Saturday 29 November 2014

Creating a scene

Hi there crafters, hope you are having an enjoyable weekend. I've been busily increasing the festive stock and this is one of them...


...using an adorable Digistamp Boutique image, Sleigh Fun, which I coloured with Pro/Flex markers and fussy cut before mounting on a round scene that I made using SB Classic Circles and Borderabilities. The sky was a snippet from my bit box and the embossed background was done with a Tattered Lace embossing folder Ditsy Dots.

That's Crafty Challenge - All about face
Winter Wonderland - Dies & Punches
Sweet Stampin' - Let it snow
Creative Fingers #58 - Anything Goes
Brown Sugar #122 - Anything Goes
Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
Crafting For All Seasons - 'tis the season
Digistamp Boutique - November Customer Competition

Ooh, lots of challenges to enter this time!!

Have a lovely evening and see you soon xx

Thursday 27 November 2014

CAS Christmas

Hello my crafty friends. Here comes another Christmas card!! I am enjoying Christmas card making enormously this year as I am making a concerted effort to try all sorts of different styles and designs. See what you think of today's offering it's my second DT make for Cuddly Buddly it's called Christmas House


At first I was tempted to go down the gingham/kraft homespun cottagey look but got sidetracked somewhat when I found red and purple cardstock together while looking for kraft and an idea was born!! I coloured with Promarkers and then went to town with stardust stickles, glamour dust and some flakey stuff from Creative Expressions that I used for the tinsel on the tree. Sadly the rubbish light does not show it in all it's glory, but trust me it sparkles!! The sentiment is from Clearly Besotted. A nice flat CAS card for the post and perfect for these challenges.

Polkadoodles Week 46 - Clean and Simple
Digi Choosday #47 - Christmas Celebrations
Through the purple haze #69 - Anything Goes
Crafty Boots - Stars
(Feel free to exclude me if one star is not enough!!)
Pennys Papercrafty challenge #205 - Anything Goes

Thanks for visiting today xx

Monday 24 November 2014

Any Reindeer?

No rain Dear, only frost!! Brrrr, mucking out was not fun this morning, I even got the old bobble hat out!! Too frosty for Surprise just yet so I'll pop back down in a bit before I go to work and let her out.

Anyway, I had a crafty marathon yesterday and put together lots of  4 inch cards. Here is batch #1











And an arty farty shot for a change!!









The images are from Pink Petticoat (Freebies with Dear Santa) and all four are on one sheet so they are dead easy to batch colour and then trim to size. Simple mats on red and black card to finish off and a smidgen of star dust and job done!!

I am supporting these fab challenges

Allsorts #286 - No Designer papers allowed
Winter Wonderland - Let's get Sentimental
Aud Sentiments #120 - Use a sentiment for any December Holiday

Must fly, but before I do this was the sunset last night from my work room...



 ...have a good one and see you soon xx

Saturday 22 November 2014

Mobile home

Hello my crafty friends, I hope you are enjoying your weekend. I have grabbed myself some crafty time as Hubby is tucked up in bed ready for work in a few hours and the youngest Son has gone to watch the England v Samoa rugby at Twickenham so....lucky me!!

To take a break from seasonal cards I decided to make a New Home card  to suit a few current challenges.


I am really pleased with it although it nearly ended up in the bin on more than one occasion, I don't know what possessed me to make a scalloped frame for the aperture surrounding the sentiment. I should have just stamped onto a scalloped circle and put that on top!! Never one to take the easy route, that's me!! The adorable snail die ( a pressie from my lovely DT buddy Annette) had it's shell dressed up with a scrap of paper which I think may be Nitwits. Ribbon from my stash and the die cut border from MFT Blueprints 3.

Some challenges I am playing

Clear it Out Challenge - Anything Goes
Crafter's Cafe #91 - Anything Goes
Creative Fingers #57 - Anything Goes

Have a good evening, I intend to put mine to good use, trashy TV and putting some quick and easy cards together!! See you soon xx

Thursday 20 November 2014

Modern or traditional Christmas card style?................

..................that is the question at

As You Like It Challenge this fortnight.



A no brainer for me as I have such a huge array of cute and cuddly rubber, clear and digi stamps. In fact because I couldn't make a decision about which to use I ended up getting a couple more!! I decided upon a non-traditional colourway and used SN pencils to colour Lullaby to achieve the modern look in green and dark chocolate.

A challenge or two that I am evtering

Love to create #142 - Make it for Christmas
Crafty Catz #255 - Christmas is coming
Sweet Stampin' - To die for
Ruby's Rainbow #92 - Non-traditional colours
Crafty Creations #276 - 3 layers, 2 papers and 1 image

Thank you for your visit today, it's much appreciated xx

Tuesday 18 November 2014

Shake it!!

