I is for Ivy & X is for: ----------

Time to show the last two letters for the Alpha challenge over at the Craft Barn. At the end of the previous challenge we were left with the letters I and X.
I chose to go with Ivy as my word.

Page has been given a wash of tester pot paint ' Natural Hessian.

Brick wall was created using my mini Hougie board to make the brick effect.

Ivy drawn by hand and leaf definition with a large pin.

Wall and leaves inked using Distress ink pads.

 

I was determined not to go with Xmas as my last word. Instead I chose X marks the spot!

Page has been given a wash of tester paint  'White Cotton'.

Stamp was  free with Craft Stamper Magazine.

Letter X created using Sizzix alphabet die 656133

 

Now all that is left to do is to show the covers I made for my book.

The front.





Papers used are all freebies from various magazines.

 

The Back.



Entering into the Following challenge:

The Craft Barn Alpha Challenge: Use the letters I and X.

 

 

 



Alcohol Ink Faux Bleach

The challenge over at Dreamtime Designs this month was to make a Christmas project with a Technique I've never used before.
This posed me a problem as there are so many things I want to try out but I finally settled on the  Alcohol Ink Faux Bleach Technique.  I found an excellent Splitcoast Stampers  tutorial for this which you can find here. 
As usual there are some questions which have to be answered and included in the challenge.
1. Why did you want to try this technique?  I have had a box of Alcohol inks sat in my stash ever since Fluff gave them to me when I first started my blog. Sadly never used and every time I open the draw they are in they plead with me to be brought out and played with and at last I decided yes indeed why not!
2. What has been your experience with the technique? Undoubtedly that less haste is more speed. You do need to make sure that you iron over the sheet for long enough for the resist to work and then give it time to dry off before you attempt to stamp over it. Both things I did not do the first time round so this card is my second attempt at getting it right.

Alcohol Ink colours used. Cranberry, Butterscotch, Caramel.

Plain card from my stash along with ribbon and Gems.

Stamp used for reist  'Brocade' by Wow.

Other stamps by Hot Off The Press, freebies from Simply cards and Papercraft magazine.

When you do this technique you end up with a positive on glossy card and a negative on plain card.

I  have chosen to use the negative as I liked the colour combination more.

 

Challenges entered:

Dreamtime Designs #3:  Christmas using a technique you have not used before.

Pixies Crafty Workshop #105: Use up your snippets. (Inks were pre used stash from Fluff!!).

Cute card Thursday #301: Anything goes.

Creative Knockouts #17: Anything goes.

The Squirrel and The Fox #60: Anything goes.

Stamping Sensations: Free and Easy.

Crafty Hazelnuts #157: Share a Christmas card  not shown yet.

 

P.s Just realised why I like the colours of this card so much. It's the colours in my dinning room.!!!!

 



Little Dollies.

I was having a tidy up of my photos for this year and came across these dollies that I made for my Granddaughters'  stocking last year and never showed so here they are better late than never!

Totally made from snippets of wool, material, braid ( from old shop bag handles), thread and stuffing.

Not forgetting  odds of felt and bits of lace.

Have even found some challenges to enter:
Creative Card Crew #52: Anything goes.
Pixies Crafty Workshop #105:  Use up your snippets. (Yes Miss).
Sparkles #51: Anything but a card.

Favourite 5 of 2013

I'm joining in with Debby's challenge of picking your 5 favourite Christmas Creations of 2013. Here is my selection. Clicking on the heading above each picture will take you to the original post

Got Me A Tree!

 

All That Glitters.

 

 

Soldier's

 

 

Elf.

 

Socks.

 

 

 

 Hope you are Enjoying Boxing Day and stay safe in the Storms which are due in again tonight.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas One and All.

This is my card to The Doc this year.

Image by Bugaboo.

Wishing You All a Merry Christmas

From  Myself  and The Doc.

11th and 12th Days of Christmas

Down to the last 2 days now and here is the card for my 11th Day of Christmas challenge
Getting even more difficult to find a design which will take all the images but I think this one is perfect for the digi I have chosen to use.  A tutorial for making the card can be found here on Splitcoastststampers. I altered my card by adding acetate to the window and having the card opening up conventionally instead of stuck down flat.
So here is my:

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas My True Love Gave To Me 11 Piper Piping.

Backing sheet  is Dark blue  2 sided Pearl paper.

Blind made from snowflake paper sent to me from USA

Snowflakes, snippets  found  in my stash.

Die cut is Spellbinders 'Deckled Rectasngles'.

Sentiment created in word.

A liberal sprinkling of Glamour Dust also used.

With the blind pulled up to can see the pipers busy piping away.

Image by Digi My World and I have used the pre coloured version here.

There is a little bit of glare from the acetate but not as bad using the light box.

Now hands up all those who just had to count to make sure there were 11?

Thought so!!!

The inside of the card with  more Glamour Dust.

 

Entering in the following:

Curtain Call Inspiration challenge: Sweet snowflakes.

Sweet Stamps #148: Glitter.

Creative Inspirations #245: Anything goes/optional sketch.

Pixie's Crafty Workshop #103: Use up your snippets (snowflakes).

The Squirrel and the Fox #59: Christmas or Hanukkah,

That Craft Place: Anything goes.

Dream Valley #72: Christmas.

Challenges 4 Everybody #36: Anything goes.

Live and love Crafts #18: Stardust.

 

Last but not Least my card for day 12 of my self imposed challenge for the 12 Days of Christmas. With twelve images to fit onto the card I really had to push the boat out to find a shape which would work but I did. Another  Splitcoaststampers  a Pop up card  which I have modified to suit my purpose.

So for the very last time I give you:

 

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas my True Love Gave To Me 12 Drummers Drumming.

I will show you the back of the card 1st as I rather like the closure.

Just a band tucked round and secured with 2 circles of card, 2 brads and twine.

The front showing just 3 of the drummers.

Digi is by Bugaboo.

coloured using Graph'it pens and a gold gel pen.

Papers are digis by Raspberry Road from their Auld Lang Syne 2 collection.

Numbering   by Britannia  dies.

Sentiment created in word.

With the card open showing the last nine drummers

with the middle ones on the pop up.

 

Showing the pop up folding down inside the card.

 

Entering into the following:

Papertake Weekly #125: Last Christmas card of the yr.

Digi Stamps 4 Joy #82: Anything goes.

Winter Wonderland: Numbers.

Sweet Pea Stampers: Christmas/New yr.

Crafty Hazelnuts #156: Last minute cards not shown yet.

613 Avenue Create #51: Anything goes with no twist.

One Stitch At A time #194: Anything goes.

Scribble and Scrap #8: Anything goes.

Artistic Inspirations #72: Anything goes.

 



Total Mayhem!!

The partridge has now been detained for causing a breach of the peace.

From the sounds in the loft The doves are on their honeymoon.

The French hens are now talking Double Dutch.

The Calling Birds now have pod casts going out to  several countries.

The Geese have pulled out of the panto after they saw the size of the egg one of them had to Lay!

The Swans are bickering over who plays the lead in Swan Lake after they discovered who dies!

The Maids have all been pulled off milking duties to attend to the Lords and Ladies needs.

The ladies are dancing and the Lords are  a leaping about the Lounge

to the noisy tune The Pipers are playing

And I have just heard that a bus load of Drummers are arriving at any moment!

Me?

I'm going to lie down in a very dark room until it is all over.

 

 

 

 

 



9th and 10th Days of Christmas.

Day 9 of my 12 days of Christmas challenge. I had a sort through the different folds you can make for a card and came up with a Gate Fold for this card. I didn't use a tutorial just  folded a blank card to the correct shape by laying the blank down flat and bringing the outside edges into the middle and creasing with  a bone folder.
So here we have:

On the Ninth Day of Christmas My True Love Gave to Me 9 Ladies Dancing.

All papers and images used are from Free Vintage Digital Stamps.

Dies used are  Spellbinders  'Rose Creations' and 'Romantic Rectangles'.

Gold and silver  pearlised paper used for backing and printing on.

Gems and ribbon from stash.

