Thursday 27 December 2018

Hope you had a good one

 Hi there! Christmas has come and gone very quickly, but I am happy to say a good time has been had by all, here. As usual we had a quiet Christmas day and then lots of family visiting with a full Christmas dinner and tea time treats on Boxing Day.
Anyway, I thought I would show you the last three Christmas Cards I made. The first was for Meg and Grant who had just returned from a trip to the Galloway Forest Park. They spent an evening at the observatory there, where they watched a meteor shower. Stamps are all from Inkylicious and the background was created with Brushos then sections were bleached for the snow
 My second card was for Steve. All stamps on this one were from Card-io and the background was dusted with Blueprint sketch and chipped sapphire distress ink.
My final card was for my Dad. He loves his scenes so I combined inkylicious stamps to create a snowy mountain and lakeside scene for him. this was coloured with watercolour pens.
I am now 'procraftinating' trying to re-organise my craft table (our big dining table that gets cleared every boxing day) and not put as much back on it as I took off! All I have managed so far is to unwrap my Christmas present stamps and find homes for all but two. There is still a huge pile of bits and bobs in the spare room waiting to return downstairs. When I retire I will have to do some serious sorting! 
Thanks for looking and for all your lovely comments over the past few weeks. I don't intend to be absent from Blogland as much as I have been. My new years resolution is to look after me a little better and not let work take over. 

Tuesday 18 December 2018

More December Sparkle

Here is my mid month inspiration for Stamping Sensations where the theme is winter sparkle. Our sponsors this month are Be Creative! For my card I used their black sparkle fine detail embossing powder with some Inkylicious trees ... take a closer look!

It is a subtle but rather gorgeous sparkle!
Sorry it is so short and sweet. The end of term is in sight!!!

Sunday 2 December 2018

December at Stamping Sensations

 
It is the first Sunday of the month and time for our December challenge at Stamping Sensations. This month we have a lovely theme....
****Winter Sparkle****
For my card this month I used stamps and a stencil from inkylicious and embossing powder and glitter glue from our Sponsors this month, Be Creative.
You can just see a bit of the Ice Blue Topaz glitter glue sparkle on this close up. The snowflakes were die-cut from wonder sheet and embossed using Wonder white Diamond embossing powder. The background was done with dried marigold and iced spruce distress oxide inks.
Please remember, we need you to play by the rules:
Please can I remind you we are a stamping challenge so must see a stamped image which reflects the theme as the focal element of your artwork , this means:
Stamping must be the central point of attention and interest
 We are pleased to welcome back Be Creative as our sponsor this month, with a fabulous £25 store voucher for our lucky winner. There are some wonderful stamps and other crafty goodies on their website
Do pop over to the challenge blog and take a look at the fabulous creations from my talented team mates!

Thanks for looking!

Sunday 25 November 2018

Rudolf Day for November


It is already 25th November (I know! Where did that go?) So it is time for another Rudolf Day over at Scrappy Mo's. I have been playing with some more Uniko stamps (I couldn't resist, despite saying I didn't need any more Christmas stamps!) For all the cards I stamped onto watercolour card then coloured with zig clean color real brush markers.
This second one was a complete mistake! I had made a few mistakes on the colouring so sprayed water all over it and walked away. When I came back the colours had created a fabulous background, and I was able to colour it again, this time with the right glasses on! 
 The next two cards were stamped in memento desert sand and coloured. I love this 'no line' technique!
 Not sure if I should add a sentiment to these last two. What I sometimes do is save a couple like this and add a Happy New Year sentiment in case of forgetting to send a Christmas card. The tartan papers were from Craftwork Cards.
I seem to have quite a healthy stash of Christmas cards now, so Thank you Mo for taking the panic out of December!
Do pop over to Mo's Rudolf Days Challenge for some inspiration

Thanks for looking! 

Sunday 18 November 2018

Mid Month Christmas Inspiration

Hello! Here is my Mid-month inspiration for Stamping Sensations this month. I am here with a card made with another beautiful stamp from Woodware, their Stylish Reindeer. I had some bits of paper that had been printed using a gelly plate, then stamped on with inkylicious stamps. I stamped the reindeer in versafine black ink and added some liquid pearls and glitter glue. I stamped the base card with a small stamp from the same set and sponged a bit of ink around the edge too. A bit of matting and layering with silver and jade card and Voila- A very quick card! Pretty sure I can knock up another three like this one from the same sheet of gelly plate printing too. Might try some trees on the next one!
Thanks for looking and please bare with me as my visits to blog land are so infrequent at the moment. Real life does tend to get in the way of my cyber-socialising, and that is more because of work than play. The end of the tunnel is a long way away, but I can just about see it, and am hoping time passes quickly enough for me to race towards it!😜
I've just spotted that this is my 1100th post here on my blog...I wonder how many cards that is...😉

Sunday 11 November 2018

At the going down of the sun...

