THROUGH THE PURPLE HAZE - NOVEMBER - COLD OUTSIDE/HOT INSIDE!

Hi there everyone in blog-land - I hope you are all OK, I've been a tad off-colour just lately but my doctor is really happy with my progress re my diabetes even though things are connected.  Fingers crossed I'll soon be back to my 'normal' dozy self.   In my 'extra' dozy self I didn't post my TTPH card at the beginning of the month, so here it is as a mid-month reminder for you all to enter our latest challenge.

Our sponsor this month is 

and I chose the brilliant digi above to work with - it's definitely a nice hot chocolate in that mug for me!

Ingredients

6" x 6" White card blank - Create and Craft (years and years ago!)
Digi - 'Hot Cocoa' by Kenny K
Creative Expressions - Snowflake Lattice Embossing Folder
Tonic Dies - Circle Layering dies
Memory Box Dies - 'Open Studio' Pinpoint Scallop Circles dies
Snowflakes - Kanban Self-adhesive Stickers
Paper - BoBunny Silver 'n' Gold Collection
Acetate - stash
Flexmarkers/Copics
Sentiment printed on Laser printer and then foiled using my Minc machine (I might have mentioned before that I lurve this piece of equipment)

I hope you can find the time to enter this challenge, it doesn't have to be a Christmas card - what about a winter birthday?  We would love to see all of your creations.

Anyway I'll pop off now, as I said I'm not quite myself so I'm keeping it short for once.

Big hugs to you all and take care out there.

Love Sue xxx

I'd like to enter my card into the following challenges

Crafting from the Heart Challenge No 86 - Anything Goes
Cutie Pie Challenge No 93 - Cute and Christmassy
Inky Chicks Challenge No 59 - Silent Night 
Little Claire's Challenge No 63 - Christmas in White
Papertake Weekly Challenge - Let it Snow
Robyn's Fetish Challenge No 290 - Wet or Dry Embossing
Scrapper's Delights Challenge No 50 - Anything Goes
Snowflake's Promise Challenge No 10 - Anything Goes - Winter/Christmas theme
Unicorn Challenge No 3 - Christmas is Coming
Where the HeArt is Challenge No 3 - Anything Goes/Winter Blues

OSAAT DT - CHALLENGE NO 250 - ANYTHING GOES WITH GIVING THANKS/THANKSGIVING

Good afternoon friends and blogsters - I hope you are all feeling well and having a good weekend even though the weather is very wet and windy!  This fortnight over at OSAAT, our theme is Giving Thanks/Thanksgiving so I made this little card using Barb Jensen's 'Praying Mouse'.

Ingredients

6" x 6" White Card Blank - Create and Craft
'Praying Mouse' digi - Barb Jensen at Stitchy Bears Digi Outlet
Embossing Folder - 'Little Flowers' by Nellie Snellen
Paper - 'Isabella' by BoBunny
Small matting layer die - 'Cross Stitch Square Stax' by Die-namics Dies
Butterfly die - 'Pippi' by Memory Box Dies
Tag die - Spellbinders Dies
Rose flowers - WOC
Silver Leaves and Beads - Anna Marie Designs
'Blobs' in corners - Tonic 'Nuvo Crystal Drops' : Silver
Sentiment typed and foiled using my Minc machine
Strip of Peel-off stickers - stash (very very old from Create and Craft)

We are offering the following prize this month so check it out then make a card or two and you might be lucky enough to win these digi images and digi papers - woo hoo!  

I hope you can find the time to enter our challenge this time we love seeing all your creative talents on the blog.

Thank you so much for all the comments on my last card, you are so good to me.  Take care and I hope these storms aren't too bad where you are.

Big hugs to you all

Love Sue xxx

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges

Aud Sentiments Challenge No 144 - Bingo plus Sentiment (Embossing, Digi image, Die Cut)

Crafty Creations Challenge No 302 - Give Thanks

Crafty Gals Corner Challenge No 45 - Thank you or Thankful 

Daring Cardmakers Challenge - Cuddly Creatures

DisDigiChallenge - Tic Tac Toe (Die Cut, Digi Image, Hand Coloured)

Fussy'n'Fancy Challenge No 152 - Thankful

Inkspirational Challenge No 95 - Anything Goes with Silver

Lunagirl Moonbeams Challenge (Nov) - Thanksgiving/Harvest/Gratitude

Morgan'sArtWorld Challenge No 11 - Thanks or Thankful

QKR Stampede Challenge No 165 - Give Thanks

CRAFTY CALENDAR - NOVEMBER - SPARKLE, BLING AND EMBELLISH!

Good morning everyone, here I am with my DT card for the Crafty Calendar Challenge.  Our theme is 'Sparkle, Bling and Embellish' - what a brilliant excuse for glitter, gems, pearls, ribbons and everything shiny!!!  I decided to make a Christmas card for a change - as if I haven't been making them since January!

I started off by stamping some little snowflakes onto the LOTV paper I was using and embossing them with sparkly Wow powder - this is lovely stuff!  I added shiny snowflake die cuts and a few gems - there you have it Sparkle, Bling and embellishments!  

Ingredients

7" x 7" White Card Blank - Anna Marie Designs
'Christmas Dance' clear stamp - LOTV
'Winter Wishes' paper pad - LOTV
Snowflake stamps - Inky Doodles clear stamps plus some freebies from a mag.
'Silver Bells' embossing powder - WOW
Stitched Scallop Circles die - Memory Box Open Studio Dies
Square Frame 1 die - Joy Dies
Snowflakes die - Sweet Dixie Dies (SDD007)
'Twilight' Snowflakes die - Memory Box Dies
Sentiment die - 'Christmas Blizzard' Ultimate Craft Dies
Gems - Scrapberrys 'Fairytale' set
Copics and Flexmarkers
Wink of Stella pens

I have used Wink of Stella clear on the stars in the pic but they are so tiny that it only shows irl.  We'd love to see your creations in our challenge - you don't have to make a Christmas card and I'm sure you'll have no trouble using a bit of sparkle and bling plus a few embellishments on any type of card.

Oooh I've just realised I've not told you about our prize this month - you may have seen on my blog that I get lots of my lace, pearls and ribbons from Brenda's Lace and Ribbon Specials on FB and she has sponsored our Challenge by offering a stash of lovely lacy bits and pieces - take a look.

This is sooooo gorgeous you really should enter our Challenge you will be the luckiest person if you are our winner!  There is one problem though - you will become addicted to all this lusciousness.

Thank you so much for the comments on my cards that you so diligently make, I really am more than grateful to you all.

Take care and I'm sending you all huge hugs.

Love Sue xxx

I would like to enter my card into the following Challenges - 

ABC Christmas Challenge No 10 - V is for Very Cute

Card and Scrap Challenge No 106 - Christmas

City Crafter Challenge No 286 - Getting ready for Christmas

Great Impressions Challenge (Nov) - Bling on Holidays

Love to Scrap Challenge No 65 - Bling it Girlfriend!

One Crazy Stamper Challenge (Nov) - Christmas/Winter

Penny Black and More Challenge (Nov) - Anything Christmas

Snowflakes Promise Challenge No 9 - Christmas/Winter theme

Unicorn Challenge No 3 - Christmas is Coming

Where the HeART is Challenge No 3 - Anything Goes/Winter Blues

CHRISTMAS CARDS ALL YEAR ROUND - NOVEMBER - 'OH CHRISTMAS TREE'

Hi there everyone I'm posting my DT card for CCAYR this month.  The theme is Oh Christmas Tree and we would like to see a Christmas tree as the main focal point on your creation.   I decided to make a CAS card because I wanted something pretty, lightweight and simple so that I could do a few of them.  I did this when I was having a play with glues, gilding flakes and WOW powders.  I couldn't get the gilding flakes to work with the glues so ended up using my WOW powders with a Kanban clear stamp plus an embossing folder I got free with a magazine. 

I love this for a quick and easy card because it looks really sparkly in real life!  I mentioned before that I'd been playing with gilding flakes and foil and when I popped the embossed piece on top of the blank card there was something missing so I put some Zig Two Way Glue along the edges of the card blank, fished the bits of foil I'd been using out of the bin and then 'dibbed' them over the wet glue and I got this lovely shabby chic gold edge so I am dead chuffed with the result.  Did the same with the mat under the sentiment (which I foiled on me Minc machine - oooh this is such a lovely bit of equipment) added a few gems and voila!  Very plain and very simple and I'm very pleased!  

Ingredients

6" x 6" white card blank - C & C
Christmas Tree - Kanban Clear Stamps
WOW 'Twinkling Lights' Embossing Powder (WS73R)
Snowflake Embossing Folder - Free with magazine a while ago
Piece of white hammer finish card
Zig Two Way Glue
Gold Foil - Heidi Swapp
Christmas sentiment - Typed then foiled on Minc machine
Gold Sequin and gold gems - stash

I do hope you can enter our challenge this month - Christmas is sooooo close and you know you need to get those cards sorted!  There are two cling mount Christmas rubber stamps up to win so come on join in!

Thanks to all of you who commented on my last card and for all your comments on Facebook (must admit I'm getting better on it now - woo hoo) regarding my weight loss.  Don't like to go on about it too much 'cos it is difficult to lose weight and the only reason I'm managing so well is because my diagnosis of diabetes in early March has given me a boot up the bum!   As of last Wednesday I've lost 3st 9½lbs - that means one more pound and I'm in the next stone down. 

So sorry to go on - I know reading about someone else's weight loss can be a big yawn but me 'n' the maestro are so chuffed.   He's stabilised at a good weight now and has lost over 3st himself.

Anyway you can wake up now - don't forget to enter our Christmas tree challenge - you know it makes sense  :) 

Lots of big hugs to you all



Love Sue xxx

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges

Allsorts Challenge No 335 - Christmas

Crafters Cafe Challenge No 136 - Inspired by a song (Oh Christmas Tree)

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge No 23 - Use a stamp or a digi

Crazy 4 Challenges - Christmas

Cute Card Thursday Challenge No 397 - Sparkles

Emerald Faeries Challenge No 73 - Oh Christmas Tree

Fab 'n'Funky Challenge No 279 - Christmas

One Crazy Stamper Challenge  (Nov) - Christmas/Winter

Penny Black and More Challenge (Nov) - Anything Christmas

Whimsy Inspires Challenge No 87 - Fall Colours or Christmas

OSAAT DT - CHALLENGE NO 249 - ANYTHING GOES WITH REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY/DAY OF THE DEAD

Hi there peeps, I know I've not been on the blog lately but I have been doing a little bit of playing, I've definitely got the hang of my Minc machine and am foiling anything and everything that stands still!  Watch it maestro!  I've also been playing with gilding flakes but, no matter what I use, I still can't get a good result so am a bit miffed tbh - will keep trying no matter what.

Anyway I'm posting my next DT card for OSAAT and our theme this month is AG with Remembrance Sunday/Day of the Dead.  I've made some poppies to put on my card using a die that I bought aaaages ago but have never used (Sue J)!

 Here's the prize for our Challenges during November

We'd love to see your cards entered into our challenge this time - as long as you stick to the theme, you can enter as many cards as you like and you can use any digi you like as well as die cuts, embellishments etc.

Ingredients

7" x 7" White card blank - Anna Marie Designs
Digi - 'Niamh' by Alipeeps Art at Stitchy Bear Digi Outlet
Black and White floral card - C & C ages and ages ago
Tattered Lace - 'Script' Embossing Folder
Spellbinders Die D'Lites - Poppy die  (my latest favourite die)
Spellbinders Dies - Blossom Five die
Tattered Lace - Beloved Borders die
Graph'it Markers
Red Gems from my stash

I do hope you can join in, I know it's only a few weeks to Christmas but if you have the time we'd love to see you over at OSAAT.

Take care all of you, I'm just orf to do some ironing, which of course you know I absolutely detest but I have to do it!  Thank you for your comments and for stopping by - still appreciate every one even though I am a renowned bad blogger myself.

Big hugs to you all.

Love  Sue xxx

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges

4 Crafty Chicks Challenge No 270 - Anything Goes

Brown Sugar Challenge No 170 - Flowers

Crafting with Friends Challenge No 9 - Anything Goes

Crafty Gals Corner Challenge No 43 - Anything Goes

Crafty Girls Creations Challenge No 7 - Anything Goes

Creative Moments Challenge No 80 - Anything Goes

Digital Delights Challenge No 4 - Anything Goes

Fussy and Fancy Challenge No 151 - Flowers

Julia Spiri Challenge No 5 - Using Something Old

Sweet Stamps Challenge (Nov) - Anything Goes

THROUGH THE PURPLE HAZE - OCTOBER - 'HALLOWEEN/MAGICAL'

Good morning everyone - I'm here with a (just past) mid-month post for TTPH.   Our theme this time is Halloween/Magical.  So, if you aren't into Halloween you can make a 'Magical' card for our challenge.  I made a card for 'All Hallows' Eve' with this wonderful Glamzombie digi from The East Wind.  They are our sponsor for this challenge and are offering the lucky winner some digis.

First of all I looked up the meaning of All Hallows' Eve on the internet and it states that "It initiates the three-day observance of Allhallowtide, the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs,and all the faithful departed believers.  I have some gorgeous papers from Tim Holtz and amongst them I found this grey striped one which complimented her skirt and there was also a page full of these little vintage pictures.  They really are old pics and I felt they represented remembering the departed.  Of course being Halloween I had to add a couple of cobwebs and a bat!

Ingredients
7" x 7" white card blank - Anna Marie Designs
Digi - Lucy Loo - Glamzombie from The East Wind
Papers - 'Halloween' - KLouise Digi Art on Etsy printed on Pearl Paper from Anna Marie Designs
Striped paper etc - Tim Holtz Ideology 'Paper Stash'
Delicate Web die - Memory Box Dies
Spooky Iron Fence die - Cottage Cutz Dies
Stitched Fishtail Flag Stax - Die-namics Dies
Graph'it, Copics, Flexmarkers and Spectrum Noir markers

I hope you can enter our challenge this month - remember if you aren't into Halloween you can make a 'Magical' card so there's lots of scope on this one.  I love those colours together so what about a magical card in orange purple and black - oooh yummy!

Thank you for popping by, I hope you are all well - I know it's the time of year for the 'flu so avoid those germs!!

Big hugs to you all

Love  Sue xxx

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges -

Chocolate, Coffee and Cards Challenge No 102 - Halloweeen

Crafters Cafe Challenge No 135 - Black Purple Orange and/or Ghosties

Get Creative Challenge No 26 - Halloween Colours

Haunted Design House Challenge - Halloween

Melonheadz Friends Challenge - Halloween or Harvest

Moving Along with the Times Challenge No 6 - Halloween

Our Crafty Corner Challenge No 2 - Halloween

OSAAT DT - CHALLENGE NO 248 - ANYTHING GOES WITH HALLOWEEN COLOURS

Good afternoon bloggers out there - it's been a bit quiet here in my bloggersphere, however in our house it has definitely not been quiet!   As you know the maestro has been recuperating from his Arthroscopy - this is when he had bits removed out of his kneecap 'cos they were floating about - eeew!  His bruise has now disappeared from his bum, after his fall down the stairs, but he still has the scrapes on his elbows where they caught on the carpet!  Thanks again to all of you who left messages for him.

He's back at work next week, four days, so nothing toooooo tiring!

That's enough about him so I'll now get on to posting my OSAAT card for this fortnight.  Our theme is Anything goes with Halloween Colours so you can make something for Halloween or just use those colours - great!  

I loved this image as soon as I saw it so had to make a Halloween card in Halloween colours!  The sentiment was typed on black card and then I popped it through my Minc machine (birthday present from the Maestro back in July).   It stands out really well IRL and looks quite spooky.

Ingredients

7" x 7" black card blank - Anna Marie Designs
Digi - 'Moonlight Pumpkins' by Stitchy Stamps at Stitchy Bears Digi Outlet
Digi Papers - KLouise Digi Art on Etsy printed on Pearl Paper from Anna Marie Designs
Crafts-Too Dies - Circle Nesting dies
Tonic Dies - Scalloped Circles dies
Die-namics Dies - Stitched Fishtail Flag Stax
Graph'it markers
Wink of Stella clear pen on her fringe, candle flame and earrings
'Wish Spell' and 'Black of Night' - found on the internet
Wishbone - Tim Holtz Ideology

I do hope you can enter our challenge this fortnight, I've never made a Halloween card before and I've really enjoyed this theme - in fact watch out for another post tomorrow!   I'll give you a quick peek at the prize you can win when you enter.

Please take care and thank you for popping by and leaving me a comment.  You are all stars!

Big hugs to you all

Love  Sue xxx

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges

Chocolate, Coffee and Cards Challenge No 102 - Halloween

Crafters Cafe Blog Challenge No 135 - Purple Black Orange and/or Ghosties
Melonheadz Friends Challenge - Halloween or Harvest

Moving Along with the Times Challenge No 6 - Halloween

Our Crafty Corner Challenge No 2 - Halloween