Unicorn Birthday!

Hello and its nice to be back after 2 months of not blogging!  Sorry I have been missing again for so long from blogland - I really miss seeing what you have been creating and apologise for my lack of comments and visits.

I made this card a while ago for my Granddaughter Freya's birthday - she loved it I am pleased to say!

Freya loves Unicorns so this Sizzix die was perfect!  I cut it out with my Big Shot from a snippet of white card and coloured it with Ranger Distress Inks. The stars, butterflies and banners were also cut from scraps of white card and coloured with Distress Inks  The star and butterfly dies are from the same Sizzix die set as the unicorn and the banner die is from The Works.  The corners of the white panel are punched using a very old Fiskers punch and the letters, hearts and number are from a Craftwork cards stamp set stamped in black Versafine ink.  Ranger Stickles is added to the unicorn for sparkle and a dark pearl from my stash for the unicorn's eye.  The card base is purple.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Pixies's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets.
That's Crafty - Anything Goes.
Time Out - Joyful  (What is more joyful than to be able to make a birthday card for your gorgeous Granddaughter!)
Cropstop - Anything Goes.

Its so good to be blogging again!  Hopefully I will be back very soon. Most likely with a Christmas card! 

Thank you so much for visiting me, have a fabulous weekend and take care!  Christine xxx

Autumn Fairy

Hello and thank you for visiting me - sorry, yet again, that I haven't been around for ages.  I have a quick post today as I am getting ready to visit my daughter tomorrow for a few days so have to try and take it easy in between packing.   I used the lovely orange and yellow colours of autumn for this card - my photography skills (or lack of them) have let me down again - the colours are much richer in real life.

 I began with an inky background with Distress Inks and water then stamped with second and third generation Distress Ink with an IndigoBlu script stamp in the background.  The large images are also IndigoBlu and the fairy, stars, danging leaves and sentiment are Crafters Companion.  Sorry no details - I have to be quick - if you need any  specifics, please ask in a comment and  I will be pleased to get back to you.  They are all stamped with Versafine Clair Nocturne.  Loads of  sparkle from Stickles too.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Penny Black and More - Autumn Splendour.
Stamping Sensations - Shades of Autumn.
Allsorts - Trees and/or Leaves.
Craft Stamper - Take It Make It Challenge - Anything Goes.
Country View Challenges - Plant-tastic.

Thank you again for visiting me  - I know I have been completely rubbish  at my visits lately - so sorry!

Have a fabulous week.  Take care.  Christine xxx

Grey at Last and a card!

Hello and thank you so much for visiting me!  Sorry, again, that I haven't been around for the last month or so - I had a birthday - 61, Yay! along with various medical appointments and other stuff so behind with crafting again!  I owe friends thank you cards, birthday cards etc. which I am late with as well as comments on blogs and emails not to mention posts!  Please forgive me!  One day I will get on top of things - how long have I been saying that?  One thing I have managed is to grow the dye out of my hair so I am my natural grey.  I was supposed to be charting the process here and on Facebook but didn't manage that so here I am with my new look.

I am so happy that I took the plunge and went natural - I have been dyeing my hair red (from brown) since I was fifteen!  Anyway, enough about me - here is the card I made for Darren for our anniversary last month:

I began with making the background with Distress Oxides, water and watercolour card - I was so pleased how it turned out - then I stamped the gorgeous image from So Suzy Stamps in Black Versafine with my Misti so I could stamp it several times to get a good silhouette impression.  The sentiments were stamped from various sets on inked snippets of card, cut out, edged with a black alcohol marker then added to the panel.  I edged the panel with Distress Oxides, glued it to a black card base then added Glossy Accents to the little heart. 

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Pixie's Snippets Playground - use Snippets.
That's Crafty - Animal Magic.
Time Out Challenges -  Word Challenge - as below. My husband makes me very happy and I am grateful for that.  The word 'happy' is also on the card.



Simon Says Stamp - Monday Challenge - Stamp it On.
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes.

Thank you again for visiting me - have a wonderful week!  Take care!  Christine xxx

Under The Sea!

Hello!  Thank you so much for visiting me - I appreciate it lots.  My card today is one I made for my fabulous big Brother's birthday which was on Saturday.

