I'd like to wish all my friends ,followers and fellow Teamies a very Happy Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year.  The card above is from an oil painting by my very talented daughter who only started to paint in March this year and is already turning out some amazing paintings.  

Winter Sparkle

The December challenge at Stamping Sensations is Winter Sparkle. There is a lot of sparkle on my card but not sure it shows up on here. The church is one of my oldest stamps and as I'm sticking to using old stash this Christmas I thought I would try and incorporate it into a scene this time, the trees behind the church are part of the same stamps, the added fir trees and little people are from a Cardio set and the sentiment is a magazine freebie that I have used a lot this year. There is still plenty of time to join in our challenge but do make sure that there is stamping as the main focal point.

Guess who's coming

Last challenge of this year at Try It On Tuesday and this time we want to see some Santa projects, thr team have some lovely samples if you pop over to the challenge blog and have a look.  I have always loved vintage cards so took the opportunity to use this Stampendous St Nick stamp that I have had for a long time, the DP is an old piece of Kay & co scrapbook paper and the die cuts are all from box of ready cut Christmas die cuts,I added some frantage white embossing powder but it got a bit clumpy in parts. must have been a very heavy snowfall !

Winter Sparkle

The December challenge at Stamping Sensations is sponsored by Be Creative this month and the challenge is "Winter Sparkle".  For my card I have used Inkylicious stamps, the scene one is new to me and it's the first time I've used it. The deer are die cuts.  We are a stamping challenge and must see stamping as the main focal part of your entry, any that do not follow the rules will not be considered for the prize or top four.

Fancy Folds

It's the last challenge of the year over at Sparkles Christmas and this time it's Jane's choice and she has asked for fancy folds. Must admit my heart sank when I saw the subject as I'm not really a fan of fancy cards and also I had packed most of my Christmas stash away but then I remembered seeing a folded paper star so off to Pinterest and found the tutorial, very quick to make although I must admit I did have to faddle about a bit to get it all lined up properly,measuring is not my strong point. I used double sided 12 x 12 scrapbook paper ( yeah, another sheet used up !) I don't remember why I got this paper but I still have several sheets of it left, might make some more stars to use it up, they can be used for gift card or money gifts too. The Merry Christmas is only glued at one edge so I can still open the star.. Hope to see you on our challenge.

Winter Wonderland

The new challenge at Try It On Tuesday  starts today and this time the challenge is "Winter Wonderland"  For my card I have used my favourite Stampin Up set  "lovely as a tree" made a few snowdrifts added some snow effect paste and lots of glitter which doesn't really show on here and some red stickles. I really like the snow effect stuff but it is quite hard to get out of the tube,seem to have to squeeze it really hard so what with that and managing to squeeze out the last few drops of the red stickles  my hands are really sore tonight!  Hope you will join in our challenge.

It's Rudolph Day Again!

It's the last Rudolph day of the year and this year I have managed to enter every month. For this card everything came out of my scrap paper box or my Christmas bits and pieces box so it really is a snippet card too.  The background paper was a piece of scrapbook paper which I added some extra 

stamping to, the poinsettia and other die cuts were already in the Christmas bits and bobs box, I managed to make this and three other very similar ones more of the pieces. I've been trying to use up stuff instead of buying more and have managed it OK although I was lacking in inspiration to get going with nothing new to inspire me, needless to say although I have made over a hundred cards it has hardly made a dent in my stash!

Rudolph Day Challenge -always Christmas

and Pixies Playground - snippets

Still Getting Ready For Christmas

Well I think I'm just about on the home run with my Christmas cards, still have the last batch to assembly but all the components stamped and die cut, I still have to add finishing touches to some cards but getting there. It has been quite therapeutic not allowing myself to buy any new Christmas stamps or papers but I did manage to sneak a few cheap dies from The Works. I have had this little snowbird stamp for a long time, think it is meant to be a Chickadee  but I like to think he's a Robin.

Coloured him with watercolour paints and added some Nellies snow effect and some glossy accents to the berries. The paper was free from a magazine.  There is still time to enter this months challenge at Stamping Sensations  which is "Getting ready for Christmas" but don't forget your entry must be stamped as we are a Stamping challenge .

