Ho ho ho- merry Christmas!

Hello, just a quick post to wish all my wonderful blog friends and followers a very happy Christmas and to thank you for all your support, friendship and lovely comments over this last year.  I think it's been another difficult year for all of us and I can't say that I'm sorry it's drawing to a close. Here's hoping that 2022 will be a happier and healthier year for all of us. 

I'm sharing the cards (last minute so the same design!) that I made for my son and daughter this year- this Santa stamp always makes me smile and I teamed it with a stamped sentiment that I know they will find funny- hope it makes you smile too!

Have a wonderful Christmas everyone however you choose (or are allowed !) to celebrate.

Hugs

Chris

xx

 

Christmas Celebrations at Crafty Catz

 Good morning, it's time for our last challenge of 2021 at Crafty Catz, our lovely Sue is hosting, her optional theme for the week is 'Christmas Celebrations' and who better to sponsor us than the fabulous 

DR DIGI'S HOUSE OF STAMPS

such a lot of fun images to choose from!

I've made an easel card featuring these two little guys, they're full of Chrismas Cheer and definitely celebrating!

Image coloured with Copics, then fussy cut. The base is made using torn edge hexogon dies, papers fron stash, die cut 'merry' x 2 and stamped sentiment.

Please do hop over and join the fun, there are loads of fun cards from my team mates to make you smile and inspire you to join in -it would be great to have you play along for this last challenge of the year- remember anything goes at Crafty Catz!

The winners and top picks will be announced next Friday (17th).

I haven't had the best week- tested positive for Covid last Friday! Fortunately I've had my booster, my symptoms haven't been too bad, I've been more ill with flu in the past, not like my poor daughter who is still suffering 10days after contracting the virus (I didn't get it from her, haven't been anywhere near!) she has been vaccinated but hasn't been able to get her booster yet. SIL has it too- but my husband is still testing negative- I'm really hoping that he doesn't come down with it just in time for Christmas! All I can say is if you haven't had your booster yet please get it as soon as you're able- I'm convinced it's what saved me from being really ill. 

5 days to go and then I can go outside again - getting a bit stir-crazy now!

Thanks for stopping by today

Take care everyone!

Chris

x

Challenge entries

creativeknockouts #431

kraftychicks#589

craftygalscorner #226

thepapershelter celebrations

passion for markers #621

intaas #123

It's Christmas at Crafty Calendar

 Here I am again with my second card today- it's our last challenge of 2021 at  Crafty Calendar- the theme? - you've guessed it - Christmas!  Our sponsor this month is the fabulous

LOTV

I used this fun sponsor image, A Bumpy Ride which I've coloured with Copic markers. I've added some die cut trees and stars and touches of glitter as well as a die cut sentiment.

Please come and join in over at Crafty Calendar- the more the merrier!

Chris

x

polkadoodle #49

MAWTT #137

CRAFT #620

classicdesign #12

crafterscafe #279

thefourseasons - December Challenge

allsorts #653

 

Anything Christmas at Sweet Stampin' Challenges

 Good morning, I have two posts today- both DT makes. This one is for our last challenge of the year at Sweet Stampin'- the theme is ' Anything Christmas Goes' and we're keeping this challenge open for 4 weeks so there's plenty of time to join in. 

I'm still needing a few cards that are mail- friendly so I made a CAS card using my Lavinia stamps- just 2 stamps used this time the magnificent Magnus and a berry bough.  A little sponged Distress Ink to create the impression of a snowy background and loads of red stickles on the berries.

We'd love to have you join us this month, pop over and see what the rest of the DT have been up to- some seriously gorgeous cards to admire, then add your own beautiful creations- please remember to stamp something.

Thanks for looking- I'll be back in a bit with another DT make.

Chris

x

Challenge entries:

audsentiments #289

creativeknockouts.#430

kraftychicks #588

crittercrazy #57

TIOT winter wonderland

intaas #122

It's a cracker!

Good morning, it's time for a new challenge over at Crafty Catz,  our lovely Nick is hosting and we're sponsored by thbe fabulous

SheepSkiDesigns

The optional twist for this week is Fancy folds (more than one fold)

The DT were given some brillliant images to play with, I used 

Crackers- such fun!

and made a gatefold card,

Image colored with copic markers , I added a few sequins and shiny stars, cut the image in half to fit on each side of the gate fold- on the inside there is a die cut 'merry Christmas' sentiment and more of the stars and sequins.

I made a band using  die cut fairy lights to keep it closed.

Not too long now until the big day is here- fingers crossed it will be an improvement on last year despite the ominous Omicrom.

Thanks for visiting, keep yourselves as safe as you can and have a good weekend

Chris

x

Challenge entries

colourcrazy #48

Winter Wonderland- December Challenge 

MAWTT #137

aperfecttimetocraft #12

craftssgalore #94

mirtillamente #4

thecraftingchallenge- December

LTSCB #152 (Column 1 -Red, green, die cut)

sheepski #57

christmas-craft-creations

 

Christmas at Fab'n' Funky Challenges

 Good morning, December has arrived and with it the last challenge for this year over at Fab'n' Funky, the theme is 'Christmas'.

I made a very simple rocker card, featuring an adorable Mo Manning snowman (or is it a snowgirl?) coloured up with copic markers and fussy cut to sit on top of the rocker base, which is decorated with die cut icicles and a snowflake frame...some tiny pink gems and lots of glitter! The hardest part was attaching the acetate panel (it was extremely badly behaved!) 

My teamies have been busy creating some beautiful cards to inspire you- you can see them here.

Remember our challenges last for two weeks now, so loads of time to join in- hope to see you there :)

Thanks for stopping by

Chris

x

Challenge entries:

hollyandivy #106

cutiepie #165

dreamvalley #260

mmm #162

allsorts #652

lilredwagon #630

 

Crafty Catz #574 Anything Goes and A DT call

 

Good morning, Friday again already and less than a month now until Christmas- it will be over before we know it! Just hoping that it won't be cancelled again after hearing about the new super-duper variant of Covid in South Africa. Deep joy, My young niece and nephew both have the virus at the moment- Maddie for the second time- will it ever stop! Ok, enough of the whining and doom and gloom and on to happier things.

This week's challenge at Crafty Catz is sponsored by 

Jan’s Digital Stamps

Prize $6 gift certificate

https://www.janmahew.com/

Ginny is hosting this week and the theme she has picked for the DT is Christmas- non traditional colours-the theme is entirely optional for anyone who wishes top play along.

I have used a beautiful sponsor image ,Christmas skates, printed onto grey/blue cardstock and coloured with Polychromo pencils and placed inside a die cut kraft frame, I've added a die cut snowflake border die, blue gems and a stamped sentiment. The background panel is the same blue/grey cardstock embossed with snowflakes. 

As always there are some beautiful creations to admire from my lovely teamies over on the DT blog,so please do take the time to hop over and take a look- while you're there check out the details of our DT call - it might be just what you're looking for!

I'm going Christmas shopping today, mask at the ready, trying to get what I need before everywhere gets too busy- wish me luck!

Thank you for visiting

Chris

x

challenge entries:

Rudolph Day- November Challenge

jansdigistampschallenges November Challenge

colourcrazychallenge #47

creativefingers #220

thepapershelter.#493

colouringinscrapland November Challenge

peaceonearth #4

Happy Birthday!

 Good afternoon, I'm a little late with this post as I went for my Covid booster shot this morning- all went smoothly until we got back home to find that we couldn't actually get back home- the workmen who have been putting in the broadband fibre cables all over our town for months and months - traffic lights wherever you go- even a short journey has at least 2 sets of temporary traffic lights which seem to take forever to change, decided to dig up the end of our road (no warning!) We had to go to our local garden centre (more traffic lights) and have a coffee while we waited- at least it was decent coffee!

This is my DT card for our new challenge at Sweet Stampin' where we are celebrating our 12th birthday.

I used a Stamping Bella Curvy Girl stamp, coloured with copic markers to make this CAS card, the background is stencilled.

There are loads of fabulous cards from both teams over at Sweet Stampin' please do take a look. We'd love you to join the party fun- the theme for this fortnight  is Happy Birthday- remember to stamp something!

Thanks for stopping by, have a lovely weekend

Chris

x

challenge entries:

colourcrazy #45

just-add-ink #581

polkadoodle #47

kraftychicks #586

addictedtostamps #518

thepapershelter #492

Crafty Catz # 573 Anything goes (optional- add metal)

Good morning. 

I'm just back from a lovely few days break in the Cotswold area, such a beautiful part of the country. Even driving along the roads was a pleasure, the autumnal colours are still so vibrant although it did feel as if it was snowing leaves they're falling so fast now. We took Marvin with us, he's such a good boy in the car, a three hour journey is a long time for a 10 month pup but he's an excellent traveller, you wouldn't know he was in the car most of the time!

The high spot of the break was definitely Westonbirt Arboretum, so beautiful with the trees in all their autumn glory- and doggy heaven for Marvin! Huge spaces to run about freely and play with the other dogs there...and there were a lot of them! 

Our new challenge at Crafty Catz starts today, Christine is hosting and the theme she has picked for the DT to follow is 'add metal', as always this theme is entirely optional for anyone who would like to play along this week.

Our sponsor this week is

LeAnn’s World 101 

Prize - 2 images from store

https://leannsworld101.com/

The image I have used is Winter Friends, coloured with Copic Markers. Wink of Stella added to the edges of the snowbanks and die cut snowflakes so it has a lovely sparkle IRL.

The die cut trees are cut from card I had already coloured with Distress inks and brushos. 

I nearly forgot the metal element-another of those senior moments, so I added a snowflake charm- definitely a bit of an after-thought!

As always there are some beautiful creations from my lovely teamies over on the main challenge blog, so please do hop over and take a look- remember anything goes at Crafty Catz-if you would like to join the fun this week.

Not easy to get photos of Marvin- he just didn't stop running!

Thanks for visiting 

have a lovely day

Chris

x

Challenge entries

asyoulikeit dies or stencils, this would have been an easy choice for me a year or so ago, up until then I hardly used stencils but now use them a lot more,  I still use dies more though.

craftrocket #87

ellibelle November Challenge

markerchallenge.#618

critter crazy #56

leannsworld101. #44

Check it out at Fab'n' Funky

Good morning, it's the first of our new fortnightly challenges at Fab 'n' Funky our lovely Pat is hosting and the theme she has chosen  is CHECK IT OUT, she wants to see some lovely tartans, plaids and checks on your creations.  My card features a cute trio of Polar Bears (Whippersnapper Stamps) , they're wrapped up from the cold and coloured with Copics, I gave the first bear a checked scarf to keep him warm because  unusually  for a polar bear, he really feels the cold, notice the waistcoat over his sweater, it's good to layer up for winter weather! The background panel is made with a cut and emboss folder that came with a magazine last year, I added afew die cut snowflakes and die cut sentiment. 

There are loads of beautiful creations over on the challenge blog- my lovely teamies are hoping to inspire you to play along this fortnight, so please do hop over and take a look and then it's up to you to get creative and join the fun. 

Thanks for stopping by

Chris

x

challenge entries

modsquad animal themed holiday

cardz4guyz. #284

hollyandivy #105

craftyanimals.#56

pearlysparkles #68

sweetstampers #62

allsorts#650

markerchallenge #618

 

Crafty Catz #572 Optional Twist of Sparkle and Shine

 Good morning, it's time for a new challenge at Crafty Catz, our sponsor for this week is 

Heather Valentin - Colour of Love 

PRIZE...3 IMAGES FROM SHOP

http://lacysunshine.weebly.com/

It's my turn to host this week which means I get to pick the theme,

Sparkle and Shine

 which is optional for anyone who wishes to play along.

The image,courtesy of our sponsor, is Yoshiko.

I 've used Copic markers to colour, with touches of sparkle pens and Wink of Stella, which of course doesn't show in the photo.I've also added a few tiny gems for a bit of extra bling!

Please take a look at the challenge blog, you can see what the rest of the team have been up to this week, hope you'll be tempted to play along !

Thanks for visiting

Have great weekend

Chris

x

Challenge entries:

colourcrazy #44

polkadoodle #46

Creative Moments ##226

aperfecttimetocraft #11

creativecraftcottage #146

creativecraftinguncles #22

morgansartworld #11

lemonshortbread #158

Use red at Sweet Stampin' Challenge

 Hi, I'm back again with another DT make. This one is for our new challenge at Sweet Stampin' - nice and easy theme this time- we want to see you use red on your project- it can be a lot or a little as long as it's there!

I went the Christmas route- still waaay behind with the amount of cards I need and I have this fabulous Santa stamp from Whimsy that I was itching to use! 

I die cut a square of white cardstock, stamped the image, then masked it to stamp and stencil the fir trees and sky, coloured the image with Copic markers and stamped the sentiment. 

There is plenty of inspiration from the rest of the Sweeties over at Sweet Stampin', hop over and take a look, then why not stamp something, use some red and join the fun! Thanks for visiting, enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Chris

x

Challenge entries

alphabetchallenge- P for patterned paper

audsentiments #287

thepapershelter #490

watercoolerchallenge #328

unicorn #71

CCAYR V for vehicle

cccdigi #131

sheepski #56

Crafty Calendar November Challenge

Good morning, this is the first of two posts today, I'm sharing my DT card for our November Challenge at Crafty Calendar. 

The theme for this month is 

'Anything Goes'

and our lovely sponsor is

Artsy Stamper

The team were given some fabulous images by the sponsor and I chose to use the beautiful  Rose Stamp on my card. This lovely digi comes in several versions including an uncoloured one which is the one I chose. 

I stamped the image onto a die cut square of white cardstock, the stamped the script stamp over the top of the image  using grey versafine clair ink, I flicked some orange coloured brusho (very diluted!) over the top, think I was a tad too enthsiastic as it took ages to clean off my desk afterwards even though I thought I'd covered it- the paint went further than I meant it to!

I stamped the image again, coloured it with copics, fussy cut and adhered over the top of the first image...this way the delicate lines are all there without any white edges from the cutting.

I finished with a stamped sentiment.

Please do have a look see at the challenge blog, there are some beautiful cards from my lovely teamies for you to enjoy- and we hope to have you play along so we can enjoy  your beautiful creations too.

thanks for visiting- I'll be back later today with another DT make.

Chris

x

Challenge entries

creativefingers #218

colourcrazy #43

kraftychicks #584

craftycreations #427

classicdesign #11

creativecrafters #45

Crafty Catz Challenge #571- optional twist- add a tag

 Good morning- 5th November, Guy Fawkes day here in the UK, not my favourite time of year, I feel too sorry for all the poor animals traumatised by the ever-louder bangs and whizzes from fireworks, sometimes it feels like living in a war- zone here the explosions are so loud! I have no problem with people having fun and enjoying themselves but wish it could be limited to one day instead of dragging on for weeks. At least Marvin doesn't seem too bothered, it just makes him bark a bit, he's not a trembling wreck hiding under the table like one of Great Danes was, bless her!. OK time to stop moaning and get back to the card.

This week at Crafty Catz our fabulous sponsor is

 DIGI DOODLES STAMPS

Billie is hosting the challenge and the theme she has chosen for the DT is

ADD A TAG

I used  Goldie a pretty image from our sponsor. she's coloured with Copic Markers. I made a little scene for her, a sponged and stencilled sky, extra pumpkins stamped onto inked and splattered card and fussy cut, leaves stamped and coloured with markers, a die cut fence and sunflowers- put it all together ...then realised I'd forgotten the tag element!!!  My forget-ory is better than my memory these days. So I made a little tag stamped  the sentiment and added it to the card with the little sunflower brad and a twine bow.

There's plenty more inspiration from the rest of the team over at Crafty Catz, as always my teamies have produced some fabulous cards using these sweet digis.

We hope you can join  us this week- remember the theme is an option, you can join in with any project you wish.

Thanks for visiting

For those who celebrate Guy Fawkes night., have a good time, keep safe and remember the animals.

Chris

x

Challenges entered

useyourstuff #434

beyondtheblue #BB39

polkadoodle #44

creativeknockouts #426

shoppingourstash #457

sweetstampers #61

thefourseasons november challenge

Fab'n' Funky Challenge #538 Christmas

 Good morning, this week at Fab'n' Funky Buffy is hosting the challenge,

 she's picked the theme of Christmas- as she rightly says 'it's getting closer'.

I made this card mainly from bits and pieces lying around on my desk-the corrugated star,  white embossed panel of card,tiny scrap of ribbon and the sequins, also the kraft card which was actually a pack of card blanks with envelopes I bought really cheaply somewhere, when I opened them the card blanks were really flimsy - which is obviously why they were so cheap! I cut up one of the cards and embossed it with the stars embossing folder. I found a piece of dark red tartan DP in the scrap drawer and layered it all together adding the die cut sentiment, which wasn't on my desk...I'm not THAT untidy!! Ok - I am!

There's more inspiration to be see from my lovely Fab'n' Funky teamies over at the Challenge Blog. Please hop over and take a look and we'd love it if you choose to play along this week- after all it's about time you all got cracking on those Christmas makes!

