Monday 30 November 2009

Have you been naughty or nice?


Here's another Christmas card that I'm entering into three challenges:

Tellen's Place - Red & Green plus free digi
Cupcake Craft - Red & Green

**Edit** Also entering into Incy Wincy Designs - Red & Green - Thanks Cheryl x

The rather sassy image comes from Terri's son at Tellen's Place, how he got such a great look-a-like for me when we've never met I don't know, ha I wish, but a great digi image. I've used the sketch at Fab n' Funky, which was quite complex, but I enjoyed adding all the little extras, the papers are digi from Funky Fairy too and the sentiment is an LPS stamp.

SU! used is the cardstock - Whisper White & Real Red

Still got loads to make & actually had my first Christmas card in the post today, from my lil' sister in NZ, she was on the ball this year & said they'd probably arrive really early - well better than late - so if you read this, thanks Jude, you win the "First Xmas Card of the Year to Arrive" award! Which reminds me actually, that I've still got a few international cards to send (including some fab blogging buddies) so I really ought to think about doing that in the not too distant future!

Have a good day all, blooming freezing here this morning, December's arrived with a vengeance, I had to scrape the ice off the car this morning, first time I've done that this winter!

Sophisticats Week 13



It's my turn to set the challenge over at Sophisticats this week and I've gone for "Snowflakes & Sparkle" as I've still got loads of Chrissy cards to do. Lisa our boss, is giving away a parcel of stamped images as a prize, so well worth entering!

Bit of tearing, and lots of glitter on my card, I've done a close up so you can see how sparkly the snowflakes are - even though it's a bit blurry, you get the idea!


Hope you can join us this week, I'm looking forward to seeing all the lovely entries, and don't forget to check out the rest of the DT's fab creations too.

Here's the info:
Stamps - Stampin' Up! Sparkling Jumbo Wheel, Little Paper Shop Tree & Sentiment
Ink - SU! White Craft; Old Olive; Night of Navy
Cardstock - Night of Navy; Old Olive; Whisper White
Other - SU! Heat & Stick powder; Dazzling Diamonds

TFL x

Sunday 29 November 2009

"Silent Night"


Here's another card made with the beautiful Silent Night stamp set, when I first saw this set in the SU! catty, it completely passed me by, not the sort of thing I'd normally go for, so I didn't really register it. Then I saw some of the fantastic cards other Demo's had made with it, and when I visited another SU Demo, Rachel and had a play with some of her stamps, I stamped out a couple of image from this set & fell, completely & utterly in love! So much so I've now got my own & will be making quite a few Christmas cards with this set for sure. Only two stamps in the set, this one & a lovely saying in a beautiful handwritten script.

The image is large and IMO needs no colouring in, so you've got a card pretty much in an instant with it, I've added SU! Heat & Stick powder & then my SU! Dazzling Diamonds (no glitter drift if you use the powder first) and I think that's all the image needs.

I'm entering my card into Stamp With Us, who are also having a DT call (so fingers crossed) and their theme this week was a recipe challenge -
1 stamp, 2 papers; 3 brads.

I also entering it into Creative Card Crew's challenge, and their theme is favourite things, well I think this stamp definitely falls into this category!

Here's the rest of the details - all Stampin; Up!
Stamp - Silent Night
Ink - Chocolate Chip
DSPs - Merry Moments
Cardstock - Very Vanilla; Chocolate Chip; Old Olive (I've distressed the Olive layer)
Brads -from stash - non SU!

TFL x

Saturday 28 November 2009

Sweet Stampin' Challenge No. 2

Good morning everyone, it's time for our 2nd challenge over at Sweet Stampin' and this week it's a colour challenge. You can use any three or all four of the following colours, and if you don't have any SU! colours (and if not, why not LOL) a close match is fine:


My colours look a bit light in this photo as it was done indoors, but it is Real Red on the bauble, looks more like orange!

I've used all SU! on my card, except for the sentiment and the DSP are from the set Merry Moments, which were perfect for this challenge as they have all four colours on them. Here's the details:

Stamp - Tree Trimmings
Ink - Real Red; Basic Black
DSP - Merry Moments
Cardstock - Very Vanilla; Old Olive; Real Red; Chocoloate Chip
Other - Word Window Punch

Hope you can join in again this week, there's a fab Scrapping Kit up for grabs from this month's entries too, so worth joining in (wouldn't mind winning it myself! Shame I can't LOL)

Have a lovely weekend all, I still to have a million Christmas Cards to make, so planning to get some good crafting time put away this weekend.

