Friday 29 April 2011

Challenge 17 ... Pleats and Ruffles ...

Just in case you didn't know ... 
Today is Royal Wedding Day 
although only someone in hibernation could be unaware that Katie and Will are getting hitched as Royal Wedding Fever has well and truly hit the UK this week.  Flags and bunting can be seen at every turn and mementos of all kinds are being snapped up before they even hit the shop shelves.   Possibly in the hope that they'll one day be worth loads'a'money or maybe just as a souvenir of a happy event to share with generations to come.  
Parties are being organised and there's a fantastic holiday atmosphere with lots of smiley faces to be seen wherever you go.  People will no doubt be celebrating well into the early hours ... and beyond! ... so fortunately, as this is a Bank Holiday weekend, it's leaving plenty of time for recovery for those who're going to overindulge.
We Humbuggers are not ones to pass up the chance of a wee 'drinky-poo' ... hahahahaha ... so we'll be dusting off our crystal glasses, filling them with jolly juice and toasting the happy couple, (repeatedly), to wish them every happiness for the future together.   
Adding to all this partying and hi-jinks, we have our own little souvenir of todays Right Royal Celebration on offer to one lucky random person who enters this week's challenge of 
Pleats and Ruffles
A super Joanna Sheen stamp set featuring Beefeater Lofty is up for grabs and all you have to do to be included in this special draw, is to indicate your interest when you submit your challenge entry, by starting your comment with 'LOFTY'.    
NB: Only those entries marked as interested will be considered for this prize.
 
NOW ...
At the risk of putting a bit of a damper on the celebrations, we have to announce that this is the final challenge week for our April Guest Designers, Kelly and Veronica, so stop waving those flags for a minute and join us in thanking them for providing wonderful inspiration during their stay at Humbug Hall.   We hope they have both enjoyed sharing their talents with everyone and will continue to participate in our up'n'coming challenges in 2011.   Meanwhile, just take a look at their final DT examples below.  If you'd like to know more details about this week's DT projects, or just want to leave some love for Ann, Kelly and Veronica,  please click on the links above each card to visit their personal blogs.   
**You'll notice that a certain Humbugger's name is missing again this week ...blush... but that's because there's been far too much time spent practising toasting skills and curtsies outside in the sunshine and not enough time in the craftroom - whoopsie - **   




*********************
The deadline for this challenge is 
12 noon (UK time)
Thursday 5th May  2011
 *********************
You are free to create whatever you like ... it doesn't have to be a card ... in fact, show us as many different Christmas Projects as you want to share.  
Just remember ... have fun and don't forget to leave us a direct link to your project in our comment box so we can come and admire your creativity
AND REMEMBER to mark your entry if you want to be included in the 'LOFTY' draw.
Luv
Ann and Max
xx

Friday 22 April 2011

Challenge 16... The Man Himself ...Santa Claus


"Whoop di doo ... la di dah ... 
Happy happy ... kiss kiss.
Spring is here, then Summer comes  
Autumn next - Then Christmas!

And guess who won't be worrying about having enough cards to send?  
YEAH - You and Us!
Y'know those friends, who 'poo-poo' us for making festive cards all year?   The ones who are too busy being 'seasonally distracted' to think ahead?   The ones who'd rather chase Easter bunnies in Springtime ... or build sandcastles and laze on the beach in Summertime ... or dillydally with ghosties and goulies and things that go bump in the night through Autumn?  
Well when November comes around,  they'll be wishing they'd followed our lead and done some forward planning too!  Try not to be TOO smug though as it isn't becoming LOL!
Anyway, to keep yourself on track you need to join in with our challenge this week and make a card or project incorporating The Great Man Himself ...

Santa Claus or Father Christmas

There are a gazillion and one Santa images, stamps, embellishments and/or papers available to crafters worldwide, so there's no excuse.  Get motivated ... have a good rake around your stash and show us your Santas!    
The Humbuggers and our Guest Designers have provided you with some inspirational ideas below and if you'd like to know more details about this week's DT projects, or just want to leave some love for Ann, Max, Kelly and Veronica,  please click on the links above each card to visit their personal blogs.

Ann - Just for Fun
*********************
The deadline for this challenge is 
12 noon (UK time)
Thursday  28th April 2011
 *********************
You are free to create whatever you like ... it doesn't have to be a card ... in fact, show us as many different Christmas Projects as you want to share.  
Just remember ... have fun and don't forget to leave us a direct link to your project in our comment box so we can come and admire your creativity.
Happy Christmas Crafting!
Luv
Ann & Max
xx

Friday 15 April 2011

Challenge 15... Christmas Stockings...

