Well the weekend is nearly upon us!

Morning,

Had a lovely morning yesterday, catching up with a friend, over coffee - so nice. It's been a while as we've both taken vacations since our last meet - plenty to catch up on! We had to have a second drink!

I seem to be enjoying making ATC's right now and this is another for the themed swap I do with a buddy on the Isle of Skye - I'm so far ahead with that this is the Christmas theme of "ROBINS"!

My ATC

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippet of red card and white card + a further white snippet for the sentiment
• Papermania (from their Honey and hugs Festive Fun set) image and "Seasons" sentiment stamped on to the larger white snippet and "greetings" sentiment on to a smaller snippet of white card using Memento tuxedo black ink
• Marvy le Plume alcohol markers used to colour the image (including the background) and also the smaller sentiment snippet
• Snowflake (from the same set) stamped randomly using Memento Bahama blue ink
• I cut out the separate sentiment and ran it through my Xyron sticker maker to apply adhesive
• Stardust stickles to highlight
• White Tsukineko gelly roll gel pen to doodle border on red matting layer

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

1. CASology - challenge No. 255 - FLY - I'm HOPING this is CAS enough to enter though I'm sure someone on the DT will let me know if it's not
2. Through The Craft Room Door - June 27th challenge - ANYTHING GOES
3. The Holly and the ivy - challenge No. 9 - ANYTHING (Christmas) GOES
4. Crafting by Design - June 28th challenge - CHRISTMAS
5. Inky Chicks - challenge No. 85 - CHRISTMAS

And on to another ATC, I just don't seem to be able to stop myself AND I got new stash - always a source of inspiration . . . . have to say I am LOVING this new stamp set - Inspiring edges

My ATC

Materials used

• ATC blank
• Snippets of card in black and white
• Distress Ink in fossilised amber .. applied using a Tim Holtz mini blending tool and then again through a TCW stencil
• Creative Expressions "Inspiring Edges" images (4 - sentiment, arrows, splat and dotty border) stamped using Memento tuxedo black ink
• White Tsukineko gelly roll gel pen used to fill in the dots in the "splat" and to draw a border around the white layer
• A quick spritz of Crafters Companion spray and shine, to seal the water based distress ink

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

1. Tuesday Throwdown - challenge No. 349 - Creative borders
2. Crafting from the heart - challenge No. 165 - ANYTHING GOES
3. Pammie's Inky Pinkies - challenge No. 1726 - ANYTHING GOES
4. Stampotique - challenge No. 276 - STENCIL IT

And, don't you love it when you order new stash and use most of it almost as soon as it arrives, rather than tucking it in a drawer?

My card

 

The front, back and inside of my card along with the front and back of my envelope

Closer view of the image panel

Materials used:

• White C6/A2, 250gsm, card and matching sized envelope
• Two pieces of card (one white and one black) cut to 14.2cm x 10cm
• One piece of white card cut to 13.7cm x 9½cm
• Snippets of white and  black card
• Using a Tim Holtz mini blending tool I blended Distress Inks in picked raspberry and carved pumpkin on the white strip of card
• Ditzies Designs numbers image stamped using Memento grey flannel ink
• Creative Expressions images stamped using Adirondack inks: watermelon, sunset orange and purple twilight
• A quick application of Craters Companion spray and shine to seal and protect the waterbased inks
• Happy Little Stampers birthday sentiment stamped using Memento tuxedo black ink

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

1. Try It On Tuesday - 20th June challenge - LETTERS or NUMBERS or BOTH
2. Creative Inspirations - challenge No. 278 - DOTS and/or STRIPES
3. Crafty Galz Corner - challenge No. 129 - ANYTHING GOES

Welcome to WOYWW

Morning readers,

How's your week coming along? Well I hope - mine's doing pretty well too, thanks.

I have some more creativity to share with you and, yes, it IS another ATC. I just don't seem to be able to stop myself right now - these little works of art just keep firing my imagination. Every time I open a drawer to look for stamps to make a card an image jumps out at me ... and seems just perfect - for an ATC, what IS that all about?