Family and friends

A journal page for Try It On Tuesday challenge which is Friends/ family.  I have used one of my favourite family photos which is special because the whole family is on it, usually there is at least one missing who was taking the photo, I think my Brother-in-law took this.  Sprayed inks for the background and stamped all over with some Hero Art stamps ( sorry to admit that some of them had never been use and were still wrapped in cellophane in their box)  I have added seven flowers as there are seven of us in the photo and three butterflies to represent the three who are no longer with us. Added some chit chat stickers to finish off. I'm new to Art Journals but I did enjoy making this.

Poppies

Today is my sister's birthday and this is the card I sent her. I thought this poppy stamp by Inkylicious was appropriate for Armistice day too.  Coloured with water colour paints and the sentiment is from a freebie set. I'd like to enter my card into

Allsorts Challenge - Poppies/ Red

Make someone smile

I love this little Penny Black Lookout Stamp, who could help but smile looking at the cheeky grin on his face . It's my next door neighbours 86th Birthday tomorrow and I had been using this stamp to make a card for her. Her cat sits on her window sill like this but it's really not a very nice cat having bitten her several times but she loves it, I just give it a wide berth ! I'd like to enter my card into Penny Black and more challenge - make someone smile

Pile It On Challenge - Pets

Follow the star

I expect everyone is busy getting on with making Christmas cards, I seem to be struggling to get going this year however it's time for a new challenge at Stamping Sensations and we are asking for your Christmas cards/projects this month.  As we are a stamping challenge we MUST see stamping and it must be the focal point of your project, any entry not meeting the rules of the challenge will not be eligible for the prize or top three places. This month we are sponsored by Swedish House Crafts.
For my card I have used a mixture of stamps, the house is Hobby Arts, trees and deer are Inkylicious and the rabbits are Cardio.  Hope you will join us in our challenge this month.

Pretty Poinsettias

Time for a new challenge over at Christmas Sparkles and Debs has chosen the challenge of "show us some embossing."

I haven't bought any new Christmas stamps this year so I'm digging out some old ones to re use . The poinsettia flower is one of oldest ones but I have used it loads over the years, this time I gold embossed it and water coloured it using Koh-In-Noor brights.  Used a new embossing folder for the background (free with a magazine last week)The die cut squares are fancy nesting squares from Craft Making Magic.  In hindsight I should maybe have used a darker green on the embossing folder but I'm still quite happy with this card. Hope to see you entering our challenge and adding to your Christmas card stack !

Thankful

Time for a new challenge at Try It On Tuesday and this time it is "Thankful" this can be anything you are thankful for, a thank you card or note, harvest thanks or for our American friends , Thanksgiving.

For my card I have used an Artistic Outpost stamp for the main image, background stamping is Stampin Up French Foliage and I think the leaves were Inkylicious. Hope to see you at our challenge

It's Rudolph Day Time Again

I don't know where  the time goes these days, I seem to get less and less done although I am busy doing something all day. I'm really trying to get cracking with my Christmas cards but I feel like I am fighting a losing battle. I did make a few of these last week using up some inky papers and a new to me 6x6 holly die from Craft Stash. it cuts out beautifully and I like the fact it has a separate outer die .The stamp is, of course, lovely as a tree from Stampin up, my go to Christmas tree stamp for the last few years. The sentiment is an old stamp from Butterfly Kisses. I'd like to enter my card into Maureen's Rudolph day challenge ( only one more to go after this) 

Trick or Treat 2

I thought I had already posted this but seems I haven't.  There is still time to enter the challenge over at Try It On Tuesday where there are plenty of spooky creations ! I have used a mixture of stamps on here, Lavinia, Crafty Roo,Graphic 45 and Stampendous.

I'd like to enter these challenges

Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge  - Halloween
and
Unicorn Challenge - Autumn or Halloween

Chinese lanterns

I grew Chinese Lanterns when I was a child from some seeds that a neighbour gave me but I have never been able to grow them anywhere else since. I bought a plant on a market a few weeks ago but it doesn't look very happy now in my garden.  I have had this Penny Black stamp a while now, it was a gift from my sister and I have not really used it before. This time I used my Misti to stamp it with several different colours and think I've finally managed a halfway decent card with it !

There is still plenty of time to enter Stamping Sensations Autumn colours challenge but don't forget your entry MUST have stamping as the focal interest to be considered for the prize or top three.

Trick or Treat

A new challenge at Try It On Tuesday and this time it is Trick or treat- It's Halloween. For my card I have used a new Crafty Individuals stamp I bought at Port Sunlight stampers festival earlier this month. I must say I spent ages making a journal page for this but in the end decided it was far too fussy and started again with a much simpler card.The moon and background are done with pan

pastels,the bats are a mini set from Crafty Roo and the twiggy bits are Inkylicious. The verse from Edgar Alan Poe's Raven poem is also from a Crafty Individuals set, a bit small to read on here.

The team have some fabulous samples over on the challenge site so hope you will pay them a visit and then join in our challenge.

Messy journal page

I am fairly new to art journalling and I must admit I am not finding it as easy as I thought I would be!
I really wanted to play with this raven stamp from Crafty Individuals that I bought at Port Sunlight show. I got a bit carried away with the background and then found it was too dark when I came to stamp the raven so had to use a bit of bleach and give him a golden glow ! I'm sadly lacking in inspiration again right now, I really need to get going with Christmas cards but can't summon up Mr Mojo to give me a nudge !

Shades of Autumn

The new challenge at Stamping Sensations which starts today is "Shades of Autumn"   For my card I have chosen to stamp an autumn wreath using lots of little stamps which were free with Creative Stamping magazine.  We are sponsored this month by Stamp Addicts.

As we are a stamping challenge your entry must feature stamping as the main image of your project, we want to see more than a small sentiment or a last minute added butterfly for you to be considered for the prize or top three. If we do not comment it is because your entry does not meet the challenge theme or it is on Splitcoast/ Flikre/Facebook  etc as not all the design team can access these sites.

Black and white and one other colour

Time for a new challenge at Try It On Tuesday and this time the challenge is to use black and white plus one other colour. For my card I have used a Crafty Individuals stamp and a couple of small Artistic Outpost stamps. This is not at all what I had intended doing but not been feeling very well this last week so didn't get any crafting done.   Hope you will visit the challenge blog and see the lovely samples by the design team.

Card for a child

Can't believe it's October already and it's time for a new challenge at

Sparkles Christmas

This month Sybrinka has chosen the challenge and it is to make a card suitable for a child.

My card is a 10 minute make as I had forgotten to do one !  The image and papers were a magazine

freebie, probably last year, I just found them in a stack of magazines I had been clearing out.

Hope you will join us in our Christmas challenge.

Season of mist and mellow fruitfulness .......

Been trying to sort out some drawers full of wooden stamps with the idea that maybe I could get rid of some of them, needless to say they have gone back in the drawers with hardly any exceptions.During this I came across this pear stamp which is an old Anita one.  It made me think that Autumn is not only about leaves but the harvest of fruit and grain etc.  I got out my "proper" water colour paints for this one which is something I should do more often, just added the little punched leaves in the corner as it looked a bit bare.  Challenges entered

Ellibelle's crafty wednesday - signs of Autumn

The Sisterhood of crafters - Fall is in the air

That's crafty challenge - Forever  Autumn

Moving along with the times - Autumn/fall

September Rudolph Day

Hard to believe its almost the end of September, where did the time go ? only two more Rudolph Days before Christmas !  A very quick card this time,die cut Christmas Tree from glitter card, got this die in The Works and I love it, already made two batches of cards with it.  The background is a piece of alcohol inked card that was in the every growing stack of inky/painty pieces of card, I am on a mission to try and use some instead of making more but I've said that before and it doesn't happen Base card is pearlised and the Merry Christmas stamp came with freebies from a magazine. Better get this entered into Maureen's Rudolph Challenge before it's too late.

Autumn colours

I hope everyone is safe and not suffered any damage from the gales , we have been lucky and not been too affected by them although I did get almost blown off my feet this morning going for my morning paper !   I thought we were supposed to get an Indian summer but it seems like an early Autumn instead.  Several challenges are asking for autumn colours so thought I'd have a little play.
I coloured an A4 piece of card with spiced marmalade/ fossilised amber and festive berries oxide inks direct to paper and then spritzed. I stamped and cut out the leaves from it, plenty left for more cards. The background is stamped with fossilised amber and spiced marmalade as is the flower. Now the stamp is an Inkilicious one called fantasy dandelion but it looks more like a sunflower to me. I'd like to enter these challenges

Ellibelles Corner - signs of Autumn

Modsquad challenge - Fall colours

Stinkininkers - Leaves are falling

Crafty Card Makers- Autumn colours

and another little card I made with leaves die cut from the same A4 sheet

B is for................

