Autumn Maggie

There's been a real nip in the air first thing in the morning this week...so I decided to ink up 'Maggie' (by Sugar Nellie)...she looks so cosy in her coat and scarf! I followed the Card Patterns Challenge sketch, which I combined with a few other challenge themes: the Cupcake Craft 'Buttons & Stitching' challenge; the Pink Elephant Challenge 'Fall' theme; the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge 'Autumn Colours' challenge; and Stampin' for the Weekend's 'Orange, Brown & Leafy Green' colour combo. I used some more of the My Mind's Eye 'Bloom & Grow' papers...I was even brave enough to tear one of the sheets! lol
I used my 'zig-zag' CutterBee Bug to make the holes for my faux stitching, added a few buttons (from Poppicrafts), a sentiment by Doodlebug, and a star shaped brad (from Tescos) on the end of Maggie's sparkler.

Make a Wish!

I've been itching to use this sheet of 'Wisteria' paper (by BasicGrey) with this adorable House Mouse image ('Blowing Dandelions') since I got them both for my birthday in August. I followed the Get Sketchy Challenge sketch...and watercoloured the image for the 'Bonus' challenge...and yes I know that dandelions are yellow...but I wanted them to match the flowers on the paper! lol
So that I only had to mutilate one piece of the paper, I cut out the middle for the smaller mat. The sentiment stamp is by Pollycraft.

ABC Challenge - F is for...

I'm so excited...our new design team members are joining us for their first ABC Challenge this week! To break them in gently...we have a nice easy theme for you this week:

'F is for Flying'

We are very lucky to have a fabulous sponsor this week...Wendy from the Secret Crafter has donated a £20 voucher to spend in the Secret Crafter store as a prize for the winner of this challenge.

I decided to go with a fairy for the 'flying' element of my card...this little cutie is 'Fairy Chloe' by The Greeting Farm...I coloured her using watercolour pencils, and added some sparkle to her wings with a Sakura Stardust pen. The paper is from the 'Lemonade' pad by BasicGrey, the flowers and the teeny brads are from Poppicrafts, and the ribbon was a birthday present...but I think I've seen it at Poppicrafts too.


Make sure you stop by the ABC Challenge blog...our new DT members have really excelled themselves and created some really beautiful cards!

Ornamental Mouse

I've used one of my favourite Christmas colour combinations of teal & silver on this card...together with this adorable little mouse ('Xmouse Ornament' by Penny Black). I followed the Friday Sketchers sketch...keeping to the DL shape. I've combined it with the 'Buttons & Bows' theme of the Penny Black Saturday Challenge...well, in my case it's actually 'Buttons & Bow'! lol
The gorgeous snowflake paper is by My Mind's Eye ('Festive Frost'), and the lighter turquoise paper is the reverse of one of the 'Figgy Pudding' sheets by BasicGrey, which I've embossed with my Cuttlebug 'Snowflakes' folder, then sanded to reveal the white core. The little silver snowflakes were cut using a Cuttlebug die, and the buttons are by Papermania - they were clear, but I coated them with some clear nail varnish, before sprinkling them with glamour dust for a touch of sparkle.

Snow Ride

I cracked on with my Christmas cards at the weekend...inspired by some fab sketch challenges...this one uses the sketch from the Everybody Art Challenge...nice and simple for a quick card. The image is from the 'Holly-Jolly' set by Penny Black...and it looks like the hedgie is making light work of dragging that snowman up hill! lol The papers are by BasicGrey ('Figgy Pudding'), and the sentiment stamp is also by Penny Black.

Guest Designer - Winter Wonderland Challenge

This is the second of my two weeks as a guest designer for the Winter Wonderland Challenge...where the theme is:

'Gingerbread'

I have to say, I found this challenge really tough...and was even debating whether to bake some real gingerbread, instead of making a card! lol
With no suitable stamps, I resorted to Google Images to find an outline drawing of a gingerbread man, which I printed on to some brown card. Once I'd cut him out, I inked around the edges with a dark brown chalk inkpad to add definition. I added a face and some buttons using some white Woodware 'Fluffy Stuff' to look like icing. The papers are a mixture of Cosmo Cricket ('Be Good') and My Mind's Eye ('Festive'), the sentiment stamp is by Three Bugs in a Rug, and the raffia lace is from Hobbycraft.

