YOUR most commented & viewed cards from 2015

I'm shamefully copying my lovely PBSC DT buddy Nat with post...who in turn *borrowed* the idea from Coops...in sharing the cards from my blog which YOU liked the most last year! Unlike my favourite five cards of 2015 (which I shared here a couple of days ago), these are the ones that received the most comments and views from my bloggy visitors. For each month, the first card is the one with the most comments, and the second card is the one with most views (although, these coincided for some months) - I've also linked each photo to the original post on my blog, so please click through if you ant any details. 

January

One card for most comments & views

February

March

April

May

One card for most views & comments

June

Three cards tied for the most comments, but this one also had the most views for the month

July

August

September

Three cards tied for most comments, but this set also had the most views for the month

October

One post for most views & comments

November

One card for most views & comments

December

One card for most views & comments

I urge you all to take a little time to look back through the statistics for your own blog posts - it was so interesting to see which cards got the most comments/views last year...a very different selection from my own favourites...in fact only one of my favourite five cards is in this selection too!

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Anything Goes

It's the first Saturday of the month...so that means it's time for a new Penny Black Saturday Challenge...and this month the theme is:

'Anything Goes'

We are sponsored for this challenge by:

1-2-3 Stitch!:

Prize - a $20 voucher

There are a few changes happening at the Penny Black Saturday Challenge...including a mini makeover...so please take a few moments to stop be there and check them out.

I've made an easel card shaped calendar which I plan to use to keep track of all my design team projects, to (hopefully!) help avoid last minute panics! The image I used is called 'Literally Giant!'...it's a stamp I picked up in a charity shop last week...and I thought that it would perfect for this purpose! I coloured it using watercolour pencils, then added some lettering using a black gel pen. The papers are from the 'Indie Chic (Nutmeg)' pad by My Mind's Eye, which I've had for a while...but this was the first time that I've been brave enough to cut into it! I distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. I popped some Craftwork Cards 'Card Candi' on for decoration, and to help prop up the top of the card, and added a Papermania calendar tab to the bottom.

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

• ABC Challenge - Y is for Your Choice
• Cards Galore Encore - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - Anything Goes
• Creative Corner - Anything Goes
• Shopping our Stash - My Precious (The paper pad...I hate making that first cut!)

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

My Favourite Cards of 2015

Happy New Year everyone!

Today, I'm sharing my favourite five cards of 2015...my lovely bloggy buddy Debby is hosting and there's of fabulous inspiration to be had over on her blog...along with the chance of winning some yummy candy!

I've linked all of my cards to their original posts so that you can click through if you want any details.

Gift-wrapped - April 2015
I had a bit of a thing for Lili of the Valley images this year...

Fish Trio - July 2015
Just because this makes me smile :0)

Dog-gone It! - August 2015
Love these cute Penny Black dogs...

Watercolour Butterflies - August 2015
I also had fun playing with watercolours...

Cupcake Henry - September 2015
...and washi tape

Butterfly Hello

I received a set of Prima oil pastels for Christmas...they're water soluble, so I had a little play at making a watercolour background on today's card. I scribbled a rough butterfly shape using a couple of the pastels, then blended them using a waterbrush. I added a die cut butterfly (cut using a Joy Crafts die) over the top, a sentiment (cut using a die from a Craft Asylum set by Sizzix) cut from a piece of card coloured using the same pastels, and some adhesive pearls.

Challenges for this card:

• 4 Crafty Chicks - Anything Goes
• As You Like It - Anything Goes
• C.R.A.F.T. - Anything Goes
• Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes

Contented

I've used another new stamp on today's card...he's called 'Contented' and is of course by Penny Black...love that sticking up ear! I coloured him using watercolour pencils to match the papers from the 'Awesome Boy!' pad by Recollections for Michaels (found at TK Maxx). I distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. I die cut the star from of the papers in the pad using one of my Nesties.

Challenges for this card:

• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Creative Card Crew - Anything Goes
• Sketch Saturday - Sketch #392
• Stampavie & More - Something New (The dog stamp is new)
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Bella in Car

I've used another new stamp on today's card...this one is 'Bella in Car' by Wild Rose Studio...which I coloured using watercolour pencils. The papers are from the 'Now & Then' pad by My Mind's Eye...I distressed the edges a little, then added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Big Messages' set by Paula Pascual.

