Christmas Card Club "Jolly Santa"

Good morning all.

No parcels yesterday, well apart from the one containing sticky stuff so housework it was!

I'm a day early with my make for the Christmas Card Club but I have 2 DT projects going live tomorrow and didn't want to bombard you all at once! It was Lorraine's turn to pick the theme and she's asked to see a "Jolly Santa".

I thought this charming chap from La Blanche looked to be in quite a good mood so I stamped him up with Memento ink and cut him out with a Spellbinder stitched die. Base card is a kraft card blank. Backing paper was an odd sheet from my stash. Sentiment stamp and die are from Clearly Besotted.

Challenges entered:

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes

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

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - anything goes

Sister Act Card Challenge - anything goes

Winter Wonderland - lots of layers

4 Crafty Chicks - anything goes

Fab n Funky - Christmas

Die Cut Divas - anything goes

Completely Christmas - square or rectangle

Yo Ho Ho!

Good morning all. Friday once again, where has the week gone!

Yesterday was one of those days...we started with a power cut when the builders a couple of streets away clipped the mains cable. This meant there were house alarms going off all over the place for about half an hour just when I was trying to catch an extra hour in bed after a disturbed night. Luckily it was only off a couple of hours or so but no sooner had the electric come on then the internet decided to go off!
Looks like we've missed the snow again but it was really cold and a very hard frost last night. Lots of washing and housework today before I can play...I'm hoping Mr Postie is going to call by with some over due parcels, in which case I may forgo the housework!!

Popping over to see Erika at Snappy Crafts to share a golden oldie today.

This is the card I made for my youngest nephew in 2008...Paper Nation decoupage and backing papers, from a huge set off QVC (whenever did I think I'd use it all) which included rubber stamps too! The stamps were wooden backed though and will be turned into ATB's in a craft room near here soon! Embossing folder from Cuttlebug put through my trusty purple Wizard...which is still going strong though I haven't used it for a while.

Enjoy your weekend whatever you're up to.

12 Tags of 2015

Good morning all.

Looks like we've missed the snow again, we had a couple of flurries yesterday but not enough to lie...would love to see a nice covering in the garden for the dog to play in!

Decided I would try and join in with the Tim Holz 12 tags of 2015 this year so scraping in at the last minute with one for January.

I didn't have everything needed to make the tag so there is a fair bit of improvisation here. I stamped some plain tissue with some new TH stamps to make the background, then used a bit of acrylic paint which was left over on my craft mat from yesterday's ATC. I used a new vintage photo spray stain once dry. Numbers are foam ones from my scrapbook drawer. I typed up my own words...this was the point I realized the printer wasn't working but finally managed to print with blue ink. Once the words were in place I distressed them with black soot then gave the tag a spray with picket fence spray stain. Numbers were glued in place along with a few bits found the bits boxes, gave it a spray with gold Cosmic Shimmer and added the ribbon.

I think the school report would read could do better...hopefully by December I'll improve.

Challenges entered:

12 tags of 2015 - January

All Crafts Challenge - anything but a card

Not Just Cards - anything goes

Crafty Ribbons - anything but a card

Mixed Media Mojo - New twist 15

Hello

Good morning all.

Off to the beauticians later for some threading!! Hope the snow holds off until I get home again.

An ATC to share today.

Inspired by Pam's Journal here I got hold of some plumber's tape and picked out some netting, sequin waste, odd die cuts and plastic gridding and deciding to start small set to, to make an ATC.

After gluing everything in place I covered it all with the foil plumber's tape. Then the fun part with acrylic paints using a sponge and various colours. After each colour was applied I rubbed back to expose the high parts.  Once happy with the colours I added a die cut Hello from Memory Box which was layered up three times and gold foiled. Finished with a couple of gold foiled hearts.

Challenges entered:

Paper Artsy - Shiny Stuff

Merry Christmas

Good morning all.

I seem to have solved the "resolving host" and crashing problems I was having with Google Chrome by making a new profile on the computer for myself....unfortunately the majority of pictures on everyone else's blogs are now not showing properly which makes life very difficult when trying to comment. Grrrr one step forward....I'll be bald shortly at this rate!!
Now shock wave keeps crashing and my printer heads won't align...I'm heading up the wall!!

A simple Christmas card to share today...slightly alternative again but I do love this splatter sentiment background!

Sentiment stamps are from STAMPlorations Holiday Artsy set...did I say I love this set! Ornament die is Spellbinders and the stamp was a magazine freebie. Stitched die from Spellbinders. Background die is from Impression Obsession and I've only partially cut it and inked the card base below it. Ribbon and gems from my stash.

Challenges entered:

Rudolph Days January - any Christmas card

STAMPlorations - sketch #26

STAMPlorations - anything goes challenge

The Corrosive Challenge - winter blues

Christmas Card Challenges - anything goes

Stamping Sensations - dies and punches

Happy Birthday

Good morning all and welcome to my new follower Robin....not sure whether you have a blog or not!

Have you seen the polar vortex thing heading our way??? Looks like we could be in for some horrific weather in a few days time....think I'd better do some panic buying in case we get snowed in lol.

One of the bearings went in my Grand Caliber at the weekend and it is now rattling...it has been repaired once before so not sure it's worth having it done again. It's four years old and doesn't owe me anything and is still working fine at the moment so I'm hoping it keeps going for a little while longer as I really liked the look of the new Spellbinders machine which was showcased at CHA...not sure when it's due out though.

Sharing my brother's birthday card today...he shares his birth date with our youngest nephew so I've used the same card stock but made a completely different card. 

Square stamps and die from Papertrey Ink. Happy die and birthday stamp both from Whimsy. Mat dies from Spellbinders. Mostly new goodies...yes I've had a bit of a spending spree but the expensive handbag that hubbie bought me for Christmas had to go back so I bought a much cheaper one to my taste and now I'm busy spending the difference on new crafting goodies! (PS don't tell him that though!!!).

Squares have been cut out of the white mat, stamped then inlaid again...this worked perfectly first time (it needed two cuts as there are only six squares on the die), then disaster struck and I dropped the back dewdrop ink pad and of course it landed ink side down on the mat!! Four attempts later I again had one I was happy with! Happy has been cut twice and layered up to make it stand out.

Challenges entered:

Less is More - sketch

Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge - add layers

Craft for the Craic - favourite word (happy)

Seize the Birthday - anything goes + opt sketch

Inspiration Destination - anything goes

Hip Hip Hooray!

Good morning all.

Laundry done, online shop done so managed some time playing yesterday. Got my gelli plate out..ended up with a couple of usable pieces but they weren't exactly masterpieces! Did manage to finish a DT project and make my brother a birthday card which you will see in due course.

Today I'm sharing a birthday card for my youngest nephew which I made the other day.

When I saw this Hip Hip Hooray die from Papertrey Ink being showcased I just had to have it!! The stamps are a separate set and comes with a variety of sayings. Footballer stamp (this has been lurking around un-inked for well over a year now!!) is from LOTV and is coloured with promarkers before being fussy cut and mounted with foam pads...I did think I should have "grounded" him but he's just like Thomas who never has his feet on the ground! I think I should go and put a number 11 on his shirt, although I'm sure I'll get told the number belongs on the back of the shirt not the front lol.

Challenges entered:

Dream it Up - birthday wishes

Sassy studio Design - it's raining men

Scrapbooker PHd - masculine plus die cut

Crafty Creations - something old (stamp), something new (die)

Crafty Gals Corner - let's hear it for the boys

I Love Promarkers - men at work

Cardz 4 Guyz - anything goes

Loves Rubber Stamps - things beginning with B (ball, boy, blue, black, birthday)

A Gem of a Challenge - birthday card for a boy

Scribble and Scrap - anything goes

Sparkle and Shine

Good morning all.

A day of washing and general housework yesterday, then several hours (to little avail) spent trying to sort out Google Chrome again as it kept crashing grrr! It appears to be this new profile thing causing the problems and every time it happens I have to re-start the computer...it's exasperating!!

A Christmas card I made on Thursday to share today...this was meant to be a quick 15 minute card...hmmm two hours later....

