Willow

Another trip up North and another blanket, I got the evil eye from Hubby when I mentioned I needed more wool for another blanket so I had to make do with all the pastel colours I had left from various projects but I did order some more white.

The square is called Willow I do love this pattern and love you can change the colours for the rows to give a different looking Blanket.

I also tried a new pattern for the edging using Attic 24 scallop border but I found the slip st awkward so changed it to SC which I found quicker but I think that what made it a bit floppy so next time I may just change my crochet hook.

Oh dear blanket finished and off we go up North so new crochet challenge a star baby's blanket, the pattern is quite easy but my problem my crocheting was loose and irregular so I changed my needle and thinking I should of used white instead of cream but its started now and I don't plan to change it now.

Froggy Music

Today is the first Saturday in May and that means a new challenge on Penny Black Saturday Challenge and we are going for a Masculine Challenge.

I went with a froggy no reason why only that I was sorting through my PB stamps and decided I haven't used hime for ages and I love how I can use googly eyes.

I have a feeling the card is based on a sketch challenge somewhere in blogland but I've made a few cards the last week to get in front of my challenges because I know I will be feeling pants when I return from a trip up North.

Can't remember whose papers the dotty ones belong too, they look like Doodlebug, but the stitched square, rectangle and circle frame are all from Simon says Stamp. The sentiment is from Paper Smooches and the musical notes are MFT.

Do pop over to check out the new challenge and all the fabulous creations everyone has made, also don't forget to join us this month.

Floating Butterflies

I cut these butterflies for Wednesday's card but initially I didn't like them but I'm now thinking they would have been better, can't waste them. In the back of my mind I'm thinking about the Less is More Challenge of using Patterned Paper but I'll check before entering.

The Stitched Rectangle and the sentiment both from Simon Says Stamps and the butterflies various Memory Box dies. The strange antennas are drawn by me!

Well its the start of a busy weekend, today I have swimming and have to pack my bags for a crop tomorrow. Sunday we are going up North to lay some flowers at Crematorium on Hubby's Mum's Birthday so we are staying up there for a couple of days. To include a visit to a garden centre whose prices are a lot cheaper.

Shower Baby

That wasn't very well planned of me, I added this cutie to the Mo's Dream Team but forgot to set up my post. Can't help I love Mo's Babies this one is called Baby Shower 

The papers are Doodlebug but I think they may have been last years and the dotty papers are Lawn Fawn.

I cut the image out using my nestablilities and the border is MFT Crochet Border. I also used the Stampin Up scallop Border it cuts in strip and I hide half under my pattern paper.

Yes thats retro flower punch from EK success it always comes out when I'm making cards in a hurry and the butterfly I think was a Kars punch.

I made the sentiment scallop using Stamping Up Oval and Oval Scallop punches and the words stamped from LOTV.

There is a new challenge starting today but I'm a bit early but don't forget to check the fabulous creations.

Hi all and welcome to another week on the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge
Thank you for joining us for our Anything Goes Challenge and we hope you will join in with our new theme!
We will be back soon with the names of the lucky winner of the $50 Voucher.
This week the challenge is

STENCIL IT

We are showcasing Stencil Girl Stencils this week. You don't have to use them to join in with the challenge, but if you have them 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

I was going to make another card because I wasn't happy with they way this turned out, looked fine in my head but I forgot how well I had stuck the stencil down and managed to damaged the stencil so I couldn't make another. I'm gutted that I ruined the stencil since I had only used once but its still in the SSS shop as Stencil Girl Clouds so I will be adding another in my cart.

The papers are Doodlebug Spring Garden and I used the Simon Says Stamps Stitched Rectangle for my blue piece. I used Dreamweave glossy white embossing paste for my clouds.

Now I did die cut loads of butterflies from various Memory Box dies but I wasn't sure I liked it and saw the Little B Butterflies and decided to use them, almost used all of them so something else to put in my cart.

I needed a sentiment for it and it just so happened the Lila's Heart stamp set was on my desk and I decided to use this sentiment which could be used several reasons for sending a card.

Don't worry those Memory Box butterflies got used on another card.

So now it's YOUR turn.  Happy Crafting

Do you use Instagram ?  If so please add  #ssswchallenge 

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

Sketch

We have a sketch this week on Everybody Art Challenge and I decided to finally use this image which I had coloured ages ago. I think its a MFT stamp that I was going to use for Simon Says Stamp but it was retired before I could use it.

The papers are the last few I had left of this pack but I can't remember the name but I'm please that I had used the pack up.

My doily is a Cheery Lynn die and I finished it off with the large retro flower punch from EK Success with a snowflake punch I think from Kars for the centre and some round dots for the centres.

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

Fifi and Mikhail

Blast I made this for my niece Verity who runs Frogmore Dancing School and she put on a showcase yesterday but I forgot to take it with me. She had to have so many people to help not sure I was much help but I did get to see the show which brought tears to my eyes watching so many talented youngsters.
I was helping the signing in and out backstage as the theatre she hired were very strict on health and safety making sure we knew who was backstage and making sure they were handed over to parents.
All the proceeds of the raffle are going to Jess Woolner which was over £1000.

Back to the card I think a waffled enough, I've use Fifi and Mikhail that I have merged sometime again but I keep saved so they both can be used again. I tried to follow a sketch which has torn edges but not sure mine worked.

I,m having a bit of a rest day today but I plan to get my hands on some new Mo's images and have a colouring day too.

Winter Walk

Goodness it's the 1st of May and we are still having frosts and snow although I was always told that you shouldn't plant in your garden bedding plants until the end of May.

This was my first layout of 2016 and I found in hiding in my draft posts.  The photos were taken a couple years back when we went to the Hayling for new year.

I believe the papers are Stamping up old ones it takes me a while before I can bear to cut into them.

Just a quick post I'm getting frustrated using my index finger to write the post I'm much quicker with a keyboard and using all my fingers but it was interesting to see if I could write this on my iPad mini ( a proper iPad is too heavy).

Gosh even managed to get my signature on here too.
edited Oh no I didn't!

90th

There was me thinking it the first Saturday of May luckily I remembered it the last day of April before posting next weeks card. Thankfully I still have a Penny Black card to post possibly my favourite flower stamp which I alway seem to paper-pieced.

The papers are some old Kaiser ones and I used my favourite things like ribbon and lace, not forgetting the fabulous Spellbinders Floral Oval but before I take out the die I draw round the inside and cut it out.

There is a bit of a error in the sentiment that I saw before sticking the envelope down and added th but didn't have time to photo it again. The Happy Birthday and numbers are Simon Says Stamp dies.

The centre of the flowers are tiny beads that I buy on e-bay but they're for nail decoration but are very similar to the Accent Beads you used to be able to buy. A few pearls on the corners of the rose paper and my job is done.

The card was duly hand-delivered at the surprise party for my Auntie Jane who was married to my Mum's brother.

Sending you Love and Hugs

I needed a male get well card but its possible this wasn't the end of his treatment so rather than using a get well sentiment I used the Simon Says Stamp Sending die with the stamped love and hugs.

I decided to use the boat die from Simon Says Stamp along with the splashy waves die which I haven't really used much. I was really please that the sea die fitted inside the Stitched Rectangles so I could have a frame.

I used Simon Says Stamp Cloudy Skies stamps and die for my clouds and it has those fab bird stamps. To finish I used the large rectangle in Simon Says Stamp Stitched Bundle of Shapes. I then backed it with the red and white paper that came from the Doodlebug Anchors Away pad which also had the bubbles and not forgetting I paper-pieced the sails on the boat.

Frost

I saw a wonderful card by one of my team mates from Mo's Dream Team. you can see it here. As soon as I saw it I thought I could do this. The sweet image is called Frost it is possible that you will see her again and again before the years out.

I had a background die from Taylorers Expression as you can see it works a treat. I added the Simon Says Stamp Stitched Rectangle Frame you can make with two of the dies. I'm not sure if Hellen had used this but I added a layer of acetate to help my image to be layered.

At the time of making I was in a bit of a rush so I grabbed a snowflake die and cut it out fun foam which gives me dimension and I cheated with the sentiment I used a peel off.

All credit with Hellen she makes some fabulous cards.

Another day shopping looking for boxes for the new shelves so I can move my stuff out the drawer cupboard that almost blocking the hall.

A Couple of Daisies

Hi all and welcome to another week on the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge
Thank you for joining us for our Make It Girlie Challenge and we hope you will join in with our new theme!
We will be back soon with the names of the lucky winner of the $50 Voucher.
This week the challenge is

ANYTHING GOES

We are showcasing STAMPENDOUS PRODUCTS this week. You don't have to use them to join in with the challenge, but if you have them 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

Mmmm late evening sun is probably not the best time to take a photo the cream colour is suppose to white!
Anyway I love this Stampendous Daisies Mix Cling Stamp and you can buy the dies to match if you don't like cutting them out but you know I love fussy cutting.

So I started out colouring my Daisies and I still have another Turquoise and Pink still to use did I say I love Daisies. I stamped and coloured two for the petals and one for the centre, the second one for the petals I cut off what look like petals behind petals.

Then it was a case of playing with different styles, the first I decided to place my daisies inside the Simon Says Stamps Stitched Squares Die and also used the Simon Says Stamps Stitched Wavy Scallops borders to give a bit of interest. I layered the top and some Lawn Fawn Perfectly Plaid Petite then used Simon Says Stamp Bundle of Stitched Shapes over the two.

Finally I added the Scallop Mat from Avery Elle Sweet Scallop and the sentiment came from Simon Says Stamps Stamp Birthday Messages.

