My 2nd 'Man' Challenge card

Good Morning Ladies,

I hope that you are all well staying warm and safe at home, the 'Spring' air has taken on a bit of a chill this past couple of days, with some places even seeing Snow, although we didn't see any here, I would have loved it, I think it would make the quiet roads and streets seem a little more normal,(as they are usually quieter when we have a good snow fall).

Before I move on with todays card I want to reassure you all that I looked into the safety of exchanging cards and letters during this Virus, the Royal Mail and Post Office at the time I checked had no limitations or warnings on sending cards and letters, they did a special feature focusing on sending Mothers Day and Easter cards, saying that if the virus was on the card/envelope when it was posted it wouldn't last more than 24hrs, so by the time you receive it it would be safe, they only precaution that I have taken with the letters and cards I have posted my Mum is using water or cellotape to seal the envelope rather than licking it, but to be honest I tend to do that anyway as I cut my lip once when licking an envelope flap and I can tell you it was by far the sorest cut ever!! These days I just moisten a finger dauber and use that, I tend to always cellotape my cards anyway as I have had some of the envelopes for quite some time, so I'm not sure if the sticky is still sticky.!
Anyway ladies, you are my very dearest friends and I wouldn't suggest anything that would put any of you at risk of catching anything.
Michele I would like to thank you for this lovely idea, I would be delighted to open something bright and cheerful these days, I think that we all start to appreciate the smallest of gestures a little more these days.

Today's card was made using that Free 'Fresh Florals papercraft kit that was the gift in Papercraft Essentials magazine back in January which I bought after Michele featured it on one of her Magazine Reviews.
I thought that the colours would work well for a Man card, particularly this Blue/Green stripe paper, I layered the paper over a piece of card that I thought worked quite well as a darker tone of the colour on the paper, it also matched the green of the twine really well too.  I then used my SU Triple Punch to make the Flag tailed tag ( you just cut your paper to 2 inch wide and whatever length you require and it punches the flag tail detail for you)
I added the matching twine that comes in the kit to both the card base and the end of the tag, the sentiment was made using the same 'Intricut' die that I used yesterday to cut the 'Thank' and an old 'you' die from my stash. it looked a little bare when I had finished, I think that this is the hard thing when it comes to Man cards, you can't really add flowers and butterflies, so I resorted to adding a few stars, which really lifts the design.
I was quite pleased with how it turned out.

If there are any more of you that want to join in the Easter/Spring card swap, please comment below, it can be any kind of pretty, cheerful design that you like.

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

Love and hugs to all of you,

Sandra
xxxxxx

My 1st Man Challenge card

Good  Monday Morning Ladies,

Welcome to the  start of another week here on the blog, have any of you started your 'Man' cards yet, I find them so hard to get inspired to start, I did force myself to sit and make on yesterday afternoon.

A Nice Idea....

Michele made a  lovely suggestion to me yesterday and I said I would mention it on  the blog today,
the suggestion was :
For us all to make one Easter style card and sent it to someone else (from the blog), I can draw partners for all those interested, I think that if none of us lick the envelope we should be fine as far as the virus goes, I know that some of you may not have stamps so I totally understand if you can't participate, I think it is such a lovely idea and we all need something to cheer us up right now, so if you are up for it just comment below.  I am happy for make more than one card if we have odd numbers.

Today's Card was made using a Clarity Paper pad (Indian Summer), it has some beautiful designs that all look like painted background effects.
I matted the piece of paper on to some Night of Navy and white card to create the base of the card, I then die cut the free die that came with last months Die Cutting Essential's magazine, the die was designed by Paula Pascal, her design name is 'Bright Rosa'. I cut the die once and then extended it by replacing the die into the paper and recutting so that it fit the front of my card.
The sentiment was die cut using an 'Intricut' die that I bought for half price in Hobbycraft some time ago. I mounted the die cut onto white card to make it stand out from the background.
Quite a simple card but quite effective at the same time, I hope that you like it.

We had another quiet day yesterday, Paul was fixing the roof of the greenhouse and glass potting shed so that he can get in and sow some vegetable seeds, which kept him busy for most of the afternoon, he also walked Harley as we are looking after him while Matt avoids our germs by staying with his girlfriend, which is a good idea.
I spent some time in the craft room, lost about 2 hours to pinterest though!
Hopefully Monday will be a more productive day!

I hope that you are all staying well and safe at home,

Lots of love and hugs to all of you,

Sandra
xxxxxxx

Your 1 stamp/Die 2 card Challenge cards

Good Morning Ladies,

Here we are at our favourite point of the week, I love seeing all of your cards, I used a real mix up of stamps and die for my cards, all 3 sets are completely different, not sure of I can pick a favourite (it would be a toss up between the 'Vintage Lace' dies and the Leafy Vines stamp I think.

Janet

Janet has done something completely different for her challenge piece this week, using the challenge to embellish the pages of a journal, I absolutely love this idea Janet, it will look amazing when it is finished.

Janet's Description...

 
I have created these in a Journal which I am making.I Sit quite nice working on double pages showing how each page differs as I make them.



My first offering is made using stamps from LABLANCHE and I coloured the flowers with Spectrum Noir pens.



My second offering is made using TONIC PAPERS and dies.Birthday sentiment is CRAFTER'SCOMPANION and embellisments from my stash. You will see that for the main die I first cut it into the backing paper and for the second piece I cut the die out and attached it to the page.



My third offering is as follows- the main page is coloured using JOHN NEXT DOOR colour pads I then stamped the rose made by LABLANCHE onto the page which coloured the rose and finished off with embellishments from my stash.

My second page I just stamed the same  rose stamp onto the clean page and added ribbon and sentiment giving a completely different look.



My fourth offering is made using TONIC paper for the backing and TONIC die for the sentiment. The flowers are from my stash. To make one of the pages I cut the die (a freebie from a mag and I can't remember which one) into the backing paper I also cut the sentiment into the paper.

I made the opposite page by cutting out the same die and sentiment adding them to the page.

Thank you so much Janet for your hugely inspirational challenge project XXX

Karen

Karen has made two fantastic 'Fun' cards using SW Balloon dies, I can hardly believe that Oscar is 4, it barely seems a year since you announced his arrival!

''Here’s 2 cc using the dotty balloon dies by SW
A shaker card in Lilac and purple and one for Oscar - he recognises dinosaurs and found the paper on Serif kit''

Thank you so much for two fabulous Challenge cards Karen xxx

Michele

Michele made 4 cards for this weeks challenge, she even managed a 'C' card !!

Card 1 & 2 :  Michele used the same SW Background die, The first card uses the die as part of the background, the second card uses the die as the main feature.

Card 3 & 4 : ''Another set of 2 cards using the same wreath Die & patterned papers.''

Thanks so much Michele for 4 lovely challenge cards xxx

 Sonia

Sonia has made two beautiful cards for this weeks challenge, Sonia you have worked wonders with that striplet die, I love that triple width border on your second card.  You are really tempting me with those Anne Marie Designs papers, they are stunning.

Sonia's Description:

I chose Sue Wilson’s Regal Striplet die.

For my first card I used Anna Marie ‘Blissful Cocoa’ papers, and cut the striplet die out of Kraft card. The swirly flower is a Memory Box die and the sentiment from LOTV.

For my second card, I cut the die 3 times on white card - without using the outer cutting edge, enabling me to back it with the pretty papers, and add a frame. Again I’ve used Anna Marie’s ‘Blissful’ papers, this time in Cotton. (Can you tell I absolutely love her paper Designs!) The centre die is from Sue Wilson - ‘Hamilton’ from the New Zealand collection. The outer frame is also from Sue, as well as the tags which hold the LOTV sentiment. I’ve finished it off with a butterfly from Tim Holtz.

Thank you so much Sonia for two truly inspirational cards xxx

Lilian

Lilian had made two stunning cards using  Stamps from Honey Doo, I absolutely love the colours  you have used and the shading you have achieved is incredible, both of these cards would really brighten somebody's day, especially at the moment.

Thank you so much for taking part in this weeks  challenge Lilian xxx

Brenda

Brenda has used a lovely Silhouette Cat die from Crafters Companion to create to very different cards.

The first card Brenda has created uses some of her 'Card-i-o' stamps to create the background, I love how the sun works as a highlight, drawing your eyes to the birds on a branch.

Brenda's second card uses some 'Paw Print' background paper that has been hiding in her stash for a long time, it works perfectly for this card, with that lovely Stampin Up! Birthday die abd the silhouette Cat finishes the card off perfectly.

Thank you so much Brenda, it was so lovely of you to go and make cards for this week's Challenge despite feeling under rhe weather, I do hope that you are starting to feel better xxx

Maria 

Four wonderful cards from Maria for this week's Challenge.

Maria's Description....

"I used the same Fox die for both cards, on one where I put the white drop out

pieces back in. The second one have the same background paper as his body.

Thought one for me looked like a cat tho with a very bushy tail   hence the Purr. 

On the second one I used the same Flower Stamp. One just stamped in black

and coloured in a little bit with watercolour Pencils.

The second one I Heat embossed with Wow Mystic Waterfall with a lovely glitter look, I couldn't get it shown tho with my camera how much I tried ."

Thank you so much Maria for 4 amazing Challenge cards, I hope that you have managed to warm up and starting to feel better, as I am writing this I have bright rosey cheeks and red nose, I look like a cartoon called 'Noddy' hehehe

xxx

Sue

Sue has made lovely cards, I love the papers you have used on your first cats, its so pretty. 

Your second would brighten anyones day, such a lovely idea Sue.

Sue used Sue Wilson's 'Pieced Flags' dies, the rest  of the cards, paper and embellishments are all from Sue's stash.

Thank you so much Sue for taking time out of your day to take part xxx

**********

Paul managed to go out and stock up the fridge and pantry,  so we don't need to go out for anything for a couple of weeks, I just feel like I want to keep everyone home and safe, seeing the numbers in their 800,900's of people losing their lives to this horrendous Virus in Italy and Spain has be really frightened, they say we are two weeks behind them which is terrifying. I just pray that people start to take notice of the strict stay at home rules, to protect us all.

Thank you so much Ladies, you seem to have really enjoyed this challenge, your cards are so very inspirational, thank you all for making time to take part. xxx

Stay safe and make the best of the rest of the weekend,

Love and hugs to all of you,

Sandra
xxxxxx

Mixed Up Saturday Featuring Michele's Magazine Review

Good Morning Ladies,

I hope that the weekend finds you all well and managing through these tough times.

I want you all to know that sitting and writing the blog to connect with you everyday really means a lot to me, I really look forward to reading your comments and finding out how you are managing through these unique circumstances, it would be so lovely to be actually sitting around and talking to each other, this however it the next best thing.

So I am sending  Heartfelt Thanks to each and everyone of you for stopping by and leaving a comment, I think that they are really helpful to all of us. xxx

We spent a good part of the day on the garden again yesterday, Paul was weeding and cutting back dead plants in the front garden, while I sat in the sun on a reclining chair by the front door, it was lovely to be out in the fresh air and saying hello to some of our neighbours as they passed by, I was surprised to see how many people were still out driving, almost going about their business as usual.

Milo and Bella came outside with us and it was lovely seeing the two of them frolicking about in the sunshine, they loved it.  

I have to say that this was an unexpected pleasure in such worrying times.

I was experiencing the real bone and muscle aches that come with flu symptoms, the odd thing is I don't have the runny nose/congestion symptoms that usually go with it, just a really annoying cough.

Lucy is feeling much better now, her and Soph are still coughing though, the boredom is starting to set in though!

A Selection of Man cards to Inspire you

I hope that they give you a little inspiration xxx

Michele's  Magazine Review

Hi Ladies

Simply Cards & Papercraft has a gorgeous set of stamps & Dies as the free gift this month.

Here’s a sneak peek inside the magazine.

Here’s the first feature using the free gift.

Some more ideas.

Even more inspiration.

Great article on second generation stamping.

Interesting feature on using nesting Dies.

That’s all for this week.
Happy Crafting

Michele

Thanks Michele for a fantastic Magazine Review, I love those Peony stamps and dies, they look similar to the 'Altenew' ones, the great thing with these stamps is that you get so much detail with the three layers of stamping. Having the dies to cut the flowers makes the set even more versatile.  All in  all a great free gift.

I noticed that there is a lot of inspiration too, which is so useful.  

There are two fantastic features in this magazine that are useful to all of us, the first is the 'Second Generation Stamping' technique which is a bit of an underrating technique, so it's so useful having some information and inspiration for it.

The second feature is about using Nesting Dies, we take them for granted really so seeing some hints, tips and inspiration for other ways of using them would be really helpful.

Thanks Michele for taking time to write this fantastic review xxx

Michele has been sorting through and organising her dies into folders according to size etc, she has shared some photos of her organisation, which I will add below.....

 Michele's small die storage

Michele's Magazine stamp storage 

The first photo is the magazine freebies. Second photo is the entire wall of storage drawers!

The last two photos are two sets of dies that just happened to fall into Michele's shopping basket, I think that they are great dies Michele and you will get lots of use out of them for cards for both males and females. I look forward to seeing what you make with them.

Thank you so much for sharing your storage ideas and shopping with all of us. xxx

Ladies I would love to share any photos of your Craft room or any Craft Storage ideas that you have, just send them to me via messenger or email as you normally send your Challenge card. 

I hope that you all have as best Weekend as possible in the circumstances, stay home and please stay safe,

Love and hugs to all of you,

Sandra

xxxxxx