Cheese

One of the things I've had to learn during lockdown is the fact I have had to change my routine a bit like Fridays I'm no longer swimming so its a free day that I can make cards if I'm well enough. Now that I listen to a Audio book to stop my brain from over reacting its a welcome break, especially now I have no deadlines.

So today I can post a card and since I have loads of Birthdays coming up and theres more men in my family than girls I really need to get on top of some of those trickier cards.

Luckily for me I have been able to buy some of the lastest Boys and Men images from LOTV digi images but this card is one of their previous ones that I have just not had time to use.

The papers are some digital ones because I don't really have many men ones in my stash and I thought these grungy ones would work better with the vintage style image.

Scallops border by Lawn Fawn and the birthday sentiment stamped and embossed with WOW opaque white and the ends punched out with a punch.

Thank You

Another simple card, this time from Mo Manning Patreon. I think I'm on the higher tier and this image was a Thank You for being a Patreon and is called Thank You.

I have some old Doodlebug paper that I used up not only for the main background but also to paper piece her dress and heart.

Yes the sentiment is from Simon says Stamp its still on my desk and this set is a favourite of mine. 

Welcome Little One

Just a quick and easy card this time using Simon says Stamp Bunny Wishes, yes there are Easter eggs but they got this cute Mummy bunny and a bunny with balloons which I have used before.

I cut out using their Stitched Circles and the die sentiment is theirs too. Papers could be Echo Park an old baby boy one and the clouds are again SSS Picture Book Sky Background die.

Tiny Golfer

What a nightmare I'm trying out the new blogger format which I heard we are going to have to get use. Took me a while to realise I need to click on the title of my draft post to get it open and I have to click on to the photo icon again to edit the photo to make larger. Just incase any one else is have the same problem.

Since I didn't know whether I could get into my draft posts here's a little chap from Lily of the Valley which is earmarked for someone's birthday in June.

Seeing as its a boys card I left it plain, just a scallop border and I used the MFT Landscape Cloud die for the image mat. Sentiment is Simon Says Stamp Thoughtful Messages.

Snowflakes and a Craft Update

Made this card a few weeks back but was disappointed with the white snowflakes and it would have looked better all in silver. The snowflakes are Simon says Stamp and so is the sentiment from their Inside Christmas Greetings.

 Had a bit of a re-jig in my craft room, I've had this tower for my Stampin Up inkpads for many years but now feel it takes up a lot of room in my small space so I brought on Amazon Marketplace this MDF(below). Hubby was less impressed when he realised he would be putting it together. It's suppose to fit inside an Ikea Kallax shelf unit but that to me would take even more space so I'm happy as it is. And yes it does take less room but someone can't count!

Yes I am crocheting another blanket again from Helen Shrimpton called Arcadia using Ineke colours that Ineke lists on Ravelry. Athough I have fiddle with some of the colours as I didn't want blocks of cream but use the green instead.

It's far too hot at the moment here in the UK under a blanket so I brought a cross-stitch pattern. When did they get to be so expensive but it could be just that I haven't brought one online for many years.

I also had a problem there were numbers of the threads I never heard of before, DMC as brought out over twenty new colours since I cross-stitch so I had to work out replacements we shall see if I chose the right ones.

Actually found the last thing I cross-stitch was for my Gt Nephew when he was born in 2013

coffee

I was checking my drafts posts in blogger I have a few dodgy scrapbooking pages and a couple of cards. This being one of them is a very simple card using Mo's Digital Pencil Coffee.

Well basically there's no embellishments except the old Stampin Up sentiment. The papers are downloads which I have had for years and rarely use them. Since many of our pattern papers are from the states there doesn't seem to be many new ones coming over the pond so download papers it will be.

balloons

I made a huge decision last week I've retired from my Design Teams. It was really difficult to make especially as I've been with them for many years but I feel a weight as been lifted off me.

So this week I've had a bit of card making holiday but I did make this card a few weeks ago for my brothers birthday.

I used a combination of Simon says Stamp Wonky Rectangle and Stitched Rectangles. The balloons are old Penny Black dies and the sentiment is a Simon says Stamp one.

I have been doing crafty things if you include making masks from this site I found on Pinterest. Initially I used a paper clip for over the nose and then read somewhere that pipe cleaners work which I had some black one obviously for spider making!

Oopsie

A new image for me that I haven't coloured up till now, Mo's Oopsie isn't she cute.

Although I going to have to remember what I used, the papers I know are Lawn Fawn but can't think whose border die that is. When I do find it again I will need to use it again. The pink frame is using Simon says Stamp Stitched Squares and the Stitched Banners are theirs as well. The sentiments are also Simon says Stamp obviously Tiny Words but I can't recall what set especially the Better late than never.

Animal Fun

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 Animal Fun

We are showcasing Stampendous 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.

As you may know, the  Simon Says Stamp Store is accepting new orders, but have longer shipping times for the moment due to the coronavirus. With this in mind we have made the difficult decision to suspend the $50 voucher for this challenge.

We know that many people are staying safe at home and we would love it if you would continue to enter the challenges and have fun! We are all in this together! 

My card was inspired by last weeks Freshly sketch, my choice of Simon says Stamp Picture Book animals was more a case of which one I picked up first. In this case it was the Hippo and Elephant which was good as they were worked out of the same colour.

My leaves were using Tim Holtz Wildflower Stems 2, had to use the Simon says Stamp Stitched Rectangles to give a finished look. Finally the sentiment stamped and embossed on black using the Tiny Words

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

Tulips

A few weeks into lock down and I had to make a sympathy card. The Simon says Stamp Quilted Hearts background was made a while ago but didn't use it but thought it would work with the Simon says Stamp Sketch Tulip stamp and die

I made the banner with using their Thoughtful Messages and with sympathy card less is more.

Sorry

Sorry for the late post didn't feel up to scheduling my post yesterday and this morning it takes me a while to get moving then had a Slimming World zoom meeting. Yes I'm still making sure I don't put on any weight although I would like to lose a bit more but thats not happening at the moment.

So my post  is using this cutie is called Fussy Frankie but you can get all four Crybabies for $10.
I love using her and the others for belated birthdays like my card today or a Sorry you'll leaving card.

I used the old papers when LOTV used to sell them, an old Spellbinders decorative circle die. The butterflies are Simon says Stamp Stitching Butterflies but I used their Adeline Butterfly for the body.
Finally I used Messages for Everday for the sentiment.

Die cuts and Punches

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 Dies and Punches

We are showcasing Paperrose 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.

As you may know, the  Simon Says Stamp Store is accepting new orders, but have longer shipping times for the moment due to the coronavirus. With this in mind we have made the difficult decision to suspend the $50 voucher for this challenge.

We know that many people are staying safe at home and we would love it if you would continue to enter the challenges and have fun! We are all in this together! 

Ok as soon as I soon the ball of wool die with crochet hooks I knew this die was for me, it also as knitting needle die.

I made two hooks and with a little snip I made pretty pink handles for the crochet hook. Cut a couple of slits for them to hook in my wool.

I just so happened to add to my shopping basket the Paper Rose Hooked on You stamp set so I could use the sentiment and make little ball of hearts.

Sorry for the unimaginative card but it did make me smile especially when I thought to use the image mat at a crooked angle what was I thinking!

Nearly forgot especially as I use it so often the Simon says Stamp Stitched Rectangles where would I be without it.

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

Pretty in Pink Mouse

I'm a bit annoyed with this card I should have coloured my butterfly pink especially after sticking pink butterflies never mind hindsight is a wonderful thing.

The papers are some old LOTV that I brought two packs at a craft show. The stitched rectangle is from Simon says Stamp and the fence and grass die are both very old MFT.

I ride my Bicycle

Not sure if it was last week or the week before but my card was inspired by a Freshly Made Sketch.

The Classic Bicycle die is one I haven't used yet from Simon says Stamps not sure why but at least I've used it now. I like that the wheels are separate.

I made a little scene by blending some ink on a bit of card cut with their Wonky Rectangles and piece of card stock that I had drawn round a cloud background die.

Finally the sentiment was using Simon says Stamp Messages for Everday which was then cut out using the Sentiment Labels die.

Christmas Pudding

Now there's me thinking she is holding a Christmas Pudding but she is called Fruit Cake!

Another Mo image that I own but only recently coloured and pefect to make another Christmas card with. The holly is a Simon says Stamp Holly die, they are various sizes and even though he come with berry die I much prefer to use my red pearls that I seemed to buy in bulk.

A stitched rectangle to give a border to all the white although I did blend a bit round the edges to stop it looking too stark against the traditional colours. I think the border die is Lawn Fawn and the papers are Photo Play.

Artic Penguins

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 showcasing Altenew 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.

As you may know, the  Simon Says Stamp Store is accepting new orders, but have longer shipping times for the moment due to the coronavirus. With this in mind we have made the difficult decision to suspend the $50 voucher for this challenge.

We know that many people are staying safe at home and we would love it if you would continue to enter the challenges and have fun! We are all in this together! 

I had got something from Simon says Stamps for this challenge, I picked it because there was plenty in stock but to be honest it wasn't really me, So I hunted in my Mama Elephant stamp box there was few and discovered that SSS still has this marvellous Artic Penguins still in stock not sure how many but a idea immediately popped into my head.

A few weeks ago there was a sketch on CAS(e) this sketch where there was three squares on the bottom so why not have penguins instead.

First though I gave them some ice to stand on don't want floating penquins. I coloured them roughly and used Glossy Accents to make them shiny (don't look too close on the bigger bit it cracked when sticking them down.) The penguins were easy to make it was the fussy cutting that was tricky bit.

Oh forgot to say I cut the Simon says Stamp Wonky Rectangle before I did anything to give a finishing edge. I stamped the sentiment direct to the card and it came out first time, go me. The sentiment by the way is from Simon says Stamp Inside Christmas Greetings.


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

Bunny Love

Once again I'm late for the Freshly Made Sketch, anyway I sort of cheated a bit. The circle is my Lily of Valley Bunny digi.

An old fence die from MFT for the line that runs behind the circle but I added the sentiment in a Simon says Stamp Stitched Banner, I don't trust myself to stamp direct to paper. I also used the Simon says Stamp Stitched Rectangles to give definition to all the white space.

I'm looking forward to the Lily of Valley Boys release coming soon, have loads of mens cards to make due to the fact there are more men than women in my family. I do hope I get to hug them all soon.

Football Crazy

Another Birthday card this time for a 7 year old boy and I thought this fab LOTV digi image would be perfect. Since I have to print several images to make all the layers it was easy to colour some extra footballs to make embellishments

The actual design was a card on Pinterest with another image and the banners were smaller I could've made my own but why bother when I have Simon says Stamp Tiny Words and some Stitched Banner dies. I did use a 1/4 inch punch for my little circle that I added to them.

The fence is an old MFT die and the circle banner is using some filmsy circle dies that are also old and the company is now no more. I've a sneaky feeling the paper is a Christmas one.

For Grumps

Here's a card I made for my BIL, hopefully it did arrive. I used the online service with Royal Mail and we have seen the RM van go to the post box and I sent it in plenty of time.

Its with an old Woodware clear stamp just stamped onto different colour papers and fussy cut out. Edged with matching papers.

I received some lovely kind words, I'll keep making cards but I really need to make what I want and not the other way round.

Match Girl

This month I've seen to use some new stamps and today I decided to use the Match girl while not a new stamp recently but one I don't think I coloured up yet. Obviously I've coloured it now using traditional Christmas Colours.

The paper is Photo Play I think from last year left over and the poinsettias are Simon says Stamp and my golden stars are Memory Box. I think the border is a Lawn Fawn one but don't hold me to that.

I'm sorry I've been missing I just felt trying to make cards for my blog, DT etc was making me feel I was in competition against awesome creative cardmakers. I still feel that but I've decided I've got to make cards I want to whether for my blog which was always for myself to record what I make. I gave myself a week off which in the end my shoulder played up so I had to rest that up for a few days anyway. I have a few cards in my drafts and maybe tomorrow after my Slimming World online meeting colour up some more images.