Spots ... and My First ...

... Christmas card this year.
Yes!  Seriously!
 For 2 years my good friend Ann and myself were responsible for running weekly challenges over at Bah Humbug Christmas Challenge blog so having a wee stock pile of Christmas cards ready and waiting to be written when December came around, wasn't a problem.  When we originally closed Humbug Hall, as it was affectionately known, in 2011, the intention was to continue joining in with other Christmas card challenges without the pressure of forward planning, deadlines etc ... but unfortunately that didn't actually happen.  As a result and to my acute embarrassment, many of my friends and family received shop bought cards last year.  Shocking I know!  I'd prefer not to be in a similar position this year so am making a start now ... which is already quite late compared to some people believe me!
Winter Wonderland is one of the challenge blogs where I used to enjoy playing so thought I'd start off there and see how it goes.  Their current challenge is 'Lots of Spots' and I just about have time to get my entry in before the deadline. 

Keeping things simple seemed like a good idea, so a DL card blank is covered with spotty snowflake paper ... a square of textured card mounted on foam pads is placed near the top onto which is glued a smaller square of embossed silver mirri card ... and to top it all off, a chipboard snowflake, which has been inked and glittered to within an inch of it's life, is adhered with silicon glue.  

There you have it ... no greeting ... no ribbons ... no fancy bells and whistles, just a snowflake and some pretty paper.
Am also going to submit my card for entry at 
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra - Anything Goes
Now I can pat myself on the back and head for bed knowing that, unlike last year, my Xmas card stash isn't non-existent.

Back To Blogland

YOWZA!
Where did 2012 go in such a hurry?
It's been such a long time since any crafty blogging has happened here ... so thank you to all the faithful followers who haven't jumped ship during my absence. 
It's fair to say that 2012 was a barren year for activity here at MCC,  although 'real life' was anything but ... being pretty hectic at times and frequently verging on chaotic!  My biggest problem was finding the time and enthusiasm to deal with it all effectively following my surgery. 

The intention for 2013 is to be more organised in all areas of my life and hopefully my mind will follow suit ... so fingers crossed I'll be able to do all the things I want to do, both crafty and otherwise and still have enough time and energy to share snippets of it all with everyone.

But  ... before that and to kick things off, allow me to share just a few of my 2012 cards that didn't get an airing. 
If you have any questions about techniques or supplies used, then leave a message and I'll do my best to answer your query.

Babies

(Kanban Kit)

(Stamping and Embossing)

(Stamping and Embossing)

(Stamping, Inking and Mirri Card)

(Inside View)

(Digital Stamping and Promarkers)

(Digital Image and Stamping)

(Inside View)

Birthdays

(Digital Image and Computer Sentiment)

(Inside View)

(Kanban Kit)

(Inside View)

(Kanban Kit with Butterfly Embellishment)

(Inside View)

(Kanban Kit and 3D Elements)

(Kanban Kit and Diamante Ribbon Buckle)

(Kanban Kit, Pearls and Glitter Paper)

(Inside View)

(Kanban Kit and Cupcake Wrapper Decoration)

(Inside View)

(Kanban Kit, Mirri Card and Ribbon)

(Inside View)

(Doodling and Stickles)

(Inside View)

(Easel Card and Diecutting)

(Recycling)

(inside View)

(Digital Stamp, Paper Roses and Ribbon)

Other Occasions

(Embossing and Stickles)

(Inside View)

(Kanban Kit with Black and Gold)

(Inside View)

Spring Has Sprung!

We have been enjoying some beautiful sunny weather for the last week or so, which is not unusual for March EVEN here in Fife! It has been unseasonally warm, with temperatures up in the high teens and even tickling the twenties so it's been
March Madness INDEED!
Taking advantage of this, I decided to indulge in a couple of hours worth of 'Al Fresco' creativity,  armed with my trusty Promarkers and a selection of stamped images.
Using one of the completed LOTV cuties, I created this pretty easel card for a lovely fellow crafting friend whose birthday is today ... HAPPY BIRTHDAY NATALIE xx

Once coloured, she was cut out using Nestabilities Labels One, (as were the other topper layers), and once assembled together,  the whole thing was adhered with foam pads to the folded front panel which had been previously decorated with embossed mirri card.

A touch of stickles provide plenty of sparkle to her outfit and paper roses dabbed with pearlescent ink and finished off with a ribbon bow are a perfect embellishment for the corner.

On the base I used the negative section previously cut with the nestabilities and added some pretty patterned paper behind ... waste not want not! ... before using a white gel pen to add some 'faux stitching' around the edge.   The greeting was stamped in black onto a smaller matching shape which was also outlined with 'faux stitching'.  Two simple flat backed pearl beads are all that's needed to keep the folded front panel supported.
The flowers made this card a bit bulky for an envelope so I made a box instead and as it was hand delivered this morning, (along with a wee surprise gift), postage costs were not an issue.
Talking of postage ... with the impending huge price hike on stamps due next week, (1st class jumps from 46p to 60p!), I will be bulk buying as many as I can reasonably afford in an effort to postpone the pain.  Like many others there will be a serious culling of the Christmas card list later this year too ... a sad but necessary evil.
I will be entering this card into
Week 4 - LOTV National Craft Month Competition.
Tomorrow marks the last day of the school term and hopefully we can look forward to continued lovely weather. Wishful thinking?  Well ... possibly ...  but on the other hand,  maybe Spring really has sprung!

Strong Winds and Sparkles

The Met Office issued a weather warning of exceptionally high winds for today across Central and Southern Scotland.  Oh My Giddy Aunt! - they aren't wrong and those nasty winds are accompanied by lashing rain too!  Sensible people are staying home where it is safe and warm.  Others who fall into the category of not so sensible and have appointments to make ... YEP! Yours Truly ... are wrapping up and venturing out, hoping they will make it back in one piece.  
Just in case the unthinkable should happen, I'd like to show a card made for my sister whose birthday was earlier this month.
The pretty glittered peacock feather was another result from when Humbugger Ann was visiting in March and I sneaked a 'steal' of her lovely metal stencil and embossing paste.  
With the stencil carefully removed, 3 complimentary colours of fine glitter were sprinkled seperately ... one side, then the other and finally the middle ... to create a graduated look.
  

Ooooooohhhhh ... sparkly-licious!
This was then trimmed before double-matting onto mega-shiny turquoise and purple foil card.   A DL card blank was decorated with alternating panels of blue sparkly card and purple foil card, which had been Cuttlebug embossed with Swiss Dots.   

A little bow, birthday sentiment and adhesive gems are all the finishing touches this glittery card needed. 
Think it may qualify for a few challenges and there's only one way to find out so here goes nothing.
Creative Inspirations - Bling
Cupcake Inspirations - Photo Inspiration 
(my colours maybe a bit too bold for this one)
Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp - Sparkle and Shine

Bah! Humbug! 45

Our Bah! Humbug! Challenge this week is a colour theme and we want you to pick through your 'purples' and show us some Lilac.
I have been itching to ink up the new November release Waltzing Mouse Stamps that arrived earlier this week and, (as time has once again been my enemy), I opted to keep things as simple as possible. 
I chose to stamp this holly, from 'Around Christmastime' set, onto some lavender card and then heat embossed with silver powder, before cutting out with a scalloped circle punch and adding some purple adhesive pearls. 
Then I found some lilac card and dragged out the Cuttlebug and a couple of Christmassy embossing folders for the next stage.  

