Get Well Soon

Good morning and welcome to a new week on the blog.

I hope you are all set for a good week ahead and manage to tuck in a wee bit of crafting too. :)

I'm up with the birds this morning as we have the painter in to do the hall, stairs and landing. I quite like the smell of paint but I've the windows wide open in the craft room just in case the fumes knock me out. It wouldn't be difficult, I'm already asleep on my feet. :) 

I've been playing with some of my new Clearly Besotted stamps again and made this quick and easy get well card. 

White embossed panel - Beatrix Potter embossing folder 

Kraft card stock - Papermania

Flower stamp - Clearly Besotted 'Happy Everything' set

Butterflies - Clearly Besotted 'Butterfly wishes' and 'Butterfly Wishes additions' stamp sets

Sentiment - Clearly Besotted 'April Showers' stamp set

Seam binding coloured with Marine Promarker

Pearls and spacer from stash

Ranger Antiquities - Topiary ink (for butterflies)

The image is coloured with Promarkers

Flowers - Petrol, Marine and Island Lagoon (Summer 2012 set)

Leaves - Pine, Forest, Leaf green

Stems - Walnut, cocoa, sandstone

Stamens - Gold, mustard, buttercup

A sideways view to show the dimension

As always Stephanie's stamps are gorgeous to work with. I am always delighted with  my purchases from her shop and I am on tenterhooks waiting for the next release. :)

Thank you for calling in today. 

Have a good one!

Delicate Dog Rose

I just loved this gentle, delicate flower image and it's my last sample from the Stamp-It range being launched by Crafter's Companion.

I'm sure you have been enjoying the beautiful cards the girls on the DT made from this range. The landscape and oriental samples are just stunning.

Backing paper - from the Morehead CD 

Corners - from the Classical Frame Die'Sire set

Card stock - Centura Pearl and Core'dinations

Satin ribbon and pearls from my stash

Beatrix Potter Embossing folder 

The image is stamped with Memento ink onto Neenah card stock and 

coloured with Spectrum Noir pens

CG 1, 2, DG 3

PP 1, 2, 4 Blender pen

1G 1 for outline

Thank you for joining me today. Have a great day whatever your plans. :)

It's Launch Day! Here they come!!

 Yes, today it's finally time to let these wee Toread cuties out into the big wide world. I've two cards featuring Comge for you. I've coloured her in two colour ways and used papers from the accompanying CD and one of the stamping companions also to be found there.

This is Comge in her blond phase.

Die-Sire - Magic Mirror

Papers and flowers - from accompanying CD

Sentiment - on stamp sheet

Spellbinder's banner die

Spun sugar distress ink

Pearls and ribbon from stash

I've used Spectrum Noir pens to colour her

Skin - FS 2 - TN 1, 2 - PP 3

Clothes - CR 3, 5, 7

Hair - EB 1, 2 - TN 1

Horn - 1G1, 3

My second card uses the Stamping Companions # 6 as it's base. 

I made the card size bigger and used papers from the CD for the backing.

The tag and main layout are cut from the companion sheet

Crealies # 5 flower die

Epiphany round button

Gems from the Beatrix Potter collection

The image is coloured with Spectrum Noir pens

Comge as a brunette this time :)

Skin as before

Clothes - GT 1, 2, 3

Hair - TN 2, 7 - EB 3, 7

Horn - 1G 1, 3

These are such cute, fun images and everyone on the DT has just loved working with them.

Don't forget to check if you are our CD winner over on the Crafter's Companion News blog.

All the best!

Have a great day and don't forget to tune into the launch programmes. Full listing on the blog.

Just as a wee PS I've included a couple of samples made from the rocker and shaped card sections of the CD. These are perfect for that really quick card we all need to make from time to time, not to mention how much fun they are to put together!

 The rocker card matted onto a circle scallop nestie. Flowers and greeting from the same sheet.

A shaped card with added ribbon and Epiphany flower button and toning paper from the CD.

Now it really is 'Bye for now! :)

April Showers + sneak peek Meadow Bears :)

Hi and welcome this morning. The week is going along nicely and we're nearly half way through already. Hubby is getting on with the gardening and lots of dead, weather-beaten shrubs are finding their way into big  green gardening sacks ready for the dump. It's always sad to say goodbye to plants that have been there for years and years but between the dreadful winter year before last and the punishing rain this year they have been left in a very sorry state, so we have to replace them. I think some of the roots have travelled into the next county so it's a tough old job to get them out and cleared up. We're thinking that we will leave the replacing bit until the weather warms up. 

I'm no gardener so the 'big' decisions will be down to hubby.