Hope your week has got off to a good start. The rain has finally stopped here in Dorset and I think we are set to have a few reasonable days which is good because I am on annual leave this week and will now be able to get some riding in!! Surprise has been delighted to have a break while the weather has been so horrid...I'm not ashamed to say that I am most definitely a fair weather rider these days!!
Anyway, I'll stop jabbering and get on with the reason for my visit...another Christmas card and it's a shaker card today.


Oh good grief I can see myself reflected in the acetate, so apologies for that!!
The Sassy Cheryl image, Winter was coloured with my Promarkers. The pearl board frame was experimental and actually embossed with a mask. I was really pleased with how it turned out. I also mixed up some mica powder and painted the background for a bit of shimmer, which, as is so often the case, doesn't show up in the snap. I used Glamour Dust Crytal Glitter and pearls for the shakey bit and the sentiment is from a very old stamp set of unknown origin!! 

Some challenges to join in with

Just Inspirational - Frame It
(Simon and Garfunkel - A hazy shade of Winter)
Get Creative #2 - Anything Goes + Glitter

Crafting When We Can #82 - Use your markers
Thanks for your support and your recent comments xx

Sunday 16 November 2014

Festive fabric

As well as my ribbon mountain and button collection I also have a rather large stash of fabric that I have accumulated over the years so thought it was about time I addressed the situation!!

This is the result...


a rag wreath in red and cream which suits the nordic theme I usually have in my  kitchen at Christmas.


Amazing what you can do with a polystyrene ring, a crochet hook, a pile of fabric squares and a metre of ribbon!! 
I'm now working my way through a pile of green scraps, so watch this space!!

Here are some challenges that I'm entering

Winter Wonderland - Christmas Decorations
Allsorts #285 - Anything But A Card
Crafting Muskateers #19 - Anything But A Card
The Crafting Cafe - Not a card
The Ribbon Girl - November Colour Challenge - Red
Crafty Ribbons - Christmas creations with ribbon

Stay warm and dry my friends xx

Saturday 15 November 2014

All together now....aaaaaah

Hello my crafty friends. I hope you are well and have something nice planned for this weekend. 
I seem to be having a bit of an unintentional Husband related week since today I am sharing the card I made for him to celebrate our Anniversary. Does what it says on the tin really!!


The sweet image and sentiment are from Whimsie Doodles and was coloured with Spectrum Noir pencils. The gingham paper is from my Krafty Christmas pack. Simples.

I am entering these challenges

Papertake Weeky - Two or four legs
 Love to Create #141 - Anything Goes
Sister Act #83 - Anything Goes
Crafting by designs - Give Thanks
 (I give thanks for my wonderful Hubby)
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge

 Have a good one!! xx

Tuesday 11 November 2014

Handmade!!

I would say Good Morning but it's actually downright awful here in Dorset this morning and set to last all day according to them in the know!! Pony couldn't be persuaded to go out so she is having a duvet day!! I, on the other hand, will be at work so the weather can do what it likes!! Before that though I have a card to share for our new challenge at


and we'd like to see a handmade embellishment.



I made a net (old) type bow with a snowflake to hold on the tag which actually says "Winter Wishes". The Robin is by Digistamp Boutique and coloured with Promarkers. The papers are Krafty Christmas and the pom pom trim (also very old) came from my ribbon stash.

Some challenges I am playing along with

Open Minded Crafting #23 - Fowl of any kind
Creative Fingers #55 - Anything Goes
Crafty Little Fairies - Not a Square
C.R.A.F.T Challenge #284 - Winter
Digistamp Boutique - November Customer Competition

Thank you ever so much for your lovely comments on yesterday's post. I'm very lucky to have been chosen by such a fabulous chap!!

 Hope you have a good day...stay dry!! xx

Monday 10 November 2014

Snowbunny

Hello lovely people. I hope you had a good weekend.

I'm here today with my DT card for


where the theme is Festive Furry Friends...CUTE of course.

I used (one of our Sponsors)  Meljens " Snow Bunny"


...just how cute is that face? Coloured with Promarkers with a sprinkling of Glamour Dust and some Viva Decor Ice White pearl pen to finish off.

 There is a story behind the sentiment. Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin...

 Once Upon a Time many years ago (30 to be precise...blimey, how did that happen??) a  young farmer wanted to attract the attention of a shy bank clerk and didn't know how to go about it (yeah right, he was a tinker, but for the sake of the fairy tale just go with it!!). So, as Christmas was approaching he journeyed into the local town and chose a Christmas card to send to her. On the front was a little dog looking very sad and forlorn and the sentiment said " If I followed you home this Christmas....could I stay?". The shy bank clerk and the young farmer got together at the Young Farmers' New Years Eve bash and lived Happily Ever After. 

