Gingersnap Creations - Starry Night

Hi to all, how exciting it's new years eve and tomorrow is a beginning of a new year.  I can't believe I have been blogging almost a year and can't wait to share 2012 with you all.  In November I entered a holiday ornament swap with Gingersnap Creations, it was great fun, they have a fantastic blog with a challenge every week, with swaps through the year, they also have a yahoo group for sharing with members and each week they have a showcase of crafters work that they pick from the challenges.  I have so wanted to enter some challenges but have been so busy with christmas, also each challenge has to have stamping in, and I'm a bit of a beginner so I thought I would start entering after xmas.  So this week the challenge is starry sky and I had a go at doing a stippling background using a stippling brush (lol I really state the obvious lol).  I'm not over happy with it, but slightly chuffed with myself that I did it and produced a card. 

I would like to say a big thank you for everyone who has supported me this year with my crafting.  I shall be back tomorrow to share my New Years Crafting Resolutions!!!! lol lol  Thanks for looking.  Kezzy xxx

Recipe
Stamps - Stampscapes (leafy branch, cloud space), Clarity Stamps (tree silhouette and sentiment)
Dies - Spellbinders (curved rectangles used for masking)
Inkpads - Archival (jet black), Adirondack (denim, aqua, stonewashed)
Pens - Sakura (gellyroll med white, micron ink)

Crafts 4 Eternity - Technique Recipe

Hi ya, hope you all had a fantastic Christmas, just started back to crafting today and enjoying lazy days, I've had a crafty pj day, its been bliss.  Over at Crafts 4 Eternity the challenge is embossing, so I decided to go embossing mad and I thoroughly enjoyed it, I felt a bit lost at first as I'm so used to doing xmas cards that I hadn't got a clue how to start so I decided to take inspiration from my new stash (see post here) and made a bright card to brighten the day seems its windy and rainy lol.

The windmill took 4 times to get right, trying different cards that I used but ended up trying to find a co-ordinating patterned paper as the card was to think lol.  I had a great time doing this card with lots of yummy colours and textured.  Thanks Kezzy xxx

Recipe
Patterned papers - My Minds Eye (kraft funday happy days), Cosmo Cricket (early bird cherry pie)
Dies and punches - Cricut (george basics), Spellbinders (nested pennants), EK Success (binding edge)
Embellishments - Authentique (petite type squares letters), Brads (own stash)
Ribbon - Creative Expressions (twine)
Embossing folders - Couture Creations (Intrinsic), Cuttlebug (polka dots)
Card - Woodware (ribbed kraft cardstock), Bazzill (coloured cardstock)

WOYWW 134

Hi, hope you all had a fantastic Christmas, I'm afraid I was so behind with the last minute Xmas bits that I didn't get to visit many of you last week, but now the big day is over and the family visiting is done, it will be great to have a few days rest plus get in my craft room tomorrow.  The only bits on my desk are my new stash that I received at Christmas and I can't wait to play with these new stamps and paper pads, if you would like to see some wonderful crafty desks pop on over to Julia's blog.

Hope the rest of the week is crafty and enjoyable.  Thanks for sharing.  Kezzy xxx

Crafts 4 Eternity - Embellishment Recipe

Hi ya, hope everyone is ok, and coping with the Christmas mad rush lol.  Over at Crafts 4 Eternity the challenge this week is an embellishment recipe - wire, beads and charms.  I had an image straight away in my head of doing wired baubles with beads, the card isn't bad but I wish I had more time to have spent on it, but at the moment I'm making christmas cards and writing on them straight away to give out lol.  I had put bells as my charm but at the last minute I thought maybe they won't class as a charm so I added a snowflake charm that I coloured with alcohol inks.

I hope you have a good day, normally I'm late but at least I'm earlier today lol.  Thanks for sharing. Kezzy xx

Recipe
Alcohol inks - Ranger (red pepper)
Twine - Creative Expressions
Stamp - Paper Artsy (xmas plate 3)
Beads, Ribbon, Bells, Charms and Wire from own stash

WOYWW 133 and Some Exciting News

Hi to all at woyww, if you would like to see some awesome desks pop on over to Julia's Blog and join in.  Can anybody believe it, Christmas is this Sunday.  I managed to finish my present shopping today, after 4 hrs I crawled into the house lol and my OH had a cuppa on hand and my painkillers (for my back), but it's done hurray.  I couldn't find any tags and bows this year in our christmas stash, so I convinced myself that we had ran out last year, so I made sure I bought loads today, and can you believe it, while I was sorting out the wrapping paper about half hour ago I found the BIG bag of tags and BIG bag of bows Doh!!!

