Things with Wings

Happy Saturday Peeps, time for a new challenge at Allsorts and this week it's my turn to be the host and I've chosen the theme 'Things with Wings'.................. it's no secret I like my flutterbys and fairies and I thought the theme would brighten these dull winter days.

I've made another of the threefold cards which I shared a couple of weeks ago, this one just has a different die across the top................. it's actually quite easy to create this effect, you just place the die onto each panel and secure with low tack tape and place on the cutting plate so that only the top element which you want cut is on the is on cutting plate............. in other words the majority the card is over the edge of the plate.

I have randomly stamped over all three panels using Tim Holt distress ink Victorian velvet, tea dye and vintage photo and Tim Holt papillion stamp set.

I stamped the butterflies the second time and cut out and use gems for their thorax. 

The mannequin die is a new one, I've looked at its ages but was not sure if I would actually use it, but now I've got it I really like it and I especially enjoy dressing it up this which I did with some fine cotton, lace and gems

On another panel I used the TH bird on branch die and some eyelets and pink seam binding to join the three panels together.

The rose was made from plain white paper which I stamped with a music text, inked lightly with tea dye and punched out five, five petal flowers with a 1.78 punch and after assembling the rose dipped into clear UTEE which gives a lovely glassy feel.

I also dipped the leaves cut from a spellbinder die into the UTEE and then embossed a little copper powder round the edges.

Sounds like a bit of a long drawn out process but it's not really as bad as it sounds I think it worth the little extra time it took me to create it.

I really hope you'll join in the challenge this week, I love coming round to see all your entries and always enjoy the diversity of the way in which people interpret themes, that's what makes crafting such fun.

A tad distressed

Good morning one and all, do we think there is any chance of sunshine here in the UK this weekend ? I certainly do hope so, this ongoing rain is becoming more than a little tedious.

Before I tell you about a new challenge at Allsorts this week, a little reminder that you can win a £20 Sir Stampalot voucher by joining in my little fun challenge which you can read about here. And I really should clarify that although I waffled on about poppies you don't have to use poppies on your card, you can just use the beautiful red colours as inspiration, I realise that not everyone is as fanatical about buying poppy stamps as I am……… and one or two other peeps out there I know….… you know who you are !!

So so back to this weeks Allsorts challenge where Fleur have chosen the theme of 'Distressing', as you can imagine I was quite at home with this one.

We have a new sponsor this week, a New Zealand company Flonz Craft who very kindly provided all of the Design Team with stamps to use on their work, one of those I selected was this pretty bird image and as the stamps as so beautifully detailed I simply stamped with distress inks and pulled the colour out a little. Some nice grungy edges with some frantage powder embossed here and there and I also added some to the TH fence die. The DP is from stash but I think it may be MME.

Hope you all have a great weekend.

A challenge for the DT

Saturday morning is upon us again which means it's time for a new challenge at Allsorts and this week it's my turn to host the theme and I thought I would thrown a little twist on things and set the DT a challenge of their own. I sent them all a little kit of bits and pieces which you can see below. The DP's varied slightly but all came from the same colour family, apart from that everyone had the same.

And the challenge for all you lovely crafters is to take inspiration from the kit and/or one of the DT's cards and tell us in your post what you opted for.

I was unusually frugal with my DP's and gutted the hidden section on the top card so I could made a second one and I also cut the TH clock in two so I could use a piece on both.

I created a nice messy background for the top card using distress inks then over stamped with a selection of stamps (listed below), inked the birdcage and stuck a piece of one of my three sheets of DY over the bird and cut it out. The butterflies are cut from the same DP as are the roses and border on the second one.

Have a lovely weekend and I hope you will find time to join in with this weeks challenge.

Happy Birthday Allsorts

Today is our third Birthday at Allsorts, so of course we are Going to have a little celebration. It's hard to believe it's three years, Allsorts was my very first DT spot when I was really new to the world of bloGland and here we are three years on with one of the most popular challenges around and this has only been achieved because of the continued support of our lovely fellow crafters and wonderful sponsors.

For my first DT piece I have Gone all inky.................just for a change I hear you say.............with a backGround created using lemonade and peacock from the Spring TH distress ink set, some Glimmer mist sprayed over to bleed the colours a little, TH stamp set and bird in a cage die. I stamped the text randomly using the third Generation ink to achieve a more faded effect and butterflies from the same stamp set. The birdcage has some Frantage embossing powder added here and there to Get it a bit of an aged feel and I did the same to the butterflies which have been decoupaged. The three labels are taken from the stamp set as well.

My second DT piece is using Ruth at A Passion for Stamps lovely Iris imaGe which I have paper pieced using Bo Bunny DP, along with the pretty lattice, some die cut flowers and a computer generated sentiment. If you would like to buy this or any of Ruth's other lovely imaGes, just click on the picture below.

Now for the bloG hop and you should have arrived here from Debs bloG and now move on to Nicola, but if you Get lost you can always Go back to the challenge blog and start afresh. Once you have collected all the letters include the one 'hidden' in this post you need to sort them into the secret word and mail your answer to Emma (not me this time because I am going on my holibobs) metalicbutterfly@hotmail.co.uk so you are in the draw for another prize. Here is what the winner from my bloG will received.....................

As I am off on holiday in a few days time I won't be able to do the draw for my winner until I get home, so I will post it as soon as possible after 12th June.

Have a lovely weekend everyone and thanks so much for calling by.

Shabby Chic ?

Morning to you all, hows' your week going ? Mine seems to have been disappearing before I know it, I'm so behind with blogging, but promise I will be catching up with you all very shortly.

Some of you may have seen the fabulous card Ruth from A Passion for Stamps made at the weekend as her GDT piece for Allsorts challenge. I absolutely loved what she made, the colours and sheer originality and thought I would case the lacy mannequin principal as I knew two of the girls would love it. So I set about making two, a pink and a purple one in their favourite colours, but taking in some inking and stamping to create on of my favourite messy backgrounds.

Two cards finished I mailed them off to Ruth with the firm understanding that they were not for the gallery or blog use, just to say thank you for the inspiration. Ruth however wanted to add them to her gallery so we struck a deal and here I am blogging them.

Two along the same lines, using the same TH Papillion stamp set, distress inks and glimmers mist for the background, roses made using a five petal punch and copier paper and butterflies from the stamp set covered with glossy accents.

I've never been completely sure what fits the Shabby Chic category but thought these may be close, let me know. I am entering this into:

Simon Says Challenge - Anything goes
LEJ Designs - Anything goes

Have a good Wednesday everyone and I really hope those of you in the UK see a bit of sun for a change.

Trying out a new system

Hello peeps, from a wet, windy and cold Cambridgeshire Fens, can't see there's much chance of an Easter like last year when it was barbie time.

This just a really quick experimental post with a different way of detailing the products I have used. It's because so often people mail me and say they like something or the other but can't find it anywhere or not sure what they are looking for. So I am going to try showing little thumbnails of the main products used in each piece I share, with a link to the codes and product details so you can either order from there or alternately know exactly what you are looking for if heading of to the local craft shop.

This one using one of the new La Blanch stamps has been nicely distressed, the very slightest hint of watercolour on the image, hessian leaves which I find cuts beautifully with Spellbinders through the Grand Calibur.

Let me know what you think and if it's more useful to find what you are looking for.

More new Hero

There's a new challenge today at Stamptacular Sunday and the theme is 'Anything but Square'.

So the perfect opportunity to use one of the cards I created with a set of the new Grand Nesties and new Hero Arts stamp releases. The card itself was made by running the nesties through the Big Shot, then layered with bazzil. The image is stamped with Hero Arts CL477 and G4917 using Tim Holtz chipped sapphire, spun sugar and olive. Plus some ribbon and a sentiment to finish.

