Scrap Map

Hi all

Creative Craft World is hosting the second of our new weekly Scrap Map challenges for all you scrappers out there. The great thing about the Scrap challenges is that it is great even for new scrapper or those nervous ones (like me) who have loads of photo's but don't know where to start as there is always a FAB sketch/layout to follow and some gorgeous examples from the DT!!

This weeks layout was created by Sarah W and the theme is "CELEBRATION"

Don't forget there is also time to join in our new regular card challenges, the current challenge is open until midnight 18th January and the theme is ANYTHING GOES. The next card challenge starts on the 19th January.

ATC's at Incy Wincy

Hi all

This is my first post for 2011 so I would like to wish you all a very HAPPY New Year and I hope 2011 blesses you with health, wealth and happiness!!

The first challenge of 2011 set by Incy Wincy's Guest Designer, Val (who is amazingly talented, just check out her blog), is a challengeing one (lol) of making an ATC. Most people will know what an ATC (Artist Trading Card) is but in case you don't know what on earth I am on about they are mini works of art measuring 2.5" x 3.5" (or 64mm x 89mm) which you are meant to trade with other creators of ATC's (there is a monthly swap over on The Stampman - this months theme is Rhymes & Tales).

This week Aspire to Thrive Children's Charity is sponsoring our challenge and the winner gets an amazing $10 to spend in the store!!!



I have used one of the Mary Helen Sims images for this ATC, coloured it with spun sugar, frayed burlap and antique linen distress inks. The wrinkle distress background is made using tumbled glass and faded jeans.

I just need to finish off the other 2 ATC's then I will add them to The Stampman challenge.

To all my blogging buddies

I know you will all be busy celebrating with your friends and family this weekend so I just wanted to let you all know that although we are not celebrating too I will be thinking of you and hope that

Whatever is beautiful.
Whatever is meaningful.
Whatever brings you happiness.
May it be yours this holiday season
and throughout the coming year.


Enjoy and have fun!!!

Don't be square...

Hi all

Brrr it's bloody freezing here in NW England, we have had 12" of snow fall and we are currently at -9 Celsius so it is winter woollies weather!

This weeks challenge over on Incy Wincy Designs is being sponsored by Aspire to Thrive Children's Charity (ATTCC) who have donated $10 credit to the store - don't forget all sales go to the Australian based children's charity.

We have a challenge for you this week, well it was a challenge for me and some of the DT lol, it is SHAPED cards - no square or rectangular cards!!

For some reason it took me ages to come up with a shape for this one, lol so I opted to make a stocking shaped card as I am still making cards for my colleagues!



I have used an ATTCC snowman image which I coloured in using Promarkers, the papers on the stocking were free from a craft magazine ages ago and which I have hoarded ever since lol. Scallop cut with a nesties die and the button and twine are from my stash!

Don't laugh.... my first ever card, and my latest!

Hi all

Well like much of the UK we have woken up today with a deep blanket of snow, there is about a foot already and no sign of the snow stopping at the moment, will take some photo's when we go out with the kids later on - I still need to get dressed lol.

You may be wondering why on earth I have made this absolutely stunning get well card, hahaha, and why on earth I want to make myself cringe so much by taking this card out of the "embarrassing and never to be seen again" pile, well the reason is that the mad DT over on Crafty Cardmakers have challenged you to show your first (and in my case the worse) and latest creations. For some reason they think it is *fun* lol. Really it is nice to go back and look at those early creations and see how far your techniques (and stash) have grown!!!

My first card consisted of some backing paper, the flowers were cut out from another backing paper - I never had rubber stamps then. I remember they were a real faff to cut out and I never even thought of backing the paper with card to make them more sturdy. The greeting was hand written and then squiggled on. The lace I still have and does make an appearance on my cards from time to time, however I no longer have the plastic shiny butterflies, phew! After this attempt I progressed on from handmade sentiments to peel offs, might have to dig out some of those photo's later for a trip down memory lane!
On to today's card which is inspired by 2 challenges, the theme from Sir Stampalot is Travel the World and this oriental stamp by Time to Stamp fits the bill! The Play Date Cafe colour splash challenge made me realise I very rarely use yellow in my creations, not on it's own anyway. I never wear the colour yellow either as it really makes me look ill lol!

My friend Lisa Jane is celebrating her first blogoversary and is asking for your favourite Christmas image, well as I don't celebrate Christmas there are no nice picture of us around the Christmas tree or on Christmas morning but I just love this image of naughty Santa smoking a spliff not that I'd know what one is LOL, I was a student once haha!
I came across Lisa's blog a while ago now and was fortunate to have met her in person when she visited Manchester, we also went to Port Sunny together and I can safely say she is funnier and madder in real life than she is on her blog - love you Lisa!!!

Anything goes at Sweet Pea Stampers

Hi all

This is our last challenge of 2010 over at Sweet pea Stampers. We are having a short christmas break and we will be back on January 14th with another new challenge.

A nice easy challenge for the last one of the year so you'd have thought I would have been able to get mine in on time, eh??

I think my New Years resolution definitely needs to be to get more organised!

I have used one of the new stamps, this image is Nikki Burnette's Neva, I hve coloured the image using promarkers, highlighted with a gold liner and plenty of stardust! Backround was made using distressed inks in faded jeans and tumbled glass and broken china distress reinker.

Family time at CCW

Hi all

I was meant to post this yesterday but had a falling out with Mr Blogger, if I didn't rely on him so much he'd be out on his ear!!

It was the other Sarah's (W) turn to set the Creative Craft world challenge this time and she has chosen a lovely one, it is all about family, you can scrap a page, make a card or make a use some of those old metal embellies - I know you have some buried in your stash somewhere!!!

My Mum loves candles so that's what I have made her lol.

The colours were inspired by the aamazing piccy on The Play Date Cafe

Non Traditional colours of Christmas

Hi all

This weeks challenge over on Incy Wincy is to use non traditional Christmas colours on your Christmas cards. We are being sponsored by Lili of the Valley and they are offering an amazing prize of £10 voucher to the store!!

I have used this super cute penguin from Aspire to Thrive, coloured him in using pro markers, papers are from my stash (can't remember which pack) and the gorgeous flocked ribbon is from the lovely Anita.

I am entering this into the following challenges:

Moving Along with the Times - Lots of spots!

Another Tim tag and Craft Fair

Still no chance of getting the 12 tags done before the end of the 12 days, but I'm not losing any sleep over it! What I am losing sleep over is that my lovely husband (bless him) kindly volunteered me to have a craft stall in a local shop tomorrow and only mentioned it yesterday, arrrgghh, how on earth can I make enough to stuff that will sell by tomorrow?? Any ideas?? Anyone?? I am giving Oona's snowman and reindeer poop a whirl (at least if they don't sell I can stuff my face with marshmallows and chocolate... need to get some quick cards made for Christmas and general..... oh and the worse of it is I am at my works Christmas do in Manchester tonight so that takes my entire evening!!

Anyhow, back to the tags.... I am posting my T!m inspired tags on Artyjens "splinter group" blog, not only cos there is a chance to win some Tim Holtz goodies from the lovely Jennie at The Artisitic Stamper, plus she is also offering 12% off orders over £10 until 13th December. but there is LOADS of T!m's tags "lookalikes" over there, great for inspiration!!! Crafty Cardmakers are also spotlighting tags.

For mine I never had the rosette die (nor do I still so don't know why I wrote it like that) so hand folded the rosette and what a faff that was, nearly gave up in a paddy over it - these rosettes take on a life of their own lol; I used some 12 x 12 Basic Grey paper and stamped it with the music background stamp (Crafty Individuals). Distress inks in wild honey, frayed burlap and vintage photo were used on the tag and rosette. The love heart was a freebie stamp from the Craft Stamper which I triple embossed onto mount board. bits and bobs and beads from my stash.

Playing with Tims Tags!

Hi all

I am sure everyone has seen the replicas of T!m's tags all over blogland, I have been dying to have a go too and not one to be left out in the cold I finally (on Tag day 7) threw caution to the wind and joined in the phenomenon! There are loads of examples of T!m inspired tags on Artyjens "splinter group" blog, and even better a chance to win some Tim Holtz goodies from the lovely Jennie at The Artisitic Stamper, plus she is also offering 12% off orders over £10 until 13th December!!!

Mine is nowhere near as perfect as T!m's (of course) or as many others which are popping up on blogs everywhere but I had a bash and am am quietly pleased with it haha! I had to do a lot of improvising but that's what creativity is all about, isn't it? No sticky back canvas so had to just use grunge paper with the textured side up, no woodgrain embossing folder so used my cuttlebug Stylized flowers instead. Never mind, will add these items to my wish list which seems to get longer by the day...

Tim's 12 Tags of Christmas Tags are on his blog with step by step instructions .

Here is my take on the Poinsettia tag, as you can see I creatively placed my leaves in a different position from the original tag (which roughly translates to by the time I got back to my craft room to assemble all the bits and bobs I had forgotten where the leaves were meant to be... once around the goldfish bowl and all that, duh!!):

I used chipboard letters and coloured them with promarkers, sizzix flourish and the button is yonks old, inherited from my Aunty Margarets button collection!

The Artistic Stamper Creative Team are running a Christmas themed challenge this month so I am entering this and also the Stampman are running a Take any 3 colours Christmas themed challenge. Tuesday Taggers are decking the halls this week so the tag qualifies to be entered there and finally Crafty Cardmakers are spotlighting tags in their challenge.

Talking of tag's I am a VERY HAPPY lucky winner of Brenda's tin of tags which she recently offered as candy!! Whoop whoop how lucky am I??