Spots and not a stamp in sight!

Well can you believe it? The challenge this week at http://stampchallenges.blogspot.com/ is NOT to stamp something!!! Very strange, but it did give me chance to make a man's card for my card box. I haven't done one of these origami folded shirts for a long time and had forgotten how much fun they are to do.

Yet again I have used that wonderful DCWV bargain kit - these papers and matching card have proved to be so useful and I still have masses left. Definitely one of my better card making purchases.

As the theme at http://papertakeweekly.blogspot.com/ is 'Seeing Spots' my card is also perfect for their challenge too.

For anyone visiting my blog today PLEASE make sure you come back tomorrow cause I have something really exciting to share and celebrate with you.

White...

Apologies to all those who don't want to see Christmas cards for some time, but the thing is the cuttlebug folders I ordered from America didn't arrive till Christmas Eve so ...

Well that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it - to be truthful I just love making Christmas cards and in the words of Slade 'I wish it could be Christmas every day! - errrrrrrrr that might be taking it too far but you know what I mean!

The challenge this week at http://cuttlebugchallenge.blogspot.com/ is go with WHITE, which is not as easy as it first sounds. There are some absolutely amazing cards on display by the design team so do go and take a look if you have time.

My card uses the 'snow dots' folder on vellum to make a frame for the Christmas sentiment. I must be honest here and say that I saw another blogger using this folder to create a distressed frame last week and I just though the frame was such a wonderful idea I had to give it a try. I have tried to refind the blog, but I can't so I can't give you the link to look at her card. So sorry!

I haven't used my Cuttlebug on vellum before, but wow I love the softness it gives and the way you can put stamped images underneath, etc. I shall be doing more in the near future.

Materials used:

• vellum
• white card and silver mirri card
• snow dots Cuttlebug folder
• silver sentiment peel off
• white brads
• white organza ribbon and gem from stash

Something new...

New papers by Papermania (a Christmas present from Laura), new paper pricking stencil (a Christmas gift from Irene) and a new Cuttlebug borders die led to this card for the challenge at http://stampchallenges.blogspot.com/.

It's also a card to send to a very special friend who has led me into all sorts of things over the past few years - a paper pricking craze being one of them.

The stamped quote, 'The only way to have a friend is to be one' by Ralph Waldo Emerson, is from a sheet of quotes by Heidi Grace.

Materials used:

• brown card
• Papermania paper from Vintage collection
• cuttlebug ornate border
• Ornare corner stencil
• Heidi Grace stamp
• pearls from stash
  

Messy Rabbit beats the credit crunch...

Yes, Messy Rabbit is trying out the 'Good Life' and is growing his own carrots. Wish I had done that before buying carrots on Christmas Eve and finding they had tripled in price!!

My card is for the new challenge that started this week at http://sketchandstashchallenge.blogspot.com/. This new venture gives a sketch for crafters to follow each fortnight and asks them to use new stash to create their design. My new stash was the stamps used to create the image.

My daughter, Laura, bought me one of the large sets of Messy Rabbit stamps from Joanna Sheen for Christmas and this rabbit and most of the accessories are just part of that set. The butterflies are from a small Studio G collection. As I have used new stamps my card is also perfect for Cynthia's challenge at http://rainbowladyschallengeblog.blogspot.com/.

Materials used:

• Messy Rabbit stamps
• Water colour card to stamp on
• Derwent Inktense and Lyra Aquacolour crayons
• Blue paper
• Spring words by DCWV
• Cuttlebug floral border
• Gems and organza ribbon from stash

First Christmas Card 2009...

Oh my goodness can you believe it? I'm not sure I can!!

The three crowns I've used are from a company called Stamptivity, who do some really amazing stamp designs. They also have their own group at http://www.papercraftplanet.com/ and just this week have started a weekly challenge. The theme this week is glitter which led to my crowns mounted on gold and embellished with gems.

My card is also for the 'open themed' challenge at http://wednesdaystamper.wordpress.com/.

Materials used:

• Stamptivity stamp set
• gold mirri card
• cream hammer card
• gold sentiment and corner peel offs
• gems from stash

Thank you...

Another 'Thank you' card. This one is for the challenge of saying 'Thank you' at http://www.daringcardmakers.blogspot.com/. Some of you may have noticed a fair amount of blue and matching papers in my last few cards. I've been using an amazing little DCWV card making pad I bought in one of the sales at Arty Miss. They had been reduced from £9.99 to just a pound and have both card, co-ordinating papers and stickers like the 'you are great' one on this card in them. Lovely collections and well worth a pound.

Once you start sanding cuttlebug embossing you can't stop so although I have already done a card for the challenge at http://cuttlebugchallenge.blogspot.com/ this one counts too. Infact I got a little carried away when sanding this and lost half the design as I went through the card stock. Perhaps the craft tip for this week should be sand gently!!

The 'thank you' stamp is by Inkadinkado and I added a couple of gems from my stash.

Spoil yourself again...

At http://cuttlebugchallenge.blogspot.com/ this week the challenge was to use cuttlebug embossing folders and then sand the embossing to reveal the core of the cardstock. I used the 'tiny bubbles' folder as I thought it provided an appropriate background for this particular image.

My cardstock and matching papers are from DCWV and the blue card is textured with a white core. After checking out the work of the other talented bloggers who join in this challenge I have seen some amazing cardstock where the core is different colours. I believe it's called 'Black Magic' I must investigate further and maybe treat myself.

If I weren't 'all Christmassed out' I think I would have used this embossed and sanded blue card to do a snowman scene as the bubbles so remind me of snowballs.

Maybe next year!