HLS Christmas Challenge October "Poinsettia"

Good evening all.

My third post for today...you can find my Stencil Sunday post here and my Christmas Card Club post here.

Another month has passed and it's time once again for a new Christmas challenge at Happy Little Stampers. The theme this month is:

Here is my card:

Stamp is a magazine freebie from Penny Black. I stamped and heat embossed with white EP three times and layered with foam pads. Sentiment from HLS Mixed Christmas Sentiments set. Dies from Spellbinders. Embossing folder from Crafts Too. I finished the centre of the poinsettia with gold stickles. 

Love red, green and white for Christmas!

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see the inspiration from the rest of the team, I'm sure you won't be disappointed. 

Challenges entered:

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes

52 {Christmas Card} Throwdown - sketch

Christmas Stampin' all Year Round - favourite Christmas combo or lots of layers

Christmas at Sweet Stampin - festive decor

Penny Black Saturday - embossing

Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge - anything goes with embossing

Alphabet Challenge - Q is for quick and simple

Addicted to Stamps and More - CAS

Stencil Sunday October Challenge

Good afternoon all.

This is my second of three posts today...you can find my Christmas Card Club post here.

Another month gone by and it's time once again to inspire you for our October mixed media Stencil Sunday challenge at STAMPlorations. It was great to see so many entries in September. I have an ATC to share with you today.

Using the Bubbles stencil I coloured the bubbles with grape gelatos then used textured gel over the whole of the stencil. Once dry I inked the background with various distress inks and polished it up with a dry cloth. Grunge stamp is from the Mixed Media Grunge set and I used archival ink. The sentiments were stamped onto waste card and die cut with Spellbinders labels dies and inked with the same DI then attached with a brad. I added a few sequins to finish.

Challenges entered:

That Craft Place - mixed media anything goes

We Love 2 Create - anything mixed media/creative goes
Hop to Stop - purple (2nd entry)

Christmas Card Club "Robins"

Good morning all.

A busy day on my blog today, this is the first of three posts...like buses none for ages then they all come along at once!!

Mark and I had a great time in Italy, lots of walking and talking...I need a rest now! Washing is under control, kitchen was gutted yesterday but I need to have a quick general clean round the rest of the house....and the cupboards are bare!! Yesterday morning was spent in Edinburgh with Lora at a University Open Day...it was so warm in the lecture theatres I kept nodding off!!

Two weeks have flown by again and Sylvie has set a theme of "Robins" for us Christmas Card Club gals.

Another special done and dusted...think that is my Mum and siblings all sorted now. Topper from Wild Rose Studios; dies from Spellbinders; papers from Papermania; sentiment from LOTV; border punch from Tonic. Bow, brad, gems and stickles from my stash.

There is a robin on there...holding the envelope, although I almost chopped him off!! Apologies Sylvie this was the only one I could find.

If you'd like to see what the other girls have made you'll find the links in my side bar.

Challenges entered:

CHNC - all wrapped up (clothes and parcel)

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - anything goes

Aud Sentiments - Christmas + sentiment

Crimbo Crackers - someone special (this will go to one of my siblings)

A Snowflakes Promise - anything goes

Eclectic Ellapu "For a Cause"

Good morning all.

Last day in Venice today as we fly home tomorrow.

A new month again so time for a new challenge at Eclectic Ellapu. Becca has given the Pink Team the topic "For a Cause". She is hosting a special blog hop "The Hop to Stop".

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month and this hop is designed to raise awareness about domestic violence, an issue that impacts 1 in 4 women, and the resources that are available to assist victims of domestic violence.

Any type of papercraft/mixed media art project is welcome, as long as it *features* the color purple (domestic violence awareness color).

There are lots of prizes to be won from some fabulous sponsors, so pop over and have a look.

I decided to join in the blog hop and have made something purple. Thankfully I have no first hand experience of domestic violence but am happy to support and raise awareness of the cause.

Using one of the Crazy Birds from Tim Holz stamped and die cut from gelli plate waste. Backing paper from my stash. Happy die from Whimsy Stamps...die cut three times and stacked. Mat dies from Wplus9. Googly eyes and sequins from my stash.

Do pop over to the challenge blog and see what my team mates have made. It would be lovely to see you joining in too or alternatively you may like to join the Purple Team with their Halloween/Horror/Dark challenge.

Challenges entered:

The Hop to Stop

Golden Oldie

Good morning all.

A scheduled post for you today so I can pop over to Erika's with a Golden Oldie. Sharing some knitting today...another find whilst sorting out the loft last week.

This was my all time favourite matinee coat, I just love the lacy pattern...the boys had it in white, Gary's had lemon trim and Mark's had blue. Very delicate in 3 ply wool the picot edge is crocheted. It knitted up very quickly as the back and fronts are all one piece. Lora wore this one on her christening day so it obviously didn't take me long to knit as we didn't know she was going to be a girl in advance!

Enjoy your weekend whatever you're up to. We're off to Rome tomorrow...looking forward to seeing the sights.

Happy Little Stampers - Blog Hop

Good evening all.

A day spent mainly washing, ironing, sorting clothes out and cooking! Have managed a little essential crafting but more to do before I leave for Italy.

My second post today...if you'd like to see my card for the Christmas Card Club click here.

Welcome to Happy Little Stampers first release blog hop. We hope you like what you see. We have four new sets of stamps and to celebrate we are having a blog hop with prizes.



How to win?
Comment on the HLS blog and then continue to our designers. You must comment on all the blogs in the hop to be eligible for prizes.
Grand Prize
One lucky commenter (selected randomly) will win the whole issue! This is four sets of stamps with a value of AUD$69
Minor Prizes
Four lucky commenters (selected randomly) will win a gift certificate to the HLS store!
The blog hop will last for a week giving you enough time to hop through and check out what the designers have been creating.
You should have come here from Carol's blog. If you get lost, don't despair...just start back at the Happy Little Stampers blog.

My card has been created using Mixed Christmas Sentiments



Using several of the sentiments I lined them up on a large acrylic block then stamped and heat embossed with white EP. I then used three shades of DI to ink the card (shabby shutters, lime citron and evergreen bough). Christmas tree die from Spellbinders. Mat die from Wplus9. Sequins and gems from my stash.
I hope I have inspired you today with my card. The other designers and I have had so much fun playing with these stamps! Next you need to hop on over to Susan's blog.

Challenges entered:
CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes
Sparkles Christmas - oh Christmas tree
Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - festive decor
A Snowflakes Promise - anything goes
Allsorts - sparkle
Sweet Stampin' - emboss it

Christmas Card Club "Embossing"

Good morning all.

What a beautiful day we had yesterday, hubby managed a good deal of tidying up in the garden! I think we've all but bottomed the loft if the boys would go through their stuff and get rid of the rubbish. I need to go through the Christmas stuff and get rid of what I don't use anymore but we still don't know whether we're moving before Christmas yet.

Madly trying to get ahead with some crafting as younger son has asked me to accompany him to Italy this week...we booked everything yesterday and leave on Wednesday for Naples (staying in Pompeii) for 3 nights, then taking the train to Rome for 3 nights before flying to Venice for 3 nights. He was supposed to be driving himself around France but car trouble meant he had to abandon his plans at the last minute. Looking forward to some mother and son bonding (and no doubt a little arguing lol) and some sunshine.

Onto today's make...another two weeks have flown by and it's time for the Christmas Card Club girls to show what we've been up to. Margaret set us the challenge of "Embossing" this time.

Another of my specials out of the way...I'm using the same basic layout for all of them this year. Papers are from Papermania; dies from Spellbinders; image from Penny Black, coloured with promarkers...I think this is my favourite Christmas stamp and one of the first I ever bought; sentiment from LOTV. I heat embossed the image and embossed the circular die cut with the I Believe folder from Die'sire. Card is finished with some stickles, a bow and some gems from my stash.

If you'd like to see what the rest of the girls made you'll find their links in my side bar.

Challenges entered:

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes

CHNC - something beginning with P (penguins)

52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown - for a man (this is for my nephew)

Christmas Stampin' all Year Round - texture/layers

Jingle Belles - stashing through the snow (papers are at least two years old)

A Snowflakes Promise - anything goes
Alphabet Challenge - P is for pelican, peacock or other bird
Penny Black Saturday - 3 or more papers

I'll be back this evening with a blog hop for HLS.

Golden Oldie

Good morning all.

A mixed bunch of weather here yesterday...dry and fine for most of the day but turning to heavy rain showers about teatime. We spent our day trying to sort some of the many boxes stored in the loft...we didn't make a lot of headway, although we ended with plenty of mess! I did make a few finds I'd forgotten about including today's oldie.

Erika has been running a Golden Oldie Friday feature for some time now...it's fun to share crafting makes that maybe haven't been blogged before or re-visit some of your earlier blogging endeavours. Today I have a cross stitch wall hanging from 1992 or thereabouts!

Made to commemorate the birth of no 2 son...I'd totally forgotten of it's existence! It is a little grubby now as I obviously didn't spray it with anything when I made it...I'm wondering whether I can open up one end and remove the card board stiffener then gently wash it...don't want to ruin it completely though!

For those who asked yesterday what Hypopressive was here is a link...it explains better than I could!!

It's a long weekend here so kids are off school today and Monday, we had contemplated going away but I think we need to crack on with the loft then start de-cluttering the rest of the house...that could be fun - NOT! This is what we have bought..a converted mill set in about 3 acres of land. Don't know yet when the sale will go through, hopefully we'll hear today.

Have a fun weekend whatever you're up to.

The Hop to Stop

Good morning all. Sorry I've not been about!

Having caught up with the laundry and housework, Monday included a visit to the dentist and a shopping trip and I managed to make a swap card which you'll see next month; Tuesday I had a long lazy lunch with a friend...not conducive to an evening crafting after sharing a bottle of wine! Yesterday I was on tenterhooks as we had an offer on a house which closed at midday, luckily I got the phone call about 2pm to say the seller wished to do business with us...not sure yet how soon the sale will conclude though. I had a hypopressive class in the morning and boy are my muscles telling me about it today!

A little heads up for Becca's Hop to Stop which takes place next month, click on the image for full details. The sponsor list is awesome...there are already over $500 of prizes confirmed!

Paint Outside the Lines

Good afternoon all.

Arrived home last night after a lovely week away....we had wonderful weather all week!  Wednesday I endured five hours at the Tank Museum before we headed to Somerset to stay with hubby's Aunt. On Thursday we meandered our way to Gloucestershire, enjoying lunch and a canal walk at Bradford on Avon enroute. We had a lovely meal at the hotel on Thursday evening to celebrate our 27th wedding anniversary. We really enjoyed our tour around Highgrove Gardens on Friday followed by a champagne afternoon tea....then began the journey from hell up to the Lakes...a four and a half hour journey which took us seven and a half hours. The traffic was horrendous!! I think everyone was headed to Blackpool for the firework display!!

My turn to provide some Stencil Sunday inspiration over at STAMPlorations today. I've created a canvas which will hopefully inspire you all to get your stencils out.

I started with an 8 x 8 canvas and painted it with gesso, then used gelatos to create my colour wash. All stencilling has been done with Sparkle Medium. Sentiments were stamped onto tissue and attached with gel medium. Butterflies were stamped and heat embossed with black EP then coloured with DI pens. Lines were added using gesso and a credit card.

Products used:

ARTploration Stencils - Flutterby, Some Birds, Bloom Silhouettes and Retro Circles

STAMPloration Stamps - Blossom like a Butterfly, Trendy Butterflies and Subway Art Builders

Please come and join the September Mixed Media Challenge you have until the end of the month to get messy and share your non-card mixed media projects. It's anything mixed media goes except a card...and you must use a stencil (any brand or even a homemade one!) in your project(s). For the complete challenge info + prizes, click here.

Challenges entered:

Love to Create - anything mixed media/creative goes

Artistic Stampers - things with wings

Creative Artiste - anything goes

Bloggers - stencil it

Creative Corner - anything but a card

Where the Heart is - add some text

Oh Happy Day Tag

Good afternoon all.

Arrived safely in Dorset yesterday afternoon to glorious sunshine and had more of the same today. Been sightseeing on the Isle of Purbeck....I haven't been here since 1972!! Going to the tank museum tomorrow before we head off to Somerset.

Today it's my turn to inspire you over on the ARTplorations blog with a tutorial. Here is my project...click on the link to see how I made it. 

Today's project is a canvas tag.

Products used:

• ARTplorations - Bold Florals
• STAMPlorations - Mixed Media Backgrounds and Bloom Sketches

Challenges entered:

Stencil Sunday September Challenge

Good afternoon all.

Another month gone by and it's time once again to inspire you for our September mixed media Stencil Sunday challenge at STAMPlorations. It was great to see so many entries in August. I have an altered bottle to share with you today.

The bottle originally contained a very nice smoothie drink and the plastic label came clean off leaving me a lovely blank canvas. I started by painting all over with Vintage Lace Fresco Finish  paint which is an opaque acrylic. Once I was happy with the coverage and everything was dry I stippled over with a translucent paint in Limelight. My paper was leftover from a previous project and as I'd use the limelight paint in it, it matched perfectly...it also fitted perfectly!The top of the bottle was stamped using archival ink and a stamp from the Artsy Border Makers set.

 

I stamped the Subway Art Builders Create stamp onto tissue with black archival and cut out and attached two of the sentiments with gel medium.  I added lace, flowers and beads from my stash to finish.

Products used:

ARTploration stencils - Some Birds, Hearts Tumbled, Shutters, Oh My Stars, Dots and Dashes,  Hearts all Over, Gridlocked, Nestled Circles, Bubbles, Foiled and Foiled Again.

STAMPloration stamps - Trendy Birds, Artsy Border Makers and Subway Art Builders Create.

The theme is always anything mixed media goes except a card and you must use at least one stencil (any brand) in your project. Linky closes at the end of the month.

Prizes: $15 gift certificate OR choice of any 2 ARTplorations stencils to the winner

choice of 1 ARTplorations stencil to the top picks.

 Looking forward to seeing all your creations.

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see what my team mates have produced, you won't be disappointed!

Challenges entered:
Recycle, Re-Purpose & Re-Invent - anything goes (must recycle)
Decorate to Celebrate - anything goes

Christmas Card Club "Christmas Carols"

Good morning all.

Men....what is it with them! Hubby has an appointment this Wednesday at the Ariel Motors factory, so why did he tell me it was on Tuesday!! I've had hotels and everything booked around him and found out on Friday night that he'd given me the wrong date grrr. We left home yesterday and spent the night at Trentham and will be heading to Dorset today for two nights...then to hubby's Aunty for two nights before heading up to Tetbury on Thursday for our trip round Highgrove on Friday.

It's that time again! Us girls from the Christmas Card Club are back to show our wares. Rita gave us the theme of "Christmas Carols" this time.

I opted to use my "Oh Holy Night" die by Die'Sire from Crafter's Companion as this is my favourite Carol. I used navy blue card and layered it up on to white card and finished off with some stickles to give some sparkle.

You'll find a list of the girls on my sidebar if you'd like to see their interpretation of the theme...I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

Challenges entered:

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes

Allsorts - lots of layers

CHNC - 'twas the night before Christmas

Simply Papercraft - anything goes

Creative Card Crew - Christmas

HLS Christmas Challenge September "Holly"

Good evening all.

Thank goodness today has been warmer than yesterday! Washing all done and dusted, house tidied...just need to do some shopping and the packing and we'll be ready for the off again.

Another month has passed and it's time once again for a new Christmas challenge at Happy Little Stampers. The theme this month is:

This challenge is sponsored by

Winner will receive this stamp set

Here is my card:

All dies are from Spellbinders and sentiment is from the Mixed Christmas Sentiments shown below. Red stickles added to finish. The card is green not black as it looks in the photo!

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see the inspiration from the rest of the team, I'm sure you won't be disappointed. 

Challenges entered:

Merry Monday - use holly

Jingle Belles - tic tac toe (glitter, die cuts and stamping)

Winter Wonderland - sentiment as focus

Holly Jolly - use a die

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes

A Snowflakes Promise - anything goes

Golden Oldie

Good morning all.

A busy day yesterday so apart from a coat of paint being added to a project in progress there was no crafting done. We spent most of the day in Edinburgh with Lora at a university open day at Queen Margaret's then after a quick tea headed back out to an awards evening at the school where she had been chosen to receive an Outstanding Achievement Award in Higher Modern Studies....cue the proud Mum moment!

Any way we've got to Friday once more so time to pop over to see Erika and share an oldie. As it's our wedding anniversary next week I thought I'd share the one I made for hubby in 2009.

Now many of you may have wondered why I don't make fancy cards for hubby and the kids...this waterfall card (it was considered fancy way back then lol) was out of it's envelope for all of about 5 seconds before hubby had "dismantled" it!! I think he thought he was bell ringing when pulling the tassel!! I vowed never again....and I always keep my vows, hence one of the reasons I'm still married to him after nearly 27 years :)

Images and papers from Joanna Sheen's Enchanted Dreams Cd; tassel also from Joanna. I have to confess to still having a considerable supply of tassels in a multitude of colours...I just couldn't give them away to any old body in case they binned them! Must start making use of them in my mixed media projects...then I can keep them all for myself. 

Someone please tell me I'm not alone and they feel the same about certain crafty products!

I'll be back later tonight with my inspiration post for Happy Little Stampers, meantime have a great weekend whatever you're up to.

Sweet Friend

Good morning all.

Well the ironing mountain was climbed yesterday...now to stop hubby wearing everything before we go away at the weekend! We're going back down south to use my Christmas present...a tour of Highgrove Gardens with a champagne tea (unfortunately we'd missed all the slots last time we were down).

Sharing today the card I made for the August Card Chain Challenge.

Made using my latest Stamp Club stamps from STAMPlorations....Floral Bliss.  I used the colour palette this month with distress inks.

Die is from Wplus9 and card is finished with some sequins.

Challenges entered:

Sweet Stamps - anything goes

Crafting from the Heart - anything goes

Craft Your Passion - anything goes

Crafty Cardmakers  - no patterned paper

Get Creative - no printed paper

Simon Says Stamp - trio of colours

Vintage Stamping - anything goes

Amusing - anything goes

Pile it On - friends

Sister Act Card challenge - anything goes

Eclectic Ellapu "Anything Goes"

Good morning all.

Yesterday was spent catching up with the washing, tidying up the house and grocery shopping...today I have an ironing mountain to tackle if I can stand up long enough. Don't know what I've done to my right foot but it is very sore so I'm hobbling around.

Another new month and a new challenge here at Eclectic Ellapu, where the Pink Team have a theme of "Anything Goes". We look forward to seeing all your makes.

I've upcycled a spice jar for this challenge. This was really a test piece...I wanted to start with something small! The jar was painted first with Vintage Lace opaque Fresco paint then a translucent Cherry Red. I then stencilled a butterfly from ARTplorations  Flutterby stencil onto tissue paper with sparkle medium and once dry I painted the back of the tissue cherry red to help it blend onto the jar. The tissue was attached with gel medium. My piece was finished with a few gemstones and a tassel.

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see the inspiration from the rest of the pink team, you won't be disappointed. Meanwhile the purple team are using up their forgotten or hidden stash (6 months old or older).

Challenges entered:

That Craft Place - mixed media anything goes

Love 2 Create - anything creative/mixed media goes

Rhedd's Creative Spirit - anything goes