I'm off for a while

I'm off to university tomorrow morning and so won't be posting any crafty projects for a while. Maybe when I have settled and have some free time to kill I will get back into cardmaking- just I can't take all my stash with me until I know how much room I have (that and it might prove a big distraction from studying!).
I have very much enjoyed blogging my cards, reading people's kind comments and looking at everyone elses work for inspiration. I have to say a special thankyou to people on LGS and CMLI (CB) for introducing me to the world of blogging and cardmaking challenges. I will try my best to keep up the occasional commenting on and viewing of all your blogs, to see your stunnign master pieces.

Untraditional Christmas

I thought I would try a new challenge blog and so had a look at the LOTV challenge. This week it is 'untraditional Christmas' and so I have used one of their Christmas bear images and made a purple and pink Christmas card.I have also made this card for this weeks MAWTT challenge, which is a 'to do list'. You have to cross off at least three items off the list. The three items I am crossing off are 1)button, 2)embossing (silver embossing powder on the snowflake), and 3)glitter. (I almost made a fourth, since I hand stitched round all the backing papers- this is not a new technique for me, but I haven't done it for about 6 months (I have been lazy and done faux stitching lately!) and so it is a change at least.)

200th post!!!

Well my first and 100th posts were for the I love Promarkers challenge and so my 200th post had to be as well didn't it? Not an easy week to make two lost of cards for this challenge either- the dreaded 'white on white'! I'm not so happy with this one as the angel cards I made a few days ago. Anyone know the best way of going round an image with a dark coloured PM to make it 'pop' for a snow scene at night? I ended up going round in a very dark blue and then running it in to the white a bit by blending with a very light blue.

This is only the second time I have tried to make a step card too- I think next time I will fiddle with the dimensions to get the side steps a bit taller, if you know what I mean.

Warmest Christmas wishes

Made another Christmas card to add to my collection! I have used one of Pink Petticoats penguins again- I just think they are ace! This time I have use the sketch from this weeks Sweet Sketch Wednesday. I have just got into their blog challenge and enjoy it. Pity that I will be taking a break at the end of this week from crafting, while I go to uni. I can recommend the challenge to any other crafter though.

T is for tree

This weeks challenge on ABC Christmas is 'T is for Tree' with the optional extra of buttons. I have made this card using an image sent to me by Cherry from CB (Thankyou!). The papers are from my favourite Christmas pack which I won in hte half-way there blog hop, and have little pictures of trees on them. I have stamped a snowflake in light blue ink in the background of the white parts, but it doesn't show up very well in the photo.

angels

This weeks I love Promarkers Challenge is 'white on white'- a challenge which is VERY difficult and even more difficult if you don't have a diecutter/embossing machine! I managed to do the challenge a few weeks ago on CMLI and so wasn't going to be beaten this time either. I have heat embossed snowflakes on the base card, used some star embossed wrappping paper (torn), some vellum, a piece of acetate (on one card only) and pearly white paper as my layers. The image is by Elyzbells and I couldn't resist making two at the same time- easy way to increase the number of Christmas cards I have! The snowflake is a diecut chipboard I bought, painted white and then heat embossed with sparkly white powder.

I will also enter the card into this weeks DCD challenge (vellum).

LOTV Christmas bunny rabbit

This weeks Passion for Promarkers challenge is to make your own flowers. I have made the poinsetta on this card by hand using some templates which I drew freehand (the same ones I used on the Popcorn card on which I made my own flower too). The image is a cutey by LTOV.

Christmas Hugs

I have used a non Christmas Pollycraft image (Cuthbert holding flowers - I just love this image, it is one of my favourites) to make this Christmas card by colouring in the image in Christmas colours- I hope it works OK! The card follows the sketch from Pear Tree Designs and the twist (gems- two massive ones!!).
I will also enter the card into this weeks Pollycraft Monday Challenge (cute and cuddl) and Just cute bears (punch- I have used a border punch on one of the papers)

A second Popcorn card

WOW I can't believe that I actually made the top 5 in last weeks Passion for Promarkers Challenge!!!! I have gone with the flow and have made a second card using the same Popcorn stamp. It is my favourite stamp at the moment and just sooooo sute and really versatile to use with a number of techniques. This time I have stamped him, coloured just with Promarkers (no paper piecing this week) and decoupaged up parts. I stamped the base layer on the scalloped oval and then used masking to stamp the snow flakes, sentiment and for the faux tearing. (The sentiment came from the same stamp set but the snowflake didn't.)
I have made the poinsetta flower just be drawing some templates freehand and them cutting out the layers in green and red and adding details with a fineliner. I will enter the card into this weeks Passion for Promarkers challenge (make your own flowers) and Pollycraft challenge (cute and cuddly).

