Penguins In Love

At last my cardmaking orders have slowed down and I can concentrate on my own Christmas makings! My son finished school yesterday and the festive spirit is in full supply!

I wanted to share a card I made for me parents using a free die from Papercraft Essentials Magazine.

I die cut the penguins, heart and foliage using the free dies and the words I made using my Cricut Machine. My parents loved it!

Cardmaking Challenges I am entering:

Crafty Calendar - Its Christmas

Crafty Hazlenuts Christmas - Anything Goes

Crafty HazleNuts Extra - Christmas

Winter Wonderland - Anything Christmas

Sisterhood of Crafters - Christmas

The Merry Christmas Challenge - Christmas

National Cardmaker Runner Up!

If you are a reader of any of the Immediate Media magazines such as Quick Cards, Cardmaking and Papercraft etc you may have seem little ol me!

I was luck to be chosen as a Runner Up in their National Cardmaking Competition. I am so excited as I received a voucher for £150 for Crafting.co.uk!

Here are the cards I entered:

I hope they provide some inspiration and would also like to congratulate my fellow competitors!

Snowflakes and Glitter

I must apologise for my lack of posting. At the moment I am busy prepping my Christmas craft stall stock so very busy!

I thought I would share some of the little cards I have been making which I am selling in my ETSY store too.

The die cut cards were made using dies from DOcrafts whilst the ducks are from an InkyDoodles Stamp set. I used watercolour pens to colour the image in.

So this is a short and sweet post, but will be back soon with news on my new Cricut Maker Machine!! (Santa visited early!)

Happy Hauntings

So the witching hour will soon be nigh for those celebrating Halloween on the 31st. I love the day but prefer to think of the traditional origins rather than the commercialised merchandise! We will be carving our pumpkin as usual and enjoying a spooky tea.

This spooky card I made for a Halloween Card Swap at UK Stampers Group on Facebook.

I turned to an old Creative Expressions set of stamps which are still my favourite for the window, ghostly figure,pumpkins and ivy. I stamped these onto a background I made using Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink and water. 

I used a stencil and Distress ink to add the spooky tree. I stamped and coloured the pumpkins using watercolour pencils before cutting out and adding to the front. The black base card was put through an embossing folder and then I rubbed gold ink over the top to highlight.

I hope you all have a fantastic Halloween and stay safe whatever you are doing.

I am entering this into the following challenges:


Fussy and Fancy Friday - Spooky
Moo Mania and More - Halloween
Cards and More - Halloween
Tuesday ThrowDown - Spooktacular
Eclectic Ellapu - Dark / Dramatic

Mini Book of Spells

I had such fun making this mini book! I made it for a Junk Journal Swap but would love to keep it myself!

 The cover was made from a cardboard box, covered in embossed black card. I used silver acrylic paint to highlight the raised areas. The lock and hinges are by Tim Holtz. The hinges are greyboard, embossed and again painted with acrylic paint.

All the pages I tea dyed myself to give a vintage feel.

I used lots of different things from my stash and printed ephemera.  

I think I may have to make another one for myself!

Challenges I am entering:

Love to Create - Anything Mixed Media / Creative

Mini Album Makers Challenge - Mini Albums

Frilly and Funkie - Tis near Halloween

Nuts!

Thats how this week has been really - a little bit nuts. I have been a bit unwell with an infection and it has halted my progress.

It has given me time though to catch up with some of the swaps I am taking part in. This postcard I made for UK Stampers Forum Postcard Swap.

I used a set of stamps by Sheena Douglass for this. First I put Spiced Marmalade onto a craft sheet and spritzed it before dragging the card through it. I then stamped the images and text using an Archival Black Ink Pad. To add extra colour I used Aquamarkers and a waterbrush.

I love Autumn and I think these colours sum the season up perfectly.

Other challenges I am entering are :
Crafty Cardmakers - Autumn
Make My Monday - Autumn Colours
Crazy Challenge - Add an Animal

UK STAMPERS TAG SWAP

It's been a long time but I am so glad that I have refound UK Stampers Group on Facebook.  It has some great monthly swaps and I decided to take part in some. This week I am sharing my tag I made for the September Tag Swap.

First I stamped a music note background from a stamp by WOW! Embossing Powders. I then stamped and coloured the flowers with Spectrum Noir Pencils before affixing to the tag. I did the same with the birds. To made it look a bit distressed I edged the tag with white acrylic paint.

I hope the receiver will like it...!!

I am entering the following challenges too

Love to Craft - Anything Goes

Junk Journalling - a new obsession!

Its been a while since I've had time to post,but with the summer holidays now a distant memory I'm slowly getting back into the craft room.

One of the most fun things I have found is Junk Journalling. There are lots of groups on Facebook that hold swaps and I have been dipping my toe in the water.

I am very much a beginner but thought I would share some of my photos from the most recent swaps I've taken part in. I would love to hear from you if you love Junk Journalling too!

Fairy Swap

Sewing Themed Swap

In the water

As well as my tag being inspired by the sea, we certainly are in the water in the South of England. It is miserable!

This week at Go Tag Thursday the theme is the letter "S". So I chose to use a stamp set by Sheena Douglass and Creative Stamping Magazine. I used the fabulous Distress Oxides for the background, before stamping the sentiment and the seahorse. I used mica paints to add some shimmer to the seashorse too. The anchor and shells I die cut using various dies. I then went to town with Ultra thick Embossing Powder, Thick White Enamel powder and sequins for a shimmering sea like finish.

Close up of the detail

Hopefully next time I post we may be basking in sunshine!!

Other Challenges I am entering:

Artistic Stamper - Anything Goes

Country View Craft - Blues and Greens

In the garden

We've had a few good days of sunshine here on the South Coast of England and now a few days of rain. The garden really needed it!

Coincidentally the theme at Go Tag Thursday this week is In The Garden. So I made this tag.

I painted a piece of card die cut into a tag shape with Pebeo Dyna Paints. The fence I cut on my Cricut machine before running it through a wood effect embossing folder. I used Distress Ink to highlight the pattern.

The butterfly, dragonfly and flowers are new from That's Crafty. There is a whole selection of chipboard flowers and insects. I painted them with paint and Distress Inks.

The leaves and flower in the foreground I stamped using a set from WOW! Embossing Powder. I had great fun creating this!

Other challenges I am entering are:

An Inky Mess - Anything Mixed Media

Country View Challenges - Things With Wings

Tagged With Love

I am writing this in the sweltering heat in the UK! It is expected to reach 34c today. This is a photo of our beautiful water lillies in the sunshine.

I haven't done a lot of crafting as its too hot to sit indoors, but here is a tag I have made.

I used a kraft tag for the base with a coat of gesso. Then I stamped the sentiment (not sure where it came from!) I had a piece of card I had die cut hearts from so I used this as a stencil with Distress Ink. 

The flower stamps are from WOW! Embossing Powders. I stamped these and then cut them out. I painted a wooden heart with gesso and then used a script stamp over the top. To finish I added gilding flaekes, glitter and some twine.

I am entering this into the following challenges:

Altered Eclectics - Anything Mixed Media

Creative Artiste - Mixed Media

Country View Crafts - Hearts

Go Tag Thursday - Anything Goes

Animal Tag

Don't you just love it when you discover stash you have never used and completely forgotten about?!

I haven't made a tag for a challenge for a while and wanted to join in with Tag Tuesday's theme which is Animals.  Searching through my stash I found an UNOPENED PACK OF SHEENA STAMPS!!!

This is the set is called a Perfect Day

and this is the tag I made

I created a tag blank and used Distress Inks to create the background. The stencil was also found in my stash! again from Sheena and I used this with Distress Ink to create the foliage. The hare I stamped onto card and coloured with ink and a wet paintbrush. I punched out a moon shape and stamped the cloud.

Having found all that new stash I am one happy hare (bunny!)

Other challenges I am entering:

Crafty Animals - Anything with Animals

Stempelgarten - Wildlife

Magical Unicorn

Unicorn's are a big trend at the moment. I have been working on this card for some time and I think I'm happy with it now.

The clouds and rainbow are cut using my Cricut machine whilst the unicorn and sentiment is from an Avery Elle set of stamps. I used watercolour pens for the unicorn with the added sparkle of Spectrum Noir glitter pens.

I am also really grateful to the team at Seize The Birthday who chose my animal card (see previous post) for birthday honours!!

I am entering my unicorn card into the following challenges:

HLS Anything Goes With Dies 

Love to Craft - Anything Goes

Back to Black

Well its finally like summer here in the South Coast of England. We are expecting 30 degrees this weekend!!.

I took my artwork outside to photo and am a bit disappointed with the picture. In real life I'm pleased how it turned out. I made it specifically for the That's Crafty Challenge which this week is Back to Black.

I first painted the canvas with black gesso and then added die cut corners from black card before coating again with gesso. I used a stencil from a recent edition of Cards and Papercraft, with Pebeo Dyna Paints. The butterfly stamp was from the same set which I stamped and embossed with WOW! Embossing Powder Metallic Gold Sparkle.

I just wish you could see it in real life to see the shimmering effect!

Other challenges I am entering

Artistic Stampers - Floral Fantasy
CountryView Crafts - Flower Power

Down on The Farm

I have finally managed to get round to using this brilliant set of stamps from HobbyArt.

I created the background using watercolour paints on watercolour card. The animals were stamped on to watercolour card with archival ink before painting and cutting out. I added the flowers and the bee and used simple brush strokes to add the greenery.

I love them!! and I hope you do too.

Challenges I am entering:

Seize The Birthday - Birthday + Creatures/Animals

Through The Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Crafty Cardmakers- Add a sentiment

Magical Mystery Tour

I am really enjoying art journaling at the moment and decided to be brave and enter an art journaling challenge!

The theme at Art Journal Journey is Magical Mystery Tour.

I decided to choose one of my favourite places - Venice. The background is printed from Serif Daisytrail which was a mixed blessing because as I added water it bled! However it added to the watery feel of the page. I used a rubber stamp I have for the main scene and a script border stamp for the text.

It was also my first go at using Texture Paste which because of the thinness of the paper was a bit of a disaster! I managed to cover it with some white acrylic. The square images are from a Crafty Individuals pad and I edged them with Brass WOW! Embossing Powder.

I hope you get a little inspired by my art journal!

Mixed Media Tag

Back now from the Easter break and ready to craft! I really enjoyed making this tag using different kinds of medium.

I used Distress Crayons and Gelatos to colour the background of the tag before stamping onto it with a text stamp. I dry brushed some of the area with white acrylic paint. The trellis is a die cut.

For the butterflies and flowers I stamped onto watercoloured card coloured again with Distress Crayons and Gelatos. I used WOW!Embossing Powder in Brass to emboss the outlines.

Finally I assembled them all onto the tag and added some glitter (well I am The Sparkly Fairy!)

I hope you like it!

I am entering this into the following challenges:

Make My Monday - Embossing

A Inky Mess - Anything Mixed Media

Crafts and Me - Things With Wings

WOW! Embossing Powder - Anything with Embossing

Going Retro

My poor little blog has been neglected far too long! I am trying to get back to my original crafty ways with distress, vintage and altered art techniques.

To begin with I am entering the Sunday Postcard Challenge, which this week is Retro Housewife.

Here is my entry

I have a great collection of vintage magazines so I used these as a background. The lady is from a retro stamp set by Creative Stamping and I had some papercuts with the fridge and window. I photographed the postcard lying on the original magazine for interest.

I hope to have more to share with you soon!

Getting Back to Crafting

Apologies to those that follow my blog we have just come out of a long run of flu, colds, viruses! Unfortunately I have had to resign from the Design Teams I was working with as I've really been knocked sideways by these viruses.  Anyway we as a family are slowly getting there but need to take it easy.

This weekend I have been playing with Serif CraftArtist and the fabulous digital kit Colour Outside The Lines by SnickerDoodle. I created these cards for Mother's Day and love the mixed media style.

I am going to enter the following challenges:

Paper Creator's Crafts - All About Mum

Crafty Calendar - Mum's Day

Sisterhood of Crafters - Celebrating Women

If you would like to purchase any of these cards they are available in my Etsy Store.

A Photo Challenge

Its the turn of Team A at Addicted to Stamps and More this week and it is a photo inspiration challenge

I decided to create a tag based on the colours and elements in the photo.

I die cut a tag, clouds and zig zag pattern using my Cricut Explore and adhered them to a tag. I used an Avery Elle stamp set for the elephant, balloons and bubbles. The elements are edged with a ink and Sparkle pens.  Finally I made the bow from three different pieces of string and ribbon.

Can't wait to see your creations!!

Challenges I am entering:

Die Cuttin Divas - Animals

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Sir Stampalot Challenge - Animals

A Sparkly Fairy

What better - a Sparkly Fairy from a Sparkly Fairy! I am still struggling with this awful flu virus at the moment so bear with me!

I created this card for the February Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes With A Die Challenge.

I used some beautiful Tonic Label dies that recently came with an issue of Die Cutting Essentials. I cut these from plain white card. The fairy I die cut from black card using a Spellbinders fairy die. I layered all the elements using foam pads to achieve some dimension.

I hope your day provides some sparkle too!

Don't forget there is a prize at the challenge for the winner!

Jolly Holly

Unfortunately as I write this post I am not feeling too jolly! Everyone in our house has been hit by an awful flu virus doing the rounds. After nearly a week indoors cabin fever is setting in!!

I managed to struggle from my sick bed to finish this card for Happy Little Stampers February Christmas Challenge.

This month it is :

For my card I used a new set of stamps I purchased at Christmas from PolkaDoodles. I stamped the individual holly leaves to create a wreath and coloured them using Promarkers. There is a really useful script stamp in the set which I used in first and second generation mode to create the background. I used Distress Ink in Old Paper to age the card. I thought the tartan ribbon added a nice festive touch.

I look forward to seeing your work!

Anything Goes!

At Addicted to Stamps and More the theme this week is

This is the card I created as part of the Design Team

I was watching Hochanda the other day and saw them using Spectrum Noir Colour Blend pencils on black card. I have the original Spectrum Noir pencils but still decided to have a go.

I used a new stamp in my stash from Imagination Crafts which is great to decoupage. I stamped and embossed with white WOW! Embossing Powder before laying down the colour with the pencils. The butterfly I stamped and coloured before cutting out and adding it with foam pads. The sentiment is also from the same set.

Hopefully wherever you are the nights are getting slightly lighter and you will have time to join in with our challenge.

Challenges I am entering:

A Bit More Time To Craft - Anything Goes

Artistic Stamper - Anything Goes

WOW! Embossing Powder - Anything Goes woth Embossing

So many Birthdays!

January is always an expensive timewith lots of birthdays just after Christmas. This week was my Dad's and my baby brother's 40th!! And as we crafters know its always tricky to be inspired when it comes to cards for the men!

I thought I would share the card that I made for my Dad.

I used my Cricut machine to create the banners from patterned paper although you can add patterns to shapes in the Print and Cut facility. I cut the DAD from a recent freebie set of dies from Papercrafter magazine. The sentiments were stamped and I added some twine to finish.

I'm glad to say my Dad loved it!!

I am entering the following challenges:

IncyWincy Designs - For the men in your life

Ooh La La Creations - For man or boy

New Year, New Dies

With the beginning of the year comes it heralds new crafty supplies! I treated myself to the new Die Cutting Essentials publication this week which came with some fabulous freebies.

The window die was perfect for this month's Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes with a Die Challenge.

I cut the window and cat from black cardstock and used the free papers for the curtains and flowers. The back is backed with acetate to give the impression of glass. I used the stencil and Distress Ink in Worn Lipstick to get the brick effect.

I used the stamp to create the shutters and a computer printed sentiment.

I hope you received some new crafty supplies for Christmas and look forward to seeing what you create with them.

Challenges I am entering:

Dream Valley Challenges - Anything New

Crafts and Me - New Stash

Joy of The Season

I hope you all had a lovely festive season. It's always sad to pack away the decorations and wait with intrepidation as to what the new year will bring.

One good thing is being a member of Happy Little Stampers Christmas Design Team I can keep my Christmas stamping going for another 6 months!!

The theme for this month's challenge is :

I used this Clarity Stamp for the first time which I love. 

I stamped the Joy with Perfect Medium and embossed it with WOW! Embossing Brass Powder. I created a mask and applied Sapphire Distress ink into the O. I then stamped the birds and tree and added white paint dots for the snow.

I hope you will come over and join us at the challenge.

Challenges I am entering:

Crafty Creations Challenge - Anything Goes

Unicorn Challenge - Use mostly blue

WOW! Embossing Powder - Anything Goes

Happy New Year

I hope all of you that visit my blog have a happy and peaceful 2017. In the mad rush of Christmas I haven't had time time to make a project so I thought I would share a couple of vintage postcards from my collection.

I can't wait to get back to crafting and have signed up for some exciting challenges this year. Watch this space!!