Suzie's 365 photos day 175: nature

It's difficult to believe that we're already up to day 175 with Suzie's 365 photos, but here we are and Suzie is asking for us to show 'nature' today. Having been out into the garden to try and catch the sun (ha ha - went behind the cloud again, didn't it!) I thought of taking pictures in the garden, but then I remembered that I took a few photos when we were on holiday in Eastbourne recently showing little clumps of wild flowers growing at the edge of the pebble beach, so here are a couple for day 175:

Suzie's 365 photos day 174: sunshine

'Sunshine' has been in short supply recently. I didn't get round to doing anything yesterday for Suzie's 365 day 174, so thought I would catch up with it this morning. The sun has been out, but just when I go outside with my camera it decided to hide behind a cloud once again - but it is there somewhere behind it!

CHNC challenge 78: let's get inky

Challenge 78 on my CHNC blog today is 'let's get inky' - I'm asking you to use ink in some way on your Christmas card, whether it is stamping, distressing, spraying ... whatever, as long as ink is used.

I've made an easel card, starting with a white base card and a white scalloped circle with gold foiling. I stamped on to this using the lovely Penny Black fantasy tree and distressed first with dusty concord and then with chipped sapphire distress inks.

The base of the card has been covered with a Nancy Watts paper that I got some while ago with Making Cards, which was covered with a piece of vellum with gold stars that was run through my xyron. I then added a piece of pearlised card with a lilac ribbon dotted with gems and a couple of strips of glittered gold. The Happy Christmas sentiment was swiped with the dusty concord ink to match.

The card was loosely based on the merry Monday sketch 25 for Always playing with paper:

This is also for:

One stop craft 188: Christmas in June
Sundays with Santa facebook group: more than one fold
Crimbo crackers 18: anything goes
Sugar creek 17: circles
Craft your passion 115: flips & folds
Stamp dreams 138: let it sparkle and glitter
The squirrel and the fox 20: make it sparkle
Hooked on craft 21: all that glitters
Woodware UK week 56: purple and gold
Desert island crafts 32: I chose: lots of purple, ribbons, no more than 3 colours
Christmas crafting 12: purple Christmas
Hotshot craft 9: distress inks
Tammy scraping corner 15: ribbons or bows
Stampin' for the weekend 12: show us your style - I love stamping, embossing and using distress inks
Stampin' sisters in Christmas 144: create something reflects you - my love of making Christmas cards, stamping, embossing and using distress inks
Challenge up your life 72: no lines technique
Paper playtime 77: say it with sentiments - anything goes
Hiding in my craftroom 50: embossing
Pattie's 46: monochromatic
Victorine 36: anything goes
Crafts and me 89: anything goes
Let's craft and create 47: anything goes
Delightful: anything goes
Shelly's terrifically thrilling Thursday: show us what you got
Creatalicious 35: anything goes
2 sisters 97: anything goes
ATCs and cards with attitude 16: anything goes
Make it Monday 94
Inspire me Fridays 64
52 card pick up 25