Penny Black Christmas

Finally I'm beginning to feel that I will live after all, before we went away for a few days I had been fighting a sore throat but while away a full blown cold developed and on the last day plans were changed because all I wanted was to go home. Still had a lovely time but I couldn't push myself any farther.
So lucky for me I've a few cards planned to post and this quick Penny Black Christmas card was one of them.
The papers are Doodlebug and the poinsettia are Marianne dies
Thank you for all the Birthday Wishes and cards which look so beautiful on my fireplace in the front room.

Sketch Saturday on Friday

I'm scheduling this card just in case but should be back home after a few days away but we're still celebrating its Hubby's birthday today. Yes we're both Libra its a wonder we ever decide anything seeing as Libra are suppose to be indecisive.
Anyway today's card is yet another Christmas card this time using a Sylvia Zet image, quite a few pieces to layer but worth it in the end.
The sketch is Sketch Saturday wasn't too sure when I saw it but I think it worked out OK.
I think its time I worked out how many Christmas cards I've made so far so I can stop making them.

Blog Hop

Whoo Hoo its time for another Blog Hop from Mo's Dream Team and this month its Gretha who has given us a theme of using an Animal on our Christmas cards.

So I decided on this chap, hope he forgives me for using Penny Black mice colours. This cute chap is called Bismark and you will find him here.
I sort of made the image too big but I hope he doesn't mind that I've chopped off his feet so it looks like he is inside a frame.
I've kept him quite simple since I made him too big and that bone takes over the card. I love using check and dots and I think it works.

So your should of started from Gretha but arrived to me from Julie. 

Now you need to Hop skip and jump to

Heidy

and remember you need to comment on everyone to be in with a chance to win 

a voucher to spend in Mo's store

You may have realised I'm not at home but should be sometime today but what better than a bit of me shopping before we do after all it is my Birthday.

Eerie

We have an amazing Eerie Board from Joy for this weeks challenge and there's plenty of different ideas to use.

Joy's Pinterest Inspiration Board :-)

So onto my card, we don't do much here in the UK for Halloween so I made a card which would work for someone whose Birthday is on or near Halloween. I've kept to the colours using Basic Grey Plumeria and my image is a Sarah Kay Gardens need many helpers although the spider was down to me.

Then it was a case of using the exclusive Simon Says Stamps Harrington vine die with the Memory box Wrought Iron Fench and Gate. Need some flowers so I used the Upsy Daisy from MFT

Now you should by now know what a wonderful prize there is from Simon Says Stamps but you do have to enter to be in with a chance.

Playing

Thought I'll show some Christmas that I was experimenting with while you wait for the 2pm deadline for the new Simon Says Stamp Challenge.
The first two are mostly Stampin Up with the exceptions of the Martha Stewart snowflake punch for the one above.

And the Holly Punch again from Martha Stewart to hide a dirty mark!

This one is using a Craft two embossing folder with the centre cut out and inside are three Marianne Christmas trees.

Baby Penquin

So dozy draws was suppose to post this card on Sunday to add to the Mojo Challenge last week but its too late now.
But it still deserves to be blogged. Don't you just love this cute Penquin by LOTV, quick to colour although I'm not good at black but since this is a baby penquin I can get away with grey!
Papers are out of check and gingham scraps bag and yes that could be MFT crochet border die yet again.

Pink

It's time for another challenge on Everybody Art Challenge and this week we're looking for some Bling we're also showcasing Kenny K images.
Now I'll be honest I'm not keen but that doesn't mean I don't understand why some people love them, if we all like the same things wouldn't blogging be boring. I actually have someone in the house who loves these images and this card has disappeared.
I actually love how I did her boots, yes each one of those straps were cut out and layered and she reminds me a bit of PINK but DD says she wears her hair shorter.
The papers are Teresa Collins and  used gems for the centre of flowers for my bit of bling. My parcel from Stampin Up arrived and inside was the new Butterfly punch which had to be used even if it wasn't appropriate.
I think I may get some more of these images which will please my DD no end.
Don't forget to check out the team and hope you can join us.

