Gnome is where the heart is!

 Hi there! Welcome back! Today I have a card for the latest Holly and Ivy Challenge, where it is always anything goes.

The photo frame die cut and the gnome stamp were also purchased from Lifecraft. I thought this made for a cheery little Christmas card! I started by die cutting the photo frame out of a light green.

The gnomes were then stamped in Versafine clair Nocturne ink.

 They were then colored using Stampin' Up Watercolor pencils.

I cut each of the gnomes out using the die and then turned the die cut piece on its back and taped the gnomes into the empty spots.

Four cheery little gnomes!

They were then popped up onto a darker green card base, which I had previously stamped with one of the sentiments from the set in the same Nocturne ink and heat embossed with Clear Detail powder.

... and here's a close-up to finish with! 

I hope I have encouraged you to join in with us over at the Holly and Ivy Challenge? 

Till next time!

Shona

Sprinkled With Love

 Hi there, and welcome to August!

Isn't it just crazy how quickly time is going by, even though we aren't able to do anything of much!

I've been spending the majority of my time in my own garden, weeding and mulching and with my bees and now finally the Monarchs are here - much later than last year! For August my header is the Passion Flower and for the first year I've got fruit growing! I am hoping that the little green fruits will ripen - apparently they take 70 to 80 days to mature, so if the summer stays through September, I should be good.  

So on to my card, which is for the August challenge over at Christmas Crafts Creations and this month we want to see Animals! I hope you take a look at the inspiration from the Design Team.

I'm sure you all have something you can use to join in the fun with us. Remember to include the Challenge badge when you do!

My good camera broke two weeks ago and so I had to take my card process photos with my phone and now I am having a heck of a time trying to download them to this post, so I'm afraid I am not going to be able to do my usual step by step tutorial, but the good thing is, that it happens to be quite simple.

I stamped the little image and sentiment, both from the Inky Antics Cocoa and Cinnamon Baking set, with Versafine Clair Nocturne ink, using the stamp platform. 

I colored the sweet little pup using my old Stampin' Up Watercolor pencils. The image was die cut with Tutti Dotted Nesting Squares. Keeping the dot (sprinkles) going - I found some freebie designer paper that I had received with a magazine and used that as the background layer. Layered to red card stock and then to a white base, the pup was popped up with mounting foam and then I gave the icing, his nose and his hat some sparkle using Fresh Snowfall Nuvo Glitter Accents. You can't see it very well in the photo, I know, but it looks cute IRL!

A little red and green "baker's" twine was tied around the card to finish it off. I hope you you like my little card and that you will come join us this month.

Here is a list of the products that I used:

Inky Antics: Cocoa and Cinnamon Baking

Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink

Tutti Designs Dotted Nesting Squares

Sparkle embossing powder (EP107)

SU Watercolor Pencils

Nuvo Glitter Accents Fresh Snowfall

Magazine Freebie DP

Foam Mounting Squares

Green and Red Bakers Twine

I'd like to Join in the following challenges:

2 Crafty Critter Crazies #41: Use a dog

Christmas with the Cuties #40: Christmas Animals

Holly and the Ivy Challenge Blog #76: AG

Crimbo Crackers: Challenge 213: Anything Goes

Till next time, stay safe!

Shona

IT'S ANOTHER HOLE IN ONE!!

OK, so today I have a little cheating going on! I'm repeating a card that I did many moons ago - actually almost three years ago! I was really pleased with the card last time I made it, however, the instructions were almost gone for this one so I had to change up the colors and such, but the main idea remained the same.

This card is for a very dear friend of my Dad. When Dad comes to visit the US,  John takes him golfing at least once a week. They've built up quite the relationship to the point that John traveled to Scotland last October for the Dunhill Golf Competition - and they had a blast! Not playing - just spectating - but had a blast just the same! They are always joking around with one another, so I thought this might be a good fit for this golf fan!

The crazy golfer from the Golf McDuff Set 255 was stamped with StazOn and I used water color pencils and a water brush to color him in. The "wallpaper" is white cardstock - colored with Memento Cantaloupe and then run through the Cuttlebug Striped embossing folder,distressed with  Memento Olive Grove.

The crack in the window was done on Embossable Acetate with a splat of Staz-On ink and then I used a pin to pull the cracks out! A hole was punched in the middle. Pretty realistic, right! The window frame is Spellbinders Window Die Template, colored with Peanut Brittle, with the acetate piece behind. The golfer is then positioned behind to give maximum shock effect!!

The sentiment is from the same set and was stamped in Versamark and heat embossed in one of my favorite Tuscany Colors - Sienna! After die cutting and embossing with the Spellbinders Ribbon Banners, I daubed a little Memento Cantaloupe on the cardstock before removing the die. The card front was layered to a piece of orange and then to the white cardbase which had been edged with Peanut Brittle to match the window frame.

Here's the inside (a little changed!)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHN!

Hugs,

Shona

HANG IN THERE

I unfortunately had to do a quick "hang in there" card for a very dear friend up at our church.  She is the Church Volunteer Organizer - no matter what event is going on - there she is.  She volunteers 5 days a week - and never misses a day. We invite her and her husband to all our parties - they are both so much fun.  Her family originally came from Scotland, and so we have a unique tie between our heritage and the Church.

She was at a bereavement  at the church this week, and let David and me know that she has to go in for surgery on the 19th of February. Just so unexpected, as she had recently had a scan of the area nearby and nothing had shown up.

It really hit home to me that we are not invincible.  I believe with all my heart that she'll be OK - she has such strong faith.

So here is the card that I sent her:  the inside reads - Hang in there!

I love this new set (482)  from Sparkle N Sprinkle.  If you haven't seen my recent posts then scroll on down!  Apart from the cute froggy images, there are many fun sayings too!

So for this card, I colored the image with watercolor pencils and blended with Gamsol.  I fussy cut and then layered it on a trellis, made from gold card stock, cut out from the Spellbinders Lattice die.  I layered it on to black cardstock before wrapping gold ribbon through the tag, also stamped from the same set, embossed with Detail Black and cut and embossed with Spellbinders Ribbon Tag Trio two.

Let's hope that it works, and Peggy is back to her normal, bubbly self very soon.

Till next time,

Shona