Our Next Challenge

 

Good Friday Morning Ladies,

Well I made it to Friday, what a week, I have certainly missed my office companion this week!  He finishes at lunchtime today ! Hooray!!!  I was going to say that we don't have anything planned BUT we have Bedford Stamperama on Sunday, how could I forget, I am so looking forward to seeing Karen Maria & Sue, I am so excited to get my hands on some craft goodies too!! 

Our Next Challenge 

I decided on Our Next Challenge after looking around my craft room,  I have so many boxes of 'bits' of paper and card, I did cut down on what off cuts I keep as it got to the point I was keeping little strips that in my mind I thought would be perfect for sentiments!! In reality I never reach out for the bit box everytime I stamp a sentiment,  I tend to use the leftover bit of the card or project I'm working on!! 

So I'm guessing atleast some of you have overflowing bit boxes like me, I also have lots of 'PHD's', eithet from card project that I started on and decided to go with something else, or I have a box of backgrounds from experimenting with different techniques.  All in all I have too many boxes of bits that I don't use, so this coming week I am going to use them.  I have shared sone catds above that would work perfectly with just a small strip of paper.   

Karen reminded me that you can use the card off cuts to die cut into.  She had done just that to create her adorable Gnomes for her Challenge cards this week. 

I hope that you all enjoy this challenge and you get to use up some of your 'bits' ! 

I hope that you all have a great weekend, 

Love and hugs to all of you, 

Sandra xxx

An offset Gatefold Christmas card

 

Good Thursday Morning Ladies,

Oh what a long week this one feels (even though it was a short one🤣)!   I will be glad when friday afternoon is here!  

We have Bedford Stamperama to look forward to too, Sue is coming too, I can't wait, it seems ages since I did craft shopping, it's so much nicer actually being able to physically hold the craft goodies in your hand, I think that we have all misjudged the size of something before!! 

Maria & Karen have you written a list?? 

Today's card is based on a Gatefold card I saw on Pinterest.  I took a piece of Basic Grey card measuring 5 1/2  x  8 1/2 .  Scored at 3 inch and 7 1/4 inches.  This gives us our 4 1/4  x  5 1/2 inch 'Offset Gatefold base card.  I used Peaceful Place DSP, which I cut down to 1/4 inch smaller than the base card.   For the inside I used a Tree stamp to give the inside a similar look.  I stamped the sentiment on the front of the card and the sentiment in Basic Grey ink.  To finish the card I added some tiny diamantés over both panels on front.

Now despite me burnishing the creases and folds several times the card wouldn't stay closed.  So I ended up creating a 'Belly Band ' but I really didn't want to have anything detracting from that pretty paper, so....I painstakingly cut the patterned paper on the belly band to line up perfectly with the card front, so that it isn't obvious from a distance, I finished the belly band off with a silver snowflake. 

I hope you like my card,

Sending my love and hugs to all of you 

Sandra xxx

2 'Scandi' style Christmas cards

 

Happy Anniversary 

❤Sonia & Mark ❤

Good Morning Ladies, 

How are you all feeling today?  Janet if you are anything like me you will be feeling the exhaustion of tge journey all week, Paul likes to get the car done straight away,  I left that to him, he did leave the roof box a couple of days though, trouble is if you need the car to go shopping etc you have to empty it first.! 

Sonia, Happy Anniversary, I am so pleased that you got unpacked and into that hot tub on day one, it must be so relaxing for you both,  Mark must be super exhausted promoting the new album as well as working, enjoy every moment my lovely 😍 

Today's card is made with the same stamp set as yesterday's card, they are a free stamp set with the latest edition of Creative Stamping magazine,  I will share it with you on Saturday.   This is one of the cards featured.  It's called 'Scandi ' or Scandinavian style, which is basically red & white cards with simple stamped backgrounds.  

I stamped one card on Cream and one on white, I matted the cream onto gold and white onto silver, imstead of a sentiment I used the mittens as the focul point.  I added the sentiment to the top.  It's hard to tell the difference in the photo though.  I think I prefer more traditional style Christmas cards if I'm honest but these are ok. 

Paul is doing long days in the office this week, my days feel endless,  fingers crossed we'll be back to normal next week, I miss my craft room/office companion. 

