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

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

Down on The Farm

I have finally managed to get round to using this brilliant set of stamps from HobbyArt.

I created the background using watercolour paints on watercolour card. The animals were stamped on to watercolour card with archival ink before painting and cutting out. I added the flowers and the bee and used simple brush strokes to add the greenery.

I love them!! and I hope you do too.

Challenges I am entering:

Seize The Birthday - Birthday + Creatures/Animals

Through The Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Crafty Cardmakers- Add a sentiment

Beautiful Rose

I loved the recent freebie with Simply Cards and Papercraft Magazine. 

It was this lovely embossing folder and stamp set. I embossed the design and then used Worn Lipstick Distress Ink over the raised areas. The rose was stamped with archival ink and then watercoloured with Distress Ink and a waterbrush. I also used Crafters Companion Clear Sparkle Pen to add some bling. Its such a striking stamp you need little else to make it stand out.

I am entering this into the following challenges

 Simply Papercraft Challenges - Anything Goes

AAA Card Challenges - Anything Goes

My favourite 5 of 2014

I hope you all enjoyed a lovely relaxing and peaceful Christmas. I can't believe we are nearly into a New Year. With that thought in mind I decided to join Debby at A Scrapjourney and share my favourite makes of 2015.

So in no particular order

Merry Christ - Mouse

A popular little card in my shop and craft fairs this year. I was lucky enough to purchase a Cricut Explore this year which revolutionised my crafting.

 Happy Halloween

One of my favourite times of the year and a return to traditional creative stamping. I intend to do more in 2015!

DreamCatchers

I was lucky enough to join the Serif CraftArtist Design Team this year and this card made it on to Create and Craft television.

Autumn

I love Autumn and the colours it brings. This was a winner of a blog challenge too!

And finally.....

Owls

Another return to creative techniques using gilding flakes.

I hope you like my choices and maybe you will join in with the posting too!

Wishing you a Happy 2015!

Belated Father's Day

I hope you all had a good weekend. Unfortunately my Father's Day post is a day late as I spent most of the weekend in bed with a migraine. I hope all Dads, StepDads, had a great day and also those Dads that are no longer here were in our thoughts.

This is the card I made for my Dad.

I used a stamp set from the magazine Creative Stamping. First I created the background using torn paper and Distress Inks. I am quite pleased with how the clouds turned out! The balloons I stamped with Distress Ink again and drew out the colour with the wet brush. I think my Dad was really pleased!

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Glitter n Sparkle - Father's Day

That Craft Place - Men

Country View Challenges - Only Men Allowed

Happy Easter!

I hope you are all enjoying the Easter break, although here in the south of England it hasn't stopped raining! We had to resort to an egg hunt in the house.  I have been working hard and have some great projects to show you this week - but as it is Easter Sunday I thought I would share this sweet little card.

HAPPY EASTER!!

Challenges I am entering:

Alphabet Challenge - E is for Easter

Crafty Catz - B is for

MilkCoffee Challenge - Easter
Cupcake Inspirations - Bunnies

Working with Vellum

I hope you are all surviving the wet and windy weather here in the UK. Living on the South Coast is very windy at the moment!

I am sharing a card with you which I have made for Moving With The Times challenge blog. Hazel was kind enough to ask me to join the group. So do pop along an join in with the challenge which this week is to use vellum or parchment.

I was inspired by an article in Craft Stamper to make this card. I stamped onto the parchment and then embossed on the wrong side with a ball tool. Once this was done I blended Antique Linen Distress Ink over the back. The paper is from a beautiful freebie with Simply Cards and Papercraft Magazine this month. I used some dyed seam binding and pleated it to decorate.

Other challenges I am entering:

Rhedd and Rosie Challenge - Anything Goes

Addicted to Stamps and More - Anything Goes

Back to Normality

Now back from my holidays and getting ready for the start of the new school term, I have a little more time to craft. I thought to ease myself back in gently I would show a simple card which I made for Christmas Stampin All Year Long Challenge  - a mini Christmas card.

I used an old favourite stamp I have had for some years which I coloured with Promarkers and a gold pen. And that really is it!

I am also entering the following challenges :

Less Is More - Use a Rubber Stamp

Back in action

Its been a couple of weeks since I've been able to blog. I went down with a really nasty virus Easter Weekend and have only just managed to get out of bed! The Easter holidays have been a wash out for me! and have left me extremely weak and wobbly!

