Rodney the Reindeer

Happy Bank Holiday Monday!  Here is another card for my Christmas collection - I must have a count up to see how I am doing. 

I've made this card using a topper and backing paper from the Kraftyhands Cringle & Company CD set, and a die cut from baking parchment, YES, backing parchment!  Last week I was making a card (which I'll be able to share with you next weekend) using the Spellbinders decorative lace border die which is rather intricate, so I put a piece of baking parchment inbetween the card and the die to make it easier to pop out.  When I was tidying up, I looked at the baking parchment piece and thought it looked rather pretty so decided to keep it and use on a card, and here it is.  It was just wide enough to wrap around the polkadot card to attach it at the back so no need for any glue on the front - I think I might use this idea more often!

I am entering this card in the following challenges:
Winter Wonderland - Red and Green Should Be Seen
Bearly Mine - 49 Anything Goes
Make It Monday - Linky Party #104

Materials Used:
Kraftyhands - Cringle & Company CD set
Spellbinders - decorative lace border die
Craftwork Cards - white card blank
Gold mirri card and red polkadot ribbon from stash
Lakeland - baking parchment

Christmas Pudding

Well its now just under 4 months til Christmas! So I thought I'd better get on and make some more Christmas cards. Here is a card I made using a sweet image from the new Polkadoodles CD "Here Comes Christmas".

I am linking this card to:
Polkadoodles - Week 34 Stitching Real or Faux (mine is most definitely faux!)
Crimbo Crackers - Challenge 22 Christmas Pudding
ABC Christmas Challenge - Q is for Quilting
Winter Wonderland - Red and Green Should Be Seen
Make It Monday - Linky Party #104

Materials Used:
Polkadoodles - Here Comes Christmas CD (main image and backing papers)
Spellbinders - Labels 18
Letraset - fine line drawing pen
Craftwork Cards - white card blank
My Craft Studio - crystal glitter
Gold mirror card from stash

Fashion - Cricut Style

Hello everyone, well what a day its been here - sunshine and blue skies, rain, and then thunder and lightening accompanied by rather a lot of rain!

So what better way to spend the time, but indoors crafting! So here is a card I've made using my cricut and a cartridge that I haven't used that much - Forever Young.

I am linking this to the Make It Monday - Linky Party #103

Materials Used:
Cricut Cartridge - Forever Young
Martha Stewart - border punch
Core'dinations - purple, white and black card
Craftwork Cards - white A5 card
Happy Birthday rubber stamp - unknown
Patterned black and white paper from stash

Cute Puppies

Following on from my Cute Kittens cards, here are some samples for the Cute Puppies CD which is part of the new double CD set Cute Kittens and Puppies from Kraftyhands.with one CD dedicated to each. There are more samples from the rest of the design team on the Kraftyhands Blog so pop over and take a look and why not enter the August blog challenge while you are there - you could win a voucher for £20 to spend in the Kraftyhands shop!

Aren't all these little fellas cute!  There are ten different puppies to choose from - you will definitely find it hard to decide which one to start with as they are all so adorable.

Materials Used:

Kraftyhands - Cute Puppies CD

Coredinations - coloured card

Craftwork Cards - white card

Joanna Sheen - gentle gloss photo paper

Spellbinders - Labels One

Martha Stewart - border punch

Brads from stash

Cute Kittens

Kraftyhands have launched a new double CD set - Cute Kittens and Puppies, with one CD dedicated to each. The CDs are full of adorable images suitable for cat and dog lovers of any age. Here are some of my kitten samples, and if you like these, pop on over to the Kraftyhands Blog where you can see inspiration from the rest of the design team.

And while you are there, take a look at the August blog challenge - there is still time to enter, and you could win a voucher for £20 to spend in the Kraftyhands shop.

Look at this little kitten, isn't she gorgeous! And I love the matching pink paws and fish bones background paper. There are new 3D paper bows on these CDs which are really pretty and very easy to make.


I am linking these cards to the Make It Monday - Linky Party #103

Materials Used:
Kraftyhands - Cute Kittens CD
Coredinations - coloured card
Craftwork Cards - white card
Joanna Sheen - gentle gloss photo paper
Martha Stewart - border punch
Brads and pearls from stash

London 2012!

Well - didn't we put on a good show!!!  I have to admit I was more than a little sceptical before the games started - expecting to experience the worst when it came to travelling to work and back, but that was all pretty good (mind you I did travel in really early!)

Just like all of my friends and colleagues, we didn't get any tickets in the ballot :-(
BUT.... managed to get some last minute tickets online so got to see a couple of events at the Olympic Park, so I thought I would share a couple of my photos of the Olympic Stadium and the Orbit with you.  We didn't get to see any of the athletics and go inside the stadium, but it looks pretty impressive from the outside! And the other venues are pretty good too!

Personnally I think the BBC coverage of the games was absolutely fantastic - I don't think I've ever watched so much sport in my whole life! LOL!  Roll on the Paralympics and lets hope that is as successful as the Olympics! 

Bling It Up - Kraftyhands August Challenge

Its the beginning of a new month (how fast is this year going?!) so it's time for a new challenge over at Kraftyhands! This month the theme is "Bling It Up" and I chose to use one of the new Stampography stamps available on the website, and added a delicate bit of bling.  So come and join in over at http://kraftyhands.blogspot.co.uk/, create a project using Kraftyhands or Crafters Companion products available from Kraftyhands and be in with a chance of winning a £20 voucher to spend at http://www.kraftyhandsonline.co.uk/

I am linking this card to the following:
Simply Create Too - Challenge 19 Anything Goes
Try It On Tuesday - Anything Goes
Make It Monday - Linky Party # 101

Materials Used:
Kraftyhands - Stampography Sew n Sew stamp set
Polkadoodles - Pen & Paper Circle Volume 3 CD
Spellbinders - Floral Ovals, Classic Ovals, Foliage set
Marianne Design Dies - Chinese Rose
Ranger Distress Ink - Spun Sugar
Craftwork Cards - white card
Kanban - irridescent gems

Pretty In Pink

The lovely ladies at Polkadoodles gave us a fab Emma Canning digi download, along with a sketch to inspire for their Facebook July challenge.  I have used papers from their Pen & Paper Circle volume 3 CD, and as you can see I chose all pink!

I am entering this card into the following challenges:
Polkadoodle Dandies - July Sketch challenge (on Facebook)
Poodles Parlour - Anything Goes
Make It Monday - Linky Party #100

Materials Used:
Polkadoodles - Pen & Paper Circle Volume 3 CD, Emma Canning "Millie Bedtime" digi stamp
Flexmarkers - Cappuccino, Linen, Light Fawn, Nutmeg, Tea Rose, Blender
Letraset - Fine Line Drawing Pen
Craftwork Cards - white card blank
Marianne Designs Die - flower from the Cupcake set
Kanban - irridescent gems

Candy Cane

I'm slowly building up my collection of Christmas cards, helped along by entering a number of Christmas in July blog challenges!  Here is my latest one, using papers and a topper from a Kraftyhands CD - Santa's Little Helpers which has 5 different elves helping Santa prepare for Christmas.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:
Cards for Men - Challenge 15 Christmas in July
Winter Wonderland - Elves
Crafty Hazelnut Christmas - Challenge 83 Tie a Ribbon
Poodles Parlour - Anything Goes
Mema's Crafts - Anything Goes
Make It Monday - Linky Party # 100

Materials Used:
Kraftyhands - Santa's Little Helpers CD
Spellbinders - Classic Circles
Craftwork Cards - white A5 card blank
Joanna Sheen - gentle gloss photo paper
Gold mirror card and red ribbon - from stash

Panda Van

Recently I came across some fab camper van digi stamps at Squidgi Digi from seeing a Christmas camper van card on the Make It Monday Challenge Blog - the card was made by Lisa (her blog is My Makes n Me).  All the digi stamps at Squidi Digi are drawn by Beth, Lisa's daughter, so loving camper vans and giant pandas I asked Lisa if Beth might like to come up with a panda camper van image for me - and here it is!  Isn't it cute!  You can get it over at Squidgi Digi along with other fun digi stamps including the Birthday greeting I have used on this card.  I have paper pieced the image, and used Promarkers to add some grey to the camper van and panda.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:
Truly Madly Crafty - July Challenge Animals
Joanna Sheen - Animal Crackers
Charisma Cardz - Challenge 28 Your Favourite Animal
Simon Says Stamp - No Rules Challenge
Cupcake Inspirations - Challenge 170
Divas By Design - Challenge 44 Anything Goes
Make It Monday - Linky Party # 99