I still have that card in my memory box.....altogether now....aaaaaah!! 


A challenge or two

Christmas cards all year round - No patterned paper
CHNC #202 - Keep it flat

Thanks for your continued support xx

Sunday 9 November 2014

Oh Deer

Happy Sunday folks. I've managed to grab a few minutes to share yet another Christmas card.



The super cute deer is from Whimsie Doodles and was coloured with Promarkers. The papers and sweet tag are from my Nordic Christmas pad and the ribbon from my stash.

I just couldn't resist the latest Passion for Promarkers Challenge as I am a huge Beatles fan and used "Norwegian Wood" as my inspiration.

I am also playing along with these brilliant challenges

I love Promarkers - Cute Christmas
Crafty Ribbons #106 - Christmas
Milk Coffee - A hand coloured image

Before I go I want to share another wildlife snap. This really handsome fellow was taking a power nap on my decking the other morning!! It amazes me how they stand on one leg!!


I am considering a name change to Dr Doolittle!!

Have a lovely Sunday and I hope the sun is shining on you xx

Thursday 6 November 2014

What's inside?

That's what I love about gift boxes, the mystery!! 

And today our new challenge at


is to showcase your favourite kind of gift wrap, be it handmade wrapping paper, bags or boxes.

Here's my project which was made using some Foundations card 


to house my little charity gift tag perfectly .



I used my CC boxer board to make the box using spotty paper for the top and the reverse (striped) for the base.

A challenge or two that are perfect for my make


Thanks for visiting, I appreciate it and love to read your comments xx

Tuesday 4 November 2014

Here comes another!!

Oh yes...another Christmas card today and a smidgen of frost this morning to go nicely too!!



All of the papers on this card are from Maja Design's Vintage Frost pad (including the rather lovely Father Christmas). I usually feel like I am cheating if I don't colour an image but I've let myself get away with it this time because I made such an effort in other ways. For instance the snowflakes were die cut, frantaged and then layered and I don't usually faff about with twine and charms but it was really nice to have a fiddle!!

 I also found some challenges that don't require colouring so am going to play.


Crafty Calender Challenge - It's all about Christmas
Winter Wonderland - Pick 'n' Mix
(Brads, snowflakes and lace for me)
My Time To Craft #265 - Charmed I'm Sure

Anyway better fly, the blacksmith is coming at 8!!

Have a good one xx

Monday 3 November 2014

Old jar, new purpose

Oh no, Monday's rolled around again so I wish you a good week whatever you are doing!!

I have a jar to share today. It came to me last Christmas filled with pear chutney and has been sat in my dresser ever since waiting for inspiration to hit me, which it did when I was deciding upon an image for one of my Cuddly Buddly DT makes for this month and this is what I did.


My buttons are joining forces with my ribbons in staging an escape from my work room so more button storage was in order!! I am so pleased with this and it looks really lovely on my shelf, I'm only sorry that I don't have more of the same jars to house my buttons (one for each colour of the rainbow would be nice!!). 

My jar of buttons is off to play at these challenges

Polkadoodles #44 - Recycle it
All Crafts challenge - October/November
Anything But A Card #41 - Anything Goes

See you soon xx

Saturday 1 November 2014

Let it snow!!


Hello my Friends, I can't believe I haven't shared anything for days!! Hope you are enjoying nice weather this weekend. It's still lovely here in Dorset, UK, if a little cooler than yesterday. 

I had a rather special visitor this morning and was incredibly lucky that he stayed put until I managed to grab my camera!! We have a family of Buzzards that waddle around the paddocks but they generally don't come this close, so imagine my delight when I spotted this splendid chap outside my kitchen window this morning as I was mopping!!




Anyhow, nature lesson over and the real reason I am here!! 

This is another of the fabulous "colour yourself" images from my Hobby House art book. I used my SN pencils to colour match him to my new and fabulous Doodlebug papers.



I made a centre stepper card for a change as the large image rather cried out to be centre stage. I used Glamour Dust  on the tree and a touch of faux stitching too for some interest.

I apologise for the rubbish photo and blame it entirely on the autumn watery light!!










I am taking my card to play at these fab challenges, which, as luck should have it are just right

Squirrel's World - It's Snowvember
Fab 'n' Funky #235 - Christmas
Natalie and Amy #26 - Stitch it
Moving Along With The Times - Winter is coming
Sweet Stampin' - Shaped cards

Thanks for dropping by and I promise I won't leave it too long next time xx