My ATC

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippet of neon pink card
• Snippet of white card cut a little smaller than ATC size
• Katzelkraft (Les chats russes set) image stamped using Memento tuxedo black ink
• Stamplorations (noteworthy set) stamped using Memento tuxedo black
• Faber Castell polychromos pencils to colour image and background
• Crafters Companion (basket and burlap set) stamped using Ranger Archival library green ink
• Stampabilities (Cute border set) stamped using Ranger Archival mini majestic violet ink

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

1. Crafting when we can - challenge No. 147 - USE AN IMAGE
2. Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - challenge No. 60 - ANYTHING GOES
3. Stamps and fun - challenge No. 304 - INSPIRED BY A SONG .. I used to really like this song back in the day .. "Cool for Cats" by Squeeze! Not sure I'd feel QUITE the same if it were released now but ..
4. SUYP - challenge No. 19 - FURRYTHING GOES!
5. Cutiepie challenge - challenge No. 112 - ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL

It was my birthday recently and I am blessed with such thoughtful friends who clubbed together and gave me an afternoon tea experience at Charingworth Manor. Hubby and I decided to make a day of it in the Cotswolds ...

Bibury Church

And it's lovely stained glass

A foliage mini!

Display for motor museum

Bourton on the water

Our afternoon tea experience

And its location, Charingworth Manor

It's What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday ... so, here's a peek at the mess which I call my desk!

And I found out I won a TOP3 place over at Winter Wonderland, with the card below, thanks so much peeps for choosing my card

   

Lazy Sunday

Morning

Is it too early to mention  .. Christmas? Guess not since I've been making Christmas cards throughout the year. I even made a Christmas card earlier in the week .. in the (hopeless and) vague hope it would cool me down!!! Yeah, like THAT was ever going to happen at the beginning of the week!

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippet of red card cut to ATC size
• Snippets of card in white, red and navy for the image panel and sentiment
• Habico Christmas baubles stamped multiple times on to red card panel using Memento tuxedo black ink
• Habico Santa image stamped on to larger white snippet using Memento tuxedo black ink
• Hero Arts sentiment stamped on to small white card snippet using Memento tuxedo black ink
• Crayola pencils and Berol Verithik gold pencil used to add a little colour to Santa's face, beard and glasses
• Stardust stickles and Wink of Stella clear gel glitter pen used to highlight
• Plaid dimensional gloss applied to the lens area of Santa's glasses

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

1. Pixie's Crafty Workshop - challenge No. 287/288 - USE SNIPPETS
2. Jingle Belles - June 23rd challenge - STARS AND/OR STRIPES (my baubles form the stripes)

And, on the subject of Christmas .....

My card

 

The front, back and inside of my card along with the front and back of my envelope

Materials used:

• White C6/A2, 250gsm, card and matching sized envelope
• One piece of white card cut to 9½cm x 13.8cm and one piece of ribbed white card cut to fit the same space once I had cut out the shape from the sketch below
• One piece of navy card cut to 10cm x 14.2cm
• MFT Santa stamped using Memento tuxedo black ink and die cut from white card snippet
• Faber Castell polychromos pencils used to colour, blended with the Finesse blending pen
• Inkadinkado sentiment stamped on to a snippet of white card using Memento Paris dusk ink and cut out
• Dimensional foam pads used to attach Santa to my card background
• Stardust stickles and a gold wink of stella glitter brush pen used to highlight

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

1. Simply Less Is More - challenge No. 334 - SKETCH - see below
2. Scraps of Life - June Rudolph Day challenge - ANYTHING (Christmas) GOES
3. Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Challenge Extra - June challenge - ANYTHING (Christmas) GOES
4. Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - June challenge - ANYTHING (Christmas) GOES

 

Saturday and some crafty makes from me .....

Hi there,

What can I say? I LOVE to craft and I like to enter challenges with my makes .... Saturday is a day that I set aside some time in the morning, usually between bouts of laundry, etc! and make something which (HOPEFULLY) makes me happy. I have one such make to share with you today - this is an ATC made using an image given to me (by my dear hubby) a little while ago and which hasn't seen ink anywhere near enough ... hangs head in shame! I was watching a video on colouring with pencils and the artist basically used one pencil to colour her entire image ... well, I HAD to have a go at that too and set myself the further challenge to ONLY use my cheap Crayola pencils, also sadly neglected since receiving (a more recent gift from my hubby) Faber Castell Polychromos pencils ...... check it out and see if I just wasted an hour! Although, IMHO an hour spent destressing and colouring in is NEVER wasted!

