Saturday and some vacation pix

Morning readers,

It's the weekend - make it a good one, however you choose to spend it. I'll be with friends on Sunday, completing our annual Secret Santa Draw - so, guess what I'll be doing soon? Yep, starting my Christmas shopping!! Actually, I've already started but haven't got very far with that, so far!! 

However, I HAVE been at the Table of Craftiness a lot of late and, having acquired this adorable tightrope dancer, I thought I would try an ATC for a change as I've been working on card commissions lately.

My Artist Trading Card

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippets of card in white and black
• My Minds Eye image (LAF404) stamped using Versafine onyx black ink
• Using an Aldi stencil brush I lightly applied Memento lilac posies ink around the image panel, aiming to keep away from the image. Once that was done, I placed my Tim Holtz stencil (THMST007) over the card panel and applied more of the same ink through the stencil
• MFT sentiment (CS-303) stamped using the same lilac posies ink
• Stardust stickles used to trace the sentiment and tightrope, to bling up my ATC

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

1. CardzTV - November 8th challenge - ANYTHING GOES
2. Alphabet Challenge - November 8th challenge - QUICK AND EASY
3. QKR Stampede - challenge No. 371 - ANYTHING GOES
4. Aud Sentiments - challenge No. 239 - ANYTHING GOES + SENTIMENT

And, since I've missed a couple ...... here's an entry for the LIM challenge - got to use some new stash again too ... in the form of the scallop stencil and the fab-u-lous leaf image - YAY! Who DOESN'T LOVE TO INK NEW STASH?

My card

 

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

Materials used:

• White A2/C6, 250gsm, card and matching sized envelope
• Two pieces of white card cut to fit
• One piece of purple card, cut to mat
• Snippets of card in white and purple, for my image panel
• Tim Holtz stencil place over my white snippet and, using an Aldi stencil brush I applied Memento London fog ink
• Impression Obsession leaf image stamped using Ranger Archival majestic violet ink
• The Cats Pyjamas sentiment stamped on to a snippet using Versafine Clair nocturne ink
• Stardust stickles to bling up the "stalk" and leaf veins

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

1. Simply Less Is More - challenge No. 408 - THAT'S TORN IT
2. Creative Fingers - challenge No. 174 - ANYTHING GOES
3. Penny's Paper Crafty - challenge No. 455 - ANYTHING GOES
4. Craft Rocket - challenge No. 65 - HAPPY BIRTHDAY

I was in Florida recently ... I tried to keep up with the walking, as part of an ongoing lifestyle change/diet, some days worked better than others as it's considerably warmer there and way more humid too. This one morning I found myself up and out by 8am, before it got too hot ..

Like being at home with the balloons

But NOT with the palm trees!

Halloween started real early! Of course, by now Christmas is undoubtedly in full swing!

Violette's,an Aladdins cave for crafters

Some wildlife at Lake Morton, Lakeland

THIS is what happens if you show up with bird food!

Topped off with a nice meal too

A modest haul from Tuesday Morning

And then there was Violette's!

And a Florida sunset ..... at the junction of the 192 and 535!

And, having made it home, despite the cruise and Florida food (i.e. enormous portions) ..... I was 3lbs lighter than when I left home. Surprised? Me too, in fact, gobsmacked is more like it! AND DELIGHTED