Christmas Card Club "Christmas Carol"

Good morning all. I hope you're all enjoying the bank holiday weekend, don't think Monday is actually a holiday here though.

Any way today is Christmas Card Club day and Rita has challenged us all to use a "Christmas Carol" in our projects. I remembered last night and with limited amounts of stash available this is what I came up with:

Loosely based on "The Holly and the Ivy" although I believe the ivy may be covered over. I thought I would make a distress paint background for the stamp but this didn't work very well so this is plan B! Simply stamped, die cut and matted....sometimes simple is best!

I can't for the life of me remember who the stamp is by, I won it and it was de-packeted to post...if you recognise it please let me know :) Dies are from Spellbinders and Lawn Fawn.

If you'd like to see what the other girls have made you'll find the list in my sidebar.

Much cleaning going on at the new house and things are gradually taking shape, we've agreed carpets for the rest of the house so will order them next week. My craft room isn't progressing too well, I ordered a little bookcase from Ikea to store boxes of stamps and stuff on and it arrived damaged so it will be Thursday before I get it replaced....this week has been 2 steps forward, 1 back all week! Next week can only be better :) Meanwhile the garden is blooming...a few pictures taken this last week or so.

We also have a pair of turtle doves nesting in a tree...the tree got a reprieve from the axe!

Hoping to find some time this week to pop round and see you all, meanwhile thanks for all the comments you're leaving - they're much appreciated.

Blog Hop - Trendy Birds 2

Good afternoon all.

Things are still progressing in the right direction...mainly! Carpet was laid yesterday in the guest bedroom and looks lovely...the fitters however managed to do something to the wardrobe doors so they don't open or close fully, so now I have to get that sorted...hey ho!! Having a well earned day off today as we have visitors...when I say day off there was a mad dervish first thing whilst I made the house presentable, it's funny how quickly you can clean up when you know someone is going to visit!!

Lora sat her last exam on Monday so she's officially no longer a school kid...end of a 21 year long era for me....not sure whether it makes me happy or sad though! Yesterday the school was one of those affected by the hoax bomb calls so had to go into lockdown whilst the police did a search, don't know whether an exam was in progress at the time or not but some folks really need to get themselves a life!

It's stamp release day at STAMPlorations and we're having a bloghop....come on over and join in the fun for a chance to win a set of the new stamps Trendy Birds 2 - now in the shop with 10% discount!

I started by running the solid cut from the Some Birds stencil through the GC as I die cut my piece of card (creating a hollow). Using the stencil positioned over the embossed bird I stamped and heat embossed the corresponding stamp from the Trendy Birds 2 with black EP, then inked over with distress paint  which happened to be to hand (my stash was half at the new house!). I used a sentiment from the new release and one from Party Time to finish off.

For a chance to win a set of stamps, please leave comments on the STAMPlorations blog and designers' blogs for an entry to the random drawing.

Happy Birthday

Good morning all...hark at me, blogging just for the sake of it!!

The new house is finally coming on a treat and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Lots of cleaning to do though to make each room habitable. The first of my carpets will be fitted this week and I'll be able to start dressing the rooms...finally!

It's been a busy month with birthdays so far and hubby has his birthday today. Most of my stash is at the new house now but I still have a workstation set up here so I've been busy beavering away of an evening. This is the card I made for my sister earlier this month.

Using a Paintbox Poppets decoupage sheet from Crafters Companion...I die cut the main sheet to fit my square card base. Dies are all from Spellbinders, backing paper, bow and sentiment from my stash. A very simple card which went together seamlessly.

Christmas Card Club "Snowy Trees"

Good morning all.

Still battling away trying to get the house ready to move into. Managed to move some stuff into the craft room but not a lot! Trying to get all the trades coordinated is a nightmare....I'm never moving again, not am I going to refit a kitchen!!! Please remind me I said that if I show any signs of doing either! We'll get there eventually but it's driving me nuts at the moment.

We said a sad farewell to my Aunty on Tuesday...a very small funeral as at 93 she'd outlived most of her contemporaries. Five out of nine of my cousins were there and the eldest did a lovely eulogy. It was great to catch up as we don't see each other often these days. The weather was lovely too which always seems to lift the mood on an otherwise sad occasion.

