Poinsettia

Mmmm new Memory Box dies, love the idea of a poinsettia corner cluster but they are the outline rather than the whole flower. Although a bit fiddly I think this card turned out alright but thinking afterwards my centres should be gold but the red pearls do look rather striking.
My favourite Christmas sentiment from Simon Says Stamp to finish. I may moan about how fiddly but once I dealt with the dies it was simple job of  fixing onto a card.
I've had a very successful week making cards but most can't be posted till after next week, still have a Wedding card to make which again can't be shown for a while. I'm now behind on my layout a week so eventually some catching up will need to done there.

Pirates Life for Me

Its time for another Blog Hop from Mo's Dream Team and this month I'm the hostess with the theme of Water of any description. This was because I knew there was lots of images with water guns, bubbles and even in the case of my card sea.

A simple card but a rather complicated image to layer. There's quite a lot of merging going on here. First off there's the Beach Element 1 which I then had to merge my images on. I needed something for First Mate Kate to sit on so I had to use the chest from Pirates's Stuff that just left Captain Hugh.
I doodled round the yellow patterned paper to match the Beach Element frame and I found my Crossbones die.
It did take a while to layer but I'm really pleased how it turned and I saved the merged image so I don't have to tear out any more hair doing it again.
Since this is my theme and I'm hostess the blog hop starts here and you need to Hop, Skip and JUMP over to Heidy and if you get lost the whole pop over to Mo's Dream Team Blog where the Blog order is there in its entirety. Don't forget to comment along the way there's a couple of Mo's vouchers to be randomly drawn from the comments.

Spots and Dots

Hi all and welcome to another week on the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge
Thank you for joining us for the Let's Be Clear Challenge and we hope you will all join us again this week too.
We are welcoming 3 new designers onto the Design Team this week. Please join us in welcoming the lovely  VIRGINIA.  JENN  and CARYN 
We would also like to thank LAUREL, EMILY and LAURA for all of their lovely creations over the past months/years. We wish you all the very best of luck for the future.
We will be back soon with the name of the lucky winner of the $50 Voucher
This week the challenge is ,,,,,,,,

SPOTS AND DOTS

We are showcasing  Paper Smooches Products this week. You don't have to use them to join in 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

My card is plan B because I was going to cut out the Birthday Word Wise from Paper Smooches along side of my Pure Innocence image but Mr Big Shot had an hissy and it didn't cut properly. So I cut the words out in Pink didn't like it, White no wasn't keen and in the end I decided on the grey but I'm still not convinced.
I've already said the image is Pure Innocence from MFT but haven't said that she is called Happy Mail.
The papers are Authentique Flourish and the flowers are Martha Stewart Hydrangea punch.
I actually used the Mojo Monday sketch this week.

So now it's YOUR turn.  Happy Crafting

There are fabulous Give Aways and inspiration from fabulous designers on a daily basis over on the Simon Says Stamp Blog , if you haven't subscribed by email you may want to so you don't miss out 

You have until Wed  8am Ohio time. 1pm UK time, 2 pm CET to join in

No backlinking allowed, Only 5 new creations will be eligible in the prize draw

Swirls

Goodness is Tuesday again and another challenge on Everybody Art Challenge, this week its for Swirls.
I used this adorable image that I saved after merging two of Mo's images Mikhail and Fifi aren't they so cute together.
The Bo Bunny papers which are so old has a bit dark grey so suited Mikhail and of course all the pink for Fifi. I started to used a sketch from the Sketch and Stash gallery but it went its own way and looks nothing like the sketch now.
My swirls are MFT Formal Flourish but I cut two for each corner but cut off the main part so I could add to the one left to make a corner swirl. Then I tried to add flowers several times and then gave up because none looked right.
Don't forget to check out the team and hope you can join us this week.
I have a long list of family cards to make July being a busy month and then include a leaving work card or two and a Wedding too. Images have been coloured which is the easy part now to turn them into cards.

Fish for Dinner

Just when you thought it was safe to go in the water I make another fishy card. Ok but I was inspired by the Blog Hop where one of the hoppers used the wave stamp a couple of times with different colours and then when I saw the CAS(E) this sketch well I just had to.
Once again I used the Simon Says Stamp Keep Swimming set, I didn't use Birthday since I wasn't sure it would fit and I was right.
I also used copics to colour the fish but maybe next time I chose different colours blue and yellow on cheap card was asking for trouble and I'm amazed that none look a bit green.
The spare room sorted but I don't think Hubby realised how long it would take but the job is done.

