Completely ....

.... unseasonal post today.  It's Sunday, and I've finally caught up enough to join my teamies on this week's Sentimental Sundays on our challenge this week, which is "Christmas in July".

This week's Sponsor is:

Silly Dilly Bean Challenge Blog 

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Donating: 3 images, winners choice

I have to say, it felt particularly strange making a Christmas card with the sun blazing away outside  - now I know how our crafting friends Down Under feel!! And yes, our heatwave is still going strong, I think we're on week 3 now - impossible!!

Here's what I made:

I used this week's Deconstructed Sketch and I'm also entering this into the following challenge: Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge ("Green" - there's the colour green, also I've used recycled corrugated card and hairy string, which is more burgundy than pink in real life).  Here's a closer look at the little squares on my card with the Christmas tree and bauble made from the aforementioned card, with ink and glitter added, followed by a side shot of the dimension on the card:

Recipe:

Papers: Basic Grey "Wassail" and "Figgy Pudding"

Sentiment Stamps: Fancy Pants "Happy Holidays"

Die Cut: Cheery Lynn Doily "English Tea Party"

Other: Hero Arts gems, platinum stickles, hairy string

Right, that's enough of the "C" word from me until at least October!!  I'm off to enjoy what's left of the summer, surely this weather can't go on for much longer.  I've been having such a lovely time, meeting friends for coffee, eating al fresco, have managed so far to avoid getting sunburnt which is a minor miracle!! 

Thanks for looking!

Sweltered in an Irish ....

.... heatwave!  All those reading in the USA will be laughing hysterically at our definition of a heatwave - it's been getting as far as the high 20s Centigrade for about a week now (that translates to about 80 Fahrenheit).  I know it's hitting 3 figures in the west and mid-western USA right now - well, bless all your hearts, I would just keel over and die in that!!!!  We've been opening all the windows (whilst keeping the new cat indoors - a masterpiece in organisation!), and bought an electric fan today to try and keep a bit cooler in the afternoons.  On the plus side, the garden looks amazing, my strawberries and tomatoes are giving a bumper crop, and everyone is in a super good mood because, of course, when the sun is shining there is nowhere in the world as nice as Ireland!

I went to a friend's house yesterday - she had put out a 10ft inflatable pool in the back garden for the kids, and the adults were in the garden too - crafting under the gazebo.  I enjoyed playing with her extensive collection of stamps, and got the makings of a few cards done, one which I finished today:

I used this week's Deconstructed Sketch and I'm also entering Cupcake Craft ("Anything but Square"), Papertake Weekly ("Old, New, Borrowed or Blue" - mine is the borrowed stamps) and ABC Challenge ("Q is for Quite a Few" layers).

Here's a side shot of the card - I love that crackle background stamp.  I stamped the flower on kraft a few times and cut out extra blossoms, coloured and crumpled them and stuck them down for added dimension.  I made the letters using a computer font, printed out on card, stuck down on a few more layers of card, then cut out and inked.

Recipe:

Papers: Cosmo Cricket "Mr. Campy"

Stamps: Not sure - borrowed from Jackie - thanks, hun!

Colouring Medium: Prismacolor pencils, distress inks.

Other: Ribbon from stash.

Thanks for looking!