Cow Old!

Good morning and happy Wednesday (or as happy as it can be under the very unusual circumstances that we are living with at the moment). Today sees a new month, and the start of a new challenge over at Country View Crafts, and this month it's Animal Magic. I was so happy when I saw this theme as I have loads of fabulous animal stamps, (some of which have never been inked) so here's the first of my makes.

I started by making an inky background with my favourite Distress Oxides.

Then I stencilled through with some PaperArtsy Fresco paints in Hyde Park and Cheesecake.

Time for my previously un-inked Pink Ink Cow's It Going (you gotta love that name for a stamp set :-D ) 

Then I made an absolute mess of it all and had to start all over again (yes it really was that bad!!)

So, back to where we were, background done, cow stamped, all looking good. Just need to put in the sentiment now, so onto the stamping platform ....  and it fell off! Oh Moo! I am not starting again! But wait, I hear you say haven't you just done this on another one???

 Yes I have, I reply! So after a bit of spare part surgery, I now have 2 cards. I think I prefer the one on the left - it looks a little more finished!

I actually prefer the silly moo being raised up on foam tape, and I would never have thought to do that if all had gone well. I've used the rest of the first card to cut some foliage from one of Tim's die sets.

This was (mostly) great fun to make, and I know that you will enjoy joining in with our challenge.
I'm entering my cow into the Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge which is a Spring mood board.

Thank you so much for looking, take care, and stay safe xx

March Rudolph Day

Good afternoon and happy Saturday. I know I'm a bit late with this month's Rudolph Days Christmas card, but I can barely keep up with what day/week/month it is. It's only day 5 of lockdown here but I already feel out of touch with the rest of the world! BUT Christmas will still be coming Coronavirus or not, and this year I have NO excuse to not be ready. 

I started by cutting my card with some of my favourite Tim Holtz dies - no-one does Christmas quite like Tim!

I've just received my new Studio Light stamps from Hochanda so it seemed like the perfect chance to ink them up. I also wanted something nice and glittery so I used my WOW embossing powders.

With just some more die cut deer and sentiments we are all finished, so that's 4 more for the box of cheer!

I'm entering these into the Rudolph Day's challenge,

The ABC Christmas challenge - I've done E for embossing, and G for gold, and

WOW embossing powder face-book group where the challenge is New To You.

Hopefully by Christmas life should be back to normal and we'll just be complaining about the weather!

Thanks so much for looking, take care, and stay safe x

Happy Birthday To You

Good morning and happy Mother's Day, I hope you are keeping well. Over at Stampotique, there's a new challenge which is to make a birthday card, so here's the card that I've made for my nephew. He's 15 this time so I hope this fits the bill.

First of all, I made my card base, then I stamped and watercoloured my images.

 This is the front with Miguel Has A Gift.

 The card opened out. The stars have been stamped with Romantic Text.

And a gathering on the right-hand side with Happy Happy Happy, Towering Gifts, Dog Cube, Pedro, and Schmurpy.

I'm also entering my guys into the Craft Stamper TIMI challenge for March.

I'm going over to see my mum later today for a few minutes. We can all sit in the garden away from each other lol. It seems very weird but her and my dad are nearly 80 so we're not taking any chances.

Thanks very much for looking, take care, and stay safe x

Live Lovely Life!

Good morning and happy Friday, I hope you are all safe and well in these very difficult times.
 I'm over at the Ink Art Designs Stamping Playground today with my Alice Palace journal page.

I started by making a background in my large Art By Marlene journal with my prima watercolours.

Then I started stamping! All of the stamps are from the Alice Palace range at Crafty Individuals. I love these stamps, they are so quirky and unusual. I must admit I do chop them up as there are so many patterns and elements on each stamp, and I find I get much more use from them now.

The ducks have been stamped onto handmade paper, and everything has been coloured with watercolour pens.

 I love the washi tape stamp in the background, it looks so realistic!

The tiny quote is taken from another of Alice's stamp sets. 

Crafty Individuals stamps are available here in Dot's store, and don't forget, there's still time to enter her monthly challenge, with the chance to win stamps!

It's also Dot's first birthday, and she's having a mega give-away. If you click the picture you will be whisked away to the store where she has SO many goodies!
I'm entering my page into the Craft Stamper TIMI anything goes challenge for March, and also the 
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge, Whatever The Weather.

Thank you very much for looking, and stay safe x

Using Thread for Art Journey

Good afternoon and happy Wednesday. I hope everyone is well and coping with the Covid 19 outbreak. We were due to be in Dubrovnic from last weekend with my sister and her husband, but that was cancelled the day before we flew, so we had a lovely few days dog walking with her.

The Art Journey challenge Facebook group has a monthly challenge, and this month it's to use thread, so this is what I've made.

I was lucky enough to win the January challenge and chose the lovely Ben as my prize (or at least a stamp of him lol)

 I started by die cutting some black card with a Studio Light die, and adding some gilding wax.

 Then I stamped Ben on some mop up and leftover card.

 Then I die cut some Studio Light papers to make my background.

 I stitched these together and used some of the smaller stamps on the Ben plate to make my background.

 I also die cut the Ben stamps.

 Then added these to the background.

And here it is all together. 

I really enjoyed making this as it's a 'just because' piece. It's not for anything, doesn't do anything, I made it just because I wanted to!

I'm also entering this into the Craft Stamper TIMI 'Anything Goes' challenge for March.

Thank you so much for looking, and above anything else, stay safe xx

Off The Page For G45

Good morning and happy Thursday. Graphic 45 have a fun challenge this month which is 'Off The Page, so I've been having a play with a slide mailer.  

 I used my large 4 slide mailer and gave it all a coat of Buff Fresco paint as this one one of the main colours of the papers that I wanted to use.

I wanted to use my Curtain Call papers and stamps, but in the end, I used a combo of this and Love Notes.

 This is the front, with Curtain Call and Love Notes papers and a pocket from the Love Notes tags and pockets.

 This is the back with one of the Love Notes 6x4 ephemera cards.

 The inside with more papers and tags from both sets.

 I used a couple of stamp sets for the slides.

I think they look really nice together.

I really enjoyed making this - even sorting out the many (many) mistakes that I made along the way.

Have a very happy day whatever you are doing, and thanks so much for looking x

The Eyes Have It for Country View Crafts

Good morning and happy Thursday. I'm back with my second post for this month's Country View Crafts challenge, and this time I've gone back to some of my favourite Dina Wakley stamps.

I think these stamps are so striking -the eyes may not be huge but they are the first thing that I notice.

I made some brusho backgrounds and then just stamped my faces and scribbly script stamp.

The sentiments are part of the same set.

I just matted and layered them, then made them into an accordion card.

Just for once this all came together really well, and just as it had in my head. I love it when a plan comes together!

If you would like to join in, please head off to the challenge blog and show us your eyes!
I'm entering my lovely ladies into the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge, 'Something Feminine'

Have a very happy week, and thanks so much for looking x

Do I Smell Cake

Good morning and happy Wednesday. Today I'm over at the Ink Art Designs Stamping Playground with a fun card that I made with Katzelkraft and Lost Coast/Carmen's Veranda stamps.

I started by mixing my Brusho's with a little bit of water. Did you know that Dot now stocks Brusho's too? I love these amazing pots of colour, they are just so versatile.

I knew that I wanted a jungle background, so I wanted bright colours, but nothing too overwhelming.

I stencilled over the top with a foliage type stencil and added some orange and purple splats for my jungle flowers.

Everyone knows how much I love the Brusho Sprinkle It's so I had to add some of these too. 

My images were stamped onto watercolour paper and coloured with Peerless Watercolours.

When they were all coloured I clear embossed them so they are now nice and shiny! The stamp sets are all by Katzelkraft and can be found here.

I knew that I wanted a fun quote, so I chose this one from Carmen's Veranda. There's a great selection of these quotes in the Lost Coast section of the store.

Who could fail to love this snaggle-toothed lion lol?

If you love your Katzelkraft stamps or any of the brands that Dot sells, please join in with our challenge, you could be our lucky winner this month.

Have a very happy day, and thanks so much for looking x