In the Garden at Try It On Tuesday

Time for another challenge!
This time Try It on Tuesday want to see your creations with the theme of  'In The Garden'.

Ink blending and Lavinia stamps for me this time.
Only used 2 colours for the blending  - Lilac and Green.

All the stamping was done with Versafine Clair inks (Nocturne, Verdant, and Shady Lane) and I did a little highlighting with a white gel pen and a pink glitter pen.

I love the idea that somewhere in all the flowers in the garden there's a little fairy balanced on a dandelion!

Hope you will pop over and see what the rest of the DT have done - and of course, I hope you will join us this fortnight!

Thanks for looking and any comment you leave - I really appreciate them all. x

Obsessed!

 It is official - I am completely obsessed with these new stamps designed by Andy Skinner.

Not one normally for waxing lyrical about stamps but I simply adore this set - so much so that I have made that many cards I don't know what to do with them!

It's hard to have a favourite but this little boy makes me feel sad and happy in equal measure - one minute I think he looks happy 😄 with his balloon, the next I think he's sad because he is by himself with just his balloon for company😢.

I know there are many who like me couldn't resist these stamps. They are nostalgic and I think a reminder of a simpler and less stressful way of life where as kids we were happy with a balloon and a day at the Beach instead of wanting expensive fancy phones or computer games!
 
So here he is having a 'wishing day'... wishing he and his balloon could float across the sea to the fair on the Pier!

My background was ink blended, the other stamps are from Card-io.

I coloured Balloon Boy and added highlights with my watercolour pencils.
Don't you just want to cuddle him and take him to the Fair?

Am linking up at
Alphabet Challenge - H is for (Summer) Holidays
Sparkles Monthly - 1 for the Boys
Crafters Cafe - A/Goes + add balloons
I Spy - Summertime Vibes

Thanks for looking today. x

Mid Way - Things with Wings Challenge at Try It On Tuesday

 There's just a week left for you to take part in our Things with Wings challenge at Try It On Tuesday.
I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with vellum -but it doesn't stop me wanting to use it!

Think because the base card is pearlised it didn't help when I came to take the pic either.

I used a simple textured embossing folder on the background to give some interest.

The Angel wings are from Pink Ink, bought very recently in a sale and never before used -  white heat embossed on vellum and fussy cut - a bit of a tricky job but got there in the end!

Because I always have such trouble attaching vellum without  the glue showing I used a tiny silver heart and a silver encased pearl brad on the top wing. Fortunately the top wing hid the spot of glue on the underneath one.

Heat embossed white sentiment.

I sponged a little Brilliance Moonlight Ink round the edges and in real life it does give a sort of 'dreamy' effect.

Quite happy really with how this turned out after seeing something similar on an internet trawl some time ago.

Thanks for looking! x

Sharing over at
Simply Clean and Simple - Use a Heart
MAWTT #168 - CAS
CYHTP - A/Goes
and it's week 3 for Darnell's IDEAS - E for Embossing folders and as my Angel Wings are NBUS am visiting there too!

Things with Wings at Try It On Tuesday

 Our challenge at Try It On Tuesday for the next two weeks is called 'THINGS WITH WINGS' and we're looking forward to seeing your interpretation of our theme.

I did an ink blended background after masking off the moon using green and purple shades with a teeny splash of yellow.

I did lightly go over the moon when the background was done as it looked very stark white and I wanted something less 'in your face'!

The script stamp is an old red rubber one - that old I have no idea which make it is.

The Bamboo are a mix from SU and Altenew.

I coloured the dragonfly with Aquarelle pencils and added a liberal helping of glossy accents onto the wings.

Hope you can join us - and do please visit my friends on the DT who have lots of lovely makes and are happy when you pop in!

Thanks for looking today and any comments you leave - I appreciate it. Have a lovely day whatever you're doing. x

Card Chain Challenge June Reveal

 My card for June in the Card Chain Challenge went to Gail in Norway and I received a really pretty make from Patricia in Texas!

Once again the colour option from the vast list of things to choose from appealed to me and I also used the Summertime theme.

I used a Memento ink pad called Sahara Sand for the sandy beach, then blended another Memento colour called Turquoise Gem. The Navy blue colour element was a mix of Salty Ocean and Chipped Sapphire Distress Oxide.

