Christmas easel and a little bit sad

I am preparing this post Friday evening after a really rotten day, we lost Abbey the eldest family lab, so the whole household is pretty miserable as you can imagine. She's been poorly for a while with a tumour at the fore of her head, but jogging along with medications. But this morning she was very poorly and we knew the time had come. The vet was really lovely and came out within half an hour so she died in her own sitting room in familiar surroundings, but it's still so so hard to accept.

So I will tell you very quickly about this weeks theme at Allsorts, where my lovely teami Emma wants us to make a Christmas Easel card...............did she play into my hand or what. I thought the easel novelty might have worn off by now, but oh no, I am still totally addicted........does it show just a tad most weeks ?

I have used some of this scrummy 25th December DP from Kaiser and made the card shape using Grand Nesties 23. The image is Magenta 43032L which I stamped with versafine sepia, embossed with detail clear and coloured with Aquamarkers. The poinsettia is another appearance of my new Spellbinders Christmas die set.

Hope you have a good weekend and thanks for dropping by.

A special lady

Debs is hosting the challenge at Allsorts this week and has given us the theme of "for a Special Lady".

It's all a bit special for me with this one as it was the first entire card I created following my enforced craft and blogging retreat and I admit I was thrilled to have actually completed a whole card that I was passable happy with........I know little things and all that, but I so missed being involved in all things crafty.

The image is one I bought at Stamperama by B Line Designs, the company is totally new to me but I just loved the romantic image called Travellers.....I think they are in Italy.......just my romantic notion because it's where I most love to be.

I stamped the image with versafine black and embossed with detail clear, then masked the image and sun and brayered the sky with Adirondack dye inks and coloured the images lightly with Copics. The swirl is Hero Arts S5449 and the sentiment Hero Arts CL278 which I thought was perfect for the title of the theme. Finally I scribbled a freehand line around the image and added some swarovski crystals.....yes this does mean the card will be used for someone special........ flowers and punched leaves. This also fits the following challengres:

Craft your Days Away - For a special lady

Scrapbook Sisters - Anything goes

Crafts and Me - Anything goes

And this is my very last DT piece for Stamptacular Sunday having decided to step down..........much as I have loved working with all the girls, something has to give.

A pretty basic creation because it's such a beautiful stamp that it does not need much embellishment so as not to detract from the beauty of the picture. The image is Magenta 15276N stamped with Versafine black and embossed with detail clear, then coloured with Copics. I used a piece of mount board for stamping so that I could cover with several layers of UTEE to give a lovely glazed panel. This is also for the following challenge:

Delicious Doodles - Floral Fantasy

Nature inspired

Good morning peeps, back with my growing pool of secretaries and some more DT work. First up it's time for a new challenge at Allsorts where Fleur would would like us to be "Inspired by Nature".

I could have made a dozen cards for this theme which is right up my street, but I will share this simple little four seasons set I made recently for Stampalot samples demonstrating sponging techniques.

Each card was made in the same way by masking the top and bottom leaving a strip across the middle which I sponges with TH distress inks, stormy sky for the shy in each, then for the bottom sections, peeled paint for spring, Victorian velvet for summer, dried marigold for autumn and broken china for winter.

After removing the makes I stamped each repeatedly with Art Impression H895 and one of the smaller trees from Creative Expression Trees set. I added an Art Impression sentiment to each one and some black gems. They are actually a really quick and simple set to make, but I think quite effective. This is for the following challenge:

Frosted designs - No DP's

Creative Inspirations - Plain and simple

Next my DT work for this weeks Stamptacular Sunday where the theme is "S.O.S" to create a card or project for someone special.

This is a tag book I made for someone rather special to me, the pages were cut on the Big Shot Professional......I don't actually own one, I just have the express and much as I would like the big fellow sitting in my craft room, I think it's more geared to clubs and classrooms, so thank you Janice at Stampalot for the borrow.

All pages were stamped randomly with stamps from Magenta CS043 Botanical and Hero Arts F5042 Leaf Flourish using versafine sepia and embossing with detail clear, then distressing with TH tumbled glass, tea dye and marigold.

The sentiment stamp on the second page is old favourite Penny Black 2695J Dance. I made flowers from punches to go on the side tabs, spritzing with Glimmer Mist Pearl and added Stickes to highlight some areas and finally tied the three pages together with ribbons. This is for the following challenge:

Southern Girls - Blue and Chocolate

Creative Cottage - Fabulous florals

All about the sentiment

Hello everyone, seems like ages since I was last here......and I'm not really here now..........thank heavens for daughters and granddaughters who make wonderful secretaries and in typing this make it possible to post my DT work, which thankfully were all made weeks ago and in my picture file waiting to be used.

That's the thing about having something like MS, you tend to constantly plan weeks ahead just in case. I know some of my fellow DT members think I am paranoid working so far in advance, but the last few weeks prove exactly why I do that, it sort of becomes a way of life.

So three weeks now and not a single new card, but I did do a bit of colouring in this week. With the help of one of my 'secretaries' who inked the stamps, I managed to stamp them, she heat embossed the images, then I did a bit of colouring.......I'm still unable to grasp by Copics properly, but managed to watercolour as you don't need to be as exacting with that.

Now for the challenges and it's my turn to host the theme at Allsorts this week and I would like you to focus on the sentiment in "All about the Sentiment".

My DT card combines a bit of allsorts......oh dear what a pun....... the frame was created with a Nestie using linen cardstock.......the texture is good for this technique and after cutting the aperture I stamped all over with Magenta 14315-0 using verasamark and embossed with detail clear.

I then folded repeatedly......mountain folds work best here and brayered randomly in all directions with Big and Juicy Hydrangea..........this is the one exception where brayering works well on matt cardstock......until the resist stamping shows through and all those folds give a really different effect where they pick up the ink.

The sentiment is good old Penny Black 2695J Dance. I made a rose from a piece of blue DP which I dipped into UTEE to achieve a glassy effect and added some punched leaves.

And this weeks challenge at Stamptacular Sunday is "Lovin' from the Oven". I confess to freaking a bit as this one as apart from a PB stamp with a birthday cake along with some hedgies, I seem to have nothing remotely associated with food.....wine yes, fairies yes and flowers by the the bucket load but nothing foody.

So I made a little acetate bag and filled it with ginger fairing's.....homemade mind you..........and decorated it with a card to match. The circle floral stamp is one of the 2011 release from Hero Arts S5141 Floral Wreath, stamped with Memento black, coloured with Copics and Stickles added to the flowers centres. The tab on the bag was cut with Nesties and the card cut with a Marianne die.

Before I go......or should I say 'we' go, thank you all so very much for your warm and sincere messages, mails and cards I have received. Although I can't visit you all individually and say thank you, I really hope you will see this and know how much I appreciate all your kind wishes.

Feels like snow

Hello everyone, how you doing ?

Is it cold or what, don't know about the rain they forecast, feels more like snow here so someone must have left the Fen gate open again....for those of you not familiar with the Fens, it's very flat and when the wind blows we know all about it. In the spring and summer we get the 'Fen Blows'.......the soil being so light here, it literally lifts off the ground in a good wind and blows like a dust storm and many a newly sown crop has been lost that way. When we get winter winds it's cold, it is verrrrrrrry cold. I could drivel on for England couldn't I ?

Dining room done, hall work in progress, slowly goes it but it's nice to have one room almost done and dusted. There were a few hairy moments on the ladder, but hubby stayed close and left me too it as he knew I was determined to do it. The body's not so sure of the wisdom today though and nothings working very well and I may just let someone else do the next room. But I think sometimes I have to do these things just to prove to myself I am not a total write off just yet. And I am really pleased with the room, I love the colours and now itching to get the new dining furniture in......I will share piccies when we get there.

My first card card is a but of indulgene again with Sweet Pea Fairy of the Night, stamped and masked to create a moon, then coloured with Copics. The glittered spotty DP is My Minds Eye and I embossed the bottom piece of bazzil with a new butterfly folder I bought at the NEC. I added crystal glityter the the fairies wings, some flowers and a pin which was silver so I coloured it with Copics to match. This card is for the following challenges:

Simon Says - Sparkle

In a Sweet Pea Dream - Flowers

My second cards one of my really quick and simple ones using a lovely Clarity Christmas stamp which I stamped with versafine black, embossed with detail clear onto a piece which I misted with Glimmer Mist timeless lilac then masked to I could ink the centre of the large letter using brilliance inks. Next I sprayed with Crafters Companion iridescent spray and sparkle and when dry stamped with one of the sections of Judikins Christmas cube. The DP is Cosmo Cricket. This card is for the following challenges:

Tuesday Taggers - Peace, love, joy

Fab 'n Funky - Forget me not (the cube stamp)

Anything Goes - Let it snow

Ladybug - Christmas sparkle

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

We have brand new challenges for you at Stampalot and Penny Black at Allsorts today and some really exciting themes.

Our Stampalot theme is "Christmas Traditions", so much scope here and one that can be interpreted just as you wish. And at Penny Black at Allsorts the theme is "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas", again lots of possibilities to let you creativity run wild and I think you will be able to do a bit of doubling up here as well so more chances of winning prizes.

I have two pieces of DT work for Penny Black......as usual could not make up my mind. The card at the top of my post is using Penny Black 3768K Christmas Montage, inked with TH inks and Marvy pens and spritzed with water before stamping. The DP is My Minds Eye with pearls and swirls to embellish. This card is also for the following challenge:

Wild Orchid - Classic Christmas

My second one uses Penny Black 40-038 Kindness stamped and embossed with versafine back and detail clear, three layers decoupaged and coloured with Aquamarkers. The DP is My Minds Eye.....your could be forgiven for thinking this is the only make I ever use.....it's not, but I do adore the designs and quality of their products. I threaded some beads and added a computer generated sentiment cut on Nesties. This card is also for the following challenges:

Lollipop crafts - Embossing (heat in this case)

Stamp with Fun - All that can fly (goose)

Secret Crafter - Anything that flies

Pollycraft - It's chill time (snow)

On the First day of Christmas my True love........

And my DT work for Stampalot challenge. It's the first proper stepper card I have made and I'm still not sure I actually like it. The stamp is Magenta 95268-N stamped onto a background created with Tim Holtz dusky concord and olive, liberally spritzed with Glimmer Mist pearl and overstamped with Hero Arts H2365 Old French Writing. The image is coloured in with the same TH inks and a touch of Copics here and there and the pears and partridge given a coat of Diamond Glaze.

Puppies at last.........

Dainty Lily left, Daisy the hunk right

Happy Thursday all....................just updated to add a couple of pictures I manages to snap of the girls just now...............a rare moment with them both sitting still and together.

Another week seems to be whizzing by, but at least I am all ready for Saturday and have finished my NEC samples and they are safely delivered and off my desk.

Two shares today. The first one using yet another new Molly Harrison fairy stamps from Crafts and Me called Wonderland and a matching envibox which you can but from ??? (link on my sidebar). The My Minds Eye DP is really old but beautifully glittery and I used that as the colour source of my card. I stamped the image with Memento black and masked, then brayered with Big and Juicy spice.....the colours not too good, I think I am due a new one, but not bad going, I must have had it two years and it gets well used. I coloured the image with the same ink pad and Copics, glittered the wings and flowers, a border punched with Martha Stewart cornice edger, flowers and some punched leaves. I stamp the envibox with Inkadinkado 98702 and coloured with the same inks and Copics. This card is for the following challenges:

ABC - G for Glitter

Simon Says - Punch Em

Charizma Cardz - Match Master

My second card uses Magenta 42047M Floral Silhouette as the main images, stamped with versafine imperial purple and embossed with detail clear. I stamped this onto a block created by masking and spritzing with Glimmer Mist fully purple, lilac fields and pearl. The sentiment is a Hero one, but no code I'm afraid. This card is for the following challenges:

Fab and Funky - Clean and Simple

Creative Cottage - Dry or wet Embossing

CRAFT - Monotone

Moonlight madness

When I saw the new challenge at Scrapbook Sisters Card this week it was a must............you know me.......any opportunity to incorporate a moon somewhere into my work. So two for the price of one, a full moon and a crescent moon.

But before I move on to how I made my cards I want to say "La ringrazio molto" to Sadia and "Thank you" to Sandra for passing awards on to me this week. You all know I've got a rotten track record passing them on so I would like to say it's for all my lovely blog friends, please accept with my love.........I'm sure this is not what the rules say........but when did I ever follow rules ?

Both are stamped with Stayzon onto masked and brayered backgrounds, the fairy one using the centre colours of Big and Juicy Happy Birthday and the Santa one using Adirondack eggplant.

The fairy Sweet Pea Midnight Waiting has been coloured with the same B&J ink pad and Aquamarkers and the wings liberally glittered......as all good fairy should be. The DP is October Afternoon, flowers from stash and the sentiment computer generated. This cards is for the following challenges:

Scrapbook Sisters - Full Moon

Flutterby Wednesdays - Open

Creative Inspirations - Birthday theme

Everybody Art - Sketch

The house stamp on the Santa scene is Art Impressions V1562 which has been lightly coloured with Tim Holtz inks and the rooftops glittered with Judikins snow glitter. Santa is Magenta 02045-6 stamped with Adirondack eggplant and some punched snowflakes to decorate. This card is for the following challenges:

Anything Goes - Christmas has come early
Glitterbabes - Anything goes

And one final share using a favourite Penny Black stamp............well yes I know, I love them all........Penny Black 4078K Reach for the Starts and the matching sentiment 4057F. The image is coloured with Copics and decoupaged, the DP is Magnolia, the border Martha Steward doily lace trim and a rose made from the same DP with punched leaves. This card is for the following challenges:

CRAFT - Shaped card
Cute Card Thursday - Make your own

Slow going in craftland

Good Afternoon everyone.

This enforced resting thing continues.......grief it's so alien to me, but this battered body of mine is still yelling at me "not enough energy". If I need any more convincing it takes me half a day to make a card then I'm shattered and I've not really done anything. So still not blogging and visiting folks, just the essential DT comments and that's about it which means I really, really need to say such a very special thanks to those of your that have still bothered to visit me, despite my lethargy.

A couple of cards - a couple of days worth of effort, how sad is that I ask you.......if I was teaching class at this pace they would all need to sleep over to get everything completed at this rate.

The first one is a sample for good old Stampalot......they are coming Janice, honest they are......using another of the lovely new stamps Magenta 42067M floral silhouette stamped onto a background of Glimmer Mist lemon zest and pearl and Hero Arts S3516 silhouette grass stamped with Tim Holtz scattered straw. The strip across the top is stamped with Hero CG222 music, the DP is Crate, lots of distressed edges, ribbon, buttons and beads added to embellish. This card is for the following challenges:

Crafts and Me - Easel card

ABC - Distressing

Flutterby Wednesdays - Wings and buttons

Cute Card Thursday - Tweet and Flutter

Paper Sundaes - At least three embellishments

My second card used lots of Art Impression stamps, a background brayered with Big and Juicy waterfall and a masked crescent moon.......I thought it was time for a deviation from a full moon ! Some DP from stash, punched leaves, lots of glitter on the trees and snow and a rather soggy flower which got 'Daisy'd'......she's so helpful in the crafting department. So it's a bit flatter than when it started life, but with some glitter it looks OK'ish. This card is for the following challenges:

Moving along with the Times - Christmas

Christmas Cards - Christmas trees (mine are still growing)

Glitterbabes - Anything goes

For fun Challenges - Glitter it up

Glitter and bling

Stampalot DT card

Continuing my holiday itinerary and your next clue for the candy.....how to enter in the post at the top of my blog......today sees us in a beautiful City that only a few years ago was ravaged by war.

Standing in the beautiful walled City of turrets and towers it is hard to imagine such atrocities such a short time ago until you look at the bullet and shell marks still evident on the City Gate below. Sitting on the coast in the Adriatic Sea, it used to be part of Yugoslavia and following the Civil war in 1991 changed to Croatia. Nine letters, the first is 'D' and the last 'K'.

And as it's the first of the month, Stamplalot Challenge and Penny Black at Allsorts both have new challenges, here are the themes:

Stampalot: Bring on the Bling

Penny Black at Allsorts: Glitter and Glitz

There are similarities and I can see quite a few being combined here, but equally I am sure lots of you will see totally different ideas. And both have some wonderful prizes on offer, Stampalot have a whole collections of craft essentials and Penny Black at Allsorts have six prizes on offer.

For my Stampalot DT card above I used Penny Black 4039K Candid stamped with versafine sepia one a background created with Tim Holtz olive and mustard seed, spritzed with Glimmer Mist pearl and then over stamped with Magenta 32090M crackle background. I stamped the flower heads again and coloured with the same two TH inks and spritzed with GM to make them pliable before decoupaging them onto the main image.

The DP is from stash and I have no idea of the make, I so wish I did as I love the colours of it. The border are punched with Martha Stewart double loop and the swirl is a sizzix die. For the bling I added some Swarovski crystals, so when I use them it means it's for someone special..........our daughter whose birthday is whilst we are on holiday.

My second card is my DT work for Penny Black at Allsorts:

Penny Black at Allsorts DT project

Its ages since I made a box easel card, so time to put that right. I have used some on the new Cosmo Cricket DP's to cover the box, the colours of this one are so yummy. For the main element I masked a piece of cardstock and sprayed with Glimmer Mist turquoise and sunflower to create a panel effect background. I then stamped Penny Black 3948 Fireworks over the GM's section and Penny Black 3940 Life to the side.

The borders are punched with Martha Stewart embossed scallop, the punched leaves and roses glittered liberally and Liquid Pearls added to the stamped flower heads plus more glitter.

Don't forget to pop back tomorrow for the next candy clue.

Ultimate Floral Fantasy

My first post in almost a week, don't think it's ever been that long but I just have not been up to blogging, crafting or anything much at all since last week. Probably predictably due to my lack of immune system I had problems after my mouth op last week and despite antibiotics the infection went rampant. Weekend in hospital and the result is that I am utterly shattered and feel less than human......whatever human may be.

And on top of all that, Bernie had to have an emergency op Monday for an ulcerated eye. St Bernard's are prone to eye problems, but this all happened so quickly and he was sent to the Animal Health Trust at Newmarket........that is one amazing place with some of the top guys in the veterinary world. One of the Labs and Dobies were treated there a few years ago and they did a fantastic job on them both, I can't praise them enough. Bernie came home yesterday.......can you visualise a St Bernard size buster collar ?

So a dilemma deciding how to deal with today's postings as being the first of the month it's a new challenge at Stampalot and also the launch day of our Penny Black at Allsorts challenge. So please forgive me everyone, but it's all loaded into this post which might even make it easier for all you peeps to read what is going on. Here is what we have lined up this month:

Stampalot Challenge: Lazy Hazy Summer Days

Penny Black at Allsorts Challenge: A Burst of Summer Colour

Writing this up I realise the themes are a bit repetitive with me stamped over them........oh dear what a pun, but there are so many ways you can interpret both themes. So please do click on the links and pop over to the challenge blogs and check out the fabulous prizes to be won this month and see all the wonderfully inspirational work the Design Teams have created.

And don't forget to visit both of the fabulous sponsors, Sir Stampalot and Penny Black where you can check out all the latest and best in all things crafty.

I realise that I have gone Penny Black nearly all the way and both cards could fit either challenge, but my first is for Stampalot Challenge using Penny Black 3815J love blush, quite an old stamp but one I use time and again. Roses epitomise a Summers day for me and I think this goes back to my childhood and the wonderful perfume that came from the Albertine climbers my Dad had over arched trellises coming up the front garden pathway.

