Gone!

And there it was - gone. Christmas that is!
So now we there are only a couple of days left of 2017 - this morning we woke up to quite heavy snow - so much so that I didn't fancy trying to get out of the road from the barn - one hair appointment cancelled and now shall be greeting the New Year looking like a shaggy dog. Good job there is only the other half seeing me.....😄

Made a card from some left overs so snow or not I am pulling on the wellies and trudging across to the Playground (which is considerably nearer than the hairdressers) - might even get to build a snowman?!
Used cream linen card as the base and found another left over piece to cut into!
The die cut leaves are a snippet of watercolour card suitably smooshed through various green inks (Crushed Olive/Shabby Shutters/Forest Moss).
Another scrap given the same treatment then I didn't know what to do with it - thought about another small die cut then remembered the corner die which reminds me of a trellis. Happily,  said scrap fitted behind it (JUST).
The little red birdie is also a die.
Stamped the sentiment  and done.

Linking up to
CASology - Kindness
Die Cuttin Divas - Thank you
Tuesday Throwdown - A/Goes
Crafty Gals Corner - A/Goes
Crafty Creations - A/Goes

It has just started to rain here so no doubt my lovely white wonderland will soon be washed away!
Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and that you are all warm, dry and safe wherever you are. x

And so this is Christmas

A Christmas card to share today - made for someone in America - can only hope it arrived with the flower (and the bead centre) intact!

I used linen textured card as the base.
The gold embossing was done with Cling Film (thanks Loll!!).  I am still being too heavy handed though I think when pressing the scrunched up cling film onto the embossing pad.... but this was done last minute (as I had forgotten the post date for the USA) so just had to go with it as it was.

The poinsettia is by Penny Black from their Wonder Collection. Painted with Fired Brick, Barn Door and Festive Berries Distress Inks before fussy cutting.
I added some seed beads into the centre.
The sentiment was stamped in Metallic Gold ink and is also from Penny Black.

I hope everyone has not worn themselves out in the pre Christmas madness - if you can spare a couple of minutes -  sit down, turn on your speakers and listen to this - one of my fave renditions of this Christmas song -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tekN9NtGXOc
Might set you up for the holiday!

Joining in a couple of challenges -
Allsorts - Seasonal Flowers
PB Sat Challenge- Christmas
Sweet Stampin - Last Minute Christmas
CC Throwdown - Previous Challenge -( 2012 Christmas Flowers)

I will be here all over Christmas but I know many of you will be very busy with your family and friends, so I want to wish you all a Happy Christmas full of love and may all you wish for come true.
Thank you all for your visits this year - they have meant a lot. xx

Shocking!

Shocking PINK that is!
I mentioned that I'd been messing with Alcohol Inks again so here is the first completed card.

Have made rather a mess on the table with these inks.... and a mess on my hands!
LOVED IT!

I followed Loll's technique of scribbling the inks onto foil then smooshing the Yupo through it.
I used two separate pieces of Yupo.

The first piece is really dark (saved for another  time) and this is the result with the 'second pass'.

Flicked some white acrylic paint here and there before adding the two die cuts, (cut from some odd leftovers - so it's the Christmas visit to the Playground for me....!)
The sentiment was shadow stamped using my Misti and Versafine Smokey Grey then Versafine Black. It looks a little out of focus on the pic!

I suppose everyone is mad busy getting ready for the weekend... one of the plus things about there just being the 2 of us is there is no mad running about at Christmas. We've done our (small) food and (large) drink shopping, wrapped a couple of pressies up for each other and are ready to hibernate!

I did though manage to get my tree up a week early this year - as for some unknown reason I wanted it to be Christmas (for the first time in YEARS - normally I am full of Bah Humbug and the tree makes an appearance around the 24th December!)

Hope you're all surviving the pre Christmas panic - and thanks for taking the time to drop in. x

Joining in over at -
SOS - Gah Pink!
Crafty Creations - Anything Goes
Crafty Gals corner - Anything Goes
Craftaholics R Us - Anything Goes
CRAFT - Anything Goes

Red and Gold

Home from a couple of days away with some good friends - was lovely to just relax - although we have done a lot of eating (and drinking!). We went to a Lantern Festival on Thursday night - freezing cold but a really nice evening -I even made a paper lantern complete with glow stick! 
I can post their card now as although my friend doesn't have a blog she does look at mine.

I am REALLY disappointed with this pic - I was so pleased with myself when I had finished the card but this pic doesn't do it any justice at all - so you will just have to imagine the finished article.
It was a quick card really despite the matting and layering and it was inspired by something similar seen on Pinterest.

I started by stamping the birdie on the branch (SU Beautiful Season) onto a piece of scrap paper and cut out to make myself a mask.
Stamped onto the red card and gold embossed, masked it, then stamped the script stamp in metallic gold ink.
Used some of the leftovers from the gold matt card to cut out the Holly die and added some gold grossgrain ribbon - Finished!
It does look so much better in real life!

Joining in over at -
Die Cut Divas - Winter
HLS Dies - A/Goes with dies
1 Crazy Stamper - Winter
Fussy & Fancy - Christmas
Thanks for looking - I am now on lots of 'me' time - have a couple of finishing touches to the re-arranged bedrooms to do and of course I have to get the tree up! (Last minute as ever!) Our Christmas will be quiet as usual with just the two of us and I am intending on trying to catch up on all that I have missed during my busy year. xx

One stamp = lots of cards!

Our snow disappeared this morning - because the rain decided to come instead!
It has been really cold here the last few days so in between the bed and wardrobe assembly and the clearing up afterwards I snook (hope that's a word!) into the craftie space...In between the Christmas cards I have been messing with alco inks  -  I will share those makes later  -  so I have a Christmas share again today.

This was a quick card - so quick I made quite a few - in different colours including the one below done with a Brilliance Ink Pad in Twilight colours.

The stamp is an old one and suppose it is intended primarily as a background stamp.
I stamped it in Silver Encore Metallic Ink and then silver embossed on top.

It is really lush!  The embossing has really stood out and is amazingly shiny. Didn't need to do much else so I embossed a sentiment onto a scrap of vellum and stamped a single silver snowflake, adding a tiny sparkly gem.
Layered onto silver matt card before putting onto the white base.

The other card was stamped with the tri-colour ink pad and clear embossed. It looks OK but isn't anywhere near as shiny as the silver one - but I like it.
I know there's not a lot of white space left on these cards but I consider them to be CAS so 
I am sharing at a couple of challenges  - I'm sure if they don't fit the Challenge criteria I can be forgiven for linking (after all it's nearly Christmas!!) - seriously though I know how irritating it is when the rules aren't followed so if they're not CAS enough I apologise in advance!!
 AAA - Sparkle
CHNC- Christmas (option Sparkle) 
CAS on Friday - Christmas
Addicted to CAS - Sparkle
Craftaholics R Us - Embossing
 I am off to see a friend for a few days from tomorrow - at least the snow has gone for the drive!
Stay warm wherever you are! x

Experiment!

Brr.... it's cold here! Had some snow and more forecast for the weekend. Have spent the last couple of days assisting dear husband whilst we have had a re-vamp of 2 of the bedrooms - a new bed ordered for one, a new carpet and a quick change round of the furniture. Looks tidier and we've not spent a firtune so am happy.

Am not so sure I am happy with my embossing on this card - particularly the sentiment!
The gold embossing on the black was a bit of an experiment and I masked off the card to leave me enough room for a greeting in the middle.
The sentiment stamp is from a set called Fabulous Fashion by Katy Sue designs.
I confess to never having inked any of this stamp set .... maybe that's why the embossing hasn't turned out as crisp as I would have wished?
There's a lot of little gold flecks where they shouldn't be.
 
The baroque style background is an old wooden backed stamp - so old that the name of the maker etc has worn off!
I mounted it onto gold matt card before layering it onto the black card base.
It's not too bad an effort - hopefully my next attempt turns out better! I have managed to make a couple more Christmas cards too - will share these over the weekend!

Linking up to
Kitty Bee- Anything Goes
Crafters Cafe - Embossing
Moo Mania & More - Heat Embossing
Stamplorations December Challenge -Theme - Stamps and Gold

Hope you are all snug and warm - have a great weekend whatever you're doing. x

Not Christmas!

I have had a few days in the crafty space in my 'wind down time'. As today is also the first day of the Stamping Sensations Challenge please scroll down the the next post to see our challenge this month!
Finished the Christmas cards (will be able to show these now as I am at home!) but in addition just sat and made a few other cards too.
I had a little trip out to a craft shop (dear husband sat in the car outside for HOURS!!!) and I spent a little on some new stash.
None of it inked as yet......LOL
The inspiration for this card is attributed to the very talented Birgit who made a card like this using a similar stamp a few years back.

I am really pleased with the way this turned out! I used Carved Pumpkin Distress Ink and linen textured card.
The stamp is from Technique Tuesday. Stamped and heat embossed then coloured with Carved Pumpkin.
Simply inked the bottom panel then added the flower top.
Found these beads in my stash - no idea where they came from! But they were a good colour match so used them.
The sentiment is from Stampin Up.

Used up some odd pieces of card so am paying a visit to the Playground - have missed not being there during the summer!

Also linking to
PB&More - CAS
CAS Mix Up December - Stamping, Heat Embossing, Watercolour
Crafters Cafe - Embossing

Hoping you are all having a happy Sunday. x

Stamping Sensations December Challenge

Not long to Christmas now so our Challenge at Stamping Sensations is a related theme of Winter Trees and Flowers.

I was going to do another winter tree scene but changed my mind and ended up using one of my 'go
to' Christmas Stamps which is this Poinsettia stamp from Creative Expressions. The set has several different sizes of the flowers but for this card I just used the largest one.

I stamped and gold embossed onto white vellum then fussy cut each one.

On the base card just stamped and embossed few blobs (!!) (SU Timeless Textures) on the left - (on reflection may have been better just spattering with gold paint as I think they look a bit 'bulky')
Positioned the flowers folding in and securing those that overlapped the edge.
Sentiment from my stash again gold embossed.

Originally thought about pearls for the centres but them found these lonely glittery bits in the Blingy Box so used them instead!
And another bonus - this is quite a flat card despite the blingy centres so in keeping with my promise not to make OTT multi layered cards to save postage!

Our prize this month is all these goodies and to be in with a chance you need to link up your creation.
Please remember we are a Stamping challenge and so we must see a stamped image sentiment etc as the FOCAL element of your submission. Stamping must be the central point of attention! Hope you will find time to join in with us!

Have a great day whatever you're doing. x

Almost at the end.....

....of the Presidential year! 3 more events to go - but none now until the 2 in January and then the final one at the end of February so a nice long rest time in-between for me!

Time to write those cards that I have made (and bought!! LOL) and maybe now I'll be able to get back into making messy.

Have done only a few fussy/fancy Christmas cards to date - concentrated on CAS this year mainly because of time.
Quite liked how this one turned out even though it was a bit fiddly!

I don't have separate star dies - this is one that has the 3 stars on it so it took a bit of working out about the positioning but got there in the end.

The gold glitter card behind is really subtle and gives a lovely muted sparkle which the pic doesn't really show.

I used a gold gel pen for the strings and stamped the sentiment in gold mettallic ink.
Job done.

Joining in at -
LIM - Let it Shine
AAA- CAS Christmas
CHC - A/thing Christmas
Jingle Bells - Baby it's Gold Outside

And speaking of gold - I had a wonderful night at the Ladies National Presentation Dinner last Saturday in Coventry! Was as nervous as anything having to give my speech but got through it without any hiccups or anything.

I had a full length dress - why do long dresses always come in lengths only for 6' tall women!
I ended up having to buy shoes with MASSIVE heels so it didn't trail the floor - thankfully I managed not to fall off them when presenting the trophies!
Kept them on too for almost 6 hours!!!

Thanks for visiting today. A cold wet and windy day here - hope you are all having a nice day whatever you're doing. x

Star

A bit of using up the paper mountain here!

I have had these heavyweight papers for ages - I bought them at a local fair several years ago - in fact I bought a pack with pastel colours and a lady who I have never met bought a pack of dark colours and we sat on the floor (no seats -  the place was packed) and divided up the two packs as neither of us wanted the whole one!

Needless to say as is usual with me, I used a couple of them and then the rest got packed away.
Found them whilst looking for pale blue card!

The star is from SU. I have used it a lot and is probably one of my more sensible Christmas Stamp buys.

I used Versa Magic 'Aquatic Splash' ink - it was a great colour match with the papers - and clear embossed.

I didn't buy the dies that matched the stamp set as I thought they were very expensive - and after all even I couldn't mess up cutting round a star shape.... (the second layer hides the bit I took out of the bottom star)
A little bit of glitter round the edges and dotted here and there and assembled when dry.
The script die was another indulgence - first time of use.......
Another card finished!
Challenges -
Crafting w/Dragonflies - Non Trad card with bling
Sweet Stampers - Christmas
Monochrome Magic - Anything Goes

I finished my round of County Presentations last Saturday. I have taken the battery out of the bathroom scales after all the food I have eaten at these lunches and dinners.
I only have 4 more duties left before I hand over the chain of office at the end of February. My year has almost finished!
There is one more event for me before Christmas - the Ladies National Presentation this weekend. The BIG ONE! Long frock, high heels and gold nails! Oh and yes - the speech to millions present - eek!!
Looking forward to having a bit of 'me' time in December!
Enjoy your week whatever you're doing and thanks for visiting! x

Golden

Carrying on with the Christmas makes whilst I have been able to. Production now halted as I have two more Presentations in the next few days!
Another quickie card really -

Stamp is from the Wonder Collection by Penny Black.
This card was the second attempt and was inspired by Pinterest.

I originally stamped with metallic ink onto the dark grey base card.
The result was a rather pale and sad looking tree which could hardly be seen.

By the time I had decided it needed embossing I had already removed the stamp from the Misti so didn't chance trying to position it in the exact same place on the grid - mainly cos I couldn't remember where exactly it was in the first place!

So - another piece of card used (not that it made any difference to the paper mountain).
Stamped the middle tree first then gold embossed, repositioned the stamp twice more and gold embossed.
This time you can actually see the trees!
A Simple embossed sentiment, matted onto gold mirri card and a gold thread bow finished it off.

This is a card that I can't quite make my mind up about. Am unsure about the flat background - this dark grey is not a favourite!
Might try on a blue background with silver... or might even buy some black pearlised paper (cos there's none of that in the paper mountain) and redo in gold.
Hoping that you all are happy in your own little part of blogland - will see you all later in the week! x
Challenges -
CCC - Anything Christmas
Crafty Catz - No Patterned Papers
Cardz 4 Guyz - Oh Christmas Tree

Quick Christmas 2

Getting on with some Christmas cards and made a few using leftover card.
I often am inspired by my blogging buddy Loll who makes simply beautiful cards and once again this one comes from Loll's ideas.
Loll also provides the tutorial for making the background!

Yupo paper and Alcohol inks in Sail Boat Blue and Stream with a teeny bit of silver additive. I used a large piece of Yupo and made a few cards like this and another which will be revealed in the New Year.

Simple dies cuts for the trees and the stitched frame and I ran a silver gel pen round the outline of the trees as I thought they needed to stand out more!
Dabbed a white gel pen on the background (not sure it looks like snow.... LOL) and added the sentiment in Silver Ink.

Another one which isn't too bulky to post and another few made for my stash - although am a long way off from the number I need......
I can feel a visit to the supermarket may be necessary!

Linking up to
ATSM - Make your Mark
Xmas@SS - Anything Goes
Cardz 4 Guyz - O Christmas Tree
Hope you are all having a good day. Thanks for visiting! x
  

One layer Christmas

Christmas will soon be here (and as usual I have done not a lot in the way of cards!) - so this month at Stamping Sensations we have a Christmas Challenge for you - if you're like me you need a push to get going!
Just one teeny point - the challenge is ONE LAYER CHRISTMAS! So not fussy and fancy millions of layers, cost a fortune to post cards - just one single layer!

There is a great prize on offer this month from Tattered Lace  - who wouldn't want this lot of goodies before Christmas?
Please remember though - WE ARE A STAMPING CHALLENGE - .
So must see a stamped image, sentiment or quote as the focal element of your artwork , this means:

Stamping must be the central point of attention and interest

I managed to get a little free time and do my card - sadly the weather was terrible when I came to take the pic so it's not the best but my little winter scene looks OK in real life.

I used a £2 coin (for the moon) and brushed Stormy Sky and Victorian Velvet DI's for the sky. I didn't want the moon outline too sharp so applied much less ink near the coin!
Tumbled Glass DI sponged  along the top edge of a hills template for the shading of snow.
The trees stamp is an old one (it must have been wood backed at one time - sadly no more so no idea where it came from).

I randomly stamped the trees using Stormy Sky DI.
Then I made the mistake with the sentiment by using the same DI - which didn't give a good crisp impression - but hey ho I've just gone with it!
Finished it all off with a white Gel pen and some glittery stuff!
Linking up to
AAA - Ink Blending
Crafty Friends - Christmas
Hoping that you will join in this month  - my teamies have once again come up with some great inspiration for you - please pop across to the blog and take a look!
As for me - well I'm still on the road attending End of Season Presentation Dinners. But am home a little bit in between so promise to pop along and visit you all when I can.
Hope all is well with you all in your part of blogland! x

Quick Christmas

We travelled to Dorset last week then on to the Isle of Wight - both Ladies Presentations and both enjoyed very much.
Drove home last night and confess to being dog tired.... have changed the bed and done all the washing and sat down here determined that today and tomorrow I am going to make something particularly as I am now aware it is almost November and I need Christmas cards!
Decided this year that most/all will be CAS and quick and trying to make them in batches of four.
Here's the first -

this is one layer and was done using Bright and Beautiful set from SU.

Am a tad disappointed in the pic (aren't I always) as the stars are actually quite reflective/shiny - I used an Encore Ultimate Metallic Gold Ink Pad - and it really is lovely ink!

The sentiment is one of my very first Christmas stamps and I love the script.
Just added a few little gems for added sparkly.

I made four of these - am going to have another go on dark cardstock and emboss the stars - and if I run out of other one layer ideas then there likely will be more in different colours!

My Presentations are not yet over - have a few more then I have the Ladies National Presentation Dinner at the end of next month - cue long frock!!! My year finishes at the end of February with the Men's National Dinner.... so no doubt another long dress will be required (any excuse!).

I hope all is well with you all here in blogland. Have a few days to myself this week so will try and see you all - if you're still showing up in my Reading List - as Mr Blogger appears to have banished you all to cyberspace.....
Am linking up to Christmas Card Challenges  and Christmas at Sweet Stampin' who both have Anything Goes challenges and also to CASe this Sketch - which you can see here.

Have a great day whatever you're doing. x
  

Unfinished!

I had a full day at home yesterday which is in itself a bit of a novelty!
Apart from the usual mad unpacking, then the big decisions of what to wear to the next Presentation (as we all know you can't be seen in the same thing too many times!!!!) - I set aside a couple of hours to do something for me.

As always though I have ran out of time and although I finished one card (my DT card for next month's challenge) I didn't manage to finish this one - but thought I would share it anyway.

The more I look at it, the less I like it!

It was one of those that formed in my head but when I tried to interpret it onto the paper it just didn't  work!
And I have no idea what to do to finish it off - 'cos I think it does look unfinished!

Maybe that's what comes from trying to use up oddments of coloured card in a vain attempt to clear the desk (which is full of dust anyway as I've been absent so much) - or maybe it's because I simply had a need to do SOMETHING as I haven't been able to just sit for hours and mess about with inks!
Shall put it to one side and hope that it I find a use for it.........
Am popping into the Playground as I DID use up some odd offcuts of card!

I have a half hour before I have to leave for the next trip - so am going to try and visit as many of you as I can.
Have a great day whatever you're doing - and any thoughts you have on this sad little card would be welcomed! xx 

Autumn Glory

It's time for another challenge at Stamping Sensations and our theme is AUTUMN GLORY. Please please remember we are a STAMPING CHALLENGE so stamping has to be the FOCAL POINT of your entry
We have the fab Stamp Addicts as our sponsors too - a great prize on offer!

My DT submission started off it's life as a tag... but then I thought it needed to go on a card!!

I started off with a plain manilla tag, a variety of leaf stamps and Distress Inks.
I clear embossed the large leafy branches and the tiny 'dotty' stamp first then began to build up the colour.

Covered the whole tag with Dried Marigold then blended Ripe Persimmon and finished with Seedless Preserve - although this is purple it gave a lovely Autumny colour over the other inks!

Rubbed the whole tag with a paper towel and this allowed the clear embossed bits to stand out a bit.
Simply randomly stamped a few odd leaves, a tiny script stamp and the word stamp- used same inks with the addition of Gathered Twigs.
A wooden bark effect button and some twine finished it.

My stand alone tag looked a bit 'lost' so with ivory linen card I used a wood background embossing folder and just brushed the ink duster over it (didn't apply any more ink - just used up what was on the brush!)
Matted then put onto the card and popped a teeny wooden peg on the top.

Hope you like it - please go visit the Stamping Sensations blog and have a peep at what my teamies have come up with this month!
Thanks for visiting me today - appreciate you all! x

Where have I been?

It has been a long long time since my last post!
I have been so incredibly busy travelling, visiting Clubs up and down the Country, being at the four International Series and of course the National Championships and other National Finals. I have been home for 4 days, have just about got myself sorted as I'm off again tomorrow - this time to the European Championships!
I have neglected my DT friends and all my blogging friends but honestly have been that tired when I've got back to wherever I am staying I have had no energy to do anything but fall into bed!

This make was half finished before I went away last month. It was SUPPOSED to be my DT card for the colour challenge over at Stamping Sensations.

Needless to say I didn't have the time to finish it. So I have finished it today.

Too late for the Challenge blog but am posting it as there is still a week to go before the challenge closes and thought you might want to give it a go... that is if there's anyone out there still following me!!!!
(Pic isn't the best either - as my camera has run out of power after being abandoned on the desk for 6 weeks - so used the phone)

It's been quite difficult without my crafting to relax over the last few months - it'll be a little while longer before I can get back into it too - October and November are busy as I shall be attending Annual Prize Presentation Lunches and Dinners... but am hoping that inbetween I will be able yo throw some ink onto some paper!
Card made using SU Gift of Love stamp embossed in white. Spun Sugar DI and various watercolour pinks, blues, greens for the 'spatters'. Sentiment a freebie in a mag, inked in versacolour Orchid and clear embossed.

I hope all is well in your world. Now the packing is done ready for tomorrow, I have sat here with a cup of tea and am going to spend some time here in blogland.
Love to you all. x

Sunny Days

Another scheduled post!
The August challenge at Stamping Sensations is 'ANYTHING GOES'!!
Don't forget we are a STAMPING challenge so stamping has to be the focal point of your entry!
Another great prize on offer... pop over to the blog for the deets. Here's my share for the DT this month.

Made from scraps too so am quite pleased with myself!
Background square masked and inked with Tumbled Glass and Mermaid Lagoon DI.
The stamp is of course from SU - an old set but I really like this pic of the little man building his sandcastle.

Painted the image with Promarkers - long time since I had those out!
I fussy cut round it and  tried to blend the edges where it met the sea with a teeny dab of DI - then raised it up with foam pads.
Punched a sun out of some yellow card, stamped a couple of birds then put it into a frame cut from linen card (another left over - it wasn't big enough to make a card with!)
Added the sentiment and a couple of shells all stamped in Vintage Sepia.

Am hoping that by the time August comes, we will be having some Sunny Days - not least because I am away for the month at the National Championships!

Thanks to everyone who is still visiting me and commenting. I am really enjoying my Presidential year but am sooooo missing my craftie space and blogland. x 

A Day (or 2) of rest?

Been home for 3 whole days!!! Unbelievable.
Spent a lot of it catching up with paperwork and the boring stuff such as washing/ironing etc etc
Found literally half an hour to have a cuppa in the craftie space and rummaged about in a 'Bag Of Bits' on the desk.
Once I'd wiped the dust off that is.......
There were some odd bits of linen card in rough squares (Lord knows why I saved them - but hey - I've used them!)

This is a variation on a card I made some time back - that one was blue.
Went for girly pink this time!
Spun Sugar, Victorian Velvet and tattered Rose to be exact!.
Just inked distressed and layered the squares, wrapping a scrap of dyed binding round the bottom one.

Couple of die cuts from the 'Cut Out and Don't Know What to Do With' box tucked in behind the ribbon, 3 pink pearls and there you are!

It's not very inspiring.
Nor is it very complex.
At the moment no time to do inspiring or complex. No time really to have been sat in the craftie space with ink pads either!
But it IS a make. Which is better than nothing.

Not a lot of time to link up to any challenges but AM going to find half an hour for a trip to the Playground to see my buddies who I am missing madly!

I am seriously missing blogland. Just going to pop round to as many of you as I can and have a lookie at what you've been up to....
So too many pics of all the places I have been to over the last 10 weeks to show here  but am sharing a couple of pics of what I've been up to with our Internationals....... who are of course THE BEST!!

 
















Am off again with the Internationals this week - this time it's the turn of the Under 25 women. Hoping for more of the same success that the Seniors have had!
Until I'm back have a great time whatever you're doing. xx

Flowers anyone?

Another scheduled post as I am currently in Ireland  with the Men's Senior International Team - last day's play today so am hoping that the trophy is ours by the time you get round to reading this!
Our July challenge at Stamping Sensations is - 'Anything With Flowers', so there's lots of scope for you - but don't forget - we are a STAMPING challenge so stamping has to be the focal point of your project please!
Our sponsor this month is Crafty Individuals.

I had a bit of an inky fest with this card.
I used watercolour paper and Salty Ocean DI. I really like this blue and it was a change for me to use blue and yellow together.
The stamps are all from Stempelglede Vintage Garden Set. I've had them a long time and like them a lot.
The flourishes and main image were stamped in Vintage Sepia.

I double stamped the flowers and fussy cut the two largest flowers, and used Derwent Inktense pencils.
I wasn't as happy as I could have been with my colouring but am so busy travelling and doing my Presidential duties at the moment - so hope it doesn't look too rushed and you can glean a teeny bit of inspiration from it!
I simply finished the panel off by running the DI round the edge and added a organza bow threaded through a pearl buckle.

Please find a couple of spare minutes to pop over to the Stamping Sensations blog and I know my teamies appreciate if you visit them and leave them a quick comment! (Like me too!)
Bit of a quick change for me - flying home tonight then tomorrow I am driving to Buckinghamshire, then on to Bedfordshire at the end of the week. Am hoping to grab some time to come and visit you all.
Have a great week! x

Spotty!

As you may have guessed from my lack of appearances once again I am travelling. I thought though rather than leave my blog unloved for the next couple of weeks that I would schedule a couple of posts.
(Desperate not to lose any of you!)
None of my makes recently have been pretty inspiring I am afraid. I have put this down to being tired from the journeys, playing, not sleeping in my own bed (and yes being nice to people ALL the time!!! 😀😀😀 )
I have tried to make a couple of cards but spare time has been at a premium when you have only 48 hours at home before off on another trip - and in those 48 hours there's the washing/ironing etc then the re-packing to do - not to mention trying to re-charge the batteries ready to go off again!

This is a simple card. But I quite like it - and as I have lots of spotty card/paper in my stash I shall be making more for cheapie sales for the charity box.

The parcels were inked in Certainly Celery and a teeny pearl centred in the bow. 

The whole of the inside is the spotty card (with a suitable white square for the greeting). I simply cut a third off the right hand edge so you could see it. 

So have scheduled this - when it posts  I shall be on what is quite a long run of celebration matches (Wiltshire, then 2 games in Worcestershire followed by the Senior Women's International Series in Wales then on to Cambridge, Hertfordshire and Norfolk.)
I am hoping that I will be able to get over to see you all at least once in the next couple of weeks!
'See' you all soon. xx

Crossing the Sea

Today sees the start of the new challenge at Stamping Sensations - and for June we have Visible Image as our generous sponsors.
The challenge is to 'Use Your Favourite Stamp'.

How difficult is that???? I have lots of stamps I like and it is impossible to choose a favourite so instead I chose one that I have used a lot as it is I think a great versatile background.

I used it on a lot of ordinary occasion cards - Birthdays, Get Well, Sympathy altering the look by masking and stamping small areas rather than the whole background and adding other stamps. (examples HERE and HERE)

This time I used the entire stamp inked in Certainly Celery.

Not sure why I chose green as the background colour instead of blue considering the 'sea' reference but it looks OK!

The large ship stamp was by Flonzcraft, inked in Smokey Grey and stamped several times to obtain the depth of colour I wanted.

The sentiment stamp is from another set, stamped onto left over card, edges distressed and 'hung' with a bit of string and a brad.
A bit of embellie - a scrap of hessian and a tiny seahorse - couldn't resist!

Hope you can find the time to join in with us this month - am currently away on my travels again but hoping to find a spare hour to visit everyone! x  

A Change

Have had two full days at home this week!
Put the washing in as soon as we walked through the door Thursday night (about 11.30pm), managed to get it all dry and ironed yesterday, packed again for this week (away again tomorrow!) and then sat down today in my much missed craftie space for a couple of hours.
Straight after my tour (the one here in England not the one abroad) a friend lent us the use of their static caravan on the South Coast. We had a lovely couple of 'down time' days, much needed and it was really nice to relax.
I collected a few shells from some walks along the beach and we generally just lazed about for 3 days. WONDERFULLY FABULOUS!!
I wanted to give them something to say thank you so this is what I've done......

Apologies for the shadows on the pic - it was a right palaver trying to get a decent photo at all!

So I started off with a piece of left over watercolour paper, (might just get in under the gates before it's dark in the Playground then.....) painted the sky with watered down Stormy Sky DI. Masked off the bottom half and did a bit of sponging with Shabby Shutters, Forest Moss and Crushed Olive to make a grassy hill then masked again and used watered down Salty Ocean for the sea.

The sand is sandpaper! Stamped the birdies (Wetlands - SU), ripped the sandpaper and then went over the torn edge with white wax pastel. Ran the same pastel along the sea to make something that remotely resembles waves.

The yacht was on a sheet of laser cut thingies that I bought simply years ago - found it when I was in the drawers looking for the sandpaper - I just snipped it off and stuck it down - surprisingly it looks like the boats on the Solent where we were.
The shells were from those collected and I added a tiny bit of string - for no other reason than it was well - just there in the drawer!
The shadow box frame was painted with white acrylic paint (suitably thinned) then I used a large flat brush and dragged Iced Spruce DI across it.

I am actually rather happy with this - It's only a small piece - about 4 inches square, and I really hope the recipients like it too. It's been a long time since I've done anything other than cards - well in fact it's been a long time since I've done - well- anything!!!
So am sharing this little thank you present with the following challenges -
Scrap + Craft - A/Goes with String (and I know it's only a small piece but it IS String!)
SOTSS - B is for Beach
A Inky Mess - Anything Mixed media
Rubber Dance - Inspiration Photo

Thanks for taking the time to look and I love reading your comments - promise to be round to visit you all very soon. x

Finally A Share!!!

HELLO BLOGLAND! Have missed you.
20 days since I have been able to post anything - and am only here for a fleeting visit before off I go again.
Thanks to everyone who is still following me.
Have a commissioned card which I have made over the last couple of days whilst waiting for the washing to do and in between the ironing!

I don't often use digi stamps but this was one in my digi folder which I think was a freebie some time ago from Just Inklined.

The person who ordered the card thought it was a fun image for the bride and groom and I was asked to tie it in with a pink theme as the bridesmaids are wearing pink.

I confess I found this card really difficult to do - it's been such a long time since I have done ANYTHING but even longer since I've made anything that hasn't involved ink dusters and stamps!
Even worse I used the dreaded white pearlised card - which is just pants when it comes to photo taking!

Embossed the first layer with a swirly folder to give the background some texture.
Printed out the digi and clear embossed before cutting out with the oval frame die, then coloured with Promarkers. Added teeny flecks of glamour dust onto the edges of the bow on the shoes and a pink sparklie.
The flowers were all made from the rest of the pearlised card. I inked the edges of each of them with Spun Sugar DI and added a little more glamour dust.

A big pink bow and a couple of silver charms - the heart because it IS a wedding after all (!!) and the key for the poor groom to unlock his ball and chain!!
Can only hope they like it!

As it's been an age since I linked into any challenges am heading over to join in at
Crafty Catz - Make your Own Flowers
Fussy and Fancy - Flowers
In the Pink -Embossing
Simply Create Too - Use a Digi stamp
Creative Knockouts - Embossing

I cannot tell you all how much I appreciate that you are bearing with me this year. It is soooo busy and the travelling is immense. BUT - I am getting to visit lots of lovely places and meet lots of really nice people so being tired is worth it - and - you only get one go at it so you have to make the most of it!
Hope all OK with you and yours my blogging buddies. xxx

Fantasy

Time for our latest challenge at Stamping Sensations and this month we have the theme of Butterflies, Fairies and Fantasy - a lot of scope there for you and I hope you will come and join us as there's a fab prize on offer - if you pop across to the blog you will see the goodies!

We are a stamping challenge so stamping has to be the focal point of your entry!

I went for inkiness this month as I have been having a bit of an inkfest as can be seen from my previous posts!
I used a mask for the moon and began dusting on my colour - Broken China DI all across my piece of card and then layered over it Stormy Sky.

Mountains were done with a mask and Salty Ocean DI then I moved the mask down a bit and applied some Dusty Concord and Seedless Preserve - leaving the original Broken China  base layer showing at the bottom.
After taking away the moon mask I dusted lightly over it to take away the stark white card - think perhaps I should have done a bit more but hey ho!

Versafine Black ink used for all the stamps - the bottom meadow border stamp I think was a freebie but am not sure! If it was I likely only bought the mag because I wanted it.
The trailing vines were also a freebie and I know I DEFINITELY only bought the mag to get the set!
I shadow stamped these and was really happy with the result.
A little bit of Black Soot sponged round all the edges to hopefully give a smoky effect. 

The fairy was from a set of fantasy stamps that I have had for ever. She looked a little bit like she should have had something in her hands so I used a teeny Inkylicious stamp and gave her a few flowers!
Some glamour dust on her wings, flowers and the bottom of her skirt with a little bit more on the flowers beneath her.
Quite pleased with this as fairies (and making scenes!) are not normally my thing.

Am off for a week now on my President's Internal Tour so have a great week and will catch up with you all soon!x

Sunset

I can't believe it is over a week since I posted - the days are flying by.
I have been doing a bit of DT stuff this week well in advance as I am going to be away such a lot but in between I made a  couple of cards and had fun getting very inky and messy!

It's been a lovely day here and I have spent most of it outside making tidy and in a lot of cases renewing the pots on the patio.
Typically though I forgot to take the pictures whilst it was bright!
This one isn't as sharp as I would like it to be but you get the general idea.

I just wanted a basic 'friend' card for the stash box and I really like this SU sentiment so everything was done with that in mind.

I used Carved Pumpkin, Spiced Marmalade and Dried Marigold DI's for the sky.
The bottom was inked with Brushed Corduroy and Gathered Twigs. I tore some masking tape for the ground and at first was disappointed that it wasn't a 'clean' line - but the more I look at it the more it is growing one me!
I used a paintbrush and added some more ink  under the trees.

The trees and birdies were all stamped with Memento Rich Cocoa, as was the sentiment.
Joining in the following challenges -
APTTC - Open Challenge #4
Crafts Galore Encore - A/Goes
HIMCR - Freestyle
CFTH - A/Goes

Coffee time for me now and a trawl through blogland to catch up with you all - and a sit to rest my aching back! x

Sunny

Nice bright sunny day here - but very cold - so not sure that Spring is here after all even though the cherry blossom is flowering.

If you have been visiting me for a while you will know that yellow is not one of my favourite colours to work with.
Scrabbling through the 12x12 paper I found this striped paper. In fact found several sheets of it - most in real vivid colours (really 'in your face' colours that make you need to shield your eyes!). Don't remember buying them either!

The yellow one though was actually quite a nice shade and with a few bits of white card laying about on the desk, I made this simple and quick.
Die was coloured with Inktense Watercolour Pencils.
Only little bits of stamping - the sentiment obviously - but the butterflies looked flat once I had coloured them so just inked up a teeny flourish stamp with Certainly Celery ink and gave their tiny bodies a few curly bits!

Joining in the following challenges -
LIM - Stripe
HLS Dies - A/Goes
4 Crafty Chicks - Butterflies
Allsorts - I spy (:Letter 'B')
Petal Lu - Yellow Flowers

Am now busy preparing for the next trip and still have a few things to do -  but thinking about wrapping up and going for a long walk as it seems a shame to waste the sunshine even if it is cold!
Have a great day whatever you're doing and thanks for stopping by! x

Inlaid Dies

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend. I spent mine getting to grips with some paperwork and then had a little time for myself in the craftie space.

When I am able to I try to take part in the CAS Mix Up Challenges. I find it easy to add elements onto fussy cards but trying to make CAS ones with the required elements taxes me a bit and I like the challenge!
This month it's 'Inlaid Dies + Stamping +Your Choice'.

I have had this Poppy die for a long time and think it was one of the first I bought. Bright idea to use it with some left over Alco Inked paper and white card.
At this point I think I should make a 'Note to Self' - think about how long it is going to take you to inlay all the fiddly bits before starting!!

I used Raspberry and Red Pepper for the flower heads and Lettuce, Meadow and a teeny bit of Citrus for the stems and base.
Although it took quite a while to piece it all back together (particularly the white bits) I am happy now it's finished! Cut it out using my cross stitch die then popped it back into the original square pice before mounting it onto the base card.
The sentiment was stamped in Certainly Celery and heat embossed and I added a couple of teeny sparklies to finish it off.

Have no plans today excepting to pop over to the Playground to catch up with everyone then make a few more cards! Thanks for stopping by - have a great day whatever you're doing. x

Other Challenges -
CASology - Cue Word 'GROW'
The Crafty Addicts - Anything Goes/Sentiment
Dragonfly Journeys - Square
HLS CAS April - Blend
Cut It Up - CASE (and I CASE'd Loll (AGAIN!!) Her card is here

Bad Penny!

Hello my luvly blogging buddies! I hope you are all happy and well!

Arrived home and have not stopped. No 'me' time at all! Need another holiday to get over the Tour - but it was a really brilliant tour and those of you who follow me on Face Book will no doubt have become very very bored with all the pics by now!

Mr Mojo is still on his holidays as I have no ideas for anything since my return.
So I have been busy doing the organising for the next trip at the beginning of May. Then I am home for a few days before the travelling starts in earnest. Have everything reasonably sorted but it's been a hectic time.
When Mr Mojo disappears I always turn to Pinterest and CASE. And this is what I have done with this set -  a lady called Naomi in the US made a set like this and I really liked them!

Just simple and quick - and now sold as a pack - money in the charity box!
Basic Kraft card, rounded corners, and some foliage stamps. Simples.

Have a day to myself today - so am intending on staring at stamps and card until I get an idea - if I'm not back by the middle of next week send a search party!
Have a great weekend whatever you're doing. xx
Challenges -
Cards + More - Monochrome
The Crafty Addicts - A/Goes + Sentiment

Dragonfly Dreams

April already! Here's my DT card for this month at Stamping Sensations.
Our theme is Anything Goes - but please remember we are a STAMPING challenge and we need to be able to see stamping as the MAIN focal point of your entry!
If you go to the blog you will see the rules and of course the prize that we're giving away this challenge! 

I've done a bit of inky dusting and and embossing this month using a few stamps which I've had for a while.

Inks used were Cracked Pistachio, Peacock Feathers and Mermaid Lagoon.

I stamped and  white embossed the Stampendous Dragonfly Vine stamp, then used Cosmic Shimmer in shades of Violet Frost and Golden Pear on the wings. Quite pleased with it in real life as it has blended well and looks effective.

The delicate 'bits of wings' background stamp and the 'Dragonfly Dreams' words are from a set which has a date of 2008 (!!) and was by a company called The Stamp Bug.

Stamped the 'wings' background with Mermaid Lagoon and white embossed the words.

Finished the panel with a few 'dew drops' then mounted it onto co-ordinating card before adding to the white card base.

I am currently on my first overseas tour of my Presidential year - in Spain- so I hope the weather is kind - to all of us wherever we are!!!
Also hope that this scheduled post has published! Will be round to visit you all on my return in a few days. x

A trip

Happy Sunday everyone! Although the weather here is far from happy - it's blowing a gale and the rain is lashing down!
Not that I am too concerned as I shall be in the sunshine tomorrow (I hope!) - more of that later.....
Had some odd scraps of watercolour paper so decided to use them up - and as they're scraps I am away to the Playground (have my wellies and my sou'wester on....)

The stamp is one I have had for a while from Crafty Individuals and I decided to smoosh the watercolour paper with colours that I thought the flowers should be then hopefully be able to position the stamp over the top so that the colours were roughly in the right place.

The green DI is Mowed Lawn, the blue is Mermaid Lagoon and the yellow Fossilized Amber and I was pretty happy with the resulting smooshing as the stamps with a little bit of fiddling ended up in the right place.

I then painted over odd bits of the images with the same colours to give a bit more definition.
Mounted the panels onto black card.
The card base has a script vellum overlay - another paper pack I have had for ages -  I thought it picked up the script background of the stamp (and it saved me stamping and embossing the card base!!!👌).
Stamped the simple sentiment onto the smallest piece of paper ever and shaped it like a tag, punching a small hole in the top, wrapped some white organza ribbon round the vellum and tied the tag onto it.

Challenges -
Inkspirational - Smooshing
CAS Mix Up - Smooshing/Stamping/Vellum
HLS Watercolour - A/Goes with option of Smooshing

I shall be absent from visits for a little while - as my first Presidential tour starts tomorrow so sunnier climes for me! (And the 65 others coming too!) 
I am hoping that Mr Blogger behaves himself and publishes my scheduled DT post and hope that you will not forget me whilst I am gone (I mean - How could you??????!!!!!!!) 

A new try....

Finally galvanised myself into action - well sat and got some inks out anyway!
I have seen many cards where the creator has done a 'baby wipe' technique and I have never tried it. (mainly because I don't know anyone with a baby so I could steal the wipes.......😀😀)
I DO have some wipes that I use for cleaning my desk and after studying the packet - it said bleach free, so thought I would experiment and see if it worked - hey- the worst it could do was wreck an ink pad wasn't it???

Armed with a piece of watercolour paper and the said wipe I found the oldest (and shabbiest) of my Distress Inks (working on the basis that there was hardly any ink left in it and the edges were all shabby so no point re-inking) I put wipe to pad and began.
I began to get a little excited as it was actually working - added bonus it didn't seem to be having the Ink Pads screaming out in agony either!.

Once first colour on, (Antique Linen), applied some Tea Dye (not from a tea bag, but an ink pad 😏) across the middle and the bottom of the paper.
Weathered Wood came next - little dabs in the 'sky' and on the space left between the Tea Dye.
Tree stamps inked in Pumice Stone.

Left without any sentiment as have no idea what I am going to use it for - No doubt will add it on later when I have to find an emergency card!
I would welcome any comments from anyone but particularly from those clever bods who have perfected this technique and any tips would be useful - I found it quite enjoyable to do and am quite happy with the first attempt - might have another go today!

Sharing this with  -
Happy Little Stampers - March Watercolour- Anything Goes
1 Crazy Stamper - Anything Goes
613 Ave Create - Anything Goes
A.I - Let's Watercolour
Sweet Stampin - Anything But a Birthday

Have a great day whatever you're doing. x

An entire week....almost!

So it's now almost an entire week since my last blog post and I have done...... not a lot. Not a lot Craft wise anyway. Have done tons of other stuff and then when I have come up here and sat myself in the chair cannot think of a single thing to do!

I've got Yupo paper coloured with alco inks, sponged bits of card and lots of bitty things sitting here on the desk looking forlorn and unloved and waiting for some action.... and still I haven't managed anything - apart from this one card.

And this was only made as I found the stamped image in a drawer!
The stamp is an old La Blanche one given to me by a crafting friend about 7 years ago - can tell it's never been used in this house as it still stamps beautifully!

So in the absence of creative moments, I simply coloured it in soft colours using watercolour pencils, picking the paint up from the craft mat rather than applying the pencil direct to the card.
I resisted the impulse to paint the sky and just left the image to stand on it's own.
I was going to make it a Sympathy card for the stash box, but it somehow ended up as a Thank You!
It's not going to set the world on fire as creativeness goes and it didn't really satisfy my craving to do something but it's a make all the same!

I am going to have to get the brain cells going over the next couple of days as at the end of the week the madness starts in earnest and then there definitely won't be any time for making - and I want to be able to schedule some posts other than those for the Design Team!
Sharing this make at -
Sweet Stampin - Anything but a birthday
Alphabet - Z for Zero embellies
Flower Challenge - Anything Goes
 
Thanks for being here - hope your weekend is a good one! x