ABC Challenge - E is for...

Wow...it feels like ages since I posted a card for the ABC Challenge! Thank you for bearing with us, while we got ourselves in order...especially those of you who took the time to enter our DT call. It was a real challenge to choose just four of you to join our team, but we got there in the end...our new design team members have been revealed on the ABC Challenge blog...so make sure you pop by to see who'll be inspiring you to join us in our future challenges.

To get us all back into the swing of things, we have a nice simple challenge for you this fortnight:

E is for Embossing

This can be either heat embossing, dry embossing with a stencil, or using a folder or texture plate in a die-cutting machine...or a combination of any of these.

For the embossing on my card, I used a couple of Cuttlebug folders on my card...'Lace Tree' and 'Snowflakes'...on various finishes of silver card...I love the way the embossing really stands out on metallics. I added a few adhesive gems in the corners, and also in a few places on the tree, but kept it really simple, as I wanted this card to be all about the embossing.


We have a lovely prize on offer for the winner of this challenge...one of the new Cuttlebug folders...'Moroccan Screen':


And don't forget...our challenges are now fortnightly...so you've got plenty of time to join in.
The rest of the design team have created some gorgeous cards...so make sure you stop by the ABC Challenge to check them out.

Wishes for Kisses

I think that teal and silver is becoming my favourite colour combo for Christmas cards this year...this snowflake paper by My Mind's Eye (from the 'Festive Frost' pack) is just so beautiful. I followed the sketch from this week's Get Sketchy Challenge...and distressed the edges of all my paper s using my distressing tool for the 'Bonus Challenge'. I used my Cuttlebug 'Snowflakes' folder on some silver card...I really love the way the embossing stands out on metallics. The sentiment stamp is by Three Bugs in a Rug, I used a 'Deckled Edge Rectangle' Nestie to cut out my image ('Wishes for Kisses' by Penny Black), added some faux stitching with a white gel pen and a few adhesive gems.

Par Avion...

I didn't have much time to craft at the weekend...had some music arrangements to finish off for classes and rehearsals this week...but I did reward myself with a little play time...and made a few quick cards...mainly Christmas ones I'm afraid...using some images I had already coloured...saves a lot of time...but I do still colour with with particular papers in mind, so that things will match. The first uses this week's Friday Sketcher's Challenge sketch...I rotated it to fit my image - 'Par Avion' by Penny Black...and I'm afraid I didn't manage the 'extra challenge' to include 'Distressing'...totally didn't see it until I went back to add the sketch image to this post! lol
I'm also entering this card for the Secret Crafter 'Animal Antics' challenge. The papers are by DCWV (from the 'Christmas Wishes' stack), the ribbon is from Poppicrafts, the snowflakes were cut using a Cuttlebug die, and the card candy in the corners is by Craftwork Cards.

Sharon's Birthday Candy!

The lovely Sharon has delicious candy on offer to celebrate her 50th birthday in two week's time...including some gorgeous papers, flowers, Promarkers...and lots more:


Click here to visit her fab blog, and find out how you could be the lucky winner...closes midnight (UK time) October 9th.

Happy Birthday Sharon...and thanks for letting us all help you celebrate! :0)

Uplifting Occasion!

There's another fab sketch for this week's Sketch Saturday Challenge...which I've combined with the Penny Black Saturday Challenge colour theme of 'Chocolate, Lemon & Pink'. I've used an image ('Uplifting Occasion') that was sent to me in a swap ages ago...I've never used i,t as it's quite large for the size of card I like to make...but it was just perfect for this sketch. The papers are by BasicGrey, from the 'Porcelain' and 'Two Scoops' pads, the sentiment is by Hero Arts (from the 'Fabulous Birthday' set), and the flowers are a mixture of Papermania and Prima.

Lola with Bird

I love this fortnight's Sugar Bowl Challenge sketch...and was even brave enough to attempt the 'paper piecing' extra. I used 'Lola with Bird' by Rachelle Anne Miller...I hadn't inked it up for a while, but thought there were plenty of bits to paper piece...her hat and coat, and even the little birdie. The gorgeous papers are My Mind's Eye '29th Street Market', the flowers are from Poppicrafts, and the organza ribbon is from my stash.

Welcome Party!

There's another of Dawny's fab sketches for this week's Papertake Weekly Challenge...and I've combined it with the 'Non-Traditional Colours' challenge of Christmas Stampin' All Year Long. The image is 'Welcome Party' by Penny Black, and the wonderfully bright papers are from the 'Rose Tinted Christmas' stack by DCWV. I embossed the blue strip of card with my 'Snow Dots' folder, the sentiment is a stamp by Three Bugs in a Rug, and I added a few snowflakes cut using a Cuttlebug die, decorated with clear adhesive gems in the corners.

Mini Cheesecake Parade

I found a new challenge this week...well new to me anyway...it's a sketch challenge called Card Patterns...and you all know I can't resist a good sketch! lol I managed to combine it with a couple of other challenges: the Cupcake Craft Challenge is asking us to distress our cards; and the Simon Says Stamp Challenge wants to see stitching. The image is from the 'Micey Day' set by Penny Black, the stripey paper is by My Mind's Eye ('Adore')...I distressed the edges using inks and my distressing tool. I used my CutterBee Bug to pierce the holes, and gel pens to add the 'stitches'...so much quicker (and neater!) than my real sewing! lol The ribbon and flowers are from Poppicrafts, and I couldn't resist adding a few pieces of card candy.

Hot Chocolate

This is yet another of my cards from the weekend...I really crafted up a storm! lol This one is for: the Sketch & Stash Challenge...my 'new' item is the Whiff of Joy image ('Willow with Hot Chocolate') I was sent in a swap recently; the Winter Wonderland 'Hot Chocolate' challenge; Our Creative Corner's colour combination of 'Pink, Hot Pink, Brown & White'; which is perfect for the 'One for the Girls' challenge of the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge. The papers are by BasicGrey ('Bittersweet' and 'Blush')...not really very festive...but they were the right colours! lol The sentiment stamp is by Three Bugs in a Rug...the one I had that was vaguely suitable, and the flowers are from Poppicrafts.

Boo Boo Bear

This is another of the cards I made on Sunday...this one is for: Sketch Saturday - loved this sketch...although I had to rotate it to fit my image; the One Stop Craft Challenge's 'Beary Nice' theme; and the Basic Grey Challenge to use 'Embossing'. The image is 'Boo Boo Bear' by Whipper Snapper...he's so cute...is it wrong that I'd like someone to get ill, so that I can have an excuse to use him? lol
The gorgeous papers are from the BasicGrey 'Lemonade' pad...and I embossed the one at the back using my 'Moroccan Screen' Cuttlebug folder...well actually I managed to put the paper in the folder the wrong way around (again!) so it's 'debossed'...I hope that still counts! lol I distressed the edges of the paper, then added some faux stitching, as I think this always makes the paper look like fabric. The flowers are by Prima, the brads are Papermania, and the ribbon is from Poppicrafts.

XMouse Ornament

This is one of the cards I made during my crafting marathon yesterday...it fits three challenges: I used the Friday Sketchers sketch; the 'Lace & Pearls' theme of the Penny Black Saturday Challenge; and the 'Snowflakes in September' theme of the Allsorts Challenge. The cute little mouse is 'XMouse Ornament' by Penny Black and the snowflakes paper is by My Mind's Eye (from the 'Festive Frost' pack). I embossed the silver card using my 'Snowflakes' folder, the lace is from Hobbycraft, I cut the snowflakes using a Cuttlebug die, and the adhesive pearls are from my stash.

Invitation Production Line...

I've been busy little bee today...I had a production line going, making invitations for my Nan's 90th Birthday Party, which is in November.


I kept the design very simple, as I was making mulitples, but made a few different colour ways for a bit of variation. To keep the layers to a minimum (I want them to be fairly flat for posting) I used coloured card blanks (these are A6, from Lakeland...before they stopped selling crafty bits). The cake image is a Hero Arts stamp (from the 'Fabulous Birthday' set), which I watercoloured to match the card blank, then added a touch of glitter to the cake. I printed the wording on to white paper (I did try card, but my printer didn't like it, and kept leaving grey streaks down the page...ggrrrr), then scored parallel lines either side, before embossing the top and bottom of it using my 'Swiss Dots' folder. Here's a better picture of the three different colours:


I've also made a few cards for challenges...I think I've set a personal best today...12 invites and 4 challenges cards...but I'm saving those to upload next week...I wouldn't want to bombard you with them all at once! lol

Shabby Dandelion

I haven't joined in with the Just Christmas & Birthday Cards Challenge for a while...but I fell for their sketch this week, so I just had to have a play. I've made a lot of Christmas cards lately...and there are a lot of birthdays coming up next month, so I've used it to make a birthday card this time. The image is from the 'Daisy & Dandelion Birthday' set...I think it's Dandelion, but it doesn't say on the packaging. I used my favourite papers...'29th Street Market' by My Mind's Eye...apologies to my regular visitors...I know I use them a lot...but this time I have an excuse...the Stamp Something Challenge is asking us to use our favourite colours or papers this week...so I just had to! I've also gone a bit 'Shabby'...roughing up the edges with some ink and my distressing tool...so I'm also entering this card for this week's Everybody Art Challenge. I made the 'lollipop' flowers using my Nesties, added some faux-stitching around the edges of the papers, and the sentiment is a Hero Arts stamp.

I {heart} Christmas!

I'm back with a Christmas card this morning...for a few challenges: the sketch is from Christmas Stampin' All Year Long; I followed the Simon Says Stamp Challenge 'Recipe' of '3 embellishments, 2 papers and 1 image'; and the 'Animals' theme of the Creative Inspirations Challenge. The image is from the 'Holly-Jolly' set by Penny Black...I watercoloured it, then added some glitter to the baubles, and replaced the star on the top of the tree with a brad. The sentiment stamp is also by Penny Black...I masked off the heart before stamping and embossing, then added the heart-shaped brad in it's place (both brads are from Tesco). My third embellishment is the gold ribbon (wrapped around the middle strip, behind the sentiment). My two papers are actually both sides of a double-sided Cosmo Cricket paper (from the 'Be Good' range)...I hope that counts...and I used my 'Snowflakes' folder to emboss the plainer side.

Think Pink!

I've managed to cram loads of challenges on this card...makes up for yesterday's lack of challenges ;0)
I used: the Midnight Madness sketch; the Charisma Cardz Challenge theme of 'Flower Power'; the 'Pearls & Swirls' theme of the Cupcake Craft Challenge; the Papertake Weekly challenge to 'Fake It'; and...lastly, but by no means least...the 'Think Pink' challenge of Stampavie & More. I used 'Rainin' Daisies' (by Penny Black), and some gorgeous flowery paper by My Mind's Eye ('29th Street Market')...the pink is the reverse, which I embossed with my 'D'Vine Swirls' folder, then sanded to reveal the white core. The flowers are all from Poppicrafts, and the pearl brads are by Papermania. I added some adhesive pearls to some of the swirls, and some faux-stitching around the edges of the papers for my 'fake' elements.

Beaded Bookmark

This is the 'surprise' beaded item I made for my blog candy winner Lesley. I used a mixture of frosted, fire polished and faceted beads in shades of purple. They are threaded on to headpins, then attached to a short length of chain with jump rings. This was then attached to the bookmark 'blank' (bought from a seller on Ebay).


Here's a photo of it being 'modelled' by my Veggie Bible! lol


Hope you like it Lesley!

Bittersweet Pringle

There's another fab sketch for this fortnight's Sugar Bowl Challenge...with a delicious colour combination of 'Pink & Brown'...so how could I resist?
I used 'Pringle', with BasicGrey papers...from the 'Bittersweet' (the pink one) and 'Blush' (the brown one) collections. I distressed all of the edges with ink, and my distressing tool. The flowers are from Poppicrafts, and the card candy is by Craftwork Cards.