Gilli stamps challenge- Blue and glittery

Feels like forever and a day since I have posted on my blog sharing one of my crafty creations. I have been so busy enjoying family and friends during this holiday season- I hope you have been too!

I have to share that I did get one big prezzie from the hubby that I really wanted- a vagabond!!! That's right- the electric die cutting machine from Lord Tim of Holtz himself....ahhh bliss! Yep no more turning of the hand in a clockwise manner for me- now just a push of the button and zip my die cuts are done. One happy crafter right here!

On to my reason for posting today- it is time for a brand new challenge over at the House of Gilli blog and it is my turn to be the hostess with the mostest. We are challenging you to use the colour BLUE and to make your project SPARKLE! So get out those blue papers and embellishments and pour on the glitter. Everything is better with glitter ;). 

I made a tag for my project today to go onto one of the many wine bottles that get passed around during the holiday season. I rarely drink wine anymore due to acid reflux (ugh) but my friends are still winos so this gift is perfect as we hang out and enjoy each other's company. 

I used some of the new Echo Park paper for my tag and a die shape from Lord Tim of Holtz to get my tag shape. I added some ribbon and die cut out some snowflakes on glitter paper to add lots of bling. For my Gilli stamp I used her home- I love this cute and versatile house stamp! The opposite side of the tag reads 'From our house to yours- May this be a wonderous holiday season'. 

If you would like to win lots of Gilli stamp goodies come on and play with us over at H.O.G. and maybe you will be our next lucky winner!

Cheers! Andi

Nellie Snellen and I want to wish Suzanne Dean a Merry Christmas

*Please click on the picture for a much closer view- thanks*

Merry Christmas Suzanne!

I am so blessed to be part of Suzanne's CMC design team and apparently I am not the only one who feels this way as the whole lot of us are posting cards from last week up till Christmas so that she can have some virtual cards to look at each day- kinda like a card Advent calendar lol. 

I met Suzanne a few years ago on a design team we were both on then in person at CHA 2 years ago. I was intimidated until the first 3 seconds were over when we found we had teen girls the same age and could commiserate...I mean share the drama's that ensue while teen girls are in the house. In case they are reading this we love you girls hee hee! And her humour- bang on with mine. In fact we knew instantly we would need bail money if we ever hung out together as we both have the knack for having trouble find us where ever we go. You know when you meet someone and instantly just feel comfortable with them- that's me and Suzanne- I feel like I have known her for years and all we do is laugh. And guzzle cherry coke together. Now she can actually buy cherry coke whenever she wants and I can't here in Canada so that does create some tension in our friendship..... Plus she mentions drinking it a lot which sets my jealous teeth on edge lmbo!!! Suzanne is a very warm, big hearted and honest person and SO MUCH FUN! Truly- to know her is to love her. And I do xoxoxo

Now on to my card. I am in freakin' LOVE with the new Nellie Snellen stamps over at SGD. Seriously- I am a sucker for a cute stamp. I am using today Dawn Hokey Pokey and coloured her up using my copics, some Smooch Snickerdoodle and Moonlight colours, diamond stickles and twinkling clouds fluff which is made of white flocking and glitter. I also used a big flower which was a mistake when you are trying to mail a card!!! Suzanne- don't be shocked if it arrives with a different..flat flower..lmbo!!!

I hope you enjoyed my Suzanne card today. I just love that sassy girl!

Cheers, Andi

Cozy Gilli in Red and Gold

I would like to own a red Snuggi. Any colour Snuggi actually. I am frequently chilled and gave up on looking cool long ago in favour of fuzzy clothes and socks. And wearing pj pants and any time of the day if I don't have to go out. I bet some of you are reading this right now in your pj pants- go you! hee hee

The current challenge over at the House of Gilli blog is to add the colours Red and Gold to your card. Well I actually have been a red colouring phase so this was easy for me to be inspired by. I have to first say that when using red copics I ALWAYS use copic Express it paper. I am a heavy handed colourer and it doesn't bleed at all. None. If any colour is outside of the lines it is because I coloured outside of the lines- cause isn't that what makes life fun? ;) 

I used Cozy Gilli and some DCWV paper I had been hoarding but let's face it used both the challenge colours so it was time to let it go. Bye bye gorgeous paper- I will miss you.... Oh wait- it is not like I actually send any of my cards so it can go on my display board for me to look at even more often. Score! ;)

Click here to read the challenge details and to see all of the delicious eye candy the DT has been posting to inspire you. 

If you don't have any Gilli stamps yet you don't need to use them to join us in our challenge but if you want to buy some you can find them at Stamping and Scrapbooking online store here.

Time for me to pour another cup of tea and try to get some relaxing in today. And maybe..just maybe...even get some more crafting done today. 

Cheers, Andrea

Copics used:

Hair- E25, 27, 29, 49

Skin- E000, 00, 11, R01, R20

Mug- Y23, 26, 28, glaze pen, glitter pen

Snuggi- R24, 27, 29 and C5 over the R29 to deepen the shading

Ground- W1, 3, 5

Outline- BG10

Magnolia- Yoga Tilda- challenge card and who wants to win a Cricut Mini, Kindle, gift cards and digi stamps??

I am actually posting a Magnolia card for the first time in years! My stamping Bff Sarah has got me into the same stamps I swore I never needed to own. I think I have 12 of them now in a very short period of time. I have to wonder why I ever bother deciding I am not getting into something when all it means is I fall head over heels at some point lol!

Here are the current CMC challenge deets- I would play along with this incredible challenge that Suzanne has put together to raise money for such a wonderful cause! See below:

NEW CHALLENGE #33 will run until January 5th!
SO THIS RUNS FOR 1 MONTH!

Your challenge this time is all about

** HOLIDAY JOY--in Golds. Creams & Whites**

Show your holiday joy with sparkling colors of GOLD, CREAM & WHITE!

(yes you can use some other colors like hair/skin/etc but the majority of colors should be Gold, Cream & Whites)

For this Challenge we have LOTS OF PRIZES!!

AND A WAY TO DONATE TO A WONDERFUL CHARITY!!

WHAT YOU CAN WIN:

-1 person will win a NEW Provocraft CRICUT MINI machine

-1 person will win a NEW KINDLE E-READER

-1 person will win a $50 Gift Cert. to SCACD

-1 person will win a $25 Gift Cert. to the Paper Temptress

-1 person will win 5 digis from Tiffany Doodles and a $15 Gift Cert to 7 Kids College Fund and a Gilli Gift Bag

HOW TO PLAY:

4 different ways to enter

-Enter up to (2) TWO projects into the link system below by Jan. 5th

-Enter (1) one project into the BookEndz Challenge

-Donate a $3-5 donation to the Charity below for 1 entry

-Donate anything over $10 to the Charity and get 2 entries

OUR CHARITY:

Reading is Fundamental is the charity I have chosen to sponsor this season. As you all know I am an avid reader and it amongst my very favorite things to do in my spare time. I truly believe that literacy and reading opens up many doors in life for everyone. Not only can you find joy in books but it opens your eyes to other cultures, places and people that is so worthwhile. And just the fact that a huge part of life involves being able to read--to get through school, get a great job and navigate through life. For me teaching children to read early on in life is a MUST yet so many children are not provided with the basic materials to learn to read. So this charity is a non-profit that provides books to children and opportunities to bring literacy into areas that need it!

Click here to be taken to the challenge site to read more about the month long initiative and also to donate if you choose. 

I am also entering my Tilda in the following challenges:

Magnolia Down Under- Lost and Found- my doily

The sketchy challenges- sketch

Cute Card Thursday- Anything goes

I am really happy with how my Tilda turned out. I have to admit I put off creating for this challenge for awhile as I had no idea how to pull it off and it turned out to be soooo much easier than I had thought! I used the following colours:

Skin- E0000, E000, E00, E11, R01, R20

Hair- YR20, YR21, YR23 and E35 over the YR23 area then more of the yellow over top of the brown just to deepen it up. Thank you Sarah for that suggestion!

Yoga Pants- E50, E51, E53

Shirt- E40, E41

Ground-W1, W3, W5

I hope you get a chance to play along with some of these challenges too!

Cheers, Andrea

Paper Smooches and Touch Twin markers- warm caffeine wishes

I had sooo much fun finally getting a chance to play with my beloved Paper Smooches stamps. I have been a huge Kim Hughes stamp fan for years and when she opened her own company I was crazy happy. Seriously- new stamps bring out rainbows on a sunny day for me hee hee. 

I was busy playing with our new puppy when I realized that it was literally hours away from the Touch Twin color challenge closing so I had to get to work and put the puppy down! Truthfully I am only usually inspired by tight deadlines so this worked great for me :)

I am working to do some nice clean and simple cards and I am really pleased with how this cutie came out. I used the Paper Smooches set 'Hot Concoctions'. I mean- who can resist a mug that smiles? 

I based my colour scheme on the Touch Twin challenge below:

Perfect colour combo for some warm liquid caffeiney goodness!

I hope you get a chance to sneak in some crafty time this weekend too!

Cheers! Andrea

CMC is challenging you to do funky coloured hair

*Please click on my card for a closer look at the detail*

Our fearless leader Suzanne Dean has really thought of a fun challenge for us over at the CMC copic challenge group. Simply Betty stamps is our challenge sponsor and let us on the DT pick a digi to play with and instantly I fell head over heels in love with Romance Annie. You still have Thursday and part of Friday to play along with us- it is so much fun!!!

I am also entering my card into the following challenges:

Diva's by design- Anything goes

I brake for challenges- vintage

To get Annie's 'sultry yet playful' pink hair I used the R80's spectrum. Love those colours. I carried them into her shawl and also used E50's in her skirt to get that vintage satin look. I have to say I am in love with my card! She will be a hard one to part with. I will have to make sure she goes to someone who crafts and will love her as much as I do hee hee. 

Cheers, Andi