Black and white Christmas

I thought I would try something a little different with this card, not sure I have ever made a black and white Christmas card before. I inked the Inkylicious sentiment with white ink on black card and diecut it with a MFT wonky stitched oval, embossed the background and added the ribbon from Crafty Ribbons. I used Memory Box stitched snowflake dies and added some pearls. After it was made I wished I had used spray and sparkle on the sentiment so I used a Wink of Stella clear pen instead. Does the sparkle show, of course not! it looks lovely and sparkly in real life.

Challenges

Noor! Design UK Christmas in August 

Dream Valley monochrome 

Creative Inspirations Christmas in August 

Winter Wonderland white plus one 

Allsorts at least 2 dies 

Simon Says Monday It's a stitch up (stitched dies) 

Sweet Stampin' no designer papers

Feeling poorly?

Sorting through my never used printed digi images I came across some of Chester from Pollycraft. These are now available at Little Miss Muffet. I am trying to boost my stock of different occasion cards so you may well see more get well cards cropping up soon.

Image - Poorly Chester (now available at Little Miss Muffet)

Medium - Copics

Papers - MME Nostalgia

Dies - Go Kreate frilly squares 10

Punch - Fiskars banner

Sentiment - Stamposaurus

Other - enamel dots

Challenges

Little Miss Muffet anything goes 

Incy Wincy get well/sympathy 

As you like it favourite shaped cardbase (Although I mainly make square cards I absolutely love making cards with this die, they have to be my favourite shaped cards)

It's that mouse again

It's funny that you have some stamps that have only been used once and others that get used a lot. This is one of the latter as since I bought it on Ebay a while ago I must have made about 6 cards with him, each one different.

Image - Penny Black

Medium - Copics

Sentiment - LOTV

Papers - Studio Light Scandinavian

Dies - tonic trellis circle, Joy scarves, Marianne snowflakes

Other - glossy accents for the ice, Stickles

Challenges

Penny Black your favourite technique (stamping and colouring)
Penny Black and more at Allsorts anything goes with a stamp
Simon Says it's hip to be square
TTCRD anything goes 

Creative Inspirations Christmas in August 

Crafting by Designs Get ready for Christmas 

Noor! Design UK Christmas in August 

Allsorts at least 2 dies

Spinning owl

In he latest edition of Papercrafter you will find three cards I made using new Marianne Designs dies and papers. I was asked to make 3 spinner cards and this is the first one I am sharing with you.

The birds, church and owl are all Marianne Designs dies.  I also used my MFT rolling hills dies and IO fir trees dies. The sentiment is LC designs.

Challenges

Winter Wonderland a little bird told me 

Deep Ocean things with wings 

TTCRD anything goes 

Creative Inspirations Christmas in August 

Crafting by Designs Get ready for Christmas 

Noor! Design UK Christmas in August 

Sparkles Christmas shaped Christmas card

Looking forward to meeting up with friends for lunch today. Enjoy your Sunday.

Dream

I need more of these plaques for my stock and whilst I don't share every one of them on my blog I thought it was time to share one again. I love this Inkylicious sentiment. I have gone for a shabby chic look using ribbon from Crafty Ribbons, Studio Light 30 paper from The Ribbon Girl, some crispy lace, a Gorjuss lace bow, flowers from Wild Orchid, a wooden heart coloured with purple Wink of Stella, die cut butterflies tied with string and some pearls.

Challenges

Deep Ocean things with winsg

  Inky Chicks lots of butterflies

Fussy and Fancy let's fly away

In the garden

Apologies that photo looks a bit dark. My laptop is at the repairers so I am using our new one which hubby normally uses and I can see now that the brightness is different to what I am used to. I do like the new laptop, so fast, so I think I will mainly be using that in future even if the other once can be repaired. Thankfully I had everything backed up. So onto my card. I bought this wooden stamp recently from somebody on Facebook as I thought it is a lovely sentiment. I don't know the make of it as it doesn't say.  I had a play round with all sorts of bits and pieces on this one and love the garden feel to the finished card,

Papers - Bo Bunny Secret Garden

Flowers - Wild Orchid

Die - Sizzix doily

Butterfly - Hobbycraft

Other - from stash

Challenges

Allsorts fabulous florals 

Country View hot Summer days 

Dies R Us doily and/or lace
Simon Says it's hip to be square

Deep Ocean things with wings
  Inky Chicks lots of butterflies
Scrap and Craft 3 of stencil, chipboard, album, rose, album, paper (Chipboard frame, paper and roses)

Wedding Day

I am out of stock of Wedding cards again so I thought I must get some made. I have a stock of the old LOTV diecut topper so that made my card quicker to make than colouring this image. I do love using the stamp of course too.