I have some exciting news, I have been accepted on the new design team over at 2 Sisters Challenge Blog, my very first design team :-) my first challenge will be on the 7th January so I'm hoping that you might come back and see me on that day.  We have been allowed to put it on our blogs since last Friday, but I wanted everyone to hear on woyww first so I waited.

So my desks this week are a mega mess and I have took picks of my craft room christmas tree to show you this week, one pic in the dark so you can see the twinkling lights, I even have my holiday ornaments swaps on there as well.

Making some snowmen, some new lace and paperpad, the card and pegs are from

Mandi, I'm in here virtual Stampin Up club.

A dumping ground as usual lol

My craft room crimbo tree

and a pic in the dark lol

I hope everyone has a fantastic Christmas, and a big Thank You to everyone at woyww who have been with my all the way since I first started my blog in January.  Hopefully woyww will be on next week so I can wish you all a great new year.  Thanks for sharing. Kezzy xxx

Just Add Sparkle

Hi ya, I can't believe how quickly the weekend and the last few days have gone, I still haven't finished shopping (hopefully tomorrow) and I have only wrapped 3 gifts (for work when I went into the office today) and that's it, I'm so behind lol.  Anyway onto the challenge, over at Just Add Ink the challenge this week is to add sparkle, I definitely think I might have gone way over the top with glitter on this card lol.

All of the card was made with the Lost and Found My Minds Eye series, I love the lost and found papers and my sister has bought me some for crimbo.  The piece of chipboard ribbon going width ways is actual an off cut from the edge lol. Thanks for sharing.  Kezzy xxx

Recipe
Patterned papers - My Minds Eye (lost and found 6x6 pad, 12x12 lost and found sheet holly paper)
Embellishments - My Minds Eye (lost and found 12x12 chipboard stickers)
Dies - Spellbinders ( curved rectangles, classic ovals large, lacey ovals)

Less is more - Christmas one layer card

Hi to all, over at Less is more challenge blog the theme is Christmas and doing a  (olc) one layer card.  I wanted to have another play with my polochromos pencils as I bought some pencil blenders the other day as I don't seem to get on with sansodor and blending stumps, the blender pencils are fab.  I still need alot of practise on shading and dept.  Here is my contribution to the challenge.......

Thanks for looking, hope you manage to have a relaxing weekend and manage to get some crafting done during the christmas mad rush.  Kezzy xxx

Recipe
Pencils - Faber-Castell Polychromos (dark cadium orange, light cadium red, dark red, deep red, middle cadmium red, sky blue, white, hookers green, deep cobalt green, may green) and Lyra (splender blender)
Pen - Letraset (fineliner)
Stamps - Simply Gorjuss (snowman), Creative Expressions (christmas sleigh ride), Card-io Majestix (winter flurry) and Molly Blooms (sentiment)
Ink pads - Memento (tuxedo black) and Versamark
Embossing powder - WOW (bright white super fine)

2 Sisters Challenge Blog and Crafts 4 Eternity

Hi to you all, I'm quite late again, I made the card below for Crafts 4 Eternity challenge blog which is red, green and cream and also for 2 Sisters Challenge Blog which the theme is Christmas.

