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.

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.

Timeless Poppy

 

Hello all, a non scheduled post, but still several scheduled ones in the pipeline till normal service resumes.

From my files for Snippets Playground, Gelli Plate background, Penny Black Poppy, Lavinia script, Butterfly A&C and photo below of my snippet. Also adding to Try it on Tuesday's Circles and backgrounds for Little Red Wagon.

Things were going well, then a kidney, followed by diverticular infections kicked in which was always a risk. But just got the OK for up to hour a day computer/crafting time to test the water with another MRI and consult next week, so prioritising is going to be a challenge but hope to do a few short blog visits.

Here's a few photos of what's in bloom this week.

Potentilla with Bee collecting nectar, below yesterday there were 37 Poppies in bloom, but couldn't get all in the photo angle, as they continue round the tree, it's a spectacular year for them.

Below, Pyracantha, Peony and first of many to come Lupin's.

Huge Rose, as big as my hand.

Thank you all for your continued visits during my absence, they are so appreciated.

Birthday celebrations and Poppies are blooming

Knowing my crafty wings would be clipped for some time, I'm preparing this well ahead for our special challenge at Allsorts where Lynn is our host to celebrate our 17th Birthday, sobering wondering where all those years went. But it's wonderful that so many entrants who joined us way back then still do so, that makes it all seem very worthwhile.

We have some fabulous prizes of vouchers and physical goodies from Lavinia Stamps, Buddly Crafts, Art Impressions, Highlight Crafts as well as some surprise goody bags. Plus don't forget the special discount from AALL and Create of 15% until 31st May on all items in their store using the special code: AllsortsBD17

My first share at the top uses Lavinia Meadowbrook Tales, the new collection released last month. I did all the stamping first, masked the focal images, then created the background by simply brushing watered down Oxides. Colouring done with a mixture of pencils and Zig pens and some white pen to highlight here and there.

I found this frame along with a few others from a session when I had the sewing machine out, so used the red as my inspiration. AALL and Create have a new designer Soizic, this image from her is called Art of Bouquet, her designs have a lovely quirky feel, stamped very simply in black and limited red added with a Zig pen and a couple of sticker words.

Added by DIL Friday 22nd: A couple of the early Roses and first Oriental Poppies in our little Poppies garden, plus it seems a Lab's bum, both Rosa and Fleur spend time there, it's as thought they know.

And a message of thanks for the beautiful cards and messages received. It's slow going as now have a kidney infection, but was never going to be straightforward!

We really hope you will join us for this very special challenge, as always you can enter up to five times so lots of chances of winning one of those super prizes.