Happy New Year

Well that's us nearly at the end of 2018.  It's been a funny old year, some highs, some lows and some very sad moments - I was at 8 funerals this year, definitely don't want to repeat that next year!  Anyway, if you're partying tomorrow night, have a great time.  I'll be in my PJs with some Baileys and some munchies ;)

My craft light blew a bulb so my pictures are a bit rubbish until the replacement arrives.  This one is an oldie from LOTV, my colouring looks much darker in real life.  I've used my lovely stripy DP from MFT, and added in some sparkly elements.  Gummapian butterfly die;  red heart sequin from stash.  Clear gloss added to the critters' noses and to her hair baubles.

• My layout is based on the sketch at CAS(e) This Sketch #302 (but I've probably added too many elements for it to be CAS now!)
• CASual Fridays #215 - dry embossing
• Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday - try something new - my new polychromo pencils
• MFT Birthday Project - Time to shine

This card is for my brother-in-law's birthday.  The inside reads 'You're not quite over the hill yet, but you have a great view' 

I've used this giraffe from Whipper Snapper, stuck on some googly eyes and added in some foliage.  Background embossed with a leafy pattern.  Not sure if I should have added a sparkly flower on a man's card though ;)

• The Library Challenge #23 is to pick a previous book from the challenges so I've chosen the Jungle Book.  Though actually now I think of it, do you get giraffes in the jungle??? Maybe he's on his holidays.  Ha.
• Time Out #125 - Celebrate, friends, family, life
• Pinspiration #231 - anything goes

New goodies

So that's Christmas over for another year!  We'd a gorgeous dinner down in Mum's with my sis and her family and had a fab time.  Of course, faced with over a week off work I've decided to take a stinker of a cold.  Typical.

Santa was a very good boy and (with a nudge in the right direction) left me some new Polychromo pencils under the tree!  Hurrah.  I've fancied having a go with these for ages but could never justify spending the £££s
It's a totally different way of colouring than I'm used to with my watercolour pencils, so I'll need plenty of practice.

This first one is an oldie from LOTV.  I definitely need to do a bit of studying on how to colour hair and folds in clothing, mines a bit rubbish!

• Tuesday Morning Sketches #484 - anything goes
• Through the Craft Room Door - anything goes

I'm a bit happier with this Whipper Snapper stamp, but he's a lot easier to colour.  I added some sparkle to the balloon, clear gloss to his nose, a snippet of this lovely DP from MFT and a new birthday die that I bought recently from Swedish House Crafts.

• Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday - try something new (my pencils)
• Cutie Pie #130 - add sparkle
• Pixies Snippets Playground #342

And here's a wee pic of our very own Christmas Elf,  needless to say, Ruby wasn't too impressed ;)

Graduation card

Ok, so you know the way we card makers have no life?
"Will you make me a graduation card?"
"Yip, when do you need it for?"
"Tomorrow"
Ha.

I don't really have any suitable graduation stamps, so used my Gummiapan star die again - just cut it to fit my shape again and then popped one of the larger ones up on a foam pad, along with a little heart sequin. And because I didn't have quite enough stars, I added a few silver sequin stars too ;)
Central panel also popped up on foam pads.

• Simon Says Stamp Monday - stitch it up
• That's Crafty - anything goes
• Your Next Stamp #104 - anything goes
• Crafty Catz #442 - anything goes
• 
  

A two-fer (Greg's Christmas card)

I was asked by a friend in work to make her a Christmas card, and I liked how it turned out so made another for my Beloved!
I reckon I maybe used Snowy on last year's card but would say the chances of him remembering are slim ;)

I've used this lovely stripy MFT DP and my stars are a Gummiapan die from the recent sale at Swedish House Crafts.  The die is smaller and more compact, so I just cut it in half to fit my space and then used the solid centres as extra embellishments.  Sentiment and star at the top of the circle popped up on foam pads.  MFT wonky circle dies.

• Layout based on MFT Wednesday Sketch challenge #415
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - Christmas
• Crafty Calendar December - Christmas time
• Penny Black Saturday December - Christmas
• Stamping Sensations December - Winter sparkle

Mum's Birthday Card

It's been a couple of busy weeks here, shopping is near enough done, parcels are nearly all wrapped and cards nearly all made.  Work's Christmas Do is out of the way and I still have a job hahaha ;)  I just have to get Greg's Christmas card made and a few bits and bobs bought and then that's me. Hurrah!

And this is Mum's Birthday card.  I made a nod to it being in December by using this oldie Christmas dog from Lili of the Valley.  The balloons are from a recent challenge win - the central one is popped up on foam pads and then I added some silver letters.
If I was making it again I'd stamp my image first and then the sentiment instead of the other way about, it's ended up a wee bit top heavy.

• Crafty Animals #21 - any animal
  
• That's Crafty - anything goes
• Your Next Stamp #104 - anything goes
• AAA Cards #130 - 3 of something

When is a Christmas card not a Christmas card

I needed to make some Christmas cards that weren't Christmassy for some folk who've been bereaved this year.  Not too happy, but not a sad sympathy card either.  So I've used this lovely floral stamp from Penny Black and zinged it up a bit with some sparkle on the petals, a holly die cut from a tiny snippet of silver card, and a little holly border from my stash.
I think it works?

• Penny Black and More December - traditional Christmas colours
• Pixie's Snippets Playground #340
• Simon Says Stamp Monday - B is for Bouquet

And here's the same stamp again, not just so sure if this one has worked or not, I think the Christmas elements in the one above work better..

I remember seeing a tutorial a while ago on colouring flowers and to add a hint of the other colour into the flowers.  Don't think I've explained that at all well but it's been a loooong week and my brain cells are pooped!

I added clear gloss to the vase but wish I hadn't as it's kinda bubbled my paper surface a bit.

• Penny Black Saturday December - anything goes
• Layout from MFT Card Challenge #414
• Addicted to Stamps #321 - anything goes

Babies and snakes

I'd big plans to be making Christmas cards this weekend, but didn't manage to get any made.  Instead I've been making a baby card requested by a friend in work.  I've used this good old baby stamp from Lili of the Valley and used alpha sets from MFT and Paper Smooches.  Coloured with watercolour pencils and sparkle added to the rims of the drum; and then a few wee silver stars to finish.  It's a shame I didn't quite manage to stamp his name straight, even with my stamping platform ;)

• Layout based on Sketch Saturday #542 (but I've just noticed I forgot about one of the horizontal panels!)
• As You Like It - rubber or digis - always rubber for me, I've no printer so I've no choice anyway LOL!
• Crafty Catz #440 - anything goes + too cute

I'd forgotten how much I love the splatter effect!  I've used blue and green here to link in with my images.  Snake from Jane's Doodles and rest of images and sentiment from (I'll just check)

Snake and balloon popped up on foam pads; sparkle added to his triangles and to the balloon, and clear gloss to his eyes and teetch.  I doodled a border to match the curly string on the balloon.

I must confess I love how this turned out.  I've been really mojo-less for ages, so it's nice to create something that turned out more or less how it looked in my head!

• MFT Birthday Project - have a wild birthday
• 
  

Christmas Angel

Here's December's calendar page for Mum - I'm always quite pleased with myself when I actually get it finished before the month begins hahaha.  I can't believe it's nearly December already!  Have you your Christmas cards finished?  Nope, me neither ;)  Christmas shopping done?  Nope, not here ;)  I'm hoping to magic a few days from somewhere to get it all sorted!
For my calendar page I've used this sweet little Gummiapan angel and die from Swedish House Crafts.  I've sparkled up her wings and popped her up on foam pads.  MFT die and some silver stars and silver sentiment from my stash.

• My layout was inspired by Cornelia's beautiful card over at Muse Christmas Visions #114
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - anything goes
• That's Crafty - Winter Wonderland
• Get Creative #75 - anything but a card
• Crafty Cardmakers #223 - anything but a card

Jingle Bell Rock and Snowy

So this was one of those special request cards that just makes you sigh!  The daughter of a friend in work wanted a card for her Geography teacher with a rock and the words 'Jingle Bell Rock' on it and I was totally stumped!  The only rock-type image I have in my stash that isn't part of a bigger image was this little mountain.  I don't even know if it looks like a mountain on it's own! It also took me absolute ages to find my little jingle bells - one of those things I'd seen recently but had no clue where they were! Anyway, this is the best I came up with.  I added some silver snowflakes to make it a bit more Christmassy and added some red glitter card arrows.

• Allsorts #495 - inspired by a song - Jingle Bell Rock

This one was much more fun to make with good old Snowy ;) 

Coloured with watercolour pencils, sparkle added to his hat and scarf, and glitter to his hat trim.  Sentiment and snowflake cut from mirror card.  

• Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas challenge #413 - any Xmas
• Simon Says Stamp Monday - Let it Snow
• Layout from Your Next Stamp #102
• Addicted to Stamps #319 - clean and simple
• Crafty Catz #439 - all wrapped up

Daily Marker 30 day colouring challenge

Card for Sandra and new goodies

This card is for my buddy in work, she loves a night out, so I reckoned this set from Newton's Nook would be perfect!  Coloured with watercolour pencils, sparkle added to the drink and then clear gloss and glitter to some of the frippery on the glasses.  Her favourite colour is purple so I had to get some of that on the card!

• Layout from CASual Fridays #212
• Sweet Stampin - sparkle and glitz
• Crafty Creations #378 - anything goes

And this one uses some new stamps I won from the lovely girls over at The Flower Challenge :)

The critters are Hunkydory stamps, and then the little Santa one from a Clearly Besotted set.  

My Christmas sentiment is a new die I bought to replace the one that's hiding in my craft stash, doubtless it will turn up about Easter time.

• General layout / reindeer theme based on the inspiration pic over at Pinspirational challenge #229
• Hazel's Christmas challenge #412 - anything goes
• Crafty Cardmakers #222 - lots of layers
• That's Crafty - Winter Wonderland

Daily Marker 30 day colouring challenge

Another one for Aunt Cilla

I was very lucky to win last month's challenge at Penny Black Saturday and with my voucher from 1-2-3 Stitch I chose this fab Whipper Snapper image, a Penny Black pot of flowers and some lovely stripey DP.  So I've used them all this evening!

This one is from me to my Aunt in Canada, reckon it will give her a giggle.  I've coloured my image with watercolour pencils, added clear gloss to his nose and added some gold stars.  I die cut my 80 from the tiniest snippet of gold sparkly card - Greg laughs at some of the little snippets I save but I get very precious and mean with stuff that I love!

• Layout based on the sketch over at CAS Colours & Sketches #298 - I ran out of room for a scalloped edge so used this curved stitched edge instead.
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - all that glitters is gold
• Cute Card Thursday #556 - stars
• Crafty Calendar November - paper piecing

So because I liked that sketch, I thought I'd just use a version of it again!

I coloured my Penny Black flowers loosely with watercolours - I've used mauve and rose here, but they're both a bit samey looking in this pic.

• Penny Black Saturday November - anything goes
• As You like it - monochrome or rainbow - it kind of depends on the occasion as to how colourful my card is going to be ... I reckon a plainer colour theme is better for cards like sympathy ones
• Through the Craft Room Door - anything goes
• Colour Crazy Craft Challenge #46 - anything goes colouring challenge

Daily Marker 30 day colouring challenge

Hangin on the telephone

Do you remember the days of the telephone, you always hated having to ring someone who had 8s and 9s in their number, and doubly so if you made a mistake before you got it all dialed!  Your Mum used to shout at you to "get off that phone" if you spent longer than 2 minutes talking and you used to know all your friends numbers off by heart!   Mobile phones, speed dial and Alexa have us all spoiled now - if I lost my mobile now I'd be stuffed as I only actually know my own number, my work, and mine and Mum's home numbers!!

This uses an oldie SCACD stamp from many years ago - coloured with watercolour pencils and clear gloss added to her eyes, lips, phone and shoes.  I partially embossed down the side with my flowery folder which (along with the daisy die) was a magazine freebie.

• The photo over at PinSpiration Challenge #228 inspired my retro image and colour theme
• Layout from Freshly Made Sketches #363
• Retro Rubber challenge #99 - anything goes
• CAS Mix Up November - embossing folder + stamping + watercolours

Daily Marker 30 day colouring challenge

Bunnies and flowers

Just a quickie visit to blogland tonight .. David Attenborough is on the telly and I just love his wildlife programmes!

This first card uses an LOTV bunny - coloured with watercolour pencils.  I used my new metallic ink for my background and also on the balloon - I hope it shows up in the pic!  (don't look too hard at my awful manicure, that's on my list to sort out next!)
MFT stencil.  Hand doodled border.

• Less is More #384 - metallics
• Seize the Birthday #154 - CAS
• Balloon theme / general layout inspired by Anita's beautiful card over at Muse Challenge #290

And this one is inspired by this weeks featured stamper over at Splitcoast - here's nicole's original.
Does anyone else use Splitcoaststampers?  For some reason when I look at a gallery on my Tablet, it won't let me go further than the first page of results and I have to power up the old laptop.  Drives me crazy!
I've used one of my oldest stamps - I've just noticed that I coloured one of the petals blue when it should have been pink!

Christmas Critters

I'm trying to keep up with the Daily Marker 30 Day colouring challenge, so it's just a wee quickie tonight with these fab Christmas critters from Simon Says Stamp.  I'll have to try a different colouring combo - I always end up with a brown pup, grey cat and golden labrador!!

I added clear gloss / glitter to the trims on the hat and to the base of the antlers, and sparkle to all the red bits.  Snowflake cut from sparkly card that has the same irridescence as the glitter.
My silver pen was playing up so that's why I ended up with some dots bigger than others, but I kinda like the effect :)

• Layout from CAS(e) this Sketch #297
• Christmas with the Cuties #21 - wrap up warm
• Addicted to Stamps #317 - make your mark
• Crafty Creations #377 - anything goes
• Moving Along With the Times #84 - Winter Animals

Stars for Stanley

We'd another horrible wet old day today, lots of flooding about and traffic jams left right and centre.  Just a dark dreary day all round!
So I thought I'd get on with making this card for Mum's friend.  It turned out to be a longer process than expected when I lost the 'r' from my alpha set and a whole search ensued before I thankfully found it at the far end of the kitchen!  Looking for stuff is top of my list of things that annoy me most! My Christmas sentiment die is still on the missing list grrrrr

Anway, a nice easy card here.  I embossed some little stars on the sparkly strip, but put the embossing folder the wrong way round and debossed it instead, so they don't really stand out at all.  But sure if I hadn't told you that you wouldn't have known ;)  MFT stars dies and alpha stamps.  I thought the left hand side looked a wee bit bare, so I added a few little silver sequin stars.

• Layout from MFT Wednesday Sketch Club #410
• Dream Valley #190 - dies and punches.  Oops sorry, not eligible, sorry DV! 
• Crafting by Designs November anything goes
• Through the Craft room door - anything goes

Card for Aunt Cilla

It's been a yeuchy old day today - the traffic to work was awful with lashing rain and much the same on the way home, and I was well and truly soaked both directions!  That's my excuse for being in my PJs before 6 o'clock anyway ;)

I've a few personalised cards to make, so had to get a move on.  I'd made one like this recently and liked it, so being mojo-less this evening I figured I'd remake it for my Aunt.  I added some sparkle to the icing and have since added clear gloss and glitter to the little stars.  Magnolia hearts die; cake from Gummiapan.

• Simon Says Stamp Monday - make your own background.
• Cute Card Thursday #554 - anything goes
• Dream Valley #190 - dies/punches (I'm hoping its 'and/or' and not both!) Oops not eligible, sorry DV!

Daily Marker 30 day colouring challenge

Beary good luck

I bought this starry stencil and a metallic blue ink pad in a recent shopping spree, so I was bursting to use them.  This card for a friend in work was the perfect excuse.  He's got a new job as a manager of his local forest park, so I thought this oldie Stampin Up bear would give him a laugh, hopefully there's no wild ones where he's going ;)  I also used this oldie tree stamp from Eat Cake Graphics and then watercoloured in some grass.  Just noticed I've forgotten to colour in the tree trunks.  My bear is popped up on foam pads and clear gloss added to his nose and teeth.  Elizabeth Bell square stitched die.

• Make My Monday #83 - stencil stories
• Cardz 4 Guys #206 - into the woods
• Die Cuttin Divas #393 - anything goes
• Penny Black and More November - make someone smile
• Sweet Stampin - trees

And here's that inkpad again, this time with a honeycomb stencil.  I probably would have done my background in yellow if I had a yellow ink pad, which I don't! 

Stamps from Janes Doodles - Doggy, bee and kite popped up on foam pads. 

• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - anything goes
• Love to Scrap #115 - anything goes
• Crafty Animals #20 

Daily Marker 30 day colouring challenge

Quickie Christmas cards

Just a quick post tonight, with the quickest Christmas cards ever!
I'd bought this wee cheapie die from CraftStash for £1, what a bargain!  I also got some 4x4" envelopes, so they were perfect for it, it would have been lost on a larger card base.
I die cut some glittery card, added a few matching star sequins, stamped a sentiment and that was it finished!  Centre panel popped up on foam pads. These will be my cards for work, so I'll have a few more to make.

• Less is More #383 - dimension
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - anything goes
• Crafty Catz - add a sentiment 
• Creative Knockouts #270 - clean and simple

Santa and November calendar

Here's that MFT Santa set again!  Reckon he looks a bit surprised that you're actually on the nice list ;)  Not entirely sure about my own chances hee hee.

Santa coloured with watercolour pencils and popped up on foam pads; clear gloss/glitter added to his hat.  If I'd planned my layout better I would have had my circular frame slipped under the sentiment strip rather than on top of.  Paper Smooches snowflakes dies.

• Layout from MFT Wednesday Sketch Club #408
• CRAFT #488 - monochrome
• Just us Girls #464 - red and white christmas
• Fab'n Funky #413 - Christmas

And here's Mum's calendar page ... on time for a change! 

I've used my oldie Penny Black bear and some Gummiapan dies. 

Coloured with watercolour pencils and bear popped up on faom pads.  Green enamel dots to finish.

• Dream Valley #189 - anything but a card
• Through the Craft Room Door - anything goes
• Crafty Creations #377 - anything goes

Getting into Christmas mode!

Oh brr brrr brrr it's been such a cold day today.  We'd a wee touch of snow this morning, Rubydoo's walk in the park was at double quick pace, no time for sniffing!  Her, not me ;)

Anyway, it's about time I picked up the pace too with my Christmas cards.
This one uses an older MFT stamp set and my MFT town die.  I found a bit of sparkly sticky ribbon in my stash so used it up to cover a dirty mark.  For my sky I puddled some blue watercolours and then squished my card into it.  Silver stars from stash.  Santa and doggy-reindeer popped up on foam pads.

• Layout inspired by Sketch Saturday #537
• Hazel's Christmas card challenge #409 - anything Christmas
• Your Next Stamp Fun Friday #100 - create a scene
• Rudolph Days October Challenge

I always love colouring these little LOTV mice :)  

Coloured with watercolour pencils, sparkle added to their scarves and clear gloss/glitter to the icing on the pudding.  Mmmmmm Christmas pudding.  Love it.

Silver lines / holly stickers from stash.

• Layout from CAS(e) this sketch #295
• Cute Card Thursday #553 - sparkles
• Christmas with the Cuties #21 - wrap up warm
• Crafter's Castle #10 - Christmas

A wee pic of our local park, Ruby's favourite place :) There's a great big heron perched in the bright green branch, but the camera on my phone isn't brilliant.

You brighten my day

Just a quickie post this evening .. Killing Eve is on telly shortly and I'm lovin it! I've been a bad blogger recently so hope to get round all my buddies tomorrow... after I finish painting my hall / stairs of course! I've been putting it of for ages, so it was good to get a start made at last.

This wee card uses this fab fun fishie from Avery Elle.  I partially stencilled in some waves and then added a few splatters, but they don't really show up in my pic.  Fish is mounted on foam pads and clear gloss added to his teeth and eyes.  I found these little silver circles in my stash and thought they kinda looked like bubbles in the water.

• Crafty Catz #434 - square card
• Through the Craft Room Door - anything goes
• Addicted to Stamps #314 - clean and simple

I'm on a mission to try to make a Christmas card when I'm making anything else.  I've used an oldie stamp from Simon Says Stamp - coloured with watercolour pencils; sparkle added to the scarf and red hat; and clear gloss + glitter to the antlers and accents on the hat.  Lil' Inker sentiment die.  I already had some of these white snowflakes cut so it was super quick to put together :)

• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - animal antics
• Allsorts #490 - traditional Christmas colours
• Sweet Stampin Christmas October - any Christmas
• ABC Christmas - V for very quick