Deck the Halls

Good morning all.

After a very wild Friday night Saturday dawned beautifully here, hop ewe get more of the same today.

Managed an afternoon crafting then a cracking result from my team at teatime...so all in a good day. A Christmas tag to share with you, one of my makes from yesterday.

Mat dies are from Spellbinders...after cutting the fancy one for a card I decided it would be perfect for a tag.  White layer was inked with various DI overstamped with a wet stamp then lightly sprayed with water. Sentiment stamp from HLS; tree die was a magazine freebie; ribbon from my stash.

All card was leftovers from the cards I'd made and the ribbon is recycled :)

Challenges entered:

Loll's 12 Tags of Christmas

A Gem of a Challenge - inspired by song or Carol (Oh Christmas Tree)

Allsorts - at least three die cuts

Daring Cardmakers - anything but a card

Jingle Belles - holiday leftovers

Golden Oldie

Good morning all.

Thankfully we didn't get the forecast winds yesterday and although it was a bright day it was bitterly cold - especially on our high street!

A busy day today, a meeting this morning and a Dr's appointment this afternoon with washing and cleaning thrown in for good measure. I also need to plan next week's menus and do an online shop...I did this last Friday and what a difference it made knowing what you were doing for tea and finding all the ingredients to hand. All quite healthy meals too from the Hairy Bikers Diet books.

For now I'm off to join Erika to share an oldie, this week I'm sharing another of hubby's Christmas cards, this time from 2008.

Image and papers from Joanna Sheen's Enchanted or Victorian Christmas CD, all matted onto gold mirri card. I do love this snow couple image!  Sentiment computer generated in my favourite font "Santa's Sleigh" and die cute with a Spellbinder die. The leaf and berry arrangement was recycled.

Have a great weekend whatever you're up to...I'm hoping to have a crafty one.

First Christmas

Good morning all.

It's been a wild and wicked night here, the forecast is sunny today but to stay windy....better keep the hatches battened down!

I've finally made something I can share with you....I've been beavering away in the craft room getting ahead of myself. I'm down to my last 8 Christmas cards and I need an Anniversary card and December will be done and I can then make a start on next year's DT commitments which are due whilst I'm away. Also been called up for Jury service mid December which is also going to put a spanner in the works!!

I sorted all my Christmas cards yesterday to see what sort I still needed to make...this was top of the list to do for my nephew and his family. Penguin die from Marianne Design; accessories from the Tim Holz Crazy Birds set (coloured with promarkers); holly sprig from Poppy Stamps; snow landscape dies from Lawn Fawn; other dies all from Spellbinders. Background has been stamped with snowflakes from STAMPlorations with versamark, then inked with DI. Sentiment stamp from Clearly Besotted, googly eyes from my stash.

Challenges entered:

A Snowflakes Promise - anything Christmas goes

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes

CHNC - red and green must be seen

ABC Christmas - w for wild thing

I Love Promarkers - traditional Christmas

Simon Says Stamp - Christmas

Sisterhood of Crafters - Christmas

Inky Chicks - Christmas

Pile it On - any holiday/celebration

A Gem of a Challenge - Christmas critters

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it...

Good morning all.

 I started this tag on Friday night and all I had to do today was colour the image and stick it all together...well I finally managed!

The tag was one of my distress paint smooshing ones from last week. Postie had finally arrived Friday (after slapping on a Customs charge) with a parcel of Radiant Gels from ColourArte and I was keen to test them out...stencils from Memory Box. Love the shimmery finish you get. Snow people from Joanna Sheen, coloured with promarkers. Landscape die from Lawn Fawn. Snowflake dies from Spellbinders. Sentiment from Woodware. Gems, stickles and fibres from my stash.

Challenges entered:

Loll's 12 Tags of Christmas

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas

Allsorts - anything but a card

Crafty Calendar - sparkle, bling and embellish

Sweet Stampin' - wrap up warm

Alphabet Challenge - T for tis the season

Brown Sugar - no patterned paper

Really Reasonable Ribbon - tag you're it

That's Crafty - tag you're it

Craft Stamper - take it make it November

Christmas Card Club "Feature a Postbox"

Good morning all.

