Top Five(ish) of 2013

Hello again! 

Well here I am, with my last post of 2013 and I wanted to share with you what have been my favourites of the year. Well, they're my favourites as I write this. I could have chosen more.

My favourite Tiddly Inks stamp and quite possibly my most used stamp EVER. This was my first attempt at cropping the image and using just a head shot but I was so pleased with how it turned out.

A very simple card, literally thrown together when I got back home from the SECC in October with some new stash! Simple but I love it.

A card with slightly more thrown at it. This was a DT card for That Craft Place and the theme was stitches. So I decided just to go a bit wild!

Another DT card but this time a card that was actually made for the lovely Sandra's daughter. It's my first ever Time for Tea Designs image and I need to get some more in the new year!

A card for Scott using Jake from Visible Image.  He loved it and declared his day to have been AWESOMELY EPIC.

And last, but certainly not least, Craig's birthday card. This Kraftin Kimmie image reminded me so much of Craig on the computer/games console and I found the bubble sentiment in some long forgotten stash and it just seemed so appropriate.

So that's it. 2013 in a nutshell. I've had some highs, I've had some lows but you know what, you guys have been there and I can't tell you how much I appreciate it (not least because I know I'm not talking to myself)

It's onwards and upwards for 2014! Things are going to get better :D

I'm off to prepare the house for our Hogmanay party later so as my Mum would have said - "lang may yer lum reek".....

Have a good one!

The Last Christmas Cards!

Morning, it's Hogmanay! Woohoo. 2014 here we come!

I think these are the last Christmas cards I have to share with you today. 

This is a card I was asked to do for a friend's God-daughter. I've used a Hobby House topper of a Mo Manning stamp. I do love this image, I think I might need to buy it for next year's cards!

Stamps 

Sentiment - Penny Black

Happy Christmas - Unknown

 Cardstock/Paper 

From stash

Embellishments 

Ribbon

Jingle Bells

Stars

Baker's Twine

Glamour Dust

This second card was a card I made for a friend for her husband. This is an image I used a while ago for a DT card but I actually hated the card (well, I think it was the paper I hated) so when Cass bought the Edge to Edge Cricut cartridge I thought it was the perfect opportunity to use it on this card!

Stamps 

Snowman - The Stamping Chef

Husband - Stampin Up

Sentiment - Marianne Designs

 Colouring Medium 

Copics

Embellishments

Fake Snow

 Tools 

Label Nesties

Fancy Tag Nesties

Big Shot

Edge to Edge Cricut Cartridge

Cricut

 Thanks for dropping by - I'll be back soon with my cards of the year.

Trees!

Morning. 

Another couple of quick cards to share today - and by quick I really do mean quick!

This first one is just the Memory Box Tree die cut with gems added and a sentiment stamped. The most time consuming bit was freeing the die cut from the card! (don't die cut intricate dies using the thickest Diamond White cardstock!!)

.

Stamp

Sentiment - Hero Arts

Cardstock

Night of Navy - Stampin Up

 Embellishments

Gems

 Tools 

Tree Die - Memory Box

Big Shot

This second card is even simpler. I've used the Inkylicious trees and teamed it with Santa from the Night Before Christmas set. Added some glamour dust for that added sparkle and we're done.

Stamps 

The Coppice - Inkylicious

Santa and Sleigh - Inkylicious

Cardstock

From stash

Ink 

Night of Navy - Stampin Up

 Embellishments 

Glamour Dust

 Thanks for dropping by today. We're off to brave the shops with Christmas money.......

Quick Catch Up

Hello! Yes, it's late and I'm still around! I'm going to try and share all the Christmas cards that I haven't already shared before Wednesday.... fingers crossed I can do this! 

So these two cards were for an order for a little boy's first Christmas. The first card is an 8x8 so I printed the image quite large and after I'd coloured in the head I decided I would quite like to paper piece the babygro.... yeah, I couldn't *exactly* remember what size I'd printed the image off at but as luck would have it I guessed at 6 inches and I was right so it all worked! 

Stamps 

First Christmas - Mo Manning

Colouring Medium 

Copics

Cardstock

From stash

Paper 

Bo Bunny

Embellishments 

Pearl

Glossy Accents

Gold Stickles

Tools

Grand Circle Nesties

Precious Stars - Memory Box

Grand Calibur

This second card is a 6x6 and I made it fairly simple but with the addition of some jingle bells!

