CHNC challenge 134: stitching - real or faux

I'm amazed at how many of you are making Christmas cards in the UK in this hot weather (and in other hot parts of the world too). It is so lovely to know that I'm not the only crazy crafter making Christmas cards throughout the year ... well, it's not crazy at all, because it means that some of us are building up a good steady stock of supplies ahead of the festive season. If you haven't yet started your Christmas cards, why not start with this challenge? I'd love to see your entries.

Before I get on to today's challenge, I need to let you know the winners of challenge 133. There were, of course, three opportunities to win a prize.

The first winner:

Number 6: Maudieroff, who shared this lovely card:

Congratulations, Maudieroff. Please email me at hazelharris@ntlworld.com so I can arrange for you to receive your $21 of digital images from Bugaboo Stamps.

The second winner:

Number 4: Kim T, who shared this lovely card:

Congratulations, Kim. Please email me at hazelharris@ntlworld.com so I can arrange for you to receive your $20 voucher from Flonz craft.

The third winner:

Number 10: Cathy R,who shared this lovely card:

Congratulations, Cathy. Please email me at hazelharris@ntlworld.com so that I can arrange for you to receive your prize from Limited Runs Digital Stamps.

Now on to:

Challenge 134

For today's challenge I'd like to see some stitching on your Christmas card - this can be real or faux stitching of any kind

The first sponsor today is new to CHNC: Craftybren's Embroidered Embellishments (although Bren has been a keen supporter of my challenges and has often entered them):

'Hi my name is Bren, I have been crafting since the year dot. I like to have a few different things on the go at once, knitting, sewing, paper crafting etc, just so I can swap and change around a bit.
I made a few cards with my machine embroidery on, and was asked if I made embroidery to sell, that is how Craftybrens was born. Hope you like what you see.'

The randomly chosen winner will receive £20 of goods from Craftybren's Embroidered Embellishments - please note that if the winner lives outside the UK he/she will be expected to pay for the P & P.

The second sponsor is Stamp n doodle:

Stamp n doodle is one of the leading digital stamp and downloadable craft card making webstores. We also offer crafting instructions and card making challenges. 

'Stamp n doodle's uniqueness is the diversity of the Rubber Stamps and Digital Stamps we offer. In everything we do, we strive to be the complete resource for your stamping and card making needs. 

You will find useful tips, advice covered on our website. On our website we offer inspiration and new releases to weekly challenges on our Blog. 

We hope you find everything you need and enjoy trying our products and inspiration. Great images create great things 

About Stamp n doodle Rubber Stamps

Stamp n doodle exclusive Rubber Stamps come unmounted, which means you only receive the red rubber no cushion or wood block. These images work well on an Acrylic mount. 

About Stamp n doodle Digital Stamps Stamp n doodle's exclusive Digital Images come with free shipping and are sent to you within 24 hours of purchase.'

A randomlychosen winner will receive two digital images of their choice.

The third sponsor is Floppy Latte Designs:

'Floppy Latte's Digital Designs is a Digital Stamp/Paper/Die Cut shop. You will find all types of digital stamps, various papers and great digital die cut files for your cutting machines.'

Floppy Latte Designs are offering the randomly chosen winner 2 images of their choice (ie $6 coupon).

Please visit the websites of these generous sponsors and support them -

you will be spoiled for choice!

As Craftybren's Embroidered Embellishments is one of the kind sponsors for this challenge, I invited Bren to be a guest designer and she is sharing this beautiful card featuring candle stitching. Please visit Bren's blog here and leave her a comment.

For my first card I've used images kindly supplied by Floppy Latte Designs -' Christmas prayer silhouette' and 'Christmas 9'. The piece of stitched paper is some wrapping  paper that I bought some years ago - still quite a bit left - more details on My Crafty Outlook here:

For my second card I've used 'winter' digital papers supplied by Floppy Latte Designs, stamping with a favourite Inkadinkado angel stamp, with some faux stitching creating a border using a Sakura gelli roll pen  - more info here.

Now it's over to you. As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card. - this week I'd like to see some stitching on your Christmas card - real or faux of any kind.

I look forward to seeing what you come up with for this challenge - please add a link to your blog post (not your blog, but the actual post where your card can be found) by 22:00 UK time Friday 26 July. Please mention my blog and create a link within the post for your creation.

You can enter as many times as you wish (a good way to build up your stock of Christmas cards) and also link to any other challenges that allow you to do so, but new work only, please.

A new challenge will be set on Saturday 27 July when there will once again be three chances to win a prize, thanks to generous sponsors.

Please add your link to inlinkz. If by any chance it disappears, please leave a comment with the link to your blog post and I will make sure it is added.

If you haven't done so already, please become a follower and grab my bright pink button to post on your sidebar and help continue to spread the word about this challenge blog - thank you.

Don't forget

Don't forget that 'anything goes' monthly challenges are on my Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra blog - you can share any Christmas card you make throughout the whole month, including those that you link here - there is no restriction on the number of entries you can make throughout the month - the link for CHNC challenge extra for July is here.

Thank you for your support

I look forward to seeing your entries