The NEC looms and Molly Blooms

A day off work to get some last minute NEC samples finished and final preps for an all day class at Sir Stampalot on Saturday, so an early post before I get stuck in.

I can't share any of that work yet, but I do have a some shares. My first card uses three of the super Molly Blooms stamps available from Stampalot. This little fellow always reminds me of Billy Bunter who I have vague recollections of from my childhood....showing my age here. I Stamped and masked the little boy, then stamped the wall with versafine black and embossed with detail clear, then coloured with Copics. I cut some green bazzil to make a grass border and decoupaged some stamped and coloured toadstools. This card is for the following challenges:

Midnight Madness - Sketch

Cards for men - Anything Goes (male of course)

The second another really quick and simple card using Penny Black 3074K Hello Sunshine inked with Tim Holtz barn door and olive and spritzed with water before stamping onto a piece of grid pattern Basic Grey DP. I highlighted some of the image with a versamark pen and embossed with detail gold. The torn edges are also embossed with the same powder. I stamped the leading edge of the card with Penny Black 2410K Penmanship and added some lace and cord. This card is for the following challenges:

Everybody Art - Photo Inspiration

Craft your Passion - Glitter and Sparkle (the ribbon is really glittery and the flowers are highlighted with gold, but hard to show on photo)

Papertake Weekly - Sparkly and Bright (as above)

My last share is an easel card created with a Marianne stencil and circles cut from K&Co DP with Nesties. I stamped the background of the main piece with Hero Arts H2365 Old French Writing using Tim Holtz sage, then inked Hero F5075 Sparkle Poinsettia with TH fired brick and spritzed with water before stamping. I added gold liquid pearls to the flower stamens and a sentiment to the base. Again, a nice quick card and ideal if you have a bundle to make. This is for the following challenges:

The Crafty Pad - Christmas
A Spoonful of Sugar - Lets get punchy

Creative Card Crew - Lets punch it

Chocolate wonders

How's every one's day going ?

These are a couple of pictures I've been meaning to share since we came back from holiday in August. They are all chocolate and featured on the dessert tables at brunch. I never actually got to try either as I was always totally stuffed by the time they were cut.

Been oh so busy at work which means not much crafting which is just typical with Christmas orders piling up and another wedding.....not my favourite pastime if I'm honest, I don't enjoy the monotony of repetitive crafting, but needs must. So just a couple of shares today.

The first one is following a lovely sketch at Midnight Madness......if you have never entered go check them out as they have some brilliant sketches. I used some gorgeous glittery My Minds Eye DP for both the base of the card and for the decoupages flowers. The backgrond was created using Tim Holtz sage and linen and Glimmer Mist gold, overstamped with Hero Arts H2356 old French writing using the TH sage, them stamping Hero Arts S5362 dogwood. I coloured the leaves with Copics, then spritzed the cut our flowers with Glimmer Mist pearl and shaped whilst still wet. I added crystals to the centres of the flowers, some ribbon and a couple of slides. This card is for the following challenges:

Midnight Madness - Sketch

Spoonful of Sugar - Sparkle and Shine

Scrapbook Sisters - Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend

My second card uses Penny Black 40-024 rain or shine as the main image, coloured with Copics and decoupaged with three layers. The DP is Nitwits, some swirls cut from Sizziz dies and flowers from stash. This card is for the following challenges:

Stamp With Fun - Rain

Papertake Weekly - Birthday Blog hop and choose any theme from previous challenges - I went for 'Check it Out'

And finally a little box or rather tin, coloured with alcohol inks, overstamped with various Magenta stamps and embossed with detail gold. Inside a little collection of pictures from around the world held together with ribbon. This is for the following challenge:

Tuesday Taggers - Pandora's Box

Pollycraft - No DP

Quilled Flowers

Hope everyone is OK..........sorry I've been a bit quiet, still playing catch up at work after a week away for the wedding and craft has had to take a bit of a back seat.

But I have managed to create one card using the brand new Cuttlebug Quilled Daisy Kit newly arrived at Sir Stampalot. The first delivery sold out double quick but more are on their way. I have always fancied having a go at quilling, but never quite got round to buying all the bits and pieces you need, so when I saw this set had to give it a go and so pleased I did because it is super easy. The set contains all the dies to cut the petal, stamens, central spin and leaves, plus has a quilling took and some wire stems.

I randomly stamped a card with Hero Arts F5942 leaf swirl and K5058 friendship writing using Tim Holtz bundled sage and Victorian Velvet. The Crate Paper DP down the side is punched with Martha Steward embossed butterflies and I used the little cut outs to decorate the finished card. I made two flowers with the quilling set using the same DP and created swirly stems with Sizzix dies run through the Big Shot. The little sentiment cut on Nesties is an unmounted one of which I have no idea of the make and I coloured some core with Copics to match.

This card is my entry for this weeks Tuesday Taggers who have the theme "all that Blooms", Everybody Art Challenges who want to see "Things with Wings" and A Spoonful of Sugar whose new theme is "Floral Delights".

Bird in a circle and messy Muts

Good morning all, this one is scheduled so everything crossed it will pop up on time whilst I am at hospital having the dreaded camera tests.

One card, three challenges, the first Everybody Art challenges who have a sketch this week.......I was going to pass as it's circles and we know about my crafty phobia of them, but decided a challenge is a challenge. So one in the bin, the second completed, although not convinced I like the end product. I hope the flowers fit in with A Spoonful of Sugar challenge who are going Cute and Girly and finally Papertake Weekly who want to see "Shiny Sparkly and Special" and there's a good bit of sparkle to be had on this one.

The image Hero Arts CG181 Bird in a Circle dropped through my letterbox this morning from Sir Stamaplot, it's a cling stamp from the new releases but didn't not come in with the first deliveries so I have been patiently waiting for it to arrive. I think it is so cute.

The image is actually a square one, but I cut it into a circle with a Nestie through the Big Shot and layered it several times. I stamped the image three times and decoupaged after colouring the flowers and bird with Marvy pens and spritzing with Glimmer Mist pearl. The little birdie in the corner is punched with my new Martha Stewart woodland branch and flower patch set.

The sentiment is Hero Arts CL278, manipulated a bit to achieve more of a circle shape. The large flower is another of the beautiful Magnolia ones with some glitter added to the edges and I did the same with the smaller ones which are from my stash. The swirls are cut from glitter card with a Sizzix die. The final bit of bling is the gemstone brad.

Just had to share this one of Bernie and George

Spoonful of Sugar

At the risk of sounding monotonous, "here's one I made earlier" for this weeks Spoonful of Sugar challenge which is 'Christmas'. Thank goodness I got all my work done early for this Thursdays launch of By the Short and Girly. The DT have come up with some fantastic inspirational work - and not just cards either, a whole range of talents and crafts. And loads of prizes on offer from some of our best loved crafty outlets. So mark it in your diary - Thursday 1st October.

Mr Mojo is back I think, well at least the ideas are there but I feel just too spaced to concentrate or sit for long. Hopefully when all these medications are finished normality might return........one can only hope. So am keeping it short. The angel image is from Penny Black 30-036 and coloured with Promarkers. The swirl and greeting are also PB 3892K and 3995F. DP's are My Minds Eye and the border punched with Martha Stewart Embossed Scallop.

A real mixture

Oh goodness me, I completed this card for Inspiration Card Sketches, a great sketch as ever from Dawn B and realised that quite by chance it fits in with three others........I sometimes manage to combine two but even when I try can't stretch it beyond that. I really don't like doing this but my time is such this week I hope I will be forgiven in combining it with A Spoonful of Sugar which is looking for 'Autumn/Fall' projects, Everybody Art Challenges which has the theme 'Shabby' and the final one I realised fitted was Cupcake challenges theme of 'Pearls and Swirls'.

Afraid the picture is pretty poor folks, I have taken it so many times now but the light is so dreadful today.......and it's raining as well this afternoon and I think this is the best I am going to achieve.

The image is a stamp I have had forever by American Artstamps called Pear. I stamped with versafine and embossed with detail copper then shaded and distressed with Tim Holt Peeled Paint, Antique Linen and Fired Brick and used the same inks to colour the fruits. I roughed up the edges, ran a versamark pad round them, dipped into detail copper and heated to give a nice aged feel. The edge of the card itself has been stamped with Magenta Crackled Background 32090M again with versamark and detail copper embossing powder. The swirls were cut on Cricut Storybook and stippled with Adirondack Acrylic Dabbers sunset, gold and copper. Lace, pins and pearls added to embellish.

Inspirational Card Sketchers and Spoonful of Sugar

Good morning one and all and some more of yesterdays challenge work which I managed to get finished last evening.

Dawn B has come up with yet another fantastic sketch over at Inspirational Card Sketchers and don't ask me why, but this one shouted out vintage to me. So with that in mind it also fits in with this weeks Spoonful of Sugar challenge which is "Distressing".

As I had decided on vintage/distressing I worked from the My Minds Eye DP's outwards, distressing the edges with Tim Holts scattered straw. Next I created a circle with inks and a sponge then stamped in the centre with another of the new one from Inkadinkado 98396 Winter Birds using versafine sepia and detail clear embossing powder. I adore this set with all the swirls and leaves......mind you I have to say all of the new images they have introduced are gorgeous with lots of swirls.

The narrow spotty ribbon is from my stash and the leaves and flowers created with punches. Finally I added some gems and buttons.

Spoonful of Sugar and New Penny Black

Better late than never ........ had all good intentions of doing some more cards with the new Penny Black Christmas stamps freshly arrived from Sir Stampalot, but wasn't to be last evening ........ grief I must have been bad in a former life as it seems to be one thing after another. As if it's not bad enough starting the teeth/gum treatment tomorrow, last night I ended at at A&E with eye problems - they anaesthetised my eyes and say it's an infection in both eyes but assure me it has absolutely nothing to do with the eye drops they gave me during the tests yesterday morning.......hummmmmmm !

So a delayed return to playing with these new stamps which are now available for immediate dispatch from Sir Stampalot. I have incorporated this one into this weeks Spoonful of Sugar challenge which is a great sketch by Debbie.

The main image is Penny Black 3984K stamped with versamark and embossed with detail gold onto acetate. I have laid this over a piece of vellum onto which I stamped snowflakes from Penny Black crystaline set 30-018 using versamark majestic blue and embossing with iridescent powder. I have stamped the same snowflakes onto the background using the same ink and powder combination.

The DP is a piece from my stash, the diagonal border punched with Martha Stewart arched lattice and the holly cut from Cricut Christmas solutions and again inked and embossed as above.

Passion for Promarkers & Spoonful of Sugar

I'm combining two challenges together on this one, Passion for Promarkers there the challenge is to use Cocoa and Cornflower Blue and A Spoonful of Sugar which ask that you use hearts on you projects.

I have used Art Impression T3094 (Sir Stampalot) as my main image stamped in versafine black and embossed with detail clear. To incorporate the hearts I used a Stamps by Judith (Stamp Addicts) stubby stamp to decorate her dress, colouring the hearts with the cocoa and the cornflower blue for the main part of her dress. As I have said before, I have problems with solitary figures, so my little girl is walking across cobbles stamped with Art Impression L3297, has some chalked clouds above her and some little birds using part of Art Impression G3234. My DP's are Daisy Bucket and Doodlebug, the top panel was run through the bug using the hearts folder to carry the theme and finished off with three flowers and some swarovski crystals.

Stamping for the Weekend

Today's card is a combined effort for this weeks Stamping for the Weekend, where the theme is to create "A wallet card or a pocket card", Spoonful of Sugar and Everybody Art Challenges who both have the theme of "Summer", so I thought these daisies and real midsummer flowers.

I have used Hobby Art FL1910E which I masked and stamped three times to create a stepped effect which is my pocket. Each of the flowers have been stamped again and this is where it all went a bit pear shaped and the fatigue kicked it ........ The flowers were meant to be sparkly, but ended up being embossed and I covered each with a quickie glue pen but dipped them in clear embossing powder instead of glitter by mistake ! At least I found out that quickie glue acts as an embossing ink OK.

I followed the dotty lines of the image with liquid pearls and added more flowers cut from the same image and a wire embelli to the bottom corner. The tag was cut on cricut Plantin and the greeting stamped from Hero LP140. The DP is from Karen Foster ....... also filed under "Green" ........ how long can this organisation work I ask ?

So must away now to have a rest (compulsory apparently) ......... but now I've got a laptop I can use the opportunity to catch up on some more serious blogging ........ I still have so many lovely comments to follow up on and quite a few awards to deal with as well, so will probably be back later.

A Spoonful of Sugar 45

Managed to create another one whilst the watchful eyes are diverted ........ I am resting really I am ........ but I'll go stir crazy if I do nothing so figure a little crating is good for the soul.

This one is for this weeks A Spoonful of Sugar which has the theme "Butterflies" so you know I just couldn't miss this one and had to take part. My main image is Chapel Road 11B, they have such wonderful stamps and so unusual. My background is Glimmer Misted - vanilla, gold, copper and creme de rouge and the images stamped with versafine black and embossed with detail clear.

The card itself has been stamped all over with Hero H2365 (not again I hear you say ........ but I do so love this stamp as it fits so many themes) in versamark and dusted with Prefect Pearls in a mixture of bronzes and golds. The leaves and flowers were cut on Cricut storybook and home decor and also glimmer misted. Butterflies were cut from the same GM'd piece of cardstock as the main image with a new punch which appears to have no name on it and I've destroyed the packaging, but I think it's by XCut.

Spoonful of Sugar 54

Well, got one challenge posted earlier then blogger went into meltdown again so decided to put my mind to working on a sample board for an extra Sir Stampalot class next month with the new My Minds Eye DP's and Hero stamps. And I amazed even myself, six cards, board completed and I'm really quite happy with 'Colours of Nature', lots of lovely yellows, bronzes and oranges. Can't share yet, but will do so nearer the time.

But all of this means I'm all behind with my blog visits so sorry everyone, I've not really abandond my blog buddies. And of course theres the lurking issue of the new laptop ........ It's so not true that computers are only as good as their users. I was feeling so pleased with myself that everything was working so well and left just my Cricut to transfer from my desktop ........ that's right this is where it all went pearshaped. So Wayne, the very nice man in Utah is helping me out yet again and hopefully all will be well with the world again shortly.

So back to my outstanding challenges I continued the messy ink techniques explained in my previous post and created a backgrond in the same way for this weeks A Spoonful of Sugar challenge which is a sketch by Sonja which is also my card for this weeks ABC's challenge "Q for Quilt".

The 'quilty' part is the bottom section using small squares of a coordinating Sandylion DP. Main image, yes you got it ........ Stampendous P107 - OMG - I don't even have to check the product code on this one anymore ........ I'm telling myself I need to buy another one just in case it gets lost or something dreadful happens to it ........ well you never know what might happen to a stamp expecially when it's loved as much as this one. The greeting is Art Impression F3143 and the scroll down the side Inkadinkado 97632 all stamped with versafine black and embossed with detail clear. I like the colours on this one, but feel it's a bit too busy for me, but who am I to question the designers requirements and I think it's actually growing on me, so they were right all along.

And if you are still with me at the end of this garbled diatribe thank you for your perseverance, it's just been one of those days that seems to go on forever, but at least I achieved most of what I wanted to do and with Wayne's help the day should end on a cricut note. Oh how naff is that ?

Cupcake challenge plus two

Good morning all, hope everyone had a good bank holiday weekend and that the weather was as good wherever you may be as it was here.

Today I have combined three challenges into one. The first is Cupcake challenge 41 entitled 2-2-2, two colours (plus a neutral), 2 shapes and 2 pieces of ribbon. The second is Everybody Art Challenge which is 3D creation and finally A Spoonful of Sugar which ask that lace is used on your project.

My 3D flower is made up of hearts cut on the Cricut using My Minds Eye and neutral DP. The inner layer of the flower is stamped with good old French Script stamp Hero H2356, which I have also stamped over the background using Tim Holtz Peeled Paint. The leaf is one of my new stash again from Hero CL338.

Lace and ribbon across the bottom, a square button in the centre of the flower and my second piece of ribbon and finally a swirl in the corner stippled with acrylic dappers.

A Spoonfull of Sugar 52

A Spoonful of Sugar challenge this week has the theme "Celebration - any celebration will do".

My card could be a wedding or special anniversary using Art Impression J3398, a lovely greeting which was a special commission by Sir Stampalot for one of their Create and Craft TV shows, which incidentally is scheduled to screen again at 4pm on Thursday (21st May). This card is not dissimilar to one of those I created for that show, although I've had to improvise with the flowers as the cuttlebug folder I used then went walkabout at class and never found it's way back to my basket !!

The centre element has been run through the cuttlebug using Swiss dots at either end and scrolls added using one of the the fancy corners. The flowers and leaves are cut from Hero LP140, which I stamped onto vellum with veramark and detail gold embossing powder.

A spoonful of sugar 51

Well, not really sure I like this one, it might grow on me, but an awful lot going on, all those buttons, but "Buttons Galore is this weeks challenge from A Spoonful of Sugar.

I fancied trying our a combo of green and brown using a DP from Bella Press. The circles are cut from nesties on the Cuttlebug, sanded and Tim Holtz peeled pain rubbed lightly across the surface. The swirly stamp is Hero H3317 and underneath to soften the green I stamped Hero H3317 with soft sand also Hero.

A pack of brown buttons seemed to have abundace of the same ones so I used these and followed the circles to achieve a scrolly effect - I know I've just counted them 13, I'm not superstitious. A few Hero flowers, brads and button added and a piece of ribbon fixed with a jumbo staple.

Inspirational Card Sketches

Good morning, it's a beautiful morning here in the fens, even blue skies ! I felt compelled to take my card into the garden to photograph so I could share some of the wonderful blossoms nature has to offer and which never fail to amaze me every year when they spring into life.

My card is set amongst a beautiful Viburnum Maresii which has an abundance of soft white blooms, as does the the Viburnum Pompom and of course I had to include one of the of lilacs whose armoa is filling the air today.

During my blog hopping session early this morning I found a new (well to me that is) challenge called Inspirational Card Sketches and they have a DT call and a great sketch by Dawnb.

As I was planning doing a card for A Spoon Full of Sugar where the task is "texture", I thought I would combine the two. The main image is good old favourite Stampendous agapanthus P107, stamped with versamark and detail copper embossing powder onto a glimmer misted background of copper, gold, cocoa and vanilla breeze. Before stamping the main image I repeat stamped across the background with hero H2365 using Hero shadow ink soft blossom. I added a little black down the side and corner to lift the piece with Penny Black 2636K using versafine black and detail clear emboss powder.

The flowers and leaves were cut on the cricut and sprayed with GM's terracotta, gold and vanilla breeze. The scallop was also cut out of bazzil on the cricut. The DP is K & Co.