Sending Big Bear Hugs

Hello.

I struggled for inspiration today, so I made it easy on myself and

went with a sketch challenge, and my favourite bear stamp.

I distress inked my panel pieces and added some water drops for interest.

Then I stamped my sentiment and added the bear and trees with foam pads.

I know the ladies at FMS like to keep it clean  ;o)
but, because I have FINALLY found a white pen that seems to work,
I went a bit overboard with it !!

(I kinda like how the dots on the trees look a bit like snow)

Challenge

Freshly Made Sketches

sugarpea designs - hey winter, coloured with copics
distress ink - tumbled glass, fossilized amber, twisted citron
pinkfresh studio - diagonal stitch rectangle
uni-ball signo white pen

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As Cute As ABC

Hello.
I took the plunge last week, and bought some Clearly Besotted stamps - 
WITHOUT dies!!  Eek!
I really couldn't resist them, but I'm going to have to
brush up on my fussy cutting skills.

I stamped and fussy cut my letters, coloured them with copics and
attached them with foam pads to a distress oxide, stenciled background. 

Then I found a sweet sentiment that was just perfect for 
what I needed.

I don't want to jinx it by saying too much, 
 but I think I've finally found a white pen that really works!!
This is a Uni-ball Signo Broad pen.

Challenge

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge

Anything Goes, with the option of Slimline

Supplies

clearly besotted - cute as abc

mft - sunray stencil

altenew sentiment - hug me

distress oxide - fossilized amber

copic markers

Flowers Make Me Happy

Hello.
Flowers definitely make me happy  -  creating flower cards, not so much!! 
I find them so tricky.
Fortunately,  Altenew has a great layering guide for these garden picks dies.

After die cutting all those pieces, I coloured them with copics
and then layered them up.
This literally took me hours!
But what took longer was the search, on every table top, over every floor,
and even through the kitchen bin, for one of those teeny, tiny dies.
It never did turn up!

Note to self: do not let these dies out of your sight for a single minute!

Challenge

Addicted to Stamps and More

altenew - garden pics, coloured with copics
pinkfresh studio - diagonal stitch rectangle

Sew Much Fun

Hello
Phew... is anyone else melting?
My craft room is in the conservatory - which is a total no-go zone in this heat.
So, I've been sat in front of the fan with this little stitching project.

This was a great stitch to use, it took me a while,
but it's much faster than an all over cross stitch.
I played along over at the color hues challenge, so my colours are lime green,
a blue aqua, with a neutral shade just to break things up.

Tip: glossy accents is great for getting that sentiment to stick to the yarn.

Color Hues #22

Lime Green & Aqua

mama elephant - pegworks die, labeled messages

altenew ink - lime

Happy Anni-bearsary

 Hello.
It's my Anniversary today. 
36 years married to my soul mate.

For my hubby's card, I had to reach for my favourite bears.

Momma bear gets to wear a pink jumper - in this heat!!
And daddy bear gets some cool shorts.

The shorts were easy to create, using the stamp for the bottom of the jumper,
and just drawing in the legs and some ties with a fine liner.

Challenge

Watercooler Wednesday

sugarpea designs - hey winter
waffleflower crafts - rainbow paper
copics

A Little Bird Told Me

Usually, if you want a plant killed, I'm your man!
However, this year, I have manged to not only keep some house plants alive,
but also to grow some tomatoes and green beans. 
I have excelled myself :o)

That's why this week's Inkspirational theme caught my eye.

Hmmm... now I look at this card again, I wish I had added a lot more plants,

but, I'm new to gardening, so maybe next time!  ;-)

Inkspirational Challenge

mft - sittin' pretty, cat & plant perches
mama elephant - labeled messages

pinkfresh studio - diagonal stitched rectangles

copics

Let's Hear It for the Boys

Hello. I've always struggled with masculine cards, but now that I have a grandson,
I'm looking at them in a whole new light.
Cards for boys can be cute too. 

This little guy is just hanging out, on the doorstep,
with his best buddies.

Challenge

Addicted to Stamps and More

mft - sittin' pretty / woof pack / little buddies

rectangle stax dies

copics

BLUE CAR

Hello.

I dug extra deep into my stash for this CAS card
and came up with this little, car die.

It's from a set that was one of my first ever die purchases - 
back when I told myself that I probably wouldn't use dies that much.
Ha ha!

I sat a little piggy inside the car and, as luck would have it,
his trotters were in the perfect place to draw in a steering wheel.
Then I added the balloons and a tiny bow.

I did really struggle to add a few highlights.
The pen just wouldn't work properly.
It was only when I was clearing away that I realised I'd been
trying to use a glue pen, instead of my white gel pen.  Duh!

Challenge

Less is More

Provocraft car die

mft -party animals/ bow from bundle of baby clothes

sentiment - mama elephant, birthday messages

copics

IT'S FIESTA TIME

Hello.

Now I've had my 2nd COVID jab, I'm looking forward to

a fiesta filled summer. 

Lots of picnics and BBQs, and fun time with the family - 

starting next weekend with Father's Day.

This fun card is for my hubby, from the dog !   :o)

It's just simple die-cuts, coloured with copics
and popped up on foam tape.
Argh! I managed to smudge the sentiment all over, when I was
adding some last minute white highlights.

Inspired By Challenge

I was inspired by masculine, food, and red checks.

hero arts - it's fiesta time

pinkfresh studio - diagonal stitch rectangle die
copic markers

HOORAY HOORAY

Hello.
Today I'm sharing a very simple card, for the 

Less is More Challenge

where they want to see your favourite technique.

My favourite thing is die-cutting. Is that even a technique??

Hopefully, this inlay method makes it one.

This sentiment has a few layers.
The 'base' pieces were die-cut from a foam sheet, with a layer of white card on top. Then the top pieces were cut from card and coloured with zigs.

I cut the sentiment into a white card panel and then inlaid the letters.

This is a great technique for me - if I just add letters on top of card
I really struggle to get them all lined up perfectly. 

Challenge

Less is More 

the stamp market -  2 piece hooray die

zig clean color real brush markers

mama elephant - birthday messages

FOXY BIRTHDAY

Hello.
Masculine cards can be tricky for me,
so I was happy to get some inspiration from this week's

Inspired by Challenge

and get a twofer, into the bargain.

I don't have any skating images, so I took my inspiration from the white shelves, the teal blue colour,
and the tiny splashes of orange and yellow that I spied on the skateboards.
I couldn't bring myself to leave the card simple, with just the sentiment, so I ended up adding the cute fox and balloon.

It also seemed a shame to waste the strips that I had left over,
so I die-cut the panel again, in the dark teal, and used them in another card.

Challenge

Inspired By

mft - diagonal sentiment strip
altenew - hug me, coloured with copics
colorado craft company sentiment - citrus berry cupcake