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.

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.

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.

Rock away

Morning everyone, it's mid way inspiration time at We Love Stamping following Anesha's Sports and Hobbies theme. Prizes are stamps from Visible Image.

Music's the hobby here, always think he looks like Buddy Holly, although someone suggested Hank Marvin, a real blast from the past, remember my Mum liking The Shadows. A stencilled background using Visible Image Parallax stencil and some watered down DI 'splodged' around the edges using acetate, Melody Wave die and Rock Star stamped coloured, cut out and placed focally. The sentiment is from the same stamp set. Linking to AAA Birthday For the Boys, Sparkles and Dragonfly Dreams both want Masculine and it's Stencils at Make my Monday

Books and blooms

Mid month time at Tag-Along (and ATC's) where we are following Lynn's theme of  'Add some Text'.

 

Love adding text and numbers to work as always adds interest and can be as subtle or bold as you want. My tag took an easy route, a piece of DP left over from another project ages ago when the machine was out so I cut a tag shape, stitched the edges and thought it might come in useful one day, at last it has. 

Applied crackle paste through a harlequin stencil, stamped Penny Black Lustrous using Ecoline pens direct to stamp and tied some frayed silk ribbon to the top......a huge bundle of various widths for £15 on Etsy, mostly natural coloured but easy to colour with DI's. Linking up at Penny Black Saturday, Ellie's Garden Party 16 and Fab and Funky.

My ATC uses Lavinia stamps onto an inky background, stamped Book of Spells first, was surprised it fitted an ATC size, masked it to stamp the script along with one of several Dandelion stamps using Versafine Clair, little Butterflies and white gel pen to highlight the seed heads. Joining in at The Little Things A/G and Flying High at Try it on Tuesday.

Here's a visitor who wandered quietly past up to the orchard when we were sitting in the garden, totally unaware she was being watched. Too large for a Muntjac so likely a female Red Deer. We often see them cross the garden jumping in over the fence by the stables and usually make their way to leave via the top paddock. Unexpected Nature at it's best, although as taken on phone not as clear as may like.

Snippets and Midsummer Moon

Morning to you all, a couple of cards for a couple of challenges and guess what, new makes, taken a couple of days but was determined to create something. Above for Snippets Playground, was wondering in the night....as you do....what I could do with strips of black card left after cutting square card bases from A3. This is what came to me, trimmed in length and placed over a square of orange card, die cut flowers and foliage (Amazon) and coloured with DI's, the white seed heads were glittered but not showing up on photo and PB sentiment. The theme is Flowers at The Unicorn Challenge.

This one uses a multitude of Lavinia stamps, Tia sitting in Liberty, Bell Flower, Field Grass, Bulrush, Tree Scene and Oak Leaf. Sky created with Oxides, boat stamped, masked and coloured with pencils, water created with oxides and Pan Pastels. This one for Lavinia's Midsummer's Moon challenge.....our June full moon on 29th is the Strawberry Moon. Not Square is the theme at Daisychain challenge, it's  Summer at Four Seasons and Mix it Up want stamped backgrounds.

Still struggling one infection after another, new cocktail of meds and limited computer time.

Are you ready for the World Cup?

Morning all, we have a new challenge starting today at We Love Stamping where Anesha has selected Sports and Hobbies as our theme, we have sports themed stamp sets from Visible Image for two lucky winners.

With the World Cup starting this week......you either love or hate footie, I fall into the former category......it's a fitting theme. My card above is a nod to the Liverpool Reds, several of our squad will be representing their respective Countries in the competition. The focal image is Visible Image Kick Off, background is Fluid which I inked with green and red (Reds home and goalie kit) DI's spritzed with water, then stamped the Footballer in black, word from the same set plus envie to match. Will probably go to youngest son as he's also a Red. Linking to Sweet Stampin' Something for the Boys and 613 Avenue Create ask for a favourite passtime/hobby, don't play it but love watching a good game of fottie....several times a week during the season! 

