A bit of blue

Hi peeps, what gloomy weather here in the Fens, not sure if its the same all over but I'm not much liking what the weather forecast promises for later this week. Time for my three months winter break in the Caribbean me thinks...........I wish...........I can but dream.

Getting decent photos has been pretty impossible today, I even took my cards into the office in the hope I could take a couple if we got a glimmer of sun, but no such luck. So apols in advance for the poor picture quality.

There seems to be a distinct blue feel to Christmas this year and although it's not a colour I use a great deal, I quite like what I came up with for a couple of challenge with the blue theme.

Both cards have been made in the same way using Penny Black 2800K Sound of Snow, but one is intended for a man whilst the other is a bit more feminine. Before stamping I created a background by simply dragging a distress inkpad across a piece of card, in this case Tim Holtz broken china, then the image stamped with versafine black and embossed with detail clear.

The box, not that you would really know from the picture !

The larger background piece has been stamped all over using Hero Arts CG229 Classic Holly with versamark, embossed with detail clear then distressed with TH broken china and stormy sky. I gave the edges a think paining of Windsor and Newton silver acrylic pain then heated to make it bubble. The same sentiment added to both, flowers (I coloured these with the same inks and silver) and punched holly on one and just the holly and a couple of bells on the other. I also made a box for one, but the picture is pretty appalling. These cards are for the following challenges:

Midnight Madness - Sketch (I went with the simple one and added a few bits so hope it's OK)

Pollycraft - Feeling Blue

Wild Orchid - Blue Christmas

Cards for Men - Christmas (the second blue card)

Incy Wincy - Blue and White

My second card is a really simple one using some DP from stash punched with Martha Stewart double loop round the page, some flowers, pearls, punched leaves and a sentiment tag using Penny Black 4075F For the Stars. This card is for the following challenges:

Paper Playtime - Thank You

Stamp Something - Thanks

My time to Craft - Tag Along

Me, like fairies ?

I woke up at 5am sneezing, by 8am it was a full blown cold and by lunchtime I look like Rudolph.

Must be something to do with the rumour of decorating, so I decided not to go into the office today and take it a bit easy with some craft. And has that been slow going, just one card completed, one finished from yesterday and a sample from stock, so here they are.

A couple of easel cards as I have a bit of a glut of them right now thanks to the one and only puppy from hell, Daisy. I had all my nice new cardstock from the NEC laid out on the sofa in my craft room.......200 cards and envelopes in total.........in comes Daisy fresh from the stables with hubby and literally launched herself onto the sofa, muddy pawmarks everywhere. Dog's don't do sofas in our house, lets fact it, if they did we would be the ones sitting on the floor.

So the only option I could see to salvage some of the ruined cards was cut off the muddy fronts and assemble some easel cards. In fairness to Daisy, the ruined ones were in the minority, but think she learn a hard lesson there. And for you peeps, a few more easels to come still......but I do love the shape so not too fussed if I am honest.

The top card is sheer indulgence with another of the new Sweet Pea Stamps from Crafts and Me (link on sidebar) called One and Only Heart. Isn't she the sweetest ? She is stamped with versafine and embossed with detail clear, then masked so I could add a sun.........I know I am a bore but all fairies need a moon or sun in my fantasy world. I decoupaged her glove, flower and heart, coloured with Copics and glittered her wings and the heart. The DP is a really old piece from my stash, the two white hearts are made with glittered card using an Martha Stewart punch, the border another MS punch and feathers and a based pin used to embellish along with some roses and beads. This card is for the following challenges:

Crafts and Me - Glitter

My Time to Craft - Rhapsody of Roses
Flourish Timeless Tuesday - Glitter

My second card, another of the reassembled easel cards stamped with Hero Arts CG179 aptly named Rose Background and coloured with Twinkling H20's. The sentiment is Hobby Art GR1353, such a lovely sentiment, stamped with versamark and embossed with detail clear. The bottom section is Magnolia DP, Tim Holtz Bigz swirl dies and two roses made from plain purple paper and dipped into hot UTEE to give a lovely glazed finish. This card is for the following challenges:

Tuesday Taggers - Gold, silver and purple

Anything Goes - Embossing

My final share today using this lovely little Sarah Kay girl, whose name I'm afraid I don't remember........my biggest problem with unmounted stamps as there is no wood block with the details to remind me. She is coloured with Copics and mounted onto a pretty embossed circle using the Magnolia die. The DP is My Minds Eye, a MS punched border and some punched flowers.This card is for the following challenges:

Fab 'n Funky - Going round in circles

ABC - Holidays (Christmas, Thanksgiving etc)
For Fun - Dry embossing
Scrapbook Sisters - Christmas colours

To Follow the Star

Happy Wednesday peeps.

Whose going to the NEC then ? I am and really excited, only ever been once before so when hubby said would I like him to take me a jumped at the opportunity as it's not much fun driving all that way on your own, meaning I don't usually bother. And I am equally excited that I will be meeting quite a few new faces........assuming we can find one another amidst the crowds.

So my shares today are going to be quick as I have two days work to pack in today to clear my desk a bit so I can go tomorrow.

This first card is a relatively quick and simple make. I used post it noted to mask the coloured sections, on a piece of gloss cardstock, inked with Tim Holtz distress inks rusty hinge and dried marigold, then stamped the trees from a Creative Expressions set using versafine black and embossing with detail clear. Simply matters onto coordinating cardstock and a border punched with Fiskars threading water. This card is for the following challenges:

Papertake Weekly - Penny for the Guy (male card)
Paper Sundaes - For the Boys

Scrapbook Sisters - Autumn Colours

My second card has a background created by distressing with Tim Holtz broken china and dusky concord then stamping Hero Arts F5042 leaf flourish.......a real old favourite that I uses over an again........with bleach to lift the colour and expose the pattern of the stamp. Next a panel run through the Cuttlebug and inked with TH black soot and the main image is Penny Black4112K To Follow the Star stamped with versafine black and embossed with detail clear, then shaded with the same TH inks. The sentiment is Penny Black 4116H embossed with detail white, then eyelets, lace and cord added to finish. This is for the following challenges:

Everybody Art Challenges - Untraditional Christmas

For Fun - Use metal somewhere (eyelets)
Oldie but a Goodie - Distressed (main image is an old one but was re-issued this year under different code)

The above card is again a really quick and easy one, I placed a piece of paper with a circle aperture cut out onto gloss cardstock and brayered over with Big and Juicy Hydrangea lifting colour from the middle and left of the inkpad so I missed the pink section. I removed the mask, inked the brayer again, but removed a good amount of the ink from the brayer so I got a light covering of ink across the corners. I stamped the main image Crafts and Me Orchid of the Night twice with versafine black and embossed with detail clear, coloured in with the same B&J inkpad, glittered the wings and flowers and decoupaged.

The corners are a stamp from a clear Inkadinkado set (no codes I'm afraid) and the decoupaged flower is made up of several of the small flowers from the fairy stamp. This card is for the following challenges:

Alphabet Challenge - A is for Angels and Fairies
Kreative Stamp Friends - Favourite stamps
Anything Goes - B is for Beautiful
Flutterby Wednesdays - Open (wings of course)

Spoonful of Sugar - Relish to embellish

Wings and things

Hello everyone. How's the weather you way ? We have rain again just for a change, but at least it's not too cold and the lovely dewy morning this last week have brought the paddocks on a treat which make the horses very happy campers.

A few shares today. My first card uses one of my new stamps from Sweet Pea called midnight waiting. She has been stamped and embossed with detail clear and coloured with Copics. I stamped the wings and top of the fairy twice, glittered the wings and decoupaged. The DP is Magnolia and the borders punched with Martha Stewart floral vine. Some lace, roses and punched leaves to embellish. This card is for the following challenges:

Moving Along With the Times - Use at least three ingredients from the menu (I used 2 DP's glitter, leaves and heat embossing)

Flutterby Wednesday - All Winged Things

Charisma Cards - Anything Goes

The next one is this lovely slapstick stamp Penny Black 40-020 fly away, I think he's just adorable. I coloured with Copics and matted using one of the new Nesite shapes labels 17, I just love the shape of this ones. The DP is October Afternoon and the sentiment the first line of Penny Black 4075F. I cut the stars on Cricut assent essentials, added some rik rak and gens to embellish. This card is for the following challenges:

Simon Says - Sketch

Cupcake - Transport (the plane ?)

My Time to Craft - Kids at Play

My final card today is my favourite Autumnal colours. I created a background using Tim Holtz barn door, rusty hinge and frayed burlap. I overstamped with Hero Arts H2365 old French writing, then Hero S5449 fabulous flourish using versafine sepia. The mats are cut on Nesties and the leaves are X Cut punches which also emboss the leaves making them really come to life when you ink over them. The corners are punched with Martha Stewart double loop and finally I added some lace across the middle and raffia round the stamped image. This card is for the following challenges:

Crafty Creations - Falling Leaves

Creative Inspiration - 2 or More Stamps

Dutch Dare - Birthday Bash

My time to Craft 58

My time to Craft Challenge 58 is Metallica and gives me a perfect opportunity to try out a new technique I discovered this week using acetate, crumpled foil an old book and inks which you can find here. It's super messy and I added my own slant by using Glimmer Mists along with the alcohol ink so you get some extra glitz - remember, glitter makes the world go round - doesn't it ?

Both stamps are PB, the main image 2407K stamped with black stayzon, highlighted with an Inkssentials opaque pen and the swirly one 2636K stamped with versamark and embossed with detail clear. The edges of the card have been distressed with TH antique linen, rubbed with versamak and dipped into detail gold to highlight them as has the black mat. I have added some punched out butterflies from another piece made up using the same foil technique.

My Time to Craft challenge 57

My card today is for My Time to Craft challenge 57 following a set template layout. The main image is using Creative Expressions HH269F. Two layers are both stamped with versafine black and clear emboss powder, then glittered and gems added for the thorax and wire for the anteni. The two white bands have been embossed on the cuttlebug and the mats with nesties.