Penguins On Parade

Hello.  Welcome.  I am honoured to have been asked by the lovely Jo to elf for her first Christmas Kickstart Challenge of 2020.

OK, we are a day early, but lets not miss a beat!!  I am so glad Jo has decided to run another year of CKC.  It really helped me with my Christmas card stash.  Due to logistics, time management, and in the interests of having a little time for the finer things in life, CKC will be going monthly until July, at which point we will realise that Christmas is approaching on rapid reindeer feet, and then it will revert back to a fortnightly challenge.  So you have a month to kick your xmas mojo back into gear and show us your Penguin Parade cards.  Here's mine....... 

This cute little fellow is from a Norwegian company called Ocean Heart Hobby.  The postage stamp and stars dies are both from Gummiapan.  Blue patterned card from Kort og Godt.  I edged the postage stamp die cut and coloured the stars frame with Indigo Blue Promarker.  Penguin is coloured with distress markers.  The sentiment is also from the Penguin set and says A Winter Hello.  

Don't forget to grab a penguin, make a card and join the fun at the Christmas Kickstart challenge and make a start on your 2020 Chrimbo cards.  

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Challenge - Christmas Is Coming
Stamplorations Theme Challenge - Stamps and Holidays
Country View Challenge - Stars
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge 470
I Love Math Challenge 15 - Anything Maths + Winter geometric shapes (stars)
Cupcake Inspirations 485 - Holidays

Rudolf Cubed

Hello.  Welcome.  I found Mr Mojo!!!!  He was over at the neighbour's house!  I think he likes her coffee.   Anyway, here's three more CAS ATC's with a Christmas theme using the very cool Reindeer from PaperArtsy.

I used Kort og Godt grey woodgrain card for my ATC bases and stamped the PaperArtsy Reindeer with black archival.  I coloured with Promarkers, using a different colour on each of the eyes and used different colour glitter glues on his antlers.  I edged with red archival ink.

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Challenge - Christmas Is Coming
Stamplorations Theme Challenge - Stamps and Holidays
Promarker Challenge Week 523 - Mega Christmas Challenge

Christmas Charades

Hello.  Welcome.  When I was in the UK in November one thing I did was visit the local newsagent and drop a load of money on some craft magazines, primarily for the stamp, die and embossing folder freebies.  When I got home said freebies got put in the 'stuff from magazines' box.  Today, whilst looking for Mr Mojo, I remembered these buys and opened the box.  Oooohhhhhhh!  Treasure!!  And way too much stuff I have never used!! AKA NBUS.  One of the sets I pulled out was a very cute father's day themed bear stamp and die set.  I am sure some of you have this one.  I decided to ink him up and oooohhhhhh, he's so adorable.  

I made some CAS ATC's with a christmas theme.  I stamped the bear on each ATC.  Bear #1 got a stamped monocle, a stamp in the bear set, and a Sizzix die santa hat.  Bear #2 got some die cut glasses using one of the dies in the bear set, and a Sizzix die party hat.  Bear #3 got some Sizzix die cut antlers and a moustache.  I think Bear #3 started the party early!!!!

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Scrappelyst Utfordring for Desember - Jul
Pixies Snippets Playground Challenge 368 used red and white snippets for the hats etc.
Stamplorations Theme Challenge - Stamps and Holidays
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Party Time
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Party Time

All Right in the End

Hello Nomad Friends.  I have taken advantage of a balmy 10°C and a break in the rain to pop out in the garden and do a little this and that.  Today's this and that was cutting back some perennials, trying to convince Bo rabbit he wanted to go back in his hutch so Bob rabbit could get a run around, and putting some stuff on the compost bin.  I got a bit of fresh air and can feel good about doing a little bit outside.   And since Mr Mojo appears to be still suffering from a surfeit of Christmas Pudding then outside seemed a good place to be.  I am sure he will perk up for the New Year when the champagne starts flowing......

