Hang up your stockings!!

This week's Little Extra theme is:
"Hang Up Your Stockings"Obviously we mean the stockings we put out in the hope that Father Christmas will pay us a visit and fill them with little treats (not your fishnets and suspenders!).Maybe you're in a part of the world that has a different custom, for instance in some countries the children put their shoes on the windowsill rather than hang up stockings. Whatever you do, we'd love to hear about your traditions as well as seeing your cards, so please tell us a little about how you celebrate Christmas in your country and in your home.

Here is my card

The papers are Season of Joy by Scrapworks and they are lovely! The papers, white and burgundy card and the spotty ribbon were all part of my latest kit from Scrummy Stash Cafe brads and frame were from stash and the stocking is cut in Vivelle using a Sizzlit die.

I have also made two more wedding invitations this morning (for one of my brides who forgot to invite someone to the wedding) and a little prezzie!

I am making headway with the jewellery so I shall get back to it.

Thanks for looking in again. xx

My song was...........

.........Baby It's Cold Outside by Tom Jones and Cerys Matthews! Well done Deb, if you would like to email me with your details, I will put together a little something as you were the only one to get it right!

It is just a quick one today as I am about to take DD2 to town (I hate town at the best of times but just before Christmas........bleugh!! lol)

This was the card I made hubby for our anniversary last week.

Sorry about the wonky scan! Papers and hearts were Je T'Aime by My Minds Eye (I just love this paper) and Crate Baby Bee, the heart were cut with a large Sizzix die, velvet ric rac is from Ribbon Oasis and the greetings were done on the PC. Fonts used were Marnie Regular and Stylistic SF.

BFN xx

Musical dare!

The girls over at DCM have come up with a brilliant dare this week (not that they are not all brilliant, but this one was one of my faves!) This week it was Lythan's turn to set the dare and the instructions are

Song without words
I would like you to create a card inspired by a song or a carol - it could be for Christmas or not! (you may have got all your Christmas cards done by now...) BUT there is a twist. the words of the song are NOT to be seen on the front of the card. You could leave it to us to guess! Have fun!

DD wanted a pink a sparkly card this year and I knew vaguely what I wanted to do before the dare was published and this is what I came up with. Backing paper is from the English Paper Company, snowman was stamped using black Versafine ink and coloured with Sakura glitter pens, brrr was cut in pink pearlescent card with a Sizzlit die, ribbon is again from Ribbon Oasis and the snowflake was stamped onto clear shrink plastic using pink chalk ink pad and shrunk using my heat gun. I added a jump ring to the snowflake and attached it to the ribbon.

So what is my song? It's not Frosty the Snowman as guessed by Gillian and Hazel, so I will give you a clue! Think .............brr, hat, scarf and snowflake (oh and it isn't a traditional Christmas song!) I do have another clue if needed too!

Mr Postie has just arrived with my Seasons of Joy card making kit from Scrummy Stash Cafe and it is fab-thanks Maria. This is the seventh kit I have had and I am so pleased with them all. I suppose I really should start using some of them LOL

Thanks for visiting my blog xx

Baubles

I totally forgot that I hadn't posted this card, for the DCM Little Extra, on my blog. This is what they were looking for this week.

This week we'd love to see you making cards on the theme of Baubles, Bells & Bows See how much of a dent you can make in the "I need to make X number of Christmas cards" list with this one. Please come back and leave us a message when you've made your card(s) and we'll pop over to see what you've created.

Baubles were embossed with the Cuttlebug 'Textile' embossing folder and cut with a scalloped circle punch. The cap on the top was cut by hand and I added some gold wire for the hanger. The baubles are actually gold mirri card! Backing paper is from an old K & Co Christmas pad, sentiment is a Studio G stamp again and the ribbon was from my stash.

I am making jewellery at the moment as I have a party next Wednesday evening. I shall photograph it all together when I have finished. Will break off tomorrow morning though for the DCM challenge.

Night night xx

The Queen and I......

..........share the same wedding anniversary (and hubbys of course), so today is that day! I have just received a beautiful bouquet of flowers in lovely shades of pink.

Aren't they lovely? Congratulations to everyone else who shares a special day today!

A couple of weeks ago I made a swing card as a challenge on Just Bex but I wasn't happy with it (it is further down on the blog). Yesterday I decided to have another go as it is a friend's birthday on Friday and this time it is much better.

Front

Back

I printed one of the Pink Petticoat papers straight onto ivory hammered card. Flowers are Prima and Papermania. The large pearl brad is Papermania and the small Primas have a Liquid Pearls centre (not that they show up on here!)

