HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

We were just on our way out to a party - till DH came back from the cashpoint with a dog that was wandering as well as the cash! Mutiny in the ranks from our two dogs, can't go anywhere till we've found the owners, who are no doubt out somewhere as they're not answering their phone!

Deby - CASE 3

Continuing with the SBS25 sister's challenge, last night I CASED a card from Deby's Blog - The Sofalady. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yvehutHbSmE/SQNBHLPqwHI/AAAAAAAAAIg/dijQm_MDf-4/s200/Birthday+Card+for+Maureen.jpg This was a difficult choice, the more I looked the more great card layouts I found...

I stuck with approximately Deby's colours, though I didn't have any of the soft yellow she used. I wasn't happy with the way the sentiment at bottom right stamped, so I covered it with the contrast panel and put a bird above it on silicone glue.

Didn't have enough room for the pretty flowers Deby used so I put adhesive gemstones on instead. All the stamps are Elusive Images, the background swirl is from their Graphicus Guild stamp. The sentiment is from the WIGL textplate and the bird from the Dawn Chorus set.

CASEing Janet

This is only my second CASE, but I hope to CASE a few more sisters now I've a few days off :).

This is Janet's card http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tFrAHz2sZZA/ST7Uv-5wOsI/AAAAAAAAAWk/h21AmqXSSWA/s1600-h/bcc57bsc58.JPG which I really like. I've kept the layout, changed the colours and not used the embossing folders. The Stampinbella has also morphed into a Tilda that I bought in the Stamp Attic sale :).

I made the card for my Mum, in warm yellowy colours that she likes, as she asked for notelets and thank you cards for Christmas this year. Most of the cards were bought but I got the chance to make two and put them in the box with the other cards. She didn't notice them when she unwrapped it until I asked her to look again :(.

Post Bonanza!

Look what was waiting when I came home from work today!

I was lucky enough to win Vanja's Blog Candy. My "sister" from Serbia sent me some lovely ribbons, some glitter glue, a clear Father Christmas stamp (doesn't show up well in the photo) and some gorgeous images including Whiff of Joy - wow! There was also a cute card in the package - thanks Vanja :).

I got a lovely card from Sharon in Australia, another of my "sisters" - great card, thank you.

And finally I got swap ATCs back from UKATC, themes are snow and snowmen and copper/bronze.

I have a few days off now and look forward to some crafting.

Christmas Craft Goodies

I was so lucky to get lots of lovely craft goodies this Christmas. Most were from my DH and my sons, also I had some craft presents from my FIL, which I know is thanks to my DH's organising :).

I need to find some tutorials for the Copic markers, I had a little play and made a dreadful mess of an image!

ATCs sent

Here is my December swap for UKATC group, just scraping under the wire for December!

CASEing Judy

Janet has challenged the SBS25 group to CASE each other's work for our challenge over the Christmas holiday. I've begun with Judy p://passion4cards.blogspot.com/2008/10/cardmaking-and-chemo.html . I know Judy was due to have chemo today, Boxing Day, hope it goes well for you Judy :). My card uses some new Hero Arts stamps that I got for Christmas and the sentiment is from Elusive Images.

It's Only Rock and Roll

I got a collage card from my DH this Christmas :). He's not diverting from fly tying into cardmaking, but he bought me a magazine subscription to http://www.iorr.org/ and wanted me to have something to open on Christmas Day!

I also got some crafting goodies which I'll put on my blog later, but I wanted to show off the card!

Merry Christmas to all

It's nearly Christmas; I hope that everyone has a wonderful day tomorrow. I've moved away from quilting and embroidery and into papercrafts, but I still have a lovely new hanging for the house, thanks to my friend Kandy, who gave me this for Christmas. It's beautiful, thanks Kandy :)

Finished with Christmas - I hope!

Last night the last few cards got finished up and delivered through doors. Unless I realise that I've forgotten someone, that's it for another year :). Last year I made cards with a photo on and some minimal stamping, this is the first year I've made cards from scratch. Next year I'm starting earlier!

Here are 3 more Penny Black images, all stamped onto a Glimmer Misted background and with Stickles on the robin and the berries. The background papers are all Artylicious from the Season's Greeting cd - at least the red was sent as a Graphicus Guild paper and I think it's on the cd...

