A struggle!

The challenge at Try It On Tuesday this time proved a real headache for me! The challenge is 'CUTE'.

I don't do cute.
I CAN'T do cute - in fact looking through the hundreds of stamps here, I have the grand total of 2 sets of Penny Black Hedgehogs which is a testament to how much cuteness there is in this craft space. 

Nothing. Nil. Zilch.

No cuteness overload here at all.

So with nothing else I had to resort to making a relatively CAS card using one hedgehog which got itself stamped onto watercolour card for the first time in the 10 (maybe more) years that I have owned the set.

All coloured with my Mondeluz pencils and the best attempt at cuteness I could muster!

Hope to see lots of cute creations in the link up this time round!

Thanks for looking today. x

 

 

How about a bit of Sparkle?!

 The new challenge at TRY IT ON TUESDAY is called 'SPARKLE ALL THE WAY', so we want to see lots of blingy creations this time round!

I had a bit of fun with some sequins.... especially when I knocked the tub onto the floor 🙈😀

I'm conscious that Christmas now is not too far away so I have been busy with cards and other things.

I used a Penny Black stamp for this card which I have had for several years and every Christmas it gets an airing in one form or another!

This time I gold embossed it and then blended Picked Raspberry over it.
Nuvo Gold and Diamond sequins randomly placed, a gold stamped sentiment (also Penny Black) and finished.

I made a couple of these as it was really quick to do (apart from the half hour collecting the sequins from off the floor....) and the 3 hours that I spent trying to get a decent pic! (Well not 3 hours but a long time anyway!)
Trying to photo sparkles is not a job I would want full time!

Hope you will pop over to the blog and see the rest of the DT's creations and that you'll join us for this challenge - after all what is life without bling?! 💎 x

Sublime

Time has simply flown and I am beginning to wonder what I am doing as I never seem to have a lot of time recently to do anything!

A friend's birthday is fast approaching and my card stash didn't have a lot in it so I have made this.

She is a no fuss or frills person but she does love her garden and birds so thought these stamps from Penny Black called Sublime would be perfect.

The little birdie is so cute!

Using watercolour card I stamped the floral spray off the edge a couple of times using Versafine Clair Fallen Leaves ink.

Images were coloured with Aquarelle pencils and the sentiment is from SU.

Sharing over at
Crafty Chicks - CAS
Cardz4Galz- Birds
Simply Clean and Simple - Off Centre
PB Saturday Challenge - Flowers

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

Wishes

There has been a lot of personal stuff going on here over the last few weeks which has left little time for blogging or Christmas preparations.

I am really sorry I have been unable to visit you all in the run up to the big event of the year and hopefully this will change in the not too distant future - not least because I need a little bit of R and R and calling into blogland is one of my most relaxing things to do and I do love to see what everyone has created.

Thank you to all my blogging buddies who have sent me beautiful cards and messages too.
 Here is a simple white embossed Penny Black stamp coloured with watercolours with a heartfelt sentiment to wish you all a wonderfully peaceful and happy Christmas surrounded by those that you love wherever you are in the World. x

More Green!

We're just over mid way through at the 'Go Green' challenge at Try it on Tuesday and my DT card is the post below this but here's another green themed card and this time it has a pop of colour!

I've not added a sentiment as I don't know yet what I will use it for - so will stamp something once I know.

This was another inky make which I enjoyed doing.

Starting with a smooshed Mowed Lawn DI background on some watercolour card, I did some third generation stamping with an Indigo Blu script stamp which I have had for a long long time in Versafine Clair Verdant.

The foliage stamps all from stash (again old ones!)

The flower is a from a Penny Black set inked with Versafine Clair Charming Pink.
.
I did some green ink blending round the edges before matting onto lime green card.

There's still time to join us at TIOT this fortnight!
Thanks for popping in to see me today - I hope all is well with you in blogland! x

Am also linking up to
Crafty Gals  #241- Make it Green
Sisterhood of Crafters - Use Green
Crafting Happiness - Lots of Green

CAS Mix Up Mid Month Reminder

Linda chose 'Things With Wings' for her theme for this month's watercolour challenge at CAS Mix Up.

