Emboss It at Try It on Tuesday

This fortnight our challenge at Try it On Tuesday is 'EMBOSS IT'.

I made a background with Cracked Pistachio, Salty Ocean, and Twisted Citron inks.

I stencilled a couple of odd things on the background for some depth then used Salty Ocean to add a couple of random stamps (crackle, script)

I have had this big Indigo butterfly for a while and although it is quite a big stamp I really like it as you don't really need much else on the card front!

Triple white heat embossed then coloured it in using Distress Inks - adding Blueprint Sketch to the colours already used on the background.
The sentiment is from Clearly Besotted.

Other things have got in the way of my blogging recently and I have been unable to visit my blogging friends. I hope to stop by very soon and catch up with you all.

Thanks for looking today - please pay a visit to the Challenge blog and have a peek at what the others on the team have made this time round - and of course as always I hope you can find time to join us!
Have a great day whatever you're doing. x

Try it on Tuesday - Use a Stencil

Onto our next challenge at Try It On Tuesday!
(As promised here is the second post from me today - If you are here from the Card Chain Challenge April Reveal link post please just scroll down to the previous post!)
This time at TIOT we want you to 'Use A Stencil' - that's it - plain and simple use a stencil in anyway you want!

I did a simple technique called 'Double Stenciling' for this card.

My background stencil was inked with Antique Linen.

To my shame this Sweet Poppy (along with a couple of others)bought some time ago has never been used. 😞
I don't know why cos I really like it!

Leaving my background stencil in place, I put the poppy field stencil on top and blended the flower heads Abandoned Coral, Spiced Marmalade and Fossilized Amber.

I then removed the background stencil and put the poppy one on top lining it back up, then used the same colours over the top.

This gives a shaded effect where the stencils all overlap and you can see the background stencil on the flower heads. Quite like it!

A little bit of Bundled Sage for the stems and a triple die cut sentiment to finish .

Please have a look at the DT makes over on the blog - lots of lovely ideas and am looking forward to seeing your stencil makes too! x
Sharing over at
Crafting Happiness - Flowers
Make My Monday - Flowers
Stencil Fun - Flowers
NBUS - My stencil!

Sparkly Flower

Whilst doing my DT makes for the CAS Mix Up challenge of 'Gels and Pastes', I made a couple more so this one is destined to be added to our gallery which is full of gorgeous creations!
(I'll share the others I made at some point.)

I love this floral spray stencil from Honey Doo - it comes as a pair - this smaller one and a really large one big enough to fill a DL card (which I have - twice!!)

I used another Honey Doo stencil for the background and inked lightly in pastel colours.

The floral spray was done using Glitter Kiss paste which is amazingly sparkly and I love it!
Finished with a gold embossed sentiment.

I am though having a lot of bother trying to find somewhere inside the new place to get decent pics, eventually I will find somewhere that isn't full of shadows or is that bright everything looks ice blue white!

We've had some beautiful weather the last few days - fingers crossed we get more of the same!

Hope the sun is shining in your part of blogland and thanks for looking. x

CAS MIX UP JUNE CHALLENGE

 CAS Mix Up is back this month after our extended break. The challenge this time has been set by Loll and is a Stencil one using 'Gels and/or Pastes'. I really hope you can join us and don't forget to make your entry CAS!

I started by using a masked off square and lightly inked using Twisted Citron blending outwards, then took another stencil and lightly brushed shades of pink and green round the square.

My Cherry Blossom stencil is by Indigo Blu. I wanted a shiny effect for the blossom so used some heavy structure gel first which dries clear but leaves a raised impression.

Once dry I sponged (very carefully!) a deep pink over the flowers and a light brown for the branches.

Finished with a few Gold Pearl drops for the flower centres.

It has a wonderful shine in real life and although it doesn't show very well in the photo, the structure gel has given a good dimension.

The sentiment is from Stampin Up.

There are some gorgeous makes from my buddies on the DT over at the challenge blog and our guest designers Jules and Darnell. I am looking forward to seeing your creations in our gallery too!
Linking up at
A2S+M - Stencils
Thanks for looking today! x

Circles

This is a quick scheduled post from me as although we have FINALLY moved into our lovely new home (soooooo happy!!) we will not have an internet connection until at least the middle of this month and uploading pics is taking a massive toll on my mobile data allowance!

So my make here was intended as a DT card but as CAS Mix Up is temporarily on hold we have no challenges for a short while so I thought I would just share it anyway!
Various circle stencils and circle dies, sponging and stamping to make this birthday card!

We have been busy constructing the 'Happy Place' otherwise known as 'our joint Playroom' where I have my craftie space and OH' has his monitors and PC for his mad gaming with his middle aged mates - will bore you all to death with the pics once I get broadband!

Until then, thanks for looking and and any comments you may leave, I hope it won't be too long before I can catch up with you all again. x

Framed

Firstly thanks to all who sent me birthday wishes, cards, messages - I really appreciated it!
My days are really busy just now and there is little time left for me to play with my crafty stuff which is not making me happy!😞 Making me even less happy is that when I do find an hour my head is full of many other things except creativity!

When Mr Mojo did put in a (very brief) appearance, I made this.

I seem to be on a bit of a 'fantasy fest' as I have made two or three things in the last month which are all mermaid/fairy related.

I used a variety of stencils for the background and use shades of Wilted Violet, Cracked Pistachio, Salty Ocean and Salvaged Patina.

The mermaid is of course Lavinia, and although it doesn't show up very well in the pic, her scales are irridescent - painted with Mica Pearls in shades of blue, green and yellow.

I decided to frame her rather than make her into a card - no idea where I am going to put her but am sure I will find somewhere!

Sharing over at
Sisterhood of Crafters - Water
Fairy + Unicorn - Anything Fantasy
CUYL - Water

Thanks for visiting and thank you too for any comments you leave. x

Dragonflies

(Picture heavy post!)
The Twofer challenge always makes me think and this month I had to think more than usual!

It's taken me a long time to  make a decision and to come up with something - which is madness when you consider the prompt was 'YOUR CHOICE'!

Eventually I came up with these -
I've had this Stampendous stamp for ever! Forget the last time I used it so made up for lost time and used it twice.

I stamped and clear embossed then added some Brushos. I am still not very good with Brushos and this panel was my third attempt.

A little grungy overstamping with a hexagon stamp and an arrow stamp. Liked the hexagon, didn't like the arrow so overstamped it with the 'Make Art' which fortunately for me looked OK!


My second card involved more embossing!

Gold embossed the dragonfly

then fussy cut, getting rid of the flourish and the vines. I painted the wings with several Mica Powders so they have a little shimmer.

The background is an old stencil from Imagination Crafts - I used Tea Dye for the Bullrush tops and Twisted Citron for the leaves.

I lightly inked some Speckled Egg DI for the sky and stamped the sentiment in the Tea Dye ink.

Am going to share the second card at
MTTC- Stencil It
Stamplorations Stencil Challenge - A/Goes

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for looking today and thank you for any comments you leave.

I really appreciate you taking the time. x

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

Guitar Hero

I have really enjoyed playing with some of my new purchases over the last couple of weeks - despite the occasional 'Mojo-Less Moments', I have simply carried on regardless with no exact plan in mind and seen what has turned out.

I bought this Guitar Hero stamp set and co-ordinating Rock Star stencil from Funky Fossil and have made 4 cards with them up to now so have swelled the man stash a bit.

My background was made from Squeezed Lemonade, Peacock Feathers, Dusty Concord and Seedless Preserve inks.
Then I just messed about with some stamps and stencils!

The grungy harlequin stamp simply clear embossed added a little texture and I remembered I had bought this 'Equalizer' stamp from Uniko which I thought would be perfect.

The two guitars from the set were stamped onto cream pearlised card, clear embossed and fussy cut.

It was a little enjoyable change for me to abandon the CAS 'clean white space' and revert back to inkiness too.

It's been really cold the last few days, some snow flurries too  and as it's been icy underfoot I've been reluctant to venture out - inhaling fresh air on the doorstep whilst waiting for ink to dry is all I have done!
Stay warm and safe and thanks for looking! x

Isla

This week has flown and tomorrow will be time for my launch card for the new challenge at CAS Mix Up - but a quick share from me today.

