If I don't do it now...

I've just managed to haul my (not quite as fat as it was but not exactly tiny either) behind off a comfy chair and into the study to write this post before I sink into an evenings snoozing/crocheting. I've already missed a few weeks and if I don't post now, when the next few weeks are mad, then who knows when?

So life in a nutshell: Half term in Bradford with Carys in a bonkers but fabulous little airbnb place; Hywel has a new job which means finally leaving home and moving to Halesowen- real mixed feelings about that; work life is full on but really satisfying on the whole; attempting to do 40 Acts for Lent - its only day 4 and 40 seems a big number!

I'm catching up 3 weeks of Daring Cards - the first due to it being half term (seems months ago now but its only 2 weeks!). 
Leo challenged us to Go Geometric
I went for a simple take on it

I got out some old Simple Stories papers from a  Say Cheese 2 pad - I think they are subtly Disney themed but I love the colours. Armed with a triangle die I cut out loads and then spent ages putting them in place on some kraft cardstock. I did a little pen outlining then stuck the whole thing down on a white cardbase. I treble die cut the "Happy Birthday" phrase dies and stuck em together. I only had a short time to create but was quite pleased with the end result.

The next one gave me no end of trouble - not because of the dare but a discovery I made during the process.
Dawn asked us to Tear It Up
as it turned out that is what I had to do with part of the card...

I had the idea of covering a tag shape in layers of tissue paper. It looked lovely - except for the fact that the Tombow Multi glue dried yellow and you could see it through the layers. So in the bin that went (after carefully peeling off the stamped flowers and leaves) and I had to start again. Only instead of reaching for the tissue paper I picked up the hand made paper which I had also used behind the tag. Of course I didn't notice until everything was glued down so decided it would be better to leave it be. So I did.
The stamps are new to me - Bloom and Buds by Reverse Confetti. They are lovely but solid rather than  colour in stamps and I am in need of practice!

I was much happier with this weeks card - though sad I needed to make it. The lovely Enfys had her first turn at picking an Elemental Inspiration and went for a beautiful room design

 I was inspired by the windows, the black and white stripes, the plant and the pop of yellow in the left hand corner 

I used 2 sizes of square die to create frames and die cut vellum to the larger size to stick behind the frames to give a window effect. I found some black/white striped card to use at the top and bottom and I cut this into waves. I think that the wave and the off whiteness of the stripe help to soften the card otherwise the black/white stripe would have felt too stark even for a bereavenment card. I found a Spellbinder border die that I cut with green and yellow papers. I remembered to use Stickit paper for the yellow one which made adding the flowers a lot easier. The whole bloom was covered in Wink of Stella

and carefully stuck down using Tombow glue (without any hazards this time).

I'm not going to be able to join in the challenge this week - what with our two nephews from Canada (and my mother in law and four dogs) coming to stay; me going away for two days and Hywel (hopefully) moving in the middle. I'll be back soonish with the scrapping I have done with my latest Quirky Kit - I'm off to schedule some posts over there now!