Journalling Pad

Good morning all.

Yesterday was a total washout except for about ten minutes mid afternoon when we saw blue skies and a beautiful rainbow!

Another altered water colour pad to share today. No inanimate object in the house is safe from being gessoed at the moment...Hubby and the kids better watch out!!

I forgot to take a before photo but this is a bog standard A4 water colour card pad. I gave it several coats of Gesso then masked off the edges (although there has been some seepage!). The newsprint stamp from Clearly Besotted was stamped in two corners and also masked off. Next I got out the bold and bright set of aquatints and daubed the colours all over. Using a stencil from Memory Box and textured paste I stencilled the flowers bottom right. The main image is a stamp I got in a lucky bag, it's huge...I had to use a pyrex flan dish to stamp it as I didn't have an acrylic block big enough! I stamped in archival ink on tissue paper and used studio multi medium gloss to attach it. The journalling stamp also came in the same lucky bag, the other two sentiments are from Premium Craft Brands and are also stamped in versamark and heat embossed. The background has been stamped with various stamps from Stamping All Day, Indigo Blu and Premium Craft Brands in an assortment of distress and memento inks. The stencilled flowers were then sprayed with tangerine Sprinkys.

Challenges entered:

Bloggers Challenge - alter it

Crafts 4 Eternity - bright colours

Just Add Ink - add texture

Through the Craft Room Door - anything goes

Not Just Cards - anything goes

Anything but a Card - anything goes

Altered Eclectics - anything goes

Rhedd's Creative Spirit - anything altered art goes

Scrap it Girl - use watercolours, paint or gelatos

Snowflake Tag

Good morning all.

Spent yesterday battling with an unco-operative computer and a migraine...I think I won both battles eventually although it was touch and go!

A tag to share with you today.

Blank tag has been coated with Gesso before being painted with aquatints (the pale blue 05). I then used a Joanna Sheen snowflakes stencil to add some texture and sprayed this with a dark blue before removing the stencil. After leaving this to dry I stamped small snowflakes with Versamark and heat embossed with WOW blue lagoon EP. The glittery snowflake is from Asda, sentiment is from Tattered Lace, ribbon (which I've dyed with the same dark blue ink) and buttons from my stash.

Challenges entered:

Party Time Tuesdays - anything goes

The Sailing Pineapple Blog - make a tag

Not Just Cards - anything goes

Vintage Stamping - anything but a card

Completely Christmas - anything goes (twist let's see some blue)

WOW - mixed media

Artist Trading Post - use a stencil

CRAFT - Christmas

Crafty Ribbons - Christmas with ribbon

Baffies Kreativladen - Christmas

Stamping with Loll - 12 tags of Christmas

Magical Christmas

Good morning all.

We had a funny old day weather wise yesterday, one minute dank and horrible, next blue skies then in a matter of minutes I was sitting in the dark! 

Another one layer Christmas card to share today....sometimes you just can't see the wood for the trees! I was finishing off a project yesterday and ended up with a set of Christmas stamps from Anita on my desk...the large star on this card was used earlier in the week on my Starry Starry Night card. So how come I didn't notice this fabulous sentiment surrounded by stars which was in the same set!! Of course I had to ink it up.

Stripes are from Clearly Besotted, stamped in light blue Memento. Sentiment and star with snowflake flurry are from Anita's Stamps and are stamped in a darker blue Memento with the snowflakes inked with the light blue.

And....no cards were hurt in the execution of this one, it's stamped on one side only and is all finished off ready to send with just one layer!!!

Challenges entered:

Less is More - starry starry night

City Crafter - one layer Christmas card

Artistic Inspirations - anything goes/stars

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - seeing stars

CASology - festive

Crafting for all Seasons #90 "Birthdays"

Good morning all and a big welcome to all my new followers....I hope you enjoy your time here.

Urghhhh computers who'd have them....can't live with them, can't live without them!! I managed to install about 7 unwanted programs last night when an Adobe Flash update presented itself on my screen...I realised instantly something was wrong but it must have taken the best part of an hour to uninstall everything again!!

Today it's time for our next challenge at CFAS and this time the theme is "Birthdays". We're  looking forward to seeing all your makes. Our sponsor this time is Limited Runs who gave the DT images to work with. A slightly "more is more" card from me today after all the CAS ones of late. This is for Lora whose birthday is next month.

I've used Birthday Puppy coloured with promarkers. Papers are from Wild Rose Studio's Bella pack.  Background is made with a Martha Stewart punch a round the page set. Oval dies are from Spellbinders; fence die from Magnolia; star die is a Signature die from Joanna Sheen; sentiment was a recent magazine freebie. Ribbon, charm and gemstone from my stash.

I must admit he doesn't look a very happy chap considering it's his birthday or perhaps it's just the daft hat he's been made to wear causing the hangdog look!!

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

Challenges entered:

Craft-Dee Bowz - anything goes with a handmade bow

Craft Your Passion - something beginning with B (bow, birthday)

Crafty Cardmakers - use a charm

Eureka Stamps - 4 legged friend

Through the Purple Haze - punch or die

Dragonfly Dreams - girly with die or punch

The Corrosive Challenge - girly

Pumpkin Spice - pink and purple

We Do Doobadoo - enhance your dies

Fan-Tastic Tuesday - anything goes with ribbon

Happy Birthday

Good morning all.

We had a beautiful day here yesterday, it was lovely to see some blue sky. Housework done, three loads of washing done....don't know where it all keeps coming from though and Hubby decided to make tea so I had a play yesterday afternoon, although nothing is finished yet. All the parcels on order arrived so quite a bit of Christmas shopping done too...just the difficult ones to get now!

A birthday card made for my nephew to share today, I think that's all this year's birthday cards done now. Do love how this one turned out.

The football die is from Tattered Lace. The stripes are from Clearly Besotted and I've stamped twice in grey and black Memento. The sentiment banner is also from Clearly Besotted and is from a set I received free with my first order from them.

Challenges entered:

Suzy Bee's Bloomin Challenge - anything goes twist male

Craft for the Craic - birthday

Kitty Bee Designs - sports

Southern Girls - for the boys

Inspiration Destination - anything goes

Paper Shelter - for a special man

Stampavie and More - monochrome

That Craft Place - anything goes

Card Mania - dies

Through the Purple Haze - punch or die

Good News!

Good afternoon all.

Some more good news to share with you all.

I got a wonderful email from Elaine on Saturday evening telling me I'd been successful in the DT call at Eclectic Ellapu....after some initial euphoria I thought but you didn't enter the DT call!! Over I went to check and it turns out I'd entered by mistake instead of linking to a challenge....obviously one of those senior moments again. However, I had been thinking about entering so I was very honest with Elaine and told her if she still wanted me I'd be happy to say yes...well it would have been rude not to!

So I'm going to be an Eclectic Girl starting next month, I'll be joining the pink team and can't wait to get going.

A Very Merry Christmas

Good morning all.

A lazy day was had yesterday! Watched the Remembrance Day parade from the Cenotaph then sorted Gary's washing, changed our bed and did some crafting.

A one layer Christmas card to share today.

I found this LOTV stamp lurking unloved in a drawer and decided to put it to use. Coloured with watercolour pencils with stickles for fur....needs practice me thinks! Sentiment stamp is from DoCrafts and I think it was a magazine freebie, lines stamp is from Clearly Besotted. Wish I hadn't painted around the image now but thought it looked a bit bare!!

Challenges entered:

Less is More - starry starry night

Crafty Calendar - it's all about Christmas

AAA - play with water colours

Cute Card Thursday - stripes

ABC Christmas - a very merry Christmas

and finally my present from Gary.....

.....a hand carved meat tenderiser! It's about the size of an axe! Guess he thinks my steaks are too tough lol.

Starry Starry Night

Good morning all.

At the going down of the sun

and in the morning

We will remember them.

Another poignant evening from The Royal Albert Hall last night and I've booked my seat for the parade at the Cenotaph this morning.

The wanderer duly returned last night in fine fettle with his dirty washing...I think he enjoyed the experience and certainly enjoyed the cheap booze! 

A simple one layer Christmas card to share today....the theme at Less is More is Starry Starry Night and it's also the dreaded one layer week.

I did struggle with this challenge and this is my third card! The main problem was the lack of star stamps...I'd found the large one used here in a set of magazine freebies but couldn't find a small one, then bingo I went to get this Clearly Besotted sentiment out of the packet (for one of my failed attempts) and of course there was a small star for the top of a tree...this card was very quickly created.

Everything was stamped in versamark and heat embossed with Vanilla Ice EP which is lovely and sparkly. The pearlised base card is 4x4 and was an off cut found when snippet busting.

Challenges entered:

Less is More - starry starry night

CHNC - make it flat

Christmas Stampin all Year Round - anything goes

QKR Stampede - let's talk Christmas

Sparkle and Sprinkle - anything goes with EP

Thanks so much!

Good morning all.

House work - tick, washing - tick, shopping - tick...looks like today I get to choosing! Until eldest gets home from Bulgaria then I'm sure there'll be a bagful of dirty washing with him. Then again darling daughter has holes in her school shoes...we may have to go shopping!

A change from Christmas to share today but still CAS.

I've used Flitterglu through an old brass stencil then covered with IndigoBlu Lancashire Rose mega flakes. Topper is then layered onto some multi coloured mirri card and mounted onto a black card blank. Sentiment from Imagination Crafts has been stamped with versamark and heat embossed with some sparkly EP.

I've got three tubs of these mega flakes and I'm quite sure they'll be the death of me...they go everywhere but where you want them to, I'm sure I don't know whose idea it was to buy them!!

Challenges entered:

A Crafty Mess - anything goes

Fussy and Fancy - thankful

Sister Act Card Challenge - anything goes

Moving along with the Times - sparkle/shine

Crafter's Cafe - thank you

Crafting by Designs - anything goes

Divas by Design - bonfire colours

Paper Pretties - give thanks

Scrappy Hands - autumn colours

Great Impressions - thankful thoughts

Soft and Silent

Good morning all.

On Wednesday I felt quite envious of a few of my blogging pals who were flying out of Edinburgh yesterday headed for the Nec...when I work up yesterday morning and heard the weather I was more than happy to turn over and snuggle under the duvet again!! The wind howled most of the day with squally showers...I didn't venture over the doorstep at all.

Another simple Christmas card to share today.

Stamp is from Stamping All Day, inked with silver metallic ink. Dies are from Spellbinders. Embossing has been done with a Joanna Sheen snowflake stencil. Finished with silver metallic ribbon and some gemstones.

Challenges entered:

CHNC - make it sparkle

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes

Moving along with the Times  - sparkle or shine

Crafty Ribbons - Christmas with ribbon

CRAFT - winter

Inspired by Stamping - silver

Crimbo Crackers - clean and simple

Art is Life

Good morning all.

Lovely bright sunny day here yesterday, although it's definitely getting on the cool side now.

Another altered book cover today. this one has lain for a couple of weeks...I didn't like it after I was finished but it's kind of grown on me!

I painted with gesso then masked off the edges before colouring with distress ink in shabby shutter and victorian velvet. Stencil is from Memory Box. Stamps are from Clearly Besotted, Artistic Stampers and a set with Fill each Day with Joy written on the packet.

This is the before!

Challenges entered:

Loves Rubber Stamps - anything goes

Through the Craft Room Door - anything goes

Not Just Cards - anything goes

Anything but a Card - anything goes

Altered Eclectics - anything but a card

One Crazy Stamper - anything goes

Winter Birds

Good morning all.

Yesterday can only be described as dreich, I don't think it got light all day. I hate it when you have to have the lights on during the day in order to see what you're doing! The sewing box project is progressing and almost ready for decorating.

An origami box to share today. In preparation for Christmas I folded a few of these the other night in front of the computer when my craft room desk was covered with wet paintwork. I managed to complete this one yesterday.

A video tutorial can be found on my tutorials page. I must say I found the hot gun a boon for sticking down the flaps.

I've used a 12x12 sheet of Tilda Winter Bird double sided paper to make my box. I love the colours of this pad...winter themed but not just for Christmas. The pink pearlised card is scraps leftover from wedding no 2. Dies from Spellbinders. The little bows have been tied on a fork using pink organza (also leftover from the wedding) and some narrow turquoise silk ribbon from Crafty Ribbons. I've used two matching brads from Tilda and some plain white flowers and pearls from my stash to decorate the lid.

I tend not to decorate mine too much as I'm sure they end up in the bin once emptied! I think they will be filled with Baileys truffles in time for Christmas.

Challenges entered:

Holly Jolly Christmas Challenge - bingo (ribbon, 2 designer papers, pearl)

Party Time Tuesdays - anything goes

All Crafts Challenge - anything but a card

Craft-Dee Bowz - anything goes with a handmade bow

Not Just Cards - anything goes

Through the Purple Haze - anything goes

Anything but a Card - anything goes

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

The Crafting Cafe - not a card

Creative Craft Cottage - colour anything goes

Merry Christmas

Good morning all.

Yesterday was spent painting, box making and doing admin for Crafting for all Seasons to get next year's schedule of challenges and sponsors all organised.

Another simple Christmas card to share today.

Stamps from Penny Black - a magazine freebie, stamped in lilac, plum and elderberry coloured inks. Gems from my stash.

Topper is added with foam tape for some dimension and all finished inside.

Challenges entered:

Less is More - non traditional Christmas colours

Penny Black and More - anything goes

Artistic Inspirations - anything goes/happy birthday

Creative Card Crew - Christmas joy

Party Time Tuesdays - anything goes

Rainbow Trees

Good morning all.

Yesterday started out lazy with a lie in to catch up on some missed sleep then I eventually got my butt into gear and sorted out the top shelf in my craft room. This houses my printer paper, 8x8 card blanks and envelopes, small sewing machine and dozens of empty boxes of all shapes and sizes just waiting to be re-purposed!! I threw out a few bits and tidied up the rest (fed up of them all raining down on me every time I try to get something down!) then I had a basket of bits which hadn't made their way through the door yet and found space for those too, so managed to tidy the hallway just outside my room into the bargain.

Last night I made a start on the sewing box makeover so watch this space.

Another contemporary Christmas card to share today which was inspired by this card at Simon says Stamp. I really need to get a grip with my specials for this year as I don't have nearly enough....can see hubby and kids getting last years recycled again, I even found their envelopes when tidying today!

I made a stencil with a triangle die from Spellbinders and used DI to make my rainbow trees. Border die is from Memory Box, Sentiment from Spellbinders, a recent magazine freebie.

Challenges entered:

Less is More - Christmas non traditional colours

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes

Simon Says Stamp - anything goes

Totally Gorjuss - non traditional Christmas colours

Christmas Card Challenges - no embellishments

Christmas Card Club "Snowmen"

Good morning all.

Another fortnight has passed and it's time once again for our little Christmas Card Club to show what we've been up to. The theme this time was chosen by Lorraine and she asked to see "Snowmen".

The Penny Black tree was a recent magazine freebie and I've inked it in two shades of Memento green ink and stamped three times to create my background. The snowmen stamp is from Joanna Sheen which I've coloured with promarkers, added some stickles for sparkle and fussy cut before attaching with foam pads. The snowy foreground was created using a snippet of white card and an edge die from Clearly Besotted. The sentiment stamp also came from Clearly Besotted.

Another all finished inside.

Challenges entered:
I Love Promarkers - 3 of a kind
CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes
CHNC - sparkle
Brown Sugar - anything goes
Crafty Catz - anything goes
QKR Stampede - 3 of something
Stempelsonnen Challenge - it's winter
CCEE Stampers - make a scene
Moving along with the Times - winter or Game of Thrones
Fab n Funky - Christmas

Good News

Good evening all. Hope you're having a good weekend so far.

It's been a quiet day here, clearing away all the Halloween props, watching football and a bit of crafting. It's been another mild day but the wind is picking up this evening.

I've got some good news to share tonight...as many of you know I gave up most of my design team positions last year to concentrate on the three family wedding stationery orders. Since the third wedding in the summer I have been enjoying crafting for me again but when I saw the recent DT call at Imagination Crafts I decided to put my hand in and was thrilled when Linda told me I'd been successful. Along with the other new members I start on the 1st of December and I'm looking forward to hopefully inspiring you all with products from Imagination Crafts.

Modern Christmas

Good morning all. I can't believe it's November already.

We had a busy old night last night...the first visitors arrived at 5.45pm and my treat bags had all gone by 6.30pm...all 39 of them. Luckily I had some spares sweets which kept us going until someone had made a trip to Asda for more stock. I think we probably had about 100 kids around over the course of the night!!

I put an order into Clearly Besotted at about 4.30pm on Wednesday, had a despatched email back at 5.12pm and opened the package on the Thursday morning...service doesn't get much better than that!

I had to have a play of course. I saw this card at Simon says Stamp a few days ago and used it for inspiration.

The stamps are from a set called Modern Christmas and I inked them up with various green distress inks then added the tree trunks and stars. The "Merry" part of the sentiment was also part of the set. I die cut the Christmas die (also from Clearly Besotted) direct from the image then a couple more times from some waste card and layered them together to give some dimension. A gem was added as a dot to the "i". Topper was added to the card blank with foam tape.

Here you can see the dimension on the die cut. Card all finished inside too.

Challenges entered:

Sister Act Card Challenge - anything goes

4 Krafty Chicks - anything goes

Addicted to Stamps & More - CAS

Paper Shelter - Christmas

Penny's Paper Crafty - anything goes

Simon Says Stamp - anything goes

Deep Ocean - just one layer

Party Time Tuesdays - anything goes

The Pink Elephant - anything goes

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes