Stencil Sunday January Challenge

Good evening all.
Yesterday was spent scurrying around in a mad dervish all day trying to get the Christmas decorations put away...New Year's Day our holiday plans changed and we're now leaving on Saturday instead of Sunday and it was panic stations here trying to get everything done!  Then I realised about 2pm it was still only Saturday (not Sunday as my head was telling me!) so I've gained 24 hours again phew! I'm sure when we get to relaxing on the extra day in Auckland we'll think it was all worth while!

Time for our first Stencil Sunday challenge of 2016 at STAMPlorations. We loved seeing your projects last month and hope you'll join us again this month.

I managed to give Rudolph a makeover in time for the festive season. I first coated him with gesso then a coat of ash brown Pebeo. Once dry I covered him with festive tissue paper. I used embossing paste through the Holly Background stencil and once dry covered with more tissue then painted with Twinkling H2O's.  I used gilding wax around all the edges and added googly eyes and a ribbon and bell from my stash. His nose was made to shine with glossy accents. The sign was painted and a die cut sentiment from Tattered Lace added.

Here is how he looked last year:

I really wasn't happy with him as the crackle effect I'd created all ran when I gave him a top coat! I loved the little snow couple though and I can't find them anywhere...think they must have eloped last New Year!!

The theme is always anything mixed media goes except a card and you must use at least one stencil (any brand) in your project. Linky closes at the end of the month. I hope you can join us!

Prizes: $15 gift certificate OR choice of any 2 small or 1 large ARTplorations stencils to the winner

choice of 1 small ARTplorations stencil to the top picks

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see the other girls mixed media designs, you won't be disappointed.

Challenges entered:

Rhedd's Creative Spirit - anything goes (Mixed Media/Altered Art)

Altered Eclectics - anything goes

We Love 2 Create - anything creative/MM goes

That Craft Place - anything goes

That's Crafty - anything goes

Lest We Forget

They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We will remember them.

Good morning all.

Well yesterday didn't turn out as wet as expected but it was still pretty miserable! Managed to have a play...made a mess...got messy and not a great deal else...one of those days when nothing quite gelled. I did manage to make a tag though so I'm sharing that with you today.

I started with a manila tag and embossed it with my ARTplorations stencil (Holly Background), I then inked it with evergreen bough DI. After removing the stencil I inked with shabby shutters and twisted citron then replaced the stencil and inked the berries with festive berries. The edges were inked with ground espresso. Reindeer die from Tattered Lace, other dies from Spellbinders. Sentiment stamp was a magazine freebie, ribbons from my stash.

Challenges entered:

Loll's 12 Tags of Christmas

A Snowflakes Promise - Christmas

Papertake Weekly - Christmas critters

Mixed Media World - anything goes

Virginia's View - textures

Love 2 Create - anything creative/mixed media goes

Christmas Card Club "Santa Claus is Coming to Town"

Good morning all.

It's time once again for our little Christmas Card Club to show our wares...it was my turn to set the  theme of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town".

Here is my make:

Using my favourite Father Christmas image from Joanna Sheen's Vintage Christmas CD. Papers are from DoCrafts. Mat dies are all from Spellbinders, reindeer from Tattered Lace and snowflake was a magazine freebie. Border punch from Tonic. Sentiment from LOTV. Finished with a few gems from my stash.

I've used virtually the same layout as my last CCC card and that's another special to add to the pile.

You'll find a list of the girls in my sidebar if you'd like to see their interpretation of my theme.

Challenges entered:

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes

ABC Christmas - Q for quantum leap (d for die cuts)

A Snowflakes Promise - anything goes

Christmas Cards all Year Round - snowflakes

Winter Wonderland - Carol's or songs (Santa Claus is Coming to Town)

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - anything goes

Happy Christmas

Good morning all.

A quiet day yesterday keeping the migraine at bay...I'll catch up with you all in a day or two as I can't spend too much time at the computer while it lingers!

This was meant to be my July Rudolph Day card but by the time it was finished and ready to post it was going to clash with my DT post so I saved it for another day.

This was to be a very quick card!! I'd planned in my mind to use this piece of gelli plate paper I'd saved from one of my early plays and team it with teal and red...so first thoughts when I got everything out was to use a die for a speedy card. Opened my drawer and found this snowflake from Impression Obsession which I was convinced I'd used before but turns out it's a NBUS. I cut it from the teal layer and dozens of passes later when I came to remove it from the die I discovered it came out in about four very fine parts.....urgh!!!! I was losing the will to live by now...

Deep breath and I put through a red version using bubble wrap to help the cutting along (it does help!). Lots of photo glue later I'd managed to stick everything together!!  The sentiment was a freebie from Tattered Lace. A gemstone finishes the card off.

Don't think I'll be repeating this experience any time soon which is a shame as I like the end result!

Challenges entered:

Winter Wonderland - Christmas Carol/Song (Snowflake by Jim Reeves)

Sister Act Card Challenge - anything goes

Southern Girls - anything goes

Inspiration Destination - anything goes

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes

Whimsy Stamps - Christmas in July

Christmas Cards all Year Round - snowflakes

We Love to Create - anything mixed media/inky goes

CHNC - two of something (words)

Christmas Card Club "Anything Goes"

Good morning all.

Happy Mother's Day to you all. I've got to pop down home to see my Mum then it will be a quiet day hopefully with a little time to craft...that's assuming Mr Mojo wants to come out to play!

A fortnight has passed and it's time once again for our little Christmas Card Club challenge.  Sylvie picked the theme this time and she gave us carte blanche this time with "Anything Goes".

Stamp is a Penny Johnson from Stampavie coloured with promarkers and highlighted with stickles before being die cut with a Starlight Circle die from Tattered Lace, then inlaid into a red frame cut with the same die.  Stitched die is from Spellbinders. Sentiment die is from Crafty Impressions. Sequins from Pretty Pink Posh.

I was obviously having a senior moment the day I made this as I used ordinary white cardstock for the image hence the bleeding inks!!

You'll find a list of the girls in my side bar if you'd like to pop around and see what they've made for this challenge.

Challenges entered:

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes

Holly Jolly Christmas - dies and punches

CRAFT - Christmas

Crimbo Crackers - no printed papers

CHNC - use some black

Craft for the Craic - bingo (image, more than 2 layers, die cut)

Crafting by Designs - get ready for Christmas

Crafting for all Seasons #97 "Girly Girls"

Good morning all.

It's time for a new challenge at CFAS and this time the theme is "Dies and/or Punches. We're looking forward to seeing all your makes. We're being sponsored by Scrapper's Delight who gave the DT images to work with.

I've chosen to use an image of my own this time...I won this Sweet Pea stamp from Scribble and Scrap some time ago now and have finally got around to using it. I coloured with watercolour pencils for a softer look. Die is a Starlight Oval from Tattered Lace - I've die cut the image and inlaid it back into the coloured frame.

Wishing die is from Simon Says Stamp. Gems from my stash.

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see the inspiration from the other girls, you won't be disappointed.

Challenges entered:

Fairytale Stampers - anything goes

Pile it On - adhesive embellishments (gems)

Scribble and Scrap - anything goes

Sentimental Sundays - anything goes

Sunday Stamper - warm colours

Pink Elephant - girly girls

Party Time Tuesdays - anything goes

Sweet Stamps - girly

Die Cuttin Divas - sketch

Penny's Paper-Crafty - one for the girls

CAS on Sunday - girl power

Simon Says - special lady/girly

Christmas Card Club - "Poinsettia- any colour"

Good morning all.

Well March certainly roared in like a lion yesterday, it was wicked overnight Saturday!

I'm running a day late with my Christmas Card Club post but as I already had two DT posts yesterday I thought that was enough! Margaret picked the theme this time and she's asked us for "Poinsettias, any colour".

Using a decoupage stamp from Imagination Crafts, stamped and heat embossed with gold detail EP onto ivory Centura card. This was then die cut with the Tattered Lace Starlight Square and inlaid into the gold mirri card die cut. Card is simply layered up onto more Centura and gold mirri card. Tag sentiment is from LOTV, bow and gems from my stash.

You'll find a list of the girls in my side bar if you'd like to pop around and see what they made for this challenge.

Challenges entered:

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes

Winter Wonderland - tie a bow
CSAYR - anything goes use EP
CHNC - cut it up
Crafts 4 Eternity - emboss it
Crafty Catz - dies/punches
Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge - embossing wet/dry
Sweet Stampin' - all or nothing
CCEE Stampers - inlaid dies

And I'll leave you with a photo of a rose hubby picked out of the garden for me on Saturday!

Christmas Card Club "Snow Covered Trees"

Good morning all.

Happy Valentine's Day to you all...I expect you're all knee deep in red roses, heart shaped chocolates and the like....just like me not!! I expect I'll get something before the day ends!

Another fine day yesterday after a very stormy night! I got lots of household chores out of the way and had an hour or two crafting before tea. Today I get to choosing :)

Another two weeks have passed and it's time once again for our little Christmas Card Club to showcase our makes. I'm a day early as I have a DT post due tomorrow. Mary picked the theme this time and she asked to see "Snow Covered Trees".

I had originally intended using a stamp for this card but decided instead to use the Tattered Lace dies I got free with a magazine last weekend...there were three dies - the line of trees, line of buildings and the single tree. I cut each die twice and layered them up as I wanted them to be quite sturdy, then painted them with white Sparkle Medium from Imagination Crafts. Embossing folder is from Crafts Too.  Landscape dies are from Lawn Fawn, large snowflake is from Spellbinders, the other snowflakes are from Paper Smooches, sentiment is from Cottage Cutz. Sparkle Medium has then been brushed onto the snowflakes, letters and dots.

Challenges entered:

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes

Crafting from the Heart - anything goes

Craft your Passion - anything goes

Christmas Card Challenges - white on white

Simply Create Too - anything goes

Inspiration Destination - anything goes

Penny's Paper Crafty - embossing

Allsorts - anything but birthday

Christmas Snowflake

Good morning all.

We had a gorgeous day yesterday...I believe it was a tad chilly but I didn't venture over the doorstep to find out! No snow for us I think we've been bypassed again.

I spent the day drowning in ribbons...if I use a yard on each card I make for the rest of my life I won't get through all the supply!!! I can see the craft room floor now so should be able to take some pictures later today or tomorrow. A trip out grocery shopping on the cards today...the natives are starting to revolt again...wish we didn't have to eat!

A simple Christmas card to share today....and not a ribbon in sight lol.

Using the Muse card as inspiration and the song Snowflake by Jim Reeves (Mum was a big fan and I remember this when I was young...very young!), I die cut the largest of a nestabilities snowflake set from the front layer of my card. The rest of the snowflake dies were layered up and popped up inside the cut out. Sentiment is a freebie die from Tattered Lace and I've cut it 3 times to make it stand out. Card is finished with a blue gem.

Challenges entered:

Muse #100

CAS on Sunday - Christmas

The Christmas Challenge - non traditional colours

CHNC - inspired by a Christmas song or Carol

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes

Fairy Tale - snow

Frosted Designs Friday - white as a snowflake

City Crafter Challenge - winter white

Die Cuttin Divas - picture challenge

{Pin}spirational Challenge - snowflake image

Top Tip Tuesday - keep it simple

Deep Ocean - winter dreams

Eclectic Ellapu "Pink Team - Vintage Christmas"

Good morning all.

This is my second post today, you can find my DT inspiration for Imagination Crafts here.

My first post this morning for the Pink Team at Eclectic Ellapu where May has chosen the theme of "Vintage Christmas".

I've chosen to make a tag which took me totally out of my comfort zone....and I loved every minute of it!!

Tag base is cut from burgundy Kraft Core card stock then embossed with a Cuttlebug snowflake folder. This was then sanded to reveal the kraft core and I used my distress tool round the edges then inked with vintage photo, faded jeans and pine needles distress inks and sprayed with gold Cosmic Shimmer. Image is from Anita Stamp's stamped onto kraft card with vintage photo, layered onto the burgundy Kraft Core. The dies have all been cut from waste card then either inked with distress ink and sprayed with gold cosmic shimmer or the gold ones have been inked with versamark and I've used gold metal magic to coat them...I love how they turned out and must make more use of this stuff. I also used the metal magic around the edges. Snowflakes and ovals are all from Spellbinders, sentiment is from Tattered Lace. Lace is from Crafty Ribbons. Recycled ribbon, holly and gem are from my stash.

I love how this turned out and think I may have to use it for hubby so I can keep it afterwards.

Challenges entered:

CHNC - Santa is on his way

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes

Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers - vintage

Really Reasonable Ribbons - gift packaging with ribbon or trim

QKR Stampede - anything but a card

Stempelsonnen Challenge - anything goes

4 Crafty Chicks - die cuts

Artist Trading Post - recycle for Christmas

Not Just Cards - anything goes

OSAAT - anything goes with lace

Christmas Card Club "Silver Bells"

Good morning all.

Another two weeks have passed and it's time for the penultimate challenge of the year at our little Christmas Card Club...EEEK! Asha had the job of choosing a theme this time and she's chosen "Silver Bells". I've been going around singing it all weekend...not a pleasant sound I can assure you!

Here is my card:

Base card is made with silver mirri card, apologies as it is a nightmare to photograph. The silver bells are courtesy of a Tattered Lace die which was a magazine freebie, I've cut the die down so I was left with just the two bells and layered four die cuts together to make a nice chunky die. I used that new stick it stuff for the first time and it was great for sticking all the layers together but I did have to add some wet glue to the base after the photo was taken as it wasn't coping well with the embossed surface.

The base layer has been stamped with a Bo Bunny distressed dotty stamp in lavender, the same ink was used for the Bo Bunny music border stamp which I masked in the middle. The sentiment from Clearly Besotted was stamped in versamark and heat embossed with silver detail EP. The line stamps were also from Clearly Besotted and after masking the lines I didn't want I stamped in purple.

The purple star is a recent magazine freebie including stamps and a stencil. I stamped over the top of the dots in purple then realised the stamp has been sitting nestled in a stencil of the same size so I stuck it to the card and embossed it through the Grand Caliber....of course at the half way point it suddenly dawned that the edges of the stencil were going to emboss in funny places all over the card!! I did however manage to deboss them out as by now I was on my third attempt at getting the stamping right!

Card was finished with some gems and a little bow from my stash...and of course my signature insert with the punched snowflake corners (well it's the only Christmas punch I own). Oh how smug I feel now with a box full of cards all with inserts!!

Challenges entered:

Less is More the 200th challenge - celebrations

Addicted To CAS - dots

Delicious Doodles - let's face the music

Sweet Stamps - bordered sentiment

Winter Wonderland - dies and punches

Snowflake Tag

Good morning all.

Spent yesterday battling with an unco-operative computer and a migraine...I think I won both battles eventually although it was touch and go!

A tag to share with you today.

Blank tag has been coated with Gesso before being painted with aquatints (the pale blue 05). I then used a Joanna Sheen snowflakes stencil to add some texture and sprayed this with a dark blue before removing the stencil. After leaving this to dry I stamped small snowflakes with Versamark and heat embossed with WOW blue lagoon EP. The glittery snowflake is from Asda, sentiment is from Tattered Lace, ribbon (which I've dyed with the same dark blue ink) and buttons from my stash.

Challenges entered:

Party Time Tuesdays - anything goes

The Sailing Pineapple Blog - make a tag

Not Just Cards - anything goes

Vintage Stamping - anything but a card

Completely Christmas - anything goes (twist let's see some blue)

WOW - mixed media

Artist Trading Post - use a stencil

CRAFT - Christmas

Crafty Ribbons - Christmas with ribbon

Baffies Kreativladen - Christmas

Stamping with Loll - 12 tags of Christmas

Happy Birthday

Good morning all.

We had a beautiful day here yesterday, it was lovely to see some blue sky. Housework done, three loads of washing done....don't know where it all keeps coming from though and Hubby decided to make tea so I had a play yesterday afternoon, although nothing is finished yet. All the parcels on order arrived so quite a bit of Christmas shopping done too...just the difficult ones to get now!

A birthday card made for my nephew to share today, I think that's all this year's birthday cards done now. Do love how this one turned out.

The football die is from Tattered Lace. The stripes are from Clearly Besotted and I've stamped twice in grey and black Memento. The sentiment banner is also from Clearly Besotted and is from a set I received free with my first order from them.

Challenges entered:

Suzy Bee's Bloomin Challenge - anything goes twist male

Craft for the Craic - birthday

Kitty Bee Designs - sports

Southern Girls - for the boys

Inspiration Destination - anything goes

Paper Shelter - for a special man

Stampavie and More - monochrome

That Craft Place - anything goes

Card Mania - dies

Through the Purple Haze - punch or die

One Stamp - Two Ways

Good morning all.

We hit lucky yesterday and seemed to miss the worst of the winds and didn't have any rain. It was certainly very windy further north of us when we went shopping.

A couple of quick Christmas cards to share today...trying to get them all finished so there's no last minute rush.

Stamp from Clearly Besotted, stamped with versamark and embossed with WOW Campari Soda EP with the trunk and star done with Blue Lagoon. Pierced rectangle die from Spellbinders. Sentiment die was a freebie from Tattered Lace at Harrogate. 

Same tree stamp stamped with versamark and heat embossed with white EP. Card was inked with Shaded Lilac and Dusty Concord DI. Sentiment and snowflakes were magazine freebies and were stamped in Dusty Concord DI. Card is finished with two small gems.

Both toppers were attached with foam tape for dimension and both are finished inside.

Challenges entered:

Sweet Stamps - anything goes

Through the Craftroom Door - anything goes

Merry Monday - non traditional colours (2nd card)

Simon says Stamp - anything goes

Sparkle and Sprinkle - anything goes

Through the Purple Haze - stars and snowflakes
CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes
Wow Embossing Powder - same stamp different ways
City Crafter - a piece of sky

Diamond Wedding

Good morning all. Gosh, I can't believe it's September already!

Off to the hairdressers this morning so hope it stays dry as I like to walk there and back.

A diamond anniversary card to share today, commissioned by my Mum a little while ago.

Image is a LOTV topper. Square dies all Spellbinders, heart die from Tattered Lace. Embossing folder from Die'Sire. Sentiment computer generated. Ribbon and gems from my stash.

Challenges entered:

Scribble and Scrap - anything goes

Aud Sentiments - any sentiment but birthday

Charismas Cardz - wedding anniversary

Southern Girls - all about texture

Crafty Cardmakers - make an impression

Cutie Pie Challenge - two's company

Miracle

Good morning all.

Well it's been sunshine and showers for the last few days, wonder what the weekend is going to bring! Not a Bank Holiday weekend up here in Scotland but since I don't work I'll maybe pop down home for the day on Monday and go to the local agricultural show.

The smelly silicon glue seems to have struck me again!! I used Collal the other day to stick my calendar together and whilst it didn't smell at the time it does now it's dry!! I opened a new tube for this card to stick the flower arrangement and again no smell from the tube but I can smell it now it's dry...not as bad as the Pinflair glue did but it's rather off putting to say the least....grrrr.

A card to share today using another of the gorgeous PPinkyDollsArt images, this one is called Miracle.

(The one I used on my calendar earlier in the week is called Lilith not Gigi in case you go looking!).

I've coloured the image with promarkers before diecutting with an oval nestie and layering onto a co-ordinating scalloped oval. Backing papers are from Prima. Lacy die is a Tattered Lace magazine freebie, butterfly is from Marianne Design an all other dies are Spellbinders. Flowers are from Petal Lu; lace from Creative Expressions; ribbon from Crafty Ribbons; leaves and bling from my stash. Sentiments are from LOTV and a magazine freebie.

Challenges entered:

Artbymiran -anything goes

Sister Act Card Challenge - anything goes

Stempelsonnen - anything goes

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper - anything goes

Crafty Ribbons - celebration with ribbons

Seize the Birthday - anything goes Birthday

Crafter's Cafe - square cards only

Paper Shelter - lace

Fan-Tastic Tuesday - anything square or rectangular

Tattered Lace - decadence