Non Traditional Christmas colours

This week's challenge at High Hopes is to make a Christmas card, but

No red or green

Play along with your High Hopes stamps to win a new stamp of your choice!

I was aiming for a 'male' Christmas card, so I've gone for blues and purple and added loads of glitter ... as usual!  My image is Homespun Hearts Snowy - coloured with copics; main image and then hearts popped up on dimensionals.
Whimsy sentiment & die and Memory Box circular die.

Sketch from Sketch Saturday #233
Crafty Cardmakers #79 - more than one punch or die cut
Craftyhazlenut's Christmas Challenge #98 - for a man/boy
Christmas Stampin All Year Long #36 - anything goes
Colour theme from The Play Date Cafe #157
PaperPlay Challenge #45 - snowflakes

High Hopes #155: Snowflakes and Buttons

OMGosh, the weeks are flying past!  It will be Christmas in no time at all!
Anyway, its Tuesday, so time for a new challenge over at High Hopes and this week its ...

Snowflakes and Buttons

So get your High Hopes stamps out and play along!

Image from High Hopes: Snowy's Friends
I've used clear gloss on their noses/beak and lots of glitter on this card (snow, snowflake, snowman's buttons etc)... as far as Christmas cards are concerned, the more glitter the better I say!  Coloured with mixture of copics and Spectrum Noir markers.
Marianne snowflake die and button from stash.

Other challenges...
Sketch from Willow Sketchie challenge
Top Tip Tuesday #89 - we're all heart
There she goes #180 - dress up your colouring
Pile it on #45 - make it sparkle
Totally Gorjuss #156 - button
Ribbon Girl November challenge - add sparkle
Penny Black at Allsorts November challenge - any die will do
Oozak #08 - Winter Vibes

Feathers or Fur

It's challenge time again at High Hopes, and this week it's

Feathers and/or Fur

So that's pretty much most of the animal world covered then LOL!

My card uses Penguin Friends (... did you see the tutorial Kristine did last week on how to colour your penguins?)
I've coloured my image with copics and added flowersoft for the fur.
Marianne Design snowflake die and Taylored Expressions star die.

Die Cuttin Divas #89 -anything goes
House of Gilli #44 -Emboss it
The Cafty Pad #194 - Christmas is coming
Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge #96 - no patterned paper
Totally Gorjuss #155 - things with wings

Fishy Finnigan

This is the first card I've made in ages that actually turned out better than what it looked like in my head!

I've used Finnegan from High Hopes, coloured with promarkers and lots of starry die cuts.  I blinged the whole thing up with extra stickles/glitter.

Sketch from Skipping Stones #151
Papertake Weekly - fireworks (glitter and sparkle)
Divas by Design #58 - use some orange
Catered Crop recipe swap - circles and rounds
Passion for Promarkers #172 - pets

Getting Spruced Up

No new challenge from us at High Hopes (our blue, black and white colour challenge is running for another week)  Instead, Kristine has a fab tutorial on how to colour a black penguin
... yes, I made my card before I read it!  

My card uses Getting Spruced Up  from High Hopes ... coloured with promarkers and paper pieced his hat and starts.  There's loads of glitter on this card, but it doesn't show up how sparkly it is.  I used a fine glue pen and added diamond glamour dust to the swirls at the end of his scarf/star ornament, and to the tops of the snow piles too.  I also blinged up my bling and added some red stickles to my red gems!
Sentiment from Lili of the Valley - though I wish I'd placed my image better so that the sentiment wasn't as squished.

Sketch from CPS - Pick your favourite ~ I used #139
I love Promarkers #140 - Christmas is coming
ABC Christmas challenge - U for Up to you
Pile it On #43 - any holiday
Totally Gorjuss #154 - Bling it on

High Hopes Challenge #153

This week's challenge at High Hopes is a colour one ...

Blue, Black and White

You've until 22 October this time to play along and get some ink on your High Hopes stamps - the prize for the random winner is a new stamp of your choice!

