By the Sea!

 Hello and thank you for visiting me.  A couple of weeks ago I passed out and ended up with lots bruises and cracked or broken ribs, blooming painful even now.  Lots of painkillers are helping and after being checked out at the Doctors, all is OK which is good.  Though might take up to 8 weeks to heal.  Anyway, enough complaining - it could have been a lot worse!  

Today's card is a seaside card - lots of people will be heading for a dip to stay cool in these hot temperatures we have at the moment.  I am staying indoors out of the sun - I am not a fan - much more of an autumn/winter lover myself.

The beach huts and the fabulous vintage bathing lady are from Crafty Individuals CI-278 rubber stamp set.  Unfortunately Crafty Individuals is no more as Jean and Malcolm have retired but you might have this stamp set or there might be one for sale somewhere.  The words are also Crafty Individuals but I can't remember which set.  The seahorse stencil I used for the background is from A Colorful Life Designs in the USA.  Its a one woman business and she makes some amazing stencils.  

I used the masking technique to get the beach huts behind the lovely lady, the colouring is done with alcohol markers and the stencilling with Distress Oxides and there is stickles for sparkles.  

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Darnell's IDEAS Challenge - Stencilling - mine is the seahorse background. 

Darnell's NBUS Challenge - my Never Before Used Schtuff are the stamp set and the stencil.

Snippets Playground - my snippets are the sentiment strips - I forgot to photograph them. Sorry.  I was determined to enter at last! 

Allsorts Challenge - Seaside

Make My Monday Challenge - Summer Fun

Thank you again for visiting me and if you are living somewhere (like here in Bournemouth) where it is really hot, try and stay as cool as you can.  Have a fab week.  

Take care. Chris xxx💖💖💖

Sometimes All You Need Is A Hug!

Hello and welcome to my blog, it's a pretty dull day here in Bournemouth and has been raining but it's been so dry, it's much needed.

A simple card today but I adore this image - I made it for someone going though a tough time.  Excuse the wonky photo!

The image comes with the sentiment and is a rubber stamp from Creative Expressions by    Andy Skinner called, you guessed it, 'Sometimes all you need is a hug'.  Unfortunately              Creative Expressions has now closed down due to retirement but this stamp may still be available if you search around for it online.

I stamped and embossed the image using Versafine Clair Nocturne and Wow clear detail embossing powder and coloured with watercolour pens adding a touch of clear Wink of Stella which you can't see in the photo.  The scallop die is Julie Hickey but I can't remember the name of the set and its mounted on a 5 x 7 Kraft card blank which I made myself.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Allsort Challenge Blog - Anything Goes - It's the Allsorts 16th Birthday! Happy Birthday!

Stamping Sensations - Our Furry Friends - A teddy is definitely friendly and very furry!

Darnell's NBUS Challenge - Never Before Used Schtuff  - Mine is the gorgeous stamp and sentiment set.  It's the NBUS 75th NBUS Challenge - Happy Birthday! 

Darnell's IDEAS Calender - I - Ink/Colour Mediums - I used watercolour pens. 

Thank you again for visiting me and take care. Chris xxx💖💖💖

Hello!

 Hello and thank you for visiting me today.  I have a bright and colourful 'Hello' card today - I like making these as they can be used for any occasion,  just add a suitable sentiment inside. 

The flower die from Sizzix Wildflower Stems #2 by Tim Holtz is cut twice from black and white card using the black as a shadow.  I used the Slatted Square Die from Craft Addictions UK for the background. The set is out of stock at the moment but I am sure they will be restocking.  The stencil is Grid by Tracey Hey and the circle dies are from The Works.  I think the 'Hello' is Tracey Hey too but I can't remember which stamp set, sorry.  I used Distress Oxides to add colour through the stencil and added clear Wink of Stella to the flower and the scallops round the sentiment.  

I would like to enter the following Challenges:

Darnell's IDEAS Challenge  -  Die Cuts.

Darnell's NBUS Challenge - Never Before Used Schtuff - mine is the Slatted Square Die.

Allsorts Challenge Blog - Paper Piecing or Anything Goes - mine is Anything Goes.

The next Allsorts Challenge is their 16th birthday so certainly one to join in with! 

Thank you so much for visiting me today and I hope you have a fabulous weekend!

Take care, Chris xxx💖💖💖

Time for Tea!

 Hello and welcome to my blog after another long break from me!  Today I have a card recently made for a friend's birthday who had a lovely afternoon tea to celebrate her 65th.

I used Tim Holtz Papercut Cafe Thinlet dies,  Eileen Hull Lace 3D Embossing Folder and Craft Addictions Postage Stamp die set along with papers and card etc. from my stash.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Darnell's NBUS Challenge - Never Before Used Schtuff  - mine are the teacup dies, embossing folder and postage stamp die set and mat.

Darnell's Weekly Ideas Calender - Anything Goes.

Allsorts Challenge Blog - Inspired by a song - mine is Tea for Two by Doris Day and many others too! 

Thank you so much for visiting me and take care! Chris xxx💖💖💖

I am back and with Crafty Individuals!

Hello, welcome to my blog!  It's such a long time since I last posted - its so bad.  Things just seemed to get away from me.  

I have still been crafting though and one of the companies I have been a keen follower of is Crafty Individuals.  I have been involved with them a lot on social media and Jean, co-owner with Malcolm, asked me to join their Design Team.  I was so excited!  I wasn't sure at first because of my health problems but there is no pressure so I said yes.

This Friday on Create and Craft TV channel at 7am and 11am UK time Crafty Individuals

have shows with awesome stamps, stencils and other fab goodies along with Jean's amazing demonstrations, well worth a watch! 

Here are a couple of Sneak Peeks of what is coming on the show:

The rest of the Design Team are amazing and their samples are wonderful!

Here is a previous card from an earlier release so you get to see a full card today as well:

The beautiful main image is Crafty Individuals CI-648 Blue Tit. And the sentiment is from CI-605.  I used a Lavinia Stamps stencil for the background - CI products work with everything you will already have.

I still use all my other companies stamps, stencils etc. so I hope to be posting more regularly now I have started, fingers crossed!  I am also looking forward to catching up with all your blogs too!  Sorry I have been away for so long. 

Thank you so much for visiting me!  Take care, hugs. xxx💖💖💖

Snowflake Card!

Hello and welcome to my blog.   Its been a while since I posted, I seem to struggle getting things done at the moment, so sorry! 

Here we have a Christmas card with no stamping at all.

The background is made using a piece of card from my 'bits of previous coloured card' shelf.   It started life as a much larger piece, 12 x 12 I think, and this was part of what was left.  I can't even remember if I used sprays or ink pads to colour it.  I embossed it with a snowflake folder by Lisa Horton then gently went over it with a neutral wax to add extra shine.   The 'let it snow' is a Stamplorations die and the snowflake is Sizzix.  I glued it to a card base and voila!

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Snippets Playground - use Snippets - mine are the sentiment and the snowflake.  The piece of card I embossed is part of what was left from a larger piece of card I had previously coloured - think it is too big to be a snippet though!  I forgot to photograph the pieces the Snippets came from, silly me!

Darnell's NBUS Challenge! - Never Before Used Schtuff  - Mine is the gorgeous embossing folder!

I am really looking forward to Christmas,  I love this time of the year.  I am definitely a big kid!  

Thank you again for visiting me and take good care of yourselves. 

Hugs Christine xxx

Christmas Wreath!

 Hello and thank you so much for visiting me, a Christmas card today.

The background is made using the Natural Woodgrain slimline embossing folder by Lisa Horton, the wreath is using Sizzix thinlets die set Wreath and Snowflake, the labels for the sentiment are Sizzix Layered Labels and the sentiment is from a clear stamp set from Creative Expressions called Joyful Wishes.  I added a couple of sparkly stones and some gold sparkle pen.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Snippets Playground  - use snippets - I forgot to take a photo of the snippets I used but everything except the card blank and the embossed panel are snippets - the wreath is made of four layers of snippets alone before the berries, ribbon and bird!

Darnell,s NBUS challenge - use never before used schtuff - the wreath set, labels set, sentiment set and embossing folder are all NBUS.

Allsorts Challenge - Anything but square - mine is a DL card.

Thank you again for visiting me and have a fabulous weekend!  Take care.  Hugs Chris xxx

First Christmas Card for 2023!

Hello, and thank you so much for visiting me!  I have finally got round to starting my Christmas cards for this year - it is really late for me, oops!

I used Sue Wilson's Triple Layering Christmas Tree die on an embossed snowfall background - I can't remember the make of the folder, then added sparkles and little pearls from my stash.  The sentiment is from Woodware Christmas Extras stamp set. The card is 5 x 7 inches with a little chopped off the bottom.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Snippets Playground - Use snippets. Here are mine -

It was this Snippets challenge that got me going on my Christmas cards at last - Thank you so much!!!

Darnell's NBUS Challenge  - Never Before Used Schtuff - mine are the Christmas tree die and the sentiment.

Well, hopefully now I have started on my Christmas cards I will keep going and get them all made in time, fingers crossed!

Thank you again for visiting and take care. Hugs  Chris xxx

Its Been A While!

 Hello, Its been a long time since I last blogged, nearly a year in fact, I am going to try and do better.  Sorry I haven't been visiting your blogs either, again, I will try and do much better with that too!

I have a card today that is for a really good friend's 70th birthday. Jean's birthday isn't till Sunday but she doesn't use the Internet so no fear of her seeing this before then.  

The stamps are all Crafty Individuals, the number die is Sizzix, the circle die is The Works, the banner die is Elizabeth Crafts, the main lattice die is Positively Papercraft and the technique I used for the main image was from Ann at Positively Papercraft's YouTube channel.  She has some amazing ideas.  The inks are Versafine Clair and I chose colours that Jean likes.  The circle, numbers and banner are all snippets of card.  

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Snippets Playground - use Snippets - mine are the numbers, circle and banner.

Allsorts Challenge - Summertime.

We Love Stamping - fabulous floral.

Stamping Sensations - summer flowers.

Thank you so much for visiting me!  It feels very good to be blogging again.  I hope I manage to keep it up!  Fingers crossed. 

Take care and have a good week. Hugs Chris xxx💖💖💖

Reindeer!

 Hello and thank you so much for visiting me!

A Christmas card today.

The background is a Cuttlebug embossing folder and the Reindeer and sentiment are both Sizzix dies.  I managed to find enough Snippets of red card to make five of these - it was tricky making sure I matched the right red to the sentiment on each one though but I managed it!  I wasn't even sure I would have a big enough snippet for one Reindeer,  it's amazing how much we keep over the years!

I added dots of silver stickles to the stag and fine clear glitter to the background.  I made the A6 card bases myself.  I didn't think to add stickles to the 'noel' before I took the photo, but will do that later on.  The reds all match on this one but the base card doesn't quite match on all five! 

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Snippets Playground - Use Snippets. 

NBUS - Never Before Used Schtuff - mine are both the Reindeer and noel! 

Christmas Crafts All Year Long - Anything Christmas 

Thank you again for visiting me!  Have a lovely weekend.  

Take care. Hugs Christine xxx

You Are Dino-mite!

 Hello and thank you for visiting me! Today I have a card I made for my Son Michael's 40th birthday last month.  He is my youngest, his sister Sarah is 41 - doesn't time fly! 

I Iove this image which is from Pink Ink and is stamped in Nocturne Versafine Clair, embossed and watercoloured.  The leaves are a Funky Fossil stencil.  The balloon and numbers are dies cut from snippets of card as was the sentiment.  I drew the string on the balloon to tie round his tail and added glossy accents to his horns and eye.  

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Snippets Playground - use Snippets.

Stamping Sensations - make it masculine. 

Allsorts Challenge Blog - any stamped image.

Darnell's NBUS Challenge - Never Before Used Schtuff - my lovely dinosaur stamp set is by NBUS.

I am not sure what happened to the edge spacing above but I am using my tablet instead of my laptop and it seems to have a mind of its own and will not let me correct it, sorry!

Thank you again for visiting me.  It's very sunny and hot here in Bournemouth today.  According to the weather lady its going to hit 30 degrees by Friday.  That will please lots of people - I am an autumn/winter girl (ok, old lady!) myself so won't be out enjoying the rays!  

Have a fabulous week whatever you are doing and take care! Hugs Christine! xxx

Christmas Mouse!

Hello again and only a few days after my last post which is really good for me!  I will be keeping this post short as I am pretty exhausted at the mo.  

The tree (feather) and mouse are Lavinia Stamps.  The sentiment Creative Expressions and there is glitter for sparkle.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Rudolph Days Challenge - Anything Christmas. 

Allsorts Challenge - Anything goes with the option of scenic - mine is a simple scene.

 Darnell's NBUS Challenge - Never Before Used Schtuff - mine is the tree (feather).

Thank you so much for visiting me and have a lovely weekend. Hugs.  Christine xxx

Crazy Bird!

Hello and thank you so much for visiting me today.  At last a card that isn't Christmas,  Yay!  I sent this to a friend for her birthday - I love this bird stamp, it comes from a fabulous set from Pink Ink called Crazy Birds.

I used watercolour card for the panel and stamped the crazy bird in Versafine Clair Nocturne and embossed with clear powder.  The watercolouring is done with Distress Ink.  The sentiment is from the same set and again I stamped and embossed with Versafine Clair on snippets of watercolour card.  The dangles are from a Lavinia Stamp set and are stamped with Versafine Clair inks.  I popped some glossy accents on her eye and added some glitter here and there for sparkle along with coordinating splatters.

I would like to enter the following challenges:-

Allsorts Challenge - I spy something beginning with 'B' - Bird.

We Love Stamping - Favourite Stamp - This crazy bird is definitely my favourite at the moment!

Stamping Sensations - I Love - I love this bird, I love pink and purple,  I love watercolouring and I love being crazy!!!

Snippets Playground - Use Snippets - the sentiment is made up of snippets of card.

Thank you again for visiting me.  I hope to be back later in the week with a Christmas card.  Fingers crossed!  Take care.  Hugs.  Christine xxx

Pablo the Penguin

Hello and thank you so much for visiting me.  This is only my third post of the year and its another Christmas card - I must try and post non Christmas cards too.  At least I am getting organised pre Christmas!  

I used the fabulous Pablo the Penguin by Crafty Individuals along with script stamp CI-557, also Crafty Individuals.  The background and colouring is done with Pearlywinks and Distress Oxide Sprays apart from the nose and antlers which were Distress Oxide Ink and the background stamping was Versafine Clair.  I used Glossy Accents on Pablo's nose and skates and glitter for the ice.  The snowflakes are Sizzix cut from scraps of white card.  I used lots of scraps as I made five of these cards, the others are  purple.  

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Rudolphs Day Challenge - Anything Christmas.

Pixies Snippets Playground - Use Snippets - mine are the card I used for the snowflakes.

Darnell's NBUS Challenge - Never Before Used Schtuff - mine is Pablo the Penguin stamp.

Next week I am off to the opticians for a final check following my second cataract operation and I should be able to order glasses at the same time - woo hoo!  I have been without any for months so I can't wait!  My sight should be fab after my ops and glasses, yay!  

I hope you are all ok in these troubling times.  Thank you again for visiting me - take care!

Christine xxx

Merry Christmas!

 Hello and welcome to my blog.  A real quick one today - I haven't blogged for ages and its a Christmas card again!

I used the fabulous Lawn Fawn Giant Merry Christmas die that I won from the fabulous

Di's Snippets Playground, thank you Di!  I cut it out of a snippet of white glitter card and glued it on a piece of patterned paper from Starry Nights by Leska Hamaty which I cut out using a die from Julie Hickey Rectangle Layers, Frames and Banners.  I then added the Santa and Sleigh stamp from  Angela Poole.  I stamped using Versafine Clair Nocturne then glued to a white side fold card base and added some stickles for extra sparkle.  The whole thing is really sparkly in real life.  I have made another one like this and may make a couple more as I have some more paper and more snippets of various white glitter card from many years ago!  

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Di's Snippets Playground - Use Snippets.

Rudolphs Day Challenge - Christmas.

Darnell's NBUS - Never before used schtuff  - Merry Christmas die.

I had my second cataract operation last week which is cool, so in about a month or so I should have glasses again at last and will be able to see a lot better!  Hopefully I can get back to crafting and blogging more.  I get eye strain a lot at the mo.

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

O Christmas Tree!

Hello and Happy New Year!  Thank you so much for visiting me - I have been absent for ages.  Last year I sent absolutely no handmade Christmas cards to anyone (hangs head in shame).  I just about managed all the birthday cards but this year I am determined to do better.  So, my first post of the year is a Christmas Card, Yay!  I actually made four cards in two different colourways.

I made this card especially for Di's special Christmas and New Year Snippets Playground.  I used an old, but never before inked, Woodware stamp set BD23 2DE.  I used up the teeniest of snippets for each little piece of the Christmas tree and pot - I keep all the little pieces left over from projects with the relevant paper pad - I can't bear to throw them away incase I need them.  The tree in the stamp set comes in the separate pieces which is just perfect for the snippets and I stamped in Versafine Clair Nocturne and embossed with clear powder.  Then fussy cut them out.  I didn't keep the bits left after that - they were too small even for me to keep!  The sentiment is from Creative Expressions clear stamp set O Christmas Tree which I stamped with the Versafine Clair Nocturne on Snippets of white card this time, cut out and edged with a Promarker.  The background is a piece of white card embossed with a

Sue Wilson  Falling Snow embossing folder again edged with a Promarker and glued to a 5 x 7 card blank.  The star is cut from a die with another snippet of paper and I added Glossy Accents and glitter to it.  There is also glitter on the background - unfortunately the glitter doesn't show up too well at all but its lovely and sparkly in real life.

As well as Pixies Snippets Playground I would like to enter the following challenges:

Darnell's NBUS Challenge - Never Before Used Schtuff - mine is the Woodware stamp set I used for the Christmas tree and pot.

Time Out Challenges - New - my new is using the stampset for the first time and making my very first cards of the New Year!

I hope you are doing ok and coping as well as you can with the rising cases of Covid during this worrying time of the new variant.  I have had my booster but am still mainly staying at home as I have my second cataract op at the beginning of  February (assuming its not cancelled due to the difficult time the NHS is having at the mo).  I can't wait to have it done - the eye I have had done is so much better but I still need glasses, which I can't have until after the second eye is done and healed - so things are still tricky at the mo.  

Anyway, thank you again for visiting me and stay safe and take care.  Christine xxx

 

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