Hello Sunshine

Hi Crafty Friends
This week we celebrated the gorgeous weather with a bright sunny card. It was a really quick card to make - very little die cutting, and some inking. It did involve a bit of painting  because I didn't have any suitable dies or stamps for the stem. I did have a stamp for some leaves for those who don't like drawing/painting. As you can see, my stems went wonky, but I don't think it matters.

My beloved (and slightly fire damaged) dotty stamp, made some excellent texture on the plant pot and the flower centres, and I got to use up some of my large supply of yellow paper 😀.

Luckily as it was a quick card, there was plenty of time to scoff cake 😋. Margaret brought delicious carrot cake and brownies on Tuesday; and, as it was her birthday, Keitha brought scrumptious Malteaser cupcakes on Wednesday. Thanks - what a lovely treat!

Happy crafting and scoffing everyone
Jx

Large distressed flowers card

Hi Crafty Friends
What a great change in the weather. It was actually a bit too warm for some as we crafted away in the conservatory this morning.
This week we did an A5 sized card, which is unusual for me, but I wanted to show off the gorgeous paper (from The Works) and my new HUGE happy birthday die.

If truth be told, the flowers are ones I'd made a while a go for another project (which they didn't suit). I think a couple of weeks kicking about on my desk getting more squashed and distressed was actually an good for them. However it was a time-consuming and messy business trying to replicate them in the time we had.
Happy Crafting
Jx

Time Flies

Hi Crafty Friends
Here is last week's card. I had intended doing a pretty Spring like card, but couldn't find the dies for it, so I had a quick change of plan and did this one. I'd made the sample some time ago so I was pretty much 'winging' (ha ha) it trying to remember all the details (and find the kit) at short notice.
Anyhoo - it all worked out ok, and we even finished early!

We started by stamping the background paper to get different looks for the panels; a great opportunity to get out a heap of grungy background stamps. Then on to the die cutting. I had originally intended to use an unbranded clock and cogs cluster die, but the clock was the wrong way round, so I made up my own collage from random bits. They were all coloured with gilding wax or gilding polish (except the butterfly). They look a lot more metallic in real life.
I hand wrote the sentiment out of desperation - having spent hours failing to find a 'time flies' stamp, or any stamps I could adapt. I thought I could put 'sorry I missed your birthday' inside.

Happy crafting
Jx

Sax Player

Hi Crafty Friends
Here at Serendipity Towers, the blossom is out and it's even been sunny, so it's been lovely to look out while crafting in the conservatory.
But when not admiring the trees, this is what we've been doing.

I love this sax player die, but I struggled to create a background for it. Having decided to have the music sentiment coming from the sax, I was committed to a square card, but without any other suitable dies/stamps the same size. Still, making what you've got do what you want is the name of the game.
In the end I went with an embossed brick panel and Sizzix skylines, and a lot of inking. It was good fun and in the end, quite quick to make.
happy crafting
Jx