My Favorite Five of 2012

Debby has a candy over at her blog. To participate you need to pick your five favorite cards of 2012.

I think it's so interesting to see what cards people pick. My experience is that the ones I'm most happy with myself isn't necessarily the ones that give me the most comments or prizes. The feeling I had during the making process also influences how I feel about a card afterwards.  

So here goes for my favorites:






My first card is from February - the month I started my blog. I was quite new to cardmaking at this point, so I'm very proud of how this flowery card turned out, and I love papers with spots!


My second card is my favorite CAS card, made in July. The sentiment is in Norwegian and says "I love you". I was picked top 3 for this card over at LIM, an achievement I was very proud of as I find CAS the most challenging cards to make, and there are SO many talented CAS crafters out there!


My third card, also made in July, is my favorite vintage style card. I had so much fun making this one! The weather was really bad and I was in a mood for Christmas.


My fourth card I made in October. I love wood grain, I love kraft and I love owls! I was new to heat embossing at this point, and I had such a fun time playing with my new tools, as well as paper piecing the owls.


My fifth card, made in August, is a favorite because the image reminds me of my two youngest nephews. When my sister spotted this card, she contacted me to say that she HAD to get this one for her birthday! And so she did! I like making male cards as I'm a bit clumsy when it comes to pinks and flowers and all those girly details, but also I have mostly men in my family, so it's also a practical side to it.

Pink and Pearlie

I've made a birthday card with some of my new goodies!
The Kenny K digi was a Christmas gift from me to myself. I colored her with pink ProMakers and added pink glitter to her boa shawl. Her diadem is sparkled up with Stardust stickles.
The Die-namics musical notes dies I got as an advent calendar gift from my mum, as well as the DP. The DP was part of a crafting package she got at IKEA, it contained several DPs, stickers, tags and ribbons.
I added glossy accent to the music notes. The sentiment is stamped.The black lace and pink pearls are from my stash.

This card is for these challenges:
1) Craftymess challenge blog - #24 Show Some Sparkle/Bling
2) Totally Gorjuss - #164 New (image, DP, music notes dies)
3) In the Pink - #10 Pink and Pearlie
4) Shelly's Images - Out with the old in with the New
5) The Squirrel and The Fox - #34 Party Time
6) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Kenny K Tag

I hope you've all had a lovely time and enjoyed the holidays. I haven't posted anything for nearly 2 weeks, not because I've been too busy with Christmas preparations, but I've been on holiday to Rome, Italy, and then I've been  with my family for Christmas.

I got the DP with clocks as an advent calendar gift and I thought it would make a great background for a male tag. I've inked the edges with walnut distress ink. The image is a digi from Kenny K, colored with ProMarkers. The sentiment is a rub on and can be translated to "congratulations" or "happy birthday". I've used some jute and twine.

I enter this tag into these challenges:
1) Crafty Boots Challenges - Lads tags
2) C.R.A.F.T. - #186 not a card
3) Craft Room Challenge - Make a Tag
4) I love Promarkers - #148 anything but square
5) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Not a Christmas Card

I needed to make a male card for an upcoming 18th birthday!
I didn't feel that teddy bears or cute little boys would be quite right for this occasion, so I went for this Kenny K Digi - I hope it's within the limit of decency...
I still have some way to go with my coloring skills, especially with markers, but I'm fairly satisfied with how this one turned out as I'm no hair and skin expert!
I've used a wood patterned DP as background. The ones with spots and squares are leftovers.
I've used die cuts for the number and stickers for the sentiment. The only embellishments are some die cut stars.

This card is for these challenges:
1) Here Come the Boys - Anything Goes
2) Totally Papercrafts – For the Boys
3) Make it Monday - always Anything Goes

Red and White Christmas Card with TeddyBea

It's so hard to get anything resembling a decent photo now - it's dark outside when I leave for work and it's dark when I get home... I so look forward to Christmas Eve, but I don't care much for Winter - I would gladly have skipped January-March...

I just love this TeddyBea image - I think she's perfect for so many different occasions. This time I colored her outfit in different shades of pink - colors I don't use very often. I cut the image using a circle shaped die. I felt there was too much white space, so I manually cut an inner circle so that more of the lovely gingham patterned paper from Forever Friends' A Christmas Tale Collection could be shown.
The snowflakes and large poinsettia are made with Marianne Creatables dies, and the smaller flowers are cut outs from a DP. I've sprinkled the snowflakes with glitter embossing powder and heat embossed them. A bit of glitter glue is added to TeddyBea's wings and to the little star. The border at the top my card is made with a Magnolia die. The sentiment is made with a stamp that came free with a magazine I bought, it's heat embossed with white powder.





This card is for these challenges:
1) 2 Sisters - #120 Snowflakes
2) Totally Gorjuss - #160 Oh No Snow
3) Kaboodle Doodles Challenge Blog - #149 Use the color red
4) Stampin' For The Weekend - Let it Snow
5) Crafty Boots Challenges - Christmas
6) Charisma Cardz - #48 Christmas
7) ABC Challenges - #8 Let it Snow
8) Incy Wincy Designs Challenge - Christmas with Snowflakes
9) Forever Friends - #51 Christmas Cards
10) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Birthday Card with TeddyBea

The inspiration for my choice of colors is this week's theme over at A Gem of a Challenge.
I've used TeddyBea as image, colored her with Promarkers and added stardust glitter to her wings.
I attached her to a piece of scrap paper I thought fit the colors of her dress.
I made room for a tag with a personal birthday greeting behind this panel. For the tag I also used a the little piece of pink lace I had left and a star metal charm.
All edges have been machine stitched.
I die cut a chevron border, using a Memory Box die, and some stars.
I attached 3 flowers - two of them are purple, they seem blue in the large photo, but the smaller detailed one shows the colors as thet look in real life.
The stamped sentiment has been heat embossed using white embossing powder - today's advent calendar gift!


This card is entered in these challenges:
1) A Gem of a Challenge - #60 Lavender and Lace
2) Glitter n Sparkle Challenge Blog - #10 Use some Metal
3) Hiding in my Craft Room - #74 Super Scraps Saturday
4) Sweet Stampin - Dies and Punches
5) Jellypark Challenges - Stars are Brightly Shining
6) Crafting for all Seasons - #41 Flowers
7) The Teddy Bo Challenge - Anything Goes
8) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Christmas Stockings

I've used The Sketch File sketch as inspiration for this design.
I love red and white colors for Christmas and papers with spots, hence my choice of DP to make the panels. I machine stitched around the edges, not too straight, for a rough look.
I used 2 different stamps from Panduro to make the stockings - colored only with a red Promarker. I attached some jute for the string, tied a knot in each end to attach the little metal bells. The Christmas sentiment is stamped.

This card is for these challenges:
1) The Sketch File - Sketch
2) Paper Pretties Wednesday Challenge - PPC235 Christmas inspired
3) Ooh La La Creations - Spots & Dots
4) Paper Playtime - Christmas Colors
5) Panduro Hobby - Jul
6) Shelly's Images - Christmas is in the air
7) PaperPlay Challenges - #49 Christmas is coming
8) Pattie's Creations Design Challenge - #58 Christmas card
9) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Falalala...

My second card using these carolers and lamp post digis from Mo's Digital Pencil- just love these ones, they're so fun to color too!
I've also used two stamps for the sentiments - one located on the red circle and the other one is stamped directly on the DP, beneath the image.
I've used pearl straws (yesterday's advent calendar gift, btw), red and brown flowers and a tied bow with a little bell as decorations.
I've torn the edges of the music note paper to give it a distressed look.

This card is for these challenges:
1) Kaboodle Doodles Challenge Blog - #148 Use Circles
2) Lollipop Crafts - #95 Happy Holidays
3) Whoopsi Daisy - Christmas Cards
4) Love to Create Challenge Blog - #44 Holiday Cheer
5) No Matter Which Challenges - Christmas
6) Cupcake Craftroom - Anything for Christmas
7) The Squirrel & the Fox - Summer or Winter
8) Pile It On - Embellishments
9) Sugar Creek Hollow - #40 Distressing
10) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Card made of Wrapping Paper

This card is inspired by this week's "Just Us Girls" sketch. I immediately thought of a Christmas gift when seeing this sketch. So the paper I've used is actually wrapping paper, and I added a red ribbon with silver edges to create the illusion of a wrapped up gift. I tied a large bow of red ribbon and I attached a little silver bell to it. The sentiment is made with a stamp from Panduro, heat embossed with silver embossing powder. I machine stitched with silver thread around the wrapping paper and attached it all to a silver card stock base. Finally I added 3 snowflakes as embellishments.

This card is entered into these challenges:
1) Just Us Girls - #165 - Sketch
2) Card Makin' Mamas - Silver and/or Gold
3) Fab 'n' Funky - #148 - 3 of something (snowflakes)
4) Try It On Tuesday - Christmas Sparkle
5) Sisterhood of Crafters - Embossing

Vintage Christmas Gift Bag

My mum, my youngest sister and I have a tradition of giving each other advent calendar gifts  - we give 12 presents to each person, so that makes 24 in total since we are 3 persons. It's perhaps a quite childish thing to do, but at least it gets me out of bed each morning, which normally is quite hard as I like to stay warm under the covers and I'm not a typical morning bird! Today I received a Rachelle Anne Miller clear stamp which I look forward to ink up!

This gift bag contains a gift for my sister for the 5th of Decemeber.
I've used a new die, the Spellbinders Basic Lattice die. I've covered it with flowers, a vintage image and a die cut tree. The flowers have got red and diamond glitter glue on their petals.
The sentiment is a leftover from a DP I used for another card. The background paper has been sprinkled with glimmer mist - it doesn't show on the pictures, but in real life you can see the sparkly effect. I've also tied a bow onto which I've fastened a snowflake metal charm. I've added pearls in each corner of the bag.





This gift bag is for these challenges:
1) Craftymess challenge blog - #23 Vintage Christmas
2) Sparkles Christmas Challenge - #23 Button or Bow
3) The Cupboard Trilogy - #6 Frosty Winter
4) 2 Sisters Challenge Blog - #120 Christmas Sparkle
5) Jingle Belles - Anything Goes
6) Card Crafter's Circle - Bearing Gifts
7) Fussy and Fancy - I Love Christmas
8) Totally Papercrafts – Anything Christmasy but a card
9) It's All About the Vintage - Glittering
10) S J Papercrafts - Christmas plus optional: mix up the alphas

Criss Cross Wedding Card

This is a card I had to do in a hurry for my sister - she needed a wedding card urgently. I usually spend quite a few hours on my cards - I'm a slow cardmaker - but I hope it turned out OK for the occasion...
I've used a black and white DP with love sentiments and a DP with roses. I've decorated with white tulle, soft pink ric rac ribbon, some pearls and a metal charm.
There is no stamped image, only a stamped "congratulations" sentiment which I've heat embossed.
I've used a Martha Stewart punch for the edges of the card inside the envelope.


I enter this card into these challenges:
1) Penny's Paper-Crafty - #104 More than 1 fold
2) ABC Challenges - Anything Goes
3) Pile It On - Anything but a Christmas Card
4) Paper Pretties Monday Challenge - Anything Goes
5) Joanna Sheen Challenge - Anything Goes excluding Christmas
6) Make it Monday - Anything Goes  

TeddyBea Tag with Glitter and Pearls

I've decided to try and use some of those scraps for my next projects, so I've made a Christmas gift tag with some leftovers.
I've used a TeddyBea digi for the image, and she's been colored with Promarkers. She's also got a touch of diamond glitter glue on her wings. I've also added glitter glue to the edges of the die cut star.
I've used 2 Christmas clear stamps for the sentiment and the stamp mark.
For embellishments I've used some red ribbon, two roses and five pearls.

This tag is for the following challenges:
1) Little Miss Muffet Challenges - Tags or Gifts
2) Moving Along With The Times - Use 3 elements beginning with the same letter (Red, Roses, Ribbon)
3) Sassy Studio Designs - #153 Christmas Anything BUT a Card
4) Glitter n Sparkle - Ribbon and/or Lace
5) The Crafty Pad - Add some Glitter
6) Totally Gorjuss - #159 Don't be Square
7) Divas by Design - #63 Glitter and Sparkle
8) Anything Goes Challenge - #82 Tags
9) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Easel Card with non-traditional Christmas Colors

For this card I've used 2 DPs, brown paper and kraft.
The image is a digi from Mo's Digital Pencil. I've colored it using Promarkers and Distress Ink, color Old Paper.
I attached a ribbon with a stocking metal charm and a bow.
I've used a clear stamp for the sentiment.
I've used circle dies and a label die for the sentiment.
I've decorated with light blue pearls and blue and white flowers.


I enter this card into these challenges:
1) Pretty Little Ribbon Shop - Diecuts/punches, ribbons and charms
2) Come and Get It Challenges - More than 1 Fold
3) Dream Valley Challenges - Non-traditional Christmas
4) Sentimental Sundays - Easel Card
5) Christmas Cards All Year Round - Shaped or Fancy Folds
6) That Craft Place - No Squares Allowed
7) 52 Christmas Throwdown - Pearls (2nd entry)
8) Crazy 4 Challenges - #C4C164 Put a bow on it
9) Totally Gorjuss - #159 Don't be Square
10) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Carolers

I made this card of scraps from 3 different DPs and kraft paper.
The images - digis from Mo's Digital Pencil - has been colored with Promarkers, and I used a brush to add a bit of blue Distress Ink for the sky.
I used a Marianne CreaTables die to make the trees - one in vellum and one in white paper.
The swirl is cut out from a DP.

This card is for these challenges:
1) Addicted to Stamps Challenge - Christmas Time
2) Card and Scrap - Christmas
3) Hiding in my Craft Room - #73 Christmas
4) Kraftyhands - #5 Christmas
5) Paper Creator's Crafts - All about Christmas
6) Creatalicious Challenges - Winter
7) Challenges 4 Everybody - Always Anything Goes
8) The Squirrel & the Fox - Anything Goes
9) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Angel Bears

I used The Sweet Stop's sketch as inspiration for this design.
I machine stitched 4 panels of vellum note paper onto kraft paper, using silver thread.
I attached a Crafter's Companion decoupage image onto a cloud of light blue paper with silver heat embossed edges.
The chipboard snowflakes came free with a magazine, I attached pearls to their center, as well as one pearl in each corner of the card. The sentiment - "Merry Christmas" in Norwegian - is made with alphabet stickers.

I enter this card into these challenges:
1) The Sweet Stop - SSS186 Sketch
2) Christmas Crafting! - #16 Decoupage
3) Sparkles Forum Challenges - Christmas is coming
4) Crafty Ann's - Birds or Animals
5) Totally Papercrafts – All Stitched up
6) 2 Sisters Challenge Blog - #119 Winter Wonderland
7) Crimbo Crackers - Anything goes Christmas
8) Crafty Creations - #197 Christmas Is Coming
9) 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown - Pearls
10) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

A CAS Christmas Card

I've used an embossing folder with spots to make the background.
The image is made with a a Sarah Kay stamp (Stampavie) , and I've colored it with Promarkes.
I've used two different Marianne CreaTables dies for the tree and fence.
The snow on the window and fence is made with a snow pen.
The tree has glimmer mist, and I've heat embossed the edges of the card for some glitter and sparkle.


This card is for these challenges:
1) Moving Along With The Times - Let's go dotty
2) Addicted to Stamps and More - #4 CAS
3) Craft Room Challenge - Punches & Die Cuts
4) Try It On Tuesday - Christmas Sparkle
5) Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - #37 To Die 4

Christmas Edwin

It's been really hectic lately, I've hardly been at home, so I'm sorry I haven't had the time to see all your lovely creations for the past week.  But now I'm back! Yesterday evening I was finally able to sit down and relax with the making of a Christmas card.

The papers I've used as background and for the die cut trees came with a magazine I bought. I've had the paper with mushrooms in my stash since last Christmas and thought it would make a nice ground.
Edwin has been colored with Promarkers. He's mounted on 3D foam, as well as one of the trees.
I've used a die from Marianne Creatables for the trees and a Magnolia die for the ground.
The star is a foam sticker and the sentiment is cut out from a DP.
I've machine stitched around the edges.

This card is for these challenges:
1) Cards For Men - Merry Christmas
2) Crafty Cardmakers - More than One Punch and/or Die Cut
3) The Paper Girls - #20 Christmas or Winter
4) The Crafty Pad - Christmas
5) Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - #99 Use something 6 months old
6) Make it Monday - Anything Goes 

Fairy Pink

Pink and girlie - that's not something I do very often!
I've bought a set of pastel Promarkers, and I thought this lovely freebie fairy from Sweet Coloring Pages was the perfect image to try them out on. I added stardust stickles on her wings and placed her on top of a Memory Box die cut heart of kraft, heat embossed with white holographic embossing powder. The sentiment is stamped. To get a translucent look I added a music note vellum paper on top of the sentiment and the pink DP with roses, as well as tulle for the DP that forms my second layer.
I machine stitched all 3 layers, added a punched vellum flower, lace, pink ribbon and gems.

1) Frosted Designs Fabulous Friday - Recipe Blog Hop (Embossing+Stamping+Gems+Lace+Die cut+Stickles)
2) Sketch Saturday - SKETCH #233
3) Crafty Ann's - Tic Tac Toe (Gems+Glitter+Lace)
4) A Gem of a Challenge - #59 Ribbon and Lace
5) Fairy Tale - Embossing
6) Stampin' For The Weekend - Stitching
7) Totally Papercrafts – Cute & Girly
8) Flutterby Wednesdays - #213 open
9) Glitter n Sparkle - Things with Wings
10) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

CAS Christmas Village

Some cards feel like one big rescue operation! Does that ever happen to you? I had planned a totally different design, but I had to do some many cover ups that I ended up with this clean and simple card.

CAS-ual Fridays has the theme of "Something torn", which gave me the idea to use torn paper to make the snow (which is actually also a part of my my cover up job!)

I'm glad I could rescue the image, I spent a lot of time coloring the image with some newly bought Promarkers. The image is made with a stamp from the Papermania "at Christmas Time" set.

This card is for these challenges:
1) CAS-ual Fridays - Something torn
2) Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - #98 For a Man or Boy
3) 2 Sisters - #117 Favorite Christmas Image

New Arrival

My inspiration for this card is the challenge over at Lollipop Ladies.
I've used 2 green patterned papers from the Graphic45's "Little Darlings Collection. I cut them into triangles to form my background. I added a yellow ribbon tied into a bow.
I've had this Tina Wenke  stamp for quite some time, but this is the first time I've used it. I've colored the image using watercolor pencils, and I've used faded jeans distress ink for the sky. I've used some scrap paper to paper piece the balloon. The clouds are made with a stamp from KaiserCraft.
The fence is made of kraft paper, using a Marianne Creatables die.
The sentiment is made of stickers.

This card is for these challenges:
1) Lollipop Ladies - Pineapples plus Triangles
2) Celebrate the Occasion - #87 Up Up & Away
3) Creative Craft Challenges - Special Occasion NOT Birthday
4) Pretty Little Ribbon - Die Cuts/Punches
5) Simply Create Too - Use your stash (Ribbon, stamp)
6) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Christmas Card with Hexagons

I love kraft and I love papers with spots, so that was my starting point for this card.
I've used a die to cut out the red and kraft hexagons. I've also used a Memory Box die from the set "Crisp Bows" and "Pine Branches" from Cheery Lynn Designs.
The image is made with a stamp that came free with a magazine, and the sentiment is a part of a stamp set from Kort&Godt.
I've distressed the edges of the spotted paper with walnut stain ink, then I machine stitched. The bear's hat and stocking have got glitter on them, and I've also used some pearls.

This card is for these challenges:
1) LEJ Designs - #28 Use Die Cuts Or Punches
2) Craft Your Passion - Hexagons
3) Cupcake Craft - Get Krafty
4) Whoopsi Daisy - Christmas Cards
5) Dream Valley Challenges - Glitter and Bling
6) Glitter n Sparkle - Glitter/Sparkle
7) Pile It On - Make It Sparkle
8) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Christmas Bag with Reindeer

I used the same scenic background on both the front and back of this gift bag - it's a digi from Digital Delights called "Winter Wonderland".

Front:
I did several prints and made 3 layers of  the background - I stitched the first and third layer and mounted the second one on foam.
I used tulle for the ground and for the bow and 6 pearls.
The reindeer is made with a stamp from My Paper World - I heat embossed the reindeer with bronze colored ultra thick embossing enamel.

Back:
I used a Marianne die to make the die cut trees and snowflake. Another reindeer, a freebie that came with a magazine, also embossed. A bit of lace, 6 pearls and a sentiment from a DP.


I enter this gift bag in these challenges:
1) Bearly Mine - #60 Anything Goes
2) Everybody-Art-Challenge - #212 Embossing
3) Tuesday Alchemy - Anything But A Card
4) Ooh La La Creations - Christmas
5) Gingerloft - No coloring Allowed (2nd entry)
6) Sweet Stamps - #90 Christmas
7) Southern Girls Challenge - Christmas
8) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Night Owls

For this card I've used papers from Landstoken Paperdesign - on with spots and one with stripes.
The owls - made with a Stampingbella rubber stamp called "Branching out owlies" - have been  colored with Promarkers.
The moon stamp is from Magnolia. I stamped directly on the DP, then I used a white gel pen to color the clouds white.
The owls have been mounted to a tree branch, made with a Memory Box die. The branch is heat embossed using a bronze colored ultra thick embossing enamel from Suze Weinberg.
The sentiment is a rub on. I've also used are 6 pearls.

This card is for these challenges:
1) A Gem of a Challenge - #58 Polka Dots/Spots
2) Card Crafter's Circle - #47 Patterned Paper
3) Chocolate, Coffee & Cards - #25 Stripes
4) Delicious Doodles - #9 Embossing
5) Jellypark Challenges - Back to Nature
6) Forever Friends - Anything Goes
7) PapercraftJunkies Challenge - Things With Wings
8) Fab 'n' Funky - #145 Diecuts/Punches
9) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Penguin's Little Letter

I've used a Meljen's Designs digi called "Penguin's Little Letter".
I've colored the image with Promarkers, watercolor pencils and distress inks. I've used a Spellbinder die for the frame. I've added glitter to the snowy ground, flower soft to the hat and pearls for the falling snow.
The sentiment is a stamp from Kort&Godt.
The paper with red spots on wooden background is from 3ndy Papir, the green paper with script is from Landstoken Paperdesign's Vintage Christmas Collection.
I've machine stitched around the edges, and I've also used some twine.

This card is for these challenges:
1) Clearly Inspired - Critters
2) Crafty Ann's - Christmas (2nd entry)
3) Moving Along With The Times - Stitching
4) Nutcrafters - #30 Ribbon/Twine
5) Digi Makeover Challenge - Lots of Layers
6) The Crafty Pad - #194 Christmas is coming
7) Meljens Designs - Critters
8) Paper Crafting Journey - Ribbon or twine
9) Southern Girls - Animal Crackers
10) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Circle Shaped B&W Birthday Card

For this circle shaped card I haven't used any image or coloring, only a stamped sentiment (Film Strip Sentimens from Whimsy stamps), which I have heat embossed in black on a mini notelet page. I've added 3 gems as decoration.
I've used 2 DPs, colored papers and black ribbon. All layers of paper have been mounted on foam.
I don't make circle shaped cards very often, but I find them quite fun to do and easy to decorate.

This card is for these challenges:
1) Crafts and Me - #108 Bling
2) Twisted Tuesday - Free For All
3) Gingerloft - No Coloring Allowed
4) Penny's Paper-Crafty - #100 Birthday
5) Lollipop Ladies - Aniseed Rings plus B&W
6) That Craft Place - Tic Tac Toe (Gems+Sentiment+Ribbon)
7) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Red and White Christmas Card with a Critter

My mother asked me to do some Christmas cards for children, and I think this candy theme, together with the image, are quite child friendly. I've used a sketch from a previous challenge at Create with Connie & Mary as inspiration for this design.
I do like red and white Christmas cards. I've used a candy cane embossing folder for the background, 2 DPs and 3 ribbons .
The stamp is from Stampavie - the image is colored with Promarkers, and there's glitter on the hat. The image is mounted on foam - not really visible from this angle though. Some pearls and letter stickers to finish it off. The sentiment says "Merry Christmas" in Norwegian.

This card is for these challenges:
1) Perfect Sentiments - Christmas Critters
2) The Squirrel & the Fox - Use a Ribbon
3) Clearly Inspired - Ribbon or Twine
4) Jingle Belles - Living Creature
5) Christmas Card Challenges - #48 Pop it Up
6) Dream Valley Challenges - Glitter and Bling
7) Crafty Ann's - Christmas in October
8) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Owls and Wood

The inspiration for this design is the sketch over at Try Stamping On Tuesdays. I've used a Woodgrain embossing folder from Darice and a rubber stamp from Donna Salazar called "Woodgrain". I've used bronze colored ultra thick embossing enamel from Suze Weinberg. The owls - made with a Stampingbella rubber stamp called "Branching out owlies" - have been paper pieced. I love their big eyes, so I mounted them on foam to make them to pop out. The sentiment is a freebie from Bird's Cards - I've cut it out using a Spellbinder Eyelet Circles die. I'va also used a Memory Box die for the swirl, onto which I attached a little owl metal charm with a ribbon bow. I've used kraft, brown paper and some diverse left overs.

This card is entered in the following challenges:
1) Try Stamping On Tuesdays - #89 Sketch
2) Perfect Sentimens - Happy Birthday
3) Charisma Cardz - Don't be square
4) Paper Play - Things with Wings
5) Addicted to Stamps - Things with Wings
6) IDIC - #131 Use an Embossing Folder
7) Cards by Lady Anne - Stamp Challenge "Anything Goes"
8) Stampin' For The Weekend - Anything Goes
9) Totally Gorjuss - #155 Things with Wings (2nd entry)
10) Do You Stack Up? - Embossing (2nd entry)

Heart shaped Christmas Tag with Angel Tilda

We've got beautiful weather today, so I'm soon to leaving the house for a stroll!
I've made a tag using a Memory box die that I have embossed with golden glitter. The die cut is adhered to a Holly Hobbie DP with spots. The stamp is from Magnolia, I've stamped on kraft paper, colored with watercolor pencils, a bit of red and stardust glitter glue. A bit of ribbon, a bow tied up using lace, some flowers and a sticker sentiment saying "Merry Christmas" in Norwegian.

