Fa la la laaaa

Good morning! Well that's January done already, it HAS flown by, can't say I'm sorry though, it's been a wet , windy and dreary month here. I shouldn't complain, at least we haven't had snow or floods... or fires. I am soooo looking forward to spring!
Over at Fab 'n' Funky we're looking even further forward with our first Christmas challenge of the year...it's JFF, no sponsors and no prizes (badges for the top 3 though!) , anything goes as long as it;'s Christmas related.
My card is a mixture of old and new...the image is a Mo Manning stamp I've had for years, I coloured it up ages ago and never made it into a card, the Tim Holtz lamp post is probably just as old! The papers are new (to me anyway!) a sale bargain!
The Fab N Funky girls have made some beautiful cards to help kick start your creativity, just click  here to hop on over and take a look!
Thanks for visiting!
Chris
x

Challenges entered:
Rudolph Day
dragonflyjourneys #110
hollyandivy #22
CCAYR (January)

..number one..

Hi, I'm back with another DT make...this time it's for our new challenge at Fab N Funky , the theme...with a number... sponsored by Bugaboo Stamps

I used this sweet image, Pirate Bear, to make a card for my friend's grandson's first birthday. I cut a number one shaped card base from white cardstock, covered it with red card and blue gingham dp. The little bear is coloured with copics and fussy cut. The letters of  Oliver's name  are stamped with versamark onto white card and embossed with red ep., then fussy cut . The bunting is die cut from the same white card and coloured with copics and a white gel pen.

I hope you'll be inspired to play along with us this week, just click here to see what the Fab N Funky girls have been up to!

Thanks for visiting!.

Please scroll down for my earlier post today!

Chris

x

Challenges entered:
cardz4guyz. #186
shoppingourstash #338
cutiepie #119
catchthebug bingo (blue, embossing, dots and stripes)

Brave and dashing...

 Good morning, hope your week is going well. Here's my DT card for the new challenge starting today at Creative Moments., this fortnight the theme is 'Anything goes'. We are lucky to have 3 fabulous sponsors this time...Bugaboo Stamps

Creative Bug

and Paper Nest Dolls

I chose to use this cute image, Knight Owen with dragon from Paper Nest Dolls, I used copics to colour. The tag and circle are stamped and embossed with white ep using a very old wood backed stamp I unearthed whilst looking for something else! 

There is loads to see over at Creative Moments...my teamies have been very busy and have come up with some beautiful creations to inspire you and of course we'd love to have you play along this fortnight.

Thanks for stopping by...I'll be back in a bit with another DT card.

Chris

x

Challenges entered:
thepapernestdolls January Challenge
intaas #25 (digital stamp)
lilpatchofcraftyfriends #74
crafting-with-dragonflies #96
sendasmile4kids atg
craftycatz #400
emeraldcity #7

Life in the fast lane

Good morning, it's time for a new challenge over at Sweet Stampin' and our theme is 'man cards'. OK, not everyone's favourite...but we do always need to make them! I usually quite enjoy making masculine themed cards as I enjoy a challenge and I have to think a bit harder about what to make...you can't just colour something pretty and add flowers to it...but this time I struggled and two ended up in the bin before I ended up with this one which I quite like...even though it looks wonky in the photograph (it isn't :))
I used a sheet of kraft based dp for the background, and stamped my image on the plain reverse of it. I stamped the image twice with versamark ink and heat embossed with black embossing powder. I used a stitched rectangle dies to cut the whole image, then a smaller die to cut part of the second image, matted it onto blue card and adhered it in place with sticky tabs. The sentiment banner is also stamped and embossed and raised with sticky pads. I added some punched stars and twine to embellish.
My lovely teamies have come up with some great masculine designs, so please pop over here for some inspiration, then why not make a card and play along, it's great to have a few masculine themed cards in your stash for those guys in your life inconsiderate  enough to have birthdays
Thanks for visiting
Enjoy the weekend!
Chris
x

Challenges entered:
craftycatz #400
avenue613 #205 (new stamp and DP)
heartfulstamping # atg + stamp

Today's menu

Hello, I don't seem to have had a lot of time for blogging/crafting recently...probably because I've been reading too much and also I was given jigsaw puzzles for Christmas...unfortunately I seem to have an addictive personality and once I start a puzzle I can't leave it alone. One of my daughter's favourite stories is of the time years ago when she came in late, with her boyfriend (now her hubby) and found me asleep on the jigsaw puzzle. When they woke me, I sat up trying to pretend that I wasn't asleep but there were puzzle pieces stuck all over my face! Needless to say they rolled about laughing (no respect!) and they've never let me forget it! As for the reading...my husband counted 21 books piled up waiting for me...wouldn't do to run out of reading matter now would it! I'm currently enjoying  'The Alice Network' by Kate Quinn, recommended by a friend.
Anyhow, back to the card, first one this year that isn't for a DT challenge!. It's for my lovely and long suffering BIL, the image really made me laugh as my sister's cooking skills are legendary...and not for a good reason! She's a wonderful, kind, funny and caring person...but hates cooking!
The image is from Bugaboo, coloured with copics. Random papers from stash and a stamped sentiment coloured to match.
Thanks for visiting...now will it be book or jigsaw???...decisions...decisions.
Chris
x

Challenges entered:
Double D -kitchen is the heart of the home
watercooler #153
Bugaboo Crafty Challenge #12
crazychallenge #266
catchthebug-birthday-bash-day-4. (Funny sentiment, Bugaboo image, die cut)

Let's be happy!

Well here I am again, third and final post for today! Fab 'n' Funky Challenges  are back after the Christmas break with a brand new challenge for you! A lovely theme this week -' Let's be happy' - simply feature the word 'happy' somewhere on your project.
There's no sponsor for this week's 'just for fun' challenge so the team were free to choose their own stamps or images ;) I took the opportunity to colour up this little sweetie from Mo Manning and tried a new combination of shades to colour her skin...good to experiment , not sure if I can see any difference! The papers are some I've had for years (Gorjuss Girls)- still love them! Sentiment stamp is LOTV.
We hope you choose to play along with this fun challenge, after all we all need some happiness in our lives! To see what the team have been up to please click here to visit us over at Fab N Funky!
Thank you for visiting today!
Chris
x

Challenges entered:
craftaholicsrus #2
tuesdaythrowdown #374
color-inspiration-monthly #30
craftingfromtheheart #189
lilpatchofcraftyfriends #73
craftyfriends #74
sendasmile4kids

January Challenge at Christmas at Sweet Stampin'

Hi, I'm back with my second post today...I really don't like it when DT Challenges all start on the  same day but ho- hum it happens! 

Firstly apologies for the terrible photos...it was such a dark and miserable day when I took them, it was impossible to get good natural light and I was in a real hurry...can't re-take the photos because I've given  the gift card already.

Anyway, my project is a gift card wallet...very quick and simple to make but looks much nicer than just an envelope! The wallet is made from folded DP ,  die cut at the opening edge, the decorated band with the star and deer holds it closed,  and just slides off -see photo below!

Thanks for calling by, please take the time to pop over to Christmas at Sweet Stampin' and check out our challenge this month...as always it's Anything Goes as long as it's Christmas related...a great opportunity to make an early start on next this year's makes!!!

xx

I'll be back again later!

Something new at Creative Moments

Good morning, it's time for the first challenge this year over  at Creative Moments, the optional theme this time is 'something new' but of course, as always, anything goes. We have no less than three fabulous sponsors this fortnight-

QKR Stampede

Sparkle N Sprinkle

and decosse

My image is courtesy of Sparkle n Sprinkle, available here it's called Honey Bees. The image comes as a set with several components. I opted to use the coloured version of the main image this time, printed it out and die cut it into a circle, allowing the flowers to overlap the edge. I then cropped it and printed it again, a bit larger and fussy cut some of the flowers. I printed two bees and fussy cut them too. The background is embossed and lightly brushed with distress ink. Die cut and stamped sentiment.

There is loads of inspiration to be enjoyed over at Creative Moments Challenge blog...we have been fortunate to welcome several new DT members  this year, and their work is amazing..so don't forget to hop over and take a look, I'm sure they would be delighted if you paid their blogs a visit too...it's always lovely to receive encouragement! We would be delighted if you choose to join in with our  challenge this time.

Thanks for visiting

have a great day.

Chris

x

Wide Eyed and Legless!

 No! The title is not a description of my condition over the festive period!!! It's what I was humming whilst colouring this cute image...it describes her perfectly :)))) This is my DT make for our January Challenge at Crafty Calendar...the theme of which is 'Mythical Creatures'. We have two fabulous sponsors for this...Wild Orchid

and A Day For Daisies

My adorable image, Wild Violet Nymph is courtesy of A day for Daisies, she was a joy to colour! The flowers are all available from Wild Orchid Crafts (there's a lot of wildness going on in this post!!!)

As always, my teamies have pulled out all the stops and created some magicalcards for you to admire, just click here to be transported to fairyland!

Thanks for visiting today

have a lovely weekend and a great week.

Chris

x

PS Please scroll down to see my previous post today.

Challenges entered:
craftyfriends #74
MAWTT #62
watercooler #151

Hello 2018!

Hi, hello and Happy New Year! This is my first post for 2018...seems like ages since I had time to blog...or visit my blog buddies, but Christmas is over, all the decs packed away, house clean and tidy so back to business as usual :) I had a lovely time celebrating with my family and friends but it's nice to be back to normal.
So what have I made for today...a Christmas card of course! Isn't that what you do in January??? Our theme this week at Sweet Stampin' is 'Winter White' , we'd like to see predominantly white cards. I made this card in a rush, whilst looking after my 2 eldest granddaughters , so I kept it very simple.  Inkylicious stamp, stamped with Memento London Fog ink, liberally coated with Wink of Stella. Can't remember who the snowy embossing folder is from, but I love it! Added a die cut snowflake and stamped the sentiment with the same ink as before. Quick and easy!
 Meanwhile my girlies were having a fantastic time experimenting with my lovely (new and untouched!!! ) Oxide Distress inks, the things you do to keep the kids happy! Olivia (10) made a beautiful birthday card for her best friend, Ruby (8) made a glorious, colourful inky background which she's keeping to use later! You'll be relieved to know that my ink pads survived unscathed, those girl's have been well trained to respect my stuff!
There's some fabulous inspiration waiting for you over at Sweet Stampin' produced by my lovely teamies and we'd love to see what you make of this challenge too...lot's of white and don't forget to stamp!
Thanks for visiting, will be back in a bit with another DT card!
Chris
x

Challenges entered:
simplycreatetoo #134
craftrocket #44
starstampz winter
merrychristmaschallenge #1
craftysentiments. snowflakes
merrymondaychristmas #271