S is for... Snowflakes, splatter, skating

For this card I pulled out my most recent stamp set from Lawn Fawn. All stamps, a part from the largest snowflake, are part of this set.

The background was made by masking off the edges and sponging with blue DI in the middle.
I added splatter, stamped snowflakes and some skate lines before adding my fussy cut mice and the die cut Christmas word.

This card is for:
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - #461 Anything Christmas Goes / Make Your Own Background
Cardz 4 Galz - #108 Something Beginning With S (snowflakes, skating, splatter)

Silver bells and own made background

I try to have most of my Christmas cards ready and done by the end of November to limit any last minute stress (I said "try").

For this card I started making the background. I used a Tim Holtz stamp, heat embossed with white empossing powder on kraft. I added a little bit of gesso around the edges.
The image is from Bildmålarna, colored with Promarkers. Glitter glue was applied to the snowflake. She had a free hand, so I attached two silver bells on a string for her to hold. I added a chipboard sentiment and machine stitched around the edges.

This card is for:
Christmas Kickstart Challenge - #22 Jingle all the way
Allsorts - #543 Make Your Own Background
Rudolph Days challenge - October

Autumn cowboy

Over at Catch the Bug our challenge this week is a photo inspiration.

I was inspired by the fall colors.
The DP contains all the colors of the photo and I think the pattern asked for a cowboy.

I used a stitched die and added the image onto a panel of burlap paper and added raffia and brown string.

This card is also for:
Crafty Catz - #479 ANYTHING GOES WITH DRESSING UP Anything with a Costume

Skating mice

The sketch over at CAS(E) this Sketch gave me the opportunity to use my brand new frame stamp by Altenew straight away.

I decorated the frame with skating mice from Lawn Fawn, fussy cut and spread around the frame. The sentiment and two of the snowflakes came with the same LF set.
I've seen aqua and red Christmas cards around in blogland, and now that I've given it a try I think it's  my new favorite color scheme for Christmas, in addition to the traditional red and green.

This card is for:
CAS(E) This Sketch! #344 Sketch
ABC Christmas Challenge - U for Upcycle/V for Velocity
Sweet Stampin - Feature a Creature

Ink #198 Mask

A new challenge went live at Inkspirational yesterday and for the next two weeks the challenge theme is MASK.

I used the Bo Bunny Feeling Festive stamp set. I've always been fascinated by the Matryoshka dolls and their painted faces. I stamped the row of nesting dolls using the masking techniqe before adding the tree from the same set and a Hero Arts sentiment. Next I stamped a few extra dolls, fussy cut and colored the with Promarkers before glueing them onto the row of black and white ones. I added frantage and placed the panel onto a DP with green leaves.

This card is also for:
Passion For Promarkers Challenge - #515 Add a Sentiment
Addicted to Stamps and More - #363 Holiday

Turkey thanks

Tuesday is new release day over at  Bugaboo and this image will pop up in the store here some time today.

Actually, this is just a part of the image, it's comes with a text - Happy Turkey day, but I cut out the turkey and made a thank you card with a specific person in mind.

The image is colored with Promarkers.  The DP and the photo frame and heart die cuts are from Lawn Fawn. I stamped a few thank you greetings with kraft colored ink on the backgrond.

This card is also for:
Challenge Up Your Life - #116 Frame
Sweet Stampin - Autumn Colors/Harvest

Deacon the elf

We are back with a new sketch challenge over at Catch the Bug.

My card features Deacon elf presents,
colored with Promarkers and glittered up with Stickles glue. I used a leftover piece of DP and red card stock, the thin border of stripes is a washi tape. Sticker sentiment from Tim Holtz.

I'm starting to feel a little panicky as I realized all my Christmas cards need to be ready in approx a month and a half - don't forget postage deadlines for Christmas...

This card is also for:
C.R.A.F.T.- #531 Christmas
The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge - #57 Anything Christmas Goes 

Happy Fall Y'all

Over at Catch the Bug our challenge this week is Happy Fall Y'all.

I used Crow trio, colored with Distress inks, panelled onto white card stock and corrugated paper. I used various die cut leaves and a wooden leaf from my stash. I also splattedred with water and blue and orange DI.


This card is for:
If You Gave A Crafter A Cookie... -  #127 Photo Inspiration
Shopping Our Stash - #406  It's Pumpkin Spice Season (anything fall/pumpkin related)

Hearts and ribbon

Over at Catch the Bug our challenge this week is Anything Goes.

I used 3 hearts found in the Bugaboo shop here. I used red and grey Promarkers for coloring, then I heat embossed a Christmas greeting in Norwegian with silver EP across the image.

I added the panel with image onto a falling snow embossed background and added seambinding ribon from my stash.

This card is also for:
Allsorts - #540 Ribbons
Crafty Catz - #477 ANYTHING GOES WITH OPTION RIBBON, BOW OR FLOWER
Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - Anything Christmas

Ink #197 Photo - leaf

We have a new challenge at Inkspirational and it's a photo. Please head over to the challenge blog to see inspiration from my teamies.

I was inspired  by how the mountains are reflecting in the lake. So I went ahead and tried the reflection stamping technique for the first time. I staped the image on acetate before pressing it onto the paper using the acetate as a stamp.
I had added masking tape before inking and stenciling the stars and was quite pleased with it, but as I was removing the tape a SMUDGE appeared. How come this only happens when I'm attempting to go one layer??? I had to rethink my design, I cut the panel and placed it onto a plaid DP. It didn't quite turn out as planned, but I tried to save what could be saved,..

This card is also for:
Crafty Cardmakers - #242 ADD A CRITTER

Lion love

We are back with a new sketch challenge over at Catch the Bug.
I was supposed to get this post up yesterday, but coming back from holiday and having had work done in our apartment while away, it took me time to get access to my computer station. It's quite the chaos in our apartment at the moment, but I know I will be so pleased when everything gets back into its place and everything has been tidied up...

I used the image Lion Love, colored with Promarkers. I cut the sentiment with a stitched cloud/speech bubble die from MFT. 

This card is also for:
C.R.A.F.T. - #529 Animals

Coloring page and spotlight technique

Over at Catch the Bug we have a color challenge this week.

I used the Owls and Flowers coloring page. I decided t go with the spotlight technique, cutting a portion with a circle die and coloring only this part, with Promarkers and a white gel pen. The die cut sentiment is made with a Penny Black die. The googly eyes I found in m stash.

This card is also for:
Crafty Gals Corner - #199 Fall colors
Papercraft Challenges - #46 No Designer Paper
Creative With Stamps Challenge - #42 Autumn

Ink #196 - Paper Piercing

We have a new challenge at Inkspirational - paper piercing. I chose to pierce the paper by stitching around the edges.

The sweet angels image was sent to me my teamie Nonni and they are my favorite angels. I wish I had this stamp myself, but it seems to be a retired one. I colored with Promarkers and a white gel pen. The wings and stars have glitter glue on them. The background has a thin coat of watered gesso, and I used a stencil for the stars and a script stamp. And, again, I used my favorite chipboard sentiments.
Please head over to the challenge blog to see inspiration from my teamies.

This card is also for:
ABC Christmas Challenge - S and T are for...  (Sparkle)
Merry Little Christmas Challenge Blog - #14 Anything Goes

Twofer Card Challenge - Critters

I managed to squeeze in a little time from home refurbishment projects (which is why I have spent less time in blogland, plus preparing for a travel coming up in a week's time) to make two cards for the Twofer Card Challenge #20, where the theme is CRITTERS. 

For both cards I used a mouse stamp from Penny Black, colored with Promarkers.

I made a "sending hugs" and a Christmas card. 

1) Sending hugs

On my first card I stamped the image in a corner and cut a border and frame with dies from MFT. I stamped sending and used a die from Penny Black to make the die cut hugs. The kraft panel is embossed using an EF from Tim Holtz.

 This card is also for: 

Allsorts - #537 Anything Goes
Penny Black and More - Animals

2) Christmas card

For my second card I fussy cut the mouse and placed him onto a die cut tag. I used kraft colored ink and a script stamp on the tag. Added seambinding ribbon and string with two silver bells, as well as a Tim Holtz chipboard sentiment, which is my favorite embellishent at the moment.

 This card is also for:

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Anything Goes / optional: Use something Old or Neglected (bells)
Winter Wonderland - Favorite embellishment (chipboard sentiment)

Ink #195 - Crop

We have a new challenge at Inkspirational and this timewe have a word prompt - CROP.

I chose to crop an image my teamie Nonni sent me quite so time ago. I think they look like they are teamed up for a photo, so I die cut a Lawn Fawn photo frame for them.
I colored them up with Promarkers, a white gel pen and glitter glue.
I actually used glitter paste on the emossed part of the background, which looks nice IRL but doesn't show here. I sed an eossing folder from Tim Holtz.

Please head over to the challenge blog to see inspiration from my teamies.

This card is also for:
The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge - #55 Anything Christmas Goes
2 Crafty Critter Crazies - #30 Anything Goes with a Critter
ABC Christmas Challenge - S and T are for...

Christmas Food and Drink

Over at Catch the Bug, Thursday is 'Oldie but goodie' day and that's when we showcase some of the older Bugaboo images.

Here I colored up 3 images: Christmas Cupcake - Mistletoe, Christmas Cupcake - Candy Canes and image from Gingerbread Wishes Set.

I've added glossy accent and WoS for sparkle as well as a little bit of glitter glue on the whipped cream parts.
I made a 'napkin' and dry emossed the backgrond for a wooden structure. The chipboard sentiment is a Tim Holtz one.

This card is also for:
Christmas Crafts All Year Round - Christmas/Winter Food or Drink
Crafty Gals Corner - #198 Emboss It

Sketch and unicorn

We are back to a biweekly sketch challenge schedule over at Catch the Bug. Here's today's sketch.


I used the image Sweet Unicorn, colored with Promarkers. I cut the image with a circle die, mounted it on a circle panel, then added stamped clouds and birthday sentiment.

This card is also for:
Passion For Promarkers Challenge - #508 For a Birthday

Catch the Bug recipe challenge - make it Clean & Simple.

Over at Catch the Bug there's a recipe challenge this week: make it Clean & Simple.

I used the image Sock elephant heart, colored with Promarkers and fussy cut it. I used masking tape to as off the white frame before sponging blue DI. After removing the tape I used a brush and splattered with ink and water.

To be honest, I didn't get the sentiment 100% straight and I needed a quick fix. So I underlined the you and added a few hearts as a sort of a cover up.

This card is also for:
Creative Knockouts - #313 Something To Say
I love Promarkers - #391 Anything Goes

Moving paper doll tutorial for Catch the Bug

As a child I loved paper dolls with body parts you could move by pulling a string. I wanted to try and make one myself and have attempted to make a tutorial for the Catch the Bug Tutorial Wednesday.


1) First you need to decide on an image. I recommend you pick one with separate legs and no intertwined ones. I used  JJ Tequila and Shoes - Tequila for my card. I printed the full image and an extra set of legs.

2) After coloring and cutting the image (notice how I kept extra paper on top of the legs) I punched holes for the brads and made holes with a needle to add thread. You could skip the thread part to make it easier, but you would then need to move the parts manually.

3) This is how it shold look on the backside.Tie and cut the thread to fit the wanted length.

4) This is the finished result, with her standing and sitting. I pull the thread to have her in a sitting position.

The sentiment comes with the image. I cut it with a heart shaped die from Lawn Fawn and the frame is cut with a MFT frame die. Scrap papers used for the background.

This card is also for:
Sweet Stampers - #35 Dies and/or Punches
Allsorts - #534/5 Feminine

Ink #194 - R photo

It's been two weeks since I last published something. I've been sorting all my crafting stuff to prepare for storage units being installed and it's happening this weekend. I swap homes with my sister, she will do the work here and I will take care of her 3 kids at her house. But today we have a new challenge at Inkspirational and it's a photo.
Please head over to the challenge blog to see inspiration from my teamies.