Friday 27 November 2009

A Crafter's Christmas Poem

I just came across this poem on the ILWS forum & just had to share it with you:


Twas the night before Christmas, I'm glued to the tree.
I'm wondering what Santa brought just for me.
Could it be cardstock or inkpads or lace?
Or some stamps, I said, with a smile on my face.

And that's when I heard him......"Hi Santa, " I said
He replied, "You know....good girls should be in their beds".
"I know I should Santa,and now I've been caught.
But I was just so excited to see what you brought."

"Well, let's take a look in this room where you work".
He shook his head quickly, and left with a jerk.
I heard him exclaim as he put it in gear.
"You've got enough crap,I'll see you next year!"


Thursday 26 November 2009

DT card for Charisma


Hello there, running a bit late with this post, but first Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends across the pond.

It's Thursday, so time for another challenge over at Charisma and this week the theme is "Anything Christmassy" which gives you plenty of scope and the opportunity to get another Christmas Card made.

I'm also entering my card into Sunday Sketch & Stamp, as I used their lovely sketch & Penny Black's challenge which is Winter Wonderland.

Quite a simple card, but a nice clean sketch to follow & quick & easy to put together (which let's face it is idea at this manic time of the year!)

Details:
Image - Penny Black
Cardstock - Stampin' Up! Whisper White; Bashful Blue; Lovely Lilac
Papers, ribbon & stars - from my stash

Hope you can join in the fun this week, there's a lovely prize up for grabs!

TFL x

Wednesday 25 November 2009

It's a Pink Christmas at Doodle Palace


I won last week's challenge over at Doodle Palace (yes even us Doodle Palace Princesses can enter & win the challenges) and so I get to set this week's challenge and I've gone for "Pink Christmas" - well it makes a change from red & green!

The photo was taken inside so it's not as bright as it is in real life & you can't see all the sparkle, but it's there. I've used a Pollycraft digi-image & Funky Fairy digi papers, on SU! Pink Passion cardstock, I've cut out the snowflakes with a punch, & added SU! Dazzling Diamonds for the bling factor, plus I've used a glitter pen on her white furry trim.

I'm also entering the card into One Stop Craft Challenge, as their theme this week is Snowflakes.

Hope you can enter my challenge this week at Doodle Palace, there are digi-images for a prize too.

TFL x

Monday 23 November 2009

ATC for Sophisticats

An interesting challenge over at Sophisticats this week, in honour of our departing DT member Cheryl (missing you already hun!) who is an ace ATC'er, Karen has set the challenge of doing an ATC or an ATC sized topper for your card. I found this harder than I thought, I'm used to doing card sizes and when I looked at this little bit of card I didn't want to overfill it, but didn't want to leave it looking empty either!

I've used SU! products throughout, apart from the brad & ribbon as follows:
Stamps - from Forest Friends, inked up with SU! markers
DSPs - Haiku (retired)
Cardstock - Chocolate Chip; Whisper White

With a bit of tearing for added texture and there we go, one ATC done!

Hope you can join in with us this week, we've a lovely prize donated by our boss Lisa of a set of her gorgeous sentiment rounds.

TFL x

Sunday 22 November 2009

"Let it Snow" for 6 Challenges


Well this has to be a record for me, 6 challenges with one card! So first of all here's the challenges:

Cupcake Crafts - Use a digital image
Simon Says - Animal Antics
Ildi & Allsorts - A Christmas Song (Let it Snow)
Sassy Designs - Pink & Sparkly
DU2DS - Glitter

Recipe:
Image - DigiStamp Boutique, coloured with PM's, Cosmic Shimmer on Millie's fur & glitter on the snow & snowflakes
Sentiment - DigiStamp from Funky Fairy
Paper - digi paper from Raspberry Road
Cardstock - SU! Whisper White; Chocolate Chip
Lace & gem- from stash

And there you have it, one pink, girly Christmas Card, that fits in with a lot of challenges!

