Cold and frosty

It's time for our very first challenge of 2018 over at

Stamping Sensations

and this month we want to see 

Cold and Frosty Colours

We have an amazing prize up for grabs with a fabulous collection of

Sizzix Products!

Just please please please remember

Stamping must be the central point of attention and interest

I went a bit mad with my Christmas presents and made two cards this month!

I got some lovely new Sheena Douglass stamps and some new Spectrum Noir Sparkle Pens and Spectrum Aqua watercolour pens. Santa was sooooo good to me this year!

For my first card I used the watercolours pens and glycerine for my background and stamped some tree tops and the little bird which I coloured with promarkers.

I then splatered some Gesso to create snow. The sentiment was stamped then I added some glue and glitter.

Items used:

Watercolour card, spectrum noir acqua pens, Sheena Douglass stamps, memento ink, versafine ink, glycerine, glitter, lilac card.

For my second card I used sparkle noir pens for my background, along with my Sheena Douglass stamps, promarkers, snowflake stamp and white gel pen for snowy highlights.

I love making these backgrounds but those spectrum noir sparkle pens leave such a mess on my hands. I am seriously thinking of wearing rubber gloves next time!

I an entering first card into

The Crazy Challenge - winter wonderland

Craft Rocket - winter

Sweet Stampers - anything goes

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - anything goes

Penny Black and more - something new (stash)

I am entering second card into

Crafty Sentiments Designs - snowflakes

Word Art Wednesday - anything goes

Cute card Thursday - anything goes

Fairy tale challenge - a new technique (watercolour backgrounds and stamping)

Classic Design Team - anything 

Allsorts - something new (stamps and some pens)

613 Avenue Create - something new (my stash)

Be sure and pop over to STAMPING SENSATIONS for lots of inspiration and I look forward to seeing your take on our challenge.

Last minute gift idea

Oh my word, it really is beginning to look at lot like Christmas.

Not long until the big man arrives. Are you all prepared? Any last minute gifts to put together? 

I made this gift set for a dear friend of mine.

with a matching tag card.

So first I wanted to make the bottle tag.

I used a sheet of a4 green card which I folded in half length ways, and cut the fold away giving me two lengths by 3 inches wide.

I then scored both these at the 3 inch mark, stuck them together giving me this shape.

I covered the center part between the two folds with my chosen paper. 

Using the

Scalloped Stitched Nesting Circles

I choose a size that would fit over my bottle and cut a circle in the center (see above), so I could hang

over the bottle.

Next I cut two circles, one in green, one in stamping card white.

I stamped and coloured my image using copics and promarkers.

Stamps are from Sheena Douglas.

Then layered the white circle on top of the green one.

This was then stuck to the front of the bottle tag and finished with red ribbon.

I couldn't resist getting out another set of nesting dies. This time I used 

Dotted Nesting Squares

I used the largest square first. I folded a pieces of white card but positioned the die so I was only cutting 3 sides, not the folded size, thus forming my cute little card.

I proceeded to cut a green layer, a patterned layer and a white layer, working my way down the nesting dies. They make layered cards a breeze!

I popped each layer on top of each other, stamped a sentiment on the small white layer and finished with a matching bow!

Eazy peezy with this amazing dies. They cut first time, no embossing needed and the finish is just gorgeous each and every time!

I made myself a little matching box to pop some shortbread in.

I used same card and stamp again. Coloured with promarkers.

I am entering these into

Fashionable Stamping - celebrate

Crafty Calendar - It's Christmas

Incy Wincy - red and green

Crafty Creations - anything goes

Crafty Gals Corner - anything goes

The Crafter's Cafe - Christmas or red,white, green

Craft Challenge - anything goes

Moving along with the times - anything but a card

Brown Sugar - anything but a card

Pop along to

Tutti Designs

and grab yourself some of these gorgeous dies.

Happy Christmas to all my lovely blogging friends and visitors!

Hope it's a good one and I'll see you on the other side!

Rudolph ......

I totally forgot it was the 1st of November today!! My life is passing me by lol.

We have a new challenge over at

STAMPING SENSATIONS

and this month its

******Festive Flowers and foliage******

and we have a new sponsor!!

We have a new sponsor this month 'be Creative!' who have just launched a brand new range of craft products. 'be Creative!' will be launching their new web site very soon but in the meantime you can keep up to date by following their Facebook where you will see some of the new products. You can also contact Gordon and Justin by e.mail here. The products were recently well received at their launch on Hochanda and will also be available at the NEC Hobbycraft show on 5th through 8th November.

and look at the great prize!! Be sure and check out their page on Facebook!!

So for my card I used gorgeous papers called WINTER WONDERLAND generously supplied by Be Creative!

I used a variety of stamps - Reindeer from Toodles and Binks, Trees and Santa's sleigh are from Sheena Douglas

Coloured with chalks and promarkers

Dies -  Spellbinders circle die, border die cut n scan tattered lace

Flowers are a Marianne Die

Embellishments - glitter and gems

I am entering this into

Winter Wonderland - anything Christmas

Craftyhazelnut's Christmas challenge - Christmas song (Rudolph the red nose reindeer)

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper challenge - patterned paper

Craftyhazelnuts extra challenge - Christmas

Allsorts - Christmas

Fantasy Stampers - animal antics

Natalie and Amy - winter scenes

Country View challenge - blue

Penny black and Allsorts - Christmas

So come on over and show us your latest STAMPS and be in with a chance to win such a lovely prize!