Winter Wonderland Multi Combo Xmas DT Card

Good morning everyone out there in the land of blog

Once again it is nearly the weekend and if we are very lucky, the lovely weather will stay with us and, we can all get some more of our gardens sorted.

This week the Challenge over at Winter Wonderland is a sketch by the very talented Marianne.  

Now you can rotate this to meet your needs as I have done.

Our sponsor this week is our monthly sponsor........................

 Which reminds me to get all excited again, having already won one challenge with a Simon Says Stamp gift voucher, on Tuesday I was delighted to be announced the winner of the Copic Colour Challenge and yes I was lucky enough to win another Simon Says Stamp gift voucher.  So you can imagine my retail therapy is on overdrive and Simon Says Stamp also sell the newer colours of copics in the sketch markers so I am sure you know what I am currently adding to my shopping cart. Whoop Whoop!!!!!!!      So if you want to get as excited as me, pop over to Winter Wonderland and enter this weeks challenge.

Remember that the DT ladies and I love combo's, so here are the challenges I am entering with my DT card this week.  (you might want to get a coffee now).........................

Susie & Vikki's Christmas Club - Christmas Stitching - I have used a stitched ribbon and used faux stitching with a white gel pen around one of my papers on the top of the easel card and on the return

Penny Black - Flowers - Here is my all time favorite stamp along with their requirement this week of flowers and I have used some Poinsettia's, that I got from the Hobby House.

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Metal - I hope you can see the little metal snowman charm just above the flowers and under the ribbon, I got him from a local department store.

Totally Gorjuss - Round and Round, I have used two circles on my layout the base one is a Nellie self embossing die cut and the other is the nestie cut image plate edged with fine glitter.

Paper Sundaes - An easel Card - I appear to be in a flow of these at the moment. 

CupCake Craft Challenge - Bloomin Charming - to use flowers and charms on your card, how could I resist.

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Say it with flowers - Don't you just love Christmas flowers and these are quite stunning too. (Also must enter as the sponsor is Wild Orchid Crafts and the prize is to die for)

A Spoonful of Sugar Challenge - Something cute and girly, well I go with the snowman being oh so cute that all you want to do is go awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww and girly well flowers are a girly thing as are charms, so believe that a Christmas card can be cute and girly. Plus it is the first time I have entered this challenge :)

Stampavie and More Challenge - Flower Power

Charisma Cardz Challenge - 3D - I have done an easel card as I do so love them at the moment.

Oh I am so sorry are you drinks cold?, I really should not take that long getting to the actual card.  It took me twice as long to write it and link it I can tell you............................

So here is my weekly Christmas Card

Base paper is red, with MME top green paper and another make for the little bits on top of those, sorry can't remember the name now.  I used my new round Nellie set from the Hobby House and the glitter, flowers and pearls from their also.  (see where I shop link at the top).

This is the bottom return with MSE sentiment.

Here is my best ever snowman one of my first purchases from the Hobby House, coloured in those amazing copics with a little Atyou clear glitter pen on his little white body for that  obligatory crisp winter shimmer.

I would like to thank everyone for their recent kind comments and concern for my poor finger, which I can now tell you is steri free and the humorous comments (thanks Sue) which were all, as always greatly appreciated.

I am leaving my post in the capable hands of Mr Blogger who does so well to publish it whilst I am at work and I will be back after work  following a quick cuppa with a crafting friend to link my challenges

Hugs and Happy Crafting to you all

Kate xx

The Clock is Ticking at Our Vintage Affair

Yes Time is Running Out over at 

"Our Vintage Affair" 

Challenge Blog. 

 Remember those lovely bags I created, well these were just some of the wonderful creations that have been made for this interesting challenge by some very talented ladies.

So get your skates on and hurry on over as there are only 5 days left to join in this months challenge.

Remember that this challenge is won by votes.  So once the challenge has closed you can vote for your favorite and you can vote even if you have not entered on this challenge.

So what are you waiting for, can't wait to see your creations.