He used to graft many of his own plants and a few years after I married he grafted a couple of Albertine roses for me and they are still growing in my garden today, a wonderful reminder that Dad is still close to me.

I stamped simply with versafine black onto linen cardstock, embossed with detail clear and coloured with Prismacolor pens and covered with Diamond Glaze. The mat is punched with Martha Stewart round the page 3 dot scallop. The background is repeat stamped and embossed with detail clear with Hero CG179 rose background and coloured with the same pens. Three handmade roses, punched leaves and butterflies and some pearls to embellish.

This card is also my entry for this weeks Ooh la la challenge who's theme is Simply Summer and Secret Crafter who have Strawberries and Cream as their theme.

My second card is for Penny Black at Allsorts and uses another one I adore Penny Black 4036K poppy poem. Poppies being another flower that I adore with their fresh vibrant colours, such a pity that each flowers lasts only a day or so.

I stamped a background using Tim Holtz fired brick and spritzed with water, before stamping the poppy and embossing with detail clear again. I coloured with the same TH ink and bundled sage and peeled paint for the leaves. I stamped the flower heads a few more times, colouring the same way, spritzed with Glimmer Mist pearl to shape before decoupaging them. The easel card was cur using Cricut Storybook, welding the shapes in Design Studio. The DP is one of the new Nitwit designs, the swirls are Magenta chipboard spritzed with Glimmer Mist red velvet. Buttons and punched butterflies to finish.

I am entering this card into this weeks Creative Card Crew challenge who would like to see Easel cards and Rosie D's and Everybody Art Challenges who have Summer Birthdays.

As soon as I feel up to it I will be doing my blog rounds, but in the meantime my apologies for being so tardy and sitting on my butt feeling a bit sorry for myself.

Summer Flowers and candy winners

Good evening everyone out there in blogland.

Home at last, seems like we have been away forever and straight back to work today and so no chance yet to catch up on blogging, but have this evening earmarked for a bit of a hop. The wedding was fantastic, the whole week wonderful and so much to tell you but as I don't have any pictures yet because I just did not have the opportunity to take any myself, I am going to save it all for a post on it's own which I will hopefully get done later this week.

So all I have to share is one card.........but taken in the garden close to one of the kolkwitzia bushes (picture above) which matches the colours perfectly..........and my card incredibly fits a number of challenges as there are several of my 'regulars' which have very similar themes and time being in short supply until I get myself back into home mode, I am doubling up a bit, I don't think I have ever managed more than 3/4 before. So the challenges, Penny Black have the theme of "In the Garden" which goes very well with Cupcake challenge of "Summer Delights" and Everybody Art Challenges which is also "Summer", then Creative Card Crew want to see "Pink and Green" typical summer colours, ABC's theme is "V for Vintage" and I have followed a sketch from Inspirational Card Sketches and finally Tuesday Taggers would like to see "Texture".

My main image is Penny Black 4036K Poppy Poem stamped onto a background of Brilliance inks and Glimmer Mists to create a hazy colour. The flower head have been decoupaged after colouring with Marvy pens and spritzed with Glimmer Mist pearl. The DP is My Minds Eye and Basic Grey, all nicely distressed. The swirls and die cuts from Magenta, inked with brilliance and embossed with detail clear. Ribbon and liquid pearls added to finish.

Goodness, almost forgot to announce the winners of my little candy prizes who are:

Julie

The Sparkly Fairy

Well done to both of you, please mail me brenda@ibas.co.uk with your addy and I will get them off in the post to you.

Wedding Day

No my card has nothing to do with weddings, but when this pops up courtesy of Mr Blogger, we should be readying ourselves on the west coast of France for this afternoons wedding of our second eldest son.

It's likely to be a long day as they do weddings a bit different in France. First the Town Hall for the formalities, then the Church for the wedding ceremony - which is apparently about an hour long service, then a cocktail party and at 7pm the wedding breakfast. And that's not the end of it because after a night of music and entertainment, Sunday lunchtime everyone reconvenes for a brunch party.

The day has seemed forever coming, hours of making wedding stationery, dress fittings and all nature of arrangements then suddenly here we are. Hopefully the weather will be lovely and the happy couple will have a wonderful day.

Now I had better just tell you about the new challenge at Allsorts where the lovely Debs has set us the theme of Black and White plus one.

An old favourite style and sentiment which is Penny Black 2695K Dance very simply stamped with versafine black and embossed with detail clear onto a background distressed with Tim Holtz Victorian Velvet. The mat was cut with a Nestie though the Big Shot and the edges stamped with flowers from Magenta CS043 and embossed with detail clear before distressing with the TH ink.

The writing down the side is another well used favourite Hero Arts H2354 and the corner flourish Penny Black 3857H Footnote. A border punched with Martha Stewart doily lace from Fancy Pants DP which I also used to make the roses, a stick pin, bead and cord to finish.

Marks and Spencer gets crafty

Hope everyone had a good long weekend, despite the typical UK bank holiday weather which left a lot to be desired. Nothing too exciting happened here, but I did manage to get well ahead with sample cards for Sir Stampalot and DT work which is mega important with the wedding now less than three weeks away.

I have two very quick cards to share with you, the first is for this weeks weeks Everybody Art challenge which would like to see Pastel Colours and the second for Tuesday Taggers which is Recycling.

So what did I do, well as I said both were fairly simple and quick cards. The first is a Stampalot sample using one of the new release Hero stamps K5373 Flower Trio which I stamped with versafine black and embossed with detail clear, coloured with Tim Holtz mustard seed and tumbled glass adding Diamond Glaze then Stickles to the centres whilst still wet. I created a narrow border round the edge of the main piece of card by masking over the stamped image and stamping with Hero H3317 woven fabric and Hero F5042 leafy swirl with the same TH inks. The sentiment is Penny Black 3940F Life.

The second card is where my friend Mark Spencer lent a helping hand. When I took the packaging off some lemon sole fillets a couple of weeks ago and saw the reverse of the packing with news print I stashed it away and today it got an airing. I distressed it with Tim Holtz worn lipstick, rounded the edges and used it as my background. I made three punched flowers from the offcuts, shaded them with the same ink and spritzed with Glimmer mist vintage pink and dazzling diamonds. The main image is from a Magenta set CS043.

That's about it, other to remind you all about the new Stampalot Challenge where there are oodles of Tim Holtz products up for grabs.

Blossoms and Blooms

Hello all, hope you are all having a good Tuesday.

My latest crafty exploits have been my attempts to prefect the tunnel card, well at least my version. A long way to go still but they say practice makes perfect so two for the price of one her. At least it's given me the opportunity to get some of the long overdue samples done for Sir Stampalot in the process and the second on also fits this weeks new ABC challenge with theme theme T is for.

The first one uses an unmounted Magenta set CS-043 which has some really lovely corner elements as well as flowers and fauna. I cut an aperture in the front of the card with Nesties through the Big Shot. I used the same piece for the dangling element but cut it a size smaller then stamped with versamark black and embossed with detail clear and coloured with a mixture of Copics and Marvy pens, stamped the flowers a second time coloured and spritzed with Glimmer Mist pearl and decoupages. I fixed the main image in place with an eyelet and jump rings. The DP is Kaiser and that's about the card really, oh and some dots of liquid pearls, but actually quite quick to make.

My second card.........sorry the piccies a bit dark despite sunshine and taken in the garden on the gazebo steps.........was created in exactly the same way, but this time I fixed the main image to the rear section of the card. The image is Hero Arts S5362 Dogwood which I absolutely fell in love with when I saw Lynda using it on some of her wonderful artwork........I'm sure they kept this stamp hidden from me at Stampaot because I really had not seen it before, but Janice soon put things right, hence the samples.

