Birthday Giraffe

Oh dear here we go again with a Clean and Simple card and lets be honest you can't get more cleaner than this.
The cut giraffe is High Hopes and the fence is from MFT. The Stitched Rectangle is Simon Says Stamp and so it the sentiment.

And thats it but I'm glad I finally got round to using the image its been in coloured pile for at least a year.

My draft post have dwindled down to a couple, I'm a bit disappointed I haven't been able to add to them this week.

Bunny Wishes

I had this little High Hopes Bunny coloured for ages so I decided to use him. I found the sketch on Pinterest unfortunately didn't make a note where it came from Sorry.

The papers are LOTV and I used the Simon Says Stamp Stitched Square with my favourite Lawn Fawn with Stitched Scallop Borders.

The Sending and the sentiment are from Simon Says Stamp looks like I may have damaged the r in the sentiment but I thin pen made it look more like bad stamping!

All finished off with some Retro Flowers using the EK Success punch. Oh not forgetting his fun flock and flowersoft bobtail.

Out tomorrow crafting with my two friend Nikki and Lesley so today I need to sort my bag(s) out.
If I have time today I have to unpick a couple of bits of Sammy the Seal only used the wrong size hook thats what happens when you try to make a couple things at the same time.

Sorry

A card for Monday haven't had one for a while but this was a quick CAS one and the High Hope Goose or Duck not sure which was meant for another card tomorrows in fact.

But has he was left over I use the Freshly Made Sketch for Inspiration, the placement of the feet gave me a bit of headache but I think they're Ok but now I realise they should be closer together.

The Stitched Circles and Rectangle are both from Simon Says Stamps.

High Hopes Snowman

I didn't work out that when I used last weeks Sketch Saturday Sketch that I would forget that I post it nearly a week late. Anyway it does mean another Christmas Card in the box, once I do a few sorting out jobs it will be the dreaded inserts and a count to see how more I need to make.

I've used some new Doodlebug Christmas paper, love the bright colours which all work with my snowman's jumper. The Snowman is a High Hopes one it was nice to colour him up reminded me of some more High Hopes Snowman stamps that haven't been used in a while.

The sketch was quite plain so added so fun foam snowflakes and to help it be a quick card I used Craftwork card sentiment oval with added punches.

Bags are unpacked at last and I brought some more magnet sheets from ebay so I managed to sort more dies out. Today I might venture into my craftroom to make a card even if it a CAS one.

Sketch Snowman

When I saw this weeks Sketch Saturday, I remembered the High Hopes Snowmen Heads which were already colour, match made in heaven maybe not.
The first one I tried to add snowflakes and stars from an Cuttlebug die and made the panel with punched rounded corners and left it with white space. Looks fine in real life!

Somewhere along the long I had used the Christmas paper that I had put with the Snowmen heads so I had to find some more. First attempt didn't work not sure if this one was any better. I had given up on the sketch now, how could I add snowflakes to already pretty snowflakes so added some gems to the snowflakes printed already on the paper.

This was the card I was going to put the Snowman head but the colours didn't work so rather than waste it, I added a Simon Say Stamp Snowflake which now looking it could have done with another layer to help it pop. The sentiment on all the cards are a Penny Black one that came with a clear set.

My minds being diverted to crochet a new set of granny square but I'm aware that next week I will be feeling pants so I need to get plenty of cards and things in my drafts.

@#S!

I mad a card although it was bit rushed because yesterday didn't go quite according plan but more about that later.
I decided to use this High Hopes chap who had been sitting in my coloured images for a while and the Less is More sketch was perfect for him.
First off I place some clouds on my card and placed a piece a paper in a straight across some of the them and the card. Blended some blue ink so you get an impression of clouds.
The I used the MFT fence for him to sit on and the grass border to ground the fence so that it wasn't floating in the air.
The sentiment I found in the Simon Says Stamps Oh Ship stamp set.

First of all my empty out house is now full of bricks keeping warm with at heater! Apparently builders are having to dry out their bricks which are so wet at the moment that they can't be used so we are nursemaiding them.
But this was overshadowed by my Dad being not so good and we went to spend some of the afternoon with him. It seems that there is a kidney problem and the doctor is coming out today to see him. After a chat with my SIL she is going to ask for a social service assessment since we feel he is not coping well.

Five Geese Laying

So just before Christmas the Less is More Challenge was for 12 days of Christmas but I missed the one layer bit. I decided to have yet another go but didn't have time to photo the card before it got dark and then missed the deadline. But they have choose your own from previous challenge for the next couple of weeks so I could use  the card I made.
Its a High Hopes Duck  goose but I thought it would work, the footprints are of the other geese that  have run off. I've a sneaky feeling that this goose is actually a gander which why he is have problems laying a egg.
I coloured the the feet and beak with copics but don't look too closely the colouring was done in a rush. I may have another go at a previous challenge since I have till the 3rd January.
So the weathermen have us on an Amber warning and there are flood alerts and all those poor people who were starting to get over being flooded and out of power could probably be hit again.

The Thundering Rogue

With such a large image the only way to use it is to go CAS, the stamp is from High Hopes but not sure if its still available ( edited yes he is still available). 

It longs like there is lots of layering but honesty there is no more than usual but what is tricky it cutting out the window and the gaps in the sails. I make sure my cutting knife is sharp and not blunt, also I have a glass cutting mat which makes life so much easier when using a cutting knife. Originally I had a kitchen one you just have to make sure it smooth but after the years and lots of cutting it had grooves which my knife got stuck in so now I have a X cut one.

I also have an old skull and crossbones die from Cuttlebug it belonged to their childrens selection which again I think is no more but its a great finishing touch.

Casing

Now you know that I put all my cards on my blog even the ones in hindsight should have gone back to the drawing board, well thats going to have to include this one in that catergory.
I case the layout of the card from Jen quite a while ago of course since then she posted loads of cards and I can't find it now.
My error is the green dotty paper which is far too OTT otherwise it would have worked. I love the Falling hearts from Simon Says Stamps on the fishtail banner and the Blooming Violets from Memory Box, finished with a cute High Hopes Bunny peeking out of the circle.
Oh well it tied things over till 2pm for the new Simon Says Stamps Challenge, see you then.

Peek a Boo

When I saw the sketch on Freshly Made Sketch I immediately thought of a LOTV bear riding a hot air balloon but I've searched all my boxes and its disappeared I know I have it cos I've got a card posted of it.
So I a bit peeved I couldn't make the card but while going through a pile of images that I've stamped and not used I found some High Hopes images that I knew would work and was quick to colour.
And that how this card was.
The papers are scraps left from a Doodlbug pack, the border is from Memory box and I used a spellbinder to get the frame round the circle.
Wasn't in best moods yesterday my room was freezing and in the end I've moved out again into the dining room. I'm staying there till July!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Poinsettia Snowman

There was a definitely a Christmas feeling going on in my Craft room the other day. We're only a day away till August and its all downhill till Christmas and I've started to realise my good intention of making lots of Christmas Cards before we get to those last panic months are not appearing.
One of reason I check out the sketch on Christmas Challenge with Sketches and I thought I will give this weeks a go.
The circles on the sketch I turned into Poinsettias using Spellbinders dies but I've added an extra one cos I didn't like just two of them. I also used the Floral Oval from Spellbinders and the papers are Echo Park from last year. Not forgetting the cut snowman which is a stamp from High Hopes.
Just added some gems for flowers centres since I don't like the dies ones and job is done.

High Hopes Snowman

Can you believe it we are approaching the last weekend of July and I'm getting slightly nervous about how many Christmas Cards I promised to make but haven't so remedy this here's a Snowman from High Hopes.
I followed the Christmas Challenges (with sketches) sketch even chosen the pattern paper to go with it!
But has you can see no patterned papers were hurt in making the card in fact they weren't used at all.
I've used the exclusive die from Simon Says Stamps for the star border and the Sizzix embossing folder for the circle mat which I then used the Martha Stewart snowflake punch to border it.
I did have a problem with the gems was having a real problem stepping away from them and I had to take some of them off.
Summer is here, well for a week a least but I think there a bit of a North and South divide with the weather not so good up North.

A little Pink Monkey

Something busy for Sunday, really was a step away from the embellishments. The sketch is Sketch and Stash but it did start to go its own way.
The little monkey is from High Hopes and the papers are DCWV that are rectangle in shape so you have use two to make a square.
The border is spellbinders, I foolish brought one with pretty borders only to realise that I needed the shaped ones to actual make the borders.
I had to use a butterfly since there were butterflies on the paper.
I've been informed that June is going to be the month of men birthdays as well as Father's Day so I better start checking out some images.

Easter Bunny

Still need to get a bit more use out of those Easter bunnies images well the challenge over on Everybody Art Challenge is for Easter. I had to use this sweet High Hopes bunny and the layout just fell into place literally. I had two sheets of the Kaiser Candy Lane papers laying on my desk and the stripey paper was peeking out from the flower one and I thought it look brilliant so I just added a little strip of pink and the job was done. Well I needed to put a ribbon somewhere so I made a small scallop border, added a retro flower and then it was the Stampin Up sentiment.
Nearly forgot I embossed the centre with a cuttlebug daisy folder and then dotted the flower centres and the dots and of course every bunny needs a fluffy bobtail so I use a mixture of flower soft and fun flock.
Do pop over and check out the team and we would love for you to join us.

