September sunflowers

Hello, crafting friends!

 

September has arrived in a blaze of sunshine and there's a fab new Flower Challenge for the month!

 

We are going back to basics with stamping this month and I couldn't be happier: stamps and ink are my happy place :) Here's what I made:

 

The sunflower stamp is from Clearly Besotted's Sending Sunshine. I stamped it in pale yellow ink and covered it with a mask made from a sticky note. The jar came next. It's from The Greetery's Just Mason Around and is a 3 step layering stamp which produces a lovely glass effect. I made another mask with a sticky note and covered the jar. Leaving both of the masks in place, I set to work on a background. The ground was stamped with Stampin' Up's Hardwood background stamp and I covered that up to stencil above it with Funky Fossil's Brick Wall stencil. The stencil was removed and the brickwork sponged with brown ink for a more subtle look.

 

All the masks were removed at this stage and I coloured the sunflower bouquet using alcohol markers and coloured pencils. The acid yellow daisies are to be seen everywhere in the countryside at the moment so I teamed the darker sunflowers with these. To finish, I stamped a couple more of the daisies, fussy cut them, coloured them and glued them to the ground for balance before attaching the panel to a card base.

 

Okay, it's your turn! Here's how to play: first, hop over to The Flower Challenge blog to check out the beautiful inspiration from my team mates; second, make a card featuring one or more stamped flowers as the focal image; third, share with us using the blue Linky button at the bottom of the post. We can't wait to see what you come up with!

CHALLENGES

I'm joining in with the Sunflower theme at Double D and at Triple B with my yellow blooms; I'm also playing at We Love Stamping where Lorraine's challenge is to include a Handcoloured Image.

 

AND IN OTHER NEWS

What lovely sunshiney flowers sunflowers are!

 

Great for hiding behind too. By the way, has anyone seen Lulu?!

Sending hugs,

Daisy days

Hello, crafting friends!

 

One of the things I love about summer is lounging about in the sun on grass dotted with daisies - especially if there's a picnic going! I love daisies and was delighted when a few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to win a beautiful stamp set full of daisies at Allsorts (Flower Patch Set 4 from Highlight Crafts) and today I thought it was time to crack open the packet and have a play!

 

Using green ink, I stamped two of the daisies onto a green panel. The plan was to colour the petals with my Posca white acrylic pen and to stipple the centres with distress oxides. I liked how the petals turned out but the flower centres were too muted, so I used an alcohol marker to intensify the colour, wiping the nib quickly afterwards.

 

I used Funky Fossil's Brick Wall stencil to sponge in a background with white ink and stamped a 'thanks' from The Greetery's Scripted Sentiments. To finish, I stamped a little butterfly using distress ink, trimmed the panel with a Hemstitch die by Spellbinders, and attached it to a card front.

CHALLENGES

I used Jen's sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches to create this card so I'm linking up there; also Allsorts where this week's optional theme is Blooms Bees and Butterflies - thank you for my lovely prize! And I'm also hopping over to Darnell's NBUS Challenge as the daisies are fresh out of the packet!

AND IN OTHER NEWS

The European Cup continues and watching England play proves to be the usual nail-biting experience. Lulu is not impressed.

 

She knows she can run faster than any of them and that no-one could get the ball off her - unless they used the 'Give' command that is!!

Sending hugs,

Against the wall

Hello, crafting friends!

 

We're half way through the month of June and I'm here to remind you that you've got plenty of time to join in with our sketch challenge at the Flower Challenge.

 

And here IS the sketch:

I love this sketch and am particularly obsessed with the background panel! For my first card, I focused on adding pattern to the centre (you can see that HERE) but this time, I decided to add pattern to the sides to emphasise the centre. But first, I got going with the flower/foliage cluster!

 

When I bought this stamp set (Wallpaper Art by Altenew) the coordinating mask/stencil was on special offer, so I bought it too - and it's been so useful! I stamped the flower and masked it off; then stamped the left hand leaf cluster and masked that off; and finally stamped the bottom leaves before removing the masks. The flower and larger leaves are line art, so I coloured those with Arteza watercolour brush pens and left it to dry.

