Mixed Up Saturday featuring Michele's Magazine Review

 

Good Saturday Morning Ladies, 

I hope that you are all well and not affected by the awful wind or the non stop torrential rain. Frustratingly we had a huge pane of glass blow out of our round seed house, it had made a real mess as it smashed on the slabs out side the seed house. Paul is just going to replace it with plastic for now, it's not ours so we aren't going to pay out that much, but we do use it, if we mention it to Mr S, he would probably say that it would be best to just take it down so we will 'manage' it for now!  Apart from the fact that we have hundreds of seedlings 🌱 in there right now.  It worked great for peppers and chilli plants through the summer last year and for over wintering tender perrenials.  

Well I had my 2nd Vaccination yesterday again I felt nothing, he was a funny chap though, at first I thought that he might be blind as he didn't make eye contact and he did this funny eye rolling thing 🙄🙄🤣, I kept looking at Paul for reassurance,  he asked all the same questions as last time, apart from he also asked if I had any strong side effects last time,  I explained about my heart racing a lot and how I felt, he asked if I sought advice, I explained that I had spoken to my GP who had confirmed that it was ok for me to have the 2nd Vaccination, he asked if I had a letter to confirm,  luckily she had text me so I showed him that.  He said had I not been able to show evidence that it was OK,  he wouldn't have been able to give me the Vaccination. (Funny thing was I didn't know whether he could see my phone, I have never seen anyone roll there eyes like that)👀. He really went into great detail about looking for blood clots etc which I was grateful for.   As I am writing this I felt very cold and a little achy but so far that's it.  We kept tea simple just in case I felt nauseous, I just fancied a jacket potato, fingers crossed nothing changes. 🤞

Now the first photobI have shared today is of a Stamp Storage Folder that I made last week for my Pink Frog stamps, following Hazel Eaton who Demo's Pink Frog and Julie Hickey Stamps on Craft Store, you can also find her Demo on Dragons Paper Craft on Facebook.  It's a super simple album, I can definitely share step by step with you if any of you want to make one. 

Front Cover

Spine 

Pages with Stamp set

Another page 

End view

Back cover

To store the stamps on the pages I stuck the acetate that the stamps come to you on to one side, then I stamped the complete stamp set on the opposite page and then placed the top layer of acetate over the stamped image, that way you could Attach the masks that you have cut (for the flower stamps) on that side.  I used a combination of Pearlywinks sprays and Distress Oxides to create the backgrounds for front and back covers, I added some of the stamps randomly in the background, I used Lily stamps for the front page and some texture paste through the a mask. 

I quite like how it turned out and want to make a smaller landscape one for my Julie Hickey stamps.

 

Michele's Magazine Review 

Hi Ladies, 

Simply Cards & Papercraft has 2 fantastic free gifts this month-the leaf stamp & stencil set plus an additional set of stamps by Chloe

.


Here’s some ideas of what’s inside the magazine.

First article using the free gift.

More inspiration.

Some lovely 3D projects.

An amazing paper floating teacup.

This article shows you lots of ideas using the stamps by Chloe.

 More ideas.

Some inspiration for cards for  men in this article.

More inspiration.

A mixed media feature.

Part two.

Multi layered stamping-this technique produces such lovely images.

Inspiration from Phill Martin using his kit or as he’s calling it “A compendium “!!

More inspiration.

This looks amazing & I’d like to try this.

Part two.

It took me a while to work out what animals are on these cards as the colours don’t make them stand out. Cute hedgehogs though!!

Part two.

Inspiration using floral papers which we’ve all got in our stash.

More ideas.

Ideas using metallic inks.

More ideas.

That’s all for this week so
Happy Crafting.

Love Michele

Another fantastic Magazine Review Michele, this edition features some great techniques.  I love the free gifts too, the mask is great for backgrounds and Chloe’s stamps are always lovely. The inspiration cards that feature throughout the magazine are lovely and really boost your mojo! I really like the 3D projects, that floating teacup always looks impressive.   Thank you so much Michele for taking time to write these reviews that we all love ❤xxx

That's all for today Ladies, 

I hope that you all manage to relax and enjoy the weekend, 

Sending Love and huge hugs to all of you, 

Sandra                                                                                  ❤ 🤗❤

 

Good Friday Morning Ladies,

I hope that you are all well, did any of you have the very strong winds that we had yesterday, there were bits of branches flying everywhere, the ladies organising the 'Best Kept Village' competition will be in full panic mode this weekend, they have had 'village tidy up' sessions quite frequently, having all the leaves and branches will certainly get the stressing!  I do hope that the rain stops some time soon though as the ground is saturated and there is so much standing water everywhere, I think the girls get fed up of me warning them not to go through puddles too fast for fear of 'aquaplaning', they just say 'yes Mum we know that we could lose control' !  There is also the worry of hidden pot holes, some round here are over 6 inches deep! Enough to cause considerable damage.   I did hear that we are due a heat wave in June though so fingers crossed it will start sooner, any early bets on Hose Pipe bans??!!

I am off for my 2nd Covid Vaccination today, fingers crossed I won't feel as poorly as last time, I can't say that I am looking forward to it but I am trying to 'think positive'!!

Your Next Challenge

Tags, Tags, Tags....For this weeks Challenge I would like you to make Tags, they can be Small Tags that you can add to cards, or Just Tags (like the first photo above of my Christmas Tags) or You could use Tags to make cards (see my second card).

I really don't mind what style of tag or what size, it could be a simple sentiment or a main feature that is entirely up to you!

I hope that this is a fun challenge, I am trying to think of different things each week, I don't mind redoing old challenges though, so if you have any suggestions or requests just let me know!

I hope that you all have a lovely weekend, anyone seeing family???

Love and hugs to all of you,

Sandra

xxxxxx

Another Silhouette Challenge card

Good Morning Ladies,

Wow I think that this week is going to go fast with Paul being off Monday and Tuesday.  Yesterday was a very flat day for me, I was in a lot of pain from travelling and felt emotionally exhausted too, I just feel like I don't want to engage in conversation, which as you all know is not like me at all !!

After a slow start to the day I ventured into my craft room and wanted to play with something different so I reached for my Brusho's which I haven't used for months, for this card I used Lemon and Ost.Red, I used watercolour card which I spritzed with water and then lightly sprinkled the Brusho powders over the whole card, the key to using Brusho is 'LESS IS MORE'!  Literally add a tiny sprinkle from a whole that you have punctured in the top of the Brusho pot with a push pin, NEVER take the lid off, believe me, its disastrous!! Don't let that put you off playing with them though, they are so pigmented and so much fun to play with. I made a few different backgrounds at the same time. 

I allowed my background to dry naturally and then before stamping I dusted with an antistatic bag before I stamped the 'Meadow' stamp using Versafine Clair, I did use my stamp platform as I was stamping onto Watercolour card.  I covered my stamped images with clear embossing powder and heat set.  So as you can see below it leaves a nice shine which adds to the interest of the card.

I edged my card with Black Soot Distress Oxide and matted onto Black card and then onto a white Linen card base.

I really thought that the Brusho background looked like a Sunset, this was what inspired the card.

I am looking forward to seeing your Silhouette cards at the weekend.

Love and hugs to all of you,

Sandra

xxxxxx

Another Silhouette card

 

Good Morning Ladies, 

I hope you are all well,  we got home last night after a lovely couple of days with Danielle and Simon, we talked non stop, got excited over craft stuff and we have planned to have them come to visit us or we will go back up there in a couple of weeks,  we stayed in a lovely hotel that was literally 5 minutes from their house, it was so lovely for me to get some quality time with my lovely friend. 😍

I think that the next couple of days are going to be 'take it easy ' days, mentally and physically!  Sadly Paul is at work the next couple of days but I'll be ok, then Friday I have my 2nd Vaccination (which I am dreading) I am going to prepare for the worst and anything less will be a bonus!! 

Today's card is a 'different' take on silhouette card, who says Silhouettes had to be black?!  I used Tim Holtz Wildflower dies to cut the flower silhouettes.  I made quite a few 'messy' backgrounds for the challenge a couple of weeks ago, I didn't love them as a card background but didn't want to throw them away!  I know you know what I mean! So I took a couple off of my scraps pile and strategically placed the dies to get good colour variations, I die cut a pile then chose the purple card for the background as there were quite a few purple shades in the background.  For the background of the card I took an embossing folder with a subtle pattern and matted it onto the purple card mat, I arranged the flower stems loosely attaching them with glue and foam pads to give variation in depth. I used a small label die in Purple Posy and stamped 'thank you' on it, I put foam pads in the centre of the label die and added glue to the edges,  so that the die is almost domed to cover the flower stems.

Quite a simple card, I used Pearlywinks Vibe inks to colour the card that I die cut, finishing with their Glitter spray to give some shinmer, Which you can just see.  I hope you like my card and maybe it might inspire you to try something other than black silhouettes. 

Sending Love and huge hugs to all of you, 

Sandra                                                                                xxxxxxx

A Traditional Silhouette challenge card.

 Good Morning Ladies, 

I hope that you are all well, we had a very wet journey up to Barnsley yesterday, the roads were so busy too, maybe it was full of people that were returning to work now that many more places are opening up.  It was worth every long moment of that journey to see my lovely Danielle, who was as equally excited as I was!! 

Paul and I felt very nervous staying overnight at the hotel,  we took antibacterial wipes and spray on all surfaces, just in case.!! Would you all be nervous too?

Today's card is another simple watercolour background card, I am loving playing with my watercolour paints, I had almost been too nervous to use them but then gave myself a talking to, it is after all just paper and paint!!  This piece was made by using the same colour blue paint, it maybe hard to see but it does have an 'ombre' effect, I started with white paint and then added a little touch of blue, then added more and more , I found that the secret for me was to spritz with water, just a light spritz but it does help the colours to blend more.  I set my watercoloured piece to dry on the Aga while I prepared dinner, it was dry in no time so I popped it in my platform and stamped the birds on a branch stamp from an old SU set called Serene Silhouettes, because I was stamping onto textured watercolour card I did have to go in with a black fine liner to fill in a couple of spots that wouldn't stamp. I cut down my piece and added it to a black mat, I then placed it onto a white card base that I had matted and layered with a narrow black border and added some black twine to, I stamped the 'Thank you' under my focal piece and I felt that I needed something on top of the twine so I used the tiniest tag from Tim Holtz Tag Collection and just popped three hearts on from a Julie Hickey stamp, I popped a bit of black twine through and added a foam pad to the back and placed it over the crossover part of the twine on the card. that was it, very basic but I like how it turned out and you can never have enough 'Thank you' cards in your stash, particularly ones that work for both Men and ladies.

I hope that you all have as good a day as possible,

Love and hugs to all of you,

Sandra 

xxxxxx

Karen's second 'New Technique ' Challenge card

 

Good Morning Ladies, 

As you are reading this we will be on our way 'Up North' 🤣 to Barnsley to visit Danielle, its so odd to think it's been almost 2 years since we were last together,  probably because we talk every day it doesn’t seem that long, with the lockdown last year we never got to meet up, thank goodness restrictions got lifted,  I was so looking forward to seeing her that we decided to go for it on the 1st possible day!  We have booked a hotel for tonight so that we can spend some time together tomorrow too. 

Today's card is one of Karen's challenge cards that I missed, we obviously chatted too much this past week and I didn't scroll back far enough, I 100% remember you showing me and then when I was writing about Sonia's challenge cards I even remember thinking 'I'm sure Karen did this technique too", frustratingly my mind is not my own right now so please bare with me.

Karen's Description:

I’ve had a little play after watching Jenny McGuire doing heat embossing with an embossing folder You can use all sorts of embossing powders She used gold,clear,sparkly etc You ink the background part (smooth part) of folder She used a brayer with a 3D folder and then ran it through machine Any missing bits can be touched up with an embossing pen and then heat emboss I used CE Frosty Dawn powder In my case the butterflies stand proud A JL butterfly and JH sentiment on cream card to match the powder.

Karen I love how you card turned out, I'm not sure if it comes under 'faux letterpress ' or 'embossed faux letterpress ' either way I love how it turned out, adding the embossing powder helps to highlight the detail in the folder I think.  The interference colours in the 'Frosty Dawn' also work really well with your card colour! 

A truly lovely card Karen, thank you so much for taking part XXX

I hope that you all have as good a day as possible,  I'm not ready to make any changes regarding distance and hugging just yet, I'm sure you ladies are all proceeding with caution too, especially with this Indian variant going around. 

Take care my lovely friends, 

Love and hugs to all of you,

Sandra

xxxxxxx

Your Challenge card

 

🎂🎁🎊🎉 Happy Birthday Sonia  🎉🎊🎁🎂

Good Sunday Morning Ladies, 

Happy Birthday wishes on their way to our lovely Sonia, I hope you have an amazing Birthday 🎂🥳🎉🎈 XXX 

From a wet Wiltshire!! I hope that you are all well, or as well as can be expected which is probably more accurate for most of us! 

What have you all been up to?? I know that one of us had a lovely messy craft day yesterday and that person is the least likely to do messy craft....Our Lovely Michele made some incredible backgrounds using some Pixie Powders that she bought from a destash page, in fact she loved it so much she went online and bought some more!!  I am so excited to share the amazing cards she made with them for next weeks challenge!!! 

Let's see what new techniques you all had a go at....

Brenda

Brenda's Description:

" I have been playing with my ‘Art Gallery’ stamps and have had great fun, the first card I got the idea on Pinterest.

I Stamped the leaf spray and sentiment then using an embossing folder ran it through my machine. Then I stamped the flower head on a spare piece of card and fussy cut it, adding a few little foam pads on the back I attached it to the card. The colours I have used for the flower are Powder Pink and Flirty Flamingo and Old Olive for the leaf spray.

The second cards are CAS and were pieces I had been experimenting which  colours worked together, I  decided to turn them into notelets, The one on the left I used So Saffron and Crush Curry other I used Sweet Sugarplum and Berry Burst

Brenda I love this stamp set myself so I knew you would live it too!  Your cards are amazing, trying two step stamping can be tricky but you have got it spot on!! I had a good few 'test' pieces! I love all three of your cards, the perfectly matched ink and card is the one the best things about Stampin Up! Thank you so much for taking part XXX 

Sonia 

Sonia's Description:

"A simple technique, but I wanted to ‘stamp’ with my embossing folders. I got mixed results with them but I guess they do make for a different background, and I did use two basic folders with not too much detail. I just added a few embellishments and stamps to make into quick cards.

Oh Sonia your cards are amazing, all completely different all beautiful,  it doesn't matter how simple a technique is the out come is what matters and yours are lovely,  your first card looks like you have spent hours creating a mixed media piece, adding the flowers turns it into a lovely card for a female, leave them off and its perfect man card. I love the subtleness of your second card, it leaves that fantastic sentiment to take centre stage!! Your final card is right up my street! The addition of the lace die cut just lifts it to extra special.   Thank you so much for taking part XXX 

Janet

Janet's Description:

My theme this week for our Challenge is STEAMPUNK.

All products used are Stamperia from their MISS VAGABOND which really make the most of this subject. 

Janet I love steampunk style, I tried it a few years ago but just couldn't get it right, you have got it so right, A lovely style to use and those papers are perfect, I can totally understand why you love them. Your covered book is a great way to use your papers and still get to stroke them too. The embellishments really make the steampunk style work.  Thank you so much for taking part XXX

Michele 

Michele's Description:

"My challenge cards-new to me is a) faux stitching and b) following a YouTube video (Ann Melvin) using scraps.

Two really striking cards Michele,  I love how modern they look, like you said in your description its a great scrap box buster too.  The colours you have used are a fantastic combination too. Your faux stitching gives a softer look to the card, it's such a simple thing to add but makes quite an impact.  Thank you so much for taking part and inspiring me my lovely XXX 

Karen

Karen's Description:

"Here’s a cc using a new technique to me

I’ve had a play with Craft Artist Flower Moulding foam I’ve had it donkeys years I used  a set La Blanche flower dies coloured with DI 

Matted onto a piece of created distressed wood The sentiment is printed It was white I managed to get a smudge on it so added more ink In fact it was too stark in white"

Oh Karen I am in love with this card, I love everything about it, from that amazing Distressed wood background that you have totally mastered! (You have really inspired me to have a go at that technique!!)  To those gorgeous flowers that you have created from scratch! A huge achievement in itself, the smudge on your sentiment piece was a total blessing in disguise, adding the ink to it makes it blend better with the whole card.  This one is up there with the best Karen, thank you so much for taking part XXX 

Lilian 

Lilian has created a beautiful Birthday card, featuring a Kaleidoscope of Butterflies that have been embossed onto the card background,  Lilian has then created a lovely Distress ink blend over the top, you them gently wipe over the embossed Butterflies to bring them back to the lovely white they were originally as the embossing resists the ink. Keeping the sentiment simple and to one side allows us to see the complete, pretty background. Those Butterflies are so detailed too, which I didn't appreciate until I zoomed in!  

Thank you so much for taking part my lovely,  I know how hard it is to push yourself to be creative when you have awful back pain, so I really do appreciate you making this card, sending gentle hugs your way 🤗 XXX 

**********************

Ladies thank you all so very much, there is so much inspiration in this weeks display, quite a few techniques that I'd like to try.  I personally loved trying 5 new techniques this week  i enjoyed them all  XXX

Love and hugs to all of you,

Sandra

xxxxxx