Your Challenge Theme for Next week Commencing Monday 25th march

Good Morning Ladies,

Thank goodness it's Friday, I hope that you are all ready for the weekend!

Cheryl's Child Card Challenge

Our lovely Cheryl came up with the theme or this weeks challenge while she was sat catching up with her card making for friends and family.

The theme that Cheryl has picked is, I believe something Brand New for us to try, which is very exciting, so here we go...….

Your theme for next weeks Challenge is …..Make a Card for a Child

You can choose any style, size and colour for your card, you can use whatever you materials you like, there are no restrictions at all.

I can't wait to see all of your designs, I hope you enjoy the challenge as the most important rule is that you have fun making your cards.

Thank you so much Cheryl for choosing a fantastic theme for our challenge xxx

Well Ladies, I hope that you all have a lovely weekend,

Love and hugs to all of you,

Sandra
xxxxxx

Pat's fantastic Floral Groovi card

Good Morning Ladies,

I hope that you are all well, we are on the run down to the weekend now so that's a reason to smile😁

Today I want to share with you this beautiful card from Pat, it features some very intricate Groovi work, Pat has created a gorgeous pattern that involves using your piercing tool to cut out those tiny crosses, it's just so intricate Pat I don't know how you do it, I would be far too heavy handed for anything as delicate as that.  Pat has placed her piece of Groovi work over a coloured Background and then added that beautiful frame that she gets from her friend at the Groovi class she goes to in Abingdon, the lovely lady designs the frames and then creates the patterns to fit perfectly inside the frames and then feature room in the centre for you to add your own embellishment.
Pat has added a pretty flower, now I am not sure if that pink flower is made of pink card that has been embossed to highlight its details or If it is one of those embellishments that has the same texture as those pink shrimp sweets, I think that those ones are made from paper clay, Sue and I made some embellishments a year or so ago using Paper Clay and the results were similar looking.
Pat has popped a simple button into the centre of the flower and that button really gives the flower 'life', I love the colour contrast Pat.
Thank you so much for sending your card in for me to share with our friends Pat xxx

I hope that you all have a lovely day,

Love and hugs

Sandra
xxxxxx

a Bright and cheerful card

Good Morning Ladies,

Well I did eventually manage to get into my craft room yesterday afternoon, I needed to make my Notelets for the swaps over on the fb group, so I made myself go and sit in there until they were done.

I then made this card too which was on the same theme as some of the Notelets.

I embossed a piece of Melon Mambo card with the Lace Dynamic Embossing folder, then to highlight some of the detail I used a dauber and added a little Spun Sugar Distress Oxide across the raised areas.  To create a base for my Butterflies to sit I stamped the largest Doily from the Dear Doily Stamp set, I used Perfect Medium to stamp with and added an Opal Mica powder to give a subtle pattern in the background.  Before I adhered the doily I added a piece of the White Dotted Tulle ribbon across my card and then put the die cut vellum piece on top.

I stamped one large and 2 small butterflies from the Beauty Abounds stamp set, I stamped first onto white card that I had blended some Spun Sugar Distress Oxide ink onto, using Melon Mambo ink and the repeated but stamping onto Vellum, to create an extra layer of wings for my butterflies.

I arranged the butterflies onto my card and added some sparkles to them all.

The sentiment is one of Sue Wilsons and I die cut it twice out of white card inked with Spun Sugar Distress Oxide ink.

I hope you like my card.

Believe me, when I had finished the card and notelets I was ready for a lie down, I am getting so frustrated at both the pain and feeling so unwell, but never mind.

Paul came home with a lovely gift from a lady that he works with, it was a jigsaw puzzle, she said that it would hopefully help keep my mind off of Google!!  So thoughtful, I must make a thank you card for her today.

That's all from me today my lovelies, Thank you all so much for keeping me in your thoughts and prayers, I really appreciate it.

Love and hugs to all of you,

Sandra

xxxxxx

Gorgeous Swap Notelets from the lovely Steph Stoker

Good Morning ladies,

Thank you all for your kind thoughts and wishes yesterday, I am not going to lie, the blood test was horrible (not that they are ever nice)!  I have asked both times for her to use the Butterfly needle as it always works first time, but they never listen, she got in eventually and had prepared me by saying 'i'm really sorry I am going to have to take rather a lot of blood from you today''  it was 6 bottles in all.  But I guess that they are checking for everything. 

Then I get the phone call for my Urgent Scan, its a week on Wednesday!! How on earth is that urgent?! I will be a gibbering wreck by then!

Anyway on to pretty things....

Today I am sharing some perfectly timed 'Happy Mail' with you, over on our FB channel Danielle and I run a monthly swap, this month the swap is  'A set of Notelets'' and these gorgeous Vintage designs are from the lovely Steph Stoker, this is her first venture into Vintage style cards but you would never guess that.  She made a beautiful card that matched the Notelets beautifully, it features the cutest little girl and boy on a lovely vintage background.

