Don't you just hate it when this happens

I had just about finished this card and was umming and ahhing about whether or not to put on the flourish. I had inked up the clear stamp and was looking through the acrylic block to see the effect on the card. I had just about decided that it would be better without the flourish, when the wretched thing fell off the acrylic block onto the card! I couldn't let all that work go to waste so here it is, but try to imagine it without the flourish.
I usually take pics of my cards on my old mobile phone. It 's so quick and easy to transfer the photos to my computer and it does take a reasonable picture. However it has decided that it's getting a little past it and I now cannot get it into camera mode. It's supposed to happen simply by opening the cover on the lens, but now it's having none of it! My current phone, although it's supposed to have exactly the same camera in it, cannot take a sharp shot close up! SO now I've gone back to trying my old digital camera. I hate technology when it ain't easy!
All this aside, this is for Just Magnolia - Monochrome, ABC Challenge - G - Green and I used the Sketch from Stamp With Us. The Stampin Up element in this card is the sentiment, which I tend to use over and over again as I think it's perfect for so many occasions. The papers are from Cuddly Buddly's Fairy Fun Range. The aforementioned flourish is from My Mind's Eye and the lace peeking from behind the strip on the left is my new stamp from Prima. The image is unmistakably young Tilda from Magnolia.

Another commission card

I was asked to make a card for an ex-rower. I didn't want to do anything over-complicated and so decided to use the Sketch from Card Patterns #38 as the basis for my card.
The papers are from Cuddly Buddly, using a positive and negative version of the dots from the Fairy Fun set. I wrote the sentiment on the computer and decided to make the embellishment in the corner into a kind of victor's wreath.
When my son was at Cambridge, he was Boat Club Captain of his college (Gonville & Caius) for a year. We used to go up to watch him row in the series of races called the Bumps.
As the river is narrow for much of the way in Cambridge, there isn't room for crews to row side by side, so they have a kind of pursuit race. They set off at timed intervals and row like mad to try to 'bump' into the boat in front of them. Should they succeed, they move up a place for the start of the race the following day. The idea is to finish at the front of everyone over a series of about 4 day's races. They are then said to be Head of the River and win kudos and tropies etc. Should any crew manage to bump the boat in front, they pull greenery from the trees overhanging the river to make wreaths which they wear on their heads immediately following the race. Should they manage to 'Bump' every day then they are awarded 'Blades' and are entitled to have a blade or oar painted with their college colours and have the names of the crew signwritten on it. David was entitled to about 4 during his time at Cambridge but we only had one painted up for him as they are really expensive to have done... then where would you put 4 of them? We have one in our garage and we're not sure how to get it up to his house in Suffolk!!! They are very, very long!!

Just Us Girls

Following a great tutorial for making 3D flowers on the Just Us Girls Challenge I thought I'd have a go and this is the result.
I didn't use the same Spellbinders dies as in the video, but I think that these work just as well. I used the scalloped circles and didn't brayer colour onto the tissue paper, but just edged the aqua blue tissue with a little Brilliance ink in Pearlescent Sky Blue.
The flourishes are from Quickutz and the sentiment is Anitas.
I've just realised that I'm a bit late with this, but I'll post it anyway.
I tore a ligament in my knee whilst out shopping yesterday in Bath and have joined the ranks of the walking wounded. I may have to have some surgery later, but the doctor wants to see if it will settle down a little first. My husband came home from the Pharmacy with a carrier bag full of our various medications. What it is to be getting old! No more exercise classes for me for a while. The doctor said that my knee was quite arthritic... Yuk! Hey Ho... more time for card-making!

I can't believe I'm doing this! WOYWW

To say I'm somewhat embarrassed by the clutter in which I work is understatement personified.
I actually removed several layers of detritus from my desk the other day but looking at this I don't suppose anyone could have imagined this possible.
There are certain things that are always where they are now... the Cuttlebug, the heat gun, the Copics, the glass mat, the containers for my pen and brushes etc., but there is usually evidence of past projects scattered around.
The work in progress on the desk at the moment is an attempt at 3D flowers for the Just Us Girls Challenge!
There, I've done it. Maybe it will spur me on to removing more layers on a regular basis!
PS Yvonne asked what the yellow thing is... It's a half-grapefruit, lemon or orange container from Lakeland, I put a wet wipe in there to stop it drying out if I've only used it once to clean my stamps. My mum brought me up to be thrifty!

