Heartfelt Thanks

I was greatly inspired today by the current challenge at AAA Cards Challenge - I just love this colour combination!

It's always useful to have a supply of thank you cards.

What I used:

Flower dies - Mariane Designs

Leaf dies - Crafter's Companion

Background hexagon die - unbranded

Pearls - The Range

Greeting stamp - free with Papercraft Essentials

I'm also playing along with the challenges at:

Crafty Catz #693 - May Flowers

Cardz 4 Gals - Flowers

Simply Clean and Simple - CAS Flowers

613 Avenue Create

Just Us Girls #773

Thanks for visiting

Sharon

x

New Job

It's been a while!

Life has taken over in the last couple of months and I've had no time for crafting. However the Bank Holiday weekend gave me some time to make a card for a friend who has just got a new Job...

What I used:

Letter Dies - from a charity shop - (one of my best finds ever!)

Patterned paper -from stash

Peel-off strips - from stash

Black pearls - from The Range

I kept the layout simple but used rainbow colours to make the letters pop.

I'm playing along with the challenges at:

As You See It Challenge #346 - gotta be peel-offs - I still use these a lot and they are often very cheap in 'bargain bins'. I have loads of sheets from when I first started crafting in around 2005. Very handy for stars, lines, lettering and numbers. 

As You Like It - CAS or fussy and fancy

Always CAS - I find CAS cards are easier to 'design'. The less is more style is easy on the eye and easy to fit into envelopes. I love a lot of white (or even black) space - this can have more impact than loads of embellishments.

Just Us Girls #771

Thanks for visiting !

Sharon

x

New Year New Focus

 So, I wasn't sure whether to continue with my blog or not - I just don't get the time lately to make cards, and I'm also trying out other crafts, so my focus has shifted a bit. But - I got some 'stuff' for Christmas which is a shame not to use, and I've also had a mad idea of doing some running exercise this year and trying for the 'couch to 5K' challenge.

To keep a record of my journey/progress, I have upcycled a notebook I picked up for free at a jobs fair...

What I used:

Number dies -     Stephanie Weightman

Coloured/mirri card -     from stash

Title -     created in Publisher using Copperplate Gothic font

Silver dots -     peel-offs

I'm playing along with the challenges at:

Love to Craft Challenge #84 - AG

Time Out Challenge #279 - Beginnings

Just Us Girls #756 - AG/use dies

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #746 - AG

Crafting Happiness #207 - AG

Thanks for visiting - happy crafting in 2025!

Sharon

x

Rudolph

 An even simpler card today - a very contemporary version of Rudolph.

I used snowflake dies for his antlers and a large red gem for his nose. The greeting was created in Microsoft Publisher using the aptly named font - 'Christmas Respite'

I'm playing along with the challenges at:

Christmas Crafts All year Round - Reindeer, Deer or Moose

AAA Cards Challenge - AG CAS Christmas

Alphabet Challenge - Q is for quick and easy

Creative Friday - any animal

Simply Clean and Simple - Christmas is coming

Thanks for visiting

Sharon

x

Snow Scene

It's been a while...

I've been struggling with inspiration for some time but today I actually made something - I made a card!

It's a very clean and simple Christmas card The landscape dies came from a magazine some time ago, the scrap of 'snow' patterned paper came from my bits pile and the greeting was created in Microsoft Publisher using Bebas Neue font. The star die is form Hobbycraft.

Baby steps!

I'm playing along with the challenges at:

Creative Knockouts - Tis the Season

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #741 - Christmas TOP 3

The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge #172 - AG

Ellibelle's Corner I Spy #21 - Something for Christmas

Fab 'n' Funky #605 - dies/punches

Thanks for coming back!

Sharon

x

Lucy is Sweet 16

It's Monday which means there is a new challenge at Dream Valley Challenges ...

This week we don't have a sponsor so the challenge is just for fun. The theme is:

ANYTHING GOES

As always the design team have come up with some inspiration to get your creative juices flowing - here's my card:

I needed to create a card for my Niece, Lucy, who turns 16 this week. She's a very girly girl - loves everything pink, pretty and sparkly. I kept the design layout simple but added fancy touches with the scalloped die and the sparkly gems. I love these NitWits papers - so pretty! 

What I used:

Papers - NitWits

Gems - from stash

Scalloped die - Spellbinders

Number dies - Stephanie Weightman 

Greeting - Copperplate font

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

A Cut Above (August) - AG with a die cut

Daring Cardmakers - Lucky numbers

Try It On Tuesday - Make it feminine

Creative Fingers #283 - AG

Paper Minutes - Birthday

Creative Friday #366 - Square

Crafty Calendar August - AG

So have a pop over at the Dream Valley Challenge Blog to see some more lovely inspiration from my teamies on the design team and have a chance at winning a prize.

Thanks for visiting

Sharon

x   

Aloha Alanna

 It's Monday which means there is a new challenge at Dream Valley Challenges ...

This week we don't have a sponsor so the challenge is just for fun - the theme is...

Use a hand-coloured image

As always the design team have come up with some inspiration to get your creative juices flowing - here's my card:

What I used:

Image - Alanna by Conie Fong

Coloured with - Spectrum Noir pens

Papers - from stash

Greeting - created using 'Claire Hand' font

Isn't she gorgeous - she is definitely in a beach bar on holiday  somewhere hot, enjoying a cocktail!

The papers are old - they came with a magazine years ago and I've managed to perfectly match them with her hair and outfit.

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Creative Moments #261 - use patterned paper

Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2432 - anything goes

Love Those Pretty Papers (August) - Summertime

Allsorts Challenge - Summer days

So have a pop over at the Dream Valley Challenge Blog to see some more lovely inspiration from my teamies on the design team and have a chance at winning a prize.

Thanks for visiting

Sharon

x  

Christmas in July

It's Monday which means there is a new challenge at Dream Valley Challenges ...

This week we are being sponsored by The Paper Shelter who have kindly provided images for us to use

As always the design team have come up with some inspiration to get your creative juices flowing - here's my card:

What I used:

Image - The Paper Shelter

Coloured with - Promarkers

Papers - DecoTime

Greeting - Christmas Respite font

I'm entering this card into the challenges at:

Daring Cardmakers - Christmas in July

Dragonfly Dreams July Challenge - Christmas in July

Creative Knockouts #526 - Christmas in July

Simply Create Too - Christmas in July

So have a pop over at the Dream Valley Challenge Blog to see some more lovely inspiration from my teamies on the design team and have a chance at winning a prize.

Thanks for visiting

Sharon

x  

CASE-ing Inspiration

I haven't made a card for a while - I'm really struggling with inspiration. So I turned to Pinterest to find something I could 'CASE' - copy and share elements.

I found this card that someone had saved but no link to the original maker so I don't know who made this lovely creation originally. 

It looks so simple but looks are deceiving! At least this gave me the opportunity to use up loads of bits of patterned paper that we all collect!

Here's how I did:

I'm not sure about it - but at least I've made a card!

I'm playing along with the challenges at:

Pixie's Snippets Playground #484 - TOP 3 PICKS

Love Those Pretty Papers - anything goes

Creative Fingers #282 - anything goes

Thanks for visiting

Sharon

x

Hoppy Birthday

It's Monday which means there is a new challenge at