Flaming Sky

 My friends other half runs a Hot Air Balloon company and in one of our previous houses we were surrounded by fields - it was perfectly normal for him to be flying over the field next door very low - and on two occasions landing in it! Cue one very irritated farmer!
(Have just read that back and it sounds like we move every five minutes - the house I am talking about we were in for almost 30 years!)

I  bought this Card-io set called 'Up Up and Away' last year and this was the first time of inking so I am hopping over to NBUS before this months challenge closes.

I saw something similar to this some time back on Pinterest and with a birthday looming for my friends hubby it was the perfect opportunity to use the set.

I wanted a sunset sky but think I might have overdone it cos it actually looks like the forest below is on fire..............🙈🔥🔥

Regulars to my blog will know how much I like ink blending!
Used Crackling Campfire (how apt!), Fossilized Amber, Spiced Marmalade, Barn Door and Black Soot for my background.

The trees are one of my most used stamp sets - they're from Inkylicious and I love them.

Simply stamped in black Versafine Clair in the foreground and then used Versafine Crimson Red for my second and third generation stamping.
Am sharing over at
MMM- Create your own Background
Dragonfly Dreams - Happy Birthday
Mix It Up - Make your own background
SOS - Colour me Beautiful

New Challenge - Try It On Tuesday

The next two weeks we have the challenge theme of 'Going Round in Circles' at Try It On Tuesday.
Please pop over to the challenge blog and see what the rest of the DT have done this time!

I just had a bit of fun with a spotty stencil and some pretty Distress Oxide colours.

From the top - Twisted Citron, Cracked Pistachio, Blueprint Sketch, Picked Raspberry and Fossilized Amber.

Die cut a few different sized circles and simply stamped some sea/beach themed images in the same colours.

Used a little Wink of Stella in the same shades on the stamped circles so it has a teeny shimmer in real life.

Thanks for looking today and hope you can join us for this challenge - we welcome all types of crafting not just cards as long as it fits with the challenge theme!
Sharing at
Stencil Fun - A/Goes
Daisy Chain - Dots/or Stripes
HLS Stencils - A/Goes

Fantasy at Try It On Tuesday

 Our new challenge starts today at Try It On Tuesday and the challenge prompt this time is 'FANTASY'.
The challenge runs for 2 weeks and am really looking forward to seeing all things mystical and magical over on the challenge blog.

I am a Lavinia fan so obviously I turned to the Lavinia stamp drawer (which still has some space in it - just in case Father Christmas is reading this🎅)

My8" x 6" art piece has been placed in a piece of mountboard ready to be framed.

The Oracle is weary.
But her long journey across the magic lands are nearly over.
She has arrived at the edge of the enchanted forest and can see her home in the far away Dreamweaver Castle.
There is just the water to cross to come to her journey's end and she will resume her seat on the three legged stool and communicate the prophecies visited upon her.
Her time to rest is almost here.

All stamps are Lavinia apart from the tree line across the water which is Inkylicious and the rocks which are Card-io.

I used a variety of coloured inks for the stamping and blending. Versafine Clair, Elements and Versacolour.

I hope I have inspired you to make something magical to share with us this challenge! x
Sharing too over at
Fairy and Unicorn Challenge - Fantasy

August Card Chain Challenge

It's reveal day at the Card Chain Challenge and I re-visited an enjoyable technique for my make this month!
My card went off to Jo (http://angelnorth.blogspot.com/) here in the UK and I received a lovely card all the way from Oz from the lovely Robyn!
This month I managed to incorporate a couple of the challenge themes - opting to use as near as I could tothe colours given and using vellum.

The technique of double stamping on vellum is an easy but effective one starting by firstly white embossing your design on the front of the vellum then simply using normal ink on the reverse.

I used an old Stampendous set called Summer Leaves and usually I only use one colour ink on the reverse as it achieves a soft silhouette effect but because I wanted to try and get the challenge colours in this time I used Versacolour and Versafine Clair ink in Tangelo, Sage and Shady Lane. 

The effect is a bit more dramatic but I quite like it.

The reverse does take a little time to dry - you can speed it up with the heat gun but I am always worried in case the vellum warps too much or I overhear the already embossed front so I always leave to dry for a while before making up my card.

I added a large die greeting softly sponged in Tangelo and Shady Lane.

The 'sign up' for next month is open for the next couple of days if you fancy having a go -

it's lovely receiving cards from all over the world!
Also sharing over at
A Place to Start -  optional twist of leaves! (just made it before the challenge closed too!)