Hello

I mentioned I bought some crafty goodies from Debbie Simpson recently. Well I have been having a play with some of them. I bought 3 Penny Black hedgies from her for the bargain price of £3.50 for the 3.  I have several of these stamps but couldn't resist buying some more as they are so cute.

This one is called Love conquers which is a strange title I think.  I coloured it with Copics and wanted to create a garden/woodland feel.  The papers are First Edition Gardenia.  I used a toadstool die and coloured the tops with Copics adding dots with a white gel pen.  The dragonfly is an old Memory Box one and I used a butterfly punch.  The sentiment is Little Claire and I thought it suited the image so well.

Up early this morning to clear out the bedroom as we are having a new carpet fitted.  We recently had it decorated so the carpet is the finishing touch.

 

Back to the tropics

This is the second Finding Paradise card I made last week. The papers and image are from this collection and the doily, sentiment and bunting are from the Make a Wish collection. I also added some diecut leaves.

The powerboat racing season is off to a late start this season so Graham will be off to volunteer after an early lunch so I will have all afternoon and evening to myself. Hoping to get lots of cards made.

 

Christmas in silver and pink

I have several coloured toppers from The Hobby House and am trying to use some of them. This gorgeous girl just needed some added sparkle with Stickles and a sparkle pen on her wings. The papers and sentiment are Kaisercraft silver bells.  I added some silver poinsettias from Hobbycraft, vellum flowers and some glittery white berries and white ribbon.

The Christmas card pile is still very small so need to crack on with making lots more.

 

Feeling tropical

Well the weather has certainly been hot since Saturday. Neither of use like the heat and Sunday was really far too hot for us. Thankfully our house is nice and cool when we have lots of windows and doors open.

I love the Finding Paradise collection from Craft Label and just had to make a couple more cards with it. The papers, image, leaves and sentiment are all from this range. I used Dovecraft grosgrain ribbon and paper roses from the Make a Wish goody bag which is incredible value.  Craft Label also have some paper pads at really low prices along with card blanks and some other goodies so I treated myself last week.

I also bought some things from Debbie Simpson who some of you will know. Debbie has done some magazine work and demonstrated on TV for The Hobby House. She has given up crafting and is selling all her stash so I have some lovely new stamps, dies and papers to use.

Snow couple

I love this image from LOTV and spent ages colouring it with Copics. I added some snow with a white gel pen and used Stickles on the fur. The papers are North Star from First Edition.  I used stitched square die from The Works, hearts from Hobbycraft and added some ribbon and pearls.

Graham is looking forward to the powerboat racing starting next Thursday. This afternoon he is off to do some more work on the rescue boats and then they have wet training. This is where the divers are pushed into the water and have to pretend they are in difficulties.  The rescue boats then have to go out and recover them.

You may have seen a post a couple of weeks ago where I said he was meant to be doing some work on the boats but the tubes hadn't arrived. Well I asked him what the tubes were for and they are to put in the buoys which they have to get ready to mark out the course.

So I have the afternoon and evening to myself. Some of that will obviously be spent in the craftroom.

 

Jug of flowers

I stitched this a while ago and had forgotten I had done it. I had a pile of images to make into cards and then decided the pile was too big so I filed them back and this was amongst them. I used a little kit from Hobbycraft but didn't like the flowers in the pattern so made up my own. 

I made a double frame using stitched rectangle dies from Lawn Fawn. The paper is Maja Denim and girls, the sentiment is LOTV.

A crafting funny happened yesterday at line dancing. My left foot felt uncomfortable so after a couple of dances I took off my shoe and found a pearl stuck to my sock rubbing against my shoe! I wondered where it had gone that morning.  Off to see my Mum this morning and then we will be going out for lunch.

 

Sparkly snowman

I had a lovely time the other day colouring up some Christmas images and then didn't get in the craft room until yesterday. I am about a third of the way with a lovely LOTV cross stitch though. I have also been reading more lately and the garden has needed a lot of attention. It is looking really good now so just needs to be kept tidy. It had got overgrown in places and had loads of weeds and with being away for two weeks it took more time than usual to get it back in shape.

I used a Little Claire image and sentiment coloured with Copics. I miss them and wonder why they suddenly decided to close with no warning. However I have several of their stamps to use. I used my fave Go Kreate frilly 10 large die for the card shape. The paper is First Edition Merry little Christmas and is a really rich dark purple. I used Dovecraft adhesive glitter card and some dies for the snowflakes.  I used a clear sparkle pen on the baubles and Stickles on the fur.

