HS:MS:HS

On HS:MS:HS today the word is 'stripes': 'Long narrow bands which differ in colour or texture, find Stripes in your space today.'

We must be quite a stripey household because I seemed to have lots of choice, so here's one:

Away from the norm

I don't usually make good luck cards. I have some photo cards that I thought I'd never use - pictures to do with gambling and casinos - as a Christian, I don't go in for all of that.

However, I saw the challenge of UK Stampers Sunday challenge to make something with a credit card or gift card. Ages ago I acquired a handful of 'credit card' type cards, among them was the casino one I've used here. So I thought I would depart from the norm and make a good luck card (don't know what I'll do with it, because I won't want to send it to anyone).

The card also nicely fits into the new challenge on ABC to make a male card, and also incorporates numbers, which is the challenge this week on Arty Girlz.

So, with a card I really didn't want to make, I've covered three different challenges!



It was very difficult to get a photo (now replaced with a slightly better one), because of the gold mirri card that's been layered and the gold foiling on the casino member card. The 'good luck' stamp is a HOTP one - stamped with versamark and heat embossed with gold detail. And irl the black background card does look as black as the casino card.

Anyone want a good luck card?

Dreamstreet with acetate

As I've used some paper by Dreamstreet on this card , I'm adding it to Di Hickman's Manufacturer Monday Dreamstreet.

I've used DCWV winter papers for the background and the paper behind the acetate flowers and Happy Birthday is Dreamstreet hugs-n-kisses hugs. The flowers on the acetate were coloured with fuschia glitter glue and stickles green:



I wonder why one of the Poundland bling looks a different colour to the rest - irl they are all the same.

Her space my space his space catch up

During the last week there have been changes on what used to be Her space my space. With Kirsty stepping down, there is now a new team of Anita, SuzyB and Andrew and you can find them at Her space my space his space. Since the new format, I haven't had a chance to join in.

Today we had a day in London with our son (well, my stepson) and his partner - we did some of the sights, so I've taken the opportunity to incorporate some photos as a catch up for HS:MS:HS, so here they are:

Starting with 'welcome' - this is the welcome that one gets at Buckingham Palace:







Next is 'sign' (of our times):



Three for SOS:







SPS:



'Autumnal':



'Dip' - this is the nearest I could get (the daft thing is that I had a little bowl of tartare sauce to dip into at lunch time and didn't think to take a picture of that - it would have been more appropriate - nevermind):

Anniversary card - double challenge

I needed to make an anniversary card for my brother and SIL (hope you don't look here before Wednesday, but, if you do, I hope you like it!)

I wanted to do something for this week's Papertake challenge - no stamps (could use die cuts etc) and also for ABC challenge, which is L for lace.

The paper at the bottom of the card is PM Inspirations warm tones and has been embossed with cuttlebug swiss dots. The paper at the top is either DCWV or K & Co, but I can't remember which.

The paper lace across the divide was in the PIF I had the other day from Melissa, the Happy Anniversary is K & Co and all the other bits are from my stock.

Mellow Yellow - Children in need

On the Papertake Weekly Challenge blog I noticed a reference to Mellow Yellow cards for Children in Need - more information here.

For these cards I used papers from a K & Co Tim Coffey Daffodil pad. As the papers are 6 x 6 and the cards are A6, I needed to cut and chop around.

I made these during the night because I couldn't sleep.

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Some more blog candy

Check our Martine's fab candy offer to celebrate going past 10,000 hits and have a look at her lovely crafting.

Basic Grey Challenge 6: colour combo

Today's BG blog challenge is to make a card with a certain colour combo - a choice of green and red, brown and cream, or blue and gold/yellow/orange. I think I'd have found the first two options easier, but I decided to go for the third option.

I chose BG cupcake papers, which lent themselves to the colours of Donald - printing the Happy Birthday bits on the computer.



I really found this was a challenge because I won't normally think of this colour combo.

A spoonful of sugar challenge 20 pink and green

Earlier this week I came across A spoonful of sugar and thought I would do a card for this challenge - this time: to use pink and green colour scheme.

I've mainly used BG two scoops with a little sultry for good measure! The stamped daisy has been coloured in with karisma and sansodor.

Blog candy

Natalie has some super blog candy on offer to celebrate her blogoversary - check it out (although perhaps I shouldn't be encouraging you - lol! - because I'd like to win it!

Secret Crafter Saturday challenge 2

This is the sketch on today's Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge 2:



I've used a stamped image that I received in a swap on CBC. The background paper is BG boxer - plus a piece of sticky ribbon, photo corners, gems and a Happy Birthday sentiment:

Sketch Saturday 20 11 October

Here is today's sketch on Sketch Saturday:



It just so happened that I had another oval at the ready, having done a card last night with an oval, so I used that. I stamped the oval with a HOTP stamp with versamark and embossed with hot pink. I also swiped versamark over the squares and heat embossed with the hot pink and then stamped and embossed the images with black. The papers are Dovecraft:

Secret Crafter Saturday challenge 1 and Stamp Something for a friend

I came across the new blog Secret Crafter Saturday challenge. Their first challenge is this sketch:



I used a flecked shiny card and just added the curved stripy card, 'friend' and some Poundland bling, plus the pearlescent oval stamped and masked, using a Dawn Bibby stamp and versamark with detail white embossing:



I'll look back there tomorrow and see what their new challenge is.

