Welcome to the start of a new week and soon to be a NEW YEAR

Morning readers,

Hope your weekend went well and that you are all geared up for a splendid New Years Eve today. In case I don't get to speak to you personally - HAPPY NEW YEAR, may your 2019 be a good one.

I got some new stash for Christmas and it seemed like the perfect excuse to make a Christmas card - am I the only one who can't seem to stop making them? And why should I? I so enjoy making them .. and I had new stash, what better reason!

My card

And a closer view of the image panel

 

The front, back and inside of my card along with the front and back of my envelope

Materials used:

• White 12½cm square, 250gsm, card and matching sized envelope
• Two pieces of white card cut to fit
• One piece of green card, cut to mat
• Snippets of white card and green card - die cut using faux stitched nesting squares and the middle size coloured red using copic markers
• Newtons Nook (Slothy Christmas) sloth and sentiment stamped using Memento tuxedo black ink including once on to white card which was then die cut in to a banner which was then attached to my finished card using dimensional foam tape
• Copic markers and Pro Markers used to colour
• Anita's dimensional gloss and stardust stickles used to embellish and create interest and texture

I'll be entering the above make for the following challenges:-

1. Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Challenge - challenge No. 418 - ANYTHING CHRISTMAS GOES
2. Sweet Stampin' - December 26th challenge - SOMETHING NEW .. the Newtons Nook stamp set was a Christmas gift
3. My Time To Craft - challenge No. 387 - SOMETHING NEW - see above
4. CASonFriday - challenge No. 148 - MAKE A CHRISTMAS CARD - easy, haven't really been able to stop myself!!!
5. Winter Wonderland - December 7th challenge - ANYTHING CHRISTMAS GOES

I've also cracked the seal on the stencil and am working on a journal page ..... sadly (as sometimes happens) the Mark I version did NOT make the grade

Mark I

It was going great UNTIL I hit it with the WRONG stencil and the WRONG medium
(in this case, gilding wax ... this particular disaster didn't even get photographed -yes, it was THAT bad!)

Onwards and upwards, I liked the basic premise of the turquoise brusho and the (first) stencil I used so ... here's the Mark II version

Mark II finished

Mark II - first two layers - brusho and brusho/gloss gel medium

Mark II finished, with a little stamping, a little doodling and an uplifting sentiment

Materials used:

• One page of my Crawford and Black journal (£1 from The Works)
• Liquitex modelling paste and a metal palette knife
• TCW stencil 507S
• Turquoise brusho and water spritzed
• I then hit it with a Stamposaurus herringbone stencil and rose gold gilding wax ... and this is where it went horribly wrong!! Sadly, I ended up ripping Mark I out of the journal and starting again! ............. on to the MARK II version .....
• Another page of my Crawford and Black journal
• Brusho in turquoise sprinkled on the page and spritzed before allowing to dry
• Brusho in black mixed with Liquitex basics gloss gel medium before applying through the same stencil and setting aside to dry
• Tim Holtz "Idea-ology" self adhesive sentiment
• Paper Artsy image (from EDY21) stamped using Ranger Archival onyx black ink
• Scribblicious blue glitter gel pen (Christmas stash, from The Works) used to colour the circles of my stamped image except for the circle over the "W" in wonderful to which I simply added Wink of Stella clear glitter gel brush pen - to get some twinkle!
• Sakura white gelly roll gel pen to doodle beneath the sentiment

I'll be entering the above for the following challenges:-

1. Love2Create - challenge No. 15 - ANYTHING MIXED MEDIA GOES
2. More Mixed Media - December challenge - ANYTHING MIXED MEDIA GOES + option of WHITE ... I left way more WHITE space than I usually do
3. Stamplorations - December Mixed Media Challenge - ANYTHING MIXED GOES + MUST use STENCILLING

  

It's the weekend between Christmas and New Year

Morning readers,

Hope you are enjoying the time between Christmas and New Year and may even have the luxury of not having not had to go to work, maybe you have party plans for this weekend - if so, ENJOY.

Me? Well I've been pottering about doing this and that - got some domestic chores out of the way but have yet to brave the resulting ironing! DARN IT! Have even been at the Table of Craftiness playing with some new Christmas stash ..... the AALL & CREATE fabulous "Quack the duck" set

My card

And a closer view - to show the gloss and sparkle

 

The front, back and inside of my card along with the front and back of my envelope

Materials used:

• White C6/A2, 250gsm, card and matching sized envelope
• Two pieces of 300gsm white card cut to fit
• One piece of navy card, cut to mat
• AALL & CREATE image ("Quack the duck" set #135) stamped using MFT hybrid black ink and heat embossed using clear embossing powder
• Copic markers used to colour the image

I'll be entering the above make for the following challenges:-

1. Crafty Gals Corner - challenge No. 181 - ANYTHING GOES
2. WaterCooler Wednesday - challenge No. 201 - ANYTHING GOES - 2nd entry
3. Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday challenge - ANYTHING GOES
4. The House That Stamps Built - challenge No. 2618 - ANYTHING GOES - 2nd entry
5. Cute Card Thursday - challenge No. 562 - ANYTHING GOES

Welcome to Friday

Morning readers,

Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and that Santa was kind to you, of course, we all know Christmas isn't about the presents it's about coming together with family and/or friends and celebrating the season but .... frankly, presents don't hurt, do they?

I got a fab stamp set that's been on my wish list a while now and I could hardly wait to peel open the packaging ......

My Artist Trading Coin

And a closer view of the background

Materials used:

• Snippets of card in white and navy
• On the white snippet I stamped the Aall & Create (set #135) image using Memento tuxedo black ink .... I stamped it again on to a post it which I cut out to use as a mask
• Copic and Marvy le plume alcohol markers used to colour the image
• That's Crafty raindrop mini stencil (TC043) used (with the mask in place to stop the raindrops appearing "under the umbrella") to apply Versamark ink "raindrops" which I then sprinkled with clear embossing powder and heat set - I realise they're awfully large for raindrops but ...
• Anita's dimensional gloss used to create pooling water around my ducks feet
• White Sakura gelly roll gel pen used to add interest to the navy matting layer

I'll be entering the above make for the following challenges:-

1. Paper Shelter - December 12th challenge - ANYTHING GOES
2. The House That Stamps Built - challenge No. 2618 - ANYTHING GOES
3. WaterCooler Wednesday - challenge No. 201 - ANYTHING GOES
4. That's Crafty - December 5th challenge - ANYTHING GOES
5. Crafty Creations - challenge No. 381 - ANYTHING GOES

You may have spotted that my duck might be a new image, you're not wrong, a Christmas gift from my hubby. Strangely enough, I didn't get a lot of craft items for Christmas, I imagine my friends may be afraid of duplication! And, who could blame them?!??! Here's what I DID get though - didn't I do well?

From my hubby - he also bought me a set glitter gel pens from The Works
but I didn't photograph those (tut tut!)

And one of my friends braved the craft dilemma of "does she already have these"?
I DIDN'T!!! Aren't they cute?

Boxing Day's Secret Santa exchange was a total blast - we played games I've never even heard of ... including one called "Shout it out" which really just consists of being asked to be the first to shout out a name, place, thing etc - totally ridiculous but a surprising amount of fun. Thank you to our Secret Santa too, for our chocolates, bubbly and afternoon tea vouchers - we'll be looking at the diary for that post Christmas lull!

Boxing Day (a.k.a. - Wednesday 26th)

Morning readers,

I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful day yesterday and that Santa was kind to you all. Whilst I published a post yesterday, it was really only to wish you all a Happy Christmas and I didn't post any makes ...... I don't usually post on a Tuesday so here I am, publishing my usual Wednesday (Post Christmas) post .... although, that said, my mojo's been in hiding for a few days and I'm a little short on ideas so, I decided to try making two tags - one white and one kraft

My two tags, side by side

And a closer view of the kraft tag

And a closer view of the white tag

Materials used:

• Two tags, one kraft and one white
• Katzelkraft rat image stamped using Memento tuxedo black ink
• Crayola coloured pencils used to colour - I used the same combination of colours for both images the only difference is that I blended some of the colours on the white tag, using gamsol

I'll be entering the above make for the following challenges:-

1. Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - challenge No. 96 - ANYTHING GOES - 2nd entry
2. Dragonfly Dreams - December challenge - ANYTHING GOES
3. Through The Craft Room Door - December 25th challenge - ANYTHING GOES
4. Lemon Shortbread - challenge No. 83 - ANYTHING GOES - 2nd entry

And now .... I just don't seem to be able to stop myself making Christmas cards!!!

My card

And a closer view of the image panel

 

The front, back and inside of the card and the front and back of the envelope

Materials used:

• White C6/A2, 250gsm, card and matching sized envelope
• Two pieces of white card cut to fit
• One piece of navy card, cut to mat
• Paper Artsy images (ZA17 and ZA18) along with Hero Arts sentiment (CL343) stamped using Memento tuxedo black ink, the Santa on to a snippet of white card
• The Santa image was fussy cut out before running through my Xyron sticker make and attaching to my card front
• Copic and Pro Markers used to colour
• Stardust stickles used to add some twinkle

I'll be entering the above for the following challenges:-

1. Dragonfly Journeys - challenge No. 130 - HANDMADE HOLIDAY MAGIC
2. Stamping Sensations - December challenge - WINTER SPARKLE
3. 52ChristmasCardThrowDown - December challenge - PICK A PREVIOUS CHALLENGE - 2nd entry, I went with chalelnge No. 11 - SANTA
4. Sweet Stampin' - December 15th challenge - ANYTHING CHRISTMAS/LAST MINUTE CHRISTMAS - 2nd entry
5. The Holly and The Ivy - challenge No. 42 - ANYTHING CHRISTMAS GOES - 2nd entry

 

Found out I was a TOP PICK over at Make My Monday, thanks peeps, so nice to know that people like my work, much appreciated. Here's the card they liked.

 

Merry Christmas peeps

Morning readers,

I'm REALLY not sure how many people will be out there in blogland today but I just wanted to stop by and wish you all (each and EVERY one of you) a very

May you and your families have a happy and peaceful day, and I wish you all the best for 2019 too.

I'm pretty sure that today will be a little light out there in blogland ... I hope to still be fast asleep myself, as this post publishes!!!! Yeah, RIGHT! However ... I WILL share this little festive piece of mail art - deploying a rather special set of stamps ... Paper Artsy .. ZA17, stamped using Memento tuxedo black ink and coloured with alcohol markers along with the tag below featuring one of a set of three grumpy penguins from Katzelkraft (KTZ145 Les pingouins grumpy) coloured using Crayola pencils

Happy Christmas Eve to you all

Morning readers,

Just one more sleep, you ready? 'Cos, if you're not, then it might be too late to worry about it - sit back and relax! Have a glass of your favourite tipple whether that be tea, coffee, eggnog or ... whatever! Christmas is coming tomorrow whether you're ready or not so, don't stress it!

Well, I made it to the Table of Craftiness this past few days too ... which PROBABLY means I've forgotten something too!

My Artist Trading Coin

And a closer view of the background detail

Materials used:

• Snippets of card in white and linen texture purple
• 2½" and 2¼" circle dies used to cut the coin and border
• Rat image (Katzelkraft KTZ179) and sentiment (MFT CS-49 "Fabulous Sayings") stamped using Memento tuxedo black ink
• Copic and Pro Markers used to colour image, colourless blender used to remove colour and create a pattern on the background
• Nuvo black glitter pen to doodle border

I'll be entering the above make for the following challenges:-

1. QKR Stampede - challenge No. 327 - ANYTHING GOES - 2nd entry
2. CardzTV - challenge No. 79 - ANYTHING GOES - 2nd entry
3. Pixie's Crafty Workshop - challenge No. 342 - USE SNIPPETS
4. Crafters Castle - challenge No. 12 - ANYTHING GOES

And now .. some last minute tags ..... I had a plan to use kraft more, as it's more easily recycled so kraft tags seemed like the way to go too ...

My two tags

And what MAY be a slightly better view of the colouring!

Materials used:

• Two kraft tags
• Sentiments (Hero Arts CL343) and images (Paper Artsy ZA18) stamped using Memento tuxedo black ink
• Faber Castell polychromos pencils used to colour
• Anita's dimensional gloss and stardust stickles used to highlight

I'll be entering them for the following challenges:-

1. Jo's Scrap Shack - challenge No. 265 - ANYTHING GOES
2. Sweet Stampin' - December 15th - ANYTHING CHRISTMAS/LAST MINUTE CHRISTMAS
3. Daring Cardmakers - December 21st challenge - STEP AWAY FROM THE CARDS #3 - "Let's decorate" ... well, tags decorate presents, don't they?!??!
4. Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - challenge No. 96 - ANYTHING GOES
5. Colour Crazy - challenge No. 51 - ANYTHING (hand coloured) GOES - 2nd entry

I'll be posting tomorrow and would love to see you but I totally understand many of you will be with family so I'll close by wishing you all, dear readers, 

a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.