Swinging in the garden and an endangered chick

Morning everyone, it's mid month time at Tag-Along (and ATC's) where we are following my theme of Favourite Colours. 

As I said at the start of the challenge I love working with so many colours, but pinks and purples seem to feature regularly closely followed by Autumnal colours so it's the former for this one. A stand up double tag (cut two, scored and joined at top) using AALL and Create Tagtastic, a brayered background then stamped with Lavinia Tree of Hope, Pris sitting on her Swing and scene built up with several worker stamps and stickles. Linking to Cut it Up, Own Background and Unicorn Challenge, No DP.

An ATC utilising small TRR flowers, I don't recall the name of these but they were mini versions of some previous larger releases. An inky offcut stamped with A&C background stamps, bow tied across, envie to match and sticker word.

I also have another ATC and Tag, made early yesterday morning, my craft room is next to the conservatory and despite the misting fan, by lunchtime it's just toooooo hot to craft. It's a double tag for The Little Things whose theme is Elephants or Flamingo's, the stamp is PB Let's Go Wild, their 2013 release and looks to be discontinued.  Entering in the A/G option at Penny Black Saturday and Try it on Tuesday, Animals.

ATC's around the World's theme is Monochromatic, the background a Gelli Plate offcut machined around weeks ago so was quick to stamp Lavinia Flower Fairy, she a really old stamp and getting fragile, the rubber used back then seems to be thinner as I have a few which have got brittle. Also added a Butterfly, flowers and stickles plus a tiny envie.

I regularly listen to birds in the garden and like to track what visitors we have via the Merlin Bird app. The other day both Daughter and I picked up a Spotted Flycather in different parts of the gardens, as they are rare in this part of the Country and on the RSPB red endangered list we concluded it was just passing by. 

However, Saturday sitting in the courtyard we heard a soft chirping initially thinking it was coming from one of several nests in the surrounding shrubs, theres a Blackbird, Wren, Sparrow and Goldfinch all carrying our frantic feeding duties to their young. To our surprise this little chap was sitting forlornly on the ground chirping, Merlin told me it was a Spotted Flycatcher. It was fully feathered so probably very recently fledged.

Half an hour later it was still there, no parent is sight and as it had made no attempt to fly Hubby decided to try and move it to a safer place, it sat in hand for a minute or two then took an unsteady flight to a nearly bush. There it sat and chirped for another hour, eventually both parents appeared overhead and perched on a telegraph wire along with two juveniles who looked rather larger than this one. Parents then started frantic flights from wire to the roof so we decided best move to another part of the garden. We checked back an hour later and they had disappeared so hopefully all is now well. As I always say, Nature is amazing.

In the Pink

Morning everyone, time for our new challenge at Tag-Along (and ATC's) where Pinky has selected the theme 'Add some Pink'. 

Pink's a colour I use often so an easy ask and I have a tag, bookmark and ATC. My tag above uses Visible Image Colourful Life stamped onto a brayered background and coloured with Zig pens, stitching is a Stampers Anonymous set, base tag is A&C. Added a sticker sentiment and tassel, the tassle, in fact several, there's another below came to light in a tidy up from my days as a DT for Stamp Addicts, apparentlty never used. Fab and Funy ask for Pink, Blue or Yellow, also entering Stamps and Fun and the tassel for NBUS.

My bookmark came about by accident when a card I was making didn't go quite to plan so I salvaged a panel to create the bookmark. It's Lisa Horton Rambling Woodgrain Rose embossing folder and layering stencil set. 

An ATC utilising yet more from the TRR drawer, this time Daisies, an offcut of honeycomb left from another project, some lace and a metal Dragonfly which I heat embossed with pink EP to carry the colour. Entering this at Creative Artiste, Four Seasons Spring mood board flowers and Spring colours and Outlawz Anything But a Card.

Tag-Along mid month blossoms

We've reached the mid way point of our Blossoms, Butterflies and Birds theme at Tag-Along (and ATC's) challenge. 

My tag above uses Amazon dies for the flowers inked in the middle, crackle paste harlequins rubbed over with some gold gilding, A&C birdie and background stamping finished with a Dragonfly and fibres. There's a new challenge at the Snippets Playground so think this might fit in there as birdie and flowers all cut from snippets (no picture though). Also sharing at Try it on Tuesday who want backgrounds.

Stencilled crackle paste again for my ATC, A&C Butterflies and TRR/Highlight birdie and blossoms, I'm slowly working my way though a drawer full of pre-prepared Highlight goodies from my DT days.

A final tag which fits the theme with Lavinia English Bluebell stamped with Wisteria Purple one of the gorgeous new Clair colours and Ashfoot resting among them gazing at the Dragonfly. The Little Things theme is Rainbows, Sun and Clouds so hopefully fits there.

There's still two weeks left for this months challenge so do come and join us, if you already have how about sharing another, we accept four per entrant and theres a super prize to be won.

Spring Bunnies, Birds and Blooms

Several challenges today and did consider separate posts but seems most unfair expecting people to visit more than one on the same day, plus as I'm still functioning pretty much one armed one post's a bit kinder on the eyes and fingers. 

At Stamping Sensations and Tag-Along (and ATC's) it's Spring, at We Love Stamping it's Wildlife to reflect World Wildlife Day on 3rd March, Birds and/or Bees at Moving Along With The Times and as usual AG at Love to Craft.

My Wildlife share above a rare new make as stamping's difficult still, several older AALL and Create stamps, In the Wild 529 and Seeds of Hope 368, both still available from some stockists. Coloured with Zig Clean Colour pens. The colours match the palette at Colour Dare 692 and Sunday Stamps Wide Open theme and it's a forest animals at Farmquest.

For SS an oldie which was an early play with the Spin Tool back in the Autumn, a central panel using a really old wood mounted PB stamp 3096F Host of Daffodils, surrounded by various Spring blooms from A&C's 623 Elegant Spring all stamped onto a Gelli Plate background.

As with yesterday's post I've utilised ready cut images from my TRR/Reflections drawers and A&C tag base cut from Kraft, a lightly inked and stencilled background and threads at the top to finish. Just Add Ink add ink would like to see stencils and dies

My ATC is another Gelli Plate offcut, the stamp is Penny Black Daffodil Dance 378 inked direct to stamp with Ecoline pens, the same PB quote as above and little envie to match.

This one for Love to Craft also made a few weeks ago uses a good number of Lavinia stamps, in my mind a peaceful Spring meadow. After creating a background I simply stamped the flowers using Versafine Clair inks (if you use them First Stop Stationers are the cheapest around by far, I've recently re-stocked fading colours after several years of use). I'm popping to Ellies Garden Party and Lavinia with my Spring flowers which also fit nicely with the inspiration at Four Seasons.

Last but by no means least for MAWTT, another pretty old but un-blogged make, it's times like these I'm so grateful for my 'just in case' back up folders, Lavinia stamps again, Hummingbird and Flower Divine onto a stencilled panel which I carried through to the second panel and matching envie. Just us Girls have the them Stencils and Cards4Galz Birds, Butterflies and Things with Wings at 613 Avenue.

If you are still with me, my thanks for your perseverance.

Bright and sunny Daffodils

Good morning everyone, we have a new challenge at Allsorts today where Sarah has selected the theme of add Ribbon or a Bow. We have some pretty ribbons, stamps and stencils to give away plus for another winner a digital download from Polkadoodles.

Will confess ribbon's are not something I use often these days although doesn't mean I don't have plenty, but the most use they gets these days is plaiting manes for shows, so Sarah's theme was a good opportunity to rummage. 

Daffodils were an obvious choice for a bright sunny card, I have big bag of TRR Spring flowers all cut out and decoupaged ready from my time on their team. In fact the only cutting I had to do was the base layer using the matching outline border die. Some soft stencilling on the background, stamped the A&C words and two ribbons down the edge. Entering Pick 3, Flowers, bright colours, embellishment (ribbons), Fab and Funky Dies and Punches and As you like it Fav colour and why (I love creating with any bright colour, but find yellow so cheery and seems to appear frequently on my makes).

A favourite Andy Skinner stamp called Best Friends, sunray's using a stencil and texture paste, some colouring, sentiment from the same set and remember buying the ribbon years ago in Worthing when visiting one of our Son's and DIL. Hope my Sunshine fits Simon Says Monday Whatever the Weather and Just us Girls Stencils.

We have a new Rudolph Days challenge and being February it's a very short timescale so popping over with the above card using my favourite Lavinia Christmas Fairy Starr, Holly and Winter Berries. Also entering entering ABC Christmas  C for Crimson and StarStampz Fantasy.  

Fantasy Worlds

Good morning coupled with apologies for being a tardy blogger this week, this post was started last weekend but before I finished it my iMac which was on borrowed time did a final nose dive. Whilst I have a tablet and phone my dodgy eyes and dexterity can do little on either when it comes to typing.

It's been a nightmare week! Apple stopped making the 27" desktop, so ordered a new Cube and 27" monitor, but setting up the peripherals has been another matter, the magic keyboard and mouse are much too small for me so always use Logitech and they just wouldn't pair. So a trip yesterday to the Genius Bar in Cambridge and sorted or so I thought, I can use it OK now, but the Mac mail system which is identical to old machine just doesn't want to play ball as yet.

Explanations made I'll move onto craft and my projects for Hearts Quests Fantasy challenge where I was thrilled to be invited by Becca to be their Guest Designer for February and the Snippets Playground.

Lavinia stamps were my obvious choice and above a triptych card with the Fairies and Bunnies enjoying some early Spring weather. On the left Everlee sitting on the Secret Garden Sign and on the right Pris on her Swing, in the middle Pipin and one the the Wild Hares. The scene around the focal images was built up with Rosemary for the grass along with Bluebells and Fairy Bells and as I used a stencil for the sun and hills hope that's sufficient for Stencil Fun. All About Papercraft is focusing on stamps, lots used on this one.

I'm continuing to try and stretch myself with dies and the aim of this one was to see if stamping and dies would combined into a scene. Starting place was a watercolour background, literally just 'sloshed' water and colour across first adding a sun mask, next stamped some grass and flowers, then the Hummingbird coloured in, all stamps Lavinia and finally arranged the die cut flowers and leaves. Below my snippets. As You Like It asks for fav dies, this flower one appeals with the layers giving dimension and at Craft Rocket they would like to see Flowers and of course it's Flowers at Beautiful Blossoms.

We only have a very small The Works in our area and they don't sell any craft products, mainly books, a few paints and chipboard pieces including Fairy Doors which Hubby picked up certain I would want them, so to appease bought two. 

I gave one a couple of coats of white acrylic pain, stamped some little flowers and leaves, then decorated with TRR flowers and Ivy, some 'grass' across the bottom and a Lavinia Bunny, Fairy signpost and Butterfly. Would like to enter this at Creative Artiste

Inside we find Zemira releasing a kaleidoscope of Flutterbies in her sunny garden.

The Fantasy challenge is open right through to the 28th so we hope you will join in with your Fantasy creations.

Spring blossoms

It's mid month time at Tag-Along (and ATC's) where we are following my theme of Love and Romance or Anything Goes. Whilst upcoming Valentines Day seems an obvious choice, we are heading into the Wedding season so that's what I have gone with for my tag above. The Church and Blossoms are TRR, a tag cut twice and an aperture created, Pan Pastels to create the background with some greenery stamped using a Lavinia Ivy image. Another of our Granddaughters is getting married in April so this just might come in useful. Daisychain Challenges would like to see dies used so linking up there and Heartquest Tags and Shapes Cards.

A matching envelope for my ATC which uses the smaller Rose on the A&C stamp set I used at the beginning on the month and some hearts using a stencil, texture paste and red glitter. Would like to enter this one at Heartsquest Celebrations challenge

Finally a Christmas card for a couple of challenges, a wreath made using the Spin tool and a good number of Lavinia stamps. ABC Christmas challenge is A for Anything Christmas and B for Bright so hope this fits the bill. And at Christmas all year Round they want A and/or B, I've got Acorns and Berries, finally also linking to Merry Little Christmas.

All new at Allsorts

Good morning to you all, we have a new challenge at Allsorts where Liz has selected the theme of New - Baby, Home or other new events. We have stamps from AALL and Create to be won.

Above the card I made for eldest Grandson and wife when they moved into their new home, it was in late September so there's a bit of an Autumnal feel to it. Using large letter dies I decided on an eclipse card cutting the letters six times to give height and use a favourite AALL and Create Pinecone stamp which still seems to be available from some stockists, inking direct to stamp with Ecoline pens.

This was one was a sample made months ago when I was still a TRR/Highlight DT, the dies and matching reflections are from the Just in Case collection, a stencilled background and a computer generated sentiment.

One for Christmas Kickstart challenge, I'll confess it was totally inspired by Chris, I've made few cards the last month, with all that's gone on my heads not been in the right place. But I saw Chris's card using her new Card-io stamps and although I don't have the same ones, decided to give the few I did have a long overdue airing.

Santa's on his way

Morning everyone and firstly my thanks for such kind comments and messages about Holly following my last post.

We have new challenges today at Tag-Along (and ATC's) where Lynn has selected Red and Green as our theme and at Moving Along With The Times it's Santa. Both themes perfect for last minuted gift tags and cards.

Above AALL and Create's Santa called Sack of Joy in a snowy setting and their die Roadway Vistas base die, cut twice, one scored a third of the way down and adhered to the second to create a stand up card. Inkspirational challenge has a moodboard and from that my Santa has holly, Christmas tree and a bauble and hope the snowy elements work at Four Seasons Winter challenge and Santa fits at A Place to Start's Winter things theme. 

My tag and ATC both feature Two Red Robins seasonal dies and matching Reflections, the tag above has a Poinsettia cut out design using a die from Amazon with glitter card behind, Poinsettias and a Robin, also TRR. The Paper Shelter have Gift Tags as their theme and Simon Say's Monday would like to see dies. Poinsettia is the theme at Sparkles Christmas and have lots of them on my tag.

My ATC has an inky background, stamped with a Lavinia background stamp and the various TRR die cuts arranged in the corner. Just Add Ink would like stencils or die cuts, I have used the latter and it's Christmas Time at ATC Around the World.

From the Orient to the Serengeti

Morning Peeps updating an already scheduled post. Been a mixed and non to pleasant week, Holly had her surgery, not totally successful and may have given her only limited time, so a day at a time.  

So craft on the back burner at the moment, times like this I'm grateful I work ahead as it's time for our mid month inspirational post at Tag-Along (and ATC's) challenge where we are travelling the World for Pinky's Travel theme, along with the usual Anything Goes option.

My travels take me to Japan and Kenya, I've yet to get to the former, one day maybe. I crated my tag above in MCS using a recent release called ?? After arranging the various elements onto a base scene I printed out on Premium Pure Print 300gsm and cut the tag shape using a basic die. Some seam biding and twine to finish. Linking this up to The Outlawz no cards.

For my ATC I stencilled a background with bold colours to represent a Serengeti sunset which are absolutely amazing, then stamped the Animals, bunting and sentiment from Penny Black 40-194 Lets Go Wild (2013). To make the animals pop I heat embossed with detail black EP and made a little matching pocket for the ATC using Kraft card. Popping this to ATC's around the World and Simon Says' Wednesday (which I was so lucky to win recently - thank you) whose theme is Not a Card and finally Craft Rocket would like to see Animals.

I hope I have inspired you to pop over to the challenge blog and join in with us.

Summer Poppies

Morning everyone, a very quick post with a share for the Snippets Playground and a reminder that our June Tag-Along (and ATC's) challenge is still running, there's a few days left to join in for the chance of being a DT Choice or winning the lovely die set on offer.

Another stand up tag for my snippets share, I had a dig through my Two Red Robins drawers and decided to see how some worked on plain cardstock rather than printed out Reflections (which have all the artwork coloured). As a self confessed Poppyholic, that's the route I followed along with some wheat cut simply on black. Had to be a bit of stamping, my work feels naked without any, so the word Summer and more Poppies added with A&C stamps onto the inky background. The base dies are also TRR cut twice and joined at the top so the tag can stand up.

And here's my snippets, see you all in the paddling pool as they say it's warming up again, I'm told there will be lollies to be had as well.

I saw a pretty red and white photo inspiration at Beautiful Blossoms challenge so figured my tag just might fit in. Also Anything Summer is the theme at Four Seasons challenge, it's Summer and there's an abundance of Poppies everywhere. Also linking up to Outlawz Card Free Zone. 

Thanks for popping in.