Simon Says challenge 'Party'. Hi all, this is my final post for this year, and what a year it's been, I've made so many cards (and hopefully improved on my skills), found some lovely people and their inspiring blogs, loved participating in challenges and sometimes winning a challenge or two...well the list could go on and on but I'll go to my card and tell you the banner across the top i made myself, text is from Simon Says stamp set 'Savour Cupcake', Forever Friends bear stamp free from a magazine, isn't he soooo cute, 3D'd him, round sentiment from Studio G stamped onto a Cuttlebugged Baby Face die cut, paper from Basic Grey Cupcake pad. This is also my entry for Cute Card Thursday #92 'Happy New Year' and Lily of the Valley Thursday challenge 43 'New Year'. All that is left for me to say is a 'Thankyou' to those people who have chosen to follow my blog and regularly visit, or sometimes to just take a peek, it's so appreciated, stay safe and like to wish everyone A Very Happy New Year!

Pollycraft challenge 30. Hi all again, my second posting for today and over at Pollycraft's they have a sketch challenge, used one of their fab digi images, purple circle paper is from the Creative Cottage 'Fairy Wishes' kit, green dotties paper is from Kaboodle doodles so that hopefully will qualify for the Bee Crafty challenge 'Circles & digi image', text stamp came free with a mag, used a snowflake stamp to add the flakes for Digital Tuesday #38 'Let it snow', and last of all is Dare U 2 Digi Stamp #28 is 'Last minute christmas cards'.So these are all digi challenges, I'm finding it easier to do a group of these challenges together as the requirement is to use a digi image and ofcourse it saves time. Hopefully will have something for tomorrow, bye for now!

Morning to all this Sunday! Hope everyone has had a festive time and that we're ready for the New Year. My fingers wouldn't stop crafting so I did make a few cards, this being for the Penny Black challenge 80 'Christmas charms',didn't have any specific one so made use of my daughters belt charm, following the sketch over at Fab n Funky challenges using their free download paper 'Love train', used colours 'Burgundy, Pink and Ivory with the option of Roses' for the Colour Create challenge, (tried my hand at making those roses but I need more practice), entry for Stamp Something challenge ' Holiday Somethings', Papertake Weekly is a 'Thankyou' card and last but not least ABC entry 'K is for kissing'. Lots of different stamps used on this one, Mice from PB 'Hugs' sheet masked to place the postbox stamp with robin from Quick Cards mag, text from American Crafts stamp, 3 snowflakes stamp free from Craft Stamper mag, single flakes from Sweet n Sassy stamps set, pink wording from Kaboodle Doodles Xmas download set. Glamour dust to finish.

As this card is for the ABC challenge, I wanted to mention that there is now a new sister blog ABC Christmas Challenge blog which will run alongside the usual one but i think on alternate weeks so I'm hoping to join in and do the hop which is going on at the moment. What a fab idea it is! Back in a bit.

Polka Doodle #31 is a 'free theme' this week, Cute Card Thursday #91 is an 'aperture' and lastly but not least teamed up with Quixotic Paperie #7 'lace'. So we have dotty from Kaboodle Doodle downloads and also was on my previous card, gorgeous lime blooms from Polka Doodle and also the inside strip, corner swirl stamp from Simon Says 'savour cupcake' set, inside sentiment from See D's, inside flowers from a Crafters Companion stamped and cut out...nearly forgot the lovely image is a digi freebie from Cute Daisy May. Hope you're all having a busy time with families around, we've had round one, there may be another get together soon, I'll be back just after christmas, I'd like to 'Wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas!'

Thankyou Vikki, over at Stamped Smiles. I won the candy at Saturday Spotlight challenge, gorgeous hat card, (that's the challenge I won in) there's so much there thankyou once again and I will be sure to use those for upcoming challenges!!!!!

Kraftin Kimmie # 10. This time it is 'Sparkle Baby', used Clara, one of their own fab stamps, doesn't she look like she's singing to the dove...and i love this accessory stamp, wonderful for the corner of wedding envelopes! Basic Grey #10 is a colour combo 'cream, pink & blue' and I've used the blue BG paper from the sultry paper pad, pink dotty from Kaboodle Doodles downloads, cream music script from download, used the sketch from A Spoonfull of Sugar # 82, border stamp and sentiments from American Crafts clear stamps, gold glitter glue, ribbon and buttons from stash. Hope you like this one, weatherwise, some more snow flurries last night, not melting, looks so magical and here to stay for a bit... hoping preparations for christmas are well underway, don't forget to craft inbetween to keep the mojo up! Bye for now.

Penny Black challenge. This weeks # 79 is ' Red & Gold and I've teamed it up with sketch from Friday Sketchers. I've had this gold card in my stash for some time, don't know which pack it came from, just a single sheet, embossed with Stylized Flowers folder with the Cuttlebug, red gingham scrap from previous card and red/gold ribbon, sequins from stash. Hope you like this one, wishing everyone a super time preparing for the festivities, hope all is going well!

Papertake Weekly is a super sketch. Always love these, had to tilt it a bit as it wouldn't fit my chosen card...hope it still counts and couldn't wait to combine with others... which are Simon Says # 'Merry Christmas', Crafty Calendar #3 'winter Sparkle' as is Kaboodle Doodles, Saturday Spotlight # 11 'Music Stylin', Allsorts #31 'Pearls & Swirls', Crafty Catz #12 Colour Combo 'Brown, Cream and White (optional extra - Gold) and Stamp Something challenge 'Winter Wonderland'. I've created my own wonderland and Mrs Mouse looks as if she's slipped reaching for the post...Mailbox stamp is from QVC some years back, mouse, snowflake and corner poinsettia stamp from Crafter Companions range Cute Companions, text stamp came free with mag, wonderful cream lace was thrown in an odd bin, i got it at reduced price, gold metal swirl and pearls from old QVC kits, music paper free download, glistened with gold glitter glue. Bye until next time!

Well, here I am again, this time to say a big 'THANKYOU' to Nikky over at Polka Doodles for sending me the brand new 'Back To Nature' CD!!!! Wow, there's so much on there and so near to Christmas, lots to do and prepare, how could I miss the challenge on their blog... papers print out perfectly, I'm so happy...so the challenge is a 'sketch with a difference' , but once I'd got it in my head what I wanted to do with it, there's no stopping me I'm afraid and I've drawn inspiration from the fab DT. I just used the squared off bit of A4 card and placed a 12 inch template in the middle and folded all the corners in and then decorated with the fabby papers, used my 'baby face' Cuttlebug dies, ribbon and sequins from stash. This envelope was made in dribs and drabs as I had alot going on around me family wise but I'm sure it wouldn't take long at all if you wanted to make it in one go...hope you like, these would be perfect to send instead of a christmas card to someone not celebrating christmas, this is also my entry for Creative Card Crew challenge 'Anything Goes'. Happy Crafting All!

Hi all, Happy Monday! Today is my very first spot anywhere as a guest designer on a team. As everyone probably knows i love entering challenges and whilst blog hopping found Lexi's Creations, entered my card, unknown to me didn't think they were looking for a guest and was asked...the rest is history. I felt really chuffed and honoured that someone wanted me as a guest...so 'Thankyou' ladies for giving me a chance over at Lexi's Creations. I got to play with some fab digi images, meet Chloe and Brooke, the biker girls. Print papers are from the Creative Cottage 'Fairy Wishes' and Funky Fairy Insprations free downloads 'Purple'. Challenge 3 is 'Purple, Bling and Ribbon', hope you like what you see and enter for a chance to win a super prize from Toucan Scraps. This is also my entry for Colour Create challenge 33 'Lilac/Purple, Aqua, Black, White', so the top pic fits that one. Bye for now and don't forget to hop over to see all the other ladies gorgeous creations!

A Spoonfull of Sugar # 81. This week it is 'Monochrome' and I've gone with all pinks and used the fab sketch from the Fab 'n' Funky challenge but rotated anti-clockwise... used Christmas download papers from Kaboodle Doodle wording 'Let it Snow', so this is my entry for Digital Tuesday 'Christmas song', fab digi image from Pollycraft Designs... entry for Cute card Thursday #90 'Sew Beady', my sad attempt to make own beads from the same paper, finished with a tiny silver bead glued to the ends of each one, handcut flowers, text stamp from magazine, stapled ribbon and my entry for Cooking it up with Katie # recipe: 'Christmas theme, ribbon and any sketch'...so there we have it, finished with lots of Glamour Dust, hard to see but it's twinkling in real life. Have a fab day, back soon in a couple of days as a guest designer for Lexi's Creations!

A Gift Card Holder. This week the theme over at Kraftin Kimmie's #9 is to make exactly that, used one of their stamps 'Clara', blended after using my Koh-I- Noor's, swirly stamps from SSS, red gingham paper from Martine's free downloads, red gems added, some Glamour Dust and red and gold ribbon from stash...and inside below... pleated some of the red paper to give a bit of dimension, hard to see...bird accessory stamp which is part of this wonderful image stamped in the corner. Very simple and easy to do, this is my entry for the Creative Card Crew #40 Gold or Silver. Bye for now all!

Penny Black challenge 78. This week is 'Christmas for the girls' and I've used the sketch from Sketch Saturday #80. Fab image was sent to me not sure what it is called but must be PB, base pink is from stash, light pink is a download from Kaboodle Doodles Christmas kit and has 'Let it Snow' running across it, cluster of stars added using See D's stamps (to hide a smudge) and also entry for Quixotic Paperie # 'seeing stars', 'christmas flowers ' made for the Saturday Spotlight with Hidden Potential challenge, Stamp Something # would like 'Glitzy Something', used 'Purple' for Allsorts #30, entry for Papertake Weekly 'red and green must not be seen' and last but not at all least 'Let it snow' (my backing paper used) for Simon Says challenge this week. Nearly forgot sentiment is from a freebie stamp off a mag, came with a daisy & dandelion Xmas stamp and it stamps beautifully, Hope you like, happy crafting all!

Polka Doodle #29. This week it is to use their sketch, 'a scalloped edge and to stamp in at least half the squares'. I don't have any fancy dies or machine so hand-cut it is.. I've got a bit of news but I'll leave it till the end of this post...card is accumulated stock, boxes of it, digi image from Pollycraft Designs 'Bronson star gazing', super image to colour, I used my Koh-I-Noor's again and blended, sentiment is from Sweet n Sassy stamps as is the snowflake stamp, brilliant set! As you can see I've made a bookmark to go with the card for Bee Crafty challenge which is to make a 'Christmas Extra' e.g Tag , bookmark, used their very own digi 'pile of books', prints beautifully and placed the same cut-out image with 3D foam as if he's trying to see what's in the stocking, a die-cut which came in a candy. So there are plenty other challenges namely Crafty Catz #11'green,red and silver', Dare U 2 Digi Stamp #27 'red, green and choice of neutral colour', Cute Daisy May 'Twinkle, Twinkle' and lastly Three Clovers Designs #42 'Gift, non-card item'. As you can see most are digi challenges, and now for my news...Nikky over at Polka Doodles has only asked me to Guest Design in the new year...wow, I wasn't expecting that at all and it's all down to Kath that I found PD, so wish me luck ;)

Basic Grey challenge 9. This time we are to follow a sketch and I really enjoyed adding my own touches to it...used BG 'Sultry' papers, pink from stash, as are sequins. Image is Sarah Kay 'Joy of Giving', absolutely love this image, have used this one for personal birthday cards many times and is always greatly received. Sentiment is raised with 3D foam, from SSS 'Savour Cupcakes' sitting on a die-cut circle which came free with a mag, thought it was so apt for this super image...all those presents she's carrying...also my entry into Cute Card Thursday #89 'Swirly Girly'. Hope to be back soon.

Papertake Weekly. This week #29 is a sketch and what a fab one it is, digi image freebie from Pollycraft, used a bell charm for the Simon says Stamps challenge which is 'So Charming' and also the border is made from their own swirl stamps 'Savour Cupcake', papers from Martine's 'Winter Wonderland', corner sentiment stamp free from Quick Cards mag. This is my second entry for Creative card Crew 'christmas' and another new one Saturday Spotlight challenge blog 'Hats On'. The cute penguin has a lovely hat, didn't put any glitter on, it will be going to a little angel with some crafty bits but minus the bell...hope you like this one, happy crafting all!

Edited to add: Entry for Quixotic Paperie #5 'Be Charming'

Lexi's Creations second challenge. This fortnight it is a shaped card and I'm so glad I found this new blog as I've used Pengy their image, fab digi's. Well after watching Create &Ccraft on TV the other day and they were advertising Snow Globes templates... i thought I'd make my own, why spend all that money especially at this time of year, tough acetate recycled off a posh present, practiced first on sheets of paper to get the measurements right to fit my envelope 14 cm square. Transformed the whole thing onto card and noticed a few do's and don'ts for next time. So the image is coloured with Koh-I-Noor pencils and blended after, this penguin is no ordinary colour, a bit funky to go with the challenge A Spoonfull of Sugar 'Non- traditional colours christmas card', Digital Tuesday #35 'Christmas Sparkle' and last but not least Creative Card Crew #39 'Christmas', a new one to me! Everything from stash, mirri board, sequined ribbon, gems on ear muff, sentiment from Crafters Companion range. I could have put the post on the inside but to make it different, added it outside, acetate had the frosting on it already, simple enough for me...own personalised stamp on the last pic from Scrapmagasinet, hope you like, any comments always appreciated...sorry for long post, my daughter showed me how to crop properly on Microsoft Photo Editor today and she left after showing me one and doing the rest was abig big chore, but we are here at last!

