All I want for Christmas...

Hi everyone.  Well, I'm back.  I was actually contemplating ending my blogging, but I changed my mind...at least for now.  I spent the month of November in Florida, with some lovely weather and beach, but that really puts one behind as regards Christmas preparations.  In addition, I will be moving within the year, and to top it off....my eyes are really giving me grief.  Life is all about change....so we'll just have to see.

I haven't finished my Christmas cards, either.  Here's one with an older image from LOTV, using water colours and some glitter stickles.  Keeping it simple, so that it goes in the post.  Hopefully I get to that soon!

I'm still working on a few more, so I'd best make this short.  Hope all is well and life is good with you.

Some challenges for my card:

LOTV FB Challenge - Winter

The Sketchy Challenge - #110 Christmas

Creative Corner - Christmas Time

Sweet Stampin - Animals

Come and Get It - Christmas

Crafter's Cafe - #162 Christmas and/or Birthday

Creative Inspirations - #263 Christmas Creations

The Ribbon Girl - December Card Challenge ....

Craft Your Passion - #342 Anything Goes

Sparkles Monthly Challenge - #86 Christmas Is Coming

A little teddy bear

Good morning everyone.  Here's hoping you are all set for a lovely weekend.  Do you notice how time flies when the weather is nice and the sun is shining, but how long the days seem in winter? Except for Christmas time, of course...

Today's card uses a stamp from LOTV, coloured with water colours with added stickles for the garland.  It's then cut out and matted with the Spellbinders Marvelous Squares die set. 

Some nice bright papers, a pretty flower with a button centre, and a few more die-cuts to finish it off.  The Memory Box Frosty Border die creates some sparkly interest with some gold glitter paper, while the sentiment is made with an Elizabeth Craft die.

It's never too early to start on Christmas cards, right?

Thanks for stopping by.

Some challenges for my card:

Sweet Stampin Christmas - Animals

Inspiration Destination - #83 Anything Goes

Crafting with Friends - #19 Anything Goes

Glitter n Sparkle - #185 Anything Goes

Addicted to Stamps and More - #191 Anything Goes

Fab 'n' Funky - #302 Bright Christmas

Creative Knockouts - #139 Lots of Layers

The Crafty Addicts - #14 Anything Goes/optional use Ribbon

Just a few snowflakes

Well, the big day is almost here and still no snow....yay!  Although others won't be so happy, it's like Mother Nature is smiling on me....giving me more time to recover from my surgery.  I can still get out and about without fear of slipping and sliding.  Although we have had snow-less Christmases before, I think this is the first that I recall where the grass is still mostly green, rather than brown.

 So, I am more than happy to make a Christmas card with a bit of snow in it, and some colourful snowmen in the DP.  The image is a rubber stamp from LOTV, coloured with water colours, with some flocking for the white trim on the hat, and liquid applique for the falling snow.

Some of the supplies used:

Crate Paper - Snow Day collection

Spellbinders die - Labels Twenty Two

Elizabeth Craft Designs die - Merry Christmas

Martha Stuart punches - Alpine Snowflake & Pine Branch

Gold peel-off border

Hoping all is well with you and yours, and your holiday preparations are nearly complete!  Thanks for stopping by.

Some challenges for my card:

Robyn's Fetish Challenge - #295 Snowflakes

613 Avenue Create - #155 Anything Goes

Crafty Cardmakers - #154 Snow

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - #24 Anything Goes

That Craft Place - Anything Goes

Deep Ocean Challenge - #119 Anything Goes

Whimsy Stamps Inspirations - #89 Anything Goes - Winter Crafty Calendar Challenge - Let It SnowLet It Snow Craft Stamper - Sharing The Season Sparkles Christmas Challenge - #59 Die Cuts for Christmas Simon Says Stamp Monday - Winter Wonderland

 

Think positive...

Well, I'm back from my holiday and I'm somewhat sorted.  We had a lovely stay in Charleston....lots to see and do and the weather was fabulous.  I think the best part was the food....some amazing restaurants there.  I think I might wait a while until I step on the scales!

The temperatures have really dropped, there are leaves all over the ground and the skies are grey....so how about a card to remind us that spring is on the way!  Notice I just skipped over winter....not my favourite time of year!

Supplies used:
LOTV stamp - Love Grows - coloured with water colours
Sentiment from Verve Stamps - Blue Skies collection
Spellbinders die - Decorative Labels One
Papers, ribbon and charm from stash

Thanks for stopping by.  Enjoy the fall days....and think of spring!

Some challenges for my card:
 

LOTV - Anything Goes

Creative Card Crew - #73 Bows

Crafty Sentiments - Use a sentiment

Through the Craftroom Door - Anything Goes

Creative Fingers - #52 Anything Goes

Simon Says Stamp Monday - Anything Goes

Crafter's Cafe -  #86 Use an image with a Hat

Creative Corner - For the love of children    Challenge Winner

Time Shared

Looks like Mother Nature will be giving us a wee break this weekend...temperatures should rise to just above freezing.  With luck, some of my ice will melt, and with more luck....perhaps we won't get another dumping of snow or freezing rain!  I really believe in sharing, and would love to send our winter weather to someone who thinks they would like to experience it.  Too bad it doesn't work that way.

So, back to the real world and my attempt to think nice spring thoughts with a card.  Today I've coloured up a LOTV image, titled Times to Treasure.  It's one of those images that could be used for many occasions, maybe even Valentine's Day.  Coloured with copics, it's matted with one of the awesome dies from Cheery Lyn...Ankara Lace.  A few pearls, a bit of ribbon, a flower and an embossed backing paper and I'm done.  I think I feel warmer already!  lol

Take care now, stay warm and think spring!

Some challenges for my card:

LOTV - Anything Goes

Loves Rubber Stamping - #84 Anything Goes

Stamping Sensations - Ribbon, Buttons and Bows

Penny Black and More - Love is in the Air

Stampotique Designers Challenge - #129 Anything Goes

Rhedd & Rosie's - #23 Going Dotty

Creative Inspirations - #247 Blooms & Pearls

Totally Gorjuss - #217 Ribbon

Treasured Times - #9 Anything Goes

One Crazy Stamper - Anything Goes

Do I Believe in Fairies?

Of course I believe in fairies!  There's the tooth fairy, the garden fairy and the good fairy that does housework....I'm still waiting for her...but I believe!

Today's card uses an LOTV stamp, Fairies on Tiptoe.  I've had her coloured for ages and now I finally came up with an idea for the card.  It helps when you find some new goodies that you can use, which I will list below.  Quite a bit of sparkle this time, and amazingly it even shows in the photo!  I've coloured with Prismas, adding some chalk for the background, and the card edges have been inked with a purple to match her outfit. 

Supplies used:
Paper: Spring Fling paper stack from Wild Rose Studio
Tools:  MS border punch, Scor Pal, Scalloped Circles nestie die.
Other:  Stickles, Anita's fairy wings (butterfly), Anita's Glitteration frames, organza bow, flowers and gems
Sentiment:  freebie from Bird's Cards

Don't vacations have that extra punch when you find some new supplies?  Oh yes!

Thanks for visiting with me today, and I hope you enjoy my card.  The sun is shining finally, so today I'll be busy out in my gardens.  Hopefully the weather is fine where you are too.....have a wonderful day!

Some challenges I'll be entering:

Lili of the Valley - #98 I Believe in Fairies

Papertake Weekly - Pale, Pretty Pastels

Stamp Something - Something Sentimental

Sew Many Cards - #55 Circles

The Stampman Challenges - Recipe challenge (stitches, ribbon, die cut)

Paper Crafting Journey - #11 Anything Goes

PaperPlay Challenges - #21 Blossoms and Blooms

Bee-Crafty - #50 Birthday for little ones

Incy Wincy Designs - #96 Nature Pear Tree Designs - #51 Sparkle

A Bouquet of Flowers

Welcome everyone!  Here is a card just for fun!  I tend to colour up my images and then work up a card at a later date...hmmm...sound familiar?  I really enjoy the colouring but sometimes I have difficulty deciding on the card design.

Today for my layout, I've used Lena's sketch for challenge #79 at LOTV, along with one of their images Teddy with Bouquet.  I've coloured with both water colours and Prisma's, adding glitter pen, stickles and glossy accents to the flowers. 

I took some ideas from a couple of other challenges, too...as I was having a bit of trouble deciding on my DP.  The Tuesday Throwdown challenge is background stamping....so I stamped the dots on yellow card stock with different colours of DI.  This also works for the Go Dotty theme challenges at Winter Wonderland  and Incy Wincy Designs.

Some other supplies used:
Papers: Prima (Fairy Flora pack), yellow and burgundy cardstock
Tools:  Nestie die, MS punches,
Other elements:  from my stash

A few other challenges that I'm entering which may give you some more inspiration:

CES Challenges - #18 All Creatures Great and Small The Crazy Challenge - #49 Animals Teddy-Stampers - #27 Celebrations One Stitch at a Time - #44 Love and Valentine Bunny Zoes Crafts - #8 Love is in the Air Craft Your Days Away - #11 Anything Goes