Beary Birthday CCC

  Hi Everyone, my DT make today is for -

Critter Crazy #113

 Anything Goes but they MUST feature a critter as the main focus 

Whether Furry, Feathered, Fantasy, Fairytale, 

Scaly, or Insect, there must be a critter.

 

My mind is definitely not on cards, with just two days to get my card done, and with visitors expected, and so many other things to do. Panic stations. When I can't think, I usually go to my digi images, as I have done here. The images are all from Creative Market, Watercolour Bears In The Forest, 2025. I used the fonts - Darling Suttine & Aescudos.

 

In Silhouette, I arranged the images on the base square shape, and then print and cut them, the bears and sentiment twice, to add layers without depth. I had cut the bears with a 1mm border, but on this it seemed a bit too wide, so I took Distress Inks, tea die and vintage photo and went around the image, it gives it a highlight I think.

 

They were then added to the colour layer, which I found in my stash, which matched the tree. All then added to the base card. I have to admit, loving that little bear.

 

 

I hope to see you in the challenge with your Critter.

My unexpected holiday

 Hi Everyone, this is an indulgent post, letting you know what I have been doing recently. Firstly visiting my sick #3 brother who is seriously ill and four hours away from me, in Lincolnshire. The drive through the brown waterless landscape was heartbreaking to see, even seeing and smelling fire on the mountains, as I was driving. The burning smell followed me for many miles. I knew part of the route to my brothers, but had to use navigation help. Hubby and I have been to visit them all, but I wasn't driving, so it was all new to me. I used to enjoy the scenery when hubby was driving, not looking at the roads. 

Then north to his eldest daughter an hour away from him, still in Lincolnshire. Again driving through parched countryside, with in one part of the journey, a tractor working on his field, was making a fog of dust to drive through. Not a usual site in this country. It was supposed to be an overnight stop, but I was persuaded to stay another few nights, they spoilt me silly.  They showed me around their area and town, that I hadn't seen before, we only went to visit when staying with my brother and SiL. It was all so beautiful, also seeing Herons and egrets with ducks on the river flowing past their house. Then back to visit my dear brother.

These photos are from the bedroom window I stayed in.

My nieces garden, always so green, but not on this visit. 

 

A long shot of the egret and one of the ducks, the heron flew off before I got her.

No rain for a long time and as we were going out for a Pub meal, it started raining with the most vivid rainbow with my niece. It didn't last long, just enough to make us cover up and then stopped.

 

 

Next eastward on to Suffolk and another niece, an hour, and a half from my brother, for a few days. Not on the original plan, but as she said I was close, so I may as well. Again I was spoilt silly, and had tours around her beautiful area, and a visit to her daughter and family, which was so lovely, the children being 8, 6, and 4, who I rarely see due to the distance. The next day a five and a half hour journey home. 

These are photos of Lavenham, near Bury St Edmunds, a beautiful, very old town, where she took me and treated me to a meal in the 15th Century Inn, that I forgot to take a photo of!

The next two photos are private houses, my niece is the lady in the first one. 

This is the local Museum

My girls spoilt me rotten, and I have come back rested, my mind has finally eased off with everything going on with me. I'm so glad I did it, it was a huge journey and experience for me, driving so far. I've been away for a break that I didn't realise I needed, and I certainly didn't expect to stay away so long. 

Then 3 days after I arrived home, another niece travelled 2 hours to see me. I'm so blessed to have all 6 nieces in my life, even though they are many miles from me, they keep in touch sending such love out to me.  

Telling you about the burning mountains earlier, I took a photo from my chair of the fabulous sunset, as I thought, the night of my return home. It was actually the mountain on fire opposite us. Local photos have shown it later, and it was bigger than I thought. Thankfully put out early enough not to cause too much damage, but enough! However, there were evacuations of a nursing home and a few houses, It was set alight my some local boys, bet they had some fun doing it. grrr.

Something different from me, I hope I didn't bore you too much.

