Super Birthday!

I'm hoping to be a bit more organised this year and to be able to join in with From The Heart Stamps weekly sketch challenge - I really enjoy colouring the images and I always enjoy a good sketch too!  I've used the Super Birdbrain Chick image and coloured with Promarkers plus glossy accents on the eyes.

Papers are offcuts from making a wordbook - Blue Christmas download from Funky Hand - I just don't like to throw anything away!  The sentiment comes with the digi and the embroidery thread is from my stash.  I've added a faux running stitch around the edge of the panels, image and sentiment with a black fineliner.

I'd like to enter the following challenges:

Crazy 4 Challenges:  Masculine Birthday Card
Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge:  Faux Stitching
Crafty Catz:  Faux Stitching
Fussy and Fancy:  Things With Wings

From The Heart Stamps:  Sketch followed (flipped it)

Crimbo Crackers Challenge 59 - Blue and White

It's time for a new Crimbo Crackers challenge - and the theme for the fortnight is Blue and White. So as long as its Christmas or Festive and it follows the brief then it can be entered!

The challenge is sponsored by Funky Hand so of course I've used one of the fantastic wordbook downloads - Blue Christmas and made this wordbook along with some pearlescent stars and organza ribbon. It's really easy and quick to make and I've added a bit of extra interest by adding stickles around the edge of the letters.

And that's it! Good luck with the challenge!
I'd like to enter the following challenges:

Crafting For All Seasons: Sentiment as the Focus
Crafty Creations: Keep It Simple
Divas By Design: Make It Sparkle
Fab n Funky: Christmas

Using Offcuts

I am a big fan of the Wordbooks that Anice at Funky Hand designs - I make quite a few of them during the year as they are easy to make and look fantastic!  However, when cutting out the 'pages' for the wordbooks, I'm always left with a top and bottom strip as I print on both sides of my card.

So, what to do with these strips as I don't like to throw anything away - just in case!

I've made this gift card wallet using leftover strips from the Blue Christmas wordbook download.  I made sure that the strip would be long enough to make the band to go round the wallet itself, added a dotted line with a blue gel pen around the edges and then embossed the front of the wallet with Swiss Dots and inked the edges.

On the inside, I added the little flap to contain the gift card from a matching scrap of card so that I can make two of the wallets from a sheet of A4 card.  I've always got scraps of card left over!

I've added some glittered snowflakes and also some ribbon I found in my stash and the gift card wallet is finished!  I've got lots more left over strips to use up so I'll be making more of these in the future!

I'd like to enter the following challenges:

Craftitude:  Anything Goes - Christmas Sparkle
Creative Corner:  Clean and Simple
Happy Campers:  Christmas
Shelly's Images:  Welcome Winter

Crimbo Crackers Challenge 31 - Sentiment As Focus

It's time for another Crimbo Crackers challenge and the theme this fortnight is:

Sentiment as Focal Point

I'm sponsored by Funky Hand but I forgot to take a photo of the prize so you'll just have to trust me on that one!!

I've used the fab Blue Christmas wordbook download - simply printed out the letters that I wanted and then printed one of the A4 papers on the reverse, laid it out so that the letters could be seen, trimmed it and then glued the pages together to form a book.

I've glittered around the edges of each letter - you just can't see it on the photo then added some pale blue gems to some of the letters.  Although its a bloke card, I had to add some ribbon but its partly covered by a manly silver snowflake.

I add a plain panel to the back of the wordbooks that I make so you can write a message - makes life a little easier with it!

Good luck with the challenge - its open until 12noon on Wednesday 2 January - pop over to Crimbo Crackers to link up your entry!

I'd like to enter the following challenges:

Celebrate The Occasion:  Christmas Anything Goes
Digital Tuesday:  Layers
Ladybug Crafts Ink:  Christmas Anything Goes
Tip Top Tuesday:  Anything Christmas
My Craft Spot:  Shaped Christmas Cards
Squigglefly:  Anything Goes with a Sentiment

Papers:  Blue Christmas wordbook download from Funky Hand
Everything else:  My stash

Fetch A Sketch Challenge 5 - Midway Extra

It's time for another Fetch A Sketch Challenge! And we are upto challenge 5 already - where does the time go?

We have a returning sponsor - Funky Hand and Anice once again has been generous with the prize for the winner of challenge 5 and is providing an Our Betty acrylic stamp set and a set of ribbons.


The Our Betty stamps are wonderful to use, and I'm not the best at using stamps (too impatient and for some reason I can never hold it still long enough!) but I've never had a bad stamping session with Our Betty! I've used Your Special Day Our Betty stamp set and coloured her with Promarkers. All the papers are from the Blue Christmas word book download - there are A4 sized papers too which I have used.

I've added some very glittery (I am still wearing it!) ribbon that I bought a few years ago plus Sizzix snowflake die cuts and silver snowflake confetti. Although the photo doesn't show it too well (probably because it wasn't dry!) Betty's dress has also been glittered!

