Dora's Snow people

It is the last Rudolf day before Christmas, so I have been busy making. These are all made with Digis from dora-knutselhoekje.blogspot.co.uk . Dora has been very busy drawing some gorgeous snowmen. They were all so cute I couldn't decide which one to choose and in the end I had two!

 I coloured them with Be Creative alcohol markers and added some glitter.

 The papers are all from my stash and all Dovecraft, I think, gathered over the years

You can find Dora's digis here, and all of them cost 2.5 Euros.
I'd like to say another huge thank you to Scrappy Mo for getting me organised making my Christmas cards again. It has been a pleasure seeing all the lovely inspiration and visiting fellow Rudolf day-ers too.
The challenge at Allsorts this week is 'Anything Christmas' so I am entering them there too.
Can I just say that I apologise if I don't get round to see you. It has taken me so long to add links to this post and find everything after the blogger shake up. I hate it! I'd quite like 5 minutes alone in a room with the 'bright spark' that thought it up... If it ain't broke why fix it? They seem to think blogging is only about posting and not about reading other peoples's blogs, and god forbid people wanting to link to another blog or trying to run several blogs. Grrrrrrrrrrrrr! Rant over!
Thanks for looking! 

Some more Samples for Be Creative

Here are some cards made with the Be Creative paper pads for Gordon and Justin's appearances on Hochanda a little while ago. For the first I used a Digi from Hero Arts (I also have this as a clear stamp and a red rubber wood mounted stamp, but the possibility of resizing the digi made it a must have as well!)  I coloured it with Be Creative alcohol markers, shaped it with spray 'm' boss, and mounted on a Nellie Snellen die cut. The border is a spellbinders die and the gems are also from Be Creative, coloured with an alcohol marker. I added some Be Creative glitter glue to the butterfly too.

For my second card I used a stamp from Inkylicious over some card washed with Distress inks and water. I added a skeleton leaf and popped them on the front of a card covered in paper from the Be Creative Nature's portrait pad.

My final card was made with the time flies pad and a Digi from Digistamp boutique, again coloured with alcohol markers. The sentiment was stamped then placed into the flattened bottle cap before mounting with 3d glue gel.All Be Creative products are available from Once Upon a Stamp. You can find their website here.
Sorry I haven't been in blog land much recently. There has been lots happening at work and Steve's Dad has been in hospital all week after a fall caused by very low blood pressure. He had a nasty knock to the head, but no broken bones, and after transferring him to another hospital he had a pacemaker fitted on Friday...not bad going for a 95 year old, and to be honest he seems more lively now than he has in months! He should be home by the middle of next week, but is still a bit wobbly walking.
I will leave you with a photo or two of our wildflower meadow in the allotment at work. So pleased it came into flower just as we were judged for the Nottingham in Bloom competition!

Thanks for looking! 

June's challenge at Stamping Sensations

Good Morning! It is the first Sunday of the month and time for a new challenge at Stamping Sensations. Our Theme is Feature a Creature and we are sponsored by Be Creative. Your creatures can be furry, have wings, have 6 legs, eight legs or no legs if you like! They can be real or mythological (Everyoneloves a unicorn, lol) - it really is up to you.
 The usual rules apply, you can enter up to three times, combine with other challenges, use any make of stamp......but can I please remind you we are a stamping challenge and stamping must be the focal/predominant element of your work. Conventional rubber/acrylic stamps and digital images are acceptable, but pre-coloured digital images and toppers are not.
 For my card I used a Crafty individuals stamp, CI-225. I stamped the image on to silk art card with Archival ink and coloured with distress markers and a water brush.The background layer was stamped with Inkylicious old wood floor stamp and memento rich cocoa ink.  the backing papers come from the Be Creative Natures Portrait paper pad. The lacy border down the paper is also from Be Creative.
'What is the prize?' I hear you ask. You get a big stash of the new wonder crystals and embossing powders, in fact some brand new colours that Justin and Gordon have been busy creating! Take a look on the Hochanda Website and Once Upon a Stamp's Website for Be Creative goodies.
Do pop over to the challenge blog and take a look at all the fantastic creations by my lovely teamies. There are some absolute stunners again this month! Hope you get the chance to join in and I'll look forward to seeing all your lovely creations!
As this post goes live I am off to Doncaster Dome for Stamp Magic and a chance to spend some birthday money! Sadly I am going alone as Lynne hasn't been able to come down due to a nasty virus. I have her shopping list though, and  I am also going to select some blog candy, because after all of Mr Blogger's shenanigans, I now have 300 followers again! Come back soon for more details. Hope your Sunday is a good one!
Thanks for looking!

A Squirrel Card

Whilst photographing the Squirrels last week (see previous post), I remembered that Dora had borrowed my photos from a previous visit to draw some digis. She very kindly let me have them, so I had a lovely half hour colouring and making this card. If you fancy it, you can purchase the digi from Dora's digi shop.

I coloured it using Be creative markers. For the squirrel I used natural oak, light orange and yellow ochre. Mixing the light orange and yellow ochre produced the lighter shade. I used some Be Creative paper too. The little die cut leaves are a Joy crafts die that I absolutely love. The brown card and the gold paper are oth snippets so I am off to Miss Di's snippet playground with this. 
The house is feeling rather empty as Meg returned to uni on Sunday and I still have a week of holiday. I am thinking I will take a trip to a craft shop to take my mind off it, lol! I particularly need some of the lovely whimsical flower stamps from the woodware range. One of them has my name on it, quite literally! Thanks for looking! 

Creative Stamping Magazine

 

The latest issue of Creative Stamping Magazine is now on sale.  Here are some cards that I made for it using Be creative papers, markers, buttons and gems. If you want to know how I made them there are step by step instructions in the magazine.

 The paper pad is called Time flies, and is perfect for New Year wishes.

Stamping Sensations December Challenge

Good Morning! I hope you are safe, well and not too badly affected by the latest winter storm. It is the first sunday of the month and time for Stamping Sensations last challenge of 2015. This month our theme is Anything goes with a stamp and a ribbon. For my card this month I used a Woodware clear singles stamp, coloured with Be Creative alcohol markers. The papers, border and gems are from Be Creative too. That gorgeous green ribbon is from our sponsors this month, Crafty Ribbons. Take a look at the wonderful prize they have provided!
                           
What a lovely lot of Ribbons and embellishments! There is also a pair of Tickets for the Manchester Hobbycraft Show in  February. 
My  talented teamies have produced some real beauties for the challenge this month, some lovely inspiration for all occasions. Do pop over to the challenge blog and take a look.
Thanks for looking!

A snippet make

It has been a couple of weeks since I last made it to Miss Di's snippet playground. I seem to be generating more snippets than I am using with DT projects at present! I was putting together some samples for a workshop and decided to try making some faux patchwork with my snippets. these are all from the be creative winterland pad, which is 8x8" and I tend to make 6x6" or 5x7" like this one. The blue card is also a snippet. I am not sure of the make of the stamp as it is on loan and it is cling mounted. It belonged to the lovely Robert from Once upon a Stamp. I feel very honoured to be using it. I coloured it with be Creative alcohol based markers.
I hope everyone enjoyed the playground bonfire party, and are now recovered ;) I'd really love it if there is bonfire toffee left in the treehouse.
Before I go, if there is anyone who is in reach of junction 29 of the M1 and can make it to the Be Creative warehouse on 21st November, I am holding a Christmas colouring workshop 10.30-12.30. It will be a very relaxing session of colouring and creative fun! More details can be found on the Be creative facebook page about price and booking.
Here is a little taster of some of my sample cards

Hoping to encourage some more snippet usage!
I will leave you with a picture of my lovely Grandad. He volunteered for WWII and made it back from Dunkirk after sleeping in a hen house for 3 nights! He carried one of his comrades a couple of miles to the boats too. I like to remember him at this time of year, as much for the lovely wild fruit picking walks we shared as for his heroism.

  Thanks for looking!

Festive flowers and foliage at Stamping Sensations

 Good morning! It is the first Sunday in November and time for a new Challenge at Stamping Sensations. Our theme this month is Festive Flowers and Foliage, so show us your holly, ivy  flowers and mistletoe! Our Sponsor is a new sponsor called  'be Creative!'
Here is my card featuring 'be Creative!' Winterland papers.

I stamped the poinsettia (Penny Black) twice in versamark ink and embossed it with sparkle gold embossing powder before cutting it out and decoupaging it using 3d glue. I attached another of the papers from the pad to the front of the card and then attached the flower. I added a crafts too die cut holly spring and pearls to the flower. Finally I added the sentiment from the recent Creative Stamping magazine on a spellbinders die-cut, and a ribbon.

My second project is a tree decoration using the same papers. I used 'Jus-Cutz' scalloped star dies. I will be writing a tutorial for this very soon! The Prize is about £60 worth of fabulous goodies - feast your eyes on this!
 
                               
Now for a bit more about our new sponsor  'be Creative!'.
  have just launched a brand new range of craft products. They will be launching their new web site very soon but in the meantime you can keep up to date by following their Facebook page where you will see some of  the new products. You can also contact Gordon and Justin by phone on 01623 818910 . The products were recently very well received at their launch on Hochanda and will also be available at the NEC Hobbycraft show on 5th through 8th November. As a member of their DT I can honestly vouch for the quality of every single product!
Do pop over to the challenge blog and take a look at the wonderful creations from our DT, mostly created with  'be Creative!' papers.
Thanks for looking!

Be Creative Launch at Once Upon a Stamp

What are you doing on Friday and Saturday? Do you fancy trying out some lovely new craft products? If so come along to the Be Creative Launch event at Once upon a Stamp. Here is what Gordon and Justin say:

Come along to the launch of our new brand with lots of new products and we guarantee a huge surprise when you see the prices and a completely new way of doing business .
Two days of Make and Takes with two leading craft experts using our new products from the Be Creative range.
You will be seeing lots of new products for the very first time .
It all begins at 10am on the Friday with the unveiling of our new logo and business name .
Make and takes will shortly be made available in time slots for advance booking .
There will also be FREE raffles with prizes to be won throughout the day .
Snacks and light refreshments will be available.

Address :
Once Upon a Stamp
Unit 3
Church lane
Pleasley
Mansfield
Notts
Ng19 7td

Make and takes will take place on both days subject to places .
Friday's make and take is with Kym from Crafty Roo Designs
Saturday's Make and take is with Sally Holmes (We will make the card at the top of this post) .
Two great FREE make and takes running around 40 minutes each session .
The above are bookable by time slot and you should send us a message via the contact us button on the once upon a stamp web site :
www.onceuponastamp.co.uk
Times of workshops :
10.30 , 11.30 , 1.00 , 2.00 , 3.00
Please give the day and choice of two time slots .
We are located a couple of miles off of J29 M1 towards Mansfield
I would love to see you there on Saturday! Lynne from Creative Lynks will be there too.
I am busy with a magazine commission and some Be Creative Samples at the moment, but will be round to visit your blogs soon. Thanks for looking!