Butterfly Basics card

Good Morning Ladies,

Today's card was made almost entirely with one Ink pad,
One of the new Stampin' Up! 'In' colours 'Fresh Fig'.
I used the ink pad combined with the Butterfly Basics stamp set to create the patterned paper on the bottom of the card, and the vellum layer on the butterfly, I die cut the butterfly with matching 'Fresh Fig' card stock and used it as a mat in the background too.  The Glitter card behind the butterfly is a piece of 'Sweet Sugarplum' glitter card which I inked over with fresh fig ink. Even the seam binding ribbon is coloured with the 'Fresh Fig' ink pad, it all seems to work tone on tone.
I hope you like it ladies.

Well we had a fun filled day yesterday, looking after another orphaned lamb, called 'Pascal', he is a purebred 'Suffolk' lamb, jet black, he is huge, Matt had to assist his delivery by using rope around his feet to help the Ewe get him out, when you see the size of him it's understandable that she struggled, it's also the struggle that made her reject him, luckily he is super healthy , Matt has Colustrum formula to feed them straight after they are born to give them a boost.  He was running around the garden quite happily today, while Paul was doing garden chores, it's so funny to see the puzzled looking the neighbours faces when they hear the "baaing"
Most of the day was spent making up bottles or washing /sterilising bottles ready to be made up, I had forgotten what that was like.  While he was indoors he was wearing an adapted nappy, made from a disposable baby happy with a hole for the tail, I was reliably informed by Paul that is easier putting a nappy on a baby than a lamb!

I think today will be quiet by comparison!

I hope you all have a lovely day, sending hugs to those of you that need them, I am hoping those of you with poorly family members have had better news today.

Love and hugs

Sandra
XXX

My Sketch Challenge Card...Finally

Good Morning Ladies,

I have finally got my Sketch Challenge Card finished yesterday, it's just been one of those weeks.
I used Sue Wilson's 'Bora Bora' die from the Pacific Collection, Trellis Edger from the Configuration Collection and Striped Nasturtiums and Splendid Swirls from the Finishing touches collection!
I used crepe paper to make the flowers and I love how they turned out, it's amazing how using a different material. An makes something look totally different.
I hope you like it and it inspires you a little for your card.

I finally got my glasses yesterday, the normal glasses feel a little odd but the Sunglasses are fine. It was so nice being able to see again !
I had a bit of an odd 'turn' last night though, I was helping Paul with dinner and my heart started racing so fast I had to go and lie down, I was really nauseous too, I felt quite unwell and I was taking slow deep breaths to try and calm my heart down, I have no idea what brought it on, my heart was beating really fast for most of the evening, I felt exhausted, but whilst trying to relax all I could hear was my heart beating in my head, it's horrible, I will see how today goes and if so don't feel any better I will go to GP.  There's​ always something isn't there!!

Sue, I hope the news continues to improve for Chris's brother xxx

Pat, I hope all goes well at hospital today with Pete xxx

Brenda, give John a huge hug and I hope he feels better soon, I have suffered something very similar and it's the most terrible feeling, he couldn't be in better hands though xxx

Michele, I hope today goes smoothly, hopefully Dad will be first on the list, keep me posted will have my phone all day, hugs xxx

Val, I was so sad to read about poor Olive, you must be devastated, we have two cats (Milo and Bella), who we weren't over keen on the idea of having to start with (my eldest daughter bought them for the younger​ two), but over time they have well and truly carved their place in our hearts, so much so that Milo sleeps between Paul and I if he can get away with it, if not he's on Paul's legs!  We have kept them as indoor cats as it seems there is never a day goes by here that someone​'s cat isn't run over or goes missing, I couldn't bare it if that happened so we keep them in doors, they are a little spoilt too. So I understand how you must be feeling, could you keep her inside, wrap her in cotton wool, lol!? It probably wouldn't work in a cat that's used to being outside. Hugs xxx

Love and hugs to each and every one of you,

Sandra
XXX

HOW TO: Make a Pretty 'No Glue' Gift Box

Good Morning Ladies,

I have been really excited to share this box with all of you, it is made by making a few simple score lines and folds.

The Box size is 6 x 4 inch (20 x 20.75 cm)

You start by taking a piece of card:  11 x 8 inches (27.9 x 20.3 cm)

Put your card onto your score board with the long side along the top and score at: 1,2,6 & 7 inches  (2.5, 5, 15 & 17.5cm)

Turn the Card around and score down the card at: 1 & 7 inches (2.5 & 17.5cm)

The full instructions are on the video tutorial, I think it is easier to watch than it is to read.

If you have any questions please leave a comment below.

If you have a go please send me a photo so that I can see how you have embellished yours.

I hope that you are all well ladies, please check my video out if you have time, your feedback is hugely important to me!
I am hoping that the opticians have my glasses ready today. The lady was hopeful but the Bank Holiday may have caused a delay,
I will call this morning to see what they say, cross your fingers for me please. XX

Have a lovely day, I hope it's a little warmer today.

Love and hugs

Sandra
Xxxxxx

Michele's Fantastic cards using dies from China !

Good Morning Ladies,

So that was the Bank Holiday weekend!!!  If you are anything like me, you blinked and missed it!!  I hope you all enjoyed it whatever you were doing, it really turned cooler yesterday though, we just start enjoying the sunshine then we are back to cloudy skies and threats of frost!

I didn't get around to much in the craft room either, I filmed glueing together the Stampin Up Ink storage unit and gave it a coat of Gesso ready to paint, to look at, it looked like  it would be a nightmare to put together but in actual fact I had it put together in 17 minutes, the part that took the longest time was adding the glue to each notch, it is a really sturdy unit as always with anything that Fernli Designs manufactures. I will photograph it when I have painted it and put the ink pads in.

Michele has made some a asking cards with her Cheap dies from China, I will add her description that I took a 'screenshot' of below:

Thank you so much Michele for giving some fantastic inspiration to everyone that has bought these dies too. XXX

Hoping to get cards made today, fingers crossed!!

Love and hugs to all,

Sandra 

xxxxxx

Monday Sketch Challenge

This Weeks Sketch

Good Morning Ladies,

This double​ Bank Holiday has my mind all mixed up, I thought today was Sunday, so panicked that I had put the Challenge cards on the wrong day! But after I explained my panic to Paul he reassured me it was Monday today and that it 'must be my age' !!

So here is your Sketch for this weeks Challenge.

I thought I would do a normal sketch this week as some of you are having problems located your 'mojo' it's a pesky think that can dessert you when you most need it, mine does it often, it takes more holidays than I do that's for sure!  In fact I think mine is off playing hide and seek with the Easter Bunny!!! 

The rules are the same as usual, just use the sketch for a basic layout for your cards, feel free to embellish as you please.  I cannot wait to see your cards!!

Above is Tracy's Glitter storage Rack that she promised to share with you, such a fantastic idea Tracy, thank you for sharing xxx

If any of you have any other fantastic storage hints tips and ideas please share them with us, you can never have enough craft storage ! 

I am wishing this week away as I am desperate to my glasses, 

they  couldn't make me up an emergency pair as I have a stigmatism which complicates things, trouble is I got used to wearing them all the time now, so have been experiencing headaches a lot and while we were it in the car I felt really sick.

The other thing  hadn't realised is that when you buy frames in Specsavers you buy the ones off of the display, I was a little bit horrified at that as people were dropping them and testing the flexibility of the arms etc!  I only caught in when she tried the frames on me and then went off to 'shorten the arms', I thought why would she be chopping bits off of the demo glasses, so I said "eerrr, am I having those ones that everyone has been trying on?". She said yes that's how we keep costs down, but I was torn between the devil and the deep blue sea as I needed my glasses super fast, so had no choice as my usual Optician isn't open until Tuesday and then I'm not guaranteed an appointment! 

My eyes had really​ deteriorated too, my eyes have always been 

O.25 and 0.75 for as long as I can remember, but since my last appointment my eyes have deteriorated to 0.75 and 1.50 !!

