Gold Tag - Tag Tuesday

I made this tag for this week's Tag Tuesday Challenge which this week is to make a tag using the colours of gold or silver. I used a Rubber Stampede Christmas collage stamp which is an old favourite of mine. I stamped it using versamark ink, then rubbed over with gold Perfect Pearls. I coloured the holly leaves with watercolour pencils.I then highlighted them with Distress Stickles. I used a gold sparkling reindeer to finish it off.

Other challenges entered :

Something Completely Different - Christmas Tag

Theme Thursday - Tags
Artistic Challenge - Withdrawal Tags

Lots To Do - Favourite Card of The Year

I can't believe it's nearly the end of the year! Lots To Do Challenge is asking for your favourite card of the year. I've blogged this one before, but it is my favourite card! Although it was difficult to choose just one!

I'm hoping to post once more more the big day, but if I don't I just want to wish all my followers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and thank you for your friendship and your support.

Last Minute Christmas Project - Allsorts Challenge

The excitement is mounting in my house with only 2 weeks to go to Christmas - and I'm STILL making cards! This card here is a last minute card I made for my Grandma. I used images from My Craft Studio Craft e Christmas CD and used a gatefold card to create a nativity scene.

Challenge Entered - Allsorts Challenge

Away in a Manger ATC

With the run up to Christmas I haven't much time for crafting, but I couldn't sleep last night so got up and made some ATCs! Here is one for the Joanna Sheen ATC Challenge this month.

I inked the background with distress ink and foam, layered a peel off on the top and added white gel pens for stars.

Art Deco Christmas Card

Its all go on the card making from at the moment. I have my last craft stall of the year on Saturday and then I can concentrate on finishing family Christmas cards. Here is a quick card I made using the Festive Follies Package from my craft studio and Papermania paper flowers.

New Challenge Blog

Time is whizzing by at the moment - I have been lucky to have found a florist who has agreed to sell my cards so Im busy making more and more Christmas cards which explains the absence of my blogs! The florist does the most beautiful wedding flowers, see her creations at mrsbouquetweddings.co.uk

Anyway enough self publication! There is a new challenge blog starting soon - Crazyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge Blog 2011 (!) Challenges will begin 1 January 2011. She is giving away some gorgeous Mind's Eye Papers for those who publicise the blog so do go over and have a look and spread the word.

New Stash!

I was so excited this week when a whole lot of new crafty stash arrived! I am lucky to be receiving the Craft Stamper as a subscription for Christmas and the free gift was this lovely set of Crafty Individuals stamps and papers - so I am looking forward to playing with them this weekend and sharing the results with you.

I also watched the US Artquest Show on QVC last week which was fatal as they had some gorgeous products. I now have the decofibres and mica tiles. I have also ordered the napkin decoupage kit direct from the US. The lady there is so helpful and it is cheaper than here in the UK!

Look out for my new work!!

Christmas House - SCD Challenge

Two posts in one day - must be a record for me! This card is for the Something Completely Different challenge this week which is houses. This cute Gingerbread House stamp is by Dawn Bibby. I used Promarkers to colour it in and added snow effect paint and glitter to embellish. A simple card, but sweet!

Autumn Colours

This time of year is my favourite time of year, the colours, the cosy evenings so I had to enter this weeks' Lots to Do Challenge which is Autumn colours. I made the panel by covering watercolour card with Big N Juicy Inks and stamping a wet scroll stamp on top to give a batik look. Then I stamped the leaves and outlined them with a gold pen. The faux leaves are from a gorgeous new set I bought recently.

I was also very lucky to receive a Pocket Pack from Kim at Paper Digital Forum for my little altered box I entered into one of their challenges. It contained a great selection of ephemera which will prove very useful I'm sure.

Alphabet Challenge - Birds

At last I have had a bit of time to get down to some serious crafting and take part in some of the blog challenges this week. The theme this week at Alphabet Challenge is birds, so I thought I would get started on my Christmas tags and use the Robin stamp from the Creative Expressions Vintage Christmas set.

