April's Rudolph Day

Good morning and happy Thursday. As always I'm scraping in by the skin of my teeth with my Christmas cards this month! It seems like the more time I have to go into my craft room the less I get done. But, I've been reading (real hard-backed books, not my kindle) and my isolation crocheted blanket is coming on really well so I'm happy.

As always the challenge at Rudolph Days is 'anything goes', and this month ABC's Christmas Challenge is H for hand-drawn (I don't think so!!!) and I for inside (phew that's better), so here are my cards.

These are all cards made mostly from kits that I've had in my stash for many (many) years! They are either Kanban or Hunky Dory kits bought when Dawn Bibby was on QVC! I loved them at the time, but after making a couple I would get bored 'cos my first love has always been rubber stamping, but I have these kits, and I'm not going to throw them away so I need to use 'em! To be honest, I could live till I'm 150 and I'd still not use them up as these kits are HUGE, but at least I've made a start!

I hope you have a happy day whatever you are doing, take care, and thanks so much for looking x

We're Having A Hashtag Challenge At Ink Art Designs

Good morning and happy Saturday. We're having a fun challenge over at the Ink Art Designs Stamping Playground, and I'll let Dot explain!

The Ink Art Designs Animal Challenge is as follows:

~ Create any project (card, art journal page, canvas etc) using the theme ANIMALS.

~ Stamping must be the highlight of your piece.

~ The Animals theme can include birds, sea life and insects.

~ Use stamps only from the companies available through Ink Art Designs.

This includes Rubber Dance, Visible Image, Stampotique, Art Journey, Crafty Individuals, Art By Marlene, Katzelkraft,

That’s Crafty and Lavinia.

~ Share your project on social media using the following hashtag: #IADAnimalChallenge.

Your project, with the hashtag, can be posted on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram. 

For more details about the challenge, the prize package as well as the discount code for all participants, visit our Ink Art Designs #IADAnimalChallenge post here.

Here's my piece using Lavinia stamps which can be found here 

 I started by sponging my background with acrylics in blue and silver. Then added some stencilling with Izink Ice and Diamonds.

 This is the glittery Diamond.

 And this is the Ice!

 And this is the gorgeous Sebastian, he's one of my favourite Lavinia stamps.

 There's also loads of Lavinia stamps in the background, and this is also one of her sentiments.

More Lavinia tiny seahorses!

Now it's your turn!

The challenge runs until the 8th of May and Ink Art Designs will select a random winner for a grand prize package which will be announced on the 9th of May.

Don't forget to check out the amazing prize here and then join in!

Have a great weekend, and thanks for looking x

I'm adding Sebastian into the Lavinia 'Blue and Silver' challenge. Take care x

Live Life Now

Good morning and happy Thursday. I've been wanting to alter a clipboard for ages, and now seemed like a good time as the Visible Image Facebook group has a Rainbow challenge, and I knew that I wanted to use lots of bright colours.

I started by sponging my clipboard with all the colour of the rainbow with DecoArt paints.

Then added background stamping with Distress Oxides in the same colour families.

Then more background stamping, this time in black, I've also added some quotes and white paint through a VI stencil.

I couldn't resist some silver embossing too. I love how it's grabbed onto the Distress Oxides too so I have random patches of silver.

And my favourite part, adding oil pastels always seems to make the colours really pop!

Then lots of butterfly stamping and embossing. These have all been made from my bit box - never throw anything away!

And now all put together! Of course, it's useless as a clipboard but it's very pretty lol.

I'm entering my board into the Stamping Sensations challenge which is Somewhere Over The Rainbow.

I hope you have a very happy day, stay safe, and thanks so much for looking x

Best Of Friends

Good morning and happy Wednesday. It's a beautiful day here already, lots of sunshine, so it's a day in the garden for me. Today I'm joining in with the Stampotique Designer's Challenge which is Tags Galore.

I started by painting my wooden tag with lots of DecoArt paint, then lots of Stampotique stamping also with paint to add a bit of texture. Then I cleaned my painty stamps straight away - so not like me!

These are my two best friends Moody and Pedro.
I hope you have a great day whatever you are doing. It may not be what we want to do but at least we are still here to do it.

I'm entering my tag into the Anything goes challenge at Tag Tuesday, (thanks for the nudge Valerie)  and the TIMI at Craft Stamper.
Take care and stay safe x

What A Card

Good morning and happy Monday. I hope everyone is well and adjusting to social distancing. I know I'm really looking forward to seeing my family again, and the end of the awkward phone calls,

"What have you been doing" 

"Nothing - what have you been doing"

"Nothing" ...

But a least we're all safe and well, and that's what counts.

Anywhoo, today I'm over at the Ink Art Designs Stamping Playground with my fun Katzelkraft Rats.

 I started with a monster set of playing cards that I bought ages ago, with no particular use in mind but I knew they would come in handy one day!

Then I stamped my very cute rats on watercolour card and coloured them in.

 Here's the ace of rats - he definitely wants to give you a hug!

 And the two of rats, this one would be me!

Ooh wait a minute - the three of rats could be me too!

The hearts have been die-cut, and the fun sentiments are from Tim Holtz.

The lovely Dot has loads of Katzelkraft stamps here in the store - I'm just deciding which of them I need next.

As always we would love it if you joined in with our challenge, just make something using stamps from the ranges that Dot has in the store, and pop it into the April album.

I hope that you are enjoying whatever you are doing, even if it's nothing.

Take care and stay safe xx

Pretty In Pink

Good morning and happy Friday, I hope you had a lovely (if a little unusual) Easter.  I know I'm really looking forward to next year to do properly all of the things that we are going to miss this year.

I'm over at Country View Crafts today with my second Animal Magic project, so here it is.

This is for my daughter who turns 30 this year. Eeek where does the time go! A pig may seem like an unusual choice, but she's loved pigs since she was tiny, so as soon as I saw the Pink Ink stamp set I knew that she would love it.

 I started with my 'go-to' inky background using my favourite oxides.

Then added some stamping and stencilling.

 I wanted my pig to be looking over a garden wall, so I used texture pastes to give me a wall and some fluffy white clouds

 I've also just received some of the amazing Seth Apter Izink Ice so some of that had to go on too. It goes through a stencil beautifully and dries quite quickly too. I also stamped and embossed my pig so that I wouldn't have to fussy cut her hair - in times of social distancing no-one gets a hair cut!

 I added some Granite Paste to my wall to extend it and give it some more texture.

 And some white stamping to the Ice to help it to fit in with the background.

 Here's my pig watercoloured and fitted into place on her wall. She looks very sociable don't you think.

 And just so she doesn't forget that she's the big 3 0 ....

So there we go a pretty in pink pig for a special birthday (which isn't until September but I do like to tie my challenge pieces in with something specific. It keeps me focused otherwise my brain has far too many tabs open lol)

I hope you like it, and there's still loads of time to join in with us. Thanks so much for looking, take care, and stay safe xx

Give Yourself A Hug ('cos no-one else can)!

Good morning, happy Saturday, and a very happy Easter weekend. Well, this is different isn't it! Though to be honest nothing much has changed. When El Grumpo was working he would never go out on a bank holiday 'cos "Why would I want to join a traffic jam" and now we've retired every day is a holiday!

Stampotique has a fun challenge this fortnight, it's to use your favourite quote. Well I didn't want to pick a favourite, and you can't make me, so I've chosen 3!

I started by making my background with ink, paint, and texture pastes, then added some stamping.

 Then I chose my characters that would fit nicely on the Memorydex cards.

 And then found a fun quote for them! You've gotta love Miss Snottie!

And the Dwarfy Gnome.

And if I had to pick a favourite it would be Hug Monster.

I'm entering my trio into the 

Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge, Add Some Texture, the

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge which is a Spring Mood Board, and the Craft Stamper TIMI challenge for April.

I hope you enjoy the Easter weekend, even if it is only from the back garden. Thanks so much for looking, and stay safe x

Drinking On A Week Day

Good morning and happy Monday. Did you enjoy the sunshine yesterday, I know I did, but only from our back garden. I know I'm a saddie but I was so pleased to dry my washing outside. The smell of line-dried washing just makes me happy.

Today I'm over at the Ink Art Designs Stamping Playground with a birthday card made using these fun Katzelkraft stamps.

I started by making some inky backgrounds with Distress Inks and Oxides.

Then added some script with the Visible Image stamps. You can't read the words so it doesn't matter that it's a Christmas stamp.

Then I stamped and embossed Sherlock so that I wouldn' t have to cut the tiny details out. The cake quote is by Carmen's Veranda.

Next, I stamped them all again on watercolour paper and coloured him in with Distress Inks. Then I just cut them all out and added to the pre-stamped cards.

I've teamed this one with a Tim Holtz sticker. When I made this you could still go to the pub on a school night - now all the pubs and schools are closed, but if it helps to keep us all safe it's worth it.

I've added glossy accents to his eyes to make them pop a little more.

 I love this sticker, it just makes me laugh.

And here they are all together again. This card is for my son's birthday next month. He's always complaining that he's old now - well he will be 27 next!

I'm entering my card into the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge which is Happy Birthday, and 
The Craft Stamper TIMI anything goes challenge for April.  

I hope you like my card and join in with our challenge. Just use any stamp from any range that Dot sells in the store and link up over on our Facebook page.

Also, it's the store's 1st birthday and there's a fabulous prize on offer.

Just click on the photo to see the details.

Thanks so much for looking, have a lovely day and stay safe xx