Commissioned Christmas Card

I was asked to make a Christmas card for a lady for her husband.  As she works with my son I asked him if she had a sense of humour so he said "yes" so I showed him the image I was going to use and he said "yes".  I have used a Kenny K image and coloured in with my Promarkers and added some glitter/bling with some Stickles.  I have used some scraps of paper leftover from last years' cards so I am not sure where they are from.  I have added a doily and then tried to do a flower arrangement with some flowers (with Stickles added to give some Christmas sparkle), pins and leaves.  The cards is finished off with some ribbon, pearls, sentiment off the computer and some Bizzy Becs ticket sentiments.

This card fits the following challenges:

I Love Promarkers - Anything goes and sparkle
Passion for Promarkers - Old and new - new digital image, old papers
Top Tip Tuesday - Layer on layer
Everybody Art - Use shapes
For Fun - Anything goes
Creative Belli - R embellishments - ribbon (cream ribbon I've had for a few years or more now), roses
Crafty Creations - Christmas is coming
Fab n Funky - Going with the flow
Hodge Podge - Anything goes
Crafty Sentiments - Christmas plus sentiment
Paper Cutz - Anything goes
Crafty Catz - Christmas
Kort o Mania - Decorate front, outside and inside of card
Creative Inspirations - Red, green and gold
Die-cut Dreams - Die-cut on card
I Did it Creations - Surprise me
One Stitch at a Time - Bling
ABC Christmas - X is for Xmas
Totally Stampalicious - Anything goes
Crazy Challenge - On the go
Stamps R Us - Holiday cards
Craft Your Days Away - Texture
Stampin' for the Week-end - Winter
Cards for Men - Christmas cards
Paper Playtime - Christmas Carol Inspired - Santa Baby
Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - Anything goes
Crazy 4 Challenge - Script
Ooh-la-la-Creations - Christmas Song - Santa Baby
Kenny K - Think Pink.

A Non-traditional Christmas Card

Another non-traditional Christmas card - I think I need some therapy as this is various shades of pink with black - oh my!!!  For this card I have used various scraps of papers from The Creative Cottage that I had leftover from a handbag and shoe card - as I think these papers came in a set with them or a cottage scene - and certainly not for Christmas!!!  I have used another Nitwits Collection called Joyful Hearts which I saw a blogging friend use and I thought they were cute.  I didn't have much time to play but the pink snowman caught my eye and the pink trees which I covered with some glaze and Stickles to add dimension.  I added some Stickles for snow.  I have hacked the edges of the paper with Tim Holtz's distressing tool, ran Versamark around the edges and then put on some glittery embossing powder which I bought when I first started crafting and have barely used as the glitter gets everywhere.  The card is finished off with some black ribbon, shocking pink holographic card (which looks black on the photo no matter how many photos I took in different light) and some card candy.

This card fits the following challenges:

Pile it On - Winter means

A Spoon Full of Sugar - Anything goes

For Fun - Anything goes

Crafty Creations - Christmas is coming

The Creative Cottage - Untraditional Christmas

Fab n Funky - Going with the flow

Hodge Podge - Anything goes
Top Tip Tuesday - Layer upon layer

Crafty Sentiments - Christmas plus sentiment

Paper Cutz - Anything goes

Totally Papercrafts - Untraditional Christmas

Fussy and Fancy Friday - Christmas but no red or green

Alphabet Challenge - E for embossing

Digital Tuesday - Let it Snow

Scrapbook Sisters - Let it Snow
Totally Gorjuss - Oh Christmas tree!
Lots to do - Embossing
Craft Your Days Away - Texture - glazing, Stickles, ribbon, distressing paper embossing with black glitter embossing power
One Stop Craft - Christmas Cuties

ABC Challenge - I is for ice and snow

Charisma Cardz - One for the girls

Daring Cardmakers - Spotty stripey Christmas - spots of snow/on the presents and stripes on the paper.

