Mid Month at Stamping Sensations

Our challenge at Stamping Sensations is 'Fabulously Feminine'.

I was sent this Stampin Bella stamped image by one of my friends after drooling over it - see -  if you annoy someone enough they give in to shut you up! 😂😂

 Showing no shame either I also copied the same colour scheme!

 Seriously tho' I really do love it so thank you (you know who you are x).

I used Promarkers to colour - Poppy and Ruby for the jacket,  Apricot and Honeycomb for her skirt.
I had some tiny black gems so they doubled as buttons.

I fussy cut her out (not a job I am going to repeat!) and popped her onto a Sun Ray embossed background which I thought was perfect for the sentiment using foam pads so she stood out.

We have an amazing prize this month - please visit the challenge blog to check out what it is, and
PLEASE read and follow our rules before linking up.
If you don't follow our rules the DT can't comment on your entry and then you can't be in with a chance of winning!

Sharing at
Cardz 4 Galz - Dimensional Element
I love Promarkers - A/goes
Crafty Creations - A/goes

Sunny Days

Another scheduled post!
The August challenge at Stamping Sensations is 'ANYTHING GOES'!!
Don't forget we are a STAMPING challenge so stamping has to be the focal point of your entry!
Another great prize on offer... pop over to the blog for the deets. Here's my share for the DT this month.

Made from scraps too so am quite pleased with myself!
Background square masked and inked with Tumbled Glass and Mermaid Lagoon DI.
The stamp is of course from SU - an old set but I really like this pic of the little man building his sandcastle.

Painted the image with Promarkers - long time since I had those out!
I fussy cut round it and  tried to blend the edges where it met the sea with a teeny dab of DI - then raised it up with foam pads.
Punched a sun out of some yellow card, stamped a couple of birds then put it into a frame cut from linen card (another left over - it wasn't big enough to make a card with!)
Added the sentiment and a couple of shells all stamped in Vintage Sepia.

Am hoping that by the time August comes, we will be having some Sunny Days - not least because I am away for the month at the National Championships!

Thanks to everyone who is still visiting me and commenting. I am really enjoying my Presidential year but am sooooo missing my craftie space and blogland. x 

Finally A Share!!!

HELLO BLOGLAND! Have missed you.
20 days since I have been able to post anything - and am only here for a fleeting visit before off I go again.
Thanks to everyone who is still following me.
Have a commissioned card which I have made over the last couple of days whilst waiting for the washing to do and in between the ironing!

I don't often use digi stamps but this was one in my digi folder which I think was a freebie some time ago from Just Inklined.

The person who ordered the card thought it was a fun image for the bride and groom and I was asked to tie it in with a pink theme as the bridesmaids are wearing pink.

I confess I found this card really difficult to do - it's been such a long time since I have done ANYTHING but even longer since I've made anything that hasn't involved ink dusters and stamps!
Even worse I used the dreaded white pearlised card - which is just pants when it comes to photo taking!

Embossed the first layer with a swirly folder to give the background some texture.
Printed out the digi and clear embossed before cutting out with the oval frame die, then coloured with Promarkers. Added teeny flecks of glamour dust onto the edges of the bow on the shoes and a pink sparklie.
The flowers were all made from the rest of the pearlised card. I inked the edges of each of them with Spun Sugar DI and added a little more glamour dust.

A big pink bow and a couple of silver charms - the heart because it IS a wedding after all (!!) and the key for the poor groom to unlock his ball and chain!!
Can only hope they like it!

As it's been an age since I linked into any challenges am heading over to join in at
Crafty Catz - Make your Own Flowers
Fussy and Fancy - Flowers
In the Pink -Embossing
Simply Create Too - Use a Digi stamp
Creative Knockouts - Embossing

I cannot tell you all how much I appreciate that you are bearing with me this year. It is soooo busy and the travelling is immense. BUT - I am getting to visit lots of lovely places and meet lots of really nice people so being tired is worth it - and - you only get one go at it so you have to make the most of it!
Hope all OK with you and yours my blogging buddies. xxx

Animal Magic and other things!