Sketch Saturday. This card is for their challenge, and a great sketch it is. Used my new Kraftin Kimmie stamp 'Clara' from Bunny-Zoes Crafts, super fast service, thanks Nikki! So the base is from stash, teamed with some fab paper from Dovecraft 'Wild Blossom', micro-fine pink glitter, gems, cuttlebug embossing and lastly sentiment from old Tesco stamp. So this is my entry for Kraftin Kimmie challenge which is 'Touchy, Feely', meaning add texture...and also Polka Doodle #28 'To use 3 different papers and a rubber stamp', there we have it, hope I've inspired someone out there, I've added some more of these fab stamps to my evergrowing wishlist, just not many pennies to go round everywhere. If anyone has a shaped card to enter, there is a challenge over at Lexis Creations, fab prize to be won :)

Cute Card Thursday. This week #88 is 'Snip, Snails and Puppy Dog Tails', in other words something for the younger boys...so my image is from the lovely Ellie (Digital Stamp Oasis) 'Sammie with steam engine', they print out beautifully, blue gingham from leftover card and look at that sentiment from Popcorn Bear range, because i'm so loving the clear stamps and not using the rubber ones much I'm out of practice (a little wonky)...also there's a new challenge I found, Quixotic Paperie #4 which is asking for something which is 'torn/tearing' so this is my entry for that too! Woken up this morning to a very, very cold frosty white covering everywhere...very festive, back in a bit.

High Hopes challenge. I have some good news to share, but I'll make you wait till the end of the post...High Hopes # is a sketch by Jeanette, used their own stamp 'Shebaa the sheep', fabby Winter Wonderland papers from Martine, snowflakes stamped from the Sweet n Sassy stamps by Chris Dickinson, Glamour Dust added with red gems on punch out snowflakes, buttons from stash. So as usual I like to combine...Kaboodle Doodles #19 'Snowflakes' and Allsorts #29 is 'Buttons'.
Now for a bit of a surprise... well it was for me, the wonderful ladies over at the new challenge blog Lexis Creations have asked me to guest design for them :)))))) never done this before, still in shock, and i immediately thought REALLY???? are my creations getting better, because I am my own critic you know, well ofcourse I said 'yes', my badge is on the side bar and am so looking forward to being on the team as a guest, so thankyou ladies for having me, now let's hope I don't make any mistakes. Thanks once again ladies!!!

Simon Says and Scrapmagasinet. This second easel card is made up of two candies, and what fab stash it is! From SSS ( thanks Heidi) Eskimo Kisses paper from Basic Grey, their flowers inked round the edges and brad, their challenge 'Winter Love', fun image from Lisbet at Scrapmagasinet, their challenge 18 'Christmas' wonderful prizes to be won... take a look, w/coloured with Koi's, sentiment made on the computer Rickles font. This is my entry for a few others too namely Papertake Weekly 'Christmas Crackers' and what a cracker this image is...used the fab sketch from Friday Sketchers #80, Cooking it up with Katie, recipe: brad, 3 flowers/ribbons/words and red, and last but not least a new challenge to me Stamp Something challenge' Thank you'.... so here we have it. Thanks for taking a look at my creation and have a wonderful weekend all!

Thankyou to Lisbet over at Scrapmagasinet, wow i won a challenge over there and my card is on their blog...what a fab candy with my own personalised christmas stamp and it arrived so quick from Norway. Join in the challenges and you could win too.You can get Lisbet's super stamps at Bunny Zoes Crafts too, i had a little shop around there the other day, ordered just after midday and it was on the doormat following morning!!! Fantastic service!

Cute Daisy May. This week is 'Red Christmas', Digital Doodling is a recipe challenge: 'use Mrs Tilly Claus freebie image, glitter and a sketch', so I've gone with Sketch and Stash #24. Fab one and I've used some brand new red ribbon, neglected red sequins and new gemstones sent by Kath. Paper is from Martine's free download, used a red copic pen to make my card look as if it's layered, couldn't find the right shade of red card! Sentiment on the bottom says 'My friend', old stamp from Tesco, finished off with plenty of glam dust. Hope you like!

