The advantages of living on a boat - I don't have to do the garden!

 Morning all.  It's my theme over at Cardz4guyz and I've chosen 'Gardens/Gardening'.  We had a lovely garden when I lived in a house but, I have to say, it's not a skill that I have.  Shrubs!  Shrubs are good.  You just stick them in and leave them to it.  I'm lucky I don't need to worry about it anymore.  There is no lawn to mow when you live on a boat.  Having said that, Howard, our neighbour, has so many plants on his roof.  It's stunning to look at.  He used to teach horticulture and he has a passion for succulents.  He doesn't drive so, every now and again, one of us on the pontoon will nip him out to a garden centre just to see how happy it makes him.

Here's my tribute to Howard.

I hope you will all pop over with your gardening cards so that I have something to comment on.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Oops, I forgot to Sparkle

 I don't know if I'm coming or going.  I totally got yesterday's date wrong and forgot Sparkles Monthly Challenge.  We are looking of 'masculine' projects please.  Come back later for the Cardz4guyz post and you could get two for one.

I have some papers and ephemera from Mintay so I used these and grunged it up a bit with my distress tool.

Please pop over and join the fun.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Full of (stencilled) Beans

 Morning all. Not sure where the weeks are going but I know they are going fast.  It's rolled around to another Make My Monday Challenge and it doesn't seem two minutes since the last one.  This time we are looking for 'stencilling' on your projects please.  I used a fun stencil I've had for ages from Funky Fossil.

I stencilled a darker roast bean at the bottom and got lighter as I went up.  I then added my panel with some coffee themed die cuts.

Please nip over and join in the fun.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

A Seaside Card at the Double

 Sorry this is late, I've had a bad week.  Firstly, we have the new theme of 'Seaside/Coast' over at Cardz4galz.  I've used some more Dotwit clipart for this one.  I am slightly obsessed with her images over on Etsy.

Isn't she cute.

Next we have 'D for Double' over at The Alphabet Challenge.  I've used another two Dotwit images.  These two came from the Poppy set.

I'm hoping to be more organised next week.  Wish me luck.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Jingle all the way

 Me again. 1st of the month means a new theme over at Sparkles Christmas Challenge. Our new theme is 'Jingle Bells'.  We would like to see bells on your projects please.  

As well as the clipart I've been purchasing from Dotwit on Etsy she also has fussy cuts.  The images have a line outside to guide your scissors.  I used this wreath, which I printed twice and decoupaged.  I am finding these images really easy to make cards I'm happy with.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Cool dude

 Morning all.  Over at Make My Monday we would like 'Embossing -dry or heat'.  It's got to be dry embossing for me as heat embossing is very hit and miss when I do it.  To ring the changes a bit I decided to emboss some patterned paper.  I used an old Tim Holtz embossing folder and pieced the squares back together before adding my 'cool dude' in the middle.  Isn't he adorable.  

I distressed my squares a bit and added a sentiment.  The image is from a set of clipart on Etsy by Orson Artistry.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

We're turning Japanese

 Morning all.  Thank you all for the fabulous entries to my 'Balls' theme over at The Alphabet Challenge.  We are up to 'C for Circles' this time.  I created this card for my Sister-in-Law she's been a few times to Japan so I thought these beautiful images would go down well.

The images are from Customized Bliss on Etsy.  I love how this one turned out.  It was a BIG birthday but I chose to not advertise the fact as I will be the same age later this year.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x