B is for ballerina, blue and black.  There is still plenty of time to enter Stamping Sensations September challenge with is anything beginning with B ( and please tell us what your B is ! )  We are a stamping challenge and must see stamping as the main point of interest on your entry.  For this card I have used Inkylicious ballerina, stamped with black versafine onto a brusho background and added a dark blue mount.

For my second card I have used a balloon stamp by Indigo Blu. The background is done with pan pastels, the Up and away stamp was free with Creative Stamping a while ago. My "B's" are balloon, blue, black and birthday.

Slap it on !

The new challenge starts today over at Try It On Tuesday and the theme is "slap it on"  paint,colour,textures ,be as messy as you like. The team have some fabulous examples over on the challenge blog.  I might have gone a bit overboard on my journal page but I certainly got very messy and thoroughly enjoyed doing so.  Gesso'd the page and then roughly added some Paperartsy Fresco paint,added some torn book paper (most of it ended up covered up)the birds,paintbrush, feathers and striped pieces are all from a serviette, used some blue paint to stencil the branches,stamped the words onto a piece of tissue,everything is stuck on with modpodge except the little chipboard birdcage which kept falling off so used cosmic shimmer glue for that. There is some stamping with some old Tim Holtz stamps and thats it. Hope you will join us and make your own "slap it on" piece.

Music

Fashionable stamping challenge this month is to use a quotation, the quotation I have used on my card is a free stamp from a Creative Stamping magazine a few months back.  I've used a piece of brusho background paper ( from that stack that never gets any smaller !) other than the quotation stamp all the other stamps are an old Inkadinkado set that I had completely forgotten I had, just came across them while looking for something else .Now I've found them think they may be getting used quite a lot.

while I had the Creative Stamping stamps out I made another card using the drum kit and another quote from the set.The words on the drum are from a set of stamps from a company called Stamp Camp, there are sixteen small quotes and although I've had them for years its the first time I've used one .

Mistress Mary

The stamped image of the little girls was in a pile of bits and pieces on my table, the words Little maids all in row kept running through my head so eventually I went with the flow and made my Mary, Mary, quite contrary page. Stamped the flower onto the page and also stamped another flower head and stuck it over the stamped one. The colourful flowers at the bottom are from a big pile of them that I spent several hours cutting out after seeing a piece on Sue's blog .  There is still a week to enter the challenge at Try It On Tuesday and the theme is Childhood, lots of lovely inspiration on the challenge blog.

Acrylic block stamping

One of my favourite techniques is the acrylic block stamping, I made several with various distress oxide inks, I can never stop at one background .  My sister sent me a set of GinaK stamps earlier this year and I had not got round to using them until now, they are beautiful stamps, stamp very sharp and clear, think I might be adding some to my wish list but I don't think they are available here in the UK.

I'd like to enter my card into a challenge I saw using this technique, squeezing in at last minute before it ends

Modsquad challenge - Acrylic block stamping

Here's a second one I made, on the first one I had matted onto black card but hadn't done so on this one so I decided it would be a good idea to go round the edges with a black fine line pen, it wasn't the best idea as I did get a couple of wobbly bits !

Things with wings

I made this card last night for a couple of challenges but didn't get round to posting it until now.  I wanted to enter the Butterflyspot challenge as I always seem to miss it these days.  From the list which is the letter E I selected the three colours Electric yellow,emerald and eucalyptus, I used an embossing folder, heat embossed the stamped panel and added the dots as embellishments, the seventh item is of course the butterflies.  These colours are not a combination I would normally use but I quite liked the finished product.  The poppy pods and large butterfly are a very old stamp set way back to Graphicus which then became Elusive Images and now Chocolate baroque. I think they were one of the first A4 sheets of unmounted rubber stamps I bought, I think they have brought some of them out again now.  I'd also like to enter Allsorts Challenge - Things with wings
and Retro Rubber Challenge  anything goes - my stamps are very old, 10, 15 years maybe more!

Childhood

I'm really losing the plot! I could swear I had done a write up of this page but as it didn't appear obviously hadn't!  As a change from making cards I thought I would try a bit of art journaling, haven't actually got a journal yet but using an old water colour paper pad as a makeshift one.  The background is done with some of my homemade ink sprays one of which obviously has some mica in as its very shiny, some embossing paste through a stencil and a bit of stamping which doesn't really show very well.  The wording stamp is from Bee Crafty, typed the other words on computer.Kite is Crafty Individuals,flowers woodware. The girls were from the internet ages ago and never used on a project.  This is my DT piece from Try It On Tuesday challenge which is Childhood. The design team have some fab examples on the challenge blog, hop you will join us.

One for the girls

Penny Black and More challenge is Make It Feminine. I don't often get to use this PB funtime girls stamp but its my stepdaughters birthday this month and she likes a glass or two so thought this would be a fun card for her.  I used a couple of layering dies from the Christina 6x6 collection, the wine glass paper was a freebie as was the purple backing paper. Cheers sentiment is from a Woodware set. 

Something beginning with B

This month at Stamping Sensations the challenge is "Something beginning with B". On my card I have bird,blossom and blue.  The stamps are by Bee Crafty and were free with an issue of Creative Stamping. I particularly like the little feather stamp that I have used on the backing paper. Bird and flowers coloured with water colour paints.

We are sponsored this month by Bee Crafty with a £25 voucher for their on line store as the prize for one lucky winner

Blue & Gold

Completely forgot it was the end of the month and I had not made my DT card for s Christmas Sparkles , panic station this evening but remembered that there are some lovely papers with the new issue of Simply Cards and Papercraft so nothing was needed but to mat and layer onto gold card and then onto a white DL card and add a Christmas wishes circle,  Think I may be making a few more with these papers. The team have some lovely cards over on the challenge blog so hope you will pop over and have a look(and then I forgot to post it on here duh!)

Snap/Click/Smile

Card made for my brothers Birthday, he's having his Birthday BBQ tomorrow although his Birthday is later in the week, hope it is a fine day.All the stamps are from Close Tp My Heart set  "Life in pictures" I'd like to enter my card into The Male Room Challenge which is Photography and cameras

All is calm

 Running late for the Rudolph Challenge this month so its a fairly quick card using some older stamps. I do like the trees in this set, those and the deer come with dies but I don't like dies that leave a white edge, usually end up cutting it off so I just stamped and fussy cut the deer,holly leaves and berries. Background is coloured with one of my home made sprays, no idea what it is but its got a bit of shimmer . Stamped the trees multiple times using secondary stamping for some of them.  I did try to paint the snow at the bottom with acrylic paint but the blue kept coming through so torn a piece of card and stuck it on, added a bit of glitter to it..

Fairy Wishes

Made this card for one of the Great Grand Children , she will be nine on Friday, time flies !

Made the background with distress oxide inks Fossilised Amber and Spiced Marmalade.Stamped the Inkylicious fairy with versafine black, dried it and then restamped it with versamark and heat embossed it with crystal embossing powder (wouldn't have dared to do this without my Misti ! )

Stamped the foliage with Memento green ink and the wording again with versafine. She is nine so hope she doesn't think she is too big for fairies .

I came across some "Poly Plates" that I got from Crafty Roo a couple of years ago at Port Sunlight and I'm ashamed to say I have never used them so thought I'd have a play, didn't have much luck using paints but they worked well with distress inks and misted with water, it's a bit like stamping with an acrylic block but I do like that it's round. Made a few cards with the results

Did make a few more but they are all very similar.  Now I need to get on and make my card for Maureen's Rudolph Challenge before it's too late.

Take a ride

New challenge at Try It On Tuesday and this time it is "Take a ride"  cars, boats, trains. bikes or fantasy machines, the choice is yours.  For my card I have used a very big background stamp,this is a 6x6 card and it only uses about two thirds of the stamp, I think it was a DoCrafts but I don't have the packaging. ,gold embossed and coloured with distress inks using baby wipes. The penny farthing guy is an old Elusive Image (now Chocolate Baroque) The design team have some great examples on the challenge blog.

Floral Wreath

A little mid month inspiration over at Stamping Sensations

For my card I have used the Rubber Dance Floral Wreath stamps, coloured with copics.

Still plenty of time to join in the challenge which is anything goes with your current favourite stamp

Dancing Cheek to Cheek

Came across this stamp whilst looking for something else and thought it would have been ideal for the Try It On Tuesday challenge " inspired by a song",  I have had this stamp a long time and think it's only been used a couple of times, I think it may be going into the "get rid of box" as I find it difficult to do anything with although I do really like it. The papers and die cuts are all from my scrap box which is overflowing !   There is still a week left to enter the challenge and there is more inspiration today on the challenge blog.  Nearly forgot to say that my song inspiration is Dancing Cheek To Cheek.