Snowflake Swirl

My Stampin Up friend as sort of given up and I haven't seen the latest Autumn and Winter catty probably a good thing. The card making girls at the crop has the most beautiful swirly winter stamp and I thought I would check to see if I had anything like it. The answer was no but I found this old clear stamp and thought I would have a play.

I just used some turquoise ink pad and some Snowflake dies, I think they could be Simon Says Stamp.

The tricky part is which way.

Or a different colour but in the end I made a few with the Turquoise colour.

All in all another six done.

Silver and Blue Snowflakes

I'm rather impress with myself this week because I've made over 20 Christmas cards, OK they are all clean and simple but they done. When I was at The Scrap Cafe Retreat I was sitting with some card making friends and one of them was making beautiful Snowflake cards which as inspired me to make some of my own.

I've used Various Snowflake dies from Simon Says Stamp and Lawn Fawn. I've also tried different finishing. Plain, using a corner punch and mat, layering also using the corner punch.

The sentiment is LOTV and the silver twine is actually silver yarn. I've also been trying to use a daylight lamp to take photos and now a whole load of photos with yellowing white cards.

Hush

I didn't need this Baby Girl card using Mo's Hush image, I'm not disappointed since the intended baby is fit and well but I know my four year old nephew is over the moon that the baby is a boy.

This image is another that works in blue as well as pink I've used my favourite dies. The floral Oval from Spellbinders but I use a craft knife to cut out the centre, the La La Land corners, Simon Says Stamp Baby word die with the coordinating stamps and finally the Penny Black cluster of hearts. Which has a heart not connected  which I've used round the sentiment and as you can see I cut another one to balance it all up.

The papers are some old ones from LOTV which I trying to use up.

Modern Anemones

Hi all and welcome to another week on the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge
Thank you for joining us for the Photo Inspiration Challenge and we hope you will all join us again this week too.
This week the challenge is

Anything Goes

We are showcasing Wplus9 Products this week! You don't have to use them to join in with the challenge but if you have some we would love to see them used!

As always Simon Says Stamp will be giving away $50 voucher to shop at the fabulous Simon Says Stamp Store

I've used Modern Anemones from Wplus9 and I knew I wanted to make a black and white card. I layered a bit of white between the two pieces of black to give the card a bit of depth.

The flowers were easy to do by colouring only the centres and I use a fine tip pen to do the tiny stamens. I simply fussy cut the flowers, each flower is cut out three times one to be my base. The second I embossed on the back with a large embossing ball tool and the third one minus some petals. I made the leaves in the same way but only had to cut two of each set of leaves.

I wanted the flowers to sit on something so I thought I would use the Simon Says Stamp Stitched Banners and I stamped the Uplifting Thoughts stamp leaving a space for one of my leaves.

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A Bit of Magic

To be honest the only reason I brought the Simon Says Stamp If the Hat Fits was I absolutely love this sentiment. I stamped the hats on my main image mat but then stamped on a couple of pieces of Doodlebug so I could paper piece them.

The crack in the wall stamp which I may have got too excited and stamped a few too many is a Hero Arts. I brought it more for Scrapbooking but it a fun stamp to use.

To finish I coloured the buckles on the hats with a gold pen.

Quick and Easy Scrapbooking

A couple of layouts I made at the retreat which reminds me I've a couple to finish off in bag from the last crop probably do that today. I'm using some scraps of Simple Stories kit and found the Born 2 Race in one of my craft boxes not sure what it was but it could have been a key ring.

I made my flowers to try and match the ones on the paper and also with the leaves which I know are MFT.

I've had these papers years, the stars were on one of the sheets but I cut them out so I could place them where I wanted. A few stickers and a title and it was done.

Crochet Update

I haven't done a crochet update lately and I have three things on the go most unusual for me, I like to finish one before I start another.

The First one is the Lost in Time Shawl, I had finished it but I didn't like how some of the ends of the row didn't look quite right. I was aware this was some mistakes on my part rather than the pattern so I undid it or in crochet terms frogged it!

My Poldark afghan is on hold while I make a Baby Blanket, still quite a few squares to go yet.

I got this Revolving Ball Holder for my Birthday, I absolutely love it and you can see another Ripple Rainbow Afghan making the third item I'm working on.

After winding a full ball Scheepjes Whirl I added the wool winder to my Birthday list. There is no way to photo this without it looking a bit naughty or is it just my mind!

The other presents are joint ones with Hubby since his Birthday the day after mine, a selfie stick and bluetooth speaker. The selfie stick is for our Cruise next year so we can take photos of us both together and the speaker is to make life easier since it wireless.

I also learnt I won't be needing Baby Girl cards since Easton was born this morning another Great Nephew.

Isn't he gorgeous.

Pretty in Pink

I know there is a new baby to be born in my family hopefully at the end of the week, I have boy cards already done but I had not girl ones. I made two this is the reject, I decided it was a bit bright although I love how it turned out.

I used Mo's Spit Happens its probably a favourite baby image simply because its works out well for Boy or Girl.

I used Doodlebug papers must be last year Valentine pack since a lot of the papers have already been used. I used the MFT Crochet Border die although you can hardly see it. The heart bow die is from Penny Black and the funky flowers is a die I brought from someones craft collection it has no details who made it and the previous owner doesn't know.

The sentiement is using an old Baby sentiment stamp from Simon Says Stamp along with their Stitched Circles dies. A bit of ribbon and bow to finish.

The other baby girl card will be posted when baby arrives.

Autumn Birthday

Hi all and welcome to another week on the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge
Thank you for joining us for the Thinking of You Challenge and we hope you will all join us again this week too.
This week the challenge is

Photo Inspiration

and here is a fabulous mood board created for us by the lovely Jenn Shurkus 

We are showcasing Paper Smooches Products this week! You don't have to use them to join in with the challenge but if you have some we would love to see them used!

As always Simon Says Stamp will be giving away $50 voucher to shop at the fabulous Simon Says Stamp Store

I didn't want to make a Halloween card its not something we send to each other here in the UK although they are fun to make. As soon as I saw the Silhouette Flowers from Paper Smooches I knew I was going to use them. At the time I hadn't worked out how.

In the end I got out the Oxides and used my favourite technique since its easy to do. I stamp a craft Sheet with the inkpad and mist some water and smooch the cardstock in the ink. I made 3 different colourways and then used dies to cut them out. I then blended ink in places where the initial ink smooching missed or to bring out more colour, for example the purple flowers.

I love those dragonflies couldn't believe my luck when I saw them in the die set. I decided to cut out the word Autumn with Paper Smooches Sassy Letters  well I thought it was Doodlebug Booville but then I worked it out it wasn't so it could be I Love Family by Echo Park both are out of stock now they weren't when I made the card. To be honest as long as its an Autumn orange or yellow any make would do.

To finish I added Birthday Wishes using Simon Says Stamp Best Hugs.

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Challenge Layouts

I finally made time to take photos of my Scrap Cafe Retreat Layouts and a word of warning the crooked photographer had a real job taking them this morning. All layouts are on 12 inch card stock and are straight in real life!

There are three layouts today because I've put all the ones I entered a challenge with, the first is a sketch, I actually took a photo of the said sketch but still put my photos are a bit to the left and left me with a larger space then I should have, but I liked it.

This one was using a Social Media photo with the person's permission, if I did that I wouldn't get it which why the layout is not top. My DS isn't one for letting me take photos and he makes sure any sneaky ones are not fit for purpose.
I've used MFT hexagon die and some Bo Bunny papers.

The last one was using the goodie bay, eventually I had to step away from the Layout and put down the embellishment since Less is More!

Making Spirits Bright

I was lucky to receive a die from Simon says Stamp newest release 

The rejoice die is perfect for the more traditional style of Christmas card so I got out the Simon Says Stamp Ornaments stamp and dies .

I used red and grey inkpads and the Misti to make my baubles. Now when I cut out the rejoice die it was to discovered that the word comes in three parts. I threw my exclamation mark away the first time thinking it was leftovers from die cutting. There is also 3 little dots so make sure you have them, I always stick them last.

I used some grey twine and Simon Says Stamp Stitched Rectangles for the first card and a corner punch for the second.

Taste of Winter

I hoping my head is going to be full Christmas Card Ideas for the next few weeks although at the moment is empty and I definitely need some inspiration lucky for me any Mo's Christmas images saves any card I make. This time I've used Taste of Winter and there's loads more to chose from.

The papers are some old Echo Park, just have some scraps now but I used the Sketch on SplitcoastStamper SC665 but I've had to move my image over and added a circle sentiment.

I brought some non shredding silver glitter card and I used them to cut out my Lawn Fawn Snowflakes and the really tiny ones in the centre are from same set but cut in normal blue card.

Have you seen these, love them and want them all!!!!

Thinking of You

Hi all and welcome to another week on the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge
Thank you for joining us for the Christmas Challenge and we hope you will all join us again this week too.

This week the challenge is

Thinking Of You

We are showcasing Memory Box Products this week! You don't have to use them to join in with the challenge but if you have some we would love to see them used!

As always Simon Says Stamp will be giving away $50 voucher to shop at the fabulous Simon Says Stamp Store

This card turned out so much better than in my head but I wish I could photo it better. The latest challenge is showcasing Memory Box my problem could've of been which one but decided on buying a new one and since I don't have any dragonflies so I brought Dragonfly Stems Left Corner die.

I first cut the corner in green and put it to one side while I dealt with colouring my card for the dragonflies and background. I got out my Oxides,

 I used Cracked Pistachio, Broken China and Fossilized Amber for cardstock for the dragonflies.

Worn Lipstick, Candied Apple and Antique Linen for the background and used Iced Spruce for the Simon Says Stamp Good Reading Background stamp but it was the second impression after randomly stamping first on a scrap paper.

I then cut twice for the dragonflies in the corner and fussy cut them out, first with the whole body then for the wings. I repeated this for the random dragonflies.

I had to trim a stem because it was over my sentiment which was stamped using the Misti and the Simon Says Stamp Happy Thoughts stamp set. To finish the card using Simon Says Stamp Stitched Shapes bundle and some Kaiser Rhinestone Black Gems for my Dragonflies.

Look what's coming tomorrow.

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Golden Flowers

Its been an extremely busy couple of weeks but the result is that my DD finally has moved into her flat. She may not be able to cook on her new cooker but she's happy with using the microwave at the moment. There is still tons of stuff still here but they will move when she works out the space.

I had a great time at the retreat with 10 layouts made I think possible a record for me simply haven't had time to photo them yet. I was sat with two cardmaking friends from the crop we go to each month and I'm hoping they motivated me to get started on the Christmas Cards.

I do have a card to show its a prototype for a golden wedding card using my favourite Floral Oval die from Spellbinders, the flourish is from Penny Black and the flowers embossing with gold embossing powder that I fussy cut out. I'm not sure who makes the stamps brought them from Ally Pally a few years back.

Feed the birds

Another quick card, well the card itself was quick, the colouring, fussy cutting and layering still took normal time but I simply didn't have time last week to move paper several times. Found a suitable sketch on Pinterest and knew I was going to use the Memory Box Gulls die.

Sentiment was tricky is didn't stamp direct to paper well so thats why I've a circle punch and banner sentiment, its hiding pants stamping. At least it give a bit more interest.

The fabulous image is from Mo Manning called Pigeons it makes a great mans card, so thats hubby's card done.

Christmas

Hi all and welcome to another week on the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge
Thank you for joining us for the Anything Goes Challenge and we hope you will all join us again this week too.

This week the challenge is

Christmas

If you haven't started on your Christmas cards yet then maybe now is the time to start! It does help to get you into the Christmas spirit if you pop some carols on your music system and maybe pour yourself a thimbleful of sherry!
We are showcasing Penny Black Products this week! You don't have to use them to join in with the challenge but if you have some we would love to see them used!

As always Simon Says Stamp will be giving away $50 voucher to shop at the fabulous Simon Says Stamp Store

I quickly made my card before I went off to the Scrapbooking Retreat, since I've come back its the final push to get my DD into her flat. My poor body isn't liking this and eventually I will crash and burn but I hope I can hold on till Saturday.

My card is full old and new stuff, the cute Penny Black Getting Ready is a new stamp and there are two main images ( the other one is coloured so when I get to tidy up my craftroom after the retreat I may get time to use it).

It just so happened a little parcel I ordered from Simon Says Stamp arrived with Doodlebug Milk and Cookies.

So that my new stuff they I used my trusty favourite the Simon Says Stamp Stitched Frames this time I used the Stitched Squares to make my red frame. The snowflakes are Simon Says Stamp Abby Snowflake die and use White Fun Foam with some Doodlebug Lily White sprinkles.

Finally I use a favourite Christmas sentiment from Simon Says Stamp Christmas Toys using their Stitched Banners dies.

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Do you use Instagram ?  If so please add  #ssswchallenge to your challenge entry uploads so we can see them on there too.