Bah! Humbug! Challenge 5...

Five weeks - five challenges - five Christmas cards already done for next year - wow I can't believe I am going to be so organised come Christmas time.  I may even get chance to do one of those fabulous Advent Calendars using match boxes.  I wanted to do one last year, but was so busy trying to get my cards done that I only got as far as buying the match boxes.
This week at Bah! Humbug! we are featuring ...

HOLLY

and quite a few people who took a look at my Sneak Peek photo yesterday guessed correctly.  Up to writing this post Jose, Ann (again! has she got a crystal ball?) and Beryl had all guessed the challenge may be holly.  Well done you three.

For my holly card I decided to use the fabulous Holly Fairy digi image by Mo Manning and after toying with the idea of doing a side step card I had a complete change of heart and decided to do my very first easel card.  Very brave of me really, especially as I couldn't be bothered to look at any of the online instructions and just made it up as I went along.  There was a stage when I thought it was going to end up in the bin, but eventually my card survived for the challenge.

This the card closed up showing the Holly Fairy matted on red, gold and green card.  The holly paper is one from my stash that I've had quite a while so I'm not sure of the make.  I put a couple of gold border peel offs around the edge of the red card to draw the eyes into the image.  I used Promarkers, Sakura stardust and a touch of ultrafine glitter to colour Holly.

The sentiment is from a clear stamp set by Stampendous.  One that I've had for quite some time and suddenly realised how lovely and useful it is.  The scrolls were cut using a cuttlebug die and both the sentiment and scrolls were attached to the card using foam tape to ensure they make a secure holder for the easel part of the card.
Do pop over to Bah! Humbug! to check out Max and Irene's designs too and hopefully you'll find time to join us again this week.  Don't forget it's the first challenge of the month so we have a lovely paper collection of offer to one lucky person.
Whoops forgot to say my card is also for the challenges at...

• Pollycraft - Things with wings
• My Time to Craft - Fairy Folk
• Digital Tuesday - Try a Different Fold
• Crafty Creations - Wings

Good Luck everyone and have a fantastic weekend.

Bah! Humbug! Sneaky Peak...

 

In my hurry to join in the blog hop at  Totally Paper Crafts yesterday I completely forgot to say 'Don't forget there will be another challenge starting at Bah! Humbug! tomorrow.  As it's the first challenge of a new month there's a rather nice prize up for grabs too.  I'm not telling what it is or what the challenge is either.  Although my little sneaky peak picture might give the game away.  Last week Ann Whitfield from Spirit of Creativity guessed our theme was going to be Baubles.  I wonder if anyone has any ideas about this week's challenge.

Forever Friends...

A tiny card to send to one of my bestest friends.  She'll laugh when she gets this cause inside alongside the personal message it says PS: - not so keen on your dress!!  LOL.

I'm posting this a day early as I have such an early start in the morning and I don't want to miss out on entering my card in the new challenge at Totally Paper Crafts.  This is a new challenge blog that I think is going to become one of my favourites as their motto is to have fun and when you think about that's what crafting is all about or should be.

Of course I think I've managed to cover one or two other challenges too which are...

• Sweet Sketch Wednesday - love their sketches - thank you Irene for telling me about them.
• C.R.A.F.T. - paper piecing - my second lot of piecing this week - I really like the effect you can achieve.
• Raise the Bar - old paper - mine is paper/card from a Making Memories pad that I have had ages, but still love.

Just want to say a huge thank you for stopping by and also for the wonderful comments you leave.  So appreciated.
Whoops forgot to say the image is from one of the free stamps given on the Craft Stamper magazine ages ago.  Well worth watching out for these at the shows as sometimes they have a bin and you can buy 5 or more for only £1.
Ann xxx

Floral card...

My first card using my new Royal Horticultural Society CD by Joanna Sheen.  I wanted a floral birthday card and somehow ended up with an everyday card for my box.  Ah well the birthday card can be made another day.  I used the sketch from Friday Sketchers for my layout.  Had to tweek it a little as I haven't got an oval die or punch for the sentiment.
My card is also for the challenges at ...

• Cute Card Thursday - Blooming Gorgeous.
• Alphabet Challenge - New - my CD is new
• Dutch Dare - Summer in Winter

Another free day today - bliss - can't decide how to spend the day, but whatever I do I'm sure it will be great.  Hope your day is fantastic too.

More Pink and more of Robin's Digis...

This card was made using another of Robin Willis's amazing digi images.  How cute is this?  I absolutely love the sleep suit image complete with rock motive and sentiment that says 'Eat, Sleep, Rock'. 
I used the amazing sketch from the new challenge at Sketch and Stash.  I love their sketches as they are always so easy to interpret and yet give stunning results (even in my hands).
My digi was printed on to white card and then very bravely (that gingham card is pretty thick) I printed the image again on to the pink gingham card, which enabled me to paper piece the image.  A spare white image provided the skull and the bow was coloured using a pink Promarker.
My card is also for the challenges at...

• Crafty Creations - Celebrate (think the birth of a baby counts!)
• Simon Says - New Baby
• C.R.A.F.T. - paper piecing

Have a fantastic day again everyone.  Mine has got to be better than yesterday.  After travelling nearly 3 hours (3 buses with half hour waits at bus stops inbetween) I arrived at my First Aid course to find I was the only one there and was at the wrong place.  The moral of the story is when your manager tells you where a course is being held ensure she puts it in writing and then double check with the venue to be on the safe side.  On the positive side I did have a brilliant book by Cathie Glass with me so once on the buses I was a happy reading bunny.
Ann xxx

Pink Elephant Day...

 

This week at The Pink Elephant our theme is PINK and I've gone for HOT PINK as my card is going to be a Valentine card for Laura and as everyone knows she loves pink.  Infact we have just decorated her bedroom in this very shade.

The fantastic image on my card is by my incredibly talented friend and team mate, Robin Willis.  Robin has designed some amazing circular digis which can be bought at Squigglefly.  I really love each and everyone of them as they are just so easy to use.  Check out the Robin Willis collection at...

I'm 100% sure you will love what you see.  Also as Squigglefly are sponsoring our challenge this week you may want to get out your pink pens and papers and enter our challenge.  There is a great prize on offer.
My card is also for the challenges at...

• Sweet Sketch Wednesday - loved using this sketch - so different
• Fussy and Fancy - Hearts
• DareUtodigi stamp - Hearts/Valentine
• Stamp Something - Delightfully Delicious
• Secret Crafter - Hearts

Have a fantastic first day of February everyone.  I'm doing my First Aid training today so that should be fun.  Shame it wasn't last Monday though before my 91 year old Auntie poured a mug of hot tea over herself right infront of me.  Think I did the right thing though (applied cold water) and she seemed to be okay.