Ribbon and Roses Challenge

Hello, and welcome!

This week's challenge at Card Crafter's Circle  is a really lovely one.......

RIBBON AND ROSES

You don't necessarily have to use roses.....any flowers  will do......but you need to add ribbon to your creation......and I know you have reams of ribbon, tucked away......er......or is that just me?  Nope.....I know you have some that needs to see the light of day, so come and join us!

We are excited to welcome back our sponsor Happileigh Scrappin'!  Leigh creates both coloured and uncoloured images, and they are delightful!  Do visit her store, as she always has a wonderful special available to all her customers.... if you buy three images, you get another one free!

One randomly drawn challenge winner will receive the fabulous selection of Happileigh Scrappin' digital images that our design team created with this week... what a great prize!

I used a really pretty little image called Stitched Bouquet..........

My DIL's sister is to be married, late December, and her themed  colours are red and white, hence the wedding card.  It's an age since I needed to make one, so this was a nice change........

Isn't this a pretty digi image?  I bought a sample pack of Spectrum Noir pens and used some of them to colour up......the jury is still out on whether or not I like them.......I don't think they have the same blending abilities as Promarkers,  but that may just be me, not being reasonably au fait with them, as yet.......

I cut holly leaves, using a Marianne's die, and added tiny roses.........I liked the effect of the gingham ribbon and the leaves and flowers......

I used to make embossed and pricked cards all the time, and don't really know why I stopped.....I think you can get the prettiest of backgrounds using this technique, and I thought it would be perfect for this winter wedding card.  I used an embossing mask for the bottom layer, then a brass stencil for the upper layer.....good job I kept my light box....heehee!

I think I just might be diggin' out more stencils....I'm sure I've got some Christmas ones, somewhere!

hugs,

Anne-Marie x

Challenges:

http://stampinfortheweekend.blogspot.co.uk/  Floral

http://myheartpiecesdigitalstampchallenge.blogspot.in/  Anything goes

http://paper-craftingjourney.blogspot.co.uk/  Use a sentiment

In the Garden

Hello, and welcome!

Happy Tuesday.....hope you are having a lovely day, and if not, why not?  You know how nosey I am....tell me about what's goin' on.......I lead a very sheltered life....hahaaa!

We've had a beautiful autumnal day here, and it's probably time to start getting my gardens ready for the colder weather.  We don't have many trees, but we have lots that surround our property, and always get a ton of fallen leaves blown into our gardens and paths........I love it!  The Hubster complains that it looks untidy, but I don't agree......I think a carpet of fallen leaves looks absolutely beautiful, and I always make a point of  kickin' a few around.......'twould be rude not to, after all....hahaaa!

Anyway, our new challenge at Twist of Faith is all about the garden........

He made all kinds of beautiful trees grow there and produce good fruit...
Genesis 2:9 GNT

Your card should follow our theme IN THE GARDEN... show us your garden... trees, flowers, even the birds and little critters! The above scripture is for inspiration.  Please use any scripture or quote that offers a message of our theme...


Our sponsor this week is Soft Pencil Studios! At Soft Pencil Studios you will find a wonderful range of cute and lovable images suitable for many occasions, revolving around the sweetest children and animals! Not Just digis, but stickers and all sorts of things... pop on over and see them. 

Our random prize winner will receive the three digital images that have been showcased for you by our design team.

Want to see my card?

Well, I've made it, so here it is...............

It's the first time I've used a Softpencil image, and I think I'm in luuurve!  

I layered up some freebie papers in this pretty colour combo.....I wanted the card to be quite soft, but with some strong accents.......ooooo.....that makes me sound as if I knew what I was doin'...ha! I placed the digi and the sentiment on the same die cut label, just for a change.....I rather like the effect.......

Now, you just have to agree that this likkle miss is cute!  I've actually been a bit of a traitor to my trusty Promarkers, and fell for the wiles of some Spectrum Noirs.......oh, yes, indeedy........but not too sure I like 'em.  Maybe I just need a lot more practise, or perhaps the cardstock I use isn't quite right for them, but I didn't think they blended as well as my lovely PMs do, and there was quite a bit of smudging goin' on.......but no prizes for spotting the splodges!

The large flower is taken from one of those headbands I bought, last spring, from Primark.....for those of you in the UK, it's always worth takin' a gander at what you can pick up there....remember my free ribbons from the pyjama department?....just sayin'........

Did you notice that gorgeous burlap ribbon?......it was in the bundle that my lovely teamie, Bonnie, sent to me.....I love it!

The sweet sentiment spot was another freebie which I thought fitted this card, perfectly......

And this verse is yet another freebie that I found when I did a Goggle search.......I'd love to know the author, if you recognise it.............

I finished with more flowers.......paper ones, this time, from my stash, with the addition  of some sequins and flat-backed pearls......done!

Right, now it's your turn.........you'd love to win some of these sweet Softpencil images, wouldn't you.......so 

get creatin'!

Hugs,

Anne-Marie x

Goin' Gingham!

Hi, and welcome!

Are you happy we're at the weekend?  Me, too!

Not for any special reason, but it's always nice to have the weekend to look forward to, eh?

Don't know about you, but I'm also very happy that the days are gettin' shorter, and the nights are chilly enough to have one of my comfy 'n' cosy hand-made quilts on the bed....hahaaa!

Okay, so it's Friday, which means it's time for a a lubbly-jubbly challenge to play with, over at 

Card Crafter's Circle

and the challenge theme for this week is

GINGHAM (checks)

For some, that might conjure up images of cowboys, farmyards, picnics.....for me?.........CHRISTMAS!!

Okay, okay, you knew I was goin' to say that........lol......

This week, we are enjoying another sponsorship visit by Kathryne of Stamp Art Designs by Kathryne!

Our randomly drawn winner will get their choice of 4 of Kathryne's fabulous images.....and you'll be spoilt for choice because they are all so cute!

Here's my creation.....and it's not a card...hahaaa......

I cut a piece of chipboard with an X-cut die, covered it with some creamy yellow paper (all papers are from Papermania), then cut two smaller label shapes from textured brown and then red gingham........and how d'you like that pom-pom trim?

The brown burlap is another gift from my teamie, Bonnie....thank you, Bonnie!  I cut a swirly-whirly shape (Memory Box), edged it with brown ink, then put the very cute sentiment label in the centre....the sentiment is coloured with a Promarker.  I love that it has a space to write a name  and age......I'm fillin' in my details for Father Christmas..hahaaa!

Now, just take a look at this sweeeeet ikkle guy....isn't he the business?  Used my Promarkers to dress him up and blinged his hooter with sparkly Mod Podge..........

Corrugated card was used to make the holly vine, and finished off with Card Candi berries.....and did you spot the white and gold snowflakes?  Can't be Christmas without snow, eh?  Not in my world, anyway.....

Please take a look at what our Design Team did with the images they chose from Kathryne....some very delish and delightful creations, there!

Come on over, and link up your GINGHAM creations!

hugs,

Anne-Marie x

Challenges:

http://christmasstampin.blogspot.co.uk/  Snow

http://simplycreatetoo.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/challenge-22-anything-goes.html  Anything Goes

http://delightfulsketches.blogspot.co.uk/  Anything but a card

http://myheartpiecesdigitalstampchallenge.blogspot.in/  Anything goes

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

Early Christmas

Hello, and welcome!

My heart is full of thanks for all the wonderful messages that have been left for me.......you are among the sweetest people on the planet.......thank you!

Today, I wanted to make something that would make me happy.....so I made a Christmas card........predictable?.....oh, yeah!

And what else makes me happy when I'm makin' a card?......using freebies!.......yaaaay!

I always seem to be making apologies for my awful photos......dirty grey clouds wouldn't shift long enough to get any decent  light, but the red on the card is actually crimson, and not this weird washed-out burgundy......sigh......

I used some of my lovely new paper from Lili of the Valley, bought from diestodiefor.com , and really like the kraft with the red......

I stuck some of this lovely ribbon (bought at my local haberdashers) onto a strip of the red card........all the red card was from a freebie pack.........

I used my Holly Vine die on some kraft card and added the real rubies....priceless, they are......

The cute tag was also a freebie and it's tied with a piece of burlap ribbon (a gift from my teamie, Bonnie)........I hand-stitched around the edge after stamping the tree (a freebie).......the sentiment was another freebie.......on a roll here...hahaaa.......

And, yep.......this gorgeous reindeer is yet another freebie....he came with the tree and several other cute stamps.  I stamped him onto dark cream card using a brown ink, and cut him out.......just had to give him one of those priceless rubies to keep his nose warm, lol........

Oh, I did enjoy makin' this one!

Don't  forget to keep a look-out for a super giveaway.......I've got so much to celebrate!

hugs,

Anne-Marie x

Challenges:

stampinfortheweekend.blogspot.com  Starting Christmas Early

anythingchallenge.blogspot.com  Early Christmas

craftycatzweeklychallenge.blogspot.com  Christmas

christmascardchallenges.blogspot.com  Christmas (optional star....on my tree)

thesquirrelandthefox.blogspot.com  Anything goes

http://stamp-n-doodle.blogspot.co.uk/  Stitching/real or faux

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

http://crafterscafeblogchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/challenge-8_12.html  Stitching/real or faux

Comfort....oh, yeah!

Hello, and welcome!

I'm bringing you a card that I've made for this week's challenge at our wonderful new challenge blog

TWIST OF FAITH CARDS

and this week we want to see your cards that will offer

COMFORT

Isn't that a lovely theme?  I made a card that will probably be offered as a sympathy token, but you don't have to go down that road.......anything that will convey something to do with COMFORT will be eligible.

Our sponsor this week is Beccy's Place! Our random prize winner will receive three digital images of their choice from Beccy. We're thrilled to have her beautiful hand drawn images grace our pages ... they are created by Beccy Muir...

Beccy's Place is offering our randomly drawn prize winner their choice of three images from the Beccy's Place collection!

Before I show you my card, there's some news I'd love to share with you........

yesterday, I was given the "ALL CLEAR" for my breast cancer......yaaaaaaay!!

I've been waiting, praying, hoping for 5 years to hear my surgeon say the words, and I really can't put into words (that would make any sense, lol) how I felt when she finally uttered them......she even went so far as to say that I am now considered to be a low risk for any further breast cancer!

Some of you will have seen my news on Facebook........I was overwhelmed by all the comments that were left for me........I went to bed with a deep feeling of humility, joy, and thankfulness.

My surgeon may have taken away the cancer, but it is the love, faith and many, many prayers of my family and friends that has seen me through this time of my life.

My daughters, in particular, have been such a strength and COMFORT   to me....they unerringly believed that I would survive, and their faith and practical support helped me to believe it, too.........

I love you so very much JOANNE, GILLIAN AND LEIGH-ANNE

and will never forget what you've done.....and still do......for me.

I chose to use a scripture that means so much to me, this week......and it is so fitting, at this time.......

And He didn't..........

Another thing that always gives me great comfort is to wrap myself in a warm an' snuggly quilt, so I chose to use this pretty image from Beccy's store.......all coloured up with my Promarkers.

I layered up some very old papers from Hot Off the Press, putting them in a quilt block, and lay a piece of green paper lace across the width.......

Some pretty lace across the top, and a ikkle corsage of paper flowers with one of my homemade pins and a satin bow......

The teeny quilt is backed by a piece of brown and a piece of lilac card, both of which I embossed with my new Stampin' Up Lattice Folder (thank you, Victoria!), and I added the teeny button to the "LOVE".....aawww!

I really would love to see what your take would be on our COMFORT challenge!

By the way, if you keep an eye out, you just might see that I'll be offering a gorgeous little something, made by my wonderfully talented daughter, Leigh-Anne, to celebrate a few things....very soon!

hugs,

Anne-Marie x

Challenges:

http://clearitoutchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/  Sympathy/Use stash/Dark papers

http://blog.ribboncarousel.com/  Sympathy card & spooled item (brown bow)

http://twistedtuesdaychallenges.blogspot.ca/  Never Forget/Sympathy/Thinking of you

http://useittuesday.blogspot.co.uk/  Anything goes and use hoarded supplies [the papers...so old!]

Sweet as Cherry Pie!

Hi, and welcome!

Don't you just love Fridays?  I do.......there always seems to be a perception that the weekend is goin' to be better than the week we've just had....or is that just me?  

Remember my weight loss challenge?

I DID IT.......WOOHOOOOOOOO!!!!

Fourteen and a quarter pounds  gone in the past 5 weeks.....and it feels sooooo good!

It's also goin' to feel so good to get me hot ikkle mitts on the Hubster's promised prize...hahaaaa!.....but, I've decided that I'm going to hold off on the clothes shopping spree for another few weeks.....although, I do need to get meself some shoes and boots.......it is Autumn, after all....which always means a new pair of shoes, at least!

Another great reason to celebrate Friday is that we have a great challenge for you to play in at

CARD CRAFTER'S CIRCLE  

We are always excited to have this sponsor plastered across our blog, the super Bugaboo Stamps!  Our randomly drawn challenge winner will receive their choice of 7 Bugaboo images... what an awesome prize!

 Our challenge for you this week has a fun theme for you.... hopefully with a little spring in it's step, or a taste of Autumn.... the theme is

SWEET AS CHERRY PIE!

Basically, we'd like to see your creations that feature anything sweet, whether that be pies, cherries, picnics, baking.......maybe with an autumnal feel.....just go for it!

I love Bugaboo images, so this week I pulled out a real cutie.......I love JJ....she has attitude...hahaaaa!

I started off with a white card base, layered blue card and two designer papers (freebies), and simply lay a pieceof dark brown, spotty ribbon across the join.......

 This sentiment cracks me up....very me!

JJ is coloured up with my usual Promarkers and I'm really likin' this colour combo, lately......I love her expression...speaks volumes...hahaaa!

I didn't add any embellishments because I thought the papers were quite masculine, and didn't need it........haven't shown it, but there's a cute Happy Birthday sentiment, inside.

Okay, now it's over to you.....show us what you can come up with.....you know ya want to!

I'm off to peruse a few shoes!

hugs,

Anne-Marie x

Challenges:
http://cutiepiechallenge.blogspot.co.uk/  No flowers
http://tuesdayalchemy.blogspot.co.uk/  Anything goes
http://mymumscraftshopchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/  Anything goes
http://shellysimagesblog.blogspot.co.uk/  Anything goes

Twist of Faith Cards Challenge #1

Hello, and welcome!

Hooray.....at last I can tell you about this new and wonderful challenge blog

TWIST OF FAITH CARD CHALLENGES 

and I'm on the Design Team.....woohoo!

Here, you will find challenges that will encourage you to use uplifting, encouraging, Christian-based sentiments on your creations.

You could use scriptures, uplifting quotes, poetry....anything that is based on Christian values, and will bring a smile to the recipients face.....isn't that awesome?

Of course, we have some absolutely fabulous sponsors who will be offering some delightful prizes, and for this very first challenge we have the wonderful

The prize offered to our randomly drawn prize winner, consists of two brand new images that haven't been released yet!  The images are namedAutumn Fellow, and Garden Angel.  Stay tuned to The Doodle Garden blog for their release!

t's fitting to be joyful with a new beginning, so our challenge theme this week is...

JOY

and our scriptural inspiration for you is one of my favourites....

This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24 NIV

I'm really excited about being on the Design Team because I know we have some really lovely challenges lined up, with some wonderful prizes......so, go take a look at what the very talented Design Team have prepared for your inspiration......you'll see that there are some familiar faces, as well as a couple of new ones!

Here's my card for this very first challenge......I used the very cute  Autumn Fellow image......

Isn't he a sweetie?  I used a cream card base and added some layers of Nitwits papers.....I used yellow floss to stitch one of the layers and around the image........can you see the strip of burlap ribbon?....that was a gift (along with a whole lot of more scrummy burlap goodies!) from my teamie, Bonnie...thanks, Bonnie!......and I added those sunflower buttons that I've hoarded for years!  Some bits of brown foliage are tucked under the sentiment, and I used Promarkers to colour up the sweet image.......Almost forgot to mention that I printed everything in a soft brown, just to soften it....I like the effect!

The Joy sentiment has a teeny heart stitched to it....cute..........The sentiment was a freebie, but I changed the colour from black and white to this soft cranberry in my graphics programme....I distressed around the edges of the image....he is a scarecrow, after all...hahaaa......

This is one of my favourite scriptures, and never fails to lift me......it's taken from the Book of Mormon......see the sweet acorn button?

I love all the details in this very sweet image....he's a bit of a posh scarecrow, isn't he?...hahaaa!

This card and scripture remind me that I am so very blessed to have the abundance of the harvest, and the beauty of the seasons....and this brings me JOY!!

I do hope you will come and take part in our lovely new challenges......I'd love to see you there!

hugs,

Anne-Marie x

Challenges:

thepinkelephantchallenge.blogspot.com  Use patterned papers

papermakeupstamps.blogspot.com  Button up

lexiscreations.blogspot.com  Autumn colours

thepapershelter.blogspot.com  Layers on layers

http://www.jennipherlowery.com/search/label/Tuesdays%20Testimonial  Use a scripture

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

http://thestampingboutiquechallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/challenge-49-labor-day-and-working.html  Any sort of Job (my scarecrow works very hard for his livin'..hahaa!)