- Alphabet Challenge - K is for keep it simple
- Simply Clean and Simple - SEP : Birthdays
- Craft Rocket Challenges #129 Dots and/or Stripes
- Krafty Chicks #784 - Birthday
- I Love Promarkers #590 - Anything Goes or Gnomes
6.9.25
Three Wishes & Zero Lottery Wins
13.8.25
When Life Gives You Interns, Make Cards
It’s creeping up to that time of year again – when the intern nurses wrap up their internships. Four years of study, practice, and lugging around Stanley water bottles the size of small fire extinguishers… done! I’ve had the privilege (and occasional giggle) of being preceptor for some amazing interns. One of them has about ten shifts left before the big send-off. This card isn’t the official graduation card – that’s scheduled for September, complete with dress shopping updates during breaks. I sit there nodding along to all the fashion talk while secretly knowing my own style philosophy boils down to: sturdy footwear, funky socks, and earrings that say, “I’m fun, but I still know where your care plan is filed… and I’m not afraid to use it.”
Now, onto the card...
The design came from the Silhouette Design Store, cut on my Cameo from bright, cheerful cardstock. The flower centre is mirror card, sprinkled with clear glitter for sparkle, and everything’s mounted on foam pads for a bit of pop.
Onto a few challenges:
- Try It On Tuesday - Summer
- Creative Fingers - Always anything goes
- Cut It Up #336 Add a sentiment
- Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday challenge -August - Anything goes
- Just Us Girls #787 - Die Week: Usefloral dies
Just like the interns – standing out, ready to take on the world… and hopefully never spilling a litre of water down themselves from those giant Stanleys. I swear, some of those flasks are so big you could baptise a small cow in them. And the way they carry them around – like a fashion accessory and emotional support object all in one – makes me wonder if hydration is the new personality trait. Still, if it keeps them happy (and upright during a 12-hour shift), I’m all for it.
2.8.25
Scale Up the Fun!
Dia Daoibh!
August's challenge over at HQFCB is "anything goes" with the option of featuring a dragon. Well, who am I to resist a bit of fire-breathing fun? I mean, who needs a therapist when you have dragons to craft with?
I'm absolutely smitten with this wee dragon from iStock. I've coloured him in with my trusty Promarkers and then, of course, I had to add some glitter and glossy accents... because dragons deserve to sparkle, right? The HB2U are die-cuts that I've layered up for some dimension, and then gave them a dusting of iridescent glitter. More sparkle, you say? Absolutely! The card is also embellished with enamel drops for an extra pop. Speaking of layering... let's talk double-sided foam tape. That stuff is the bane of my existence! I swear, wrestling with that tape is harder than taming a real dragon! Anyone else feel my pain? 😂
Galloping, flapping or maybe flying… this fantasy critter is heading straight for some challenge fun:
- CAS on Friday #314 Animal
- Seize The Birthday #310 - Anything Birthdays with option of Favorite Color
- Crafty Catz #699 Anything Goes
- I Love Promarkers #587 - Anything goes or Super Heros
- Creative Knockouts #551 Sparkle and Shine
- Little Red Wagon #818 Masculine
- Make My Monday #257 Masculine Card
Right so, that's my dragon birthday card! It's got more sparkle than a dragon's hoard! But don't just take my word for it! Head on over to HQFCB to see what the rest of the DT has conjured up! And then, of course, join in the fun and enter the challenge! Show us your fire-breathing creations!
Wendy R. xx
19.7.25
Hello? Is It DHL You’re Looking For?
Dia daoibh!
You know you’re in an Irish house when your daughter gives you the full operations manager spiel — “just sit there and wait for DHL, Mam!” — and here I am being treated like a flight risk with a history of absconding mid-courier. I should be wearing a hi-vis and holding a clipboard the way she’s carrying on! And so, like any Irish mammy under strict instruction, I tidied the house from top to bottom while waiting. Not just for any package, oh no—this is the package. The wedding rings! They’re getting married in less than a fortnight, and somehow, this sacred symbol of eternal love is being flung across the country in a van. Meanwhile, I’ve a night shift ahead of me, and I’d love to catch a few winks before heading off to wrangle care plans instead of double-sided tape. But can I rest? Not a hope. Every engine noise has me leaping up like a caffeinated meerkat at the window: “Is it him? Is it DHL? Is it... the neighbour again?!”
Anyway, in between pacing the floor and side-eyeing the doorbell, I managed to finish a wee card. Kept it clean and simple—CAS, for those in the know (and for those who think that’s short for "Can’t Actually Sleep," you’re not far off). I used die cuts: a cute coffee cup, some hearts, and a sentiment. Went full magpie and highligted with liquid pearls and glitter, then glossed nearly everything with glossy accents because... well, if I can’t sparkle right now, at least something in this house should!
A few challenge blogs I'm visiting:
- First Cup Challenges #4 July: - Anything Drink related projects
- The Creative Crafters #90 - Anything Goes
- Girlz Creative Fun Art of Scrap #11 - Anything Goes
- Girlz Rebel Challenge #42 - Anything Goes (+ pearls)
- Krafty Chicks #777 - CAS
- Creative Crafting Uncles #67 - Layer It Up
- Freshly Made Sketches #695 - Sketch
I think it turned out sweet—like a latte with extra caramel syrup. And if DHL ever arrives, I might just glue the tracking label onto the next card as a keepsake.
15.7.25
Birthday Craic
Dia Daoibh!
Well now, not much going on this week unless you count me arguing with my double-sided tape and losing—again. But I am thrilled to be Guest Designer over at the AAA Colourful Challenge Blog! The designers there are a fab bunch of crafty geniuses, and I’m chuffed to join them for Colourboard #18—a bright explosion of pink, orange, yellow and green that looks like a party straw convention.
The challenge runs 15th July to 14th August, so plenty of time to get your rainbow on.
I hit the scrap stash and die cut some bold, stripy bits in those juicy colours, added a few stars (glittered to within an inch of their lives), and popped them up on foam pads for dimension. The sentiment—"IT’S YOUR DAY"—is from my beloved Sizzix alphabet dies, survivors of the Great COVID-Clearout™. I couldn’t part with them then, and I won’t now, not even if you bribe me with crisps. The coloured enamel drops? Ha! I live in Ireland. We’ve got rain, not rainbow drops. So I faked it with teeny punched circles and a blob of Ranger Glossy Accents—job done!
A few challenges:
- AAA Birthday Challenge #75 - Summer Birthday
- Die Cut Divas - Jul - Happy Birthday
- Heart's Quest Celebration of Love #7 - Birthdays, Engagements, Weddings, Anniversaries and/or Sympathies
- Crafty Catz #698 - Anything Goes - Child's Birthday
Come join the fun over at AAA Colourful and show the world your best and brightest. The more colour, the better—unless you’re my washing machine, in which case, please stop turning everything pink.
Glitter, Glossy Accents, and Mild Heatstroke
Dia Daoibh!
For this card, I grabbed me trusty Core’dinations cardstock (because if you’re going to be fancy, be proper fancy), and cut out all the bits with the Doodlebug Flower Garden Doodle Cuts Dies. Everything’s layered up with foam pads—because I like my dimension bigger than an electricity bill—and finished off with a touch of Ranger’s Glossy Accents for that perfect bit of shine. A sprinkling of gemstones adds just the right amount of sparkle—because it’s not truly finished until you find a rogue gem floating in your tea—and there you have it: a card shinier than the sequins in the front row of a Garth Brooks concert.
On to a few challenges:
- Try It On Tuesday - Summer Blooms
- Beautiful Blossoms #30 - Anything Flowers Goes (optional: mood board)
- Crafts Galore Encore - Always Anything Goes
- Creative Crafting Uncles #67 - Layer It Up
- Let's Craft & Create Challenge #220 - Anything Goes (use a hand punch and/or die)
The talented design team have created projects so gorgeous you’ll want to hang them on your fridge and tell the neighbours you made them yourself. So get your skates on—or your flip-flops, given the weather—and join in, because anything goes: crochet, baking, painting, sticking googly eyes on your cat (though best of luck with that), or whatever crafty shenanigans you’re up to.
14.7.25
Buzz Buzz
Dia Daoibh!
And now, onto my card... I used the adorable CCL Clear Stamp Bee Happy Friendz set—stamped with Memento Ink, then coloured with my trusty ProMarkers until every bee was beaming with personality. The wee bees are raised up on foam pads for that extra bit of dimension—because no bee should be flat when it can float fabulously. Since this cheerful creation is flying off to Norway, the sentiment proudly says Hei!—so it can greet its new home properly. I cut the letters from black card and layered them up like a stylish sandwich, ready to impress any Norwegian postie. To finish it all off, I gave the bees a glossy shine (because even insects deserve to feel fancy) and added iridescent glitter to their wings—because sparkle is mandatory in my craft room.
On to a few challenges:
- Dragonfly Dreams - July - Use Polygons
- Allsorts #827 - For a Child or Anything Goes
- Creative Fingers #305- Anything Goes
- Sisterhood of the Snarky Stampers #264 - H is for Hot, Hot, Hot - (I used warm colours ;)
- Freshly Made Sketches #694 - Sketch:
I hope this card brings a smile as bright as a summer meadow and a little buzz of happiness when it lands.
23.6.25
Anything Goes, Honey!
Dia Daoibh!
It’s that time again – a brand-new challenge is live over at Ally’s Angels, where the theme is (as always!) Anything Goes. You’ve no idea how freeing that is for someone like me, who can’t follow a theme without wandering off halfway through. The design team has once again created absolute stunners – their cards are so gorgeous I considered framing my laptop.
Now, let’s buzz on over to my card! This card is bringing all the summer vibes – sunshine, sparkles, and a sassy little bee who’s clearly the queen of the hive! Featuring Tiny Townie Busy Bee from Stamping Bella, she’s dressed in her finest yellow-and-black stripes, ready to take on the summer garden party circuit. I coloured her with ProMarkers, gave her buzzing sidekicks a lift with foam pads (they're high-flyers), and added glossy accents and glitter – because no summer is complete without a little sparkle and a lot of drama. The bold yellow background? Pure sunshine in cardstock form.
Warning: may cause spontaneous humming of “Flight of the Bumblebee.” 🐝🌞✨
Onto a few challenges:
- Creative Crafting Uncles #66 - Summer
- The Crafting Challenge - June - Anything Goes
- If You Give a Crafter a Cookie #205 - Sunshine and Rainbows
- AAA Cards #293 - Anything CAS Goes
- We Love Stamping - Jun - Nature (optional: Anything Goes)
- CAS on Friday #311- Summer
- Crafty Catz #696 - Anything Goes
- C.R.A.F.T. #757 - Cute or Anything Goes
- Craft Rocket Challenges #126 - No Design Paper
- Krafty Chicks #773 - Clean and Simple
Come join the fun over at Ally’s Angels! It’s always Anything Goes, so grab your stamps, your glue, and possibly a hoover for the aftermath – and let’s get creating!
8.6.25
Jingle Bells
Dia Daoibh!
Well, here we are in June, and I’m already behind on my New Year’s resolution to craft at least two Christmas cards per month. So, in the spirit of catching up (and avoiding the December panic), I’ve whipped up a festive little number using supplies from my stash—because nothing says “holiday cheer” like a bit of crafty improvisation!
- Jingle Belles: Fa-la-la-la-la
- The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge #186 - Anything goes
- Merry Little Christmas Challenge Blog - MLCCB #62 Anything Christmas Goes
- C.R.A.F.T. #756 - Christmas
- FarmQuest Country Christmas Challenge #20 - Anything Goes Country Christmas
- The 12 Months of Christmas Link Up #123 - Anything Goes with option of : One or Two Layers
- Peace on Earth Christmas Challenge #89:
Here’s hoping this card brings a bit of festive joy to someone’s mailbox. And if you’re like me, still pretending you’ll have 40 handmade Christmas cards ready by November—sure look, it’s never too early, too late, or too delusional to believe this is the year we’ll be organised!
7.6.25
Fairies Don't Do Dry July
But enough folklore—onto the card! I’ve used Stamping Bella’s Edna Needs A Martini, because if anyone knows how to handle magical mischief, it’s a fairy with a cocktail. Coloured her up in Promarkers (... I got carried away, and now she’s basically celebrating the 4th of July). Glittered her wings because, let’s be real, if you’ve got wings and aren’t bedazzled, are you even trying? Mounted her on foam pads for dimension, because Edna deserves to pop right off the page—just like she’d pop into your local for a midweek martini.
- CAS on Friday #310 - Embossing
- Crafty Catz #694 - Anything goes (make us smile)
- Cut It Up #331 - Anything Goes
- Craft Rocket Challenges #126 No Design Paper
- The Card Concept #217 - Patriotic (Edna matches the colours):
3.6.25
Craft Now, Tidy Never
Dia Daoibh!
Is there anything better than a bit of crafty time and a fresh cuppa? I finally got a chance to play with some new bits, and I’m properly chuffed with today’s make—it’s bright, cheerful, and covered in enough sparkle to lift even the dullest of days (without needing sunglasses indoors… just about).
I used die cuts from Doodlebug Design—honestly, their designs never fail to bring the joy. I cut everything with my vintage Silhouette Cameo machine, bless her. It’s lovely to get dinner going while she hums away doing her thing—if only she could unload the dishwasher too.
- A Cut Above - Die Cut Challenge Blog - Anything Goes
- Paper Craft Crew Challenge - PCC623 - Color Challenge:
- A Place To Start - June - Anything Goes (option: Recycle):
- The Paper Players - PP740 - Theme - Recycling is in:
I honestly think Doodlebug Design flower dies are pure joy in papercraft form—cheerful and so cute they could charm the glitter off a unicorn. They’re the card-making equivalent of a perfect cuppa, a biscuit you don’t have to share, and a good natter where no one judges your ever-growing stash.
25.5.25
This Reindeer was Made for Sparkling
Dia Daoibh!
