Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge

CHNC challenge 60: create a scene

2012-02-18T09:00:00.000Z

The weeks are going by with their usual speed and we're already heading towards the end of February. Once again this past week there have been lovely entries for my challenge. Some of you must be building up a nice collection of Christmas cards already. If you haven't started yours, it's never too early to do so and perhaps you'll be tempted to join in this week's challenge.

Before I get on to today's challenge, I need to let you know the winner of challenge 59. Unfortunately, there could only be one winner and this is the result of using random.org:

Number 20: Lisbeth K

who shared this beautiful card:

Congratulations, Lisbeth! Please email me at hazelharris@ntlworld.com so I can arrange for you to claim your Bugaboo digital stamps.

Now we move on to today's challenge:

Challenge 60

For today's challenge I'm asking you to create a scene on your Christmas card.

You can create a snowy scene, an indoor scene ... anything within reason, as the main function of this challenge is to help you to get an early start with making your Christmas cards.

And for this week's challenge Digi Doodle Shop are once again generously giving a $10 gift certificate to the randomly-chosen winner.

DigiDoodle Shop

DigiDoodle Shop is the results of a mother and daughter’s love for the arts and crafts. It was started a little over 3 years ago with a little more than 100 stamps, and has since then grown to almost 500 stamps. Joy (the mother of this team) designs realistic images, while Judy (aka/daughter) loves the “fun side of life”, and create images with a cartoon flair. Having these two complimenting styles have enabled

Digi Doodle Shop to offer a wide variety of stamps.

It is a real honor and pleasure to sponsor this challenge, and we look forward to seeing all the amazing creations. We thank the design team for their incredible creations, and wish all the participants the very best of luck in this challenge.

Thank you so much for having us, and again the very best of luck to all of you.

Sincerely,

Judy and Joy

For my card I've used the digital image 'Christmas church' which was kindly given to me by Digi Doodle Shop, just one of the Christmas images that they stock. You can see the card on my regular crafting blog My Crafty Outlook here and see the other challenges I entered with it.

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 - and this week create a scene.

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 25 February.

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.

CHNC challenge 59: feature an angel or a fairy

2012-02-11T09:00:00.000Z

It's time for another CHNC challenge - don't the weeks go by quickly?! But first I must congratulate everyone on the beautiful entries for last week's challenge - I so enjoy visiting your blogs and seeing your wonderful creations. Thank you to everyone who supports and enters into the challenges - and you will be streets ahead of others with building up your stock of Christmas cards.

Before I get on to today's challenge, I need to let you know the winner of challenge 58. Unfortunately, there could only be one winner and this is the result of using random.org:

Number 26: Helen

who shared this beautiful card:

Congratulations, Helen! Please email me at hazelharris@ntlworld.com so I can arrange for you to claim your three packs of die cuts from Crimson Cloud.

I also need to let you know that the winner for challenge 56 was unable to accept the digital prize because of printer issues (I've sent her something else to compensate), so I am re-drawing the prize and this is the result of using random.org:

Number 11: Debbie Johns
who shared this lovely card:

Congratulations, Debbie! Please email me at hazelharris@ntlworld.com so I can arrange for you to claim your 10$ gift certificate from Digi Doodle Shop.

Now we move on to today's challenge:

Challenge 59

For today's challenge I'm asking you to feature an angel or fairy on your Christmas card.

Today's challenge is being sponsored by Bugaboo Stamps:

The randomly chosen winner will be able to choose digital stamps to the value of $21

Everything That You Ever Wanted to Know About Bugaboo Stamps:

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, you can find Bugaboo Stamps at Totally Stampalicious. And finally, join the Bugaboo Stamps DT for weekly challenges at Catch the Bug.

Two of the Bugaboo Stamps team have kindly made cards for this challenge:

Jen Leeflang has made this gorgeous card:

Melissa Sackman made this beautiful card:

Thank you both for your beautiful creations - please pop along to their blogs and leave them a comment.

I made two cards for this challenge - the first one uses a lovely digi supplied by Bugaboo Stamps called 'angel big star' - you can read about it here on my regular crafting blog, My Crafty Outlook, and see the other challenges that I entered - I actually showed this card yesterday because I wanted to acknowledge the sketch I used and the challenge for it was closing before my own CHNC challenge 59 was being posted:

My second card, uses the Angel word Bugaboo stamp - you can read more about this card 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 - and this week please feature an angel or a fairy.

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 18 February.

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.

CHNC challenge 58: use a die cut

2012-02-04T09:00:00.000Z

It was lovely to see so many entering last week's challenge - just a reminder: please make sure your entry is a Christmas card. So many 'regulars' from last year beginning their Christmas cards and others coming on board too - it's amazing that we are already now into February.

Before I get on to today's challenge, I need to let you know the winner of challenge 57. Unfortunately, there could only be one winner and this is the result of using random.org:

Number 3: Pinky

who shared this beautiful card:

Congratulations, Pinky! Please email me - hazelharris@ntlworld.com - so I can arrange for you to receive your CD from Ooh la la Creations.

Challenge 58

For challenge 58 I'm asking you to use a die cut -

please remember that it must be a Christmas card.

You might want to use a die cut that you create using your Big Shot, Cuttlebug or similar, using a nestablitity or similar die - or you might want to use a shop-bought die cut that is ready to put on your card.

This challenge is being sponsored by Crimson Cloud, a new sponsor for CHNC. I am so grateful to all the new sponsors that are supporting my challenges, including Crimson Cloud:

"Crimson Cloud is a mother/daughter venture - a way to indulgeour joint passion of cardmaking and crafting. We only sell products that wehave tried, tested and love using. We have developed our own exclusive range ofdies cuts, digital stamps, svg files and "Make Your Own Card" kitswhich reflect our styles of card making - and hopefully yours too!"

The randomly-chosen winner will receive three packs of die cuts of their choice from the wide selection at Crimson Cloud.

For my card I've used some die cut stars, as well as some lovely embossed organza ribbon. You can read more about it and the challenges I've entered on my regular crafting blog My Crafty Outlook 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 - and this week you must use at least one die cut, whether shop-bought or one that you cut.

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 11 February.

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.

CHNC challenge 57: just make it square

2012-01-28T09:00:00.000Z

Thank you for all the entries for last week - it lovely to see that there are some new folk entering into the fun as well as some 'regulars' still joining the challenges. There weren't quite so many last week - I hope that doesn't mean you've put away your Christmas stash ... please make sure you get it out again. It only seems a short time ago that we celebrated Christmas, but here we are already near the end of January - time goes so quickly, so it makes sense to start those Christmas cards now.

Before I get on to today's challenge, I need to let you know the winner of challenge 56. Unfortunately, there could only be one winner and this is the result of using random.org:

Number 3: Tanja

who shared this beautiful card:

Congratulations, Tanja! Please email me - hazelharris@ntlworld.com - so I can arrange for you to receive your gift certificate for $10 to spend with DigiDoodle Shop.

Challenge 57

For challenge 57 I'm asking you to make a square card - please remember that it must be a Christmas card.

I don't know about you, but I love making square cards. I hope you do too and that you will join in this challenge and make any Christmas card that is square.

And this challenge is being sponsored by Ooh la la Creations, who are generously giving their latest CD: Shoes in Bloom part 2, which is worth £14.99:

This is the final part of the beautiful watercolour

shoe art from Lee Brownlee

There are 60 artwork sets all containing

backing papers, co-ordinating inserts, toppers

and stacked decoupage

In addition to these you will find

Bonus papers, traditional decoupage, bookmarks

sentiments, quick card toppers, waterfall

calendar

and a slideshow

to introduce you to each piece of artwork

Over 850 sheets to print

For my card I've used a recycled image, some lovely red glitter paper and some sparkly ribbon. You can read more about it and the challenges I've entered on my regular crafting blog My Crafty Outlook 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 - and this week it has to be square.

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 4 February.

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.

CHNC challenge 56: have a heart

2012-01-21T09:00:00.000Z

Thank you so much for all the fabulous entries for last week's challenge - so many of you getting started with those Christmas cards - you know it makes sense!

Before I get on to today's challenge, I need to let you know the winner of challenge 55. Unfortunately, there could only be one winner and this is the result of using random.org:

Number 3: Meg

who shared this beautiful card:

Congratulations, Meg! Please email me - hazelharris@ntlworld.com - so I can arrange for you to claim your prize.

Challenge 56

For challenge 56 I'm asking you to 'have a heart' - feature a heart on your Christmas card - it can be part of the image, a brad, a sticker ... any kind of heart.

And for this week's challenge Digi Doodle Shop are generously giving a $10 gift certificate to the randomly-chosen winner.

DigiDoodle Shop

DigiDoodle Shop is the results of a mother and daughter’s love for the arts andcrafts. It was started a little over 3years ago with a little more than 100 stamps, and has since then grown to almost500 stamps. Joy (the mother of thisteam) designs realistic images, while Judy (aka/daughter) loves the “fun sideof life”, and create images with a cartoon flair. Having these two complimenting styles haveenabled

DigiDoodle Shop to offer a wide variety of stamps.

Itis a real honor and pleasure to sponsor this challenge, and we look forward toseeing all the amazing creations. Wethank the design team for their incredible creations, and wish all theparticipants the very best of luck in this challenge.

Thank you so much for having us, and againthe very best of luck to all of you.

Sincerely,

Judy and Joy

For my card I've used the digital image 'Christmas heart' which was kindly given to me by Digi Doodle Shop, just one of the Christmas images that they stock.I've kept to a simple design, printing out the digital image quite big - I coloured with promarkers and added the text in the circle using Christmas is love by tlc creations. Papers are K & Co Secret Santa.I then added the epoxy hearts in the corners. You can see the card on my regular crafting blog My Crafty Outlook here and see the other challenges I entered with it.

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 - and this week include a heart.

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 28 January.

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.

CHNC challenge 55: use a digital image and/or paper

2012-01-14T09:00:00.000Z

Big apology to anyone who looked at this post earlier this morning - I had to abandon preparing this last night because I was unwell, so, unfortunately, it went live this morning with the wrong information about the winner (it was last week's - I obviously intended to revise it. The correct information is here now.

It was lovely to see that so many of you are keeping your Christmas stash out and have started the year by getting ahead with your Christmas cards - thanks to everyone who entered last week's challenge. And it was good to see so many resourceful ideas for giving something recycled a new lease of life.

