TGIF! How's your week been?

Morning readers,

I've a make to share with you today ... got this new set of stamps from Aall & Create recently and wanted to show them some ink right away! The sentiment was far too large for my ATC so I cut it in half and doodled the pink border.

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippets of card in white and Bo Bunny designer paper
• Aall & Create image (from TP-1412 - April 2026 - NBUS) stamped using Versafine onyx black ink
• Aall & Create sentiment (also from TP-1412 - April 2026 and also NBUS) stamped using Versafine onyx black ink, before fussy cutting out and adhering to my ATC 
• I used a variety of alcohol markers (including pink ones) to color my image: Artsmith, Copic and Pro Markers
• Pink gel pen to doodle a colourful border to my sentiment

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

1. NBUS - challenge No. 86 - USE NBUS
2. Crafters Cafe - May challenge - ANYTHING GOES + (optional) TIME FOR A LAUGH
3. Critter Crazy - challenge No. 110 - ANYTHING GOES (featuring a critter)
4. Tagalong and ATC's - May challenge - ADD SOME PINK

Monday and the start of a fresh new week ...

Morning readers,

I've a make to share with you today ... I often forget how much I enjoy the grungier inky backgrounds.

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippets of card in white and Costco double sided (I used the plainer of the two sides for this)
• Using Distress Oxides in black soot and crackling campfire and a water spray, I "smooshed" a background till I was happy with it
• Tim Holtz images (from THMM123) stamped using Versafine Claire nocturne and morning mist inks
• Tim Holtz Idea-ology sticker from the "small talk" book
• Faber Castell pitt pen "S" used to doodle a border around the sentiment sticker

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

1. Love to Craft - challenge No. 84 - ANYTHING GOES
2. Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - challenge No. 247 - ANYTHING GOES
3. Polkadoodles - challenge No. 3 - ANYTHING GOES
4. Creative Fingers - challenge No. 294 - ANYTHING GOES
5. Pattie's Creations - challenge No. 227 - ANYTHING GOES

Monday and we're in to February!

Morning readers,

I'm back! Did you miss me? As my regulars will recall, my mojo went AWOL around Christmas and I took most of January away from blogging, to see if it would bump start my mojo. A dear friend also sent me some happy mail and I wanted to use it before I put it away.

I also took a relaxing break away from the internet, with friends, at a retreat in Callington - which was great fun - pix further down. What with that and a couple of non-craft related catch ups with friends for lunches and coffees and I feel refreshed, let's hope the mojo is back and raring to go!!!

I've a make to share with you today ... an Artist Trading Coin.

Materials used:

• Snippets of card in white, textured blue and off white pearl 
• Nesting plain and faux stitched circle dies to cut my 2½" and 2¼" circles
• Using a makeup brush I applied Distress Ink in broken china to the white circle
• Adding the That's Crafty dinky stencil (TC146 - Jan 2025 - NBUS ... thanks Sarn) I applied a layer of Distress Ink in salty ocean and also edged around the circle with Distress Ink in blueprint sketch
• Inkylicious "Delicate vines" image stamped around the outer edge, using Memento Paris dusk ink
• Tim Holtz Idea-ology "small talk" sticker added to the ATCoin and doodled a border with a Faber Castell pitt pen
• Craft Emotions foliage (from 130501/1237) stamped using Versafine Clair twilight ink
• Stardust stickles used to add a little sparkle
• Quick spritz of Crafters Companion Spray and Shine, to protect those water based inks

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

1. NBUS - challenge No. 71 - USE NBUS
2. Polkadoodles - challenge No. 2 - ANYTHING GOES
3. Love to Craft - challenge No. 84 - ANYTHING GOES
4. Mix It Up - challenge No. 75 - ANYTHING GOES + (optional) MONOCHROME
5. Crafts Galore Encore - Feb challenge - ANYTHING GOES

And that relaxing weekend? Check it out!

The lovely Riddick, always relaxes me!

Good friends

Nick and Alan - the caterers for the weekend!!!
Thanks so much for the beef bourgignon and the chicken curry!

The "entertainment committee" meeting
- at Wetherspoons in Tavistock!

Discussing the next game to play!

Wednesday, the middle of the week!

Morning readers,

You can certainly tell it's holiday season! Yesterday saw us meeting up with the Surrogate family, for an Indian meal, to celebrate both Christmas AND SD#1's birthday - the gang was all there and it was a lovely evening but, oh, those calories! Thank heavens it was BYO too!

I've a make to share with you today ... uses lots of those pesky snippets too

My ATC, measuring just 3½" x 2½"

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippets of card in navy, purple and white
• I used a makeup brush to apply Spectrum Noir crushed velvet ink to my  larger white snippet, leaving the central area as a lighter cover of colour - to add interest
• Next I ran my my inked panel through my Big Shot inside a Cuttlebug "swiss dots" embossing folder
• I cut a narrow panel of purple and matted on a blue panel
• Inkadinkado floral image (from 60-30164) stamped on to my smaller white snippet using the crushed velvet ink and, whilst wet, sprinkled with WOW! clear superfine embossing powder and heat set
• I mixed the B&M light purple pearl paint with water and added to the hopper of my line paint pen before doodling a border around the image panel and matting on purple card, before attaching to my ATC using sticky dots

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

1. The Color Hues Challenge - challenge No. 100 - BLUE AND PURPLE
2. Can You Handle The Pressure - Dec 14th challenge - ANYTHING GOES + (optional) POINSETTIAS
3. Art Impressions - challenge No. 393 - TEENY TINY THINGS
4. Snippets Playground - challenge No. 495 - USE SNIPPETS

TGIF Friday and here comes the start of the Christmas festivities!

Morning readers,

Yes, this weekend will probably be start of the Christmas festivities for you all. Some may even have their tree up by now! How are your preparations coming along? Written your cards yet? Bought/wrapped your gifts yet?

I've a make to share with you today ... this one's hand painted, doodled and stamped

My ATC, measuring just 3½" x 2½"

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Snippets of card in white and deep green
• Using low tack masking tape, I  masked a triangle
• I "doodled" the lines for my tree using Gansai Tambi starry night paints and, once dry, I removed my tape and used the G.T. paints to draw my star and trunk
• Faber Castell Pitt pen used to doodle the tree outline
• B&M pearl water colour paints and a splatter brush used to add the pearly purple splatters (well, the sentiment does say "Merry and bright"!!
• Clearly Besotted sentiment (from CBSBE029 "Best Christmas") stamped using Versafine Clair nocturne ink

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

1. Christmas Kickstart - challenge No. 93 - IF IT's CHRISTMAS-y, LINK IT UP
2. Penny's Paper Crafty - challenge No. 586 - ANYTHING GOES
3. Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday - Nov/Dec challenge - ANYTHING GOES
4. The Holly and Ivy - challenge No. 173 - ANYTHING CHRISTMAS GOES
5. Creative Inspiration - challenge No. 21 - ANYTHING GOES

I was lucky enough to be picked as a winner over at We Love Stamping's November challenge, thank you so much to Brenda and the team. My prize arrived on Wednesday - want to see?

My Prize and my winning entry

Saturday, another post on an unexpected day!

Morning readers,

I've a make to share with you today ... I was asked if I could make a birthday card, whilst I was out with friends earlier in the week. I said I could .. what did he want and when ..... apparently the brief was a girly birthday card but he wanted it the following day. This is what I came up with, thankfully, he liked it and I hope the recipient did too.

My C6 card

Materials used:

• White, 250gsm, C6 card and envelope
• Card in white, for my card front, insert and matting
• I taped my MFT stencil (ST.109 - Nov 2024 - NBUS) in place and then, using a mini blending tool, I added Memento rosebud and lilac posies through the stencil
• Dylusions circles stencil overlaid and Memento lilac posies applied with a blending tool
• Jacquard mica paint (pink) mixed with water and splattered, to give additional interest
• Clearly Wordsworth sentiment (from VO09) stamped using Versafine onyx black ink
• MFT blooms and stem (from CS.852 - Nov 2024 - NBUS) stamped using Versafine onyx black and Versafine Clair charming pink inks
• Stardust stickles
• I didn't have the right shade of card for matting so took a white matting layer and inked around the outer edge with the two Memento inks and then doodled a line (close to the edge) using a Tsukineko gelly roll gel pen in bronze, for added interest and sparkle - sadly it doesn't really show in the photo - I DID take a much closer pic but wildly blurry!!

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

1. NBUS - challenge No. 68 - USE NBUS
2. CASonFriday - challenge No. 296 - BIRTHDAY
3. Krafty Chicks - challenge No. 741 - STAMP ACT
4. Creative Fingers - challenge No. 288 - ANYTHING GOES
5. Simply Clean And Simple - Nov challenge - ANYTHING GOES + (optional) CHRISTMAS

Wednesday .. also known as "Hump Day"

Morning readers,

Happy "Hump Day", don't worry .. it's not long till the weekend!

I've a make to share with you today ... I've recently returned to scrap booking, having not done much in the last two years ... I did a double layout of a vacation in 2023 and mentioned, when blogging it, that I MIGHT get round to scrap booking our trip to Gainesville well ....here's the layout of our trip to Gainesville, Florida, in early 2024

Maybe a little photo heavy but ....

Materials used:

• One sheet of 12" x 12" scrap booking paper
• Computer generated journalling
• Photos printed from my computer
• Double sided tape
• Posca pen and a gelly roll gel pen, both white, to doodle borders to my photos

Wednesday - luckily, it's not long now, till the weekend

Morning readers,

I've a make to share with you today ... I'm on a roll now, no scrap booking for two years and then three come along more or less at once! This is the third layout and I'm really enjoying it, though this one isn't overly creative but it IS nice to get another look at the photos taken at the time and to record them, with a little "story" attached, to explain it all!.

Materials used:

• Piece of maroon patterned Designer Paper
• Gold patterned washi tape
• Computer generated journalling
• Photo's printed
• Posca and gelly roll gel pens, in white, to doodle borders

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

1. GirlzCreativeFunArtOfScrap - challenge No. 1 - ANYTHING GOES
2. Everybody Art - challenge No. 562 - ANYTHING GOES
3. Love to Craft - challenge No. 82 - ANYTHING GOES
4. Love to Scrap - challenge No. 169 - ANYTHING GOES
5. Crafts Galore Encore - September challenge - ANYTHING GOES

TGIF what a shame NOT it's a Bank Holiday weekend - Woo Hoo!

Morning readers,

I've a make to share with you today ... something I haven't been doing for a while ... scrap booking. I hadn't realised that I didn't scrap my 2023 vacation or Christmas 2023, which passed in a blur as we were both poorly, these are occasions I would normally scrap but didn't, I Iet myself get out of the habit! So, here's a double layout catch up, from October 2023, surprisingly, NO STAMPING! I may get round to doing Gainesville (or not), from early 2024, and I HOPE that Christmas 2024 will be a much livelier affair than 2023!

Both pages side by side and, below
each page separately

Materials used:

• Two pieces of 12" x 12" Designer Paper
• Various photos, printed off
• Journalling which I generated on the computer
• Double sided tape 
• Posca pen and Tsukineko gelly roll gel pen - both white, for doodling my borders round the photos
• Map and postcard ephemera

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

1. Paper Funday - challenge No. 68 - ANYTHING GOES + (optional) VACATION/SUMMER HOLIDAYS
2. Penny's Paper Crafty - challenge No. 579 - ANYTHING GOES
3. Creative Knockouts - challenge No. 529 - ANYTHING GOES

Monday ... here comes another week!

Morning readers, 

Hope you all enjoyed your weekend. Our friend and neighbour came out of hospital, after several months so ..... we revisited Christmas! Complete with presents, it was such a fun evening.

I've a make to share with you today ....... well and truly mixed media and this post is rather photo heavy so, grab a coffee, pull up a chair and check it out. If you're curious then the video inspiration is included at the bottom of this post too

ATC #1

ATC #2 - this one already has a home!

Just the brusho/water layer

Brusho's dried and radiant pearls added

Stamped and foiled

Washi tape and borders added

Modelling paste stencilling - you might see
the foiling a little better in this pic too

Materials used:

• ATC blanks
• Snippets of white semi-gloss card
• Brusho's in violet and turquoise
• Radiant pearls in mayan gold and plum crazy
• Kaisercraft grid and script images
• Hero Arts unicorn and chalkboard inks
• Judkins "sticky stuff" heat embossed and used with cerise pink foil
• Washi tape
• Liquitex modelling paste
• Dutchdoobadoo stencil 470.715.129
• Faber Castell Pitt Pen - for doodling a border to the ATC and the sentiment sticker (ATC #2)
• Magenta self adhesive metal dragonflies
• Tim Holtz Idea-ology "small talk" stickers
• Sharpie pen (black) for edging the ATC, to do away with the white edges showing and to edge the sentiment on ATC #1

Who knew that two titchy little ATC's would use
this many materials?!!!

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

1. WeLove2Create - challenge No. 1 - ANYTHING MIXED MEDIA GOES
2. Use Your Stuff - challenge No. 476 - MIXED MEDIA
3. Mixed Media Lovers - challenge No. 22 - WASHI TAPE
4. Creative Artiste - challenge No. 90 - ANYTHING MIXED MEDIA GOES

And the video I watched? This link to the video below was sent to me by my crafting friend Sarn, thanks matey - I hope you will enjoy it and perhaps also be inspired by it, as I was.