I hope that you all have a good Wednesday, 

Love and hugs to all of you,

Sandra xxx

Christmas card No.2

 

Good Morning Ladies, 

What a wonderful send our late Queen had yesterday,  we were transfixed all day, every part of the day was perfect. I have to say how incredible those young  Coffin Bearers were, such a huge undertaking in front of the world's media.  Same has to be said for Prince George & Princess Charlotte,  how hard that must have been for them.   I had a few tears, seeing the young Prince & Princess got to me,  watching the cortege take the Queen past Buckingham Palace for the final time, I thought back to hearing about her sneaking out into the crowd on VE day, also when they were driving through Windsor,  seeing the Queen's pony and her darling Corgi's ❤️. Then watching her coffin being lowered taking her down to her love while her personal piper played, I was a total wreck by then.  

What were your favourite moments? 

Today's card I made after watching the funeral yesterday. I stamped a magazine freebie stamp (which I will show on Saturday) onto 2 shades of blue card using Versamark ink, I added Silver embossing powder and heat set. I die cut the stamped images with a square die and matted each piece onto the opposite colour blue card, I mounted these onto a 6 1/2 X 6 1/2 square card base. I used a smaller square for the sentiment, which I matted and layered and added foam pads before placing in the centre of the card.  I finished the card with 4 tiny white gems placed into the centre of each square.  

I hope you all have a good day,

Love and hugs to all of you,

Sandra xxx

A Christmas Challenge card

 

Good Monday Morning Ladies, 

Such a sad start to the week,  watching our beautiful Queen take the last part of her journey to be with her beloved Philip.  It must be so hard for the family to have to go through the mourning process so publicly, thankfully they get to say their goodbyes privately at Windsor Castle.   

I do wonder how King Charles will get on, he has a real dislike of the press, it must be so terrifying navigating your way through such huge life changes under so much scrutiny but he is a lot older and has a lot more experience than Queen Elizabeth had when she had to suddenly step up and she managed it perfectly.  Time will tell I guess, do you think he will continue to live here in Cotswolds at Highgrove ?? 

Today's card is quite a quick & Simple Christmas card, the patterned paper does all the work, I simply added the sentiment and the snowflakes,  which I stamped in Versamark and added silver embossing powder and heat set.  I added white satin ribbon edged with silver and dressed the bow with a silver snowflake charm. 

Sending my love and hugs to all of you, 

Sandra xxx

Your Bright & Cheerful Challenge Cards

 

Good Sunday Morning Ladies, 

We had a very productive day yesterday,  Paul got all of holiday stuff packed back into the loft etc, we managed to get the whole downstairs vacuumed, all traces of spider webs gone!  Because the holiday stuff was all sat in hallway vacumming round every where was impossible,  you wouldn't believe the dust that had accumulated in the last 4 weeks,  we had given the house a good Spring clean before we went away, so I was shocked at the dust and cobwebs!  

I couldn't leave it another day though, as Friday night as I was laying there convincing my body it was time to relax I felt something move on the ftont of my head, at first I thought it was my hair moving, so I rearranged it and tried to telax, then I felt something touch my forehead !! At this point I was bolt upright heart leaping out of my chest, I smacked myself on the head a few times and felt something crunch,  I then flipped and tossed my hair over the side of the bed, I had a 'pat' type noise as something landed on the magazine I had next to the bed, I laid there frozen for a few seconds too afraid to look, if it was a moth or crane fly it would be ok, should I look, would you ??? By this point Paul was awake, I think he heard my heart racing to be honest! He offered to get up and get rid of whatever it was but I felt guilty getting him up, by this point I needed a the loo anyway, so I very gingerly sat on edge if bed and prepared to get myself up, I used the torch on my phone to check I wasn't about to stand in anything,  so I looked down and there was a Spider, yes a spider had been crawling in my hair while I was trying to sleep!  I no longer cared about keeping Paul awake, a pillows etc had to be removed so that I could check for it's relatives!  There were none, believe me I didn't get a wink of sleep though!   So every onch of our bedroom has been vacuumed and dusted and clezn bedding put on, fingers crossed it helps me sleep ! 

Your Bright & Cheerful Challenge Cards

Karen

Karen's Description:

Card one is a mop up stencil on a piece of Serif paper It started life as an Eclipse card but added glue to one of the letters and dropped it and now I cannot find it! I used a JL butterfly and a printed sentiment.

Card number 2 is a Thrinchie I used Squeezed Lemonade and Mermaid Lagoon DO and the Through the Meadows stamp set I double embossed the butterfly and mounted it on top of black cotton.

Karen to absolutely stunning cards, the bright and vibrant colours just pop, you would never in a million years think that your first card was a stencil 'mop up ', literally using waste from another card, it somehow makes it even more special!!  Adding the orange colour around the butterfly and sentiment really makes then stand out.

Your second card uses onr of my favourite Tracy stamps, I just love thr colours you have chosen, a match made in heaven for sure.  I really do fancy having a go at these 'Thrinchies' !  

Thank you so much Karen for two very inspirational cards XXX 

Sonia

Sonia's Description:

Here’s my card for this weeks challenge….

The backing paper is from a Tracey Hey pad, with the sentiments cut from another sheet. I also cut the Spellbinders flowers in matching colours. Quite simple, but I love how it turned out 😊

Oh Sonia this card is amazing,  that Tracy Hey paper pad works perfectly with your little Spellbinders flowers, you have matched those colours perfectly too.  The faux stitch detail looks like you have added it as an embellishment.  The sentiments work perfectly and finish the card beautifully. 

Thank you so much for taking part and inspiring us XXX 

Lilian 

Lilian's Description:

Hi, here is my card for this weeks challenge.

Watercolour on wet watercolour card, let it dry, then stamp with black ink, make sure the ink is dry before you cover with glue and sprinkle with Brusho glitter powder, as long as the glue is still it will stick in a fine layer. 

Ooh Lilian I love your card, I love the colours and that texture is amazing,  I just want to reach out and stroke it!!  It's a shame the glitter doesn't show on photo but I can imagine it looks incredible! Such a lovely inspirational card  

Thank you so much for taking part my lovely XXX 

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

Ladies WOW thank you for your inspirational cards, I can honestly see the Queen wearing hats in all the colours you have used.  I really do appreciate you taking time to support the Blog Challenge ❤

I hope that you all have an amazing Sunday,  

Love and hugs to all of you,  

Sandra

xx❤xx

Mixed Up Saturday

Good Saturday Morning My Lovelies, 

What are you all up to this weekend??  We have a variety of jobs that need doing from gettingthe last of the holiday washing boxed up to go away to preparing the garden for Autumn and Winter, shopping needs to be done too, where to start us the question!!  I think a nice leisurely breakfast is the way to go !  

The gorgeous card above is my Birthday card from Our Janet,  the photo doesn't do it justice, the foiling makes it sparkle in the sunshine,  the flowers are so pretty, Janet's attention to detail is incredible,  the tiny bows are such a lovely addition to that border.  Thank you so much for such a beautiful card Janet XXX 

Diecutting Essentials 

Issue 94

This months Issue ( 94 ) has some lovely Christmas cards featured using the Free die and stamps from Christina Griffiths.

Some lovely traditional style Christmas cards made with the free dies and paper download. The 'How To' Shows you how to create a 'Reverse Embossed Die cut'  to use on your cards.

The Skill Booster feature this month is : Exploding Boxes, there are some downloadable templates if any of you would like one I will add link below:

Exploding Box Template

I love how these boxes have been decorated, they do give the wow factor!  

Back to Basics: Using adhesive sheets with intricate dies and glitter.

Expert Guide:  Sliding card holders,  this feature shares hints and tips for creating sliding card holders.  Some fun ideas for different style of cards.

Christina Griffiths shares her own inspiration using her collection 

Using your die stash to make some fun Christmas tags,  now I actually made tags for our family gifts last year and they were super easy but looked expensive,  so this is worth a try.  Great for using your scraps up too. 

Technique Showcase:

Floating Inlaid Diecutting Technique 

These cards are lovely and it looks to be a fairly simple process, I will definitely be having a go at this.

Some Contemporary Clean and simple designs using the magazine freebies, I really like these modern looking cards.

That's it for this Issue,  there are more features inside but I like to leave you some as a surprise if you buy the magazine.  Some great techniques in this issue, die is nice too. I love that they give you a sentiment die too. 

Karen's Shopping 

How cute are these Karen Burniston Tiny Gnomes that Karen has bought ?!  Gnomes have been a really popular addition to Christmas cards for the past 2 or 3 years and they are back this year too, you can do so much with these,  with colouring, swapping and changing features add Wobblers to them so they are animated on your cards, I can't wait to see what you create with them Karen,  thank you so much for sharing them with us XXX 

Sonia's Shopping 

Oh Sonia I love these Spellbinders Flower dies that you have bought,  lovely to have the different style flowers in one die set, leaves and foliage too.  I might add these to my list ! 😉

Thank you for sharing your shopping with us XXX 

That's all for today ladies, 

I hope you all have a lovely weekend, 

Love and hugs to all of you,

Sandra 

xxxxxx