Debby's Challenge - top 5/6 of the year!!

Firstly I'd like to wish all of you the Happiest of New Year's, may it bring you all that you could wish for yourselves wrapped in peace, love, joy and laughter.

As Debby said in her post - who's idea was it to choose 5 - hah - in the post below are some almost 'rans' I hadn't realized how many cards I made this year that I actually like. Perhaps next year we could have 12 - one for each month.
I've been preparing this post since Christmas Eve and it hasn't been easy. I have tried to choose a selections of different styles.
Why don't you pop along to Debby's and join in the fun.

A tent card - I have done them previously but not so detailed, getting the stamping on the inside to match the cut heart on the outside and piercing the image to hang straight was a major feat of engineering to me. 

It is HERE

This is another that turned out better than I had anticipated, it was my daughter's birthday card and it is HERE

Another first - here I tried making my own heart buttons,  other than that I just like this one - it's HERE

This was my first attempt at a four drawer box and it just went together a dream and I loved the finished result - perhaps my all time favourite of the year - this you will find HERE

I consider myself to be useless at Clean and Simple, but here somewhat miraculously this turned out well and I really like it and HERE it is.

I do so  love vintage and the beautiful Maribel from Stempelglede - this is one that turned travelled from head to paper perfectly

for a change - you'll find it HERE

My Also almost Made the top 5/6 cards

These are the cards I really didn't want to leave out of my top 5 list, but many are similar and I wanted to choose different styles.

This one started as a huge ooooops - I made the card upside down (again!!) and had to turn it into an easel card to rectify this.
And HERE it is

This was my GDT card for Just Magnolias 1st birthday hop - I love this Tilda in tulle skirt and I like the way the champagne glasses and bubbles around the edge of the image turned out.

I love all Mo's images but this was perfect for my ex's daughter's daughter#s 1st birthday - I'm not very good with yellows and oranges but happy with how this turned out and it is HERE

Here I tried inking the embossing folder before embossing the paper - I had little hope of it turning out well, but surprise, surprise it did. The background of the image is brayered another technique I enjoy and I loved the way the parasol turned out. 
The full post is HERE

Oh I do love my mousies - this one was a DT card the challenge being monochrome - I wasn't sure mousies with chocolate M&M's rather than jelly beans would work - but it did.

HERE

This was my first attempt a colouring dark skin and I was pretty pleased how it turned out. You can find the post HERE

Don't as why  - I just like the way this turned out

HERE

A Copic Creations DT card - the challenge was again monochrome. Katie from Paper Makeup stamps provided me with this stunning image and I was delighted with the results.

HERE

I love this fabulous image from Dewdrop Craftz and this one was for my grandson's birthday - I'm happy to say he was thrilled with it.

HERE

Simon Says - It's Time to Party

We hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and had fun with your family and friends.

Thank you so much to everyone who joined in with our "Anything Goes" challenge at Simon Says Stamp challenge over the festive period, we had an amazing amount of entries. The lucky winner will be announced shortly.

This week, our challenge is TIME TO PARTY/CELEBRATE !

Our amazing DT member Domi, gave us a fabulous bottle card template for us to play with 

When it's time to party it's time to bring out the champagne in my book so I  used Domi's fabulous template.

I used a plain green cardstock, printed the template onto it, cut it out then sprayed all over with with Pearl Glimmer Mist, I had a few oopsies with the gold top - I tried pearlized card, gold foil cardstock but eventually found some gold tissue paper in my stash which was perfect, perfect that is until the glue dried and left wrinkles in the tissue. I coated it randomly with Gold Stickles and when these dried found that the wrinkles looked fabulous - sort of authentic.  I wrapped a black ribbon around the neck of the bottle and coated the edges with gold Stickles. The image is the House Mouse Olive a Party which is coloured with Copics and the streamer coated in Stardust Stickles - the corners are stamped with an old, old Basic Grey stamp and the image is matted onto some gold glitter papers then some black.

I used round Spellbinders round nestabities, both plain and scalloped for the 'seal' and added a rose from my stash.

Here is a close up of the little party mouses.

I tried to replicate a bottle of Moet, thought I had one in the cupboard but no - a bottle of Verve Cliquot, a bottle of Bollinger - no Moet so I'm hoping my memory served me well!!

Here we have Domi's fabulous template, I do hope you give it a go - it's so easy and such fun!!

The winner this week will win a $50 shopping spree in the Simon Says Stamp Store - what an amazing prize !!

A 'Sneak Peek' for Create4Fun

Well I've never been so disorganized in all my life as I have been this Christmas, I'm blaming the snow that caught me out by arriving so early, I normally sail through Christmas preparations but would you believe I still have cards I've been unable to post. Next year I shall shift my routine forward by 2/3 weeks into mid-November. Apart from one day we've had snow every day since the beginning of December, just hope it doesn't last into March like it did last year!!

