Live Like There's Snow Tomorrow!

Hello.

Happy Halloween 👻

I have already made my full quota of Halloween cards for this year (2)

so here's a skiing pup for you instead :o)

I have followed the sketch over at Freshly Made but, as per usual, sightly altered it.

The diagonal element is just flipped, to accommodate my pup.

Hmm... I did stand back and think this didn't look very Christmassy, so I added a little holly on the pup's hat. I thought about maybe a present on the skis, but it just didn't work.

But, I think my dog loving pals will like it anyway.

Challenge

Freshly Made Sketches

• waffle flower - cool pup dies
• waffle flower - pierced lines texture die
• concord & 9th - holiday home stamps and dies (sentiment)
• concord & 9th - nutcracker dies (holly)

Christmas Road Trip

Hello.
I've made an early start on my Christmas cards this year.
I am determined not to be caught out with last minute makes.

So here's another one for the pile.

I've used the waffleflower crafts snowy hills stencil - and I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, but I cannot get those trees to line up perfectly with the sky. I'm left with some white areas, and I'm calling those areas snow!
Those are snow, topped trees. Definitely!  :o)

The pals, on their way home for Christmas, are stamped, die cut, and coloured with Copics.

Challenge

Freshly Made Sketches.

I know, I always seem to be pushing the boundaries of the sketch,
but I hope you can see my cars representing the shapes.

• waffle flower crafts - snowy hills stencil
• distress inks  - tumbled glass, cracked pistachio, evergreen bough
• my favorite things - special delivery, cute caravan, snow globe sentiments
• pinkfresh studio - diagonal stitch rectangle
• copic markers, white gel pen

Special Delivery... From The Dog

Hello.
I'm excited today, to be a Guest Designer over at the 

AAA Birthday Challenge

where the theme is 'die cuts'

This was right up my street. I LOVE using die cuts.

For my card I've used this cute pup. Yes, he's supposed to have skis, but I had other plans.
Instead of the ski poles, I've got him to carry this birthday present.

I wanted to use some more die cuts for the background, but still keep the overall look pretty simple.
So I went with cloud and grass dies, and a couple of extra presents - one is never enough!  :o)

You've got a whole month to play along and show us your die cuts.
Do you alter yours?
I'm always looking for ideas to stretch my supplies,
so I'd be interested to know how you do it.

Thanks to AAA Birthday for letting me guest design this month.
It's been fun  xxx

• waffle flower - cool pup
• spellbinders - landscape edges dies / handmade holidays (presents)
• pinkfresh studio - diagonal stitched rectangle
• distress ink - tumbled glass / twisted citron
• concord & 9th - poolside (sentiment)

Driving By With Birthday Wishes

Hands up who else doesn't want to put their Christmas stash away yet?
You can't make me  :o)

Today, I've used a couple of Christmas sets to make this cool, birthday card.

The background is a snowy hills stencil.
Yep - you can see I STILL haven't got the hang of lining those trees up.
I'm gonna call that snow  - on the edges :o)

Then my van and presents were stamped, die cut and added with foam tape.

Challenge 

I've gone for the optional theme this week, because I really need to up my game for
masculine cards this year.

Allsorts

For Boys or Men

(or Anything Goes)

• the greetery - christmas care-a-van
• waffle flower crafts - snowy hills stencil
• colorado craft co - citrus berry cupcake ( sentiment)
• ranger distress inks - tumbled glass, cracked pistachio, carved pumpkin, mowed lawn
• memento ink - grey flannel
• versa color ink - vanilla, lagoon blue

Celebrate With A Cupcake

 Hello.

I'm sticking with die-cuts again today, for this simple birthday card of a girl and a cupcake.
Hmm.. is one cupcake ever enough?

I kept the background subtle, with this pretty, pierced line texture die, and then had fun stamping her top with shades of pink, orange and green.
I should have moved the sentiment over to the left a touch, but by the time I noticed my girl was stuck fast.

Challenge

Freshly Made Sketches

• concord and 9th - celebration squad
• waffle flower crafts - piercing lines texture die
• ranger distress ink - spiced pumpkin, pickled raspberry, twisted citron, mowed lawn.

***************************************************************************

May Your Days Be Furry and Bright

Hello.

The skiing dog is back  
and this time I couldn't resist giving him a little wobble  :o)

The background is stencilled and then this cute little die-cut dog was placed on a wobble mechanism, so he can head of down the slopes for some après ski  :o)

Watch the wobble  -  here

Challenge

Allsorts

Create A Scene

This is their last challenge of the season, so Merry Christmas to all the DT

for such a great challenge blog, and for all their inspiration this year xxx

and here's a hello from Buster - 
who thinks that skiing looks like far too much work :o)

• waffle flower crafts - cool pup die and stencil, snowy hills stencils
• ranger distress inks - salvaged patina/twisted citron/mowed lawn/walnut stain
• copic markers
• wobble mechanism

When A Dog Turns Up On Skis - You Buy The Set!

A dog on skis?
Yeah, that went straight into my basket :o)

Can you believe this was my first time using stencils like this? You lot make it look easy don't you?
I've got a few basic stencils, like stripes and circles, but this was my first layering type.
I didn't manage to quite line it up right, so copic markers helped me out a little.

Also, I realised you probably need a good supply of inks if you're going to use these - something I'll have to be careful of for future purchases.

