Crafty Cardmakers challenge 11 DT + exciting news!

Our new challenge at Crafty Cardmakers is to use your favourite products of 2009 - which should be easy but how to choose! I have sooo many favourites lol.

Well, I had to make a decision so I went for a Digistamp Boutique image, coloured with promarkers and used my Nellie Snellen circle dies to make the fancy frame - I've used these loads in the last couple of months but it's the first time I've used them to make a frame. I think I might have to get the squares next :o) The papers are Doodlebug, with DCWV cardstock. Flowers are Green Tara with a little button centre, and added a little butterfly sticker (mounted on acetate and cut out) to finish.

I'm also entering my card for the following challenges:

• Bee Crafty - circles
• Hanna & Friends - lovely sketch (I replaced the centre square with a circle, hope that's ok!)
• Flutter By Wednesday - open theme & use a butterfly, angel or fairy
  

Now onto my fantastic news - I can't quite believe it but I've been chosen to be on the Design Team for Prairie Fairy, a brand new digital stamp site that I know is going to be very popular - the images I've seen so far look fab and I can't wait to get started! Congrats to the rest of the new DT - I'm off to have a look around everyone's blogs in a min. I've had a busy day visiting friends and buying birthday pressies for Dex, who's going to be 2 on 8th Jan - can't believe he's nearly 2 already! My birthday's the week after and I think everyone's giving me money for some lovely new craft stash :o) I usually hate shopping but I've had a big smile on my face all day - I'm sooo excited to be on the Prairie Fairy DT!

Finally adding my last Christmas cards!

I wasn't sure whether to add these cards or not, seen as I didn't get round to putting them on here before Christmas. But I thought I might as well, as I have followed some sketches and they can still be entered for a few challenges. I've been feeling so miserable after our little Phoebe cat died just before Christmas I've not really been in the mood for celebrating, but the boys have still had fun.

1st card - Image is a High Hopes stamp (stamped for me by the lovely Squirrel), coloured with promarkers with added glamour dust. The papers are MME, cardstock is DCWV, ribbon from stash and the sentiment is a Pink Petticoat download.

2nd card - Image was a fab freebie from Pollycraft, coloured with promarkers with glamour dust and sakura clear glitter pen. I tried to do a bit of a night sky effect by colouring with lots of different grey shades and then using the blender pen over them - not sure if it really worked! The gorgeous bright papers were sent to me by Donna from Donna's Den. DCWV cardstock, ribbon from stash, sentiment downloaded from Pink Petticoat. The snowflakes were cut with the Cuttlebug icicle die, then lightly inked with fired brick distress ink and then added a little sakura clear glitter pen and a card candy dot.

3rd card - Large 8 x 8 card blank. Image from Digistamp Boutique, coloured with promarkers with glamour dust 'snow'. Shimmery blue cardstock from stash, pink cardstock is coredinations. Papers are MME, snowflake cut with the Cuttlebug icicle die (again!) with a blingy gem centre, Pink Petticoat sentiment (again!), and some tiny pink pearls to finish. I followed the sketch from Friday Sketchers for this one but didn't upload it in time to enter!

I'm entering my cards for the following challenges:

• Sweet Sketch Wednesday - sketch (1st card)
• Pollycraft Challenge - sketch (2nd card)
• ABC Challenge - k is for kissing (3rd card)
• Crafty Creations Challenge - anything/ no rules
• Tuesday Taggers - let it snow
• Digital Tuesday - let it snow
• Stamp Something - holiday somethings
• Dare U 2 Digistamp - last minute Christmas cards (not sure what date this one ends, might be too late?)
  
  
  
  

Happy Christmas & thank you!

Well I had planned on putting the last of my Christmas cards on my blog today, but I'm still feeling quite down about losing our little Phoebe, so I've decided I probably won't bother - maybe I'll pop them on here when Christmas is all over. I just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who has been kind enough to leave messages for me - it's so lovely to know that people out there understand how we're feeling. I know she was 'just a cat' but she's so missed, the house feels strange without her. Morgan is already working to persuade us to get a kitten, and to be honest I think we'd all like one - I'm just not sure we're prepared for how utterly bonkers kittens can be after being so used to our 10yr old cats!

It's been a long day at MIL's - Pav's family are Polish and their celebrations are on Christmas Eve, so we've had a huge dinner and lots of pressies there. We've been thoroughly spoilt, you should have seen the kids pressie mountain! And MIL gave me perfume and a £50 voucher for Bunny Zoe's :o) She's also given us a joint pressie of enough cash to pay for a holiday! See, I told you - we've been spoilt rotten today! And we get another Christmas at my mum's tomorrow, the boys are completely hyper.

Anyway, I've had a few glasses of wine so I'm rambling lol, but I just wanted to wish everyone a very happy Christmas. I hope you all have a fabulous time and I look forward to seeing everyone's lovely creations in the New Year :o)

RIP Phoebe cat

Well I had lots of cards to blog today but I really can't face it now. We left our lovely Phoebe at the vets last night, so that they could xray her today and find out what was going on with her - she's had a cough and trouble breathing recently. About an hour ago the vet called to say they'd found a large mass, and they were going to ring and go through our options, but sadly while she was coming round from the anaesthetic she passed away.

Morgan's so upset and although Dex obviously doesn't understand, he's going to miss her so much, he loved that cat and she loved him. Even our other cat looks a bit lost without her and they couldn't stand each other really! Happy Christmas to us eh?

Papertake, Cupcake, Incy Wincy

Hubby asked me for a quick card for his friend who he works with. I've made a bright and cheerful card but the poor man probably doesn't feel much like celebrating - it's his 40th, nearly Christmas, and his wife has just asked for a divorce and sent him to live at his mum's.

I've followed the lovely sketch at Papertake Weekly for this card, although I'm probably cutting it a bit fine to enter seen as the new challenge will be up tomorrow - never mind, I had fun with the sketch anyway. The super cute image is a freebie from Karen's Doodles - isn't he gorgeous?! He's coloured with promarkers, with a little bit of sakura clear glitter pen here and there. The papers are Doodlebug with coredinations cardstock. Used the Martha Stewart scallop dot punch for the border strip, and added rainbow drops in the scallops - this looks quite nice in 'real life' but in the photo the rainbow drops look a bit strange! Sentiment is a Pink Petticoat download.

I'm also entering my card for the challenges at Cupcake Craft (celebrations) and Incy Wincy where there was a photo for inspiration - I've used the colours and thought the rainbow drops had the same 'marbly' texture.

Cards for my Grandma

It's my Grandma's birthday today and these are her cards - the first one is from my mum and the second card is from us. It was lovely to do something other than Christmas cards for a change! We've driven over to see her today and on the way it started snowing again - there's quite a lot of it out there now!

1st card - 8 x 8 card blank. Digi stamp from Digistamp Boutique, coloured with promarkers, cut out with oval nesties. The papers are Papermania CCSR, with coredinations cardstock. Martha Stewart scallop dot punch used to make the centre panel, added a strip of stripy paper and then sheer ribbon over the top. Swirly corner made using a sizzix die, computer generated sentiment with a tiny rose added to finish.

2nd card - my first attempt at an easel card! I don't know why, but I expected this to be a lot more complicated than it actually was, I'll definitely make more of these. The image is a Penny Black stamp, coloured with promarkers. Papers are Doodlebug, with DCWV cardstock. Butterfly and heart embellishments are Papermania (I think). Computer generated sentiments.

I'm entering my cards for the following challenges:

• Moving Along With The Times - sketch + bears theme (1st card)
• Flutter By Wednesday - sketch + butterfly (2nd card)
• Lots To Do - free theme
• Get Sketchy - favourite colour (I change my mind all the time, but generally it's pinks and greens)
• Alphabet Challenge - J is for Jewels (2nd card, on the butterflies)
• If The Shoe Fits - colour your world (promarkers)
• Charisma - anything but Christmas
• Colour Create - pink, burgundy, ivory + roses (1st card)
• Digital Tuesday - birthday (1st card)
• Creative Card Crew - anything goes + DT call
  
  
  
  

Friday Sketchers etc

I think these might actually be the last of my card orders, I just need to put the sentiments on - I wanted to get them on here though because I followed the sketch at Friday Sketchers and I'm not sure what time they have to be entered by. Now that I've seen the pictures, I'm not all that happy with my colouring - I've not blended very well! But in my defense, the light has been particularly bad today. It's snowed a little and we're meant to have more overnight - Morgan will be pleased if we do! Dex hated the snow last year, I wonder if he'll like it more now. Anyway, onto the cards....

1st card - The image is a Stampavie stamp that I was very tempted by, but my lovely blogging friend Squirrel kindly offered to stamp a few for me. I've coloured it with promarkers. The papers are Sandylion, with some shimmery gold cardstock from my stash. The pinwheel flower thingies are cut with a sizzix die, with card candy centres. The snowflake is the cuttlebug icicle die with a flat back pearl centre.

2nd card - same image as before. I'm not sure what the papers are, I bought them in a local craft shop - I bought the shimmery pink cardstock at the same time. The little snowflakes were freebies in with an order from Dies To Die For, with some glamour dust and gems added. Big snowflake is the cuttlebug icicle die with a flat back pearl centre.

3rd card - same image again. DCWV papers and cardstock. The snowflake/ flower thingies are large cuttlebug icicle snowflakes that I've cut down and coated in glamour dust, with some felt flowers and brad centres. Large snowflake is the cuttlebug icicle die again, with a big gem centre.

Now I just need to get on with a couple of family birthday cards, and then get the last of our Christmas cards done - most of mine had to wait until my orders were all done, and as I'm running out of time, I've been panicking slightly!

I'm also entering the following challenges:

• Susie's Sassy Challenge - a touch of gold (1st card)
• Crafty Creations - traditional Christmas colours - red, green & gold (1st card)
• Sketchy Colours - green & blue (3rd card)
• One Stop Craft - Christmas love (any or all of them!)