Summer Blooms WLSC mid month

   Hi Everyone my DT make today is for the mid month post for 

We Love Stamping

This month, we would love to see your cards with the theme from Avril

Summer Blooms

 

 

I have absolutely no mojo, so went through my stamps and dies and found these, then went looking for paper and a stencil. All found pretty quickly, actually.

 

Then it was stamping the flowers and die cutting both the flowers and the stem. I wondered for a while about the design, and even stamped more flowers, but it just didn't look right, so I left it simple.  

 

I chose the colours of the flowers to match the paper and coloured them in DI's. Next I stencilled a brick effect, for the climbing flowers. I cut the paper and layered the stencilling and floral pattern onto plain purple paper, not usually my colours, but I have been looking at them more. 

 

I then went looking for a sentiment and forgotten I had bought a stamp set with a floral theme, whew! It was stamped and die cut and layered onto the purple paper. All were added to the base card.

 

flower stamps and die - Card Making Magic Trailing Florals

sentiment - Sissix, Born to Bloom 

inks - Distress Inks, squeezed lemonade, shabby shutters, twisted citron,

victorian velvet,wilted violet,pumice stone

stencil - Funky Fossil

floral paper - Craft Sensations Spring Time 

purple paper - Lidl 

 

  There are Two beautiful floral prizes of Penny Black stamps and stencil from Buddly Crafts (photo's not to scale). I hope you can join us with your blossoms. 

50th birthday card.

Hi Everyone, my son is 50 today, and knows computers inside out, but I couldn't find an image or stamp suitable. So decided for TV instead. I can't believe it, it seems just the other day I was doing a 21st birthday card for him. Where does the time go? I went looking in my files for colour combo ideas and found this.

  

I took the digital stamp into Silhouette and cut 2 layers, plus I made the sentiment strips and cut them too. I then coloured the image with DI's.

Next I cut a square of brown textured card and placed the words strip, after layering both layers together. Next was the corner image, which I also found in my files, but, changed the wallpaper to tie in with the colours of the image. I added two more layers onto the 50, and then added 3D glaze to make his age stand out.

image - Karen's Doodles 2010

inks - Distress Inks = dried marigold,shabby shutters,aged mahogany,

tea dye,rusty hinge, black soot,hickory smoke,festive berries,

spiced marmalade,tattered rose.

wallpaper -  Gina Jones sweaters and hot cocoa pattern papers 2019

corner image - corner background 2008, don't know the designer

fonts -  Adventure for the words and ArabBru for the 50

3D glaze - Glossy Accents 

 Silhouette

 

Jobs or Professions TMR

Hi Everyone, my DT card today is for  

The Male Room

My GNephew is a newly qualified Pharmacist and has just got his first real job in a GP Practice, he is so excited. He has worked in a Pharmacy since he is 16, off and on, between school and University, for experience, we are so proud of him. I decided to send him this card to congratulate him on his achievement.

I chose this image as it seemed just right for his job, then went searching for a background, pharmacy related, I found this on the web and think with the quirky image it suits. 

I took the image into Silhouette and print and cut it with a 1mm border twice. I also cut the background and the sentiments, after finding the font for the pharmacist word.

Next I coloured him in colours to match the background. My colouring could have been better. Anyway, after colouring and adding 3D gloss to the specs, I added the background layer onto navy card, then onto the card base.

Then I added the image with 3D pads and placed the sentiment and the pharmacist word, which I placed with 3D pads. 

image -  Dr Digi, Prof Dummkopf

inks - Distress inks, evergreen bough,antique linen,dried marigold,tattered lace,

walnut stain,wilted violet,picked raspberry,lost shadow,black soot,chipped sapphire

backgound - freefunart apothecary Pixabay

pharmarcy font -  ChesterfieldAntD

3d Gloss - Glossy Accents 

navy card - stash 

 

What jobs/profession can you do for the The Male Room Challenge

Summer Blooms WLSC

   Hi Everyone my DT make today is for 

We Love Stamping

This month, we would love to see your cards with the theme from Avril

Summer Blooms

 

It was difficult choosing which "blooms" to use, in the end I chose these, which I thought could have plenty of colour in them. I stamped the flowers, and what better for Summer than a post card, so I then placed the embossing folder where I wanted it and embossed. I went over it with Stazon ink lightly. Next was to colour the flowers, using DI's and cut on the edge of the postcard shape. I found a sentiment stamp that I thought suited the postcard.

 

I went to place it onto the base card, and thought it too plain, so I stamped onto the base card and simply coloured the corner flowers. I edged the card with ink, then, using 3D pads, placed the postcard onto it. 

 

stamps -  Magazine freebies SCP #230

post card embossing folder - Crafters Companion 

 inks - Distress Inks & Stazon

 

 

 

Two prizes of Penny Black stamps and stencil from Buddly Crafts (photo's not to scale).

Summer cat CCC

  Hi Everyone, my DT make today is for -

Critter Crazy #112

 Anything Goes but they MUST feature a critter as the main focus 

Whether Furry, Feathered, Fantasy, Fairytale, 

Scaly, or Insect, there must be a critter.

I was going through my digi stamps the other day and found this lovely image, so I took it into Silhouette and print cut 3 images. I coloured it in DI's, a yellow cat? well it's a Summer cat! It should have been more mustardy, but I took it as it was as it seemed a happy cat, then as normal, with no plan, what do I do next?

 

I went looking for a sketch and found this simple one that looked like it could work.

Off to my dies for an oval and cut them out. I coloured the background on the background oval and placed them together onto the card. Then put all 3 layers of the images together and placed them onto the die cuts.

 

I found these sentiments that I thought were suitable with the image. They were stamped and die cut and added to the base card. Not following the sketch, but I think it worked? I have a recipient for it, so it's on its way. 

 

image - Cat & Mouse Karen's Doodles 2011

inks - Distress Inks as below

dies - Tonic 

sentiments and dies - Julie Hickey

 

I hope to see your Critter over on the challenge.

 

I'm entering my card to the CD Sunday Plus Challenge 

Summertime WLSC mid-month

  Hi Everyone my DT make today is for the mid month post for 

We Love Stamping

This month, we would love to see your cards with the theme from Lynn

Summertime 

 

 

On another rainy day to make my Summertime  card. I found these images and dies that I haven't used before, and thought a little girl in a summer dress on the swings, yep! I'll go with that, and after all the heat, it would be nice to relax. 

 

I die cut the arch from wood grain paper for the swing to hang from, then stamped all the images and die cut them. They were then coloured with DI's. 

 

I coloured the background and added some grass underneath the swing. They were all then attached to the main layer with 3D pads. To bring the colours together I chose the colour of the dress to add a paper layer, and added the main layer to it, which was then attached to the main card.  

 

The sentiment was computer generated in brown to match the arch, then die cut and added to the main card.  

 

I could have added more, but I like the simple, and in a way relaxed layout.

 

stamps and dies - Crafters Companion "Simple Pleasures"

sentiment die - Card Making Magic Rectangle Nested

inks - Distress inks

background paper - stash

  

 

 

Our prizes this month are   

 2 prizes of Lavinia stamps and watercolours (photos not to scale).  

Please note, we (Lavinia) cannot provide exchanges/replacements/refunds for any products received through this third-party giveaway.

Summertime WLSC

  Hi Everyone my DT make today is for  

We Love Stamping

This month, we would love to see your cards with the theme from Anesha

Summertime 

 

 

Wanting to find Summertime in my stamps, meant a search, and I was happy to find this fun image. I stamped it onto linen card and coloured the image with DI's. I then used a stencil to add clouds and coloured more around the water splashes, next was the grass. I wanted to add more, I found these birds, and the sentiments, that came with the image stamp. 

 

I suppose it sounds silly to say "summer is in the air, enjoy the day," but, here in the UK, we usually have a wonderful summer day, then rain the next. At least that was what it was when I made this card. I thought it may be a giggle. 

 

Next I added a stamped flower and found a die sun, I added two layers of it, coloured with slightly different yellows, I also added 3D glaze to it. The image layer was then layered onto summer floral paper to tie in with the colours I used. After it was made I added more white onto the water with Posca pen. 

 

I hope you are having plenty of Summer days, not with the record highs we've had, they were a little too much for us Brits, with the high humidity we have.  

 

image and sentiment stamps -House Mouse, Water Fun

inks - Distress Inks

stencil - Funky Fossil 

bird stamp and sun die - Magazine Freebie SCP Spring Scenes

digital paper -  Magazine freebie SCP Crafters Companion Tropical Summer Papers

 

 

Our prizes this month are   

 2 prizes of Lavinia stamps and watercolours (photos not to scale).  

Please note, we (Lavinia) cannot provide exchanges/replacements/refunds for any products received through this third-party giveaway.

 

 

 

I'm entering my card into 

 Try it on Tuesday Challenge, I think my mices will fit in the Challenge. 

  

 

 

 

 

Running Man TMR Hobbies

 Hi Everyone, my DT post today is for 

 The Male Room

 

What a wide subject ay? My card is for running. So many of the family love running for miles and hubby's great nephew is a marathon runner, definitely a huge hobby for him, after his teacher work. So I brought an image out of the dark and made this for him.

 

My mind is certainly in slow motion, so I decided to use a sketch for help, but turned it upside down. I chose this one from the Outlawz, from June 2022, but the file name is Nov.27?  

 

I went looking for digi papers, and found these, I picked them to make the sketch and colours, no Idea why I chose these colours? 

 

Anyhow, I print and cut them out, and inked around the edge of each with black ink. They were then attached to the base paper, as per the sketch and placed onto the base card.  The runner was printed out and was die cut, then coloured with DI's to match the papers, I decided to colour just him and leave the background as is. 

 

He was placed onto the layered papers with 3D pads and so was the button. I stamped the sneakers and coloured them with the same colours as the runner. It all sounds so simple, but I spent an absolute age on this card. I hope the nephew likes it. 

 

sketch - Outlawz 

Runner image - Create with TLC

inks - Distress Inks

background paper & arrow paper - KimB Designs at Digital Press

foreground paper and stripe strip - luv ewe designs at Gingerscraps

 button - yayeah kit, Two Peas In A Bucket

die - Nested Rectangles Card Making Magic 

sneakers stamp - Magazine Freebie (old) SCP

 

 

What Male hobbies have the men around you got?

Why not enter them into TMR Challenge,

  don't forget to add the badge, it's a requirement our winners and honourable mentions.

Lion King CCC

  Hi Everyone, my DT make today is for -

Critter Crazy #112

 Anything Goes but they MUST feature a critter as the main focus 

Whether Furry, Feathered, Fantasy, Fairytale, 

Scaly, or Insect, there must be a critter.

 

 

I was going through my birthday card list and saw I had to make one for our neighbour. He has been an absolute gem for me since my loss, mowing my front lawn and putting out and getting in my rubbish/garbage bins. 

 

I chose this lion as my neighbour is a Leo, I printed a base for him with the title. I stamped him onto the printed title piece and proceeded to colour him with DI's, I also added some sky and grass, now what do I do?

 

I then thought, he's the king of the jungle, so I went and had a search of paper and digi paper to suit with a crown on it, nope, couldn't find any. So into Photoshop and made my own pattern, with an image I had on file. I printed it out, my brain in slow motion, now what, then I remembered I had an cut file with crowns on it. It wasn't enough for me, so I added a Leo sign and word, then attached them to the crown and text. I cut it out twice with red pearlised paper then backed it with a die cut circle of gold card. 

 

I backed the crown paper and the lion, with red card and then placed them onto the base card. Done, what a struggle. I hope he likes it. 

