Merry Christmas with Moonlit Owls!

Hello and thank you for visiting - Yay its Christmas Eve!

Today's card is the one I made for my wonderful husband, Darren.

The stamp is the absolutely gorgeous Moonlit Owls by Lili of the Valley - I adore it!  I stamped the image with black Versafine and embossed it with clear detail powder.  I coloured the image with my Promarkers.  You can't see it very well but the sky is dotted with white Posca pen for snow.  I used Memory Box Holly Die for the holly at the end of the branch on the main image and at each end of the sentiment.  The sentiment is from a Casual Friday's snowflake stamp set and is also stamped in black Versafine and embossed with clear detail powder and die cut with  a die from Elizabeth Crafts Stitch Fishtail Banners set.  The circle die used is Spellbinders and is either small or medium set but I am not sure which.  The scallop circle is Spellbinders too and is from the small set.  The snowflakes are cut using Tim Holtz Sizzix Mini Paper Snowflakes die set.  All these die cuts are cut using snippets of card and my Big Shot.  The background is embossed using a snow embossing folder - I cannot remember the make, sorry!  I added lots of glitter, mostly glamour dust, apart from red on the berries.  I can never get the sparkle to show in my photographs!  I am pleased to say, Darren really likes his card!  Yay!

I would like to enter the following Challenges:

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets.
That's Crafty - Anything Goes
CuttlebugMania - Anything Christmas
Country View Challenges - With the option of Reds, Greens and Rust.
Christmas Cards All Year Round - Anything Goes as long as its Holiday related.

Thank you so much for visiting me today and all through the year!  Your visits, comments and encouragement mean so very much to me - thank you again!

I wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year - or Happy Holidays if you don't celebrate Christmas and if it is a sad time for you, I send you a big Hug and lots of happy and positive thoughts.  Take care my friends.  Lots of love.  Christine xxx

Gingerbread House!

Hello and thank you for visiting me!  Its nearly Christmas, Yay!  I am going to get at least two posts in before the big day!  I don't expect many visits as everyone will be way too busy!

This card is the one I made for my Daughter, Son in Law and Freya and Millie, my gorgeous Granddaughters!

I won the die sets for the gingerbread house and the gingerbread man  - they are both Dies by Sue Wilson and are called Gingerbread Man and Gingerbread House funnily enough!  There is a roof for the house too that comes separately so you can make a real house, I won that too!  I used Kraft, red and white scraps of card.  The door opens and I have some Christmas word paper behind the door - I didn't think to photograph that, silly me!  The holly above the door was made using a Memory box Holly Die and the sentiment is stamped in Versamark and embossed with white detail powder by Cosmic Shimmer.  I used dries white glue to attach chunky glitter for my snow and the trim to the Christmas hats.  The hats came in a pack I have had for ages, I couldn't resist popping them on the gingerbread men!  For the snow in the background I used white embossing paste through a stencil and added fine glitter - not sure of the make of the stencil.  All the die cutting was done with my Grand Calibre.

Freya and Millie, collectively known as Frillie enjoyed opening the little door!

I would like to enter the following challenges:

That's Crafty - Anything Goes.
CuttlebugMania - Its Christmastime - You must use a manual die cutting machine.
Christmas Cards All Year Round - Anything Goes.
Bizzy Becs - Anything Goes.
Country View Crafts - Christmas with the optional twist of red, green and rust.

Thank you again for visiting me.  I hope you are all ready for the holidays!
Take Care - Christine xxx

Twinkling Snowflakes!

Hello!  Thank you so much for visiting me, I really appreciate it!  Not long to go now till Christmas - Yay!  I have two more cards to make and have posted the ones to go abroad.  Still have to write all the others though.  This Christmas card is for my Brother and Sister in Law - they gave me a voucher for my birthday and I used part of it to buy the Twinkle Die and Stamp set I used on it.  I haven't  posted it to them yet but I am pretty sure they don't look at my blog!

I used a Brusho Background that I already had.  The silver is a Pixie Powder I had used alongside the Brushos.  The snowflakes are cut from snippets of a thick white paper which has a sheen to it using Tim Holtz Sizzix Mini Snowflake dies.  Twinkle is cut from a Sheena Douglass die and the stamp I used for the sentiment is from a coordinating Sheena stamp set.  I stamped it on a snippet of the Brusho background that I had left over, with Versamark and embossed with white detail powder - cut apart and edged with a purple Promarker.  The snowflakes are dotted with lots of glitter - as are the stamped and die cut sentiments. The glitter really twinkles but you can't see it too well in the photo.  I have also dotted some white blizzard Nuvo drops in the background.  I love the Twinkle die and think it will go perfectly with my fairy stamps too!

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Cuttlebug Mania - Let it Snow - Must use a manual die cutting machine - I used my Sizzix Big Shot.
Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets.
That's Crafty - Tis The Season.
Bizzy Becs - Anything Goes.
Try It On A Tuesday - Twinkle Twinkle.

Thank you again for visiting me!  Have a wonderful week, stay warm and safe if you have snow.  Here in Bournemouth we have no snow but it is very cold, although we do get it much milder here in the south than elsewhere.  I would like some snow though!

Take care!  Christine xxx

Green Bauble Card!

Hello and welcome to my blog!  Thank you so much for visiting me - I really appreciate it!  I was panicking a bit as I needed to make some quick Christmas cards to make up the number I needed and its not long till I have to post them!  I remembered a card I saw on the Fiskarettes UK Facebook Page, and I came up with this much simpler version which was perfect for what I needed!

I started off with a piece of Sheena stamping card and a couple of shades of green Brushos and gold Pixie powder.  I sprinkled the powders over the card then sprayed with quite a lot of water and picked the piece up and moved it around till it looked how I wanted.  It was very bright and very wet so I laid another piece of card on top, pressed down, which gave me two green and gold A4 pieces and I let them dry naturally.  The gold really glimmers but I am not sure how well you will be able to see in the photo.  I  punched out loads of circles with a circle punch then die cut lots of red bows from Stamplorations die set Gift Builder #2 - it cuts like a dream!  I drew the 'string' with a sparkly gold pen then glued the circle and die cut ribbon to the card base.  I am not sure what size the card base is, I have had them for ages!  I got them from QVC years ago and haven't used then - I still have lots!  They are smaller than DL.  I used my Misti to stamp the sentiment, I can't remember the set it came from.  I didn't add anything extra to embellish as I needed these to be as quick and clean and simple as they could be.  I love how they turned out though!  I did over twenty in this colourway and four in purple and silver but I haven't taken a photo of one of those yet.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

That's Crafty - Green With Envy.

CutPlorations - Photo Inspiration - I used the red and green tree ornaments for inspirations.

Stamplorations CAS Challange - Anything CAS with the optional colour twist of Gold.

Country View Challenges - Christmas with the option of Red, Green and Rust.

Time Out Challenges - Photo Inspiration - I took inspiration from the hanging red and green stockings.

Thank you again for visiting and I hope you are having a fabulous week!  Take care! Christine xxx

A Winter Wonderland!

Hello and thank you so much for stopping by my little blog!  Three similar Christmas cards today - I love making Christmas cards and actually start in January but am always still trying to get them finished in November!

The sentiment started me off on these cards - it came free with a magazine last year.  The backgrounds are all using snippets I had left of Brusho backgrounds I made earlier this year - I never throw any small pieces away and as these are all small cards, 5 x 5 inches and A6, these little pieces were perfect and I still have another complete A4 sheet that I made at the same time!  The scene dies both came free with magazines - the stag die was one of last years and the three trees on the hillside came with two other dies from a recent Simply Cards and Papercraft that my daughter, Sarah, bought for me.  The first card is the full stag die but on the second card I ripped the stag's antlers when removing it from the die so cut the stag out completely and replaced it with two of the trees from the hillside die as I couldn't bear to waste it! I used MFT Rectangle Peek-A-Boo Window die for the third card as well as the freebie hillside die.  I love how it looks!  The stars are part of the stag die.  All the die cutting was done with my Sizzix Big Shot.  All the Winter Wonderland pieces were glued to dark blue card bases - all the bases are the same colour even though they look slightly different in the photos!  I used my Misti to stamp the sentiments in Majestic Blue Versafine then added the little stones to the stars along with lots of glitter for sparkle then finally - a winter wonderland is not complete without falling snow - I dotted all the backgrounds with my white Posca pen.  I made six of these cards altogether, two of each.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Time Out - Inspired by Words - the sentiment was my starting point.
Allsorts Challenge Blog - Inspired by a Christmas Carol or Winter Themed Song - Walking in a Winter Wonderland was my song, I love it!
Pixies Snippet's Playground - Use Snippets - mine were the snippets of Brusho backgrounds along with snippets of white card for the stag and tree scenes.
Rudolph Day's  - Anything Goes As Long As Its Christmas.
Cuttlebug Mania - Let it Snow and Manual Die Cutting Machine Must Be Used - mine was my Sizzix Big Shot.

Thank you again for visiting and take care!  Christine xxx

Another Wild Flower Silhouette!

Hello, thank you so much for visiting me and Happy Thanksgiving to all of my lovely friends who are celebrating!

Today I have another wild flower silhouette card which is similar to a card I posted Here.  This one below is much brighter with a black sentiment, flower and butterfly, and I added some all important stencilling which I think really makes a huge difference!

The background is one that I already made from a mop up and I added some stamping with chicken wire from Creative Expressions and a little Sheena Douglass splatter stamp.  I thought the background needed something extra so I took Picked Raspberry Distress Ink and some of that DIY tape with the little grid (I can't remember what it is called), stencilled through it, and it made it perfect - well in my mind anyway!  I do love stencilling.  The flowers are from Tim Holtz Sizzix die set Wildflower, the little butterfly is from Butterfly Frenzy strip die from Sizzix and the sentiment is from Paperartsy Jofy 09 stamped in Versamark embossed with white powder.  A few sequins for a little bling and all done.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

That's Crafty - Stencil it.
Country View Challenges - Stencils.
Bizzy Becs - Anything Goes.
Try It On A Tuesday - Colourful.

Thank you again for visiting me.  Take care.  Christine xxx

Thank You Owl!

Hello and thank you for visiting me!  I really appreciate it!  Here is a thank you card I made recently.

This post is for a special event going on at Stamplorations.  Its their 3rd Annual Giving Thanks Blog Hop, and Wishlist Linky Party and in that respect, here is a link to my Stamploration Wishlist. For a chance to join in and maybe win an awesome prize, you should head over to Stamplorations and take a look - their products are seriously awesome!

I stamped this gorgeous (free with Craft Stamper) owl on a snippet of white card with Black Versafine and embossed with clear powder.  I then coloured the image with Pro Markers and added bling with Spectrum Noir clear sparkle pen.  The branch was in my bits box, I can't remember which die I used to cut it.  Before I glued the owl down I sponged the background with some pink Distress Oxide Ink.  The little stars are stamped with silver using a couple of the small stamps from Winnie and Walter Big Bang Confetti with the Thank You coming from a HobbyArt sentiment set.  I love the cheeky winking owl!

I would also like to enter the following challenges:

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets.
Bizzy Becs - Anything Goes.

Thank you again for visiting me!  Take care.  Christine xxx

Another Floral Card!

Hello!  Thank you for visiting me - I am so grateful!  I made this card a while ago - it was for my wonderful Sister, Lilian's birthday.

The stamp is Bejeweled by Penny Black and I love it!  I used watercolour card for this along with my Misti stamping platform.  I inked the stamp up with a combination of Distress Markers and Distress Inks then lightly spritzed the stamp and closed the door of the Misti.  I was then able to repeat the process until I was happy with result.  I inked a piece of scrap card with the same colours and cut the three little butterflies out using dies that came free with a magazine.  The sentiment is stamped using black Versafine with stamps from MFT Label Maker Sentiments.  I splattered the background lightly with some of the watered down inks then when dry attached to a green mat then a white card base.  The little black stones were used to coordinate with the sentiment strips.  I have made two more similar cards at the same time but using different colours as I just adore this stamp so much!

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Penny Black and More - Flower Power.
That's Crafty - Forever Floral.
Bizzy Becs - Anything Goes.

Fab Challenges!

Thank you again for visiting!  Take care - Christine xxx

Wild Flower Silhouette!

Hello, thank you so much for visiting me!  I haven't  crafted for a while but have finally managed to get back into my craft room for a little while - I have so enjoyed it!

I started back with a very simple card using a scrap of mop up card from my bits box.  I added some stamping with Distress Inks using a Creative Expressions Chicken Wire stamp and another little stamp from a Sheena set. I then inked the edges with Black Soot Distess Ink.  I die cut one of the flowers from Sizzix Tim Holtz Wildflowers set both in black and white snippets of card then layered the white over the black to give a shadow effect then adhered to the panel.  The sentiment is from PaperArtsy stamp set Jofy09 - its stamped in black on a scrap of white card then snipped into sections and glued to the panel.  I nearly forgot!  The little butterfly is cut using Butterfly Frenzy Strip Die by Sizzix.  I used a square card base - job done!

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets
That's Crafty - Forever Floral.
Bizzy Becs - Anything Goes.

All of these are fab challenges!

Thank you again for visiting me!  I really appreciate it - Take care - Christine xxx

Happy Anniversary Cats!

Hello from a sunny Bournemouth today - thank you so much for visiting!  Another cat card today in honour of the Cat Lovers Hop!  In my last blog post here I explained why we can't have a cat now and showed a picture of the last gorgeous cat we had.  Today, in honour of the Cat Lover's Hop, here is a photo of Lulu who was our previous kitty.  She was a little six week old kitten when she came to us.  She is a beautiful old lady here and we lost her about eight years ago.  She was adorable, cuddly and very good tempered and a bit haughty as she got older, which added to her charm!  We had Lulu and Lucky (from the previous post)  together for a while, she never tried to attack or hurt him but she did hiss at Lucky sometimes and do her best to ignore him but he absolutely adored her and followed her everywhere!  After we lost Lulu, Lucky was so sad and moped about for months cause he missed her so much!  We still miss them both incredibly!

No stamping at all on this card -  I made it for my Daughter and Son-in Law, Sarah and Dom's 5th Anniversary which was a few weeks ago.

I began with the square of white card from my bits box and used a circle stencil to ink through with various Distress Inks to give the appearance of a night sky.  I had also added the small circle mask before I started inking, for the moon.  I spritzed with glimmer mist, dabbed with some kitchen roll then removed the stencil and the mask and added some yellow ink to the moon.  I cut the stars from a scrap of yellow card using a Mama Elephant die then added these and the blue layer of card and glued to my Kraft card base.  As the fifth anniversary is signified by wood, I thought these two wooden cats would be perfect along with the little wooden hearts so I added them with Cosmic Shimmer glue.  I am pleased to say, Sarah and Dom liked it!

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Cat Lovers Hop 2017 - You must have a cat as a focal point

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets.
Bizzy Becs  - Anything Goes.
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Thank you again for visiting me and take care! xxx

Cat Lovers Hop 2017

Hello, thank you for visiting me and for all your kind comments and thoughts about my not being well and not able to blog/craft lately.  You are all such lovely people!  I am still feeling pretty rubbish and am blogging a card I made a while ago - for my son Michael's birthday way back in May!  Its perfect for the Cat Lovers Hop so a good time for it.  Darren, my husband, and I both love cats but unfortunately are not in a position to have one these days with both of us being on long term sick.  Our finances are hardly enough to keep us so it would be unfair to  have a cat, as much as we would love one!  Their food, vet bills, insurance etc. being costly. Also looking after one would not always be easy for us.  We last had a cat with us four years ago.  Unfortunately he was elderly and got very sick and had to leave us.  We still miss him - his name was Lucky and he actually came with the house we live in as the previous owners could no longer have him.  He was very timid, absolutely gorgeous and so good tempered, bless him!  Here is a piccie,

Here is the card I made for Michael with cats on it that look complete pickles to me and not so timid!

The 'Son' is a Papermania stamp which was stamped with Versafine ink and coloured with Promarkers.  I then stamped the fun silhouette cats which are from a very old NBUS (never before used Schtuff) clear stamp set, The Cat's Meow  by Hunkydory and they were stamped in Black Versafine using my Misti so I could re-stamp several times to get perfect silhouette stamping and perfect placement. The footprints were stamped as a background using a footprint from the same stamp set in Vintage Sepia Versafine.   The sentiment is stamped in Black Versafine using Label Maker Sentiments from My Favorite Things on orange card then I finished off with card candy along with Glossy Accents on the 'Son' and the green cats eyes.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:

Cat Lovers Hop - 2017 - You must have a cat as the focal point of your project.

Penny Black and More - Close to Nature.
Bizzy Becs - Anything Goes.

Thank you again for visiting.  Hope you are having a fab week.  Take care. Christine xxx

Autumn Leaves!

Hello, Thank you so much for visiting me!  I am not doing too well at the moment.  My ME/CFS is really bad so the description will be less than normal as writing this post is quite difficult for me.  I haven't been crafting for a while but, luckily, have quite a few cards I have already made but have not blogged so I can keep up with you and enter challenges when I can.

Products used: 

The leaf is from a Creative Expressions stamp set - I can't remember the name.
Bronze, Gold and Mottled Green embossing powders.
Versamark ink.
Scraps of Kraft card.
Spellbinders Labels Four.
Autumn word stamp by Clarity Stamp.
Cream Card.
Gorgeous mottled bronze/gold shiny card base.
Scrap of string.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Pixie's Snippets Playgound - Use Snippets.
That's Crafty - Forever Autumn.
A Vintage Journey - Crazy for Autumn Colour.
Allsorts - Trees and Leaves.
Penny Black Allsorts - Close to Nature.

I will visit your blogs when I can.  Thank you so much for visiting.  Take care.  Christine xxx

More Flamingos - Anniversary Flamingos this time!

Another Flamingo post and two posts on the same day!  That's not like me at all!

It's my fabulous Mum and Dad-in-Law's Wedding Anniversary today - Happy Anniversary Sue and Roger - I hope your day has been lovely!  Here is their card:

I started with the fabulous Flamingo Die-Namics die set by MFT.   I cut the pieces out and glued them together to make the two flamingos, the wings and beaks are painted with clear Spectrum Noir Sparkle pen.  The large heart came with the flamingo die set too!  The patterned paper I used for the green circle and the sentiment banner are from a fabulous paper pad by Anna Marie Designs called Blissful Green - my lovely friend Anne gave it to me - thank you Anne!  The circle dies are Spellbinders and the Stitched Fishtail Banners are Elizabeth Crafts.  The sentiment is from Hobby Art clear stamp set, General Greetings and the little hearts are from a die from Spellbinders Flutter Love.  The main image and banner are popped up on foam tape for dimension.  I have just noticed that I forgot to give the flamingos their black eyes!  Silly me!  So sorry Sue and Roger! xxx

I would like to enter the following challenges:

That's Crafty - Fly Away.
Allsorts Challenge - Things with Wings.
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes.
Bizzy Becs - Anything Goes.

Fabulous Challenges!

Thank you so much for visiting me!  Take care.  Christine xxx

Flamingos for Millie's Birthday!

Hello and thank you so much for visiting me!  It was my youngest Granddaughter, Millie's 2nd birthday earlier this month and here is the card I made for her:

The flamingos are made with an awesome Die-namics die set by MFT called, funnily enough, Flamingos!  I bought the set with some birthday money that was part of my present from my lovely Mum and Dad-in-Law, back in August - thank you so much Sue and Roger - I love this set!  Its the first time I have used it!  I cut all the pieces for the flamingos from scraps of card and paper then glued them together to make the birds - I think they are so cool and I will be using them lots!  The flowers were also cut from scraps using Spellbinders Cherry Blossom die set.  The yellow circle, also a scrap, was cut using a fab set I bought from the Works very cheaply - the stitched square was also cut using a Works die (also its the first time I have used this set) and a scrap of white card which I inked with Distress Inks.  The two is cut from a very old die set, I am not sure of the make.  The flowers, number two and the flamingos beaks and wings are all painted with clear Spectum Noir Sparkle Pen and I made the base card to match the Flamingos - luckily I had some full sheets of card to match! I dotted the eyes in with a very fine black marker and added a touch of glossy accents. I am pleased to report Millie liked it - I knew she liked flamingos.

**Addition - I forgot to say that the sentiment is by Lili of the Valley and is stamped in black Versafine.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Darnell's NBUS 12 Challenge - Use something NBUS - Never Before Used Schtuff.
Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets.
That's Crafty - Fly Away.
Allsorts Challenge - Things with Wings.
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes.

All wonderful challenges!

Thanks again for visiting me, I will be back later today with more Flamingos!
Take care!  Christine xxx

Christmas Wreath!

Hello and thank you so much for visiting me, I really appreciate it!  A Christmas card today.

I began with the gorgeous leafy stencil from Clarity Stamp which isn't actually a Christmas stencil but with the Dreamweaver Glossy Green embossing paste sprinkled with glitter, its really sparkly in real life, I think it looks the part. I have not used the embossing paste before even though it is 8 or 9 years old - I was not sure it would still work!  It was perfect.  I have a red pot I haven't opened either so I must use that too.  It is the first time I have used the stencil too so two NBUS on this card!  I used a punch for the red circle then Spellbinders standard circles set of of dies (using my Big Shot) to cut out the Justright Festive Poinsettia stamp set sentiment which I stamped in Satin Red Versafine and embossed with clear powder.  The Christmas Bow is a Die'sire by Crafters Companion die (again cut using my Big Shot) and I gave it two coats of Spectrum Noir clear Sparkle Pen.  The green stones are from my stash - this is quite a large card, the green base card is 7 x 7 inches.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

ScrappyMo's Rudplph Day's Challenge - Anything Christmas.
Christmas Cards All Year Round - Christmas - Use Leaves.
Darnell's NBUS Challenge 12 - Use Something NBUS - Never Before Used Schtuff.
Cuttlebug Mania - Use Manual Die Cutting Machine - Golden Harvest - I have lots of green leaves in my garden.
Bizzy Becs - Anything Goes.

I absolutely love challenges, they are such fun!  Thank you to everyone who runs and designs for them for all your hard work!

Thank you again for visiting me, I hope you are having a good week.  Take care, Christine xxx

Big Butterfly!

Hello and thank you so much for visiting me!  I haven't blogged for nearly a month so its fabulous to be back.  It is my lovely Mum-in-Law, Sue's birthday today - here is the card I made for her.  It is also the start of the wonderful Darnell's NBUS 12 Challenge so of course I had to join in with that!

The star of this card is the beautiful Big Butterfly 2 stamp from IndigoBlu!  This is the first of my NBUS (never before used schtuff) items.  I recently won it from IndigoBlu along with a bundle of other awesome stamps - thank you so much Kay and Alfie!  My second NBUS item are the Angelina Fibres used to make the butterfly - I have had them for absolutely ages and its the first time I have opened the box they came in!  I used three different colours and fused then together slightly before using black Archival ink to completely fuse them together with my iron on the stamp via greaseproof paper.  I then fussy cut the butterfly out.  The background is made using several different colours of Distress Inks, I can't remember exactly which ones but definitely Shaded Lilac.  I added ink to my craft mat. spritzed with water, also spritzed the card as I wanted a delicate finish, then picked up the ink with the card and dried with my heat gun.  I stamped all over the background using a crackle stamp from Sheena Douglass set Ageing Beautifully and Shaded Lilac Distress Ink.  The Happy Birthday is a die from Spellbinders Sentiments 3 set, the flowers are by Impressions Obsession and I can't remember the make of the numbers die as its so old.  I glued the base onto a purple card base then added everything else.  The little yellow pearls are from my stash and I used clear Spectrum Noir Sparkle Pen on the flowers, sentiment and numbers.

I would like to enter the following challenges:-

Darnell's NBUS 12 Challenge - Anything goes but use something never used before.
That's Crafty - Fly Away
Allsorts Challenge - Things with Wings.
Bizzy Becs - Anything Goes.

All fab challenges, worth stopping by and joining in!

Thank you again for visiting.  I am hoping to be back again tomorrow with another post!  Fingers crossed!  Take care.  Christine xxx

My Going Grey Natuarally Journey Begins!

Hello, thank you for visiting me, I really appreciate it!  No craft today - I am starting a journey to go from my coloured hair (I have been dying it for most of my adult life) to my natural hair colour which, as you can see from the parts at the front which I have been leaving natural for over a year, is grey!  I love the look of the streak and part fringe in contrast to my dyed red but I am fed up with constantly worrying about roots now that my hair is so white, and, in truth, I can't afford to keep having it done.  I like the colour grey it is at the front too so I hope it might look kind of cool!

I thought I would chart my progress on my blog and Facebook as I have been inspired by seeing pictures of many woman on line who have charted their journey so I thought I would do the same.   I have no roots at the moment as I had my hair done shortly before my 60th birthday celebrations began and this was taken at one such celebration just a couple of days ago. The last time with no roots! Scary!

I hope you don't mind sharing this journey with me!

I also would like to apologise for my lack of posts and visits but with my celebrations, I haven't been able to manage much else!  On Wednesday I am going to stay with my daughter and family for a few days and more celebrations!  After I have recovered from that, I hope to get back to crafting and blogging.  Also I owe emails and thank you cards to several people - I will get those sorted after then too!  Before if I can manage!

Thank you for reading this, I am so grateful!  Take care.  Christine xxx

Friends Are Flowers!

Hello!  Thank you for visiting me, I am so grateful!  I think some of you got the wrong idea from my last post.  I said it was a really quick post as I was hurrying for a challenge deadline which was true, but it was just the writing of the post not the actual making of the card that was fast! Sorry if I wasn't clear!

This card however was speed crafting!  One of the challenges I am entering involves speed stamping and after planning my card and getting everything I needed ready, it took me just a few seconds under ten minutes!  I got carried away with the splattering and almost went over the time!  Very close!

Its a one layer card so I worked directly on the card base..  I used a circle stencil and inked through it with Fired Brick, Spiced Marmalade and Peeled Paint Distress Oxides for an autumnal pallet then spritzed with water to give some texture and activate the lovely chalky look of the ink.  The ink was quickly dried with my heat tool and I stamped, using my Misti and Black Versafine,  the gorgeous flower and sentiment  from Originally Organic by Uniko - I won this fabulous set along with the matching dies, thank you so much Bev at Uniko!  Notice my sentiment is straight - that is because my fabby friend Di very kindly sent me a couple of acetate grids to use in my Misti for straight sentiments and  spacing etc.  -  so awesome!  Thank you Di!

There are some black spots in the image so I added some extra ones on the card to continue the theme using a black fine liner and also the faux stitching round the edge of the circle then used Spectrum Noir clear sparkle pen on the image for some sparkle.  Finally, using the same inks mixed with water, I added the splatters - I think I got a bit carried away!  A few seconds under ten minutes and all done! I think I will make some more like this as I really like the look!  CAS and quick too!

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Uniko - Flowers

Time Out - Autumn with the Optional Twist of Speed Stamping - I used autumnal colours and speed stamping! Yay!
Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes
That's Crafty - Only Cards
Bizzy Becs - Anything Goes

Fabulous challenges, every one!

Thank you again for visiting me!  Take care.  Christine xxx

40th Birthday Card!

Hello, thank you for visiting me - this is the quickest post ever as I only have twenty minutes to enter one the challenges I want to join in with so sorry for any mistakes etc!  Right, here goes!

I started off with a Distress Inked background - in fact I made two so I could cut the flowers and words out of the same coloured card - I can't remember the colours, sorry!  The flowers are cut using Cheery Lynn Crysanthemum Strip Die layering two flowers for each one.  The forty was cut with a very old number set, I think its by Cuttlebug but not sure.  The corner panels are cut using Tim Holtz Sizzix die from the Mixed Media Thinlets set.  I used a couple of different  word stamp sets to make the sentiment and cut them out edging them with black alcohol marker then added some little pearls for the flower centres.  I glued the 40 to a circle of black card then glued it to the top flower. Before I glued anything down, I had stamped a couple of swirls from Creative Expressions Create a Swirl in Versafine and embossed with clear powder - the flowers are arranged on these for more interest to the background. This was for a friend of mine for her special birthday - I was really pleased how it turned out!

I would like to enter the following the challenges:

Allsorts - Add name or number.
That's Crafty - Only Cards.
CAS-ual Fridays - Friendship.
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Add a Sentiment
Try It On A Tuesday - In My Garden

Fab Challenges!

Thank you again for visiting me,  have a fab weekend - I will - its my 60th Birthday tomorrow (19th) Yay!  I love my big birthdays!  Take care. xxx

Flower Tag!

Hello!  How nice of you to visit - I really appreciate it, thank you!  A tag today.

This is quite a large tag, I don't know the size, but I traced around a white one I have to get the shape and size then cut it out.  I stamped the flower petals in black Versafine on white card and embossed with clear powder.  They are from the Sheena Douglass Create a Flower - Balloon Petals - stamp set.. I cut them out, watercoloured them with watered down Wilted Violet and Shaded Lilac Distress Inks to which I had added a little Spectrum Noir Clear Sparkle Pen.  Whilst the petals were still wet, I shaped them a little with my fingers to add a bit of shape then left them to dry.  When dry, I went round the edges of each petal with a black alcohol marker then glued the petals together with Cosmic Shimmer Glue and a few pieces of foam tape to add dimension.  This started off as a full flower but I decided to cut it in half to use on my tag.  The background is stamped with a cool stamp from Sheena's Funky Textures 2 stamp set, its embossed with Versamark and detail gold embossing powder.  My lovely sister Lilian sent me both stamp sets along with several more a while ago!  It was a lovely pressi!  Using one of the golds from the Gansai Tambi Starry Colours Watercolour set - I splattered gold paint on both the flower and the tag then when dry, adhered the flower to the tag with two part petals in the corners all cut to fit.  The tag is edged with Treasure Gold gilding wax, the words 'laughter, friendship, kindness' edged with black and little dots of gold added before and after each word were glued to each petal.  They are actually Tim Holtz Chit Chat stickers.  Finally, using Cosmic Shimmer glue I popped little beads in the centre of the flower and added ribbon from my stash.  I love these petals, they are so versatile!  The colours are much brighter in real life and all the gold shines!

I would like to enter the following challenges:

That's Crafty - Anything but Cards
Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes.
CAS-ual Fridays - Friendship.
A Vintage Journey - Watercolour.
Try it on Tuesday - In My Garden - I would love to have big purple flowers like these in my garden!
Craft Stamper Take It Make It Challenge - Anything Goes

I love challenges, they help give me ideas along with all the fun!  Just wonderful!  Sometimes you get to win prizes too!

Thank you again for visiting me and take care!  Christine xxx

I Love You To The Moon and Back!

Hello!  Thank you for visiting me, I appreciate it so much and I hope you have been having a lovely weekend.  It was our 13th Anniversary on Wednesday and this is the card I made for my wonderful husband.  He truly is my soulmate and best friend as well as my husband and I am so lucky to have him!

The most important part of this card is the fabulous Stamplorations sentiment which comes from a clear stamp set called Power of Words,  the words come with the moon and five stars which I embossed with Versamark and white detail powder on Watercolour card then inked with various Distress Inks.  I think I used Chipped Sapphire, Dusty Concord, Faded Jeans and Black Soot.  I spritzed with water, dabbed with kitchen roll, then spritzed with glimmer mist. I was really pleased how my watercolour background turned out! I forgot to say that before I inked, I used Pebeo masking fluid to protect the stars as I wanted to colour them in afterwards.  I cut a rough mask to cover the sentiment and used a paintbrush to splash some watered down white paint over the background for a bit more interest when dry, removed the masking fluid with a clean finger.  The moon and stars are coloured with Promarkers then I coloured some little stars which I had die cut for another project and were left over, with the same Promarker as the main moon and stars.  The skyline is cut from black card using a Clearly Besotted die and I glued little pieces of yellow card to the back of the die for the lights in the windows then added this and the stars to the sky.  I matted it onto some matching yellow card then onto the blue card base.  Finally, I added Glossy Accents to the moon and stars so they all glow.  Sorry my  photo isn't very good, as I have said before, my photography skills are rubbish!

I would like to enter following challenges:

A Vintage Journey - Watercolour.
CAS-ual Fridays - Friendship - my husband is my best friend!
Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes.
Bizzy Becs - Anything Goes.
Stamplorations  - Never Ending Anything Goes Challenge.

All these fab challenges are worth entering -  so much fun and inspiration!

Thank you again for visiting me and take care!  Christine xxx

Feel Better Soon!

Hello!  How nice of you to visit me - I am so very grateful that you take the time to come and see what I am up to!  A CAS card today.

The image is the smaller of two elephants from the 'Jumbo' stamp set by Stamp Addicts, I have had this set for years.  Its stamped in onyx black Versafine and embossed with detail clear powder then coloured with Promarkers.  I cut it out with a Spellbinders die and edged it with Picked Raspberry Distress Ink and added some of the same ink to the elephants ears, feet and cheeks as it was a nicer pink than the Promarker I had used.  The patterned paper is a scrap from my bit box which was just the right size and colour I was looking for to go with the image  I just had to trim some off the end.  I love the butterfly pattern and am hoping, when I search through my stash, that I may have some full sheets left somewhere.  If my memory is correct, they came in a pad free with a magazine. I glued the image to the paper then stamped the sentiment, from a Marion Emberson clear set, then used clear sparkle pen on the butterflies and elephant.

I would like to enter the following challenges

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use snippets - the patterned paper and white card for stamping are both snippets.
Casology - Clean and Simple. - Safari.
Penny Black and More - All Creatures Great and Small.
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - For a Child - I think this would make a perfect get well card for a child.
Stamplorations CAS Challenge - Clean and Simple  - Stamplorations CAS Challenge is on summer vacation but you can still link up your CAS cards for a chance to win a prize!

All these challenges are wonderful - you find so much inspiration and fun joining in!

Thank you again for visiting me.  Take care!  Christine  xxx

Orla The Owl!

Hello from a rainy Bournemouth!  Its so nice of you to visit my blog, I really appreciate it!  I made today's card especially for my fabulous big brother, Lloyd's birthday - he is seventy today!  Happy Birthday Lloyd!  I spoke to him this morning and he enjoys his big birthdays as much as I do.  I will be 60 next month so I am already looking forward to my biggie too!

Its the first time I have used this fabulous stamp set by Hobbyart called Orla Owl - its a fab set with lots of extras to go with the stunning owl stamp.  Orla is stamped on watercolour card with onyx black Versafine and embossed with clear powder then I watercoloured the image with various Distress Inks and Distress Markers.  I fussy cut the image out and edged with a black marker to hide the white edges.  The moon from the set is stamped on yellow card with Golden Glitz Delicata ink and fussy cut out.  The fence posts, also from the set, were stamped using Coffee Archival then watercoloured with Distress inks and again cut out and edged with a brown marker.

For the background I used Brushos.  I am pretty sure it was Cobolt Blue for the sky and Light Brown for the land.  I used watercolour card and, to give me more control, I spritzed with water first then tapped on the Brushos so I could see exactly when to stop.  When the panel was completely dry, I stamped one of the ferns from the set in Vintage Sepia Versafine using first, second and third generation stamping for depth.  I edged the whole panel with a brown Distress Ink, I can't remember which one.  The moon was adhered first then, as shown by Jenny Mayes on Hochanda. I used a large embossing tool from the back of Orla's wings to stretch the fibres then used glue gel to give the wings shape and flat glue for the rest of Orla.  Its looks cool in real life but you can't see it so well in the photo.  I used some string for the fence, sticking it to the reverse of the piece with tape then adding the posts with foam tape pieces. I then used foam tape to adhere the whole piece to a black card base. This card was a bit adventurous for me!  I am pleased to say, Lloyd liked it!  Yay! So did my lovely Sister in Law, Margery, and she is a proper artist!

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Penny Black and More - For the Boys
Country View Challenges - Things with Wings
Pixie's Snippet's Playground - Use Snippets - mine were the yellow card for the moon and the watercolour card for the fence posts.
Bizzy Becs - Anything Goes.
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes.

I love all these challenges, they give so much inspiration and fun!

Thank you again for stopping by.  Take care.  Christine xxx

July 2017 Rudolph Days

Hello there!  Thank you so much for visiting me, I am so grateful!  Its time for the monthly Rudolph Days Challenge - I haven't joined in for a couple of months but have made it this time! Yay!

The super cute reindeer is from Holly Jolly stamp set by Echo Park that I won from the Rudolph Day's challenge last time I joined in, thank you so much Mo!  Its a gorgeous set filled with sweet images - I actually made seven cards using the reindeer, a Christmas tree and Santa and his sleigh but I came to add the photo's and they were all a little blurry except this one, sorry!  They are all pretty much the same though.  The image is stamped in onyx black Versafine - as its a silhouette stamp, I used my Misti so I could stamp it a couple of times to make sure the image was really solid black. The background is watercolour card previously inked with Distress Inks then sprayed with Glimmer Mist (the colours look nicer in real life) - I did two whole A4 sheets and used them for all my cards and still have some over for more. The pretty die cut circle is from The Works and I added dries white glue and glitter for sparkle along with a little gem for his eye.  The Merry Christmas is die cut from the same A4 watercolour inked card using Spellbinders Holiday die set, and the card base was sprayed lightly with Glimmer Mist too. There is a gorgeously cute Santa on the stamp set that I hope to use soon along with some other fab images - I was so lucky to have won the lovely set!

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Scrappy Mo's Rudolph Day's Challenge - Anything goes as long as its Christmas.
Christmas Cards All Year Round - Anything goes as long as its Christmas.
Bizzy Becs - Anything Goes.

Brilliant Challenges!

We had a lovely day today - My daughter, son-in-law and our two little granddaughters came to visit!  Its always such fun to see them all.  I hope you had a lovely day too!

Thank you again for visiting me!  Take care.  Christine xxx

Aqua Background with Orange Butterflies!

Hello, thank you for visiting me.  This is the quickest post ever as I want to enter the Paperartsy challenge which is Aqua and I only have a short while before it closes!

The background is made smooshing Broken China Distress Oxide on my craft sheet, spritzing with water then dragging watercolour card through it.  I added drops of water then dried with a heat gun then dabbed it in remaining ink.  When dry I stencilled through Foiled Again mini stencil by Stamplorations with Mermaid Lagoon Distress Ink then gave a spritz with Abominable Snowman Glimmer Mist.  When dry I added all the stamping in black Versafine using the PaperArtsy stamp set EKC02.  The butterflies are cut from a piece of watercolour card coloured with Spiced Marmalade and Ripe Persimmon Distress Inks and water using the smallest die from Sizzix Vintage Butterfly Bigz Die.  I then ran the butterflies through an embossing folder - it came free with a magazine years ago.  The sentiment is cut using a Spellbinder die from Sentiments Three.  The final touch was Orange Peel and Eucalyptus Stickles.  I used an orange mat and a black card base.  I made it so last minute, the Stickles is still wet!

I would like to enter the follow challenges:

PaperArtsy - Aqua - I was inspired by Claire Snowdon's post Here - Claire's stencilled background sung to me and the added butterflies and flowers!
Mrs A's Butterfly Challenge - Matching Pairs and/or the colour Orange Peel
Country View Challenges - Things With Wings
Stamping Sensations - Anything with Flowers - in my haste to post this I forgot to link up to this challenge!  Luckily I remembered before it ran out!  Its one of the ones I had made it for - silly me!

These are all fabulous Challenges!

Thank you again for visiting me, I must dash! Please excuse any errors!  Take care.  Christine xxx

Embossed Resist Clean and Simple Card!

Hello from a sunny Bournemouth!  Its so lovely that you have stopped by to visit, thank you so much!  A clean and simple card today.

I am also taking part in the STAMPlorations 4th Birthday celebrations - they are such an awesome company selling amazing stamps, dies and stencils.   Here are the details of their wonderful celebrations.

  I have to add a link to my wishlist here on my blog to join in the celebrations, so here is My STAMPlorations Wishlist,  If you create an account and then a wishlist, link it up on STAMPlorations Blog - you could win lots of prizes!  Time is running out though, I have left it late but you still have time! Hop Over and read all about it! Shery who owns the company is so generous and the blog is just fantastic!  The Design Team is inspirational!

Here is my card:

I masked  off the edges of my card blank, went over with my anti-static pouch and stamped the background image with the gorgeous Inkydoodles leaf  background stamp using Versamark then embossed with white detail powder..  I then blended colour onto the embossed area using Distress Oxide inks, spritzed with Abominable Snowman Glimmer Mist then dabbed with a paper towel and removed the masking tape.   To finish I simply added a Sizzix embosslits butterfly and the fabulous Stamplorations Smile die cut, both cut using snippets of black card.  I just added a little pearl to the butterfly and it was done!

I would like to enter the following  challenges:

That's Crafty - Keep it Simple
Try it on Tuesday - Letters or Numbers or Both
Pixie's Snippet's Playground - Use Snippets
Country View Challenges - Things with Wings
Casology - Fly

All of these are awesome, inspirational blogs!

Thank you again for visiting!  Take care. Christine xxx

Door Hangers for Freya and Millie!

Hello!  Thank you so much for visiting me - sorry I have been away for so long.  I am posting door hangers I made a while ago for my Granddaughters's, Freya and Millie.

Sorry my photography skills are so rubbish but you get the idea!  I have had the MDF blanks for ages, I can't remember where I got them from.  I covered them first with white Gesso then with a mixture of pink and lilac acrylic paint.  I did the same on two small mount board plaques cause I figured it would be easier to stamp on them!  When dry, I did the stamping on the mount board - for Freya's I used Clarity Stamps - Wee Folk Fairies and Meadow Grasses,  re-stamping the flower heads on snippets of paper for the flower heads, colouring them in and sticking them on.  On Millie's, the trees are Clarity - one of the stamp club stamps, I cannot remember where I found the branch and the owl is a free stamp that came with Craft Stamper magazine.  The owl was stamped on a snippet of card, coloured in and glued to the mount board so it looks like its sitting on the branch.

Freya's butterflies were made using a Tim Holtz by Sizzix Strip die and snippets of card which I coloured with Distress Inks and the stars on both were cut from snippets of yellow card with a stars die.  Millie's moon was made using a very old punch again from a snippet of yellow card.  Their names were stamped on snippets of card painted with the same paints as the backgrounds.  I used a Clarity alphabet set, then cut out by hand.  I forgot to say that all of the stamping is done using Archival Ink which works well on acrylic paint and I used my Misti to get good coverage especially on the silhouettes.  When everything was finished, I added several coats of gloss Mod Podge with some added glitter for sparkle.  For all the items I glued on, I had previously used matt Mod Podge.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Pixie's Snippets Challenge - Lots of the elements I have used are snippets!
Penny Black and More - Anything Goes.
Bizzy Becs - Anything Goes.
Try It On Tuesday - Letters or Numbers or Both - I am linking to this challenge a day after I did my blog post as Chrissie  kindly let me know about the challenge today.

These are all fabulous challenges. definitely worth a peek!

Thank you again for visiting me and have a lovely weekend.

Take care. Christine xxx

Sorry I have not been around for a while!

I am so very sorry I have not posted or visited very much over the last month.  It's been a difficult few weeks with lots of stuff going on which has impacted on my crafting and blogging.

I am going to stay with my daughter for a few days from tomorrow - it will be cool to spend some time with her and my two granddaughters - I call them 'my three gorgeous girls'! Hopefully when I come home, I will be able to get back to some crafting and blogging - after a rest for a while first of course!  

I hope this posts alright - it's the first one I have done on my IPad! Fingers crossed! 

I hope you are all ok and once again, sorry for my lack of comments and posts and thank you for sticking with me!

Take care! Christine xxx

Rockin' Robins!

Hello! Thank you so much for visiting me, I appreciate it lots!  Its Christmas card time again with some cute little Rockin' Robins.  I won this gorgeously cute stamp and die set from Di at Pixie's Snippets Playground - thank you so much Di!

I stamped the cute little robins (from Clearly Besotted Rockin' Robin clear stamp set) in Vintage Sepia Versafine then added the faces in Black Versafine.  I used my Misti and did quite a few but, so far, have only cut these three out using the dies that come with the set.  I coloured the red breasts in with a Lipstick Red Promarker.  The little hats are from the same stamp set again stamped in the Vintage Sepia and coloured with the red Promarker.  I fussy cut them out as it was a little quicker than lining up the die although it would have been neater if I had used the die so will next time when I won't be rushing (hopefully!).  Again using my Misti, I stamped the branches and the music that came with the Rockin' Robin set along with the 25th which is from Hobby Art Christmas Post clear stamp set.  Using a glue pen and glitter I added sparkle to the hats and the branches.  The sentiments are also from the Clearly Besotted set and I stamped them on snippets of white card, trimmed them down and edged them with the red Promarker.  I glued everything together and job done!

I would like to enter the following absolutely fabulous challenges:

Scrappymo's April Rudolph Day's Challenge - Anything Christmas - I won last months challenge - thank you so much Scrappymo!   Will make my next months entry with the fabulous stamp set I won. It hasn't arrived yet so I couldn't use it this time - it has a long journey to get here!

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets - The robins, their hats and the sentiments are all made using white snippets.

That's Crafty - Outnumbered - numbers must feature prominently.

Bizzy Becs - Anything Goes

Stamplorations  - Things with wings.

Thank you again for stopping by - Take care. Christine xxx