A Winter Walk with Carol

Wow it's all over and nearly the end of 2014. Where does the time go. I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and are relaxing now before the New Year's celebrations begin.

We have a lovely theme for you this week at CD Sunday. It was originally Caz's choice but as she stepped down recently Carol is now hosting it. I love walks in the Winter in the UK with the crisp frost on the ground and the sun shining. It's not the same here and that's the one thing my OH always says he misses about the UK.......frosty mornings!!

I found the perfect CD in my collection. "A Walk in the Countryside" by Crafters Companion.

I began with a piece of A4 card stock in cream. I scored it four times equally across the long side. Then I shaped the top of each section into a tag shape. The background paper and toppers on the front section are from the same CD. I added the background paper and shaped it leaving a 5cm border. The two bows are also from this CD. I decorated the three remaining sections with various greetings that are also from a CD but can't remember which one .....sorry. The two sparkly snowflakes I have had for eons in my stash and catch the light beautifully. Finally I added two flat backed white pearls on to the bows and Voila!!!

Now it's your turn. So pop over to CD Sunday and be inspired by what the rest of the team have created.....you won't be disappointed. Remember to follow the theme and use something from a CD on your creation and tell us which CD you've used......cos we are nosey and want to know!!!

Have fun!!!

Final inspiration for Unstampabelles

Well we're nearly there folks!!! Hope you're ready for the big day. Over at Unstampabelles it's the final week for your Southern Hemisphere Christmas cards. I didn't think I was going to make this in time but if you put your mind to anything you can achieve it. This is the lacee technique.........don't have an acute symbol so hope you know what I mean. I got the template from someone on facebook.....sorry forgotten the name but if anyone knows let me know and I'll give credit.

The main card is A4 white card stock. I placed the tree template on the gold squiggle background paper and cut the lines with a craft knife. Then I folded each section down to form the branches. I added gold gems and gold peel offs to the branches which catches the 'sun' light. The gold greeting under the tree is a peel off too. The gold star on top finishes it off. It was then mounted on green mirri card.

So my idea for a 'down under' Christmas card......not a snowflake in sight......just the colour of the golden sun. There's more inspiration for you over at Unstampabelles and a great prize to be won too.
Our sponsor is...........

and they have very generously donated this fab prize for the lucky winner........

So what are you waiting for. Off you pop to Unstampabelles and join in this final week of Summer Fun with a twist......a Southern Hemisphere Christmas card. Have fun......I did and a very Merry Christmas to all my followers and fellow bloggers. See you in 2015. Have a good one!!!

Hearts of Gold and CD Sunday

Good morning to you all from a very cold Cyprus. Cold outside that is, but warm in our hearts. I'll begin by telling you why. This week has been very exciting for us. My OH was nominated for a Hearts of Gold award for his service to charity. He has raised thousands of euros for a very worthy charity here in Paphos. It was for the renal unit at the General Hospital. For the last twelve years .....since we arrived on the island....he's been chairman of the charity and the money raised has bought essential equipment for the unit. At long last his hard work has been recognised. I am thrilled for him and very proud.

Now on to this week's challenge at CD Sunday. It's 'Stamp It' and I must admit, as I'm not a stamper or a lover of digis image, that I struggled with this one but I persevered and found a beautiful stamp that was a freebie on a magazine recently purchased.

closed

open

The image is by Bo Bunni and is a long stamp, so for me it was a little tricky to place it suitably on a card. So I had a play, as you do, and came up with the above style. I made a gatefold card with A4 card then took another piece of co-ordinating A5 card and divided it into three stamping the image onto one of the strips. Then I added DP onto the other two. The paper used is from the 'The Wish upon a Rose' CD by Gems Designs. I chose this paper for the words as I felt they were appropriate for my Grand Daughter, whom I will be sending this card to.

I stamped the image in gold then embossed it with gold powder. The 'Make a Wish' tag line is a fab peel off that I found in a bookshop here in Cyprus. 'Seek and you will find' is the catch phrase here for crafters, as we don't have a dedicated craft shop for card makers here in Paphos. The three pieces were outlined with zigzag border peel offs that I've had for eons.

The next part is essential for a good look to the card. Place the three strips on top of the gatefold card making sure there are NO gaps. This will ensure that when the recipient opens it, it looks like a 'normal' card then the surprise will come when they realise it's not!! Now carefully mark where the top strips have to be placed then adhere top and bottom to left side only and middle section to the right Voila!!

So that is my take on this week's challenge at CD Sunday. Now it's your turn. Don't forget to pop over to see what the rest of the Design Team have created......you won't be disappointed.

Summer Fun!!!

Where has this year gone it's December already. Christmas is just around the corner and time to really start getting organised. Susan at Unstampabelles has asked us to think about 'Summer Fun' with a twist of making a Southern Hemisphere Christmas card. Here in Cyprus we do get sunshine normally on Christmas day and often we spend it at the beach like our Southern Hemisphere friends. This year we got a crazy notion in our heads and decided to go looking for the snow. So we are off to Vienna. Those who know me know I don't do cold so I hope we don't regret it!!

The sponsor this month is.......

And this is the fab prize.........

Now for my Southern Hemisphere Christmas card.

I used half an A4 sheet of blue card and folded it diagonally. Then I folded it in half making sure that the 'pocket' was on the outside. I mounted the image of Santa, about to have a relaxing day surfing, and then placed it inside the pocket. I added gold peel off snowflakes and a cute Santa and his sleigh. I think this Santa is going to have a fun day surfing!!!

I hope you have fun too creating your Summer Fun cards and why not try the 'twist' too with a Southern Hemisphere Christmas card. Don't forget to pop over to Unstampabelles and see what the rest of the team have created to inspire you......you won't be disappointed.

 HAVE FUN!!!

Be inspired by a Song with CD Sunday

Good Sunday Morning to you all from Cyprus. Well it's not so sunny here at the moment. Winter has definitely come and it's bitterly cold up here in the hills. It's still fairly warm in the tourist area tho so if you are visiting soon prepare for pleasant days but very cold evenings.

Over at CD Sunday we've been challenged by Jocelyn to be inspired by a song. The song I have chosen is 'Flowers are red' by Harry Chapin. It's a folk song and he wrote it after a child came home from school with his report card saying he virtually wasn't conforming and did his own thing.....in other words a creative child who's creativity was being suppressed by his old fashioned teacher. Please click on the link and enjoy and smile as you listen to this thought provoking song.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHm2KdTTKUw

This is the card I created.

I made red ribbon flowers folding the ribbon and placing a punched out centre on top held it together with a brad. The tiny pot is a ceramic one that I've had in my stash since I began card making 13 years ago!!!. I added a string of gold beads around it to bling it up for Christmas. The flowers were mounted on white card that I had embossed with the dotty embossing folder. This was then double mounted on gold and red card to match the flowers. The two greetings are from the CD 'A Winter Walk in the Country' by Creative Crafting World.

I enjoyed this challenge and think you will too. I hope you will find time to pop over to CD Sunday and take a peep at which songs have inspired my teamies.

I look forward to seeing your creations and don't forget to use something from a CD to be in with a chance of winning a little something from Jocelyn. Don't forget to click on the You Tube link to listen to my song it's guaranteed to make you smile.

It's Christmas!!!

Yes time to get your mojo working and make a start on those Christmas cards that you've been promising yourself you'd start making!! Ooh La La is the place to be as it's a new challenge set by Susan and it's all about Christmas.

For my DT card I have chosen a design from the CD 'Shawn Jenkins Artwork'. This is definitely a must have CD in your collection as there are so many fab images on there.....not just Christmas images. M colleague at my craft group demonstrated how to make this slider card. It was a bit tricky but worth it when I finally completed it.

This is it closed. The image an DP are from the same CD.

This is it opened and reveals the greeting JOY. I added gold peel off strips to lift it and made stand from red glitter card from my stash.

I hope you find time to pop over to Ooh La La Challenges and take a look at more inspiration for your Christmas cards from my teamies......you won't be disappointed.
Have fun!!

'P is for......' at CD Sunday

Good morning bloggers. Well we have been having a spell of great weather for November but this weekend has seen some very scary thunder and lightening storms..........fingers crossed it won't last long.

Last week it was Chrisine's turn to choose the theme at CD Sunday and now she has the task of finding a winner from all the stunning entries for coffee, peach and cream...... I don't envy her.......there were some fab entries.

It is my choice of theme this fortnight at CD Sunday and I went for the letter 'P'. At this time of year we are all madly creating Christmas cards......well some of us are anyway!! I hoped this would get your mojo working as I could think of many 'P' words associated with Christmas e.g. Pointsettia, Penguins, Polar Bears, Presents or even Pink etc.

I found a great image . It's on the Shawn Jenkins Artwork CD by Ooh La La. It's a Peppermint Penguin. I love those peppermint candy canes that we seem able only to buy at Christmas. It's a real fun image which I couldn't resist.

The main card is from a pad of card from Lidls'. I mounted the image on white sparkly card, which I thought looked like ice, but sadly on the piccie it looks more like a dirty yellow!!!  The ribbon strips along the bottom and side are also from the same CD and match the sentiment on the topper "Let it snow". The background paper is from Ooh La La 'Festive Funnies'. I added three punched out white snowflakes on one corner to finish.

I hope you find time to pop over to CD Sunday and check out the teams' fab creations. There's a little prize for the winner too, ready for posting from Sunny Cyprus. So remember to think of something beginning with 'P' and use to anything from a CD. It could be an image, a greeting, background paper, ribbon strip etc anything really. Oh and you don't have to make a card. It could be an ATC, scrapbook page, decorated tag anything that takes your fancy!!

I am looking forward to seeing your entries and visiting you in blog land. Happy creating!

'Farewell' from the Dragonflies.

Well it's a sad day today for us Dragonflies as this will be our last challenge. I have thoroughly enjoyed being part of this friendly and inspiring team of crafters. It has been an honour and privilege to work with you all especially our dear leader Hilde who is having a bit of a rough time healthwise at the moment. I'm sure with everyone's love and prayers life will get better for you dear Hilde. Take good care.

So on to the final challenge. Appropriately it's Anything Goes with the option of saying Goodbye/ Farewell. We are sponsored by

This generous sponsor provided the team with some lovely images. I decided to play with this cute mail box and make a card just to say ' Sad to see you go' and inside it says.....'please write soon xx'

I coloured the image with copic markers and fussy cut leaving a tiny border. I then adhered it to pale peach card stock from a Lidls' pad. The ribbon strip is from an Ooh La La CD Xmas Presence. The 'sad to see you go' word strip is from my stash. Not sure where it came from but had it for eons. I decided to add hearts down the side and along the bottom.....thinking about tears of sadness. That squirrel looks very sad too.

Well that's it, my final post for the Dragonflies. I hope you'll pop over to visit Crafting with Dragonflies and also give some love to our lovely leader Hilde.....she needs lots. I look forward to visiting your blogs soon to see how you've interpreted this fortnights' challenge.
                                    
                                      Goodbye and Farewell from the Dragonflies!!!

#169 Ooh La La ' More than one fold'

Goodmorning. Well can you believe it we are speeding through November and Christmas will soon be upon us.....where do the months go. Over at Ooh La La Julie has challenged us to try a to use more than one fold when creating our inspirations for you. I went with a simple two fold card that fits easily into a normal letter size envelope. So no need to make your own envelopes to fit this one.

K

You simply need a piece of A4 card stock halved lengthways. Fold diagonally across centre. Then score and fold it to make your card. There is a pocket on the outside and inside for you to pop something inside if you wish.

I decided to make yet another Christmas card. I am getting a bit bored with the Christmas card making so making a new fold spurred me into action. I really need a push to get these Christmas cards made!!

The background paper and main image are both from Ooh La La Xmas Presence. There are some fab images for Christmas on this CD and I was spoilt for choice. I added the image to white card stock and placed it over the front pocket. The greeting 'Joy' is peel offs on a circle cut from the same DP and put on a circle of white card. I then added pearl stars from my stash and a silver star peel off in the top corner. I used the same DP inside and will add a greeting later.

So a very easy fold that got my Christmas mojo going again. I hope you'll find time to pop over to OLL and see what my teamies have created to inspire you. They have come up with some fab folds. I know you won't be disappointed. Link to challenge blog in side bar.

Don' t forget to check out the OLL shop for a peep at their inspiring CD's. Well worth a browse.

Have fun and I look forward to seeing some of you new folds.

'Box it up' with Unstampabelles

Well another month has whizzed by and it's time for a new challenge at Unstampabelles. This time Susan has asked us to make a box of any description and create a tutorial or link to a tutorial. Our sponsors are the fab .......

Prize: $15 Gift Voucher

This is the perfect time of the year for gift boxes so with this in mind I looked for ideas on
YouTube for box making and found this great tutorial for a Tealight Candle Gift Box.
http://vixykins.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/treat-boxtealight-candle-card-tutorial.html Click on the link for the tutorial.

I made the box using red card stock and covered it with polka dot card from a Lidls pack. The topper is a recycled Christmas card with peel off corners from my stash. The box holds four tealights and is very easy to make. So easy that I'm going to make more for Christmas presents.

I hope you find time to pop over and visit Unstampabelles. My teamies have made some delightful boxes and everyone has a tutorial for you so well worth a look.
I hope you will join us and don't forget only rules is NO STAMPS..........it's Unstampabelles that's why!!
Have fun!!!

Coffee, Peach and Cream

It's time for another challenge at CD Sunday. Where do the days go. It'll soon be Christmas and we'll be stressed out as the Christmas cards won't be finished. Well mine never are!!

Last fortnight Carol asked you for Silhouettes. It took a while but eventually you were brave enough to take on the challenge with some fab entries. I think Carol will have a difficult time choosing her winner.

Over at CD Sunday Christine has challenged us to use Coffee Peach and Cream for this fortnights theme. This is a lovely colour combo but not one I often use.

I used peach for the main card. The card was from my trusty Lidls pad. The image was matted on cream card stock from the same pad. The image background is coffee coloured. So this was my starting points but what to do with them. I decided to go for a new fold that one of my teamies did at OLL. It's A4 folded with the front of the card scored at the halfway point and folded across the front of card. Then I scored a smaller section on the back layer and folded back with a mountain fold. I added a square matt across the centre.

The main image is from Debbie Moore Shabby Chic Collection. The sentiment and ribbon strip down the side panel are also from the same CD. The background paper was from the craft shop that is closing down here and was in a wallet or assorted papers which weren't named. I added flat backed pearls from my stash and made a spray of peach and cream flowers from my stash. The knot bow was a scrap of ribbon from a box of chocolates.

I hope you find time to pop over to CD Sunday and take a peep at the creations from my teamies. There are some pretty cards made for this challenge and all different as usual. Don't forget you must use something from a CD and it doesn't have to be a card it could be any papercraft item. So check through your stash for Coffee Peach and Cream and get going. Have fun..... I did!!!

Dragonflies

Good Morning from Cyprus. It's time for another challenge over at Crafting with Dragonflies. This time Hilde challenged us to make anything but a card and to use, what else, a Dragonfly image.
I decided to alter a notebook as I'd not done this for a while. My stash of notebooks all seem to come in such bright colours. I much prefer softer colours so I'm always changing them and it's a great way to personalise them for a gift. At this time of the year we are always looking for gift ideas. So here's one for you.

I started with a very very bright coloured hard backed notebook.

First of all I removed the spine and then used a base of paper designed by Audrey from the Lilac Garden. It had some beautiful dragonflies and Iris' on it so perfect for the challenge.

 

The sheet included some decoupage dragonflies too.  The words are also on the image sheet and I used my Word programme and enlarged them and added two to the front on some banner tags.

After replacing the spine......bit tricky this so be aware....I tied some fancy threads  randomly down the side. This came in a ball from a local knitting wool shop. I think you could knit with it using some large needles but I find it is a perfect alternative to ribbon for card making.

This is the  inside before and after.

 

(Don't know why this is showing this way it's fine n my Pictures but when I've transferred it to my blog it's swivelled around!!)

This is the inside and as you can see I took the photo before I'd finished the back cover. I used the same designer paper on the back as the inside cover and left it free of embellishments

 

The DP here is from a pack I got free in a card magazine. It's LOTV 'Bonnets and Bowties'. It also has a lovely Happy Birthday stamp with it which will be very useful. I added two more dragonflies from the decoupage sheet and two more word banners with the names of the dragonflies. Here in Cyprus there is a conservation group run by the U3A which identifies and measures etc. dragonflies. They have been very lucky In identifying so many species. One year I was lucky enough to receive a calendar from one of my friends In this group which had been made using photographs of each dragonfly they had found. Some of them were stunning and the variety of colours were amazing. This year I'll be giving her this notebook as a gift. I hope she'll find it useful and appropriate to log her discoveries.

 

I hope you've been inspired to pop over to Crafting with Dragonflies and see what my other teamies have created. Remember it's anything but a card and you must add a dragonfly somewhere on your design. If you don't have one there's a freebie on the blog.

Have fun!!

 

Challenges: tuesdaytaggers.......Homemade/Handmade

"Witching Hour" #168 Ooh La La Creations

Good Morning everyone. It's Witching Hour time at Ooh La La. Hope you're ready for it!!
The last challenge was Inspired by Nature and we have had some fab entries. I think Pauline will find it difficult to choose her winner. Allison has chosen this fortnights challenge so Witching here we go!!!

I chose a great image from the CD 'Say it with words'. Here she is!!

 

How cute is she? I placed her on a square easel card made from brown card stock. This is a pad of Lidls card and comes in a variety of colours. The background paper is also from the CD. I found the greeting and the hat in my stash.....no idea where from but if you know tell me and I'll give credit to the designer. It made the perfect stopper for the easel.

I must say I don't normally do Halloween cards but she is too cute to resist don't you think?

I hope you'll be inspired to pop over to Ooh La La Creations and check out the other spooky designs from my teamies.

It's 'Time' for the midway post with the Belles

We're half way through Unstampabelles challenge for October......where does the time go. In fact where has the year gone!!!

This month Susan challenged us to think about TIME  for our creations with a twist of Shabby Chic. I was lucky enough to be sent from my crafty friend on another craft site some heavy weight die cuts of a cup and cupcake. I had great fun embellishing them Shabby Chic style and I added a lovely tag I have had in my stock for eons which says 'Time for Tea'. So I thought it would fit perfectly for this challenge.

Our sponsor is the lovely Flourish with a Bling.

 

'Flourish with a Bling' still have there sale....so pop over and pick up a bargain.....some fab flower packs on offer.

 

This is my idea for 'Time'.....'Time for Tea'.......that wonderful British past time.....a nice cuppa tea, with a cupcake of course!!

The background paper was free in a magazine and the flowers I had in my stash for eons....not sure where they are from. I added a die cut border to top and bottom of cup. The pink butterfly is satin and cut from a ribbon strip.

The top of the cupcake is white foam and the bottom is pink corrugated card from my stash. The green butterflies are die cuts. The 'red cherry' is a button.....you've got to have a cherry on top of a cupcake now don't you. I've attached the cup and cupcake together with thread and multi-coloured beads. Pink ribbon bows finished it off. Not sure if it's true shabby Chic but I had fun anyway.

I hope you find TIME to pop over to Unstampabelles as my teamies have made some wonderful creations.  Don't forget to have FUN with your crafty TIME this week!!

'Silhouettes' with Carol.

Good Morning everyone and welcome. Well you certainly enjoyed last time's challenge at CD Sunday, 'Christmas is Coming'. I think Jenny is going to have a have time choosing her winner and top three.

This week Carol has challenged us at CD Sunday to use Silhouettes in our creation. I immediately thought of Joanne Sheens CD 'Dancing with Shadows', which I have used many times before.  With so many appropriate images to choose from on this CD it was hard to decide which one. I finally went for a lovely woodland scene which I felt could be used for any occasion.

I made an easel card from yellow card stock and a mat from black. I added background paper from the same CD and a strip of black card stock with the added  greeting.....Birthday Wishes.....and two gold gems from my stash, for the stopper. I also added a straight gold bead for the body of the butterfly.

I hope you'll find time to pop over to CD Sunday to see what Carol and the rest of the team have created.....you won't be disappointed. Have a fun week creating!!

'Pink' for Breast Cancer

We are all aware of I'm sure of how many of our dear friends or family have been affected by Cancer. With this in mind Hilde challenged us to make a Pink card for Breast Cancer. Our sponsor is the lovely and generous Sammi Stamps.
                                                        

 The team were given some lovely images to play with. I chose a flower with the ribbon of Hope tied around it.

 

The main A5 card was used from cerise pink card stock.....may have been a Lidls pack. The background paper was a pack I bought when our last craft shop was closing it's doors to papercrafters :( 

 The top half is in a paler pink with a darker pink border.

I paper pieced the flower head in the same two papers as the background. Then added perfect pearls in gold to the centre for stamens. 

I hung some green ribbon loosely for the stalk. I did originally paper piece it too but it looked too heavy so I went with narrow ribbon instead. I added the pink bow in ribbon too. Again I did try paper piecing it but it just looked wrong.

I finished off with the sentiment 'HOPE' , in pink, created in 'Word'.

 

I hope my creation inspires you and you will pop over to Crafting with Dragonflies to see what the rest of the DT girls have created. Don't forget to visit our generous sponsors. And last but not least......Have Fun!!!

 

Challenges:

dragonfly-dreams-challenge.......Mainly Pink

eclecticellapu.......Flowers

thesisterhoodofcrafters..........think-pink-october-breast-cancer.html

craftyourpassionchallenges.......Where There's Hope

giveacrafteracookie.........#3 (inspirational piccie)

 

# 167 'Inspired by Nature'

Good Morning fellow crafters from a very sunny Cyprus. The weather has been fantastic so far this month. Whoo Hoo!

Now for my very, very exciting news for you all today.

Drum Roll.........Today is my first posting for Ooh La La!!!

I am delighted and honoured to be designing for this wonderful challenge blog......well bouncing actually. I have long been a huge fan of Ooh La La so you can imagine I was very excited when I was offered a place on the design team working with some fab CDs and alongside such a talented team of crafters.

                                                                        

Today I am going to show you a card I made using the Ooh La La CD 'Fleur D'Imagination'. Pauline chose the theme for the challenge, 'Inspired by Nature', and I suppose I went for the obvious flowers. This CD is packed with some fab images and it was very difficult to choose just one.

 

Both the design papers and the two images are on the CD. The added flower embellishments were a gift from one of my crafters here in Cyprus. I added a matching gem from my stash to the centre of the top flowers. Not made a card using this fold before but you can see how easy and effective it is.

 

 I hope you'll be 'inspired' to join in the challenge over at Ooh La La. You won't be disappointed by the rest of my teamies inspiring creations too. So grab a cuppa and off you pop to

ooh-la-la-creations challenges and don't forget...... Have Fun!!

 

Challenges:

eclecticellapu.........Flowers

Time and a Twist.....Shabby Chic

This month at Unstampabelles, Susan has challenged us to create something using 'Time' as the theme with the twist being Shabby Chic.

This is my take on the theme. An altered clock.

                                      
                                                                        Before

                                                                         After

I had an broken clock which was in the spare room looking very sad so I decided to give it a facelift.  I added lace trim which was in a strip. I put DS red tape around the base and pleated the lace adding a thin white ribbon to finish and neaten the top edge.....fiddly but satisfying when finished. The middle section is a different lace strip pleated in the same way. So that was the main body covered now for the fun bit.....prettying it up Shabby Chic style!!

I used clusters of cream roses at the base with rose buds a lacey leaf in the centre. Then I found some pretty pink flowers that I had in my stash for 'stroking' purposes only......only a dedicated crafter will understand what I mean. Anyway the 'time' has come to use them. I only had four so I had to use an even number breaking my rule of always using an odd number. These were placed up one side with a die cut flourish added to top. Now over to the other side. This time I used a cluster of white porcelain roses and a die cut flourish at the bottom of the face. Then another cluster of the cream roses higher up and finally a lace flower. This I hand made from a strip of petal shaped lace which I gathered and stitched together and shaped into a flower adding a cream flower to the centre.

Ooooppppss nearly forgot the three flat backed pearls at the bottom. These were from my UK haul.....see earlier post 'Christmas is Coming'.

Well folks I really had a lot of fun with this challenge and now my unloved bedroom clock is standing proudly in my guest bedroom ready to be loved again.

So if you've 'Time' off you pop to Unstampabelles and join in the challenge and and don't for get to visit our sponsors flourish with a bling.com

 

For the Month of October they have a huge $2 Flower Sale. Click on the link above and get your stock of flowers which will be ideal for any Shabby Chic project......so no excuses....get spending lol!!!

 

Don't forget to check out my teamies creations.....you won't be disappointed. Have fun!!

 

Challenges: alteredeclectics.......Anything Goes but not cards

Christmas is Coming

Good Morning everyone. Oooopppppssss!!! I forgot to schedule my post for CD Sunday.....smacked hands lol.

This fortnight Jenny has challenged us to start seriously thinking about Christmas. I know, I know don't go shouting at me you know it won't go away. You don't want to be last minute and having to rush out and buy them now do you? So get that Christmas stash out and start creating.

So you're being challenged to think of Christmas and use something from a CD. It needn't be a card it could be anything like a wall hanging, tree ornament, ATC, scrapbook page etc. Just so long as you've used a CD somewhere on your project and you tell us what you've used.

Here is my inspiration for you.

This card was inspired by one of my craft buddies here in Cyprus. Thank you x

She brought a pattern along to the craft group for a bow tie. Now I know you can get bows on CDs to print off but this was a template from a magazine....not sure which one but someone out there might know. I decided to use it as the basis for a Christmas card for my OH as our Christmas here usually means a Gala Dinner on Christmas Eve at an hotel and he always wears his DJ with a bow tie, naturally.  Over the years he has accumulated many bow ties and some of them are Christmas themed ones. So I thought this would be apt. 

I have used three different papers. The top and bottom are from my stash .....had these for eons and for the middle one I used a piece of DP from the CD 'Festive Funnies' by Ooh La La. The greeting  is from another Ooh La La CD the Shawn Jenkins Collection.

Another way of using this same idea could be to use ribbon bows and make it girly or print off bows from a CD.

The main card is a red card stock square from a pack of card from Lidls and the black card is from my stash. I added teeny tiny peel off stars to give it a more festive feel and some flat backed red pearls to the bows. I bought these when I was in the UK 2 years ago. My trip to the UK coincided with a Craft Show in my local area. The first and only show I've ever been too. I was like a child in a sweet shop, whilst my very patient OH sat reading a newspaper in the car whilst I popped inside!!! Little did he know I would get lost and not appear for a couple of hours......doesn't time fly when you're having funny. But I diverse...... so back to the challenge.

Yes 'Christmas is Coming' so I hoped maybe I've inspired you. My teamies have made some super creations so you must pop over for a visit to CD Sunday and be even more inspired. Don't forget you must use something from a CD no matter how small......as you can see I used very little but it still counts to be in with a chance of winning a wee gift from Jenny.

Have fun!!!

Challenges:
 toptiptuesday......Non Traditional Christmas
craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.......Anything Goes as long as its Christmas

Anything Goes with the Dragonflies

Thank you to everyone who was brave enough to take up the last challenge Hilde set you......a Gift Card Holder. What happened ....it was a great challenge and just the right time of year to be thinking about gift cards. I guess you'll like this challenge better. 'Anything Goes' . So it's cards, boxes, ATCs, Scrapbook page etc Now you can't resist can you!! Anything Goes!!!!

Our fabulous sponsor is Dollar Graphics. For those who have never visited before this is a great site and the digis are very reasonably priced.....you'll love it.

The prize is $20 gift certificate. How generous is that?

Design Team got to choose and play with some fab images from them. I chose the LouLa Puppy Christmas Pack'

This pack had three different shaped boxes, tags and mini cards. It was very easy to put together. Isn't that puppy adorable with it's reindeer ears all ready for Christmas. Loved it!!

So what are you waiting for. Off you pop to Crafting with Dragonflies....link in the sidebar... and see what the other teamies have created to inspire you. Remember it's 'Anything Goes' and don't forget to visit Dollar Graphics.....you won't be disappointed.

Challenges:
christmasatsweetstampin.................Christmas Critters (Christmas Puppies)
hobbybookdesignerchallenge.......Include an Animal
tuesdaytaggers.......Animals
hjcchallenge........Anything Goes Christmas
stampingwithdragon........Anything but a card
ema-ginationstation..........#1 Anything Goes.....New challenge blog

Final inspiration for "Lets be Funny"

It's the final inspiration for this months challenge at Unstampabelles. Susan is asking you to be Funny. Now we all need a bit of Fun in our lives so get hunting for those jokes and puns that make you laugh out loud. Susan and her lovely hubby the Woodman are sponsors this month and she is donating a fab prize. Take a look......

It's a Spellbinders Bracket and Border die. How lucky would you be to win that. All you have to do is use a fun image that isn't a stamp or a digi and the twist is to Frame It! Easy peasy!! To help you, you could always google puns and find something there. Here's my inspiration for you.

 

This image already had a frame around it and I just added it to a square card I made using card stock from Lidls. I am sure some of you will appreciate the pun!!

Off you go to Unstampabelles....link in side bar....and 'Be Funny' and have Fun!!

 

Challenges: lawnscaping.......critters

                                    eclecticellapu.......Lady's Birthday

Male Birthday Card

Good morning from sunny Cyprus. There were some fab entries for 'Happily Ever After', which was last fortnights challenge at CD Sunday. I think Caz will have problems choosing a winner. On to this fortnight's theme which is a Male Birthday card, chosen by Wendy. I decided to make a card for a young man who is soon to be the grand old age of 7.

The basic card is cream hammered card stock. The CD I used for the background paper was from  Crafters Companion Halcyon Days. I used it on one half of  the card and wrapped it around the back.  The two decoupage toppers are from a pack of mini decoupage sheets by Le Suh. Again these have been in my stash for eons. I mounted them on to orange card stock. You can see on the bottom one that there's a small tag shape which I outlined with a peel off border. Why? Well I thought it would highlight it and I could add the young man's name here. I added letters from an alphabet sheet for Happy Birthday and four tiny green brads to the c
orners to finish. The decoupage images are very small and fiddly so you need a lot of crafty patience.

So why not pop over to CD Sunday and see what the rest of the team have made to inspire you. Remember to use something from a CD but it doesn't have to an image it could be just the background paper like I have done on this card. Have fun looking and joining in!!

Challenges : myshericrafts.........#142 Birthday Celebrations
                     audsentimentschallenge.......For the man in your life #115
                     allwayssomethingcreative.......Children
                     toptiptuesday......Kids
                     wedodoobadoo.......15-something-masculine
                     thesquirrelandthefox........Happy Birthday

After the fire.

This is a piccie of the aftermath of the fire we had here last weekend.

 

 

 

The whole hillside was ablaze. We live on top of the hill. You can just see over house on the top. It was very scary. It was also on the hill at the other side of the house as well. We were surrounded by pockets of fire at times. So glad no one was hurt and no property damaged. Life in Paradise eh!!

'Gift Card/Money Holder'

Good Morning to you all from my lovely Cyprus which wasn't too lovely at the weekend. We had a huge fire near my home which was very scary. Fortunately they are fantastic at dealing with fires here and 4 fire trucks, two water born helicopters and two spotter planes later they got it under control. I don't want to through that again. I feel as though I'm still eating/tasting smoke!! Not nice.

Now back to the business of telling you about the fab challenge we have for you over at Crafting with Dragonflies. Hilde challenged the team to make some gift card holders. The lovely sponsors this time are Bugaboo Stamps.

 

Prize : 7digis of the winners choice

 As many of you will know here in Cyprus and Greece at Weddings they pin money to the bride instead of buying gifts. Some guest, like ourselves, usually take money along in an envelope with a card. So with this in mind I decided to go for a simple wallet type holder that I could put some Euros in at the next wedding I attend.

The card/wallet is a piece of A5 card scored at 4cm and 13cm. Folded and the sides adhered ......wallet made. Now it's time to play. I die cut a fancy edging on the Cuttle Bug and placed it along the opening. The fastener was made using a square die, cut from mirri silver card. I placed a digi stamp from Bugaboo on top. You may recognise this from my Tissue Box holder. It's the same digi stamp resized and recoloured. I added two heart peel offs and 'For You' . This could be used for any occasion where you want to gift some money. It's also a suitable size for a gift card.

This is simple, so you should have no problems taking part. Do visit the Crafting with Dragonflies challenge blog and see the fab designs the rest of my teamies have created. Don't forget to visit our generous sponsors too. Have fun..... I did!!

'Happily Ever After"

Good Sunday Morning to you all. It's Sunday and time for another challenge over at CD Sunday. Sue will be looking through the fab 'Get Well' entries from the last challenge and will let you know her top three later this week. Think it'll be a difficult one for her as there were some lovely 'Get Well' cards created.

This time it's Caz's turn to choose the theme and it's 'Happily Ever After'. Thoughts immediately go to Weddings but it could be an Anniversary.

This is my inspiration for you.

I used A4 cream card stock folded to make an A5 card. For the image I went to trusty Ooh La La 'Everyday Occasions' CD. There's something for everything on this CD and I knew it wouldn't let me down. I mounted the image on gold card stock at an angle and highlight the framed image with gold border peel offs and added tiny hearts to the corners.

The sentiment 'The happy couple' has been in my stash for eons. Not sure who made it but it was a pack of Wedding toppers I bought when I first began crafting.....so very very old. Just shows you keep something long enough and one day 'Voila' you need it. It's lovely as it's premade with three layers and the sentiment is on vellum with a gold ribbon to finish. If you look closely you can see the pink hearts on the tag match the pink heart on the image.....cute eh! I love the sentiment on the topper too "There is a time and a purpose For everything under Heaven"

 I added gold ribbon tied in a knot bow down the side and a strip of gold sentiment ribbon 'True Love' on the opposite side. Finally a die cut gold heart to the top corner to finish off.

This card could be for a Wedding or a Golden Wedding if I just add a 50 to it somewhere I'm sure.

So there you have my inspiration piece for 'Happily Ever After' at CD Sunday. Don't forget to pop over and see what the team have created......there's some goodies I can tell you. If you've been inspired dust the cobwebs off those CD's and join us.....always a great prize to be won. Have fun!!

Challenges: onestitchatatimechallenge........,..#219 Anything goes with a die (heart)
eclecticellapu........Hearts
creativecornerchallenges.........Cutsie Animals
thepapershelter..........Hearts
bastel-traum........Animals

Girly and Lacey

Good Morning bloggers. I hope you are all feeling well.

Last week the Dragonflies challenge may have been a bit unpopular as we ddn't get many entries. Hilde's challenge this time around will be a winner tho I'm sure. It's to make a card that is 'Girly and Lacy'......how cool is that?
We are sponsored by the fab digi stamp company 'All Dessed Up'.

                                                   Prize :2 digis of the  winners choice


We were given some pretty digis to work with. I chose this delightful image from 'All Dressed Up'.

I coloured the image using my graphics programme on the PC. Then mounted it on a lacey doiley. The image is framed with a narrow silver peel off border and fancy peel off bows on each corner.
The lacey ribbon across the bottom is from my stash. I think one of my crafters kindly gave  me some  eons ago. I added double ribbon of cream with pearls attached. This was from Lidls.....which we currently here in Paphos are relying on more and more for crafting goodies. The crochetted flower was a swap from an online buddy last Christmas and it matches the colour of the ribbon perfectly.
The main card was also in a pack of card stock that I got from Lidls.

I've really enjoyed making this very girly card and I'm sure one of my Grand daughters will love this.

I hope you find a moment to pop over to Crafting with Dragonflies this week and check out the other pretty creations my teamies have made. Don't forget to check out our sponsors too. 'All Dressed Up' are giving 2 digis of the winners choice as a prize.

Have fun being 'Girly and Lacey' with the Dragonflies!!

Challenges: hobbybookdesignerchallenge.......Girly
eclecticellapu.......ladies birthday
hobbycutzchallenges 63.........ribbons-pearls.
fabnfunkychallenges-227..........tic-tac-toe.(I chose Lace Doily Pearls)
digisketchchallenge...........It's a girl thing
abc-challenge.......Si is for Shabby Chic
liastampz...........Feminine/Girly
craftybootschallenges..........sweet-16.