Time for a man's card

I haven't actually done any crafting today - the cards I'm blogging were made a couple of days ago when I was trying to do something to distract from the pain - so today I'm hoping that a bit of blogging might do that.

This is another card made with elements from the 'antique' section of the MCS everyday essentials kit, using my own navy blue card blank.

This is for:

Here come the boys 31: tag on a card
Always crafting creative Mondays 11: for men
Nutcrafters 22: one for the boys
Sisterhood of crafters: let's hear it for the boys
Card a day July: just for men
Paperminutes 225: shabby chic/vintage
Cupcake craft 200: number cruncher
Tammy scraping corner 18: anything goes
Creatalicious 35: anything goes
Crafty creations 178: free for all
Make it Monday 97
Inspire me Fridays 66
52 card pick up week 27

Cosy cats

These cats have found a nice cosy resting place. Another fancy fold card using MCS supplies from the everyday essentials 'pet' section.

I've just noticed that there were a few white bits where the die cut piece was taken out of the 'window' at the front - these have now been sanded to make them disappear.

This is for:

Gingerloft 44: fancy folds
Shopping our stash 59: extra fold or pleats
Alota: looking through a window
Ooh la la 109: whiskers
My time to craft 183: it's raining cats & dogs
LEJ 11: animals
Tammy scraping corner 18: anything goes
Creatalicious 35: anything goes
Crafty creations 178: free for all
Make it Monday 97
Inspire me Fridays 66
52 card pick up week 27

Flowery hearts

Another two cards made with the MCS everyday essentials, this time from the 'romance' set.

The first one is another fancy fold for:


Gingerloft 44: fancy folds
Shopping our stash 59: extra fold or pleats
Art impressions 71: easel or more than one fold

The above card and this one are both for Alota: looking through a window. The card below opens up to reveal the die cut image on the inside.

Both cards are for:

Phindy's Friday 113: initials - use something beginning with your initials - a hard one for me as my Christian name and surname both begin with H - so I've gone for hearts
Blog a doodle: monochrome
Tammy scraping corner 18: anything goes
Creatalicious 35: anything goes
Crafty creations 178: free for all
Make it Monday 97
Inspire me Fridays 66
52 card pick up week 27

Fancy fold owls

This card is another for the July colour combo on Daring cardmakers:

It's another quick card made with part of the MCS everyday essentials nature set. I made quite a few the other day to try and take my mind off the pain.

This is also for:

Gingerloft 44: fancy folds
Shopping our stash 59: extra fold or pleats
Art impressions 71: easel or more than one fold
Card and scrap 35: wings
Dream valley 36: anything but square
Tammy scraping corner 18: anything goes
Creatalicious 35: anything goes
Crafty creations 178: free for all
Make it Monday 97
Inspire me Fridays 66
52 card pick up week 27

WOYWW 163

For once it seems to have been a long week since last Wednesday because I've been really poorly and in a lot of pain which has made the days and nights seem endless. When I wrote up last week's WOYWW post, I said that I had pain in my face and jaw. Well, having been to the dentist and had xrays to establish whether there was anything wrong (and there wasn't), I had an appointment to go back to the doctor to try and get to the bottom of why I felt so awful and in so much pain. During the day last Wednesday I began to get lumps and bumps on my chin and by the time I went to see the doctor there was a rash up to my eye and beyond. The doctor then realised that I had shingles. It is the most painful condition and something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy (not that I've got any - lol!).

Anyway, the purpose of this post is for today's WOYWW 163 to show what's on my desk. I've been trying to do a bit of crafting to try and take my mind off the pain, but haven't felt like doing anything that requires much thought or creativity, so I resorted to using a kit that just happened to come in the post a few days ago - My Craft Studio everyday essentials.

You can see the little piles of the different sections of the kit sorted ready to make some more cards.

You can also see three Stampotique Christmas stamps that I got with a voucher I won from Crazy 4 challenges a while ago.

And this is my desk to the right of where I sit - you can see quite a few cards that I've made with the MCS kit - some have been blogged, but some need to have bits finished off - so I feel I've achieved something this week even if I haven't felt up to much.

I started off last week with visiting other WOYWWers, but, unfortunately, became too poorly to do so for the rest of the week. Thanks to everyone who visited me and left comments and for all the get well wishes.

Owl love

This card was made with some of the nature section of MCS everyday essentials. When the card is flat the shape on the inside fills the 'window' on the front.

Colours are for the July combo on Daring cardmakers:

It's for:

Mark's finest papers speedy fox and friends 115: blue and green
Alota: looking through a window
Fashionista 4: winged things
Card and scrap: wings
Tammy scraping corner 18: anything goes
Creatalicious 35: anything goes
Make it Monday 97
Inspire me Fridays 66
52 card pick up week 27

For a gentleman's birthday

Another card using some of the 'antique' set from My Craft Studio everyday essentials.

This is for:

Cards for men 14: happy birthday
PaperPlay 27: happy birthday
Always crafting creative Mondays 11: for men
Card a day July: just for men
Crazy amigo: hats
Paperminutes 225: shabby chic/vintage
It's all about the vintage and beauty 23: anything goes
Paper pretties 213: celebrate - any occasion card
Unstampabelles 13: celebrations
Tammy scraping corner 18: anything goes
That craft place: anything goes
Creatalicious 35: anything goes
Make it Monday 97
Inspire me Fridays 66
52 card pick up week 27

In quietness and confidence

'In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.' Isaiah 30:15.

When I saw this photo prompt on All kinds of cards 57, I thought of this verse from Isaiah:

So I googled and found a lovely water lily photo, added the text and made this simple card:

This is also for:

Pile it on 28: it's a shore thing - water
CRAFT 162: splashy/water themed
Corrosive 153: sentimentally yours
Shelly's terrifically thrilling Thursday: what the text
Word art Wednesday 35: blessings from God
Di's digi designs: Come and pile on those flowers
One stop craft 190: summer flowers
Tammy scraping corner 18: anything goes
Creatalicious 35: anything goes
Make it Monday 97
Inspire me Fridays 66
52 card pick up week 27

A touch of Paris

This is one of those difficult to photograph cards because of the folds, so here are two pictures to give some idea of what it actually looks like. This uses some of the 'travel' set from My Craft Studio everyday essentials.

This is for:

Gingerloft 44: fancy folds
Shopping our stash 59: extra fold or pleats
Always crafting creative Mondays 11: for men
Top tip Tuesday 80: one for the men
Card a day July: just for men
Kaboodle 127: anything French
Dream valley 36: anything but square
Tammy scraping corner 18: anything goes
Creatalicious 35: anything goes
Make it Monday 97
Inspire me Fridays 66
52 card pick up week 27

Time is a great storyteller

Another card using components from My Craft Studio everyday essentials ' antique' set.

This is for:

Alota: looking through a window
Cards for men 14: happy birthday
PaperPlay 27: happy birthday
Always crafting creative Mondays 11: for men
Top tip Tuesday 80: one for the men
Card a day July: just for men
Paperminutes 225: shabby chic/vintage
It's all about the vintage and beauty 23: anything goes
Paper pretties 213: celebrate - any occasion card
Unstampabelles 13: celebrations
Dream valley 36: anything but square
Crafty bloggers network Monday challenge 1: anything goes
Tammy scraping corner 18: anything goes
Catch the bug July: anything goes
Creatalicious 35: anything goes
Make it Monday 97
Inspire me Fridays 66
52 card pick up week 27

Time for birthday wishes

This is a step card using components from the My Craft Studio everyday essentials, this time from the antique set.

This is for:

Gingerloft 44: fancy folds
Shopping our stash 59: extra fold or pleats
Cards for men 14: happy birthday
Always crafting creative Mondays 11: for men
Top tip Tuesday 80: one for the men
Card a day July: just for men
Paperminutes 225: shabby chic/vintage
It's all about the vintage and beauty 23: anything goes
Paper pretties 213: celebrate - any occasion card
That craft place: anything goes

Birthday meow

This is for the sketch for Creative inspirations 170:

I've used elements from the My Craft Studio everyday essentials 'pets', adding my own flowers, ribbon and sentiment.

This is also for:

Celebrate the occasion 70: happy birthday
PaperPlay 27: happy birthday
Mishelflo's monthly challenge July: happy blooming birthday
Ooh-la-la 109: whiskers
My time to craft 183: it's raining cats & dogs
LEJ designs 11: animals
Truly madly crafty July: animals
Paper pretties 213: celebrate - any occasion card
That craft place: anything goes

Crafting in between the tennis

Well, surprise, surprise, it's raining at Wimbledon (and here), so I've had a chance to finish off a card that I started last night. In fact, I've done this card twice because I wasn't happy with the first attempt. Update: they closed the centre court roof, so I had to leave this till afterwards.

This is for Joan's gardens 24: create a card similar to Selma's card - an embossed background, a lace border, Selma's tutorial to create flowers and use pink and white. Selma's tutorial involved using a Spellbinders die that I hadn't got, so I made my own similar spirals and cut them out (fiddly!).

For the 'lace' border I've used this new Martha Stewart 'garden gate' punch that I bought with a voucher that I won with a recent Crop Stop challenge:

Crop stop 79 is asking us to 'show some love' so this card is also for that.

I used papers from my offcuts box and a couple of pieces of sticky ribbons, my first opportunity of the week to participate in Pixie's crafty snippets 28. I added a couple of die cut hearts under the handmade flowers. I also decorated the inside of the card with a matching paper.

This is my first attempt, but I wasn't happy with it because I distressed the flower papers with inks and made them too dark:

So I took those flowers off and made three more smaller, but pinker ones:

This is also for:

Shopping our stash 58: triple threat - I chose ribbon, flowers, punched elements and die cuts
Our craft lounge 124: use any die cut shape (the hearts)
Playing in paradise 74: love
Catered crop: ruffles (to create the flowers)
LEJ designs 10: fabulous flowers
Scrap-cards 31: ribbon and flowers
The paper shelter 71: flower power
Bizzy Becs July: flower power
Crafty mess 12: ribbons and lace
Unstampabelles 13: celebrations - suitable for wedding, engagement or anniversary

The last step fold card for now

This is the last of a bunch of four easy cards I put together using 'all wrapped up' supplies by Kanban. The theory was to try and take my mind off the pain and burning sensation of shingles in my head and face ... it didn't really work, but at least I've made some cards! Once again, there is an acetate domed image over the underneath image.

This is for:

Paperminutes 224: stair step fold
Fussy & fancy 66: fancy folds
Lollipop crafts 84: Christmas in July
Through the craftroom door: Christmas in July
Hooked on craft 22: Christmas in July
Crafter's companion 26: ho ho ho Christmas
2 sisters 99: Christmas in July
Jingle belles: have yourself a very vintage Christmas
The sisterhood of crafters: seeing stars
Crafty bloggers network 1: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Tuesday alchemy 21: anything goes
Whimsy 46: anything goes
Creatalicious 35: anything goes
Catch the bug July: anything goes
Make it Monday 96
Inspire me Fridays 66
52 card pick up week 27

And another step fold card

These cards really are easy, but quite effective I think - just the sort of thing to make when you feel poorly and can't concentrate on anything much.

So here is another step fold card using Kanban 'all wrapped up' supplies - once again this has a printed domed acetate overlaying the image underneath.

This is for:

Paperminutes 224: stair step fold
Fussy & fancy 66: fancy folds
Lollipop crafts 84: Christmas in July
Through the craftroom door: Christmas in July
Hooked on craft 22: Christmas in July
Crafter's companion 26: ho ho ho Christmas
Crimbo crackers 19: buildings (the picture is of a church)
Christmas card challenges week 31: monochromatic
Craft punked 27: monochrome
2 sisters 99: Christmas in July +option: no red or green

Another step fold card

This is another quick make using Kanban 'all wrapped up' supplies. This is another card for my own CHNC challenge 80: snowmen. This time there is an oval acetate dome over the snowman image, printed with the same image.

It's also for:

Paperminutes 224: stair step fold
Fussy & fancy 66: fancy folds
Christmas crafting 13: two or more folds
Lollipop crafts 84: Christmas in July
Through the craftroom door: Christmas in July
Hooked on craft 22: Christmas in July
Crafter's companion 26: ho ho ho Christmas
Christmas card challenges week 31: monochromatic
Craft punked 27: monochrome

Easy card for a difficult day

The pain in my head/face from shingles is getting to me big time, so I've tried a little crafting to see if it can distract me for a while. So this is an easy card made with a ready prepared step card - all supplies are from  Kanban 'all wrapped up for Christmas'. The panel with Santa has an acetate overlay that matches up with the underneath card.

This is for:

Paperminutes 224: stair step fold
Fussy & fancy 66: fancy folds
Christmas crafting 13: two or more folds
Annabelle: say it with snowflakes
Lollipop crafts 84: Christmas in July
Through the craftroom door: Christmas in July
Hooked on craft 22: Christmas in July

Another get well card

Having made the previous card for my brother using the Charmed cards & craft Nurse Dottie digital image, I printed out another and used for another quick get well card. This time I've used a couple of snippet pieces of card at the sides and some sticky ribbons.

This inspiration picture was given for Skipping stones 135, so I've gone with the red, white and blue theme:

Also the red, white and blue theme from Just inspirational 36:

This is for:

CAS-ual Friday 60: text me
Catch the bug July: anything goes
Shelly's terrifically thrilling Thursday: what the text

Get well card

It never rains but it pours! So it seems in our family atm. As regular visitors to my blog know, I've got shingles. Yesterday my brother had a fall and has broken his hip - he is having an op today to pin and plate it.

I wanted to get a card into the post for him, but not feeling up to much, so I've used a quick Nurse Dottie digital image that I got long ago from Charmed Cards & Crafts, adding my own sentiment. I hope his nurses are a bit more gentle than this one looks! I've just added a piece of stitched ribbon and a few medical bits from Jolees stickers.

I didn't deliberately set out to make a red, white and blue card ... it just sort of happened and then I realised how many challenges there are this week with that theme.

So I'm linking this for the following challenges:

Amusing challenges (Stamped blessings): red, white, blue
Gingerloft 43: red, white and blue
Order of the opus gluei 134: my country's colours: red, white and blue
Sentimental Sundays 109: be patriotic: red, white and blue
Squiggle stamps: red, white & blue
Incy wincy: patriotism - colours of my country: red, white and blue
Party time 75: patriotic - show your country's colours: red, white, blue
Divas by design 42: red, white and blue
Penny's 83: red, white and blue
Perfect sentiments 39: anything goes with red, white & blue
Scrappy frogs: red, white and blue
Pattie's 47: red, white and blue
Raise the bar 108: red, white and blue
Allsorts 162: red, white and blue
Crazy 4 challenges 144: colours of your flag: red, white and blue
S J crafts 6: red, white and blue
I brake for challenges: I brake for red, white and blue
Unique crafters 5: patriotic: red, white and blue
Wags n whiskers 83: red, white & blue
Just some lines: let's keep it clean and simple
One stitch at a time 120: use a digi
Jackson's digital 14: anything goes
Crafty bloggers network 1: anything goes
Papertake: anything goes
Sassy Cheryl 122: anything goes
Tuesday alchemy 21: anything goes
Whimsy 46: anything goes
Creatalicious 35: anything goes
Mema's crafts July: anything goes
Make it Monday 96
Inspire me Fridays 66
52 card pick up week 27

CHNC challenge 80: snowmen

As I've been poorly this week with shingles I haven't managed any crafting, but have made the effort to produce a card for my CHNC challenge 80 which starts today. Please click on the link and read up about this week's challenge and also welcome Catherine as my Guest Designer for July.

The theme this week is 'snowmen' and the challenge is being sponsored by Robyn's Fetish, who kindly supplied the 'Chester da snowman' image that I've used. I coloured the image with copics.

All papers are from my Christmas offcuts box - the pink background is Papermania, the brown paper with silver glitter is Anna Griffin and the strips with stars is My Mind's Eye lost and found Christmas - an opportunity to pop into the playground at Pixie's crafty snippets 27 (sorry that I've not been playing this week, too poorly with shingles).

I used the sketch for Sparkles forum Christmas challenge 18:

Colours are for Festive Friday 26:

This is also for:

Lollipop crafts 84: Christmas in July
Ladybug: Christmas in July
Through the craftroom door: Christmas in July
Hooked on craft 22: Christmas in July
Crafter's cafe blog 6: Christmas in July - non traditional colours
Holly jolly Christmas challenge: acrostic Christmas challenge - I've used C for colouring with copics, H for heart, T for text paper and S for snowman, stars and sentiment.

WOYWW 161

Happy 4th July to all friends in the US

and greetings to all Canadian friends who have just celebrated their Canada Day.

It's that time of the week again when lots of crafters join Julia and show their workspaces for WOYWW 161.

There's not much crafting going on here as I've been poorly so my desk would be too boring to show, so instead I'm showing three ATCs and cards that I received from Karen, Sue and Janet. It was lovely of these WOYWWers to swap with me because I missed the 'official' swap week when I was on holiday. I apologise to Janet that I've yet to make an ATC for her, but will do so as soon as possible. Thank you, girls, for sharing your lovely creativity with me - I will treasure these.

Some time ago I won 50$ to spend at Simon Says Stamp as a result of winning one of their challenges, so I thought I'd show what came in the post the other day:

Last week I started off quite well in visiting fellow WOYWWers, but then became poorly and didn't manage to visit any more. I hope to do better this week - see how it goes. I've got to go back to the doctor's today because I'm still in a lot of pain in my face and jaw.