Tag You're it Challenge - Heaven Sent

Here is my entry for this week's Tag you're it challenge where the theme is 'Heaven Sent'. I was a bit stumped at first, but after running a tag through the cuttlebug and spaying it with some creative colour sprays (Crafty Notions) I came across my crafty individuals Christmas images book and saw this lovely picture of angels coordinated perfectly. I stamped a Paper Artsy swirl in Blue versafine over part of the tag. Then  I made a flower from fusible film, adding a brad and a couple of ribbons. Thanks for looking!

A bit like buses!

I don't know! Two posts in one day then none until five days later - a bit like buses in a rural village! I will try and be a better blogger over the next few days, as it's half term - yeah! Anyway, here is my first offering, a card for this weeks Allsorts challenge where the theme is Black and white and one other colour.

My 'other colour' is bundled sage distress ink. I started off sponging bundled sage over a Crafter's workshop stencil on half the card. I over stamped that with a Paper Artsy squiggly ink swirl stamp. The border is a Martha Stewart punch . The main image is an Elusive Images stamp from the Poppy Collage theme plate. 
Thanks for looking. I'm off back outside to finish helping Steve clear up hedge trimmings, which seem to be blowing half way across Nottingham! Can't complain though, as the sun is out and it is so much better than yesterday!

Allsorts Challenge - Tags and labels

Here is my entry for this week's Allsorts challenge where Mummylade has asked us to include a tag or label on our creations. Now I regularly make tags, so thought I'd better include it on something and came up with this card. The flourish stamp is a Debbie Moore one I've had for a while and not used, the text and the daisy are from Crafty Individuals. I used my ribbon tag shapeablities for the tag at the bottom. I have seen lots of people using this colour combo and rather liked it. The colours on all of it are bundled sage and Victorian velvet distress inks. Thanks for looking!
Before I go I'll just share a little gem with you. I was talking about horse drawn vehicles in class and one little darling asked how the horse did that - did it hold the pencil in it's mouth!!!

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!

Tag you're it - A whiter shade of pale

Are you singing now? I certainly was! The challenge on Tag you're it! is to produce a tag using mostly white.

I embossed a fern leaf (Rubber Stampede) in clear EP then added a bit of bundled sage distress inks over the top. I added a couple of ribbons, a few punched leaves and a rose I made from pearlescent white paper. This photo doesn't really do it justice, so I took a close up to show the detail. Not sure I got the colours quite right though!

I thought it would make a great wedding tag. Thanks for looking.
I'm feeling much more relaxed about Meg now, as she has managed to ring using a friend's phone. Her throat is no longer sore and she is having a great time. Free time seems to be filled with water fights to cool them all down! I've made a few cards, another carrot cake and done some gardening too, in fact I'm feeling quite righteous!

No card, but a poem

I was off work yesterday looking after Meg, trying to get her better in time for today when she went off to PGL today, until Monday. She was still not 100% but hopefully she is well enough to enjoy it. If not, then I'll get a phone call and I'll be driving out there to fetch her. She will be climbing, doing zip wire, high ropes and archery. I like the sound of the last one but the others sound a bit high for me!
We had a fabulous morning at school with a visit from the poet Paul Cookson. I laughed so hard I was crying! It was so funny the way he reacted so quickly to everyone and everything going on. I found this little example of one of his poems on you tube. Hope you like it!

Happy Birthday Allsorts and Easel card for Rosie D's

Here is my card for this weeks Allsorts challenge where the theme is Happy Birthday. I decided to go for a sepia effect/ shades of brown easel card. The poppy image (penny black) is stamped with vintage sepia versafine and coloured with tea dye and antique linen distress inks before spraying with gold creative colour sprays (Crafty notions). The stamp on the beige card is also penny black and stamped in versafine vintage sepia. For the stopper panel I used the Happy Birthday sentiment (Elusive Images) and the ornamental Grasses (Craftwork Cards).

As an easel card I am also entering it into this week's Rosie D's challenge where the theme is Easel cards. Thanks for looking!

Tag You're it Challenge #6- Vintage Romance

Here is my tag for this week's Tag you're it challenge where the theme is vintage romance. I used a white tag and applied a variety of distress inks to it using a shaving brush. This is a new technique for me, as I normally use sponges, but I can recommend it for a more subtle approach and I definitely need some more shaving brushes now!  I over stamped with a Hero arts script stamp and the music (PSX). I added the two hearts (Crafty Individuals) Stamped in Brilliance Pearlescent crimson. The rose buds and ribbons were from my stash. Thanks for looking!

Happy Birthday to Tueday Taggers!

Tuesday Taggers is one year old this week! We've decided to celebrate with a theme of chocolate and cream (what else?!). We hope you can join in the celebrations by taking part in a huge swap! Pop over to the Tuesday Taggers blog to find out more and get a fab freebie from our talented teamie Teri! Have you checked out her Delicious Doodles shop yet? Thanks for looking!

A lovely day!

I've not been able to spend as much time crafting this week as I would've liked, due to SATs, so the weekend came as welcome relief! Here's one of my makes from last night. The flower stamp is a Karanthe stamp from Crafty Notions and the mini butterfly is from Crafty Individuals Butterflies Crafty Elements.The branches are a sizzix die I bought at Sir stampalot on my last visit. I used watercolours to colour the flowers then sprayed with gold Creative colour sprays. The background was made by sweeping my craft mat with Spiced marmalade and dusty concord distress inks, spraying with water and laying my paper over it. This card would be a great entry for the Sir Stampalot challenge this month where the theme is Butterflies and blossoms and the prize is lots of lovely Tim goodies!

I did a bit more crafting this morning in between washing, but this afternoon we went for a lovely walk with my dad on footpaths I used to walk with him when I was a child.

Magical isn't it? I didn't spot any violets today, but the bluebells and arum lilies were magnificent and we were followed by orange tip butterflies most of the way. Meg is far more talented than me with the camera these days (Her camera is better too!) You can see some of her photos here.

Another teenage Birthday

Meg's Friend Sam celebrated her 13th Birthday at the weekend, so I made her a card. Her favourite colour scheme is red and black, she loves ugg boots, skirts and jazzy tights, so this digi from Mo Manning was perfect for her. I coloured it with Promarkers. The red paper is stamped with a music swirl from  the Rock star inkadinkado clear set. I made the rose on the corner using the left over backing paper and a bit of added embossing powder.
Sam loves drawing manga and has recently become a huge promarker fan after using mine, so we bought her some of her own. I'm definitely throwing myself into encouraging the next generation of crafters!
I'm entering this into the DU2Digistamp challenge where the theme is 'Anything Goes'. Thanks for looking!

Out of my comfort zone!

This week at Tuesday Taggers it's my turn to chose the theme. I don't know what I was thinking, but I came up with 'Step out of your Comfort Zone!' I wanted to push myself into doing something different to my usual style and try something new. Now it has been a little scary, but I've done the cover and first page of an art journal using lots of paint and no ink or stamps at all! The cover was painted with my acrylic daubers and some bubble wrap. The dragonfly is from Twiddlybitz. I also used a silver creative colour spray over the whole thing and some crystal glaze over the dragonflies body.  I bought the Journal months ago, and it had been lurking in the corner of my craft space ever since! I think it's the word art that puts me off. I dropped art at school when I chose my options, as I couldn't draw most things. I guess that's why I love stamps so much! So, all I'm asking really is for you to try something new or different to your usual style... go on give it a try! You could try a colour scheme, a technique, a different fold or even a different craft altogether! Pop over and take a look on the Tuesday Taggers Blog.  Hope our fabulous DT inspire you with their creations!

I saw this quote in one of the American magazines I was flicking through the other week. I thought 'How true!' and decided to try my hand at some of this writing on wiggly lines. I think I need to work on my lettering! I used my Aquatone pencils and a wet paint brush for the background and quite enjoyed myself!

By the Cute and Girly - Celebrations

Here is my card for this month's By the cute and Girly challenge where the theme is 'Celebrations'. I've just made a wedding card for a workmate whose friend is getting married in the States. The groom is musical and the bride likes her roses so hopefully this will be okay. I've used Victorian Velvet Distress inks for most of it, with a touch of Pumice stone on the leaf flourishes (Hero Arts) and Pearlescent crimson Brilliance for the sentiments, both of which come from a clear wedding set by American Crafts.

I've used a Martha Stewart punch around the page set for the central square and the bottom edge. the central pendant is a shapeabilities die, as is the label. I bought the roses in Hobbycraft.
I'm also going to enter it into a new challenge for me - C.R.A.F.T.-  Where the challenge is Birthdays or Weddings. Thanks for looking!

Cake, cake and more cake!

Here is yesterday's carrot cake that I promised to share with you. Unfortunately you can't have any because I took it to work. More than half had gone by the end of playtime and the rest disappeared very quickly at lunchtime! Someone suggested I ought to try the recipe again to see if I could do any better... and they would gladly sample it for me!

While I was doing a cakey post I thought I would share a picture of Meg's Birthday cake. She asked for a Victoria sponge with apple and buttercream filling. I wasn't sure it would work, but it was fine. If I did it again I would add a bit of cinnamon to the buttercream, I think.

Finally here is a slice of coffee and walnut cake. Not everyone's favourite, but I fancied something different. Shall I put the kettle on? Thanks for looking!

Tag You're it Challenge #5 - Butterfly kisses

Here is my entry for this week's Tag you're It challenge where the theme is butterfly kisses. I have used a Hero digi stamp for the butterflies, coloured with promarkers. The background was made with  Distress inks on crumpled wet paper, over-stamped with Graphicus oriental grasses(one of my birthday presents) and a crafty individuals fern stamp. As well as being the theme on Tag you're it, Butterflies are the theme on this week's Alphabet Challenge Blog (Thanks for the Nudge, Lesley) So I'm entering it there too.
I bet you are thinking 'what is she doing posting on a Thursday morning when she should be at work?'  Well, as well as having Monday off for May day, School is a polling station, so I've got today off too! I would love a three day week every week!!! Now I can't say I've got a lot to show for it though. I'm surrounded by lovely stash and I don't know where to start! I've not been totally idle. There is a carrot cake in the oven, which was requested by my boss when I asked 'what sort of cake shall I make?' I'll post a picture to make you all hungry! Thanks for looking and I hope you enjoy your day!

Allsorts Challenge - Animals

Here is my entry for this weeks Allsorts challenge, where the theme is Animals, and they are being sponsored by Digistamp Boutique. I used a stamp that was free on a copy of the craft Stamper many moons ago. The strip of paper down the side was made using torn strips of tissue paper that bleeds it's colour when wet. Meg made it ages ago and was going to throw it away until I rescued it! I thought It made a good watery background to stamp onto. The main image is watercoloured to match. Thanks for looking!

Thank you!

Only Nature could get away with a colour scheme like that, eh? Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you for the lovely birthday wishes and gorgeous cards I've received from my lovely blogging mates for my birthday. They are truly appreciated. Never has my array of birthday cards looked quite so plentiful, unique and beautiful! You have made my day, along with my lovely hubby, who has bought me a lovely pile of stash!

Sock label to Bookmark - recycling at Tuesday taggers

Our Theme at Tuesday Taggers this week is recycling and was chosen by our lovely teamie Ildiko. I bought a pair of ski socks during all the snow to wear with my hiking boots. This was the label on one side...

and this is what it looked like on the other. I really liked the colour, so I hung onto it, thinking tag or bookmark. I added some embossing, some scraps of paper and a bit of recycled cork matting and turned it into a bookmark.

The flower stamp is one of a relatively new range by 'Stamp to your Art's Content'. This link will take you straight to them. The stamps used for the silver embossing are from Penny Black. Thanks for looking and do check out some of the wonderful creations by my amazing teamies. Hope you get chance to join in this week!

I'll be back later hopefully with some thanks for the wonderful birthday cards I've received.

Butterflies and Blossoms at Sir Stampalot

Good Morning and welcome to another fabulous challenge at Sir Stampalot! The Theme for May is Butterflies and Blossoms and I can't wait to tell you about the prize. Feast your eyes on this huge pile of Tim Holtz treasures!

Are you excited? One of the books is autographed too! I'm beginning to wish I could enter!

Anyway, if you are still reading and haven't rushed off to start your entry, I guess you would like to know how I made my card. I started with a panel of silk finish white card, stamped the Hero arts Cling engraved flower and coloured with promarkers. I went over it with a versamarker and embossed in clear EP. After that I added the hero leaf flourish in Versamark, then again in versafine olympia green and also stamped the hero long writing background before sponging with shabby shutters and peeled paint distress inks. I used a bit of black soot round the edges. I added some kaleidoscope EP to the stamens on the flower, but you can't really see it on the photo.

You can see it on the butterfly though (another hero arts stamp)! Again I coloured with promarkers and then went over with a versamarker before dipping in the EP. I attached it with 3D glue. The cuttlebugged card behind the image was made with the Victoria embossing folder.  Thank you so much for visiting and I hope you are able to join in this month.