It's Poppies again

Morning Peeps, it's Saturday and time for a new challenge at Allsorts where our host is Wendy with the theme of  'Charm's' and we have a super prize from Sizzix. 

Now charms are not something I use often or indeed any embellishments, but like most of us there are a few lurking in my stash so it was no problem hunting down some to create these two cards.

The one at the top is of course Poppies from Penny Black, another favourite stamp, but this time I decided on blue. I first created the background using a stencil and DI's and used the same DI to stamp the PB grasses, then I stamped the Poppies in my usual way using Distress Markers and a spritz of water building up the colours by stamping several times using my stamp platform. Some ribbon across the corner with a little Butterfly charm attached to it.

I kept to all sepia tones for this one using a Penny Black grass stamp and Inkylicious Poppy and Versafine Clair inks. The script was added by inking an unmounted stamp but instead of mounting on a block holding it and bending to just add script here and there. Finally a Penny Black sentiment and again some ribbons and twine to hold the charm.

And just look at this gorgeous collection of goodies I received this week from my friend Alice (scrAPamonod) in Liguria, she knows how much I love anything Italian and there were some beautiful crafting items including Italian sentiments, two packs of delicate lazer cuts from Sardinia and from Alice's own garden a jar of Capers in crystal salt which are going to be perfect with some nice Lemon Sole.

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

 

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Newly hatched chicks, new Artisan designs and mid month shares

This was 'hatch day' on Thursday 4th July, three eggs produced three perfectly hatched chicks (see further down post for the update)

It's mid month inspiration time at Penny Black and More and Stamping Sensations challenges where our themes are 'Summer colours and 'The Earth Laughs in Flowers'.

I have indulged again with my PB's this time from the just released 'Dreaming' range of stamps and dies, there are quite a few scenic images so I couldn't resist and they arrived from John across the pond a few days ago.

This one is called Paradise and isn't it just, I could while away my time there quite easily, in my head it's the Caribbean as that's just how I always remember the sunsets on our visits. A simple to create card, stamped the image with Versafine Clair, placed a circle mask for the sun and added colour with Pan Pastels. Finally a some birds and leaves which are also PB.

This is one of my samples for Pete's Artisan Designs shows on Hochanda on Sunday 21st July, this release of stamps is a little bit different and were a delight to work with,  the shows are at 10am and 2pm so please do make a note to tune in. 

My Stamping Sensations uses an image from Crafty Individual our sponsor, stamped onto an Oxide background and coloured in, I them created the frame using the same colour Oxides and stamped CI Dragonflies, cut a circle in the centre and mounted onto the base card. The sentiment is computer generated.

We have loads of birds nesting around the gardens, Pigeon's in the pergola and top paddock, Wrens and countless Sparrows in the courtyard, Bullfinches and Robins in the back shrubbery along with several families of Great Tits, Green Woodpeckers with two young, Swifts in one of the stables, two pairs of Jay's in the front hedges, Magpies in the tall conifers, Moorhen's in the pond as well as several pairs of Blackbirds, numerous Starlings and a pair of Honey Buzzards with one youngster. And probably a few species I've forgotten but gives you an idea of the abundance of birds we have.

But try and I may I can never get decent photos as my hands are too shaky, but one pair of Blackbirds played right into my hands with this precariously positioned nest in the top of a shrub just below one of the bedroom windows.

And just eleven days later on Monday 15th July,  still three of them although only two are visible, the other is underneath but all three beaks soon appear when Mum or Dad bring the food. And as I write this post on 17th I can confirm they have had their maiden flights and left the nest.

Isn't Nature wonderful and we feel so privileged to witness so much wildlife in our own back garden, there is a healthy population of most of the usual garden four legged wildlife, Rabbits apleny much to hubby's annoyance as they plunder the veggie gardens, Red and Muntjak Deer venture out of the thicket into the orchard when they are feeling brave and of course there is the Fox. Sadly the latter has taken to daytime visits with his young teaching them the ropes and our chicken and duck population has suffered in recent weeks, but they are free range (shut up at night of course) and you can't warn hens about the dangers of going too far! 

 

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A variety of flowers and Confetti in the making

Morning Peeps, apologies for the lack of visits this week, my back gave out on me last weekend with constant sciatica along with a dodgy shoulder, I've been pretty good lately so guess it was about time for an MS relapse. So sitting at my desk and computer has been a no go for more than a few minutes at a time, not ideal when I have Hochanda samples to get out of the door this week.

Saturday and time for a new challenge at Allsorts where our host is Tracy who has chosen the theme of 'CAS' and for the winner we have a pretty floral die and frame set from Sizzix.

I also have a sneak peek of some of what's coming up on tomorrows Stamp Addicts show on Hochanda at 12 noon, it's a Christmas show with several different Poinsettia stamps, plus more. Also my shares from my post today over at the Chocolate Baroque blog, this months Hochanda show was all about Roses so I was in my element.

For my Allsorts DT card I have gone for this lovely Penny Black stamp again, I really do love this one as you might have guessed from it's repeat appearances in various colours. As usual I used Distress Markers direct to stamp with a spritz of water and built up the colour by stamping a few times using my Tonic stamp platform. The sentiment is also Penny Black and to soften the colour I used grey ink and added a little of the magenta coloured Distress Marker and again a spritz of water which gave a nice soft finish with a hint of colour.

I made this one using two of the lovely new Poinsettia stamps in different sizes stamped onto vellum and heat embossed with details clear EP.

Here's my Chocolate Baroque shares from the Hochanda shows which were all about Roses, they are perfect images for making Summer cards........and confetti, I have been dehydrating rose petals on a daily basis to fill little boxes to hand out to guest as they arrive at Church for our eldest Granddaughters wedding. 

Full details of how I made them and all the stamps used can be found here................

  

Thanks as always for your kind visits and words of encouragement.

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Smile it's a beautiful day

It's time for our  new challenges at Stamping Sensations and Penny Black and More where our themes are 'The Earth Laughs in Flowers' and 'Summertime'. As always there are wonderful prizes to be won at both.

Naturally me being me Summer says flowers so that had to be the theme for my Penny Black creation. When I started this one I actually thought I had the matching die for this Iris, but turned out I didn't and the Iris die PB make is for another stamp. But as I had the design in my head went ahead and stamped first the Iris's within the frame using Spectrum Sparkle Pens to ink the stamp spritzing with water and stamping several times onto the Pan Pastel background. I then stamped the Iris's a couple more times and cut them out by hand and placed them onto the top frame and also added a PB sentiment. The card is for a friend who loves all things pink and Iris's, we are similar ages and I think along with the sentiment will appeal to her.

I've had this Crafty Individuals stamp for years, mine is wood mounted whereas the newer version is unmounted and part of a set. It's not a large stamp so I stamped it three times to extend the field of Poppies, added some sky using Pan Pastels, a sentiment and leaves to frame the top.

Looking forward to seeing your creations this month and please do pop over to the challenge blogs as my team mates have some beautiful creations to share.

 

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Fairies Summer Solstice

Morning Peeps, Saturday morning and a new challenge at Allsorts where this weeks host is Mervi is is in holiday mood with the theme of 'Summer Fun and Sports'. This weeks lucky winner will receive a Summer stamp set and stencil aptly named 'Splash' from Buddly Crafts.

The above card represents the Fairies Summer Solstice so obviously they are having Summer Fun as only Fairies can! A simple to create card starting with Pans Pastels and DI's to create the background, then stamping various Lavinia images with Versafine Clair and finito........I did say it was easy to create.

My second card used a mixture of Chocolate Baroque stamps onto a Oxide background and stamping the focal image which is from Darkroom Door and Distress Markers used direct to stamp adding a spritz of water before stamping. The sentiments are computer generated and I hope reflects the recipient, our Grandsons girlfriend Faith who us keen on water sports including surfing.

There is a diverse take on the theme from my talented teamies, so I hope you will pop over to the challenge blog and take a look at their creations.

 

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Perfect Pairs and some family photos

Morning Peeps, it's Saturday and time for a new challenge at Allsorts and this week I am your host and my theme is 'Perfect Pairs'. As it was my Birthday a couple of days ago I am giving a prize of a Heartfelt die and matching stamp set - a perfect Pair!!

This lovely Penny Black stamp has become a favourite already and this time I went for the intensity of deep blue and purple. I first masked the edges of the focal card and added Distress Inks to just the top corner and did the same on the envelope using a post it note to mask off the section to add the name and address. On the card I removed the masking tape before stamping the blooms, but left it in place on the envelope when stamping. I also added some scrip onto the card using a really old Hero Arts stamp called Old French Writing, I've had it for years.

And a quick make using an old White and Co., box which was just too nice to throw away, the base was black so I left that as it was then covered the top which was white with some DP and stamped with a Penny Black Poppy, added some ribbon and made a matching tag.

And I thought I would share a few recent photos......................

I love this picture of Anysia taken last week, her baby Clover who's just had her first Birthday seems to be grinning at the camera and Ben's just had a haircut, rather a drastic one for a Section D if you ask me

Poppy sporting her new pink collar after having a trim up, isn't she a pretty girl

 Treat time - at the back left Daisy and her sister Lily and in the front from left Holly, Pixie and Poppy - looks like some weeding's required after all this rain

Alex with Leia doing a spot of bouldering in Fontainebleau on the way back to Chamonix and the Italian Alps where he and Zoe both have races coming up 

And George just chilling on his favourite cushion, at ten he's allowed to do that just as often as he wants

I do hope you will pop over to the challenge blog and see the inspiration on offer from my team mates and also join in this week.

 

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Soft Pastels at Allsorts

Morning Peeps, it's Saturday and time for a new challenge at Allsorts where our host is Helene who would like to see 'Soft Pastels' on our artwork. This weeks lucky winner will receive a lovely Tonic Butterfly die from Craft Stash.

It was the first inking for the above Penny Black Poppy stamp along with a new PB sentiment set. I used a mixture of sparkle pens and Distress Markers to build up the soft colours and stamped the sentiment in grey so that it was less harsh. Matted and layered in coordinating colours onto a black  landscape base card.

This was a Hochanda TV sample for Artisan Designs. I stamped and coloured the image and then cut into four using TL dies and added an extra layer of foam tape to each section to graduate the layers.

Have a good weekend everyone.

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