Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas Everyone xxxxxxx

Kenny K's Santa

2 posts in as many days, ooooh u lucky people lol.  I have been playing about with some Nitwit Collections I have and came up with the base of this card.  That's as far as I had got but couldn't think of what to put in the middle of the frame.  I sat and looked through my images (which took ages phew) then found my Kenny K ones and decided upon Santa (well he'll be here in a few hours hehe).

I coloured him with my ProMarkers and Copics but wasn't too happy with the shading so attacked him with me Prismacolor Pencils too lol.  I found some glitter that came with a craft magazine last year.  It was perfect as it is not as sparkly as my Stickles but gave a more subtle effect on his furry bits (ooerr missus)

I distressed the edges with my scissors and cats eye chalks then went around the edge of my printed sentiment with stickles.  I wanted more sparkle (and why not!!) so out came my spray n sparkle which I coated the frame with.

I am going to enter this into the following challenges .....

• Kenny K - Distressing
• Copic Creations - Sparkle
• Crafty Cats - Your Choice
• I ♥ ProMarkers - Anything Goes

Then I'd better get on to wrapping my chrissy prezzies hehe

Wendy over at Secret Crafter is having a 20% off sale. 
Pop on over for the discount code

TracieB xx

A card for Someone Special

As I have a little spare time at the mo due to Christmas, I have taken the opportunity
to make a few cards and enter a couple of challenges (also not going anywhere
due to being a little snow bound grrr).

I have used one of the fantastic Lilly of the Valley Christmas images coloured with ProMarkers and highlighted with my Prismacolor pencils.  I used one of the Marianne Designs dies for the circle border and distressed using Distress Inks.  Flowers are from the one and only Wild Orchid coloured with my ProMarkers to match and the papers are from ScrapStreet Silent Night collection.

Sprinkle everything with a copious amount of glitter and sparkling stones and
there you have it.

• Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
• Totally Gorjuss - For Someone Special
• Stamp Fairy - Anything Goes

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

TracieB xx

This weeks challenge over at 

has been set by the Woo's (aka Der Boss).  Wendy has chosen a theme of:-

IN THE FARMYARD

We are sponsored by Stitchy Bear Digi Stamps this month. They are offering the lucky winner a choice of 5 digi stamps and they very generously game the DT some images to play with.

OUR FARMYARD CHALLENGE WILL LAST FOR 2 WEEKS.
WE WILL BE BACK IN THE NEW YEAR.

I knew exactly what I was going to do as soon as I saw the HOT SOUP lady.  I have just watched Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang and thought the likeness soooo uncanny hahaha.

I searched fruitlessly for a suitable circle sentiment so I put my thinking cap on and decided to do one all by myself.  I think it's perfect even if I am a little biased lol

I am sitting here looking out of the window and watching the snow falling.  It's getting really thick now, maybe i'll have a problem getting into work tonight (fat chance lol)

My Secret Crafter bits this week are as follows .......

• Hot Soup from Stitchy Bear Stamps coloured with Secret Crafter ProMarkers and Copic Ciaos
• Lime Green Glitter card from Secret Crafter
• DP is Kay Miller Designs - All Organic Digi Kit 
• Distress Inks 

Check out the challenge blog to see the other girlies creations and to join us.

And finally a wish from me .....

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 

 

 

SCS Challenge - Colour Challenge - DT Card

Click on the image for a better view xx

This weeks challenge has been set by ME hehe. 

I decided on a colour challenge as a change from Xmas and all of the reds and greens around at the moment.  So here are the colours I eventually settled on .....

.. they are ProMarker colours just to give you an idea of where to start but you can use any medium you like.

I am having some major problems taking pictures of my cards at the moment as they are really not doing them justice and they look sooooo much better in real life.

As this card is for my mates birthday I downloaded a funky Kenny K Image (I just love em). I also found an old My Minds Eye paper pad in my stash that matched the colours perfectly.

I used the MS PATP double loops to edge the pearly paper and the corner punch on the edges of the green paper and lime green glitter card. Of course the flowers are from my Wild Orchid stash and the name I cut using my Klic n Kut then coloured with ProMarkers.

• Kenny K VikkiLeeVicious Download
  coloured with both ProMarkers and Copic Ciaos
• Lime Green Glitter card from Secret Crafter
• My flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts.
• MS Punch Around the Page - Double Loops, 

I hope you like it and please don't forget to pop on over to the other gals blogs to see how they did with this weeks colour challenge.

TracieB xx

This week's challenge is set by Suzie and very appropriately she has chosen

Christmas

I stamped the whole of the 6x6 pieces of card (one black and one gold) using the Creative Expressions Christmas Borders wording stamp then heat embossed the whole thing with the wickedly sparkling Black Sparkle and Gold Sparkle powder. Did the same with the sentiments on white linen card.  

I chose both images from the Creative Expressions Christmas Nestabilities stamp set, stamped then embossed with the corresponding sparkle powder.  I also edged pieces of card with the sparkle powder and used the scalloped & circle nesties to cut out the image, mirri card and the sparkle pieces then layered them all up and stuck them to the background.

I also did the same to the border image, layered with mirri and sparkle edged card.

A really simple but sparkly card for xmas that can also be done with the Silver Fish embossing powder for another different look.

My supplies can be purchased from The Secret Crafter Shop and here's a list of what I used from the shop this week hehe.....

• Creative Expressions Rubber Stamps: Christmas Borders and Christmas Nestabilities
• Creative Expressions Silver Sparkle and Black Sparkle Embossing Powder
• Perfect Pearls Ink pad
• Spellbinders Nestibilities in Circles and Scalloped Circle

I hope you liked our creations this week and we look forward to reading your comments.

TracieB xx

SCS Challenge - 3 Snowflakes, 2 Circles an lace - DT Card

As this is the last challenge of November this is your last chance to be in the draw and this month we have a FANTASTIC sponsor:-

KENNY K DOWNLOADS

Elena and Kenny have very generously offered 3 prizes for us.

• 1st prize - any 3 digis of choice
• 2nd prize - any 2 digis of choice
• 3rd prize - a digi of choice

They also supplied some fantastic digis for the DT to use this week - thanks guys they were a dream to work with and we hope you like our projects.

This week's challenge is set by MELISSA. She has chosen a recipe for you of:-

3 Snowflakes, 2 Circles & Lace

I stamped the whole of a 6x6 piece of silver card using the Christmas Borders wording stamp then heat embossed the whole thing with the wickedly sparkling Silver sparkle powder. Did the same with the sentiment but used the black sparkle instead.  Found out some lace from my stash but it wasn't looking right in white and I didn't want to sparkle it and take anything away from the background. 

Sooooo I sprayed it to death and got absolutely covered in the Cosmic shimmer spray cause I went a little over the top with it hehe. I found me a couple of old snowflake punches and used some white card then glittered them.  I did think they looked a little plain so used a nailhead in the middle of them.

Coloured Miss Mistletoe with Copics and Promarkers then glittered her furry bits, cut her out and whacked her on a circle of Mirri card (Oooo how hard is it to get a pickky of the card whilst not getting your reflection on the Mirri card!!!!)

Most of my supplies can be purchased from The Secret Crafter Shop and here's a list of what I managed to get my sticky mitts on in the shop this week hehe.....

• Creative Expressions Rubber Stamps: Christmas Borders and Stylish 3
• Creative Expressions Silver Sparkle and Black Sparkle Embossing Powder
• Perfect Pearls Ink pad
• Kenny K Xmas Mistletoe Downloads (scroll down the page for the links) coloured with both ProMarkers and Copic Ciaos
• Spellbinders Nestibilities in Circles and Scalloped Circle
• Cranberry Nailheads in the centre of my snowflakes
• Cosmic Shimmer Spray in Lava Red

I hope you liked our creations this week and we look forward to reading your comments.

