More Valerie

Yes I know not another Valerie from Mo Manning but remember there's three images all together plus she is quick and a dream to colour.
I've used this week Mojo Monday although I couldn't keep it as CAS because parts of the empty corner annoyed me. So added the Snowy corner from Memory Box and Whimsy corner die. Meanwhile the border is once again the upside down grass die from MFT and the Snowflake is from Simon Says Stamps. The sentiment is from LOTV and the papers are last years Echo Park Christmas ones.
Fingers crossed I'm hoping this will still go through normal post. Apologies for the wet stickles glue but I wanted to photo the card before the light failed.

Who me

Another quick CAS card, well quick for me. I admired the card made by my fellow blogging friend Tracy from I Wanna Build a Memory and thought it would work by flipping over the design.
Looking at it now perhaps it is too CAS luckily I'm saved by the fabulous Mo's image Who Me. The papers are Doodblebug and the sentiment is still sitting on my desk on an acylic block so time wise its quicker to use it.
Snowflakes are Simon Says Stamp Abby snowflake die and finishes with some stickles for grounding my image.
Time wise is being a bit of nightmare we are visiting Mum in hospital most days and its taking a toll on the card making which is why I've gone more CAS at least I still making Christmas cards and haven't succumbed to paying for them yet.

Simon Says Stamp Stars

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

WE'RE SEEING STARS

We are showcasing STUDIO CALICO 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

After my bit of failure of a card this morning, I love how this card turned out so much so I'm going to have a hard job sending it away.
First of all the papers are Simple Stories Hello Baby and I also used for the Pure Innocence Picture Perfect clothes not sure why but she cries out for these to be paper pieced.
I've also used the Spellbinders Curved borders die to bring interest to the top of card, I saw this on Dawny's blog and loved the idea.
My stars are some chipboard one from Studio Calico and my thanks sentiment is from Simon Says Stamps but I cut it out twice to help it stand out. The banner words were computer generated by me using Word and using a square punch to make fish tail end.

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

Snowman

Just a quick card to tie you over till the Simon Says Stamps Wednesday Challenge. Although I'm disappointed how it looks cos it didn't look this way in my head. I think my problem is I should have used a black mat under the red snowflake paper but that ribbon is well and truly stuck to alter it. I used the Sketch Saturday sketch for this week not sure I will bother to enter though.
The papers are Lawn Fawn and the Snowman is from MFT, also from MFT is the grass die that I'm using upside down fro icicle.
The little stars are from Simon Says Holiday Shapes and the Snowflake Abby dies. I've layered the snowflake twice and I do this with using double sided tape on the back of the card I used to cut, I've also done this for the stars.

Back Later

They Shall Grow Not Old

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

Presents

This card only just made it to Everybody Art Challenge blog, it was made yesterday and photo just before it got dark. Even the stickles are wet but I had to wait till the silicone glue was dry before putting the flower soft and fun flock mixture to his hat otherwise the layer curls when it all the glue dries.
This week is for a sketch but I used poinsettias for my circle. The header die with the scrolls has been cut down to fit onto the mat, I'm glad it looks ok because it makes it a bit more versatile.

Of course my little bear is James from LOTV and my papers are some old Stampin Up ones but the holly one is from my stash no idea whose. The poinsettias are Simon Says Stamp Poinsettia Parade with CC Designs leaves.

Do pop over to check out the team's fabulous creations and hope you can join us this week.

Meanwhile I shall be back Christmas Card Making trying not to panic and thinking I still need to make two wedding cards and my DT cards.

Red and White

I think if I made this card again I wouldn't use the gingham ribbon but time has been short lately and I wanted to post a card so I made this card quickly.
First the sketch is from Freshly Made Sketches and I used the Taylored Expression Snowflake background die. I then used one of the new Snowflakes die from Simon Says Stamps but it got lost on the background. So I cut out it three times but I made sure I put doublesided tape on the back of the card before cutting out this meant I didn't have to try and put glue on the back.
To make layering the snowflake easier I placed the snowflake in place then layered the others. It really does help white on white to show up.
I confess the sentiment is a white peel off, my patience and time didn't seem to go as far as stamping.

Loved

No cards in my drafts today so I will show you a layout instead. Another picture I've borrowed from my Sister. Nice to use some of the huge stash of flowers and that word ribbon I've had for ages. The papers are Bo Bunny and I'm literally down to a few scraps which does make easier for scrapbooking cos you have to make do with what you got. The Loved sentiment is a K&Co one I brought in America in 2007, I wonder if it will take another 7 seven years to use the rest of the packet!
This layout will take me to 41 this year and next week its week 46 so I still have a bit of catching up to do.

Santa's Clothes

Phew made this card really quickly or else there wouldn't have been a Penny Black card for today. I've used this weeks Mojo Monday Sketch. Whoops I already see that the sketch didn't transfer to my brain well. My banner should have been cut off at the red border.