I also made a couple more Christmas cards with bits that were still on my desk.

Quick and easy! Blue fibres wrapped around a piece of white pearlescent card edged with blue finished off with glittery die cut snowflakes attached with eylets using my Cropodile.Quickutz snowman sat on a background of snowflakes stamped with a Debbi Moore background stamp. Paper is the DCWV Christmas pad from last year, eyelet set with Cropodile and ribbon from stash.
I just love this Santa stamp but DD says it is spooky! She's not a small child either, she's 14. Anyway, he is stamped with a black Versafine ink pad onto white pearl card and mounted onto black pearl. Spotty paper is again from Pink Petticoat tied with a white organza ribbon. Greeting is one of the little Studio G sets finished off with an ab crystal to dot the i.

And finally for now

This card also fits last Friday's DCM dare as the angels are mounted onto gold card. These two stamps have got to be amongst my very favourites. They are just soooooooooo cute.

I now need to tidy up then carry on with some jewellery. I may be back later with the midweek 'Little Extra' from the DCM team.

And another

I think I am actually getting to grips with this Christmas card lark (sorry Kathy ;)) and also can't believe that I have done the new DCM Dare already. The brief this week is set by Keryn and here is her challenge

Going back over my cards I seem to have a liking for gold as an accent colour. So this week I'd like you to make a card for any season or occasion but must include gold somewhere. It could be a brad, metallic card, heat embossing, ribbon, anything at all as long as it's gold.
I think this one fits the bill :)

I adore this stamp, it really looks fab in any colour scheme. Here I have stamped him onto white textured card, coloured him in turquoise and gold and mounted him onto a piece of gold holographic card. I then did the same again onto shrink plastic and fastened him onto the greeting with a gold star brad. The backing paper called My North Star by Blue Cardigans Designs. Not sure where I got it, it may be an old SA Kit but I think it is lovely.

Now for the exciting bit. I have 57 cards to put inserts in and pack up....................I may be a while.

Thanks for visiting.

We wish you a merry...........

...........No I won't, not just yet!! lol

I finally found the swing card I made for Sadie's challenge on Just Bex a while ago. I made the card and somehow it was picked up and put in the Christmas drawer. Anyhow I found it yesterday and here it is (with all my mess behind it) Oh to be a tidy crafter! LOL

I bought some ready cut cards like this a couple of years ago but I don't know what happened to them and more to the point...........I didn't have a clue what to do with them.

I managed last Friday's dare and the Little Extra yesterday as well as a few other Christmas cards. I have a small break from doing wedding stationery and have a jewellery party booked for the end of the month so I thought I had better get my skates on. The dares first..........It was Jo's turn last Friday I seem to have developed a little bit of a fixation with old cardboard boxes....! My dare this week is to use some corrugated card on your card - it could be corrugated craft card or an old box etc. taken to pieces :) You could make the card blank from it or die cut shapes etc...
Papers are last years DCWV Christmas pad, corrugated tree, diamantes and ribbon were from my stash. Santa's Little Helper is still trying to motivate us into getting those Christmas cards made and this week our subject is Piles of Parcels. We'd like you to put some gorgeous, tempting, beautifully wrapped Christmas parcels on your cards this time.I love this set of stamps. I bought them from here a couple of months ago and this is the first time they have been used. Papers again are DCWV. I also used a bits from my scrap box. Puss was paper pieced. I stamped her onto cream laid card then onto red (for the hat), patterned paper for the pressie and then plain pink card for the bow on the pressie. She has been embellished with diamantes and pink glitter.

Those cards got me in the mood so I made a few more.Tree is stamped in black using one of the little Studio G stamps and coloured with the lovely pearly paints from the Works. Paper is DCWV as before and ribbon is from stash.Isn't he just adorable? He came from Cornish Heritage Stamps The service is excellent and the stamps are gogeous. He was coloured with Sakura metallic pens. Papers as before (I will get them used!) and greeting is from Studio G.Card, ribbon and charm from stash.

Papers are from the new Dovecraft Christmas Blues 6 x 6 pack. White card embossed using the Cuttlebug snowflake folder and the rest is from stash.

Papers this time are DCWV again, reindeer stamp is from Scrummy Stash Cafe and the tag was a freebie from the front of a mag.

Paper this time is Christmas Wishes from the English Paper Company. Other card, ribbon and brad from stash.

This morning I managed five cards from one of Nicky's old challenges on the Just Bex forum. Here is what she said It's time for another Friday night (well, afternoon) challenge with a Christmas theme! We like to keep you busy........... This time, we'd like you to make 5 Christmas cards using patterned paper - but NOT Christmas-themed paper............. and here are my cards

I need a big tidy up now so I can make some more mess............sorry I mean create Christmas cards. :)

Back soon. xx

Catch Up!

I can't believe that another two weeks have flown by since I have last blogged. Work is just started to ease slightly but I now have jewellery parties booked so must really get some made!!! I also need to get some Christmas cards made so hopefully will be scouring blogs and forums for inspiration.

Here is what I've been up to for the last couple of weeks:This card was ordered by a special friend for her daughter's birthday later this week. The wallet is lack pearlescent card, the skull is a font recommended by the lovely Mrs R (thanks Rhi) I enlarged it to approximately 400 points and printed it onto white card. The bones were hand drawn and held on with a screw brad. I added some large googly eyes and the birthday greeting is written with Doodlebug rub ons. The insert was printed with another skeleton font. The skull charm is fastened on with black ribbon.

The next card is for Amy from me, as is the necklace.I used the same skull as I'd printed it too small for the first card, and I just added white brads for eye balls! Paper is from the gorgeous Chalk Garden kit from the Scrummy Stash Cafe Greeting was printed on the pc and inked, brad is from stash.

Cord is from Ribbon Oasis, the skull was from ebay and the findings were from my stash.

The next pics are of a couple of rush orders I got in last week.

The jewellery above uses sterling silver findings, white faux pearls and beautiful 4mm AB Swarovski crystals.

Ivory wedding invitations with dried rose buds and three heart shaped crystals.

And finally, my first international wedding order through my web site. They have gone to Chicago!!!

All the gift bags were hand made by me too. They were another first and I was really pleased with the way they turned out.

I made six 'bridesmaid' bags and five for the male members of the wedding party and six thank you cards.

We are all full of cold at the moment and feeling grotty and wooly headed! I hope it doesn't hang around for too long!

Off now to do the latest 'dare' and to have a look at some of the challenges on Just Bex. I might be back later or it might be another two weeks ;)) I will also try to find the card I made for Sadie's challenge :)

TTFN xx

Blush!!

Ooh, look what I got from KathyB. I've never had an award before and envied like crazy everyone who has, even more so the lucky popular people who get loads LOL

Thank you Kathy, I'm touched (and grateful for the award too ;))

Not got any work to show today. I have the swing card to finish off and have been plodding through a wedding order today whilst trying to transfer all the files from my old lap top to my new one. Not easy when you have a poorly kitty on your knee and an impatient 14 year old leaning over your shoulder! She is having the old one to replace her old one which is going to my mum and dad (are you still with me??) Anyway, she seems to think that everything should have been off it within 10 minutes of it coming out of the box!! Might make her wait ;) -what a rotten mother I am LOL

DS liked his Simpsons card. Well he said it was "well cool" so I think that's what he meant :))

I will be back tomorrow with something to show, I promise.

ttfn

Two dares (wins!)

Sorry, I just couldn't resist it!
Well what can I say, I just cannot believe it is Friday again already.
So...............my demo. It was absolutely fab and I want to do loads and loads cos I enjoyed it so much. Only one thing wrong though, I made loads of cards but forgot to take my camera to photograph them. Then on the train coming home, I remembered that I've got a camera on my phone, duh!!! I arrived at the store at about 9.25 and signed in and got my "visitor" badge (how important was that then :)) The manager came down and took me to my table to offload my trolley and then..............................he took me round the store to get loads of stash. I was like a kid in a sweet shop I can tell you. I demo'd the Big Shot and heat embossing and answered questions and made loads of cards, as I said before, AND I get paid for it. It is so long since I've just sat and played for no particular reason but to make cards. It was fab!
On Sunday I did my final wedding fayre for this year. I love doing them but they are really tiring. It didn't help me not going to bed till 12.15 am on Sunday morning. I had ripped the inside out of my stationery album, when Jo rang me about the demo, as I had old invitations to take out and new ones to put in. It took me blooming ages.

So now I have done both dares from the DCM this week (ha, get me) so here we go.

Our Little Extra for this week. We're letting Santa's Little Helper have a rest for a couple of weeks, but you can still make a Christmas card for this one if you like. It's ages since we gave you a sketch to play with so that's what we've got for you this time. You can use the sketch any way you like, just as long as we can still see it in there somewhere - so stretch it or shrink it or do whatever else you can to make use of it.

