Forest Friends

The March challenge at Stamping Sensations is for a project entitled 'Forest Friends'.
TALK ABOUT OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE!
Thanks to the teamie who thought this one up....... !!!
I am rubbish at scenes (unlike some of the others on the DT who are awesome - go look on the blog post) - but I thought it was time I tried  instead of just doing something CAS with lots of white space- so here is my offering for the DT this month

I can hear you saying right away - "there's a big space in the middle" - yes there is - I intend to put a sentiment of some sort in there when I've decided what the sentiment is going to be!!

This card was actually my third attempt - but hey ho at least I finished it.
Distress Inks used - Stormy Sky, Shabby Shutters, Old Paper for the background.
Trees are from Inkadinkadoo
Animals and Birds stamps are a mix from Card-io and Creative Expressions, coloured with Rusty Hinge, Fired Brick, Brushed Corduroy and Tea Dye.

A reasonable attempt for something I am not confident with!
Please do go and visit the blog and look at some of the inspiring work created by those who do scenes better than me!
Another good prize up for grabs this month - from the fabulous Tattered Lace - and who wouldn't want to win???
Just remember - we are a stamping challenge!!!

I am joining in over at
Crafty Animals - A/Goes with animals
2 Crafty Critter Crazies - A/Goes with a critter
Creative Crafters - A/Goes

Thanks for visiting me today - hope all is well with you whatever you're doing! x

Stars

Have spent this week relaxing at home after a busy weekend (more at bottom of post).
We are currently under rather a lot of snow up here on the top of the moors - thought about going out for a few bits of shopping this morning but when I opened the front door about 18inches of snow was stacked up against it! Even if I'd made it down to the bottom of the hill there was no way I'd have got back up! Made a hasty retreat back indoors, heating turned up and donned the PJ's for the rest of the day.
So never one to miss an opportunity to make messy here is today's share!

Wanted to have a go at these 'galaxy' backgrounds for a while - and I can tell you I enjoyed it (even though my first 2 attempts were pretty rubbish).
Lots of inkiness - Squeezed Lemonade, Picked Raspberry, Seedless Preserve, Chipped Sapphire and Black Soot.

Fingers dipped in some water and dripped randomly across, then once dry some white acrylic paint mixed with a little water and silver Cosmic Shimmer loaded onto a paintbrush and flicked across.

Left to dry then some white embossing. The big star was a cheapie one and the sentiment and star clusters were freebies.
Matted onto black before onto the white card base.
Quite happy!
Joining in at
ATS&M - A/Goes
Make My Monday - Messy backgrounds
Time Out - BOLD
PIP #1808 - A/Goes
Use your stuff- Movies (2001 A Space Odyssey)

So - following on from the ladies in November, this weekend it was the men's turn to have their National Dinner and Presentation on Saturday night in Coventry.

An emotional night, my final speech in front of more than 300 people(😳) as National President. Chain of office then handed over and I have a slightly easier job now for the next year as the Immediate Past where although I will be still doing a bit of travelling, I will be there in a supporting role and not in the limelight!

Pic is of me and my lovely man - and of course the long frock! (heels lasted only 4 hours - the dinner, my speech then the presentation -  then spent the rest of the night barefoot!)

I have had an amazing year, I am tired but would not have missed it for anything.
Met some wonderful people and have been overwhelmed by the warmth and friendship extended to me everywhere.
The icing on the cake was to have raised over £8,800 for my charity 'Prevent Breast Cancer', which is based in Manchester.

I am sharing the last few sentences of my speech here with my blogging buddies -  it sums up everything I think -

"Life is like a coin. You can spend it any way you wish – but you can spend it only once. Every moment matters. Seize every opportunity you have and embrace every experience.

In the end we only regret the chances we didn’t take.

Thank you for the opportunity you gave Graham and I to have our big adventure and to have had the privilege of representing Bowls England as your President.

I would not have missed it for the world.

I won’t be sad because it’s over, I will smile because it HAPPENED!"

Inky Happiness

Some free time saw me get out the inks and watercolour card. It was really nice to make my fingers different colours!
I have many stamps.
Not all of them have seen ink.😏
Some of them have rarely seen ink.😞
Some of them have seen that much ink they cower in the back of the stamp box praying I don't inflict any more ink on them 😱😱

This SU set is in the middle category.
I think perhaps I have only used it twice before but Serene Stamper Tina has used it and I thank Tina for reminding me that it was time to 'get out your poor neglected stamp sets and DO something!!'

Watercolour card, after stamping the blossoms I took a wet brush, some Calypso Coral ink and painted.

Same with the leaves.
Once dry, I dry brushed Shabby Shutters DI over the rest of the front.

The sentiment is from the Faith in Nature set (First category - see above) stamped in Calypso Coral.

I tipped out all the ribbons and couldn't find a single one that matched. How can you have lots of lovely ribbons and still not have something that looks right??!!
So - the boring old white seam binding was given a sharp dose of Abandoned Coral DI.
Serves it right for being plain and boring!😲

Quite smug now 'cos it turned out better than I expected!


Challenges -
Crafty Sentiment Designs - Spring
A.I  - A/Goes with Flowers
Get Creative - use Ribbon
Path of Positivity - #56
Crafty Catz - A/Goes with Ribbon

Hoping that you all are OK in blogland. Thanks for any comments you leave me - love to read them and appreciate every single one. x

Cakes!

