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

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

Card Chain Challenge February Reveal

Time to share my make for the February Card Chain Challenge which I sent to Bonnie in Colorado USA.
Sending lots of thanks to my other swap partner Julia for my lovely card too!
I selected 'Stencil' as my technique option and Flowers and Friendship from the 'Theme' choices

Using Cracked Pistachio ink for both the leaves and the dotty stencil, once the dotty one was dry I stamped some pretty flowers (an old set from I know not where!) and added a teeny bit of Nuvo crystal drops to the centres.

Cut out a circle from the leaves and simply overlaid it.

I have lots of stencils which don't actually get used enough so this challenge gave me another opportunity to dust them off!
I was a little apprehensive as Bonnie makes some beautiful artsy and colourful cards with her stencils and is very talented so I hope she liked my relatively CAS take on this months challenge!

If you fancy giving our massive World wide challenge a go pop over to the challenge blog and sign yourself up.

It's simple to take part - there's colours, sketch, theme and technique options to chose from and you only have to use one so you have lots of scope- and it's lovely to receive a hand made card from elsewhere in the world.

Happy Crafting! x

Spotlight

 A new challenge at Try It On Tuesday!
This time it's called 'In the Spotlight' so we would like to see something spotlighted (highlighted) on whatever you create!

I used a Sweet Poppy stencil.

This was a really quick card to put together too which sometimes is needed when you're running round last minute!

Grey ink first on the base card then another piece of card using red ink through the stencil and a little green on the visible flower stems.

I used a wavy die to cut it out and glued it on top. 
Edged it with a black pen to make it pop a bit more.

For some reason I really struggled taking the pic - I was getting lots of glare from nowhere so it does look a little stark bright white here!

Lots of lovely inspiration over on the challenge blog from the rest of the team and our lovely Guest Designer - please pay them a visit!
Thanks for stopping by. x

TIOT - Mid Way reminder!

We're halfway through this fortnight's challenge at Try It On Tuesday where our theme is 'Sing A Song'
After being unable to get the last song out of my head (see post below) for a few days, I now have another one which is becoming equally as annoying! (particularly as I can only remember about two lines!)

Anyway here's my share based on the song by The Waterboys called 'Whole of the Moon'.

On seeing a Lavinia tutorial (thanks Jo) using Brilliance Inks direct to black card it surprised me just how effective the end result was so I had a go myself.
Out came the foliage stamps and the Brilliance inks - I used Cosmic Copper, Galaxy Gold and Platinum Planet for the foliage and Moonlight White (what else?!!) for the moon.

A little sponging with the white once the stamping was dry at the bottom and dragged across the top half to make a few cloudy bits and then a little spattering with a Posca pen.

I then ran the copper ink round the edge to finish it off.

The inks really do have a lovely shimmer  which the photo doesn't capture very well - it's subtle and not in your face like glitter and I rather like it!

Hope you like it too and maybe if you've not thought about joining us this time round you'll change your mind and link up to the challenge blog!
Thanks for looking and have a great day whatever you're doing! x

Blooms

 Perfect weather for the craft room - monsoon type conditions and heavy grey skies! A stark contrast to Europe who are in the grips of the most horrendous heat!

I have been playing about with black card recently - here is one I did a couple of days ago using an Altenew stamp set.

It was quite quick to do really - I spent more time messing about wondering how to place it on a UK card size than actually stamping and colouring!

Being a US company the frame is designed to fit on an A2 (?? I think??) card - a size that I have never used and is not one that you see a lot of here in the UK.

Stamped and heat embossed in gold then used metallic watercolours. I am loving these watercolours - the card has an incredible shimmer.
The sentiment is also part of the same set.

Once dry, I mounted it onto a piece of gold mirri card and ended up (after much debate) simply putting it centrally onto another piece of black card. It didn't look right on a white base, didn't fit properly on a 6 x 4, nor on a 5 x 5, looked daft on a 6 x 6 and at one point I was beginning to be sorry I had started in the first place!
Anyway to steal one of my Mum's sayings - "It'll do for now"!!!

