So That Was June!!

Hello.  Welcome.  Just a quick post for my entry to The Craft Barn calendar challenge.  This month the theme was lavender and butterflies.  

I cut my pages from lavender bazzill dot card and then added some patterned papers that I ripped to expose the bazzill card.  I stamped Paperartsy dragonfly on the same bazzill paper using Distress Dusty Concord and fussy cut.  

Joining the fun at
The Craft Barn Calender Challenge - June

Thanks for your visit.  Hugz

Problems With The Bowjo

Hello.  Welcome.  Do you ever find yourself trying to incorporate a certain item into a project and it just won't go?  Or in the next project!  Or the next!!  Usually for me that's buttons, but this week it's been bows.  At The Craft Barn the challenge was bows.  How difficult is that then??  Well!!  So here it is.  On the line yet again.  A card with bows.  Well, a bow.  And a party animal.  No really.  A real party animal.  

I used the Die-namites sketch and Die-namites Party Animal.  Ain't he cute.  I used bronze card to cut him out and took advantage of the black core by sanding some texture onto his tail, face and paws.  I filled in the detail with other colour cut pieces.  I used MME and Authentique patterned papers.  I used Salty Ocean Distress ink on the top layer and also around the card edges.  I created a faux emboss look by cutting Sizzix Party word from the same paper Authentique and adding it to the background.  Three strange little sequins I found in the cheap shop the other day with the stars from the Party Animals hat added to the center.  Love those little negative cuts LOL.

And a bow.  Don't forget the bow.  Ready to party??  OMG It's a bow on a bow wow ROFL.  And look it's not even midnight.......

Joining the fun at
Die-namites June Sketch Challenge and Dare - Manly
The Craft Barn Weekly Challenge - Use a Bow
That Craft Place Challenge - Layers 

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Girls Prerogative

Hello.  Welcome.  This started as something and metamorphosed into something very different.  Quite appropriate considering the butterflies.  

I started with a kraft panel, white embossed Hero Arts Word Pops background stamp and added some Brusho colour.  

I added a brown Cheery Lynn English Tea Party doily, toned it down with some gesso and then spritzed with gold shimmer spray.  

I dyed the string with Distress Vintage Photo ink.  The butterflies are the large butterfly from Hero Arts/Sizzix Collage Background stamp.  I stamped on paper I had coloured with watercolours and fussy cut.  I added some wire for antennas and the sentiment is from Hero Arts/Sizzix Bicycle set. I wanted a bright background card, but the raspberry was a bit bright, so I smeared on some Distress Walnut Stain.

Joining the fun at
Hero Arts - Tic Tac Toe Challenge circles, background stamp, watercolour
A Blog Named Hero - Sketch Challenge
Cheery Lynn Designs Challenge 190 - Anything Goes
Mixed Media Monthly Challenge 13 - MMMC#6 Stamps 
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Stamp and Mist

Thanks for your visit.  Hugz 

Interesting Technique

Hello Welcome.  A special big hi and hello to Mrs A.  So pleased you have joined my happy following.  I really appreciate all my followers, friends, lurkers and passin' thrus.  Hugz all round.  

OK, this one was inspired to life by Marks Finest Papers Challenge of white embossing on kraft.  So I decided to go big and use the Winter Wonderland Plate 6 from Paperartsy.  Love this lady

OK, so I quite liked the curtains but the definition of the main image is a bit chancy.  Then someone decided the stars would look great with a bit of blue!!  Need to get me a hamster to blame for artistic mistakes and triumphs LOL

 So I decided to stamp her again and emboss with black.  Then I fussy cut her and added her to my panel.  But I liked the white stars!! so I stamped them again and embossed with white and stuck them on.  That's better.

I deliberately left a border when I stamped cos I had an idea to colour it so it looked like a picture frame.  I have used Bazzill as my substrate.  I like that the texture of the Bazzill shows through the embossing.  But it didn't like the embossing, warped like crazy, and it didn't like when I started adding diluted Walnut Stain to the edge.  First, it sucked up the liquid like a man three days in the desert.  Then it went floppy and soft like a wet tissue.  So I got a nice colour but when I tried to pick the piece off the desk the edge ended up a bit dog eared.  So I thought 'Why not?' and really scrunched it up.  And with the Walnut Stain colour it ended up looking like old leather.  Now, maybe someone has had this happy accident before and shared with you, but just in case I thought I'd explain how I did the edge.  I will definitely be investigating this technique again.  

