Shiny baubles

 It’s July already, so it’s Christmas!

I am soooooooo behind with my Xmas cards, but here’s one using one of the Hobby Art stamps.

Foliage and sentiment are old SU sets.

I used holographic card for the base, and really really old LuminArte paints!

Have you got any?!

It’s not my favourite look, but it sure is shiny!

I was struck by the shiny baubles in the latest Peace on Earth challenge #115

Have a good day!

Thanks for taking the time to visit, and I really appreciate your comments

Take care and see you soon

Lesley

xxx

Pink Rose for a special day

 Here’s another card using the Charming Day SU bundle,

this time using just the single rose die.

I used an old blank card from SU, and a lovely whimsical stitched background die from Gummiapan.

Enjoy your day

Thanks for taking the time to visit, and I really appreciate your comments

Take care and see you soon

Lesley

xxx

Charming Day trio of Roses

 Hello, today I’m sharing a card inspired by Emma Goddard, Coastal Crafter.

I’ve used the Charming Day bundle from SU.

This card is a flat version of a fancy fold we did in one of her “card and a cuppa” sessions,

which are a constant inspiration and a small bit of “me time” each week.

This set has stamps, coordinating dies, and stand alone dies.

On a navy base card I embossed 4 strips of white card, spaced them evenly,

then added the delicately coloured roses.

Below is the stamp set, a card using the larger stamp, and another using just some of the other dies.

Another versatile set, which has already become a favourite.

I’m taking the first card to…

Allsorts Challenge #852 (blooms)

We Love Stamping (anything goes)

Enjoy your weekend

Thanks for taking the time to visit, and I really appreciate your comments

Take care and see you soon

Lesley

xxx

Relax at the Waterside

This card is made using the Paper Pumpkin set from SU, Lakeside Retreat as inspiration.

There is a number of groups you can join when you subscribe, that share alternative ways of using the kits.

I’ve used a 5” x 7” card blank, a misty moonlight layer, 

a scene from the Waterside Retreat SU papers, a plaid strip, and a few extras.

I fussy cut the fish from one of the papers, used an old SU oval die set for its frame.

Used the SU extra die for the hanging sign, stamped the sentiment.

I die cut some extra “grass” for the foreground, having stamped some grass and the birds.

The stamped elements are from the Paper Pumpkin set.

The Waterside Retreat papers have some lovely backgrounds, that coordinate with the kit.

I’m not sure I’ve entered this challenge before, but Shopping Our Stash #576 theme is Summertime.

We Love Stamping has “Sports and Hobbies”, or anything goes,

I’m hoping my fishing theme and stamped sentiment, birds, and grass fits.

Thanks for taking the time to visit, and I really appreciate your comments

Take care and see you soon

Lesley

xxx

Tag for a fisherman

 Hi there, today I’m sharing a tag I made using Waterside Retreat from SU.

There are some lovely papers you will be seeing more of,

from which I cut some fish, oars, floats and life jackets (or vests.)

I used the blue card behind just to show it off better, so I hope that doesn’t confuse you.

I didn’t have anything else suitable to hand for a contrasting background to photograph the tag.

The fishing net is a Gummiapan die I’ve had a while.

I used some old SU woodgrain paper for the background.

Some of the fish were cut from the edges of the paper, and were not quite whole,

so I tucked them under the other pieces. I do like to use every bit of the papers.

I stamped the text onto some old paper and cut them out.

SU are now selling their Paper Pumpkin kits worldwide,

which lots of us have been waiting for for years!

These are similar to other SU kits, in that there is usually a stamp set included.

However the PP kits have extras like coordinating dies.

There is a whole suite, including a stamp and die set Relaxing Waterside,

which I didn’t get, but I have found some old sets that gave me similar elements 

that I can use for future projects.

I can’t wait to share more, they are great for, but are certainly not limited to, masculine cards.

Tag-along and ATC’s  June Challenge asks us to add some text, which I’ve done, 

but there’s always an anything goes option.

 Thanks for taking the time to visit, and I really appreciate your comments

Take care and see you soon

Lesley

xxx

Friends are flowers…..

 Hello again, just a simple one today using SU You are Remarkable.

I love these sayings about friends and flowers.

The teeny bee is also delightful 😍

The sentiment die went a bit wrong, so I chopped the end off and hung it at the top.

It’s another one for the Allsorts Challenge #851

There’s always fabulous prizes on offer.

Also don’t forget the Snippets Playground challenge which has fabulous prizes too.

I already handed in my homework yesterday, 

so you’ll find me on the swings or in the treehouse, where the breakfast club will be in full swing!

Thanks for taking the time to visit, and I really appreciate your comments

Take care and see you soon

Lesley

xxx

Jar of Flowers Thanks

 I received a Sizzix set for my birthday and needed some thank you cards…

It’s called Jar of Flowers…

I inked the “water” while it was still in the die, then blended over the stalks after they were glued.

I’m taking this to the Allsorts challenge #851 (flowers, from the garden)

I received a handmade card from a Welsh relative (see below) that I tried to copy…

Mine are not as good, but they were quick and simple, and time was short.

(I think the solid leaf+stem is Uniko)

The Welsh card is at the bottom of the picture above.

I love the bright colours, and they were textured and raised on foam pads, with a doodled frame.

The next one was also simple. I cut a blue jar and added the jar grey “grooves” from the set.

I used lots and lots of snippets for stems and flowers, so I’m visiting the 

Snippets Playground

Some Snippets used…

Here is an earlier post in March using this set for the first time.

Have a good day

Thanks for taking the time to visit, and I really appreciate your comments

Take care and see you soon

Lesley

xxx

More flowers from Impressions Abloom…

 Hello again!

I’ve had lots of fun with SU Impressions Abloom, here I’ve used the stamp set, as well as the dies.

I used SU Eyelit Blooms die to produce the lovely background.

This was a special ‘product of the month’. Above it’s in white, below it’s Berry Burst.

I stamped the envelopes to match.

I used lots of snippets for all the cards for this set, die cutting is a chance to use up those scraps!

Here’s one that’s left…

So I’m off to the Snippets Playground #533 with the berry burst one above.

Allsorts are having a bumper birthday bash not to be missed.

I’ll also take it to MyNBUS #86 for the background die.

I’m taking the first one to Little Red Wagon #860, ‘make your own background’.

It’s mighty warm in the southeast of the UK, and our local water company is causing havoc.

Lots of people have had no water for days, despite us having a wet winter, 

and this being the first spell of hot 🥵 temperatures 🙄.

They’ve also been responsible for dumping too much waste into our streams, rivers and seas.

Unfortunately they are extremely slow at fixing the many leaks too!

I dread what’s going to happen in the summer ! 😳🤪

Happy Days!

Thanks for taking the time to visit, and I really appreciate your comments

Take care and see you soon

Lesley

xxx

Impressions Abloom

 Hi there, hope all is well with you….

Today I’m sharing another SU set Impressions Abloom.

The layout was inspired by Kim Fee, “simplyfairies.co.uk”

I’ve used an old SU paper for the colourway, and an SU embossing folder ‘mini corrugated’.

The flowers and leaves are die cut and blended with ink.

The sentiment is white heat embossed on black.

There’s a few challenges I’d like to enter….

Allsorts Challenge #850  , anything goes for their huge birthday celebration!

Creative inspirations, anything goes,

MyNBUS,  May #86, never before used this embossing folder.

I’ll be back tomorrow with a couple more …….

Thanks for taking the time to visit, and I really appreciate your comments

Take care and see you soon

Lesley

xxx

Lots of birthdays!

 Hi everyone!

There are lots of birthdays happening at the moment, including Bev at Uniko,

who designed this birthday scramble stamp which is so versatile.

Allsorts challenge blog is having a huge 17th birthday celebration,

where I’ll be entering this …..

I’m trying to use the lovely papers I have in my stash…you know, the ones that are too good to use!

All the papers are retired SU, always lovely quality.

I’m hoping you can see the gold veins….its lush and vibrant.

This one is slightly darker. I coloured them with SU blend pens in different greens.

Coordinating SU cardstock used for the card base.

This one is bright white and silver foil, (the camera does lie🙄),

Coloured with blue SU blends, placed on a turquoise card base.

Lastly a thick speciality SU cardstock with silver foiled stripes, which I used as the card base.

All the papers started out 12” x 12”

I stamped it with silver embossing powder, then layered onto a silver foil card snippet.

It was a fairly quick and simple card making session for upcoming male birthdays.

Do join in the celebrations at Allsorts Challenge #850,

where there’s an abundance of fabulous prizes!

Thanks for taking the time to visit, and I really appreciate your comments

Take care and see you soon

Lesley

xxx

Lights of Aurora

I made these a while ago, using Stampin’ Up! suite “Lights of Aurora”.

I expect some of you have seen this natural wonder, and I had often thought about making my own background using inks, as there’s tutorials online.

However, my time is always short, so was I glad when SU brought out this set of papers?!

There’s stamps and dies in the set too.

 A few scenes awaiting finishing touches…

Cased from Lynn Dunn, stamptastic designs

————

Cased from Emma Goddard, Coastal Crafter

————

Cased from Glenda Mollet

————-

I left them sentiment free, ready to personalise.

I then needed a card for a family member who lives near Snowdonia,

and I had some bits left over, so die cut a few more, to make this…

I was blog hopping when I saw AAA Colourful Colourboard #28,

so I decided to finish drafting this post to share.

Thanks for taking the time to visit, and I really appreciate your comments

Take care and see you soon

Lesley

xxx

Creatures great and small

 At the We Love Stamping May Challenge, the theme is “all creatures great and small”.

This led to me looking at my old stamp sets, and I found SU “Animal Outings” and “Love You Lots”.

First I made a simple card with Love You Lots…..

Seize the Birthday #326 also has an animal theme as a feature.

Then a couple of tags…. 

I’m taking this one to Stamping Sensations, “cute creatures” theme for May

The Rhino from Animal Outings is going with me to Tag-along and ATC’s, where the theme is pink….

I didn’t think a pink Rhino would be right 😂, so thank goodness for the “anything goes” category 😃

Here’s all three for today..

Thanks for taking the time to visit, and I really appreciate your comments

Take care and see you soon

Lesley

xxx

Background Blocks Birthday Scramble

 Hello there, today I’m sharing a couple of cards using a new to me stamp from Uniko,

Background Blocks Birthday Scramble.

It’s as fabulous as the Christmas one, easy to colour in, paper piece etc.

One of my friends avoids colouring in as she is never happy with the end result,

so these cards are an alternative way to add colour…

Onto the Birthday Scramble stamp, inked in black,

I stamped balloons in shades of greeny blue, (or bluey green 😃),

using Uniko Balloon Bash, layered onto lost lagoon cardstock (SU).

This one I’m taking to the All sorts challenge #849, monochrome or AG

I used Uniko stencil Abstract Triangles to colour this one, using SU inks in blue, green, orange, purple.

The piece of white card I used didn’t quite fit, 

so I added a couple of strips of blue and orange top and bottom.

I’m taking this to the Snippets Playground #532 

as the white topper was a big scrap, and the strips were skinny scraps!

I often forget to visit My NBUS, where we can share our new stash,

and both the scramble and balloon sets are new, never before used,

so I’m taking this to NBUS challenge #86

Here’s a pic of both….

Allsorts are having a birthday celebration soon….so do share the news..

Thanks for taking the time to visit, and I really appreciate your comments

Take care and see you soon

Lesley

xxx

Snow Hut and Winter Pup

 Hello again!

I think this is the last of my recent wooden stamped cards,

Snow Hut

for Penny Black Saturday challenge for May - favourite or AG

( I’m not sure I can pick a favourite PB stamp, I love them all!)

using another sketch from Jules Always with a heart,

although I did turn it to suit.

(Jules has not been posting recently as she’s been caring for her mother with little time to craft,

but I would like to wish her well, and to say we miss her)

This one is a Hero Arts

Winter Pup

I used more paper scraps (retired SU), and added strips of silver to cover the joins.

There’s still time to join the Snippets Playground Challenge, a great incentive to use up your scraps,

and there’s always a fabulous prize to be won. “You have to be in it to win it”!

I hope to see you back here soon

Thanks for taking the time to visit, and I really appreciate your comments

Take care and see you soon

Lesley

xxx

Up the wooden hill….

 ……That’s a very old saying, “up the wooden hill”, to bed, 

which sprang to mind when I made this wooden staircase.

Retired Stampin’ Up! Ready for Christmas set was used for these two cards…

I had a spare coastal cabana card base, hence the non traditional colour of this first one.

I love the plate of cookies left out for Santa 😍

for the Merry little Christmas challenge #68 AG

Allsorts Challenge #848 AG. …..a special surprise over there!

I found some snazzy wallpaper for the next one, using more traditional red and green. (Retired SU)

The dog’s outfit is pretty snazzy too…

No stockings tied on the garland this time, but gifts waiting instead,

Sparkles Christmas challenge #184 , gifts

Love to craft #92 AG

Craft challenge #779 Christmas 

I am so glad I managed to get this retired set as it’s so versatile,

and it’s a bit like playing with a doll’s house…..what’s not to love!

Thanks for taking the time to visit, and I really appreciate your comments

Take care and see you soon

Lesley

xxx