Thanks a Bunch

Our new Allsorts challenge this week will run for two weeks over the Christmas period and our Tracy back a big welcome to her.........hosting her theme of 'Thanks a Bunch'. Stamp Addicts are our sponsor with a £15 store voucher.  

Using Stamp Addicts Butterflies, flowers and Sentiment stamp

And lifted from the Chocolate Baroque Blog using Movie strip collage, Wild Meadow, Shared Beauty, Designer Papers, Floral Grunge, Tagtastic and Be Kind.

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O' Christmas Tree

Morning Peeps, time for our new Allsorts challenge, this was the theme Susan chose before taking her break so we decided to go with it at it fits nicely with the season as it is 'Christmas Trees'. Our lucky winner will receive a set of Distress Crayons. 

 

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Christmas Flowers

Time for our new challenge at Allsorts where Mervi is our host with the theme of 'Winter Flowers'. Our sponsor is Marianne Designs.

A message, written by Eddy on behalf of Brenda. As I know little about blogs (so it's a one off) Tracy despite her own problems, has stepped back and kindly been assisting me updating challenge teams and Brenda wanted me to transfer some of that to her personal blog so you understand her absence.

Although she's not had a stroke, she's suffering similar symptoms, lacking coordination, poor speech and writing functionality, unable to drive, sleeping and eating little. She's on new drugs which need careful monitoring alongside those for pre-existing conditions, by nature strong willed and impetuous (a nod and wry grin from her) she was not happy when told patience is required as it could take three months to see the benefits.

But positive as ever she tells me she wants to continue with her challenges and her teams are all very supportive and happy to cover things until her return for which I know she is grateful.

She has a habit of crafting for England when preparing for TV and Retail shows so has sufficient work prepared and posts scheduled well into 2019. It's mainly photos of her artwork and as she is not able to add content currently please accept this as an explanation for short posts in the interim.

I am permitted to add that she had used Penny Black stamps on the above work !!

 

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Poinsettias and sparkles

It's time for our new challenges at  Stamping Sensations and  Penny Black and More where our themes are 'Winter Sparkle' and 'Traditional Christmas Colours' and as always there are wonderful prizes to be won at both.

I'm rather poorly and unable to string together a meaningful sentence without help so a big thank you to Tracy for being such a good friend keeping in touch with hubby and stepping back into craft land sorting things for me despite the difficult times she and her family are going thorough.

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Fantasy land

Morning Peeps, time for our new Allsorts challenge and the theme I chose is 'Fairies, Fantasy and Magical' with some Fairy stamps as a prize.

I'm rather poorly and unable to string together a meaningful sentence without help so a big thank you to Tracy for being such a good friend keeping in touch with hubby and stepping back into craft land sorting things for me despite the difficult times she and her family are going thorough.

 

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Butterfly Daisy Collage and much more

Morning all, thank goodness for pre-prepared work as I've done little crafting for a couple of weeks because of feeling so poorly, still far from right after the hemiplegic migraine and waking up day after day with migraine and nausea is really wearing me down. So a quick post with my creations from my post yesterday over at the Chocolate Baroque blog.

All details of how I made my samples can be found on the blog using all of these stamps.............what a lucky girl I was to get to play with them all........Butterfly Daisy Collage, Harebell Butterfly, Artistic Affirmations.Decorative Edges Briar Rose Butterfly, Useful Leaves, Butterfly Daisy Collage, Tangled Garden.

I also have my card for the current Rudolph Day's challenge over at Mo's, it's the last one of the year which must mean that specail day in December is fast approaching.

Penny Black stamps, Distress Inks, sparkle pens and a decoupaged Poinsettia and finito, a rather quick but effective card. My thanks to Mo for running the challenge for another year, it takes time and commitment and I am sure all who take part appreciate all Mo does to keep it running.

Many thanks as always for taking a peek at today's post.

 

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You'll Never Walk Alone

Morning Peeps, sorry not been round much this week and might be that way for a while, rushed off with what it seems was a hemiplegic migraine, impossible to describe other than to say as well as the normal pain it mimics a stroke so rather scary. New meds in the form of anticonvulsants which they tell me "may" be helpful in reducing the frequency along with my usual triptans etc., I do hope so as I've felt washed out for weeks with the almost daily migraines, not even felt up to crafting.

OK, back to my already scheduled Allsorts post, Helene is our host and would like us to depict a song in our artwork. Our prize is a collection of  Christmas craft goodies.

I pondered for a day or two over my choice of song and then decided that apart from Queen Rock and Verdi Opera my favourite song has to be the one that reverberates through our house every time Liverpool have a game..........I might add that I am usually banished to the other end of the house to watch alone as I am tone deaf and although it sounds good to me, nobody shares that view! That song is of course 'You'll Never Walk Alone", the 1963 Gerry and the Pacemakers hit which is the Liverpool anthem.

I thought this lovely Crafty Individuals stamp was perfect as I am sure her winter walk is taking her and her companion through wind and rain just as the words of the song. I stamped the image, added a little colour, she had to be dressed in red of course and simply matted and layered on coordinating card stock.

This afternoon we will be at Vicarage Road playing Watford in a Premiership game, we are presently sitting second in the league and would love for that run to continue as I am confident we could be title contenders. If I have got the links right you should be able to click here and share in the atmosphere of Anfield and You'll Never Walk Alone. I know sad for a woman but I know I'm not the only one of us in craft land!!     
                                                                            

This may sound crazy but as any Liverpool fan (and many a visiting team) will tell you the anthem never fails to send goosebumps down your spine. I recall vividly when we were on a cruise and had won a European game earlier in the evening against Roma which we watched on the big screen, later that night when on our balcony we heard the distance vibes of the anthem being played on the top deck by the band, spine chilling. 

Have a good weekend all and cummon the Reds  😄😄

 

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CAS Christmas

Hello Peeps, a super quick post, we've had no Internet for a few days, a potato harvester took out the telephone wire and pole......it's lovely living in the middle of nowhere but the downside is that everything is above ground so vulnerable in wind and storms and it seem when they are harvesting potatoes!!

I always schedule posts weeks ahead, so why oh why I changed the habit of a lifetime and left this one in draft I have no idea, so as the Internet is back up at the moment I thought to be safe I had better post my Allsorts creation for Ellie's 'CAS Christmas' theme and also my Penny Black and More and Stamping Sensations mid month pieces for tomorrow where our themes are 'Make Someone Smile' and 'Get ready for Christmas'.

Christmas card for Grandson and Girlfriend, I'm safe as this is the last place he visits

Hope you all have a good weekend.

 

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Kim Moody quirky houses

A Chocolate Baroque Fairy and Butterflies on the outside which was on display at Stamp Magic in Doncaster last month

Morning Peeps, a quick post with my creations from my post over at the Chocolate Baroque blog yesterday.............shame on me as I forgot to schedule a post here. Also some of my Kim Moody samples, this was Kim's first release of gorgeous stamps manufactured by Chocolate Baroque.......I did share one last month and also a few on my Instagram but it's another post I forgot on here.

Not an excuse but part of the reason is that I have been under a migraine fog for weeks and not really functioning properly, I've had them at least once a week since I was 10 but they have become progressively worse, so tomorrow I am seeing a doctor to see what changes can be made to my meds. Those who have migraines will understand, those who say (as may people do) it's just a headache need  a reality check!!

One of Ken's quirky houses, this one is called La Maison........every Fairy lives in a lemon and lilac house!!

And from yesterdays Chocolate Baroque post, samples using stamps from the last shows on Hochanda which were all about Butterflies, stamps sets used were: Harebell Butterfly, Briar Rose Butterfly, Thistle Butterfly, Honeysuckle Butterfly and Butterfly Daisy Collage

A plate decorated with tissue and pains, not totally happy with it and need to perfect the technique

More of Kim's houses from left La Maison, Head Office and Loft Conversation

Another that was on display at Doncaster, several people asked about the base shape which I explained on my blog here

I have quite a few more Kim Moody samples which I will share another day.

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Poppies

Morning Peeps, time for our new Allsorts challenge and this week Kath would like to see Poppies and/or the colour red, a very fitting theme for Remembrance Sunday tomorrow. We have a lovely Inkylicious Poppy stamp as our prize along with some colouring pencils.

I started out with a card but as it's Poppies had to make another and decided on a little frame. I started by stamping the Poppy which is a Chocolate Baroque stamp and coloured in with sparkle pens, then used a Sweet Poppy stencil to add ears of corn around the Poppies using translucent medium and then sprinkling with two shades of gold ultra fine glitter whilst still wet. When dry I stencilled some brickwork and then fixed into the frame.

My card uses one of my favourite Penny Black Poppy stamps which I repeat stamped inking the stamps with Distress Markers. Using Distress Ink I stencilled some harlequins and a Penny Black sentiment. I know people never believe me, but this style of card is so quick to make, especially using a stamp platform which allows you repeat stamping in different shades of your chosen colours  to get depth to the image.

Happy weekend all.

                                                           

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Hark the Christmas Rose

It's time for our  new challenges at Stamping Sensations and Penny Black and More where our themes are 'Get ready for Christmas' and 'Make someone smile'. As always there are wonderful prizes to be won at both. 

For my SS piece I used the beautiful 'Hark the Christmas Rose' which was released a couple of months ago on one of the Chocolate Baroque TV shows. After stamping in Versafine black I added a little colour with sparkle pens matching it as closely as possible to one of the beautiful Christmas Roses or to use it's correct name Hellebore's plants we have in the garden, we have several different colours but the traditional coloured one remains a favourite. Some simple matting onto some DP, a bow and finito.

This sentiment from Penny Black is perfect for this months theme and a Rose brings a smile to most peoples faces, I brushed Distress Inks onto a piece of Fabriano along with a few splatters, stamped and heat embossed the Rose, but it out and coloured with sparkle pens and simply placed onto the background adding a tag and twine.

I hope you will pop over to the challenge blogs and see the inspiration my team mates have on display and of course join us this month.

 

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Dream and Chocolate Boroque new stamps and papers sneak peeks

Morning Peeps, time for our new Allsorts challenge and this week I am your host and our theme is 'Pretty Papers', it's actually the theme Tracy S chose before she left the team but we decided to leave it as we know so many of you love your DP's.  And the prize is of course paper pads, three of them actually plus some pretty ribbons.

Further down you will also find some sneak peeks of what is coming up on Tuesdays Chocolate Baroque Hochanda shows which are at 11am and 3pm, some stunning new stamps and some fabulous papers designed by Lesley.

I made this one a while back using a new stamp from Honey Doo, they make some lovely floral ones which lend themselves to paper piecing which is what I did with this one and managed to use up a few snippets as well - always worth keeping those little bits. I stamped onto an Oxide background cut out the flowers, adding some glitter and pearls to the centres. The sentiment is from Inkylicious but afraid I have no idea the make of the paper. I am popping over to the Snippets Playground with this one, afraid what with holiday and other things I've not joined in for a few weeks.

And I used another Honey Doo stamp for my Butterfly Challenge card, it's one I bought at the Doncaster show and this was it's first inking. The Butterfly wheel this time round is Gold, Grape, Green, Gems, Glossy Accents, Glitter and of course a Butterfly. Since coming back from holiday I have been flat out catching up on samples for Tuesday's Chocolate Baroque TV shows, but managed to find an hour to make this one and incorporate all elements. 

I stamped the image and sentiment in Versafine black and heat embossed with detail clear, then coloured in with sparkle pens - one of which is called Grape. Next I masked the edges and added some Tea Dye DI to create a border, then fixed the CB Butterfly (which did start out purple but the glossy accents faded it) in place, added gold gems to the largest flower, iridescent glitter to all flowers and glossy accents to the Butterfly along with wire antenna and liquid pearls for the trail.

As promised the sneak peeks of the the new goodies coming up Tuesday on Hochanda.

Just look at the lush colours on this piece of DP plus new floral stamps

The colours are more subtle on this DP and another gorgeous bloom

Versafine Clair ink pads really lend themselves to the detailed images

As you can probably guess I was a very happy bunny working with these, anything floral ticks all my boxes, that said I love all things Chocolate Baroque as their stamps as such excellent quality and a joy to work with.

Another Allsorts one and unusually for me there is hardly any stamping, just the sentiment which is Penny Black. I make quite a few of this design as not only is it ideal for using up scraps of paper, they also sell very well at the RSPCA charity shop. The lattice in the frame is a Tattered Lace die and then simply assembled and flowers and sentiment tag added. The Ivy leaves are also TL, I think from my three years designing for them using literally hundreds of different dies, these Charisma Ivy ones remain my favourite.

Have a good weekend all.

 

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