Distress Bear

I really wish  I used water colour paper for the backing inside of sticking it on to the actual card, it quite obvious that they are not quite the same shade and camera as made it worse.

My little bear is from Penny Black called A Bear Hug and his holding a banner from MFT Sending Sweet Celebration Wishes . I did stamp, coloured and cut it down to fit his arms.

I placed him on a background of Oxides that I had left over and I stamped a sentiment from Simon says Stamp Tiny Words Birthday

CAS Panda

I made this card with the Freshly Made Sketch for last week.

I found some Doodlebug Simply Spring but I think I may have stolen the check paper from the pack that was in the Party like a Panda card kit.

I made the Grassy Edge with the Simon says Stamp die and the clouds are from the Picture Book Sky die.

If you not very good at fussy cutting the panda I would recommend buy the matching dies to Party like a Party which is available as a stamp only. Here's a link if you want to buy them together.

To finish I used one of the Simon says Stamp Stitched Banners and one of great sentiments that came with the panda stamp set.

Love Signs

I do love using this cutie called Love Signs from Mo Manning, I especially love how I can layer her dress.

I've used a Mojo Monday Sketch 521 but I've turned it so the leaves are in top corner. The leaves by the way are an old Memory Box die along with the little flowers. The sentiment is a retired Stampin Up and I've used their scallop punch which is an old black version one.

To finish some pearls for the flower centre and I paper pieced the balloon.

The UK heatwave has finally finished and I can get back to crochet my Sacred Space Blanket from Helen Shrimpton it's now large enough to be too hot underneath it.

Tim Holtz Christmas

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

Thank you for joining us last week and we hope you will all join us again this week too.

This week the challenge is  Anything Goes

We are showcasingTim Holtz Products this week, which just so happens to be Simon says Stamp Brand of the Month. You don’t have to use them to join in but if you have some we would love to see them used.

The lovely folks over at Simon Says Stamp are generously giving away a FABULOUS $50 voucher to shop at the  Simon Says Stamp Store! All you have to do is take out your crafty supplies, make something following this week’s prompt, and add a link in the Inlinkz at the challenge Blog. You can join 5 times so you could have 5 chances to win! How AWESOME is that!! All winners are chosen randomly, so everyone has an equal chance to win! Woo Hoo!! Good Luck to everyone! The Design Team is looking forward to seeing your crafty makes and will pop around to visit you ASAP!

Totally lost what day it is, my poor blog as been quiet over the bank holiday so a quick post before I forget its Wednesday.

Recently I have got my hands on Funky Festive from Tim Holtz Sizzix and previously got Tim Holtz Botanicals stamps, just needed a reason to use it.

So I made a smooched background using Oxides and then stamped the leaves back-ground stamp, job done.

Then it was all about assemberling my festive parts, when altogether I inked the edges to make it more grungy. Just needed a sentiment, look what fell in my basket Tim Holtz Sizzix Christmas Ribbon.

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

The Flood

I wanted to record what happened to MIL when she was in a care home near her home, the arrow points to where the home was. Luckily they were evacuted before the river/canal burst its banks.
The photos were saved from Facebook.

I also wanted to have a go and distressing on a layout of course now I wich I hadn't stamped across the right but hindsight is a wonderful thing. Otherwise I think it didn't turn out that bad.

Not CAS

Now this isn't CAS, I've used that fabulous die from CASual Fridays Tin Roof Cover but I've added the Nuvo Crystal Drops for the centres.

Again I've used the Happy Birthday from Simon says Stamp along with their Thoughtful Messages for the wishes.

This time though I've used the Simon says Stamp Cosmo Stem die to give a bit extra colour.

Eva

I've been meaning to make this card with Mo's Eva image and paper piece the hat and shoes.

To make the card I used my favourite dies, first the Crochet Border from MFT which can make the border round the circle snipping as you add it. The unbranded flower dies that look like EK success Retro Punch. Finally the Stampin Up retired sentiment.

I must try a use some of the rest of craft room. I've recently got my hands on some Picket Fence Blending Brushes to practice with and I want to practice some watercolouring not sure whether to just use a paintbrush or get a decent water pen which I've never had much luck with.

Clean And Simple!

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

Thank you for joining us last week and we hope you will all join us again this week too.

This week the challenge is Clean And Simple

We are showcasing Casual Fridays this week, which just so happens to be Simon says Stamp Brand of the Month. You don’t have to use them to join in but if you have some we would love to see them used.

The lovely folks over at Simon Says Stamp are generously giving away a FABULOUS $50 voucher to shop at the  Simon Says Stamp Store! All you have to do is take out your crafty supplies, make something following this week’s prompt, and add a link in the Inlinkz at the challenge Blog. You can join 5 times so you could have 5 chances to win! How AWESOME is that!! All winners are chosen randomly, so everyone has an equal chance to win! Woo Hoo!! Good Luck to everyone! The Design Team is looking forward to seeing your crafty makes and will pop around to visit you ASAP!