Sketch & Stash

For the Sketch from Sketch and Stash this week I have used this free digi-downloaded image from Cuddly Buddly, which I have coloured with Copics, adding a little Glamour Dust to the hats. It is mounted on Nesties and adorned with a few adhesive gems.
The papers, also downloaded and entitled Winter Warm are from Cuddly Buddly too.
The neglected piece of my stash for this project is the red cardstock. Last year I made wedding stationery for winter nuptials and the couple expressed a desire for a deep red. I went to source some supplies and sent some samples to them. I was convinced that they would choose this particular red and bought a fair quantity from the Paper Mill Shop as their stock changes fairly frequently. Needless to say they chose a different one as the colour match with the bridesmaid's dresses was better. SO, I now have quite a supply of red!!! Maybe I'll use it for my personal Christmas cards this year!

2 Sketches 4 You

This card is for the sister of the recipient of my previous post. I don't know if she likes frogs or if her sister likes butterflies, I can only live in the hope that they do!
This is for the challenge at 2 Sketches 4 You. I have used a Pink Petticoat image, which I coloured with Copics. The papers have been overstamped with my all time fave background stamp... Crackle, from Crafty Individuals. I printed the sentiment on the computer and mounted the image on a Nellies Choice die-cut. I think that the green backing paper is from K&Co, but I'm not 100% sure of that!
I have seven commission cards to deliver at my choir tonight, they certainly are keeing me busy!

Three Clovers - Sketch

I love the simple lines of this sketch, I feel much more comfortable with this uncluttered style and therefore the end result is always more pleasing to my taste.
The challenge is from Three Clovers and I chose to do a birthday card for a friend's daughter. I hope she likes butterflies. The image was a free digi download from Cuddly Buddly,coloured with Copics. The papers are Pink Petticoat, the border punch is from Fiskars and the sentiment is computer generated.
Well Bargain Hunt is about to start on the tv, which is usually the time to sip a preprandial whilst preparing lunch!

My Time to Craft, Caardvarks, Daring Cardmakers & Charisma Cardz

Today is the day I can tell you my fab news!
I have been invited to join the Design Team on My Time to Craft Challenge Blog! Whoo Hoo!
Although, I am a Cuddly Buddly 'Fabulously Crafty Friend' and design cards for Cuddly Buddly products, I have never actually been on a Challenge Blog design team before, so it's really exciting!
This card is my first contribution for My Time to Craft in my new capacity, (makes me feel really special) and I hope that many of you will join in with the challenge entitled 'Rip It Up' . As you can see there is a fair bit of paper tearing in this... all around the image and the top of the piece of manuscript.
As I was making it, it evolved into compliance with a few other challenges, so I shall let Caardvarks know about it as it is a 'Tall' card and Daring Cardmakers asked for 5 of our favourite things to be used on the card. As this one was a special one for me I guess I naturally went to the things that I love using.
So we have 1. ribbon 2. a charm. 3. my favourite of all favourite background stamps - crackle, from Crafty Individuals 4. manuscript 5. distressing 6. overprinting 7. my Daisy stamp... my granddaughter is called Daisy so I have a real softspot for this one!
Charisma Cardz has the theme of Daisies for their Challenge this week, so I can't miss them out can I?
I hope you like it!

Creative Card Crew & Cards & Things

A card for two challenges. Cards & Things is an inspiration challenge, from which I took the colours for the card. Creative Card Crew's challenge is for a card for babies or children.
The lovely image from Diaper Crew is by Mo's Digital Pencil, coloured with Copics and mounted on a Nestie square. The filigree background was made with a Papermania punch. The sentiment is from Stampin' Up mounted once more on Nesties.
It's sadly ironic that I began making this card yesterday as last night my daughter had a miscarriage. Common sense tells us that it was probably nature's way of being for the best in the long run, but common sense doesn't help the feeling of sadness and loss at such a time. We're going to see her in the middle of the week, so that will be something for us to look forward to.
PS
Following the couple of questions about the background I thought it might help if you looked at the blog of a fabby crafter Ann, who has done a tutorial about this kind of punched border. I did this ages ago when I first got the punch, but I got the idea from her. You can see her tutorial here. It's a bit fiddly, but when it works it does look good doesn't it!

Simple Card

Here is a simple card for 2 challenges. The Secret Crafter challenge is for orange plus one other colour. Here I chose brown to tone with the seasonal shade. This card made me think of conkers as I was making it!
Crafty Catz challenge is to have Buttons or brads. I decided on these tiny square brads, but rather than push them through the card, I did what I often do to help get them exactly where I want them, and that is to cut off the 'legs' and stick them on with sticky dots.
The image is from Hobby Art, coloured with Copics, sprinkled in the centre with Glamour Dust and mounted on Nesties. The orange background paper is embossed with Cuttlebug Random Dots. The ribbon was left over from my daughter's wedding invitations!

Clean & Simple , Colour Create - White & One Stop Crafts - Celebration

I love this simple sketch from Clean & Simple #65. My personal preference is for simplicity, although I frequently put far too much onto my cards. I think that I must steer clear of overcomplicated sketches as they really are not 'me' and consequently probably not my best.
This picture is not terribly clear, you may have to click onto the picture to zoom in to see the embossing, which is from Cuttlebug.
The stamp is from Dovecraft and the image, heat embossed in gold, is mounted on Nesties. The Tag is also Spellbinders. I'm not quite sure where the sentiment stamp is from as it is unmounted.
Colour Create wanted All White this week and One Stop Crafts theme is Celebration.
I managed to get to the shops to buy our friend a 60th birthday pressie. We got a really rather nice pen! I hope he likes it! His card is the ice cream one a few posts back!

Dustin's Dragon

This card is for quite a few challenges, so I think that the easiest thing will be to list them.
1. Papertake Weekly Challenge - Sketch
2. SPCC Finally Friday - Emboss & Layer
3. Creative Inspirations - Halloween
4. My Time to Craft - Halloween Colours
5.Stampin' for the Weekend - A Haunting Good time
6. Stampavie & More - Halloween
7. Digital Tuesday - Things with wings
8. Polka Doodles - Halloween
9. Crafty Creations - All Hallows Eve
10. Kaboodle Doodles - Spooky
11. Pile It On - Ready for Halloween
12. ABC Challenge F - Flying
13. Our Creative Corner - Film Inspiration ... Pete's Dragon
There's another challenge which required embossing, but I can't put my hand on the scrap of paper amongst my clutter, on which I wrote the details, so I'll add that later when I find it!
The sketch is from Papertake, the colours from My time to Craft and the Halloween theme from all those blogs listed above.
The patterned papers are from Cuddly Buddly, the tag is Cuttlebug with a computer generated sentiment. The image is unmistakably from Dustin Pike, coloured with my new Copics!
The semi-circle is embossed with Cuttlebug Random Dots and the image is mounted on 3D pads.
I think that's it.
I'm off to a 60th birthday bash later today and as yet I haven't got a gift, so I'll have to hit the shops really soon!

Breast Cancer Awareness

Here is a card for the Simon Says Stamp challenge 'Get well soon'. I am going to send it to my friend Ikki who will be taking it to the hospital to sell for Cancer Charities.
I used a mixture of Pink Petticoat and Cuddly Buddly papers. The mounts are Nesties. The image and sentiment were free to download from Whimsie Doodles for Breast Cancer Awareness Week. This offer ends tomorrow 23rd October.
What a good cause!

More Autumn Colours

The colour challenge from SPCC this week consists of these beautiful autumnal tones.
The image I chose to illustrate them is from Chris Dark, the Sketching Stamper. (See the link on my sidebar)
I was playing around with the skin tones of my Copics (which is all I had when I began colouring this image) and used Derwent Pencils for the fruit and leaves. The colours I chose were a perfect match for this week's challenge. Lucky huh?
The sentiment is a little stamp from Studio G. There's something about harvest time which makes me think of all the years that food has been gathered in, in our green and pleasant land!
It also reminds me of some of the cute songs I used to sing with the kids at school at harvest time too! 'Cauliflowers fluffy' is one which comes to mind!

Just love these Copics

I found this image, entitled Patience, over at Mo's Digital Pencil (see the link on my sidebar) and couldn't resist buying it. I have a little granddaughter about this age, maybe it's a good job they don't have a cat.
The sketch is from Mojo Monday and for 365 Cards for Tuesday's Trio today there must be a pearl, a tag and a ribbon.
The papers are from Pink Petticoat and the tag and lettering are Cuttlebug.
I coloured this little lady with my new Copics and I'm still finding out what goes well with what.
My lovely friend Victoria sent me a blank Copics Chart for me to fill in the colours I have. It is SO useful, I would recommend any newbie to Copics like me to use one.

