Merry Christmas

I would like to wish  all my Crafty Friends and Followers  a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and I hope 2012 is a good year for everyone.

To finish off the year, and by the skin of my teeth, here is a card I made earlier for one of DD's friends baby's 1st Christmas. It fits in nicely with the House Mouse & Friends last challenge of the year ' Fuzzy & Warm'
I took the piccy ages ago,and because I had to 'find' it, it has taken me ages to post it here!
( Edited to say, I uploaded the wrong picture, this is the one it should have been!)

Just a short one tonight, need to be organised for Santa coming tomorrow - wonder if I'll get any goodies!

Enjoy the holidays.                                                                                                                                    

Avril xx                                                                                                                                                     

Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly - but no music!

Hi All, just a quick post, didn't really want to miss the challenge at LIM this week which is Music, or if you don't have music it could be a song.  I played around, but didn't really get what I wanted with the Music stamp, so went with a song.  Stamped the image  and sentiment with Pine Needles and Peeled Paint, added red glitter to the berries and Crystal stickles to the circles down the swirls - looks quite sparkly , shame it doesn't show in the photo!

Thanks for looking.

Avril xx

Enjoy the Journey

Can't believe how fast this month has gone - Only 1 more week to Christmas!!!

It's also the last challenge of the year at Fashionable Stamping Challenges and this time the theme is Travel - this can be a particular place or a travel theme, which is what I chose. The rest of the Team have made some fabulous 'creations' so please pop over and check them out.
For my card -  I bought a compass mask at a craft show a few weeks ago and I used this with DI Pumice Stone in the bottom corner, quite pleased with the effect.  I then stamped directly onto DP with Black Memento Ink using  a selection Tim Holt stamps.  The ticket, a piece of recycling here, was stamped onto a used brown envelope.  I stamped 'umberella man' on spare card and added him on 3D pads to give a bit of depth.
I know its a busy time, but the challenge is open for 2 weeks, so possibly after the big day you will 'need' some "me time" and it will be a great opportunity to make something that doesn't resemble a Christmas Card!!  There is a fabulous set of stamps as a prize from our permanent sponsor, Marina of Cottage Crafts, and don't forget our new feature 'The Spotlight'.

I am also entering this card in the following challenges
  Sundays with Chrissy - Anything Goes
  Corrosive challenges - Anything but Chrisitmas
  One Stitch at a Time - Anything Goes
  Sparkles Forum - Anything but Christmas card
 

Well that's it from me, thanks for looking.

Avril xx

Snowflakes at Less is More

Well, 2 posts in one day!  - Most unusual!!!

I have intended to make this card all week as I wanted to get back into doing the LIM challenges, which this week is One Layer - Snowflakes,  but I must admit, although I have posted, I haven't actually crafted this week. Normally I find crafting takes my mind off 'things' but this week I just can't settle.  Although DD finishes Uni today for Christmas, she has a part-time job, supposed to be just 'term-time' but she has never quite managed this.  This year Christmas Eve is a Saturday - and she has to work Christmas Eve - the concession being she can finish at 3p.m.  She will have a 3hr journey on a good day, so I am just hoping we don't get snow as her journey takes her over the A66, which has already been closed last week. Sooooooooooo...............

Back to the card - Penny Black Silver Snowflake -( won in Brenda's Recycling candy,)  sentiment Hero Arts, both embossed in Silver Razzle Dazzle.  When I first started doing LIM I didn't like any of my cards, but now, I look forward to doing them.

  I am also entering this in
  Aud Sentiments - Any Christmas Sentiment
  Crimbo Crackers - Embossing

Well that's it for now and thanks for looking - and listening!

Avril xx

Here Comes Santa

Hi All,

Hope everyone is feeling OK and not getting too stressed about Christmas.
Showed you a C&S card yesterday, so thought I would show something different today.  I bought this stamp off Ebay just before I went on holiday, so didn't get the chance to play with it, so although the cards are gone, I had to ink it up - I'm now ready for next year!!!
The papers were free with a craft mag, along with the sentiment. The image, which is Rubber Stampeed was stamped in Vintage Photo, masked and then  I stamped a music stamp,  then again on vellum.  Glamour Dusted his beard, Glitter flock on his eyebrows and Glossy Accents on his specs.
I am entering this card in:
  4 Crafty Chicks - Christmas Card
  Crafty Ribbons - Traditional Colours
  Cute Card Thursday - Stripes
  Paper Crafting Journey - Christmas
  Paper Play - Christmas
  ABC Christmas - Christmas
  Crafts & Me - Christmas
  Divas by Design - Christmas
  Crafting for All Seasons - Christmas
  Make It Monday - Anything Goes

Well that's it for now, thanks for looking.

Avril xx

Quick Christmas Card

Hi All,

The Christmas cards are posted, the tree is up, but somehow, I don't feel very Christmassy!  So, I thought I
would show a card I made a few weeks ago.  I have kept most of my cards quite simple this year as  they needed to be made early.
This one uses my all time old favourite Judikins Angels - Naughty & Nice, very simply coloured with Promarkers and GlamourDust. The die cut frame is a Mariann Corner die and quite easy to line up.
I am entering this card in the following:
  Bearly Mine Challenge - Un-Traditional - No Red or Green
  Paper Minutes - Clean & Simple & Mostly White
  Crafty Boots - Christmas
  Creative Stamp Friends - Christmas
  Cupcake Crafts - Don't look at the Light (Sparkle. Shine)
  Hooked on Craft - Christmas

Well, that's it for now, and thanks for looking.

Avril xx

Mr Mojo has returned!

Hi All,

What a week, really desperate to craft and then found  Mr Mojo was still on holiday! Hopefully things are returning to normal, and crafting is now resumed.

I made this tag a while ago, and although I love making them, never feel quite sure about just sending a tag, so usually end up adding to a card. The tag on the tag is Crafty Individuals, and is coloured with DI Tattered Rose, the words are also CI. I used  Hero Arts French Writing on the main tag, which was again distressed with the same DI.  The papers are K & Co.  The butterfly(Inkylicious) was stamped on Vellum with Versamark and then sprinkled with Mica, I added the Mica powder to the swirl.  I stamped the words on the DP with Versamark and dusted with  the Bronze Mica and Perfect Pearls Interference Red, which didn't show up at all in the photo, so - here is the 'bad' photo which does show!

I am going to enter this in the following:
  Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
  Totally Papercrafts - Anything but Christmas
  Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes
  DYSU - Anything Old
  Dutch Dare Challenge - Things With Wings
  Southern Girls - Ribbon
  Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes 

That's it for me, Mr Mojo wants to play, so can't disappoint.

Thanks for looking, hope you like it.

Avril xx

Dressmaking time at Fashionable Stamping Challenges

Hi All,

Well I am back after a lovely relaxing holiday, and hopefully I will be able to do some crafting later today as I am now suffering withdrawal symptoms from no crafting for over 2 weeks - wish I could take it all with me when I go on holiday - but would the plane be able to take off!!

Managed to complete my DT card for Fashionable Stamping before I went away and this  was a real pleasure to make, as I love vintage and sewing themes, which is the challenge this fortnight.  I distressed the base card with Tattered Rose, Spun Sugar and Antique Linen before Stamping with Hero Arts French Script, and the DressForms and Corset stamps from Crafty Individuals. The  bill head was also distressed with the same inks before being added to the card. The corsets and DressForm were then stamped again and cut out after being coloured with Distress Inks.  The ribbon started life as mauve, but after Domestos - it was the perfect shade!

I have just had a look at the cards over at FSC made by the DTs and there are some fabulous creations, so please pop over to be suitably inspired, and of course, there is always a fabulous prize on offer from our permanent sponsor, Marina of Cottage Crafts, and now there is a Saturday 'Spotlight' (I have lots to catch up on - holidays do interfere with crafting).

  I am also entering this card in Stamp & Create's challenge which is Vintage
    Make It Monday - Anything Goes
    The Ribbon Reel - Anything Goes
    Craft Your Days Away - Buttons or Bows
    Divas by Design - Anything Goes
    Fab & Funky - Anything Goes
    I Break for Challenges  - Vintage

Nearly forgot to mention - came home to find that I had won some of Brenda's Recycling candy.  Not only dose she have a great blog, but she is a very generous lady,  and if you haven't visited her, please do.

Well that's it for now, need to catch up on what has been happening in blogland!  Hope to see you soon.

Avril xx