Christmas Card Club - "Sentiment as Focus"

Good morning all.

Less than two months until the big day...must get my skates on and get some more cards made! Sylvie has challenged us to use the "Sentiment as Focus" this week at the Christmas Card Club, here is my effort!

I've gone White on White - better picture taken during daylight hours.

Dies are from Spellbinders, WPlus9 and STAMPlorations; embossing folder from Cuttlebug.

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

Christmas Card Club - "Non Traditional Colours"

Good morning all. I can't believe how quick the nights have come in this year and will be glad when the clocks change at the end of the month!

Finally got my computer up and running again so touch wood it stays that way! I've also started a new blog for photography....I've recently started a year long online course to learn how to use the controls on my camera (amongst other things), so this will chart my progress and I'll also be posting my holiday photographs too. My first post goes live this morning if you'd care to take a look.

I'm playing catch up at the Christmas Card Club again...sorry ladies and promise I'll get round you all in the next day or so to leave my comments,

Two weeks ago Val (aka Mrs A) asked us to "Make it Round", here is my card.

Don't know why navy always looks black in a photo! Using a new die from Crafters Companion, a nesties die from Spellbinders and a sentiment from Clearly Besotted. Not sure about these new dies from CC, they're a bit fiddly to use and line up although they do make nice cards.

This week it was my turn to set the theme and I asked for "Non Traditional Colours".

Kraft and white is one of my favourite non traditional colour combos. Using dies from Wplus9 and Spellbinders and a Typografia Christmas stamp from STAMPlorations...a quick and easy card ready for posting! Think I need a new pot of  white EP...mine is looking a bit yellow!

If you'd like to see what the other girls have made you'll find their links on my sidebar.

TYPOGRAFIA Motivate Blog Hop

Good afternoon all.

I'm Guest Designing over at STAMPlorations today, we have a blog hop going on and you won't want to miss it. You'll find all the details in this post.

Using the new TYPOGRAFIA Motivate stamps (you're going to love these!) here is my inspiration.

Using Persistence, I thought this stamp was the perfect addition to this canvas I created with a photo taken last year on our trip to New Zealand. I've had the kit to create the canvas for some time and now I know how easy it is I must do some more....although note to self - heat embossing on plastic canvas was not the best idea I've ever had!

My second project uses What You Get, this stamp reminded me of the WW11 posters Your Country Needs You so I wanted to create something simple and to the point. Using black card, gold mirri card and gold embossing and a few dies and I was happy with the result. This may be used for a card topper, or to decorate a notebook but would also make a good fridge magnet.

My final project is a small canvas which I coloured with gelatos to try to resemble a sunrise, then added features from the Clouds stencil with textured paste. The saying was stamped onto tissue and heat embossed then attached with medium gel.

Commenting closes on Monday, October 16.

Prize: One commenter will win her choice of 3 Typografia Motivate stamps. The winner will be randomly drawn from all comments left on the STAMP blog and participating designers' blogs.

Winner will be announced on Tuesday, October 17.

If you love STAMPlorations products or if you'd like to try them for the first time I have a discount code to share with you - STAMPGIRLCAROLD

This gives you a 20% discount (in addition to the 5% discount already offered on these stamps) on all stamps, stencils and dies...both regular and sale priced items. Please note this code can't be combined with any other code. It is valid for multiple uses whilst I'm a STAMPlorations Girl.

TYPOGRAFIA Christmas Blog Hop

Good afternoon all.

I've dropped by at STAMPlorations today to join in the TYPOGRAFIA Christmas blog hop. Do pop over to STAMPlorations to see what's what and check out what the other girls have made.

An upcycled coaster using Merry & Bright, stamped in versmark and heat embossed with gold detail EP.

Die from Spellbinders. Christmas in the Heart stamped with versamark and heat embossed with white EP.

Nativity Angel Stencil, Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies, Angels on High stamped in versamark and heat embossed with silver EP then I stencilled the angel with DI.

Commenting closes on Monday, September 25.

Prize: One commenter will win her choice of 3 Typografia Christmas stamps. The winner will be randomly drawn from all comments left on the STAMP blog and participating designers' blogs.

Winner will be announced on Tuesday, September 26.

Christmas Card Club - "Penguins and Sparkle"

Good morning all.

Final day of our trip around the North Coast 500 here in Scotland....the washing machine will be taking a hammering later!

Kate has picked the theme this week over at the Christmas Card Club and she's asked to see penguins and sparkle.....my favourites!

A new stamp and die set from Lawn Fawn, coloured with promarkers. The penguins have been die cut several times to add dimension. I used stickles on the hats and lamp to add sparkle.

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

Christmas Card Club - "Magical and Mystical"

Good morning all.
Huge apologies for not being around, I'll catch up with you all soon hopefully.

Wedding is all over...it went really well and we had a lovely day. Hubby and I are off this week to drive the North Coast 500,looking forward to some time away from home after all the wedding prep and building works of the last few months.

I'm late, I'm late.....

This should have been posted yesterday (and two weeks ago) but my computer packed in straight after the wedding and isn't fixed yet. What a struggle to use DD's laptop which doesn't take a memory card to upload photos from my camera!

I've got two cards to share today... Rachel set us the theme of  "Magical and Mystical" for our latest challenge. I struggled a little with this as my mojo has gone astray and I was short on time to get inky...this is what I came up with.

Combining old with new....backing card from Kanban and new dies from Crafter's Companion and a sentiment from Penny Black.

Two weeks ago Christine set us the theme of "The True Meaning of Christmas", I'm playing catch up so here is my card.

Same card from Kanban used with a stencil from STAMPlorations and a sentiment from Clearly Besotted.

If you'd like to see what the other girl's have made you'll find their links on my sidebar.

Christmas Card Club - "Carol Singers"

Good morning all.

I was at a 60th birthday party last night and may feel a little delicate this morning...so if you could go quietly it would be appreciated :)

Only one week to go to the wedding eek!! I think everything is under control...just wish we could order in the weather to suit!

Margaret has asked for "Carol Singers" this time at our Christmas Card Club, I've made a couple to try and bolster my numbers a little!

Using one of my favourite stamps from Penny Black coloured with promarkers. Sentiment die also from PB; sentiment stamp from HLS. Mat dies from Lawn Fawn and Spellbinders.

I did remember to add stickles to the hats after I'd taken the photos!

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

Christmas Card Club - "Jingle Bells"

Good morning all.

What a positively miserable weekend we're having, hopefully it's to get better during the week. There was an airshow near us yesterday and we had the Red Arrows (among others) flying over the house...we could hear them but couldn't see a thing!

Another fortnight been and gone...they're coming in far too quick for my liking! Margaret has given us a theme of  "Jingle Bells" at the Christmas Card Club this time. I've managed two cards!

Images are from Crafty Impressions, sentiments from Happy Little Stampers....stamped onto kraft card with Versamark and heat embossed with white EP then partly coloured with promarkers. I've added glossy accents to the red bits on both cards. Dies are from Lawn Fawn and Spellbinders.

If you'd like to see what the other girls have made you'll find their links on my sidebar.

Christmas Card Club - "Christmas/Snowy Scene"

Good morning all.

What a gorgeous day we had yesterday, some more of the same would be very nice!

I can't believe two weeks have passed since our last Christmas Card Club outing...I'm sure someone pinched one of my weeks! Shaz has set us the theme of  "Christmas/Snowy Scene" this time, I've managed two cards.

My first is a Joanna Sheen decoupaged image...a real oldie from my stash! Dies from Spellbinders and Wplus9.

My second uses a recent purchase from the Works....cheap diecut decoupage, sadly in this case "you gets what you pay for"! Whilst the layers match up okay they've been cut to the left of the main image so the white border around the image isn't equal. Dies from Spellbinders.

If you'd like to see what the other girls have produced you'll find their links in my sidebar.

STAMPlorations 4th Birthday Blog Hop

Good afternoon all.

It's day 2 of our 5 day Birthday Blog Hop and Wish List Link up over at STAMPlorations. Click over to the STAMPlorations blog to see how to join in and win up $50 worth of goods on your wish list or one of several other prizes for commenting.

 Here is my inspiration for you today.

A relatively simple birthday card for our former neighbour's little girl, which I messed up horribly!! As the Numbers is a plate die you can cut it easily from a background mat to use as a focus as I have here....just ensure when you stick it down you have it the right way up!! Luckily I was able to substitute the 9 in this instance.

I've used the largest of the Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies and cut the Number Plate Die from it's centre....then added several more number 9's to layer up. The image and half the sentiment is from Tweet Love with the image being die cut with the coordinating die. The other half of the sentiment is from Kathryn's Big Wishes stamp set.

And my second card using the same stamps and dies, this time for my little great nephew who was two a couple of days ago. Sentiment from the Party Time set.

If you love STAMPlorations products or if you'd like to try them for the first time I have a discount code to share with you - STAMPGIRLCAROLD

This gives you a 20% discount on all stamps, stencils and dies...both regular and sale priced items. Please note this code can't be combined with any other code. It is valid for multiple uses whilst I'm a STAMPlorations Girl.

Stencil Sunday #102

Good afternoon all.

This is my 2nd post today, if you wanted to see my card for the Christmas Card Club you'll find it here.

I'm up on the STAMPlorations blog today inspiring you once again to use your stencils. You still have a few days to get messy and join in our Mixed Media Challenge...just remember it's anything but a card and you must use a stencil.

Today I have a small canvas to share with you....this was started eons ago and has lain unfinished for months. It started life as a hessian coloured canvas and I'd added some texture to the top left and bottom right corners using the Foiled Again stencil and texture paste. It's now got so many layers of paint on it must be twice it's original weight!! Lots of white gesso then I used Distress Spray Stains to colour through the stencil. Lava texture paste was used through the Perched Bird stencil to create the focal, adding some liquid pearl for an eye. Background stamping used the Scribbly Splattery Grunge stamps with distress ink and the sentiments are from Trendy Birds 2 stamped onto tissue and adhered with gel medium.

If you love STAMPlorations products or if you'd like to try them for the first time I have a discount code to share with you - STAMPGIRLCAROLD

This gives you a 20% discount on all stamps, stencils and dies...both regular and sale priced items. Please note this code can't be combined with any other code. It is valid for multiple uses whilst I'm a STAMPlorations Girl.

Christmas Card Club - "White Christmas"

Good morning all.

I'm not sure where the weeks are going to at the moment but two more have passed and it's Christmas Card Club time again! Lorraine gave us the theme of "White Christmas" this week and here is my card.

Using a very old embossing folder from Spellbinders, a stamp from Clearly Besotted and some square dies...finished with some stickles! Another very simple card as I had this and a birthday card to do last night. Now I need to get July's cards all made and then I can get back to wedding stuff...less than 7 weeks to go eek!

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

Christmas Card Club - "Anything Goes"

Good afternoon all.

I'm late on parade today for our little Christmas Card Club showing. Sylvie has set us an easy one of "Anything Goes" this time...how come the mind goes suddenly blank when faced with such endless possibilities!

Apologies for the photo but this was the best I could manage today :(

A fairly simple WOW using a magazine freebie die, silver stickles and a sentiment from Stamping all Day which has been heat embossed with silver EP.

If you'd like to see what the other girls have created you'll find their links on my sidebar.

{Mixed Media Tutorial} A Design by Default

Good evening all.

I'm up at STAMPlorations today with what will be my final tutorial for a while.
I'm taking a little break whilst we get the new sun room built and finished, do the final preparation for no 2 son's wedding in August then hopefully hubby and I will fit in some travelling....possibly back to New Zealand in the New Year but a definite trip to John O Groats combined with the North Coast 500 in late summer or early autumn.

Today's project is a remake of a small canvas board.
This was one of those projects which caused joy and despair in equal measures but finally came through! To see the processes pop over to STAMPlorations, I hope I've inspired you to use your stencils.

If you love STAMPlorations products or if you'd like to try them for the first time I have a discount code to share with you - STAMPGIRLCAROLD

This gives you a 20% discount on all stamps, stencils and dies...both regular and sale priced items. Please note this code can't be combined with any other code. It is valid for multiple uses whilst I'm a STAMPlorations Girl.

Stencil Sunday #99 + June Mixed Media Challenge

Good afternoon all.

Another month flown in and time once more to encourage you to partake in our Mixed Media challenge over at STAMPlorations.

I've made a gift tag for a little girl this month. Using one of the Luggage Tags Nesting dies cut from white linen card and randomly coloured with Distress Inks, I applied the Prisms stencil and sprayed with water to give a ghosting effect then decided to emboss it to enhance the effect. 

Using stamps from the Mixed Media Elements set I added some detail to the background. Image and sentiment are from the Tweet Love stamps and coordinating die set. Tag was finished with some stencilled stars using Oh My Stars and ribbon from my stash.

If you love STAMPlorations products or if you'd like to try them for the first time I have a discount code to share with you - STAMPGIRLCAROLD

This gives you a 20% discount on all stamps, stencils and dies...both regular and sale priced items. Please note this code can't be combined with any other code. It is valid for multiple uses whilst I'm a STAMPlorations Girl.

We do hope you can come and join us this month...remember it's anything but a card and you must use a stencil.

Christmas Card Club - "Mistletoe and Wine"

Good morning all.

I've been enjoying the lovely weather this last few days having completed the wedding invites at the beginning of the week....phew!! Just need to get them all delivered now. Pity the weather had to break for the Bank Holiday weekend but at least it's still warm.

Another fortnight has been and gone and it's once more time for the Christmas Card Club to show their wares. Rita has set us the theme of "Mistletoe and Wine" this time...I struggled a little with this one as I didn't have much in the way of relevant stash but I managed this:

The cute little image and sentiment is from a Crafter's Companion set, stamped onto waste card and fussy cut....after stamping the bird upside down on the card itself!!! Backing card is from Dovecraft, which has been in my stash forever. The running stitch die is from STAMPlorations.

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

Stencil Sunday #96

Good afternoon all. 

My turn once more over at STAMPlorations to inspire you to use your stencils. Today I have a tag to share with you.

I started by using one of the new stencils Prisms as a stamp....I inked it up with embossing ink, flipped it onto my card stock and used my brayer to ensure a smooth transition of ink. The piece was then heat embossed with white EP which provided a resistance to the DI inks I used to colour it. I added some texture to the background using a stamp from the Mini Mixed Media Backgrounds set. I then cut a tag shape using Luggage Tags Nesting Dies. The bird and sing sentiment from Trendy Birds 2 were stamped onto tissue paper and heat embossed before being adhered with gel medium. Hello Sunshine was added along with a pearl and some raffia to finish things off.

You've still got plenty of time to join our May Mixed Media challenge...just remember it's anything but a card and you must use a stencil.

If you love STAMPlorations products or if you'd like to try them for the first time I have a discount code to share with you - STAMPGIRLCAROLD

This gives you a 20% discount on all stamps, stencils and dies...both regular and sale priced items. Please note this code can't be combined with any other code. It is valid for multiple uses whilst I'm a STAMPlorations Girl.