Getting used to Copics

I'm still trying to sort out what goes with what as far as shades of Copics are concerned. I bought 2x 32 pen sets plus a set of skin tones and I have been trying to amalgamate the various pens into colour families.
I had a good tip from my friend Victoria, who suggested that I try out the colours on card and label the colours used to see a true representation of what the shades will appear like on my cards. I found this very useful!
When you manage to select complementary colours, using Copics is just like magic. I love it. I really think however, that some additional purchases may be necessary!
This image is from Dustin Pike, I love his dinosaurs. I think this would be good either to give to a child or for a child to give to an adult. It's cute anyway!
The sketch is from The Pink Elephant. I have taken a little licence with it, but for this image I think it works really well! I added a sentiment, in this case it's from Cuddly Buddly, mounted on Nesties.
I'm pleased with this one, I hope you like it

Dry Embossing

This is a card, not my usual choice of shape, using the sketch from Card Patterns #37. I love the clean simplicity of these sketches. For this card I used some freebie paper from a magazine, which I found just matched one shade of my Core'dinations stack. The semi-circular piece is the reverse side of the patterned piece which I embossed with Cuttlebug random dots. The flower I embossed by hand from a brass stencil and sanded once it had been cut out. The sentiment is a Cuttlebug die-cut!
There She Goes Blog has a challenge for Dry Embossing this week, so this is for that one too!

365 Cards x 2

For today's challenge we had to choose some fabric from around our house and take a pic then make a card based on the fabric inspiration.
I chose my landing curtains, it was poor light when I took the photo, so apologies.
I used the sketch from Card patterns again, using Cuttlebug die-cuts for the flowers. The dotty paper is from Clare Curd's Signature Range, and the sentiment is Papermania.


Yesterday's sketch for 365 Cards seemed almost impossible for me and despite having several abortive attempts I'm still not pleased with this, but I don't think I could do any better.... inspiration was sadly lacking.
Today is another day, let's hope things will improve!

First Copic Challenge!!!

My Copics arrived yesterday, and today I've been trying to get acquainted with them. I'm not sure if I chose the right sets to achieve the effects I want, but with a process of trial and error, lots of looks at Youtube and tutorials from any source I can find, hopefully I'll improve!
This challenge from Copic Creations requires the use of BLACK!!
How hard is that for a beginner!!
Anyway I tried!
The image is from the Sketching Stamper, Chris Dark (there's a link on my sidebar), who does the most amazing digi images. Her colouring also is to die for!
I used a Leonie Em punch for the leaves, Cuttlebug for the open flower, an X Cut punch for the white part (embossed with a Cuttlebug folder and twinkled with Glamour Dust) and a little splat for the centre with a little Stickles added.
The pink paper is embossed with Cuttlebug random dots.
The sentiment is from Unity Stamps mounted on Nesties.
And that I think is it!

Clean & Simple

I really love these sketches from Clean & Simple, they really live up to their name!
I believe that these papers are Pink Petticoat, but wouldn't like to swear to it as they have been skulling around in the drawer for a while.
The Butterflies and the tag are Spellbinders and the ribbon is from Anita's. The embossing at the bottom is from a Quickutz embossing folder.
I've got a headache at the moment, maybe it's time for a cup of coffee!

Unscripted Sketches # 27

Here is yet another image from Mo's Digital Pencil. All of them are so lovely... as the French would say 'Mignon'!
I have used my Copics which arrived today. It's going to take a little time for me to get the technique of using them properly and also of choosing appropriate shades from the sets I have available! Let's hope I can only get better!
The Sketch is from Unscripted Sketches, I love the unfussiness of them (if there is such a word). The stripy paper is a digi download from Cuddly Buddly, the ribbon is Hobbycraft, the border punch is Martha Stewart, and the lettering is Cuttlebug from the Olivia Alphabet. All the other bits are from my stash. I was quite pleased with this one... I'm sure it's because the image is so cute.
I'm also adding it as a second listing for My Time to Craft as I forgot to leave a message last time!

Autumn

I have tried to combine three challenges for this card. I recently discovered the images of Mo Manning (see the link on my side bar) and I absolutely love them. There are several of her baby images in my previous few posts. This little chap is having a fine old time playing with the leaves and I can just image my little granddaughter doing something very similar.
The Challenge from Mo's Challenge Blog is to use one of her images in an Autumn card, with no more than 2 embellishments. Well I'm not quite sure what you'd count as embellishments here... the raffia bow? the trail of leaves? I don't know, but I hope it qualifies!
The second challenge is from Friday Sketchers and is of course, the sketch.
The third is from Charisma Cardz where the theme this week is 'It's so distressing'. A fair bit of distress ink in Tea Dye has been used to distress this card!
The papers are My Mind's Eye and I think they're gorgeous. The base layer and the squares are the two sides of one of the papers. It seems such a shame that one side is hidden!
My Copics have just arrived and I'm off to practise!

Sky and Bling!

For 365 Cards today the challenge is 'Imagine this - Sky' and Stamp Something's Challenge is to have a bit of sparkle. SPCC's Finally Friday is to have a little embossing of some kind evident.
A lady at my choir, where I sell my cards to boost choir funds, asked if I had a Congratulations card which was neither academic nor birth congrats. Her son had gained a promotion at work and she wanted to say well done. Sadly I didn't have one, but decided to make one for a future occasion.
The navy cardstock was embossed with Cuttlebug random dots and twinkled with Glamour Dust. The moon is made from an X Cut corner punch with the side guards removed. The stars are from a small X Cut punch. All have been blinged with Glamour Dust. Since I took the picture I have added a couple of adhesive gems either side of the sentiment, which reads Congratulations... the sky's the limit!' I may replace the pic later.

A Card for Charity

This is the first of a few cards which I intend making to send to my friend Ikki to sell for a Breast Cancer Charity.
The papers were a free download from Pink Petticoat for Breast Cancer Awareness week.
The Breast Cancer Site provides free mammograms for those who need them, and you can help simply by clicking daily on their site. You can reach it here.
As the card is in line with the challenge from Crafty Catz, a blog which I have only recently discovered, I thought I would enter it for that challenge. This week it is to use Black & White plus one other colour... this one naturally is pink!
The image is a Unity Stamp and I made the sentiment using Word Art in MS Word.
Have a good Saturday!

Sketch Saturday

Here is another of the digi images from Mo's Digital pencil. I bought a set of babies last night and they're all really cute. I've been practising using my Copics on them. I only have the skin tones at the moment, and I really can't wait for the others that I have bought to arrive.
The sketch is from Sketch Saturday this week, the sentiment is from Cuddly Buddly and both it and the image are mounted on Nesties. The flowers and embossing are from Cuttlebug.

A bunch of challenges

Sometimes I think I try a little too hard to combine challenges, maybe I should just let the spirit take me. Anyway for this card I have combined the challenges from 365 Cards, to use a semi-circle, the recipe from Dutch Dare and the colours from SPCC.
I found this colour combo particularly challenging and this was my second choice of image, however I think that this teddy from Cuddly Buddly works better than the trees which I originally chose.
The recipe from Dutch Dare is
2 colours of cardstock
2 pattern papers
2 flowers
2 brads
2 gems/buttons
The backing papers are Canon & Cuddly Buddly, the diecutting is Nesties and Cuttlebug, the border punch is Martha Stewart and the the sentiment is Stampin Up.
I am waiting for a delivery of Copics, 'til then I have just the skin tone selection from which I have used a few for the teddy. Lots of practice ahead I fear!

Baby Cards!

Do you like my new background?
I thought it was time for a change!

Here are a couple of baby cards, I made the blue one first with Die Cut Dreams Challenge in mind. The theme is Babies Are Us, where Baby Loss Awareness Week is being observed. It must be almost impossible to imagine the feeling of losing a baby for those of us who have never experieinced it and my heart goes out to those who have. I lit a candle yesterday and thought of the many families who have suffered such a loss.

This pink one utilises the sketch from Cards and Things, a challenge that I have only just found. Either card could be considered for the challenge from My time to Craft where the theme is Quick and Cute. I think that these images from Mo's Digital Pencil certainly are cute!
The papers are downloads from Cuddly Buddly, the border punch is from Martha Stewart and the die cutting is Nesties with Cuttlebug corners.

Some challenges and a copy cat

For day 229 of 365 cards there is a colour scheme challenge, which I have combined with the sketch from Inspirational Card Sketches and the the theme of Autumn Colours from the Saturday Challenge. It could also be entered for Nature, the theme of Three Clovers Designs, a blog I've only just discovered.
The papers I have used are from My Mind's Eye which seemed to me to be most suitable for the challenges.


I made this card after seeing the fabulous technique described on the Clean & Simple Blog. The surround from a Cuttlebug butterfly die-cut was used as a template and a mask for the daubed background colours and the stamped images. The fronds are part of a Penny Black stamp and the little butterfly is from Laura Ashley. The stripy paper is from Cuddly Buddly.
The word serene comes to mind.

Three, Four, maybe five?

This card which I have just finished for our great nephew's 1st birthday is based on four, possibly five challenges.
1. The sketch is from Simon Says Stamp
2. The scallops are in line with the requirements from Creative Card Crew.
3. Creative Inspirations have the theme of family
4. ABC is F for Flying.
5. Crafty Creations - Blue
So the sketch, the scallops, the blue and the family link are all fairly obvious, but for the flying bit you'll have to look carefully. There are two small butterflies to the left of the image. Well they do fly don't they!
The image is another I just bought from Mo's Digital Pencil. Isn't it cute!

Rosie Dees

My blogging buddy Saskia, who is one of my fellow Fabulously Crafty Friends from Cuddly Buddly, and also one of the DT for Rosie Dee, told me about this challenge from Rosie Dee's.
It is entitled 'Coffee and cream with a cherry on the top'
I had literally just finished this card for a friend's birthday, which fits perfectly with the challenge. So rather than just putting it into an envelope, I'm putting it on my blog! It's so simple, it's almost not there, but he loves ice cream and whenever we go out for a meal, even if everyone else has no room for a pud, Ian can always manage an ice cream!
The image is from Unity stamps coloured with a variety of media and cut out, then mounted on dimensionals. The sentiment is computer generated.
I'm sorry the watermark goes through the sentiment, but it simply reads 'Enjoy.... your 60th Birthday!'

365 Cards - Day 228 &A Spoonful of Sugar - Sketch

I dicovered Mo's digi-stamps from Mo's Digital Pencil just last night and loved them immediately. So after buying a few, I just had to use one for a challenge today! Mo is a children's book illustrator, her style reminds me of Shirley Hughes, a British, children's book author and illustrator.
The card uses the sketch from A Spoonful of Sugar and the theme of 'Same, but different' is from 365 Cards. For this, one pattern but two different colours of backing paper are to be utilised.
I chose this green from Forever Friends, which I thought went perfectly with the sheep and the grass.
For the embellishments at the side, I chose to echo the flowers from the image... co-incidently it looks as though the two little bees are flying towards them.
Just when I thought my leg was getting better, I pulled the muscle again last night. I may have to see a doctor....my son and daughter-in-law (both doctors) are coming this evening for a couple of days, so I'll be able to have a double consultation tonight!

365 Cards Day 227 In Motion, Stamp Something & Our Creative Corner Sketch

The challenge for today from 365 Cards is give the appearance of movement in the card. The trail behind the butterfly and the dandelion seeds floating on the breeze determined my choice of images from Unity Stamps. I also thought that the swirl embossing from Cuttlebug was in keeping with the theme.
I used the sketch from Our Creative Corner. I must admit to preferring simple sketches like this one and am tending to avoid the over fussy ones these days.
The challenge from Stamp Something is to use Brown plus something, my something is gold for both paper and embossing.
I haven't been to my exercise class this morning as my calf is still sore from yesterday's exertions!

Stamp with Us

I don't possess an abundance of Stampin Up products, although I do love them, but I do have this dear little stamp of prams. The inspiration colours from Stamp With Us are blues and greens and I really like this combo of Papermania and Cuddly Buddly papers. The tag was made with a Spellbinder die and the ribbon is from Hobbycraft. I'm not sure of the derivation of the sentiment stamp as it is unmounted, but it's a really useful size.
I did something odd to my calf muscle in my right leg at my exercise class this morning. I think I'll go and give it a long soak in the bath to see if that will ease the discomfort somewhat.
I just had the results of my latest chloresterol test today. It's down to acceptable levels without resorting to the use of drugs, so that is good news! I'll have to stick with the Benecol!

Two completely different cards

Today's challenge from 365 Cards is to include the word 'SO' somewhere on the card. I have a huge sentiment which reads 'Thanks so much' but that seemed too easy, so trying to think outside the box a little I decided to look through my stamps to try and find something a little different. I came across this one from MSE which is a poem by Sir Philip Sidney and has the word 'SO' in it just once. If you would like to click on the picture to zoom in, you can probably just about see it beneath the bookplate. In case it's not too clear, here is the poem in its entirety.
My true-love hath my heart, and I have his,
By just exchange one for the other given.
I hold his dear, and mine he cannot miss:
There never was a bargain better driven.
His heart in me keeps me and him in one;
My heart in him his thoughts and senses guides:
He loves my heart, for once it was his own;
I cherish his because in me it bides.
His heart his wound received from my sight;
My heart was wounded with his wounded heart;
For as from me on him his hurt did light,
So still, methought, in me his hurt did smart:
Both equal hurt, in this change sought our bliss,
My true love hath my heart and I have his.
From Arcadia
The sketch I used for this card is from Clean & Simple Challenge #63
I'm afraid the sunlight has bleached a lot of colour out of this photo. The papers are Laura Ashley and Cuddly Buddly, the bookplate is from Spellbinders


I made this Eeyore card for Stamptacular Sunday Challenge yesterday, but with the evenings beginning to draw in, the light wasn't good enough to take a picture of it. I really must do something about getting some lighting for my piccies.
The challenge is entitled Character Counts, where a cartoon character should be featured. I only have a couple of relevant stamps but love this one of Eeyore looking so forlorn. I desperately wanted to add more to it but I really think that the starkness of it, together with the blue background adds to the sentiment!!

SPCC Deanne's Finally Friday Challenge

For this special Challenge from SPCC, Deanne has asked for flowers... any kind of flowers, on the card. I have used flowery backing paper and two home-grown flowers made from punchies and die-cuts.
The sentiment and backing papers are from Cuddly Buddly and the initial is printed onto a piece of pre-printed card using MS Word. The additional paper is from Papermania, punched with a Fiskars border punch.This is for my friend's birthday in a few days time. Let's hope she likes it!

Penny Black Challenge and ABC Challenge 'E' Embossing

I really like this card, it gave me great pleasure to put together. I began with this gorgeous Penny Black stamp which I bought from 1-2-3 Stitch, together with the ones I won a few weeks ago. I used the same colour throughout and managed to find different products which matched perfectly.
The ribbon is from Anita, the ink is Papermania, the backing paper is Cuddly Buddly and the plain sparkly green is from my stash. I cut the image & mount with Nesties and used a Fiskars punch for the border. The embossing at the bottom is with a Cuttlebug border folder.
For the Penny Black Challenge we had to include buttons and bows, I'm afraid I have only one bow, but with the help of my bow maker it does look neat!

Unscripted Sketches #26

I bought this stamp in Bury St Edmunds a few weeks ago when we went to see our son and daughter-in-law. I just happened to find a craft shop...as you do...and I love it. It's from Crafty Individuals. I think that this sketch from Unscripted Sketches is lovely and the card just seemed to come together easily...except for the sentiment which my printer took about an hour to decide to print. It just wasn't listening to my computer! I think that the more sophisticated things get, the more there is to go wrong!
The paper is from K&Co and the border punch by Fiskars. I enjoyed making this one.

Stampin' for the Weekend & 2 Sketches 4 You

I bought this digi image yesterday from Lily Boo's Boutique, and used it for the challenge from Stampin' for the Weekend, where we were to use the colours orange, brown and leafy green.
The sketch is from 2 Sketches 4 You.
The spotty paper is such a lovely shade called willow, it's from a set from Cuddly Buddly. The ribbon is My Mind's Eye, the sentiment is from Hero Arts and the other bits and bobs are from my collection of stuff!

365 Cards Super Sketchy Sunday!

Today has been another of those 'I'm not friends with my printer days'. The wretched thing wouldn't print the 6 words I wanted for a sentiment. On my computer screen it would say it was going print and then either do nothing or print the merest hint of the top line. In all it took about an hour to do the job. Sometimes it just doesn't listen! I think it's to do with the wireless thingy, but it is SO frustrating!
Anyway this is for the sketch from 365 Cards. I cut the border with an X Cut corner punch with the side guides removed, and I saved the punchies for the tiny snowflakes, which match with a larger X Cut snowflake punch I have. The sentiment is from Hero Arts.