How Sweet is Christmas

 Morning all.  The first of the month yet again.  These months are just whizzing by.  We have another lovely theme for you over at Sparkles Monthly Challenge.  Roll out the goodies as our new challenge is 'How Sweet it is'.

I've used some sweet clipart from The Crafting Zone Shop on Etsy.  The set includes lots of cute Christmas images.  I've gone for a gingerbread man and a Christmas pudding.

As it's a Christmas card I've used lots of glitter cardstock for the layers, frame and sentiment.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Mellow Yellow

 Afternoon all.  Over at Make My Monday today we have my new theme for you.  I honestly can't remember picking this one.  I may have been 'one over the eight' at the time. For some reason I chose 'yellow, white and one other colour'.  An obvious choice as yellow is my least favourite colour and, if I wear it, it makes me look pasty and pale.  Anyway, I've gone with green as my other colour.

I'm struggling with the lighting now I have my new craft spot as it's lower down in the boat than the dinette used to be.   Please forgive the awful picture.  I am working on it.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Bee Happy

 Sorry, I'm late again.  Over at The Alphabet Challenge we are up to 'I for Insects'.  I almost forgot what I had created for this one as I was so far in advance with my DT cards.  I've gone for the bees as we have a bee keeping group on the marina and hives hidden away amongst the wild flowers.

I was following a set of sketches when I created this one.  I think I would have preferred the banner to be a rectangle.  I'm not a fan of fishtailing.  Oh well, it's too late now.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Feeling Krafty and a bit Blue

 Morning all.  I've just about got my new craft space organised.  I'll never find anything now it's all neatly stored away.  In the meantime, over at Cardz4galz the new theme is 'Kraft and any Shade of Blue'.  

As the boat looks totally different with my new craft space, and different flooring and a new sofa in the living area, it's like being in a new home.  So here's a new home card to celebrate it.

Please pop over and join in the fun.  

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Animal Magic

 Morning all.  I know this is late but I have a fabulous excuse. Some of you will know that I live on a narrowboat.  I've usually used our dinette setup for my crafting but it was far from ideal and storage was practically none existent.  So, over the weekend my fabulous O/H and his friend Danny removed the dinette and made me a custom craft space.  I just popped on to post this - now I have the internet back - before trying to organise the stuff I've got piled up at the front of the boat.

This month, over at Sparkles Monthly Challenge, is 'Animals'.  Time to go through my clipart folders again.

I'm so in love with these highland cow images.  They are so cute.  The images are from Hampton and Morgan on Etsy.

Thanks for reading - I'm off to play with all the stuff I'd forgotten I'd got.

Love Dawn x

Take the Coastal Path Less Travelled

 Morning all. We have a lovely summery theme for you today over at Make My Monday.  Think 'Boardwalk/Coastal Path', so anything seaside.  Ice creams, beach volleyball, sandcastles etc.  I like my coastal walks to be a little more peaceful these days.  Just walking barefoot in the sea along the beach would be wonderful.  That's what I imagined doing when I chose my image.  

I thought it might make a nice 'thank you for watering my plants/feeding my cat' kind of card so that's what I've gone for.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Vincent

 Morning all.  Sorry this is a bit late.  My week has been upside down and I don't know what day it is.

Over at Cardz4galz  we would like 'blue skies' on your projects please.  A little while ago someone sent me a slide show showing Van Gough's paintings set to Don McClean's Vincent.  The words and the pictures put together made so much sense and made the pictures so much more appealing to me.  I wish I still had the slide show.  When I found some clip art on Etsy in the same style as Van Gough's Starry Night I thought it would be perfect for this.

The pictures are by 2artprints and I thought they would be lovely behind this new die from Kokorosa.

Only one day late, I also have a card for The Alphabet Challenge.  We are up to 'H for Horticulture'.  A perfect opportunity to use another of the sweet gardening image from Whimsyclipgarden.

I'm not sure how much gardening he's doing but he looks happy enough.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Simply Angelic

 Morning all.  How is it the 1st of August already.  It'll be Christmas before you know it.  Quite apt then that we have another Sparkles Christmas Challenge where we are looking for 'CAS Christmas' projects please.

Last year a friend was bemoaning the fact that religious imagery on Christmas cards was very hard to find these days.  Since then, and as a committed Christian, I've been looking for Christian images to use this year. I don't send many Christmas cards.  I only send to family and close friends and thought it would be good to send these types of cards to my Church family and other Christian friends.  I picked up some cute Nativity images from Dotwit on Etsy and I've used this sweet little angel for my card.

I'm not really very good with CAS cards.  They take me longer to do than fussy ones.  I am, however, quite chuffed with this one.  I used this image as I'd already got it printed and cut out but I think I could make a set of these with other images from the download.

Please pop over and show us your CAS.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Mr and Mrs

 Afternoon all.  I apologise for missing a couple of DT posts recently.  I had several migraines on consecutive days and was pretty much useless until I had fully recovered.  I'm back on it today with a card for the 'Wedding/Love' challenge over at Make My Monday.  I have a simple card with pretty papers and a couple of hearts I had in my project tub.  I keep odds and ends that I've cut out of scraps when I'm cutting other things on my Grand Caliber. I figure I may as well get as much cut with one pass and keep the extras in a tub to be used at some point in the future.

Not bad for a bunch of scraps really.

Please pop over and join in the fun.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Summertime fun

 Morning all.  We have a new theme over at Cardz4guyz today.  Let's have some 'summertime fun'.  I've used a very old sheet from Gordon Fraser over at Crafts-u-print.  Isn't it fun.

He reminds me a little bit of the guy that keeps losing his ice cream in Lilo and Stitch.

Please join in the fun.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Kool for Kidz

 I almost forgot it was the 15th today and that would never do.  15th is  Sparkles Monthly Challenge day and this month I have chosen 'a kids card' as my theme.  Once again I've used some fabulous clip art from Dotwit on Etsy.  I've chosen the Football collection for my card.

I am obsessed with her images and this set has both male and female images which will come in handy when my great niece has a birthday as she's a cracking little player.

Please pop over and join in the fun.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Forever Friends

 Today, over at Cardz4galz we are celebrating 'Friends and Friendship'  which I thing is a lovely theme.  I'm blessed to have some wonderful friends and my very best friend is my wonderful husband.  As soon as we moved onto the marina God blessed me with a new best friend, Ellen.  She has been amazing in her support and we've had such fabulous laughs.  There will, no doubt, be more laughs tomorrow when we are out Bra shopping!  Here's my card for this challenge.

Please pop over and join in the fun.  Let's celebrate your friends too.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Merry Monochrome

 Morning all.  It's the first of July so it's Sparkles Christmas Challenge.  Get your Christmas in July cards started as you mean to go on.  We are wanting 'Monochrome Christmas' projects please.

I'm really struggling with my camera at the moment.  The white panel is debossed with a Christmas tree embossing folder.  I've decorated it with gold gems and matched it with a gold patterned paper.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

A perfect blend

 Afternoon all.  Sorry I've missed a couple of posts.  I've been doing some extra hours and the boat has been too hot to cope with.  I'm back today with the 'blend two or three colours' theme over at Make My Monday.  It's not something I do often as I'm not very good at it but I've blended blue and yellow (making a nice green where they cross) through a stencil.

I'm quite happy with how it turned out.  It's still not my style but I'm pleased it doesn't look a complete mess.

Please pop over and join the fun.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

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

Brown and Green for the Galz

 Brown and Green is not a colour combo I would automatically go to for a Girly card but over at Cardz4galz we have 'Green, Brown and twine/ribbon' for our new theme.  Recently I had bought yet another set of images from Dotwit on Etsy. Funnily enough it was a set of cute Dog images but, scattered in amongst them, there were several images of plants and things.  They were perfect.  I am so obsessed with this Etsy shop.

I am so pleased with how these look.  The card turned out better than I imagined (which never normally happens).  I promise there is ribbon there.  You can just see the two layers of ribbon one either side of my images.

Please pop over and join in the fun.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

A late card and a missing card

 I have my weeks all in a muddle.  I could have sworn it was next week this week.  As a consequence yesterday's Make My Monday card is late.  We would like you to 'say it with flowers' please. My favourite is Lavender so that's where I went with this one.

My missing card is from the Cardz4guyz blog.  I uploaded it last week and it has disappeared.  I have asked Caz to add it to the page so it may appear yet.  The theme is 'Squash it' basically it means 'use an embossing folder.  I hope Caz can add it to the page as the folder I used is my favourite.  It's an old double sided one from Spellbinders.  I'm so pleased by how this one turned out.

Please go and check out the other DT cards and join in the fun.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

You don't have to be mad to work here...we'll train you!

 Morning all.  Two posts in one day! Go Me!

We are on the 15th of the month so we have a new challenge over at Sparkles Monthly.  Our new theme is 'Trios'.  3 of anything on your project please.  My other half needed a leaving card for a colleague so I did this for him.

Not sure what's going off with my picture.  The central panel didn't look that wonky on the original.  I was looking for some manic, stressed out critters for the three images and found some lovely fun images on Orson Artistry (Etsy). I also added three sets of three gems.  Apparently, I nailed the brief and the other half was thrilled with it.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Oh Balls!

