You've passed!

After 12 weeks, I've finally been discharged by the hospital physiotherapist today, following my fall in April.  I still have to keep doing the exercises with my hand and wrist to ensure that my fingers bend like they are supposed to do and to strengthen my wrist.  The good news is that I can easily use my right hand again to turn the handle on my Big Shot, cut fairly accurately with scissors and my writing is legible again. 🤣

My 17 year old great niece passed her driving test last Friday and this is the card I made for her.

I used a Cuttlebug 'Spots and Dots' embossing folder for the embossed panel.  A black snippet was used with a Tattered Lace '1960’s Car' die.  The red L was die cut from a tiny red snippet using a Trimcraft 'Alphabet' die.  I layered it on a white square and a black mat (more snippets), before cutting it into two pieces.  A 'Congratulations' strip of ribbon finished off my card.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Snippets Playground Challenge #535 ~ Use Snippets 

Can You Handle the Pressure? Challenge ~ Anything Embossed Goes

Alphabet Challenge ~ E is for Embossing Wet or Dry

 Die Cut Divas June Challenge ~ Anything Goes

Crafty Catz Challenge #716 ~ Anything Goes

Craftlandia Challenge #27 ~ Sea Animals

I returned from a relaxing holiday in Lake Garda, Italy on Saturday.  Wall to wall sunshine, plenty of places to visit and a delicious Italian food. I'll be playing catchup with my blog visiting this week.

The Craftlandia Challenge #27 begins today and Ayla has chosen the theme 'Sea animals' (or Anything Goes).

 

I have a folder with lots of backgrounds, some made years ago and never used.  I found this background made with alcohol inks that has been sat in the folder for a long time, but I thought it would be suitable for an underwater scene. I layered it on a navy blue mat.  I was looking through my dies and came across this Memory Box 'Deep Sea Corner' die.  It's a preloved die I bought quite a while ago and forgot about, so I thought it was about time I used it for the first time.  I punched out the sentiment and mat with Stampin' Up punches.  To finish off my card I added a few clear dewdrops. 

Prizes (given by Mia):

1st prize: Mintay papers

2nd prize: Cotton fabric (one yard)

The Craftlandia Challenge ends on 30th June.  Please hop over to the challenge blog to see all the beautiful creations the DT have made for inspiration. 

I am joining in the following challenges:

NBUS Challenge #87 ~ Use Never-Before-Used-Schtuff

Cardz 4 Galz Challenge #278 ~ Seaside/Coast

The Sisterhood of Crafters June Challenge ~ Fish / Sea Creatures

Allsorts Challenge ~ Blooms, Birds and/or Bees

Ellie has chosen the theme of Blooms, Birds and/or Bees for the new Allsorts Challenge.  There is also the option of Anything Goes.

I saw this style of card demonstrated on the Nifty Noodle  Crafting Facebook page a while ago.  I'm not sure if the fold has a name.  The patterned papers are from The Works.  I used a Poppystamps 'Fritillaria Bouquet' die and the sentiment is a die from the Sue Wilson 'Birthday Candles' set.  

The leaves are dies from the Sue Wilson 'Pinwheel Floral' set.  The card folds flat for posting.

The Allsorts Challenge prize is a Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Glorious Bouquet stamp set available from Buddly Crafts.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Creative Creases Challenge #116 ~ Use a Fun Fold

Ellibelle's Garden Party No. 16 ~ Anything in (or from) a Garden

Fab 'n' Funky Challenge #639 ~ Summer Flowers

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge #42 ~ Anything Florals Goes

Crafter's Cafe Challenge ~ Anything Goes + Optional Blooms

Triple B June Challenge ~ Birds, Butterflies and Blooms

Hexagon Snippets Card and a Big Lunch

I made this card for a card swap which hopefully should arrive any day.  I've seen a few cards recently using a similar design and this is my version.

All the patterned paper was snippets from a paper pad from The Works. I used a new Stampin' Up 'Heartfelt Hexagon Punch' I bought recently.  The punch was being discontinued, so I got it for a good price.  I punched a hexagon with a snippet of white card and stamped the greeting with a stamp from the Happy Little Stampers 'Whimsical Friends' set using a Versafine Clair 'Warm Breeze'.  I doodled a pattern around the greeting with a fineliner pen.  The greeting was attached with foam pads to add some dimension.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Snippets Playground Challenge #534 ~ Use Snippets

We Love Stamping June Challenge ~ Anything Goes

NBUS Challenge #87 ~ Use Never-Before-Used-Schtuff

Every June since 2012 our street has held a 'Big Lunch' street party, organised by me and a friend. It's a time to get together with all the neighbours who live in the street.  (During Covid we all sat in our front gardens with our own picnics.)   These are the invitations I made for everyone this year, with all the details of the event inside.  

We live in a cul-de-sac with a green at the closed end, opposite our house.  Gazebos were erected, tables and chairs arrived and everyone brought food and drink to share.  There were about thirty of us of all ages.  Fortunately we held it yesterday, when it was dry until early evening.

Allsorts Challenge ~ Anything Goes From The Garden

This is my second post today, so please scroll down to see my Crafty Calendar Challenge DT post.

A new Allsorts Challenge begins today with the theme 'Anything goes from the garden'.  As always, there is also the theme of Anything Goes as we love to see all your creations.  My DT card is a Hammock Card.

The patterned papers are from the The Range. The flowers was made with dies from the Sue Wilson 'Passion Flower' set.  The sentiment was a white die cut a friend sent to me, so I coloured it with a purple Promarker.  I don't know the brand and neither does my friend.  I'd love to buy my own die, so if you recognise it, please let me know the brand.

The cards fold flat for posting.

There is a prize of three die sets from Oakwood Direct for the lucky randomly drawn winner.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Creative Creases #116 ~ Use a Fun Fold

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge - Anything Florals Goes

Triple B June Challenge ~ Birds, Butterflies and Blooms

Love Those Pretty Papers June Challenge

Crafty Calendar Challenge ~ All About the Men/Boys

The June Crafty Calendar Challenge begins today with the theme 'All About the Men/Boys'.  It's been a few years since I last made a 'Lego' card, so this was the starting point for my masculine card.  

The sentiment is a Sue Wilson 'Happy Birthday' die.  I made the Lego bricks with 1" squares and 1" x 2" rectangles.  I used a punch for the circles and attached them with foam pads to raise them up. 

The Crafty Calendar Challenge ends on 28th June.   Hop over to the challenge blog to see the beautiful cards the DT have made for inspiration.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Alphabet Challenge ~ C is for circles

Craft Rocket Challenge #137 ~ Birthday

Creative Moments Challenge #282 ~ Make It Masculine

Krafty Chicks Challenge #823 ~ Birthday

AAA Birthday Game #86 ~ For Boys

Good Luck

Thank you for the lovely comments on my last post.  The physiotherapist gave me the all clear on Wednesday to drive again.  Whoo hoo!  I still have finger and wrist exercises to do to strength my hand, but it's such a relief to be able to drive again.  Another physio appointment in four weeks, when hopefully my right hand will be more or less back to normal.

I made two cards using this CAS design for two special young people who are taking their school exams this summer.  As the cards were sent to a boy and a girl, I thought this design would be suitable for both of them.              

I used an old Sizzix  embossing folder for the background and a punch for the lucky four leafed clovers.  The sentiment and mat were die cut with Sizzix dies and raised up on foam pads to add some dimension.

  

I am joining in the following challenges:

Cardz 4 Guyz Challenge #386 ~ Squash It! - Use an Embossing Folder

Fab 'n' Funky Challenge #638 ~ Use a stencil and/or embossing folder

Can You Handle The Pressure? Challenge ~ Anything Goes

In the Pink

A friend is celebrating her birthday in a week or so.  She collects anything sheep related, so I usually try and make her a card with a sheep theme.

I bought a preloved set of Stampin' Up stamps, 'Counting Sheep' recently and used them for the first time, choosing one of the three sheep images.  I coloured the image with Promarkers, it's not too detailed so I managed the colouring with my dodgy right hand. I die cut a rectangle in a piece of pink card using a new die from the Craft Addiction 'Stitch Craft Fusion Frames (Rectangle)' set.   I added a strip of sheep ribbon and stamped a sentiment from the Stampin' Up 'Best Year', using Versafine Clair 'Nocturne'.  To finish off my card, I added three punched flowers to match the flowers in the ribbon.

I am joining in the following challenges:

 Stamping Sensations May Challenge ~ Cute Creatures

We Love Stamping May Challenge ~ All Creatures Great and Small

Crafty Animals Challenge #105 ~ Anything Goes with an Animal

NBUS Challenge #86 ~ Use  Never-Before-Used-Schtuff (sheep stamp and frame die)

I've got an appointment with the physiotherapist tomorrow about my hand.  I've been doing all the finger exercises, so hopefully I will get the all clear to drive again.  It's been a long seven weeks!

Twofer

The Stamping Sensations challenge is sadly closing down after this month, so I wanted to make sure I joined in their final challenge.  My right hand is improving, but I still can't colour images without it looking like a three year old has coloured them.  So, plan B was to look in my box of images I'd already coloured.  

 

I found a Dr Digi's 'Climbing Kitties' digi stamp, which I had coloured with Promarkers. I embossed the two white panels using a Sue Wilson, 'Paw Print Lattice' embossing folder.  The patterned paper is from The Range.

I added a plain white panel inside for the message.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Stamping Sensations May Challenge ~ Cute Creatures

We Love Stamping May Challenge ~ All Creatures Great and Small

Creative Creases Challenge #115 ~ Use a Fun Fold

I love Promarkers and other Mediums Challenge #607 ~ Special Occasions

Passion for Markers Week 838 ~ Special Anniversary challenge - ATG!

Can You Handle The Pressure Challenge ~ Anything Goes

My second project is a tag

 

I found a snippet of pink card and made into a tag using a Stampin' Up punch. I embossed the tag with a Couture Creations 'Fireflies' embossing folder.  I die cut a Memory Box 'Fairytale Flower Border' from a white snippet, snipping off the bottom to make it fit the tag.  I used pink crochet cotton to tie a bow to keep the ribbon in place.  I punched another white tag to glue to the back so there was a smooth surface to write on.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Tag-Along (and ATCs) May Challenge ~ Add Some Pink

Snippets Playground Challenge #533 ~ Use Snippets

Let's Craft and Create Challenge #231 ~ Tag! You're It

Allsorts Challenge ~ 17th Birthday

We are celebrating our 17th Birthday at Allsorts this week, so there is a special challenge with fabulous prizes.  The theme this time is 'Anything Goes'.  My DT card is a masculine Centre Pop-Out Card.

 

The patterned papers are from the Sara Davies Nautical Collection paper pad, with plain navy blue mats.  The sentiment was made with Sue Wilson 'Happy Birthday' dies.

The card folds flat for posting. 

You can see all the prizes for the lucky winners over on the Allsorts Challenge blog.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Creative Moments Challenge #282 ~ Make It Masculine

Accordion Card

I haven't made this style of card for quite a while, but was reminded of it when a watched a video this week on the Nifty Noodles Crafting Facebook page.  It's a very easy Fancy Fold  to make.

 

The patterned paper is from The Works.  I used a   Poppystamps 'Petal Ribbon' die and added a tiny yellow pearl to the centre of each flower.  The sentiment was punched with a Stampin' Up Punch.  I trimmed it down and used the punch again with yellow card for the mat.

The patterned paper was all snippets and I used a white snippet for the die cut, so I'll share my card over in The Playground.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Snippets Playground Challenge #532 ~ Use Snippets

Love Those Pretty Papers May Challenge ~ Fancy Fold

Creative Creases Challenge #115 ~ Use a Fun Fold

Crafty Gals Corner Challenge #277 ~ Anything Goes

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge #41 ~ Anything Florals Goes 

Circle Bridge Card

My hubby and I arrived home yesterday from a wonderful week in Cumbria with five other couples, staying in a large self-catering house.  We've been going away together to different places every year since 1990 (except for during Covid).  I'll post a few photos of our holiday at the end of this post.

A birthday card using a style of card I make for my husband HERE.  This time it's a feminine card.

The patterned paper is from The Works.  The circles were cut with Memory Box dies.  I embossed the white circle with a Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' embossing folder.  The butterfly was made from Memory Box 'Pippi Butterfly' and 'Isabella Butterfly' die cuts and attached to the circle just by the body to leave the wings free. 

This is the back of the card.  The Happy Birthday sentiment is a Stampin' Up 'Label Me Bold' stamp, stamped with Versafine Clair 'Charming Pink'.

I am joining in the following challenges:

CRAFT Challenge #780 ~ Birthday Blog Hop

Love Those Pretty Papers May Challenge ~ Anything Goes/Fancy Fold

Moving Along With The Times Challenge #189 ~ One or More Butterflies

Dragonfly Dreams May Challenge ~ Use Die Cuts

Triple B May Challenge ~ Birds, Butterflies and Blooms

AAA Birthday Game #85 ~ Anything Birthday Goes, We Are 7

If you've read this far, here are a few photos of the fabulous area around Cockermouth, Cumbria.

View from our bedroom window.

Allsorts Challenge ~ Monochrome

It's my turn to choose the theme for the Allsorts Challenge.  I've chosen 'Monochrome', so I would love to see your cards using black and white or shades of one colour.  As always there is also the option of Anything Goes.

I saw this style of card demonstrated on the Nifty Noodles Crafting Facebook page, I'm not sure if it has a name.  The front middle panel lifts up to reveal the message. The papers are from The Range.  

I die cut a Memory Box 'Chloe Stem' flower and attached to the front panel.  The layered sentiment is attached with foam pads.

This is the back of the card.

 This card was much more simple to make.  I saw the instructions for making it on Di's blog HERE.

The patterned paper is from The Range.  The sentiment is a stamp from the Stampin' Up 'Humming Along' set, stamped with Versafine Clair 'Monarch'.  I hand cut a mat for the sentiment and raised it up on foam pads.

An advantage of making this style of card is that with the leftover pieces of patterned paper, you can make a second card.

There are two prizes for the Allsorts Challenge, a A5 stamp set and an A6 stamp and stencil.

There will be a very special challenge for our 17th Birthday on 23rd June, so be sure to mark the date in your diary.