It's a Pirate's Life

It was my nephew's Birthday on Thursday and now I'm sure he's had my card I can now show it on my blog.
Yes its another Side Step card, I can't help it now that I found out how easy they are to make I have to make them.
Obviously you can see that its a pirate's scene, I've used High Hopes ship, Pirate and Palm tree. The map and barrels are Magnolia but they worked a treat with the High hopes stamps.

The papers are Echo park but not sure of the collection possible Summer Days. I used the EK success scroll and dot border punch a couple of time for the sea. The number and words are actually stickers.

The latest challenge on the High Hopes Challenge is numbers I think this would work and hope they forgive me for using magnolia for some of the images.
Jake had a Star Wars fancy dress party and his Uncle Tim (my nephew) came as Chewbacca!

Lou's Birthday Card

There's quite a few pic of this card because its quite a busy card. First the reason for all the High Hopes Jungle images. My niece is made for Giraffes and on her actual birthday she took her niece and nephews to Marwell Zoo with my Sister so this would help to remind her what she actual did on her big birthday.

The papers are WRMK, the Magnolia doo hickey grass die. The 40 cut out using the Cricut Storybook cartridge. Sentiment computer generated and used a Stampin Up punch.

The flowers are EK success retro flower and the teeny tiny ones is a do-crafts one that I've had for ages. Of course I had to have a bit of ribbon somewhere.

Close up of the monkey and the sentiment which I drew a line round the punched shape  because it annoyed me being plain. Now you've seen my card you can understand how it took so long to cut them all out including the palm trees.

Another view of the whole card cos its my blog and I can. I was really pleased with the finished card because everything that could go wrong did. Lets hop my niece loves it too.

Sweet Sketch Snowman

Yes I know its another Christmas card but I have a few more to make this year and I'm using every opportunity to make some.
This time I'm using an old High Hopes snowman isn't he fab, not do sure on the First Edition christmas papers they look dirty to me but I've brought a whole pack and they have to be used now.
I've used this week Sweet Sketch Wednesday wasn't too sure on it but I think it worked but wish now I used green faux brads. Loving my Martha Stewart Holly punch, I think you will be seeing lots of it, not sure what happened to my stickles they seemed to have gone a bit odd looking but that could be the camera.

Less is More

When I saw the sketch on Less is More and I knew I had a few stamps that was made for it but they're actually in a box of Christmas stamps that has been put away and I had planned to get Hubby to get them when it was October which will be tomorrow a bit late for the challenge
But some stamps are in boxes by who makes them and that includes High Hopes and I thought this Snowman could be the answer. Of course there was no way he was going to be flat and I used stitched diamond embossing folder which you can match together to emboss a square ( I really wanted to used the candy cane stripes but obviously in safe place)
I stamped the stampin up sentiment before I embossed the card. Overall I please how this card turned out, now I just need to be able to photo it nicely.

High Hopes

So the challenge on High Hopes this week is to make something 3d like a gift bag or box. Last week Lacey had a tutorial on how to make this basket gift box and I thought it would be ideal to make for this challenge. So using this cute puddy cat stamps and some matching flower stamp I'm really pleased how it turned out, but being on an diet I didn't dare buy any sweeties to put inside.

Here's a close up of the puddy cat isn't she cute and her identical twin sister is on the back. The papers are Basic Grey and I've used the Martha Stewart doily punch for the lace trim round the circle mat and the handle. The flowers are the retro flower punch from EK success but I've used a pair of deckle scissor to chop the tops off to match the flower stamp.

I had to cut down the flower image so it would fit.
This will be my last High Hopes post as a Diva, I'm afraid that I've stepped down and all the Divas have sent me such supportive and wonderful messages. It's been an absolutely wonderful being a HH Diva and I adore the amazing stamps that Tina makes. So although it may be my last post as a Diva it won't be my last High Hopes card.

I see Dragons

Its Anything High Hope Goes this weeks challenge on the High Hopes challenge blog or you could say get out your favourite High Hopes stamps and make a card, box or gift.
I love the Dragons that High Hopes makes into stamps from Dustin Pike and I especially love how these two work together.
The papers are Echo Park Summer which is very apt for the dragons and because the papers are busy I left it clean and simple or it could be all these less is more cards are having an affect on my cards.
Do pop over to check out what the rest of the Divas have made and if you don't have any High Hopes stamps you can buy them from here:

Lacey Stephens - Stamp and Create based out of the US

Nikki Fairbairn - Bunny Zoe's Crafts based out of the UK/Europe

Amy Wegener - Stampin' Stuff based out of Australia

High Hopes Website