Patience is a virtue

There is a new challenge today at Stamp Fairy Challenge Blog, and the theme to play along with this week is Celebrate the Holidays.    Nice and easy, huh?

I've been spending the weekend making more Christmas cards.  Today's card is going with hubby who is off to see his family in Sheffield, and taking all the cards and presents with him.  I had to wrap all the family gifts up on Saturday ready for him to take.  Wow, that sounds like I'm organised, but literally the in-law stuff is all I've done.  I've not sent any of my other cards or got any of the other gifts.  I'm soooo not ready for the holidays this year.

Today's card was made over the weekend, and was waiting for the stickles to dry.  But while it was drying, hubby had nabbled it for his parents, and so before I'd even gotten to photograph it, he'd written inside it.  So, I've photographed the inside so you can see that I've decorated it, but you'll also see hubby's writing in it.

Card Recipe:

• Image - Barry Winter and Peeker Barry from Stamp Fairy
• Papers - Summertime Designs
• Colouring mediums - Promarkers, Copics
• Nesties - Lacey circles, Labels 16
• Snowflake Dies - My Favourite Things
• From my stash - Pearls, stickles

Please pop on over to the Stamp Fairy Challenge Blog to see the other creations by the talented design team, and to enter our challenge.  I look forward to seeing your creations this week.

Don't forget to pop over to the Stamp Fairy shop too, where you can browse the cute images created by the wonderful Gerda.  Don't forget the sale is still on.

I've been inspired by:

• Sweet Sketch Wednesday - Sketch
• Pollycraft - Christmas Fun
• Creative Card Crew - Tis the Season
• Creative Craft - Stitching
• ABC Christmas - Yippee it's nearly Christmas
• Creative Inspiration - Snow much fun
• Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes
• Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
• Delightful Challenges - Blue Christmas
• Totally Gorjuss - Let it Snow

Happy crafting.

All I want for Christmas is Brad

There is a new challenge today at Incy Wincy, and the theme to play along with this week is Christmas and Brads.  We're sponsored by Nicecrane who have kindly supplied some Vintage Xmas digi images for the design team to showcase.

Card Recipe:

• Image - Vintage Xmas by Nicecrane
• Colouring mediums - Promarkers, Copics
• Cherry Blossom, 10mm & 15mm roses - Wild Orchid Crafts
• From my stash - Brads, ribbons, stickles, glitter card base

Please pop on over to the Incy Wincy challenge blog to see the other creations by the talented design team, and to enter our challenge.  I look forward to seeing your creations this week.

I've been inspired by:

• ABC Christmas - Anything goes
• MAWTT - Last Minute Christmas

Happy crafting.

Christmas with 2 Sisters

There is a new challenge today at 2 Sisters Challenges, and the theme to play along with this week is Christmas.  How easy is that !!!  We're sponsored by Patties Creations who have kindly supplied some digi images for the design team to showcase.  I've opted for a simple white theme with embossed white card, but unfortunately you can't see all the embossing in the pic very well (but it is there, I promise!)

Card Recipe:

• Image - Ronnie and Regina from Patties Creations
• Colouring mediums - Promarkers, Copics
• 10mm roses - Wild Orchid Crafts
• From my stash - Ribbon, liquid pearls, brass embossing stencil

Please pop on over to the 2 Sisters Challenge Blog to see the other creations by the talented design team, and to enter our challenge.  I look forward to seeing your creations this week.

I've been inspired by:

• Cupcake - DIY backing papers (embossed card)
• Creative Card Crew - Tis the Season
• Simon Says Stamp - Photo inspiration (mainly white Xmas)
• MAWTT - Last Minute Christmas
• The ABC Challenge - E for Embossing

Happy crafting.

Barry Countdown To Christmas & a Plea for Help

Ok, let's get my pathetic plea for help out of the way.  I wanted a wireless printer and after doing some research got an Epson Stylus SX515W about a year ago.  It has given me nothing but problems with the ink ever since.  It has never liked cartridges when they are less than half full, and so only uses half the ink and then says the cartridge is incompatible, even though it is meant to be compatible and there is loads of ink left.

Anyway, up until today, changing the cartridge has always fixed this.  But today it decided that it doesn't like the Magenta at all, so everything is coming out green.  I've tried 3 brand new Magenta cartridges, and each time the printer recognises it, charges the ink, but doesn't use that colour when it prints. I've tried cleaning the print-heads, gone through all the menu settings, but nada.  It is not playing ball.

Now I know it is Christmas, so the colour green is seasonal, but I just can't have green holly with no red berries !! Can anyone help?  Please leave a comment or email me if you know any solution to this.  I wish I'd stuck with HP now !!!

Right, back to business.  It is Friday (thank goodness!) so there is a new release and freebie today at Stamp Fairy.  Today's set is a real cutie set of Barry's Countdown to Christmas.  Here is a card I've made using one of the digis from the newly released set (luckily printed before my printer started acting up).  Isn't Barry adorable !

Please pop on over to Stamp Fairy to see the newly released digi images.

Don't forget there is a sale on too at the moment.  It's a great time to stock up on all your favourite cuties.

Here's a preview of the full set:

Card Recipe:

• Image - Barry Countdown To Christmas - Stamp Fairy
• Sentiment - One of my own
• Papers - Pink Petticoat
• Colouring mediums - Promarkers, Copics
• Nesties - Go Kreate Scallopped Circles, Lacey Circles, Labels 3
• Cherry Blossom, 10mm & 15mm roses - Wild Orchid Crafts
• From my stash - Stickles

I've been inspired by:

• Craft your passion - Anything Goes + Glitter
• Pollycraft - Xmas Fun
• Creative Card Crew - Tis the Season
• Papertake - Anything Goes (the baubles dangle !!)
• ABC Xmas - Y for Yippee it's Christmas
• I Love Promarkers - Shaped card
• Allsorts - Going around in Circles
• CES - Bear Necessities
• Cute Card - Anything Goes
• Delightful - Blue Christmas

Happy Crafting

Paper Snowflakes (minus the glitter)

There is a new challenge today at Top Tip Tuesday, and the theme to play along with this week is Let it Snow.    I've made a little snowflake decoration to hang on my tree (almost all my tree decorations are white because I like the frosty look of the white ornaments against the green tree).

I made this by die-cutting 6 large snowflakes, folding each one in half and glueing each one to the next one in a circle.  The easiest way was to make 2 sets of 3, and then glue the two halves together.  I used silver embroidery thread and glued that inside before I stuck down the two halves.  

It was really simple to make, but I will let you into a secret:  I did intend to add some glitter, but then promptly forgot before I took the photo and had edited around all those intricate little flakey bits!  

Oh well, hopefully you'll get the idea.  Please just try to imagine it with the glitter, if you wouldn't mind !!!

Our fab sponsors this week are:

Recipe:

• Papers - er, just plain white card scraps actually
• Snowflake Die - My Favourite Things
• Image - erm, none
• Sentiment - oops, not one of these either
• Colouring mediums - yikes, not one speck of colour.
• Nesties - nope, no nestie in sight
• Cherry Blossom, 10mm & 15mm roses - wot no flowers, what's going on here?
• Ribbons - nein, nada
• From my stash - embroidery thread and gli... wait, nope, I forgot the glitter.  Doh!

Please pop on over to the Top Tip Tuesday Challenge Blog to see the other creations by the talented design team, and to enter our challenge.  I look forward to seeing your creations this week.

I've been inspired by:

• Delightful Challenges - Let it snow
• Totally Papercraft - Let it snow
• Allsorts - Going around in circles
• OSC - Let it snow
• Sweet Stamping - Snow

Happy crafting.

Sketchy Molly Calendar

It is the second week of our sketch challenge at Stamp Fairy Challenge Blog, and I'm sharing some new inspiration with you today using my Zutter binding machine.  I got soooo excited by the calendars that the Stampfairies made for you to view on Saturday (don't forget the blog hop is still running until 31 December), that I ended up making two.  I shared Barry's Calendar on Saturday, but today is showcasing Molly.

The current challenge is a sketch which I've used on the front, and the twist is to decorate the inside. Well, I count 12 "insides" on this one so I hope it counts !!! Don't forget you have to use a StampFairy digi to be able to enter our challenge.

Here's my Molly Calendar, the front uses the sketch and the Molly Peeker image you can win if you complete the blog hop.  And don't forget the calendar template can be downloaded free from Stampfairy

Please pop on over to the Stamp Fairy Challenge Blog to see the other creations by the talented design team, and to enter our challenge.  I look forward to seeing your creations this week.

Don't forget to pop over to the Stamp Fairy shop too, where you can browse the cute images created by the wonderful Gerda.  And don't forget there is a 50% sale on to celebrate our 1st birthday.

I've been inspired by:

• CRAFT - Christmas Present
• Stampalot - Pearls, Stickles & Ribbon
• Delightful Challenges - Let it Snow (Dec)
• Totally Papercrafts - Let it Snow (Dec)
• OSC - Let it Snow (Dec)
• Die Cut Dreams - Calendar

Happy crafting.

It'll be a blue Christmas

There is a new challenge today at Incy Wincy, and the theme to play along with this week is Non Traditional Christmas Colours, so NO Red, Green or Gold.  We're sponsored by Prairie Fairy who have kindly supplied some digi images for the design team to showcase.

Card Recipe:

• Image - Little Birdie
• Sentiment - One of my own Freebies
• Papers - Pink Petticoat
• Colouring mediums - Promarkers, Copics,
• Snowflake Dies - My Favourite Things
• From my stash - Ribbon, stickles, liquid pearls

Please pop on over to the Incy Wincy challenge blog to see the other creations by the talented design team, and to enter our challenge.  I look forward to seeing your creations this week.

I've been inspired by:

• I Love Promarkers - Snowmen / Snowflakes
• Delightful Challenges - Let it Snow
• Totally papercrafts - Let it Snow
• Bunny Zoe - Christmas with Pearls
• Crafty Calendar - Cold & Frosty

Happy crafting.

Blog Hop for Stampfairy and a Special Project

Hello Everyone, 

We have a special post to delight you today. Stampfairy is celebrating its first birthday, so Gerda and the Stampfairies are hosting a blog hop, with a difference:

EVERYONE who completes the hop will win a prize.

Gerda has released two very special collections showcasing two of her delightful characters Barry and Molly.  These collections showcase the characters in 12 monthly themes throughout the year and the Stampfairies have each created a Calendar using some or all of the images.  Some of us are teasing you with only a month or two of our calendar, but I'm sharing my whole calendar with you today !

Ensure you leave a comment on each teamie's blog and collect a letter from each teamie along the trip.  The letters are randomly placed but will spell a short phrase.  Once you have completed the hop, left your comments and collected your letters, work out the phrase and email it to Gerda (webmaster@stampfairy.com).  This will get you a Freebie image. Yes that is right, a Freebie image for everyone who completes the hop and emails the correct phrase.  

And let me tell you a secret: the image you will receive is ADORABLE !!

So, lets get on with the hop.  

If you've arrived here from the wonderful "Miss Stampfairy", Gerda's blog, then you're in the right place.  Otherwise, please pop back to her Stampfairy Blog to start at the beginning and get the details.

My calendar showcases Barry, and I'm sharing all 12 months of my calendar made with my Zutter binding machine, so prepare yourself for a picture fest!  Some of the months are from the new release, but some of the others are some previous Barry releases.  I hope you agree that all the Barry Bears are all so cute.


Front using Barry Peeker

January using Barry Winter

 February using Barry Angel

March using Barry throughout the year:

April using Barry throughout the year and Clemantine Easter for the cart

May using Barry throughout the year

June using Barry throughout the year

July using Barry Birthday

August using Barry throughout the year

September using Barry throughout the year

October using Barry Halloween and Barry Spooky Bats background

November using Barry throughout the year

December using Barry throughout the year

And Finally - a view from the side so you can see how it is constructed on its triangle frame.

