Crochet Update

Finally finished my version of Poldark afghan, the part I changed was the stripes which I did for the Demelza one too. The wool is Stylecraft and the Afghan is now in the hands of my son.

Below are the crafty goodies I got for Christmas but I’ve got to finish the Beach Hut draft excluder,  I need to make some rice bags to put inside each hut. I reckon I’ll need at least ten bags.

Peeking Penquin

Hi all and welcome to another week on the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge

Before moving on to the challenge we would like to thank you all for joining us in the challenges over the past year and we hope you will continue to do so throughout 2018!

Without YOU there would be no challenge so THANK YOU ALL. Happy New Year!! Woo hoo!

This week the challenge is

Anything Goes

We are showcasing Lawn Fawn  Products this week. You don’t have to use them to join in but if you have them 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 is what a Christmas holiday does to you, you completely forget what day of the week it is and suddenly you see your team-mates blog post on your FB feed to realise its Wednesday.

I may be late be here it is my card for the challenge, to be honest I made it a while ago, I hope I can remember what I used. First off I made my Lawn Fawn Shut the Front door using various scraps of card and inked the edges especially the door frame and step.

I placed my door on a bit of white card that I splattered with some ink with a paintbrush, once dry I then stamped the sentiment using the Simon Says Stamp Christmas Message Strips. It was at this point I decided it would be fun to use the Simon Says Stamp Picture Book Hugging Penguin peeking out of the door.

Then I was at loss what to do, I've been trying to stop making linear cards but I'm not sure my doodled frame was really the way to go. Basically I drew two wiggly lines making sure they overlapped and made a thin border. Then I just got a decent black pen to make the lines for the stripes and colour every other one. Then I cut it out and stuck it on a bit of red card.

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For Mum and Dad

You know I love white cards, this one has a bit of colour but it really was inspired by this card I pinned on Pinterest.

It's been made mainly with Memory Box and Poppystamps die with some help with the Floral Oval from Spellbinders and MFT for the stitched slopes. I made my card for my Mum and Dad, I always leave one at the crematorium because I know they loved my cards.

I need to apologise for the lack of blogger, commenting and not doing my famous five. Life, health and distractions have simply got in the way. I will try to do better but I can't promise because I can see Life, Health and other crafty distractions repeating itself. But in the meantime

Happy Christmas

and if you don't celebrate Christmas,

 I hope you use this Holiday opportunity to spend it with the people you love.

Happy Holidays.

Koala

The bad blogger is back with a quick card, well this Picture Book Koala die dropped through my letterbox from the latest release Friends from Simon. It arrived a bit late to join in with the big release but there was no way I could wait to try him out.

I do think that Doodlebug and the Picture Book dies are a match made in heaven, the black and white papers are At the Zoo. A black and white strips to give the paper a finished look.

I used the Tim Holtz Stamping Platform for the Birthday Messages sentiment it works really well in the small work space that I use on my desk because the front comes off and I can balance the front on top of the platform to ink instead of having to clear all my desk. The sentiment is straight its the camera- woman whose crooked.

I made an all white Koala first them added the grey parts that I needed.

Winter Fox

My very good friend and team-mate made a fabulous shaker card using this fabulous Winter Fox image and she cut out  round part of the fox, I thought this was a brilliant idea.

So much so I had to do the same didn't actually make a shaker card, I used this Simon Says Stamp Winter Frames but I had to put a bit of acetate behind the word Christmas so I could add the bit of waste to make them look full letters.

The Christmas patterned paper was in my Christmas papers no idea where it came from and the little poinsettia was using Simon Says Stamp Poinsettia parade. I made blue snowy sky using Oxides and Snowflake stamp, a little bit of red twine and its done.

A bit of luck Mr Blogger will behave and post this schedule post. I shall be doing the last shop with Hubby, once that's done if we don't have it, we do without.

Penquin Party

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

Wishing you all a Very Merry Christmas! We hope you have a fabulous time with your family and friends and we hope Santa leaves you something crafty under the tree!

This week the challenge is

Party Time!

Time to get your glad rags on and party while you craft!
We are showcasing our very own Simon Says Stamp Exclusive Products this week. You don't have to use them to join in but if you have them 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 stamps and dies from Simon Says Stamp with the help of Doodlebug and Lawn Fawn, first my cute penguin called Picture Book Happy Penguin.

I decided once he was stuck down that I wanted his wing to go round my balloon string so I actually had to cut two, one to cut off the wing. I managed to trim the wing of the one stuck down and tucked the cut end of the new wing underneath and bend the wing with a thin pen, with a cocktail stick/toothpick put a bit of glue in between so neither the string or wing would move.

My balloons are made with Doodlebug Cream and Sugar, they're actually scraps which I keep with the pack that way I'm not wasting a whole sheet to cut out contrasting embellishments. The balloons are Simon Says Stamp Celebration Time dies and their string are Doodlebug Twine.

I decided to use the Lawn Fawn Speech Bubble Border die because I'm trying to avoid my cards having too many straight lines!

My sentiment is Simon Says Stamp Big Birthday Wishes stamp set and added a second sentiment on Simon Says Stamps Stitched Banners die.

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Family of Deer

I need huge amounts of inspiration for my Christmas cards this year, thank goodness for Pinterest. This card is based on the card below but I did it my way.

 First of all I didn't have a single stag deer but the family one from Memory Box so I carefully cut the stag. I didn't want to fiddle with ink and masking off so I found some snowy paper. I think this could be papers from LOTV. My stars are Memory Box cut out of glitter card and I cut the snowdrift using either slopes and hills from Simon Says Stamp or the MFT ones can't remember now.

                                                             

I couldn't throw the other part of the deer family so I made a similar card  using the same the dies. A bit of a confession the sentiments are peel offs on a fishtail banner from Simon Says Stamp.

Santa

Look whats been hiding in my drafts its Santa although the layout is based on this card I made a couple of years ago.

I've used the Picture Book Santa from Simon Says Stamp, its the first time using him and I need to work out the beard and hat. Now looking at it I think it work better if I cut the hat brim away from his beard.

I used the Simon Says Stamp Stitched Rectangle and their Wavy Scallop border dies and some Doodlebug Milk and Cookies paper. Both the sentiments came from SSS's Christmas Message Strips and finally some fun foam Stitched Snowflakes.

Last week, travelling upset my neck and shoulder and this week I've gone down with a heavy cold and sore throat just what I need. Worse still I haven't been able to crochet, any loose fibres make my throat worse so after a day annoying hubby all day I found something to do.

My daughter remembers me finishing the hand quilting part of this stocking when she was 10 she is now in her thirties. You are suppose to put the matching one to the back but my Sister who showed me what to do said to do them separately and put a plain backing that way you have two.

 Well this stocking has been waiting to be backed for 23years. Mainly because I had hoped my sister would do it for me but she wouldn't since she know I am quite capable which has you can see I am. So now I'm hand quilting the other one and luckily it doesn't make my throat worse and Hubby can sigh with relief.

Merry Christmouse

There was a bit more white snow at the bottom of this card but my sentiment went wrong so I chopped it off.

I've misplace my Simon Says Stamps slopes and hills so I've used MFT ones instead. I do think Mo Manning's Merry Christmouse is so cute. My mixture of flowersoft and funflock came out to finish off his hat.

The Memory box stars were cut using some glitter card and the holly is a Simon Says Stamp with some red pearls for berries.

Oxides Trees

Hi all and welcome to another week on the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge
Thank you for joining us for the Gift It Challenge and we hope you will all join us again this week too.
We will be back soon with the name of the lucky winner of the $50 Voucher
This week the challenge is

Stitch It

real or faux, you can even use stitched dies
We are showcasing  We R Memory Keepers  Products this week. You don't have to use them to join in but if you have them 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

Ok this looked so much better in my head, still love my Oxides Trees I used the Simon says Stamp Christmas Trees dies and various green Oxides. I'm pretty lazy so I stamped the inkpad on a craft sheet and misted and splatter my paper in the colours. When I was happy I left them to dry and any white places I blended some more oxides on the patches.

I also used the Evergreen Circle  and the Stitched Squares from Simon Says Stamp but I also cute the Everegreen Circle on a piece of oxide out of the oxide paper I had made and carefully trimmed off the trees.

I finally used We R Memory Keepers Fuseable paper if I had know my camera would make the white even more creamy I perhaps would have used a cream card instead of white but hindsight is a wonderful thing.

I place some double sided tape on some card and cut the Holy Stars from Simon Says Stamp die making sure the tape is the right side up. Once cut I added some glitter.

Sentiment is using the Christmas Strip Messages from Simon Says Stamp at least I did a good job of matching the colour of the background paper just wish I could remember what inkpad I used!

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Take Three

Sorry for being such a rubbish blogger but feeling a bit normal now and hopefully have more time to blog etc. More assembly line cards this time I've use one piece of 6inch patterned paper.

I cut out the Simon Says Stamp Alexis Snowflake die and the MFT Stitched Mod Rectangle both at the same time. You don't have to use these exactly but a decent size snowflake die and if you don't mind not having the faux stitching a corner punch.

Rather than waste the Snowflake I used the Mod Rectangle die and then used an old cuttlebug snow falling folder, here's a couple that are available today. A piece of silver twine to make a bit of interest.

There was enough pattern paper to make my Memory Box Mittens other makes are available. I also used the embossing folder and the My Favourite Things scallop border die with some glitter card.  I have to confess to make really quick sentiments I used some very old peel offs they are Woodware Francoise Read tiny ones.

No snowy pictures here just windy and wet.

My Way

You are probably cheesed of my assembly line Christmas cards but I'm pretty much made my cards now just need to find the time to write up a post for them.

When I received my Evergreen Circle from Simon Says Stamp, I noticed the trees were very close to the Memory Box Alpine Trees  so I had to use them. The stars are Memory Box Star of Wonder they are a bit smaller than the Simon Says Stamps Holy Stars.

The centre mat is made using MFT Stitched Mod Rectangle and the sentiment was one sitting on my desk I think it could be LOTV.

Got the Wreath

I finally got round to photo the card that I've used one of Mo's new images this one is called Got the Wreath. At the time of colouring I had packed my Christmas paper ready for the crop so I had to use non Christmassy paper but I don't think it turned out too bad.

The decorative circles are Spellbinders and you can just make out the teeny scallop border down one side which I think is a MFT die.

My Martha Stewart Holly punch is still holding on but its now hating certain types of papers. The tiny gems is from a chap on e bay that I buy in bulk but this was a bit of try out because they are 2mm which you can see are really tiny but work a treat on the wreath.

I've been away to visit Hubby's brother but the journey seems to have set thing off in neck and shoulders so I've had to rest, haven't even been able to crochet but seem to be on the mend now and managed a few rows.

Teapot Pudding

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.
We will be back soon with the name of the lucky winner of the $50 Voucher
This week the challenge is

Gift It

Make a gift, gift wrap, gift box, gift bag, gift tag, you get the idea!
We are showcasing  My Favorite Things Products this week. You don't have to use them to join in but if you have them 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 been looking for a decent Christmas Pudding Tea Cosy crochet pattern, so Christmas Pudding Tea Pots are very much in my mind which would explain the my tag.

I made the teapot first using My Favourite Thing Tea Party die cutting the teapot first in scrap of brown card. Then I used My Favourite Things Stitched Cloud Edges, well one of the dies with white, once cut I then cut the teapot die again and basically stuck the white on top of the brown.

I was pleased with my teapot and it got my approval to make into a tag for this weeks challenge. So I got out the Simon Says Stamp Large Tag die and cut a tag out of some MFT Merry and Bright plaid pattern paper.

The sentiment was already stamped out and matted on red using Simon Says Stamp Christmas Toys stamp set. The fishtail ends were made using a square punch.

It just so happened that I had the Simon Says Stamp Holly Collage die had landed in my craft room and I used the die to make my holly and berries.

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Waste Diecember

Funny enough I love how this card turned out, I've actually used Simon Says Stamp Evergreen Circle die to make a moon.

To make my background I used Simon Says Stamp Stitched Rectangles on a bit dark blue card stock.
Then I used the Simon says Stamp Slopes and Hills dies, laid it out and then used the Stitched Rectangle to cut it out and then placed on the dark blue card.

The green patterned paper is some Doodlebug scraps that was left over from another card. The main white mat was cut using Simon Says Stamp Bundle of Shapes dies. Finally my Simon Says Stamp Retro Deer which I dotted it with a white pen and when that was dry, dotted it with a black pen.

The sentiment is Simon Says Stamp Winter Snow die and the wishes was from Simon Says Stamp Best Hugs stamp set.

Crochet Update

I'm so bad I still haven't photo a couple of Scrapbook layouts and finish the one that needs journalling. I've had a couple busy weeks and still have one more busy one and then I can chill for a while before Christmas.

So a bit of a crochet update and now have three projects, for someone who likes to do one at time this is working well for me. Another set of Squares done for my Poldark afghan. I did think I still had two styles to do but in fact I have only one. I hoping to make them on the long journey thats planned soon.

Here's another project going slowly, it will be eventually a Beach Hut Draught excluder for my daughter's flat. The problem is I need to make ten at least, they are very simple so don't hold my attention for long. I'm also not keen on my roofs although the second one is better than the first.

The pattern is on Ravelry and is a free pattern.

Meanwhile my Thursday night Lost in Time Shawl is coming along slowly. Every now again if my edge isn't finishing nice I unpick and work it till it is. I have another ball of Scheepjes Whirl but I've decided I may use a different pattern, not because I don't love the pattern but I think I need a break and I may do it again in normal 4ply.

DieCember

Its DieCember over on Simon Says Stamp and I was over the moon to receive Evergreen Circle die its made assembly line Christmas card so easy.

So to start with a made a shaker card cos I know people love them. First of I cut my mats using Simon Says Stamp Stitched Rectangles and at the same time cut the Evergreen circle. A little tip using the Evergreen die use the hole at the top of the die when you are cutting the rectangle mat that way you tree's are pointing skyward!

I used Lucy Things Falling Snow but I noticed it's now out of stock but I've linked to page with lots to choose from.

Before I put it all together I stamped my sentiment using Simon Says Stamp Holiday Message Strips.
with a Silver Pigment Inkpad and WOW Silver Pearl Embossing Powder. The card is straight I just a wonky photographer.

This card is the same as above but I've used Simon Says Stamp Stitched Snowflakes and some Silver Glitter Card.