A wedding card to share today made with a stamp set that was a freebie from a mag.
I very rarely buy the crafting mags but there were quite a few stamps on the outside of this one which were mostly cake/tea themed - and I don't own many of these types of stamps (sounded a good enough excuse to me when I put it in the shopping trolley - although doubt dear husband thought the same......😘😘)

It's amazing though that a stamp doesn't look very big when attached to a whole sheet but when you stamp it, it suddenly looks HUGE!!!
After stamping it, I then had to decide what to do with it... then I remembered this much neglected die set (most of my die sets are neglected - LOL).

I embossed the bottom under the stamp a little and coloured the stand with Spun Sugar DI and a pale grey promarker before die cutting.
Did some subtle sponging (Tumbled Glass) round the bare white background of the stamp although it doesn't show up very well in the pic - just to take away the starkness of the white.
Layered up the two die cuts on foam pads, added some stickles to the cake tops and a pink pearl.
Sentiment stamped in Versafine, die cut and more foam pads!
Looks OK I think?

Sharing over at -
Crafty Friends Challenge - Love is in the Air
MTTC - Love is all you need
Cut it Up - Layers of Love
Alphabet - 'X' = Xtra Special Occasion
Crafting With Friends - A/Goes

We have a lovely day here for a change - been out this morning and it was nice to see the blue sky instead of watching the rain!
Thanks for visiting me today - hope all is OK in your  corner of blogland. x

More Flowers

Mid month is here for our challenge at Stamping Sensations on the theme of 'Anything With Flowers'.

My turn to offer another card using a technique which I have only just perfected.
(After finding out I had been doing things incorrectly and abandoning the Brushos I now am having fun using them!)
So here is what I hope will inspire you to join in this month (if you haven't done so already!)

I liberally wet the watercolour card then sprinkled on the Brushos (Orange and Lemon).
I was really happy when it turned out like this!

Script stamp over the background then the flowers from the SU Helping Me Grow set.
I coloured the flowers with the Brushos too - Another first for me!

I hope you like my card.
Please pop over to the Stamping Sensations blog and check out the fab prize we have this month from Bee Crafty.
My teamies have posted some great cards too!

I am also sharing this make over at
Crafty Sentiments - Add Flowers
HLS Watercolour - A.Goes
Dragonfly Dreams - Flowers
Fashionable Stamping - One for the Girls
Thanks for stopping by today and I hope all is well with you in your part of Blogland. x

Charms and Sparkles

I've spent this week catching up on the big holes in my stash. I've finished off the New Baby cards and made a couple that I think can be used for Weddings/Aniversaries/Engagements etc.

I had some off cuts of some glitter card left and was just about to pop them into the drawer when I remembered the sketch this week over at Freshly Made Sketches.

With a little bit of fiddling, I managed to follow the sketch and make another multi purpose celebration card. So well pleased!

This was quick and simple to do and overall I am happy with the result ( and it used up some of those left overs which are beginning to create a mountain).
I used two stitched edge dies for the square and the rectangle -they were both recent bargains at The Works.

Stamped the sentiment ( a freebie from a mag) onto vellum and embossed  with WOW Metallic Platinum.
Two champagne glass charms and a couple of blingy's for bubbles - finished (and all done in less than an hour) and it looks rather good in real life!

Next time could someone remind me how hard glitter card is to photograph - I've made rather a lot of cards using it and they are all going to be a devil to share!

Sharing over at -
Freshly Made Sketches ~323
CAS on Friday - Use a Die Cut
MAWTT - Love (Wedding/Anniversary etc)
Cut It Up - Layers of Love
Time Out - Photo Inspiration (Gold,white and glitter!)

Thanks for looking today! x

3 in a row!

My goodness this is the third consecutive day of posting! (Making uo for all the time I was absent last summer!)
Have moved now from anniversary/love ones for the stash on to baby ones (will share later) but this is one of the smalzchy gooey ones.........

......made because the stamp set was still out on the desk from my previous 'love shower' card here!

Started by using Spun Sugar DI onto the stamping block and spritzed with water to create the watercolour wash background.
Stamped the handle of the brolly - considered colouring it but changed my mind!.
The umbrella canopy stamped and embossed with white onto a scrap of spotty paper and then popped up with foam pads.

Rummaged about in the 'scrap box' and found odd teeny bits of card (why I kept such small pieces I don't know but glad I did!) and then punched out all the hearts.
I punched out too many so now have a lots of these floating about in the scrap box too!

They were really fiddly to stick onto the card - I ended up using a pair of tweezers and dunking the heart into some glue as I gave up trying to glue the back of them whilst holding between my fingers - there was more glue on me......

Sentiment stamped and a few Dew Drops for a little bit more interest to the background.
Not too bad?

 Joining in at
CAS-ual Fridays - Hearts
Pixies Playground #319
CAS Watercolour - Heart
AAA - Love
Crafting W/Dragonflies - Valentine/Romantic
Daring Cardmakers - Pic Inspiration
House of Cards - Valentine background or colours

I have a nice lazy week planned - next duty is Sunday in the Midlands - so I have a little bit of messy inkiness time to look forward to! x

Flowers

We have a 'ANYTHING WITH FLOWERS' theme for our February challenge at Stamping Sensations. 
Please remember we are a STAMPING challenge so must see a stamped image/sentiment as the focal point of your entry.
I needed a 'Thank You' card and couldn't find one in my stash!
I made this after seeing something similar on Pinterest (where else!)- this was a relatively quick card to do.

 I used Antique Linen DI on the background and a little bit of Tea Dye round the edges.
A few random stampings using Timeless Textures set and a 'chicken wire' stamp to give a bit of interest to the background.

The main stamp is from SU's Helping Me Grow set.
I coloured it with Inktense Watercolours, and added a bit of white gel pen to the flowers.

