Blog Candy

Just had to tell you about some fabulous blog candy on offer. Over on Ila's blog she has two lots of candy up for grabs. One is High Hopes candy and the other is Magnolia candy. All you have to do is leave a comment on her candy post telling her what your favourite Christmas movie or song is. The competition closes on Wednesday night , December 3rd. If you would like to enter and see pics of the candy then go over to Ila's blog here

http://artfullyila.blogspot.com/

And don't forget to check out Ila's gorgeous work, she really is talented, Ila's colouring is gorgeous!!!

Friday Sketchers

The sketch for the Friday Sketchers challenge blog this week was created by Carole. And here it is

And here is my take on the sketch

The image is a download from All that scraps, she is coloured in with promarkers and I've also added some stickles to her wings. I cut around the image with a square nestabilitie.The papers are from a pad called Rose Tinted Christmas by DCWV. The black snowflakes and sentiment are from Dovecraft.

Friday Sketchers

Just about squeezed this one in! It was Beatrix's turn to create a sketch on Friday Sketchers this week and here it is

A different size card for me but I enjoyed doing it. It was hard to take a photo of so I've had to do two for this one.

I've used Stampin Up papers for this one. They are called "Dasher". The first layer is cardstock and I have clear embossed the snowflakes on using a clear stamp. I then layered the pp onto red cardstock. The snowflakes are from Dovecraft, the flowers from my stash and the sentiment is from a HOTP kit.

Now onto the image.....

I stamped the House Mouse image onto white card and coloured it in with my promarkers, adding a little clear star pen to his fur on the hat. I then covered the card with versamark and sprinkled on some clear ultra thick embossing powder with a touch of glitter. When it had all melted and became level I quickly stamped on it with a snowflake stamp covered in versamark. I let the stamp "sit" for a bit until the UTEE had cooled. When I was satisfied that I had all the snowflakes I wanted, I let it all cool down. When it was cold I then bent it backwards and forwards a bit for it to start cracking. That's where you get the cracked glass effect. I also did all this for the diamond snowflake embellishment.

You can find the Friday Sketchers Challenge blog here

http://fridaysketchersblog.blogspot.com/

Cute Card Thursday

This week's challenge on the Cute Card Thursday challenge blog is

Lilac

Here is my card, plenty of lilac!

I've used papers and embellies from an old HOTP monthly kit. The image has been coloured in with promarkers, my poor prismas don't get a look in these days. The sentiment is from a Stampin Up set called Warm Words and has been layered onto a SU word window punch shape. Simple but very lilacy!

The other DT members have again come up with some gorgeous creations you can see them all on the blog here

http://cutecardthursday.blogspot.com/

There is a prize this week for one lucky random winner from Papercraft Clearance. Pic on the blog.

Paper Craft Sketch Challenge

The sketch for this week's challenge on Paper Craft Planet looked like this

And here is my card that I've been trying to take a good photo of for the last hour!!!

I've used Cosmo Cricket papers for this and the sentiment, border and photo clips are from the same set. The main image is a stamp from Alota called "Bear with gifts". He has been coloured in with promarkers. Now the reason why I couldn't get a good photo is because the main image is sparkly. I covered the whole of the image with ultra thick embossing powder but mixed in some fine glitter when I was heating it. It looks lovely and glitter IRL. I then just added the two ribbon bows.

Tilda & Friends ATC Challenge

This week the challenge on the Tilda & Friends ATC challenge blog is

Warm & Cosy

something that is near to my heart as it's been in the minuses here with snow.

Here is my ATC
I've used all HOTP products for the papers and embellies. They are from a QVC set that I have from about 2 years ago!! The Tilda is from the Magnolia Winter collection. She has been coloured in with promarkers and a little bit of a sakura metallic red pen. I've also used the same pen around the edges of the ATC.

We would really like more people to join in with our challenge, there are plenty of things you can do with your finished ATC. Make them into a topper for a card or use them as a tag or swap them! Why not pop over to the blog and take a look at the other DT's ATCs , they really are lovely. You can find us here

http://tildaandfriends.blogspot.com/

For Nancy in Maine

Hi Nancy
I wanted to leave you a comment on your blog but you hadn't started it yet so I thought I'd post your answers here.

SU is Stampin Up and DT is Designer Team.

Looking forward to seeing your work on your new blog.:0)

New Alota Christmas Stamps

Just to let you know that Helene has put up some brand new stamps on the Alota website. There are 7 Christmas ones and they are ideal to go with all your "character" stamps. They include 3 outdoor scenes, a lovely Christmas room scene, an armchair, a gorgeous sleigh and some hanging stockings. You can see pics of them on the Alota website here

http://alotarubberstamps.com/ars/viewGroup.asp?bid=1068584424&sub_category_id=393

Helene offers a brilliant service and really quick delivery. Can't wait to get mine!!!

House Mouse Monday Challenge

Another week so another House Mouse challenge and this week the theme over on the House Mouse Monday Challenge blog is Polka Dots.

And here's my effort

The image is called Happy Hoppers "Love Bunny". So cute! I've used promarkers to colour it in and I have stamped and layered it onto nestabilitie circles. Now all the papers I've used I got as a gift from someone so sorry I don't know who makes them. The corners are cut from an Ellison thin cut photo corner die. The flowers are from Prima. For the sentiment I punched out the shape with my SU window word punch and used a SU set called warm words for the sentiment. The ribbon is from my stash.

The DT always make really gorgeous cards for the HM challenges. If you want to see them and join in, the blog is here

http://housemouse-challenge.blogspot.com/

Oh and something to cheer me up, I won last week's prize from Jennifer's Page at a time! Not very often I win anything! So I was chuffed.

A Spoon Full Of Sugar

We have a great sketch from Michelle this week for the A Spoon Full Of Sugar challenge There is a great prize this week too for one lucky random winner. It is a Whiff Of Joy stamp called Teenage Lizzie.


Here is her sketch



And here is my card

Hardly any stamping!!!! Well except for the sentiment. This card is called a suspension card. The scalloped circle "hangs" on a silver thread. I've embossed a white blank card with a Cuttlebug sledding embossing folder and then sponged over it with a pearl blue ink pad. The papers are Basic Grey Dasher which I've layered onto olive cardstock. To make the suspended scalloped circle I used my Cricut. The snowflakes are also cut out with my Cricut and I used SU dazzling diamond glitter over them to make them really sparkle. All the edges of the card and paper have been edged with a sakura clear star pen. Of course you can't see all the sparkle in the photo but in real life it really does! For embellies I used some blooms, ribbon, pearls and gems. The sentiment is a rubber stamp , not too sure who makes it though.

If you would like to join in the challenge why not pop over to the blog and take a look at the other DT members work? All gorgeous as always and all inspiring. We also have a guest designer this week and it's Heike.

You can find the A Spoon Full Of Sugar blog here
http://aspoonfullofsugarchallenge.blogspot.com/

Another Elzybell

This card is for the Elzybell's blog challenge. This time it was a sketch.

Here is the sketch

Here is my card

I've used a blue cardstock layered onto a square, white card. I then cut out the 3 strips from some Basic Grey papers (ahh can't remember the name now!). I cut the circles out using my nestabilities. The image and sentiment are both from Elzybell's. They are both in a set called "cold nose warm heart". Coloured in with promarkers and a little bit of clear star pen. I then just added the two photo corners, snowflake brads and ribbon.

Elzybell's Christmas Card

I don't think I've shown this card yet. I made it for the Christmas Elzybell's competition.


I've used an Elzybell's stamp called "Carol Singers" and they have been coloured in with promarkers. I've layered them onto old olive cs. All the papers are from Stampin Up and are a now retired designer paper series set called Dashing. All the layers have been stitched with a zig zag stitch in red. Just some green and red gems to finish off and a HOTP ribbon.

I didn't win but I did get an honourable mention. :0)

Snowy Monday

Here is what greeted us this morning outside the back window...

The kids had a great time walking to school in it but I had a pretty hairy trip!!! It was Milly's first snow and she wanted to run around and roll in it nearly pulling me over. The two eldest have an hour and a half trip to school on a bus I wonder how long it will take them today. I'm thinking that I will get a phone call saying they will all be home early today as it is still snowing. (scrap that the two eldest's bus got turned back!) Better get cracking on my DT work then before they all get here!

Have a great day whatever the weather is like where you are. :-)

Paper Craft Planet Sketch Challenge

On Paper Craft Planet they have a sketch challenge each week. Here is this week's sketch

And here is my take on the sketch

Everything I have used is from Stampin Up even down to the cardstock. So everything has been layered onto old olive cardstock. The background has been made with a SU wheel called Petals and the ink is old olive too. The spotty paper is from a designer paper set called Petals & Paisleys. Both of these have now been retired. Everything else has been stamped onto white card. The stamp set is called Simply Said. The heart shape is also in this set. I had stamped the heart with one of the tiny flower stamps and then glittered it but it didn't show up the pattern because I'd previously gone over the whole heart with ink and it hadn't dried properly so the glitter stuck to all of the heart!

Quickie Gift Voucher Holder

This is a nice way to give a plain gift voucher. Nice and easy to do too. All you need is a 8 1/2 x 5 1/2inch piece of card and score it at 2" and 6". Then all you have to do is decorate it.

Here's mine

I've used Alota stamps for this. The sentiment and image are both from an unmounted set called Merry Christmas. All the papers and the present acetate strip are from HOTP , I went around the edges with a red ink pad. Just some little red gems to finish off.

Cute Card Thursday

Another festive theme this week on the Cute Card Thursday challenge blog and it's

Snow & Snowflakes

This week there is a fab Whiff of Joy stamp to win, details on the blog.

Here is my card

I've shown you two photos so that you can see the snowflakes on the acetate sleeve. Ok so I've made an acetate card for this one. I used a white blank card and cut off the front leaving a little border on the right. I then measured up the acetate so that it would fit under the strip of card. I stamped the snowflakes with versamark and then used a gold glitter and clear embossing powder. The gold glitter doesn't show up too well. The image was on a square piece of card so I layered it onto a pink piece of cs and it has been coloured with promarkers and a little bit of clear star pen. I covered the inside card with papers are from Dovecraft, think it's called Pink Christmas? I then added a sticky ribbon to the seam where the cs meets the acetate. Three pink gems to finish off.

If you would like to join in with the challenge you can find all the details and the gorgeous DT cards here
http://cutecardthursday.blogspot.com/

Tilda & Friends ATC Challenge

This week's theme on the Tilda & Friends ATC challenge is

A Time To Decorate

Here is my ATC

I've used a new Magnolia from the Winter collection and coloured her with promarkers. I then placed her onto a piece of Basic Grey Dasher paper , on the line to have something for her to sit on. Then I just added the ribbon, blooms and the sentiment. The sentiment was made with a tape writer.

If you would like to join in with this week's challenge you can find all the details here
http://tildaandfriends.blogspot.com/

Alota Rubber Stamp Group

Are you like me and love all the Alota rubber stamps? Well over on Paper Craft Planet there is a new group just for Alota stamps. We even have a challenge on the go for everyone to join in with. It's our first challenge and it's a grab bag challenge. All you have to do is upload a photo of one of your Alota creations into the Paper Craft Planet gallery and Helene (the owner) will use a random generator to pick a winner.
To find out all the details just pop over to here

http://www.papercraftplanet.com/group/alotarubberstamps

Hope to see you over there!!

Shout out for candy!!

Wow Debbie has some fantastic blog candy as she has reached 10,000 hits, not surprised her work is beautiful! She is offering up this lovely lot.

All you have to do is put a post up telling everyone about her candy and then leave Debbie a comment on her blog. Her son Jack will pick a winner at 5pm next Wednesday which is 26th November.

You can find her blog her

http://passionforcrafts.blogspot.com/

House Mouse Monday Challenge

It's challenge #14 for the House Mouse Monday Challenge blog and the theme is

All about Christmas

Here's my card
Grr I try to fix the red every time but it always comes out so glarey!! Anyways I've used a House Mouse image called Kitty Snuggle. Coloured in my usual way with promarkers and a little bit of sakura clear star pen on the lights. I'm sorry I don't know who makes the papers as I've used some last bits from a Sarah's cardmaking kit that I got last year!! All the brads are from another kit I had last year and they are made by HOTP. I haven't put a sentiment on yet as I don't usually until I know who it is going to.

The DT on the House Mouse blog have made some gorgeous cards (but don't they always!) why not go and have a look. The blog is here http://housemouse-challenge.blogspot.com/

A Spoon Full Of Sugar

The week's are flying by now and once again it's time for the A Spoon Full Of Sugar challenge. This week the theme is

Blooming Marvelous

we would like to see you use flowers or a floral paper on your creations
this week

Here is my card
I've used Tilda with candle from the Lucia collection and Hellebores from the Winter collection. I've used promarkers to colour them and then layered them onto Cosmo Cricket papers. In fact everything bar the stamps are from a Cosmo Cricket kit.

The DT have made some gorgeous cards again this week, if you have a moment go take a look. Maybe they will give you the inspiration to join in. We also have a guest designer this week. It's Jo, she makes gorgeous cards and this week her Blooming Marvelous card is no exception!!

This week we have two fab floral stamps kindly donated by Helene of Alota stamps. One lucky randomly picked winner will win both of them. Pic is on the blog.

You can find the A Spoon Full Of Sugar challenge blog here

http://aspoonfullofsugarchallenge.blogspot.com/

Magnolia Sketch

Papercraft Planet also has a group for Magnolia too. They had a sketch to follow.

Here it is

Here is my card

I've used Mary Christmas and Santa with lantern for the main images coloured in with promarkers. I've layered them onto two ovals. The papers are Basic Grey Dasher. The swirls are cut out from a die called Flourish by Quickutz. The sentiment is also from Magnolia. I've added some sparkle to this card using a sakura clear star pen but it hasn't shown up too well in the photo , but it does sparkle nicely.

House Mouse Sketch

On the Papercraft Planet forum, Emma set up a sketch for the House Mouse group to follow.


Here is the sketch

And here is my House Mouse card.

I've used a House Mouse image called "Throwing daisy petals" and I've coloured it in with promarkers. All the papers are from a Stampin Up set called Rainbow Sherbet. The sentiment is a rub on from Making Memories.