I made this card thinking of my Grandad. He spent most of his children's childhood away at war. He made the most of my childhood. I learned which berries were good to eat and which I shouldn't touch. I learned the local names for all the living things we encountered on our walks and quite a few simple folk remedies. The poppies are a digi stamp from Aurora Wings, coloured with alcohol based markers. The sentiment is a stamp from Inkylicious.  I am entering it into the current challenge at Allsorts.
 My grandad is top left here. He followed his dad at the age of 14 to the last year of WW1
He volunteered for WW2 at the very start of the War.
My mum was the youngest of four children he left behind.

Thanks for looking.
EDIT - delighted to have had my card chosen in the top 5 at Allsorts! 

Sunday 4 November 2018

November at Stamping Sensations

It is the first Sunday of the month and time for our November challenge at Stamping Sensations. This month we have a lovely theme....
****Get ready for Christmas****
My project this month features stamps from Hobby Art. I used Zig cleancolor markers to colour it all. the robin and the ivy are fussy cut and stuck on with 3d glue.
Please remember, we need you to play by the rules:
Please can I remind you we are a stamping challenge so must see a stamped image which reflects the theme as the focal element of your artwork , this means:
Stamping must be the central point of attention and interest
 We are pleased to welcome back Swedish House Crafts as our sponsor this month, with a fabulous £25 store voucher for our lucky winner. There are some wonderful stamps and other crafty goodies on their website
Do pop over to the challenge blog and take a look at the fabulous creations from my talented team mates!

Thanks for looking!

Monday 29 October 2018

Uniko stamps

At Stamp Magic I treated myself to some stamps from Uniko, who I'd only become aware of at Doncaster in June. There were some beautiful samples and some sets had matching dies too. I particularly liked the Just because set, which I used to make both of these cards, along with one of their stencils. This first one has added gems so I am entering it in this weeks Allsorts challenge, where the theme is Pearls and/or Gems.
My second card was made with the same stamps and oxide inks, dotted with glitter glue.
These are quite different for me in style but took all of five minutes to make and I rather like the results. I can also say that Uniko stamps are very good quality for the price and stamp well. I may find myself buying more!
Thanks for looking!

Thursday 25 October 2018

Rudolf Day for October

It is 25th October so time for Rudolf Day and there is only one more left after this! As it is half term I have found the time to make 3 cards this month. The first two were made with inkylicious stamps (and an inkylicious stencil on the first). I used oxide inks and white pigment ink on the first, which is a lovely effect on Kraft card. The background on the middle one was made with cosmic shimmer pixie powders so it really sparkles in the right light.
The stamping around the edge is a splatter twinchie from Inkylicious, stamped in citrus oxide ink and brilliance gold
My third card was stamped with the Woodware lino-cut wren...I can see me using this stamp a lot and it produces a very quick and easy card. Papers are from Craftwork Cards.
Before I go I will just introduce you to the new addition to the garden wildlife family. Buster and partner had at least one baby this year...we think they might have had two, but haven't managed to spot all four squirrels at once yet!
                   https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/44771230_10215582465087459_6480064480871972864_n.jpg?_nc_cat=109&_nc_ht=scontent-lht6-1.xx&oh=23bb67f3a2d858693fa831ee752ad462&oe=5C50CA89
He (or she) is already a dab hand at raiding the bird feeders, but is very wary of the larger birds like pigeons and the magpie. The parents seem to relish scaring those birds away! No doubt his escapades will keep me amused throughout the winter!
Thanks for looking, and do pop over to Scrappy Mo's if you fancy joining in!

Thursday 18 October 2018

Badgers

A friend said she needed some cards for friends who like badgers and wondered if I would be able to fit the bill, lol! Little did she know that I had two badger stamps! Both of these cards were made with Lavinia stamps, the inkylicious moon, ink dusters and memento inks.
I added highlights to the badgers with a white gel pen. These are such amazing creatures and should be celebrated.
We are halfway through the month so it is time for a reminder that you still have time to enter the Autumn Colours challenge at Stamping Sensations.
Thanks for looking!

Sunday 7 October 2018

October at Stamping Sensations

It is the first Sunday of the month and time for our October challenge at Stamping Sensations. This month we have a lovely theme....
****Shades of Autumn****
My project this month features a background stamp on the base card from our sponsor, Stamp Addicts, and small stamps on the main panel from Hobby Art. I used Zig cleancolor markers to colour the watercolour panel.
Please remember, we need you to play by the rules:
Please can I remind you we are a stamping challenge so must see a stamped image which reflects the theme as the focal element of your artwork , this means:
Stamping must be the central point of attention and interest
 We are pleased to welcome back Stamp Addicts  as our sponsor this month, with a fabulous £25 store voucher for our lucky winner. There are some wonderful stamps and other crafty goodies on their website
Do pop over to the challenge blog and take a look at the fabulous creations from my talented team mates!