I made this card this afternoon (in true crafter's style) for DS as it is his birthday tomorrow! ;)

I used blue paper is Phoebe by Basic Grey, starry paper is My North Star by Blue Cardigan Designs - I think it is from an old SA Kit, images were downloaded, 19 is a Curlie Girlie die cut (but don't tell him ;)) and the 'today' is a Letraset rub on.

This is today's challenge :- Wrap it in Ribbon for Christmas, here's a little sweetener: Bea is giving a ribbonful prize to one lucky darer this week. All you need to do is make a be-ribboned Christmas Card especially for the DCM (no doubling up of challenges this week....), post a link to say where we can see it, or send it by email to daringcardmakers@hotmail.co.uk for the gallery and you'll be in with a chance of winning. Couldn't be easier, could it?

I decided to use this challenge to make hubby's Christmas card (so all I will have to remember nearer to Christmas is where I put it!) I am really pleased with the way it has turned out

So what have I used? On the front of the card I have used black and white pearl card embossed in the Cuttlebug snowflake embossing folder, torn vellum fastened to the card with assorted eyelets (which were set with my brand spanking new Cropodile) the sizzix snowman was cut in glitter card and the beautiful burgundy spotted ribbon is from the Mulled Wine kit from Ribbon Oasis (it is absolutely scrummy). The inside was made using the rest of the vellum, black pearl card, white hammer card, QK Santa and snowflakes, trees, small snowflakes and snowmen were from my new Cuttlebug dies, sentiment is the new Sizzlit alphabet Wingo Zingo and the page frills are Doodlebug.

I am now going to attempt one of the dares on the JB forum as I need to make another birthday card for DS, this time from DD. I am also trying to transfer files from this laptop to my super duper new one wot I got yesterday :) Will show the effort of my card tomorrow and I the the files can wait till then too.

Take care. xx

Manic Friday!

I've had another one of those days, you know, when it starts off bad (I was ir**ing at 7 this morning, yuk) then gets better and better, then you wonder why you open your mouth before engaging the brain!!! I finished a stationery order yesterday and have another to begin on Monday so I thought I would use today and tomorrow to get ready for the wedding fayre on Sunday (my last this year). I have pulled all the inside out of my wedding album, removed some old designs and am in the process of adding some new ones. I was working away quite happily amid the phone calls from phone companies wanting to save me money (!) when it rang again. This time it was my friend Jo (who I haven't spoken to for ages cos we are both really busy) asking if I wanted to do a demo tomorrow. Ooh yes, says I but I will ring you back. I checked train times with hubby (he works for a railway company) and rang her back. A nice lady then rang me, then the manager of the store rang me, then I rang Jo back...............then I thought, oh bu***r what have I said. LOL The upshot is that I am doing my first ever card making demo at Hobbycraft in Sheffield tomorrow. So I have now made hubby a wedding card as he is working again tonight, I've also made a DCM card and got hubby's tea but still not done anything for tomorrow. I do have my trolley in the middle of my craft room floor though so I suppose it is a start.
If any of you are in the vicinity of Hobbycraft on the Meadowhall Retail Park (near the Arena), please come and say hello.
Here is the very quick (I mean '5 minutes' quick) card for hubby.

Two pearlescent green heart mounted onto a piece of debossed cream card (cos I put the DS tape on the wrong side :)) edged in silver ink and finished off with a piece of white organza ribbon.

The next card is my birthday card for the DCM team challenge, I hope they like it. This is the challenge In honour of all of you who've helped make this blog so successful, and such a friendly place to "play" we've decided to revisit our very first dare for this our first anniversary, but with a twist.
The subject is, as in our original dare "friends", but this time the title is CIRCLE of FRIENDS and we'd like you to incorporate at least one circle into your card. It would make it a very special occasion if for this dare you'd make a card just for the DCM rather than doubling up with other challenges. Please join in and celebrate our first anniversary with us, without all of you - our wonderful extended "Team of Darers" and of course all those who've joined us as Guest Designers over the last year it wouldn't be half as much fun. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DARING CARDMAKERS ALL

The paper and image are both by Pink Petticoat and I have coloured it with the lovely pearly paints from the Works. Ribbon is from Ribbon Oasis and the bow is finished off with a diamante.

Happy Birthday DCM

Special requests!

.........but firstly I just need to tell you about my little bit of good news. Not only have I received emails about another two new wedding fayres for next year but we have been awarded a Diamond Recognition Award by the National Weddings magazine as a recommended supplier! My little diamond will have pride of place on the home page of my web site as soon as hubby has finished fiddling :)
A friend rang me on Sunday to request two special cards and a key ring for tomorrow. The brief for one of the cards was for a girlyish card for a collegue (it's actually to give to the girl who took my job when I left!!) who was moving jobs so this is what I came up with.

Papers are all Making Memories and flowers are Prima finished off with a clear diamante. Pic and greeting are printed on the pc.

The second part of the order was for a card for my friends 'neice in law' (is that a relative term?) who got engaged last week. The only slight problem being that they have just bought a house and can't afford a ring straight away so they got engaged with a jelly ring from a Haribo Starmix!! Here is my card

The slide mount is made from layers of cereal packet glued together to give it depth, then backed with a piece of acetate so that the colour and grease from the 'diamond ring' doesn't soak through the card. The crystal is stuck to the ring and the ring stuck to the card with Diamond Glaze. Papers are K & Co wedding mat stack again.

Thanks to all you lovely people who are leaving comments on my blog. I really do appreciate them.

Take care. xx

Baby baby

Two quick cards from last night, not actually made to a template (sorry Sue) A business acquaintance couple of ours became grandparents last week (6th). DH was speaking to them on Friday evening and they were telling him about the baby. Poor mum was in labour for over 24 hours when the decided to deliver by CSection. When he was born he weighed..............................11 pounds!! Well done Emma (and Dean) We were seeing granddma and granddad at the wedding fayre today so I decided to make them a card each (per couple :)).Paper by K & Co, stamp is Doodlebug, ribbon and charm from stash.

Paper circles punched from K & Co paper pad, blue paper, frill, stamp and brads are all Doodlebug, buttons are Papermania and ribbons are from Ribbon Oasis Sentiment was printed on the pc.

Well I had the most awful weekend that I have had for ages! I made the baby cards (above) then DD decided to throw up all over her bedroom so I spent the next hour cleaning sick up from bed, walls, carpet, child etc (yuk!!!) As I had the wedding fayre today, I thought I would print out some more brochures. I got half way through printing double sided sheets when the printer decided to give up on me so I abandoned that job and chucked them. To top it all, the wedding fayre today was probably the worst one I have ever done attendance wise. Having scaffolders erecting scaffolding at the front of the hotel with their lorries parked on the pavement outside the front door probably didn't help! And hubby had to go and buy me a new printer (sob) Oh well, one more wedding fayre next Sunday and that is all of them finished for this year. Next one is 3rd Feb. I usually only do two or three a year but seem to have done loads this year. By next weekend, I will have done five in six weeks. Roll on the Sunday after when we can have a lie in :)

Drink and bed I think now.

Take care xx

Wild thing!

Now please don't faint but I have actually done a DCM challenge on the day it was set! It was Kathy's turn today to set the challenge and here is what she had to say
Hellooooo, Kathy here to set you a really Beastly dare this week! The theme is ANIMAL and you can use anything that's animal inspired - not those diddy little ones like bugs, birds and butterflies (though you can include them in your design of course) but what I'd really like to see is bigger, wilder, more fabulous or fantastic creatures So you could maybe use animal die cuts, animal prints on paper or fabric, or maybe animal words or phrases "grrrrr get down tiger"!!!! You could invent your own wild and wonderful beasties, or go back in time for dinosaurs, or into the world of mythology for all sorts of incredible creatures. How about a card in the shape of a tiger, elephant or monkey? Now, there's a challenge for you.... I'd love you to all go really wild over this one and have loads of beastly fun
Now I seem to be lacking greatly in ferocious beasts so had to make do with a dinosaur, albeit a man eating one! and here is my card

I think this may be a loose interpretation of one of Sue's old SWOT templates (see Sue I DO like them LOL). Papers used are K & Co as usual, Dino the man eating dinosaur is a Sizzix die cut which I received ages ago in a RAK, brads are Doodlebug and the dotty ribbon is from Ribbon Oasis

I also made a quick birthday card for hubby to take up to the Hotel tonight as he is dj'ing. They never tell him whether the party is for a male of female birthday so it makes it a little awkward when making a card, but hey ho, that's life LOL.

Today is Mum and Dad's official 50th wedding anniversary and they called this morning for a 'loo and tea' break on their way up to the Lake District for the 'second honeymoon' which we booked for them as their pressie. Actually, it is really their first as they couldn't afford one when they got married! I don't know about a honeymoon, I think they deserve medals for staying married for that long :) I admire them greatly and they are fabulous role models!

I am supposed to be sorting out my album (removing discontinued stationery and adding new ones) as I have another wedding fayre on Sunday. Can you tell that I can't get motivated? I think I might just go and make a cup of coffee. :)

Take care. xx