Try It On Tuesday

Am back this challenge over at Try It On Tuesday where our theme is 'Make It Magical'

This is one of my favourite Lavinia stamps and I waited a long time to bring her home with me - so she's well loved.

Other stamps are also (obviously) from Lavinia.
Background done with Chipped Sapphire and Wilted Violet Oxides for sky and then a liberal splashing of water and Hickory Smoke Oxide for the landscape.

I used some white Pan Pastel round the moon and highlighted the branches and other stamped images with a white gel pen.

She does have some sparkle on her wings but the pic doesn't capture it and I may yet still add a few dotty sparkles from the heart shaped corner stamp.

For lots of reasons I am not able to be crafting as much as I used to but I do hope to continue with the DT when I can.
Please go visit the rest of the DT at their own blogs when you have time.  

Thanks for looking today and for any comments you might leave. I appreciate them all. x 

Rainbow Colours

 April has come round so quickly!  Anyway here's our latest challenge at Try It On Tuesday and it's called 'Rainbow Colours'.

Normally I go for bold brash colours but recently we had a really soft dreamy hazy rainbow after heavy rain so I modelled the colours of this card on that!
Inks are all Oxides - Spun Sugar, Lucky Clover, Squeezed Lemonade, Salty Ocean.

Stamped the image in Smokey Grey and coloured with Mondeluz Aquarelle pencils. I love these pencils (which were a present from my other half!) as they seem to do exactly what I want wet or dry!

I added a few grungy second/third generation stamps randomly across the background and using the same ink colours as the background lightly brushed over a stencil just to try and give some depth and interest.

I thought about going over the flowers with some glossy accents - I may yet do that - can't make my mind up! (I used to be indecisive - now I am not so sure😂)

My free time has been at a premium - we are getting ready to embark on our Once in a Lifetime trip next month (sooooo excited!) and I'm currently leading a W.I.  Community Poppy Appeal here in our village as we want to make some fabulous displays this November and turn our village red for Remembrance Day. It's going very well so far with many people busy knitting or making crochet poppies!

Our target is 1,500 by the end of August - we've been going 3 weeks and have around 300 so far!
I'm not thinking about how long it's going to take to make them into displays either!)

Really hope you will pop over to the blog and see what the rest of the team have come up with and as always I am keeping my fingers crossed you'll be able to join in with us this challenge!
Happy Crafting! 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

Mid way at Try It On Tuesday

Our 'WHAT A NIGHT' challenge is half way through at TRY IT ON TUESDAY.

Near the top of my wish list for several years has been wanting to see the spectacle of the Aurora Borealis.
We were planning a trip to colder and more Northerly climes for late 2025 in the hope that we may be lucky and then in 2024 she showed herself not just once but several times in England and I (along with many others) actually had their wish granted without having to travel anywhere!

First time I rushed outside at 1am watching these dancing green and pink columns above my head and then on two more occasions I saw the sight again that I never thought I would be fortunate enough to see.

The last sighting just before Christmas was the most spectacular - vivid pink columns before eventually the other coloured dancing lights appeared in the starry sky.

So I credit the Lady Aurora for inspiring me to make this card.

Of course it isn't as perfect as the real thing but it captures for me the first moments of the last appearance - and the sentiment is definitely true - I will definitely remember the moments I saw this natural phenomenon!
Tree stamps are from Inkylicious.

Thanks for looking and for any comments you leave - hope you are able to join our challenge too!
Have a great day whatever you're doing. x

1st Challenge of 2025 at Try It On Tuesday

By now all the decorations will be stored away and doesn't your home look bare?!

I actually like it when all the Christmas clutter has gone and my house is 'back to normal'!

Our first challenge of the year at Try It On Tuesday is called 'Feeling Blue' (which I hope you're not).

I used one single ink pad for this make - Salty Ocean oxide - and it took no time at all to do.
Ink blending liberally splashed with water first.

Stamped the images from a really old Art Journey set using the Oxide and then hunted for a sentiment.
I didn't want a specific greeting as I have no idea what I will use this card for and wanted something generic.

I quite like this one, have had it for ever- no idea who's it is but it's mounted on red rubber and was bought well before clear stamps were a 'thing'!

Hope you can find time to join us this time - please visit the BLOG and see some of the lovely makes from the rest of the creative team.

Have a lovely day whatever you're doing. x

Card Chain Challenge June Reveal

 My card for June in the Card Chain Challenge went to Gail in Norway and I received a really pretty make from Patricia in Texas!

Once again the colour option from the vast list of things to choose from appealed to me and I also used the Summertime theme.