Animal Magic is the theme of our challenge this month at Stamping Sensations . Great prizes again up for grabs but please observe our rules and remember we are a STAMPING challenge so must see a stamped image or sentiment as the FOCAL point. If you follow our rules you could be in with a chance of winning this fab prize from TATTERED LACE

I have a lot of stamps I rarely use - no surprise there then.... and I bet I am not alone.😛 I buy because I like them, maybe use them once (or even not at all) and then store them away.

This LOTV stamp is one of those (along with the other 3 I bought from the Mice set....) - this one has seen ink twice, the others once each I think!

I always think LOTV stamps need lots of embellies but I have tried to do one with hardly any on it at all - as I am intending on sending this through the post.

Originally I had a plain base but it really did look stark so this tiny flower embossing folder which was free in a magazine last year (or the year before?) was also taken out of it's wrapping!

Our flower shop mice were coloured with Promarkers, then matted onto green card after using a X stitch die to cut it out.
The little tags were snippets left over from the green card and the sentiment is from SU.

Other Challenges -
Crazy 4 Challenges - Animals

Thanks for taking time to have a look today - hope you will join us! x 

Friday Blues

Weekend almost here and I have spent this week coughing and spluttering and generally feeling sorry for myself!! Trouble with colds is they make you feel so damned MISERABLE!!! But it has made me feel grot and not feeling like doing much - which explains why the wash bag is full and the ironing pile is untouched for a week.... (no change there then really!)

I was lucky to win a challenge recently and spent the voucher on 3 Kaisercraft stamp sets! So of course, even with the cold I had to stamp.
This fountain stamp is called 'The Lake House'. All the papers are from Raspberry Road's 'Country Picnic' set. Stamped the border stamp round the edges then distressed and used Weathered Wood DI.

Coloured it using Promarkers, adding some Perfect Pearls for the flower centres.
The sentiment was from another of the Kaisercraft sets called 'Enchanted Garden'. Distressed the same then stamped the rose border along the background card, just adding a little blue pearl. 

A few more pearls, a bit more distressing and some broderie lace finished it off! Papers also carried on into the inside.

Challenges -

Time Out - Inspired by Words (Flower)
Butterfly Challenge - Stamping/Sapphire
I Love Promarkers - Bingo (Sentiment/Free/lace)
Passion for Promarkers - Papertastic

Have a great weekend everyone. x

Relaxing Sunday

After a whirlwind (but brilliantly enjoyable) 36 hours across Friday and Saturday - I am having a 'chill out' day!Lovely pre-wedding meal at a fab hotel on Friday night, then a very early start Saturday morning for a civil ceremony within the stunning setting of St Georges Hall at 10am, followed by pastries etc back at the hotel before the newly married couple hopped into a taxi on the start of their trip to the Maldives.
A very small and intimate affair, just 7 of us altogether (them, us, the grooms 2 grown up children and a girlfriend!) -  it was all the more special for that. They're having two small celebrations with their respective families  who live a considerable distance away from each other when they come back!
So here's my share for today -

The papers are very very old - that old I have no idea where they're from!
The darker green piece is two off cuts and I just juggled about positioning it with it so that I got a larger piece to the right and little teen scrap peeping out from the left.
Used some scrap hessian for a 'rustic' feel (cheated a bit with this too cos it's in two pieces - the space is hidden behind the image!)
Highlighted the LOTV image with promarkers and matted onto green card then punched two holes and added metal eyelets.
String threaded through and tied using a metal rimmed clock button for the bow centre.
A tiny metal fish charm tied from the string and positioned onto the top of the sentiment (a freebie from TLC) which was printed onto Kraft then die cut. Two corners punched using the remanants of the die cut piece.
Popping into the Playground this week (been absent but have good excuses which I hope Miss will accept....LOL)

Other Challenges -
Di's Digi's - Green
Challenge Up Your Life - Masculine
Crafting When We Can - Hobby/Activity
Cardz 4 Guyz - Hobbies
City Crafter - Keys/Time

 Oh and of course I couldn't finish the post without a couple of pics from yesterday!

Have a great day whatever you're doing. x

Last Posting Date

I am a smug little person today - spent yesterday writing my Christmas cards and discovered that in the 'Card box for Christmas' stash I only need to make about half a dozen more for some close friends.. Could this be the year that I actually have them all finished before the middle of the month???

This card is winging it's way across the pond  to our adopted niece who lives in the USA  -(or will be come Monday when I am robbed by that Dick Turpin man usually known as Royal Mail) 
Lauren is growing up fast now - she is I suppose a bit of a tomboy but has her 'girly' moments too so I am hoping that she likes this!

Stamped and coloured with Promarkers then the edges distressed and a little sprinkle of glamour dust.
The background holly paper from  my stash layered onto dark green card, then a scrap of coordinating dark green  holly paper stitched over.

A die cut corner and a great big dark green bow added, the post box given a little bit of that expanding flocky stuff (wish I knew what it's real name was......)  and finished with some red flowers and a green crystal drop.
The 'letters' were cut from a 'flowersoft' sheet which I have had for about 8 years - they just seemed to fit!
Inside done to match.

Thanks for looking today - it's a cold day here so no play possible as the green is frozen - we have been very lucky up to now -this is the first time we've not been able to get on the green this winter - for me now it will be in the warmth of the craft room for the rest of the day I think!

Challenges -
A Crafty Mess - A/Goes- Traditional Christmas colours
Alphabet -V for Variety - 3 different embellies (Flowers/Crystal/Ribbon)
Fussy & Fancy #128- Happy Holidays
Crafting with the Dragon - Christmas Time
Aud Sentiments - Bingo (Diecut/Stamp/Bling)
STAMPlorations - Stamps and Designers Choice - (September - Stamps and Markers)
Jingle Belles - Anything Christmas Goes
Completely Christmas - Anything goes/Twist - Holly

Lavender and Lace

My design team card this month for 'Vintage Stamping'  is based on our theme of 'Lavender and Lace'.
I hope you will come and join us this month - use up some of your Christmas Goodies and  you might get some more in the form of a prize!!

I really like this stamp (from our sponsor)  and it was lovely to work with.

After stamping, I paper pieced her pinafore with some polka dot paper. The sky and ground were coloured with  distress inks and I coloured the rest of the stamp with promarkers.
I distressed the edges of the image and stitched it onto purple shade cardstock.
I used the same cardstock and polka dot paper for the background of the card.
The vintage lace was a present from a crafting buddy  and I used a paper lilac roses and some pearls.
A doily and a couple more paper flowers and some pearls, and finally I used an old pre-printed jigsaw piece that was part of a very large box (all different colours and sentiments) that I have had for a very long time and rarely used.
The theme was continued through to the inside.

Hope you like it enough to give our challenge a go this month - and my other teamies have also done some lovely projects to inspire you! Remember we may have the word 'vintage' in the title but your project doesn't have to be - as long as you have some stamping on it then your entry is fine!

Challenges -  

Crafting When We Can - Outside
Fairies Challenge - Flowers and Lace
Pile It On - Just Because
Incy Wincy - 3 Fave embellies (Lace, pearls and flowers)4
Scribble & Scrap - Anything Goes
Lexi's- Anything Goes

Thanks for the visit - hope you're all warm and dry wherever you are. x

Cutie

Quick post from me to share a commissioned New Baby card.
And also to apologise if I don't get round to visiting you over the next 2 weeks - cos today is the day we leave this wet and windy weather and fly off to HOT, HOT, HOT!!!!
Will try and pop in from time to time, as am sure I'll be wanting a little bit of shade at some time in between the drinks with umbrellas in and sleeping on the hammock!!

This image just makes me smile every time I see it - I am in NO way maternal but there's something about the 'folds' in baby's skins isn't there - squidgy hands and feet!!

Coloured with promarkers and cut out with the Radiant Rectangles dies, layered onto blue cardstock before assembling onto spotty and striped background papers.

All the dies were cut from pearl white card and as usual cut some corners with what has to be my most used die set!
Lace and ribbon rose trim from my stash.

The sentiment was computer generated and I added a few pearls (as always!!) and followed the theme into the inside, using the same papers.

Challenges -
ABC - V for Very Cute

Clear it Out - Boys/Dies
Just Inspirational - Die Cuts
Oldie but a Goodie - Dies
Cutie Pie - Cute for Boys

Well that's me done - some posts for my DT scheduled whilst I'm away so fingers crossed Mr Blogger behaves and loads them for me!
See you in a couple of weeks! xx

Winged Things - Crafty Cardmakers DT

It's our 100th Birthday over at Crafty Cardmakers and our chosen theme this week is  'Winged Things'
Our sponsors this time are CRAFTS AND ME  and WOODWARE.

For my card I used the gorgeous Celtic Angel stamp which is available here.
I am getting better at one layer cards, although they still make me nervous as I normally end up making a mistake at the very end of the project and the little creation ends up in the bin! 

Thankfully I managed this without any mishaps although I held my breath a little when I stamped the sentiment! 

I used bright white card, printed out the angel and coloured her with promarkers. Liberal helpings of glamour dust applied to her wings and then just stamped the sentiment using Versafine ink.

I dusted round the edge of the card very lightly with Wild Honey distress ink.

The little orange heart shaped gem was found hiding in my stash!

Hope you like her and hope she's inspired you to come across and join us this week and please just check out the rules before adding your creation!

Challenges -
Digitally Sweet - Anything Goes
Addicted to Stamps - Make Your Mark
Come & Get It - Focal Image on side
That Craft Place - Things with Wings
LOC - No Designer paper
TPE - Digi Image

Thanks for visiting and if you've left a comment I appreciate you taking the time!

Have a lovely day whatever you're doing - Me? I'm off to pack the suitcase! Just two more sleeps before the holiday!

Moment

Hello to my new followers - it's lovely to see you here!
We are off for a bit of retail therapy today - the boring kind like new crockery - not the crafty kind!!
A card to share before we go -

I really have to say a HUGE thank you to Tammy from A Day for Daisies - I didn't buy this image first time I saw it - went to purchase it ('cos I finally remembered) and searched their site for ages - lots of lovely digis, (quite a few that are now on my 'HAVE TO HAVE' list), but no sign of this one apart from in a clear set.

I had almost given up hope but decided to mail them to ask if it had been discontinued and lo and behold I got a reply with the digi attached and an apology saying their site was being re-vamped and some of the stamps had gone AWOL! How kind was that - offered to pay for it but the offer was refused - what a great company.

'Braid in my Hair' coloured with promarkers, background sponged with Tumbled Glass DI, cut with nestie, distressed and layered onto scalloped nestie.
Backing paper is from Raspberry Road, distressed and edged with Evergreen Bough DI.
The lace, flowers and pearls are all from my stash and the sentiment is from TLC.
Inside co-ordinated to match.

Challenges -
Card Crafters Circle - Winged Things
Creative Creations - Bingo (Flowers/Image/Distressing)
Stamping Sensations - Winged things/Vintage
Come and Get It - Things with Wings
Card Mania - Fave Embellishment - (has to be pearls cos I use them on everything!)
Crafty Bloggers - Favourite things - (Pearls - and I like lace/flowers too!!)
Digi Makeover - Vintage
Live & Love Crafts - Cool Colours

Thanks for taking the time to come along today - have a great day whatever you're doing. x

Birds In My Hair

I used to sail through the winter months without a sneeze -  think it must be an age thing now 'cos for the last couple of winters I've been struck down with some nasty bug or other!
Have felt really terrible this past week - cough is still here (although the cold has gone) but am not feeling totally 100% yet - thanks to you all for your get well wishes - this virus thing is just a nuisance and people I know have all said it takes ages to get rid of - which hasn't cheered me up one little bit!!
But - I spent a little time yesterday in the craftie space - it was actually far warmer than in the house - and finished this card.

The colour was selected for no other reason than the papers were the last of a pad that had been left on the desk - but am actually pleased with the finished result.

Love this image from A Day for Daisies - but this is the first time I've got round to colouring it!
(On close inspection actually the colouring is not the best but I'll put that down to my trying to do it between coughing fits!)

All papers distressed, layered and stitched.

Some vintage lace which was a present from a blogging buddy which toned in perfectly with the papers -(don't you love it when that happens!) and some flowers from my stash.

I added an organza bow behind the flowers and a couple of pearl pins.
 
The sentiment is from TLC and I thought it fitted well with the image.

To finish off I stuck some seed beads into her hair.

I followed the same colour scheme inside and added a die cut bird cage which was coloured with Mica powders.



Challenges -
Creative Moments - Things with Wings
Mema's Crafts - Anything Goes
Crafty Bloggers - Anything Goes
A Little Bit Crafty - Anything Goes
Sparkles Forum - Birds


Thanks for visiting - will be calling by you all on a catch up mission to see what you've all been doing whilst I have been feeling sorry for myself! x

Blingy Big Birthday!

Had a busy couple of days but sat last night and finished a commissioned card.

Asked to make an easel card for a 30th Birthday, girly, pinky/bluey and blingy! Hope this fits the bill.

But what an absolute sod it was to photograph this morning - grey skies now after a couple of hours of sunshine - it was dry but very cold when we went for the walk earlier but now it's snowing!
And apart from anything else it does NOT make for taking decent pics -
But I think you'll get the general idea..

Pink Petticoat papers layered and stitched  onto pink bazzil.
The card had to be 'modern' and this image from Mo seemed to be the most suitable I had to use.

'Party Girl' was coloured with a mix of my favourite pastels and promarkers and cut out with a Nellie Snellen Die. I layered more pink behind it and stitched together.
 
The lace was from my stash as was the scrummy pink velvet ribbon and I threaded a little extra piece through a blingy buckle then added all the crystals and a couple of sparkly pins.

Finished with a PC generated sentiment, a few more blingy bits and some die cut corners.

Challenges -
One Stitch at a Time - Use a Digi
Bronte & Bella's - Anything Goes with a Mo image
Pretty Little Ribbon Shop - Birthdays
Crafty Ribbons - Anything Goes with Ribbon
Corrosive Challenges - All that Glitters
2 Sisters - Pastels
613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes
Pan Pastel - Girly 
Robyn's Fetish - Birthdays 
Fashionista - Pink 
Bunny Zoes - Girly

Whilst I've been typing this the snow has stopped and the sun has come out again! Weird weather...........
Stay warm and dry wherever you are! x

Grey Day!

After the lovely few days of spring weather things have returned back to normal today! Grey skies and drizzly rain... but I can blame the blue skies for this card - it was soooo nice to see some quite warm sunshine (so warm I went for my daily walk without a thick jacket!) that I made my mind up to make a 'spring' type card!

This image I confess to not stamping myself - I don't own this stamp (the set from which it came is now discontinued) - I wanted to own this stamp but the price it was being sold for on the well known auction site was quite frankly ridiculous! 

Thankfully, a crafty buddy came to my rescue and stamped up quite a lot of the set for me some time ago - I have a couple of the others from the set left but this is the last one of this image. 

When it comes to colouring it - I have made numerous cards and they've all been on a yellow theme - no idea why - it just seems to be made for yellow and sunshine!

Coloured with a mix of promarkers and watercolour pastels then mounted behind a die cut frame.

The patterned paper was a couple of pieces I had left from a pad ("still using up", she says smugly!) and once all the tatty edges were trimmed I stitched them onto another piece of background paper from the same pad.

The ribbon was from my stash and I stitched a lace flower into the centre of the bow then a ribbon and pearl embellie.

Used up the scraps on the inside!
Challenges - 
Crafting for all Seasons - Spring
Ruby's Rainbow - Yellow and Green
Creative Card Crew - Ribbon
Passion for Promarkers - One for the Ladies
Ribbon Carousel - Spring is in the Air
Crafty Bloggers Network - Spring
Oldie but Goodie -  Feeling Floral
Am pleased that you've taken the time to drop in and see me today -  am off for my phsyio then will be  having a visit round blogland to see what you've been up to - have a great day whatever you're doing! x