Make sure you stop by the Winter Wonderland Challenge, to check out the fabulous creations by the design team. I've had great fun these past two weeks...thanks girls for having me in your team! :0)

Carol Singers

It's the first Mojo Monday sketch of the month, which means it's contest time...I haven't joined in for a while, so I just had to have a little play. I've combined it with the Creative Inspirations 'Christmas in October' challenge. I used an image from the Penny Black 'Christmas Critters' set, and more of the My Mind's Eye '29th Street Market' papers...not strictly Chrismassy, but the colours were just right. I embossed the reverse of a couple of pieces using my Cuttlebug 'Snow Dots' and 'Snowflakes' folders, added a sentiment by Three Bugs in a Rug, and some Papermania brads.

For You!

A quick post from me this morning...forgot to schedule this...so am typing quickly before I leave for work. A simple card following the Card Patterns sketch...just managing to get it uploaded in time! The image is from the 'Wonderful' set by Penny Black, the papers are My Mind's Eye (more of the '29th Street Market' collection), and the flowers are from Poppicraft.

Celebrations!

The Secret Crafter Challenge is celebrating it's blogoversary this week...so their theme is 'Celebration'..and they have some fabby prizes on offer too! The Creative Card Crew also has 'Celebrations' as their theme this week, so I've made a birthday card (lots of birthdays this month!) using the Sketch Saturday Challenge sketch...oops...have only just noticed the pets theme...but there are some people who keep mice as pets! lol I used 'Henry - Celebrating Mouse' (by Whiff of Joy), and some of my favourite '29th Street Market' papers by My Mind's Eye. I embossed the plain reverse side of one of the sheets with the 'Swiss Dots' and 'Spots & Dots' folders, then sanded to reveal the white core. I also inked and distressed the edges of all the papers. The ribbon and flowers are from Poppicrafts, and the sentiment is from the 'Cupcakes' set by Hero Arts.

Fall Friends

Unsurprisingly, considering it's now October...there are quite a few 'Autumn/Fall' themed challenges around at the moment...and I don't really have any appropriate stamps or images, so wasn't going to enter them...but then the Penny Black Saturday Challenge picked it as their theme this week...and that's my absolute favourite challenge...I've entered every single one...so I just had to! lol
So, I'm also entering this card for the One Stop Craft Challenge where the theme is 'Autumn Inspiration' and the Our Creative Corner Challenge, who have an inspirational photo in autumnal colours this week. I followed the Get Sketchy sketch...and managed to include the 'bonus' challenge of 'Brads' too. This image is from the 'Hugs' clear set by Penny Black, and the papers are from the 'Bloom & Grow' pack by My Mind's Eye...I've had them since my birthday a couple of months ago...but couldn't bring myself to cut into them until now...but the colours were just perfect for these challenges! The flowers are by Prima, the ribbon is from Poppicrafts, the sentiment stamp is from a little set by Studio G, and the brads are all by Papermania.


This card is going to my partner for this month's friendship card swap over on the Docrafts forum...there's no theme this month, but I thought that the 'autumnal' feel was appropriate.

Christmas Bunny & Robin

This is the last of my new Lili of the Valley stamps...'Christmas Bunnies - Robin'...I just love these stamps...so I'll apologise in advance 'cos you're likely to see them lots more! lol
This time I used the sketch from the BasicGrey Challenge, and the Simon Says Stamp Challenge colour combination of 'Red & Green'. The papers are from the BasicGrey 'Figgy Pudding' collection, and the snowflakes were cut using a Cuttlebug die.

Christmas Bunnies

This is another of the Lili of the Valley stamps ('Christmas Bunnies - Stocking') I treated myself to when I completed my first stash diet...I'm just over halfway through my second batch of 30 cards...so I'm beginning to think about what new stash to get at the end of that one now! lol
So, I just had to enter the Lili of the Valley Challenge as they have a fab sketch...it's my first time. I'm also entering this card for the Stampavie & More Challenge where the theme this week is 'Animals'. The paper is from the 'Christmas' stack by DCWV, the snowflakes were cut using a Cuttlebug die, and the buttons are from my stash.

Little Star

Last month I embarked on a 'stash diet'...I had to make 30 cards before I could buy any stash (other than essentials like DST and card)...well I made my target in record time (just over two weeks...aided by my mass production invitations)...and bought a few Lili of the Valley Christmas stamps...they arrived last Monday...and I've been waiting all week to have time to play! :0)
I followed this week's Midnight Madness sketch...and used 'Christmas Ted - Little Star'...isn't he adorable?! The paper is by DCWV (from the 'Christmas' stack), and the star was cut using a Nestie die...I think I may have overdone it with the stickles! lol So considering the bling...I'm also going to enter this card for the Creative Card Crew's 'All that Sparkles' challenge.

