Bright colours for Christmas

It was my turn to choose the theme for this fortnight's challenge for the Christmas Card Club and quite a while ago I chose 'bright colours' - which seemed a great idea at the time, but it had me having to put my thinking cap on as to what I could use. Then I remembered a My Mind's Eye paper pad that I bought when down in Eastbourne from That Craft Place called 12 days of Christmas - the papers are quite zingy, bright colours.

Happy campers 4 is also looking for bright colours, also Without words for November: whizz bang.

I've used the sketch for Always playing with paper merry Monday 41:

I die cut circles using a nestie with my cuttlebug and added some Craftime reindeer that I've had for ages and ages and never opened the packet, so I'm also showing this for my own CHNC challenge 99, which is to use something more than six months old.

This is also for:

Holly jolly Christmas: inspired by a carol - Rudolph, the red nosed reindeer (although I know you can't see his red nose here!)
Little scrap pieces fun Friday: use an animal
Craft your passion 136: CAS
Totally gorjuss 158: plain and simple
Crazy amigo: stripes

CHNC challenge 99: use something more than six months old

It's actually a week since I made a card and blogged - very unusual for me - I'm usually making cards and blogging every day - and this means that I've totally neglected A Card a Day this week. It's been a very busy week and in between lots of other things I've been printing 300 Christmas cards.

The weeks are flying by now and it really won't be that long until we need to write those Christmas cards and get them into the post, particularly any that need to be sent abroad. So, if you're struggling to get them done, why not get out those old supplies and join in my CHNC challenge 99 and use anything that is six months old.

The challenge is being sponsored by Robyn'sFetish Digital Stamps And More who kindly supplied me with the image I've used for my card - 'gilded Christmas dove'. Everything else is at least six months old - and most of it is much, much older than that. I coloured the image with a mixture of copics, promarkers and marvy alcohol pens and used a die cut run through the cuttlebug to frame the image. This is also for Robyn's fetish 133: anything goes and for Sunday's with Santa facebook group week 43: use a digi stamp.

I've used lots of snippets, including a stray piece of sticky ribbon that needed to be used up, so this is for Pixie's crafty snippets 46 - my first visit of the week - just managing to get into the playground before the gates close, which is just as well because I wouldn't have the energy to climb over! Also for Shelly's terrifically thrilling Thursday: oh scrap.

The metallic baubles and swirls on the strip surrounding the ribbons are silver although some parts look gold with the flash of the photo.

This is also for:

Fashionista 9: blue Christmas
Timbro scrap mania 58: first glitter Christmas
Victorine 47: anything Christmas
Crafty sentiments: Christmas
LEJ designs 29: seasons greetings
Crafts and me 110: untraditional Christmas colours
Creative card crew 23: silver and blue
Let's craft and create 58: getting ready for Christmas
Tanda teaser 203: anything Christmas
Craft us crazy: favourite colour and/or holiday
ATCs and cards with attitude 27: anything goes and/or autumn/winter
Creatalicious 40: winter
Card and scrap 43: make something with Christmas
Crafty blogges network 5: Christmas - anything goes
Sparkles 38: Christmas is coming
Great impressions November: holidays
Hobbyhome November: Christmas non-traditional colours
Sparkles forum Christmas November 22: contemporary colour combo
Little Claire 27: Christmas
Fussy & fancy 76: feeling blue
Craft room: punches and die cuts
Drunken stampers 106: cut, crop and die
Ribbon girl November: add sparkle
Songbird 8: diamonds are a girl's best friend - sparkle and bling
Crafty catz 159: let's have sparkle
Creative craft world: mini challenge with bling
A & T 17: ribbon
Bloggers challenge: birds of a feather
Ruby's rainbow 41: birds
Glitter n sparkle 6: things with wings
Catch the bug November theme: things with tails
Just keep on creating: Christmas is around the corner
DL.ART thankful Thursday: anything goes
One stop craft: anything goes
Challenges 4 everybody 7: anything goes
Dream valley 45: anything goes
Forever friends November: anything goes
Tammy scraping corner 36: anything goes
Through the craftroom door 44: anything goes
Tuesday alchemy 40: anything goes
Creative moments bloggers network 4: anything goes
Divas by design 61: anything goes
Penny's 102: anything goes
Make it Monday 115
Inspire me Fridays 85
52 card pickup week 46

CHNC challenge 98: for a man or a boy

It's getting quite near to Christmas now ... so it's time to get serious with making cards, so what better time to join in my CHNC challenge 98 to make a card for a man or a boy - please click on the link and join in if you can.

For my card I've used part of the snowman4square image supplied by Bugaboo Stamps who are sponsoring my challenge. I printed out the image and lightly coloured with copics and a light blue Marvy alcohol pen, which I then used to go round the edges. I tore a few piece of paper and edged with the pen and then added some stickles diamond.

The card was based on the sketch given for Always playing with paper merry Monday 40: - I turned it to the right and changed the shape surrounding the image.

This is also for:

Created with love 16: Christmas no green and no red
Use your stuff 59: Christmas or holiday themed (I used up some offcuts of white paper to tear)
Pixie's crafty snippets week 45
Sweet stamps 90: Christmas
Tanda teaser 203: anything Christmas
Southern girls 57: Christmas
Live & love crafts November 5: Christmas
Quirky crafts 23: layer it up & let it snow

Another bird

This card incorporates another bird drawing that was given to me - very similar to the previous bird card shown earlier today - this time I've used an offcut that picks up the pink breast of the bird.

This is for:

House of gilli 45: celebrations - birthday
Ruby's rainbow 41: birds
Pixie's crafty snippets week 45
There's magic in the air magical Monday: pretty in pink
DL.ART thankful Thursday: anything goes
Papertake 74: anything goes
Kaboodle 144: anything goes
Forever friends November: anything goes
Make it Monday 114
Inspire me Friday 84
52 card pickup week 45

The last lady in black

This is the last of the black silhouette ladies, this time using a shaped card that was ready printed with the pattern, mounted on to a very pale lilac card blank, with just the addition of layered flowers and a Craftime sentiment.

This is for:

House of gilli 45: celebrations - birthday
CRAFT 180: inspired by a film - the silhouette reminds me of 'Mary Poppins'
Order of the opus gluei 143: it figures - either numbers or silhouette of a figure
Cards galore November: silhouette
Totally papercrafts 142: cute and girly
Simply create too 26: use your stash - I've had all items for some time except the silhouette
DL.ART thankful Thursday: anything goes
Papertake 74: anything goes
Kaboodle 144: anything goes
Forever friends November: anything goes
Make it Monday 114
Inspire me Friday 84
52 card pickup week 45

Another lady in black

I've used another of those velvety silhouettes for this card. The panel on the left was recycled from some craft packaging (I think it was Docrafts, but not sure) - too good not to use - and the piece on the right is from my scraps box. The ribbon with gems was from Hobbycraft and the blog flowers are Craftime.

This is for:

CRAFT 180: inspired by a film - the silhouette reminds me of 'Mary Poppins'
Order of the opus gluei 143: it figures - either numbers or silhouette of a figure (hope this is OK)
Cards galore November: silhouette
Totally papercrafts 142: cute and girly
Pile it on 45: make it sparkle
Ribbon girl November: add sparkle
Unstampabelles 17: monochromatic
A & T 17: ribbon
Pixie's crafty snippets week 45
Simply create too 26: use your stash - I've had all items for some time except the silhouette
DL.ART thankful Thursday: anything goes
Papertake 74: anything goes
Kaboodle 144: anything goes
Forever friends November: anything goes
Make it Monday 114
Inspire me Friday 84
52 card pickup week 45

Harvest fruit

For this card I've used a painting from a card that someone gave me, simply mounted on to pieces from my offcuts box then on to a majestic sparkly card blank.

This is for:

Creative Belli 156: harvest/fruit - the papers used to mat and layer are old and neglected, as was the card blank
Love to create 40: shades of autumn
Paper playtime 88: autumn colours
Perfect sentiments 55: CAS fall/thanksgiving
Pixie dust studio: fabulous fall colours
My Sheri 97: fall
DCC & friends 4: autumn to you
Scrappy frogs: give thanks
Stampin' sisters in Christ 164: thankfulness
Incy wincy: giving thanks
Aud sentiments 67: thanks
Paper pretties Wednesday 231: thank you cards
Wags n whiskers 92: be thankful
ABC: A for appreciation
DL.ART thankful Thursday: thanksgiving
Cardmakin mamas: thanksgiving/thank you
Little scrap pieces fun Friday: happy thanksgiving
Pixie's crafty snippets week 45
Papertake 74: anything goes
Anything goes 79: anything goes
Kaboodle 144: anything goes
Forever friends November: anything goes
Make it Monday 114
Inspire me Friday 84
52 card pickup week 45

Lady in black

I was recently given a few blank cards with die cut silhouettes which have a velvety feel, so I've used one of them on this card. The embossed swirls on the silver mirror card were achieved with a dream weaver stencil. The glittered strips on the left were from Poundland the and sentiment strip is one that's been in a box for ages. The 'with love' sentiment was from Craftime.

This is for:

CRAFT 180: inspired by a film - the silhouette reminds me of 'Mary Poppins'
Order of the opus gluei 143: it figures - either numbers or silhouette of a figure (hope this is OK)
Cards galore November: silhouette
Card manai 7: embossing
Everybody art 212: embossing
Fairytale 54: embossing
Friday mashup 84: hey hey boss man - dry embossing
House of gilli 45: celebrations - birthday
Raise the bar 119: birthday theme
Totally papercrafts 142: cute and girly
Eclectic ellapu 4: it's a vintage thing
Pile it on 45: make it sparkle
Scrap cards 37: recycle
Unstampabelles 17: monochromatic
Simply create too 26: use your stash - I've had the stencil for ages and have only used it once - also the glittered strips and sentiments are from old stash
DL.ART thankful Thursday: anything goes
Papertake 74: anything goes
Anything goes 79: anything goes
Kaboodle 144: anything goes
Forever friends November: anything goes
Paper-crafting journey: anything goes
Make it Monday 114
Inspire me Friday 84
52 card pickup week 45

A little bird told me ...

A while ago a friend gave me some lovely bird drawings and I've used one of them on this card. The background is an offcut of a piece of paper that originally came with a magazine and the scalloped edged piece was originally from a Kanban kit. The sentiment was generated on my Dymo letratag label maker. The image and the sentiment were matted on to the back of a recycled card received.

This is for:

House of gilli 45: celebrations - birthday
Papercraft junkies 3: things with wings
Ruby's rainbow 41: birds
Scrap cards 37: recycle
Pixie's crafty snippets week 45
DL.ART thankful Thursday: anything goes
Papertake 74: anything goes
Anything goes 79: anything goes
Kaboodle 144: anything goes
Forever friends November: anything goes
Paper-crafting journey: anything goes
Make it Monday 114
Inspire me Friday 84
52 card pickup week 45

Pretty petals

I made this card the other day and forgot to show it then.  lovely teacup with flowers that has been recycled from a card receive mounted on to a ready decorated card blank, with the addition of the flowers and butterflies:

This is for:

There's magic in the air magical Monday: pretty in pink
Flutter by Wednesday 213: open + butterflies
Papercraft junkies 3: things with wings
The squirrel and the fox 30: flowers, hats or horses
DL.ART thankful Thursday: anything goes
Papertake 74: anything goes
Anything goes 79: anything goes
Kaboodle 144: anything goes
Forever friends November: anything goes
Paper-crafting journey: anything goes
Make it Monday 114
Inspire me Friday 84
52 card pickup week 45

Come round for a cuppa

This is another card that I made yesterday ... well, to be truthful the cuppa tea was stamped quite some time ago when I made another card. - using a Kanban stamp. I coloured with copics and edged with matching  copic. The sentiment was computer generated/printed and also edged with a copic. The card is white, although it looks pinky here - I took the photo outside yesterday, but still couldn't get it looking white enough. Irl the blue is a lot darker - in trying to get the card to appear whiter, I've lost some of the depth of the blue.

This is for:

Creative stamp friends 63: clean and simple

Sunday stamper 230: blue velvet
Alota 94: blue and white
Charisma cardz: feeling blue
Pink elephant 173: use your favourite colouring medium - alcohol pens (copics)
Crafty creations 195: no flowers
Little red wagon 158: colouring
Deep ocean 38: around the world - the great British cuppa!
Loves rubber stamps 25: anything goes
The artistic stamper November: anything goes

Still in the pink

This time I've punched the edge of the pink card blank with a Martha Steward put, revealing the gold mirror card underneath, using the same punch for the strip on the left. The flowers and 'thank you' sentiment are from an old forgotten Kanban kit. The gold mirror card pieces were snippets.

This is for:

In the pink 7: keep is clean and simple - lots of pink space
Scrappy frogs: give thanks
Stampin' sisters in Christ 164: thankfulness
Incy wincy: giving thanks
Party time Tuesday 93: thank you
Dare to be sassy Thursdays 149: thank you
PaperPlay 44: thanks a bunch
Bloggers challenge: give thanks
Broken box stock 13: thanksgiving
ABC: A for appreciation
There's magic in the air magical Monday: pretty in pink
LEJ 28: use die cuts or punches
Art impressions 87: on the fringe
Pixie's crafty snippets 45
My mum's craftshop 83: sentiments
Lady Anne's Friday is sentiment: anything goes
DL.ART thankful Thursday: anything goes
Papertake 74: anything goes
Anything goes 79: anything goes
Kaboodle 144: anything goes
Forever friends November: anything goes
Make it Monday 114
Inspire me Friday 83
52 card pickup week 44

Thinking of you

The sentiment says 'thinking of you' - a bit difficult to see here as it's written in gold foiling. I've used a textured deep pink card on to which I stuck some sparkly butterfly chiffon ribbon (ran it through the xyron to get a good adhesion), a Kanban flower and sentiment from a kit long neglected.

This is for:

In the pink 7: keep is clean and simple - lots of pink space
There's magic in the air magical Monday: pretty in pink
A and T sketche 17: ribbon
Pixie's crafty snippets 45 - the ribbon is a snippet remaining from a much larger piece long forgotten
Ribbon girl November: add sparkle
My mum's craftshop 83: sentiments
Flutter by Wednesday 213: open + butterflies
Papercraft junkies 3: things with wings
Lady Anne's Friday is sentiment: anything goes
DL.ART thankful Thursday: anything goes
Papertake 74: anything goes
Anything goes 79: anything goes
Kaboodle 144: anything goes
Forever friends November: anything goes
Make it Monday 114
Inspire me Friday 83
52 card pickup week 44

Thank you card

Another card made this morning with a deep pink textured card blank, cut down on the right and punched with a Martha Steward punch and I used the same punch to make a silver insert. The stamped image is the lovely Stampington Leonardo stamp stamped with stazon on to a background made with alcohol inks. The sentiment is from Craftwork cards.

This is for:

Scrappy frogs: give thanks
Stampin' sisters in Christ 164: thankfulness
Incy wincy: giving thanks
Party time Tuesday 93: thank you
Dare to be sassy Thursdays 149: thank you
PaperPlay 44: thanks a bunch
Bloggers challenge: give thanks
Broken box stock 13: thanksgiving
ABC: A for appreciation
There's magic in the air magical Monday: pretty in pink
LEJ 28: use die cuts or punches
Art impressions 87: on the fringe
Lady Anne's Friday is sentiment: anything goes
DL.ART thankful Thursday: anything goes
The artistic stamper November: anything goes
Papertake 74: anything goes
Anything goes 79: anything goes
Kaboodle 144: anything goes
Forever friends November: anything goes
Make it Monday 114
Inspire me Friday 83
52 card pickup week 44

Birthday hearts

I had a bit of a 'pink' morning today (as you will see from the next few cards as well as this one). This is a stardream card blank. The strip on the left is from Poundland and I used two hearts and a bow from the bit that was cut off to add. The 'Happy Birthday' was rescued from a card I made ages ago that I wasn't happy about, so I surrounded it with a frame made from a nestie label die and added a couple of prima flowers.

This is for:

CRAFT 179: birthdays
House of gilli 45: celebrations
My mum's craftshop 83: sentiments
Scrap cards 37: recycle (I recycled the sentiment panel from a card I made earlier)
LEJ 28: use die cuts or punches
Squigglefly 4412: ribbons and bows
A and T sketche 17: ribbon
Top tip Tuesday 89: we're all heart
There's magic in the air magical Monday: pretty in pink

Lady Anne's Friday is sentiment: anything goes
DL.ART thankful Thursday: anything goes
Papertake 74: anything goes
Anything goes 79: anything goes
Kaboodle 144: anything goes
Forever friends November: anything goes
Make it Monday 114
Inspire me Friday 83
52 card pickup week 44

Relax! ...

... it's your birthday!

The picture of the lady was rescued from a card received. I chose complimentary papers from my offcuts box and printed the sentiment from computer.

This is for:

CRAFT 179: birthdays
House of gilli 45: celebrations
My mum's craftshop 83: sentiments
Pink gem challenge 58: polka dots
Crafty creations 195: no flowers
Scrap cards 37: recycle
Pixie's craft snippets 45

Lady Anne's Friday is sentiment: anything goes
DL.ART thankful Thursday: anything goes
Bearly mine 60: anything goes
Papertake 74: anything goes
Through the craftroom door 43: anything goes
Anything goes 79: anything goes
Kaboodle 144: anything goes
Forever friends November: anything goes
Make it Monday 114
Inspire me Friday 83
52 card pickup week 44

Autumnal thank you

It's the end of a fairly busy day and I'm not feeling great, but just wanted to make one card. I've used a background that's been in my stash for a long time, mounted on to a dark brown card blank with the addition of the chipboard leaf, the strips across the middle and a Creata textured rub on 'thank you'. I was spurred on to make this for Kathy's facebook 'A card a day' - didn't want to miss today.

Colours for GoFish 28:

Also for Pink by design: shades of autumn:

and for Paper playtime 88: autumn colours.

This is for:

Love to create 40: shades of autumn
Tammy scraping corner 35: anything fall
Tuesday throwdown 123: autumn leaves
Scrapalicious: fall
Scrappy frogs: give thanks
Wags n whiskers 91: fall colours
My sheri 97: fall
Ribbon carousel 74: fall spirit - giving thanks
Heck of a challenge: 50shades of autumn
Crafting for all seasons 39: falling leaves
Pixie dust studio: looking for leaves
Paper players 120: give thanks
Stampin' sisters in Christ 164: thankfulness
Incy wincy: giving thanks
Party time Tuesday 93: thank you
Dare to be sassy Thursdays 149: thank you
PaperPlay 44: thanks a bunch
Bloggers challenge: give thanks
Broken box stock 13: thanksgiving
ABC: A for appreciation
A and T sketch 17: ribbon
Desert island 41: I chose: patterned paper, add a sentiment, ribbon
Chocolate, coffee & cards 25: stripes
Lady Anne's Friday is sentiment: anything goes
DL.ART thankful Thursday: anything goes
Bearly mine 60: anything goes
Papertake 74: anything goes
Through the craftroom door 43: anything goes
Anything goes 79: anything goes
Kaboodle 144: anything goes
Catch the bug November: anything goes
The crafty pad 194: anything goes
One stitch at a time 138: anything goes
Forever friends November: anything goes
Make it Monday 114
Inspire me Friday 83
52 card pickup week 44

Wishing you a purple birthday

Yes, it's another purple card, this time using a background shape printed with a faint snowflake background on to which I stuck the oval with the sentiment stamped with stazon vibrant violet. The flowers with button centres were from Poundland and the butterfly was among some crafting goodies given to me by a friend.

This is for:

Lexi 77: special birthday
Penny's 100: birthdays
4 crafty chicks 114: a day to remember
CRAFT 179: birthdays
SJ crafts 10: birthdays + option: circles or ovals
House of gilli 45: celebrations
Flutter by Wednesday 212: open
Addicted to stamps 42: things with wings
Papercraft junkies 3: things with wings
Stamp n doodle: let's add some material (felt flowers)
Totally gorjuss 156: anything goes with a button
Lady Anne's Friday is sentiment: anything goes
DL.ART thankful Thursday: anything goes
Anything goes 79: anything goes
Kaboodle 144: anything goes
Catch the bug November: anything goes
The crafty pad 194: anything goes
One crazy stamper November: anything goes
One stitch at a time 138: anything goes
Forever friends November: anything goes
Make it Monday 114
Inspire me Friday 83
52 card pickup week 44

More purple

I do love crafting with purple - while the flowers were out from making a commissioned card a day or two ago I thought I'd make some more purple based cards. Once again this is a pre-coloured card blank with an oval aperture. I lined the inside of the card with a sentiment sheet. I tore ovals around perspex templates using pieces from my offcuts boxes, edging these with stazon vibrant violet. The middle oval was originally a piece of white card that has been dabbed with alcohol inks and lightened with blending solution. It was then stamped with the lovely Leonardo stamp by Stampington. The flowers are from stash and the centres are Prima.


Colours are for Crafts4eternity R96:

This is for:

TTC12-11 on Crafts by Carolyn forum
Eclectic ellapu 4: it's a vintage thing
Happy campers 3: shabby chic
Hiding in my craft room 70: you pick - choose your three favourite colours - purple, lilac and pink
Lexi 77: special birthday
Penny's 100: birthdays
4 crafty chicks 114: a day to remember
CRAFT 179: birthdays
SJ crafts 10: birthdays + option: circles or ovals
House of gilli 45: celebrations
The squirrel and the fox 30: flowers, hats or horses
Cutie pie 30: distress
Sentimental Sundays 127: dimensions
Inky impressions 83: lots of layers
One crazy stamper November: anything goes
DL.ART thankful Thursday: anything goes
Lady Anne's Friday is sentiment: anything goes
The artistic stamper November: anything goes
Kaboodle 144: anything goes
Catch the bug November: anything goes
Anything goes 79: anything goes
The crafty pad 194: anything goes
Kreativer bastel 10: anything goes
One stitch at a time 138: anything goes
Forever friends November: anything goes
Make it Monday 114
Inspire me Friday 83
52 card pickup week 44

Happy purple Christmas

I really am in purple mode atm! This card has a faded snowflake background on to which I've stamped the Clarity stamps 'we three kings' stamp inked with memento grape jelly. I also inked up some of my favourite snowflake stamps from the inkadinkado 'doodle frames holiday' set and stamped randomly on to the shaped background which was then mounted on to a purple stardream card blank.

This is for:

Stamps + fun = creativity 124: Christmas
Whoopsi Daisy: Christmas cards
Ooh la la 117: C ... Christmas
Joan's gardens 40: a winter card
Just keep on creating: Christmas is around the corner
Card and scrap 42: Christmas card
AnMaCreatief 14: Christmas
Great impressions November: holidays - Christmas
Paper pretties Wednesday 230: use your favourite stamp set
Come and get it: monochromatic

Vintage florals

This card if for TTC12-11 on Crafts by Carolyn forum which has been set by Adele, who is asking to see 'vintage florals'. I've used a ready decorated  background on to which I've added some Prima flowers and flower centre, as well as a couple of docrafts ones. The oval picture of the girl has been in my box for ages. I edged the rim with stazon vibrant violet and then lightly distressed with shaded lilac DI using an inkylicious blending brush. The three little dragon flies were punched ones - I have a whole bag of them in different colours that were punched out ages ago (they come in handy occasionally).

This is also for:

Eclectic ellapu 4: it's a vintage thing
The pink elephant 172: vintage or shabby chic
Happy campers 3: shabby chic
The squirrel and the fox 30: flowers, hats or horses
Bearly mine 59: flowers galore
Shopping our stash 75: flowers in 3D
Cutie pie 30: distress
Fab n funky 145: die cuts/punches
Anything goes 79: anything goes
Inspire me Friday 83
52 card pickup week 44