Well, would you look at that — I’ve landed meself a spot as a Guest Designer for the June challenge over at Rudolph Days and I’m more delighted than a reindeer in a field of carrots! 🎄🦌
To mark the occasion, I’ve rustled up a Rudolph card that’d make even the big man himself crack a smile. The Kraft and White card die cuts were cut on my ancient Silhouette Cameo — it’s been with me longer than most of me Christmas decorations, but still going strong, fair play to it! I layered up all the die cuts with foam pads for that lovely 3D pop.
The challenge over at over at Rudolph Days kicks off on the 25th of each month and runs till the end. A Top 3 is picked at the start of the next month, and they’re invited to guest design too! Make sure to follow the blog and join in — it’s always Anything Goes, as long as it’s handmade and Christmassy!
And before I go — here’s a wee joke to keep your sleigh bells jingling:
21.4.25
Glitter, Glue & Chocolate Comas
Dia Daoibh!
Onto today’s card! I used the Unicorn stamp set from The Rabbit Hole Designs. I strongly relate to this unicorn .. and the sentiment ;) ... Same energy, honestly....
- First Cup Challenges #1 April: - Anything Drink related projects
- Heart's Quest Fantasy Challenge Blog #4 Anything Goes Fantasy and/or Focus on Unicorn
- I Love Promarkers #581 Anything goes or No Patterned Papers
- We Love 2 Create #4 - Anything Creative/Mixed Media Goes
- CAS on Friday No. 307: Use a Stencil
- Halloween and Other Ocassions Crafts All Year Round #25: Birthday
- AAA Cards #288 - Sketch:
Right, I’m off to “supervise” the remaining Easter chocolate. (Quality control is very important.) Wishing you all a post-Easter glow – whether it’s from glitter, sugar, or sheer denial about Monday.
(P.S. If you need me, I’ll be in a chocolate coma, pretending I don’t own a vacuum.)
15.4.25
From Tape Troubles to Glitter Glories: A Box Card Adventure!
Dia Daoibh!
Gather 'round, because I've got a card creation saga for you! As a nurse, I'm pretty good at keeping things in order – like, I can juggle a full medical chart without breaking a sweat.... but when it comes to crafting with double-sided tape, let's just say a roll of tape has met an untimely demise in my trash bin #CraftingStruggles .
This time, I called in a big gun: my trusty silhouette (yes, v1 and as old as the hills). I used it to cut Lori Whitlock's fabulous Carrot Box Card elements, and let me tell you, it was like having a crafting fairy godmother. The carrot tops? Oh, they're not just any carrot tops. They're decked out with glossy accents and ultra-fine iridescent glitter, because why not add a little sparkle to your veggies? ... and don't worry about mailing this little gem – it folds flat for mailing! On the back, there's a nice little spot for you to write a heartfelt sentiment.
- The Paper Funday #75 - Anything Goes/Optional Twist Anything with a "B" (B: Box Card)
- Love Those Pretty Papers Challenge: April - Anything Goes with Patterned Paper (optional theme: Springtime)
- Cardz 4 Galz #247 Stripes
- C.R.A.F.T. #752 Spring / Easter / Anything Goes
- Craft Rocket Challenges #124 Layer It Up
- Shopping Our Stash #545 - Hippity Hop (Easter card / rabbit / chick)
6.4.25
A Wee Bunny
Well, Easter is hopping up on us faster than a chocolate-fuelled bunny... But fear not—I’ve been busy colouring, glittering, and trying not to eat all the mini eggs meant for cake decorating. (Spoiler: Some may have mysteriously vanished. Ahem.)
Right, I’d best get these in the post tomorrow—before the Easter Bunny files a complaint for lateness. Wishing you all a cracking Easter—may your chocolate be plentiful, your eggs be hidden (but not too well), and your glitter be minimal.
Hey Friend
Hold onto your hats—It is 14°C in Ireland! That’s right, we’re basically almost in a heatwave (by our standards). Summer has officially arrived ;)
To celebrate this suspicious weather phenomenon, I made this cheerful card using the 'Hey Friend' set from Graciellie Design. Coloured with Promarkers (with all the precision of a caffeinated squirrel) and embellished with iridescent glitter, and gems - because why be subtle when you can sparkle?
- A Perfect Time To Craft (M, P1) - Always Anything Goes
- Beautiful Blossoms #27 - Anything Flowers Goes (optional Mood Board)
- Crafter's Cafe #317 - Anything Goes (optional: CAS)
- Girlz Creative Crafts #53 Happy Birthday Girlz
- Girlz Rebel Challenge #38 - Use Glitter
- The Creative Crafters #86 - Always Anything Goes
- Addicted to Stamps and More #489 - Any Occasion
- Color Throwdown #830