Less Is More # 74

Good Afternoon All!

As it`s the 5th Saturday in the month, it`s another `Lucky Dip` at Simply Less is More. This time we`ve been asked to use the Less is More header as our inspiration.

It makes a pleasant change for me to be able to join in on a saturday but as I was up with the lark (5:30) and have got all my chores done I thought I`d take advantage and grab some me time. My mojo has also made an appearance, I think it`s got something to do with the sunshine, so I was raring to go. Here is my (tentative) take on the challenge.

The sun couldn`t decide whether to stay in or out so the piccy isn`t too good.

A close up of the roses. They look grey in this one but they are black IRL.
I used a Spellbinders Fleur De Lis Square to cut out the black frame.
The sentiment is computer generated using Baroque Script and Arial Fonts.
The roses are made using a Marianne Designs Die and the left over black card.
Although there`s no stamping whatsoever on this one, I`m rather chuffed with it.

I`ll be back tomorrow with a card for a brand new challenge at St Lukes. It`s a fun one so don`t miss it.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

More daisies

Hello All!

Following on from my Cas-ual fridays post I thought it was a good idea to make some more of the same card but in different colours. Well you really didn`t expect me to just make one , did you?

 This one is Apricot.

 Bright Yellow.

 Bright Blue (Cyan)

And Lavender.
They`re all made really simply by puching out the flowers, sticking them together and offsetting the top layer.
The middles are made with a hole punch, stuck on and glittered with some Glamour Dust.
I made a mark with pencil at 7.5 across and 6.5 cm down giving a deeper space at the bottom for the sentiment. I placed the first flower on my pencil mark then the others by eye.
When the glue had dried I lifted the top petals slightly to give some dimension.

As these were all made from scraps of card and paper, I`m entering them into Pixies Crafty Snippets Challenge . I`ve neglected this challenge for far too long and can`t wait to get back into the playground. I quite fancy a game of Hop Scotch.

Less is More # 73

Hello All,

Not even going to mention the weather today `cos I`m just sick of it. Going to get straight on with my card.

This weeks challenge at Simply Less is More is Paper Piecing.
Not something I do very often. In fact I think I`ve only tried it once before and couldn`t be bothered with all the fiddling and faffing. Having said that, the results are fabulous when it`s done properly. I really must make more effort!!!
So I bit the bullet and came up with this,

I was actually looking for blue snippets when I came across these papers. They are all from Papermania Silent Night Christmas collection but I think they`ve made a quite presentable shirt.
Maybe more Primark than Saville Row but hey!... I`m cheap.
I rather enjoyed it in the end. The hardest part was making sure I got the knot of the tie at a different angle to the main thing.
I`ve added some tiny gems for the collar studs and cuff link and jobs a good `un.
No sentiment because it`s going in the St Lukes box.

A quick word about Ruby before I go. Her chemo was delayed this week for two days because her bloods were low but by wednesday it was all systems go and now she`s home for two weeks before any more treatment.No word on her scan yet so we won`t know how the radiotherapy went for a while.
Here is a piccy of Ruby sitting in the fire engine after being " rescued" when the the car siezed up.

Look at that grin. Just like her mother...show her a fireman and she`s in her element lol.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Cas-ual Fridays # 58 Pretty in Pink

Hello All!
I hope I find you well and not suffering with this horrendous weather we`ve been having here in the UK. At the moment in Hull we have hazy sunshine but I`m not sure how long that`ll last :(

I would like to offer a huge welcome to my two new followers, Linda and Kara Lynne. Thank you for choosing my l`il blog to follow.

I had a bit of spare time last night while Alan was watching the footie so I thought I`d grab the opportunity and join in with this weeks challenge at Cas-ual Fridays which is Pretty in Pink.
Now I told you earlier in the week that I was having trouble coming up with an original idea and I`m afraid that is still the case ( no pun intended) so I`ve taken my inspiration from This card of Fiona`s from Made in a Muddle.
I loved her card as soon as I saw it and have been dying to use this design.

Really easy card to make. I punched out 18 daisies from pink snippet paper and adhered them in pairs, twisting the top layer.
I made the inner circle with my Japanese paper punch out of white copy paper, stuck them on and glittered them with some Glamour Dust.
Then it was just a case of  placing them neatly. I measured and marked a spot just above the centre of the base card for my first flower and laid the others out to make sure I had the correct space for the sentiment, then adhered them by eye.
The sentiment is by Papermania.
Loved this so much I`m making more in other colours. More for the fundraising box yaay!

Thanks for poppingin ...Lynne xxx

Birthday Wishes

Good afternoon all!

I hope I find you well and happy. Not too soggy in this terrible rainy weather? For a couple of days I really thought summer had turned up, just goes to show.
I`ve been in a really strange mood this week, sort of...blah! Not sure if it`s post holiday blues or what but it`s playing havoc with my mojo. I keep getting the urge to make a card but then can`t come up with an original idea at all.So I`ve Cased one.
I`ve been stalking following Debbie from Lime Doodle for a while now, she really is the Queen of CaS and has some fabulous designs. My card is made using This card as inspiration.

 I`ve changed the EF and the colour of the panel. I used a flower instead of a bow but the overall design is the same.
My flower is made using lots of layers of black tissue paper, cut out with a nestie scalloped circle, scrunched up and then prized(?) apart again, all held together with a gorgeous pink sparkly brad.
I`ve added a piece of thin ribbon in black too.
The sentiment is a mix of Layers of Color (birthday) and Waltzing Mouse (wishes).

A close up of the sparkly brad. Not the best piccy I`m afraid.
After I`d made this card I realised I could enter it into this weeks Dynamic Duo`s #7 which is Melon Mambo, black and an option of ribbon.

I`m going to have to hurry though as the challenge closes soon.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Something Shiny

Hello All!
I`m back from my break feeling very relaxed and recharged. More about that later.
First can I welcome my new followers Bernie and Lou. Thank you for choosing my blog to follow.

It`s theme week at Less is More and this week we are to make a card using " Something Shiny".
Well I may be back but my mojo is still on holiday I think. I so wanted to create an artistic masterpiece this week but it wasn`t to be.This is what I mustered up,

For my first card I ran some silver mirri card through the cuttlebug using my Leafy branch EF and cut it out with a labels 4 die.
I then made a frame using white card and 2 labels 4 die.
The butterfly is made using a MS punch and some glossy pink paper.
The sentiment is by Flourishes.

For this one I used some ivory hammered card for the base.
Cut a rectangle of gold embossed card and then made an ivory frame with 2 rectangle dies.
The leaves are punched out of some green mirri card.
The sentiment is by Personal Impressions.
I think this is more a masculine card.

I then thought I really ought to do something with a bit more effort involved and had a good old rake about. I found this stamp from Hot off the Press that I`ve had for donkey`s years and never used I don`t think. Can`t think why I didn`t use it for last weeks Flourish challenge but never mind.
This time I made a panel for the front of the card and stamped the image in clear embossing ink and embossed it with Detail Silver EP.
The sentiment is by Flourishes also embossed in silver.
I added some irridescent gems to finish.

Hopefully my mojo will show it`s face and I`ll have another go during the week.

Well my holiday came and went very quickly (as they do) but we had a wonderful time. Didn`t do a lot but I did manage to read a whole book which is a luxury for me. We also had a trip out to Richmond in North Yorkshire. I read Peter Robinson`s D I Banks books and it was great to be able to see the places he describes in his books. The scenery up there is beautiful too being on the edge of the Dales.
The weather wasn`t too bad. Not exactly sunbathing weather but the only rain we had was late thursday night so that was a bonus.

Ruby has finished her radiotherapy now and had a bit of an adventure coming home on thursday. Now I`m not very technical when it comes to engines but apparently the turbo thingy went in Darrens car on the motorway. He managed to get it onto the hard shoulder but not before it spewed out clouds of thick black smoke from the exhaust. A passing motorist must have thought it was on fire and called the fire brigade who stayed with them until the tow truck arrived and let Ruby sit in the fire engine. Mum Cheryl is dead jealous but Ruby was more impressed with the break down lorry because it was pulling the car.
So Ruby had an adventure but Mum and Dad nearly had a heart attack I think. Not only that but the engine`s completely siezed so they now have the extra expense of a new (to them) car.
Three days of Chemotherapy next week and then I think it`s a scan to see if the radiotherapy has done it`s job. Fingers crossed.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Less is More # 71

Hi there,
Phew what a week. For those of you that don`t want boring to death with my waffles I`ll get straight onto my card. Those of you with a bit of spare time can carry on if you wish, lol.

