Top 5 2011

Well, I did my top 5 Christmas selection, so it only seems fair to pull my favourites from the rest of the year too.

So, again in no particular order, they are...

Me & My Cat - using the Lili Of The Valley stamp back in April.

Then, Goth Girl, also from April made using a Sugar Nellie stamp.

In May, this card, using the Penny Black stamp, Tongue Tied, won the Papertake challenge for me,

Moving on through the year, & October saw me making this card using a Saturated Canary digi stamp,

And finally, rounding off my 2011 selection is my new love, Bugaboo Stamps and the lovely Gus!

As well as picking my favourite cards, I've also tried to pick my favourite stamp companies of the year, so I've only allowed 1 of each make - so I can get 5 companies in too!

Jx

Think Colin...

I saw these stamps ...& thought Colin!!!

As I've said in previous posts, I'm in a Bugaboo phase at the moment. I love the cartoon images and the captions to match - this one was no exception.

I've again followed a CAS design as I feel the images say it all.

Challenges;
Skipping Stone Designs - Their sketch
Simon Says Stamp - Anything goes. Jx

New Home

I'm so loving my change of style with cards at the moment, it's such a refreshing change from the Christmas marathon of the last few months. So it's another Bugaboo - this time in zingy colours for a New Home card.

Now I don't know if you can see from my pic, but I've even glazed the windows! Daft I know, but I thought it looked quite good!

So on to the challenges;

For Fun Challenges - Something New - New Home Card
Do You Stack Up - Rainbow of Colours - Use at least 3 colours, Red/Yellow/Blue/Green
4 Crafty Chicks - Something New - New Home Card made with new Bugaboo Digi stamp. Jx

I Love Bugaboo

Why is it was say such daft things? After the masses of Christmas crafty goodies I got this year, I foolishly said I'd not need to buy another stamp next year...then Bugaboo happened!

Better than that, there stamps are half price till the end of the year, so I'm sad to say, my New Years resolution didn't even make it to New Year!!! (Then again if I purchase in their sale before New Year I can maybe start the resolution for real then?)

So, my card, simple design again using another great Bugaboo digi, this time coloured, glossed & glittered & finished with a simple ribbon & charm.

Challenges;
Catch the Bug - I have - (My Valentine is Bugaboo) - Red/Pink & Blue + Glitter Jx

Bugaboo Gus

Now I'm not normally a digi stamp person, but I've recently discovered Bugaboo Stamps and I have to say, I LOVE THEM! They are quite different to any of my other stamp collections, and the captions which accompany the stamps really appeal to my sense of humour, so I feel we are heading into a Bugaboo phase!

This card uses Gus, simply coloured and displayed - the images say it all as far as I'm concerned, so the card is clean & simple.

Challenges;
Passion For Promarkers - Celebrations - Birthday
Shopping Our Stash - Use ribbon/twine Jx

Top 5 Christmas Cards 2011

Debby is running a super little challenge and is asking us to select our 5 favourite Christmas card makes for 2011.

So here goes with mine - in no particular order;

Firstly one of my many WoW cards this year. Last year I hated them, but by this Christmas they were now a favourite!

And another WoW

Then for my first gate fold card and a lovely nativity

Then on to more recent cards with this great PB cat, (I do so love my cats!);

And finally, I just loved the layers on this one;

Jx

LOTV Angel Trumpeter

I can't believe I'm making another Christmas card already, but in my defence, I was tidying up my craft table & this one was already stamped & coloured. There were also lots of golden paper off cuts just waiting to be sized & stuck on a card, so this is really me tidying my desk - not making a card!

This one is for the CCWS challenge, which I only stumbled upon this month. I liked the sketch I did then & I loved the sketch this time around so I thought I'd give it a go.

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas - we did at my sisters house with all her family. Lots of fun was had by all & I've now given my nieces there very own stamping stuff (haven't I girls!) so in a few weeks I may be displaying some of their lovely works too! Jx

Santa Claus is Coming

So I best stop making cards & get this house tidied!

With that in mind, this is my final post this side of Christmas, and I thought I'd make it a Christmas card for all my Blog Followers & friends.

"Merry Christmas Bloggers!"

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas, & Best Wishes for 2012. Thanks also to everyone who's sent me a lovely hand made card this year. You know who you are, so thanks heaps & I have them all displayed on a special table all to themselves!

