Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - To Die For

This week sees the last challenge of 2012 for Christmas Stampin' All Year Long...where the theme is:

'To Die For'

(Use die cuts on your project)

Our sponsor this week is Fred She Said:

I've used an image from Fred She Said called 'Emma Hugger Snowman', which I coloured using watercolour pencils. The papers are from the 'North Country' pad by Prima...I distressed the edges a little, then added faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a white gel pen. I used Marianne Designs and Cuttlebug dies to cut the snowflakes, adding little pearls in their centres.

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

• Crafty Creations - Christmas is Coming
• Cute Card Thursday - Girls Only!

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to Christmas Stampin' All Year Long.

Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - Gift Set

This week at Christmas Stampin' All Year Long, our challenge theme is:

'Gift Set for a Teacher'

Our sponsor for this challenge is:

Creations by AR

Prize - 2 Templates of the Winner's Choice!

I've used one of the fab templates from our sponsor Creations by AR, called 'Brownie Box'. I printed it on to paper from the 'Believe' pad by My Mnd's Eye, and used a wide piece of satin ribbon to tie it together. I made a simple matching card using the same paper and a sentiment stamp by Paper Make-Up.

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to Christmas Stampin' All Year Long.

Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - Anything Goes

This week at Christmas Stampin' All Year Long it's:

'Anything Goes'

We have no sponsor this week...but I'm sure there'll be a lovely prize for the lucky winner!

I've used a much neglected Penny Black stamp on my card, called 'Bedecked Antlers', and papers from the 'Countdown to Christmas' and 'Believe' pads by My Mind's Eye. I kept it pretty simple (and flat for posting!) adding just a little doodling around the edges with a black gel pen.

 

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

• Sweet Stamps - Christmas
• Whimsy Inspires - Traditional Christmas Colours

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to Christmas Staampin' All Year Long.

Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - Your Favourite Colour ombo

This week at Christmas Stampin' All Year Long we're asking you to make a Christmas project using:

'Your Favourite Colour Combination'

Our sponsor this week is Bugaboo Stamps:

With a fabulous prize:

My favourite colour is blue...all shades really, but especially teal/aqua...and it's one I like to use on my cards quite a lot, particularly with brown, so that's the colour combination I used for my card today. The cute 'lil birdie stamp from is from Bugaboo called 'Winter Birds - Scarf'...I coloured him using watercolour pencils in my favourite teal and brown colours. For the background, I usind a couple of embossing folders...'Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' and Sizzix 'Snowflakes'. I cut more snowflakes using Marianne Designs and Cuttlebug dies...then layered them up and gave them a generour coating of Stickles...there's a little pearl in the centres of them too, but I not sure you can make them out in amongst all that glitter! I added more pearls to the corners, and glitter to the snow on the image too.

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

• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - No Patterned Paper
• Crafty Ribbons - Christmas
• Hooked on Craft - Christmas with NO Red or Green 
• Sparkles Christmas - Contemporary Colour Combination
• Totally Stampalicious - Anything Goes 

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to Christmas Stampin' All Year Long.

Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - Circles

This week at Christmas Stampin' All Year Long our challenge theme is:

 'Circles'

Our sponsor this week is:

Meljen's Designs: 

Prize: 4 (non-coloured) images from Meljen's Designs!

I've used a jolly Santa image from Meljens Designs on my card...which I coloured using watercolour pencils...then added some Stickles for a touch of sparkle. The papers are from the 'Blitzen' pad by Bo Bunny...I distressed the edges then added faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Reindeer' stamp & die set by Hero Arts/Sizzix, the twine is by Dovecraft, the sparkly bells are from Hobbycraft, the snowflake is a Cuttlebug die and the sparkly brad is by American Crafts.

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

• Delightful - Stitching
• Holly Jolly Christmas - Here Comes Santa Claus
• Stampavie & More - Stitching
• Totally Gorjuss - Bling
• Whimsy Inspires - Sparkly

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to Christmas Stampin' All Year Long.

Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - Traditional Colours

This week at Christmas Stampin' All Year Long, we want to see the traditional Christmas colour combination of:

'Red & Green' 

We are sponsored for this challenge by:

Limited Runs Digital

(Not sure what the prize is at the time of writing, so I'll update this when I find out.)

I've used a cute snowman image from our sponsor Limited Runs Digital called 'Snowman #1' on my card...which I coloured using watercolour pencils. For the background, I embossed red & greed Core'dinations card using my Sizzix/BasicGrey 'Snowglobe' and Cuttlebug 'Snowflakes' embossing folders...sanding lightly over the surface to reveal the core. The stripey ribbon is from Hobbycraft.

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

• CCEE Stampers - Christmas with a Snowman
• Totally Papercrafts - Christmas...9 Weeks and Counting!
• Totally Stampalicious - Christmas

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to Christmas Stampin' All Year Long.

Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - Anything Goes

This week we're taking it easy over at Christmas Stampin' All Year Long, with a challenge theme of:

'Anything Goes'

Our sponsor this week is Bugaboo Stamps:

With a fabulous prize:

The cute Santa image I've used is called 'Old World Santa 6' by Bugaboo Stamps...which I coloured using watercolour pencils. I kept the card really simple...embossing a panel of white card using my Cuttlebug 'Snowflakes' folder, then layering a piece of patterned ribbon (from Hobbycraft) over the top. I used my EK Success 'Scalloped Diamonds' punch for the red border, and the sentiment stamp is from the 'Joy to the World' set by Penny Black.

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

• Crafts & Me - Anything Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Creative Inspiration - Anything Goes
• Little Miss Muffet - Simple

For more inspration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to Christmas Stampin' All Year Long.

Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - Tags

This week at Christmas Stampin' All Year Long, we want to see:

'Tags'

There's no sponsor this week...but we'll be picking one lucky entrant to join us as a guest designer!

I started by embossing a piece of blue Core'dinations card using my Cuttlebug 'Snowflakes' folder...sanding over the raised areas to reveal the lighter core...then adhering it to a plain manilla tag. I added some strips of torn white card to the bottom for some 'snow' and some trees cut using a Marianne Designs die from more Core'dinations card...sanding the edges to look like a dusting of snow. I stamped a sentiment (from the 'Joy to the World' set by Penny Black) and some adhesive pearls to the centres of the embossed snowflakes.

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

• Crafts & Me - Add a Sentiment
• Fab 'n' Funky - No Patterned Paper
• Stamp & Create - Winter Wonderland

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to Christmas Stampin' All Year Long.

Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - Photo Inspiration

This week at Christmas Stampin' All Year Long, we have a photo inspiration challenge for you:

Our sponsor this week is Bugaboo Stamps:

With a fabulous prize:

I've used  a cute image from Bugaboo Stamps on my card called 'Poppi Xmas Tree'...and took inspiration for the background from the colourful stripey layers of the cake in the photo, and layered up some strips of plain card behind the image. I added some Glossy Accents to the baubles...which I think you can just about see in the photo.

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

• Crafting for All Seasons - Things with Wings
• Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to Christmas Stampin' All Year Long.

Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - Stitching

This week at Christmas Stampin' All Year Long, our challenge theme is:

'Stitching'

(Real or faux)

We are sponsored for this challenge by:

Prize: $15 Gift Certificate to spend at Fred, She Said!

I've used a cute image from Fred, She Said on my card called 'Hat Tippin' Snowman'...which I coloured using watercolour pencils. The papers are from the 'Blitzen' pad by Bo Bunny...I distressed the edges a little, then used my CutterBee Bug to pierce some holes before drawing on the faux stitching with a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is by Three Bugs in a Rug, and the snoeflake was cut using my Cuttlebug 'Ice Crystal' die.

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

• Crazy Challenge - Spots or Stripes (I chose stripes)

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to Christmas Staampin' All Year Long.

Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - Winter Wonderland

This week at Christmas Stampin' All Year Long, our challenge theme is:

'Winter Wonderland'

We want to see some kind of snow on your projects.

Our sponsor for this challenge is:

Creations by AR

Prize - 2 Templates of the Winner's Choice!

I've used one of the fab templates from our sponsor Creations by AR, called 'Ornament Box Set'. I printed the 'box' part on to thick kraft card, and the 'decoration' bits on to some paper from the 'Wonderful Winter' pad by My Mind's Eye. I stamped a few extra snowflakes using 'Picket Fence' Distress Stain and stamps from a set from Lakeland. Before attaching the paper to the bx, I inked around the edges with 'Bundled Sage' Distress Ink. Once it was all assembled, I tied it together using some white satin ribbon.

Here's a side view:

I made a larger one of these last month (details on this post)...here's a photo of them together:

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

• Delightful - Anything but a Card
• Love to Create - Ribbon or Twine
• My Time to Craft - More than one fold

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to Christmas Stampin' All Year Long.

PS - I have some Christmas themed candy on offer at the moment...click here to find out more.

Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - CASE Your First Christmas Card

This week at Christmas Stampin' All Year Long we're asking you to travel back in time, and:

'CASE Your First Christmas Card'

(Take inspiration from the first Christmas card you posted on your blog)

Our sponsor for this challenge is:

Prize: £10 Gift Certificate for Bunny Zoe's Crafts!

My blog is just over four years old...so I had to go quite a long way back in time to find mine...this card, from September 20th 2008, was the first Christmas card I posted on my blog:

I decided to use the same colour scheme, with lots of embossing, but with a different Penny Black snowman...this little sweetie is from the 'Holly-Jolly' set, and is coloured using watercolour pencils. I used my Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' & 'Snowflakes' folders, and Sizzix/BasicGrey 'Snowglobe' folders for the embossing. The snowflakes were cut using Marianne Designs and Cuttlebug dies.

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

• Anything Goes - Early Christmas
• Cutie Pie - No Flowers
• Forever Friends - Embossing
• Inky Impressions - Anything Goes
• No Matter Which - Die Cuts/Punches (Snowflakes & Circles)
• Penny Black & More @ Allsorts - Early Christmas Makes
• Stamp & Create - Anything Goes

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to Christmas Stampin' All Year Long.

PS - I have candy on offer at the moment to celebrate my blog's birthday...click here to find out more.

Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - Anything but a Card

This week at Christmas Stampin' All Year Long, we're challenging you to make:

'Anything but a Card'

(Tags, Giftbags/boxes, Gifts...anything really...just don't forget the stampin'!)

There's no sponsor this week, but there will be a surprise package for the lucky winner!

I've made some tags...I'm usually well prepared with my cards, but never seem to remember to make the gift tags in advance! I was inspired by these fabulous tags by Penny Black designer Jenyfur Pohl...and totally CASED them for some simple elegant tags. I inked plain manilla tags using various Distress Inks, then stamped some of my favourite 'non-cute' Penny Black stamps over the top, adding a sentiment, and a sprinkling of snowflakes - I'll list the colours/stamps under the individual photos of each tag.

Here are some close-ups:

Inks: Stormy Sky; Faded Jeans; Chipped Saphire; & Tea Dye

Stamps: 'Snow Dust' (Penny Black); 'Merry Christmas' (Penny Black); 'Snowflakes' (Hero Arts); & flourish from 'North Country' set (Prima)

Inks: Evergreen Bough; Pine Needles; Iced Spruce; & Tea Dye

Stamps: 'Before the Snow' (Penny Black); sentiment from 'North Country' set (Prima); & 'Snowflakes' (Hero Arts)

Inks: Scattered Straw; Wild Honey; Spiced Marmalade; & Tea Dye

Stamps: 'Holly & Globe'; sentiment (Paper Make-Up); &'Snowflakes' (Hero Arts)

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

• Allsorts - It's a Gift
• Everybody Art - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to Christmas Stampin' All Year Long.

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After I published this post, I noticed that this is my 1500th post...wow...that's a lot of blogging! It's also my blog's 4th birthday in a few days time...so watch out for some celebratory candy coming this way!

Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - Non-traditional Christmas Colours

This week at Christmas Stampin' All Year Long we want to see:

'Non-traditional Christmas Colours'

Our sponsor for this challenge is Meljen's Designs: 

Prize: 4 (non-coloured) images from Meljen's Designs!

I've used an adorable image from Meljen's Designs on my card called 'Cozy Winter Owl', which I coloured using watercolour pencils. The papers I've used are from the 'Colourful Christmas' collection by My Mind's Eye...just perfect for this challenge. The little die cut trees and sentiment are from the same set, and I added a few pieces of green Card Candi.

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

• Forever Friends - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stamps  - Watercoloured (I always use watercolour pencils to colour)

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to Christmas Stampin' All Year Long.

Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - Make Your Own Backing Papers

This week at Christmas Stampin' All Year Long, we're asking you to:

'Make your own backing papers'

Our sponsor for this challenge is:

Creations by AR

Prize - 2 Templates of the Winner's Choice!

The DT have aall been working with templates from Creation by AR...I'm using the 'Ornament Box Set'. The set comes with two different sized templates...I used the larger one, printing the 'box' part on to kraft card, and the bits for decorating on to white card. After cutting out all the pieces, I started decorating. I used Distress Inks (Tumbled Glass, Stormy Sky, Faded Jeans, Evergreen Bough and Pine Needles) to colour the card, then stamped a snowflake design (a Hero Arts cling stamp called simply 'Snowflakes') in Faded Jeans (on the main bauble) and Pine Needles (on the tag). For the band around the centre, I used a couple of stamps from the new 'A Bright Tomorrow' set by Penny Black...embossing them in white. I spritzed the whole lot with some 'Soft Gold' Cosmic Shimmer pigment mixed into water before I assembled it...it's lovely and sparkly in real life...but not so much in the photo. The tag was not part of the template...I just cut a plain circle with one of my Nesties.

The template was really easy to use...and the instructions very clear...with handy step-by-step photos. There's plenty of space for a lovely gift...here's a side view:

I decorated teh back too...just the same as the front:

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

• C.R.A.F.T. - Box 
• Crafty Ann's - Christmas in August
• Totally Stampalicious - Favourite Colour Combo (Blue & Green) 

For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to Christmas Stampin' All Year Long.