Polka Doodle challenge is a sketch.This week PD #27 is to have some brown in your creation and I've teamed up with Pollycraft challenge 'Christmas' using one of their fab freebie images, pretty christmas paper from Martine 'Winter Wonderland', A Spoonfull of Sugar # 79 is to use 'Brown base with either pink/blue' I've gone with the latter, and ABC challenge 'I for Indigo Blue' (dress & scarf). There's a bit of Tim Holtz Distressing with Walnut stain inkpad. By the way the brown is from the banana box from the grocers, love using this as my printer does not print a proper brown,don't know why???? She's a lovely lady she keeps saving them for me know that she knows what I use it for!

Thankyou so much Simon Says Stamps!!! Heidi the lovely owner of SSS has sent me some Eskimo Kisses blog candy I won in a Scavenger Hunt they had on their blog...I take part in their challenges regularly too, there's so much in there, will be using lots on my cards to come. So Heidi, what a wonderful lady you are to give away so much, sponsoring so many challenges out there in blogland, many thanks once again and don't forget crafters, go over to the blog, there's always candy about!

Crafty Catz #9. This week to place 'celebrate' somewhere on your creation, I've used a sentiment from Simon says stamps' Savour Cupcakes'. Dare u 2 digi Stamp #26 is asking for 'Glitter' and ofcourse use digi, Digital Tuesday #33 is a colour challenge 'White, Purple, Gold or Silver' and Bee crafty #18 is 'Add some sparkle'. So there we have it, mostly digi challenges...image is from the lovely blog Digital Doodling 'Mrs Tilly Claus' a fab freebie! Just love this, so easy to colour in with Koh-i-noor pencils and blended, plenty of Glamour Dust added, backing paper from Funky Fairy freebie downloads, silver mirri board and silver pearlescent card used. Short and sweet post today. Oh just to add, the table this card is on was in bits this morning, amongst alot of other garden stuff, the legs were strewn everywhere with all the horrendous wind we've been having, hope it calms down soon. Happy Crafting all!

My very first easel card. I've enjoyed making this so much that by the time I finished yesterday and wanted to upload it at 1pm lunchtime it was already getting dark :(...so i decided it was meant to be today and I'm quite pleased with it. So, the super fab image is ofcourse PB for their challenge which is 'Winter Wonderland' sent by the lovely Kath, i didn't realise how big this cutey snowman was and the sketch i've used from Sketch Saturday got a little squashed but it doesn't look empty :), gorgeous Winter Wonderland papers from Martine's blog, thanks for this freebie, just what I was looking for and print beautifully!!!! green is from stash,so is the lace border, vellum snowflakes covered in Glamour Dust and popped onto 3D foam for more dimension, oh yes sentiment from Sweet N Sassy. This is my entry for Colour Create challenge 32 'Green, Red and White' and last but not least Allsorts 'Christmas carol/ Song title' mine is 'Frosty the Snowman'. Penny Black challenge is giving away so many prizes this week including small but they're not small candies on the DT's blogs, so do join in you know what they say 'You've got to be in it, to win it!'

Papertake Weekly # 28. This week is a sketch and I've tied it up with Simon Says challenge 'Animal Antics' and also CCT #87 'Teen Terrors'. Image is from Toodles & Binks, back paper from Kaboodle Doodle downloads 'Morris Dance 3 ', stripe is from a scrap leftover from Summer Driggs downloads, corners and text stamp from American Crafts. No glitter on this one at all, the recipient is an avid camper/hiker!!! So i know it's too simple but I've followed the sketch and I'll probably heat emboss his name nearer the time. Hope to be back again soon with my Penny Black creation...

Bee Crafty challenge 17. This time it was a 'Photo Inspiration' theme and I don't think I've ever done one of these before... but here it goes and used the sketch over at Dare U to Digi Scrap # 25, my entry for Cute Daisy May 'Touchy Texture', and also for Basic Grey challenge #8 'Glitz & Bling' ofcourse I've used BG Sultry off-cuts on this card together with this wonderful digi image from Digital Doodling 'Christmas Belle', isn't she pretty, wonderful image! Coloured with Koh-i-noor pencils and blended, lots of Glamour Dust added on her lovely long coat, Heather Flowersoft on her muff to keep her hands cosy...sentiment from American crafts, really glad I bought these set of clear stamps from QVC, real value for money and this one will come in handy to say how much they're appreciated especially at this time of year :)