A Gem of a Challenge - Kraft at Christmas

I'm scheduling this so I hope it works... round about now I'll be running around frantically throwing last minute packing into cases, because we're setting off for our holiday in Norfolk today.  So looking forward to the break :o)

So... our new challenge at A Gem of a Challenge is 'Kraft at Christmas' - so anything Christmas and use some kraft card.  I'm getting quite a collection of Christmas cards now, it's not like me at all!

I've used the pre-coloured version of the very cute new Snowy Robins image - I just added a bit of stickles on the snow and cut it out with a Nestie Labels 14 die.  The papers are also from Pink Gem Designs - the blue one is from Christmas Sparkles and the pink is Stripes.  The corners were cut with a Whimsy die, sentiment is Pink Petticoat and the pearls are from my stash.

There will be a couple of posts while I'm away, assuming blogger plays nicely!  And then I've got lots of fun stuff to show you when I get back :o)  See you in a week, be good while I'm gone!

How CAS can you go?...

Now you know I like my CAS cards - as well as all the other styles I play with - but this one is a bit extreme even for me...

This is for my Auntie's anniversary... I wouldn't consider giving a card this CAS to anyone else I don't think, but Di buys lots of her cards from me and always goes for the most minimal ones I show her.  I know she'll like this, just as I know my mum would be very unimpressed with it lol!

It's also for this week's Less Is More challenge, which is a one-layer card with 3 of something - I have 3 hearts and also 3 colours (red, black, kraft).  The heart stamp and sentiment are Stampin' Up and I added a bit of bling on the red heart... and that's it... eek!

** Also, just a quick mention - there's a digi stamp give-away on The Stamp Basket blog, but it's only until 8pm this evening, so have a look at this post for all the details **

Hope you all have a lovely day :o)

Waste Not Wednesdays wk27

It's week 27 of my little Waste Not Wednesdays challenge, here to get you using up all those neglected and unused stamps and stash... As we go on holiday in a few days, I'm leaving the linky open for 2 weeks this time and I have a prize for one lucky random winner, to make up for the fact that I won't be around to leave comments for you all!

The prize is this very cute Christmas stamp set from The Greeting Farm :o)

And here's my card for today...

I needed a 40th birthday card for my Auntie - although as I've mentioned before, I don't actually call her auntie as she's only a few years older than me and we're friends more than anything else.  She prefers my clean & simple cards, so although this is fairly simple, I think it's probably a bit on the fussy side for her really... Wait until you see the anniversary card I've made for her though - I'll show that tomorrow and it's scarily CAS!

Anyway... I've used Papermania papers, a butterfly die (x-cut? not sure...) that I haven't used for ages, and pearls from my stash.  I cut the edge of the sentiment with my ancient scallop scissors and added a corner cut with a Whimsy die... and that's about it.

Running off to do some commenting again!  Have a lovely evening :o)

Nursery thank you cards

I made Dex's cards for his 'nursery ladies' at the weekend - I'd planned on using an image but Dex wanted himself on them lol!  So I thought I'd use this photo - the daffodils were grown from bulbs that nursery gave to the children... he looks very proud of his flowers doesn't he?

I printed the photo onto hammered card, which I quite like in 'real life' but looks a bit odd in this pic.  The papers are digi ones from Pink Petticoat, printed onto linen card.  Sentiment is computer generated.  I kept them really simple as I made 4 of them.

Keeping this very short, so I can have a mad dash around some of your blogs!  Have a lovely evening :o)

Mimosa waiting for Santa - The Stamp Basket DT

Hello!  Here I am, late again... I'm sorry I've been a bit absent for the last couple of days - I've got so much to do before we go away on Saturday, I'm crafting non-stop at the moment lol.  At the weekend I wrote myself a list of all the cards I need to make before we go, I thought it might make me feel less stressed to see them written down and getting them crossed off... when I'd finished there were 17 cards on my list and I most certainly didn't feel less stressed!  So I apologise in advance if I don't get chance to visit your blogs too often this week, I'll do my best whenever I get a spare moment.

Right, onto today's card which is for The Stamp Basket blog, where it's still 'Christmas in July' so I had to make another of them there Christmas thingies... also Janet's having a Guest DT call so pop over and read this post for all the details if you fancy applying.

Items available from The Stamp Basket

Craftwork Cards - scalloped edge card blank

Bildmalarna 'Mimosa - waiting for Santa' stamp

Bo Bunny - 'Father Christmas' papers

The Hobby House - 5mm ivory silk pearls

Deco Art Glamour Dust - crystal

I've coloured Mimosa with promarkers and flexmarkers, and added a bit of sparkly glamour dust.  The snowflakes were cut with a MS punch and sprayed with 'spray & sparkle', not that you can tell from the photos... Added some card candy and a Stampin' Up sentiment, and everything else is from The Stamp Basket.  Oh, I used my new MFT mini scallop border die too, on the edge next to the stripy paper - it cuts beautifully.

I followed the sketch at Sketch Saturday, so I'm entering my card there.

Will try and do some catching up with you all tomorrow if I don't manage it tonight.  Hope you've all had a lovely day :o)

Sweet Stampin' - flag colours

At Sweet Stampin' this week, we'd like you to use the colours of your Nation's flag... could be easy or very tricky depending on your flag I suppose!  We're sponsored by Letraset who are offering one lucky winner a set of promarkers, and Joanna Sheen is our monthly sponsor with a £10 voucher prize :o)

It's hubby's birthday today, and this card is for the boys to give him.  I had pneumonia when it was Father's Day and couldn't make him a card, so I wanted this to be a sort of birthday/ Father's Day combined thing...

I've used the fab Rock Idol stamp from Sugar Nellie, and coloured him with promarkers and flexmarkers.  The papers are from the Stars & Stripes set from Raspberry Rd, printed onto linen card from Papermill Direct.  The loopy border is a new purchase - I had a little spend at My Mum's Craft Shop last week and got a few new dies... this one's by CC Designs and I love it :o)  The sentiment is just made up from sheets of lettering that I print out and then cut up.

Very rushed post today, sorry... I'm ashamed to admit I haven't actually finished my own card for hubby yet lol!  He'll not be back for a few hours though, as he's working this morning, so I'm going to rush off and get it done now - hopeless aren't I?!  Hope you all have a lovely day, will be round to catch up with you later :o)

Less is More - gold

Yay, I found some time to make a card for Less is More this week... it helped that their 'gold' theme fit in with a wedding card I needed to make...

I've used the gorgeous new Stampin' Up wedding stamps from the summer mini catalogue - stamped the cake and sentiment with versamark and then embossed them with detail gold embossing powder.  I cut the cake out, inked it around the edges and added a punched butterfly.  One end of the sentiment panel is cut with (ancient and under-used) scalloped scissors.  Used an embossing folder on the background - think this one is divine swirls... not sure why it looks a different shade of cream because it's all made from the same rich cream linen from Papermill Direct.  Added a few pearls from my stash... and, done!

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

• Clean & Simple Stamping - sketch
• Creative Card Crew - swirls & pearls

We actually had a break from the rain today - it was sunny but still fairly fresh, not too hot... perfect for me!  It's supposed to be back to the heavy downpours again tomorrow though, but I'm hoping that's wrong as I'm meant to be meeting my friend in the park and we had to cancel last week due to the rain.  Fingers crossed! Hope you've all had a lovely day :o)