I stamped a few starfish randomly along the sandy beach and once the background was dry, I got out these brilliant Ocean stamps from Inkylicious.
I've used these stamps quite a lot recently - they are absolutely perfect for adding embossed waves and foam to beachy scenes.

Although it's hard to see in the photo the starfish and the sand do have a teeny bit of sparkle - achieved by random dotting of Wink of Stella Pens in brown and gold.

Finished with a stacked die cut. (I always think there's something very dreamy about listening to a tide lapping on a sandy shore so the die seemed a good fit!)

There's still a few days left to sign up for the next Chain if you fancy having a go! x

Summertime at Try It On Tuesday

 How quickly time goes past - we're halfway through 2024! It's difficult to believe - don't know where the weeks go to!
Anyway, as it's Tuesday our challenge for the next two weeks at Try It On Tuesday is called 'Here comes Summer'.

There are many things that I relate to Summer. Ice Cream is one, Strawberries another, my flip flops and of course the scent from the flowers in the garden.

But nothing reminds me more of Summer than when I see a Beach Hut! There's something about them that conjure up visions of lazy days and I do have a memory of spending time in a beach hut on a summer holiday when I was a child.
That's probably why many years ago I bought this stamp. I have no idea who made it - it came in a set of 2 I think - the other is just a smaller beach hut with it's door closed.

Stamped, then masked and blended the background. I coloured the image with watercolour pencils.

The Inkylicious shoreline stamp was white heat embossed and the sentiment is from Card-io.

Thanks for looking today - hope you can find time to join us this challenge - please pay a visit to the rest of the DT, it's lovely to have you visit!  And I hope Summer has come wherever you are! x
Sharing over at
Hand Stamped Sentiments #441
MMM - Outdoor Summer Fun

Emboss It reminder for TIOT

We're mid way through our Emboss It challenge at Try It On Tuesday and I have been having a play with a recently purchased embossing folder.

I am beginning to be rather fond of these 3D folders!

This one is from Spellbinders and is called Beautiful Blooms.

I made a few of these in different colours as they were a very quick make and I needed a couple in a hurry!

I used Cracked Pistachio, Shaded Lilac and Speckled Egg Distress Oxides and just added a stacked die cut sentiment.

The pistachio one turned out the best - I don't know how but I managed to end up with a crease in the other two - I was going to throw them away originally but the other half said they weren't very noticeable so I used them rather than wasting them!

There's still time for you to emboss something and join us! Be lovely to see you.

Thanks for looking today and have a good day whatever you're doing. x

May Card Chain Challenge Reveal

My May challenge card went to blogging buddy Carol here in the UK.
Using the colours and the option of a stencil from the technique list I made this!

The stencil was part of an unbranded pack - it's only small so I fiddled about with it re-positioning where I wanted.

I used Picked Raspberry and Wilted Violet inks. Having tried lots of different colours I decided the violet was the nearest I had to Blueberry!


I ran a piece of card through a Vine embossing folder and lightly inked before die cutting my butterfly.
I really should have embossed after die cutting I think but the texture is still there even if it's a little flatter than I would have liked.

Using an embossing pen I heat embossed the body and antenna in gold and finished with a gold embossed sentiment.

This month I received the most stunning card from my clever friend Hilary - thank you again! x

There's still time to sign up for this month - pop over to the Card Chain Challenge blog if you fancy joining us!

Emboss It at Try It on Tuesday

This fortnight our challenge at Try it On Tuesday is 'EMBOSS IT'.

I made a background with Cracked Pistachio, Salty Ocean, and Twisted Citron inks.

I stencilled a couple of odd things on the background for some depth then used Salty Ocean to add a couple of random stamps (crackle, script)

I have had this big Indigo butterfly for a while and although it is quite a big stamp I really like it as you don't really need much else on the card front!

Triple white heat embossed then coloured it in using Distress Inks - adding Blueprint Sketch to the colours already used on the background.
The sentiment is from Clearly Besotted.

Other things have got in the way of my blogging recently and I have been unable to visit my blogging friends. I hope to stop by very soon and catch up with you all.

Thanks for looking today - please pay a visit to the Challenge blog and have a peek at what the others on the team have made this time round - and of course as always I hope you can find time to join us!
Have a great day whatever you're doing. x

Card Chain Challenge April Reveal

 I was next in the link to my good blogging friend Hilary for the April Card Chain so my make went to her this time.
I received a lovely card from Gail in Canada who was the link below me - so thank you again Gail!
After being inspired by another of my blogging friends, here's my card for Hilary -

I did my usual and selected the Colour option from the long list of things to choose from.

Started by inking the background in Shaded Lilac Oxide.
Once dry I gave it a bit of a Bokeh effect with a home made circle stencil and Brilliance Moonlight White ink.

The foliage (which could be Queen Anne's Lace or maybe not!) from Rare Earth was second generation stamped with Versafine Shady Lane ink. It has actually shown up as a little on the grey side in the pic but it is green - honest!

Once everything was dry I had a bit of fun (???😲) with some silver gilding flakes! It was only when I opened the jar lid I remembered why I use them rarely....

Dabbed on some tiny dots of Cosmic Shimmer glue to the heads and added the flakes - (being careful not to breathe/cough/open any windows whilst the jar was open!) 

I was actually quite pleased with the end result and think the pic really doesn't do it justice -  although I couldn't admire it for long as it took me a while to tidy up tiny pieces of silver flakes!

Happy Crafting! x

Fantasy at Try It On Tuesday

Our new challenge at Try It On Tuesday starts today and for the next 2 weeks we hope you will share your 'Fantasy' themed creations with us!

I make no apologies for once again playing about with my all time fave stamps - I LOVE these mermaids!

This was framed and given to a friend - who like me thinks Mermaids are one of the coolest things ever!

Ink blended background and used a Lavinia stencil for a bit of added interest.
All stamps are also from Lavinia (obviously!)

Coloured the images with my Mondeluz Aquarelle Coloured Pencils which are simply awesome - and they blend beautifully and a few highlights with a white Posca pen..

Thanks for stopping by and hope we will see lots of fantasy creations over at the challenge blog this time round! x

A Return

 It's been a little while since I took hold of a canvas but having a recent tidy (for 'tidy' insert - 'open boxes to see what's in them') I found some 6 x 4 canvas boards long forgotten!
In the box with the canvas was all kinds of stash saved for mixed media including a massive bag of shells which were collected over several years each time I had a trip out anywhere beachy!

I painted the canvas first with Gesso then mixed some Mermaid Lagoon ink with texture paste and covered the whole board.

When dry, I randomly sponged over it with Salty Ocean and a little bit of Chipped Sapphire.

I wanted to create something that looked like a wave of white foam and this proved quite a challenge!

After trying out different things on a piece of scrap, I remembered I had a Funky Fossil stencil of a surfer riding a wave - the wave bit was just what I needed so back to the texture paste, this time with white acrylic paint and lots of masking so the surfer didn't appear!

Arranged a couple of shells so they looked like they were being tossed in the waves (I hope) and fixed some hessian, pearl beads, more shells to the bottom.

Popped on a few blue Dew Drops to imitate water droplets and found two tiny metal fish (from I know what where) in my stash.

The sentiment is one of my all time favourites stamped on vellum with Memento Danube Blue and heat embossed.

Quite pleased with the way it turned out in the end, and it reminded me how much I enjoyed the odd venture into mixed media - am sharing this over at As You Like It where the option is Fussy or Clean and something which gives you an inner glow of pride - well I am proud of this fussy make as it's been so long before I did anything like it!

Have promised myself I'll use up the other canvas very soon and thanks for looking today - hope all is well in your part of blogland! x
Also sharing over at -
We Love 2 Create - Anything Mixed Media
Creative Artiste - Anything Mixed Media
Stencil Fun - Using my Funky Fossil Surfer stencil
Darnell's I.D.E.A.S - week 4 - the letter 'A' - Anything Goes

Try It On Tuesday Inspired by a Song

Our challenge for the next two weeks at Try It On Tuesday is 'Inspired by a Song.'
I am a massive music fan - since I was a child I have loved music - most music genres too so it was always going to be a difficult choice as to which song I used for this challenge and I started to seriously think ...... Then I stopped thinking and made a decision!

I chose 'Fields of Barley' and although written by Sting, I much prefer the Eva Cassidy version. She has such a beautiful voice and interprets the lyrics so well. 

You'll remember me when the west wind moves
Upon the fields of barley.
You'll forget the sun in his jealous sky
As we walk in fields of gold.

It's a love song, full of poignancy and is deeply evocative as it maps out love from beginning to the final parting.
It makes me cry and smile at the same time!

So - my background is ink blended and my barley field is a stamp from Inkylicious stamped and gold heat embossed.

The sentiment is from Altenew Moments in Time set and it seemed perfect- stamped in Versafine Vintage Sepia.

I mounted onto some gold mirri card before sticking onto the card base.

Hope you will share your favourite song with us this challenge! x

 

Rainbow Colours

It's another Tuesday so time for Try It On Tuesday's new challenge!

This time it's 'RAINBOW COLOURS' so we're expecting lots of bright creations this fortnight.

I opted for a one layer relatively CAS card and used lots of different Memento inks and a variety of foliage/flower stamps from Rare Earth.

Did some secondary stamping to give the colourful meadow a little bit of depth and as usual I couldn't resist a bit of inky spattering!
The sentiment is from Rubbernecker.

Please pop over to the blog and take a look at the colourful array of creations by the rest of the DT and I look forward to visiting your blogs - with my sunglasses on!!😎😎

Thanks for looking today. x
Sharing my rainbow flowers at
Beautiful Blossoms  A/Goes

March Card Chain Challenge Reveal

2 posts from me today - my DT card for Try It on Tuesday's new challenge is HERE.

It's Card Chain Challenge Reveal Day and my March make headed over to Ella in Germany and Joanne in UK sent me mine - and it's gorgeous, so thank you Jo!

The colour option was perfect for me this time - time has been very limited and when I have had time Mr Mojo has disappeared.

A simple stamped and ink blended make which I hope Ella liked.

Using a white background, black matting, black stamping and my 'one other colour' was Fossilized Amber which I used on the sun and lightly blended around the edges.

There's still time to sign up for this month if you fancy having a go - just pop over to THIS post and link up!

Hope you are all well in your corner of blogland and thanks for looking today! x

Another Stencil and I.D.E.A.S

UPDATE 27TH MARCH -
Blogger decided to close our linky early on the challenge post and deleted everyone's entries!
If you've already entered we do have a record of your entry - if you've still to enter just link up as normal!

Our 'Use a Stencil' challenge at Try It On Tuesday has reached it's half way point of the fortnight tomorrow.

I needed a quick card for a friend who is definitely not into 'fussy, flowery and fancy' (her words not mine!) so made this.

It was intended to be a 'thinking of you' type of card without that exact sentiment if you understand me!

The stencil was inked with Twisted Citron.

The vases are from a Sizzix die set and I painted them with Distress Oxides - I watercoloured first then went over them using a dry brush to try and give some texture/depth. The orange one worked far better than the blue!

The stems were a gift from a friend and I cut them out with some Lime coloured card.

A simple quick CAS card - no frills or fussy just to let someone know if they were here I would give them a hug!

If you've not yet linked up to the challenge blog you still have another week to go!

Popping this over to Darnell's I.D.E.A.S link which this week is
'A is for Anything Goes' - and if you haven't a tickety boo what I am talking about all is revealed HERE on Dolly's blog!

Thanks for looking today. x

Use a Stencil at Try It On Tuesday

 Our next challenge at Try It On Tuesday starts today and the theme is 'USE A STENCIL'.
I have lots of stencils - many of which have never been used - this is one!

It was bought in a pack of Mandala stencils ( think I was going through a bit of a Zen phase at the time.....😵) and yet another purchase that once I got I became completely devoid of ideas as to what to do with them!

Anyway this challenge made me go through the stencil stack and I thought I'd try making something!
I used Sweet Poppy Stencil paste onto a plain black card.

I have a few tubs of paste - but am afraid they are all on the verge of solidifying completely which is my own fault as they never see the light of day.
The gold one was a bit gloopy but I managed to use it for this.

I then had a bit of a struggle as to 'sentiment or not'  (and what kind of sentiment do you put on a gloopy part mandala anyway?😔) - then I remembered this one which is a kind of 'use for anything' kind of greeting!

Simply gold heat embossed and added a couple of sequins before running some gold ink round the edge.
.
Hope you will join us this challenge - lots of lovely inspiration if you need it from the DT over on the challenge blog too.   Happy Stencilling!
Sharing at
Stencil Fun - A/Goes
Creative Knockouts - Sparkle and Shine
NBUS #60

Mid way at TIOT Spring Challenge

 One week left for our current Spring themed challenge at Try It On Tuesday!

Think Springtime is a wonderful season.

I love seeing all the buds coming through on everything and the beautiful spring flowers are such lush colours - which now makes me wonder why I decided to use up some odd bits which were all white!

I used hammered cardstock to give the background a bit of texture and in the little box of unused bits I found some more so the all white was born!

Quick and simple make using dies too!
I love these little bunnies - especially the baby one - although he is easily lost as he is that tiny!

I didn't want to put Easter on it so struggled a bit finding a sentiment!

In the end I used two sentiments (both said Birthday)  masking off the Birthday word at the beginning of one and the end of the other and using my Misti to get them in the right position!

Still time to join us with a Spring themed creation - we love visiting your blogs!

Am also sharing this over at
Pixies Snippets Playground - I don't get there as often as I would like to but it's lovely to know it's there for me to pop in when I can!
This is my second entry into
Four Seasons - Spring

Thanks for stopping by. x 

Spring at Try It On Tuesday

Our new challenge for the next two weeks at Try It On Tuesday is entitled 'Spring'
Remember you can make whatever you want as long as it follows the challenge theme!
Be lovely if you could join us this time and please have a look at the makes from the rest of the DT over on the blog as we love visitors!

I've had a little of a change and made something a bit different for me this time.

My neighbour shares my love of gardening and we often swap cuttings. She has had a bit of a tough and worrying time just recently as her other half has not been very well so I wanted something to give her other than the bottle of wine/box of choccies/bunch of flowers!

At the end of last Summer I collected some Sweet Pea seeds - as always there are far too many for me so I made this watering can from a template downloaded from the internet as it seemed just right for what I wanted.

Used Core-dinations cardstock (found in a cupboard completely forgotten about) and after cutting out the shape I ran through a roses embossing folder and lightly sanded.

I cut the handles and spout from the leftover bits and with the tiniest pieces left managed to punch out the 2 butterflies and still have a bit left for the sentiment! So instead of hiding/throwing away the leftovers I used them all up one one thing!

When it was all stuck together I secured the handles with tiny flower shaped brads.

My seeds were put into a tiny brown envelope and wrapped in tissue paper then popped into the body of the can.
With Spring almost upon us here it won't be long before the seeds are planted!
Sharing my watering can over at
Four Seasons - Spring
Beautiful Blossoms - A/Floral
Pixies Snippets Playground

Card Chain Challenge February Reveal

Time to share my make for the February Card Chain Challenge which I sent to Bonnie in Colorado USA.
Sending lots of thanks to my other swap partner Julia for my lovely card too!
I selected 'Stencil' as my technique option and Flowers and Friendship from the 'Theme' choices

Using Cracked Pistachio ink for both the leaves and the dotty stencil, once the dotty one was dry I stamped some pretty flowers (an old set from I know not where!) and added a teeny bit of Nuvo crystal drops to the centres.

Cut out a circle from the leaves and simply overlaid it.

I have lots of stencils which don't actually get used enough so this challenge gave me another opportunity to dust them off!
I was a little apprehensive as Bonnie makes some beautiful artsy and colourful cards with her stencils and is very talented so I hope she liked my relatively CAS take on this months challenge!

If you fancy giving our massive World wide challenge a go pop over to the challenge blog and sign yourself up.

It's simple to take part - there's colours, sketch, theme and technique options to chose from and you only have to use one so you have lots of scope- and it's lovely to receive a hand made card from elsewhere in the world.

Happy Crafting! x

Spotlight

 A new challenge at Try It On Tuesday!
This time it's called 'In the Spotlight' so we would like to see something spotlighted (highlighted) on whatever you create!

I used a Sweet Poppy stencil.

This was a really quick card to put together too which sometimes is needed when you're running round last minute!

Grey ink first on the base card then another piece of card using red ink through the stencil and a little green on the visible flower stems.

I used a wavy die to cut it out and glued it on top. 
Edged it with a black pen to make it pop a bit more.

For some reason I really struggled taking the pic - I was getting lots of glare from nowhere so it does look a little stark bright white here!

Lots of lovely inspiration over on the challenge blog from the rest of the team and our lovely Guest Designer - please pay them a visit!
Thanks for stopping by. x