From our home to yours

Just a quick show and tell from me today, folks. No chit-chat, no prattle. Just something from our house to yours, which I made at 1am this morning. Why? Long story and  I did say no gibber-jabber, so here's the synopsis: Christmas, fund-raising, animal shelter.  And here are the cards:

Once again mass production came to a grinding halt after 3. I promised at least dozen cards to help keep our furry friends keep warm this winter. Off to a slow start...

The stamps are by Clearly Besotted from the set called "Christmas Cheer", cut out with coordinating dies.

Trying to keep it CAS. I used twine, Stickles and bling to jazz things up. And some wood grain embossing for texture. Inks used in this project: Memento Tuxedo Black, Cottage Ivy, Morroco, Rhubarb Stalk, Rich Cocoa, Desert Sand and Versacolor Scarlet.

And plenty of low-rise foam tape for dimension.

On the inside I stamped a sentiment from WMS Compliments of the Season.

You might want to join me in these challenges:

Clearly Besotted Challenge #6 "Christmas"
Jingle Belles "Holiday Traditions" - stockings for our pets
Christmas Stampin' All Year Long "Winter Warmth"
Christmas Card Challenge #50 - sketch, rotated 180º
ABC Christmas Challenge "W - Winter Wishes"
Addicted To Stamps #71 "Anything Goes"
Crafting By Designs "AG With a Twist of Christmas"
Nonni's Christmas Card Challenge #2 "Scraps / Old Stash" - all bits of CS are form my scrap pile and most have been stamped before on the reverse ... oops!
Make It Monday #166 "Anything Goes"

Thank you so much for stopping by. I'm going to catch up on some blog visits ... soooo behind on those, yikes! Y'all have a lovely evening and I dare say I'll be seeing some of you later!

Beijinhos!

Tuesday Throwdown #173: Gratitude

Here we are, my friends! Time for another Tuesday Throwdown challenge.  This week, being so close to Thanksgiving and all, our theme is Gratitude. Our sponsor is none other than Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps and they have the cutest stamps - clear and digi - for all occassions. Well worth a nose around their one-line store.

I'm a glass half full kinda gal, and so no matter how bad things get I always remind myself it could be worse. And that is reason enough to be thankful.

For example, we were hit by a nasty case of food poisoning over the weekend. And I still don't feel 100% ok but I am thankful that the culprit was sushi. It could have been worse...  it could have been chocolate! So yeah! As I unwrap another Ferrero Roche, I am filled with gratitude. :-)

Here's a card I made with one person in mind. Someone I am blessed to have in my life. Someone I am eternally grateful to call my sister.

The background paper is from First Edition's New Leaf 8x8 pad. The digi image and sentiments are by Sweet and Sassy called "One of a Kind"

Here's a close up of the image. I coloured it with Graph It and Promarkers. (Is it me or does that birdy in the middle look stunned?) 

A little peek on the inside...plenty of room for me to get mushy, which is so NOT  my sister's style! Hahaha!

Why don't you join me at these challenges:

Make it Monday #166 "Anything Goes"
Word Art Wednesday #105 "Anything Goes" - uplifting sentiment
Digi Makeover Challenge #114 "Stitching" - on background paper
Craft Deebowz November "Anything Goes w/ Handmade Bow"
Digi Sketch "All For Animals" - birds
Kaboodle Doodles #197 "Bountiful Harvest / Blessings" - blessings
Parade Your Crafts #8 "Grateful"

That's all from me today. Thank you for stopping by. I look forward to seeing your projects over at the Tuesday Throwdown Challenge Blog. Happy crafting, y'all!

Beijinhos!

Joy To The World

Hello my friends! Before I show you my Mojo Monday card, I want to apologise for not returning your visits over the weekend. Saturday we were busy helping a friend move into her new home and Sunday after lunch both of us were knocked out by a decidedly nasty tummy bug. I'm officially off sushi for the next 5 years! But I promise I will get 'round to seeing your projects.

For today I have a quick card. I'm still experimenting with CAS, at the same time trying to get my Christmas mass production scheme off the ground...three is still my limit...oh bother!

Here's my latest venture - a square card measuring 4-1/2":

I'm playing with with Clearly Besotted's Merry Little Christmas. No patterned papers or multiple layerings. The background is some green CS embossed with the Swiss Dots folder.  I did some stitching to help me keep true to the sketch. The snowflake is by Spellbinders, dressed up with Liquid Pearls, Cosmic Shimmer and a rhinestone. 

I coloured the robin with Graph It markers and addeed more glitter and sparkle to his wee hat. I also inked the edges of the banners with TH Peeled Paint.

On the inside is a greeting from the Merry Little Christmas set. I used Memento Tuxedo Black and Bamboo Leaves ink.

I'm linking my card to the following challenges:

Mojo Monday #319 - sketch
Clearly Besotted Challenge #6 "Christmas"
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge "Got Ink?"
Make It Monday #166 "Anything Goes"
Hobby Cutz #24 "Glitter & Sparkle"

Thank you for stopping by today. I'll try and catch up on my visits. And don't forget to swing by (again!) tomorrow for a beautiful Tuesday Throwdown challenge. Y'all have a lovely evening and stay warm.

Beijinhos!

Polka Doodles #45: Christmas Tag

Oh look! It's time for another Polka Doodle challenge and this week we are playing with tags. I made a giant tag. Well, it's actually a card shaped like a tag. And just so the tag message really gets across, I threw in 3 more little tags on my giant tag-card. How about you play along with is in this Christmas Tag challenge.

All the papers and elements for my project came from Polka Doodles' über delicious Christmas CD called Home For Christmas. It really takes the work out of your Christmas projects. If you're thinking about getting it now because Nikky is literally giving it away at a very special price of £13.00. Hurry and head on over to the PolkaDoodles Online Store. This price won't hold for long.

The rest of the DT have made some pretty amazing pieces that are sure to WOW you. Make sure you swing by their blogs for a spot of inspiration. In the meantime, here's my little ensemble of tags:

See! I told you I went tag crazy. All papers and elements are from the Home For Christmas. Extras from my stash...twine, ribbon, cardstock and glue! Can't get simpler than that!

Here's a full frontal! Nothing to be ashamed here...it's all good wholesome family fun! I added the ribbon to the base card to make it look like a tag too. 

Tagging my tags over at these playpens:

Cute Card Thursday #294 "Animal Magic"
Incy Wincy Designs "Ribbon, Twine or Fibres"
The Paper Shelter #136 "Winter Fun"
Sister Act Card Challenge #32 "Anything Goes"
Make It Monday #166 "Anything Goes"

Thank you so much for stopping by. I hope you'll join in this week's challenge...what better excuse to get ahead with you festive tags, eh? Have a creative weekend!

 Beijinhos!

A Couple of Penguins

Hello, friends. Just a quick post this evening. Can't linger... I have dinner in the oven and the timer will go off in a bit. But there's just enough time to show you my latest CAS adventure. This time everything came to a grinding halt after just two: a boy and a girl and I'm done ... for now.

All images are from Clearly Besotted's Let It Snow stamp set. I used coordinating dies to cut out his and her hats and scarves and adhered them using thin foam tape. Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black, Danube Blue and Rose Bud. I used Spellbinders Classic Oval die before embossing the CS with the Swiss Dots folder and then I adhered this panel to the card base with some pop dots. There's also some Stardust Stickles under the penguin's feet and to finish, some baker's twine.

I have to honest... CAS looks better when someone else does it! Not entirely convinced by this one....it's just too .... bare!

My frosty little penguins can be seen frolicking here:

Flourishes Timeless Tuesday #245 "Negative Energy" -
Make It Monday #165 "Anything Goes"
Papertake Weekly "Anything Goes"
Ribbon Carousel #87 "Holidays & Celebration + Spooled Item" - Christmas + twine
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge "Keep It CAS"
The House That Stamps Built #116 "Snow Fun"
Glitter And Sparkle November Challenge

Oh! There goes the oven timer. Must dash folks! Thanks for stopping by. Have a lovely Wednesday and I'll see you on my rounds.

Beijinhos!

Peace On Earth!

Yes, it's Monday and time for a Mojo card. And just to shake things up a bit, I made a Christmas card. Just a short post from me today...splitting headache...urgh! I am behind on my visiting, but I will try and drop in later today as soon as I sort out my head.

The papers are from DoveCraft's Vintage Christmas 8x8 pad. I'm using up my scraps to make a patchwork background.

I'm using Clearly Besotted's Pretty Poinsettia set. The inks are Versacolor Scarlet and Memento Cottage Ivy. Other embelies: yellow bling and sheer green ribbon. Keeping it simple. 

For the inside, I stamped bits and pieces from the Pretty Poinsettia set.

How about you play along with me here:
Mojo Monday #318 - sketch
Simon Says Stamp Monday "Patchwork"
Card & Scrap #64 "Christmas"
Really Reasonable Ribbon #83 "Christmas/Winter + Ribbon"
Tok Bobok #6 "Christmas"
Make It Monday #165 "Anything Goes"

Thanks for stopping by today. I really need to go lie down now. Catch up with y'all later. Take care!

Beijinhos!

Christmas Card Club #21: Religious Theme

Another fortnight had rolled by since the last time the CCC girls came out to play. Here are again for another round of fun and games.  Our current challenge is hosted by Christine and she has asked that our cards have a Religious theme.

I made an extra tall card, which I'll show you in bits:

This is the sentiment for my card, straight out of the Good Book. This WordArt is the creative genius of Mynnette Kitchen. I cut it out with Spellbinders Labels 4 and inked the edges with TH Faded Jeans. 

This is the bottom half of my focal image. I dressed her up with SN, Promarkers, lashings of Stickles and Liquid Pearls. She really shines IRL.

And now you see her top half....she's an Angel.

My card measures 7"x4". The background papers are from KaiserCraft's Traditional Christmas pack, which I think is out of print now.  This Angel is from Chocolate Baroque's Family Christmas set, I fussy cut her and popped her up on some foam tape.

On the inside I stamped snowflakes from the Family Christmas set using Memento Desert Sand. The sentiment is from Waltzing Mouse's Compact Sentiments, stamped with Memento Danube Blue.

Come join me in these challenges:

Bloggers Challenge "Things With Wings"
Brown Sugar #66 "Things With Wings"
Christmas Card Challenges #49 "Dimension"
A Gem of a Challenge #104 "Christmas is Coming"
All Sort #231 "Christmas Cheer"
CHNC Extra November "Anything Goes Christmas"
Inky Impressions #132 "Traditional Christmas"

CHNC #149 "Bling It Up"
Word Art Wednesday #104 "Anything Goes with Uplifting Sentiment"
Aud Sentiments Challenge Blog #92 Christmas Sentiments
Make It Monday #165 "Anything Goes" 

I'm glad Christine picked this theme. Oftentimes we get lost in the glitz and glamour of Christmas that we forget what a truly magical day it really is and how blessed we are to be able to celebrate it as children of the one true King.

Thanks for stopping by and I wish you all a blessed Sunday. See you tomorrow!

Beijinhos!

Eclectic Ellapu #54: Black & White

Hello and welcome to another Eclectic Ellapu challenge. The Pinkies are playing for the last time this year and our theme is "Black and White".  Next week the Purple Team will host Eclectic Ellapu's  last challenge for 2013 and we will be taking a nice long break before coming back next year in February with our batteries fully recharged and ready for another year of creative challenges.

As many of you already know, the amazing Cath Edvalson, the Trends Editor of Paper Crafts Magazine, the force behind Moxie Fab World, is leaving Paper Crafts Magazine and Moxie Fab World. Like many of you I am reeling from this shocking news. I love Cath's wit, her dry humour and the quirky titbits that only Cath can dredge up. I will miss her immensely. And with Cath in mind that I made this simple Black and White card:

The focal image of the Taj Mahal ( I think!) is from Chocolate Baroque's Indian Textiles set, heat embossed in white onto black CS.  The sentiment is also heat embossed. I am quite pleased with the crisp white embossing, very striking against the black. With a silver sharpie I also added some stars to the sky. To finish this simple card, some sheer white ribbon and three black bling. And finally I used foam tape to adhere the embossed panel onto the stripy background paper which is called  Liquorice Sherbet by Papermania.

Here's the inside - still keeping with the Black & White theme.

I'm taking my monochromatic creation to the following challenges:

Catch The Bug "November Anything Goes"

CASology #68 "Black"

CASual Friday #119 "Embossing"

Penny's Paper Crafty #151 "Black or Bling"

Addicted To Stamps and More #69 "CAS"

Simon Says Wednesday "Anything Goes"

Challenges & Candies #20 "CAS"

Make It Monday #165 "Anything Goes"

I'm also charing this card for Cath at Moxie Fab World. There are many more Cards for Cath linked up at the MFW blog. Stop by and have a peek if you can.

That's all from me today. I'll be back tomorrow with a Christmas card! Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely Saturday night!

Beijinhos!