Sharing over at
Beautiful Blossoms - A/Goes w/flowers
Creative Crafters - A/Goes
Crafty Addicts - A/Goes

Thanks for looking today - wherever you are in the world I hope you are safe and well. x

Totally Tropical - 3 Colours at Try It On Tuesday

Our new challenge gets underway at Try It On Tuesday today -  and it is to use 3 colours.
I chose Green, Yellow and Orange for my card.

It's not too often I make a tall slimline card.
Started with a stencil monoprint - oh I do love doing these!

Smooshing ink on a stencil, spraying with water and pressing down onto card - there's something very satisfying about seeing how the print turns out and no two are ever the same!

Mowed Lawn and Fossilized Amber on a tropical leaf stencil from Honey Doo.

I die cut some foliage and a flower and watercoloured in the same shades on some snippets of watercolour card, the flower centre was coloured with Spiced Marigold DI.

A scrap of lime card white heat embossed with the sentiment and job done!

Thought this make was quite apt at the mo as we've been experiencing some really summery days recently - although we've had a few thunderstorms and torrential downpours too!

Thanks for stopping by - hope you will pop over to the TIOT blog and see what the rest of the DT have to inspire you and - of course- hope you will join us this fortnight.

Happy Crafting. 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 

May Card Chain Challenge Reveal

I sent my card this month to Greta in Oregon and received a lovely card from Kath who is based here in the UK!
The colour option for May's Card Chain Challenge seemed simple at first -

until I tried to bring something together and confess I found it quite difficult! I think I simply tried to overthink it! Anyway I soldiered on and also managed to use one of the product options of embossing powder and the 'ripped edges' technique option so that was a bonus!

I have a sneaking suspicion that this embossing folder I used on the background was a freebie in a mag (- but I may be wrong!) but as I had already decided to try and produce something with an Asian theme I used the folder!

The dies are all from a Sizzix set. The flowers/branches in the set are really fiddly but I like using them.

I watercoloured the flower stems using dark blue and a near as I could get it turquoise.

The base was tripled heat embossed with gold embossing powder.

I remembered I had a piece of pale blue vellum so tore a little piece  and used it to hang from the scroll after heat embossing the chinese script and word.
Finished with a heat embossed on vellum butterfly.

You have a few days to sign up for the next challenge - get over to the blog and add your name!
Thanks for looking today. x

March Card Chain Challenge

 My card for this month's Card Chain Challenge made a mammoth journey to Suze in New Zealand! Thankfully it arrived before the end of the month!

The colours given were a bit tricky for me but I continued with my quest of using the colours and trying to combine with one of the other technique elements.
Fortunately the colours don't have to be exact so I used a lighter few shades interpretation of each colour and the 'Stamps' product option.

The vase of bright sunflowers is by Technique Tuesday.
It comes with a matching die although I cut this by hand as there was too much white outline for my liking!
Coloured with watercolours.

The wavy edge background panel was done blending Distress Inks Spiced Marmalade and Dried Marigold with a light brushing of Peeled Paint. I then simply watercoloured a few lines to 'ground' the vase.

The sentiment is from SU.
I received a lovely card from blogging buddy Pia in Norway too - so thank you Pia! x

There's time for you to join in our challenge for next month if you want to - simply pop over to the blog and check out how it works!

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

Try It On Tuesday - Go Green

 Our challenge at Try It On Tuesday this fortnight is - GREEN. So you can either use the colour or recycle something to make your project!

I chose to simply use different shades of the colour as it's one that I quite neglect as a main colour on my cards.

I smooshed a background using Mowed Lawn and Shabby Shutters.

My stamp set is very very old! But it is one of those 'go to' sets when all else fails! As it's several different stamps and not one complete plate where the design was already done (I think both were available at one time) it took a little while positioning, stamping and gold embossing onto the background.

I used Nuvo watercolour pencils to colour the flowers in a shade called Deep Viridian (love this colour and this was the first time using it!) and the leaves were coloured in Malachite Green.

I used Versamagic Oasis Green chalk ink on a tiny piece of scrunched up dry baby wipe to add a little depth to the bottom before sticking it all onto the dark green base card.

Thanks for looking today. Please pop over to the TIOT blog and have a peep at the makes from the rest of the DT - and I hope to see YOUR make linked up too! x
Am sharing my make over at
Colourful Options - Green
Double D - Everything Coming Up Green
Beyond the Blue - Blooms

CAS Mix Up August Challenge

 August already!
And it's time for a brand new challenge at CAS Mix Up, this time set by Nancy with the theme of 'Emboss Resist'.

