Tuesday, 21 July 2026

Birthday Card

It was my daughter's birthday on Sunday and this is the card I made for her.  It's a really easy fold to make, just four score lines and three cuts with scissors.



I used a Creative Expressions "Wild Rose Edger" on the first panel, which had its first outing for this card. The white panels were embossed with an old Cuttlebug embossing folder.  I used punches for the two-tone flowers and the leaves.  The pink card was from my snippets drawer, so I'll be sharing my card over in the Playground.

The card folds flat for posting.

I am joining in the following challenges:



Saturday, 18 July 2026

Allsorts Challenge ~ At the Seaside

A new Allsorts Challenge begins today and Val has chosen the theme 'At the Seaside'.  As always, there is also the option of Anything Goes.  I love the beaches in North Devon, where there are many beach huts and plenty of seagulls, so this was my starting point for my DT card.
 
The image is an old stamp from Little Claire, which I coloured with Promarkers.  The sentiment is a stamp from the Stampin' Up 'Best Year' set, stamped with Versafine Clair 'Warm Breeze'.  The patterned paper is from The Works and I added a strip of seagull ribbon to finish off my card.

The lucky winner of the Allsorts Challenge will receive a collection of stamps from Stamp Addicts.

I am joining in the following challenges:


Wednesday, 15 July 2026

Crafting with Brownies

I was asked to organise a couple of craft activities for a Brownie Sleepover my daughter was running for 16 girls last Saturday.  I bought some inexpensive notebooks for the Brownies to decorate and I made up a sample.  After choosing the colour of notebook and doily they  wanted, they assembled the punched out pieces of the owl. I taught them how to fold and tuck the die cut doilies and they decorated the label with their name.  These are some of the finished notebooks.  I also took along my Big Shot and Puzzle Maker and the girls enjoyed making a double sided puzzle. 


These are some of the finished notebooks.  I also took along my Big Shot and Puzzle Maker and the girls enjoyed making a double sided puzzle. 


I used snippets for everything to decorate the notebooks, so I'll be sharing my decorated notebook over in the Playground.

I am joining in the following challenges:


Saturday, 4 July 2026

Allsorts Challenge ~ Use Stencils

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

A new Allsorts Challenge begins today and Donna has chosen the theme of 'Use Stencils'.  For my DT card I used a Dreamweaver Brass Stencil.  I have several brass stencils, but rarely think to use them.  I used the largest owl one HERE several years ago, so I decided to use the smaller owl on this card.

I used a black fineliner pen to draw around the shapes of the owl in the stencil.  I then Zentangled patterns in all the parts of the owl with the same fineliner pen.  I drew a Zentangle border and added a sentiment to finish off my card.

Two lucky winners will each receive three random stencils/sets.

I am joining in the following challenges:




Crafty Calendar Challenge ~ Happy Birthday

The July Crafty Calendar Challenge begins today with the theme 'Happy Birthday'.  I recently watched an Iced Images video HERE to make a Twin Peaks Card.  This is my version, a masculine card for my hubby's uncle who recently celebrated his 80th birthday. 

The patterned paper is from Anna Marie Designs. I used Memory Box 'Stitched Circle Layers' dies and the numbers were die from The Works.

The card folds flat for posting.

The Crafty Calendar Challenge ends on 28th July, so please hop over to the challenge blog to see all the creations the DT have made for inspiration.

I am joining in the following challenges:





Tuesday, 30 June 2026

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:





Monday, 22 June 2026

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. 





Saturday, 20 June 2026

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:




Monday, 8 June 2026

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:
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.




Saturday, 6 June 2026

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:



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:


Saturday, 30 May 2026

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:






Tuesday, 26 May 2026

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:

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!



Monday, 25 May 2026

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:


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:




Saturday, 23 May 2026

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:





Monday, 18 May 2026

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:
Love Those Pretty Papers May Challenge ~ Fancy Fold