Happy Father's Day

Hi there,

I'm nipping in quickly to share the card I made for my Dad for fathers day. He's 85 now and a bit poorly at the moment so I treasure every celebration I can share with him.

 All the papers are from Pink Petticoat
Sentiment is by Layer of Color
I've used  sage green glitter card for the dad

Thank you for visiting X

Mothers Day cards

Hi,
Well twice in one week, things are on the up.

I have two Mothers day cards to share today. Both the same design but different coloured background papers.

 I received a new camera for my birthday in November and a Laptop for Christmas and I'm still trying to get used to both of them. Between them and a new photo editing app I'm not doing very well at the moment.

 This is the best pic I've managed.
The front card is actually Pale sage green but looks a bit gray to me.

And this one is yellow. It shows better in the previous pic.

The papers are Pink Petticoat, Pin stripes and Brocade.
The doily is by Marianne Designs with the centre cut out with a Spellbinders circle nestie.
The sentiment is Layers of Colour stamped and embossed in gold and silver EP
Flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts

It's going to rain all day tomorrow so I'm hoping to get some more crafty time in.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Simply Less is More # 241

Hello there!

Well it`s a lovely bright sunny day here today, although there is more than a touch of autumn in the air. Perfect for a days crafting !!!

It`s one layer week yet again over at the Simply Less is More challenge and the key word this week is
                                                                   WISHING

Such a simple card and yet it took me ages to do.
I started by embossing the star using a X cut nesting die and then made a mask using lots of postit notes ( to make sure I had enough sticky to hold it down)
Sponging with decorative chalks was a task as there were so many edges and corners but I got there in the end lol.
The sentiment is from Layers of Color stamped in Versafine black and embossed in clear EP.
I`m not over the moon with it and have an idea for another card if I get the time.

Thanks for popping in ...Lynne xxx

Simply Less is More # 218

HAPPY EASTER ALL!

It`s Colour week at Simply Less is More Challenge and this time it`s, PREDOMINANTLY BLACK.
Your whole card doesn't have to be all black and you may use a little of another colour, but whatever you add to your design, even if it's minimal, should be mainly black.
So think silhouettes, monochrome, ombre, chalkboard technique... there doesn't have to be a lot of black... if your design is minimal, it just needs to be the predominant colour.

I got carried away and made 3,

This one I think is my favourite.
I made a 6x6 square base card from Papermill White Linen card.
I used Black card to cut a smaller square, found the middle and cut out the circle using a SB die and rounded the corners before embossing it with a Darice EF.
I stamped the dotty circle with Versamark Onyx Black. I`m sorry but I can`t remember who made the stamp.
The sentiment is from an old The Stampman Football set, the font was just what I wanted for this card.

For this card I`ve used some snippets for the banners.
The Label is from Waltzing Mouse Vintage Labels, the sentiment is a mix of Layers of Color and Flourishes stamps, stamped in black and embossed in clear EP before cutting out with a SB labels 4 die.
I spent half an hour searching for my WM labels stamps before realising that I`d already got them out, Doh!

This one I`m not sure about. It`s a CaSE of a card I found on Pinterest which is fab but I don`t think the black and white do it justice.
6x6 black card base.
White linen card cut into a smaller square.
I stamped the diagonal stripe from Paper Smooches in Versacolour Black before mounting it using foam pads.
The sentiment is TSG stamped onto a Die-namics tag.
I`ve added a tiny bit of yellow with the twine

Enjoy the rest of your Easter weekend, try not to eat all your eggs in one go lol

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Simply Less is More # 176

Hello There!

First I`d like to welcome Ileana, my new follower. Thank you for choosing my blog to follow and there is no need to apologise, your english is terrific. 100% better than my Italian :)

The challenge this week at Simply Less is More is One Layer, Off the Edge. Nowhere near as daunting as the last time we had this challenge way back in week 6. I`m hoping my designs have improved with time too.

