In Bloom

Don't the weeks fly round, it's Saturday again before I know it and a new challenge at Allsorts where Helen would like to see flowers on our work for her 'In Bloom' theme. Right up my street Helen.

My card is something I made when I was bored one Sunday and I had the urge to make lots of flowers.........as you do. So basically that's exactly what I did using various dies, coloured papers and distress ink to shade the edges, a little bit of quilling...........which I might add is definitely not something I do very often, but I thought it lent itself to the stems rather than more die cut leaves.

I added some pearls here and there and built up the picture onto some neutral coloured DP layered onto the base card.

Have a super weekend everyone.

Christmas come early at Stamp Addicts

Stamp Addicts are getting the DT well ahead for Christmas and will be showcasing their new Christmas stamps in Create and Craft TV on Monday 2nd July at 2pm and 7pm. 

But before I tell you about my card, I would like to says a great big thank you to everyone for the birthday cards, wishes and gifts I received yesterday. It's a bit of a manic week, hubbys birthday was Tuesday mine yesterday as well as Zacharys 18th, then one of our granddaughters tomorrow, so the weekend is going to be a bit of a celebratory one. I just hope the weather holds out.

Now for the new stamps and I am really liking the Twelve Days of Christmas stamp sheets and was happily working away with them until my little back issue last Friday...............which does seem to be on the mend thank goodness.................put paid to any crafting for a few days. So it meant I've not made as many samples as I would like, but who knows the stamps may come back at a later programme and I can get some more made.

Here are just a few of the samples I made for the programmes, the one at the top uses all twelve of the stamps. I wanted to use them all together so made this Christmas wall hanging stamping all twelve images onto Fabriano watercolour card, which I first inked with distress inks and then embossed the Judikins garnet embossing powder. The frame was cut on the Cricut using Design Studio to weld the squares onto the frame. The scallop borders were cut with Nesties.

This one is not traditionally Christmas in colour, but again I wanted to incorporate as many of the stamps as possible. Another background inked with distress inks and spritzed with Glimmer Mist, then sections randomly created using a ruler and black distress marker and then embossed with detail clear powder. I masked each section with post it notes as I worked across the piece stamping into each section.

The concertina card used several of the stamps from the Mr and Mrs Christmas and Reindeer sets and I did some paper piecing to carry the colours along with water colouring.

My last share for today uses just one of the twelve days of Christmas set with the matching sentiment and has been coloured with Copics.

Butterflies and birds

Morning Peeps, dare I say it looks just a tad like summer out there this morning, well at least it's not raining and there is a distinct hint of sun behind the clouds.

Not too much to share that's new, so a few samples I made before our vacation as I am busily beavering away with samples for next Monday's Stamp Addicts Create and Craft TV shows...................Monday 2nd July at 2pm and 7pm and I can tell you we are in early Christmas mode and will share some later this week.

Meanwhile some brayering and inky indulgence with some wings thrown in for good measure, samples for Sir Stampalot, basically different colour takes on similar themes I've done before. I'm still totally smitten with the TH birdcage and Papillion stamp set.................does it show just a little ? And now I have the bird on branch as well, you will get a look at what I've done with that on Sunday when Penny Black, Stampalot and Craft a Scene go live with our July challenges.

Lots of distressing on the top one, Frantage embossing powder and distress inks and on the fairy one, a masked moon and sponged sun rays and hills and the lovely Go Create arch die. List of ingredients below.

Have a lovely day everyone and as always thanks so much for popping by, I am always really appreciative of your visits.

A bit of sand and water

Hello Peeps, it's time for me to share my very first DT piece for Craft a Scene challenge. Although the new challenges goes live on the first Sunday of the month, I was still on my hols when this months challenge started and didn't even know I was part of the team at that point. But as the Design Team take it in turns to share a second piece on Sunday's following the months theme I have been able to join in this week. 

The June them is 'A bit of sand and water', I think my card is more water than sand, but with artistic licence I am confident there is sand down the rocky bank on the left of the picture ! I used one of my favourite techniques, reverse masking to ink and stamp through the oval aperture using Adirondack due inks and a mixture of stamps (thumbnail links below). I brayered a second piece of gloss cardstock with the same inks as a base for the sentiment and to carry the colour theme. The sentiment is a wood mounted from Printworks which came from Stamp Addicts but I am unable to locate it to add the link, but I'm sure if you give them a call they can advise you if it's still available.

I am sorry I have not got round to visit for a few days, this back but paid to spending too long sitting, but I think the 'fire and ice' regime is working and it seems to be easing a bit, so hopefully I will be back to normal soon. Meanwhile thanks so much for taking a peek, I so appreciate your visits and kind messages and how  understanding you all are when I'm not as speedy as I would like.

I really hope you will join in with this months challenge and get those inks flowing.

I am entering this card into:

Pan Pastels - Anything Goes
Gingerloft - Red white and blue

All the best laid plans.............

What do they say about all the best laid plans ? I had my weekend all planned out, a crafty get together with a friend, some essential crafty shopping at Stampalot and then lunch, but my back put paid to all of that. All I did was go get an acrylic block out of a drawer, then an almighty click and a pain from one side to the other and now I am on the ice and heat regime yet again. I am so hoping it's just a pulled muscle and will ease quickly...................but the reality of my body means it may not me that simple, time will tell.

Anyhow, it's Saturday morning again and it's Jo turn to host the theme at Allsorts and she says "Any Die will Do" this week. I know Jo loves her dies and I am rather fond of using them as well so I really enjoyed making this one.

Lilac and green are a colour combo I love..........if I'm honest I love lots of colour combos, but I always thing these two colours are made for each other.

All the 'ingredients are listed below, but basically I cut the different elements from the Spellbinders set and matted them up...............no stamping again, odd for me I know............and created a background by inking a mask with versafine, running it through the CG with the ink side up against a piece of cardstock, removed the mask and dusted cosmic shimmer so it adhered to the inked negative sections. Made two roses from organza ribbon and threaded some co-ordinating beads onto a stick pin.

I hope you will be able to join in our challenge this week. Have a lovely weekend and thank you so much for visiting me.

A Passion for Flowers

Afternoon Peeps, what happened to the sun, it's been raining think the clappers here in the Fens since the early hours ? And  looking at the long range forecast it's not going to get much for before the end of the month, so basically typical Wimbledon weather.

I am pleased to report that Poppy is progressing well, she's still a hop along pup and acquired a lovely side kick with her poorly back leg as she darts about full of energy and despite her size thinks she is equally as big as the Labs and St Bernard.

Nothing new to share, so I am showing a few of the samples I made a while back for Ruth at A Passion for Stamps. All are paper pieced using a selection of her lovely floral images, it's the prefect way to use up scraps of DP.

I used various Nesties to create the mats and frames, some embossing along with offcuts of ribbons plus gems to embellish.

Have a good Thursday everyone and hope you weathers not as dismal as ours.

Puppies and horses just don't mix..............

Morning (edited Monday evening to say it was when I started this post !) everyone, it seems like it's going to be one of those weeks, poor little Poppy was settling in so well until she decided horses looked like a good option for playtime. On a routine 'loo' trip Sunday morning she took off like grease lightening, across the garden through the electric fence, across one paddock, past placid Ben who just watched her and into Heskeys paddock.

Bad move, he's got some Arab in him and dances like a prima ballerina as a normality and as at least two cockerels have discovered to their peril, he hates anything round his feet. One massive yelp and we really feared the worse, but she is one lucky pup. Sunday afternoon was spent at the vets and again yesterday for more checks and they confirmed nothing broken just cuts and bruises, something of a miracle when you consider her size against Heskey. So lots of cuddles as she is feeling pretty sorry for herself, but things could have been far, far worse.

Needless to say no crafting happening here, so my share is one I made a few weeks ago with some basic inking and masking, Art Impression and Lavinia stamps and Adirondack Ink. We have so many rabbits jumping about in the fields the last few weeks which inspired this card.........artistic licence with the sun as that's still is short supply here in the UK.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:

Pans Pastels - Summertime

Simon Say's - A bit of brown

Thanks for popping in, I am doing my best to get round all my blog buddies, but it's taking time with the poorly furry bundle to look after.

Meet Poppy, the latest addition to the family

Morning Peeps, it's Nicolas turn to host this weeks theme at Allsorts and she would like us to do some 'Paper Piecing', so one I have really enjoyed doing. But before I move on to that, I would like to introduce you to Poppy, the latest additional to our four legged family. 