Stamps 

First Christmas - LotV

Sentiments - LotV

Colouring Medium 

Copics

Cardstock/Paper 

From stash

Embellishments 

Ribbon

Bakers Twine

Jingle Bells

Pearls

Tools 

Oval Nesties

Big Shot

Thanks for dropping by today.

Sweet Stampin' Challenge

Morning all, it's Saturday (I think). Have you survived the festivities? I hope Santa was good to you. I have a new Grand Caliber to play with!! 

I'm here to tell you about a new challenge at Sweet Stampin'. 

This week our theme is

A Little Bird Told Me

(so you have to feature a bird on your project!)

Our sponsor this week is Crafty Ribbons who are offering £10 voucher to the winner and our monthly sponsor is The Ribbon Girl who are offering a £10 voucher to the monthly winner.

Hopefully this is the last Christmas card for the year...... maybe..... 

Challenges I'd Like to Enter
All Dressed Up - Clean and Simple

Stamps
It's Snowing - All Dressed Up

 Colouring Medium 

Copics

Cardstock
from stash

 Embellishments 
Pearls

 Tools
Snowflake Embossing Folder
Big Shot

 Thanks for dropping by today. 

Remember to drop by Sweet Stampin' and see what the rest of the Team Fi Sweeties have been up to! Perhaps you could have a go yourself, don't forget to stamp now ;)

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to you all 

xx

Favourite Five Christmas Cards

Well, it's Christmas Eve... the big day is almost here. I think we're just about ready. I'm sitting doing this as I watch It's A Wonderful Life. Well, it is Christmas. I need to get up and put some laundry away and perhaps do a bit more baking. Or I might just sit here!!

So my bloggy buddy Debby has her annual Five Favourite Christmas Creations post over on her blog so I thought I'd join in too.  If I get time over the next couple of days I'll link the photos to the original posts!

Created this week at the request of a friend's son for his sister.

Love this Winter's Miracle verse from Visible Image and I teamed it with some fairies sprinkling snowflakes for a quick and easy Christmas card.

Love WoW cards and love this Crystal Flakes stamp from Funky Kits.

This wee guy reminds me of Scott leaving his cookies for Santa!

And my very favourite Christmas card of this year. I love the black and white look and this was my first attempt at the chalkboard technique.

Thanks for dropping by today.

All that remains is for me to wish you a very Merry Christmas. Hope Santa's good to you.

Mid Month Inspiration for Christmas at Sweet Stampin'

Morning all. Yes, I know what you're thinking... this isn't Wednesday. And you'd be right but this month's mid month inspiration falls on Christmas Day! So just this once, we're posting our mid month inspiration for Christmas At Sweet Stampin' on Monday instead! 

A wee reminder that this month our theme is

Let it Snow

Our sponsor this month is Flat Friends.

Now it's been so long since I made this snow globe I can't actually remember but I *think* I paper pieced his jacket! Maybe. The other side of the snow globe is the opposite colour so he's got green trousers and a red jacket!

Challenges I'd Like to Enter

Stamps
Big Snowball - LotV

 Colouring Medium 
Copics

Cardstock/Paper
From stash

 Embellishments 
Glamour Dust

  Thanks for dropping by today. 

Remember to drop by Christmas at Sweet Stampin' and see what the rest the Christmas Sweeties have been up to. 

So that's it - you've spent a year in the company of Christmas at Sweet Stampin' and you've done 12 cards. It wasn't that painful now was it?! Am I going to be any better next year? We'll just need to wait and see.

x

Following A Star

Morning.

So did you watch Strictly last night? I'm kinda disappointed, no, not in the result, I was delighted with that. It just didn't *feel* like a final. Blackpool this year was better and more exciting.

Today we're off to the Sunday School Nativity. It's something a little different... it's a singalong Mama Mia Nativity. Yes, I know what you're thinking, I can see your face, I did that face too, but actually, it's very very good! Craig is an acting Joseph (there's an adult singing his part) and Scott is a Wise One *coughs*. Looking forward to it though, it should be fun.

So on to today's card. This is another of the cards I made for a friend's family (I did Mum, Dad, Wife, Husband, Son, Daughter, Brother and Sister!) You saw sister the other day, well this is the wife one. I had to put them all in different envelopes so that it didn't spoil anyone's surprise.

I love little Bumble Bee, she's a fabulous stamp and lends herself very well to being paper pieced. 

Stamps 

Bumble Bee - Funky Kits

Sentiment - Stampin' Up

Wife - Docrafts

 Colouring Medium

Copics

 Cardstock/Paper

From stash

 Embellishments

Seam Binding Ribbon

Glittery Dome Stickers

 Tools

Fancy Tag Nesties

Mistletoe Embossing Folder - DieSire

Big Shot

 Thanks for dropping by today.

Snowflakes and Fairies

And whiskers on kittens.... no not really but that's what the title made me think of.

So here we are, day 1 of the Christmas holidays. Has there been any fighting yet... oh yeah. Are we stressed? Oh yeah....  Are all the preparations complete...... can I get back to you?!

Today's card is a wee card I made that some for me and some for a friend who just asked for a "selection" so in the selection I went kinda simple. Easy for me to do (and cheaper to post for her)

I used the Winter's Miracle stamp from Visible Image teamed with an Inchies stamp from Inkylicious so I tried to make it look like the fairies were scattering the snowflakes. 

Stamps 

Winter's Miracle - Visible Image

Inchie Stamp - Inkylicious

 Cardstock

from stash

Ink 

Night of Navy - Stampin' Up

 Embellishments 

Glamour Dust

 Thanks for dropping by today.

Woosh. Where Did The Week Go?

Morning! Goodness me, time is really flying in now isn't it? I had intended to post much more this week but I've been busy being ill (AGAIN) (phoned doc for an appointment on Monday afternoon, first available appointment Christmas Eve!!!), doing lots of school stuff, finishing Christmas card orders, ignoring housework etc!

So the boys stop for their holidays today so Christmas is definitely on the way!

This is a card I was asked to make and I was instructed to put a touch of One Direction on the card :/ Yeah, I know! So I trawled Christmas catalogues and found a photo of a book or a dvd (not sure which) in the Asda catalogue and made it look like Wryn is reading it! The card has gone down well so I guess that's a result.

Stamps

Wryn Reading - Tiddly Inks

Sentiment - LotV

Sister - Docrafts

 Colouring Medium 

Copics

Cardstock/Paper

From Stash

Embellishments 

Snowball Gems

One Direction cut out - Asda Christmas catalogue

 Tools 

Catalina Wreath - Memory Box

Big Shot

 Thanks for dropping by today.

Love to Create Challenge

Morning all.

It's time for a new challenge at Love to Create

This week our theme is

Anything Goes

Our sponsors this week are Eureka Stamps, Di's Digi Downloads and Dr Digi's House of Stamps.

This is our last challenge of 2013 so you've a couple of weeks to get your entries in.

I've used a Eureka Stamps image for my card - Matthew 2.  I felt it didn't need anything fancy doing to it so I just cut it out with a Nestie and added a holly corner die. This is a bigger card than I would do normally - it's a 7x7 but it suits the card.

Challenges I'd Like to Enter

Stamps
Matthew 2 - Eureka Stamps

 Tools 
Fancy Rectangle Nesties (can't remember which I used)
Holly Corner die

 Thanks for dropping by today. 

Remember to drop by Love to Create and see what the rest the DT have been up to. 

Dream Valley Challenges

Hello again. If you're looking for my Hobbycutz DT card then please scroll to the post below!

It's now time for a new challenge at Dream Valley Challenges

This fortnight our theme is

Christmas

(what could be easier, right!)

As it's Christmas we have loads of sponsors and they are - Crafty Ribbons, Bugaboo, Robyn's Fetish, The Paper Shelter, Saturated Canary and Digital Delights! 

This is our last challenge this year and we'll be back on 12th January!

And look here's the Tim Holtz Santa for the second time this weekend - this time I've teamed him with some of the other stamps which are in the set. And I forgot to tell you yesterday that I actually bought this set at the SECC in October for the bargain price of £7.50! Yes, £7.50. It would have been rude not to wouldn't it.

I must admit I love this set and this was another simple card to knock together, I've made a background paper using the script stamp with the Postcard Stamp at the top and the foliage stamp round the edges. I might make a few more like this!

Challenges I'd Like to Enter

Stamps
Tim Holtz
Sentiment - LotV

 Cardstock/Paper

From stash

Ink
Cocoa - Memento
Crumb Cake - Stampin' Up

 Embellishments 
Pearls

 Thanks for dropping by today. 

Remember to drop by Dream Valley and see what the rest the DT have been up to. 

Hobbycutz Challenge

Morning all.

It's time for a new challenge at Hobbycutz

This week our theme is

All Tied Up

Our sponsor this week is Kenny K who kindly gave the DT some images to play with.

I've used Bow for my card and I've cropped her! I love that you can change digi images like this, it's so much fun. As I come to write my blog post I realise that there's something missing from my card... the theme is all tied up  so perhaps I should have put some ribbon on the card BUT.. she's wearing a ribbon and I've tried to make the Hobbycutz flowers look like a bow. Don't say anything though I don't think anyone will notice ;)

This is our last challenge until 12th January so you've got some time to enter!

Challenges I'd Like to Enter

Stamps
Bow - Kenny K
Sentiment - Crafty Impressions (I think)

 Colouring Medium 
Copics

Cardstock
From stash

 Ink
Cherry Cobbler - Stampin Up 

 Embellishments 

Flowers - Hobbycutz
Pearl

 Thanks for dropping by today. 

Remember to drop by Hobbycutz and see what the rest the DT have been up to. 

Sweet Stampin' Challenge

Morning all, it's Saturday and that means it's time for a new challenge at Sweet Stampin'. 

This week our theme is

Last Minute Christmas

Our sponsor this week is Cuddly Buddly and they're offering a £10 voucher to the winner and our monthly sponsor is The Ribbon Girl who are offering a £10 voucher to the monthly winner.

A really simple card for last minute Christmas. Which as always is what I'm doing. I've been so busy making other people's Christmas cards I haven't had time to do my own! I say every year that I'm going to make a few a month so that come December I've got a pile ready...... maybe next year is the year I'll actually do this!

Challenges I'd Like to Enter
Brown Sugar - Christmas
Chocolate Coffee Cards - Happy Holidays
Wags N Whiskers - Christmas
Creative Knockouts - Tis the Season
Cute Card Thursday - Christmas Catch Up
Hanna and Friends - Christmas

Stamps

Santa - Tim Holtz

Cardstock
From stash

 Embellishments 
Pearls

 Tools 
Holly Corner Die - Memory Box
Christmas Words Embossing Folder
Oval Nesties
Big Shot

 Thanks for dropping by today. 

Remember to drop by Sweet Stampin' and see what the rest of the Team Fi Sweeties have been up to! Perhaps you could have a go yourself, don't forget to stamp now ;)

Sugar Bowl Challenge

Morning all. It's time for a new challenge over at the Sugar Bowl.

One lucky winner of this challenge gets to choose  4 pieces of super sweet Sugar Nellie rubber candy

(or 6 pieces, if there are over 100 entries)

from

Make a card or other craft project using a Sugar Nellie image and this prize could be yours….

Our theme this month is 

FAIRIES

(but remember the Sugar Nellie image - that's essential!)

This is a card I was asked to make for a friend's mum from her kids. I was given the brief she likes fairies, royal blue and swirls... and could I put some kind of inspirationally type words. I think I managed the brief don't you?!

Challenges I'd Like to Enter

Stamps

Rosie - Funky Kits
Sentiment - Kaisercraft

 Colouring Medium 
Copics

Cardstock
from stash

 Embellishments 
Ribbon
Pearls (coloured with Copics)

 Tools 
Label Nesties
Dvine Swirl Embossing Folder
Big Shot

 Thanks for dropping by today. 

Remember to drop by The Sugar Bowl and see what the rest the Sweeties have been up to. 

Moving Along With the Times Challenge

Morning all.

It's time for a new challenge at Moving Along With the Times.

This week our theme is

Winter Wonderland

Another wee simple card - which just came about from some die cuts which I had lying about on the table but I love it. Sadly it's a one off cos I don't have the Santa die or the little landscape - and my lovely friend Lorraine has bagged it as her Christmas card! 

Challenges I'd Like to Enter

Stamps
Sentiment - Paula Pascual

Cardstock/Paper

From stash

 Embellishments 
Gems

 Tools 
Santa and Sleigh Die - Cottage Cutz
Oval Nesties
Swiss Dots Embossing Folder
Landscape Die - Memory Box

 Thanks for dropping by today. 

Remember to drop by MAWTT and see what the rest the DT have been up to.