Not to worry the sketch helped me make this card quickly because I knew it would work really well with the PB image I had coloured.
Sorry the snowflake papers were still on my desk from last week when I made the card for yesterday. I used my MFT grass die for icicles and the snowflake is Simon Says Stamps. The sentiment is from LOTV but thats mainly because its still on an acrylic block on my desk and probably will be till January!
Some flower soft and fun flock mixture for Santa's clothes and some glitter to look like frosty snow.

There's something missing where's the ribbon.

Flying for Christmas

I first saw one of my Carol one of my blogging friends use this image for a Christmas card which I thought was a brilliant idea and hopefully she won't mind but this is my version.
It looks maybe my image size could have been smaller, but it did mean that I had to keep it fairly simple.
I used some snowflake paper for the sides and I cut out two frostyville borders from Memory Box some cutting of one border so it wouldn't overlap and the join is hiding underneather the image. The ribbon has been used to clean up the join between pattern paper and the border.
I used a stamp ma jig to place the sentiment but this is because I use a mounted stamp rather than a cling one. A few snowflakes from the old cuttlebug die.
Thank you everyone for the kind words, both Mum and SIL are feeling better.

Seasons Greetings

Another perfect image from Mo Manning for a CAS card, this time she is called Season's Greeting and she comes with a sentiment too. But I decided to use my new Penny Black Let it Snow die which Hubby brought me for my Birthday.
I cut out the sentiment first in the matching card of the Lawn Fawn papers and the cut it again twice in white so I could layer the Snow so it would stand out in the white.
The Spellbinders curved borders were use to cut the mat at the top and used a ribbon with a flat bow in hope in will go through the normal post slot to finish the card.
After a couple of days away, I of course needed a day to get over it but the day just went downhill the moment I got up. First the attempted burglary of the shed not sure if it was the defences we put in distracted them but they didn't get in and the door needed repairing. Then Mum was taken into hospital I think losing Dad this year and then her sister a couple of weeks ago has taken a toll, but she has bounce back from worse before. Just when you think thats enough my poor Sister in Law was admitted into the next bed to Mum in the MAU with acute kidney infection. I ended the day with a couple of large glasses of Wine.

Caring Hearts

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 and the Spectrum Noir Prize
This week the challenge is ,,,,,,,,

THINKING OF YOU

We are showcasing PRIMA 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

Vera & Jennifer McGuire team up again for the 5th year of Caring Hearts Card Drive. The goal of this card drive is to bring joy to those that live in nursing homes through our handmade cards. Simon Says Stamp is one of the sponsors for this event and there are lots of prizes to be won so please consider sending in your cards.
You can find all the details for the card drive HERE

Prima do some lovely papers and I've used the Blush Dress Me Up papers for the main portion of my card. The sweet image is a Penny Black Cling stamps called Flower Charm which is an image drawn by Mo Manning.
Add some beautiful Prima flowers Esplanade Rodanthe, I added some pearls but they were white so I coloured them in with a bright pink to match my card stock. The corners are La La Land Filigree corner and the swirl is MFT Fancy Flourish Die.
To finish I used the Simon Says Stamp Tilted Banner die with sentiments but I also used the die to draw round to make a pink mat round the sentiment to help it stand out.

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

Pink Coffee

I always feel guity not putting a card up on Wednesday Morning its not till later the post for the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge is scheduled. But since this card was a really quick one and I wouldn't be able to post it on it own it was that quick.
First of all the Pink Coffee Cup was already cut for the pink heart for another card so it was floating around my desk. Add the new sentiment from Riley and Company which I brought from Simon Says Stamps and some leftover papers from a previous Simon Says Stamp kit. A sketch from Freshly Made Sketch which I've missed the deadline and a bit twine one finished card. I did have to cut out a yellow Coffee cup using the Simon Says Stamp die for the heart. Now I have a yellow coffee cup floating around!
Did you see that Simon Says Stamp Blog is having a hop to celebrate Stephanie Birthday, there's some goodie bags up for grabs but you need to comment on the Blog Hop Blogs.

For Stephanie

While Heidi and Stephanie from Simon Says Stamps was over here from the US, Heidi gave us all without Stephanie knowing a new stamps and die set. This was so we could make a card for Stephanie's Birthday.
The new set is called Celebrate and it is a lovely Birthday set with balloons.
So we UK gals are giving Stephanie a Blog Hop but since the details haven't come through yet and unfortunately I'm away so I won't be able join the blog hop. I can still wish a Happy Birthday to Stephanie and direct you to the Simon Says Stamps Blog where the hop starts.
My card uses the Happy Birthday words in different colour ink and the patterned papers are Simple Stories which I also used for the balloons but you can stamp them in matching colours but I loved that the papers with the stars, hearts and dots.