I've managed to put a card together today - I've a few of the absolutely gorgeous Lili of the Valley 'Sneak Peeks' coloured up and decided it was time to use them on cards. This adorable little cutie is from the Little Fairies Set (all equally adorable) and is called Dandelion Clock - isn't she  gorgeous?
There are 20 new images, including the beautiful Molly Harrison fairies and they will be available from 11th January.

 Dandelion Clock is coloured with Copics and her skirt and wings glittered with Stardust Stickles and then cut out with round Nesties.

I followed the fantastic sketch at Create4Fun and used DCWV Linen Closet papers. The borders are cut with a MS punch and the leaves with a Crealies die. The flowers are some I picked up locally and the pearls are by Kaisercraft.

A close up of the image showing the stickling a little better.


Hope you've all had a brilliant Christmas - mine was great - I eventually managed to find the English ingredients to provide my German guests with a typical English Christmas dinner, although there were a few oopsies - (wouldn't be me without) - a finger burnt on the oven, a finger cut with ice trying to force my dustbin open and last, but certainly not least, Stilton soup shot all over the kitchen inc. self whilst I was blending it. 

My Favourite 5 Favourite Christmas cards from 2010

The lovely Debby has challenged us to post our 5 favourite Christmas cards of 2010, not only that she has candy for the randomly chosen winner - what are you waiting for?

Well Debby here we go - in no particular order  -

1

Because I loves my 'mousies'

2

I also love my little hHanglar girls

 3

I also love white cards and this one was such a dream to create

 4

This one is a tea-light card which I also loved creating and turned out so much better than anticipated

5

I realise I'm choosing the ones that were a sheer delight to create -

 Mousies again

6

My favourite ever WOJ image - I couldn't possibly leave out Willow with lantern

Hm.............I know there are 6 (I had about 8 there originally) - what I would like you all to do is tell me the number of the card I should eliminate so that the lovely Debby doesn't disqualify me.
I have noticed how 'blue' I am this year - really need to get out of this habit.

Hm.............I know there are 6 - what I would like you all to do is tell me the number of the card I should eliminate so that the lovely Debby doesn't disqualify me.

I Hope you all have an amazing Christmas filled with lots of fun, love and laughter.

Simon Says - Anything Goes

On behalf of all the Design Team members, and staff at Simon Says Stamp, we would like to wish you and your family a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! We wish you all love, laughter, happiness and good health in 2011.

We are making it easy on you this week as I'm sure you are all busy and crafting time will be at a premium, but perhaps you'll get some crafting goodies in you stocking you can't wait to play with.

This is another one of my favourite Magnolia's - Tilda & Edwin Skating and I stamped and coloured them with Copics then cut them out out and placed them infront of the Magnolia scene Winter Nights. The paper is Magnolia and Simon Says Stamp store has a fabulous selection of these wonderful papers - I love the quality of these, they're really great to work with. The border is cut with a Martha Stewart Punch round the page punch - there is fabulous selection in store and they just get more and more beautiful. The snowflakes are cute with Spellbinders Create a Flake which appear to be out of stock at the moment but just take a look at this die Snowflake die another item on the wish list - I love the variety this little die has.

I used acetate for the snowflakes and coated them with Diamond Dust, something I did a lot last year but haven't done much at all this one. The sentiment is an old, old one of unknown origin and the ribbon, charm and pin with beads are all from my stash. Practically everything is liberally coated with the indispensible Stardust Stickles

Tilda & Edwin Skating

Martha Stewart Punches

Diamond Dust

Stardust Stickles

This week the lovely Heidi will provide the with an amazing $50 Shopping Spree at SIMON SAYS STAMP SUPERSTORE!!!! 

Creat4fun and a 'Sneak Peek'

I've followed the fabulous sketch at Create4fun and my image is a Sneak Peek of one of the delightful images that will be released by Lili of the Valley images to be released in January. This one is called 'Together for Ever' as the sentiment suggests, there are some absolutely adorable 'Little Fairies' along with the beautiful Molly Harrison fairies and some fabulous inspirational sentiments.

I can't tell you how thrilling it was to create something other than a Christmas card - although I suspect you're all feeling the same way by now. Enough of the white stuff, ice and icicles outside - don't need it in here.

It was a sheer delight to colour this gorgeous image, I used Copics and cut out the image with Spellbinders curved rectangles. The lemon papers is from Bearly Mine Designer Vol III and the blue from Donna's Vintage download collection. The patterned paper is Basic Grey's Lilykate. The leaves and flowers are all cut with Crealies dies and the sentiment cut with Spellbinder heart nesties.
I've actually decorated the inside but such a lousy dark photograph I didn't bother. This one and my New Year's resolution (when we get there is to have each card totally finished and ready for the off, box made as well if necessary - wonder how long that one will last before time gets the better of me again!!
Another resolution is to search out some bulbs for my light tent!!

House Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge.

I really must apologise for the lateness of this post and my lack of commenting this past week. Crafting and blogging have sadly ground to a halt whilst I sort my Christmas out.

I'm stuck without a car as I can't get winter tyres for it here and so relying on other people for transport.

I like to prepare for Christmas in December but came unstuck this year due to the constant snow we've had since the very start of the month - this plus the streaming cold I've had and I've never been so dis-organised in my life.

In Germany they have their Christmas dinner and open their presents on Christmas Eve so it was decided I should 'do' a typical, traditional Christmas dinner on Christmas Day. FINE -I happy with that - just one small problem, getting the traditional English ingredients.

Right onto the post, enough waffling!! This is the last challenge at House Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge before Christmas so we would all like to wish you the merriest of Christmases and all the best for the New Year.

I've done a gatefold card, inspired by the fabulouslt talented Anita. The papers are from the Vintage dowload by  Donna's at Bearly Mine, the image is coloured in Copics, cut out using round Nestabilities and I've cut the round fancy circle with a Joy die. The flowers and leaves are all cut with Crealies dies and the sentiment is by Paula Pacual.


I sincerely hope I can catch up with you all during the next few days.

Ooops. just realized in my haste to publish this I forgot to include a photograph of the inside - so here it is .

Copic Creations is Sparkling!!

Welcome to a new Copic Creations challenge and this is the last for this year - we will be back on 15th January so you have a whole month to enter this challenge.

Since everyone seems to be a wee bit overwhelmed this time of year, we thought we’d feature a fun (and appropriate) challenge for you this week ~ SPARKLE! We’d love to see your bright and shiny creations!

 We have ANOTHER awesome featured sponsor this week ~ We’re thrilled and honored to welcome Just Rite Stampers® to our Copic challenge blog!! Woo hoo! Just pop across to the challenge blog and see the amazing prize on offer!!

To help inspire you for our SPARKLE challenge, the VERY generous Kellie Fortin of Just Rite Stampers®  has provided each member of the DT with a set of their newest holiday images.

And, not only, but also

 AND from Marianne Walker at Copic Markers . . .  a  Copic Atyou Spica Glitter Pen Set

I chose the the  Christmas Treasures Set as I thought is was so elegant and what Christmas is all about, the bottom picture also reminds me of my times in Israel. I coloured the images in Copics (naturally as this is the Copic Creations challenge!!!) which are not behaving very well - I thought it was due to the cold, but the lovely Carole says she is putting the problems she's having down to working under a spotlight at the moment which I am doing at the moment due to the lack of light. They are just blending how they should or normally do. Right enough - stop wittering Heather. I stamped over the coloured image with a glue pad and sprinkled Glamour dust over it. The blue card is embossed using the Cuttlebug Seeing Spots folder and the corners with the Vintage corners die

I didn't receive my stamps until yesterday morning so these were done in a bit of a rush, I couldn't wait for the Glamour dust to dry - hence the particles all over the place.

I used the sentiment stamp on the inside of the card and gave it the same treatment, this does show the sparkle a little better.

I decided to try another method of sparkling - this image is from the same set, and I used a mixture of glue, glitter and stickles on this one. The papers are a mixture of Paperloft - Granny's House and 7Gypsies - Venice (the diamonds one). The image is cut out with a Nellie Snellon die, the star, pearls and ribbon are both from my stash. I followed the sketch over at Our Creative Corner for this one.

Please excuse the odd angles of the photographs, these were in order to show the sparkling - I probably spent as much time photographing them as I did creating them.

Simon Says - Silver - Blue & White

This week at the Simon Says Stamp Challenge we want to see Silver, Blue and White (other colours can be incorporated but we would these three to be predominant) - it doesn't have to be a Christmas card or project any occasion  will be great!! The Design Team are all featuring Penny Black this week.

I love this  Penny Black - Snowy - he is coloured with distress inks and I used a liquid applique on his hat. I applied the applique, then covered it with Glamour Dust, waited for it to dry then heated it with my heat gun.

Here's where the stupid me took over - I decided to use a circular die to cut out Snowy - anyone with any brains in their head would have realised this would squash the applique!!! It still looks good, but it looked fantastic before - all puffy and fluffy!!

I use a Fleur de lis border and cut it to edge the circle which is then inked using Colourbox Inks, I normally use distress inks to ink edges but find these colourbox ones better for inking irregular shapes.

The fabulous papers are from a CD by Donna at Bearly Mine  -  Simon Says Stamp now sell the CD - I would be lost without these as a standby for certain colours or types and the piece behind Snowy is embossed using the Cuttlebug Snowy Dots folder. I've used a old corner stamp with silver Ranger Embossing Powder in the corners, the sentiment is Magnolia and the bow and snowflake are from my stash.

Ingredients
Penny Black - Snowy
Spellbinders
Colourbox Inks
Ranger Embossing Powder
Bearly Mine CD - Papers
Marvy Liquid Applique
Fleur de lis border

Heidi will be giving one lucky entrant a $50 spree to her fantastic Simon Says Stamp Store and she will pay the postage too !! BRILLIANT