Basic Grey Challenge - 13 - Aperture (Wassail papers)

Basic Grey's challenge this week is apertures. This posed me a dilemma before I had even started, what shape of aperture, what size, where to put it.
I've been thoroughly 'wishy washy' all week and am putting down to that 'flu bug that's going around. I haven't gone down with it but have been feeling pretty ropey all week. The outcome of this indesiciveness is I ended up with two cards, which is a little silly as they are more or less alike. Still, looking on the bright side - that's another Christmas card done.

I used teenage Lizzie as the main image on the outside and used the Cuttlebug Winter House folder on the inside which I glittered with Stickles. The image is coloured with a mixture of watercolours and Prismas. The use the Snowflake die as centre of the flowers and the rest is from stash.

inside


For the second card I chose Tilda & Edwin's Mistletoe kiss, which I coloured with Prismas. The leaves are cut with a Leone Em punch, the sentiment is a rub-on and the rest is from stash.

Inside

Penny Black & Sketch Saturday challenges

I used the super sketch from Sketch Saturdy and the no patternded paper from the Penny Black challenge.

I used core-dinations cardstock, embossed the darker piece with the cuttlebug snowflake folder and distressed it with a sanding block. My 'choir' is coloured in watercolours. The sentiment is a rub-on and brads, spacers, ribbon and charm

are from stash

Daring Cardmakers, Stamp Something challenges and more

I decided it was time to really concentrate on getting quite a lot of Christmas cards made and to forget challenges for a couple of days. Day 1 - four cards made - one relegated to the bin (how pathetic is that). Day 2 was slightly more successful and imagine my joy when I realized two of these cards fit challenges.

This first card is for Daring Cardmakers whose brief this week is white with a hint of pink (I wondered why I's bought these pink poinsettas). I decided to do some round cards with tags at the top so they could be hung up if desired, although they do stand on their own. The white cs is embossed with the Cuttlebug snowflakenfolder and I used my Leone Em punch on heat embossed silver paper to accent the flower and a rub-on greeting.

This second card is for The Stamp Something challenge - to use something black.

I stamped the PSX snowflake with Versamark ink and used Stampendous Disco black powder to heat emboss it. The white circle is embossed with the Cuttlebug snowflake folder, the bc is from my 'use-it-up' box and the greeting is a rub-on.

These a few more of what I managed to accomplish, I dread to think how many more times I have to do this. None of these cards have photographed well due to my use of mirri card, Christmas being about the only time I use it.

Basic Grey DT request

Basic Grey are looking for DT members, I don't anticipate getting a post, but certainly won't if I don't try and what have I got to lose?

I made this card using Martine's fabulous sketch at the weekend, emailed it to Martine and then forgot to post it (silly me). I used the beautiful Basic Grey Eva papers and used the gorgeous Whiff of Joy Lizzie with muff image. I used my faithfull watercolours, used Stickles on the muff, earwarmers and boots.

Daring Cardmakers

This card is for a Sam, a blogging and SBS21 friends birthday so I couldn't post it before I knew she had recieved it. The BP a is some given to me by a friend, so haven't a clue who they are by. I paper peiced Willow's chair with the same paper and watercoloured Willow . I used the cuttlebug to cut out the Sizzix swirl and the HOTP foldback template to make the flower. The sentiment is computer generated. I kept the whole card in muted colours so that Willow would 'Pop' even though she, herself is coloured in gentle colours.

Note to self: stop photographing cards at night (even though I have a daylight lamp) they lose some of their impact and look faded.

Double Dutch challenge

This Double Dutch challenge is a sketch one, a little daunting I thought when I first saw it, but it turned out to be most enjoyable. I used Basic Grey Granola papers and use the Martha Stewart punch on the middle downwards strip. I thought this looked a little 'bare' so I inked the edges and I must say I love the result and will certainly be doing that again. The Whiff of Joy image is coloured with watercolours, I accented the 'fur' with modelling paste and stickles. Flowers, eyelet, ribbon and gems are all from stash. The sentiment from my use it up box.

WOWEE What a Wonderful Award

Update: I have now been given this award another twice by the talented
TaraG and Kirsten a 'bloggy' mate from Docrafts.

