October Card Chain Challenge Reveal Post

My card this month went to Linda in Minnesota and I received a lovely card from Jo!
I chose the technique option of 'Spotlight Stamping' and tried to incorporate the colours - which was a bit of a struggle!

My large background stamp is from Crafty Individuals - there's something so quintessentially English about stopping everything for Tea!
I love a cuppa - but only if it's in a china cup!
It's a long time sice I did anything even a tiny bit shabby so this was a nice change from ink stained fingers.

Stamped the image with Versafine Morning Mist hoping this would pass for Silver.....😉

Stamped again and cut out part of it and coloured in shades of pink (Cotton Candy) and a pale blue (Baby Blue) and a little splash of yellow, and popped it up with some dimensional foam pads.

To finish the spotlighted centre image I added a liberal helping of Glossy Acccents onto the dangly 'teabag' suspended from the middle cup
The lace is from my stash.

Still time to sign up for the November chain - it's great fun!

Let's Go Outside at Try It On Tuesday

Our latest challenge at Try It On Tuesday is called 'Let's Go Outside'.

Lots of interpretations for this one and look forward to seeing what the challenge prompt means to you!

I love the Sea.
I live in a pretty rural area but we're literally 10 minutes away from the coast so I have the best of both worlds.

Here's my make. The two girls are a stamp from Crafty Individuals and the boat is from Card-io.

I had it in my head that these two girls (sisters/friends) were just seeking solace at the water's edge, dreaming of escaping to some magical place aboard the boat!
(I know - fanciful imagination I have!)

I also got to try out one of the waves stamps from Inkylicious (which I bought and then forgot I had them!)

Just lots of ink blending and heat embossing and I fussy cut the girls to make them stand out a bit more.

This was one of those makes that I was (and still am ) undecided about as I think I maybe got the perspective askew - maybe the sea should have been less and the beach and sky more??? Just call me undecided!
Hey ho, it's done now!

Hope you can find time to join us for this challenge - we welcome all types of crafting, not just cards!
And please pop over to the challenge blog and have a look at the rest of the DT's makes - we love visitors!
Happy Crafting! x

Christmas is Coming!

 Despite my entire life being on hold😔 it hit me last weekend that Christmas is not too far away - and although I have some cards made there are a few more that I need/want to do so I thought I'd better make a start!

Here's a share for today.

I made a couple like this - they were quick to do (apart from the fussy cutting of the Robin, not made easy because of the arthritic thumb which has really flared up in the last week)

The twiggy stamp is from PB, simply white heat embossed and then some ink blending done round it.
The robin is from Crafty Individuals and is the smaller one which is the perfect size for a tag (if you use the whole of the stamp!)
I finished it by using some Nuvo Red Crystal drops for the berries.

It's been FOREVER since I managed to post something and link it up for a challenge so am sharing this over at

TIOT - Winter Wonderland
Holly & Ivy - Anything Christmas
TicTacToe #140 - I used the line Red, Bird and Tree

Tentatively we may have some movement on the house - but we have been disappointed so often in the last 6 months we are trying not to get too excited - so we will just have to wait and see!

Thanks for visiting, hope all is well with you in your part of blogland. x

Snow - (bird) Men?

 Well it's the 6th month of the year and I am still keeping my promise to make at least one card for CAS Christmas.
This month's challenge though had me a little stumped - a simple enough theme you would think until I realised that amongst this stamp mountain I possess I own precisely ONE snowman stamp 😦
What to do????

I remembered that when this stamp from Crafty Individuals (CI- 569) was released despite it being called 'Seagulls of Seaton Carew', I immediately thought of snowmen! Maybe it was the scarves and the bobble hat?

Stamped and heat embossed in white and chopped off their legs!

Stamped, coloured and paper pieced the scarves,  bobble hat and googly eye and just popped them onto a white snowy background. I added a row of die cut white trees behind them.
(I think if I did this again I might make their black beaks orange like carrots)

In my head they looked like they were lost or simply couldn't make their minds up which way to go so the addition of the sign with a couple of choices -

Do we behave and go home?
Or do we go and find adventure?

Big choices for 2 (legless) Snow (Men)......😄
Sharing over at
Fezziwigs - Cold and Frosty
Krafty Chicks - Christmas
A2S+M - Christmas

Thanks for looking today - have a lovely day whatever you're doing! x

Shades of .......................... Blue!

Colours sometimes can change a stamp completely can't they?

I made a card using the same stamp (HERE) a little while ago using normal Summer/Autumn shades and decided to go for a complete change with this one!

My ink blended background was overstamped with a crackle stamp, some text and some grungy circles

I used a small dots stencil and a small dots stamp to finish the background off.

Stamped and triple heat embossed the flower (Crafty Individuals CI-560) in platinum, then watercoloured using Faded Jeans and Chipped Sapphire DI.

Really happy with the shine achieved by the triple embossing - here's a close up!

I have yet to decide on a sentiment - I thought perhaps I may use it for a winter card so have just popped it in my personal card box until I make my mind up!
Linking up at
A2S+M - Make your Mark
House that Stamps Built - Embossing
Sisterhood of Crafters - Flowers as Focus

We have a holiday weekend here - and the weather forecast looks good for a change - some time outside tending to my rain/wind battered plants is planned!
Have a great weekend wherever you are. x

Spring?

What a glorious day we are enjoying here today! Warm sunshine and blue skies and that blasted wind has finally eased a little!
The forecast says it mightn't be here long so I enjoyed a couple of hours outside!
Here's spring themed card!

I made it a couple of weeks ago as soon as I got the stamp from Crafty Individuals.

The stamp is called 'Counting Bluebells' (CI-572) and I thought it was really pretty!

It's a bigger stamp than I am used to - this card is 7 x 5 and the image as you can see takes up most of the front.  One of the good things though is that it doesn't need much else!

I started by using my Arteza water brush pens direct to the stamp, spritzing lightly with water before stamping then simply dragged the colour from the outline to colour the image.

Made a mask for the bluebells and did some second generation stamping with the music background stamp which is from Wow.

I thought it still looked a bit bare so got a small dots stencil and inked through it lightly with Lilac DI and then lightly inked the card edges.
No sentiment cos I don't know what I am going to use it for!
There's lots of bluebells currently flowering here in woods in the UK - I had a big clump in the garden of my old house underneath a tree and I loved to see them as it always made me feel that Spring had arrived.
Sharing at
TIOT - Spring
SSS Monday - Easter/Spring

We're Here!

Been playing about with stamps again!
Here's today's share.

It's a bit of a fun, quirky make (for me) and I got out some very old Paris themed stamps which haven't seen the light of day for a long time. I think they were one of the very first sets I bought on a trip to the NEC.

The background paper is by Crafty Individuals. I overstamped it with the various French related stamps, bus tickets, an airline ticket and other bits including one very large Eiffel Tower.

The birds stamp is from Crafty Individuals too (- CI- 544) - its called Three Birds and I stamped and fussy cut two of them (obviously!), then watercoloured.
The suitcase is from another old set. I wanted them to look like they had just arrived!

I have quite a few things almost finished and am determined to try and get a couple completed - for no other reason than the workspace has that much on it very soon I won't be able to even move it all to one side to make even a bit of room!

Thanks for looking today - have a great weekend. x
Sharing at
Retro Rubber- A/Goes (my Paris stamps are at least 12 years old!)
Crafty Creations - A/Goes

Flower

We have had very misty mornings the last couple of days but eventually late afternoon the sun has come through and cheered me up! It's still not very warm but everything look so much better under blue skies.

This was another 'Had To Have' stamp! Crafty Individuals CI-560 and is simply called 'Flower'.
I have made a couple of cards with it which no doubt will appear on the blog soon!
After stamping the flower, I started my background blending Picked Raspberry/Scattered Straw/Tea Dye.

A thin layer of texture paste through the 'Vintage Diamond' mini stencil and once dry blended a little Dried Marigold over it. I used Black Soot (very lightly) through the circle and line stencil and then just added a few odd grungy stamps randomly.

Stamped the flower head again and watercoloured, then fussy cut it before sticking it back on the base card.

The word 'flower' is a Visible Image stamp.

I didn't want a stark white card base so just used some inks and the stencils to give a better background to mount the finished panel on.

This card was 'Pick Of The Week' over at the Crafty Individuals Group Facebook page! Couldn't believe it and now I have the happy (but difficult) problem of choosing another stamp for my prize!

Sharing over at
TIOT- Use a Stencil or Two
A2S+M - Make your Mark
Daisy Chain - Flowers

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

Got to be China!

Cold and snowy here still, perfect for staying warm indoors and playing with paper and ink!

My Mum would never drink tea out of anything other than a china cup and saucer - once I left behind the station canteens where there were big thick (invariably cracked) mugs (talking about drinking vessels not my fellow officers...😄), I of course adopted another of Mum's traits and demanded china for my cups of tea.
(She WAS right - it does taste better!)

So this stamp reminded me very much of my lovely Mum - it was always time for tea!

The stamp is from Crafty Individuals (CI 547 - Time for Tea).
Stamped then onto watercolour card and spent a lovely time painting. (Finding watercolouring very restful and an escape from the world around us at the moment.)

I ink blended the background using Worn Lipstick, Spun Sugar and Twisted Citron and although it doesn't show up very well in the photo, did some second generation stamping with a script stamp and a small trio of teacups which were free in a mag some time ago.
The sign is from the same free set.

I've yet to decide if I am going to add a sentiment but have left space at the bottom just in case!
Have some more images stamped so am planning on spending my weekend colouring in the warm craftie space.
Thanks for looking today - stay safe and warm wherever you are in the world. x

Of the Sea

I was making sure that I had my scheduled posts all ready for Twofer and CAS when I realised I had not posted anything this week.
I was lucky enough recently to win a prize over at the Crafty Individuals Facebook Group just before Christmas and I chose this fab newly released stamp called 'Of the Sea'. (CI-559) A lovely Christmas present!

I love the sea and although we are blessed here with the most amazing countryside views, I would maybe one day like to live near the sea, so this stamp was made for me!

I stamped the image onto Mixed Media card, watercoloured and fussy cut. Once dry I distressed the edges a tiny bit, then used Antique Linen DI.
The background was done simply by smooshing Chipped Sapphire and Scattered Straw DI's onto acetate before transferring to the card.

The corner compass, the fishing net and some sandy texture (Sweet Dixie stamps) all done with the same Scattered Straw and then used the sentiment from the same set.

I will make no apologies now for the fact that I have several more of this lovely boat image stamped on the desk waiting so there are more to come.

Linking up with -
A2S+M - Make Your Mark
Lost Coast -  Beginning with 'B'
SOS - New
HLS Watercolour - A/Goes

We have had quite a bit of snow over the last few days and it is still here with no sign of a thaw just yet and here's a pic from the back of the house.

I love looking out when the world is white - and it currently lifts my spirits a little.
I hope you are all safe wherever you are and thanks for dropping by today. x

3 Kids and a Brolly

 How changeable our weather is! No venturing out today as it's wet and very windy (again) but we have managed this week two nice long walks - yesterday particularly was beautiful as we had nice bright blue sky even though it was cold. Don't mind the cold but hate the rain!
So here's my share for today.

I have wanted this stamp for a long time and recently over at the Crafty Individuals Facebook Group was lucky enough to be picked to win a stamp of my choice - there are lots  and lots of lovely stamps that I want but this was the one (CI-399) I chose, simply because it has been on my wish list for EVER!

I teamed it with Penny Black 'Hidden Lane'.
There was lots of masking, inking and spritzing and it wasn't a quick card to do because of that.

Building up a scene is not something I am very confident with, but I really enjoyed doing it.

Stamped the children first, masked and then worked round them, inking the PB stamp with my Arteza waterbrush pens.
I used a small blending brush for the sky and the 'snowdrifts' to the right of the fence
The sentiment is also from Penny Black.
This stamp has already been well used for my Winter cards and is set to become a very firm fave with me.  
Thanks for stopping by today - Stay safe wherever you are in the world. x

Linking up at -
ABC - W for Winter Wonderland
SSS - Happy Holidays
Creative Knockouts - Winter Wonderland
CRAFT- Christmas

Sparklers

Today's card was one of those where you start by just trying things out and see if it looks OK. 

I silver embossed this recently bought Crafty Individuals 'Winter Garden' (CI-425) stamp onto a piece of vellum and then double embossed the sparkler flower heads with some gold.
I think this is such a pretty stamp and it will likely appear again in the not too distant future!

I had done a few square backgrounds using trees and a tiny deer stamp for some quick cards and they were in a small pile on the desk ready to go onto card bases  - I put the newly embossed vellum piece over one of them.

I was quite happy with how it looked although the top right corner looked a little bare so I found a corner flourish (old old old) and silver embossed it.

Card done!
Does anyone remember Woodware making a product called 'Miracle Adhesive Film'?  I bought a few packs of this probably more than 10 years ago now - it was specifically for use with vellum.

Sadly I have been unable to source it for several years but it really was brilliant to use for sticking vellum down completely transparently. I have yet to find any make of glue or tape that works as well.
As I now only have a few small sheets left I cut some small pieces for the corners instead of using the entire sheet - save as much as I can!

UPDATE 28TH OCTOBER - Thank you to my lovely visitors who have found a company in the UK who still have a few packs of this in stock. The power of blogland!! 

Sharing my make over at
TIOT - Embossing
Christmas Kickstart - Festive Florals

We have another wet, windy and miserable day so with the ironing done and a (very) quick flick of the duster it's off to the inky space for me! Have a great day whatever you're doing. x

Dawn Reflections or Sandra's Trees!

It has been a difficult couple of days! Mr Mojo went AWOL (again) and motivation to do anything has been in short supply (not that I EVER have any motivation for ironing and the like but there are times it is easier to force yourself to do it than others).

I had an inkling of an idea last night and here is the result.

'Sandra's lovely trees' (the Crafty Individuals stamp is called Dawn Reflections CI-554 but to me it will always be Sandra's Lovely Trees!)  were sitting on the desk and I decided to force Mr Mojo out of hiding.

I masked off the bottom half of the stamp (the reflection bit) and stamped the top part first.

I found my Inkylicious little man in a boat and stamped him next.
I made a mask of him and then stamped the bottom part of SLT (Sandra's Lovely Trees!).

Held my breath that it would look OK when I removed the mask...... not too bad at all!

Inked my hills in Shaded Lilac and used Squeezed Lemonade and Tattered Rose for the rest of the sky, my coin (circle mask) moved a little so the circle isn't exactly circular but I hope it's only noticeable to me.

The water done with Weathered Wood and Stormy Sky.
I think he looks quite happy out there on his own surrounded by this lovely scenery.

Crafty Individuals has a Facebook Group HERE.  There are challenges every month with prizes offereds - this month's challenge is called NEW DAWN. So countryside scenes, nature etc are all eligible. I know the Crafty Individuals DT would love to see you over there too!

Been a horrible wet and very windy day - we have a Wind Farm nearby and thought someone had come along and stolen the 12 of them - couldn't see it this morning the grey rain filled clouds were so low. And it hasn't improved much as the day has gone on so likely the pic isn't the best either!

I hope you are safe warm and dry wherever you are in blogland and thanks for visiting. x

A bit like buses....

A rare thing for me -  I'm back with my second post of the day - I am absent for 5 days then I post twice in the space of a few hours! But had to share - couldn't wait!
Before I do, just want to say thank you to everyone who tried to help regarding replying to a question left as a comment on a post. I still can't reply (Carol H - I am not ignoring you) despite trying several things suggested. If you e mail me (on my profile) I can answer.

So onto the card.
This stamp was designed by Sandra (Sandma's Cards) for Crafty Individuals. (CI- 552)
Be warned there's a few of them in Sandra's set and they're all wonderful!
(It would have been rude not support Sandra wouldn't it? - - - At least that's what I said to him indoors as I was clicking on BUY NOW   😉).

Used Arteza Waterbrush Pens to ink the bottom part of the stamp then some blendable pencils for the small riverbank in the background.

If you're like me, sometimes you look at stamps and think they need lots of inky backgrounds to make them work.
At first that's what I was going to do but changed my mind and am quite happy with how it turned out.

Sharing over at
MAWTT - Animals or Birds
Krafty Chicks - CAS

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!
   

July at Stamping Sensations

Today our challenge is a well known quote for you to interpret - it's Emerson's  'The Earth Laughs in Flowers'.
Stamping Sensations is lucky to have Crafty Individuals as our sponsors this month and they are giving a whopping £25 voucher to our winner!
Please pop over to the challenge blog , read the rules and then make something and join us!

I got out the Brushos for this one!
I have found that I am much better wetting the card and sprinkling on the Brushos rather than the other way round.
If I put the Brushos on first then water I end up with far too much colour all over the place - if the card is wet before you apply them you can see how the colour is developing..... well it works for me anyway!

The stamp is from Crafty Individuals called 'Spring Flower Garden'. Stamped onto watercolour card, clear embossed and when dry added the water then the Brushos.

Luckily for me I had the challenge theme saying in a sentiment stamp!