A Wee Christmas Planner

The theme today at As You Like It Challenge is to case your favourite designer.  I can't remember if I picked this theme or not now, but either way, I found it really hard just to decide who was my favourite designer.   I have well over 100 blogs that I follow regularly in my 'inspiration' reading list, many who I've followed for several years because I love their style and they never fail to amaze me with their creativity.

Selecting just one for today's project was nearly impossible, and took me just as long as making the actual project, but after a lot of pondering, Dena Concienne is the person I've chosen to case.  I think what snagged it was a Christmas Planner that she made recently, which was something that I wanted to make as soon as I saw it.

However it was not just the planner that I love about Dena's work;  her colouring is something I've also admired for a long time, and I've watched her watercolour painting video several times to try to improve my DI painting.

The planner that I've made is not watercoloured, but it does follow her layout and design.  So today's project is a Christmas Planner, inspired by Dena.  Thanks hun.

See my cards available to buy on eBay

Project Recipe:

• Image - Xmas Hamster by Wee Stamps
• Colouring - Promarkers, Copics, Sakura Stardust Gel pens
• Pink Petticoat Papers
• Joy Crafts Ice Crystal Dies
• Cheery Lynne Holly Corner Die
• Ribbon
• Pearls
• Liquid Pearls

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Monday Challenge - Anything Goes
• Bunny Zoe - Ribbon
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Happy crafting.
Annette
xx

A horse wearing a reindeer costume?

The theme today at ABC Christmas Challenge is V for Vixen (not the female fox kind of vixen, but the kind named after the reindeer who pulls St Nick's sleigh!).

I decided to make a clean & simple kind of card for this challenge, so printed my image, and a sentiment in fancy font that says 'Dashing through the snow...'

However, it was only while I was colouring in my image and humming the rest of the song to myself that I realised that Jingle Bells is actually about a horse drawn sleigh, and there's no mention of a reindeer at all.

D'oh!!!

I could just pretend that the horse is wearing a reindeer costume?

Ok, I'll get my coat ...

See my cards available to buy on eBay



Card Recipe:

• Image - QKR Stampede Reindeer
• Typed Sentiment (Heina's Hurry font) overwritten with Stardust gel pen
• Colouring - Promarkers, Copics, Sakura Stardust Gel pens
• Red Bazzill Card
• Cardworks Card base
• Gingham Ribbon
• Glossy Accents
• Pearls
• Stickles

I've been inspired by:

• Incy Wincy - Red and White
• Crafty Little Fairies - Anything Goes
• Winter Wonderland - 'Check' this out
• Bunny Zoe - Ribbon
• Simon's Monday Challenge - Anything Goes

Happy crafting.
Annette
xx

Witch way to the Candy

Stampfairy are sponsoring Tuesday Throwdown this week and the challenge is 'Witches or candy'.

I've made a couple more of my little Trick or Treat candy pouches each using a different image and both with a spooky purple colour theme.

I think that's about a dozen I've made now, so I've built up a small stockpile of them.

I've stuffed each one with a Twix and a Mars bar so I hope the kiddies like them!

See my cards available to buy on eBay




Card Recipe:

• Image - Tommy Wizard & Mimi Pumpkins from Stamp Fairy
• Typed Sentiment
• Colouring - Promarkers, Copics
• Summertime Design Digi Papers
• Ribbon
• Liquid Pearls
• Stickles

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Halloween / Halloween Colours
• MAWTT - Shape Up
• Bunny Zoe - Ribbon
• Simon's Monday Challenge - Anything Goes
• Without Words - Pumpkins

Happy Crafting

Annette
xx

(Red and) White Winter

The theme today at Top Tip Tuesday is Seasons, so you need to pick a season, and make something that represents that season.

I couldn't resist choosing Winter, and so I have made a winter white card.

I've printed my image on stamping linen, and coloured her in shades of red.  All of the other embellishments are white.

See my cards available to buy on eBay



Card Recipe:

• Image - Wish upon a Star by Sugar Nellie
• Colouring - Promarkers, Copics, Sakura Stardust Gel pens
• Cardworks Card base
• The Hobby House Snow White 5mm Pearls
• Magnolia Doohickey Slender Firs die
• Magnolia Doohickey Vintage Mistletoe die
• Cuttlebug Snowflakes Embossing Folder
• Joycraft Stamping Linen
• Liquid Pearls
• Stickles
• Embroidery Thread
• Rose Organza Pale Ivory Ribbon
• Textured Wool

I've been inspired by:

• Incy Wincy - Red and White
• The Hobby House - Roses (the rose ribbon)
• The Sugar Bowl - First Sugar Nellie Stamp (I got 4 in my first order, this was one)
• Nordsalten Hobbyklubb - 3 different ribbon types (Embroidery thread, textured wool, rose organza ribbon)
• Simon's Monday Challenge - Anything Goes
• Crafty Little Fairies - Anything Goes

Happy crafting.
Annette
xx

Green Halloween Pouches

Stampfairy are sponsoring Love to Create this week and the challenge is Halloween.  I wanted to add to my collection of candy pouches for Halloween, so I've made a couple more of my little Trick or Treat pouches, both featuring a different Stampfairy character.  Today's duo are green.

See my cards available to buy on eBay




Card Recipe:

• Image - Barry Spooky Bats & Barry Halloween 1 from Stamp Fairy
• Typed Sentiment
• Colouring - Promarkers, Copics
• Summertime Design Digi Papers
• Sheer Green Ribbon
• Liquid Pearls
• Stickles

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Halloween / Halloween Colours
• Stampin' for the Weekend - Something Spooky

Happy Crafting

Annette
xx

Biggles

I've got another masculine card to share with you today, and it's another one using an aeronautical theme!

I've again cut out a square insert from the main backing papers, layered them on plain coloured card, and replaced them in the same place so the patterns match again, but with an insert panel.  It gives a bit of variation in the background without too much fuss, so I think it's quite good for a masculine card.

The red die cut aeroplane is (I think) a Quickcutz die that I found assembled in my stash, and I coloured the model aeroplane in the image similar colours.

See my cards available to buy on eBay



Card Recipe featuring items from The Stamp Basket:

• Image - Molly Blooms Biggles
• Cardworks Card base
• Papers - Graphic 45 French Country
• Neenah Classic Crest White Stamping Card
• Momento Stamp Pad Ink
• La La Lands Craft Heart Fence Die
• Memory Box Forest Snail Die
• Natural Twine
• Buttons
• Pearls

I've been inspired by:

• Passion for Promarkers - P for ... Pearls, Plane / Propellers!, Patterned paper

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

A Gem of a Cracker

The theme today at A Gem of a Challenge is more than one fold.

Hmmm, I think I overdosed on folds with this project, but at least it's safe to say I've got more than one.

And yes, it is another festive theme!

I think I have an addiction to Christmas themed projects.  Hubby's stock phrase every time I show him my latest creation is now 'is that another ruddy Christmas card?'.

You'd have thought he would've learnt by now that you can never have too many Christmas cards.  Nor can you start making them too early!  Especially as I've been making them since January.

Anyway, it's not a card today, but a cracker.  Hope you like it.  If you want to try my freebie cracker template, then hop over here to grab it.

See my cards available to buy on eBay



Card Recipe:

• Image - Baby Polar Bear from Pink Gem Designs
• Sentiment - Magical Christmas from Pink Gem Designs
• Bazzill Card (brown)
• Fiskars Snowflake Border Punch
• Lacey Circle Spellbinder Nesties
• Spellbinders Labels 18
• Spotty Sheer Ribbon
• Liquid Pearls

I've been inspired by:

• Passion for Promarkers - P for Polar bear
• Crafty Little Fairies - Anything Goes
• MAWTT - Shape up
• Here Come the Boys - Christmas in Brown and Cream (this is the male version, the girlie ones are here!!!)
• The Ribbon Girl - Brown
• Graphit Challenge - Alternative Christmas Colours

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Chocks Away

I've had most of this week on a break from crafting as I've been working long hours and not sleeping well, so it's been just about as much as I can do to muster enough energy to visit my favourite blog pals for a bit of of crafting eye candy.

I also think my mojo's on leave at the moment, and I'm not really pleased with my creation today.  It might be partly because it's a masculine card, which I always struggle with.  Even the fact it's a Christmas card, which is my favourite theme, wasn't enough to get my creativity flowing.

Although the image is not Christmassy, the papers are definitely festive, and I added a winter tree for good measure.

Hmmm. I'm still not sure it looks quite right though.  I think I might have to return to a girlie image to get me back on track again.

Card Recipe featuring items from The Stamp Basket:

• Image - Molly Blooms Chocks Away
• Sentiment - Molly Blooms Celebrate Banner
• La La Land Craft Christmas Tree Die
• Cardworks Shaped Card base
• Bo Bunny Gold & Silver Papers 
• Walnut Vintage Style Ribbon
• Neenah Classic Crest White Stamping Card
• Momento Stamp Pad Ink
• Pearls

I've been inspired by:

• Here Come the Boys - Christmas in Brown and Cream
• The Ribbon Girl Challenge - Colour Challenge (chocolate brown)
• Bunny Zoe Craft Challenge - Ribbon

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Fizzy Moon Gift Tags

I've just got some of the cutest teddy bear stamps from The Stamp Basket, and I couldn't resist making some little tags with them.  They're quite small images, but were still slightly too large for my Magnolia Dohickey tag die, so after scouring the web for a tag shape that I liked enough to try, I remembered that my one and only Cricut cartridge is called "Tags, Bags, Boxes and more".

Since my Cricut has been gathering dust for a while, I decided to fire it up.  However, I then discovered that I appear to have lost the booklet that explains how to use it, so I had to have a few practice runs.

OK, maybe more than just a few practice runs!

Anyway, after getting through quite a bit of scrap card, eventually I figured out how to select the right shape, get the right size and positioning on the cutting mat.   In the end it didn't work out too bad, so I got busy and made 4 tags, each using a different Fizzy Moon teddy image.

The coloured outer layers were hand cut a few millimetres larger than the machine cut image panels because I wanted to matt and layer the image panels with a matching coloured backing card.  Don't look too closely as some are a bit wonky!

I've made 2 in traditional Christmas colours, and 2 in my fail-safe colours of pink and blue.  :0)

See my cards available to buy on eBay



Project Recipe featuring items from The Stamp Basket:

• Images - Fizzy Moon
• Neenah Classic Crest White Stamping Card
• Momento Stamp Pad Ink
• Bazzill Cardstock
• Crystal Glamour Dust
• Glossy Accents
• Cricut and Tags, Bags, Boxes and More cartridge
• Ribbon

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Christmas
• Crafty Little Fairies - Christmas in October
• Bunny Zoe Craft Challenge - Ribbon

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Santa Stop Here

Another C&S design from me today, and a Just For Fun card, rather than a DT project, for a change.

I covered a square card with red linen card, and then stamped my image into the corner of a large square.  I die cut a frosty snowflake border for the top, tied a strand of bakers twine across the width and popped on some liquid pearls to the snowflakes.

That's it.

Oh, and a sprinkling of glitter ... but it's a Christmas card, so glitter goes without saying.

See my cards available to buy on eBay



Card Recipe:

• Image - Santa Stop Here by LOTV
• Colouring - Copics
• Cardworks Card base
• Red Cardstock
• Twine - Fantastic Ribbons
• Memory Box Frostyville Border
• Liquid Pearls
• Stickles

I've been inspired by:

• LOTV Monthly Challenge - Anything Goes
• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Christmas
• Crafty Little Fairies - Christmas in October

Happy crafting.
Annette
xx

Spooky treat bags

The theme at A Gem of a Challenge this week is Spooky and each year I make some little trick or treat bags or boxes for the local ghosts and ghouls who visit on Halloween.  Last year I made pillow boxes, but this year I've made some little gift pouches to fill with treats.  After all, I wouldn't want a 'trick', right!  We have to keep these spooky visitors happy, you know!

The template for the pouch was actually a 'tea pigs' packet that I opened up, and scanned into my computer, then resized it to fit an A4 page.  I then converted it into a transparent png file so that I could insert digi papers, and some text into the various sections.  I then could print it out as a whole flat template, pre-coloured, and ready to cut, score and fold.

I then glued it together and popped on a couple of colour-coordinated embellishments; a small bow and some liquid pearls in the corner.

The image, a spooky little girlie with her trick or treat lantern, was printed separately, layered onto purple card, and stuck onto the front of the box.  Finally I've Stickled up the image panel and box edges to the max to glam it up a bit!

See my cards available to buy on eBay



Card Recipe:

• Image - Devilina Jodie from Pink Gem Designs
• Typed Sentiment
• Colouring - Promarkers, Copics
• Summertime Design Digi Papers
• Ribbon - Fantastic Ribbons
• Liquid Pearls
• Stickles

I've been inspired by:

• Papertake - Halloween Hues
• Cute Card Thursday - Candy

Happy crafting.
Annette
xx

Birthday Calendar

Today's project is a birthday calendar rather than a card.

I've created a A-frame base in thick purple card, and designed a calendar page on my computer for each month of the year.  I've stamped mini images around the edge of the calendar to decorate it, and bound the top to my A-frame.

The pages flip over and you can enter the dates to remember on each page so you don't forget a birthday!

The image, featuring birthday presents, is Little Darlings Shop til you Drop from The Stamp Basket.

See my cards available to buy on eBay



Project Recipe featuring items from The Stamp Basket:

• Image - Little Darlings Shop till you Drop
• Neenah Classic Crest White Stamping Card
• Momento Stamp Pad Ink
• Purple cardstock
• Zutter punch

I've been inspired by:

• Anything Goes - Out with the Girls (Shopping - for shoes perhaps?!!!)
• Totally Gorjuss - Wings & Things (butterfly stamp on each calendar page)
• The ABC Challenge - Xtra special occasions (a birthday calendar to remember them all!)

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

Mia

The theme today at As You Like It Challenge is to use your favourite sketch.  I've got a couple of layouts that I return to regularly, but the sketch I've used most often, even months after I found it, is the one I've used today.  I love it because it is actually really simple, although it gives lots of layers.

Here's my card:

And here's the sketch.  It's a bit old and I got it from Creative Craft Challenges in February 2013.

Just to prove it's my favourite sketch, here are a few other cards I've made using this sketch in the past:

I think it's safe to say I've used the sketch a couple of times!  :0)



See my cards available to buy on eBay



Card Recipe:

• Image - Mia from Crafty Sentiments
• Colouring - Promarkers, Copics
• Clouds - Dovecraft Shimmer chalks
• White gel pen
• Cardworks Shaped Card base
• Far Far Hill Papers
• Wild Orchid Craft Flowers
• Ribbon
• Pearls

I've been inspired by:

• Winter Wonderland - Wrap it up (the backing paper has presents on it, but it's mostly covered up sorry! but hopefully you can see them peeking through).
• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Christmas

Happy crafting.
Annette
xx

Jake with Snowflakes

StampFairy are sponsoring I Love Promarkers this week and as the theme is snowflakes, I couldn't resist making a card to support the challenge.

I've featured Jake the bear in a cute little winter outfit (although his paws are going to be a bit cold without mittens!).  He's glittered him up to the max with glamour dust and glossy accents.

I really love his cute expression and huge nose.  I've also used some of my favourite digis papers. I used them a lot last year, but haven't used them for a short while, so they've made a new appearance today!

See my cards available to buy on eBay




Card Recipe:

• Image - Jake Wintertime 2 from Stamp Fairy
• One of my own Freebie Sentiments
• Colouring - Promarkers
• Clouds - Dovecraft Shimmer chalks
• Cardworks Shaped Card base
• Nitwits Digi Papers
• Lacey Circle Spellbinder Nesties
• Spellbinder Labels 18 Nesties
• Marianne Design Pom Pom Trim
• Rhinestones
• Crystal Glamour Dust
• Glossy Accents
• Bakers Twine
• Doohickey Slender Fir Dies

I've been inspired by:

• Totally Papercrafts - 1 image, 2 papers, 3 embellies (twine, pompom trim, gems)
• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Christmas

Happy Crafting

Annette
xx

Under the Tree

The theme today at ABC Christmas Challenge is U for Under the Tree.  This could be interpreted as Christmas presents, but I've chosen to feature my sentiment hanging under my tree image instead.

I've coloured the baubles on the tree to match the colours of the trees in the backing papers.

See my cards available to buy on eBay



Card Recipe:

• Image - Bugaboo Merry Christmas Tree
• Colouring - Promarkers, Copics, Sakura Stardust Gel pens
• Cardworks Shaped Card base
• Nitwits Joyful Hearts Digi Papers
• Ribbon
• Cheery Lynn Holly Corner die
• Pearls
• Glossy Accents
• Liquid Pearls

I've been inspired by:

• Totally Papercrafts - 1 image, 2 papers, 3 embellies (ribbon, pearls, die cut holly)
• Bunny Zoe Crafts - Ribbon

Happy crafting.
Annette
xx

Black & White, with a Splash of Colour

The theme today at Top Tip Tuesday is Black & White with a Splash of colour.  I decided to use this theme to create a masculine card, and also kept it clean and simple.   All I added was some green bakers twine and a single green pearl.

I created the sentiment in Word, using text boxes to overlap the two words, and die cut them out to create the focal centrepiece.

To create your own sentiments in Word, use a separate text box for each word.  Consider using different fonts and sizes that match well.  

Overlap each word so that they fit together.  You can see on my sentiment that part of the 'happy' letters poke down into the top of the 'birthday' letters.  To do this, ensure that you have the 'fill' property of your text box set to 'none' so that the overlapped parts are transparent and don't cover up the other letters.

See my cards available to buy on eBay



Card Recipe:

• Typed Sentiment (fonts are Circ Handwriting and SNF Infinity)
• Cardworks Card base
• c'art US nesting die
• Summertime Design Digi Papers
• Pearl

Happy crafting.
Annette
xx

Waiting for Santa

It's another Christmas card from me today (hubby already thinks we've got Christmas cards coming out of our ears), and I've kept the design really simple.

I've returned to my (current) favourite Christmas pad, First Edition's Silent Night, and a die that I'm really loving at the moment too, Cottage Cutz Holly Border.  I finished my card off with a few pearls, and an array of white flowers, stamens and pearl strings.

The image is matted onto silver mirri card, but it actually looks black in the photo as it's hard to get a good photo of the mirri card.  :0(

See my cards available to buy on eBay



Card Recipe featuring items from The Stamp Basket:

• Image - Bildmalarna Waiting for Santa
• Cardworks Shaped Card base
• First Edition Silent Night Papers
• Neenah Classic Crest White Stamping Card
• Momento Stamp Pad Ink
• Cottage Cutz Holly Corner
• Molly Blooms Celebrate Banner
• Liquid Pearls
• Hobby House pearls
• Flowers and stamens from Wild Orchid Crafts

I've been inspired by:

• Wild Orchid Crafts - Pretty Pastels
• The Hobby House - Roses
• Simon Wednesday Challenge - Use a Rubber image

Happy crafting
Annette
xx

George Perfect Trees

It's been a few weeks since the last new release, but there is a new set out this week at StampFairy featuring George the Snowman.

My card is a really simple design to showcase the images.  Hope you like it.

See my cards available to buy on eBay




Card Recipe:

• Image - George Perfect Tree from Stamp Fairy
• Typed Sentiment (Heina's hurry font)
• Colouring - Promarkers, Sakura Stardust Gel pens
• Purple twine
• Crystal Glamour Dust
• Glossy Accents
• Stickles

Please pop on over to StampFairy to see the newly released digi images.  There's also a 50% sale on at the moment, so you can get double the delight at half price.

Here's a preview of the set being released:

I've been inspired by:

• Passion for Promarkers - Snow is Falling

Happy Crafting

Annette
xx

Happy Birthday to Ewe

The theme today at A Gem of a Challenge is a recipe of 3 papers, 2 embellies, and 1 image.  I've used a cute little sheep image and matching sentiment!!

My two embellies are ribbon and pearls, both in a contrasting colour to my papers to make them stand out a bit.  I felt the card needed a bit more, but I managed to resist once I'd used some contrasting colours to add some interest.

This card's for my MIL's birthday.  I know that she likes turquoise, so I used that colour theme for the backing papers.  Hope she likes it!

See my cards available to buy on eBay



Card Recipe:

• Image and Sentiment - Ewe make me smile set from Pink Gem Designs
• Colouring - Promarkers, Copics, Sakura Stardust Gel pens
• Clouds - Dovecraft Shimmer chalks
• Cardworks Shaped Card base
• Bazzill Basics Paper Pad
• Ribbon - Fantastic Ribbons
• Pearls
• Glossy Accents

I've been inspired by:

• Papertake Weekly - 2 Of Something (2 diff width ribbons, 2 diff embellies)

Happy crafting.
Annette
xx