Favourite Five Christmas Creations of 2013

Well as the big day is over, and the year draws to a close I thought I would join in the fun with My Favourite Five Christmas Creations on Debby's blog A Scrapjourney.

It was a tough choice as I made quite a few Christmas cards, but here they are, with links to the original posts (in case you want to see all the ingredients!)

Have A Fan-tash-tic Christmas

using IndigoBlu stamps

 

Angel of Peace

using Polkadoodles digi stamp and papers

 

Lil Bows Tin Soldier

using Lacy Sunshine digi stamp

Santa Who!

using a Gordon Fraser set from Crafts U Print

12 Days of Christmas - A Partridge in a Pear Tree

using image and papers from a Kraftyhands CD

I hope you've enjoyed this little selection of my favourite Christmas cards, and are enjoying a fabulous and safe New Year's Eve!

Mandy x

 

Happy Christmas!

Happy Christmas!  And as its a special Dr Who Christmas this year I had to share this card with you!

So... Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Mandy x

I am adding this card to:
Make It Monday - Linky Party #171

Materials Used:
Crafts U Print - Santa Who by Gordon Fraser
My Craft Studio - crystal glitter
Core'Dinations - blue and red card
Hunkydory - 5" x 7" white card blank

Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge #158 - Use your favourite technique or colour

It's time for a new challenge over at Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge, and this week the theme is use your favourite technique or colour - you can use both! :-) 

I decided to go for one of my favourite colour combinations - pink and grey, and also went for one of my favoured layouts too! So not a technique, but still a favourite!  And I chose the gorgeous Alannah digi from StampArt Design to make this sweet Christmas card.

I am adding this card to:
Make It Monday - Linky Party #171

This week there are two prizes up for grabs, so pop on over to http://pennyschallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ and join in:
StampArt Design - 5 digi images
Sassy Studio Designs - 4 digi images

Materials Used:
StampArt Design - Alannah digi which you can purchase here
Copics - E000, E00, E01, E02, Y20, Y23, Y27, E31, E35, E37, R81, R83, R85, YR31, YG61, YG63, YG67, E50, B91, B93, B95, B97, C2
Creative Expressions - white crochet ribbon
Kanban - Cream Soda paper pad
Hunkydory - white square card blank, silver mirri card

Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge #157 - Feminine with a sentiment

It's time for a new challenge over at Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge, and this week the theme is Feminine With A Sentiment.  I decided to use a simple layout that I use from time to time - its good when you don't have a lot of time on your hands or need to make a lot of cards.  You can print out the digi image with a sentiment, colour it in and then team up with a piece of card which picks out one of the colours in your image - and its even better when you can use up a piece of card that you have in your "scrap box"!  And as I normally choose patterned papers before I colour in, you don't have to spend ages doing that either!

This week there are two prizes up for grabs, so pop on over to http://pennyschallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ and join in:
Saturated Canary - 2 digi images
Crafty Sentiments Designs - 3 digi images

Materials Used:
Crafty Sentiments Designs - Friendship digi image
Copics - E000, E00, E01, E02, E31, E35, E37, YR20, YR23, YR27, R81, R83, R85, YG61, YG63, YG67, C2, C4, C6, C7
Core'Dinations - pink card
Craftwork Cards - white square card blank

Lacy Sunshine #23 - Celebrations!

It's time for a new challenge over at Lacy Sunshine!  The theme is Celebrations - so any project for an occasion that you would celebrate!

So pop on over and join in the challenge as there are plenty of prizes up for grabs!  For the random draw there will be 2 winners: 1st prize - 5 digi images, 2nd prize - 3 digi images of choice from the Lacy Sunshine Shop. There will also be a Top Three who will each receive 1 of Heather's digis. 

There is also a Loyalty Program for Lacy Sunshine Challenges digis, information can be found in the rules section of the Challenge Blog.

Materials Used:
Lacy Sunshine - Polly Poinsetta Flower Pot Pretties
Copics - YG61, YG63, YG67, B21, B23, B24, 26, YR20,YR23, YR27, R83, R11, R14, R17, R27, E000, E00, E01, E02, E50, E51, E53
Core-Dinations - red card
Craftwork Cards - white square card blank

Kraftyhands December Challenge - Anything Goes

Morning!  Its Saturday and now so close to Chirstmas - I hope you have all your cards made, and presents sorted (I know I still have a bit to do!!)!  So as it's the first Saturday of the month, it's the start of a new challenge over at Kraftyhands!

This month it's Anything Goes, and its just for fun, so pop on over to http://kraftyhandschallenge.blogspot.co.uk and share your projects with us - even those last minute Christmas cards if, like me, you still have some to make!

Materials Used:
Kraftyhands - Vintage Treasures CD
Hunkydory - 5" x 5" white card blank

 

Its Bingo at Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge #156

It's time for a new challenge over at Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge, and this week the theme is Bingo!  I used die cuts, glitter and a button (made using a punch as I didn't have any real ones that matched the colours I chose!) with this fun image from Bugaboo.

This week there are two prizes up for grabs, so pop on over to http://pennyschallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ and join in:
Bugaboo Stamps - 7 digi images
Robyn's Fetish - 4 digi images

I am adding this card to:
Make It Monday - Linky Party #169
613 Avenue Create - #48 Anything Goes

Materials Used:
Bugaboo - JJC January digi
Copics - E000, E00, E01, E02, E33, E51, E53, V09, V12, V15, V17, V1, R81, R83, R85, R89, B23, B24, B26, B28
EK Success - buttons & holes punches
Spellbinders - card creator 5 x 7 matting basics A and B
Die-namics - fishtail flags stax, fishtail layers stax
Complete Cardmaking Magazine - Christmas Nativity paper collection
Core-Dinations - purple card
Hunkdory - 5" x 7" white card blank
Purple organza ribbon from stash

Its Frame A Female at Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge #155

It's time for a new challenge over at Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge, and this week the theme is Frame A Female, so a chance to get all those girlie images out!

This week there are two prizes up for grabs, so pop on over to http://pennyschallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ and join in:
Sassy Studio Designs - 4 digi images
Delicious Doodles - 4 digi images

Materials Used:
Sassy Studio Designs - Elvira digi image
Copics - E000, E00, E01, E02, E50, E51, E53, E33, YG63, C5, R81, R83, R85
Spellbinders - Fanciful Lattice die, classic circles
Anna Griffin - pink patterned paper (AG846 on the back)
Ranger - Black Soot Distress Ink
Hunkydory - white 7" x 5" card blank

Have a Fan-Tash-Tic Christmas!

There I was watching Create & Craft TV, and Nigel May appears in a Christmas jumper with moustaches made into the shape of a Christmas tree.  I thought this would make a brilliant Christmas card so got out my IndigoBlu moustache stamps and quickly rustled up this card to send in to the show.

And here is Nigel and Julia Watts showing the card on TV!

I didn't have quite the same elements as on the jumper, but I think you'll agree they look pretty good side by side!  I'll be sending this card off to Nigel to wish him Happy Christmas - well I have to don't I!

I am adding this card to:
Through The Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
Creative Fingers Challenge Blog - #12 Anything Goes
That Craft Place - Stars
Cards For Men - #23 Merry Christmas
Make It Monday - Linky Party #168

Materials Used:
IndigoBlu - Mr Fan-Tash-Tic stamp set
Kanban - Cosmo Christmas paper pad
Spellbinder - classic circle dies
Craft UK - star stamp from the Santa & Penguins set
Copics - Y11, Y13, T15, R27, YG61
Wild Rose Studios - Christmas Labels
DCWV - green card
Hunkydory - 5" x 7" card blank

Kraftyhands Vintage Transport

Today I want to share some cards with you from the new Vintage Transport CD from Kraftyhands launching on Create & Craft TV tomorrow, Monday 25th November, at 3pm.  Its full of images covering a range of vintage transport - sailing ships, motorbikes, campervans, canal boats, traction engines, buses, biplanes, tractors, trains and steamboats.  So something for everyone!

Vintage Sailing Ship book box

There has to be a campervan in my samples! :-)

 

And then a motorbike, looks like I was having a "blue" period when I made these cards!  There are other colours on the CD, promise!

 

Materials Used:

Kraftyhands - Vintage Transport CDCore'Dinations - blue card
Spellbinder - anchor from the nautical frame and accents set
Martha Stewart - border punch
Crafters Companion - blue & white twine
Hunkydory - white card blanks
Hole punch, embossing tool and mat - to make the "dotz"

Lacy Sunshine #22 - Winter Wonderland

It's time for a new challenge over at Lacy Sunshine!  The theme is Winter Wonderland - so a chance to get glitter and sparkle out, or just anything wintery!

I used Emily Winter Wonderland, and put her inside the Scrolled Snowglobe, using the snow top and snowflakes from the same digi set.  Even though the card is 8" x 8" I must admit it was a bit tricky colouring in some of the detail on Emily as the image is so small.

Why don't you pop on over and join in the challenge as there are plenty of prizes up for grabs!  For the random draw there will be 2 winners: 1st prize - 5 digi images, 2nd prize - 3 digi images of choice from the Lacy Sunshine Shop. There will also be a Top Three who will each receive 1 of Heather's digis.

I am adding this card to:
Polkadoodles - Digi Choosday Week #4 Celebrations
Through The Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Materials Used:
Lacy Sunshine: Emily Winter Wonderland and Scrolled Snowglobe Digi Bit Set 
Copics - R21, R22, R27, R29, YR20, YR23, YR27, E000, E00, E01, E02, E31, E35, E37, E39, E50, E51, E53, G82, G94, G99, BG000, C4, C6
Magnolia - Snowy Forest die
Spellbinder - Corner Flourish D-Lite
Cosmic Shimmer - Iced Crystal Glitter Jewels
My Craft Studio - crystal glitter
Hunkydory - white 8x8" square card

Its Anything Goes at Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge #154

It's time for a new challenge over at Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge, and this week the theme is Anything Goes - we all love this theme!

I had this sweet image from The Paper Shelter to use, and I went for a pretty simple card, choosing a background paper in Serif Craft Artist, and recolouring it using the colour picker tool so that I could match the colours in the image, a bit of distress ink, a die cut frame and some gems!

This week there are two prizes up for grabs, so pop on over to http://pennyschallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ and join in:
The Paper Shelter - $20 gift certificate
Floppy Latte Designs - $10 gift certificate

Materials Used:
The Paper Shelter - Make A Wish image (coloured version)
Spellbinders - classic squares, captivating squaresKanban - pastel gems
Ranger - Spun Sugar Distress Ink
Hunkydory - white square card blank

Its Add a Sentiment at Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge #153

It's time for a new challenge over at Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge, and this week the theme is Add a Sentiment - so you can do anything you like as long as it has a sentiment on it!

 

I chose to make a Christmas card for this challenge as I still have a few to make... :-)

This week there are two prizes up for grabs, so pop on over to

http://pennyschallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ and join in:

Fred She Said Designs - $15 gift certificate
Digi My World - $10 gift certificate

Materials Used:
Fred She Said Designs - Christmas Wreath digi set (sentiments included)
Copics - R22, R27, YG61, YG63, YG67
Core'Dinations - red and green card
Craftwork Cards - white square card blank

Remembrance Sunday Poppies

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We will remember them.

 

The theme for today's card is poppies for Remembrance Sunday.  I decided on something a little different, not so traditional and chose this beautiful image from Aurora Wings by Mitzi Sato-Wiuff.

 

I also took the opportunity to try out my new pack of Graph'It Markers to see if I had better results with the reds than I tend to with Copics, and I have to say I was pretty pleased with the results (though I'm not sure you can really see all the shading in the photo, but it is there - promise!)

I am adding this card to:
Delicious Doodles - #61 Remembrance Sunday / Thinking Of You
Stamp N Doodle - Remembrance
Creative Inspirations - #239 Poppies or Red Flowers
Creative Craft Cottage - #9 Say it with flowers
 



Materials Used:

Aurora Wings - Poppies digi image

Graph'It Markers - 5240 Lipstick, 5220 Tomato, 8280 Military, 9403 Warm Grey 3, 4115 Cotton, 4145 Organza, 4150 Nude

Hunkydory - 8x8 white card blank, red card, black card

Josy Rose - red ribbon

Lacy Sunshine #21 - It's a Bling Thing!

It's time for a new challenge over at Lacy Sunshine!  The theme is It's A Bling Thing - so I know you can come up with allsorts of ideas to wow us!  I had the gorgeous Winter Angel Food Sticky Wings digi to play with - isn't she sweet!

So why don't you pop on over and join in the challenge as there are plenty of prizes up for grabs!  For the random draw there will be 2 winners: 1st prize - 5 digi images, 2nd prize - 3 digi images of choice from the Lacy Sunshine Shop. There will also be a Top Three who will each receive 1 of Heather's digis. 

There is also a Loyalty Program for Lacy Sunshine Challenges digis, information can be found in the rules section of the Challenge Blog.

I am adding this card to:
Creative Moments - #29 Anything Goes / Halloween
Crafting By Designs - Anything Goes
Freshly Brewed Challenges - Snow / Christmas

Materials Used:
Lacy Sunshine - Winter Angel Food Sticky Wings digi
Copics - R22, BV02, BV04, BV13, BV17, YG61, YG63, YG67, E000, E00, E01, E02, E35, E50, E51, E53, C3, C5
Cosmic Shimmer - Glitter Jewels Iced Crystal
Dovecraft - Christmas Blues paper pack
Brittania Dies - Happy and Christmas dies
Core'Dinations - purple card

Its Lots of Layers at Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge #152

It's time for a new challenge over at Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge, and this week the theme is Lots of Layers! 

I chose this fun image from StampArt Designs to use for my card, and looking through my stash for some background papers I found this 2011 calendar from My Mind's Eye, so I chose a couple of designs from it to add to the card.  I have to say it was quite satisfying to use something that I have been hoarding for so long - afterall I can't even deny how long I have had it, it has a date on it! :-)

This week there are three prizes up for grabs, so pop on over to

http://pennyschallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ and join in:

Bugaboo Stamps - 7 digi images

StampArt Design - 5 digi images

Di's Digi Downloads - $12 gift certificate

I am adding this card to:
Make It Monday - Linky Party #165
Polkadoodles - Digi Choosday #3 Autumn Colours

Materials Used:

StampArt Design - Autumn Delight digi image, click here for more details

Copics - YR15, YR16, YR18, YR23, YR27, C1, C3, C5, C7, G28, G29, G43, G46, E50, E51, E53, E57, E59

Tonic - Verdant Vines die

My Mind's Eye - papers from the 2011 Bloom & Grow calendar

Core'Dinations - orange card

Hunkydory - 7x7" square card

Hole punch, embossing tool and mat - to make the "dotz"

 

London Tilda - Singing in the Rain

Hi!  I have a card to share with you today using some of the new Magnolia Little London collection stamps.  I haven't bought any Magnolia stamps for ages, but this set really caught my eye, so I had to add a few of them to my collection and have a play as soon as they arrived!

I chose some of my favourite backing papers from the Kraftyhands Chic Boutique CD which you can currently get at a super duper price in their online shop!  I cut two different sized square doilies with my Silhouette Cameo and layered them all up.

To create the focal image for the card, I stamped London Tilda, created a mask and then stamped the phone booth to make it look like its behind her.  Then coloured with Copics, and created a faux stitch detail around the scene and the layers of backing paper already on the card.

Having stuck the image onto the card, I knew it needed more but struggled to decide what for a while.  After die cutting several flowers and swirls, I decided to start again and print a double sided piece of paper using the two designs from the CD I had chosen as my backing papers.  I die cut several Chinese roses from this paper, rolled and glued them to create the flowers, then cut the leaves using a pink Copic pen to colour the leaves while still in the die.

I then stamped sentiment onto some of the backing paper and die cut it with a Spellbinder circle (as I am rubbish at cutting circles freehand), and layered it onto a lacey circle.  Finally gluing everything onto the card, which I think is rather pretty - I hope you agree!

I am adding this card to:
Crafting When We Can - #56 Make Your Own Flowers
Crafting With Dragonfiles - #14 Make Your Own Flower
Tilda's Town Challenges - #77 Anything Goes
Magnolia-licious - Tuesday Challenge Anything Goes

Materials Used:
Magnolia - London Tilda, Vintage Phone Booth stamps
LOTV - Sentiment stamp
Copics - E000, E00, E01, E02, E50, E51, E53, E33, B91, B93, B95, B97, R81, R83, R85, R89, YG61, C0, C1, C3, C5, C7
American Crafts - Pink precision pen 0.5mm
Kraftyhands - Chic Boutique CD
Spellbinders - Classic leaf die set, lacey circles, classic circles
Marianne Designs - Chinese rose dies
Silhouette Cameo - square doily cute in two sizes
Hunkydory - 8x8" white card blank

Kraftyhands November Challenge - Classic Christmas (Red, Gold & Green)

Morning!  Wow! November - and now less than 9 weeks until January 2014!  So as it's the first Saturday of the month, it's the start of a new challenge over at Kraftyhands!

This month it's Classic Christmas (Red, Gold & Green), and its just for fun, so pop on over to http://kraftyhandschallenge.blogspot.co.uk and share your Christmas cards with us - I'm sure like me, you still have a few (!!!) to make :-)

Materials Used:
Kraftyhands - S for Santa CD
Spellbinders - Corner Flourish D-Lite
Hunkydory - 7" x 7" white card blank, gold mirri card

Hole punch, embossing tool and mat - to make the "dotz"

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween Everyone!

I made this card a while ago, and decided it was perfect to save for a Halloween post, then on my way to work this morning realised that I had not prepared or scheduled a post to share it with you!  So, here is Eleanor Queen of the Vampires digi from Lacy Sunshine - better late than never!

I am adding this card to:
Make It Monday - Linky Party #164
The Sisterhood of Crafters - Trick or Treat
Fab 'n' Funky Challenges - Halloween
Little Red Wagon - Halloween
Clear It Out - Halloween and Orange (from stash) - my orange stash is the background paper

Materials Used:
Lacy Sunshine - Eleanor Queen of the Vampires digi
Copics - E000, E00, E01, 100, R22, R27, YG61, YG63, YG67, YR20, YR23, YR27, YR15, YR16, YR18, C1, C3, C5, C7, V12, V15, V17
Spellbinder - Spider Web
Chocolate Baroque/Artylicious - background paper from stash (sorry no idea of the pack / cd as I've had it so long... but thought it was perfect for this card, and I am trying to make myself use stuff!)
Core'Dinations - purple card
Hunkdory - 7" x 7" white card blank
Hole punch, embossing tool and mat - to make the "dotz"