Good luck with the challenge and don't forget the very few rules that we have (see the challenge blog for more details!) of which the most important one is to HAVE FUN! Deadline for entries is Sunday 4 September at 12noon GMT.

I'd like to enter the following challenges:

Samuel Taylors Crafts: Christmas Card with Any Stamp
4 Crafty Chicks: Photo Inspiration
Fab N Funky: Mono Madness

• Papers: Blue Christmas download from Funky Hand
• Image: Our Betty stamp set from Funky Hand
• Dies: Sizzix Snowflake
• Everything else: My stash
  

Pants!

I've not managed to get my act together over the last few weeks to enter the Jingle Belles Rock challenges, but I have this week! With not one, but two cards!! It's the get on a roll thing and well, you just cannot stop! The theme this week is:

Jingle Belles, Batman Smells - a funny card

So here I am! Both cards use sentiment and images from Whimsie Doodles and I've used Promarkers for colouring. The red 'ladies' card uses papers from The Clip Art Fairy and I've sneakily hidden slight measuring and cutting episode with a silver snowflake (Matalan 2009 Christmas collection).


The blue card has papers from Blue Christmas download from Funky Hand. I've used my nesties for shaping, string and little pegs from my stash.

So there you 'have' it!! And I'll be offering some blog candy tomorrow as I'll be a year older...!!

• Images and Sentiment: Whimsie Doodles, coloured with Promarkers
• Papers: Funky Hand and The Clip Art Fairy
• Snowflakes: Matalan
• Everything else: My stash
  

Brother In Blue

I found a brand new challenge blog through one of my Simple Doodles DT gals Janice (thank you!) called Jingle Belles Rock and it is a weekly Christmas challenge, which in my book, is a good thing as I always think I never have enough cards as my Christmas fairs start from the end of September and to be honest, it drives me crackers (no pun intended) to only be making Christmas cards in the run up to Christmas!

Anyway, their first challenge is:

Something Old, Something New

I've used an old Funky Hand wordbook download called Blue Christmas although I've only used the papers and made my own letters using Wordart. If you like the look of the download, you can buy it from here plus Anice is looking for new Design Team members, but be quick - the call is only open until the end of the week - click HERE for more details!


I've also used my Cuttlebug Baby Face alphabet set to make the little silver letters spelling out 'Happy Christmas' plus I've also run the 'Brother' letters through my Swiss Dots folder.

The new elements are the snaps holding the pages together. These are We R Memory Keepers and I bough I think 47 packs in the January sales last year from Mad About Cards and I've only opened two packs so far! And the other new thing is the tiny slightly pearlescent snowflakes I've added all over the letters - you can't really see them in the photo, but they are there in abundance! I've had them in my stash for ages - I bought them in the sales a few years ago along with other bits of table confetti and parcel wrap.

I'm hoping to be able to join in with the challenges each week, time permitting! Wishing the Jingle Belles all the best with the new challenge blog!!

• All printed papers: Blue Christmas wordbook download from Funky Hand
• Dies: Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder and Cuttlebug Baby Face alphabet dies
• Snaps / Brads: We R Memory Keepers
• Tiny snowflakes: My stash
  

Ah, Cute!

This will be the final post for me today - honest! I'm just trying to catch up on a lost Saturday as I had a bad headache and then yesterday I was at an outdoor craft fair all day (yes, outdoors in this weather! Actually it was in a heated gazebo, but still outside!)

This card fits nicely with the Cute Card Thursday challenge which asks for:

The Blues

I've used papers from Funky Hand - Blue Christmas download plus some plain silver and blue card from my stash. I've added an embossed with Swiss Dots layer of vellum which I've rounded the corners and added a dotted border too.


The ribbon I found in my stash and the sentiment is computer generated. The image is from Di's Digi Downloads and I've coloured it with Promarkers plus added liquid pearls for the snowflakes.

Now that the Craft Fair is over and all my Christmas card orders are completed I now don't need to worry too much about making Christmas cards! It's a good feeling!!

• Backing papers: Blue Christmas download from Funky Hand
• Image: Di's Digi Downloads, coloured with Promarkers
• Sentiment: Computer generated
• Dies: Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder
• Everything else: My stash

Blue Christmas Cake

This is an alternative Christmas Cake or centrepiece for the table. And it fits the current Incy Wincy challenge which is:

Blue and White

I've used the Funky Hand Blue Christmas wordbook download but just used the 5 A4 papers that come with the download to cover various tubes and containers to stack up to make the cake.

I've added various items to each layer - snowflakes, beaded wire, hat pins, ribbon plus blingy gems and glitter glue. The top has been made with left over papers glued together and then wrapped around a pen whist still bonding so that the curls stay.

Makes a change from all the Christmas cards I've been making! And now I need to get back to the orders as they all need finishing by next Saturday!

• Papers: Blue Christmas word book download from Funky Hand
• Containers: Various - all recycled
• Everything else: My stash
  

Teenager Christmas

I've combined a commissioned card with this weeks Dotties World Challenge which is:

Boy Oh Boy

I did, of course have to make a purchase especially and I bought the Mikey downloads. And of course they will be useful in the future too!

I used the wrapped up image and all the backing papers are from Funky Hand - Blue Christmas Download - I've just used the backing papers rather than the word book itself. I've rounded edges, inked them with blue and then brown ink and around the edges (although you can't see it) I've used a silver gel pen and dotted.

The sentiment is computer generated, the ribbon I found in my stash and the star charm is a recent ebay purchase. I think making male teenager Christmas cards is now going to be a lot easier!

• Backing papers: Blue Christmas download from Funky Hand
• Image: Mikey digital download - pre coloured
• Sentiment: Computer generated
• Ribbon & Charm: From my stash
  

Hedgehog and Snowball

I am so pleased I found this challenge blog - Stamps and Smiles because last week was the first time I entered, and I won!! So thank you to the DT for picking me!!


This week is another lovely sketch and to add to my growing Christmas box (it is now at the proportions of a cardboard storage box!) I made a Christmas card:

Papers are from the new Blue Christmas wordbook download from Funky Hand - I've used 3 of the complementary A4 papers from it (the third is under the image!) I've coloured the Penny Black image with watercolour paints and added a little glitter glue for sparkly snow.

Grosgrain ribbon is from my stash as too are the pearlescent snowflakes and gems. I've used my Spellbinders Nesties to cut the image out and to layer it as I thought it need a bit more shape.

I doubt very much that lightening will strike twice, but I have enjoyed this challenge and some lovely inspiration from the DT!

• Backing papers: Blue Christmas wordbook download from Funky Hand
• Image: Penny Black coloured with watercolour paints and a little glitter glue
• Dies: Spellbinder Nestabilities
• Everything else: My stash
  

Frosty Blue

The current Bee Crafty Challenge is this sketch:
I used a freebie download image from the blog which is this flower girl, however I turned her into a blue snow girl with excessive glitter in her hair and basket. The glitter is quite coarse so didn't realise it would stick to everything.

The image has been coloured with watercolour pencils and I've used papers from Blue Christmas download from Funky Hand. The snowflakes are confetti and have a lovely iridescent shimmer to them.

I was going to add a sentiment but forgot. So it will be added later!

• Backing papers: Blue Christmas download from Funky Hand
• Image: Bee Crafty freebie coloured with watercolour pencils
• Snowflakes: From my stash
  

Frosty Blue

I've found a new challenge blog called Your Special Delivery. It is a fortnightly challenge and the first one is to use the freebie image in the creation.

So, I have used the image and made this card:

All the backing papers are from the new Funky Hand download - Blue Christmas and I've coloured the image with watercolour pencils and added a little glitter glue. I've rounded edges and inked them in blue.

The ribbon I've had for ages and is covered with tiny sparkly stars - it was wired but I've taken the wire out as its harder to work with when it is in.

The sentiment is a Studio G acrylic stamp from a 99p set and the snowflake is pearlescent confetti I found in my Christmas stash.

Looking forward to the next challenge!

• Backing papers: Blue Christmas download from Funky Hand
• Image: Your Special Delivery freebie coloured with watercolour pencils and glitter glue
• Sentiment: Studio G acrylic stamp
• Everything else: My stash
  

Blue Christmas

With all the Birthday frivolities over the weekend and the bump to earth on Monday morning, I forgot to show you my sample (only one so far - the other is work in progress!) for the brand new download from Funky Hand!

It's a Christmas themed wordbook called Blue Christmas and it is a great fun wordbook! You could actually use it for those difficult male cards too as some of the papers are quite generic, which is great news as it means it is so versatile!

You get all the letters of the alphabet including numbers 0 to 9, an extra set of the alphabet and numbers in a different colour font (if you want to overlay them) and also 4 backing papers.

The hardest decision for me was what Christmassy word I could use!! I ended up going for Frosty purely because of my neglected Sizzix snowman die could get used!

I printed the letters off in the default setting on my computer (click on the image you want and then click on the print icon) and then used the A4 papers to print on the reverse. I've dotted around the edges of the letters with a silver gel pen and punched some snowflakes from shiny blue card (I knew I'd find a use for it one day!) and silver card then added pale blue gems to their centres.

I cut Frosty from hammered white card and paper pieced his hat and scarf from offcuts from the word book. Edges have been lightly inked and a bit of glitter glue was added too!

I'm in the middle of making another sample from this collection, so as soon as its completed and photographed, I'll share it!

Come back and visit me tomorrow as Anice didn't only just release this Blue Christmas word book, but another Christmas themed one too! So I have a sample of that to show you tomorrow too!

• Backing papers: Blue Christmas word book from Funky Hand
• Dies: Sizzix Snowman
• Punches: Snowflake
• Everything else: My stash