Muriel

Good morning all.

I hope you're all enjoying the same lovely weather we're having this weekend.

Another birthday card to share today for another sister who has a birthday in November.

Another rocker card using Muriel from Saturated Canary, coloured with promarkers , then die cut. Backing papers from Wild Rose Studio's Bella pack. Butterfly and fern dies from Marianne Design, all other dies from Spellbinders. Sentiment from LOTV. Flowers from Petal Lu. Ribbons and charm from my stash. Card is finished with some stickles.

(Promarkers used: lilac, amethyst and purple; soft lime, lemon and canary; forest, pine and meadow greens) 

Challenges entered:

A Gem of a Challenge - it's summertime

Hiding in my Craft Room - freestyle

Brown Sugar - anything goes

Stemplesonnen - anything goes

Sweet Pea Stampers - lots of layers

Crafting by Design - dog days of summer

Little Red Wagon - girl power

Wonderful Wednesday - anything goes

That Craft Place - summery colours

Art Deco (hopefully)

Good morning all.

The rain arrived as forecast yesterday and freshened everything up, it's definitely warmer than it was at the beginning of the week too.

I needed a card for a swap with the theme of "Art Deco". I'd nothing in my stash vaguely resembling Art Deco....until I remembered this C&C kit which I hope looks at least faintly Art Deco!

I've no idea what the kit was called as I was given it by a friend. I chopped a card blank in half and layered the front onto a white card blank. White die cut is a Spellbinders die, making it's first appearance and I used the back of the card blank to cut the inner die. Decoupage is layered up with foam pads. Card finished off with a bow and some gems.

Not really my kind of card but needs must!

Challenges entered:

Alphabet Challenge - O for ombre

Creative Corner - anything goes

Sister Act - anything goes

Chocolate, Coffee & Card - tic tac toe (die cut, bow, blue)

Crafts 4 Eternity - tic tac toe (something old - card kit, blue, something new - fancy die)

4 Crafty Chicks - something old, something new (card kit and die)

Ava

Good morning all.

Thank you for your comments on my makes over the last few days...Lora definitely wouldn't appreciate the new look to her empty bottle so it's destined for my bedroom or bathroom me thinks!

Well the rain has held off most of the week here so far, though I think it is forecast for this afternoon. Thank goodness the temperature has gone up a little though!

A birthday card to share today for one of my sisters who has a birthday in November.

I've made a rocker card using my favourite grand fancy circles dies, which I haven't used for a while. Card is centura pearl from Crafter's Companion. My image is called  Ava from Saturated Canary and I've coloured her with promarkers and fussy cut. Papers are from KandCo (a several year old 12 x 12 pad) and First Edition. Fern and butterfly die are from Marianne Design, all other dies from Spellbinders. Sentiment from LOTV. Ribbons, flowers, gems and charm are mostly very old stash.

(Promarkers used: Cornflower and China Blue; Honeycomb, Saffron and Vanilla; Oatmeal, Mustard Buttercup and Eggnog)

Challenges entered:

Crafty Ribbon - birthday with ribbon

Delightful Challenges - layer it

Crafters Cafe - punches and dies

Digi Stamps 4 Joy - circles

Divas by Design - happy birthday

The House that Stamps Built - birthday

Inky Impressions - anything goes

Paper Pretties Wednesday - birthday

Loves Rubber Stamps - 2 or more patterned papers

Shopping our Stash - ABC (Ava, blue, circles)

Card Mania - butterflies and bows

Craft-Dee Bowz - anything goes with a handmade bow

Creative Corner - anything goes

Altered Bottle

Good morning all.

We had a visit from this little cheeky chap yesterday...decided to help itself to Freya's food whilst she went for a walk....she was not amused when she got back!!

I don't know how many of you are like me and have dozens of articles queued up waiting to be altered/upcycled....I see so many lovely things done by others and look at my blank canvases and feel a bit daunted! However I saw this little bottle in Lora's bedroom the other day and decided to half inch it when she wasn't looking!! It's only about 5" high so an easy size to start with.

Typically being in senior moment mode yesterday when I started the altering I forgot to take a before picture but it started life as a jelly bean jar from a hotel mini bar. This is what it looks like now.

First I painted with Gesso, then Vintage Lace acrylic paint from Paper Artsy, I've then added some gold gilding to age it. The decoupage is a very old one from Anna Griffin...one of my very first craft buys! Ribbon, raffia, bows, button, fan and pearl are all from my stash.

Challenges entered:

Through the Craft Room Door - anything goes

Try it on Tuesday - use your stash (decoupage)

Scribble and Scrap - anything goes

Altered Eclectics - anything goes

TokBobok - mixed media

Poppies

Good morning all.

I think my senior moments are getting out of control...I sent hubby to the orthodontist with Lora yesterday after school when the appointment is quite clearly written in the diary for today...oops!!

I managed some more crafting yesterday, here is what I made.

I was mooching through all my digi stamps a few days ago and decided I wanted to colour up these poppies from Delicious Doodles. I have used the image once before but I left it uncoloured. Coloured with promarkers before being die cut. Dies all from Spellbinders; paper from Me to You; sentiment, lace, bow and charm from my stash.

I've spent some time trawling the net for promarker colour combinations as I always find it difficult to pick the right shades to blend...Letraset have a brilliant hints and tips section...why haven't I visited it before. I love how this image turned out :) I've decided to add the colours used to my posts so I have a record for future reference!

(Promarker colours used: Poppy, Crimson and Burgundy; Forest Green, Pine and Meadow Green)

Challenges entered:

Digi Choosday - blooms

Fan-Tastic Tuesday - anything goes

Through the Craft Room Door - anything goes

Top Tip Tuesday - anything goes

Tuesday Throwdown - anything goes

Come and Get it - anything goes with a sentiment

Delicious Doodles - anything goes with DD image

Natalie and Amy's Challenge - die cuts and flowers

Happy Birthday

Good morning all.

Yesterday turned out quite a nice day albeit a bit breezy. The house has lost it's heat though and it's beginning to get very cool of an evening...I refuse to put the heating back on in August though!!

I did my first gluten free bake yesterday and made some cherry buns with polenta and ground almonds, they seemed to go down well with the natives as they had all gone by bedtime.

I've quite a few birthdays between now and Christmas so am trying to get ahead of myself as I'm way behind with Christmas cards. Here's one I made yesterday.

Using Lilith again from PPinkyDollsArt, coloured with promarkers before diecutting. I've coloured her hair blue...although it looks quite black/grey in the photo. Papers are from Echo Park. Oval and round dies are Spellbinders. Buttons and fern are from Marianne Design. Lace from Crafty Ribbons. Ribbon, twine, charm and crochet doilies are from my stash. Sentiment is a Snag em Stamp.

(Promarkers used: Midnight, Cornflower Blue, Powder Blue, Burnt Sienna, Caramel and Sandstone)

Challenges entered:

Ppinky Dolls - anything goes

Craft-Dee Bowz - anything goes with a bow

Crafting from the Heart - anything goes

Cutie Pie - buttons and bows

My Craft Creations - anything goes

Whoopsi Daisy - girly

Kit and Clowder - hair techniques

Brown Sugar - let's get krafty

CCC Digi Creations - charms or pins

Oddball Art Stamp - non traditional hair colour (blue)

Live Laugh Love

Good morning all.

A quiet day at home was had yesterday with a little bit of crafting and a lot of being lazy!!

A project to share today which I started ages ago but has been lying in my craft room waiting to be finished...you know the type!!

I was lucky enough to win this Imagination Craft's MDF kit from Linda. I started by painting all the MDF with acrylic paint. Once dry I added paper to the front from Prima's Fairy Belles collection. I used the cutout from the middle, reverse side up, beneath the aperture and stamped the sentiment which was a recent magazine freebie. I cut images from another sheet of paper to layer up the fairy, butterflies and flowers then added butterfly die cut from Marianne Design to finish. I even remembered to sandwich my recycled ribbon hanger between the two sheets of MDF before glueing them together!

I just need to find somewhere to hang it now.

Challenges entered:

Creative Corner - girly

A Girl who Crafts - anything goes

Altered Eclectics - anything goes

Country View Challenges - word play

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - anything goes

Red's Creative Spirit - anything goes

TokBobok - mixed media

Moving along with the Times - feeling a little vintage

Inky Chicks - fairies or angels

Loves Rubber Stamps - wings

All Crafts Challenge - anything but a card

Christmas Card Club "Cardinal or some other Christmas Bird"

Good morning all.

The weather was a bit showery yesterday so I had a day colouring....tried the skin colouring class again from Kit and Clowder and it just doesn't work for me, don't know whether I'm just over thinking the whole thing or what but it's very frustrating! I did manage to colour a couple of DT images satisfactorily so will get them made into their relevant projects today hopefully.

It's time for our next challenge over at the Christmas Card Club, it was Mary's turn to choose the theme this week and she's asked us for a "A Cardinal or other Christmas Bird". 

The image and sentiment are "Winter Song Birdies" from the Doodle Pantry. I've coloured with promarkers before cutting with a nestie die....I thoroughly enjoyed colouring this in and was very pleased with the outcome. Backing papers are from Tilda and Papermania. Round dies are all Spellbinders; foliage dies are from Marianne Design. Red lacy seambinding is from Crafty Ribbons. Card is finished with stickles and pearls.

Inside all finished too! Probably not flat enough to post but it's good for hand delivering.

Do pop round and see what the other girls have made for this challenge, you'll find the links on my sidebar.

Challenges entered:

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes

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

Polkadoodles - Christmas

Winter Wonderland - anything goes

Crafty Little Fairies - cute and cuddly

Creative Moments - animals

Deep Ocean Challenge - Christmas in August

CHNC - merry and bright

Miracle

Good morning all.

Well it's been sunshine and showers for the last few days, wonder what the weekend is going to bring! Not a Bank Holiday weekend up here in Scotland but since I don't work I'll maybe pop down home for the day on Monday and go to the local agricultural show.

The smelly silicon glue seems to have struck me again!! I used Collal the other day to stick my calendar together and whilst it didn't smell at the time it does now it's dry!! I opened a new tube for this card to stick the flower arrangement and again no smell from the tube but I can smell it now it's dry...not as bad as the Pinflair glue did but it's rather off putting to say the least....grrrr.

A card to share today using another of the gorgeous PPinkyDollsArt images, this one is called Miracle.

(The one I used on my calendar earlier in the week is called Lilith not Gigi in case you go looking!).

I've coloured the image with promarkers before diecutting with an oval nestie and layering onto a co-ordinating scalloped oval. Backing papers are from Prima. Lacy die is a Tattered Lace magazine freebie, butterfly is from Marianne Design an all other dies are Spellbinders. Flowers are from Petal Lu; lace from Creative Expressions; ribbon from Crafty Ribbons; leaves and bling from my stash. Sentiments are from LOTV and a magazine freebie.

Challenges entered:

Artbymiran -anything goes

Sister Act Card Challenge - anything goes

Stempelsonnen - anything goes

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper - anything goes

Crafty Ribbons - celebration with ribbons

Seize the Birthday - anything goes Birthday

Crafter's Cafe - square cards only

Paper Shelter - lace

Fan-Tastic Tuesday - anything square or rectangular

Tattered Lace - decadence

Crafting for all Seasons #84 "Monochromatic"

Good morning all.

I'm off down home today...hopefully I'll get to see my niece's wedding photos, I can't believe it's already six weeks since the wedding!

Today it's time for our next challenge at CFAS and this time the theme is "Monochromatic". We're  looking forward to seeing all your makes. Our sponsor this time Stitchy Bear Digi Outlet who gave the DT images to work with.

A very simple card from me today to let the image do the talking. The image is from Audition by Stitchy Stamps which I've printed onto Kraft card. The sentiment is computer generated using Rubber Stamp font. The background has been embossed with a star folder from Crafts Too which I've inked with DI. Card is finished with a bow and some gems.

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

Challenges entered:
Creative Card Crew - embossing wet/dry
Sweet Stamps - anything goes
Through the Craftroom Door - anything goes
Top Tip Tuesday - anything goes
Crafting From the Heart - anything goes
Love to Scrap - anything goes
My Craft Creations - anything goes
Sentimental Sunday - monochromatic

Meet Lilith...

Good morning all.

Last day of the holidays here so back to normal tomorrow.

I had a couple of hours to myself yesterday afternoon so settled down to do some colouring homework...the results could only be described as diabolical!! I decided my fine nibs might work better but could I find the two clean ones which have been put somewhere safe...could I heck!!

This image was lying on my desk so I decided to give it a whirl instead.

The image is called Lilith from PPinkyDollsArt....I've fallen in love, these are gorgeous. I've coloured with promarkers and although it's not perfect I'm very happy with the outcome...so happy I wanted to make something to keep. This years calendar stubs were still lying on my desk so voila...my favourite Spellbinder die, a pearly swirl (I've had these for ages and am too mean to use one on a card lol) and gems and I have a lovely easel calendar for my desk.

Unfortunately the colours haven't come out too well in the photos, in reality the card is a lovely dusky greeny blue colour and Gig's dress is coloured with soft green.

Challenges entered:

Fairytale Stampers - everything goes

Scribble and Scrap - anything goes

The Corrosive Challenge - B unique (blue, brown, bling, bow, boots)

The Squirrel and The Fox - anything goes

Suzy Bee's Bloomin challenge - anything goes

Brown Sugar - anything goes

Crafts4Eternity - something old (pearly swirl)

Crafter's Cafe - anything but a card

Paper Shelter - punches and dies

Scrapper's Delight - anything goes with diecuts

All Crafts Challenge - anything but a card

Happy Day

Good morning all.

I've spent  a good deal of the weekend practising colouring using the Kit and Clowder skin and hair classes. I've got a way to go before I become proficient...but I have ordered a set of flexmarkers in skintones to see if they are easier to flick with than promarkers.

Sharing a card today made with the fan freebie which was being offered at Scrappers Delights facebook fan page last week.

The image is called Genie 7 and I've coloured her with promarkers before fussy cutting. Backing paper is from Pink Paislee and was a magazine freebie.....I've decoupaged the background images. Dies are from Marianne Design and Spellbinders. Flowers from Petal Lu. Sentiment from Hero Arts. Ribbon, leaves and pearls from my stash.

Challenges entered:

Scrapper's Delight - anything goes (twist die cuts)

Crafting at the Weekend - anything goes

Hiding in my Craft Room - use ribbon

Paper Creators Crafts - bows, bling and blooms

Bearly Mine - anything goes

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

Happy Day

Good morning all.

The revolting natives have been calmed with a full fridge...don't suppose it will stay that way for long though!

On Saturday night I did a live colouring class with Alyce Keegan from Kit and Clowder. My live colouring wasn't too great....my skin colours were wrong, it was late and the adverts kept popping up at the most inopportune moments! Well that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!!

Here is my second attempt done at leisure on Sunday, with better light.

The image is Flower Girl from Lia Stampz available at Whimsy Stamps which I've coloured with promarkers. Backing paper is from Prima...which I've embossed with a corner die and inked with DI whilst still in the die. Corner and foliage dies are both from Marianne Designs. Circle dies are from Spellbinders. The gorgeous ribbon is a new acquisition from Crafty Ribbons which I couldn't resist! Flowers are from Petal Lu, sentiment from Hero Art and leaves and doily from my stash.

I have now signed up to do the skin and hair colouring classes at Kit and Clowder so hoping to find some time over the next few weeks to get to grip with it.

Challenges entered:

Creative Card Crew - embossing

Crafting from the Heart - anything goes

Crafty Boots - flowers

Stamp and Create - anything goes

I Love Promarkers - anything goes

Art is Life

Good morning all.

I think shopping will have to be on today's agenda, the cupboards are bare and the natives are revolting!!

What a difference a day makes - had a crafty afternoon on Monday and nothing came out right, had another yesterday which was hugely productive. Here is one of the cards I made.

I had another play with distress ink...using three colours (peacock, dried marigold and mustard seed) I randomly blotched over a piece of white linen card, then stamped over with various stamps using the same inks. Stamps are mainly from The Artistic Stampers with a couple of magazine freebies thrown in for good measure. Things went a little awry when I tried to stamp the main image in black ink and didn't get a good print so I changed tack and stamped the image on white linen using peacock and coloured the flowers with DI pens...which frankly haven't had a lot of use in the time I've owned them and need a lot more practise!! The stamp is from Crafty Individuals and had just arrived in the post...it would have been rude not to use it! The dies are both from Spellbinders and the sentiment is from Hero Arts.

Challenges entered:

Crafty Sentiments Designs - anything goes

Fan-Tastic Tuesday - anything goes

{Pin}spirational Challenge - anything goes

Bunny Zoe's - summer colours

The Artistic Stamper - anything goes

Comments

Good evening all. Hope you've had a good day.

My day was going well until the phone rang whilst I was moderating my comments earlier....I published the comments waiting to be published forgetting to read them first so went into published comments....read them...ticked the highlight all button and deleted all 50 comments at the touch of a button thinking I was publishing them!!! Doh how stupid can you get!!

So, many apologies to those of you who wrote the comments, I do appreciate each and everyone of them...even if I didn't look after them very well lol.

I've had a productive afternoon in the craft room, just need to finish off a card to show you tomorrow, see you all in the morning.

Prevention is better than Cure

Good morning all. Well the rain finally caught up with us about teatime yesterday and hasn't stopped since! Hope you're all staying dry.

Thank you for all your comments yesterday and helpful hints on removing ink, however I've decided to adopt the "Prevention is better than Cure" route and found a pair of surgical gloves to wear yesterday!!

I needed a card for a swap using no more than three colours, here is what I did.

Stamp is from Imagination which I've stamped and heat embossed with white EP. Then I got inky with two shades each of blue and purple distressed inks...for some reason the purple isn't showing too well in the photo though! I added the darker purple to the dragonflies bodies and dark blue to the flower petals. The mat is a Martha Stewart punch which I've inked with the two darker colours. Sentiment is from Wild Rose Studio. I've added a few gems to the centre of the flowers to finish off.

Challenges entered:

A Gem of a Challenge - embossing

Sister Act Card Challenge - anything goes

Stempelsonnen Challenge - anything goes

Art Impressions - like an emboss

Little Red Wagon - embossing

Sparkle N Sprinkle - anything goes with glitter, EP or flocking

Christmas Card Club "Anything but a Card"

Good morning all. Hope everyone is well.

 Rain is forecast for the next few days so I think I'll hole up out of it in my craft room!!

I realised last night it was time for our fortnightly Christmas Card Club challenge so had an evening playing with ink. Lizzie had set us the theme of "Anything but a Card".

After seeing Doreen's card yesterday I've made a tag using the bleach blocking technique by Hels Sheridan, shown in the July issue of Craft Stamper. I've treated myself to a years subscription of the magazine to try and make more use of the many stamps I own! 

All the background stamps are from a set of Anita's I was given, which I've inked with embossed ink and heat embossed with white detail EP....then I got to work with my blue distress inks before doing the bleached block technique. I stamped a few snowflakes with distress ink and some with embossed ink to which I added Glamour Dust, I also inked the edges and added Glamour Dust but this isn't showing in the photo. The snow woman is from Artistic Stamper, this is also heat embossed and coloured with my distress ink pens before being fussy cut and added with foam pad. Tag is finished with some ribbon, a snowflake button and some gems.

I did enjoy my play and may use the technique again some day...but to those of you who get inky often (pardon my french on a Sunday)....HOW the hell do you get distress ink off your hands....I look like I've just filled the school ink wells!!!

You'll find the links to the rest of the girls on my sidebar if you want to see what they made for the challenge.

Challenges entered:

Craft Stamper - any technique from 2014

 A Gem of A Challenge - embossing

Crafting at the Weekend - anything goes

Artistic Stamper - anything goes

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes

Creatalicious - monchromatic

Sparkles Forum - Christmas in July

Sparkles Forum Christmas - snowflakes

WOW Embossing Powder - monochrome

Christmas Stampin' All Year Round - tags