Happy thanksgiving

TracieB xx

I have entered this into the following challenges this week ....... 

• Fab n Funky No 50 Go with the flow
• Simon Says Stamp - Let it Snow
• Alphabet Challenge - E for embossing
• Digital Tuesday Challenge - Let it Snow
• Crafty Creations - No 95 Christmas is Coming
• Papertake Weekly - Cut it Out (Nesties n punches)
• Scrapbook Sisters - Let it Snow
• Crafty Catz No 60 Christmas
• Stampin for the Weekend no 51 - Winter
• A Spoonfull of Sugar no 131 Anything goes
• I Lurve ProMarkers - Anything goes (wiv a bit o'sparkle)

SCS Challenge - Sparkle n Shine - DT Card

The loverley Helen has set this weeks challenge of Sparkle n Shine, just perfect for a Christmassy card.

I have had the Pink Petticoat - Have an Ice Christmas download for a while and had a bit of a play about with the snowflake paper. Put it into Photoshop and overlaid the positive and negative and made an entirely new pattern.  I inked the edges with Distress Ink- Chipped Sapphire and used a glue pen and glitter to highlight some of the snowflakes.

Coloured the cutie Penguin with both ProMarkers and Copic Ciao, then used some Ice Stickles on the snowballs which is more 3D that the normal stickles.  Mounted the Penguin and sentiment onto silver mirri to  match in with the colour scheme.

I cut out some snowflakes using Marianne Designs Creatables - Snowflake 1/2/3.  I then found out my metallic ink pads in purple and ice blue, inked up the snowflakes and used 2 coats of Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel (which provides the Shine).  I also used the MS Icicle punch as a top border, covered it in glue and glittered it to within an inch of death (which is, you guessed it, the Sparkle)

Don't forget to pop on over to the other gals blogs as there are some stunning cards out there again this week. 

We are all working hard in the shop this week as we have our first Open Weekend this weekend coming.  It's all very exciting and very nerve racking.  If you're in the area, come along and have a mooch, loads of demo's (Creative Expressions are here too) and make and take classes (also Tea n Coffee wiv bikkies Mmmmmm).   Details at the top of my blog or pop along to the shop for further details.

TracieB xxx

Also entered into the following ......

• Crazy 4 Challenges - C4C63 Christmas
• ABC Challenge - H is for Holidays
• Stamp Something - November Digi Day
• Delightful Challenges - Glitter it up
• Sweet Stamping Challenge - Snowflakes
• Die Cut Dreams Christmas Club - Snowflakes
• Little Red Wagon - 3's (3 Snowflakes)

SCS Challenge - Red and Gold - DT Card

This weeks challenge has been set by the lovely Bridget and is

Red and Gold

I just had to use the New Secret Crafter Christmas Angel Digi Download and coloured her with a combination of  Letraset ProMarkers and Copic Ciao markers to match the DP which is a Kaisercraft Tis the Season paper pad (a really nice pad with embossing and sparkly bits).  Finished her off with the much used (and now nearly empty) bottle of Stardust Stickles.

Looking through the Die Cutting storage box I came across the Marianne Designs Swirl and Ponsettia 1 die cut creatables and voila me card was done.

A really simple and quick card to do but I think it looks just fab.

Thanks for joining us this week and don't forget if you are free over the weekend of the 20/21st November to pop on over to our Secret Crafter Open Weekend.  Lots of demo's by your DT, How to Classes and Creative Expressions will also be here too.

TracieB xx

SCS Challenge - Anything that Flies DT Card

This week over at ....

We are sponsered by the fab SOME ODD GIRL.  They have very generously offered a prize of $9 voucher for digi's of the winner's choice.  We also got the chance to pick a digi of our choice to use in this weeks challenge so here is Magic Mae Digi Download (soo hard to choose between them, so many cuties available).  