We Three Kings

I am such a traditional Christmas type of girl and have struggled with trying to come out of my comfort zone.  This card is the colours bright orange, yellow, white and brown - very scary for me with no red or green.  I have used a new Nitwits Collection Nativity package and used various papers to matt and layer, add the three kings, some digital ribbon and flowers.  I then distressed the edges of the paper with Tim Holtz's distressing tool, inked the edges and then used some Debbi Moore orange/brown distressing powder which I've had for ages and ages.  The card is finished off with some bright orange ribbon and card candy.

This card fits the following challenges:

Pile it On - Winter means
Cards for Men - Christmas card
A Spoon Full of Sugar - Anything goes
For Fun - Anything goes
Crafty Creations - Christmas is coming
Penny's Challenge - Photo inspiration
The Creative Cottage - Untraditional Christmas
Fab n Funky - Going with the flow
Hodge Podge - Anything goes
Whoopsi Daisy - Holiday
Top Tip Tuesday - Layer upon layer
Mark's Finest papers - Bow on card
Crafty Sentiments - Christmas plus sentiment
paper Cutz - Anything goes
Lots to do - Embossing
Crafty Catz - Christmas
One Stop Craft - Christmas Cuties
Totally Papercrafts - Untraditional Christmas
Fussy and Fancy Friday - Christmas but no red or green
Alphabet Challenge - E for embossing.

WOYWW - Wednesday 24 November 2010

Here is week six for me at What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday (WOYWW) and all I will say is I am addicted to snooping.  Yes, it's lovely to see where everyone crafts but it's also fab to see the different creations eg cards, scrapbook layouts, knitted items, cooking, canvases, sketchbooks etc etc.  I've seen "other creations" which have then given me ideas for something for a card so I always have to have a pen and paper to hand.

No closing of the craft cupboard again this week.  At this rate it will stay open me thinks until Christmas Eve!!!  On my actual desk are some papers I have printed out from the Debbie Moore Birthday Bears CD as I have been asked to make a card for a lady's niece who is going to be three.  There's also some profile images on the CD so I took them into Word, inserted them and put a box around and will cut them out so that the little girl can have a colour of them.  I have quite a few crafting addictions - card candy (I was once mentioned on QVC by Dawn Bibby as I mentioned to her that I'd got a contagious condition "card candyitis" thanks to her), adhesive gems, ribbons, fibres ................ well you'll have to wait for another instalment to find out more addictions.  Buttons the Keel Bordeaux dog is keeping a close eye on his mum's fibres for her - lots of yummy colours and textures in there.  There's also some Lili of the Valley cute squares all distressed/glittered and the rest waiting to be glittered.  These images are fab and of such good quality.  Then there's some Cute Santa images all coloured in from Shelly's Images and also some cute dog images from Designed 2 Delight - all I need is just a crafting pixie to make them into cards for me.

Here is a close-up of one of the cupboard doors.  Here you will find pictures of two of my crafting idols - Dawn Bibby and Tim Holtz.  No I haven't met Tim - I can dream of that one day.  Just wish I was well enough and had the funds as he's doing an event here in the UK next year about 14 miles away.  I have though met the lovely Dawn twice now and just wish I lived closer to her shop to visit more often.  Underneath are various sets of See D's stamps and a set of peg stamps a blogging friend gave me which I use a lot especially for a bit of decoration on inserts.

Here are a few of the drawers pulled out for people to see inside - yes you ask and I obey.  The bottom one has my double-sided tape.  The one on the left hand side has got my favourite Versamagic ink pads and the box at the back has the tear drop ink pads.  I have put all my ink pads inside the drawers in plastic containers in case any leak as I don't want the material drawers being ruined.  The drawer on the top at the right that is open shows another of my addictions - ribbons.  Yes, they aren't neat and tidy but at least I can quickly see at a glance a colour I want and as they aren't long pieces of ribbon this system works for me.

If you fancy taking part in WOYWW, click here and go over to have a look at Julia's blog where you will find out what you need to do.  BE WARNED THOUGH IT IS ADDICTIVE!!!!!

Vintage Art with Attitude - Bombshell Stamps

A new blog has started and they are offering some stamps to win.  You need to become a follower and put a post about the new blog on your blog and then your name can be put in the draw for these gorgeous stamps.  Click here to go and have a look.