Yesterday seemed to be filled with chores but I'm ahead of the game now so time for crafting today.

Mid November and thanks to our little Christmas Card Club I'm not panicking over my cards! Valery  (aka Mrs A) asked us to "Feature a Postbox" this time.

Another one of my specials...image from Wild Rose Studio, papers from Papermania, sentiment from LOTV and dies all from Spellbinders. Finished with nailheads from my stash.

I've quite pleased with myself this year....I've managed to use up lots of backing papers which had been partying in a drawer for a year or two along with my topper collection...I might have to buy some new stuff for next Christmas says she who has enough Christmas stock to last a lifetime!!

If you want to see what the rest  of the girls created you'll find their links in my sidebar.

Challenges entered:

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - anything with patterned paper goes

CHNC - red and green must be seen (there is a little green!)

Crafting with Dragonflies - let it snow

CRAFT - Christmas

Whimsy Inspiration - Christmas

Golden Oldie

Good morning all.

Hope no one has blown away yet...our forecast for today is pretty miserable and the high winds are to reach here tonight!

Friday once more, they come around like clockwork  don't they....and the thirteenth at that! My Dad was very superstitious and if he could have stayed in bed on Friday 13th he would have done...if something could go wrong it would that day. We weren't allowed to cross our knives and forks either; or cross on the stairs and he never walked under a ladder...despite being a fireman for forty odd years because they all brought bad luck! I've always wanted to buck the trend just to see what happens lol!

You know the script...I'm joining Erika again to share a Golden Oldie.

Made in 2007, this was hubby's Christmas card. Love seeing parchment craft and this is one of only a few pieces I've ever made myself. I think I gave it to hubby so I could keep it lol. I still have all the gear stashed away, perhaps I'll put it to use when it's unearthed during the move...then again!

Not got any plans for the weekend, think we'll see how the weather pans out...could be a good weekend to craft. Have fun and stay safe everyone.

Jingle all the Way

Good morning all.

Gosh it didn't half rain here at teatime yesterday...just as they'd forecast, the rest of the day wasn't too bad. Managed a visit to the craft room too so not a bad day all told.

I enjoyed making this tag.

On Tuesday I'd smooshed a pile of tags with distress paint and left them to dry overnight, this was one of them. I used distress inks in matching colours to the paints to add more colour around the edges.  Houses are from a Clearly Besotted Die; sentiment is from Happy Little Stampers; all other stamps and dies are from Lawn Fawn; ribbon from my stash.

Challenges entered:

Loll's 12 Tags of Christmas

ABC Christmas - W for wild thing

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas

The Sisterhood of Crafters - it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Crafty Addicts - use a die cut

One Crazy Stamper - Christmas/winter

Where the HeART is - anything goes/winter blues
Craft Stamper - take it make it November

Lest We Forget

They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We will remember them.

Good morning all.

Well yesterday didn't turn out as wet as expected but it was still pretty miserable! Managed to have a play...made a mess...got messy and not a great deal else...one of those days when nothing quite gelled. I did manage to make a tag though so I'm sharing that with you today.

I started with a manila tag and embossed it with my ARTplorations stencil (Holly Background), I then inked it with evergreen bough DI. After removing the stencil I inked with shabby shutters and twisted citron then replaced the stencil and inked the berries with festive berries. The edges were inked with ground espresso. Reindeer die from Tattered Lace, other dies from Spellbinders. Sentiment stamp was a magazine freebie, ribbons from my stash.

Challenges entered:

Loll's 12 Tags of Christmas

A Snowflakes Promise - Christmas

Papertake Weekly - Christmas critters

Mixed Media World - anything goes

Virginia's View - textures

Love 2 Create - anything creative/mixed media goes

Sister

Good morning all.

