Bah! Humbug! Challenge 43

It's the final month of challenges for 2010 over at Bah! Humbug! and we have a brand new Guest Designer Pat of Pip's Pastimes joining us.  So if you haven't already made a start on your Christmas cards this year ... and if not then WHY not? ... then you might benefit from checking out our projects this week to get you in the mood.
My Fancy Fold offering is quite simply an ordinary gatefold card with a couple of extra folds thrown in on the front panels for added interest.    

The fabulous green and gold Christmas tree paper is from Dovecraft Vintage Christmas Collection and is matted onto gold mirri card to really bring out the warm tones.   

After cutting the main piece for the back panel, I cut one of the trees from the remains to pop onto the front for some added dimension.  I can't decide whether to add some adhesive gems or not - what do you think?

The large snowflakes are a Marianne die cut from gold mirri card and the tiny ones are made with a small snowflake punch.   The stamped greeting has been heat embossed with gold on black card and is one of the messages from a Buzzcraft Christmas set - a recent sale bargain.
My fellow Bah! Humbuggers are waiting to show you their projects too and if you need any further persuasion to get out your Christmas stash and join in then we have a wee prize up for grabs this week for one lucky random entry.

E is for Easter

Many challenge blogs have Easter or Spring as their theme at the moment, which is understandable given the time of year.  This coincidence is Oh Soooooo handy for 'slowpokes' like me because we can join in with several challenges at the same time using only one card - YAY!
This cute Penny Black Butterfly Hedgie stamp is one of my favourites because it is easy peasy to colour but more importantly, because it's suitable for a multitude of different occasions.

I coloured it with Promarkers and then added a soft blue sky with Dovecraft chalk.  There were some silver peel off butterflies lying on the desk so I joined 3 together to make a 3D butterfly for the corner and used a silver Sakura gel pen for the dotty trail. 
Psssstttt ... Don't tell anyone but I needed something to cover an ink smudge - whoops!

Some pretty yellow floral paper from my stash,
... a dash of plain green cardstock,
... a strip of white embossed dotty card,
... some adhesive gems to add some glimmer.
and a peel off greeting mounted onto a fabric flower finish the design.
So here's the list of challenges this card should qualify for 
Papertake Weekly Challenge #37 - sketch
Simon Says Stamp - Easter/Spring with Glimmer
Stampin' For The Weekend #35 - Easter
Stamp With Fun #51 - Easter
Our Creative Corner - Easter
Rosie- D's #67 - Yellow, Green and White
Passion For Promarker #44 -Springtime (with an animal) 

Bah! Humbug Challenge #7 - Trees

If Blogger is playing nicely, this message should post automatically before I've arrived back in Bonnie Fife after my little adventure with Ann and Irene.
Can't believe we will have survived a whole week without the internet ... but hopefully we 3 'Humbuggers' will have had a fabulous week of fun together and be just about ready to return to normal life, our families and our routines.
That does, of course, mean it's back to our Bah! Humbug! weekly challenges, which thankfully is a nice easy one - TREES.

The wire tree embellishment used on my card was recycled from our Christmas Crackers in 2008 ... I knew I would use it eventually! 
I really wanted to keep the card simple so have just overlaid the wire tree with silicon glue onto one of the larger trees cut from the Dovecraft Christmas Blues background paper.  This was then matted onto silver mirri card and cut around with scallop scissors, before mounting onto square panels of the same background paper, silver mirri card and green cardstock. 
I wasn't sure whether I wanted to add ribbon or a sentiment so have left it 'naked' for the time being.  It will be easy to add either - OR BOTH - before sending.
If you'd like to see what my fellow 'Humbuggers' have been up to for this challenge, then pop over for a look see and please feel free to share your own  Christmas tree card or project with us by leaving a link in our comments section. 
We look forward to being inspired by your fabulous creations.

Bah! Humbug! Challenge 3 - All That Glitters

It was Ann's turn to set the Bah! Humbug! Challenge this time and she opted for a favourite among crafters young and old - 'Glitter'

Now this is where I hold my hands up and confess that I'm really not a fan of the sparkly stuff - SHOCK!  HORROR!  I KNOW!!
Don't get me wrong!  I LOVE how it looks on finished projects, but HATE how it gets everywhere.
Puh-Lease don't pretend you don't know what I mean!

In your hair ... up your nose ... manoeuving it's way into unmentionable places where even Heineken can't reach!   
*Shudder* ... it's gritty! ... like sand - AND - what's more it stays around for months, winking at you in the lights, even though you vacuum your carpets to within an inch of their lives and scrub yourself ruthlessly each time you wash! ... *double shudder*

Anyway,  because I love my dear friend Ann, (and I'd hate to be responsible for making her cry), out came some sparkly silver gritter ... errr I mean ...glitter from a deep 'black hole' in my stash.

I clenched my teeth ... took a deep breath ... then took another one ... and managed to produce a couple of card duos.

There are 2 x DL size and 2 x 5" square size cards, decorated with some free vintage Christmas images from Dover Publications mounted onto silver mirri card and coloured cardstock.

The background paper and sentiment used on the DL cards are from HOTP Christmas Paper Pack and the smaller angel cards are backed with patterned paper, which was found in my scrap box. 

The sparkly stuff has now been banished back to it's 'black hole' where it will hopefully stay ... at least for the foreseeable future.

And as for the cards ... well it's safe to say they are not the best cards I have ever produced and would probably have looked nicer if I had used ultra-fine glitter, but they are currently sealed in cellophane bags and will stay there, in a locked vault until such time as they are tentatively released, written, placed gingerly in an envelope and delivered to some poor unsuspecting soul sometime in December. 

Ann, Irene and myself - the resident 'HumBuggers' - are all looking forward to cruising your blogs again this week to see what glittery gorgeousness you have produced.

Oh! ... Psssssstttttt ... keep your eyes peeled over at Bah! Humbug! this week 'cos there's going to be a wee treat for someone - can't say 'who' ... can't say 'what' ... and can't say 'when' - it's exciting stuff huh?

Holiday Wishes

Here is a selection of cute snowman cards which were made yesterday, each one slightly different so's not to be boring.

As you can see I need much more practice lining up the dots before embossing large areas in the Cuttlebug - whoops!

The "Holiday Wishes" greeting was computer generated and would be particularly appropriate for occasions when you are sending a card to someone who doesn't celebrate Christmas - whether for religious reasons or 'cos they suffer from the dreaded "Bah Humbug" affliction - but they would know you are thinking of them anyway.

The papers are Dovecraft 'Christmas Blues' from last years' stash -I bought a lorry load of them 'cos I liked them so much and then didn't use them.

Madness I know!

When I got fed up playing with the snowman, I made a very simple easel card using a different paper from the same range, some silver mirri card, metallic snowflake embellishments and a small dash of ribbon.
Sometimes you simply don't need an image as a focal point.

Buttons and Bows 2

I think I prefer this card as my entry into the Kaboodle Doodle Challenge #9 of Buttons and Bows.
The patterned paper is from Dovecraft 'Hint of Pink' 12" x 12" pad and has been layered onto very pale pink textured card which has been 'Swiss Dotted' just down one edge.
The silver holographic 'Friend' was from my recycle box and was cut with decorative scissors before mounting onto silver mirri card.
Flourescent pink ribbon was then wrapped around before mounting it onto the paper panel with foam pads and adding a black polka dot ribbon. Had a good rummage through my button tin and found 3 matching black buttons for the side edge.
The small message stamped at the bottom right is from Hero Arts which just fills that narrow strip of white space, whilst a Dovecraft Fantasy sticky ribbon does likewise at the top.

Mother's Day

Made another Mother's Day card this evening.

Paper and cardstock was from DCWV Rose Garden pad, which was a bargain buy at only £1 ... and the observant amongst you will see I have once again been brave with a button (yes ... singular again) only this time I cheated 'cos it's a button brad. Cute huh?
The lovely green velvet ribbon, (it really is green HONEST!), is from Dovecraft ... I lurrrrrve velvet ribbon.
Not sure about the inside of the card which shows the matching paper, but I think I ruined it with the overlay of gold mirri card ... *sigh* ... it definitely lacks something, just not sure what. Maybe some of that velvet ribbon?
Going to sleep on it and maybe the answer will come to me in a dream.

Sooooooooo ... I have another couple of Mother's Day cards to make ... (requests from other people, not because I have lots of mums in case you were wondering!) ... and a few Easter cards too.
There are some family birthdays up'n'coming over the next week or 2 as well, so plenty to keep me busy aaaaaaaaaaa...nd

if I'm really organised I may even get them posted on time! That would surprise EVERYONE ... including me!

Pink Elephant Challenge 3

Thought I'd join in again with The Pink Elephant Challenge this week ... can't believe I've played along for 3 challenges in a row, 'cos normally I struggle to remember until after the deadlines !!
Must be because I'm enjoying myself ... which is probably because, (unlike some other challenge blogs), they don't impose restrictions, preferring to concentrate more on the fun aspect of challenges and getting enjoyment from everyone's participation. Makes for a much more relaxed environment and it's amazing how much the creativity flow increases each week.

Challenge #3 was a sketch by DT member Carol and here's my take on it.

The textured card, letters and dotty card are DCWV and the image is a Forever Friends sticker which came as a free gift with Papercraft Inspirations magazine.

(Just thought I'd better mention that just in case you thought my colouring skills had improved dramatically ... ha ha).

A small circle punch and heart punch help to get maximum use out of the card offcuts to create a border below the image and discs for the letter stickers. The leftovers from that were then used to decorate inside.

The chipboard flourish is from the Dovecraft Fantasy collection, which was sanded and then coloured with ink to reduce the glaring whiteness.

Adhesive gems add just enough 'bling' without being OTT.

With Love At Christmas

Here are a couple more cards for Christmas ... which sadly will not make much of a dent in the outstanding list but it's 2 more that won't be shop bought so that's something.

The reindeer silhouette and the stamped message are from a set of Anita's clear stamps called Christmas Classics and the background papers are from the Anita's Christmas Blues collection.

I think they may well be pulled out every year as I love them so much ... what us crafters might call an investment huh??

I used black embossing powder (which is not showing at all in the photograph) and added a few blue gems to the antlers. A couple of silver snowflakes and a little bow just help to make it more Christmassy.

Using the same sentiment on the gold mirri card ... don't you just lurrrrve that font ... I added some doublesided paper borders which were ready cut and just needed folded and an organza ribbon bow, finishing with some little green adhesive gems from Dovecraft.

Doesn't get much easier than that does it?

Making Up For Lost Time

I've been busy today ... busy making cards no less!
Don't fall off your seats with excitement 'cos the enthusiasm may not last but as all crafters know, you have to go with the urge when it grabs you LOL!

So ... Do you want to see what I made? Really ?? You Sure ?? .................. ok then.

The first card uses my favourite silhouette stamp, which seems to be the one I reach for when a condolence card is needed.

The background paper is from Dovecraft and the flower was stamped (with black Stazon) onto white card, then matted onto black card. The sentiment is part of a wooden stamp set, but I can't remember where it came from.

On to happier events ... and a birthday card for a family friend.
She is the proud 'mum' to a little white Scottie Dog called "Archie" so a doggie theme was called for.
My daughter and I had spotted a cute Scottie keyring whilst browsing through a local garden centre so I added it to her card.
The DCWV 'All Dressed Up' stack provided the card base and after folding the sheet in half, the front face was trimmed to reveal the inside which is some green marbled paper matted onto black card.

The cute image was part of a QVC kit and black velvet ribbon was used to attach the keyring.

My final offering today was a quick and easy Anniversary card.
A tall white blank was wrapped with some gorgeous pink foiled tissue paper, (part of a pack picked up in The Works a while ago).
Isn't that foiling just scrummy?

I didn't want to cover up this beautiful paper with too many embellishments, so a simple white ribbon and silver tag were all the decoration needed.

A peel off message was coloured pink with permanent markers and then added to the tag .... voila!! All done.

Scallops, Punches & Pastel Chalks

HOORAY!!
Managed to find some time and motivation for a little cardmaking today.
My first offering is a simple floral design where I have been practicing using a corner punch to create scalloped edges as an alternative to decorative scissors.
Also used my scalloped circle punch for the main image ... (I'm determined to get my money's worth from that little investment LOL) ... which is mounted on foam pads for a little dimension.
Added some matching floral paper as a strip on the inside to show off the scallop, popped on a greeting and some little turquoise gems and we're done.
Simple but pretty result.

Next I dug out the Dovecraft chalks and had a play on an embossed card from my stash. Added a pretty flower with a little brad to a stamped greeting, on another scalloped circle, and lastly I popped some gold glitter around the border and in the eye of the embossed flowers.



Feels good to be tinkering with my stash again.

Sassycrafts Challenge

I was blog browsing last night ... following links ... as you do ... and came across a challenge on Sassycrafts Blog that sounded fun.

The challenge is to make a project using any 3 Dovecraft products.
So I had a go and made this card.

I used paper from the Dovecraft Fantasy collection (which I love) ... the Dovecraft Footprints Border Punch ... the Dovecraft Baby Block Stamp on the ribbon ... and Dovecraft Decorative Chalks (Bright) in green and blue to colour the front panel edges.
Added a few sparkly gems for a little bling and silver mirri card for matting .... and voila!
Will pop over now and post the link.
Wish me luck LOL!

Fairy Birthday Card

Found time this afternoon to make a birthday card with some paper I bought the other week.

The fairy was cut from a sheet of gorgeous paper in the Dovecraft Fantasy range of Designer 12" x 12" papers and then mounted onto silver mirri card. A swirl stamp added some inerest to the wings.
I used the flower portion of the same paper as a background to matt onto a pink card blank. Added a few sparkly gems and a stamped message to finish ... VOILA!