I just make wee cards so it's onto today's with another of the literally adorable 'Summer Adorable' images from Jayne Nesterenko. It was lovely to get these stamps out into the open air again - they've been languishing in my box for far too long. I think we all have caught the bug for the next, the latest, the newest thing and tend to forget the stash we have already accumulated. I know I'm very guilty of doing that. 

The images are from the 'April Showers' stamp set

The papers are from the Summer Adorables CD

Ribbon from the Beatrix Potter embellishment kit

Poppy die from Memory Box is cut from embossed Core'dinations card stock

Sentiment is from the stamp set and is die cut with a Memory box labels die

I've gone round the edge of the image with the new shaded lilac distress ink from Tim Holtz

I've coloured the images with Spectrum Noir pens

Steps image

Brickwork, steps - BG2, 4, 6

Puddle - BGR 1

Windows - BT 1, 2

Hedge - CG 1, 2 , DG 2

Railings - BGR 3

Girl with umbrella

Skin - FS 2, 3, 6, TN 2

Hair - EB 1, 5, 7, 8

Umbrella, boots - LV 1, 2, 3

Coat - CG 1, 2, DG 2

I've decorated the inside of the card to match the front and this sideways view gives you an idea of the front stepper shape.

Thank you so much for joining me today. I'll see you tomorrow - I hope!

I'm back sooner than I thought. I've a wee sneak peek to show you today of Crafter's Companions new POTW launch on Friday 25th.

Team B got to play with the new Hunkydory Kit and this is another of the gorgeous images and beautiful sheet of card stock available.

The card stock is really good quality and this pre-printed sheet is simply gorgeous. I've teamed it up with one of the die cut images and sentiments. The three little 'buttons' down the side are punched from the image sheet and covered with epoxy bubbles from my Epiphany accessories. I've also punched three doily shapes to make the buttons more of a feature.

Another sublimely simple card to make! Can't be bad to that!

The images in this kit are gorgeous, nostalgic and have those olde worlde type of bears we remember (well some of us) from our childhood.

This card is another of the A4 sheets scored and folded in half with elements from the image sheets as embellishments. The border is also from the set though it is covered up a tad! :) The button element is punched from the image sheet and made up using my Epiphany button punch. I seemed to be going for a set of three embellies. Must have been on a roll!

Thank you for joining me today. I hope the sun is splitting the trees where you are. Have a great day!

Hide and seek

It's the weekend. I hope you have all your plans made and have found some 'me' time in there somewhere. Thank you for calling in today. We are having a look at another of the lovely Summer Adorable images from Jayne Nesterenko. These are available from Crafter's Companion if you haven't already stored them in your crafty stash. This wee image is from the 'Hide and Seek' stamp set and has that lovely sentiment included. I love that quirky font!

Backing papers from Summer Adorables CD

Coredinations Vintage card stock

Spellbinders circle/scallop circle dies

Ribbon from Beatrix Potter embellishment kit

Flowers from Wild Orchid crafts

Sentiment mats - Whimsy notable dies

The image is coloured with Spectrum Noir pens

Skin - FS 2, 3; TN 2; PP 3

Hair - CT 1, 2, 3, 4

Flowers - CT 4;  LV 1, 2; CG 1, 2

Path - BG 2, 4, 6

Gate - DG 3, 4

Dress - PL 1, 2; BGR 1

Shoes EB 2; TB 3

Bows  - TB 1, 2, 3

I've used one of the scenes available on the CD for the insert as a wee change

I've another Summer Adorable for you tomorrow and it's one I was terrified of colouring in. Pop in to see what you think . :)

Have a great day!!

Party Princess

Hi and welcome to the blog today. I've another of the new Humphrey stamps to show you today and she is called 'Party Princess'. The new launch on the 22nd consists of a fab double CD and twelve really cute stamps.

Humphrey stamps - Party Princess

Papers from the Humphrey's Corner Crafting Collection 'Allsorts' CD

The image is coloured with Spectrum Noir pens

Body - 1G1, 1G2, blender pen

Wings, crown, star and streamers - CT1, 2, 3, 4

Dress, shoes - LV1, 2, 3

I've used Core'dinations Gem card stock for matting

Lifestyle nesting square doily (Maddylisa's)

Ribbon and gems from the Beatrix Potter embellishment set

Sentiment included with main image

Scattered straw distress ink

Matching insert from Humphrey's Corner Crafting Collection 'Allsorts' CD

These are such delightful images to work with and I had so much fun colouring in this wee one.

Look for the launch on 22nd April when the new CD and stamps will be available starting at 11.00am on Create and Craft.

Thank you for calling in today. Have a good one!

Beatrix Potter

It's Friday and I can't believe I've not been blogging for so long. I'm still trying to get back on my feet, this bug has slayed me completely! I've lost a follower meantime, I'm so sorry to see someone leave, it always feels so personal. :) Sometimes life just gets in the way and we're not able to keep up our usual hectic pace, but hey, nevermind, thank you to those who hang on in there, you are what keeps me going. 

I discovered a couple of Beatrix Potter samples that I'd done a while back that never got round to blogging so I  thought, rather than neglect 'El Bloggo' for another day, I'd just pop them in. 

This is Benjamin Bunny in his Tam o' Shanter and this is from one of the image pages on the CD

The papers are also from the Benjamin Bunny CD and work perfectly with the colour scheme. I've inked the edges with antique linen distress ink to tone with BB's shadow

The card and backing papers have been shaped using a Tim Holtz edger die

I used one of the matching inserts from the CD - so handy and easy to use!

The floral arrangement is a cluster of Marianne design dies tucked behind a triple bow and topped with a Spellbinder's accent die and Epiphany button. The linen thread is from Stamping Up.

This cute wee character is Timmy Tiptoes and is one of the stamps in the range. He's coloured with Spectrum Noir pens (sorry I don't have my list) and Prisma pencils for shading

Papers are from the Timmy Tiptoes CD

The pearls have been coloured with Speccies to match the background paper

The floral arrangement is similar to Benjamin's - I just love these! :) It is a cluster of Marianne design leaf dies tucked behind a triple bow and finished with one of the sentiments from the sheet. The sentiment is matted onto Spellbinder circle nesties.

Let's hope that I can be back in action soon. I hate not being able to get a good run at my craft room.

Have a wonderful Easter Weekend. I hope the weather is kind if you are going away and even if you're not. 

See you soon!

Once Upon a Time....

Hi and good morning. I'm having a wee break today but I thought I would tell you a funny story from my Mother's Day experience.

oooOOOooo

Once upon a time, a long time ago, I made a card using my Beatrix Potter Peter Rabbit CD. I was delighted with my card and thought it was the cutest wee image that would be perfect for Mother's Day. Here is the said card. It was created in 2010 so the photography wasn't too hot - it still isn't brilliant but it's a bit better these days!

                                                   

My daughter picked up a few cards to take into her workplace and when she saw this one she said, and I quote "She looks as though she's strangling him!"

Not once whilst working with this image - and I had made more than one card with it - did it ever occur to me to think that!!!!! I haven't been able to look at it since without thinking about it. Grrr!!!

Anyhow, back to the present day. We went out for our afternoon tea - dainty sandwiches, scones and scrummy pastries with lashings of tea or coffee. Doesn't sound like a lot until you try to eat it - we were stuffed!

The restaurant had a little gift shop attached and of course it would have been rude not to have a wee look around. It was packed full of quirky little ornaments, teddy bears and the like. My eyes fell immediately onto the Beatrix Potter corner.
Well, not literally, I should have said my gaze.
Let's move on.

Having just worked with the lovely images from the new CD etc I was very taken by the 3D versions. I ooohed and aaahed totally oblivious to the frantic windmilling arm action that Janette was using to attract Karen's attention. I picked up the wee Mrs Rabbit and Peter ornament and laughed at the memory of Janette's remark. I drew her attention to it and couldn't understand that she didn't seem all that bothered. Mmm!

Apparently, as I was still totally unaware, Janette was now having apoplexy in the background. Karen gently but firmly steered me to another corner of the shop and eventually we left to set up the late afternoon DVD entertainment bit of the day.

We arrived at Janette's and I got all organised to open my M's Day gifts. The girls had bought me a copy of Breaking Dawn 1 (yeh!!!) and also another gift. I thought it was moisturiser or some such, as they are more particular about my leather hide that passes for skin than I am, and they kindly keep me going with my super-charged, turbo-activated Oil of Ulay etc. but no - guess what it was..... you're way ahead of me aren't you?

Yes, it was my figurine.  I laughed until the tears rolled down my cheeks. Janette said that when she saw it earlier in the week she just had to buy it as she knew I would just crack up at the memory.

Now I have my very own little bit of Beatrix Potter memorabilia with even more fun memories attached to it. 

Thank you for joining me today and if you got this far thanks for reading my daft tale. Ms Potter I'm not!!! LOL

See you tomorrow with the second D'Arcy Challenge. Have a great day!

Tom Kitten from Beatrix Potter

Hi and good morning. Welcome to another look at one of the Beatrix Potter CD's that is part of the launch on Ideal World 9.00pm on 20th March. 