Thank you both Sarah and Sharon, to receive this award twice, from two charming blogger friends (check out their blogs - brilliant!) is double heartening and rewarding.

The sentiment behind this award is truly amazing.

This is it:

This blog invests and believes the PROXIMITY - nearness in space, time and relationships!These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind blogger's aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight blogger's who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.What a wonderful sentiment and an elegant award.

Now I have to pass it on to 8 people, so difficult with all the friends I've made out there. Anyway, this is the 8 I chose:

Chrissie
De
Ann
Debbie
Sam
Laura
Tiff
Sarita

I have tried to pass this award to friends who don't already have it. If you have it already - tough - you've got it twice.

Magnolia vs Stampavie challenge

I knew exactly what I wanted to do when I saw this challenge, but could I do it - no. Things would not go together how I wanted them to. The texture I used is mainly embossing. I embossed the background with the cuttlebug 'Winter house' folder on white vellum that had glitter dots on it and the tree onto Basic Grey which I distressed. Behind Edwin & Tilda I used ripped and torn mulberry paper as snow, the 'ice' that they are skating on is glossed with some stuff that is that old it's lost it's label. I used modelling clay on the fur bit of their coats and added Stickles to Tildas. I added some felt snowflakes but didn't like them - so off they came and I finished it with a satin ribbon bow and a small holographic snowflake and a greeting which I'm not happy about. This will come off and replaced when I decide what to use.

House Mouse challenge 15 (Polka Dots)

Another wonderful challenge from the
House Mouse team - Polka dots. I love polka dots and have so many different ones (digital downloads) my only problem was which to use. I used a tried and tested layout but altered it slightly by adding rounded corners. I love this 'Bunny bath' image and decided to paper piece it with some 'wood' paper I have and I used a silver gel pen to colour the metal rings on the barrel (bath). the BP are from Free Digital Scrapbooking and flowers, ribbons and brads from stash.

A card for Cathy's daughter Ellie who is to have her tonsils out a week before her 4th birthday. I used one of the new winter Tildas and use mixed media to colour her (watercolours and copics) - now I can't find my copics (and I haven't got that many). I think this means my crafting space is due for a good old tidying up. I used the Martha Stewart die to edge the papers from
Digital Scrapbook Art added some flowers bought in Germany and brads, ribbons and beads from stash. I cut Ellie's name using the cuttlebug Harmony alphabet and highlighted it with a white gel pen (also missing with copics)

Ignore this post - I'm just getting things off my chest!!!

I returned home from Germany on Monday, and what a disastrous time I've been having. First I couldn't open my vestibule door to get at my mail - it was jammed shut - I had to 'jemmy' it open, now I need a new handle for it. When I did - OK there were a few goodies, but the amount of paper work waiting was unbelievable, (I'd only been away a fortnight for goodness sake).

When I opened my front door the handle came off in my hand, the door had swollen so much whilst I was away. I loaned my plane out to someone who hadn't returned it, so off I went to buy another, to plane down the door and then re-varnished it.

There was a message on my answering machine from my accountant wanting my yearly accounts - ooops!! I lost them when my computer was giving me problems earlier in the year and hadn't caught up.

My prize for my Basic Grey challenge has 'gone missing' in the post and the PO attitude frankly left a lot to be desired. Haven't given up on this one yet though.

Everytime I try and leave a comment on someone's blog my stupid computer tells me 'Internet Explorer cannot display this Webpage' - several attempts later I usually get there - but this is so time consuming. Apologies to all for my missing comments.

By Saturday I was just about losing the will to live, but being the eternal optimist - I'm thinking - New Week - New Start.

(LOL - I'm beginning to see the funny side of all this now I've written it all down.)

Penny Black, Basic Grey & Sketch Saturday challenges

How thrilled was I when I got home from work, looked at the three challenges and realized how well they would fit together. Penny Black is 'Funky Christmas'. using funky images or colours whilst Basic Grey is embossing. I followed the sketch for Sketch Saturday. I used Basic Grey papers - Granola and embossed the top left & bottom right with Provo crafts snowflake folder which I distressed.

I had thought to use core-dinations for the distressing, but was thrilled with how well it worked on the BG paper. I stamped the two outside, one inside snowflake, the greeting and sentiment with metallic blue ink, and heat embossed them using pearl blue embossing powder. Hedge is coloured in watercolours and his scarf finished with twinkling H2O's. The snowflakes and snowballs on the image are rub-ons from my 'Use-up' box. I finished it with a holographic snowflake and ribbon bow from stash.

Stamp with Stampavie

This week's Stamp with Stampavie is a wonderful sketch by Sandra. As I had an anniversary card to make for a forum friend I decided to combine the two. I love these little Stampavie owls which I managed to get whilst in Germany. I have watercoloured them and used HOTP 'Icy Rainbow' papers. The hearts were cut on the cuttlebug, the sentiment is a peel off due to my computer being out of ink when I returned home from holiday - could this perchance be one, or both of teenage grandsons - I think so. (Teenage boys are horrible - but I love 'em anyway). The rest from stash. It's just a pity I assembled this card upside down - derrr.... now I will have to Chop the front off and stick it to another card. It's not the first time I've done this and I don't suppose it will be the last.

Penny Black challenge - week 23 - Monocromatic

The Penny Black challenge this week is Monochrome.
I've always fancied doing Modesty in black and white but now I have I don't think I like it. I wasn't going to post it, but thought I've spent that much time doing it - get it posted. Should have done what I intended to do originally. Can't say much more about this really - the image is coloured in watercolours, the black paperis embossed, but doesn't show on the photograph. Gems ribbon and brad

from stash.

House Mouse challenge 14 (All about Christmas)

Easy this week - I thought. Hah !! - why do I do it - make things difficult for myself, that is. I got this roll of leaves and thought - great a wreath, fasten some red beads to it and there we go. Now came the problem of how to

fasten it all together. After several attempts I resorted to the old favourite - silicone glue which takes forever to dry. I used Making Memories paper - Poinsetta stripe Falala, edged this with Spellbinders small squares cut diagonally and added dewdrops which look pink, not red in the photograph. Photographing this card was difficult as the wreath put a shadow on the poor little mice. After taking a dozen or more photos. I gave up a chose the best one, which is slightly crooked, but I didn't care by this point in time. Now on posting this I have realised I haven't put a greeting on it, this I'm afraid will have to wait.

Magnolia vs Stampavie challenge

This week is a sketch challenge. I used one of the new Winter/Christmas Tildas and watercoloured her, I used a modelling paste on the 'furry' bits of her coat and hat (couldn't think what else to use) and glittered them. The snowflakes I picked up in Germany (why didn't I get more?). The greeting is a peel off I've had for years (part of my using up campaign) and the papers are a download from Free Digital Scrapbooking. And - guess what - I used my Martha Stewart Doily Lace punch.
The inside of the card without a greeting as yet

AT LAST !!!

After 3 months of waiting I've finally got my Martha Steward Lace Doily punch. The first one I ordered set off but never arrived. This problem took some sorting out I can tell you - fortunately I paid by Paypal and they took over the problem and I think it is finally sorted. When I re-ordered it was out of stock so I had to wait. Whilst I was on holiday I received a 'phone call (on my mobile) from an agency working for HM customs asking me what was in the packet as it didn't say on the outside, and customs wouldn't release until they knew. It was delivered whilst I was away, so when I 'tracked' it just said 'delivered'. A neighbour had signed for it and eventually when she realized I was home brought it round. Phew!!! It's become a 'treasured' possession - so be warned - you'll probably see it on every card a make from now on.

Spoonful of Sugar and Our Creative Corner challenges

The Spoonful of Sugar challenge this week is 'Flowers' and the OCC challenge is silhouettes. This is a card I did for a friend who likes watercolours and I used the Inque Boutique silhouette stamps so happily this card suits both challenges. I lightly inked the stamps with watercolours and then used a brush to add shadow and depth. I used the cuttlebug textile embossing folder which I distressed with both grey and mauve inks.

Bais Grey (Granola), SketchSaturday and Daring Card Makers challenges

The challenge at Basic grey this week is 'One for the Boys' which fit in nicely for the sketch at Sketch Saturday this week and Daring Cardmakers bird theme also fit in with the Basic Grey male theme. I use BG Granola papers and one of Inkadinkdoo's winter birds, which is watercoloured. I didn't want to use flowers so I edged the image (which looked a little bare) with some brown sparkly twigs from a Christmas decoration. The photographs are not very good - I think my camera must be suffering grom jet lag. I should say it's good to be home - but it's not.

Double Dutch Challenge 5

The Double Dutch Challenge this week is a 'Don't be a square - be a Triangle'. This was great fun - the tutorial on how to make the triangle is on the blog and is actually a box. I used a Tilda image and watercoloured her. The papers are from the Vita Bella Collection. I didn't have any matching blue flowers so I made two from the HOTP fold back swirls template and finished them with a pearl brad. I added liquid pearls to the scalloped edge and added a ribbond and charm at the top. Oh! nearly forgot - the sentiment - well, say no more - hand written - I'm not happy with it and will change it as soon as I am able to.

I'VE BEEN TAGGED

I've been tagged by one of my docraft/blogging friends Laura

It's a nice way to find out a bit about your favourite bloggers, so these are the rules. You have to link to the person who tagged you and list the rules on your blog.Then answer the five questions and tag five people. Add links to their blogs, and let them know they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Things I Love
1. Family and friends
2. My little rescue kitten Chester (well - not so much a kitten any more)
3. Card making & stamping (except when Mojo insists on going missing)
4. Laughing
5. My computer - alot of my friends are in there

Things I Hate
1. Bad manners
2. Drivers who are always in a hurry and try to push others around (bad manners again)
3. People who think rules are for other - not them
4. My little rescue kitten when he decides it's time to play in the middle of the night.
5. Wet dog - it stinks!!

Music on iPod or Playlist
1. Cascada
2. Boyz II Men
3. Luther Vandross
4. George Benson
5. And a load of rubbish I mean to get rid of but never get round to it (Lol)

Fav Foods/Drinks
1. Lobster Thermidor (needless to say I don't get it very often)
2. Garlic soup (I know - but it's good for you - kills all germs)
3. Avocados (my favourite fruit/veg)
4. Verve Clicquot (don't get this very often either)
5. Draught Guiness with a dash of lime (Champagne and guiness mixed - 'black velvet' is pretty good too).

Now the difficult bit - who to pass this onto who hasn't already had it. I will think on this one.

Kreativ Blogger Award

Thanks Ann I'm honoured and delighted to receive this award. Check out Ann's blog - apart from creating some amazing cards, she usually gives me a good giggle as well.

Now for the rules for this award ..........

1. The winner may put the logo on their blog (proudly displayed)
2. Put a link to the person who sent you the award.
3. Nominate 5 blogs and put links to their blogs.
4. Leave a message for your nominees

I choose :-

1. Erica
2. Julie
3. Sarita
4. Laura
5. Alex

House Mouse Challenge 13 (Use your junk)

This week's House Mouse is to use 'junk' - a bit difficult as I didn't think to bring any junk with me on holiday. I had to resort to searching my son's place for junk. Many an argument followed - what I said was junk, he said wasn't. That's OK - I waited until he went to work and found a plant pot on the kitchen windowsill - no plant - just some grit in the bottom. He'd already told me that it could be used again - Yeah - it was there in June when I was there and still hadn't been used - that's junk in my book.

I used a sketch by Jacqueline created for Friday Sketchers a couple of weeks ago, which I love. I used Basic Grey papers and watercoloured the image I then added the 'grit' at the bottom, securing it with silicone glue.

This is the second attempt at this ard - I really didn't like the first one but am quite happy with the way this one turned out.

Friday Sketchers & Magnolia vs Stampavie Challenges

I used the Friday Sketchers sketch and the Magnolia vs Stampavie

conditions of three colours only. Most of the papers I brought with me seemed to have more than three colours so I was somewhat limited in choice, and used Basic Grey Lilykate. The image is watercoloured and the sentiment a Rayher laser cut, which I had to colour and am not entirely happy with but was again limited by having no printer available.

Saturday Sketchers, Basic Grey (Mellow) & Daring Cardmakers Challenges

I managed three challenges in one with this card, which is good as Basic Grey and Daring Cardmakers both wanted the dreaded glitter on their cards.

I usually just manage to glitter myself and the Chester (my cat) and he doesn't seem to care. I didn't have any glitter with me but Gesa (my son's girlfriend) said she had some at her mother's house and as we were going there to eat she suggested I 'glittered' there. It ended up all over my face and the kitchen - everyone laughed and thought it was funny, but we all know what glitter is like, I have visions of them going to work today covered with green glitter.

Eeek - how embarrasing!!

I used the Sketch Saturday layout and Basic Grey papers Mellow and glittered the flowers and leaves. I watercolour the image and highlighted it with Stickles (much more Heather-friendly) and finished off with a peel-off sentiment which again I glittered. I'm having problems with sentiments here in Germany - the only available computer is at Paul's work and I'm not sure about putting German sentiments on my cards.

I Love Your Blog award !!!!

I have been given the fabulous "I love your blog" award from the lovely
Alex

Check out her blogs, it really is inspirational! Thank you so much Alex.
The rules say I have to give this to 7 people and as there are so many great blogs it was very difficult to decide... I chose:

Eileen (aka Ikki)

Eija

Ann
Tiff

Els G

the House Mouse Challenge blog

The Last one I'm leaving open to anyone who visits and hadn't had this award - please help yourself.

Something Different

I thought I'd show you a few photographs of CELLE, the town I am staying in in Germany. I did want to photograph the Ratzkeller (Town hall) it is the most beautiful building, but for some reason it was wrapped in polythene (it was - honestly I'm not joking). The top right hand picture is the Italian Ice cream Parlor (you should see the menu - wow). The bottom right hand picture is the oldest building in town (1539).

Elaines Blog Candy

Elaine's Blog candy
If there is anybody out there that hasn't seen Elaine's Blog candy then you must have a peek here. Wow what fabulous candy on offer. Pro markers. Very generous Elaine, I'm sure you will start the winner off on a new craze. LOL.

Stamp with Stampavie - 18

Stamp with Stampavie's challenge this week is a sketch by Jay Jay. I used Basic Grey Wassail papers and watercoloured the image. The sentiment is hand written and the flowers, brads and ribbon are from stash.

A Spoonful of Sugar & Arty Girlz challenges.

A Spoonful of Sugar is a sketch challenge this week to which I added the Arty Girlz brief of something hand drawn.

I like a challenge that pushes me in a direction which I would not normally go. I decided to be brave and hand draw the main image. I wouldn't normally have used these colours (I think I would have preferred blues) but had to work with what I have here in Germany. I chose Christmas as the theme and dicided to sketch a little eskimo girl. Not being overly brave I used pencil and a watercolour wash. I lightly 'Stickled' the fur and her snowball. She turned out rather bigger than I had intended but I decided I could live with that. The papers I've had forever and brads, flowers and ribbon are from stash. Overall I'm pleased with the final result, although it's photogrphed a little dark - probably the fog we've had in Germany since I have arrived.

House Mouse Challenge - #12 - a Recipe

My second posting from Germany. The most difficult part of this is working on a strange computer with programmes I'm not used to. Unfortunately the photographs are not brilliant -they are somewhat blurred.

This weeks' House Mouse challenge is a recipe - ribbon, 2 buttons, felt and a scalloped edge. The main problem I had with this was finding felt. I had to search the local town - there is only one small craft shop which doesn't have a fantastic amount of card making materials - however I did manage to find some felt, which I cut and used as the base of the flowers.

I made a cross over card and scalloped the triangular edges. I added flowers to either corner and used buttons tied with ribbon as the centres. The image is coloured with watercolours.

Inside

Back

Magnolia meets Stampavie Challenge 1

This is the first of the new merged challenges sites. It would have been more enjoyable had I been at home and not in Germany working with limited resources. I used Basic Grey Lilykate papers and coloured Tilda with watercolours. Brads & flowers from stash and ribbon bought at local shop here.

Basic Grey-challenge-9 (Ambrosia papers) & Sketch Saturday

Christmas is the theme for this weeks Basic Grey challenge. I used Coco's sketch for Sketch Saturday. I am thoroughly enjoying making Christmas cards in unusual colours this year. I used a PSX snowflake stamp and heat embossed it with Gold Tinsel powder, cut it out and layered it on tht center circles. The snowflake eyelet in the center was silver, so I heat embossed this with Gold Tinsel powder also (wasn't sure whether this would work - but it did) I layered snowflake acetate over the two larger circles but this doesn't really show on the photograph. Everything else from stash.