Santa Claus is Comin' to Town

Oh I am very pleased with the way this one turned out!I started with the challenge at Merry Monday #55, which is a bingo challenge:

I was going to go across the bottom, but then, over at Feline Playful I spotted another Christmas challenge blog and they had this super sketch, definitely NOT one layer! The challenge is called Christmas Challenges and this was the sketch, created by Janneke,Wow! What a sketch- I had to use it, and so my bingo goes through the middle: Santa, paper piercing and DP. You can't see the piercing too well on the photo, but it borders the horizontal panel. The stamps are from a store in the Netherlands, bought for me by my husband on one of his trips home to visit his parents.  First time out for Santa, but as I am about to make another card using the same set I guess you'll be seeing him again soon!

I couldn't find 2 lots of matching DPs that went with the colour combo (there are so many reds!!) so I made my own with a snowflake stamp and silver embossing powder. There is a silver glitter frame around my stamped image, and I used silver mirri card for the main panel behind the papers.
I am also going to enter my card in Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Challenge, where the theme is Christmas songs and I can just squeeze into Crafty Hazelnuts Extra Christmas Challenge for March.

Twinkle twinkle Little Star

I don't have a card for you today, instead I have a wreath, made out of coordinating papers, ribbons and all kinds of Christmas bling from my stash.
Each star was die cut out of red or green card, and matched with a different paper, then I added ribbon, twine. pompoms, gems and so on. I cut a ring form out of a cereal packet and covered it, before overlaying the stars.

I am entering this into the challenge at Winter Wonderland Christmas Challenges where the theme is stars, and, of course I have made it for the Anything Goes challenge at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown

Friendship Circles

It's a sketch challenge week at CAS Colours and Sketches and we have this for you.  I don't think I've seen one quite like this before and as I've misplaced my circle nestabilities it was even more of a challenge for me.

I used coordinating DPs as my inspiration (I think most of these are retired SU papers), making the largest 'circle' into a rosette and using a brad and a sticker for the smallest ones. I have repositioned the circles but you can still see the basic sketch. The sentiment is from Friendly Phrases.  The flash on the camera has washed out the depth of the chocolate chip colour, in fact all the colours, which is a shame. Pinks and browns are such a nice combo.

Daisies and Dots

Good Morning!  I made my card at 7.45 this morning- yes I was that keen!  You know what it's like when you're lying in bed with an idea in your head that won't go away, so as soon as the boys were on their way to school I crafted.

I have combined two challenges again.  Using the sketch from Seize The Birthday

and the colours from Dynamic Duos

I made a feminine birthday card (this week's challenge at Seize The Birthday). I don't have the exact Stampin' Up shades of pink but I just used one dark and one light shade for my stamping, I had originally planned to use DP but in the end stamped directly onto the card to keep to the colours

Stamps used: Decorate a Daisy and Happiest Birthday Wishes
Embossing Folder - Swiss Dots ( freebie from a magazine)
Pink and white twine

More Madison Avenue

My adventures with Madison Avenue continue. I am really loving this free Stampin' Up Sale-a-Bration set and it's so different from anything else I have.  Coupled with some of the DP, also from the Sale-a-Bration offer, I've made a card using the cue from Addicted To CAS which is 'Spring'. These are very stylised spring flowers, but the colours, yes it's Calypso Coral again, this time with Lucky Limeade, are so warm and spring-like (unlike the weather this weekend in the UK where there is still snow everywhere)

I really love the way this turned out. I've used a flat bow style this time and two gorgeous brads which coordinate perfectly- here's a close up. Oops, I see now one is not quite centred, oh well, that's the beauty of hand-made!

 I cut out all the flowers and stems and popped them up on dimensionals.  The central stamp is from Decorate a Daisy, love those words, although the first time I read it I thought 'Streetwise? That's a funny thing to write on a card' - can you see what I mean?

Monochrome Madison Avenue

A new stamp and a new colour ( well, not new, in my stash, but I don't think I've used it before) for the Monochrome clean and simple challenge at Make My Monday.  This card was made with Madison Avenue and Calypso Coral with a little bit of help from some nestabilties dies. I wanted a lovely warm,spring colour and I think this hits the spot.

I used a sentiment from Friendly Phrases, inking  up the part I wanted with my marker, and I also used the same  marker to colour the three little heart gems.
We are all spending the day at home as it is snowing here (it's supposed to be spring!) so you may be seeing a card or two more from me this weekend.  Happy crafting!

Ribbons and Bows

I chose this challenge so you would think it would be easy for me, but to be honest, even though I have lots of ribbons I just couldn't decide what to do.  In the end I let the twill ribbon with the Christmas greeting be the focal point and started from there.  If you wonder what I'm talking about it is this week's challenge from 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown.

...make a Christmas card featuring ribbons and bows.

