Morning all.  Over at The Alphabet Challenge this morning we have a lovely new 'colour' challenge.  Here is the colour palette we would like you to use:

I've not really been in the mood to colour just lately, so I went through my stack of papers instead.  I created a slimline card and kept it very clean and simple.

I'm really pleased with this one.  It just came together so quickly and easily.

Please pop over and join in the fun.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Oh Baby Baby

 Hello all.  Over at Cardz4galz today we have the new challenge theme of 'for a baby'. I was well prepared for this one as I'd had a sticker sheet with baby items on it and managed to do several cards at once.  Here's the one I made for today's challenge.

As it's Cardz 4 Galz I hit the pink patterned paper and just added the sticker elements.  

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Photo Opportunity

 Morning all.  Over at Cardz4guyz  we have a really fun guy theme.  We would like metal on your projects please.  This could be metallic card, metal charms, brads, eyelets etc.  

For this card I did chose to case a card from Pinterest.  Here's my card and the inspiration is below.

I'd got some of the colour block pattern left over from another project and it seemed like a good opportunity to use it up. The metal circles are eyelets that I've had for ages.  I'm a bit disappointed in the birthday sentiment but I'm pleased with the card other than that.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Sparkle for the boys

 And for my second instalment of the day we are looking for 'one for the boys' at Sparkles Monthly.  I suppose my card could be for a wine loving girl but to me the die I used is perfect for my Father-in-law.

I saw the paper piecing idea on Pinterest and added it to a fun fold card. I'm really pleased with how it turned out.  The one I did for my Father-in-Law was just on a normal fold but I wish I'd done this one for him.  

Please pop over and join in the fun.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Celebrating Aleks' Birthday

 Morning all.  I don't always blog family birthday cards but I'm having my craft area re-vamped and I needed a card for today's Make My Monday Challenge.  As it happens today's theme is 'Let's Celebrate' and I already was.  Aleks is my great niece and it was her birthday yesterday.  

It was one of those cards that I had in my head but was a swine to translate.  The balloons were fine - apart from only one of my several alphabet dies seems to have the K.  The backing just didn't seem right to me.  This is the third attempt and I like it much better than the other two attempts.

Let's see your celebration cards please.

Thanks for reading. 

Love Dawn x

Flippin Awesome

 Morning all. Are you ready for a new letter?  We are up to 'H for Holidays' over at The Alphabet Challenge.  That could mean summer holidays or Christmas holidays if you wish to do Christmas in July.  As a practising Christian I don't refer to Christmas as 'Holidays' so I've gone with summer for my card, and what says summer to me is 'flip flops'.

I have to admit that flip flops aren't very practical for boat life so we tend to live in Crocs.  I have Croc boots for winter, normal Crocs for taking Ava a walk and Croc sliders for everyday wear.  I wonder if there is such a thing as a Croc flip flop.  I need to go and check.

Please pop over and join in the challenge.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Feeling Blue

 Morning all.  Over at Cardz4galz today we would like 'shades of blue on your projects please.  Unfortunately, I needed a sympathy card for a work friend who had recently lost her mum.  Here's what I created for her.

I did ink up my shades of blue cardstock but it's not very clear on the photo.  I do love this verse and it makes perfect sense to me.  I often find myself thinking of my dad when I am walking around the marina.  He was never here as we moved after he died but I feel that he would have loved walking around here with me, especially when the birds are singing.

Please pop over and join in the new challenge.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Animal Magic

 For those of us in Britain of a certain age 'Animal Magic' conjures up fabulous childhood images of Bristol Zoo and the talking animals within (voiced by Jonny Morris). It was a children's tv staple when I was little.  It's also the subject for today's Cardz4guyz challenge.  As I was thinking back to my childhood, I decided to go with a baby card.

The circle goes through to the inside of the card and my giraffe is standing up on the insert.  I have one heart sticker left from the sheet of animals I bought from the Range.  I've never gone through a whole sheet before.  