Image - LOTV diecut topper

Papers - LOTV always and forever

Dies - Go Kreate frilly squares 3, MFT sticthed scallop border (a new purchase), WOJ heart banner

Lace - Crafty Ribbons

Sentiment - Pink Gem

Punch - MS fern

Flowers - Wild Orchid

Other - pearl pen

Challenges

Bizzy Becs anything goes 

Country View hot Summer days 

Dies R us doilies and/or lace 

Dream Valley pretty in pink
Allsorts fabulous florals
Simon Says it's hip to be square

Wow hasn't it been hot the last two days. I did all the housework yesterday morning, far too hot for it really but hubby was decorating and I wanted to get it done. No jobs today, haircut this afternoon and probably lunch out in Norwich first.

Last of three

This is the last of the three Jasmin cards in last month's Making Cards magazine. I love how different images look depending upon the Copic colours used. Previously I have coloured her in grey, black and white but this one is so vibrant to match the MME papers. I used a Spellbinders die to cut her out, added some buttons and some jute ribbon. Again the sentiment is LOTV.

Challenges

Graph'It anything goes 

Bizzy Becs anything goes 

Sparkles lots of layers

Sweet James

I do love James, one of the cutest bears around and this was a quick Christmas card as I used one of the LOTV art pads with a Christmas embossing folder. I used a Lawn Fawn stitched square die, some velvet ribbon from Crafty Ribbons and some lovely stars from Hobbycraft. I also used my favourite pearl pen around the image.

Challenges

ABC Christmas Q for quick layout 

Simon Says make for the borders (stitched border die, ribbon border) 

Winter Wonderland embossed background 

Noor! Design UK Christmas in August

Maurice!

Dear Maurice hasn't had an outing for a while so when I was sorting out my images to colour I cam across this one printed off and decided to colour him in Norwich City colours. Not my favourite colour combo but that is the colour of the local team and they always sell well.

Image - Pollycraft

Medium - Copics

Papers - American Crafts spots and stripes

Die - MFT inside and outside rounded stitched squares

Other - baker's twine and button

Challenges

Little Miss Muffet anything goes 

Crafty Calendar Summer fun

Simon Says make for the borders (stitched border die)

Vintage

Today I am sharing another of the LOTV car trio cards published in making Cards last month. I cut them out with a Lawn Fawn stitched circle die and coloured them with Copics. The map paper is Docrafts Mr Mister and I used some burlap which I love.I added some string and a car charm to add to the rustic look.

Challenges

Graph'It anything goes
Simon Says make for the borders (stitched border dies) and travelling across country

It's my Mum's Birthday today so we are taking her out for the day.

Avast me hearties

Summer fun is our challenge this fortnight at A Gem of a Challenge and this cutie looks like he is having fun.

Image - pre coloured digi Pirate Barclay

Papers - Docrafts Ahoy there

Ribbon - Crafty Ribbons

Die - MFT pierced fishtails, Joy sailor's knot

Sentiment - Hobby House

Challenges

The Craft Barn blue 

Country View hot Summer days 

Sparkles lots of layers 

Simon Says Monday Summer fun 

Creative Inspirations Seaside, sunshine, Summer holidays

Cute Card Thursday kiddies/babies

Can you see the sparkle?

I don't think you can see how lovely and sparkly my card is today.I have used one of my favourite Christmas stamps from Stampendous printed onto kraft, distressed and sprayed with iridescent sparkle. The paper is Dovecraft North Pole, edged with DI Vintage photo and distressed. As this is a big stamp I kept it simple by adding some Woodware punched holly leaves and pearls. I used white Wink of Stella pen on the leaves and love the effect.

Challenges

Sweet Stampin' your favourite stamp 

Noor! Design UK Christmas in August 

Stamping Sensations anything goes

Gorjuss butterflies

As you may know my favourite colour is purple but I do struggle with matching the Copics. There are so many variations of purple, some lilac, some pinker so I am really glad I bought a hex chart as recommended by Faye. It helped me to match the colours on this one and it came out better than my usual efforts at purple. You may also know that I love all things Gorjuss and am surrounded by Gorjuss items in my craft room. As I type this I am drinking coffee from my Gorjuss mug.

Image and papers - Santoro Gorjuss

Medium - Copics

Dies - Go Kreate frilly squares 3, Joy butterflies

Ribbon and lace - Crafty Ribbons

Challenges

Allsorts butterflies 

Sweet Stampin' your favourite stamp (Impossible choice but I love Gorjuss Girls)

Penny Black and more at Allsorts anything goes with a stamp 

Paper Creators keep it simple
Dies R Us doily and/or lace

Inky Chicks lots of butterflies

Hello

This is the second of the Jasmine cards I had published in Making Cards. I really love this colour combo inspired by the MME papers. Coloured with Copics, die cut with a Spellbinder die, some doodling and enamel dots and a sentiment from LOTV.

