Forest friends Winter Fun

Winter has really arrived in parts of the UK, but the kids are still not playing with snowmen or snowballs here in Lytham St Annes.     I don't know if it's because of the salty sea air but we really don't get a lot of snow here, but if snow does appear then it doesn't really stay for long. One thing's for sure though we get icy cold winds!  brrrrr its cold!

Today's card is kind of a celebration of snow! I'ts my first Christmas card for 2018. I promised myself after being quite ill last November that I would make Christmas cards throughout 2018. It's something I am determined to do as I got quite distressed about not being able to create all the Christmas cards that I really wanted to send last year. I hate buying mass produced cards!

I am not gonna get caught out this year!

This card was made using a Penny Black rubber stamp which I have owned for a long time...over 20 years! another stamp which my mother bought me! as you can see its been well used! but stamps as well today as ever!

It's the "Forest Friends Winter Fun" stamp and is copyrighted in 1996! I love the sense of fun in this stamped image and the idea that critters come out and play in the snow with their scarves on!

I am entering my card into 5 challenges...

The Penny Black Saturday Challenge (LINK)  

"Anything Goes"

Daring Card Makers (LINK)  

"Elemental Challenge" I chose to use the pale blue and white colours in the photo

Crafty hazelnuts Christmas Challenge (LINK)

"Anything Christmas Goes"

Crafty Hazelnuts Patterned Paper Challenge (LINK)

"Use Patterned Paper"

Cute Card Thursday (LINK)

"Something Fun"

I used watercolour paper and my new Zig Clean Colour Real Brush Pens to colour the stamped image. I matted the finished image onto pale blue card and added some snowy glitter. The card blank is 5" x 7" a size which I find nice to work with. I embossed the card base with the Sizzix / Stampin' Up embossing folder "decorative dots"  and added a piece of patterned paper down one side which has a frosty snowflake pattern on it. I wanted more snowflakes but didn't want to overpower my image which I had really worked hard on!

So I used a small piece of pergamano vellum across the centre of the card. I embossed it with the cuttlebug "Snowflake" embossing folder.
I added large delicate snowflakes die cut from a Memory Box die and layered a little punched snowflake on top, finally the bling! you can't really have snow without some sparkley bling right?! I added sequins and clear gems to the centre of all the die cut and the embossed snowflakes using glue dots. I hate those pesky glue dots I just cant see them but they somehow got to the place where I needed them to be LOL

I didn't feel a sentiment was needed for this card,  But when I come to use it later on in the year I will add a nice insert with a suitable greeting for the chosen recipient along with my personal message.

Colouring such a detailed image was a struggle with my ongoing sight problems. I had to turn to my daylight magnifying craft lamp for help! but I wasn't gonna be defeated!

When the fun stops I will stop. Until then I am gonna carry on having all the fun with my love of cardmaking and papercrafting.

My heart is smiling a very satisfied smile... I have started my Christmas card goal and another goal which is to use up my patterned paper stash.

I really love this card and it feels like my old Penny Black animal friends have visited today and we had lots of fun together!

Thanks for stopping by xx

spotlighted Hugs challenge card

I had some creative fun today therefore am entering more challenges with this hugs floral spotlight card...

Here's the challenges I am entering this creation into.....

1. The Flower Challenge #16 (LINK)   Flowers and Spotlight Stamping 

1. Cute Card Thursday Challenge #512 (LINK)  Something New

A spotlight card is defined as an area within a pattern or image where some of the image is left plain or without colour while another area is coloured,

bringing a highlighted focus to that point which is therefore "spotlighted!"

I used Ranger Jet Black Archival ink to stamp 2 large flower stamps from the  "Flower Shop" stamp set and a small flower stamp from 

the "Petite Petals" stamp set. Both sets are from Stampin' Up. 

I used my awesome new Tim Holtz Stamping Platform 

(I love this tool its fabulous)

I stamped identical floral patterns onto 2 sheets of white card.  

I then trimmed them to size required. The smaller piece was coloured with another new Christmas gift...my Zig Clean Colour Real Brush Pens (another wow)

Once matted with black card the smaller piece was layered on top of the other, lining up the flowers on both layers. That top layer really popped!

Using the same pens I coloured the top layer of the 

Honey Bee stamps "Hugs" die cut with an ombre effect using water 

to easily blend yellow and orange colours

I Finished the card with a circular stamped sentiment 

(an old S U set!) some red gems  and some sparkle 

from my Wink of Stella Glitter brush pen

oh what fun I have had today, my heart sings!  

I love my new crafty Christmas gifts

Many Thanks to my Hubby Kev xx

Last card of 2017, its for you!

I had a lovely time playing with some of my crafty Christmas presents today. My Kev with the help of a wishlist! gave me the crafty gifts I really wanted for Christmas, It's lovely to get a gift you want.

The Tim Holtz Stamping Platform for and some Zig Clean Colour Real Brush Watercolour Pens which look like markers but act like watercolours. ...

I have had some fun colouring a little party doggy stamped image from Crafters Companion (had him some time) which seemed the perfect image for a New Year card. I am mindful of all the people who I really would have liked to send a card to. But I was so behind this year as illness came at such horrid time and sent me off course for my Christmas card making and other Christmas preparations

So I thought that I would remedy that today! I have lots of friends I have virtually met on the Internet, but who knows where you all live? also friends and family who have missed out on real cards too. Therefore, I made this one card to virtually send to everyone to wish you a happy and blessed new year 2018.

I had hoped to be with friends at church when new year 2018 breaks forth but Kev is in bed ill with a bad cough and temperature he really is rough with this lurgy that's going around, I am fighting off a cold myself so we are spending new years eve at home this year. We didn't even manage to get to church this morning ;o(

This last card of 2017 didn't photograph quite as nicely as I had hoped as I used a lot of glitter card and the lighting wasn't good but I hope that you feel blessed by it xx
And so to a new year, I don't make resolutions anymore but I do make plans. someone asked me "How do you make God laugh"??? the answer of course is "Tell Him your plans LOL but laughing aside I am sure you will be seeing some of my God inspired plans unfold as i share them here time goes by!

Have a happy & safe new years eve wherever you are spending it, and may 2018 be a very specvial and blessed year for you
God Bless You
here is my prayer for you and myself for 2018...

3 John 2   New King James Version (NKJV)

² Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.