Please pop over and have a go and maybe let us know of your children's tv favourites.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

So sorry I'm late

 I must apologise for these two cards being a day late. I only just got them done in time for Cazro to use them and then I went to bed and didn't get up yesterday.  I have the dreaded Covid.  I've had it before but it's really knocked me off my feet this time.  I ache everywhere (even my teeth ache). I had to get up today as Will has gone back to work and Ava needed a comfort break to the nearest patch of grass.

Ok so, firstly, we have 'Cocktails or Ice cream' over at Make My Monday. I went for clean and simple with a cocktail but I could do with some ice cream for my sore throat.

Considering I was feeling really rough and threw this together I'm actually really pleased with it.  

On the other had my attempts for 'a handmade ornament or ornament card' - for Sparkles Christmas Challenge didn't go to plan.  I was adamant that I wanted to make an ornament but having attempted several using You Tube tutorials I eventually decided that I was just not up to concentrating and made a card instead.

I do like the dark blue and gold together and the white glitter card is lovely in real life.

Please pop over to join us.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Gentlemen's Choice

 Morning all.  We are up to 'G for Gentlemen' over at The Alphabet Challenge so we are looking for Masculine makes.  I don't know why but I do like a seascape for a man's card.  I decided to use a die that came free with a magazine for my project.

I will be gutted when I've used all that lovely backing paper.  It's one of my 'go to s' when I make a male card.

Please pop over and join in the fun.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Book Em Danno

 Morning all.  Over at Cardz4galz today it's my choice of theme.  As well as crafting, my other hobby is reading and, as a result, I have chosen 'Inspired by a Book' as a topic.

My card is inspired by the cover of Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell.  It's on my wish list as I've not got around to reading it yet.  Here's the cover:

And here's my take on it

I hope you can see how I was inspired.  You can take your inspiration from the story or the cover or the illustrations.  Please show me your book inspired projects.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Anything for the Guyz

Morning all.  Over at Cardz4guyz today we have 'Anything Masculine goes'.  What could be easier - unless guy cards aren't your thing.  Then again, this would be a good opportunity to practice.

I've just had a new die set with a cute gnome in it.  He's supposed to be steampunk and, to be honest, I only wanted the cogs and gears but this one had all that and a Gnome.  Had to be done.

Isn't he the cutest.  He's just been given his retirement present.

OK, let's see what you've got for the Guyz.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

The Great Outdoors

 Morning.  How's the weather with you?  Is is summery where you are?  We've got a mixed bag of sunshine and showers.  It will be sunny tomorrow as I am back to work after two weeks off.  Over at Make My Monday today we are looking for some 'outdoor summer fun' on your projects please.  Our recent outdoor summer fun was cruising in our narrowboat up the local canal.  My project, however, shows a different summer scene.

I used a number of summery dies to create my scene.  I could do with a beach holiday to get over the hard work of doing the locks on the canal.

Please pop over and join in the fun.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

An Oldie but a Goodie

 Hello all.  I totally messed up the dates for the Sparkles Monthly Challenge.  This should have been yesterday's blog post.  Oh well, better late than never.  This month we are looking for 'something funny and/or a pun'.  Go on, I could do with a laugh.  I've just bought a couple of sets of fun images from Artistic Revolution on Etsy.  These images are fabulous and so funny.

I paired the images with some silly sentiments I'd already got printed out and they turned out to be such fun.  I did another one for O/H's dad for Father's day but forgot to take a picture.  It's a good job he's got a sense of humour.

Please pop over and enter the challenge.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Feeling Fruity

 Morning all. Over at The Alphabet Challenge we are looking for 'F for Fruit' on your projects.  Perfect.  I'd just ordered a new die, as you do, and this was just the right time to use it.

The lemon paper was a bonus find.  I didn't even realise I had it.  I was looking for the green and white check and the lemons were in the same pad.  

Please pop over and share your projects.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Summer fun

 Morning all.  I've been away for a short while enjoying my bit of summer fun.  We've been cruising in our narrowboat up the local canal.  Unfortunately, that means no internet so I'm a bit behind.  Over at Cardz4galz we want to see your 'Summer Fun' projects.  I've gone with summery flip flops for my card - although Crocs are the footwear of choice on the marina.  They are comfy and easy to wear and I'd probably trip over in flip flops.

For some reason the red colours all look a little bit orange on my photo.  I took several but they were all the same.

Please pop over and join in the fun.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Bird is the word

 Morning all.  Are you ready for a new challenge.  Over at Make My Monday we are looking for 'something beginning with B' on your projects.  Living here on the marina we have an abundance of bird life so I figured I would take them as inspiration.  From the swans, coots and ducks to the woodpecker that eats the fat balls on our bird feeder we are truly blessed by the wonderful variation of wildlife here.

I love how this one turned out.  We don't have any purple birds as yet but I will keep an eye out.

Please pop over and join in the fun.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

This is what happens when you change your mind mid make

Morning all.  This month I have chosen 'Dies' as my topic for Sparkles Christmas Challenge.  I had a die in mind that I've never had much luck with.  It's a large die and my idea was to piece bits of it with green and white whilst keeping the frame red. I was cutting the white glitter card when I dropped it onto a piece of black.  Ooh, thinks I.  'That's classy'.  So today you get two for the price of one.

Now they are done I'm not sure which I like best.  What do you think.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Embossing - Wet or Dry

 Morning all.  Thanks to all those that joining in my dancing theme over at The Alphabet Challenge. I was really pleased with the entries.  Today we are up to 'E for embossing - wet or dry'. I'm really not good at wet embossing. The only thing wet around here lately is the weather.

I used the other half of the panel I cut from my previous 'beer' card and paired it with an embossed panel.  The pattern is an old double sided embossing folder from spellbinders.  I just used some foliage dies and a topper from a magazine set of papers to finish it off.  I did manage to get another couple of cards from the scraps which I may upload in the future.  

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Heels and Handbags

 Morning all.  Over at Cardz4galz today we are wanting 'heels and handbags' on your creations.  Heels - well back in the day maybe.  Nowadays I live on a marina and spend my time in crocs or walking boots.  So my 'heels' are very low to the ground.

I used a very old woodware stamp and paper pieced it.  I would definitely wear these cute sneakers.  I cut out lots of tiny daisies to adorn the background.  To be honest, I wish I had gone with less is more.  Other than that I am very happy with it.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Have a drink on me

 Evening all.  Sorry I'm late.  I had to rush off to work this morning and forgot to post.  Today over at Cardz4guyz we are looking for 'beverages' on your projects.  I've gone for the very traditional guyz beverage - beer.

I wish I had edged the wave and framed the circle but I love the papers and the dies that I used.

Please join in the fun.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Clever Sausage

 Morning all.  Over at Make My Monday today we have the fun them of 'Dogs or Puppies'.  This is always a popular subject and, as we now have a dog ourselves, I can understand why.  For my husband's birthday I made a card using a cricut image of a staffy that looks just like Ava.  Unfortunately, I didn't take a picture of it.  

Oh well, over to plan B.  As it is exam season I decided to use a very old digital stamp (Digistamp Boutique are no longer trading, unfortunately).

I used a pre-printed card base that I've had for decades and typed my own sentiment.

Please pop over and join in the fun.

Love Dawn x 

Tiny Dancer

 Morning all.  Over at The Alphabet Challenge we are at the letter D and it's my choice for a theme.  I decided to go for 'D for Dancing'.  I must have been watching 'Strictly' when I decided on this one as I haven't got a clue what was going on in my head otherwise.  I did, however, have the perfect image from the Papershelter for my card.

I do feel like I cheated a little bit by using the pre-coloured image. I have used the digital stamp before but it daunts me a little bit to colour this one.  I created a Z fold card and used the backing design that comes with it along with a scrap of pretty paper I had using the same colours.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Just Bee'cause

 Morning all.  We have another obscure 'world day of' challenge today but this one I can really get behind.  20th May is World Bee Day.  Over at Cardz4galz we are celebrating it in style.  Really...pop over and check out the DT cards.  I'm not wrong.

I have a whole pad full of bee themed papers so the only difficulty for me was picking which ones.  

Please pop over and join in the fun.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

CAS for Sparkles

 Morning all.  Over at Sparkles Monthly Challenge today we are looking for CAS projects.  I chose to use some pretty scrap papers on my card with lots of white space.  I apologise for the poor photo.  It's so hard to get it right on the boat.  There is either too much light or not enough.

I promise it looks so much better in real life.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

The Guyz are all stars (and/or stripes)

 Morning all.  Over at Cardz4guyz today we have my choice for the challenge.  I chose 'stars and/or stripes'.  I figured that this would be a really suitable challenge for the Guyz in our lives.  Here's my card:

I love green, blue and brown as a colour combo for fellas.  I'm still toying with the idea of sticking some shimmer pen on some of the stars. The cover plate I used is too short for a 5x7 card so I split it and covered the gap with the stars.  

Please join in the fun so I have something to comment on.  Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Floral favourites

  Morning all.  Over at Make My Monday we have the lovely simple theme of 'Florals'.  For my card I chose to go with some beautiful floral papers.  I love the pink and teal colours against the black backdrop.  I think they are so striking.

I added some thin ribbon and the teacup but haven't decided on a sentiment yet.  I will probably add that later when I've decided who to send the card to.

Please pop over and join in the fun.

Love Dawn x

I've got my weeks all twisted round

 I'm so sorry this post is late.  Get ready for three in one.  I convinced myself that we were on next week so total missed Cardz4galz who are celebrating 'mother's day in the USA or any other celebration if you aren't in the US).  I chose to go with a Mum card anyway 'cause I have an awesome mum and she needs telling more often.

I also totally forgot the first of the month and missed Sparkles Christmas Challenge where we are looking for 'Ribbon or Twine' on your projects.  I bought some beautiful wide ribbon from the local craft shop and used it instead of paper for my backdrop.

And finally, I'm only a couple of hours late with todays Alphabet Challenge where we have 'C for Cars' for you.

Of course, that does mean I expect you all to join in three challenges as I've posted all three.  I blame the new system at work.  My brain has been fried all week.

Sorry I messed up and thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

It's a jungle out there

 Morning all.  Over at Cardz4guyz today we have the theme of 'welcome to the jungle'. On a recent shopping trip I spotted some cute stickers in Home Bargains that were absolutely perfect  for this.  

Aren't they so cute?  I was so inspired that I spent all day making cards and I only have one sticker left on the sheet to use. Not bad for 69p.

Please pop over and join in the fun.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

All that Jazz

Ok, so the other week we had International Picture of a Bird Day and, apparently, 30th April is International Jazz Day.  So, that's today's theme over at Make My Monday.  I had to turn to my cricut for the main image but the musical banner was a normal die.

I'm really quite chuffed with the result. Please pop over and join in the fun.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Beautiful birdy

 Morning all.  Over at The Alphabet Challenge we are at 'B for Bird'.  I already had an image coloured spare from another card so I decided to go CAS with it.  I just added a few die cut shapes and some flowers and gems.  I'm quite pleased with the result.   I may add a sentiment later but I couldn't think what I wanted it to be when I made it.  

Both the stamp and the flowers were freebies from a magazine.  I'm terrible for buying them and then never using them but I am pleased with these ones.

Please pop over and join the fun.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

This Wonder Women Wonders where she's put her Craft Glue

 Morning all.  Over at Cardz4galz we have the theme of 'Movie Madness' for you.  Be inspired by your favourite film - or any film.  I had a fun digistamp of Wonder Woman (by Bugaboo and no longer available) already printed  so it seemed like the obvious choice.  All I needed to do was to colour her up and add some pretty papers.  Then I decided to use a couple of dies as well.  It's ended up about a quarter inch think by the time I had added all the layers.

I used so much paper and card my desk is an absolute tip.  So, as a result, I am now Wonder Woman.  I wonder where my glue is, my scissors, my ruler and my double sided tape. Off to tidy up before tomorrow's Alphabet Challenge.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Cheers M'dears

 Is everyone ready for a Clean and Simple challenge 'cause that's what we're wanting from you over at Cardz4guyz today.  I bought a couple of new dies when I ordered the narrowboat die and I've used one for today's card.

I popped a little red vellum behind one of the glasses just for a bit of interest.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Drip, drip drop little april showers

 Morning all.  Halfway through the month must mean a new theme over at Sparkles Monthly Challenge.  As we are in April we have 'April showers bring May Flowers' for you to interpret as you will.  I've gone very literal for my card with a shower of lovely glittery flowers.

I'm hoping it would cheer up anybody feeling 'under the weather'.  Please let us see your 'May Flowers'.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Watch the Birdy

 Apparently, it's National Picture of a Bird day.  I didn't even know there was such a thing.  Every day is a school day around here. Anyway, no prizes for guessing what our new theme over at Make My Monday is.  We'd like a 'bird' on your project please.

This gorgeous stamp was a freebie with a magazine quite a while ago and I've never used it until now.  I'm so pleased with how this turned out.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Itching to go on an adventure

 Morning all.  Over at The Alphabet Challenge we are about to take our 14th trip around the letters.  We began in 2011 and are very happy to still be going all these years later.  So today we have 'A for Adventure' for you.  

Adventure is something I am very much craving at the moment.  For those of you who regularly read my blog you will know that I live on a narrowboat based on a marina.  We bought it last year and have only managed a couple of trips so far.  We were planning a trip up the Erewash Canal for our anniversary but the water levels are too high at the moment.  The canal isn't bad but we have to travel a little on the River Trent so it's too dangerous.  Oh well, my card is the nearest to a canal adventure I am getting at the moment.

I'm not fabulous at scene cards but I'm hoping that I've pulled this off.

Please pop over and show us your adventurous side.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

In a Pickle

 Morning all.  Over at Cardz4galz today we are looking for 'Cute Animals'.  Fabulous, I know exactly where I'm going with this one.  My son and his partner had a puppy in January and it's Libby's birthday coming up. This is going to be ideal.  Here's Pickle:

And here's my Pickle card:

I used my cricut to cut this little cutie out.  I will be adding a happy birthday sentiment but I had to upload this quickly as I'd just started with a migraine that left me in bed for a couple of days.  I'm really hoping Libby likes my Pickle card as much as we love the real thing.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

It's a colourful life

 Morning all.  We have a lovely bright colour challenge for you over at Cardz4guyz this time.  We would like to see 'Navy, Red and Kraft' on your projects please. I didn't have much in the way of navy card on the boat so I had to go with a piece of lovely patterned paper.  It had hearts on so that dictated the way this went.  Sometimes a guy needs a heart card, don't you think.

I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. Please pop over and join in the fun.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Pink Christmas

 Morning all. Actually, it's afternoon 'cause I forgot to schedule this one...again!  Over at Sparkles Christmas Challenge we would like to see non traditional Christmas colours please.  I chose some pretty pink papers with snowflakes on.  Well, if you look carefully, you will spot that they aren't actually snowflakes at all but by the time I realised it was too late.  Should have gone to Specsavers!

The original plan was to add large silver snowflake. However, there are tools all over the place as we are altering the bathroom and I came across my poinsettia die first so it got used instead.  My tiny craft space has been littered with tools and stuff and I didn't have the strength to search any further. 

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Transport me away

 Morning all.  It's my choice of theme over at Make My Monday today.  I've chosen 'Transport' for this challenge.  Don't ask my why.  I chose it ages ago and I've really struggled to think of something. Living on the water I did think of a narrowboat but the die I've ordered hasn't arrived yet. So, here is what I've come up with.

I stamped and heat embossed the trees in the background and then coloured and fussy cut the van.  The stamps both came from a magazine freebie set that I've had a while.  I almost gave up on the van when I was colouring it but when I put it with the papers it didn't look as bad as I thought.  The yellow with the green should have been more cream coloured. Unfortunately, what it looked like on my small sample piece wasn't what it looked like when there was more space.  In the end it matched with the yellow paper and sentiment strip so I'm happyish.

Please pop over and join in the fun.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x