It must be because I turn 50 this year I reckon, my body has had enough!! Lol 

I hope you have had a peaceful Easter Weekend​, it was very quiet here, Matt took Lucy and Sophie to Leamington Spa to play 'Frisbee Golf' which they all love, Paul and I stayed home Dog and Lamb sitting, I'm sure the neighbours think we're crazy, they could see the dog but hear the lamb baa'ing, how something so small can be so load is beyond me!  Poor Harley, the lamb has adopted him as his 'mum' and follows Harley everywhere, it has even learnt to jump up on Matt's bed like Harley does so that it can snuggle up with him! Poor dog is going to be so confused. 

Well I must go and make a Challenge card to give you all a little inspiration! 

Sue, thinking of you and Chris, you must be worried sick, sending hugs xxx

Have a lovely Bank Holiday Monday Ladies,

Love and hugs

Sandra

XXX

Your Challenge cards

Good Sunday Morning Ladies,

This weeks Challenge was to create a card background Detail using a score board or an Embossing Folder, it's so easy to forget the crafting potential we once saw in some of our older tools, so my thinking was this Challenge would get us to look at the score board as more that just a tool to create card bases.

My Challenge card

Amanda's Challenge Card has been scored to give a stunning lattice pattern in the background of her gorgeous floral card, Amanda has used 'Dragonfly Dreams and Awesomely Artistic stamp sets by Stampin' up!

Thank you Amanda for taking part in this weeks sketch Challenge

XXX

Michele's Challenge card has a fun 'Nautical' theme this week, using that Embossing Folder was a genius idea Michele admit works perfectly as the waves on the sea behind your Yachts, a fantastic 'Man' card idea and a good way to use an Embossing folder you haven't used in a while, thank you so much for taking part Michele 

XXX

Karen's Challenge card was made by using a score board for the lines at the bottom of the card, the top was a lovely paper from Karen's stash, die cut with a Spellbinders Border Die, the sentiment was a magazine Freebie! 

What an Amazing Christmas card Karen, I love it !!

Thank you for taking part 

XXX

Janet has used her amazing new vintage stamps to create her Challenge cards this week, they are amazing stamps Janet,  your scoring has drawn my eye straight into the stamped image, the little wash of blue on the Hot Air Balloon card is all that is needed as far as colour goes, those stamps are that detailed that nothing much else is required on the card, 2 amazing cards Janet, thank you so much for taking part.

XXX

Brenda's Challenge card Is another 'male' card, an amazing one at that!

I love the 'sun rays' effect you have ache Brenda, it works perfectly with the style and theme of your card, I'm sure Callum will love it too, thank you so much Brenda

XXX

Val's Challenge Card, so lovely Val, I just love that image so much,

Amazing the addition of those scored lines has increased the size of your card without any other expensive embellishments.  Making it more cost effective for the shop cards, I am so grateful you managed to get a card made after losing your Mojo, by the way have you tried looking in your suitcase he might think he's still in holiday!

Hahaha, thank you so much Val 

XXX

Phoebe's (Sue's Granddaughter) Challenge card, oh my goodness Phoebe, your stamping is just so amazing, I absolutely love the stamp you have used and you are so clever to be able to use a rainbow of colours too, (Ssshh don't tell Granny but you are a better stamper than me and her)!! 

The pretty garden at the bottom of your card is stamped beautifully too, thank you so much for making a card for my Challenge, please ask Granny if you can take part again soon. 

XXX

Margaret's Challenge card has been made using the decorative score section

On her Ultimate Pro Embossing Board, such a pretty swirl Margaret, 

The detail has been made by fussy cutting the Flourish Stamp from 'Flourishing Phrases' stamp set by Stampin'Up!, I have no idea how you had the patience to fussy cut that flourish Margaret !! Such a pretty Anniversary card,

Thank you so much my lovely,

XXX

Lynda's 2 cards have been made using her new stamps from Inkyliscious,

Diagonal lines on the first card, gives detail to the  background,

Works so well with the image stamped into a tag and popped on the card with a flurry of 'Kaleidoscope' of Butterflies to embellish the card.

The second card is again a Inkyliscious stamp, the detail in the stamp is amazing, again Lynda has stamped the face onto a tag and placed on top of that fantastic embossed background, using lines in both directions to create almost 'Plaid' or 'tartan' effect, thank you Lynda for taking time to create a card for the blog Challenge!

XXX

Well ladies, you have as always, blown me away with your ideas and perfectly executed cards, i think sometimes  you even surprise yourselves!

You are the most amazing friends a girl could ask for!! 

Thank you so much 

Love and hugs 

Sandra

XXX

Janet's Easter Tree, Brenda's stamp storage & More Shopping!

 Janet's Easter Tree

Brenda's Ink Pad Storage

Good morning Ladies

Now a bit of a change to the advertised blog post, mainly due to the video tutorial note uploading properly and my IT adviser and Blog Tutorial Editor had gone to bed early!! So as soon as I can Upload the video, you will be able to create the fantastic 'No Glue' Gift Box, sorry for the delay, it will either be in tomorrow's blog or Bank holiday​ Mondays blog.

Janet sent me a photo of her beautiful Easter tree, full of handmade decorations, those eggs are so pretty Janet, such a bright and cheerful decoration to have out in your Conservatory.  I have to ask Janet, are those drawings beside your Easter Tree Jim's Gate drawings??? They are so technical and precise, what a genius he is!  Thank you Janet for sending me a photo to brighten up our Easter Weekend blog post, have you made an Easter Tree for Cafe too? 😉 XXX

Brenda's another of our ladies with a genius Husband!! John managed to turn two old wooden ' Wine Boxes' into Perfect Ink pad storage, how blooming clever is that!!!?

It really looks amazing, all rustic and Vintage, i love them! Please pass our amazement onto John and tell him we think he's a genius oh and could he make about another 15 !!

Thank you for sharing this fantastic tip with us XXX

Now onto the rest of the Ally Pally shopping:

Margaret's​ Shopping

Margaret's​ shopping is divided into two lots really, the first two photos are of all the amazing Stampin Up! Products that Margaret received in her Starter Pack, such a bargain , 7 huge sets of stamps, matching Dies and some lovely Ink pads, all for £99 !! 

The rest of the Shopping is from Ally Pally, most of it Bargains too, the punches were a real bargai, I'm not sure if the exact price but the weren't much more than a £1 !

Your ribbon is double sided Satin ribbon, I was amazed at the price and kicking myself that I didn't visit that stand, mainly because it looked expensive! That'll teach me to assume! 

The Tractor die would be perfect for a card for my Son, the Sue Wilson Baby Collection die must mean you have most occasions covered now Margaret, a few essentials complete your shopping, what an amazing haul, I really am looking forward to seeing what you create.  Thank you so much for sharing XXX

Sue's Shopping

Sue, you got some fantastic bits too, the first photo is things that Sue bought to top up her stash, Bargain Punches, that stunning Sue Wilson Daffodil die, I know that will be a well used die!  pretty glitter card, some lovely Xcut dies, always a fantastic price, 

Your Inkyliscious 'masking sheet' will be really useful, it really enables you to do more with your stamps.  Paper Stumps, (I'm intrigued to find out what you are going to do with those)! The 'Magic Carpet's are amazing little felt/fibre covered boards that, once wet at one end, clean and dry your stamps quickly and easily, it's a genius product.

Your second haul is Albums that you have bought for your Grandchildren, 

Along with a paper pad, gemstones, ribbon and lace all in "Bella &Boo" theme, so very cute and girly, I am excited to see you put them together. 

Thank you so much for sharing your shopping with us XXX

I have some more shopping to share with all of you but I will save it for another day, otherwise this blog post will too long.

Thank you all for sending in photos, it's so lovely to see what you have been making and buying.

I have a busy day ahead, we must drop girls off at 11am then go to Opticians for an urgent check up, as my glasses snapped clean in to two pieces, I have tried just about every glue there is on them but no joy so far, so we are going to see about getting a new pair and get my eyes tested again as it has been a good two years since my

Last check up was a good 2 years ago!  After that we are going to Swindon to Fernli Designs, so that I can pick up my new Ink storage unit, I can't wait to get even more organised! We then have to dash back to pick the girl's from work!! Some days Its all! Go go go, other days, there's nothing on at all! 

Have a lovely Saturday Ladies, 

Love and hugs 

Sandra 

XXX