Keep Calm & Carry On - It's Only Christmas!!!!

Hee hee so are you all feeling the pressure?? I sure am!!! I currently have builders in the house and it is has hugely disrupted my Christmas preparations (and crafting). I really wanted to be organised this year and send out cards to some of the lovely people that I have met through blogging, the organised bit never materialised but I did manage some very last minute cards and this is one of them! This is ideal for making in batches and the best bit is you don't need to be really precise with anything - so no faffing around measuring and matching colours!

To start I knocked up a few Gesso background pieces which I immediately sprinkled with Glamour Dust. Whilst they were drying I stamped, coloured and cut out my images. I added some interest to the background with embossing powder, cut the sentiment ribbon into individual words and then quickly assembled my cards. To finish I added Glossy Accents to the lights and baubles.

What do you think?? Not bad for a rush job??

I'm going to enter this card into the Moneysupermarket.com Christmas card contest. Keep ya fingers crossed for me as there are some awesome prizes up for grabs!!!

Right, I'd better get off of here and carry on with my Christmas preparations! You won't be seeing very much of me until about February, so I'd like to wish each and everyone of my readers a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Claire x

PS Oh and whilst I'm here, don't forget to enter the Crafty Ribbons Advent Event, there are loads of prizes to be won and the DT have worked really hard to bring you lots of inspiration. Remember even if you missed day one, you can still enter as Mr Linky will remain open until 26/12.

Materials:
Images: Tangled Enthusiasm, Abstract Foliage
Sentiment Ribbon - Crafty Ribbons
Gesso, Embossing Powder, Stickles

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Cat's Choir! Christmas Box

Good morning. It's my turn post over at the Stampotique Designers Blog, so I've decided to double up this post with the Crafty Ribbons Advent post.  I've been desperate to show you this wall hanging, but have been unable to do so until I knew that it been safely received! It was a complete devil to photograph, so please excuse the picture quality.

It started life as a simple kraft box frame from  The Range. I covered it with a thick layer of Gesso and dabbed at it with a palette knife to give it loads of texture. Whilst it dried I stamped out, cut and coloured Oh Tree, Small Tree Topper, Front Door Shrubbery, Christmas Ornaments Cube, Mini Christmas Ornaments Cube, Welcome Door, Line Up and Snowman. I then drew a little carol book and die cut a Lampost using my new Sizzix Die and coloured them with Promarkers.

Once the Gesso had dried, I layered up some torn,inked strips of paper and dabbed some textured modelling paste over them. As the frame still looked a little bare I added some silver heat embossing using Abstract Foliage. Once the base was completed, I created the scene.

To finish I chucked on a bit of glitter and some Glossy Accents. I then added the fantastic Merry Christmas ribbon from Crafty Ribbons, and some Pinflair icicles which were covered with Glamour Dust.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Claire x

I'd like to enter this project into the following challenges:

Gothic Arch Wedding Card

Well did you see the launch of the new Polka Doodles Cherry Blossom CD on Create & Craft? Weren't the DT samples lush? If you bought the cd, leave me a comment when you've made something with it, so that I can pop across and take a look!

If you didn't see the show then you will have missed this little card that I created. As you are all aware the turnaround time on samples is very tight and I cut everything by hand, so if there's a mistake I have very little time to rectify things. This card didn't quite turn out as I expected and after I'd finished it I had another idea for it, but just haven't had time to execute it! I think it will be a project for later in year!

Anyway, this is my card (apologies for the large number of pictures, but I wanted to show you the detail on it). I've used the gorgeous leaf ribbon from Crafty Ribbons to embellish the front of the card and the fantastic Cherry Blossom CD for the rest of it. The Gothic Arch was a chipboard shape from Tando which I simply resized as I needed.

Front of the card

Inside

Inside

This one shows of all of the sparkle and shine

So what do you think?

Thanks for stopping by today.

Claire

I'd like to enter this bag into the following challenges:

Cute or what???

Good morning it's time for another challenge over at Stampotique and this week we want to see you make a Christmas card but not using a Christmas stamp!!! Remember you don't need to use Stampotique stamps to enter, but obviously we'd love it if you did!

For my card I've used the uber cute Hung Out To Dry which has been stamped, cut out and placed in a little hand drawn stocking. The image has been coloured with Promarkers. I've added some lace for texture and a sentiment using ribbon.

Whilst I'm here I just want to remind you that Crafty Ribbons is staging it's Christmas Advent Event and there are loads of prizes up for grabs, so don't forget to hop on over.

Thanks for stopping by today

Claire x

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Make It Monday - Anything goes
Inspire Me Friday - Anything goes

Woooo Hoooo!!!! 24 Days To Go!!! Advent Countdown Chalkboard

Good Morning. Can you believe that it's the first day of advent??? No me neither - you just know that one blink and it's going to be Christmas Eve! :D Today sees the start of Crafty Ribbons Christmas Event which can only mean one thing...... lots of lovely inspiration and prizes each and every day! To enter simply pop across and enter your name in Mr Linky.

So to help keep us all on track I've designed this Christmas Themed Chalkboard. I've decided to use mine as a countdown calendar, until the big day when it will become a "Mum's Kitchen's Closed" sign!

