Rules and Such...

- Challenges are posted every Wednesday
- You may combine this challenge with others
- You can use any products or stamps (you aren't restricted to just using Pixie Cottage, although we would love to see how you use our products too!)
- Post your creation on your blog with a direct link to this challenge
- Entries due by midnight (EST) on the Tuesday night before the next challenge
- Winners will be announced on Fridays!

Dec 24, 2010

Winners Winners Revealed for Challenge #49 - Special Friends or Family


Hello and welcome to Winners Circle Friday!
Today's the day to check to see if you are the winner from Challenge #49 which was "Special Friends or Family".
The randomly picked winner of their choice of two fabulous Pixie Cottage stamps is HAZEL (Didos)!
Please contact Michelle with your details so you choose your stamps.

Our Top Three picks are (in no particular order)
BETTINNA
JANIEL
RAFFA

Congratulations and feel free to grab our banner for your blog



Remember that Challenge #50, "Party/Celebration", is still running and you have until Tuesday the 4th January 2011 at Midnight to enter.
Good luck!

Dec 22, 2010

The Pixie Cottage Challenge #50 - Sketch and/or Party/Celebration!


Hopefully all your Christmas cards are made and sent and you are getting ready for the big day! This is our last Once Upon A Wednesday for the year and will run for two weeks. I'm sure you appreciate all the wonderful work the team has done for the year and will agree they need a week off ;) Hopefully when this challenge posts I'll be having fun in London, wish me luck!

Now on to the sketch, this one was designed by team member Tanya and I'm sure you'll love it!


In addition to the sketch we have the optional challenge of the "Party/Celebration" theme on your project. You can interpret that in many ways, maybe New Years, Birthday, Anniversary or even the birth of a New Baby!
As always you can use the sketch or the optional technique or both!
The randomly picked winner will win two stamps of their choice from the Pixie Cottage Collection. The winner and the Top 3 favorites will be announced on the Friday after the challenge ends.

Now on to the team's fabulous creations!

Katie
Using Sneak Peek of one by new artist Faith Skrdla


Cheryl
Using And The Stockings Were Hung by ARTish


Nanda
Using Hannah with Candle by Sandra Hammer


and the inside


Davi
Using Love You A Latte by Faith Skrdla


Denise
Using From You to Us by Di Carubia


Suzi
Using Fairy Molly by Eileen Gutierrez


Adrina
Using Hannah's Letter by Sandra Hammer


Sharon
Using Hannah with Candle by Sandra Hammer


Sadia
Using udderly Adorable Boy by Alicia Rameriz


Lisette
Using Baby Maisy by Di Carubia


Tanya
Using Hannah with Candle by Sandra Hammer


Risa
Using Playful Penguins by Eileen Gutierrez


ARTish
Using May I Have This Dance by ARTish


Anne
Using Hannah with Candle by Sandra Hammer


Peggy
Using Rudolph Decorated by ArTish




So now it's your turn to go and create and come back and share with us.
Please add your link to the gadget below so we can come and see your project.
No back links please, if the item was on your blog before December 22nd then it will be removed. Thanks for your understanding on this matter.
The link gadget will close on January 4th at 11.59pm CST.


Dec 18, 2010

Winners Revealed for Challenge #48 - Sparkle and Shine

Hello and welcome to Winners Circle!
Today's the day to check to see if you are the winner from Challenge #48 which was "Sparkle and Shine".
The randomly picked winner of their choice of two fabulous Pixie Cottage stamps is KERSTIN!
Please contact Michelle with your details so you choose your stamps.

Our Top Three picks are (in no particular order)
CHRIS OLSEN
LENA KATRINE
TAMMY MAYNARD

Congratulations and feel free to grab our banner for your blog



Remember that Challenge #49, "Special Friends/Family", is still running and you have until Tuesday the 21st at Midnight to enter.
Good luck!

Tutorial Time with Nanda

Lately I use the Martha Stewart punch around the page punches (MS patp) a lot. When you buy a set of MS patp you will get a folder with some information. On this folder are also some measurements for the card sizes you can use. Two of the sizes on the folder are:
5 inch / 12,7 cm (square)
6,75 inch / 17,15 cm (square)


Most of the time I found the 12,7 cm too small to work with and the 17,15 cm too large. So I figure out how I can use the MS patp with different sizes of paper. For this tutorial I use cm and not inches. If you use inches it works the same way I use the cm. The tutorial just show what you can do with every MS patp punch.


What will you need?
Martha Stewart punch around the page set (I used for this tutorial the Vintage Lace set)
Ruler
Pencil/Pen
A piece of scrap of scrap paper


Punch the border punch one time on a piece of scrap paper.


Look at the pattern. Look if you can find a pattern that repeats itself. With this punch there is a pattern that repeats three times. Measure one piece of the pattern that repeats. With this punch one piece of the pattern is 1,5 cm.


Take the measurement from the folder and start counting from there.
12,7 cm + 1,5 cm = 14,2 cm
14,2 cm + 1,5 cm = 15,7 cm
15,7 cm + 1,5 cm = 17,2 cm


Now you have two sizes between 12,7 cm and 17,15 cm.


To be sure you have the right size, just try it on a piece of scrap paper. I took a piece of paper that is 15,7 cm long. First I punched the corners. Remember to do that always when you use the punches around a piece of paper.


Now you can punch the border punch. Make sure you line the paper correctly on the punch. On the corner punch you will see where to put the left corner of the paper on the punch so the pattern will follow correctly.

Now you can use the border punch like normal. Just move the paper so you can punch one complete pattern from the border punch. You will see that there is a little piece of paper that isn't punched yet.



To punch the rest of the paper, that little piece, just move the paper to the left. Make sure the pattern from the paper on the left side lines up with the border punch. If the paper is cut at the correct size, the right corner of the paper lines perfect with the corner on the border punch. Punch and one side is done and you have the right measurements.


If the pattern doesn't line correctly because of 1 mm or less difference of the paper, then make sure you line up the pattern and paper on the left side correctly. Line up the right side with the punched corner so close as possible and punch. Maybe you will see a little difference but this will be so small that you are the only one who will notice. Believe me, I have this sometimes too.


Now you know the right measurements you can make cards which are bigger than 12,7 cm and smaller than 17,15 cm. Some punches don't have patterns you can make smaller like this one. Some punches you will need the measurements like 12,7 cm or 17,15 cm. But I found out that most of the punches you can make the card sizes smaller.



You can also play with the patterns from the punches. As you can see on the picture up here you can line up the pattern paper so you can see the whole pattern from the punch.


But if you move the pattern paper more to the edge you create a different look. And that with just one punch! So be creative and just play with the punches you have. Have fun!!
If you have any questions just leave a comment and I will answer your questions.


This card is made with a piece of paper from 15,7 x 15,7 cm. I used the Vintage Lace punch around the page set and moved the pattern paper more to the edge. The stamp is Hannah with candle by Sandra Hammer. You can buy the stamp at Michelle's scrapbooking & more.

Dec 15, 2010

The Pixie Cottage Challenge #49 - Sketch and/or Special Friends and Family

I know you are super busy with last minute Holiday crafting but maybe we can inspire you a little with another challenge on our Once Upon A Wednesday!
First we have this super sketch to start you off:



In addition to the sketch we have the optional challenge of the "THEME" theme on your project.
As always you can use the sketch or the optional technique or both!
The randomly picked winner will win two stamps of their choice from the Pixie Cottage Collection. The winner and the Top 3 favorites will be announced on the Friday after the challenge ends.

Now today we have an extra special guest designer and that is new Pixie Cottage artist Faith!!
She has made us this fabulous card using her brand new stamp set Love You A Latte!


Also joining us again this week is Renata

Here are the rest of the teams gorgeous creations!

Katie
Using The Stockings Were Hung


Carla
Using Hannah’s Letter by Sandra Hammer


Nanda
Using Hannah with Candle by Sandra Hammer


Tanya
Using The Stockings Were Hung


Cheryl
Using Winter Mailbox by Sandra Hammer


Risa
Using April With Hearts by Sandra Hammer


Anne
Using Hannah with Candle by Sandra Hammer


ARTish
Using Chatty Digital Stamp by ARTish


Davi
Using Stamp of the Month Club stamp Hannah Hanging Stockings by Sandra Hammer


Suzi
Using Hannah's Letter Stamp Set by Sandra Hammer


Sadia
Using Finch by ARTish


So now it's your turn to go and create and come back and share with us.
Please add your link to the gadget below so we can come and see your project.
No back links please, if the item was on your blog before December 15th then it will be removed. Thanks for your understanding on this matter.
The link gadget will close on December 21st at 11.59pm CST.

Dec 10, 2010

Winners Revealed for Challenge #47 - Paper Piecing


Hello and welcome to Winners Circle Friday!
Today's the day to check to see if you are the winner from Challenge #47 which was "Paper Piecing".
The randomly picked winner of their choice of two fabulous Pixie Cottage stamps is RAFFA!
Please contact Michelle with your details so you choose your stamps.

Our Top Three picks are (in no particular order)
BEVERLY G
LUISANNA
NICKI (Little Ted)

Congratulations and feel free to grab our banner for your blog



Remember that Challenge #48, "Sparkle and Shine", is still running and you have until Tuesday the 14th at Midnight to enter.
Good luck!

Dec 8, 2010

The Pixie Cottage Challenge #48 - Sketch and/or Sparkle and Shine

It's another Once Upon A Wednesday here at The Pixie Cottage and it's time for another super sketch and theme to help you on your creative endeavors!


In addition to the sketch we have the optional challenge of the "Sparkle and Shine" theme on your project.
As always you can use the sketch or the optional technique or both!
The randomly picked winner will win two stamps of their choice from the Pixie Cottage Collection. The winner and the Top 3 favorites will be announced on the Friday after the challenge ends.

First we have a card from our superb Guest Designer this month and that is Renata!
Using Sweet Treat by Tina Akonom



Katie
Using Sneak Peek of December's Stamp Club Stamp!



Tanya
Using Winter Mailbox by Sandra Hammer


ARTish
Using Oh Christmas Tree Digital Stamp by ARTish and Mike on A Trike Digital Stamp by ARTish


Cheryl
Using Hannah with Candle by Sandra Hammer


Sadia
Using Hannah’s Letter by Sandra Hammer


Sharon
Using Sweet Shoppe by ArTish


Nanda
Using Hannah’s Letter by Sandra Hammer



Adrina
Using Oh Christmas Tree Digital Stamp by ARTish


Suzi
Using Decorated Rudolph by ARTish


Peggy
Using Hannah with Candle by Sandra Hammer


Denise
Using The Stockings Were Hung by ArTish


Paola
Using Hannah’s Letter by Sandra Hammer


Risa
Using Hannah with Candle by Sandra Hammer


Davi
Using Dashing Through the Sky Stamp Set by ArTish


Lisette
Using Hannah with Candle by Sandra Hammer


So now it's your turn to go and create and come back and share with us.
Please add your link to the gadget below so we can come and see your project.
No back links please, if the item was on your blog before December 8th then it will be removed. Thanks for your understanding on this matter.
The link gadget will close on December 14th at 11.59pm CST.