Swinging in the garden and an endangered chick

Morning everyone, it's mid month time at Tag-Along (and ATC's) where we are following my theme of Favourite Colours. 

As I said at the start of the challenge I love working with so many colours, but pinks and purples seem to feature regularly closely followed by Autumnal colours so it's the former for this one. A stand up double tag (cut two, scored and joined at top) using AALL and Create Tagtastic, a brayered background then stamped with Lavinia Tree of Hope, Pris sitting on her Swing and scene built up with several worker stamps and stickles.

An ATC utilising small TRR flowers, I don't recall the name of these but they were mini versions of some previous larger releases. An inky offcut stamped with A&C background stamps, bow tied across, envie to match and sticker word.

I also have another ATC and Tag, made early yesterday morning, my craft room is next to the conservatory and despite the misting fan, by lunchtime it's just toooooo hot to craft. It's a double tag for The Little Things whose theme is Elephants or Flamingo's, the stamp is PB Let's Go Wild, their 2013 release and looks to be discontinued. 

ATC's around the World's theme is Monochromatic, the background a Gelli Plate offcut machined around weeks ago so was quick to stamp Lavinia Flower Fairy, she a really old stamp and getting fragile, the rubber used back then seems to be thinner as I have a few which have got brittle. Also added a Butterfly, flowers and stickles plus a tiny envie.

I regularly listen to birds in the garden and like to track what visitors we have via the Merlin Bird app. The other day both Daughter and I picked up a Spotted Flycather in different parts of the gardens, as they are rare in this part of the Country and on the RSPB red endangered list we concluded it was just passing by. 

However, Saturday sitting in the courtyard we heard a soft chirping initially thinking it was coming from one of several nests in the surrounding shrubs, theres a Blackbird, Wren, Sparrow and Goldfinch all carrying our frantic feeding duties to their young. To our surprise this little chap was sitting forlornly on the ground chirping, Merlin told me it was a Spotted Flycatcher. It was fully feathered so probably very recently fledged.

Half an hour later it was still there, no parent is sight and as it had made no attempt to fly Hubby decided to try and move it to a safer place, it sat in hand for a minute or two then took an unsteady flight to a nearly bush. There it sat and chirped for another hour, eventually both parents appeared overhead and perched on a telegraph wire along with two juveniles who looked rather larger than this one. Parents then started frantic flights from wire to the roof so we decided best move to another part of the garden. We checked back an hour later and they had disappeared so hopefully all is now well. As I always say, Nature is amazing.

Lady in Red

Morning everyone, a rather hurried post as clearly the heats addled my mind!

I thought this card for the Card Cain Challenge was in my post at the weekend and hadn't even realised it wasn't until checking a couple of scheduled posts and found it in one for 18th, so sorry Gail and Jo. My card went to Joanne in the UK and I received one from Arlene in the USA.

I used AALL and Create base dies and image called Art of Bouquet simply stamped in back and coloured to follow the colour options of Black and White plus One. Linking to Unicorn Challenge, no DP's.

I also have one for Christmas Kickstart challenge who have the theme Grace us with your Presents, had to think long and hard about this one as the A&C stamp is about the only one I have to fit the present element, then remembered this in my unused folder, think it fits the bill using A&C Sack of Joy. Stamped, coloured, lots of sparkle and some stencilled stars. Just happens to fit Fab'n'Funky's new Christmas in July theme and Creative Knockouts Christmas in July. Also Stencils/Patterns at Crazy is our Fame.

Try and keep cool, not easy in the current ongoing heat.

Graceful Swans

Morning all, we have new challenges starting today at We Love Stamping where this month our theme is very appropriately Summertime selected by Lynn. Two gorgeous prizes of Lavinia stamps and a set of Gansai Tambi paints.

So a perfect opportunity for yet another using Lavinia's new Loomweavers collection. The jar is a Lavinia sticker stencil, using the outer element inked the focal shape, then stamped the mannequin, foliage and cotton reel. The Racoon was stamped twice, onto the cotton reel and a snippet which was cut out and paper pieced and needles and thread stamped into his hand. A paper pieced shirt and basque selected from the many I cut out from scraps of DP as are the little flowers. Several snippets (clothes, Racoon, Flowers) so linking up to the new Snippets Playground challenge.

I saw a card similar to the above on Pinterest so created my own version with stamps I had to create a scene using Lavinia Sacred Bridge, Swans, Cherry Blossom, Bullrush, Oak Leaf and Lily Pad. Used watered down Oxides to create a background, stamped the images starting with the bridge and built up the scene around it and used a piece of acetate to stamp the Swan's reflections and coloured with white Pan Pastels and a pastel pencil.

There was too much cloud to see the Strawberry Moon last Monday/Tuesday but later in the week some awesome sunsets, below long shadows through the orchard as the sun goes down and less than half an hour later the sunset across the fields in the opposite direction across the Fen. 

Stencils at Allsorts

Good morning, time for a new challenge at Allsorts where Donna would like us to use Stencils. Prizes are very fittingly an assortment of stencils.

Another using Lavinia's new Loomweavers collection, the skirts and bodies are quite addictive, more so than I expected and I found myself stamping lots onto DP offcuts to mix and match. Stamped the focal elements, coloured and paper pieced the skirt and bodice and stencilled the wall. Cut it Up would like Critters and of course a die cut (base card) and Animals for Craft Rocket.

Above a very sweet pair of little ones, a recent'ish Andy Skinner release which I couldn't resist, as is my norm I made several from the stamps in this purchase so had them ready (just in case). This one called Imagination, stamped, coloured with Zig Clean Colour pens, stencilling for the wall (different one to wall above!) and a few Lavinia flowers and leaves to built the scene.

There's a new kid on the block, this is Aurora 15.1 hh, a four year old Pinto filly, (the black marks on her withers are shadow from the tree, not part of her!) recently covered so hopefully excitement next Spring with a little one! The boys rather enjoy a new girl about the place.

Basques, blossoms and a snake!

Morning everyone, time for our new challenge at Tag-Along (and ATC's) where it's my turn to choose the theme which is Favourite Colours. 

After choosing the theme I wondered at the wisdom as I love using most colours, but with me it's perhaps more colour palettes such as above, I love purple and green together and here I've used Lavinia's new Loomweavers collection along with some older stamps onto a background brayered with Clair inks.

Purples with pinks for the above, Lavinia Cherry Blossom, it's one of my very first Lavinia stamps way back about 2008, it's just beginning to crack so probably time to replace. Birds are Magpies and Bluebell (I know they're pink!), sticker words and again a brayered background. Chris has selected Something with B as her theme at Fab 'n' Funky, I have Blossoms, Birds and Bow and Try it in Tuesday In the Garden.

I had in mind to see if something as small as an ATC coin could be stamped on the spin tool, it does work, so a simple little make using two Lavinia mini stamps with stencilled leaves in the middle finished with a sticker sentiment.

I also have a bookmark, when I got the go ahead for some limited computer and craft time I thought they would be less taxing projects so made a few. This one uses an A&C stamp, a lightly brayered background, little Butterflies and another tassel from the bundle I found a while back.

Not a great deal of change in available flora, the Roses are still enjoying the warm weather and above the first Snake of the season picked up when poo picking the other day (for those not familiar with keeping horses, an essential daily task to keep pasture clean). It's only a youngster but not my favourite creatures. 

The Hemerocallis (Day Lily) below struggled initially with the dry weather but is picking up now.

Blooms and Bees

Morning all, a quick post with a card for the new Snippets Playground challenge. A mixture of stamping and dies, in the background stamped Lavinia grasses, die cut flowers using Amazon dies, two little Lavinia Bees and the wavy die a really old border set which I think is Spellbinders. The bottom panel and flowers all from snippets left over from cutting base cards but no photo I'm afraid. Also linking to Inkspirational leftovers theme, Summertime at Shopping our Stash and In the Garden at Try it on Tuesday.

A floral tag with a side pocket for a smaller tag for Beautiful Blossoms inspirational photo and Make my Monday use a stencil. The tag serves as a gentle reminder theres still a few days left to join us at Tag-Along (and ATC's) challenge with tags, bookmarks and ATC's. The blooms on my tag are Stamperia ephemera, stencilling in the background using an A&C Rose stencil, some lace, fine cheesecloth and pearl string.

Finally, I had my crafty companion GGD Margo at the weekend, she was intrigued with the whole stamping process and also discovered glitter, I'll say no more than took a while to clean up! This is what she calls her Sparkly Moon and apparently not Racoons as she hasn't seen one of those so must be badgers, the mind of a four (pushing five) year old.

Blossoms, Raccoons and Snowy Days

Morning everyone, we have a new challenge at Allsorts and this time round it Birds, Blossoms and Bees as selected by Ellie. We have a beautiful Stampers Anonymous stamp available from Buddly Crafts for our lucky winner.

My card above uses TH/Stampers Anonymous Botanical Elements and French Garden onto Maximum Crafts Gothic arch die which I bought a few weeks ago. The three panels were joined with offcuts as hinges, stamped with Versafine Acorn, then stencilled using TH Opaque Crackle Paste, when dry inked over with Oxides and images coloured with Zig clean colour pens. Sharing at Fab n' Funky Garden Flower theme.

I've been fortunate to play with Lavinia's new Loomweavers Collection this week, it's still slow going on the craft front so not many to share yet, but completed one (eventually) for Ellies theme. I say eventually as was all made and photographed, then butter fingers knocked the water jar over her desk and the frame was unrecoverable one side, luckily the stamped panels were OK. So the original Kraft frame was replaced with a pinky/purple one which I think I do actually prefer. The three panels were brayered with Oxides, stamped with Versfaine Clair, the Fairy skirt and bodice stamped onto MCS patterned paper and finally a Bird and Bee to incorporated all three of Ellies elements. And yes, it's the same die as above. Sharing at Ellies Garden Party 16 and Crafty Catz A/G.

Another from my files which fits nicely at Christmas Kickstart Snowy Days theme, seem to have a few un-blogged Christmas ones. A DL card and envie with Lavinia stamps, Hares from Whimsical Hares and  Wild Hares gazing up at the North Star, Red Pines, Mistletoe and Christmas Greetings which is such a useful set. Pan Pastels for the background and finally glitter.