Week 45 Challenge - Gift Box

Hi everyone, Nikky here...

Just a quick hello from me and a reminder to check out the Design Team call - the deadline is Sunday so please see the post below this one to find out what you need to do if you want to enter! We're looking for more than one person so go for it!

Also, please make sure you check in with us next Friday for news of the Polka Doodles blog hop - we have over £400 of goodies to give away to lots of lucky people and it's a hop with a difference!!

Be there or be square!!

Whoop whoop - so get entering that DT call and the blog hop next week! Sadly we have some news this week that we've lost a couple of our teamies...the lovely Kris has left us for a little while due to some family commitments and the fabulous Brenda has also left us to concentrate on other things - I'm sure you'll see them both around in blogland and we wish them both well and good luck and tally ho!

It's Friday again and that can only mean another Polkadoodle challenge! Christmas is creeping up rather fast so, as I (Ruth) am setting the challenge this week I've gone with the idea of:

Make A Gift Box

If you are stuck for inspiration, just have a look below at the Design Team creations - gift boxes are not just for Christmas! The deadline for this challenge is Sunday 21 November at 12noon GMT and please remember not to enter your creation into more than 9 other challenges. We are in awe of all the challenges you do link one creation to, but you won't be considered for a top three place.

Before we move on, I need to announce the winners of challenge 43 which was Fliss' Autumn theme.

First Place: Colette
Second Place: Clairebears
Third Place: Faye

Congratulations! Please email Nikky for further details.

Oh, and before I forget - you HAVE to check out the challenge for next Friday - this is going to be one that you DON'T want to miss! The post will go live at 9am GMT as normal, but it will be one that you need to be in on! Lots of opportunities to get your hands on some very wonderful Polkadoodle products as Nikky has already mentioned!

Right, on with the Design Team creations for a Gift Box!

Ruth: It seems that Fliss and I are on the same wavelength this week! I've made four boxes from the take out box templates on Paper Boutique - Creative Christmas and printed papers from the same cd on the reverse. I know that these boxes don't look finished. It's because they are unfinished! They will be used as little gift boxes when we have our Christmas Day meal. I don't yet know how many I need to make hence the bare look! They will get blinged up and have a little gift inside when the big day comes!



Enfys: I covered a little tin box with my favourite gingham paper from Sundae of Seasons and printed out the apple bucket as a black and white stamp, and coloured with Promarkers, then cut it out. The apples were coated with glossy accents. I have put little cinnamon scented candles in the box, but forgot to take a photo of that!

Tracy - I have used Meeshelle without her wings from the Fairy Flutterfly stamps, on a Christmas icicle box, which is from the CD Paper Boutique 2 - Creative Christmas . The poinsettia is a stamp from the Crimbo doodles stamp set, and I have used Promarkers to colour the image.

Claire - I decided to give the Christmas Pud box a go! It's from Paper Boutique 2 - Creative Christmas CD. I added some stickles, wire, sakura and a tag in the shape of another pudding from Sundae of Seasons CD.

Fliss - I decided to get ahead for Christmas and made a couple of little boxes using a template from the Creative Christmas CD which you can print on the back of some decorated paper. I used some of the pretty festive swirl papers from the Jingle Jangles CD and added embellishments of punched snowflakes with Martha Stewart punched trim and then cut out leftover embellies from my stash of Creative Christmas bits and pieces. These are really fab for small gifts of jewellery, make-up or a few choccies etc.

Lis-m - I printed of a couple of sheets of card from the Paper Boutique Creative Christmas cd, using the main blue snowflake paper for the box and an additional layer in the dots. I used a Martha Stewart punch to create a border round the box, added a few gems, layered some nestie snowflakes and a button on top. Of course (who can resist), its Fairy Flutterfly Gracie, coloured in to co-ordinate to give even more cuteness!

Emma Hi, I have made a handbag style gift box. Using the printed box template from the Paper Boutique Volume 2 CD - Creative Christmas, I just printed out the box from the CD, stuck it all together, aged it up a little with distress inks and glitter, then I threaded a wire with seed beads through the top for a posh handle and tied chocolate brown satin ribbon in a bow to the front. Finally I added a 'handbag charm' by re-using a part of an old necklace.

Tracie: I used the Stamp Doodles Joy to make my little Christmas gift box, maybe Santa will fill it with something sparkly and expensive for me?

Jenny I've made the milk carton from Paper Boutique Vol 1 and made it into a little Candy Shoppe using the decoupage pieces from Paper Boutique Vol II Creative Christmas. The chimneys double up as fastenings for the box.

Dee: I too have made a milk carton box from the Paper Boutique Vol 1 cd. I have avoided Christmas this week and made it as a gift box for a new home pressie. I decorated it with letters from Not for Girls cd and bits of scrap paper that I think are from Back to Nature cd (please forgive me if they're not). The house image is a bit of a tease, and a sneaky peek of something new coming your way very soon, so keep your eyes open.

Don't forget - the deadline is Sunday 21 November at 12noon GMT and please remember our 10 challenge rule! Good luck!

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We are looking for creative talent to join us here at the Polka Doodles challenge blog.

So if you'd love to get your work seen and have fun please follow the instructions below:

Criteria for Team Members:

You must be able to enter at least 3 weekly blog challenges a month and have a blog. 

