Tag-Along mid month blossoms

We've reached the mid way point of our Blossoms, Butterflies and Birds theme at Tag-Along (and ATC's) challenge. 

My tag above uses Amazon dies for the flowers inked in the middle, crackle paste harlequins rubbed over with some gold gilding, A&C birdie and background stamping finished with a Dragonfly and fibres. There's a new challenge at the Snippets Playground so think this might fit in there as birdie and flowers all cut from snippets (no picture though). Also sharing at Try it on Tuesday who want backgrounds.

Stencilled crackle paste again for my ATC, A&C Butterflies and TRR/Highlight birdie and blossoms, I'm slowly working my way though a drawer full of pre-prepared Highlight goodies from my DT days.

A final tag which fits the theme with Lavinia English Bluebell stamped with Wisteria Purple one of the gorgeous new Clair colours and Ashfoot resting among them gazing at the Dragonfly. The Little Things theme is Rainbows, Sun and Clouds so hopefully fits there.

There's still two weeks left for this months challenge so do come and join us, if you already have how about sharing another, we accept four per entrant and theres a super prize to be won.

All new at Allsorts

Good morning to you all, we have a new challenge at Allsorts where Liz has selected the theme of New - Baby, Home or other new events. We have stamps from AALL and Create to be won.

Above the card I made for eldest Grandson and wife when they moved into their new home, it was in late September so there's a bit of an Autumnal feel to it. Using large letter dies I decided on an eclipse card cutting the letters six times to give height and use a favourite AALL and Create Pinecone stamp which still seems to be available from some stockists, inking direct to stamp with Ecoline pens.

This was one was a sample made months ago when I was still a TRR/Highlight DT, the dies and matching reflections are from the Just in Case collection, a stencilled background and a computer generated sentiment.

One for Christmas Kickstart challenge, I'll confess it was totally inspired by Chris, I've made few cards the last month, with all that's gone on my heads not been in the right place. But I saw Chris's card using her new Card-io stamps and although I don't have the same ones, decided to give the few I did have a long overdue airing.

Snippets and Rudolph

Morning all, a rather swift post as I'm running out of time to join in the current Rudolph Days challenge and as my share also used lots of snippets doubling up and popping to the Snippets Playground.

All products are TRR, I printed part sheets of Reflections to use up smaller pieces of Premium Pure Print, I get lots of leftovers when I print smaller images from MCS. Then die cut them and printed a piece of MCS for the backing. A die cut frame which is Sweet Dixie as is the sentiment and basically everything arranged into the frame. I even remembered a photo of my snippets.

I would also like to share this card at The Holly and Ivy Christmas challenge and Love Those Pretty Papers - using them is rare for me so felt I should!

Have a good weekend everyone, a busy one here as it's youngest Son's Birthday on May the Last (so called when he was small and it's stuck), he's a big boy now but still gets rather excited on his Birthday. Margo assumed we would be playing pass the parcel, well at three I guess it's a forgone conclusion so figure we'll have to fit it in.

Don't forget our Allsorts Birthday challenge is in full swing with some awesome prizes to be won.

Simple blooms

Morning to you all, this week at Allsorts Liz would like to see Sympathy or Get Well cards and of course the Anything Goes option. Prizes come from Craft Stash and Highlight Crafts. We have an important note on this weeks post which we ask all entrants to read.

I've used a MCS background and simply stamped the blooms using mini distress inkpads direct to stamp along with a spritz of water and sentiment which is Penny Black.

Below another simple one again using MCS (Highlight Crafts), image printed twice, oblong dies to cut aperture's on one, foam pads to the back and lined up over the second image and  a few Swarovski gems.

Short post, had shoulder and head nerve blocks Wednesday and back in for the re-scheduled Kidney op Wednesday, such a glamorous life I lead.

Just dream

Morning everyone, a new challenge at Allsorts where Lolo would love to see 'Flowers galore'. Prizes come from Craft Stash, Highlight Crafts and AALL and Create. Also got a couple of photos to share further down, a fun one of the Horses and the Poppies are out!

AALL and Create released a beautiful new collection this week designed by Abs, I'll be honest and say I've declined some of the recent releases as I'm not a colourist and felt I couldn't do them justice. But as this release is floral I was persuaded to give it a go and above one of those samples. I used Best You Ever Had (1176), Bound to Return (1179), Explosive Bombosive (6) and Power of the Word (754).

I would like to enter this into the new Path of Positivity challenge where theres an optional theme of Goals/Dreams. 

In other news, migraines so, so, still there with the odd clear day, but don't think as violent as the last few months so maybe the treatment is doing something to help. I had an interesting 'educational' day yesterday, the consultant I see for Pernicious Anaemia asked me to be the patient in a video for NHS distribution aimed at encouraging GP practices to promote self injection of B12. I'm lucky as the district nurse does mine every six weeks, but many struggle to get one every twelve weeks, my Daughter and eldest Granddaughter included who both have PA, so I'm hopeful the video will help many like them, it affects far more women than men.

I was hesitant as unlike insulin and migraine injections which come in pre loaded pens and pretty easy to administer, this is a standard needle and injection, but first one done and wasn't that bad actually which is just as well as I need to do them every other day for a good few months to try and get on top of all that's going wrong with my body. 

A second one using flowers from a number of MCS collections, all cut on the Scan and Cut and my favourite Penny Black sentiment, the card was for the Birthday of one of our Granddaughter in laws who celebrated her Birthday this week, she loves Autumnal colours.

Anysia decided the Horses needed new facial fly protection, left it with her to choose and this is what we ended up with, not sure they are impressed? Left to right, my big boy Heskey, Merlin and Penelope.

The first Oriental Poppies came into bloom this week, heres one of them....

Have a good weekend everyone.

The Roaring 20's

Morning everyone, a new challenge at Allsorts and Ellie has selected the theme 'Blast from the Past', a real fun one. We have prizes from Stampendous.

I decided the MCS Art Deco ladies would be perfect for the theme and used three along with a border stencil from Sweet Poppy which has a distinct feel of that era. Looking back at fashions over the years, it's this period that I most admire and would love to have sported some of those outfits.

Each image printed out, die cut and mounted onto the base and an envelope to match each of the three cards.

Had a little interlude in hospital on an IV this week due to Crohn's/Diverticulitis issues, scans and tests ongoing.....I like to add variety to life, but no migraine on two days (yahhhhh)! Did manage a little crafting and tried out some of my new Versafine Clair colours, so far my favs have to be Hawthorn Rose which is just gorgeous, not pink, not lilac, somewhere in-between and Artic, I'm not a blue person but it's nice for Christmas cards

Rudolph Days challenge kicks off again today and I was prepared for a change and have this to share. A mixture of Penny Black and Lavinia stamps and I reverted right back to PB days, inked the fence and trees with DI's, cleaned the stamps whilst still in place on the platform, inked with Versafine and heat embossed with detail clear EP. This allowed me to add the Pan Pastels without muting the colours of the stamping. 

Happy weekend all, if your in the UK a nice long one.

Flight of the Dragonfly

Morning everyone, a new challenge at Allsorts and Liz would like to see 'More than one Fold'. Prizes come from Oakwood and Highlight Crafts. I'm out of hospital but a bit fragile so will update on the weeks special events tomorrow.

A tri fold tag card using AALL and Create Tag it Yourself dies(27), Oopsa stencil (161), Wingbrushed (1107) and Time Heals (1110). A brayered and stencilled background, pot from Containers (401) plus a few left over flowers and Squirrel from Highlight TRR collections.

Allsorts celebrates it's 15th Birthday in a couple of weeks and there are awesome prizes, know we always have good ones but believe me this will be sooooo special. So please share the logo to help us spread the word........and talking of words, theres a play on them in the logo to give you a hint of what's to come!

Poppy parade

Morning everyone, a new challenge at Allsorts where Denas's theme is to incorporate stencil's into our work. Prizes come from Oakwood and Highlight Crafts.

Above a Highlight Crafts TV sample using the new MCS Floral Extravaganza and A5 stencil collection, the base tag is AALL and Create, an oxide spray background and stencilling with distress crackle paste. 

The image on this is one of several on AALL and Create Crystal Wood (864), Stamped and unusually for me coloured in, some stencilling using Twisting and Turning (157) and words from Power of the Word (754).

I also have a share for the new Rudolph Days challenge, a mixture of Lavinia, AALL and Create and my own seasonal sentiment stamps.

Finally, a date for the rescheduled hospital treatment, it's this coming week the day after our Buckingham Palace trip for eldest Son's investiture, not ideal timing but so pleased it's eventually happening as my body seems to have reached rock bottom.

Which means I'll be MIA much of the week so see you all soon.

It has to be Spring

Morning everyone, a new challenge at Allsorts and my turn to choose the theme, so being totally transparent there could only be one for this time of year 'It has to be Spring' - well I've never made any secret it's my favourite season.

No hospital procedures, cancelled again, long story and I'll explode if I start to explain. Instead I've succumbed to a Crohn's flare along with a UTI, so not feeling my best.

Your probably all fed up with seeing these Highlight/TRR Daffodils but promise this is the last one....for a while anyway. They are the last batch from all those I cut and decoupaged back at Christmas, it's a fairly large tall DL base, an oval die used to cut out the partial aperture and the blooms arranged. A coordinating sheet of MCS rice paper and a really old Tattered Lace sentiment which is actually on the inside of the card although it's not apparent,  I should really have taken a second photo of the card open.

Another using the Crocus (624) from AALL and Create, stamped into a masked oxide panel, stamped and then the flower head stamped a second time onto inky card, cut out on the S&C and a strip of washi tape to ground the flower.

Many thanks for your kind visits and words of encouragement, always much appreciated.

Secret Fairy village

Morning everyone, it's mid month time at We Love Stamping and Stamping Sensations where our themes are Feminine and Spring, along with the option of AG with your stamped element. Fabulous prizes, from Lavinia Stamps and AALL and Create.

Above an inky background and stencilling with crackle paste, a vase from AALL and Create Containers (401) and Daffodils from Elegant Spring Florals (623) all stamped on the platform and cut out on the Scan and Cut - since my left arm/hand went AWAL I've found the machine invaluable. A few fill in flowers and Squirrel from Highlight/TRR and some washi tape.

A few shares of my recent Highlight Crafts makes for last weeks Create and Craft One Day special of MCS Floral Extravaganza. There's so much on this USB and if you love flowers and vibrancy as much I do, then an absolute delight.

I've not really been able to manage any new DT makes for weeks, however bored to tears (aka utterly frustrated) I decided to try and diversify. DT's are required to use Premium Pure Print card (which they supply I might add), its an amazing product and you have to compare print colour against that on a normal card to appreciate the difference

So I always keep part sheets with no printing and scale images in MCS to fit the left over pieces (see below) print and send to the Scan and Cut which cuts them out ready to go. Surprisingly it's then relatively easy with 1.5 hands to design the base cards in Canvas Workspace right down to apertures, again using left over half sheets and let the S&C do most of the work. I was able to arrange the elements and came up with a few presentable cards. I am hoping my part sheets will count as snippets and will pop the above card over to the the Snippets Playground (the word was also cut from oddments of Bazzil)

And my homework complete....

Have a good week everyone.

Butterfly Meadows

Morning everyone, time for a new challenge at Allsorts where Lynn has chosen the theme of 'Use Yellow'. Prizes come from Craftstash and AALL and Create.

Yellow is a colour I love incorporating into my work, perfect for Spring but equally throughout the year combined with different colours, black and purple in particular.

Above one of the newish dies from AALL and Create, Oxides brayered onto the background, some random text stamped, Butterflies and words from Through the Meadow (449) stamped onto offcuts and cut out. So as there's lots of snippets, Butterflies, words and even the tag itself I'm off over to the Snippets Playground with it. 

And I even remembered to take a photo of my snippets......maybe I'll avoid detention this time round.

This is another recent Highlight Crafts sample for Create and Craft using Flower of the Month Daffodil and one of the new stencils from Highlight.

Just For One Day was awesome and we all decided even better that We Will Rock You which we saw in July. And some very exciting news, we have received invitations to attend eldest Son's investiture at Buckingham Palace on 1st May....feel a new outfit coming on!

A hint of Spring

Morning everyone, time for a new challenge at Allsorts and this week Lorraine has chosen one of my favourite themes Spring. Prizes which come from AALL and Create and Aldridge Crafts will be drawn on 29th March.

A delicate single Snowdrop using AALL and Creates Elegant Spring Florals (623), an A4 stamp set which has every flower you need to create beautiful Spring cards. I masked to created a soft central frame with Twisting and Turning (157) stencil and Oxides, stamped the Snowdrop, added a little shading, a sentiment stamped onto vellum, twine and a birdie.

Above Daffodils from Highlights on an acetate twisted easel card. They are another in the series of Flower of the Month, samples are usually required well in advance and these made in December, but were the last batch created for them. I did however venture into MCS this week and found I was able to do a bit of creating one handed with just a bit of nudged assistance from the left.

And, a freestanding acetate creation with Wordsworth's Daffodils poem focally and again Daffodils in various colourways.

In case you missed my last post there is a new discount code for Highlight Crafts, it's proved popular and on the sidebar (BLOG7582).

All going to plan will be in London this weekend to see Just for one Day with youngest son and wife so will stay with them. We went to Live Aid back in the day so really wanted to see this, it's only running for six weeks and I was nearly 5,000th in the queue the day tickets went on sale, four hours later felt lucky to get tickets front row of the dress circle with bubbles included as they are charity seats.

Rudolph and the boys in Red

Morning Peeps, I enter very few challenges but really wanted to support Helen who has taken over the reigns from Mo of the Rudolph Days challenge and as I have a few suitable cards in my folder, thought I should share one of them.

It's an un-blogged Create and Craft sample from before Christmas for Highlight Crafts using Seasons Finishing Touches, an acetate panel and wintery scene in the background from MCS. The Christmas Roses and Holly decoupaged and a bow to finish.

Your also going to have to bear with my excitement that our Boys in Red brought home the first trophy of the season yesterday. Against all the odds with our recognised front three all injured along with a good few others, Jurgen was brave and fielded a side made up of a few seniors and a good few lads.....as one commentator said "they'll be back at school tomorrow". What a wonderful day it was for those youngsters now nicknamed "Klopp's Kids".

Quinn daydreaming

Morning everyone, a new challenge at Allsorts and Liz has chosen the theme 'Things that Fly' or theres the A/G option. Prizes which come from AALL and Create and Aldridge Crafts and as the challenge straddles two months will be drawn in March.

It's Lavinia all the way here with Quinn sitting daydreaming atop a toadstool house and the scene built up around her with several worker stamps onto a brayered oxide background, the flowers on the toadstool coloured and liquid pears here and there.

A note for those who use my 10% Highlight discount code as know there are a few of you, I've just added a new one to the sidebar (BLOG7582) valid until the end of April after which there will be a new one. This is a one time use per customer so make sure you get all you need in one shop, sadly necessary because the previous one was abused.