Lion - Stamp Addicts

inks - Distress Inks

crown image - Creative Market

happy birthday crown/text -  Creativefabrica

gold card - stash 

 Silhouette

Photoshop 

 

 

 

What critter are you going to make? 

I hope to see you in the Challenge. 

Sports & Hobbies WLSC

 Hi Everyone my DT make today is for the mid month post for 

We Love Stamping

This month, we would love to see your cards with the theme from Anesha

Sports & Hobbies 

 

 

As I said in my previous WLSC post, I have just one set of stamps for sports and as I hadn't used some sets, I decided to go with them. However, I have used this set before, here. 

 

I decided to use kraft card, something I haven't used in an age.  I stamped the dart board, then die cut it, with a larger die cut in black card. I temporally placed them in the centre of the layer card, which had been to cut to add onto the base layer. I haven't a circle stamping platform, so tried to add the darts as evenly as possible, I haven't been too successful, but I don't think the men notice, I hope not. 

 

I then coloured them with markers, fixed the dart board in place, stamped the sentiments from the dart set, then cut them by hand and added them at an angle onto the card. Next I added a red pearlised layer to brighten the card a bit and placed the layers onto the base card.  

  

sport stamps - Creative Stamping Magazine #56

stamps are by Joanna Sheen

markers - Spectrum Noir

red pearlised paper - years old

black card - The Range

 

 

I hope to see your Sport or Hobby cards at We Love Stamping 

We are looking forward to seeing what sports and hobbies you enjoy, or as always theres the anything goes option, we love to see all your entries. Please remember there must be stamping on the front of your entry as well as brief details of the stamps/products used to be eligible.

Sports & Hobbies WLSC

  Hi Everyone my DT make today is for

We Love Stamping

This month, we would love to see your cards with the theme chosen by Anesha. 

Sports & Hobbies

 

 I have very few sports stamps, in fact just one set, I've had for years. I've not used this set of images, so decided to follow a sketch and case a card that was shown on the back of the stamps package.

 

I firstly stamped the pins, I was going to write the Happy onto the pins, but I'm a bit shaky of late, so decided to see if my Silhouette could cut, out of card, 5mm x 7mm letters. It did, incredible really, I'm always impressed how good it is. I added them to the pins. 

 

Next I die cut the circle for them and die cut a paper from a pad for the larger circle, with the same colours, that I had decided on. 

 

For the background I stamped the ball over the card and die cut it to fit the base card, it was added to it.

 

Next the circles were glued together, and edged with the ball layer. The pins were added, one sideways, as if it was hit by the ball. I then added a die cut orange piece of card and stamped the birthday on it. Adding the ball. 

 

 sport stamps - Creative Stamping Magazine #56

stamps are by Joanna Sheen

inks - Distress inks

coloured paper - Craft Sensation Happy Colours The Range 

circle dies - Tonic pin dot

orange card die - Card Making Magic 

Silhouette

 

 

I hope to see your Sport or Hobby cards at We Love Stamping

Charcoal Chuck TMR

 Hi Everyone, my DT card for today is for 

 

So many things I could have done with the subject, but it seems I'm on a run with a Dr Digi images. I love this image and as my Nephew in Law, is a great BBQ King it was made for him, he really does delicious things with the BBQ, so it's perfect for his birthday. 

I started with the background, pretty simple, I stencilled the clouds and grass and cut to size with a die. I then took the image into Silhouette and print and cut him 3 times for depth.  Next was to colour him with DI's. I really am no artist. The stencilled layer was added to the base card and then Chuck was added. I also print and cut the sentiment 3 times, it was a copy of the words I had in my files, that wouldn't fit, and it was layered onto the card. Quite simple, but that's my mind set atm. 

image - Dr Digi, Charcoal Chuck

inks - Distress Inks

Silhouette

stencil - Funky Fossil

die - Sue Wilson Noble square

sentiment copy words - Lettering Delights 

font -  Almond Slices

 

 

What is your outdoor subject?  See you at The Male Room

 

I was thrilled to be Card of the Week at Dr Digi.