Remembrance

Hi folks, still pretty windy here and sounds the same right across the Country, so perfect crafting weather.

I should really be decorating, but my cold sort of slowed me down, but hopefully the weekend will prove more productive on that front. Certainly need to get the dining room sorted because M&S want to deliver the new furniture. I have already put them off twice but they are getting a bit agitated now, understandable I guess as most people what new things yesterday.

Have you entered this months Penny Black at Allsorts challenge yet ? Lots of stamps to win again and such a nice easy theme "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas".....how easy is that ?

A couple of shares today. The one above is a my take on the lovely card Shenna Douglas made with her new stamps which were some of those I succumbed to at the NEC. I adore poppies so this was a must have set and apart from adding some ribbon and probably slightly different colours, this is more or less a direct take on Sheena's fabulous inspiration. The stamps are in two different sets, the tree and landscape all one stamp, then the poppies another set which which have been overstamped. All are coloured with Aquamarkers and some Copics to add depth to the poppies. This card is for the following challenge:

Daring Cardmakers - A time to Remember

Crafty Catz - Paper tearing

My second card uses the same Hobby Art sentiment used on one of the cards in my last post, a frame cut with Nesties using Kaiser DP, a border punched with Fiskars threading water, some lace and a flower and leaves made using one of the Cuttlebug quilling sets. This card is for the following challenges:

CRAFT - Colour palette

Moving Along with the Times - Summer colours/lace/flowers

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

Queen Hatshepsut

It Monday folks and it's raining and blowing a gale outside.

So how was your weekend ? Who watched the reality programmes.....I'm meaning Strictly and the X Factor of course. So what's it all about then, there was me thinking it was all about the dancing and singing abilities and here we have a 'blue' female who quite frankly is an embarrassment to watch and a so called Brazilian 'vocalist' whose singing abilities defy comment. My hubby reckons it's a mockery and we should all show our disdain by switch off our TV's..........so who does vote for them I wonder........or is it all fixed ?

OK moan over, onto some craft. Not a lot going on there though as things need doing around the house. We have just had new wood floors laid from the utility room, right through the hall and into the dining room, so of course now the decorations all look shabby and as the skirting's are all off, hubby wants to replace them, so some decorating is in order first. Had a quick visit to Laura Ashley yesterday......no surprise with my style of craft that I love their designs and have used them for years.

So advance notice, my blogging activity might be a bit slow this week.........I'm not actually sure if I can even wallpaper anymore with my rotten balance and fumbling fingers, but going to give it my best shot so it does not all fall on hubbys shoulders.

Just a few shares, mostly previously finished work. The card at the top of this post used yet another beautiful Egyptian Sweet Pea fairy from Crafts and Me who looks rather like Queen Hatshepsut on one of the papyrus's we brought back from Egypt on one of our trips there. The background paper is created using the JudiKins cube with hieroglyphics on it which I stamped with Tim Holtz broken china onto some blue DP. The image itself is stamped with versafine black and embossed with detail clear and coloured in with Twinkling H2o's using the traditional Egyptian colours that adorn the tombs. A border punched with Martha Stewart zig zag and some gold emblellies. This card is for the following challenges:

Sweet Pea - Dry or wet embossing (fairy heat embossed)

My second card is using the lovely Penny Black slapstick stamp, which is stamped and embossed with detail clear, the masked so I could stamp in the Magnolia fence and coloured all with Copics. I also stamped some grass with the tiny Art Impression stamp, some bees to complete the little scene and also decoupaged the little boy. The DP is Nitwits, a couple of Tim Hotz adage tickets and tied them with raffia. This card is for the following challenges:

Stamp With Fun - Sketch

Lets Ink it Up - Create a scene

Cards for Men - Animals (froggy and 'something' peeping out of other bucket !)

Alice in Wonderland - Tickets

For my third card I used Penny Black 3877K An Afternoon stamped with versafine onto a background distressed with Tim Holtz mustard seed. I stamped the image a second time into vellum, then tore it in half and laid over the main image and fixed with brads. The border strip across the middle is stamped randomly with the same stamp and again inked with the TH ink, then ribbon, a button and lace added.This card is for the following challenges:

Daring Cardmakers - Topaz

Cupcake - Sketch

Gingerloft - Button/s

My final card is a really quick and simple one using October Afternoon DP and one of the little houses from Hero Arts CL464 which is simply coloured with Copics and glittered to add snow to the roof. The mats were cut on Cricut Storybook. This card is for the following challenge:

Something Completely Different - Houses

Paper Sundaes - Let it Snow

Twas the Night Before Christmas

It's time for new challenges at Allsorts and we have a distinctly Christmasy feel this week where my teamie Fleur has chosen the theme "Twas the Night Before Christmas".

But before I move onto my cards, a quick note to say I had a wonderful day at the NEC on Thursday and it was really lovely to meet some blog friends for the very first time and have a really good chow to all - Sarah, Vix, Shirley and Vicky which was was probably the most bizarre 'hello' ever.

Vicky and I had already decided to ring one another after doing some shopping and I was standing waiting to pay at a stand when a lady said something to me about the rack of Tilda's and my immediate answer "I just don't do Tilda's". She then tapped me on the shoulder and said "B ?".........the Tilda comment apparently gave it all away, but we had a really lovely chat then. Girls and in some cases hubby's as well, it was fabulous to meet you all.

So back to my card which is the perfect opportunity for me to use the great stamp from JudiKins 4649H which has the first verse of Clement Moore's super poem. I've had it for years and go back to it time and again.

I stamped the sentiment onto cream cardstock cut on Cricut Storybook, then heat embossed with detail clear and distressed slightly with Tim Holtz scattered straw. The mice and hedgie are Penny Black 40-007 carol trio decoupaged and coloured with Aquamarkers. The little stockings are Art Impression D1577, the DP Magnolia, some lace and poinsettias punched from vellum and pearls used for the stamens. This card is also for the following challenge:

The Stampman - Christmas

Critter Sketch Challenge - Christmas

Charisma Cards - With Love at Christmas

My next card is another little Autumn number, lovely rich colours which sadly never really materialised this this part of the Country this year........we sort of went from green to yellow and missed most of those lovely golden and reds colours......something to do with the wet season and chemicals it created in the soil I am told.

The stamped leaves are from Hero C457 Real Leaves, stamped with TH frayed burlap and covered with diamond glaze, then when dry the whole piece has been distressed with TH barn door, rusty hinge and peeled pain. Next I stamped the whole piece with Hero H2365 Old French Writing, tied some twine round and added some punched leaves inked with the same TH inks, then matted onto a piece of plain Basic Grey DP. This card is for the following challenge:

Lots to Do - Autumn

Lexi's Creations - Anything goes

My final card is a really quick and simple on using Penny Black 4104K Christmas Star which I stamped onto red vellum with versafine black end embossed with detail clear, cut out and decoupaged with a flower pot and leaves cut on the Cricut. This card is for the following challenge:

Secret Crafter - Red and Gold

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Candy, candy, candy

Now closed but there is more here

Well I promised you something special didn't I and here it is.

A gift voucher from our very own Sir Stampalot that will allow the lucky winner to choose goods from the on-line shop up to the value of £30 (postage not included). Sir Stampalot sell a wonderful selection of stamps from all the leading companies such as Penny, Black, Hero, Magenta and of course Maglnolia, as well as Designer Papers, Sizzix, Nestabilities and just about every accessory you could want to feed your crafting addiction. But don't take my word for it, check them out for yourself.

As usual the only rules are that you are a follower and that you add my candy to your blog sidebar with a link back here to help spread the word, plus of course leave your name with Mr Linky below. Note: In fairness to the vast majority of you who I know follow the two simple rules, when I do the draw I will discount any entries that have not done so.

If you don't have a blog you can still enter, just make sure you leave a comment with your e.mail addy so I can contact you if your win. The candy will run until 24th November.

No closed but more here

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

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.