Argh, men... ;)

Hello!! :)

...well, making cards for them, anyway!!lol Not a favourite task for many of us crafters, is it?! But that’s the task set for us by Chrissy and Mandi over at LIM this week and I have to say I actually quite enjoyed making this card, which is often the way for me after the initial agonising over what to do in the first place!! :)

So this one’s pretty simple- I’d been waiting for the Kraft card blanks I ordered to arrive and as soon as they did yesterday I got started on my favourite of the ideas I’d had for this week’s Less Is More Masculine challenge!! I always seem to have several ideas but as I don’t have the energy to make more than one of them- as per my previous post, just getting one made for the challenge each week has me over the moon!!lol- the hardest thing is often choosing which to do and I do sometimes wish I’d chosen differently... but that’s life all over!! ;) Anyway, this one won this week and I’m glad it did :)

I’ve been playing with my Cricut this week- it needs more exercise and I’m determined now that it will get it as I’ve had so much fun with it this last few days!! :) The card is simply made up of the clock face/numerals, the two coloured circles behind it and two hands, all cut on the Cricut and layered up. I attached the hands with a tiny brad before I stuck it all to the blank. Then, as the sentiment I’d also tried to cut was a bit small for the machine to handle and came out mangled, I bit the bullet, grabbed a Fineliner and handwrote the greeting- I really wanted it to say ’time flies’ and I haven’t got a stamp or enough courage to try printing direct to a card blank!! Think I just about got away with it for a change, though it helps that the font I’d tried to cut is much like my handwriting... the font matters so much, especially with CAS!!

A couple of close-ups for you :) I luckily found a sort-of handmade looking and flecked off-white card in a stack a family friend gave me (from the stash she’d had when her Grandaughter used to craft at her house so I wasn’t sure what to expect when I opened the box, but there’s some really good stuff in there!! :) ) which I think really added some interest to the face :) The hands, I’ve just realised, would never be in those positions relative to each other- I had enough trouble deciding where to put them between this position and slightly further round between the two and three but they’re not glued down yet so I guess I could move them... if I decide I should let reality win out over artistic license and aesthetic balance!?!lol

I’d like to enter this in the following challenges: Less Is More Week 7 – Masculine :) ; Crafts and Me – Anything Goes :) ; Cupcake Crafts – Monochromatic :) ; Simply Create – Monochromatic :)

Thank you to all the LIMers and others who left comments on my cards last week- I truly do appreciate each and every one and only wish I could get around to you all in return but this hasn’t been my best few weeks on the commenting front- stuff just seems to have got in the way and sapped my energy before I get there at the mo’... but I'll try to do better this week as I'm constantly amazed at the talent and inspiration out there just waiting to be found!! :)

Right, I’m off now as I’m kinda tired- spent a while out in the garden this afternoon to catch a bit of the sunshine while the going was good, it was absolutely lovely to sit in the sun, which was beautifully warm, and even ended up having a good natter with a friend/neighbour who I’ve not seen for a quite a while, which was extra lovely... but I stayed out there for a tad longer than I probably should have and am even more tired as a result!! Worth it though!! :) I hope you’re all okay and have been able to enjoy some of this gorgeous weather wherever you are!! :) I will hopefully be back soon as I had a *very* exciting day yesterday and don’t think I’m going to be able to keep myself from sharing it with you for too long!!lol

hugs,