A little paint

As ideas have deserted me I haven't done much over the last few days.
Our weather did nothing to inspire either - it went from a lovely Spring day to howling wind and horizontal rain!

With nothing else to do I just got out the watercolour paints. I find watercolouring is very therapeutic even though I am not an artist - I cannot draw at all and normally my watercolouring is confined to using with stamps.

This one was just a little freehand fiddling and to be honest it would never qualify as a work of art but I am content to have produced it.

(I have a recollection of seeing 4 large mirrored glass pictures depicting the seasons with the tree foliage done with blown glass when out at a restaurant with friends a long time ago, so maybe that is what prompted this)

It's been a really really tough week personally 😩 (as no doubt it has been for others) - so am trying to keep wearing the big girl's pants 👖 and crossing my fingers that the end of the storm is not too far away and the golden sky 🌈 will appear.

Sharing this simple make over at AAA Cards.

(Note to Blog Buddy Ros - I will never match your drawing skills! x)

February Twofer

(Picture heavy post!)  The 'Twofer Challenge' this month has the theme of Balloons  - ( 'Twofer' - you have to make two cards for different occasions using the same stamps/dies/stencils.)

My first make is using an edger die which I bought last year and never used (another NBUS- this room is full of them!).

Despite it looking big and easy (and I thought versatile) there's not many different way really to use it - it is what it says - an 'edger die' and that's it!
BUT - it is OK for relatively CAS cards needed in a hurry if you're OK with fiddling about putting the different coloured balloon centres in.

By changing the balloon colours and/or using glitter card etc I suppose it may come in useful for Anniversaries and other Celebrations?

My balloon centres are cut from a piece of Peacock Feathers smooshed watercolour card and I used a piece of black card to secure them. A few ink spatters and a sentiment - job done.


The second card uses one of the white balloon diecuts from the first.
I coloured it with a Promarker.

I love this 'Inspired by  not endorsed by Banksy' girl  from Bee Crafty - she's called 'Hope'.

She was stamped onto an ink blended background (Speckled Egg sky and Twisted Citron ground) and added a tree stamp that was a magazine freebie.
Layered some Glossy Accents on the balloon and drew the strings from the balloon with a thin Posca Pen. Finished with an Inylicious sentiment.

Overall  I am not too disappointed with it although probably the balloon is a little big for the right perspective! (Crafter's Licence!)

If you've stayed right here to the very end I send hugs from my pleasantly warm and almost sunny part of blogland! x

Birthday

Having ventured outside in the howling gale earlier I quickly made my mind up that the best place to be was sat in the warm in the craft space!
So here is today's share.

Stencilled background to start then stamped the ferns in shades of brown and a few meadow grasses in green.

The flowers were stamped, watercoloured and fussy cut.
I added a few drops of Perfect Pearls in the centre

I would never hurt a bee but I am not fond of them near me - (I hate wasps even more!), so to me the best place for me to look at a bee is here on a card!

It took a bit of fussy cutting but I managed it in the end.

He has glossy accents on his wings and I quite like him (as long as he stays on the card!)

Am linking up at
A2S+M - Any Occasion
Unicorn  - Flowers

Thanks for calling in - stay safe wherever you are in the World. x

CAS Mix Up - mid month reminder

 Halfway through our Stencil Heat Embossing challenge at CAS Mix Up set by Nancy.
There's some great entries so far and there's still time to join in - the challenge runs until 24th of the month.

I used an old stencil which I think was called 'Animal Print' but have really no idea who's make it is.

I white embossed the animal print onto a left over piece of black card by using an Embossing Dabber then applying the powder.

Cut it into a square panel and matted it onto a square of white card.
A simply heat embossed gold and black sentiment onto another small piece of white card.

The animal 'parade' at the bottom is a Sheena Douglas stamp, inked in white and clear embossed.

This technique of embossing through stencils is one that I have enjoyed doing and will do some more I think.

Some lovely examples done again by our talented Design Team and I hope you can pop your make into our gallery!
 

Am also going over to the Snippets Playground where there is a special challenge (#396)  going on this fortnight!
Thanks for looking today and fingers crossed that all is well with you in your part of blogland. x

That Boat again!

Another card using 'Of The Sea' from Crafty Individuals- (CI-559). This actually was the first of many makes with what has become a 'much loved' stamp!

I teamed it this time with a stamp called 'Fishermans Wharf' from Crafty Endeavours which although purchased last year is Never Before Used!

Stamped the boat first, then masked it off before stamping the Wharf in the background.

I had to extend the Wharf stamp to make it fit the 6 x 6 base but was pleased that it looked OK  despite it obviously not being intended for 'repeat stamping'!

I watercoloured the boat and the base of the card with Distress Inks.

Applied a little bit of Speckled Egg ink blending to the sky and used one of my fave 'Sea' themed quote stamps. 

The idea to leave the buildings uncoloured was inspired by Julie

Am trying not to consecutively post what I have made with this boat  as you will all get sick of it! But - without doubt has been one of my better impulse buys!
 
Thanks for dropping in, I appreciate it. xx

Guitar Hero

I have really enjoyed playing with some of my new purchases over the last couple of weeks - despite the occasional 'Mojo-Less Moments', I have simply carried on regardless with no exact plan in mind and seen what has turned out.

I bought this Guitar Hero stamp set and co-ordinating Rock Star stencil from Funky Fossil and have made 4 cards with them up to now so have swelled the man stash a bit.

My background was made from Squeezed Lemonade, Peacock Feathers, Dusty Concord and Seedless Preserve inks.
Then I just messed about with some stamps and stencils!

The grungy harlequin stamp simply clear embossed added a little texture and I remembered I had bought this 'Equalizer' stamp from Uniko which I thought would be perfect.

The two guitars from the set were stamped onto cream pearlised card, clear embossed and fussy cut.

It was a little enjoyable change for me to abandon the CAS 'clean white space' and revert back to inkiness too.

It's been really cold the last few days, some snow flurries too  and as it's been icy underfoot I've been reluctant to venture out - inhaling fresh air on the doorstep whilst waiting for ink to dry is all I have done!
Stay warm and safe and thanks for looking! x

Dogs and Cats

I am continuing with my promise to myself to try and take part in the Christmas Challenge at Mix Up's sister blog CAS Christmas.

 The challenge this month is 'Dogs and/or Cats'. 
I don't have many domestic animal themed stamps - but one of my friends was having a little clear out and a set of Penny Black 'Holly Jolly Critter' stamps came my way.

I stamped and watercoloured the little doggy then masked him before inking up and lightly spritzing an Inkylicious 'Twiggy Tree'.

I added a heat embossed gold star to the top and watercoloured the sky, adding some shading beneath the tree and the doggy.
A little spattering with a white Posca pen and a bit of glitter on the fur of the hat and job done.

Another card for the stash!

I know several people who have already had their first dose of vaccine which is great news.
Current calculations put mine due April with the second dose July.
Seems  little way off yet but you know now I am looking back it seems the last year has flown! (Despite being stuck at home for almost all of it!) 

I hope you are all staying warm and safe and thanks for looking today. x
Also linking to
ABC Christmas - D for Diamond (Glitter)
Fezziwigs - Glitter/Red/Gold

CAS Mix Up February Challenge

It is Stencil month at CAS Mix Up and our host Nancy chose one of my favourite techniques - Stencil Heat Embossing.

Condolence cards are something that sadly at some point we all need and I found that my little supply was a bit low so have made a card for the type of occasion we hope we don't have to use too often.

I used two stencils for this card.
First I used Versamark ink through the trailing ivy stencil and a tub of Lilac embossing powder. Was a little concerned about this powder as it is literally YEARS old and never used! But it actually worked fine and it gave a really nice gloss finish.

The background stencil is from Lavinia  called 'Crackle' but it reminds me of a stone wall and I thought it would be a good backdrop for the ivy.

Lightly inked it with some make up brushes (which I find don't give as deep a coverage and I like it!) in Wilted Violet which was a good match.
Stamped the sentiment in Smokey Gray.

 Arlene (Sundaystamper Papercrafts) is our Guest Designer this month and you can check out her lovely make along with all the others from my talented DT buddies over at the CAS Mix Up blog.

Look forward to seeing your makes in our gallery too! x