Morning all.  It's my theme over at The Alphabet Challenge today and I've gone for 'B for Balls'.  Doesn't matter what sort of balls.  One of the design team has come up with a brilliant idea and used gumballs.  Go over and check it out.  

I have gone for football this time.  I know, I'm a cricket girl at heart, but in a family of football fans (some Derby County, some Notts Forest - and yes we do still talk to each other) I have gone with the majority.  I even have a great niece who plays for the local junior girls team.  Go the Stanton Ironesses!

I have discovered a new clipart designer on Etsy and I am totally in love with their designs.  Dotwit is new to me but I had to fill my basket with some of their sets.  You will be seeing more of their work coming up.  It does make it easy to create when the artwork is so lovely.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Going around in circles

 Afternoon all.  Over at Cardz4galz we would like to see 'Circles' please.  It could be a circular card or project or something with circles on.  I have very few generic cards in my box as I use a lot clipart and dies.  I decided to do something about it with this challenge. 

I also managed to use some scraps so this was a winner for me on all points.  

Please pop over and join the fun.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

The Fourth is Strong with this one

 Morning all.  It's Make My Monday time and, as it's May 4th - Star Wars Day - we would like 'Space' themed projects please.  I have a very ancient printable from Crafts-u-Print so I went with that for my card this week.

I suppose I could have made a couple of cards with all the space travellers on the printout but I decided to fill the whole card with them.  I'm pleased with how this one went.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

2 for 1

 Afternoon all.  As it's Friday and also the 1st May you get two blog cards for the price of one.  Firstly,  over at The Alphabet Challenge we start another turn around the letters with 'A for Air'. Basically, if it's airborne it works.  Being a bit poorly earlier this week I've gone simple with this butterfly card.

Next up, for the first of the month, we are looking for 'Gifts' over at Sparkles Christmas Challenge.  I still have loads of these toppers so it was an easy one to make.

Please join in the fun on one or both blogs.  You get a whole month for Sparkles Christmas challenge.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

It's Buzzin' over at Galz

 Afternoon all.  I'm getting over a migraine at the moment so I will keep this short.  My theme over at Cardz4galz is 'Bees'.  Here's mine:

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

How could I forget the Guyz

 Sorry this is late.  Now Cardz4guyz is monthly I have to remember what date it's on.  This month we are looking for 'CAS' projects for the Guyz in your life.  I bought a fabulous set of clipart from Etsy for Patrick's birthday this year and I've used some of the images for this card as well.

I think the images from Tysartwork are brilliant for young males.  Most of my other stuff is snarky older men.  Sorry the picture isn't brilliant.  The camera on my phone is useless and keeps crashing.  I have to go with whatever it takes first.

Please pop over to join the fun.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Watch the Birdie

 Morning all.  I was thrilled with all the fabulous entries on my last choice for Make My Monday .  I hope we get as many entries for the new challenge of 'Birds and/or Eggs'.  I'm avoiding the subject of birds eggs at the moment.  There are 4 separate nesting geese on the little island next to our boat.  The arguements between them are driving us mad.  They keep trying to chase each other off.  I have gone for a species that I haven't seen around here - although I've heard a couple.

You may have noticed I'm trying to use up the scraps of this paper.  Whilst I had it out for the pastel challenge I made this card.    I'm much happier with this one.  

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Zzzzz!

 Morning all.  The end of another turn around the alphabet means we are up to 'Z for Zoology' at The Alphabet Challenge.  I have a fabulous set of Sporting Animal clipart from Pastel Kiddie on Etsy and could have pick any of them.  Here's the one I did chose:

I honestly think he makes a perfect rugby player.  I was so pleased with how he turned out.

Please pop over and join in the fun.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Drip, drip, drop ...

 ...Little April Showers.  That's exactly what we are looking for on this weeks Cardz4galz blog.  We aren't just getting april showers at the moment.  We have had, over the last few days, early morning fog, frost, hail, high winds and (occasionally) a bit of sunshine.  

Here's my effort for the challenge.  I picked up some cute weather clipart from Digiwhimsies on Etsy and totally fell for this cute guy.

I am using a random number generator and a set of sketches to give me inspiration at the moment and this one turned out so well.  It's really helped my productivity and I'm getting down my scrap pile at the same time.

Please show us your 'April Shower' projects.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Pastel bunnies

 Morning all.  It's time for the new monthly theme for Sparkles Monthly.  We would like 'Pastel Colours and Rabbits' please.  We are also looking for new DT members so, if you've ever thought of giving it a go, please let us know.  We are a friendly bunch and can help you through the process if you have never done it before.

It turns out I have very few pastel coloured papers.  I managed to find some scraps with soft shades of yellow and pink but not a lot else. I have got an animal die set that does make a rabbit though.  What do you think.

I wish the papers had been prettier but I do like the design.

Please pop over and join in the fun.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Monotone Monday

 Morning all.  I hope you all had a better Easter than I did.  Whilst everyone else was eating their body weight in chocolate I was in bed with a stomach bug, hench Monday's blog now being Tuesday's blog.  I am, for now, upright and dressed. #Little Wins

OK, Make My Monday is my choice of theme this time.  I would like 'Monotone' projects please.  Here's mine.

I did cheat a bit with the flower centres but I hadn't any teal ones.

Please pop over and leave me something to comment on.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

More flowers

 OK, I have more flowers for you today, although not spring ones.  Over at The Alphabet Challenge we are at 'Y for Yellow Flowers'.  I've gone for some sunny yellow flowers in a basket.

I've used these flowers lots in a variety of colours but I've never made up the basket before.  I'm so pleased with how it came out.  I'd be so happy if I received a basket of flowers like these.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Let's welcome spring with flowers

 Afternoon all.  It's a glorious spring day here and I have the duck hatch open on the boat.  From here I can see that one of the geese has laid a large egg on the little island. The geese and ducks are definitely feeling the effects of the season.  Over at Cardz4galz today we are more interested in the spring florals that the bird life.  We have 'spring flowers' as our new theme.

Here's my card:

I hope you can see the flowers on the topper.  It's hard to take a photo of a fun fold card.  I've had these papers and toppers for ages.  They aren't my favourite so I feel that I needed to do a fun fold to make it more interesting.

Let's see your spring florals guys.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Driving Gnome for Christmas

 Morning all.  It's Easter this weekend so it must be time to start your Christmas cards. We can help by providing inspiration over at Sparkles Christmas Challenge.  We would like elves or gnomes on your projects please.  Mine own gnome is ready to give Santa a hand dishing out the presents.

Please pop over and show us your elves and gnomes.  

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

My tribute to the Ilkon Hookers

 Morning all.  Over at Make My Monday we have the theme of 'Hobbies'.  Well, you all know my hobby is card making and I also love reading.  Today I am concentrating on my mum's hobby.  She runs a lovely, friendly little class for crochet at the Ilkon Cafe in Ilkeston. Ilkon Art Gallery hosts the cafe at the back and every now and then I pop in to see them.  Mum can teach anyone to crochet and one of the ladies takes her husband along.  He calls them all his 'hookers'.  Here's my card and also the Ilkon Hookers.

So, now you know what I do to pass the time and what Mum does to pass hers - what do you do for a hobbie? Create a card with it on and join in our challenge.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

X-ray Specs

 Morning all.  We are up to x for x-ray - black & white - on your projects over at The Alphabet Challenge. I've had these papers for ever and I'm glad they finally got a look in.

I think the flowers on the paper go well with the die cut flowers.  What do you think.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

Did someone say splash (of green)

 Morning all.  Over at Cardz4galz we would like a 'splash of green' on your projects please.  Splash is a dirty word around here as it was just the noise I heard the other day when we were moving our boat.  I was two boats away and I just knew it would be my husband.  He's been in three times now.  That's another phone ruined but luckily he kept hold of his glasses this time.  Bless him, at least he didn't hurt himself.  

Anyway, here's my inspiration for the challenge.

Just lately, I've been going through my paper scraps and putting them together and, after that's done, I find something to use as a focal point.  These lemons were already cut in one of my storage boxes.  I must have done extras at some point.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

My Hero

 Hello all.  It's time for the fellas in our lives again.  Over at Cardz4guyz we have a colour challenge for you.  Please use 'light blue and brown' on your projects. I made a totally different card for this challenge and made this one from the scraps.  When I came to it I liked this one better.

The image is a freebie I got from Cinematic Circle on Etsy.  I have very few cards for kids so it's nice to get some new ones in my stash.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x

With a Spring in my Step

 Hi all.  Well, between the showers, there are definitely signs that spring is with us.  I even came home in the light tonight.  We have tonnes of Daffodils on the marina and it's a pleasure to go out walking with the dog. Over at Sparkles Monthly we have 'It's Spring'  as our theme this month.  We also have a DT call so, if you've ever thought of going on a design team, please pop over and give Caz a shout.  The DT are a friendly bunch and monthly is a good way to dip your toe in. 

Here's my inspiration for this month's challenge.

This is the second card I did for this challenge but I posted my first attempt before remembering I hadn't taken a photo.

Thanks for reading.

Love Dawn x