My First 'Pattern Background' Challenge Card

Good Monday Morning Ladies,

We were blessed with a glorious day yesterday, we had an extremely hard frost but the sun shone all day, it was a crisp, cold, beautiful Sunday!  I hope that you were also blessed with the same weather, doesn't it make a difference to the day?!
We didn't to anything exciting, we had to go shopping for the essentials to get us through the first part of the week, we also managed to pick up an Oil Filled Radiator for my Craft Room from Home Bargains for a really good price, it makes so much more sense than heating the whole house, it's on wheels too so if I want to take it into the lounge I can move it quite easily.  I tend to do my Groovi cards in the lounge as I find it easier as I can use one of the side tables and I am 'above' my work, where my craft desk is quite high so I end up really aggravating my back, now I can get my Groovi gear in my craft trolley, I can hook the Radiator to the back of my trolley and I got myself a crafting train to take me to the lounge!  I can wait to try it out!  (we did try the radiator when we got back from the shop and it heats up really fast and makes a huge difference in my chilly craft room).

Now onto my card, I sat and had fun playing with a few different 'pattern building' ideas, some worked great some weren't my favourites!!
I do love how this one turned out though, to create the pattern I taped a mask/stencil to my card base with low tack tape, I then took three colours of Distress Oxides : Squeezed Lemonade, Spiced Marmalade & Ripe Persimmon, although it's hard to pick out the three colours (I'm going to say that it's my perfect blending😜😜thats to blame)!
I struggled when it came to the sentiment, I didn't want to cover up that lovely background to be honest.  I decided to add the die cut 'Hello' but it looked lost, I didn't want to put a banner die cut under it as again it would hide the background.  So I decided to colour a piece of card with the Ripe Persimmon Distress Oxide, I cut it down to a narrow strip and angled one end, I placed that at the bottom corner and placed the 'Hello' die cut (I die cut three seperate pieces and glued them on top of each other, I covered the 'hello' with Perfect Medium (sticky ink) and covered it with Clear Embossing Powder, I heat set and dipped it straight back into the Embossing powder while still hot, heated again and dipped once more.  I gives a real High Shine to the die cut and makes it look more of an embellishment.
I placed the 'Hello' just above the strip of coloured card and then added one of the stickers from Tim Holtz Idea-Ology Chitchat Word Stickers, I chose 'Friend'. At first I thought the black word stuck out like a sore thumb but it really does work, gives a bit of a 'Trendy' look!! haha
I quite like how it turned out, I am really enjoying this challenge, I made quite a glittery mess mind, I didn't love the result though, so I have put it on the 'pending' pile!

I hope that you all have a lovely day today,

Love and hugs to all of you,

Sandra
xxxxxx

Your Sketch Challenge Cards

Good Sunday Morning Ladies,

I hope that you are all enjoying the weekend.  After a very wet and wild Friday we were blesses with a lovely bright and sunny Saturday, it was so nice to hear the birds singing again, it's such a happy sound that brings the promise of Spring (in my mind anyway), or the promise that we will soon be able to hang the washing outside to dry, there is something so amazing about sheets and towels that have been dried outside.  Although it was a little too chilly to have all the windows open, I love getting the fresh air in and the stale air out, especially in the bedrooms.  Blow those germs away!

Let's look at your amazing Sketch Challenge cards.....

Brenda 

Brenda has made a lovely colourful Birthday card for this week's Sketch challenge.  

The colourful background can be seen peeking through the lovely detail of that Tim Holtz background die, Brenda has used the blue from the background as the border between the top and bottom of the card, those tiny flowers with their beautiful diamante centres add sparkle and the feminine touch to the card too.  

Thank you so much Brenda for taking part in this weeks challenge XXX

Janet

Janet has made three gorgeous cards for this weeks Sketch Challenge, I love the feminine Vintage style of them Janet, this is a style that you do so well.

Janet used all products from her stash for these three cards.

Thank you so much Janet for taking part XXX

Karen

Two lovely cards from Karen for this weeks Sketch Challenge, both completely different.

Karen's first card is a 'New Baby' card, I love that cute footprint Embossing folder you have used Karen, what a fantastic idea. 

Karen's second card is an amazing Father's Day card, again you have used a lovely textured embossing folder for the top half of the card and lovely papers for the bottom, giving us those stripes.

Inking around the outside of that die cut that you used to frame your sentiment was such a great idea, it really ties in that background colour, I love the Font that you have used for your sentiment too!