I stamped and heat embossed in white then fussy cut the leaves and flowers.

I have a feeling that the flower stamp came free with a mag - but who knows?!

I used Spun Sugar, Picked Raspberry and Seedless Preserve to watercolour the flowers and Twisted Citron and Mowed Lawn for the leaves.

I used a diamond stencil for the background and lightly inked in Bundled Sage and Stormy Sky.

I liked the subtle effect of the background as it made the flowers stand out a bit more.

There's some wonderful examples of this technique over on the challenge blog, so please go visit!

We have BRENDA as our Guest Designer this month - please go visit and see her lovely card!
I really hope you'll be able to join us this month and look forward to seeing your creations in the gallery! 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

Flowers

 A quick share from me today -

we have had some nice days this last week and despite still coughing (Can't believe I have been left with this cough and waves of fatigue! Getting better but boy is it slow!) I have spent some time outdoors planning out the changes to our garden, so crafting has taken a back seat.

But I made this after being inspired by Pinterest - in fact I made two similar but will save the other one for a later share.

Just a simple 'fishnet' stamp partly inked and a few black splatters to start for the background then a die cut piece of foliage, a daisy and one of my fave dies, this big Chrysanth bloom.
All just smooshed through some ink on the craft mat.
That's it!

We are having 4 days away with some friends next week - they also have recently moved house so we all think we deserve a rest - although we are hoping to play in a bowls tournament - first time for nearly 3 years since I have played - and only hoping I can stand up long enough and not cough my head off!

Sharing over at TIOT who's challenge is Spring Colours.

Thanks for looking and I wish you all a Happy Easter. 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 August Challenge

 Scheduled post!
The challenge this month at CAS Mix Up has been chosen by Jenny and she has set us the task of 'Stamping through a Stencil'. 

This flower stencil was a present and I really do like it!

These 'hot' colours are ones I don't use very often either!

I added some tiny stones to the flower centres for a little bit more interest and used the same WOW Polka dot stamp on the base card to reflect the  stamping on the flower petals.

(I really wanted to use orange base card but having packed it away in a removal box it wasn't an option!)

We have two guest designers this month too -
Bobby (bits & pieces) and  Michelle (I Card Everyone) so please pop over to see their lovely creations and those of the rest of the DT.

Thanks for taking the time to stop by the blog today.
Appreciate it! x

Sunny Dreams

Still not a lot of crafty stuff going on here and I apologise for my sporadic visits to you all. 

The yellow Brusho was out on the desk at the time of this make so splatted a little of that in a couple of places first.

Different grungy stamps used for the background, all stamped in Fossilized Amber. (I love this colour as it always makes me think of sunshine)

The flower head is from Altenew and I paired it with the stem and leaves from another stamp then watercoloured.
The bee was stamped twice, once on the card and once on another scrap, fussy cut the wings and glittered them a little.

Finished by stamping the word 'Dream' and a couple of my fave 'splatters' and thanks to Hermine for the inspiration whilst my mojo is AWOL!

Sharing over at
Crafters Cafe - Insects
Mix It Up - A/Goes + stamping
Daring Cardmakers - Into the Garden

Chaos Kindness

A couple of weeks back I got some surprise happy mail.
Knowing that I was coveting a certain stamp set a really kind blogging buddy (Thank you Sarn!x) sent me some stamped and embossed images - and also some masks 'just in case'!
Just a lovely gesture and I was really grateful.

Using the masks over the flower heads, I opted for an ink blended background using Salvaged Patina DI as a base (love this colour!).

Added some other colours and made an abstract design with the edge of some acetate blending outwards.
The 'create' word came from an old red rubber Typography set which I have had for an eternity!

A few flicks with a black Posca pen added some spatters.
Once the piece was matted, I went to put it on a white card base and didn't like it - so simply blended a little of the base colour onto the base card.

Sharing over at
Alphabet - E for Easy
Krafty Chicks - Stamp Act

We have had some glorious sunshine this week - summer finally arrived!
Thanks for visiting - hope the sun is shining wherever you are too! x