The last card is a Penny Black image. I forgot I have a set of Twinkling H20s, used them to paint this, embossed the greeting onto another Graphicus Guild paper, added some Stickles.

Penny Black Challenge 28 - multifold

Here are a couple of gatefold cards I made yesterday, also for twins Sam and Colleen. Both have Penny Black hedgehog images on.

The background paper is from the Atylicious Seasons Greetings cd, which has been a real lifesaver when I've looked for something to co-ordinate with an image.

A confession: inside the pink card I stamped the greeting upside down. When I realised, I stuck the backing paper inside - and promptly made the same mistake again! Unstuck the paper, put it right way up without wrecking the card - phew! Think I spent too long making last minute cards yesterday, the mistakes were coming thick and fast by then end of the session :)

Vanja's Blog Candy - I won!

I enter lots of blog candy draws - for the first time I've won - my blogging "sister" Vanja's nephew drew my name from the hat.

Thanks so much Vanja - Merry Christmas to you and of course to your little nephew :)

http://justheather-valems.blogspot.com/ Here's Vanja's blog - have a look, she produces wonderful work.

It's not as bad as it looks!

I have new rubber, but it's not as much of a spending spree as it appears... honest!

The two left hand sets are Graphicus Guild limited edition stamps. I know, they're not free, but they're great value and both useful sets.

The others are all Paper Artsy stamps that came as a gift when I renewed my Craft Stamper subscription, which had lapsed a while back. Lovely stamps, I like the swirly set. Trouble is, I've run out of EZMount so I can't easily use my lovely new stamps!

Sketch & Stash - new challenge blog

http://sketchandstashchallenge.blogspot.com/ is a new challenge blog starting on 5 January. There is also blog candy on offer closing 3 January. Looks interesting, why not check it out...

Cute Card Thursday Challenge 41 - open

Edwin is a matching pair for the Tilda card I made yesterday, the card is for Sam, who is Colleen's twin brother and has his birthday on Christmas Eve.

Cute Card Thursday has an Open Challenge over the holidays, so I've chosen to enter Edwin.

He's painted with ArtQuest watercolours, the background papers are from a pad I bought at the NEC last year. Sentiment is from a Hero Arts clear stamp set.

Friday Sketchers Challenge 33 & Secret Crafter Challenge 12

This week's Friday Sketcher's Challenge used a tag layout that I thought would work well for this Tilda, who I bought at the Stamp Attic, which is also where the background papers came from.

The tag is only secured with a brad, so you can flip up the corner and see that it has the pink pattern onthe reverse (double sided paper).

Tilda's dress is paper pieced from the pink print and her shoes are paper pieced from the bazzil paper that the small tag is made of. This is for Colleen, who is six on Christmas Eve. Now to make a card for her twin brother Sam...

Monochrome Madness

http://papertakeweekly.blogspot.com/ Papertake's Challenge this week is Monochrome Madness, this card fits the bill :).

I was trying out an idea I've had where three scenes are stamped at different angles and then placed on the card so they form one line of trees. It needs matting AFTER trimming down, not before! Also the scenes need to be trimmed tighter to the image, but I like the Glimmer Misted background and it was hard to take any of it off. The Glimmer Mist matches the Artylicious paper (from Seasons Greetings cd) better in real life than in the scan... Art Impressions tree stamp used.

Christmas in a hurry

Here are a couple more quick cards, can you tell I'm starting to run out of time here!


Firstly a very pretty printed image from the Artylicious Season's Greetings cd, with some gemstones on top of the trees.


Secondly, I've used the Graphicus Guild Limited Edition stamp to make several cards. The one I've scanned in is cutaway so some of the inside of the card shows, which isn't ideal as you can see some of the sentiment inside. I made 1/2 dozen with the tree in the background in Adirondack green ink, stamped twice to get a lighter image. Then I embossed with green Adirondack powder, added some Stickles for bling and stuck it over the others using silicon glue.

In the post...

I've received two gorgeous cards. The first one is from Lesley, a Graphicus Guild member, we have had a swap where we each send one card to another member. The card is so elegant, it is white embossed on back, with an acetate snowflake panel over the cutaway panel with Madonna and Child.

We crafters are very self-critical; Lesley pointed out when she'd scanned it that there is a snowflake over the baby's face. The first time I saw this was when I scanned it. In real life the transparent panel and the other two layers just separate slightly and it looks perfect.

The second card is from a friend in the village. We carshare to the Stamp Attic Club meetings at Wantage and occasionally get together to craft when we can. Janet's card is so sumptuous in golds and creams, with lots of painstaking detail, even down to the matching insert. The trees are 3D with embossed detail and the Father Christmas is also dimensional.

Neither card looks quite as good in the scan as in real life; they have pride of place at home and are much appreciated.

Thanks Janet and thanks Lesley.

A couple of quick cards...

These are silver tinsel embossed on a glimmer misted backgrounds, the printe dpapers on the RH card are Artylicious scraps from another card. The stamp is Impression Obsession. I've barely used the stamp set; the one I was sold had a faulty tree. After much to-ing and fro-ing and claims that my returned set hadn't arrived, and then that it wasn't faulty, I was eventually given the shop owners' used tree stamp in exchange. Funnily enough, the set has lost its beauty for me. Lesson learnt, I won't shop there again.

Penny Black 3:2:1 Recipe & Stamp Something Challenge

This week Penny Black's Challenge is to use a recipe: 3 flowers, two papers and one ribbon. I decided that the recipe would work well with Stamp Something's Challenge for this week, which was "Something red, gold and green".

I used a tiny set of clear Penny Black stamps called Christmas Treasures that I bought with ATCs in mind. I gold embossed two small and one large poinsettia, cut them out and coloured them in with a Marvy le Plume red pen. The flowers were mounted on foam pads, on an oval cut from Artylicious Season's Greetings paper. I used a lovely red Artylicious paper with it but decided it was too much to cover the whole card, so I added a plain green background. I hope the "two papers" only meant patterned papers :). The ribbon is a green sheer ribbon I've had in for ages and I finished off the card by gold embossing the curved sentiment round the edge of the oval and adding some Stickles to the middles of the flowers. Hmm... the sentiment is a bit blurred, I may have another go at mounting this card...

Not many Christmas cards left to make now :)

Claire's Blog Candy Challenge

Claire has blog candy to celebrate 5,000 hits - but with a difference. You have to link to her blog: http://clairescraftycorner.blogspot.com/ but you get a second bite at the cherry if you make something using Claire's sketch.

I liked Claire's sketch, though I've changed the position of the sentiment I hope it is still eligible. The large circle with text comes from my Artylicious Seasons' Greetings CD, as do the background paper and the small circle. If I'd used the text for the small circle the whole card would have been ENORMOUS! Imaginationcrafts circle scene stamp used again. I've stamped, painted and layered it 3 times on the card to give some depth. The stars on the text circle have Stickles on to give them some sparkle, it's also round the small circle for contrast. The felt snowflakes filled in the corners.

Nice sketch Claire, thanks :)

Test entry

testing

SBS25 Challenge 9 - Scraps - Part2

Here's another couple of quick cards using the imaginationcrafts circle stamp again. Both are using up paper scraps so fit Janet's challenge.

One is stamped with blue Stazon, watercolored and put over scraps of Papermania papers, the other is silver tinsel embossed and watercolored. I've cut away 1" of the card front and glued a scrap strip of Artylicious paper to the inside. The front has a co-ordinating square of paper, with the circle mounted on pads. The paper wasn't a brilliant fit for the front, but so I didn't need to cut paper instead of using up the scrap, I used a silver pen along the (brown) edge of the card :)

Penny Black Challenge 26 - sketch by Beth

At last I've shaken off the cold that's been hanging around for weeks and I'm back making cards :).

Beth gave us a nice straightforward sketch to work with this week at Penny Black and I made two fairly quick cards with it. Yet again my Nature's Dance stamp came out. I've even found out it's name, this stamp deserves a medal for versatility.

Card one has Stickles on the berries, a Glimmer Misted background and some shimmery ribbon I bought in a sewing shop. The Merry Christmas is a tiny stamp from a clear PB set.

Card two has blue tape in place of the ribbon and Woodware Pearly Stuff for golden berries. I find the Pearly Stuff tricky to work with, it seems to leave a greasy kind of halo behind it on the paper... There's a gold shade in the paper I used and I wanted to accent it, hence the Pearly Stuff.

Sketch Saturday - Sketch 28

Mariska designed a great sketch to use this week. My background paper is from the Artylicious CD Seasons Greetings. The stamped image is my Penny Black stamp - I'm really getting my money's worth from this stamp :) - on a Glimmer Misted background. It's embossed with silver tinsel, as is the sentiment. Felt snowflakes and some sheer ribbon finish it off.

Secret Crafter Challenge 10 - Embossing & Stamp Something Snow Somethings Challenge

Secret Crafter's Challenge for this week to to emboss a card. I'm also entering Stamp Something's Challenge for this week: stamp something with snow. The only stamping on here is the sentiment at the bottom, but there's plenty of snow here :).

This Cuttlebug folder has been sitting in my drawer since I bought it at Ally Pally. I thought it would be great for super-quick cards. But if I use one colour of card then either the sky or the snow is wrong. I cut very pale blue snow and glued it to the foreground, used an opaque white pen then Stickles on the snow falling and Marvy le Plume pens to give some emphasis to the buildings and trees.

Sukkersott Sketch 5 & SBS25 Challenge 9 - scraps

Hanne produced a very pretty sketch at Sukkersott this week. I decided it was ideal for Janet's SBS challenge this week, which is to use scraps up.

The scraps are from a Papermania 6x6" pad I bought for this year's cards, which has a collection of bits and pieces of offcuts insde the packaging. The circular stamp that is the focus is from http://imaginationcrafts.co.uk/ . I bought it at Ally Pally and realised that I've not yet put it into use. It's stamped in blue Stazon and watercoloured, I'm pleased with the way it looks. I've watercoloured a few more circles, just need to get them onto cards now :)

ATC Roundup

I needed to catch up on some ATCs this weekend. Here is a lovely set that I got from Andrea for my November UKATC swap, the scan is ok but they look really good in the flesh, thanks Andrea!

I've made ATCs for the December themes on UKATC. I always have good intentions to take part - and always run out of time! December is a month to get things done early, or not at all. So here's my snowman card. The sentiment shows up much better in real life, it says "Let it Snow". Fluffy stuff for snow, circles cut with nestabilities dies, buttons and eyes use Stickles.

And the other theme is bronze/copper. I used my Crafty Secrets stamps, embossed on beige card, water coloured. The background paper has "A Little Note" embossed and there's the last of the ribbon used up that came from a chocolate box.

Vanja's Blog Candy

Have a look at my blog "sister's" site, Vanja's giving away some great blog candy: http://justheather-valems.blogspot.com/2008/12/my-first-blog-candy-give-away.html

You have until December 18th to enter - good luck :)

Friday Sketchers - Sketch Number 30

This was a nice basic sketch to work with. My Inkadinkado owls came out again, this time on some masculine coloured Graphicus Guild papers, as well as some Glimmer Misted paper on the vertical panel. The owls are 3D, resting on silicon glue. Too many birthdays this week, I need to concentrate on Christmas cards!

SBS25 Challenge #8 - animals

Last week I went shopping at The Stamp Attic, having finished my month of not buying stamps. The Tilda stamps were 30% off, Wendy is no longer going to stock them. I also got one of the long Hero Arts sets. This ws an expensive purchase as I also needed the long, long, clear block to mount the branch on, but at least I have it for all the other fun sets they've brought out in this series :).

I've made a folded card with the new set, with bluebirds and birdhouses. I'm hoping Janet will accept birds for the SBS25 challenge to include an animal on a card...

I used Marvy le Plume pens and chalk inks, had a bit a trouble using my pens on the new stamps. I think they need to be worn in a bit to "take up" the ink better. The Tildas are waiting to be put to work...

Lisa Volrath - free downloadable image sheets for Advent

Lisa's site has downloadable images, free provided you link to her page:
http://countdown.tentwostudios.com/

Thanks to Debby http://debbysstuff.blogspot.com for the heads-up on this one