Really..... You have got to be Kidding!!

I received this months copy of Simply Cards & Papercraft Magazine in the post yesterday. It has been delayed because of problems with the supplier ( Brexit ?), but they had emailed and explained that. What I really find hard to believe is that they claim their 'biggest kit ever' that came with it is worth £45.99

when I excitedly opened it,  I was confronted with .....

Now, I watch Hochanda and Create & Craft channels on TV, so I am used to seeing overpriced card making kits (Yes, Tattered Lace, I am talking about you!) - but this takes the biscuit.

This 52 piece kit contains an embossing folder only 3 inches square, 3 tiny metal dies ( don't bother, its easier to cut out the plant pot by hand) and a set of very small herb related stamps. There are the names of 9 different herbs in 2 different fonts - so that's 18 stamps for a start. However these name stamps are only 1 or 2 cm long. There are no cards, envelopes, charms, stickers,  ribbons or other embellishments included in this, so called, kit. 

But I shouldn't forget the digital papers and templates I could download - well, I will forget about them as I don't print off background papers on my home printer - have you seen the price of ink cartridges! There is also an SVG cutting file to download, but that is useless too, as I only have a big shot manual die cutter. How can they claim that this is worth £45.99???

Now I can understand why the price has gone up to £6.99 per issue, but really, who are they kidding on the price of this 'kit'. Who, in the real world, would spend nearly 50 quid on it?

The freebies that came recently with Papercraft Essential magazine and Creative Stamping Magazine were so much better (rant over).                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Embossing again

 

The freebie embossing folder from Simply Cards Magazine is proving to be very inspirational, here are another couple of cards using a different colour scheme and incorporating the stamps that were also free with issue 213

And then this simple  'Thinking of You' card shows how it looks debossed on the other side

Not Going Out

 

I am happy to comply with government instructions and stay indoors, when it is snowing like this outside. Snow that lays is a bit of a novelty in Suffolk and we may only get it a couple of times a year.

Of course, the other good reason to stay inside, is to sit in my lovely craft room and play with my new embossing folder. I have used it in several different colour schemes and styles now.

This could be a popular addition to my stack of embossing folders!

Back in the craft room

 

At last I can move back into the craft room! It has had a new ceiling, all walls skimmed and painted a very pale gray colour. All it needs is a new carpet, but that can wait until after lockdown finishes.

I also got the new issue of Simply Cards magazine in the post today and can't wait to try out the new embossing folder that came with it!

Colours of the Autumn

 I bought myself the latest copy of Simply Cards Magazine with these lovely Autumnal trees, leaves and sentiment stamps

And I teamed them up with a Hunkydory background sheet that I bought at my recent charity shop haul.

to make these Autumn themed cards - won't be long now til the leaves start falling off the trees!

Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady

It was a year ago that Simply Cards Magazine had the 'Country Diary' themed freebie papers and stamps - still using them up!

Floral Hearts from Simply Cards Mag

A couple of cards using the new Floral Hearts cut and embossing folder free from this months Simply Cards magazine. 

Love the embossing effect and the heart cuts out cleanly. Made in a pale green colour scheme as a change from Valentines Day red!

Covering up a mistake!

I decided to do some heat embossing to make some Christmas cards - unfortunately I was a bit slow with the stamping and the embossing ink had started to dry before I put the power on!

The card was supposed to look like this, but was too faint and blurry

So I had to cover up the sentiment and used the new Merry Christmas die that came with Simply Cards & Papercraft Mag this month, luckily I has just cut some out in different colours to try it out!

Retirement Cards

Amongst the free stamps with this months Simply Cards Magazine was a 'Happy Retirement'. Very useful as I have several work colleagues who will be retiring in the next few months!

And suitable for both men and women!

Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady

I like the freebie stamps and papers that came with this months Simply Cards Magazine- bought back memories of  the late 70's, when that book was first published and the designs turned up on curtains, mugs, diaries and bedding!

Simply Cards & Papercraft 192 - Nautical Scenes Dies

This months copy of Simply cards mag has a Nautical set of dies as a freebie

They are a bit fiddly to use - the little seagulls were so small that it is easier to draw them on with black pen!

Its hard to line up all the different waves and backgrounds too

But it is a good way of using up some of the off cuts of coloured card that we all seem to accumulate!

Something old ... something new ....

I just love it when a crafting mag plops through the letterbox. I can't wait to try out the ideas and freebies that come with it, and, well my craft room is one of the coolest places in the house at the moment!

Yesterday issue 180 of Simply Cards & Papercraft mag arrived with a Songbird Blossoms stamping die & embossing folder set

So I dug out these old pots of Brushos and made some backgrounds for the cards

Images stamped with Tuxedo Black Momento ink and set off with black mat and layering with little diamante for the birds eyes

I then tried the embossing folder on bright orange card and highlighted it with Versamagic Sahara Sand chalk ink. Such an enjoyable evening!

More Roses!

These big cabbage roses have been made using the Altenew layered dies that were free with issue 174 of Simply Cards & Papercraft magazine.

They look great with 3 different shades of card to give them a real feeling of depth and texture!

Our boiler went wrong last weekend and we had no heat for 2 days, It cost £250 to fix, but was well worth it. With the Beast from East cold snap on the way, I am hoping to stay in, keep warm and craft!

Stags Head - Majestic Moments

Loving this Majestic Moments free gift from Simply Cards & Papercraft magazine. I just couldn't wait to stamp out the stags head and colour them using promarkers

I then cut out some different coloured oval backgrounds using one of those cheap Chinese dies and layered them up

and this is a birthday card using one of them - expect to see some more!

A Few More Cards with Labels

Just a few more cards using those labels I cut earlier with the freebie from Simply Cards & Papercraft mag

Think I need to go and cut out some more!

Labels Galore

In this months issue of Simply Cards & Papercraft there is a very useful label die cut and stamp set

I went through my pile of odd pieces of card and cut these out. The lacy border looks very effective against a coloured background

And this is my first card made using them! The little wooden bird was coloured with my French Lavender gilding wax to match the flowers.

One Embossing Folder - Three cards

This square  leafy border embossing folder is free with issue 153 of Simply Cards & Papercraft Magazine. For the sunflower card, I inked inside the folder before putting it through my trusty Cuttlebug.

The plain kraft paper sets off the lovely Craftwork Cards orchids and hummingbird toppers and, although it is not very clear on the photo, the lilac background on the other card has a soft sheen to it.

I think I shall be using this embossing folder quite a bit in the future!

Look what came in the post today!

All three of the magazines that I subscribe to arrived this morning!

With husband at work and daughter out on a trip with the Guides to the Harry Potter Studio Tour, I have got plenty of time to play with the  free gifts of  stamps and dies.