Teddy bringing pressies

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I've gone for the traditional red and green with this one and really like it with this sweet teddy bear from Lili of the Valley. His fur is covered with glitter flocking. I used my Nellie die cut again. Papers are Papermania and Dovecraft. I added some foam ribbon, Hero Arts poinsettias and some more of those sparkly snowflakes.
Challenges
Creative Inspirations Sketch
Kraftin Kimmie Touchy feely
Cupcake Red and Green
Incy Wincy Red and Green
Stamp with fun Christmas
The Pink Elephant Color me wonderful (use your favourite colouring medium)

Purple Snowflake

I love this Sugar Nellie image called Snowflake but this is only her second outing. Doesn't she look good in purple. I cut her out with my new Nellie multi die and even remembered to ink the edges before I stuck her on the card. I decided to go with no glitter but just used my Sakura stardust pen along with my beloved Promarkers of course. Just for a change I added some buttons to the sparkly snowflakes and some lovely purple gems.
Challenges
Magical Crafts Sketch
Allsorts
Crafty Cardmakers Alternative Christmas (any colour but red/green/gold)

Keeping warm

SECOND POST TODAY.
I tend to stick with one or two main colours on a card but taking my inspiration from the colours in these BG Eskimo Kisses papers I decided to go with a more colourful card. The image is Whiff of Joy coloured with Promarkers. I added some glitter, a couple of poinsettias and a sparkly snowflake.
Challenges
Basic Grey Sketch
Whiff of Joy Christmas

Reflection

The weather was awful this morning, dark and pouring with rain. We had planned a day indoors today anyway and I managed to get another four Christmas cards made and hope to make some more later when we've wrapped the Christmas pressies. I felt so far behind this year but am now catching up. Hope you are too.

This image from Elzybells always makes me smile. I added some Shimmerz to the bauble and thought the branches looked a bit bare when I remembered some bauble stickers I had from my pre-stamping cardmaking. This card is for the challenge of Christmas at Charisma and Christmas trees at Secret Crafter.

Puppy Love and another award

THIS IS MY THIRD POST TODAY. PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR OTHER POSTS.
I managed to get three cards made last night whilst hubby read the paper and watched TV. I love this image from Lili of the Valley. I used the lovely sketch from Moving along with the Times , who also have theme of animals, and the colour scheme of brown and blue for the challenge at A Spoon full of sugar. This image has a lovely old fashioned feel about it and the papers are from K & Co. I inked the edges of the image, the papers and the flowers for a vintage look forPassion for Promarkers. Puppy love is the challenge at Die Cut Dreams.

I received another lovely award from Kazabing. Thanks Kaz.

These are the blog award "rules."

1. Copy the award to your site
2. Link to the person from whom you received the award
3. Identify seven things about myself.
4. Nominate 7 other bloggers
5. Link to those on your blog
6. Leave a message on the blogs you nominated.


1. I have been a bookworm ever since I could read. As soon as I finish a book I have to know that I have another to start.
2. I am a big fan of Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore, Tigger, Piglet and friends in the 100 Acre Wood.
3. I love holidays in America. I have been to Florida 7 times, New England 3 times and New York once. I would love to explore more of both the USA and Canada.
4. I love to snuggle up next to hubby on the sofa on a Saturday night and watch a movie on our home cinema system. So much cosier than a cinema.
5. I hate the taste of tea.
6. I once booked a 10 day holiday in Austria and entered a competition as part of the booking and won back the cost of one week.
7. My favourite current TV programme is Spooks.

I would like to give this award to (in no particular order)

Lynsey
Christine
Lisa
Jo
Thread-bare
Jacqui
Debby

I hope to see this award on all your blogs and learn 7 things about you.

A Birthday Card for a change

SECOND POST FOR TODAY
I have an order for 3 Birthday cards and managed to make one of them last night and here it is. The beautiful image is from a set by Inkadinkadoo (I think)which I bought in America. Coloured with PMs and added some glitter and gems. I used the sketch from Sketch Saturday. In order to fit it on a tall card I rotated the image but left the rest of the sketch as it was. Other challenges are a recipe of 3 patterned papers, 2 coloured card and 1 type of embellie at La la Land and 3 patterned papers and a stamp at Polka Doodle. Hopefully you can just see the third paper behind the sentiment. Tall cards are a challenge in themselves sometimes but I really like them for a change and this image wouldn't fir in a square card.

Smart snowman

A simple card made using one of The Snowman stamps. Doesn't he look smart with his tie and braces. I added some glitter to his tie , some more of that lovely glittery zigzag and some snowflakes.
Challenges
ABC I is for Indigo Blue
Just Christmas and Birthday Cards Sketch

Penny Black mice

These poor little mice have been sadly neglected this year as I have had so many new Christmas stamps to use. Last night I decided they really deserved to come out so here they are. I made the lantern and mouse with a scarf 3D and added loads of faux snow. I even remembered to ink the edges of the card and paper this time which I cut using Peony Nestie. Papers are my fave BG and DCWV.
Challenges
Penny Black Winter Wonderland. Check out their blog hop.
Whimsy Christmas
Papertake Christmas Crackers (crackers as in fave, well these papers and snowflakes are my faves)

Purple Sugar Bowl

SECOND POST FOR TODAY. I don't know why I nearly always seem to post in two's.

I know, I know it's purple again but I decided to combine it with pink, definitely my fave 2 colours for Christmas cards this year, especially with these gorgeous papers from DCWV and BG. The sketch at the Sugar Bowl this week seemed much easier than normal. Perhaps I'm getting better at this or more likely it was a simpler sketch than some of theirs. Whatever it is a lovely sketch as always and I absolutely love this card. The card also had to include zigzags and as I had this gorgeous sparkly zigzag strip it was the inspiration for my colour scheme. I decide to cut out the image for a change and mounted her on a stamped star, which also gives a zigzag effect. Her fur sparkles beautifully and a few pink sequinned snowflakes just finish off the design.

I hope you're all getting on well with your Christmas cards. I still have 4 to make for orders plus some more for myself so won't have a lot of time for blogging this week. It's one month to go but let's not panic.

We wish you a Merry Christmas

Come on now sing along, you know you want to. I was really pleased to get 4 more Christmas cards made last night. This was a Friday freebie a few weeks ago at Pollycraft. Quite a simple card this one as it is for a lady who doesn't like things too fussy and as she goes to church each week I thought a carol singer was appropriate. Papers are DCWV. Challenges are Christmas at Pollycraft and Red Christmas at Cute Daisy May. It's only Tuesday and I'm posting for Monday challenges rather than at the last minute, hooray!

A Pink Gem Bear

Another rubbish photo I'm afraid for the challenge at A Spoon Full of Sugar who want a card for a pre-schooler. I used my Nellies die to cut the scalloped shape and then placed it inside a Nestie die cut circle as the pattern shows up better on the plain paper. I decided to cut the bear out this time and mount him on the circles. Lots of glitter on his fur and a couple of gold snowflakes and pink flowers. A perfect card for a little girl (or a big girl, if you love bears like I do).

I was so pleased today to find that I had made the Top 3 at Die Cut Dreams. Thanks girls.

I received this lovely award again but this time from thread-bare so I would like to give it to the girls at Die Cut Dreams. You are supposed to answer 35 questions but I'm afraid I just don't have time tonight, I'm too tired, sorry.

Digital Tuesday on a Monday

Sorry for the rubbish photo but it was dark when I finished this today. A very quick post with this late entry for Digital Tuesday who have a challenge of purple, white and gold or silver. Well I couldn't resist a purple challenge could I. It's that cute Pollycraft bear and robin again, glittered everywhere so they nicely fit the challenge of sparkle using a digi image at Bee Crafty.

Angel Henry

SECOND POST FOR TODAY.
I managed to get 3 A5 cards made whilst hubby went Christmas shopping. Hope he got me some good pressies. I did point out w few things I liked and some crafting items I really need, lol!

Another order for a friend's Mum. She didn't mind what image I used so I hope she likes this little fella from Whiff of Joy. I used my MS star border punch and added die cut snowflakes, snowflake brad, poinsettias and ferns made with an MS punch.

Challenges
Willow Sketchie Sketch
Paperplay Read all about it (use text)
One Stop Craft Snowflakes
Quixotic Kraft and red

Back to purple

When I saw the challenge over at Incy Wincy was purple I just had to enter. You will have seen a similar card to this a few weeks ago s I made one as a sample for friends who wanted A5 cards. 3 people wanted the card and they all wanted purple so here's number 2, still have number 3 to make. The sketch is from Lili of the Valley. The challenge at Kraftin Kimmee is Merry Christmas. Well that's an easy challenge at the moment isn't it!

The stamp is Whiff of Joy and although not a Christmas stamp looks so great with these assorted papers and snowflakes.

Santa

SECOND POST FOR TODAY.

As regular visitors will know I love purple and pink cards. However I really love this Christmas card in more traditional colours. This card came together so easily unlike the last one. The image is Sugar Nellie coloured with PMs and cut out with Nesties Labels 4. I inked the edges and added glitter flocking to his fur. Papers are Dovecraft. I covered the plain white snowflake with gold glitter and added flowers and snowflakes for more glitter, glitz and texture.

Challenges
Sketch Saturday Sketch
Creatalicious Christmas, snowflakes and lots of sparkle/glitter
Winter Wonderland St Nicholas
Die Cut Dreams Santa
Cute Daisy May Touchy Touchy
Creative Inspirations Sparkle
Colour Create Red, green and white with the option of Christmas

Bronson and Beaker

Finally got round to using last week's fab Friday freebie from Paula at Pollycraft. If you didn't manage to get this image last week you can buy him for just 99p. I used the sketch from Moving along with the times and really struggled at first. Not that the sketch was difficult but it was all squares and I couldn't get my card to flow. As soon as I decided to swap the 2 small squares on the right for a swirl and a star the card came together. I added some glitter to his glove and bobbles on his hat and shoe and some faux snow. Boy is that stuff messy. Papers are DCWV and Basic Grey

Other challenges are:
Dare you to digi stamp Glitter
Simon Says Animal Antics
Cupcake Digi Images
Basic Grey Glitz and Bing

Another snowman

We both had the day off work today and went to some outlet shops about 90 miles away. Aren't I lucky that my hubby likes shopping! There is a Paper Mill shop there which is just as well as I was almost out of white card for stamping. I bought some lovely new boots and a jumper, guess what colour, yes purple!! Also did a bit of Christmas shopping and had lunch.

Just time to post this card I made yesterday. This is the second outing for this adorable Sugar Nellie stamp. I stamped some silver snowflakes around the snowman too.
Challenges
Paperplay 3 buttons, 1 ribbon, 2 patterned papers
Friday Sketchers Sketch
Secret Crafter 4 seasons
By the cute and girly Winter Wonderland
Crafty Calendar Weather

Thank You

Second post for today. I just had to take time out from making Christmas cards to enter the Sugar Bowl challenge this week. They always have such fab sketches and this one is no exception. I decided it was time for a purple card again and some sparkle. I added some Shimmerz to one of the Primas and a couple of the coloured flowers. The lovely sparkly paper is from Dunelm Mill. The backing paper is a gorgeous K & Co from a friend . Unfortunately I then covered most of it with other papers, which are all odd bits from my scrap. I finished the Primas off with a lovely pearl brad.

We're walking in the air

Now you've got that song on your mind as well as me. A friend at work won some Snowman goodies and as she can't get on with stamping she gave me the stamp set, how lucky is that. I've always loved The Snowman story and couldn't wait to use the stamps. The only trouble with them is that they are not just outlines but partly filled in so colouring was trickier than usual. I cut out the image and mounted it onto a square cut with my new Nellies die cut which I then out through a Cuttlebug snowflakes embossing folder. I cut another square from light blue card and used that as an outline to the other square.

Challenges
Inspirational Card Sketeches Sketch
A Spoon Full of Sugar Create a scene
Allsorts For a child

Winter Wonderland

SECOND POST FOR TODAY
Better late than never for the Winter Wonderland challenge of a sketch and/or a pantomime. I decided to go with both. Can you guess the pantomime? Of course it is Robin Hood, lol!! Well alright it is a hat not a hood but that's artistic licence. The robin is part of an image from Pollycraft. The hat is a foam one from a pack I bought in America. Papers are DCWV, one of my favourite packs this years.

I'm really happy with the pink die, one of my new Nellies which came yesterday from cutting edge crafts. Although you only get 3 in a set they are so reasonably priced at £6.75. I bought the circles and squares and was so pleased that the circles fit with the Nesties.

Stamp with fun

I hope the weather is better where you are than it is here. It is 4.15 pm and as black as night and pouring with rain. It has been like that most of the day so a perfect excuse to craft once the work was done. Thank goodness for the conservatory where it was at least a bit lighter so I could take the photo. This is for the sketch challenge at Stamp with fun. Forever friends image coloured with PMs and glittered. Paper is BG Eskimo Kisses. The stickers were some I had in my stash from last year and I thought they went perfectly with the colours.

Ho Ho Ho

Sorry I haven't been to visit many of you this week. Like a lot of you I am so busy making Christmas cards I haven't had much time for blogging. Some of my friends wanted to buy some so I need to keep up production. I am only just managing to fit in some challenges with a few of them.

This digi image was a Friday freebie from Pollycraft a couple of weeks ago. Most sketches don't fit tall cards but the one at Passion for Promarkers was perfect. He was too big for a nestie so I cut an oval using my X cut shape cutter, inked the edge and doodled some silver stars for the challenge at Creative Card Crew. His beard and fur are covered with glitter flocking and I added some of the lovely messy faux snow at the bottom of the image. The sentiment is a stamp from my blog candy win which I coloured with PMs of course. The paper is DCWV, the swirl is Sizzix and I added some baubles to finish it off. The other problem with tall cards is that they look quite small on my blog so click on the image for a better view.

Other challenges are
Charisma Merry and Bright
Cute Card Thursday Glitter me Silly
Papertake Digi Sparkle
Digital Tuesday Holiday Wishes
One Stop Craft Cards for Kids

Thanks for stopping by. Will pop by your blog as soon as I can. I was given 2 awards this week, thanks Trimgym and Jo. I'd like to pass these on to all my lovely followers and all those who comment on my cards but don't follow. I really appreciate your comments.

Another Forever Friends card

This little bear is all in pink and burgundy for 2 challenges. The first is I Love Promarkers who provided this fab sketch which I loved using. The second is Basic Grey who provided a photo for inspiration. I was inspired by burgundy and white so rather than using a backing paper behind the squares I left the white card which shows off the beautiful BG Eskimo Kisses papers. I think I'm getting the hang of this shading a bit better and am quite pleased with my colouring on this one.

Remembrance Day

THIRD POST FOR TODAY
I've been so busy making cards that I haven't had much time for blogging so 3 entries today. This is a special card as the challenge is Remembrance Day at Moving Along with the Times which is one of my favourite challenges. The girls are looking for 2 new DT members so fingers crossed they like my card.

As well as remembering all the brave servicemen and women and their families at this time of year I also feel sad because my lovely Grandma died on Remembrance Day a few years ago. Although she was old and had been ill for some time she was always so full of fun and although her body was giving up her mind was as sharp as ever and she could beat me at a crossword puzzle.

No stamping for a change here. I decided to create a bouquet by scoring and folding a square of paper. The red represents the poppy for Remembrance Day, the flowers because my Grandma loved flowers, and so do I, and roses because her name was Rose. I punched some flowers and ferns and used an assortment from my stash, added some gems and a silver ribbon.

Must have

SECOND POST FOR TODAY.

Elaine at Quixotic Paperie has a new challenge every Wednesday and her first challenge is Birthdays so a change from Christmas cards. The stamp is from Little Claire and the papers are Papermania Amethyst Infusion. A chipboard must have, primas and flower brads complete this girly card.

Bearing gifts

I just love these Forever Friends bears and although this isn't a Christmas stamp he's perfect for a Christmas card. I decided to cut him out fora change and mount him on foam pads. The sketch is from Forever Friends. He is also for Animals at Cute Daisy May and red, blue and yellow at Cute Card Thursday.

Friendship

SECOND POST FOR TODAY. PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR EARLIER POST.
Another birthday card, this one is for a male friend who is a keen gardener. It's the first time I have used this image which I bought a while ago. I do like these Popcorn bears but the stamps are very large so I scanned it and resized it otherwise it would have filled the card. The bear and the duck are very relaxed in the garden. I stamped some clouds and a butterfly from some Papermania stamp sets as the challenge over at Stamptacular Sunday is friendship plus stamp your own background or paper.

Penny Black Ginger

A friend's daughter asked if I would make a pink card with glitter, shoes, handbags, flowers and jewels. Naturally I said I would so a break from Christmas cards this afternoon. The image is PB Ginger, coloured with PMs. I added some glitter to her dress and earrings. I had a die cut handbag and added a flower brad but I didn't have a pink shoe so I cut one from pink glitter card. The flowers are Prima painted with Shimmerz ad the fern is from an MS punch. The lovely striped paper and sparkly ribbon are Papermania. Other papers from stash.
Challenges
Papertake sketch
La La Land pink
Allsorts bling
Craft Celebration
Crafty Catz Going Dottie
Penny Black Song title. Mine is Handbags and Glad Rags

Creative Craft Challenge

Christmas Fun is the challenge this week at Creative Craft. This fab Forever Friends stamp was free this month with the DoCrafts magazine. I decided to use it with the gorgeous Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses papers. A pink Hero Arts poinsettia, a sparkly snowflake and some gold snowflake confetti complete the card.

Have a great weekend everyone. Hope all those of you going to the NEC have a fantastic time.

Red, white and blue Anya and blog candy win

It's time for one of my favourite Winter stamps again and she's not pink or purple! The challenge at Anyone for Anya is to use the colours of your national flag so here's Anya in red, white and blue with glitter. The flowers is a Hero Arts poinsettia with a ribbon and pearl flower in the centre. I decided to keep this card clean and simple so I didn't overpower the image set on glitter card. The sketch is from Mojo Monday. The challenge at Roses on Paper and Sassy Designs is Christmas. It's Susie's first challenge and as we all seem to be bust making Christmas cards you should be all be able to enter this one. There's a stash of craft goodies up for grabs.

Talking of craft goodies I receive my blog candy win from Judith today. I couldn't believe my eyes when I opened the box as there was so much more than I expected. Judith had a craft room clearout and sent me an fantastic box of papers, stamps, brads etc. I was amazed she had so much unopened stash. I couldn't fit it all into the photo but this gives you some idea.

I'm sorry I haven't had time to do much bloghopping this week but I'll try to catch up you all as soon as I can.

Multi coloured snowman

I left the purple alone and went for multi colours on this card. The image is Sugar Nellie and I stamped the background with a Dovecraft snowflake stamp using a silver stamp pad. It's ages since I used this technique. This card has so much going on, swirls, gems, snowflakes, flowers, ribbon and a brad.
Challenges
Cupcake sketch
CRAFT include orange and black
Crafty Cardmakers Stamp something plus use a technique you haven't used for a while or is new to you
Creative Card Crew Ribbons and gems

And another purple card

I don't know why but I couldn't seem to resist making purple cards yesterday. Thanks to all those of you who compliment me on my colouring. I am still a novice with the shading and I find this image particularly difficult as so much of the image is her dress. I adore her though so will keep trying to improve. She is coloured with PMs and highlighted with Sakura Stardust pen on her hem and purple glitter on her bow. The background paper is from Debbi Moore, the other was a freebie. She fitted the nesties so well. It's the first time I have had an image and card large enough to use the biggest rectangle.

I love the detail on this card. The glitter card swirls, holly leaves and snowflakes are Sizzix. I added some fab sparkly Prima flowers, embossed the snowflakes and added spacers and brads.

The card was made using the lovely sketch at Moving along with the times where they are also looking for embossing on your card.

Another purple Christmas card

THIS IS MY THIRD POST TODAY. PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR OTHER POSTS.
This is one of my favourite sort of cards. I love making A5 cards as it gives you so much more space to fill and although I love simple cards, see last post, my favourite cards are the ones with a lot to look at. This lovely image was a Whiff of Joy one from my blog candy win, and although she isn't a Christmas stamp I thought she was perfect to use for a Christmas card. She is coloured with PMs with some lovely purple glitter on her apron and bow.

I used both my MS star border punch and my old X cut star corner punch which I haven't used for ages. The swirl and snowflakes are Sizzix. I added some glitter ribbon to the the strip of paper, a bow and some bling from stash. I bought a pack of purple glitter card from a Dunelm Mill shop a while ago and tried it in one of my punches but it is too thick, which was annoying. However it worked perfectly in my Big Shot, thank goodness.

Challenges
Crafty Catz sketch
A Spoon Full of Sugar Kitchen/cooking
La La Land Ribbon
Lily Boo Too Purple
Craft Garden Sparkle
Die Cut Dreams Food or drink

Penguin in Winter Wonderland

THIS IS MY SECOND POST TODAY. PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR FIRST POST.
I do love this little stamp. I know he is very simple to colour but I really like the simplicity of this card. The papers are from Debbi Moore and the card is for the challenge at One Stop Craft which is looking for a card with newspaper. stamp with script or text on the paper. I used my MS doily punch on both edges of the vellum, added some very glittery snowflakes and some purple gems from stash.

Blue Christmas

That's the challenge over at Cute Daisy May this week. I've taken the day of work today and aim to spend the whole day cardmaking so expect more posts from me as the day goes on. The image is from Pollycraft, isn't it a fun image. Papers were also free last year with a mag. MS doily punch used on the bottom and Sizzix swirl with lovely snowflakes from USA and a star gem from stash. I used my new art glitter faux snow again. If you thought glitter was messy you should try this. I love the effect but I'm going to have to sweep the floor later.

Blog Candy Winners

Hi everyone. Hope you are all having a great weekend. We've had blue skies and sunshine some of the past week but the weather this weekend is rubbish. It's wet and windy and generally yuck but we were both awake about 6.15 so making an early start on my blog this morning. We're planning to have a look round the shops today and hopefully will fit in some crafting later.

Thanks to so many of you for entering my candy and your lovely comments about my creations. I hope you like my new look blog. I'm still learning how to use Adobe Photoshop and played around with my banner. I impressed myself with the result, lol!

I hope all my new followers will come back and visit from time to time and leave comments. I've got several new followers who didn't enter my candy so I guess you must just like my cards, which is great. I'm sorry I haven't been round to visit all of you but I have got lots more Christmas cards to make. I've got friends asking for them so although I've made 51, only about 20 are for me to send. I'll have more time for bloghopping once these are all made.

Well that's enough ramblings from me. It's that moment you have been waiting for. The announcement of my blog candy winners. Some people had left 2 comments so I counted their first comment as their entry. I used True Random Generator for the first time. Hubby then got excited as he found you can use it to pick your lottery numbers so fingers crossed for a win on Wednesday, lol!

First prize goes to
That's Magda in the UK. Well done, you win the candy. Second prize, which is a surprise goes to Mary in the United States.

Could the 2 winners please e-mail me your address to the address on my profile by Wednesday 4 November. I'll then get your prizes off in the post, postal strikes allowing of course. If I don't hear from you by then I will have to draw again. Well done ladies.