In The Christmas Garden

Hello there, sorry I have not been around for a few days but I picked up a bug which has laid me low for several days.  I'm getting over it now although not firing on all pistons yet but too much to do so onwards and upwards lol!

My card today is made with the last of the three new releases from Beccy's Place:

The fab image is called In The Christmas Garden and is available here. I coloured him with Copics adding Stickles of course.  I then cut most of the image out using a Circle Die but left the Poinsettias tumbling out.  The papers are Nitwits and the sentiment comes with the image - I used a SB Ribbon Banner to cut it out.  I finally managed to get hold of Go Kreate XXL Frilly Frame 10 which I used for the card shape and matting, I have been trying months to get these and they finally got them back in stock.

Big apologies for not coming around to visit you all but I have just been laid low on the couch watching Christmas movies.  I have now given it to Dave so I am hoping he will be better in time for the Big Day.  If I don't get chance to visit you all before Christmas I would like to send all my best wishes for a lovely Christmas and a very Happy New Year. I know that a few blogging buddies have been having a really tough time lately and I hope that with the dawn of 2015 brings new hope and fresh beginnings.  Thank you all for your kindness, support and lovely comments its wonderful to be part of such a lovely community. xxxx

Delightful Thursday

Hello and welcome to another Delightful Thursday where the DT over on the Digital Delights Blog get to showcase some more of Wendy's fabulous designs.  Here is my card:

This is one of my all time favourite Christmas images of Wendy's he's called Nutcracker Kiddles and you can find him here. I always make a card with him each year he's just so cute! I have coloured him with my Copics and used quite a lot of Stickles around the mat which are cut with Spellbinders dies.  I made a centre step card for a change.  I have used Memory Box Frostyville Border and Lawn Fawn scalloped stitched borders.  I think the papers are MME but, to be honest, my craft room is such a mess that I can't find a blasted thing in it at the moment.  A massive tidy up is on the cards for the New Year (yet again).

On a sadder note, Delightful Challenges are having their last challenge today.  Wendy has decided to close the challenge in order to devote more time to Digital Delights - which will not be going anywhere!! The last challenge is Celebrate and is sponsored by Digital Delights so we would love to see your creations in our last challenge.

I am taking my Aunt out for lunch today, our last before Christmas.  I am going to make some spiced red cabbage this morning and pop it in the freezer for Christmas Day.  Yesterday I made Mary Berry's White Chocolate and Ginger Cheesecake and that is languishing in the freezer too - I am fast running out of freezer space!! 

Thank you so much for calling to see me and all the lovely comments, I really appreciate them as I know how busy everyone is at this time of year.

Anything Goes

Edit: The comment winner who left a comment on my blog is Lena - congratulations Lena. Lena please go to The Paper Shelter Blog to see how to claim your free image. Thank you to everyone else who took the time out to comment I'm sorry there can only be one winner!

Hello there and a big welcome to my blog.  Today is the last challenge of the year for The Paper Shelter.  This challenge will last three weeks and we will be back on 7th January. In order to give the DT a break there will be no commenting on this challenge.  We will also be back again either later today or tomorrow with the winners from the Celebrations Blog Hop so please check back!  Here is my last card of the year for The Paper Shelter:

I have used the beautiful The Lantern which is available here.  I coloured the image with my Copics which took quite a while and then disaster struck!! I managed to smudge some ink on the background.  After spending quite a while colouring I didn't really want it to end up in the bin so I decided to cover it with Stickles - adapt and overcome!  The image has been cut out with a Spellbinders ornament die and the top is a Memory Box in mirri card to look like metal.  I used my Memory Box Merry Christmas die which I really love but sadly have only used once!

As usual there is a fabulous prize up for the lucky winner:

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Veronica, Shirley and Marie for all their help and support over the last year and wish them and my fellow team mates a very Happy Christmas and wonderful New Year.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Well I am finalising my Christmas menus today and perhaps doing a bit of shopping (food) and cooking for the freezer. I hope you have a wonderful day whatever you are doing and a big thank you for all the lovely comments you leave, 

Let It Snow

Hello and welcome to my little corner of blogland - thank you so much for calling.  Thank you too for the lovely comments on yesterday's picture of Rowan - he is such a delight and happy baby.

Today I have a card made with Finn in the Snow one of the December releases from Beccy's Place.

I coloured Finn with my Copics and added some Stickles to the snowflakes. The papers are Nitwits and I used some silver mirri card for backing.  I used Spellbinders A2 Curved Borders One and printed the sentiment that comes with Finn straight onto the papers.  The sequins are from Doodlebug.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Bling it On

Card Mania - Christmas

Crafty Cardmakers - Christmas

Fitztown - Winter

Get Creative - Blue/White and Silver

I am taking my sister to Manchester today for an appointment as she is still not driving following her hip replacement.  I hope you have a wonderful day whatever you are doing and a big thank you for the lovely comments.

Back to Nature

Good morning I hope you had a wonderful weekend and are all rested and raring to go for the week ahead - the last one before Christmas week eek! 

Today I am sharing a card I made for the Love to Scrap! Challenge where I have been one of the Guest Designers this month - thank you so much Leslie and the team for having me! For this challenge we are sponsored by Stitchy Bear Outlet who very kindly gave us an image of our choice to work with.  The theme this fortnight is When Nature Calls - feature something from Nature either animate or inanimate:

This gorgeous image is called O Winter Trees and can be found here at Stitchy Bear Outlet - thank you so much for the image.

 I thought it looked lovely as it was so all I added was some Stickles and a star shaped gem which you can see better here:

The sentiment is from Pink Petticoat. A very CAS design but such a lovely image I didn't think it needed much else.  Please have a look at the rest of the DT work at Love to Scrap! and they would love it if you entered the challenge, if you have made all your Christmas cards this would be the perfect chance to get started on a new project!

I am off out for the day with my Daughter and Rowan for some shopping (not Christmas) she wants some mugs for her new kitchen and I want some new towels.  Here is a picture of my cheeky Christmas helper Rowan the Elf:

Thank you so much for looking and your lovely comments, 

Wrap Up!

Good morning I hope you are all enjoying your weekend.  I have got all my cards done now and the house is all decorated.  Well underway with my wrapping and I am going to make the chestnut stuffing today and pop it into the freezer.

Today I have a card to share with you with one of the new images from Beccy's Store called Winter Stanley:

I have coloured Stanley with my Copics and then cut him out.  The digital papers are Karen Lewis Happy Holidays.  The snowflake banner is Whiff of Joy and I cut the sentiment out using Cheery Lynn Horizon Fishtail Banner.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Chocolate Coffee and Cards - Christmas

Digitally Sweet - Non Traditional Christmas Colours

That's Crafty - Anything Goes

Creative Knockouts - Tis The Season

Hanna and Friends - Banner/Pennant

Well that's all from me for today, thank you so much for calling to see me and the lovely comments you leave -

Delightful Thursday

Hello and welcome to my blog! Today its time for the DT to showcase some more of Wendy's fabulous image over on the Digital Delights Blog. I thought I would make a Christmas card for Rowan:

This sweet little snowman is called Baby Snow and is available here. I coloured Baby Snow with my Copics and added a couple of Doodlebug Sequins.  The papers are Nitwits Patchwork Christmas.  I used Go Kreate XXL Scalloped Squares for the card shape.  Dienamics Pierced Oval Stax to cut the image out and mounted it on a Spellbinders Beaded Ovals.  The Snowflake is a Marianne Creatables covered in Glamour Dust.   Dienamics Pinking Edge Circle Stax and Lawn Fawn stitched border to finish. The ribbon is from Crafty Ribbons.

This week at Delightful Challenges the theme is Bundle Up - winter theme.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

ABC Christmas Challenge - For a Family Member (Grandson)

Crafty Creations - Die Cuts

Creative Moments - Anything Goes/Winter

Die Cuttin' Divas - None Traditional Christmas colours

Well thank you so much for looking and the wonderful comments you leave, 

Gift Cards

Hello and a big welcome to my blog, thank you so much for calling by to see me!  Today I have some gift card holders that I made for some book tokens I bought:

These were made using  pre coloured Christmas Toppers Set Five available here from Digital Delights, in the set you get four toppers and at the moment its reduced.  Here is a peek at the inside:

I used my Oyster card just to show how it looked with a gift card in it.  The book tokens are now in them and they have been delivered to the recipients.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Christmas/Holidays
A Gem of a Challenge - Anything Christmas
Di's Digi Designs - Christmas
Fussy and Fancy - Happy Holidays

Thank you so much for looking and all the lovely comments,

New Release at Digital Delights

Hello there and welcome to my little part of blog land.  Today is new release day at the Digital Delights Blog and its the last one of the year.  I have had a play with this little cutie:

Ooops what a wonky photo!! Christmas Pudding Ginger is available here and I have coloured him with my Copics adding some Liquid Pearls to the icing trim and Stickles to the pudding.  I cut my card shape out using my Grand Nesties and covered the aperture with some acetate I had put through a snowflakes Cuttlebug embossing folder. The sentiment is from the Christmas Hugs Set available here and I used my Dienamics Fishtail Stax on it.  The paper is from The Sweet Shoppe and the little holly button is Recollections.  Here is a straighter picture showing the acetate:

Please head over to Digital Delights Blog to see the rest of the new images showcased by the DT. 

