Monday and the start of another week

Morning all

Some of you may know ScrappyJacky from her very creative blog and will (I'm sure) want to join me in wishing her a very

I've a card to share with you today too ..... as you might have known I would! Check it out and see what you think

My card

A close up of just the central image section

And my co-ordinating inside and emvelope

Materials used:

• 15cm square white, 300gsm, scallop edged card blank and matching sized envelope
• 13½cm square panel of white card
• Distress Ink in shaded lilac brushed lightly in a rough slightly off centre square and also through TCW stencils, mini circles and harlequin 
• Kaisercraft mini grid inked with the same distress ink and randomly stamped over the image panel and used to create a sentiment "box" below ... as per the sketch
• Clearly Inspired "brushed flower" allium stamped to the left of my "image panel" using Ranger Archival watering can ink, I stamped it twice without re-inking
• Santa Rosa sentiment stamped using Ranger Archival jet black ink - I used this and am AMuse sentiment to embellish the inside and envelope
• Judikins micro glaze applied to protect the water based colour in transit

I was inspired by a stunning card (IMHO) on a blog I visited, I hope to have made my own card sufficiently different that it pays homage rather than shamelessly copies!!! Want to see what set me thinking? Check out the walchow design blog here

I'll be entering this for the following challenges:

1. Suzi Bee's - challenge No. 86 - Use only two colours - I used watering can and shaded lilac
2. Paper Artsy - topic No. 12 - STENCILS
3. Simply Less Is More - challenge No. 230 - a sketch

My original card looked like this .... nice - BUT

And I liked it but I just felt that something wasn't quite right ..... the whole thing was a little off centre. I thought I could fix it by adding another image but, wouldn't you know it, I missed a little bit so, there was nothing for it but to make it a two layer card - I think I actually prefer Mark II so I guess it was a happy accident! Lucky it wasn't OLC challenge week! .....memo to self: USE YOUR STAMP POSITIONER next time this happens! DOH!

Yesterday I was getting inky with crafting pal, Lilian ......

Lilian having trouble believing this form of crafting's going to produce anything fun

OK, so NOW I believe you!

We also tried toothbrush painting, ghosting, embossed resist,
brusho's and even found time for some one colour layering

How much fun did we have? LOTS!!!, thanks Lilian! ... now all I have to do is finish one or more of my projects.


Have a great week ... it's sad/happy for me, as my aunt and uncle are moving to Birmingham this week ... they're packing today and leaving tomorrow. We'll miss them terribly but want to wish them well in their new home, which is SO much closer to their daughter. 

And, over at Bumblebees and Butterflies the talented Brenda Brown now has over 700 followers so is offering three giveaways (all fabulous) - you HAVE to be a follower and her giveaway offer closes July 13th - I've got my fingers crossed to be lucky! I have a pic of just one of the three in my sidebar!

Morning, Sunday again!

Morning all,

Hope your weekend is going great guns .... yesterday was both hot AND sunny - the peeps at Glastonbury must have been delighted - I know I was!

I'm crafting with a pal this morning so may yet be back with more later but, in the meantime, I've a tag to share with you. Recently, a pal and I were playing with alcohol inks in water and "dunked" (yes, that IS a technical term!) a few tags each .... this is one of mine ...

My tag

A closer view

Materials used:

• White luggage tag (120 x 60mm)
• Alcohol inks suspended in water through which I dragged and "dunked" my tag! And, no, I can't remember which colours - it was two weeks ago and I've slept since then!
• Talcum powder (to act as an anti static agent)
• Clearly Inspired cone flower stamped using Versamark ink before heat embossing with WOW! Purple loulou.
• Paper Artsy "splatter" randomly stamped using Memento grape jelly ink
• Tim Holtz sentiment stamped using Ranger Archival jet black ink ... which (I am compelled to point out) didn't stamp well at all and looked decidedly grey so I went over it with a black Faber Castell Pitt pen, highlighting areas with a white Signo uniball gel pen
• Visible Image border from the Craft Stamper freebie "mini flourish" stamped around the outer edge of the tag using Stazon vibrant violet ink

Have a fab Sunday

Welcome to Saturday - it's the weekend!

Morning

It's Glastonbury weekend .... kicked off yesterday so what sort of weather did we have? Well, it rained!! I hope everyone at Glasto took their wellies! It's not that we're soooo very close to Glasto but we do seem to get their weather annually so it came as no surprise to hear the rain clattering against the windows yesterday afternoon, darn it!

Saturdays are usually challenge days for me and I see no reason for today to be any different ...... first out of the gate is a get well card as my stocks have taken a hit this week with a few pals about to undergo surgery.

My card

And a closer view of the colouring and sparkle

The co-ordinating insert and envelope

Materials used:

• C6 white, 300gsm, scallop edged card blank and matching sized envelope
• Clearly Inspired coneflower image stamped using Ranger Archival watering can ink on to a snippet of white card and matted on to further snippets of grey card
• Brusho (lemon) used in water colour style to add the petals to my coneflower
• Paper Artsy "splatter" image stamped using Memento dandelion ink
• Hero Arts sentiment stamped using Ranger Archival watering can ink
• Judikins micro glaze applied to the brusho colour, to protect in transit, with a finger and buffed
• Crystal stickles used to highlight

Again with apologies to Sarn, I know how much she loves this cone flower and I don't THINK it's still available! 

I'll be entering this for the following challenges:-

1. Create and Inspire - challenge No. 24 - ANYTHING GOES
2. Crafting with attitude - challenge No. 4 - ANYTHING GOES
3. The Card Concept - challenge No. 38 - a colour challenge - see below .. CAS

On to another card now .....

My card

And close up of my water coloured and stamped panel

And my co-ordinating insert and envelope

Materials used:

• Unusually for me I used a white DL aperture card ... thought it would make a change!
• Water colour paper snippet
• Penny Black hyacinth image stamped numerous times using Ranger Archival watering can ink
• Brusho's: lemon, purple and leaf green used to watercolour the image
• Paper Artsy "splatter" image stamped numerous times using Memento dandelion and tangelo inks
• Judikins micro glaze applied (with a finger) to the water coloured panel, to protect in transit
• A Muse (shorter) and Santa Rosa (longer) sentiments stamped using Ranger Archival watering can ink
• Crystal stickles to highlight

It's another get well card as I've had occasion to use several lately ....

I'll be entering this for the following challenges:-

1. Sister Act - challenge No. 112 - ANYTHING GOES
2. CraftyCatz - challenge No. 285 - IT'S ALL WHITE (except the image) - this may be a bit cheeky but I'm sure they'll tell me if it's not allowed
3. Simply Less Is More - challenge No. 230 - Sketch - see below

Have a great weekend everyone

Welcome to the Friday Funny post

Morning all,

Met up with friends for lunch yesterday, it was so nice to catch up. It's been too long between meets with these two. We went to a local hostelry and had a lovely leisurely lunch, sadly, it was over all too soon - the perils of living in a different town - we USED to live just yards away as neighbours but now they're across the Severn Bridge in Wales, and loving it! Really nice food ... with haddock and spinach bake for my main course and a lush bakewell tart for dessert - mmmmmm!

After chatting by phone with pal, Lauren, recently ...... I had no choice (well not much anyway) but to try out one of the techniques she talked about - wanna see?

And a closer view of the above tag

Materials used:

• 2 white 120 x 60mm luggage tags
• Brusho's in purple, yellow and turquoise sprinkled over the tags and then rubbed with my finger
• TCW stencils "mini circles" and "faux brick" placed over the tag .... for the top tag I applied water with a moist "minion" sponge and for the bottom a moist cosmetic sponge.
• Once the stencil was removed a light spritz of water, to activate the remaining brushos!

Now to decide what to do with these tags ... oh, and in case you don't "get" the minion sponge ..... check them out.....

I'm sorry but .... tell me you don't see "minions" too!!!!

Meet BOB the minion!!!

Who doesn't love a minion!

To those of you who participate in Rudolph Day on the 25th of each month, I have a card to share with you... I was blog hopping just yesterday and saw this video on Joanna Harty's blog and wondered whether I could make this CAS, using brusho's and a run up a Christmas card! I didn't have the fab stamp that was used but I thought this would work ..... I leave you to judge for yourselves!

My card

And a closer view

And its co-ordinating insert and envelope

And then I decided to add a glitter glue "edge"

Materials used:

• 15cm square white, 300gsm, scallop edged card blank and matching sized envelope
• Scrap of water colour paper
• Scrap of black card for matting
• Kaisercraft mini grid image stamped using Versamark ink before applying white embossing powder and heat setting
• Brusho's in scarlet and red
• Mica spray (pearl) spritzed over the finished panel - to give a lovely shimmer
• Hero Arts star image (I love this star) stamped on to a snippet of white card using Versarmark ink before adding black sparkle embossing powder and heat setting. Once cooled I fussy cut round the star
• Hero Arts sentiment stamped using Ranger Archival jet black ink
• Crystal stickles applied as a thin "border", to bling it up!!!

I'll be entering this for the following challenges:-

1. Scraps of life - June Rudolph Day challenge - ANYTHING GOES
2. Fab 'n Funky - challenge No. 265 - CHRISTMAS
3. Crafting by Design - June challenge - GETTING READY FOR CHRISTMAS
4. Happy Little Stampers - June's CAS challenge - to use sprays or mists

And now for this week's Friday Funny which I just KNOW you will have seen as I trot it out every year but, honestly, we've passed the longest day and it's still blimmin' COLD seems like every other day!

So ...... What Is On Your Work Desk this Wednesday????

Morning readers,

Is this really summer? Don't know about you but I've been back in long trousers this week AND broken out the fleecy slippers again!!! Brrrrr.

Talking of brrr ....... I made a Christmas card at the weekend and it set me to thinking about just how far I was lagging behind with this years "quota", one thing led to another and ....

My card

A close up of the embossing and stencilling

And the insert and envelope

Materials used:

• 15cm square white, 300gsm, scallop edged card blank and matching sized envelope
• 13½cm square white panels for image and insert
• 14.2cm square lilac card, for matting
• Creative Expressions grungey star stamped using versamark ink and then heat embossed with WOW! vanilla sparkle (a recent LIM prize which has encouraged me to heat emboss again)
• Heidi Swapp stencil through which I sponged Distress Ink in shaded lilac
• Using the same ink I stencilled the lilac card border adding a Kaisercraft mini grid and Paper Artsy splatter - stamped numerous times with the same ink, making a grungey star border
• Stamplorations build a sentiment stamped using Ranger Archival watering can ink
• Judikins micro glaze applied (using my trusty finger) to the water based inks and then buffed with a paper towel, to protect the inks in transit

I'll be entering this card for the following challenges:-

1. Simply Less Is More - challenge No. 229 - STENCILLING
2. Paper Artsy - Topic 12 - STENCILLING
3. AAA cards - Game 42 - PASTE or STENCILLING - must also be CAS
4. Jinglebelles - 12 DAYS OF CARDSTOCK (no pre patterned card stock), make your own backing papers/card

Anyhoo, at least it's one less I shall have to make come November - need to make a good few more to put myself back on track though!

And now, back in my comfort zone of getting inky, after a recent (brief) foray back to cutesie ..... two grungey ATC's to add to my collection using one basic colour, this time red on red ....

First one with red on red on red!

Second one with black on red on red!

And a closer view of the red on red part!

Materials used:

• Two ATC blanks 
• Two snippets of white card, cut to ATC size and coloured using a Tim Holtz mini blender and festive berries Distress Ink
• Using the same Distress Ink I sponged the faux brick panels and mini numbers stencils, by TCW
• Paper Artsy splatter image stamped randomly using the the same ink, to build up depth on the red on red
• Creative Expressions grungey star image stamped using Versamark ink on to one and Ranger Archival jet black ink on the other.
• To the one stamped with versamark ink I added red tinsel embossing powder before heat setting
• Stamplorations sentiment stamped using Ranger Archival jet black ink
• Visible Image border (from the mini flourish Craft Stamper freebie) stamped around the outside edge using Distress Ink in picked raspberry - you spotted the colour change there no doubt!
• Once the inks were dry I applied Judikins micro glaze with my finger, to protect the water based inks

I'll be entering the above experiment for the following challenges:-

1. Sweetstamps - challenge No. 227 - ANYTHING BUT A CARD
2. All Crafts challenge - June challenge - ANYTHING BUT A CARD
3. Craft Your Passion - challenge No. 267 - ALWAYS ANYTHING GOES

I've a question to ask you ...... if you've ever used Klingon or EZMount .... a few years back I mounted my must use Paper Artsy splatter image on to the cling mount cushion. Now, given that I use this image on pretty much everything these days .... has anyone else ever found that the cushion mount has: A) SHRUNK on the back of the image and B) lost its stick to the point where the cushion mount just peeled right off? I've not experienced this before and I have to say I'm not bothered if it never happens again!!! Just asking ......

And now, since it IS WOYWDW - here's how my desk looks today! You're right, as always, it could do with a tidy!

Yes, it's playtime with brusho's!! After chatting with a pal!

Another week? Where do they all come from?

Morning all,

Good weekend peeps? Busy for us Friday and Saturday but Sunday? Restful - just as well we didn't have much planned as it was COLD, dull and grey for much of it ... though it did warm up mid afternoon. So much for the official start of summer though!

Oh my word ... be careful what you wish for! .... only recently I was talking with a crafting pal who was saying she might turn out some images she no longer uses ... and another pal said something not dissimilar. During this conversation I said I hardly do cutesie any more and can't remember the last time I used my alcohol markers either!!!

GUESS WHAT? I have a project to share with you today which is not only as cute as a button but is coloured with alcohol markers!!! Boo yah!

My card

And a closer view of the colouring and sparkle!

And my co-ordinating insert and envelope

Materials used:

• 15cm square white, 300gsm, scallop edged card blank and matching sized envelope
• 13½cm square (x 2) white card panel
• 14cm square red card panel
• Penny Black "elf" image stamped using Ranger Archival jet black ink
• Alcohol markers to colour image
• Hero Arts sentiment stamped using Ranger Archival jet black ink
• Crystal stickles to highlight

I'll be entering this for the following challenges:

1. 52CCT - June theme - Christmas elves
2. Addicted to Stamps and More - challenge No. 149 - CAS
3. CraftyHazelnuts Christmas challenge - challenge No. 234 - MERRY and BRIGHT
4. CraftyHazelnuts Christmas Challenge Extra - June challenge) - ANYTHING CHRISTMAS GOES
5. Merry Monday - challenge No. 164 - a Funky hat/photo inspiration. A funky Santa hat and my elf coloured in the image from the photo, hope it's deemed funky enough

Morning and welcome to another lazy old Sunday!

Morning readers,

How's your weekend progressing? Got a BBQ in yet this summer or has it been too cold/wet/windy? Us too! Yesterday it was threatening rain all blooming day - I never got to hang my towels out on the line at all!

I've a snippet make to share with you this morning. When I cut image panels 13½cm square from a piece of A4 card I get a nice ATC width strip left over ......

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippet of white card (as described above)
• Kaisercraft mini grid stamped using Ranger Archival watering can ink
• Paper Artsy splatter image stamped randomly using a combination of the Ranger Archival watering can and Adirondack red pepper inks
• Stamplorations chevron (from their chevrons and arrows set) stamped using Ranger Archival cobalt blue
• Stamplorations sentiment (from the same set as the chevron) stamped using Ranger Archival jet black ink

I'll be entering this for the following challenge/s:-

1. Pixie's Crafty Workshop - Snippet challenge
2. Suzi Bee's blooming challenge - challenge No. 85 - ANYTHING GOES with the added twist of SOMETHING BLUE
3. Art Impressions - challenge No.162 - RED, WHITE and BLUE
4. Allsorts challenge - challenge No. 316 - USE A STAMP ... actually I used FOUR!
5. Scribble and Scrap - FINAL CHALLENGE!!! - ANYTHING GOES

Yesterday hubby was involved in the putting together of a flat pack play station for surrogate grandson! ...... There was hilarity, hard work and a lost screw which (thankfully) we found before the pets or surrogate grandson! Followed by ham and cheese toasties al fresco ... and, yes, we beat the rain!

First we cleared the space and trimmed the laurel .... with a little help from Iris!

Plainly exhausted by supervising, Iris chose to nap in the bag we put the Laurel wreckage in!

Cracking on apace!

Oh dear, another supervisor!

Their hard work is approved (and test driven) by the birthday boy,
despite the fact it's weeks to his birthday!