TFL & have a good Sunday


Saturday 21 November 2009

Sweet Stampin' Challenge No. 1


It's our first challenge over at Sweet Stampin and the theme is "Celebration" as we're celebrating our first challenge and new DT, you can enter with a card, scrap page, ATC, anything you like as long as it represents some sort of Celebration. You don't have to use Stampin' Up! products on your cards, but if you do, you get two entries into the monthly draw to win some fab SU! goodies - what a great way to get your hands on SU! So I hope you can join us this week.

I've gone for a baby card, and kept it fairly simple as it's a boy card, it's brighter in real life, as I'm still struggling with lighting for taking photo's.

Recipe: All Stampin' Up!
Stamp - Fun & Fast Notes
Coloured with - Watercolour Crayon in Bashful Blue; marker in Chocolate Chip
Ink - Stazon
DSP - Bashful Blue
Cardstock - Bashful Blue; Chocolate Chip
Eyelet Border Punch

I've made the blingy dots, by putting a length of sticky strip on Choc Chip c/s, and adding Dazzling Diamonds, as I didn't have any suitable boy bling!

I'm also adding this card into Annabelle Stamps Challenge as I've used their sketch (which requires the bling!) thought it was a lovely straightforward sketch too, nice & easy to use.

Hope to see you over at Sweet Stampin & TFL xx

Thursday 19 November 2009

There's a new Challenge Blog in Town & guess who's on the DT?.....

.....go on take a guess, a stab in the dark, any ideas? Give up yet? Ok then I'll tell you - it's meeeeeeee! And I'm so delighted.



Sweet Stampin has been set up by SU Demo Emma & Siggi Shop owner Jo, two very talented ladies indeed and although it's primarily a Stampin' Up! Challenge blog you don't have to use SU! products if you don't have any, but you get an extra entry in the prize draw if you do use SU! And of course if you ever want to get your hands on some scrummy SU products, then I'm more than happy to help you out, tee hee.

There's still time to enter the first challenge, which is a fab colour combo of Tempting Turquoise, Pink Passion, Old Olive & Pumpkin Pie, you need to use at least 3 of these colours, and again if you don't have SU! a close match is fine. So please pop over to the blog here for a lookee & join in too - thanks!

And talking of Stampin' Up! today was my monthly class, two of my regular ladies weren't able to come as Avril is poorly, so a huge get well to you Avril if you read this & you were both missed. We used the so cute Sparkly & Bright set today, made a card (the red Santa one) & then a variety of gift tags/card toppers and a good time was had by all - I think!! The brown reindeer one is another I've done to show how well this set works in different colourways:






Details: All SU!
Stamps - Sparkly & Bright; Sparkling Jumbo Wheel
Ink: White Craft, Real Red, Chocolate Chip, Lovely Lilac, Tempting Turquoise, Old Olive
Cardstock: Real Red, Choc Chip, Lovely Lilac, Tempting Turquoise, Old Olive
SU Markers - assorted
Ribbon - Real Red Striped Grosgrain, Whisper White Grosgrain
Other - Dazzling Diamonds, gems & star from my stash, Crop-a-dile.

Charisma DT Card


There's a new challenge over at Charisma and this week we've got a sketch for you, which is a lovely, straightforward one & I'll definitely be using this one again.

I'm also this card into Stamp With Us for their colour challenge and Design Dollies Wednesday Challenge of Flowers.

I've made this card for a friend who's been unwell and in hospital, so I hope it'll brighten her up a little, I love the colour combo which I've taken from the inspiration pic on Stamp With Us but then I don't think it's possible to make a bad card if you're using Choc Chip - oh I just adore that cardstock!

Anyway, here's the details: all Stampin' Up! unless stated otherwise

Stamp: Fun & Fast Notes
SU Markers - Barely Banana, Real Red, Garden Green, So Saffron
DSP - Tea Party
Cardstock - Chocolate Chip; Barely Banana
Ribbon - freebie from recent promotion
Punch - Eyelet Border Punch
non SU - Chipboard Flower & Buttons - from my stash.

Hope you can join us over at Charisma again this week ,we've another fab sponsor & prize for you as well.

Got my Stampin' Up! class this morning, so looking forward to that, making some more Christmas cards & tags today, which I'll show you later.

Ta ta for now!