My card uses Leapin Lewis, and Merry Christmas sentiment.  Coloured with a mixture of pencils and promarkers.  Lots of sparkle added to his scarf, heart and blades and white flower soft to his hat.  I also got my heat tool out for the first time in maybe a year, and heat embossed my sparkly sentiment.

I've used some new goodies on this card too - I treated myself to this poinsetta die set and lovely baubles border.  And how much am I lovin my gorgeous tinsel ribbon!!! :)

Other challenges:
Layout from Sketch Saturday #229
Card Crafters Circle #44 - black, white + 1 other
One Stop Craft #200 - heat embossing
A Gem of a Challenge #57 - flowers
Simon Says Stamp - dies / punches

ETA: I got Top 3 at Card Crafter's Circle

High Hopes' Sketch Challenge

Hope you've enjoyed High Hopes new Penguin Friends release .. I know I've had a blast playing with them!  Were you one of the lucky hop winners?  Pop over to High Hopes blog to check, you'll find a recap of all the new releases there too!

This week we're having a sketch challenge for a change.
Want to play along?  You've a week to get some ink on your High Hopes stamps and you could win yourself a new stamp.

My card uses Waddlin By - coloured with copics and clear gloss added to his beak and feet, and also some sparkle to his scarf and wee heart.  The central panel is die cut from Winter Wonderland background stamp.  Some mini gems added for falling snow.
(Apologies, I see I had my wonky eyes in again when I took this pic LOL)





Other Challenges:
Creative Card Crew #21 - birds
Top Tip Tuesday #87 - things with wings
Paperplay #40 - shine on
Charisma Cardz #39 - Badda Bing
Sparkles Christmas Challenge #21 - Traditional

High Hopes Hop!

It is time for the High Hope's Blog Hop to Celebrate the Penguin Friend's release!

The High Hopes Divas have created some fun projects to showcase the stamps that are being released today.
The release includes 12 images, 1 background design, and 10 Sentiments illustrated by Laurie Furnell.

There is candy along the hop. You won't know where, so leave a comment at each stop!

The blog hop will run through Midnight EST Sunday, October 7th with the winners of the candy posted on Monday, October 8th.

You should have arrived  from Tanya's blog. If you haven't, you'll want to start at the top at the High Hope's Blog so you don't miss any of the fun.  From here you will hop over to visit Tina.

My card uses 'Penguin Friends' - coloured with copics and white flower soft added to the trim on their hats/ear muffs (I touched the white flower soft on the ear muffs with a blue copic marker so it just looks like blue fluffy fur)

Sneak Peek Day 2

Time for a peek of another new penguin and also for a new challenge over at High Hopes and this week the theme is...

Winter Wonderland

So a perfect excuse to get a move on with your Christmas cards! (you have to use High Hopes stamps to play along - details of suppliers on the HH blog)

Don't forget to pop over to High Hopes tomorrow for our blog hop ... there'll be chances to win some candy!

My CAS card uses 'Frozen Fun' from High Hopes - coloured with pencils and copic markers.


Other challenges:
Creative Card Crew #20 - purple
Simon Says - anything goes

Sneak Peek Day One

Yo Dudes, please welcome 'Cool Claude'!  Isn't he fabulous!  Wanna see more? ... go see the rest of the DT's cards over on the High Hopes blog.
I'll be showing you another few Christmas cards this week with these sweeties, and there'll be a blog hop on Wednesday where you can win some goodies!
Actually, do penguins hop? Maybe it should be a Waddle on Wednesday! Hahahaha.

Penquin coloured with copics and clear gloss added to his sunglasses.  Happy Holidays sentiment from High Hopes.  White flowersoft for snow.  Martha Stewart tree die, embossed with snowflakes.  Memory Box border snowflake die.


Challenges I'd like to enter this card into:

• Cards 4 Men #20: Animal Magic
• Moving along with the times: Seeing Red
• Simon Says - Anything Goes

Card for Emer

Sorry, another quickie post on a Sunday evening!  Downton Abbey is one of the very few programmes on telly I make a point of sitting down to watch!

This card is a special request for a doggy lovin 11-year old.  Image from High Hopes: Heidi and Mattie  Coloured with promarkers and copics.  Die-namics Tab and scallop dies; Whimsy butterfly die.

If you get a chance pop over to High Hopes blog tomorrow for a sneaky peak of the new release ... it's going to be perfect for your Christmas cards!!

• Simon Says ... anything goes
• Fab'n Funky #140 - beginning with F: flowers, friends, flags
• Layout from MFT Wednesday Sketch Club MFTWSC91
• CRAFT #174 - make your own embellishments
• do You Stack Up #91 - scallops
• A Gem of a Challenge #56 - for the girls
• Stamptacular Sunday #183 - it's your Birthday
• Pile it On #40 - for a child

Arrrr me hearties!

It's not very often I make a card that I *love* but this is one of them!  I've used loads of High Hopes stamps on this, but couldn't find a pirate sentiment in my stash so had to make my own.  (to see the full selection of their fab pirate themed stamps go to High Hopes store and type in 'pirate' in the search box)
First off I stamped a treasure map in the background, then I covered most of it up with my galleon, and then I covered a chunk of that up with my pirate (who I popped up on dimensionals, along with the anchor and skull).  Me thinks I should have used a bigger base card to start with Haha

All coloured with copics.  I had another go at distressing (on the map layer) but I think at heart I'm a neat freak and I didn't distress it enough.  I'd also intended to distress my galleon panel but forgot (so did a bit of colour distressing instead) and by the time I got to my sentiment I'd forgotten about distressing entirely!

• Bunny Zoe's challenge #28 - distressing
• Marker Pop #07 - colour something
• By the cute and girly Sept challenge - boys/men
• Allsorts #173 - inspired by a song:  Disney's Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life for Me) 
• Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge #204 - distressing
• Totally Papercrafts #135 - for a child

A Halloweeny Christmas card!

This week's challenge at High Hopes is

Halloween colours

...black, purple, orange and green

Play along with your High Hopes stamps and you could win a new HH stamp of your choice.

By the way, High Hopes are also sponsoring Crazy 4 Challenges this week (anything goes with a fall twist) so you've a bonus chance to win HH goodies!)

I was in Christmas mode (must be the change in the weather and nip in the air!) so I thought I'd make a non-traditional Christmas card!  My Peeking snowman is popped up on dimensionals, as is the holly sprigs and some orange stickles added for a bit of glitter.  Coloured with copics.  Happy Holidays sentiment from High Hopes.  I bought some of this ribbon last year as I thought it looked like snowballs, wish I'd bought more, I love it!

PS My good bloggy buddy Benzi has some gorgeous candy on offer ... Benzi Stampz

Other challenges:

• Oldie but a Goodie - show us your ribbons
• Marker Pop #07 - colour anything
• Stampin for the Weekend #17 - Christmas
• Sparkles Christmas Challenge #20 - sparkle and bling
• Penny Black at Allsorts September challenge - Christmas

Hop to it!

This week's challenge over at High Hopes is

Anything that Hops

So get out your High Hopes frogs or bunnies (or anything else you can think of that hops!) and come and play along.

My card uses Frog in Boxers and Irish Blessing.  Of course a beginner's stamping course would tell you to plan your layout, but not me!  I stamped my sentiment before I checked I'd room for my froggy, then had to hand write in the rest of the 'you' and made a total horlicks of it.  How can you mess up writing 2 little letters!!  Doh.
Image coloured with copics and glitter added to the spots on Froggy's swanky boxers.

Other challenges:

• Simon Says stamp - put a stamp on it
• The Squirrel and the Fox #26 - anything goes
• One Stop Craft #198 - no floral embellishments
• Sparkles #35 - nature
• Natalie and Amy #01 - anything goes
• Joanna Sheen - Going Dotty
• Sketch flipped from Deconstructed Sketch #68
• CAS-ual Friday cfc69 - embossing

Buzzzzzzzz!

Our new challenge at High Hopes is to

Use your oldest High Hopes stamp

My card uses Hunny Bear and was the start of a long love affair with High Hopes stamps!  So what was yours?  Play along and you could win a new HH stamp of your choice!

I've coloured my wee bear with pencils and added clear gloss to his nose, wings and honey jar.  This card took aaaaaages to make, mainly because the pixies had broken in to my house and hidden my wee bee buttons!  (Of course they were right under my nose Doh!)

Other Challenges

• Tuesday Alchemy #30 - anything goes
• Crafty Cardmakers #74 - winged things
• Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge #201 - animal antics
• Simon Says Stamp ... anything goes

Do Aliens read books?

This week's challenge at High Hopes is to make a

Bookmark or Nametag

A nice easy challenge after last week's black & white toughie, so get your High Hopes stamps out and play along for the chance to win a new stamp of your choice.

I've used this cute wee alien from the Alien Special Set - wonder how long it will take Curiosity to spot one of these on Mars? :)

Coloured my alien with copics and added clear gloss to his eyes, and then coloured my die cut stars to match.

Other challenges:

• The Crafty Pad #184 - to die for
• Tammy's Scrapin Corner #24 - anything goes
• Totally Gorjuss #145 - strings the thing
• Craft Your Days away #52 - Farewell anything goes challenge

Little donkey

This week's challenge at High Hopes is to make a

Black + White card

(Greyscale or sepia colored image or Black + White card with colored image)
Don't forget you need to use a High Hopes stamp to play along - join in and you could win some new rubbah!

HIGH HOPES is on FACEBOOK!!!

We would love to see what you create with our High Hopes stamps!
Come and join us here.

Become a Facebook friend, share and inspire us with your fabulous creations!
Check out what the Divas have been up to and all the High Hopes news, too!!

I've never tried a black and white card before, so this was a new challenge for me!  I coloured Brayden with a black pencil and gave him some nice shiny hooves.  Silver peel off sentiment.

Other challenges:

• Sketch from Penny's Paper Crafting Challenge #88
• Stampin for the Weekend #15 - monochrome
• Charisma Cardz #31 - flowers and fauna
• Do You Stack Up #84 - four legged friends
• Simon Says Stamp - bingo - I chose ribbon/gems/punches
• Papertake Weekly - anything goes

High Hopes - ribbon challenge

Our next challenge over at High Hopes is to use your

Ribbon or Lace

Now I know you might think 'easy peasy' ... well not if you're ribbon challenged like me!  I'll not confess how long I faffed around with my Bow Easy before I gave up and went down the CAS route with just a strip of ribbon and then a wee tab stapled on.
Pop over to High Hopes challenge blog for more inspiration and deets on the challenge.

My card uses Stretch and Jungle Leaf Corner - coloured with promarkers and central panel popped up on dimensionals.  No idea where the DP is from, it's been in my stash for yonks!


Other challenges:

• I flipped the layout from Sketch'n Stash #92
• Tammy's Scrapin Corner #20 - bingo - I used ribbon / free / flowers
• Totally Gorjuss #141 - leaf it in

Summer Fun

Time for a new challenge over at High Hopes, and this week it's ...

Summer Fun

(anything summery - fishing, camping, BBQ, sunflowers, sunny weather, water fun etc.)
You've a week to play along and don't forget you need to use High Hopes stamps - check the blog for stockists.

My card uses Diver Dan and Sea Floor Background.  Coloured with a mixture of pencils and copics and some glitter added to the underwater plants.  

Other challenges I'd like to enter this in to:

• Use it Tuesday #35 - emboss it - I dusted off my old Ellison circles embossing folder for the red panel
• My Time to Craft #183 - Make it Wet
• The Corrosive Challenge #153 - sentimentally yours

Sick Donkey

I thought I'd have a go at the stippling technique, but I think I need more practice.  My wee donkey looks like he needs a swift visit to the vet!

Donkey from High Hopes: Brayden
Coloured with copics.
Martha Stewart grass punch.  Flower and brad from stash.

• MarkerPOP #01 - colour fur or hair
• Totally Papercrafts #125 - lots of layers
• Crafty Creations #178 - free for all
• The Stamp Man - summer colours
• Tammy's Scrapin Corner #18 - anything goes