The chevron clouds are another Simon Says Stamps die i should of inked them slightly to make the chevrons pop.

Happy Birthday Stephanie

Gears

It's time for a new challenge on Everybody Art this weeks is for Gears/Cogs this says boys card to me and I found this fabulous chap in my digi files he's from Karen Doodles I don't know if she still does images.
This chap is my favourite when using boys cards especially if its for a boy who loves football.
The papers are from Simple Stories which has now all gone and used nearly every bit. The cogs are from All Occasion Dies that I brought at a Craft Fair. I inked all around the edges to make it grungy and a bit of twine to finish.

Do pop over and check out the team, also hope you can join us this week.

Square Snowflakes

When I saw last weeks Mojo Monday Sketch this was the idea in my head, using the Simon Says Stamp Holiday Frames. Since its now Monday the challenge is probably closed but also I missed out a mat across the card I thought I still better pop it on my blog before it gets lost in my drafts.
I stamped with Versamark Lots of Snowflakes again from Simon Says Stamps and used WOW Bright White powder.
The little squares were cut out three times in white then in the darker Aqua card again trice but this time I carefully cut off the snowflake and saved the star from the middle to place in the white snowflake centres.
The sentiment is also from Simon Says Stamps from last year called Bright and Merry Trees.
I have a nice pile of Christmas images now coloured and a few more cards like this my Christmas tally will soon add up. So I'm making some felt reindeer and Christmas puddings for Mum's nursing home.

A Pink Christmas

Gosh I'm late this morning but I wanted to post a card today and I hadn't photo this card. I've used the CAS(E) this Sketch well very loosely but the card would work for the Non Traditional Colours on LIM.
Of course the image is a Mo Manning one called Valerie in Winter but you get three images altogether. I think she is ideal for the CAS cards.
I had to stretch the sketch to make sure I didn't chop Valerie in half, the sentiment is LOTV and my snowflakes are Cuttlebug die. I cut them out twice so they wouldn't get lost on the white and coloured the stars on the same die with pink ink.
A bit of flower soft for the bobble and some glitter along the snow, job done and now only have 29 cards to do. I did make 15 cards at the Christmas Stack Cards with Nikki and Collett  but I think I will bundle them up for Mum's Nursing Home Christmas Fayre but they have given me some great ideas for CAS cards.

Wrapped Up

Good Grief its November already, I will not panic that I still have a few Christmas cards to make. If like me you have a few to make then this months Penny Black Saturday Challenge will help a bit. Its called All Wrapped Up and if like me you have a few PB stamps with critters wearing scarves the hardest thing you will have to do it chose.
I decided to use a little used cling from the old style Penny Black even my little goose is wrapped up, little does he know why they looking after him so well!
The sketch is from Splitcoast Stampers card sketch 511 which was fine till it came to embellishments. I added the button and holly and decided that I could go down the CAS path. I decided on stamping the sentiment on the circle image mat. I nearly cried when it went wrong cos it was the first card since Mr Mojo left that I really liked. Hopefully you can't see where it all went pants, a very fine black pen and a not too steady hand filled in the missing parts.
The papers are LOTV and my picket fence is from MFT, the dotty border is from Stampin Up.

Do pop over and check out the team. 

Thank you for the lovely comments about the my crochet blanket and thankfully the headache has passed too, fingers crossed.

Crochet Blanket

I haven't got a card for today but I do have some photos of my finished granny square blanket. Its made with 4ply cotton and various patterns.

I wanted to make a long border but it was too heavy for me to hold so I only manages a few rows of sc.

I joined with a sc along the square I quite like this finish. It was tricky cos I joined with a whole strip at a time then each striphad to be slip stitched to the existing strips and meant lots of sewing in. Will I do another, not likely.
This week I've only managed to make my DT cards, a really bad headache finished me off on Wednesday and  yesterday I said goodbye to my Aunty Girlie, my mums older sister. It means out of all the brothers and sisters mum had have now gone except for her.
I'm off to Nikki's and Collets Christmas Stack stampin up class tomorrow that should help my tally, also I have quite a few James the bear coloured which I plan to make some quick CAS cards with.
But I will be back tomorrow with my Penny Black Saturday Challenge Card.

Bunny Christmas

I've recently got my hands on the latest Simon Says Stamps Winter Jubilee kit and I needed to make at least one card especially since it has the cutest papers ever. Including this sweet bunny one which cried out to used in the Simon Says Stamps Holiday Frame.
I've used the Simon Says Stamps Lots of Snowflakes stamp set with some hologram embossing powders, I always careful when using hologram powders if you over cook it, it looks pants!
You can see I cut out the frame a couple of times to help the Merry stand out. The snowflake sequins came in the kit but the silver thread is some I found hidden in my ribbon box. I have enough of the bunny scene to make another and I do believe that someone may have brought the paper pad anyway.