Summertime at Try It On Tuesday

 How quickly time goes past - we're halfway through 2024! It's difficult to believe - don't know where the weeks go to!
Anyway, as it's Tuesday our challenge for the next two weeks at Try It On Tuesday is called 'Here comes Summer'.

There are many things that I relate to Summer. Ice Cream is one, Strawberries another, my flip flops and of course the scent from the flowers in the garden.

But nothing reminds me more of Summer than when I see a Beach Hut! There's something about them that conjure up visions of lazy days and I do have a memory of spending time in a beach hut on a summer holiday when I was a child.
That's probably why many years ago I bought this stamp. I have no idea who made it - it came in a set of 2 I think - the other is just a smaller beach hut with it's door closed.

Stamped, then masked and blended the background. I coloured the image with watercolour pencils.

The Inkylicious shoreline stamp was white heat embossed and the sentiment is from Card-io.

Thanks for looking today - hope you can find time to join us this challenge - please pay a visit to the rest of the DT, it's lovely to have you visit!  And I hope Summer has come wherever you are! x
Sharing over at
Hand Stamped Sentiments #441
MMM - Outdoor Summer Fun

Text Time!

 Our new challenge at Try It On Tuesday is 'ADD SOME TEXT'.

I took some watercolour paper and smooshed a purple/lilac/pink background trying to put the inks only two thirds of the way on the card.

Normally I use acetate for smooshing as I like to see where it's going but thought I'd try it directly from the craft mat for this.

Once the paper was dry, I used a very old tree stamp (that old I have no idea where it came from!) and began to build up the 'forest'.

I used Distress Oxides in shades of Lucky Clover, Shabby Shutters and Bundled Sage. I spritzed the inked up stamp each time before using in the hope that I'd achieve a misty effect!

The sentiment is from Inkylicious - another I have had for a long time but rarely used.
Finished with one of Inkylicious bird stamps and mounted onto black card.

Hope you will share a creation with us this challenge and thanks for looking today! x

Also sharing at
Path of Positivity - Anything Positive Goes
Daisy Chain - No Designer Paper

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

Summer Blooms at Try It On Tuesday

Summer has indeed been blooming in my part of the world! We've had hot sunny days and what seemed to be even hotter nights!
TIOT's challenge this fortnight is entitled Summer Blooms. As always you can interpret any way you want in any medium as long as it follows the challenge theme.

There is a field  at the back of our house which has evolved into a wildflower meadow so my make this time has reflected that although the colours are not true to life I just wanted to encompass all the colours I can see!

These are several very old stamps that I own and this was a very quick card to do.

I used my Arteza waterbrush pens coloured the stamps, spritzed with water and stamped onto watercolour card.

Spritzing is one of my fave techniques as it gives such a soft dreamy effect! (My other half would say that describes me........😜

Finished it by matting onto a black background and heat embossing a sentiment in white.

Hope you can pop over to the blog and see what everyone else has served up this month and join us as we celebrate a flowery summer!

Thanks for looking . x 

Try It On Tuesday - Rainbow Colours

Our new challenge at Try It On Tuesday is 'Rainbow Colours'

This was a bit of fun to do!

I used an air blower to splat out the paint -I thought these would be easy to use but I actually found it quite tricky.
It's definitely one to practice as the paint does splatter everywhere.

After a couple of failed attempts I managed to produce something I was happy with!

Been told that this technique is better/easier with Distress Re-inkers but I didn't have the colours I wanted so improvised by simply using watercolours.

Using watercolour paints I think some of the shades turned out not as vibrant as they should have been!

The sentiment is from Bee Crafty.

Hope to see your rainbow creation in our Linky this fortnight and please go visit the rest of the DT and our wonderful Guest Designer! x

Leaf

I love the colours of Autumn so have no idea why I opted to steer away from the rusty orange type colours when deciding to use this stamp but thought it would make a change!

I watercoloured three straight colour blocks using Distress Oxides Squeezed Lemonade, Bundled Sage and Cracked Pistachio.

I used a rectangle mask to try and achieve (reasonably) straight edges and painted inside.

Not too bad and I quite like the fact that some of the colours have run into each other.

The leaf and sentiment stamped with Versamagic Ocean Depth which is fast becoming one of my fave colours and as usual with me I had to add a few ink spatters!

Sharing over at
MMM -  Autumn Flora
SOS - Leaf it alone
A2S+M - Any Occasion

Have braved the terrible weather here this morning (lashing rain!) and popped down to a local Macmillan Coffee Morning. Two pieces of cake later I thought the time had come to go before I was tempted further!
Now an afternoon at the craft desk for me! Hope all is well in your part of blogland. 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

 

Mid Month at CAS Mix Up and FINALLY!!!!

Our CAS Mix Up January challenge of 'Loose Watercolour' is half way through and you have until 24th of the month to join us.

There's already some lovely cards in our gallery and we love to see your creations!

I did a bit of accent stamping to highlight the lovely big flower which is from Altenew. It's one from their layered sets and I just used the outline stamp.

Stamped it in a pigment ink in a dark pink shade and then once dry watercoloured.

Hope you can join us this month - the DT and our Guest designer Karen (Random Reflections)
have lots to inspire you!


My lovely blog visitors will know what a terrible trial we have had since selling our home last May and then moving into a tiny (and very cold) rented property supposedly for a few weeks.
Almost 7 months on we finally exchanged contracts on our new home on 11th of this month, we get our hands on the keys on the 19th and our removal firm are booked for 21st.
I cried with relief when we finally exchanged contracts, it has been a long hard few months, fraught with worry wondering if it was going to happen at all.

I have several more grey hairs than I did 6 months ago! Anyway, onward and upward for us now.
The new place doesn't need anything doing in terms of decorating but we do have to buy new furniture so that will be exciting and more importantly I am looking forward to a brand new craft space! (The only downside is no internet until mid February!)
To those of you who have sent me message of support and put up with me generally moaning and being miserable for what probably seems like an eternity, (you know who you are), I thank you and am eternally grateful for my blogland buddies.
I will be back as soon as I am able. x

New Year, New Challenge!

Today is the start of our new challenge after our December break over at CAS Mix Up. Jenny has given us the task of 'Loose Watercolouring'.

There's lots of links to tutorials over on the challenge blog and also some fab examples from the DT and I really hope you will be able to join in with us - after all no doubt you all got lots of lovely stash at Christmas so time to use it!

I enjoyed doing this as it was nice to just be able to watch the colours blend together without any effort on my part - apart from putting the paint on the brush.

Stamped the flowers onto watercolour card and just left to dry overnight. Wet the image then added the colour - simple and looks quite artsy (well I think so anyway!)
It's unlikely to win any accolades from art critics but I'm quite pleased with it!

Quick and easy, added a simple sentiment and matted onto coloured cardstock - job done.

Visitors to my blog will know that the latter part of 2021 was quite a stressful time for me on top of Covid, let's hope 2022 is a better year for us all.
 
Thanks for looking today, appreciate it! x

CAS Mix Up June Challenge

YAY MY TURN!! 😀😀
I am hosting this month over at CAS Mix Up and it's a WATERCOLOUR challenge this time round.
I have chosen a word prompt for my challenge and it gives lots of scope for you to get out your paints/inks/anything that has to be mixed with water and make us something beautiful and CAS!
The word is  - FLIGHT -

We often see a Barn Owl hunting for his tea across the fields below us so it seemed an apt choice for my first make this month.
(The Barn Owl is a stamp before anyone thinks I have suddenly become an amazing artist!😊)

I stamped Owlie onto a square piece of watercolour card.

The rest of the scene was watercoloured freehand - and I am rather proud of myself as it looks like a field with trees and a fence!

I have used ivory hammered textured card for my base and frames simply because it blended better with the image.

We have  Joyce (Cards-by-the-Sea)  as our wonderful Guest Designer this month and her lovely make is over on the Challenge Blog so go see - And whilst you're there check out the awesome cards the rest of the DT have done for my challenge!
I really hope you will try and join us this month and am looking forward to visiting you all to see how you have interpreted the word! x

Pretty

Today's share uses one of my all time fave dies which I bought a long time ago!
It's not cutting as good as it used to - probably worn out.... 😧

My base card this time is an ivory shade of linen textured card - I have lots and don't use it enough- it's a subtle shade and makes a change from stark white I think.

Simple card to do and I like how it turned out.

Stitched die cut square from an odd leftover, lightly dusted with green and pink ink.

I watercoloured the poppy cut from another odd bit and used some foam pads to pop it up off the front.

The card sent to a close friend who had a birthday shortly after a devastating bereavement - after so much sadness wishing her a 'Happy' Birthday didn't seem right.   

Weather has turned cloudier and cooler here and we even had rain yesterday -it's not often we go a while without rain so it was a bit of a novelty - anyway it did the plants good and Himself was pleased as he had put some weedkiller on the lawn and he didn't have to water it in!

Sharing my little make over at -
Pixies Playground #401
Cardz4Galz - Special Lady
Double Trouble #82 - Flowers

Sky

The current challenge at Addicted to CAS has the word prompt of SKY. 

This night sky was an experiment using watercolours to create instead of inks and although only a small piece I was quite pleased with the result and made it up into a card.

I tried to make a tiny silhouette skyline/treeline in the bottom left in an attempt to convey the vast sky we have around us - not sure if it worked!

I added some white heat embossed stars and a few spatters with a white Posca pen.

On the base card I did some light spatters using some very watered down blue paint.

The sentiment was a freebie a long time ago and although it looks a bit wonky in the pic it isn't in real life!

I am currently experiencing a little lack of mojo - and as we are having blue skies, sunshine and some warm days I can't blame it on the weather!
Thanks for looking today and I hope all is OK with you in your part of blogland. x

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

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

Stamping Sensations September Challenge

Our challenge at Stamping Sensations for September is 'The Great Outdoors'.

I've used stamps from Hunkydory for my scene and watercoloured.

I wanted to use the hiking man silhouette but when I tried him on the scene background he was all out of perspective so I extended the scene background by turning it round and stamping at the bottom - this gave me a bit more 'path' for him to stand on - he still looks like he's about to go for a swim but at least he is the right size!!

We've got a great prize this month -   2 A4 stamps sheets from Rare Earth Illuminated Florals collection - full pics are over on the challenge blog.

Please read our challenge rules - we're a stamping challenge so the focal point of your entry MUST be stamping!

Hope my card has inspired you to join us - if not there's lots of lovely inspiration from the Stamping Sensations DT!

Just Beachy

I originally made this card for the challenge at CAS Mix Up which is a watercolour one with the theme of  'Beach'.

But when I'd finished it I decided that the watercoloured panel which was a die cut piece lying on the desk, was too big and there wasn't a lot of white space left so did other cards for the challenge!

This one is completely different to my launch card (which is here) - but I enjoyed trying my hand again at watercolouring a background!

When I was a child, my Mum used to take me to the beach as a rare treat - whenever I see a beach hut I always remember how I loved them then - with their bright colours standing like sentries in a row!

After watercolouring (and patting myself on the back because I managed to actually paint the fence freehand 😊) I did a little stamping to create mounds of sand and grass.

The beach huts were stamped, coloured then fussy cut all from small scraps of card! 

The (old had it years) distressed style sentiment stamp reminded me of driftwood and just seemed to sum up my feelings of the time spent with my Mum on warm sunny days in the sand.

Sharing over at

Little Red Wagon - Happy Days

Sisterhood of Crafters - Ocean/Beachy

Snippets Playground - #383

Thanks for looking today - and I hope you are having 'Happy Days' wherever you are! x

May Challenge at Stamping Sensations

'Say it with Flowers' is our Stamping Sensations May challenge and this month we have prizes from Chocolate Baroque and our teamie Dora , who has a wonderful artistic talent and produces some beautiful hand drawn images.

For my first card this challenge I have used one of Dora's fab images - I love Hellebores so as soon as I saw this one I had to have it!

I coloured it with watercolours and fussy cut.

The background behind the die cut trellis was some by smooshing the ink used for the flowers onto a piece of acetate and transferred to the background card. I find that using the acetate is easier for managing where and how much ink you want rather than just pressing the card direct into the ink on the craft mat.

Finished Dora's pretty flower with some Nuvo Pearls for the stamens and the flower centre.
Sentiment is from Altenew

Hop over to the Challenge Blog and check out my team mates creations this month - then grab your stamps and join us! (Don't forget to read our rules - we're a stamping challenge and stamping has to be the focal point of your entry).

Have a great day. x

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.

Kind

I was struggling last week to come up with anything constructive (like a lot of people!) and then on Friday last I managed to hurt my back/hip
(making the bed - don't ask!)
and it has been really painful for a couple of days so I didn't feel much like doing anything anyway except feel sorry for myself! Thankfully today it is a bit better but I don't intend to be doing any Can Cans for a while!

With no clear sense of what I intended to do but determined to do something -- (ANYTHING!)  I took this stamp set and gold embossed it onto a piece of watercolour card and coloured it with watercolours.

The sentiment is from Uniko.

It's a bit weird having lots of time to craft and then finding you can't think of anything to do - I am trying not to watch the news more than once a day as what is happening at the moment is just making me sad.
I am really glad that you've come to visit me as this self isolation thingy  can become a bit wearing can't it?
Thank goodness Blogland is here for us crafting junkies!
Stay Safe wherever in the World you are. x