Lot's going on..............

Good morning peeps, I'm not sure where to start here, so much going on today, three new challenges to tell you about................Stampalot and Penny Black at Allsorts monthly challenges as well as the weekly one at Allsorts..................and it's my wedding anniversary so there just might be a meal out tonight, but that rather depends on how hubby is feeling as he's still not 100% plus my MS seems to having a bit of a hissy fit again.

So it's going to be a bit of a heavy post, but at least it's Saturday so some of you might be able to grab a coffee and have a leisurely read.

I will start with the little gift set above which is my make for Stampalot Challenge theme is 'Food Glorious Food', basically your project can be anything with an association to food. The poinsettia is a pretty old image from Penny Black 1289J Grand Poinsettia, which I stamped onto Nitwits DP twice and decoupaged. The sentiment which I really love is Stampendous CRQ146 here here and the band around the jar is stamped with Prickly Pear HH0065 here. And is anyone wondered what's in the jar, preserved Victoria plums from the orchard - well that''s what we call it.....about 30 trees in total, so not a proper orchard in the run of things here in the Fens.

Next up is my DT piece for Penny Black at Allsorts where we have some Autumnal photo inspiration on offer, I could happily make cards with this colour way all year so I was totally at home with this one. The main image in Penny Black 3231K Snowy Park......yes it is a Crimbo stamp but I figure there was no reason why it can't not double up for other times of the year with the right colours. I masked a piece of gloss cardstock round the edges so I left a piece in the centre about the size of the stamp, added a sun and brayered Adirondack butterscotch, sunset orange and meadow and added a bit more depth by sponging ginger through the trees.

And last but by no means least at Allsorts Helene would like us to 'Use at least five flowers' on our work. So out came this gorgeous stamp from the new releases from La Blanch called Wandering Amongst Daisies here. I fell in love with this image the moment I saw it and knew exactly what I wanted to do with it, in fact I made quite a few using her. For this one I stamped onto Fabriano watercolour card, coloured with Aquamarkers and added background colour and a little fence, some swirls and five punched daisies and finito !

Enjoy your weekend whatever you have planned.

Decoupage and distressed in the frame

Hello peeps, It doesn't seem possible that it's the 1st September does it, where did the summer go, oh that's right, it never actually arrived in the UK did it ?

I guess we did have some good weather, but the warm days were so few and far between it's difficult to remember exactly when they were. So Autumn is all but upon us and I noticed when I was out the other day that some of the leaves are already taking on an Autumnal hue. But I love crafting with the lovely rich Autumn colours so at least I will be seasonal for one.

Enough of my blathering, I know you want to know about the new challenges but first some HOT news .................... watch out for a new weekly feature that Sir Stampalot are promoting, starting tomorrow. It’ll be called ‘Freebie Friday’ and it’ll be sent to you via their email newsletter so if you haven’t already signed up, you’ll need to sign up before end of day today, here :

So the challenges and first up is Stampalot Challenge where we have the theme "It's a frame up', pretty simple and a chance for you to get creating lovely apertures and frames with your nesties and other die cuts.

My card at the top of the post is using one of the gorgeous new Christmas released from Penny Black 4210K Floral Story which I stamped and coloured with Aquamarkers and made a frame with Nesties using one of the new Kaiser DP's. A bit of distressing with TH vintage photo and borders punched with MS cornice edge.

Moving on to this months challenge at Penny Black at Allsorts we are inviting you to 'Get ahead for Christmas'.

I have used another new stamp from Penny Black 4208K Christmas Narrative , stamped onto a background of distress inks and Glimmer Mists. The flowers have again been coloured with Aquamarkers, they really are my favorite colouring medium.

On both of the above cards I stamped the flowers several times and after colouring inked with Versamark frost and spritzed with Glimmer Mist Pearl to allow me to mould the petals before decoupaging.

Thanks for visiting and hope you will join in this months challenges.

Welcome to the Stampalot Garden Party

Hopefully Blogger is still playing the game with me and this will pop us as scheduled on the 1st August for the new challenges at Sir Stampalot and Penny Black at Allsorts.

Today we should be in the beautiful Greek isle of Santorini, but there is one element that spoils my trips here and that is those poor little donkeys making repeated treks up and down the steep hillside to ferry visitors to the village above. The family all tell me I am sad and I am in total agreement, the only difference is my sadness is that these poor creatures are exploited in the burning heat day after day.

OK, off my high horse now, I know that's one animal rescue I cant deal with so I will tell you about the challenges, at Stampalot we have the theme of "Whatever you Fancy" and Penny Black at Allsorts "Free and Easy", so basically both totally open to create what you like.

My Stampalot creation is a sort of concertina box card, I'm sure there is a proper name for it but not really sure what this is. I stamped and coloured several Molly Blooms stamps and created a little scene, took me the best part of a day to do this one but really enjoyed it even if it is outside my comfort zone.

My Penny Black make above uses the lovely image Penny Black 4076K Gift of Flowers and I did some paper piecing for her dress and hat and coloured the other parts with Copics. The DP is Scribble Scrabble and the ribbon threaded through a Marianne die.

Thanks for visiting and have a lovely weekend.

How do you choose a favorite ?

A bit of a heavy post here as there is so much I need to share.

A new month means new challenges at Stampalot and Penny Black at Allsorts and some new about something going on over at Allsorts challenge, so read on.

The June theme at Stampalot is 'Photo Inspiration' - a lovely field of poppies and daisies and at Penny Black at Allsorts 'Your my Favourite'...........I have only myself to blame here, I ask you......... how is it possible to pick a favourite Penny Black stamps ? I can't as there are so many, so in the end decided I would opt for a finished card that I particularly like.

The top card is my DT piece for Stampalot challenge. I masked a piece of Frabico watercolour card, stamped Sheen Douglas daisies in white, then inked the whole piece with TH sage, masked the daisies, stamped Hero Arts S5316 Silhouette Grass in the background using TH tea dye, then overstamped with Hero CL449 and coloured the poppies with Copics.

For my Penny Black piece, a lovely slapstick stamp Penny Black 20-025 Thinking of You, coloured with Copics and decoupaged. The DP is October Afternoon and the flower created using a Cuttlebug quilling die set.

The piece above is not a card at all as it ended up rather too large, so in the end I just mounted it onto a piece of heavy card which probably works better as it is a Stampalot sample. The little girl on the left with her easel are both stamps from the new Molly Blloms range here along with others from previous releases. I drew the hills in by hand and the fence and tree are Magnolia everything is coloured with Aquamarkers.

And last nut not least I need to let everyone know that we have a DT call going on over at Allsorts. It will run for two weeks from today and if you pop over the the challenge blog you will fin all the details there. Please grab the logo above and help spread the word.

Floral and Fantasy

Seems I just can't help myself when it comes to choosing themes, at Stampalot Challenge this month we would like to see 'Magical Worlds' and at Penny Black at Allsorts 'Shape Up' anything but square or rectangle.......I know I didn't have to go floral with that one, but somehow that's what I ended up with, so no surprises really.

My Stampalot fairy scene started by using a mask to create an oval then some brayering using the good old Speedball and Adirondack dye inks and stamping with a mixture of Artstamps (castle) Personal Impressions (large fairy and toadstools) and tiny Lavinia fairies.

I used Grand nesties one to create the actual card for my Penny Black make, distressed a piece of Fabrianao watercolour card with TH spun sugar and peeled paint to match the pretty Kaiser DP, then stamped randomly with a number of different Penny Black stamps. The swirls were cut with a Marianne die and punched flowers dotted about, a butterfly and some stickles and glitter.

Who wants a laugh ?

A very good morning to you all, it's April fools day !!!!!!

