The Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers Challenge #157 - R is for Retro

Greeting Snark Fans, Edna and the Sisterhood have a fabulous new challenge on offer and it's one we feel sure you'll enjoy! Yes, we're playing R is for Retro and bringing you memories of simpler, possibly less complicated times!

Sister Lee has done us proud once again and as a result we have Edna rockin' a fabulous retro vibe to get the party started!

I just love this retro girl stamp from VLVS and knew I'd partner her with a little mock tie-dye background for a trip down 'what-we-we-thinking' memory lane.

As you can imagine our queen and the sistahs have had way too much fun with this challenge, so come take a look and play along.

Stay safe and well you lovely people.

Card Chain Challenge - March 2020 Reveal

It's Card Chain Challenge Reveal time again and I have to say that, to me, our little chain of friendship and creativity feels extra special and precious during these difficult and challenging days. 

During March we had 23 participants who exchanged cards across the globe using at least one of the following options:

Colour Palette Option

or

Sketch Option

Theme Options: Things with Wings/ Flowers/ friendship

Product / Technique Options:  Embossing/ Design Paper

I sent this little piece of craziness to Marga in Spain:

I switched around the sketch a little and found the perfect winged creature from Stampin' Up to sit on a die cut branch. The colour combo was spot on for this card, and I did some cloud stenciling to create a little interest on this otherwise quite plain card.

My sender for this month was my dear friend in NZ, Dawn. 

Unsurprisingly, a few cards have been delayed this month, but there's still plenty of loveliness on show over at CCC HQ, so why not head on over and take a peek!

If you want to join in the fun, you can sign up for the April Card Chain Challenge until Monday 6th April. 

Take care!

Inspired by Craft Stamper Magazine

I hope that you're all keeping well, and keeping occupied, as we enter another week of lockdown. I'm thankful for my crafting and blogging as hubby has gone back to work after being on leave last week. I'm a key worker, but at the moment am only required once a week at the school where I work and am feeling the lonelies a bit.

Usually I'm a big reader, but my head isn't quite in the right place just now so I decided to dip into my collection of back issues of Craft Stamper Magazine. It's been a real trip down memory lane and I've loved seeing how colour combos, techniques and styles come and go. I was inspired by two fabulous cards to try some new techniques and thought I'd share the results.

Here's card #1:

In the June 2014 edition Lydia Brooke Evans created a gorgeous card using a set called Leafy Greens by Paper Smooches, which I knew I'd got. I loved her original design, but wanted to make a slightly larger card.

I enjoyed using a favourite quote from Crescendoh Stamps (remember them?) which seemed just right for the shape and look of this card.

My second inspired by card is this one:

I spotted Lorraine Wood's card (based on Ellen Schrik-ter Haar's make) in the January 2014 mag and knew I wanted to give this arty, silhouette style a try.

For my version I used Distress Inks (plus a few splotches of pink paint) rather than using a Gel Press.

Using a photograph in a clothing catalogue, I got snipping to create a mask. After layering inks and stamped images, I added a sentiment which said exactly what I wanted.

Both of these cards were made for friends who are leaving work at Easter. It'll be strange for them as there won't be the 'big-send-off' that they both deserve after all their hard work. Hopefully, when all this is behind us we can we can celebrate them in style!

I hope you enjoyed my little crafting trip down memory lane. It felt good to borrow someone else's style for a bit and make something different and outside my cardmaking comfort zone.

Stay busy and stay healthy, crafty peeps - catch you later!

The Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers Challenge #156 K is for Kids

Hi to you all, I hope you are keeping well during these troubling times. As someone who works in Education I have to say that this challenge is very timely as many parents will now have weeks of trying to occupy their children while in isolation. 

Yes, it's all about the kids for this challenge and doesn't Edna look delighted to be surrounded by her extended family!

I had fun with creating a few Gelli plate backgrounds a while back and decided to use one for this card. The harassed mother with her childcare manual is from Picket Fence (love their stamps so much).

This is quite a poignant challenge for me as we're waving goodbye to my fellow Brit on the team: Jane. I shall miss her wit and humour very much. Also, I will miss her brilliantly hilarious explanations of all things British for our teamies across the Big Pond. Love you, sistah!

I very much hope you'll come and play at the sisterhood for this challenge. Have a good weekend, and stay safe.

Having fun with ABC Christmas Challenges!

ABC Christmas Challenge have three fun challenges for us to choose from or combine this month and they are: E - Embossing, F - Freebie and G - Gold.

I opted for embossing and gold, and went with more images from this Clearly Besotted set I'm loving right now. It's such a pity that these stamps are now out of stock, as they are fun to work with.

I embossed in gold, and then got busy colouring. The images are quite small so you can fit a few together on a single card. This card hasn't photographed very well, which is a pity as the gold embossing looks very bright and shiny IRL.

The gallery and the DT inspiration for this challenge are gorgeous, so I'm linking up over there and then settling back to drink a coffee and take a look at all the loveliness!

Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge

I've enjoyed playing along at Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge today! Their March challenge is Anything Goes + Operational Beverage, and I knew I'd got the perfect set to join the fun.

I really enjoyed making this card with a sweet set from Clearly Besotted. This set seems to be unavailable now, so why not play along at The Christmas Kickstart for an opportunity to win these stamps as this is Rudolph's Random Raffle Prize for the March Challenge.

I did some careful masking and then broke-out the Distress Inks and a stencil to create a colourful background. For a little, extra Christmassy fun I stamped my sentiment in red and layered onto some sparkly red cardstock.

There are some fun cards in the linky gallery and the DT creations are just lovely, so I think this challenge is quickly going to become a favourite for me!