Challenges for this card:

• Allsorts - Anything but Christmas
• Crafty Creations - Anything Goes
• Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes
• Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes
• Seize the Birthday - Anything Birthday
• That's Crafty - Anything Goes
• The Stamping Boutique - Anything Goes

Pile It On! Challenge - Christmas or Winter

I'm back with another card for this month's Pile It On! Challenge where the theme is:

'Christmas or Winter'

Our sponsor for this challenge is Pink Gem Designs:

Prize - 2 Digi Images of the winner's choice!

I know that most of you will probably think I'm mad making Christmas cards the day after Christmas, but I received a lovely new 'build a snowman' stamp set from my lovely bloggy buddy Samantha for Christmas, so it would have been rude not to ink them up right away! The stamps are by Stampendous, and the set is called 'Stretchy Snowmen'...and basically you build your own snowman...pick an outline, choose a face, add some arms and buttons, then clothe him...great fun! I made two snowmen, then fussy cut them out and added them to two very similar cards:

I created a 'snowy' background using my Simon Says Stamp 'Falling Snow' stamp (heat embossed in white on navy card), and my Lawn Fawn 'Stitched Hillside Border' dies (using the snippets of white card you get when you cut a square card blank from a piece of A4 card - I always keep them for this kind of thing). I added a sentiment (from the 'Scribbly Christmas' set by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous), then nestled the snowman into the snowdrifts.

Here are the Challenges I've piled on:

• Pile It On! - Christmas/Winter
• Addicted to Stamps - Winter
• Artistic Stamper - Christmas
• Crafty Calendar - Let It Snow
• Crafty Cardmakers - Snow
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Goes
• Creatalicious - Something Old & Something New (Old - snow stamp, border die & sentiment stamp; New - Snowman stamp set)
• Dream Valley - Christmas
• Pixie's Snippets Playground - Snippets
• Whimsy Inspires - Winter

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

My Favourite Five Christmas Cards of 2015

I'm playing along with my lovely bloggy buddy Debby and sharing my favourite five Christmas cards of the year this evening. I made 119 cards this year, so it took a little while for me to go back through them and select my favourites! Here they are in date order (I've linked to the original post for each card if you want any details):

Reindeer Pup (January 2015)
I loved creating snowy scenes...

Rudolph in the Forest (February 2015)
...see...I told you...

Before the Snow (May 2015)
not much snow on this one, but still a scene...

Snowboard Ride (September)
...and back to the snow...and this chap makes me smile!

We Three Kings (November 2015)
...and now for something totally different...

And before I go...here are a couple of photos of the Christmas cake I made...it took a family effort to decorate it though!

And a close-up to show you the glittery sparkly snow:

Merry Christmas to you all x

ABC Christmas Challenge - Z is for...

We've reached the end of the alphabet, so it's time for the last ABC Christmas Challenge of the year...Samantha is the host, and the theme is:

'Z is for Zoo Animals'

Our sponsor for this challenge is Bunny Zoe's Crafts:

Prize - A £10 Gift Certificate!

I went with a monkey for my 'zoo animal' and used 'Monkey See, Monkey Do' by Penny Black, which I coloured using watercolour pencils. The patterned paper is from the 'Countdown to Christmas' pad by My Mind's Eye...and I edged it using some strips of red and blue card (shhh...don't tell anyone, but they're just little snippets of card, and don't go right underneath the paper, just along the edges!). I added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a white gel pen, and some BasicGrey brads.

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

• Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
• Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything Goes
• Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
• My Time to Craft - Last Minute Christmas Makes
• Papertake Weekly - Favourite Challenge Ever (I picked 'Animal Antics' from way back in 2009...I checked and I entered that challenge too!)
• Penny Black & More - Anything Goes with a Stamp
• Pixie's Snippet's Playground - Snippets
• Simon Says Stamp (Wednesdays) - Die Crazy
• Simply Papercraft - Anything Goes
• Stampavie & More - Christmas
• Stamps + Fun = Creativity - Christmas Cards
• Sweet Stampin' - Merry Christmas
• Sweet Sunday Sketch - Sketch #300
• That Craft Place - Anything Goes
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

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