Joining the fun at
Speedy Fox and Friends Challenge 267 - White Embossing on Kraft Cardstock
DRS Challenge 180 - Oh My Stars
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
OCS June Challenge - Anything Goes 

Thanks for dropping by.  Back soon. Hugz

Merry and Bright

Hello.  Welcome.  It's hotting up here at last.  It's a t-shirt day today.  Must get a picture of Bob flat out in the rabbit garden.  Although I am glad to see the sun it's warm for the small furries.  They are all lying stretched out trying to catch some breeze.  Lots of small birds visiting the pond for a bath.  Fun watching them splashing about. 

There is a CASE playground over at Stamplorations and Cornelia has put in a couple of cards using a stamp from Stamplorations Vignette Celebrate Artsy set to create a background.  The link above is to her Christmas version.  Here's mine

I know, it's a bit bright.  Well, I also wanted to join the One Layer Christmas Card challenge where the twist this time is Green.  So I picked a yellow base card and various shades of Distress ink.  I was going to stamp the background and then add a fussy cut detail til I remembered I was trying for one layer!!!  So I stamped the Paperartsy tree with Pine Needle distress.  A little late I decided to try and emboss the star and basket with gold and the tree with green powder.  The gold is patchy.  Which I like.  Sort of distressed.  The green is almost not there at all.  Just a little texture here and there.  I quite like that as well.  Then I masked and stamped the background. 

I added the two vertical word stamps from Marks Finest Papers Nutcracker set and embossed with gold.

Joining the fun at
OLCC Challenge 12 - Green
Stamplorations June CASE Playground
June Rudolph Days Challenge
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes 
DRS Designs Challenge 180 - Oh My Stars  just the one LOL, on the top of the tree

Thanks for dropping by.  Back very soon with a couple more projects.  Best laid plans and all that jazz.  Hugz

Bicentenial Crowd

Hello.  Welcome.  Stampotique are celebrating their 200th challenge.  I thought I'd join the party.  

I have stamped and masked and stamped and masked and stamped and masked and stamped and masked Birdie Up on a brusho background.  There's 200 of em but they couldn't all fit in the frame.  OK, maybe not 200.......  I couldn't find a stamp with 200th on it so please excuse my scribble.  I also checked to see what a 200th anniversary colour or gift was but it seems people don't stay married that long anymore.  Where's the commitment??!!   Some folk have no staying power.  I added the Unity sentiment 'hurry up and cut the cake' cos really, that's what we all came for.  Isn't it??

So happy 200th Stampotique.  I hope you had a lovely celebration.  And cake.  Lots of cake.  

Joining the fun at
Stampotique Designers Challenge 200 - Celebrate
VSC Challenge 33 - Hot Sunny Colours 
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Favourite technique/product  I love brushos
OCS June Challenge - Anything Goes 

Thanks for dropping by.  All this talk of cake is making me hungry.  Hugz

Wasteland of Lost Projects

Hello.  Welcome.  I haven't played over at PaperArtsy for a while and the theme this fortnight has been Hidden Things.  Well, this one has certainly been more of a challenge than anticipated.  I am going to hide all the things that have bitten the dust on the way to this final card.  Once I find the desk that has become hidden by them.  Good job I lost Thrifty Crafter LOL.  Is that enough things hidden Leandra?  No?!  OK, here's one more.  I was inspired by Helen's hidden text project. 

I've used Paperartsy Chatsworth paper for my panel, PA Moth stamp and Flower from petals 2 set .  I stamped the flower twice on patterned paper, embossed with black powder and fussy cut.  The moth was stamped and embossed on Chatsworth paper.  There's a little slot behind the flower to hide the moth's tail.  

Cos the tail has a hidden message

 ,

Zooooommmmmmmm.   Sorry, it just looks like he might be zooming.  

Joining the fun at

Paperartsy

Penny Black and More June Challenge -Wings

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Butterflies and Boots

Hello.  Welcome.  We had a few hours of summer today.  Hurrah.  But it didn't last!  Shame.  So I played with some Cheery Lynn dies.

I started by making a base card out of printed craft paper.  Then I masked the edges and used a brown promarker to colour the center panel

I used Cheery Lynn Old Barn Board, Barbed Wire, Arizona Cowboy and Mini Dimensional Butterflies dies, all cut from craft card.  The sentiment is a Unity stamp from Owl Pals set.  

Joining the fun at
Cheery Lynn Designs Challenge 189 - Keep It Krafty
The Craft Barn Weekly Challenge - Butterfly
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Favourite Technique and/or Product I love dies
Unity Friends With Flair

Thanks for your visit.  Hugz

Wide Open Spaces

Hello.  Welcome.  When I saw this weeks Mark's Finest Paper Challenge, Only Use the Corner, I knew the Tiger stamp set would just have to come out again.  Love this big beautiful tiger stamp.  So I made this panel last night and quite honestly it just didn't hit the spot.  So I put it front and center on my desk and went to bed.  This morning it seemed to have improved!!  Maybe the midnight elves have been spreading a little happy dust.  So I tried it against various card bases and ended up with this

I stamped Mark's Finest Papers Tiger and sentiment on grey card and ripped and inked the edges.  I doodled a border and mounted on a cream base card.  Then I had another can't go back brain wave and started cutting the card edge to mirror the ripped edge.  Sort of!  Not sure if that adds or takes away, but I can't put it back so here it is.  I do like that tiger.  

Joining the fun at
Speedy Fox and Friends Challenge 266 - Use Only the Corner
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Use Your Favourite Technique and/or Product

Thanks for dropping by.  Off to play with the baby bunnies, who were definitely the stars of my last post, and see if I can get some chick pictures.  Hugz

Funny Bunnies

Hello.  Welcome.  Well, they are a bit camera shy but here's a few pictures of bunny babies. 

Cute or what!!?

I also took this picture of our rhododendron.  I took this at 22.30.  Still light.  Love it. 

But maybe you came for the craft stuff....

I decided that, despite the weather, I was going to go with some hot summer colours.  My background is brushos on watercolour paper.  I used Stamploration Foiled Again stencil and Ripe Persimmon distress ink.  I stamped the flower from Unity KOM 11/13 using Festive Berries distress ink.  The girl is from the same Unity kit embossed in red embossing powder on yellow card and fussy cut.  

I used a yellow base card and made a border using an embossing pen and the red embossing powder.  The sentiment is from Unity Anna Girl stamped on yellow card and embossed.  

Joining the fun at
The Unity Stamp Co. Challenge 20 - Colour
WOW Embossing Powder June Challenge - Summer 
VSC Challenge 33 - Hot Sunny Colours 
Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday May 2015
The Unity Stamp Co. Friends With Flair

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

May I Suggest

Hello. Welcome.  Happy Sunday to you all.  Hope the sun is shining and the mojo is flowing for you.  The sun is actually shining here today but there's a very cold strong wind blowing.  Mummy hen is keeping the chicks snugly warm inside.  I did think she might try to take them out for the first time today but am glad she is sitting tight.  I know, I know, pictures!!  When I see them so will you.  I do know there are six, two yellow and four black.  Photo shoot planned as soon as they start moving around.  And the baby bunnies.  What baby bunnies I hear you cry.  Ah well, yeah, I haven't mentioned them.  Must get photo's there too.  They are so cute.  Palm sized fluffy cuties.  So, in the absence of sweet animal photo's here a simple little Christmas card to get the craft flowing. 

I stamped the poinsettia from Penny Black Wonder Collection on a white card, masked and stamped twice more.  At this point may I just say I wish I had coloured the first image before I stamped the next two LOL.  It would have been so much easier to work out which bit to colour ROFL.  I used my ruby Promarker.  Then I clear wink of stellar'd all and added crystal lacquer to all the berries.  The sentiment is from the same PB stamp set. 

Joining the fun at
OLCC Challenge 11
Speedy Fox and Friend Challenge 266 - Use Only the Corner
Sweet Stampin Challenge - Black and White With a Pop of Colour
Allsorts Challenge Week 315 - Flower Power 

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Cowgirl Coffee

Hello.  Welcome.  I have had this idea bumbling around my brain for a couple of days and suddenly, at way past midnight, it all became clear.  So I had to slip down to the craft room and make it reality.  Amazingly imagination and reality agreed and became this

I have used a piece of coffee themed fabric for my background.  I was going for the frayed edge look, but on reflection maybe should have gone for a wrap around!  Hey, it's after midnight, and way too late for coffee, so let's give the brain cell a break.  I stamped, water coloured and fussy cut Unity Stamp Co. Jess.  The sentiment was computer generated and smudged with Picked Raspberry distress.  I also used a raspberry base card.  

Joining the fun at
The Unity Stamp Co. Friends With Flair 
Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop
Verve Stamps Inspiration Challenge 
Avenue 613 Challenge 127 - Anything Goes 
Country View Challenges - Shabby Chic 

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz 

Dormouse Tea

Hello.  Welcome.  I couldn't decide what the Mad Hatter would be saying so I left him dumb.  I am sure that's coffee in his cup cos who would want the tea when the dormouse is asleep in the pot!

I was inspired by the colours and shapes at Waffle Flower.  I used a pink base card and added black archival smudges.  I ripped a panel from watercolour paper and coloured with brusho's.  I cut some blue card using Spellbinders Square Swatches dies and arranged them as a background.  I stamped Stamplorations Mad Hatter and watercoloured him.  

Joining the fun at
Waffle Flower Challenge
Speedy Fox and Friends Challenge 265 - Making Die Cut Designs
Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop 
Stamplorations Anything Goes Challenge 
Verve Stamps Inspiration Challenge 

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Chick Chick Chicken

Hello.  Welcome.  Say awwwwww

How cute are they!!  There is actually a black chick in the middle but he doesn't show up so well.  Still not sure how many chicks I have.   I've seen 4, but hoping for more.  Maybe mother hen will let them out to play tomorrow.  

And then there's this lovely bird

I CASEd Shirley's lovely card using Stamplorations large Hooded Oriole and a stamp from the grunge mixed media set to make the splats.  Wasn't feeling up to splatting tonight.  The tape is from IKEA and I coloured my bird with Dylusions ink.  

Joining the fun at
Stamplorations June Inspiration Case Playground
Stamplorations June Challenge - Stamps and Washi Tape 
Stamplorations Anything Goes Challenge 
Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday May 2015

Thanks for your visit.  Hugz

Artistic Smudger at Work

Hello.  Welcome.  I have been a little preoccupied with one of my hens today, who is hatching chicks as I write.  Very exciting.  I have seen one tiny little head, and heard peeping, but it's a bit like a sneak peek.  Have to wait for the full reveal.  Must be patient.  Very difficult.  But don't want mother hen to stand too soon.  Got to give them all the best chance to hatch.  Will keep you posted. 

So this is what I fitted in today amid the excitement.  I started the background for the challenge at Mark's Finest Papers where they want die-cut designs.  I used Spellbinders Gold Circle 1 die set.  All of it.  First time I've used this so wasn't sure what I was going to get.  Some of the dies cut and some just emboss.  So just to see I used all at once and ended up with a lovely detailed doily cut from one of my brusho backgrounds.  

So I have the pretty doily and I added Kadoodle Pirate Dan.  He is coloured with Promarkers and watercolour.  I stamped DRS Script Happy Birthday and black embossed.  

On my purple base card I stamped DRS Interlocking Squares and embossed with dark green powder.  I cut Cheery Lynn Compass and placed behind the doily.  The corners are Cheery Lynn Mini Rum Punch doily cut in 4.  It seemed a bit unfinished so I tried this....

I smudged the edge of the card with Versamark and embossed with Wintergreen Pastel embossing powder.  I've had this so long and hardly used it.  I was afraid it might be dead, but it melted just fine.  Must use these bright colours on darks more often.  

Joining the fun at
Cheery Lynn Designs Challenge 188 - Creative Corners 
DRS Designs Challenge 177 - Over the Top
Speedy Fox and Friends Challenge 265 - Making Die Cut Designs
The Craft Barn Weekly Challenge - For The Man in Your Life
FSC Challenge 99 - Use a Person or Persons

Thanks for taking some of your precious time to visit.  It warms my heart.  Please leave a little love so I know you passed by.  Hugz

To Two Too

Hello  Welcome.  Yesterday I was asked about my Altered Playing Card deck and had to sheepishly admit that I still had 6 cards (and Jokers) to complete.  So I picked one of Claudine's posts that I had bookmarked as unfinished.  You can see Claudine's cards HERE

Week 22 Claudine added elmer glue to her cards.  I used wood glue and two shades of green Dylusion sprays.  The card on the right I had squiggled the glue and it really shows up with the Jade spray.  On the left I somehow managed to get lots of little bubbles which actually are nicely highlighted by the green spray.

I added some cool washi tape I bought at IKEA the other day.  The markings are green and perfectly matched my background.  I also did some stamping with a tiny, but very cool Prima stamp.  

Looks a bit like a summer picnic.  The tea service and tea bag are all Viva Las Vegas stamps.  They actually come on wheels but I cut them off during the fussy cutting.  The circles are Sizzix swirl embosslit die.  The words are also Sizzix dies.  I cut them black but they vanished a little against the tape so I added some white pen.  

I've used the same tea themed stamps and Wheeley Winged Cat from Viva Las Vegas stamps.  The cat lost his wheels as well, but retained his crown.  I added some bits of the same washi tape and more Sizzix letters.  The film strip is also a sizzix die and I added small London themed pictures from a Crafty Individuals image book. 

Joining the fun at
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Royal
Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop
VLVS June Challenge 
Domino Art Challenge 14 - Any Theme, Any Game 
Stamping Sensations June Challenge - Dies and Punches 

Thanks for your visit.  Hugz

Brusho Blitz

Hello.  Welcome.  I was going to do Kathy's 30 Day Colour Challenge but, although I have been trying to colour every day, the chance to blog hasn't arisen.  Yesterday I had a brusho blitz and sprinkled and sprayed a few sheets of Whatman #3 filter papers and created some pretty backgrounds.

Pretty brusho background attached to a dark blue base card.  The Prima doll I coloured with watercolour pencils.  The pretty die cut was a gift from one of my CCC friends.  The sentiment and sketchy flowers are also Prima stamps, from the Warm Wishes and For You sets.  I filled the flowers with glossy accents and added a sequin to the center.   Hoping these bright colours will encourage the arrival of summer. 

Joining the fun at
Pretty Pink Posh Watercolor Blog Hop
7 Kids Challenge 127 - Anything Goes 
Stamping Sensations June Challenge - Dies and Punches
The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Challenge - Summer is on it's Way
FSC Challenge 99 - Use a Person or Persons

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Vrooooom...

Hello.  Welcome.  We have visitors and crafting time is severely limited so today I ran off screaming and locked myself in my craft room.  Here's one for starters....

I embossed a grey piece of card with Darice Film Strip embossing folder and smooched with black archival.  The cars and the sentiment are Imaginisce stickers.  Mounted the panel on a pae green layer and a dark green base card.  

Joining the fun at
The Craft Barn Weekly Challenge - Transport
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Make it Masculine 

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

A Little Bit Of Him And A Little Bit Of Her

Hello.  Welcome.  It's been a busy day and there was an invitation to go eat cake so, of course, I did LOL.  It was very nice cake.  Then I decided I needed to do a bit of colouring for the 30 day colouring challenge.  But I found this guy, 

and this happened

The boy is a Panduro stamp, stamped on some Basic Grey paper which fitted the Waffle Flower challenge colours.   I've used the MFP sketch.  Looking at the Waffle Flower inspirational photo the chest of drawers with the knobs reminded me of dots, so I dug through my embossing folders.  No dots, but did find Sizzix retro circles.  I embossed the two panels, white on white, and added my little footballer.  The sentiment is from Marks Finest Papers Paper Doll Francis set.  I stamped it with Old Paper distress and then black archival.  

Joining the fun at
Speedy Fox And Friends Challenge 264 - Sketch 
Waffle Flower Challenge
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Make It Masculine
FSC Challenge 99 - Use a Person or Persons

But I did find 5 minutes to colour.  I stamped Unity Harmony Girl twice, fussy cut and got busy with the watercolour pencils and waterbrush

Obviously feeling less bright today.  The one on the right is just many shades of grey.   Interesting...

Linking up to The Daily Marker 30 Day Colouring Challenge - Day 3

Thanks for dropping by.  Hope you found some time to craft today.  Hugz

It's A Boy

Hello.  Welcome.  I have decided to play along with  Kathy Racoosin's 30 Day Colouring Challenge.  I thought it might be inspiring and motivational to try and colour for at least 5 minutes a day.  So here's today's yesterdays!! 5 minutes..... 

So I found this Unity Stamp Co. About a Boy image I had already stamped and black embossed.  I fussy cut him and coloured with sharpies.  I added some gold to the buttons.  OK, maybe not quite 5 minutes.  But colouring.  Then I decided I wanted to do something with him.  I found this wild retro wall paper, a sample acquired many moons ago, stuck it to a base card and added my boy.  One feels he needs a sentiment, but 20 minutes of searching and nothing presented itself as perfect so.....  Mayhaps he will remain mute.  

Joining the fun at
The Unity Stamp Co .Challenge 28 - Colour 
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
HIMCR Challenge 201 - Freestyle 
The Daily Marker 30 Day Colouring Challenge - Day 2 
The Unity Stamp Co. Friends With Flair 

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Hello June

Hello.  Welcome.  A special welcome to June.  Really hope you are bringing sunny warm days.  

Inspired by some colours and themes I made a one layer card.  I cut my card base using Simon Says Stamp Stitched rectangle die and masked the edges.  I stamped the Panduro girl and little beach ball, masked and sponged the background with distress inks.  Then I coloured the image with watercolour pencils.  I added some details to the sea with a white pen.  

Joining the fun at 
Rubber Dance June Challenge
Simon Says Stamp Work It Wednesday May 2015
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
OLS Challenge 17 - Round and Round 
The Daily Marker 30 Day Colouring Challenge - Day 1 

Thanks for dropping by.  Hope you have summer.  Hugz