The two DPs are both from Stampin' UP and I've used three 'ribbons' a twill, a silky green and a red and white twine. There are some small gems on there too, but the ribbons are the main feature. The green ribbon was tied into a bow using the 'fork method' and small 'tails' added under the central panel. The twine was a late addition. I am also going to pop my card into Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Challenge where the theme this morning is three - well, I've used three ribbons so I hope that counts.  It's also always worth popping a card into Hazels other challenge blog Crafty Hazelnuts Extra Christmas Challenge for March, when any Christmas project is welcome.
Do have a look at the creations from the other members of the DT, they have lovely cards to share with you and give you some great inspiration.

New Home

Another first, this time the first new house card I've made, prompted by next door being up for sale, so I guess we will be getting new neighbours shortly and saying goodbye to the 'old' ones! This is also for the colour challenge at CAS Colours and Sketches wherewe have the combination of Real Red, Soft Suede and River Rock .If you don't have the exact Stampin' Up colours use the nearest to these;

I used a Tim Holtz die cut, in the three shades and then paper pieced them together to make the row of houses. The letters are chipboard, coloured with Soft Suede, and I've added two red brads,

I like the very modern feel of the large lettering and the little row of houses are so sweet. I hope I am just in time to squeeze this card into the challenge at Cas-ual Fridays, where they are asking for projects with chipboard.

Black Bird

Good morning!  It's my day off but unfortunately I have to go into work this afternoon for some training so just time to create one card, inspired by a few challenges (which is unusual for me, I usually only have enough brain power to focus on one!).
I have cased a sketch from CAS(E) This Sketch and used the theme from Addicted To CAS and made a card which is definitely  Less Is More How's that!

I actually hope that I don't need a Sympathy card right now, but I thought that the bird is uplifting, whilst still being quite somber so I thought it was the most appropriate sentiment, especially with the black frame.  Enough talking, here's my card

 The bird is die cut from DP and then clear heat embossed to accentuate the black.  The frame is actually a peel off, would you believe it, and it took ages to get it in exactly the right place. I have paper pierced around the edges of the frame to add a minimal accent, you can just see it on the photograph.
So that's my crafting done for today, :(

Ice Bear

The fun continues on 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown where the theme for week 3 in March is Christmas Animals. These days there are cards with all kinds of animals on for Christmas, cats, dogs, reindeer, camels, donkeys and I thought I would go for the very cold and icy polar bear. Her's my card

I know, I know, it's Zoo Review again, but I just love it! My polar bear is floating on an iceberg and you can see his reflection in the icy water (courtesy of my brayer). I made the icicles using a Tim Holtz EF and cut them out and added silver stickles, you can see them better on this close up.

The snowflakes are done using a resist technique, dabbing versamark overthe card with a cotton bud and then clear embossing. The inks are a blend of Pool Party and Indigo Island.  I think 'Peace on Earth' is a good sentiment for this card.

Extraterrestrial Birthday.

I've made a fun card today, inspired by the challenge at CAS,-ology, where the clue word is 'Extraterrestrial'. Do you remember that little felt alien I used on aChristmas card acouple of weeks ago?  Well, here is his little green friend!

I also used the sketch from Seize The Birthday, although I have rotated it.  It's the first time I've entered this challenge, although I've been meaning to, if only to encourage my masculine card making - I live in a house full of males so guess I'm going to need them.

At first I used a white card blank, but then I thought a martian green card would be better. I embossed the card with an EF which has stars and geometric random shapes, very 'alien'  The glitter line adds to the space  theme but the best bit, I think, is that holographic card onto which I have layered my sentiment, printed onto DP. My son says it's very cheesy!
The card is white inside, easy to stamp a Happy Birthday greeting.

"I shall wear purple"

This week's sketch from Jacqueline, our lovely team leader at CAS Colours and Sketches, is fab, don't you think? I loved it so much I wanted to make my card as soon as possible and so I made this one whilst borrowing the Vintage Vogue stamp set (now retired), even though I know you've seen a couple of cards made with this set all ready.  I hope you won't mind!

I chose purple as it's one of my favourite colours, this started in my teens when I had a dark purple bedroom and continues to this day 'When I am old, I shall wear purple' and I say why wait 'till you're old!
Anyway, I used ribbon for the three banners, and tied a double bow using the 'fork method' as an embellishment. The flower panel was stamped using a mask on the large flower and then silver gems added to the centres.  The large F is a single stamp and I've used the sentiment from the same set.  Thanks to Viji for the loan of the stamps!

Season Of Joy in red and gold

I haven't entered the Christmas card challenge at Merry Monday for a few weeks and so this morning when I was cruisin' the blogs with a few spare hours to craft and I came across this sketch

I knew straight away that I wanted to play.

I used a couple of matching papers, added some glitter, a bow and some red gems.  I stamped and embossed the sentiment stamp from Season Of Joy and cut it out using one of my nestabilities die cuts.  I cut the same size in gold mirri card and twisted it behind the panel.  The main paper is also layered onto gold mirri card.  All in all a luxurious Christmas card ready to send out in December, and I really had fun making it..everyone wins!

Spots and Stripes

When you think of spots and stripes do you think of geometrical cards? Well, I was working along those lines for the one-layer challenge at Less Is More when I opened my drawer of stamp sets and saw this set, my current favourite. So, here's my take on spots and stripes..