Matted it onto cream card then added the ribbon before layering it up onto the sandy coloured base card.

Hope you can find time to join us this month - we have a great prize on offer £25 worth of goodies from our sponsors Bee Crafty!

Have a great day whatever you're all doing!

Showered with Love

Well my blogging buddies, I have had a good week away doing my duty! I hope your week has been good too - and thank you to everyone who left comments on my last post.
As it's February the world is full of Valentines! You know me and the dear husband don't do Valentines (as it's his Birthday too) but I am carrying on making 'love' cards for the stash.

( I seem to be having a bit of a 'rounded corner' fest at the mo!!!)

The stamps are all from SU's 'Weather Together' set and the card was as always inspired by Pinterest.

Before anyone asks the border was done with a ruler and a pointy thing and is not a die!
Just a simple 'Love Shower ' stamped in Versafine Crimson red.
The brolly stamped then the canopy stamped, coloured with a promarker and popped up on foam pads for a bit of dimension.
It was after I'd done that, i realised I hadn't stamped the word! DOH.
So couldn't use the MISTI to stamp a couple of times for definition which is probably why it looks a little less sharp than it should do.
But overall it's not too bad!

Joining in over at
MAWTT - Love
Tic-Tac-Toe - Chose the top line of Sentiment/Red/Heart
Gem of a Challenge - Have a Heart
JUGS - #426 Love
Allsorts - Spots or Stripes
Sweet Stampin - A'thing but a birthday

Washing done last night, ironing done this morning. Have a day to myself so will be in the craftie space for a little while once I've been shopping!
Have a great day and thanks for looking! x

Not long to go now

A quickie share from me today as I am off on my travels again - a few days in Norfolk!

Not a holiday as such as it is part of my Presidential duties. (Not long now - just two more duties after this one!)

I am slowly trying to make my stash more balanced - I have made a few baby cards and in the last couple of days have concentrated a little on Love cards which can be used for engagements or anniversaries etc
This one was a simple CAS card made with my much loved Hero Arts flourish stamp and a snippet of red card.
The flourish is stamped with Encore Metallic Silver - got a lovely shiny surface in real life.
A die cut stitched heart and some blingy gems and the sentiment stamped in Versafine Crimson Red.
Just rounded off the corners so it didn't look too uninteresting and plain!

Overall it may be a simple card but I like it!
Joining in with
Tic Tac Toe - (Bingo) Sparkle/Love /Free
TIOT - Fire (Red Heart) and Ice (Metallic Silver)
Sweet Stampin - Valentines/Love
ATS&M - A/.Goes

So that's it for me until the end of the week. We have really high winds here so the long 5 hour journey is going to be fun..... not. Hoping it eases a little the further South and East we get!
Thanks for looking at my share today - see you all soon! x

Can't see the Trees for the Wood?

Have had a bit of a card making frenzy over the last few days - mainly because the weather has been too bad to do anything else!
Looking at the ever growing stash I have a plentiful supply of cards suitable for women and not a lot of anything else! So after a friend who has her own salon offered to take some from me to offer to her clients (proceeds to my charity) I thought I had better make sure I had a good selection.
I made a list and of course the dreaded men's cards (as well as babies, wedding anniversaries, lovey-dovey ones) were in short supply.

I started off with men cards - (cos I don't like doing them) and had to go mooch round Pinterest for some ideas.
I now have a few cards done which I will share in due course, but here's one to be going on with.

Background hardwood stamp on a piece of leftover pale blue card. Stamp inked in Versafine Smokey Grey.

Little bit of inkiness on a scrap of white card for the panel - a moon mask and Tumbled Glass DI.
Tree stamps from Inkadinkadoo, embossed with WOW Metallic Platinum.
Teeny scrap of blue card with the sentiment embossed and a silver button. 
Some silver matt card to edge it all with.

Sharing over at
Addicted to Stamps - It's Cold Outside
Cardz 4 Guyz - January Blues
Sweet Stampin - Men's Cards
SOS - Birthday
Gem of a Challenge - Cool in Blue
One Crazy Stamper - A/Goes + Blue+Buttons
and of course as there were a few scraps used up I am away to the Playground.

We have some terrible high winds here at the moment - hoping it eases a little as tomorrow OH and I are travelling to Leicester to say a final goodbye to my crafting buddy and good friend Maureen.  We met a long time ago through DoCrafts, at one time had our own group called Art N Soul, where we delved into the world of Mixed Media and other crafty stuff.
Our jaunts to the Craft Shows and the annual picnic with the husbands in Trentham Gardens I shall miss very much  - she encouraged me to try so many different things and was so very talented -  I will miss the fun we had.
Thanks for stopping by today - I hope all is safe and well in your part of the world.  x

Spotlight

What a strange few days weather wise! We've had snow, high winds, blue skies, lightning, rain - the works!
Was a good excuse though to just sit up here and make inky.
Two cards to share today -

both made with odd bits laying about so I will be venturing into the Playground to 'show off my snippets'!!!
A Brusho background using Lemon and Turquoise on some scraps of watercolour card.
Two other odd bits treated the same then a die cut circle.
Stamp is from Woodware.

Have used up quite a lot of scraps this past week and would you believe I didn't have enough white card for 2 sentiments? (I know - unbelievable!) But didn't want to cut into an A3 sheet for a tiddly sentiment so the one on the left ended up stamped direct onto the card!
I added a wee bit of stickles to finish.
Think these will be quite good note cards.

Joining a couple of challenges -
Flower Challenge - Spotlight Stamping
Crafty Creations - A/Goes
Paper Girls - Watercolour
Simon Says Wednesday - Add a Sentiment
Create & Inspire - A/Goes

Thanks for stopping by and hoping all is well with you in blogland. x 

January Muddle

This last week has whizzed past at a rate of knots! We've had some friends staying for a few days which was really nice. We've done a bit of shopping, eaten a lot (with the usual glass accompaniments 😁😁) and generally had a lovely long lazy weekend.

Those of you who follow my blog know that after dropping many LARGE hints, Dear Husband bought me some Altenew Stamp Sets for Christmas - so I have been having a little dabble with them.
(I apologise for the truly dreadful picture - the weather has been awful here and is not the best picture taking light)

I am really pleased with this card!
The background is a bright white (I am beginning to think though that the trouble with my pics is the card I am using - everything either has a blue tinge (if I am taking on my usual white background) or looks grey (if I take it on a cream or coloured background - nearly gave up!!)
Anyway, I stamped the peonies in Versafine Smokey Gray and the layered colour is Versacolour Orchid Pink. The stems and leaves coloured with Shabby Shutters and Mowed Lawn DI.

I think this is one of THE best sentiments ever!
A relatively quick card and I thank Dear Husband for the stamps this year and the MISTI last year which makes stamping positioning so much easier.
Another card done for my stash and as we now have snow and sleet today it will be the craft room for me for the rest of the afternoon - and a chance to play with those lovely stamps again!

I hope all is well in your corner of blogland. Thanks for looking and leaving any comments. x 
Joining in over at -
613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes (Twist - something new)
Allsorts - No Patterned Papers
MTTC - Something New

January Blues

Time for our first challenge of the New Year at Stamping Sensations.
Our theme this month is - COLD AND FROSTY COLOURS - so blues, lilacs, whites etc
I messed about with Alcohol Inks before Christmas and used up all the backgrounds I had made on Christmas Cards. 

This 'grid' card was really fiddly to do.
I have a Dienamics Die that cut out the grid which was fine - it was all the stamping and embossing that took forever!
This was definitely not one for mass producing.

I used Sail Boat Blue and Stream A.I's and added a bit of Silver onto a piece of aluminium foil and used a technique demonstrated by Loll here to cover the Yupo Paper.

The stamps are just random ones from my Christmas Stash.

The squares were matted onto white then onto matt silver card before being mounted onto the base card. 

Just a word of warning - you have to be very careful heat embossing onto inked Yupo! If you hold the heat gun too close or over heat the embossing powder, the Yupo behaves like shrink plastic and curls up!

We have a great prize again on offer this month -
so get out all your new stash and come and join us.
If you need inspiration, my teamies have come up with some great projects which am sure will give you some ideas over on the challenge blog.

Please remember though - WE ARE A STAMPING CHALLENGE - .
So must see a stamped image, sentiment or quote as the focal element of your artwork , this means:

Stamping must be the central point of attention and interest

I hope everyone is recovered from the New Year festivities! Thanks for stopping by today - have a great day whatever you're doing! x

Experimenting

Things back to normal here now. Tree down (2nd January) and the house straight.
I was lucky as this year I received several stamp sets that I wanted... (So Dear Husband was listening when I was muttering "I'd LOVE this set"... 😊😊 - and to his credit he made a note of them!)
They are not new releases but they ARE what I wanted!
The first one is using Altenew's  Amazing You set.

I had seen a card done stamping and colouring white onto black cardstock and thought I would give it a go.

I am really happy with this, my first attempt although no doubt there is room for improvement.

The rose and the sentiment are all white embossed.

Coloured the flower with a white watercolour pencil and made a few background spatters.

All in all, not too bad.

Managed today to get to the cancelled hair appointment, although didn't much feel like going anywhere after having some bad news yesterday - one of my friends (and a very talented crafter) had passed away. It was such a terrible shock.
She was one of the first people I ever swapped an ATC with many years ago and she encouraged me to try all kinds of new things when I first started crafting. It was she who got me into mixed media and I shall really miss her.
It has hit me really hard particularly as although we have kept in touch with mail/phone, owing to my Presidential commitments I hadn't managed to see her this Summer and we had missed our annual outing/picnic to Trentham Gardens where we met up every year.  We had made plans to meet up in the New Year - so I am feeling quite sad today.
I hope that all is well with you in your part of the world and thank you for reading my ramblings and I hope you will continue to visit! x

Linking up to -
Shopping our Stash - Watercolour
Simon Says Stamp (Wednesday) - Something New
Always Fun - Anything Goes

Gone!

And there it was - gone. Christmas that is!
So now we there are only a couple of days left of 2017 - this morning we woke up to quite heavy snow - so much so that I didn't fancy trying to get out of the road from the barn - one hair appointment cancelled and now shall be greeting the New Year looking like a shaggy dog. Good job there is only the other half seeing me.....😄

Made a card from some left overs so snow or not I am pulling on the wellies and trudging across to the Playground (which is considerably nearer than the hairdressers) - might even get to build a snowman?!
Used cream linen card as the base and found another left over piece to cut into!
The die cut leaves are a snippet of watercolour card suitably smooshed through various green inks (Crushed Olive/Shabby Shutters/Forest Moss).
Another scrap given the same treatment then I didn't know what to do with it - thought about another small die cut then remembered the corner die which reminds me of a trellis. Happily,  said scrap fitted behind it (JUST).
The little red birdie is also a die.
Stamped the sentiment  and done.

Linking up to
CASology - Kindness
Die Cuttin Divas - Thank you
Tuesday Throwdown - A/Goes
Crafty Gals Corner - A/Goes
Crafty Creations - A/Goes

It has just started to rain here so no doubt my lovely white wonderland will soon be washed away!
Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and that you are all warm, dry and safe wherever you are. x

And so this is Christmas

A Christmas card to share today - made for someone in America - can only hope it arrived with the flower (and the bead centre) intact!

I used linen textured card as the base.
The gold embossing was done with Cling Film (thanks Loll!!).  I am still being too heavy handed though I think when pressing the scrunched up cling film onto the embossing pad.... but this was done last minute (as I had forgotten the post date for the USA) so just had to go with it as it was.

The poinsettia is by Penny Black from their Wonder Collection. Painted with Fired Brick, Barn Door and Festive Berries Distress Inks before fussy cutting.
I added some seed beads into the centre.
The sentiment was stamped in Metallic Gold ink and is also from Penny Black.

I hope everyone has not worn themselves out in the pre Christmas madness - if you can spare a couple of minutes -  sit down, turn on your speakers and listen to this - one of my fave renditions of this Christmas song -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tekN9NtGXOc
Might set you up for the holiday!

Joining in a couple of challenges -
Allsorts - Seasonal Flowers
PB Sat Challenge- Christmas
Sweet Stampin - Last Minute Christmas
CC Throwdown - Previous Challenge -( 2012 Christmas Flowers)

I will be here all over Christmas but I know many of you will be very busy with your family and friends, so I want to wish you all a Happy Christmas full of love and may all you wish for come true.
Thank you all for your visits this year - they have meant a lot. xx

Shocking!

Shocking PINK that is!
I mentioned that I'd been messing with Alcohol Inks again so here is the first completed card.

Have made rather a mess on the table with these inks.... and a mess on my hands!
LOVED IT!

I followed Loll's technique of scribbling the inks onto foil then smooshing the Yupo through it.
I used two separate pieces of Yupo.

The first piece is really dark (saved for another  time) and this is the result with the 'second pass'.

Flicked some white acrylic paint here and there before adding the two die cuts, (cut from some odd leftovers - so it's the Christmas visit to the Playground for me....!)
The sentiment was shadow stamped using my Misti and Versafine Smokey Grey then Versafine Black. It looks a little out of focus on the pic!

I suppose everyone is mad busy getting ready for the weekend... one of the plus things about there just being the 2 of us is there is no mad running about at Christmas. We've done our (small) food and (large) drink shopping, wrapped a couple of pressies up for each other and are ready to hibernate!

I did though manage to get my tree up a week early this year - as for some unknown reason I wanted it to be Christmas (for the first time in YEARS - normally I am full of Bah Humbug and the tree makes an appearance around the 24th December!)

Hope you're all surviving the pre Christmas panic - and thanks for taking the time to drop in. x

Joining in over at -
SOS - Gah Pink!
Crafty Creations - Anything Goes
Crafty Gals corner - Anything Goes
Craftaholics R Us - Anything Goes
CRAFT - Anything Goes

Red and Gold

Home from a couple of days away with some good friends - was lovely to just relax - although we have done a lot of eating (and drinking!). We went to a Lantern Festival on Thursday night - freezing cold but a really nice evening -I even made a paper lantern complete with glow stick! 
I can post their card now as although my friend doesn't have a blog she does look at mine.

I am REALLY disappointed with this pic - I was so pleased with myself when I had finished the card but this pic doesn't do it any justice at all - so you will just have to imagine the finished article.
It was a quick card really despite the matting and layering and it was inspired by something similar seen on Pinterest.

I started by stamping the birdie on the branch (SU Beautiful Season) onto a piece of scrap paper and cut out to make myself a mask.
Stamped onto the red card and gold embossed, masked it, then stamped the script stamp in metallic gold ink.
Used some of the leftovers from the gold matt card to cut out the Holly die and added some gold grossgrain ribbon - Finished!
It does look so much better in real life!

Joining in over at -
Die Cut Divas - Winter
HLS Dies - A/Goes with dies
1 Crazy Stamper - Winter
Fussy & Fancy - Christmas
Thanks for looking - I am now on lots of 'me' time - have a couple of finishing touches to the re-arranged bedrooms to do and of course I have to get the tree up! (Last minute as ever!) Our Christmas will be quiet as usual with just the two of us and I am intending on trying to catch up on all that I have missed during my busy year. xx

One stamp = lots of cards!

Our snow disappeared this morning - because the rain decided to come instead!
It has been really cold here the last few days so in between the bed and wardrobe assembly and the clearing up afterwards I snook (hope that's a word!) into the craftie space...In between the Christmas cards I have been messing with alco inks  -  I will share those makes later  -  so I have a Christmas share again today.

This was a quick card - so quick I made quite a few - in different colours including the one below done with a Brilliance Ink Pad in Twilight colours.

The stamp is an old one and suppose it is intended primarily as a background stamp.
I stamped it in Silver Encore Metallic Ink and then silver embossed on top.

It is really lush!  The embossing has really stood out and is amazingly shiny. Didn't need to do much else so I embossed a sentiment onto a scrap of vellum and stamped a single silver snowflake, adding a tiny sparkly gem.
Layered onto silver matt card before putting onto the white base.

The other card was stamped with the tri-colour ink pad and clear embossed. It looks OK but isn't anywhere near as shiny as the silver one - but I like it.
I know there's not a lot of white space left on these cards but I consider them to be CAS so 
I am sharing at a couple of challenges  - I'm sure if they don't fit the Challenge criteria I can be forgiven for linking (after all it's nearly Christmas!!) - seriously though I know how irritating it is when the rules aren't followed so if they're not CAS enough I apologise in advance!!
 AAA - Sparkle
CHNC- Christmas (option Sparkle) 
CAS on Friday - Christmas
Addicted to CAS - Sparkle
Craftaholics R Us - Embossing
 I am off to see a friend for a few days from tomorrow - at least the snow has gone for the drive!
Stay warm wherever you are! x

Experiment!

Brr.... it's cold here! Had some snow and more forecast for the weekend. Have spent the last couple of days assisting dear husband whilst we have had a re-vamp of 2 of the bedrooms - a new bed ordered for one, a new carpet and a quick change round of the furniture. Looks tidier and we've not spent a firtune so am happy.

Am not so sure I am happy with my embossing on this card - particularly the sentiment!
The gold embossing on the black was a bit of an experiment and I masked off the card to leave me enough room for a greeting in the middle.
The sentiment stamp is from a set called Fabulous Fashion by Katy Sue designs.
I confess to never having inked any of this stamp set .... maybe that's why the embossing hasn't turned out as crisp as I would have wished?
There's a lot of little gold flecks where they shouldn't be.
 
The baroque style background is an old wooden backed stamp - so old that the name of the maker etc has worn off!
I mounted it onto gold matt card before layering it onto the black card base.
It's not too bad an effort - hopefully my next attempt turns out better! I have managed to make a couple more Christmas cards too - will share these over the weekend!

Linking up to
Kitty Bee- Anything Goes
Crafters Cafe - Embossing
Moo Mania & More - Heat Embossing
Stamplorations December Challenge -Theme - Stamps and Gold

Hope you are all snug and warm - have a great weekend whatever you're doing. x

Not Christmas!

I have had a few days in the crafty space in my 'wind down time'. As today is also the first day of the Stamping Sensations Challenge please scroll down the the next post to see our challenge this month!
Finished the Christmas cards (will be able to show these now as I am at home!) but in addition just sat and made a few other cards too.
I had a little trip out to a craft shop (dear husband sat in the car outside for HOURS!!!) and I spent a little on some new stash.
None of it inked as yet......LOL
The inspiration for this card is attributed to the very talented Birgit who made a card like this using a similar stamp a few years back.

I am really pleased with the way this turned out! I used Carved Pumpkin Distress Ink and linen textured card.
The stamp is from Technique Tuesday. Stamped and heat embossed then coloured with Carved Pumpkin.
Simply inked the bottom panel then added the flower top.
Found these beads in my stash - no idea where they came from! But they were a good colour match so used them.
The sentiment is from Stampin Up.

Used up some odd pieces of card so am paying a visit to the Playground - have missed not being there during the summer!

Also linking to
PB&More - CAS
CAS Mix Up December - Stamping, Heat Embossing, Watercolour
Crafters Cafe - Embossing

Hoping you are all having a happy Sunday. x

Stamping Sensations December Challenge

Not long to Christmas now so our Challenge at Stamping Sensations is a related theme of Winter Trees and Flowers.

I was going to do another winter tree scene but changed my mind and ended up using one of my 'go
to' Christmas Stamps which is this Poinsettia stamp from Creative Expressions. The set has several different sizes of the flowers but for this card I just used the largest one.

I stamped and gold embossed onto white vellum then fussy cut each one.

On the base card just stamped and embossed few blobs (!!) (SU Timeless Textures) on the left - (on reflection may have been better just spattering with gold paint as I think they look a bit 'bulky')
Positioned the flowers folding in and securing those that overlapped the edge.
Sentiment from my stash again gold embossed.

Originally thought about pearls for the centres but them found these lonely glittery bits in the Blingy Box so used them instead!
And another bonus - this is quite a flat card despite the blingy centres so in keeping with my promise not to make OTT multi layered cards to save postage!

Our prize this month is all these goodies and to be in with a chance you need to link up your creation.
Please remember we are a Stamping challenge and so we must see a stamped image sentiment etc as the FOCAL element of your submission. Stamping must be the central point of attention! Hope you will find time to join in with us!

Have a great day whatever you're doing. x

Almost at the end.....

....of the Presidential year! 3 more events to go - but none now until the 2 in January and then the final one at the end of February so a nice long rest time in-between for me!

Time to write those cards that I have made (and bought!! LOL) and maybe now I'll be able to get back into making messy.

Have done only a few fussy/fancy Christmas cards to date - concentrated on CAS this year mainly because of time.
Quite liked how this one turned out even though it was a bit fiddly!

I don't have separate star dies - this is one that has the 3 stars on it so it took a bit of working out about the positioning but got there in the end.

The gold glitter card behind is really subtle and gives a lovely muted sparkle which the pic doesn't really show.

I used a gold gel pen for the strings and stamped the sentiment in gold mettallic ink.
Job done.

Joining in at -
LIM - Let it Shine
AAA- CAS Christmas
CHC - A/thing Christmas
Jingle Bells - Baby it's Gold Outside

And speaking of gold - I had a wonderful night at the Ladies National Presentation Dinner last Saturday in Coventry! Was as nervous as anything having to give my speech but got through it without any hiccups or anything.

I had a full length dress - why do long dresses always come in lengths only for 6' tall women!
I ended up having to buy shoes with MASSIVE heels so it didn't trail the floor - thankfully I managed not to fall off them when presenting the trophies!
Kept them on too for almost 6 hours!!!

Thanks for visiting today. A cold wet and windy day here - hope you are all having a nice day whatever you're doing. x

Star

A bit of using up the paper mountain here!

I have had these heavyweight papers for ages - I bought them at a local fair several years ago - in fact I bought a pack with pastel colours and a lady who I have never met bought a pack of dark colours and we sat on the floor (no seats -  the place was packed) and divided up the two packs as neither of us wanted the whole one!

Needless to say as is usual with me, I used a couple of them and then the rest got packed away.
Found them whilst looking for pale blue card!

The star is from SU. I have used it a lot and is probably one of my more sensible Christmas Stamp buys.

I used Versa Magic 'Aquatic Splash' ink - it was a great colour match with the papers - and clear embossed.

I didn't buy the dies that matched the stamp set as I thought they were very expensive - and after all even I couldn't mess up cutting round a star shape.... (the second layer hides the bit I took out of the bottom star)
A little bit of glitter round the edges and dotted here and there and assembled when dry.
The script die was another indulgence - first time of use.......
Another card finished!
Challenges -
Crafting w/Dragonflies - Non Trad card with bling
Sweet Stampers - Christmas
Monochrome Magic - Anything Goes

I finished my round of County Presentations last Saturday. I have taken the battery out of the bathroom scales after all the food I have eaten at these lunches and dinners.
I only have 4 more duties left before I hand over the chain of office at the end of February. My year has almost finished!
There is one more event for me before Christmas - the Ladies National Presentation this weekend. The BIG ONE! Long frock, high heels and gold nails! Oh and yes - the speech to millions present - eek!!
Looking forward to having a bit of 'me' time in December!
Enjoy your week whatever you're doing and thanks for visiting! x

Golden

Carrying on with the Christmas makes whilst I have been able to. Production now halted as I have two more Presentations in the next few days!
Another quickie card really -

Stamp is from the Wonder Collection by Penny Black.
This card was the second attempt and was inspired by Pinterest.

I originally stamped with metallic ink onto the dark grey base card.
The result was a rather pale and sad looking tree which could hardly be seen.

By the time I had decided it needed embossing I had already removed the stamp from the Misti so didn't chance trying to position it in the exact same place on the grid - mainly cos I couldn't remember where exactly it was in the first place!

So - another piece of card used (not that it made any difference to the paper mountain).
Stamped the middle tree first then gold embossed, repositioned the stamp twice more and gold embossed.
This time you can actually see the trees!
A Simple embossed sentiment, matted onto gold mirri card and a gold thread bow finished it off.

This is a card that I can't quite make my mind up about. Am unsure about the flat background - this dark grey is not a favourite!
Might try on a blue background with silver... or might even buy some black pearlised paper (cos there's none of that in the paper mountain) and redo in gold.
Hoping that you all are happy in your own little part of blogland - will see you all later in the week! x
Challenges -
CCC - Anything Christmas
Crafty Catz - No Patterned Papers
Cardz 4 Guyz - Oh Christmas Tree

Quick Christmas 2

Getting on with some Christmas cards and made a few using leftover card.
I often am inspired by my blogging buddy Loll who makes simply beautiful cards and once again this one comes from Loll's ideas.
Loll also provides the tutorial for making the background!

Yupo paper and Alcohol inks in Sail Boat Blue and Stream with a teeny bit of silver additive. I used a large piece of Yupo and made a few cards like this and another which will be revealed in the New Year.

Simple dies cuts for the trees and the stitched frame and I ran a silver gel pen round the outline of the trees as I thought they needed to stand out more!
Dabbed a white gel pen on the background (not sure it looks like snow.... LOL) and added the sentiment in Silver Ink.

Another one which isn't too bulky to post and another few made for my stash - although am a long way off from the number I need......
I can feel a visit to the supermarket may be necessary!

Linking up to
ATSM - Make your Mark
Xmas@SS - Anything Goes
Cardz 4 Guyz - O Christmas Tree
Hope you are all having a good day. Thanks for visiting! x
  

One layer Christmas

Christmas will soon be here (and as usual I have done not a lot in the way of cards!) - so this month at Stamping Sensations we have a Christmas Challenge for you - if you're like me you need a push to get going!
Just one teeny point - the challenge is ONE LAYER CHRISTMAS! So not fussy and fancy millions of layers, cost a fortune to post cards - just one single layer!

There is a great prize on offer this month from Tattered Lace  - who wouldn't want this lot of goodies before Christmas?
Please remember though - WE ARE A STAMPING CHALLENGE - .
So must see a stamped image, sentiment or quote as the focal element of your artwork , this means:

Stamping must be the central point of attention and interest

I managed to get a little free time and do my card - sadly the weather was terrible when I came to take the pic so it's not the best but my little winter scene looks OK in real life.

I used a £2 coin (for the moon) and brushed Stormy Sky and Victorian Velvet DI's for the sky. I didn't want the moon outline too sharp so applied much less ink near the coin!
Tumbled Glass DI sponged  along the top edge of a hills template for the shading of snow.
The trees stamp is an old one (it must have been wood backed at one time - sadly no more so no idea where it came from).

I randomly stamped the trees using Stormy Sky DI.
Then I made the mistake with the sentiment by using the same DI - which didn't give a good crisp impression - but hey ho I've just gone with it!
Finished it all off with a white Gel pen and some glittery stuff!
Linking up to
AAA - Ink Blending
Crafty Friends - Christmas
Hoping that you will join in this month  - my teamies have once again come up with some great inspiration for you - please pop across to the blog and take a look!
As for me - well I'm still on the road attending End of Season Presentation Dinners. But am home a little bit in between so promise to pop along and visit you all when I can.
Hope all is well with you all in your part of blogland! x

Quick Christmas

We travelled to Dorset last week then on to the Isle of Wight - both Ladies Presentations and both enjoyed very much.
Drove home last night and confess to being dog tired.... have changed the bed and done all the washing and sat down here determined that today and tomorrow I am going to make something particularly as I am now aware it is almost November and I need Christmas cards!
Decided this year that most/all will be CAS and quick and trying to make them in batches of four.
Here's the first -

this is one layer and was done using Bright and Beautiful set from SU.

Am a tad disappointed in the pic (aren't I always) as the stars are actually quite reflective/shiny - I used an Encore Ultimate Metallic Gold Ink Pad - and it really is lovely ink!

The sentiment is one of my very first Christmas stamps and I love the script.
Just added a few little gems for added sparkly.

I made four of these - am going to have another go on dark cardstock and emboss the stars - and if I run out of other one layer ideas then there likely will be more in different colours!

My Presentations are not yet over - have a few more then I have the Ladies National Presentation Dinner at the end of next month - cue long frock!!! My year finishes at the end of February with the Men's National Dinner.... so no doubt another long dress will be required (any excuse!).

I hope all is well with you all here in blogland. Have a few days to myself this week so will try and see you all - if you're still showing up in my Reading List - as Mr Blogger appears to have banished you all to cyberspace.....
Am linking up to Christmas Card Challenges  and Christmas at Sweet Stampin' who both have Anything Goes challenges and also to CASe this Sketch - which you can see here.

Have a great day whatever you're doing. x
  

Unfinished!

I had a full day at home yesterday which is in itself a bit of a novelty!
Apart from the usual mad unpacking, then the big decisions of what to wear to the next Presentation (as we all know you can't be seen in the same thing too many times!!!!) - I set aside a couple of hours to do something for me.

As always though I have ran out of time and although I finished one card (my DT card for next month's challenge) I didn't manage to finish this one - but thought I would share it anyway.

The more I look at it, the less I like it!

It was one of those that formed in my head but when I tried to interpret it onto the paper it just didn't  work!
And I have no idea what to do to finish it off - 'cos I think it does look unfinished!

Maybe that's what comes from trying to use up oddments of coloured card in a vain attempt to clear the desk (which is full of dust anyway as I've been absent so much) - or maybe it's because I simply had a need to do SOMETHING as I haven't been able to just sit for hours and mess about with inks!
Shall put it to one side and hope that it I find a use for it.........
Am popping into the Playground as I DID use up some odd offcuts of card!

I have a half hour before I have to leave for the next trip - so am going to try and visit as many of you as I can.
Have a great day whatever you're doing - and any thoughts you have on this sad little card would be welcomed! xx 

Autumn Glory

It's time for another challenge at Stamping Sensations and our theme is AUTUMN GLORY. Please please remember we are a STAMPING CHALLENGE so stamping has to be the FOCAL POINT of your entry
We have the fab Stamp Addicts as our sponsors too - a great prize on offer!

My DT submission started off it's life as a tag... but then I thought it needed to go on a card!!

I started off with a plain manilla tag, a variety of leaf stamps and Distress Inks.
I clear embossed the large leafy branches and the tiny 'dotty' stamp first then began to build up the colour.

Covered the whole tag with Dried Marigold then blended Ripe Persimmon and finished with Seedless Preserve - although this is purple it gave a lovely Autumny colour over the other inks!

Rubbed the whole tag with a paper towel and this allowed the clear embossed bits to stand out a bit.
Simply randomly stamped a few odd leaves, a tiny script stamp and the word stamp- used same inks with the addition of Gathered Twigs.
A wooden bark effect button and some twine finished it.

My stand alone tag looked a bit 'lost' so with ivory linen card I used a wood background embossing folder and just brushed the ink duster over it (didn't apply any more ink - just used up what was on the brush!)
Matted then put onto the card and popped a teeny wooden peg on the top.

Hope you like it - please go visit the Stamping Sensations blog and have a peep at what my teamies have come up with this month!
Thanks for visiting me today - appreciate you all! x

Where have I been?

It has been a long long time since my last post!
I have been so incredibly busy travelling, visiting Clubs up and down the Country, being at the four International Series and of course the National Championships and other National Finals. I have been home for 4 days, have just about got myself sorted as I'm off again tomorrow - this time to the European Championships!
I have neglected my DT friends and all my blogging friends but honestly have been that tired when I've got back to wherever I am staying I have had no energy to do anything but fall into bed!

This make was half finished before I went away last month. It was SUPPOSED to be my DT card for the colour challenge over at Stamping Sensations.

Needless to say I didn't have the time to finish it. So I have finished it today.

Too late for the Challenge blog but am posting it as there is still a week to go before the challenge closes and thought you might want to give it a go... that is if there's anyone out there still following me!!!!
(Pic isn't the best either - as my camera has run out of power after being abandoned on the desk for 6 weeks - so used the phone)

It's been quite difficult without my crafting to relax over the last few months - it'll be a little while longer before I can get back into it too - October and November are busy as I shall be attending Annual Prize Presentation Lunches and Dinners... but am hoping that inbetween I will be able yo throw some ink onto some paper!
Card made using SU Gift of Love stamp embossed in white. Spun Sugar DI and various watercolour pinks, blues, greens for the 'spatters'. Sentiment a freebie in a mag, inked in versacolour Orchid and clear embossed.

I hope all is well in your world. Now the packing is done ready for tomorrow, I have sat here with a cup of tea and am going to spend some time here in blogland.
Love to you all. x

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