Agapanthus Cluster

Morning all, time for our September challenge at Tag-Along (and ATC's) where Lynn has chosen the theme of Things with Wings and as usual there's the Anything Goes option as well. We have another lovely set of tag shaped dies to give away to the months lucky winner and as always the three of us will each choose our favourite from the months entries.

I've made a tag with a little pocket using an oddment of MCS DP on the pocket, some A&C words and birdie to the front along with a PB Butterfly, a real old wood mounted stamp. On the tag some random stamped script and Stampendous Agapanthus Cluster P107, my all time favourite stamp. Literally everything on the tag and pocket were from my snippets rack although I don't have photos I'm afraid, but will share over at the Playground ready for the new term starting this week. Would also like to enter at The Outlawz Card Free Zone and Aud Sentiments who would like to see Tag or Thank You + Sentiment.

My ATC made it's way to New Zealand. A few weeks ago our friend, the one who was killed on his way home from us last month, had his Daughter over from NZ where she's lived for 15 years. She wasn't due to come untill Autumn but decided to bring her travel dates forward, we are all so pleased she did, now she's back again to sort her Dad's things and spending time with us.

She had never heard of ATC's so I showed her my collection and she asked if she could choose one to take home, the above was her choice. Given what happened soon after she went back to NZ, it now seems so appropriate that she chose one with a Butterfly.

Stampers Anonymous stitching stamped round the edges of the inked ATC, an A&C Butterfly and sentiment and little envie to match plus a few pearls.

Also sharing my card for the Card Chain Challenge, it went to Jo and followed the colours Fuchsia, Tangerine and Violet and took the hexagon shape from the sketch. All stamps from Lavinia's new Twilight Tea collection.

Here's our one and only Agapanthus (more coming). Some will remember we planted a special garden where we buried our Poppy Dog in May. Uncultivated land, where she used to enjoy mooching under the trees, but with so many wild rabbits it's like Watership Down so limited which plants are 'rabbit proof'ish'. After some research went with Agapanthus, Digitalis, African Daisies, Geraniums along with a Rose youngest son bought to remember her, there were already lots of self set Oriental Poppies which will bloom again next year. 

Given how dry the Summer has been things have been slow to establish, but quite encouraging to see most have taken and growing, even a second showing of pink Digitalis.

It would be lovely if you could join us this month, even if tags and ATC's are not your thing we would love you to give it a go, several entrants have dabbled into them for the first time and become quite addicted.

An outing for a couple of old favourites

Morning Peeps, it's mid month inspiration time at We Love Stamping and Stamping Sensations where our themes are 'Anything Stamped' at both along with options of adding Stencilling at the first and Wings and Tails at the other.

My card above is for WLS using my two all time favourite stamps, Stampendous P107 Agapanthus Cluster along with Penny Black Dance, Sing, Love, both pretty old wood mounted stamps. 

After stamping both using Versafine Clair inks I added some 'rays' with a stencil and arranged the mat centrally and added a plethora of flowers around using Two Red Robins dies mostly from the Summer Breeze range and coordinating Reflection sheets. 

Two Red Robins is all about Nature and everything about it made complete sense the other day when it was explained Stephanie came up with the idea during the first Covid lockdown. Most of us humans were restricted to our homes, traffic both on the road and in the air was minimal, pollution levels improved and allowed Nature to have a new awakening, something that was noted Worldwide. Being a lover of all thing Nature I can totally identify with the principal. For those tempted by these super collections you can get a 10% discount using Brenda10 at checkout here.

This one using Mr Fox from AALL and Create In the Wild, an A4 stamp set and one of my favourites, the Rabbit on the set particularly. Some stencilling, washi tape and letters from Grunge Alphabet.

This one for Stamping Sensations following the Wings option used another AALL and Create stamp Exterminiati Sunt, it's a border stamp which has been stamped onto a soft oxide background and then Butterflies and Bee decoupaged.

And just one more for TRR this time using Scarlet Petal, Gus the Mouse and Ditsy Daisy.

Have a good Friday.

 

Those leaving a comment on any post on this blog do so in the knowledge that their name and blog link are visible to all who visit this blog.

Agapanthus cluster makes a return

Morning Peeps another new challenge at Allsorts and I have chosen 'Any REAL Animal or Creature'......that means no fantasy creatures such as Unicorns and Dragons!  Stamp Addicts are our sponsor with a £15 store voucher.

It's also mid month inspiration time at We Love Chocolate Baroque and Stamping Sensations and my shares from my post over at the Chocolate Baroque blog so a bit of a bumper post.

Starting with my card at the top, a recent make for Stamp Addicts for a Craft Store TV show using Funky Fish and Seaweed and unusually for me a fun card in the shape of a shaker.

It used to be a standard joke at my classes and demos back in 'normal times' that Agapanthus Cluster popped up at most of them. It's a lovely old wood mounted stamp from way back, probably the late 90's, when it was discontinued in favour of a cling version I bought a second wood one, call me old fashioned but love the feel of a lump of wood.

I stamped it simply onto an inked stencilled panel and added a sentiment from my Life is so Much Better.

When I received the stamps for the August Chocolate Baroque TV shows the Celestial and Sacred sets I immediately saw Tarot Cards so I created a set of four using several of the stamps from the two sets. All stamped onto black card, heat embossed with detail gold EP and gold pen flicked over as well.

Below another of my samples for this months Chocolate Baroque TV shows using Chrysanthemum Blueprint onto a Gelli Plate background and a simple Birthday greeting from Say it Vertically.

One final share for Allsorts using  Stamp Addicts Feline Family stamped simply in black onto DP along with die cut sentiment strips around the edges and some hearts.

 

Those leaving a comment on any post on this blog do so in the knowledge that their name and blog link are visible to all who visit this blog.

Stampendous P107

Morning Peeps, it's Saturday and time for a new challenge at Allsorts, it's a two week challenge to take us over the Easter period, I would normally say holiday period but this year nothing is normal and Easter will not be the same. No option to go to Church, normally there would be the stripping of the Alter on Maundy Thursday, the Good Friday service and then the service of celebration on Sunday. Such sad times in so many ways, not least the horrendous death toll across the whole World.

Kath's is our host and her these is 'Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue', but you will need to check out her post to know exactly what she is hoping to see. This weeks winner will receive some lovely Woodware stamps from Craft Stash.

I'm afraid my mojo remains is self isolation and I'm shamed to admit I've created nothing in two weeks, I did have a go last week but it all ended up in the bin. I have however spent hours washing woodwork, door handles and so on, it's a daily ritual and hubby is convinced the whole house will need repainting as I'll wash away all the pain.

So my shares today were all made some weeks ago, my top card a bit of Fairy indulgence using some new Lavinia stamps along with some older ones, and an oxide background.

And it stands to reason that the contenders for 'Old' were Penny Black or Stampendous P107, or a combination as both are some of my oldest stamps and Agapanthus Cluster just happens to be my all time favourite. Those who have ever attended one of my workshops will be familiar with this stamp as it features regularly. Both of mine (yes I have two) are really old wood mounted ones, but I believe it is now available unmounted.

So I blew watery Brusho's down the page, then simply stamped the Agapanthus several times, some second generation and then stamped the PB sentiment, finally some stencilling across the top.

Stay safe and well everyone.

 

Those leaving a comment on any post on this blog do so in the knowledge that their name and blog link are visible to all who visit this blog.

Dance Sing Love and Stampendous P107

Morning Peeps, time for our new Allsorts challenge and this week Kath is our host and would like us to use a favourite stamp or die on our creations, our winner will receive two stamp sets. Further down you will also find some Chocolate Baroque shares, those from my post here a couple of days ago  and also my 15 minute cards which are on today's post here.

No surprises here as half of my crafty friends and those who have ever attended one of my workshops could have predicted, yep it's good old Stampendous P107 Agapanthus Cluster along with Penny Black 2695J Dance, Sing, Love which are without doubt the most used stamp from the hundreds, maybe thousands.......I dare not count, that I own.

I started with a background of Burushos which I quickly blotted as I wanted to maintain the blue and green colours without too much bleed, some stencilling using a brilliance inkpad, then simply stamped my two main images with black versafine. Simples as the Meerkat's would say.

Now my Sewing Room Chocolate Baroque Hochanda TV shares.................

And my quick and easy 15 minute shares...............

Happy weekend all and please do pop over to the challenge blogs and see the inspiration from my team mates and of course I hope you will join in our Allsorts challenge this week.

 

Those leaving a comment on any post on this blog do so in the knowledge that their name and blog link are visible to all who visit this blog.

Never stop making wishes

Morning Peeps, time for our new Allsorts challenge which I am hosting and the theme is 'Things with Wings', Butterflies, Bugs, Birds, Fairies, the choice is yours. I am also posting over at the Chocolate Baroque blog today, you can find my artwork further down.

Starting with a piece of Fabriano I used Pan Pastels to create a background, then I used a stencil and DI's to sponge some sun rays..............or they could be moon rays............that one is down to intrpretation! I stamped the Lavinia Fairy with black versafine, then my all time favourite stamp Stampendous P107, Agapanthus cluster as it works really well with the Lavinia image. Finally some toadstools, foliage and a little mouse all of which are Lavinia. The sentiment is a pretty old one from Stamp Addicts although I don't think it's available anmore.

Here's another I found lurking in my files, it's one I made ages ago for Tattered Lace but never blogged. The Rare Earth image was stamped with versafine black and coloured in with sparkle pens, I stamped the Peacocks tail and some of the flowers a second time and decoupaged, then matted with TL pearl border frames.

Today I am also posting over at the Chocolate Baroque DT blog, all details of my work can be found there but these are the stamps and stencils used which are all available on the CB web site here: Indian Elephant, Indian Textiles, Paisley Elephant, Natures Paisley, Amazing Mackintosh Words Silhouette Palace 1 and Silhouette Palace 2 on the card above and the little acetate book below.

Indian Elephant, Indian Textiles, Paisley Elephant, Natures Paisley, Amazing Mackintosh Words Silhouette Palace 1 and Silhouette Palace 2. 

Have a good weekend everyone.

 

Those leaving a comment on any post on this blog do so in the knowledge that their name and blog link are visible to all who visit this blog.

Monochromatic

Morning Peeps, this weeks Allsorts theme is hosted by Wendy and she would like to see 'Black and White only. We have two stamps from Rare Earth, the stamping arm of Tattered Lace as a prize for one lucky winner.

Such kind messages from so many of you regarding my health after last weeks post, you are all soooooo kind. Nothing new to report at the moment, several appointments this week and all sorts of tests and will hopefully have some results Monday giving a clearer idea if the declining kidney impairment is permanent or due to some sort of blockage. The latter would be the better of the two options as it may be treatable. 

The top card was a pretty simple one to create stamping my all time favourite stamp Stampendous P107 Agapanthus Cluster with Versafine black and the Penny Black sentiment. Using a score board I added a frame around the stamping and finally some pearls to the flower heads and corners.

And here's a second one which I found lurking in my Chocolate Baroque folder un-blogged and it fits in rather well with this weeks theme so I thought I would use it. Very simply done, the image stamped onto back card stock with Versamark and heat embossed with detail white, the panel mounted onto the base card and a CB sentiment stamped in black.

                                                               

Old favourites at Allsorts

Morning Peeps, it's Saturday and time for our new challenge at Allsorts. As usual my post was scheduled so adding a note which seems to be a recurring theme and me apologising for my lack of blogland activity. I've not been at all well since what should have been minor surgery ten day's ago, now on my second type of antibiotics to try and bring the infection under control and a reduction in pain. I know my compromised immune system means I take twice as long to heal but I had hoped for some improvement by now and a good nights sleep would be sooooooo nice. C'est la vie!

So back to Allsorts and this week Tracy has come up with the theme of Old Favourites and would like us to use a favourite stamp or die. Our prize this week is ribbons from this weeks sponsor Fantastic Ribbons.

Well those who know me will have second guessed what stamps I would be using so it's no surprise to see Stampendous P107 pop up along with Penny Black Dance, Singe, Love. I created a background with distress inks then used a stencil to add some circles with the yellow ink. Next I stamped Agapanthus Cluster several times with versafine black and also the sentiment and mounted onto a black base card.

And here is the same inspirational quote, this time onto a softer inky background, the corner cut out with a Timmy die and the lovely Penny Black Rose inked direct to stamp with distress markers and spritzed with water before stamping. Finally I added some background interest with a diamond pattern stencil to carry the theme of the die.

Happy weekend all.

A dream is a wish your heart makes

Morning Peeps, it's Saturday so that means it's time for our new challenge at Allsorts and this week Wendy would like us to use 'Blue and Brown' on our creations. Our sponsor is DigiStamp Boutique.

My thanks for all you warm wishes over the last week, I am feeling much better than I did and had a very positive meeting with my new consultant. I do need surgery on the mal formed kidney but she does not believe it is quite as acute as the previous guy said and is hopeful the procedure need not be as invasive as he suggested. I am so pleased I stuck my neck out for the second opinion and didn't agree to the immediate surgery he wanted to do so currently waiting for the date to come through.

It's a colour palette I really love working with so two cards from me. The one at the top uses one of the images from.....there are four in the set.......Sketchy Flowers from this weeks sponsor Digistamp Boutique. I printed onto some brown DP using the image twice and re-sizing one slightly smaller, then stamped in-between (little sister of Stampendous Agapanthus Cluster P107) and added colour with sparkle pens. The sentiment is Penny Black stamped in versafine blue. Some stenciling in the background, ribbon and pearls to finish.

The current Butterfly Challenge is quite a taxing theme of something to represent the Zodiac and/or the colour Buttermilk along with the inclusion of a Butterfly. But not being one to be thwarted I've had my thinking cap on and came up with this, the lady represents Virgo, some buttermilk'ish colours and of course a Butterfly in her hair.

The background is Distress Oxides, then after stamping with versafine black I bleached out some of the background and used pencils to add new colour to the image which is the lovely Summer Fayre from Chocolate Baroque.

This one was a sample for a TL Create and Craft TV show a while back, a background created with distress inks and some honeycomb stenciling, a TL sentiment onto an oval die and the bottom border another die, coloured with same inks and the edges embossed with detail copper embossing powder. Finally a rather indulgent OTT spray of flowers. It was actually quite a quick make as unusually for me there is no stamping.

I do hope you will join in the fun this week and also pop over to the awesome inspiration from my teamies.

Baroque hearts and roses and ooooops - running late

Good morning to you all, it's time for our new challenge at Allsorts and this week Susan would like to see 'Anything but a card'. This week we have a super set of stamps to be won from John Next Door. 

In this post I also have my mid month shares for Penny Black and More and Stamping Sensations..................and, knuckles suitably rapped and apologies to my teamies, some of my fifteen minute Chocolate Baroque shares which I should have blogged yesterday, they are on the DT blog here. So all in all it's a rather picture heavy post. Talking about CB, Lesley will be back on Hochanda on 24th and 24 March with a new One Day Special and believe me when I say it is indeed special with some amazing stamps.

I thoroughly enjoyed making this creation which was for one of the Chocolate Baroque programmes on Hochande back in January which was all about beautiful Rose stamps and I used several here. The frame is one I picked up on the reduced counter at Tesco for £5.00 which I treated to coatings of gesso, gilding wax, gilding polishes and actylic paints, no real plan to what I did, really I was just trying to highlight the lovely detail around the frame.

I stamped all of the images onto Fabriano cardstock and coloured with the same Spectrum pencils to carry the lilacs and greens and then liberally flicked cordinating DI's onto the backgrounds before mounting all into the frame. On the show Lesley suggested it would make a nice wedding gift and I guess it would and might try another in different colourways.

At Stamping Sensations the Design Team are currently taking it in turns to share 'my go to stamp', well there was never going to be any surprises what mine would be and I think most who know me could have predicted this one, it is of course Stampendous P107 Agapanthus Cluster. It was one of the very first stamps I bough many years ago and I even have a second one as back up - just in case it was ever discontinued. The photo below shows just how much the first has been used, but in my defence I did need a second one as I have been known to use it in class.

I probably cheated a bit here as I needed a sentiment to balance the stamping so my all time favourite Penny Black 2695J Dance Sing Love also got an airing. The background is Pan Pastels and these two are one of my favourite colour palettes.

Now onto my Penny Black make and I have used the new tree stamp Stately 40-520 which I inked with distress markers and spritzed with water before stamping onto Fabriano card. I then stamped the Deer and Bunnies and used ink dusters to add the background, finally stamping the birds, grasses and leaves, all of which are from different PB sets.

And now last but by no means least, those Chocolate Baroque shares, I won't go into detail as it's all on the DT blog along with links to the stamps I used.

If you are all still with me and not fallen asleep, then I wish you all a lovely weekend.