And the Calendar Continues!!

Happy Monday crafting chums!

As some of you may know I am making a couple of Calendars for Christmas presents and need to do a topper for each month (never again!!). Yesterday I thought I had better get down to it although I wasn't feeling too creative. March needed to get done and as Easter is in March next year this is the theme I went for. Now, I was faced with another problem-my Mum (who one of the calendars is for) made the passing comment that she was not so keen on my CAS cards and liked it when I added ribbons etc. Yikes my CAS brain was facing a challenge!!

I struggled all afternoon and got out every piece of crafting tool, ribbon, paper, card, buttons etc. The room was a very 'un-Sandie' state (I am a tidy freak!).

However this is what I came up with:

I guess looking at it now, it is still pretty CAS. I honestly tried out lots of DSP but couldn't get anything to work.
I am still not happy with it really, however it was a challenge and as such I am going to enter it into the following challenges:

Eclectic Ellapu-anything goes
Live and Love Crafts-anything but a card
Stamp up your Life-anything goes

Only April to do!!

And before I leave you, Lisbeth, one of my fellow DT members on Inkspirational, has some blog candy to give away, so pop to her blog here to see how you can win some extra candy for the holiday season.

Lovin from the oven!

I hope you are all having good Sunday and not getting too stressed as the big day approaches!

I have a very simple card for you today that I made last night in about 15 mins. Yes, a very quick card but it was very satisfying and relaxing to make. I was inspired by the challenges at:

-Addicted to CAS- 'sweet' is the buzz word this week and it gave me chance to use my first ever stamp set that has not been dusted off for about 18 months. I don't remember where it is from!
-Just Us Girls-a colour challenge this week-pink, green and white. I thought this was quite refreshing after all the Xmas colours and ideal to use for the icing on cakes.
-Addicted to Stamps-a bingo challenge this week. When I had stamped and coloured my card, I felt it needed just that little something. Then remembered I had seen this challenge earlier in the week-so I added a pearl to one of the cakes and viola, I was happy! I used the bingo combo-of green, anything goes (markers) and pearls.

A really quick card to do but enjoyable. I have had this digi for ages from Create with TLC and hadn't used it, so all in all a successful little 15 mins!!

Have a great day x

White on White Christmas.

Yippee, Friday is here! And a bigger yippee as I think this is my last Christmas card-although I won't confirm that as I had thought I had finished but then realised, alas, I had one more to do!

I did however have some exciting inspiration for this card.
First I had been seeing quite a few gorgeous Xmas cards made for the 'white on white' challenge at Make My Monday and wanted to join in. Plus I loved some of the cards made for the 'bauble' challenge at Addicted to CAS, so yet another excuse to play. These are 2 new challenges to me and I am enjoying taking part. Then finally, today, the latest fab sketch at CAS(E) this sketch inspired me to get moving.

I apologise for the shadows in the photo but it was difficult to get the light right, the dark nights and gloomy days are making it more difficult but I hope you get the idea and can see the sparkly paper. All of the die cuts, linen embossing plate and sentiment are from PTI.

CAS, glittery, bright red, pearls, silver string and my beloved linen impression plate-I love my last Christmas card and hope you do too!

And today I got one more month of my calendar topper made, so 8 months down, 4 to go!!

                    

CAS-Colours and Sketches #3

Today I am back with our 3rd challenge at CAS-Colours and Sketches. And this week we have this funky sketch for you:

I needed to make a thank you card for my Dad you recently installed a new shower for me and put up some shelves. So I have a 'manly' version of this sketch for you-super CAS-just how I like it!

The sentiments are a mix of Paper Smooches stamps and the dotted stamp is an old one from PTI.

I was pretty happy with the clean look to this and am hoping my Dad likes it!

The DT team have done a fab job with this sketch so pop over and have a look at their designs:

Jacqueline

Loiuse

Kylie

And then play along with us. I am looking forward to see your take on the sketch.

Have a great day x

Mistletoe and Holly.

Its a gorgeous day here in London. Sunny, fresh and with frost on the grass. I love weather like this.
When we are blessed with a day like this it is best to get outside and enjoy it. I am therefore going to make this quick!

I am trying to crack on with my calendar and today I have my December topper to share with you. The initial inspiration for this came from this photo I spotted at Inspired By

I liked the idea of the hanging wreaths but altered mine to be mistletoe after I saw Virginia's card here on the Cas-ual Friday Flickr group. I just loved Virginia's card and had to 'case' it, adding another mistletoe bunch, some ivy and changing the colour scheme but you can still see how much Virginia's card inspired me!

I am also going to enter this into the 'red and green' challenge at Speedy Fox and Friends.

5 months left to do!!

Merry-Kiss-Mas Hubby

Happy Sunday Crafting chums,

Today I had everything ready to decorate the tree and house for Xmas. Yesterday we got the tree, I spray painted wood branches, cones and basically anything I could get my hands on. Callum-my hubby-had to keep moving otherwise he would now be a metallic silver!).
But then last night I was ill and my plans were not looking like they would go ahead. Callum did a fab job, ironing, getting dinner prepared, buying new Xmas lights and starting the decorating. Finally after I had slept all day I got up, put my new Michael Buble Xmas c.d on and tried to get creative. Between the two of us we got it done and we are super happy with the end result.
Callum is now having a Whiskey Mac cocktail whilst I came up and suddenly had an idea for his Xmas card.

I was inspired by the 'nice and knotty' challenge at Cas-ual Friday and the Xmas colour combo of Black, white and metallic at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown Challenge. This combo seemed ideal for a guy but I really hadn't meant it to me for Callum but when an idea pops in my head I have to go with it. And here we are:

Now, I know, you may be thinking a bow for a guy?? But believe me, he has seen me pull my hair out trying to make so many bows, that he will appreciate this one.......plus to make it into a knot only took me a few hours more!
I used my new Cas-ual Friday stamps for the sentiment. I so love the CAS look of this, although it has the super over sized bow, it still looks CAS to me.
Well I am off to give this to him now so I am hoping it will make him smile and realise how blessed I feel to have him as hubby-in sickness and in health!!

Summer Chill.

Today I decided I needed a break from the Christmas Theme. I went as far away as possible and had some inky fun in the sun!
I am making a few calendars for gifts and need to do a different topper for each month. Today I went for August. The idea for this came from this photo from the challenge at Runway Inspired:

As soon as I saw this photo I knew I had to join in with this challenge. I just loved the bright orange and was struck by the winter mix and summer colours, her flippers (they are flippers aren't they?), goggles and it looks like she has a sun on her head. So there was quite a lot here for me to play with....well in my mind anyway!!

I also had wanted to play along with the 'make you mark' challenge at Addicted to Stamps basically because I haven't done any colouring for ages and I do find it relaxing when I have a go. Plus I was struck to see a 'Endless Summer' theme challenge at Southern Girls-forgetting that a lot of you crafters are in the middle of Summer. 

So there was a lot that was drawing me towards getting down to my 'Summer Fun' August calendar topper and here we are:

I used promakers to colour the image. The stamps are from verve and Little Claire Designs.

6 more months to do before Xmas, yes I know I need to get a move on!!

Thanks for popping by and have a chilled Saturday night x