The Notelets have the same theme, all lovely vintage/shabby chic designs with lots of detail.  Steph even went to the trouble of making matching Vintage envelopes too.

Thank you so much for a gorgeous swap Steph, it was perfectly timed to bring a much needed smile to my face xxx

I have a couple of craft projects I would like to try today, all being well, so please keep your fingers crossed for me.

I hope that you all have a lovely day,

Love and hugs,

Sandra

xxxxxx

One Colour card

Good Morning Ladies,

We had every kind of weather in one day yesterday, we woke up to beautiful Sunshine streaming through the windows, which was lovely, although it was still quite windy and very cold, the ski's greyed over after lunch though and we then had sleet, snow and hale stones all in the space of an hour or so!  We wanted to get out of the house so we went to the Outlet Centre where they have a Farmers Market, there weren't many stalls though, the only thing we bought was some Lemon Meringue Fudge!  (not the healthy shopping I had planned).

Today's card was the result of me having a 'play' with Distress Oxide inks, trying to see how it embosses etc and as you would expect it works however you try and use it.
The whole card was made with Whisper White card and distress ink.

I started off by stamping the background using the 'Dear Doily' stampin'up Stamp set, I love that pretty doily stamp, the Distress Oxide that I used is Picked Raspberry.
Next I used my Blending Tool to cover a piece of card that I used to die cut the back of the Doily die, I then stamped those grasses onto the coloured piece in versamark and added white embossing powder and heat set and then I used the matching die to cut them out.
I stamped the sentiment and embossed that at die cut with a scalloped circle and layered on top of the Doily.  The final part was to ink around of a piece of card to create and matching coloured matt for layering up the card.
I put it all together using a Whisper White card base, the layer with the inked edges, my doily background, I then added foam pads to the back of the doily die cut and placed it in the bottom corner and popped the three grasses under the doily to one side.
I hope you like my card, it's amazing what you can achieve with nothing but white card and I ink pad!!

Nothing much happening here today, I am exhausted both mentally and physically, I have another blood test at 11am, I think that the rest of the day will be me resting.  So please feel free to flood my inbox with your cards incase I don't feel up to making any for a few days, although I am wanting to go and sit in my craft room and play.

I hope that you all have a lovely day,

Love and hugs to all of you,

Sandra
xxxxxx

Your cards for Karen's ''Things With Wings'' challenge

Good Morning Ladies,

Welcome to another Sunday Blog Post jam packed with your amazing card designs that use Karen's "Things with Wings'' Challenge.....

Michele

Michele has designed three fantastic cards that feature ''Things with Wings'' …..

My 3 challenge cards. Picture of Plane is a Hunkydory topper & I’ve Embossed the background. Owls are a Cottage Cutz die that I’ve had for years & probably never used, background is a leftover scribble one from weeks ago. 3rd Card is made using various magazine freebies.

Thanks Michele for 3 fantastic challenge cards. xxx

Lynda

Lynda has also designed 3 gorgeous cards for this weeks challenge,  all completely different I particularly love the one that has one of your amazing backgrounds Lynda.....

No1.This one  paper pad from Works,  middle pink Embossing past onto a mask the stomp is a Clarity stamp the frames are SW
Noble collection Lavish accented octagon
Flowers cut from same backing papers

No.2  paper pad  from the Work I stamped a bird onto a mdf tag added some oxide ink pad

 No.3 Pretty papers from a works pad with JL dragonflies added

That third card had me convinced it was made with one of your backgrounds, all three of your cards are amazing Lynda, as always xxx

Karen

Karen had designed three completely different challenge cards, if I didn't know better you would think that they were for different challenges, so clever.  I love all three of your designs Karen.

Here’s three cc for you
I’m in to using old with new at the mo

Number 1 is an old style of card that we did at a Julia Watts workshop (Maria will remember that one!)
The robin die cut is placed onto a double sided sticky sheet with a black background The exposed areas covered with red sparkle gilding flakes and then parts are painted with CS Iridescent Shimmering paints I like the way these paints do not block out the gilding flakes underneath

Number 2 is a style of card I made years ago using a Sue Wilson inspiration she did with Les Papillon dies The squares are Marvellous Squares die cuts and the new are JL’s butterflies

Number 3 When clearing MIL’s flat we came across a Candi (remember Candi?) kit I bought her from C&C So I decided to have a play The base has some glossy accents and the Candi is added with Pinflair The new is the added JL butterflies.

I love that you are using 'Old With New' at the moment Karen, such a great way of using up some of the vast quantity of old stash that we all have.

Thanks for 3 fab cards. xxx

Maria

Maria, such a beautiful card, so pretty, I love that background its such a delicate colour...

Maria has used that gorgeous background and then very cleverly Fussy cut the beautifully coloured bird and branch and added them to the card along with the sentiment.

Thank you so much Maria for making your card, I really appreciate the trouble you went to my lovely,xxx

Janet

Janet had created three incredible cards, like Karen's these cards are completely different in style, how funny Janet that these cards would work so well for this weeks upcoming challenge too!!

The third card is a stamp by 'Dolly Dimples - Toadstool Girl

The second and third cards are stamps from 'Crafter's Companion Sheena Douglas'

Thank you so much Janet for 3 completely different cards, I love how you have stayed away from the obvious choices. xxx

Lilian

Lilian has designed a beautiful background for her card, I love the shimmer and shine, the Spellbinder butterflies are cut from that same background, I love how shimmery they are Lilian.

The background die is one of Tim Holtz's , the butterflies are Spellbinders that gorgeous shimmer comes from Starlight Paint and embossing powder, such an amazing combination Lilian.

Thank you so much for your inspiration. xxx

Brenda

Two fantastic cards from Brenda featuring 'Things With Wings' for this weeks challenge...

Brenda's first card is one that she made with her sister Anne when staying in Loughborough, I quite like the simplicity of the card, Brenda did say that they didn't have any embellishments on hand but I like it as it is (guess what you will be shopping for at Ally Pally)!!

Brenda's second card is made with a Crafters Companion die cut front, featuring butterflies, this has been laid over an gorgeous coloured Background that Brenda had made herself. I love the colours you have used Brenda.

Thank you so much for taking part my lovely xxx

Val

Oh Val, I love your card, both the background and that stunning Fairy image, beautifully embellished with those pretty butterflies and bows and gorgeous stick pins too.

Now I will put my hands up and say that I normally 'don't do' fairies because like angels they kind of remind me of graves, but this gorgeous Fairy is so delighful.

Thank you so much Val for such a lovely card, I am thrilled you have your 'mojo' back xxx

Margaret

Margaret has gone for a 'Clean & simple', monochrome card for this weeks challenge, she has used the Stampin' Up! 'By The Bay' stamp for the main focus of the card, the sentiment is a simple 'Thank you'  that Margaret has punched and edged with black ink.

I love the look of your challenge card Margaret, thank you so much for taking part xxx

That's all for this week my lovely friends, I would like to thank you all for you lovely comforting messages yesterday, it means so much that you are all thinking of me, I really do love and appreciate all of you. 

Have a lovely Sunday,

Love and hugs

Sandra

xxxxxx

Mixed Up Saturday /Michele's Magazine Review

Good Morning Ladies,

Today's Blog post will be very short and sweet (for a Saturday Post) as I am struggling with my health.  I got a call from the Doctor Surgery yesterday morning which I thought was going to be the results of my blood test giving me the go ahead to start my Anticoagulant tablets.  This was not the call I received, the receptionist was very nice and called to say that my Doctor was not at all happy with my Blood Test results and that he needed to see me as a matter or urgency, so I was made an appointment for the afternoon and told 'not to worry'!! (haha)  

We went in to see the same dr that prescribed my tablets a couple of weeks ago, he was visibly concerned and then just out and said that I had Hepatitis, which made me feel instantly sick, he went on to explain that the enzyme called ALP in my liver should have a reading of below 30 and mine was currently +181, showing that my liver was very inflamed and very unhappy.  He has told me to stop taking the Bisoprolol, although he doubts that is what had caused the issue, although it does tie in with me feeling so unwell.  Unless that it was just a coincidence that I felt unwell as I started taking the medication, he explained that it called be a Virus or Infection that has caused the high reading too.  I have to have more bloods done on Monday morning and he has ordered a urgent Ultrasound scan appointment for my liver.  I am trying not to stress about all of this too much ladies (for the sake of my heart) but I would be lying if I said I wasn't terrified. 

Anyway first up today is an Amazing Bag that Danielle has made for her Mum for Mother's Day, isn't it amazing how you can create such amazing things with Paper, Our Danielle is the Queen of all things 3D and this project shows that.  Its the amount of detail that she puts in, like the little matching purse and those beautiful flowers. 

Thank you so much Danielle for allowing me to share your bag on the blog today xxx

Next up we have our Michele's Magazine Review......

Michele's Magazine Review

Hi Ladies.

Cardmaking & Papercraft has a bumper set of stamps & 2 piece Die set this month. 

The stamps could be used for Weddings, Bon Voyage or Good Luck Cards. The scooter Die is so cute. 

The free papers are the ones I used for last weeks challenge cards.

Part Two.

Making Cards magazine has some gorgeous papers this month-just look at the colours in the Mandalas. You get 18 mandalas & the rest are the Fashionista images plus backgrounds.


There’s a great feature on Colouring On Kraft Card plus a 2 page article on “supporting your local craft shop”- just wonder how many of us still have a local craft shop??? I know 2 have recently closed that were local to me, there’s just a craft shop within a Garden Centre plus Hobbycraft left. 

Michele 

Thank you so much Michele for another fantastic review, I am tempted by both magazines, the stamps in the first magazine are very versatile and I love how they give you so many inspirational ideas for their free gifts.
Thanks again for your time my lovely xxx


That's all for today Ladies, I hope that you are all enjoying your weekend,

Love and hugs to all of you, 

Sandra
xxxxxx