First I used the 'Mistletoe' folder on a square of lilac card, and matted it to silver mirri with double-sided tape, before adding a few random pearls.  Then, on an identical square, I decided to use only part of the 'Snowflake Frame' folder on opposite edges.  
To do this, you place the card into the folder as normal, place your 2nd 'B' plate over the portion you want embossed and then roll the sandwich through the cuttlebug, making sure you hit reverse when you reach the edge of that 2nd 'B' plate.  Do this on both edges and remember  YOU MUSTN'T GO ALL THE WAY!  
(Hmmm ... that phrase sounds very familiar but can't recall for the life of me where I've heard it before ... )  Ahem .... *snigger*
Now there's every chance that my rather inadequate instructions have totally confused you ... actually I think I've confused myself and I know that I know what I mean!  However, I'm sure you will understand once you try it for yourself and if not then I'll find a link to a tutorial for you.
OK ... back to the card ... 

Pearlescent lavender ink was roughly rubbed over the embossed snowflakes and this square was cut diagonally.  The triangle edges were then heat embossed with silver and matted onto a slightly larger triangle of lavender card before attaching on top of the embossed square.   

All that remained to do now was add the punched holly circle, stamp and emboss the fabby sentiment, which is from the WMS 'Festive Foliage' set, and add a lilac bow.
At first I thought the 'mistletoe' embossing looked a bit boring and I was tempted to add some sparkle.  However, I've decided I quite like the contrast between the matt look and the pearlescent sheen of both panels so am going to leave it be for now.
Incidently, I used the remaining triangular section to decorate inside but forgot to take a photo.

Birthday Princess

At the Sugar Bowl this week, there is a sketch to follow and, as always, a fabulous prize is up for grabs for one lucky winner.
My entry uses the Sugar Nellie Manga Princess image, stamped in black onto white card and her hair and skin were coloured with Promarkers.   Her dress and tiara were paper-pieced using pretty My Mind's Eye paper with a subtle floral pattern.  

The petticoat was also paper-pieced but with white card which was sparkled up using Cotton Candy Stickles and the image was then mounted onto blue paper with foam pads for dimension before being cut around with decorative scissors.

The floral backing paper is a 6" x 6" sheet from the same MME pad, adhered to a cream tent fold card blank.   Aqua Stickles were rubbed over the embossed circle which had been cut with wavy-edged scissors to match the lower panel, before I added a rub-on greeting and placed a holographic 3D butterfly to hover daintily over the edge of the image. 

The inside was simply decorated with the leftover strips matted onto card leaving a narrow border. 
Hopefully the Birthday Princess for whom this card is intended will forgive me for neglecting to add any ribbons or bows, which was the Sugar Bowl optional theme, but I kind've ran out of room.

WMS - Tag Challenge

I have been trying all day to upload this tag as my entry for Waltzing Mouse Stamps 'Tag You're It' Challenge with the opportunity of potentially winning up to £125 worth of goodies.  YES I KNOW!   
IT'S AN AWESOME PRIZE

Elf Shoe Silhouette Tag

Inside View

Holograhic Embossing Powder

Anyhow ... I've been struggling all day and this will probably going to be my last chance as the deadline closes in about an hour, so please forgive me for not supplying all the 'deets' - will be back later!

Bah! Humbug! 41

Sorry I'm a bit late this week but things have been rather hectic with a horse emergency over the last couple of days.  However ... things have quietened down now, the panic is over and tears have been kissed away,  so on with the show.
For this week's Elegance Challenge at Bah! Humbug! I decided to keep it simple with a black and white colour combination and some embossed stamping.   

The gorgeous silhouette birds are Inkadinkadoo stamps, which I think are beautifully elegant and they work wonderfully when teamed with the fabulous Peace stamp from Clarity Stamps.     

Everything was stamped with black ink and then embossed with holographic powder for a lovely touch of shine.   

A little bit of black card for matting and trios of adhesive gems are all the extra touches that are needed.

 

Further examples of elegance can be found by my teamies and our Guest Designer Jenny at Bah! Humbug! so pop over there and take a looksee.
I am heading off to Dundee now with Naomi for some bowling coaching, so catch you all later.  It's all go y'know!