Magnificent Magnum

Think I may be entering a new stamp phase/craze, this time it's for Lady Bug Crafts Ink stamps.  I won a few last month, then was lucky enough to win some more last week.  Shopping there at the moment is such a good idea as all cling stamps are 70% off!!!  So with this offer and my prize, it would have been rude not to do a proper shop!  Sadly though, as soon as my stamps arrived, an elf in the house whipped them off me for Christmas!

This image, well Magnum really, reminds me so much of our big white puss Tommy who is sadly no longer with us.  Mind you it should be our other cat Femo not a mouse in the crane as she was always the one picking a fight with poor old Tom!

So, onto my card, colouring by Promarker & papers 12x12 sheets by Craft Creations.

Challenges;

Simon Says Stamp - Sketch - Oops, week out...make that anything goes!

Party Time Tuesday - Anything Goes

Sweet Stamp - Cold & Snowy

Tuesday Throwdown - Lots of Layers

Bunny Zoe Crafts - Winter

Here Come The Boys - Birthdays

Stamptacular Sunday - Winter Bliss

Totally Stampilicious - Let It Snow

Tammy's Scrappin Corner - Let It Snow

Divas By Design - Glitter & Sparkle

Peggy Sue Hatter

This little lady is from Little Miss Muffet Stamps - isn't she lovely! She's called Peggy Sue and is available here.  Lucky me, I won her on the LMM challenge last month, so I thought it only right that I should use her for one of their challenges - along with a few others!

Challenges;
Papertake - Ribbons & Pearls
Sketch n Stash - A great sketch by Doreen
LMM - Textiles - Ribbons
Cutie Pies - Use a doily
MAWTT - Dotty
One Stitch At A Time - Fabric Ribbon or Lace - Ribbon
Cute Card Thursday - Girls only  Jx

Let It Snow

Well it's almost the end of November and with Christmas fast approaching, why not join us over at An Oldie But A Goodie, where Tracy has picked

Let it Snow

as the next challenge theme.

I suppose it doesn't have to be a Christmas card you do, but I went down that road with a lovely Bugaboo Image available here.

I then used my LOTV sentiment from last year, (Oldie) as a centre piece in the snowflake.  The card is then finished off with die cut snowflakes & glaze.

Our sponsor this time is Iva Nova Chest who are offering our winner these lovely Christmas charms as their prize.

Challenges;
Addicted To Stamps - Christmas Time
Challenge Up Your Life - First Snow
Christmas Stampin All Year Long - To Die For - All those snow flakes
Wags n Whiskers - Christmas
Glitter n Sparkle - Ribbon/Lace

For more inspiration, check out the main blog and what the other girls have done, Jx

Chicken Soup

After this mornings quick post I thought I better put in a more substantial project too!  So here it is, a get well card using a Bugaboo image & some Six by Six paper.

Challenges;
Sentimental Sunday - Get Well
The Sweet Stop - Sketch 186
Catch The Bug - Colour Challenge

Off out to pick up some leaves now as the garden is full - again! Jx

Tag! You're It!

This week I received some new dies from Dies To Die For, and already they are into working service!  I first used these banner tag on a card last week, then last night I had a go at a quick bottle tag and it worked perfectly.

Think there will be more of these to follow this year, but here's the prototype!

Challenges;
ABC Christmas - Wrapping ...Bottle wrap
Christmas Stampin All Year Long - To Die For - Tag & circle dies used
Lawnscaping Challenge - Tags Jx

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

Snow?

Well I'm just back from the hairdresser, & according to her, we are in for sub zero temperatures and snow in 3 weeks time.  Checked it out on line on the long range weather forecast and all I can see is a warning for heavy rain at the end of this week - so time will tell who's right.

With snow (& Christmas) in mind I have made this little card to add to the collection.

The image is Bugaboo - the paper Craft  Creations & the dies Die- Namics.

Challenges;
Sketch Sat - A good one Jen
Dies To Die For - The tags & the snowflake are die-cuts
LCI - Snowflakes
Craft Your Passion - Use scraps - The stripe paper was off cuts. Jx

Oh Christmas Tree

Well I think it's going to be a Bugaboo Christmas from me this year and especially Bugaboo Reindeer - I so love these, especially this guy carrying the tree.

