Happy Birthday

Good morning all.

Hubby announced yesterday he was going to Ikea and as I didn't feel up to a trek to Edinburgh I gave him a list...2 sets of drawers and 6 boxes...he came home with 6 of each. MEN!! Today there will be a mammoth re-organisation of the craft room to see how many sets I can fit in! Waste not want not!

Found out last night I'm to be a great Aunt in the summer...not that I'm not already a "great" Aunt! Wedding couple no 2 are set to be the proud parents. Another nephew graduated from Durham University with a Master of Science in the faculty of social sciences and health yesterday....I really ought to make him a card but my mind is blank!

Another birthday card to share today, the two nephew's above both have birthdays next week.

Background stamp is new one from Inkylicious, after stamping with Archival ink I used various distress inks to colour it up then layered it onto black card.  Rosette die is one I've had for quite some time and don't use very often - it's from Memory Box. Birthday die from Clearly Besotted...I inked up a piece of waste card with the same DI as the background before die cutting, then layered it up with a couple more for dimension. Added a few gems to finish it off.

Challenges entered:

Happy Little Stampers CAS

Happy Little Stampers Sketch

Art Impressions Stamps - what's new (background stamp)

Scrapbooker PHD - male birthday + die cut

Country View Crafts - use something new

Die Cut Divas - anything goes

Crafter's Cafe - something new

Loves Rubberstamps - anything goes

Sweet Stamps - something new

Simon Says Stamp Monday - old + new

Clean and Simple

Good morning all.

House work and washing on the agenda today...sorry for swearing but needs must!

A very clean and simple card to share today...think it's a little too CAS for me though!!

Snowflakes stamps are from Anita's Stamps, stamped in versamark and heat embossed with white detail EP. Brush Stroke stamp from Inkylicious stamped twice with two different distress inks.

 Sentiment stamp from Imagination Crafts also stamped with DI. Card is finished with some gems.

Finished inside with stamp from Penny Black and a corner punch from Martha Stewart.

Challenges entered:

Stamplorations - sketch

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Christmas/holidays

Artistic Stampers - anything goes

One Crazy Stamper - anything goes

Cards and More - just be blue

Sparkles Forum Christmas - blue Christmas

Fan-Tastic Tuesday - twist embossing

Just Inspirational Challenges - snowflakes

Oddball Art Stamps - any holiday

Addicted to Stamps - clean and simple

Imagine, Dream, Inspire...

Good morning all.

Thank goodness it's Friday...I've been totally disorientated this week after our few days away, I might get back on track at the weekend.

Today's share is an altered book. As always I forgot the before photo so here it is after it's first coat of gesso. I found it lying unused and unloved in a drawer and decided it might make a good art journal as the pages are quite sturdy.

After several coats of gesso and white acrylic paint it was ready to alter.

After gathering some stamps and stencils together I masked off the areas for the three word stamps from Visible Image. I also masked the sides of the book to create a white border. Then I got all inky using Distress Inks. I used some stamps from Bo Bunny to overstamp with some distress ink but these didn't come out too well. I then stamped various stamps from Bo Bunny, Inkylicious and a magazine freebie in black Archival ink. The texture paste was put through a stencil from Memory Box. Once everything was dry I removed all the masking tape and stamped the sentiments in black Archival.

I still don't like messy but I love what can be created!

Challenges entered:

Altered Eclectics - anything goes

Eclectic Ellapu - purple texture paste/embossing

Rhedd's Creative Spirit - halloween or not

All Crafts Challenge - anything but a card

Craftin Desert Divas - anything but a card

Dream Valley Challenges - anything but a card

Not Just Cards - anything goes

Inspiration Destination - anything goes

Addicted to Stamps - anything goes

Artist Trading Post - anything mixed media goes

Thanks!

Good morning all.

We had a beautiful autumnal day yesterday and look set for another today...then it's all downhill for a week whilst the kids are on holiday!!

Today's share is a quick thank you card which didn't turn out anything like the idea I started with in my head!!

I used a long forgotten Kaleidoscope inkpad to create a graduated background on vellum. The same inkpad was used on the Inkylious stamp. The sentiment stamp is from Imagination.

Challenges entered:

Less is More - autumn's bounty

Shopping our Stash - fall/autumn colours

Stamp and Create - fall/autumn

Stamping Sensations - autumn colours

Sweet Stampin - autumn

Celebrate in Style

Good morning all.

We had a beautiful day yesterday, I hope you did too.

It's my sister in laws birthday today and this is the card I made her.

Background created using Sparkle Medium and a stencil from Imagination Crafts, both part of my recent candy win. Stamps and backing paper were magazine freebies. I've paper pieced all the stamps using a coordinating paper from the pad. Ribbon and yarn are from Inkylicious; lace and charm are from my stash.

Challenges entered:

Crafty Hazelnuts Patterned Paper - anything goes

Paper Pretties - try a new technique (stencilling)

Inky Impressions - charm
Divas by Design - sparkle
Baffies Kreativladen - anything goes
It's all about Vintage - use lace
Crafts 4 Eternity - texture
Dream Valley - vintage
Ecleptic Ellapu - vintage
The Ribbon Girls - birthdays
The Cheerful Stamp Pad - anything goes
Craft room Challenge - 20th Century...inspired by early 1900's elegance
Craft-Dee BowZ - anything goes

Carol x

Crafting for all Seasons #69 "For the Girls"

Good morning all.

Woke up on Monday morning to a text from Gary to say they'd had an earthquake in Wellington about 6.2/3 magnitude...he was well chuffed with himself!! Luckily there was little damage done. He's now on South Island staying in Blenheim and looking for some casual work!

I've just lost three days reminiscing with people who grew up in the same area as me. Someone set up a Facebook page at the weekend and everyone has been adding old photos and happy memories...fabulous to see and read. Also found two old friends who I hadn't heard of for years and both are living in New Zealand!

Today it's time for our second challenge of 2014 at CFAS and this time the theme is "For the Girls". We're  looking forward to seeing all your makes. We're being sponsored by Lacy Sunshine who gave the DT images to work with.

I choose Raining Frogs which I coloured with promarkers. Dies from Spellbinders. Paper and banner are from Kaisercraft and were a magazine freebie. Hessian is a recent buy...though I can't remember where from!! Ribbon and fibres are from Inkylicious and sentiment is from my stash. Hearts were punch waste.

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see the rest of the girls inspiration, you won't be disappointed.

Challenges entered:

Brown Sugar - anything goes

Polkadoodles - anything goes/girl talk

Stampin for the Weekend - Happy Birthday

Moving along with the Times - girly cards

Crafty Sentiments - birthdays

Creative Craft Challenges - new (papers, hessian and image)

Deep Ocean - birthday

Fan-Tastic Tuesday - make it feminine

Papertake Weekly - add a bow and use a die

Party Time Tuesday - ribbons

Passion for Promarkers - ribbon, lace or twine

Great Impressions - use something new

The Squirrel and the Fox - show off your new stuff

Sugar Creek Hollow - fibres and textures

Carol x

Crafting for all Seasons #44 Buttons and Bows

Good afternoon. 
Yesterday passed me by in a veil of paracetamol and hot honey and lemon as I've come down with a stinking cold so no crafting was done - and I really need to get these wedding invites finished! All the snow here had completely disappeared by the time I got up, we did have another dusting this morning but that soon disappeared too. I do feel a little better today but I hate having a "muggy head".
Today it's time for a new challenge at CFAS and this time the theme is "Buttons and Bows". We're  looking forward to seeing all your makes. We're being sponsored by Bugaboo and the DT were given images to use.

I've used Sew Sun Button, coloured with promarkers then fussy cut and tied some Inkylicious fibres in a bow through the button. Backing paper is from Webster's Pages; dies from Spellbinders; doily and sentiment from my stash.

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see the rest of the girls inspiration, you won't be disappointed.

Challenges entered:

Moving along with the Times - happy birthday

Simply Create - #18

Anything Goes - buttons and bows

Can you Digi it - girly

Creative Card Crew - girly

Papertake Weekly - tie up your loose ends

Passion for Promarkers - favourite colour combo (peachy pink and green)

Cheerful Stamp Pad - tickled pink

Use your Stuff - birthdays (doily and fibres)

I Love Promarkers - anything goes

Carol x

Crafting when we Can #25 Rainbows

It's time for a new challenge at CWWC and this time we the theme is rainbows - so lets see lots of colours on your projects. We're being sponsored by Di's Digi Downloads.

Using an image and backing paper from Joanna Sheen's Enchanted Dreams CD. Fibres from Inkylicious, flower from Prima and pearls from stash.

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see the creations of my team mates.

Challenges entered:

Paper Crafting Journey - anything goes

For your Inspiration - photo inspired

Bearly Mine - anything with wings

Little Red Wagon - animals

Crafty Catz - animals

Fairy Tale - song inspiration (Over the Rainbow)

Totally Papercrafts - insp by a song (Over the Rainbow)

A Gem of a Challenge - animals

Carol x

LIM Sketch take 2

How come one layer cards are so much easier to do when they're not actually required!!

A year ago I would never have dreamed of making a card like this, I couldn't even stamp straight! Only trouble is my bank balance keeps dipping as I now need so many new stamps and ink pads.

DL card, masked with post its and inked with bundled sage and shabby shutters DI. Image stamp from Inkylicious, sentiment from Daisy and Dandelion. I've highlighted the flower heads with a gelly roll pen.

Challenges entered:

Less is More - sketch

Totally Gorjuss - kiss

My Mum's Craft Shop - flowers

Carol x

LIM Sketch

Good evening all, hope you're having a good weekend so far. I've had a crafty afternoon today, getting ahead with some DT stuff and having a play.

This week the lady divas have a sketch to follow, having had problems trying to make a DT sketch card come together prior to this card perhaps I should have stayed well clear lol

I started out with a black base card but decided it didn't work so I cut the image out and used white instead. Stamp is from Inkylicious, background is brayered using a Soothing Sunset Big and Juicy pad. Base card is embossed either side of the topper. Sentiment stamp is from a Daisy and Dandelion set.

Challenges entered:

Less is More - sketch

Creative Inspirations - anything goes

Simon says Stamp - anything goes

Crafts 4 Eternity - clean and simple

Drunken Stampers - something new (stamp pad)

Carol x

Cheers

Good morning all, hope you're well. I've been keeping to my resolutions and made a start on some paper scrap booking. I've got a cupboard full of scrap book kits which need to be filled and boxes of photos which need to be emptied! So here is my first layout.

I've used the scrap mat at Creative Craft World as a base for my LO. All the papers, card, the frame, the ribbon and the journalling mat are from Anna Griffin and I've had them for several years! So also using up some stash in my endeavours. Cheers has been cut with my Cricut. The flowers are from Papermania, punch from Martha Stewart, borders are edgeabilities from Spellbinders, the hanging notice and the flourishes are Marianne Design dies. I've done lots of distressing with faded blue jeans and my new distress tool. Stamps are from Inkylicious and La Blanche and have been stamped in faded blue DI.

I did a digi version first in My Memories Suite just to get a feel for the scrap mat.

A very different look!

Challenges entered:

Crafty Bloggers - monochrome

Simon says Stamp and Show - anything but a card

The Cheerful Stamp Pad - birds of a feather

Crafts 4 Eternity - colour recipe

Crazy 4 Challenges - mono in blue

One Stop Craft - on the spot plus ribbon

Secret Crafter - anything goes and blue

Creative Craft World - scrap mat

Scrap our Stash - new
Paper Minutes - anything goes
Creative Craft Challenge - blue
Celebrate the Occasion - polka dots
Crafty Sentiments - anything goes

Carol x

Birds

Chrissie and Mandi over at Less is More are looking for birds this week on our one layer cards. I've pondered this one all weekend - couldn't find my bird on branch stamp anywhere and wasn't inspired to make a Christmas card. 

Whilst looking through a box of bits on my desk I found this card which was already stamped with the La Blanche wildflower design ( one of my failed attempts at green lol) and decided to see if I could add some birds to it. I found the bird stamp in an Inkylicious set. I've used DI for stamping. As always happens on a OLC the final image smudged!!

Challenges entered:

Less is More - birds one layer

Party Time Tuesdays - feathered friend

Paper Pretties - get well

Desert Island Crafters - itinerary (monochromatic, no DP, sentiment)
Craft Room Challenge - CAS

Carol x

Christmas Tag

The Inkylicious tag has been decorated with resist stamping using a snowflake stamp and DI inks. I've then re-stamped the snowflake with the darkest ink. Stamp is a very old one from QVC. Snowflake die is from Spelbinders and has been cut from blue glitter card and white stardream. Tag is finished with a button, pearls, ribbon, bow and a bell.

Top Tip - to save pennies use household sponge scourers for inking, cut them into small squares and have one for each ink pad. 

Challenges entered:

Oldie but Goodie - let it snow

Top Tip Tuesday - tags

Cooking it up with Katie - die cut a tag for Christmas

Fussy and Fancy - anything but a card

Crafty Emma's - snowflakes

One Stop Craft - blue
Fashionable Stamping - I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
Little Darlings Challenge - silver bells
CBGM - mens monochrome
My Partner in Crafting Crime - Christmas tag

Carol x

Silhouette

Good morning all. It's a beautiful one up here today - let's hope it lasts. I've woken with a very croaky voice this morning and my throat is killing me but hey ho the kitchen has progressed this week and we can't have everything! The decorators are here painting away, I have some worktops - the final piece didn't fit so they had to take it back and they'll refit on Monday so hopefully by this time next week my kitchen will be finito and fully functioning!!

Any way onto cards and a very simple one to start the day:

The Diva ladies are looking for silhouettes this week. I bought this Inkylicious stamp at the Secc and this is it's first airing. A very simple OLC with a sentiment.

Challenges entered:

Less is More - silhouette

Shopping our Stash - never been inked

Totally Papercrafts - black and white

Allsorts - OLC

OSAAT - black and white

Carol x

Remember, Remember the 5th of November

No good news on the kitchen front, we have most of the carcasses fitted but it looks like it will be another two weeks before I have what could actually be classed as a kitchen. I'm seriously cheesed off with the kitchen suppliers just messing us around and certainly won't be recommending them to anyone - neither will the joiners who are doing the fitting! Wish I could fast forward to the end of the month lol.

My mojo seems to have got fed up with the upheaval too and upped and off earlier in the week, I've really struggled to make a card this week even when most of the components were already lying on my desk.

Anyway it's the new Less is More challenge today and the Diva ladies were looking for red and orange.

 I bought this Kaleidacolor ink pad and Inkylicious stamp at the SECC last week and they were both waiting to be used. I used my brayer to colour the paper and stamped the image with black versafine ink. As the ink pad had quite a lot of brown in it I inked around the edges of the image with a red ink pad before matting onto black card. Card is finished with a stamped sentiment and an orange bow with a pearl which I've coloured red with a promarker. The photo doesn't really do the colours justice but I'm struggling to get a decent photo in the sitting room :(

Challenges entered:

Less is More - red and orange

Stamps R Us - masculine

Craft Room Challenge - for a man

Top Tip Tuesday - make your own background

Our Creative Corner - masculine (non traditional colours)

Carol x