Birthday melons...

Hey,

Today's card was made from random bits and bobs on my desk!

I love these Neat & Tangled 'Beach Day' stamps, but I actually don't own them, as I didn't think I would use them enough. Instead I borrow them from Jamey and Cheiron when I fancy a play :)

The cute little Hippo with her slice of melon I stamped forever ago at Jamey's and then I coloured it during the JUNE 30 days of colouring!! It has been on my desk since then.

I found the MFT birthday circle die-cut on my desk in white and coloured it in red to match the melon.

I added a circle scrap and a piece of MFT chevron paper to pull all the bits together into a card!

Love it when scraps and abandoned things become a card!

Cx

Freshly Made Sketches..Hipster Birthday..

Hey,

Hubby and I are off to Atlantic City today, we are gonna party party and we have tomorrow off - whoo hoo!!

I really liked the sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches, so versatile -

I've been dying to use a new stamp from Technique Tuesday 'Hipster Birthday' and I recently dug out my MFT chevron dies, so I could have a play with them, they have been neglected..

The sketch seemed to speak to both of those items.

I started by die-cutting 3 chevrons in coordinating papers. I affixed them to some white cardstock and then die cut the panel using a MFT wonky stitched rectangle die.

I decided to use a blue circle for my stamp and I stamped it using navy blue ink.

The whole thing came together super quickly..love it when that happens.

I love it, maybe the circle is a bit big, but I still love it...

Cx

Make 5...Umichka Challenge...Part Three...

Hey,

Happy Friday!

Why is it that four day weeks feel like forty-four day weeks?

I am currently playing along with a 5 part challenge over at Anna / Umichka's blog.

You have to use the same stamp set for each of your cards and keep the cards CAS. You can see my first card here and card two here.

To refresh your memories, this is the stamp set I am working with -

It's from the October 2015 SSS stamp kit.

Again I felt like making the glasses the focus, but I really wanted to use two other elements from the set, so I went with the chevron and a heart.

I stamped the chevron onto the die-cut panel and was most unexcited by it, so I stamped it across a bright green card blank and suddenly I was excited again!!

I added a border of green hearts above the chevron and used a Hero Arts sentiment.

To co-ordinate with the card blank and the hearts I stamped the glasses in green, before die-cutting them out.

I love it, it all came together pretty easily. I am keeping them all together to give-away when the challenge is done.

Cx

Raar!!!

Hey,

It's a bit shouty as a get well card, but it was for a 4 year old boy that loves Dinosaurs.

JT told me that the Son of our mutual friend had, had to have his tonsils out - poor thing. JT had sent stickers for him and I thought I do the same, I had something for my friend anyway.

The awesome T-Rex stamp is from JT and was part of the Thanksgiving $20 challenge.. The set is by Stampendous.

This is the first time I have used them and they are great to work with. I stamped them onto Strathmore mixed media paper and coloured them with Promarkers.

As I had already settled on a navy card blank, I chose contrasting papers for the chevrons (MFT dies), the sentiment and bling.

I wish I had added another row of chevrons, because it would have looked a bit like Godzilla rising from the sea...

Anyway the patient is better, loves the stickers and all is well.

Cx

Playing with new dies..

Hey,

Ever since I saw Marion Vagg's work earlier in the year (she is my fave craft crush 2014), I have wanted the MFT Die-namics chevron dies that she used on some of her cards, I tried to recreate the same feel using Silhouette cut files, but it isn't as easy as using the dies.

So I used some of my SSS vouchers that I got for my birthday to purchase them -

I was most excited about playing with my new dies. So I cut a bunch of strips whilst Skyping Lemon on Sunday.

The card you see here is for a friend and I kept it simple to showcase the chevrons. I decided to use a Technique Tuesday Hello die in the same colours for the sentiment.

These dies have so many possibilities...I can't wait to play with them more.

Cx

CAS-ual Fridays...Eat Cake!

Happy Friday to you all!!

It's an eat cake kind of day today :)

I thought I would enter CAS-ual Friday's #134 again, as this is the last challenge of theirs for 2014 it makes sense to join in a few times :)

The challenge is a Tic-Tac-Toe one..

This time I went with Chevrons, White and Twine.

I used the same Bo Bunny stamp set for the Chevron and the eat cake stamp is by Hampton to fit their iPress..not sure if these are selling so well, hence me getting a set of 3 for $1. I used some red and white bakers twine to add some colour. There is a little touch of glitterglue too :)

I have a recepient in mind already, so that makes the card a winner for me.

Have a great weekend..I will mainly be sewing (once again leaving things to the last minute..)

Cx

Lulu loves poppies..

Hi,

I recently got given a cute Stamping Bella stamp - Lulu Loves Poppies.

As I am working on a batch of things to take home for Ma, I decided to have a play with this stamp for her. I think she will like the more traditional nature of the stamp.

I've been learning how to blend, so the poppies were the perfect place for a practice.. I added an embossed red panel - folder by Couture Creations and a chevon circle to match Lulu's dress. Final touch was a little strip of bling!

It all came together quite well and I like the accidental x4 colour theme - red, white, blue and black.

I am so happy with it, I decided to enter it into The Pink Elephant challenge #261 Anything Goes

Cx

Drumrolls please.....

...as today is the day of my 150th post this year!! Whoo hoo!!

Every year I am essentially running a competition with myself..can I improve the quality of my posts and the number of them every year.

This year I want to post 200 times..it takes some serious dedication to get to 200 posts. I've had to up my craft game.

I have learnt so much this year and I can only say thanks to the talented craft bloggers out there that have inspired me to learn and be better.

One of the places that has been a constant for a long time in my craft life is CAS-ual Fridays. The talented DT and Michele have kept me inspired. They have taught me to embrace CAS.

I was sad to hear that they are taking a break until 2015, but can understand the need for a recharge.

I am entering their challenge #134 Tic Tac Toe

I went for the top line - Chevrons, Black, Sequins.

I am just a little bit smiley about my card. I like the touch of red in the sentiment and the sequins. The chevron stamp is by Bo Bunny.

I think I have to enter this again...it's such fun and it's great CAS practise :)

Cx

A new craft crush...

Hi,

Happy Weekend to you all.

I recently came across the work of Marion Vagg on Pinterest and fell head over heels in love.. I really loved the chevron paper piecing she did and wanted to have a go.

Here are a couple of examples of Marion's work -

As I don't have a chevron die, I decided to enlist the Silhouette to help me cut some chevrons. I cut a bunch of them - all the same size in 4 colours.

You can see my favourite example of how I used them in the main photo. As I was limited to just a few chevron strips I tried to use them in unusual ways to maximise the white space.

It was so much fun to do and I am going to cut a few more this weekend in different sizes and maybe even patterns and see what I can make out of them.

Here are a couple more of the cards I made.

Chevron Alien

Chevron Flower

What did I use? All papers by co'redinations, card blanks from Craft UK, frame by Dovecraft, flower from the Range, Alien from the Works - all UK based craft stores or manufacturers. The Alien has a peel off sentiment, the flower uses a Woodware stamp and the frame uses a Hero Arts stamp.

A fun way to start the weekend if you ask me! I am now off to brunch :)

Finally I have already thanked Marion for inspiring me with her beautiful work, but I just want to say it again 'Thanks Marion...you are my latest crush'

Cx