Today's card is a double 8 x 8" folded one. As well as the brand new CDs there are other Beatrix Potter CDs on offer including the lovely Tom Kitten and I found it hard to resist this particular image as you will see. I thought it would be useful to see some of the variations of this image available on the CD any one of which could be used to make a special card for someone.

The front of the card has Tom Kitten with his long suffering Mum sorting out the buttons on his little coat. The designer paper is from the CD as is the frame and decoupage, border and sentiment. I've added a Marianne design corner die inked with chipped sapphire distress ink but otherwise kept the layout clean and simple.

On opening the card the first set of pages are revealed. More images from the CD, part borders added for interest and matching corners to keep the theme going.

Open up the card fully to reveal the insert. The papers are all from the CD, the verse can be found in the Verse Writer facility, one of dozens of choices.

The back of the card has been finished with one of the extra images from the sentiment sheet that I have decoupaged over the border. 

I know there are quite a few images repeated on this card, but all come from different sections of the CD and any one can be used for a card by itself. 

Thank you so much for joining me today with a virtual tour of the Tom Kitten CD. There is a whole lot more to discover and I've only touched on one of the images.

oooOOOooo

Don't forget to join in with the blog hop - you can win oodles of goodies. Just pop over HERE to begin and good luck!

Join me tomorrow for another cute card using one of the new LOTV girlies! See you then. Have a great day!

                                   
 

Crafter's Companion Sneak Peek 2

This is my second post today. Don't faint! I'm just pleased to be able to show you another wee sneak peek from the forthcoming Beatrix Potter CD collection being released by Crafter's Companion as POTD on 20th March on Ideal World 

This is such an easy card to assemble. It's from the CD and is a rocka card. It's the adorable Jeremy Fisher again. I think I've fallen for him!

The printed sheet comes fully equipped to make a cute rocking card and I think it's a great way to see how to put the papers from the CD together as well.

I've added a scallop circle base cut from Core'dination Chocolate box cardstock but it isn't necessary. You can keep the card small and dainty and it still looks fab.

I think it's the rich colours that really appeal to me about this one - I just love the combo.

Thank you for joining me today on what has been a busy posting day. Have fun and don't forget to join in with the blog hop post over at the Crafter's Companion News blog! You have still time to join in. :)

Crafter's Companion Blog Hop!

Hi all, and welcome to the Crafter’s Companion Blog Hop to celebrate the release of the new Beatrix Potter CDs and stamps. You will meet Jeremy Fisher, Timmy Tiptoes and Benjamin Bunny on your travels.

If you have landed here from Marianne's blog then you are hopping in the right direction. If not then you need to pop over to the Crafter's Companion News blog to begin.

The DT have had a great time creating with the new range from Crafter’s Companion and to celebrate the launch of these stunning new collections on Tuesday 20^th March as Pick of the Day on Ideal World we have decided to give you a chance to see some Sneak Peeks and also have the chance of winning a fabulous Prize:

All three new CDs and all three new stamps (worth £74.94)!

All you need to do to be in with a chance of winning this great prize is visit each blog in order and then go back to the Crafter’s Companion News Views and Inspiration Blog to leave your link.  Along the way you will notice that each Blog will give you a letter - make a note of these as they will make a phrase which we will ask you for if your number is drawn by Random.Org on the morning of Tuesday 20^th March.

My letter is O

From here, you need to hop to Caroline's blog.

PLEASE DO NOT TELL US WHAT THE WORD IS ON THE CRAFTER’S COMPANION NEWS VIEWS AND INSPIRATION BLOG, WE WILL E-MAIL YOU FOR THE ANSWER IF YOUR ENTRY NUMBER IS DRAWN.

Now for my sneak peek.

It's the wonderful Jeremy Fisher!

I've printed a stamping tag from the CD at mid size onto Crafter's companion 300gsm watercolour card and stamped the image using Staz On. 

The sentiment is from the same sheet of stamps

The backing papers are from the CD and I used the colouriser to select a background that would tone in with my chosen colours. 

The three 'button's at the top of the card were made using 3/4" punched circles, shaped with an embossing tool and attached to the card with Collal gel 3D glue to let them keep their shape. I've punched them from the 'colourised' background paper which is totally gorgeous!

I've coloured the image using Whispers 'Vintage' brush markers. I was really impressed with these as it's the first time I've water coloured in ages and ages - they were easy to use and I found the vintage palette really good for the colours I needed. The whole process was very relaxing and I love the textured look of the finished image.

This is a wee close up view of the foliage. I've used Marianne design dies and Core'dinations Chocolate box  cardstock sanded to show the colour underneath. The button embellishment was made using my Epiphany punch. 

The ribbon is from my stash. 

Enjoy the hop!!