Two weeks have passed since our last Christmas Card Club Challenge, this time it was Christine's turn to pick the challenge and she's asked to see "Snowy Trees". Here is my effort:

The stamp is from Visible Image, stamped with versamark and heat embossed with white EP, then inked with DI. This was another piece lying on my desk so I die cut it with my Lawn Fawn squares and simply matted and layered onto my card front and finished off with a gemstone.

You'll find a list of the other girls in my sidebar if you'd like to see their makes too.

Stencil Sunday #45

Good evening all.

It's my turn to share an inspirational Stencil Sunday project over at STAMPlorations today.

A very simple upcycle project today using a plain box. I started by covering the whole box with gesso then used embossing paste and the Bloom Silhouettes stencil around the sides to create some decoration. The box was then painted with distress paint. This is still a UFO....once I decide what I'm going to use it for I'll add some more decor to it but I wanted to show the difference made by the simple addition of some dimension.

And the May 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.

Forever My Friend - Tutorial

Good evening all.

It's my turn to host a tutorial over at ARTplorations today. Here is a sneak peak...as always if you want the full lowdown pop over to ARTplorations....I hope you like what you see.

HLS Christmas Challenge May "Gift"

Good evening all.

Progress is being made on the house - my craft room is finished and I'm beginning to move stuff up there. I am regretting being on the third floor though having to carry everything up two flights of stairs!! Three bedrooms now have some paint on them too so I'm beginning to see an end result finally.

Trying to keep up with my DT commitments here amongst the chaos! Today it's time for the team to showcase their wares for the May Christmas challenge over at HLS, the theme this month is "Gift".

A very quick and simple card from me using leftovers which were lying on my desk, a little topper from my stash and a few gems.

Sentiment is from HLS Mixed Christmas Sentiments, die is from Memory Box.

Stencil Sunday #44 + May Mixed Media Challenge

Good evening all.

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

As it's the first Sunday of the month we have a new Stencil Sunday mixed media challenge over at STAMPlorations. Remember it's anything goes except cards and you must use a stencil.

I've got a 12x12 canvas to show you this time....it's been a work in progress for a while now and isn't quite finished as I couldn't print off the photo I want to use and I might change the colours  before using it in the new house.

I started by covering the canvas with one layer of a serviette which was then dry brushed with white gesso before overstamping with various stamps from the Mixed Media Grunge set. I used embossing paste through the following stencils: Foiled, Gridlocked and Shutters to create some dimension. Once dry I added more white gesso. The embossing was then drybrushed with Abandoned Coral Distress Paint....as I was a bit heavy handed in places I painted over the whole canvas with clear gesso and once dry dry brushed with white gesso again. 

The frame and wooden components are all from my stash and will be stuck in place once I get my photo printed.

I hope you can pop over to the challenge to see my teamies projects this month, you won't be disappointed.

BREAKING NEWS......

Would you like to join our Mixed Media Design Team? Shery is having a DT call, you'll find all the details here.

Christmas Card Club "Poinsettias or Christmas Angels"

Good morning all.

The new house is moving along slowly in the right direction and my craft room is ready to kit out, so guess how I'm going to be spending my week?

Feeling much better now and my blood pressure is remaining down without medication, just waiting for the cholesterol test results to see if there has been any change there...fingers crossed! Sadly the week wasn't all good news, my 93 year old Aunt died on Thursday...I did manage to get down to say my goodbyes on Wednesday which has to be one of the hardest and saddest things I've ever done. Don't know yet when the funeral is but I've been excused Jury duties this week in case it's on a weekday. I'm hoping all my cousins manage to get up as we've never all been under the same roof together and this is the only time it's likely to happen.

Any way it's Christmas Card Club time once again and Mary asked to see "Poinsettias or Christmas Angels".

Another of my Joanna Sheen decoupage sheets used with my Wplus9 die and a Spellbinders die. I have managed to add the decoupage layers this time! I hope you're not getting sick of seeing this design but it's a case of "if it's not broke don't fix it"!!

You'll find a list of the other girls in my sidebar if you'd like to see what they've created.

I'll be back later with my inspiration for the new Mixed Media challenge at STAMPlorations.