Flowers given a sprinkling of Glamour Dust.

 

And here are the ladies . Perfect footwork!

Image as stated above and coloured using Promarkers and Graph'it pens.

Bows, bracelets and belts given a coating of  Glamour Dust to sparkle.

 

Entering into the following challenges:

My Craft Creations: Anything goes.

Love to Create #96: Anything goes.

Aud Sentiments #96: Christmas.

The Crafters Cafe #42: Make it sparkle.

Creative Belli #185: Christmas.

Sister Act #38: Anything goes.

Stamping For The Weekend: Anything goes.

Brown Sugar: Anything goes.

Paper Parade #10: Christmas projects.

Crafts and Me #143: Anything goes.

 

 

 

Next up is:

 

Ten Lords a Leaping.

I resorted to using  a favourite shape an easel card. Again I didn't use a tutorial just took two card blanks  shaped one into the correct folds and cut the other in half to adhere to the front to create the easel. Easy peasy.  I deliberated over the image to use for the Lords but kept coming back time and time again to this one  and in the end went with my gut feeling and am glad I did as I think the result works well.

So I give you:

 

On the Tenth Day of Christmas My True Love Gave to Me Ten Lords a Leaping.

Image from Antique Graphique.

Christmas papers by KaiserCraft free with Simply Cards & Papercraft magazine.

Die cut  Spellbinders 'Majestic Elements'

Ribbon , pearls and flower petals from stash.

Inside view of easel card.

 

Entering into the following challenges:

Fitztown challenges: Easel Card.

Bearly Mine: Anything goes.

Stamp 'n' Doodle: Anything goes.

Charisma Cardz #49: Anything goes.

Winter Wonderland: Numbers.

Stampin with The Dragon: Last minute Christmas.

Crafty Hazelnuts #156: Last minute cards not shown yet.

Sweet Stamps: Easel card.

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

Full House.

The Partridge has spotted the dog walkers and has moved into the large elm overlooking the park.

The Doves have gone suspiciously quiet up in the loft.

The French hens are arguing in the bedroom as to which language to use.

The calling birds are busy making 'Pod Casts' in the spare room.

The Geese are in the dinning room auditioning for the local pantomime 'Mother Goose'.

The Swans are in the lounge rehearsing  with the dancers for  'Swan Lake'.

The neighbours are complaining of the noise coming from the garden cow shed.

Just had The House of Lords make a reservation for 10 of them for dinner!

Heck. Do you think I need to go and buy a hat?

If anybody wants me

I'm in the kitchen knocking back anything in a bottle!

 

8 Maids a Milking.

Day 8 of my 12 days of Christmas challenge to myself. Getting to be a tad complicated  now putting all the images onto one card so this called for my thinking cap to go on and to come up with a multipage card design.
This one is a combination of an accordian style from splitcoast stampers and one I found on You Tube by SuzanneLily.
So I give you:

On the Eighth day of Christmas my True love gave to me Eight Maids a Milking.

I used (4) 120cm square card blanks and scored 2 at 60cm opposite fold to card.

Die is Spellbinders  'Majestic Elements'.

Sentiment generated in word.

Ribbon and pearls from stash.

The first accordian fold .

Digi from Cuddly Buddly by Barbara Anne Williams

Coloured using Graph'it pens & pearlescent chalks.

Papers are from  Hot Off The Press 'Forever Christmas cards paper stack ' a mag freebie.

Green check paper a snippet left over from a Nov 2011 project.

2nd accordian fold.

and

Aerial shot showing how the cards are attached to one another.

I know you are going to ask me

So on the back is:...............

 

Digi by Paper Addictions.

Entering into the following challenges:

Crafty Boots: Christmas creations.

Eureka Stamps challenge #70: It's starting to look.

Kaboodle Doodles #102: Christmas colours.

Crafty Creations #253: Anything goes.

Addicted To Stamps #76: Anything goes.

Crafty Catz #211: Anything goes.

Pixie's Crafty Workshop #103: Use up your snippets. (Yes Miss).

Whoopsi Daisy: Anything Christmas.

That Craft Place: Christmas.

Christmas Card Challenge #3: Make words the focal point.

More Mayhem!

The Partridge has found a straw and is using it as a pea shooter with the grape pips.

The Doves keep chucking tufts of insulation down the loft hatch.

The dictionary has been confiscated. (Such words are not allowed!)

Can't get on my Pc cos the calling birds are skyping  24/7.

The Geese are demanding a larger pond.

The Swans are getting very territorial.

The cows are all crammed into the garden shed.

And the Dancing school has just rung to ask availability for 9 rooms!!

The Whimps has booked himself into the cattery for the duration.

Forget the Egg Nog

I'm just cracking the eggs straight into a glass and downing the lot.

Oh happy times.

 



7 Swans Swimming

Day 7 of my 12 days  of Christmas challenge to myself. I looked at loads of Swan images but I particularly like this one that I have chosen to use. It comes pre coloured and the set comes with several images and two digi papers in the price so I felt it to be a good bargain.
The card is not how it started out.! It sort of evolved along the way so with no more delay I give you:

On  the Seventh Day of Christmas  my True love gave to me Seven Swans a Swimming.

Image is by www.countrylifegraphics.com and can be found here.

I printed the swan and the backing paper off in 2 different sizes.

Trellis die cut is by Tonic and part of the Indulgence Soiree set of dies.

Red and green card stock from stash along with red gems.

Flowers came in a swap from USA a while back.

Sentiments printed off in word.

Scallop circle dies by Sizzix 657552.

7 is part of the Britannic  die number set.

With a little sprinkling of Glamour Dust to finish.

 

Entering into the following challenges:

Kaboodle Doodles #202: Christmas colours.

Artistic Inspirations #72: Anything goes.

Creative  Inspirations #244: Traditional Christmas colours.

Brown sugar #72: Christmas.

Cut it Up challenge #34: Christmas.

Wags 'n Whiskers #119: Christmas.

C is for Challenge #12: Traditional Christmas colours 9white,red, green).

Glitter 'n' Sparkle #63: Red and green.

My time to Craft #227: Christmas birds.

Dream Valley #72: Christmas.



6 Geese a-laying.

Day 6 of my 12 days of Christmas challenge. I fell in  love with these geese as soon as I set eyes on them. You get just two with the digi but it is easy enough to multiply up when you set your printer to print  so I give you:

On the Sixth day of Christmas My True love gave to me  6 Geese a-Laying.

Image by Justinklined.

Coloured using Promarkers, silver gel pen  and pearlescent chalks.

Wording using Britannia alphabet die

Green backing paper  distressed round the edges and matted onto silver card stock.

Silver ribbon and pearls from stash.



Entering into the following challenges.:
Delightful Challenge: Red & Green.
Happy Campers #25: Christmas.
Ruby's Rainbow #69: It's Christmas.
Scrappers Delights #13: Christmas time.
Divas By Design: Anything goes.
Paper Take Weekly #124: Christmas creatures.
Melon Headz: Christmas challenge.
Created With Love #70: Anything goes.
4 Krafty Girls challenge  #8: Anything goes.
Sister Act #37: Anything goes.

Just realised I have stuck the  i on upside down. Oops!

Those Darn Birds

The Partridge has decided he likes Grapes with pips in.

The Doves have moved up into the loft.

The French Hens have been given a dictionary to learn some English!

The calling birds have found my Skype!!

The geese have taken over the large pond.

The Swans are making a nest with my best jumper.
The Whimps has applied for Asslyum

and

 a Trailer load of cows have just arrived!!

I need a drink!!!

 



4 Calling Birds and 5 Rings.

Time is marching on so I'm showing the next two cards in my challenge on the one post.
Boy did I have fun not  with these calling birds. This isn't the first card that I made with them. I scrapped the first one and I do mean scrapped completely as it was a horrible sight to behold.  Purple, blue, pink,red and green. See I told you!. Anyway I'm pleased with this one.
So here we have

4 (Colley) Calling Birds.

Image is by Digi Stamp Boutique. I love how cute they look singing away.

After the first disaster

 I decided to leave the images black on white card which works much better.

Paper is by Kaiser craft ( mag freebie) and has lines of music notes on it 

Backing paper is matted onto brown card stock.

2 dies used: Sizzix scallop circles 657552 and  Spellbinders Romantic Rectangles.

Pearls from my stash and sentiment generated in word. 

 

Entering into the following challenges:

Through The Craft Room Door: Anything goes.

Crafty Catz #210: Use 2 or more dies.

Card Makin Mamas #77: Merry Christmas.

A Gem Of A Challenge #109: Anything goes.

Challenges 4 Everybody #35: Anything goes..

Scribble and Scrap #7: Anything goes.

Craft - Mojo: Christmas

Bunny Zoe's Crafts #43: Wings.

Crafty Hazelnuts Extra: Anything Christmassy.

 

 



Next up is:

5 Gold Rings.
I first made this shaped card  about a month ago for a Christmas card that is now in Oz. I got quite a few comments on it so decided to make it again here using different colours.
I saw the card being made on Create and Craft and this is my version. Tweaked a bit more now.

Gold shimmer 300gsm card stock used to make card bases .

White glitter paper from a pad £1 at Ally Pally this yr.

Silver Decorative tape. 3 in pkt from Poundland.

Spellbinders Romantic Rectangle die and sentiment generated in word.

Pearls from stash.

 

Now I bet your wondering where the rings are? Well flip the front over and  Ta Da!

 

Image is by  McMahon Five Design.

As soon as I saw this I knew I had to use it as it reminds me of a little girl I use to know!!

Coloured with Promarkers, pearlescent chalks. and a gold gel pen.

Sentiment is a KanBan topper.

 

Turned slightly to show the different layers and the front flipped over.

Entering into the following challenges:

Paper Make Up Stamps #118: Sparkle.

Frosted Designs: Silver and gold.

A Creative Romance #14: Sparkle at Christmas.

Joanna Sheen Challenges: Make it sparkle.

Pixie's Crafty Workshop  #102: Use snippets( gold paper on reverse of front .Honest Miss).

One Stitch at a time #193: Seeing Red.

Heck Of A Challenge: Colourful Christmas.

Crafting Musketeers #8: Layer it up.

 

 

 

 



 

 

 





 







Egg Nog?????

I haven't got time to make Egg  Nog!!

It's total chaos here.

The Partridge has just informed me he doesn't like pears.

The Doves kept me awake last night with all their cooing.

The French Hens keep babbling away in a foreign tongue.

The Colly birds won't stop calling.

I have just had to go and round up the geese again.

(Anybody got a sheep dog I could borrow?)

As for  the The Swans

They keep eyeing up my nicely redecorated lounge wall!!

And The Whimps is having a nervous breakdown behind the washing machine.

Whose brilliant idea was this anyway.

 

 

3 French Hens!

Day 3 of my little self imposed challenge  for the 12 days of Christmas.
This one surprisingly posed a bit of a problem because though I readily found loads of farm yard type chicken images and roosters they all looked well sort of English to me!
After searching high and low I at last found an image and my problem was solved. Image is actually a Quail but they look kind of French aristocrat ! Hey this is my challenge and  my rules so I give you

Three French Hens!

Image Tiffany Doodles.

Background coloured using pearlescent chalk

Image coloured using a silver gel pen.

Words and number created  from Biritania Dies

 Silver/navy blue backing papers  plus pearls from stash.

Sentiment generated in word and mounted on 3d pads for height.

 

Entering into the following challenges:

Creative Inspirations #243: Contemporary Christmas Colours.

4 Krafty Girlz challenges #7: Anything goes.

Sister Act #36: It's beginning to look like Christmas.

Jelly Park Friends: Christmas challenge.

Wags and Whiskers #118: Things with Wings.

Glitter 'n' Sparkle #62: Show us some blue.

Pixie's Crafty Workshop: Use up your snippets (silver and navy papers were off cuts)

Seemacrafts : # Christmas.

The Cupboard Trilogy #18: Christmas.

Kaboodle Doodles  #201: Non traditional Christmas colours.