Wishes for 2012

I have so missed crafting this past few weeks but I'm trying to get back into the swing of things with a last minute entry for the Gingersnap GC129 Challenge - Starry Night.

I've made a calendar using my only Stampotique stamps, which also qualifies me to enter into the Stampotique SDC45 Challenge, which is Wish for the New Year.

I've used various distress inks, glimmer mists and a Tim Holtz Clock Die.

So, lovely bloggers, all that's left for me to do now, is to wish you all a guid (good) New Year and a healthy, happy and creative 2012!

Take care and thanks ever so much for stopping by.

Suze xx

In a Word ...

What on earth am I doing blogging and crafting on Christmas Eve - I'm making my Husband's (ultra last minute) christmas card, that's what I'm doing, inspired by this week's challenge over at Less is More, which is ...

JUST ONE WORD

Text is Tim Holtz Vintage Market, coated in Stickles
Rosette is cut from Christmas paper using Tim Holtz die
Mirror Heart from Hobbycraft

Now I really must go - I STILL haven't peeled the potatoes!

Sending you all the warmest of wishes for a lovely festive season.

Take care.

Suze xx

Sleigh bells ring, are you list'ning?

In the lane, snow is glist'ning' .... A beautiful sight, we're happy tonight ..... Walkin' in a winter wonderland (are you singing along? Lol)

This week over at the Less is More Challenge, it's a one layer week and the theme is ... 

Let it Snow!

Sentiment is Docraft Penelope & Percy, embossed in silver

Snowflakes are Inkadinkado, embossed in white

Broken China and Stormy Sky Distress Inks

Our Christmas tree went up today so finally, I'm beginning to feel all Christmassy.

Hope you all have a great week and thanks for coming to visit.

Suze xx

Going Green

Gee whiz, it's nearly a week since I blogged. I'm so behind in my 'festive preparations' that I've had to put crafting on the back burner.   In saying that though, I'm now fed up with shopping and trying to tidy the house so I thought I'd have a little 'me' time and make a quick card for the Less is More Challenge, which this week is ...

GREEN

Not really my favourite colour  and I really should have made a Christmas card (cause other than two I've made for previous LIM challenges, I haven't made any yet! scream!) but hey, ho, if I end up buying some it's not the end of the world!

(Had to take the photo under the kitchen lights so not really showing true colours)

Stamp is La Blanche, inked in Versafine Olympia Green and lightly coloured with Crushed Olive DI and Stampin Up Old Olive
A bit of Sakura Clear Star for a bit of sparkle  
Sentiment is Hero Arts, punches are Stampin' Up

Thanks for taking the time to visit and I hope you're all a bit more organised than I am!

Suze xx

December

Oh my, it's the 1st of December and it's the final week of The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge.

This week the theme is ...

So here's my submission ...

Hero Arts Snowy House Cling - coloured with Promarkers, - the snow is Diamond Stickles
Snowflakes - Inkadinkado
Tree- make unknown, Versafine Olympia Green


and the completed calendar .... (pretend you don't notice that the cover page is too short! Lol)
EDIT: Thank you Jenni for pointing out that I am a numptie! - will change it to 2012. Double Lol!)

It's been a fun challenge, thanks to Izzy for arranging it and to all the other lovely crafters who took part.

Suze xx

Thank Ewe Gingersnaps

It's my final week as a visiting artist over at Gingersnap Creations and being the fifth Wednesday of the month, it's a Once in a Blue Moon Challenge and it's "Thank You Notes"

In keeping with the On the Farm theme here's my little submission ...

Sheep stamp is Papermania - I've popped his head up and added some googly eyes and glass seed beads.
Mounted onto DP with a bit of stitching.
Sentiment is Studio G alphabet peg stamps

Now all I have to say is Thank Ewe You Gingersnaps for inviting me to play along this month. It's been great fun.

Thanks for taking the time to visit.

Suze xx

Bling it Up

The recipe over at Less is More this week is ...

I'm not a very blingy person but I don't mind a bit of sparkle at Christmastime!

I used the Stampin Up Bauble punch on some textured white CS - added a piece of Christmas fabric behind it then layered it onto gold and red miri card.  The sentiment is also Stampin Up, gold embossed.

Thought I'd also share the beautiful sky we had this morning ...

Thanks for visiting - have a great week everyone.

Suze xx

Holiday Ornament Swap

Morning everyone and a Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate.

Just wanted to show you a little hanging Christmas decoration I made for my first ever swap - the Gingersnap Yahoo Group Holiday Ornament swap.

Stamps I used were Tim Holtz Santa Letter, a freebie Teresa Collins sentiment stamp, Hero Arts snowflake and a Stampin Up scallop circle.

and these are the fantastic festive creations I received in return ...

Kerry Hickton
http://kezzyscraftyjourney.blogspot.com/

Emma
http://thesparklyfairy.blogspot.com/

Laura Liddell
http://ashappyas.blogspot.com/

PetraB
http://kunterbuntcottage.blogspot.com/

Thanks for taking the time to visit, hope you're having a good day wherever you are.

