Less is More # 78

Hello Everyone.

I bet you thought I`d been abducted by aliens didn`t you?

I`ve had the week off work and to be honest I`ve been so busy I haven`t had time to post anything. Got quite a few cards made but I can`t share them just yet. Hopefully next week I`ll have plenty to show.

This week on Simply Less is More is sketch week and a super, easy, peasy one it is too.

Even I can`t complain at this one.
I`ve been saving my pennies up and this week treat myself to some new dies including an Alphabet set from Die- namics. This sketch was made for using these dies. Look at what I`ve been playing at.

I`ve followed the sketch except for the sentiment because it just wouldn`t have made sense otherwise.
All the card and papers (except the base card) are out of my scrap boxes.
I`ve used an MS punch on the girl card and a Fiskars punch on the boys.
The sentiment is computer generated using Amazone font.

I`ve done two stupid things this week. First of all I decided last sunday to rearrange the loft. It took two days, in oppressive heat, and now I can`t find or get at anything. I really need to put it back how it was but I have neither the time nor the inclination at the moment. That`ll teach me!
Secondly, I was up with the lark this morning, got all dressed up and put me posh perfume on and trotted off to a papercraft fair. The problem with that is...it`s tomorrow. Duh!
I think I really need to get back to work and some sort of routine. It might just sort my head out, but then again...

Before I go I`d like to welcome my newest follower Carol. Thank you Carol for choosing my little blog.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Less Is More # 77

Hello All!

Well we`re back from our mini break and had a wonderful time. The weather, although not fantastic was quite kind and as neither of us are the sunbathing type, we had no problem with it being a bit cloudy.
We had a day out in York which is always amazing. Went to a couple of markets in nearby towns and managed to find a couple of craft stalls too which can only be a good thing hee hee.

I appear to have `lost` a couple of followers. I hope that they have stopped blogging and it`s nothing I`ve done to offend them :(

Anyway, onto todays challenge from Simply Less is More. This week Mandi and Chrissie want us to use SEWING on our cards.
I`ve managed to avoid this until now. I`ve seen loads of other crafters use sewing on their cards and they look fab but it just isn`t my thing. Maybe it`s because the only machine I`ve got is an ancient singer that does running stitch and thats it. No fancy stitching for me I`m afraid but it has served me well over the years ( probably being serving others well for over a hundred years...yes it`s that old).
So...not my best creation but it has got sewing on it...

Image is a digi from Just Inklined coloured with Promarkers.
The sentiment is computer generated.
Apologies for the piccy, it looks a bit washed out but is quite bright IRL.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Less is More #76

Hello All and a happy sunday to you.

A quick post from me today as I`ve still got loads to do before we go away tomorrow. Honestly, you`d think we were going for a month not 5 days. And my daughters staying at ours to look after the dogs but I do like to leave it looking spick and span.
Anyway, onto my card for today. It`s one layer week at Simply Less is More and this time we are asked to make a card using " THREE".
This could be 3 images, 3 colours, 3 stamps or even the number 3, as long as it`s one layer and there`s lots of white space.
Here is my take on it,

I had a heck of a job taking a pic today as, for a change, we have lots of very bright sunshine. trouble is it`s casting a lot of shadows.
I embossed a rectangle onto the card front using a nestie rectangle die then masked it using post its.
I sponged Versa color Lime onto the rectangle then stamped an Elusive Images ( now Chocolate Baroque) Tulip onto the centre.I masked the first image then stamped again at either side.
The tulips are coloured with Spectrum Noir and Promarker pens.
I haven`t added a sentiment yet because it`s going in the fundraising box and I`m not sure what occasion to use it for.

Right, that`s me, got to sort out what to pack, hot, cold, wet, dry. Oh decisions, decisions lol.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

One stamp...two very different designs

TGIF Folks!

It`s the start of two whole weeks off work for me yaaay! We`re away monday to friday next week but then I`ve a week to myself with, hopefully, lots of crafting. I can hardly contain myself lol.
I`ve made a couple of cards this week showing how versatile LOTV can be, both really cute but so different. What do you think?,

 For the boy one I`ve used Pink Petticoat papers, gingham and pinstripes in turquoise. I`ve added some ivory teddy ribbon that I bought years ago locally and forgot I had and some pale yellow buttons.

The girl card is the one I`m really pleased with. It almost came together by itself.
I scored the panel on my scoreboard, added the image and the flowers and then decided it needed something else. These flat back pearls were calling to me and they fit the bill perfectly.
These ones are going into the fundraising box.

Right I`d better be off. I`ve got lots to do before our week away. Why do we always insist on cleaning the house from top to bottom when we go away for a few days? We need a holiday just to get over that lol.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

St Lukes Mid Month Reminder

Hello All !

