Soothing Scene?

I received an order yesterday for a lot of Christmas cards - and all for ages of teenagers to babies... I am now in Christmas overload and at risk of becoming even more 'bah humbug' than I usually am - so I took a break from the cutey, organza ribbon, red/green/gold/silver/pink/lilac/blue snowmen/teddies/Santa cards and went for something which (I hope) is 'gloomy and soulful!!!! LOL
 A fellow blogger posted something similar to this some time back and said that they had used Distress Inks on watercolour paper  - it was one of those things that I put in my mind marked 'to try'!

After a couple of less than successful (downright awful, if I'm truthful!) attempts where my blending left a lot to be desired, I finally managed to produce something which didn't look like something had splodged all over the place.

I think the 'hill' could have done with being a more grey or brown shade but decided to use the inked piece anyway to make into a sympathy/get well/thinking of you card.
Stamped the bullrushes using Versafine ink.
Matted onto black card and then layered onto some textured linen lemon card - one piece of which I ran through the 'diamonds' embossing folder.
Not too bad! I enjoyed the technique and no doubt will practice some more - (once I have done the Christmas stuff!!!!)

Challenges -
Crafter's Cafe - Anything Goes
Lady Annes Last Stamp Challenge - Anything Goes
Party Time Tuesdays - Anything Goes
Created with Love - Sympathy

Almost forgot - a big thank you for everyone who commented on my recent makes - and of course those of you who were inspired by my DT cards to enter the challenges!
Off to see what you've been up to now as dear husband has just arrived with a cup of coffee for me! xx

Triangles and Tribulations

I was delighted to see some new followers to my blog - a big hello to  Doris, Sarah, Dawn and Marjon! And thanks for clicking the button to follow me!
Have you ever bought something and then years later think 'Do NOT know AT ALL why I got these - have never used them and am not sure that I ever will'????
Go on - own up!!
Sorting out my new craft space after we moved I found three packs (yes THREE packs) of triangular shaped cards - white, green and silver.
It seemed a good idea to buy them at the time - LOL- it was when I first started card making - around 2003!!!
Almost felt sorry for the unloved dusty packs so early resolution - to use up at least one of the packs.

After staring at this odd shape  (well odd for me anyway) for about 2 days and discarding any silly ideas -  I opted for quick and basic!! (Doing a lot of that lately!!)

Here is the result -
Embossing folders, Snowflake and Christmas Tree dies, snippets of pastel glitter paper, a scrap of mirri card, a couple of stamps, some gems and the tiniest piece of ribbon which would you believe had stuck itself to the bottom of an acrylic block!

Used up the whole pack of white cards - made 2 of each design  - fear the green and silver ones may remain in the drawer for another 10 years!

Challenges -
Paper Players - Shaped Cards
TSG - Card Sets
Pixies Crafty Playground - Snippets
Clear It Out - Add a Snowflake
SOS - Winter
Songbird - Die Another Day
Paper Minutes - CAS Christmas
Crafting By Designs - Winter/Christmas

Thanks for looking (if you click on the pic you'll get a better view) and thanks too for leaving any comments - I appreciate every single one. x

CAS - Crafty Cardmakers DT

Am hosting another challenge this month at Crafty Cardmakers and for my second theme I have chosen Clean and Simple.
It's not that long ago when I dreaded doing these but now find them very 'soothing' to make - there's something about clean lines and no fussy stuff which makes a nice change when you just want to 'make' a quick card!

I chose as usual to make a card with linen textured cardstock.

I used a duster brush and inked a small piece of scrap card with Wild Honey Distress Ink first.

I then stamped flower heads and foliage in Memento 'Rich Cocoa' ink direct onto the base card, then stamped again once onto a white left over piece of the cardstock and once again onto the already inked piece.

With two circle nesties I cut out the tops of the stamped images and ran round the edge of the inked one with a sponge dipped in watered down 'Tea Dye' Distress ink to give a more definite edge, then 3d mounted both circles together lining up the design.

Aligned onto the card base and stuck with some 3d dots to raise it slightly.

The sentiment was also stamped in the Memento ink. I have long been an admirer of this blog and credit the owner with the inspiration for this card - well worth a visit - she makes some awesome cards.
Two great sponsors as always - hope you will join me again for the challenge this week - clean and simple, minimal embellishments, lots of white space - what can be easier???

Challenges -
Dream Valley - CAS
Stampin with the Dragon - Autumn Colours
Ladybug Crafts - Autumn Colours
Aud Sentiments - Any sentiment
Delicious Doodles - No Designer Paper

First today!

This is the first of a couple of posts today - my DT card for Crafty Cardmakers will be along in a little while!
Have had a mad few days since the middle of last week - meetings to attend, minutes to type and in between a really nice night at the Annual National Presentation Dinner in the Midlands -  (And yes for the second time in succession I wore a DRESS!! - Not the same one as last year either!!! No Pics to share though!). Also plucked up the courage to go and have my hair cut!

In between all this madness I found time to make a few cards yesterday which was the first day I have really had where I haven't had to be busy (should have been doing housework... hey ho..)

I also haven't had the time to enter any LIM challenges for a while so set to and rustled this up in double quick time -
 Don't you love these little birdies!
The ear muffs crack me up!
The stamp was a freebie I managed to snag from From The Heart Stamps a while back.

I printed direct to the linen card and then used lots of my Distress Inks to bring the feathered ones to life - the blue background was not DI but watercolour pastel.
Added some stickles to the hat and glossy accents to the two stars and there you are - another Christmas card done!

Challenges -
LIM - Birds
That Craft Place - Stars
One stitch at a Time - Bingo (Blue/Stickles/CAS)
CAS on Sunday - Winter Theme
Addicted to CAS - Pet (hope my birds qualify!)
So am off to take some more pics of yesterdays makes whilst the light is good here... thanks for visiting -will catch up with you all today and hope you will come back again later to see my DT card! x

Winter

Enjoyed waking up to a real wintry morning here - the amazing view we have was covered in thick white frost this morning - so snuggled back under the duvet and watched the sheep who were blending in nicely with the white covered fields!
So my share with you is of a wintry vista too..... this is a CASE'd card which I saw last year over a the wonderfully talented Heather's blog - and once I saw it I had to run out and buy the stamp IMMEDIATELY! But by then Christmas was over and it lay in the drawer - until last week!

Now I can't stop stamping with it... have made a large batch of cards which has swelled my stock pile considerably!

Stamped the image direct onto the card and clear embossed.

Scored two lines down the left side and stamped the greeting in Stormy Sky DI.

Masked off the left side and using torn post it notes to create 'banks' sponged Tumbled Glass DI along the edges.

Stole a coin from dear husband to make the moon mask and then sponged the sky with mix of Stormy Sky/Faded Jeans/Dusty Concord.

Left for a little while to dry then used some glitter dust on the snow banks and Cranberry Stickles on the winter berries.

I just LOVE this stamp! 
And it was great getting inky for a change - although my technique is not brilliant, I am happy with the way these all turned out!

Lots of Winter Challenges -

C is for Challenge - Winter is Coming
Creative Creations - Sparkle &Shine
Paper Playtime - Sparkle
Sparkle n Sprinkle - Glitter/Embossing Powder
PB Saturday Challenge - Sparklers
Creatalicious - Christmas
Freshly Brewed  - Christmas
One Crazy Stamper - Christmas

I am away to make a coffee so I can trawl through blogland! Thanks for any comments you leave - it means a lot. x

Getting on....

Lack of blogging posts this week as general life got in the way - when I've had some spare time I have been making just not been able to take pics as when the sun has been out or the light has been bright enough, I have been out!
I tried to take some pics this morning - light not brilliant but better than it's been - so this may not be the only post today!

Done quite a few Christmas cards now - (still not enough I don't think) - I really need to use some of the Christmas themed stash that I have bought over the years and used rarely.

This also used up some scraps of white Centura pearl card laying about on the desk.

The snowflake embossing folder I bought last year and sadly it has not seen a lot of service! 

The snowflake was done using nestie dies, layered up with a sparkly in the centre and some stickles for good measure.
The greeting embossed in silver and tucked underneath and the sparkle ribbon is from my stash (something else which is years old! LOL)

 Challenges -
4 Crafty Chicks - Snowflakes
Sisterhood of Crafters - Embossing
Creative Moments - CAS/Anything Goes
Christmas@Sweet Stamping - White on White
Oldie but Goodie - CAS Christmas
SOS - Something on your desk
Crafting by Design - Anything Christmas Goes
Divas by Design - Snow

Patch of blue sky appearing as I type so maybe it's time to get on the scarf and gloves and have a short walk whilst I have the chance - as always I really appreciate you leaving me any comments and I hope you're having a great day. x

Paper Piecing - Crafty CardMakers DT

Today it's my turn to set  the Crafty Cardmakers challenge - and a challenge it was - well for me anyway!
I (having a moment of sheer lunacy!) picked 'Paper Piecing'.................. no idea why....... seemed like a good idea at the time.......... but I am soooooo NOT good at it!

And as one of the sponsors for this challenge is the very talented Krista, I wanted to use one of her lovely digis (which you can all go see here) - and I hope I have done it justice!

Here is 'Christmas Nutcracker' - suitably pieced with very apt papers entitled 'Merry Christmas' by Raspberry Road.

I pieced the dress, shoes and her hair ribbons - quite tricky- and probably could have been neater - but overall not too bad!

Applied some Stickles to the neck of the dress and the stripes on her socks and even popped a wee bit of gold blingy on the little soldier (well it IS for Christmas after all!).

The green ruffle ribbon was from my stash and I added a few red pearls.

The bauble sentiment is a chipboard piece bought a long long time ago and the red and green beads were rescued from one of last years Christmas cards!

Hope you can have a go at my very own challenge this fortnight - would love to see your creations - even if like me you think you're not very good at it!! (Which I am sure you are 'cos we're all too critical of our own work!!!!!)

Other Challenges -
2 Sisters - Christmas Sparkle
Kraftyhands - Trad Christmas Colours
Crafty Calendar - All things Christmas
Doodle Pantry - Any Digi Goes 
RRR - Christmas with Ribbon

Have a very happy day! x

Poppies - Just Because

The weather today here has been absolute PANTS! And because it's been wet the light has been even PANTSER! (Is that a word???)
Anyway you know what I mean - so consequently I had about 10 zillion attempts to take a photo of this card which looked anything like the actual thing - grey, full of shadows, horrible flower colours... even messing abpout with photo editing didn't make much difference - then just before I went out a patch of blue sky appeared through the roof window and I managed to get a couple of pics before the hailstones came again!

As Remembrance Day is almost upon us here in the UK it seemed fitting to make a card with Poppies.

I wanted something reasonably CaS but didn't want to make what you might call a 'typical remembrance card' with 'Sympathy' or a 'thinking of you' type sentiment, but wanted one that could be used to commemorate the fact that we are here when others are not.

The sentiment I stamped onto this small tag reminds me that I have a lot to be thankful for and happy about - even when I am feeling  the same as the weather - Pants!

Just basic linen card and a die cut from a scrap of card - die coloured with Distress Inks and mounted with 3d pads.
A few tiny sparkly gems and some shoestring ribbon - job done !

And a card which I hope can be sent 'Just Because' you feel like it!

Challenges -
Daring Card Makers - Other Occasions
Twist of Faith - Remembrance
Totally Gorjuss - Remember
Delicious Doodles - Remembrance
My Time to Craft - One layer or less
Pixies Playground - Snippets

Hope the weather isn't pants where you are! Thanks for taking the time to leave me a comment - I appreciate it. x

Christmas Window

Quite a cold day here today -think Winter is on it's way! It must be cold 'cos Dear Husband has turned up the heating!!!
I think I lulled myself into a false sense of security recently as I have actually liked my finished creations - all that is apart from this one.........

Have no idea what it is about it but it just doesn't sit right! 

There were a couple of challenges about to CASE other cards and that is what I tried to do with this one - everyone else's are 100% better than this one!

I CASED this card and designer
 http://kittiekraft.typepad.com/kittiekraft/2013/10/poinsettia-christmas-window.html
but tried to put my own twist on it rather than just do a straight copy.
(Mainly because I don't have either the same window or poinsettia dies! LOL)
Not sure if it's worked really - perhaps the  embossed brick background with the  raised bricks is too fussy?

All done on white linen card.
The window die I cut out twice for some depth and added a bit of lace behind it - (next time I likely will cut out an aperture from the base card I think)

Bit of printed Christmas ribbon and some punched leaves added. The flowers from my stash were a dirty cream shade (LOL) so coloured them with red distress ink before they got the stickles treatment!

Challenges -
Twisted Tuesday - Free for All
As You Like It - CASE a designer
C.R.A.F.T - Christmas
Paper Craftin Journey - CASE a Card
Beccy's Month of Holiday Cards - White on White
Crafty Bloggers - Christmas

Thanks for having a look today - comments appreciated - would love to know what you think! Have a great day. x

Man card!

Am still toiling away with Christmas Cards! It is so unusual for me to be organised I am beginning to get a bit worried!!
Today's share was made with a man in mind, inspired by something I saw last year on Pinterest
and uses a stamp I won in a challenge.

Blue base card layered with white linen textured card which had been given the treatment with a snowflake embossing folder!
Blue snowy patterned  paper at the bottom and a strip of punched snowflakes over the join.

The 'Old Truck' stamp comes with flowers and grass so this posed a bit of a problem - not a lot of floral greenery here in the Winter!
I used some tinselly twinkly white embossing powder  - and held my breath as I wasn't sure it would cover all the floral fancy round the base and in the back.... but it did!
Then put some more onto the body of the truck in an attempt to make it look like it had been snowed in for some time - was quite pleased with the result.

Added some glossy accents on the windscreen and headlamps which doesn't show up very well inj the pic.
Cut it out with a nestie and popped it onto a blue scalloped nestie oval. Finished off with my fave snowflake die and some blingy gems.

Challenges -
Nat and Amy's - For the Boys
2 Sisters - Christmas (no red or Green)
Crafting Cafe - Winter Blues
WOW - Christmas
Tok Bobok - Christmas
Scribble & Scrap - Anything Goes
Crafty Hazelnut's #149 - Christmas
CRAFT - One for the Boys
Christmas @Sweet Stamping - Card for a Male

Thanks for taking the time to call in today - and if you've been able to leave me a comment I really appreciate it. Have a great day whatever you're doing. x

A Traditional Christmas - Vintage Stamping DT

November is here and Christmas will soon be upon us!
So, to spur you into making sure you have all your Christmas cards made this month's challenge at Vintage Stamping is 'A Traditional Christmas'.
Remember - even though we have the word vintage in our title your project doesn't have to be! It DOES though, have to have some actual stamping on it...
So here's my DT card for this month -

I used black cardstock.
The mesh stuff I found in a drawer - I remember buying it and thinking it would make snow background and then used a teeny piece of it about 2 years ago! So am using it all up this year - or at least am going to try to!

The stamped image is from our wonderful sponsor Flonzcraft - and what can be more traditional than decorating a Christmas Tree?
After stamping, I painted the sky with Distress Inks in shades of blue and purple.

A liberal helping of Diamond Stickles applied to the floor and a wee bit dabbed onto the rooftop.
I glued tiny red gems onto the body of the tree and a green one on top. There was a 'garland' on the stamp so I stuck on some red metallic thread.. really fiddly and doubtful if I would attempt again!!!
Mounted it onto black card then layered it onto the card base.

The snowflake flourish is being well used this year! Popped on a couple of sparklies and some thin organza grey ribbon before adding the sentiment which I think is from Raspberry Road.

Challenges -
Crazy 4 Challenges - Not all Black & White
Sunday Sketch & Stamp no 181


Thanks for stopping in today and hope my little card has inspired you to join us this callenge - we'd love to see you!
Have a great day whatever you're doing. x

Most Popular?

A quick share today before I go out and get wet!

Another Christmas card too - and likely a stamp that the world and his wife have been using since it was released - I bought it a while back and spent yesterday stamping it in different colours to make into cards - only wish I could have got my hands on the Train postcard one at the same time too - but it's as elusive as Santa's reindeer at the mo!! On order and promised so I will just have to be patient.... NOT one of my best traits!

Opted for an aqua blue theme on this one - in a fit of madness about 5 years ago (!!!) I bought a pad of ridiculously expensive 12"x12" K and Co Winter Wonderland papers - as with so many papers they were strokable and viewable but too nice to be usable.......LOL
Last Christmas I made a start into cutting into them and have continued this year...'cos if I don't I'll be selling them as antiques!
Distressed the "vintage" papers, matted onto aqua blue card then layered onto the white base card.
Snowy Postcard stamped with Smokey Grey Versafine ink, edges distressed and coloured the sky with Tumbled Glass DI. Matted onto the same aqua blue.
Script embossing folder used onto Coredinations and sanded and placed behind the stamped image. A stamped word, some glittered die cut snowflakes and a scrap of white organza ribbon.
Once made up I decided to colour the holly leaves and berries in the corner of the stamp which I had originally left - oh and of course HAD to add lots of glittery stuff for snow!

Challenges -
Allsorts - Christmas
Gem of a Challenge - Christmas
C2CU - Vintage Christmas with a mono twist
Crafty Hands - Anything Goes
Scrapping 4 Fun - Christmas/Holiday
Winter Wonderland - Blue/White (and am hoping that my little touch of green for the holly leaves is ok!)
ALBC - Sparkle & Shine
2 Sisters - Christmas - no red or green

Thanks for visiting today - am away out for the afternoon but will be visiting everyone later.  Enjoy your day whatever you're doing.x