henry

Yes...it's Henry...again...but this time I've used him on a boys card. I've combined the fab Sunday Sketch & Stamp sketch, with the 'Brown & Blue' colour combo of the Whiff of Joy Challenge...and as it's definitely a card for a boy...I'm also entering this card for the One Stop Craft Challenge's 'Let's hear it for the boys' challenge. I've combined Henry with papers by Prima Marketing...they're double sided, and I've used both sides of two sheets...embossing the plain blue piece with the 'Swiss Dots' folder. As it's a card for aa boy, I've stuck to the sketch...no extra embellishments...just a few pieces of card candy at the bottom.

Whiff of Joy meets Stamp with Fun

There's a fab sketch for this week's Whiff of Joy Challenge...which I decided to combine with the 'Shabby/Vintage' theme of the Stamp with Fun Challenge...now as you've probably noticed...I don't really do shabby...I do love that style of card, but I just don't seem to be able to do it myself! But I think I've managed a vintage-y feel with the colours and inked edges of the 'Granola' papers (by BasicGrey), and the Prima flowers. I've used 'Musing Melinda', coloured to match the papers, together with a sentiment also by Whiff of Joy. The pearl brads are by Papermania.