The focus is RED

Morning Peeps, it's Saturday and time for a new challenge Allsorts and it's another photo heavy post as I also have my shares from my post today over at the Chocolate Baroque blog. Our new Allsorts theme is hosted by Kath and her theme is 'Black and White plus One', and our sponsor is Stamp Addicts who are offering this weeks lucky winner a £15 store voucher.

It's no accident that my top card is RED as today is a very special day in Madrid, Liverpool are facing Spurs in the Champions League final, it will be a tense evening in our house as our youngest son, hubby and myself are Reds whilst another son is a Spurs supporter. I have my cup final shirt ready, red jeans and even red nails (with a Poppy on one), photo further down and keeping everything crossed that Mr K and the boys can bring silverware back to Anfield.

Purely a coincidence, but Stamp Addicts are on Hochanda TV tomorrow with some brand new floral stamps designed by Teri Sherman so both of Allsorts cards are samples I made ready for the show. The one at the top used the beautiful new Poppy set which include a background stamp and two stand alone Poppies which is what I have used on this card. The design is very similar to one of the samples I shared last week as I rather like how it turned out.

The background is Brushos, a Tattered Lace frame, the two Poppies coloured in with Koh-I-Noor paint, some TL leaves and a Penny Black die cut sentiment.

And as promised my Chocolate Baroque shares, I have included names of all stamps and what I did on each over at the blog...........

And here are my nails in readiness for this evening, I'm not overly keen on the white but the girl who does my nails every fortnight said it was the only colour the Poppy would show up on nicely and she's probably right.

Have a good weekend everyone, the weather forecast here in the UK is looking good and I have everything crossed the boys in red are on form and things will go to plan in Madrid.

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Artisan Designs new stamps

Morning Peeps, a really quick post to share a few of my samples for Pete's Artisan Designs shows on Hochanda today, he's on screen ow and back again at 4pm showcasing the beautiful Stacey's Garden 1 stamps. Just a few of them today but will share more another day.

I also have my creations from my post over at the Chocolate Baroque blog today, you will find all details over there.

                                                                     

Thanks for taking a peek, your words of encouragement are always appreciated.

 

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10th Birthday celebrations at Allsorts challenge

Morning Peeps, today it's a special Saturday at Allsorts as we are celebrating our 10th Birthday but it certainly doesn't seem that long since I nervously published my very first DT post!! And dear oh dear I shudder when I look back at what I was creating then and not an Oxide in sight..............

This is what I made for the challenge launch 16th May 2009 and seems one thing that hasn't changed is my addiction to Penny Black stamps

We have some really special prizes to give away and have kept the theme nice and simple it's 'Happy Birthday'.

It's another photo heave post as it's mid way post time at Penny Black and More and Stamping Sensations plus my 15 minute quick and simple cards for Chocolate Baroque. I tend to put them all in one post as I feel it's unfair to expect visitors who are probably already busy to go to several posts all on the same day.

My top card features a Chocolate Baroque image and one I made for a Hochanda TV show a while back. The image was stamped with Versafine Clair and coloured in, then some stencilling and a sentiment which is also CB and finally a few pearls.

And this one a lovely Penny Black Poppy stamp, I masked the edges and applied Distress Ink, stamped the Poppies inking them with Distress Markers, stencilled some polka dots, removed the masking tape and stamped the sentiment which is also PB plus a PB Dragonfly.

My Penny Black shares (I've not gone into detail on the following PB & CB shares but please do mail me if you want to know anything specific).............

My Stamping Sensations ones..........

And last but by no means least my Chocolate Baroque shares.........

I do hope you are going to join in our Birthday fun and look forward to visiting your entries, as always I will do my best to get to you all.

 

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Spring photos from the Fen

It's been a beautiful day here in the Fens so I spent an hour going round the paddocks and gardens to take some photos to share which makes this a rather picture heavy post.

At the top a close up of blossoms on the May (Whitethorn) bush below which is in the hedgerow of the top paddock. My Dad plated the entire hedge with Whitethorn whips about 35 years ago.

We have a lovely patch of Cowslips which were transplanted from one of Dad's pasture fields

One of several Horse Chestnuts, we plated 50 forest trees 35 years ago. And if the old saying "The Oak before the Ask and we shall have a splash, the Ash before the Oak and we shall have a soak" is right then it should be another good Summer as the Oaks are all in full leaf and the Ash way behind

Apple blossom

Clematis

Not sure what this one is in the courtyard encroaching through the Red Robin but it smells lovely

One of the standard Ceanothus 

A Viburnum.......and nosey Lab

Potentilla 

Another Ceanothus........and two more nosey Labs

One of several Choisya and really aromatic especially in the evening

I know it's only Ivy but something I love, it was transplanted from a Mothering Sunday basket probably 20 years ago and now covers two walls of the secret garden

And I though I would share a couple of photos of our 'road', when I tell people it's remote where we live they never quite understand what I mean. It's a single track road, the top one goes nowhere other than a neighbouring farm, the bottom one takes you two miles to village civilisation. 

We've an abundance of birds nesting and as soon I get sight of them taking their fledglings out and about I will try and get some photos, I'm especially hoping to catch the Bullfinches with their young as they usually bring them quite close to the house.

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