My Favourite Cards of 2012

I'm playing along with Debby again, and posting my five favourite cards of 2012. Gosh...what a difficult task choosing just five cards...I've blogged nearly every day this year, and so had well over 300 items to choose from! Anyway, after much deliberation, here are my top picks (all the photos are linked to the original posts for more information):

 This first one is not in my usual kind of colours (too much pink! lol), but I like the embossed vellum...and of course the yummy cupcake!

I like making men's cards...and love all the distressing, and cute LotV bear on this card :0)

I've been trying to make more CAS cards this year (to save money on postage!), and like to get more from my stamps...this wee mouse is a Christmas stamp, but without his snowflake he's perfect for any occasion!

 

I had to include a flowery stamped card...this stamp ('Blooming Meadows' by Hero Arts) had made rather a lot of appearances on my blog this year...and this is my favourite out of all those cards.

 

My final card is a really recent one...from yesterday in fact! I've been after a butterfly die/punch for ages...and got this beauty ('Darla' by Memory Box) for Christmas...and I love these papers ('So Sophie' by My Mind's Eye) so much that I can hardly bear to use them!

Before I go...I'd like to wish you all the best for 2013...Happy New Year!

 

Birthday Dog

I've used an old favourite on this card...'Birthday Dog' by Penny Black...together with papers from a Heidi Grace pad. I distressed the edges, then added faux stitching using my Cutterbee Bug and a black gel pen. The buttons are by Papermania and are threaded with some Dovecraft twine...the sentiment stamp is from the 'Fabulous Birthday' set by Hero Arts.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafty Ribbons - Blue & Green
• Fussy & Fancy - Furry Friends 
• Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
• Squirrel & the Fox - Party Time!
• Sunday Sketch & Stamp - Pick Any Old Sketch (I used the one at the top of the 'Sketches' page) 

Darla Butterfly

Another day...another butterfly card...this time using my new 'Darla Butterfly' die by Memory Box...another lovely Christmas present! :0) I used papers from the 'So Sophie' pad by My Mind's Eye...I distressed the edges with a little 'Brushed Corduroy' Distress Ink, and then my distressing tool, before adding some faux stitching. The flowers were cut using my Tim Holtz 'Tattered Florals' die, and attached using a BasicGrey brad. The sentiment is as stamp from the 'Fabulous Birthday' set by Hero Arts, and the lace is from Hobbycraft. 

Challenges for this card:

• Fab 'n' Funky - Ribbon and/or Lace 
• Flutterby Wednesdays - Anything Goes 
• Hiding in my Craft Room - Freestyle
• Mojo Monday - Sketch
• Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
• Totally Gorjuss - Something New (The butterfly die)

Social Butterflies

I've been playing with more new goodies on today's card...the 'Social Butterfly' stamp set by Penny Black, and a few new colours of Distress Ink. I started by blending the inks (Seedless Preserves, Dusty Concord, Chipped Saphire, Stormy Sky, Faded Jeans, Salty Ocean & Tumbled Glass) over a square of plain white card...then spritzed it with 'Baby's Breath' Shimmerz for a little sparkle. I then stamped some of the butterflies and a dragonfly from the set in the Distress Inks I'd used for the background...adding a sentiment (from the 'Fabulous Birthday' set by Hero Arts) stamped in black. I stamped the larger butterfly on a separate piece of card, embossing it with clear powder, before colouring it with the same inks, and spritzing once again before cutting it out and mounting it using 3D foam pads.

Challenges for this card:

• Card Crafter's Circle - Anything Goes
• Charisma Cardz - Anything Goes
• Flutterby Wednesday - Anything Goes
• PaperPlay - Out with the Old, In with the New (New stamps & inks)
• Penny Black & More @ Allsorts - It's Your Choice
• Pink Elephant - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stamps - Birthday

P..P..Pick Up a Penguin!