I enter this tag into these challenges:
1) Perfect Sentimens - Bingo (Die cut + glitter + lace)
2) Totally Gorjuss - #155 Things with Wings
3) 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown - Embellishment Challenge - Die cuts
4) Tilda's Town – Merry Christmas
5) Do You Stack Up? - Embossing
6) ABC Christmas Challenge - U for Up to You
7) Christmas Cards All Year 'Round - Traditional Colors and Non-traditioal Image
8)Whimsy Inspiration - #55 sparkly (2nd entry)

Puppy Pilot

I won 4 digis from Meljen's Designs over at Make it Monday, and this "Puppy Pilot" is one of them. I thought this image looked ideal for paper piecing, and I love spots and I love red, so that became my choice of paper. I also paper pieced the puppy's scarf. The puppy itself is colored with Promarkers. I've used a little bit of Stardust glitter glue on the stars. I added a red brad on the propeller. I know many of you are so great at coloring your own sky, but I felt I needed  a bit of help, so I've used a free digital paper from Bird's Cards. I made a frame out of blue paper for the image, added a few trees, cut out of a DP, to make the ground.

1) Fab 'n' Funky - #144 Animals
2) Digistamps 4 Joy - #53 Anything Goes (masculine bonus)
3) Paper Pretties Wednesday Challenge - PPC229 Masculine
4) Crazy Amigo Challenge - Clouds
5) Ladybug Crafts Ink TLT Challenge - #71I P (plane, paper piecing)
6) Cupcake Craft - Paper Piecing
7) Digi Makeover Challenge - Weather
8) The Crafty Pad - Use an Animal
9) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

A Girl should be Sassy and Fabulous...

For this card I've used rubber stamps from Whimsy stamps -  Showgirl and Film Strip Sentiments.
I've heat embossed the sentiment, her shoes and the black details on her top.
I've used spotted and striped DPs, and I've machine stitched for the first time!
I've cut out the star with a die, ran it through an embossing folder, then inked the edges with walnut stain ink. A bit of black lace and voilà!

1) Stamptacular Sunday - "No Rules!"
2) Penny's Paper-Crafty - #98 Girl
3) Chocolate, Coffee & Cards - Stitching
4) ABC' Challenges - #1 New to you (sentiment stamp and machine stitching)
5) Fussy and Fancy - Anything Goes
6) Bearly Mine - Anything Goes
7) Critter Sketch - Embossing (wet and dry)
8) Fashionista Challenge - Anything Goes
9) House of Gilli - Embossing (wet and dry)
10)  Make it Monday - Anything Goes
 

Wedding Anniversary Card

I've used this week's "Sketch Saturday" sketch as inspiration for my card. 
I need to make some wedding anniversary cards, and I think Whimsy Stamps' "Bird Swing" is great for such an occasion. The image has been colored with Promarkers and faded jeans distress ink. 
The swing and the edges of the tag, cut out using a Go Kreate die, have been heat embossed with gold. I've also heat embossed the sentiment, which says "Congratulations" in Norwegian.
The patterned papers from Prima's Botanical Collection came free with a magazine. I inked the edges with walnut stain ink before I attached them to gold panels. I finished the card off by adding 3 light blue pearls and a ribbon bow.

I enter this card into these challenges:
1) Sketch Saturday - SKETCH #230
2) The Cupboard Trilogy - Things with wings
3) Happy Campers - Use a tag
4) Flutterby Wednesdays - #210 Any winged creature
5) Perfect Sentiments Challenge - PSC53D Birds & Blooms
6) One Stop Craft - #201 Anything goes
7) Creative Card Crew - #21 Birds
8) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

One Layer - Christmas scene

I'm so out of my comfort zone with one layer cards! That's why I decided to have a go at this week's LIM challenge. This is my third go at it, my first two attempts are now in my pile of cards that I, hopefully, may use as scraps in the future:)

The challenge says to add something with wings. Well, my card has a cute little pair of birds, but I do recognize they're not the focal point of my card. I will not be disappointed if the card is to be deleted from the LIM challenge - this card is more about challenging myself :)

Since I wanted to heat emboss the tree I had to try and get two different inks on Magnolia stamp. It was quite tricky, not a perfect result, but the best I could do with what I've got with equipment...
I've added glitter glue to the snow and I've scored a frame around the scene.

I enter this card into these challenges:
1) Less Is More - #89 One Layer Challenge - Wings
2) One Stop Craft - #200 Heat Embossing
3) Little Miss Muffet Challenges - One layer or CAS
4) Addicted to Stamps and More - CAS (2nd entry)
5) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Heat Embossed CAS Christmas Card

Another Christmas card! I went for CAS this time, inspired by the colors of this week's 52CCT challenge!

I've used a white card base. Before I placed the the brown paper onto gold mirror carton, I heat embossed the edges with golden glitter.

The pine branches how been cut out using a die from Cheery Lynn, and they have been decorated with brown pearls.

The sentiment is a stamp from Panduro, it has been heat embossed in gold and decorated with brown and cream colored pearls.

This card is for these challenges:
1) 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown - Green, brown, cream, metallic gold
2) Clearly Inspired - Sentimental
3) Paper Crafting Journey - Add some bling
4) Addicted to Stamps and More - CAS
5) Sugar Creek Hollow - #33 Sparkle

Christmas Edwin

For this card I've used the Christmas Challenges {with sketches} sketch #45 as starting point. I've kept close to the sketch, I've only added a kraft swirl made with a Memory Box die.
For this card I've used papers from Landstoken Paperdesign again. I've used two Magnolia stamps to create the image. I've used Promarkes for the coloring. I'v also used glitter glue, glitter and glossy accent. The sentiment says "Merry Christmas" in Norwegian.

1) Christmas Challenges {with sketches} - #45 Sketch
2) Craftymess – Anything Goes
3) Tilda's Town – Winter Wonderland
4) Craft Us Crazy - Children and/or Fall (child)
5) Simon Says Stamp - dies/punches (die)
6) Whimsy Inspiration - #54 Sparkly
7) Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - #32 Anything Goes
8) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Sketch Saturday - Winter Scene

This card is inspired by the sketch at Sketch Saturday. I'm in the mood for Christmas, and this is my second Christmas card this week. I've hardly been at home, so I haven't made that many cards lately, but I'm looking forward to this week-end as I've planned to spend a lot of my time relaxing with crafting.

For this card I've used a free stamp that came with a magazine. I've colored it using Promarkers. I still prefer to use my watercolor pencils, I need a bit of practice to get more comfortable with the pens, I guess.
I've added a lot of glitter, glitter glue and glossy accent.
Except for the background paper, I've used papers from Landstoken Paperdesign - they've got some lovely collections of Christmas papers. 

I enter this card into these challenges:
1) Anything Goes Challenge - #77 Animals
2) Sketch Saturday - #228 Sketch
3) Stamp and Create - Winter Wonderland
4) PaperPlay Challenges - Simply Cute
5) Stampin With The Dragon - Animals (2nd entry)
6) Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Christmas Card in Traditional Colors for a Child

For this card I've used design papers from Landstoken Paperdesign, a Memory Box die for the heart and a stamp from Stampavie. I've colored the image with Promarkers, adding glitter to the hat and glossy accent to the spots on the stocking. I've also used some stamps to make the postmark and -stamp, as well as the sentiment. A little bit of jute is added to the heart.


This card is for these challenges:
1) Craft Your Passion - Square-shaped projects
2) Send a Smile for Kids - Punches and/or Die Cuts for Kids
3) Guylou's Inimitability - Fancy Die Cut
4) Stampin With The Dragon - Animals
5) Sparkles Christmas Challenge - #21 Traditional
6) Pixie Dust Studio - Anything Goes
7) Incy Wincy Designs - Anything Goes
8) Papertake Weekly Challenge - All Creatures Great and Small (mouse)
9) Make it Monday - Anything Goes  

Wedding Anniversary Card

For this card I've used design papers with 3 different patterns. The papers are from Making Memories and Maja Design.
I've used a Memory Box die called "La Rue Heart" to cut out the heart.
Whimsy Stamps  has a rubber stamp called "Bird Swing", and here I've used a partial of that image. The image is stamped on kraft paper. I've added a bit of glossy accent on their wings. The roses have been decorated with glitter glue.

This card is for these challenges:

1) Crafty Boots Challenges - Three (3 patterned papers)
2) Through The Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
3) The Squirrel & the Fox - Celebrate the Occasion
4) Crafty Calendar - Browns & Creams
5) Forever Friends - Anything Goes
6) Lollipop Crafts - Something Old, Something New (old stamp, new die)
7) Whimsy Stamps Challenge Blog - Anything Goes
8) Totally Stampalicious - Anything Goes
9) Make it Monday - Anything Goes