I did manage to catch Hels on Create and Craft with the Melt Pot and have ordered some Beeswax which I hope to be able to play with soon! I have had my melt pot for some time but its not been used to its potential.

I made this card a couple of weeks ago after trying a different technique - stamping with Aquamarkers. I used a set of stamps from Docrafts and coloured them directly with the Aquamarkers. I drew out the colour using a water brush at the end.

I am entering this card into the following challenges :
Happy Campers - Flower Power
Simon Says Stamp  - Spring Flowers
Country View Craft Challenge - Butterflies

Traditional Christmas Colours

The days seem to be flying by ever nearer to the big day. Its a busy time of year with nativity plays and carol concerts and the looming pile of presents to wrap!

I also had my 5 minutes of fame in January's Cross Stitch Crazy magazine this week! I was asked to be a member of January's reader panel which was fun.

Today I thought I would share a Christmas card with you, using more traditional colours. I made this card using a stamp from one of my favourite companies, Little Claire. I was really lucky to be the winner of their November challenge with my baby card. For this card, I stamped and coloured the image with Promarkers and then added the holly, ribbon and twine embellishment.

I am entering this into the following challenges:

Little Claire Designs  - Christmas

Dilly Beans - Traditional red and green

Less is More - Sewing

At last summer seems to have arrived in the UK - its very hot in the South today! Also my new Embellisher machine arrived yesterday - can't wait to have a play with that!

Today I am sharing a card I made for LiM Challenge, which is sewing. I haven't entered this for awhile and just had enough time yesterday to do this one.

I used a set of stamps from Debbi Moore and stamped them individually to create a collage using Adirondack ink. 

Challenges I am entering:

Crafty Catz - Monochromatic

G is for Garden

Oh what a joy technology is! First my internet went down this morning and then I kept getting a virus notice on my blog (as did quite alot of others!) It seems to be if you are using Chrome and not Internet Explorer as a browser. Hey ho!!

I am also busy preparing for my craft stall at The Unique Makers Market at The Spring tomorrow. Fingers crossed!

Anyway back to the reason for this post which is to tell you about The Alphabet Challenge this week which is G - for Garden. I created my card using Creative Expressions Stamp Set Lost Garden and butterflies from a WOW! Embossing Powder Set. I used Distress Inks to create the background and stamp the foliage, using a wet brush to move the colour. 

Do come and join us and I look forward to seeing your entries.

Other challenges I am entering :
Creative Expressions - Summer
My Time To Craft - Gardening

New Year - New Challenge

I was recently asked to be on Its Crafting Time's Design Team for this year and jumped at the chance.  The new challenge begins today. This is my DT piece. I used Distress Inks without cleaning the stamp each time to get a range of blue and greens. The butterfly at the bottom was stamped and decoupaged to give a 3D element to the card.


The themes are as follows:


W/C  9th January   - Green & Purple
W/C 16th January  - Sketch
W/C 23rd January  - Buttons & Bows
W/C 30th January  - Newspaper


I look forward to seeing your take on the theme!

T for Teatime

Its Teatime at the Alphabet Challenge Blog this week. For my DT card I layered two pieces of torn backing paper onto a card blank and then stamped over the top. I coloured the images with watercolour pencils. The bunting I stamped onto several pieces of paper and decoupaged the flags. The sentiment I embossed with two colours of embossing powder. Finally I finished off with some glitter glue.

I hope you can join us for tea this week!

WoW !

Well I am very excited! About a month ago I applied to WoW embossing powders to become a DT member and this week I found out I have been lucky enough to be chosen! I am not just saying this but after using their powders you really see the difference! I thought I would show you the samples I made, before I get set making samples for the NEC show - so look out for more WoW work to follow!

The first sample (Above) I created a background using different types and colours of embossing powders.

This one I created small squares on a painted canvas and used different embossing techniques such as triple embossing and stamping into the melted powder to create different textures.

Finally I stamped and decoupaged a Paint Fusion stamp from Sheena Douglass and used Embossing powder to decorate and highlight areas.

Magical Worlds

The theme at the Sir Stampalot blog this month is Magical Worlds. I love anything to do with fairies (hence the name!) so I used a Personal Impressions Fairy stamp, and foliage from a Creative Expressions set. I first created the background using Ink Dusters and Distress Inks. Then stamped the silhouettes. I finished off by adding some Cosmic Shimmer and glitter.

I am also entering this into the Rainbow Lady's challenge which is Some Enchanted Evening.