Hello Everyone!  Haunting Henrietta Humbug here, stepping in for Ann and Max as they're ... ermmm ... well ... indisposed at the moment.  Let me try to explain.
It all started with some strange noises echoing through the corridors at Humbug Hall earlier this week.
Tap ... tap ... click ... click ... Dinga-linga-ling.
Tap ... tap ... click ... click ... Dinga-linga-ling.
Was it Ann furtively creeping around, collecting all the candy canes from last week's challenge and storing them away safely in her (not so secret) hidey holes to tuck into when she thinks no one is looking?   Nah ... surely not even Ann is that sneaky!  
Nope!  Well she is ... but it wasn't her this time lol!
It turned out that Max had got the totally wrong idea when she saw this week's theme for
Christmas Stockings
... and had raced off to dig out her S-S-S.
FYI - this is shorthand for Suspenders, Stillettos and Stockings, (complete with jingly bells on the heels), and Max was gaily tripping around Humbug Hall in all her glory, frightening the hounds and even scaring the resident ghosts!  Certainly gave me a bit of a fright I can tell you.   Needless to say, the S-S-S were quickly confiscated, (before she fell off the 6" heels and broke something else), and they're now safely locked away in the cellar.  At least that's what Ann SAID she was doing with them.   Anyway ... Ann then explained to Max that the Christmas Stockings in our theme are the ones that are hung up on Christmas Eve and filled with goodies.  Max defiantly argued that her stockings still qualified!
Poor Ann shook her head in disbelief and was last seen rocking backwards and forwards on the stairway frantically sucking at a candy cane!   As for Max ... well she disappeared and we can only presume she's gone somewhere to sulk.  
Fortunately our Guest Designers Veronica and Kelly were not as outrageous as Max and they've produced gorgeous cards again for you this week.  Ann also managed to relinquish her sucky soother long enough to create another wonderful card as inspiration for you.  As always, if you'd like to know more details about this week's DT projects, or leave some love for Ann, Veronica and Kelly,  please click on the links above each card to visit their personal blogs.
Veronica- Vroncards

Kelly - Pink Crafty Devil
Tap ... tap ... click ... click ... Dinga-linga-ling.
Oh My Giddy Aunt! 
Tap ... tap ... click ... click ... Dinga-linga-ling.
Look whose snuck in the back door and it sounds like she found her S-S-S!  
Max
Oh well ... it's nice to see her back with us at long last, so let's hope Ann isn't too cross with her for sneaking her stash out of the cellar.   With any luck she's back to stay - although I strongly suspect the S-S-S aren't lol!
*********************
The deadline for this challenge is 
12 noon (UK time)
Thursday 21st April 2011
 *********************
You are free to create whatever you like ... it doesn't have to be a card ... in fact, show us as many different Christmas Projects as you want to share.  
Just remember ... have fun and don't forget to leave us a direct link to your project in our comment box so we can come and admire your creativity.

Luv'n'Humbug Hugs
Henrietta Humbug
(on behalf of)
Ann and Max
xx

Sunday 10 April 2011

**We Have A Winner**

It's a beautiful sunny afternoon here at Humbug Hall and we're about to brighten someone's day up even more because they've been randomly drawn from last week's challenge entries and will soon have their prize winging it's way to them.  So now you just need to know who is the lucky winner .... and we're pleased to announce it's ...


Congratulations Sandra!  If you would e-mail us with your snail mail details, using the adress in the sidebar, then we'll get your pretty papers and cute stamps off to you.
Don't be too disappointed if you weren't chosen this time as there's still plenty of craft stash for future prize events left in Santa's sack.  Do make sure you watch this space as you just never know what might happen at Humbug Hall ... nor indeed when!
Meanwhile don't forget to enter this week's Candy Cane Challenge  HERE

Friday 8 April 2011

Challenge 14... Candy Canes...

What a fantastic response we had to last week's challenge ... not only did your entries make us smile and giggle but there were chuckles and even a guffaw or two to be heard in the corriders at Humbug Hall - so well done to all who played along with us.  We will announce the random winner of our April Prize Draw over the weekend, so look out for that.
We Humbuggers have been prised apart ... the red wine has been confiscated ... and we've been forcibly returned to our own wings of Humbug Hall, so there'll be no more naughty nonsense ... for the time being at least!   We're already hatching plans for the next 'great escape' though so don't relax too much.
This week's theme is a safe one ... you can't get much safer than 
Candy Canes
... although given enough time, no doubt Humbugger Ann could think of something naughty to do with them!
We're lucky to have our Guest Designers, Kelly and Veronica join our Humbugger Ann again with some super-dooper-sweet offerings to inspire you and get you motivated.  As always, if you'd like to know more details about this week's DT projects, or leave some love for Ann, Veronica and Kelly,  please click on the links above each card to visit their personal blogs. 
Do check out Kelly's blog as the inside of her card is just as adorable as the front plus it includes a fun verse about growing candy canes. 
*********************
The deadline for this challenge is 
12 noon (UK time)
Thursday 14th April 2011
 *********************
You are free to create whatever you like ... it doesn't have to be a card ... in fact, show us as many different Christmas Projects as you want to share.  
Just remember ... have fun and don't forget to leave us a direct link to your project in our comment box so we can come and admire your creativity.
Ann and Max xxx

Tuesday 5 April 2011

Top Tip Tuesday ... Number 7...

Happy Tuesday everyone.  At Humbug Hall things are much quieter now that Max is in the Scottish wing and Ann is in the Yorkshire wing so we thought we would give everyone a wake up call with a new Top Tip.
Here at the hall we've been sorting out all our card stock into separate drawers to try to make things easier to find.  Hmm, famous last words, sheesh who bought all this stuff?  Anyway things are looking pretty good now with each card size having it's own storage space and even better we've put fragranced sachets in each drawer.  Oh lavender scented card stock how special is that?
Naturally you could add whatever fragance you like and it might even be possible to get Christmas themed sachets so that your Christmas cards smell of pine or maybe cinnamon.  We think that would make them extra special.
If you have any more ideas on the best way to give cards an extra special aroma please let us know in the comments box as it's great to share those brilliant ideas.
Don't forget this week's challenge 'A card to make you giggle or smile'.  As always we've had some fantastic entries some making us smile and some almost causing us to fall of our chairs laughing and before anyone says anything no that wasn't the red wine!  To join in this week's challenge either scroll down or click on the link HERE.
Love and stuff
Ann and Max xxx 

Friday 1 April 2011

Challenge 13 ... Cards That Make You Giggle

We Humbuggers thought it would be nice to introduce a little more culture and finesse to Humbug Hall in 2011 and our fabulous Guest Designers are certainly helping us to achieve that.   April brings with it the opportunity to introduce 2 more wonderfully talented crafters and showcase some of their gorgeous work.  Please join us in giving the warmest ever Humbuggy Welcome to 
Veronica - Vroncards
and
Kelly - Pink Crafty Devil
They are continuing to maintain the high standards already set by previous guests, as you will clearly see when you scroll down to view their samples.  But just before that,  we wondered whether to spoil you completely and include some of our very own, homegrown, Humbug Hall creative poetry?   Hmmmm ... Maybe So ... Maybe No!  
As a way of testing the water, we've put together a little ditty especially for you 
... and it goes like this ...
 April Fools
"Ann and Max from Humbug Hall
Are North of the Border and having a ball.
 Max invited Ann to stay
To come and eat haggis and have a play.
 We've oodles of ribbons and paper and more
Crafty goodies and treasures galore.
A trip on the train to the capital city
Excited Humbuggers are sitting pretty.
Shopping and bagpipes - a man in a kilt
Max'll make sure that no wine is spilt!
It's a wee bit grey and a wee bit 'dreich'
Sunshine rays playing hide'n'seek. 
Humbuggers don't care -we're doing just fine
Crafting and stamping and slugging red wine.
So much temptation - the time flies too fast!
Thank goodness at least the memories'll last. 
Hang on a minute ... who's that at the door?
"Hoots mon!"  There's something a wee bit braw'
They're gone like a flash and no wonder 'cos look!
These hunks have arrived with a bedtime book.
A wee bitty naughty ... a LOT bitty nice
The Humbuggers don't need asking twice!
   THEIR task is judging the best 'botty-wiggle'
... AND YOURS is for cards to make you giggle."

SO!  What do you think?  
BWAH HAHAHAHAHAHA ... HAHAHA
Yeah ... okay ... we're never going to be Poet Laureate contenders but it passes the grade as a bit of fun!   
So if you've read properly then you've worked out that this week we'd like to see cards and projects that make you giggle or smile ... either with an image or sentiment ... AND  
... BECAUSE The Humbuggers are in Bonnie Scotland, you have the option to use a touch of tartan too!  Have a peek and see what our invited guests have done to inspire you by clicking the names below - and then check out Humbugger Ann's wee cutie.  
Ahem ... Humbugger Max is (predictably) STILL making sure the wine doesn't spill so there's no submission from her!!  Maybe next week?


*********************
The deadline for this challenge is 
12 noon (UK time)
Thursday 7th April 2011
 *********************
You are free to create whatever you like ... it doesn't have to be a card ... in fact, show us as many different Christmas Projects as you want to share.  
Just remember ... have fun and don't forget to leave us a direct link to your project in our comment box so we can come and admire your creativity.
  
AND FINALLY ... here's a sneaky peeky at our regular Monthly prize which will be awarded to one lucky winner, picked at random from this week's entries. 
Love
Ann and Max xxx