To Follow the Star

Happy Wednesday peeps.

Whose going to the NEC then ? I am and really excited, only ever been once before so when hubby said would I like him to take me a jumped at the opportunity as it's not much fun driving all that way on your own, meaning I don't usually bother. And I am equally excited that I will be meeting quite a few new faces........assuming we can find one another amidst the crowds.

So my shares today are going to be quick as I have two days work to pack in today to clear my desk a bit so I can go tomorrow.

This first card is a relatively quick and simple make. I used post it noted to mask the coloured sections, on a piece of gloss cardstock, inked with Tim Holtz distress inks rusty hinge and dried marigold, then stamped the trees from a Creative Expressions set using versafine black and embossing with detail clear. Simply matters onto coordinating cardstock and a border punched with Fiskars threading water. This card is for the following challenges:

Papertake Weekly - Penny for the Guy (male card)
Paper Sundaes - For the Boys

Scrapbook Sisters - Autumn Colours

My second card has a background created by distressing with Tim Holtz broken china and dusky concord then stamping Hero Arts F5042 leaf flourish.......a real old favourite that I uses over an again........with bleach to lift the colour and expose the pattern of the stamp. Next a panel run through the Cuttlebug and inked with TH black soot and the main image is Penny Black4112K To Follow the Star stamped with versafine black and embossed with detail clear, then shaded with the same TH inks. The sentiment is Penny Black 4116H embossed with detail white, then eyelets, lace and cord added to finish. This is for the following challenges:

Everybody Art Challenges - Untraditional Christmas

For Fun - Use metal somewhere (eyelets)
Oldie but a Goodie - Distressed (main image is an old one but was re-issued this year under different code)

The above card is again a really quick and easy one, I placed a piece of paper with a circle aperture cut out onto gloss cardstock and brayered over with Big and Juicy Hydrangea lifting colour from the middle and left of the inkpad so I missed the pink section. I removed the mask, inked the brayer again, but removed a good amount of the ink from the brayer so I got a light covering of ink across the corners. I stamped the main image Crafts and Me Orchid of the Night twice with versafine black and embossed with detail clear, coloured in with the same B&J inkpad, glittered the wings and flowers and decoupaged.

The corners are a stamp from a clear Inkadinkado set (no codes I'm afraid) and the decoupaged flower is made up of several of the small flowers from the fairy stamp. This card is for the following challenges:

Alphabet Challenge - A is for Angels and Fairies
Kreative Stamp Friends - Favourite stamps
Anything Goes - B is for Beautiful
Flutterby Wednesdays - Open (wings of course)

Spoonful of Sugar - Relish to embellish

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

Moonlight madness

When I saw the new challenge at Scrapbook Sisters Card this week it was a must............you know me.......any opportunity to incorporate a moon somewhere into my work. So two for the price of one, a full moon and a crescent moon.

But before I move on to how I made my cards I want to say "La ringrazio molto" to Sadia and "Thank you" to Sandra for passing awards on to me this week. You all know I've got a rotten track record passing them on so I would like to say it's for all my lovely blog friends, please accept with my love.........I'm sure this is not what the rules say........but when did I ever follow rules ?

Both are stamped with Stayzon onto masked and brayered backgrounds, the fairy one using the centre colours of Big and Juicy Happy Birthday and the Santa one using Adirondack eggplant.

The fairy Sweet Pea Midnight Waiting has been coloured with the same B&J ink pad and Aquamarkers and the wings liberally glittered......as all good fairy should be. The DP is October Afternoon, flowers from stash and the sentiment computer generated. This cards is for the following challenges:

Scrapbook Sisters - Full Moon

Flutterby Wednesdays - Open

Creative Inspirations - Birthday theme

Everybody Art - Sketch

The house stamp on the Santa scene is Art Impressions V1562 which has been lightly coloured with Tim Holtz inks and the rooftops glittered with Judikins snow glitter. Santa is Magenta 02045-6 stamped with Adirondack eggplant and some punched snowflakes to decorate. This card is for the following challenges:

Anything Goes - Christmas has come early
Glitterbabes - Anything goes

And one final share using a favourite Penny Black stamp............well yes I know, I love them all........Penny Black 4078K Reach for the Starts and the matching sentiment 4057F. The image is coloured with Copics and decoupaged, the DP is Magnolia, the border Martha Steward doily lace trim and a rose made from the same DP with punched leaves. This card is for the following challenges:

CRAFT - Shaped card
Cute Card Thursday - Make your own

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".

Summer Flowers and candy winners

Good evening everyone out there in blogland.

Home at last, seems like we have been away forever and straight back to work today and so no chance yet to catch up on blogging, but have this evening earmarked for a bit of a hop. The wedding was fantastic, the whole week wonderful and so much to tell you but as I don't have any pictures yet because I just did not have the opportunity to take any myself, I am going to save it all for a post on it's own which I will hopefully get done later this week.

So all I have to share is one card.........but taken in the garden close to one of the kolkwitzia bushes (picture above) which matches the colours perfectly..........and my card incredibly fits a number of challenges as there are several of my 'regulars' which have very similar themes and time being in short supply until I get myself back into home mode, I am doubling up a bit, I don't think I have ever managed more than 3/4 before. So the challenges, Penny Black have the theme of "In the Garden" which goes very well with Cupcake challenge of "Summer Delights" and Everybody Art Challenges which is also "Summer", then Creative Card Crew want to see "Pink and Green" typical summer colours, ABC's theme is "V for Vintage" and I have followed a sketch from Inspirational Card Sketches and finally Tuesday Taggers would like to see "Texture".

My main image is Penny Black 4036K Poppy Poem stamped onto a background of Brilliance inks and Glimmer Mists to create a hazy colour. The flower head have been decoupaged after colouring with Marvy pens and spritzed with Glimmer Mist pearl. The DP is My Minds Eye and Basic Grey, all nicely distressed. The swirls and die cuts from Magenta, inked with brilliance and embossed with detail clear. Ribbon and liquid pearls added to finish.

Goodness, almost forgot to announce the winners of my little candy prizes who are:

Julie

The Sparkly Fairy

Well done to both of you, please mail me brenda@ibas.co.uk with your addy and I will get them off in the post to you.

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

Marks and Spencer gets crafty

Hope everyone had a good long weekend, despite the typical UK bank holiday weather which left a lot to be desired. Nothing too exciting happened here, but I did manage to get well ahead with sample cards for Sir Stampalot and DT work which is mega important with the wedding now less than three weeks away.

I have two very quick cards to share with you, the first is for this weeks weeks Everybody Art challenge which would like to see Pastel Colours and the second for Tuesday Taggers which is Recycling.

So what did I do, well as I said both were fairly simple and quick cards. The first is a Stampalot sample using one of the new release Hero stamps K5373 Flower Trio which I stamped with versafine black and embossed with detail clear, coloured with Tim Holtz mustard seed and tumbled glass adding Diamond Glaze then Stickles to the centres whilst still wet. I created a narrow border round the edge of the main piece of card by masking over the stamped image and stamping with Hero H3317 woven fabric and Hero F5042 leafy swirl with the same TH inks. The sentiment is Penny Black 3940F Life.

The second card is where my friend Mark Spencer lent a helping hand. When I took the packaging off some lemon sole fillets a couple of weeks ago and saw the reverse of the packing with news print I stashed it away and today it got an airing. I distressed it with Tim Holtz worn lipstick, rounded the edges and used it as my background. I made three punched flowers from the offcuts, shaded them with the same ink and spritzed with Glimmer mist vintage pink and dazzling diamonds. The main image is from a Magenta set CS043.

That's about it, other to remind you all about the new Stampalot Challenge where there are oodles of Tim Holtz products up for grabs.

Spring Blossoms

Good Morning peeps, what a lovey day it is here in the Fens, sunshine no wind the smell of prunus blossom in the air and just lovely. Hope it's the same your way.

At last our eldest son and his wife eventually got home from Thailand yesterday after their enforced extended holiday. But I hear there are lots of people still stranded outside Europe, so that are lucky to have got booked onto flights.

Just the one share today for this weeks Tuesday Taggers with the theme Memories, mine are childhood ones as this lovely stamp reminds me of apple scrumping........goodness knows whey we used to do it as we were surrounded by orchards......I guess picking the ones available was no fun. And it is also my entry for Everybody Art Challenges who want cards based on a Song Title........mine is Your my Best Friend by Queen of course and Creative Card Crew April Showers bring May Flowers......I've got nothing resembling rain so have gone with the flowers and blossom element.

My stamp is the one I used a week or so back Hero Arts K5353 In the Garden stamped very simply with Big and Juicy soothing sunset. The DP is Crate Paper, the punch Martha Stewart eyelet lace and eyelets, ribbon, flowers and pearls to embellish.

Daisies and Dragons

Crafting still seems on go slow, the ideas are there, they just seem to take forever getting all put together. It does not help that for three days I've been plane spotting........or rather keeping an eye on any changes to the flight situation where it seems the whole world has gone crazy.

Our eldest son and his wife are stranded in Thailand and been told the earliest they can be re-booked on to a flight is 1st May. We have tried every computation to try and get them home, but at the moment coming up against brick walls. They flew via Dubai with Emirates who are still flying into Malta so if they can get there, could get home via ferry and train. A tortuous journey but possible, but Emirates want a Kings ransom to change their original flight arrangements.

Back to crafting, two cards for two challenges. The first for this weeks Everybody Art Challenge who have a lovely sketch created by Jenny, the second for Tuesday Taggers who would like to see Dragons.

An easel card for the first challenge using Kaiser DP's. For the main image which is Penny Black 4042 Daisy Fields I created a background with Brilliance inks olive, gold and yellow, water and Glimmer Mist pearl. I then stamped over the piece with Magenta 3940M crackle background, then the main image using versafine sepia and detail clear embossing powder.

I stamped the flower heads a second time, coloured with Marvy pens, inked with versafine frost as this bleeds and softens the colours, then spritzed with the same GM, moulded whilst still wet and decoupaged. The sentiment is Penny Black 3940 Life. The border is punched with Martha Stewart eyelet lace, punched butterflies and some Magnolia gem leaves........I'm sure they have a proper name, but I threw the wrapping !

The second card which I confess I am non too keen on, is made with the only dragon stamp I possess and it probably not the sort of dragon St George would have associate with, but artistic licence and all that. I stamped all over the card itself with JudiKins 2201J using versamark and detail clear embossing powder, then inked all over with Tim Holtz rusty hinge, dusted with Perfect Pearls and moved the colours around with a baby wipe to create a more aged look.

I used the same TH distress ink to create a background for the main image, plus a smidgen of TH dusky concord, then embossed the edges with gold. I stamped the dragon image which is Rubber Stampede 3006F with versafine imperial purple and embossed with detail clear. The sentiment is Stamp Barn kanji cube and purple cord to finish.

Easter bunny basket

This one seems to have taken me forever, spent ages on the DS trying to create the basket with a variety of Cricut cartridges. It's not quite what I had in mind shape wise, but I've faffed enough for one day I think.

The Crate Paper DP is more of the new stock at Sir Stampalot which seems to be walking out of the door quicker than it arrives. Not surprising because it really is yummy, the colours are beautiful, it's double sided and the texture lovely.

I stamped Penny Black 3868J Portraits onto some of the patterned side, cut them out and stuck to the plain panels, the cut out some of the butterflies on the patterned side and decoupaged them adding some glitter. I created the handle using Martha Steward eyelet lace and attached with brads and flowers cut with a stencil through the Big Shot and ribbon on the corners.

My basket fits two challenges Stamping for the Weekend and Everybody Art Challenge who both have the theme Easter.

Hues of green and purple

Good Aftrenoon peeps, hope everyone is having a good day. Not a lot of sunshine today, rather dull but at least not as cold. Could Spring be here ? My hubby was reading something on the tinernet this morning which said most spring bulbs and flowers were four weeks behind this time last year. Judging by those in our gardens that sounds about right, most are very reluctant still.

I have a cold - woke up with the sneezes and by mid morning it was in full swing, guess I am in the fashion as lots of peeps have them. It's my bloggaversary at the end of the month and was planning getting some candy thank yous up today, but not that organised so hope to get it up here later this week.

So, just one quick card, don't really feel in the mood with this cold and it's for Everybody Art Challenges which this week has a recipe "Two flowers, two DP's and two buttons".

Good old Penny Black 4040K Sparklers again.........can see this one becoming a real favourite.........could it be anything to do with the fact it's not unlike Stampendous P107 I wonder ? And the card is a similar take on one I did at the weekend using masking, this time with Tim Holtz distress inks dusky concord and shabby shutters, spritzed with Glimmer Mist pearl to blend the colours and stamped the image with Versafine imperial purple. The sentiment is Penny Black 2905H The Best stamped with the same ink, then I very lightly dabbed the same two TH inks with a sponge to give a shadow effect around the writing. I also stamped some dragonflies with Penny Black 3395D.

The background DP is from stash so no idea of the make and the green spotty one punched with Fiskars threading water is from the new Polkadoodle Paper Boutique CD. Two buttons and ribbon added to the centre of the two flower heads to embellish.

Poppies

For the first time in I don't know how long I was able to take a picture in the sunlight and even got a little shadow to prove what a lovely day it is here today.

I made this card following the sketch at Everybody Art Challenges and although I don't like combining more than a couple of challenges very much, I found this fits four of those I take part in....... Tuesday Taggers has the theme "Swirls and Curls", the theme this week at Cupcake is "Round and Round" and Creative Card Crew want to "Celebrate".

The main image is from my new stash from Sir Stampalot and I just love this one, Penny Black 4036 Poppy Poem. I stamped it several times with versamark and embossed with detail clear, coloured with Marvy pens then cut out three layers making each a bit smaller so I could layer them. I then inked them with versamark frost and spritzed with Glimmer Mist pearl to make the colours blend and shine.

The Kaiser DP is from one of the new 6x6 pads with rich reds and black and some sheets are beautifully foiled plus at the back of the pad I discovered there are die cut sentiment mats and borders. The corners are punches with Martha Steward double loop, the swirl is a Sizzix die run through the Big Shot and the butterflies punched from some glitter paper. I added red and black swarovski crystal to embellish and the sentiment is Hobby Art GR223.

Messy fingers

What did you do in your dinner hour ? I got messy fingers.........thanks to this weeks challenge over at Tuesday Taggers which is tailor made for me with their theme "Getting Messy Hands".........I shared my messy fingers with you last week, so you know how I enjoy this form of crafting. And we are asked to include the name of their sponsors for the week who are The Craft Barn. And I have taken the style of my project from this weeks Everybody Art Challenge who would like to see Easel Cards.

The base of the card is a box with a drawer which are so easy to make with just a scoring tool and ruler and the easel card simply mounted on the top. The Basic Grey DP is one of the new designs and double sided, so ideal for using in this way.

The background of the main element is a piece of linen cardstock, inked with Tim Holtz peeled pain, shabby shutters and antique linen, then spritzed with Glimmer Mists honey dew mist, pearl and gold, with a splash of tiger lily in the top right corner to give the effect of sun. I then distressed the edges, inked again and dipped into detail gold embossing powder, then heated to define the edges.

All stamps are all Lavinia and including some of their new releases, with the exception of the tiny leaves and cobble stones which are Art Impression. The border across the bottom is punched with Martha Stewart embossed scallop and some pearl brads added.

Going green and cutsie

Morning Peeps from a foggy and frosty Fen. Winter seems to be going on forever this year and I so long for Spring, probably my favourite time of year when I never fail to be amazed by the wonders of nature with all the re-birth of everything that has laid dormant all winter. I think I get this from my dear Dad who as a farmer, had his whole life dictated by nature.

I have spent a good deal of crafty time this week preparing DT work so that I can get ahead of myself and have time to get started on the preparations for the new Stampalot challenge I am organising. Much of the artwork I have finished can't be shared until March, except the samples I created for Polkadoodles new CD which the oh so talented Nikky is launching on C&C next Thursday 25th.

Today's card is for two challenges Everybody Art challenge whose sketch I have followed and ABC challenge which is "One Paper" - which is says can be double sided and count as one, which is what I have done. My piece of paper is one of the beautiful new designs from Cosmo Cricket which I plundered when I was at Sir Stampalot when they arrived the other day.

My image is Sarah Kay picnic time stamped with versafine back and embossed with detail clear three time, coloured with Copics and decoupaged. I decorated round the image with various Art Impression leaves and flowers and the large flowers is made with punches using the same DP scrunched up and sprayed with Glimmer Mist lily pad, plus some leaves and pearls.

Have you added your name for candy ?

Well folks, just four days to go until lift off.........of course I mean your chance to win some of the mega candy on offer in the Special One Off Challenge and Blog Hop.......all prized of course coming from the challenge sponsors Sir Stampaot.

The last week or so seem to have flown by with all this organising and I appear to have turned into a very bad blogger missing so many of your posts, so apologies but I should soon be back to normal because on Monday I will be officially posting the challenge and introducing you to my very talented Honorary Design Team........we rather liked the sound of that and it has sort of stuck.

So I hope we will be seeing lots of you entering and myself and the DT are so looking forward to visiting all your blogs to see what creations you come up with for the great theme that Andy and Janice at Sir Stampalot have chosen for us.......no, I'm not telling what the theme is until Monday.......I know I'm a real spoil sport. And don't forget there is still time to enter the candy on offer on the post at the top of my blog which will drawn by Random Org on Sunday night.

So on to a card that I have made for this weeks Everybody Art Challenges which has a colour combo of 'Brown, Blue and White'. A chance to use some more of my new Hero stamps, this time CL375, Big Flowers and CL278 Great Flourishes. I stamped the flowers and leaves onto a piece of brown Bazzil cardstock, using versamark and detail clear embossing powder, masking some of them as I stamped, then bleaching out the flowers and leaves.

I coloured with Twinkling H2o's and added punched circles to the centres which I glittered with crystal glitter. The sentiment is stamped with versfaine blue and embossed with detail clear.

A couple of challenges and Candy news

Well it's still snowing on and off and by the look of the news it's pretty bad in some parts. Here in the Fens we had a heavy fall this morning which compounded by the hard frosts we've had almost every day on top of the Christmas snow which is still laying around, it's pretty treacherous out there. Whatever your weather, keep warm and safe.

A mixed bunch here and might be a long post so grab a coffee first. Two cards, candy news, some challenges, another tutorial and the first of some very overdue samples for Sir Stampalot using one of the new releases from Hero Arts. And for those of you on the look out for a bargain, their mega sale starts on Saturday 9th January, but if you cant wait there are already some sale goodies to be grabbed right here.

Just had a quick nose myself and there are some real bargains to be had - Alphametal Stamp Kit - £29.95 down to £9.95, Tim Holt stamp sets half price, Rubber Soul stamp sets £12.50 down to £5, Ladybug and friends £10.99 down to £6. Me thinks I need to do some serious shopping......................

Now the candy news. I have said many times that I have been overwhelmed by the friendship I have received here in blogland and the wonderful friends I have met. I realised this week that my followers are close to reaching 200.......this just astounds me it really does, so as a thank you I am offering some candy. It is a bit of a mixed bag, stamps, ribbons, cardstock, flowers, DP's and lots more, I am just waiting for a decent bit of daylight to take some photos, then I will get it posted up over the next few days.

A few people have asked me how I do the messy aceate, glue and foil technique like the one above, so working on a tutorial for that, but again need better weather before I can bag some decent photographs.

On to some challenges. My first card is for this weeks Creative Card Crew which had a theme just made for me "Distressing" and Everybody Art Challenges wants us to use our favourite colour combo. Well I love all colours so it's a hard call to decide on my favourite, but as I repeatedly drift back to autumnal colours and getting all stressed out.......some days that's not just my cards either I can tell you.........so I guess these colours must be some of my favourites.

For this card I started with Glimmer Mists pineapple, copper, gold terracotta, vanilla breeze and iridescent gold to create a background piece. I then stamped onto this with Hero Arts G3316 Harlequin, F5042 Leaf Flourish and H2365 Old French Writing using a mixture of versafine sepia, versamark and detail gold embossing powder. To add a bit more interest I sponged some brilliance gold through a piece of mesh and distressed the edges with Tim Holtz brushed corduroy. Next I stamped good old favourite Stampendous P107 Agapanthus Cluster onto a piece of acetate using versafine black and heat embossed with detail clear and the same Hero swirl down the side and embossed with gold.

After joining the acetate the the base piece with some brads, wrapped some gold cord round and mounted it onto a piece of Crate Paper DP, again distressed around the edges. Finally I added a flower, some gold gems and a journaling tag.

Tuesday Taggers (and a Stampalot sample) has the lovely theme of Black and White, always a pleasure to work with and I love the crispness of the combination. I stamped some swirls onto the card itself with Inkadinkado 97632 then stamped one of my new Hero stamps CG165 Silhouette Bells onto white linen cardstock using versafine black and embossed with detail clear. I cut nested mounts on Cricut Storybook and cut a central oval with nesties through the Big Shot Express. More roses I'm afraid, this time with black vellum, white pearls for stamens and some punched leaves.

My rose tutorial can be found here for anyone who fancies a go at making them, believe me they are very simple and much cheaper than the commercially produced ones.........plus you can make them from your DP's so you get an exact colour match.

Challenges and showjumping

Good Morning everyone, hope you are all having a good Tuesday. I has a sudden frightening thought this morning and panic set in, Christmas is next week and I still have oodles of pressies to wrap apart from thinking about shopping for food, but sure I'm not alone here. It always seems to be forever coming then suddenly arrives and I never seem to be ready.

First I want so say a big thank you to the team at ABC Challenge for selecting this card for their Top 5.

Next an update of yesterdays equestrian activities as several of you have kindly asked to hear more. Anysia did really well and we were so proud of her. She scored two 8's and two 9's in the dressage, she had three down in the showjumping, but that was par for the course with all the riders. Fences were set at 3' plus for her group and there were a good number of refusals, at least Ben attempted them all........well apart from the Joker which he obviously didn't like the look of as he ploughed straight through it.......he's a hefty lad so took it all in his stride - literally. Overall scores were being calculated last night and will be announced at College today, Cambridge Milton Campus where she is doing Equine Studies. I will update when we know.

On to my card which follows a great sketch at Everybody Art Challenges and also covers Cupcake challenge theme of "5x5 Birthday" and Creative Card Crew where "Anything Goes".

I firstly stamped around the edges of a piece of cardstock with Hero Arts F5042 Leaf Flourish using versamark and detail clear embossing, then distressed with Tim Holt scattered straw and fired brick. My main image is Lady and Dog from Unmounted Stamp Company which I coloured in with Copics and added some gold leaf and gems. The sentiment is Rachelle Anne Miller Sentiments RM063. DP is Magnolia and the roses made from cream copier paper (tutorial here).

Challenges

After vowing only this morning that I really had done with Christmas cards and was making no more, here I am back with another.......mind you it's a bit unconventional, but my daughter will adore it and that's just where it will be going.

The theme for this weeks ABC challenge is "I for Indigo" and as I don't work with blue a great deal it's made me step outside my comfort zone a bit which is never a bad thing. I have coupled it with Everybody Art Challenges theme of "Christmas" and Creative Card Crews "Favourite Things"........everyone who know me knows I adore butterflies. Not sure if the finished card is a bit overkill, but my hubby's (who is my main critic) comment was "not in the current run of pile it on crafting". Hmmmmm !

I created a background with Brilliance inks, sky, silver and Mediterranean blue, dabbing them onto a silicone sheet, spritzing with water then whooshing a piece of card around to get a good covering which when dry gives a lovely glistening background to work on. I stamped my image, Penny Black 3896K with versafine blue and embossed with detail clear, then painted the poinsettias with the same brilliance inks. The lovely sentiment is Hero Arts C2604.

The card itself which is pearlescent silver is randomly stamped with Penny Black 3999H using the same blue versafine and embossing with iridescent powder. A piece of pale blue vellum has been laid diagonally across the card because I felt the snowflakes were a bit overpowering. The gorgeous ribbon which has tiny butterflies all over was a present from a great blogging friend......I know you don't like your name in lights, but you know who you are, so thank you mate.

To finish I made up a stick pin with blue and pearl beads and some butterflies punched from vellum. Overkill possibly, but I actually quite like the finished project.

More new goodies

Am I having fun with all these new goodies from the NEC and needless to say I have used one of the new stamps for this weeks Passion for Promarkers which has an open colour theme but with a sketch. I have also combined it with Everybody Art Challenges which would like to see "Distressing" this week.......yippee you hear me say, I so love getting a bit messy and Tuesday Taggers which has the theme "No Patterned Papers".

So my stamp...... code VA-1M-14 is from the Unmounted Stamp Company........ I have to confess the company is new to me but I am so glad I found them at the NEC as they have some absolutely wonderful images which stamp beautifully. I will certainly be visiting their on line store as I have my eye on some more which they had run out of on Sunday, no surprise really.

I have stamped my image with versafine sepia, embossed with detail clear, coloured with Promarkers then cut the mats with Nesties through the Bug. The background has been created by stamping JudiKins 6762I repeatedly with vesamark and embossing, again with detail clear. I then coloured and distressed with Tim Holtz Dried Marigold and Spiced Marmalade. The sentiment is a section of Penny Black 2695J. The swirls were cut with Cricut Home Accents and stippled with Adirondack Acrylic Dabbers Gold and Copper. I made the roses with some copy paper, glittering the edges with iridescent embossing powder.

Passion for Promarkes

Morning Peeps, wet and windy - again, so hope lots of you are using the excuse for some serious crafting activity.......or are you all counting your pennies out ready for the NEC ?

Over at Sir Stampalot central (stand H05) it's a hive of activity packing and loading ready for the big event, as it is at Stamp Addicts (stand H30) and I'm sure lots of other locations around the UK. And come next week those of us lucky enough to go to the NEC will be bursting with inspiration all rushing to show off our new goodies on our makes........but with empty purses what else will we be able to do ?

Three challenges here, a great sketch from Tina at Everybody Art Challenges, and Passion for Pormarkers who have the colour theme of 'Grass and Canary' and wow do these two colours look great together and Creative Card Crew who want to see 'Ribbons and Gems'.

On to my card, a bit of a busy one for me, but it's sort of growing on me. My image is Sarah Kay Rose Garden, stamped with versafine black and embossed with detail clear and coloured with the two required Promarkers. The DP is Doodlebug and Basic Grey and the border punch Fiskars Threading Water. I made the three roses from the same DP and for a change I added some pearl stamens which I think works quite well. Leaves are punched from my new L-Em Ashe Tree Family 2 punch which I told you about yesterday. The little birdie and butterfly are from Penny Black 30- 034 and the flowers next to the image are from the Tilda range but afraid I have no idea of the code.