Elf Mayhem.

Remember this pile of Elf parts?

Well it turned into these!!

One Elf is trouble but 5 of em

is total Mayhem.

The old adage of never work with children or animals

now has another connotation

NEVER work with Elves either.

I finally managed to round them up for a photo shoot 

on the Naughty Step.

And

In a row on the Stairs before 3 of them  left  

travelling  to their new homes with one of them going onward to USA.

Then

Fluff  very kindly posed the Question

Why are there no GIRL elves Mummy?

and

Learner Elves? You know  ones with e'L'f plates on?

So never one to shirk a challenge

let me introduce 

Elfette

and

e' L' f

Entering e'L'f  only  into the following challenges:

Pixie's Crafty Workshop #196 : Use up your snippets. (odds of material used up)

Craft Your Passion #281 Anything goes.

Rudolph Day #  any Christmas project.

Quirky Crafts #20 Sewn with love.

Girl In A Frame.

The challenge this week at

Crafting From The Heart

is sponsored by 

Nikki  Burnette.

We would love to see you over there.

As always the theme is Anything goes.

I have chosen to work with an image from Nikki 

 called 'Clara' and decided to  make

 a Double Gatefold Card with a belly band closure.

Here is the card fully closed.

I made the base from purple card stock.

The Pretty D.P. is unknown from my stash.

Oddments of cream lace just  happened 

to be out on my desk waiting to get put away!

No need now!! 

The card fully opened showing 

the Clara image

which I have coloured using

my promarkers and a silver gel pen. 

Sentiment is a silver foil sticker.

Close up of Clara.

Entering into the following challenges:

Crafty Creations #298 It takes two . (used two different D.P.'s)

Inspiration Destination #52 Anything goes.

Creative Fingers #94 Anything goes

Crafting With Friends #7 Anything goes.

Jo's Scrap Shack #107 Anything goes.

Pixie's Crafty Workshop #196 Use up your snippets (lace on desk)

Scrapper's Delights #47 Anything goes.

Digi's Galore #  Anything goes.

Creative Artiste Challenge Blog #6 anything goes.

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper #  Must use patterned paper.

Come Fly with Me..

It's a new challenge over at my

Butterfly challenge.

#39 Butterflies + K is for Knots.

 Any medium to make your knot is acceptable.  (ribbon, lace, cord, rope, twine etc)

along with the required Butterfly/s of course.

Here is the card I made.

How can such a relativity simple design

take so long to make cos it did!!

My love/hate relationship with  acetate 

is back on track.

Cutting the aperture using  Spellbinders 

'Deckled Rectangles die was the easy bit.

Because I was using acetate for the window 

it all had to be neatened up on the  inside and that was 

the faffing around bit.

I had the idea to use this butterfly from my stash

and make it into a kite using string as the tail

with knots tied into it. 

As the Butterfly had a hot air balloon as part 

of the design I rummaged in my stash and found

 this  freebie paper  from Making Cards Magazine

called 'Wondnerful Watercolours' which matched  perfectly.

Here is a close up of the knots in the kite tail. 

Hessain string was oddments from making bags

and the pearls were from my stash.

Hope along with Kath that we have given you some inspiration.

Entering into the following challenges:

Craft your Passion #280 Anything goes.

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #18 Anything goes,

Pixie's Crafty Workshop #195 Use up your snippets. (Hessian twine threads.)

2 Creative Chicks #2 Anything goes.

Creative Artiste Challenge Blog #6 Anything goes.

Crafts Galore # Anything goes.

Creative Ladybirds  #7 Anything goes.

Scrap and Craft #13 Butterflies.

Two Trees.

Time once again for the girls in the 

Christmas Card Club to show our makes.

The theme was chosen by Granmargaret and is

Embossing Wet or Dry.

I decided to go with Dry embossing

mainly because I had an EF already out on my desk!

This one is called 'Starry Night'

and  came free with Making Cards Magazine.

I had a quick look through my pile of used cards

and found two tree  that were fairly CAS

and would work with what I had in mind.

The first one is actually on a blue background

but my camera is playing funny tricks again

and it looks more white than anything.

I trimmed the card front down to size

and ran through the EF.

The simple tree design shows up well.

In fact I think it looks more like it is snowing!

The base card is made from black cardstock.

I had a small piece of the front left over so 

used it along the bottom to place the wording on.

The sentiment is a black sticker with some

matching black stars.

I used blue card stock for the inside of the card 

with more of the same black stickers.

The second card I used had quite an abstract

tree design which i simply trimmed down

and backed with a matching piece of gold

cardstock which I ran through the EF.

I then adhered to gold mirror card.The base card is made 

from the gold cardstock.

Sentiment is a gold Sticker.

I used more gold mirror card inside

and used another piece of cardstock 

that I ran through the EF. 

Two more  to add to my growing pile of Christmas Cards.

I hate to say it but Christmas is not that far away!

Entering into the following challenges:

12 Months Of Christmas #9 Oh Christmas Tree. 

Crafty Hazelnuts Extra #67 Anything goes.

Sparkles Christmas # Oh Christmas Tree.

Owl'sAbout It.

As I'm still in Joy Fold Mood

here is another .

I needed to make a card for a swap that incorporated

Birds somewhere in the theme.

Gone to Australia now.

My Partner doesn't see my blog and I know

Merry won't tell!

Card Fully closed.

The pre coloured  owl image is a topper

 by 'Little Claire'  sheet LCD06

Owl and white Leaf design papers by Nancy Watt

called Cute Creatures that were  free in Making Cards 2012

Brown leaf is called 'Woodland Beauty' another freebie. 

I have made another tag pocket.

the tag came as part of the papers.

Card 1/2 open.

Card fully opened.

I used two toning colored cardstock for the base.

String  for tag and closure just happend to be on my desk 

so I used it!

Entering  into the following challenges:

Dream Valley #115 Autumn colour.

Frilly and Funkie # Stamps be gone.

The Paper Shelter #219   A card with many folds.

My Time To Craft #304 Owls.

Our Creative Corner   # Shades of Autumn.

Crafting By Designs # Anything goes.

Crafting Musketeers #29 Autumnal colours.

Pixie's Crafty workshop #194 Use your snipets (string on desk).

Humming Bird

Time once again for another

challenge this week at 

Crafting From The Heart

where the sponsor is

Deedee's Digis.

I have chosen to use this pre-coloured image

'Humming Bird'  along with 2 matching 

design papers also by Deedee's digis. 

I decided to go with making a Joy Fold Card

as I do like making cards with lots of folds

and lots of cuts of paper!!

This is the card closed up. I have used a snippet 

of ribbon  as my closure.

Card  opened up.

I have added a tag to the inside panel for 

leaving a message.

Card half closed. I flipped the image over left and right

before printing out so that the birds would be facing

in a different direction on each panel.

Card fully opened  laying down flat.

They are quite time consuming to make but

I find them  very therapeutic..

Finally I printed off a larger version to place

on the back of the card.

I used green card stock for my base card

which were cut at 8.5" x 4.5" folded at 3"

and 8" x 3" folded at 4".

Entering into the following challenges:

Pixie's Crafty Workshop #194 Use up your snippets. (white ribbon on desk from a jumper)

3 Girl Jam # Anything goes + ribbon.

Creative Artiste #6 Anything goes.

Crafts Galore # Anything goes.

Crafty Hazelnuts Patterned Paper # Use patterned paper.

Digi  Galore # Anything goes.

The Crafty Addicts #2 Spots or stripes.

Get Creative #23 Must include a tag.

Love To Scrap #61 Do a double take. 

Birthday Girl

I saw this  image the other day on

Mary Ellen Smith's blog

Free Dearie Dolls Digi  Stamps

and fell in love with it straight away.

Image is called 'My Kitty' and this is the pre-coloured version.

I knew just who I wanted to make a card for too.

My good Blogging Buddy Miss Di.

Happy Birthday Di

I just happened to have the exact matching papers 

still out on my desk 'Wonderful Watercolours'

which came free in Making Cards magazine.

Ribbon and pearls from my stash along with the 

peach base card. 

White embossed dotty paper left over from 

making the flip flops the other day.

I decorated the insides  with more of the papers.

I have been itching to find a way to  use up those tiny

diamond shapes that come as the fall out from 

a lattice die. They have been on my desk forever.

They make excellant photo corners don't you think!!!

Sentimnet and heart shapes are gold stickers.

Entering into the following challenges:

Craft Your Passion #278 Anything goes.

Creative Moments #76 anything goes/use a sentiment.

4 Crafty Chicks #263 Birthday.

Crafty Ribbons #126 Happy Birthday.

Creative fingers #92 Anything goes.

Crafting With Friends #6 Anything goes.

Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends #17 Anything goes.

Creative Ladybirds Creations #7 anything goes.

Scrapper's Delights #47 Anything goes.

Crafting By Designs # Anything goes,

2 Creative Chicks #2 Anything  goes.

Pixie's Crafty Workshop #194 use your snippets (purple diamond punch outs).

Keep On Knitting.

It's my Sister's Birthday today 

and here's the card I have made for her

using a digi from bugaboo stamps called

'Close Knit Friends'

Sis is a prolific knitter and  goes to a knit and natter group

so I thought this image was a good one to use for her.

Green is also her favourite colour.

The wording is on a snippet of ribbon. There are four sayings

in total so I'm good for a few years worth of cards.

I found the button in a lovely little wool shop in Diss.

Image is coloured using Copic pens and then given 

a light coating of green pearlescent chalks.

Mounted onto green design paper

which was a magazine freebie.

Entering into the following challenges:

Penny's Paper Crafty #244 Anything goes.

Inspiration Destination #50 Anything goes,

Create and Inspire #29 Anything goes.

Little Miss Muffet #120 Anything goes.

Digi Galore # Anything goes

Creative Ladybirds Creations #7 Anything goes.

Crafts Galore # Anything goes.

3 Girl  Jam # Anything goes +use ribbon. (wording is a strip of ribbon)

Butterfly Weave.

It's a new challenge over at my

Butterfly challenge.

#38 Butterflies + Y is for Yarn.

I would like to see yarn i.e. Wool or Embroidery Thread incorporated somewhere on your project along with a butterfly/s

Here is my inspiration for you.

I have used a pre coloured image by LOTV

from their Art Pad Set 19 ' Cute Cottage Garden'.

We used to make these cobweb/net designs

all the time as kids  from odds of wool

and an old kellogs cardboard box for the base.

I can remember making some quite intricate  ones.

I have just done a simple one here using

embroidery thread across one corner.

Sentiment is a gold sticker and I have 

mounted the finished piece on a pink card base.

Entering into the following challenges:

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #17 Anything goes.

Pixie's Crafty Workshop #193 Use up your snippets (embroidery thread.)

Craft Your Passion #278 Anything goes.

Scrap  and Craft #13 Butterflies.

Tuesday Throwdown #261 Anything goes.

Through The Craft Room Door # Anything goes.

Papertake Weekly # Things with wings.

Crafty Calendar # Anything goes.

Crafting By Designs # Anything goes.

2 Creative Chicks #2 Anything goes.

Christmas Carols

Christmas Carol's

is the theme chosen by Rita this time 

over at the Christmas Card Club

where every fortnight we make a few cards

to get ourselves ahead of the mad rush 

at the end of the year,

Time again for me to delve into my used stack 

of Christmas cards and see what I could find.

1st up was this cheery Carolling  snowman.

I trimmed the used card front down 

to make just a small white border all around. 

As the instructions were still  out on my desk 

on how to make Gate fold cards

I decided he would look good as the focal point.

Base card is made using blue pearlescent card stock

which I then layered up with grey pearlesent card,

red glitter card and a freebie paper from a magazine

that just matched Mr Snowman's scarf perfectly.

I used a snippet of blue ribbon on my desk to tie

the card flat.

Here is the inside showing more layering 

and a recycled sentiment from an old card.

Entering into the following challenges:

The Glory Of Christmas # No stamp or digi.

All Sorts Challenge #327 lots of layers.

Pixie's Crafty Workshop #193 use up your snippets.

Simon Says Wednesday # Make it colourful.

My 2nd  card again uses a gatefold shape

but this time I used the sentiment on the outside .

The embossing folder is by Darice called

'Circle Interlock' which I cut using cream card.

Sentiment and music paper is by Hot Off The Press

from their Forever Christmas Cards Paper stack.

I used gold pearlsecent paper to layer inside 

and found this lovely nostalgic  card front

of old fashioned Carol Singers for the inside. 

Close up of the  family who are certainly singing

for all their worth.

hope you like my cards Rita.

Entering into the following challenges:

Brown Sugar #162 Use Something Recycled.

Winter Wonderland # Add a sentiment.

Crafty Hazelnuts Extra # Christmas cards.

Christmas Stampin All Yr Long  #55 Anything goes.

Last Archway

One last archway to show you as inspiration for my

#37 buttterflies + A is for Archway.

There are still a few more days to enter.

My archway was made using 

Spellbinders Shape abilities ' Window  One'

with the ornate parts cuts off and the window taken out.

Coloured using a grey promarker to resemble stone work.

Background paper was a magazine freebie.

Butterfly is an Anita's dimensions sticker

whilst the ribbon was from 'The Works'.

The iconic sentiment is from Su's 

'Butterfly Basic's'

and I feel  needs nothing else.

Entering into the following challenges:

Sweet Stamps #237 Anything goes.

Inspiration Destination #49 Anyhing goes.

CraftyCatz #291 Anything goes.

Creative Fingers #91 Anything goes.

Jo's Scrap Shack #104  Anything goes.

Really Reasonable Ribbons #125 Things with wings + ribbon.

More Archways.

Picture heavy.
Back again with some more inspiration

for you to make simple Archways.

It is the second week of my

#37 Butterflies + A is for Archway.

I'd love to see you play along.

 All you need is your cardstock and a round glass

Position where you want your archways to be

and draw around the top half of the glass 

to make the curve.

Extend the side downs to make the window size you want.

At this point I would be saying grab your craft knife

but for those of you that cherish all your fingers and thumbs

we will use sissors instead!

Draw dotted lines from the corners to the middle 

and cut along these lines.

It is actually easier to trim some of these

points away so you can see the cutting  line clearer.

Finish trimming around the shape.

There you have it.One archway.

I found it a good idea to cut the arch first and then 

to use an embossing folder afterwards as this

this then hides any wonky cutting !

I used a brickwall stencil and embossing mat to make 

my archway below from cream cardstock.

I used a brown promarker just around the inside edge

of the arch for added neatness.

Also coloured random bricks to make it look more authentic.

Here is the card I made with it.

I used a pre coloured card topper

 by 'Littleclaire Sheet LCD09'

which has been in my stash for ages.

I thought it made a perfect back drop

for looking through the archway + it had butterflies on it!

I adhered to the back of the archway and then mounted onto

the front of a cream bard blank

Then I remembered I had bought this 

die cut set by 'Marianne Design CR 1210'

and one of the flowers and leaf matched perfectly.

I die cut several in matching  cardstock colours.

Edged very slightly with a toning promarker

and put the dot in the centre using a brown marker.

Adhered to front of card to finish.

The sentiment is made from die cuts  by 'Britannia dies'

By now I'm on a roll and just to show that 

other E.F's work too  I made another one.

Card topper is by' Littleclaire Sheet LCD03'

I picked out the spotted panel and used a matching 

pink ribbon for the bow.

I used a pink card blank  and the EF is by

Crafts-Too 'Spots'.

Sentiment was trimmed off the side of the topper.

Buttterfly from my stash.

Hope I have given you some ideas to use.

Entering this card only into the following challenges:

Craft your Passion #277 Anything goes.

Incy Wincy Designs # Anything goes.

The Cheerful Stamp Pad #119 Remembering summer.

Clear It Out Challenges # Any thing goes.

Scrap -Creations # Anything goes.

Shopping Our Stash #217 Put a bird on it.

Through The Craft Room Door #anything goes.

Crafty Ribbons #125 Ribbon + butterflies and or birds.

Polka Doodles #35 Things with wings.