Sunshine!

Trying to escape from the current heatwave has meant retreating to the craft space armed with the floor fan!

I used to soak up the sun in my younger days but have found as I have got older the heat and humidity has become unbearable - and I resort to being agitated and grumpy - well a little bit more agitated and grumpier than usual that is!

In my cool crafty retreat (!) I have caught up on makes for the card box and this is one of those.

I have been experimenting with coloured card and my watercolour pencils.

After gold embossing the stamp (Sunflower Love from Waffle Flower), I coloured it in the shades similar to the coloured card base.

Really quite like the result and as I have lots of coloured card I shall do this again!

It's been a long time since I linked up a make at a challenge blog other than my two DT spots but I am linking this over at -
Beautiful Blossoms - Anything Floral Goes

Thanks for looking - and have a great day whatever you're doing! x

We're back!

After a long absence CAS MIX UP has returned!
It's great to have the team back together - some old faces/some new ones and I am soooo happy to be back and part of it!
All the info as to what is happening and the rules are also on the CAS MIX UP blog.
Our challenges run for 1 month, all the rules are shown on the challenge blog and there in my sidebar. 

Our first challenge is a mixed media one, simply called 'ECLIPSE'.
Please make sure your creation follows the definition of Clean and Simple and your make must include stamping.
There are some video tutorials to help you along the way on the challenge blog and also some amazing inspiration from the Design Team and our Guest Designer this month  Michelle (I Card Everyone) 

 I really hope you will link up a creation to the gallery. 

This was my very first attempt at this technique - I stamped and heat embossed then watercoloured. 

I have no idea why I have never tried this before as I really like the 3D look.
I was that excited 😄I made two! 
Thanks for stopping by. x

Text

 Our Try It On Tuesday challenge for the next 2 weeks is 'ADD SOME TEXT'

I made a few cards like this several years ago with different coloured backgrounds when I was looking to add a few cards to my own stash box. An added bonus was that they were quick and easy to do!

I tried dark blue and silver, plum coloured card with gold, red card with black etc but by far the one I liked the best was the one done on a black background with gold.  

As I am trying to keep on an even keel and not get stressed I decided to re-do something from the past rather than sitting looking at a blank desk wondering what to do!

Plain black card gold heat embossed with a text stamp (that old I have no idea where it came from) and a dandelion die (or is it a Cornflower??) -I think it's a Sizzix one cos it's that rusty brown colour.

I added a heart shaped word die to this one, cut twice, once in white then in gold mirri card and fussy cut the word.

Hope you will join us this over the next 2 weeks and please stop by the challenge blog and see what the rest of the team have done this time round!.

Thanks for looking today. x

Autumn at Try It On Tuesday

Our new challenge at TRY IT ON TUESDAY is called 'Autumn Colours'
Despite the mess left at the back of my garden from next doors magnificent Oak tree I find Autumn to be one of the most serene times of the year. The colours are simply beautiful and do much to soothe a troubled soul.
Here's my card

Used a 3D embossing folder from Tim Holtz, 

I swiped it over with a Versamark pad after embossing and added some copper embossing powder.

Some ink blending using Fired Brick, Peeled Paint, Crackling Campfire and Rusty Hinge.

I have struggled to take a good pic that will show off the copper embossing which is disappointing! At a time when I am finding fault with so many things I was actually reasonably OK with this make and the effect made by the embossing powder!

Thanks for looking today and hope you will join us. x

For a Lady

 

Having used this Altenew stamp for the  TRY IT ON TUESDAY  challenge  'FOR A LADY'  I used it again before it went back in it's storage box!

The background was stamped with Versfaine Clair Charming Pink.

Stamped and gold embossed the focal flower  and coloured with Distress Oxides.

I don't own a die for this stamp set so it had to be fussy cut - each time I decide to fussy cut something half way through I wish I hadn't started - and think I should have bought the darn matching die!

Popped it all up on foam pads to give it a bit of dimension.

Another relatively simple and plain card which will go into my Birthday Box to be used later in the year.

Thanks for dropping in! x
 

Try It On Tuesday being 'Bossy'!

This challenge at TRY IT ON TUESDAY calls for you to 'BOSS IT'!
Embossing of any type on your project please and if you pop over to the blog you will see what the rest of the team have 'bossed' this time!

Do you like doing 'man' cards?
I don't and thankfully I don't have many to do but there is a couple I need so this has gone in the 'man' drawer.

This card is both dry and heat embossing.

I took a piece of heavyweight grey 300gsm cardstock, then embossed it with the (very old) circles embossing folder.
I wasn't sure how this technique would turn out on lighter weight card so played safe!

I then sponged odd bits randomly with Versamark and began to heat emboss.

Just repeated each time I wanted a colour change.

Used Copper, Silver, Gold and Verdigris powders - altho the Verdigris isn't showing very well on the photo but trust me it IS there!

Once all done I swiped over the top again with a Stazon black ink pad.

Tried a couple of different colours for the sentiment but the silver looked the best.
This faux metal technique is one that I enjoy doing even if it does take a little time I think the results are worth it!

Hope you can join us and 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

Card Chain Challenge July Reveal

 My swap partners this month for the Card Chain Challenge - I sent to Jo in the UK and was delighted to receive a lovely card from Linda in Michigan! (Thank you again Linda!)

So - I was a little pleased as I managed to have a bash at using the colour options and the theme of 'Asian' from the choices this time round.

A lighter bright blue (Topaz) was the base and before layering onto gold mirri card I used some gold embroidery thread to attach the Chinese coin.

I used a darker shade for the next layer stamping some bamboo and simply clear embossing.

The 'Bird of Happiness' is from an Altenew set, gold heat embossed (love this stylized bird) and the Happiness sentiment is from Paper Discovery.

Having checked the colour of 'Jade' on an internet search I found it was varying shades of green through the colour spectrum from a very pale green right through to Emerald. 

So once I had stamped and fussy cut my figure, I painted her in pale green and blue. 

There's still a few days left to sign up for the August challenge and we are being generously sponsored this time by RELATIVELY THOUGHTFUL who are offering a gorgeous digital download paper set called Egyptian Dreams for one randomly selected player in the Chain and are also offering a 10% discount for all our players!!
This discount applies to digital and physical products in the shop so wherever you are in the World we should all be able to benefit from this - the code will be included when you get the Card Chain Challenge contact email.
Come and join us! x

Mid Way - Things with Wings Challenge at Try It On Tuesday

 There's just a week left for you to take part in our Things with Wings challenge at Try It On Tuesday.
I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with vellum -but it doesn't stop me wanting to use it!

Think because the base card is pearlised it didn't help when I came to take the pic either.

I used a simple textured embossing folder on the background to give some interest.

The Angel wings are from Pink Ink, bought very recently in a sale and never before used -  white heat embossed on vellum and fussy cut - a bit of a tricky job but got there in the end!

Because I always have such trouble attaching vellum without  the glue showing I used a tiny silver heart and a silver encased pearl brad on the top wing. Fortunately the top wing hid the spot of glue on the underneath one.

Heat embossed white sentiment.

I sponged a little Brilliance Moonlight Ink round the edges and in real life it does give a sort of 'dreamy' effect.

Quite happy really with how this turned out after seeing something similar on an internet trawl some time ago.

Thanks for looking! x

Sharing over at
Simply Clean and Simple - Use a Heart
MAWTT #168 - CAS
CYHTP - A/Goes
and it's week 3 for Darnell's IDEAS - E for Embossing folders and as my Angel Wings are NBUS am visiting there too!

Card Chain Challenge June Reveal

 My card for June in the Card Chain Challenge went to Gail in Norway and I received a really pretty make from Patricia in Texas!

Once again the colour option from the vast list of things to choose from appealed to me and I also used the Summertime theme.

I used a Memento ink pad called Sahara Sand for the sandy beach, then blended another Memento colour called Turquoise Gem. The Navy blue colour element was a mix of Salty Ocean and Chipped Sapphire Distress Oxide.

I stamped a few starfish randomly along the sandy beach and once the background was dry, I got out these brilliant Ocean stamps from Inkylicious.
I've used these stamps quite a lot recently - they are absolutely perfect for adding embossed waves and foam to beachy scenes.

Although it's hard to see in the photo the starfish and the sand do have a teeny bit of sparkle - achieved by random dotting of Wink of Stella Pens in brown and gold.

Finished with a stacked die cut. (I always think there's something very dreamy about listening to a tide lapping on a sandy shore so the die seemed a good fit!)

There's still a few days left to sign up for the next Chain if you fancy having a go! x

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

May Card Chain Challenge Reveal

My May challenge card went to blogging buddy Carol here in the UK.
Using the colours and the option of a stencil from the technique list I made this!

The stencil was part of an unbranded pack - it's only small so I fiddled about with it re-positioning where I wanted.

I used Picked Raspberry and Wilted Violet inks. Having tried lots of different colours I decided the violet was the nearest I had to Blueberry!


I ran a piece of card through a Vine embossing folder and lightly inked before die cutting my butterfly.
I really should have embossed after die cutting I think but the texture is still there even if it's a little flatter than I would have liked.

Using an embossing pen I heat embossed the body and antenna in gold and finished with a gold embossed sentiment.

This month I received the most stunning card from my clever friend Hilary - thank you again! x

There's still time to sign up for this month - pop over to the Card Chain Challenge blog if you fancy joining us!

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 Inspired by a Song

Our challenge for the next two weeks at Try It On Tuesday is 'Inspired by a Song.'
I am a massive music fan - since I was a child I have loved music - most music genres too so it was always going to be a difficult choice as to which song I used for this challenge and I started to seriously think ...... Then I stopped thinking and made a decision!

I chose 'Fields of Barley' and although written by Sting, I much prefer the Eva Cassidy version. She has such a beautiful voice and interprets the lyrics so well. 

You'll remember me when the west wind moves
Upon the fields of barley.
You'll forget the sun in his jealous sky
As we walk in fields of gold.

It's a love song, full of poignancy and is deeply evocative as it maps out love from beginning to the final parting.
It makes me cry and smile at the same time!

So - my background is ink blended and my barley field is a stamp from Inkylicious stamped and gold heat embossed.

The sentiment is from Altenew Moments in Time set and it seemed perfect- stamped in Versafine Vintage Sepia.

I mounted onto some gold mirri card before sticking onto the card base.

Hope you will share your favourite song with us this challenge! 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

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

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

Hold On!

Been having a bit of inkiness the last couple of days whilst the weather has been so changeable. I've made a couple of cards and this one I am undecided as to whether it is finished or not!

It was though an absolute horror to photograph - I must have taken about 50 pics and wasn't happy with any of them.
None of the photos showed a true representation of the colours which are slightly muted nor any of the (liberal helping) of Wink of Stella.

Anyway here it is -
I started blending my background with Antique Linen then worked out using Stormy Sky, Weathered Wood and Hickory Smoke.

I masked off the trailing vines that Rue clings to on the stamp - this was a bit fiddly but happy with the way the image turned out.

I then white heat embossed several Dandelions and finally added some Spanish Moss Foliage in between the dandies, positioning them all from Rue's hand so she really is 'Hitchin' a Ride'!

I used lots of  clear Wink of Stella onto the dandies and dotted some about randomly before I coloured Rues wings with different colours.

Added some white spatters.

Am undecided as to how to complete it - jury is out between a sentiment or a Lavinia script stamp (second or third generation stamping) added down the side.
Shall put it to one side whilst I think about it!

Sharing Rue and her Dandy Flight over at
The Paper Shelter - Anything that Flies
Paper Funday - A/Goes with option of Flower Power (Rue is definitely powered by Flowers!)
Creative Inspiration - A/Goes

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

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

December 2022 Card Chain Challenge

It's reveal day over at the Card Chain Challenge - and my goodness this month WAS a challenge!
There was this simply HUGE Tic Tac Toe board - 25 squares in all - I wonder if anyone managed to use them all?  Not me that's for sure, I had enough trouble selecting five! I chose the second column - and got my thinking cap on.

To be honest once I decided on which line to use, I managed to pull together a make which I sent to my partner Joanne this month and hope that she likes it!
So here's the challenge line I chose-

Slimline, Bird, Black, Deer and Stars

My background was done using (from the bottom up) -
Seedless Preserve, Victorian Velvet, Shaded Lilac and Chipped Sapphire. I lightly inked the moon blending outwards with Iced Spruce.

I am a relative newbie to this challenge but it's kind of given me something to aim at - and it has the added bonus that each month you receive a lovely hand made card from somewhere else in the world!

I received a lovely Christmas card from Kath in this month's chain- a beautiful row of tiny poinsettias- delicate and very pretty - thanks Kath! x
 
Thanks for looking today - December simply flew by - in fact 2022 flew too -
Happy New Year to everyone! x