CHNC challenge 161: trees

There is something about a blue Christmas card that is very appealing and I certainly saw so many wonderful shades of blue as I visited all your lovely entries for last week's challenge - thank you for another week of creativity and inspiration.

I need to do a re-draw for one of the prizes for CHNC challenge 159 from the week before last - for the prize from Flonz craft as the original winner couldn't accept the prize. So the winner now is:

Number 11: Shelly H, who shared this lovely card:

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

Before I get on to today's challenge, I need to let you know the winners of challenge 160. There were, of course, three opportunities to win a prize.

Please note that I publish the prize winners here and on our facebook page, but don't notify winners individually - it is up to you all to check to see if you have won and email me as requested.

The first winner:

Number 2: Louise H, who shared this lovely card:

Congratulations, Louise. Please email me at hazelharris@ntlworld.com so that I can arrange for you to  receive your prize from My Creative Classroom.

The second winner:

Number 5: Claire Day, who shared this lovely card:

Congratulations, Claire. Please email me at hazelharris@ntlworld.com so I can arrange for you to receive your four digital images from Delicious Doodles.

The third winner:

Number 31: Maya, who shared this lovely card:

Congratulations, Maya. Please email me at hazelharris@ntlworld.com so I can arrange for you to receive your five digital images from Eureka Stamps.

The fourth winner:

Number 46: Misseke, who shared this lovely card:

Congratulations, Misseke. Please email me at hazelharris@ntlworld.com so I can arrange for you to receive your three digi images from Digital Paper Craft.

Now on to:

Challenge 161

For today's challenge I'd like to see Christmas cards with trees - one or many, small or tall ... as long as there is at least one tree.

The first sponsor is new to CHNC: Cupid clear stamps:

'Cupids Clear Stamps are an internet based craft stamp company, Part of Furbanks Ltd.

We are a family run business and have been providing first-rate Pre-press services to the printing industry for over 40 years. Throughout this time our aims have remained the same – to provide a fast, friendly service at a competitive price helping you to meet your deadlines and budget.

We have been making rubber stamps all this time. Only now we have started to design for the craft market.

All our stamps are manufactured and designed in the U.K. from hard wearing high grade photo polymer or red natural rubber producing excellent stamping results time after time.

Peelable Clear Stamps. They are supplied on a clear plastic sheet, simply peel the stamp from the carrier and place on a clear acrylic block with no adhesive required.

Rubber Stamps. They are supplied on red natural rubber in sheet form just cut and mount with your preffered method.'

Confirmation of prize as soon as I have details.

The second sponsor is Crafts 4 eternity:

who is offering 3 digital stamps (winner's choice) from the Crafts 4 eternity collection.

The third sponsor is Whoopsi Daisy:

'Whoopsi Daisy Digi Stamps features all hand drawn images by the amazing Linnie and specialises in cute images of children. Whoopsi Daisy offers a great deal for your money. Take a look at the Whoopsi Daisy shop where you are certain to find awesome images which will fit all your creative needs.'

The randomly chosen winner will receive their choice of two sheets from Linnie's Whoopsi Daisy shop.

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

you will be spoiled for choice!

For my first card I cut up three trees from a card received and panelled them on to matching mirror card. The trees are on a hammered card, so I used a white hammered card as the blank, on to which I also matted the sentiment that had been created on the computer and printed. You can see this card and the challenges I've entered with it here on My Crafty Outlook.

As is always the case, very difficult to get a photo of a card with so much mirror card, but in real life the trees as well as the surrounding mat are very shiny.

My next card has only one little tree in the corner. The backing paper and the cut out panel of Rosie in her Christmas outfit are from my Daisy & friends CD, designed by Linnie the owner of Whoopsi Daisy, one of our sponsors for this challenge. You can read more about this here on My Crafty Outlook:

Now it's over to you. As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques - and this week I'd like to see trees on your Christmas cards - one or many, tall or small ... as long as there is at least one tree.

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 31 January. Please include a link to this blogpost within the post for your creation.

You can enter as many times as you wish  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 1 February 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. Also it would be great if you would consider becoming a follower - lovely to welcome recent new followers and 'likers' on facebook.

Please also consider going to CHNC Facebook page and clicking 'like' if you haven't done so already and encourage your friends to do the same. I always show at least one of my cards for the next challenge in advance and it's a good place to catch up with any news, winners etc.

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 January is here.

I've started up a new challenge called Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - anything goes as long as you cover your card with patterned paper - a randomly chosen prize winner every month. Please click on the link to find out more. If you have used patterned paper to cover your card blank for your Christmas card, why not enter it there too. And please be aware that the new Patterned Paper Challenge is not restricted to Christmas - it is for any occasions.

