A Treat from Pat and Janet

A Funny from Pat

Pretty card from Janet 

Good Morning Ladies,

I have two amazing cards to share with you today, the first card is Pat's, a funny card, it could be from A 'Just Inklined' CDrom as I know Pat has one.  The image is very accurate as well as funny, the little nets at the windows for instance, another thing you often see is a pot plant in the window! I will add that we had didn't have either, I'm too nosey for nets! 

 A really fun card Pat, thank you for sharing XXX

Janet's Trifold card is really pretty, I love the pretty white die cuts against the blue background, it works perfectly. The front has really pretty, Lacey die cut edge too.

A gorgeous card Janet thank you so much for sharing XXX

Looking forward to today as I get to craft with Pat and Sue together, it seems like months since we were altogether! 

I hope that you all have a lovely day whatever you are up to. XXX

Janet, how did the decorating go? I hope you aren't too exhausted today xxx

Brenda I hope you hospital appointment goes well xxx

Sending love and hugs to all,

Sandra 

XXXXX

A little bit arty !

Good Morning Ladies,

Have you all developed webbed feet ?? Goodness me did we get some rain, the roads looked like rivers around here yesterday afternoon and I believe we are due more today.  There never seems to be a 'Happy Medium' is other floods or drought,  -15 or 90+ ° !!  Hopefully it has helped our farmers to get their crops growing, which if they are anything like our back lawn are making up for lost time.  I could hardly see the lamb out there today, we can't really mow the lawn as it will frighten her, she needs to start eating a bit faster, or maybe stick to eating grass instead of Paul's Blueberry plants! 

I thought I would try something different for today's card, so I stamped one of the ladies from the Beautiful You stamp set, masked her off and coloured the background with Soft Sky, with a hint of Island Indigo, Sahara Sand and Crumb Cake ink pads, I blended them with my Inkyliscious Brushes, I then unmasked the lady and coloured her with Sweet Sugarplum ink, I used Powder Pink for her arms and legs. 

I was hoping to create a beach look, with her trying the water, hahaha! 

What do you think??  

A quiet day her, Paul is sleeping off a very long night shift, the girls are revising for A levels and I will probably be in my craft room!  No craft friends today as they are both coming tomorrow, be so lovely crafting together again.

Hope you have a lovely day ladies,

Love and hugs

Sandra 

xxxxxx

Monday Challenge

Good Morning Ladies,

I hope you are all enjoying this long weekend, it's disappearing fast, but we have had a nice weekend, Paul worked a long day on Saturday and is in again tonight, it makes a change to have him home during the day on a Bank Holiday Monday so I will be making the most of it, he will leave for work at about 6:30pm.  The girls are working today too, they get double pay on Bank Holiday though so they don't mind. 

This weeks Challenge is a very simple Challenge, after testing you all to your limits last week !!  

I would like you to make a card or maybe 2 cards WITHOUT using any Dies, we are going old School, you can use, Stamps, Embossing Folders, even your old Kanban card kits, just no dies!  

My card was made by inking through a circle mask with Soft Sky Ink, I then stamped the pretty leafy Flourish from 'Hopeful Thoughts ' stamp set across the top part of the circle and then I added the sentiment from the same stamp set. 

I cut a slightly larger mat of white card and coloured it with the same ink, which is a great tip if you don't have matching card stock.

I hope you like it and I look forward to seeing you your cards, I wonder who will be first this week??

Hopeful Thoughts Stamp Set 

£18

I have added the details of the stamp set in case any of you are interested, if so, just let me know.

Have a fantastic day my lovelies,

Love and hugs

Sandra 

XXX

Your Challenge cards

Good Sunday Morning Ladies,

Lots of lovely Challenge cards to share ​with you today......

My Cards

Two Christmas themed cards made without any  'actual' Christmas tools (other than sentiment).  The first card uses the very versatile 'Swirly' die from Stampin Up! The second using Buttons, now if you look on Pinterest there are simply hundreds of cards made using Buttons, for some reason I never think to use them ! 

Michele

Michele managed six Christmas cards in one sitting!  The first is using the Xcut Pennant Die, flipped them over to create trees, the embossed background looks like it could be snow! The second card uses Hexagons and Christmas colour paper (not actually Christmas) but with the sentiment makes a totally convincing Christmas card.  The third card is using the 'Swirly' Thinlits from SU to create a Christmas tree, seriously the options with this die are endless.

Card 4 uses the XCut Pennant Die the right way up, to create a fab festive banner!

Card 5, Love this one, using 3 different embossed card pieces to create a Christmas tree complete with silver tinsel, genius Michele!

Card 6 uses the same embossed theme as the previous card but this time backed with metallic green and arranged in a geometric pattern!

Thank you Michele, you have made a great start to your Christmas cards,they are all amazing XXX

Lilian

Lilian's card is just STUNNING, I was absolutely blown away when I opened this card (email)! Lilian has used 'Iris Folding' Technique to create this card, it took her a long time to create but it is so worth the effort. Thank you so much Lilian XXX

Val

Val came up with two fantastic cards, the first using triangles for Christmas trees, (clever idea), I love how you have used an edger die to create the snowy hill too, this is a fantastic card Val.  Your second card is gorgeous, just by adding a Sentiment and a little silver holly sprig you have a fabulous Christmas card for someone special!

Thank you so much Val XXX

Margaret

Margaret's card was inspired by a gift bag that Alan had been given, Margaret saw the star and it inspires her to make this fantastic card, which just shows that our 'Craft brain' is always switched on and looking for inspiration.  

Thank you so much Margaret and Congratulations, you were first card in this week I was surprised to see your card on Monday afternoon XXX

Karen 

Karen has created two fabulous trees by a paper folding technique, you start off with circle I believe. I love that double sided paper Karen it works perfectly for the trees.

I remember making these with doillies!  Thank you so much for taking part XXX

Maria

Maria another Wow card, you have made a fantastic Christmas card with your Window Die, looking in on that amazing Christmas scene is a delight.  Thank you so Much XXX

Lynda

Lynda you made a card for each Challenge this week, I love how you have used the butterflies to create a wreath, so elegant, love the sentiment too! 

Thank you my lovely XXX

Brenda

Brenda has created a perfect Christmas card for a man, using Cogs and sprockets to decorate a Christmas tree, absolutely brilliant idea Brenda, thank you so much for taking part XXX

Challenge 2

Alternative Sketch

Tracy

Tracy, your card is just gorgeous, what a genius idea to cut the Spellbinders (Adorning)? Squares die in half to create two decorative corners.  Your central stamped image is so pretty too, the lovely flower finishes your card beautifully, thank you so much for taking part XXX

Janet

Oh Janet I do love these images, they make such a cute card, you have embellished her perfectly with that beautiful ribbon and those buttons.

Thank you so much for taking part Janet XXX

Lynda

Lynda's second card used a Sue Wilson Striplet die as the main focus of the card, with the sentiment in the die cut square topper, embellished with wire spirals, that remind me of those Christmas decorations my parents had that you had stretched across the room, initially crepe paper twists and later foil.  Thank you Lynda, I wasn't expecting you to take part with the horrendous week you have had.  XXX

My word ladies, just look at that amazing display of cards, I felt terrible at the beginning of the week as I thought I had 'challenged,' you a little too much, but as always you always rise to any Challenge I set, I could not wish for better friends, 

I am so, so grateful to all of you !! 

Have a lovely Sunday,

Love and Hugs,

Sandra 

XXX 

Mixed up Saturday

Good Morning Ladies,

🎈🎁🎉 Happy Birthday Maria 🎂🍾🎉

First up today I would like to wish our love Maria a 

Very Happy Birthday, I hope you have a fantastic

Day with your family, sending you 

Huge Birthday Hugs and lots of Love

XXX

I have some absolutely stunning projects to share with you all

today as well as a couple of your cute pets.

So without further a do a will get in and let you see them for yourselves.......

Janet

This absolutely stunning Pencil Portrait was drawn by Janet's husband Jim, the sketch is of the beautiful Leanne. 

Jim drew this just after they lost their Sweet Leanne, Leanne was only 4 years at the time, so so heartbreaking.  

Janet this sketch must be so precious to you and Jim.

Thank you so very much for sharing Something so very special.

XXX

Cheryl

Cheryl has started her beautiful Memory Book for the beautiful

Milly-May, this is the 1st page, I love that you have left the photo

page delicately decorated so that the photo of Milly-May

Is the main focus on the page.

This 2nd page has a beautiful family photo with

Nannie (Cheryl), Daddy & Mummy, such a lovely photo.

The opposite page has a pocket for keepsakes and photos 

of the things that are dear to Milly-May,

(such a fantastic idea Cheryl)

Milly-May will look back on these amazing memories 

for many years to come, such a thoughtful gift, I look forward

to seeing the rest of the pages as you complete them.

Thank you for sharing Cheryl

XXX

Margaret

Margaret has shared a photo of their gorgeous dog Star,

She is such a cutie, her coat looks so shiny , 

How old is she Margaret? She still looks like she's 

A puppy at heart! 

Thank you so much for sharing 

XXX

  Brenda

Brenda has shared a photo of the now famous 'Speedy', I wonder 

who named him?!  Brenda did try to capture a photo of him 

eating a strawberry but he ate it too fast!

He looks huge Brenda and not a day over 21 ! 

Thank you so much for sharing 

XXX

I'm going to leave it there for this week Ladies, I hope you are all 

enjoying the sunshine, while it lasts!

Thank you so much for taking part today Ladies, you are

The very reason that this blog is so Special

Love and hugs to all,

Sandra

XXX

Man card Medley

Karen's Father's Day card

Two fab cards that work perfectly for men

Good Friday Morning Ladies,

Well I am almost too afraid to say this but I was a little too hot yesterday, it was a glorious day, our neighbours were out sunbathing and the others were in their pool.

I was getting a little frustrated as I was here on my own and the Lamb seemed a little unsettled and kept "baaing" which wouldn't have worried me last week as it's not very loud and she doesn't do it that often, sadly though the lady at the end of our garden called Paul over to say that she had had a Representative from Defence Housing at her door on Monday morning asking if she knew anything about a lamb as they had had a 'noise complaint' last weekend.  Bless her she told them that she didn't know what they were talking about and the woman went on her way.  So now I'm a little paranoid about every noise she makes.  Why are people so grumpy?  The lady at the end of the garden said that she loved seeing and hearing the lamb, watching him hop and skip about is hilarious.  I guess there's always someone waiting to bring clouds to a sunny day !!  Matt is going to take this little lamb to stay with 'Pascal' the Black lamb locally, the lady there is happy to continue his two feeds a day, as she is feeding Pascal twice a day anyway. She is still too small to join the rest of the flock as she can still get under the gate.  Milo (cat) will miss watching her bound about the garden and he will also miss trying to get into the sack of 'Lamblac'

(Powdered milk), we have caught him a couple of times with just his bum and back legs sticking out of the top of the sack!! 

I thought it was about time we upgraded our old step that we use as a 'Soapbox' to 

The real thing, so here it is ready to use, who will be first I wonder?  Remember to do a risk assessment before you use it though ladies, maybe good on to the back of a chair while you mount and dismount !!! 😉😂😂

Now onto today's fantastic cards........

Karen's card is just amazing, completely her own design, here is Karen's description.....

"

I have a few Serif kits (most of which were free) and created the cocktail glass with basic shapes in blue and made them quite transparent. The grass from a freebie was placed over the top and I "erased" the bits that were overhanging the edges. The flag, again, from basis shapes and the ice cube, golf balls, was in another Serif kit. It does need a bit more tweaking like, placing the grass better taking them forward or back etc. But I am quite pleased with the result and it's a bit different for a "golfie" !

You are a Serif Genius Karen, thank you so much for sharing your card.XXX

Michele's cards are both funny and fabulous, perfect for men of ladies to be honest but just as they are shouts 'Man' card to me.  The Scrabble Tiles were part of a kit a few years back from "HunkyDory ' on Create and Craft.  I think that these were the only part of the kit that I used (I bought the same kit), I bet atleast 1 of you ladies has too !! 

As ALWAYS with Wasn't "Michele" card, every element is perfect, the little black mats you have made for the letters look perfect, you have aligned them perfectly too,  I love the sentiments that you have written to match the age of the card, very well thought out.  Thank you so much Michele for sharing your cards with us XXX

It is always great to get a lift inspiration for those "pesky Man' cards, so thanks again. Ladies, if any of you have other cards that you would like to share as well as your Challenge cards, I am always happy to share them.

If any of you want to share your pet photos, I would love to see them today, so that I can share them tomorrow, if that's too soon I can leave it until next week.

It's going to be another warm day, so please have a slow day today, let's all follow Tracy's idea and relax in the garden with a lovely cool drink! 

Maria sweetheart, I hope you had a better night last night and are feeling slightly better as you don't want to spend your birthday feeling poorly!  sending you big 'bamse' hugs XXX😘

Love and hugs to you all,

Sandra 

XxxxxxX 

Daisy Delight Thank you

Good Morning Ladies,

I hope that you are all well, another fun and productive day with Pat yesterday, we did lots of chatting and actually lots of crafting. (oh and a little bit of eating naughty cream cakes) OOPS!

Pat made some cards and some toppers and inserts for cards. I sat and made these flowers and played around with a new technique (to me) with an Embossing Folder, watch this space!!

I made today's card yesterday evening, I just went and had a play after dinner, this was the result.

I used 'Gorgeous Grunge' stamp set to create the background, in 'Night of Navy' & 'So Saffron' ink pads and then a light touch of 'Pear Pizazz' here and there.  I stamped out the Daisy in 'So Saffron'

and punched it out 3 times with the new 'Daisy Punch'  that matches the Daisy Delight' stamp set.

I layered it up and added a Dazzler into the centre and a few leaves. The 'Thank you' stamp was a Sale-a-bration stamp and is sadly no longer available. I mounted this onto 'So Saffron' & 'Night of Navy' card and then onto my white card base.  

I used the same method to make the daisies in the vase, except this time I added a little bit of wire to the last layer with a sticky dot, I popped them in the little vase with a little piece of Gypsophila, what do you think?

Paul is away on a course today so it will be a quiet day for me, hopefully catch up with some card making.

Have a lovely day, whatever your plans are.

Love and Hugs

Sandra

XXXX 

A Special Birthday Card

Good Morning Ladies,

I

I feel like I have to mention and send heartfelt condolences to all those affected by the unbelievable atrocity that happened in Manchester, how somebody could stoop so disgracefully low as to intend to kill and maim young children is beyond all comprehension.  It was only a few weeks ago that we dropped our 3 girls off at a similar concert, I cannot imagine what the families of those involved must be going through. They are very much in our thoughts. 

Today's card is a special, pretty birthday card, for a special someone!!! 

I used my 'Detailed Floral Thinlits' dies to create this unusual card fold, it's kind of a fancy 'Easel' card, I used a pretty peach card and 'Peekaboo Peach' ink to create this card, if anyone is interested recreating the shape I am happy to share the dimensions etc.  I was inspired by a card similar in design by a lady called Ann Melvin on Pinterest. I can see that this die set is going to be used a lot, it's very versatile and very pretty.  

Sue came over yesterday too, she used the same design to create a wedding card in purple and white which looked stunning too. We were actually very productive, both getting a whole card made, which is surprising as we spent an hour or two watching the tragic events in Manchester unfold. 

I'm looking forward to seeing Pat today, more crafting , YAY!!!

Brenda we have had a tortoise for years, my brother Michael's first job was in a Pet shop and somebody bought in a tortoise they could no longer care for, he had no idea of her age but ended up adopting her, she (Daisy) is still going strong 35 years later!  What is your tortoise called?  

How many of you have pets, I know Sue has Bearded Dragons, which are unusual pets, Val has her cute cats and darling doggy.  Maybe we should have some photos, we did it a couple of years ago, be nice to update . 

Lilian, love the idea of adding Star Anise, will give that one a try, thank you xx

Janet, how did your card go down at Knit and Natter ?? I'm sure they loved it, I hope that they were grateful that you stepped in at late notice! Xx

Well that's all for today my lovelies, I hope you all have a lovely day,

Love and hugs hugs to you all,

Sandra 

xxxxxxx

An alternative Challenge

Good Morning Ladies,

What a glorious day yesterday turned out to be, the sun was so warm, I went and sat at the allotment with Paul for a while in the afternoon and the sun beating down on the little sheltered area we have behind our Polytunnel made me feel like I was somewhere in the 'Med', well except for the pigeons coo'ing instead of Seagulls, Oh and Paul hollering everytime those pesky nettles made contact with the exposed areas of skin, usually the underside of your arm as you uproot them.  We were discussing the satisfaction of pulling a nettle and getting the great long root out with it!  We're simple folk and easily pleased!!! 

Everything is starting to spring into life after the few showers we had, the strawberry patch is looking it's best ever, Paul is going to cover them with netting tomorrow so that we might get a few rather than the birds eating them all!  Raspberry canes seem to be shooting up all over the place too, we have more outside of the fruitcage than we do inside.  We need to find a use for the large numbers of Blackcurrants and Gooseberries that we have too, it's something we aren't so keen on, I remember my mum making a gooseberry crumble when I was a child, it still makes me shudder today!!  Rhubarb, that's are other run away success, we have loads of it, Sue would you like Paul to pick you some today?? 

Anyway onto the crafty stuff, I felt guilty that so many of you found the Christmas Challenge too much of a Challenge yesterday, so for those of you that would prefer it I have chosen a Sketch for you to follow.  I will share both lots of Challenge cards in two categories on Sunday.  If any of you are feeling super adventurous why not try both?! 

As long as you are all happy, I am happy!!

Hoping to see my crafty chum today, seems like months since we last crafted together.

Pat I hope all goes well at the hospital today XXX

Sending love and hugs to all of you lovely ladies,

Sandra 

XXXXX

Monday Challenge

My Challenge card using Buttons 

An older card of mine using SU Swirly Dies

Michele's card using SU Swirly Dies

Michele's card using Hexagons

Micheles's card using Xcut Pennant Dies

Good morning Ladies,

I hope that you are all well and rested after the weekend, hopefully this week will be a little warmer, out heating was on again on Saturday evening, hopefully it's off now until October!
Now onto this weeks Challenge, I would like you to make a 'Christmas Card' with anything that you have that ISN'T Christmas themed,so no Christmas dies etc, you can use Festive Sentiments of course, you can't have a Christmas card without a greeting.
I know it seems early to start but I thought that this way around you could use dies that you have out all the time.  We will try the other way around in a few weeks.
To help you understand the idea (I may not have explained it particularly well last time), I have included some cards to inspire you, I would like to thank Our Michele for making 3 of the 5 cards above to help me yesterday, I think her mind was buzzing with ideas! I absolutely love it when I have an idea that inspires someone.

It was feeling very festive in our house yesterday, Christmas card making and I was cooking a large Ham joint, glazing it with honey, orange and cloves, so the smells were Christmassy too!
I think that next month, as all the Die Designers start to release their Christmas dies we will start having maybe I Monday a month as Christmas themed Challenges, so that we can get a start on those Christmas cards early, what do you think?

I hope that all of the sample cards will inspire you enough to take part in this weeks Challenge, there are so many things that will work, Buttons, stars, birds, ribbon....
The list goes on, have fun with it, I am excited to see your creations!!

Have a lovely day Ladies,

Love and hugs to all of you,

Sandra
XXXXX

Your Challenge Cards

Good Morning Ladies,

This weeks Challenge was to make a 'Man' card, sticking to the sketch wasn't the most important thing, as making a 'Man' card is hard enough!

Lilian has used Sue's new Fish Bowl dies to make her Challenge card, I absolutely love your card Lilian, those bright red sails add a real pop of colour to your card.

How did you create your background ?? Amazing card thank you XXX

Janet two very different cards from you this week. I have the Kanban Kit that you used for your first card, barely used of course!  I love this image though, your second card looks Hand drawn, I am guessing 'High Green House' is a local tourist stop, It looks lovely Janet, I also love how you have let the Sketch stand alone on your card, an image as magnificent as that needs no embellishing! 

Thank you my lovely for two Fantastic cards XXX

Val has made two cards this week too, your first card is amazing Val, I love the colours you have used, that Lighthouse image is stunning Val.  Your second card is super cute, have you used Pixie Powders for your background? Those little fish are super cute!! Thank you so much for managing two cards in so little time XXX

Margaret has used the Stampin Up 'Lovely As A Tree ' stamp set to create both her background​ and her main image, a fantastic card Margaret, have you managed to make that cake yet ??😉. She

Maria has three cards to share with us this week, the first two feature 'Wellington Bear' who is both masculine and cute, perfect for Man cards.  The third card is a typical man card featuring football, perfectly composed Maria, 3 fantastic cards, thank you so much, I know how busy you have been, it means so much that you take part XXX

Brenda, what an amazing card, I love it, I think most men like a shed to disappear into, we have two but you can't get in either of them!! 

I absolutely love how you have created the shed, then there's all of the detail, the shrub in a pot, the fork and take too, the hinges, the cobweb too, a stunning card, thank you so much for taking part. XXX

Michele, two fantastic cards from you this week, I have to say that you are one person that has no problem making man cards, yours are always perfectly neat and finished, I love the first card with the map background, I have seen a few cards like that on Pinterest and loved every one.  Be great to use part of a map that has some significance. 

Your second card is amazing too, love the vintage car image and as always your Matt and Layering is perfect, thank you so much for taking part XXX

Lynda, you managed two cards too! I love all of those background dies that you have used on your first card, the give such interest to your card.  

I loved the leaves on your second card too, they are all so 

Textured to look at, are those skeleton leaves you have used? 

I think we all must have bought them at some point over the past ten years.  There used to be a company that sold them on C&C, the Lady was called Sue and she measured everything 'by eye',

Come on, one of you must remember, her company used to sell packs of skeleton leaves and mulberry paper!! I still have it all!

I keep meaning to try making flowers with it, one day maybe!

Anyway, thank you Lynda for two fantastic cards XxX

Cheryl created this fantastic​ card, I love your layout and the added detail of the tag and metal charm! Thank you so much Cheryl XXX

Now Cheryl's Jamie loved her card so much he wanted to make a similar one for his Dad, just look what an amazing job he did !!

Brilliant work Jamie, you did great, move over Cheryl you are going to have to share your stash! Thank you Jamie for allowing us to see your card XXX

Tracy's first entry into our weekly Sketch Challenge, wow what a start, a fantastic Mam card, I Love both the composition of your card and your colour scheme! Brilliant Tracy thank you so much 

For taking part XXX

Right, I think that's everyone, I hope I haven't missed any one out, I didn't think that I would get very many cards entered this week as it isn't the easiest of Challenges, but you did me proud once again ladies, you are just bloomin' amazing !! 

Have a lovely Sunday ladies, I hope it's a bit warmer than today.

Love and hugs

Sandra 

xxxxxx