Christmas Blessings

My poor blog has been neglected in the run up to Christmas and the many cards I have made for friends, family and my ETSY store. So I will leave you with Christmas wishes for peace, harmony and love. I hope to give my blog a makeover in the New Year so watch this space.

I made this card for my Grandma who is 98! using a stamp from Woodware. I stamped and embossed the image with white embossing powder on blue card. After matting and layering the image I added die cut flowers and foliage.

I am entering it into the following challenges:

Artistic Stampers - Christmas

Country View Challenges - Christmas

Dies R Us - Christmas

Happy Halloween Eve

Once again the world awaits the spookiest night of the year. Our family had great fun choosing a pumpkin at the farm last week and decorating the house.

I joined in with the Halloween Tag Swap on Mixed Media's Facebook page. 

I created the tag by first applying distress ink through a tree stencil. Then I added torn book paper and the stamped image. I coloured and cut out the pumpkins. I also added some gothic like washi tape. The final piece de resistance is the witch which I die cut on my Cricut machine, before adding metal sparkle glitter glue.

I hope you all have a very Spooky Day!

I am entering my tag into the following challenges:

Shopping Our Stash - Witching Hour

Bitten By The Bug 2 - Halloween

A Inky Mess - Anything Goes

Dream in Darkness - Halloween

Autumn Days

Since becoming addicted to Instagram my poor little blog has been neglected! Due to the school holidays and start of a new term I haven't had much time to create anything new. So yesterday on a cold and wet Sunday I finally got round to opening my new stamps from Hobbyart.

This is a beautiful set titled Lino Cut Hares and they are a joy to use. I created the background using Spectrum Noir Aquatint inks on watercolour paper. Then I stamped the images in black using an Archival Ink Pad. I wanted it to look quite primitive. I added the white accents using a POSCA paint pen.

I might even frame it and put it on my wall!

I am entering the following challenges

Dragonfly Dreams - Anything Goes

International Art and Soul - Nature

Alphabet Challenge - N is for Nature

Fab N Funky - All Creatures

As Seen in Craft Stamper

Its been a while since I've blogged as we have been enjoying our annual holiday in Jersey, Channel Islands. Its a beautiful island and one we have returned to for the past 4 years.

St Ouens Bay

Pleimont Bay

                           













Even more exciting is seeing my work in Craft Stamper Magazine! I was delighted to have my work chosen for the Ready,Set Stamp feature.

I used a new set of shell stamps from Woodware and an embossing folder from my stash. I inked the background using Distress Inks. Having arranged the stamped elements are used Imagination Crafts Art Stones for texture. For more information pick up a copy of the magazine for more details.

Just Us Girls - Beach

Country View Crafts Challenge - Sun, Sea, Sand

Under The Sea

The temperature on the South Coast of England these past weeks has often hit 30 degress centigrade! So the best place to be has definetly been by the sea.

I was inspired to make this piece by just that - the sea!

Its not often I make something like this so it is with some trepidation I am sharing it!

I began with a blank canvas and with glue attached string, shells, netting and art stones before covering in gesso. I then applied various shades of green and blue paint, including the lovely dyna paints by Pebeo.

The mermaid is by Creative Embellishments. I was lucky to win a bumper selection of their products in a competition recently. I applied paint and gilding flakes to the mermaid before attaching. 

I am quite in love with this mystical, sea themed canvas!

Challenges I am entering

A Inky Mess - Just For Fun

Altered Eclectics - Anything Goes

Mix It Up Challenge Blog - Anything Goes + Mixed Media

Rhedds Creative Spirit - Anything Mixed Media

Cheers - Happy Father's Day!

So today is Father's Day and I want to say a big thank you to my Dad who is amazingly kind, generous and fantastic Grandpa!  I know for some today is painful for those who's Dad is no longer around but I hope you can think of them with fond memories.

I picked up the recent copy of Papercraft Essentials and made this card for my Dad using the free Apple Blossom gifts.

I used the embossing folder and then distressed it with various colours of Distress Inks. It was a happy accident as I started with black and didn't like it so added colour. I quite like how it turned out!  I stamped the bottles and glasses onto card with an archive ink pad before colouring them with watercolour pencils and diluted Distress Ink.

The sentiment was created with a set of alphabet stamps from my stash.  

The card is now sitting in pride of place on my Dad's mantelpiece!

So all it remains for me to say is

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY - CHEERS!

Challenges I am entering:

An Inky Mess - Anything Goes

Addicted To Stamps and More - Anything Goes

E

Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes

A Peek at Fairyland

Last week I treated myself to a new set of stamps from Crafters Companion as demonstrated on Hochanda by the fabulous Sheena Douglass.

And this is the result...

To create the card I first applied Distress Crayons onto Watercolour card, adding water to create a wash. I then overstamped the toadstools and foliage. I used Distress Ink and water to colour in. I also applied a wash of Clear Sparkle Pen to add a touch of magic. Finally added some white pen highlights.

I wonder who lives in those toadstools?!

Challenges I am entering :

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Anything Goes

The Fairy and the Unicorn - Anything Goes (optional fairies)

The Sisterhood of Crafters - Magical Fairy Garden

DIY Postcard Swap

Well what glorious weather we have in the South of England today. Apparently we are heading for a heatwave!

I've just been to the post office to post my 10 postcards as part of iHanna's DIY Postcard Swap. It was the first one I have taken part in and its been great fun. I even got my Gelli Plate out which I have had for nearly a year and not used!!

Here are some of the post cards I will be sending out

Made using my first ever Gelli print!

Stamps, stencil and Distress Ink.

Mixed collage

I will share more of them later in the week and also pictures of the ones I receive!

Rekindling my mojo!

I have been struggling a bit to create recently and was looking for something to inspire me. And I found it in the Facebook Group Sheena's Inkettes. So much so that I had to buy the new lily stamp and embossing folder.

I also finally got around to buying some Pebeo Gilding Wax too!

I made a finished card using embossing, Pebeo Dyna Paints, Cosmic Shimmer powders and stamping.

I can't wait to try out some more techniques with this set!

Challenges I am entering

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Anything Goes

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Believe in the Magic

What a beautiful day it is here in the South of England. I do believe Spring is here. Its been a while since my last post due to the school holidays. We had a fantastic family trip to Disneyland Paris where you certainly do believe that magic can be found everywhere! If you would like to see more of my photos you can follow me on www.instagram.com/thesparklyfairyisme

So it was apt that this week's challenge on CASology is BELIEVE.

For my card I diluted Distress Ink before applying with a wet brush.  I overstamped the fairy and sentiment using an archival inkpad. For added sparkle I added small dots of glitter.

Just remember always BELIEVE!

I am entering my card into the following challenges

Make My Monday  - Things With Wings

Lets hear it for Mums!

I can't believe the year is going so quickly and on March 11th in the UK it will be Mother's Day. I think it is so important that we honour the mothers in our lives and remember those that are no longer with us. Sadly one of my best friends passed away last year and I will be thinking of her and also of her son this year.

I am very lucky to still have my Mum here and also a Mum myself. I always look forward to the thoughtful gifts my son chooses  - although they are usually always pink and sparkly!!

I am sharing a Mother's Day card here I made for my Mum to give her Mum who is 97!

I am entering them in the following challenges:

Lets Craft and Create - Anything Goes + Mother's Day

Dies R Us - Pastel Colours

Paper Creators - All About Mum

Fab N Funky - Mother's Day

Try It On Tuesday - Mum's The Word

Spring Time

Although Spring is supposed to be on its way this week, we will be seeing freezing temperatures here in the UK.  However I wanted to share my Spring themed tags I made for a recent Facebook Group swap.

To make them I painted some thick card tag bases with blue acrylic paint and added the clouds with white paint.  For the tag on the left I die cut the fence before adding the rabbits and the grass. These were from a great set of stamps free with Crafts Beautiful Magazine. I had a diecut butterfly in my stash and scrunched up a paper flower to create the daffodil.

For the second tag I put it through an embossing folder and highlighted the areas with coloured pencils and inks. I added the stamped images and the paper flowers. The flowers I decorated with sparkly glitter.

I hope the recepient will enjoy them much as I do!

Tag You Are It - Must use a metal die (Tag 1)

Love To Craft - Anything Goes

Moo Mania and More - Spring

E is for Eye

So did we all survive January? Some say its one of the bleakest months. I love Winter so it doesn't really affect me!

When my son was born 11 years ago I got into crafting and one of the first things I started making were ATCs. With it being a quite month on the sales front after Christmas I decided to take part in a swap on Facebook. The group is Junk Journal Junkies and Mindful Art. There are some talented people!

The theme was the letter "E", so I choose EYES.

I used Distress Oxide Ink to colour the cards and then spritzed with water. Each card I put through embossing folders. I used Black Soot to pick out the detail. I found the collage images on the internet and then adhered them and stamped in the clear spaces. I used Ultra Thick Enamel in Gold to add splashes. Finally I found some Tim Holtz acrylic squares which I placed over the eyes to add interest.

I really enjoyed this messy art!

An Inky Mess - Anything Goes (Altered Art/Mixed Media)

Country View Challenges - Anything But Cute

A week of Birthdays

I hope you have all survived the horrible weather we have been having both in the UK - rain, wind and lots of snow in the North!

This week in our family is a birthday week for my Dad will be celebrating his 70th birthday! and my brothers birthday is 2 days later. I will share the cards I have made later this week.

For today I thought I would share one of my cards I made with the Pawsome Waffle Flower stamp set.

It was a set I bought sometime ago and only just opened it!! I stamped various elements and coloured them using ProMarkers.

I hope your week is Pawsome too!

Challenges I am entering:

My Time To Craft - Something New (new stamp set)

Just Add Ink - Something New (new stamp set)

Craftaholics R Us - Anything Goes

Crafty Animals - Anything Goes

Happy New Year!

First of all Happy New Year to you all! As usual the festive season went far too quickly, but it was lovely to have some downtime with the family.

One thing I always insist on is my son writing his thank you cards to family after receiving presents. My grandma of 97 still remembers to send out money to all her Great Grandchildren!.

I decided to make this card for her as being in a nursing home she loves to receive mail.

I used a fabulous set which came with Creative Stamping magazine to make the card. 

I stamped the bear, cut him out and fixed with foam pads. I did the same with the present and his scarf.  The bunting was from a set in my stash wish I added alpha stamps to.

I can't wait to get back to crafting again after the festive break and discover some new techniques!

Challenges I am entering are :

Simon Says Wednesday - Something New (used new stamp set)

Unicorn Challenge - Anything Goes

Always Fun Challenges - Something New