I would have been earlier this evening if it wasn't for the fact that it took a few times to get the wreath right, I found the trick was to weave wire in and then also tack it on the back to secure it, so what I thought would be quick wasn't so quick lol.  Thanks for looking.  Kezzy xxx

Recipe
Ribbon - from Sam Pooles shop
Stamp and Ink - Sentiment Lili of the Valley and Archival (jet black)
Dies - Spellbinders (circles and circle scalloped)

WOYWW 132 and JUST ADD INK (under woyww)

WOYWW  (Just Add Ink after)
Hi all, I'm really really late this evening and also I have a card to put in a challenge below so if your from woyww read from here or just add ink scroll down a bit, sorry I'm doing this together but the last 24 hrs has been a tad bit stressful, my daughter has been having problems with abdominal pain on and off for months, than last week it started but hasn't gone, the doctors think its constipation even though she is going, but last night the pain was really severe and we ended up in A&E all night with suspected appendicitis, but thankfully its not and they think it might be her ovaries so she is being sent for an emergency scan hopefully within this next week, it couldn't be done there as they can't scan unless its an emergency!!!  So I'm really really late, so I have many pics, of desk this morning before card, other desk taken not long ago, my disastrous sewing experience earlier yesterday and part 1 of my craft room decs (others are in the process of being put up), and wow if your wondering what I'm waffling about than pop on over to Julia's blog to see lots of pics of wonderful desks and a lot less waffling lol lol.  Right I shall get on with the desks ........ oops just before that look I have reached 30 followers, gone over hundred posts and got new blinkys (just add ink I won and crafts 4 eternity I was in the top 3).  So in January when christmas has been packed away I shall be doing some candy (my very first), ok ok so now onto my desk .........

                                             This mornings desk before card was finished

This evenings other desk, the cards on the upper left is what I did a few months ago for papercraft inspirations, they are out on the desk as I have a few orders from them.  The card on the right is from Margaret who I introduced to craft late last year just before she retired from our workplace, she still pops in to work with the kids and hasn't she done wonderful, the card is beautiful.

My disastrous sewing, in the above pic of my desk is the winter special craft magazine, and in there is a project of doing a fabric wall hanging with Velcro fabric bits to add on, well (Annie and Jan look away now lol) I gave up, I so need to practise sewing, what a mess I made, I'm making some craft new year resolutions this year and one of them is definitely practise sewing on my machine.

My OH is a mega lighting tech, he used to do lighting for gigs, his done Take That, Eminem, Kyle, anyway he doesn't do it now, he gave it up about 8 years ago as doing alot of that work including festivals etc needs young blood lol lol, so I'm off again, anyway we get to have lighting everywhere so I shall be taking some pics this week.  The other side is by craft Christmas tree which is lighted but not yet decorated lol.

Just Add Ink
Ok so that's woyww done and I'm now going onto this weeks challenge at Just Add Ink which is this inspiration photo

wow how gorgeous are those, and you should see the Design Teams cards they are fab.  Also notice my winning blinky for last weeks challenge :-) and my card, I wanted to do a Christmas card and I found this non Christmas paper in those colours and knew I had to do something with it.  Edit oops missed the challenge :-(

So a big thank you for putting up with me through this long post.  I hope you all have a fantastic crafty week, and I so need to finish my shopping lol.  Thanks for sharing. Kezzy xxx

Recipe
Paper and Card - My Minds Eye (ooh la la beautiful morning) Woodward (ribbed kraft cardstock)
Letters - Authentique (petite type square)
Dies - Sizzix (framelets stamp and die Hero reindeers)
Buttons and Gems

Less is more - Green

Hi to all, I'm late again and I have to be mega quick as the Less is More challenge this week is green and it runs out in 20 mins.  I also have lots of blinkys to put on as I have won some challenges (my firsts) so I shall have to do it tomorrow.  I'm planning on lots of crafting and putting decs up this week so I should have more time.  So onto this weeks challenges, its so nice to be well enough to be back in participating in the less is more challenges, anyway this week its green so I had a go at some spritzing and embossing, not sure I like it, it could be classed as a bit busy which of course is not Less, but ain't got time to do another one lol.

You could almost say your seeing double lol.

Thanks for sharing.  Kezzy xxx

Recipe
Stamps - Stampendous (jumbo)
Inkpads - TH Ranger (distress ink forest moss) and Versamark
Embossing powders - Cosmic Shimmer (bright gold)

Crafts 4 Eternity - Sketch

Hi all, oops late again, I'm sure I'm beginning to be a bit of an night owl lol, over at Crafts 4 Eternity this weeks challenge is a sketch (shown below).  I turned the sketch around as I had an idea of what I wanted to use, I think your allowed to do this lol.

And here is my take on it (I seriously need to take pics in the day as they just don't turn out right).

