Christmas Magic

I had originally planned this card for last week's LOTV challenge to create with Aqua and sparkle, but never got it finished. Life is a bit hectic here at the moment and I'm never sure from one day to the next if I'll be able to craft, or not. Anyway, I've coloured my LOTV image with Copics using the B0000, 000, 00, 02 and 05 shades for the aqua tones, with teddy and the stripes on her scarf in the E30s but I've mislaid my list so I'm not sure what shades I used for her hair. The sparkle is added with a quickie glue pen and loose crystal glitter.

Here's the card, a C6 for today's MacMillian Big Coffee Morning, simply finished off with ribbon, buttons and a Marianne diecut snowflake. And the glue in the middle of the buttons will have dried clear by the time I take it - promise!

Cupcake Crafts blog want to see teddy bears this week, Crafty Creations have a CAS theme, and this week over on the LOTV challenge blog it's for buttons - so I made it anyway!

Koetie and friend

I'm a little late with my DT card for this week's animal antics theme on Cute Card Thursday, but better late than never! I've inked up this cute stamp by Nellies Choice called Koetie and squirrel then coloured with my Copics. Not too many shades, mainly the warm greys, a little B0000 and touches of coral pink R20 & 22 plus green G40 & 94.

I've tried brightening my pictures as even though it's summer again here in Cornwall, it looked dark on my screen. I've added loose clear glitter with a glue pen around the edges of the layers, tied a length of silk ribbon around the embossed white layer, then diecut the Marianne snowflakes and poinsettias. I've inked the diecuts with aqua chalk ink and finished off with sparkly gems. Oh, and I forgot to say, I used my pearl pen to add the little snowflakes to the image.

Paper Sundaes have an anything goes theme running this week - but I'm having problems linking up with them .. .. will try again later when Mr Blogger has had his afternoon cuppa!

Santa's Sleigh

This is another of the images that I started to colour ages ago, it's a Stampavie stamp called Santa's Sleigh and I got it in a sale back in the spring, stamped it up and put it in the box .. .. I've coloured with Copics and was going to add some sparkle to the stars but forgot, perhaps I'll go back and do it later if I have time. I've created a C6 card for the MacMillan big coffee morning on Friday so need to get a move on and finish off inside and get it in a cello bag.

Here's the card, another piece of paper from my stash, a few Nellie's Choice punch and emboss poinsettias layered up and finished off with little gold gems plus a digi circular greeting from Cuddly Buddly and a little gold bow. A bright and colourful card I think you'll agree!

The Copic shades I used were R24, 27, 29 and 39 for the red shades, YG00, 03 and 25 for the greens, YR21, 23, 24 for the gold tones with Y35, 38 and YR04 for the brighter oranges. V15, 17 and 09 for the touches of purple and E30, 31, 55 and 57 for the reindeer. The blue along the star skids is B0000 and B000.

The Bah Humbug challenge is for Rudolph or Reindeer creations, so here's one for them, and over on the Sweet Stampin' challenge blog it's anything goes, with an optional sketch that I didn't use.

We are still waiting for the Indian Summer to arrive here in Cornwall - it is very breezy and rather cloudy today, but there are patches of blue sky now and then. I have managed to create two tiny semi circles of garden next to the wall for a few of my herbs, thankfully the garlic chive flowers seem to stand up well in the constant sea breezes. I've put in some Spring bulbs around them, but wonder if they will last or get the petals blown away the minute they open.

Little Shepherd Boy

I'm scheduling today's card, fingers crossed! This is another of the LOTV stamped images from ages ago that hadn't been finished off. I've coloured with my Copics and am pretty sure I've used the E40s, E50s, B91-97 and a yellow I can't quite put my finger on - oh and the B0000, B000 and B00 for the sheet together with warm greys for the shadows. I've gone over the stars with my glaze pen for a little added interest and stamped a little snowflake in blue chalk ink around the edge of the image.

Here's the card. A clean and simple design for the Christmas Stampin' All Year Long blog as well as the Allsorts and Truly Scrumptious challenges. Yet another piece of paper from my scrap box matted with blue card and finished with a length of organza and AB pearl string, simples! It'll be one for the Macmillan box at the big coffee morning being held next Friday at Trevone Bay - I must try and get a few more made to go with it.

Star of Wonder

What a miserable day it is today, where is the Indian Summer we were promised? There was a hint of blue sky out to sea just now, but it didn't last and more rain is headed this way! So I've been able to finish a card I started ages ago, there's a box full of bits in various stages of completion so I must do something about it all. This is a LOTV stamped image called star of wonder, and she's coloured with Copics. As well as my skin tones I used YG93 and G99 for the greens; R22, 24, 27 and 29 for the reds; YR20, Y21 and YR24 for the gold tones and E34, 35, 57 and 47 for the browns. There's also B60 for the shadow and shading and Platinum Stickles for the sparkle.

And here's the card, snapped in a moment of sunshine so you can see the shadows under my layers. The papers are scraps from the bit box matted with dark green card with everything give a brown inked edge, although it's not showing up around the image at all. My embellishments are made with layers of Marianne diecuts and a pale amber Waco pearl maker pen.

The Corrosive Challenge blog have been running a punches/dies theme, hopefully I've made it in time to enter. Stamp with Fun have an anything goes challenge, and so do the Anything Goes challenge blog - here's mine!

Perfectly Puppy

If you love cute puppies and kittens then get on over to Cuddly Buddly! Karen Middleton has released 9 new digi designs that are not just for Christmas. I got to play with Perfectly Puppy and coloured my little spaniel in shades of cool grey Copics, with my little Aero in mind. The rest of the Copics were B91 and 93 for the tissue and tags. YR20, 21 and 24 for the golden yellows, YG13 and 17 for the green holly, RV32, 34 and RV 95 for shadow on the box, and RV63 and 66 for the curly ribbons. I've gone over the bauble and the tissue with Stardust Stickles.

Here's my card. I must admit to colouring my image then leaving it on my desk for a couple of days trying to decide what papers to use to put it all together - in the end I settled for the pink and white polka dots and kept things very straight forward with just a band of white gross-grain ribbon, a Marianne die cut star border and Nellies Choice die cut buttons threaded with fine white ribbon (still not found the button box).

The Papertake Weekly blog challenge is for creature comforts so I can enter my cute little puppy with them.

Wee Witch

I have had fun colouring in this new Wee Hazel Witch from Sylvia Zett. She had to be in purple and black of course, what young self respecting witch would be dressed in anything else?!
OK, so you want to know the Copic shades I used .. .. well, in addition to my usual skin tones I've used the cool greys from 0 to 7, the violet shades V000, 01, 06 and 09 as well as the blue violets BV20, 23, 25 and 29. For the background I've used B0000, B000 and B00. I've added a touch of sparkle to her hat and shoe buckles with a Stardust pen and used my glaze pen over the watch face and her moon stone pendant.

And here's the card. The bats, text and the cobweb corners are by PB and the black flowers are punched with Nellies Choice punch and emboss sets with little AB star gems in the centres. The spotty paper is from my stash and I've matted with lilac and dark grey card, added a black organza bow and a sprinkle of stars.

The next Digital Tuesday challenge is for people cards, perfect for Hazel! Cupcake Crafts have gone over to the dark side with a black and purple colour challenge this week and the iCopic blog want to see your unloved colours - well I don't like to colour in dark greys very often and rarely use the darker purples so that's been a bit of a challenge for me.

I'm still not getting around to many blogs just at the moment, what with the slow internet connection down in this part of Cornwall and getting things sorted out here. The good news is the architect submitted the plans for the extension yesterday and fingers crossed all will go through in about 6 weeks. The porch has been delayed due to the manufacture of the curved panes of glass, but hopefully that will be sorted this week and next week it will go in. More delays on the solar panels due to Western Power objections, but as we are within the Governments guidelines I don't think they can object .. .. but they are being awkward and causing delays. We also have to have the electricity supply moved from one side of a wall to the other - more delays and the expense is astronomical (the price of a new kitchen!). So I'm not getting too much time to craft either, but hey ho - it'll be worth it in the end!

Generous Snowbuddy

This last cute snowman is Generous Snowbuddy by Karen Middleton at Cuddly Buddly, coloured with Copics. I've used the same shades as yesterday, although no yellow this time, and added the sparkle to create another C6 charity card.

Here's the card. I've used papers from this paper pack at Cuddly Buddly, inked the edges with Aspen Mist Versamagic chalk ink, matted with bright green card and with a snowflake border on the vertical band. I die cut a couple of Marianne snowflakes, added the Stardust Stickles and layered them up for a simple embellishment - job done.

The Totally Gorjuss blog challenge is to avoid squares, although you can have a square image as long as it's not on a square card - follow? Well my card is a C6 (rectangle) so I'll enter. Christmas Stampin' All Year have a photo challenge this week - I've picked out the colours red, green and white to use on my creation.

Cozy Snowbuddies

And here's the next one, scheduled all being well. Sorry for the fuzy close up photo, the camera went into auto mode rather than macro and wouldn't change for anything! Anyway, I've coloured the cute Cozy Snowbuddies with Copics and gone for the primaries red, yellow and blue plus green for the My Time To Craft kaleidoscope of colour challenge. The reds are R00, 02 and 05 - the yellows are Y00, 02 and 04, the blues are B0000, 000, B21 and 23 - and the greens are G00, 02 and 05.

And here's the card, a C6 design for the charity box. With those bright colours in the image I decided to go for a white on white look so simply added layers of embossed white card behind the image. I've also gone crazy with the Stardust Stickles and edged my image and some of the embossed snowflakes beneath - it's a real sparkler! and I've gone over the holly berries, the light in the lantern and their noses with my glaze pen so they are shiny. As my button and thread box is still in storage I diecut a button and stuck the pearls in the holes before fixing it over a scrap of organza ribbon - I'm not totally sure about it .. .. what do you think?

Moving Along With The Times have a sparkle challenge this week so perfect!

Snowbuddies

Here's another scheduled card for you, fingers crossed! I've been playing with the Snowbuddies designs by Karen Middleton for Cuddly Buddly and will show you the other two over the next couple of days. This first one is Charming Snowbuddies, coloured with Copics and cut out with a Nellie's Choice die. The colours are B000, 000, 21 and 23 with G00, 02, 03, 05 plus a touch of red on the berries. For the broom I used E70, 71 and 74 with the cool greys for his hat and the bit on the broom that keeps the head on the stick .. .. you know what I mean!

Here's the card - I used the auto adjust for the colour to try and brighten it up but I'm not sure it worked. I kept things clean and simple with just a piece of ribbon over a Nellie's Choice diecut border and a single sheet of subtle snowflake paper over the base. A smattering of pearls and a sprinkling of Stardust Stickles and job done.

Totally Papercrafts are looking for CAS creations this week, and over at the Fab 'n' Funky challenge blog they are playing bingo - my line is the diagonal with embellishment (pearls), ribbon and die cuts.

Toby Tumbles again .. ..

Fingers crossed Mr Blogger will schedule this one for you .. .. ..

This time I coloured my digi Toby Tumbles with paler colours, and went girly pink! I used Copics E30, 31 and 55 for Toby and the slightly darker E33, 35 and 37 for teddy . This time the greens are G20, 63 and 67 whilst the pinks are RV00, 63, 66, 69 and 32 to shade. I've used the pale grey C0 1 and 3 to shade and went over the stocking dots and stars on the present with a shimmer pen, then added crystal glitter to the fur trims with a glue pen.

And here is the card. I've used a stripe paper from the Quilted Holly digi collection and matted with pale green cardstock. To embellish I've cut Marianne poinsettias, daisy and lacy leaves and finished with a pretty ribbon bow and a touch of bling.
I won a prize on the Digital Tuesday challenge blog last week! This week the theme is to celebrate the season, any season, so I'm entering my festive Toby Tumbles. Creative Inspirations have an anything goes theme so I can enter with them too.

Christmas Surprise!

Today sees the launch of Czes' new designs at Cuddly Buddly, and I got to play with this cute Toby Tumble digi design! He's also available as a coloured image ready for you to decoupage etc. I've coloured with my Copics and gone for a darker selection of shades for a change. Toby is coloured with E31, 33, 35 and 37, as is his constant teddy bear companion. For the greens I've used G20, 24 and 28, for the golden yellows I've used YR20, 21 and 24. The reds are R37, 39 and 59, with Boooo as shadow and on the fur trims. I wnet over the dots on the stocking and the white berries and stars on the parcel with my glaze pen, and added crystal glitter to the fur trims with my glue pen.

Here's the card, and it's my DT entry for this week's anything goes challenge on Cute Card Thursday. The digi papers are from Cuddly Buddly and to embellish I've tied on ribbon and diecut Marianne poinsettias to create the flowers.

Crafty Catz blog want to see some ribbons, and the Sukkersott blog are looking for digi stamps for their challenge. Cutie Sunday have a Christmas theme running so I'm entering with them too.

I have been busy with house stuff, meeting with architects and planners to sort out the new extension, and doing a little crafting behind the scenes which I hope to share with you over the next few days. Blogger seems to be having an off day so I'll quit while I'm ahead and try visit some of my followers.

Forest Friends

Today I have a card with another of Karen Middleton's digi designs for Cuddly Buddly, this one is Forest Friends from the Fairy Collection. My image is coloured with Copics plus a frosty sprinkling of Stardust Stickles. In addition to my usual skin tones I've coloured with G20, YG63 and 67 for the greens, R0000, R20, 21 and 22 for the pinks, E30 and E81 for the fur trims and E40 - E44 for the brown tones on the tree and the deer.

And here is the finished card. I've used Kraft cardstock for the base and to mat my image, and to cut the border with a Nellie's Choice die. The background paper is from Kim's Heaven Sent digi collection which I can't seem to find just at the moment - I'll ask Kim where it's at. I've added a length of green satin ribbon (and there isn't a blob at the top it's a reflection), punched leaves, little roses and snips of pearl string and organza ribbon.

Papertake Weekly have an anything goes theme this week, whilst the Anything Goes blog are looking for vintage or shabby chic - I think my inked edges and colour choices will qualify me for the latter.

Whatever you are doing this weekend, enjoy!

The Holy Family

Today sees the launch of more cute digi stamps by Karen Middleton over at Cuddly Buddly, and you can see more projects made by the team on the Fabulous Crafty Friends blog. I got to play with this one, the Holy family, and coloured the image with my Copics. In addition to my usual skin tones of E000, 00, and 21 I've used cool shades of blues and greens for Mary and Joseph's clothes in C0 and B21 with BG70 and BG72 for Joseph's headdress. The sky is B26, B23 and B21 and the grass is YG91 and G85. The buildings in the background are the paler E40 and E41, the wool on the sheep is E50 and E81, whilst the manger and sheep ears and feet are coloured with the range E40 - E44. The straw in the manger is Y000, 00 and 02. I've added a little gold Spica pen over the stars and the halo over baby Jesus.

And here is the card:

I cut around the image and matted with a Nestie circle cut with gold mirri card and then a blue scallop Nestie circle. The background papers are from Karen's Enchanted Wishes paper pack, also matted with the gold mirri. Across the middle of the card I've added lengths of dark blue satin and gold ribbon and tied a gold bow. The little embellishment in the bottom corner is cut from various Marianne dies and to finish off I've added pearls made with my gold Waco pearl maker pen.

No challenges to link up with this evening and tea is nearly ready so I'll catch up later.

Xmas Pixie

Today I have a pretty card to share with you. This is the Xmas Pixie, one of Karen Middleton's new digi designs available at Cuddly Buddly, coloured with my Copics. I've used my usual skin tones then added in pinks RV10 and 11, greens G20 and 21, blues B91 and 21, plus the cool greys from C0 to C5. I've added a little glaze pen to the reflections on the baubles and lots of Stardust Stickles. The check paper is also by Karen at Cuddly Buddly, matted with bright pink card and with a layer of white swiss dots embossed. For embellishment I've added a length of pink gingham ribbon and diecut various Marianne elements that also have the Stickle treatment!

The iCopic weekly challenge is currently to add glitter, as well as use your Copics of course. the digital Tuesday challenge is called fairy wishes, hope they will let a little pixie in, and over on Flutterby Wednesday Danni is looking for a few of her favourite things, including pink and lots of sparkle!

I have been a little stressed out the past 24 hours, my hubby had to go back to the hospital for a proceedure .. .. I wont go into the gory details. As I couldn't leave Mum he stayed overnight with his uncle and went with his Mum to the hospital, but his phone died so I was in a right state not knowing what was happening. Thankfully the news is good, there is no longer any sign of a blockage and the diagnosis is simply IBS. Right then, I'd best make a soothing fish pie for tea tonight and limit the fruit cake - easier said than done!

Decorating Rudolph

I've had this cute Rudolph stamp by Penny Johnson for Stampavie for some time, but I've only just got around to colouring him in. I've used my Copics: the E40 - E49 for Rudolph and the birds, RV32, 34 and 17 for the pinks, YG00, 03 and 17 for the greens and a little B60 for the shadow along with an old B60 pen I topped up with blending solution so it's now a very pale version of the original.

And here's the card. I've used another of the old Papermania papers and added the white faux stitches around the edge then matted with dark brown cardstock. The ribbon is from my stash and to embellish I simply punched out lots of poinsettias with my different sizes of Nellies Choice punches and added the centres with my Wacco pearl maker pen in pale amber.

I've been looking around the challenge blogs, and found the Corrosive Challenge blog theme is for funny or punny creations, hope decorating Rudloph counts! Divas by Design have a Christmas in August theme, and I found a new to me blog called Crafting When We Can with a do it your way theme, so I'll enter with them too.

And I nearly forgot the Stampavie and More challenge which is for Christmas - just made it!

A Wee card

I've managed to colour in a Wee digi image I'd printed out before we moved, this one is called Christmas bunny and isn't he the cutest! I've used my Copics: E50, 51, 53 and 55 for bunny and the sled. Pinks and reds are R20, 22, 24, 27 and 29. The greens are YG00, 03 and 17 whilst the aqua tones on the snow and the parcel are actually G000 and G00.

Here's the card, a simple layout with what I had unpacked .. .. ..

I've added the white dots to the parcel with a marker pen and highlighted with Stardust Stickles. The papers are digi designs from Cuddly Buddly that I had already printed out in my stash, and everything is edged with a silver pen I forgot I had! Finally to finish off I punched out the silver snowflakes, added a length of gross grain ribbon and a few AB gems.

I don't know of any challenges I can enter with this one, so please let me know if you can think of any. I am into making Christmas cards at the moment, possibly because those are the stamps that didn't get put into boxes in the loft .. .. but then again I will need quite a few crimbo cards this year so had better make another one to share tomorrow!

Ooo I found a couple of challenges .. .. new ones to me! The first is called Clearly iStamp - but you can use digi images. The current challenge is to use patterned paper and I've used 2 different designs, there is a subtle snowflake pattern on the paler paper with little robins and holly leaves on the top coordinating layer. The second one is Card Makin Mamas and they want you to go digital - perfect as that's what I've done!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, although it's raining here in Cornwall and the roads are packed with the mass exit of holiday makers - I'm looking forward to the empty beaches!

Christmas with Dawn

I'm finally in my new home, and with an internet connection, albeit rather slow. I even found time to do a little colouring and put a card together, but still haven't gotten everything organised or unpacked the boxes. Until we have built the extension to create more room, a lot of things will be left unpacked. This is another of my new Dawn Christmas stamps from Nellie's Choice coloured with my Copics - but no list as I had most of the image coloured before the move and then had to pack up the pens, and of course I forgot to note the numbers.

Here's the card I put together with my limited supplies. The paper is from an old Papermania pack with bright green mats, not too green I hope. The poinsettias are created with Nellie's Choice punch and emboss sets, including the new little mini that's just come out.

I'm too late to add this card as my DT creation for Cute Card Thursday, but it fits the pinch and punch theme for this week's challenge. But, I can enter the Charisma Cardz blog challenge as it's an anything goes week!

I've tons of catching up to do so will cut short and take a wonder around blog land for a wee while.