Base dies are from Spellbinders and the snowflake mat is being used for the first time. Penguin stamp set and die are a new acquisition from Lawn Fawn coloured with promarkers. Landscape die also from Lawn Fawn. Christmas die from Clearly Besotted. Snowflake dies from Paper Smooches, they've been heat embossed with blue lagoon EP from WOW. Finished with a few gems and some stamped snowflake and a happy.

Nice and flat for posting.

Challenges entered:

Cut it Up - embossing

Fussy and Fancy - things with wings

Jingle Belles - bring in the new

Patties Creations - fun in the snow

QKR Stampede - shaped cards

Penny's Paper-Crafty - anything goes

Sisterhood of Crafters - new stash

Deep Ocean Challenge - winter dreams

Holly Jolly - lots of sparkle

Tuesday Throwdown - embossing

18th Birthday

Good morning all.

Another quiet day yesterday, did manage to get some crafting done last night which you'll see in a day or two.

Today I'm heading over to see Erika at Snappy Crafts to share a golden oldie.

I think this is the earliest card I have a photo of...from June 2006 it was for hubby's cousin's daughter. Another overload of peel offs and a pretty envelope to match! I think everything on this card came from Create and Craft...gosh I must have spent some money with them in those days!

Enjoy your weekend whatever you have planned.

Babies...

Good morning all.

A very lazy day was had yesterday, although I did produce a full roast for tea, then made a pan of stock.

Sharing another card from the QVC kit I found when sorting the craft room. This one has to be my favourite...I love the sentiment! 

This is made according to the kit instructions so no real work from me apart from sticking and tying knots!

Crafting for all Seasons #94 "Things with Wings"

Good morning all.

Thanks goodness it wasn't as frosty last night, although it's not much warmer today. Managed some inky crafty time yesterday and hopefully I'll get some projects finished today so I'm caught up with my DT work.

It's time for our next challenge at CFAS and this time the theme is "Things with Wings". We're  looking forward to seeing all your makes. We're being sponsored by Faery Ink who gave the DT images to work with.

I've used Acorn Faery Fae and coloured her with promarkers and used some stickles and glamour dust on her wings. Wasn't too happy with the colouring as the colours wouldn't blend very well on the paper I used. The background is my first attempt with a Gelli Plate using lots of beautiful autumnal acrylic paints from Paper Artsy. Finished with a bow and button.

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

Challenges entered:

ABC Challenge - B for buttons and bows
Card Mania - make it sparkle
X for Xperiment - use a new technique (backing paper made on Gelli Plate)
Sister Act Card challenge - anything goes
Baffies Kreativladen - anything goes
Inspiration Destination - anything goes
The Sisterhood of Crafters - anything goes
Inky Chicks - anything goes
Party Time Tuesdays - anything goes
Top Tip Tuesday - something new (Gelli Plate)

A Single Rose

Good morning all.

A CAS friendship card and a secret to share today. First my card:

I started by embossing my A6 kraft base card with a Spellbinders stitched frame die...I inked the dotted edge with black to inject a little colour but probably would have been better adding the colour with a pen after embossing...must invest in one of those fine line pens.

Rose stamp from La Blanche...using a stamp positioner (which I bought a year or two ago and this is the first time it's been used!) I stamped in white Brilliance onto red linen paper and then over-stamped in black before fussy cutting. Love how this came out and the white gives a beautiful glimmer to the rose...not sure it shows too well on the photo though.

Sentiment is part of a set from Mucky Paws which I opened for the first time. I've used silicon gel to mount the rose adding some coiled black cord behind it.

Now for my secret...I'm sure loads of you already do this but my brain only just got into gear last week! In the past when doing CAS cards I've wasted mountains of card stock trying to execute the perfect card! Not any more...I now stamp everything out onto waste paper first until I'm happy with the composition then and only then do I break out the good card! The rose was actually a trial on a piece from the bit box which I liked so much I cut it out to use.

Said bit box is sulking in the corner over the enforced diet as we speak!

Challenges entered:

Less is More - friends

CAS Colours and Sketches - colours

Addicted to CAS - world

NBUS Challenge - use new schtuff

Uniko Studio - love and friendship

Merry Christmas

Good afternoon.

I got lots done on the crafting front yesterday but little to share with you at the moment, although I did manage a very alternative Christmas card which I'm sharing this afternoon.

Die is a new one from Impression Obsession and I think it will be very useful. Stamps are from Stamploration's Holiday Artsy set. I've masked off the sentiment border before inking through a Memory Box stencil with antique linen DI. Sentiment has been heat embossed with white detail EP. A few gems finish the card off.

Challenges entered:

CAS on Sunday - stencil it

CASolgy - NBUS (die and stamps)

CAS(E) this Sketch

NBUS Challenge - use new schtuff (die and stamps)

Jingle Belles - bring in the new (stamps and die)

Sneak Peek "Wedding Wall Hanger"

Good morning all.

We had a sprinkling of snow last night before I went to bed, hope we get some more! Off to the hairdressers first thing for my regular monthly shot of glamour!

It's my turn to do the tutorial on the Imagination Crafts Inspiration blog this morning. 

My second tutorial today, please be kind again and  pop over and check it out, then leave a comment and let me know what you thought :)

Here's a sneak peek just to whet your appetite.

Christmas Card Club "The Real Reason for the Season"

Good morning all.

Another cold frosty one last night but at least it's nice and bright during the day afterwards.

Two weeks gone already and it's time for our second Christmas Card Club challenge. Christine picked the theme this time and she set "The Real Reason for the Season".

Die'sire die from Crafter's Companion cut from Stardream card. Glitter card found in my stash when sorting out. Not too sure about the colours on this one but it's done now!

Challenges entered:

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes

Christmas Cards all Year Round - anything Christmas goes

Crimbo Crackers - use kraft

Sister Act Card Challenge - anything goes

ABC Christmas - anything goes

ATC and Craft Room Makeover

Good morning all. What is everyone getting up to today? I think it will be a quiet one here...lots of crafting now I have space to move! I've lots of new stuff still waiting to be put through it's paces.

It was a lovely day here yesterday but very, very cold so I tucked myself in the craft room and made some progress with future DT projects. I managed this little ATC to share too though.

Kraft card ATC painted with gesso then coloured with gelatos. Texture added down LHS with glass bead glitter gel. JOFY stamp (JM25) stamped onto tissue paper with Memento and coloured with promarkers. Love sentiment stamped and grungy dots stamped on top. Two hearts which were die waste added top right.  Grunged the edges with black gelato then I used some picket fence spray stain to finish off.

I entering this at Paper Artsy where the challenge is "Fragile Papers". I was inspired by Clare who used tissue paper on her Journal Tag, although in a completely different way! Loved all of the inspiration this fortnight but I was short on time and the scale adapted easily to an ATC.

 This is roughly what my craft room used to look like..it was too much of a mess to take before pictures!! These pictures were taken just after the room was fitted out a few years ago. I did change things a bit and had got rid of the pine desk and replaced it with a plastic trolley when I no longer needed a printer in there. 

This is what it looked like on Thursday after my big sort out.

All my ribbons now hanging on the back of the door. Moving into the room the trolleys and 2 extra new sets of drawers house mostly mixed media findings and bits to recycle along with my punches.
Opposite wall...my stamps, embossing folders and some dies sit on top of drawers housing glue, card, aqua tints and embossing powders (2 extra sets of drawers here). Above this I have a rack for my ink pads.

The window wall...large nesties and 6" paper on the shelves...my work space.... with lots of drawer space beneath (metal drawers are new)...magnetic die storage and large stamp sets. I got rid of the ribbon racks and now have some wall space for displaying finished goods.

Back wall...more work space...loads of drawers (2 extra sets here too) with space above for storing boxes and stuff...my promarkers and a little workspace for colouring. I had a paper rack where the two canvases are on the wall but have taken it down too. There is another higher shelf which houses empty cardboard boxes, printer paper and large card blanks....but mainly empty boxes!!

So as you can see I did manage to use all six sets of drawers hubby bought...and here's me thinking two sets would be enough!!

Enjoy your day!