Kate xx

Wedding Card

Good evening everyone in blog land,

I had a very productive day yesterday, in the garden (yes the sun was out all day) and my DH and I made the most of it.  We went bedding plant shopping and came back with those and three of more of his favorite trees.  (Acer's, these ones are really pretty, one has a twisted stem and I cannot say their names let alone write them).  Instantly after the home coming quick coffee, we set to work on putting all the bedding plants in.  Hung up the hanging baskets, and added the plants to the door side planters.  

Wow what a day, only to be stopped at the next hurdle, feeding the dog.  

A while back I puchased some rather funky yellow plastic handled cutlery.  A general set, you know the type.  Unfortunately recently some of them started to snapp away from the metal bit.  Probably from the amount of times they had been through the dishwasher.  Well on this occasion, I was using one to scoop out a tin, the fork snapped and I through away the handle and carried on - bad move, tins have sharp edges (I must have been having one of those silly moments)  index finger cut really deep and the kitchen became the operating theatre as the medical emergency took place.  

As I was sat going all white and woosey on the chair, Matt was scrabbling through the medical cupboard, for antiseptic wipes, steri stripes and finger bandages.  (It looked as if the A & E might be needed)  fortunately for me (due to my regular deep cuts) Matt is quite experienced in sorting me out.  Wiped, on with the steri's and its protective cling film stuff and then the finger bandage.  A few painkillers and a good sleep, I was moving again.  But oh I had a very special card to make before work on Monday.  

Spent the evening resting it and feeling rather stupid but this morning all was well, or as well as could be.  Or it was until I attacked the cuttlebug with my cuttlekids alphabet - oops, sort of reopened it, so thought may as well carry on as the blood was contained.

You would have been proud of me, as yes the card is finished, with no blood staining and the finger is - well is looking good or as good as it gets for now :)

So now that I have your empathy on the matter, this card was made for my work colleague again, who does not like anything fussy.  So she likes clean lines and a very classy look, usually with words more than images.  She had given me a clear brief on her requirements.  More pressure added as her friend had ordered a hand made card and was disappointed with it of which my colleague had said "oh I won't be with mine"  oh my I hope she likes this now....................................

So after searching for a letter type that fitted my needs - thank you Tracey at Running with Scissors (see where I shop) for stocking this cuttle kids pack and with no searching for sketches in blog land.  

Here is what I made.

The background card, from Running with Scissors in pale Pink, metallic Grey and Black.  The top paper is from Hobby House - a Kaisercraft Blushed - Devotion Double Sided Paper 12" x 12"

It is a gorgeous paper and the reverse is just as beautiful.  Just perfect for the card theme.  The letters cut from the metallic Grey card.  The flowers punched from the same paper using both sides. The wording as requested by my colleague.

This is the inside left, where I had been requested to add the Wedding details.  These were computer generated and then layered to match using the cut offs from that gorgeous paper.

The inner right, this is an MSE sentiment, short and not too fussy and the reverse of the paper is used here to pick up the base of the flowers on the front.  Still using the layering of colours and the clean lines.

Here are the inner sides together to show how they compliment each other.

I do hope she likes it considering it took me longer than normal due to the finger issue.

I am entering this card into the following challenges

Saturday Challenge - Metal - I have used a metal raiser for my metal pearl brad and metallic Grey paper

Totally Paper Crafts - Wedding/Anniversary

(added after initial post ) the dog did get fed :)

and forgot to say this was all melted away by getting a top five at Fussy and Fancy.   

Well going to rest the finger :) work tomorrow and lots of writing (that will be fun)

Hope your all well and had a good weekend, and thank you all for the recent lovely comments that when you have done something so silly gives you the urge to carry on.

Hugs Kate xx

Winter Wonderland DT Card

Good morning all and it's almost welcome to the weekend.

This weeks challenge at Winter Wonderland is a theme

"See Amid the Winters' Snow" = which is anything with snow on it really.  

 Our sponsor this week is Teri's Delicious Doodles and her digi images are gorgeous and well worth winning.

So I chose to do a snow scene.  Again after searching the world of blog land I came across a sketch that I liked on Stamptacular Sunday Challenge I rotated it to fit my image.