I used a Memento ink pad called Sahara Sand for the sandy beach, then blended another Memento colour called Turquoise Gem. The Navy blue colour element was a mix of Salty Ocean and Chipped Sapphire Distress Oxide.

I stamped a few starfish randomly along the sandy beach and once the background was dry, I got out these brilliant Ocean stamps from Inkylicious.
I've used these stamps quite a lot recently - they are absolutely perfect for adding embossed waves and foam to beachy scenes.

Although it's hard to see in the photo the starfish and the sand do have a teeny bit of sparkle - achieved by random dotting of Wink of Stella Pens in brown and gold.

Finished with a stacked die cut. (I always think there's something very dreamy about listening to a tide lapping on a sandy shore so the die seemed a good fit!)

There's still a few days left to sign up for the next Chain if you fancy having a go! x

Emboss It reminder for TIOT

We're mid way through our Emboss It challenge at Try It On Tuesday and I have been having a play with a recently purchased embossing folder.

I am beginning to be rather fond of these 3D folders!

This one is from Spellbinders and is called Beautiful Blooms.

I made a few of these in different colours as they were a very quick make and I needed a couple in a hurry!

I used Cracked Pistachio, Shaded Lilac and Speckled Egg Distress Oxides and just added a stacked die cut sentiment.

The pistachio one turned out the best - I don't know how but I managed to end up with a crease in the other two - I was going to throw them away originally but the other half said they weren't very noticeable so I used them rather than wasting them!

There's still time for you to emboss something and join us! Be lovely to see you.

Thanks for looking today and have a good day whatever you're doing. x

Fantasy at Try It On Tuesday

Our new challenge at Try It On Tuesday starts today and for the next 2 weeks we hope you will share your 'Fantasy' themed creations with us!

I make no apologies for once again playing about with my all time fave stamps - I LOVE these mermaids!

This was framed and given to a friend - who like me thinks Mermaids are one of the coolest things ever!

Ink blended background and used a Lavinia stencil for a bit of added interest.
All stamps are also from Lavinia (obviously!)

Coloured the images with my Mondeluz Aquarelle Coloured Pencils which are simply awesome - and they blend beautifully and a few highlights with a white Posca pen..

Thanks for stopping by and hope we will see lots of fantasy creations over at the challenge blog this time round! x

More Purple!

 I notice that I've not posted many Christmas cards this year - I have made some but most days the lighting here hasn't been good for pics! Anyway, most are now written and posted so there's only a few cards I can show!

I had some lilac and purple shades out on the desk after making the card for the Card Chain Challenge (post below) so before I had a tidy up I made another.
I used Oxides for this one - Wilted Violet and Shaded Lilac for the sky, masking off the moon circle first then some water splatters.
I removed the mask and gave it  a quick light dust over with the Lilac.

I have an Inkylicious moon stamp which has the cloud drifts so inked it with Wilted Violet DI and stamped.  Was pleased with the result.

The snowdrifts were done using Lost Shadow ink.

My Lavinia foxes are very well used and I used a white pen round his body - still practicing with this but I don't think he looks too bad overall altho I was a little heavy handed!

The branches were stamped in Purple, Metallic Silver and Brilliance White - I heat embossed the white then did the same with the bauble.
A few stamped twiggy bits and finished!

Thanks for looking. I hope everyone is well and not getting too panicked about Christmas approaching! I am feeling quite organised this year for a change! x

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

July Card Chain Challenge Reveal

I sent my card to my lovely blogging friend Hilary this month and received one from Marianne in Greece!.
When I saw the sign up post at Card Chain Challenge I knew straight away that this month I wouldn't be following the colour option like normal - one of the themes tied right in with a NBUS purchase.
Some time back I bought several 'sea/ocean' themed stamps from Lavinia - and have been slowly adding to the collection so the 'Fishes' theme was perfect for me to use 'Flo' (she's the big fish! I already had the smaller one)

Flo and her smaller versions were stamped with Versafine Clair Monarch ink, as were the Sea Urchins.
I masked them off and then built up the background with Distress Oxides Mermaid Lagoon, Bundled Sage, Salty Ocean and spattered with water. I love the way Oxides react with water!

Lots of foliage stamping followed, using more stamps from the Lavinia collection in Versafine Clair Shady Lane, Verdant and Monarch and once dry I removed the masks and water coloured the Sea Urchins.

Stamping was finished with the bubbles in Versacolour Turquoise and the sentiment in Monarch.
Flo and entourage were given a liberal helping of yellow Wink of Stella, and I used clear Wink of Stella on the Urchins too so it does have a bit of a shimmery look in real life!

There's still time to sign up if you fancy joining in!
Sharing over at
NBUS #53
Use Your Stuff - 3 Item Cluster (my 3 fish!)
ATS+M - Make your Mark

June Card Chain Challenge Reveal

My make for the June Card Chain Challenge went to Patricia in Texas and I received a lovely card from Gundi in Germany too - so thanks again! x

Once again I opted for the colour challenge and managed to add in the product option of Lace.

Using cream base card instead of the usual white I stamped the lavender image (Technique Tuesday) and coloured the flower heads with Picked Raspberry Oxide.

The background stencil is one of my most go to stencils and as I've now lost the packaging I've no idea which make!

Stencil ink blending was a combo of Spun Sugar and Picked Raspberry.

Added a piece of cream lace and some pink/cream twine then popped the floral spray onto a mat of Picked Raspberry inked card before putting it onto the main card.

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

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

Birds/Feathers at Try It On Tuesday

The weeks are simply flying by (no pun intended) and it's a new challenge over at Try It On Tuesday - the theme is Birds and or Feathers!

Some time ago I saw a painting depicting a bird who had escaped from it's cage and I wanted to try and make a card along the same theme.

We have so many lovely birds singing in the garden and they always sound so happy (they make me feel happy too) so my make this time is a combination of bird song and freedom which to me means - - Happiness!

This little bundle of feathers is out in the tree celebrating the fact that someone has left his cage door open and he is free.

Ink blended background of Picked Raspberry, Spun Sugar and Antique Linen.

I used Black Soot along the bottom and stamped the grass using Card-io stamps from the Textures set.

My birdcage is an old die - has a branch attached to it so I cut it off!

Bird and the tree branch is also Card-io.

Thanks for looking today! x

Fiery Friend

 We have been blessed with some glorious weather recently so a lot of time has been spent outdoors - either in the garden pottering about and soaking up the sunshine or out armed with binoculars (husband with camera) looking at birds and nature in general. A few days away whilst the weather was so good adds up to a pretty perfect time at the mo!

BUT - I had to have an inky fix in between and here it is

I have been mulling over the idea for this for a while - sometimes I don't trust myself to try out an idea in case it looks rubbish - but I was pretty happy with this one!
A friendly dragon flying in to see his dragon keeper.
A clearing in a wood and a fiery sky whilst they say hello to each other.

Stamps of course by Lavinia and Distress Oxides for background.

I have had Zemira for a little while but this is the first time she (and the dragon) have seen ink!

I used a couple of different colours of Memento Inks for our fiery dragon (thanks to my Misti!) and put some Wink of Stella on Zemira which doesn't show up very well in the photo.

Currently trying to decide if I second/third generation stamp the Lavinia Dragon Verse on the right... been thinking about it for several days .... and still thinking! Instead there may be a few more tree trunks added on the right rather than the verse.... still thinking!!!

Sharing over at
Little Red Wagon - Things that Fly
I Spy - Something with Wings
Fairy and Unicorn - Anything Fantasy
Sweet Stampin' - Things with Wings
NBUS #51

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

January Card Chain Challenge

My card for the first Card Chain Challenge of 2023 went to Pia in Norway!
There were a few challenge options to choose from this time and I managed a couple - the colour option is always the one I go to first but this month I was also able to use the Product/Technique option of Distress Oxides and as Pia and I have been following each others blogs for some time now she is amongst my blogland 'friends' so I also could use one of the theme options too.

Here's my make. Over time I have made a few of these using the same basic design but in different colours. Blue shades, Orange shades  and Lilac shades to name just 3!
This is the first one using Pink!

A little moon mask started the background and I blended some Picked Raspberry round it first then moving downwards lightly, before swapping the colour for Saltwater Taffy to fade it down.

The darker of the floral branches were stamped with Altenew Razzleberry ink.

The second and third gen stamping was done using Versafine Clair Charming Pink. The stamp is from an Oriental Blossom set by Inkylicious.

I die cut the branch and birds and then gave the birds a quick blend with the remainder of the  Picked Raspberry left on the blender.
Added the little sentiment and then die cut the arched frame (Moonstone Dies) for the panel to sit behind.

It's not an exact replication of the colours on the challenge post but not far off!
I received a lovely card from Carol - and if you fancy joining in this month you have until 6th Feb to sign up - just go to the CCC blog!

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

Peaceful Winter

I am well into Christmas card mode and here's another.
Have kind of rediscovered my enjoyment of ink blending recently too - I still like CAS a lot but there's something about trying to make a scene blending inks - and of course there's always Pinterest to be inspired by!

The background sky for this was done in Tumbled Glass and Chipped Sapphire Oxides, using a large moon mask.

The fir trees are among some of my most used stamps and are from Inkylicious.

I stamped them in Versafine Clair Morning Mist rather than black ink as I wanted a softer effect.

The tree branches were second and third generation stamping in Chipped Sapphire and a couple stamped in Brilliance Moonlight White.

The little deer (he really is tiny!) was a freebie in a mag - maybe last year - and so was the sentiment.

A liberal spattering with a white Posca pen and my traditional snow scene was done.

I am carrying on making for the forthcoming Artisan Fair and it's strange because I actually don't feel under any pressure to produce lots of stuff, and am just bimbling along! I've done candles, some wooden tree decs and lots of lovely Fairy Baubles as well as cards so maybe it's the variety of makes I am enjoying more?
Anyway, thanks for looking and hope all is well in your part of blogland. x

Sharing over at -

TIOT - Traditional Christmas
Use Your Stuff - Winter/Snow
Holly and Ivy - Anything Christmas

Watercolour and twigs and Thank You!

 

A quick and simple card - so quick and simple I made a batch of them!
Watercoloured using Distress Oxides, then when dry stamped the twigs.

I resisted the temptation to put berries on them using Nuvo drops as I quite liked them stark and bare. The stamp is by Inkylicious called unsurprisingly 'Willow Twigs'!

One of the things you realise when you're in a confined space is that it really isn't a good idea to spatter your Posca Pen without covering up anything close by - I am currently typing this onto a snowstorm covered keyboard and viewing it through a snowy screen!

I had several small scraps of white card lying about so simply tore them all up and laid over the bottom of the watercolours, then stamped the sentiment (Stampin Up). Altogether I made 8 cards!

As each card only has one tiny snippet I am not sure if Miss Di will allow me to visit the Playground but am linking up and if not she can send me to the naughty step and give me detention!!

Am sure everyone's as fed up as me over my house move saga, so will only say we've not had much movement apart from a suggested date but nothing definite -and it ain't for a few weeks yet cos apparently solicitors (unlike the rest of us mere mortals) have to have extended Christmas holidays... enough said.

I will try and visit everyone in blogland before Christmas Day, but if I don't manage it, I want to wish you all a peaceful, happy Christmas surrounded by everything that is special to you.

Thank you all for sticking with me, particularly the last 6 months which have at times been a hard slog for me, I REALLY appreciate you all, your comments have kept me going.

Christmas wishes everyone and stay safe. xx

CAS Mix Up June Mid Month Reminder

I chose the word prompt of  'FLIGHT' for my host month at CAS Mix Up  and we're half way through so there's still time to add your make into the gallery!
(It's my birthday today too so it would be a lovely pressie if you fill our gallery with gorgeousness!

Followers of my blog will have seen this sentiment before because I love it!

I black heat embossed the feathers and the emerging birds first.

Smooshed Twisted Citron and Salty Ocean Oxides onto a piece of acetate and then simply pressed the acetate sheet down onto the card where I wanted it.

I like being able to see where I am putting the colours - if I do random smooshing direct to my card when I turn it over it's normally a muddy mess!

Sentiment also black heat embossed.

Please pop in on the rest of my lovely teamies!

Have a lovely day - I am planning on eating cake - lots of it!🍰🍰🎂

Tree House!

 A very very windy and cold day here - occasionally we get a patch of blue sky but the wind is blowing the clouds in as quickly as the blue sky appears, so it's heating on and sat at the desk day for me I think! 

Had a bit of a watery fest with some Distress Oxides and made this card.
The Stampendous birdie is a recent acquisition for me, previously loved and I have decided I love him too.

Once my smooshed background was dry I stamped him and his branch. I fiddled about a bit with the branch using both Peeled Paint and Twisted Citron to give more leafy bits!

Birdie was stamped again with DO's, watercoloured and fussy cut then popped back on his branch.

The bird house is from a stamp set called 'Live Out Loud' which I have had for a long time - from Chocolate Baroque before it became Chocolate Baroque!

I think that birdie is eyeing up this very posh ornate house 🏡 and imagining himself in there snuggled up with Mrs Birdie! 💕

It was a change for me to stamp in the DO colours and I probably wouldn't have done so had I not seen the idea on Pinterest - I like the way the stamped images pop out of the co-ordinated background and will definitely be doing this again.

Thanks for looking today! x
Sharing at-
613 Avenue Create - In the Garden
SOSS#182 - D for Distress
Country View Crafts - Birds and/or Bees
Beyond the Blue - DO Background