Thanks for sharing.  Kezzy xxx

Recipe
Stamps - Stampin Up (welcome christmas)
Inks - Archival (maroon) and Versamark
Embossing powders - Sheena Wow (clear) and Cosmic Shimmer (bright gold)
Papers - Kaisercraft ( December 25th) and Glitter Girls (gold glitter paper)
Card - Bazzill and Woodware Kraft ribbed
Dies - Marianne Creatables (LR0142)
Viva (inka gold - gold)

WOYWW 131

Hi to all, it's Wednesday, which means it's time to show off our mess desk lol, if you would like to see amazing craftiness than jump over to Julia's blog and have a nosey look!!!  (Ok so you can tell I've found the tool that does lines through the words lol lol).  I'm afraid my desk looks like a bit of a dumping ground, I finished a card last night, and then this morning dumped everything on one craft desk as I needed to spread work out (I work as an accountant from home).  Thank goodness, work done and I can't start again, I'm seriously trying to catch up with christmas cards, where did November go?  I can't believe it's the 7th December, I need to start shopping yet!!! lol.  Did anyone see Hels yesterday on Create and Craft?, she regularly does woyww, and she was fantastic demonstrating all the studio 490 stamps and art parts.  It's so nice when you see a fellow blogger doing well, mega congrats to her.  Ok my desk .........

A huge thank you to everyone who has wished me well during being poorly, I can't believe from the middle of October to late last week I was so poorly with infections.  At last I feel so much better and back to normal, it's a bit sad that my back pain is back with a vengeance as the injection is running out (had on 5th October), I feel like I wasted it being ill, and my sinus facial migraines are bad (due to the illness, docs says they will calm down), but these I cope with everyday so I still feel fantastic lol.  At last I'm catching up with commenting and I would like to say a huge welcome to my new followers. 
Thanks for sharing.  Kezzy xxx

Edit - I've just found out from woyww that Sarah Lawrence has died, she was such an inspiration to everyone, her art was amazing and I always admired her felting.  I send my condolences to the family.  It's certainly made me think, I feel guilty for moaning above when at the end of the day life is so short. xxx

Just Add - Tania Gould

Hi to all, I'm quite late this evening.  Over at Just Add Ink challenge blog, the challenge this week is to case study Tania Gould, her artwork is amazing and I just loved all her cards.  Because I'm mega behind on my Christmas cards I chose to case study the below card which you can find here. 

And my card (sorry about the pic as its late, I took 15 photos in every position to get it right lol)

Thanks for sharing. Kezzy xxx

Recipe
Dies - Marianne Creatables (LR0188 buttons) and Provocraft (mini tags)
Patterend papers - Echo Park (seasons greetings) and Kaisercraft (december 25th)
Embossing folders - Sizzix (swirls) and Cuttlebug (dots)  (I embossed the buttons to give texture)
Stamps - Creative Expressions (christmas sleigh ride) used sentiment

Shabby Tea Room - Winter Picnic and 2 Sisters challenge - dies/punches

Hi to all, hope your weekend is being glittery and sparkly with all your crafting.  Over at The Shabby Tea Room challenge blog the challenge is winter picnic, using the inspiration photo below and over at 2 sisters challenge blog its punches and/or dies.  I decided to produce a decoration, (another one you say!!) lol I'm seriously thinking of sending decorations out instead of cards this year, as I'm hooked lol.  I'm hoping that the decoration is allowed for the shabby tea room challenge as I stamped the sentiment in black and then put what I thought would be sparkly, whitish embossing powder over but it seemed to make it slightly purple, as the powder was holographic oops.

Inspiration photo for Shabby Tea Room

how beautiful is that, I would quite like that photo up on the wall lol

And my decoration, I'm sorry about the photo but I'm late finishing it and the challenge (shabby tea room) closes in an hour!!!

And a close up of it.  See how the embossing powder makes the black, sparkly purpley, actually I'm quite getting used to it. Thanks for sharing. Kezzy xxx

Recipe
Dies - Marianne Creatables (LR0142), Spellbinders (crown ovals and classic ovals large).
Patterened paper - My Minds Eye (lost and found christmas)
Stamps - Creative Expressions (winter wonderland)
Inks/powders - Archival (jet black), Cosmic Shimmer (sparkle glitter), Wow (clear hologram)
Gems, ribbon, glitter, micro beads - unknown.

Gingersnap Creations - Holiday swap

Hi to all, can't believe, two posts in one day.  During November I entered into a holiday swap over at Gingersnap Creations Blog, because I have been ill, I haven't had the time to put them on my blog and show you all the swaps I received which were gorgeous. 

Suze Bain

http://www.cantstopcrafting.com/

Petra B

http://www.kunterbuntcottage.blogspot.com/

Emma

http://www.thesparklyfairy.blogspot.com/

Laura Liddell

http://ashappyas.blogspot.com/

And below are my contributions to the swap

I would like to say a big thank you to all the wonderful crafters who I swapped with, and thank you to Laura who organised the UK swap, I had a fantastic time and can't wait for the next swap.
Kezzy xxx



2 Sisters challenge blog and Mojo Monday sketch challenge

Hi to everyone, hope your all having a mega fabby crafty weekend, I'm definitely spending the weekend hiding in my craft room away from all the hustle and bustle of christmas.  I did a card this morning (shown below) for my mum and dads anniversary, they only live 5 mins away but it was choatic driving there, thank goodness my children are older 15 and 12 and alot of there bits they want can be done via internet shopping lol. 

So over to the challenges, I'm entering my card into Mojo Monday (sketch below) and 2 Sisters challenge is punches and/or dies.  My card is based on the sketch, and I used my spellbinders, marianne creatables, sizzix and cricut (not really a die) for the 2 sisters challenge, recipe at the end of the post.

Mojo Monday sketch

And my anniversay card

I realise this is the 2nd card using these patterned papers, but the only reason I used them today is my parents decor is blue and brown lol.  Think I need to start on more crimbo cards now as I have only done a few!!!!
Thanks for sharing. Kezzy xxx

Recipe
Stamps - Tanda stamps (wedding words)
Dies - Spellbinders (ribbon tags trio), Marianne Creatables (LR0163), Sizzix (mini heart) and Cricut (george basics).
Ink pads - Archival (coffee)
Paper - GCD Studios (ella blue)

Lili of the valley - challenge 123 - Anything but a Christmas card

Hi to all, over at Lili of the valley challenge blog the challenge is Anything but a Christmas card, which is great for me, as I didn't finish this card in time for last weeks anything goes, and seems its a birthday card I was really happy when I checked the challenge this morning.  I'm really trying to learn shading and I think I'm slowly getting there, I just need to dare myself to go a little darker lol.  Also I used my marianne creatables to have another go at trying to roll the flowers and still couldn't get them right as shown below, but now I have sussed it me things lol.  Details of what are used are at the end. :-)

Side view (trying harder to make my pics stand out)

The next pic is how I'm trying to blend and practise shading whilst also doing the main image.

Below my first attempt of flowers (they were awful lol)

The pic below shows a close up of how I got them in the end

and the final pic, showing how I did them, basically I used a quilling tool then just let it go (happy accident) and it didn't fall out all over the place, it just loosened and was ready to stick together.  You probably all know this but I just wanted to share if someone was also having problems.

Thanks for sharing.  Kezzy xxx

Recipe
Card and Paper - Woodware (ribbed kraft card), GC Studios (ella blue patterned paper pad), Rymans (smooth bright white card which I stamped on, fantastic for blending), Doilies.
Dies - Spellbinders (nestabilities labels four small), Marianne Creatables (LR0163), Sizzlets (funky brush alphabet and heart, and heart stars & tags), Go Kreate (half XXL square frame frilly #2, sizzlets corner accent, Whimsy stamps (celebration pennants)
Stamps - Lili of the Valley (coffee break), The Stamp man (aspects of design fancy flourishes and dragon flydreams which I think is stamped inside the card), Whimsy Stamps - celebration pennants.
Ink pads - Adirondack (hazelnut and aqua), Archival (jet black), Memento (tuxedo black)
Colouring - Promarkers (antique pink, tan, cinnamon, burnt sienna, cocoa, powder blue, artic blue, putty, saffron, oatmeal.  Flexmarkers (glacier blue and watermelon), Letraset fineliner and Sukara Gellyroll white.