This card also meets the following challenges

Fab 'n' Funky Challenge - Metal Mania - I used some metallic foil glitter paper for all those snowflakes

 Papertake Weekly Challenge - Shiny, Sparkly, Special and I hope I have not gone overboard with the glitz snowflakes

Anyway enough of my waffle you say - so here it is

An easel card again, with mint green edged MME papers in tones of browns and greens.  Pearls from the Hobby House, foil glitter paper (cannot remember where this is from sorry).  The image not sure of make but was one of my first ever stamps purchased and was from the Hobby House.  Fiber glitzy ribbon from Grimsby Crafts a little while back. I used my new Nellie embossed dies (the oval set) and used liquid pearls to give the image plate an edge.

 Here is the inner return close up

 This is an MSE sentiment

The image close up

 Coloured in copics using a clear glitter "Atyou" pen for a fine shimmer of glitz on the snow covered roof tops etc.

 Oh I am also dead excited as I won, on Creative Inspirations Challenge 59, can't wait to spend my voucher  :) and my winning La La Land stamps are in the post too, the postie better watch out I will be hounding her again :)

As always this will post whilst I am at work, thank you blogger for being so helpful.  I will link the challenges when I get home again.

Thank you all for the recent wonderful comments.

Hugs and Glitz 

Kate xx

Handbags at Dawn - The Challenge is on at "Our Vintage Affair"

Have you been to look yet at the New Challenge at Our Vintage Affair, and if you have not you should!!

Polly has set the Challenge of  

Handbags

So after some practice and DH Matt's requirements that it must be useful.  I made a handbag to hold a mug.  The mug is in pink, purples and cream.  So the box is also and the mugs fits perfectly.

So after cutting out my pieces on rough card stock to make my own template, I then set about covering it to make it look pretty and too actually look like a handbag.  I wanted to actually be able to pick this up with the cup in it.  So it needed to be quite sturdy as well as pretty.

So here is what I created

The papers are BoBunny from a 12 x 12 Jazmyne Botanical, limited edition glitter series, purchased from the Hobby House as is the lace which Jill kindly located for me this morning and the ribbon.  Jill is preparing the shop for the most outrageous number of ribbons in every colour possible, see where I shop for the online store and keep an eye on it ready.  The pearls are pink liquid pearls from Running with Scissors as is the flower and the tulle.  The pearl stems from a local department store. The feathers are from my past visits to Bridlington to Rui Tong (they are a retail stockist for milliners and they do have a website. 

So here are a few close ups for you so you can see more of the detail.

and here is the final gift handbag, tried to use some of my new stash from the Hobby House but it didn't fit, but loved the colours on this one, papers from Grimsby Crafts.

This one needed to fit a facecloth cake, which is really pretty, so went on the delicate route and used my MS doily punch. The flower is from a Running with Scissors as are the string pearls, sometimes these are so much easier to use.  The ribbon and lace I am not sure where it came from. 

Here is the overall image

and a close up,

and just so you can see all three she will receive here is the one the card is going into again.

I have to say I think the pink one is my favorite, oh both are secured with hook and eye self sticky Velcro I also think I may go and weather the edges on the pale blue/green and cream one.

Well off to clear the ironing, I have a huge pile and if I don't hit it so to speak, I will be drowning in it whilst watching the TV. and as the sun is out I am hoping that DH Matt might cut the grass whilst we have a little window of hope.

Thank you for the recent comments they make my day

Kate xx

Sunglasses Needed Again - For this Card Handbag

Hello crafting buddies in blogland

Yes you might need your sunglasses on again to view this, and I have decided to put my sunglasses away after this as the weather in the UK does not require them.

You know my poor garden must be thinking I do not care, when I actually do, but just cannot get out to do anything.  It is so cold at the minute and has done nothing but rain hard all day.

My DH Matt went fishing this morning - only just got back, he did not come last but is very damp - to say the least.

I suppose I was lucky this morning, I picked up my two parcels and headed off to the post office, in a what you might call a pretty PINK car.  (My car is purple, so where does the pink come from.  Well that is easy the next door neighbours have a blossom tree and with the lovely rain, my car is covered in it - grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr)  Managed to get into the post office and out, back into the PINK car and set off for the Hobby House.  Driving along at a reasonable speed (speed limit kept to) and my car was like a wedding car, the poor drivers behind, kept getting covered in confetti as the blossom dried out and blew off my car.  Jill didn't half laugh when I told her.  I only just made it in when on the roof you could hear it throwing it down, so bad that you could hardly hear each other talk.

Anyway enough of all that lets get the sunshine bit over with so we can at least feel summery

My DH Matt, said that if I was going to make things they at least needed to be useful.  Good idea.  So having to make a holder for the last card, as most of my cards do not fit in envelopes, I decided to have a practice at making a handbag for "Our Vintage Affair Challenge" of handbags.

Glasses On Now!!!!

So here is the handbag for my last card to sit in, for Mike's girlfriend.

Glasses Off (Just a quick flash really)

Bling swirls from the Hobby House this morning, papers and flower from Running with scissors, base orange card from local superstore and the MS double loop punch for the frill around the flap.  Ribbon for bow and handle can't remember and little handbag charm from Tilly's (please see the link above for where I shop).

So now off to produce a handbag to store a birthday present mug in.  Got some delish new stash from Hobby House this morning, must go play.

Enjoy the rest of your day and thank you all for your recent lovely comments, some which really made me smile.

Chow for now

Kate xx

Oh My A Birthday Card that needs Sunglasses

Yep we might not need the sun glasses on in the UK at the moment, 

although my fingers are permanently crossed for a nice spell or two, 

but if you were to open this little number you would definitely need them.

No not yet, you can keep them off for now, whilst you read.

Good evening everyone and welcome to the relaxing or crafting (take your pick) weekend.  

It was a nice short week and from my point of view work wise very enjoyable.  Well one part of it was.  I was able to hand over my commission and watch the delight on the face of the young lady it was for, I hope her Nan likes it as much and that it will always be a source of happy memories.  

This is the stamp that I won from Lols candy, I was very lucky considering the number that enter and personally wish I could win a HM stamp each week, but I can dream.

I also received my order from Once Upon A Stamp today, some more nesties to play with, can't wait and yet again I am bugging the postie, as I was a lucky top 3 at La La Land last week and I was chosen for the gift certificate, yep you guessed it more Rosie's are coming to play for Xmas.

So onto this birthday card then, my son Mike asked me to create a card for his new girlfriend and my DH Matt, suggested that Mike teach her to cook.  Came home to a creation of his, but something was wrong the quiche had not set????? on discussing this with him and finding some double UHT cream missing from the fridge - identified that double cream is not the same as yogurt and therefore more liquid and it had not set.  Solved, added three egg yolks, stirred it around in the pastry case, and put it back in the oven to cook and this time set.  Bless he tried (good job there was a ready made one in the fridge) - They can now have this tomorrow instead :))

So onto the card, several sources of inspiration from different challenges and the sketch I liked this week was Magical Crafts.

So the challenges that I am entering this birthday card into

Magical Crafts Fortnightly Challenge - The sketch above, isn't it lovely.

House Mouse Monday Challenge - Flower Power, I do not have a house mouse with a flower on it yet, (which reminds me might have to pop to see Denise at Tilly's her order should be in by now) so I added some Hobby Craft and local department store flowers to my card.

Fab 'n' Funky Challenges - Fancy Edges - Four styles, copic used around the embossed edge of the nesties and then glittered up, two different Martha Steward punches, ribbons around the image (all those tiny pieces (my eyes definitely needed the glasses at that point)

The Pixie Cottage - Make your own charms, well I have never done this before, I used the same house mouse stamp coloured it on shrink plastic, an interesting effect, if I do say so myself.

PaperPlay Challenges - Stamp/digi & Bling - oh and I can do bling, hope I have not gone over the top

Simon Says Challenge - Birthday/Celebrations - just perfect for my card and I love their shop too.

Creative Inspirations - Orange, Hot Pinks and Purple, an unusual combination and hence the need for the sunglasses.

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge - Wedding/Birthday

Stamp Something - Birthday Something

Oh please wake up :)  I am so sorry here it is - Put your glasses on NOW!!!!

Base card is orange with the capsule mono paper "Heather" on top and the pink is from a wedding stack by Papermania I think.  MS punches, ribbon, and bling from Hobby House.  Large flowers from Hobby Craft and smaller ones from a local department store.  The image - from Lols and Simon Says Stamp - thank you xxxxxxx.  Lols has just grabbed herself a special place on the House Mouse DT, joining her is our ex WW teamie Sue (lucky pair) have fun ladies.  oops sorry for all stash see where I shop above.

Here is the inner return

The flowers

The charm

The copic coloured image

My word you can take your glasses off now, and hope you did not fall asleep behind those dark lenses :)  Well I have some crafting sanding to do before the gesso comes out and also lots of ironing.

So must leave you nice people to get on and thank you for your recent lovely comments

Hugs Kate x

Winter Wonderland Xmas DT Card with added Mojo

Yes it is challenge time again at Winter Wonderland

I am slowly getting into the change of date format for our challenges and starting to get to grips with the challenges that I can combo with.

This weeks theme for the Challenge is by the very talented Janet, who has set us the challenge of

Christmas Creatures "That is any sort of cute Christmas creature"

I have a candle that burns though the Christmas Season, it has three mice on it and the "Twas the Night Before Xmas" quote.  So for me it just had to be mice.

Our sponsor this week is the Cutting Cafe.

I chose this lovely loving couple by Gillian Roberts, they are so adorable.  I chose to follow one of the many sketches available on the various challenges out in blog land, and selected this one from the

Mojo Monday Challenge.

The colours on this occasion also met the Copic Colour Challenge

I am entering this card into the Cupcake Craft Challenge also, they had a recipe of 3 papers, 3 ribbons and 3 flowers. I have used two types of MME Xmas papers, and the McGill branches are cut from Queen Bee papers from the Hobby House.  The lace ribbon has a green ribbon threaded through it and the little pink box is the third and three flowers prima I believe all glittered up for that special feeling.  The sentiment is Whiff of Joy. (see where I shop)

So here is the card

The sentiment close up

Look at all those liquid pearls, so girly :)

Finally the close up of those little mice, sat on their flower soft grass, with their liquid applique mistletoe berries.

This will publish whilst I am at work, I just love the way it does that......still would like it to link them all for me too (hey a girl can dream you know)

I will link when I get home from work again :))

Thank you for all the recent comments, during a hectic week, they really do cheer my day.  

Hugs Kate xx

Is it You???????

The winner of the Winter Wonderland linked blog candy is

Becky

Thank you to all of you who have helped me to celebrate my new post as a DT at Winter Wonderland.

Becky was chosen by the random generator thingy

Becky if you would like to contact me and provide your address, I will arrange to post out the parcel to you.

Thank you to everyone

Hugs Kate xx

La La Land Xmas Card combo and finally I .........

Get to use my winning stamp

Good afternoon everyone 

Last night I was a little frustrated, a little while ago I won a gift certificate to spend at La La Land Crafts, and found some lovely Xmas ones, I chose "Christmas Dress Rosie" and she is beautiful and a dream to colour.  Although I make one card a week for Xmas, I have not had the opportunity to use her.  So an extra day in the weekend and an extra Xmas card.

My DH Matt almost missed his early rise, I woke him to remind him that he was fishing - well did not want to lose my crafting quiet time :)

I searched the blogs for an inspirational sketch and finally decided on this lovely sketch by Stamp Something. I also for a change wanted to use crisp Winter colours so got all my Xmas stacks and papers out and eventually settled on a theme which fitted nicely with one of my favorite challenges - The Play Date Cafe.

So this card I am entering into the following Challenges:

Stamp Something - Sketch Something - a lovely sketch by the very talented Denise

The Play Date Cafe - Light Green, Light Blue and Off White (see the colour pad below)

ABC Christmas Challenge -  I is for Ice thank heavens I have Icy snowflakes on my card

Christmas Stampin All Year Long - an easel card

Bah Humbug - Snowflakes

and finally - so I could use my new stamp

La La Land Crafts - Altered embellishments (quite a tricky one) here is what I started with.

and again sorry for the wait but eventually here is the card

A base card of off white, with some lovely papers from the Hobby House not sure on the make sorry.  The winning stamp image, isn't she beautiful and some lovely now pale green bells and a pale green bow and turquoise crystals.  Glittered up for that icy feeling.  Stickles used around the MSE sentiment on the front tag and punched out snowflakes and normal glitter on the snowflakes on the image base. I used liquid applique for her ruffles on the dress.

and a  close up of the image and the copic coloured bow, bells (glittered with normal glitter) the copic coloured crystal. I used craft wire in a pale blue to dangle the bells.

and the inner return, look at these lovely shaped pearls, from a local £1 shop.

Well must think about doing something exciting and ironing a few clothes for next week, if the wind was not so bad could have done some weeding. Later on I am going to dabble with a couple of more projects.

Don't forget my candy is still running along side the Winter Wonderland Challenge and ends 4th May at 8pm.

Have a nice day all and thank you for all the recent lovely comments, they just make my day every one of them.

Hugs and Happy Crafting

Kate xx

Sugar Nellie Lilac Monochrome Little Girls Birthday Card

Good afternoon to you all, and to my new followers and to those of you who are mobile blogging whilst on their holidays - and you know who you are :)

Today I finished a very special commission for a work colleague, which had become for me  a labor of love, dedication and commitment. It will now allow me to get to the garden a little. Yesterday we went to B & Q and purchased some stepping stones, to allow me to move around the raised bed more easily, can't wait to get in and clear it, but today the wind is a little to nippy for my liking and we have just had a heavy rainfall.  Maybe tomorrow will be better, or we hope it will be as DH Matt is going fishing. Which as you all know leaves little old me alone with my "Beach Hut" yep that lovely quiet place where I can go play with all my stash. Whoop whoop.

Today in between the gloss drying on the commission I made a birthday card for a colleagues friend and I took my inspiration from the Totally Papercrafts Sketch, which just jumped out off the page and said "I am fab..... use me"  

So before I go finish the Sunday Dinner which has very nicely been roasting along in the oven to itself beside the steamer which also steams the vegetables on its own, here is today's little something.

This is the sketch from Sketch Saturday

The challenges that it also fits so perfectly into

Totally Papercrafts - their sketch 

Daring Card Makers - An easel Card

Creative Inspirations Challenge 58 - An easel Card

Charisma Cardz -Girly Card with Flowers

The Pixie Cottage - Lots of Flowers

and reliably informed

Lots To Do Challenge - Faces

The card itself would help (I know I will get there eventually)

I used some lilac card, the purple (think it is called "Heather") Capsule Mono collection paper.  My new purchase from the Hobby House (see where I shop) my round the page double loop punch by MS.  Some glitter, pearls, a little purple charm, some ribbon (from stash) and my justrite stamps for the sentiment.  The inner sentiment is MSE. Large Flower from Hobby Craft and I am sorry cannot remember where the little flowers are from but the leaves are from Running with Scissors. I did leave the ribbon deliberately peeping out at the ends :)

The close up of the image from Sugar Nellie "Demure" I think.

and I think that is about it for now, although I have some new bits and bobs from the Hobby House yesterday, so need to go play. I also helped the step mother in law to spend a large amount of money there too :) it was nice spending someone else's money and it was on plastic too.

Don't forget my blog candy is running still see here 

Thank you for all your lovely recent comments, I do love reading them all, and I do apologise if I have not got around to visiting you all recently but will try do better this week

Hugs Kate xx

New Challenge at "Our Vintage Affair"

Wow you have just got to take a look at these little beauties, created by Polly for her inspirational start to the new challenge at "Our Vintage Affair"

The very first sponsors of the challenge is - CRAFTY INDIVIDUALS . 

The exciting challenge this month is BAGS!!!!!

Polly is offering help with templates too if you are a little stuck.

The challenge ends on May 25th at midnight and you have until midnight on May 27th to email Polly your top 3 favourites.

So pop on over and take a look, I can't wait to get going on this challenge.

Hugs Kate xx