Craft Us Crazy Design Team Call

There is a new challenge blog called "Craft Us Crazy" that will be starting on 3 February 2011.  At the moment they are wanting submissions for their Design Team but if you post a message about their challenge blog you can be put in the draw to win $15 gift certificate.  Click here to have a look at the information regarding the Design Team call and also on how to entered to win the gift certificate.

In a Sweet Pea Dream - Challenge 5

Well I've just been giving my desk a little tidy and what did I find - a card I'd made for a challenge and hadn't posted - yikes!!!  I did have a panic thinking I'd missed the deadline but I've just got less than 48 hours before the deadline.  Moral of the story - post when you have finished and don't put it off!!!

The challenge this fortnight over at the In a Sweet Pea Challenge Blog was flowers.  Oh I'm sure that that challenge topic was picked especially for me as I love using flowers.  I have used a scrap of paper leftover from a commissioned card and distressed it with my ink duster and Tim Holtz's Fired Brick distress ink pad.  I then embossed some red card.  Not sure why but it puckered up the edges of the card so instead of binning it I tore the edges of the card and used it for my matting.  The Sweet Pea image I have stamped and embossed and then coloured in with watercolours.  The image I then cut with a die-cut and then distressed the edges with Tim Holtz's Fired Brick distress ink pad.  I then fed through some think ribbon as it cried out for that. The card is finished off with some paper flowers, Bizzy Becs ticket sentiment, peel-off and I then used my Stickles glitter glue on the watercoloured image in places (wings and flowers) and also on the flower petals.

This card also fits the following challenges:

A Spoon Full of Sugar - Distressing
Flutter by Wednesday - Open them or sketch or open theme and sketch
Simon Says - Sparkle
Sarah Hurley - Embossing
Frosted Designs - Distressing
I Did it Creations - Wings.

Commissioned Birthday Card

I was asked to make a card for a little girl who loves helping makes cakes.  I recently won some Forever Friends die-cut decoupage in the Creativity! Magazine so hunted them out as I thought I'd remembered seeing one with a cake.  Well what a cake this is - it looks absolutely yummy.  More scraps used for this card and to embellish I have used some ribbon, paper flowers, brad and some peel-offs.  The recipient said it was perfect for what she wanted.  Whoopeee!!!

This card fits the following challenges:

Forever Friends - Chocolate/cake
Everybody Art - Monochromatic browns
Just Cute Bears - Winter birthday - the recipient's birthday is next week so I hope that's OK to class it as a winter birthday!!!

Thank You Card

I was asked to make a very simple thank you card and the only request was it had to have flowers on it.  I painstakingly cut out some decoupage I have had for years and year which did take some time.  The backing paper is from Basic Grey, gold mirri card and then a gorgeous die-cut mount I was given with little butterfly cut out corners.  The mount I used Tim Holtz's Black Soot distress ink on the edge but thought this would be too harsh to highlight the die-cut so I used Tim Holtz's Antique Linen distress ink pad.  The card is then simply finished off with a peel-off and insert inside.

This card fits the following challenges:

Creative Card Crew - Let's give thanks
For Fun - Show your thanks
Paper Pretties - Thank you card
A Spoon Full of Sugar - Distressing.

CD Sunday Challenge - 21 November 2010

Over at the CD Sunday Challenge the topic this week is shabby chic.  I had a rummage and found some images that I'd printed off a while back from My Craft Studio Deco Follies CD.  I have used up paper scraps (these were well and truly scraps as they only fitted onto half of each side of the card).  I have distressed the edges of the papers and image.  The card is simply finished off with some raffia and some gorgeous sticky frosted gems from Simon Says Stamp in the USA.

This card also fits into the following challenges:

Drunken Stampers - No stamps for you
A Spoon Full of Sugar - Distressing.

Crafty Ann's Challenge No 28

Well, thank you to everyone that entered in the anniversary challenge over at Crafty Ann's.  Click here to see the winner.  There was also an offer on each Design Team member blog for a free digital image or free pre-coloured sheet.  The winner of mine is ................................. " Shaz "  Please go to the Crafty Ann's Challenge Blog here and make contact with Ann via e-mail at craftyann@hotmail.co.uk and and tell her you are my winner.  Thanks everyone for playing along.

This fortnight's challenge over at Crafty Ann's is a photo inspiration.  The photo is this one:

So here is the card that I have made.

I have used the tropical beach digital image and coloured it with chalk pencils and softening out with paper nibs and cotton buds.  The edges are distressed with Tim Holtz's distressing tool and this is highlighted with Tim Holtz's Dusty Concord distress ink.  I then printed off the image again onto plain old copier paper, cut it out and then used it as a mask so that I could use my new ink dusters to colour the sky.  I found a circle of paper so used this as a mask in one corner.  I used three different colours for the sky:  Tim Holtz's Faded Jeans, Tumbled Glass and Dusty Concord distress ink pads.  The tartan backing paper is from Crafty Ann's, the vellum is from my scraps box and the card is then simply finished off with ribbon, various flowers layered up with a brad in the centre, hand drawn flock of birds and a Crafty Ann's ticket sentiment (yes, the ticket sentiment is normally for the Christmas period but I thought this card would be nice if you knew of someone going on a special holiday.

Please go over to Crafty Ann's to look at the cards made from the rest of the Design Team.

This card also fits the following challenges:

One Stitch at a Time - Your favourite colour - purple
Monday - Lollipop Crafts - Very girly
Digi Doodle Challenge - Anything goes
Stamping Vacation - Tropical
CRAFT Challenge - Using vellum
Gingerloft - The great outdoors
ABC Challenge - H is for holidays
Frosted Designs - Distressing
Stamping Vacation - No traditional fall colours
Paper Romance - Your favourite things - would love to live by the sea, colour purple, flowers, distress inks and my new ink dusters
Hodge Podge - Anything goes.

Blog Award from Carol (Something Gone Missing)

Today I have received a lovely blog award from Carol over at Something Gone Missing.  I haven't known Carol for long so it is so nice that she has felt she could pass this award onto me.  Thank you.

This blog award is a bit different to the norm as it entitles the recipient to a voucher to spend at Digis with Attitude.  Clear here to read all about it and also to have a look at their lovely digital images.

As part of the blog award I have to tell you three things about me - yikes that's not like me talking about myself - but here goes:

1.  In 1983 I got to the Regional Finals of the Junior Cook of the Year Competition.  Sadly I didn't get any further but it was a wonderful experience.  I had to design a 3 course meal and cook two of the courses in 90 minutes.  My meal was :  Starter - Peanut butter soup; Main course - Baked soul with grapes, duchess potatoes and green beans (but as they were late coming into season the judges allowed me to do a salad instead); Dessert - Apricot and orange delight.  I cooked my main course and dessert.

2.  Even before the cookery competition I knew I wanted to be a chef so after leaving school I went on a YTS.  I did though apply to join the Navy and Air Force when I could and passed all the written and physical exams but due to the constraints on where women were posted I declined to join either.  I did stay in catering but sadly after an accident my catering career ended in 1989 aged 19.

3.  In 1995 I was in hospital for 7 weeks and off sick eleven months after eventually being diagnosed with CFS/ME.  I owe what I am doing now to flicking channels and coming across Dawn Bibby on QVC and eagerly watching her shows each week and that along with Ideal World/Create and Craft on Freeview, starting my blog, meeting fellow bloggers that my cardmaking has taken a positive approach and helped me to get through this hard time and continues to help whilst I struggle to get over this illness/disability.  Dawn Bibby will always have a special place in my heart for getting me through an awful time and I was lucky enough to meet her in her shop for my 40th birthday last year.

Now I have to pass this award onto five other bloggers.  This is hard as there are so many worthy people but this is the five people I have chosen to have Attitude! are:

Irene
Cathy
Debbie
Karen - well I am the person that pushed them into having a blog - hopefully soon it will have lots of creations on it!!!
MarjyC - yes I am the person to blame for this person having a blog - hopefully soon it will have lots of creations on it!!!

Wishing everyone well.

WOYWW - Wednesday 16 November 2010

Another What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday (WOYWW) has arrived.  It's amazing how quickly the weeks seem to be flying by at the moment.  This is going to be my fifth week - that's unbelievable.  I've had so much fun looking at other people's crafting areas and have also been contacted by a number of crafters who are sending me some crafting items to help me with my charity work.  Thank you to those kind people.  Anything I receive as donations, win in challenges or win in blog candy I put to good use for my charity work.

The last week has seen me having to finish off some commissioned cards and two that I know of have been well received so that's a relief.

Yet again, the cupboard hasn't been shut up all week - well it saves wear and tear on putting the table up-and-down and that's my excuse!!!  I had to have a shuffle around with things after my NEC visit and I am getting used to where new homes are for some things.  Scamp the Keel Schnauzer has come to say "hello" to everyone this week.  This dog is terrible - you just need to look at him and his fur gets messy and he needs a brush.

On my desk are various images from Debbie Moore's Venetian Moments CD as I need to make a card for someone at work.  The Promarkers/Copics are out as I also edge the sides of cut images to exclude that white edge.  I've done this since I made cards for Create and Craft/Ideal World for the My Craft Studio CDs.  There's also a Digi Doodles image I coloured in for their challenge last week and an embossed piece of card to match but I haven't had chance to make it into a card so it will save for another time.

Here I have all-but pulled out two of the three drawers housing my rubber stamps.  It's not many compared to a lot of people but they give me a good selection when I choose to do some stamping - but I'm always on the look-out for bargains to get more.  I followed a friends tip of keeping them in video cases and bought 20 thinking that was plenty but I ran out so I've used some of the plastic/velcro pockets that came with the Workstation that I hadn't used, like I've done with the Sweet Pea stamps, that I've pulled out on top to show you.  I've pushed it all back into line as I might not close it down at nights but I hate to see the drawers sticking out and looking a mess.

If you fancy taking part in WOYWW, click here and go over to have a look at Julia's blog where you will find out what you need to do.

The Crafty Purple Frog - Challenge Two

The challenge over at The Crafty Purple Frog this fortnight has been a "time for you to sparkle".  I'd had this image cut out and sparkled for over a week now so thought I'd better finish putting the card together before I miss the deadline.  The colour I have chosen for the card is various shades of purple - not a traditional Christmas colour but as purple is my favourite colour I'd be happy to receive a Christmas card in purple!!!  The flowery/glittery paper is some I won at is called Henbury Lane and is soooooo gorgeous I nearly didn't use it - but what's the point of entering things and winning and not putting the items to good use eh??  All the other pieces of papers/vellum used are scraps which all of them only just fitted what I need them for.  I have glittered the image in places with some Cosmic Shimmer glitter glue.  The card is then finished with a die-cut for my peace sentiment to sit on, some sparkly brads and a normal bra, some glittery stars and some lace.

This card also fits the following challenges:

Crafts and Me - Glitter
Moving Along with the Times - Nice and bright
Ellephantastic - Butterfly card or Christmas card or a butterfly/Christmas card
Secret Crafter - Sparkle and shine
2 Sisters - Christmas
Creative Inspirations - Anything wintery/Christmas
One Stitch at a Time - Favourite colour - purple, purple, purple for me
Lollipop Crafts - Very girly
Flourishes - Just do it
Tuesday Taggers - peace, joy or love on your project
My Time to Craft - Window fun.

Commissioned Christmas Card

I was asked to make a Christmas card for a little girl who loves ice-skating so the freebie image at Pattie's Creations was the perfect image for me to use.  I have used some oddments of blue glitter paper, striped paper and also a scrap of mirri card that I put in one of Tim Holtz's embossing folders.  I have coloured the image in with promarkers and distressed the edges with Tim Holtz's Faded Jeans distress ink pad.  The card is finished off simply with some card candy and a ticket sentiment from Crafty Ann's Digi Shop.

This card fits the following challenges:

Anything Goes Challenge - Embossing
Digistamps 4 Joy - Inspired by Christmas/Holiday Season
Paper Pretties - Embossing
ABC Challenge - H is for Holidays
Stamp Something - Anything goes digi
Winter Wonderland - Winter sports
Crazy 4 Challenge - Christmas card
2 Sisters - Christmas
Creative Inspirations - Anything Christmassy/Winter
Paper Sundaes - Choose your toppings - punches, ribbon, embossing and colour blue

Thank You Card

I was asked to make a very basic and quick thank you card for a friend.  I used My Craft Studio Tattered lace and did some faux matting and layering to avoid high costs of postage ie you get the effect without the cost.  I then digitally imported some lace and changed the colour, a butterfly and changed the colour and added the sentiment.  I am trying to force myself to use the My Craft Studio  Professional but I am terrible at times and will use what I am used to ie the initial My Craft Studio.  I think my New Year's Resolution might be to get to grips with this!!!  I have then simply decoupaged the flower up by four layers, but four layers of DST so it's not high but you still get the effect.  I have distressed the edges and distressed a little cut/embossed a little butterfly with Tim Holtz's Dusty Concord distress ink pad for a tad of dimension.  Please excuse the awful photo - I took a photo before handing the card over to my friend but didn't check the quality!!!

This card fits the following challenges:

City Crafter - Thank you
My Time to Craft - Rhapsody of roses
Aud Sentiments - Happy thanksgiving or something thankful for
Frosted Designs - Card with thanks or thankful on it
CD Sunday - Lavender and lace
Crazy Challenge - Thanks or thanksgiving.

Commissioned Christmas Card

I was asked to make an elegant card for a lady for Christmas so I used some images/papers I was given that are Art Deco and designed by Nancy Watt for a magazine.  I chose this image and decide to use a different style card I had - but the for life of me I can't remember their name - maybe diamond top???  I have simply used the backing papers and toppers from the magazine and some silver mirri card which proved a nightmare with the camera.  I then used my Cricut to make some snowflakes and out came the glitter on them - yes for people that know me I hate the mess of glitter - but what is a snowflake without some glitter?  The card is then simply finished off with a sentiment and some gorgeous pearls.

This card fits the following challenges:

Flourishes - Glitter
Spoon Full of Sugar - Snow/snowflakes
Little Red Wagon - Do it in 3's - 3 snowflakes and 3 pearls for me
Cricut Cardz - Christmas card - I used my Accent Essentials cartridge for the snowflakes
ABC Challenge - H is for holidays
Dutch Dare - Clean and simple
ABC Christmas - Winter Wonderland
Mark's Finest Papers - Snowflakes
Secret Crafter - Sparkle and shine
2 Sisters - Christmas
Creative Inspirations - Anything wintery/Chrismasy.

Jamie's Lane's Cricut Cartridge Storage Blog Candy

As I haven't had my Cricut for long I am still finding my feet with regards to sites on people that use the Cricut.  I have come across Jamie Lane's Blog and see she is offering some blog candy - a pink Scrap'n Tote Storage Giveway - so click here to go and have a look.  The candy off runs out on 23/11/10.

The Crafty Goat Girl's Blog Candy

Heidi, the Crafty Goat Girl, has some FAB blog candy up for grabs to celebrate 40,000 hits on her blog.  Click here to go and have a look.  The candy ends on 21/12/10.

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Blog and Blog Candy

Hazel is starting a new Challenge Blog on 1 January 2011 called "Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Blog".  To celebrate the start of this Challenge Blog Hazel is offering some blog candy.  Click here to go and have a look.  I have tried to take part in as many Christmas challenges throughout the year but I think I must try harder next year!!!

CD Sunday Challenge - 7 November 2010

I was asked to make a commissioned card for a customer's grandson who LOVES animals.  I thought I'd bring out my new Polka Doodles Paper Boutique CD with this monkey image - isn't he cute.  I simply decoupaged him up on the front of the card and used some Polka Doodles backing paper.  The card is finished off with an insert, sentiment off the computer and some stickers to spell out Jake's name.  Over at the CD Sunday Challenge this week the topic is "The Natural World" so I thought this monkey would fit in well.

This card also fits the following challenges:

By the Cute and Girly Challenge - Jungle, jungle
Cards for Men - Animals
Lexi's Creations - Anything goes
The Sisterhood of Crafters - Birthday card
Cute Card Thursday - Anything goes
Moving Along with the Times - Nice and bright cards