Papers this time are Holly Jolly Christmas from a few years back - courtesy of Susan, as my pack is all but done!

Challenges;
I Love Promarkers - Trees
The Sweet Stop - Their sketch 185 - Didn't see the spin bit till I went to upload - but I guess some people eat reindeer! (Yuk)
The Crafty Pad - It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas
Holly Jolly Christmas - 3xR - Reindeer, Ribbon & Red

What! No Stamps???

This doesn't hardly ever happen but today I made a card without Promarkers or a stamp! It was quite fun really, instead I relied upon my Spellbinders & my distress inks!

Not the best card to photo in night light, but you get the general idea.

Challenges;

Totally Papercraft - Black & White & CAS

Glitter & Sparkle - Lots of Layers

The Crafty Pad - Christmas

Papertake - Flower Power

Thank You

Quick post as it's the adverts in I'm a Celebrity!

Challenges;
Sentimental Sunday - Thank you
Crafting For All Seasons - Thank you
The Broken Box Stop - Thank You

A Delightful Snowman

... by Designed 2 Delight - but not a delightful story!!!

How do you store your digi's?

& more importantly, do you have a BACK-UP?

Our hard drive started playing up last night, and at one point, I could no longer access all my digi images - & there are one or two!  Luckily my husband managed to recover them all, but I had no back up so if they had gone - they would have been gone for ever!  So today's lesson it, burn a CD, save to a stick - do something & make sure you have a back up cause it is just too painful to loose all your lovely stamps!

Anyway my story had a happy ending but it was a bit of a scare! On a happier note, Femo mogs is happier after her two injections from the vet and is back to her normal self.

Finally, the card!

A D2D image, coloured with Promarkers, glittered with glamour dust and set on Craft Companion papers.

Challenges;
Chocolate Coffee & Cards - Layout
Designed2Delight - October Monthly challenge
Crafty Catz - Lets Have Sparkle
Fussy & Fancy - Feelin Blue
Charisma Cardz - Cool Colours
CHCC - Use something over 6 months old - The papers are about 2 years old  Jx

Back To School

A while back I was lucky enough to win some LCI stamps, and one of them was this one below;

It's called The High Top and was perfect for the current LCI challenge which was to include some stationary bits on your card.  The image is coloured by Promarker and the graph paper is by Lilybee Design and is called Memorandum.

Challenges;
Made Especially For You - Sketch
LCI - Use stationary on card - paper clip & graph paper. Jx

Cat Crazy

Anyone who knows me, knows I love cats, so this kitty image by Bugaboo is right up my street.  Coloured in greys - just like our cat, Femo, I've made this birthday card using Basic Grey papers and bits & pieces off my desk.

Challenges;
Sketch Saturday - Jen's Sketch - No 233
Catch The Bug - Things With Tails

& on the subject of cats, poor little Femo is a bit under the weather today - she has the vet at 6 tonight as I think she has cystitis - ouch! Jx

Magical Christmas

Alan my eldest son grew up through the Harry Potter years, he enjoyed reading and he hoovered up the books.  So much though, at one point in his life, he wrote to Dumbledore and received back owl post and he even considered moving out should he be called upon to attend Hogwarts as a trainee wizard. (Of course we didn't feed his imagination and assist with owl post, but when he told a friend at school, he tried it and nothing happened to his letters so he asked if it could be sent from ours.  Surprisingly a reply came back - the owl got lost of the way to his friends - apparently!

Anyway, as a deadline is approaching I'd better complete this post & get the card in!

So, my card uses another fab Bugaboo along with a LOTV date, diecut foliage and some recycled cracker decoration baubles as kinda Quiddich snitch balls! Paper is a lovely 12 x 12 sheet by Best Creation Inc.

And as Alan is now away from home in Uni accommodation I think this is the perfect card for him this year.

Challenges;
Winter Wonderland - One For The Boys - Include a male image - HP
CHCC - For A Man or Boy
MAWTT - Stars
Cupcake Craft Challenge - Lovely sketch No 218
Allsorts - Young At Heart
Cards For Men - Anything Goes
Crafty Cardmakers - One Die/Punch - Die cut foliage & snowflake
Passion For Promarkers - Moon or Stars or both + Colouring by Promarker - I have stars

Anything But Christmas

A welcome break from the Christmas slog this time over at an Oldie But A Goodie - Lisa has chosen

Anything But Christmas

as her theme for the current challenge.  Please also remember to use something older than 6 months on your card and to tell us what it is.

For my card, I chose another fabulous Bugaboo called "Ava Swing" along with First Edition Up Up & Away papers(my oldie).  Finally I added a die cut fence to complete my garden scene.

This time we are lucky enough to have Bugaboo back as our sponsor and they are offering one lucky winner 7 digi's of their choice as a prize.

Challenges;
Passion For Promarkers - In The Garden
Do You Stack Up - Leaves & Trees
Crafting For All Seasons - Falling Leaves
Divas By Design - Lets Get Cute
Catch The Bug - Things With Tails

The Sweet Shop

The sweet shop at the sweet stop!

I saw this sketch and just knew I had to make this card!

The image is by The Stamping Boutique and is called Candy-Land Winter Candy , I so love this one & the fact it is digi you can make the sweetie as big as you like! (Wish you could do that to real ones!) 

Challenges;
The Sweet Stop - Sketch SSS184
Crafts & Me - Reds
Card Mania - Embossing
Craft Your Passion - CAS
The Stampman - Emboss It
My Mums Craft Shop - Sentiments

Costa Girl

Our neighbours daughter works at Costa Coffee and I think this is the perfect image for her card this year!

Colouring as always by Promarker, then the cups were given a glaze finish.  The paper is a single 12 x 12 sheet, but is unnamed.

Challenges;
Cupcake Craft - Use kraft
I Love Promarkers - Pretty In Pink
Totally Papercrafts - Cute & Girly
Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
Stella Says Sketch - Sketch 123

The Coppice

Which means a small wood of small trees! I didn't know that - but maybe you lot did?

Anyway, it's the name of this lovely little stamp which I got last year and it's by Inkylicious.  I actually got it at Christmas time along with some butterfly stamps, some ink dusters & some ink pads.  Still haven't got around to using them yet, but I was amazed at the lovely works of Lisa using ink dusters so I thought I'd have a go!

My simple card follows sketch 5 from the Stetch n Stash catalogue - a great resource tool if like me you prefer to follow a sketch rather than design your own.

Challenges;
Do You Stack Up - Leaves & Trees
Crafty Creations - No Flowers
Papertake - Anything Goes
Sketch n Stash - Sketch 5
Here Come The Boys - Favourite Film - Forest Gump!

Digi Dilemma!

I love this framed poinsettia digi - but I can't remember who it's by! Anyone recognise it? Please say if you do cause it's buggin me!  I knew someone would recognise it - prize goes to Debs, it's a Digi Stamp Boutique one.  Don't know if it's retired tho cause that was one of the places I looked for it. Perhaps a DSB person can help if they read this?

So another quick CAS card to add to the Crimbo pile, colouring by Promarker & liquid pearl centres.

Challenges;
CASual Friday - Rip it - the panel under the ribbon
Digi Stamp Boutique - November Challenge
Christmas Stampin All Year Long - Anything Goes
Southern Girls - Christmas Projects Jx

While Shepherds...

Surprisingly there are loads of Christmas challenges out there at the moment, & in my effort to catch up with my Christmas makes I have joined in a few today.  One challenge I haven't done in ages is Winter Wonderland, & I thought I'd have to skip it this time too as I didn't think I had a shepherd or king stamp - then Sam reminded me - I do - this PB called Nativity I think, but I can't find it on my messy desk to check! (Instead of WOMWW - in my case it's what's not!)

Now whilst at the shops today I popped into the wool shop, where I get my ribbons & buttons & I spied this metallic starry stuff.  Haven't a clue what it's called, but it's dirt cheap & looks pretty cool - well I think so!

Challenges;

Totally Papercrafts - Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Winter Wonderland - While Shepherds...

PBSC - Cute Christmas

Sweet Stampin - All That Glitters - The metallic stars do in real life but they look kinda black by flash photo!
Come & Get It - Monochromatic Sunday  Jx

Christmas Tree Trio

Same stamp as last night but in 50 shades! Image by The Crafty Pad - link in post below!

Kept it simple again as I'm in a quick make phase - possibly cause the number of days between now and Christmas has rapidly declined - also cause hubby is on holiday this week and we hit the shops today for Christmas shopping. (2 Next jumpers for me and lunch out was the result - but I have a few ideas now!)

Challenges;
Crafty Pad - Anything Goes
Stamping Sensations - Traditional Christmas
Come & Get It - Monochromatic Sunday

Simply Christmas

Some stamps you just fall in love with - & this is one for me.  I am a big fan of CAS cards & sometimes think you can over complicate things with papers & layers.  That said, I had out a selection of tree papers to accompany this image but when I started layering up I never found anything better that the simple layout below.  Will now play around with different colours and see how they go.

The image is by The Crafty Pad - available here & it's called Christmas Tree Trio.

Challenges;
The Crafty Pad - Anything Goes
Sketchy Colours - Green & White

Ten Pin Bowling

A bit like buses this weekend - no cards then 3 in close succession!  Nothing like a bit of pressure and fast approaching birthdays to up production!

This card uses a fantastic Crafty Pad image I won in a recent challenge - really pleased with it and think it will be perfect for those hard to do male cards - plus it is a doddle to colour!

I then glazed the bowling ball to add a bit of texture & dimension to the card although this is quite difficult to see from the photo!

Challenges;
Cards For Men - Lovely sketch
Allsorts - Men Only
The Crafty Pad - Anything Goes
CASual Friday - Masculine
Deep Ocean Challenge - Sporty/Outdoors - I went with sport & ten pin bowling which is a kinda sport? Jx

Evie

This image is one of my sister's favourites and has been requested for her SiL - hopefully it makes the grade. She's coupled with some MME Six by Six papers, which sadly are running out - (may just have to pop them on my Christmas list - hint hint! - available at the Meldrum Shop readers)

Now the flower is one bought at a chemist in Germany of all places - it was a bit in your face though so I inked the edges and am much happier now.

Challenges;
Papertake - And a super sketch
Cupcake Inspirations - Photo Inspiration - I went with the colours
Card Crafters Circle - Patterned Paper
Chocolate Coffee & Cards - Stripes - Base sheet
Wags n Whiskers - Fall Colours
Love To Create - Lots of Layers Jx

Thank You - Latte

Another great image by Bugaboo and a perfect choice for a dear friend who gifted me recently.  The papers are off a pile - that's all I can tell you!

Colouring by Promarker & the brads ... out of a box of bits! (Not doing too well with labels tonight!)

Challenges;
Sunday Sketch & Stamp - Liked this one, & only just made this in time!
A Gem Of A Challenge - Polka Dots
Catch The Bug - Anything Goes
Do You Stack Up - Brads
Papercraft Star - A warm beverage

Finally I just gotta show you our firework photos!  We didn't ave many this year - but the ones we did have were ace... look...

Pity I didn't have these a week ago for the Little Miss Muffet Challenge! Jx

Snow Much Fun!

This time last week, we awoke to a covering of snow here in Scotland - luckily this week we are back to more seasonal weather and the only snow around is on my card.

My card uses the lovely Sledging By stamp by Mulberry Wood.  It's coloured with Promarkers then various embellishments added to complete the card.

Challenges;
Seems A Little Sketchy - Great Sketch
Creative Craft Challenge - Special Occasion - Not Birthday
Crafty Pad - Christmas is coming
ABC Christmas - V for vibrant colours
Crafty Catz - Add Texture - Embossing/Ribbon/Charm
Delicious Doodles - Embossing
I Love Promarkers - Cute
My Mum's Craft Shop - Bright & Bold  Jx

Monster Mission

Today, I have been asked to guest design for the Little Miss Muffet Challenge blog, so obviously I am thrilled to do so.

The challenge this time around is Fireworks based on the inspirational pictures below.  The winner of this challenge will get to pick 2 digi's of their choice from the LMM shop - 3 if they also do a guest design spot.

Not the easiest of themes I know, but with a cute LMM image called "Monster Mission"I came up with the following card;

Thought the little monster could hitch a ride on the back of a rocket!

The background sheet is created by stamping fireworks then heat embossing them in various colours.  The stamp used for this was a wooden oldie of Ebay dated 1998 by Michelle Huberman.