Challenges

Sparkles lots of layers 

Bizzy Becs anything goes

Robin Redbreast

I like making a variety of Christmas cards and this Woodware robin teamed with the new Dovecraft Winter Blooms papers makes for a traditional style. I used my MS holly PATP set and added some ribbon from Crafty Ribbons. I coloured the image with Copics of course and I am really pleased with the way it turned out.

Challenges

Noor! Design UK Christmas in August 

Sparkles Christmas shaped Christmas card 

Simon Says go wild

ABC N is for Noel

Guest Designer

I was delighted to join in with The Cutie Pie Challenge this month as a guest designer on behalf of Pink Gem who are sponsoring the challenge. The theme is work, rest or play so lots of scope.

Image - Pink Gem Cricket Dave

Medium - Copics

Papers - MME

Die - Lawn fawn stitched square

Sentiment - The Hobby House

Punches - Woodware stars

Other - suede strip, crimper

Challenges

Country View Hot Summer days 

Crafty Calendar Summer fun

Is that hat for me?

Whilst sorting out the other day I realised I had lots of these gorgeous LOTV toppers left in my pad so time to use some of them. I love the red, black and white and stuck to that for my colour scheme. I used Go Kreate dies, added a random silver sentiment, from my stash and some silver glitter snowflakes punched with a Crafts Too snowflake punch and used my beloved Stickles and pearl pen.

Challenges

Winter Wonderland silver/gold or embossed background 

Simon Says let's go wild 

The Paper Shelter punches and dies 

Cute Card Thursday dressing up 

Noor! Design UK Christmas in August 

Sparkles Christmas shaped Christmas card

Let's go

I had a good day selling at the hospital yesterday, looking forward to next month as I have two craft fairs plus the shop. Now I do less fairs I have more stock which is good but do need to crack on with some more Christmas cards. So this is one of the three car cards I had published last month in Making Cards. I really like the LOTV trio stamps as they are so versatile. The gorgeous ribbon is from Crafty Ribbons and was perfect with the images which have been coloured with Copics and die cut with MFT dies. I also used my favourote MFT pierced fishtail dies and dug out a Tim Holtz on the edge die. I have a few of these and haven't used them for ages. The papers are Docrafts Mr Mister.

Stay connected

As the new issue of Making Cards magazine is out today I can start sharing my cards which were published last month. I had 3 Jasmine cards and 3 car cards published, all using LOTV images. I know I am going to be using these images a lot.

Image - Jasmin laptop LOTV

Medium - Copics

Papers - MME

Sentiment - LOTV

Die - MFT pierced rectangle

Other - enamel dots

Challenges

Double D I love polka dots 

Graph'It anything goes 

Stamping Sensations anything goes

Early start today as I am selling my cards and gifts at the hospital so I will link up and catch up with you later.

Flying high

Two days in a row with cards I made to send rather than to sell. I had a good sort out of my images to colour and found this cute Stamping Bella image which a kind friend stamped for me. I coloured her with Copics and found the paper which is Grace Taylor, in my scrapbooking pile. I used a lawn fawn puffy clouds die and added a bird from Hobbycraft. The sentiment is LOTV which has been coloured with Sakura pens.

Challenges

Cute Card Thursday dressing up! 

Bizzy Becs anything goes 

Crafty Calendar Summer fun 

Penny Black and more at Allsorts anything goes with a stamp

Gone fishing

I love the vintage LOTV boys images, they are just so cute. I made this for a friend's Birthday and it is also my second inspiration card for the LOTV Facebook challenge which is anything goes.

Image - LOTV Gone Fishing

Medium - Copics

Papers - Echo Park dots and stripes

Dies - MFT pierced fishtails and pierced rectangles

Sentiment - Craftwork Cards

Challenges

Double D I love polka dots 

Creative Inspirations seaside, sunshine, Summer holidays 

Squirrel anything goes
Allsorts spots and stripes
Penny Black and more at Allsorts anything goes with a stamp
Southern Girls anything goes
Graph'It anything goes

Cupcake

I had a really good sort out of all my toppers and precoloured images. I bought a concertina file in Tesco for £2 and organised them all into it, in categories so I know feel much more organised. I am determined to use them more and now I know exactly what I have. I also bought a smaller file which is meant for cheques. This was £1.25 in Wilko and I sorted all my sentiments into it, again in categories. I tend to stamp a few at a time and I also have some old Craftwork Cards ones and oddments like magazine freebies. It was driving me mad sorting through them all but now they are sorted it speeds up my crafting. Time is precious.

Image - Hobby House Elisabeth Bell topper

Papers - Kaisercraft Miss Nelly

Stamp - Kaisercraft fern

Punch - Martha Stewart simple scallop border

Dies - Lea'bilities flowers

Other - red liquid pearls, pearls, strawberry charm, twine, wooden flower coloured with Wink of Stella

Challenges

Elisabeth Bell's World strawberries and red 

Incy Wincy anything goes 

ABC M is for maiden

Let it Snow

Another of my cute new Woodware snowman stamps which has been coloured with Copics. I used MFT stitched dies for the image and frame. The papers are discontinued LOTV ones, snowflakes punched with old Martha Stewart punches and glitter card and the ribbon is from Crafty Ribbons. New Christmas ribbons coming from them soon, looking forward to that.

Challenges

Noor! Design UK Christmas in August
Stamping Sensations anything goes
Bizzy Becs anything goes
Allsorts spots and stripes

70th Birthday

I was asked to make a card for a 70th Birthday. The lady makes lace, used to decorate cakes and loves her garden. I used a LOTV topper which I diecut with a Spellbinders labels die. The papers are Dovecraft Serendipity, lace from Crafty Ribbons, flowers from Wild Orchid and I used a Martha Stewart fern punch and some felt numbers from Hobbycraft plus my favourite pearl pen.

Challenges

Simon says Monday celebrate 

  Deep Ocean foto inspiration (cake and flowers) 

Simon Says fabulous florals 

Crafty Friends your favourite embellishments (flowers)

So cute

Buttons and bows is our new challenge at A Gem of a Challenge and I chose to use this oh so cute image of Ella the elephant. I coloured her with Copics and was really pleased with how the colouring turned out using the W pens and a blender. I kept it very simple using Go Kreate frilly squares 7  and MFT pierced rectangle dies. I added some ribbon and wooden buttons tied with baker's twine. The papers are some lovely ones I bought at Doncaster, blissful pink from Anna Marie.

Challenges

Di's Digis animals acting like humans 

Paper Creator's keep it simple 

Country View hot Summer days
Double D I love polka dots
In the Pink anything goes

Off to see my Mum today to do a few jobs for her and then go out for lunch.

Simply pink

I fancied making a clean and simple card with this image which is LOTV of course, Jasmine phone, coloured with Copics. I have been longing to use my new Die-versions Happy Birthday corner die which I bought reduced at Doncaster. I found an oddment of centura pearl card which matched the colouring, distressed a strip of Bo Bunny Secret Garden paper, added some washi tape and enamel dots which is a current addiction of mine.

Challenges

In the pink anything goes 

Paper Creators keep it simple 

Little Miss Muffet anything goes 

Squirrel's challenge anything goes

New Shoes

Anything goes with ribbon at Crafty Ribbons so I decided to make a scrapbook layout for my DT project for a change. We nearly always buy new trainers when we go to America on holiday as they are so much cheaper. I really like layout with strips of paper but I decided to use papers, ribbon and washi tape. The denim washi tapes I bought in America and are perfect as they match our jeans in the photo. I used a Joanna Sheen trainer die, lettering from Hobbycraft, isn't it cute, and added some tiny buttons. The journal card is We R Memory Keepers cut with a Clearly Besotted notebook die. The spotty and striped ribbons are of course from Crafty Ribbons

Skating Snowmen

And another new stamp I bought at Doncaster. I have never been so good at using new stamps so quickly. I also used a lovely new paper pad I bought from The Glitter Pot as they had 30% of everything plus free postage.

Image - Woodware

Sentiment - Woodware from another set

Medium - Copics

Papers - Studio Light Scandinavian

Other - fabric brads with backs removed, glossy accents, pearl pen.

Challenges

Sparkles Christmas in July 

LC Designs anything goes
Craftyhazelnut anything Christmas goes

Ho Ho Ho

This is my first inspiration post for the new Facebook LOTV challenge and this time it is anything LOTV goes so no excuse not to play along with the chance to win some fabulous LOTV vouchers. I have used another of my new stamps and some new paper. I was so pleased to find some new Christmas paper in Hobbycraft and I used a new die too.

Image - LOTV Ho Ho Ho Bunnies

Medium - Copics

Papers - Dovecraft Winter Blooms

Die - Joy party flags

Punches - Xcut ivy, Woodware holly

Other - doily, red card candi, pearl pen and clear Wink of Stella pen on the snow

Challenges

Craftyhazelnut anything goes

More shabby chic

I made a similar card to this a couple of weeks ago suing the Happy Birthday sentiment. I loved the card so decided to make one with another of the sentiment trio but this time with much softer colours and different embellishments.

Sentiment - LOTV

Paper - Studio Light from The Ribbon Girl

Burlap - The Range

lace - Crafty Ribbons

Flowers - Hobby House

Dies - Joy butterflies tied with string

Wooden butterfly - MDF crafts

Pins - Live and Love Crafts

Challenges

Crafty Friends your favourite embellishment (flowers) 

Fussy and Fancy a walk in the garden 

Deep Ocean foto inspiration (I used flowers and shabby chic style)