Well I got the Simple part sorted but not convince that its that Clean but I brought the Tin Roof Cover specially for the challenge, OK I didn't check what the challenge was but I love this die so much I couldn't not use it.

I just used the Simon says Stamp Happy Birthday but just used the Birthday. The wishes stamped sentiment is from Simon says Stamp Thoughtful Messages. 

Like I said a very Simple and quick card to make but don't worry a fussy one was made afterwards it will be blogger soon.

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

Birthday Footballer

Nice and easy card, the little chap is from LOTV digi image and I have used Simon says Stamp Stitched Rectangles including the sentiment banner.

The sentiment is stamped from Simon says Stamp Tiny Words Birthday along with their Holiday Shapes Stars. 

Apologies for the quick post but I'm keep falling alsleep and I'm headachey tired no idea where it comes from. I need to feel better for tomorrow, I'm saying Goodbye to a friend who was robbed of his life through Dementia.

Birthday Cat

I've used some old scraps of Doodlebug pattern paper for a card for my son's birthday card. The stars are Simon say Stamp and MFT also the sentiment banner is MFT too.

The little puddy cat is a LOTV digi, I think I've Simon says Stamp Stitched Rectangles along with their Tiny Words Birthday.

Still struggling with the neck and shoulders but it is easing with plenty of rest.

Ice Skater

I go swimming with Friday Swimmer (who by the way received the Queen Award for Voluntary Service this year) and while have a drink of coffee we overlook the ice skating ring which is used all year round and not just for Christmas. Which gave me the idea to make a Birthday card using Mo's Skater C.

I used some old LOTV papers which sadly they don't make anymore along with some of my favourite dies. Like the MFT Crochet Border and the unbranded Flower dies. The sentiment is an old Stampin Up stamp with one of their punches which I don't know if they still do.

I'm struggling this week I have dodgy shoulders at the best of time but I caught my neck somehow and the pain as spread to one of my shoulders so no card making for me.

Midsummer Blues

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

Thank you for joining us last week and we hope you will all join us again this week too.

This week the challenge is Midsummer Blues

We are showcasing Avery Elle this week, which just so happens to be Simon says Stamp Brand of the Month. You don’t have to use them to join in but if you have some we would love to see them used.

The lovely folks over at Simon Says Stamp are generously giving away a FABULOUS $50 voucher to shop at the  Simon Says Stamp Store! All you have to do is take out your crafty supplies, make something following this week’s prompt, and add a link in the Inlinkz at the challenge Blog. You can join 5 times so you could have 5 chances to win! How AWESOME is that!! All winners are chosen randomly, so everyone has an equal chance to win! Woo Hoo!! Good Luck to everyone! The Design Team is looking forward to seeing your crafty makes and will pop around to visit you ASAP!

Mmmm I made a nice card (the one below) then at last minute realise a huge mistake I made, the clue is in the name of the challenge.

I used Avery Elle Pierced Hexagon for the challenge, it came with the cute flower dies too.

So with a little help from Simon says Stamp Moments of Grace stamp which has the lovely script and the perfect fit inside my Hexagon. Not forgetting the Quilted Hearts Background stamp from Simon says Stamp.

My little white dots are Nuvo Crystal Drops Simple White, I keep saying less is more but I don't seem to be able to stop myself.

Here you can see the green version with flowers made with left over scraps of card.
Do you use Instagram ?  If so please add  #ssswchallenge to your challenge entry uploads so we can see them on there too.

Odds and Ends

Couple of layouts with some photos I wanted to scrap with. I do love how using the scraps can make sure a great page. The black word strips are a Tim Holtz word book. The camera was on a paper that I cute out. The Cheers are some American Crafts I brought at Hobbycraft. The other words are a Simon says Stamp Heart Smile die.

I used some stamps that are now retired from Stampin Up. The sticker words from various sticker sheets and some very old Basic Grey letters that I thought was time to use up. The perfection is a die from Simon say Stamp

Pink Cosmo

Don't groan but I used the Simon says Stamp Cosmo Stem again but I had stamped the Quilted Hearts  Background Twice so I felt I had to make a card with the leftover one. Do love this background stamp.

I wanted a vase and decided the an old Simon says Stamp Coffee Cup, using this die meant I add the colour of the flowers with the heart. Finally I made a sentiment strip with WOW Embossing White Opaque and Simon say Stamp Tiny Words Birthday.

Piggy Pebbles

I always use the My Favourite Clouds the opposite way than you can see here, I'm happy that way but I notice a few crafters are using this way so I thought I would give it a try.

Of course I made all my white mats using Simon says Stamp Stitched Rectangles, I think I've used this hundreds of times and its still going strong.

Of course my little pink piggy is from My Favourite Things Piggy Pebbles, Stacey Yacula is a brilliant artist. The brilliant sentiment which is straight I've checked its the crooked photographer again is from Simon says Stamp Tiny Words Birthday.

Pussy Willow

A pretty simple card had a sheet of this pretty daisy paper so by gutting the centre I had enough to paper piece the dress of Mo's Pussy Willow.

I haven't used lace for a while so I thought I remedy that and finished it with a bit of ribbon and a flat bow.

The flower die is Upsy Daisy by My Favourite Things but not sure it's available. The sentiment is from Simon says Stamp Tiny Words my favourite at the moment.

Add a Die

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

Thank you for joining us last week and we hope you will all join us again this week too.

This week the challenge is Add a Die Cut

We are showcasing Memory Box this week, which just so happens to be Simon says Stamp Brand of the Month. You don’t have to use them to join in but if you have some we would love to see them used.

The lovely folks over at Simon Says Stamp are generously giving away a FABULOUS $50 voucher to shop at the  Simon Says Stamp Store! All you have to do is take out your crafty supplies, make something following this week’s prompt, and add a link in the Inlinkz at the challenge Blog. You can join 5 times so you could have 5 chances to win! How AWESOME is that!! All winners are chosen randomly, so everyone has an equal chance to win! Woo Hoo!! Good Luck to everyone! The Design Team is looking forward to seeing your crafty makes and will pop around to visit you ASAP!

I had to make a pretty quick card the one I must of have the very last die and no it doesn't appear online. Since my Simon says Stamp Card Kit Party Like Panda I simply had to use one of the
Pandas.

I had previous made a couple of Oxides smooched card stock so I decided for quickness to use one. First of I used Simon says Stamp Slopes and Hills to make a bit of ground rather than have my panda floating in midair. Then I cut out the Memory Box Bamboo Poles and place my embossed Panda if front.

My sentiment was made up with the Memory Box Wishes Jotted Script and Simon says Stamp Tiny Words.



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

In my Heart

I may have got more Penny Black stamps and not just the fairy from last weeks card. I love this stamp Bear Cuddle and I paper pieced the cushion to match the Simple Stories Hello pad. The starry sky is actually the reverse of the other pretty flower paper.

The star is Simon says Stamp Holy Stars, I used the smaller of the two dies. I also used Simon says Stamps Slopes and Hills to make my hilltop. Finally I used Simon says Stamp Tiny Words for the sentiment.

Cayman Islands

A few more layouts from the photos I received. I have used a mixture Kaiser papers for the one above is using embellishments from the papers and stickers.

The one below is using some leftover bits but I did buy the turtles from Hobbycraft and was determined to use them. The feather palm leaves is a Tattered Lace die I brought it for one of the other leaf die but ending up using that instead.  The stickers are so old ones in my stash.

One more, I finally used my Globe die Impression Obession and the bubbles across the top is an EK success punch which again I've had a while. The stickers are from various Kaiser papers.

Birthday Mouse

I wish now I hadn't made the banner with matching Doodlebug Hello pattern paper, it would have looked better without. I do love the Doodlebug enamel Tiny Hearts. I also used the Simon says Stamps Stitched Banners.

The little chap is from My Favourite Things It's Mice Time to Celebrate stamps.

Things have come to a bit of standstill in the craftroom need to get my act together and colour up some images. Maybe some Pandas.

Crochet Update for August

My Phoenix is finished and is probably the biggest blanket I ever done. To be honest the last two parts were hard going it really was too heavy for me and I'm relieved I've finished.

Bit of a close up of the colours not sure I actually like them now they are a bit dramatic but I had quite a few balls of these colours so I didn't really have to order too much to complete it.
The pattern is free but today (Friday 2nd August) is the last day of it being free.

My Changing Tides is also finished, the designer made hers in Aran but I used DK and a size 3.75mm hook so it was obviously going to be smaller but it would work for a Lap Blanket. My corners have gone a bit odd but I think my grey pebbles are a bit tighter than they should be.
The pattern is free on Coastal Crochet but if you want pdf files you can pay for them on Ravelry.

I've made a start on my Sacred Space from Helen Shrimpton but I'm basically a week behind and part two is live this evening. There are a couple of others I'm interested in one I can't quite work out where is from but the other is by using the group page of FB of Pippin Poppycock.

Snowball

What's that now three Christmas cards in the past three weeks, thats a result. I've used Snow Tot One from Mo Manning with some old papers but in my favourite non traditional colours.

The scallop and edges are all from MFT and the Snowflakes are my favourite Maryann ones from Simon says Stamp and the small ones are their Stitched Snowflakes. Somehow I've managed to lose one, I think that might be an excuse to find new ones!

The sentiment is again from Simon says Stamp from their Tiny Words Christmas.

My son had his birthday this week, I have to work it out now in my head if I'm asked, trying to avoid admitting I have a son nearly forty. A great photo came up on FB remarking how twenty years ago they all met up at Uni and are still friends and always try to meet up.

Myself I'm struggling a bit with sinusitis but I think it's more an allergy there's obviously a random pollen in the air that my body doesn't like. I'm fine as long as I stick my nose up as soon as I tilt my head it doesn't half hurt.