Wednesday 18 November 2009

Doodle Palace Release Day



Two new images are being released over at Doodle Palace today and this is one of them, I just love this image, doesn't take much colouring in so great for a quick card. I'm entering this card into two challenges:

Delightful Sketches - Sketch
Fab's Big Christmas Card - Stamped Background

Here's the details:

Image - DoodlePalace, coloured with PM's & SU! Markers
Stamps - Stampin' Up! Sparkling Jumbo Wheel, using SU! White Craft ink; Little Paper Shop sentiment
Cardstock - SU! Red Red; Old Olive
DSP - SU! Merry Moments
Other - SU! Dazzling Diamonds & my favourite Window Punch - again!

TFL & don't forget to pop over to Doodle Palace to see the other new image too!

Tuesday 17 November 2009

Get Sketchy #14


I made this card following Get Sketchy's sketch this week, I did it orginally for my Brother in Law's birthday, but then decided it wasn't really him, so back to the drawing board! Pic's a bit washed out, the colours are slightly darker in real life.

Recipe: All Stampin' Up!
Stamps - Queue Up (L3 Hostess); Cheer & Wishes
DSP - Haiku (retired)
Cardstock - Very Vanilla, Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie
Ink - Chocolate Chip
SU! Markers in various Earth Element colours plus Real Red
Other - brad from stash, embossing folder

TFL x

Monday 16 November 2009

All the D's


I came across a new challenge blog this week called Design Dollies and I thought I'd give their sketch a go, as it was quite different and I do love seeing lots of different shapes on cards, so I've used their sketch and combined it with Doodle Palace's Challenge, which this week is Red & White Christmas Card (I was supposed to use a Digi stamp though - oops!) and also Die Cut Dreams, as their theme is Santa. I think this layout would have worked better in more colours, it was a bit of a challenge but I think I like the result - the jury's still out LOL!

Recipe:
Stamps - Stampin' Up! Sparkly & Bright; SU! In the Stars; Sentiment - Little Paper Shop
Cardstock; Whisper White; Real Red
Ink - Real Red
Ribbon - SU! ½" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon (yummy & new)
Other - SU! Word Window Punch (told you I liked this!)

TFL x

Sketch Time at Sophisticats




This is my DT card for Sophisticats this week, we've been joined by our first Guest Designer Sem and she's given us a great sketch to follow, so hope you can join us again this week.

I was very, very lucky recently and won a whole heap of Stamps from The Little Paper Shop, all their new Christmas releases and this tree & sentiment are just two of them, I've inked up my stamp with SU! Old Olive & matched the papers (Merry Moments) and cardstock, I've added some Real Red ribbon, and used the new Eyelet Border punch, the star is also a LPS stamp, coloured with a metallic gold pen & the bling is from my stash. Note I've used my new SU! Window Punch again on the sentiment, I'm just loving this punch.

Have a good Monday all, it's wet, dull & windy here, for a change!!

Sunday 15 November 2009

Candy Alert


Annabelle are giving away this fab candy to celebrate their new release and you can join in here.

Saturday 14 November 2009

Bronson & Beaker and 4 challenges

That's the name of this cute Christmas pair, which was a freebie digi from Pollycraft. I chose the papers from my stash & used that as my colour combo, which is unusual I think, I never would have put green & purple together but I think it works quite well. I'm entering my card into 4 challenges:

Die Cut Dreams - Sketch & Snowy theme
Cupcake Crafts - Snow Much Fun

I've coloured my image with PM's and SU markers, and glittered the snow flakes, teddy's pom poms & cuff and the snow on the ground, the sentiment is from Little Paper Shop and I've used my new SU! Window Punch to cut out the sentiment. The cardstock is all SU! - Whisper White, Green Galore and Lavender Lace, the snowflakes are from punches out of some purple holographic card I've had in my stash for ever! I've added some bling from my stash and embossed some of the card stock.

The more I look at this card (and apologies again for the shadowy photo, using a homemade lightbox, which is ok, but needs some tweeking I think!) the more this colour combo is really growing on me, I think I'll be using purple & green again!

Right off to walk the dog before it gets too dark - oh come back summer, I hate these short days!

Friday 13 November 2009

4 challenges and 2 awards


Here's a card I did yesterday but didn't manage to photograph until today, what dismal weather we're having here!

I'm entering this into 4 challenges:
Penny Black: Song Lyric - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
I love ProMarkers - Sketch
Allsorts - Bling
Susie's Sassy Designs - Christmas

The image & sentiment are both Penny Black, coloured with PM's and I've added SU! Dazzling Diamonds to the snow and around the edge of the puddle, I've also glittered up the snowflake (from a punch) by using SU! Heat & Stick powder (this stuff is great for preventing the glitter coming back off the card everytime you look at it LOL) and more Dazzling Diamonds, so I think I've got the bling factor covered! The papers are from my stash and the cardstock is SU! Elegant Eggplant, which is fast becoming one of my new favourites - and I don't even like purple, but am loving this!

I've been very lucky to have received two awards, both from my Sophisticat DT buddies Cheryl & Avril, thanks so much to both of you for thinking of me, it's lovely to have these awards and I'd like to pass them on to any of my followers that would like them as a big thank you for your continued support.


From Avril


From Cheryl


Thursday 12 November 2009

At last a card!


Where has this week gone? How come it's Thursday already and this is my first card in days - yikes! Answers on a post card please!

I had to make time to do this card yesterday as it's my DT card for Charisma today, Vee has set the challenge and it's "Merry & Bright" so a lovely Christmassy theme for you. We're being sponsored by Your Next Stamp and I've used two of their digi-images on my card.

I'm also entering my card into Digital Tuesday's Challenge of Holiday Wishes.

Recipe:
Stamps - digi's from Your Next Stamp, SU Jumbo Wheel Sparkling using SU white craft ink
Coloured with - ProMarkers, SU! Markers & glitter pen
Cardstock - SU! Whisper White, Green Galore, Real Red
DSP - SU! Merry Moments
Ribbon - SU Real Red

Hope you can in the festive fun this week!

Monday 9 November 2009

Sophisticats Week 10 & Lily of the Valley

Good morning, it's time for another challenge over at Sophisticats, we had our highest number of entries last week, so thanks to everyone who entered and hope you can come back again this week.

We've a very versatile theme this week - "Wings" which gives you plenty of options, I took the easy one and went for a fairy! I bought this lovely stamp last week at the NEC, it's a Lily of the Valley and I'm going to enter my card in their challenge, which is a recipe - 3 papers, 2 stamps and 1 embellishment.

Recipe:
Stamps - Lily of the Valley; SU! Stem Sayings
Cardstock - SU! Basic Black; Pale Plum
DSPs & Butterfly - from my stash

Sunday 8 November 2009

Cinderella Effect Day 2 & The Big One!


Only managed to do two of the challenges yesterday, the first was a traditional Winter/Christmas card, I had a stamped image of the church from the set Silent Night, so I used that, added some Dazzling Diamonds & stamped snowflakes on the cardstock in Versamark

Recipe: all SU!
Stamp - Silent Night, Snowburst
DSPs - Merry Moments
Cardstock - Old Olive, Whisper White
Punch - Eyelet Border
Dazzling Diamonds



The second challenge I did was to make a Tea bag gift holder, I actually did this on my lap whilst watching last week's Top Model with my daughter! I got the template from Splitcoast Stampers, very easy to do although harder without a ScorPal - I knew there was something I forgot to get at the NEC! LOL

Recipe: all SU!
Stamp - Darling Dots (Level 1 Hostess set), Best Yet
Cardstock - Barely Banana, Whisper White
DSP - Washington Apple
Ink - Chocolate Chip
SU Markers - Barely Banana, Pumpkin Pie
Other - SU Sticky Strip

And finally, I entered the Big Challenge, which had to be a gift/card etc for a girl or boy, with the the theme of Cinderella/Princess or Knights/Dragons. We had up until midday today to do, I got my idea as I went to bed last night and nearly got back up to make it there & then, but hung on until this morning! It took all morning to do, and I got it in with half an hour to spare

I went for Rapunzel's Tower, which is made from a loo roll, covered in SU! DSP, the Princess word was cut out with a die and I used the Scallop Border punch to add a bit of detail. I really enjoyed doing it, ages since I've done something like this, rather than than just a card, a bit fiddly at times, but I felt like a real crafter! LOL

Recipe:
Cardstock - SU So Saffron, Pretty in Pink
DSPs - SU Tea & Crumpets
Ribbon, charm & chipboards shapes - all from stash.

We find out tomorrow who wins the prizes over the weekend, there's been some fab entries, great inspiration, and I can recommend a hop over to look at the gallery to see all the wonderful ideas on offer.

Have a good Sunday, I'm all crafted out - for now!