Challenge

Inkspirational

The dog comes with a stencil for adding shadows and details
Then I used a snowy hills set ( 2 stencils ) for the background

Here's Buster - waiting for Amazon to deliver his skis  :o)

• waffle flower crafts - cool pup die and stencil, snowy hills stencils
• mft - snowglobe sentiments
• ranger distress inks - salvaged patina/twisted citron/mowed lawn/walnut stain
• copic markers
• pretty pink posh - snowfall stencil

Just A Few Festive Bits

Hello.
Today I've been playing with some festive bits from Conrcord & 9th
I think I'm starting to get the hang of lining up these little, die cuts and not getting glue all over them, my desk, and up my sleeves :o)

I was following the sketch at Freshly Made, and I did try several different backgrounds - patterned paper/embossed paper - I even tried to draw on the shapes with a marker. Nothing seemed to work for me, so in the end I fixed on a white, die cut panel. At least those pierced lines give a little interest.

Challenge

Freshly Made Sketches

• concord & 9th - handmade holiday dies
• concord & 9th - tree topper stamp set
• waffle flower crafts - piercing lines texture die
• versafine ink - white embossing powder

Starting School

Hello.
It's a big day for us today - our grandson started reception class.
I dropped him off this morning, in his smart new uniform ( the obligatory 2 sizes too big) and watched him run into class, with his new friends.
It's been very strange not having him with me today, but I get to pick him up at 3.30pm.

I used a waffle flower crafts set, to create this cute little, school scene.
With all the animals wishing my grandson good luck on his first day.

Challenge

As You Like It 

Layered or flat?

I am all for layered cards, because I like to give the elements a little bit of dimension,
but I'm also mindful to keep it to a minimum, to just squeeze through the 5mm postage slot.

Saying that, I usually end up adding extra postage if it's a bit tight. 
I don't want someone having to go to the sorting office just to collect a card!!

• waffle flower crafts - books and coffee
• my favorite things - well connected alpha
• lawn fawn - smitty's abcs
• copic markers / white gel pen

Running On Sunshine And Summer Vibes

Here's a perfect splash of summer vibes and relaxation.
Hands up, who would like to be floating in the pool, waiting for their dirty margarita to arrive. 🙋

As soon as I saw the sketch at Freshly Made, and with these dies already out on my desk, this card was a no brainer, and came together quickly.
I'm even getting the hang of glueing those pieces, so that the glue doesn't end up everywhere!

Challenge

Freshly Made Sketches

• concord and 9th - poolside dies and stamps
• waffle flower - rainbows paper

Cheers, Big Ears

Hello.
This month's sketch at Seven Hills Crafts, definitely had me scratching my head.

Lots of measuring and re-measuring was done to try and create that background.
It's not perfect, but it's ok.

After die cutting the embroidery hoop, that little bunny was stitched up in no time at all.

This was going to be an Easter card, but I don't have an Easter sentiment, so instead I went for 'thanks'.
Then, because I wasn't happy, I played around adding things here and there. 
Yeah - it's not my favourite card!

Seven Hills Crafts Challenge 

February Sketch

• waffle flower - embroidery hoops die, and stitch able hoops die
• my favorite things - peacock pattern stamp
• versa color ink - mint
• lawn fawn - thanks die and bunny cross stitch pattern
• tiny hoop stamp - mama elephant - stitched with love

Stitched With Love

Hello.
I'm all about the stitching today, with 2 cards for the 

Seven Hills Crafts Challenge

where the theme is shades of Autumn.

I die cut my hoop, and cross stitched an autumn leaf.
Then I attached it with foam tape to a stitched background.
Those cute, crafty critters were stamped, fussy cut, coloured with Copics, and also added with foam tape.

My second card is the same design, just switching the autumn leaf for a pumpkin, and using the other critters from the stamp set.

These stitched hoops are a great little project to do whilst watching TV :o)

Challenge

Seven Hills Crafts

These cards are so similar, I'm only entering one into the challenge.

Shades Of Autumn

• mama elephant - stitched with love
• waffle flower - embroidery hoops die / stitchable hoops die
• pinkfresh studio - stitched diamonds coverplate
• lawn fawn - stitched hillside border / embroidery hoop patterns
• copic markers

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Hello. Hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween. It rained here - of course it did - but it didn't put off those trick or treaters.

Today I'm sharing this cool 'go girl' card, for a new teenager. 

This was a quick make. It's mostly die cuts, but I did just have to fussy cut and colour, the neck and head. Then I stuck them together and popped my girl up with foam tape. 

Less Is More Challenge

I now there's a big pop of yellow in there, for the hair, but I figured I could get away with that as a 'necessary neutral' Ha ha!

• waffle flower - go girl
• distress ink - salty ocean / festive berries / pickled raspberry
• mama elephant - labeled messages
• copics
• glossy accents

Reading Is My Favourite Sport

Hello. Are you a reader? I love books, but I don't have the physical space for them anymore, so I treated myself to a Paperwhite. I love it! It goes everywhere with me, and is perfect for reading outside, even on sunny days.
So, this image called to me - books and coffee - what could be better?

It's the dreaded one layer challenge at Less Is More this fortnight - and they'd like to see an off centre image. I did a little bit of easy masking with some post-it notes, and held my breath as I stamped right onto the card base! I'm amazed! Not a smudge, or random blob of ink anywhere :o)

I coloured the images with copics and added some glossy accents to the glasses.

Challenge

Less Is More

waffle flower crafts - books and coffee, coloured with copics

glossy accents.