Yesterday was mostly wild and wicked, although quite mild...today is forecast rain and more rain, then rain again!! Hubby is away today so hoping I have the house to myself so I can have a messy play this afternoon.

Sharing today the card I made for my little sister.

Decoupaged image is a Meadow Cottage Bears from Crafter's Companion. Background is a Die'sire Create a Card die. Sister die is from Clearly Besotted. All other dies are from Spellbinders. Sentiment was computer generated. Bows and dotty paper from my stash.

Challenges entered:

The Corrosive Challenge - add a sentiment

The Ribbon Girls - anything goes

Allsorts - ribbons and bows

Bloggers - Happy Birthday

Simply Papercraft - anything goes

Seize the Birthday - anything birthday

Unstampabelles - anything goes, twist use flowers

Artistic Inspirations - anything goes feminine

Get Creative - birthdays

Where the HeART is - anything goes

Stencil Sunday #19

Good evening all.

Gosh this weekend has gone so fast! We had a lovely family meal on Friday night...much to the surprise of my 50 year old sister who had no idea her hubby had been plotting behind her back! Lovely girly day on Saturday at the spa, I enjoyed a wonderful body scrub followed by a full body hot stone massage....bliss! Then it was back home to reality catching up with the "chores"....a more apt word would be hard to come across!

My turn to provide some Stencil Sunday inspiration over at STAMPlorations today. I've got another altered wooden stamp block to share with you today...I finally got around to finishing this for my sister - the baby is only 41/2 months old!! I hope this will inspire you all to get your stencils out.

Backing papers were made a while ago using my gelli plate and Paper Artsy fresco finish paints.

Edges were stamped with Archival ink.

Wording is printed onto tissue paper and attached with glue and seal.  Bow from my stash to finish.

ARTplorations: Hearts all Over, Dots and Dashes, Foiled Again,Gridlocked and Some Birds stencils

STAMPlorations; Trendy Birds and Mixed Media Elements stamps

And don't forget the November Mixed Media Challenge runs until the end of the month! If you want to play, you still have plenty of time left 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:

Creative Artiste - anything MM goes

Allsorts - ribbons and bows

Rhedd's Creative Spirit - anything MM goes

Altered Eclectics - anything goes

Country View Crafts - the colour blue

Eclectic Ellapu - altered art
Mixed Media World - anything goes
Love 2 Create - anything MM/creative goes
Craft Stamper - take it make it November

HLS Mixed Media Challenge November "Tag"

Good evening all.

Oops...apologies to Kylie and the team, this should have gone live at 8pm last night! I was obviously being senior when I scheduled it....typical it should happen the one weekend I was off line though!

Some happy news tonight...the first Mixed Media challenge goes went live last night at Happy Little Stampers and I'm lucky enough to be on the design team.

Here is mine:

Made for a neighbour's little girl who was 2 recently. The tag was embossed using a Cuttlebug folder then inked with various shades of pink DI's. I then used stamps from the Mix Mash set to add the sentiment and some background stamping before finishing off with some recycled raffia. 

We're being sponsored by Happy Little Stampers and the winner will receive one stamp set.

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see what my teamies have created, you won't be disappointed!

Challenges entered:

Bloggers - happy birthday

Brown Sugar - tag you're it

That's Crafty - tag you're it

Crafting with an Attitude - anything goes

Inspiration Destination - anything goes

Creative Card Crew - off the edge

Golden Oldie

Good morning all.

A quick post today to pop over to Erika's to share a golden oldie. It's my little sisters 50th birthday today and her hubby has planned a surprise family meal tonight and a girls spa day tomorrow, so I'm off down home later to stay the night....and I'm not organised!

I've chosen a 50th birthday card I made in 2008. Papers and image are from a Joanna Sheen CD. The mirri card mats are embossed on a Glitter Girls board and fussy cut....thank heavens for die cutting machines these days! I expect the paper was carried around the back of the card and finished with a peel off a la Sue Smith style too!!

Enjoy whatever you have planned this weekend...I know I'm going to enjoy a relaxing massage tomorrow.

HLS Christmas Challenge November "Tag"

Good evening all.

Finally got the New Zealand trip sorted....flights, car hire, route and accommodation all sorted for 44 nights! Just need to sort the ferry from South to North Island which hopefully will be done tonight.

Had the house to myself most of the day, tea all sorted early, pumpkin muffins baked, then hubby arrives home talking business and I forget to cook the sausages and do the online shop!

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 tag:

The marbling effect background was created using distress paints...I used chipped sapphire, broken china and the metallic pewter...the metallic gives a gorgeous shimmer which unfortunately can't be seen in the picture. I added some distress inks in the same two blues once dry. The embossing folder (or de-bossing in this case!) is from Spellbinder as is the snowflake die. Sentiment stamps are all from the HLS Mixed Christmas Sentiments set. I added some stickles to finish.

We're being sponsored by Happy Little Stampers and the winner will receive one stamp set.

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:

Country View Challenges - the colour blue

The Christmas Challenge - glitter or shine

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas

Winter Wonderland - anything Christmas

City Crafter - getting ready for Christmas

Allsorts - Christmas

Sweet Stampin' - dies or punches

Loll's 12 Tags of Christmas

Hello

Good morning all.

Still battling away with our New Zealand itinerary, I think we're 3/4 of the way there...gosh it's hard going! We want to fit as much as possible in but don't want to spend the whole time on the road living out of a suitcase.

Sharing today the card I made for October's Card Chain Challenge which was sent to Jerrie in Wisconsin.

Dies from Wplus9, Spellbinders and Memory Box. Back ground made using the Alcohol Marker Marbling technique. Pearls and sequins from my stash.

Challenges entered:

Simon Says Stamp - anything goes

ABC Challenge - u for unlimited

613 Avenue Create - anything goes

Amusing - sequins

Glitter n Sparkle - anything goes

Stencil Sunday November Challenge

Good afternoon all.

This is my second post today, if you'd like to see my inspiration for the Eclectic Ellapu November challenge please click here.

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

Made this ready for my trip to New Zealand in January...it started life as a plain navy blue hard backed  (linen effect) book. I started with a coating of gesso then I added texture paste using the ARTplorations Bubbles and Confetti Circles stencils. Using a brayer I then added layers of lilac and purple acrylic paints until I was happy with the effect. Sentiments are from the STAMPlorations Journey, Explore and Discover sets all stamped on tissue and applied with gel medium. The New Zealand 2016 was computer generated and printed onto tissue and applied in the same way.

I may decorate it some more once we're home but wanted it fairly plain for travelling with for now.

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. I hope you can join us!

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

choice of 1 ARTplorations stencil to the top picks

Challenges entered:

Rhedd's Creative Spirit - anything MM goes

We Love 2 Create - anything creative/mixed media goes

Eclectic Ellapu - altered art

Mixed Media Monthly - texture

Stamps and Stencils - make it 3D

Eclectic Ellapu "Balloons, Banners or Bows"

Good morning all.

Oh my word November already!! It must be time for a new challenge over at Eclectic Ellapu and this month Yvonne set the Pink Team the theme of "Balloons, Banners or Bows". I've gone with balloons.

Cake stamp is from Hero Arts, stamped in Memento ink witht he little baubles coloured with a silver gel pen. Balloons are from Whimsy stamps, sentiment from HLS and dies are from Spellbinders.

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see what the rest of the team did or alternatively you could join the Purple Team who have a theme of "Altered Art".

I'll be back later with my Stencil Sunday post.

Challenges entered:

Simon says Stamp - anything goes
Hiding in my Craftroom - freestyle
Alphabet Challenge - s for sweet treats
4 Crafty Chicks - anything goes
Aud Sentiments - birthday + sentiment
Crafty Gals Corner - anything goes
Artistic Inspirations - anything goes twist birthdays