Finding my mojo!

My crafting mojo disappeared over the last week.... I mean it went completely AWOL!  I couldn't seem to get motivated and it was easier to veg out in front of the television for a couple of days after Christmas, watching films.  I think the restrictions because of Covid probably had something to do with it, as well as the cold and wet weather.  Yesterday I decided to try and find my mojo.  The Bugaboo seven day 'Holiday Chaos' challenge ends in a couple of days.  I joined in the first three challenges, so yesterday I was determined to make four cards to complete all seven challenges.

My first card is for the fourth Bugaboo challenge, a Bingo challenge.

The image is a Bugaboo one, coloured with Promarkers and sparkle added with a Wink of Stella glitter brush over the snowman and the snow.  I used a Memory Box 'Scalloped Stitched Circle' die for the mat and added tiny white pearls all the way round.  I raised the mat up on foam pads.  The embossing folder I used was Sue Wilson's  'Frosted Stripes'.

This photo shows the sparkle clearer.

I am joining in the following challenges with this card:

Bugaboo Holiday Chaos Day 4 ~ Bingo - Pearls/Bugaboo image/Sparkle

Craftlandia Challenge #5 ~ Winter

Allsorts Challenge Week 603/4 ~ Sparkle and Shine

Country View December Challenge ~ Anything Christmas

Passion For Promarkers Week 572 - Mega Christmas challenge 2020! ~ Add a sentiment

Let's Squash It Challenge #3 ~ Embossing and Die Cutting/Fussy Cutting

My second card uses another Bugaboo image, coloured with Promarkers.  The patterned paper is from an old Trimcraft paper pad, which I think came as the free gift with a magazine.  I raised the image up with foam pads and added a Card Candi in the corner for some added detail.  The three snowflakes are Memory box 'Twilight Snowflakes' die cuts.

I am joining in the following challenges with this card:

Bugaboo Holiday Chaos - Day Five ~ Make us Laugh!

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper December Challenge

I love this Bugaboo image, it always makes me smile!  Again I coloured it with Promarkers.  I used a Presscut die to make the centre stepper card base.  After attaching the red panels, I added some white and silver Card Candi and a sentiment.  The Bugaboo challenge this time is a photo challenge and I took my inspiration from the reindeer and the colours in the photo.

I am joining in the following challenges with this card:

Bugaboo Holiday Chaos - Day Six ~ Photo Challenge

CHNC Challenge #522 ~ Anything Christmas Goes

....and finally my fourth card.  Another Bugaboo image coloured with Promarkers.  Day 7 is a colour challenge.  When I saw all the stripes of colours for the challenge, I thought they would make a great background used as stripes.  I found all the colours I needed in my snippets drawer.  I cut them all the same width and layered them over a rectangle of card.  The stripy card was put through my Big Shot with a Cuttlebug snowflake embossing folder, before trimming it down to fit the card base and adding the image.

I am joining in the following challenges with this card:

Bugaboo Holiday Chaos - Day 7 ~ Colour Challenge

The Holly and Ivy Challenge # 85 ~ Anything Christmas Goes

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #581 ~ Christmas the Last Stretch

Little Red Wagon Challenge #581 ~ Merry Christmas!

So, if you've managed to stick with me through this LONG post, I wish you a Happy, Healthy and Creative 2021.  I hope next year will be a better year for us all.

Santa's Laundry

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Scheduling this post to wish anyone who visits my blog today a very Merry Christmas.  For anyone who finds this time of year difficult, sending you a big (((HUG))).  I hope 2021 will be a better year for us all.

The background was a piece of  blue ombré card I've had forever!  I used a Cheery  Lynn 'Santa's Laundry' die I won a couple of month's ago over in the Playground using red card.  I cut it out again in white and snipped off the white parts I needed.  The washing line poles started off as Poppystamps 'Antique Lamp Post' die cuts in silver mirror card and I cut off the lamp parts to make the poles fit the card.  I used an MFT 'Fresh Cut Grass' die for the grass.  The sentiment is a SU stamp.  

I am joining in the following challenges:

Little Red Wagon Challenge #581 ~ Merry Christmas!

Ike's World Challenges #139 ~ X for Xmas/Anything Goes

Dream Valley Challenge # 238 ~ Christmas

Country View Crafts December Challenge ~ Anything Christmas

Craftlandia Challenge #5 ~ Winter

Rudolph Pillow Boxes

It's become the traditon over the last few years for me to make little chocolate treat boxes to put on the table on Christmas Day.  Although it won't be the same this year and most of the boxes will be left on the doorsteps for family members to enjoy in their own homes on Christmas Day, I wanted to keep up the tradition of making them.  This year I decided to make pillow boxes and I got the idea for the reindeer on Pinterest.

I used a Sizzix pillow box die with green card and embossed it with a Cuttlebug holly embossing folder.  Everything else was made with snippets.  I used circle and oval punches for the face and nose.  The white of the eyes was the waste from a Memory Box die cut and I added tiny black peeloffs for the pupils.  The antlers were a punched with a Stampin' Up 'Sprig Punch', but were perfect for antlers.  I cut a banner with a die from the Sue Wilson 'Stitched Flag' set and added a sentiment punched with another SU punch.

I had twelve to make and they are all now  filled with chocolates. 

I am joining in the following challenges:

1. Pixie's Snippets Playground  Challenge #393 ~ Use Snippets

2. Christmas with the Cuties Challenge #45 ~ Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas + Option of Christmas Song - Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer

3. Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge #521 ~ Anything Christmas Goes + Option of use the word Christmas

Tower Card

It was our granddaughter's 11th birthday last Saturday and this is the card I made for her.  As she has a little dog, I decided to make a cute little dog as my focus.

I used a pre-coloured digi stamp from Beccy's Place 'Dog Tales' set.  I die cut the image with a MB 'Stitched Circle Layers' die and layered it on a green MB 'Scalloped Stiched Circle' die cut.  I used a Sue Wilson 'Pawprint Lattice' embossing folder for the background.The white panels were die cut with a Poppystamps 'Cat Paw Border' die and layered on green card.  The card folds flat for posting and measures 6" x 6" when folded.

I am joining in the following challenges:

1. Beccy's Place December Challenge ~ Use one of Beccy's images

2. 2 Crafty Critter Crazies Challenge #45 ~ Include a Critter

3. A Perfect Time To Craft December Challenge  #12 ~ Anything Goes

4. Sheepski Designs Challenge #45 ~ Feature a Creature

5. Let's Squash It Challenge #3 ~ Use any embosssing folder AND die/fussy cutting

Pixie Powders Background

Another Christmas card today.

I made the background a while ago when I was experimenting with Pixie Powders on black card.  I thought I would make a lovely night sky for the Memory Box 'Frosted Christmas Tree' die cut.  I added some glitter along the edge of the branches of the tree to add some extra sparkle and shine.  The sentiment was stamped in navy, layered on a snippet of the leftover background card and raised up on foam pads.

Here is a close-up of the background.  I love how the Pixie Powders shine when the light catches them.  The colours look even more vibrant IRL.

I am joining in the following challenges: 

Memory Box Challenge #67 ~ Trees

Allsorts Challenge Week 603/4 ~ Sparkle and Shine

Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge #521 ~ Anything Christmas Goes + Use the word Christmas

Country View December Challenge ~ Anything Christmas

Try it on Tuesday ~ Christmas Sparkle

Bottle Tag

A change from Christmas cards today, a festive bottle tag.

I started by scoring across a rectangular piece of red card and corner rounded all four corners.  I added a large rectangle of white glitter card which really sparkles IRL.  Then I die cut a circle in the top part and added a scalloped die cut frame.  The image is part of the Bugaboo 'Christmas Trio Block' digi stamp.  I coloured it with Promarkers, added clear Wink of Stella to Santa's hat and fussy cut the image.  I hand cut a black mat to make the image stand out.  The sentiment is stamped with Versafine 'Satin Red'.  

I am joining in the following challenges:

Catch the Bug Challenge - Day 3 ~ Anything But a Card

Let's Create and Craft Challenge #166 ~ AG + Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

The Holly and Ivy Challenge # 85 ~ Anything Christmas Goes

Dream Valley Challenge # 238 ~ Christmas

Winter Wonderland Challenge ~ Anything Christmas Goes 

Country View December Challenge ~ Anything Christmas

Sketch

A second post today, with another Christmas card..... ready for December 2021!  This time I followed a Bugaboo sketch.  I rarely follow a sketch,  I'm not sure why, so this was a bit out of my comfort zone. 

 

The Bugaboo 'Snowman 003' digi stamp was coloured with Promarkers.  To add a little sparkle, I covered the snowman and snow with a clear Wink of Stella glitter pen.   The patterned paper is from a Trimcraft Christmas patterned paper pad.  The sentiment, from the SU 'Greatest Part of Christmas' stamp set, was stamped with Versafine 'Satin Red' and I raised up the sentiment on foam pads.  Three red Card Candi finished off my card. 

This is the sketch I followed.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Catch the Bug Challenge - Day 2 ~ Sketch

Allsorts Challenge Week 602 ~ Christmas 

Passion for Promarkers Challenge Week 572 ~ Add a Sentiment

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge ~ Snow

Country View December Challenge ~ Anything Christmas

Reindeer Games

A new event started this week on the Bugaboo blog.... 'Holiday Chaos', with a different challenge each day for a week.  I'm playing catch up and Day 1 the theme is Reindeer Games.

I made a Joy Fold card using the Bugaboo digi stamp,  'Reindeer Trio'.  I chose to use the blank sentiment version and added my own computer generated sentiment.  The image was coloured with Promarkers and clear Wink of Stella added to Rudolph's nose, the fairy lights and the stars to add a little sparkle. The papers are from an old Lili of the Valley 'Frosty Christmas' paper pad.  A small brad with a snowflake on keeps the card closed. 

When the card is opened, it reveals the panel to write the message.  I added a punched Christmas tree to the inside. 

I am joining in the following challenges:

Catch the Bug Challenge - Day 1 ~ Theme: Reindeer Games

Ike's World Challenge #139 ~ X for Xmas

Allsorts Challenge Week 602 ~ Christmas

Krafty Chicks Challenge #537 ~ Christmas

Angle Card

Sharing today a card I made for a card swap.  I've always called this fold an angle fold, but I'm not sure if that's the correct name.  It was one of the first fancy folds I taught myself to make..... quite a long time ago!

The image and the sentiment are both stamps from the Stampin' Up 'Beauty Abounds' set of stamps.  I stamped them with Memento 'Tuxedo Black' and coloured the images with Promarkers and added tiny black pearls to the centres of the flowers.  I think the embossing folder I used was a Creative Expressions one.   The decorative border along the top was punched with a Martha Stewart border punch.  

I am joining in the following challenges:

We Love Chocolate Baroque December Challenge ~ Anything Goes

Passion For Promarkers Week 572 ~ Mega Christmas challenge 2020! ~ Add a sentiment

I Love Promarkers #Challenge 425 ~ Anything Goes without the option

The Flower Challenge #51 ~ Add Embellishments (Black pearls)

Snowman Step Card

Another Christmas card today.

The card base was made with a Spellbinders 'Happy Days' die.  The papers were all in my box of left over patterned papers from previous projects.  

I added four Memory Box 'Twilight Snowflakes' die cuts and a stamped sentiment from the Stampin' Up '#Elfie' set of stamps.  I used a punch to punch out the sentiment and raised it up on foam pads.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Allsorts Challenge Week 602 ~ Christmas

Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge #520 ~ Anything Christmas Goes + Option of use the word Merry

Winter Wonderland Challenge ~ Anything Christmas Goes

Little Red Wagon Challenge # 579 ~ Snow Day!

Use Your Stuff Challenge #412 ~ Winter/Snow/Christmas

Cardz 4 Galz Challenge #136 ~ It's Snowman Time!

Country View Crafts December Challenge ~ Anything Christmas

Inkspirational Challenge #228 ~ Snow

Under the Mistletoe

Just when I thought I'd finished making all my Christmas cards for this year, a good friend asked if I'd make a special Christmas card for him to give to his wife.  Due to the pandemic, he was finding it difficult to go out and buy a shop bought card.  My friend decided on the sentiment, but the rest of the design was left up to me.  His wife absolutely loves penguins, so that was my starting point for the card.  

I decided to make a Tower Card which fold flat for posting..... although I knew it wasn't going to be posted.  It measures 6" x 6" when folded, but I put it into a 7" square envelope so there was a bit of wiggle room to get the card in and out.  Knowing that there are several penguin digi stamps in Beccy's Place, I popped over to the online shop.  When I saw the 'Finn and Molly' digi stamp I knew it would be perfect for my card and I decided to use the pre-coloured version.  After printing the image and sentiment, it was die cut and matted using dies from the Lisa Horton 'Stitched Scalloped Layered Squares' set.  The background was embossed with a Sue Wilson 'Snowflake Lattice' e/f.  A few white Memory Box 'Twilight Snowflakes' die cuts and three punched hearts finished off my card.

I love making this style of card as they are so easy to make. 

I am joining in the following challenges:

Beccy's Place December Challenge 

Country View December Challenge ~ Anything Christmas

Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge #519 ~ Anything Goes without the option

Christmas with the Cuties Challenge #44 ~ Feature a Creature

Dream Valley Challenge # 238 ~ Christmas

Simon Says Monday Challenge ~ Favourite Technique (Fancy Folds)

My Time To Craft Challenge #446 ~ Christmas Animals

Decorated Notepad

Welcome to my two new followers.  I hope you can stop by my blog again soon. 

 

A decorated notepad today using lot of snippets.  I bought the notepad in The Range for 25p, with a very boring plain front cover!

I had a small piece of patterned paper left over from a Stampin' Up retreat I went on some time ago.  It was just big enough to cover the front of the notepad.  I stamped the image with a matching flower stamp and layered it on a green and a yellow mat. I used a Martha Stewart border punch with another snippet of green card, backed the holes with yellow card and attached it over the top of the notepad.  A strip of yellow card was added across the middle and I stamped a few tiny green flowers.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Allsorts Challenge - Week 601 ~ Anything but a card

Pixie's Snippets Playground  Challenge #392 ~ Use snippets

We Love Chocolate Baroque December Challenge ~ Anything Goes

Krafty Chicks Challenge #536 ~ Week 1 Stamp Act

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper December Challenge

Polar Bear Easel Card

The Crafty Calendar Challenge begins today with the theme 'Christmas'.   We are kindly sponsored this month by Lili of the Valley and Crafty Ribbons.

 

Lili of the Valley kindly gave the DT digi stamps for our projects and I chose to use 'Polar'. I coloured the background and a little shading on the polar bear with Promarkers and covered the snow with a Wink of Stella glitter pen, before die cutting with a Memory Box 'Stitched Circle Layers' die.  The image was layered on a white glitter card die cut circle to add a little more sparkle.  Both the papers are from a Lili of the Valley 'Frosty Christmas' paper pad.  I love these papers and as the pad is no longer available, I save every little snippet left over.  I raised up the darker blue panel with foam pads to enable the card to stand up.  Five holographic Card Candi finished off my card. 

Please pop over to Crafty Calender Challenge blog to see all the wonderful cards the DT have made this month.  The challenge ends on 28th December and I'm looking forward to seeing all your Christmas creations.  The DT will choose a Top 3 and a randomly chosen winner will win a prize from Lili of the Valley. 

 

and Crafty Ribbons.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Country View December Challenge ~ Anything Christmas

ABC Christmas Challenge ~ Y is for Your Favourite Things - Fancy Folds

I Love Promarkers #Challenge 424 ~ Anything Goes + Option of Christmas

The Sisterhood of Crafters ~ Shaped Projects

2 Crafty Critter Crazies Challenge #25 ~ Include a Critter

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper December Challenge

Sheepski Designs Challenge #45 ~ Feature a Creature

Passion for Promarkers Week 571 ~ Christmas

Christmas with the Cuties Challenge #44 ~ Feature a Creature

Winter Wonderland Challenge ~ Anything Goes