And new challenge time at Stampalot and Penny Black at Allsorts plus a bit of extra fun as Stampalot Challenge is one year old today........how that year has flown by.

So the themes ? At Stampalot we have not only the monthly challenge where this month Lady Stampalot herself - Janice, has chosen the theme of "Women and Fashion"......but a bit of fun as well and of course that means extra prizes for you lucky peeps. And you can also have a real laugh at the DT's expense along the way..............so do hop over to the challenge blog to see what going on.

I used Hero Arts CG273 Silhouette Women as the focal point of my card, some brayering is soft colours to create a bit of misty atmosphere and what I like to call my Art Impression worker stamps to build up the scene.

And at Penny Black at Allsorts this theme is a colour combo "Black, White plus one"......the 'one' is your choice.

I have used one of the new stamps Penny Black 4182K Butterfly Suite as the main images, stamped onto a background created with acrylic pain, I stamped the flower and butterflies a second time, coloured with Aquamarkers and decoupaged. The base card is stamped with Hero Arts CG222 Music Background using Hero chalk ink soft blossom.

Spring is all around us

Good Morning peeps, it is I.......... here in person........my first proper post unaided for six weeks, wow what progress indeed.

I am pleased to say I really do seem to be headed in the right direction now, this relapse seems to have been very slow going, but everything crossed the progress will continue. I have told myself that I must still proceed with caution and not do my usual and throw myself back into things all at once, but I do intend getting round you all bit by bit a.s.a.p.

It's perfect timing really as today we have new challenges at Stampalot and Penny Black at Allsorts. And before I tell you about this months themes, I want to say a great big thank you to my design teams at both challenges for holding the fort whilst I have been MIA. You have all done a fabulous job girls, please accept my thanks for being so supportive.....a further thank you as well to all my blogland friends for all their wonderful support and visits here, although I have not been able to be active I have read your comments and each and every one is appreciated.

OK back to business and it will probably come as no surprise that the themes at both challenges are pretty similar.........I make no apologies as Spring is my favourite time of year and I never fail to be amazed by the wonders of Nature bursting into life as if by magic after the long dormant winter months.

So at Penny Black at Allsorts it is simply "Welcome Spring" and at Stampalot "Spring is in the Air".

It's a theme I could make dozens of cards for, but I whittled it down to just two for Stampalot but using the same set of stamps, the little girls is Art Impression T3093 and tree branches and fence are both Magnolia. In both cases I masked the little girl and then stamped the fence twice to extend it. Both are coloured with Aquamarkers and the DP's are offcuts which I think are Doodlebug. The top card is also for the following challenge:

Wild Orchid - Anything goes

Die Cut Dreams - Spring garden scene

Stamp Scrap Doodle - Easel card

Crazy Challenges - Here comes Spring

Now a couple for Penny Black at Allsorts. The one above is fairly plain and simple to show off the gorgeous flower and sentiment stamps. I started with a piece of silk cardstock and masked the edges and brayered Adirondack lake mist to the bottom corner, then with the masks still in place stamped the flowers, inking the stamps Penny Black 3587K Jonquil with distress inks and spritzing with water before stamping (as it's a coated cardstock you need to be careful as the wetness of the stamp can make it slip and blur). The sentiment is PB 3096K Host of Daffodils.

I then laid a post it note inside the edge masking before removing it to reveal the white edges and brayered the two corners with Adirondack sunshine yellow and overstamped with Hero Arts F5042F Leaf Flourish......this must be the most used worker stamp in my collection. Finally I squiggled a freehand line round to frame it the central stamping. This card is also for the following challenge:

By the Cute and Girly - Spring
Incy Wincy - Spring is in the air

My second PB card uses Penny Black 4039K Candid coloured with Aquamarkers and shaded round the edges with TH Mustard Seed. The sentiment is Hobby Art GR223. The DP is Jillybean. I stamped the flower heads twice more and added to one of the steps of the card, along with some borders punched with MS embossed scallop. The above cards is also for the following challenges:

CES - Flowers and flutterbys
Crazy 4 Challenges - Flowers

Say it with flowers and a woof

This post was scheduled a few weeks back and this is just a very quick message........I have been let loose from my chains for five minutes.......to say I am overwhelmed by all you wonderful and kind messages and thank you all so much, you have no idea how much they all mean to me. I have not been on the computer at all, but was 'allowed' to read your messages. The rest period continues..................

The first of the month means I am brimming with new challenges and have shares for Stampalot Challenge where the theme is "Noah's Ark" and Penny Black at Allsorts where the theme is "Say it with Flowers".

My card for Penny Black at Allsorts is very pink and girly, not normal me but I do love the image and the colours are growing on me. The image is Penny Black 4076K Gift of Flowers.......which I thought was most appropriate for the theme..........stamped several times with versafine black, embossed with detail clear and coloured with Aquamarkers then decoupaged. The DP is from my stash, flowers, some lace and a border using Martha Stewart Floral Vine.

My Stampalot card has Stampendous CRR123 stamped onto a background lightly brayered with Big and Juicy Spice, coloured with Aqumarkers and set into a Nesite frame. I borrowed the pooch stamp from the Stampalot classroom so don't have the code, but I think it's an Art Impression stamp which I stamped and embossed onto white cardstock and added a little shading with Copics. The DP is Nitwits and I used a paw print stamp onto some jute ribbon to tie across the middle and added some buttons.................dare I admit that this is the card I made for George's second birthday..............yes I do mean George the Labrador !!

Penny Black at Allsorts Blog Hop

Morning everyone, it's time for the Penny Black at Allsorts Blog Hop and also a new challenge at Allsorts.

At the Hop we havE lots of fabulous prizes on offEr and really hope you will all join in the fun. When you reach my blog you should have arrived from Mervi's blog and after you pick up my letter cluE......hidden amongst this post.....you need to head over to visit Shirley. If you get lost along thE way at any point you can always go back to the challEnge blog and start afresh.

Here is what I have on offer for the winnEr of my part of the hop, all you need to do to be in with a chancE of winning this cutE stamp set is leave mE a comment on this post.

For my Allsorts DT piece I have used another favourite Penny Black 40-125 Thinking of You coloured with Copics and decoupaged with three layers. The DP is October Afternoon and the flower and leaves are cut using a Cuttlebug quilling die set.

And my second card is just a bit of indulgence really, messing around with inks and the brayer and the first inking up for one of the stamps delivered recently from Dick over at PB Stamps...........a really oldie that I was so thrilled to find.......the code tells you just how old......Penny Black 386H called Knapsack Corner which I coloured lightly with Copics. The sentiment is PB 3904F Life which I stamped onto a spotlight and brayered to carry the background shading and ran a squiggly line freehand round the edges. And of course good old Art Impression ducks........well half of them anyhow.

Blog hop fun

This Blog Hop has now ended................

Happy New year everyone.

I really don't know where to start with this post because there is so much I need to include.........a new weekly challenge at Allsorts.......then Stampalot and Penny Black at Allsorts monthly challenges........as well as a Blog Hop.

So first up is my creation above for Allsorts where Fleur would like to see Thank You creations. My card made with Kraft cardstock uses Hero Arts CO114 as the main image, stamped onto the reverse of the Kaiser DP and the flowers stamped several times more, cut out, spritzed with Glimmer Mist pearl and decoupaged with peal gems and brads to embellish.

Next up is my creation for this months Penny Black at Allsorts where the them is "All you Need is Love"...................and keep your eyes peels for a Blog Hop there later this month as well. A real comfort zone card using Penny Black 3796K Words Sweet which I inked with carious Tim Holtz inks and spritzed with water before stamping. Lightly distressed edges and mounted on the Kraft cardstock stamped down the leading edge with Penny Black 2636K Scroll Pattern. Some DP from stash with gold hearts, which I also used to make three matching roses, some cord and finito.

My final share is for this months theme at Stampalot Challenge where the theme is to take inspiration from Queens hit song or Shakespears "A Winters Tale". The main image is Stamps Happen 80182 Let it Snow, coloured with Aquamarkers and Judikins snow glitter added. A computer generated verse from Shakespeare.

Now for the Blog Hop which starts today at StampaloT Challenge and runs from Today until 10th January. I am sure lots of you know the sysTem but for those of you who might be new to Hops, you need to go to the Stampalot Challenge blog where you will find all the informaTion you need.

Once you starT the hop and follow the rouTe you should arrive here from Francesca's blog and your nexT port of all will be Tracy . The letter clue you need to collect from me is hidden......or hopefully not too hidden, in This and the above couple of paragraphs. Here is the prize for my step of the Hop, a lovely Hero Arts set of stamps and to be in with a chance of winning you just need to leave me a commenT on this post.

Thanks for visiting, have fun on the Hop and I will be round to visit you all.

Fresh new challenges

Good Morning peeps, the first of the month means new challenges and I decided we all need a change from what seems like months of Christmas cards so something a bit different on both counts.

Can I first apologise I have not visited you much the last few days, I've got Optic Neuritis again which is a real pain in the rear, not to say inconvenient. But it means I have to restrict computer use to short bursts and hours of blogging is just not on if I want to shift it quickly. I've found I can craft for a bit longer if I lower my daylight lamp and work above it away from the light itself it that makes sense, so not all is bad news.

A little reminder about this coming weekend at Sir Stampalot........it's the third Ultimate Rubber Stampaing Demo Day........seven very different styles of stamping demos running simultaneously from 10am through 4pm, free refreshments and prize draws and of course a shop brimming full of crafting essentials. The last two years it's been a fabulous day so if you can get there do come along and don't forget to say hello......I'll be the one with messy fingers......and maybe dark glasses if the eyes don't pick up.

At Stampalot Challenge we have 'Travel the World' and 'Beauty is in the eye of the beholder' at Penny Black at Allsorts. Last month saw bumper entries at both challenges and I really do hope you will all be joining in again this month.

Here are my DT pieces. The one above is my travelling ladies.....check out their ticket, reduced in size but it's authentic and they are fresh off the Orient Express. I used a whole collection of Art Impression stamps......thanks for the loan from the classroom Stampalot....... The ladies ware stamped first and masked, then the various buildings stamped from their travels.......Tour Eiffel, Big Ben, Il Colosseo, La Torre di Pisa and of course the sky scape's of the Big Apple. A little big of background scenery and sky added and mounted over a world map. This is also for the following challenge:

Simon Says - Sketch (it's a bit reversed but hope it's acceptable)

There's Magic in the Air - Anyting goes

Totally Stampilicious - Anything goes

Tip Top Tuesday - Anything goes

Cute Daisy May - Lets get girly

My Penny Black piece encapsulates what beauty means to me, which is basically everything Nature has to offer. My tag book is cut on the Big Shot pro........again thanks to Sir Stampy for the borrow.......looks like I don't own anything crafty reading this post......... I coloured all pieces with stencils and various Tim Holtz distress inks and Glimmer Mists then overstamped with a collection of Penny Black stamps........oh yeah, these are definitely all mine......... I couldn't resist using my favourite sentiment stamp inside and drew a freehand border round the edge.

I won't list all the stamps, but if anyone wants any specific codes please drop me a mail. The flowers are made from punches, meant to be carnations and are made up of as many layers you can get onto your brad really.......think I used about ten punched flowers........then made in the usual way.........shaded round the edges, spritzed with water to make the colours bleed and crumpled, then sprayed again with Glimmer Mist and they dry nice and rigid. This also fits the following challenges:

One Stitch at a Time = Bling it up (glimmers mists and crystals)

Pollycraft - Chipboard (the tabs and swirls)

Papercutz - Anything goes

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.