Materials Used:
Squidgi Digi - Panda Van and Happy Birthday digi stamps
Serif Craft Artist Professional - papers from the 50's Fever CD
Spellbinders - Tags and Flags set, Labels Four
Promarkers - Ice Grey 1 - 5
Letraset - Fine Line Drawing Pen
Craftwork Cards - white card blank

Cycling For Gold!

I've made this card for the Polkadoodles Week 28 Very British Olympics - Red, White and Blue Challenge.  My red, white and blue is the little boys clothing, the Union Jack bunting and the card layers; the cycling and bunting is for the Olympics; and the Union Jack bunting for the Very British part!

Materials Used:
Polkadoodles - Pretty Tuff CD, Studio 12 Picknix Collection 1 CD
Nikky Hall - Brittania digi papers that Nikky generously gave us on the Polkadoodles Facebook page
Spellbinders - Tags and Flags set
Core'dinations - red and blue card
Craftwork Cards - white card
Serif Craft Artist Professional - to make the background using the grassy hill from the Picknix CD

Catch A Star

Surprisingly its been a pretty nice day here today - its been sunny all day and so far no rain!  And here I am with another Christmas card! :-)

I am linking this to:
Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Challenge - # 81 Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
Crimbo Crackers - Challenge 20 Penguins or Animals
Make It Monday - Linky Party # 98

Materials Used:
Katy Sue Designs - Snow Globes CD (penguin), Flower Soft Polar White
Crafters Companion - Popcorn the Bear Frosty and Bright CD (background paper)
Letraset - fine line drawing pen
Craftwork Cards - white card blank and card
My Craft Studio - crystal Glitter

Summer Sunshine Twinchie

After my earlier Christmas card post, I thought it would be a good idea to share something a little 'sunnier' - if we can't have sunshine outside, at least we can have it on the web! 

Having recently been introduced to twinchies, I was looking through my stash for things to use and I remembered buying some stampboard in various sizes a few years ago when it was all the rage, but I'd never really managed to do anything with it.  Having stared at it, moved it about a bit, and coloured a few pieces, I eventually came up with this bright sunny twinchie using a 2" x 2" piece of stampboard covered in alcohol inks, stamped and highlighted with a white marker

I am linking this to
Show Us Your Twinchie - Challenge 2 Summer
Make It Monday - Linky Party # 98

Materials Used:
Stampboard
Ranger - alcohol inks
Hero Arts - Summer sentiment stamp
Dawn Bibby - Flower Patch stamp set
Letraset - fine line drawing pen
Inkssentials - white opaque pen

Christmas Elf

Evening everyone, well its another rainy day here in London, and it looks and feels more like autumn than summer.  Maybe I should be sharing a cheerful summery card to help brighten the day, BUT.... here is another Christmas card I made using papers and toppers from the Kraftyhands Team Santa CD. I hate to admit it, but I love making Christmas cards! :-)

I am linking this card to the Make It Monday - Linky Party # 98

Materials Used:
Kraftyhands - Team Santa CD
Craftwork Cards - white card blank
Joanna Sheen - gentle gloss photo paper
Silver mirror card from stash

Skateboard Birthday

I made this card today using my beloved Cricut machine and a cartridge that I've had for a while - Lite Dude!

I am linking this card to:
Make it Monday - Linky party # 97
That Craft Place - Anything Goes Challenge
Cards for Men - Challenge 14 Happy Birthday
Allsorts - Red, White and Blue Challenge
The Sisterhood of Crafters - Let's Hear It For The Boys

Materials Used:
Cricut - Dude! cartridge
DoCrafts - Papermania Portobello Road paper
Core'dinations - red, blue and flesh colour card
Martha Stewart - zig zag border punch
Letraset - fine line drawing pen
Craftwork Cards - white card blank, white and black card
Serif Craft Artist Professional - to print the sentiment

You're The Best!

I bought the DoCrafts Forever Friends Best Of British CD recently, but haven't really had a lot of time to have much of a play.  Its full of yummy papers, embellishments and characters to design with, and everything on this card (except the mirror card obviously) was printed from the CD - papers, bows, the lot!  I've then cut out and layered up as you would with any other paper kit, the only layers that I didn't cut separately are the flags on red where I put the "You're the Best" sentiment overlapping the two.  Its a fun CD - I just need some more time to play! :-)

I am linking this to:
CD Sunday - Best of British Challenge
The Poodles Parlour - Cute and/or Cuddly
Creatalicious - Challenge 35 Anything Goes
Mema's Crafts - Julys Challenge Anything Goes
Penny's Paper Crafty - Challenge 83 Red, White and Blue
Allsorts Challenge - Week 162 Red, White and Blue
Divas by Design - Challenge 42 Red, White and Blue
Make It Monday - Linky Party # 97

Materials Used:
DoCrafts - Forever Friends Best of British Digital Designer CD
Craftwork Cards - white card
Silver Mirror card - from stash

Pandas Aren't Just for Christmas

Why is it, just when you are trying not to spend any money on crafty goodies, that yet another yummy range comes along that you just have to have!  Well that is what happened to me with the new Mulberry Wood Christmas CD from Crafters Companion - and all because of the pandas!  I absolutely adore giant pandas, and as soon as I spotted these lovely little fellas I had to buy it!  So, here is my first card from the CD - there are tons of cute images of santa and different animals so I am sure that I will make several different ones, though this may just have to be my main card for this year as those pandas are just so sweet :-)

I am linking this card to:
Crafters Companion - Challenge 26 Ho Ho Ho
Forever Friends - Challenge 40 Christmas in July
Lollipop Crafts - Challenge 84 Christmas in July
Hooked on Craft - Challenge 22 Christmas in July
The Pink Elephant - Challenge 156 Christmas in July
The Crazy Challenge - 124 Christmas in July
The Squirrel and The Fox - Challenge 21 Christmas in July
Creatalicious - Challenge 35 Anything Goes
Mema's Crafts - July Challenge Anything Goes
Make It Monday - Linky Party # 97

Materials Used:
Crafters Companion - Mulberry Wood CD (panda topper), The Snowman CD (snowy background paper)
Craftwork Cards - white card blank and card
Spellbinders - Labels One
Craft UK - Merry Christmas stamp
Katy Sue Designs - Flower Soft hint of violet Glitter Frosting
Silver mirror card - from stash

Hydrangea Twinchie

I spotted a new challenge for Twinchies and thought I would have a go!  After cutting a pile of 2" x 2" squares I then set to having a bit of a play with some inks and stamps. So, here is my first Twinchie using some lovely stamps from Inkylicious. I have a feeling this could become something quite addictive...

I am linking this little project to the Show Us Your Twinchies - Challenge 1 Anything Goes

Materials Used:
Inkylicious - Hydrangea set
Ranger - Shaded Lilac Distress Ink
Craftwork Cards - white card

Kraftyhands July Challenge - Sketch

Its time for a new challenge over on the Kraftyhands Blog, and this month its a sketch by our lovely Linda.  So why not pop on over, take a look at the inspiration from the Design Team, and take part!

Here is the card I came up with using the Kraftyhands Spring Time Garden CD

I am linking this card to Make It Monday Linky Party #96

Materials Used:
Kraftyhands - Spring Time Garden CD
Spellbinders - Classic Circles, Scallop Circles, edgeabilities
Craftwork Cards - white card blank
Orange card and ribbon - from stash

There May Be Rain... But You Can Still Have Flowers!

Good evening my crafty blog friends :-) So its July, and you have to admit that the last few weeks have been anything but a sunny summer! And it may only be the 3rd of July, but so far I have seen rain for ALL of July! So I figured that maybe a 'happy flowery' card was in order!  So here is a colourful card that I would like to share with you today.

I am linking this to the Make It Monday - Linky Party #96

Materials Used:
Craftwork Cards: flowers, papers, sentiment, candi, white card blank
Marianne Design: Chinese Rose die (for the leaves)