Tree Trimmers

As Christmas is fast approaching I thought I better put a bit more effort into making some cards, so today I set about a batch of thin colourful CAS cards ideal for posting.

The image is a new one to me, by Sassy Cheryl - I paid full price for it a few weeks back, but if you're quick you may be able to snap up a bargain as it's on special just now!

Colouring as always is by Promarker and my sentiment added directly to the card front using Serif Draw, (thanks Colin for the lesson!)  Finally the card is finished with my festive favoutites, glossy accents and glamour dust.

Challenges;
CHCC - Red & Green
Brown Sugar - No DP's
Christmas Stampin All Year Long - Anything Goes
Crafting by Designs - Frosty Snowmen
Christmas Cards All Year Round - Christmas Trees
Sparkles Forum Christmas - Christmas Decorations
Cutie Pies - CAS/Cute/Christmas
Christmas at Sweet Stampin - Stars
Jx

Plain Jane

I've got a new toy - two actually all because of Sarah  (not Debs this time!!!)

It's a stepper card die used to make the card below only the die was too big for my big shot so I needed to buy the bigger plates - but plates are boring so I got the new teal coloured Grand Calibur instead and I love it!

So, back to the card - kept it simple with a few dies and paper piecing. The stamp is a beautiful All Dressed Up one which I love, well actually I love most of their stamps!  And the papers, LOVT Country Meadow.

As for what's new, well Colin is now back working at Mackie's Ice-Cream and Alan is loving working with the oil company Nexen - both just Summer jobs.  And as for me, well the phlebotomy went well last week, real blood has now been drawn and my training is ongoing.

Challenges;
All Dressed Up - Anything Goes
Papertake Weekly - Oh so Pretty
Passion for Promarkers - No squares allowed
Top Tip Tuesday - Cut it out
Crafting When We Can - Paper Piecing
Glitter n Sparkle - Include a die cut
Crafty Calender - Fancy Folds
Chocolate Coffee & Cards - Pearls
Crafty Catz - CAS
Stamping Sensations - Dies & Punches Jx

Snowmen

It's getting to that time of year again when panic sets in and the number of Christmas cards to be sent still exceeds the number made!  In order to rectify this, a quick card is needed and as it's to be posted far and wide, it must be skinny to avoid a bigger stamp.

The result is below.  The text was generated (with Colin's help using Serif Draw.)

& I've even done a sentiment inside - that doesn't happen very often!

Challenges;
Winter Wonderland - Snowmen
CHCC - Keep it flat
Crafting When We Can - Use Markers - Promarkers
Stamping Sensations - Christmas
Kraftyhands - Christmas Cheer
Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes/Stars - well there is one on top of the tree!
TPE - 276 - CAS

Tomorrow is a busy day for me as I'm off to get Spirometry training as part of my new job.  It's a technique used to assess lung capacity and function and can be used to help in the diagnosis of some lung conditions, or as in my case, for occupational health screening.  This will be the easy bit, further training and a competency test next month! Jx

Birnam Wood

Hands up those who studied Macbeth at school, remember Birnam Wood? Duncan told his men to chop down boughs from Birnam Wood and to disguise themselves behind the branches and in the shadows as they advanced on Dunsinane Hill to commence battle with Macbeth!

Literature Lesson over, now for the card!

Tree themed, hence the above reference to Birnam Wood.  And the reason for trees being topical at the moment is the annual hedge trim.  I say trim cause that's usually all I manage, but Colin decided to help this year, which meant chain saws and power tools in action.  The result...about a foot off the top of the trees - and a load of tree cuttings to dispose of!  He did a grand job, pity he left with only one side done though!

So this is his card to send him on his way & to wish him all the best at RGU.  Missing him loads as you can imagine, Jx

Challenges;
Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes
Crafty Bloggers Network - Anything Goes
Crafty Boots - Anything Goes
Dream Valley - No Stamps

Mad Hatters

Well that's Alan away back to start 3rd year at Uni, Colin leaves this coming weekend and then the house will be empty.  It's been kinda busy as you can imagine getting things ready for them leaving home hence the lack of cards, but after next weekend, I should be able to return to making more cards and doing more comments.

In the mean time, I'd like to share a CAS card I made from the the Ooh La La "Say it With Words" CD, This time I chose the image A Great Hat along with the co-ordinating papers.

Challenges;
Ooh La La - CAS
Hobbybook Designer - Girly
Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
Stampavie & More  - CAS
Wonderful Wednesday - Anything Goes
Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes

The Coppice

Today, for the very first time, I used ink dusters.  Lisa who I used to be on a DT with used to use them loads and I was always so impressed with what she did - so I got some...and they've sat on my desk for over a year!

So nothing complicated about this card, but I like CAS so it suits me!  An image, a dusting of colour & a sentiment, end of!

Sorry that it hasn't photographed too well, my white cards never do!

Challenges;
My Time To Craft - No design papers
Hobby Cutz - No Design papers
Fussy & Fancy - Outdoors

Hatters!

Just a quick CAS card today to show off a great LMM Hatter stamp - Linda Lee Hatter, to be precise!

Colouring is done by Promarker but sadly my CAS white card is a tad grey due to bad light! (White cards are always hard to photograph. Jx

Challenges;
Sweet Stampin - No DP's
I Love Promarkers - Hats
Simon Says Stamp - CAS

Buttons & Bows

Today it's back to team B at Diva's and a new challenge theme of

Buttons & Bows

A great theme and one that lends itself so well to ladies/girly cards.  Me being me though I decided to do something different!

So here is my male card!

The card was inspired by Lisa of You Made Me Ink - great blog name and a super card idea wouldn't you say.  Lisa's card can be found here and she said it was ok for me to pinch her idea - thanks Lisa!

Sponsoring the challenge this time around is Iva Nova Chest who have a lovely prize lined up for our winner.

Challenges:
Die Cut Diva's - Emboss it & use a die - bow die & stripe emboss
Flat Friends - Cards 4 Men
Allsorts - All About The Boy
Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes
4 Crafty Girlz - Challenge 14 - Anything Goes
Fantastic Tuesday - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp - Buttons

Valentine

So, the 4th of Feb and still no significant snow! I know loads of people have had dreadful weather this year, but I have to admit, this year we have been lucky so far.

Today is a new challenge day at an Oldie But a Goodie and this time the theme is

Valentine

( Please remember to use something older than 6 months on your project and to tell us what it is.)

I went with a CAS card again this time, and the Bugaboo image I used is older than 6 months.  Colouring by Promarker and glossy accents on the hearts.

          

The sentiments inside and out are computer generated and are the lysics from a great Beatles song.

The prize this time is this lovely Valentine set;

Challenges;
Sweet Stampin - Love/Valentine
A Gem of A Challenge - All You need is love
Addicted to CAS - Love
Crafty Catz - Anything goes
Totally Papercrafts - Clean & Simple
Catch The Bug - Anything goes

Christmas Cards 2014 - Card 4

Yeah, back on track, a Christmas card a week all 2014.

This card uses a lovely Di's Digi image called Penguin's Visit, and was one of four images I chose as a prize this year from the Cutie Pie Challenge - thanks to all, Jx

Challenges;
Christmas Challenges with Sketches - Lovely sketch
Dream Valley Challenges - No designer papers
Glitter n Sparkle - Bling it up - glitter trim on Santa suit
Catch The Bug - Inspirational pic of penguins
ABC Xmas - B - bare minimum!

Christmas Cats - Card 2

Quick post today to try and keep going with Christmas 2014.  This card uses a Day For Daisies stamp and the Sketch Saturday sketch and lots of embossing.

Challenges;
Sketch Saturday - 293 - Lovely CAS sketch
Simon Says Stamp - Emboss it.

Your Favourite Style - CAS

Today see's another new challenge begin over at Sweet Stampin, and Abi has chosen the theme this time.  Today we are being asked to create using;

Your Favourite Style

Now after thinking about this, I decided on CAS - I never seem to manage to pull off the mega embellished look without my card looking cluttered, so instead I prefer the other extreme!  A good sentiment and a bold well coloured image &...that's it!

So here is my card for the occasion;

Sponsoring us this time are Stix2 who are giving away a goodie bag to our lucky winner,

and as well as this we have the monthly sponsor of Cuddly Buddly who offer the overall monthly winner a £10 voucher to use in store.

Challenges;
As You Like It - Favourite C&S design & why.  One image one sentiment and a border - simple as! I love this style as I'm not really into cards with loads on them - mine look to busy when I try.  Plus these cards are perfect to post and don't need a large stamp!
One Crazy Stamper - Anything Goes
The Paper Shelter - Winter Blue - got the blue, not sure about the Winter - but I guess people move house in winter too?
Top Tip Tuesday - CAS
Brown Sugar - Anything Goes

For more details & inspiration head back to the main Sweet Stampin page.

Finally, a tale of woe... Merlot Mogs is poorly!

He went for his "little boy" op on Thurs only things did not go to plan.  His bits weren't both to be found so he needed a much bigger operation with his tummy opened up.  Eventually things were located and removed and he's now home recovering poor love.

CAS Christmas

So how are we all today?  Hopefully well and ready for another fun challenge, cause today see's a new challenge over at an Oldie But A Goodie, and the theme was set by me!

If you are anything like me, Christmas cards just haven't happened this year, so hopefully to speed things along and boost card stocks the theme of

CAS Christmas Cards

(Please remember to use something older than 6months on your card and to tell us what it is.)

will help!  The sponsor this time around is the fabulous Bugaboo - and their images work wonderfully well in bold colours on CAS cards, so I strongly urge you to give them a try.

For my card, I went with a relatively new release called Merry Christmas Tree, available here.

I simply coloured it with Promarkers, glazed my baubles, (glaze being my oldie) then mounted the image on green card and doodled the edges - that simple!  

Now as time is now critical for me on the Christmas card stakes, this is my kinda card! Let's see what you lot can come up with now. For more inspiration, hop back to the main blog to see what the rest of the DT made.

Challenges;
Crafty Calendar - All Things Christmas
Sweet Stampin - Christmas is Comin

CAS

Boy's oh boys am I ahead of myself!  It's only Aug and here's me posting an October DT card.  No biggy now, but I bet come Oct I'll be well chuffed that this is done and dusted and I can concentrate on Christmas cards!

So, the new challenge at Diva's by Design is...

CAS

A favourite challenge theme of mine, which is probably why creativity has jumped ahead, when really I should be working on the current DT card!!!

So here's my effort,

... and there's no denying that it's not CAS! A computer generated sentiment, my new wave die from Die-namics a piece of ribbon & my Promarkers.  And obviously a fabulous image, by 2 Cute Ink, called Dolphin Cutie, available free to all here.

The sponsor this time is 2 Cute Ink, a lovely stamp company, who generously gave us lovely images to play with and who will give our winner lovely digi's as a prize.

Challenges;
Bunny Zoe's Crafts - Something blue
Stamp & Create - Birthdays
Tammy's Scrapin Corner - Monochromatic
Creative Craft Challenges - Anything Goes

With Sympathy

Never anyone's favourite card type to make, but sadly they are needed from time to time.

My CAS card is made with another of those hand-made button/twine flowers that I so love.

Hope you are all enjoying your Sunday.  A quiet day here as it is pouring with rain and the boys are both working.

Challenges;
My Time To Craft - Sympathy
Aud Sentiment - Sympathy
Glitter n Sparkle - CAS
Charisma Cards - Make Your Own Embellishments - My flower
Papertake - Die-ing for a punch - My leaves are cut by a die
Crafting When We Can - Floral

In The Garden

Hi there everyone, Summer holidays in full swing in Scotland, the sun is in the sky and most days I'm in the garden.  That's why I chose

In The Garden 

as the current theme for the Oldie But Goodie Challenge.

(Remember when entering to follow the theme and to use something older than 6 months on your project and  tell us what it is.)

Sponsoring us on this challenge is the super Ivanovachest, where the lovely Natali is offering our luck winner
the prize shown on the main blog.

For my card, I used a lovely new image by Digi Stamp Boutique, available here.  It's coloured with Promarkers, & the carrot border was made using a DSB image which Colin resized and flipped for me (- he's  a good lad!)  So, my oldies - struggling a bit here as my card is pretty CAS, but I'll go with the orange card & glossy accents, both much older than a year.

So, that's what I did - check out the rest of the DT works here then I'd love it if you joined in with this challenge over at an Oldie But A Goodie.

Challenges;
Digi Stamp Boutique - Use a DSB image
Digi Sketch Challenge - Summertime
Make It Monday - Anything Goes
Creative Card Crew - The great outdoors
Shopping Our Stash - Summer theme

10th Aug

Was delighted to see my card won the July DSB challenge and I was to get a super prize of £15 to spend in store - thank you so much Sally Ann, Jx

Stitching

Over a year ago, Craig bought me 3 boxes full of second-hand crafty goodies.  I'm still using new stamps from it & this one is one I can't believe I didn't use before now!

I've never heard of Art-Kure, but boy do they make lovely stamps! This one is called Bearded Iris, and I just love the image.  I think I delayed using it, as I knew it would be a tricky one to colour, but with my Promarkers & Flexmarkers at hand I think I did the image justice.

So this old stamp was used for the current challenge over at An Oldie But A Goodie.  Set by Helen, as

Stitching 

Please also use an item older than 6 months on your card and state what it is.

This is something I don't often do on cards, as the sewing machine spends most of its life in the bottom of the wardrobe boxed away and is a job to get out, but when it does make a rare appearance I have to admit, stitching does look rather nice!

So my card is a real special this time, made early for my Mum's birthday at the end of Aug.  Hope she likes it and that she's been good and stayed off my blog for a bit and doesn't glimpse it before then.

The prize this time around is the chance to  join our DT for a 3 month slot.!

Challenges;
I Love Promarkers - All stitched up
The Paper Shelter - Flower - both on image &  die cut
Crafting When We Can - Mad About Markers - Promarkers
Stamping Sensations - Summer Blooms
A Gem Of A Challenge - Emboss It
Allsorts - In The Garden
Charisma Cards - Tons of Layers

Now check out the rest of the DT makes as we haven't all gone for cards this time!

Finally I just want to say how sad I am that Laurie has left our DT - your cards are brilliant and your contributions to the team will be greatly missed, Jx

5th July 
I was honoured to see the above card placed in the Top 3 at Stamping Sensations, so pleased about this award, Jx

CaS - Stamping on Designer Paper

I do love CaS cards and one of my favourite CaS challenges at the moment is CASual Friday.  This week their challenge was to stamp on designer paper. so I whipped out an old MME sheet and this is what I made.

The stamps used are from a Hero Arts clear set bought a few years ago.  The card is finished with a doodle border.

Challenges;
CASual Friday - Stamp on design paper
Sweet Stampin - Oodles of Doodles Jx

26th May
Yipee! My card was in the spotlight over at Sweet Stampin and won me a £10 voucher over at Crafter's Companion.

Optical Illusion

Just a quick post tonight with a flower I made earlier on as we have been out all day with my sis and her two girls.  Still freezing here, but hey it's still the holidays so you just got to get on with it, wrap up warm and have fun!

This is another card made using a hand made flower following the tutorial below.

http://www.maketime2craft.com/2013/03/jute-loopy-flower-tutorial.html

As I said last time, I really love these flowers so be prepared to see them in many colours & sizes in the coming weeks!

As for my card, well I made it primarily for the CAS-ual Friday Challenge as they wanted, of all things chevrons & flowers!  So, I've told you about the flower, now the chevron ribbon.  I liked it on the reel in the shop, but have never used it since I bought it cause it kinda makes me dizzy when I look at it as a strip - is that just me or do you guys feel it too?  As for the optical illusion, well don't you think the ribbon gets narrower moving left to right?  I can assure you it doesn't - I even measured it with a ruler, then checked it by laying one end on the other, but it sure looks like it on the card, hence I'm just not sure if I like this card or not?

Anyway it was the only chevron crafty bit I had so on it had to go!

Challenges;
CAS-ual Fri - Chevrons & Flowers
Southern Girls - Make like a zebra - zebra stripes!
Bunny Zoe Crafts - Favourite Colour combo - black & white
Catered Crop - Use twine - black twine flower
Glitter n Sparkle - Buttons
Hobby Cutz - CAS
The Ribbon Girls- Flowers
Annabelle Stamps - Liquorice & White
Addicted to Stamps & More - CAS
Crafting For All Seasons - Floral Delight

13th Apr
Glitter & Sparkle winner - prize Jellypark Digi's - thanks guys, Jx

21st Apr
Placed in the Top 3 at Hobby Cutz challenge for this CAS card - well pleased!

Baubles

Last Christmas my lovely husband (he sometimes reads my blog!) bought a £50 huge box of stamps, inks & embossing powders 2nd hand through the local paper.  I was so chuffed as there were so many great stamps in it & I foolishly said I wouldn't need to buy any more new stamps this year, think that lasted about 2 months!

However every now and then I have visited said box - when I haven't been using a Bugaboo digi, and have found various delightful stamps, perfect for the odd challenge.

Case in point, this bauble stamp for the current Winter Wonderland challenge.  The stamp is a Papermania, released in 2007 and this is the first time I've used it.  It's also the first time in ages that I've used embossing powders.  As for the card design - this I found really hard - goodness knows how many papers I tried, but in the end, I went CAS, & tried to replicate a bauble shape with the die cut star ring (Marianne), in behind the image, then finished it off with a glittery ribbon.

Challenges;
Winter Wonderland - Baubles
CHCC - Use something over 6 months old - The stamp
PB@Allsorts - Any Die Will Do
Christmas Card Challenge - Double embossing - Heat embossed baubles & dry embossed stars Jx