Merry And Bright

Good morning and happy Rudolph Day. It's only 7 months to Christmas lol, so in preparation for the big day, here's a card that I've made.

I started by making a backing sheet with lots of paints, stencils, and some stamps.  I liked it but it was far too busy for a background.

So I die cut it with my trusty Tim Holtz Christmas dies.

I made a new background with Tim's stamps and Distress Oxides.

The die cut is from a Tim Holtz set.

I'm entering this into the Simon Say Stamp Wednesday  challenge Furry Friends, and also the Happy Little Stampers Christmas challenge.

Thank very much for looking, and have a fun day xx

Enjoy It All

Good morning from a very warm Pontefract. The sun is shining, and it's a lovely day. It's hard to believe there could be anything wrong with the world, and yet the terrible events in Manchester were just 36 hours ago.  My thoughts are with the injured and their families at this horrible time.
My lovely blogging buddy Tracy has recently brought out her own stamp set, and I've finally got around to having a play with mine.

The background has been made with Dina Wakley paints, and the stamping with Distress Oxides.

I'm entering this into the MMM challenge Put A Stamp On It,
Simon Says Stamp Monday Little Critters, and 
Craft Stamper TIMI.

Thanks very much for looking, and have a happy and peaceful day x

Take A Paws

Good Morning and happy Sunday. No rain (so far) I think it must have all got used up yesterday along with the thunder and lightening. The lovely and very tallented Donna  has recently made some stamps for Rubber Dance and I've been having a play.

Here's Poodle Power. Don't forget that you can have free P&P on orders of 15 Euros's and above by quoting SDFreeShip. I say don't forget 'cos I nearly did then lol.

Have a great Sunday, and thanks very much for looking x

A Good Heart

Good afternoon and happy Saturday. Today we have a little bit of sunshine after two days of rain yay!

PaperArtsy currently have an 'assemblage' challenge, and this is what I've made.

I must admit that when I saw the theme I just thought 'oh well, I'll join in with the next challenge' But after googling with assemblage actually is, I decided to have a go.

This is how it looks in the sunlight. Most of the embellishments are made of air drying clay from moulds.

The colour is from Prima wax and Treasure Gold, and the sentiment is a Tim Holtz sticker.

I'm also entering this into the That's Crafty 'back to black' challenge, and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday  'a bit of sparkle'

Thanks very much for looking, and have a fun weekend xx

How Much Is That Moggy In The Window

Good Morning and Happy Thursday. It's day 2 of our Kitty event on the Lost Coast Portal To Creativity and here's my moggy.

I've used the new Cat Wavy Face stamps and lots of paint and stencilling. 
Please join us and show your favourite feline over on the Portal.
Thanks for looking, and enjoy the sunshine if it's heading your way xx

Things To Avoid

Good morning and a very happy Wednesday. For all of you cat lovers - and that should be EVERYONE there's a new event over on the portal (or on't portal if you live where I do) where we are celebrating the kitties, and here's mine.

Here's his royal smugness Flearoy or Happy Cat as he's know at Lost Coast. I've also used Diamonds Border and Cracked Grass and Sky

So over to you now to worship the feline.
Thanks very much for looking and have a fun day x

You Don't Bring Me Flowers

and I certainly don't sing you love songs, though I whistle a good tune ;-).  Good morning and happy Tuesday. We're half way through our 'stitching' challenge over at Lost Coast Portal To Creativity and this is my second piece.

Bless her she still has a lovely smile!
This has been made with Skeleton and Roses.
I hope you day turns out better than hers did lol.
I'm entering her into the monthly challenge at Dream In Darkness where weirdness rules.

Thanks very much for looking and have a wonderful day xx

Just Keep Swimming

Good morning and happy Monday. It's time for our second challenge of the month over at Rubber Dance, and it's a real fun one -  Rule of Three. 

I started by putting a coat of gesso on my page, then added some DecoArt texture paste and crackle glaze through stencils.

I then added washes of DecoArt acrylics and a tiny bit of glitter for some bling. I really liked it while is was wet.

Once dry I added some white bubbles with the end of a paintbrush, and 3 seahorses from Retro Beach - rule of 3 remember.

I made a Brusho background on some tissue paper for my fish.

Of course I stamped 3 from Something Fishy.

The sentiment is from the same set, so that's 3 stamps!

Please join in with our challenge, it's really easy and fun - 3 of anything will be perfect. As always there is a shipping code of SDFreeShip for free P&P on 15 Euros's and above.
Have a great week, and thanks very much for looking x

You Are, You Are, You Are, You Are - On My Playlist

Good afternoon, and happy Sunday. Lots of sport on TV today, so no-one notices if I'm MIA. Apparently Lewis won the GP, and Liverpool don't have quite the numbers in the box, but I really don't care lol. 
 One of the fab things about retirement is that you have a bit more time, but one of the bad things is that you have a bit more time for the GYM. Now I'm not a gym bunny, and never will be, but I do try and go every weekday, and to get me huffing and puffing my way round I have an MP3 player. I listen to the same songs, in pretty much the same order every time, and this tag has been inspired by one of them.

I know, it's not really a classic is it, and you can't sing along on the treadmill,  but here's the earworm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzUrUQfgTjE
I guess I've stereotyped Donna's Bonny Bunny, I'm sure she's not that type of bunny ;-) I've also used the lips from Mail Art and the hearts that the lovely Bibi puts in the envelopes when she sends out her stamps.
If you want these stamp head over to the store, and remember to quote SDFreeShip on orders 15 Euros and over for free P&P.
Have a fun Sunday whatever you are doing,  and thanks very much for looking x

It's All A State Of Mind

Good afternoon and happy Saturday! I've been having a little play today with my new Rubber Dance stamps, and this is what I've made.

I've used Fly Fly Flowers, Butterfly Trio, Textured Spring, Something Wonderful and LOTS of ink. I've not used this technique in ages, but as That's Crafty have a Back to Black challenge I thought I would give it a go.
As always if you quote SDFreeShip all orders from Rubber Dance over 15 Euros will have free p&p.
Have a very happy weekend, and thanks very much for looking xx 

Back In My Happy Place

I love the colours for this month's colour challenge at Rubber Dance, so much so that I've been playing with them again.

I started by making a gelli print with DecoArt paints. My gelli plate has been at the bottom of the cupboard for so long it was nearly blinded by the sunlight.

I cut this up for the front of the card, and also for the inside. I also stamped a backing sheet with Vintage Script and Old Book Page.

My main image Fly Fly Flowers was stamped on acetate, and coloured with DecoArt glass paints.
I love this happy stamp and it was designed by my teamie Melina.
There's still time for you to join in with our challenge, but you'll have to be quick as the last day to enter is the 14th.
Then if you come back on the 15th there's a new fun challenge - but if I told you what it was now I would have to kill you lol.
Don't forget if you want your new rubber postage free, just quote SDFreeShip on any order 15 Euros or above.
Right, Jason Bourne has just finished, so it's my turn for the remote - Grantchester it is!
Thanks very much for looking, and have a fun week x

More Flowers for Country View Crafts

Good morning and happy Sunday. I'm back with more flower power for Country View Crafts.

Ever since I got these fabulous Tracy Scott PaperArtsy flower stamps I've wanted to make a master board with them.

I've used TS 06 and TS07. I stamped the largest ones first.

Then filled in with the smaller ones.

I've coloured them in with watercolour pencils. I do each flower in turn then I know which colour to use in the bits that overlap.

Quite a while later.... all done. This is far too nice to cut up!

I've used my Big Score to make a tent fold card, and cut an aperture with a Sue Wilson die. I've had to use a sheet of A3 as it's a big card.

The same die again for the front of the card.

Then I've sewn around all the edges, added some acetate, and some more patterned card to the inside, then stuck it all together.

For the main image I've used a Trish Latimer stamp and coloured her with watercolour pencils and crayons.

Of course I had to use my favourite Tim Holtz Handwritten Celebrate for the sentiment. I don't know where I would be without this. 

I've stamped a few more flowers to layer up in the corners.

And we are all done! To be honest it took hours to make, but it was so nice to just sit and colour - though with the die cutting and the sewing it did look like I'd been burgled by the time I'd done. It's quite hard to photograph the acetate, but it does look nice in real life.

We'd love it if you joined in with our challenge, there's £20 to spend in the shop for the winner, and the chance to be a guest designer. Thank you very much for looking and enjoy your Sunday x

I'm also entering this into the 

Craft Stamper - anything goes challenge.

That's Crafty - bright

Happy Little Stampers - watercolour
Simon Says Stamp Monday - the great outdoors and
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - a hint of pink

Smile

Good afternoon, and happy Friday - the weekend starts here! I'm well into the season of our family birthdays and anniversaries, so I needed to make an anniversary card. I wanted a fun bright one, so here is what I made, using the sketch from Mojo Monday.

and this is the sketch. I find these really helpful when I'm making a card (I also find Moon Pig very helpful when I really can't be bothered ;-) ) It's my blog I can say Moon Pig lol. Trouble is people think I don't like them if they get a shop bought card from me.
As the recipients have an extremely pampered moggy I'm sure this will be fine for them.
Have a happy weekend, and thanks very much for looking x

Dream On!

Hello and happy Tuesday (though it does feel like Monday, and that felt like Sunday....) guess I'm a bit like Pooh, a bear of very little brain. And speaking of very little brain, (or any other body parts) here's my piece for Lost Coast Designs latest challenge.

So this month we would like to see real or faux stitching in your projects. For mine I've used Medium Elk Skull, Miscellaneous Words and Gansai Tambi Japanese watercolours, which according to Mr Amazon I've had since March 2016 so it's about time I used them!
So if you're like me and can't sew/draw in a straight line this is the perfect challenge for you 'cos wonky is the new straight! 
You've got ages to play along this month so head on over to the Portal for lots of inspiration and to join in. 

I'm also entering this into the Mixed Media Monthly challenge  Put A Stamp On It,
Dream In Darkness anything weird, and 
Happy Little Stampers watercolour challenge.
Thank you very much for looking, and have a wonderful May x

It's Art Daaarling!

Good morning (again) and welcome to my second post for today. This time I'm playing with colour for Rubber Dance.

and here is our mood board. I'm imagining a tropical beach - not the temperatures we're having here at the moment! 

I started with a Kraft backed note book and applied some modeling paste through a few stencils. I'm using PaperArtsy and Tim Holtz paints for my colour.

Don't these look yummy together!

Stamping time now! I've used Pick A Number, Round In Circles and 3rd Row Textured Houses for the background.

Then I added some Portfollio pastels to bring out the textures.

I've used the same colours to paint the tags, then stamped with Textured Houses and Textured Flowers. I've stamped them directly onto the tags, and also onto book pages. 

The tags have been stuck down, then I (very carefully) stamped Art from Art Defined. Note to self, stamp before stick next time!
This looks really nice in the sunshine (do you remember sunshine) 
I've used the book already to write down the stamps that I've used in stamping the book! It's a circle of life thing lol.
So please play along with us and colour yourselves happy. As always if you need new rubber quote SDFreeShip and the P&P will be free anywhere in the world
Have a great day, and thanks very much for looking xx

I'm also entering this into the following challenges
That's Crafty - anything bright
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - anything goes
Work it Wednesday - April showers bring May flowers
Love To Create - anything mixed media   and
Simon Says Stamp Monday got your number - lot of them in the corners.