Well can you believe it?...

At Humbug Hall there have been all sorts of creaks and groans about one of my cards for this week's challenge of 'Things that fly'.  Some of the suggestions put forward have had me in stitches!   'Is it a Tardis?' asked one person.  Another suggested that the letters were Airmail so that's what made it count for the challenge.

Eeeh what are you all like?  Me and Max have had such a laugh about this.  I'm so glad I went for the robins and not my Christmas Hoot the owl stamps.  Yes, as shown by the big red arrows I've put on my card photo using Serif Craft Artist, there are two robins on the top of the post box.  I know a magnifying glass might be needed to see them, but they shrunk while I was making the card - honest!!!

The scope for the challenge this week at Bah! Humbug! is really enormous.  I can't wait to see what creations everyone comes up with and as Max is still banned from crafting due to her poorly arm checking out the latest creations really brightens her day.  She is storing up all the wonderful ideas for when she's finally allowed to craft again.

Thank you all for joining each week and sharingin your talent.

Ann xxx

Bah! Humbug! Day.,..Things that fly...

Well, okay normally when you think of Christmas cards and the subject of things that fly you might think of doves or angels or something along those lines, but no, normal things like that didn't enter my head.  I think in my case it's not a case of thinking outside the box, but more a question of living outside it!!!

Hmm, yes my card for our theme of 'Things that Fly' at Bah! Humbug! this week involves PLUTO!  He is flying - well it was that year that Father Christmas had flu and Mickey Mouse had to stand in at the last minute - you must remember that.  Laura (of 'it would be better in pink' fame) came into the craft room as I began working on this card.  Can you see the influence?  She insisted on black glitter card and really bright pink - eeeeeeeeeeeeeek - she has already requested this card to be saved to send to one of her friends.

Materials used...

• Cuttlebug Mickey Mouse die
• black glitter card, silver mirri card and pink pearlescent
• tiny stars - Nellie Snellen die
• black gems and black organza ribbon
• cuttlebug embossing folder - basket weave?
• silver peel off sentiment
• 8.5 x 8.5 card base

Additional Challenges

• Creative Card Crew - Fantasy
• KB Cute Monday Challenge - use glitter 
• Ooh La La Creations - Pink, pink and more pink
• Crazy 4 Challenges - Use dies

My second card for the Bah! Humbug! Challenge  of things that fly requires people to be really observant.  Yes it's a post box and yes it's a snowy scene, but check out the top of the post box.  Two ROBINS and they fly don't they? Oh my goodness by now you are probably thinking who let her on the Design Team?  LOL - I know that everyone of our fantastic participants at Bah! Humbug! will do a 100% better job than me.  I can't wait to see their cards, but maybe they will forgive me for my dippy entries this week.  Fingers crossed!  

Materials used...

• Cuttlebug embossing folder (basket weave?) 
• image and sentiment taken from magazine freebie from way back
• white, red and dark blue card
• silver ribbon and silver corner peel offs

Additional challenges...

• Two Sisters - Embossing
• Party Time Tuesday - Anything goes

Have a great Friday everyone and if you have time do pop over to Bah! Humbug! to check out the challenge.

Ann xxx

A very quick calender...

Whoops, I've been in Poundland again!  They have these really cool perspect frames in all different sizes supposed to be for photos, but basically you could frame anything in them.  The plastic is bent over at the bottom so you can stand them on a desk.  They are really easy to use as basically it's just a case of slipping your work in between the plastic layers and whatever you slide in can be changed really easily.

I bought a couple of small ones and have made a little House Mouse calender for March.  I've used a birthday image as for one thing it's my daughter's birthday in March and also I thought I hadn't got a Spring themed stamp. I've now found one, but I'll be able to use that for April so no worries.

Materials used...

• plastic frame from Poundland
• monthly calender found by Google and changed a little using Serif Craft Artist - also added some images for special events in the month
• House Mouse stamp
• pink/lilac reversable card
• border die by Cuttlebug
• Promarkers
• pink organza ribbon

Challenges...

• House Mouse and Friends Challenge - use your favourite stamp (sorry guys this isn't my all time favourite - I just couldn't choose - love them all!) 

Ann xxx

An Award...

I'm sure I've had this award a few months ago, but that doesn't stop me from being really pleased when several blogging buddies gave it to me over the last week or so.

Thank you all so much.  

The award involves posting 7 things about yourself and passing the award on to 7 more super cool bloggers.  Well, as I have done this one before I'm going to move straight on to the facts about myself and miss out the passing on part.  I do hope nobody will mind.

Here goes...

• I've just taken out my recycling bin and am really worried because nobody else on the avenue has.  So does that mean that they all know something I don't or was I so tired after work yesterday that I slept right through Tuesday?  It is Tuesday today isn't it?
• I love soppy romantic films.  I've just watched 'Letters to Juliet' - complete rubbish really but wow the scenery was fantastic and wouldn't it be wonderful if everything had a happy ending in real life as well ?
• I'm going to Scotland soon to stay with my wonderful friend and partner in crime at Bah! Humbug!  Can you imagine what a week that will be?
• I'm also going to the NEC in March, but I'm only going to look because I'm saving my pennies for Scotland.
• I love reading and have so many books that it's just unbelievable.  I'd quite like a Kindle, but am not going to buy one until I've read the 200+ books in the house so it might take quite a while and there may be something even more wonderfully techie out by then.
• Did I mention I was going to stay with Max in Scotland ?  Squeeeeeeeeel!
• I spend way too much time on the computer - blog hopping - forum checking and generally messing about.

Have a great Tuesday (?) everyone.

Love and hugs

Ann xxx

Spring is in the air...

Well okay that might be wishful thinking seeing as it's so cold at the moment that I'm still keeping the heating on day and night, but surely Spring can't be far away.  At least in Blogland we are beginning to see some 'Spring' themed challenges so that's got to a sign of better times ahead.

One of the challenges supporting 'Spring' at the moment is the fantastic Less is More Challenge blog.  Think I said last week how much I loved their creations and I'm really trying my best to look, listen and learn from their advice even though I do not find it easy at all.

I used Serif Craft Artist to plan the sentiment after finding the quote by Robin Williams on The Quote Garden. The layout looked perfect on the screen with the correct amount of space to add funky peel off silver flowers which I thought went with the party quote well.  However, after matting and layering on to silver mirri and black card I just couldn't live with the amount of white space on the right so after much head scratching I added a border.  Hmm,  does this still count as 'less is more' or is it teetering towards 'more is better'!?

Not to be beaten I printed the sentiment out on cheapo printer paper and played around with it.  Something I will definitely do in future as it was much easier to see what would work and what wouldn't'.

As I didn't want to waste the special shimmer white paper I printed the 5 x 5 square twice so that I could make two different coloured versions.  Another thing I found useful was cutting the peel off image out before peeling so that it could be positioned and planned out before sticking down.

I haven't any nice card that will go through my printer so am continuing to mat and layer, but am doing my very best to keep things simple, even if at times I feel like Julian (the one with the Craftology degree) on QVC!

It's a struggle!!!

Additional Challenges...

• Alphabet Challenge - Paper Piecing - peel off flowers were paper pieced on to the mat and layering card before being attached.
• Charisma Cardz Challenge - Spring has Sprung
• Creative Inspirations - Plain and Simple

Off to work soon so crafting will have to be put on hold.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend everyone.

Ann xxx