A fluttering of butterflies trying to escape lol.
I used one of the butterflies from Elusive Images ( now Chocolate Baroque) butterfly set. I masked the bottom one but then gave each of them a tiny bit more space as they reached the top of the card, stamping each one `Off the edge`. Then coloured them using the brightest markers I could find.
I added a bit of chrystal Glamour Dust to their bodies for some sparkle.
The sentiment is a joint effort, Birthday is Layers of Color and Wishes is Flourishes. org.

Well after a few days of glorious warm sunshine, we awoke this morning to cloud and drizzle. Perfect for crafting but not so nice for anyone trying to enjoy the great outdoors.
One thing I`m appreciating more and more since leaving work is being able to spend more time in the garden just watching the birds and wildlife. We have regular visits from Blue Tits, Gold Finches and a pair of Robins and we have a resident field mouse that keeps us amused for hours. We have an old toilet that I`ve planted up which sits in a corner of the garden and Mr Mouse has taken up residency there. He has a burrow which runs from the front of the toilet to the bit where the cistern should sit and he steals bird and fish food and hides it away in there. We also have a small bird house which hangs on the fence quite near the toilet and he climbs the fence to get at the mealworms in fat that I put in ( sounds like something from I`m a Celebrity).
As long as he stays in the garden and doesn`t decide to migrate to the house, I`m quite happy.
I`m sure many of you have much more exciting visitors than us but considering we live right on the edge of an industrial estate, it`s not bad going.

Thanks for popping in ...Lynne xxx

Simply Less is More # 167

Hi There,
And it`s saturday again which means it`s time for another challenge at Simply Less is More. It`s one layer week and this time we are SHADOW STAMPING.

Eek! Not something I`ve done before but I thought I`d give it a go. I`ve made two cards but I`m not overly happy with either of them.

My first card looks as though I dropped the stamp after using it.
I embossed a frame with a nestie square die and chalked in different shades of yellow after masking with post its.
I stamped the image, elegant weeds in black Memento and then moved it slightly and stamped again without reinking.
I discovered a tiny speck of ink on the left of the image so I`ve had to cover that with a clear gem and I added a couple more because it would have looked really silly with just one :-)
The sentiment is by Flourishes Tag Lines.

My second cards looks more like retro wallpaper than shadow inking but by now I`ve almost given up the will to live lol.
I stamped the leaf  ( Turning a new leaf by Papertrey inc) first in London Fog and then, after moving the stamp slightly, in New Sprout.
The sentiment is by Layers of Color ( at least that went right)

I`ll not be around after next friday so I wont be able to join in for a couple of weeks as we`re going on our first cruise holiday. Two weeks in the Med and I can`t wait. Still got lots to do though before we go so I`d better get on with it.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

LiM # 129

Hello All.
I`ve been a very bad blogger lately, so much to do, so little time to do it. I am, however, back today with a card I`ve made for this weeks Simply Less is More 
challenge which is to use handmade flowers on our cards. I`m a bit late but at least I`m here.

I`ve used the X cut Glorious Gerbera Dies for my flower in gorgeous bright orange held together with a black spotty brad.
On the card base I used a Memory Box Circle Burst Die and put some peach card behind the cut outs.
The sentiment is a mix of Layers of Color and Waltzingmouse stamps stamped on Versafine Black.

I`m still trying to sort out my time management and failing miserably but hopefully I`ll be back soon with more cards to share.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Less is More # 124

Good Afternoon All!

I`m back today to share my entry in this weeks Simply Less is More challenge. It`s theme week and this week we are to use HEXAGONS.
The Gods were favouring me this week because I`d just finished making my dads fathers day card and what do you know...I`ve used a hexagon die.