These challenges are a good way of building up stocks.

This is a double challenge - it also fits the Stamp Something for a friend challenge.

Lili of the valley Thursday challenge 3: Enchantment

This is the challenge this week on Lili of the valley: 'We are thinking of Fairies, Dragons, Unicorns, Witches etc, but we are sure you will come up with lots of ideas that we haven't even thought of...and don't forget you are not restricted to Lili of the Valley products or just stamping, be as adventurous as you like.'

The papers I've used are The English Paper Company Airy Fairy and the flowers are die cut from DCWV pocket full of posies. The stamp is one that I got free with a magazine and has been stamped on to one of the Airy Fairy papers with Brilliance pearlescent crimson. The paper has a slight lemon look to it, so it matches the main background:

Sketch Saturday 19 DT week

I came across Sketch Saturday and thought I'd have a go at this week's sketch:



I used Sakura glaze pens on an acetate that I've had for ages (from a Dawn Bibby kit) and most of the layered papers are again from Vanessa Arbuthnott, the ribbon across the bottom is Dovecraft and I don't know where the other bits and pieces came from.

As is often the case, the photo doesn't show the colours as they are irl - on here they look as if they clash more than they do.

Tanda teaser 67: let your shoes shine!

This week on Tanda, Sue has set the teaser to feature shoes.

This shoe stamp is one of my favourites by My Sentiments Exactly. The stripy piece of paper that I've stamped with the HB and Celebrate are English Paper Company Vanessa Arbuthnott, but I've no idea what the main background is or the background of the shoe because they were among papers I received in a swap. All stamping was done with Brilliance pearlescent poppy and heat embossed with clear detail (looks glossier irl than on the photo):



You can see what Sue did and join in on the Tanda blog.

Annivesary Card

I don't often double up on challenges and dares, but I needed to make an anniversary card and thought I'd go for the modern approach and therefore was drawn to Lisa's October challenge 1 on JB 'on the straight and narrow': 'Make a LO or card please using blocks, squares, grids or and lines.'



It was only after I'd nearly finished the card that I realised that it fits so well into today's dare on DCM 'gotta wear shades' set by Lythan. So, I hope I'm forgiven that this is a double dare card. And I hope it's bright enough, Lythan!

I used Dream Street Papers hugs-n-kisses 'hugs', 'airmail' and 'care package' - some wonderful papers that I got in a BF kit.

CBC challenge 067: let's hear it for the boys

Joanne has set this challenge on CBC: 'For today's challenge, we'd like you to bring out your masculine side! Whether it's a card, an altered notebook, pen pot, picture frame or choccie wrapper, let's see what you can dream up for the men and boys in your life.'

I love any excuse to make a card that involves the seaside, so I thought this would be appropriate for this challenge. The pebbly beach strip at the bottom is British Beach by Park Lane Papers. The script background and the Waves acetate was part of a seaside package I bought ages ago that seems to keep providing me with different cards and LOs. The sailing picture underneath the acetate was from an old card (recycling is good, isn't it?) and the anchor was a chipboard one that I sprayed with Adirondack stream color wash and then coated with glossy accents.

Thereby hangs a tale - never use color wash without wearing gloves - I got lots of it over my hands and had a hard job to get it off - tried Stazon cleaner, alcohol blending solution, etc. etc. and finally resorted to a vanish washing tablet - followed by plenty of cream! Anyway, I think it was worth it, because I achieved what I wanted with the anchor!

Rosie Dee's challenge 4

Having gone to Rosie and Deanne's new challenge blog to have a peep, I couldn't resist this challenge from Rosie:

'I challenge you to buy yourself a box of chocolates (or even better, get someone else to buy them for you!) You can then alter the empty box to use as storage. Easy eh?'

So, here is a little box of elaborate dark chocolate buttons that I bought yesterday:





And now, instead of chocolate buttons, the box is housing buttons for crafting:





Great challenge - thank you, girls. I'll be watching out for other challenges (and might even try to do the previous ones).

Thanks for the comments about my hospital visit. The outcome is that there's nothing that can surgically be done to ease the pain - too much to go into here, but thanks for your thoughts.

Salt: rest

Today, a new Salt challenge is launched. Please visit the Salt blog to read what Casey has to say and to see the beautiful pieces of crafting by the rest of the team.

I'm setting this post to appear automatically at 10.30 (as the Salt challenge will have been launched by then). This is a very poignant LO for me, because at the time this is being shown I'll be at Guy's hospital to get the results of my recent MRI scan on my spine and to find out whether or not surgery is recommended. I have mixed feelings about this; so the wording on the LO is straight for my heart.

I nearly forgot to say that this has been produced digitally using Publisher and a clipart background - I've kept it simple, because I wanted the wording to be the most important element of the LO:

Using up some scraps

I have a couple of boxes of scraps - well, to be fair, some of them are fairly large pieces, because a smaller piece has been cut from a 12 x 12. Anyway, I decided to have a dip in and make a few cards.

Embossed background chalked and a few die cut flowers added:



A couple of cuttlebug embossed backgrounds inked and then some 3d rub ons added:





A simple ivy stamped image on a background made with alcohol inks:



A tilda stamped image that had already been coloured in and various bits and pieces: