More Sunny Sunflowers

Morning all, another quick post with my mid month shares for Tag-Along (and ATC's) where along with Anything Goes we also have the theme of In the Garden.

My tag and ATC follow a similar design using Sunflowers from  the new Lavinia Twilight Tea collection, base tag above is AALL and Create, in black as I love the contrast of black and yellow. Aud Sentiments challenge has the option of Tags or Christmas in July, so I'm going with the first.

My apologies I've not been the best of bloggers the last week or two, the new migraine drugs have given some unpleasant side affects including Hemiplegic migraines, the reverse of what was expected. Unstable glucose levels as well, a hypo Saturday evening and monitor bleeping constantly with drastic swings so sleep in short supply. We'll see what the Diabetic Nurse has to say when she comes again tomorrow, never thought the day would come when my MS was the least of my concerns!

Sunflower snippets

Hello all, a quick post with a card for the current Snippets Playground challenge.

Like lots of us I love Sunflowers so was more than a little excited when the new Lavinia Twilight Tea collection landed here a week or two ago and I've had fun creating with them. Above using the set of three Sunflowers and a set of the leaves. Lots of cutting out which was a bit time consuming but I was happy how it turned out. The gold circles made but drawing round two different size dies using a glue pen and brushing Cadence Gilding Tilsen. Some soft stencilling in the background, words down the leading edge stamped with Versamak and brushed over with two colours of mica powder, finally a sticker sentiment.

I would also like to link up to Try it on Tuesday whose theme is Summer Blooms, Beautiful Blossoms following the A/G route and Four Seasons challenge where it's all about Summer and finally Ellie's new Garden Party.

I even remembered a photo of my snippets which were used to stamp the Sunflowers.

Ocean view

A new month means new challenges at We Love Stamping and Stamping Sensations. At WLS our theme has been selected by Emma and is Sun, Sea and Sand and a prize from Lisa Horton Crafts. At SS Avril has selected Summer Blooms for her theme with prizes from AALL and Create.

For my WLS share I have used a Penny Black stamp called Paradise (40-691), inked direct to stamp using Ecoline pens, extra colour and shading added with pencils and Pan Pastels, a stencilled sun and a Lavinia sentiment.

This one uses AALL and Create Roadway Vista die set (78) and Sunny Splash (1250) stamp set, an inky background picking up distress ink from a piece of acetate left from a previous background, then some stencilling and colour added to the focal image with Ecoline pens.

Have a good Sunday everyone, they say the heatwave in the UK is returning this week so keep cool.

Puppy Love and this weeks Nature photos

Morning all, time for a new challenge at Allsorts and Liz has selected the theme of 'For a Child' and of course as always there's the A/G option. We have four stamps to be won.

I was lucky to win some Andy Skinner stamps last year, these two were among them and although I don't do cute these seem a step removed and offer versatility without lots of dreaded colouring in. Above is called 'Let your dreams take flight', she was simply stamped, basic colouring and a stencil to add sun rays.

This one is called 'All you need is a hug', love the image of the little girl and her puppy, it's a firm favourite and along with another called 'Best Friends' sell really well at the RSPCA shops. Again simply stamped, a little colour added and stencil work in the background.

With the hot weather we've spent a lot of time outside sitting in the shade and benefiting from the breeze/wind which is always present given the flat nature of the Fen. So the camera has been busy and a few of the shots I grabbed, starting with those at the top pond....

A Common Moorhen, curious birds and so timid, this one has three babies but wasn't able to get all on a shot.

A male Coote, not seen any young and could be the hen and young are across the neighbouring field which also has a pond.

This female Mallard is one we reared from a chick, a family of ducklings were abandoned in the grounds of the school where our Daughter teaches so with the help of the RSPCA we rescued them. At the time the RSPCA guy said they would never stray far and they never have and live here and on the neighbouring pond.

A Roe Deer paid a visit to the top boundary one evening, they move so fast I usually miss them but this one lingered long enough to get a photo.

And finally, one of the Black Squirrels introduced to our land by the Cambs and Beds Wildlife Trust who have a breeding programme for them. We've had them for about three years now, they bred the first year and have now interbred with the Grey's and we have an interesting blend of colours now!

Nodding Flowers

July already so that means a new challenge at Tag-Along (and ATC's) where this month yours truly has selected the theme and being totally transparent it's In the Garden, now there's a surprise. This months prize is a set of nested tag dies.

My tag features a spray of AALL and Create flowers, stamped, coloured and cut out and mounted into an A&C tag (Hexalove 31), ephemera clocks and sentiment all A&C. I would like to link up to the Outlawz Cards Free Zone. Had also intended linking to Ellies Garden Party, but somehow linked to her Wednesday Challenge, but as it's A/G think it should fit OK. 

A collection of ATC's using a whole host of Lavinia floral stamps and elements inks. A simple little holder for them made with a scoring board.

Saturday saw a surprise Birthday party for hubby, myself and Grandson Zachary, with the beautiful weather is was perfect planning on the part of Daughter and Son's. It was actually a surprise until Saturday morning when balloons and bunting popped up around the garden and a rather large Ocado delivery landed in Daughters kitchen......as they live across the garden in our old farmhouse not much goes unnoticed!

Back in the day I used to make celebration cakes, I've now passed the mantle on to two of the Granddaughters, one who since leaving Uni has started her own small cake business. There were appropriately three cakes, mine was based on chocolate brownies, Zachary's sheer chocolate indulgence and above hubbys with a garden theme.

Rudolph Day's

A bit of a last minute post as realised time is running short to link up to this months Rudolph Days challenge. As today is my Birthday I'm not planning doing anything much so sharing a make from a few weeks ago when I had a Christmas card splurge and made a batch of this design.

Stamps in the wreath are all Lavinia mini stamps, the sentiment from my Christmas Season stamp set and dots of stickles around the wreath. Also linking up to Christmas Kickstart challenge.

I've been very spoilt with lots of Birthday messages and handmade cards, my thanks to each of you for being so kind. I've a few gifts to open and will be doing that later when the family are home and specifically Grandson Zachary as it's his Birthday as well. June is a month when we have a quite a few of them including hubby whose was yesterday and Annabel one of our Granddaughters is on Sunday.

Summer Poppies

Morning everyone, a very quick post with a share for the Snippets Playground and a reminder that our June Tag-Along (and ATC's) challenge is still running, there's a few days left to join in for the chance of being a DT Choice or winning the lovely die set on offer.

Another stand up tag for my snippets share, I had a dig through my Two Red Robins drawers and decided to see how some worked on plain cardstock rather than printed out Reflections (which have all the artwork coloured). As a self confessed Poppyholic, that's the route I followed along with some wheat cut simply on black. Had to be a bit of stamping, my work feels naked without any, so the word Summer and more Poppies added with A&C stamps onto the inky background. The base dies are also TRR cut twice and joined at the top so the tag can stand up.

And here's my snippets, see you all in the paddling pool as they say it's warming up again, I'm told there will be lollies to be had as well.

I saw a pretty red and white photo inspiration at Beautiful Blossoms challenge so figured my tag just might fit in. Also Anything Summer is the theme at Four Seasons challenge, it's Summer and there's an abundance of Poppies everywhere. Also linking up to Outlawz Card Free Zone. 

Thanks for popping in.