Spiral Birthday

This weeks themed challenge on CMLI (CB) is 'just words'- a challenge which I always shy away from, since I don't have many words stamps. However I recently bought this stamp from Elyzbells and so thought I would use it. I have made the vellum butterfly embellishment to go to the right hand corner of the sentiment. I will enter the card into this weeks DCD challenge (vellum).

A new home card

One of my friends is hopefully going to be moving into her new house in the next few months (I hope so much she doesn't read this!) and so I thought I would make her a card in advance. I have used a cute Penny Black image given to me in an image swap on CB a while ago. I just love their hedgehogs! The card follows the sketch set by Wynneth for this weeks I love Promarkers challenge. The optional extra of the twist 'rip it up' is covered by the ripped up flower I have added.

Bob the frog

I decided to make a birthday card for my Grandad really early (his birthday is in December) because I won't have so much time soon. I used this 'Bob the frog' image from DigiStamp Boutique. It was meant to be a quick card, but when I finished it 2 hours later, I realised that it wasn't quick and had taken about the same time as every other card- lol!

Pengiun Christmas

I just love these pengiun digis which I got from Pink Petticoat last year! Here's a card I made last night using one of the images. I ahve followed the sketch from this weeks Sketch Saturday and will also enter the card into this weeks MAWTT challenge (Christmas).

Milly Singing Carols

I have made a second card following this weeks Sweet Sketch Wednesday sketch, this time using a DigiStamp Boutique image ('Milly singing carols'). I will also enter the card into the DigiStamp Boutique September competition and this weeks MAWTT challenge (Christmas).

Acorns

This week on Digi Doodle Shop Best the challenge is 'anything goes' provided that you use one of the three ace digi stamps they are providing for free and link your challenge post to as many other challenges as possible. I loved the acorn digi, since it is a step away from my comfort zone of cute images and so seasonal at the same time. I was a little scared about colouring it, but in the end I am pleased with the result.

Unfortuanly I haven't found that many other challenges to enter this into. If anyone has any ideas, let me know. But I will enter it into this weeks Pollycraft Monday challenge (autumn colours) and I have used the sketch from this weeks Sweet Sketch Wednesday (first time I have entered this challenge).
I have also entered:
Incywincy Designs #59 - autumn colours
A spoon full of sugar #121-Fall to Autumn colour challenge
Creative Card Crew - Autumnn or Fall
Stamp Something - September digi day challenge
Craft Your Days Away #4 - Autumnn doodles
Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge #101- Anything goes

non-red Santa

This weeks challenge on CMLI is to follow Karen's sketch and use the theme 'Santa'. I have made this card. When I had arranged all the blue and silver backing papers I thought I didn't want a red Santa and so have coloured him purple and blue. What do you think???I will enter this card into this weeks ABC Christmas challenge which is 'S is for Santa' with the optional extra of not using red!

Two 'Three Kings' cards

This is the first card I made for this weeks I love Promarkers challenge using my 'Three Kings' stamp for the first time. The challenge this week on I love Promarkers is to follow Wynneth's sketch and there is an optional extra of 'rip it up'. I got an bit carried away with the ripping on this card...Then I had another go since I wasn't that happy with the first one. This time I have limited the ripping ot the paper flower.

At least I have two more Christmas cards made now!

Beary Christmas

A huge thankyou to Lauren for sending me this such cute stamp. I love Popcorn but have never got any of the products apart from maybe the odd cross stitch. I think his duck companion (is it Soufle?) looks just like the teddy I have had since I was 11 years old (and which still goes everywhere with me- is that sad or what??!).I have made this card for this weeks CMLI themed challenge (Christmas bears) and kind of followed the sketch from this weeks CMLI sketchie. I will also enter the card into this weeks Passion for Promarkers challenge (taking the red and white from the photo as inspiration, along with the flowers). (I have coloured the majority of the image with Promarkers and just paper pieced the blanket- I hope this is OK with the challenge rules for Passion for Promarkers, if not I apologise and will withdraw the entry.)

Autumn

This weeks Pollycraft Monday challange was to make a card with Autumn colours. I have used the 'Bridget' thankyou freebie along with autumn coloured papers from my stash. The sketch is from this weeks Sketch Saturday challange, which I have never entered before! I will also enter this into this weeks Allsorts challenge which is 'the colours of autumn'.

Sweet Litlle Girl

This weeks DCD challenge is to make a roject with a digi sweet little girl image. I have dug out my Willow Designs CD and used the 'Presicious' image along with the dark pink spotty and dark pink stripy papers. I will also enter the card into this weeks Pear Tree Designs challenge (pink) and Passion for Promarkers challenge (photo inspiration- spotty pink and girly). The image is coloured with PMs and printed on photo paper for a glossy look.

Cross Stitch

For something a bit different I have just finished this cross stitch for a present to give tomorrow. The kit is by the Stitching Shed. I have added a few extras to the frame since I couldn't get a tall thin frame and it looked silly in the middle of a standard shaped rectangular frame. Hope you like it!

Forever Friends Christmas

This weeks CMLI sketchie (CB) was set by Rosie (great to have you back after your holidays!) and the twist was 'in pieces'. I thought I would use this Forever Friends decoupage kit that I got last year, since die-cut decoupage comes 'in pieces'. I will enter this into this weeks CES challenge, which has the theme Christmas Easel card.

Second tri-fold-shutter card

I enjoyed making the first tri-fold-shutter card and so have made a second! (I got the instructions from Wynneth after seeing her amazing card on the CMLI challenge this week on CB.) This weeks ABC Christmas challenge is 'S is for Santa' with an optional extra of no red. This proved quite difficult, but I have managed with a black and white Santa. I will also enter the card into this weeks Pollycraft challenge (Christmas-no red or green).

Penguin on skates

This weeks Pollycraft challenge is to make a Christmas card without the colours red or green. This proved harder than I thought since nearly all my images had a santa hat (which should be red) or holly or something similar (which should be green). I have in the end taken liberties with the colouring!
I will also enter the card into this weeks I love Promarkers challenge, which is the theme transport- here the penguin is on skates.
I have made this zig-zag type of card for the first time using the instructions from Wynneth on CB. She made a stunning card for this weeks CMLI challenge and so I wanted to give it a go.

Walter holding flowers

This weeks themed challenge on CMLI was set by GDT Clare and was 'Cut it out... I said button it and knot it!'. A great one I thought! I have made this card using Walter the Owl download (Willow Designs) and have cut him out (along with cutting out the apeture). The knots are in the ribbon and the buttons are obviuos. The apeture has a shaker behind it with silver and pink glitter.I will enter this card into a number of challenges this week:

Pear Tree Designs (theme- animals);

CES (theme- floral frenzy);

DCD (pins and pearls- the first time I have made a pin and added it to a card- I am pleased with the result and will make some more. What do other people use as the 'pin'? I used an earring part, but am thinking maybe they sell thin nails which would do the job???)

Happy Halloween

This weeks challenge on I love Promarkers is 'Myth and Magic'. This is a great theme with Halloween coming up. I have made this Halloween card using one of the images I bought with my winning voucher from last weeks challenge ('Cecil and broom' image from Digi Doodle Shop). This card follows the sketch and theme (zig zags) of this weeks CMLI (CB) challenge, set by GDT Clare.

Passion for Promarkers

This weeks challenge on Passion for Promarkers is 'Teddy bears Picinic' and they want to see lots of teddy bears! I have made this card.

Thanks to Wynneth on CMLI for directing me to the Promarker colouring tutorials on LOTV last week. This is the second time this week I have used a LOTV bear and I am much happier with the second colouring attempt!

In the bag #2

This weeks DCD challenge is 'Soft shades of vintage'. I'm not too good at the vinatge and shabby chic look, but have had a go with this card. The image was given to me as part of my DCD prize a few weeks ago. I have made the flowers and have tried the scrunched up paper techinique for the first time for one of the bp layers. I have used the sketch from this weeks Pear Tree Designs challenge and the image fits perfectly with the themed challenge on CMLI this week ('in the bag')