Our friends recently celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary and I made this for them using a new Penny Black stamp set called 'How Sweet'.
A golden anniversary calls for gold embossing doesn't it?! And of course the flower had to be yellow!
The little hearts above my two love birds are from a really old set - but they didn't let me down and stamped and embossed beautifully.

Thanks for stopping by - hoping you will join us us this month - please pop over to the challenge blog and see whatthe rest of the DT have created! x

 

Spray

We've had some lovely weather recently and it has given me a chance to start re-designing the new home's garden to make it our own so I have been absent from the craft desk for quite a while.

As my back is insisting I have a day off from digging (and it's a bit cloudy!) I have a share for you today.

I love the Delicate Florals set from Penny Black and teamed it here with some background stamping and stencilling.

I brushed the background first with DI's in shades of yellow, overstamped randomly with an old script stamp before sponging through the diamond stencil.

I used my Arteza waterbrush pens direct to the stamp then dragged out the colour with a wet brush after stamping.

Finished with a few tiny gold liquid pearl dots.

When I packed up to move I found the rounded corner punch (covered in cobwebs as it had fallen down the back of a cupboard!) so thought I would see if it still worked. I quite like the soft rounded edges so have put it where I can find it!
Sharing over at
Colourful Options - Yellow
Country View - Spring
HLS Watercolour - A/Goes

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

 

Moon

Another Christmas/Winter make.

The Inkylicious moon mask has taken a hammering this year along with a couple of stamps owing to the fact that I cannot access all my stash!

Bottom masked with some torn paper then ink blended the sky. Stamped the Twiggy Branches then removed the mask from the bottom.

It looked a bit bare so more torn paper and more stamping,with a bit (?!) of blending.

I wasn't too happy with the bottom as I went a bit daft 🙈 trying to do snow drifts and used too much ink.
Finished with some White Nuvo Crystal Drops.

Tomorrow should have been Moving Day. Should have been😭😭.

Yet another delay😡 at the top of this chain as their solicitors seem completely incompetent and we were told it is 'unlikely that anything will be done until the New Year'.
Our solicitor is tearing her hair out as we and the lady we are buying from are all ready to go, as is the next two in the chain, it's the one after that that is causing all this stress, grief and disappointment, not to mention cost.
Coupled with the new 'work from home' edict from the Government because of the huge rise in infections here, this will only add to further delays no doubt.
It's incredibly depressing and when you think we should have only been here for about 6-8 weeks and we've now been here 6 months, with cardboard boxes stacked floor to ceiling and furniture stacked everywhere. I am beginning to think we are going to be stuck here forever!
Moan over! 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

November CAS Christmas

 It's time for the last challenge of the year over at CAS Christmas. Strange really as although I think for me the last couple of months have gone by slowly, but when I look back the year has gone!
This month's challenge is 'Christmas Critters'.

I don't have a lot of 'cute' stamps but I have one set from Penny Black called 'Holly Days' and I used one from that set for this make.

I ink blended my panel in shades of blue using a mask for the bottom. 

I transferred the mask to the base card and lightly inked along it to continue the hill.

Stamped our happy little soul and watercoloured him. Used a dot stencil and some sparkle paste for the 'snow'!
He makes me smile as he looks so pleased that the sparkly stuff is falling from the sky!

Anyway another one for the Christmas stash which I should really now get round to sorting out and writing!

I managed to take part in all but one of the challenges this year and have enjoyed the different themes, so thanks to the ladies over at CAS Christmas!

I'll be back in a few days with my mid month DT card for CAS Mix Up - but until then thanks for visiting and for any comments you leave. 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

Twofer Guest Designer

Two posts in less than 12 hours! (Scroll down for the other!)

Delighted to have been asked to be Guest Designer for the Twofer Challenge this month - the prompt word is 'Flowers'.
For those who are wondering about 'Twofer' - you have to make two cards for different occasions using the same stamps/dies/stencils. It certainly makes you think!
I used a NBUS stamp set, Penny Black Dahlias. Have had it a while and thought this was a good opportunity to let the set see ink!

First card uses white heat embossing of the largest stamp in the set.

I smooshed the background with Picked Raspberry and Shaded Lilac.

I sometimes don't like the effect I get just inking direct onto my craft mat so I used Acetate instead - that way you can have a little control over the distribution of colours and see if they are too much.

Originally I was going to simply heat emboss the sentiment direct to the inked piece but changed my mind and went for the vellum instead.  A couple of pink enamel dots and done.

The second card was a little bit more complicated time wise as it involved a lot of masking and stamping.

Gold embossed this one and watercoloured it - used the same biggest stamp and a couple of smaller ones.
I used Squeezed Lemonade, Fossilized Amber and Wild Honey for the flowers and gave the background a very light colour wash of Tumbled Glass and a few ink spatters in Amber before gold embossing the sentiment.

Popped it onto a die cut square and used hammered cardstock for a bit of added texture.
Here's a pic below of the two cards together and the challenge runs until 24th of the month.

Thanks to Darnell and the team at Twofer for inviting me to be Guest Designer this month and thanks to you for looking today.
Sharing over at
NBUS #

CAS Christmas!

Just when you thought it was time to forget about Christmas here's another Christmas card!
Once again this year I am going to try and take part in  the monthly challenges at  CAS Mix Up's  sister blog CAS Christmas.    (My DT card for Mix Up is the post below this one!)

This month's challenge prompt was Silhouette.

My bauble stencil is one bought from Inkylicious a long time ago.
I used Scattered Straw and  Speckled Egg for the background, with a little inking of Squeezed Lemonade to highlight the stars.

The Nativity scene stamp was part of the Sentimentally Yours set by Phil Martin and was a magazine freebie - I used it a lot this year.

I added a small piece of cord to the top and I lightly inked the edges of the white card before matting it onto black. The sentiment is from Penny Black.

Another card for the 2021 pile and a nice quick make!

We've had quite a bit of snow here over the last few days - and it is really cold.
In between the snow falling we have seen some stunning blue skies and if it wasn't for the white stuff on the ground from inside you would think it was summer!

I hope you're safe and warm wherever you are in the world and thanks for taking the time to visit my blog today. x

Pine Cones

A quick share from me today.

Made this using some watercolour cardstock and my Arteza Waterbrush pens

The stamp is called Brush Pines from Penny Black and it is one of my fave 'go to' Christmas stamps.

I started by inking the pine cones first and spritzing with water, then went on to the pine needles, using a couple of different shades, inking and spritzing as I went along until I was happy!

I dragged some of the colour from the pines outwards and then added a very pale blue/grey wash to the entire front.

A white pen highlighted the cones.
The sentiment is from SU.

Sharing this with
Krafty Chicks - Christmas
PBSC - Christmas
Craft Gals Corner - Tis the Season
Just as well that we are still under the toughest restrictions and unable to do anything as once again we have a very grey and damp day!

A perfect excuse to sit at the craft desk - am hoping that Mr Mojo will join me at some point! x

December

 Lovely bright day here after a very frosty morning - such a contrast to yesterday when I had the lights on at 1pm it was that dark and miserable!

Sat and wrote most of my cards and a trip to the Post Office this morning to send the overseas ones so I feel a little more organised - which makes a change!

Today's share is a  card done with another of my fave Penny Black stamps 'Berry Bevy'. I use it a lot every year at Christmas and every time I do, I say I should use it for other times of the year too. Maybe this year I will not put it in the Christmas box which may remind me!

I used a left over piece of  of textured linen cardstock which gave the inked background a bit of texture.

Quite a simple to do card really, -some ink blending, white heat embossed branches and some Silver Nuvo drops for the berries.

The silver does have a lovely shimmer to it and I decided against white snow spatters as I simply wanted it to look like branches against a clear night sky (not sure I've succeeded!)

The sentiment is from SU.

Still a couple more cards to write which I am going to do today and then maybe I shall make a few more - might as well start on next year's!

We will be remaining in the highest restriction Tier once our National lockdown finishes tomorrow. I have a feeling that I may well be buried under what my friend describes as a massive 'cardalanche' by the time our restrictions are finally lifted.
Hope the sun is shining where you are too. x
Linking up with -

Mix It Up - A/Goes plus CAS
Merry Little Christmas - A/Goes
TIOT - Winter Wonderland
Country View - A/Christmas

Tree

Been carrying on with Christmas makes - I probably have enough but figured it's best to keep going whilst I am in the mood! 

This card uses a Never Before Used Stamp - it's not a new one - I think Penny Black released it a few years ago, it's simplicity appealed to me as I thought it was a lovely tree.

I figured on using it to make one layer batch CAS cards with just simple stamping and colouring.  Ha! Total cards made with this stamp  =  ONE. This one! And definitely not one layer simple stamping and colouring!

That said I was quite happy with this when it dried out - I am still very much experimenting with my watercolour backgrounds - and a long way to go - but overall I don't think it's too bad.

I resisted the temptation to 'spatter it', no 'snow' spatters or even water droplets, just left it as it was.
The sentiment is a new one (more NBUS!) from Penny Black so of course I am linking up at the NBUS Challenge too!

Sharing over at
ABC Christmas - X for Xtra Special
Fezziwig - Decorate the Tree
Holly & Ivy - Anything Christmas

Thanks for looking - and I welcome your comments on my watercolouring efforts good or bad! 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

Live Simply

Almost a week since my last post 😱!  And it's not as if I have been mad busy is it?? 

I have though been enjoying some time outdoors with the weather being so good. The local garden centre delivered my order mid week so I have managed to tidy up some of the pots - although I ran out of compost so am now waiting another delivery!

I had stamped and embossed some stamps so armed with them and my watercolours I went outside yesterday, - it was such a beautiful day.  I sat under the parasol listening to nothing but birdsong and painted.
It was soooo peaceful.

Today I set about turning what I had painted into cards.

The focal stamp is from Penny Black Berries Delight set.
I masked it off then gave it a brick background.
The sentiment just appealed to me!

Linking to
PBSC- Anything Goes
AAA - One Image

The weather is set to turn cooler and more unsettled  this week so maybe I will spend more time in the craft room and not idling outside!

Whatever you're doing and wherever you are, I hope that you are secure, safe and well. Thanks for stopping by. xx.

Christmas Peace

Having arrived back from our break I thought it was about time that I actually made an effort and have the house look a little festive! So yesterday was spent with the tree, the decorations and the making of a table centre. On my feet all day and although the other half did most of the up and down 2 flights of stairs, I did a fair bit too so last night was too tired to do anything except try and ease my aching back with a bath and bed!
We've done the Christmas Eve/Christmas Day/Boxing Day shop today -  I have no idea how many some people are feeding when you look at overflowing shopping trollies!
My share is inspired by Pinterest - and I used a few snippets for this so am popping over to see Miss Di at the Playground.

I scraped some texture paste through a stencil and then brushed over some Antique Linen DI. Using  linen textured card also means I had some texture already to the base.
The die was obtained by a friend for me from the USA. I simply love this PB die and it has been used quite a bit on cards this year. It just shouts Christmas to me!
I used a scrap of watercolour card and started to paint it, adding some shimmer powder as I went along. It really made a difference to the flat base colour. The darker sections were left without the powder as I wanted the centre part to draw the eye.
Nuvo Gold applied to the centre, the berries and a little bit on the fronds.
A die cut sentiment from another bit of scrap and finished card!

Sharing over at
Allsorts - A/Goes
PBSC - A/Goes (Sparkle and Shine)
MTTC - Christmas Flowers
AYLI - Fave die
Inkspirational - No Stamping
The Flower Challenge - Use a Die

I want to say thank you for following me, for visiting me and for leaving me comments this year. I appreciate your support more than I can tell you!
If this is to be your last visit before Christmas, I wish you all a peaceful, happy Christmas surrounded with love (and of course crafty stuff!!) xxx

December Mid Month reminder at Stamping Sensations

Our Anything Goes challenge is well under way at Stamping Sensations but you still have time to enter.

There's a £25 voucher for you to spend at Be Creative if we choose you as the winner this month - so please follow our challenge rules and link up a make!

I made a batch of these - quick, easy and I think quite pretty!

Heat embossed the PB Berry Bevy stamp in the corner first, then dusted lightly with Tumbled Glass fading out as I went down the front.

Finished with some Red Nuvo Crystal Drops and a PB sentiment.
Job done!

Just one week to go now  before Christmas is here - and for once I am not panicking about cards. I am currently away on a short indoor bowling break with some friends - so instead I am panicking about no decorations up and no shopping done!!

Thanks for looking - and hope all your preparations are well in hand! x
Am linking up at -
CAS on Friday - Christmas
Jingle Belles - Christmas
Winter Wonderland - A/Christmas
Crafty Gals - Tis the Season