Old Technique Revisited!

Some time ago I had a go at this technique -  some call it Belleek and some call it Letterpress. Either way it is simple to do and I like the effect!

My first try at this some time ago didn't turn out too bad but the ink transfer was patchy in places so I had to cut the panel down and made a small framed window card.
This time I was a little more successful so I used the whole panel!

The ink is Stampin Up's Daffodil Delight - yellow is not usually my colour but I quite like this.
I finished it with a simple stamped sentiment.

The challenge at Allsorts is 'Flowers All Over' and am hoping that my deep embossed floral design counts - If it doesn't am sure someone will tell me!

Apart from the once weekly trip to see Mum in law, we are still not venturing out much at all - we're in an area where we are surrounded by other areas that are experiencing 'spikes' in virus numbers.
I am also struggling with wearing a face mask (try as I might I cannot get used to it and feel like I can't breathe) so shopping now is something done only when we absolutely have to and most of the time I opt to go for a walk and OH braves the supermarket for us and our elderly neighbours!

I hope everyone is safe and well and thanks for coming along to see me - I REALLY don't know what I would do without Blogland! x

Resistance was futile!

We have all done it.

We have all seen a stamp set and wanted it.

We have all tried to convince ourselves that 'want' is the same as 'need'.

We have all tried to resist the purchase

We have all failed!!

And so it was with this - wanted it, didn't need it, shall probably not use it a lot - but couldn't resist it cos it made me smile so bought it!

In terms of will power I have none whatsoever when it comes to stamp buying.

All common sense goes out of the window - I try my hardest to justify the spend saying it can be used for lots of different occasions (even when it so obviously cannot), or by kidding myself that it was a bargain (most of the time it isn't) when the simple fact is that I just want it to stamp with (a lot of the times just once too!)

I coloured these 'stole my heart' Stamping Bella Bubble Chicks with watercolours after clear embossing.

I coloured the bubbles a little too and then when dry attacked them with glossy accents. They have a really high shine - the sentiment simply makes me happy.

All that said will I use this set a lot? Probably not, but at least it has seen ink once!

PS - It's also amazing how used you get to using clear stamps and my trusty Misti. These stamps are rubber mounted and I had a couple of failed positioning attempts before I got one right!

Hope you are all well in your corner of blogland and thanks for visiting me today. x

Pink Sea

I have been using up a few alco inked backgrounds.

I know the sea isn't pink but in my fantasy world it can be whatever colour it likes - and besides which I

had used up the blue backgrounds already!

There was tho' something about this inked piece which made me think of shafts of light coming through the surface of the water (despite it's colour!)

This is another 'stencil traced' card and as there are a couple of days left at our challenge over at CAS Mix Up I shall pop this into our gallery - there are some GORGEOUS cards in there this month and everyone who has never tried doing this before has said they have loved it!

(My launch card and the mid month reminder are here and here)

It's a great way of getting a different effect with your stencils and stretching your stash a little bit further.

The seahorse die was one of the better freebies from a magazine some time back and I layered him/her/it up to pop up off the card.

This little seahorse safely swam it's way across the ocean to one of my teamies for her Birthday so can  share it here now.

Also sharing over at

Get Creative - Birthday

Dragonfly Dreams - No Patt Paper

I hope all is well with you wherever you are in blogland and thanks for visiting. x

Stamping Sensations July Mid Month Reminder

Our challenge theme at Stamping Sensations this month is 'ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL'  so there's lots of options for you to choose from and provided you follow our rules and make stamping the focal point of your entry, you could be in with a chance of winning a great prize from our wonderful sponsor, CRAFTY INDIVIDUALS.

My panel background was created using an embossing folder and distress inks, then stamped with some foliage before matting onto a piece of dark brown card.

I coloured the giraffe and fussy cut and popped him on top of a small tag.

The sentiment was done using a set of alphabet letters stamps inked in Brushed Corduroy and part of a PB sentiment stamp!

Why don't you get out your creature stamps and join us in the gallery - we'd love to see you!

Happy weekend everybody!

CAS Mix Up July Mid Month reminder

Our challenge of 'Stencil Tracing' is mid way through at CAS Mix Up.

Here's my reminder card!

I have very few cards in my stash for men. So I thought this was maybe an opportunity to just make something that would be suitable.

I blended a few blue inks onto card then took my NBUS stencil called 80's Retro- (a bargain some time back in a sale!) so am linking to Darnell's NBUS Challenge

I outlined the stencil and then gave the shapes a dose of Glossy Accents. Really please how shiny and raised they are. The gloss has added some dimension to what was a very flat design.

Not a bad man card I don't think!

There are some great makes in the CAS Mix Up gallery - is yours in there yet?

Our host Nancy

and the rest of the DT along with our brilliant Guest Designers have some gorgeous makes to inspire you.

We would love to see you! x

Bright

It has been a wet and cold week so I have spent some time in the craft space making inky and catching up with a few orders. (Not that I needed an excuse!)

This card came together with the addition of a scrap of card cut with a curved stitched die!

I blended a variety of red/yellow/orange Distress Inks and then applied the Bokeh technique using a home made stencil.

I added a strip of bright orange card to the die cut to split the card and popped on a die cut sentiment and a couple of sequins to finish.

Sharing over at

Daisy Chain - No designer Paper

MIUCB - A/Goes plus technique (Bokeh)

Stinkn'Inkers - I see Spots

Sisterhood of Crafters - Ink it Up

Am hoping that the forecast for a nice day tomorrow is right as it would be lovely just to be able to take a cuppa outside for half an hour and look at blue sky instead of a grey wet and miserable landscape. (And give my poor drowned pots and containers some TLC without it feeling like it's November instead of July!)

Have a great weekend whatever you're all doing and thanks for taking the time to stop by today. 

I am on countdown to the visit to the hairdressers on Monday! x

July Challenge at Stamping Sensations

Our challenge theme at Stamping Sensations this month is 'ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL'  so there's lots of options for you to choose from and provided you follow our rules and make stamping the focal point of your entry, you could be in with a chance of winning sthe goody on offer from our sponsor, CRAFTY INDIVIDUALS

I had a bit of an inky fest with this one!

I masked off a big moon and then stamped the Owl image (Crafty Individuals CI-512). It does come with it's own moon but I wanted a bigger one!
Blended the background and then coloured the tree stump.
The branches, tiny bird and the foliage stamps are all from Inkylicious.

Stamped the owl again onto watercolour card and clear embossed. After watercolouring I fussy cut the owl and popped him on top of the stamped image.

Really pleased with the way the eyes turned out after adding some glossy accents - he really does look at you in real life!
   

Vellum Greetings

Isn't it lovely when you see something and you have a light bulb moment and think 'I could do something like that'!!

That is what happened when I saw a card over on Susan's blog which had been inspired by something she saw on Pinterest.

The original is using Alexander Renke paper which as those who live here in the UK know is a little bit like trying to source Rocking Horse Poo for your rose bushes (with a price tag to match) - so I decided to stamp my botanical images background instead!

I used a variety of leaves and foliage stamps, inking them in Bundled Sage DI and some Versafine pale blues and greens.

Vellum laid over and a die cut sentiment with a couple of enamel dots and finished.

This was quite a quick card to make and I am really pleased with the outcome.

Hope you like it too!

We finally got to see my Ma-In Law recently for the first time since lockdown and even though her broken back has healed reasonably well she is struggling now with the steps outside her door.

So she has made the decision she needs to move to ground floor sheltered accommodation.

Which sounds fine - except we are now faced with the mammoth task of clearing out her current place before we can put it on the market. She has been to say the least a hoarder!

This week I have brought home 2 massive cardboard boxes full of unused unopened sewing thread (last week it was SIX cupboards full of material!!) I am placing the threads on a craft site to see if any of my friends want them - so if you are looking for sewing thread going cheap here in the UK, send me a message and I will send you some details!

Have a lovely day whatever you're doing and thanks for any comments you leave! x

CAS Mix Up - July Challenge

This month's challenge at CAS Mix Up is called 'Stencil Tracing' and has been set by Nancy.

There are a couple of ways to do this really simple technique - Nancy has links on her blog to several different examples and there's also plenty of inspiration from the DT over at the CAS Mix Up blog.

We also have "Three" very talented Guest Designers this month as they all were
Top Picks for the May CAS Mix Up, CAS Stencil and CAS Watercolour Challenges:-)

Be sure and check out Greta (GG Creations), Sandie (London Days) and Kia (Kia's Place)

Gorgeous CAS Creative Stencil Tracing cards

This is a one layer card that took very little time to do - the longest time part was masking off the actual face and leaving the rest!

The stencil is from Funky Fossil and I blended some bright coloured inks (Violet/Raspberry/Amber).
Before removing the stencil I outlined it with a black sharpie.
Some ink spattering and a little blending round the edge of the card to finish before stamping the Visible Image sentiment.

Once completed I thought that maybe it wasn't 'CAS' enough as I went a bit mad with the ink spatters!  In the end the consensus was that there was definitely enough uncluttered space to qualify. 

This is the second month of our new look CAS Mix Up and hope to see you in the gallery!
Happy Stencilling! x