This is getting to be my regular style ATM. I made a panel slightly smaller than the card base and cut out an aperture with a hexagon die.
After masking off the shape on the card base I sponged different shades of green ink and then used the Elegant Weeds stamp from Hero arts stamped with Versafine Onyx black.
I used clear EP over the whole design and heat embossed it.
The sentiment is by Layers of Color stamped in Memento Tuxedo onto the panel which is placed using foam pads.
I was chuffed to bits to be showcased again yesterday for my `Colour of my Door` challenge. Thank you so much Chrissie and Jen.
I`ve had a really hectic two or three days but I`m hoping things will settle down soon.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Simply Less is More # 122

Hello all. Sorry I seem to have been M.I.A. for the past week or so. It was a week of `no`s`.
No time, no mojo and, for nearly a week, no hot water when my boiler went on the blink. Not that that should have stopped me crafting but all my spare time was spent in the garden, digging and planting what seems like millions of tiny seedlings that I`ve grown in the greenhouse.
Really backbreaking but I do feel a sense of achievment :)
Anyway back to this weeks challenge at Simply Less is More which is a colour challenge and we`ve been asked to use the colour of our front door.

Terrible photo I know but I can`t get one from outside because my neighbour is having some building work done. I didn`t think buckets of half mixed plaster and piles of rubble was a good look so I`ve tried to take one from inside my dark and dingy hall. As you can see it`s a very boring white UPVC door with a gold letterbox and a bit of red stained glass in it.
I decided to use the red and gold and came up with this,

My usual panel with a rectangle cut out with a nestie.
For the background I simply swiped a clear embossing ink pad randomly across the rectangle (after masking) and added detail gold EP. After heating that, I swiped again with the pad on the bits I`d missed and embossed with red EP.
Wasn`t sure at first but as soon as I put the panel over it, it changed the look completely. I think it looks quite arty...anyway I`m pleased with it.
I`ve added some die cuts from Marrianne Designs  and the sentiment which is a mix of Waltzing Mouse and Layers of Color.

Hopefully I`ll get a bit more crafting time in now the gardens planted up.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Simply Less is More # 118

Good afternoon all.
Wow, we are finally having some lovely weather, and for a bank holiday too. Now that`s almost unheard of here in the UK.
The challenge this week at Simply Less is More is a colour challenge.

We are to choose two opposite colours from the colour wheel. Not usually a problem for me with my penchant for vibrant colours but I have to admit I struggled a bit. I`ve made 3 cards but I`m not overly impressed with any of them.

 For my first card I went with yellow green and violet red.
The base card is pearlised lime green.
I used a new ( to me) Penny Black slap stick stamp called dreamy stamped in Versacolor Burgundy.
I`ve added a bit of Glamour Dust to the flower head.
The sentiment is Layers of Color stamped in Versafine Onyx.

 My second is a paler version of yellow green and violet red, more like light green and lilac really. This was actually the last card I made and I was beginning to lose the will to live lol.
I stamped Papertrey Turning a new Leaf in Fresh Green Versacolor of the edge of my base card.
Punched some butterflys from purple card and added some gems.
The sentiment is a mix of Layers of Color and Waltzing Mouse.

And finally, I used another new to me stamp, Chevrons by Lawn Fawn stamped in Versacolor Orange and Cyan.
I cut out circles with a nestie die in orange and bright blue card.
The sentiment is by Flourishes stamped onto white card and cut out with a nestie circle die.
Really not sure about this one, I think it needs something more.

Right then. Less than a week after Ruby was declared cancer free, she is back in the wars.
One of the side effects of the chemo she was on is what the doctors call, Wobbly Leg syndrome. Apparently it affects the calf muscles and the ankles and makes the kids walk a bit stiff and are prone to falling over. It`s a temporary condition but Ruby`s mum and dad decided to get her a trampoline for the garden to help build up the muscles and also to teach her to jump because she does a funny little bunny hop at the moment :)
Anyway tuesday afternoon after nattering for weeks to be able to play outside she finally got to go on the trampoline with big sister Charlotte.
And promptly fell awkwardly and broke her collar bone.
I know...you couldn`t make it up could you?
She now has her arm in a sling but is absolutely fine and turning mum and dad into nervous wrecks while she carries on as if nothing is wrong. The only downside, from Ruby`s point of view, is that she can`t have a tantrum because it hurts when she stamps her feet. Lol.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Less is More # 111

Good Afternoon All!