Phew - all done.  Hope you liked the show !!

The next stop along the hop is Chris, but before you disappear,  note down the letter E:  

Now hop on over to my sweet teamie Chris, and don't forget to leave me a comment to ensure you qualify for your freebie.

Thanks for stopping by.  The blog hop ends on Dec 31 so get hopping before the deadline.  If you get lost along the way, hop back to the main blog where there is a list of the full hop links.

I've been inspired by:

• Papertake - Sketch (front)
• Creative Craft - Free for All
• Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
• Craft your Days Away - Buttons or Bows (July, Sept, Dec)
• Bunny Zoe - Anything Christmas
• Creatalicious - Christmas Sparkles
• Craft your Passion - Tis the Season
• CRAFT - Christmas Present
• CES - Bear Necessities
• Sweet Stamping - Snow (January)

Happy Crafting

Dying to get Punchy & DT Call Reminder

There is a new challenge today at 2 Sisters Challenges, and the theme to play along with this week is Dies and Punches.  We're sponsored by Stitchy Bear who have kindly supplied some digi images for the design team to showcase.  I've used a nestie die and some snowflake dies for my Christmas creation.

Card Recipe:

• Image - Snow Trio From Stitchy Bear
• Papers - Pink Petticoat
• Colouring mediums - Promarkers, Copics
• Snowflake dies - My Favourite Things
• Nesties - Labels 16
• From my stash - Pearls, seam binding, stickles, liquid pearls

Please pop on over to the 2 Sisters Challenge Blog to see the other creations by the talented design team, and to enter our challenge.  I look forward to seeing your creations this week.

Don't forget there is a DT call at Incy Wincy too. It ends tomorrow so get your emails in.  The details are on the main blog here.

I've been inspired by:

• Craft your passion - Tis the Season
• Lollipop Crafts - B is for Bows
• Pollycraft - Christmas Fun
• Fab 'n' Funky - Anything Goes
• I Love Promarkers - Snowmen and Snowflakes
• Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
• Stamptacular - Anything Christmas
• Bunny Zoe - Anything Christmas

Happy crafting.

Molly Fairy and Some StampFairy News & a Sale ...

It is Friday so there is an adorable new release and freebie today at Stamp Fairy.  Today's set is Molly Fairy.  Here is a card I've made using one of the digis from the newly released set.

Please pop on over to Stamp Fairy to see the newly released digi images and the freebie which is a really lovely sentiment.

Here's a preview of the new Molly Fairy set:

There were also some other new releases earlier this week, Barry and Molly in various poses based on the months of the year, and a freebie calendar template.  You can put each image on a page of the calendar to create your own hand crafted gift.  What a great idea for a personal Christmas Present, don't you think?

Here are the previews of the 'Throughout the year' sets, and don't forget to pop back tomorrow as there is something special happening at StampFairy tomorrow that you just WON'T want to miss out on !!!

Here's Barry (and the freebie calendar template) :

And here is the adorable Molly, each month having her own special accessory.

And if that wasn't enough.... There is also a 50% sale on at Stampfairy at the moment, all of this being to celebrate Stampfairy's 1st birthday.  Isn't that just fab?

Card Recipe:

• Image - Stamp Fairy
• Sentiment - One of my own (soon to be a freebie but too much going on for today's post!)
• Papers - Summertime Designs
• Colouring mediums - Promarkers, Copics, Sakura Stardust Pens
• Nesties - Labels 3
• From my stash - Pearls, ribbons, Stickles (around the entire edge!)

I've been inspired by:

• Sketch & Stash - Sketch
• Craft Your Passion - Tis the Season
• Creative Craft - Free for All
• Fab 'n' Funky - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
• Totally Gorjuss - Sparkle
• Stamptacular - Anything Christmas
• Bunny Zoe - Anything Christmas
• Creatalicious - Christmas and Sparkles

Happy Crafting