A Lili of the Valley Card

I bought this Lili of the Valley stamp a while ago but not had a chance to use it so had a play with it yesterday and make this card, I really like the vintage look with the patterned papers and distressed edges...

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:

Allsorts - Week 83, Free & Easy

Alphabet Challenge - H for Hats

Bunny Zoe's - Challenge 7, Sparkle & Shine

CES - Challenge 17, Anything Goes

Die Cut Dreams - Challenge 79, Girlie

Supplies:
Image - from Lili of the Valley coloured with Promarkers
Papers - Curio by Basic Grey from The Glitter Pot
Buttons - stash
Pins - stash
Tools - scissors for distressing, Icicle Stickles

Meet the new guy in my life...

My lovely friends Tams has introduced me to Ladybug Crafts Ink stamps, ooohhh they are lurvely :-) I have purchased my first two (stamps are currently on buy one get one half price!) and they are both cat samps. The cat is called Magnum and I think he is such a character...

I would like to enter this card into tehe following challenges:

Ladybug Crafts - Challenge 8, Song Title (The Lovecats by the Cure - you gotta love cats after seeing this image!)

Allsorts - Week 83, Free & Easy

CES - Challenge 17, Anything Goes

Supplies:
Image - Tiptoeing Lily from Ladybug Crafts Ink
Papers - Curio by Basic Grey from The Glitter Pot
Buttons - stash
Tools - scissors for distressing, Icicle Stickles

Here's another Magnum card, I just love him...

Supplies:
Images - Scaredy Cat Magnum from Ladybug Crafts Ink
Papers - Circa 1934 by Cosmo Cricket, thank you Mel x
Buttons - stash
Tools - scissors for distressing

Be My Valentine...

Artydoll set a challenge on MSE to make a Valentine card, I have loved making this one as it is so far removed from Christmas cards (even though the main colour is red!). I used some more of the gorgeous red gingham paper from Pink Petticoat and a Meljens image that I must have bought at some point during the year and not used. Hope Mr Rainmac likes it, it's the most organised I have been for Valentine's ever!

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:

MSE - Artydoll's Valentine Challenge

Allsorts - Week 83, Free & Easy

CES - Challenge 17, Anything Goes

I Love Promarkers - Challenge 46, Anything Goes

Crafty Catz - Challenge 63, Your Choice (16, Love)

Digital Tuesday - Challenge 91, Anything Goes

Passion for Promarkers - Week 80, Mega Christmas Challenge/ Anything Goes

Secret Crafter - Challenge 118, In the Farmyard (mice)

Stampavie & More - Challenge 122, Red

Totally Gorjuss - Challenge 61, For Someone Special

Supplies:
Paper - Crimson gingham from Pink Petticoat

Image - Teeny Mouse Hugs by Meljens from Whimsy Stamps coloured with Promarkers

Sentiment - Girly Curly from Pink Petticoat

Sentiment ribbon - Pink Petticoat

Ribbon - Craftwork Cards (in one of the £5 goody bags)

Dew drops - stash

Cardstock - Bazzill Basics

Ho Ho Ho, it's nearly time!

Merry Christmas Everyone xxx

Christmas Colours but NOT a Christmas Card - yay!!!

Thomas is going to a birthday party next week so I had a spare half hour this morning and thought I'd make the card. I needed to be quick (2 children need entertaining!) so there was no time for colouring or faffing! I put this together in about 10 minutes not including the time taken to print the paper and sentiments. I rarely use red on cards (except for Christmas & Valentines) but I really like this, hope you do too x

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:

Allsorts - Week 83, Free & Easy

By The Cute & Girly - December Challenge, Children

CES - Challenge 17, Anything Goes

Crafts & Me - Challenge 20, Anything Goes

Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes

Cute Card Thursday - Challenge 143, One for the Kids

Die Cut Dreams - Challenge 79, Girlie

OSAAT - Challenge 43, Anything Goes

Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes

The ABC Challenge - K for Keep it Simple

Totally Papercrafts - Challenge 47, Time to Party

Supplies:

Image - Lili of the Valley die cut square (I've cut it down) from my lovely friend Tams, cheers Tams x

Paper - Crimson gingham from Pink Petticoat

Cardstock - Bazzill Basics

Sentiment ribbon - Pink Petticoat

Sentiment - Girly Curly Sentiments from Pink Petticoat

Buttons - Crafty Emma's Store

Ribbon - stash

CFM Blog Hop Winners!!!

The winners of the Cards for Men Anniversary Blog Hop have been anounced on the Cards for Men blog, please hop on over and see if you are one of them ;-)

The winner of the prize featured on my blog, a gorgeous Prima paper pad donated by Bunny Zoe's Crafts is...

LANEY

Whoo hoo, congratulations Laney, please pop over to the Cards for Men blog to see how to claim your prize.

Thank you to everyone who entered our 1st anniversary blog hop and entered the Christmas challenges xxx

Knock Knock...Who's There...

A friend asked me if I could make her a few funny gifts for her family and after giving her a few ideas she opted for some sweet bags (already posted), pots of gold (already posted) and joke jars. I offered a choice of small or large jars and she opted for large. Uh oh, do you know how difficult it is to locate funny clean jokes on the net? REALLY difficult! Blimey it's been a hard job. I finally finished on Sunday night, got all the jokes pasted into Excel, printed, cut up and folded (365 jokes per jar and I made 2 jars!). Here is a finished jar. I used an Ikea 59p jar, popped all the jokes inside along with a pack of milk chocolate balls from M&S and decorated the jar lid simply with some Nestie circles and organza ribbon. I had some Ikea kraft gift bags left over from last year and have popped each jar inside one so they are all ready for giving...

Teacher gifts...

I heard on the news this morning that the average parent spends £50 on teacher presents!!! I am so not the 'average' parent, I bought little green plant pots and saucers half price in the local garden centre (50p for 5 and they are biodegradable too!), crocus bulbs and some compost and we made these...

I used a die cut snowflake and a card candy dot to jazz up the pot a bit, wrapped in cello and added a homemade tag, well under 50 quid (more like a tenner for all 10) and the teachers seemed to like them ;-)

Fab 'n' Funky GD Quick 'n' Easy Card

The lovely Lou at Fab 'n' Funky offered me a GD spot for this week and I have to say I jumped at the chance! The theme this time is Quick & Easy Christmas cards, what a perfect theme as we are fast approaching the festive season! The DT were given the opportunity to work with some gorgeous digis from Stitchy Bear Stamps and I chose Lite Brite which can be purchased here.

Please come and join us at Fab 'n' Funky for this challenge and to check out the fabulous work of the DT.

Supplies:
Image - Lite Brite by Stitchy Bear Stamps coloured with Promarkers
Sentiment - Lili of the Valley (I think?)
Papers - Christmas Fancy by Dovecraft
Cardstock - Bazzill kraft
Ribbon - Craftwork Cards
Flowers - Dovecraft
Buttons - Crafty Emma's Store
Dew Drops - Crafty Emma's Store

A Few Makes...

Sorry my blog and blogging is being neglected, I am literally rushed off my feet trying to get ready for Christmas, I have so much to do and so little time! Can I ask Santa for more crafting/blogging time please x

Anyway, here are a few things I've been making recently...

Pot of Gold (glass tealight holder from Ikea, scratch card, chocolate coins wrapped in cello with a tag)...


Box of chocolates (made box with Nesties and a scoreboard, papers by Basic Grey, flowers from Crafty Emma's Store)...

Snowglobe (snowglobe from Yellow Moon, penguin image by Elzybells coloured with Promarkers, blue dotty paper by Nitwits)...

Thanks for looking and I promise to catch up with all your fabulous blogs soon xxx

A Couple of Baby Cards...

Making these new baby cards was such a lovely relief from all the Christmas preparations!

I have used some gorgeous girly papers by MME and my cute Sugar Nellie bunny...
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I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:

CES - Challenge 16, Anything But a Christmas Card

Passion for Promarkers - Week 80, Mega Christmas Challenge: Anything Goes

Creative Card Crew - Anything Goes

Supplies:
Image - Little Cotton Rabbit (think that's his name?) by Sugar Nellie coloured with Promarkers
Papers - Tickled Pink by MME from Dies To Die For
Cardstock -Bazzill kraft from Bunny Zoe's Crafts
Pearl strand - a candy win
Buttons - Crafty Emma's Store
Sentiment - Dovecraft
Tools - Tilda Lace die by Magnolia, Stardust Stickles

CYDA Challenge 10 - Punch It Out!

It's time for a new challenge at CYDA. The lovely Doreen has chosen the theme this time and it is "Punch It Out" so we'd like to see you use punches on your work. I would just like to take a moment to say a HUGE thank you for everyone who entered my Texture challenge, there were so many gorgeous entries!

We are being sponsored this time by the fab Craft Brulee. Craft Brulee has a free postage offer until 20th December so it's a great time to pop over and treat yourself to some new goodies! Please do come and join in the fun and check out the gorgeous creations made by my lovely team mates x


So onto my DT project, I have made some jokey sweetie bags for little Christmas gifts (I've taken inspiration from the fab It's All Fiddle Fart blog, cheers Helen x)...


Supplies:
Cello bags - stash
Cardstock - Bazzill Basics
Puffy stickers - Accessorize
Wording - written with a Letraset Fineliner
Tools - Nesties Label One, circle & scallop circle punches, stapler to secure bags, scoreboard to score Labels and dst to attach the folded Label to the bag
Sweets - Red peanut M&Ms, chocolate covered raisins, Cadbury's chocolate snowballs

Festive Challenges and an Anniversary Blog Hop at Cards for Men!

If you are taking part in the Cards for Men Blog Hop you should have arrived at my blog from the lovely Patricia's, if not please go back to our starting point at Cards for Men to join in the fun - we have lots of gorgeous goodies to giveaway!

It has been a year since the very first challenge went live at Cards for Men and we are celebrating with TWO fabby challenges - 1. to make a Christmas card and 2. to make a gift AND an Anniversary Blog Hop. Oh and LOADS of prizes! We'll draw a random winner for each challenge category and top 3 as usual and there is a chance to win something lurvely at each stop on the Blog Hop. You can get all the details and lots more ideas from the DT over at Cards for Men.

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I have made a festive box to house some chocolates and a Santa card...

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Supplies:

Paper - Joyful Hearts Holly by Nitwit Collections

Images (Santa & candy canes) - Joyful Hearts Santa by Nitwit Collections coloured with Promarkers

Sentiment - North Pole Postage Seal by Magnolia

Box - local craft shop

Ribbon - The Hobby House

Cardstock - Bazzill Basics

Cross Stitch Santa - chart from Cross Stitcher magazine stitched with DMC321 thread on 14 count white aida

Tools - glamour dust, circle & scallop circle Nesties

Chocolates - Elizabeth Shaw Mints

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Also, we are having an Anniversary Blog Hop. You can get the full list of blogs over at Cards for Men. At each stop there'll be a word to collect and a candy draw. I've got a beautiful 6"x6" Prima Paper Pad 'Road Trip' from Bunny Zoe Crafts to giveaway! Bunny Zoe's Crafts is currently offering 25% off ALL Christmas Stock so pop over and grab yourself some bargains ;-)

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Bunny Zoe's Crafts is a family run online Craft store who ships worldwide. We provide friendly and efficient customer service, with quick processing and dispatch of orders. We sell a great range of Rubber Stamps from around the world, Digital Images, Personalised Stamps, Designer Papers, Stamping Essentials, Copic Ciao's, Distress Inks, Dies, Flowers, Ribbons & Lace, Buttons. Charms, Flat back Pearls and many, many fabulous card making goodies.

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To be in with a chance of winning my Blog Hop prize you just need to leave me a comment at the end of this post. A random winner will be drawn on 20 December 2010. Each Blog Hop stop will have a word which you should collect to make a festive phrase. My word is 'NEW'. At the end of the blog hop you should have 11 words, work out the phrase and leave it in the comments section back at Cards for Men. The blog hop will run until midnight on 19th December and a winner will be chosen on 20th December. Your next stop is the lovely Viv's blog. If you lose your way you can go back to Cards for Men to get the full list of blogs to visit. Good luck everyone xxx

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PS: remember our rules are the card/gift must be suitable for a man or boy and be a newly made item, no backlinking please ;-)