Rudolf day for March

Here I am with a couple of cards for Rudolf Day. The first is an inkylicious tree in a snowy landscape. The embossing folder is from Sheena Douglass, which I picked up in the sales last year.

My second card has a Digi from Teri Sherman's Delicious Doodles, coloured with Be Creative alcohol markers.

I used the same embossing folder. Now you may notice there are no sentiments on these. I want to use quite a small stamp and I have temporarily mislaid it, so rather than searching for it, I'll add the sentiment later!
Do pop over to Scrappy Mo's blog and take a look at the DT cards. There is lots of inspiration! I am going to try and make several cards for April's Rudolf day as I haven't made as many as I had made this time last year.
We have a ridiculous arrangement for our Easter holidays from school, in that I have good Friday and Easter Monday off, back to school for 4 days then two weeks off. The down side of this is we will have two extra days to do before the summer holiday, so don't finish until 26th July, and on top of that I am only off for one week when Meg is here.
Thanks for looking and for all your lovely comments

A couple of Be Creative floral cards

Here are a couple of cards that I made for Be Creative, using their wonderful paper pads and their alcohol markers. Did you see their shows on Hochanda? If so you may have already seen these. For the first I coloured a woodware singles rose. I covered the front of the card with the paper (I think it is from the vintage memories pad) and then coloured the rose border to match my rose and the one on the corner of the paper. I used a cream marker to add a little colour to the pearl and finished with an organza bow and a bit of tea dye DI around the edge.

My second card was made using paper form the floraella pad and a digi image from Teri Sherman's Delicious doodles etsy shop, coloured with Be Creative alcohol markers. The gems were also coloured with the markers and I added a pale blue bow and ribbon.   I am quite proud of these two bows. I really need a bow maker, but managed these without. I haven't tied a decent bow since though, lol!
Thanks so much for your lovely comments on my last post. I am more or less recovered now, although it has taken a week to get rid of the worst of the cough. That has been the most tiring thing. Time really doesn't seem to be on my side at the moment, and I am sorry I am not able to comment in blog land as much as I would like.
Meg went back to uni on Friday ready for her first placement in a hospital. I am hoping that the snow doesn't affect her too much as she is relying on trains and buses to get her to and from Barnsley each day for a fortnight. How is the snow where you are? We have had about an inch, but no more than that, and I don't think it will affect me getting to work.
Justin and Gordon have three more shows tomorrow on Hochanda. Do tune in and watch if you can at 11am, 3pm and 6pm.
Thanks for looking!

Top 5 Christmas Cards of 2015

The lovely Debby is again hosting  Favourite five Christmas cards. Here are mine, although with making them throughout the year I had to search for them this year! First up is one of the snowy scenes like I made last year, using inkylicious stamps. I don't know about you, but I am pining for a bit of snow or frost. All these warm wet days are depressing!

This next one represents all the cards I made using white ink on Kraft, as I couldn't choose a favourite. It was so lovely to see this new Technique from Deby at Inkylicious.

The next represents my re-found love of colouring, especially this beautiful digi from Teri at Delicious Doodles, and using my wonderful Be Creative Markers

My fourth card was made with a stamp from Honey Doo Crafts, a company I was introduced to this year and I now own quite a few of their stamps, lol (Thanks Lesley!)

Finally a card made with a stencil, something I will be doing a bit of more of next year, as I have loved experimenting using different media recently.
Thanks for looking, and do pop over to Debby's blog and take a look at her beautiful cards too.

The last Rudolf days of 2015!

Well, that sneaked up on me! What a shock to realise that I have forgotten to sort out my post for the last Rudolf days of 2015! It was only when Sensei said there was only a month to Christmas that I twigged! I have been a bit busy doing work related stuff this week and will be next week too, so I'd better get it sorted now!

First are a couple of cards using a technique I saw Deby from Inkylicious demo at Doncaster in October. It involves dusting Kraft card with Memento Luxe white ink through a stencil. All stamps and stencils are from Inkylicious. Deby has a new blog up and running  and you can find it here. There are step by step instructions on there for this technique.
Next are some cards I made using Be creative Alcohol based markers. The first uses a woodware stamp...

The second was a freebie digi from Cuddly Buddly many moons ago, backed on Be Creative Winterland papers...

The third is another made with Teri Sherman's wonderful holly and rosehip wreath from Delicious Doodles.

The fourth is non-traditional colours, another of Teri's images, and a background made with another woodware stamp and Be creative glitter glue

Do pop over to Scrappy Mo's and take a look at the fabulous Christmas creations and join in if you can. Thanks, Mo for a fabulous year of getting me organised with my Christmas cards!
Thanks for looking!

A wreath for Christmas

I have been playing with my Be Creative alcohol based markers and a Digi stamp from Delicious Doodles. I love colouring Teri's images, and there is nothing better to colour with than these markers!

 After colouring the image I went round the edge with the Scarlet pen and then mounted onto a 6x6 card. I added a few spots of glitter and then put glossy accents onto the berries...