I found the chalkboard in the poundstore and have used elements from Studio 12 Picknix Collection 2 - Gingerbread Twist to decorate it (and yes everything was handcut - sigh Santie I've been a real good girl won't you please deliver me a Cameo Silhouette???). The gorgeous gold edged organza ribbon is of course from Crafty Ribbons. To finish I've added Rock Candy Stickles, Star Dust Stickles and of course Glossy Accents.

Thanks for stopping by today

Claire x

I'd like to enter this project into the following challenges:

Crafty Ribbons Advent Event

Hello Everyone,

Time to share some news with you all..... Over on the Crafty Ribbons Inspiration blog we are having another  one of our fabulous events this time we are doing a Christmas Advent event which will run from 1st December through to the 24th December........

Each day we will be highlighting a different Craft Company or Shop,the Design Team will be posting cards/projects on  the Inspiration blog and on their blogs each day there will also be a prize from the highlighted Company up for grabs that's 24 prizes  in total and you can enter each day,only one entry per person per day to make it fair,so make sure to become a follower and remember the Christmas Advent will start at 8.30am (GMT) on the 1st December the Design Team hope you will all join in the fun and countdown to Christmas with us....... 

To kick off our new event we are offering some fabulous ribbon candy......

CONTENTS MAY VARY

 If you would like to win these gorgeous ribbons..then all you need to do is go over to the Crafty Ribbons Inspiration Blog and checkout the post about our Christmas Advent event...

I'll be back on Saturday with a little something for advent!!!!!

Thanks for stopping by.

Claire x

Stampotique Christmas Fairy

Just a quick post from me today to show this little Christmas Fairy wall hanging that I've done for this weeks challenge over at Stampotique which is to use paint on your creation.

It's not turned out quite as I expected but I think I still like it.....let me know what you think.

I really hope that you'll be joining us for this challenge. Remember you can use any stamps and  we've made a change to the submission rules "You will now have until the first challenge of the following month to submit your entries-we will only have one Inlinkz per month"  which means that you now have even longer to take the opportunity to play along with us.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Claire x

Materials:
Stella
Big Bee
Promarkers
Prismacolor pencils
Modelling Paste
Canvas Board
Ribbon
Acrylic paints
Stickles
Circle and snowflake punch
Glossy Accents
Sizzix/Tim Holtz Birdcage Die
Sizzix Holly Die
Antique Gold Embossing Powder
Wooden snowflakes
Flowers
Dewdrop Gems

I'd like to enter this project into the following challenges:
Crafty Creations - Christmas is coming
Make It Monday - Anything goes
Inspire Me Friday - Anything goes

Two Quick & Easy Ribbon Cards

I made these two cards for the recent saddlestitch ribbon challenge over at Crafty Ribbons. I was really pushed for time and as the criteria was to showcase the ribbon, not to just use it as a trim, I decided that I'd have to make something fairly quick and easy. So here are my offerings...

I made a ribbon flower and stem, mounted them onto some embossed and sanded Core-dinations cardstock. I added a labels 8 diecut and heat embossed the happy birthday.

For this parcel card, I placed some double sided adhesive paper onto some white cardstock before embossing. I then covered the adhesive film with Glamour Dust. The ribbon has been tied around the cardstock before gluing onto a card blank. The label sentiment has been punched with a Fiskers Punch ad secured with a gemstone brad.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Claire

I'd like to enter the flower card into the following challenges:


I'd like to enter the parcel card into the following challenges:

Rosalee Pretty In Pink - Delicious Doodles Challenge

TGIF - not often I say that, but this week has been one of those weeks and I will be glad to see the back of it! I'm not normally a stress head, but this week has pushed me to my limits, it's probably not been helped by the fact that the kids have been on holiday and I seem to have managed to acquire additional children who have made themselves well and truly at home! Grandparents who have been unwell again and needed taking to Dr's appointments etc...The one highlight of the week was celebrating my Dad's 70th birthday, but to be honest I was so shattered that I ended up coming home early. Oh and I almost forgot to mention I've gone back to work part time to finance the building work that we need doing to enable me to have a craft room - see hogging the dining room has finally paid off!! ;).

Anyway, enough of my moaning, lets move onto this weeks challenge over at Delicious Doodles which is Pretty in Pink! Seriously who ever picked this must have been having a giggle! As you probably know most of the girls just don't do pink, so I'm amazed that so many of them have turned out for this challenge! Why not pop over the to the challenge blog and take a peep at the lovely projects they've produced.

I haven't really made anything really pretty in a while, so I thought I'd use this challenge as opportunity to do so! I had so much fun with this card and have been trying some new colouring techniques out (they're not quite perfect, but I'm going to persevere), so what do you think?

I coloured the image Rosalee with Promarkers and then used a glitter pen to add a little sparkle to her dress. The image was then aged with Distress Ink and faux stitching added with a pokey tool and fineliner. I lightly distressed the edges of the papers using my nail and then inked them before adding more faux stitching. The postage stamp sentiment was stamped in Vintage Sepia Versafine Ink and then inked with Distress Inks.

Materials:
Rosalee - Delicious Doodles
Promarkers
Brown Fine Liner
Distress Ink - Tea Dye
Nellie's Multi Frame's
Whimsy Postage Stamp Die
Whimsy Postage Stamp Sentiments
X-Cut Border Punch
Seam Binding - Crafty Ribbons
Buttons - Woodware
Pearl Spray - Stash

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Crafts & Me - Distressed
Gingersnap Creations - Faux Technique
Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything goes
Passion for Promarkers - Distressing
The Stamping Boutique - Faux Stitching
Love to Create - Buttons & Bows
My Craft Spot - Girly Girls
Simon Says Stamp & Show - Anything Goes
Stamps R Us - Anything Goes
OSAAT - Anything Goes
Craft Your Days Away - Get Stitchy

Clean & Simple Snowflake Card

I was lucky enough to be selected to take part in the Crafty Ribbons Top 5 Ribbons Challenge. Over the next couple of days, I'll be showing you the projects that I made for them.

 First up is this clean and simple snowflake card. It was a really quick and easy make and I will be doubtless be making a few more of these!

The embossed and glittered background was made using an embossing folder and Stickles. The sentiment is computer generated. I've added a bit of ribbon and that's it done! See told you it was easy.

Materials
White Cardstock - The Papermill
Snowflake Embossing Folder - Sizzix
Stickles - Starburst
Ribbon - Crafty Ribbons
Sentiment - LD Glorious

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Card Making Mamas - Christmas
Frosted Designs - Ribbons
Fussy & Fancy Friday's - Mono & Sparkle
Glitter Geeks - Anything goes
Marks Finest Papers - Make a Christmas Card
One Stop Craft - Christmas Sparkle

Ching-Chou Kuik's Full Moon

Good morning folks - if you're reading this it means that the scheduling widget has worked! I just want to say a quick thank you to those of you who left me comments on my painting escapades last week. My son loved his new room so it was totally worth all the hard work. The only problem is I'm now way behind with everything else, so everything has been a complete rush this week!

It's challenge week over at Sweet Pea Stampers and this time the theme is Swirls of Summer. We are sponsored this week by the lovely Amy from The Crafty Purple Frog who has generously donated 3 digis sheets of the winners choice as a prize. Please do pop over to the challenge blog and give a warm welcome to our new teamies who have created some awesome cards for your inspiration.

For my card this week I've used the gorgeous Ching-Chou Kuik's Full Moon which is currently on offer for an amazing $2.75. The image has been coloured with Promarkers, and then given some shimmer and sparkle with Sakura Clear Star Gel Pen and Star Dust Stickles. I've decoupaged the image directly onto DP's both of which are Prima Fairy Flora. The seam binding is from Crafty Ribbons and the lacy ribbon is from The Craft Barn. The leaves are cut from a scrap of paper that I'd hoarded kept and the flowers are from Knorr Prandell (looking at my piccy I think I'm going to remove some of the flowers and re-arrange the LO of them). I created the swirls using an Eline template and the Viva Pearl Paper Pen.

Thanks for stopping by, have a fab weekend.

Claire xx

Sweet Pea Stampers Challenge - Use your favourite stamp

Hello folks hope you're all well? It's challenge time over at Sweet Pea Stampers and this fortnight it's Use your favourite stamp! So basically it's anything goes, so I really hope you'll be joining us this time, especialy as we have a fantastic prize of three digital Sweet Pea Decoupage sheets on offer from The Crafty Purple Frog. Oh and don't forget that we currently have a DT call which can be found here.

Whilst I'm here, I may as well remind those of you who do me the honour of following me, there's some blog candy on offer here. If you haven't entered it yet, please do so, there's no catches or requirements, it's just a small thanks for following me.

Now back to the challenge! Asking me to chose my favourite stamp was almost impossible. I whittled it down to three stamps and then changed my mind (not just once, but several times), that in the end I decided that I'd just use one of my uninked stamps that I've been meaning to use.

Anyway, time is short and as usual I've waffled on for far too long! So here's the bit you've been waiting for, well I think it is - I'm sure you don't stop by here for my weekly waffle!! LOL. My card....

The image is Ching-Chou Kuik's Fluttering-Butterflies which I've paper pieced, coloured with Distress Inks and Promarkers and then lightly blasted with Tattered Angels Diamond Glimmer Mist. I've highlighted parts of the image with Glossy Accents and lots of stickles. The DP's are by Amy Butler from K&Co. The blue rhinestones are from Simon Says Stamp , Pink Grosgrain Ribbon is from Crafty Ribbons, and the butterfly charm is from The Works.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Stamp Insanity - Photo au mojo
Paper Romance - Anything goes
In a Sweet Pea Dream - Warmer Weather
Crafty Purple Frog - A touch of magic
Do You Stack Up - Anything goes
Creative Craft World - Square
Paper Pretties - Glitter
Bunny Zoes - Flowers
Totally Paper Crafts - Paper piecing
Stamp Something - Flowers
Crafty Emmas - Flowers & flutterbys
Sweet Stampin - Girly