Have a Wonderful Christmas!

Hi Crafters,

I know I haven't been a very good blogger this past month but hopefully in 2017 I can rectify that, so I'm here today to wish you all a 

VERY HAPPY FESTIVE SEASON

Thank you to all who have stuck with me and visited here throughout the year and left such wonderful and encouraging comments too.

Here is a Christmas card I made recently depicting a beautiful Wintry scene, just how I picture Christmas should be...

...a beautiful sprinkling of snow, bright red holly berries, the sweet sound of the robin and a warm cozy fire to gather around with family and friends.

 Have a wonderful day tomorrow and may the Christmas cheer stay with you long after in to the New Year.

Lorraine

xXx

As You Like It Challenge - Favourite Christmas Carol & WHY

Hi Crafters,

I'm popping in today with my last inspirational card for the new challenge at As You Like It.

As You Like It is the last of my three design teams that I have decided to step down from, if you saw my post last Sunday you will know the reasons why, but suffice to say I was trying to fit too much in to my time. I will miss all the ladies on the team, I had a fab time creating for these challenges and intend to join in a challenge or two when I can in the future.

So....

We'd like to see your Favourite Christmas Carol and please tell us Why it is your favourite.

I have a few favourite Carols really but I've chosen

'Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly'

'Tis the Season to be Jolly'

Fa, la, la, la, la, - la, la, la, la.

I think this is one of the most cheerful carols and I really love to sing it.

Recipe

Carolers - Silhouette Cut File

Papers - Dovecraft - Glad Tidings

Joanna Sheen Lamp Post Die

Clearly Besotted Sentiment Banner Stamp

Candy

Challenges I'd like to enter:
Moving Along with the Times - #35 Christmas Scenes
Winter Wonderland - Night Scene
Crafty Friends - #46 Merry Christmas
Allsorts - #393 Christmas Lights
Sweet Stampin' Christmas - Inspired by a Song/Singing Image
Crafting When We Can - #134 It's Christmas

We are sponsored by 

who are offering a £10 voucher to the winner.

Lorraine

xXx

I'm Getting There...

Hi Crafters,

A late share this evening of this frosty card. 

I think I have now finished all my orders for Christmas - it was touch and go as to whether I would get them all done I can tell you with a last minute bulk order coming in the other day. So I have been burning the midnight oil as they say and can now relax a bit, although I have two craft markets to do yet - Friday and Saturday. Whilst I've been making Christmas cards I haven't replenished my stock for my stall so guess what I will be doing tomorrow?

:o)

Recipe

Wood Grain Paper from the 'Happy, Jolly Christmas' Pad

Stampin' Up 'Lovely as a Tree' Stamp & Sentiment Stamp

Glamour Dust

Cheery Lynn Corner Die

Challenges I'd like to enter:

Fussy & Fancy - #178 Christmas in Tones/Pastels

Unicorn Challenge - #16 Add some Glitter

Noor Designs - #25 Sparkle

Sweet Stampers - #2 ATG

Crafty Purple Frog - Winter Blues

Addicted To Stamps - #137 Christmas

OSAAT - #277 ATG/Lots of Sparkle

Deep Ocean - #144 Silent Night

Fab n Funky - #331 Glitter & Sparkle

Enjoy the rest of your evening.

I will be visiting you all over the Christmas period - promise.

Lorraine

xXx

Christmas Card Club Challenge #25 Snow Scene

Hi Crafters,

This is our last challenge of 2016 at the CCC, we will be back again on the 8th January 2017.

This week it was our lovely Rita's turn to choose the theme and she has given us the challenge of..

Snow Scene

This is a non traditional card but I like the contemporary look and flat for posting too.

Recipe

Background - Kanban 

Trees and Birds - Silhouette Cut File

Sentiment - Craft Essentials Die

Challenges I'd like to enter:
C.R.A.F.T. - #393 Winter
Crafty Catz - #350 Christmas Card - Non Traditional Colours
CHNC Extra - December Challenge

Have a Happy Sunday everyone!

Lorraine

xXx

Belated Christmas Card Club - Mixed Media Trees

Hi Crafters,

Firstly I have to apologise to Mary for being late with this card but I was determined to get it made eventually and not miss a challenge for this year.

Recipe

Die Cut Trees...

...sorry I don't know the brand of die, these die cuts were purchased from Ebay, but it's similar to a Taylored Expressions die that I've seen.

Shabby White Frantage

Memory Box Woodland Deer Die

Clearly Besotted Sentiment Stamp and Die

Distress Inks for the background

Challenges I'd like to enter:

Winter Wonderland - Night Scene

Brown Sugar - #228 ATG

Country View Challenge - Christmas

Cardz 4 Guyz - #149 Christmas Animals

Creative Moments - #108 ATG

Crafty Creations - #330 Masculine

C.R.A.F.T. - #393 Winter

In real life the Shabby White Frantage gives a lovely texture on the bark of the trees as well as some sparkle too.

Hope to see you again soon,

Lorraine

xXx

Deep in the woods...

Hi Crafters,

I'm sharing another fairy card today, I made quite a few while I had the ink and stamps out.

Lots of perfect pearls shimmer spray and glitter to create the magical atmosphere.

Recipe

Various Stamps - Lavinia and Sheena Douglas

Distress Inks

Perfect Pearls Shimmer Spray

Glitter

Challenges I'd like to enter:

Butterfly Challenge - #68 Fairies, Elves, Gnomes and Pixies

Unicorn Challenge - #16 Add Some Glitter

I'm so glad you could join me today, this is such a busy time of year for us all.

Take care,

Lorraine

xXx

ABC Christmas Challenge - Y for Yikes! and Z for Zoom

Hi Crafters,

It is the last challenge of the year at ABC Christmas and it is also my last challenge with them too.

:o(

If you saw my post on Sunday for 613 Avenue Create you will already know that I had to make the difficult decision to step down from several of my Design Team positions. This decision was not taken lightly I can tell you as I have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of each and every one of them. However, things change and priorities have to change too but I will still be blogging as often as I can and hope to enter some challenges too so I will still keep in touch with my DT buddies.

Now on to today's inspiration.

As it is also the start of a new format for the challenge, we would like to see a Christmas project using either the letter 'Y' for Yikes! or 'Z' for Zoom! 

A full explanation of the details can be found over on the blog here.

I usually give some handmade presents to family members for Christmas so this year I have created these lovely decorated glass candle holders. There are only two pictured here but I made quite a few so I am following the 'Yikes!' theme as these were rather hurriedly made when I realised time was getting away from me.

I used some lovely satin ribbon and flowers and embellishments from Wild Orchid Crafts, The Ribbon Girl and Anna Marie Designs.

Challenges I'd like to enter:

Creative Inspirations - #263 Christmas Creations
Craft-Dee-Bowz - Dec ATG + Bow
Sparkles Christmas Challenge - #171 Anything BUT a Card
Come & Get It - #197 Christmas
Crafty Cardmakers - #178 Anything BUT a Card

Our sponsor for the last challenge in 2016 is

The East Wind

and their prize is 3 digital image.

Come along and join in with us, it is a great chance to get the remainder of your Christmas cards and projects finished and be in with a chance of winning a fab prize too.

Lorraine 

xXx

Passion For Promarkers Mega Christmas Challenge #375 - Use Dies and or Punches

Hi Crafters,

It's our Mega Christmas Challenge at Passion For Promarkers and both design teams are joining in with this month long challenge of...

Use Dies and or Punches

I'm still busying away in my craft room creating Christmas cards and so here is my card for today's challenge using this sweet Whipper Snapper Stamp for the first time.

Isn't he so cute?

Recipe

'Waiting For Santa' Stamp - Whipper Snapper Designs

Medium - Promarkers

Go Kreate Large Frames Frilly #10 Die

Joy Crafts - Winter Wishes Circle Stars

Britannia Die - Christmas Flight

Paper - Dovecraft Twelve Days of Christmas Pad

Silver Mirri Card

Twine

Snowman Charm

Challenges I'd like to enter:
Deep Ocean Challenge - #143 Santa is Coming To Town
Holly Jolly Christmas - #86 Two Part Challenge
I Love Promarkers - #323 Snowman
Moving Along with the Times - #34 ATG / Christmas
Crafty Friends - #46 Christmas
Country View Challenge - Christmas
Christmas Cards All Year Round - ATG  Christmas / Holidays
Crafty Calendar Challenge - Christmas Time
Christmas with the Cuties - #1 Anything Cute and Christmassy
Sweet Stampin' Christmas - ATG Christmas
The 12 Months of Christmas - #24 Welcome to the North Pole
Sweet Stampers - #1 Christmas
Addicted To Stamps - #137 Christmas
The Ribbon Girl - Card Challenge
Come & Get It - #197 Christmas
Glitter 'n' Sparkle - #217 Traditional Christmas Colour
Dies R Us - #62 Christmas

We have multiple sponsors with fabulous prizes, they include.....










 ... for a full list of prizes please visit the challenge blog HERE.
As the challenge lasts for a full month we are asking that you limit your entries to just three please.
I'm looking forward to seeing your makes using your
Dies and or Punches.

I hope you're having a wonderful December and that the weather isn't too cold wherever you are.

See you soon,

Lorraine

xXx

Fairy Dust

Hi Crafters,

Just popping in for a quick share with you of one of a series of cards I've been making.

Using some Lavinia, Inkylicious and Sheena Douglas stamps, which work together beautifully, I have been creating a number of fairy themed cards.

Recipe

Lavinia Stamps - Fairies, Toadstools and Seed Heads

Sheena Douglas Stamps - Grass and flowers

Magazine Freebie - Sentiment

Distress Inks

Perfect Pearls Spray

These are so much fun to make and I have so many different coloured backgrounds in the making too. The combinations of Distress Inks are never ending.

After I stamped the seed heads I dabbed them with water and took off some of the colour to make them paler and more defined against the background.
Also it was a pleasant change from the plethora of Christmas cards I have made of late :o)

Challenges I'd like to enter:

Butterfly Challenge - #68 Fairies, Elves, Gnomes and Pixies
Crafting From The Heart - #139 ATG
Brown Sugar - #227 ATG
Creative Fingers - #121 ATG
Allsorts Challenge - #392 CAS
Noor Designs - #25 Sparkle
Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends - #47 ATG

Thank you for joining me today and see you soon,

Lorraine
xXx

613 Avenue Create Challenge - Holiday Happiness

Hi Crafters,

It is a sad post today as this is my last inspirational project for 613 Avenue Create.

I have been a part of this fabulous design team for almost three years now so this was a very difficult decision to make as I have enjoyed every minute of my time there. Everyone has been so friendly and kind and although I shall miss being part of this fabulous team I shall still be in contact with them in Blogland.

I had spread myself too thin, trying to keep all the plates spinning at once and finding it a struggle so some things had to change.

Over the next couple of weeks you will see my posts where I will be stepping down from three teams.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now for this months challenge at 613 Avenue Create we are wanting to see your cards and projects depicting

'Holiday Happiness'

Recipe

Image - Christmas Trio Blocks - Bugaboo Stamps
Medium - Promarkers
Cottage Cutz Stitched Rectangle Dies
Apple Blossom Letter Dies
Britannia Merry Christmas Die
Kanban Ho Ho Ho Paper
Glitter

I printed the images twice, coloured and cut them out to layer them up from the frame.

Challenges I'd like to enter:

Dies R Us - #62 Christmas
Deep Ocean - #143 Santa is Coming to Town
Try It on Tuesday - Layer It Up
Holly Jolly Christmas - #86 Two Part Challenge

I Love Promarkers - #323 Snowman
Fab n Funky - #329 Christmas
Aud Sentiments - #169 ATG + Sentiment
Winter Wonderland - Frame It
Brown Sugar - #227 ATG
Christmas Cards All Year Round - ATG Christmas/Holiday
Crafty Calendar Challenge - Christmas Time
Christmas with the Cuties - #1 Anything Cute and Christmassy
CHNC Every Saturday - #310 ATG Christmas

CHNC Extra - December Challenge

Phew! There's a lot of Christmas challenges about and many more besides these too.
Hope you can join in with us.

For a full list of all the sponsors please head over to the challenge blog here.

Thanks for joining me today.

Lorraine 

xXx

As You Like It Challenge #94 Favourite Gold/Silver and WHY

Hi Crafters,

It's the first of December!

Not long to go now until the Big Day so I'm continuing to get my Christmas cards made and this one is for the new challenge at As You Like It.

We'd like to see your favourite choice of Gold or Silver in a project.

I love both but when creating frosty Christmas card scenes I like to use silver, it certainly adds to the Wintry feel of a project or card.

It is notoriously difficult to photograph though and always seems to turn out looking black...I can assure you though in real life it is both shiny and silvery :o)

Recipe

Decoupage Image - Craft Creations Sheet

Silver Mirri Card

Cuttlebug Embossing Folder

Memory Box Grand Christmas Sentiment Die

Memory Box Tall Birch Die

Shaded Lilac Distress Ink

Challenges I'd like to enter:

Winter Wonderland - Poinsettia/Snow is Falling
Allsorts - #391 Anything Christmas
Crafting From the Heart - #138 ATG
Holly Jolly Christmas - #86 Two Part Challenge

Fab 'n' Funky - #329 Christmas
Creative Moments - #107 ATG
Crafty Creations - #329 Christmas
Creative Inspirations - #263 Christmas Creations
Moving Along with the Times - #34 ATG/Christmas

Our sponsor is Sweet 'n' Sassy Stamps

..who are offering a $10 voucher to the winner.

Thank you for joining me today.

I'm sorry that I haven't been to visit you all very much recently but life has taken a rather hectic turn but I will hopefully get a grip on it soon.

Lorraine 

xXx