Decking the Halls

It may be early but I have already made the resolution to step up with my blog in the New Year so look out for something new and different!

In the meantime I am trying to squeeze in as much Christmas crafting as I can. I absolutely love crafting with my Cricut machine. Here is my first decoration using SVG Dreaming Tree cutting files.

It was so easy to cut and put together. I think I might have to make more!

I am sharing this with

Cut It Up 

Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes

Not Just Cards - Anything Goes

Tales From The Craft Room - Christmas

Back to the blog

My poor blog has been sadly neglected over the summer and prep for craft fairs so I'm making an effort to show it some love.

We had a fun time at Halloween and I treated myself to some great new silhouette stamps by Marianne Designs

And this is what I made with them

I used Distress inks to create the background on a blank tag and then simply stamped the silhouettes.

The tag below I created for a Facebook swap 

I hope you all had a spooky Halloween too!

Challenges I am entering

Crafty Gals Corner - Halloween Colours

Crafty Cardmakers - Halloween

Always Be A Mermaid

 Having just got back from a fantastic week away in Majorca (despite the heatwave!) it's time to get back to the crafting!

I was lucky enough again for my work to be selected for the Ready, Set, Stamp feature in CraftStamper Magazine.

The theme was Deep Blue Sea and this is what I created

I used Distress Oxides on the card and sprayed them with water to merge them into an underwater effect. Once dry I stamped the mermaid by Stampendous stamps in archival ink and the blue circles in Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink. 

I used the Jane Davenport Making Faces flesh coloured paint for the body, watercolour paints and gold marker. I added the embossing powder, glitter, beads, artstones and fragments for the under the sea look. The diecuts were cut from watercoloured card before painting and added to the card. And as the sentiment says, Always be yourself, unless you can be a mermaid!

Other challenges I am entering:

a2zscrapbookingblog.com - Sparkle and Shine

Country View Crafts Challenges - Blue and Green

i Hanna's Postcard Swap

One of the really fun things to do each year is iHanna's Postcard Swap. You make 10 cards and then send them to given addresses. I have sent mine to Sweden, UK, Australia, Canada and the US.

I am now starting to get swaps back which makes for a happy mail box each day!

These are some of the swaps I have received so far

And these are some of the cards I made to send out

Make A Wish

OVER hill, over dale, 

   Thorough bush, thorough brier, 

   Over park, over pale, 

   Thorough flood, thorough fire, 

   I do wander everywhere, 

   Swifter than the moone's sphere; 

   And I serve the fairy queen, 

   To dew her orbs upon the green: 

   The cowslips tall her pensioners be; 

   In their gold coats spots you see; 

   Those be rubies, fairy favours, 

   In those freckles live their savours: 

   I must go seek some dew-drops here, 

And hang a pearl in every cowslip's ear. 

                                                                              William Shakespeare

This poem inspired me to dust off my Lavinia Stamps and make a fairy tag. 

I used distress inks to create the background for the silhouette stamp and added glitter to the wings for sparkle.

I am entering this into the following challenges:

Dragonfly Dreams - Anything Goes

My Time To Craft - Tag It

Easter Time

I hope you are all looking forward to the Easter break. We are expecting some warm temperatures in the UK, hotter than the Costas!

I decided to create this Easter card today before the holiday formally begins tomorrow.

The rabbit was cut on my Cricut machine and then edged with Distress Ink. The other elements were diecut from various foliage dies, some from coloured paper, others from white paper and watercoloured.

I embossed the background before bringing out the detail with distress ink. Finally I layered the finished work and mounted onto a white card. 

I am looking forward to seeing all your Easter creations too!

Challenges I am entering:

Crafty Gals Corner Challenges - Easter

Country View Craft Challenges - Easter

Always Fun - Easter

In the Moonlight

I've been so busy with card orders that I haven't had time to play with my art supplies. However I did get time to create this piece which was chosen for publication by Craft Stamper Magazine.

The background was created with Distress and Distress Oxide inks watered down on a palette. Then I used a branch stencil to create the trees. The stamps are by Samantha Braun. I used micro beads and glitter to add an ethereal effect.

For more details see the current issue of Craft Stamper Magazine, there are also some great projects from other readers.

I am entering my card into the following challenges:

Sisterhood of Crafters - Ladies/Girls

Mix It Up Challenge Blog - Inked Backgrounds

Through The Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

In My Heart

February is the month of love - apparently! I love taking part in swaps and made this ATC for a recent Valentine's swap on Facebook.

I am trying to use up old cardboard so recycled some for the base. I used Dyna Paints first and then embossed with a wood effect folder. I dry brushed white paint over the embossing and then sanded some of the paint back. I used Tim Holtz Washi Tape on the background and a text stamp. The heart is wooden, painted red and edged with Black Soot Distress Ink. I wrapped the heart in wire and added a Tim Holtz sticker as a sentiment.

It was quite hard to part with this one!

Challenges I am entering :
A Vintage Journey - Your Hearts Desire Challenge
Creative Artiste - Anything Goes
An Inky Mess - Anything Goes Mixed Media