Time for some plaques

These little heart plaques are a good seller of mine and as some sold in Prima Rosa last month I made some more. Once the paper is well stuck I cut it a little larger than the hearts and then sand off the excess. This gives a cleaner edge and helps the paper to adhere well.

I used Inkylicious stamps and various flowers and butterflies plus a rainbow charm.

This could be Graham

A very appropriate image for Graham which I may well use for his Birthday one year. He loves a clean car and even took some car cleaning materials on holiday so he could keep it clean. He didn't give it a full wash while we were away just anything that got dirty.

I have used the coloured simply print from Lili of the Valley but it is also available as a digi to colour and a polymer stamp.  I have used digi papers and typewriter sentiment also from LOTV. All I added were the metal cog and steering wheel and some enamel dots.

I used a Lawn Fawn stitched large circle die and a Fiskars tag punch.

 

Flat or decoupage?

More from the old Dovecraft paper and decoupage pack.  I decided to make similar cards but leaving one with just the base topper as some people like to send flat cards because of the postage.  I prefer the decoupage card as it has more punch to it. 

I used Dovecraft self adhesive glitter card with various snowflake dies and punches. I love that the glitter card works well with both as some glitter card won't work with punches.  The ribbon is from Crafty Ribbons.

 

Noel

Yes, another Christmas card, this time using a coloured simply print from Lili of the Valley.  The papers are First Edition Winter Blooms.  The flowers are from Hobbycraft. I found some self adhesive snowflake trim in my Christmas stash and used various holly and ivy punches.

Line dancing class today. It has been so nice getting back to that each week. Not only is it good exercise for the body and mind but they are a lovely group and we always have a laugh.

 

Decoupage!

I had a lovely day yesterday, made 5 cards, finished a jigsaw we started on Saturday and read my book. Graham also had a great time on the water.

I said I was going to get more Christmas cards made and of the 5 cards I made, 4 of them are Christmas cards. I found an old Dovecraft paper and decoupage pack. I was sent it to use for a magazine commission and the rest of the pack has been sitting unused for a few years. So I thought why not use it. The papers are lovely and the images are sweet and they will make a useful addition to my cards for sale.  Talking of which I have booked my first craft fair for the year next month. I also have one booked in November and hope to book a few more for Christmas.

I used Dovecraft adhesive glitter card with some Joy tree dies and a sentiment from LOTV.  I use Crafter's Companion Collal glue for decoupaging as it allows me to round the layers better than using foam pads.

I have posts scheduled for every day until Friday so far so pop back tomorrow and if you would like to leave a comment it would be very much appreciated.

 

Sweet gift bag

This is the second gift bag I made, this time using Craft Label's Oh so sweet and make a wish collections. I used a Spellbinders tag and a Joy doily die.  The oh so sweet papers are great for decoupaging. 

Not sure what our plans are for today but tomorrow Graham is off to Stewartby near Bedford so an early start for him and home about 7pm. It is his first chance for driving a rescue boat for the powerboat racing since 2019 as there wasn't any allowed last year and this is the first race of the season. He normally goes there a couple of times a year. He is looking forward to it after such a long break and the local racing won't start until restrictions are lifted.  This is a local council decision.

So I will have plenty of time for crafting tomorrow and plan on making some Christmas cards and maybe some scrapbooking. Enjoy your weekend x

 

Flamingo gift bag

So yesterday's plans changed and Graham didn't go to so some work on the rescue boats as the tubes hadn't been delivered! (Yes I have no idea what that means either.) I did manage to spend some time in the craft room however after getting the ironing done and finishing a very good book.

As a couple of my gift bags sold in Prima Rosa, along with some other items I made a couple more to take in there. I used Craft Label's Finding Paradise collection along with some flowers and leaves from Hobbycraft. I used an old Spellbinders die for the tag.

That's one way to water

I made this card for a friend who has had a heart attack. It was such a shock as she isn't overweight, doesn't smoke or drink a lot and is very active, always out gardening and tending to her goats, chicken and hedgies. It just shows you never know who will be affected by something.

As she is mad about hedgies I had to use a Penny Black hedgie stamp. I coloured it with Copics using a MFT mini cloud stencil and stitched cloud die. I also used a sentiment die.

Where did that last 6 months go? Graham is out for the day tomorrow getting the rescue boats ready for the powerboat racing. They were all so disappointed they couldn't start on 21 June so fingers crossed they can go ahead later this month. I am planning a me day so lots of that will be spent crafting. I really must get on with lots more Christmas cards. I keep saying it but it hasn't happened yet so watch this space. 

Sneak peek tiger

I finally managed to get into the craft room and make two cards yesterday afternoon. It must be about four weeks since I made a card, one of the longest times I have gone without cardmaking. It felt so good to get out my Copics again. I also used glitter pens on the hundreds and thousands and stars.

Lili of the Valley have a new launch of cute cupcake images coming soon. There is also a set of papers, splashes, sentiments and gold circles etc. I used one of the papers, gold circles, sentiment and cupcake tiger as one layer, just adding some gold glitter enamel dots.

As an experiment these images will be released as an A5 polymer stamp set along with a set of the newest vintage boys. Although digi stamps are very popular some people don't have printers or just prefer to stamp an image so whatever your preference you can get these images.

Really pleased with the bedroom, all we need now is a new carpet so off to have a look at some this morning. Have a good weekend.

Running by

Well I have been home from holiday a week and it has been all go. This is the first time I have been in the craft room and that is to blog this card which I made before I went away. I have some lovely new images from LOTV and am printing a couple out and hope to get one made maybe later today. on the image. Not only did she do that but she removed the football and logo on the shirt and added the logos to his shorts and trainers. I coloured him with Copics, I remembered I had a die of a pair of trainers so that was a perfect embellishment.

I was asked for a card for a young man who likes running. I didn't have a suitable image but I had a footballer from Pink Gem. So as I was previously on the Pink Gem DT and Janet Roberts is so helpful I asked if she would mind changing the football boots for trainers

The garden went mad whilst we were away. There was hardly a flower and we came back to a riot of colour and of course lots of weeds. We have done the front garden and hubby is cutting the grass so the next job is to start tackling the back garden.

We had a decorator in Monday and Tuesday to paint the ceiling and walls in our bedroom. Graham has already done all the paintwork. So everything had to be moved out and back in again. I decided the curtains didn't go with the new wall colour so off to Dunelm yesterday for new ones plus a bedside lamp and lampshade. We bought a couple of lovely pictures from a photographers on holiday so they have to be put and others moved.

Good job we are feeling refreshed from our holiday as it has been full on since then. Hoping to have another card to share soon. Right now must get on with the garden.

Another cross stitch card

Another cross stitched card for another friend's Birthday. This friend does some cross stitching so I thought she would appreciate this. You may have seen this pattern before as I used it for my Mum's Mother's Day card. When I made that one I used the colours in the kit, red and blue, which came from Hobbycraft.

I kept the pattern from the kit and as my friend's favourite colour is purple I went with this colour combo which I love. The paper is MFT and I made a frame using MFT stitched dies.  I used a Joy butterfly banner die and a Hobbycraft butterfly punch.  The flowers are from Wild Orchid.

 

Happy Bee-Day

I made this card for a friend who likes to display some of my cards on a shelf unit in her kitchen so I didn't add a sentiment as I preferred it without. It would make a lovely framed picture too.

I bought the cross stitch kit from Hobbycraft during the last lockdown. I must say apart from the bee which was a bit tricky the hive was actually rather boring to sew but I am pleased with the finished stitching.

The paper and frame are from the Nitwits Bee-lightful digi collection. I simply added some paper flowers to finish.

A few holiday photos

 We had such a lovely fortnight’s holiday, arriving home yesterday. We took lots of photos and video which we have yet to look at. We also took a lot of photos on our phones so I will share a few of them on here. We visited several new places and stayed well away from the G7 in Carbis Bay and St Ives. Everywhere felt very safe and we were mostly outside during the day. We stayed in the same cottage we have been to for the last three years. It is so large and comfortable and apart from eating out three nights we spent the evenings in the cottage.

West Pentire

Pinetum Gardens

Newlyn

Siblyback Lake

St Michael’s Mount where my first thought was “Have I really got to climb up there!”

And I did.

Newquay

Crantock beach

Falmouth

Lost Gardens of Heligan

Shall we dance on our way home

How cute is this new image from Lili of the Valley. I used the coloured simply print and actually made two cards almost identical. One was for an order and this one was for some friends.  The paper is Joy with love.  I went for a distressed look, adding some cheesecloth, roses from Wild Orchid and some waste hearts left from the sweetheart flowers I die cut a while ago.  The sentiment is LOTV.

We are on our way home today from a fortnight's holiday.  We stayed overnight the first night and last night at Premier Inns and spent 12 days in the lovely cottage we have been to for the last three years. we were so lucky to be able to enjoy a lovely holiday for our Golden Wedding.  I managed to schedule lots of posts whilst we were away. 

We should be home around lunchtime and then will be unpacking and shopping.  As the cottage has a washing machine there won't be too much washing to do at home.

Movie time

You may have seen the movie card I made for my hubby for his Birthday in March. I love this digi kit from Nitwits and wanted to use it again. The backing paper is lovely with all the right hand corner elements included on it. I added some more elements to the paper and then printed some separately to fussy cut. I raised some on foam pads and added some enamel dots.

I have bought a few of these digi kits and really enjoy using them for a change.

 

Another tiger

My friend who orders a lot from me asked me make her a tiger card for Father's Day. Although her Dad has passed away she likes to have a card to remind her of him on Father's day.  The papers and topper are from the First Edition finding paradise range. After I made it I thought the papers look a bit too busy together but she loved it.

I added some wooden hearts, used a Joy die for the leaf and added some burlap flowers.  I don't like using flowers on men's cards usually although many men are gardeners. I thought these ones didn't make the card look too girly.

 

Cycling

I was asked to make a cycling card and didn't have anything suitable. Off I went to have a look in the Lili of the Valley shop and found this coloured vintage sports cyclist image. I was so pleased when I received my First Edition Bon Voyage papers to find a cycling patter. All the papers are from this new pad which has lots of simple designs plus some travel themed papers. I remembered i had a Die-Versions corner sentiment die which I have hardly used. I don't know why as it is really effective. Note to self, use sentiment dies more often.

 

Butterfly sympathy card

You may remember the lilac heart I stitched recently, well this is the sympathy card I made for my friend to send to the family. She asked for it to be purple, say thinking of you and to have butterflies on it.  I used Dovecraft's Butterfly Kisses paper, wooden butterflies and ribbon.  The foil paper hasn't photographed well. I found the sentiment in my stash which was a lucky find.

 

Commissioned plaque

The lady who orders several things from me asked me to make her a heart plaque with this sentiment. I used the Nitwits bee-lightful digi kit for the paper and sentiment section. I then layered up some flowers, added some enamel hearts and wooden stars I bought a couple of years ago from Hobbycraft.

 

Our Golden Wedding

I can't believe that today we have been married for 50 years! We just don't feel old enough 😊.  I didn't want to make a traditional card for Graham and as music has been such an important part of our lives, and still is.  When we met at a party he was in charge of playing the records on his record player. I was 15 and he was 19 and we were both too shy to talk to each other that night. We soon got together though and the rest is history.

I bought this Nitwits digi kit called Peachy Keen with this card in mind. It hasn't photographed terribly well unfortunately.

I created the arrangement in the corner on the backing paper and then printed all the elements onto card. I decoupaged each of the corner elements and added contrasting card to the lozenge shapes. I typed the sentiment onto one and 2 song titles onto the others. The paint chip already had the sentiment on it and couldn't be better. All I added were the punched musical notes.

We have a meal booked this evening so we will be celebrating 50 happy years together.

 

Lost in a book

I got this free pattern from an email subscription and thought it was perfect as a thank you gift for someone who loves books as much as I do. It hasn't photographed particularly well unfortunately. I backed it with felt after adding the ribbon and then blanket stitched the edges.

You can find the pattern at Tangled Threads.

Cheers

Another commissioned card, this time using James Cheers from Lili of the Valley. I coloured him with Copics and used some more of the old K&Co Hopscotch papers.  I used a Lawn Fawn pierced rectangle, double rectangle die and cut out some photo corners.

 

Let sleeping dragons lie

Yet another card for the order. I was asked to make a card for someone who likes tropical fish and dragons. I don't have any fish images but luckily I had this Hobby House coloured topper.  I used MFT paper and a doily.  I added some pearl dots using coral Dovecraft 3d pearl effects and some flowers from Hobbycraft.  The sentiment is from the teenage girl LOTV set.

It's a bank holiday in the UK not that it means much when you are retired, just to avoid the coast where lots of families will no doubt be enjoying a day out especially if the weather is nice. A day at home planned for us.