Brimming With Style

Hello Nomad friends.  It's the first Tuesday of the month, and what a glorious day it is today.  It is also time for the start of the April Christmas Kickstart Challenge and this month the theme is Brimming With Style.  Sorry, no drinks involved LOL.  We want to see HATS on your Christmas card creations.  Hats on Santa, hats on gnomes, hats on cats, hats on bats.....  OK, maybe not too many Christmas bats, but you never know.   I am very honoured to have been asked to Elf-out this month, so here's my inspiration to help get you started.  I went with a hatted bear in a Christmas tree forest. 

Isn't he rather adorable!!  I used Creative Expressions Wrapped Up stamp set, which I actually won at Christmas Kickstart Challenge many moons ago.  About time I stamped it out.  I started with a piece of Marianne Designs woodgrain paper, which, like many of my genius design ideas, was handily lying on my desk.  Looks wintery me thinks.  I stamped the sentiment, then the trees, and gave them a bit of scribbly distress marker colour.  I stamped the bear on a piece of white card, coloured and fussy cut.  Doesn't he look grand and happy in his little forest.  I added some glitter to the base of the trees and the stars cos glitter is always in fashion.

 Jo gave me my own special hat to elf-out in!!  Fabulous.  Love the built in ears.  Off to the shops soon.

  

I hope you get time to make a card or two, if Christmas is your thing, and if you happen to be stamping gnomes the Lost Coast Portal to Creativity would also love to see them.

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz 

Joining the fun at
Jingle Belles Rock - Walking in a Whimsical Wonderland
Word Art Wednesday Weeks 746-747
Scrappelyst Utfordring for April - Favorittprodukt love distress markers and stamps
Paper Funday Challenge 86 - Anything Goes opt Die Cuts/Punches
The Outlawz Christmas Challenge - April
The Outlawz Challenges April Linky

Autumn Joy

Hello Nomad friends.   Hope you are having a wonderful day.  It started with a little sunshine, but then turned wet, so a great day to adjourn to the craft room and use the lovely sketch from De Egel again.  They also want us to include an animal, so I went crazy with a sizzix die set and used three.  

The bear, rabbit, fox and leaves are all from the same die set.  I like the primitive simplicity of these.  Simple shapes with a little bit of layering detail.  The hearts were negative cut leftovers.  I used packaging and bazzill scraps for the animals and leaves.  The main background pieces are Tonic papers and the smaller pieces, more scraps.  The burnt orange piece is embossed with Simon Says Stamp Firework folder.  I used Marianne Design and Gummiapan postage dies.  

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

 

Joining the fun at
De Egel Sketch Challenge 209
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Layer It Up 
Inspiration Station Challenge September inspired by leaves and yellow/orange
Allsorts Challenge 831 - Birthday opt AG 
Pixies Snippets Playground Challenge 514

Purple Polar

Hello Nomad friends.  I've made a cozy christmas card using Hero Arts layered bear dies and the lovely sketch from Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers. 

I decided to go with shades of purple using some scraps of purple.  Love this sketch for it's simplicity, cool look and it's great for using up small scraps.  I cut the bear from white bazzill and used sharpies to colour the bear, and some of the scraps of white to cut the snowflakes and sentiment strip.  The sentiment is a Hobby Arts stamp.  

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Christmas Kickstart Challenge 98 - Winter Warmers 
As You Like It Challenge - Favorite Sketch  love this BYSHC sketch for it's simplicity, great design look and it is great for using scraps.
Promarker Challenge Week 789 - Special Anniversary Challenge
Stay Crafty with a Blog Named Hero Challenge - Can't Take My Eyes Off You
Snippets Playground Challenge 506

A Story to Tell

Hello Nomad friends.  I love real books.  Easy to sit down and get lost in the pages.  I've used a couple of Waffle Flower stamp sets to make this card featuring books.  

The big book from Waffle Flower Book and Coffee set I stamped 4 times on the white card base and also the bear with the book on a separate piece of card and cut with a circle die.  Then I used various sentiments and icons from Waffle Flower Recharge set on the background book and on the cut circle.  I popped the cut circle up on a piece of foam for extra suspense.

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Seven Hills Crafts February Sketch Challenge
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Bookmarks/Inspired by Books 
Allsorts Challenge 817 - AG opt Blue
Stamping Sensations Challenge - AG opt Valentines, Romance, Weddings
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Cute and Cuddly

Hearts and Baubles

Hello Nomad friends.  Gosh, the last of the month.  Maybe there is still time to join a last few challenges.  I made another Christmas bauble card and I've used Hunkydory toppers for the main image.  Perhaps I should set myself a challenge to use some of these every month.  Stay tuned...........

 

I used a silver base card and added a navy scrap panel embossed with a hearts embossing folder.  I found some silver scrap and cut with a bauble die and embossed with a sizzix christmas jumper type folder.  I used the bauble die to cut a hanger for the Hunkydory circle and arranged everything in an ascetically pleasing manner with some pretty wool strings.

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Christmas Kickstart Challenge 94 - Bring the Baubles
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Have a Heart
ABC Christmas Challenge - A is for Anything Christmas
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes 
Papercraft Challenge 114 - Winter Wonders

Beautiful Bear

Hello Nomad friends.  I'm enjoying a quiet day and feeling a bit crafty so I grabbed this beautiful Hero Arts bear and made a card.  

The background is an old Hero Arts stamp called Flourish that has a matching sizzix embossing folder.  I stamped on some subtly coloured card and embossed the pattern.  I cut layering Bear die from white card and added some colour with promarkers.  Then I popped it on the backing layer and a piece of foam for extra dimension.  The sentiment is from Hero Arts Winter Hearth stamped on a pretty scrap.  

Thanks for dropping by again.  Mr Mojo is feeling frisky so maybe it will be a crafty end to 2024.  Hugz

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Stay Crafty with a Blog Named Hero Challenge - Deck The Halls
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Use Dies
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Cold and Frosty 
ABC Christmas Challenge - Z for Zoo Animal
Seven Hills Crafts Challenge - Winter

 

Nostalgic Christmas

Hello Nomad friends.  Nope, I am not ready!  There, I admitted it.  But on the good side it will all be over in a couple of weeks and I can start planning for next year Hohohohhhhoh.  Thought I needed a Christmas laugh LOL.  Anyway, that said, I did allow myself to get distracted again from xmas card writing and made this cute gift box.

I used double sided patterned card for the box and some pretty vintage style papers for the main motif and tag.  

Inside a pack of serviettes and scented tea-lights.

Thanks for dropping by.  Hope your preparations are in better shape than mine, but if not, I recommend cake.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Gifts
Scrappelyst Utfordring for Desember - Rødt
The Outlawz Challenge Twisted Thursdays
Outlawz Challenge December Linky
ABC Christmas Challenge - Z for Zoo Animal more like pet corner but there is a bear

Not Lost In Transylvania

Hello Nomad friends.  It's the second of the month and time for the Card Chain Challenge Reveal.  Make a card, send a card, get a card.   Everyone gets a card.  Everyone's a winner.  And at the moment the Card Chain Challenge is being sponsored by Relatively Thoughtful so somebody is gonna be extra lucky.....

We have just celebrated 15 years of the Card Chain Challenge.  15 years of sending love around the planet one card at a time.  The birthday present winners have been announced so don't forget to check that post too.

This month is a bit of a mirror deja vu for me as my sender and recipient are the same as when I first joined up, but round the other way.  I got a lovely card from Greta in Oregan.  My card went to Jo in the UK and I used the options of Bear, Friendship and Transylvanian.

Transylvania means literally "through the woods" or "beyond the woods"

I made a green distress ink smoochy background and stamped Lost Coast Designs Tall Trees with London Fog ink.  The sentiment is by Carmen's Veranda, as are the two words I used on the Cheery Lynn die cut sign.  The grass is Mama Elephant die and the bear is sizzix.  I stamped the bear's face with a Pink and Main stamp.  The bear and the sign and the grass were all made from scraps from the brown box. 

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
As You Like It Challenge - Favourite Critter gotta love a bear.   Cute, fluffy and majestic 

Snippets Playground Challenge 492

Bearing Bunches of Love

Hello Nomad friends.  Mr Mojo seems to be working well with colours of autumn.  Luckily we are having a bit of late summer, so it's still all in my dreams, but that's OK.  Here's a sweet bear bearing a bunch of autumn leaves and hugs.

I used a green foil card base and cut Poppystamps Brilliant Star Oval and the 'ground' from a piece of slightly grungy designer paper from Basic Grey that is on my desk and I have used in a few projects this week.  Over half way to getting it gone LOL.   I paper pieced the sizzix bear and cut Poppystamps Occhard Leaves from a scrap of MME card.  The sentiment is from Memory Box Oceanside Typewriter Sentiment set stamped on a slightly lighter section of the Basic Grey paper.

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Scrappelyst Utfordring for September - Høstfarger
Poppystamps Challenge 120 - Clean and Simple
Allsorts Challenge Week 798 - Something Fishy opt AG sorry Gail, bear ate fish......
Die Cut Divas Challenge - Sympathy

Bearly Caffienated

Hello Nomad friends.  It's Christmas!!!
Only joking......  Blame it on the coffee

The red star panel was a left over I found and thought I'd make something with it.  I embossed a piece of white with the Let It Snow embossing folder and put it behind the red panel.  Then I decided the red panel needed some texture too so I lined it all up in the folder again!!!   I know, making it difficult.  I cut the snowy hills from white scraps and stamped the Greeting Farm bear on another bit of white, coloured with promarkers and fussy cut.  

  Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Add A Sentiment
Word Art Wednesday Weeks 661-662
Caffeinated Christmas Card Challenge 32 - Cute Critters
Christmas Kickstart Challenge 89 - Animal Antics
Kreativtanten Challenge 92 - Alles Geht

Looking For Lumberjacks

Hello Nomad friends.  I'm doing some emergency elfing out at the Christmas Kickstart Challenge after the scheduled elf got the covid!!!   Get well soon elfy.  The theme is Playing With Plaid and I could bearly contain myself.  I made a pop up easel Christmas scene. 

I used DCWV plaid paper for the background panel and inside panels.  The curtains are MFT Take The Stage dies.  The bear and tree are from sizzix Forest Animals 2 die set.  I used a sizzix santa hat die to cut the tartan paper and improvised the slippers!!   The gifts are DO-crafts cardboard stickers and I used another sticker for the Merry Christmas.  Easel card, folds flat for sending.

Join the Playing With Plaid fun and don't forget to keep it Christmas!!!

Thanks for dropping by. 

Joining the fun at
52 Weeks to Christmas April Challenge - Fun Fold
Allsorts Challenge Week 779 . More Than One Fold
MFT Stamps Christmas Card Challenge April 2024

Big Bear

Hello Nomad friends.  It's the 2nd of the month so time for the Card Chain Challenge Reveal.  34 awesome card makers sent cards winging their way around the planet in October.  I sent mine to Alice in Finland

I used the options of bear, friendship and something fluffy.  From the top......  Black card base stamped with Taylored Expressions Starry Sky stamp and silver embossed.  The mountains and jaggy snowy trees? are sizzix dies.  A couple of white pieces cut with a stitched landscape die.  The bear is Studio Light Moonflower die, cut from silver mirror and that fluffy grey stuff.  I then used the matching constellation die to cut the fluffy stuff so the silver mirror could shine through.  It's also a bit offset for some bright edges.  The sentiment is from Lost Coast Designs Travel Quotes set.

You can check out the whole reveal HERE

You can sign up for the November Card Exchange HERE.  

Make a card, send a card, get a card.  Everyone gets a card.  Everyone is a winner.

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Emboss It
Allsorts Challenge Week 752 Embossing
Scrappelyst Utfordring for November - Snø/Snøkrystaller

Scandi Bear

Hello Nomad friends.   Yeah! the weekend, and rolling towards month's end and the most Bootastic time of the year.  But first a little Christmas bear action.

I've used the BYSHC sketch and a scrap of card I stamped and embossed with lots of holiday words.  I used a lovely piece of burgundy patterned paper with gold foil detail for the second layer so decided to used a vellum layer on top so it wasn't totally hidden.  Die cut the bear and embossed with a scandi folder and cut a co-ordinating scandi border from white scraps.  

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Bear is joining the fun at
October Rudolph Days
BYSH Cardmakers Falling for the Holidays linky
ABC Christmas Challenge - U is for Use It Up used up scraps
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
HobbyVision Challenge 138 - Alles Mag

Golden Bear

Hello Nomad friends.  Happy New Year!!!  I hope 2023 is awesome for us all.   It's the 2nd of the year and time for the Card Chain Challenge reveal.  We played tic-tac-tic-tac-toe for our December cards and 26 ladies took up the challenge, which is wonderful at such a busy time of year.   My card went to Imke in Germany and I used the bottom line of Gold, Stars, Bear, Shrink Plastic and Silver.

I used sizzix colourize bear and, in keeping with my perennial resolution, built him from scraps of gold and silver card.  This is my first time using this bear die and I love it!  The star is a sizzix bigz die with matching embossing folder inked with a bit of dandelion archival ink.   I stamped Crafty Individuals 'Friendship cannot be measured only treasured' sentiment on shrink plastic and skrunk it. 

This was the bingo card we used so do pop over and check out all the amazing cards in the reveal.

There is still time for you to sign up for the January exchange if you would like to send and receive gorgeous handmade happy mail.

Thanks for dropping by.  Thank you for your continuing love and support.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Allsorts Challenge Week 708/9 - CAS
Snippets Playground Challenge 444 - Anything But Christmas
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Light Up The New Year

One Plus Two Equals One

Hello Nomad friends.  I'm back!!!  Did you miss me???  I was in the UK for family things and I gotta admit, I missed crafting.  And my computer!!!!   Gosh, new appreciation for those of you doing everything on your phones!!   What a challenge!   I did do some desert island crafting (that's what I call it when I am stranded far from my stash) but the photo is on the phone and I am still trying to get it to give it up!!   Maybe that card will pop up soon, cos it was kinda cool, but first.........

It's the 10th of the month so time for a new challenge at Let's Squash It!   Jo has gone a bit mathematical with the challenge Cuz 2 Out of 3 Ain't Bad... and wants to see two thirds of your card embossed and one third clean space.

Don't Panic!!!!!! 

I am sure we won't be out with the ruler, so a rough eyeballing of the proportions is perfectly acceptable.  I went with a wide border around an embossed panel, and I might be a bit nearer a clean two fifths! but like I said, no rulers will be used bwahahhaahaahahaa.

Gonna have to NBUS this one cos the sizzix Dandelion Wish 3D folder and the gorgeous Penny Black Furry Smile stamp are both new.  Isn't that folder divine?!!!  I used Docrafts textured gold card for my panel and love the look.  Of course the photography was another challenge I don't feel able to discuss!!  I know you feel my pain, but isn't it gorgeous!!!!   I'd like to thank Penny Black for the new stamp.  I was lucky to win a voucher to the website and they were so awesome to send international.  I love all the goodies that came and I am sure more will be popping up soon.  I'd also like to thank Greta for giving me the heads up cos I was in a bit of a tiz and might have missed it.  

It's starting to read like an oscar acceptance speech!!!  A night at the airport after cancelled flights will do that to a brain!!!   Is there a limit to the number of exclamation marks it's polite to use on any one blog post??!!!  Anyway, oh yeah, dandelion wishes embossing folder on textured gold card I had stamped the Penny Black happy birthday on.  Penny Black Furry Smile stamped on white card with black archival, fuzzy cut (that's when I drag the scissors while I cut to keep that nice fuzzy edge) and a little sharpie colour.  Isn't he adorbs!!!!! 

OK, screw on your maths head and get Squashy with your folders.  More awesome inspiration over on the Let's Squash It! blog for other ways to keep your third clean so do hop over and check it out.  See you there!!!

