Valentine's Card

A Valentine's card for my hubby.  He doesn't look at my blog, so I know he won't see this post! 

I made the frame with Sue Wilson 'Lavish Accented Octagon' and 'Double Stitched Octagon' dies.   The heart is a Memory Box 'Heart of Hearts' die.  I used the heart die again with a snippet of red card and used the 'waste' to add a few red heart embellishments.  The sentiment is computer generated, die cut with a Memory Box 'Stitched Rectangle' die and raised up on foam pads.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Memory Box Challenge #45 ~ Love is in the Air

Simon Says Monday Challenge ~ Love is in the Air

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge ~ Anything Goes

HLS January Anything Goes with Dies Challenge

Uniko Challenge #51 ~ Anything Goes, optional twist Love

Starry Night

The Poppystamps Challenge end today, so I'm joining in with a last minute entry.  The theme this month is 'Starry Night'.

I used a Poppystamps 'Snow Flocked Tree' die and added some glitter along the embossed parts.  I put a strip of white card to ground the tree and added a little glitter along the edge.   The frame was made with two Sue Wilson 'Pierced Rectangle' dies.   For the background I used denim and pearl alcohol inks and die cut the inked piece with a Sue Wilson 'Starry Night Sky' die.  I put silver holographic card behind to make the stars sparkle and inlaid a gold glitter paper moon.  The sentiment is from a Papermania set of stamps and stamped with Versafine 'Majestic Blue'.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Poppystamps Challenge #52 ~ Starry Night
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #422 ~ Anything Goes
Cuttlebug Mania Challenge ~ Winter
The Holly and the Ivy Christmas Challenge # 43 ~ Anything Christmas Goes
Merry Little Christmas Challenge #6 ~ January Anything Christmas Goes
HLS January Christmas Challenge ~ Anything Goes

Butterfly Circle

Welcome to my latest follower, Kathy of Purple Princess Diaries.  Kathy only recently realised that she wasn't following my blog and to be honest I thought she already was as she often leaves me comments.  Perhaps blogger had a glitch some time and deleted her from my followers list.  I know that's happened to me at least twice with blogs I follow.  If that's the case, welcome back Kathy!

The  current Butterfly Challenge ends today and as I missed the last couple of challenges, I was determined to join in the challenge this time.  The challenge is 'Spin The Butterfly Wheel with the Letter Y' - Yale Blue/Yew/Yellow/Your Choice/Yarn /You, in the sentiment and of course a Butterfly.

For my card I included Yale Blue, Yellow and You (2 colours and 1 theme) + butterflies.  The background is embossed with an Xcut 'Small Polka Hearts' embossing folder.  I used a Spellbinders 'Butterfly Circle' die and layered a Memory Box 'Stitched Circle' die cut on top.  The sentiment is a Sizzix Thinlits 'Happy Birthday To You' die which I won recently over on the Double 'D' Challenge.  I used four of the 'waste' butterflies from the blue die cut in the corners of the card.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Butterfly Challenge #115 ~ Spin The Butterfly Wheel with the Letter Y

A Special 'Thank You Di' Blog Hop

I'm delighted to join in the special, surprise Blog Hop organised by Darnell for Di of Pixie's Crafty Workshop to celebrate SEVEN years of Di encouraging us to use our snippets. Di runs the Pixie's Snippets Playground challenge which she took over from the lovely Jules seven years ago, regularly offering generous prizes.   Di tries to keep all her playmates under control in the Playground, although I'm not sure she always succeeds.  What happens behind the bike sheds, stays behind the bike sheds! 😉   I first came across the Playground the summer of 2014 and Di wrote this on her blog when she introduced me and Veerle as two new Playmates.

"Liz has had her blog since 2012 and has only just added a followers gadget - so far she has three followers and Veerle has 38. How many of us remember when we longed for more followers to find us? And how much and each and every comment was treasured - of course they still are, and always will be, but I'm sure you know what I mean about the early days when sometimes you wondered if there was anyone out there or were you talking to yourself!  So it would be really lovely if you could hop over to say hello to both Veerle and Liz - pretty please :) " 

I really did think I was talking to myself, Di and your comment meant more to me than you probably realise.  It was the start of a journey meeting so many amazing crafty bloggers, some of whom I've been lucky to meet in real life.  So Thank You Di for being a super Headmistress in the Playground and for being a great friend.

