Happy New Year! Let's start with a challenge....

Hello again and a Happy New Year to you all xxx

Wow, Christmas went fast!  Just love seeing the kids so happy and the family all together and as you can imagine with 8 children its a fun time indeed in the Gough household lol

I won't bore you all with pics from our family Christmas, instead I am going to share my make for the brand new Challenge starting today over at Crafting Muskateers Challenge Blog.  The theme for January's challenge is Valentine or Hats!  so lots of room for interpretation there xx

Here's my make:

I have to say this one gave me a little smile when I'd finished rather than my normal 'are you sure its all-right' face I usually pull at my family lol

Here's what I used to make it:
Image: Rory and Mickey Flowers For You by Lacy Sunshine
Colour and backing: coloured with my Graph'it markers (no colours sorry, holiday chaos and I lost the post it lol), coloured on 300gsm super smooth card from That Craft Place (its excellent with copic's too)
Backing papers: Craftwork Cards, Postcards from Paris from That Craft Place
Sentiment: also Craftwork cards but its from my stash...I have a pack of die cut sentiments I picked up from the NEC show ages ago
Embellies: Heart doily, burlap, bling ribbon, flowers and pearls all from my stash that I re-stock from That Craft Place
Crafty Expressions edging die (cut twice and off set for the top)
Cosmic shimmer embossing powder in silver and mint is around the image with a few blobs of cosmic shimmer pink pva (also from That Craft Place, are you sensing its a fav one stop shop of mine lol)

Here's how:
I've used a 5x5 inch card base (I know!  smaller than my usual lol) and cut the base paper to fit exactly.  The I cut a heart doily in half laying it on either side.  I always use cosmic shimmer acrylic glue for paper, its my new go to stock item and is totally awesome.  I hot glued the burlap and bling ribbon (that is actually on a reel and about 4 inches wide! but its so easy to cut down to make it thinner and perfect over burlap for a mix of textures).
Then I die cut the flourish edge twice so I could off set it to get a shadow effect at the top of the card...see I'm still going bigger than the base card lol.  And then I added a little twine bow and some flowers and a little bling.
The sentiment says 'Hey You', rather than anything mushy because that's more me!  One of our little jokes with my OH is that on all of our cards for Birthdays or Valentines we just use Him and Her...so my Valentines to my OH will read To Him, From Her!  So Hey You fitted :D

Here's the close ups:

And there it is :D  Thank you so much for popping by and I really hope you had a fabulous holiday period and wish you all a super splendid New Year xxx

Don't forget to hop over to the main blog to see what the team have been up to by clicking HERE

Happy Crafting :D

Sandie xxx

Challenges:
Glitter and Sparkle - 117 AG
Papertake Weekly - pick a fav, AG
Not Just Cards - #9 AG
Inspiration Destination - #14 AG
Crafty Catz - #260 AG
Creative Fingers - Dec anything goes
Art by MiRan - #22 AG
613 Avenue Create - #104 AG
Scrappers Delights - #37 AG

Anything Goes...That Craft Place Challenge take a peek...

Hello Again,

Well, it's almost the big Festive Day but before we get covered in wrapping paper and boxes I would love to share my DT inspiration for That Craft Place Challenge Blog
The theme is Anything Goes so let your creativity run wild and come and join us!

Here's my make...

Happy Christmas to one and all :D xxx

Here's what I used:
Image: Sugar Plum from That Craft Place
Sentiment: Christmas Style Scrabble Tiles from That Craft Place
Backing: still on a mission to use up some of my stash, the paper is a DoCrafts collection from many moons ago, but for new designs check out That Craft Place shop
Embellies: White Gesso, cosmic shimmer embossing powder (mint), flowers, beads, Crown from Dutch Doobadoo, lace and a bulldog clip!  That Craft Place has a full range of fabulous embellies and mixed media supplies

Here's How:
I matted the backing paper onto a double layer of blue then green card to add colour to the design, and then did the same for the next layer, offset to add height.
The image is coloured with Graph'it Marker pens on 300gsm super smooth card (From That Craft Place) and then again double layered and offset.  I sprinkled cosmic shimmer mint embossing powder around the image and heated from underneath to add the fairy dust effect (you'll have to trust me that the shine is amazing in real life!).
I then arranged the embellishments randomly to the edge of the piece.  I like the jumbled look!  And then I used a glue spreader to add white gesso randomly all over the place - my version of snow!
Add an insert of matching paper and voila!

Here's the close ups:

Thank you for visiting and I would love you to leave a comment and become a follower of my crafty tales:D

Don't forget to check out That Craft Place and here's how:

Useful links for this make:

That Craft Place - shop full of lush crafting goodies

That Craft Place Challenge Blog - Challenge blog
That Craft Place Facebook Shop a place to buy
That Craft Place Natter & Chatter Facebook Group a place share and chat

Happy Crafting :D

Sandie xxx

Challenges:
Sisters of Craft - Dec AG
Scrapbook Stamp Society - AG Christmas #56
The Craft Garden - Dec, Christmas
Sweet Lilac Flowers - Dec AG
Crafty Hazelnuts Patterned Paper challenge - Dec AG with Patterned paper
Cards and scrap challenge - 87 Christmas
Avenue 613 - 103 AG
Cheerful Stamp Pad - 103 Signs of Christmas
Scribble and Scrap - 34 AG
Art by MiRan - 21 AG