 

When everything was dry, I replaced the masks and also blocked off the vertical centre of the card with sticky notes before sponging pale blue ink over the sides. When that was done, I positioned Funky Fossil's Brick Wall stencil over the card front and sponged blue-grey and light purple inks through it. When I removed the masks again, the flower cluster appeared to be in front of the brick sections - yay, the magic of masking!! To finish, I added a sentiment from my UFO box and some purple gems.

Right! It's over to you! Don't forget to check out all the amazing inspiration from my team mates over at the Flower Challenge - you'll be glad you did! When you've made your own card, you can link up using the Linky Tool at the bottom of the challenge post. Have fun won't you!

CHALLENGES

I am linking up at the Beautiful Blossoms challenge under the Anything Floral Goes theme - but I will be back as I'm totally inspired by that gorgeous mood board with its oranges and pinks! Also linking up at the Stencil Fun Challenge where there's an optional theme of Birthday but I've gone with Anything Goes.

 

AND IN OTHER NEWS

While Eva's paw is healing, I am walking her gently on hard level surfaces only. This kind of polite on-lead walking is not what Lulu needs - she's young and needs to get out and really run. So, although I take them out together in the morning and at night, for the main midday walk I'm walking them separately for the moment. What has amazed me is how much this has affected their behaviour. They are both much more focused on my guidance and it's quite obvious that they are enjoying the one-to-one attention. When Eva is better, I may carry on with separate midday walks a couple of times a week. It also represents a massive step forward for Lulu, who would once have barked the place down if I had tried to take Eva out without her!

Sending hugs,

Banners and boughs

Hello, crafting friends...

 

... and a happy Thanksgiving to all those celebrating today :)

 

Have you finished your festive cards yet? If you haven't, you can come and be in my gang because I certainly haven't! But that's okay because it's a Tic Tac Toe Challenge Thursday which means loads of inspiration, courtesy of Elizabeth this week:

I chose the diagonal from bottom left Stamping/Free/Layers and went with neutrals with just a pop or two of colour.

 

The card started with a kraft card base, the edges of the front sponged with white craft ink. I layered it with gingerbread coloured card cut with the largest of the Greetery's Nordic Frames dies. I also cut a layer from kraft card with the medium size frame and stamped it with a bunch of mistletoe from Budding Beauties Winter, also from the Greetery. Once I'd stamped it, I stenciled around it with white craft ink using Funky Fossils Brick Wall stencil.

 

The stamped image was intensified with coloured pencils and I added a shadow which helps it to pop. Berries were added with a Posca white acrylic paint pen. To finish, I stamped a banner image from a retired Stampin' Up set and stamped a Greetery sentiment inside, bending it to fit the curve. The banner was fussy cut and I added some shading with brown ink and a sponge dauber to add dimension before popping it up on dimensional pads.

 

Do hop over to the Tic Tac Toe challenge site to check out my team mates' card samples - prepare to be amazed! And then it's your turn! Choose a row, column or diagonal from the board, create a card using the inspiration, then share with us using the Linky Tool at the bottom of the challenge post.  We are looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

CHALLENGES

I'm joining in with Inkspirational where the theme is Seasonal; at ABC Christmas W is for Wreath and X is for XOXO - Hugs and Kisses and I thought my bunch of mistletoe would be good for the hugs and kisses theme! I'm also linking up with the Stencil Fun Challenge where the optional theme is Leaves

 

AND IN OTHER NEWS

It's been so wet here and I've had my hands full with Lulu, so I'm only now getting round to tidying up in the garden. Everything needs cutting back and the leaves need sweeping up and the grass needs a final trim, but that's okay because I've got some wonderful helpers!! Here we see the difference between Eva and Lulu:

 

 

This is Eva. She likes to carry my trimmings around the garden and if I make a pile of leaves, she makes a nest in it. She is demonstrating her 'Smoosh Face', a term coined by my eldest son, which is where she's concentrating on something on the ground and her ears flop forwards and her forward goes all wrinkly and smooshed. We can never resist Smoosh Face and it often results in cooing noises from us and Tummy Rubs for her!

 

This is Lulu. She likes to take her ball with her as she wanders around the house and garden. She hides it under things and then takes immense pleasure in triumphantly finding it again. She is delighted that I have had the idea of cutting lots of trimmings from the hedge for the sole purpose of giving her an excellent place to hide her ball!

Sending hugs,

Home is where the pusscat is!

Hello, crafting friends!

 

It's an Addicted to CAS kind of Saturday today but it is with some sadness that I have to tell you that because of personal commitments, our  challenge leader Kylie is stepping down and so the challenge will be closing after this fortnight. Kylie has given so much of her time and energy to the crafting community and we will really miss her. Vicki D has the honour of choosing the Code Words for the last challenge and we all hope that as many of you as possible will join in and show your support for Kylie:

 

A colour prompt is always fun isn't it! This one could work for your halloween makes or if, like me, you don't do halloween, it would make a lovely floral. I went a different way for my card, making a 'welcome home' card for my friend whose cat I look after sometimes.

 

It was a lot of fun making this card - a bit like playing with a dolls house! I used a Sugarpea set called Let's Stay Home, stamping and colouring the cat before covering with a sticky note mask, then the armchair getting the same treatment, then the other elements. After removing the masks, a little seating arrangement was revealed with a little black cat fast asleep on the armchair! I was able to cut the whole scene out with sharp paper snips.

For the background, I sponged a little purple ink into my Brick Wall stencil from Funky Fossil, then stamped a sentiment using Uniko's useful Everyday Spring Sentiments. To finish, I attached the furniture scene to the card front with sticky pads and added some clear gems.

Okay, so now it's your turn. My team mates have made some fabulous cards to inspire you, so do hop over to the Addicted to CAS blog to check those out. You'll find the Linky Tool at the bottom of the post and you can use it to share your own creation with us. Don't forget to keep your card nice and clean and simple with plenty of clear space - and have fun!

CHALLENGES

I'm linking this card up at Crazy For Cats. The challenge this month (Anything Cat Goes or Meow-o-ween) is in loving memory of Janis and Sue, who both sadly passed away this year and are sadly missed.

 

 

AND IN OTHER NEWS

It's a Lady Dora week this week! I will be attending Her Ladyship with my starched cap and pinny on, and hoping that I don't blunder with the presentation of her meals in case I'm dismissed without a character!

She is an exacting mistress (although sometimes she forgets herself and gets quite affectionate!!)

Sending hugs,

Natural merriness

Hello, crafting friends!

 

In the first half of this year, I was so busy that I didn't have much time to craft. And even when I did find a minute, it was a stamp and go type of crafting. What I really love is starting a card, changing my mind, having a lightbulb moment, dragging half my stash out to find the right thing... only to have another idea and swerve off on another tack! Do you know what I mean? That's how this card was made!

 

I had a vague idea of making a Christmas card and I knew I wanted to use some left over botanical die cuts on it, perhaps as a wreath, but the card base started as white until I came over all rustic and brought out the brown card stock, which made me think I might stencil a brick wall using brown ink for a tone on tone look but then suddenly remembered white ink... well, you get the picture!

 

I liked the frosty look of the white ink on the brown card and added extra 'snow' with a white paint pen. Then, inspired by the natural vibe of the card, I rooted about in my DSP drawer for a precious snippet of wood effect paper to make a beam to hang my snippety wreath on with a twine bow. The wreath die from SU had been cut out of green card which I swiped with white ink, and the botanical die cuts from Mama Elephant were white so I coloured those with ink and a sponge dauber, and then glued everything together.

The sentiments are from The Greetery's Snowflake Soirée, the 'be merry' part stamped on the card base and the 'may all your days' part stamped on kraft card, snipped out and popped up on dimensional pads. 

CHALLENGES

I used lots of left over botanical die cuts on this card, a snippet of wood effect paper, an offcut of brown card for the card base and a white offcut to line it with, plus a tiny piece of kraft for the sentiment and some left over twine. All that is to say that I'm playing at the Snippets Playground with this card; I'm also joining in at Jingle Belles where Lauren and Stef want to see cards with a vintage vibe (and I'm hoping my card will pass the Vintage Test!); I'm joining in at Color My Heart Color Dare #563, choosing the left hand diagonal Candy Apple/Toffee/Green Apple; I'm also just in time to join in with Rudolph Days where we make a card to celebrate the 25th of each month, then share by the end of the month.

AND IN OTHER NEWS

Autumn seems to be drawing in a bit early this year. It's still lovely and warm but not boiling hot, and it's quite unsettled. It's actually much nicer for the dogs...

 

... and they get to intersperse their swimming activities with rabbit hunting which is much too hot for Eva with her thick coat in the full sun!

 

PS I must once again state that no rabbit is ever in the smallest danger of being caught by either of these two goofballs!!

Sending hugs,

Male Birthday? Nailed it!

Hello, crafting friends!

 

It's Thursday and hopefully you are on the edge of your seats for the latest board at the Tic Tac Toe Challenge! I put this board together and there are some ideas that might help you make a masculine card or two - after all, the guys have birthdays too!

 

What do you think? I chose the left hand column (Slimline card/Tools/Die Cut) to make a card for my brother whose birthday is coming up. He is an amazing inventor and designer and has all the skills to bring his ideas to fruition - he blows my mind!

 

I started my card by masking off the edges of a slimline card base and sponging pale grey ink into the centre. With the mask still in place, I held Funky Fossil's Brick Wall stencil over the sponging and added more browns and greys to the bricks in a random pattern. This makes a subtle background.

 

The die cut tools are from Sweet Dixie. I cut them out of snippets of white card intending to colour them, but I thought the look of the white against the background was actually pretty cool! I played around with the layout of the tools until I was happy, then glued everything down. The sentiment is from Altenew's Birthday Wishes and was coloured with a metallic blue pencil. I added a few lovely shiny enamel dots and the card was done!

 

So, now it's your turn! Do hop over to the Tic Tac Toe Challenge site to check out the amazing inspiration from my team mates. When you're ready, choose a column, row or diagonal from the board, use it to inspire your own creation, then use the Linky Tool at the bottom of the challenge post to share your card with us. We can't wait to see what you make this week!

CHALLENGES

I'm linking this card up at the Snippets Playground which is where I was lucky enough to win this set of tool dies a little while back :) I'm also joining in at Make My Monday where Meg has chosen a Masculine challenge and TGIF where the theme is You're The Man.

AND IN OTHER NEWS

Unfortunately the skills with tools has not passed to all the members of my family and although I would back myself to put up a shelf or some pictures, that's where it ends.

 

source: pinterest

Sending hugs,

Snippety pumpkins

Hello, crafting friends!

 

Today is an autumn day and I've enjoyed walking in the sunshine with my fluffy girl, admiring the scudding clouds and the gorgeous colours of the changing leaves. I cleared my desk a little today too and realised it is also a day for using up some snippets! 

 

In the course of playing with my new nesting arch dies I seem to have made quite a lot of arch-type snippets. Well, waste not, want not as they say! I sponged my snippets with inks and glued the green frame to the arched background.

 

The pumpkin garland is from Lanterns by Reverse Confetti. It was stamped on another offcut using pale yellow ink, and I had fun colouring it with coloured pencils and fussy cutting it. When it was finished, I glued it to the frame. The sentiment is from the Arched Sentiments set from the Greetery, cut out with the coordinating die.

 

Before attaching my topper to the card base, I did a little soft stenciling on the card front using the Brick Wall stencil from Funky Fossil. Here are the snippets I used, plus another white offcut for the sentiment which I forgot to include (ie didn't plan for lol!)

 

CHALLENGES

I'm joining in with The Snippet Playground where the requirement is to make a card with snippets and include a photo of the snippets or list them; I'm also linking up at Happy Little Stampers Die challenge and Happy Little Stampers Stencil challenge where Anything Goes; and Try it on Tuesday where the theme is Autumn. 

AND IN OTHER NEWS

Our pets are such good company aren't they. Every day, Eva and I spend our days together and I suppose it's only natural that I should talk to her. This week I found myself telling her what a lovely little sausage roll she is, "And I mean that in the nicest possible way," I said.

Sending hugs,