Check it out - it's Plaid

 Morning all.  Time for a new challenge at Make My Monday.  Let's see your projects with 'Checks or Plaids' please.  I had no idea where to go with this one and the obvious place to start was my paper stash.  I dug out all the checks and plaids I had to see if anything inspired me. I found a cute pink, green and a hint of blue and popped it on a card front before adding some layers of stitched squares.  I wanted to us a very old rubbishy plastic 'baby'  stamp that I've had forever and I coloured it to match.  The problem was it looked lost on my card.  I just didn't really know where to go with it.  I could have coloured a baby image (I have plenty) but I wasn't in the mood.  In desperation I went through my toppers box and found the absolute perfect image.  I had it from the Dollar Graphics Depot years ago (they don't sell to Europe since they altered the law a while ago - something to do with tax I think).  It's been sitting in that box forever. I'm not sure I could have made a better card if I'd started with the image.

I did make some smaller cards with just the stamp and the off cuts of paper which have gone in my Church card box.  

OK, it's your turn.  

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Happy Anniversary

 Morning all.  We start, once again, at the letter A over at The Alphabet Challenge and we want to see your 'A for Anniversary' projects please.  Both my husband and I (do I sound like the Queen) are a couple of soppy souls but we don't really do anniversary cards.  Our anniversary sits nicely between his birthday and our sons birthday - all in the same week.  However, if I was going to send him a card then I would like it to say exactly how I feel about him.

I am totally obsessed with the quote downloads over at Baer Design Studio.  This says everything I want my husband to know.  OK, it's a bit pink and girly so I may have to redo it before our next Anniversary but I hope you get the idea.

Please pop over and join in the fun.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Slimline (in my dreams)

 Morning all.  We have a new challenge today over at Cardz4galz. We want you to go slimline.  Luckily, we only mean your cards.  Having regained most of the weight I'd lost before lockdown I can say with all honesty that a slimline card is the only thing slim going on in this house at the moment.

The stamp and backing papers I've used for my card came from a recent issue of Creative Stamping Magazine.  I stamped the feathery wreaths over the corners and then added some single feathers.  I decoupaged the single feathers and just added the sentiment and gems.  Simples.  

I do like a DL/slimline card for a change.  Let's see what you have to inspire me.

Thanks for reading.  

Love Dawn x

Ink Credible Art

 Morning all.  I hope you all had a lovely Easter weekend.  Back to normal this morning but, before I go to work, let's check out the new challenge at Cardz4guyz.  Pamela would like us to use something new from your stash.  Now, if that isn't an excuse to go shopping I don't know what is.  To be fair, I didn't need to go shopping as I already had a lovely stamp set that Mum and Dad gave me for my birthday and I hadn't had chance to ink yet.  I totally fell for the cute art work from Tracey Hey and I will be getting more of her stamps in the future.  I regularly visit Kuni's Bastelblog as she often joins our challenge and it was her cards that led me to discover Tracey's stamps.  If you need inspiration please check out her blog.  You won't be disappointed.

Isn't he the cutest?  I really enjoyed colouring him and, once I'd finished, I decided to leave him be.  I really don't think he needed any adornment.  I just love his cute little boots.

OK, now let's see what you've got new in your stash.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Wishing you all a Blessed Easter

 Morning all.  We have a very seasonal Challenge for you over at Make My Monday.  We would like to see your 'Easter or Spring' projects please.  Easter has sort of surprised me this year.  Still being in lockdown means I have to book a place at Church on Sunday so I've only been going occasionally to give everyone a chance at the limited spaces.  Watching on-line isn't the same as being there and, as we have no hymns, it doesn't seem seasonal.  Oh well, I can still create an Easter card or two.

I was digging around in my digi stamp folders for an Easter image and I found this one from Crafts-u-Print.  I can't even remember buying it so I've no hope of finding it again to link it.  Sorry.  I did enjoy colouring it though.  You can't really tell from the photo but the rays of sunshine are all sparkly from a Spectrum Noir sparkle pen. I mounted it on some Easter backing paper with a twist of ribbon behind.

Whether you celebrate Easter or just want to create a spring themed card I hope you have a blessed week and I look forward to your creations.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Were all going to the Zoo tomorrow, Zoo Tomorrow, Zoo Tomorrow...

 I used to sing that as a kid.  I wish I was going to the Zoo tomorrow.  I'm going to work instead.  However, over at the Alphabet Challenge we do have 'Zoology' as a theme for you.  Put your thinking caps on for this one.  

I will admit to struggling with this a little bit.  I had plenty of things I could use but nothing was inspiring me.  

The amazing Cazro at Cazro's Crafty Corner was kind enough to send me a copy of Creative Stamping magazine with a fabulous animal stamp set on the front.  She had two copies of the magazine and, as I had commented on a card she'd made with one of the stamps, she asked if I would like the spare.  Cazro runs all the challenge blogs that I design for and I'm lucky enough to have 'known' her for years.  We started out exchanging ATCs when I first got into papercrafts and we've come a long way since then.  I love the idea that crafts and the internet can lead to some lovely friendships.

Anyway, back to the card.  I had some cheapy animal skin stencils from The Range and chose the giraffe from the stamp set as it matched one of the stencils. I didn't think it needed much more than the sentiment to finish it off.  Considering I didn't have an idea where this was going when I started it, I'm really pleased with the result.

OK, let's see your Zoology projects please.

Thanks for reading.  

Love Dawn  

A Cup of ...

 Morning all.  Are you ready for a new Cardz4galz challenge.  We want to see you 'Tea/Coffee' projects please.  Now, for a tea drinker I have surprisingly few items to use for this one.  I suppose it's because I don't send cards to myself.  However, as Will is a coffee addict I don't have to worry.  I have tonnes of stuff for coffee.

My stash busting lead me to an old background that I'd created that had been hanging around forever.  I layered it onto craft cardstock.  I then used a stencil from Funky Fossil (yes, I am obsessed with their stencils at the moment) and stenciled the images and words.  I cut the panels with a stitched die. On the largest panel I stamped the coffee mug from the Altenew set Coffee with a Splash.  I stuck the largest panel on first and arranged the others around it.  I'm quite pleased with this one.  I can see me using the stamp and stencil together again.

Time for you to join in the fun.  Please pop over and see what the DT have created to inspire you.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x