Santa and Friends (DT) Dies To Die For

Hello peeps, hope you are all safe and well this Saturday - just popping by with something festive for you.  I finally seem to have got into the swing of the C cards, which is a good job really considering how far behind I am again this year.  

I think I maybe, at a push, make two or three 3D cards a year, and I have made two in the past week!  Not sure what has come over me.  I saw a make on Instagram and thought "yeah I can do that" and so off I went with my ruler and no safety net.

What I always forget though, is what a rubbish person I am with a camera and how tricky these little blighters are to show off, so forgive the squint pictures.

So for this unnamed whacky fold card I have used:

MFT Clear Stamps - Santa and Friends - MFT-CS-340

 and the matching dies MFT Die-Namics - Santa and Friends - as a bundle for a great price!

MFT Die-Namics - Stacked Merry - MFT-1832

Lawn Fawn 6x6 papers - Knit Picky LF1529

Santa and his friend painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Hugs to all

DIES TO DIE FOR ONLINE STORE

DIES TO DIE FOR INSPIRATION BLOG

As You Like It Challenge (DT) Brights or Pastels

 Hello chaps, welcome to yet another Thursday.  Is anyone else still struggling with the new style of Blogger?  Honestly, it is making me weep.  There is a 16 year old IT intern somewhere going "Oh, I have a great idea, let's completely change something that works perfectly well already, so that I can justify my own existence".  Grrrrrrr.

Anyhoo, you really do not want to hear me on my IT soapbox, so I shall tell you about the new themed As You Like It challenge instead.

So, for this fortnight, your challenge is to share with us your favourite of Brights or Pastels.

Hand on heart, I had to look through some recently made cards because in my head I was thinking "oh easy, it's pastels" but it would appear that I do seem to favour the brights, rather a lot of brights in fact.  So brights it is!

For this showstopper I have used:

CC Designs - 20's Gals stamp set

Whimsy Stamps 6x6 paper - Cosmic

Sentiment die is, I think, by Tonic

Image coloured with Distress Inks (ReInkers) with just a sprinkle

of Glamour Dust Crystal on her frilly bits

Our lovely sponsor for this theme is

LAWN FAWN

I do hope you will have the chance to pop over to AYLI to join in the fun.

Hugs

Old Friends (DT) Dies To Die For

  Hello everyone, I'm here (eventually) - treated myself to a bit of a lay-in this morning.

I hope this finds you safe and well in these troubling times we find ourselves in.

Today is mine and the Mr's 22nd Wedding Anniversary.  How can that possibly be?  Where have the last 22 years gone?!

Thankfully he laughed when he opened this earlier.

Ingredients for this one are:

MFT Birdie Brown - Old Friends stamps MFT-BB-107

MFT Die-Namics - Old Friends dies MFT-1795

MFT Die-Namics - Love You Circle Frame die MFT-1661

MFT 6x6 papers

The old couple have been painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) as watercolours.

Are you up to anything nice?  Whatever mischief you have in mind, stay safe and have yourselves a good weekend.

Hugs

PS.  Hand on heart I swore I would not enter this year's MFT Superstar Contest as the previous years have been too much stress and humiliation.  However, as this card wasn't made with the challenge in mind, but will fit in the CAS category, and tomorrow is the closing date, I might just sneak it in under the wire.  Who knows, maybe a card full love will finally do the trick.

DIES TO DIE FOR ONLINE STORE

DIES TO DIE FOR INSPIRATION BLOG

Santa's Helpers (DT) Dies To Die For

  I need more than Santa's help this morning, this new Blogger interface is arrrrgh!  I really, really, dislike change for the sake of change.  I wouldn't mind so much, but the bit that has been changed is the bit behind the scenes that only us get to use, and it is frying my brain this morning.

I'm a bit later than usual today as I overslept this morning.  Not by much, but enough to put me behind.  Mind you, I was home-working on Wednesday (having returned to the office on Monday) and hubby woke me up with a "It's 8.45 you know" - flipping heck, I'm supposed to be logged on by 9.00!  That was a very quick lick and a promise in the bathroom and Weetabix induced indigestion.

I am finally getting my a**e into gear with the C** cards, I thought it was about time that I made a start.  This is my fourth this year.  Only another 46 to go, gulp.

I've had this stamp a while, but I have only just plucked up the courage to deal with the colouring of all the details!

So I have used:

Whimsy Stamps - Santa's Helpers WSMF124

Whimsy Stamps - Slimline Bunting Border Dies WSD478

Lawn Fawn - Mini Snowflake Dies LF995

MFT 6x6 paper - Buffalo Brights MFT-EP66

and an older, retired, MFT Chevrons pad

Imagine entirely painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) as watercolours.

So, that's that bit done, now I need to think about getting a chunk of gammon in the oven to roast!

Hugs

DIES TO DIE FOR ONLINE STORE

DIES TO DIE FOR INSPIRATION BLOG

And as I haven't entered a challenge for a very long time, I'm popping this little lady into the

Anything Goes Challenge over at Word Art Wednesday

Favourite Stencil (DT) As You Like It Challenge

Aarrgh!   I keep being forced to use the new version of Blogger and I absolutely HATE it.  Does anyone else feel the same way?  How is this an improvement?  Mumblemumblegrumble.

Anyhoo, it is AS YOU LIKE IT CHALLENGE day and our theme for this fortnight is

Your Favourite Stencil (and why)

I've collected a "few" stencils over the past couple of years, and the one that is the inkiest (and therefore used the most) is my MFT Mini Cloud Edges Stencil.  It seems to have been out for almost every other card lately.  I love that you can keep a card clean and simple but still have some background interest.

MFT Birdie Brown - Up In The Air

MFT Mini Cloud Edges Stencil

MFT DieNamics Double Stitched Circle Stax

Assortment of MFT 6x6 papers

Distress Inks (ReInkers)

SPONSOR - DIES TO DIE FOR

Long Time No See (DT) Dies To Die For

Morning all, happy weekend to you.  Now that we are in to September, my crafty mind has gone into panic Christmas mode.  Why do I always leave it so late?!

I crocheted the husband a bobble hat earlier in the year.  Despite very careful and repeated measurements it came up rather large, it will certainly keep his ears warm, and probably his knees as well - a bit like this one.

Do penguins have knees?

Gerda Steiner - Long Time No See stamp

Lawn Fawn - Mini Snowflake dies

Taylored Expressions 6x6 - Playful Patterns - Holiday

MFT Sentiments - Bitty Holday Wishes MFT-CS-417

Penguin coloured up with Zig Clean Colour brush pens used as watercolours

All I can say is thank heaven for "Stick It" adhesive sheets, I would have got in a real mess with that delicate snowflake without it.  I discovered the joy of it some time ago and used to be really sparing in how often I used it, but I must be getting lazy in my old age as I find myself reaching for it time and time again these days.

Hugs

DIES TO DIE FOR ONLINE STORE

DIES TO DIE FOR INSPIRATION BLOG

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

DIES TO DIE FOR ONLINE STORE

DIES TO DIE FOR INSPIRATION BLOG

Ribbon (DT) As You Like It

Yes, you read that title right, I am being forced to use ribbon!

The new challenge theme over as As You Like It is your favourite way of using ribbon.

I rarely use the stuff, mainly because I can't get to grips with it, and it always looks like I have just thrown it at a card, so when I do have to use it, I keep it really really simple.

So, for this I have used

MFT Birdie Brown - Happy Pawlidays (stamps)

MFT Die-Namics - Happy Pawlidays (dies)

Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers from Lawn Fawn and Bo Bunny

AND a piece of 6mm red satin ribbon from Fantastic Ribbons

Speaking of which, our sponsor for this challenge is

FANTASTIC RIBBONS

The irony here is that it was me that chose this theme!

Hugs

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

DIES TO DIE FOR ONLINE STORE

DIES TO DIE FOR INSPIRATION BLOG

Magical Friends (DT) Dies To Die For

Hello peeps, happy Saturday to you.

I'm here with a little bit of magical stuff  from my favourite designer, Birdie Brown, for you.  I bet, at some point in our lives, we have all wished to have a dragon as a best friend, for protection, for wisdom, for granting wishes, and of course for story telling.

MFT Birdie Brown - Magical Friends stamps MFT-BB-92

MFT DieNamics Magical Friends dies MFT-1671

MFT 6x6 - Buffalo Brights MFT-EP-66

MFT 6x6 - Party Plaid MFT-EP-67

Image painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) as watercolours.

Small heart punch from Hobbycraft.

Hugs

DIES TO DIE FOR ONLINE STORE

DIES TO DIE FOR INSPIRATION BLOG

As You Like It Challenge (DT) Pink Plus One

Hello chaps, hope you are all ok this rather "warm" Thursday.  When I say warm, I do mean chuffin' hot, it's averaged 33C for the last week, and I have just about reached the end of my tether with it!

Anyhoo, you didn't come here for me to rant about a heatwave, so let me tell you about the new challenge over at AS YOU LIKE IT.