This is Crafters Companion Bebunny Poinsettia stamp, stamped on a white tag and coloured with Promarkers (red, green, yellow) and Distress markers (grey, pink).  I couldn't decide about grounding the bunny so I cut the tag to follow the shape of the stamp.    I die cut the word Peace using a Sizzix die and added a bronze snowflake charm from Korthobby.no and a bit of festive red/gold twine.

Thanks for dropping by.  If you find Mr Mojo do send him back to me won't you??!!!  Hugz

Joining the fun at
More Than Words Mini Challenge - Peace
Penny Black and More Challenge - Flowers All Over
CASology Week 358 - Branch
Scrappelyst Utfordring for Desember - Jul
Stamplorations Theme Challenge - Stamps and Holidays

Forever Friends

Hello Nomad friends.  How you doing??  Recovered from too much Christmas dinner and chocolates??  Had a chance to play with the new goodies???  Shopping the sales cos your NBUS needs company??  Reflecting on the year past, the year to come, good decisions, bad decisions and everything in between??  

I've been thinking about friends.  They are curious things friends!!   I mean, you never know when you are going to meet a new one.  They come in all shapes and sizes from the most unlikely places and bless us with their presence.   I have some very good blog friends.  We have never met, probably never will, but they are still some of my favourite people.  Ain't that strange and wonderful.  So here's to you my friends.  Long may our spheres of influence intersect.

This card was inspired by the current In the Deep Midwinter challenge over at the Lost Coast Portal to Creativity.  You have until the end of the month to link up your stamped wintery makes for a chance to win Lost Coast Design dollars.  I've used Lost Coast Designs Cat and Bird, Small Snowflakes and Misc. Words with archival, distress inks and markers.  A little bit of glitter also helped make Cat's eyes shine bright.   Hop over to the blog for all the details and also to link up your over wintery makes.

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Simon Says Stamp Work It Wednesday - Snowflakes
Emerald Creek Dare - Believe
Scrappelyst Grublis for Desember - Snø

Frost Fairy

Hello.  Welcome.

Fairies, glitter, snowflakes and Christmas Wishes. 

Poppystamps Flurry Frame cut from blue glitter card.  Poppystamps large SugarPlum Fairy cut from pale blue card and I borrowed the wings from Poppystamps Pearched Fairy, cos they was a bit more spikey and fitted my frosted theme a bit better me thinks.  I embossed the fairy with a snowflake embossing folder and used Stormy Sky distress ink to highlight the details.  The merry christmas is Memory Box Noted Script die, also coloured with Stormy Sky.

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Poppystamps Challenge 63 - Merry Craftmas
Memory Box Challenge 56 - Holiday Cards
Butterfly Spot Challenge - Fairy, Pixie, Elf, Imp or Gnome
Simon Says Stamp Work It Wednesday - Snowflakes
Dies R Us Challenge 135 - Anything Christmas

 

Dragon Egg Tree

Hello.  Welcome.  I made a card for my nephew for his birthday. 

I used the knight and dragon from MFT Magical Dragons.  I didn't think a sword was such a friendly thing to wave around so I turned it into a flower pot and added the little easter tree from MFT Easter Bunnies set.  The sentiment is from Blue Knight Stamps Dragon Sentiments set.   I coloured with Promarkers and distress inks and added a J to the knights shield.

Thanks for dropping by.  Hope you are having a fun time between the eve's.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
MFT Stamps Wednesday Sketch Challenge 469
MFT Stamps Birthday Project - CAS
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Party Time
Allsorts Challenge Week 512 - Anything Goes
Ally's Angels Challenge 29 - Anything Goes

Tag Trees and Shaving Foam

Hello Nomad friends.  Are you ready for the big day???

I'm over on the Colourcraft blog today with these cute little tree tags that I coloured using Brusho Powders and the shaving foam technique.  

Hop over to the Colourcraft blog for all the details.  

The buttons I used on the tags are from Papirdesign.

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Nordsalten Hobbyklubb Utfordring 178 - Jul - Engler/Juletre
Scrappelyst Utfordring for Desember - Jul
Emerald Creek Dare - Believe
Mod Squad Challenge - Christmas/Winter
Ally's Angels Challenge 29 - Anything Goes 

Ski Party

Hello Nomad friends.  When I saw the Maja Design Moodboard and their Holiday in the Alps papers I decided to make a card for a friend of mine.  She is a brunette, likes to ski, and I am sure, if everyone didn't wear neon blue and pink puffy ski gear, then she would look quite like this slaloming down the slopes.

All the papers used in this project are Maja Designs Holiday in the Alps collection.

I started by folding a 15 x 15cm card base from the Snowflakes sheet, dark pattern out.  I cut the large skier from the Slalom sheet and distressed the edges with my craft knife.  Then I inked the distressed edges with various blue inks.  The 'winter' border is also from the Slalom sheet.  I like that they print useful borders on the backside of the name strip so you can use all of the sheet.

I cut along the side of her skis and slipped in the winter border, which I had inked the edges of, in under the skis.  I cut Stamplorations Linked Hearts die from the Let It Snow and Monochrome Frost sheet and paper pieced the snowflake hearts back in the plain blue border.  I cut the Sizzix Snowflakes and Fun letters (from a Stamplorations phrase die) also from the Frost sheet.  I used Wink of Stella clear to add subtle glitter effect to the snowflakes and also to the snow around her skis.  I used white ink around the edge of the base card and added a couple of pale blue half pearls to the Winter border.  I also added some tiny white stickers to the snowflakes.

This was really fun to make.  Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Maja Design November/December Mood Board Challenge
Allsorts Challenge Week 512 - Anything Goes
Scrappelyst Grublis for Desember - Snø
Mod Squad Challenge - Christmas/Winter
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - December 2019

Christmas Blues

Hello Nomad friends.  Got snow??  Lovely and warm here for the time of year LOL so I decided to make a blue snowy card to get me in the mood for the big day.  

Sqquueeeeeee!  Love this cute little Kort og Godt Snowman stamp.  Avalanche Bazzill again.  I did some acrylic block stamping with distress ink on the textured side.  Then I stamped and fussy cut the snowman.  Distress ink colours and some glitter glue for a bit of bling detail on his hat.  The sentiment is from the snowman set and says Christmas Hug.  

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Scrappelyst Grublis for Desember - Snø
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge 469
Ally's Angels Challenge 29 - Anything Goes
Addicted to Stamps Challenge 180 - Cold and Frosty
Allsorts Challenge Week 512 - Anything Goes 

Christmas Pig

Hello Nomad friends.  How you holding up??  Ready for the big day??  Almost Ready??  Far from ready??  Pulling your hair out???  Given Up???  Will be glad when it's over???  Only a few more days and we will all be wondering what the fuss was about.  But first, a pig!!!

I think pigs are a Norwegian christmas thing but I have been told no.  But what about the marzipan pigs? Well, yeah, OK we have those.  And all those rafia pig models??  Well, yeah we have those too!!  And that is definitely a pig in santa outfit clutching a gingerbread man stamp??  Well, yeah........   So I'm sticking with the idea that a pig is for christmas here in the snowy north.  OK, no snow, just quite north.  And then there's the sentiment.  Sending you a christmas hug and hoping that it finds it's way!!   Obviously a lot is lost in translation cos in Norwegian it's actually quite a fun and sweet sentiment LOL.    

Bazzill Avalanche card, panel smoooched in distress ink and edge of an acrylic block to make some inky marks.  Some gold twine wrapped around for essential xmas bling and then Kort og Godt Pig stamped and fussy cut.  I coloured with distress inks, Promarkers and gel pens.  Ths sentiment is actually from the snowman set (see last and next post) and the Ho Ho Ho I used on the last post snowman card is from the pig set.  Working together beautifully.  

