A very good morning to everyone, hope you are having a good weekend.

Thought I would do a swift post before I head to the kitchen to carry on preparing for the family invasion. Some arrived yesterday and slept over so we presently have eight dogs scattered throughout the house and when I looked out just now there was a horse tacked up standing on the patio with a head through the conservatory door, so all as normal here in Fantasy Land.

I had planned a barbie, but it actually seems as thought we are going to have some rain today, so opted for safety and have an Italian hunters stew simmering away, a mega sized chicken ready to hit the oven and veggie lasagna half prepared so all should be well fed.

The card at the top of my post is one of my Stamp Addicts samples using the Children at Play set which were featured on Create and Craft Thursday. Stamped with Brilliance ink over a background stamped with Hero H2365. And and the one just above is a Stampalot sample using about eight different Art Impression stamps over a brayered and sponged background where I used the good old Speedball and Adirondack dye inks.

Blog girl classes and get togethers

Hello peeps, just a quick post about our Blog Girl days which you may have read about. They are held at Sir Stampalot in Peterborough where we take over the classroom and do an awful lot of chatting, laughing and eating and even manage a bit of crafting as well..............and of course the essential crafty shopping.

Such is their popularity that Janice is currently holding three dates as my list keeps growing, so I thought it a good idea to check if there is anyone else lurking out there who wants in ?

The provisional dates are 20th and 21st August and 17th September and if you are interested in attending please mail me brenda@ibas.co.uk a.s.a.p. as I am close to finalising numbers and dates..............these classes are not advertised on the Stampalot class schedule.

Everything crafty is provided to create the projects of the day, all you need to bring along is your personal craft essential tools, a little something for the buffet lunch table and most importantly yourself.

Over the last eighteen month these classes have been tremendous fun and it has been wonderful to meet so many blog buddies who have travelled from all over the UK to attend and I am looking forward to meeting even more of you who have already added their names to my list.

Things with Wings

Happy Saturday peeps, here we are with yet another Bank Holiday to contend with, life can be tough.............mind you, after the week we have all had with Blogger, we need a break.

My teamie Fleur is hosting this weeks challenge 'Things with Wings' at Allsorts, but first I want to thank everyone who took part in our Birthday celebrations last week. It was great fun and the winners are all listed on the challenge blog, so do go check to see if you were one of the lucky ones..........

Can I also say a quick thank you to they guys from Sir Stampalot for featuring four of my pieces of work using Hero Arts products in the June edition of Craft Stamper.

My DT card for this week uses one of the gorgeous stamps from Crafts and Me, she's a real little minx and I just love her in these colours. She was coloured with Copics and mounted onto a frame created with MS round the page vintage lace which I distressed with TH black soot. I added some flowers, gems and a feather to embellish plus the obligatory glitter here and there.

Whatever you have planned, enjoy the weekend.

More frilly knickers

Added 17.17 pm 24/5/11 - Is anyone else having problems commenting on Blogger ? I can get to look at blogs via Internet Express, I can do a new post, but as soon as I try and comment it asks me to sign in, I do so and it goes through the same process time and again and never lots me it. I can get in through Chrome, but even that will only let me make a comment on a single blog, then shuts me out. Totally crazy, please tell me I'm not alone with this one ?

Morning peeps, back from Edinburgh and time to share a few more samples I made for Stamp Addicts programme on Create and Craft TV on 26th May (my post of 18th May explains the title of this post).

I managed to squeeze in a bit of brayering with the card at the top which uses my favourite image from the Courting Couples set and thought it was only fitting that I included some black lace.

The stamp on the middle card is also from the Courting Couple set.

And this one is a stamp from the Playful Girls sets with a bit of resist stamping and Big and Juicy Happy Birthday.

Happy Birthday Allsorts

It's our second Birthday at Allsorts, it's almost impossible to believe as the time seems to have Flown by so quickly. The challenge has become such a success and that has only been made possible because of all you lovely peeps who join us every week.

So as you have probably guessed, we have a Blog Hop for you. All the details are on the challenge blog here so please do pop over and join in the Fun.

And it is also my turn to host the theme this week and I have some photo inspiration For you above. My take on it has been created with a stamp set from Joanna Sheen, with some masking, decoupaging and colouring with Aquamerkers.

My letter clue is hidden in this post, well not too hidden I hope. You should have arrived here From Fleur's blog and next you move on to Helene's blog. Happy hunting.

And here's what on oFfer for the lucky winner Mr Random org., selects from those who leave a comment on this post between now and 6pm Friday 27th May.

I will be back from Edinburgh Monday evening and will catch up with you all again then.

Animal Spirit amazing stamps

Hiyya Peeps, I've got some Stampalot samples again but something a bit different card wise using some stamps with absolutely amazing artwork. They are called Animal Spirit designed by Sue Coccia for Earth Art International and you can find them here.

I also need to let you know that the long awaited re-stocks of TH tattered floral have landed and you will find them here and also the new Tilda Sweet Rainbow range are presently being uploaded.

This picture is a close up of just one element within the swan stamp so you can appreciate the incredible detail within each one. I stamped with versfaine black and embossed with detail clear and then coloured with Copics. The DP is from the new Bo Bunny range. I am still very much at the experimental stage trying to decided which elements need picking out to give best effect.

Also a reminder to you all that Saturday is Allsorts second Birthday and we have some special celebrations and prizes to share. Now I know this is totally bad timing on my part as it's my turn to host the challenge and I am in Edinburgh for a long weekend as three of the children are running the marathon.....well should be lurking injuries allowing.
So I have scheduled all the posts and am keeping everything crossed that Blogger's in a good mood and does not throw a hissy fit like last weekend.

The butterfly stamps from the same Animal Spirit range, stamped and coloured in exactly the same way as my top card, but this time I added two coats of UTEE after colouring and it worked beautifully.

Sneak peeks of Frilly Knickers

Good Morning peeps, hope everyone is OK.

A couple of shares of samples and a heads up about the new Stamp Addicts programme on Create and Craft TV on 26th May.

The stamps sheets sold under Stamp Addicts own name are just Divine and will be available to buy on their website from this weekend. I love working with silhouette stamps so these played right into my inky mitts.

The two cards here are from Gone Fishin' and Courting Couples........but the second will stay in my mind as Frilly Knickers as Sarah tells me that is what she called them before they were officially named.

The first card is done simply in back and white to show the lovely detail of the stamp and for the second one I managed just a little brayering before I got withdrawal symptoms.........you were spot on there Tracy !

Who's having a picnic ?

Note added Sunday 15th: Sorry this one is delayed, it was sceduled a while back but clearly Mr Blogger had other ideas yesterday when it should have posted. I didn't check as I normally would as I was being very strict with myself yesterday spending my time working on new sample for Stamp Addicts next programme on 26th.........advance notice, they are Devine stamps.

Only I could make this mistake and come up with the card below for Debs Allsorts theme of Teddy Bears Picnic.

As it was I went into panic mode as I have so few cute type images and almost non existent on the Teddy front. Then I remembered Penny Black 40-046 Hedgies Birthday, perfect I though as they are having a picnic. Spot the problem ? Well I didn't until I had almost finished my card.

So I think it's a bit of a compromise, a hedgies picnic and a teddy sitting in the meadow and he is Penny Black 4054K. Both cards were coloured with Aquamarkers and a bit of decoupaging. DP on the top one is Crate Paper and the other offcuts from stash.

Sunset in the Fens

Good Afternoon peeps.

Is Blogger having a hissy fit this week or what and I know I am not alone, dashboards missing, comments being eaten and so it goes on, a real pain in the derriere.

Just a few more Stampalot samples to share, hope nobody minds that the content of my posts are still short, but the improvement with the eyes remains slow, so it's still a step at a time as far as the love affair with the computer goes.

The card above is masked and brayered with Adirondack sunset yellow and orange, some shading across the bottom and then stamped with Hero Arts S5316. I just love the vivid colours and reminds me of sunset here in the Fens at harvest time.

Here I did some masking round the edges, shaded with TH antique linen, then stamped with Hero Arts music background and next Penny Black 3239K using TH barn door and embossed with detail clear. The flower was made using TH tattered floral die.

My final share is brayered with Adirondack purple and sponged with butterscotch. The sentiment is Penny Black 3195H and the cherry blossom is a Sheen Douglas stamp.

New Penny Black and more

Good Afternoon everyone, hope you all had a good and crafty weekend. The weather was a bit windy here, still pretty warm and a bit of rain but not enough to keep hubby happy and the pending hay harvest is looking pretty dismal.

As usual a few shares of samples I have been making for Sir Stampalot using a selection of new stamps from Penny Black, Le Blanch and a selection of old favourite Art Impression ones.

My top card was masked then brayered with Adirkondack dye inks, a whole array of Art Impression stamps, then sponged to add definition to the hills and stream......which hubby said looked like a road ! Does it ?

New from Penny Black 4141K and oldie 2410K, TH distress inks rusty hinge and stormy sky and the flowers decoupaged with MME DP.

Another newbie slapstick from Penny Black 40-056, Magnolia fence masked to extend it and all coloured with Aquamarkers.

And finally, a set of two floral border from La Blanche. I masked the base card, stamped with Hero chalk ink cerulean and sponged the edges. The panel is stamped with versamark, embossed with detail clear and brayered with the same ink - an exception to the rule as I used a matt cardstock. The greeting is by Darkroom Door. UPDATE - I've lost the plot, I uploaded the wrong card, this one is Hero Arts elegant weeds !!.

Gypsy memories

Saturday means we have a new challenge for you at Allsorts and this week Helene has called the theme "Stamp alot" - use at least three stamps, how very clever of her as this months Guest desinger is Sir Stampalot.

I also need to let you know that our sister challenge Penny Black at Allsorts has a DT call going this month along with the theme 'Shape Up', so those interested in applying need to pop over and join in.

My post is a bit picture heavy I am afraid, but a long card is so difficult to photograph so I did a few more close ups, plus one of the front cover which is a Gypsy song I found on the Internet.

This is one of the TV samples I did for a recent Stamp Addicts programme and which Nigel seemed to fall in love with which brought a little smile to my face seeing him bob It up and down on the counter several times.

I loved working with these sets and I especially love the Gypsy Caravan.....it takes me back to my childhood when every summer a Gypsy family with a caravan just like this, used to visit our village just outside Cambridge for the Summer to work on the land. One of the daughters was the same age as me and used to come the village school......that made our numbers up to 25 !! Sadly she died when she was about 12 and afterwards the family stayed very close to the village and became familiar and friendly faces.

This one certainly fits Helene's challenge as I lost count of the number of stamps at fourteen, all from the Scenic and Gypsy Caravan 1 sets. All colouring was done using Aquamarkers and I stamped onto Farbiano watercolour card.......it's expensive but so so smooth and perfect for picking up every little detail of a stamp.

Stamp Addicts meets Art Impressions and Stampscapes

Good Morning peeps, I hope you all had a good long weekend. The weather stayed kind here in the Fens, although the wind was a tad cold and this morning it was minus 2 and quite white in the shade.

I fancied a bit of brayering........just for a change I hear you say and thought I would combine some of the Stamp Addicts scenic stamps with Stampscapes ones along with Art Impression just to prove their versatility. As usual Adirondack inks, speedball brayer and I kept them both quite simple just matting and layering to set off the scenes I created.

Things are still slow going on the computer front with the dodgy eyes and balance, but bit by bit I am getting a bit of blogging done and really appreciate your patience with my slow progress.

Floral and Fantasy

Seems I just can't help myself when it comes to choosing themes, at Stampalot Challenge this month we would like to see 'Magical Worlds' and at Penny Black at Allsorts 'Shape Up' anything but square or rectangle.......I know I didn't have to go floral with that one, but somehow that's what I ended up with, so no surprises really.

My Stampalot fairy scene started by using a mask to create an oval then some brayering using the good old Speedball and Adirondack dye inks and stamping with a mixture of Artstamps (castle) Personal Impressions (large fairy and toadstools) and tiny Lavinia fairies.

I used Grand nesties one to create the actual card for my Penny Black make, distressed a piece of Fabrianao watercolour card with TH spun sugar and peeled paint to match the pretty Kaiser DP, then stamped randomly with a number of different Penny Black stamps. The swirls were cut with a Marianne die and punched flowers dotted about, a butterfly and some stickles and glitter.