Summer!

I am sooo enjoying this glorious weather (although I know some of you have had thunderstorms!). It makes such a change for every day to be dry and sunny - and makes no time for crafting...😏😏
But yesterday after  tending to the patio pots I came inside as I was having withdrawal symptoms.
Here is a share for today -

Had a bit of fun with some Pixie Powders after being inspired by a similar Brusho card on Pinterest.

I love the shimmer the powders give and overall am well pleased with this card which is destined for the stash pile.

Because I am so heavy handed with powders I wet the watercolour card randomly first with a mini mister.

The powder colours are Lava Red, Aqua Lagoon,  Straw Yellow and Pale Olive.

The Dandees are by Lavinia. The flower silhouette and the dragonfly are Inkylicious and I think the sentiment MAY be Hero Arts (lost packaging!).

Am sharing this over at -
Fashionable Stamping - Floral
PB&More - A/Goes
Aud Sentiments - Summer + Sentiment
HeARTful - A/Goes +Stamp


So that's it from me for today. I am going to have a couple of hours outside in the sunshine but I am visiting Blogland tonight! 
Hope the weather is kind to you wherever you are and thanks for visiting me! x

A late mid month reminder!

I was supposed to show this post over the weekend - but here I am nearly in the middle of the next week and just remembered it!
Following this months 'Close to Nature' theme at Stamping Sensations, and in honour of the glorious sunsets we have been having lately whilst enjoying our lovely weather here is my card.

 I used a mix of stamps for this one -
And a mix of colours for the background! The whole yellow/orange range of my Distress Inks in fact!

There is something wondrous about sunsets I think.
We sat last night and watched as the sun went behind a cloud here - then there was a little slit in the cloud and all you could see was a bright orange/red glow- for a couple of seconds it looked like the sky behind the cloud was on fire - then the cloud closed over and we were left with a few rays streaming down from the sky. It was simply beautiful to watch.

My sentiment stamp is an old one and is much loved.
 There have been so many lovely entries into our challenge so far but you still have plenty of time if you have not had time to join in or would like to share another creation.

Our sponsor is Chocolate Baroque and there is a lovely Nature Inspired A4 stamp set to be won.

I hope the sun is shining where you are and you too have many wonderful sensets to watch.

Thanks for taking the time to look - have a great day whatever you are doing! x 

Challenges -

Make My Monday - Hint of Summer

HeARTful - A/Goes + stamp

Crafty Friends - 'B' - (Bird, Birdhouse)

SOSS - I for Inky

Rainbow

There has been no chance of seeing a Rainbow here in the last week...😃😃 weather here has been glorious. Wall to wall sunshine!
Hoping that it lasts all summer.

I started this with the intention of taking part in this month's CAS Watercolour challenge where the theme is, of course, Rainbow.
It has been a couple of months since I was able to join Loll and Co and likely it will be a sporadic visiting time over the summer as my Presidential Team duties take me away once again.
But I promised myself that I would try and enter - now that it is finished I am not sure that there is enough white space for it to be deemed truly CAS but am linking it to show that at least I tried!

Used lots of lovely inks (I really DO like making messy) starting off with Candied Apple and worked my way through the colours until I finished with Chipped Sapphire.
The Dew Droplets were out on the desk so I used them......😀
Also linking to Crafty Cardmakers - (No patterned paper)  and  Addicted to Stamps - (Make Your Mark).
I hope the sun is shining where you are and thank you for looking today! x

A week?

Have spent a couple of days this week just a short drive from home in the beautiful Lake District. My duties start again next week so it was nice to just spend a couple of days away relaxing. My travelling starts again next week and although it is not as intense a year for me there is still much expected and much mileage involved!

This make came about by me trying to practice making scenes.
I have no idea why I chose to colour it pink - although in my defence I did a similar one in blue.
I am not sure about that one either!
I am hoping that someone somewhere likes it......😊
Picked Raspberry, Victorian Velvet and Spun Sugar.
I matted it onto a piece of black card but when I put onto a white base it was really stark and 'in your face'. My solution was to brush the ink dusters over the white card......  😨
I am hoping that those 'master scene makers' out in blogland will be kind when commenting!
I am linking up at Allsorts where the challenge is 'Pink' and also over at Crop Stop's May's Linky Party (Anything Goes)

It is a really nice day here so am going to spend a couple of hours fiddling with the patio pots.
Thanks for visiting - will be around to catch up with you all later - Enjoy your Day! x

May Challenge over at Stamping Sensations

'Close to Nature' is our challenge for you this month at Stamping Sensations.
Our sponsors are Chocolate Baroque and you need to pop over to the challenge blog to have a look at the great prize on offer... and whilst you're there, please check out our rules for entry please - we are a STAMPING challenge!

Some inkiness from me this time round for our 'Nature' theme. And a card made in super quick time as I didn't have a lot of time spare!

This is a technique called Water Reactive Colouring and is a really easy technique of sponging a card front with Distress Oxide inks, heat embossing a design, and then lifting colour using a water brush.

With each pass over the design you lighten the image so that it stands out against the dark background.

I used Mermaid Lagoon and Peacock Feathers for this card using a stamp from a set called Hydrangea Tag by our sponsors.
I added a small gold die cut butterfly - cos he was lying on the desk looking lonely!

There are some great examples of this technique in blogland - here, here and here!

There's also lots over at the blog to inspire you - please visit my teamies blogs and tell them what you think of their inspiration - hoping you will join in with us again this month!
Sharing my card with
613 Ave Create - Mainly Blue
Dare2bArtzy- Flowers
PB&More- A/Goes
AAA - Gold/Watercolours/Flowers

Sunny

Have been really busy the last few days as I had a few orders for the baubles I shared here. Seems very strange to be making Christmas Fairy baubles in May but to be honest I have loved doing them!
In between though I have made just a couple of cards.

I am still messing about with watercolour backgrounds on odd bits of watercolour card (a trip to the Playground then this week!) and rather liked the way this one turned out. It reminded me of sunsets and thought it would be suitable as a background for one of those hard Sympathy cards that we all wish we didn't need but have to have.

I tried a couple of die cuts over it but in the end settled for this one. (I had wild imaginings about them swaying gently in a breeze!)
The Distress Ink background simply placed behind a stitched frame with the die cut tucked in after snipping off bits I didn't want.
The stitched circle was a recent bargain buy set from The Works and it was the perfect size for this small sentiment stamp.
I simply added another stitched square layer for a bit more depth.

Am sharing this over at -
Fussy & Fancy - Use a Die Cut
Challenge Up Your Life - Watercolour
TIOT - Die Cuts
Get Creative - No patterned paper

After a rainy morning, the sun is out here - but boy is it still cold! Hard to believe it is May!
Hoping the sun is shining wherever you are. x