This one with a musical theme using Visible Image Make Some Noise, in the background Fluid again, inked the same way as above and image stamped with Versafine Clair, coloured with Zig pens and cut out and Melody Wave die. The sentiment is made up with words from the same stamp set. Adding at Crafty Calendar Men and Boys and Maculine at Dragonfly Dreams

Snowy Days is the new theme at Christmas Kickstart so popping to link up with this one. All stamps are Lavinia, Pheasant, Holly, Seasonal Words plus a few worker stamps, Pan Pastel background and snowy elements flicking a Posca pen. Adding at Peace on Earth,

After another MRI seems I still have issues with two other cervical discs, but given the infections of the last three weeks both consultant and I prefer to avoid further surgery for now. So scheduled for some alternative treatment to see if it helps ease the neck and arm pain which continues, meaning I still can't type or sit for long periods.

Anything Goes from the Garden at Allsorts

Good morning, here we are again scheduled and time for a new challenge at Allsorts where our theme is Anything Goes from the Garden. We have prizes from Oakwood.

Scheduling this early May and utilising more un-blogged cards in my Penny Black folder, when I have new stamp I tend to have a splurge and make several, a habit which goes back years to when I used to demo at the NEC and other shows/stores when a variety were required to display versatility of a product.

Above using Penny Black Lovely repeat stamped and inked direct to stamp with Ecoline pens, the die is Penny Black Cherish cut at an angle and placed over a stencilled panel and envie to match.

This one also from the files, I made two very similar in different colours and shared the other some time ago. All stamps are Lavinia and include Everlee, Secret Garden, Vine Flourish, Lavender and Flutterby and background a mixture of Oxides and Pan Pastels. Entering this one In the Garden at Give a crafter a cookie and Ellies Garden Party 15.

A few days late, my card for May's Card Chain Challenge where the colour palette was chocolate, orange and slate, luckily I had this in my folder which loosely fitted the colour theme with flowers, one of the options. It went to Greta in the US and I received a lovely sunny floral card from Chris in the US. Focal stamps are Lavinia and include Logan in the centre surrounded by Sunflower Heads.

Text for Tag-Along

Morning everyone (scheduled), time for our new challenge at Tag-Along (and ATC's) where Lynn's theme is Add Some Text. Our prize is a bundle is items which includes some ATC stamps but will work equally well on tags and bookmarks.

Above a pocket tag, or two tags in one! The DP on the front is from the one pack I have from The Works which has the script within the pattern, I stamped more text on to back panel using an A&C stamp. The two little ones are TH Ephemera and Lavinia sticker words. The Hellen Keller quote is a really old Penny Black wood mounted stamp long since retired. Linking to Anything but a Card at A Place to Start.

Above with the tag tucked into the pocket. 

A set of ATC's which started with an inky background using DI's, flicked with water, some Lavinia script and worker stamps in the background using various shades of green Versafine Clair, then Lavinia Dandelion stamped with Versamark and heat embossed with detail white EP. Sentiment stickers also Lavinia. Linking to In the Garden at Give a Crafter a Cookie and Emboss It at Make my Monday and Aud Sentiments.

Finally I have a bookmark, which I thought knowing Lynns' love of books was very suitable for her theme. Books are Lavinia Fairy Handbook and Cures and Curses, the Cat is Luka and the Mouse dangling from the foliage is from Minni and Moo set. Linking to Four Legged Friends at Dream Valley.

Added: what do you do when you can't sit at the computer or craft, wander round the gardens and take photos! Mostly Roses, some Geraniums, as usual a Lab close by and yesterday daughter and hubby did a spring clean of the hot tub.

So pleased with this one (pink one above), was a cutting from my Dad's Albertine Rose pergola many years ago, was growing well then had to be moved to erect the cabin, it did nothing for four years in it's new location then suddenly a few weeks ago started to shoot again. So a new pergola and it's doing nicely and smelling divine.

A peek into the tomato greenhouse, bring on the pasta sauce! Already had first couple of cucumbers form the other.

Early breakfast for someone outside the kitchen window this morning.