I distressed the tag with distress inks and then stamped the robin image onto the tag. I then used a waterbrush to blend in the inks. I stamped the snowflakes along the bottom and the postcard and postmark stamps on the top. To finish I added the ribbon and red gems as the holly berries.

Winter Wonderland - Christmas Mouse

At last I've found time to post! Its my Grandmother's 90th! Birthday on Sunday so I have been so busy making cards and keepsakes for her.

Winter Wonderland's Challenge this week is to make a card featuring a mouse or mice. So House Mouse was a perfect choice!

I stamped the image using one of the House Mouse Christmas stamp sets and my new rock - a- blocks (which Im warming to) onto a diecut circle. I then coloured the image with Promarkers. I used some beautiful paper which I've never used as its too nice to give away! I added ribbon, greetings and sentiments to finish.

Spooky ATCs

This set of 3 ATCs are for Sam's swap at the UK Stampers Forum.

I used a Crafty Individual Tree Stamp on the blue on, a card coloured with distress ink. The moon I punched from white card and then stamped the witch from a Creative Expressions set of stamps. The orange moon card was made by punching out a circle and colouring with distress ink and overstamping the witch again and the pumpkins from the same set. My favourite one is the witch on acetate. I coloured the background using alcohol inks, then stamped the tree stamp over the top and punched out a black moon. I then printed the witch image onto acetate and used it as a wrap.

Happy Halloween!

Autumn ATCs and a Top 5 Award!

Here are two Autumn Leaves ATCs I have made for a challenge over at the Docrafts Forum. The first one I made using alcohol ink on glossy card, then stamping the leaves with versamark and embossing with gold powder.

This one was a new technique I tried by dropping alcohol ink onto Mirri Card. The effects were amazing. Again I stamped the leaves in versamark and embossed with gold and copper sparkle powder.My surprise of the day is that I was chosen among the top 5 in the Stampman Challenge blog for my altered box! (Click on the link to view the post).

Stampman ATC Swap - Travel

For this ATC I used Crafty Individuals stamps for the background and places images, stamping with memento ink and distressing with distress inks. The tag is from another stamp set which I stamped and distressed and tied on with string.

New Sheena Stamps!

Well Sheena Douglass has done it again with her new collection of stamps. I bought the Bah Humbug set and yesterday had a little play! I haven't made these into cards yet, but thought you might like to see them anyway.

I used Distress Ink to stamp the street scene onto watercolour paper then used a waterbrush to blend the colour. I dropped droplets of water onto the sky area and blotted them to make the snow effect.

The second piece was done by stamping the rooftop image onto coated card and using Cut n Dry foam and Distress Inks to colour the image. I then used a brush and water to remove some of the ink to give lighter areas. I used the same technique as above to create the snow and as luck would have it a larger drop formed to look like the moon! The star was embossed with gold embossing powder.

Cute Christmas

I just love these Christmas Mice from House Mouse and Joanna Sheen.For this one I used glossy accents on the berries and polar white flowersoft for the snow.

The challenges Im entering with this are

Bah Humbug - Cute Christmas

X is for Xmas - Alphabet Challenge

Autumn ATCs

Autumn seems to be the post popular theme this week! and it is one of my favourite themes too. I love this time of the year.


I have made three ATCs for the Lots To Do Forum Challenge and here they are.....

This one is made using distress inks for the background and rubbing Perfect Pearls onto the ink to give it a metallic finish. Then overstamped the trees using the Kanban set.

This one I used distress inks and a mask to create the background and again overstamped with the Kanban tree stamp.This one is a Personal Impression stamp which I love working with. I chalked the background and then stamped over the top with versamark ink.

Autumn Trees

Well I survived my first craft stall and made a bit of a profit so that was good, have booked in again for next month. So now its time for some blog challenges!




Tuesday Taggers this week are looking for projects with an Autumn theme. So I made this card. I brayered the background with spice big n juicy then stamped a tree from the Creative Expressions set in Adirondack ink. I highlighted the image with gold, scarlet and white gel pens and dusted over with cosmic shimmers. I added in the fence with a promarker and the birds.

Not long now!

OMG! only one more day before I have my first proper craft stall at the Emsworth Craft Fair selling my cards. I was up very late last night getting everything ready. The cards are slightly more commercial than I would normally produce but they need to appeal to a wider audience -
I have made House Mouse, 3D Beatrix Potter Cards, Hobbyart coast scenes and lots more!

Dragons Dream - Tag It On Entry

Manage to get at least one blog challenge entry made this weekend. The theme over at

Dragons Dream Tag It on is Windows. For my tag I inked the paper with old photo Distress Ink, then inked up a text stamp in versamark and embossed it with gold powder. Then I over stamped the Window image from the Creative Expressions stamp set. I dusted gold pearl powder onto the window pane then used a white pen to highlight certain areas.

Enamelled CD chips

This little box I altered using enamelled chips of an old CD.

To do this heat an old CD to make it easier to cut into small pieces. Then ink up the CD pieces with Brilliance ink in various colours. Cover with UTEE and heat, repeat the process 2 - 3 times. BEWARE the pieces get VERY hot!

When the pieces have cooled, edge them with a gold pen.

I then mounted the pieces onto the box with silicone glue and stacked them on the top. I made a dragonfly from shrink plastic, again colouring it with Brilliance ink before heating. Then I rubbed glitter all over it when finished.

As luck would have it Pocket Packet Friday's theme this week is Trinket Boxes!

Also entered Lots to Do Alter It Challenge and the Stampman Challenge theme is also Altered.They also have a great blog hop going on which closes on 7th October.

Thank you Cards

With my son being four this week I have had little time to make anything! We had a great party with donkey rides in the garden and he had some fabulous presents - of course now I need some cards to say thanks. So this is what I made today - two simple cards using some chipboard letters.

I have only two weeks to go before my first craft stall at the Emsworth Craft Fair, so Im making cards like crazy to sell. I hope to show you a few examples soon!

T is for Trees

This week's challenge on the Alphabet Challenge blog is T is for Trees. This is one of my favourite themes and allows me to play with one of my favourite stamp sets from Kanban.

I used alcohol inks on coated card as the background, then stamped the trees with versamark and embossed them with gold embossing powder.

Vintage Robin

This is a card I made using the new Creative Expressions vintage stamps. I stamped the robin with distress ink and coloured it in very lightly with aquamarkers. I added red jewels as holly berries. I edged the card with green ink and topped it all off with gingham ribbon. Its a lovely set of stamps that have been demonstrated on Create and Craft recently.

Reindeer and Snowflakes

Christmas is fast approaching so this year I thought I'd make an early start on my cards. This is one of the designs I came up with using the Banana Frog Deer Stamps and a snowflake stamp I had in my stash. I stamped the deer then inked over it with a black glaze pen, added the jewels as baubles and then stamped around the image with the snowflake stamp and brown ink.

Vintage Tag

Well its been a little while since I've blogged. Ive just come back from the Isle of Wight where we had a great week of sunshine! So now that I'm well rested its back to catching up on some craft projects. The theme this week at Lets Ink It Up is to make a tag or bookmark with a vintage twist. For this tag I used Graphic 45 background paper, then stamped Michelle Marsden's Vintage stamps - the mannequin, buttons and vintage text onto card with distress ink, ripped it and distressed the edges. I finished with a piece of broderie anglais.

Winter Wonderland

Both Bah Humbug and Winter Wonderland have "winter wonderland" as their theme this week. I think I have thrown away more cards than I have made, just couldnt seem to get it right. But Im pleased with this final one. I used a Kanban tree stamp in versamark ink and rubbed chalk over the top. I masked the sun shape and rubbed chalk over it. I then sprayed just the bottom half of the card with spray and sparkle.

