Christmas Birthday's

Today I'm away...but hopefully Mr Blogger isn't!  Not on my holidays though, no I'm on a course, learning all about Spirometry, and tomorrow I sit a test! Then tomorrow night, hopefully I will be celebrating passing said test, along with my hubby's birthday!

So, the latest challenge over at MAWTT really came about at a good time for me, the theme is...

Christmas Birthday's

And by my reckoning, a birthday on the 12th falls into that category!  So here is my card, not exactly festive I know, but hopefully all wintery and warm!

The stamp is by Inkadinkado, coloured with Promarkers, Glossy Accents added to the glass pieces then the edges distressed using my ink dusters in TH Distress Pumice. The paper is a double sided Bo Bunny sheet (Back to Backs) and the charm from ebay.

Challenges;
Chocolate Coffee & Cards - Use a charm
Ribbon Girl - Anything Goes
Party Time Tuesday - 193 - Anything Goes
Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes
TopTipTues - Inspiration from the home - Pic below!

...he he he, the wine bottle is already squint and it's not even open! sorry for the horrid photo - but I'm revising...right!

Never Fear...A Hedgehog Is Near!

Near, but not ready to appear!

Expect more hedgehogs next week, but for now a little lady...

I love these Art Impression images, got a few now and this is the first time I've used this lovely lady.  Great sentiments with these stamps too - had to modify it slightly today, but it's much the same as the original.

Challenges;
Papertake - Using the given sketch
Sweet Stampin - Autumn - Colours...shades of brown
Passion for Promarkers - Make it Feminine
Crafty Catz - All Sentimental
Allsorts - Autumn - Colours of

Hedgehogs

Today it's my turn to host the challenge over at Moving Along With The Times and I've chosen the theme of

"Hedgehogs"

Hope you all approve? I just thought there were so many lovely hedgehogs out there that they deserved to be grouped together in a challenge all of there own.  It also gives you scope to go Birthday or Christmas, or what ever you fancy.  So this should make it easy to join in... you'd think so!

My dilemma then became which to use!  Given a narrow theme, the decision is clear cut, give me choice and I stick!  In the end I made more than one card, and that's why my blog has been full of hedgehogs this week - and there's still more to come!

Today however, I've played it safe and gone PB.  Not the most seasonal of stamps I know but I bought it this year intending to use it over the Summer - I've only just got to it now.

I then decided not to use DP's, just card, embossing, punches and dies, the end result being;

Challenges;
Crafting When We Can - No Design Papers
7 Kids College Fund - Anything goes with ribbon or lace
Crafters Cafe - Punches & die cuts - Ms Border punch & sun die
Crafting by Designs - Anything Goes
Crafting With Dragonflies - Anything Goes
Creative Moments - 3 Layers
Hobbybook Design Challenge - Include an Animal
Sisterhood of Crafters - Lots of Layers

The Sky's The Limit!

Another card today - I'm on a roll!

And today I used a fabulous stamp from Little Claire, which I spied last week and oops - bought!

It's just so cute, and perfect for my nieces who love their trampoline!

Maybe for them, I'd do the card in more girly colours, but for now I wanted to use that blue/brown combo again as I loved it the other day! Papers are LOTV.

Challenges;
Cards4Guyz - No balls allowed! (Little guyz!) Jx

Chums

It's so lovely to be back crafting, I've really missed it over the Summer and hope to get caught up on cards over the coming weeks.  We have loads of family Birthdays in October, so I best make a start on them, so today's offering is a boy birthday card made using the OLL CD Say It With Words.

Challenges;
Ooh LaLa 65 - Birthday Boys
Jelly Park - All about pets
Crafting at the Weekend - Anything Goes
Crafty Catz - CAS

Finally I must share this photo with you, Merlot & the catch of the day... I hasten to add, the mouse was not harmed in any way and is now back in the field!

I'm Back!

After a somewhat extended crafting break I think I'm back and card making again.

The household has shrunk significantly, Colin moved out on Saturday, Alan the week before so now it's just me, hubby & cats!

So before I get onto my card, here are a few photo's of Colin in his new flat...

His room is tiny and is just one in a flat of 8 boys.

This is the front door to the flat.

And this is the outside of the building - sadly they are on the top floor!

I did hope to get a few more photos, but tears got in the way - mine obviously not Colin's!  He however is delighted to be a student, loves his flat and is getting on well with his flat mates.  Hopefully this will continue to be the case once Freshers Week is over and the real work begins.

Now, my card, made for a wedding this weekend using lovely Wild Rose Studio papers and a gorgeous Stamping Bella image.

Challenges;
Sketch Saturday - 327 by Debra
316 Avenue Create - Anything Goes
Hobbycutz - Gold or Silver
Brown Sugar - Celebrations - Wedding

Sorry You're Leaving

Card making has all but ground to a hault for me this summer, been busy gardening and then this past week I've been helping my neighbour prepare for the local agricultural show which is on this weekend.

The DST was however brought into action today as I was asked to make a nurse leaving card.  I found a super new image from Papernest Dolls for the job and teamed her up with Basic Grey paper.  A simple card, focusing mainly on the image, and a touch of accents added to the stethoscope.

Challenges;
Papernest Dolls - Anything goes
Sketch Saturday -320- maybe not close enough to the sketch tho?
Crafty Sentiments - Anything goes
Fantastic Tuesday - Anything goes

Pretty Purple

Sorry this is the quickest post ever - will add more later but must dash as I'm taking my Dad to hospital today!

Challenges;
SSW2 - loved it - 192

ADFD - Kraft
Jo's Scrap Shack - Happy Birthday

Fun In The Sun

Morning all, not that sunny here again today but at least the rain has stopped!  I'm heading off to work in a bit, but first a holiday card,

I love this Stamping Boutique image - perfect for putting you in the mood for holidays and hopefully sunshine. Talking of which, Colin goes on Summer holiday tomorrow - lucky dog!  Paper this time is Fundamentals, Forget me not Daisies.

Challenges;
Cupcake Inspirations - Colours
Jo's Scrap Shack - Life's A Beach
Crafters Cafe - Girly
Simon Says Stamp - Vacation/Travel

Top 3 @ Jo's Scrap Shack

Purple Rain

Hasn't the weather turned cold...and wet ...and miserable?

It certainly has with us, so no outdoor projects will be undertaken today.  It's also an exam day for Colin again so I'm not wanting to be too noisy about the house...

So what does that leave me able to do?  Why make cards obviously!

So today's offering uses one of the gorgeous new Lili fairies - Fluttering, available here.  Just love these new releases, so had to use one on todays card.

I followed the SSW2 sketch, used Doodlebug papers, coloured by Promarker then finished the card with Pippa butterflies, glossy accents, ribbons and a sprinkle of Glamour dust.

Challenges;
PB@Allsorts - Anything Goes
Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes
Ribbon Girls - Lilac & Purple (Daisy charm from my Ribbon Girl Prize)
Papertake - Oh so cute
I Love Promarkers - Anything Goes
Passion for Promarkers - Use Die Cuts - Pippa Butterfly
Allsorts - Purple Passion
Cutie Pies - Cute, bring on the bling - glamour dust, glossy accents & a charm
LOTV - Fairies
SSW2 - Super sketch

Finally, I'd just like to thank The Ribbon Girl for giving me a £10 prize in their yellow challenge a month or so back, below are my goodies I selected for my prize,

and with the LOTV voucher I got the sentiment tags I've been wanting for ages.

Thanks to both companies, Jx

Box Card

This must be a first - me doing the latest crafty trend item!  Normally these projects come and go and pass me by, but not this time!

Welcome everyone to the latest challenge over at Diva's by Design, which is

Anything Goes

and we are sponsored by Bunny Zoe Crafts this week so there is a fab prize up for grabs.

But first, back to my project - a box card made after my blogging friend Ann insisted I have a go as they were so easy! (It was the last bit that swayed it for me!)

And here is my little work of art!

So Ann, the instructions you sent me were perfect, the box was easy to put together and there were only 2 things I didn't like.

No 1 - I don't have stamps and dies that work together, so all my flowers were hand cut which took a while & worse than that, it meant the hoover had to come out as I made a mess with paper clippings!

No 2 - was fair delighted with my floral arrangement till I tried flattening it and puting it in an envelope... my creation is a bit wide so the secateurs will have to come out!

So for those of you who haven't yet had a go at one of these, I urge you to do so - here are Ann's basic instructions which are simple to follow,

Score an A4 card in landscape at 7, 14, 21 & 28 cm.
Turn to portrait and score at 7 & 15 cm.
Cut off at 15cm and use this bit to make 2 inside supports approx 2cm deep for inside the box.  These should be 7cm wide + a 1cm scored tab at either end so they can be glued in place.
Next, cut the 4 shorter scores (7cm) so the crease line to create the box flaps and glue together.

I know this sounds a bit complex, but honest it's not.  Once you start working with the card and visulise the finished product the folds and cuts make sense.

Challenges;
Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes
Stampin With The Dragon - Flowers
A Little Bit Crafty - Flower Power
4 Krafty Girlz - Anything Goes
Charisma Cardz - May Flowers
Crafty Little Fairies - In the garden
Creative Knockouts - Lots of Layers
Top Tip Tuesday - Here comes Summer

Finally, I just want to thank my fellow Diva's for having me on the design team this last year.  I've loved working with you all and am sure our paths will cross in the future.

Training Update
Well folks, I hang my head in shame, the schedule has gone to pot, there has been no exercise for days as I have a horrid cold and cough.  I'm breathless just going about the house so to try and run would be pointless. Hopefully training will resume before the week is out!

Told Ya!

The other week I was lucky enough to win a couple of digi's from Kerry over at Lady Bug Craft Inc - love the stamps and happened to say to Kerry the owner that I don't use them often enough but I promised to use the ones I won rather than just filing them on a disc - so here is my first LCI card for a while!

The image is Tic-Tac Love and as well as being perfect for Valentines Day - when I think it was launched, I also thought it would work well for Anniversarys.

So here is my CAS easel card.

Coloured with Promarkers with shadows added to the symbols and lots of glossy accents added every where else!  Finally I popped on two little tags using a brad onto the ribbon - for you with love - stamps I won on last monthe Ribbon Girl Challenge so thanks both companies - Ribbon Girl & LOTV for my prize.

Challenges;
LCI - Easel cards
Sketch n Stash - Super sketch 138
Crafty Catz - Black, White & Another - Red
Papertake - Anything Goes
Allsorts - Fancy Folds

Bugaboo Bingo - CC17

Well my blog has been somewhat dominated by Easter/Spring projects, at the expense of Christmas, so to rectify the situation I'm back playing Christmas Catch-Up - this time over at Bugaboo and Catch The Bug.

Today's Saturday challenge is

Bingo

and the grid is shown at the bottom of this post as well as on the Main Blog page.

I chose the middle line - Bugaboo/Players Choice(Glossy Accents)/Border
and here's my somewhat unseasonal card!

Challenges;
Crafty Sentiments - Use lots of white
Incy Wincy Designs - CAS
TTCRD - Anything goes
CHCE - Anything goes
Holly Jolly Christmas - Reason for the Season
Ladybug Crafts Inc - WoW
Crafters Cafe - CAS
Winter Wonderland - Little Robin Redbreast - on at the end!
CHCC - Hats - on the snowman & robin

Spring Time

Well I don't know about where you are, but I'd certainly say Spring has sprung here!  What a great week we've had weather wise, it's been dry, it's been sunny and dare I say it... it's been warm!

The daffodils are a mass of sunshine yellow at the moment and it's a joy to be outside again - albeit with a jumper!

Anyway, back to inside activities first, and this weeks Saturday challenge over at Catch the Bug.  This time our theme is, unsurprisingly

Spring Time

and with so many great Bugaboo Spring stamps available this year, the only problem is, deciding which one to use!  I went with Spring Friends available here.

So, my card uses Basic Grey papers and as always, is coloured by Promarker.

Challenges;
Kraftyhands - Sketch
Passion for Promarkers - So Sentimental
Thru The Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
Papertake - Spring has Sprung
Creative Card Crew - Spring
CHPP - Patterned papers
Crafters Cafe - Spring
Creative Knockouts - Spring is in the air

Sorry I haven't been around much this week, it's always the same when the boys are at home - too many other things to do.  So far this week, Colin has sat and passed his theory driving test, we've viewed various accomodation for him for the Autumn when he hopefully starts Uni. We've been visiting, gardening, shopping and basically doing things together - got to make the most of their time at home! Jx

Also winner at Creative Knockouts and getting a prize from Sweet n Sassy Stamps - no blinkie from CK!

Christmas Card Wk 15

Just a quick post as I want to get out in the garden while the sun shines!

Bugaboo image, LOTV papers, Colouring by Promarker.

Challenges;
CCWS - Super sketch by Christina
Completely Xmas - Anything Goes
Crimbo Crackers - Anything
I Love Promarkers - Anything Goes
Winter Wonderland - Kraft
Fab n Funky - Christmas