I`ve got a really busy day today so this will have to be short and sweet I`m afraid. I do have time to welcome my new follower Sue though. Welcome to my little blog Sue.

The theme for this weeks Simply Less is More challenge is to  FRAME IT.
Right up my street as this is the style I use most often lately.

As spring will soon be here ( hopefully) I thought I`d use this stamp and some lovely fresh colours.
I bought the stamp at a craft fair earlier this year but there`s no name on it, sorry. Coloured with Promarkers and Spectrum Noir pens. The sentiment is by TSG.

I already had this stamp, from Papermania, out for a commisioned card so thought it would look good in a frame too. I`ve lightly chalked the background in a very pale green before colouring the image with Promarkers and Spectrum Noir Pens. I`ve added some Glamour Dust to the image and some Glossy  Accents to the cherry.
The sentiment is a mix of Waltzing Mouse and Layers of Color.

This is a card I made last night for someone at Alan`s work and then realised that it was a frame of sorts so I`m adding it to the challenge.
The stamp is by Funstamps and I`ve had it forever, coloured with markers.
I used cream card this time and made a panel which I embossed with a woodgrain pattern using a Crafts Concepts EF.
I cut the image out and placed it using foam pads, the sentiment is again from TSG.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Simply Less is More # 95

Good afternoon all!

This weeks challenge at Simply Less is More is GLAMOUR & GLITZ

My first thought was Christmas but then I came up with this idea,

This was inspired by a birthday card that Alan got from his nephew. Obviously it wasn`t pink lol.

This view shows off the glittery paper better.
Really simple card to make.
6x6 square Linen card base. I cut the stars from pink and silver glitter paper using a X Cut nested die set and I`ve also added a few peel off stars.
The sentiment is by Layers of Color stamped in Versacolor Magenta and embossed in Clear EP.

It`s been a strange old week. Because we had the funeral on tuesday I had to change my day off and it`s thrown me completely. I`ve spent all week trying to play catch up so not had any time for crafting and not a great deal for commenting either. Apologies to those of you that I didn`t get around to last week.
It`s my birthday today so I`ve pinched a bit of time to get some crafting in. I really don`t know where the time goes.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Less is More # 91

Good Evening All!

Well we were rudely awakened at about 2:00 am by hail and sleet pelting the bedroom window this morning. After snuggling further under the duvet and going swiftly back to sleep I awoke at a normal hour to find my world transformed. White slippery stuff everywhere. The walk to my dads was pretty treacherous especially as part of it is uphill. It keeps having a go too although it`s more sleet than anything else.
And it`s only October. What happened to autumn? Brrr.

I`d like to welcome two new followers, Andrei and Leslie. Thank you for choosing my blog to follow.

Right, on to this weeks challenge at Simply Less is More. We have a sketch this week. Haven`t had many of those,

I had an idea in my head all morning but when I actually made the card it is nothing like I imagined it to be.

Cream hammered card cut to 6x6 square.
I made a frame from brown card and cut 3 apertures using nested squares.
I stamped the leaf ( PTI Turning a New Leaf) in Memento Olive into each of the apertures.
The sentiment is Layers of Color stamped in Versafine Onyx.
I made the flowers from some yellow paper using a daisy punch and a hole punch and brown card for the middles. They are supposed to look a bit Sunflowery-ish.
Not too sure about this one so might have another go later.
Apoligies for the rubbish pic. I`ve tweaked and edited it so much but can`t get it better than it is.

Just a quick note about Ruby.
She has the chicken pox. Poor little love, she was transfered from Hull Royal to Leeds general yesterday evening and is now in isolation. Last night she was given a blood transfusion and is on IV anti biotics and anti virals. Obviously with all the treatment she`s been having they have to keep a special eye on her but at the moment she`s ok. Not well at all but ok.
What a way to spend half term eh.

