Two more Christmas cards

We haven't had much snow today but it is still very cold. Having seen the pics on the news some of you have it really bad so keep warm and safe.

Those Christmas cards are still coming and here are 2 more today. I am so pleased with the way this card turned out. In fact I'd like to keep it for myself. The adorable image is Sugar Nellie of course. She was a Birthday pressy from Lynsey along with the lovely Nesties which remind me of ornaments and she fitted into the largest die perfectly. The papers are last years Rose Tinted Christmas from DCWV. I added some black raffia lace, Primas and Wild Orchid roses with punched leaves. I used the fab sketch at The Sugar Bowl where they also have the option of black, white plus one. As the stamp and die cut are new and the paper is old it fits the challenge at Passion for Promarkers of old and new. Craft Your Days Away are looking for texture so this card fits the challenge there as well.

Crafts 4 Eternity always have great sketches with an added theme which this week is stars. It's the first time I have used this image from Rachelle Anne Miller this Christmas. It's such a fun image to colour (with Promarkers of course), a bit of glitter and glossy accents for the ice. Papers are Papermania Winter's Tale with a couple of other scraps added. I used the MS simple scallops border punch for a change. I haven't used the Let it Snow Sizzix die much this year so out that came today with Sizzix and Marianne die cut snowflakes, a snowflake brad and some new star pins I bought at the NEC. I am also entering this into the challenge of I is for Ice and Snow at ABC and Stars at Paperplay.
I'm off to sell at the Christmas Bazaar at my local council office tomorrow lunchtime so hope that goes well.

Two cute girls all wrapped up for the snow

Brr it is still very cold and snowy here. Went out in today, well wrapped up, just like this cute Squiggle digi girl. Last time I used Miss Evie I coloured her in Autumn colours but this time went for my fave purple and lots of glitter on the hearts and pompoms which meant I could use this gorgeous raffia lace again. Papers are some 12 x 12 ones from Craft Creations. I also used my MS star border punch and Marianne dies for the silver glitter snowflakes.
Challenges
Squiggle Stamps Plenty of sparkle
Die Cut Dreams Christmas Use a die cut
2 Sisters Non traditional Christmas colours
Christmas Stampin' all year long Anything goes
Totally Papercrafts Untraditional Christmas colours

The second girlie is from Digital Doodling. More of that lovely raffia lace, this time in dark pink and some glittery snowflakes from Me and My Big Ideas.
Challenges
I love Promarkers Anything goes (with a bit of sparkle if you like)
Friday Sketchers Fab sketch
Digital Tuesday Let it snow
The Pixie Cottage Let it snow
Simon Says Let it snow
The Townscrapper Photo inspiration
Paper Sundaes Adorn those corners

Decorating the tree

Hope you are all keeping warm. We have an a day indoors today. We had some more snow overnight but not much during the day but it has been so cold it hasn't thawed that much. A good excuse to stay in and craft. These little bunnies and bear are very busy decorating this tree ready for Christmas. I have used very traditional colours for this one with some old papers and ribbon from my stash and Wild Orchid flowers and punched and embossed ivy leaves and lots of glitter.
Challenges
Lili of the Valley Fab sketch which I rotated
Crafty Catz Christmas
Totally Gorjuss Christmas Tree
One Stop Craft Christmas cuties
Penny's Paper Challenge Photo inspiration
Creative Inspirations Red, green and gold
Elephantastic Red and green

I was thrilled to find that I have won a set of Nestability hearts from Create 4 fun. They'll come in handy for weddings, anniversaries, Valentines etc.

New Christmas challenge

There will be a new Christmas challenge starting on 1 January 2011. There's some gorgeous papers to be won so head over here to enter.

Fairytale

Yet another of these easel cards with another LOTV cutie in my fave colour this time. The paper is some old Papermania paper from a set I bought when I first started playing with papers. I used a Nestie for the stamped sentiment which was on an image I was given. Flowers are Prima with Wild Orchid roses and punched fern leaves. Lots of sparkle with glitter on the image and some gem flowers. I am entering this into the challenge of fairytales or panto season at Cupcake and one for the girls at Charisma. Back to Christmas cards this afternoon.

LOTV wedding

This is my second post for today. Please scroll down for my WW DT card.

I used another of those cute LOTV squares for this wedding card as this image isn't yet available as a stamp. Aren't they just adorable. I added lots of glitter and some gems to the image. Papers are Papermania Confetti and the MS heart and heart border punches have been out again. Flowers are all Wild Orchid with punched leaves. I have used the sketch at Create 4 Fun and em also entering the challenge of Celebrations at Delicious Doodles.

I hope you haven't had too much snow today. We have had some showers and it has been very cold. Apart from a trip to Sainsburys for shopping and lunch I have spent the whole day cardmaking and managed to get 7 cards made. Only 2 of them were stamped images which had to be coloured which is how I managed to get that many made. I am now selling at a Christmas Bazaar next Wednesday as well as the craft fair next Saturday so thought I needed to get some more stock made. I am also trying to get ahead with DT work.

Shape UP WW DT card

I'm feeling very Christmassy this morning as we have had some snow showers for the last 2 days. Very unusual for us to have snow in November. This is my DT card for this week's challenge at Winter Wonderland which is Shape Up. We want to see any shape other than a square or rectangle so I decided to make another of these shaped easel cards. The cute image is from Sugar Nellie and the flowers from Wild Orchid with embossed punched ivy leaves.
I am also entering my card into the following challenges:
The Creative Cottage Untraditional Christmas colours
Fab 'n' funky Going with the flow (anything)
Crafty Creations Christmas is coming
Papertake Cut it out
A Spoon full of sugar Anything goes
Everybody Art Use shapes

Look what Santa brought

Sorry I haven't been about much this week but I have been attending a 3 day course on starting your own business. A really interesting 3 days but an awful lot to take in especially the finances. Good job I love maths and spreadsheets. I did manage to get a couple of cards made last night. When I saw last week's Friday freebie from Paula at Pollycraft I knew it wouldn't be long before I used this image. Isn't it a fantastic image for a man's card and just perfect for the challenge of feeling blue at Pollycraft and Christmas cards at Cards for men . I will be definitely be using this image again. I made an A5 card using the great sketch and theme of blue and silver at Crafts 4 Eternity. The image is coloured with Promarkers and I added glitter flocking to his hat. Papers are Papermania Winter's Tale. I cut some holly leaves using a Sizzix die and silver glitter card and added some red card candy for berries. I am also entering this into the Christmas challenge at Crafty Sentiments.

A circular easel card

Ever since I received one of these shaped easel cards for my Birthday from my buddy Lynsey I have been longing to make one and having bought the Go Kreate dies at the NEC finally got round to trying them out. I'll definitely be making more of these. I used some pink holly card also from the NEC and some lovely blue snowflake paper. The snowman is from LOTV coloured with PMs and I added punched snowflakes and gems and lots of glitter.
Challenges:
Crafty Creations Beautiful insides
I love Promarkers Snowmen
2 Sisters Snowflakes
Crazy 4 challenges Circles
Pear Tree Designs Colourful

Purple Christmas and some DT news

Third post from me today. I managed to get 3 cards made today but it was too dark to photograph 2 of them and one of them is my DT card for WW anyway. This is still one of my fave Christmas images, even though I find colouring her dress a challenge. I added some raffia lace and ribbon, flowers from Wild Orchid and Marianne die cut snowflakes. I also used my new X cut embossing ivy punch. I used the lovely sketch at Whiff of Joy and the colour theme of lovely in lilac at Bah Humbug and non traditional Christmas colours at Totally Gorjuss.

You may have noticed that sadly the Pocket Full of Posies challenge has closed but Jan and Sandie who ran PFOP also run Stampin' for the weekend and they have invited me to join the DT there, so from 3rd December I will be joining the challenges as a DT member.