The challenge this week at Less is More is a one layer card using a flourish. Yippee! I love flourishes.
This is what I came up with,

Quite simple, I used a white tent fold card base.
Used decorative chalks and a sponge along one corner then stamped my image from Heidi Swapp in Memento Rose Bud over it.
The sentiment is by Flourishes ( very apt) stamped in versafine Onyx Black.
I`ve added a couple of clear gems to finish. Simples!

Well my fuzzy head/head cold morphed into tonsilitis on monday evening. I lost tuesday completely, sleeping most of the day, which is not like me at all. I really don`t like taking to my bed but I felt so awful. By wednesday I was much better but it left me feeling really weak and feeble and sorry for myself. It wasn`t really until yesterday that I felt properly better, it really knocked me for six.
So all that complaining about working the bank holiday and now I wish I`d felt well enough to lol. I did work monday though so I`m not a total skiver.
Another downside was that I felt as much like crafting as I did flying to the moon. All that time off and not one card made, tut tut.
Last night we made up for it and had a night out.
It was my son`s footy teams presentation night so we went along to show our support. Hull City legend Dean Windass was invited to give out the prizes and the first one was to the winner of the bus stop ( a sort of raffle) which just happened to be me and Alan Yaayy.
Our Nathan was given a medal for his part in the youth team and the look on his face when he met his idol was a picture, bless him.
We had a brilliant night and can`t wait til next year now. I`ll post pics when I get them.
Tomorrow we`re off to our caravan until friday so I won`t be posting anything all week. How I`m going to manage with no internet for 5 day`s I really don`t know but I`m sure I`ll cope lol.
Right that`s quite enough waffle from me, I`ve still got a million things to do before tomorrow so I`d better get a wriggle on.

Thanks for popping in ...Lynne xxx

Less is More # 70 Red, White and Blue

Happy Sunday All!

Well the Jubilee weekend has got off to a bad start weather wise.We have heavy rain up here and it looks to be set in for the day. Mind you we shouldn`t expect any different  really, seeing as it always rains on bank holiday`s. Mother Nature has a weird sense of humour sometimes.

We have a colour challenge this week at Less is More. The ladies want to be all patriotic and use
                                    Red White & Blue

I must admit to struggling a bit (again) with this one. I felt a bit odd yesterday and couldn`t muster up much enthusiasm and then I woke up this morning with a rotten head cold. I also didn`t want to go down the obvious route of using the Union Flag but couldn`t thinkof anything that hadn`t already been done. There are some fabulous entries already this week. I finished up making this half hearted effort which I`m not very proud of.
With hindsight I think I should have stamped something in the rectangle before adding the daisy and butterflies.

I masked of a rectangle with post- its and inked it up with Memento Bahama Blue and Danube Blue, then made a frame with nestie rectangles.
I punched two daisies and layered them up adding a clear gem to the centre.
Then I punched some tiny butterflies in red, white and blue card and arranged them over the frame adding a tiny gem to each.
Again with hindsight I should have done my sentiment straight onto the card but left it too late so I`ve cut one out and raised it with foam pads.
As I said I`m not 100% happy with this one but I`m blaming my fuzzy head lol.


Enjoy your extended weekend and I hope the weather gets much better. Spare a thought for me, I`m working both monday and tuesday. Oh the joys of working in retail :(


Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

   W

St Lukes Charity Card Challenge ...Furry Friends

Good Morning to you all.I hope I find you well.
As it`s the 1st of the month that means it`s a brand new challenge at St Lukes Charity Card Challenge. We have a fun challenge for you this month to let you all get over the trauma of one layer month lol.

                                                   Our little Furry Friends.
include an image, charm or papers which feature something cute and furry- dogs, cats, teddies or even a furry monster.
My card features something that some of you might consider to be little monsters but these ones are really cute.

 I`ve used this gorgeous stamp from Crafters Companion Beatrix Potter collection called Appley Dapply`s Nursery Rhymes coloured with Promarkers.
I used Pink Petticoat DP from the Vintage Roses set for the background.
The image is cut out using a nestie circle matted onto a Spellbinders Fleur de Lis motifs circle.
Some punched daisies with gem centres and computer generated sentiment cut out with a lacey oval die to finish. 

We have another fabulous prize for you this month for the outright winner, this terrific Text It background stamp from Waltzing Mouse,

 How cool is that?
Don`t forget to check out the rest of the DT inspiration over on the main blog and also you can donate your card to sell at one of the summer fairs that Tara will be joining to raise funds for this wonderful cause.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx