Oh my goodness ... an award...

Oh my goodness how special is this?  Cat at Catnaps Jewelry gave me this award and said 'I chose sites that inspire me and yours is one' - oh my how wonderful to have that said about your blog.  Thank you so much Cat - I really appreciate that comment and the award.

Now there are a few rules to this award.
Thank the person who sent it to you ~ yep done that.
Tell Us 7 things about yourself ~ yep done that.
Send/Reward this to 15 bloggers ~ oooooooooooh will have to get my thinking cap on.

1. I am a mother a soon to be Grandma and responsible for my mum who needs someone to remember things for her.
2. I love creating things and for the last ten years or so papercraft and rubber stamping have completely taken over my creative time.
3. I really want to get into Scrapbooking more - have the papers and albums just need to shake myself and get going?
4. I am addicted to red wine.
5. I love holidays and am always ready to book another.
6. I have some very special friends and I couldn't survive without their love and laughter.
7. I love soppy films and can cry at the drop of a hat.

Here's my list of inspiring blogs...

Joanne at Ambrosia and Iron
June at Yorkie Lover
Debbie at Wiccababe
Claire at Waltzingmouse Makes
Helen at Fiddle Fart
Mel at Mel Stamps

oh my goodness 15 is a lot to link and I am running out of time so I will be back later with more super talented crafters.

Ann xxx

Bah! Humbug! Day ... Cards to make you giggle!

 

Ooooooooooooh this week my first two cards for our challenge at Bah! Humbug! are quite hot stuff - maybe too hot!  I do hope nobody will be offended by my fun take on our theme of 'Cards to make you smile or giggle'.  Both of my cards certainly made Max smile when she saw them and Laura has already ear marked both of them as ones to send to her friends next Christmas.   

I must come clean and say that at one stage we, the devilish duo at Humbug Hall, had it in mind to post a pretend challenge entitled 'Naked Men'.  It was to be our very own April Fool's Day joke, but in the end we decided that it might be a little bit too naughty even for us. 
My first card uses a photo taken from a newpaper article some years ago which I imported into Serif Craft Artist to add the holly in the appropriate places.  Tartan backing paper by Kanban and a computer generated sentiment 'Have a jolly holly Christmas' completes the card.

 

My second card is even more raunchy.  I think staying with Max in the Scottish wing of Humbug Hall has had a bad influence on me because I don't usually do cards like this!  Honest!!  On this card I used the same photo, but printed it on photo card and then stamped and cut out little Christmas hats to cover the parts that needed covering.  Eeeeeeeek! 

My last card for this week's challenge features another cutie with no clothes on!  Don't panic, as this time it's my favourite Christmas House Mouse and the Santa hat is firmly placed on his head and not covering any other body parts. 

This guy always makes me smile and the thought of him eating so much sherry trifle that he's got a permenant smile and very wobbly legs is such a lovely thought I had to incorporate it onto my card.  The backing paper is from the new Joanna Sheen CD which features papers and inserts to use alongside House Mouse stamps.  I imported the backing paper into Serif Craft Artist and used the tools in that programme to make my inner frame and added the words too before printing out.  As most of the layers are done in Craft Artist Programme and printed this card is flat enough to escape the cost of a large letter stamp, but having said that I do like the depth given by 'real' matting and layering and would, if I was doing the card again do it differently.

My cards are also for the challenges at...

•  For Fun Challenges - Christmas
• Christmas Card Challenges - no stamping- first two cards
• Sentimental Sunday - Cute and Cuddly - the mouse of course!!!
• Crafty Ann's Challenge - Elvis Song - 'Santa Clause is back in town'
• Rainbow Lady's Challenge - A night at the movies - 'The Full Monty'

Have a wonderful weekend everyone.  Sadly I will be heading home tomorrow after spending a whole week with my dear friend Max in Scotland.  Having looked forward to this for so long I can't believe the week has passed by so quickly.  Thank goodness she will be coming to stay in Yorkshire before the end of the year.
Ann xxx
                                          

Bah! Humbug! Challenge ... Christmas Trees...

Wow a really easy peasy week at Bah! Humbug! this time.  Christmas Trees - how much scope is there in that theme?  For my card I used a Dreamweaver brass stencil, embossed it using my Big Shot and then coloured using ink dusters and shades of green Adirondack ink with a touch of yellow for the star and brown for the base.  The strip of green in the lower part of the card was scored on my Scor pal and then pleated.  I attached it using Pinflair to give the pleats support.

Spotty paper by DCWV I think!

Additional challenges...

• CCEE Stampers - Create a Christmas Card
• Crafty Purple Frog - Green
• Some Odd Girl - Pleat Something

Have a great day everyone.  I'm off to the NEC so I'm really excited.  Do try to pop over to Bah! Humbug! if you have chance.  It's the last week for our Guest Designers and they have really gone out with a bang.  Their contributions this week are totally mind blowing.

Ann xxx