Guest Designer - Winter Wonderland Challenge

I'm sure that by now you all know I love making Christmas cards...so I've been looking forward to today for ages. I was delighted to be asked to a guest designer for the Winter Wonderland Challenge back in July...and finally the first of my two weeks is here! :0)

The theme for this week's challenge is:

'Sleigh Bells Ring'

I just had to use this cute Penny Black stamp (from the 'Christmas Critters' set)...as the little hedgies look like they're having so much fun! Then, buried under a mountain of papers, I found an old DCWV Christmas stack that had some papers that were just perfect for the theme. The sentiment stamp is from a Studio G set...and I couldn't resist adding a few 'jingle bells' on a jump ring to the piece of ribbon (I've had them ages...but I think they came from Hobbycraft). The snowflakes were cut using a Cuttlebug die...and I added some doodled dots and faux stitching to finish off.

Make sure you stop by the Winter Wonderland Challenge to see the gorgeous creations by the design team...thanks girls for having me...looking forward to joining you next week too! :0)

Happy World Card Making Day!

I hope you've all found the time to have a little craft today...the perfect way to spend World Card Making Day! To celebrate, the Simon Says Stamp Challenge blog, is having a 24 hour challenge...to make a 'Girly Card' for Paige (the little girl who lost her arm in an accident a couple of months ago)...there's a fab candy on offer for the winner too! I've already sent Paige a card, so this card is going to a PostPals child, as I haven't sent one in a while. I followed this week's Friday Sketcher's sketch...keeping the hearts theme going through the papers, image and sentiment. The image is 'Bumble Bee' by Sugar Nellie...and if this isn't too cheeky...I know she's not technically a 'bug', but I'd also like to enter this card for the Cupcake Craft Challenge...where the theme is 'Cute as a Bug'. The papers are by BasicGrey, from the 'Blush', 'Lemonade', 'Bittersweet' and 'Figgy Pudding' collections. I embossed the pink paper with my Cuttlebug 'Victoria' folder, and the two hearts (cut using the 'Concentric Hearts' die) with my 'D'Vine Swirls' folder. The sentiment stamp and little heart (used to stamp and emboss in clear powder in the top right-hand corner) are from a set that came free with a Docrafts magazine. The raffia lace is from Hobbycraft.

Snow Buddy

This is my card for Carol's Sketch Fun Challenge...a lovely simple sketch, that really makes the image stand out. I've combined it with the My Time to Craft Challenge theme of 'Snow Buddies'. The fabby snowman stamp is by Sugar Nellie ('Snowman with Gift')...and I've coloured him to match these yummy BasicGrey 'Figgy Pudding' papers. Because the papers are quite 'busy', I kept the embellishments to a minimum...adding a few pieces of card candy in a couple of the corners, and a piece of ribbon from my stash.

Thanks Lesley!

Aren't crafters just the loveliest, most generous people?! :0)
Look what I received in the post today:


A gorgeous card...and beautiful desk calendar and little wall hanging...from Lesley...all to say thank you for the candy she won a couple of weeks ago...thank you Lesley...it was really sweet of you! :0)

It's not a Christmas card!

I've been overdosing on Christmas cards recently...so I decided to have a go at Dawny's fab sketch over at the Anyone for Anya Challenge. I've combined it with the yummy sounding colour combo of 'Hot Pink, Dusky Pink and Ice Chocolate' of the Colour Create Challenge. I received the image in a swap...and as it wasn't stamped on a big enough piece of card to follow the sketch exactly...I added a few Poppicrafts flowers. The papers are by BasicGrey ('Blush' - the brown one) and My Mind's Eye ('Adore' the pink one), the sentiment stamp is from the 'Anytime Messages' set by Hero Arts, and I added some doodling, and faux stitching with a gel pen.

Merry & Bright!

Yet another Christmas card from me today...I really am building up a nice stash now! :0) This one fits a few challenges: Stamp Something's 'Favourite Sketch/Layout'...this isn't from a sketch challenge...but after a quick look through my cards, found that this is the sort of layout I find myself using when I'm out of other ideas...lol; the One Stop Craft Challenge's 'Die-cuts' theme; and the 'Christmas' theme of this week's Spoon Full of Sugar Challenge. The image is from the 'Holly-Jolly' set by Penny Black and the papers are from the 'Christmas Wishes' stack by DCWV. I cut the snowflakes using a Cuttlebug die, and embossed the white panel with my 'Snow Dots' folder. The polkadot ribbon is from Hobbycraft.