Allsorts Challenge - Miniature 3"

The challenge this week at Allsorts is a miniature piece no bigger than 3". This led me to dig out some small canvasses I had which I have to admit I had forgotten about! For this piece I inked the canvas using distress inks and then stamped a Kanban tree stamp on top. I applied some gems and sprayed the piece with cosmic shimmer mist.

SCD Challenge - Red and Black Torso

The theme this week at Something Completely Different is to make a red and black torso. Here is mine. I stamped the birdcage image onto red paper and added the black birds. A really quick project but I think it looks effective.

Winter Wonderland - Tag Card

Winter Wonderland's challenge this week was Tag Cards, so this is my entry. Its a decoupaged tag card which I have put together and decorated. The kit was designed by Avril at Avril's Crafting Corner and can be purchased here.

Bah Humbug Challenge - Angels and Fairies

This week's challenge at the Bah Humbug blog is Angels and Fairies. I bought this beautiful digistamp from Michelle Perkett at etsy.I coloured it using Promarkers and used flower soft for a snow effect. I then mounted it onto an easel card and added a greeting.

Other challenges entered : Michelle Perkett Challenge - Anything Goes

Oriental ATCs

Have been trying to fit crafting around school holidays. Managed to finish a trio of ATCs for the swap on the Lots to Do forum. It was exciting to get out my box of Oriental goodies which I haven't used for awhile.

The first one is a peel off sticker coloured with Aquamarkers, the second is an inked background, with a stamped imaged which I gold embossed. I then filled in the gaps with a glaze pen to give an enamel effect. The last one is simply stamped and chalked.

I was in the top 3!

So pleased to have been chosen in the top three in the Winter Wonderland Challenge. This week's theme is Christmas Tags so go along and join in!

Easel Card with Sparkle

This is my entry for Winter Wonderland's challenge this week. I used a printable kit and decorated it as I've been a bit short on time. I hope you can see the magical sparkly snow, christmas lights and lamplight.

Lots of New Cards

Ive been so busy crafting the last few days I haven't had time for blogging! I have been lucky enough to be offered a stall at a monthly craft market to sell my work so Im working flat out to make stock.

Here are a few cards that I have made using brayered backgrounds and black peels offs.

N is for Nature

The Alphabet Challenge is now up to N for....Nature. I chose this card to enter the challenge this week. I used distress inks to colour the background before stamping the Crafty Individuals image of the tree. I mounted this onto a card blank matted with Tim Holtz paper stock. The flowers are black peel offs.

AMAZING Blog Candy!

Over at Particraft they are giving away the most amazing Blog Candy. Pop over to the site, become a follower and you never know it might be your lucky day!!

Something Completely Different Challenge

The theme this week at SCD is tags with the colours blue, orange and brown. So here is my entry.....

I used distress ink for the background, overstamping

a Crafty Individuals text stamp and Kanban tree stamp in brown over the top.

I think this colour combination works well.

Christmas in July!

Having felt a bit under the weather I had the perfect excuse to relax and make some cards. I hadn't had a go before at an easel card, but it was so easy to make and Im pleased with the result. I used a Lavinia stamp which is a small row of fairy shops as the main image and decorated them with gel pens to look like fairy lights and snow. I stamped and embossed with glitter embossing powder the star and added glitter stickles.

The challenges I am entering with this are :

Tuesday Taggers - Christmas in July

Stamptacular Sunday - Christmas in July

Little Red Wagon - Christmas In July

Allsorts Challenge - Baby / Kids

This theme is very much out of my comfort zone, but I had to make a card for my friend's son so I thought I would enter it into the challenge. I used the Cute Companions stamps that I had and some digistamps for the letters coloured with Promarkers.

Art Raffle Entry

UKStamper's art raffle this month is themed "tags". Any theme, so here are my offerings. I got a bit carried away with various techniques and products - bubble wrap as a stamp, cosmic shimmers, flowers made from book pages and distress inks!