Thursday 30 September 2010

More candy coming and winner

Hello peeps, thank you all for joining in with my candy this month.

Unfortunately there can only be one winner, but I do have something else planned which will be coming up very shortly so watch this space, I think it is something that is going to appeal to lots of you.

I am pelase to announce that the winner selected by Mr Ramdon Org is:


Congratulations Ania, please mail me brenda@ibas.co.uk with you wull postal addy so I can get your winnings off to you.

Tuesday 28 September 2010

Elegant fairy


Hello peeps, hope your all well. Just a quick post with a couple of cards.

The first a touch of indulgence........you know me, any excuse to use a fairy and this one is such a beautiful one from Crafts and Me called Eternity. I brayered a backround using a mask for the moon with Tim Holtz Victorian velvet and vintage photo. I coloured the image with the same inks and glittered her wings. Stamped a few leaves round the top with an Art Impressions stamp, some flowers and punched butterfly. The DP is Basic Grey and My Minds Eye. This is for the following challenges:

Cupcake - Pink and Brown
Paper Sundaes - Things with Wings
Creative Card Crew - Bloomin' Marvelous
Oldie but a Goodie - Pink and Girly

My second card is my anniversary card for my hubby later this week. He always says he needs to check my blog to know what I'm up to, but he's so busy at work this weeks that's unlikely so think I'm safe to share. Not your conventional anniversary card, but he's not a hearts and flowers sort of guy and will love the colours of this one as yellow is his favourite colour and all things Nature. I masked a section to create the background and inked with TH rusty hings, mustard seed and barn door with a spritz of Glimmer Mist iridescent gold. The tree from Creative Expressions, the border Martha Stewart cornice edging and the sentiment computer generated. It is for the following challenges:

Stamp Something - Fall colours
Cards for Men - Autumn
Stamptacular Sunday - Seasons Change/Fall
Tuesday Taggers - Here Comes Autumn

Saturday 25 September 2010

Plain and Simple


Version four

Version three

Today at Allsorts my great teamie Emma has set us the theme of "Plain and Simple". And I admit these two are my third and fourth attempts at 'plain and simple' and I'm still not convinced I've got the hang of it.....one and two were binned.......I know sinful for a crafter.

The black and white effort is some simple stamping and embossing onto with lined cardstock using a bird from Inkadinkao 9836 and part of a sentiment from Hero Arts 30-056. A rose made from some stash DP using my tattered floral die, a but of punching with Martha Stewart loop and a couple of pearls coloured back with Copics. This card is for the following challenge:

Fab 'n Funky - Quote me Happy

For the next one I used a piece of card that had been spritzed with Glimmer Mist honey dew mist and stamped with Hero Arts D5449 fabulous flourish using Tim Holtz dusky Concorde. The sentiment is also from hero, but an unmounted set for which I no longer have the code I'm afraid. I mounted the piece onto bazzil cardstock and punched the border with Martha Stewart zig zag and a butterfly also using a MS punch.


Over to Polkadoodles where this week the my great blog pal Claire wants us to make something with a Hidden Element. So I have come up with this little box which I made on the scoreboard and covered with paper from the Paper Boutique CD and inside bobbing butterflies and flowers. The flower on the top is made from the same paper using three punches and spritzing with Glimmer Mist pearl.

My final card is another of the lovely image from Sweet Pea poppy love. The background has been brayered with Big and Juicy Happy Birthday, masking a moon.....this image just seems to lend herself to a moonlit background. I coloured her with the same inks. The DP is from stash, Martha Steward eyelet lace border, some ribbon slides and a punched flower spritzed with Glimmer Mist dazzling diamonds. This card is for the following challenges:

Crazy 4 Challenges - Bling
Friday Sketchers - Sketch
Sweet Pea Challenge - Charmed I'm Sure (it's in the centre of the flower)

Thursday 23 September 2010

Wings and things


Hello everyone. How's the weather you way ? We have rain again just for a change, but at least it's not too cold and the lovely dewy morning this last week have brought the paddocks on a treat which make the horses very happy campers.

A few shares today. My first card uses one of my new stamps from Sweet Pea called midnight waiting. She has been stamped and embossed with detail clear and coloured with Copics. I stamped the wings and top of the fairy twice, glittered the wings and decoupaged. The DP is Magnolia and the borders punched with Martha Stewart floral vine. Some lace, roses and punched leaves to embellish. This card is for the following challenges:

Moving Along With the Times - Use at least three ingredients from the menu (I used 2 DP's glitter, leaves and heat embossing)
Flutterby Wednesday - All Winged Things
Charisma Cards - Anything Goes

The next one is this lovely slapstick stamp Penny Black 40-020 fly away, I think he's just adorable. I coloured with Copics and matted using one of the new Nesite shapes labels 17, I just love the shape of this ones. The DP is October Afternoon and the sentiment the first line of Penny Black 4075F. I cut the stars on Cricut assent essentials, added some rik rak and gens to embellish. This card is for the following challenges:

Simon Says - Sketch
Cupcake - Transport (the plane ?)
My Time to Craft - Kids at Play

My final card today is my favourite Autumnal colours. I created a background using Tim Holtz barn door, rusty hinge and frayed burlap. I overstamped with Hero Arts H2365 old French writing, then Hero S5449 fabulous flourish using versafine sepia. The mats are cut on Nesties and the leaves are X Cut punches which also emboss the leaves making them really come to life when you ink over them. The corners are punched with Martha Stewart double loop and finally I added some lace across the middle and raffia round the stamped image. This card is for the following challenges:

Crafty Creations - Falling Leaves
Creative Inspiration - 2 or More Stamps
Dutch Dare - Birthday Bash

Tuesday 21 September 2010

A real mixed bag

Good Morning, how's every ones week going ?

All quiet at this end, apart from puppy mutts that is, who continue to be a source of entertainment. Whilst Lily is quiet and placid and sleeps lots, Daisy is the complete opposite.....how I would like to bottle that energy. She goes everywhere at speed, jumps four steps at a time and a tail that never stops wagging, mind you they are all keen to show their happy dispositions in that way.

Some crafty shares for some challenges, the first one above taking inspiration from this gorgeous double sided Crate Paper DP which I cut to create a chequered side panel, added some lace then stamped Penny Black 4036K poppy poem, then stamped the flower head again onto the the DP and decoupaged. A few swirls round the edge using Hero Arts H5042 leaf flourish and a chipboard swirl and dots also covered with the same DP, some liquid pearls and done. This card is for the following challenges:

Tuesday Taggers - It takes all sorts

My second card using Tim Holtz frayed burlap, scattered straw and tea dye to creat a background onto which I stamped Hero H2364 old French writing and CG185 elegant weeds, Penny Black 3878F simple scroll and 3857H footnote. I embossed with a mixture of copper, gold and white, highlighted with a white opaque pen and added a chipboard swirl and dots which I hear embossed with detail copper. This card is for the following challenges:

Spoonful of Sugar - Anything goes
Lots to Do - Monochrome

Next a very simple card using the sentiment Penny Black 4116H stamped and embossed with detail clear and overlaid with a frame cut with Nesties using K&Co DP. Some lace, ribbons, a charm and poinsettias made from punched vellum and pearl stamens. This card is for the following challenges:

Ooh la la - Sentiment as main feature
Christmas Cards - Distressed
Wild Orchid - Ribbons and bows
Lets Ink it Up - A favourite stamp and a charm

And my final card is Autumnal. I created a acetate stencil on the Cricut welding lots of leaves, then placed over a piece of cardstock and sprayed Glimmer Mist lemon zest, terracotta. red velvet and gold. The leaves are Hero Arts CL457 stamped with Tim Holtz barn door, peeled pain and wild honey, the diamond glazed. A border punched with Martha Stewart 3 dot scallop. This card is for the following challenges:

Everybody Art - Autumn
Paper Sundaes - Fall/Halloween

Monday 20 September 2010

A little candy

This is a stickly, please scroll down for any newer posts.............

As promised and because I'm not going to be about too much for a bit, here's a little candy offering which comprises: A set of three Greeting Farm Girl stamps, two Hero Arts cling stamps, a set of four Hero Arts framed sentiment stamps, a Judikins double sided bolio stamp, an EK border punch, a set of three embossing borders and some ribbons and fibres.

I will draw it on 30th September. As long as you are one of my followers you can enter and all I ask is that add your name to this post and pop the above picture with a link back here on your sidebar so as many people as possible get the chance to win. If you don't have a blog, just leave your e.mail addy in your comment.

Saturday 18 September 2010

So many punches and DT call

Good Morning peeps and before I move on, I need to remind you all that there is still time to get your name on the list if you would like to be considered for our Design Team at Penny Black at Allsorts. All the details are over on the blog, so please do pop over and join in the fun. The new Design Team members will be announced at the end of the month.

Well, it's Saturday again which means it's Allsorts new challenge time and this weeks it's the lovely Fleur's turn to set the theme which is to "Use at least three different punches" on your work.

I have used this adorable image Penny Black 49-021 for goodness sake, stamped and embossed with versaine black and detail clear and coloured with Copics plus some leaves and flowers stamped around the image. The DP is Nitwits and the border punched with Martha Stewart eyelet lace. The large flowers are punched from two Marianne stencils and the leaves a Sizzix die. This card is also for the following challenge:

Secret Crafter - Anything goes

Over to Polkadoodles now where it is my turn to host this weeks theme and as I am still ashamedly addicted to this shape I would like to see Easel Cards.

I used Fairy Flutterby Gracie and papers from All Around and Everywhere CD to make an easel card. I stamped the image twice to decoupage her and coloured with Copics. Punched borders and corner using Martha Stewart eyelet lace and flowers and leaves from stash. This card is also for the following challenge:

Daring Cardmakers - Come fly with me (fairy and butterflies)

Thursday 16 September 2010

Slow going in craftland

Good Afternoon everyone.

This enforced resting thing continues.......grief it's so alien to me, but this battered body of mine is still yelling at me "not enough energy". If I need any more convincing it takes me half a day to make a card then I'm shattered and I've not really done anything. So still not blogging and visiting folks, just the essential DT comments and that's about it which means I really, really need to say such a very special thanks to those of your that have still bothered to visit me, despite my lethargy.

A couple of cards - a couple of days worth of effort, how sad is that I ask you.......if I was teaching class at this pace they would all need to sleep over to get everything completed at this rate.


The first one is a sample for good old Stampalot......they are coming Janice, honest they are......using another of the lovely new stamps Magenta 42067M floral silhouette stamped onto a background of Glimmer Mist lemon zest and pearl and Hero Arts S3516 silhouette grass stamped with Tim Holtz scattered straw. The strip across the top is stamped with Hero CG222 music, the DP is Crate, lots of distressed edges, ribbon, buttons and beads added to embellish. This card is for the following challenges:

Crafts and Me - Easel card
ABC - Distressing
Flutterby Wednesdays - Wings and buttons
Cute Card Thursday - Tweet and Flutter
Paper Sundaes - At least three embellishments


My second card used lots of Art Impression stamps, a background brayered with Big and Juicy waterfall and a masked crescent moon.......I thought it was time for a deviation from a full moon ! Some DP from stash, punched leaves, lots of glitter on the trees and snow and a rather soggy flower which got 'Daisy'd'......she's so helpful in the crafting department. So it's a bit flatter than when it started life, but with some glitter it looks OK'ish. This card is for the following challenges:

Christmas Cards - Christmas trees (mine are still growing)
Glitterbabes - Anything goes
For fun Challenges - Glitter it up

Tuesday 14 September 2010

All about Autumn and puppy picture

Hello Peeps, just a quick post to let you know I'm still about and a picture of Buffy and Daisy who is now twelve weeks old and the most hyperactive puppy I have even come across, but absolutely adorable of course. One day I might even get all six of them in one place at one time for a canine family portrait.

Due to this enforced crafting lay off, a share of a card I did a month or two back for Stampalot samples, but not yet blogged so I thought I would use it for a few challenges.

The card above is using good old favourite.......are you ready for it......Stampendous P107 Agapanthus cluster along with Hero Arts S5316 silhouette grass, F5042 leaf flourish and G3316 harlequin. All stamped with versafine sepia onto a background created with Tim Holtz mustard seed and wild honey. I distressed the edges and embossed with detail gold. The sentiment is Hero CG189 which I cut into pieces after stamping. I made the rose from grunge paper stamping with the same swirl stamp and colouring with the TH inks. This is for the following challenges:

The Stampman - Distressed
Creative Card Crew - Autumn/Fall Colours
Spoonful of Sugar - Fall into Autumn Colours

My second card is a really quick and simple one following the Midnight Madness sketch this week. The DP is Crate Paper which I also used to make a rather full flower using my Tattered Floral Die. A border using Martha Stewart floral vine and Sizzix swirls. The sentiment is Penny Black 4075F which I think is a lovely verse with so many applications and to finish a generous helping of gems or should I say diamonds ? This card is for the following challenges:

By the Cute and Girly - Indian Summer
Tuesday Taggers - Diamonds are Forever (memo to Tagger girls, have to say this is an awesome theme, very imaginative indeed)

Saturday 11 September 2010

Magenta 2010 new releases and challenges


Good Morning everyone, firstly thanks to all of you for your kind messages about my health and entering my candy at the top of my blog.

I have been very good this week, followed doctors orders, had lots of rest and this is my first posting for days. But beings it it, I need to make the most of it and it's a bit of a long one so you might want to grab a coffee, a bar of Cadburys or even better both !

I have been doing a bit of crafty dabbling, just the odd hour indulging in some of the new Magenta stamp releases which landed on my doormat from Sir Stampalot this week. They have the stamps on line and ready to buy and there are some gorgeous ones, a mix of Christmas and others, so do take a look and there a few samples below.

As it's Saturday it's time for a new challenge at Allsorts and this week it's yours truly's turn to set the theme and I am going very seasonal with the theme "Colours of Autumn". And as I love working with the rich Autumnal colours, two DT cards from me this week.

For the first card above I have used one of the new stamps from Penny Black 40-037 autumnal gifts, I have probably said this before, but this stamp totally sums up this time of year to me and the Harvest Festival celebrations that will be happening in Churches everywhere. And perfect for a man as well, my Dad who was a farmer would have adored this image, so this is for you Dad.

I stamped the image onto ivory linen cardstock using versfine sepia and embossed with detail clear before colouring in with Copics. I used the top element of the stamp to add corn to the corner's of the card. I have no idea of the name of this shape of card, but it is so easy to make using just a scoreboard and Nesties and quite effective I think. Finally, I punched some leaves with the lovely new Xcut punches which also emboss the leaves so you can highlight with inks, I used a selection of brilliance. This card is also for the following challenge:


My second card used the clever stamp set from Lavinina where you stamp first with the solid leaf shape then overstamped with the skeleton. I used Tim Holtx frayed burlap and rusty hinge. I then covered the leaves with Diamond Glaze, allowed to dry, then inked the whole piece, which is cut from Nesties, using TH sage, wild honey and barn door. I then overstamped the whole piece with Hero Arts H2365 old French writing, rubbing up the leaves afterwards to remove any ink. The leave have a lovey raised sheen, but it difficult to pick this up on a picture. Finally I tied some cord and added buttons and mounted onto a piece of Kaiser DP. This card is also for the following challenges:

Fab and Funky - Whatever
Raise the Bar - Orange, brown, green
Paper Play - Autumn is a coming

Next my card for this weeks challenge over at Polkadoodles where the boss Nikky is in charge again and has given us a sketch with a recipe and hidden twist.

I turned the sketch sideways and created a flap at the side with a greeting beneath using a Fairy Flutterby stamp. The paper is all from Paper Boutique and the flower made from the same papers using the Tim Holtz tattered floral die.

Now a couple of cards using the new Magenta stamps I mentioned above. The first one is a Christmas stamp Magenta 43032L Seasons Greeting which I think has a real Victoriana feel to it. A bit unusual having a rose on a Christmas Card, but perhaps it's a Christmas rose ! I stamped it with stayzon sepia and coloured with Aquamarkers. I stamped Hero Arts CO222 Music Background on the actual card using Tim Holtz frayed burlap. The DP is from stash and punched with Martha Stewart cornice border.......a little indulgence I could not resist, it's so elegant and I think goes with the theme of the image wonderfully. This card is for the following challenge:

Simon Says - Holiday Fun

My final card is using Megenta 95276N Field of Poppies.....I have always loved poppies so this was was a must have. I created a background with TH distress inks and water, then stamped the image with versafine black and embossed with detail clear. I added extra colour to some of the poppies with Copics then covered them with Diamond Glaze. The DP is Daisy bucket, I used the same MS punch as he card above and made a flower with my Tattered Flowal die.

Tuesday 7 September 2010

Rhett and Scarlett

Hello, how is everyone today ?

Thank you to the kind peeps who have left messages and mailed over the last few weeks to ask how I am doing. I know I'm still more than a tad slow on the blogging and posting, but seems to be taking forever to get my energy levels restored and not helped by the infection playing havoc with my blood sugars which are on a roller coaster and my diabetes right out of control.

So peeps what I am saying is that I have thought long and hard about it and somethings got to give until I feel back to some semblance of normality healthwise. This means I need to prioritise for a week or two and I am going to concentrate on the essentials of looking after my DT commitments and only do what and when I can on my own blog. I'm not saying I won't be posting or blogging at all but it might be intermittent.

The support I receive from everyone in blogland is appreciated so much and I am going to post a little candy later just to show I do still love you all, even if I am non too active at the moment.

Meanwhile I do have some work to share which I have had prepared and which fits a few challenges.

I feel quite nostalgic with this first share, must be my low mood I think. It's a card I made a few weeks back based on a very similar one I did last year, I have make a few variations but used the same colours as they work so well and of course emulate those of the room where 'the kiss' took place. I am taking of course about Rhett and Scarlett from my all time favourite book and movie Gone With the Wind.

The image is one purchased in the States and has been simply stamped in black stayzon onto white cardstock and a touch of green watercolour added to the curtains. I used My Minds Eye DP, made some roses from the same DP and added a Sizzix swirl and some lace. The sentiment is an unmounted one and I really have no idea where it came from, but it's definitely associated with the movie and exactly what Rhett said to Scarlett. This card is for the following challenges:

Cupcake - Books and Stories
Everybody Art - Handmade Flowers

The second is a tag created using the distress technique I had on a card last week using acrylic paints. I stamped with Hero Arts S5449 Fabulous Flourish using versamark and embossed with JudiKins malachite embossing powder. I stamped round the edges with Hero H50432 leaf flourish and embossed with detail gold and distressed the edges and again embossed with gold. I added lace to one edge and some ribbon and Swarovski crystals. The flower was made using a Cuttlebug cut and emboss set and the flower my TH tattered floral die, both using My Minds Eye DP. This is for the following challenges:

Lets Ink it Up - Tag with a Vintage feel
Stamptacular Sunday - Distress it

Saturday 4 September 2010

Peaches and Cream

Happy Saturday everyone, hope you are all ready for a new challenge at Allsorts where Debs has set us the theme of "New Beginnings".

You certainly embraced Helene's Garden Inspiration theme last week, what a huge number of you entered and with such fabulous work which were all a real joy to look at.

Before I move on to my card, just a quick reminder that we have a brand new challenge for the month of September over at our sister challenge Penny Black at Allsorts where we are still looking for new DT memebrs. The theme is Punch Away, so please do pop over and join in the fun and as usual there are four awesome prizes to be won courtesy of our sponsor Penny Black.

I have gone with a very simple wedding card using this lovely sentiment from Art Impression J3398 as the focal point of the card. I matted it using Nesties taking the colour from the peaches and cream Magnolia DP. The flowers are also Magnolia and a simple bow and border using Martha Stewart embossed hearts punch.


A couple of weeks ago I bought the Tattered Floral die and have yet to use it, so I decided it was time to give it an airing. The main image of my card is Penny Black 3630K Sweet Pleasure stamped with Versafine inperial purple onto a background created with Tim Holtz dusky concorde and tea dye, blended with Glimmer Mist spring violet and pearl and overstamped with Hero Arts K5048b Friendship Writing. The DP is Daisy Bucket, lace, pearls, a stick pin and a sizzix swirl. The flower is made with the same DP and spritzed with the same GM's. This card is for the following challenges:

Lots to Do - Butterflies/Insects
Penny Black Saturday - Purple, Cream and Brown.
Stamping for the Weekend - Shabby/Vintage
Raise the Bar - URL Looking Good - card based on your own blog so flowers and butterflies

Thursday 2 September 2010

A green one, a purple one




Good afternoon peeps, a bit of a later post that I've been planning all day. But I did want to share with you that Theresa from Crafts and Me has spotlighted me on her blog again with the cards coming up further down this post. If you've never visited her store where have you been ? As well as all sorts of craftiness, she sells those gorgeous Sweet Pea stamps as well as several brands that are hard to find here in the UK, as well as her own label stamps of the most divine fairy images.....what better for people like me who live in a total fantasy world.

So the delays in posting........a very thoughtful gift from my hubby of Photoshop Elements which he thought would help me editing my photos.......jury's still out on that one because four hours on and I'm ready to throw it out the window. I'm sure it's a great piece of software, but for the less than technical mined more of a nightmare. So perseverance I think..............

My card, well two of them actually following the same sketch but I could not decide on a colour so did two. The image is Crafts and Me Eternity by Molly Harrison. Isn't she just adorable ? For both cards I brayered a background with Big and Juicy hydrangea and soothing sunset masking a moon....you all know I love my moons. I used the same ink pads to colour the images and glittered the wings of both with crystal ultra fine glitter.

The border on the green version.....my favourite I think.......is Martha Stewart eyelet lace and on the purple floral vine. The green DP is Magnolia and the purple DP Doodlebug. Flowers gems and pearls to embellish. These cards are for the following challenges:

Crafts and Me - Gems and Sparkles
ABC - C for Charm (dragonfly)
Fab 'n' Funky - Material Girl (lace)
Cute Card Thursday - same as above
Simon Says - Pearls and Lace
Creative Cottage - Celebrations
Lots to Do - Fairies and Angels

A another quick card as a certain person.....she knows who she is........made me feel so guilty that I could not find a house to share for this weeks Tuesday Taggers theme "Our house is a nice house ours is", so this one is just for you girls. The row of houses....yes at Christmas........are all in the new set from Hero Arts CL464 which I stamped simply onto some patterned Kaiser DP and added a little red Copics here and there and a bit of glitter. The birds are Penny Black 3937H birds on a wire.

Wednesday 1 September 2010

Cute and Distressed

It's the first of the month so that can only mean one thing and that's there are brand new themes at Stampalot and Penny Black at Allsorts Challenges. And this month I managed to get my hat on straight and come up with a bit of variation, heavens only know what I was thinking about last month with bling at glitter for both.

Plus I have some challenge cards as well, so a bit of a long post.

The card above is for the theme of "Punch Away" for Penny Black at Allsorts and uses on of the pre release stamps I was oh so lucky to receive for samples and isn't she just so cute......I know I don't do cute, but these Penny Black images are cute with a difference and I just adore them.

The image is Penny Black 40-038 Kindness stamped with versafine back, embossed with detail clear, then masked to stamp the Magnolia gate then all coloured with Copics and snow glitter added. The DP is Nitwits which I also used this to make the three roses using a 1" six petal punch, The border punch is Martha Stewart embossed scallop.
My second card is for this months Stampalot Challenge

where the theme is "All Distressed". I like nothing better that getting down and messy and I loved making this one. The technique is a bit involved using mount board, paints and lots of other mediums to created the peeled paint effect and I am in the process of preparing a tutorial for the technique.....watch this space !

The main image is Penny Black 3817K Tigress which was stamped onto the finished piece with versafine black and embossed with detail clear and coloured in with a mixture of Tim Holtz inks and Copics. The border of the card is stamped with Hero Arts G2678 Art using a mixture of Brilliance gold and TH stormy sky. The border is punched with Martha Stewart double loop and some of the lovely lace I found in Spain tied across the centre.

The next card above is using good old favourite Stampendous P107 agapanthis cluster along with Hero Arts S5316 silhuette grass and Penny Black 3355K iris, all stamped with Tim Holtz dusky concorede onto a backgroud of brilliance lilac and purple adn spritzed with Glimmer Mist fully purple. DP from stash adn swirl and circles cut with Nesties. This card is for the following challenges:

My Time to Craft - In the Garden
Papertake Weekly - Just the one (I went for the one colour option)
Whoopsidaisy - Pile on the flowers


My final card uses another gorgeous stamp from Sweet Pea fly butterfly coloured with copics and liberally glittered. The DP is Kaiser, the flowers and crystal leaves Magenta and some punched butterflies to finish. This card is for the following challenges:

Scrapbook Sisters cards - Pink and Black (after a nudge from Julie !")
Stamptacular Sunday - Pretty in Pink
Sweet Pea - Flowers
Crafty Cardmakers - Glitter and Sparkle
Craft your Passion - Pink and Black
Ooh la la - Elegant Ladies