A couple of flourishes and some flat die cut embellishments finish the card beautifully.

 Karen's Description....

"Baby card is embossed with a bargain bucket EF and I used a scoreboard to create the stripes Embellished with SW New Additions dies

2nd card created from a Serif digikit  matted onto vintage gold card EF is an old Sizzix one and embellished with SW Stitched Doodle Flowers and an old Tonic Flourish Die"

Thank you so much Karen for taking part in this weeks challenge XXX

Maria

Maria was super organised and managed to make a card for this weeks Challenge before she left for her holiday.  

I absolutely love this card Maria, that Teapot and pretty Cup are so pretty, that little touch of lace across the centre looks like a lovely lace tablecloth. 

Thank you so much for taking part my lovely, I hope that you and Rick are having a lovely holiday XXX

 Michele

Michele has made a lovely selection of cards for this weeks challenge, all but one of them using the All Occasion embossing folders that are so useful for so many occasions, they make quick cards that don't look like 'quick cards' (if you know what i mean)!

I love all of your cards Michele, but the last one has to be one of my favourites, that is 'THE' Embossing folder that started a huge craze and probably made the 'All Occasion' Brand as popular as it is today. 

Four amazing cards,  Thank you so much Michele for taking part this week, I know that you have had 'mojo issues' like me this week, you have created a gorgeous card though! XXX

***********

Thank you so much ladies for taking part, I know that a lot of us find it hard to get inspired in January, I remember I had the same problem last year, maybe it's because we have 'downed tools' for a couple of weeks and are finding it hard to get back into the habit of crafting. We also are ready for the break after rushing to finish Christmas cards etc, so we have to push ourselves.  

I have a load of dies that I need to make projects for for Inlovearts, but just can't summon the enthusiasm to get on with it.  Luckily a couple of the dies work well for this weeks challenge so that will give me the push I need.

Once we all get back into the swing of it we will wonder why we struggled!!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend my lovelies,

Love and hugs to all of you,

Sandra

xxxxxx

Mixed Up Saturday

Good Saturday Morning Ladies,

I am sharing some more of my Pattern Built Background cards today, all of these three cards had their backgrounds created with stamps, I hope to give your more little bits of inspiration as the week goes on.

Not much planned for us this weekend, I have a few jobs that I would like to get done but I don't like to be a 'Nag', so I will try and politely encourage Paul to starting a job, or atleast help me to start...the Pantry is Number One on the priority list, closely followed by a trip to the Local Tip to get rid of some of the Christmas cardboard, I think that the tip is one of Paul's least favourite destination!!

Right lets have a look at what we have been sent in to share...…..

Karen

I am going to call this 'Karen's 'Labour of Love' card, as it took so long to complete.

I will leave Karen's description below:

"Here’s the card I finished late last night
It looked good in my head but...
I used SW Alphabet grid and it is such a pain to cut For instance it is only 5 squares wide So BIRTHDAY won’t fit and trying to realign it up is a nightmare So I ditched the grid I didn’t want to mess about cutting it in several colours So chose white and coloured the squares with DO only to realise some of the letters were a different shade of white! Plus I needed duplicates of some letters
The guy in question loves cake particularly chocolate The Die is another SW one I debossed the cake with a Crafts Too folder and covered the icing part with Nuvo Gloss white drops"

I have to say I love how the card turned out, the cake itself is a masterpiece with its textured cake layers and super glossy icing all topped off with a cherry. Your Colleague will absolutely love his card Karen, thank you so much for sharing it with us XXX

Michele's Magazine Review

Hi Ladies, 

Papercraft Essentials has a fantastic free gift this month-Embossing Folder, Stamps & dies which all coordinate.

Some great cards shown here.

 This article shows you that it’s not just cards you can make.

More inspiration 

A different style of card

These cards look amazing!
It’s of ideas just using the free gifts.

That’s all for this week...
Happy Crafting.

Love Michele

Some brilliant ideas in this issue Michele,  it's great seeing inspiration for things other than cards using the magazine free gifts. Some lovely bright and cheerful inspiration too.
Thanks so much my lovely XXX 

Michele's Shopping

Michele treated herself to these lovely new dies, the first were bought to finish the collection as Michele got two of this set for Christmas, I have to say I love the font of this die collection, there are so many occasions that can be easily covered with this Die collection, I look forward to seeing what you create Michele.  The Graduation dies will be great for making cards to increase your Card stash for when you do the Craft sales, people buy more 'Graduation' cards than ever these days as it seems like it is celebrated so much more these days.
Thank you for sharing Michele XXX

I hope that you ladies have a lovely weekend, lets hope the weather will brighten up a little!

