Last Challenge....ANYTHING GOES!

Hello, and welcome!

Are you still over-stuffed with Christmas cake, turkey and mince pies, and egg-nog?.....oh wait.....that's just me, then.....except for the egg-nog....hahaa!

I really don't want to mention how ill I was on Boxing Day......no, I won't burden you with the messy details.....and they were messy.....but, I won't tell you how intimate I became with our bathroom......you really don't need to know.....but, I did count every tile, every join in the tongue-and-groove panels, every tassel on the bath-mat fringe.....but, that's not something you'll want to hear about.....

BUT I WAS ON MY OWN  AND VERY ILL....ALL DAY!!!

I'm better, now.

Well, would you believe it's time for the very last challenge of 2012, over at Card Crafter's Circle, and because some of you don't have the stamina and strong constitution that I am blessed with......hahaaaaaaaa!.....Pauline (aka Boss Lady.....who hasn't given any of us a Christmas bonus btw....bah humbug!) .....has chosen to go easy on everyone and given us the chance to have a go at 

ANYTHING GOES

Our Sponsor this week is:

We are excited to welcome back a fab sponsor, the awesome... KPM DOODLES!  Our randomly drawn challenge winner will receive their choice of TWO SETS of images from the KPM DOODLES collection... what an awesome prize!

I really had a lot of fun creating this card.........I chose to use the sweet Hens and Roosters Set.....loads of different images, including some lovely recipe cards........

I used a piece of Nitwits paper on a white card base,  and drew faux stitch lines around the edges........

The sweet little hens looked like some of the sticker sets I have in my stash, so I chose to use the ready-coloured version of this little lady, fussy-cut the image, and stuck her onto a K&Co sticker frame.....I think she looks right at home, ha......I tussied-up her wing with a tiny scrap of purple ribbon, and added a teeny spotty button......the frame and image were then put onto a lacy die-cut label......well, even we chicks have to have a bit of fluffery, now don't we?......(another just-made-by-me word...fluffery!).....

I sized down a few more chiclets and added them to the bottom .....a girl has to have her friends nearby, after all......

 I typed up the sentiment.....sorry.......well, I thought it was funny......maybe I've been around too many Christmas Cracker jokes...heehee.......Cut the card into a rough arrow shape, edged with ink, stuck on a knotted bit of ribbon and another teeny button......

DONE!

Okey-dokey.......now, you need to go over to see all the inspiration that's waiting for you.....our Design Team got no time off, over the holiday....and no Christmas Bonus........did I already mention that?

Hahaaaa!

hugs,

Anne-Marie x

Challenges:

http://thepinkelephantchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/the-pink-elephant-challenge-tpe180.html  Anything goes

http://tuesdayalchemy.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/challenge-46-anything-goes.html  Anything goes

http://simonsaysstampschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/  Anything goes

http://audsentimentschallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/  Anything with a sentiment

http://thepapershelter.blogspot.co.uk/  Anything goes

http://digitaltuesdaychallenge.blogspot.ca/2012/12/191-layers.html  Layers

Cake, anyone?

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

It's finally here and all the days, weeks, even months of preparation have now culminated in this wonderful, wonderful day!

Well, hopefully, that is.......I'm scheduling this post to pop up in your reader on CHRISTMAS DAY because I and my long-suffering loving hubster will be at our daughter's house, eating her out of house and home sharing her family's Christmas dinner.....yaaaaay!

There are two reasons for this post........firstly, I want to wish each and every one of you the Merriest Christmas ever, and to thank you all for being around my little space as often as you are.....I'd be very lonely without you....haaaa!

Today, of all days, as we remember the birth of Jesus Christ, my Lord and my Saviour, I want none of you to be in any doubt about my Christian faith............I believe, with every fibre of my being, that I am a Child of God, and that His Son, Jesus Christ was born of a virgin mother so that He could begin the ministry that would lead His followers back to our Father in Heaven.

I know that my Saviour is risen, and that He atoned for my sins, so that I might, by my obedience and  faithfulness, return to be with Him, and my Heavenly Father, for eternity.

I also know that, through obedience, families can be together forever!

