Tidy up

Since arriving back home from my few days away I have been chasing my own tail a bit catching up with washing/ironing/shopping for M-I-L etc (note there was no mention of housework in there....😉😉) and the last 3 days have just disappeared.
Today I intend to sit and play with some new stamps but before that I had a quick tidy up of the desk (this counts as housework in my opinion😏😏)

It's actually amazing what you find when you clear away  ....🙈🙈

I remember doing this and not being happy with it at the time.
Looking at it this morning, it's rather grown on me - but only a little -  although I still don't know if I will put it in the Card Box.
It was a bit of an experiment and a practice with pencils for colouring on dark card and my original intention was for a Sympathy card but maybe it is too dark and brooding?

Stamped and clear embossed the stamp  - from Joy Crafts I think but is that old I can't remember?!!)

Coloured with Inktense Watercolour Pencils.
I think maybe the centre could have been a bit more vibrant and am considering going over it with a brighter colour - although if I am not going to use it I mightn't waste time!

Sharing over at
Make My Monday - the letter B (Bloom and Black)
Crafty Friends - the letter B (Bloom and Black)
Paper Craft Crew - #342 Stamping/Floral/Feminine


Desk now cleared and ready for action - but am going to get a cuppa and come visit you all first!
Thanks for visiting today - and if you have left me a comment I thank you very much! x

Pastel

A quick post and share from me today - - made this for a friend.

Stamps and inks are all from SU. Blushing Bride and Lucky Limeade.

I made a small error with the positioning of the leaves and ended up overlapping onto the flower petals - but as I said - it was done in a bit of a hurry and I hope she doesn't notice!!

Sharing over at
Allsorts - Soft Pastels
AAA - 1 Corner/Flowers
Crafting Challenge - Flowers

It has been very  humid the last 2 days in between the rain!
We had some real downpours overnight and a couple of very hefty showers today - the sky is a light grey colour so no doubt more on the way. The photo isn't the best either owing to the poor light!

I am off for a couple of days so will visit you all when I get back - in the meantime, thanks for having a look and if you've left a comment, I really REALLY appreciate it!
Happy Crafting! x

Is this Summer?

I flew to Jersey (Channel Islands not USA!) last  Saturday for the British Isles International Series (a couple of pics at the bottom of this post so be warned - picture heavy!)
The British weather is ridiculous at the moment, I burnt the top of my head in strong sunshine (ouch! 😡 ) on Monday and then Tuesday we were treated to rain of monsoon proportions ⛆⛆☔, so much so that play was suspended for a short while as the green was flooded.

Home yesterday and have just been outside (in the sunshine) to hang out the washing - and I needed my coat! The wind is really cold here on the top  - I bet those a mile away in the valley are wearing shorts and T shirts! 

Anyway enough of my weather reports - here's my make for today.

Appropriately done in the England colours of red white and blue - the firework stamps are by Hunkydory, inked in Majestic Blue and Crimson Red.  

The sparkles were done by using Glitter embossing paste through a fireworks stencil.

The red and blue Bakers Twine just wrapped round and tied into a bow to finish.
This card was made for the lady who was my Junior Vice President when I was England President - we became good friends whilst working together and she took over the reins in February. (Should have shared before now😳!).

Am sharing my make at Alphabet Challenge blog where the theme is G for Glitz.

We stayed on for a couple of days after the series finished  and here are a few pics of pretty Jersey from the ton that we took (and one of the team who dug in and performed brilliantly coping with all the weather that was thrown at them  -  and retained the trophy for the third year in succession!!) #TEAMENGLAND!

Mid month reminder - Stamping Sensations

It's half way through the month so here is my mid moth reminder post for our challenge at Stamping Sensations with Visible Image  offering a £25 voucher to our winner - so if you haven't already joined in, you still have time!
For our June month the theme is 'Show Your True Colours'. So we want to see projects with your favourite colours.......
As I mentioned in my first DT post here - I simply do NOT have a favourite colour! So after my fave 3 Distress Oxides colours used, this time for my mid month reminder I have used my fave Pixie Powder and Brusho colours (with a bit of blingy gold thrown in) as I love Autumn colours!

The stamps are Visible Image 'Time After Time'.

I stamped the clock and gold embossed, then stamped again and fussy cut the centre dial. I gave the centre piece a liberal dose of Glossy Accents after rubbing over with a dry paintbrush of Antique Linen DI.
The wings were done the same minus the Glossy Accents and I gold embossed the sentiment which is from the same stamp set.

The inky panel was done on watercolour card and I used Antique Copper (which is yummy!), Straw Yellow PP's and Dark Brown Brusho.
Overstamped the 'Time Flies' using Vintage Photo DI.
The gold highlights on the panel were achieved with Cosmic Shimmer Powder in Pale Gold.

Mounted the panel onto dark brown card and popped it onto an embossed background. (I wanted to use my Clocks folder but it wasn't big enough!)

Hope you can join us this month!

Blue Part 2 (and a bit of Pink!)

A quick share!
This was one of those stamps that I HAD to have as soon as I saw it.  No idea why as I am not/never have been/never will be a Ballet Dancer! But there was just something about it that appealed to me.
I made 2 cards in different colours -
 and can tell you they were both terrible to photograph!
We have had so much rain and grey skies, taking pics of anything has been really difficult.

Both cards coloured the same with watercolours - although wasn't happy about my shading with the blue one - as the paint mix (shades of blue and white) is so obviously different to  the shoes.

I stamped both in Smokey Grey as I wanted a softer overall look.

The 'Dance' sentiment is from SU and the 'Dream' one from an old set (make unknown).

I am submitting the blue card as another entry into CAS Watercolour where the theme this month is 'Blue'.

I am off to the British Isles International Series tomorrow for a few days - a short one hour's flight away.
Keeping everything crossed that the deadful rain ☂☂ we have been experiencing for such a long time here in the UK has now moved away to give us some dry days while play takes place!
#TEAMENGLAND💪

Thanks for taking the time to visit me - I will catch up with you all very soon. x

Blue

Having found myself with the washing done and drying on the line and despite the sunny weather (not very warm) I escaped to the craft space on the last day of the weekend, where I spent a few happy hours making a mess with ink!
I am joining in again this month at CAS Watercolour where the challenge is 'Something Blue'.

I LOVE 💖 this cherry blossom stamp from Technique Tuesday.
I rank it amongst my all time faves.
It is one of those stamps that whatever colour you use it looks 'right'!

Although I confess to never having stamped it in BLUE before......!

Used Versafine Majestic Blue for the outline and coloured it with my (new 😊) watercolours before fussy cutting. (I do have the co-ordinating die but I  didn't want the white edge round  the outline of the stamp.)
Once dry I added a few teeny spots of Nuvo Crystal.

I inked the stamp again with Chipped Sapphire DI and spritzed with water then did a bit of random stamping onto a scrap of watercolour card. I tried to blend the ink a little across the background - (note to self - more practice needed at this!)

The sentiment is also from Technique Tuesday.
Also sharing at -
CUYL #112 - Blue/Flower/Watercolour
Creatalicious - A/G + Blue
Pixie's Snippets Playground - (Blossom and background were offcuts of watercolour card)
Make My Monday - Lots of Flowers
Alphabet - F for Flowers

Thanks for looking today, have a lovely day whatever you're doing. x

Ombre

Had a couple of hours last night in the craft space, so made a couple of cards for challenges.

This one is for this month's CAS Mix Up, which is being hosted by the wonderful Mac (who has so much talent she annoys me!!!😉😉 )

She chose Ombre as her theme so my card combines Ombre technique with ink, Stamping, heat embossing and die cutting.

My stamp is from WOW and called Tropical Flowers. Heat embossed in white then added the inks - I used just two shades, Fired Brick and Candied Apple.
Chopped my card front and popped the panel into the card then re-assembled the card front.

The die cut sentiment had about 20 positions before ending up where it is!
The heat embossed greeting placed underneath the die cut was done on an offcut from the ombre technique.

Sharing over at
A2S+M - CAS
Alphabet - F for Flowers
Creative Moments - A/Goes
Crafty Catz - A/Goes

Have a great weekend! x

(Im)perfect Pearls!

The June challenge at CAS Stencil is to use Perfect Pearls on your stencilled project.
Never having done this I was pleased to see a couple of links to tutorials on the challenge blog (along with some pretty amazing makes from the Design Team), and I spent a little while watching instead of making!
I apologise for the really poor quality of this pic - it is a grey day here and the photo taking not made any easier by the use of some gold card... (why oh why do I still use this? I know it makes picture taking the pits!!)

I used Pale Gold on my meadow flower stencil and don't think it's too bad for a first attempt!

I finished it with a gold embossed sentiment from SU. 

Things I learnt -
1.   I find black card very hard to work with!
2.   I found it easier to apply the Perfect Medium with a blending tool rather than just foam
3.    Better to use a big flat brush to apply the Pearls, tapping off the excess from the brush into the pot top before you put on the stencilled image
4.   Don't rush into or go mad brushing off the excess as it will smear and spoil your efforts!

I enjoyed doing this, learning as I went along and as I have lots of colours (normally unused), I will definitely have another go and maybe be a bit more adventurous with a bigger stencil!
Also sharing at
SOS - Stencil Me This
APTS - Stencil Me In

Thanks for looking today - as always I am very appreciative of your comments (and any tips!). Have a great day whatever you're doing. x

June Challenge at Stamping Sensations

So here we are with another challenge at Stamping Sensations and the wonderful Visible Image are offering a £25 voucher to our winner!
For our June month the theme is 'Show Your True Colours'. So we want to see projects with your favourite colours.......
I found this an impossible challenge!😕😕 How do I pick my favourite colours? I like all of them!!
So having found the theme difficult I thought about the colours I use MOST when making cards.
That too was a difficult choice!  I was saved by having to do 2 posts - this one and one for the mid month reminder - so I was able to show the colours that I use a lot on the 2 cards!

First one is a combo of some of my fave Distress Oxides.
Cracked Pistachio, Mermaid Lagoon and Peacock Feathers.
Made an inky background bending all 3, then used a Visible Image Crackle background stamp inking it in the same 3 colours and doing some random stamping.
Once dry, I used a brick Mini Stencil sponging it with Peacock Feathers.
The circle stamps are from VI's Rays of Light set.

I love this large sentiment (also from Visible Image) and I placed 'Hope' (Banksy's girl) touching it like she was reaching for the bunch of hearts.

Please visit the challenge blog and read the rules before submitting an entry!
Thanks for visiting. x