Welcome back to The Flower Challenge. Our theme for the next month is to use spots or stripes on your creations.

I was a bit perplexed when I saw this month’s challenge. I ended up making quite a classic card using the paper piecing technique, which I haven’t used for ages.

Not only was I perplexed, but the die I used was without its packaging. I think it’s an old Spellbinders one, and hopefully, someone out there knows who created it.

I cut three layers of card using the flower outline die in white and pink. If you really squint, you can just see the pink, then paper pieced the remainder using some gold card and some spotted design paper, popped up with foam, and added within the embossed stitched panel.

In other news, the old shoulder is getting better day by day, but Mr P has relegated my Spellbinders die-cutting machine to the top of a cupboard as he caught me trying to use it even though it was with my left hand! Down came the Big Shot Switch, which is electronic, as I’m sure you all know. It does the job, but boy does it make a noise, so it can’t really be used early morning or late at night, in case I wake up the neighbours! I have some nerve damage in my wrist, which I have been assured will ease in time, so Mr P is watching me like a hawk, making sure I don’t over exert myself, which is great in some ways, as he has become an expert at doing the household chores but it also means I’m a bit slow on commenting and creating.

We do hope you will join us at The Flower Challenge, the design Team has created a bevy of beautiful cards which I’m sure will delight and inspire, and I look forward to seeing what you all come up with.

I’m also linking up to the following challenges

Cardz 4 Galz, #249, who are asking us to use Flowers

Craft Rocket Challenges #125, who are also asking us to use flowers

Hello lovely crafters!! I’m back after a little break after undergoing shoulder surgery six weeks ago. It will take another couple of months to recover fully I’m currently undergoing physical therapy, which is horrible but hopefully will restore my right arm to its former glory. In other words, I’ll be able to use my Spellbinders die-cutting machine yipee !!! For now, there’s still quite a lot of discomfort but I was able to make a card using mainly my left hand so please don’t judge me harshly.

It’s the midway point at The Flower Challlenge and we are asking you to use spring colours on your cards.

Here’s my left-handed creation…

My Silhouette Cameo was very happy to come out of retirement so I could make the embroidery hoop using Kraft card. For the background, I used an Altenew cover plate which reminds me of the backing fabric used in embroidery. The Flowers are courtesy of Pinkfresh from their Embroidered Blooms range and coloured with distress Oxides.

We hope you will join us at The Flower Challenge there are so many fabulous cards in our gallery and the Design team has once again knocked it out of the park and has been very understanding during my absence.

I’ve really missed crafting and believe me just sitting and doing absolutely nothing for six weeks has taken a toll on my mental health it’s amazing how much this hobby means to me and many others. I promise to get around to seeing you all as soon as possible but even writing this post is a little difficult so please bear with me.

Wishing you all a fabulous day.

Marie

It is with much sadness that I will be taking a break from crafting and blogging for the next few months. I’ve been having shoulder pain in my right arm for several months which has gradually gotten to the stage where I cannot sleep because of the pain and am unable to function even typing is extremely painful.

After unsuccessful shockwave, and other treatments I have no choice but to undergo surgery. Recovery time is between four and six months but hopefully, I can return to crafting sooner.

I would like to thank my design teammates at Colorful Options, The Flower Challenge, and A Cut Above for their understanding as I will be unable to continue on at least for the foreseeable future.

Wishing you all well and hopefully, I will be back before you know I have gone.

take care

Marie

Welcome back to the midway point at The Flower Challenge. Just in case you need a little extra inspiration for our Feature Pink challenge, the rest of the design team and I have some lovely pink-inspired blooms to get those creative juices flowing.

So what did I come up with….

A variety of dies were used to make this simple card, the flowers, and pots are courtesy of Poppy Stamps Nordic series coloured with Distress Oxides . The scalloped oval die by waffle flower for the frame and the background is a cover plate by Altenew Dotted Starburst.

We do hope you will join us at The Flower Challenge there’s lots of lovely inspiration over on the blog so why not join in the fun.

Wishing you all a fabulous weekend.

Marie

Welcome back to another fun challenge at A Cut Above. We had so many amazing entries last month and look forward to seeing what you loverly crafters come up with this time around.

As always anything goes as long as at least one die cut is used, for details on how to enter pop on over to A Cut Above and also see what our amazing design team came up with.

I fell in love with this die set by Bibi Cameron for Spellbinders as many years ago I owned a beautiful little pug named Looby. Unfortunately, Looby lived only a few short years but I will always remember her fondly. I used a variety of kraft and brown card for this project together with the addition of Distress Oxide on her body and some gold card for her collar, and googly eyes to complete that cute little face.

Whilst we are on the subject of doglets we’ve added a new addition to the family to keep our senior chihuahua company after the passing of Bailey and Rosy last year.

She’s a tiny wee thing with a big personality, you can’t really see her eyes in this photo so we’ve given her a little trim she really is a cheeky madam and fits right in. She has particularly taken a shine to Mr. P and squeaks with happiness when he’s around (as do I 🙂

I’m also linking up to #242 Cardz for Galz who are asking us to make a card in anything but a square shape

Wishing you all a fabulous week

Take care
Marie