Snowbear

This is my second post today and what a challenge that last post was. First Mr Blogger wouldn't let me upload my image and then inlinkz was undergoing maintenance so I couldn't link to the last challenge for a while. Hopefully all will be well with this post.

There's a rather challenging sketch this week at Sweet Sketch Wednesday, my favourite sort with lots of lovely layers so there's a lot going on with this card. I've gone for a different colour combo on this one as I don't usually mix pink and red but inspired by the papers decided to give it a try. I added glitter to the snow on the image and used some glitter card to mount the fab LOTV image and to die cut the snowflakes. The lace is from a haberdashery shop and I threaded ribbon through the holes in the lace and added a snowflake charm from the Hobby House.

I am also entering this card into the following challenges:
Lili of the Valley Glittery and glitz
Creative Inspirations Winter wood land
Simon Says Sparkle
Paperplay Let it snow
Teddy Stampers Bling it on
Allsorts Lace, ribbon and a charm
CES Lovely lace

I may be back later with more creations.

Another sneak peek

You may have seen the Christmas card I posted yesterday made with one of Sheena Douglass's new stamps for Crafter's Companion, well here is the second card I made with this image. This time I stamped it with distress inks and added no colour at all to the image, just sprayed it with Crafter's Companion spray and sparkle and made an A5 Wedding card. Papers are Papermania Confetti as is the lovely ribbon, which is mostly covered up but the flowers which were made with Marianne dies and card candy. Wedding Day was cut with a Sizzix die and I used the MS heart border punch too.

Lots of tags

This is my second post today. I realised that if I wanted to get several tags made for the upcoming craft fair that I wasn't going to have time to stamp an image for each tag. I popped into the Range yesterday and picked up some great Anita's Christmas toppers. There are 6 toppers in each bag and 4 bags for £1, bargain. Here's a bunch of tags I made. The penguin was a topper I bought in America, the 2 little girls having fun are stamped PB images and the others are the Anita's toppers. I added some embellies such as little gems for the buttons on the snowman and a star gem on the fairy teddy's wand. Thank goodness for the nesties and nellies which make the tags such lovely shapes. I am entering these tags into the challenge of Christmas, not a card, at Bunny Zoe's Crafts.

Regular visitors will notice no Winter Wonderland DT creation from me this week. However if you visit the rest of the DT you will see some fabulous Christmas decorations so get creative this week and you could win some lovely digis from Delicious Doodles.

More sneak peeks

Firstly welcome to my new followers. Some more sneak peeks from the new Sheena Douglass collection for Crafter's Companion which will be featured on television this Sunday, I believe. You may have seen the inn used on a male Birthday card yesterday, well today it features on a Christmas card.

The other image of the church has also been used for a Christmas card. This is a large image and quite different to my normal cute style of stamp. I stamped it in distress ink on watercolour card and used my new Aquamarkers and waterbrush for the first time. They will definitely take a lot more practice but I am quite pleased with my first attempt. I added glitter for a snowy look and then sprayed the whole image with Crafter's Companions spray and sparkle.

Hanging on a snowflake

This is my second post for today. I spent a lovely day with my friend Lynsey yesterday sorting out some of the stuff for our craft fair such as pricing. We did managed a little crafting time and she brought along this sweet mouse stamp so I could stamp up some images. I love this image which I have coloured with Promarkers and added some glitter to the snowflake. I used my MS snowflake and snowflake border punches and added some of that gorgeous raffia lace and ribbon.
Challenges:
Christmas Stampin' all Year Long Stripes
Die Cut Dreams Christmas Club Snowflakes
Sweet Stampin' Snowflakes
Penny Black at Allsorts It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Penny Black All my favourite things (Christmas, glitter, snowflakes, lots of layers, MS punches, raffia lace, ribbon)

Sneak peek

Here's a sneak peek of the first card made using one of Sheena Douglass's new range of stamps. This image of the "Do Drop Inn" and the sentiment Cheers makes a perfect male Birthday card. I used these lovely shaped card to make an easel card with MME Wild Asparagus papers and the MS simple scallop punch. The image is coloured with Promarkers and I added glossy accents to the windows. You can see the whole range on TV this weekend. I am entering this card into the challenge of easel cards at Sarah Hurley and Autumn Skies (use Autumn colours)at Papertake.

Lots of presents

This is the last of my Christmas cards for my friend's 3 granddaughters. I went with 3 easel cards this year. You may already have seen the blue and the purple, well here is the pink one. Luckily they all have different fave colours. This gorgeous Sarah Kay girl isn't very well wrapped up for Christmas is she. She makes me feel cold with these frosty mornings we are having. I used scalloped cards and rather than leave the top straight I used my MS snowflake punch for a fun border at the top. She is coloured with PMs with lots of glitter. Papers are Dovecraft and BG, poinsettia and swirl are from Marianne, again lots of glitter. I also added some faux stitching around the image.
Challenges
Quixotic No square or rectangle
CES Think pink
The Creative Cottage Someone special at Christmas
Creative Inspiration A pink Christmas
2 Sisters Christmas
Tuesday Taggers Peace, love or joy

Two pretty girls

It's another of those cute LOTV little fairies for my first card. The papers are Papercellar Victorian Burgundy which I picked up at Dunelm Mill a couple of weeks ago. I really like the soft vintage colour of these papers, which I punched using MS PATP punches. I added loads of glitter to the image, some Papermania sparkly organza ribbon and some lace, Prima flowers and pearls. Challenges
Papertake Fab sketch
CES Think pink
Paperplay Ribbon,lace and flowers
Secret Crafter Sparkle and shine

Another Christmas card for the second one using one of last year's SN images, coloured with PMs with lots of glitter flocking. Papers are Dovecraft. I used the MS snowflake border punch. I die cut a large poinsettia using the spellbinder die from some of the paper then added a glittered Marianne die cut and embossed poinsettia and some Sizzix cut holly leaves, some ribbon and a bow to finish.
Challenges
Sugar Bowl Great sketch and option ribbons and bows
ABC H is for Holidays
Craft your days away Christmas trees
2 Sisters Christmas sparkle
The Crafty Pad Christmas sparkle
Paper Sundaes Pick your sundae toppings (at least 2) Punches, embossing, ribbon, blue (I managed all 4)

I need to cook dinner soon but hope to be back later catching up with you whilst hubby watches James May Man Lab.

Little fairy

LOTV have brought out a set of 4 little fairies which unfortunately are only available as squares at the moment. I couldn't wait for the stamps to come out in January so just had to buy some of the squares because they are soooooo adorable. I added lots of glitter to the flowers on the image. I love the colour scheme and found this Kate Knight paper and a couple of scraps from the SWALK 2 papers. I was so pleased to finally find this raffia ribbon at Quixotic and even more pleased to find it in lilac. I added some aubergine ribbon to it and coloured the LOTV sentiment with PMs to match. I am entering this into the challenge of Anything Goes at Lili of the Valley where they also have a bloghop.

Thanks so much to those of you have left me lovely comments both here and in the guestbook at my new website. Your encouragement means a lot to me.

Skating bears

This week at Winter Wonderland Kate has given us the fun challenge of Winter Sports so let's see those skis, skates, sleds etc. I have used a Pollycraft image which I bought last year for my hubby's Christmas card. I made that one in blue and red but rummaging through my Papermania Winter's Tale I came across this lovely red and green striped paper so that was the basis for my colour scheme o this A5 card. I love mixing stripes so added some striped ribbon. I doodled some faux stitching and some snowflakes on the image which was coloured with PMs. I added glitter flocking to the fur and glossy accents to the ice. The large scalloped circle was cut with one of my new Go Kreate dies. Snowflakes were made with white glitter card, Sizzix and Marianne dies (It's hard for me to type those two words together, you know!) and MS punch with added pearls and snowflake brad.
I am also entering my card into the following challenges:
Sunday sketch and stamp Fab sketch
Pollycraft Doodling
Crafty Calendar Winter (option snowflakes) They also have a DT call which I am entering
Bee Crafty Christmas 2
Paper Sundaes Let it Snow
Cute Card Thursday Anything Goes
A spoon full of sugar Snow, snowflakes

Sorry I haven't had much time for blogging this week but I have been busy finalising my website which has been launched this morning. I hope you get time to pop over and leave me a comment in the guestbook.

2 more LOTV cards

This is my second post for today with two more LOTV images. LOTV are teasing us with some lovely new images which won't be available as stamps until January. However the good news is that they are releasing them as squares so I just had to pick some up at the NEC. I bought the wedding set and the girly set. This is one of the new wedding images. I glittered around the edge and the flowers on the image. Papers are Papermania Confetti and the 2 MS heart punches came out again. The sentiment is also LOTV mounted on a nestie cut die. The flowers are Wild Orchid with some lovely ribbon flowers from the NEC and various punched leaves. I used the fab sketch from Totally Gorjuss.

The second card was made with one of last year's images layered onto Cuttlebug snowflake embossed card. Lots of glitter flocking on the fur, Prima flowers with Wild Orchid roses for baby's 1st Christmas.
Challenges:
Stamp something lovely sketch
Simon Says All white
Charisma With love at Christmas
One Stop Craft Embossing
Craft your days away All white
Crafty Cardmakers Dry embossing
CRAFT Dry embossing

Now don't forget to enter this month's challenge at Crafter’s Companion. You can either use the sketch or the them of one for the girls or both. You don't have to use a Crafter's Companion image though if you have some why not use them. There's a fantastic prize on offer of a £30 voucher to spend on the CC website so you could choose some lovely goodies. Maybe those SWALK 2 stamps that the DT have fallen in love with.

Hiking in the Autumn

I made this card last night for a friend's Birthday today. As he is a neighbour leaving it so late to make wasn't an issue. I normally like to be more prepared than that but have had so much to sort out since finishing my job at the end of October. I love this image from Digistamp Boutique, which is just perfect for my friend. I added one of the new LOTV sentiments I bought at the NEC. It's coloured with Promarkers as is the image. I thought this die cut tree was just the right colour scheme to finish off the card.
Challenges:
Friday Sketchers sketch
Digistamp Boutique Monthly challenge
CES Forever Autumn

Ballerina

I finally had time to make some cards this afternoon. Unfortunately the weather has been awful, pouring with rain and so dark that I had to take a photo indoors. (Updated Tuesday with better pic.) I shall leave the others to photograph tomorrow but couldn't wait to share this new LOTV cutie with you. She is one of the new stamps I bought last week at the NEC. I doodled around the image and included some hearts in my doodles to match her hairband. I used some old Papermania amethyst infusion plus a couple of other lavender scraps. I added some lace, a lace bow and some pearls.
Challenges
Crafts for Eternity Sketch plus doodling
Pasion for Promarkers Pearls, lavender and lace
Lili of the Valley One for the girls
Crazy 4 Challenges Square card
The Shabby Tea Room Lavender and lace

Forever Friends tags

Not much time today as I have to print off inserts, add new labels and bag up my cards so I can add some to my new website ready to publish. I have been making some tags ready for selling either on my website or at a craft fair on 4th December. Tags are such a great way to use scraps and small images. These four were made using various nesties and nellie dies, MS border punches, some gems and Forever Friends images.
Challenges
Forever Friends Tags or punches
Totally Papercrafts Tag it
Keep it simple Shape up

I hope to have time later today to stamp up my new stamps I bought at the NEC so I may be back with a card later or it may be tomorrow.

Sing a Christmas Carol and the NEC

It's my challenge this week at Winter Wonderland and I have set "Sing a Christmas Carol" This is another image someone stamped for me a while ago and I've never used before, but I'm sure this one is a SN image. Papers are Papermania Winter's Tale. I used the MS zigzag punch again, added some flowers, brads and Sizzix cut leaves, some gems and corners for the lovely sketch at Sketch and Stash. I hope you'll join in the singing this week. The lucky winner will win 4 digis from Pink Gem.

What a great time I had at the NEC yesterday with my friend Lynsey. We met Leann and Sara on the Crafter's Companion stand and had a chat with 2 lovely customers, helping them to spend their money. They were so complimentary about our cards when Leann told them we are on the CC DT. We almost felt famous for a moment, lol! (From left to right Lynsey, Sara, Leann, me).

We were lucky enough to get some fo the new LOTV stamps which are gorgeous. You can see some of my cards on the LOTV inspirations blog here. I got home about 9pm last night and I've been out all day today so my stash is still everywhere. I've bought some new things to try out, embossing powder and a heat gun and some Aquamarkers. I'm now going to put it all away and then do a bit of blogging. I've just been checking the challenges and found I've won the MAWTT challenge, thanks girls. Have a great weekend everyone. We're off the to see The Nutcracker ballet at the theatre tomorrow night.

A quick post

A really quick post for me as we are now off to Birmingham. We are staying overnight at a Travelodge and then I'm off the NEC tomorrow. This card is for an order for a friend's granddaughter who shares my love of purple. The image is one of my new digis from Squiggle Stamps coloured with Promarkers and a Sakura clearstar pen for the silver detail. Papers are a mix of Paprmania. I used my MS snowflake border punch, Marianne dies and Cuttlebug dies for the snowflakes which were cut from purple glitter paper. I added lots of glitter to this one.
Challenges
Squiggle Stamps Squiggles and sparkles
I love Promarkers Snowflakes
Everybody Art Untraditional Christmas
Christmas stampin' all year long Purple and silver

I was in the top 5 this week at Passion for Promarkers, a first for me, with my SWALK 2 best friends card. How chuffed am I.

Roar

This is my second post for today and after a very girly card here's one for the boys. I was given this image ages ago and am not sure where it is from, may be Sugar Nellie. I used a mix of Dovecraft and K& Co Hopscotch papers and used the MS zigzag punch. Some Papermania glitter strips and a punched star and button finish it off.
Challenges:
Friday Sketchers sketch
Moving along with the times Card for a child
Cards for men Anything Goes
Crafty Sentiments Male card/project
Papertake Penny for the guy
By the cute and girly Jungle, jungle
Paper Sundaes For the boys

Time for tea

I am in a purple mood with my colours today and as I'm not quite ready to change my background to Christmas have gone with the purple to match today's card. I just love these LOTV images and as I was making the card remembered that I had a teapot charm which was part of a mixed pack I bought from Quixotic Paperie. I used Papermania Henbury Lane papers, some of my faves still. Just love all the glitter on these papers which matches the glitter on the image. Flowers are Prima with Wild Orchid roses and I added a couple of gem flowers too. I used Bev's fab sketch at Lili of the Valley. I am also entering this into the challenge of relish to embellish at A spoon full of sugar and Anything Goes at Incy Wincy.

Two more Christmas girls

SECOND POST FOR TODAY. PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR 2 DT CARDS.

After a good clear up in the garden I spent the afternoon crafting and managed to get these 2 cards photographed before it got dark. Isn't she a sweetie from Pink Gem and she looks so good in pink. I used the lovely sketch at A Gem of a Challenge. The diagonally striped paper was just perfect for this sketch. I used lots of pink glitter on some foam snowflakes and glitter flocking on her fur so this card really sparkles. I am also entering this card into the challenge of bling it on at Totally Papercrafts, presents at Bah Humbug and Christmas traditions at Sir Stampalot.

The manga girl from Sugar Nellie is one of the 3 stamps I chose when I was lucky enough to win at PFP recently. I used the great sketch at The Sugar Bowl and the rectangular scalloped nesties which don't get enough use. Snowflakes were made with the MS punch with added pearls. I like using tall cards for a change but the image doesn't show up as well as a square card on the computer so please click on the image for a larger view.