As You Like It Challenge (DT) Floral Or Gingham

 Hellooooooo to anyone out there in the wonderweb world, here I am 

again to tell you about this fortnight's new theme over at

AS YOU LIKE IT CHALLENGE

and this time it is your favourite of

floral or gingham

It wasn't an easy choice but I have gone with the gingham option this time as it

worked so well for paper piecing the ribbon and also for framing

the image

I've used an old Wild Rose Studio stamp which is

mostly painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) and I have paper pieced the parcel ribbon

I've used Sunny Studio Pastel Ginghams 6x6

and a combination of MTF Die-Namics Happy Words and Happy Everything dies

The sponsor of this challenge is

Lili of the Valley

Hugs

As You Like It (DT) Pastels or Brights

Helloooooo!  Time for another As You Like It Challenge

This fortnight's challenge theme is to showcase a project using 

Your Favourite Pastels or Brights (& why).

You MUST explain WHY it is your favourite

Someone not too far away from here seems to believe that I favour the

brights, so just to prove that I can do pastels occasionally...

So, I have used

Stamping Bella Squidgy with Daisy

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

a Stamping Bella sentiment

and a mixture of Lawn Fawn and MFT papers

from my leftovers pile 

Martha Stewart "grass" border punch

The sponsor of this challenge is

Lawn Fawn

So now it's over to you.

We hope you will join in our challenge and show us your style.

Don't forget, you MUST explain WHY it is your favourite to be eligible to win.

Good luck, and happy crafting.
Hugs

Party On .... But Not Too Long

 Aren't we all our own worst critics?  I know I am, and am particularly hard on

myself at times.  However, now and again I make something that I am really chuffed

with, and this is one of those - it very nearly didn't get sent to the recipient (but

she's special so it did get there!)

So, I used one of the Rockabilly Gals from CC Designs

painted her with Distress Inks (ReInkers) and fussy cut

For the background, I cut a stencil using an older Spellbinders Nestabilities die

and then stencilled through that with Gina K Daisy Chain stencil with a

Distress Ink Oxide pad

Corners done with an old Woodware punch

and simply layered with some pink paper from my stash

A couple of sentiments from the MFT Sassy Pants Birthday Greetings 3 set

and that's it, it took all afternoon, but I really, really, enjoyed making it

Allsorts Challenge - Anything Goes (14th Birthday) Week 729

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As You Like It Challenge (DT) Spring or Summer

 Hello peeps, I hope you are all ok.

It's time for another challenge from the AS YOU LIKE IT CHALLENGE

and this time the theme is Spring or Summer

(please remember to explain your choice)

I hate summer!  It's too hot and sweaty, I get burned outside, it's too hot to sleep, nobody opens enough windows, and it's full of bugs.  There, I've said it.  I. Hate. Summer.

So I made a Spring card, because everything is still fresh, new, and delicate, and there are no wasps.

I've used an older stamp (rubber!) from Lili Of The Valley and

painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

This has a real Spring feel about it with all the sweet daisies

Sentiment is from an Easter set from Pretty Pink Posh

The squeak of pink matting layer is Lawn Fawn

The sponsor for this theme is

Amanda Jayne Designs

You have two weeks, come and join us

Hugs

As You Like It Challenge (DT) Animals or People

 It's Thursday.

So that means.....

A new challenge theme from AS YOU LIKE IT CHALLENGE

and this time it is

Your Favourite - Animals or People

(and please explain your choice)

Now, I'm nothing if not contrary, and I use a lot of animals on my makes, but recently I've been

using a lot more people!  There are no many great character stamps out there.

One of my favour people designers will always be Birdie Brown.

This is Bring Out The Sunshine (Birdie Brown) from My Favorite Things

Coloured up with Distress Inks (ReInkers) as watercolours

Funky flowers in the background are an accent stamp from a Personal Impressions

sentiment set, inked with Memento Inks

and the sentiment is destined to be anonymous unless someone recognises it!

Layering paper is a paisley design from Whimsy Stamps

The sponsor of this challenge is

Lee Holland

Come on over and join us - challenge runs for two weeks

Hugs

AYLI (DT) Favourite Reason To Craft

 Crikey, it's been a month since I last blogged anything - is there anyone still out there?  Faith, are you there loyal buddy?!

So, 2023 and off we go with the first AS YOU LIKE IT CHALLENGE of the year

and the theme is Your Favourite Reason To Craft

(birthday/Christmas/just because....)

For me it's birthdays, they are what I make the most of during a crafting year, and I love to be able to make them personal.

Bet you would never guess that my boss has had her 50th now!

Stamping Bella Curvy Girl Eats Cake

Painted in Distress Inks (ReInkers) and paper pieced

Background entirely from the same autumnal themed paper pad

The prize for the winner of this challenge is an 

invitation to guest design with the team for February!

Hope you will join us.

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Another Catch Up

 Morning all, hope you are ok today.  I'm pleased to report that apart from some bunged upness in my nose and ears, and being very tired, I am just about back in the land of the living after Covid.

So, I'm here with another catch up post and this one was a birthday card for my BFF.

I've combined two stamp sets with some masking

Gerda Steiner Designs - Monster Party

Sentiment from the same set

Whimsy Stamps Calories Schmalories

Papers are Echo Park Birthday Girl

Purple card from stash

Images watercoloured with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

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Out with the Bunting

 It's Jubilee Friday, the sun is shining, there are parties everywhere .... and I'm loading the

washing machine, LOL!

As there is so much bunting around, I though I'd get out one of my older CC Designs stamps

OK, it's not red white and blue, but she is definitely party ready.

Somehow, in between making the card and blogging it, I've managed to misfile the stamp, but after a bit of Googling she is C C Designs Swiss Pixies Banner Heidi

Whimsy Stamps 6x6 Mix n Match 2 papers

MFT Die-Namics word dies

Distress Inks (ReInkers) as watercolours

Martha Stewart corner punch

Hobbycraft tiny flower punch

Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend.

Hugs

AS You Like It Challenge (DT) Sketch

 Hello peeps, almost time for the Bank Holiday (UK) weekend, hurrah!

Now, before you all dash off to the beach or out to the barbeque, it's time for another challenge over at

 the As You Like It Challenge.

Our theme for this one is Favourite Sketch (and please explain your choice)

We all get stuck for ideas from time to time, of course we do, and it is so easy to repeat something over and over because you feel comfortable with it, so when I get stuck or need something fresh I pop over to the MFT Blog for a mooch through their library of past sketches.  I have used 2 or 3 of them a few times but this one is winning at the moment as my favourite.  It's very simple, but can be very effective with the right choice of papers and little extra details.

For this I have used

Stamping Bella - Mini Oddball Has A Present

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) and Zig Clean Colour Brush Pens

Papers are Lawn Fawn 6x6 Flower Market

MFT Die-Namics Stitched Rectangle

Mama Elephant Mini Everyday Messages

Our sponsor for this theme is

Lee Holland

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Oddball Cinderella

 Hello peeps, hope you are ok.

Since I stepped down from DTDF I've had a little bit of a breather from crafting so intensively but am back in the saddle now.  Looking back over my camera reel I see that there are some things I haven't shared with you yet from the end of 2021, and this is one of them.

I've used Stamping Bella Oddball Cinderella - sb-EB972

Oddball Hamlet started my collection, and Oddball Cinderella came next - I've gone from not liking them very much to actually liking them a lot.  The same cannot be said for Marmite.

I have no idea whose the brick wall stencil is (now packetless)

Ditto the papers I used.

Sentiment comes with Cinderella.

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) and Oxides

Hope all is well in your world

Hugs

As You Like It Challenge (DT) Autumn or Winter

 Hello folks, it's time for another new challenge over as AS YOU LIKE IT and the theme for this fortnight is Autumn or Winter (please explain your choice).

Autumn is my most favourite season of the whole year, although I don't mind winter that much.  There is so much loveliness about autumn, the cooler mornings, the temperate days, the cooler nights.  I love the warmth of the light, the rich colours, the smells, I don't even mind it getting dark early, I just close the curtains and snuggle up indoors with himself and the cat.  I love being able to get out and about without having heatstroke, and on the cooler days I am happy to pull on a woolly pully.  I am definitely an autumnal squirrel.

Stamping Bella - Curvy Girl Loves Autumn (no die available, she was fussy cut) sb-eb989

Newton's Nook Designs - Shades of Autumn (background leaves, fabulous linen effect on these) NN1709S04

Lawn Fawn 6x6 papers - Watercolor Wishes LF-1355

MFT 6x6 papers - Keep Me In Stitches MFT-EP82

Spellbinders (Nestabilities) Tall Scallop Oval die

Crealies - Open Scallop Square die CLNestXXL70

Distress Inks (ReInkers) and pads

With Love sentiment die might be Tonic, but I have no packaging for it now

Our sponsor for this challenge is the ever adorable LAWN FAWN

Come on over and share your favourite (autumn or winter) season with us.

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Birthday Besties (DT) Dies To Die For

  Hello peeps, I'm here, but I think I should change my middle name to "sorry I'm late again" - there is just so much going on at the moment that I really don't know my knees from my elbows.

Anyhoo, I have a sweet but very simple birthday card to share with you today

I have used

MFT Pure Innocence Birthday Besties MFT-PI-301 (there are two girls in the set) 

MFT DieNamics Birthday Besties MFT-1705

MFT Itty Bitty Birthday MFT-CS-586

MFT 6x6 paper Rainbow Plaid MFT-EP-78

I have paper pieced her dress from the gorgeous plaid papers - I love this set of papers, they all coordinate colourwise so beautifully

The rest of her is Distress Ink'ed (ReInkers)

It's my mum's birthday today, so we are about to dash off to visit with her presents and a yummy cake, and a bucketful of blackberries that Toad picked for her yesterday

Hugs to all

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As You Like It Challenge (DT) Favourite Primary Colour

 Hello peeps, hope you are all well.

Today, the new theme over at AS YOU LIKE IT CHALLENGE

is for you to tell us all about your Favourite Primary Colour.

(if you are not sure, there are only three, Red, Blue, and Yellow)

I am rather partial to a splash of yellow, it is such a bright and happy colour, and it makes me think of Spring.

So, for this I have used

MFT Birdie Brown - Rain or Shine stamps MFT-BB-58

MFT DieNamics - Rain or Shine dies MFT-1308

Mama Elephant Mixed Wishes Greetings

MFT 6x6 papers - Poppin' Polka Dots MFT-EP-76

Images painted with Zig Real Color Brush Pens as watercolours

and the yellow matting layer is simply white card edged up with a Copic pen

Our sponsor for this challenge is

POLKADOODLES

So, what's stopping you, come on over and get colourful with us!

Hugs

Sweet Birthday Wishes (DT) Dies To Die For

 Hello peeps, here I am, on this rather warm weekend.  I know it's June, and it is meant to be warm but it has gone from freezing to boiling so fast that I haven't had a chance to shed my winter coat yet.

Speaking of shedding, Rosie (my tabby cat) has a boyfriend (Meep, dark, handsome, dangerous) and it was his human's birthday this past week.

Rosie told me what to make - it had to have a Meep on it.

MFT Birdie Brown - Sweet Birthday Wishes stamps MFT-BB78

MFT DieNamics - Sweet Birthday Wishes dies MFT-1589

MFT DieNamics - Box Card Greetings MFT-1989

MFT Clear Stamps Bitty Birthday Wishes MFT-CS-398

MFT 6x6 papers

Now, the little kitty came from the BB New Best Friend set (which is no longer on the DTDF website, but does seem to still be on the MFT site) but there are loads of stamp sets with small cats that would work equally well.

Images painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers).

Have a super weekend - don't forget the Factor 50 cream if you're out in the sun (we're not used to it!)

Hugs

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Curvy Girl Gardener (DT) Dies To Die For

Is it just me or is it chuffy cold at the moment?  I'm looking out at all that needs to be done in the garden and thinking "nah, I'll wait 'til it's warmer"

This little lass however seems to be having great results with her blooms

For this I have used

Stamping Bella Curvy Girl Gardener sb-eb790

Sunny Studio dies Comic Strip Speech Bubbles SSDIE157

MFT 6x6 paper pad Spring Whimsy MFT-EP-61

I've painted her with Distress Inks (ReInkers) and fussy cut (she may have lost a strand or two of hair in the process).

Flowers done with an old Woodware medium daisy punch, with Craftwork Cards foiled Card Candy for centres.  Sentiment is from Personal Impressions.

When I went to attach the Candy centres, I discovered that silicon glue is not nice after it hasn't been used for a very long time.  I appear to currently have a large tube of slimy snot - guess that is heading for the bin.  Thank goodness for emergency foam pads!

Hugs

 

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Pretty Postage (DT) Dies To Die For

 Morning all.  Hope you are all well.  We had a little bit of excitement this week, it was dad's birthday on Thursday so I had booked a day's leave so we could visit on the day.  When we got back, there was a letter on the doormat for Toad, inviting him for his vaccine!  This was about 2.30.  Couldn't book online as the system was foobarred, so we got on the phone (You are number 48 in the queue, please continue to hold).  Eventually, appointment made, same day, so from receipt of letter to returning home from vaccine was 3 hours!  I'm really pleased he is done, now I am patiently waiting for mine.

Anyhoo, brace yourselves, I've gone a bit sophisticated today!

Honey Bee - Pretty Postage stamp (includes sentiments)  HBST-301

Honey Bee - Pretty Postage dies  HBDS-301

Lawn Fawn - Dandy Day papers

Lawn Fawn - Hello Sunshine papers

MFT paper (pinstripe) but you could use any

I do this to myself a lot, I buy floral stamps and then panic when it comes to colouring - all done in Distress Inks (ReInkers) as watercolours.  I think I need to lay down in a darkened room now

Hugs

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Rain or Shine (DT) Dies To Die For

I'm here today, with another little sprinkle of Birdie Brown!

It's my dear mum's birthday the week after next (no danger of her seeing this, she doesn't have internet out in the wild end of Suffolk).  Because she is a garden lover, her passion is so weather dependent, so if she had a rainbow umbrella she'd be set for rain, or as a sunshade.

Ingredients used:

MFT Birdie Brown - Rain or Shine (stamps) MFT-BB-58

MFT DieNamics - Rain or Shine (dies) MFT-1308

MFT Clear Stamps - Purr-fect  MFT-CS-388

MFT Stencil - Rolling Clouds  MFT-ST-143

MFT DieNamics - Grassy Edges

MFT 6x6 paper - Woodgrain Whimsy  MFT-EP-62

MFT 6xt paper - Party Plaid  MFT-EP-67

Images coloured with Zig Clean Colour Real Brush pens and Distress Inks (ReInkers).

It's been a funny old week.  I have been working right through lockdown from the back bedroom/study and initially I really struggled with it.  However, somewhere along the line my mind adjusted and I have been relatively content, especially as the commute to and from work has been so short.  This week we had been told that our department will be returning to the office soon, and I admit it, my anxiety kicked into overdrive.  Am I really so scared to go out there again?  Actually, yes, I am terrified.  I know I need to get it into perspective, and this county has one of the lowest infection rates in the country, but that doesn't stop these irrational feelings of fear and trepidation.  I simply do not want to be mixing with people again!  I know that once I have actually done it, I will feel a bit better about things, but honestly, there are several sleepless nights coming up!

Anyhoo, enough of my ramblings, off you go and enjoy your weekend.

Hugs

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Mermazing (DT) Dies To Die For

Morning all, how are we?

With all the hot weather we have had lately, I could really do with a paddling pool for dabbling my hot and sticky paws in, but I'm not a swimmer so this is unlikely to be me ...........

Ingredients used:

MFT Birdie Brown - Mermazing stamp set  MFT-BB-45

MFT Die-Namics - Mermazing MFT-1098

MFT Spotlight Sentiments MFT-CS-478

MFT Die-Namics A2 Circle Stax MFT-1790

Whimsy Stamps 6x6 paper - Cosmic WSDP19

Sunny Studio 6x6 paper - Summer Splash SSPP-114

MFT Stencil - Perfect Pool Water  MFT-ST-141

Perfect Pool Water stencil inked up with Distress Inks Broken China, images painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) as watercolours.

Corner punch is a cheapy I picked up on impulse from Hobbycraft, I think it adds a nice finishing detail.  Now if MFT Die-Namics ventured into corner dies, I would be a very happy little critter!

Anyhoo, the closest I'll get to being a mermaid is in a deep bath (but not too deep, I'm short)!

Hugs

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