ABC Christmas Challenge - H & I are for?

We have a fun new ABC Christmas Challenge starting today...Lynda is the host, and there are two themes this month, which are:

'H is for Hang It Up'

&

'I is for Intricate'

There are two awesome prizes on offer from our lovely Lynda:

For my 'Hang It Up' project, I made a bauble...it's meant to be a photo ornament, but I used a couple of Penny Black snowmen (from the 'Snow Much Fun!' and 'Holly Jolly Christmas' sets) instead. I coloured the snowmen using watercolour pencils, then carefully cut them out. For the background, I cut a couple of circles from snowy paper from the 'Mystery Marbles' pad by Craft Sensations. I made the 'snow' from a mixture of white Flowersoft, Glamour Dust and white seed beads.

For my Intricate card, I decided to make a wreath from die cut snowflakes...I cut them from lots of snippets of card using a set of Tim Holtz dies for Sizzix. I stamped the sentiment (from a Ranger set called 'Letter It - Christmas') on to the centre of my card blank, then arranged the snowflakes around it...sticking some directly on to the card, and raising the others up on 3D foam pads in a variety of thicknesses.

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

• Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes
• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes
• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
• Creatalicious - Anything Goes (Optional Anything But a Card) (Just the bauble)
• Crimbo Crackers - Anything Christmas Goes
• Penny Black & More - Going Round in Circles (Just the bauble)
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets (Just the card)
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Anything Goes
• Sweet Stampin' - Anything Goes (Just the bauble)
• The Holly & the Ivy - Anything Christmas Goes
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

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

ABC Christmas Challenge - T is for...

We have a new ABC Christmas Challenge starting today...Wilma is the host, and the theme is:

'T is for Tree Ornament'

Our sponsor for this challenge is:

Prize -  2 digis of the winner's choice

I've decorated a photo ornament using some Helz Cuppleditch 'Special Delivery' paper, and some die cut shapes from the 'Colourful Christmas' collection by My Mind's Eye. I filled the bottom of the bauble with some 'Polar White' Flowersoft mixed with a little Glamour Dust.

Front:

Back:

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

• Charisma Cardz - Anything but a Card
• Completely Christmas - Anything Goes
• Pink Elephant - Anything Goes

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

ABC Christmas Challenge - O is for...

It's time for a brand new ABC Christmas Challenge...this fortnight Wilma is the host, with a theme of:

'O is for - O Christmas Tree'

Feature a Christmas tree on your card...simples ;0)

We are sponsored for this challenge by Bugaboo Stamps:

The prize from Bugaboo Stamps is 7 free digis!

I have quite a lot of Christmas tree stamps in my collection...I didn't realise just how many until I had a look through to choose a stamp for this card...I think I must have a bit of a problem! Anyway, I settled for this cute little Penny Black hedgy hurrying home with his tree safely strapped to the roof of his car from the 'Joy to the World' set. I coloured him using watercolour pencils, then carefully cut around the image. For the background, I started with a piece of Echo Park 'Winter Wishes' paper, then built a scene on top using lots more Christmas trees (cut using a Marianne Designs die), some grey card for the road, and some torn white card for some snow. I added some more snow to the trees and edges of the tron white card using 'Polar White' Flowersoft.

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

• Allsorts - Transport
• Cards for Men - Christmas in July
• Cut It Up - Christmas in July
• Papertake Weekly - Dies/Punches
• Penny Black Inc - Beat the Heat
• Sparkles Christmas - Christmas Trees
• Sweet Stamps - Christmas Greenery

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

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Gold, Silver or Bronze

This week it's my turn to choose the theme for the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge, and inspired by the Olympic Games, I went for:

'Gold, Silver or Bronze'

Our sponsor this week is:

The prize is a $10 voucher to spend in the Digi Doodles store!

With all the success that Team GB have been having, I had to go for gold...and took my inspiration from all of the gold post boxes that have been springing up across the country in honour of the British Olympic Champions, giving this adorable Lili of the Valley puppy (called 'Puppy Post') a golden post box to post his Christmas cards. Not sure if they'll still be gold at Christmas...but you can find out where they are on this website...I've already spotted a couple near where I live...surrounded by people having their photos taken standing next to them! I coloured the image using watercolour pencils, and 'Soft Gold' Cosmic Shimmer pigment for the post box, then added Flowersoft for snow. I kept the rest of the card really simple, using my Cuttlebug 'Snowflakes' and Sizzix 'Snowglobe' folders to emboss some red card, matting everything on gold mirror card. I cut the snowflakes using Marianne Designs and Cuttlebug dies.

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

• Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
• Do You Stack Up - Four Legged Friends
• Great Impressions - Animals
• My Mum's Craft Shop - Christmas in August
• Simon Says Stamp - Bingo (Die cut - Free - Glitter)
• The Stamp Man - Precious Metals

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

ABC Christmas Challenge - G is for...

I have another card for our current ABC Christmas Challenge today...where the theme is:

'G is for - Gold, White & a touch of Green'

We have two wonderful sponsors:

The prize from Simon Says Stamp is a $15 voucher to spend in their online store

And

The prize from Elizabeth Craft Designs is 3 sheets of gold Christmas outline stickers

I've used a stamp from the Penny Black 'Holly-Jolly' set...which I coloured using watercolour pencils...adding some sparkle to the gold stars using a Sakura Stardust pen...and some 'Polar White' Flowersoft for the snow. I used a couple of Sizzix/BasicGrey embossing folders ('Powdered Sugar' & 'Snowglobe') for the background...it's so simple, but I love how white card looks when it's embossed. I bought the gold lace from Dunelm Mill last weekend, and the sentiment is from the 'Critter Party' set (also by Penny Black).

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

• 52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Sketch 
• CCEE Stampers - Use an embossig folder
• Christmas Cards - Flowersoft/Flocking
• Critter Sketch - Critters
• Forever Friends (April) - Embossing
• Incy Wincy - Cute Critters
• Penny Black & More @ Allsorts - Oh so Cute!

My Favourite Project of 2011

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)

Sunday Sketch & Stamp - Guest Designer

I was chosen as the lucky winner of the Sunday Sketch & Stamp Challenge last weekend...and my prize is that I get to guest design for them for the next four weeks...how cool is that?! Here's this week's sketch:

I've used an image by Penny Black...from the 'Holly Jolly' set...which I coloured using watercolour pencils, adding some sparkle to the snowman's hat with Stickles, and some Polar White Flowersoft for 'snow'. The papers are from the 'Wonderful Winter' pad by My Mind's Eye...I inked the edges a little with a chalk inkpad...and added some cute pom-pom trim and a couple of pieces of Card Candi.

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

• Crafty Catz - Snowmen
• Crazy4Challenges - Snow
• Little Red Wagon - Christmas
• Ribbon Girls - Jingle All the Way 

For lots more inspiration from the fabulous DT, please pop over to Sunday Sketch & Stamp.

Baubles!

I have a couple of baubles to show you today...I bought a pack of  'photo ornaments' in the sale at Boots after last Christams...thinking that they'd be good to decorate and give as gifts...well, I finally got around to decorating a couple yesterday.

I used the template inside (meant for cutting your photo to the correct shape) to cut a couple of pieces of white card for each bauble. On the ones for the front, I embossed a Hero Arts cling stamp called 'Snowflakes' in white, then blended 'Tumbled Glass' and 'Faded Jeans' Distress Inks over the top. I added a snowman (from the 'Holly Jolly' set by Penny Black) to one, and 'Winter Pup' (by Hero Arts) to the other. On the others, I stamped my Penny Black 'wishes ornament' sentiment stamp in black, embossed some more of the Hero Arts snowflakes around the edges, before blending the same Distress Inks over the top. Before I assembled them, I poured in some 'Polar White' Flowersoft for 'snow'.

I found these quite difficult to photograph...as the light was reflecting off the plastic...and I had to stand them in little tealight holders to keep them upright! Here are some close-ups:

Challenges for these baubles:

• Ellephantastic - Weather Related
• Fussy & Fancy - Make a Gift/Anything but a Card
• Oldie but a Goodie - Let it Snow (I've had the snowman stamp since last Christmas, and the pup for several years)
• One Stitch at a Time - Anything Goes

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Make a Scene

Please scroll down for my Penny Black Saturday Challenge DT post

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This week it's Wendy's turn to choose the theme of the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge, and she has chosen:

'Make a Scene'

(Create a scene on your project, either using stamps, digis, die cuts or a mixture)

I started by making a snowy night sky using Distress Inks (Chipped Saphire, Stormy Sky, Faded Jeans & Weathered Wood), the added torn strips of white card  to the bottom to look like snow...I added 'Polar White' Flowersoft and Glamour Dust to the torn edges. I used my new tree die (it's by Marianne Designs Creatables) to cut the trees...it was a birthday gift from my lovely friend Pauline...I sanded them to add a little dimension, then added more Flowersoft 'snow'. The adorable bear is a digi stamp from Pollycraft called 'Bronson & Beaker Star Gazing'...I coloured him using watercolour pencils, then carefully cut him out...adding a star to one of the trees instead. The star and little snowflakes were cut using Cuttlebug dies.