I simply HAD to have this stencil from Sweet Poppy - we have lots of Highland cattle in the fields around us and quite simply I think they're cute- (particularly when they're babies!)
So 'Isla the Highland Cow' found her way into my shopping basket and I have made about 6 cards so far including a couple of Christmas cards after being inspired by blogging buddy Linda.

All of them quick one layer makes and great for just swelling the stash for those hard to do 'man' cards.
I have used different sentiments on the birthday cards like 'Did Someone Say Cake?' and 'You are as perfect as me'!

I bought some cheapie make up blending brushes from Amazon and they work a treat for ink blending - I am quite impressed considering how much they were! They give great coverage.
For 'Isla' cards I used shades of Distress Inks in Tea Dye, Vintage Photo and Old Paper.

Thanks for looking today - hope you will come back soon! x 

Sharing Isla over at -

AAA Birthday - Critters/Animals
AAA Card - One layer
Creative Craft Cottage - Add an Animal

Are you sure this is August??

 Yesterday was spent hunkered down indoors - as always here on the top we get slightly stronger winds than those who live at lower levels and it is something that we have come to be accustomed to over the winter months but my goodness yesterday was to put it frankly - RIDICULOUS!!
IT IS AUGUST🌞⛱ NOT NOVEMBER!🌀⛈ The rain was horizontal and the winds were just plain daft. Our barns are down a small private road and we have about 20 yards to the roadway where we leave the bins on collection day - collection done and dear husband went to get his coat to bring them in - as he walked outside 6 emptied bins (ours and all our neighbours) decided to take off - some going up the rest of the hill and some going down. He was so wet by the time he retrieved them he had to change all his clothes and the air was - a little - blue!

So here's a share for today - I saw this simple technique and as it is one I have not tried I gave it a go. Can't say whether I like it or not really!

I don't have a lot of shades of Distress Oxides which is what the demo used but I have a few shades of Memento Versacolor which is a pigment ink so used that.
It's just simple ink blending onto black cardstock and I thought it crazy that I had not done it before, not least to see if I liked it!

I used a stencil from Funky Fossil and 2 shades of blue and 1 lilac .

The Inkylicious sentiment always cheers me up, simple white heat embossed and a few enamel dots.

I did another and used pink and turquoise inks, silver embossing for the sentiment and silver mat behind but I liked that one even less!

I think because they are 'dark'  cards and it is such a change for me, that may be the reason I am not overwhelmed!
The Jury is still out as to if I will do this again but I would be interested to know your thoughts and if you've done this- is it something you like?!

As for these 2 they will just sit in the stash box - maybe I will find a use for them at some point- then again maybe not!

Thanks for calling in today - I know elsewhere in the World there are storms and all kinds of other troubles, pandemic included (we're still in local lockdown!), so stay safe and I send you all a hug! x

Combination

Please scroll down the page for my CAS Stencil and Stamping Sensations Design team posts!
Weather here has taken an upturn which means that at least I have blue sky to look out on - currently we have a very strong and chilly wind so fresh air limited to quick cuppas on my patio!
Sad though that as yet am unable to go and visit my fave garden centres and buy lots of plants for my pots, so there's a couple of them that are looking quite bare, but they'll have to stay that way for now.

I made a really quick card using up some of my Never Before Used Schtuff (NBUS) and a stamp and die from a new set - well when you can't spend on plants what else you gonna spend it on??? 😁

The background was masked off and I used Cracked Pistachio for the solid dots and Fossilized Amber for the stripes and dots on a never before used Crafters Companion layering stencil set.
Quite like these 2 shades together!

The scribbly flower is from Uniko's new 'Kindness Blooms' stamp and die set (which you can get here)
There's a great assortment of stamps in the set and the matching dies mean intricate cutting is easy! 

I used some twine from my stash and finished my flower centre with a small gold pearl.

The sentiment is from Altenew (another never used!!!)

Am sharing this speedy make over at 

AAA - Made In Minutes + Use a Stencil

Uniko- #58 Spots and Stripes + Use a Stencil
NBUS #13
AAA Birthday - Dots/Stripes


Thanks for calling to see me today. x