Thank you for your support

I look forward to seeing your entries

CHNC challenge 160: shades of blue

Much as I don't like the thoughts of winter weather, I was so pleased to see so much snow and other signs of winter weather on your wonderful entries for last week's challenge - and it's so good to see so many of you still working with your Christmas stash rather than putting it away. I know that some of you have made a resolution to make cards throughout the year - you'll be pleased when it gets towards the end of the year, even though Christmas is now a long way off.

Before I get on to today's challenge, I need to let you know the winners of challenge 159. There were, of course, three opportunities to win a prize.

Please note that I publish the prize winners here and on our facebook page, but don't notify winners individually - it is up to you all to check to see if you have won and email me as requested.

The first winner:

Number 9: Kym, who shared this lovely card:

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

The second winner:

Number 35: Lorraine B, who shared this lovely card:

Congratulations, Lorraine. Please email me at hazelharris@ntlworld.com so I can arrange for you to receive your £7.50 voucher from Hobbycutz.

The third winner:

Number 39: Kendra S, who shared this lovely tag:

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

Now on to:

Challenge 160

For today's challenge I'd like to see Christmas cards with shades of blue (other colours can also be used, but please make sure there is plenty of blue).

Today we have four sponsors, so there will be four chances to win a prize this week.

The first sponsor is My Creative Classroom:

'My Creative Classroom is an online arts and crafts learning center. Our interactive and in-depth courses are instructor led and filled with wonderful projects and techniques to help you get the most out of your supplies.

Out Spring 2014 Semester is just beginning and will offer well over 100 courses. Along with our Traditional Instructor-led Workshop Classes we have also added Self-Paced Workshops. We've recently added more classes to our Library, which offers retired classes at 40%-50% off regular price.

We have opened our brand new challenge blog, My Creative Life 2014 , which will issue challenges to help us use all of our supplies this year. Along with that is the companion course with the same title, which is FREE to our newsletter subscribers. Come join in on the fun and test drive MCC.

We are excited to be sponsoring "Crafty Hazelnuts". You can view our entire class list on our website at My Creative Classroom. You can also view classes on our Facebook Page too! One lucky winner will receive a free seat to a Workshop class of their choice.....Good Luck!'

Marketing and Sponsorship

My Creative Classroom

www.mycreativeclassroom.com

The second sponsor is Delicious Doodles:

'Delicious Doodles is a young company with myself, Teri, as the Sole Trader/Designer. 

I have doodled and sketched all of my life. I started making greetings cards when my last child was born, and used my doodles on them as I couldn't find what I wanted in the usual craft places. 

I only started selling my images in the Autumn of 2009. I design and hand/mouse-draw all of the images that are sold in the Delicious Doodles Shop. Some are cutsie animals, some are sketched flowers, there are a few men's images, fairies and also some 'darker' images featuring vampires, skulls and Gothic stuff, something for everyone! '

The randomly chosen winner will be able to choose 4 digital images.

The third sponsor is Eureka Stamps:

Finally, The Stamps You've been Looking for! Eureka stamps offers a large variety of images and sentiments in many different categories for all of your stamping needs. Our Paper Sculpting stamps add an extra dimension to your creations. Or, Mix and match our Balloons and Balloon Holders to celebrate every occasion. Our Stamps are available as unmounted, deep etched, natural red rubber stamps OR as digital stamps. If Eureka Stamps aren't exactly what you are looking for, Don't miss out on the sister companies: QKR Stampede, Biblical Impressions Rubber Stamps, or the newest addition; Alluring Impressions.

The randomly chosen winner will receive 5 digital images of their choice from Eureka Stamps.

The fourth sponsor is new to CHNC: Digital Paper Craft:

'Digital Paper Craft is your source of Digital Clipart, Scrapbook Supplies, DigitalStamps, Scrapbook Kits and Graphic Design. All images, papers, etc. created by gifted artist Siobhan and can be found at https://www.etsy.com/shop/DigitalPaperCraft?ref=si_shop'

The randomly chosen winner will receive 3 digi images of their choice.

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

you will be spoiled for choice!

These are two simple cards I've made that feature quite a lot of blue - more details here and here on My Crafty Outlook:

Now it's over to you. As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques - and this week I'd like to see plenty of shades of blue, but you can use other colours too as long as there is lots of blue.

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 24 January. Please include a link to this blogpost within the post for your creation.

You can enter as many times as you wish  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 25 January 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. Also it would be great if you would consider becoming a follower - lovely to welcome recent new followers and 'likers' on facebook.

Please also consider going to CHNC Facebook page and clicking 'like' if you haven't done so already and encourage your friends to do the same. I always show at least one of my cards for the next challenge in advance and it's a good place to catch up with any news, winners etc.

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 January is here.

I've started up a new challenge called Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - anything goes as long as you cover your card with patterned paper - a randomly chosen prize winner every month. Please click on the link to find out more. If you have used patterned paper to cover your card blank for your Christmas card, why not enter it there too. And please be aware that the new Patterned Paper Challenge is not restricted to Christmas - it is for any occasions.

Thank you for your support

I look forward to seeing your entries

CHNC challenge 159: winter weather

Such a lot of lovely upcycling last week and various other projects made with freebies - thank you for sharing your inspirational crafting - and it's so good to see so many of you still working with your Christmas stash rather than putting it away. I know that some of you have made a resolution to make cards throughout the year - you'll be pleased when it gets towards the end of the year, even though Christmas is now a long way off.

Before I get on to today's challenge, I need to let you know the winners of challenge 158. There were, of course, three opportunities to win a prize.

Please note that I publish the prize winners here and on our facebook page, but don't notify winners individually - it is up to you all to check to see if you have won and email me as requested.

The first winner:

Number 32: Ruby, who shared this lovely card:

Congratulations, Ruby. Please email me at hazelharris@ntlworld.com with your full name and address so that I can arrange for you to  receive your £20 of goods from Craftybren's Embroidered Embellishments

The second winner:

Number33: Rosina, who shared this lovely card:

Congratulations, Rosina. Please email me at hazelharris@ntlworld.com so I can arrange for you to receive your choice of 3 digital stamps from Robyn'sFetish Digital Stamps And More.

The third winner:

Number 22: Taylormade4u (Monica), who shared this lovely card:

Congratulations, Monica. Please email me at hazelharris@ntlworld.com so I can arrange for you to receive your choice of 5 digital images from QKR Stampede.

Now on to:

Challenge 159

For today's challenge I'd like to see Christmas cards that depict winter weather in some way - I'm sure you'll have various ways of showing this.

The first sponsor is a familiar one, Flonz craft:

Flonz craft is a New Zealand based company who are offering a $20 voucher to spend in their online store - and they will generously send to anywhere in the world with free p & p.They have an amazing range of stamps - the winner certainly will have fun choosing, including some lovely Christmas ones that you could then use for a future challenge.

The second sponsor is new to CHNC this year: Hobbycutz:

'Hobbycutz Laser cutting services.

Bespoke Hand made items such as photo frames, plaques, decorative items and also a wide variety of wooden cut outs that can be used for cardmaking and scrapbooking.

Custom orders always welcomed.'

Hobbycutz is run by Kobie Fouche who has her own blog and also a Hobbycutz challenge blog.

The prize:

The third sponsor is another familiar one at CHNC:

Bugaboo Stamps are proud to sponsor this challenge:

Everything That You Ever Wanted to Know About Bugaboo Stamps: A Short Essay

As if raising five children in the frozen land of the North was not enough of a challenge, Jodie Mackrell decided to dip her cold little Canadian toes into the world of papercrafting by opening an online store full of her illustrations. That was two years ago. Today Bugaboo Stamps is one of the leading companies in digital images, and we're still growing!  From seriously snarky to sugary sweet to sublimely soulful all the way over to the other side of the super sexy spectrum, you're bound to find all that you need and more to create your paper projects.  Jodie works very hard to provide New Releases and Freebies every week! 

 If your taste runs to rubber (and you know who you are), you can find Bugaboo Stamps   at Totally Stampalicious. And finally, join the Bugaboo Stamps DT   for weekly challenges at Catch the Bug. 

Bugaboo Stamps are offering $21 of digital stamps to the randomly chosen winner.

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

you will be spoiled for choice!

I'm pleased that so far in our area in the UK we haven't had any wintry weather, although we've had more than enough wind and rain. I'm very conscious that others across the Atlantic are having to cope with severe cold conditions - they are in our thoughts and prayers.

When we think of winter weather we do tend to think of snow, so my first card shows some of the nasty cold stuff - although I have to admit that it looks pretty. More about this card here on My Crafty Outlook:

Now it's over to you. As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques - and this week I'd like to see some winter weather on your card - of course, this could be a summer scene if you live in warmer places.

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 17 January. Please include a link to this blogpost within the post for your creation.

You can enter as many times as you wish - I think we all need to increase our stock at this time of the year - 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 18 January 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. Also it would be great if you would consider becoming a follower - lovely to welcome recent new followers and 'likers' on facebook.

Please also consider going to CHNC Facebook page and clicking 'like' if you haven't done so already and encourage your friends to do the same. I always show at least one of my cards for the next challenge in advance and it's a good place to catch up with any news, winners etc.

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 January is here.

I've started up a new challenge called Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - anything goes as long as you cover your card with patterned paper - a randomly chosen prize winner every month. Please click on the link to find out more. If you have used patterned paper to cover your card blank for your Christmas card, why not enter it there too. And please be aware that the new Patterned Paper Challenge is not restricted to Christmas - it is for any occasions.

Thank you for your support

I look forward to seeing your entries

CHNC challenge 158: upcycle, re-purpose or use a freebie

Once again, you amazed me with so many entries for last week's challenge - 100 entries - thank you so much.

Before I get on to today's challenge, I need to let you know the winners of challenge 157. There were, of course, three opportunities to win a prize.

Please note that I publish the prize winners here and on our facebook page, but don't notify winners individually - it is up to you all to check to see if you have won and email me as requested.

The first winner:

Number 12: Gail Scott, who shared this lovely card:

Congratulations, Gail. Please email me at hazelharris@ntlworld.com with your full name and address so that I can arrange for you to receive your five digital stamps from Robyn'sFetish Digital Stamps And More.

The second winner:

Number 87: Misseke, who shared this lovely card:

Congratulations, Misseke. Please email me at hazelharris@ntlworld.com so I can arrange for you to receive your $10 gift certificate to spend in Stamp Your Life's Etsy shop

The third winner:

Number 95: Lorraine B, who shared this lovely card:

Congratulations, Lorraine. Please email me at hazelharris@ntlworld.com with your full name and address so I can arrange for you to receive your prize from QKR Stampede.

Now on to:

Challenge 158

For today's challenge I'd like to see Christmas cards that include something that has been upcycled, re-purposed or that was a freebie (that can even include something you received for Christmas)

The first sponsor is 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 a regular supporter of CHNC:  Robyn'sFetish Digital Stamps And More:

'Robyn'sFetish Digital Stamps And More, a division of I Did It Creations, was created and is owned by Robyn Weinrib. Robyn offers a wonderful variety of digital stamps and digital papers, designed to meet the needs of all digital paper crafting addicts for every occasion.'

Robyn's Fetish Digital Stamps And More is happy to award the randomly chosen winner the choice of 3 digital stamps.

The third sponsor is QKR Stampede:

'Do you have a sense of humor? Are you looking for a cute stamp? Then, we are the company for you! QKR Stampede is the somewhat cute somewhat quirky rubber and digital stamp company. We showcase the artwork of Ken Herrod, who had a unique, somewhat quirky style with lots of humor and character. You are sure to get a chuckle out of our stamps! We have been offering our unique stamps and supplies to the craft industry for over 15 years. At QKR Stampede our images are available as un-mounted, natural red rubber stamps OR as digital stamps! If QKR Stampede Stamps aren't exactly what you are looking for, don’t miss out on the sister companies: Eureka Stamps, Biblical Impressions Rubber Stamps, or the newest addition; Alluring Impressions.'

The randomly chosen winner will receive 5 digital images of their choice from QKR Stampede.

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

you will be spoiled for choice!

I am pleased that Crafty Bren (our first sponsor) has joined me as a Guest Designer. Brenda has made this beautiful card re-purposing an ATC that she had previously embroidered as a topper - you can read more about this on Bren's blog here - please visit and leave her a comment:

My first card was made from a lovely sparkly Christmas card received, which I matted on to silver mirror card before matting on to a white DL card blank. The image with the quote was kindly supplied by  Robyn'sFetish Digital Stamps And More (one of today's sponsors) - I coloured the bricks digitally using Microsoft Paint - this was then matted on to silver mirror card:

My second card was made using images and a tree from one card received which were matted on to another upcycled card, matted on to mirror card:

You can read more about these cards here and here on My Crafty Outlook.

Now it's over to you. As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques - and this week I'd like to see Christmas cards that include something that you have upcycled, re-purposed or something that was free, perhaps even something you received for Christmas or in a swap or something - there are plenty of possibilities.

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 10 January. Please include a link to this blogpost within the post for your creation.

You can enter as many times as you wish - I think we all need to increase our stock at this time of the year - 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 11 January 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. Also it would be great if you would consider becoming a follower - lovely to welcome recent new followers and 'likers' on facebook.

Please also consider going to CHNC Facebook page and clicking 'like' - there are now 253 'likes' - it would be great if we could increase this even more. I always show at least one of my cards for the next challenge in advance and it's a good place to catch up with any news, winners etc.

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 January is here.

I've started up a new challenge called Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - anything goes as long as you cover your card with patterned paper - a randomly chosen prize winner every month. Please click on the link to find out more. If you have used patterned paper in this way for your Christmas card, why not enter it there too. And please be aware that the new Patterned Paper Challenge is not restricted to Christmas - it is for any occasions.

Thank you for your support

I look forward to seeing your entries