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

• Bah! Humbug! - Something New (the tree die...and I haven't used this digi before either!)
• Totally Papercrafts - Christmas in August

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

Winter Snuggles

I've used some goodies I bought in the post-Christmas sales to make this card. The adorable hedgie image is from the 'Jolly Friends' set by Penny Black, which I got in the Sir Stampalot sale...I coloured it with watercolour pencils, and then added some Polar White Flowersoft to the umbrella for the snow. The papers (from the 'Countdown to Christmas' pad by My Mind's Eye) were also a sales purchase...from Hobbycraft, where I discovered all of the Christmas stock was reduced to half-price a couple of weeks before Christmas! The glittery brad (from an American Crafts pack) was also bought in the Hobbycraft sale...but a different Hobbycraft, and this time after Christmas. The snowflakes were cut using a mixture of Cuttlebug and Marianne Creatables dies, and the sentiment stamp is also by Penny Black.

Here's a close-up of the Flowersoft 'snow':

Challenges for this card:

• Crazy Challenge - Dots & Stripes
• Dutch Dare - Sketch
• Penny Black Saturday - January Sales

Puppy Post!

This card is for my Dad...though it's from my Mum, not me...I'll show you the one I'll be giving him another day. I've used 'Puppy Post' by Lili of the Valley, colouring him with watercolour pencils, and adding some Polar White Flowersoft for 'snow'. The papers are Bo Bunny 'Tis the Season', and I distressed the edges with inks and my distressing tool. The snowflakes are a mixture of Marianne Designs Creatables, and Cuttlebug, and the sentiment is a Cuddly Buddly stamp.

 Here's a better view of the Flowersoft 'snow':

Challenges for this card:

• Crafty Catz - Your choice (I chose challenge #45 - Animals)
• Fussy & Fancy - Show us some snow
• Lili of the Valley - Sketch
• Moving Along with the Times - Let it snow
• Sew Many - Winter
• Totally Gorjuss - For someone special

Puppy Post!

I've another of my new birthday stamps on this card...it's one of the adorable new Lili of the Valley releases called 'Puppy Post'. I coloured him with watercolour pencils, and then added some Polar White Flowersoft for the snow. The papers are from the 'Tis the Season' collection by Bo Bunny, and the snowflake brads are by Dovecraft.

Here's a close-up of the 'snow':

Challenges for this card:

• Sketch & Stash - Sketch
• Creative Cottage - Christmas
• Sew Many Challenges - Christmas in August
• Spoon Full of Sugar - Christmas in August

ABC Christmas Challenge - F is for...

Our challenge for you this fortnight over on the ABC Christmas Challenge blog, had been set by the lovely Lols...and she has chosen:

'F is for Frosty'

...with the optional extra of 'Snow'.

I've gone with 'Frosty the snowman'...but you could also interpret the theme as 'Frosty Colours'. I've used an image from the 'Holly-Jolly' set by Penny Black...colouring the snowman's hat, scarf and sledge to match the My Mind's Eye 'Colourful Christmas' paper. For the 'snow' element...I added some 'Polar White' Flowersoft to the image, and some die cut snowflakes (from the accessory sheet that came with the papers). The sentiment stamp is by Cuddly Buddly.

I followed the sketch from the Winter Wonderland Challenge...or at least I thought I did...I print out the sketches so that I can craft away from my laptop...and the two grey strips came out the same colour as the yellow background...and I didn't realise until I came to write out this post and upload the sketch here! lol So, I hope you'll accept my apologies...I'll try to do better next time! lol

Don't forget to go and check out the cards by the rest of the ABC Christmas Challenge DT...and to see who the lucky winner of the last challenge's prize is!

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Guest Designer Card

Here's the second of my four guest designer cards for the Papertake Weekly Challenge...where the theme this week is:

'Buttons, Bows, Brads & Bling!'

You can use any combination of these...or all four if you're feeling brave, like I was! lol

I decided to make a Christmas card...still managing to get at least one a week done...and went with an image from the 'Holly-Jolly' set by Penny Black. I added a star shaped brad (from Tecsos) to the top of the tree, and some Flowersoft 'snow' with some Glamour Dust mixed in for extra sparkle underneath the tree. The sparkly papers are from the 'Wonderful Winter' collection by My Mind's Eye, the sentiment stamp is by Cuddly Buddly, the buttons are from my stash, and the ribbon is from Poppicrafts.


For more inspiration there are some fabulous cards by the regular design team over on the Papertake Weekly Challenge...and details of this week's prize.