Thanks for looking!

Sunday 30 September 2018

Autumn Stag

The theme at Allsorts this week is Autumn Glory, and as it is my favourite season of the year I had to play along. My card was made with the new Inkylicious stamp, Forest Stag, zig clean color markers, inkylicious fern stamp, memento inks and ink dusters. The tartan papers were from Craftwork cards.
Thanks for looking!

Tuesday 25 September 2018

Rudolf Day for September

Happy Rudolf day! There are only two more Rudolf days after this one (scary!!!) I am adding another two cards to my christmas card pile. The first was made with mostly inkylicious stamps and a stencil. The snowflakes are from Hobby Art.
The stamp set on my second card is from Woodware and is called lino cut wren. I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it. This is such a quick card to make and won't cost much to post either. Do pop over to Mo's blog and take a look at the gorgeous DT cards, and there are still a few days to get working on building your Christmas card stash!
Thanks for looking!

Tuesday 18 September 2018

More things beginning with B


Time for a bit of mid-month inspiration for Stamping Sensations. This time B is for Butterfly, Bricks, Beige and a Background stamp. It's another lolly stick plaque. I used texture paste through the brick inkable, coloured the butterfly with watercolour pens and then triple embossed. All stamps and stencils are from Bee Crafty, who of course are our fabulous sponsors this month!
Thanks for looking!

Sunday 9 September 2018

Published!

 Here are three of my cards that are in the latest copy of Papercraft Essentials, out last week. I was thrilled when they asked me to do a feature back in June.

 If you want to know more please pop to your local newsagent or supermarket and pick up a copy.
If you do, you could let me know what you think, or even have a go yourself and share
Thanks for looking!   

Sunday 2 September 2018

September at Stamping Sensations


It is the first Sunday of the month and time for our September challenge at Stamping Sensations. This month we have a lovely theme....
********I Spy something beginning with B********
My project this month features stamps and stencils from our sponsor, Bee Crafty, and my 'B's are Bird (the beautiful large swallow stamp), blue and brown (oxide inks). I used Bee Crafty Inkables Mandala 4Ticker tape 1 and Swallow
Even though it is an easy theme, we need you to play by the rules:

Please can I remind you we are a stamping challenge so must see a stamped image which reflects the theme as the focal element of your artwork , this means:
Stamping must be the central point of attention and interest
 We are pleased to welcome back Bee Crafty  as our sponsor this month, with a fabulous £25 store voucher for our lucky winner. There are some wonderful stamps and stencils on their website
Do pop over to the challenge blog and take a look at the fabulous creations from my talented team mates, many featuring Bee Crafty stamps!

Before I go I will just share a few more photos from our holiday in Wales. First up is Fairy Glen, near Betws-y-coed. I did a fair bit of scrambling over rocks to take that one!
 Next is a view along the River Conwy, near Beddgelert.
 and this is Moel Ty Uchaf stone circle, near Llandrillo.
Finally here is the view from the near the top of Pistyll Rhaeadr.
Thanks for looking, and I look forward to seeing your entries.

Monday 27 August 2018

Music

The theme at Allsorts this week is Music, so I thought I would join in with a couple of guitar cards I made recently. The guitar stamp and the mandala stencil on the first is from Bee Crafty, and the second has the soundwaves dots stamp (Bee Crafty) and a variety of stencils in the background. For both I used oxide inks.

On both I applied a layer of glossy accents over the guitar. Here is a close-up.
Before I go I thought I would share a few photos from our recent trip to Wales. We visited Powis Castle and as usual the gardens were alive with butterflies and bees. I have a list of plants I would like one day, based on some of their borders 😄.





Thanks for looking and for all your lovely comments.

Rudolf day for August

 Happy Rudolf day! August has flown by hasn't it? I decided to dig out a stamp I haven't used in a very long time. This is the Chocolate Baroque Poinsettia, bought when they were still Graphicus. I was never very satisfied with my colouring of it back then, but decided to have a go with my (now) favourite colouring medium, zig clean colour markers on watercolour paper. I added a few highlights with a white gel pen and a stardust gel pen. With the second card I added a bit of stamping down each side of the base card with Hobby Art stamps from Christmas foliage.
Do pop over to Mo's blog and take a look at the gorgeous DT cards, and there are still a few days to get working on building your Christmas card stash!
Thanks for looking!