Fishes come true

Remember the sneak peek in the week of the new release from Simon Says Stamps well here's the card I made which looked 100 times better inside my head.
But I did have great fun making the fish bowl using the Keep Swimming set that Simon Says Stamp sent me. The sentiment  is all separate so you can block it or just have a string of words.
For my table cloth I used a Spellbinders die but cut a bit off for my fish bowl to sit on, just some strips of brown card for the legs.
I apologise for copic colouring, I really don't use these enough to excel at using them just thought I could quickly colour the fishes in. Now I've seen  the fabulous blog hop cards mines a poor cousin.
If you haven't seen the new release I do suggest you pop over to Simon Says Stamps the new release really does have something for everyone.
Here's a link to the start of Simon Says Stamp This is the Life Blog Hop.

No card making today, off to visit Mum later and the spare room is to be sorted out which I will be supervising to make sure nothing gets throw out that I want to keep.

Holly Wall

I bet your thought I didn't have a Penny Black card well up till yesterday you would have been right but when I came back from Swimming I had this idea.
I used the Penny Black Wall Cling stamp but I used the 2nd print of it so its faded into the background and I decided on using light green card for the Penny Black Holly die. Originally I was thinking of using white but when I had cut it out it didn't look right with the wall so I popped it in the box with the die to use another day.
Somewhere hidden upstairs are most of Christmas stamp especially some large wooden sentiment stamps that would've have worked a treat as I wanted a large sentiment so I settled on using the Simon Says Stamps Christmas Sentiment Die and added a tiny star gem for the top of the i.
How about this for a following on, Simon Says Stamp has a new release and in my honest opinion they've out done themselves this time. Its called This is The Life and I've already ordered some but there is still on my wish list.

All Dressed Up

Once I found out that I could use the All Dressed Up girl separately I brought a couple. This little sweetie came with the Summer Girls. I had to used her I simply love her hat.
A very simple layout mainly because I love that paper in the middle and wasn't keen to cover it up. Just a few retro flowers with the large one have a snowflake punched centre.
And of course I had use my favourite crochet border from MFT for round the image mat and not forgetting a bit of ribbon.
Not much happening at the moment but its the calm before the storm. One job that must be done this weekend is to attempt to sort out the spare room cos MIL is coming down soon and it the last room in the house to be sorted after all the dust from the builders. Its a two man job with Hubby doing the shifting and myself supervising.

Photo Shoot

I think I'm on Week 28 for a layout a week. Love how this turned out since the papers were odds and sods left of a collection pack. The top right corner bugs me but I'm going to have to try ignore it since I also feel less is more.
The letters are cut from the Cricut, the chevrons are Stampin Up and my hearts are Simon Says Stamp.

Well I'm in trouble now I have a couple of layouts one with my brother on who has told me in no uncertain words don't put him on FB but my blog is connected to Network Blogs and automatically publishes. Also of my Niece and Nephews using a picture from FB and I don't really have their Mum's permission either. So I think this weekend I will look out some more photos from 2013 to scrap.

Lets Be Clear

Hi all and welcome to another week on the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge
Thank you for joining us for the Shake 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 ,,,,,,,,

 LET'S BE CLEAR

Think acetate, vellum, glossy accents, translucent embossing paste, glass etc !

We are showcasing Clearly Besotted Products this week. You don't have to use them to join in 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

Well I couldn't think of anything original didn't help that I obviously didn't read the options for Clear lots of ideas now popping in my head. I took the easier way just using acetate.
I used an Lifestyle Whimsy embossing folder on the acetate, to be honest it was seeing this technique demo-ed encouraged me to buy Big Shot many years ago. But the thing with acetate its a b****r to photograph.

I had a real problem with choosing a Clearly Besotted item since no sooner do they arrive in Simon Says Stamp they fly off the shelves but I decided to use Easter Hoppy stamp and die set if only to prove an Easter rabbit is not just for Easter.
The paper is from Carta Bella Sew Lovely but I just used the pink dotty paper for the card as well as for my bunny. I added the middle of the Spellbinders Floral Oval for my bunny to sit in. The Hello die is a Simon Says Stamps exclusive and so is the Baby word but I cut that one out for times and stuck them together using the Xyron. By doing this it became the card stop for the easel card and the flowers which are a Martha Stewart Hydrangea punch held the other corner but any flowers would do.
To finish some pearls on the acetate which also helps with the photography.

So now it's YOUR turn.  Happy Crafting

There are fabulous Give Aways and inspiration from fabulous designers on a daily basis over on the Simon Says Stamp Blog , if you haven't subscribed by email you may want to so you don't miss out 

You have until Wed  8am Ohio time. 1pm UK time, 2 pm CET to join in

No backlinking allowed, Only 5 new creations will be eligible in the prize draw

Sneak Peek

My wonderful friends over at Simon Says Stamps sent a taster of their new release and said I could show a sneak peek. You won't have long till they are released Friday 11th July.
I can't wait till to use this set but everything has stopped in my craftroom for a very large Retirement/Leaving card but I'm down to just glossy accents a couple bits and then I can play with this new set.