Colour Create - Pink, blue, white
Stamping for the Weekend - New and blue (nesties and stamps)

CES - No designer papers

One more quick share with brayering using Big and Juicy Soothing Sunset and Magenta CS053 Botanical....this really is such a great set if you like your florals and butterflies. Not a lot more I can add really other than a nice messy session was had ! This is for the following challenges:

Fairytale - Flowers
Lots to Do - Brayering
Two Sisters - Flowers

Finally I want to show you the beautiful embellishments I received from Geraldine of Little Snippets......isn't her work beautiful.......even the hearts have little butterflies in the centre. This was a prize I won at By the Cute and Girly and could not have been a more apt prize for me with my addiction to wings and fantasy. Do go and check out the lovely work Geraldine has for sale at her store.

I will share some made up projects using these embellishments just as soon as my shoulder is sorted and normal service resumes in my craft room.

Shades of white

Hello everyone, we have a new challenge for you at Stamptacular Sunday so please do pop over and check it out.

The theme is photo inspiration and I confess I tend to struggle a bit with these themes as I am never sure if I should follow the colours or the picture. Anyhow, I decided to go with the colours which to me pop out as being cream with a hint of blue round the edge.

My main image is Penny Black 4031J Purple Folds which I simply stamped and embossed and coloured with Aquamarkers. I stamped Hero Arts K5058 Friendship Writing over the background with Tim Holtz pumice stone, then decoupages the flower head. I stamped and embossed the flower hear again, coloured in the same way then inked all over with Versamark frost and spritzed with Glimmer Mist marshmallow and shaped the flower whilst still wet.

The DP is Magnolia distressed round the edges with TH stormy sky which I also used to add a little colour to the edges of the lace, flower and Martha Stewart punched leaves. This card is also for the following challenges:

Lots to do - New (pearl swirly embellies)

Paper Sundaes - As above

Charizma Cardz - Pearls and lace

Incy Wincy - Distressing

Cupcake - White is White

I would also like to say a huge thank you to Wedgie for passing me on this lovely award, what a fabulous start to the New Year. Do pop over and visit her, as well as making great cards, she's an ace cook.

More snow ?

Our new challenge at Stampacular Sunday this week is 'Snow Much Fun'..create a card of project that has snow on it.

I have uses this lovely image from Simply Stamps 102K Winter Scene, which I stamped with vesamark back, embossed with detail clear and simply watercoloured with Aquamarkers, adding Judikins snow glitter to the the fences and here and there on the ground. The DP is October Afternoon, a Tim Holtz tattered die swirl, Martha Stewart embossed scallop border, ribbon and gems and a pretty quick card. This card is for the following challenges:

Ladybug - Song title (Walking in a winter wonderland)

Crafts and Me - Anything goes

Moving Along with the Times - as above

Scrapbook Sisters - It's a man's world

TREEmendous

'TREEmendous' is the theme for this weeks new challenge at Stamptacular Sunday, do pop over and join in the fun.

For my DT piece I created a background using Tim Holtz peeled paint, stormy sky, broken china and fired brick which I dabbed onto my craft sheet and spritzing with water and then placed a piece of watercolour card into the wet inks....I find it helps to agitate the card just a little to get a soft blend of colours.

I stamped Art Impression U3095....don't know the name of the image but it's the park bench and trees all in one......using versafine black and embossed with detail clear. The sentiment is from a Sheena Douglas set as is the flower which I stamped twice to decoupage, colouring with Aquamarkers before inking with Versamark frost and spritzing with Glimmer Mist pearl and shaping whilst still wet. The border is Martha Stewart double loop punch around the page.

This card is for the following challenge:

CES Challenge - Anything goes

Crafty Sentiments - Anything goes

Patties Creations - Punches

My second share again has a background created with TH distress inks, this time with a masked sun, then stamped with Hero Arts S5316 Silhouette Grass using versafine sepia and embossed with detail clear. The sentiment is an unmounted one which needless to say I have no idea of the origin........that's why I prefer wood mounted as I always lose the packaging. My friend Tracy Mouse told me she stamps all her images, labels them and keeps them in a folder for reference.......what a great idea.........so when are you coming to catalogue my stamps Tracy ?

This card is for the following challenges:

Gingerloft - Distressing

Paper Pretties - Male card

Crafty Catz - Your choice

I Did It - Anything goes

A peek at the decorating and Stamptacular DT news

Good morning peeps, hope everyone is having a good weekend and more importantly keeping warm if your weather is anything like ours.

We had a great day at Stampalot yesterday, I've still got the inky fingers to prove it despite repeated washing and showering. I saw lots of friendly faces both old and new and want to thank you all for making the effort to come despite the iffy weather.

Now some exctiting news, you all know I am a stamper first and foremost, so you can imagine my delight when I received a mail last weekend inviting me to join the Staptacular Sunday Design Team. I had a little think about it, something like 60 seconds and here I am with my first DT piece.

The theme this week is Blue…Blue…Christmas! So for this first week I opted to stay very much in my comfort zone which means Penny Black and distress inks. My main image is Penny Black 3768K Christmas Montage inked with Tim Holtz stormy sky and highlighted here and there with Aquamarkers and spritzed with water before stamping onto a piece of linen cardstock.

The music down the side is Hero Arts CG222 Music Background stamped with the same TH ink. A border punched with Martha Stewart cornice edging, some lace, cord, pearls, a flower and punched leaves to embellish.

And as promised........eventually, some picture of the decorating in the dining room, was waiting for the curtains to arrive from John Lewis, there's a problem with the pelmet as it's not been cut deep enough so they are coming our Wednesday to re-measure. But it looks OK for the time being and the room is usable.

I am really pleased with the furniture, I just love the sideboard and the table as it fits six chairs comfortably but extends to fit ten chairs which will be useful at Christmas and when the family descend.

All aglow

Good morning everyone, time for a new challenge at Allsorts where Helene would like us to 'Light up the Night'.

Afraid my blogging is still restricted to short five minute bursts so I've not got very far in visiting you all. They tell me resting my eyes especially from the computer screen, is the only cure as far as the muscle imbalance goes, so I have been testing their theory all week and doing what I am told. Although nothing was stopping me from my demo day at Stampalot today, even if it's more talk than demo and we are off shortly........hubby is driving me as I dare not test my eyes that far. The Ultimate Rubber Stamping event is becoming a regular in the crafty calendar and always great fun.

I confess to a huge blast of inspiration from Barbara Gray on this card. I always find her inspirational and her use of the Clarity Stamps lamp post and lady really cast a spell over me and this is my take on what she did.

I started by inking the lamppost and lady, with the lady stamped a second time onto some scrap DP. I used a very large makeup brush to swirl Adirondack archival black in circles round the lamp to give the impression of fog, then sponged some Tim Holtz mustard seed to create a glow from the oil lamp. I added some JudiKins snow glitter and a couple or corners.

I added a fence using Art Impression F3047 and leaves using Art Impression F2055, Lavinia fantasy houses, but I just inked the tops of these stamping off first so I ended up with a mist rooftop look in the background.

My vision if this card is a lady on Christmas eve, just leaving Church after midnight mass looking into the village in the distance.......I've never made any secret that I like in a fantasy world have I ? This card is also for the following challenges:

Cupcake - Light it up

ABC - Ice is for ice and snow

One more share using Sweet Pea Poinsettia Fairy. Another easel card stamped and embossed image, coloured with Copics, decoupaged and glittered wings, a Spellbinder frame, Magnolia DP, flowers and lace. This card is for the following challenges:

Flutterby Wednesdays - Open

Sweet Pea - Silver, purple and white

Moving Along with the Times - Someone special (For a Granddaughters Christmas birthday)

Stamp Insanity - Lace

CRAFT - Christmas Birthday (see above)

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

Allosorts literally

Good Morning everyone, well the snow arrived here last night, how about you ?

Not a lot, but it looks really pretty. It was the puppies first encounter with the white stuff, neither Daisy or Lily were took keen and both wanted to get back to their respective baskets.

I thought I would share the easel box card I made last week for Azaria, it used the really cute slapstick from Penny Black 40-038 Kindness, which I stamped and embossed three times, coloured with Copics and decoupaged. The DP is My Minds Eye, the swirls a sizzix die and the border Martha Stewart trellis fence. The flower is made using Tim Holtz tattered floral die, soaked in water to shape then spritzed with Glimmer Mist pearl. This is for the following challenges:

Crafty Catz - Christmas

Something Completely Different - Let it Snow (it is with glitter)

Over at Allsorts we have a brand new challenge this morning were my teami Amanda would like to see Monochromatic projects.

For my DT work I have created a shaped card using Nesties.........it's not huge but I do love the shape of these new labels 17........ which I spritzed the card itself with Glimmer Mist gold. I used Stamps by Judith (Stamp Addicts) 0-90 which I stamped with versamark and embossed with detail clear, then distressed with Tim Holtz scattered straw and tea dye. I then overstamped Stampendous long agapanthus in versafine sepia. The bottom section was run thorough the Big Shot using Cuttlebug bark folder, some ribbon, Swarovski crystals and a small sentiment to finish. This card is also for the following challenges:

Our Creative Corner - Tag it

Alphabet Challenge- E is for embossing
Lots to Do - Embosing (used dry and heat)

Let it Snow

Mojo missing...............if found please return a.s.a.p.

Oh my goodness, it's hard going no inspiration and Mr Mojo nowhere to be found. Last night I must have spent an hour looking at a collection of lovely new stamps from Teresa at Crafts and Me and nothing gelled. As they were all fairies something is definitely not right.

But before I launch into my cards, I want to say a big thank you to Bee Crafty for selecting me as their winner last week, this is a fairly new challenge so do check it out, they have a super sketch this week and fab prizes. And also the girls at Creative Cottage who selected the card I made for my Grandson as one of their Top 3.

So here are my meagre offerings from a Mojoless craft room. The fairy on the card above is Sweet Pea Hiding, equally as lovely as all the others and I just feel I have not done her justice. She is coloured with Copics and her wings decoupaged and glittered. The DP is Magnolia, Martha Stewart punched snowflakes, ribbon and a flower. This is for the following challenges:

Crafts and Me - Dreaming of a White Christmas - snowflakes

Creative Cottage - Untraditional Christmas

Charisma Cardz - One for the girls

Ladybug - Sketch

My next card, also one of last evenings efforts, uses Hero Arts F5075 Sparkle Poinsettia, inked with Tim Holtz dusky concord and bundled sage and spritzed with water before stamping. The DP is My Minds Eye and the flower is mounted onto a 'doily' cut using the Magnolia die - this is a half circle and takes a bit of getting used to lining up, but once mastered worth the effort as it is so pretty. I tend to cut several at a time once I get the technique going. Some adorable lace which was part of a prize and a single flower and pearls to embellish. This is for the following challenges:

Delicious Doodles - Anything goes

Bee Crafty - Sketch

My final card is a Stampalot sample which I shall be delivering tomorrow.........I have prepared instruction sheets for making a tri fold card which will be available at their Third Ultimate Rubber Stamping Day on 4th December 10am through 4pm with free eats and drinks all day. I will also pop the instructions on my blog shortly.

I masked a piece of cardstock to create a moon by sponging distress inks, then stamped Art Impression U1562 Rooftops which I coloured with TH ink and added a liberal amount of glitter to the rooftops. Through the moon I stamped Magenta 02045-6 Santa......this is a silhouette wood mounted stamp and if you go looking for it you will see the actual image is straight, but I 're-assembled' it to curve the sleigh. The DP is October Afternoon and he snowflakes a Martha Stewart punch. This card is for the following challenges:

Scrapbook Sisters - Let it Snow

Simon Says - Let it Snow

ABC - I is for Ice and Snow

Moving Along with the Times - More than one fold