Spot Prize Time...

oh my goodness we haven't had a Spot Prize for ages.  Time to remedy that right now.  Let's see who the lucky person is.  Into Santa's hat go all the names of our Bah! Humbug! loyalty members and out comes...

Drum roll please - a quiet one as it is Sunday morning and due to the clocks being put forward here in England we've all had an hour less in bed.

The winner of a set of mini stamps and beaded ribbon is...

Colleen at Colleen's Card Card Creations

Yeah well done Colleen.  We do hope you like your little Sunday surprise gift.  Please could you email us at the hall (email address in the side bar) as soon as possible so that we can get your prize out to you.

Everyone else please don't be too down hearted as there will be plenty more surprises along the way and of course our Grand Prize Draw at the end of the year.  Next Friday sees the start of a new month so there will be a prize on offer and of course it will be April Fool's Day too!  That could mean a bit of extra giddiness here at the hall.

Don't forget that this week's challenge is Christmas Trees and you can post your entry HERE.  Some fabulous creations so far, but we'd like to see way more.

Have a fun week.

Ann and Max xxx

PS:  Each of our prize draws are done fairly and squarely and all participants names go in the hat even if they have won a prize on a previous occasion or been a Guest Designer at the Hall.  Everyone has an equal opportunity to win a prize.

Challenge 12 ... Christmas Trees...

Here, at Humbug Hall, Friday is new challenge day - WHOOHOO! -  which is usually a very exciting time for us!
However, this Friday is tinged with a little sadness as we must bid a fond farewell to our March Guest Designers, Fiona and Judith.  Can you believe their time is up ALREADY?! 
They've shared some wonderful techniques during their stay with us and we've really apppreciated having such talented guests at Humbug Hall.    So on behalf of everyone, visitors, regulars and newbies, we'd like to thank you ladies for all your hard work, generosity and commitment. 
For their Challenge Finale, we chose the theme of

Christmas Trees

and, as you will see from their beautiful cards below, they have not disappointed us, so will leave here with their heads held high.  As always, if you'd like to know more details about this week's DT projects, or leave some love for Ann, Judith and Fiona,  please click on the links above each card to visit their personal blogs.

Ann at 'Just for Fun'

Judith - Poppy Cottage

Fiona - Leaves From My Notebook

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The deadline for this challenge is 

12 noon (UK time)

Thursday 31st March 2011

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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. 

Next week we will be showcasing 2 brand new Guest Designer's talents 
AND....
as it's the first challenge of a new month, there's another lovely prize on offer for one lucky random entry .... so our message to you all is ...

"Keep smiling and carry on crafting!"

Ann and Max xxx

Top Tip Tuesday...Number 6...

This week's challenge here at Humbug Hall led us into delving into the darkest cobwebby corners of our craft stash to dig out the Art Metal we knew that we'd bought, used once or twice and stashed away years ago.

Wow, how could we forget how fabulous this stuff is when used in conjunction with brass stencils and embossing machines.  On the other hand how could we forget how easily it marks and how fragile it is when you first emboss it.  Eeeeeeeeek our first attempt here at the Hall ended up a complete metallic tragedy as the metal would not part from the rubber embossing mat.  Okay we might have been a little impatient wanting to see the results, but oh dear by the time we had removed the stencil the embossed metal had all kinds of bends and dents in it that we certainly didn't want it to have.

Then came one of those candle light (or maybe light bulb for those not living at the Hall) moments when we decided to try using an anti static bag on the metal before embossing.  Yeah it worked the powder stopped the rubber mat sticking to the stencil and the metal could be removed without damaging the design.

You have to polish the metal up after mounting it onto thick card, but at least the piece doesn't get any marks or dents in it that cannot be removed.

Hope you find this tip useful when experimenting with Art Metal.  If you haven't entered this week's 'metallic' challenge yet there is still time.  It can be found HERE!  Do check out some of the stunning designs being entered this week.  Everyone seems to be really pulling all the stops out and producing some of their best work ever.

Love and hugs

Ann and Max xxx

Extra tips from friend's comments...
Kathy said 'Or, if you mark it too much - you could always use alcohol (inks that is!)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!' - great idea Kathy - at Humbug Hall we think both types of alchohol would work well!
Valerie - don't panic the edges are not very sharp.  The metal is so thin that it's not really lethal.  Never been cut yet, but probably will be now we've made that statement.

Challenge 11 ... Metallic...

Believe it or not, every new challenge at Humbug Hall carries a degree of uncertainty for us Humbuggers ... at least until the first entries start to appear.   Despite our own confidence that we have set interesting and varied challenges, we occasionally have lip-licking, cheek-chewing worries that you may not actually want to join in.  
EEEEK - shudder at the thought!
BUT ... then comes the lovely 'tickle' of excitement as the comment box gradually fills and we're able to view your projects and read the feedback you leave for us.  We're very lucky that there's been plenty of 'tickling' happening so far this year and we're hoping for more of the same this week as we ask you to use 

Metallics

There's no doubt that Fiona, Judith and Ann have excelled again this week, with breathtakingly beautiful designs to tantalise your creative tastebuds and have you hotfooting it to your craft space faster than you can grab a gluegun!  As always, if you'd like to know more details about this week's DT projects, or leave some love for Ann, Judith and Fiona,  please click on the links above each card to visit their personal blogs and check out these beauties!

Ann - Just for Fun

Fiona - Leaves From My Notebook

Judith - Poppy Cottage

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The deadline for this challenge is 

12 noon (UK time)

Thursday 24th March 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.

***Humbugger Newsflash***

Just before you pop off to play, we wanted to let you know that we've been unsuccessful in persuading Humbugger Irene to return to Humbug Hall. 

