Anysia's wedding invitations

Morning Peeps, another scheduled post whilst I'm on screen rest after my second eye op, but as it's Saturday I need to tell you all about our new challenge at Allsorts where our host is Kath who has chosen the theme of 'Add a Heart', very fitting as we head towards Valentines Day. We have a lovely stamp set from Stamps by Chloe for this weeks lucky winner.

I have previously alluded to making wedding invitations for our eldest Granddaughters wedding in May and now I can share them as they have been sent out. I made 100 in total starting with  the pockets made with a die, they measure 160cm square when made up and each contains five enclosures, Invitation, RSVP, SAE Envelope for reply, Accommodation in the locality and Honeymoon Dream.

Their home is all set up so they are asking for donations towards their honeymoon dream from anyone wishing to give a gift. The honeymoon is all booked thanks to Granny (yours truly) and is a Greek Island Cruise, Anysia said she wanted a surprise but Santorini was on her wish list and as she is rather partial to cruising it was an easy one. I'm just hoping there are some wedding guest contributions to go towards it!!

All inserts and envelopes were stamped with a mixture of Penny Black and Inkylicious stamps in two shades of green Versafine Clair. I had the envelopes made with lavender tissue lining to match the inserts (although they look rather dark in my photo they are a good match) which are lavender pearlescent card. I initially though I would have to heat emboss the stamping as it was pearl card, but the ink actually dried really well without having to do so.

I still have the Order of Service and Menu's to make but am rather happy that the bulk of the work is done and more importantly Anysia and Sam, plus Mum and Dad are happy with them. The reception is being held in the next village in a rather lovely converted barn overlooking lakes and farmland,  very fitting to go with the rustic theme of the wedding, they open it for only 20 weddings a year in order to retain the exclusivity of the venue.

Also as promised a photo from son Eliot's Untramarathon race last weekend when he took part in the Arc of Attrition. I'm relieved to say he completed the 100 run around the rugged coastal paths of Cornwall in 33hours and 27 minutes without any visual issues this time (no stops are allowed other than drink/feed stations and athletes have 40 hours in which to complete the race). Although he's done a good few 100 miles races before he said this was the hardest and I'm not surprised given the inclement coastal weather down there this time of year.

Thanks as always for your visit and kind words, As mentioned above I'm still on screen rest after my op but hope to get 'out and about' into blogland very soon.

 

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Artisan Design flowers and Hochanda Craftalong

Morning Peeps, it's Saturday and time for a new challenge at Allsorts where our host is Helene and  here theme is to 'Make your own Flowers'. Our winner will receive a lovely floral stamp layering set form Buddly Crafts.

As promised last week I am sharing some more of my samples which I was asked to create for the Hochanda promo video for the next Craftalong show on 17th November when Lesley of Chocolate Baroque will be creating a Journal, the kits went on sale last week here. 

My top card features the Dahlia from Pete's Artisan Designs Kelly's Garden 1 range of stamps made for Hochanda TV. The background was made with a wash of DI's, the bloom stamped three times, coloured and cut out and arranged on the background along with leaves from the same stamp set.

Above and below were made with the Kit for the Craftalong available now from Hochanda here. If you buy now there's a special price and then you will be all ready to craft along with Lesley on 17th November and create your own journal. Backgrounds for both were made using the Gelli Plate, there is one in the kit.

The Artists Trading Hearts and available on line at Chocolate Baroque.

Another Artisan Design sample for Hochanda, this time using  some of the Funky Flowers and another of Pete's lovely sentiments onto a piece of DP and some doodling around the border. 

Have a good weekend everyone.

 

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Touch of Vintage and another Craftalong

Morning Peeps, it's Saturday and time for a new challenge at Allsorts where our host is Lynn with the perfect theme to get inky, 'Make your Own Background'. Our lucky winner will receive four stencils from Crafty Devils.