This card was made the same way but I used the Simon Says Stamps Stitched Rectangles the largest the set has and it means you could see more of the Avery Elle Scallop background. Also the sentiment came from Simon says Stamps Handwritten Greetings.

So now it's YOUR turn.  Happy Crafting

Do you use Instagram ?  If so please add  #ssswchallenge 

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

Mr and Mrs

Time for another challenge on Everybody Art Challenge this on is for Wedding and I got the chance to use my Mr & Mrs stamp from stamping up. I embossed it silver but I had to do it twice because I had stamped on the linen side of the card and it didn't quite stamp that well. So once I used the heat gun once I quickly added more powder to heat it again.

I used a Spellbinder die but before I took off the centre die I blended some colour round the the edges and then I embossed the words. I also add some sticky pads to raise the centre.

I stick the outside die cut to the paper which I think is an old sheet from Stampin Up, then cut round the edge and stuck onto another white card for a border.

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

Golden Wedding Anniversary

One of the cards I've made recently that I had to wait till the person receives it. It does look rather busy but in real life its not that bad.

First of all I embossed two Bricked by Tim Holtz you may be wondering why two, the reason is simply I made a square card and the folder is for a rectangle. My join is under the ribbon which I wish I just used my white grosgrain but it was stuck and wasn't going to be moved.

My Arch Window is from Spellbinders back with gold and the numbers I think are Simon Says Stamp numbers but I cut them twice and layered.

My flowers are Memory Box Fresh Foliage and the flowers are memory box too along with Weeping Willow finish with some gold pearls. The sentiment is LOTV that is gold embossed.

Glad to hear the couple who received it loved it.

So this was the empty alcove in the dining room that had three shelves on bars at the back, which housed the PC and a lot of other stuff. 

Here's the alcove now looks much nicer although the fitter was annoyed that the display shelf in between the glass cupboards wasn't bubbled wrapped like the bookshelf and was damaged. But it should arrive this week and his is making sure it does because he doesn't get paid till the job is finished.

The other stuff apparently isn't allowed back so muggins here has to find new homes for everything. I have one little cupboard that now has 6  7lt really useful boxes full of Penny Black stamps and I've even sorted out some to give away. Now I have to find somewhere for the next 12 drawers of crafty stuff.

Bubbles and Balloons

Last two layouts for my Mum and Dad renewing their wedding vows this time some of my great niece and nephews. First of my Gt Niece keeping the youngest Gt Nephew amused with some bubbles. The camera has made by bubble stand out more which is not the case in real life.

Balloon and Bubbles were the order of the day to keep the little ones amused and my layout I decided stars and balloons were the way to go.

Panda Bear Hugz

Goodness me another card for today, Simon Says Stamp has a new release called My Favourite and they very kindly sent me a stamp with cuddly animals on called Cuddly Critters.

So it was only right that I made a quick card especially has my eye went straight to the cute Panda and I knew I had to get out my Memory Box Bamboo Shoots and to make the bit of grass is MFT grass fields die.

Of course the stitched card is Simon Says Stamps Stitched Rectangles and Bundle of Shapes die. That just leaves the papers which I think are MFT Tranquil Textures .

Last thing I did was to stamp the sentiment in the corner which was from the Simon Says Stamp Abby's Spring Showers which was perfect and for some reason on my desk.

There's a blog hop using the new release which you will find here.

Balloon Kitty

I actually chose this stamp to see if it would work with yesterday's sketch but since I decided on the other stamp I couldn't not use this chap.

The sketch is a Freshly Made Sketch from a couple of weeks ago and with the help of the matching paper pieced balloon in my image I think it works.

Very simple with only a few dots punched out and embossing then stuck on in the plain white corner.
Finished of with a sentiment that lives on my desk stamped directly onto the card and its straight.

I sitting at a lovely new desk that as been fitted into a dining room alcove and we were lucky with our fitter who knew he onions. He was gutted when he found out a display shelf was damaged but he's ordered another and he lived local so he will be back next week with it.

Some of the wall needs a touch of paint so I can't fill it up with stuff and photo's will be coming soon.

Balloon Hedgie

Yes I've made a card for a challenge and its not a week later but actually in time to enter it. The sketch is from Sketch Saturday and I found what I though would be a perfect stamp to fit in the odd shape mat.

Now when I layer my images I like to have an image has a guide and this I have to use a
Stamp-a-ma-jig to make sure I place that guide image right. I think I can give myself a pat on the back because I don't think I could of placed it any better.

Of course my image is a Penny Black Hedgie and once layered I paper pieced the balloon with the pink dotty paper. The paper is some odds and ends that I bundled together when I was sick a few weeks ago.

 I did use a tiny scallop die from MFT  and the sentiment is Paper Smooches.

Now all I can hope that once the PC has been put back it all works. I shall post a picture now I should be back online and I should actually see how big my cupboard is for putting all nine drawers of craft stuff is.

p.s. Don't worry I've another Penny Black for tomorrow.