Cookies need baking.  Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Cards Und More Challenge 43 - Festive Days
Christmas Kickstart Challenge 26 - Last Minute Madness
Papercraft Challenge 52 - Weihnachten/Christmas
Scrappelyst Utfordring for Desember - Jul
ABC Christmas Challenge - Y is for Yuletide 

Snow Cute

Hello.  Welcome.  Been busy doing some preparations for the big day etc. etc. etc.  Here's a couple of snowmen cards I made using a really cute snowman stamp from a Norwegian company Kort og Godt.

I played a bit with different inks so there are subtle differences between these two cards.

This snowman was stamped with black archival and the red scarf and hat is Promarker.  The Ho Ho Ho was stamped with Candied Apple DOx on the textured side of Bazzill Avalanche card.

This snowman was stamped with grey archival and coloured with Candied Apple DOx.  The Ho Ho Ho was stamped with Carnation archival.  

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Cards Und More Challenge 43 - Festive Days
Christmas Kickstart Challenge 26 - Last Minute Madness
Papercraft Challenge 52 - Weihnachten/Christmas
Scrappelyst Grublis for Desember - Snø
Allsorts Challenge Week 550 - Inspired by a Song Frosty the Snowman

Christmas Bird

Hello Nomad Friends.  Here's a cute little Christmas Bird in a clean and simple style.  Actually he's not little, this is a 13x13cm card!!  Sometimes we need to keep it simple at this time of year, and when the stamp does all the work it doesn't need anything more.  

I stamped Lost Coast Designs Megan's Christmas Bird on a white card with black archival.  I coloured with Promarkers and gel pens and added a bit of glitter to the snowflakes.  The sentiment is on a panel cos I flubbed it.  Three times!!!   Ahh well, grip the positive....it made giving it that nice border easier LOL.  Hop over to the Lost Coast Designs blog to check out more inspiration from the team and link up your own makes.

If you are making anything wintery and using real rubber or clear stamps then do hop over to the Lost Coast Portal to Creativity and join the fun.  You could win yourself some new stamps for the New Year!!

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at

Papercraft Challenge 52 - Weihnachten/Christmas
Double D Twelve Days of Christmas Part 1 - Days 1-6 a bird in a pearlightbulb tree??
Stamplorations CAS Challenge December
Cards und More Challenge 43 - Festive Days
Time Out Challenge 150 - Merry and Cheerful

Skinny Santa

Hello Nomad Friends.  How's your jingle hanging???   I hope the joys of the season aren't getting you down.  I did a big shop yesterday and now I intend to hibernate until the New Year.  OK, maybe I will be traveling to a few places where food and ho, ho, ho has been promised, but other than that I will be in my craft room.  

A few days ago I found Ellen Hutson's 12 Tags of Christmas 2019 Challenge.  I promptly made one tag and then life got in the way.  The 12 days are over now, but the linky remains open until the 16th so there is still time to join the fun if you want too.   Today I am skipping to day 12 cos I loved Julie's skinny santa tag and decided to use the inspiration to make a bottle tag.

Ta dah!!!  The belt buckle gave me a challenge, since i didn't find anything suitable so I ended up layering three different die cuts.  The wonderful thing about this tag is it's all scraps!!  The body is a piece I cut off the other day when I was making some card bases.  I raided the scraps box for the thin black offcuts and gold bits.  I also found some pieces of white big enough to stamp Gummiapan's Large Santa on!  

I coloured the santa with Promarkers and glitter glue.  The buttons are some Craft Creation stickers.  I added a red ribbon loop to hang it over the bottle neck.  I think I need to go and  make a few more of these.  

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Ellen Hutson's 12 Tags of Christmas 2019 Challenge Day 12
Allsorts Challenge Week 550 - Inspired by a Song  Santa Claus is Coming to Town
Pixie's Snippets Playground Challenge 367

Blue Knight Magical Unicorn

Hello Nomad friends.  Today I'm doing my second post as the December guest designer for Blue Knight Stamps.  The team is taking a break in the second half of December, so what would have been four posts have been compressed into two.  Since I am sharing two cards at a time I wanted to try and tie them together by using one or more common elements.  Today I used the lovely Magical Unicorn on both cards, along with Window in the Wall and the beautiful Lake Pier silhouette stamp.  You get two different size Unicorns in the Magical Unicorn set.  I have used the large one for both of these cards.

I was really pleased how this turned out.  I started by stamping Lake Pier with black archival onto my white card base. I coloured the grass and dock with green and brown Promarkers.  I gave the lake and sky a watercolour wash of Stormy Sky, diluting it a lot for the sky.  I didn't think the lake had enough colour so I loosely scribbled with a pale blue Promarker.  Much better!!  I stamped the Unicorn on white card, coloured with the same Stormy Sky wash and gel pen highlights.  The dock is a bit of an unusual setting for a unicorn, cos like you usually see them in the forest LOL, but he seems to fit quite nicely into the scene. 

Linking this card to Promarker Challenge Week 523 - Mega Christmas Challenge

For the second card I wanted to use the fabulous Window in the Wall stamp and see if I could get my unicorn to be looking through the window.  I stamped the Window in the Wall on white card and watercoloured with distress inks.  Then I stamped the Unicorn, coloured him with various shades of pink and purple and fussy cut.  Leave more of his neck than you think you might need.  I cut around the inside edge of the window so I could slip my unicorn behind the windowsill.  This gives you extra wiggle room rather than just sticking him in the window.  You have more freedom to make sure you have him at the right angle/place.  Hence leaving a bit extra 'neck' when you cut him out!  

I hope you have enjoyed my cards today.  Blue Knight Stamps still have limited stock of some Overstock Specials, including this unicorn, so if you like it pop over and snap it up at a bargain price.  If you missed the other cards you can find last week's post HERE.

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

One Too Many

Hello.  Welcome.  I just found Ellen Hutson's 12 Tags of Christmas 2019 Challenge.  I'm a bit late to the party, cos they are already on day 10, but the inspiration is lovely and I am in tag mode at the moment so...........  

All the tags are being inspired by a christmas carol so I'm going to start with Day 1 and Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer.  I really liked Therese's double tag and cute little deer, and I was going that way, when this rudolf stumbled across my path and it all ended up CAS with him as the star.

I stamped Panduro's Deer on white card and embossed.  I coloured with Promarkers and then cut my tag using Sizzix Arch Tag dies.  His feet were outside the tag area, so rather than cut them off!!!! I fussy cut round them and then did a bit of fancy die cutting.  Phew!!  I was going to do something in the background but he looked so fab just like that that I just added a bit of Stormy Sky distress wash to the floor and a piece of bobbly wool to the top.  

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Ellen Hutson's 12 Tags of Christmas 2019 Challenge Day 1
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Stars
The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Challenge - Christmas Is Coming 

Christmas Tags with Aztec Paints

Hello.  Welcome.  Today I am over on the Colourcraft blog with some quick yet beautiful Christmas tags.  I used Aztec Paints and various dies to create these.

Hop over to the Colourcraft blog for all the details and lots of other ideas and inspiration.

I used Copper and Blue Aztec Paint and word dies from Stamplorations, deer and star dies by Sizzix and Taylored Expressions Tag Stacklets 1 dies.

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at

Scrap the Rainbow 18 - Jul og Dies
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Traditional Christmas
Stamplorations Anything Goes Challenge
Time Out Challenge 150 - Merry and Cheerful
Unstampabelles Challenges - Star Struck/Starry Night

Blue Star Lady

Hello.  Welcome.  I loved the colours I used on my last card so decided to make another one in the same colour scheme.

I used a turquoise card base and a red layer.  Then I cut a turquoise panel with Stamplorations Crazy Double Stitch Rectangle die and a star using Sizzix Primative star die from the red card and embossed both with Do-crafts mixed confetti embossing folder.  

I stamped, embossed Rubber Dance Bohemian Woman, coloured her with Promarkers and fussy cut.

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Cards und More Challenge 42 - Colourboard
Country View Challenge - Stars
Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes