The Christmas Kickstart Challenge #115 - Gothic Christmas Reminder

 

This month at The Christmas Kickstart Challenge we're very lucky to have the wonderful Carol from Just Me:c making a return visit as our elf this month.

 

Challenge #115 - Gothic Christmas

This is proving to be quite a tricky theme for you lovely people of Cardland. I've shared lots of tips and hints to try and help; you can go creepy and spooky, kinda silly, or you can grab your inspiration from our beautiful picture. I wish I could create a tree like this for my lounge.

For Carol, going gothic is all about the colour palette and she has created a gorgeously elegant second card for our challenge, which can can see by dropping by here. 

This was card #1 from Carol, and therefore the card from which I drew inspiration for this card. 

In homage to all the sparkle on Carol's card I decided to go completely OTT with as much glitter card as I could muster from my stash. Hiding in my goody box of off-cuts I found a ready-cut glitter card bauble in the same shape as those Carol used. Let me tell you, the excitment was palpable!

The sentiment stamp is from a very old Simply Besotted set I found on a sales site.

Edited to add: I've finally had the opportunity to finish my second card, and again I've dipped into my sparkly stash.

I've cut the trees using a Clearly Besotted die. The frame is a oldie from Paper Smooches and after I cut it out I embossed it using Honey Bee Stamps 3-D folder Snowflakes. The photograph doesn't do this little card justice as it is both sparkly and sweet. 

Rudolph once again puts in an appearance with a Random Raffle Prize and has dressed for the occasion. I do love a handsome reindeer in a cravat, don't you?

 

Carol and I both hope you'll get your gothic on to play along... our challenge runs until the witching hour on Halloween!

The Christmas Kickstart Challenge #115 - Gothic Christmas

It's time for a brand new challenge over at The Christmas Kickstart!

We have the rather wonderful Carol from Just Me:c making a return visit as our elf. 

 

Together, we are playing:

Challenge #115 - Gothic Christmas

We're inviting you to go GOTHIC with us! Here's our inspiration pic, but we don't mind however you play this theme just so long as it's obviously got that all important gothic twist.

If you head to Kickstart HQ you'll find Carol's card, which is a beauty!

Here's what I made. Again, I pulled my inspiration from the picture, but added a side-order of crazy with a sweet bat in a Santa hat. 

Here's my second card:

I bought a topper from this company on Etsy and framed it in silver and sparkly black. This looks great IRL. 

Rudolph is on the blog as usual with his Random Raffle Prize and, as you can see, he has entered into the spirit of this challenge perfectly. 

 

Carol and I both hope you'll get your gothic on to play along... Rather fittingly, you have until the witching hour on Halloween to join the fun.

And, I'm delighted to play along over at Lost Coast Design, where they are playing 31 Days of Haloween for Challenge 214! 

The Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers Challenge #279 - W is for Witch

Edna is ready for a night of trick or treating as the sisterhood play - W is for Witch.

We want to see something witchy on your project, with the option of pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

I had such fun colouring and fussy cutting these cute ghouls and boys from Stampin' Up! Look closely and you will see Witchy and Drac are wearing pink boots to honour Breast Cancer Awareness and to remind us all of the importance of attending regular health screening.

Don't forget to check them boobies, girls! 

And that's an order!

The Card Chain Challenge - September 2026

We are all about spreading love around the world, 

one handmade card at a time!!

Hi there, it's the second of the month and therefore time to enjoy the latest Reveal over at The Card Chain Challenge. We had 29 participants thus bringing our grand total of cards sent and recieved to a truly staggering 5,083! And we had two brand new players this month - welcome, welcome, welcome. 

 

All the cards exchanged this month used at least one of the following options:

 

Colour Palette Option

(Exact matching is not required.)

Sketch Option

(Orient as desired)

 

Theme Options: Cute and Funny / The Great Outdoors / Friendship

Product / Technique Options: Stencils /  Tone-on-Tone inking

Here's what I sent to Joanne in UK. I was so excited to play the colour palette this month, but when I started my card it just felt wrong for the snoozing pup image. I went with green, brown and slate instead and felt nice and comfy with that instead. I picked 'Cute and Funny' and tone-on-tone stamping (yes, I may have suggested that option - hee hee) as that seems to be my THING right now. I'm not sure about origins of this adorable image, but I know a kind stamping buddy sent him too me. 

Kathy in the UK sent me this fabulous card... It's simply a work of art. The shells are real and the sparkle is amazing! Thanks so much Kathy, I love it!

Please don't forget if you want to join in the fun you can sign up for the Card Chain Challenge pretty much anytime.  All sign ups run in advance, from the 7th of the preceding month to the 6th of the exchange month.  All reveals happen on the 2nd of the month after the exchange is complete.

Thanks once again to our fave crafty nomad, Gail, and to all our players - you guys totally rock and have created such a wonderful long-term community of crafting and friendship. 

It's that panda again!

I didn't quite get time to finish this card when I was crafting on Saturday, so took a few minutes to put it together yesterday. 

Love the panda, and I think he looks fab with that big Jane's Doodles sentiment. I used left-over paper and card, so feel totally vindicated in my decision to go play in Snippets Playground!

And also to play again at Lost Coast! 

I hope you have a happy Monday!

Sometimes you just need to craft...

 

It's true, isn't it. Sometimes you need to put on some very loud music, sing along tunelessly and make a card. That's been my afternoon thus far and it has been just what the doctor ordered!

Lost Coast supplied the fun and inspiration, and I broke out a fabulous Simon Hurley stamp set and a Funky Fossil paper pad to play along.

I REALLY wanted to put this on an action wobble, but mine are currently missing. I kept things very, very simple and am quite pleased with the outcome. Sometimes less is more. 

Happy Saturday folks, and I hope you too get some crafting fun scheduled in this weekend.

The Christmas Kickstart Challenge #114 - Reminder

 

Hi folks, over at The Christmas Kickstart Challenge I'm so happy to be joined again  by the very lovely Loll from Stamping With Loll. We are playing:

Challenge #114 - Reindeer Games

Loll has very kindly created a second card for our challenge together and I know you will LOVE it!

Loll created this fabby little number for our launch post...

I was inspired to make this little piece of fun. 

I just had to use Loll's gorgeous sketch, but decided to place my reindeer topper at a jaunty angle! I also added some torn white card as snow - I picked this up from when Loll was our elf last time and was tickled to see she'd use the same technique on her second card. Thanks for the inspiration, Loll. 

No prizes for guessing that this is an AALL & Create Reindeer by Janet Klein. Her designs are so distinctive and quirky. This little one is from the set Snow Good. 

Rudolph is especially pleased with the theme this month, and is offering a fun prize for his Random Raffle!

Loll and I can't wait to see what you guys get up to when you play those Reindeer Games!

The Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers Challenge #278 - L is for Leaves

Greetings, fans of snark! Over at The Sisterhood Edna and the gang are playing with leaves. Our delightful mascot, Edna, is taking a stroll through the woods and picking up a few beautiful things for the nature table!

We have Good Queen Anne on board and the sisters have created some fabulous Fall-themed cards to inspire and delight.

My card is full of squirrely fun! The squirrels who visit our garden always know when Autumn rolls around as they start grabbing and burying anything and everything. This drives my hubby to distraction as he's rather fussy about the lawn and borders.

The sweet leave die cuts were made using Impression Obsesssion Autumn Leaves and the 'sentiment' is from Funny Bones by Riley and Company. Both are oldies.

We'd all love you to come and join us! 

The Card Chain Challenge Reveal - August 2026

We are all about spreading love around the world, 

one handmade card at a time!!

Hi there, card fans it's time for another Reveal over at The Card Chain Challenge. This month we had 26 lovely participants who exchanged cards across the globe and they've made some truly wonderful creations!

 

All the cards exchanged this month used at least one of the following options:

Colour Palette Option

(Exact matching is not required.)

Sketch Option

(Orient as desired.)

Theme Options: Elephants and/or Mice / Baking / Friendship

Product / Technique Options: Lace / Collage

Here's what I sent to Joanne in Connecticut.

I decided it would be fun to play with this gorgeous Katzelkraft elephant and to give him a little mouse pal! The lovely lacey background was a gift from a crafting buddy, and is just perfect for this challenge. 

My sender this month was Hilary in the UK and just look at the beautiful card she made. What a surprise to see we used the same background! Thanks so much, Hilary, it's been a treat to be your recipient once again.

If you want to join in the fun you can sign up for the Card Chain Challenge.  All sign ups run in advance, from the 7th of the preceding month to the 6th of the exchange month.  All reveals happen on the 2nd of the month after the exchange is complete.

The Christmas Kickstart Challenge #114 - Reindeer Games!

 

Over at The Christmas Kickstart Challenge I'm so happy to be playing again with the lovely Loll from Stamping With Loll and I know you'll LOVE the card she's made to get our crafting party started.

Loll has picked such a fun theme for our September challenge...

Challenge #114 - Reindeer Games

We would like to see reindeer this month, please, and LOTS of them! 

Here's what I made:

I'm so glad I bought these little reindeer dudes from Mama Elephant as they are so, so cute. And here's my second card using the same 'sentiment' - just proves that context is everything! No points for spotting a fun Art Impressions gal against that lovely Simon Says Stamp Christmas Tree background. Sadly, both sets appear to be discontinued.

Rudolph is especially pleased with the theme this month, and is offering a fun prize for his Random Raffle!

Loll and I can't wait to see what you guys get up to when you play those Reindeer Games!