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Anything Goes Opt. Food/Drink
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Stamp It
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Stamp It
Scrappelyst Utfordring for September - Bursdag
We Love Stamping Challenge - Anything Goes with Stamping
NBUS Challenge 42

Bearly Whispering

Hello Nomad friends.  A productive day in the garden and a card!  What more could I ask for??

I used a brown card base and cut a panel of kraft card with Gummiapan Stitched Square die and Poppystamps Clever Keypad die to cut the 9 squares.  Such a cute little die.  Then I used stamps from Poppystamps Christmas Friends for the scallops and Love Note for the bear.

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Poppystamps Challenge 93 - My Guy
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Clean and Simple
Creative Fingers Challenge 234 - Anything Goes
Pammies Inky Pinkies Challenge 2226

 

Under A Starry Sky

Hello Nomad friends.  I have some inspiration today for the Lets Squash It! Make It Manly Challenge.

I used a piece of starry designer card and embossed it with Hunkydory magazine Snowflake and Star embossing folder.  The bear is a Simon Says Stamp stamp, stamped with Sky Blue archival and cut with co-ordinating die.  He is walking on silver glitter tape ground.  The sentiment is built into this stamp.  Ain't that great!

There are already some gorgeous makes in the Lets Squash It! linky and there are also some fab techniques being shared so do hop over and check em out, and don't forget to leave a comment or two, we all love a comment LOL.

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Christmas Kickstart Challenge 63 - Perfectly Pawsome
Country View June Challenge - Seeing Stars
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Add a Sentiment
ABC Christmas Challenge - L is for Little lots of little stars and snowflakes

Strangely Weird

Hello Nomad friends.  Happy Easter!!!   I hope the bunny brought you plenty chocolate eggs and candy.  All that sugar has obviously gone straight to my head and Mr Mojo had a bit of a weird moment throwing some unrelated items together for an unlikely, but strangely pleasing result.  It's time for a little inspiration for the Let's Squash It!! Geometric challenge and I decided to stretch my sizzix Spiderweb folder in this colourful creation.

I embossed some purple glittery glossy card with the spiderweb folder and added some purple and orange Promarker and Spiced Marmalade distress marker colour.  I die cut the panel with a stitch die, added a preprinted birthday greeting and The Greeting Farm polar bear. 

 

I hope you find time to grab your geometric folders and join the fun at Let's Squash It!

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

 

Joining the fun at
Allsorts Challenge Week 671/2 - Masculine

Bearly Time For Coffee

Hello Nomad friends.  A simple little xmas card using my very favourite coffee drinking bear from The Greeting Farm Let It Snow stamp set.

I used a subtly patterned card base, a scrap of white card cut with a stitch hill die and stamped the sentiment from TGF set straight on the card. I stamped the bear, fussy cut him and added a little colour with Promarkers.  Then I masked off the bear's scarf so I could stamp the small heart with red archival ink.

Hope you are having a merry day.  

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Caffeinated Christmas Card Challenge 2 - Hearts
Allsorts Challenge Week 664 - I Love...... bears, coffee and bears drinking coffee
Day of the Month Card Club 36 - Polar Bear Day
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

 

Coffee In The Woods

Hello Nomad friends.  Rattling through forgotten corners I found a pack of stardream glitter paper.  Ooooh, pretty! 

I covered a DL card base with a piece of green and a piece of ice blue stardream glitter paper.  I cut the blue with Stamplorations Stitched Snowy Hills die.  The bear is from The Greeting Farm, stamped, coloured with Promarkers and fussy cut.  Then I looked for some pine trees.  I found this really old Sizzix original die and cut two from green foam scraps and two from fluffy green scraps.  The two small trees were a gift from a friend.  Then I found some bits of green glitter card, cut it with Movers and Shapers distressed pine tree and layered them on the foam trees.  Plenty room top right for a happy/merry/beary/cosy/god and top left for a Xmas/Jul once I decide...........

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
ABC Christmas Challenge - F is for Fir Tree
Die Cut Divas - Slimline Cards
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge 534
Christmas Kickstart - Green Christmas
2021 Spring/Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop