Summer Blooms

We're definitely in the middle of Summer here and our challenge for the next 2 weeks at TRY IT ON TUESDAY is called Summer Blooms. 

Whilst having a look through saved stuff I came across an image which as well as being really pretty, it also meant I could use up some coloured card from the cardstock mountain!
It's been a long time since I bought any coloured card - and also a long time since I used any too!

The stamps are from Altenew and I coloured the image with Aquarelle pencils before fussy cutting and sticking to the coloured base.

I hope you'll go visit the challenge blog and the rest of the DT and look forward to seeing what 'Summer Blooms' you share with us!
 
Have a lovely day! x

Spring

It's half way through our SPRING FLING challenge at TRY IT ON TUESDAY and I needed a quick make for a friend, so I did this in super quick time!

Altenew's Flowery Field 3D embossing folder and simply coloured with Oxides applied with a finger dauber. (I didn't trust myself to just try rubbing an ink pad over the embossed bits!)

I originally was going to stamp and ink a background before using the folder but thought I would just have a trial run on a piece of white card first.

I liked it with the stark white so left this one but I did make a background and it's waiting for me to paint the embossed flowers.

I don't have a lot of 3D folders but I've decided they're great when you need something done in a hurry!
Thanks for looking! x

Spring Fling

Happy Tuesday and welcome to another challenge at TRY IT ON TUESDAY.
Spring is the name of the game this time - SPRING FLING - is the title for the next 2 weeks so please join us and show off your Spring themed projects.

My Altenew stamps have been getting used a bit more than usual over the last couple of challenges! And here's another!

I love this stamp set called (unsurprisingly) Under the Cherry Blossom Tree.

Nothing shouts Spring more to me than a Cherry Blossom in flower.
When I was a child we had a huge tree in our garden and I waited patiently for the flowers to bloom.... more often than not the spring wind blew the petals off and I remember my Mum complaining bitterly about how much mess it made!
I didn't care - the carpet of pink petals was just as pretty underneath my feet!

The little blue bird of happiness has since received a coat of glossy accents since I took this pic

I added a pale ink blended edge and found a Chinese script stamp which was free in a mag eons ago.
Thanks for looking, hope you will pop over to the BLOG and see what the rest of the DT have made.
Have a great day whatever you're doing. x

For a Lady

 

Having used this Altenew stamp for the  TRY IT ON TUESDAY  challenge  'FOR A LADY'  I used it again before it went back in it's storage box!

The background was stamped with Versfaine Clair Charming Pink.

Stamped and gold embossed the focal flower  and coloured with Distress Oxides.

I don't own a die for this stamp set so it had to be fussy cut - each time I decide to fussy cut something half way through I wish I hadn't started - and think I should have bought the darn matching die!

Popped it all up on foam pads to give it a bit of dimension.

Another relatively simple and plain card which will go into my Birthday Box to be used later in the year.

Thanks for dropping in! x
 

For a Lady

The latest challenge at Try It On Tuesday starts today and our theme is 'FOR A LADY'.
Any project accepted as long as it fits our challenge theme so hope you can join us.

I've been painting recently so had a piece of watercolour card out on the desk and instead of putting it in the remains box I used it for this.

The left hand side background was smooshed and because it's watercolour card it absorbed it and made it more subtle than I actually intended but I think it works.
Blue, green and brown inks and for once the colours were where I wanted them - although I think maybe next time I might try lightly wetting the watercolour card first.

Stamps are a mix of Altenew and Rare Earth, used Walnut Stain ink and sprayed lightly before stamping.
Matted onto dark brown card.

Thanks for looking today - hope everything is well in your part of blogland! x

Feminine at Try It On Tuesday

 Our challenge for the next two weeks at Try It On Tuesday is called 'Make it Feminine'.

I love this Altenew Peony embossing folder and have used it lots!

This time I swiped over the flowers with two different colours of Versamagic Chalk inks - Pixie Dust and Pink Grapefruit before sponging a little pale green onto the leaves.

I then sat and fussy cut it! Two thirds of the way through I was beginning to be sorry I started - at least the funny thumb was - so I was glad when I finally finished!

I mixed the Pink Grapefruit ink with a little water and spattered the base card, popped the fussy cut panel onto it with 3D foam pads.
Finished with a simple sentiment.

Thanks for looking - hope you will visit the TIOT blog and have a look at the rest of the DT's makes and as always hope that you will join us for this challenge!

Have a great day whatever you're doing. x

Sharing over at
Beautiful Blossoms - A/Floral
Creations in Pink - Mainly Pink
Pearly Sparkles - Floral

Things with Wings at Try It On Tuesday

 Our challenge at Try It On Tuesday for the next two weeks is called 'THINGS WITH WINGS' and we're looking forward to seeing your interpretation of our theme.

I did an ink blended background after masking off the moon using green and purple shades with a teeny splash of yellow.

I did lightly go over the moon when the background was done as it looked very stark white and I wanted something less 'in your face'!

The script stamp is an old red rubber one - that old I have no idea which make it is.

The Bamboo are a mix from SU and Altenew.

I coloured the dragonfly with Aquarelle pencils and added a liberal helping of glossy accents onto the wings.

Hope you can join us - and do please visit my friends on the DT who have lots of lovely makes and are happy when you pop in!

Thanks for looking today and any comments you leave - I appreciate it. Have a lovely day whatever you're doing. x

Peonies

 This is an embossing folder I ordered as soon as I saw it released! Like lots of things I buy, I got it and it went in the storage for embossing folders.... where it stayed!

I had a square piece of black card so just wanted to have an experiment as I'd seen so many lovely examples of simple cards using 3D folders and a brushing of ink.

Quite happy with the result using Brilliance Moonlight White over the top of the Altenew 'Ambridge Bouquet' folder and I have to say the folder is fantastic to use. The impression it leaves is fab!
I added a white heat embossed sentiment.

Think the next make using it I'll try some watercolouring over the top... seeing as how I am now the proud owner of the complete set of Mondeluz Aquarelle Pencils 😊 - courtesy of my wonderful husband 💕 who proved he actually DID listen when I dropped the hint!

Haven't joined in many challenges recently but am going to link this over at
CYHTP - A/Goes with an E/F (Opted not to include the theme)
Seize the Birthday - Embossing
Craft Rocket - Embossing

Thanks for looking today - hope everything is OK with you in blogland. x

Blooms

 Perfect weather for the craft room - monsoon type conditions and heavy grey skies! A stark contrast to Europe who are in the grips of the most horrendous heat!

I have been playing about with black card recently - here is one I did a couple of days ago using an Altenew stamp set.

It was quite quick to do really - I spent more time messing about wondering how to place it on a UK card size than actually stamping and colouring!

Being a US company the frame is designed to fit on an A2 (?? I think??) card - a size that I have never used and is not one that you see a lot of here in the UK.

Stamped and heat embossed in gold then used metallic watercolours. I am loving these watercolours - the card has an incredible shimmer.
The sentiment is also part of the same set.

Once dry, I mounted it onto a piece of gold mirri card and ended up (after much debate) simply putting it centrally onto another piece of black card. It didn't look right on a white base, didn't fit properly on a 6 x 4, nor on a 5 x 5, looked daft on a 6 x 6 and at one point I was beginning to be sorry I had started in the first place!
Anyway to steal one of my Mum's sayings - "It'll do for now"!!!

Sharing over at
Beautiful Blossoms - A/Goes w/flowers
Creative Crafters - A/Goes
Crafty Addicts - A/Goes

Thanks for looking today - wherever you are in the world I hope you are safe and well. x

April Card Chain Challenge Reveal!

This is reveal day for our April Card Chain Challenge and as it's also launch date for our new challenge at Try It On Tuesday this is the first of 2 posts from me today!

This month I am feeling very pleased with myself as I had a go at replicating the sketch AND the colour combo (- very daring for me as I actually find following sketches quite difficult) and also used the Friendship theme. Not often I manage to do more than one thing!

I love this Altenew Wallpaper Art stamp set even though the flowers are quite big but they are beautiful.

I don't though have the matching dies so this involved an awful lot of fussy cutting.

The colour combo was charcoal, lime and bumblebee so I used Altenew Pure Graphite ink on the flower and the big leaves the coloured with Nuvo Watercolour 'Willow Green' which is the nearest I could match to.

Bumblebee proved a little bit trickier as I tried a couple of yellows for the flower centre and they all looked wishy washy and almost the same as the lime! In the end I went for a Promarker (Canary) and brushed over a teeny bit of yellow Wink of Stella - doesn't show up very well in the pic either!

Stamped the sentiment and decided instead of 'drops' to do a bit of spattering... got a teeny bit carried away I think!

My card flew off to to Gail in Norway and this month a big thank you to my friend Hilary who sent me a beautiful card and some gorgeous foiling!
There's still time to join in the May challenge - pop over to the blog and sign up!
Thanks for looking today - hope you'll check out my DT post for TIOT as well and maybe link up there too! x
Sharing my flower over at
MMM - Flowers
Crafting Happiness - Flowers

Try It On Tuesday - Reminder post!

 The start of the second week of our Rainbow Colours challenge at Try It On Tuesday and I've gone for something a little less 'full on' than my launch make!
(Here if you didn't see it and haven't a clue what I'm going on about!)

This time instead of vibrant colours I have gone for more pastel shades of the rainbow.

The leaf sprays are Altenew stamps, and I stamped and clear embossed.

I used Distress Oxides to watercolour

The sentiment stamp was a gift and I thought it was perfect for the pretty colours which although are muted are still a kaleidoscope of shades.

If you've not yet linked up to this fortnight's challenge, you still have time! x

Am sharing at
Colourful Options - Pastel
Sweet Stampin - CAS
Krafty Chicks - CAS

Blazing Sun

No blazing sun here - wet, windy and not very nice at all!

I have had this stamp set for a long time. It was one of those that I was desperate to have and one of those that once I got it didn't do a lot with it!
I have made this - (Thank you Pinterest and Virginia Lu.)

A mix of watercolours for the big sun and then my Arteza pens applied direct to the stamps for the branches and blossom

(I love cherry blossom - it just reminds me that spring is beautiful!)
I agonized over the bird - (ridiculous I know!) Blue? Pink? In the end opted for the same colours as the sun.

Some liberal spattering of the pink as I wanted to try and achieve the sight of the blossom being blown everywhere in a breeze... not sure I succeeded!

Apologies for the awful pic - the light here is dreadful - a real grey winter's day!
Linking up at
613 Avenue Create - A/Goes
Gem of a Challenge - A/Goes
ABMTTC - A/Goes

It's a little perplexing  how different areas are at different points in administering the vaccine for this dreadful virus.
Whilst by current calculations I am not expecting my first one until May/June I know of several people in different parts of the country who are over 80 and have received their first dose, 3 others who have in fact received BOTH - yet M-I-L who is classed as 'extremely vulnerable' and has been shielding since last March has not even received her letter telling her to make her appointment! Crazy.

Thanks for calling in - Stay Safe. x

February Mid Month at Stamping Sensations

It's half way time at the Stamping Sensations challenge this month.
Our theme is 'Feminine' and if you've not yet entered grab those girly themed stamps and get making!

Our sponsors are JMC Designs and  Bee Crafty and rather than me tell you about it, pop over to the challenge blog, have a look at what you could win and don't forget to check out our rules!
If you don't follow them then we can't select you for the prize!

I used one of Julia's digis called 'Marcelle', who is so obviously French (well she is to me anyway!).

So a French girl simply HAS to have a French background!

I printed the digi out onto watercolour paper and left overnight.

Stamped an Eiffel Tower from a very old stamp set and watercoloured a background.

After colouring the digi was fussy cut and popped onto the background using foam pads.
The sentiment is from the same set.

Hope you can find time to make a 'girly' card/project and look forward to seeing it in the gallery! x

Spring

It's been a week which has passed quickly if not productively.

On many occasions this week I have found myself staring blankly at card and wondering about making something - anything!

I think the thing is I simply cannot concentrate on one thing at the minute, I want to do several different things and because of this my thought process is jumping from one thing to the other - and I end up with........  nothing!

I only managed to make 2 cards this week... and this is one.
The Altenew blog gave me some much needed inspiration and another opportunity to practice with layering stamps.

Altenews Peony Bouquet stamp set, Ink shades - Shabby Shutters/Peeled Paint/Forest Moss and Memento Pear Tart, and Versafine black for the main flower outline and sentiment.
I finished with some pale green pearls.

Sharing my card over at
Creative Knockouts - Spring is on its way
MAWTT - Spring feeling
SSS Wednesday - No Designer paper
Elliebelle's Wednesday - Spring Blossoms

We've had a fine dry sunny week here, and although it is still a bit cold I think Spring is poking it's head out!
I hope you too are experiencing nice sunny days wherever you are.  Thanks for calling in today. x  

A learning curve and thoughts to ponder!!

Have you ever wondered (when you look at little piles of failed attempts in the bin ), why you tried in the first place?

Have you ever wondered (when you look at the greasy fingermarks), why you decided to use some (rather expensive) navy blue card which is coated with something that instantly attracts every single teeny bit of anything that is floating about above the craft desk?

Have you ever wondered (when you look at the finished article) why, even though there is nothing on the actual card the camera appears to have picked up strange shading and tiny specks?

I have.
I have wondered all these things  🔮 -  and don't know the answers!!

But in the making of the little pile of mess now sat in the bin I discovered that Pink embossing powder does not work when applied direct to this particular card.
Nor does Blue.
Nor does  Yellow
Nor does Green.

This stamp set  is called 'Under The Cherry Blossom tree' from Altenew and I confess that although I coveted it, it was not what I expected when it arrived.
There is nothing wrong with the set, it is a really pretty set but for me the majority of the sentiment stamps are really tinyand likely I will only use one or two.

I used Gold and Platinum EP on the branch - then, on trying to layer the cherry blossom in pink and the teeny birdie in aforementioned colours, I found out that this card definitely does not like it!

Try #1 - pink blossom ended up a sludgy maroon colour
Try #2 - blue birdie ended up translucent
Try #3 - yellow birdie was green
Try #4 = Green birdie looked as sick as the proverbial parrot!!

So blossom and birdie ended up white!

I am entering my tale of woe (and the card) into the following challenges
CAS Mix Up  - (Layered Embossing, Stamping and Die Cutting)
Time Out - Inspiration Pic (Blue, gold, white and blossom)
Stamplorations CAS Challenge - Dark Navy

I am off to put away pots of EP and empty the bin!! x

Winter Blues!

Came back from a short break staying with some friends at their wonderful place in Italy - from lovely warm weather to frost and cold! Skies here though are as blue today as they were when we were in the warm sunshine so we are off out for a wander round a local Artisan Market.

My share for today is not Christmas or Autumn themed either but a card made for a friend who is not into frilly or fancy.

I used basic white linen card for my base and stamped the Altenew Rose direct onto the card then silver embossed.

Brush inked the bottom with some Tumbled Glass DI.
I stamped/embossed the Altenew Rose again onto an off cut of the linen card and fussy cut the leaves and the flower head, then added some glamour dust.

Popped them all up on foam pads for extra dimension.
Rather pleased with how it turned out as it really is sparkly in real life without being too over the top!

Embossed the sentiment and added a few little sparklies.
Job Done!

I am sharing over at
Pixies Snippets Playground
Daring Cardmakers - Glitter
LIM - Dimension
Allsorts - Pearls/Gems
Creative Knockouts - Embossing

Thanks for looking - shall be round to visit you all later today. Hope all is well in your part of blogland. x
 

At Last!!

I am back in my craftie space! I have missed it sooo much these last months and it took ages for me to settle down to do anything - isn't it horrible when you have looked forward to something then when you actually have it within reach you can't seem to think of anything to do??
So I have been like that since Monday - (once I cleared all the dust off everything) - but today I finally made something -

with the help of Pinterest of course - better than nothing at all I think!

Had a bit of bother with the light taking the pic too.

I white embossed the flower (a small stamp from Altenew called You Make me Happy) onto watercolour card then coloured them with Distress Inks.
I used a pale blue water-soluble wax pastel for the background.

Finished it off with a teeny blob of Gold Liquid Pearls on the flower stamens.

Was a little disappointed with the sentiment - it was a small set from Kaisercraft and despite using Versafine ink and my Misti, it smudged a little.
But dear husband said it looked Ok so I resisted adding a new sentiment on another piece of card over the top of the smudged one.

It's been forever since I joined in with a challenge so am linking up to

Crafting By Designs- A/Goes
Sist. of Crafters - Flowers
SOS - Crazy for colouring
Flower Challenge - A/Goes


Thanks for visiting - am now able to sit here and call round and see what you have been up to!
Hope all is well in your part of blogland too! x

Stamping Sensations April Challenge

Our challenge at Stamping Sensations for April is 'One for the Girls'.

We are sponsored by Be Creative who are offering a whopping £25 prize to spend in their store - but remember you MUST follow our challenge rules to be eligible for the prize!
Although the challenge theme sounds simple, we do have some basic rules that we ask you to follow. This makes it fair to everyone who submits an entry! Please read our rules over on the blog.

I opted for a CAS card this month, done on a linen textured card base and using up some small pieces for the flowers.
(A visit to the Playground beckons!)

I love this layering set from Altenew called Peony Bouquet, although I didn't use all the layers for this card.

Treated myself to a set of 4 Hero Arts inks in lovely shades of green -  not a colour I use a lot of normally but I really like how this turned out.

The outline stamp was inked in 'Antigua'.
Then used two more of the layering stamps in 'Tide Pool' and 'Mint Julep'.
All fussy cut (not rich enough to buy the dies!).

Happily I managed to find a scrap of paper which matched perfectly so used that as a mat behind the stitched rectangle die.

Sentiment from Technique Tuesday inked in 'Tide Pool' and a couple of Dew Drops.

Please see what my teamies have delivered up this month to inspire you!

Crafty  Creations - A/Goes
Sisterhood of Crafters - Spring
Crafty Gals - A/Goes
Happy Crafting!

January Muddle

This last week has whizzed past at a rate of knots! We've had some friends staying for a few days which was really nice. We've done a bit of shopping, eaten a lot (with the usual glass accompaniments 😁😁) and generally had a lovely long lazy weekend.

Those of you who follow my blog know that after dropping many LARGE hints, Dear Husband bought me some Altenew Stamp Sets for Christmas - so I have been having a little dabble with them.
(I apologise for the truly dreadful picture - the weather has been awful here and is not the best picture taking light)

I am really pleased with this card!
The background is a bright white (I am beginning to think though that the trouble with my pics is the card I am using - everything either has a blue tinge (if I am taking on my usual white background) or looks grey (if I take it on a cream or coloured background - nearly gave up!!)
Anyway, I stamped the peonies in Versafine Smokey Gray and the layered colour is Versacolour Orchid Pink. The stems and leaves coloured with Shabby Shutters and Mowed Lawn DI.

I think this is one of THE best sentiments ever!
A relatively quick card and I thank Dear Husband for the stamps this year and the MISTI last year which makes stamping positioning so much easier.
Another card done for my stash and as we now have snow and sleet today it will be the craft room for me for the rest of the afternoon - and a chance to play with those lovely stamps again!

I hope all is well in your corner of blogland. Thanks for looking and leaving any comments. x 
Joining in over at -
613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes (Twist - something new)
Allsorts - No Patterned Papers
MTTC - Something New

Experimenting

Things back to normal here now. Tree down (2nd January) and the house straight.
I was lucky as this year I received several stamp sets that I wanted... (So Dear Husband was listening when I was muttering "I'd LOVE this set"... 😊😊 - and to his credit he made a note of them!)
They are not new releases but they ARE what I wanted!
The first one is using Altenew's  Amazing You set.

I had seen a card done stamping and colouring white onto black cardstock and thought I would give it a go.

I am really happy with this, my first attempt although no doubt there is room for improvement.

The rose and the sentiment are all white embossed.

Coloured the flower with a white watercolour pencil and made a few background spatters.

All in all, not too bad.

Managed today to get to the cancelled hair appointment, although didn't much feel like going anywhere after having some bad news yesterday - one of my friends (and a very talented crafter) had passed away. It was such a terrible shock.
She was one of the first people I ever swapped an ATC with many years ago and she encouraged me to try all kinds of new things when I first started crafting. It was she who got me into mixed media and I shall really miss her.
It has hit me really hard particularly as although we have kept in touch with mail/phone, owing to my Presidential commitments I hadn't managed to see her this Summer and we had missed our annual outing/picnic to Trentham Gardens where we met up every year.  We had made plans to meet up in the New Year - so I am feeling quite sad today.
I hope that all is well with you in your part of the world and thank you for reading my ramblings and I hope you will continue to visit! x

Linking up to -
Shopping our Stash - Watercolour
Simon Says Stamp (Wednesday) - Something New
Always Fun - Anything Goes