Don't forget there is a new challenge starting on the Delightful Challenges Blog and the theme this week is Twinkle Twinkle (Add something sparkly).

Challenges I would like to enter:

Simon Wednesday Challenge - Chrismas/Holidays

Crafting by Design - Christmas

Crafting For All Seasons - Tis The Season

Divas By Design - Feeling Festive

I am off out for lunch in Lytham today with my friends, it will probably be our last meet up before Christmas. I hope you have a wonderful day whatever you are doing and a big thank you for visiting me and the lovely comments you leave.

The Paper Shelter Blog Hop

Ooooh I am so excited! We are having a blog hop at The Paper Shelter to celebrate the 4th birthday on December 8th.  Its a two week challenge and both teams are taking part.

The theme is "A Special Celebration" to help us celebrate our birthday! It does not have to be a birthday it can be any celebration - wedding, birth, engagement, baby etc etc!

Now you should of come here from the lovely Marianne's blog - isn't her card gorgeous?!! If you haven't come from Marianne's blog then head back to The Paper Shelter Challenge Blog to start the fun!  You really don't want to miss this! Each of the blogs on the hop will be offering one lucky commenter a digi of their choice AS WELL AS the main prize - details on The Paper Shelter Challenge.

Here is my card:

I have used the gorgeous Spring Enchantment available here and this time I chose to use the pre coloured version as the colours were so perfect with my papers. The papers are Nitwits and sentiment is from LOTV.

Now from here you need to head over to Jan's Blog she has a fabulous creation to dazzle you with. Don't forget to leave a comment on each blog for loads of chances to win!! Good luck and happy hopping!

Christmas - No Thanks!

Hello there and a big welcome to my blog.  Some sad news today this will be our last challenge at A Little Bit Crafty.  The lovely Paula who's brainchild it was and who does such a fantastic job of running it and organising the fabulous sponsors just does not have enough time to carry on as she has a very young family and new home.  I would like to thank Paula for inviting me to be on the DT when she started two years ago I have loved it and will miss the challenge.  So for our very last challenge we have a nice easy one - with a bit of a twist:  Anything Goes - but not Christmas!!!!

My sister has just completed her Masters and got a distinction!  It is her Graduation on Saturday so I have made a card for her.  She sometimes looks at my blog so I am hoping she doesn't from now til Saturday lol!! I used Centrura Pearl for the card and ran it through a Die'sire Chevrons Embossing Folder.  The sentiment is Clearly Besotted embossed in Gold embossing powder and I think the rest is pretty clear!

We have some fabulous sponsors this month:

Marianne Design - Mystery Prize

Waltzingmouse Stamp - Prize to be arranged

Joanna Sheen - £10 Gift Voucher

Some fabulous prizes from some of my favourite companies!! Hop over to  A Little Bit Crafty  to see the rest of the DT work for more inspiration and remember you have almost a month to enter.  We would love to see you for our very last challenge!

Shapeshift

Hello and here I am with my second post today.  I am delighted to be a Guest Designer for Love to Scrap! Challenge Blog for December.  The first challenge starts today and the theme is Shapeshift - we want to see a shaped project nothing square or rectangle.  There are two fabulous sponsors: Lacy Sunshine Stamps and A Day For Daisies.

I was very lucky to have been given an image from Lacy Sunshine to work with:

This cute Santa is called Santa P is for Presents and is available here.  I coloured him with my Copics adding some Flower Soft to his slippers.  I used Grand Nesties for my Card Shape and mats. The papers are Recollections Sugar Plums which I have had for many years.  The sentiment is Waltzingmouse and perfect with this image.  Snowflake is La La Land die Heart Snowflakes.

Please have a look at the Love To Scrap! Challenge blog for lots more inspiration and ideas.  Thank you so much for looking and the lovely comments you leave.

I'm Seeing Red!

Hello there and can you believe its the first of December well I certainly can't! Just a slight amount of panic - eeeeeeeekkkkkk! Now that feels better.  Over at Buckwell's Crafty Challenge we have a new challenge starting and we want to see red on your creation.  Here is mine:

I used a gorgeous image from one of our sponsors:

Lia Stampz are giving one lucky winner the lovely Christmas Snowman image that I have used.

As well as this digi one other winner will win some gorgeous ribbon of their choice from Buckwell Craft Supplies:

The image has been coloured with Copics and the paper is from Pink Petticoat.  Love that gorgeous ribbon so soft and silky, available from Buckwell Craft Supplies where there is also a Christmas Sale on:

Well thank you so much for looking today, I will be back shortly with another post! I should have four posts today but that is slightly ridiculous so I am going to have to stagger them - talk about buses!