I`ll keep you up to date with whats happening. Tomorrow there`s another Ross Papercraft Show in Hull so as long as I`m not snowed in, I shall be popping along. Hopefully I`ll get some new goodies and might get inspired to start on some Christmas cards :-))
 Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Less is More # 79

Good Morning All!
I hope I find you well. The weather here has been wonderful. Noneof the storms that other parts of the country have had and, although we`ve had showers forecast, that`s all we have had. Just the odd light shower. How lucky are we?
Onto this weeks challenge at Simply Less is More. As it`s the first week of a new month, it`s a colour challenge and the colours are...Blue & Green.
I knew just what I was going to do but then I made the mistake of peeking at the other entries and found that someone else had beat me to it. After several failed attempts to try something else I reverted to plan A. Apologies if anyone thinks I`ve copied. I really did try to come up with something else :(

 After my extremely early trip to the craft fair last saturday, I went back on the correct day (sunday) and had a fabby time spending my pennies and just browsing all the lovely goodies on sale. One of the things I bought was this die from Memory Box. I`ve never used MB dies before but they are fabulous. No spoiling your die cut trying to ease it out of the die, they literally just fall out, wonderful.
Anyway I`m waffling. I stamped a script stamp from Indigo Blu in baby blue Versa colour.
Cut out two of the die cuts, one in blue and one in green and chopped the heads off. I added Glossy Accents to the blue flower heads and, when dry, placed them on the stem.
The sentiment is a mix of Waltzing Mouse ( wishes) and Layers of Color ( birthday).

Enjoy the rest of your day.
Thanks for popping in...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

Sketchbook Saturday # 59

Good Afternoon All!

It`s ages and ages since I last played in the Sketchbook Saturday Challenge over on Chupa`s Blog but this week she has such a wonderful CAS sketch it would have been rude not to join in.

As I still had some snippets of the papers I used in my last post, I can also enter this one into Pixies Crafty Snippets. ( Yes Di I have Jelly Babies this week)

Ofcourse you know me, I couldn`t make just one card, I had to make three.

The papers are all from Pink Petticoat Brocade Collection in Pistachio, Sassy and Plum.
The sentiments are Layers of Color Happy Wishes stamp set stamped in Versafine Onyx.

I love this sketch and I think I`ll probably use it again and again. I`m thinking masculine cards now. All I need is some time arghh!

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Daisy, Daisy...

Good Afternoon All!
I hope the weather is better where you are than it is here. Now I know it`s April and it`s supposed to rain in April, but I expect showers, not constant downpours. Still I suppose we do need it and maybe it`s just getting it all out of the way ready for a long hot summer. Yeah, right...
Anyway enough grumbling, I had a thoroughly enjoyable time last week in the playground when I joined in at Pixies crafty snippets, so much so that I`m joining in again. This time I`m taking a bat and ball and some Dolly Mixtures to share. Maybe that`ll lure Mrs A from the bushes where she was seen lurking last week.

These are a great way of using up even the smallest of snippets. The card base is A5 and I scored the pattern using a score board.
The daisies are punched from small bits of coloured paper that I insist on saving. I`ve doubled each flower to give it some dimension and added a middle using a spring loaded hole punch and some scraps of white card.
The sentiment is made from the strip of card you get left with when you make a 6x6 card from an A4 sheet.

The sentiment itself is by Layers of Color inside a frame by Waltzing Mouse cut out with a nestie labels 4 die.
Altogether a bit calmer than last weeks entry lol.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Yellow & Black

Good Morning All!

I`ve had this idea for a card floating about inmy head for a while and finally got around to making it yesterday.
I love yellow and black together and I seem to have a thing for bright colours at the moment so I just went with it. What do you think?

 Really quick and simple make.
Bright yellow card from Papermill Direct,
Black panel is Pink Petticoat Brocade printed onto white card, cut to size and the corners rounded. Raised with foam pads.
The sentiment is from Layers of Color Happy Wishes set stamped in Versafine Onyx and cut out with a nestie labels 4 die.
Rolled rose from yellow paper using Marianne Designs Rose die.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

St Lukes Charity Card Challenge...April and

it`s our 1st Anniversary yippee!

Thank you to all of you that have joined in with us over the last year. We have seen our little challenge grow and grow and we have seen some fantastic cards entered. Here`s to the next 12 months!


Because it`s our anniversary, and because you`re all so special, this month we want you to,
                                                     Bling it on!
Add some sparkle to your creations with gems, glitter, beads or anything shiny.
 
 We have a fabulous prize for the winner of the april challenge,

A rainbow pack of felt sheets

A ribbon girl kit (yellow)

2 packs of antique gold effect embossed stickers

2 packs of assorted flowers

2 sheets of unmounted fairy and flower rubber stamps

a set of Papermania Christmas cling stamps

a Ladybug Crafts Ink Magnum cling stamp

4 packs of seed beads

a bunch of gold pearl sprays

a bunch of iridescent flower sprays

a bunch of gold leaf sprays

and a perfect Bow Maker MkII

 

And here`s my card,

 Not the best piccy I`m afraid, after all the glorious sunshine of the past week we have cloud here in Hull, typical.

I started with a 6x6 card base and used a MS Doily punch along the side edges.

The DP is Papermania Blueberry Hill in beige and blue matted onto some pale blue card.

Now I`ve tried using those stick on swirly gem thingies in the past and I get into all sorts of a mess with them so this time I stamped a swirl from Papertreys Fancy Flourishes set in baby blue onto the DP and stuck individual gems on top of that. I`m rather pleased with this effect.

I finished off with some lace and a piece of blue ribbon. The sentiment is a mix of Layers of Color Happy Wishes and Flourishes Tag Lines stamped in Versafine Onyx and cut out with a nestie labels 4 die matted onto another label 4 in pale blue then added a blue bow to top it off.

Before I go I must apologise for my lack of commenting last month. I have looked at all your entries but there has been so much going on here these last few weeks I have simply run out of time. I promise to do better this month. Thank you.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Less is More #60 Recipe

Hi All!.
Wow, it`s still saturday and I`m here with my entry for this weeks Less is More Challenge, were Mandi and Chrissie want us to Take Three Challenges.By that they mean to combine 3 of the challenges set by them over the last 59 weeks.
As I`m still madly making cards for fundraising I thought I`d use this opportunity to make some quick, simple but affective cards to sell.
For my first card I used,
Week 1   Pink, Black and White
Week 15 Embossing
Week43 A Bit of Bling

I scored the pattern onto my card base using my score board, (not as difficult as I`d thought it would be), then stamped the frame from Waltzing Mouse Vintage Labels 4 in Orchid
Versacolor.
The sentiment is from Layers of Color (Birthday) and Waltzing Mouse Say it Loud Winter Holiday (wishes) Stamped in Versafine Onyx. I cut this out with a labels 4 nestie.
One the label was placed I simply adhered some tiny pink gems to the where the lines crossed.



 My second card is almost identical except this time I`ve used,
Week 49  Predominatley Purple
Week 25  Button or ribbon (ribbon)

 The hardest part was trying to take a decent piccy.
We have beautiful weather here today but for the life of me I can`t get a good photo and all the tweeking with brightness and contrast hasn`t helped much either. Sorry.

We are trying to sort a date out for Angie to shave her head for the fundraising so as soon as we get this sorted I`ll let you all know.
Ruby got the date for her operation through today, 10th April so not too long now. Unfortunately that is her elder sister Charlottes 16th birthday, so it could have been better but Charlotte is old enough and sensible enough to realise that having her birthday a day early is a bit of a bonus.
It`s sometimes hard to believe how poorly Ruby is.Last night while I was on the phone to Cheryl, Ruby was mimicking her  and giggling her head off. Then she decided to get her toy piano out and plonked away whilst singing " Para para paradise" at the top of her voice. At least she`s got her grandma`s good taste in music. Chris Martin, eat your heart out!

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx