Distressed Primary

The lovely Emma has decided to go "All Primary" at Allsorts this week and would like us to use two colours from Blue, Red and Yellow.

It is extra exciting this week as Joanna of Sheeny Towers fame is joining us for the month of August as our Guest Designer. I was so thrilled when I asked her and she said yes. Thank you Joanna, I know we will all be inspired by the wonderful work you have created for us.

I had a messy session to create my card, first distressing a piece of cardstock with Tim Holt broken china and mustard seed, then stamping with Hero F5042 with bleach to lift the colour. The main image is stamped onto a piece of card onto which I used the same inks to created a striped effect using a blending tool, then stamping Penny Black 4035K Letters and Flowers using versafine majestic blue and embossing with iridescent powder.

I punched the border with Fiskars threading water and cut away part of the edge, added some pearls and cord and a flower made with punches, spritzed with Glimmer Mist lemon zest.

For those of you who have been following my holiday candy route, I will be back by Monday and be publishing the winners as soon as I can then.

Altered art wedding hat ?

Morning peeps, hope you all had a good weekend. Apols I have not been round to visit for a few days, but time seem in short supply at the mo with so much activity and wedding preparation plus trying to get ahead with my DT work before I go.

So, where to start, an award from Lina, thank you so much Lina you are a great blog buddy, Top 5 place with this at ABC, thanks to you girls, a wedding fascinator with a crafty influence and a card for challenges.

First a special share for you today........'the' wedding hat, or to be precise fascinator........I love big hats but with waist length hair that I wear up most of the time, hats don't really sit atop too well. But I love feathers, so these top nots are right up my street and so elegant.

But you know me, there has to be a bit of crafting involved, oh yes, I do mean in the fascinator..... call it altered art. I did exactly the same with this wedding as our eldest son's last year, bought one outfit and then saw another.......I know, logic says take one back, but well I love silk which they both are plus the bolero jacket with the first is lovely so you know what happened........yes I now have two outfits.

This little number which I bought with the first outfit matched the second one as well, but I thought it needed a touch of lilac to match the hint running through the fabric of the second outfit so embarked on a bit of titivating. Some lilac feathers, silicone and dries clear glue from my craft room, and there you have it ready to go.

Lots of you have asked about the Matron of Honor's dress. Still missing four weeks on I'm afraid and with the wedding next week we have all accepted it's unlikely to turn up. So she has offered to try and find a replacement in Paris this week, but easier said than done as far as matching colour goes as the other four girls dresses are with us. On a positive note, my shoes are wearing in nicely and the bride and groom seem to have passed the stress barrier and come out the other side.

Now a card for this weeks Penny Black challenge which has the theme "Flowers" and Cupcake whose theme is "Blooming Charming" and Secret Crafter which would like to see "Metal" on projects (butterfly charm).

It gave the perfect chance to indulge in the new Kaiser DP freshly arrived at Stampalot this week along with some more Magnolia flowers which just happened to match perfectly. My main image is Penny Black 3976K acrobat, coloured with Copics and decoupaged with three layers. The sentiment is Hero Arts A4981. I punched the borders with Fiskars threading water and added lace, a butterfly charm, punched leaves, glitter and some cord.

Spring Blooms

Really sorry this is so late folks, what with all that's going on right now and being at the hospital so much blogging has fallen by the wayside.

The last five days seem to have lasted forever and I can't begin to explain how traumatic it has been for the whole family, but most of all our lovely Anysia. But she is stable now and we are just taking things a day at a time. It's going to be a very long road to recovery, but we are so thankful that we still have her, things were nearly so different and does not bear thinking about.

The following blurb was prepared last week, but for whatever reason did not publish yesterday for our new challenge at Allsorts. I have to admit to a certain amount of plagiarism with my card, it's a take on one created by my mate Chris, but as it was her who insisted I 'needed' this stamp Hero Arts CO141, I figure we are quits.

The background was created by randomly stamping the flower with versamark and embossing with detail clear, then distressing with Tim Holtz Wild Honey. I coloured the main flower with Prismacolor pencils, cut the mats with Nesties through the Big Shot and a border using Fiskars threading water punch. The squares are punched out of Bazzil cardstock then buttons and thread added.

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.

Polkadoodles 3

Before I launch into this weeks Polkadoodles challenge set by my teamie Enfys, I want to say a huge thank you to the team at ABC challenge for selecting my card for their Top 5 last week, I was super thrilled to see my name there.

We have been given us a sketch to work with plus she would like to see projects made with 'Orange and Red', might sound an odd combination but try it out, it works really well.

I have used one if the images from the Back to Nature CD, coloured with Copics and decoupaged the little girls clothes, then added some chalk clouds and grass to the background. The patterned paper is from the same CD and the top panel bazzil run through the Big Shot using a daisy folder. Border are punched with Fiskars threading water and ribbon and gems added to finish.

ABC challenge

Hope you are all keeping warm in this freezing cold weather. It looks lovely but not so good for those of us that need to go to mundane places like work and school.......who have just e.mail parents to say they were closing early again today so guess there must be more snow on the way........ so another trip to make.

I have just the one card to share with you which is for this weeks ABC challenge and the theme 'L for layering' so the perfect opportunity to share one of my sample cards for the Create and Craft programme at 11am on Sunday 10th January when the brand new Polkadoodle Love, Marriage and More CD will be launched.

The designs on this CD are just stunning and I really enjoyed playing with it and creating my sample cards. This card uses papers from the Boundless Love collection. I printed off a second sheet on pink paper to give me some pink flowers which I cut out and decoupaged (hopefully this counts as layering), some punched leaves and pearls added, some black lace, gems and a border punched with Fiskars threading water.

Just a card

Hello everyone, though I would try a bit of crafting this morning, have to say not really back into the swing of things, minds still fuzzy from all the hectic Christmas activities and the body's less than willing. The need for a holiday seems to be high on the daydream agenda, although the reality is it's not a likely option......... but I can dream of warmer climes. My ideal year would be November to February somewhere nice and warm like Egypt or Florida, oh if only.

So back to reality and a card using one of the stamps I chose as part of my Simon Says win at the Penny Black blog hop a few eeks ago. It's Inkadinkado 93075X which I stamped with versafine black and embossed with iridescent embossing powder then colourd with a wash of Twinkling H20's.

I stamped swirls down one side with Inkadinkado 97632 and Hero Soft Peach, then laid over a swirl cut from a Sizzix border die on my Big Shot Express.........Santa delivered this on Christmas day.........a conspiracy between my hubby and the Stampalot guys.......and it is a dream to use, just hold the button and it cuts, not cranking or turning, just wonderful and easy.

To finish butterflies and three roses made from matching paper, some punched laves and a border using Fiskars Threading Water punch.

Penny Black Challenge

Wooo Hoo, I won at the Penny Black's Challenge blog hop. Never entered one before so you can imagine how surprised and excited I was to see I was one of the winners. I get to choose $25 Simon Says products, so a shopping spree awaits.

And this week they have a great sketch to follow. It's not unlike one I quite often use so feel really at home with this one. I have used Daisy Bucket DP's on the base card and inked a mat using my very watery swish and swoosh inky technique with Tim Holtz Frayed Burlap, Peeled Pain and Broken China. The main image is Penny Black 3822K which I stamped with versafie sepia and embossed with detail clear and highlighted with stickles. The sentiment is Stamp by Judith SK-LG-207 and the border and corner punched with Fiskars Threading Water.

Allsorts challenge 28

Here we are Saturday again which means another new challenge at Allsorts. And am I pleased I got my DT work done last weekend, otherwise I would have been in sheer panic not being able to craft all this week. Still having to take things slowly, shorts burst on the computer and to avoid the glare I am wearing my sunnies.......guess I can dream I'm on some sun soaked beach - as if........ and hopefully a bit of crafting over the weekend.

So back to this weeks challenge where it's Kirsten's turn to choose the theme and she has selected a really great one "Christmas Carol or Song title", so what better excuse for another Christmas card. Again you amazed us with all your varied creations last week so do make sure you check out the challenge blog to see who has won and if you are one of Emma's Top 5.

My card is a real traditional - We Three Kings. I love this stamp from Stampendous......which I only just realised has no code or name on the side ! I have stamped it with versamark onto heat resist acetate and embossed with detail clear, before running it through the Zyron so I could cover the back with gold leaf and pieces of coloured foil, before cutting our the main image. I Brayered a piece of gloss cardstock with Big and Juicy Soothing Sunset, masking a moon onto which I then stamped a star with Hobby Art QT801A.

Next I stamped down the side of the card with Hero Arts Script H2365 using Versamark and embossing with detail gold, then placed a narrow border punched with Fiskars Threading Water. The background was matted onto a piece of My Minds Eye DP, then gold mirri card and the wise men mounted on top with silicone to give dimension. Finally I tied a simple bow with black cord round the card.

Rosie D's challenge 57

Hello all and time for the reveal of my card for the current Rosie D's Challenge which has the theme of Pink, White and a Wafer plus a sketch for you to follow designed by our very own Rosie. As we are now a fortnightly challenge there is still another week for you to enter so what are you waiting for ?

Now before I tell you about my card, a confession and you will realise what a lovely gang we have here at Rosie D's. A couple of weeks back when I did my card for this challenge I posted a very cute blue Christmas card following Rosie's sketch. It suddenly dawned on me just before our DT work was posted to the challenge blog what there was actually a colour theme and it most certainly was not blue.......panic set in and I quickly prepared another one following the right colourways......but my teamies are so polite that nobody had said a work to me other than to compliment me on the blue card. You can imagine what a dozy mare I felt !!

So my card, main image is Penny Black 3996K stamped with Brilliance Orchid and shaded round the edge with Hero Shadow Blossom and the edge of the card distressed with Tim Holtz Antique Linen. DP is from stash and the border punched with Fiskars Threading Water and some lace. I made the flowers from the same DP, embossing the edges with iridescent powder and the leaves are my 'wafer' punched from corrugated card coloured with the same orchid ink and embossing powder.

Quite a collection

Morning folks. I have a day of 'proper' work today to try and break the back of a wedding invitation order I have been trying to get finished for weeks. It's been a bit of a nightmare as the ribbon I used on the original samples seems to have been discontinued in the width I need so have spent days searching the Internet to see who has any in stock and hey presto, Monday I found three 25m reels at Athena crafts. And I have to say I was impressed with their service, I was in contact with them lunchtime Monday and the ribbon was with me yesterday, now that's service.

But before I make a start on those invitations a quick share of my card that covers a multitude. Following the sketch at this weeks Cupcake challenge, I have combined Passion for Promarkers where there is an 'Open' colour theme but the requirement to include an 'Animal' on your project, Creative Card Crew would like to see 'Snowflakes' this week and Tuesday Taggers have a penchant for a 'Burst of Colour', so all in all very easy to combine in one card.

My main image is Penny Black 4015K Christmas Tree Ted coloured with Promarkers who is a bit in touch with his feminine side in order to blend in with this really pretty My Minds Eye DP. His boots and hat have been diamond glazed and snow added using JudiKins snow glitter - added to dries clear glue this really is great for snow as it is quire chunky and give good dimension. Border are all punched with Fiskars Threading Water.

Addedndum: Been reminded that I forgot to say how I made the snowflakes - a new - did I say new, oh dear yep new Martha Stewart punch that I really really 'needed' and the brad snowflake is in a pack of six I found at Stamplaot but afraid already thrown the packing so no name.

Everybody Art Challenges

Hello everyone, been a bit quiet this end and not too much crafting for a day or so what with my flu/cold plus Buffy is poorly. Been to the vets a couple of times......with Buffy - not me......mind you I might get more sense if I made the change. They think it's some kind of virus - bless her she is sneezing constantly and has a really high temperature, but hopefully the antibiotics will kick it quickly and she will be back to her old self. When a Labrador if off her food you know she's not feeling good.

Back to all things crafty and something for this weeks Everybody Art Challenges where Thelma has set theme of 'Autumn', one I just love to play with. The sun has been created with a mask and sponging and then my owl image -Inkadinkado 98396 - stamped into the centre with versafine sepia and embossed with detail clear.

Quite a lot of stamping going on in the background using Hero Arts 97513 Harlequin and Inkadinkado 97513 and Brilliance Thyme, Rocket Red Gold and Rust and Hero Arts H2365 stamped onto the bank across the middle which I punched with Fiskars Threading Water. The leaves are from the same Inkadinkado set as are the tiny ones which have been stamped onto Shrink Plastic with some raffia and a single rose made from the same paper as the band across the middle of the card wich is stamped with H2365 Old French Writing.

Allsorts challenge 24

Good morning everyone and as it's Saturday this means it's Allsorts challenge day again and this weeks theme is set by Debs who has chosen "Furry Friends". The DT have all been treated to an image to use from this weeks sponsors Wild Rose Studio.

It is so good to see so many of you joining in with us every week and the inspirational team really enjoy visiting all your projects and of course as well as a prize every week, there is also the Top 5 who get to display our special blinkie on their blogs.

I chose this cute little mouse who definitely looks to be in Christmas mode. I coloured him with Promarkers and added diamond glazed. The DP's are from K&Co's Winter Wonderland 12 x 12 Christmas pad. I ran one panel through the Cuttlebug using the snowflake folder and mounted it onto a red mat edges with my Fiskars threading water punch. The snowflakes are also cur with a punch and red pearls added to the centres. The sentiment is from Woodware FRCL128.

Three into one

Good day all and what a wonderful sunny day it is here in the Fens, hope you are all having a bit of the same. Beet harvesting is well under way now and this weather is ideal for them, always hate it when it's wet this time of year as our single track roads........oh yes, it's pretty rural where we live......become a mass of mud. So I always get black looks from the Polish car wash team at Tesco when I take my mud laden baby in for her wash.......being a sporty number it sits pretty close to the road so the mud just piles up.

Anyway, enough jabber, this is just a quick post in my lunch break with a card combining this weeks Passion for Promarkers where Gina has provided a brill sketch and you can use any colours on your project, Everybody Art Challenge who would like to see punches and shapes on your card ans Creative Card Crew who's theme is scallops.

My image is Sarah Kay stamped in versafine black and embossed with detail clear and coloured with Promarkers. I have stamped her hat again onto my DP which is from Best Creation and decoupaged it and also made three roses from the same paper. The scalloped border is using Fiskars threading water punch and the leaves are also punched with a new McGill punch. The sentiment is one of four on a skinny cube SK-LG-207 from Stamps by Judith. Not the best picture I am afraid as despite the bright day seemed to get shadow in every direction.

Allsorts challenge 22

It's Saturday and Allsorts challenge 22 where my teamie Gro has selected the theme of Halloween. Judging by lots of your blogs you like this theme so this is the perfect opportunity to play along with chance of winning the wonderful prize from our sponsors this week Pink Gem Designs.

My DT card is rather orange to say the least but it's growing on me. My main image is one of my new goodies Hero Arts F5210 Curious Owl stamped simply with black versafine and embossed with detail clear. I made the background paper by repeat stamping onto orange card using the same method as the owl using one of the leafy images from Inkadinkado 97513......they call this a Halloween set, but a pumpkin is as near as it gets really, but the leafy flourishes and tree are gorgeous and I have had so much use out of this set. The pumpkin is from the same set and the little bat which has no code.

The borders were punched with Fiskars threading water, the wording cut on Cricut Jasmin and the spider inspired by Kath using a button and paper offcuts.

Everybody Art Challenges

Good morning folks, it looks like being one of those days when I don't know if I am on my ---- or by elbow ! Just completed my card for this weeks Everybody Art Challenges which is a great sketch by Tina, went off to take a piccy of it and what do I find, I had already done one yesterday, so as I can't decide am posting both.

And if what was enough, I found I had even screwed up on my card for my own challenge coming up at Allsorts this Saturday.......now you would have thought taking so much time to prepare my theme I would at least have remembered what it was...... and the worse bit is, I only realised when I went to post it ready for Saturday. So a second take on that as well.

Back to this challenge, both cards totally different. The one with the birds which is yesterdays take is using Daisy Bucket DP's and a background brayered on to gloss cardstock using Tim Holz dried marigold, spiced marmalade, fired brick and mustard seed. I masked the sun for the initial brayering, then after removing the mask rand over it again with the mustard seed. The image is Penny Black 3837H and the sentiment from Woodware FRCL128 stamped onto white shrink plastic. The border is Fiskars and gems added to finish.

My second attampt is using Hero CL105 stamped with Hero shadow in soft apricot and green. The PS's are My Minds Eye and the border Martha Stewart doily lace. I ran one of the panels thought the Bug using the daisy folder to match the daisies on the image. The greeting is a section of Hero E4509 placed iside a tag cut on Cricut fabulous finds (I think - I borrowed the cartridge and ran off a stock of buckles and tags). Enblellised with some flowers, ribbon and brads.

Allsorts challenge 21

The fen gate is open today and it's blowing like a goodn. Anyone who knows the fens will understand what I mean.......not a hill in sight so when it blows we know all about it. And with it being so dry lately we have 'fen blows' as well - the fine soil wafting in clouds.

We have really had a treat this week as all the Allsorts DT were given downloads from Pink Petticoat from the new Big Fella range. Pink Petticoat are also sponsoring this weeks challenge and the lucky winner will receive a free download. And there is an added twist this week because if you use Pink Petticoat products to make your entry you can add the link twice on Mr Linky and have double the chance of winning.

I used the Kraft papers and the birthday cake image which I coloured with Promaprkers adding some glitter to the candles. The flowers were cut from the same papers and buttons and raffia added to them. The border is using Fiskars threading water. I stamped randomly around the image with Creative Expressions JN2B using Hero shadow ink soft pool.

Allsorts challenge

Saturday morning can only mean one thing........a new Allosorts challenge. And this week Lisa is hosting the challenge and has chosen Autumn Days as her theme. Such a beautiful time of the year and a chance to use all those glorious rich colours on our cards.

I have made a card with a matching gift box which my hubby came home with a few days ago........he got them from the pound shop and thought they "looked like me".......OK then, three plain cardboard boxes. When I questioned his comment he tried to redeem himself by saying what he mean was he knew I would make them into something pretty.

So here is what I did. First I made my own DP by stamping a sheet of heavyweight cream paper repeatedly with one of the leaf collage stamps from Inkadinkado 97513 using Brilliance copper, crimson, thyme and chocolate. I used this to cover the box and the card, distressing the edges of the piece on the card.

The tree is from the same stamp set and stamped with the same inks and the ovals cut on the Bug with Nesties.

The leaves on the box lid and panel on the card were stamped with the single leaf from that set onto shrink plastic, again with the Brilliance inks. The scallop border is punched with Fiskars threading water and the panel stitched using my vastly expensive new buy from Dunelm........all £12.99 of it - remember I gave my 'proper' sewing machine away. I edged the box with lace and aded a piece to the card to carry the theme and some pearls and swarovski gems.

Rosie Dees sneak peek and reveal

Time for this weeks sneak peek of the new challenge at Rosies Dees and the reveal of last weeks card when the theme was "Sea", a place where we usually love to visit this time of year but the weather this summer probably means if you are like me, visits have been limited, unless of course you are fortunate enough to love close to the coast, which we do not.

I have used a lovely Stamps Happen image 80268 called "Linger by the Sea", it's quite an old one but I believe still available. I always find it a useful stamp for some of more 'difficult' cards - men of course !

I Glimmer Misted the background using midnight and a splash of rose tea for the sky, seafoam for the sea and sunflower and gold for the sand. The great thing about GM's is if you have a stamp in mind you can prepare and spray your card to fit with your image as I did here. I stamped very simply with versafine black and embossed with detail clear and did no colouring in at all as I felt the GM's gave it sufficient depth. The only addition was some dashes of Inkssentals white opaque pen to the waves. The DP is from my stash, the borders punched with Fiskars threading water, the letters cut on Cricut jasmine and finally the sail boat and lighthouse diamond glazed to lift them.

More Christmas Penny Black

Afternoon all.........now I know there are those that think I've been slacking today and rapped my knuckles for no posting.........not that I'm mentioning any names of course Dawn......................Ooooops.

I really have been so busy, I have finished the sample journal from the Tattered Angles Trunk Kit ready for classes next month........and what fun this was, yummy Glimmer Mists which come in the kit along with the journals, glimmer chips and stencils. And also a few more cards for Sir Stampalots Christmas Launch this weekend so sharing another of the cards I have created for this.

It's those little penguins again Penny Black K5260 and the greeting 3995F, all stamped with Memento black and coloured in with Promarkers. Again the DP's are My Minds Eye, the border cut with Fiskars threading water punch and the snowflakes on Cricut Christmas solutions cart, embellished with a button, string and diamond glaze on the penguins.