It is part of your duties to leave comments on the challenge entries on a weekly basis.

You must be able to contribute fully to the team and be able to commit for at least 6 months. Please make sure you really consider this - many people jump in without really considering the commitment we are asking for and what is required. 

An important part of your duties is to create samples for Polka Doodles products which will be seen on the website, shows and Create & Craft TV. The deadlines for these samples are very short and are a pre-requisite for the DT members. From time to time you may also be asked to make additional samples as and when required.

Payment: there is no payment for this work, but you will receive Polka Doodles products to enable you to make the samples and your projects and obviously these are free for you to keep and use.

The Design Team call is open to anyone and everyone, no matter what your ability. We have a diverse pool of creative talents and are looking for individuals who can complement the team. This does not necessarily mean we are only looking for advanced crafters, we have a variety of reasons for choosing new members. If you feel proud of your work then please let us see it.

To enter please email Nikky here with a link to your blog and tell us why you want to be on the team. 

Closing date for entries is Sunday 14th Nov at 6pm.

Good Luck!! x

Week 44 Challenge - Quick & Easy Christmas Card

Hiya, Jenny here, and it's time for a new Polka Doodles challenge! Firstly I have to announce our top three for the Welcome New Baby challenge. All of the baby projects you produced were beautiful and it was a tough choice but our winners are...

1st: Colette2nd: Pinky
3rd: Sadia

Congratulations to you all! Please email Nikky for further details!

So on to this week's theme. When it comes to Christmas cards I have to put my hands up and admit I do mine last minute so I need you to inspire me! My challenge to you this week is to make a...

Quick And Easy Christmas Card

I'm looking for speed and style here. I want to see cards that can be made in very few minutes and that can be easily mass-produced but are still stunning designs. Add your card to this post via the blue frog below before Sunday 14th November at 12noon GMT. The design team will be hopping round to see your entry and do remember that we only consider your entry for the top three if you've only entered your card into a maximum of nine other challenges. Good luck!

Kris: Here is my quick and simple offering. All of the papers (except for some solid cardstock) are from the Sundae of Seasons CD. I trimmed the image and matted it on papers from the CD - same with the sentiment. I added some punched snowflakes (Marth Stewart) and self-adhesive rhinestone snowflakes. It took about 5-10 minutes to put this card together. You could make batches for Christmas in on time at all!

Brenda - I have taken Jenny at her word and gone really quick and simple. A pre coloured candle image, cut it with nesties, made a simple easel card, holly from the same section of the CD and the greeting using a stamp from the Fairy Flutterby sets.

Emma Hiya, these are so quick and simple, I just can't believe it they only take about 10 minutes to make. Quite a change for me this time - a little less fuss than my usual style but equally effective. I used Polkadoodles Christmas Doodles rubber stamp plate to create this simple poinsettia Christmas card.

Tracy - Everything is from Sundae Of Seasons except the poinsettia's which are from the Crimbo Doodle stamp set. The image is a pre-coloured one from the Disc. And like Jenny requested a quick and simple card.



Lis-m This is a tricky one for me as I always like loads of stuff on my cards, but using the Sundaes cd I used the less is more idea. I used brown snowflakes paper, the gingerbread folk and a Christmas border. A little stiching, 3d tape ..done!

Tracie: I went for a really really simple card, using the tree and patterned paper from Sundae of Seasons with lots of glitter and doodling

Jenny I've gone for lots of white space and some simple shapes for my card using Sundae of Seasons. I've layered a tree and snowflake onto a circle of snowflake paper. The trees and snowflakes come on sheets of multiple designs so they are ideal for mass-producing. They're also super quick to cut out if you leave a white border. This design can be varied too... for examples see my blog.

Dee: I couldn't make my mind up so I made 2 cards. I still can't make my mind up so I'm posting them both, lol. The backing papers are from Jingle Jangles cd and the tree images and other bits are from the Sundae of Seasons cd. A touch of Stickles, Liquid Pearls and some fake stitching and Bobs your Uncle, done and dusted. All the items can be found at Polka Doodles.

Claire: A really quick card from me... Based on a pyramid fold with elements from Sundae of Seasons. Just added some Sakura for glitter to details on the cute Reindeer.

Ruth: Quick and simple is just how I like it especially when I decide to make more than one! Backing paper and Christmas pud all from Sundae of Seasons. The puds have been added with foam pads so they give a bit of dimension. Just added some berry gems and outlined the ooze of the topping with liquid pearls!

Fliss: I decided to make a set with the same layout but different images to show just how easy it is to make several cards at once . I've used images and papers from the Sundae of Seasons CD and added Cuttlebug embossing with the snowflake folder and some sparkle by swishing ink over the embossed snowflakes and embossing with crystal powder. There are 4 cards in total so to see them all, please hop over to my blog for a look.

Lisa - I've been MIA here on the PD blog but I'm back this week with a real cutie!  The reindeer from the Sundae of Seasons CD in the winter section is just Oh So Cute!  I matted him onto some kraft paper and placed him onto a fun polka dot background and added a Merry Christmas sentiment for a simple holiday card!  Add a fun bow at the top with a cute red button and VOILA!  Simple holiday card!

Good luck - you have until Sunday 14 November at 12noon GMT to enter!
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