She is a ten week old rough coated Parson Jack Russell and the children's surprise Fathers Day present for hubby and my was he surprised when she arrived last evening. Luckily I was already in on the secret and have been covertly collecting things ready for her arrival all week.

She seems to have settled in as if she had been here for weeks and was soon comfortably asleep on Dad's lap after an hour or so's rough and tumble with Pixie who is now six months, whilst the more mature watched on in resigned acceptance that the family has grown again.

It seems to be taking forever to get back into the crafty and blogging mode, holidays are great but I always seem to take ages to get my train of crafty though moving again, so I am hoping this weekend I can buckle down and get those juices flowing again and actually make a card.

As Ruth from A Passion for Stamps is our sponsor this week, my card is a double DT piece using her lovely Orchid image which I have paper pieced with some Bo Bunny DP's. The spotty background was created using a mask which I inked with versafine before running it through the GC, then brushing with perfect pearls which stick to the inked sections and the spots create a resist. Some swirls, flowers and pins and finito.

I would like to enter this card in to the following challenge:

Pretty Little Ribbons - Lots of Layers

Finding her way around

Playtime with Pixie

Happy weekend to you all.

Cottage garden flowers

Good afternoon Peeps, not a hint of anything crafty still, but I did find time to take a few photos of some of the glorious flowers that sprung into bloom whilst we were away.

I never make any secret of my love of Digitalis, so of course I had to share some of those beautiful blooms, some of which are almost six foot high, so clearly all the rain has helped them no end. I am hoping those I plated on Dad's woodland spot are doing as well, I hope to check them out this weekend.

And one of the new varieties of double Delphiniums, so beautiful

Hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I do.

I am just about unpacked and sorted, back at the office and hopefully tonight will get round to visit some of you and see what everyone is up to.

Winners and holiday pics

Hello Peeps, I'm back to haunt you all again !!

I'm feeling really refreshed after a totally fabby time away, lots of sunshine........and plenty of glasses of  bubbles............but a total culture shock to come from 41deg Monday to 10deg back here in the UK yesterday, but all good things must come to an end and reality kicks back in. No crafting as yet, but some candy and challenge winners and a little surprise to share, plus a few pictures from some of the places we visited.....................

Olympia, Katakolon.............. we were struck by the sheer beauty of the 45 acre site set amongst hundreds of olive trees and despite hoards of visitors roaming the ruins  it retained an air of total peace and tranquilly. The site dates back to 776BC and although there is ongoing restoration works, much of it remains as it fell following the earthquake in the early 4th century AD.

This is the very modest spot where the Olympic flame is lit and starts it's long journey every four years to the host Country of Olympic Games...........we felt very humbled to stand in this historic place knowing the flame is currently on it's journey around the UK.

The Basilica di Santa Croco in Florence....................totally stunning and the largest Franciscan Church is the world and has sixteen chapels. Building of the beautiful building started in 1294 to replace the older ruined building taking may years to complete and was eventually consecrated in 1442 by Pope Eugene IV

The Acropolis - Athens, one of the lower sites of the archaeological site currently under repair and right at the top you can see the Parthenon

The Parthenon, at the summit is the Temple dedicated to the Goddess Athena...............the steps up the Temple were beyond me so the picture is borrowed, but even from the lower slope it was a magnificent sight 

The beautiful Greek island of Mykonos taken from the tender as we approached the pretty fishing village. Mykonos is part of the islands known as the Cyclades and is famous for it's white houses scattered across the  hillsides.

And I had to share a little but of Venice, I never tire of it's beauty........this is the view of St Marco as we sailed in via the Grand Canal

Rialto Bridge, hard to think it was only the day before yesterday we sat eating lunch alongside the Grand Canal at the restaurant which you can see just to the left of the green covered water taxi stop by the bridge.

Finally a little bit of edible art, one of the clever arrangements of 'flowers' crafted by the chefs on board  and all from fruit and vegetables.............this one just might pop up again as the inspiration for a challenge !!

Hope you enjoyed and thanks for staying with me, now for some winners....................

Winners of my Timmy goodies is.................

Tanya

and winner of the the extra prize is.....................

Paola

Winner of the images from Ruth at a Passion for Stamps and embellies is......................

Michelle

And the winner from the prize on my stop of the Allsorts Birthday Blog Hops is.................

Pat

Congratulations to you all, please mail me brenda@ibas.co.uk with your full postal addys so I can send your prizes off to you.

And I also have a little surprise to share, one of the many mails waiting on my return was an invitation to join the DT at Craft a Scene. Lots of you know how I love creating little scenes and I can't tell you how excited I am, so a great big thank you to Nancy for your confidence in me and inviting me along. Lots of you often tell me it's a style of crating that appeals to you but you've not yet taken the plunge....................so perhaps now is the time and you will join in this super challenge.

I will be back with some crafty shares just as soon as all washing and ironing is done and I get my crafty head back in place.

Ice Cream

Good Morning to you all, I am hoping my the magic of Blogger this pops up on Saturday as I should be in Katakolon in Greece today. For our new challenge at Allsorts the lovely Emma has some photo inspiration for us in the form of 'Ice Cream Colours', so I've gone strawberry and vanilla with a bit of mint thrown in for good measure.

Before I tell you about my card a little reminder that there is still chance to be in with a chance of winning the giveaway in the picture above. All details on the post below this one.........can't leave you the link as all post the last couple of week are scheduled. 

The soft colour palette and a card that's a little bit different to my norm as it involves a cute style image and some colouring.........an almost unheard of combination from this neck of the woods I know.

My card is one of the samples I was asked to make for Stampalot using the Chateau Gate Dies and matching stamps from Heartfelt Creations (links below to make sure you identify the right set). The window I used here is a square one, so I carefully placed my die on the cardstock so I could run it through the GC twice to extend the size and create a third middle window. 

The image was stamped and coloured twice to decoupage the flowers along the bottom of the window. The background panel was created by inking a Touch of Mica mask with Versamark, running through the GC, then dusting cosmic shimmer powder after removing the mask, this gives a positive an negative finish. Finally a few gems to embellish.

Have a lovely weekend.

A little candy and Summer florals

Hello Peeps, I have some shares and a little candy for you to win so fingers crossed Mr Blogger will post this for me as requested as I should be on the island of Capri today before moving on this evening to Athens.

Since Ruth asked me to join her Passion for Stamps Design Team last Spring, I have been privileged to work with some stunning floral images all of which she draws herself and below are a selection of cards made with just a few of those images.

And as I enjoy working with them so much I am delighted to be able to offer you the opportunity to win four of her images and a few embellishments which I so love making. This is all you need to do..........................

• Leave me a comment on this or any another of my posts between now and when I return from my hols on 12th June.
• Leave Ruth a comment on her inspirational blog here. 
• And if you would like to display the above picture on the sidebar of your own blogs that would be fabulous. You can link to either this post or Ruth's blog.

I will announce the winner as soon as I can when I get home, good luck everyone and you will find all of  Ruth's images at A Passion for Stamps.

The card at the top uses the lovely Rhododendron image printed onto to some scraps of DP, decoupaged and arranged around a sentiment which I've had for years so afraid I have no idea of the make. Some ruffled ribbon and a few punched butterflies.

My second card is made with the beautiful Lily image, printed onto my favourite Farbriano watercolour card and coloured with watercolour pencils. The two little butterflies are also one of Ruth's images printed out quite small and coloured in. Die cut roses and leaves and a couple of stick pins.

The above card is again printed Fabriano, coloured with pencils and decoupaged flower heads. Next I added the sun mask, lightly brayered some Adirondack ink then sponged some rays from the sun and the same butterfly image as above. And I really should add that the idea for this card was inspired by my mate Jules after she told me her and hubby had just bought some bedding plants which included some Derby Imp fuchsia's and I immediately remembered the beautiful colours of this pretty variety and wanted to reproduce it.

And finally a bit of inking and glitter, the image was printed onto acetate and a piece of double sided adhesive sheet laid over the reverse. Next I crumpled up a piece of white tissue paper, inked it lightly with distress inks, added some glitter then stuck it to the other side of  the adhesive sheet. Finally I coloured the image through the tissue using Copics...............dependent of the ink colours used on the tissue you might need to hold it to a light or window to see the image clearly as you colour................don't be afraid of tearing the tissue, it's amazing how resilient it is.

Thank you so much for taking a look, see you all soon.