Summer Bliss

A layout made for the monthly sketch challenge on Sue's Blog

I used a photo from our late summer trip last year to Guernsey to celebrate my parents' Golden Wedding anniversary.  A highlight of the trip was getting the ferry over to Herm and spending time soaking up the sun on beautiful Shell Beach.  I couldn't wait to get my shoes and socks off and bury my feet in the hot white sand!!

Supplies used -

• Bazill cardstock
• AC foam thickers
• MFT cloud dies
• SU chevron punch
• Paper - American Crafts, Daydreams 'Great Day'
• Martha Stewart border punch
• Ribbon and buttons from stash

The challenge runs till 31st May so there is still time to take part.

Fabulous Freebies

The card challenge this month over at Scrapology is to use freebies.  I am very good at using the free papers that come with magazines but rarely ever use the stamps and images that are often included with the free paper packs. 

I started playing around with the free MME papers that had come with a recent issue of Creative Cardmaking and I cut out some of the images that I thought would work well together.  To make them a bit more sturdy I glued the images to white card (also a freebie as it was the back of an Easter card we had received), then cut them out and inked the edges.  I then remembered that I had a stamp that I hadn't used yet that had come as a cover gift with Creativity magazine, that would work really well with the cut out images.  I don't usually buy this magazine but whilst on holiday last year a craft shop had a load of back issues reduced to a £1 each and I had picked this one up as I quite liked the stamp and I don't have many male themed stamps in my collection.

Supplies used

• Papermania Chronology stamp
• MME free papers and images
• Stampin' Up oval punches
• Personal impressions sentiment stamp

Thank you Scrapology for a great card challenge - there is still just about time to enter as it doesn't close till midnight on 15th May.

Boxing Day Lunch

There is a lovely sketch to use this month at My Creative Sketches

I used a photograph from our lovely Boxing Day lunch with my parents.

The papers are Webster's Pages 'Sweet Season'.
Other supplies -
AC Thickers
Echo Park alphabet stickers
Sequins from stash
Hobby House pearls
Martha Stewart Butterfly punch

One Photo and Twenty Words

The 9th of the month means one thing - time to link up with Abi at Creating Paper Dreams and share one photo and twenty words.

What a mess, I hate the upheaval.  But it will be worth it when finished and looking lovely & new.

Beat the Christmas Rush - Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer

It is time to share the cards that I have made in April for Sue's Beat the Christmas Rush challenge.  I always try to make some production line style cards for this challenge to boost the number of cards that I will need to have for my fundraising and for my own needs. 

I used a digistamp from DigiStamp Boutique, it was one of their monthly freebies.  It came ready coloured and all I needed to do after printing was add some glossy accents to give him a lovely shiny nose!!

I used four inch square card blanks and covered them with papers left over from kits - they are all Stampin' Up papers apart from the red paper with pink swirls (which is possibly Echo Park) so that has made a small dent in my scraps pile.  A little gem in each corner blinged them up a little.

When Rodgie and Vern met the FBGs

Anita's April class was easily converted with the addition of some plain cardstock into a double page layout.  It was perfect for me to use with all the photographs taken of the FBGs (Fat Bottomed Girls and Guy) with Rodgie and Vern (Jessie's monkey and turtle) at our annual craft weekend in deepest, darkest Hereford.

The papers used are Scenic Route 'Charlotte' and the title was cut using Sizzix alphabet Round-a-bout and funky foam.

Here is a close up of the two sides -

Alison who couldn't join us this time round as she had returned to Australia didn't miss out on a photo op as her photo was taken on the Saturday morning when she joined us for a Skype chat.

I decorated the layout with EK Success punched butterflies, die cut butterflies (Cheery Lynn) and EK Success punched flowers.

Week 11 - 52 cards challenge

The week 10 prompt for the 52 cards challenge was

• Wood
• Plastic
• Stickers

I used woodgrain paper, some Penny Black stickers and plastic embellishments (snowflakes, sequins and pearls).