So, onto my card.

I just had to make it in pink and of course use snippets.  I found two snippets of pink card, embossed them with Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' and Couture Creations 'Fireflies' embossing folders, before punching out several squares with an Xcut postage stamp punch.  I wound some silver metallic thread around the corners to add some sparkle.  I used a smaller Xcut postage stamp punch to punch out the sentiment, and raised it up on foam pads.

Pop over to Darnell's blog HERE to find the links for everyone else joining in this special Blog Hop for Di.

Thank You

A Thank You card using a die and embossing folder I won recently over in the Playground.

The embossing folder is Xcut 'Polka Hearts' and the heart die is from The Works.  I die cut the heart in matt silver and inlaid the pink pieces.   I raised the heart up on foam pads.   I added three punched flowers with silver centres.  Everything I used was snippets, except the white base card.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge #344 ~ Use Snippets

Moving Along With The Times Challenge #89 ~ Have a Heart

HLS January Anything Goes with Dies Challenge

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge ~ Have a Heart

Blue and Silver Christmas

A CAS Christmas card today to join in a few challenge.

I used a Poppystamps 'Let It Snow Channel' die with a white card blank.  I covered the blank parts of the card with dark blue card and added two thin strips of silver, non-shed glitter card.  I die cut a Memory Box 'Twilight Snowflake' with the silver glitter card and inlaid the centre of the snowflake with a white card.  A clear gem in the middle of the 'O' finished off my card.

I am joining in the following challenges:
CAS Christmas Card January Challenge ~ Blue and Silver
Cuttlebug Mania Challenge ~ Winter
Crafty Cardmakers Challenge #225 ~ Winter
Christmas Crafts All Year Round January Challenge ~ Let It Snow
Winter Wonderland Challenge ~ It's Snowtime
Fab 'n Funky #424 ~ Creating For Christmas
AAA  Cards CAS Game #132 ~ Up To One Third

 

Black, White and Red

A second card for the Less is More sketch challenge.  This is one of those cards that turned out nothing like what I had in mind, apart from following the sketch.  I was going to use the embossed panels to make a White on White card, but somehow my card evolved into a black, red and white card. 

I used a Creative Expressions 'Ocean Waves Pinpoint' embossing folder for the triangular panels and added rows of red Nuvo Crystal Drops. When they were dry, I added a sentiment die cut with a Sue Wilson 'Stitched Flags' die.  The red mat was cut by hand to leave a small border.

I am joining in the following challenges:

1. Less is More Challenge #387 ~ Sketch 25

2. AAA Cards CAS Game #132 ~ Up To One Third 

3. Simon Says Wednesday Challenge ~ CAS

4. Simply Created Too Challenge #145 ~ Anything Goes / No Twist

Stencilling

Another CAS card today to join in with a new challenge - the CAS Stencil Challenge which started this month.   I spent last Saturday morning crafting with friends and decided to play with several of my stencils and inks to make some backgrounds.  I used one of them on this card.

This lovely stencil was sent as a gift to me by Mia recently.  I sponged two colours of Distress Oxide inks over the stencil and die cut into a circle.  The butterfly is made with Memory Box 'Pippi' and 'Isabella' die cuts.  I was going to attach the butterfly straight onto the stencilled patterned, but it didn't really show up, so I attached it to a white circle first. The sentiment is stamped with a Versa Color ink pad.

I am joining in with the following challenges:

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge ~ CAS

Simply Create Too Challenge #145 ~ Anything Goes / No Twist

January CAS Stencil Challenge ~ Sponging

Here are a few of the backgrounds I made last Saturday.

I didn't want to waste the ink left on the stencils, so I spritzed the stencils with water, laid a piece of card over the stencil and made some negative patterns too.

CAS

The Less is More Challenge surprised my blogging friend Kathy by choosing one of her cards and designing a sketch from it for this fortnight's challenge.

For my card, I cut two triangles from patterned paper with the base of each triangle the same length.  The sentiment is computer generated and layered on matt silver to pick out the silver in the patterned paper and attached with foam pads

Here is the sketch:

I am joining in the following challenges:

1. Less is More Challenge #387 ~ Sketch 25

2. Moving Along with the Times Challenge #89 ~Have a Heart

3. City Crafter Challenge Blog Week 445 ~ CAS

4. Simon Says Wednesday Challenge ~ CAS

5. AAA Cards CAS Game #132 ~ Up To One Third 

A New Grandson

Yesterday I posted a photo of the card I made for new parents.  Here is the card I made for our friends who are the grandparents of the new baby.

The elephant is from the Sweet Dixie 'Toy Giraffe & Elephant' set of dies, cut in blue pearlised card, with the flower inlaid.  For the background I used a Crafts Too 'Babies feet' embossing folder and finished off my card with a strip of ribbon.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Allsorts Challenge - Week 503 ~ Make it Masculine

Cuttlebug Mania Challenge ~ New 

Die Cut Divas January Challenge ~ Something New

The Male Room Challenge #102 ~ Anything Goes

Crafty Friends Challenge #101 ~ New Beginnings

HLS January Anything Goes with Dies Challenge

Pile It On! Challenge #150 ~ Land Animals

It's a Boy!

A card today for a friend's son and daughter-in-law who recently became parents for the first time.   As they still hadn't chosen a name for their new son, I couldn't personalise it as I usually try to do.

The image is a Woodware stamp, stamped with Memento 'Tuxedo Black' on a Memory Box 'Stitched Square and coloured with Promarkers.  

I am joining in the following challenges:

Allsorts Challenge - Week 503 ~ Make it Masculine

Cuttlebug Mania Challenge ~ New 

Passion for Promarkers Challenge - Week 476 ~ Masculine cards

Penny Black and More! January Challenge ~ New Beginnings 

Die Cut Divas January Challenge ~ Something New

I Love Promarkers Challenge #375 ~ Anything Goes with the option of Something New

The Male Room Challenge #102 ~ Anything Goes

Crafty Friends Challenge #101 ~ New Beginnings

Twofer - Birds

The theme of the Twofer Challenge this month is 'Birds',  two cards using the same stamp, stencil, or die for the prompt on two different designs, for two different occasions.

For my cards I used a Pretty Quick 'Swan' die, which came as the free gift with a craft magazine recently.   A friend loves anything swan related, so I thought this die would be perfect for her birthday, so I bought the magazine more for the free gift!  It's not her birthday for a few months, so I am well ahead making her card this early and I know she doesn't look at my blog, so I'm safe posting it.  😉

I am joining in the following challenges with this pair of cards:
Twofer Card Challenge #12

For my first card, an easel card, I used the swan die with white card and layered it on a Sheena Douglass 'Water Ripple' embossed background.  The  sentiment is computer  generated and attached with foam pads.  I added two Fiskars punched feathers to finish off my card.

I am joining in the following challenges with this card:
 Die Cuttin' Diva's Challenge #403 ~ Birthday
Try it on Tuesday Challenge ~ Something Old...Something New (Old embossing folder, New die)
Allsorts Challenge - Week 502 ~ Milestones with numbers

For my second card, I used the swan die with various colours of snippets of card and layered over a green base die cut.  The assembled die cut is attached to a dark blue Sue Wilson 'Pierced Rectangle' die cut.  The sentiment is computer generated in dark blue.

I am joining in the following challenges with this card:

HLS January Anything Goes with Dies Challenge

Simply Create Too Challenge  #145 ~ Anything Goes/No Twist

Die Cut Divas January Challenge ~ Something New (die)

Caravanning

A masculine card today for a friend whose main hobby is caravanning.

The caravan is a new Woodware stamp, stamped on a green, stitched rectangle die cut.  I bought the stamp a while ago with this particular card in mind. The caravan is paper pieced using cream hammer card to add some texture, and I used Promarkers to colour parts of the caravan brown, black and grey.  The curtains are paper pieced using the same dotty paper as the background paper.

I am joining in the following challenge:

Allsorts Challenge - Week 502 ~ Milestones with numbers

Passion for Promarkers - Week 476 ~ Masculine cards

I Love Promarkers Challenge #375 ~ Anything Goes with the option of Something New

 Watercooler Wednesday Challenge #204 - Gail's Masculine "Anything Goes" Challenge

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper January 2019 challenge

The Male Room Challenge #102 ~ Anything Goes

I've just realised that I forgot to post the contents of a surprise package that arrived a couple of weeks ago.

All these lovely goodies arrived from Mia.  Thank you so much Mia, it was so kind of you. 

Purple and Silver 60th Birthday Card

A birthday card for a friend who recently celebrated her 60th birthday.

I used dies from the following sets of Sue Wilson dies:
Shadow Box Collection - Birthday
Shadow Box Collection - New Arrival
Double Pierced Rectangles

The sentiment is computer generated in grey and purple.

I am joining in the following challenges:
Allsorts Challenge - Week 502 ~ Milestones with numbers
Cards In Envy Challenge ~ It's All About the Numbers
HLS January Anything Goes with Dies Challenge
Die Cuttin' Divas Challenge #403 ~ Birthday

Post Christmas Drinks

We were invited to Post Christmas drinks last week by the two Chairmen of clubs my hubby and I belong to.  I say 'drinks' but in fact the afternoon included a delicious lunch, as well as drinks for the 50 or so of us there.  I wanted to make two similar cards for the Chairmen, so decided on a purple theme for the feminine card and the orange for the masculine card. (The Chairmen are not related.) 

The image is a peeloff from Little Claire Designs, although I've just discovered that it is also available in a digi stamp.  The sentiment, from a set of Little Claire Designs stamps,  is stamped with Versafine 'Onyx Black'.  I die cut a Memory Box 'Stitched Square' around the image and sentiment.  I used a Spellbinders 'Dainty Dots' embossing folder for the background and a strip of ribbon finished off my card.   

This is the masculine version in orange. 

I am joining in the following challenges:
The Male Room Challenge #102 - Anything Goes, Optional Twist Beverages
Double D It's On The Menu Challenge
Crafting by Designs ~ Food and Drink

Cheers!

A masculine card today made for a friend who celebrated his birthday recently.

I used a 'Beer Tankard' die by Sweet Dixie.  I cut the tankard with silver mirror card, layered it over a Memory Box 'Stitched Square' and inlaid the spaces in the tankard with matt silver card.  The patterned dotty card and sentiment card are both from Anna Marie Designs.

I am joining in the following challenges:
The Male Room Challenge #102 - Anything Goes, Optional Twist Beverages
Double D It's On The Menu Challenge
Crafting by Designs ~ Food and Drink
Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge #343 ~ Use Snippets (silver card)
HLS January Anything Goes with Dies Challenge
 

Sad News

Any visitors to my blog in the last few days may have seen my post last Wednesday when I posted a 104th Birthday card for a very special lady.  On Friday we received the very sad news that Kitty passed away on Thursday evening, the day after her 104th birthday.  She was the most amazing lady, it was a privilege to call her my friend and she will be missed by so many people.  Up until a few weeks ago she was sat in our local stadium, cheering on our favourite football team.  This is the sympathy card I made for her son and daughter-in-law.

I decided to make a 7" x 5" Joy Fold card.  I always made Kitty's cards in blue and white, the team colours of our football team.  I kept a blue and white theme for this card, but used a pastel blue instead of a bright blue as it seemed more appropriate.  The card base is white, but I covered the front section in blue card as the patterned paper I used on the front is predominately white.  The patterned paper is from a Papermania paper pad.  The image and sentiment are stamped with Versafine 'Onyx Black' and are from the Happy Little Stampers 'Dandelion Wishes' set of stamps.  A flower brad keeps the card closed and I added a few blue, punched hearts.

This photo shows the card open.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Allsorts Challenge - Week 501 ~ Hearts and Flowers

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper January 2019 Challenge

Retirement

It's the first Saturday of the month, so time for the first challenge of 2019 over in the Crafty Calendar Challenge.  The theme this month is 'Make It Flowery' and we are sponsored by SheepSki Designs.

I used one of the sponsors images, 'Tulip Border' and coloured it with Promarkers.  The sentiment is computer generated and I used Memory Box 'Stitched Rectangle' dies to make a frame, lining the dies up to include the sentiment.  The background is embossed with Creative Expressions 'Dotted Matrix PinPoint' e/f and I added two strips of ribbon.  The butterfly is punched with a tiny Fiskars butterfly punch and I added a few dots with a grey fineliner pen to show the flight of the butterfly.

The Crafty Calendar Challenge ends on the 28th January, so plenty of time to join in the challenge.  Pop over to the blog to see all the beautiful creations the DT have made for inspiration. 

Many thanks to SheepSki Designs for generously sponsoring the challenge this month.

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I am joining in the following challenges:

SheepSki Designs Challenge #22 ~ New / Old (new image and old butterfly punch)