Sketch Challenge Cards

 My Sketch Challenge Card

The Sketch

 Anne's Challenge Card

Janet's Challenge Card

 Lilian's Challenge Card

 Lynda's Challenge Card

Margaret's Challenge card

Margaret's 2nd Challenge Card

 Maria's Challenge card

 Michele's Challenge Card

 Sonia's Challenge Card

Sue's Challenge Card

Val's Challenge Card

Good Sunday Morning Ladies,

Once again I am blown away by your talent, so many amazing challenge cards, I do hope that challenging you every week and pushing you all that little bit further out of your comfort zone is helping you all to expand your card making styles, the only trouble I have found is that I have to chose between so many different new ideas when I sit down to make a card, this will be one of my favourite sketches though.

Anne, wow, so beautiful, such a classy mix of colours, that touch of lace really lifts the card, the most beautiful part is the bow and flowers finishing touch, thank you so much Anne for taking part in this weeks challenge xxx

Janet, a beautiful 'Gorjuss' card, finished perfectly with that stunning rosette style flower and your lovely die cut Happy Birthday, thank you so much my lovely for taking part. xxx

Lilian, such a beautiful card, I love that delicate floral paper you have used, and the bird is so beautiful, can I ask what die you have used to cut that pretty red mat layer, it almost looks like a stamp edge.  Thank you so much for taking part Lilian xxx

Lynda, OMG, such a pretty card Lynda, that lace is just stunning and it works so beautifully with the papers you have used, a stunning card Lynda, thank you so much for taking part xxx

Margaret, two beautiful cards from you this week, a stunning Christmas card, I love that round die you have used, it is so pretty and clearly works for all seasons, now onto that gorgeous birthday card, I love those papers, such a pretty floral!! I love the sentiment you have used too, thank you so much for making two cards this week xxx

Maria, another super cute image from you, the sentiment reads 'Happy Mother's Day' and I think your Mum will love your gorgeous card Maria, that decoupaged sunflower is so pretty too! Thank you for sharing your card with us Maria xxx

Michele, another gorgeous card from Michele, I love the Hot air balloon image you have used, is it a CD image?, I love the matching backing paper too, the purple is the perfect contrast colour too, thank you so much for taking part, despite the chaos around you xxx

Sonia, you have used some of your Theresa Collins paper already, I am so proud, I am still stroking mine! hahaha!! The dies you have used work perfectly too, I love that heart border die!

Thank you so much for another amazing card xxx

Sue, I love how this card turned out, (I saw the beginings of it on Wednesday), but the little finishing touches you have added like the pearls in the little snowflakes and the red ribbon bow with the delicate pearl centre really have lifted the card, you will be finished your Christmas cards by September at this rate! thank you so much for taking part xxx

Val, I love that you too are making use of the sketch challenge cards to get your Christmas cards made, I love this one with the proud prancing reindeer, and the pretty snowflakes, the calming paper at the bottom brings the whole card together perfectly, thank you so much for taking part each week Val xxx

Well that's it for this week, by the time you are all reading this I will be trying to decide on next weeks sketch, I wish I was quicker at making decisions! I started trying to decide at 10.30 am and finished my sketch card at 11pm, (I was doing other things in between), I love doing it though for as long as you all want to take part.  

Thank you all again, from the bottom of my heart ladies xxxxx

Love and Hugs

Sandra

xxxxxxxxxx

Mixed Crafts Saturday

Janet's Beautiful Tag

Angela's Handmade Flowers

Margaret's Amazing Peacock cross stitch

Good Morning Ladies

As you can see we have another amazing collection of mixed crafts!

Janet has made a beautiful MDF altered tag, the tag itself is from Fernli Designs, 

Go over and check out their website, you won't believe the amazing prices, Janet, Cheryl and myself will all recommend them as a company, they have a fantastic range of products to browse through.  

Janet has used Floral Muse paper to cover the MDF tag, she has then maded a rosette style flower using lace, topped with a pretty heart, she has then trimmed the bottom half of the tag with pretty lace from Amanda and used as cute resin potted tree from Anitaz Blake's Crafty Insomniac store on fb, somer pretty flowers and a border of pearls finish this tag beautifully, thank you so much for sharing Janet xxx

Angela has been making so pretty handmade flowers, if these were your first attempt Angela you should be incredibly pleased with your effort!! 

It looks like you have used both patterned and plain paper to die cut the flowers, you have then shaped them so that the individual petals look rounded out, I love how you have added shading to them to, such a pretty range of colours, they are very useful to have in your stash to add that perfect finishing touch to your cards, you can of course use the same paper that you have used on your project too so that it matches perfectly. Thank you For sharing  Angela xxx

Margaret, another of your absolutely amazing Cross Stitch pieces, he looks so regal, it never ceases to amaze me how you capture so much detail, like the tail and the plume on his head, the beautiful blossom looks like it iusd coming out of the frame! Thank you for sharing such an incredible work of art Margaret xxx

Thank you all ladies for sending in your projects, please keep them coming as I love to share them on a Saturday.

Have a lovely weekend ladies,

Love and Hugs

Sandra

Xxxxxxx 

Oldie for Friday and this weeks Craft Shopping !!

 Lynda's Gorgeous Goodies

 Michele's Lovely new bits and pieces

 Sonia's New Dies, Stamps & Paper pads

Val's Lovely Joanna Sheen Shopping

Anne's Craft Shopping !!

Good Morning ladies,

I thought I would share with you a card that I made a few months back, as some of the newer ladies may not have seen it, its also good to have a look back at cards we used when we first received the dies that we made them with as it can inspire us to get the die out again.  I don't think I have used that die since then, which kind of proves my point.

I covered a piece of white card with double sided sticky sheet, I then cut some purple card 6 times with the Creative Expressions Lattice Arched Adornment die, I placed these in an even pattern over the adhesive sheet, I then used some extra fine glitter to cover the remaining exposed adhesive.  I then added some matching ribbon and added a tulle bow with a matching ribbon bow on top that I finished with some little purple flowers and some foliage.  The sentiment is placed upon Creative Expressions Pierced Flag Die cut.

Now onto your fabulous shopping...........

Lynda, You have two lovely new dies, the Australian Background die and the new Pierced Roses Mini background, both of which I love, I cant wait to see the cards you make with them.  I see you also have another lovely delivery from Amanda, some beautiful laces and trims to play with, you lucky girl. Thank you for sharing xxx

Michele, We have already seen the lovely cards that you have designed and created with the lovely Little Claires Goodies you have shared with us today, all such bright and cheerful colours and designs.

Thank you so much for sharing Michele xxx

Sonia, Creative Expressions Maggie Frame and Meridian Edger Configurations die along with the Creative Expressions Paper pad designed by Theresa Collins make up part of your fabulous haul, along with a pretty blue Joy crafts paper pad and 2 Crafters Companion Words to Inspire Stamp sets, I can see some amazing backgrounds being made with those stamps, thank you so much for sharing xxx

Val, I see that you have had a delivery from Joanna Sheen, The little pots are Imagnation Crafts Alchemy Wax, Val says it is really creamy and spreads like butter, it is water based and can be used as Gilding Wax on many different surfaces, they sound fantastic and are available in a good range of colours, they are a 20ml pot and cost around £3.99.  The dies you bought are super cute an Elephant and Sheep die set, I have seen many hilarious sentiments that can be 'ewes'd' with the Sheep dies and cute ones like 'love you tons' with the elephants, I am so looking forward to seeing your cards.  Some Creative Expressions Smoothies complete your haul for this week, very useful with many different mediums. Thank you so much for sharing your new goodies with us Val xxx

Anne, you have treated yourself to some lovely new stamps and dies, those masks from Leonie looked really good, I am excited to see what you create with your latest haul, thank you for sharing xxx

Brenda, I hope that your antibiotics will start to take effect after today and that you start to feel a little brighter, there seems to be so many different 'viruses' going around at the moment that you almost get sick of hearing that diagnosis at the doctors. These things just seem to hang around for weeks making you feel so exhausted. 

I had to go back again today as I have another Urinary tract Infection, exactly a month since the last one, its so frustrating, they have given me the stronger antibiotics straight away this time, the ones they use as a secondary line of attack (apparently), so heaven knows what they will do when my body starts to resist that one too! I did ask if they could look into why I get them so frequently and was told that 'some people are just more prone to getting them' !  He has given me a seven day course but said that if my symptoms are gone by Sunday I can stop taking them, which goes against everything you are always told about finishing the course! We'll see I guess.

Pat, thinking of you and Pete today as you say a final goodbye to Tom xxx

I hope that you all have a lovely day, however you are spending it.  

Love and hugs

Sandra

xxxxxx

Bokeh Challenge Cards

 My First Bokeh Card

My second Bokeh Card

 Brenda Littlelamb Bokeh card

 Brenda Littlelamb Bokeh challenge 2

 Janet Bokeh Challenge Card

 Michele Bokeh Challenge Cards (before)

Michele's Bokeh Challenge cards (after)

 Sonia's Bokeh Challenge Card

 Sue's Bokeh Challenge Card

 Val's Bokeh Challenge Card

 Lynda's Bokeh Challenge Card

Lynda's 2nd Bokeh Challenge

Lynda's 3rd Challenge Card

Lynda's Bokeh background

Lilian's Bokeh Challenge Card

Good Morning Ladies,

Wow, what can I say, you have done amazingly well with your Bokeh Challenge this week.

Brenda (Littlelamb) Your Bokeh cards are both fantastic, the first card fits both the Bokeh challenge and last weeks Sketch Challenge too.  The second card Brenda has created is fabulous, so many teens etc can relate to the 'Emoji's', now I asked Brenda if she had managed to get an Emoji stamp, I explained that I had seen Spellbinders Emoji die set, Brenda however had used the dies to cut Funky Foam and then used that as a stamp, Genius!!!! Thank you Brenda xxxx

Janet I love the style of your card, using the die cut circles to create the background pattern, the butterflies add the perfect finishing touch xxxx

Michele, you obviously really enjoyed the challenge as you made 4 cards, I really enjoyed it too and got a little carried away, I can see that like me, you tried different methods of creating the Bokeh effect, they are all fabulous.  Your finished cards are all amazing, I love the Goldfish one....what a great idea!! thank you so much for taking part xxxx

Sonia, your card is beautifully finished as always, the colours you have used have given a really subtle effect, your homemade mask worked a treat, I loved making my own mask, it gave me a great sense of satisfaaction!  I love how you have finished your card, the flowers and sentiment work perfectly. Thank you my lovely xxxx

Sue, I love the watermark effect in the background of your card, you too have created the Bokeh effect perfectly, the butterflies work so well on your card too, you have turned it into the perfect Anniversary Card, thank you so much for taking part xxxx

Val, your Bokeh effect looks almost like colourful balloons floating in the clear blue sky, the colours you have used are so bright and beautiful, adding the blue ink around them works so well, a fabulous idea. Finished perfectly with the pretty ribbon and matching sentiment, thank you so much for taking part xxxx

Lynda, wow, you obviously enjoyed this challenge, 3 beautiful cards with 2 backgrounds still to use, all of them are perfect, the subtle Bokeh effect on the first card works perfectly with the delicate lace you have used, the matching narrow ribbon threaded through the lace ties the card together brilliantly
The second card shimmers like you have used Mica Powders or maybe the new Gilding Polish by Cosmic Shimmer, either way you have acheived a gorgeous background, perfectly and delicately finished with the mixture of stamps, pretty flowers and the frame, a stunning card Lynda.
The 3rd card, a delicate orange, looks striking against the black background and with the black  flourish and Dragonfly stamp, beautiful!
The last background that you have created is so fresh and spring like, it makes me think if lemons and limes or daffodils and fresh cut grass, maybe it just needs a a few lambs jumping around it!!
Lynda, thank you so very much for completing the challenge so brilliantly, your cards are all amazing xxxx

Lilian you have created a beautifully delicate background, that matches the background colour and ribbon perfectly, the pretty butterfly applique works perfectly and the three card candi finish the card beautifully, thank you so much for fitting your challenge cards in with all of the extra hoods that you had to make xxxx

I am already thinking of the next challenge, I have a few ideas in mind, watch this space, I will give you a few days off now though, I don't want you all getting bored of challenges.

Have an awesome Thursday ladies,
Love and Hugs
Sandra
xxxxxxx

Maria's Cute Card

Good Morning Ladies,

Just look how cute this gorgeous card is that has been designed and created by our Maria, for Karen's Baby Grandson Oscar.
Maria, your cute image has been coloured beautifully, I just adore that cute baby elephant. The frame you have used around your stamped image works so well with the colours you have used.  Adding Oscar's name is the special touch that lifts the card above any that you can buy, that cute little Rocking Horse charm is a cute finishing touch. Thank you so much for photographing your card to inspire us all. xxxx

No Pat this week as she is having a wonderful time taking in all of the sights in London, so it will just be Sue and I today, I am sure we will manage to entertain ourselves, last week we were so busy playing it was about 5.45pm before Sue left (not that i minded at all), the time seriously just disappears, I could have quite happily sat having fun for another 2 hours, as long as the tea keeps flowing we keep talking (and crafting of course).  I usually run all of my ideas for the blog through Sue and Pat first as I really value their opinion.

I hope that you all have a lovely day, I wish you could all come and craft with us!

Love and hugs
Sandra
xxxxxx

Something to 'Tickle you' Tuesday!!

 Good Morning Ladies,

I am delighted to be able to share one of our Anne's amazing cards with all of you this morning.  the ne has made this fabulous card by using an Art Impression Stamp, this stamp includes the fun sentiment too, the company have so really fun stamps, although they can be hard to get your hands on as they are often sold out!!
Anne you have coloured the stamped image beautifully and the background paper that you have used matches your coloured image perfectly, particularly his socks !!
Thank you so much Anne for sending me your cards to share, please keep them coming my lovely xxx

I have started to receive some of your Bokeh Challenge cards and I have to say WOW,
Those cards I have so far are fabulous, I can't was it to challenge you all further, if there is anything you have in mind or fancy trying just let me know.

Sophie and Lucy asked me to thank you all for your good luck wishes for their exams, they had some tricky questions in their Ethics exam but they have done that one now, Lucy has ICT on Wednesday, they then both have Spanish on Friday, lovely and spaced out, until you get to next week, when they have 2/3 a day!   So we keep the cupboards full of healthy snacks, Sophie seems to be consuming an Avocado a day, made into Guacamole, she can't get enough! Lucy is more of a white chocolate cookie kind of girl!!

Have an amazing day ladies, thanks Anne for starting our day with a smile !

Love and hugs
Sandra
xxxxxxx

Monday Sketch Challenge

My Challenge Card

 The Sketch

Good Monday Morning Ladies,

I hope that you have all had a lovely weekend, the weather was beautiful here, sunny for the most part, quite chilly in the shade though, I haven't seen the forecast for this week but I do hope it stays dry.  It is so lovely to be able to get the washing dry outside. We spent yesterday afternoon at the allotment, Paul was busy preparing the ground for planting out and I sat and sowed seeds (the easy job), I quite enjoiy the excitement of watching them grow!

Now onto the weeks Sketch, I found this one on Pinterest, its fairly simple once again, I try to bare in mind that some of you like to make "December" cards as our Janet calls them and not everybody has a huge collection of dies, you can use can't shape you like on the side (in case you don't have round dies), you could also use a doily or a large flower. I think as long as you keep to the basic layout, (different paper top and bottom and a shape to the left hand side) I didn't add the little tag, mainly because it was almost 11pm when I was finishing up my card and I just couldn't die cut another shape! Ha ha ! but you can add one if you like, the button can be a flower or a pearl embellishment, that's entirely up to you.  I just want you to have fun making it.

Lucy and Sophie have their first GCSE Exam today, 'Ethics', so we were discussing all manner of things at the dinner table last night. So it will be an early rise and a hearty breakfast to send them on their way, although they both said that they will be to nervous for breakfast! 

Pat, I hope you have a lovely time in London, I have my fingers crossed that your hip doesn't play you up too much, hugs xxx

Love and hugs to all of you

Sandra 

Xxxxxx