I was inspired by the letter and used chipboard letters on my card. I also tried to replicate the colors and patterns by coloring the letters with Promarkers and using a black pen. Even the wooden background can be seen both in the photo and on my card. I had to give my card a birthday party feel so I stamped a border of balloons with a Lawn Fawn stamp and coordinated the colors with those of the letters. A few other stamps were used as well.

This card is also for:
Papercraft Challenges - #44 - Stripes
AAA Birthday - #4 FOR THE BOYS
Creative With Stamps Challenge - #41 Dad or Masculine

Inkspirational #193 - Travel

We have a new challenge at Inkspirational and this time I have chosen the theme: Travel.

The starting point of  my card was the die cut globe made with a Tim Holtz die. I covered the paper with metallic gilding polish and frantage. Then I added a die cut plane (from Die-versions) and a sentiment from a Kaiserkraft paper pad. Backgrond papers from Maja Design and one brand unknown.

Please head over to the challenge blog to see inspiration from my teamies.

This card is also for: 
Southern Girls - Fathers Day/Masculine

Same Christmas Tree - two different designs

Over at The Christmas Kickstart Challenge the theme is "Christmas Card/Christmas Card: Christmas Tree". I was so lucky to win a Bo Bunny (Feeling Festive) stamp set over there not long ago, so what better choice than to use the tree from this set?

Card 1: Gold

For this card I heat embossed the tree and a sentiment from Hero Arts in gold. Gold frantage was added as well as a gold string from stash.

This card is also for: Addicted to Stamps and More - #353 Holidays

Card 2: White and silver

I stamped the tree with white ink. Once dry I heat embossed the sentiment in white. I applied some white ink around the edges and scored a frame. Then I added silver string from stash and mounted the panel onto silver mirri card.A little gem was added to the star on the top of the tree.

This card is also for: Christmas Crafts All Year Round - Add a Tree

Still making Christmas cards...

Not much card making done this past week. Last weekend I didn't make a single one, it was too hot. Norwegian homes are made for preserving the heat, not ideal when the temperatures go above 30 celsius outside...

I need many Christmas cards, so for my DT card for Catch the Bug I made a card with Goofy Reindeer colored with Prommarkers. The theme is Anything Goes this week, so you can join in with whatever type of card or project you want.

I used a wooden patterned DP with spots and trees printed on it. I only added my image, lots of frantage for snow and a chipboard sentiment from Tim Holtz. The coloring and fussy cutting took a little time, but the rest was really quick.

This card is also for:
I love Promarkers - #389 Anything Goes with option of Christmas
Sparkles Forum Christmas - #103 It's snow time
Passion For Promarkers Challenge - #504 Going Dotty

Inkspirational #192 - Fold

We have a new challenge at Inkspirational and this timewe have a word prompt - FOLD.

I didn't know what to do, so I turned to Pinterest for ideas. I came over Jennifer McGuire's bridge card tutorial - you can check it out here.
I use some old DPs. The dressmaker is die cut with a Spellbinders die, which I haven't used for more than 3 years. I stamped a butterfly to make wings for it. Added a piece of ribbon as well.
Please head over to the challenge blog to see inspiration from my teamies.

This card is also for:
Creations in Pink - #12 Anything Goes in Mainly Pink
Crafting With An Attitude - Always Anything Goes

Christmas in July - Photo (day 6)

It’s time for my favorite event of the year, Christmas in July over at Catch the Bug, with a week of daily challenges. For day 6 we have a photo challenge with a movie theme.

I was inspired by the trees of the photo and the ladies' outfits in the movie, but also I kept my card mostly white as in White Christmas. I've used a tree landscape die from Amy Design. The panel is cut with a Penny Black one. I heat embossed glitter and frantage for snow. The image is called Sunbonnet Winter and be found here.

This card is also for:

Crafting By Designs - Christmas
Rudolf Days - July
Sparkles Forum Christmas - #102 Include a Tree