No snow here on the beach

 Today’s card was sparked by 52christmascardthrowdown’s challenge,

where they’ve asked for Christmas cards with no snow.❄️ 

I immediately thought of a beach scene, as I’ve been making beach cards recently.

This is what came to mind…a favourite Penny Black, Margaret Sherry wooden stamp “Chill Day”.

Luckily I had a scene prepared in my stash, so I stamped the image on it, then stamped it again on white card** so that I could colour it and fussy cut the main elements.

I also used SU Beach Day for the palm trees, seagulls and a few details stamped on the sand.

The sentiment was in my stash from when I occasionally do batch making,

which definitely saves time especially for Christmas cards.

Challenges :

52cct Christmas without snow

Snippets Playground #539 as I used white “snippets” **, and green and brown offcuts for palm trees

Peace on Earth #118  inspiration board

Pennybfriendssaturdaychallenge anything goes

Krafty Chicks challenge  #833 Christmas 

Jingle Belles rock Masculine merriment

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

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Take care and see you soon

Lesley

xxx

Have a paddle in the sea…

 As the sunshine continues, I escaped to my own imaginary beach,

using Rolling Waves, a clever set from SU.

This card was inspired by The Crafty Owl…..

I used two tone card for some of the layers, which are die cut.

I stamped on the darker blue and “sand” to add texture and interest, and stamped the sentiment.

Shells and umbrellas die cut also. All using the Rolling Waves set.

Taking this to….

Just Us Girls #836 (water)

We Love Stamping (summer but no blooms, so Anything goes) 

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

(Comments are moderated to avoid spam)

Take care and see you soon

Lesley

xxx

Wonders Poinsettia Pines

Back so soon? I hear you ask….

I’m trying to catch up with the list of challenges I wanted to join in, so that I increase my card stash.

 I used lots of my old SU stash for this one…..

Poinsettia Petals, Christmas Pines stamp sets,  North Pole Wonders dies, Boughs of Wonder DSP.

DSP background, die cut a contrasting stitched rectangle, added stamped, die cut, coloured with blends poinsettia, and die cut stag from brown card.

Stamped and die cut sentiment and added a few gold “berries” for a bit of bling

Excuse my black blobs on the photo….gremlins when I was editing 🙄

Challenges:

Just add ink #791 -Christmas 

Merry Little Christmas #69 -AG

52 Christmas card Throwdown - red, green, brown

Slightly different background paper, Stag cut from gold card, and sentiment heat embossed in gold.

I should have used the same gold pearls instead of the liquid gold that turned into a blob.

I blame the heat 😂, but I’ll probably rectify it before I send it to a friend 😉

Challenges:

Jingle Belles -tic tac toe (die cut, red & green, heat embossing)

Christmas kickstart challenge #113- friendship

Huge thanks to those who run the challenges…it keeps us on our toes and provides our inspiration 🙏

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

Take care and see you soon

Lesley

xxx

With love Cone flowers

Yesterday’s village garden safari went well, a good turn out,

 and the gardens looked great considering the lack of rainfall.

It was too hot for me but I took my rechargeable fan which helped,

 and tried to stay in as much shade as possible.

We were all sensible and took water with us.

 Today I’m sharing another card made with the Spellbinders Wild Cone Flowers.

This time I chose a deep pink cardstock, (summer colour) with dark brown cones and dark green stalks.

Looks like I forgot the leaves, or maybe it was artistic license 😂

I then stencilled grass and sky (might be Gummiapan 🤷‍♀️),

Found an old pre cut sentiment which fits the word theme, and added some gems.

Challenges:

Allsorts Challenge #855 “colours of summer”

Shoppingourstash #579 “what’s the good word”

Just Us Girls #835 “dies”

Cut it up #362 “add a sentiment”

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

Take care and see you soon

Lesley

xxx

Santa’s Sleigh

 Today I’m sharing a Christmas card made with another very old SU set 

North Pole Wonder, Wonder and Wishes.

I’d seen the CAS Christmas challenge which sparked the idea.

The deer and sleigh are not designed to connect, but I wanted to find a way, so,

I stamped one deer, stamped and die cut another, and two sleighs.

I fiddled with alignment before positioning the first sleigh and second deer.

I then fussy cut the sleigh’s side panel and used an old gold WOS pen to colour it.

That pen was also old, and dry, (like me 😂) so I went over it with a clear pen.

I then used my Stamparatus to place the sentiment, which also grounds them.

It’s not perfect but hopefully it meets the challenge!

We’re going on a small “garden safari” today in our village, wearing hats and sun cream.

It’s for charity and will be nice to support the local hospice, and the garden owners,

who must be struggling to keep them looking good in this extreme heat wave.

Please can we have some ☔️ rain!

Challenges:

CAS Christmas challenge - Santa’s sleigh

Sparkles Christmas challenge #187 - CAS

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

Take care and see you soon

Lesley

xxx

#Elfie tag-along

 Hi there, I’m still doing Christmas in between life, and here’s a cute tag using a very old

SU set called #Elfie

I found the tag in my unused box, it is also an old SU item, no idea of name unfortunately.

So I coloured and fussy cut him, simple but it will be useful.

I’m taking this to the following challenges 

Tag-along and ATCs August -“fashion” or AG in my case

Peace on Earth - AG #117

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

Take care and see you soon

Lesley

xxx

Summer flowers flutter by

 I can’t believe we’re in August, and I’m exhausted with this heat,

my garden is exhausted, and so too I think, is all of nature.

However, there’s lots of suffering around the world, so I’m very lucky really.

  Allsorts inspired me with their summer colours challenge, to break out a new to me 

Spellbinders set, Wild Cone Flowers, with which I die cut lots of snippets in yellow, orange and green.

I’m taking artistic license with the colours 😃

I also used a new to me set from Uniko, English Country Garden Butterfly, 

which I coloured and fussy cut.

I didn’t realise the phrase was wonky, until I looked at the photo 🙄

I used SU coverplate Stitched Greenery for the Lemon Lolly background,

and made a frame with their Arched dies in Calypso Coral.

I’m not totally happy with the overall look, but I’ve got lots of die cuts left to play with,

maybe when it’s cooler, as I find it hard to concentrate in these high temperatures.

Snippets Playground #538 - snippets used for flowers, leaves and butterfly.

Allsorts challenge #855 -colours of summer

AAA Birthday #88 -Flowers

 Triple B august challenge - blooms, butterfly

MyNBUS #89 -never before used Spellbinders and Uniko sets

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

Take care and see you soon

Lesley

xxx

Christmas presents and stockings

 Hello, hope you’re all keeping safe and well….

I’m desperately trying to get ahead with cards, but I’m not finding it easy in this heat,

which is soooooo frustrating.

Anyway I managed two small square cards using some old wooden stamps from Paper Nation,

which I then coloured and fussy cut (the girl and boy).

I used SU retired Ready for Christmas for the backgrounds.

There’s a few challenges I want to enter before the deadline, so…..

Peace on Earth #116 

Little Red Wagon #869 (one thing)

Merry Little Christmas #69

Christmas Kickstart #112 (presents)

Addicted to stamps #522 (Christmas)

Inkspirational #372

Stay safe, keep cool (or warm), and see you soon!

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

Take care and see you soon

Lesley

xxx

Blue Balloon Festoon

 Today I’m sharing a couple of cards using SU Ballooon Festoon.

There’s a nesting set of balloons and lovely stamps giving enormous possibilities,

which made it difficult for me to decide what to use.

I decided to keep a simple layout using the sentiment stamps, and I think third largest balloon.

I stamped the stars after adding the “highlight”, which also has three sizes of dies to choose from.

I added a twine bow on this one.

I’m ashamed to say it’s been waiting to be played with for months now, so I’m taking to MyNBUS #88, 

where there’s a celebration going on for sharing our new or never before used schtuff.

Also We Love Stamping where the theme is Summertime but I’m using the anything goes option.

The second card is similar, but switching the stamps around,

and adding the die cut “string”, of which there’s two, which saves time when producing multiples!

I did also wink the stars, and added a few sparkles,✨ which you can’t actually see,

because I hadn’t added them until after I took the photo 🙄😂

This one is my homework for the Snippets Playground #537.

It’s also for Dudley’s birthday, who’s 8years old and so cute. 

Here’s a photo of some snippets. I used some packaging to cut extra balloons,

which I glued to the back, to add dimension.

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

Take care and see you soon

Lesley

xxx

Happy Birthday by the sea on our bikes

 It’s my beloved’s birthday today, and I made him this card…

It’s been sooooo busy here and soooo hot, it’s been hard to keep up with my card making.

Waterside Retreat from SU to the rescue!

Images are from the DSP, fussy cut the bikes, used die cut words from my stash,

and added some “pebbles”.

Fingers crossed he likes it, as it’s a reminder of some of our leisurely bike rides 😍

EDITED TO ADD:

I have been reminded by a couple of lovely crafters that I could enter this into the following challenge,

so as long as this is ok I’ll enter in the Allsorts Challenge #854 “At the Seaside”

There is also a “Summertime” Challenge at We Love Stamping

Have a great day!

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

Take care and see you soon

Lesley

xxx

Cabin on the lake

 Hi, I hope you don’t mind another Waterside Retreat card…

This one features a cabin on a lake, so needed an Adirondack chair, (die cut from an old SU set),

and a life jacket (fussy cut from the papers) to go out on the boat.

Stamped the sentiment onto another section of the paper, 

and the woodgrain background is another old SU paper.

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

Take care and see you soon

Lesley

xxx

Bicycle by the sea

 Phew, I’ll be glad when the temperatures drop a little,

meantime I made some more cards using the Waterside Retreat papers.

I had a few old SU sets that went with the papers, stamped the birds and sentiment,

die cut the fence, fussy cut the bicycle.

I also used the Paper Pumpkin die set for the framed sign.

The lovely muted scenes of the papers do most of the work for you,

so you can just add elements to suit.

I hope you have a relaxing weekend 

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

Take care and see you soon

Lesley

xxx

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