Merry Christmas Eve!

Hi Everyone,

I cannot believe it is Christmas Eve already :-O  It only feels like it should only be about mid October!  I've had lots of crafty fun this year and have doubled my DT's! 

You still have time to enter our Ribbon or Lace challenge over at Fab'n'Funky Challenges which closes on 30 December.  We are showcasing tags over on The Cuttlebug Spot but no challenge this week. 

I thought you might like to see my little Christmas tree.  As my sitting room is pink, silver and black I've tried to theme by baubles around these colours - although a few others have sneaked their way onto the tree!

My Mam made the fairy for the top of my tree a few years ago and here she is in all her glory

Isn't she cute?!  I'm off shortly to spend Christmas with my parents and brother, then we will be visiting my Granny on Boxing Day as it's her birthday.  It really is the most magical time of year.  I hope you are all with your loved ones this Christmas.  I'll be thinking of those who can't be with us. 

A huge thank you again to all those who have taken the time to follow my blog and for the wonderful comments - it really makes me so happy to receive them. 

A very Merry Christmas and a healthy, wealthy and prosperous New Year to you all.  I hope 2013 is a year full of smiles and crafty love!

Rachel x

Fab'n'Funky Challenges #152 - Ribbon or Lace

Hi Everyone,

Less than a week to go until the big day - I hope you are all ready with your presents under the tree and food in the fridge!  I'm so not ready!  I never learn and always leave everything to the last minute but I'll get there.

Everyone did an amazing job in our Vintage Christmas challenge last week.  The winner and Top 3 are on the Fab'n'Funky Challenges blog right now so be sure to take a peek.

Of course it's time for a new challenge and we have the uber talented Sue as our host this week.  She has given us a super easy challenge too...

Ribbon or Lace

All you have to do is to use ribbon or lace on your project and link it up.  Perfect for this time of year when we are all trying to do 50,00 things at once!  You have until 30 December to enter and the winner and Top 3 will be annouced on 31 December.  Joanna Sheen as our sponsor this week and the randomly selected winner will receive a £10 voucher to spend in her online store.  Head on over to see what you would spend your winnings on by clicking here.

And here is my creation...

I started with my JustRite Snowfall Background Stamp and gave it a good covering with Versamark.  I stamped onto a minty coloured paper and then heat embossed with Inkadinkadoo Light Sparkle embossing powder.  The beautiful design doesn't show up as well with this embossing powder but I liked the sparkle it gave.  I added my topper onto mirri-card with foam pads.  My wide ribbon was recycled from some wrapping last Christmas.  I used Spellbinders Holiday Tags for my sentiment which is also from JustRite but from their Deck the Halls set.  I used another piece of recycled ribbon for my bow and finally I added the gems.

As this is our last challenge for 2012, I would like to wish all of our followers a very happy Christmas and a wonderful start to the New Year.  Thank you to everyone who has joined us during 2012 and those who have taken the time to leave comments - it is truly appreciated.  I hope you can all join us again in 2013 for plenty more fun challenges from 9 January. 

Happy crafting,

Rachel x

Simple Christmas Tags

Hi All,

I made these tags to add to my craft stall in November.  I sold quite a few and thought I would share them with you all today as there is only a week left until the big day and these are really simple to make.

I used my Picturesque Cricut cartridge and cut the tags at 3.5" from Centura Pearl cardstock by Crafter's Companion. 

The tag on the left was stamped with Merry Christmas in silver ink and then I added a silver mirri-paper snowflake cut from Spellbinders Create a Flake Four on the Cuttlebug, topping with a blue gem.  I repeated this for the right-hand tag but changed direction and left off the gem.  I used Spellbinders 2012 Snowflake Pendant for this tag.

The centre tag was embossed on the Cuttlebug with a snowflake embossing folder on the bottom-half only to leave room to write on the back.  I used silver mirri-paper again for the snowflake from Spellbinders 2012 Snowflake Pendant.  I sure do like those snowflakes!

I used baker's twine from Creative Expressions for the ties in blue, red and green.  I'm off to add these to some parcels.  Happy wrapping!

Happy crafting,
Rachel x

Fab'n'Funky Challenges #151 - A Vintage Christmas

Hi Everyone,

Hope you are all well and the Christmas preparations are coming along.  I'm so behind with my Christmas cards, it's really not funny now! 

Thanks to everyone who joined us last week for our Non-Traditional Christmas.   We loved all the different colour combos and images you chose.  The winners and Top 3 are up on the Fab'n'Funky Challenges blog now so head over to take a peek.

We have a brand new challenge for you too.  We are staying with a Christamassy theme but with a different take...

A Vintage Christmas

A perfect opportunity to pair those vinatage papers with a festive image, just so long as your project follows the vintage Christmas theme.

We have two sponsors again this week - Crimson Cloud and Floppy Latte Digital Designs both with a fab prize for our random winners.  As always we will be choosing a Top 3.

Here is my card for inspiration...

I think my image is rather bright but I love these vintage papers.  I printed them from Serif using the Merry Christmas digikit.  My image is coloured using ProMarkers in Marsh Green, Pear Green, Forest Green, Ruby, Burnt Umber, Canary and Mustard.

I used foam pads for my image and sentiment which came from Lili of the Valley.  Spellbinders Tear Drop Circles was used to cut out my sentiment.  I also coloured my pearls using my Burnt Umber ProMarker.  Very messy but they match perfectly!

Hope you can join us for our Vintage Christmas challenge.

Happy crafting,
Rachel x

The Cuttlebug Spot DT Card - Create a Banner

Hi Everyone, 

What a great seasonal challenge last week at The Cuttlebug Spot and I think I know which season you all love!  We had fantastic entries.  I hope you can join us again this week.

We would like you to...

Create a Banner

This can either be on a card or project or as an actual banner - whatever takes your fancy.  We have some great inspiration over on The Cuttlebug Spot blog so be sure to check it out.  Please remember it is one entry per person.

We have a great sponsor this week with a $20 voucher for the lucky winner and here is a little about them...

Boys Rule Scrapbooks kits is a monthly scrapbook kit club for those of us who love to paper craft boy subjects. Care and consideration is key as each kit is assembled for the boys. Cool embellies are paired with handsome papers you will love to play with each month.

Boys Rule Scrapbook kits also has exclusive embellies with each kit....they are all different and very unique, and are included each month just for you.

It's fun to create when you have a compelte kit that is designed for the memories of dirt, grunge and smelly things!

********** 

And now for my card...

Yip, there's a penguin in my cocoa!  Isn't this image adorable?  It's a new one from The Paper Shelter.  I started by taking my image into My Craft Studio and printing matching papers using the colour picker tool.  I used an 8" square card blank from eBay.  I attached the coral paper with double-sided sticky tape.  My three strips were just plain when they started but I used a Lili of the Valley stamp set and some yellowy gold ink to stamp all over.  I mounted onto gold mirri-card and attacehd with foam pads.

The embossed panel is also layered with gold mirri-card.  I used a snowflake embossing folder for texture.  My super cute image was cut with Spellbinders Labels Twenty-Six.  I mounted onto gold glitter card and then added two Memory Box snowflake flourish dies. 

My finishing touch was to add my banner.  I used gold elastic cord and then cut the individual flags using my Cricut Expression 2 and the Baby Shower cartridge.  I stamped using the ClarityStamp Letterbox set in the same yellowy gold ink.  I added a foam pad to the back of each flag to give dimension.

I hope you can join us this week at The Cuttlebug Spot with your banner projects and don't forget about our great sponsor prize.

Happy Crafting,

Rachel x

Fab'n'Funky #150 - Non-Traditional Christmas

Hi Crafties,

Well, we are all partied out over on Fab'n'Funky - well maybe not quite yet.  Christmas is coming!  Thank you to everyone who joined us for our birthday fortnight.  We loved your projects and what a difficult job picking the Top 3.  But choose we did and the lucky winners are up on the blog right now.  Check them out at Fab'n'Funky Challenges.

We have a Christmassy challenge for you this week...

Non-Traditional Christmas

So you can use non-traditional colours or a non-traditional image.  We have two sponsors this week - My Creative Classroom and Stamp Fairy.  Who both have a fab prize for our lucky winners.

Here is my inspiration...

Loads of layers on this one.  I started by making an A5 card blank by scoring on my Ultimate Pro.  I layered up pink pearlescent cardstock and then a sheet of patterned glitter paper from Creata.  My border is made up from brown pearlescent cardstock and light pink glitter card.  My ribbon is from Creative Expressions. 

I used Spellbinders 2012 Heirloom Ornaments for the baubles.  My sentiment stamp is from Polka Doodles and came free with a magazine a while back.  I inked through the white bauble with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Spun Sugar.  I curved my baubles on the edge of my table and then mounted with foam tape.  Finally I added three gems to the top left corner.

I hope you can join us for our Christmassy challenge this week.  Can't wait to see what is in store for us!

Happy Crafting,
Rachel x

The Cuttlebug Spot DT Card - Season Greetings

Hi Everyone,

I hope you've had a great week and avoided the dreaded ice.  It's been terrible here.  I don't know which is worse - the roads or the pavements! 

Thanks to those who joined us last week at The Cuttlebug Spot for our Scrap Sandwich challenge.  I loved that challenge and try to use scraps as much as possible - I certainly have enough! 

Now on to our new challenge for this week...

Season Greetings

We would like you to design a project featuring one of the four seasons - SPRING, SUMMER, AUTUMN/FALL or WINTER.  Simples!  We also have two great prizes this week...

First Prize:  $20.00 gift card to Joann's 

Second Prize:  $20.00 Stamps Alive online store

I did think about doing a winter themed card since I still have a ton of Christmas cards to make but then I found this super image on one of my new Cricut cartridges.  Yip, I went a bit mental and ordered 4 new cartridges - Baby Shower, December 25th, Nate's ABC and Ornamental Iron 2.  Very naughty so close to Christmas!

Anyway, enough rambling, here is my card

I started my making a stepper card on my Ultimate Pro and then attached a piece of cloudy paper to the back panel.  This was customised in Serif's Craft Artist Professional 2.  I used two different colours of Coredinations cardstock for the hills and just tore those by hand.  My sentiment stamp is from my stash.

My hot air balloons are from the Baby Shower Cricut cartridge.  I love the versatility of this cartridge as you can make so many projects that are not baby themed.  Although I love the 3-D pram on it too!  I cut one at 4", one at 3" and one at 2" from yellow cardstock and then added the banners in blue.  The two on the right were attacehd with a piece of acetate.  I attached the biggest one with Cosmic Shimmer dries clear glue.  Although, I think I would have liked it on foam pads.  Hey ho!

And now for the inside...

I added another layer of the cloudy paper and Coredinations cardstock.  My sentiment layer is from Spellbinders Labels Twenty and I cut this out on my Cuttlebug.  I've left this blank for now as I don't have a recipient in mind yet.

Don't forget there are two great prizes on offer this week so why not give it a try and link up your creation.  Can't wait to see what you make.

Happy Crafting,
Rachel x

Fab'n'Funky Challenges #149 - Midway Reminder

Hi Everyone,

Apologies for the late post - my brain is obviously thinking so much about Christmas that I thought I had already posted this today!  I have managed to get my Christmas tree up though.  I didn't have any decorations up last year at all as I was in the middle of getting a new kitchen fitted so I'm getting the most of them this year.

We are still celebrating our 3rd Birthday at Fab'n'Funky Challenges and this is your midway reminder to get those entries in.  Have you seen our prizes?  Wowee!

Who are offering a £10 voucher to spend in store



Who are offering a $10 voucher to spend in  their fabulous selection in store

Who are offering   a $20 voucher to spend in their store - with free shipping

Who are offering a choice of 5 digis from the cute digis they have in their store

and not forgetting our great new sponsor
Cult Pens

who are offering a super prize of £50 to spend in their shop


 Cult Pens are also  offering a discount of 10% in their store
to all you Fab'n'Funky fans - just use the code

 FNF2012 

It's valid right up until the end of December

I'm sure you'll agree those are some fantastic prizes and our theme is...

3 of something or the number 3

And now onto my inspiration for this midway reminder

I started with a 6" scalloped card blank.  My papers are from the Life's A Beach digikit in Serif''s Craft Artist Professional 2.  My image is from Digi Darla Designs and is called Ashley with Rose.  Isn't she sweet?  I used ProMarkers to colour my image in True Blue, Sky Blue, Indigo Blue, Mustard, Canary, Lemon, Soft Lime, Walnut, Cinnamon, Caramel, Dusky Pink and Blush.  I cut the image with Spellbinders Labels Twenty.  My gems are from Create and Craft and came free with a storage carousel.

Really hope you can join us for the final few days of our birthday celebrations.

Happy crafting,

Rachel x

Fab'n'Funky Challenges #149 - Birthday Extravaganza

Hello Lovelies,

Another week closer to the festive season but we are still celebrating our third birthday at Fab'n'Funky Challenges.  So I hope you will join us in celebrating.

The challenge this week is hosted by Judith, who is just a wonderful lady.  We have an easy challenge for you...

3 of something on your card or number 3

Our sponsors this week are

Cult Pens


Who are offering a fabulous prize of
a £50 voucher
 to spend in their store
Wowzers!!!

 Cult Pens are also  offering a discount of 10% in their store
to all you Fab'n'Funky fans - just use the code below
It's valid right up until the end of December

 FNF2012 

*********

Who are offering

 a £10 voucher 

to spend in store

*********

Who are offering

  3 digis

 from their fabulous selection in store

*********

Flonzcraft

Who are offering

   a $20 voucher

 to spend in their store

 - with free shipping

*********

Who are offering

 a choice of 5 digis 

from the cute digis they have in their store

**********

What a veritable feast of birthday treats!  And here is my card.  I used a Flonzcraft stamp called Vintage Fashion Girls - Fifties 03. 

I have two 3's on my card - my lovely ladies and three layers.  My papers are from Prima and I wasn't sure when I first got them but the colours really work well together and they aren't too over the top.  I stamped my image onto Super Smooth Decoupage paper and then stamped again onto each of the different patterned papers.  I cut them out with scissors and paper pieced the dresses and glove.  My image was cut out with Spellbinders Eyelet Squares which I inked with Tim Holtz Distres Ink in Worn Lipstick, placing at a jaunty angle with foam pads for interest.  I used the smallest Eyelet Squares die for my sentiment which is from that set that I've had forever.  What a brilliant buy that one turned out to be!  I also used the DI to ink my sentiment.  My card blank is from Hobbycraft.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Crafts and Me #111 - Circles

Joanna Sheen - Anything Goes Excluding Christmas

A Gem of a Challenge #60 - Paper Piecing

I really hope you can join us for our birthday celebrations.  With those wonderful prizes on offer, you'd be mad to miss it!

Happy crafting,

Rachel x

The Cuttlebug Spot DT Card - Scrap Sandwich

Hi Everyone,

I'm back with another card for The Cuttlebug Spot.  We have a challenge this week that was completely new to me.  So I hope you all have fun with it.  We would like you to make a...

Scrap Sandwich

You can use up those scraps that have been cluttering up your crafty stash and create lots of layers.  It can be a card, scrapbook page or anything else - just make sure you've used up some scraps and we can see those layers.

I used a sketch from Sketch Saturday as inspiration.  I love their sketches - so easy to use and so versatile.

This is what I came up with...

Believe it or not this image was actually in the scrap pile too!  I used it on another card earlier this year and as I always print four copies, just in case, I still had this one to spare.  Using my Cuttlebug and Spellbinders Romantic Regtangles, I cut out my Tickled Pink image and then coloured with ProMarkers in True Blue, Sky Blue, Arctic Blue, Blush, Almond, Putty, Henna, Cinnamon and Cocoa.  I also used Blue Grey 1 Flexmarker.  I inked around the edge with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Salty Ocean.  I used a smaller Romantic Rectangles die to cut out my sentiment which was computer generated. 

My friend, Lynsey won the Shetland Sportsperson of the Year Award last weekend.  Her speciality is triathlons - three times the work!  She is also the No 1. female triathlete in Scotland and we are all so proud.  Roll on 2013!

I started with a piece of Coredinations which had seen better days and distressed the edges further with my Tim Holtz paper distresser tool.  The blue starry paper is so old I can't remember where it came from and the ribbon is from Create and Craft.  I added four gems which came free with a magazine a couple of months ago.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenge:

Sketch Saturday - Week #235

Hope you can all join us for our Scrap Sandwich challenege at The Cuttlebug Spot.  Can't wait to see those layered beauties.

Happy crafting,

Rachel x

Sketch Inspired

Hi All,

I'm speed crafting this week!  I tidied up a little this morning but as this rate I'll never get my Christmas tree up in among all the crafty stash.

I was just browsing some blogs and came across a great sketch from Sketch Frenzy Friday and was instantly inspired. 

Here is the wonderful sketch

I went Christmassy but not traditional.  I love that die and glitter paper.

I started with an A5 red card blank from Anita's.  I used Simon Says Stamp Star Border die twice in the centre.  My glitter paper is from Creata and came in a 6 pad set.  They are brilliant papers.  Usually there is one or two papers that don't float your boat in a set but these are just scrummy. 

My sentiment is from Lili of the Valley and is a clear stamp.  I love this Christmas set.  The reindeer is really beautiful and I'm planning a card from him already.  I inked through my Spellbinders Beaded Ovals die with some pigment ink from Lakeland.  They used to sell crafty goodies but don't any more which is a real shame.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Sketch Frenzy Friday 111612
Totally Gorjuss 159 - Don't Be Square
That Crafty Place - No Squares Allowed
Emergency Crafters - Anything Goes
Stamping Shack - Anything Goes

Hope you are having a great weekend and can steal some crafty time.

Happy crafting,
Rachel x

Fab'n'Funky Challenges #148 - 3rd Birthday Reminder

Hi,

I can't believe we are here already!  It seems no time since Fab'n'Funky's Birthday Extravaganza started on Wednesday.  I hope you have been busy making a birthday card so you can enter.  Don't forget to include three of something too.

 Image provided by Kathryne of StampArt Design by Kathryne

We have the lovely Beccy hosting our mid-way reminder and our three sponsors are...

Just click on their photo to be taken to their wonderful images.  You'll be spoilt for choice.  Keep your eyes peeled next week when we'll have a knockout prize from Cult Pens.  You really won't want to miss this and if you just can't wait until then, they have given us a 10% discount code.  Just entre FNF2012 at checkout. 

So I had better show you what I've made...

My three this time are three different papers.  I started by embossing a piece of purple Coredinations with an A4 Spellbinders M-Bossability folder.  I sanded back and used the Apple Cider ProMarker to colour the dots.  My image is Dottie Birthday from Bugaboo and I've coloured her using ProMarkers in Apple Cider, Plum Preserve, Henna, Cocoa, Caramel, Blush, Dusky Pink and Rose Pink.  I'm not sure how I've managed it but my colours seem to have blended into one, especially on her skin.  I always scared that she'll end up looking tangoed but maybe I'm too cautious! 

I used Spellbinders Grand Labels Four to cut out my image and then traced around her with Blue Grey 1 Flexmarker.  I used Stickles to add the sparkle to her earrings and anklet.  My ribbon is from The Ribbon Kings and the flowers are from 3Birds.

Have fun making your entry.  Can't wait to see them all.

Happy crafting,
Rachel x

Fab'n'Funky Challenges #148 - 3rd Birthday

Hello Everybody,

Well you have joined us just at the right time since it is Fab'n'Funky Challenges' 3rd birthday!  We are celebrating in style with a fortnight of prizes and challenges.  We have a brand new challenge for you today but if you're still wondering who won our Bear challenge from last week, then head over to Fab'n'Funky Challenges to find out.

And now without further ado, let me present the start of our Birthday Bonanza!  Our host is the super talented Vicky and the theme is...

Birthdays and Three

So it can be a birthday card, birthday banner, birthday scrapbook or anything birthday you like and it must have three of something which could be the number three or three balloons or even three elephants in pink pj's!  We'll leave that up to you.  Hopefully you get the idea but if not we have pulled out all the stops to give you plenty of inspiration this week at Fab'n'Funky.

Our sponsors this week are...

Three sponsors mean three wonderful prizes.  So what are you waiting for?!

I have gone in a totally different direction this week and made a picture.

I used a picture of Noah's Mam and Dad on their wedding day and then added baby Noah to the centre.  This was all done in Serif's Craft Artist Professional 2.  I added glitter around the picture of Noah with my Quickie Glue Pen to highlight his cute little face.

The banner is from Spellbinders' Ribbon Banners LG set.  I lightly inked through the die with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Mowed Lawn.  That seasonal set is the best DI set yet!  I attached the banner with foam pads.

I hope you like my creation.  I'm not sure if it might need something else but I have a few weeks before I plan to give it to them so there may be an added extra before then.

I can't wait to see what you all create. 

Happy crafting,
Rachel x