Thanks for stopping by, have a good day

Chris

x

Challenge entries:

creativesketchygirls#65 (men's card)

MLCCB #40

pearlysparkles #68

Paper- pieced cards for Rudolph Day

Good morning, I made some cards to enter the Rudolph Days Challenge, I was going to ener a different card but when I saw that this month's challenge is in honour of Kath I had to think again. I chose a Woodware stamp as I know she liked these, paper pieced the gnome's hat and made 3 cards- not in Kath's league of batch making...but I tried!

The designs are basically the same with different papers, colours and sentiments.

The first one I paper- pieced the main body of the hat, cutting out the patches and holly leaves 

and adding them to the coloured- with- Copic hat of the second one. I  doodled a border. with white gel pen.

The third one has a paper -pieced hat with patches  and holly leaves from different DP. The background is stencilled.

I really enjoyed making these and like the way they've turned out.

Thanks for visiting

Have a happy weekend

Chris

x

Challenges entered:

Rudolph Day October Challenge

colourcrazy #43

allsorts #648

addictedtostamps #417

hollyandivy #104

peaceonearth #2

 

Crafty Catz Challenge #570 - Anything goes

Good morning, another challenge starts today at Crafty Catz, our host this week is Aunty Sue and the theme is Anything Goes (no twist this week.

Our lovely sponsor is

 ALL DRESSED UP

PRIZE 2 IMAGES OF WINNERS CHOICE

https://www.etsy.com/shop/alldressedupstamps

I made a CAS card featuring the adorable Star, she's coloured with Copics and sparkle pens, the sentiment is stamped. 

Do come and play along with us this week, there's plenty of inspiration from the rest of the team to be enjoyed over at the Challenge Blog

Thanks for visiting

Chris

Challenges entered:

kraftychicks #583

watercoolerchallenges #327

digichoosday #43

dragonflydreams October Challenge

alldressedup #122

worldwideopendesignteam #10

Christmas tree

 Good morning, this week at Fab'n' Funky our challenge theme is

 Embellish it.

I made a Christmas card featuring a gorgeous tree stamp from Mama Elephant, it's a pretty simple design as you can see, and  similar to my previous post , but it does have a ribbon and bow to embellish it. The ribbon looks a bit grubby in the photo but I promise it isn't!  I stamped the tree with Twilight Versafine ink onto white card, blended blue Distress Ink around the edges, flicked some water around and added tiny dots with white gel pen, and placed it inside the die cut aperture.The sentiment on the little round tag is part of the same stamp set. Another quick and simple make.

Thank you for visiting

Chris

x

Challenge entries

aplacetostart #10

getcreative #106

avenue613 #11

audsentiments #286

CCAYR S-snow, T -tree

sheepski #55 cold colours

Christmas sparkle

Hello, I hope everyone enjoyed a good weekend and is feeling reshreshed and ready to face the week ahead. It was a quiet one here, a lovely visit from both my daughter and my son + small granddaughters but not much else going on so I thought I'd knuckle down and make a few Christmas cards while I had the chance.

It's a fairly simple design, I cut a square from a die cut rectangle of white card then embossed the remainder with a snowfall EF. 

I had previosly made some inky card panels playing with Distress inks, brushos and mica sprays in shades of blue and purple so I cut one up to make the background behind behind the die cut snowflake in the above card. I added the die cut sentiment  and a gem. Nice and quick so I used the same design to make 3 more similar cards. The black and the purple ones have glitter card behind the snowflakes which were rescued from one of the cards I received last Christmas, 4 more for my (sad little) Christmas pile.

 Now that the weather has turned colder I've dug out Marvin's basket which we put away for the summer months as he was too warm in it and preferred his memory foam mattress or the cool kitchen tiled floor depending how hot the weather was. We did buy him a gel- filled cool pad...but he ate a hole in it , it lasted less than a day. As you can see he still fits in the basket....just ...and he appreciates having it back! I'm actually amazed that it survived those early puppy days when he took great delight in ripping everything to shreds. If he grows any more he'll need a bigger one though!

He looks so innocent here...butter wouldn't melt- don't be fooled- the camera does lie!

Thanks for visiting

Chris

x

Challenge entries:

peaceonearth #2

audsentiments #286

CRAFT #615

CCAYR S for Snowflake, sparkle.

christmas24 #40

12monthsofchristmas #82