Now it wouldn't be a card post if there weren't any challenges involved would it! So this ones also for;
Crafty Catz - Santa's Hats
ABC Christmas - Zingy Colours - Bright red & gold
I Love Promarkers - Anything Goes
Papertake - Last Christmas Card of The Year
Seems A Little Sketchy - Their lovely sketch. Jx

Scottish Bouquet

Another new stamp from my goodie box, this one isn't named but it's by Heritage Rubber Stamp Co. I've coloured it with Promarkers and combined it with a white embossed background and a red ribbon with pearl heart buckle.

I'm entering this one into;
Cupcake Craft Challenge - Their great sketch

School Christmas Dance 2011

Tonight is the seniors Christmas dance and here are my two ready to go;

Duck Egg Blue

This little card uses my Funstamp, Puddle Duck stamp - a favourite of mine for Things With Wings Challenges. It's combined with First Edition, Up Up & Away papers and is for the following challenges;

Sketch Saturday - Their Sketch
Ladybug Crafts Inc - Bingo - I chose buttons, die-cuts & pearls
Sweet Stampin - Things With Wings
Craft Your Passion - Things With Wings. Jx

Stamps For All Occasions!

Having already entered the Less is More Challenge this week with a slightly busy card, I've had another go using the same music stamp & a dance stamp...& that's it! Too bare or what, I'm undecided!

As for the stamps, well the notes is by Personal Impressions, but the dancers are of unknown origin - they are off a clear set in my goodie boxes. Now on the subject of said boxes, (see earlier post!), I've had a thought...Has Craig played a blinder - he has got me so many new stamps, I will have difficulty justifying more stamp purchases this coming year - what a sly dog he is!!! Jx

Grace's Card

Hi Sarah, (my niece) thought Mum might show you this one before bed - hope you like it!

This card was made for my niece for one of her best friends Grace. It uses the Sugar Nellie stamp Goth Girl for the main image & my new musical notes stamp by Personal Impressions for the background.

CD's although cut in silver paper look back on photo!

Challenges;
Sugar Bowl - Their sketch & no papers
Less Is More - Music - Not sure if I'm too much more for this challenge - let me know & I'll try again if so!
Penny Black & More @ Allsorts - Birthdays Jx

Christmas Gifts - Early

Santa made an early appearance in our house yesterday - with 3 boxes of Christmas crafty goodies all for me! Craig saw an advert in the local paper for 2nd hand crafty bits and stamps being sold for £50. As soon as he walked in to the seller's house he thought, yup, Janice would love this...& I sure do... look what I got!

There are so many great stamps, loads of inks and embossing powders, I really don't know where to begin! This has got to be my/his best crafty buy for the year & is defo my Christmas sorted - he gave me them early cause we are out at my sis's on Christmas day & he said he knew if I only got them then I wouldn't want to leave them...sad but true!

Finally, the snow is back...again!

I'll try and be back later with a card using the first of my many new stamps - and that's the thing, many items are unopened or un-inked - I can't believe it - thanks Craig, Jx

Midnight Prowl

...This has to be Femo my cat... sleeps by day, hunts by night!

So this card is for the following challenges;

Sketch Saturday - Their Sketch
Penny Black & More @ Allsorts - Happy Birthday
MAWTT - Cats & Dogs - & if you know me, when I have to pick... it has to be cats every time! Jx

Driving Home For Christmas

...love that Chris Rea song don't you?

Anyway back to my day then my card. Freezing here.,was -4 oC this morning and I don't think it's lifted much above freezing all day. Been to my gym class this morning, then back out at lunch time to run a local rhyme time group for toddlers at the library. I'm now back home, car in garage, central heating on & looking forward to some crafting!

My first offering is for Holly next door who has a birthday and Christmas both next week. So I've done her her 18th Birthday card, & how for her Christmas wallet, (driving lesson's included.)

I've used a LOTV image, Doodlebug paper & a wild orchid flower.

Challenges;
Sketch n Stash - Another great sketch ladies.
Winter Wonderland - Be Different - I've used a non-Christmas image on a Christmas card.
Papertake - I'm dreaming of a PINK Christmas! Jx

Bad Blogger

Well it's been over a week since I made & posted a card - the ones a few days back were all scheduled posts so I could free up some time for my husbands 50th birthday & party.

So Happy Birthday Craig for yesterday, hope you had a great birthday - I think you probably did!

& now back to cards, and apologies to my bloggy friends for being absent and not really commenting over the last week.

As for cards, I've just made my entry to the current Sugar Bowl Challenge - a challenge I haven't missed all year, so I wasn't going to start now! I followed their lovely sketch & used Basic Grey papers. The image, Rock Idol also fits the current Here Come The Boys Challenge of Rock & Roll.
& Passion For Promarkers - Celebrations
Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
PB@Allsorts - Happy Birthday Jx

For some reason I had great difficulty photographing this card as the CD showed a great reflection of either the velox window or my hand depending on the angle of the shot - I went with the window one!

Coasting Towards Christmas

Already we are on the last challenge of the year at An Oldie But a Goodie, and hasn't the year flown by. I only joined the DT in Nov, but I've been doing this challenge throughout the year along with many of you great followers.

So, the final Challenge, set by Tracy is,

Christmas Animals

And the prize this time around is;

Now, if you're anything like me, there will have been a flurry of Christmas cards over the last few weeks, so you'll kinda be looking for a change. If that's the case, why not use the theme in a different way, think gifts or table decorations, candles or gift holders - the choice is yours , as long as you use a stamp older than 6 months & remember, no digi's allowed. Obviously however, cards are still very welcome, if you still have a few to make. This challenge will also run for a month as we are all so busy at this time of year, so hopefully you'll all have time to enter.

So, I decided to put Christmas images into photo coasters I bought last year - simple idea & a start to decorating my Christmas table.

The images are Penny Blacks all coloured by Promarkers. So that's what I did, now hop over to the Oldie But Goodie blog to see what the other DT members decided on.

Hopefully that gives you all the inspiration you need to join us in our final challenge of 2011.

I'm also entering this one in the Stamp Man Challenge - Create An Ornament - Mine's a table ornament &
The Secret Crafter - All Creatures Great And Small.

Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas & looking forward to seeing you all back for a productive New Year, Jx

Lovely LOTV Angel

This I think is my last LOTV angel card of the year - mind you I thought that a few weeks back, so we'll wait & see!
Again, papers are Craft Creations & colouring by Promarkers.

Challenges;
Sunday Sketch & Stamp - Their great sketch,
Craft Your Days Away - Buttons or Bows - I chose Bow
CHCC - Mainly Monochromatic - Gold
Papertake - Anything Goes Jx

Late LOTV Angel

I thought I had finished with my LOTV angels this year, but a late request saw them back on the work desk and in use! Papers are craft creations & colouring by Promarker.

Challenges:
Moving Along With The Times - Their lovely sketch,
Wags n Whiskers - Snow Angels
ABC Christmas Challenge - Y for Yipee - Almost Christmas so anything Christmassy Jx

WoW - We still have SNOW!

Well since the weekend we've had snow lying. Nothing more fell yesterday through the day, but there was a dusting more fell last night. It is however very cold, and very icy, so I don't think I'll be going far today.

Now with all that white stuff lying around I had the perfect excuse for my favourite type of card this year, another WoW!

This one uses my LOTV angel again and a couple of embossing folders.

Challenges;
Crafty Catz - Colours of Christmas + Sparkle - for me it has to be...White Christmas & the sparkle is on her head.
Crafting For All Seasons - WoW
Diva's By Design - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes Jx

Good Luck Mr C

My sis phoned me last week to say her daughter's much loved primary teacher was leaving to take up a promotion at a new school and that a card would be needed before the end of term.

So, this little house mouse came to the rescue! Coloured with Promarkers and on lovely Paper Company papers, I'm entering this card into the following challenges;

A Passion For Promarkers - Their brilliant sketch - loved it!
House Mouse - Warm & Fuzzy - Warm colours Jx

Library Liz's Birthday

At the end of every month I do a rhyme time session at the local library, and this month it falls on the librarian's birthday, so I thought I'd make her a card and get all the children to sing her Happy Birthday.

The card itself is made using the Sketch Saturday Sketch & uses a Tatty Ted image so I can also enter it into the CES challenge which is Bear Necessities. (Thanks CES for picking me as last weeks winner!)

Before I go, I thought I'd also share a snowy picture with you - the first for 2011 - we awoke to this...