Stay Lucky!

Good morning all.

Gosh it didn't half blow a hoolie last night!!
We were contemplating going to watch some husky sledding this weekend but I think it will actually be too warm for the dogs with the mild weather...typical!

Two ATC's to share today....both sons are going off travelling this year so decided as they'll both be travelling light to forego the Bon Voyage cards and give them these instead.

The youngest, Mark left yesterday eventually! He stayed in Rothbury (little town/village in Northumberland about two hours from here) overnight and he'll be heading Hexham way today and into the Lake District from there. Gary doesn't go until June, he's doing a motorbike tour of Iceland  and also visiting Holland, Denmark and the Faroe Islands en-route. He'll be away for about 5 weeks.

Background was created using Fresco Finish paints from Paper Artsy and a brayer. I started with a layer of gesso then a layer of green, more gesso then using a chevron brayer I added some vanilla, then more green with a hearts brayer. Texture paste was applied through a Memory Box stencil and WOW EP added over the top. After leaving everything to dry overnight I heat embossed the EP. The stamp is from the same Year Round Cheer set from Close to my Heart which I used a couple of days ago and this is the March stamp. Stamped onto tissue paper and applied with slap it on. Finished with a gemstone in the middle of the clover.

Challenges entered:

Unruly Paper Arts - I should be so lucky

Mixed Media Mojo - 2 x ATC's

Paper Artsy - miniature art

I was inspired by Liesbeth's brayered background here

Country Views - anything goes

Simon says Monday - just a hint of clover

SimplyCreate Too - mostly green

"This Makes Me Happy"

Good morning all.

We had a beautiful sunny springlike day yesterday, it was lovely to have all the windows open without needing the winter woollies on!

A very quick card to share today. The ladies at LIM set a theme of "This Makes Me Happy" this week and I had pondered how best to portray something on a card.

Yesterday my car and house keys went missing and I had a hissy fit with younger son who I believed had had them last, only to finally remember I'd popped them in my handbag on Tuesday before we went shopping....I owed him a big apology so I made him a card.

Using a little stamp from a set called Year Round Cheer from Close to my Heart...this is the February stamp. I've had these stamps for a couple of years or more, having won them either in a blog candy/challenge and only lately used them for the first time! I've added Crackle accent to the heart, only because my Glossy accent is missing! Added some twine and a charm. Dies from Spellbinders.

So what makes me happy? Obviously my children (well mostly!), birds in the garden, the colour red, crafting and lastly harmony at home...which has now been restored!

Challenges entered:

Less is More - this makes me happy

Stamping Sensations - one for a guy

Addicted to Stamps - CAS

Crafter's Cafe - use a charm

Clear it Out - anything goes

Trick or Treat

Good morning all.

Another very mild day yesterday although after rain overnight it remained dark and damp all day here. The intrepid travellers have mostly come down with a flu bug so have had to get medication. I've got two here with tonsillitis so I'm quite pleased Gary's not here too!

Treat bags to share today...all filled and ready for the onslaught this evening. I've just got the front porch to decorate now. The plain ones are the design I used for the 36 mass produced ones all card used came from my snippet busting session.

Dies from Spellbinders. I used DI to colour a moon. Trick or Treat stamp from Close to my Heart. The background on the middle bag is another attempt at alcohol marbling this time using darker colours and adding a little black to the mix. 

Challenges entered:

Addicted to Stamps - CAS

Crafting by Designs - Halloween

Divas by Design - anything goes

The House that Stamps Built - leftovers

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - anything goes

Crafty Sentiment Designs - trick or treat

2 Cute Ink Challenges - Halloween treats

Simon Says Stamp Monday - treats

Stamps & Fun = Creativity - no cards

Trick or Treat

Good morning all.

Had a productive day yesterday and got  Gary's bedding all washed and dried including his duvet, pillows and all the protective covers. Then I gutted his bedroom and sorted his drawers out before remaking his bed...all ready for his return in two weeks! Then it was into the craft room and I got some sorting out done in there too...got rid of all the piles and now have room to work without having to manoeuvre everything round the room as I go. It still needs more tidying done and my bit boxes need sorting as they're taking over the place but hey Rome wasn't built in a day! 

I finally got around to buying some rubbing alcohol to try out this technique Alcohol Marker Marbling. I made a couple of treat bags with the results. 

I decided to use Pumpkin, Purple and Lime Green promarkers to make Halloween backgrounds - the result was a little too light for my liking but I decided to ink up some stamps with some Memento inks in similar colours to jazz things up a bit. 

On the left I used various little stamps from Clearly Besotted and a Premium Craft Brand set. Trick or Treat image from Close to my Heart. I edged the topper with black soot DI and layered onto black card.

On the right I inked a Visible Image harlequin stamp with three different colours of Memento and stamped across the background. Image from Close to my Heart. I stamped all round the topper with a splat stamp from the Premium Craft Brand set...I thought they looked a little like spiders...and layered onto black card.

As always I did forget to take a before picture to show how the backgrounds looked before I altered them!!

Challenges entered:

Visible Images - get spooky

Crafts 4 Eternity - Halloween

Creative Corner - Halloween

That's Crafty - spooky

Crafter's Cafe - spookable

Creative Moments - Halloween

Decorate to Celebrate - anything goes 3D

CRAFT - Halloween

Milk Coffee Challenge - Halloween

Craft Room Challenge - make your own background

Tuesday Throwdown - Halloween colours

Artistic Inspirations - Halloween

Dream Valley Challenges - Halloween

Vintage Stamping - colour challenge

Artists Trading Post - Halloween

A Gem of a Challenge - trick or treat