 Despite all our attempts at bribery ... corruption ... or repeated threats of throwing her to the hounds ... she's enjoying pootling at her own pace right now, which we perfectly understand, but hopefully she'll pop in to play sometimes. 
We'd like to say huge thanks for all her wonderful DT contributions and ask that you join us in wishing her continued good progress in the future.

Don't be a stranger Irene!  

We miss ya ... so come'n'play!

Ann and Max xxx

We have a winner...

Drum roll please and a hushed silence as we announce the winner of the Dreamweaver Stencil from our first challenge in March.  

Without further rambling we are very excited to say that the winner pulled from the Bah! Humbug! Christmas hat, normally worn by Humbugger Ann as she goes blog hopping, is...

Ruth at Celtic Crafters

Congratulations Ruth.  Lovely to see you winning a prize.  Please could you email us using the address in the side bar and we'll get your prize sent out to you as soon as possible.

Everyone else don't be too disappointed as there is 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.  Life is full of surprises!
Meanwhile don't forget to enter this week's challenge of 'apertures' which can be found here.

Ann and Max, xxx

Challenge 10... Apertures...

Well you certainly got March off to a great start wth the wonderful submissions to our Embossing Challenge and consequently, we were the ones who ended up being SPOILED STUPID!   Such talent and creativity cannot go unrewarded, so all the entries have been put into our Bah! Humbug! Prize Draw hat ...  one lucky random winner of the promised Dreamweaver tree stencil will be selected and announced over the weekend.  Good luck to you all.
Meanwhile, we have another challenge to be getting on with and this week we'd like to see some luvverly projects using 

Apertures

Once again we are joined by our fabulous Guest Designers Fiona and Judith, who, we're sure you'll agree, have produced some gorgeous examples as inspiration, along with our very own Humbugger Ann.    
If you'd like to know more details about this week's DT projects, or leave some love for Ann, Judith and Fiona,  please click on the links above each card to visit their personal blogs.

Ann at 'Just for Fun'

Judith - Poppy Cottage

 Fiona - Leaves From My Notebook

*********************

The deadline for this challenge is 

12 noon (UK time)

Thursday 17th March 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

**Message from Max**

I'm champing at the bit to return and play along with you all, but in the meantime, am enjoying seeing all your wonderful work.  My wrist, hand and finger movements are all still very restricted and progress is frustratingly slow.  However, I'm doing the physio exercises every day and hoping to rejoin the team soon.   Thanks to everyone for the lovely messages and kind concern you have shown - they really help to brighten my days.

xxx

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Challenge 9...Embossing...

Spring is definitely knocking at the doors of Humbug Hall and we are doing our best to knuckle down to some much needed Spring cleaning.  There's a frenzy of feather dusters clearing the corridors of cobwebs and we've started to remove the Winter grime from the windows in anticipation of seeing the first tentative buds of the Spring bulbs when they decide to poke their pretty heads through.
Bah! Humbug! regulars may have also noticed some changes to our sidebar with new Christmas Challenge links added - thanks to Wendy who kindly shared her list!   We are trying to decide whether to go the whole hog and redecorate completely, although we're very fond of our cute reindeer and can't imagine finding anything else to replace them.   So if you have an opinion that would help us make up our minds, then we'd love to hear it.  Probably the most noticable difference has been the removal of our Humbugger photo, which was taken down for cleaning and, following Irene's recent resignation, we decided it was best to wait until we have an updated one to replace it.  
Watch that space as it won't be empty for long! 
As if all that wasn't exciting enough ... we have our first new challenge for March, which not only brings the chance to win this fabulous prize ... 

... but also heralds the arrival of 2 new Guest Designers,

Judith - Poppy Cottage

 Fiona - Leaves From My Notebook

who are going to tantalise your crafty tastebuds until they burst!  So you'd better hang onto your Humbug Hats because  you're about to be SPOILED STUPID!  Just check out the examples below to see for yourselves and if you'd like to know more details about this week's DT projects, or leave some love for Ann, Judith and Fiona,  please click on the links above each card to visit their personal blogs.

Ann - Just for Fun

Judith - Poppy Cottage 

Fiona - Leaves From My Notebook

*********************

The deadline for this challenge is 

12 noon (UK time)

Thursday 10th March 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 entry in our comment box so we can come and admire your creativity and automatically include you in the Monthly Prize Draw. 

Ann and Max xxx

Top Tip Tuesday...Number 5...

 

Remember this post!

Hmm, well last year we Humbuggers had very good intentions, but somehow when December came around there was way too much moaning and groaning along the drafty corridors at Humbug Hall.  Lots of lovely cards, but no inners and there is nothing more boring or painful than trying to do lots of inners all at the same time.  Especially if you need to complete them in a rush because they have to be posted before the next snow storm.  Eeeeeeeeek remember all that snow! 

Anyway this year our halos will shine brightly because we are going to do the inners as we make our cards - well most of the time anyway!

So this week's Top Tip Tuesday is...

Complete your card inners at the same time as you make your cards.

We have heard along the grapevine that one of our loyal participants is being super organised and is not only completing the inners as she goes along, but also has a tick list of people she sends cards to so that all the ones she makes are suitable for the recipients.  Phew, we are in complete awe of such super organisational skills and only wish we could be half as organised.

So far we have seen the most amazing entries for our 'Things that fly' challenge, which can be found here.  We knew this was an easy challenge, but it hasn't stopped you all from really pulling out all the stops to wow us with your creativity.  Absolutely amazing cards on show this week and we are just so enjoying hopping or should we say 'flying' around your blogs to see them all.

Have a good week everyone and if you have time 'fly' around every one's entries and check out the fab work on show.

Ann and Max xxx