My idea was for an underwater scene down by the sea bed.  The background is mostly done with various blue Distress Inks and an ink blending tool.  I used the side of the tool rather than using it flat to get the effect I wanted then also did the same with some plain water too.  The sand colour is actually done with light brown Brusho which I sprinkled on a tile, added water, then used a blending tool to apply in the same way - I didn't have the correct colour of Distress Ink. The netting is from a very cheap pack of three colours that I have had for years - I pulled some of the threads out to make it look less perfect - I could have roughed it up more but only just thought of that!  The gorgeous seahourse and star fish die cuts were gifted to me by my  lovely friend Anne, the sentiment is cut from a scrap of white card using a die by Presscut and the real little shells I bought in a pack years ago and they are glued on with Pinflair Glue Gel.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Artistic Stamper - Distress It.
Simon Say's Stamps Monday Challenge - Wild Things.
Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets.
Time Out Challenges 'Home Sweet Home' Photo Challenge.  Here is the photo to inspire us:

I used the picture on the wall as my inspiration as well as the overall colour scheme.

Thank you again for visiting me and have a fabulous week.

Take care - Christine

Stand Out In The Crowd!

Hello and thank you so much for visiting me - I really appreciate it!  A couple of days ago it was my lovely friend Anne's birthday.  Many of you will already know Anne and her awesome work and will know what a kind and lovely lady she is.  Here is the card I made her:

The background is a piece of watercolour card inked with Picked Raspberry and Ripe Persimmon Distress Inks.  Then I added droplets of water, sprayed with Glimmer Mist then, when dry, stencilled with the same inks through some dry wall tape.  I stamped the cool flowers from AAL & Create #44 designed by Tracy Evans (which I bought with a voucher I won from That's Crafty in a previous challenge - thank you so much) in Black Versafine then stamped the smaller flower heads again on old book pages and cut out.  The taller flower heads were stamped on some snippets of green inked card and cut out then I paper pieced them all onto the inked panel after inking the edges with Black Soot Distress Ink.  The sentiment is stamped on a snippet of white card inked with Picked Raspberry Distress Ink, stamped in Black Versafine using a Clarity Stamp alphabet set then I cut it out and edged each piece with black alcohol marker.  The little butterflies are cut with Sizzix Decorative Strip Die Butterfly Frenzy, again with old book paper then edged with Black Soot Distress Ink which I brought in further to darken the butterflies up a bit to match the flowers.  I added Magenta and Orange Peel Stickles to the green flower and Magenta Stickles to the butterflies attaching the panel to a black card base with glue to finish.  I love these quirky flowers!

I would like to enter the following challenges:

That's Crafty - Close to Nature.
Country View - In The Summer Garden.
The Artistic Stamper - Distress It.
Butterfly Challenge - Spin The Wheel With The Letter 'O' - I have used Orange, Old Rose and Oval (the tall flowers are oval shaped - I hope that counts!).
Allsorts - Flowers All Over.

Thank you again for visiting me and I hope you have had a lovely weekend - I did!  I got back this evening after spending a few days with my daughter and my granddaughters - I had a lovely time with my three gorgeous girls!

Take care.  Christine xxx

Dragonflies!

Hello and thank you for visiting my blog - it makes me so happy when you do!  I have a card for you today that I made a while ago but didn't get round to blogging.

The background was made by putting a selection of Distress Oxide Inks on my craft sheet, spritzing with water then dipping watercolour colour card into it.  I wanted a delicate summery look so I left it quite pale.  When dry, I used more Distress Oxides to stamp the foliage from HobbyArt Orla The Owl stamp set, in second, third and even fourth generation ink.  Sorry I can't remember the colours of inks I used.  The Bulrushes from Darkroom Door Wildflowers 2 stamp set and the dragonflies from a Cardio stamp set were stamped using black Versafine then the panel edged with, I think, Black Soot Distress Oxide and attached to a black card base.  Finally lots of Stickles of course to the dragonflies and Bulrushes for sparkle.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Penny Black Allsorts - Things with Wings.
Artistic Stamper - Distress It.
That's Crafty - Close to Nature.
Country View - In the Summer Garden.  I wish I had a river going through my garden!  We did have a beautiful dragonfly yesterday though!
Stamping Sensations - In My Garden.
Simon's Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Fun in the Sun.

I hope you have had a fab weekend.  I am going to my daughter's on Wednesday for a few days so lots of Granddaughter cuddles!  I am really looking forward to it.

Take care.  Christine xxx

Roger's Birthday Card!

Hello and thank you so much for visiting me.  I appreciate it sooooo much.  It was my fabulous
Father-in-Law's birthday last week - he loves gardening - here is the card I made for him.

The shed and the carrots are from a Joanna Sheen Messy Rabbit stamp set from years ago.  The shed is stamped on kraft card, embossed with Vintage Sepia Versafine and clear powder then coloured with Spectum Noir coloured pencils.  The carrots were stamped and coloured the same way but directly onto white card and I used Flower Soft as the earth - another very old product but it was just what I needed.  The sun rays are a Tim Holtz stencil with two shades of Distress Ink and the sentiment is white embossing powder on kraft card and the little bird was one from my bits box coloured with Promarkers.  I made a kraft card base to match.  I am pleased to say Roger liked the card!

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Allsorts - In My Garden
That's Crafty - Close to Nature.
Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Spippets - mine are the card for the shed, sign and sentiment.
Country View - In The Summer Garden.
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Fun in the Sun.

Thank you again for visiting me and I hope your week is fabulous!

Take care. Christine xxx

Pink and Purple Snowflakes!

Hello again!  My second blog post in the same day - a Christmas card this time.

This is such a quick Christmas card and a technique I have seen everywhere and have never tried before.  I inked up one side of the Sheena Douglas Snowflake embossing folder with
Picked Raspberry and Wilted Violet Distress Oxide Inks, spritzed with water then pressed a piece of watercolour card into it then left it to dry.  It didn't come out perfect but gave a lovely watercolour effect.  I trimmed the piece then edged it with both of the oxide colours then glued to a 5 x 7 inch pink card base.  The Stamplorations sentiment was die cut in both white and pink card - the two glued together to give a drop shadow then attached to the snowflake panel.  For sparkle, I used a glue pen to add glitter to the snowflakes then Spectrum Noir Clear Sparkle Pen to the sentiment and finally a few white pearls for a bit of extra embellishment. There is lots of sparkle in real life!   I really like this technique so will be trying it again with more of my folders. 

I would like to enter the following challenges:

ScrappyMo's Rudolph Day's Challenge - Anything Christmas
Christmas Crafts All Year Round - Non Traditional Colours.
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
Country View Challenges - The Written Word.

Thank you so very much for visiting me - I really appreciate it!  Enjoy your weekend!

Take care - Christine xxx

Columbo Dragonlies!

Hi there and thank you so much for visiting me today - I appreciate it loads and loads!  I am celebrating the fabulous Stamplorations 5th birthday celebrations by joining in with the CASE the STAMPgirls and link up

I am casing a fabulous card by Harriet - its the second one down on her blog post with the three dragonflies.  Although I have cased it - mine is totally different. ' Why is the blog post called Colombo Dragonflies?' you ask!  Well, its because the book pages I used for the dragonflies come from a very old and falling to bits edition of a Columbo novel.  I adore the shabby detective - I seem to remember the book was a Christmas one.

I used Stamplorations  largest of the Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies for the white mat and cut my Kraft card base to suit.  The Stamplorations two part Dragonflies were cut with the book pages and Kraft card and the little flowers were cut using a die that came free with a magazine.  The sentiment is from a Kay Carling Paperartsy stamp set EKC06 and is embossed with Versamark and White detail powder on Kraft card.  Everything glued together and it was finished.  A very simple summer card with no summer colours just the Kraft and white and I love how it turned out!

I would like to enter the following additional challenges:

Country View Crafts - The Written Word.
Cuttlebugmania - Summer Is Magic - All my Diecutting is done using my Big Shot.
That's Crafty - A Summer's Day.
Stamplorations Anything Goes Challenge - Use Stamplorations products on your project.

Just to let you know that following Darren's visit to the consultant following the operation for his collapsed lung, the news is good and not so good!  Everything is healed fine and the consultant is pleased with his recovery from the operation.  Unfortunately, Darren is still getting lots of pain which should not be there.  The pain has absolutely no explanation so it is looking like it may be connected to his ongoing neurological problem where he has constant head pain and sensitivity to any sound along with lots of other symptoms.  We will be contacting his neurologist to see what he thinks!  Its fabulous his lung is all fixed though.

Thank you again for visiting and have a wonderful weekend!  I will be doing another blog post later this evening - don't be too shocked!  I had a sudden burst of inspiration today along with enough energy to make two cards to catch some challenges - I am very pleased with myself!!!

Take care - Christine! xxx

Twofer Card Challenge #6

Hello!  I am so glad and appreciative that you have visited me today, thank you!  I haven't managed to join in with Darnell's fabulous Twofer challenge for a while so was determined to manage it this time.

The theme is 'trees' and I chose the Memory Box Twiggy Tree to use on both of my cards - one is a bright summery card (which luckily fits into a couple of summer challenges) and a Christmas card too - another one for my stash.

For the summery tree I began with a piece of yellow card which I embossed with a Crafts Too embossing folder.  I am so sorry I do not know the name of the folder.  I cut the Memory Box Twiggy Tree from a scrap of black card then cut all the little flowers from various left over scraps of inked card (I keep them all) using Impression Obsession Die DIE140-D.  I use this flower die lots - its one die that cuts lots of flowers all at once.  After cutting them out of several  pieces of inked card, I have oodles of little flowers left for other projects.  The sentiment by Clarity Stamp is stamped on another scrap of previously inked card in Black Versafine and embossed with clear powder then edged in black alcohol marker.  After I had glued everything down and attached to a black card base I added a dot of gold pen to the centre of each flower.

I would like to enter my summery card into the following challenges:

That's Crafty - A Summers Day.
Country View Challenges - The Written Word - Add Text In Some Form.
CuttlebugMania - Summer is Magic - All die cutting and embossing was done using my Big Shot.
Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets - Tree, flowers and sentiment are snippets.

The Christmas card was much more straight forward to make.  The Memory Box Twiggy Tree is cut in white card then I covered with glue using a glue pen and sprinkled with glitter and glued to the square card base.  The sentiment is from the Spellbinders Holiday Sentiments die set and the little bird is from a Penny Black die set The Gathering.  I made a couple of these and I think I will be making more.

Thank you again for visiting me and also for your lovely comments following my husband's operation and recovery and my health too, you are all so lovely!  Darren is still recovering well from the operation following his collapsed lung and we see the consultant on Wednesday for a follow up appointment.

I hope your weekend was good and you have a fabulous week.  Take care.  Christine xxx

Have A Wheelie Happy Birthday!

Hello. Thank you so much for visiting me!  I have been away for some time due a bad time with my ME/CFS along with my poor husband being in hospital for two weeks after a rush by ambulance to hospital with a collapsed lung!  It was very, very scary and he had to have an operation from which he is still recovering, bless him!  The only crafting I have done for a long while is the card I am blogging today which I made for my son Michael's birthday last week.

Its quite a simple card to get me back into the creative mindset.  I used watercolour card and a couple of colours of Distress Oxide inks and water for the background then stamped randomly with a stamp from AAL and Create border set #33. The wheels which are from a stamp set free with a magazine are stamped randomly with black Versafine.  I used snippets of white card coloured with the same inks to stamp the words from various Stamplorations stamp sets except for  'Wheelie' which is made up of letters from a Clarity alphabet set.  The words are edged with dark blue ink then, when attached, I drew black lines around them to draw attention to them.  I have had the penny farthing charm for ages and it was perfect.  Michael really liked the card and said that one day, he would like to have a penny farthing in his garden as an ornament - a real one of course!  Slightly older than the cool bikes he normally rides - I think he has four.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets.
Country View Challenges - The Written Word (Add Text In Some Form).
Simon Say's Stamp Monday Challenge - Masculine.
Simon Say's Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes.
Artistic Stamper - Colour it Blue.

Thank you again for coming back to visit me after my absence, I am so grateful! You are the best!  I am trying to start commenting again.  I haven't managed that for ages either - I am so very sorry!

Have a wonderful weekend.  Take care.  xxx

Sorry!

Hello and thank you for visiting me - I really appreciate it!  I just want to say 'sorry' for a lack of posts and for limited comments on your lovely blogs.  I am not doing too well at the moment, nothing to worry about - my ME/CFS is very bad so my energy levels are at rock bottom along with other symptoms too.  My Doctor is helping all he can but all I can really do is rest until I feel better, so crafting, blogging, along with being on the Ipad and computer all have to be very limited.

I don't usually like to blog about health issues, so I am sorry if I sound like I am complaining, I don't mean to, and I know there are a lot of people a million times worse off than me, but I just wanted you to know that I am still around and will comment and blog along with joining in challenges when I can.  Unfortunately I have already got behind in sending people birthday cards - how bad is that!  For me it is unheard of!

Anyway - I have my feet up and a nice cuppa is next to me so its not all bad!  I have House of Elliott recording, I loved that series when it was first on our screens so I might watch that later.

I won't rattle on anymore.  Thank you for reading this and have a fabulous weekend!

Take care.  Christine xxxxxxxxxxxx 

March Rudolph Day's Challenge!

Hello and welcome to my blog - thank you so much for visiting me, I appreciate it so much!  I hope you are having a lovely Easter weekend!

A Christmas card today:

There is lots of gold shine on the lovely (free with a magazine) backing paper but you can't see it in the photo.  The poinsettia is made using a Creative Expressions die set cut from snippets of white card then while still in the die, I inked through with red Distress Ink and glued the layers together then to the panel.  The sentiment was free with a magazine and stamped with red Versafine.  I added gold Stickles to the centre of the poinsettia and to the sentiment for some sparkle and also some Sakura Clear Stardust pen to the red veins on the poinsettia and the letters of the sentiment for added glimmer.  I wish it showed up better in the photo, sorry.  I made two of these cards and two in a slightly different colourway but didn't finish in time to blog the different colour option.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Scrappy Mo's March Rudolph Day's Challenge - Anything Christmas.
Christmas Crafts All Year Round - Christmas and Use Flowers.
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes.

Thank you again for visiting me and have a fabulous weekend.  Take care.  Christine xxx

Twofer Challenge No. 3!

Hello and thank you for visiting me, I appreciate it so much!
Its Darnell's Twofer Challenge No, 3.  Its so much fun.  This time it is Blossoms - I chose to use wildflowers - they are blossoms too!

I used three of the dies from Tim Holtz Sizzix Wildflower thinlets which I cut using my Sizzix Big Shot - the same dies on each card but two different designs and occasions.

I went for a bright and sparkly birthday card and a more subdued thinking of you card.  I will put separate pictures below so the detail shows better and give a rundown on how I made each card.  The first one (the birthday card) I am also entering into some other challenges so I will pop those below the picture too.

I used watercolour card for this one and inked it with Picked Raspberry, Ripe Persimmon and Wilted Violet Distress Inks then spritzed with water and dried.  I used French Script and Cross Hatching stamps from IndigoBlu to stamp the same inks to add further interest to the background.  The three flowers were glued on then the sentiment from Woodware Annie stamp set, stamped on inked card using black Versafine, cut out, edged with black pen and also the little dashes, then glued on too.  The little butterfly is actually a sticker but it fitted perfectly!  I used different colour Stickles to add lots of bling and sparkle then squeezed my Spectrum Noir Clear Sparkle Pen and added splashes across the whole panel to add even more bling.  Glued the panel onto a black card base to really bring out the colours. 

This card I would like to enter into the following extra challenges.

Allsorts - Bring on the Bling
Time Out Challenges - its their 4th Birthday and the inspiration words are 'Birthdays Are Full Of Sunshine, Love and Laughter. 
CuttlebugMania - Spring and you must use a manual die cutting maching. - I used my Sizzix Big Shot and Wildflowers start coming in Spring!
That;s Crafty - Spring into Action - again Wildlowers bloom in Spring!

The second Twofer card is the Thinking of You card.

The same dies again but this time on a brayered background on gloss card using a very old Big and Juicy ink pad. Its spritzed with a little water to give it texture. The sentiment is from HobbyArt and is stamped with Majestic Blue Versafine.  Very simple but that is what I feel a thinking of you card should be.

The Twofer Challenge really makes you think although I haven't been very inventive with my two cards this time.  Some of the entries are always amazing using stamps or dies in ways you really wouldn't expect.  I hope these cards are different enough to qualify!

Thank you again for visiting me and I hope you are having a lovely week.

Take care.  Christine. xxx

Underwater Postcard!

Hello and welcome to my blog!  Thank you so much for visiting me.  A postcard today.

I started with a 6 x 4 piece of card which I had painted with gesso as I wasn't sure what medium I was going to use.  I ended up using Distress Oxides so didn't really need to use gesso but hey ho!  I spritzed the background with water then left to dry naturally.  The gorgeous Lavinia sea creatures were stamped with black Archival ink using my Misti so I could stamp several times to get solid images as the gesso background is slightly textured.  The underwater foliage is also Lavinia but I cannot find out what these stamps are called, sorry.  They are both stamped with different colour Distress Oxides using first, second and third generation stamping.  The words are stamped in black Versafine on inked card then cut out.  They were  from a stamp set by Crafters Companion set Magic Garden.  I edged with ink then black alcohol marker then finished off with lots of stickles for bling and some Tonic glitter drops for bubbles from the fish and the sea horse.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Country View Challenges - Postcards.
Allsorts - Bring On The Bling.
Penny Black and More - Feature A Creature.
Craft Stamper - Anything Goes.

Thank you again for visiting me!  I hope you are having a wonderful week and a crafty one too!
Take care. Christine xxx

Green Man!

Hello and thank you so much for visiting me - I really appreciate it.  Sorry I haven't been around Blogland very much lately - I will try and do better!

I made this card for my wonderful husband, Darren's, birthday which was earlier this month.

I am sorry the photo is rather insipid - the black is very black and the background for the wonderful Lavinia Green Man stamp is gorgeous with various Oxide inks and the Green Man itself is coloured with Pro Markers too.   My photography is rubbish!  I stamped the image with Versafine and embossed it with clear powder then cut out with Spellbinders Labels 18.  I popped it on with mounting foam on the black card base which I had first embossed with Creative Expressions Bark embossing folder.  The sentiment and heart were made using dies that came free with a magazine.  Darren has always loved the Green Man image and when I saw this stamp released last year by Lavinia, I just had to buy it straight away and hang onto it till his birthday this year!  I am pleased to say he really likes the card!

The Green Man is found in many cultures from many ages around the world.  It is primarily interpreted as a symbol of rebirth representing the cycle of growth each spring.  (Thank you Wikipedia!)

I would like to enter the following fabulous Challenges:

That's Crafty - Spring Into Action - Green Man
Cuttlebug Mania - Springtime -Green Man and I used my Big Shot for both the embossed background and the Spellbinders die cut.
Craft Stamper - Anything Goes.
Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets - The main image and sentiment were both made from white snippets.
STAMPlorations - All about Spring and Faith - Green Man.

Thank you again for visiting me and I hope you are having a fabulous week.

Take care.  Christine xxx

Rudolph Day's Challenge February 2018!

Hello!  I hope you are keeping safe and warm and thank you so much for visiting me!  A Christmas card today.

A simple card today using the fabulous Deer Wood stamp from IndigoBlu which is stamped with black Versafine on a Distress Oxide and Glimmer Mist background.  I used Salty Ocean and Broken China.  I dotted white pen all over the background for my snow and under the base of the trees and the gorgeous deers feet too then added lots of glitter for sparkle.  Matted the image on navy card then a white card base. 

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Rudolph Day's Challenge - Anything Christmas.
Country View Challenges - Anything But Cute.
Bizzy Becs - Anything Goes.
Allsorts Challenge. - Something Beginning with 'B'.  Mine is Blue and Blizzard.

Thank you again for visiting me.  Take care.  xxx

Pussy Cat ATC for Janis's Birthday!

Hello and thank you for visiting me - I really appreciate it!  Happy Birthday to Janis over at
Her Peaceful Garden.  Janis is having huge celebrations on her blog as its her 60th this year and this ATC is part of the celebrations.  Janis, it will be winging its way across the pond to you but it will be very late for your birthday - I am so sorry!

I cut the ATC out of watercolour card using Sizzix Bigz Die by Tim Holtz ATC and corners.  I coloured the ATC and the corners using Distress Oxides and water then when dry, I stencilled through some dry wall tape with one of the inks used for the background then stamped with IndigoBlu Collection Edition No 1. Bubbles stamp that came part of a set of stamps I was lucky enough to win recently.  The corners were glued on then I edged the ATC with a black alcohol marker.  The cat is from another IndigoBlu stamp set called Kevin's gang which I stamped in black Versafine and embossed with clear powder.  Coloured with Promarkers then added Glossy Accents to the spots and eyes and fussy cut out.  The words from the same stamp set were stamped on inked card, cut out then again edged with black marker.  Glued everything on and job done.  I love this cheeky cat - there are several more on the stamp set.

Once again 'Happy Birthday' to Janis and thank you for visiting.

Have a lovely day.  Take care.  Christine xxx

Twofer Challenge No. 2!

Hello and welcome!  Thank you for visiting me - I really appreciate it.  Its already time for Darnell's second fabulous Twofer Challenge.  I say already time, in fact its the last day to enter!  I am close to the finishing line - it happens quite a lot with me! 

For the challenge you must use the same stamp or die for two completely different cards for two different occasions following the theme which this time is 'Hearts'.  I chose to use a little heart from the Flutter Love die set by Spellbinders and try and think of ways to use it not as a heart - here is what I came up with. Here are the two cards together.  I will show them individually below so you can see the detail better.

Here is the one on the right:

I used the hearts as the candle flames.  They were cut from snippets of yellow card and the strips of patterned papers I used for the candles are also snippets.  Firstly I die cut the circle from a piece of white card using a die from Spellbinders small circle set then embossed the piece with the Cuttlebug Happy Birthday embossing folder.  I glued it to a snippet of white card being sure to not glue the circle too close to the bottom edge to leave room for the candles to sit behind the rim.  When everything was glued into place, I added some matching patterned paper to my card base then the embossed panel and finished off with a few pearls and some Spectrum Noir Sparkle Pen to the flames.

I would like  to enter this card into the following additional challenges:

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets.
Less is More - Dry Embossing.

Here is the one on the left:

I used the hearts to make a little butterfly.  This is incredibly clean and simple.  I used masking tape to mask off the panel then inked with Abandoned Coral and Candied Apple Distress Oxides, sprayed the panel with Glimmer Mist, dabbed with kitchen roll then when dry, stamped with one of the Oxides using French Script by IndigoBlu. Removed the masking tape then, using my Misti, stamped the Hobby Art sentiment with black Versafine.  The butterfly is just two of the same little hearts as the candle flames but coloured with the same inks used for the panel, with little jewels and Sparkle Pen added along with the hand drawn antenna.

I had great fun making these and thinking outside the box for the hearts.

I would like to enter this into the following extra challenge:

Allsorts Challenge Blog - I Spy Something Beginning With B.

The Twofer Challenge is such fun - I must try and enter earlier next month!  I bet I said the same thing last month too!

Thank you again for visiting and have a fabulous weekend.  Take care.  Christine xxx

Valentine's Canvas

Hello and welcome to my blog - its so nice of you to visit!  Today I have a small canvas I made for my wonderful husband instead of a Valentine's card.  I got the idea for making a canvas and for the heart from my good friend Anne's post here.  I hope you don't mind me pinching your idea Anne - your canvas is wonderful!

As usual my photograph is pretty rubbish - the heart is a much richer red and the black is blacker - so sorry!  The board canvas is 7 x 5 inches and I painted it with a couple of coats of black paint then, when dry and after using an anti static bag, I stamped the script by Prima and the corners from Sheena Douglass Ageing Beautifully in Versamark then embossed with detail gold embossing powder.  I painted the grey board heart with gesso then Barn Door Distress paint then embossed with about five coats of clear embossing powder.  I inked up the gorgeous Garden Heart stamp by Clarity Stamp with black Archival Ink - quickly remelted the embossing till it was moulten, then stamped into the heart pressing quite hard and leaving it for a minute or so before I removed it.  I was so pleased with how it turned out - its so textured and the image came out perfectly!  I haven't tried this before.  The sentiments are also from various Sheena Douglass stamp sets and the little hearts from Spellbinders die set Flutter Love.  The hearts and sentiments are embossed a couple of times with clear powder too.  The heart charms are from my stash.  I added brads to all three large hearts then glued everything to the canvas using Cosmic Shimmer PVA and Pinflair Glue Gel for the solid heart.  Darren liked it which was cool!  He is going to stand it on one of his record shelves so I didn't need to add a hanger.

Thank you again Anne for the idea!

I would like to enter the following challenges:

A Vintage Journey Melt It.
Penny Black and More - Love Hearts And Flowers.
That's Crafty - I Heart You.
Country View Challenges - Anything But Cute.
Try It On A Tuesday - Love Is In The Air.

Thank you again for visiting me and I hope you are having a wonderful weekend!
Take care - Christine xxx

Sea Horse Card!

Hello, its so nice of you to visit my little blog!  Thank you very much.  This is a card I made last year for my very good friend Anne's birthday but never blogged it.  Anne also sent me the little Tim Holtz sea horse die cut, along with many more, as I don't have the die set, thank you so much Anne!

The background is done with my Encaustic Art waxes and craft iron.  I don't use them as often as I should.  I sealed the wax with a special sealer so it doesn't scratch then mounted the piece on a white card blank.  Popped the little seahorse in the corner with a blue stone for the eye.  I shouldn't say it about my own work but I absolutely love this!  With Encaustic, you can never get the same effect twice. 

I would like to enter the following challenges:

A Vintage Journey - Melt It.
That's Crafty - Feeling Blue.
Country View Challenges - Anything But Cute.

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

Rudolph Days Challenge January 2018!

Hello and welcome to my blog - thank you so much for visiting me, I really appreciate it! A quick post today as I have a  cold and sore throat so not feeling too good.

Its already time for the first Rudolph Day's Challenge hosted by the fabulous ScrappyMo!  So here is my first Christmas card for this year!

The dies are from Sue Wilson Gingerbread Man set and I used scraps of card for the gingerbread men and accessories.  I also used dries white glue, glitter, an old sentiment with Vintage Sepia Versafine and a snow fall embossing folder.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Rudolph Day's Challenge - Anything Christmas.
Pixies Snippets Playground - Use Snippets.
BizzyBecs - Anything Goes.
Country View Challenges - Anything Goes.

Thank you again for visiting me and have a fabulous week!  Take care.  Christine xxx

Twofer Card Challenge #1

Hello and thank you so much visiting me.  Today I am entering the wonderful Darnell's fabulous new Twofer Card Challenge.  You have two make two different cards for two different occasions using the same stamps and/or dies.  The theme for this first challenge is 'feathers'.  I have used the same feather stamp on both cards.

The card on the left is a 'sending smiles' card to cheer someone up whether they are ill or just going through a tough time.  The mouse is from a wooden Penny Black Christmas stamp called Xmouse Ornament - the mouse on the stamp is drifting down on a snowflake which I covered up with masking tape, inked up, removed the masking tape then stamped and embossed with clear powder.  Then using my Misti and the feather stamp from Sheena Douglas stamp set The Quest - I stamped and embossed the feather so it joined the piece of string I had left from the snowflake and embossed that too.  What would we do without the Misti!  The sparkles are from Winnie and Walter Big Bang Confetti and the words are from Lawn Fawn Love Letters stamp set..  I coloured the image with Promarkers, cut out with Spellbinders Labels 4 and edged with Tumbled Glass Distress Ink.

For the card on the right I used the same feather stamp, repeatedly stamping with Vintage Sepia Versafine to make a nest for the two little birds.  The birds are from HobbyArt Birds on a Wire which I stamped in Black Versafine and embossed with clear powder, fussy cut out, coloured with Promarkers then edged with black and sat on the nest.  It was going to be a new home card but I changed my mind and decided to add the punched heart and make an anniversary card instead!  The sentiment is HobbyArt too.  The gorgeous die is Spelbinders Romantic Rectangles Two.

I added some clear Spectrum Noir Sparkle Pen to each of the cards for a bit of sparrkle.

I should have taken photos of each card separately so you could see the detail better but I didn't think of that!  Sorry.  I will next time.  I want to link up tonight and haven't time to sort out more photos.

This Twofer Card Challenge really makes you think - thank you Darnell, a fabulous challenge!

Thank you again for visiting me and I hope you have a fantastic week.
Take care.  Christine xxx

New Home!

Hello and welcome to my blog today!  Thank you very much for visiting me - I love it when you do and really appreciate any comments you are kind enough to leave.  A new baby card today.

***Spot the boo boo!  I published this and linked to all the challenges with New Home! as the title instead of New Baby!  I have left it as it is as I have already linked up - how silly I am!  Go on, you can laugh at me, I did!***

The image and the words are by Lili of the Valley. Using a scrap of white card. I stamped the gorgeous image in black Versafine and embossed with clear powder then coloured it in with my Promarkers - the background is coloured with a Promarker too.  The white spots on the baby blanket were added with a white pen.  I cut the image out with Stamplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Nesting Dies then used a larger die from the set to cut a layer in some left over yellow card.  I made a card base from blue card stock and dotted white pen around the edges to match the baby blanket.  I glued the layers together then used Spectrum Noir Sparkle pen on the blanket and hearts and Glossy Accents on the balloon and stars.  The sentiment was stamped on more scrap yellow card then cut up, edged with black Promarker and added to the card.  I love this image and have used it several times for both baby girl and baby boy cards.

I would like to enter the following challenges :

Pixies Snippets Playground - use Snippets.
Penny Black and More - Something New.
Country View Challenges - Anything Goes.
Allsorts Challenge Blog - No Patterned Paper.
Bizzy Becs - Anything Goes.

Thank you again for visiting me and I hope you are having a fabulous week!

Take care.  Christine xxx

.

Thank You Butterfly!

Hello and thank you so much for visiting me, I really appreciate it lots.  A CAS card today.  It really was very simple to make and its one of my favourites ever!

Unfortunately the photograph doesn't show the true crispness of the image or the lovely vivid pink of the card - I just  couldn't seem to get a better photo.  I made the top folding A6 card blank from a gorgeous vivid pink card from my stash and, using my Misti and black Versafine ink, I stamped just half of the awesome Impression Obsession L13416 butterfly.  As its a huge stamp, I used the Misti so I could stamp it several times to make sure I got a good impression.  I then added the Visible Image sentiment and that was it!  I was going to add splatters or sequins or something but I just loved it as it is and out of all the cards I have ever made, this was probably the most simple and my absolute favourite!  I had to make several, with and without sentiments, and variations too!

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Mrs A's Butterfly Challenge - One Layer and/or the colour Ultra Pink.
Penny Black and More - Something New - The Butterfly Stamp is new and never before used.
Time Out Challenges - Thankful.
Try It On A Tuesday - My Favourite Things.  Butterflies are definitely one of my most favourite things!
Stamploration CAS Challenge - CAS optional colour twist of Silver

Thank you again for visiting me.  This is a very short post as I am off for coffee with a friend shortly.
Take care.  Christine xxx

Kick Up Your Heels And Have Fun!

Hello and Happy New Year!  I hope you all had a fab holiday season.  Thank you for visiting me and for my first card of the year its a simple one to ease me in gently!

The main shoe image and sentiment I have had stamped on the die cut for years!  It was already embossed with clear powder too.  I stamped it at a craft club I used to go to therefore I really can't tell you the make as the stamp was one that I borrowed.  The scalloped dies used were Spellbinder Large Scallop dies - I know that as the ones I have are the small set.  I really wanted to enter Mrs A's Butterfly Challenge which is fairies, elves, pixies and gnomes this time, and with it finishing very shortly I needed to come up with a very quick card!  I remembered this stamped image, miraculously found it, coloured the shoe with Berry Red Promarker and using my Misti, I stamped the little fairy from the Secret Garden set by Cardio Stamps on the sentiment and added glitter to her wings.  Glued the layers together and added the black stones from my stash in the corners and job done!  I love that little fairy as you can sit her anywhere and she completely changes the image!  I don't know why I thought of adding her to this image - the thought just popped into my head!

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Mrs A's Butterfly Challenge - Fairies, Elves, Pixies and Gnomes.
Country View Challenges - Anything Goes.
That's Crafty - Anything Goes.

Thank you again for visiting me,  Have a good week and take care!  Christine xxx