Double whammy challenge card!

This card I have managed to fit into two different challenges.

Firstly it fits in with Sunday Sketch and Stamp, but rather than following the sketch almost exactly like I usually do, I have tried to put my own interpretation on it, but hopefully it still fits the sketch enough to join in.

Secondly it fits with Penny's Paper craft challenges where the challenge this time was NOT to use decorative papers but to create your own. This is something I used to do alot of but haven't done for a while so it was nice to try again. I have used my gorgeous U-Mount swirls embossed in gold for the back ground.

This stamp is one of the first Christmas stamps I ever bought and I still love it, it comes out every year and I always try to do something different with it. As I have been using alot of water colour pencils this year, that's what I have used on this one. I'm quite pleased with the effect.

The Crafty Pad Challenge 47

This week the challenge on The Crafty Pad is a sketch challenge by Maxine, it was a fun one to work with and I got to use up some free papers, some old friends (stamps) and my lovely snowflake buttons.

Over on Quirky Crafts it Challenge 17, this week Lyn has picked a sketch and here is my interpretation of it. I wanted to use it to do one for my Pink ATC swap, so have adapted is slightly especially as I don't have anything oval.

I just love this little mug stamp, these is something so comforting and cute about it. I always imagine it full of hot chocolate. mmmm!

Can you believe.......

I've won again! Wow - twice in one week. These blog challenges are like buses.

This time I have been chosen as the Featured Sketch Card on Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge Blog with the Christmas card just below. I was actually quite please with the way that card came out in the end and as usual it looks so much better in reality. The lighting in my craft room is pretty poor for taking photos.

Penny has a colour challenge running this week, I don't have the brand of inks she has specified but I'm sure if I rummage in my inks basket I can come up with something close!

Penny Challenges

It's a sketch challenge over at Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge Blog and this is my entry. I have had a lovely evening creating this as I have also been on messenger with Pippa who was also crafting at home - it was like having our own personal crop! Great Fun :-)

Hope you like it - sorry about the mirricard not showing up so well.

I've won...

...Challenge 45 over on The Crafty Pad. Can you believe it? I know I couldn't! I'm just a little ashamed as I didn't feel as pleased with this creation as usual, but was running out of time to do something new.

I just hope I can create something better when I have my weeks guest DT spot which is the prize - I am so looking forward to this.

Thank you Debbie and girls - great challenge again this week!

I've just found....

....this lovely blog where Cathy has some gorgeous creations and some delicious blog candy. Click here to see it and a chance to enter yourself.

Crafty Pad Challenge 45

This is my entry for challenge 45 on The Crafty Pad, which this week is a lovely sketch challenge by Maxine. It is an ATC which I will use as part of my ATC swap on Quirky Crafts, the theme of which is PINK. This swap has been extended until 19th November if you would like to join in.

Had a lovely birthday...

...yesterday, despite the sad occaision. For those who don't know me well, it was also the first anniversary of losing my Mother-in-Law. We all (my husband, his dad and me) took the day off work, we'd had several beers the night before so Pops stayed here with us.

They made a big fuss of me in the morning then we spent most of the day just doing bits and pieces. At 2pm we had made an arrangement which gave us something to look forward to - Pops had ordered a new van earlier in the summer and we were finally able to pick it up yesterday. It's a great little van and he is so pleased with it!! He then cooked dinner which was really nice.

I had some lovely presents including two craft magazine subcriptions: Craft Stamper and Creative Cardmaking (which I struggle to get hold of), some lovely smellies, chocolates, flowers, a cardi and some great crafty stash. From Phil I bought some sizzix dies and nestabilites.

Julia and Al bought me this Oh so cute tea infuser with some fresh tea and some chocolate bars - how happy will I be!


Mum & Dad bought these lovely beads when they were in France last week (these are the wearing kind, not the sticking on a card kind!)


Pippa made this beautiful card which she also entered in my challenge over on Quirky Crafts - which also happened to win this week. Pippa gave me these gorgeous Elusive Images stamps, which I remember gushing over at Stamperama along with some EZ mount and a beautiful fan bookmark - which has all pink and sparkly gems on - although the picture doesn't do it justice!


Ellie made this fab card with lots of 'Anne' elements: pink, sparkly, cupcakes, a Mini, and pink ribbon and bought me the Papermania Christmas sealing wax kit which I have had my eye on for ages.



Haven't I been really lucky - I love all my presents but had to show my crafty bits on my blog - thank you girls!

Quirky Craft Challenge16

Challenge 16 has just been launched over on Quirky Crafts. This fortnight Julia has chosen a masculine theme, something I know I find very difficult.

Click HERE to take you straight to the forum.

I had hoped to use the challenge to do my brother's birthday card but then realised I didn't have a suitable image and had run out of time due to all that has been going on this weekend, so I remembered I had these images all ready at the bottom of my images box. If I don't sell it at Mum's Christmas fair, I can probably use it for my Dad. So here is my entry for this week:

Fun with new Christmas Sizzix dies

This card is for the The Crafty Pad Challenge 44 using red, green and gold. Another good excuse to get on with the C cards.

It also happens to fit in too with Penny's Wednesday Challenge which I am entering for the first time. However I have visited before via the Crafty Pad.

I have used a holly sizzix cut out from my new decorative strip which I bought on Saturday from Colemans. I cut it out twice and highlighted the bottom of the leaves in dark green pen and in the middle with stardust pen to try and add some definition - that is about as arty as I get.

The Father Christmas is from a Kanban sheet I bought at the Grafton Crafts demo day. I added plenty of glitter to jazz it up a bit!

Autumnal colours

Last weeks challenge on The Crafty Pad was to use autumnal colours and although I did all the stamping and the layout earlier in the week, I never got a chance to stick it all together and photograph it and do this post until today. This is of course too late for the challenge entry, but I really like it and thought I'd post it anyway.

All the inks are chalk inks, the large swirls are from the U-mount set I bought at Stamperama and the tree is from a gorgeous set from 'Autumn Leaves' which I bought for £2.99 from our local stationers who buys ends or surplus stock.