A Card Share and an update on the Blog Challenge

Hello crafty peeps and welcome to my crafty nook! I hope you've all had a great week and if you haven't, just think it's nearly the weekend!!! Things have been quiet here in my crafty nook, I've made a few cards, made some mess and I've even made myself cry a couple of times lol (usually when I've been trying to make a card and it's not gone well). One of the things that hasn't gone well is last month's blog challenge - I've started making cards for it a couple of times but nothing's turned out any good and then I managed to lose the card blanks I actually had made. I'll be totally honest with you, I don't think the Tonic die is particularly attractive and I've had a lot of trouble getting anything looking presentable, it's not helped by the fact that it's not very well explained in the magazine how to actually use the die and it just doesn't look right once it's cut - I'd much rather use a nesting die set and partially cut the shape or better still use my lovely Crafter's Companion dies which cuts beautifully and has concise instructions. Michele's not managed to complete the blog challenge either so we've decided to skip it especially as there's been zero interest in anyone actually joining in. I know that unlike other blogs this challenge doesn't have any prizes but if no one joins in that's not going to change, if we had any people expressing an interest in the challenge and better still people JOINING IN then who knows what the future might hold, companies might offer to sponsor the competition or I've got a few spare items that need a good home which may end up as a prize at some point but neither of those things will happen if the level of interest remains at it's current level - after all it's not much of a challenge if there's only Michele and I taking part so please, please if you have any interest in this challenge then leave a comment on the blog, fill in the comments form in the sidebar or email me at craftynook@outlook.com. Anyway Michele and I have decided to swiftly go on to the next challenge and it's another magazine freebie (don't worry it's the last one at least for the foreseeable future) and again it's the 'free gift' that came free with Die cutting Essentials Magazine issue 36, it's been out for a month and issue 37 is probably in the shops now (I've had my subbie copy for about a week) but I really like the fish bowl die set and need an excuse to use it. The closing date is 31st of this month which is plenty of time to make two cards using the dies. The first card we'd like you to make is just a plain fish tank themed card using the dies that came with the magazine plus any items from your stash but make sure the dies are the big event not your stash extras. The second card/part of the challenge is a bit more fun, we'd like you to use the dies in a different way, by that I mean think outside the box a little, flip the fish bowl upside down and turn it into a spaceman's helmet or is there a way you could make the dies into something Christmassy? Let your imagination run riot and let's see what we can come up with. Again you can use items from your stash and though we want you to use the dies in a different way we've got to be able to tell what you've used so try to make the die cuts your focal image if possible. We would love it if some crafty peeps joined in so please don't be shy - leave a comment with a link to your blog featuring your creations or send me an email using the comments form on the sidebar or by emailing me at the address above. I can't wait to see what you amazing peeps make!

Phew, that was a long paragraph! You must be tired now so here's some photos of a few of my crafty makes that I've not shared before, hopefully they'll refresh your eyes :)

A fishing themed card for my husband's grandad made using a die from Crafter's Companion and items from my stash.

I loved making the pop up/out Polaroid card for my dad in law so much that I made a second one (hope I've not already shared this) The (heart) this die cut was made using a die from my stash, I can't remember the brand but I'll update this post with the information once I find the die set.

Not a card but a cute photo of my lovely cat Jinx who turned 17 on the 27th April - he's 84 in cat years!

Hopefully your eyes will be a bit rested now especially after looking at my lovely Jinx =^..^=
As always if you have any questions or comments then please leave them in the usual places and until next time - keep crafting!

Love and crafty hugs,

Sarah xxx