Challenges;
One Crazy Stamper - Anything goes
The Paper Shelter - Anything Goes
Stampin For The Weekend - Anything Goes

Now head back to the main blog to see the other lovely cards by the rest of the DT, Jx

Here Comes Santa Claus

This is one of my favourite Santa images, he's from Sugar Nellie & he's just such a happy chappie don't you think?

So my card is still following the red & white theme for a friend and has the LOTV sentiment, mounted on a die cut snowflake.

Challenges;
Winter Wonderland - Use 3 punches - Snowflakes - 3 sizes - Oop but 2 were dies, hmm maybe not then!
Sugar Bowl - Sketch
CHCC - No papers
Papertake - Fireworks - Lots of glitter & bling

Spots & Stripes

A nice easy theme, set by Helen this time around at An Oldie But A Goodie and today we are lucky enough to be sponsored by Crafty Sentiments who are offering one lucky winner 3 digi images.

The DT were also lucky enough to get some images to play around with, and as my Christmas makes have not really been progressing as they should, I thought I best do a Christmas card to boost their numbers.  The image I used is called Snowman Frame and is available here.  Papers are Craft Creations and they are my oldies from a few years back.

So that's my take on the current challenge, now go over to the main blog and see what the other ladies made before joining us this time. Jx

Challenges;
Sketch n Stash - Kevin's sketch
One Stitch At A Time - Make One For Christmas
Crafty Ann's - Christmas
Crafty Ribbons - Christmas
Willow Sketchie - Christmas

Jolly Christmas Kitty

I know it's said that we shouldn't pass images around - & I don't with digi's cause they are so cheap, but I must admit I have received my fair share of stamped images form fellow crafters - but far from them making me buy less - they usually encourage me to buy more - this stamp is case in point! (Thanks Sam)

This lovely kitty is a Penny Black, coloured with Promarkers then given a dose of Stickles! The holly & snowflake are diecuts & the 25th an LOTV stamp.

Challenges;
I Love Promarkers - Christmas
Penny Black & More @ Allsorts - Animal Magic
Southern Girls - Animal Crackers
CHCC - No Design Papers
The Crafty Pad - Christmas Is Coming

Finally a family photo - as you may know, Alan our son was 18 on Saturday, & on Fri night we had a spot of snow...look what his cousins made for him for his birthday! 18 snowmen - one for each year! Thanks girls - this has got to be his best present! Jx

Femo Has Lots of Friends!

Femo being my little grey cat! The Oskar Schindler of the cat world... re-housing all the field mice after their homes have been destroyed by the combines harvesting their crops.  Yup, the kind hearted Femo carefully carries her little orphans back to our house where she drops them live! WHAT A CAT!!!

Anyway, card 2 on the list - same stamp but a completely different layout.

Challenges;
Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Lovely sketch
Penny Black & More @ Allsorts - Animal Magic - 2nd Entry
ABC Christmas - U - Up to You
The Crafty Pad - Use An Animal
Passion For Promarkers - Christmas
Do You Stack Up - Embossing Jx

Femo's Friends!

This has got to be my most used Christmas stamp.  It's 3 years old now & each year I think that's it, it's been used to exhaustion, then someone asks me for another mousey card.

This year however I've gone for the new pink look snowflake - not a huge change I know, but a change none the less.  The same person has also asked for a set of red & white cards with embossing so here is the first of many!

Challenges;
Fetch-a-Sketch - Their sketch
Penny Black & More @ Allsorts - Animal Magic

Pumpkin Pumpin, Big & Round

I decided this year I wanted some Autumn themed stamps, I bought a scarecrow digi a couple of weeks back, then last week I found this pre-coloured beauty from Fred She Said & I knew it was for my ever growing digi collection!

The design here is quite simple using basic grey papers a PB sentiment & some candi.

Challenges;

Jacksons Digital Expressions - Brown Teal & Orange - All colours on dotty paper.
LCI - Things Beginning With "P" - Pumpkins
Pin-Spirational Challenges - Pumpkin Picture Inspiration
Joanna Sheen - Autumn Breeze
Allsorts - Autumn Colours
Simply Create Too - Pumpkins
Cupcake Craftroom - Autumn
Crafts For Eternity - Picture/Colour Inspiration
Simple Salutations - Fruit & Veg - Pumpkins Jx