My Fav's from 2009

Hi folks!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and Father Christmas was good to you all. I'm looking forward to starting my diet (again) A month of overindulging has taken it's toll. Thank goodness for elasticated waistbands ;o)

My friend Christine Dark did a fab post yesterday showcasing her favourite cards of 2009. Marvellous idea... so I thought I would take a minute and look back over my year of crafting and pick out my fav's too.

However you are celebrating tonight, whether it be with friends and family or a nice cup of cocoa and an early night... HaVe A GoOd OnE!!!!

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Thanks to you, my lovely blogging friends, for leaving such encouraging comments throughout the year.

I wonder what exciting 'craftiness' 2010 will bring?

See you next in the Decade!

Sandra xx

Last Minute Quickie Christmas card to share...

Hi folks! I made this last minute quickie to share with all my friends, bloggers, facebook buddies and fellow forum members. I don't suppose I'll get a chance to post again before Christmas so I would like to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy 'n' healthy 2010!!

Rubber stamping Guru's will spot that this beauty is Toodles and Binks Skate. I am thrilled to announce that I am on the Toodles and Binks design team so I'm sure I will be sharing more cards featuring these lovely stamps in the new year. I coloured the image with Copic Markers, using a hint of glitter here and there and used coloured chalks around the edges. The backing papers are by DCWV and the greeting banner was already on one of the sheets (see I told you this was a quickie) I used my EK Success punch to create the scalloped border and a Cuttlebug die for the decorative corners. I tied a silver, sheer, ribbon bow and attached it to the card using a gem brad.

I followed the sketch on The Pink Elephant Challenge. It's another entry for Crafty Ann's challenge of 'no red or green'. The Cupcake Challenge has a theme of 'Celebration'. For the Creative Card Crew 'Anything goes'. Stamp Something still require ' Holiday Somethings' and My Time to Craft would like to see our 'Yuletide Wishes'.

See you all in the New Year!!!

Sandra x

Happy Christmas! Simples!

Hi folks!!

It's my turn to Sponsor the fabulous challenge that is Sketch Saturday this week. The uber talented sketch designer, and my friend, Jo has come up trumps again with a gorgeous sketch and I was truly honoured to be asked to make a card a long with the marvellous designers on the team.

I used some luxuriously flocked snowflake paper by WRMK. I cut the circle frame (using Nestabilities) from white card, and also the strip layered under the ribbon, and coated them with a turquoise sugary glitter by Memory Makers. I used my EK Success boarder punch through more card to create the scalloped layer. I coloured Christmas Simples with Copic Markers and used opal white liquid pearls for his fur trim, covering it with glamour dust. I added glossy accents to his eyes and nose. I layered him onto a panel of pearlescent card that I had embossed using the Cuttlebug. The decorative corners are die cut using a Quickutz die. The letters are die cut (Quickutz) from funky foam. I used my Martha Stewart snowflake punch and finished them off with flower gems.

I made this card with a few more challenges in mind. Crafty Annn'e Challenge - No red or green, Stamp Something - 'Holiday Somethings', The Pink Elephant - Winter/Christmas, Die Cut Dreams - Glitter me Silly, Stamptacular Sunday - Christmas with a twist, Sweet Stampin' Challenge - Punch it, Creative Card Crew - Anything goes and lastly My Time To Craft - Yuletide Wishes.

Ciao for now!

Sandra x

Last Minute Christmas Card DU2DS #28

Hi folks!

Hope you are all well and keeping warm. I'm a little behind with this DT card. What with school closures and making snowmen, things had to be put on hold for a wee while. I needn't have stayed up quite so late making Christmas cards for teachers... hey ho... they'll just have to have them when the new school term starts.

I made this card for the last Challenge of the year over on Dare U 2 Digi Stamp. There is a prize up for grabs so hop on over for the details. I used my Angel digi-stamp available here (no waiting for the postie to start using this image) I coloured her with Copic Markers, Glitter, a Spica pen and an ordinary HB pencil. The photo didn't pick it up but I've added Glossy Accents to her eyes. I also used a Nestability frame, a Cuttlebug corner die, DCWV papers and a Creative Expressions snowflake stamp. I followed the sketch from Papertake Weekly, the Saturday Challenge would like to see snow, My Time to Craft has a theme of 'Yuletide Wishes', Colour Create is challenging us to use Pink, Burgundy and Ivory, The Cuttlebug Challenge has asked for Glitter and the Creative Card Crew says ' Anything goes'.

Ciao for now!

Sandra x

'Sorry' - Joanna Sheen's Precious Petals

Hi Folks!! Hope you had a great weekend. I was busy!! I've made it through to Monday morning phew! In for another busy week, however I have managed to squeeze in few minutes to share my 'Sorry' card with you. I made this card for the launch of Joanna's new 'Precious Petals' CDrom. I thought this precious little one would make a great 'Sorry' card.

The card is 8 x 8. I stamped, and embossed with white embossing powder, the swirl boarder onto textured green card (DCWV). I used my EK Success border punch and inked the edges. The image is printed from the CDrom and matted into more green card and another punched white layer. The letters are die cut using my Cuttlebug and Quickutz alphabet from Funky Foam.

Ciao for now!

Sandra x

Sizzix Snowman

Hi folks!

Things are really hotting up in the 'Dry' household with school Christmas performances, Carols by torchlight, Nativity at church etc. It's really stepped up a gear this year with all three children at school. What I'm trying to say is my crafting may have to take a bit of a back seat until the new year. Having said that I've still got some cards that I made for The National Cardmaker of the Year competition to share with you and the samples I made for the launch of Joanna Sheen's gorgeous 'Precious Petals' CDrom. (If you saw the launch on Create & Craft you may have heard Leonie say 'Hello' to me :oD Oooo I was really chuffed)

I made this snowman card for the Sizzix category. Alas it did not make the top 3. I wanted to show how the dies cut beautifully through lots of different materials and make a card with lots of texture. I covered a 6x6 panel with white felt using Pinflair book binding glue sparingly and securing the panel to the card blank with snowflake brads. I die cut lots of mittens from pink and blue funky foam. I created the fir trim using snow tex and sprinkled over with glitter. (You can still see the little indentations of the pegs where I pegged them up to dry) I Die cut the snowman from white Funky foam and used my Copic markers to add a bit of shading. His scarf I cut from Felt and I added glossy accents to his hat. His eyes are a couple of blue gems. I stuck the snowman down with Pinflair glue gel, arranged the mitten around him and also used the glue gel to adhere these. I finished the card off with some gems, star sequins and a pink polka dot ribbon bow.

Ciao for now!

Sandra x

It's Christmas....'Simples!'

Hi folks! There is a new challenge over on Dare U 2 Digi Stamp. This time is a colour challenge. You can add another card to your Christmas box as the palette is Red, Green and your choice of neutral. Check out all the great cards from my fellow DT. Thank you so much to everyone who joined in with challenge #26... boy do you guys like glitter :o)

I've given the Meerkat a little Christmas 'make-over'. He is available to buy here and great fun to use for all those Meerkat fans out there. The papers I used for this card are by Hot Off The Press. I embossed the large green circular panel with my snowflake Cuttlebug embossing folder. I cut the swirls from glitter paper using a Quickutz die. The sentiment is a Papermania stamp which I have cut out and layered with my Circle and Scalloped Circle Nestabilities. I coloured Christmas Simples with Copic Markers and used liquid pearls dusted with glamour dust for the fir trims and dotted his green scarf with gold stickles.

You can really see the glossy accents that I used over his eyes and nose in the close up picture. This card covers quite a few challenges... so here goes: The sketch is by Truly Scrumptious: Cupcake Crafts - Red & Green: Stamp With Fun - Christmas: The Pink Elephant - Favourite Colouring Medium: Stamp, Scrap & Doodle - Christmas: Creative Card Crew - Christmas: Pollycraft Challenge - Christmas: Cuttlebug Spot - Winter: The Cuttlebug Challenge - Glitter: Crafty Ann's Challenge - Texture: Stamp Something: Glitzy Somethings

I think that's everything covered.

Ciao for now!

Sandra x

One for the Bride...

Hi folks! Here is another card that I made for the National Cardmaker of the Year (don't worry, haven't got too many more of these to share with you) it wasn't a winner but I am pleased with how it turned out. This one was for the 'Craft with Stephanie' category.

I printed out the backing papers onto linen card from the My Craft Studio Sassy Chic CDrom and covered my card blank that I had creased into a gate fold. I used my scalloped oval Nestabilies die to cut the aperture and inked the edges. I used my Oval Nestabilities to create the frame and wound round some sheer white ribbon and finished with a bow.

I printed the character and carefully cut her out. I added lots of glitter to her dress and shoes. I used my Pinflair flower punch to punch out lots of tiny flowers that I used to decorate around the scalloped aperture. I also used these for the bouquet where I piled some dimensional glue gel and popped the flowers on top. A couple of pieces of ribbon finished the bouquet off nicely and I added the last flower to the brides hair. Lastly I added the decorative corners which I had die cut from the scraps of backing paper that remained.

Ciao for now!

Sandra x