I hope that you might know, through my words and my deeds,  that I love....actually love.....my fellow citizens of this beautiful world.  

I am honoured and humbled that you spend a little of your time at my blog........thank you!

It may be CHRISTMAS DAY....WOOHOO......but, it's also Tuesday which means we have a challenge for you at 

TWIST OF FAITH

Before I welcome you to our challenge, our sponsor this week is Clear Dollar Stamps! Our random prize winner will receive a $15 voucher for use at the Clear Dollar Stamps store.. wonderful! We're thrilled to have Clear Dollar Stamps as a sponsor because the images are wonderful, and the sentiments fit the heart of our challenges here so perfectly!

This week we have a colour challenge for you.... your creations can be along any theme, as long as the colours used are....

GOLD AND WHITE

And don't forget your "Twist of Faith".....include a scripture, an uplifting quote or sentiment.....

I chose to make a lovely wedding card with the Now and Forever image set.......

The card base is white 6"x6" and I used a beautiful piece of embossed white card from Craftwork Cards as the bottom layer.  I used a Creatables die to cut a pretty label from thin gold paper, then another lovely label, in white card, cut with a Joy Craft die..........

I left most of the gorgeous wedding cake image as plain white, as printed, and used a gold Deco Roller pen to add dots to the ribbons.......I used the pen to add colour to the leaves and centres of the roses.......

This lovely sentiment comes with the images....there's also a beautiful bouquet, a pretty church and several more sentiments.....a really lovely set and a pleasure to use.

Why not take out some time for yourself, after the festivities, and make a card to enter this great challenge?

May your Christmas be MERRY AND BRIGHT!

hugs,
Anne-Marie x

Yes....ANOTHER Christmas card!

Hi, and welcome!

I've actually lost count of just how many Christmas cards I've made and sent out....and I still need more!

Just as well that there's a lovely Christmas card challenge at 

Card Crafter's Circle

this week......yep, we are chompin' at the bit to see one of your last-minute Christmas makes.....or, is that just me?....hahaaa!

Joining us for the challenge this week are two fabulous sponsors (I know we call all our sponsors 'fabulous' but that's only because they ARE fabulous!)... we have two sponsors offering two great prizes, and we anticipate many entries this week (fingers crossed)!

 We have our wonderful friend at Stamp Art Design by Kathryne, offering one prize winner their choice of 5 digital images from her collection,  and we also have the super cute Di's Digi Downloads, who offers one winner a $10 store credit (works out to be about 4 images, or you can use the credit off a larger purchase).   Do visit Di's Digi Downloads shop, because there are so many wonderful images to see!

I used the very cute JINGLE DEER for my card......he's become a particular favourite of mine.....couldn't resist 'im.......

I started with a cream card base and layered red textured card as the background.  Do you see the pretty cream paper?  It's from Papermania Christmas Basics and I printed lots of teeny Jingle Deer onto it....told ya I was fond of 'im...hahaaa!  All I did was give him a red nose (Promarker).......

The pretty sentiment is from Craftwork Cards....just inked around the edges.......teeny snowflakes with red 'n' gold Card Candi help to frame the sentiment......

My happy ickle chappy is painted up with Promarkers and I placed him on a scalloped circle which was embossed with a Stampin' Up Trellis Folder, then a red scalloped circle was placed behind.....neat!  

Didn't get a close-up.....tut!.....but there's a length of glittery red ribbon and a lacy diecut border across the centre......the large snowflake completes this little card.

Our Design Team has had a lot of fun with this challenge.....go see!

hugs,

Anne-Marie x

Challenges:

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/  Christmas birthday/Christmas Anything Goes

http://divasbydesignchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/challenge-66-anything-goes.html  Anything goes

http://crafts4eternity.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/r103-anything-goes.html  Anything goes

http://celebratetheoccasion.blogspot.co.uk/  Anything Christmas

http://craftuscrazy.blogspot.co.uk/  Merry Christmas

http://simonsaysstampschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/  Merry Christmas

Almost there.........!

Hello, and welcome!

I've done it again........this post should have gone live, yesterday......sigh.......but I'm struggling to even know which day of the week it is....ha!  All I know is somebody has shortened the hours in each day, and has even pinched at least 3 days of the week!

Apologies to my Teamies for this late post........no Christmas bonus for me, this year!

Twist of Faith has a timely challenge for you, this week.....

CHRISTMAS!

Your card creation should show Christmas...    Remember our 'twist of faith.' Your creation should also include a scripture, or quote or an uplifiting sentiment that suits this week's theme

.Here is a fitting scripture share for you...we hope it inspires you to create! But please feel free to use any scripture, quote or text that offers a message fitting  our theme...

The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid!
I have good news for you, a message that will fill everyone with joy.
Today your Saviour, Christ the Lord, was born in David’s city.
                                                                   Luke 2:10-11


This week, our sponsor is MICHELLE PERKETT STUDIOS!



Our random prize winner will receive their choice of one of the gorgeous images showcased by our design team in this challenge post!   We are thrilled to have MPS sponsoring our challenges... because the images are so beautiful... (not just because Michelle is one of my favourite artists!)

I chose the very beautiful Noel Angel for my card.....

All the papers are from K&Co "Glad Tidings" which I won from Tracy at Dies to Die For on her Facebook page.....thanks, Tracy!

I used Spectrum Noir markers for this lovely image and wanted to give it a traditional feel, so went with the reds, greens and golds.....the twinkly stars on the side are from Crafty Magpie......

I have boxes and boxes of chipboard shapes and always forget to use 'em, so was glad to give this one a home on this Christmas card.....and what could be a more fitting sentiment for our "twist of faith"?

I stuck this matching star onto another chipboard circle for added dimension........3 pieces of chipboard on one card.....I'm on a roll....lol....

The stars were originally clear, but a little green Sharpie soon sorted 'em out.......

I like the way this one turned out......a beautiful image of a Christmas angel, bringing the Glad Tidings to the world!

Please take a wander over to see what our wonderful Design Team have come up with.....some have used the same image, but have a very different look to their creations......and each one a gem!

Go on......I bet you actually do need another Christmas card.....so join in the fun!

hugs,

Anne-Marie x

(oh, I must get around to having a proper signature!)

Challenges:

http://www.simonsaysstampschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/  Merry Christmas

http://pennyschallenges.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/pennys-dt-call-plus-challenge-107-merry.html  Merry Christmas

http://divasbydesignchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/  Anything goes

http://pixieduststudiopixiechallenge.blogspot.co.uk/  Christmas-Traditional colours

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/  Christmas birthday or Anything goes for Christmas

http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/challenge-59-glory-to-god.html  Glory to God/Anything goes

It's beginning to look a LOT like Christmas.....

Hello, and welcome!

I am so very glad that you could pop in to see me, and I am so very sorry that (once again!) I am late with my post for the challenge over at 

Card Crafter's Circle 

What can I say?  Too many mince pies to bake, too many pressies to shop for, then wrap.....too many Christmas socials to attend.....and too many flippin' December birthdays!

I'm sure you are all in full-on Christmas-WILL-be-fun mode....and if not, why not?

I used to think that my life was extremely busy when I had 5 children at home, but nobody ever mentioned how hectic life would become when I was a grandma to 17 (nearly 18), and Christmas was almost upon me.....but I love every minute of it!

The busyness becomes craziness when you also have 9 family birthdays in December.....I'm only responsible for one of 'em (daughter #3 on the 17th)....the others are sons-in-law and grandkiddles, a brother and a nephew!

Speaking of my brother and nephew......John and Andrew (father and son) had a joint party, last night, and it was lovely to have the extended family all together....doesn't happen too often!

Anyway.....onto the business........

Our challenge theme for you this week is to be uncluttered, uncomplicated, but bold and fresh.... we want you to create using the colour trio of

RED, WHITE and GREEN!



No, it doesn't have to be a Christmas theme... this is a colour challenge... so get the red, white and green on!

We are excited to welcome back our sponsor for this week, Robyn's Fetish!

One randomly drawn winner will receive their choice of five (5) digital images from  Robyn's Fetish ...and there is so much to choose from!

Well, you know me....it had to be a Christmas card.........

 Very festive, don't ya think?  I love this jolly Santa with his pretty ickle tree.  I used a white card base and layered green and red papers with more white, and a lovely piece of white with shiny red dots.........all the papers are from my scrap mountain.....I cut 3 trees with my Marianne's die and used 3 different embossing folders to give them some texture.....d'you see the teeny star on the top of the centre tree?

I cut a lovely background for Santa, and coloured him up with a mixture of Promarkers and Spectrum Noir, then added some sparkly Mod Podge (I say that a lot, don't I?...ha)....

The cute sentiment label is from Craftwork Cards........

I cut a circle from that lovely dotty paper and used my Woodware punch to cut a couple of leaves, then placed a tiny bunch of berries in the centre.......

A strip of green and white dotty ribbon finishes off my Red White and Green card.......and now, it's over to you!

Come and play, and take a look at what our Design Team has been doing......some lovely inspiration, there!

hugs,

Anne-Marie x

Challenges:

http://audsentimentschallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/  Anything goes with seasonal sentiment

http://perfectsentimentschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/  Christmas

http://littlemissmuffetchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/  Christmas related

http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/  Anything goes for Christmas

http://www.lollipopcrafts.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/happy-holidays-challenge-95.html  Happy Holidays

http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/week-185-oh-christmas-tree_15.html  Oh Christmas Tree

http://sweetstampinchallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/santa-claus-is-coming-to-town.html  Use a Santa

http://joannasheenchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/with-love-at-christmas.html  With Love at Christmas

http://christmascardsallyearround.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/december-challenge.html  Santa

http://christmasblogchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/  Oh Christmas Tree

December Celebration.....woohoo!

Hello, and welcome!

I am really in the full-on Christmas mode and have been shoppin', decoratin' and craftin' to my heart's content.......yaaaaay!

In keeping with this festive mood, we have a wonderful challenge for you over at 

Card Crafter's Circle 

The theme for this week is 

DECEMBER CELEBRATION

 This week, think of all the things we might celebrate this month... Advent, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, Birthdays... you name it..... if you celebrate it in December it will fit this weeks' challenge theme!

We also welcome back our sponsor Whoopsie Daisy...  Linnie creates delightful sheets of hand-drawn images, with each sheet containing 4 images! And there are so many to choose from!  Do visit her blog to see all her fabulous designs.  Our randomly drawn challenge winner will receive their choice of two sheets of digital images.

The image I used from Linnie was crying out to be on a vintage-style card....so here it is......

The card base is kraft and I used a piece of wrapping paper (from Ikea...hahaa!) as the background, with a little dark brown ink around the edges......this card will be given with a gift wrapped in the same paper, methinks......

I used the pre-coloured sheet but added some extra colour and shading as well as lots of Mod Podge sparkle.....I also added some punched snowflakes, also sparkled, of course, lol......

I really like this sweet ribbon.....it just seems to look right, don't you think?

I peeked into the envelope and this list is what the ickle girl has written to Father Christmas.....aawwww.....hope she gets it all...hahaaa.....

This sentiment has to be one of my favourites.....it was a freebie from Paulette at TLC at least 2 years ago......isn't it lovely?

The image has a label cut from red card, underneath it, as well as the list and a freebie journal card, and I finished off the card with 3 spots of Card Candi from Craftwork Cards.

I do hope you'll join us, this week......there HAS to be something that you celebrate in December, right?

Don't forget to take a gander at what our uber-talented Design Team have been up to....you'll get loads of inspiration.....always worth havin'......hahaa!

hugs,

Anne-Marie x

Challenges:

http://www.charismacardz.blogspot.co.uk/  Christmas

http://delightfulsketches.blogspot.co.uk/  All about Christmas

http://itsallaboutthevintagechallenge.blogspot.co.uk/  Christmas

http://paper-craftingjourney.blogspot.co.uk/  Christmas PAPER project

http://paperplaychallenges.blogspot.co.uk/  Christmas is coming

http://pixieduststudiopixiechallenge.blogspot.co.uk/  Sparkle and Snowflakes

http://www.sarahhurleychallenges.blogspot.co.uk/  Christmas

http://stampinfortheweekend.blogspot.co.uk/  Let it Snow

Let There Be Light!

Hello, and welcome!

I am a day late for this challenge post, for which I can only apologise.....but, I do have a very good reason!  

I've mentioned here before that I have a very good friend (Pat) who's husband is serving  a 3 year period as the England, Manchester Mission President which means that she and Robert live away from their family home, and oversee the everyday running of the mission, which encompasses every town and city between Cardiff (Wales), Carlisle (Scottish Borders) and the North Midlands.  They also have a personal relationship with, and look after the daily welfare of 155 young men and women, aged 18 to 22 who are serving a full-time mission for 2 years.  These young people come from, literally, all over the world.  

Because they are so far away from their families, Pat makes sure that each and  every one of them has a hand made Christmas sack  filled to brimming with goodies, which are given out at a Christmas party that she and Robert host for the young missionaries.  There are also 8 senior married couples who are also serving missions, and they, too, receive a sackful of goodies.

So, what does this have to do with me being late with my post?  Well, I'll tell ya, since you asked.........this is the second year that I and Pat's sister, Jackie, and our friend Elaine have spent a day at the Mission House, sewing the Christmas sacks, then stuffing them with all the goodies.  We then label each one with the recipient's name and pack them into the "zone" boxes, (a zone is the area of the country where a missionary serves)......and that's where I was instead of blogging....ha!

So, what's the challenge this week at Twist of Faith?

Our theme for you this week is 

LIGHT

Your card creation should depict LIGHT....  a source of light... the sun, the moon, a lamp, a candle.. 

and remember our 'twist of faith';your creation should also include a scripture, quote or an uplifiting sentiment that suits this week's theme. 

"Your Word is a lamp to guide my feet and a lamp for my path." 

                           Psalm 119:105 NLT

The above scripture is a share, or for inspiration.  Please use any scripture that offers a message fitting  our theme.

I can't fail but think of the Light that my Saviour brought, and still brings, into the world, and I can't imagine how my life would be without the brightness and the warmth that that Light affords me and mine.

 Our sponsor this week is PHOLKART BLESSINGS!, but sadly, the digi images from Phokart Blessings are no more.  The designer, has decided to stop creating digital images, and return to other art mediums.... this is an exciting step for Patti, but we will miss your wonderful images!  With a generous soul..... Patti is still meeting her sponsorship with us, for which we are very grateful, and our challenge winner will receive two images from Patti's Pholkart Blessings!

Our Design Team came up with an awesome selection of creations for this theme, so please do yourself a favour and go take a look!

Here's my little card.......

A bright and cheery creation, I should say..hahaaa!  A white base was layered with blue paper  and red card which I'd embossed with a ruler folder.  A yellowy/creamy paper was layered with white card and put across the centre.

How's this for a cute birthday cupcake, eh?  All coloured with Promarkers and a little touch of a Sakura Sparkle gel pen on the candle flame and sprinkles....yum!

I bought the text ribbon when I was in New York, earlier this year....a big pack of it for $1....wish they were that price here!

I cut a piece of red felt with a tiny Spellbinder's Nestie then added the button which had been threaded with some red button thread from The Ribbon Reel............

Didn't get a piccie of it, but there's a tiny sparkly star in the upper corner.......a little paper and card on the inside....done!

It's lovely to see quite a few of you taking our Twist of Faith challenges, so I'm looking forward to seeing how you interpret this one!

hugs,

Anne-Marie x

Challenges:

http://papertakeweekly.blogspot.co.uk/  Anything goes

http://pinandtack.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/spark-your-creativity-now-challenge-4.html  Anything goes

http://craftybootschallenges.blogspot.co.uk/  Anything goes

http://pennyschallenges.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/challenge-105-anything-goes.html  Anything goes

http://ilovepromarkers.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/146-anything-goes.html  Anything goes

http://challenges4everybody.blogspot.co.uk/  Anything goes

http://thesisterhoodofcrafters.blogspot.co.uk/  Embossing (the red card panel)