Our theme for this challenge is a colour theme - we would like to see PINK PLUS ONE (the plus one is your choice of main colour, but please explain).

I've perhaps paired my pink with a slightly unexpected colour, and have chosen brown.  The reason why is that pink and brown together remind me so much of the "mallow cones" that our local cake shop used to sell, and they were always a treat for special occasions - an ice-cream cone, filled with pink mallow, dipped in chocolate at the top, and covered with sprinkles.  A blast from the past, although if you hunt far enough, you can still find them!

I've used a real assortment of products:

MFT Stamps - Friends Furever

MFT DieNamics Hugs dies

MFT Stitched Blooms dies

Sunny Studio 6x6 papers from stash

Distress Inks (ReInkers)

The sponsor for this challenge is LOTV (digi images - the new Christmas ones are released this week)

Hugs

Happy Birthday (DT) Dies To Die For

Hello peeps, I am here today with something a little bit different for me.  I was inspired to make this by something I saw on Instagram last week made by Peppermint Patty.  She used different ingredients and her make was more sophisticated, but I just loved the idea of making the letters floral.

I think I spent as long assembling this as I would have done colouring an image!

Honey Bee Stamps - Bee Bold Lower Case Honey Cuts

MFT 6x6 papers - Fun In The Sun MFT-EP-64 

Summertime Polka Dots MFT-EP-65

Spring Whimsy MFT-EP-61

Party Plaid MFT-EP-67 

MFT Die-Namics Peek A Boo Dots

I used a tiny flower punch from Hobbycraft rather than messing about with repeated die-cutting.

And that's it, colourful, but not a drop of ink anywhere.

Hugs

DIES TO DIE FOR ONLINE STORE

DIES TO DIE FOR INSPIRATION BLOG

Hugs

Lessons In Love (DT) Dies To Die For

Yes, I know I'm late again........ sorry!  I didn't sleep well last night, and then managed to oversleep this morning.  Isn't that just the way of it?

I do love me a versatile stamp - this one was designed with teachers in mind, but I think

she makes a great secretary/PA

Things used:

MFT Birdie Brown - Lessons In Love  MFT-BB-82

MFT DieNamics Lessons In Love MFT-1601

MFT DieNamics Stitched Basic Edges 2 MFT-1014

MFT 6x6 papers - Positively Peppy MFT-EP-63

Image coloured with Zig Clean Colour Pens

Hugs

DIES TO DIE FOR ONLINE STORE

DIES TO DIE FOR INSPIRATION BLOG

Cats or Dogs (DT) As You Like It Challenge

Hello peeps, I hope this Thursday finds you well and that life is being kind to you.  We all need a little kindess.

There is a new themed challenge at AS YOU LIKE IT today, and that theme is Cats or Dogs (your favourite, but please tell us why).

I've had cats in my life since I was born, literally - Sam, the farm tabby, used to sleep under my pram in the garden and wouldn't let anyone near, he was a fierce guard cat!  I can't imagine being without one now, with their cuteness (when they want), their calming purrs, their antics, scheming, mischief, all in all life would be dull without a furry feline buddy.

For this bundle of fuzz, I have used:

MFT Birdie Brown - Cat-Astrophe stamps MFT-BB-104

and the matching dies

a mixture of MFT and Honey Bee papers

a Whimsy ribbon slider die

Two sentiments - one from the cat stamp set, the other from Personal Impressions

and, shockingly, a beautiful piece of rainbow organza ribbon from Fantastic Ribbons

Kittens all coloured up using Zig Clean Colour Pens

Our sponsor for this challenge is

POLKADOODLES

Looking forward to meeting all your furry friends!

Hugs

The Gnome And The Bird (DT) Dies To Die For

Morning all.  What's it like where you are?  It's a bit dingy here, I think we might be in for some much needed rain today.  I only hope it lets my towels get dry first!

There have been a lot of gnomes about on the crafting scene for a while now, and many of them are super cute.  However, when Stamping Bella released their new batch of Gnome stamps I am sure

you will have heard my squeal about 500 miles away.  The only thing about them that scares me are the beards!

Stamping Bella - The Gnome and The Bird

Memory Box - Nottingham Border die

MFT 6x6 papers - Buffalo Brights

Sentiment comes with the Gnome stamp.

Sparkly yellow dots from stash.

Image coloured with Zig Clean Colour pens and a Derwent grey ink drawing pen.

Hugs

DIES TO DIE FOR ONLINE STORE

DIES TO DIE FOR INSPIRATION BLOG