We were set the theme of Anything That Flies by the big boss lady WendyWii (it was WendyWoo but ask her about her Wii dance games she has just purchased hahahaha)

I picked out the new Basic Grey Capella Paper Pad as my background paper (I just love the pattern and colours)  I thought that the edges needed something other than just distressing so picked out one of our class MS Punch Around the Page sets and got to work and am really pleased with the results (I hid the join between the two papers with some ribbon from my stash hehe).

I coloured Mae and the Fairy Castle with a combination of  Letraset ProMarkers and Copic Ciao markers to match the DP then I decided to cut them both out.  Inked the edges of the cloud with Distress Inks in Tumbled Glass.  There is a fair bit of silicone behind Mae as I wanted her to be more prominent than the castle. 

It looked like she was enchanting something with her wand so decided to add some bling around it then fairy dust trailing below (but onto what?  hmmmm...) I know ......

I just had to use me flowers again after I received my order from Wild Orchid Crafts lol. I coloured plain white flowers and buds with the Frost Blue Copic that I used on Mae so they matched my colour theme (Then the Fairy Dust magically appeared all over them hehe).

The bottom corner looked a little bare but Wendy has just had some fantabulous mother of pearly buttons and they are just wicked coloured with either ProMarkers or Copic Ciao and I played around till until I got this fab spotty effect and I was just about done

The other girls have done a fab job this week. Pop on over to have a peek and

leave us a message to say hello and I hope to see you all again next week.

TracieB xx 

Also entered into the following challenges....

Alphabet Challenge Blog - A is for Angel & Faries

One Stop Craft Challenge - Anything Goes

SCS Challenge - Manga - DT Card

Another week, another ....

This weeks challenge is Manga, so get all your Secret Crafter Manga stamps, Sugar Nellies etc and get stamping (or printing for those digi's).

And on that note you have to take a look at the Brand New Exclusive Secret Crafter Xmas Digi images (arrived Hot Off the Press last night)

Available for immediate download (and at £2.99 they're a steal), why don't you use them for this weeks challenge (keep 'em peeled as there are more to come very, very soon hehehe)

I haven't got a fave as yet cause I love em both and can't wait to get them inked up (but I gotta wait til Monday before I can have a play grrrrr)

We had some new DCWV Cafe Mediterranean 8x8 and 6x4 paper pads in and they are truly lush.  I just luurrve the colours and they all match each other perfectly and managed to rescue a pad from the shop to use this week.  Italian Girl, is from Secret Crafter Shop used as a Digi Download but they are also available as Clear Stamps.

I coloured the image with a combination of  Letraset ProMarkers and Copic Ciao markers.  Inked the edges with some Distress Inks in Peeled Paint which is a lovely lime green colour.  I used the middle of the new Marianne Designs Double Frame and a circle nestie behind it.  The Happy Birthday is from the Personal Impressions Greetings clear set inked with Black Versafine.  I just had to use me flowers again and another order for Wild Orchid Crafts has also been placed lol.

Also Kate our Guest DT has agreed to stay on in a permanent role - we are so pleased she accepted (she also managed to get a card done with the new digi's for this weeks challenge, buttering up the boss already eh! hahahaha).

Pop on over to the rest of the DT's blogs and don't forget to say hi to the gals for me

Entered into the following challenges too ......
Paperplay - Week 42 Blue, Orange and Olive

Hugglies

TracieB xxx

SCS Challenge - Oriental - DT Card

 This weeks Challenge over at

 is an Oriental Theme set by Yours Truly 

(dats me u know hehe)

I've been itching to use the Dovecraft Eastern Promise  pads for ages but just never got round to it so this was the perfect opportunity.  Trying to decide on which design to use was the hardest as I picked out about 6 before I decided on the 3 to use.  The image, Samurai Boy, is from Secret Crafter Shop used as a Digi Download but they are also available as Clear Stamps.

I coloured the image with a combination of  Letraset ProMarkers & Copic Ciao markers.  I was looking for a punch to use on the card but couldn't decide so eventually went with tearing (really hard to tear in a straight line lol).  I inked the edges with PaperSoft Colour in Lime Green and Rose which turned out to be a very good colour match with the rest of the card.  I wanted to get away from using flowers on everything so was then stuck on what to do next lol. 

I went hunting in Wendy's stash and came across some lovely new stamps Darkroom Door Rubber stamps - Full Bloom Vol 1 (in a metal storange box no less, posh!!)  and the sentiment was just perfect.  Wacked that on the side after a bit of inking and ta daaaaa I was finished.

I hope u like me little creation and don't forget to pop on over to the rest of the teams blogs to find out how they created their cards

See u all next week

TracieB xx

Entered into the following challenges ....

Cards for Men - No 21 - Happy Birthday

Colour Throwdown - No 114

Colour Create Challenge - No 55 Pink, Green n Cream

Totally Gorjuss - No 52 Pink

SCS Challenge - Distressing - DT Card

Distressing

This weeks challenge is a doozy and is set by Suzie

(I is a poet hahaha)

I very nearly just put a pikky of me on a card cause I is distressed.  Just back off me hols and am not happy being back at work lol (need to win the lottery haha)

Anyhows, back to me card.   Patience Pixie is from Whimsie Doodles and is such a cutie.  Coloured her with Promarkers and Copics then decoupaged her.  I decided not to colour her wings and went with the Glitter instead (and much more blingy in my humble opinion lol)

Used the new Pink Petticoat Autumn Blossoms papers for the background and the Woodware Punch flowers.  We have some awesome new Buttons - Style 3  over at Secret Crafter.  I have used the white ones and coloured them with Promarkers to match the colours I have used on Pixie.  Mounted everything up onto Mirri Card and added a border used the MS Border Punch and distressed with Tim Holtz edge distresser and some Distress Inks

We have a fabulous Guest DT for the month of October - KATE (DOWNRIGHTCRAFTY) has agreed to join us, so pop on over to the gals blogs to see what delectable creations they have for you this week.

Oh well, back to the holiday washing and repacking of the cases for another year 

Distressed, I am now! haha


Also entered into the following challenges......

Incy Wincy Designs - No 62 Sparkly Glitter
Paper Playtime - No 19 - Ribbons, Buttons or Rhinestones
A Spoonfull of Sugar - No 124 - Sparkle and Shine
Digital Tuesday - No 79 - Ribbons, Buttons, Bling plus Digi

SCS Challenge - NEW LAUNCH - Anything Goes

We are celebrating the launch of four fabulous new Manga stamps exclusive to Secret Crafter. The four images are AVAILABLE NOW HERE in clear polymer stamps and will be available as digital downloads in the near future.

The images are:-

ANGEL BOY

BIRD FAIRY

ICE SKATING COUPLE

ITALIAN GIRL

As it is a special week we also have a prize - one person chosen at random will received all four new images as digi stamps.

Due to the new release, Jane has set the theme as ANYTHING GOES challenge, so to be in with a chance of winning the whole set of these gorgeous images, pop on over to Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge and get your card entered this week.

You must pop on over to the Gals from the design team and check out their blogs, WOW what a talented bunch, we are very lucky to have them.

We also have two very Special Guest Designers joining us this week.  Let us introduce you to LILY and RACH, click on the links and give them a warm SCSC welcome.

Now, onto my card details ...

I used the new Ice Skating Couple stamp and colours with Promarkers and Copic Ciao's from Secret Crafter Shop.  The paper pad is one of the new Dovecraft Xmas ones, Christmas Fancy.  I decoupaged the swirls on the bottom, added some Twinklets Diamond Dust so it looked like snow, added a few glittery snowflakes, sprayed copious amounts of glittery spray and voila finished.

Me hopes u likes it

TracieB xx

SCS Challenge - A Sketch

 This weeks Challenge over at

is following a Sketch, set by de loverley Helen

It is also a dual challenge card.  It was Wendywoo's (de Boss as she likes to be called hehe) birthday on Friday and, cause i'm such a baaaad cardmaker, (there would be no time to make 2 cards in a week lol) I have used the opportunity to kill 2 cards wiv one sketch (geddit haha).

You may think me a little cheeky givin me bestist mate a card with a mobility skooter on it but everytime the Wendy lady sees one she's like "Ooooh gotta get me one of them" (same wiv the Stanna Stairlifts, lazy mare lives in a bungalow lol).  Despite all the customers saying "She's gonna kill u", Wendy gave a huge belly laf (No comment here haha) declaring "It's fab, I love it" (not a direct quote but u get the idea lol).

It was touch and go as to whether I would finish the card in time to upload for the Challenge Blog so decided to take a piccy of the front first just in case (where does the time go, you start something then Bang 3 hours have gone by!!!)  But here is the finished card including the verse....

Click for a better look x

When we got the new pads in a few challenges ago I claimed one of them for my card that week,  but de boss pinched it first (grumble grumble haha).  So when I got the image and checked out the sketch I decided that the pads was Cosmo Cricket De Loverly'ist one to use (good play on words there huh!!).

I used the image from Just Inklined digi stamps (the wrinklies section lol) and got to work on it using Copic Ciao's to match the paper.  The text I printed onto Linen card using me printer and all of the flowers were from my ever growing Wild Orchid stash, coloured with some of the same Ciao colours I used for the image.  A couple of Nesties through the Cuttlebug later and the first part was done (Phew!)

How hard is it to remember how to make an easel card (spesh as I haven't made one for what seems like ages lol!!!) Anywayz, sorted that out and set to searching the internetweb for a suitable friend poemy thingy.  After an age I found the perfect one, printed it out, mounted and stuck to bottom of said card.  Giggery pokery (an a bit of stickles n ribbon later) me card was done.

Hopes u likes it and make sure you also pop on over to my fellow De Loverley (hehe) DT Gals Blogs to see  their sketch creations (Don't forget to pop us a comment in the box to let us know what u all think too)

Happy Crafting peeps

TracieB xxx

SCS Challenge - Clean and Simple

 

I have had such a busy week i'm soooo glad this weeks challenge at SCSC is ...

Clean and Simple

 Wendy has got new till.  It's an all singing, all dancing, barcode reading sparkly piece of machinery.  It's such a shame that the operators aren't as technologically advanced lol (not me u understand, just Wendy hahaha, soz boss xx)  How difficult is it to program this till?? There are step by step instructions and everything, but do you think we can get it to work properly!!!!!!

Wendy has figured out most of the adding products to stock steps (way to go, you can read techno speak lol) and between us we have been able to serve customers but there is still a looooong way to go lol.  So, if you need to cheer yourselves up, pop on over and have a chuckle at two or even three people trying to work out how to add unbarcoded products up on the till for customers haha.

Anywayz, back to the Challenge and my card.  Such quick and easy card but looks fab (in my humble opinion anyway! hehe).  It's a 5x7 cardblank backed with Silver Mirri Card.  I cut a piece of White Linen card (fab cardstock, we use it to make all our card blanks) slightly smaller then embossed it to just under half way down, using the D'vine Swirls embossing folder.  Added a couple of embossed lines using my scoreboard then Shock Horror!!! a peel off (didn't have a stamp that fitted properly lol).

Vicky popped over with some of her stash and showed me some of the New Marrianne Designs Creatables she had cut out and guess what....  I PINCHED ONE and ran off with it hehehe ( I knew she wasn't gonna chase after me tho, too much energy expended on a non crafting event lol).  Added it to the side of my card and Ta Daaaaa finished!

The other girls have done a fab job this week. Pop on over to have a peek and say hello to our Newest DT Member Bridget (some gorgeous cards on her blog u know) and Welcome Back to Renate (glad to have her back after the summer break x)

Leave me a message to say hello and I hope to see you all again next week.

TracieB xxx

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