And The Brains All Went Sploosh

Hello.  Welcome.  I've been working on a little something for Die-Namites Sketch and Dare.  No problem with the dare but the sketch elements just wouldn't come together.  So I went for a walk to check out the Christmas light madness that is starting to appear.  Nothing on the scale of some places in the UK, and very tame for the USA, but for Norway, where traditionally you put a single white light in the window, or maybe a candle arch, it's starting to get quite racy.    Then home to the sketch and no, it's just not happening.  So I put it all in the 'in progress' pile and went all simple. 

I used a pale purple base card and a purple layer, both of which I have used Dusty Concord distress ink on and rounded some corners.  Then I die cut Die-Namites Wide Vase in black and red and paper pieced.  The sentiment is a Hero Arts Stamp. 

Joining the fun at
Die-Namites November Sketch and Dare Challenge
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Thanks for dropping by.  I hear a hot chocolate calling my name.  Hugz

KISS

Hello.  Welcome.  Last night after I had posted this card I was looking at the pictures and got an idea in my head.  I've been trying to ignore it but you know how it is, sometime you have to drag it out and beat it into submission before you can move on.  So here's some quick tags.  Yep sorry, more tags!!  Inspired by me inspired by Wanda.  Thanks Wanda.  Hugz

So I used the same techniques as last night but just left the embossing black and the hessian I used here is slightly finer weave.  But there are two other designs on PaperArtsy PS007 stencil so.......

And

So here's the trio

I think the black/brown/green gives a great natural look.  I added some bobbly wool and a little copper leaf.  

Joining the fun at
PaperArtsy

Thanks for dropping by.  Happy Birthday Mum.  Hugz

The Language of Friends

Hello.  Welcome.  Over at The Craft Barn the Q&L Challenge theme this fortnight are Journey and Friendship.  This stamp may have suited both, but I went with this quote from an Indian poet with a long name LOL

I made a painty background with red and black acrylic and added some gesso using Tando Distorted Harlequin mask.  I printed the quote from the computer.  The stamp is Penny Black Skip & Romp.  So cute.  

Joining the fun at
The Craft Barn Q&L Challenge - Journey/Friendship
Penny Black and More November Challenge - Anything Goes 
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

2000 Beads On The Floor, And More

Hello.  Welcome.  It was going so well!  I had just found the perfect bead.  And suddenly they were all over the floor.  How did that happen??!!  My man says you opened them upside down!!  Nope, would have remembered that.  And that's why there are little 'open up the other way' stickers on selected items which contain 'many small parts'  LOL.  One second the tray was full of well organised beads of great variety.  The next second the tray was amazingly empty and beads were everywhere.  I think it may have been a cosmic shift.  Or maybe the North Atlantic Elevator has reversed.  I know I didn't say anything complimentary.  Ah well.  A pity some little elves didn't turn up to put them neatly into place again.  I now have a tray of assorted unsorted beads.  And will probably be finding strays for ever.  I got the card finished though *happy dancing*

This was inspired by a canvas Wanda made over at the PaperArtsy blog.  I loved the textures and colours and decided to try using embossing paste on burlap.  Yeah, like that's going to work......

I started with a piece of doty Bazzill, which wasn't the right shade so I hit it with a selection of brown inks.  A sensible person would have done the whole sheet but I just fiddled with one corner. 

I stuck down my piece of burlap and used Dreamweavers Matt Black embossing paste through PaperArtsy stencil PS007.  Sounds like a reminder for James Bond.  Oh, we are in a strange mood tonight.  Anyone would think it was a full moon.  Or after midnight.  That always brings out the crazy crafter.  

I really liked the style of the letter Wanda used.  So I improvised.  I used Sizzix Alpha Bubbles dies and pieced black and white card together.  Then I drew a circle and a cross and added some tiny bubbles.  The green is VersaMagic Hint of Pesto chalk ink.  Don't you have a whole alphabet in this style Leandra?? 

My gilding wax wouldn't play.  Too cold.  Or maybe too old.  So I hit the embossing paste with Brilliance Galaxy Gold.  Not sure it's an improvement but it does highlight the hessian texture which has come through the paste.  Cool.  Was actually quite pleased with the embossed effort.  Not too much paste seeped despite being applied on a semi-raised surface.  I made my flower as Wanda did but used Spellbinders cogs dies.  Steampunk flower!  Must remember that one.  There's the perfect bead.  Looking all innocent.  And a little metal leaf peeking out.  

I stamped and die cut the PaperArtsy moth and added a Hint of Pesto.  There's a couple of pieces of lace, obviously, and I mounted the panel on a green base card.  

Joining the fun at
PaperArtsy
DREAM It UP - Thankful

Thanks for dropping by.  Hope you are having a crafty weekend.  Hugz

Drumlins

Hello.  Welcome.  We've been invited out to dinner this evening, and I should be finishing up the trifle, but..............  I'm sure she'll understand ROFL.  I've been working on a cute little tag.  I know!!  Tagging it again!  Not intentional.  The elements just seemed to lend themselves to this idea.  

I cut my tag from kraft card using Sizzix Tags #2 and embossed with Cheery Lynn Diamonds and Starburst embossing plate.  Then I highlighted the embossing with VersaMagic Aegean Blue and Night Sky. 

I cut Cheery Lynn Snowflake 2 and a load of circles from blue glitter card.  I stamped Unity Stamp Co. Tinsel in a Tangle penguin and sentiment on blue paper and also used the same paper to back the snowflake.  I layered the sentiment on some more of the glitter card and arranged it all on the tag.  The non-glitter circles are the backside of the glitter card and I added plenty Night Sky ink.  Some blue wool from the pretty wool box and a blue star brad.  I really wanted a bit of blue tinsel and a blue snowflake brad, but none were apparent in the stash.  They will probably pop up tomorrow ROFL.   I also added some Clear Wink of Stella to the penguin's tinsel. 

Joining the fun at
Cheery Lynn Designs Challenge 160 - Non-traditional Christmas Colours
The Unity Stamp Co. Friends With Flair
Speedy Fox and Friends Challenge 239 - Make a Border With Circles
STAMPlorations November Challenge - Stamps and Layers
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge 204 - Getting Ready for Christmas

Thanks for your visit.  Off to finish the trifle.  Hugz

Hitch Hikers

Hello.  Welcome.  Last evening I had a crafty get together with my friend Elin.  Hi Elin.  Elin discovered heat embossing and I discovered this lovely stamp she had in her stash.  ROFL.  So I stamped off a few images and today I decided to try water colouring with my Cosmic Shimmer paints.  I am seeing cool watercolour techniques all over blogland but it never seems to work so well for me.  That said, I was quite pleased with the finished result

I tried a little experiment.  I stamped Penny Black's ...for a spin stamp and embossed with clear powder.  I have used the same Cosmic Shimmer colours on both images but the top one was spritzed with water before I started colouring.  Much better coverage and blending me feels.  It's a pity you don't get to see the shimmer.  It's pretty cool.  The red combs and orange beaks were coloured with distress markers. 

I chose the pre-spritzed image, blacked the edges and mounted on a black base card.  The sentiment is a combination of Unity stamps.   

Joining the fun at
DREAM it UP - Thankful and Thoughtful
Stampotique Designers Challenge 174 - Striped Background 
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
Loves Rubberstamps Challenges 128 - Thank You
Penny Black and More November Challenge - Anything Goes

Thanks for your visit.  Big hugz for everyone. 

Fa La La La La

Hello.  Welcome.  I seem to be on a bit of a tag extravaganza at the moment.  Saw these lovely xmas tags by Anneke over at the PaperArtsy blog and thought I'd give them a go.   Really liking the grey and red combo.  

I started by cutting my tags from charcoal grey card and then I sponged on some pale grey acrylic

I spritzed the tags with sparkle shimmer mist and then stamped with the leaf stamp from PaperArtsy USNT4 set and Memento London Fog.  I added some white paper at the bottom.

I didn't have red/white tape so I have used bits of DCWV papers.  The tree is from PaperArtsy SIEN10F, the car is a sizzix die cut coloured with the same pale grey paint and stamped with the brickwork stamp from PaperArtsy HP1105.  The mistletoe is a Kaisercraft stamp.  And the greeting went a little bit wrong LOL.  I added some stitching with a red sharpie and some rhinestones.  

 

The tree is a MemoryBox die wraped with embroidery cotton.  more DCWV paper and a Kaisercraft greeting.  Then I went a little mad and did some stitching around the edge.  

 

The same mistletoe stamp and another KC greeting.  The deer is a Spellbinders die.  Build a Deer.  I had a slight challenge with his legs!!  Sorted in the end.  A bit of embroidery thread around his neck and he's good to go.  The tag ties are all from the 'pretty wool' box.  

Quite pleased with my grey and red trio.  

Joining the fun at

PaperArtsy

Papirdokkene Utfordring 64 - Rød og Grå

Thanks for your visit.  Hugz

Fat Cat Mat Sat

Hello.  Welcome.  Just a quick tag I made.  Well, I say quick.  This cat is the third attempt at using embossing paste with a stencil.  The first two, well lets just say they weren't brilliant.  The fourth one will be making an appearance at a later date.  Obviously this is a practice makes perfect technique but must admit I think it's well worth the effort. 

 

I based my tag on the Your Next Stamp sketch and colours.  The cat is Dreamweavers Retro Cat Sitting embossed with black paste on Bazzill Bling cardstock.  I cut the tag shapes using Sizzix Tag #2 dies and added some wool from the box marked 'pretty wool'.  The sentiment is a Hero Arts stamp on a piece of vellum.  

Joining the fun at

Your Next Stamp Challenge #2 - Sketch/Colour Challenge

DREAM It UP - Thankful and Thoughtful 

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Thanks Thanksgiving 

Die Cuttin Divas Challenge 192 - Thanksgiving 

Thanks for your visit.  Hugz

Snowballs

Hello. Welcome. Jingle your bells.  I bought some slider dies at Your Next Stamp and this is my first slider card.  What a laugh.

I've used Unity Stamps snowpeep Gabe.  He can roll.  I used Dreamweavers Waves stencil and Imagination Crafts silver sparkle medium.  I covered my base card with patterned paper from Dovecrafts Eastern Promise collection.  I gave him a pom pom on his hat.  Couldn't decide on a sentiment.  May think about that later.  

For those who want to see him in action here's poor man's video.  It's like bad time lapse ROFL

I think the pom pom has made him a little top heavy as he does tend to end up standing on his head after a run, but such a fun thing.  Will keep me entertained for hours LOL.  I'll see if I can work out an actual video clip.

Joining the fun at
The Unity Stamp Co. - Friends with Flair
The Unity Stamp Co. Colour Challenge
Imagination Crafts November Challenge - Anything Goes
Papirdokkene Utfordring 64 - Jul, Rød og Grå 
Crafty Hazelnut's P atterned Paper Challenge - November 
Bunny Zoe's Crafts November Challenge - Snow 

Thanks for taking the time to visit.  This post is being linked to Friends With Flair so make sure you leave a comment for a chance to win.  Hugz

Wrestling Sheep

Hello.  Welcome.  It's been a grey day, perfect for crafting, but it appears I have left my mojo somewhere between here and there.  I finally got a snail mail card finished yesterday and decided today I would tackle a Christmas tag.  I admit that Christmas is far from my thoughts and was a bit shocked to find a Christmas countdown merrily reminding me that it's only 33 days til the day.  Gulp!!  When did that happen.  Doesn't anyone want purple, orange and green?  Where did all the pumpkins go?  Bwahahahahahaha.  Me thinks me may have lost the plot.  I hope I am not alone.  So yeah, why not start modestly with a tag.  A big tag.....

 

I decided to use a Prima Doll stamp and I made the tag from some of the packaging which comes with these stamps.  I simply added some distress ink in various greens to get my background colour.  I cut the doily using Cheery Lynn Spring Flower Burst Angel Wing from a silver metal sheet and embossed the doily.  I cut the top of the tag using the angel wing and stuck down the doily.  I also cut some 'snowflakes' from the same metal using Cheery Lynn BAF#1 dies.  

 

I coloured my doll with Promarkers, but because I had stamped on glossy card the ink started to pool strangely.  After going over it a few times and things starting to bleed I dotted the markers all over the coloured areas.  I quite like the resulting texture, which you can see quite well on her bodice.  The small red flowers are cut from red metal using the BAF#3 embellishment die from Cheery Lynn and I added a tiny green star shaped rhinestone to each one, and to the snowflakes.  The sentiment is from Prima Warm Wishes set.  

Joining the fun at

Cheery Lynn Designs Challenge 159 - Tag You're It 

CHNC Challenge 203 - Go Green 

Winter Wonderland - Let's Get Sentimental 

Stamping Sensations November Challenge - Simply Christmas 

Papertake Weekly - Sooooooo Girlie 

The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Challenge - Christmas 

Fashionable Stamping Challenges #86 - A Christmas Tag

Thanks for dropping by.  Going to go stare at the stash and hope inspiration strikes again.  Have a crafty evening.  Hugz

Needing a Jump Start

Hello.  Welcome.  A special hi and hello to Monika who has joined my little following.  Hugz all round.  

I'm still feeling all stuffy from this cold and although I really want to craft I am finding it difficult to concentrate.  It was sunny for a few hours today so I did get out and do some tidying around the garden.  The temperature remains unseasonably warm so must take the chance while we can.  Then I decided to try and catch up on my Altered Playing Cards, since I am now three weeks behind!!  So here's my week 8 offering.  You can see Claudine's originals HERE

For my first card I coloured my background with distress inks.  The heart is a sizzix die cut cut from red metal and black leather.  Then I decided to use a valentine words embossing folder and highlight with Barn Door Distress ink.  

 

For my second card I again used distress inks and then doodled a border

 

The same heart die, which I wrote love and added a little black heart as Claudine had done.  Then I decided it needed something lower down so got out one of my cuttlebug measure by measure embossing folders.  I embossed at an angle, realised I had de-bossed!!, then embossed again lower down.  Then highlighted again with Bard Door DI.  Quite like the effect.  I am also going to join this card over at Speedy Fox and Friends Challenge 238 - Offset Embossing Folder

Thanks for your visit.  Off to drink lemsip and get an early-ish night.  Hugz

A Quick Trip To The Orient

Hello.  Welcome.  I'm back!  The trip to England was hectic.  The trip home was just a series of bizarre events that would make a great Mr Bean movie but don't ever happen in the real world!  Yeah, right!!  Needless to say it's nice to be home.  It's been a busy day of trying to get back into the usual routine whilst feeling decidedly crappy.  I caught a cold in the UK and it's still hanging around.  I really wanted to try and make a little something so I thought I'd do some quick makes for the Speedy Fox and Friends Challenge.  They want to see some oriental card candy so I have gone really simple with stamping and embossing. 

 

The little fan is from Hero Arts Asian Elements stamp set.  The other stamps are from PaperArtsy LPC022 stamp set.  I embossed in black on red card and fussy cut the images.  Quick and simple little embellishments for an oriental themed card.  

Joining the fun at

Speedy Fox and Friends Challenge 237 - Oriental Card Candy 

Vintage Stamping Challenge #26 - Anything But A Card

Off to make myself a lemsip and get an early night.  Thanks for your visit.  Hugz

The Invisable Rest

Hello.  Welcome.  Extra special hi and hello to Lisa and Gio who have joined my little following.  Most welcome, and thanks to all my loyal followers and friends.  Your visits and comments bring sunshine.  Hugz

I am on holiday, at least until tomorrow, and had been hoping to do a few posts and catch up on my commenting.  Unfortunately, that hasn't happened.  My grandmother has had health issues and we are all feeling rather ragged.  I'm glad I was able to be here and lend a little help, but it means that many things we intended to do have fallen by the way.  So here is my one and only desert island offering.  That's what I call it when I am away from my stash and crafting with limited resources.  It does tend to inspire improvisation though......

 

For this card I used Prima Something Blue papers, PaperArtsy JOFY 15 stamps, a black ink pad, a red sharpie and a piece of ribbon.  I started by stamping half a tree on the RHS and then half a tree on the LHS.  Then I stamped off the rest of the ink around the bottom and sides of the card.  I added the three spiky flower stamp.  I stamped the bird and the bird box, fussy cut both, added some colour to the bird and set him behind and through the bird box hole.  He actually reminds me of a really fat robin I once saw that looked like a tennis ball with wings.  Very little wings!!  I added the sentiment and then went a little crazy around the edge with the black ink pad, and some artistic smudges.  

Joining the fun at

DRS Designs Challenge 147 - Just Half tree and bird

Stampotique Designers Challenge 172 - Spotlighting

Papertake Weekly - 2 or 4 Legs

STAMPlorations November Challenge - Stamps and Layers

Thanks for your visit.  I hope to be able to get around to visit you soon.  Hugz

Oh I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside

Hello.  Welcome.  Well, here I am back in the UK for my annual visit to see the family.  Crafting and blogging will be sporadic for the next week or so but yesterday I got to look through all the crafty goodies I have purchased this year and had delivered to my mum's.  Lots!!  So expect a flurry of posts once I get home again.  Wanted to share the card I sent to Dagmar for the October Card Chain Challenge.  If you still don't know what this is WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN??!!  It's send a card, get a card, and now Deborah has also lined up some fantastic sponsors so one lucky player also gets a prize.    Here's my card to Dagmar

I took my inspiration for the background from one of the cards I made for Claudine's APC challenge using orange and purple acrylic paints.  I added some paint lines and some script and circle stamping to the background.   The cat was cut using a Go Kreate die and the boo is a chipboard sticker.

If you would like to see all the cards exchanged see the October Reveal HERE
If you would like to join the fun this month you can sign up HERE

Joining the fun at
That Craft Place Challenge - Halloween
Bunny Zoe's Crafts October Challenge - Animals


Thanks for visiting.  Hugz