Christmas card sketch...

This card is for the sketch challenge at http://fridaysketchersblog.blogspot.com/ which ends today.

It's the first time in ages (probably years) that I have used a peel off image on a card but having created the layout first (before thinking about what stamp I was going to use) nothing seemed to fit - how daft am I? I think it's this dreadful cold I've got - it's killing my brain cells.


This is the sketch by Claudia Rosa and as you can see on the picture the image had to be within the block of paper across the page.

Something for the holidays...

The challenge at http://ourcreativecorner6.blogspot.com/ is to create something handmade as holiday season gift for someone or yourself. The candle I have decorated smells so good (even in the midst of a dreadful cold) that it may just be for me!!

As I have used a cuttlebug folder to emboss snowflakes on to metallic card stock my candle also fits the challenge at http://cuttlebugchallenge.blogspot.com/.

Materials used:

• blue scented candle
• white card
• silver mirri card
• snowflake embossing folder
• silver border peel off
• silver fine ribbon
• snowflake by Jolees from stash

Irene's Challenge Part 2...

Gosh yesterday I had the most amazing comments left about my cuttlebug card - thank you all so much. I do hope you like this one too. I've used yet another of the embossed pieces sent me by Irene, but this time I've used the piece portrait style, embossed the bottom half with Swiss Dots and added a ribbon.

The cute snowmen stamp is another from the Hampton Arts grab bag - yeah stamp number 4!!!

Materials used:

• cuttlebug embossing folders
• white and red card
• red sakura stardust pen
• white organza ribbon

Irene's Challenge...

My great friend and cuttlebug fanatic,Irene, very kindly sent me a couple of embossed scenes from her new cuttlebug folder - one that I haven't got - YET!

I wanted to use them straight away as I already had an idea in my head that I wanted to try out. There were a couple of stamps in the Hampton Arts grab bag I bought recently that I thought would work very well with this scenic folder so last night I gave them a try.

This card for some reason looks far better in real life (honest) but hopefully you will like it.

Materials used:

• Red stardream card
• white card
• gold mirri card for matting and layering
• cuttlebug folder - village scene
• Santa stamp - Hampton Arts
• gold sentiment peel off
• white organza ribbon
• sakura pens and fine art glitter

As the challenge starting today at http://wednesdaystamper.wordpress.com/ is an open theme this card fits in perfectly and I may be entering some more Christmas cards into that as 'that time of year' is closing in on us rapidly.

After buying the grab bag that I didn't really need I decided that I would set my own personal challenge (yes I am quite crazy!) to use all 100 stamps!!! Well the nice ones anyway - so this is Stamp number 2 used and number 3 is going in the bin because I really can't think of a use for a blotchy shoe stamp!!

Watch this space for Stamp number 4!!

Stars at night...

The stars at night is the theme at http://cutecardthursday.blogspot.com/ this week. I chose to do a Christmas theme (yes I'm getting pretty fed up of Halloween now!).

I decided to use this brilliant sketch from the new challenge site at http://thesecretcraftersaturdaychallenge.blogspot.com/. I only found the site recently when blog hopping but it does look like they have had some interesting challenges over the last few weeks.



Materials used:

• Penny Black stamps from Christmas clear set
• Circular sentiment stamp from Papermania clear set
• Patterned papers (Dovecraft??)
• Dark blue card
• Gems and organza ribbon from stash

Can you spot the happy accident ...

If you can see it please let me know in your comment!!!

Spooky...

Another Halloween card - this time for my mum so it's a gentler image. Infact I used 6 stamps to create this picture and as one of them is a Penny Black it fits the criteria for the challenge at http://pennybfriendssaturdaychallenge.blogspot.com/.

The balloon is handrawn and had to be that big to go round the sentiment.

Materials used:

• white base card
• orange plain and patterned paper (Papermania?)
• Penny Black hedgehog in flower pot stamp
• grass, pumpkin and clump of grass Art Impressions stamps
• bats stamp unknown ebay purchase (but poor quality cause fell off wooden mount)
• sentiments magnetic stamps by Making Memories

Halloween Pumpkin Pet Holder...

Halloween is a popular challenge subject at the moment. This pumpkin cage fits the bill for the challenge at http://papertakeweekly.blogspot.com/.

Inside lurks a scary spider and there will be tons of sweets as soon as I can get to the shops. The idea came from http://cuttlebugchallenge.blogspot.com/ where they are having a 'Cuttlebug Camp' this weekend. Many very talented designers are presenting tutorials on using the cuttlebug. Loads of fantastic ideas so do go and have a look.

As well as the spider I had a go at developing the idea and came up with ...

A snowflake table decoration or gift holder.

For those who are following the instructions on the camp carefully - hmmmmmmm I know I should have had 9 strips but my computer was being used by the Guild Wars fanatics (daughter and boyfriend) and I had to make the pumpkin and snowflake from memory.