My ATC

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippet of neon pink cardstock - which kind of made my choice regarding pencil colour too!
• Crafty Individuals C.I. 372 "corned bunnies" image stamped using Memento tuxedo black ink
• Crayola magenta pencil used to colour the hare though I cheated and used more than one colour (pink, pale rose, raspberry and cool grey) as well as blending with Sansodor and a blending stump on the background! I also used Berol Verithik metallic gold pencil to colour the crown!
• Stamplorations sentiment (from the NOTEWORTHY set) stamped using Memento tuxedo black ink
• Paper Artsy splatter (my all time fave splatter - from HPXT01 set) image stamped using Brilliance pearlescent orchid ink
• Creative Expressions dotty background (from the ARTY BACKGROUND set) image stamped on to the neon pink layer (to form a border) using Ranger Archival mini vibrant fuchsia ink
• Stardust stickles used to draw a line border around the image panel

The magenta pencil is the one sticking out from the others

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

1. Craft challenge - challenge No. 421 - ANIMALS
2. Through the purple haze - challenge No. 127 - PINK
3. Little Miss Muffet - challenge No. 165 - ANYTHING GOES
4. Crafting with an attitude - challenge No. 28 - ANYTHING GOES

And now, since it IS Saturday ..... another make from me ...

My card

 

The front, back and inside of my card along with the front and back of my envelope

Materials used:

• White C6/A2, 250gsm, card and matching sized envelope
• Two white card panels cut to 9½ x 13.8cm
• One Red card panel cut to 10 x 14.2cm
• Two 8cm square (full cover adhesive) post its, stuck together and cut to shape using a fiskars finger trimmer
• With my trimmed post its in place (as a mask) I applied Distress Inks: candied apple and fired brick, using a Tim Holtz mini blender
• Leaving the mask in place I applied a thin layer of Crafters Companion spray and shine to seal the D.I.'s
• Kaisercraft mini grid image stamped using Memento potters clay ink
• Kaisercraft bubble wrap image stamped using Memento rhubarb stalk ink
• Paper Artsy splatter image (HPXT01) stamped using Ranger Archival mini monarch orange ink
• Sunshine Designs teaseal and Woodware sentiment stamped using Memento tuxedo black ink

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

1. Simply Less Is More - challenge No. 334 - SKETCH
2. Addicted to Stamps - challenge No. 247 - MAKE YOUR MARK - 5th anniversary
3. Art Impressions - challenge No. 211 - MAKE YOUR OWN BACKGROUND
4. That's Crafty - June 23rd challenge - KEEP IT SIMPLE

   

And, if you are interested, here is the video I was inspired by for the first project in today's post - it's by SplitCoastStampers - thanks peeps

Welcome to (almost) the weekend!

Morning readers,

Well after a week of being hotter than Hades it was fabulous yesterday, managed to cool my bedroom by nearly 7°during yesterday, and slept MUCH more comfortably last night - YAY!

I've an ATC to share with you today. Many of you will recall that I swap with a buddy on the Isle of Skye and whilst we USED to swap materials, we now swap themed ATC's and September's theme is HOUSES ... what better excuse to break out the "haunted" house images, ready for Halloween! I know ... a little early but hey, when it gets here I'll be ready!

My ATC

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippet of card in black, orange and white
• On to the larger snippet of white card I stamped the Inkadinkado haunted house image using Versafine onyx black ink
• On the smaller white snippet I stamped the Graphic 45 sentiment using Memento tuxedo black ink and then cut it out
• Using a Tim Holtz mini blending tool I applied Distress Ink in stormy sky to the remaining white area, using the leftover ink to colour the sentiment snippet
• Recollections "drip" border stamped using Ranger Archival majestic violet
• Taking a white Tsukineko gelly roll gel pen I added  highlights to the text and "whitened" the windows of the house and then, with a pitt pen, I drew a border around both the image and sentiment panels
• Finally, I applied a layer of Crafters Companion spray and shine to seal and protect the Distress Ink

I'll be entering the above make for the following challenges:

1. CASology - challenge No. 254 - HOUSE
2. Crafty Sentiments - June 20th challenge - ADD A SENTIMENT
3. Crafty Gals Corner - challenge No. 128 - ANY HOLIDAY ... Halloween!

And on to another holiday .. this time Christmas and an ATC ... I just can't seem to stop myself making them!

My ATC

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippet of red card cut to ATC size
• Snippet of white card cut to slightly smaller than ATC size
• Carabelle truck image and sentiment stamped using Memento tuxedo black ink
• Distress Ink in tumbled glass applied to the white card, avoiding the glass of the truck, using a Tim Holtz mini blender
• Once dry I applied a light coating of Crafters Companion spray and shine to both fix and protect the water based ink
• Carabelle tree image stamped using Ranger Archival library green ink
• Carabelle snowflakes stamped using Memento Paris Dusk ink
• Creative Expressions tyre tread stamped using Memento London fog ink
• Stardust stickles used to highlight the tree
• Plaid dimensional gloss applied to the truck
• White Tsukineko gelly roll gel pen used to doodle a border around the outer edge

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

1. ABC of Christmas - June challenge - L=LOVE and M=MORE THAN ONE (I went with more than one .. snowflake and tree)
2. Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - June challenge - ANYTHING (Christmas) GOES
3. Crafty Creations - challenge No. 344 - ANYTHING GOES

Welcome to WOYWW!

Morning readers,

Hope your week is going well and that you are finding time to craft (or whatever hobby gives you joy). Is it hot enough for you? Crikey - was it me or was it HOT at the weekend? I had my cool towel almost permanently round me! Cool towel? ..... check here. Today is scheduled to be hotter still ... if anyone wants me, I'll be camped out - in my fridge!

I'm stuck making ATC's right now, didn't specifically decide on that but just keep making them! I've another to share with you now ....

My ATC

Materials used:-

• ATC blank
• Snippet of Costco's double sided paper - patterned side used
• Snippet of white card
• Viva Las Vegas plate #921 image and Stamplorations sentiment (from the noteworthy set) stamped using Memento tuxedo black ink
• Image coloured using Marvy le plume II alcohol markers, including background
• Creative Expressions border image (from their arty background set) stamped using Ranger Archival paradise teal and the dots from the same set stamped using Ranger Archival library green
• Tsukineko gelly roll white gel pen used to highlight text and doodle a border
• Plaid dimensional gloss applied to the hat and shorts!

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

1. Crafty Sentiments - June 20th challenge - ADD A SENTIMENT
2. Through The Craft Room Door - June 20th-26th challenge - ANYTHING GOES
3. Crafting from the heart - challenge No. 164 - ANYTHING GOES

It's been so hot that I thought I'd try making a Christmas card - to see if it might cool me down .. sadly not! Oh well, worth a try!

My card

The inside of my card

Materials used:

• Navy 300gsm card die cut in to a scallop edged circle and a much smaller plain circle - to mat the sentiment
• White 200gsm card die cut to two slightly smaller circles and a much smaller circle (for sentiment)
• Kaisercraft mini grid stamped using Ranger Archival cobalt blue ink
• Kaisercraft script stamped using Memento London fog ink
• Paper Artsy splatter stamped using Versafine satin red ink
• Cartabella truck and tree image and Penny Black circular sentiment stamped using Versafine onyx black ink
• Stardust stickles to bling up the sentiment circle
• Plaid dimensional gloss on the truck

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

1. Craftbubble 2½ (membership required) - June/July Rudolph Challenge - SHAPED CARDS
2. Holly and the Ivy - challenge No. 8 - ANYTHING (Christmas) GOES
3. Ike's World - challenge No. 91 - ANYTHING GOES + OPTIONAL TWIST OF BLUE CHRISTMAS
4. Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Challenge Extra - June challenge - ANYTHING (Christmas) GOES

And, since it's WOYWW, here's the messy desk/colouring station

I also found out that I was the May winner over at Dragons Lair - thanks peeps

  

This was the card which won me the prize