Suze xx

Thanksgiving Rhyme

I thought the Color Challenge  - Yellow, Red and Brown - would be the easiest week of the current Gingersnap Creations On the Farm theme but I think I over thought it and my mojo left the building!

I started off with a turkey cut out which I inked and stamped, that's when I hit the brick wall, what on earth was I going to do with it.

I spent hours looking for inspiration until eventually I came across a children's rhyme, eureka! ...

The base is a kraft envelope
Turkey was cut with my Silhouette - Wild Honey, Barn Door, Frayed Burlap & Vintage Photo DI's. Overstamped with a leaf stamp from Stampin Up French Foliage.
Pumpkin image is from The Graphics Fairy


Thanks for taking a peek and Happy Thanksgiving!

Suze xx

Less is More Silhouette

I'm having a crafty day, trying to get up-to-date with some challenges so that I can spend most of next week doing Christmassy stuff.

This week the Less is More Challenge is ...

Silhouettes

 n. A silhouette is the image of a person, an object or scene consisting of the outline and a basically featureless interior, with the silhouetted object usually being black.

I had previously made the distress ink background - think I used Wild Honey, Spiced Marmalade & Barn Door
Silhouette stamp is by Debbi Moore - Versafine Onyx Black Ink & Black EP
Border punch is EK Success

Can't believe I'm organised enough this week to get my entry in on the first day.  Will do my best to pop round and visit you all.

Thanks for taking a peek and a have a great week.

Suze xx

November and June

Two more pages for the Craft Barn Calendar Challenge.  This time.... Week 11 - November ...

Have to say it was looking rather cold and cheerless so I added a warm fiery Distress Ink strip at the bottom to represent Bonfire Night.
Andy Skinner Winters Tale Stamps
Distress Inks - Wild Honey, Pumice Stone & Frayed Burlap

and Week 6 - June ...

"June is bustin out all over" from the musical Carousel - a family joke. (oops, ignore my spelling mistake)

Dress stamp is Inkadinkado, paper pieced in Turquoise
Lace is a paper doily

Thanks for stopping by, hope you're all having a fun crafty weekend.

Suze xx

Calendar Catch Up

Two very quick and easy pages for The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge.  This week, the theme is ...

A wee mouse watching the falling autumn leaves.

The mouse is one of my favourite stamps and it's from La Blanche
Stamped leaves are from Stampin Up French Foliage
Die cut leaves are Tim Holtz Autumn Gatherings die
Distress Inks - Wild Honey, Barn Door, Vintage Phot & Frayed Burlap

and week five, which was ...

Stamps are PaperArtsy HP1005. Versafine Black Onyx, clear embossed
Distress Inks - Tattered Rose, Victorian Velvet & Worn Lipstick

Thanks for taking the time to visit - I know we're all starting to get a little stressed and under pressure with *C* only 5 weeks away!

Have a lovely weekend.

Suze xx

Introducing Carmelle the Cow

The Random Redhead Challenge over at Gingersnap Creations this month is "Livestock".  I've decided to have a bit of fun ...

Let me introduce you to Carmelle ...

Here she is modelling daywear ...

(Carmelle cut with my Silhouette using My Mind's Eye DP, sentiment is TH Vintage Market die, various bits of hessian, raffia etc from stash, a touch of Barn Door DI and a bit of stitching)

and evening wear ....

(reverse side of the DP, Crushed Olive, Forest Moss & Barn Door DI's)

I was initially quite daunted by the On The Farm theme but I've found it great fun to do.  Why not join in the fun .... HERE - all the current challenges are listed in the top left corner.

Thanks for taking a peek.

Happy Crafting.

Suze xx

Not a tag at all.

It's a friend's birthday at the weekend so I thought I'd make her a tag card to fit in with this week's challenge over at CAS-ual Fridays, but as they say, the best laid plans of mice and men .....

I just couldn't get it to work, so it's ended up not a tag at all but a swirly panel thingy.  So I don't have an entry for the challenge but at least I've got the card made!

Tim Holtz Flourish stamp, gold embossed
Tim Holtz flourishes die
Sentiment stamp is Studio-g (thanks Aileen), Versamagic Purple Hydrangea ink

It's so dark today I had to take the photo under my kitchen lights.

Thanks for taking a peek.

Suze xx

How difficult can it be!

How difficult can it be do a one layer card with leaves on it ...

I missed the challenge last week at Less is More so thought I'd try and get in early(ish) this week.  I thought it would be easy - I bought the Stampin Up French Foliage set this week - perfect!  Alas, my creative juices were not flowing very freely and I have struggled a bit!

First I used the SU Very Vintage roller & SU Pale Plum Ink
Then stamped the French Foliage with Brilliance Gold Ink & Versamagic Hint of Pesto
I used a gold pen to draw border lines

At this point it was looking very boring and I didn't have a suitable sentiment to use, so I rummaged through my recent purchases, came across a set of uninked Tim Holtz stamps and thought I'd try and be a bit arty farty.

Not overly happy with it but I'm posting it anyway - I know you'll be nice to me!! Lol.

Have a great week everyone.

Suze xx

Craft Barn Giveaway

The Craft Barn are having a fabulous giveaway ... over £200 of crafting goodies ...

It's really easy to enter - just become a follower and post about their giveaway on your blog.

As David Dickinson would say - "You've got to be in it, to win it!"

Click HERE to go to their blog.

Suze xx

Calendar

My goodness, it's already week nine of The Craft Barn Calender Challenge, and for this week we have to use ...

The ninth month is September and for me the most important event that month is - it's my birthday!

So here's my page ..

Background ledger image from The Vintage Moth
Typewriter stamp is Hero Arts
Sentiment is computer generated
Old Paper Distress Ink

Thanks for taking a peek.

Suze xx

Another Harvest Mouse

The supply challenge over at Gingersnap Creations this month is "Raffia" and keeping with the overall theme of "On the Farm", I've made a tag...

I found the music sheet at The Graphics Fairy - mouse stamp is La Blanche
Black cardstock, lightly inked with Gold paint dabber
Tim Holtz Autumn Gatherings Die
Tim Holtz Rosette die
Liquid Beadz (nightmare to work with!)
Natural Raffia & a button

Why not pop on over to the Gingersnap blog - loads of inspiration and loads of fabulous tutorials.

Thanks for visiting & happy crafting!

Suze xx

Craft Barn Calendar

This week over at The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge, the theme is ...

I've gone for a "circle" tree - and the blazing sun is wishful thinking for a Scottish summer!

Background inked with Stormy Sky and Wild Honey DIs
Tree stamp is Kanban, inked with Versafine Olympia Green

Thanks for stopping by to have a peek!

Suze xx

Farm Fresh with Gingersnap

I am absolutely chuffed to bits to be able to tell you that this month I have been invited to be a Visiting Artist at Gingersnap Creations.

Their overall theme for November is "On The Farm", and for this week's Chestnut Theme Challenge it's "Farm Fresh".

I've gone for eggs - or rather eggshells to be more precise.  I've made a little scene of the 'farm cat' looking out over the fields and I've made a frame with painted eggshells.

Cat stamp - freebie with Craft Stamper mag - inked in Versafine Onyx & black embossed
Bird & Tree stamps are Andy Skinner 'Winters Tale'
Background - Frayed Burlap, Black Soot, Stormy Sky, Forest Moss & Crushed Olive Distress Inks
Eggshells painted/coated with Copper EP, Crackle Paint, DI's & Acrylic Paint

Why not pop on over to Gingersnap and have a go at some of their current challenges.

Happy crafting everyone and thanks for paying me a visit.

Suze xx

Christmas Star

Oh my, where are the days going to,  I've usually done my Less is More card long before now.  I guess it's a downhill rollercoaster to Christmas now!

This week the challenge is *STARS* and this theme has prompted me to make my first Christmas card for this year.

Star was cut out of DP and coated with diamond Stickles

Flourish is TH die - black card, clear embossed

Sentiment is Hero Arts, Black Versafine ink and clear embossed

Thanks for stopping by.

Suze xx

Hobbycraft Voucher

For anyone who has a Hobbycraft store nearby, they're having a promotion this Thusday .....

Harvest Mouse

There's a lovely craft shop called Simply Create about an hour's drive from where I live and they're currently running a challenge to create an autumnal piece based on this colour palette:





I've made a hanging using a 5" x 7" canvas board.

Board lightly distressed with Dusty Concord
Mouse stamp is La Blanche
Felt, Bo Bunny Paper & 'fabric' paper cut with Tim Holtz Tattered Leaves Die
Leaf stamp was a Craft Stamper freebie, embossed with copper EP
Bramble (blackberry) image was from The Graphics Fairy

Thanks for visiting, hope you're all having a lovely day wherever you are.

Suze xx

Calendar Catch Up

I'm way behind in The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge which this week is ...

Embossing folder is Stampin Up, inked on the debossed side with Dusty Concord & Crushed Olive DIs.  Butterfly is Hero Arts & alcohol inks.

I've also done a page for week 4 which was ...

I made a mask of an umbrella and inked through. All Distress Inks and a sakura gel pen for the rain.

Now only 2 weeks behind!

Thanks for visiting.

Suze xx

Ghoulish Horror

The overall theme this month over at Gingersnap Creations is Edgar Allan Poe and the GC121: Chestnut Challenge is Horror Stories.

Ghoulish background was a freebie wallpaper I found on the internet.
Text is from Poe's poem, "The Bells"
Fangs are seashell beads wiped with Fired Brick Distress Stain

Thanks for looooooking!

Suze xx