The flowers are decoupaged after stamping onto some Kaiser DP, which I also used to cut the corners with a Sizzix die and the spotty revers on the back of the card. The thank you sentiment is Art Impression G463 which I fixed onto one of the inside folds.

Purple Butterflies

Progress at last, I have actually managed to make a whole card in 'one sitting'. Must be the sunshine which is just breaking through and promising a nice afternoon. Probably just as well as a digger has just been delivered for hubby to do some footing work for his new greenhouse........apparently we did not have enough tomatoes and produce last year and need more space.......and tomatoes for the County this year, not just the village.

My card is for this weeks ABC challenge which is 'S for Sparkle' and I am hoping, a bit tongue in cheek that it will do for this weeks Penny Black challenge as well which is 'Buttons Galore'......now I know the collage image is not PB, but the three others I have used are. If it's not appropriate, sorry girls and count my entry out. I am also entering for the first time Flutterby Wednesday, I have no idea why I never found this one before seeing half of what I produce has butterflies or fairies on it.

So, the card itself has been stamped all over with Penny Black 2410 Penmanship using Tim Holtz crushed olive, then down the side with Penny Black 3857 Footnote. The sentiment is Penny Black 4070F Dreams and the collage image is Magenta 40301P. The background for the collage stamp and sentiment have been coloured with the same TH crushed olive and dusky concord, with a liberal helping of Glimmer Mist sweet clover and pearl. The edges have then been inked with versamark dazzle champagne and embossed with iridescent embossing powder which I also used on the sentiment and collage.

The flowers and butterflies have been coloured with Twinkling H2o's and stickles added. I tied purple glitter cord across the card and made a rose from paper spritzed with Glimmer Mist rum raisin. Finally spotty buttons added to the flower centre and the corner.

Petals and Pearls

Happy Saturday peeps and another challenge at Allsorts.

And this weeks it's my turn to host the challenge and I have come up with the theme of "Petals and Pearls" a perfect way to think about all the lovely Spring blossoms that are bursting into flower. But you all know me, any excuse to use flowers on a project........the guys at Stampalot don't call me 'Botanical Brenda' for nothing I guess.

My card has been created using a new stamp from Magenta 40301P Butterfly Garden which I stamped with versafine black and embossed with detail clear onto a background created with Glimmer Mists sweet clover and tutti fruitti, two of the new limited edition colours. I coloured the blossoms with Marvy pens and stamped the larger butterfly again to cut out and decoupage. The left wing is not actually part of the stamp, so I drew it it to match the other side which seems to work OK. I tore the edges of the piece and distressed with Tim Holtz peeled paint.

The border is Martha Stewart eyelet lace and the swirls a Sizzix die cut through the Big Shot and finally pearls added to embellish.

By the Cut and Girly April Challenge

Update: Thank you all for your kind comments and mails about Anysia. The op was more complicated than they envisaged and she was in surgery a good part of the day and needs another op, but when she is stronger. She is receiving transfusions and like a robot with all the machines she is linked to, but when we left last night had come round and recognised us all......and asked where her mobile phone was, so we saw that as a positive move in the right direction. Am away to the hospital again now, as although visiting is restricted they are allowing us pretty free access to be with her.

This month at By the Cute and Girly we have several new DT's, so welcome to you all. The theme this month is "Fairytales", a chance for you to get all those fairy any mythical stamps and products out.

Still in 'box' mode I have created yet another box/easel project and a really mystical card with a unicorn. Both use a selection of stamps from Lavinina (link on sidebar), including the unicorn and steps which are amongst their new releases.

The background for the box card was created with Tim Holtz distress inks marigold, sage and mustard seed and the stamping done with versfaine sepia and Big and Juicy spice. The fairy image has been stamped twice and embossed with iridescent powder, cut out and decoupaged. The flowers and leaves are all from Magenta CS043 set and the toadstools are from the Magnolia Tilda range. DP's are My Minds Eye.

The unicorn card has a brayered background using eggplant and Big and Juicy Spice, more Lavinia stamps for the trees and leaves plus a few Art Impression ones and the fence has been drawn in with a fine line black marker pen.