The spots were such fun, and I must admit I borrowed the idea for bubble wrap stamping from my lovely team mate over at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown -Mynnette (check out her blog for more brilliant ideas, I am sure she won't mind!).  I think I should have stamped off first for a more subtle effect, but I do like it! As for the stripes, well you get it don't you! I sponged a little very light blue sky just to highlight the image. I added a sentiment to make what hopefully is a great masculine birthday card.
Off to create more now as I have the whole morning to craft, yipee!

White stamping for Christmas

Week 2 of the challenge month which I am hosting at 52{Christmas} Card Throwdown and, as usual, it's a colour challenge. This time it's black, white and gold. I do love this combination, well, at least I thought I loved it until I came to make my card for the DT. I have made at least three cards which have ended up in the recycle pile as I really wasn't happy with them.  In desperation I give you this one...

White stamping on a black faux tile background, with glitter card and highlights.  I used an image called Open Sleigh and have decorated (albeit minimally) the inside, with vellum printed with gold snowflakes.

Do go and have a look at the cards from the other girls on the  DT - they are awesome

Long Tall and Pink

This week at CAS Colours and Sketches we have a very feminine colour combo for you to work with - Certain Celery, Rich Razzleberry and Pretty in Pink -

Don't worry if you don't have these exact Stampin' Up colours, I don't! I just used three colours closest to these. I used a stamp set called Bright Blossoms, inspired by the spring flower colours and used a long tall card shape, difficult to photograph but here goes...

I love these panels of part images. Usually I do a square with 9 but this time I've tried a different design,prompted by the gift of some long, tall card blanks from a friend. I've used Naturals White to make the card base and layered with Pretty in Pink cs. The sentiment is a Friendly Phrase. I'm not sure which is my favourite panel, probably the second from the bottom on the right, where I overstamped with the two pinks.  Which one do you like best?
Do have a look at the cards from the DT  here, and enter our challenge, we love to see all your amazing cards!

Bouncing Bunnies

Some Bunny loves you! Oh yes they do! This is my card for the challenge at Casology where the cue is Bunny - guess Easter must be just around the corner!

I used an interesting fold for my card, which allows you to take a long card and fold it so that you get a diamond at one end- not sure what it's called.  The stamp is from Maya Road. It may be the one and only time you see it here as I tore the ear off one of the bunnies :(  I made the sentiment on my computer. The bunnies are stamped in Crumb Cake and Chocolate Chip (Easter theme again?).
The ivory card base is pearlised. I love the idea of these two bunnies rushing together and the fold allows the card to have some dimension.

Brick Wall for TTT

Here's my exciting news-
I have joined the crew at Mynnettes Technique Time Tuesday! I was (and still am) so very amazed that I have been asked to join the very talented ladies that design for Technique Time Tuesday, a monthly challenge blog with a difference! Every month the challenge demonstrates a different technique and I can tell you that there are some fantastic techniques coming up, including this month's which is the Brick Wall technique.
This is my card, which is quite a simple take on the technique, do hop on over to the blog and look at the other examples by the DT, so much inspiration!

 The information on how to make this card is over on the blog so I won't go over it here. I just added a bow and a sentiment for a card for any horse-lover (one or two of those in my family - we have two aged horses who are part of the family now, we've had them so long!) You've got the whole of March to have a go so no excuses!

Inspired By Nature Walk

Lucky me! I've been crafting all morning! I do love those days when there's really nothing else that has to be done so you can craft to your heart's content.  I made two cards but I'm only going to show you one today.  It's for the Inspired by Nature challenge at Make My Monday.

I used Nature Walk and stamped the bird, before masking and stamping the eggs.  I used Promarkers to colour some of the eggs in very pale shades.  The technique I've used is called faux tile, I think.  You cut up your image into tiles and sponge the edges and reassemble the image on another piece of cs.  I've used two complimentary DSPs and added a small blue bow.  I guess it could be for Easter, a birthday or Mother's Day so I have left the sentiment off. I will have a very similar card for you and some exciting news later!

Pink and Purple Christmas

OK this one is all down to me so I hope you will like it, (I apologise if it's not your cup of tea). March is my month of hosting the very successful 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown challenge blog, and the first week is always a sketch. Now, I had a lot of fun designing this one but I think I probably thought too hard, as there is not much room for interpretation- although some of you will prove me wrong no doubt! What I do love about it is the effect of 3D that it creates.

To compensate for this I chose an ultra contemporary colour scheme.  The design is good for showcasing DP and I had some gorgeous papers, so that's where I started.  The centre is an embedded image, can't tell you the name of the stamp as I stamped it at a workshop a while ago, coloured with markers, and the sentiment is from Merry and Type. I used a strip cut from one of the papers to offset the image.  The bow is there to balance the sentiment

Note to self, next time make card and then create sketch! Do go and have a look at the designs from the rest of the DT - they have done me proud - thanks girls!
I am going to pop my card into the challenge at Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Challenge too, where the theme for Challenge 114 is ribbons and Crafty Hazelnuts Extra Christmas Challenge for March