My third TicTacToe Challenge card

Good Morning Ladies, 

I hope that you all had some of the gorgeous sunshine 🌞 that we were blessed with yesterday.  It was so lovely that Paul decided to halt work for a couple of hours and get some gardening in, so it would have been rude for me not to join him!! 😜   I will say that the jobs seem endless at the moment. 

Do any of you have any tips for feeding the little garden birds without having the flipping crows coming in and stealing all the mealworms and suet blocks, the little Robins and Blue tits etc are too scared to go anywhere near the bird feeder, we changed the feeder with the worms in to make it harder to the crows but the just lift the whole feeder off and let it drop and as lid falls off they dive in on the grass!  There seem to be so many at the moment, you can see them all nesting in the wooded areas around the farm. 

Today's card was a bit of a late night craft project but I thoroughly enjoyed making it.  I started by creating the Watercolour Wash background,  I used a really strong colour from Stampin'Up! Called 'Pretty Peacock ', I added water to the and then decided that a fancied a bit of sparkle so I added some of the ink from my Spectrum Noir sparkle pen to the ink and washed over the watercolour card.

See how sparkly that looks!! 

My card was inspired by one I saw on Pinterest by a lady in New Zealand called Karen. I changed mine because I added die cuts and ribbon and sentiment etc. I used one of my new stamp sets called Forever Fern, it has so many lovely leaves and ferns! 

After creating my background I stamped one of the leaves in Pear Pizazz, the other two I stamped directly onto background but didn't like how they looked so I stamped them again and die cut them and added foam pads to the back, I used Garden Green and Pretty Peacock to stamp those leaves and placed them over the ones I stamped.   To finish the card I added a ribbon border cut with my 'Fauxgrain Ribbon ' die, using Pretty Peacock card. I stamped my Julie Hickey sentiment and popped over my ribbon and added a few clear crystals that I coloured with Pretty Peacock alcohol marker. 

I hope you like my card, if you could see my desk it would show how much fun I had !! 🤣😂

Have a lovely day Ladies,

Love and hugs to all of you,

Sandra                                                                              xxxxxx 

Another Watercolour Challenge card

 

Good Morning Ladies,

Like most of you we woke up to heavy snow yesterday morning, poor Lucy's shoulders dropped when she looked outside as she had her first day back at work today, the Wildlife park was finally able to open, she wasn't keen on driving in the snow but it hadn't really settled on the road thankfully. It didn't really effect how many people turned up at the park either, such a shame that they missed the whole of the Easter Holidays, but hopefully that will be the last time that they have to close.  Although I did see a piece on a news page yesterday talking about a few Covid Hotspots that may have to lockdown again, maybe if they stop all of these stupid demonstrations the country might be able to recover, why can't people see that?!! 

Rant over!

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.

Tomorrow I must try to move away from my Watercolour paints!!   

Lilian I hope that your back is a little easier my lovely, back pain is so miserable as it affects your whole body, I have suffered for so many years and sadly it just gets worse for me, I hope that yours is easing, try and take it easy for a couple of days XXX

Lynda I hope that you are ok after your day at the hospital, I guess you are getting ready to go back again for round 2, keep your chin up my friend, fingers crossed this is the road to getting you back to doing all the things you love XXX

Margaret, I hope you are doing OK my lovely, we really miss having you around, I want to know that you are in my thoughts every day, sending love and hugs your way XXX

Sending love and hugs to the rest of my dear friends too,

Sandra

xxxxxx

My First TicTacToe Challenge card

 

Good Monday Morning Ladies, 

I hope that you all had a good weekend,  we had such mixed weather yesterday, it was bright warm sunshine one minute then heavy snow,  it had a bit of rain mixed in but was mostly huge snowflakes, it was totally bizarre, we were in and out all day.  We got loads of seeds sown though,  plenty of vegetables and lots of flowers too. I can't wait until we can see them all growing.   We are still enjoying the fruits of last years labour, we have a glut of Purple Sprouting Broccoli,  it's regrowing as fast as we pick it.  I think we will pick a few bunches and put them out the front for people to help themselves too, I don't think it freezes well you see. 

Now let me tell you about today's challenge card.  I decided to go straight across the top of the grid for my first card, so the categories I used are......

Birthday/Watercolour/Masculine  

I started with a square piece of watercolour card which I spritzed with water,  I took my watercolour paints and chose a blue and green and added some splodges to my watercolour paper, I spritzed some more water over the paint and let it move around the paper, once it had spread as far as I wanted ot to I dried it with my heat gun and then added the stamped dragonfly and the sentiment.  I felt that it needed something more so I mixed some more of the blue paint and added some flicks direct from the brush, to finish the piece I added three little resin dots, mounted the finished piece onto a piece of black card and then onto a white card base.          Something different for me but I kind of like the simplicity of it.

I hope that you are all enjoying this challenge.

Have a lovely day my lovelies, 

Love and hugs to all of you,

Sandra                                                                              xxxxxx 

Your 'Die Only' Challenge cards

 

Good Sunday Morning Ladies,

A very wet and chilly day for us yesterday, which meant that our gardening plans went out of the window, we decided to set up a seed sowing station in the kitchen so that we could at least get some more of the vegetable seeds going.  We were so surprised on Tuesday last week to see that the Lupin seeds that we had put in the Electric Propagator were about 4 inches tall after only being planted on Good Friday, meaning that they had germinated and grown in 4 days, which just seems incredible, so we are going to start the Sweetcorn and cucumber seeds in there too to get a head start, we looked at some of the vegetable plants at the garden centre yesterday and they were ridiculously priced, we had the sweetcorn seeds already, so we just picked up a pack of cucumber seeds for £2.49. there are enough seeds in there to last us the next three years and still half the price of the actual tiny plants they were selling.  Having said that people were still loading up their huge shopping carts with trays and pots of vegetables and plants, I dread to think what their totals were at the tills!!!  

Exciting NEWS...... Sophie's latest University project that has been months in the making has been accepted by Kickstarter. She has designed a book titled 'Retail Therapy' they had to create a project to feature on 'Kickstarter', you basically create a design/book etc and ask for funding to get your project (in Sophie's case) get published.  She had to approach a Publisher for costing and get prices for printing etc.  

Her book is designed for people that have worked in Retail and had to deal with frustrating customers, the video that promotes the book features voice overs from both Paul and Lucy, Paul played the part of a frustrated supermarket checkout worker, it's hilarious.  As you would expect the amount of detail that Sophie has put into each character and the surroundings they work in incredible, when she shared it with her Tutor he said to her "I hope that you have all of your costings worked out as this project will definitely get funded" He thought it was amazing,  I will let you all know when it gets uploaded so that you can go and watch the introductory film, its hard to believe that she is coming to the end of her second year at University! 

Now let's get to the main focus of today's blog, your amazing 'Die Only' cards.....

Brenda

Brenda's Description:

"This is my challenge card for this week.  I saw an article in Die-cutting essentials magazine which inspired me to make this card. In some ways I’ve done my own thing wish I had now made the sentiment one colour instead of trying to replicate the circles,"

Thank you Brenda for such a lovely 'Die Only' Challenge card, I used the same technique last week, it's a good way of getting more use out of our Nesting dies, I really love your colour combination, the florals really add a pretty touch to the circles, I love the addition of the butterflies too.  I think that we can be our own worse critics sometimes, I am sure that whoever receives your gorgeous card will think its perfect.  Thanks again my lovely XXX

 Janet

Janet's Description :

"For this week's Challenge I have gone back to my TONIC DIES.

For my first card I used  BUTTERFLY MOSAIC STAINED GLASS WINDOW using TONIC card. The ribbon is from my stash.

My second card is made using TONIC EXQUISITE ENVELOPE DIE. I left one or two 'bits' in the grid just to give highlights.

Two lovely cards Janet, you cannot beat Tonic dies when it comes to intricate detail, your first card just shouts luxury, with the gold and gorgeous ribbon weaving. 

Your second card looks like it would have taken you ages, the layers are again so intricate and detailed and I love how you have left a couple of pieces of the die cut paper in to add extra detail, this recipient of this card will feel like they are very special.  Thank you so much my lovely for two stunning projects XXX

Karen

Karen's Description:

Here’s a cc I have made it for OH

It is our 45th wedding anniversary ...

So cobalt blue CE card and Spellbinder Marvellous Squares dies The heart die is from Hobbycraft

For my second card I used Sue W Flights of Fancy which comes with separate butterflies I saw a post on Jackie Trinders blog where she cut the strip again and trimmed away the butterflies to place on top of the separate butterflies and her sentiment I used a piece of psychadelic paper created in Serif

My 3rd Challenge card was inspired by one Sue W posted earlier this week I used a slimline die and a Tonic circle die to create the apertures and Xcut flower die in shades of yellow/orange

Karen thank you so much for 3 incredible Challenge cards, your card for Alan is perfect, it has just the right amount of romance without being too much, the combination of dies that you have used work perfectly together. Navy and white is a classic combination that is a match made in heaven it also happens to be the perfect colour for a Sapphire Anniversary.

I love the bright and cheerful look of your second card, that technique is brilliant too.

Your third card is a lovely design, I really do love that the DL or 'Slimline' cards have made a come back.  Your design works perfectly with that die cut sentiment, you can't beat an 'Ombre' card.  Thank you so much Karen for three inspirational cards XXX

Lilian  

Lilian's Description:

This weeks card was made using a Christine Emberson Charity Kit with an alteration,  

Lilian I love your Die Only Challenge card, that lovely soft colour is so pretty, the dies all work so well together, Christine always uses such pretty little flowers too.  Thank you so much for taking part in this weeks challenge my lovely XXX

Maria

Maria's Description:

SW Roses die was used for my first card,  Papers from my bit box and a few little other bits.

Second card is using a Loop die bought from Amazon/China. I got a kit from Hunkeydory with some nice toppers so used the little deer's on this one and a strip sentiment from the pack.

We had another baby in the family, so I used my SW dies to make a this card. 

Wow Maria, you have been busy crafting this week, you have made 3 beautiful cards, I love both the Roses die and the lovely pink dotty papers that you have used for this card. It would be great for Birthday, thank you, get well soon and so many different occasions, such a lovely design.   Your second card is amazing, I love that loopy edge die that you have used, the Deer topper is so pretty and the sentiment strip brings the colours in your card and the gold mirror card together perfectly.

Such lovely news about the new baby in your family, the card you have made is just prefect, I love all the little elements that finish the little babygro off, that Lacy bib is beautiful and the little ducks add cuteness, I love the paper you have used too.

Thank you so much my lovely for 3 amazing Die only Challenge cards XXX

Michele

Michele's Description:

"First two challenge cards, used a very old set of Dies  that came free with Diecutting Essentials issue 52 (May 2019). Used the dies as toppers & also to cut into the card."

"Another challenge card. This time using the free gift with the current issue of Diecutting Essentials (issue 75)."

"Another diecut challenge card -this time it’s the latest charity kit from Christine Emberson. Not sure what dies she’s used though."

Michele you have had an amazingly creative week in your craft room and just look at the incredible cards that you have created, they are all amazing.  The first two are lovely, those dies give lovely detail to the card whether you cut into or cut a die cut and adhere it, I love how you have mixed up the two, you have made cards that work well for both Male and female, great stash building cards!  

Your next card features a lovely colour combination, I have to confess that I hadn't even noticed that particular die on the card storage,  I only saw the fancy one on the right!  Such a useful little die, great for both pattern building and for placing your sentiment on,

Your final card is just so beautiful, I have always loved Christine's style, she always uses such lovely combinations of dies, I love the sentiment too.

Thank you so much for taking part in this weeks challenge, you clearly loved this one, 4 stunning cards XXX

Sonia

Sonia's Description :

I’ve used my slimline dies for the first card, along with one of the Memory Box cut out dies in the corners. Adding my Tim Holtz butterflies and the circular die sentiment (sorry, I can’t remember where that’s from)

On my second card I’ve used the Sizzix frame over the mesh background die. Added the butterfly and Crafter’s Companion sentiment.

Two amazing Die Only Challenge cards Sonia, I am really tempted to get some of those Slimline die, I love the look and they give such a nice neat finish to your card.  Your second card is just perfect I love that Mesh die cut, the Sizzix frame gives the perfect grounding for your butterfly too, such a gorgeous thank you card.  Thank you so much for taking part in the challenge, I am glad your Mojo came back in time XXX

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

Ladies what an incredible display of cards once again, thank you all so very much for taking part and enjoying the challenge, I am so grateful to all of you XXX

I hope that you all have an enjoyable Sunday, fingers crossed for a drier day,

Love and hugs to all of you,

Sandra

xxxxxx

Mixed up Saturday

Good Morning Ladies,

Now I thought that I would do something different for todays post, I thought that we would see a 'Die Only' Throwback card from some of you,  so without further delay lets see what you were all making back in 2016. Chery's card was a little later, but  otherwise the cards are from 5 years ago,  we were all using different things and also had slightly different styles, one thing is for sure, you are all so talented !!!

Janet

But first I would like to share Janet's latest Sewing project...

Two beautiful zipped Make Up Bags, Janet they are so lovely,  that fabric you have used is so pretty, I love the colours. 

Janet's Description:

" I also have just finished my latest sewing project.These two bags 'Zippered Cosmetic Bags' are from JUNE TAILOR QUILT AS YOU GO. The quilting pattern is stamped onto the wadding and so making it so easy for a 'starter in quilting' to follow. Everything other than the patterned fabric is included in these kits. The instructions re the sizes for the patterned material are also easy to follow."

I love the concept,  having the pattern on the wadding,  what a genius idea for Beginners,  Quilting is something that Sue and I have always said we are going to start, this might be a great starting point.   Thank you so for much for sharing your project, you have really inspired me XXX 

Sue

Sonia

Pat

Michele

Me

Karen

Maria

Lynda

Lilian 

Janet

Cheryl

Brenda

I do hope that you all enjoyed a bit of a walk down 'Memory Lane' I personally love looking back at our old cards.

I hope that you all have a lovely day, 

Love and hugs to all of you,

Sandra

xxxxxx

Your Next Challenge

 

Good Friday Morning Ladies, 

Atleast I think its Friday, yesterday however was a different story.  I sat down and put together a long post, that shares 'Throwback' cards from all of you, it took me the best part of a couple of hours, it was fun looking back at our cards from 5 or so years ago, I went to set the date for 'Throwback THURSDAY' only to discover that today was 'Friday' !! Or 'Forgetful Friday' as it will be known (thanks Michele) x 

So instead of wasting my afternoon's work, I have scheduled that post for Saturday.  I then had to come up with a Challenge on the spare of the moment,  so I went for our old favourite, The TicTacToe challenge. 

I have chosen a very different grid to our usual ones, but it still has lots of choice, the oddest category for me is 'Tropical' but I guess if you have Palm trees and Flamingos your half way there.   We all love a bit of 'Distress ' so that category appeals to me, the Watercolour background too, we could use Distress Inks mixed with water too, don't just thibk think about actual Watercolour pencils or paints . 

I am looking forward to seeing what you all design. 

I hope that you all enjoy your Friday,  

Lynda I hope your appointment goes well, Brenda I also hope that you and John feel ok after your second vaccination, sending love to you both XXX

Sending Love and hugs to all of you,

Sandra                                                                                xxxxxx 

Soft Petal Pink & Grey challenge card

 

Good Morning Ladies, 

Thank you all for your lovely comments on yesterday's card, I have to say that I really love those Phil Martin 'Charming' die range,  that scalloped edge is so delicate.  

Today's card  is a 'Z-Fold' card, I used the 'Stampin Up! Pretty Peony ' collection, I had forgotten that I had bought the paper collection too and just discovered it yesterday,  which is how this card came about.  

I used Grey Granite which is a soft grey mixed with Petal Pink, (a soft peachy pink) I have to say that they are a match made in heaven, the papers feature the same colours too. I used the grey card to make my base card, cutting at 8 x 5 1/4, and scored at 4 inch and again at 2 inch for the 'Z Fold' flap.    The next step was to add the patterned paper which I cut to 1/8 of an inch snaller than the base card and adhered to the base after inking around the edges with Petal Pink ink. I stamped my focal element in Gray Granite and added clear Embossing powder and heat set,  this makes it easier to colour, I used Petal Pink Stampin Blends' to layer up colour onto my Peony,  Old Olive for the foliage and stem.  To make the Peony stand out I used Layered Stiched Label dies cut in Grey Granite and White card and layered, I added Pink ink to edge the white (to tie it into background). I placed the centre of the Label die cut on the fold of the card adding glue to just one side,  to make sure that the panel for the inside was in the right place (so that its hidden when closed) I placed the second die cut Label directly over the one on the front,  added adhesive and closed the card and it lined up perfectly.  I die cut a Sue Wilson sentiment in Petal Pink, edged it a little with ink and adhered it to the panel.  To add the sentiment to the front I used a Julie Hickey stamp to add the sentiment to the die cut tag, I added some grey ribbon and popped it on a foam pad and placed it underneath the Peony. 

I hope you like today's card xx

Stay warm Ladies, it's still really cold, I hope it starts to warm up again soon.  

Sending Love and huge hugs to all of you,

Sandra                                                                                xxxxxx