JB Friday night challenge:Hearts

This is for a challenge set for 14 September: 'We are being kind to you this weekend with this challenge. A nice easy one ......Please make a card using hearts.'

As this was a nice easy one, I've done three very similar cards:

HSMS: autumn

The third season of the year. Show us 'Autumn' in your space today.

Altered coaster

JB September challenge 3: altered coaster: 'Your challenge is to create something beautiful from a coaster...'

Originally, the coazter was one of a set that had Monet paintings on:



This is now hanging on the cupboard door in the room where I craft:



I hope my doctor doesn't read this, because I have high cholesterol - but in my defence, a little of what you fancy and all that - and I only ever eat good quality dark chocolate (like the yummy Hotel Chocolat).

By the way, I was quite surprised that my crop-a-dile made the hole fairly easily - if you haven't got one yet, you need one!

Decoupaged delight

I'm still in my dressing gown and feeling like doing nothing, but have roused myself enough to do a bit of crafting in the hope that it will be good therapy and take my mind off the pain in the back (don't think it's worked though!).

Anyway, this is for JB September challenge 11: decoupaged delight scrapbook LO: 'So your challenge is to create a scrapbook page incorporating decoupage, you can either decoupage a pre printed design or do as I have and created decoupaged elements from a piece of scrapbook paper, the choice is yours.'

I cut into two pieces of flowery DCWV pocket full of posies and cut out some of the flowers and circles to decoupage on to the other sheet. I then printed out some summer photos from the garden, repeating a smaller version of the lavender ones and topping with a frame. None of this is apparent in the main photo, but hopefully the other shots show that there really is some decoupage on this LO:

HS:MS SOS 7

'Show Off Sunday...lets see those wonderful photos!!!!'

There's nothing special about my photos today (not that there ever is!), but they bring back memories of our break in Bognor Regis in July.

I'm feeling rotten today - very painful back, which kept me awake most of the night - not feeling any better now, despite the regular mega painkillers. But looking at these photos brings a peaceful calm - one that speaks to me of God's wonderful creation:

A simple Bex template

JB September challenge 8: a simple Bex template: 'So here is the template - no rules as usual ....... flip, squash, shrink etc - as long as the original idea is there somewhere no worries':



Here is mine (once again colours are not good because of the flash photo):

Blocking

JB September challenge 9: blocking: 'for this challenge we would like you to make a card using this BLOCKING technique'. Enjoyed this challenge set by Sue.

PPs are from English Paper Company Christmas range (colours are a lot better irl, honestly!):

One for the guys

Another JB challenge: September challenge 6: one for the guys: 'A nice easy challenge - make a birthday card for a bloke! Not for a baby or a child, but for a grown-up man.'

I've made a couple using 'Guy's Life' papers and bits:





I've been determined to join in at last with some of the challenges on Just Bex (as I didn't do any during September). Today is World Cardmaking Day (info here: http://www.worldcardmakingday.com/) so I thought I'd do my bit. I have to confess that my back isn't good today - is continuing to hurt so much despite the painkillers and isn't any different whether I'm sitting in my armchair or whatever. I feel all I can do is make the best of things - and my crafting certainly gives an opportunity to concentrate on a bit of creativity.

Old and new

Sue has set a super challenge on JB: challenge 3: old and new: 'for this challenge we want you to do 2 things - yes 2 things we are asking for 2 fantastic items - one with old paper - you know the stuff you hate and really do not want to use and one with new paper yes cut up that NEW stash you have bought'

For the 'old' I've used papers from a K & Co Life's Journey 6 x 6 pad - I don't think I've ever used any of them, because I couldn't really think of anything to do with them (I think I bought them in a mad moment with other K & Co pads):



The 'new' is mainly Imaginisce: Go for Baroque: If it ain't Baroque' with a little bit of blue HOTP:



That's an anniversary card done that is needed for next week.

Button it for Christmas

This is another JB Friday night challenge (this time it's last night's, so up-to-date for a change): '.....and for THIS FRIDAY we are continuing the Christmas preparations and as usual are asking you to make 5 cards for the challenge.Simple one this week - all cards must include BUTTONS. Any buttons, whether normal or novelty.Complete the challenge before Midnight Tuesday and you will get 3 points.'

JB Trimming the tree

This one was for a Friday night challenge (21 September): trimming theYour challenge for the next few days is to make 5 Christmas cards featuring Christmas Trees - any shape, any style, any kind of tree! These can be 5 different cards, or 5 all the same, it's up to you.'

I know I'm late in doing this, but decided to make a few more cards using some of the Anna Griffin papers I had left over and over bits and bobs that have been hanging around:

JB September challenge 2

This is for the JB September challenge2: get tearing: 'You've guessed it...cards or LO's tear them to your hearts content.'

It's a poor attempt (somehow meets my mood today):

HS:MS SPS 7

I've been doing the HS:MS self portrait Saturday photos every week and I thought it might get easier - huh!! I didn't feel like facing the camera todsy (not much different to any other day) - Saturday is never my best day - it's when I take my tablet for osteoporosis and I never feel that great.

I had several attempts at a SP for today and deleted them one by one! In the end I kept this one and played around with various effects and have finished up with this (a bit like looking through rose-tinted glasses!):

Stripes, spots and waves

This card is for September challenge 5 on JB: 'Feel free to make a card or LO using Stripes, Spots and also Waves'.

I hope that the little buttons count as spots:

Paisley crazy

This is for another challenge on Just Bex: October challenge 1: 'So, basically the challenge is to use something Paisley on your card, whether is a patterned paper, a die cut, ribbon, Paisley embossing, whatever you want.'

I've used Papermania Inspirations paper as a background (it has a distressed look) and stamped with a favourite large paisley stamp using Brilliance pearlescent purple and embossed with fine detail clear ep.

This is the same card, but the first photo is without flash - this shows the colour well, but the second photo shows the embossing detail that isn't apparent on the first one:

All there in black and white

The CBC crew set this challenge: Joanne said: 'I know it's still September but October is only a few days away and then Christmas will be here before you know it... here's a chance to tick a Christmas card off your 'must make' list.

We all sit down to enjoy the good old Black & White movies at Christmas so your challenge is to make a B&W Christmas card.

You can use a metallic (gold or silver) to accent it if you want but no sneaking other colours in, OK?'

So here are three very similar ones from me (while I had the paper out it was just as easy to make three as to do one). The white papers with trees and ivy were from some blocs I bought a couple of years ago and the other papers are DCWV (bits that were left over from last year - or perhaps it was the year before, time goes so quickly!) The little squares of snow, snowman and words were stamped and embossed with black fine detail:

Beary special

The challenge crew on Crafts by Carolyn say: 'so we want you to make a card for any occasion but it must be

BEARY SPECIAL

Here are three from me:





(Although it's a bit of a wrong time of year to use that one ... roll on next summer!)

'You need to sit down'

Sue set the Friday night challenge on 7 September on Just Bex (yes, I know I'm way behind the times!) was: 'you need to sit down and relax ... now this challenge - and I BET you chose NOT to accept it !!! is to make a card using ........ wait for it ...... PEEL OFFS!!

Sue and many others have shown such style and invention using their peel offs. Mine is just a sad, naff card:

TEAR Fund sale update

I've just heard that I've sold another £10 worth of Christmas cards and someone else wants £10 worth tonight, so that will add another £6 to the total for TEAR Fund. I now have £60 + a donation of £10 to send. I'm keeping it open for a week or two in case anyone else wants to have some cards (if you're local and reading this, you'd always be welcome to come and have a coffee and a browse).

JB September challenge 12

This was one of the challenges on Just Bex: 'This challenge is to create a LO using only back and white and a splash of one other colour'.

I've used BG scarlet's letter papers and other bits. That's me as a bridesmaid when I was six:

HS:MS blade

A flat sharp cutting edge. Find 'blade' in your space today.

Here's a picture of the blade of my food processor. I've had this for years and keep talking of replacing it because the blade isn't half as sharp as it used to be:



Sally was asking about the 'random' photos. They are the result of a daily photo challenge on Her Space : My Space