I also have news of the next Craftalong show on Hochanda on 17th November when Lesley of Chocolate Baroque will be creating a Journal, the kits went on sale a couple of day's ago here so you can order yours now so you are all ready to craftalong with her. I was chuffed to bits to be asked to make the samples using the kit for the Hochanda promotional video so will share a couple today and some more next week.

The focus is very much Vintage, a lovely set of stamps which work well together or with your other stamps so very versatile, the journal is also included in the kit as well as a Gelli Plate, various cardstock, a brayer and other bits and pieces, you can see everything here. 

Back to my Allsorts shares and the one at the top of this post was made during the Summer for a Stamp Addicts Hochanda show which featured inchies and twinchies along with the lovely Muse image which is part of a set as were the music ones which included Mozart which I shared a couple of weeks ago.

I used a Tim Holtz die to cut out the corners, then stamped randomly with the script stamp that was also in the show and grunged it up a bit with DI's. I inked the twinchies with Oxides then stamped a variety of the stamps onto them, inked with Versamak and added UTEE, I did this process three times to give a nice smooth glazed finish then mounted them onto the base.

This was another Hochanda sample, this time for one of Pete's Artisan Design shows. An Oxide background, a large circle and small dots stencils, also from Pete and finally I stamped the large Rose  from Kelley's Garden collection and coloured in with pencils. The sentiment if from the leaf set which is in the same collection.

Hope you all have a relaxing weekend and find some crafty time.

 

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Newly hatched chicks, new Artisan designs and mid month shares

This was 'hatch day' on Thursday 4th July, three eggs produced three perfectly hatched chicks (see further down post for the update)

It's mid month inspiration time at Penny Black and More and Stamping Sensations challenges where our themes are 'Summer colours and 'The Earth Laughs in Flowers'.

I have indulged again with my PB's this time from the just released 'Dreaming' range of stamps and dies, there are quite a few scenic images so I couldn't resist and they arrived from John across the pond a few days ago.

This one is called Paradise and isn't it just, I could while away my time there quite easily, in my head it's the Caribbean as that's just how I always remember the sunsets on our visits. A simple to create card, stamped the image with Versafine Clair, placed a circle mask for the sun and added colour with Pan Pastels. Finally a some birds and leaves which are also PB.

This is one of my samples for Pete's Artisan Designs shows on Hochanda on Sunday 21st July, this release of stamps is a little bit different and were a delight to work with,  the shows are at 10am and 2pm so please do make a note to tune in. 

My Stamping Sensations uses an image from Crafty Individual our sponsor, stamped onto an Oxide background and coloured in, I them created the frame using the same colour Oxides and stamped CI Dragonflies, cut a circle in the centre and mounted onto the base card. The sentiment is computer generated.

We have loads of birds nesting around the gardens, Pigeon's in the pergola and top paddock, Wrens and countless Sparrows in the courtyard, Bullfinches and Robins in the back shrubbery along with several families of Great Tits, Green Woodpeckers with two young, Swifts in one of the stables, two pairs of Jay's in the front hedges, Magpies in the tall conifers, Moorhen's in the pond as well as several pairs of Blackbirds, numerous Starlings and a pair of Honey Buzzards with one youngster. And probably a few species I've forgotten but gives you an idea of the abundance of birds we have.

But try and I may I can never get decent photos as my hands are too shaky, but one pair of Blackbirds played right into my hands with this precariously positioned nest in the top of a shrub just below one of the bedroom windows.

And just eleven days later on Monday 15th July,  still three of them although only two are visible, the other is underneath but all three beaks soon appear when Mum or Dad bring the food. And as I write this post on 17th I can confirm they have had their maiden flights and left the nest.

Isn't Nature wonderful and we feel so privileged to witness so much wildlife in our own back garden, there is a healthy population of most of the usual garden four legged wildlife, Rabbits apleny much to hubby's annoyance as they plunder the veggie gardens, Red and Muntjak Deer venture out of the thicket into the orchard when they are feeling brave and of course there is the Fox. Sadly the latter has taken to daytime visits with his young teaching them the ropes and our chicken and duck population has suffered in recent weeks, but they are free range (shut up at night of course) and you can't warn hens about the dangers of going too far! 

 

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Flowers from the garden and Artisan Design

Morning Peeps, well it's rained solidly for what seems like forever and my in house weather man, aka Hubby tells me we've had over 4.75 inches in the last few days. So I thought I would lighten the mood with some photos when I had a wander around the gardens when last it was dry. Also to keep the floral theme going some of my samples using the stamps from Keeley's Garden 1 which Pete of Artisan Design will be showcasing on Hochanda on 21st June.

As with all Pete's previous releases, there are lots of inspirational sentiments

Holly posing.....she does it so well

A Bee collecting it's nectar right inside one of the Digitalis trumpets

Jemima (her mate Puddleduck was sadly 'Foxed' a few weeks ago) and Donald, one of the brood of abandoned baby Mallards we took in from the RSPCA last year

My finished samples

Have a good Tuesday everyone and do remember to make a note of the date Pete will be abck on our screens.

 

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Artisan Designs new stamps

Morning Peeps, a really quick post to share a few of my samples for Pete's Artisan Designs shows on Hochanda today, he's on screen ow and back again at 4pm showcasing the beautiful Stacey's Garden 1 stamps. Just a few of them today but will share more another day.

I also have my creations from my post over at the Chocolate Baroque blog today, you will find all details over there.

                                                                     

Thanks for taking a peek, your words of encouragement are always appreciated.

 

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Artisan Design funky flowers for Allsorts

Morning Peeps, Saturday again so time for our new Allsorts challenge and this week Mervi is our host and as it's Mothers Day in many parts of the World she would like to see 'Feminine creations'. We have two lovely Woodware stamps for this weeks lucky winner. It's also my turn to post over at the Chocolate Baroque blog today and you can see my creation further down.

My thanks to all for their enquiries as to how my treatment went at hospital last week. I have to say it wasn't as bad as I thought, 32 injections in your head and face can never be pleasant but it was over quickly. If the treatment works then I should see some benefit in a few weeks although it could be longer, in other words not an instant fix! And if it does, then whilst it won't get rid of my migraines completely, to have half the month free of them would be wonderful and I'll happily go back every twelve weeks for the same.

My top card is another of the recent Hochanda TV samples I created for Pete Simpson on Artisan Design using the Funky Flowers, I confess I'm not sure which if the sets these come from as the eight came to me direct from pressing and ended up getting them all rather muddled and am yet to organise them into the appropriate sets. And keep a look out in May as Pete has some more beautiful stamps on their way.

After colouring oddments of card with Distress Oxides I stamped with sentiments from the sets using a slightly darker ink, dried and then stamped the flowers with Versamark and heat embossed with detail white EP and cut out. Using Pan Pastels I created a background and placed behind a die cut frame and placed the flower over the frame onto 'stems' made of coiled up jewellers wire. Finally again using Versamark and white EP I stamped and cut our some leaves from the sets, placed across the bottom and added a shrink plastic Butterfly which is Chocolate Baroque.

This one is a Chocolate Baroque make also for Hochanda TV, the beauty about working with such wonderful quality stamps (and Pete's are also manufactured by CB) is that the ideas just keep flowing with the result I always end up with far more samples that I need for the Chocolate Baroque blog.

After distressing the tag with inks and stencils I stamped the dressmakers mannequin with Versamark black, masked across the bottom and added a stand from another of the stamps in the same show to extend it down the tag. Next I gathered up some pale blue tulle and fixed on the skirt with a bow, a button cut out from another stamp set in the show and a little dress hanger embellishment which I seem to have had for years, seam binding and a Little Birdie Rose.

And now for my Chocolate Baroque creations from our recent shows on Hochanda TV, full details of the stamps and techniques I used can be found on the blog here.

Happy weekend all.

 

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