Penguin Birthday

I made this card just after Christmas for my daughters friend who loves penguins, now she has had the card I can post here.

Used the Heffy Doodles "Wanna Build a Snowman " set which I stamped coloured and fussy cut.

The letter dies are by Altenew, I cut 3 sets and layered them up for dimension onto some patterned paper, I also pop dotted the penguins.

I shall add this to the "Anything Goes"  challenge at the Flickr Love handmade cards group and the Simon Says Instagram challenge.

Its been dreadful weather here lately and we are due another storm at the weekend so I think I will be busy creating as I have lots of birthdays coming up.
Hope the weather is better where you are

Hugs
Sally 

Birthday Boy!

I love this fun "Elephant of Surprise" stamp set from Heffy Doodle and I needed a boy card so knew it would be perfect. First I cut the Happy letter from some patterned paper I found in my stash using Altenew Dies.  Then I stamped and die cut the elephants and balloons colouring in with Zigs to match the colours in the paper. It was such an easy card to put together too.

I am adding this to the current Wednesday  challenge at Simon Says Stamp "Animal Antics".

Have a great weekend.

Hugs
Sally

Watercolour flowers.

Love this "Even More Spring Flowers" stamp set from Simon Says and decided to ink it up and watercolour using my Zig Brush Markers.  I don't usually go for purples and blues but wanted to try something different.   I have fussy cut all the flower elements for this card then adhered and splashed with some white gouache.  The sentiment is cut using Altenew's alphabet dies. Love these colours so I am sure I will be using them again soon.

I am adding this card to three challenges, The Simon Says Flickr Groups "Friendship" challenge,  Simon Says Wednesday Challenge "Anything Goes" and the Flower Challenge also "Anything Goes".

Have a great week
Hugs
Sally

New Stamps!!

Last weekend I went to an amazing Craft Show in Farnborough called "Make It" there was lots of fabulous crafts to see plus some great stalls for buying, needless to say I came away with lots of crafty goodies.  The Heffy Doodle stand was amazing and I was tempted by so many things, and came away with this lovely "Elephant of Surprise" stamps with dies and also this gorgeous "Wanna Build a Snowman " set.

I couldn't wait to ink them up and made this Baby girl card using Altenew's Bold Alphabet dies and some patterned paper.  Really love the elephants, I am sure this set will be well used.

Adding this card to the Simon Says Wednesday Challenge "Anything Goes"

Hugs
Sally

Card and matching envelope!

I wanted to take part in the Simon Says Wednesday Challenge "Card with Matching Envelope" .  I decided to ink up my Altenew Painted Flowers, I stamped and embossed in gold both on some card and the envelope.  I then coloured the flowers and fussy cut. Next added them to a card base made up of Green patterned paper and white cardstock.  Added the SSS Happy Birthday Die cut and some sequins.  For the envelope I lightly sponged  the flowers with Distress inks.

Can't wait for the weather to warm up and have some pretty colour in my garden !!

Have a great week.
Hugs
Sally

Place Setting Gift Boxes!

Just had a fantastic fun  weekend with three of my friends visiting from Surrey, we did lots of crafting and lots of sightseeing too.  Love catching up with them.  I decided I wanted to make a little table setting gift for them and made these gift boxes to hold a small hand cream tube.  Now they have visited I can share them with you.

I used a pattern I found on Pinterest for the box bases, then I stamped and embossed in gold the "Beautiful Day" set from Altenew. For each box I cut two flowers , layering up the centre piece to create lots of dimension. I then added the lattice die cut with the flowers and lots of pearls.

  

As you can see the hand cream fits in a treat.

I have made these before with a Christmas theme, they are also perfect fit for a Nail Varnish, see here and here.

I am adding these to the current Wednesday Challenge at Simon Says Stamp "Anything but a card"

Looking forward to the weekend now and my son is visiting, he has just been to the Los Angeles  to be a Groomsman at a friends wedding and while he was there he managed to get me some stamping goodies. So excited!!

Hugs
Sally

Happy Birthday!

Had another chance to play this weekend as the weather here is terrible, gale force winds and heavy rain.  Autumn is here with a vengeance!!

Made another card for the "Totally Resistible" challenge at the SSS Flickr Group.  This time I stamped and embossed the "Cosmos" flower background in white onto water colour paper.  Then I had fun colouring with my Zig Markers and lots of water.  Love my Zig Markers the colours are so vibrant and cheerful especially on a dark, wet and windy day. Die cut the Happy letters with the Altenew alphabet dies and added the Birthday die cut using a Simon Says die.
Also adding this to the Simon Says Wednesday Challenge "Bling it on" as I have added sequins for added sparkle.

I am hoping the weather cheers up next week as we have a garden landscaping project on and I want to get cracking with it before it really gets cold and wintery.

Hope you are enjoying your weekend.
Hugs
Sally

Shaker Fun!

I do love a shaker card and this one was fun to make.  I recently won the Simon Says  "Shaker Present" die in a giveaway and wanted to use it to make a birthday card.  I stamped and embossed in silver some SSS "Artful Flowers" and fussy cut them Added some leaves from Altenew's Beautiful Day set and layered them up at the top of the present.  Added lots of pretty sequins and the die cut sentiment.  Easy to make but very pretty and sparkly, I do love a bit of sparkle lol!

Adding this to the current Simon Says Flickr group challenge "Birthday Bash".

Have a great week.

Hugs
Sally

Weddings!!

My daughter asked me to make a wedding card for her friend who got married yesterday, she wanted it pink and white so I decided to use the Beautiful Day stamp set from Altenew.  I stamped and embossed with Gold embossing powder then added highlights with Zig markers.  Then I fussy cut and layered up on the card.  The sentiment is computer generated and I then added pearls for added shimmer. I shall add this card to the "Anything Goes" challenge at the Simon Says Wednesday challenge blog.

Luckily the weather stayed good for the wedding as after the drought we have had some really heavy rain with high winds.  Hopefully its going to improve next week.

Have a great week

Hugs
Sally

Summer!

I was lucky enough to win a bunch of stamps and dies from Debby's De Stash giveaway and this "lemonade" stamp set from Simon Says was part of the goodies.  I was waiting for the right opportunity to ink it up and the current "Summertime Fun "Flickr Challenge at Simon Says was the perfect challenge!!  Used Mustard Seed yellow distress ink for my lemons and the Wonky Rectangle die is also Simon Says.

With all the sport on I have found myself in the craft room quite a bit and have made this card for the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge (Red, White and/or Blue)  The stamp is "Beautiful Day by Altenew and I watercoloured with Zig Brush markers. just added the sentiment and all done.


Hope you are enjoying your weekend

Hugs
Sally

One image Two Cards!

I have been trying to take part in Kathy Rac's 30 Day Colouring Challenge unfortunately I have missed a few days but did get time today for Day 23 and also managed to make two cards with the coloured image Yeah!!

I used the Simon Says Cosmos flower background and stamped with Distress inks, then I dragged the colour with water and also added colour with my Zig Brush Markers.  Love the pretty pink, can't seem to get away from pink always my favourite!!  I then used the Altenew Alphabet dies to cut the YOU and layered it up on white three times. Just added the sentiment and Voila!!

 
A close up of the raised letters!

With the bits that were left from the background I cut squares with the Simon Says Stitched Square Dies and made this quick Grid Card.  The sentiment is also from Simon Says!

 I shall add these cards to both the Simon Says Wednesday Challenge "Bright and Cheerful;"

and also the Simon Says Flickr Group challenge "Anything Goes".  Its the 100th challenge over at the Flickr group and there are two great prizes, why not join in !

Hope you are enjoying your weekend, we are having some amazing weather at the moment so I am off to sit in the garden and do some more colouring!

Hugs
Sally

New Toys !!!

I was lucky enough to get some new crafty goodies for Christmas and at last I have had chance to have a play with them.  Its not the best photo as we are experiencing lots of rain and dull days here. 

I had these Bold Alphabet dies from Altenew and the Wonky Rectangles from Simon Says so have used them both on this card.  First I cut out three sets of letters and then stamped with the "Country Blooms " set from Honey Bees Stamps.  I coloured with Zig Markers and layered up the letters.  The base card is cut with the Wonky Rectangle die.  Just added some sequins and the stamped "you" sentiment.

I shall add this card to the "Anything Goes" challenge at Simon Says and also the Simon Says "Flickr Group " Challenge#87 "Something New".

Wishing all my followers a very Happy, Healthy and Crafty New Year !!

Hugs
Sally

A change from Christmas Cards!!

I really liked how the Christmas Card in my last post turned out so decided to use the same basic design for a small Birthday Card.  Again using the Simon Says "Stitched Square" dies to create the layers in my card, just added some ink splatters and Altenew flowers coloured with Zig Markers.  Also added some wire and a sentiment from Hero Arts. 

I shall add this card to the current Wednesday challenge at Simon Says "Stitch it".

Hugs
Sally

Flower Challenge Take 2!!!

I found some time to have a second attempt at the Flower Challenge "Use your Favourite Flowers"  so pleased I have found this challenge, I love using flowers on my cards.  Check the challenge out there are lots of prizes ( if I were lucky enough to win The Concord and 9th stamps from Severn Hills would be my choice).

As I said in my last post I have lots of favourite flower stamps and this is another one from Altenew called Painted Flowers.  The writing stamp is an oldie from Hero Arts and the background leaves are from Altenew's Beautiful Blooms set.  Just coloured with Zig markers and added a few sequins for sparkle.

I shall also add this to the current Wednesday Challenge at Simon Says "Thinking of you".

Have a good weekend
Hugs
Sally

New Challenge for me!!

I have found a new challenge blog and its one I am sure to visit again as its called "The Flower Challenge" and as you know I love making cards with flowers.

This is challenge 13 , how did I miss it before !!!!

The theme is use you favourite flower and this Altenew "Beautiful Bloom" is a definite favourite although I do have a few flower stamps in my stash that I love to use. I have stamped and embossed the flower twice in White then have fussy cut and layered up.  The striped background is an old stamp from Hero Arts and the Scalloped die is Simon Says.
There are lots of great prizes ( I would love to with the Concord and 9th stamp from Severn Hills Crafts)  have a go there is still time to enter.

I am also adding this to the Simon Says World Cardmaking Day challenge.

Its a rainy day here so hopefully I can ink up my stamps again!!

Hugs
Sally

Stretching my stamps!!

I am always looking for ways to stretch my stamps and after planting up my winter tubs with Cyclamens I was inspired to make a Christmas card with the "Spring Flower" set from Simon Says Stamp.

I Gold embossed the blooms from the set and coloured with Zig Markers then I added some leaves from the Altenew "Simple Flowers" set.  The Square dies making up the frame are also from Simon Says and the sentiment is Hero Arts.  So I used three different stamp sets to make up the design and I am really please with the result!

I shall add this card to both the Simon Says Wednesday challenge which this week is "Pop it Up" and also the Simon Says Flickr Group challenge #80  which is "Emboss like a Boss" and the Naughty or Nice Challenge for the month "Frame it".



Hugs
Sally

Get Well cards

I have been really busy over the past few days and have found no time to craft, but I was eager to take part in the challenge at the Simon Says Flickr group with the theme this time of "Dots or Stripes".  Yesterday I at last found some time and made these two cards.  I had run out of get well cards, my 98 year old Aunt is in hospital and as we live so far away I like to send her a card every week to let her know I am thinking of her.

This first card is using the Simon Says Square Stitched Dies, the Striped stamp is "Canvas Stripes " from Hero Arts  and the flower is from Honey Bee stamps. I have coloured the flower with Zig Markers and then fussy cut.

The second card also uses the "Square Stitched" dies from Simon Says and also their "Stitched Scalloped" die.  The flowers are Altenew's "Painted Flower" stamp fussy cut and layered on Pop Dots.  Need to get this one in the post today.

Have a great week

Hugs
Sally

Very productive weekend!!

I want to improve my water colouring and found time this weekend to sit in my craft room and practice,  I was inspired by this card and decided to have a go.  I think I need alot more practice yet!!

The stamp set is from Altenew called "Beautiful Day" and I used distress inks as watercolour paints.
The sentiment is by Simon Says.

Next I made a pink version again the sentiment is from Simon Says.  I always struggle when adding a sentiment to a card and I am not really happy with this. So with the next card I am leaving it blank and just adding my sentiment on the inside.

For this card I used an old Hero Arts stamp called "Canvas Stripes" for the base,  the scalloped die is from Simon Says.  This time I stamped and embossed in white two flowers and then fussy cut so I could layer up the flower for more dimension.

I am entering all three cards into the current "Splatter it" challenge over at the Simon Says Wednesday blog and also the Simon Says Flickr Group Challenge #77.

Its set to rain again here so I am off to do some more practicing!

Hugs
Sally

Lots of Splatters!

I am keen to improve my watercolouring so decided to ink up this lovely Painted Poppy stamp from Altenew.  I used Distress ink and then smooshed with water, I also added some blue and then splattered ink onto the page.  The sentiment is from Simon Says.

I am adding this to this weeks  Wednesday challenge at Simon Says "Splatter It"

The weather has improved a lot here today, no rain and the sun is out, time for a spot of gardening.  Enjoy your week.

Hugs
Sally

Painted Flowers.

The weather here has been awful today, heavy rain all day and its cold for the time of year.  Its a perfect day to get in my craft room and have a play, this is the card I have just finished.  I have used watercolour paper and the Painted Flower stamps from Altenew.  I have stamped with Distress inks and then using water and a brush just smooshed the colours around. The sentiment is from Die-Namics.

Had fun with this one, I do like playing with watercolours!

I am adding this to the August challenge at Die Cut Divas "Anything Goes" .

Hugs
Sally