Monochrome

I've hardly made a card the last few weeks and possibly starting with a DT card isn't the best one to start with but lucky for me Mo's image of Baby in a Suit saves it from being a totally failure. The card is for this weeks challenge of Monochrome on Everybody Art Challenge.
Not sure on the papers they were loose in my card box and the sketch I've used is from Sketch Saturday.
Very little in the way of embellishments, I've used a doily die for the Woodware Sentiment but I don't know where is from its a white die could be Joy or Marianne.
My corners are La La Land and now my Quickutz one is damaged this is now my number one favourite corner die.
Buttons from my Stash but I wish I decided to use them before I stuck everything down on the card that way it would of been easier to sew them on the page rather than threading and tie-ing a knot underneath.
I do hope you can join us this week on Everybody Art Challenge and do pop over and check out the team.
Hubby has asked for another Retirement card, I knew it was a mistake making one previously but I coloured the images I will be using last night.

more stampin up

Well I think Nikki's Stampin Up Launch Party went well although I feel a bit guilty not making many cards for her or doing a bit of demo-ing. I ate most of the strawberries and caught up with everyone instead. I did make two cards, you've already seen one and this is the other. I've used Flower Shop and Petite Petals with Everything Eleanor swirl and the back ground is dictionary. The colours are Marine Mist and Smokey Slate well I think thats their names.
I did mask the flowers but I then added some for dimension which would of mean I didn't have to mask in the first place.
Anyway I think it went well for Nikki, the weather could of been better so lets hope next year it will be
better.

Buttons and Bows

Time for a new challenge on Penny Black Saturday Challenge, this month is Button and Bows. Another quick card and the last one I made before I went on Holiday.
I'm pretty sure this card was based on a sketch although now I haven't a clue whoose. The papers I think are Simply Stories and just used one page.
Using this Penny Black stamp with a pencil it seemed right to doodle round the main image mat. The buttons are out of my stash I do have a few after all and these didn't make any difference at all. Love that I found the dotty heart one.
My bows are Doodlebug twine and since bows are plural I decided to make two so I could add an s to my bow. Do pop over and check the team and hope you can join us this month.

Stampin Up

I made a card completely with Stampin up products. My friend Nikki is having the launch party for the new cataloque at my house tomorrow. Last time I managed to make quite a few cards for her but with the building works and the delayed holiday (we kept the week we normally went for Dad's Birthday which in the end didn't happen) might I haven't had time. If you want to come to Launch Party e-mail me for the details its  time 10.30 -13.30 and you be local to Guildford Surrey.
Typically the weather isn't looking good so I may have to give the living room a lick and promise also tidy my junk corner so we can use that room too.

First Cuddle

There are some things about this layout I don't like maybe its a bit too pink but I was trying to match my cardigan and forgot the little chap was a boy.
I like using the border punches for just for contrast in the corners simply because there too much white space. I'm still not convinced on the doily although I do like how it overlaps.
Sorry I haven't been around much since I came back from my hols but I had a bit of an issue on the PC several pop ups cover the page and no sooner has I deleted them they came back. Apparently they are classed as safe but annoying. But what really gets up my nose is well known stores are using the facility. I can understand discrete ads on websites like FB etc to pay for sites but really does these reputeable firms think we buy from them because of annoying pop ups dream on guys.

Christmas Shaker Card

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 ,,,,,,,,

 SHAKE IT

So a shaker/confetti packet type element on your creation. There are several ways to create a shake you can make your own or buy ready made products that you can alter.

We are showcasing Simon's Exclusive Products this week. You don't have to use them to join in 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

A bit out of my comfort zone making a shaker card and time wise too. So I went for a clean look using the Polaroid die from MFT and using the Simon Says Stamps Bright and Merry Stamp and Die set, stamped the sentiment on it.
I made the scene using the tree die from the same set and Simon Says Stamps Curved Die back with some dark blue card.
Biggest worry was remembering to put in the sequins before I put the back and front together but luckily I rememebered.
Its not too thick to go throught the post so maybe I might make some more.

So now it's YOUR turn.  Happy Crafting

There are fabulous Give Aways and inspiration from fabulous designers on a daily basis over on the Simon Says Stamp Blog , if you haven't subscribed by email you may want to so you don't miss out 

You have until Wed  8am Ohio time. 1pm UK time, 2 pm CET to join in

No backlinking allowed, Only 5 new creations will be eligible in the prize draw

Sketch

Now you know I've been away you will understand why this card was really quick and really simple but I was amazed how well it turned out. First of all this is for the new challenge on Everybody Art Challenge and this week we have a sketch.

The fishtail banner is made out of patterned paper from Pebbles, my circle was made with pearls and to finish a bit of ribbon to replace the strip going across.
Of course my image is one of Mo's Manning so I knew I it would save my card and as she is a fun image it works better than an adorable one.
Don't forget to check out the team and hope you can join us this week.
I'm still scheduling just in case, usually my joints need a holiday after a holiday!!!!!!!