Before I get on to today's challenge, I need to let you know the winner of challenge 54. Unfortunately, there could only be one winner and this is the result of using random.org:

Number 12: Shaz in Oz

who shared lots of beautiful cards including these:

Congratulations, Shaz! Please email me so I can arrange for you to claim your choice of two sheets from Linnie's Whoopsi Daisy shop.

Challenge 55

For today's challenge I'm asking you to use a digital image and/or paper.

Today's challenge is being sponsored by Bugaboo Stamps:

The randomly chosen winner will be able to choose digital stamps to the value of $21

Everything That You Ever Wanted toKnow About Bugaboo Stamps:

As if raising five children in thefrozen land of the North was not enough of a challenge, Jodie Mackrelldecided to dip her cold little Canadian toes into the world of papercrafting byopening an online store full of her illustrations. That was two years ago.Today Bugaboo Stampsis one of the leading companies in digital images, and we're stillgrowing! From seriously snarky to sugary sweet to sublimely soulful allthe way over to the other side of the super sexy spectrum, you're bound to findall that you need and more to create your paper projects. Jodie worksvery hard to provide New Releases and Freebies every week! If your taste runs to rubber, you can find Bugaboo Stamps at Totally Stampalicious. And finally, join the Bugaboo Stamps DT for weekly challenges at Catch the Bug.

I made a set of five cards for this challenge using a lovely digi supplied by Bugaboo Stamps called 'Christmas words Noel'. I digitally coloured the image in Paint, adding strips of double sided tape on the sides, which was then glittered. You can read more about my card and the challenges I've entered it into on my regular crafting blog My Crafty Outlook 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 - and this week please use a digital image or paper.

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 21 January.

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.

CHNC challenge 54: give it a new lease of life!

2012-01-07T09:00:00.000Z

I want to thank everyone who made last year such a success for my challenge blog. I do hope that you still have enthusiasm for making Christmas cards throughout the year - it's not too early to start now!

I hope you have made a resolution to make Christmas cards throughout the year to ease that sense of panic as it gets near to the end of the year and you realise that you need more Christmas cards. So please don't pack away your Christmas cardmaking supplies - keep them out to hand throughout the year. and get busy with those cards - joining in my challenges will help you achieve this.

Before I get on to today's challenge, I need to let you know the winner of my celebration candy from challenges 52 and 53. Unfortunately, there could only be one winner and this is the result of using random.org:

Number 25: Riliska

who shared this beautiful card:

Congratulations, Riliska! Please email me with your name and full address and I'll get the goodies sent off to you.

Challenge 54

For today's challenge I'm asking you to recycle something. It could well be that you've taken down your Christmas cards and have spotted a few bits and pieces that would be just right to incorporate into a new card. Or perhaps you had some wrapping paper, packaging, ribbon or wrappers from crackers that are too good to just put in the recycling rubbish bin. I'd like you to give someting a new lease of life and recycle it - use it on a new Christmas card.

Thanks to the generosity of so many sponsors coming on board to support my challenge blog, I am pleased to say that there will be a prize every week from now on!

Today's challenge is being sponsored by Whoopsi Daisy - the randomly-picked winner will receive their choice of two sheets from Linnie's Whoopsi Daisy shop.

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.

For my card I used a piece of a Christmas cracker that I carefully rescued. The image is from Whoopsi Daisy sheet 264 - isn't it lovely? I actually won this as a prize from Whoopsi Daisy for taking part in one of their challenges. You can read more about my card and the challenges I've entered it into on my regular crafting blog My Crafty Outlook here.

I'm adding another card that you can see on My Crafty Outlook here (the background is recycled wallpaper):

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 - and this week please give something a new lease of life - recycle something.

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 14 January.

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.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

CHNC challenge 53: celebration candy continued

2011-12-31T09:00:00.000Z

Thank you to all who linked for challenge 52 - and for some showing some more Christmas cards. Mr Linky will be left open until 10:00 pm UK time Friday 6 January 2012. Even if you entered last week, you can add a further entry for this week's challenge - that will give you two chances to win the candy. If you didn't enter last week, then what are you waiting for?

The winner will receive a 10 card pack of dark green aperture cards, Anita's snowflakes outline stickers, a Crafts-Too snowflake banner embossing folder, A Joanna Sheen Giordano studio stamp 'Love this Christmas', A Crafter's companion Humphrey's corner 'mistletoe kisses' stamp set, a pack of 48 die cut Christmas trees, Craftwork cards candi vintage berries gold and vintage berries silver:

Anyone can take part - I'm willing to post to anywhere in the world. The draw for the winner (randomly chosen using random.org) will take place after 10:00 pm UK time on Friday 6 January 2012.

All I ask is that you create a blog post and leave the link here and, if possible, also put my pink button in your sidebar, telling people that there is blog candy available.

If you'd like to also add a Christmas card to show, then that would be lovely - perhaps you made some that you didn't have time to blog - or perhaps you've already started making some for next Christmas!! But please don't add a card unless you are linking for the blog candy - please do both at the same time, with only one entry per person this week, please.

Here is my first Christmas card for the coming year - I made this the other day - you can read about it here on my regular crafting blog:

* * * * * * *

Sponsorship news

Just look at the sidebar to see the many sponsors that are lined up for2012! I am so grateful to these wonderful people for being willing to donate prizes for my challenges. I now have seventeen sponsors. This means that there will be a prize every week for one randomly chosen winner.

The first sponsored challenge of 2012 will be on Saturday 7 January, when Whoopsi Daisy will be providing a prize - more details next week.

* * * * * * *

If you haven't yet become a follower, please do so. It has been encouraging to see more and more followers joining each week.

This blog candy is open to everyone, whether you've participated in my challenges during the year or whether you have just found my blog - please spread the word and perhaps we'll get even more entries during 2012. The success of the blog depends on YOU.

Just remember to:

Create a post about my blog candy (and perhaps add a link to your sidebar).
Show a Christmas card within that post if you wish to (you don't have to).
Add your link to inlinkz. If by any chance it disappears - or if you have any problem linking - please leave a comment with the link to your blog post and I will make sure it is added.
Become a follower if you haven't already done so.

Don't put away your Christmas stash - please come back next Saturday 7 January at the usual time of 09:00 for a challenge sponsored by Whoopsi Daisy.

Happy New Year, everyone!

CHNC challenge 52: Happy Christmas!! Celebration Candy

2011-12-24T09:00:00.000Z

I can hardly believe that I started this Christmas challenge blog on 1 January this year ... and here we are on Christmas Eve. Throughout the year, I have seen loads of fantastic Christmas cards - such a lot of creativity and inspiration. The blog has gone from strength to strength, which is just down to YOU for your support and participation. I was overwhelmed with the response for last week's challenge - during one of the busiest weeks of the year for most people, you managed to break the record for the most number of entries!!

I'm also so grateful to those who have sponsored the challenge - and the good news is that I now have fifteen sponsors lined up for 2012 - yes fifteen!! I'll give more details next Saturday. This means that instead of offering a prize just once a month, there will be a prize almost every week!!

So, what am I asking you to do this week? As a big THANK YOU for the success of this year on CHNC I'm going to give away some blog candy. The link for this will stay open until 10:00 pm UK time Friday 6 January 2012. The winner will receive a 10 card pack of dark green aperture cards, Anita's snowflakes outline stickers, a Crafts-Too snowflake banner embossing folder, A Joanna Sheen Giordano studio stamp 'Love this Christmas', A Crafter's companion Humphrewy's cornder 'mistletoe kisses' stamp set, a pack of 48 die cut Christmas trees, Craftwork cards candi vintage berries gold and vintage berries silver:

Anyone can take part - I'm willing to post to anywhere in the world. The draw for the winner (randomly chosen using random.org) will take place after 10:00 pm UK time on Friday 6 January 2012.

All I ask is that you create a blog post and leave the link here and, if possible, also put my pink button in your sidebar, telling people that there is blog candy available.

If you'd like to also add a Christmas card to show, then that would be lovely - perhaps you made some that you didn't have time to blog! But please don't add a card unless you are linking for the blog candy - please do both at the same time, with only one entry per person this week, please.

These are a few quick cards I made last week, the first four using Basic Grey papers and the fifth one using Websters pages (more information on my regular crafting blog My Crafty Outlook here):

Happy Christmas, everyone!

CHNC challenge 51: anything goes for Christmas

2011-12-17T09:00:00.000Z

Just over a week to go till Christmas Day, so I'm guessing that most of you have got all your cards made and posted? Well, I confess that, as I write this on Friday evening, I still have about half a dozen cards to make and get in the post tomorrow, which is the last day for second class post in the UK. And I still need to make a card for John (always gets left till last).

Once again, I've had a fun time this past week looking at all the wonderful entries for my 'traditional Christmas' challenge.

Now it's time for

Challenge 51

So I think that this week's challenge can only be 'anything goes', to give you the opportunity to show any of those last-minute cards that you are still making. Or perhaps you've made some recently, but not had time to blog and show them - now's the time to do so.

I've actually made a lot of cards in the last couple of weeks - I took photos of most of them, but haven't had time to blog them. I made two black and gold cards a few days ago and managed to get photos taken outside, but had to take them at strange angles because of the reflection on the gold mirror card.

And I made these yesterday:

You can read more about these cards on my regular crafting blog My Crafty Outlook here.

So now it's your turn to show me any Christmas cards that you've made and not yet blogged.

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week anything goes.

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 23 December. 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 24 December.

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.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

CHNC challenge 50: traditional Christmas

2011-12-10T09:00:00.006Z

Well, another week has passed and we're one more big step nearer to Christmas Day ... only just over two weeks when this challenge goes live and probably less than that when you are reading this.

Thank you so much for all the entries for last week's challenge - as usual, I so enjoyed looking at them all, so creative and inspirational.

So now it's time to announce the winner of the prize for last week, randomly drawn - unfortunately, there can only be one winner and random.org has picked:

Number 38: Anne

with this lovely card:

Please email me and I'll arrange for you to choose your digis from our

generous sponsor, StretchNBubbles.

Now on to this week's challenge:

Challenge 50

For this week my challenge is traditional Christmas, whatever that means to you. You might want to concentrate on traditional colours or include 'traditional' items on your card - holly, Christmas tree, snowmen, snowflakes, festive food ... whatever you think of as traditional. The main thing is to get on and make those remaining Christmas cards. I so enjoy visiting your blogs and seeing what you have created, so please keep the cards coming. Perhaps we'll have another week of a bumper number of entries.

If by any chance (and I wish I could say this) you've finished all your Christmas cards for this year, why not make one for this challenge that can start you off for next year. I'm sure you've still got some Christmas papers, embellishments, stamps etc around you.

Here is my card - you can read more about it and the challenges I've entered on my regular crafting blog My Crafty Outlook here:

I've added some more traditional cards here on my regular blog.

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to make a traditional Christmas card.

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.

CHNC challenge 49: mainly monochromatic - with a sponsored prize

2011-12-03T09:00:00.007Z

Now it's December, we really are getting near to Christmas and it's time to crack on with the remainder of the cards that we need to send. I still need to make lots (a penalty for selling so many for charity ... I now need to make more for us to send!). I loved visiting the blogs last week and seeing all the gorgeous vintage and distressed creations that were linked up. And now it's time for another challenge:

Challenge 49

As this is the first Saturday in a new month, there will be a prize for the randomly drawn winner: StretchNBubbles are sponsoring me for this week's challenge 49. The winner will be able to choose 5 digital images from the fantastic range at StretchNBubbles - just click on the link and feast your eyes on the super images - you will not be disappointed! I am so grateful to Stretch N Bubbles for offering to sponsor my blog.

A little bit about Alison:

I really started “Scrapbooking/Card making” in 1996 when my dear friend Lisa Bearnson introduced to her new magazine Creating Keepsakes.. after that I was HOOKED!.. I do both scrapbooking and card making.. I have been published in many magazines, worked for Creating Keepsakes as a designer for products sold on QVC, and won many contests. I am the owner of Do You Stack Up?! Challenge blog, Free Digital Stamps blog, & Stretch N' Bubbles Digital Stamps blog/store. I quickly fell in love with the idea of digital stamps. Not having to find a spot to keep them,being able to get your product instantly, and buying one size fit's all.. I was on board! I have never taken an art class.. I just started doodling and putting them online. My free digital stamps within 2-3 days were getting 500 downloads, so I thought if there were that many people who liked my designs. I should start a little store.. and Stretch N' Bubbles was born.. Now you might ask yourself, how did you get the name Stretch N' Bubbles? Well my dad "poppie" gives all the grandchildren "magic names" and my son's magic name is Stretch, and yep you guessed it..my daughters magic name is "Bubbles".. so I put them together and came up with that name.. Thanks so much to all of you for helping support my dream..HUGS

*Alison*

stop by and check out my blogs..

Personal Blog HERE

Store HERE

Design Team HERE

For challenge 49 I'm asking you to think 'monochrome' - this doesn't mean your cards have to be black and white - although they can be if you wish - but one prominent colour that you use tone on tone. There can be a bit of flexibility, so you can use other colours sparingly if you wish as long as there is one dominant colour.

Stretch N Bubbles kindly gave me some lovely digital images to use for this challenge, so here is my first card made with '3 stockings' which I've simply coloured with a poppy promarker. You can read more about this card and the challenges I entered on my regular crafting blog My Crafty Outlook here:

I must be having a 'red and white' phase because I've now made six more cards that fit this challenge - you can read all about them on My Crafty Outlook:

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to make a monochromatic or 'tone-on-tone' card (with limited addition of other colours if you wish) - apart from that, anything goes.

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 9 December. 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 10 December - and I'll reveal who the randomly chosen winner is for today's challenge.

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 Christmas challenge blog - thank you.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

Exciting news about sponsorship

Not only do I have a new sponsor for today's challenge, but I have lots of new sponsors lined up for 2012 - in fact, I am going to be able to give prizes much more frequently than I have this year, thanks to the generosity of those coming on board.

CHNC challenge 48: vintage and/or distressed

2011-11-26T08:30:00.001Z

It's a bit scary that we're up to challenge 48 today. With only 52 weeks in the year, this really emphasises how little time there is now to get those Christmas cards done. . There weren't so many entries for last week's challenge, so perhaps you've all been so good and made most of your Christmas cards by now - or perhaps 'music' wasn't everyone's 'cuppa tea'! I very much enjoyed dipping into the blog entries and seeing all the amazing cards - such creativity and variety.

Challenge 48

So here we are at challenge 48 and for this I'm asking you to make a card with a vintage style and/or distressed. At this stage of the year the idea is to get those remaining Christmas cards done, so there's a bit of poetic licence with this challenge - please just give your card a vintage or distressed look - perhaps an image/picture that conjures up the thoughts of Christmas past.

This is my card - you can read more about it and see the challenges I've entered on my regular crafting blog My Crafty Outlook here.

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to make a card with a vintage theme - apart from that, anything goes.

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 2 December. 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 3 December - and, as this will be the first Saturday in the month, there will be a prize from a new sponsor for a randomly chosen winner.

And speaking of sponsorship I'm getting excited about next year - I have quite a few new sponsors lined up and some prize gifts as well.

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.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

CHNC challenge 47: music

2011-11-19T09:00:00.001Z

What a wonderful range of Christmas cards for last week's challenge, some gorgeous 'candle' cards from those who took the theme literally and some other wonderful entries that used the 'whatever lights your candle' theme in the wider sense - they were all fantastic - thank you for sharing.

We are, of course, getting close to Christmas now - how come it creeps up on us so quickly in the end? I really must get more organised because, apart from making cards throughout the year, I've hardly done anything else towards Christmas preparations - and I probably still need to make a lot of cards for us to use because I've still got one more opportunity to sell next Saturday.

Challenge 47

So here we are at challenge 47 and for this I'm asking you to include music in some way on your card - you can interpret this however you wish - anything that has a musical connection, so, for instance, a group of carol singers would be fine. I'm sure that you can come up with several ideas for this - I look forward to seeing them.

This is my card - you can read more about it and see the challenges I've entered on my regular crafting blog My Crafty Outlook here.

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to make a card with a musical theme - apart from that, anything goes.

A new challenge will be set on 26 November.

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.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

CHNC challenge 46: whatever lights your candle

2011-11-12T09:00:00.003Z

Wow! What a fantastic response to last week's challenge - there were so many entries - more and more every day, so many I could hardly believe what was happening! It was lovely to see new people showing their bright colours and sparkly cards as well as many 'regulars' contributing. Christmas is certainly on its way and now is the time to seriously get on with making more cards.

It's time to announce the winner of the prize for last week, randomly drawn - unfortunately, there can only be one winner and random.org has picked:

Number 65: Cindy Pointe

with this lovely card:

Please email me with your name and full address and I'll get the packs of Eno craft toppers into the post.

Now on to this week's challenge:

Challenge 46

For this week my challenge is whatever lights your candle. Now, you can either take this literally and include a candle on your card or perhaps another form of light - a star, a lantern, a lamp post ... or you can take the phrase to mean 'whatever you like', which should give you plenty of freedom! The main thing is to get on and make those Christmas cards. I so enjoy visiting your blogs and seeing what you have created, so please keep the cards coming. Perhaps we'll have another week of a bumper number of entries.

I've made a set of five cards, using a candles stamp - you can read more about them and the challenges I've entered on my regular crafting blog My Crafty Outlook here:

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to create whatever lights your candle!

CHNC challenge 45: bright colours and/or sparkle - with a prize

2011-11-05T08:50:00.003Z

Wow! you really did a great job of making some very special cards for last week's challenge - I love looking at all your creations and admiring the depth of talent of all the contributors to this challenge blog. Thank you so much for your participation.

Well, we're getting into November now and Christmas isn't seeming so far away now, so it's time to be a bit more serious about the festive crafting if you haven't done much so far. I know that some of you have been making Christmas cards throughout the year, but, if you haven't, it's just the right time now to start.

Apologies that linky went astray for a while last evening (because I forgot about the hour change when I did the settings last Saturday). I hope I've got it right for this week, but please bear with me if there is a hiccup.

Challenge 45

Today in the UK is 'bonfire night' when we celebrate the failure of Guy Fawkes attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament. There will be lots of fireworks this evening (don't forget to keep pets in safe and snug). Thinking of fireworks made me think of bright colours and sparkle, so I'd love to see either or both of your Christmas cards this week.

This is my card - you can read more about it and see the challenges I've entered on my regular crafting blog My Crafty Outlook here.

Here is another card added mid-week that is for a Guest Design slot I was privileged to join in - you can read more about it here:

And here's another one - this one isn't bright colours, but it's very sparkly (more info here on my regular blog):

As it's the first Saturday in the month there will be a prize for a randomly drawn winner (using random.org) - 2 packs of Eno Craft toppers:

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to make a card with bright colours and/or sparkle - apart from that, anything goes.

A new challenge will be set on 12 November.

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.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

CHNC challenge 44: for someone special

2011-10-29T08:45:00.001+01:00

It was lovely to see all the various scenes on your cards for last week's challenge. Thank you so much for all the entries and the support for this little part of the crafting challenge world.

Challenge 44

Today has always been special for me - it was my dad's birthday. Sadly, he died nearly eight years ago (actually on mum's birthday on 29 November) - so 29 October is still a special day for me, one to reflect on memories of the past and to think particularly of my mum who still misses dad.

I think a lot of us crafters tend to leave the 'special' people to last when it comes to making cards, so my challenge to you this week is to make a Christmas card for someone special, so that it doesn't get left till the last minute. You might want to try and make more than one (I'm going to try, but not sure whether I'll succeed this week).

The card that I'm showing now is, of course, for my mum. I've made a double twisted easel card (the first time I've made one). I've kept the design simple, letting the paper do most of the work - more information on my regular crafting blog 'My crafty outlook' here.

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to make the card for someone special - apart from that, anything goes.

CHNC challenge 43: make a scene

2011-10-22T09:00:00.001+01:00

Before I tell you about today's new challenge, I want to thank you for all your fab entries for last week's challenge - it was so good to see all the different baubles and hanging things - lots of ideas and inspiration.

Challenge 43

Can you believe that we're on challenge 43? The weeks are going by so quickly and Christmas is looming. The shops are getting so geared up for the festive season. I remember when it seemed early if they started selling Christmas cards at the end of October, but now it seems to get earlier year after year.

There are many of you who have been regular contributors to these challenges and have built up quite a stash of Christmas cards over the months. However, if you've only just found this blog then it's not too late to start joining in and getting going with the festive cards - perhaps make more than one for the challenge.

So, for challenge 43 I'm asking you to make a scene! No, I don't mean that you should have a tantrum, but just make a scene on your Christmas card - it's as simple as that - it can be a 'ready' scene with a topper of stamped image or you can create your own scene with various elements - it's up to you. It can be indoors or outdoors, so I think there is plenty of scope.

My cards are very simple - I made five so they can be sold in a pack - you can read more about them on my regular crafting blog My Crafty Outlook here:

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to make a scene - apart from that, anything goes.

CHNC challenge 42: baubles or anything hanging

2011-10-15T08:00:00.003+01:00

Time for another Christmas card challenge - we're getting nearer to the festive season so it's time to get a bit more serious with making those Christmas cards. Thanks to everyone who joined in last week's challenge - not quite such a popular one, but I saw some lovely home-based cards.

Challenge 42

This week I would like you to make a card that includes at least one bauble or something that hangs.

I've made two cards featuring baubles - you can see details of the supplies I've used and the challenges I've entered on my regular crafting blog My Crafty Outlook here.

Just adding another card - you can read about it here and see the other challenges I've entered with it:

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to include at least one bauble or something that hangs - apart from that, anything goes.

CHNC challenge 41: house or home

2011-10-08T09:00:00.006+01:00

Once again, it was lovely to see your cards for challenge 40 - so many lovely ideas - who says that cards for men are boring?! I love making them and it's obvious from the entries I enjoyed seeing that you enjoy making a variety of them too.

It's time to announce the winner of the prize for last week, randomly drawn - unfortunately, there can only be one winner and random.org has picked:

Number 37: Elizabeth

with this lovely card:

Please email me with your name and full address and I'll get the packs of core'dinations into the post.

So we are now getting well into October and less than three months until Christmas, so perhaps it's time to get making those Christmas cards if you haven't already started.

Challenge 41

This week I would like you to make a card that includes a picture of a house or home - it can be the outside or inside, it's up to you. The main reason for these challenges is to help you to gradually build up a stock of Christmas cards, so there is a bit of flexibility with the challenge theme for you to interpret as you wish - you might want to feature a window or rooftops or ... anything to do with house or home. I'm sure you will come up with something imaginative to fit the theme.

I've made five cards for this (I made them the other day so that they could be sold today for Tearfund) - you can see details of the supplies I've used and the challenges I've entered on my regular crafting blog My Crafty Outlook here.

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to include a house or home - apart from that, anything goes.

CHNC challenge 40: for a male - with a prize

2011-10-01T09:00:00.009+01:00

Here we are again with a new challenge - can you believe that we are now at week 40 and fast approaching Christmas - less than three months and it will all be over! So perhaps now is the time to start to seriously think about getting some of those cards done before the panic season! Before I tell you about challenge 40, I want to thank everyone for their super entries for last week's challenge. Every week there are some new people coming on board as well as lots of you who have been making Christmas cards since the beginning of the year.

Challenge 40

This week I would like you to make a card suitable to send to a male - man or boy, you choose.

Here is my card. You can read more about this on my regular crafting blog My Crafty Outlook here.

I'm adding another card that I've made for this challenge - you can read more about it here and see the other challenges I've entered:

and another here:

As it's the first Saturday in the month there will be a prize for a randomly drawn winner (using random.org) - 2 packs of 6 x 6 black magic core'dinations ColorCore cardstock (20 sheets in each) - spell caster and potion No. 9 - these are lovely for embossing and distressing to show the colour core through the black cardstock:

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to make a card suitable for a male - apart from that, anything goes.

A new challenge will be set on 8 October.

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.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

CHNC challenge 39: for a child

2011-09-24T09:00:00.006+01:00

Another week has gone past and once again there have been so many lovely cards for last week's 'glitter' challenge. The week's are going by rapidly and there aren't that many left to make those Christmas cards without panic setting in, so it would be good to see lots of entries for today's new challenge, to help you all get a step nearer to being organised for Christmas.

Challenge 39

This week I would like you to make a card suitable for a child to receive - it could even be for a 'baby's first Christmas' if you wish ... or for a teenager - the choice is yours.

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to make a card suitable for a child - apart from that, anything goes.

My card is for Baby's first Christmas (more details on my regular crafting blog My Crafty Outlook here):

CHNC challenge 38: glitter

2011-09-17T09:00:00.004+01:00

Another week, another challenge! It doesn't seem possible, does it?! Thank you so much for all your lovely entries for last week's 'swirls' challenge.

Challenge 38

This week I would like you to make a card with glitter - a little or a lot - the choice is yours, use some designer paper that is glittered or add some glitter glue ... whatever you fancy, as long as it's glittery.

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to incorporate some glitter - apart from that, anything goes.

I took the easy route this week and used some lovely designer papers by My Mind's Eye Lost & Found Christmas that already had lots of glitter on. As they were easy to make I ended up with four cards - more details on my regular crafting blog My Crafty Outlook here.

CHNC challenge 37: swirls

2011-09-10T09:00:00.005+01:00

Before I tell you about today's challenge, I want to thank everyone for their fab entries for last week's 'no sentiment' challenge - your cards just get better and better - I so enjoy visiting your blogs and seeing your creativity. It's time to announce the winner of the prize for last week, randomly drawn - unfortunately, there can only be one winner and random.org has picked:

Number 24: Jo

with this lovely card:

Please email me and I'll arrange for you to choose your digis from our generous sponsor, Di's Digi Downloads.

I know that some of you are building up a nice stock of cards (I had a count up and found that I've made 149 so far). So here's another challenge to get you on the road to one or more for your collection. There are lots of you who have been making Christmas cards for weeks (even months), but I suspect there are some of you reading this who have yet to start them - why not begin with this challenge?

Challenge 37

This week I would like you to make a card with swirls - your swirls can be very dominant on your card or perhaps you would rather have just a small swirl somewhere - the choice is yours.

For my card I stamped randomly with a Dawn Bibby Personal Impressions stamp inked with versamark and heat embossed with red metallic powder.

The central nestie shape was cut from a piece of card rescued from a Christmas cracker a couple of years ago, topped with the stamped image 'jolly Santa' by Hero Arts with just his face and hat coloured with copics. You can read more about the card and the challenges I'm entering with it on my regular crafting blog My Crafty Outlook here.

(Sorry about the quality of the photo - I really should get my card made in daylight - will replace if I can get a better shot.)

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to use at least one swirl - apart from that, anything goes.

CHNC challenge 36: no sentiment - with a sponsored prize

2011-09-03T09:00:00.004+01:00

Thank you so much everybody who played along with last week's challenge - great to see some new people entering into the festive spirit, as well as lots of 'regulars' continuing to build up stocks of Christmas cards.

Can you believe that it's September already? - time to think seriously about making those Christmas cards if you haven't started yet.

As this is the first Saturday in a new month, there will be a prize for the randomly drawn winner: Di's Digi Downloads are sponsoring me for this week's challenge 36. The winner will be able to choose 5 digital images from the fantastic range at Di's Digi Downloads - just click on the link and feast your eyes on the super images - you will not be disappointed!

This is a little bit about Di who produces such gorgeous digital images:

I have been drawing since a child and studied graphics at College many years ago, I now work as a Medical photographer part time but my love was always drawing. I started cardmaking about 4yrs ago when I bought my daughter a cardmaking kit which we did together, but I’m afraid I got the bug! My daughter preferred scrapbooking. I then started looking online at other blogs and this then became my passion and I loved sharing my cards with likeminded people.

I love stamping and loved finding images, but sometimes I could not find what I wanted so I started to draw myself.

This then has become my second addiction and I have never looked back, I love thinking of new images, and its just fabulous to see others take them and make them into beautiful works of art. Long may it continue!

Challenge 36

So this week I'd like you to make any Christmas card, but do not include a sentiment on the front of the card.

Here is my card (further details here on my regular crafting blog, including a link for the sketch I've used). I've used Di's 'Merry mice' image - isn't it lovely?! Having chosen my papers - from My mind's eye Christmas glitter book - and made my card I realised that it could look as if I'm cheating because the words 'Merry Christmas' are visible at the top of the card, but it's part of the background paper, so I'm allowing it - lol! If you want to do something similar that's fine by me, but please don't actually add a specific sentiment/greeting to your card.

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember not to use a sentiment of any kind - apart from that, anything goes.
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 9 September. 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 10 September.

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.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

CHNC challenge 35: build it up ... and sponsorship news

2011-08-27T09:00:00.001+01:00

First of all, thank you for all those lovely entries for challenge 34 - some of you took advantage to get ahead with a Christmas birthday card, but most of you opted to add to your Christmas card stock, which for some must be building up nicely now.

Sponsorship

Before I get to today's challenge, I want to tell you some exciting news about a new sponsor: Di's Digi Downloads. I was fortunate enough to win some of their lovely digis as prizes for taking part in a couple of challenges and, as a result, they kindly agreed to sponsor my Christmas challenges. You can get a glipse of Di's gorgeous digis here - more information next week, as they will be sponsoring my challenge for Saturday 3 September.

Challenge 35

Now on to this week's challenge - I'm asking you, please, to 'build it up' - you may wish to include some decoupage or pyramage ... or just make sure your card has at least three layers - the choice is yours. The main reasons for this challenge blog is to help you to build up a stock of Christmas cards ahead of the 'panic' season, so I try to be as flexible as possible.

For my card I've used some Jolly Nation decoupage, a piece of DCWV backing paper and a recycled piece of card that features the star, wrapped with some fancy gold twine - more info here on my regular crafting blog.

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to use at least 3 layers on your card - apart from that, anything goes.

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 2 September. 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 3 September - as this will be the first Saturday in the month, there will be a prize for a randomly picked winner - given by our new sponsor, Di's Digi Downloads.

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.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

CHNC challenge 34: Christmas birthday or 'anything goes'

2011-08-20T09:00:00.006+01:00

Thank you for all the entries for last week's challenge - seeing all the fantastic creations is proof that sometimes more really is less! Lovely to see some new folk beginning their Christmas cards as well as others who are now building up quite a stock.

Challenge 34

Today is a bit different. It happens to be my birthday today, so when I was thinking what to do for this week's challenge I thought it might be nice to make a card for a Christmas birthday. We have lots of family birthdays around Christmas time, so a lot of 'special' cards to make in addition to Christmas ones.

So my challenge to you today is to make a card for a Christmas time birthday, but if, by any chance, you don't have any birthdays to make cards for around the festive time, then please feel free to make any Christmas card instead - anything goes!

It really is an easy-peasy week (well, I'm in a generous mood because it's my birthday!).

Here is my card. You can read more about this and see the challenges that I've linked for on my regular crafting blog My Crafty Outlook here.

I've now added a Christmas card as well - you can see more about it here:

And another Christmas card - details on my regular crafting blog here:

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is either a Christmas birthday card or any Christmas card - anything goes.

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 August. 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/or make some of those festive birthday cards in good time) 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 27 August.

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.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

CHNC challenge 33: simply Christmas

2011-08-13T09:00:00.004+01:00

Thank you for all the beautiful entries for last week's challenge - it was lovely to see your choice of colour to accompany black and white. Before I tell you about today's challenge, it's time to announce the winner of the prize for last week, randomly drawn - unfortunately, there can only be one winner and random.org has picked:

Number 3: fabiola

with this lovely card:

Please email me with your name and full address and I'll get the stamps into the post.

Challenge 33

This week I would like you to make a card with just one layer - or at least keep it simple.

I usually rely quite heavily on using patterned paper on my cards, but recently I've been making quite a few 'clean and simple' cards and even 'one layer' ones.

This challenge blog is really here to help crafters get on with making their Christmas cards without a panic towards the Big Day, so I think this challenge can be a bit flexible. If you can stick to one layer that would be great, but, if not, then at least make the card 'clean and simple'.

Here is my card. You can read more about this and see the challenges that I've linked for on my regular crafting blog My Crafty Outlook here.

And here's another one - this time it's a CAS, not a one layer (you can read about it here):

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to use only one layer or at least keep it clean and simple - apart from that, anything goes.

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 19 August. 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 20 August.

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.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

CHNC challenge 32: black, white and one other colour - with a prize

2011-08-06T09:00:00.011+01:00

Thanks for all the yummy entries for the festive food challenge last week - not so many entries as usual - perhaps some of you were out enjoying the sunshine as we did manage a couple of summer days this week!

Challenge 32

This week I would like you to make a card with black, white and one other colour.

Here is my card. You can read more about this and see the challenges that I've linked for on my regular crafting blog My Crafty Outlook here. Sorry that the photo doesn't show the gold in all its glory! - much richer irl.

Thought I'd just add another card for this challenge (you can see more about it on my regular blog here:

As it's the first Saturday in the month there will be a prize for a randomly drawn winner (using random.org) - here is the prize - two sets of Christmas clear stamps by Crafthouse:

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to use black, white and one other colour - apart from that, anything goes.

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 12 August. 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 13 August.

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.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

CHNC challenge 31: feature some festive food

2011-07-30T09:00:00.004+01:00

Gosh, here we are already at the end of July. Thank you so much for all the entries to last week's challenge - I enjoyed seeing the various reindeer images and, once again, such a variety of creativity.

Challenge 31

This week I would like your card to feature some food - it might be Christmas cake, Christmas pudding, turkey, candy canes, cakes ... anything that is eaten at Christmas.

Here is my card. You can read more about this and see the challenges that I've linked for on my regular crafting blog My Crafty Outlook here.

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to show some food somewhere on your card - apart from that, anything goes.

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 5 August. 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 6 August - as this will be the first Saturday in the month, there will be a prize for a randomly picked winner.

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.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

CHNC challenge 30: reindeer

2011-07-23T09:00:00.002+01:00

I can't believe how quickly the year is going (it seems to be faster every year!) and here we are today on challenge 30! But before I tell you about that, I want to thank everyone for their fab entries for the previous challenge - still some new people coming on board as well as 'regulars' building up their stocks of Christmas cards. I certainly enjoyed visiting the blogs and seeing lots of stars!

Challenge 30

This week I would like you to see at least one reindeer on your card. Here is my card. You can read more about this and see the challenges that I've linked for on my regular crafting blog My Crafty Outlook here.

The photo doesn't show the card as irl - the whole card is silver embossed just like you can see in the left hand corner - such a difficult card to get a photo because of the glare of the silver mirror card. The inkadinkado reindeer stamped image is also silver embossed.

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to use at least one reindeer somewhere on your card - apart from that, anything goes.

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 29 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 30 July.

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.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

CHNC challenge 29: seeing stars

2011-07-16T09:00:00.005+01:00

Once again it was lovely to see so many entries for the previous challenge - you certainly knew how to go dotty! And, while it was good to see 'regulars' playing along, it was lovely to welcome some new crafters who are starting on their Chrismas cards. Don't forget, it's never too early or too late to start - why not join in today's new challenge:

Challenge 29

This week I would like you to include stars on your card - well, at least one star! Here is my card. You can read more about this and see the challenges that I've linked for on my regular crafting blog My Crafty Outlook here.

This is what the inside (opened out full) looks like:

I've just added another card to my regular crafting blog 'My Crafty Outlook' with stars on it - here it is (if you'd like to read more details and see the challenges I entered please click here).

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to use at least one star somewhere on your card - apart from that, anything goes.

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 22 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 23 July.

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.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

CHNC challenge 28: spots before your eyes!

2011-07-09T09:00:00.009+01:00

Before I tell you about today's new challenge, I want to thank everyone for their fab entries for last week's challenge. I know that pink or purple are favourites with quite a few of you, but I know there are others who rarely use those colours on Christmas cards - it was lovely to see all the variations. And there were yet more new crafters joining us. It makes sense to get cracking with the Christmas cards before we get to panic mode!

There was a prize for one lucky participant from last week. Unfortunately, there can only be one winner and random.org has picked:

Number 7 : Ciska

This was her lovely card:

Please email me with your name and full address and I'll get your prize into the post.

Challenge 28

This week I would like you to include spots or dots on your card. Here is my card. You can read more about this and see the challenges that I've linked for on my regular crafting blog My Crafty Outlook here.

I'm adding another card (you can see details about it here):

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to use some spots or dots somewhere on your card - apart from that, anything goes. As you can see, I didn't have that many spots or dots on my card, but they are there - I didn't go completely dotty! It's up to you how many your include.

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 15 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 16 July.

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.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

CHNC challenge 27: pink and/or purple - with a prize

2011-07-02T09:00:00.013+01:00

Thank you for all the wonderful entries for last week's challenge. As it was an 'anything goes' it was great to see so much variety and so many entries, including some new crafters, as well as lots of 'regulars'. I was away from home last week and was getting used to using my new iPad - I did manage to keep up with all the entries and leave comments - I hope I didn't miss anyone out.

Challenge 27 is a colour one - please use pink and/or purple - a little or a lot - as long as there is some pink or purple, that's fine. Purple is definitely one of my favourite colours to work with and I also love pink. I had to smile as I looked through the entries for last week's challenge because there seemed to be a lot of pink cards, so I hope that we can see more of them this week.

As it's the first Saturday in the month there will be a prize for a randomly drawn winner (using random.org) - here is the prize:

As you can see, it's a Daisy & Dandelion 'all wrapped up' clear stamp gift set - this includes 11 stamps, 4 pigment ink pads and an acrylic block.

We've been away for the last week and only came back yesterday (I prepared this post in advance), so I'm afraid I haven't yet made my card for this challenge, but will do so as soon as I can.

I've now made a purple card - you can see details here on my regular crafting blog 'My crafty outlook' and find the links for challenges I've entered.

I've just added this card to my crafting blog - you can read further details here:

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to use the colour pink and/or purple somewhere on your card - apart from that, anything goes.

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 8 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 9 July.

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.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

CHNC challenge 26: anything goes

2011-06-25T09:00:00.005+01:00

I really enjoyed seeing all the interpretations of 'Christmas wings' for last week's challenge - thank you to everyone who entered.

It's six months since last Christmas and six months till next Christmas, so, if you haven't started yet, it's time to get going on making some cards so that panic doesn't set in nearer the time.

To help you on your way, as it's the mid-point in the year, I thought we'd have an 'anything goes' challenge this week.

This is my card - more details on my regular My Crafty Outlook blog. I'm afraid it's a very quick card this time because by the time this is published we will be away and I had little time to get anything else done for this challenge.

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques - and this week you are free to make any card, as long as it is for Christmas.

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 1 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 2 July - as this will be the first Saturday in the month, there will be a prize for a randomly picked winner.

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.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

CHNC challenge 25: Christmas wings

2011-06-18T09:00:00.002+01:00

Another week has rolled by and it's time for CHNC challenge 25: 'Christmas wings', but before I get to that I want to thank everyone who entered last week's challenge - it was great to see so many variations of using buttons on your cards.

So for challenge 25 I'd like to see some Christmas wings - in other words, I'd like you to include an angel or a fairy on your card.

This is the card I've made using a very simple angel stamp by Anita, coloured with copics. You can read further details on my regular crafting blog My Crafty Outlook here and see the sketch I used and the challenges I linked to.

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to include an angel or a fairy on your card - apart from that, anything goes.

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 June. 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 25 June - which will be exactly six months from last Christmas and six months to next Christmas - so it really is time to think about starting to make those cards if you haven't done so yet.

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.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

CHNC challenge 24: buttons

2011-06-11T09:00:00.004+01:00

I so enjoyed seeing everyone's 'wintertime blues' - thank you to everyone who took part in last week's challenge. Unfortunately, there can only be one winner and random.org has picked:

Number 14: SiskiyouSue

This was her lovely card:

Please email me with your name and full address and I'll get your prize into the post.

Challenge 24

This week I would like you to include buttons on your card - one, two, three or more ... any size. For my card I've chosen to include 13 tiny buttons on my stamped Woodware swirly tree. You can read more about this and see the challenges that I've linked for on my regular crafting blog My Crafty Outlook here.

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to use at least one button somewhere on your card - apart from that, anything goes.

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 June. 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 18 June.

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.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

CHNC challenge 23:wintertime blues - with a prize

2011-06-04T09:00:00.006+01:00

Wow! what a lovely lot of entries for last week's challenge - I thoroughly enjoyed seeing all your cards featuring ribbons - so much creativity and variety - and it was lovely to see some more new girls playing along and great too to have 'regulars' continuing to join in, building up a nice stock of Christmas cards.

And now on to challenge 23 - wintertime blues - just use the colour blue on your card - a little or a lot, it's up to you!

Can you believe that we're now into June already? - almost half way between last Christmas and next. As it's the first Saturday in the month there will be a prize for a randomly drawn winner (using random.org) - here is the prize:

This is my card - more details on my regular My Crafty Outlook blog here:

Thought I would add another card that I've just made (Sunday) - more details here:

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to use the colour blue somewhere on your card - apart from that, anything goes.

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 June. 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 11 June.

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.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

Two more cards for challenge 22

2011-06-01T22:50:00.004+01:00

I've added two more cards to my regular My Crafty Outlook blog - you can read more about them here and here.

For details of challenge 22 and to take part - you still have until 22:00 UK time on Friday 3 June to enter your card - please scroll down or click here.

Another card for challenge 22

2011-05-29T23:56:00.003+01:00

This is another card for challenge 22 - more details on my regular crafting blog here.

It is encouraging to see so many entries already - please keep them coming.

For details of challenge 22 and to link your entry please scroll down or click here.

CHNC challenge 22: use some ribbon

2011-05-28T09:00:00.004+01:00

Here we are on week 22 - can you believe that? We are nearly halfway through the year? - soon we will be nearer to next Christmas than the last, so, if you haven't started yet, now is the time to get cracking with making some Christmas cards to lighten the load to help avoid a panic when we get nearer to the Christmas season.

Before telling you about today's challenge I want to thank you for all the entries last week - so many different ideas for using scallops - I enjoyed looking at them all. I managed to have some internet access while I was away and was able to comment on some of the entries. We got back home yesterday, but by then blogger was playing up and not allowing me to leave comments on some blogs, so sincere apologies if you didn't get a comment from me, but it wasn't for the want of trying.

For challenge 22 I would like you to use some ribbon on your card - it can be a strip of ribbon wrapped around the card, a small bow, a larger bow ... whatever you fancy, as long as it's ribbon.

This is my card - more details on my regular My Crafty Outlook blog here:

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to use some ribbon - apart from that, anything goes.

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 3 June. 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 4 June - and, as that's the first Saturday in the month, there will be a prize for a randomly chosen winner.

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.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

CHNC challenge 21: let's see some scallops

2011-05-21T09:00:00.004+01:00

Can you believe how quickly the weeks are going - here we are commencing challenge 21!

But first, I want to thank all of you who entered your cards for the previous challenge - there were some lovely forms of distressing and I'm sure you didn't actually get stressed about it! It's good to see that 'regulars' are building up quite a supply of Christmas cards - and it's also good to still see new people joining in.

So, for challenge 21 I would like to see some scallops - in any shape or form, as long as you have a scalloped edge to something on your card, then that's OK.

This is my card (details are on my regular crafting blog 'My crafty outlook' here):

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to use something scalloped - apart from that, anything goes.

We will be away for a few days next week (celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary on Wednesday), so I might not be able to comment on your entries as soon as I would like - it will depend on internet access.

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 27 May. 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 28 May.

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.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

CHNC challenge 20: don't get stressed about distressing! - another card

2011-05-15T14:45:00.002+01:00

I've just made another card for this challenge (and linked it with others too, including a couple of Christmas ones) - further details are on my regular crafting blog My Crafty blog here. The distressing is the torn edges around the image.

For details of this week's challenge 20 and to enter your card, please scroll down or click here.

CHNC challenge 20: don't get stressed about distressing!

2011-05-14T09:00:00.004+01:00

What a week it's been in blogland with Blogger having major issues and some posts having disappeared and still not come back yet. I hope that all of you who wanted to join in the previous challenge were able to upload your entry.

I want to thank all those who entered last week's challenge - it was great to see all the your responses to the photo inspiration. And, of course, it was a prize week, so I entered the numbers into random.org and the randomly chosen winner of the Christmas stamps is:

Number 5: Colleen

This was Colleen's lovely card:

Please email me with your name and full address and I'll get the stamps into the post.

Challenge 20

So, on with challenge 20, which is all about distressing - this could be inked/sponged edges, torn paper, sanded embossing ... anything that counts as distressing - I look forward to seeing what you come up with.

This is my card - I distressed with ink and also a torn edge - details are on my regular crafting blog 'My Crafty Outlook' here.

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to distress - apart from that, anything goes.

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 20 May. 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 21 May.

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.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

CHNC challenge 19: photo inspiration ... with a prize

2011-05-07T09:00:00.008+01:00

Update: As Blogger has been unavailable for some time, I've extended the entry time by an hour to UK 23:00 to give everyone a chance to enter.

Thank you to all those who entered last week's challenge to use a die cut - I love to visit your blogs and see your wonderful creations. I know that a lot of you have been regularly entering my challenges and are beginning to build up quite a collection of Christmas cards. And once again this week some new folk have joined in. If you haven't started yet, it's never too early or too late - why not join in this week - and there will be a prize for one randomly drawn winner.

So for challenge 19 I'd like you to use this photo as the inspiration to make your Christmas card. You can interpret your response in any way you wish - it might be one or more of the colours or patterns, or stockings, Santa, teddy, snowman, presents ... whatever the photo inspires you to make - I look forward to seeing what you come up with.

As it's the first Saturday in the month there will be a prize for a randomly drawn winner (using random.org) - three Christmas rubber stamps:

For my card I concentrated on the stocking and also used red, green and gold as my colour combo. The circular sentiment is gold foiled, but it was difficult to get a photo as I made the card this evening - more details about the card and other challenges on my regular crafting blog 'My crafty outlook' here.

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to take your inspiration from the given photo - apart from that, anything goes.

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 13 May. 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 14 May.

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.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

CHNC challenge 18: use a die cut

2011-04-30T09:00:00.004+01:00

Before introducing you to challenge 18, I want to thank all those who entered challenge 17, which wasn't an easy one - there weren't quite so many players as usual, but I guess that with Easter having just been and another Bank Holiday yesterday, making Christmas cards has been put down the list a bit.

Well, today's challenge 18 is easier than last week's - all you need to do is use a die cut - it can be one that you have cut yourself using a nestie, a sizzix or other similar die, a craft robo or cricut shape that you've cut ... or even a bought ready-made die cut - how easy is that?!

I used a Nellie Snellen die cut (ran through my cuttelebug) for my card - you can read further details here on my regular crafting blog 'My crafty outlook' and also see what other challenges I entered with it.

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to use a die cut - apart from that, anything goes.

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 6 May. 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 7 May - and as this will be the first challenge of a new month, there will be a randomly drawn prize.

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 new challenge blog - thank you.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

Another card for CHNC challenge 17

2011-04-27T23:29:00.003+01:00

I think this challenge has been a tricky one and I admit I wasn't really that happy with my card for it, so I decided I would try and make another one. You can read details about it on my regular crafting blog here, including links for other challenges - I would encourage you to support the other Christmas challenges out there on the net - we are all working towards the same aim of building up stocks of Christmas cards throughout the year.

Please scroll down for challenge 17 or click here.

Thank you for the entries so far - it would be lovely to see even more joining in before the deadline of 22:00 UK time on Friday 29 April - you've still got time!

CHNC challenge 17: a touch of Easter for Christmas

2011-04-23T09:00:00.003+01:00

This year is going so fast - it doesn't seem possible that we're already in the midst of the Easter weekend, especially as Easter is late this year, so this means that we are on challenge 17 today - where have the last 16 weeks gone?

Anyway, before we get to today's challenge I just want to thank all those who entered challenge 16 - I had great fun, not only seeing all the cards, but also singing along with the songs. There are so many of you who are regularly supporting these challenges - thank you so much - and it's also good to still see new crafters joining in. It's never too early (or too late) to start building up a stock of Christmas cards, so, if you haven't started yet, why not start with today's challenge? Meanwhile, best wishes to everyone for a Happy Easter.

So for challenge 17 I'd like you to bring a touch of Easter into your Christmas crafting. Yellow is a colour we associate with Easter and, of course, it's a time of year when eggs feature (oh yum, I know that I'm getting a Hotel Chocolat dark choc egg) and, of course, eggs are oval in shape. So I'd like you to use either the colour yellow - little or a lot (you can use other colours as well, as long as yellow is visible) and/or an oval shape on your card.

I'm not too sure about my card, but, hey ho, 'tis done now. Details, including links to other challenges, on my regular crafting blog 'My Crafty Outlook' here.

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to use yellow and/or an oval - apart from that, anything goes.

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 29 April. 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 30 April.

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 new challenge blog - thank you.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

CHNC challenge 16: sing song

2011-04-16T09:00:00.005+01:00

Thank you to all who made cards 'going round in circles' - once again there was a great variety of all kinds of Christmas cards incorporating all sorts of circles - from small dots to big round shapes. It's good to see so many regularly entering the challenges and also lovely to see some new entries.

This week's Challenge 16 is to make a Christmas card inspired by a Christmas song or carol - I hope this gives plenty of scope.

My card is based on 'Away in a manger' using the Penny Black 'the manger' stamp coloured with copics - I kept the colours fairly subtle to tone with the My Mind's Eye papers from the Christmas Glitter book. These already have a distressed look, but I further distressed edges, first with spiced marmalade DI and then fired brick. The inner shape is a nestie, so I'm linking this for Jingle Belles challenge to use die cuts - their challenge this time is 'cross-pollinated' with Betty Bee's Buzzing honeybee challenge, so I'm linking there too.

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to base your card on a Christmas song or carol - apart from that, anything goes.

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 22 April. 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 23 April.

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 new challenge blog - thank you.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

CHNC challenge 15: going round in circles

2011-04-09T09:00:00.005+01:00

Thank you for the fab entries for challenge 14 - so much variety of foliage and flowers - I enjoyed seeing them all. Unfortunately, there could only be one winner for the Robyn's Fetish images and this is the result:

Number 17 is Elizabeth

This is Elizabeth's lovely card:

Please email me, Elizabeth, so that I can let you know how to claim your prize - either 5 digital stamps or 4 digital stamps and 1 paper pack kindly given by Robyn's Fetish Digital Stamps and More, the sponsors of my challenge 14.

Challenge 15: going round in circles

Now on to challenge 15: going round in circles. I'd like to see at least one circle - it might be the shape of your card, but it doesn't have to be - you can use paper with circles on it, die cut circles, dots or spots ... or even buttons or brads - as long as you use something round it will count.

We are actually having a break away atm, so I quickly prepared two cards for this challenge before we left home (and I have my little lappy with me and hotel internet connection) - time was running out so I needed to produce something quickly so I used Cricut wild card cartridge doiley card with some K & Co Christmas double sided papers (these were some of those that were sent to me by the lovely girls at the Order of the Opus Gluei. Just the addition of a central image and the cards were done.

So here are my two quick cards (more details here on my regular crafting blog):

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to include at least one circle - apart from that, anything goes.

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 15 April. 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 16 April.

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 new challenge blog - thank you.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

CHNC sponsored challenge 14: Christmas foliage and/or flowers

2011-04-02T09:00:00.004+01:00

Before I get to this week's challenge I want to thank all those who entered last week's challenge - it was lovely to see lots of 'regulars' cracking on with building up their supplies of Christmas cards and also to welcome new folk along. If you haven't started your Christmas cards yet, just be aware that a quarter of the year has already gone (I know, it goes so quickly, doesn't it?) - and what better time to take part than today's challenge which is being sponsored.

Today's challenge 14 is to make a Christmas card that includes some Christmas foliage and/or flowers - this can be holly, ivy, mistletoe, pine cones, poinsettias ... and I'm sure you can think of others. (I had to smile when I saw last week's challenge on Jingle Belles that was asking for the same thing!)

I am so excited about this new challenge because, not only is it being sponsored by Robyn's Fetish Digital Stamps, but one of their girls, Georgia, is joining me as a Guest Designer - more about that later.

An introduction to Robyn's Fetish Digital Stamps and More:

Robyn's Fetish Digital Stamps and More is proud to sponsor this challenge.

Robyn's Fetish 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 will award either 5 digital stamps or 4 digital stamps and 1 paper pack of the winner's choice.

The winner will be randomly drawn using random.org

As I said earlier, I am delighted that Georgia is joining me as Guest Designer. Georgia has used Christmas Wreath on her beautiful card:

You can see more of Georgia's beautiful crafting on her blog: PaperPossibilities ... Toadily Handmade! Please hop over to Georgia's blog and leave her a kind comment.

I also used Robyn's Christmas Wreath and also her Corner Holly. I arranged the images and my own sentiment in Publisher and printed on to Basic Gray Winter Mint paper and coloured with copics, adding some glossy accents to the centre berries of the holly corners. So here is my card - you can read more about it on my regular crafting blog here.

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to include some Christmas foliage and/or flowers - apart from that, anything goes.

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 8 April. 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. And don't forget that a randomly chosen winner will be able to choose 5 digital stamps or 4 digital stamps and 1 paper pack. As you can see from our cards, there are some delightful Christma s images to choose from, as well as a host of others.

A new challenge will be set on 9 April.

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 new challenge blog - thank you.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

CHNC challenge 13: another square card

2011-03-29T21:12:00.003+01:00

I made another square Christmas card for a few Christmas challenges - you can read about it here on my regular crafting blog.

It's lovely to see so many have joined in so far for this challenge - hope to see more before the deadline of 22:00 UK time on Friday 1 April.

I'm getting really excited about next week's challenge (which will start on Saturday 2 April) because it's being sponsored and there will be a Guest Designer joining me.

Meanwhile, challenge 13 is still current - either click here to go to it or scroll down.

CHNC challenge 13: square card

2011-03-26T09:00:00.003Z

First of all, thank you so much to everyone who submitted entries for challenge 12 - I really enjoyed hopping to your blogs to see your wonderful seasonal silver Christmas cards. Some of you are beginning to build up quite a collection of Christmas cards. If you haven't yet started to make them, then why not do so this week - it's an easy peasy challenge.

For CHNC challenge 13 I'd like you to make a square card - yes, that's it! That's all you have to do to enter the challenge - of course, the only other condition is that it has to be a Christmas card.

I don't know about you, but I tend to make more square cards nowadays than any other size or style.

As usual, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to use a square card as your base - apart from that, anything goes.

Here is my card, details of which are here on my regular My Crafty Outlook blog here, including links to challenges that I've entered it into. It's a quick card this time because I've been busy making Easter cards and other cards ready for a charity sale today.

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 1 April. 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 2 April - and, as it's the first Saturday in the month, there will be a prize for that challenge - sponsored by Robyn's Fetish digital stamps - there will be a great prize for one randomly chosen winner - more about that next week.

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 new challenge blog - thank you.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

CHNC challenge 12: seasonal silver

2011-03-19T09:00:00.003Z

Thank you to everyone who took part in 'go for gold' - you certainly went for it, with gorgeous cards. It's good to see some 'regulars' returning every week - thank you for your support - you are now beginning to build up quite a collection of Christmas cards. It's never too early (or too late) to start making Christmas cards, so, if you haven't yet joined in, why not do so this week? You know it makes sense.

I thought we would continue the metallic theme and use silver this week, so for challenge 12 I would like you to use silver in some way on your card - it can be a lot or a little - foiling, heat embossing, silver pen - whatever you like, as long as there is silver somewhere on your Christmas card.

This is my card - I've gone overboard with the silver:

Although there is more glare on the next picture because of the flash photo, it gives a better idea of the silver:

If I can get a better picture in daylight then I'll replace it.

You can see more details of my card on my regular crafting blog My Crafty Outlook here, including my links to other Christmas challenge blogs (I used the sketch from this week's Jingle Belles, and am entering the card into Christmas stamping all year long: I can see right through that! - using vellum, Bah! humbug 11: metallics and Winter wonderland: embossing (heat embossing on the circular stamp).

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 25 March. Please mention my blog and create a link within the post for your creation.

Remember, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to use some silver.

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 26 March.

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. (Sorry there was a blip with linky for last week's challenge - hope it doesn't happen again).

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 new challenge blog - thank you.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

CHNC challenge 11: go for gold

2011-03-12T08:30:00.004Z

Before I get on to today's new challenge, I want to thank everyone for their fab cards for last week's embossing challenge - there were a record number of entries: 61!

Unfortunately, there can only be one random winner, I used random.org and the result is:

Number 41: Janet van Rossen

This was Janet's lovely card:

Please email me with your name and full address and I'll get the embossing folder and snowman stamp into the post.

For challenge 11 I would like you to 'go for gold' - use gold in some way on your card - it can be a lot or a little - foiling, heat embossing, gold pen - whatever you like, as long as there is gold somewhere on your Christmas card.

Here is my card, which is based on Sparkle creations Christmas 2011 week 14 sketch and it's also being entered into ABC Christmas challenge: E for embossing and embellishments, and Fab's big Christmas March challenge to use a picture.

You can see more details of my card on my regular crafting blog My Crafty Outlook here .

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 18 March. Please mention my blog and create a link within the post for your creation.

Remember, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week please remember to use some gold.

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 19 March.

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 new challenge blog - thank you.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

CHNC challenge 10: embossing - with a prize

2011-03-05T09:00:00.007Z

Wow! how this year is going so quickly - March already and we're on challenge 10!

Before I tell you about today's challenge, I want to say a big THANK YOU to all who have entered into the spirit of this challenge blog and produced such lovely cards. You will all be streets ahead of others when we get towards Christmas 2011. I loved seeing all the different sentiments for challenge 9.

If you haven't yet started your Christmas cards, why not do so with today's challenge - you know it makes sense.

On to CHNC challenge 10 then - I'd like you to incorporate some embossing on to your card - this can be dry embossing using a lightbox or embossing plates or folders, or why not stamp and use some wet embossing - the choice is yours. You can even use something that is ready embossed if you want to.

This is a prize week -as it is the first Saturday in the month there will be a prize for the randomly selected winner - a Papermania snowflakes embossing folder and a Stampavie Rachelle Anne Miller clear Snowman stamp.

I've used one of these embossing folders and stamp on my card for this challenge (the winner will get unopened products, not the ones that I've used - lol!).

You can see more details of my card on my regular crafting blog My Crafty Outlook here .

And it seems that great minds have thought alike again, as there is another Christmas challenge this week asking for embossing to be used - Bah! humbug challenge 9. Having prepared what my challenge 10 was going to be I was so surprised to see that Bah! humbug are doing the same this week. So I'm linking my card for that challenge - you could do the same with yours. It's good to support other challenge blogs that are helping us to make Christmas cards throughout the year. And today's Die cut dreams Christmas 56 is 'inspired by a song' - so this is for 'Frosty the snowman'. It's also being linked for Winter wonderland: snowflakes.

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 11 March. Please mention my blog and create a link within the post for your creation.

Remember, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week I'd like you to use some embossing.

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 12 March.

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 new challenge blog - thank you.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

CHNC challenge 9: let's get sentimental

2011-02-26T09:00:00.002Z

First of all, a big thank you to all who entered into last week's challenge with so many wonderful interpretations of 'the white stuff'. It was great to welcome some new players as well as some who come back faithfully every week - some of you are building up a collection of Christmas cards that will ease the panic later in the year. If you're visiting here for the first time, why not join in and make a Christmas card every week - you know it makes sense!

Before I get to today's challenge, a little bit of news to share with you. Next week I will be giving a prize for a randomly drawn winner.

And there's more news - I have another sponsor Robyn's fetish digital stamps and more - they will be sponsoring my challenge that commences on 2 April with a great prize - more about that nearer the time, but meanwhile, why not pay them a visit and look at the their lovely digis - they have some great Christmas ones as well as others.

Back to this week - for challenge 9 I would like you to get sentimental - make sure your Christmas card has a sentiment on it, preferably making it a focal part of the card - or you may wish to use some papers that has sentiments on them.

Here is my card for this challenge (the white surround isn't part of the card - I had to scan rather than take a photo in poor light):

For details about it please visit my regular crafting blog 'My Crafty Outlook' here. I'm entering this into this week's challenge on Jingle Belles: Text Me (it looks as if great minds think alike this week!)

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 4 March. Please mention my blog and create a link within the post for your creation.

Remember, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week I'd like you to 'get sentimental' - use a sentiment on your card, preferably making it a prominent part of the card.

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 5 March.

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 new challenge blog - thank you.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

I am celebrating with some candy on my regular crafting blog - you can read about it and sign up here

Another card for CHNC challenge 8

2011-02-23T01:03:00.003Z

For challenge 8 please scroll down or click here.

I made a card for another couple of Christmas challenges - you can read about it here on my regular 'My crafty outlook' blog.

The photo isn't too good because of the reflection on the CD, but it gives a general idea:

and the scan (which, unfortunately, cut the corners off the card) shows the alcohol ink better, but it's much more silvery irl:

I am celebrating with some candy - you can read about it and sign up here

For challenge 8 please scroll down or click here. If you haven't entered yet, there is still time - the challenge will remain open until 22:00 UK time on Friday 25 February.

CHNC challenge 8: the white stuff

2011-02-19T09:00:00.004Z

It's hard to believe that we are already on challenge 8 - where has this year gone already? Well done to everyone for keeping up with the resolution to make Christmas cards throughout the year - and if there is anyone reading this who hasn't yet started on Christmas cards this year, it's never too early or too late! The more you get done now, the easier it is later in the year.

Thank you to all those who 'featured a creature' for challenge 7 - so many charming cards and lots of different creatures.

On to challenge 8, which is 'the white stuff'. I'm hoping that we won't get any more snow now, but you never know. The only place I like to see it is on Christmas cards.

You can interpret 'the white stuff' however you please. You may wish to make a card with a snowy scene, or snow people, or snowflakes ... or perhaps you'd like to make a card that is mainly white - there have been quite a lot of these around on the blogs this year and all white can look very attractive, especially if some embossing and stickles or something similar is used.

Here is my card:

For details about it please visit my regular crafting blog 'My Crafty Outlook' here. I'm entering this into a few other Christmas challenges, so you might like to do the same with your card. I like to support other blogs that are promoting making Christmas cards.

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 25 February. Please mention my blog and create a link within the post for your creation.

Remember, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week I'd like you to make something with 'the white stuff'.

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 26 February.

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 new challenge blog - thank you.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

I am celebrating with some candy on my regular crafting blog - you can read about it and sign up here

Another card for CHNC challenge 7

2011-02-17T11:40:00.006Z

Please scroll down or click here to see CHNC challenge 7: feature a creature.

This is another card I've made featuring sheep:

Details on my regular crafting blog 'My crafty outlook' here.

Please scroll down or click here to see CHNC challenge 7: feature a creature.

Hope you will have time this week to join in and create a Christmas card for this challenge.

CHNC challenge 7: feature a creature

2011-02-12T09:00:00.006Z

Thank you so much to all of you who played along with challenge 6 - there were some lovely cards featuring various digital images.

I'm happy to announce that the winner of challenge 6 sponsored by Shelly's Images is:

Number 7: Jaqi van Jaarsveld

This was Jaqi's lovely card:

You can see details of those lovely images on Jaqi's crafty corner - I made sure I got these myself because I thought they were so special.

Please email me, Jaqi, and I will put you in touch with Shelly to claim your three digital images.

So, on to CHNC challenge 7 - this time I would like you to 'feature a creature' - any kind of creature - perhaps a robin, a sheep, a camel, a mouse, even a teddy bear ... you choose. Of course, you must make a Christmas card.

For my card I stamped with Penny Black's 'the manger' from the Margaret Sherry collection, featuring sheep. I'm pleased to say that I've linked this card for this week's Jingle belles 'no red, she said' challenge. You can find further details on my regular crafting blog, 'My Crafty Outlook' here.

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 18 February. Please mention my blog and create a link within the post for your creation.

Remember, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week I'd like you to 'feature a creature'.

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 19 February.

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 new challenge blog - thank you.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

I am celebrating with some candy on my regular crafting blog - you can read about it and sign up here

Another card for CHNC challenge 6

2011-02-06T17:45:00.003Z

Having won a digi on I did it for last week's challenge I chose JLJ's lovely Merry Kiss-mouse and couldn't resist using it right away, so here is another card using a digi:

You can read about it on my regular blog here.

I'd love to see your Christmas cards featuring a digi - any digi can be used, whether an image or a paper ... just scroll down or click here to take you to challenge 6.

Oh and there's a prize this time - Shelly's Images are sponsoring this challenge and the randomly chosen winner will be able to choose 3 images.

If you haven't started your Christmas cards yet, it's never too early - you'll be ahead of those who are in a bit of a panic later in the year.

CHNC challenge 6: use a digi

2011-02-05T09:00:00.004Z

Thank you so much to all of you who played along with challenge 5 - there were some lovely versions of Santa. There weren't quite so many entries - I hope this doesn't mean that the New Year's resolutions are being abandoned. You know it makes sense to make Christmas cards throughout the year and take the strain off those last few weeks before the big day when panic begins to set in!

There's a great incentive for getting back on track this week: I'm delighted to tell you that CHNC Challenge 6 is being sponsored by Shelly's Images - the winner, chosen at random, will be able to choose 3 images from the lovely range you will find here.A little bit about Shelly's Images:

'Our images are hand drawn by Shelly. We have a super talented family, so every now and then they jump in with an image. Any image that is not drawn by Shelly will have the artists name in the product description.

Digital stamps are perfect for card making, scrap booking, and crafting. The images are easy to re-size and perfect because they don't require any storage space and there is no messy ink and clean up. If you have any questions about using digital stamps please be sure to send us an email.

Shelly's images are designed with the crafter in mind. She has been a paper crafter for more than 15 years.'

So, for challenge 6, please use a digi - it can be an image, a paper, a combination of both ... whatever you choose - and it can be any digi - there are lots of freebies available on the net, as well as plenty to purchase - and, of course, I'd be delighted to see any images that you might have from Shelly, but it isn't a requirement of the challenge. Of course, you must make a Christmas card.

For my card I used the 'all wrapped up' Shelly Image (the one I used for my card for challenge 1). You can find details and see the other challenges I linked to on my regular crafting blog, 'My Crafty Outlook' here.

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 11 February. Please mention my blog and create a link within the post for your creation.

Remember, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week I'd like to see a digi being used.

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 12 February.

Having just got used to using Linky Tools, unfortunately, they are now charging (which is perfectly understandable, but I want to avoid extra cost if possible), so I'm switching to using a different Linky. 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 new challenge blog - thank you.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

Another Santa for CHNC challenge 5

2011-01-29T14:02:00.003Z

This is another card from me for challenge 5 - you can see details here on My Crafty Outlook (my regular crafting blog). The digi image I used was a freebie, so if you're stuck for a Santa to use you can find it here.

To find details of challenge 5 and enter a card please scroll down or click here. I look forward to seeing your creations.

CHNC challenge 5: Santa

2011-01-29T09:00:00.006Z

I loved seeing all your bling for last week's challenge - thank you for joining in - we had 26 lovely entries all together.

Don't forget that New Year's resolution to make Christmas cards throughout the year - you will be pleased later in the year when you've built up a supply of cards ahead of the panic weeks just before Christmas.

For challenge 5 I'd like you to include Santa on your Christmas card, or whatever you call Santa - Father Christmas, Papai Noel, Saint Nicholas ...

For my card I've used the sketch for this week's Jingle Belles challenge:

I'm also entering the card for Bah! humbug 4: an oldie but a goldie, Winter wonderland: my sentiments exactly, Sparkle creations Christmas 2011 week 8: no colouring and Christmas cards all year round for January: anything goes - more details on My Crafty Outlook (my regular crafting blog) here, as well as other non-Christmas challenges for the card.

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 4 February. Please mention my blog and create a link within the post for your creation.

Remember, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week I'd like to see Santa, Father Christmas, Papai Noel, Saint Nicholas ...

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 5 February - this will be sponsored by Shelly's Images - so there will be a prize for one lucky randomly drawn creation.

If by any chance Linky 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 new challenge blog - thank you.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

7. Jaqi van Jaarsveld

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Another bling card for challenge 4: Going crackers

2011-01-25T17:26:00.003Z

You can read about it here on My Crafty Outlook (my regular crafting blog) - sorry it's a terrible photo. I'm also entering this for this week's challenges on Jingle Belles, Christmas cards all year round and Bah! humbug - it's good to support these other Christmas blogs.

There's still time to enter challenge 4: let's see some bling - you have until Friday at 22:00 UK time - just scroll down or click here.

Five more bling cards for challenge 4

2011-01-22T22:23:00.003Z

Five more bling Christmas cards from me:

You can find details here on My Crafty Outlook, my regular crafting blog.

If you'd like to join in my challenge 4: let's see some bling, please scroll down or look here.

Sponsorship news

2011-01-22T15:18:00.005Z

I was approached by Shelly's Images to ask whether I would like them to sponsor a challenge - yay!!
They will be sponsoring this blog for challenge 6 on Saturday 5 February - you can see their link to my blog here.

How cool is that! Thank you, Shelly's Images.

In the meantime it will lovely to see you play along with this week's challenge 4 which can be found here.

CHNC challenge 4: let's see some bling

2011-01-22T09:00:00.005Z

Challenge 4: let's see some bling

Thank you for the lovely 20 entries for challenge 3 - so many different styles and kinds of trees, thank you for sharing them.

I think NiMu's card deserves a special mention - she is only four year's old and this is what she created:

Remember that New Year's resolution to make Christmas cards throughout the year - please don't put that Christmas stash away, but keep using it week by week to build up a good collection of Christmas cards so that there isn't a panic later in the year - you know it makes sense.

This week for challenge 4 I'd like to see some bling - anything that glitters or shines - glitter glue, holographic, foiling, gems/rhinestones - use a little or a lot, it's up to you.

Here is my card for this challenge. Although I started this Christmas challenge blog, I still like to support other Christmas challenges in blogland as much as I can, so this card was based on the sketch given for Sparkle Christmas card challenge 7. You can see further details about the card if you visit My Crafty Outlook (my regular blog) here.

I look forward to seeing what you come up with for this challenge - 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 28 January. Please mention my blog and create a link within the post for your creation.

Remember, you can use any materials, any techniques, as long as the end result is a Christmas card - and this week show some bling!

And 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 29 January. If by any chance Linky 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 new challenge blog - thank you.

I look forward to seeing your creations.

8. Jaqi van Jaarsveld

15. Tanja aka Stampin'Piper

16. darling Ho

17. Paddy

18. Susan S

19. Pink and Green and Blingy all over

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Another card for CHNC challenge 3

2011-01-20T23:32:00.007Z

This is another card I've made for challenge 3 - you can see details on My Crafty Outlook (my regular crafting blog) here.

It's good to see some lovely creations linked for challenge 3 so far, but it would be great to see even more entries. There's still time to enter - until 22:00 UK time Friday 21 January. If you made a New Year resolution to make Christms cards throughout the year then here is your opportunity - don''t let that resolution slip!

To enter a card for my challenge 3 please scroll down or look here.