Happy thursday to you. Thursdays are always good for me as it`s my day off work lol AND...the sun is shining.
What more could a girl ask for?

I`m a little bit early with my mid month reminder for St Lukes Charity Card Challenge  but I`m away again next week so wont be able to post anything. It will be our son Alans birthday at the end of the month and, although he is no longer a teenager, he does act like one (ha ha) and likes to spend as much time as he can on his X Box. With that in mind I used this great image from Mo Manning, it could have been made especially for him.

I`m sure that goes for most young people today.
The panel is Pink Petticoats Pinstripes printed onto card, cut to size and mounted with foam pads.
The image is cut out with a nestie circle die, also mounted with foam pads.
The sentiment is computer generated with the ends cut with a square die.

You still have plenty of time to join in with our Tennage Kicks challenge and although you don`t need to donate your card to enter, it would be gratefully recieved if you did. All details on the main blog.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

CR84FN # 58

This is my second post today, please scroll down for my Less is More post.

Hello, me again.

It`s Alan`s Mums 87th birthday today and I made her a card during the week. Although I photographed it, I thought I`d wait before posting it on the blog and what a good job I did too. Imagine how chuffed I was when I checked the new challenge at CR84FN and saw which colours they were using this week.

I wish I could be this psychic with the lottery numbers lol.

Although she is 87, Alans Mum is very modern and young at heart. The decor in her living room is cream with red accessories which is why I used the red and as we`re in need of some sunshine I added the yellow too.
The zig zag edge is made from card scraps punched with a Martha Stewart punch.
The image is my all time favourite Flourishes stamp Gerbera Daisies ( so versatile) coloured with Promarkers and the sentiment is from Rubbadubbado.

As I`ve used snippets in this one, I`m also entering it into Pixies Crafty Snippets #28. We might have to play indoors this week as the swings will be quite soggy I would imagine.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Less is More # 75...Colour

Good Morning All!

Another wet and miserable day up here today. Although I must admit yesterday was positivly glorious. Wall to wall sunshine and so hot. Thursday was my day off work and that was lovely too but friday spoiled it with torrential rain. We were really lucky in Hull as we just missed the really heavy prolonged rain that has caused so much flooding across the UK this year. I think Mother Nature must be menopausal and taking it out on the world.
Some of us have too much rain while others are desperate for it and some of you have excessive heat while others have the heating on. It`s a mad, mad world!

Anyway, enough waffle. On to this weeks challenge at Simply Less is More which is colour week and this time we are to use GOLD on our creations. We can use matt or glossy but it must be obviously gold.
Here is my first card,

 I used a stamp from Chocolate Baroque Autumn Hedgerow set, stamped and embossed in Gold EP.
I cut it out with a nestie recangle that I elongated to fit the image then made another panel with a larger rectangle using the same technique and adhered them using foam pads.
The sentiment is from Rubbadubbado also embossed in gold EP.

Another view to (hopefully) show the shine on the embossing.

I actually made this one first. It seemed like a good idea in my head but once it was made it reminded me of a UK passport cover so I quickly made the other one lol.
More or less the same method as above but using a Chocolate Baroque Damask stamp this time. No sentiment but it might come in handy for someone who`se emigrating or something ha ha.

Another eventful week in the world of Ruby this last week. On thurday she came out in a rash and was looking quite pale so Cheryl rang Leeds General Infirmary for advice and was told to take her straight to the local hospital for blood tests. Leeds liased with Hull Royal so everything was in control. The blood tests showed that her platelettes were extremely low so had to have an emergency transfusion.
Unfortunately, while they were there Ruby tripped getting off the scales and banged her head on a cupboard, immediately coming out in a huge bruise on her forehead. Apparently it`s the platelettes that make the blood clot and because Ruby`s were so low the staff were worried and sent her for a CT scan.
Anyway alls well that ends well. The scan results came back ok and Ruby`s blood count is back up for now. Her next lot of chemo that was due for next week has been postponed for a week so she can concentrate on getting her blood back to normal naturally and she`s still diving about like a mad thing.

 And she`s still smiling, Bless her.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

More Snippet Makes

Good afternoon All!

I`ve been at the snippets box again, this time I`ve been making baby cards. I will be entering these into Pixies Crafty Snippets Challenge. This time though,without the added novelette lol.

The images are from Lili of the Valley stamps coloured with Promarkers.
The papers are all from my scrapbox and I can`t remember who makes them.

I do want to share this with you that someone posted on Facebook the other day. I apologise in advance to any one who may be offended but I thought it was hysterical.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Pixies Crafty Snippets #27 and a tale of woe

Good evening All!

While hubby`s watching the footie I thought I`d grab a few minutes to post a card I made earlier today. I`ve been watching Viv at Daizy- Maes -designs while she has been showcasing cards made with Digi Stamps from Beccy.
I particularly liked the birdhouse one so I treat myself during the week. I think I might just have to treat myself again in the very near future as Beccy`s stamps are really lovely.
I`m entering this into Pixies Crafty Snippets Challenge too as I`ve raided the snippets box for the backing papers.

It`s a really rubbish photo because it has been very cloudy here for most of the day. I must also confess that my desk was so full of junk leftover bits and pieces that there was no room to get my photo box and lamps out, (slapped wrist) and no amount of tweaking with the editing did any good.
Anyways, onto the card. The DP are left over bits of Pink Petticoat cut into squares and matted onto pink card.
The image is from Beccys Place coloured with promarkers and Spectrum Noir pens and the sentiment is computer generated.
I have a couple more cards in the pipeline from my snippet box which I`ll post later in the week and hopefully I`ll find some time to comment on the other entries, I was very lax last week and for that I appologise ladies

Last night I read about Vicky`s son having an accident on his bike and damaging his teeth, poor lad and it reminded me of an incident when my lad, Alan was young.
When the kids were little I had a job at a small local laundry. My husband worked funny shifts, mainly evenings 4pm til 2 am and nights 8pm til 8am. This also involved weekends so he had quite a bit of free time during week days with maybe 4 or 5 days a month when he would be in bed most of the day.
The girls were both at primary school and little Alan was at pre school all day but, because he was so young we thought it best if he went home for lunch.
My boss was very good at letting me start after dropping the kids at school and on the days when hubby was sleeping, he let me pick Alan up, take him home for lunch and drop him back off at school.
One monday lunchtime I turned up to collect Alan to be met by a teacher who explained that Alan had had a small accident with another child and a see saw. Apparently Alan was standing near the `down` side when this other little lad swung from the `up` side and the see saw had caught Alan under the chin. He had a some blood on his tee shirt but seemed quite happy. After telling the teacher that it was ok and these things happen we set off home. The school was about a ten minute walk from our house but I did get a bit frazzled about getting home, sorting lunch out and then getting Alan and myself back on time so when Alan said " Mummy I think I`ve broken my tongue" I just explained that you can`t break your tongue. You can break an arm or a leg because it has a bone in it but a tongue hasn`t. He was quite alright with that explanation and off we trotted. We got home and I plonked Alan in front of the telly ( bad mother) while I made us both a sandwich and then we settled down to watch some highly educational program like Fireman Sam or Thomas the Tank Engine.
Alan took a bite of his sandwich and said that it was hurting his tongue ( you know where this is going don`t you?). When I looked he had the biggest cut I`ve ever seen, almost the width of his tongue and it was sort of...gaping (sorry) He must have bitten into his tongue when the see saw hit him but no one had realised.
That was it, I couldn`t eat, I didn`t know what to do but I knew I couldn`t panic because that would only upset him. So, I rang our doctors surgery for advice and they put me through to a doctor who cheerily told me not to worry, it would be ok, they can`t stitch tongues but it would heal up in no time time just keep it clean and feed him soft food like yoghurt.
Alan, who was always a picky eater anyway was in his element because all he could have was yoghurt, chocolate milk and soggy cereals. And the doctor was dead right, by the thursday it had healed up.
For ages I had guilt pangs for not listening when he told me he had broken his tongue but I think he forgave me bless him.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

St Lukes Charity Card Challenge ...July

Good morning All!

Well it`s the 1st of July and the height of summer ( yeah..right) and it also means it`s a brand new challenge at
St Lukes Charity Card Challenge . This month we want you to embrace your inner Kevin and make us a card for a teenager.
We have yet another fantabulous prize for the July winner. A £10 voucher to spend at the Ribbon Girl, how good is that?

                                                   

                                                               
Ha! That was a challenge for me because I don`t usually do teenage cards, it`s such a long time since I was one. I must admit that my three kids and the two eldest grand children, although hormonal, were not particularly rebellious. In fact the only rebel in our family was me. I wanted to join a hippy commune and live the free and easy life. Unfortunately I was only 15 at the time and my dad wouldn`t hear of it. Looking back I can`t say I blame him lol.
Anyway, onto my card and I hope you get some inspiration from it.

Well this young man doesn`t look very rebellious either does he? I`ve used Paul Texting from Mo`s Digitalpenciltoo. I coloured him with Promarkers and cut out the panel, then rounded the corners.
I made a 6x6 card and covered it with DP from PinkPetticoat Chevrons.
The sentiment is from Boys Toys by Woodware and I think it`s perfect for this digi image.

Please check out the cards by the other DT members and don`t forget you can donate your card or any others you might have spare, to raise funds for this very deserving cause.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx