Bad to the Bone!

 Hello and welcome!  Thank you for visiting me - Its a long time since my last post, so sorry!  I have my first cataract  operation the week after next so hopefully that will be the beginning of things being easier on the vision front and I will be able to blog a bit more.  Today is a card I actually made for my sister's birthday last year - she loves dogs.

I love these Aall and Create Dog stamps, they have so much personality.  The Dies are 

Lisa Horton, the words are from the dog stamp set and the little bone charm is from my stash.  I think I coloured the dogs in with Promarkers and used Glossy Accents on their eyes.  

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Pixies's Snippets Playground - Everything except the base card are snippets.

Allsorts Challenge Blog - I Love - I love my sister and we both love the dogs!

Stamping Sensations - Animals, Birds and Bugs.

Darnell's NBUS Challenge - Never Before Used Schtuff! - This is the first outing for the dogs.

It is so nice to have done a blog post!  I really miss it and miss supporting the fab challenges.  Thank you again for visiting me.

Take care of yourselves.  Hugs Christine xxx

This Little Birdie!

Hello and thank you so much for visiting me.   One of the challenges I am entering today is Darnell's fabulous 'Twofer' Challenge.  Here are my cards:

The bird is the silhouette and leg parts only of a Hero Arts layering bird and branch  clear stamp set.  I have had this for a few years and this is the first time I have inked it up!

This is a birthday card for a friend who doesn't read this blog - her birthday isn't until next month.  

Inks -Versafine Clair Nocturne,  Purple Twi;ight and Summertime. 

Words are Bee Crafty  - Stamped on snippets of card and fussy cut out.

Crown - Lavinia Stamps.

Layering dies - Lisa Horton.

Sparkles - Moon Dust by Lavinia Stamps

I turned the bird into a robin for this Christmas card.

Inks - Coffee Archival, Tulip Red Versafine Clair and Acorn Versafine Clair.

Layering dies by Clarity Stamp - All cut from Snippets of card.

Words - Stamplorations.

Snow - White Posca Pen with glitter added for sparkle.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Darnell's Twofer Challenge - Two cards using the same stamp or die but with totally different designs and occasions.

Darnell's NBUS Challenge - use Never Before Used Schtuff - mine is the bird stamp set.

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets.

Allsorts Challenge Blog - Feminine/For A Lady -I am entering the DL card into this challenge.

Stamping Sensations - For A Lady - I am entering the DL card into this challenge.

Sorry the photos are not very good but I am too tired to take more and I want to post this before I go to bed.  I am definitely no David Bailey!  

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

Sending You Sunshine!

Hello and thank you for visiting me.  I know I haven't been around for a while yet again, sorry!  My blog posts will be shorter than usual for the next few months as I am waiting for cataract surgery on both eyes making blogging (and everything else) a bit tricky at the moment.  Usually I like to describe how I make my cards but I will forgo that for now if that is ok?  

The stencil is by HoneyDoo crafts - Oxide Inks - sentiment  is Clarity - snippets of card for the sentiment - label dies are Elizabeth Crafts - I can't remember the make of the butterfly stamp and the little gold stones are from my stash.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets.

Allsorts Challenge Blog - Sun, Sea and Sand.  I hope sending sunshine is enough!.

Country View Challenges - Use A Stencil or Two.

Darnell's NBUS Challenge - Never Before Used Schtuff - mine is the fab stencil.

Thank you again for popping by.

Take care.  Christine xxx

Bright and Summery Butterfly Card!

 Hello and thank you so much for visiting me.  My card today is in honour of Allsorts Challenge Blog 12th birthday - congratulations to everyone at Allsorts!

The background is inked with Distress Inks then I stamped the awesome butterfly from Honeydoo Stamps, with Versafine clair and embossed with clear powder heating from the back so the embossing was really smooth.  The sentiment, which came from the same stamp set, was stamped on snippets of white card then attached to the panel.  The black frames I drew around the sentiments are there because of a mishap!  The glue for the top sentiment splurged out and when I tried to remove it, I ripped the top layer of card - oops!  So I managed to move the sentiment up a little but then you could see the dried on glue so I added the frames.  I don't usually have this trouble and use a really good dries clear PVA - it was just one of those days.   I layered onto a thin black panel and then a white 6 inch square card base and job done.  A simple but effective card I think.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Allsorts Challenge Blog - Anything Goes With Bright and Happy Colours.

We Love Chocolate Baroque - Bright and Sunny Colours.

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets.

Darnell's NBUS Challenge - Use Never Before Used Schtuff.

Thank you again for visiting me and take care.  Hugs.  Christine xxx

Butterfly!

Hello!  This is my first post for over a month - I am not doing too well at keeping up.  Thank you so much for visiting me!  My card today is featuring a gorgeous image from a wonderfui stamp set by Tracy Evans for Aall and Create called 'Through the Meadows'.  

It is the first time I have used this set and I will be using it much more I am sure - it has three lovely large images and sentiments included in the fabulous A4 set.  I stamped the image in nocturne Versafine Clair then embossed with clear powder.  I watercoloured most of the circles using pink and blue Distress Oxides in a couple of shades each for depth then went round the edges of the circles with a blue watercolour pencil and water for shading.  I added some white Posca pen to each circle too.  The butterfly was stamped and embossed two extra times on snippets of white card and fussy cut out and  both were glued on the original butterfly with Pinflair Glue Gel for dimension.   You can see the layers below.

 The word 'butterfly' is also on the stamp set and I stamped it on another snippet of white card, cut it out, edged it with pink Distress Oxide and glued it flat onto the panel.  I added splatters in blue and pink ink along with splatters in white Posca pen and the butterfly has lots of sparkle which I don't think you can see in the photos.  The panel is cut out with a Slimline die by Lisa Horton and is glued to a DL black card base that I made myself.

I have made another card similar to this one where the background is white and the butterfly is coloured.  

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Pixie's Snippets Playgound - Use Snippets.

Darnell's NBUS Challenge - Never Before Used Schtuff.

Allsorts Challenge Blog - Butterflies, Birds and Bees.

I hope you are doing ok and have had, or will have shortly, your covid jab.  I have had my first one and will be even happier when I can have my second.  I had a garden visit from my daughter, son in law and our two granddaughters the week before last - it was so lovely!  I do miss the hugs though.  One day hopefully!  

Thank you so much for visiting me, take care and stay safe!  Hugs. Christine xxx

Freya's 7th Birthday Card!

 Hello and thank you so much for visiting me.  My card today is actually one I made for my Granddaughter Freya's 7th birthday last year but I haven't blogged it yet.

The background, as far as I can remember, was a mop up piece which I stencilled.  All stamps and stencils are from Aall and Create.  The girls,  fairy, stall,  open sign, pen pot, paints and make things sign were all stamped on snippets of left over white card with Versafine Clair nocturne, embossed with clear powder, coloured with Promarkers then fussy cut out  The letters, number and little scalloped circles are die cut.  The circles and stars from snippets of white card coloured with Promarkers and the letters from snippets of black card.   I then made a pink card blank to attach the finished panel to.  I couldn't resist adding glossy accents to the eyes and of course dotted some glitter about for sparkle.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Pixies Snippet's Playground - Use Snippets.

Allsorts Challenge Blog - Feminine,

Time Out Challenges - Celebrate Time Out's 7th Birthday! Happy Birthday Time out!

Its Darren, my husband's birthday today. - a day of treats me thinks!  

Thank you again for visiting me - take care and stay safe!  Hugs xxx

Love You Tons!

 Hello and thank you so much for visiting me.  Here is the Valentine's Day card I made for my wonderful husband.

The cute Narwhal along with the bubbles and sentiment, are all from a stamp and die set by Sizzix, which I picked up very cheaply in a sale, lucky me!

I first inked through Craft Emotions wave stencil with a blue ink.  Then I cut out, using snippets of white card, the images and sentiment, stamped and embossed them with Versafine Clair Nocturne and clear powder then coloured the Narwhal and bubbles with Pro Markers.  I have to admit I over embossed the sentiment but instead of doing it again, I went over the flat areas with a Gelly Roll Clear sparkle pen which looks cool.  I added the same pen to the bubbles and the heart flipper along with Glossy Accents to the horn and hearts.  I cut the panel out using the new Tim Holtz Deckle Edge trimmer and made my own red card base.  

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets

Allsorts Challenge Blog - Masculine.

Darnell's NBUS Challenge - Never Before Used Schtuff - mine is the Love You Tons Stamp and Die set.                                                

Thank you again for visiting me and take care and stay safe!

Hugs Christine xxx

Happy 60th Birthday!

 Hello and thank you so much for visiting me.  Here is a card I made for a friends 60th Birthday.

The main image - the gorgeous flower wreath - is from a set called Fragrant Sun from 

Honey Doo Crafts.  I stamped it in Nocturn Versafine Clair and embossed it with clear powder and coloured it in with Sentimentally Yours watercolour pens.  I stamped a tiny part of the image in each corner to add interest.  The sentiment is from various stamps in my stash with the '60' being cut using number dies.  The sentiment circle and numbers are cut using snippets of white card with the numbers being coloured using the same colour as the pink flowers - as is the pink mat. Finished off with glitter dotted about for sparkle.  I adore this stamp.  Its quite a recent addition to my stash and I think its become a firm favourite - I can imagine it done in all sorts of colour combos for many occasions.

I would like to enter the following challenges.

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets.

We Love Chocolate Baroque - Feminine.

Stamping Sensations - Favourite Stamps.

Darnell's NBUS Challenge - Never Before Used Schtuff.

I hope you are keeping well and coping ok with whatever restrictions you have where you are.  They are well worth it and absolutely necessary to stay safe these days.  Hopefully the vaccine will make a difference over time and things will be safer.  We can but hope and keep our fingers crossed!

Thanks again for visiting me.  Take care and stay safe.  Hugs.  Christine xxx