I've used more new stamps on today's card...a couple of the penguins from a 'Special Delivery' set by Helz Cuppleditch called (strangely enough) 'Penguins'. I created a snowy scene for the background using plain white card...embossing the 'sky' using my Cuttlebug 'Snowflakes' folder, cutting a couple of trees using my Marianne Designs die, and simply tearing the card for the snowy slopes. I coloured the penguins using watercolour pencils, then cut them out and popped them on using 3D foam pads. The sentiment is from the 'Sentiments' set by Hero Arts.

Challenges for this card:

• Charisma Cardz - Anything Goes
• Crafts & Me - Winter Wonderland
• Crafty Calendar - White Christmas
• Dutch Dare - Celebrations
• Kaboodles Doodles - Christmas/Holidays/New Year
• Papercraft Star - Snow
• Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stampin' - Seeing Double (2 Penguins & 2 Trees)

Mr Fixit!

I must have been a good girl this year....Father Christmas brought me quite a few lovely new craft goodies ;0) I had a little play with some of them yesterday, and made a couple of cards...the one I'm showing you today, uses a Lili of the Valley stamp called 'Mr Fixit' that was a gift from my lovely crafty friend Samantha - thank you! I coloured him using watercolour pencils, to match the blue/green colours of Distress Core'dinations card I used for the background. I embossed the strips of card using my Cuttlebug 'Spots & Dots' and 'Diamond Plate', and Sizzix/BasicGrey 'Plaid' folders...sanding over the surface to reveal the lighter core. I added some Craftwork Cards Card Candi, and a sentiment (from the 'Anytime Messages' set by Hero Arts).

Challenges for this card:

• Challenges4Everybody - Anything Goes 
• Charisma Cardz - Anything Goes 
• Hiding in my Craft Room - Anything but Christmas
• Hotshot Craft - Clean & Simple
• Lili's Little Fairies - Something New (The teddy stamp was a Christmas present)
• Ready Teddy Go - Clean & Simple
• Seems a Little Sketchy - Sketch
• Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
• Stamptacular Sunday - Embossing

ABC Christmas Challenge - Z is for...

It's Dorte's turn to host the last ABC Christmas Challenge of 2012...where the theme is:

'Z is for Zoo Animals'

We have two wonderful sponsors for this challenge:

Bugaboo Stamps

The prize from Bugaboo Stamps is 7 free digis!

and

Sweet Stamps

Prize - a $10 voucher for the Sweet Stamps store

And...that's not all...our lovely DT buddy Miria is leaving us after this challenge, so we're on the hunt for some new DT playmates...so we're having a DT call on this challenge too!

So, if you think you can:

•  Make a Christmas card/project for each fortnightly challenge
• Take a turn in hosting a couple of challenges in 2013
• Comment on a couple in every 10 entries for each challenge

Then, simply play along with this challenge, and add 'DT' after your name in the linky, and you could be getting ahead for next Christmas with the most friendly DT in blogland :0)

Ok...so on to my card...I've used a cute monkey image from Bugaboo Stamps called 'Sock Monkey Winter Snowballs', which I coloured using watercolour pencils...then added sparkle to the snowballs using some Stickles). The papers are from a Heidi Grace pad (sorry...it doesn't appear to have a name!)...I added doodled borders around the edges, and a Lili of the Valley sentiment...perfect for a cheeky little monkey next Christmas!

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

• Aud Sentiments - Use Any Sentiment
• Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Goes 
• Crafty Ribbons - Blue & Green 
• Crafty Sentiments - Glitter  
• My Time to Craft - Animals in the Snow  
• Paper Playtime - Winter Fun  
• Raise the Bar - Let it Snow!  
• Simon Says Stamp - Merry Christmas  
• Stamp & Create - Sparkly Christmas  
• Stampavie & More - Christmas
• Stamping with the Dragon - Waiting for Christmas  
• Totally Gorjuss - Easy Does It!

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

My Favourite Christmas Cards of 2012

I'm joining Debby in posting my five favourite Christmas cards of the year...it took me a while to look back through them all and choose, as I'd made 118 (well actually I've made more than that...but they're on the pile for next Christmas! lol). I've tried to choose a mixture of different styles, and products...so here they are in chronolgical order)...the photos are linked to the original posts for full product info):

I tried to make more CAS /flat cards this year (to help save on postage!)...and these trees and sentiment stamp were a firm favourite!

 Another CAS card...'Snowy' is one of my all time favourite Christmas stamps...so I had to inclde him!

 Somthing a bit more 'fuusy' now...I love James the Bear...but shhhhh....don't tell anyone, but I cheated on this card and used a pre-coloured image...I also love the colours & doodling on this card.

This card has to be one of the most colourful ones I made this year...I love the embossing, the clashing colours, and most of all those reindeer!

My last card is quite a recent one...another CAS card using lots of my favourite things...kraft, blue & snowflakes!

 

Thanks Debby for the trip down memory lane...I'm looking forward to browsing through everyone else's favourite cards and getting some ideas for next year's makes!

Oh...and before I go...I must wish you all a very Merry Christmas...I hope you all have a wonderful time!

Garden Bouquet Notecard Set

I have a notecard set to show you today...it's a Christmas gift for someone, but she doesn't look at my blog, so I'm safe to put it on here. It's similar to a set I made a couple of months ago, but this time I used slightly larger card blanks, and just one stamp...'Garden Bouquet' by Hero Arts. I inked it up using various colours of Distress Inks (single colours for the flowers with 'Forest Moss' for the greenery on each notecard, but multicolour on the lid of the box), then stamped using the watercolour technique, then softened the edges with a little 'Old Paper' Distress Ink.

Here are the notecards (I made two of each colour):

(L-R: Victorian Velvet; Faded Jeans; Spiced Marmalade; Dusty Concord; & Chipped Saphire)

(L-R: Scattered Straw; Stormy Sky; Festive Berries; Wild Honey; & Tumbled Glass)

Challenges for this set:

• Delightful - Anything Goes
• Papercrafting Journey - Anything Goes
• Papertake Weekly - Pick of the Year (13/11/12 - Flower Power)
• Stampin' for the Weekend - Anything Goes
• Totally Stampalicious - CAS

ABC Christmas Challenge - Y is for...

I have another project for our current ABC Christmas Challenge, where the theme is:

'Y is for Your Favourite Punch and/or Die'

We have two amazing sponsors for this challenge:

Stamp Fairy

And the prize from the Stamp Fairy:

There's also a 50% sale on at the moment so pop over there to grab a bargain...

and

The lovely Heidi at Simon Says Stamp are offering one lucky entrant 

A $15 voucher to spend in her store 

I've made some Chritmas tree ornaments this time, and used one of my most used dies...a plain Nestie Circle...what did we do before these were invented??? I cut 6 circles for each one from various silver papers...then embossed (and debossed by accident!) them using my Cuttlebug 'Snowflakes' folder. After folding them all down their centres, I glued them together to make 'baubles'. I did try to photograph them on my tree, but the lighting was really bad (although they did look pretty!), so here they are displayed on my jewellery stand:

I'm also entering these into the following challenges:

• Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes
• Kaboodles Doodles - Anything Christmas
• Top Tip Tuesday - Anything Christmas

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

Pile It On! Challenge - Pile on the Embellishments!

I have a mid-challenge reminder for the special month-long challenge we have going on over at Pile It On! The theme is:

'Pile on the Embellishments!'

Our sponsor for this challenge is the fabulous:

Prize: a $15 gift certificate to spend at Simon Says Stamp!

Having checked and double checked the challenge theme after the massive fail with my first card...I set about making a Christmas card for my Dad...and inked up 'Carollers' by Penny Black...he has a thing about chickens! After watercolouring the image, I added a sentiment from a little Studio G set. The papers are all from the 'Figgy Pudding' collection by Penny Black...I distressed the edges a little, then added faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. For embellishments, I added some snowflakes cut using Marianne Deisngs and Cuttlebug dies, with pearls in their centres...some little gold jingle bells (from Hobbycraft) tied on with some twine, and then some more adhesive pearls for good measure.

Here are the challenges I piled on:

• Pile It On! - Pile on the Embellishments (Snowflakes, Pearls, Bells & Twine)
• BasicGrey - Christmas ('Figgy Pudding' papers)
• Creative Craft - Humorous
• Forever Friends (Monthly) - Christmas Cards
• Forever Friends (Fortnightly) - Christmas Cards
• Here Come the Boys - Anything Goes
• Inky Impressions - Something Gold (The stamp & papers are years old!)
• Joanna Sheen - With Love at Christmas
• No Matter Which - Christmas
• One Stop Craft - Distressed Christmas
• Papercrafting Journey - Christmas
• Squirrel & the Fox - Christmas
• Stamping with the Dragon - Birds
• Totally Gorjuss - Someone Special (This card is for my Dad)
• Totally Papercrafts - Sketch

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

Chocolate Wreath

Something a little bit different from me today...a Christmas wreath...made from chocolates! I started with a plain polystyrene wreath shape, attached some gold ribbon to hang it with, added a large bow, then went to town covering it in chocolates attached using a hot glue gun...simples! At the moment it's hung on an internal door...not sure it's really safe for outdoors!

Challenges for this wreath:

• Charisma Cardz - Christmas Makes 
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Christmas Birthday/Anything Goes for Christmas
• Creative Fridays - Christmas is Coming
• Lollipop Crafts - Happy Holidays

Winter Wedding

My flatmate's brother is getting married today, and he asked me to make a card for him to give to the happy couple...the brief was 'not cute...white, but not all white...maybe some blue...that'd look nice' - this is what I came up with:

I went Cuttlebug Crazy...using lots of different embossing folders (Swiss Dots, D'Vine Swirls, Textile, Kassie's Brocade and Victoria), and 'Concentric Hearts' and 'Olivia' alphabet dies for the hearts and flowers. I distressed all of the edges a little using my distressing tool, and added adhesive pearls, seam binding ribbon (from the Ribbon Girls) and gemstone brads (from Craft Obsessions). The sentiment stamp is from a set by Lili of the Valley. The ribbon just poking out on the right-hand side, is on the end of a tag (on which he can write his message)...I made a little pocket to hold it underneath the fold - I never know where to write on an easel card! I also made a simple box to pur it in...but forgot to photogragh it! Ooops! Here's a side view:

Challenges for this card:

• Aud Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Challenges4Everybody - Anything Goes
• Crafty Catz - New Beginnings
• Everybody Art - Anything Goes
• Love to Create - Anything Goes
• Seems a Little Sketchy - Sketch
• Simon Says Stamp - Favourites (Cuttlebug!)
• Wags 'N Whiskers - Anything Goes

ABC Christmas Challenge - Y is for...

It's my turn to host the ABC Christmas Challenge this fortnight, where the theme is:

'Y is for Your Favourite Punch and/or Die'

We have two amazing sponsors for this challenge:

Stamp Fairy

And the prize from the Stamp Fairy:

There's also a 50% sale on at the moment so pop over there to grab a bargain...

and

The lovely Heidi at Simon Says Stamp are offering one lucky entrant 

A $15 voucher to spend in her store 

I've used my all time favourite snowflake die...'Ice Crystal' by Cuttlebug...and layered it up with a snowfake from a set by Marianne Designs...with a button threaded with some Dovecraft twine in the centre. Behind the snowflakes, I stamped a Hero Arts snowflake stamp, embossing it in white on kraft...then added a border made using my EK Success 'Scalloped Border' punch. The sentiment stamp is by Penny Black.

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

• 2 Sisters - Snowflakes
• Crafty Sentiments - Snowflakes
• Crazy - Christmas
• Cupcake Craft - Merry Christmas
• Dream Valley - Christmas
• Fussy & Fancy - I Love Christmas
• Incy Wincy - Christmas with Snowflakes
• Ribbon Girls - Christmas
• Squirrel & the Fox - Summer or Winter 
• Sparkles Christmas - Button or Bow
• Stampin' for the Weekend - Let it Snow
• Sweet Stampin' - Dies & Punches
• Top Tip Tuesday - Christmas
• Totally Gorjuss - Snow
• Whimsy Inspires - Anything Christmas

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, and some fabulous guests too, please pop over to the ABC Christmas Challenge.