 Here is a close up. The colouring was done with just nine pens (43, 46, 48, 49, 3, 13, 131, 146 and 182)
When I turned it over to put the glue on I just had to take a photo of the reverse side - sometimes they are just as beautiful as the front! Be Creative products will be at the NEC on stand F15 from tomorrow!

I am entering this into the current challenge at Allsorts where the theme is Christmas. It would be ideal for the current theme at Stamping sensations where there is a wonderful prize on offer - shame I am on the DT, lol!
Thanks for looking!

Snowy Cottages at Craft a Scene

Good Afternoon! The first Challenge of 2013 for Craft a Scene  is Snowy Cottages, and this month we are being sponsored by my good friend Teri of Delicious Doodles. This little scene is called A Crofter's Winter, and I coloured it with promarkers, adding a few bare twigs with berries on in the foreground (Inkylicious stamp). The base card is stamped with 'Snow Dust' (Penny Black) and dotted with diamond Stickles. To add to the Scottish theme I added a tartan ribbon and a die cut snowflake.
I do hope you will come and make a scene with us this month. Do visit the challenge blog where you will see some amazing scenes from my lovely teamies. Thanks for looking!
P.S. I am very aware that I promised some blog candy for when I reached 200 followers, which was a few weeks ago, but with all the hustle and bustle of the holiday I still haven't done it. I haven't forgotten, and as soon as I have the chance I will sort something out. I promise!

Primrose Day

Today is Primrose Day. The official reason for it being primrose day is that Primrose Day is the anniversary of the death of British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli on 19 April 1881.The primrose was his favourite flower and Queen Victoria would often send him bunches of them from Windsor and Osborne House. She sent a wreath of primroses to his funeral.

For my Father in Law it holds special memories, as it was on Primrose day that he proposed to my Mother in Law. They had been out walking in the Derwent Valley in Derbyshire and came across  lots of wild primroses. Every Primrose Day since that day in 1953, he has presented her with a small bunch of primroses. This card is my gift to him in remembrance of  her and that beautiful spring day. 

 The scenes are all created using Hobby Art Scene-it stamps, and the primroses are a Digi stamp from my lovely friend Teri at Delicious Doodles. The scene is coloured with Distress inks and a water brush, and the primroses are coloured with promarkers. The dies are Go Kreate windows #1, of which I cut two of each of the three sections, sticking the ribbon hinge in between the two layers. Thanks for looking.

Stamptacular snippets!

Hi There! I am getting to be such an infrequent blogger these days. However, half term, Doncaster stamp magic (23/10) and the 4th Stampalot Ultimate rubber stamping Demo day (29/10) are all coming up, so I'm looking forward to finding lots and lots of inspiration!
Anyway, here is my first offering for today...

I managed to use up all the scraps of paper left over from my boxes I made for cookies and cupcakes (post before last) and came up with this. The cake stand stamp was a freebie from the front of the magazine 'Quick cards made easy' and the sentiment is from Waltzing Mouse. The roses are cut with a Marianne design die and here is one in close up.

The papers are the 6 x 6 pad from Kaiser Craft called the Devonshire collection.

I'm entering this into Jules's craft snippets and Stamptacular Sunday, where the theme is  'You choose!' It would also be very suitable for the Food glorious food theme at Sir Stampalot this month - there are still a couple of weeks left to enter and a great prize on offer!

My second and third offerings are cards requested by colleagues. A baby girl card...

The paper is from Bearly Mine designs and the baby digi is from Squigglefly, coloured with promarkers. I love the fact that this image could be a boy or a girl.

Finally a digi hydrangea from my friend Teri at Delicious Doodles.

again coloured with promarkers. The paper is from an Artylicious CD - Seasons Greetings, but I'm sure you will agree not particularly wintry!

Thanks for looking and I will hopefully get round to visiting you all soon!

Tuesday Taggers - Anything goes!

Good morning! This week at Tuesday Taggers our theme is 'it takes all sorts', chosen by the lovely Emma. I made this a couple of weeks ago and didn't use it for it's intended purpose, so I thought I would blog it now.

The main image is one of our lovely Teri's delicious doodles, coloured in promarkers. I coloured around it with antique linen distress ink and stamped in the same ink with Hero arts old French writing. The edges of the papers were distressed and inked with walnut stain. The little butterfly was stamped on to shrink plastic and coloured with pencil crayons. The papers are MME and the pearls and lace are from my stash. Pop over to the TT blog to see some fabby inspirational work from our lovely DT. You can also find out about our new sponsor, Ribbon Oasis too!

Delicious Doodles Competition

My lovely TT teamie Teri, over at Delicious Doodles is having a competition to win ten of her wonderful digi images. All you have to do is to create something using one of her lovely images and post a link to it on Teri's shop blog before the noon on 31st August. Now I'm sure you all know how much I love Teri's designs, so I had to have a go too!

Completely out of season, I know, but I used the beautiful Christmas rose and coloured it with promarkers. I teamed it up with some Papermania Capsule collection papers, some grey green card and some ribbon.
Now according to Teri, she is happy for people to enter up to four times, so I might manage another one yet!
Teri is also having a DT call for Delicious Doodles, and anyone selected will get all sorts of perks! You can read all about it here. Do pop over to Delicious Doodles and take a look at the fabulous designs!

It's a man's world at Tuesday Taggers

 Our theme this week at Tuesday Taggers is 'It's a Man's World' chosen by our lovely teamie, Bee. We are being sponsored by The Craft Barn. I thought it would be the ideal time to start on my Father's day Cards. This one is for my Dad, who loves Bird Watching. The owls are a digistamp from our very talented teamie, Teri, available from her Digi Shop Delicious Doodles. I coloured it with promarkers (Ivory, tan, sandstone, Satin, Spice, cool grey 1, pastel blue and Cocoa). The background is card stamped with two lovely feather stamps from the A4 Birds Elusive Images plate. As the theme on Dare U 2 Digi Stamp is 'One for the Boys' I'm going to enter it there too. Thanks for looking!
Oh yes, before I go I'll just let you know that Meg arrived home safe and sound yesterday. No sunburn, the sore throat has gone and she is just left with a bunged up nose, so the sunshine and fresh air was good medicine! She had a fantastic time, but was very glad to have a 'proper' shower and climb into her own bed last night!

A couple of challenges and I've been a bit naughty!

Confession time... You know how I tried to go craft shopping yesterday and it was shut? Well I had ordered myself a box of 24 Coloursoft pencils that arrived yesterday, and instead of putting them away for my birthday I came home, opened them and started using them. I know, it's bad isn't it? I've had the odourless alcohol and the paper stumps for ages and my will power was very poor! Anyway, confession over, I put them to very good use and made this Easter card using an image by my good friend Teri of Delicious Doodles. Isn't it sweet? The gingham papers were from Funky fairies and the daisy paper was from a Papermania pad. I'm entering it into two challenges - Rosie D's where the theme is Yellow, green and white, and Dare U2 Digistamp where the theme is Easter.

My second card was also coloured with the Coloursoft pencils and blended in the same way. The main image is a Stampourium stamp (no longer available) and the background is stamped with my Art Impressions serpentine background. I added diamond glaze and stickles to highlight. I love these pencils and for a first go I'm so pleased with the results! I can see they are going to get lots of use.
I hope you have all signed up to follow the Sir Stampalot Challenge Blog. Only 3 more days before the first challenge is launched and the last chance candy is drawn.
Thanks for looking!

Zebras

I've had the promarkers out again. This time I used a digistamp from Teri at Delicious Doodles. I bought it and then thought 'Zebras don't need colouring!' It only took a few minutes to think about colouring the background though, and it could be done in virtually any combination of colours. I'm thinking of trying a purple sunset next. The background paper is made with a stamp by an American called Katy Widger and I bought it from Blade Rubber stamps on a visit to London. The stamp company is Rubber Poet. If anyone knows a stockist of these in the UK please let me know, because I'd love some more. I used Kaleidacolor creole spice ink, a Martha Stewart punch and the Victoria cuttlebug embossing folder and some brilliance gold ink to burnish the edges. Thanks for looking x

Been a bit quiet doing lots of colouring!

Just realised I've not posted anything since Wednesday. Most evenings I've come home and got the promarkers out. I almost ranted when Meg's school was shut again, but I coloured instead. Thursday was interesting. We took my class swimming for the first time. Sixteen came to school that day, and all went smoothly until we got back on the bus to come back to school. The road outside the leisure centre was sheet ice and the bus slid sideways across the junction, coming to rest against a road sign! The children were very calm and quiet. There was one comment of 'Are we going to crash again, miss?' which was answered with 'Let's be nice and quiet whilst the driver concentrates'. By the time other motorists had got out of the way and left us with room to manoeuvre we were half an hour late getting back to school. Every child thanked the driver on the way off and several told him he was wonderful, bless 'em! He was filling up!  There have been no injuries on the playground and our school has been open every day. I'm sounding a bit self righteous now aren't I?!! Sorry!
Anyway, onto the cards. All three are digistamps. The tiger is from Crafts U Print, the monkey is from Dustin Pike and the Beautiful Hydrangea is from the lovely Teri at delicious doodles. They are all coloured with promarkers. Thanks for looking!

Brother's Birthday

We have several family members who have birthdays very close to Christmas and the New Year, and my brother is one of them. I saw this lovely image of a Golden Eagle when I took part in the Tuesday Taggers Blog Hop and thought it would be perfect for him. It is from Delicious Doodles by Teresa Sherman - isn't he stunning?  I coloured it with promarkers. I used shades of warm greys on the rocks and Mustard on his feet and beak. Then I used a mixture of sandstone, tan and caramel for the paler areas and cocoa, cinnamon, burnt sienna and walnut for the darker feathers. I used my blender pen to lighten the area at the edge of his wings too. the background papers have been in my stash for at least 5 years and I didn't have much left, but I think the one on the left is a PSX one. I used a martha stewart punch, my oval nesties and a sentiment stamp by Clarity stamps. Those Christmas presents are getting some good use! Thanks for looking!