Wings Part Two

Yet another stupid idea for the Less is More wings challenge which meant several went in the bin and it was my determination that this card was made and not beat me.
Lots of cutting out masks, first the frame which I cut out the centre so I could blend the blue inside it. Then I had to cut a mask for the roses and the bird. Once all the images and colour was added to the inside of the frame I cute round it so I could add the words, I also had to replace the centre so the words would stamp inside.
Then it was a case of colouring the roses with my pencils, it needs a sentiment but that just isn't going to happen after all the time I spent to get it right.
The stamps I've used are all Stampin Up.

Wings

Not my favourite week at Less is More challenge, its One Layer week and the theme is Wings. It was while I was reading what types of wings on the challenge I had one of those lightbulb moments really wished I found the switch to turn it off. 

The first attempt landed in the bin, but the end result was pretty much how I thought it would be although the blue is a bit darker mainly because I'm a bit heavy handed.

So I first made the masks, the clouds were actually cut with a die so no stamping was required for them. Once the image was stamped and masked, along with the clouds and I had to masked the strip I wanted then it was a case of blending inks over the masks. 

I coloured snoopy in with Polychromos pencils, I probably went over twice with them so that I didn't need to use solvent and paper stumps cos I was sure that would have messed it up.

So I was pleased how it turned out but realised it needed a sentiment that was a scary moment, one slip of the hand and the card would have been messed up but for once it stamped beautifully and job was done.

Angel with Kitten

I'm not keen where I had to put this adorable Angel with Kitten from Mo Manning but I wanted to be able to see the snowflakes in the panel using the Martha Stewart Punch anyway punch and I had to fit the Memory box snowflake so it didn't impose over the the image.
I've used the Sweet Sketch Wednesday this week and I tried not to go to far from the sketch and kept it all simple.
Well its head down I've three cards to complete today and that a huge task for one who takes hours to make just one.

Puddy Cat

I saw what I thought was a nice and easy sketch on Sketch and Stash and it is but at some stage I needed to step away from the embellishments.
Being Saturday my image is a Penny Black one of my favourites but I have quite a few of them sometimes its hard to chose.
Papers are Lawn Fawn , the clouds Memory box and the daisies are MFT with Cheery Lynn leaves and let not forget the Martha Stewart border punch which I've used some dots for their centres. Then of course its the MFT border die for around the oval and lets not forget the Quickutz die for the corner, phew I think I'm finished.
Don't forget the challenge on Penny Black SaturdayChallenge which also has lovely easy sketch this month.
Need to make a few cards while I'm away, the forecast is not looking good especially as one of the days we wanted to go to Monkey World. May have to rethink that.

A little bit of Christmas

While uploading some pics I found this two both inspired by Pinterest. First of all I had to have a go at the Santa Owl using the Stamping Up Owl punch don't you just love him. Planning on making a few of them ideal for Hubby's workmates Christmas cards.

Then I just had to have a go at Snowman face with the top note die.

Geisha Girl

I couldn't resist these stamps from LOTV nor could I not stamp them up and colour them in asap but this one little one was made into a card.
The papers are MME and the sketch is from Sketch Saturday. Swirl is a Simon Says Stamps Exclusive die called Harrington Vine it's a perfect size for card and so delicate. The branch in the corner is from Memory Box and the flowers are a EK success punch.
A bit of lace with a yellow ribbon which the camera has picked up more than the rest of the card, the sentiment is LOTV too but I stamp first in versamark on the yellow card then cut out, then stamped again on white and cut from the inside black line so I have a yellow border.
Need to get up to date with DT cards since I'm away for a few days next week and not much will be getting done.

Saturated Canary

I've quite a few images coloured and this Saturated Canary was one of them just waiting patiently to be made into a card.
The sketch is suppose to be the Friday Sketch but it doesn't look anything like the sketch I copied.
Papers are Echo Park and my fence is MFT alone with the flourish. The tinky flowers are EK success punch and the leaves are cut up snowflakes.
Finished with a bit of ribbon and the cuttlebug corner.
I've such an exciting life I'm off to have a flu jab this afternoon and then being a bit of shopping.

Where the Heart is

Time for another challenge on Simon Says Stamps Challenge and this week is for Dies and Punches .

And the team are using the new Exclusive dies from Simon Says Stamps and I'm using Where the Heart is set, I brought the bundle so I get the dies but the matching stamps as well. I had such fun making the house. I paper pieced yellow paper so it looks like the lights are on and to make the spotty curtains. I cut out the house twice so my chimney is behind the eaves.

I had to used the windows to flower pots since this was the first thing I thought when I saw the window die. I even immediately made a card using them, you can find it here.
The trees are using the small forest tree and using the cricut to make skinny ovals for the back of them. I used Echo Park Happy Together papers and the Martha Stewart Icicle punch for grass. The clouds come in the house pack too but guess who forgot to stamp them.

Now don't forget there is a fabulous prize but you have to enter it to win it.

Do check out the team  and their gorgeous creations and I look forward to seeing the entries.

Silver Holly

Another card for the Less is More challenge this time I've used a Penny Black Snowflake and Holly stamp and I've embossed it with two different colours of silver. I've pearlescent silver and normal silver powder and using a spoon I used the pearlescent first which is on the mistletoe its a bit hard to see.

Once heated I added the red pearls on the holly, white on the mistletoe and a clear gem on the snowflake.

Here I just used the normal silver powder but stupid me put it on linen card which is a different shade of white but its done now.
I finally feel I done my best with the Silver challenge. I'll be back later 2pm with my Simon Says Stamps Challenge card.

Silver Baubles

The need to go back to the drawing board for the Less is More Silver Challenge  so this time I used an old Anita's bauble stamp.
I was doing Ok with the CAS till I had to emboss the a centre a panel which I originally thought to keep plain but then I embossed it and I had to use the pearls this folder simply cries out for them.
So by the time I added some silver bows and sentiment banner (with peel offs) maybe the LIM girls might think its too busy.
I've had an intermittent internet service from Mr Virgin lately appears there's a fault on the line but it's OK I now have a dougal!!!!!!!!!!!

Plump Fairy

We have a great sketch this week on Everybody Art Challenge but I have to be honest and I forgot to copy the placement of flowers on the sketch and mine are nothing like where they should be.
I love this Plump Fairy from Mo Manning you can find her in Mo's old shop as Fairy 3, love the other two but this one is my favourite.
The papers are Papermania and the perfect sentiment is from LOTV, the swirl is from MFT and so is the border round the circle. The butterfly are my Kars punch and the flowers out of my stash but I've pulled out the yellow centres since they didn't work on my card.
Lots of pearls and sparkle to finish.
Do pop over to Everybody Art Challenge and check out the gorgeous creations made by the team.

Sweet Sketch Wednesday

Apparently there are some Christmas Saturated Canary images but I only saw the baby which I knew I wanted and this one. As soon has I saw her ears I knew I had to have her although I'm not the best at colouring black but I don't think it turned out that bad.
The papers could be Craft Creations I have a baggy full of check and spots. I followed the sketch from Sweet Sketch Wednesday and kept it quite simple. Wish now I used spotty flowers but that might have been a bit too much on the spotty black paper.
My Mickey brads I've had in my stash for years and have been using them sparingly but I think this image deserved it.

Less is More

I was going to load this earlier but I've just tidy my room after completing 19 Christmas cards they were what I call Clean and Simple and what I also call conveyor belt crafting which I hate.
So back to my Less is More card, the challenge calls for Silver and yes that is Silver embossing but my camera is giving it a yellow tinge.
I cut a square template with a nestability to place over my white card so I could stamp and distress it, inside the square and then stamped the large tree to one side after the template was removed using a stamp a jig.
I was pleased how it turned out then I've seen some of the marvellous silver cards that are being loaded on the challenge so back to the drawing board.