Love and hugs to all,

Sandra
xxxxxx

Your Next Challenge and Happy Birthday Pat x

🎈🎂🎉Happy Birthday🎉🎂🎈

 Pat

 Good Morning Ladies,

Ladies please join me in Wishing Our Lovely Pat a Very Happy Birthday, I hope you have a lovely day and that you thoroughly enjoy your exciting holiday packed year ahead, so many new adventures to look forward to, lots of love and hugs xxxxx
Well I spoke too soon about the weather, Oh my goodness what a terrible day it was yesterday, we had to have the lights on all day it was that dark, the wind was so strong it was making the windows rattle, we know all the draughty spots now thats for sure, more rain too, all day long, the river is at its highest ever, we went to have a look yesterday afternoon, the hay bales in the fields are pretty much submerged, just a bit poking out of the water, seeing the current across the field was an incredible sight, the ditches and dikes are all over flowing and the river is lapping over the road, not sure how much higher it will get but there was a lot more rain yesterday and that usually has an effect the following day.  It seems as though the World is in a right pickle with Fires, Floods, Volcano's erupting, tornado and storms too, it seems like there is something new every night when you watch the news.  I hope that you are all dry and safe my lovelies xxx

Your Next Challenge

This weeks challenge theme is 'Pattern Building', putting it simply I would like you to create a patterned Background for your card using whatever medium you like for example the first card (above) I used stamps to create the background, it was a set of lace border stamps from Stampin Up, one of the first sets that I ever used!  I quite like the result, it made a lovely background.
My second card was made using Die cuts to create the background, I covered the base of my card with a double sided adhesive sheet, next I built the pattern using a Sue Wilson die that I used to cut some pretty lilac card, creating a pile, all I had to do then was play around to find a pattern that I liked, I pressed them onto the adhesive sheet and covered the rest of the sheet with micro-beads to cover the open stickiness.  I then added some matching ribbon and a some embellishments.
That's two examples of how you can create your pattern built background, you could also:

Create your pattern on your computer

Create Your Pattern using Paper piecing

Used Stamps to Build a Pattern

Used Dies to cut Shapes to build your pattern with.

Use your Groovi plates to create your pattern, that might get some of us to experiment: Pat, Sue, Brenda, Lynda, Janet, me !!

You could also use embellishments like Buttons, sequins, gemstones etc.

I have a few ideas buzzing around in my head, I am really looking forward to this challenge.
I have got some more, older cards to hopefully inspire you, I will add those to Saturdays Blog Post.
I can't wait to see what you all come up with. xx

I am so pleased that it's Friday once again, I am really looking forward to the weekend, I hope you are too,

Sending love and hugs to all,

Sandra
xxxxxx

Pat's Pretty Pink Groovi Card

Good Morning Ladies,

I hope that you are all well and enjoying the sunshine today (yes I did say SUNSHINE)!! 

It was a lovely day here yesterday, glorious blue sky and bright sunshine all day, there was quite a lot of flooding around locally, which caused some problems, Pat's car got a good bath on it's way here! 

As I am writing this post I hadn't heard how the girls managed the flooded roads, Paul did text me to warn them and Pat but the message didn't arrive until around 11.30am (although he sent it at 7.30am). Maybe he messaged the girls too, as I am pretty sure they would have let me know if they had had problems.  Over this past month or two they have become quite experienced at driving through flooded roads.

Pat came over and after some lunch and a delicious cream cake we went into the Craft room and Pat worked on our December Groovi Club card (that neither of us finished), while I got on with making a list of all the Groovi Plates and Tools that I have to send to Ronk (the lady that runs our Groovi Club), so that she can design cards around the plates that most of us have, instead of having to borrow them, you don't realise how many you have until you start listing them, mind you I'm sure my list is only a fraction of the size of some of the other Ladies, including Pat as they have all been groovi'ing a long time.  I don't mind buying the plates that she uses for the designs though as you can always change the designs that Ronk has created slightly to make different card styles.

Pat shared this card with me yesterday, it's stunning so I thought I would share it with all of you today, how beautiful and delicate is that lace work?!  

The Groovi Plate that Pat has used to make this card is Linda Williams 'Sweet Pea, Flowers and Lace', Pat hasn't used the 'Sweet Peas' part of the card, just the lovely detailed lace border.  

She has used it to frame the beautiful heart, which is from another Linda Williams Plate called 'Heart Sampler' I bought this at the Clarity Open day last year.

Pat has layered the card onto a pretty shade of pink that highlights the embossing beautifully.

Thank you so much for sharing your card with us Pat and for coming over yesterday and bringing yummy cakes xxx

I hope that you all have a lovely day,

love and hugs to all,

Sandra

xxxxxx

A bright and vibrant Groovi Card

Good Morning Ladies,

I hope that you haven't blown away in the clutches of Storm Brendan!!! My goodness it has been rough here this past 2 days, wheelie bins all over the road (why do gales always arrive on Bin Day??)
The rain was coming down so hard it sounded like it was going to break the windows, the other horrendous mess is where the rain comes down the chimney, bringing with it the soot, it has splashed all over the fireplace and beyond, I have no doubt that the fields will be lakes once again, I think we noticed it more this time as we are surrounded by huge, mature trees and I was shocked at how much they move about in the strong winds. Apart from another pane of glass in the roof of the round potting shed we have been unaffected, thank heavens.  I hope that you all stayed safe too xx

Today's card is a quick version of the card that we made at Groovi Club last Thursday, I haven't finished my Original one that we started in class yet as I am really struggling to see the tiny holes in the Piercing Grid that we need to create the pretty border that the very talented 'Ronk Langton' designed for us, I am hoping that with a brighter day and a bit more light I might get it finished.  That version is a little more delicate in colour than this version that I made yesterday, I wanted to have a practice colouring the flowers so decided to make another card, I have had a really frustrating time getting my Derwent Coloursoft Pencils to a sharp enough point to create the tiny flicks needed for the centres of the flowers, as I sharpened my pencils the colour core just kept breaking off, then I would finally get a fine enough point and after one 'flick' the it would break off again, I think that this has been the most frustrated I have ever been over any craft tool.!
I guess that is where the difference comes in between the them and the Faber Castell Polychromos, they have bonded the core so that it doesn't break up, maybe one day!!!
I will share my original version of this card as soon as it is finished.
This version is coloured darker, the Happy Birthday in the centre stands out much more in your hand, trying to get the light right was quite tricky.
Ronk's amazing designs make you look a your plates completely differently, seeing them as a collection of elements rather than one large design, which means you get so much more from each plate.

Pat is coming over today, so more Groovi fun to be had, looking forward to some company xxx

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

Love and hugs to all of you,

Sandra
xxxxxx

Karen's amazing 'Wobble' Card

Good Morning Ladies,

It sounded like we all had that 'Monday' morning feeling yesterday, I'm never a fan of Monday's anyway but this week the Girls were both working too so the house was really quiet, chilly too, I do feel so wasteful heating the whole house when it's just me here, but I hate being cold and it seems to make me body seize up, I sat in my craft room for a while with a throw over my legs and a hot water bottle, it feels worse after you have been in the kitchen because the Aga kicks out so much heat, it's too much work to take all my craft stuff in there, I would be forever up and down.  I will usually 'make do' with hot water bottle etc until about 2.30pm and then I will go an advance the heating, it doesn't seem so bad when it's just an extra hour!  Paul just says to put it on and not worry but this house is huge and costs a lot to heat, I might look into getting a little heater of some kind for my craft room anyway, it has two windows and a tiny radiator and no carpet, the radiator is also the last one in the line from the boiler so it never seems as hot as the others, we'll see!

I was going to keep Karen's Wobble card for Saturday's post but I was just too excited to keep it to myself.  It's brilliant Karen you are just so talented when it comes to coming up with designs that will make a card 'personal' for someone, whether it's for a Hobby or Job or an achievement you get it spot on every time.
Karen's Description:

"This is the wobble card I have made
It is a leaving card and my “brief” was She works in Child Health So could I do something along those lines AND as a joke include a Buddha as she thinks everything is some way or another is connected to Buddhism
I used a Serif background and googled free cartoon children images I printed off a second sheet of children and cut them on ScanNCut to layer on top xx"
The Buddha is in the top left hand corner, (this is what I mean about Karen going that extra mile to really make a card special to it's recipient).

Karen did say after that she ordered some actual 'card wobblers' to make it easier next time, getting the weight right when making the wobble mechanism yourself is quite fiddly.
The other good thing about them is that they fold flat for postage!

Thank you so much Karen for sending your card in for us all to see, your description had us all intrigued. XXX

Sending hugs to all of you, extra large ones for our dear Lynda,

Love and hugs

Sandra
xxxxxx