Just to show...

... that I'm not twiddling my thumbs doing nothing these days, here are a few cards I made with my BG Figgy Pudding papers. The top two are based on one of Beate's sketches and I can see myself making a few more like them to send out this year.
Somehow, I've not really been in the mood for cardmaking much lately - I've still "got to" make cards for the nursery's Christmas Fayre (not very rewarding this year, very few people are helping and the ones who are, regularly get moaned at that not enough people are helping - takes the fun right out of it), plus I've started making other bits and pieces for Christmas, like a granny-square doll's blanket for my youngest, and I'll be knitting doll's clothes for her as well. I also just finished a fluffy scarf for my friend's daughter as a wee thank you for the bundles of clothes she passed down to us, and I knitted a hat and scarf for my youngest, too - might share that if I get a decent photo of them. So I have been busy and inspired, just not with cards... And I have a feeling I'll not be blogging any more regularly between now and the new year, especially considering I've still got heaps of Christmas shopping to do! I'm just not very organised, let's face it! But I always get there in the end!
So, in case I'm not back before the holidays, I hope you will all have a wonderful Christmas and thoroughly enjoy the festive seasons!!!

Golden Baubles

I've not been a very good blogger lately - not sure why really... I think I'll blame lack of inspiration due to very dull, grey, wet weather! However, I've had a go at the latest DCM challenges and thought I would combine the two into one.

So, my golden highlights are the baubles, the star and the strings, and then for Santas Little Extra Helper, there are the (embossed, no less!) baubles and red ribbon bows. The photo is pretty poor, since it was taken tonight in the kitchen, but I daren't wait for daylight - it might never materialize if today was anything to go by... It's the first time in ages I've used mulberry paper on a card, and I'm not sure I still like it. In fact, I'm not sure about the whole card suddenly, it reminds me too much of what I used to do several years ago, and I thought I'd moved on... Oh well, no time or inspiration to make another, desperately need to get back to making a few more cards for the next fair and then some (well, quite a few actually) to give and send. I liked Rhi's idea of keeping it simple, using one layout more or less and making it different with different papers and stamps - I may well be attempting a similar approach. I'll share if I'm happy with the result... Bye for now, thanks for stopping by!

Getting Corrugated...

The challenge over at the Daring Cardmakers this week is to use corrugated card. Now, while this was a staple of my cardmaking many many moons ago, I haven't used it at all lately. I've still got sheets in varying, bold colours in my drawers, but that's where they usually stay. And I struggled with the challenge! I attempted a Christmas card at first, but that went horribly wrong and was never finished. Then I tried a birthday card for my Mum and eventually came up with something that I quite like now:

The corrugated bit is the red flower, background paper is BG, brads are PM, greeting is stamped with MM magnetic letter stamps, ribbon is from Ribbon Oasis and button is from stash. I rounded some corners and finally inked with brown ink around everything. Hope my mum will like it.

Oh, and I also made this:

It's a felt corsage/brooch - I've seen them around a fair bit lately, but they can be pricey to buy. I had a few sheets of felt, got out my Sizzix daisies die, some embroidery thread and a button and a very short time later, it was finished. Quite pleased with it, although I might try a more freehand approach the next time, especially for the green "leaves"... Now, how to wear this...

Thanks for stopping by!

Snowmen and Snowflakes plus Bling

Just finished my card for the DCM's Santa's Little Extra Helper no 3 which asked us to use snowmen and snowflakes on our cards. I must admit, I stayed right in my comfort zone with my trusty old DCWV papers (haven't touched my new BG ones yet...), but I did use my new scallop circle punch, which I like a lot!

I also used a Doodlebug Paperfrill, a handcut paper ricrac with a paper string bow, Cuttlebug snowman, and a few tiny clear gems. This means my card also qualifies for the Arty Girlz challenge #8, which calls for "Bling" - wow, I don't often manage to enter more than one challenge!

Apologies for the shadows in the photo, but I didn't want to wait for daylight, lol. Apologies also to everybody that I haven't been leaving comments lately - too much going on at the moment, I have to limit myself to quick glimpses of my favourite blogs. Thanks for stopping by!

and CUT! - DCM Challenge

Well, I've tried it now, and handcutting is not for me! Yes, it may make my cards individual, even unique, but I just don't like the results I get. This challenge by the DCM reminded me why I got die-cutting machines in the first place, lol! Here's my effort:



Apart from the pink spotty background paper, all paper bits are handcut with scissors. The scallops were done freehand and then embossed, the flower was stamped on the back and cut out, the leaves were drawn freehand and cut out, too. Even the tag was handcut, but carefully measured first... The greeting was made with a Dymo labeller, ribbon, buttons and papers are from my stash.

I'm pretty late with this again, but it's been a busy old weekend. After I'd spent most nights last week making card after card after card, the Saturday of the craft fairs arrived! My friend and I set up at the first one, then she went away after a couple of hours to the second one. We did okay at both, but it could have been better. As the lady next to me said (a little snippy, I felt): "Well, everybody makes cards these days..." - kinda like it's our own fault... We did have fun, though, and we even signed up to do another one in 4 weeks' time. Gluttons for punishment, methinks.

Saturday night, we went to our friends for a fireworks party, which was great fun! Lots of good food, good company, a couple of glasses of wine, children playing happily, watching fireworks, getting home after midnight.... I couldn't believe it, even my 3-year-old was still going strong at that point! She only started crying because she didn't want to leave! She woke up at her normal time on Sunday and was right as rain. Middle daughter didn't cope so well: she had a long lie on Sunday, but was completely out of sorts for the rest of the day. And then this morning she woke up at 5.45, and now I'm a bit out of sorts!

Tonight (Monday) is the first time I've sat down to make cards since Thursday evening - I was starting to get withdrawal symptoms! But a bit of family time was definitely in order after last week. And my house is needing a touch of TLC as well... Thanks for looking!

Run, run, as fast as you can...

Meet the gingerbread man! I've had this Sizzix die for ages and never really used it. Wanted to, but just didn't know what to do with it. He's been in the back of my mind, though, so to speak, and when I came across this paper in my stash, by Bella Press, called Gingerbread Polka Dots, I thought I'd give in another go. Here's the result - quite a cheerful chappie, I think :)

Had a great Halloween yesterday, hubby took the girls out trick-or-treating, and I stayed home to answer the door. Most of the street stopped by, and some of the naff jokes told by the kids were actually quite funny! My girls had a whale of a time, and even youngest daughter (who was scared out of her wits last year!) went round with the others and loved getting all those sweeties! And boy, did they get sweeties! They will have to be carefully rationed out, or the girls would be on sugar highs for all of next week! Hope everybody else had fun on Halloween, and thanks for stopping by!