Beach Dreams

Hello.  Welcome.  I have a little mixed season offering over at the Blank Page Muse blog today.

This is a 3 x 4" journal card.  Stamps are from Blank Page Muse Penguins on Ice Winter Holiday set.  I used Dirty Sand Baked Texture embossing powder to make the beach.  Do pop over to the Blank Page Muse blog to check out all the details.  

You can get 15% off Blank Page Muse stamps with my code BPMDtIona2019

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Allsorts Challenge Week 509 - Seasons, What's Your Favourite? I quite like winter but I am looking forward to summer, just like this dude!
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
Emerald Creek Ordinary Day Dare Challenge
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Whatever the Weather
Through The Craftroom Door Challenge - Anything Goes

Growing In Unity - Day 1

Hello.  Welcome.  This week I am very pleased and excited to be Growing in Unity!!  This means that everyday this week I will be sharing a project featuring Unity stamps.  It also means that there is a chance for you to win a Unity Stamp Company Grab Bag !!  I have two to give away!!  All you need to do is leave a comment on each of my posts this week and on Monday I will draw two lucky winners.  So don't forget to leave a comment before you hop off!!  Here's my card for today.....

Keeping it simple and using stamps from Unity Never Be Afraid kit.   I started with a white base card.  I smeared some Mustard Seed distress ink on my craft mat, spritzed with water and pressed my card into the ink drops.  I did this until I had a pleasing array of splodges.  Have a cup of tea while it dries.  Or maybe coffee is your thing.  Then I decided to try something new.  I stamped the flower image with Iced Spruce distress ink.  Then I coloured with Promarkers.  I tried this out on a piece of scrap card first, cos I wasn't sure how this would go, but it worked perfectly.  The promarkers are semi-translucent so the distress ink shows through but no bleed!  Fab.  I stamped the sentiment with black archival.  

Thanks for dropping by.  Don't forget to leave a comment and I'll be back tomorrow with more Unity inspiration.  Also the Unity Stamp Company is celebrating it's 10th birthday and there is a massive sale!  Massive!!  Everything is on sale!!!  Hop over and check it out.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Pammies Inky Pinkies Challenge 1818 
Stamping Sensations May Challenge - Close to Nature 
CAS-ual Fridays Challenge 198 - April Showers Bring May Flowers 
Double D May Flowers Challenge
Crafters Castle Challenge 5 

 

She is Autumn

Hello.  Welcome.  I made this card for my sister.  As soon as I saw this sweet image from Gummiapan I thought it would make the perfect card for her.  And this sentiment is just too cool.  So I went all shades of autumn and really love how this turned out.  

I cut my card panel using a stitched rectangle die and Gummiapan's Stitched Squares dies for the aperture.  I stamped and fussy cut Gummiapan's Liten Yoga and coloured her with Promarkers and distress ink.  I was going to use some foliage, but decided it was too busy, so I kept it simple and just backed the aperture with vellum to mute the card base orange a little.  I stamped the Gummiapan Eat a Cake sentiment with Spiced Marmalade distress ink.  

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Little Yoga is joining the fun at
Promarker Challenge Week 419 - Shades of Autumn
Craft Stamper Take It Make It Challenge November
Scrappelyst Grublis for Oktober - Høstens Farger
Addicted to Stamps Challenge 156 - Autumn
Deep Ocean Challenge 171 - Fave Card Project 2017  I love this one for the colours and cos I made it for my sister, who is sea away, but it makes me think of her.  Hugz

Blooming Believe

Hello.  Welcome.  This card was inspired by a stamp from Unity and the Calling All Sistahs challenge.  

This believe flower is from Unity KOM 7/17.  Actually, until it arrived I hadn't even really noticed it.  Other stamps in the kit had caught my eye, but when it arrived this is the one that jumped out and got inked first.  Such is a stampers life.  The Calling All Sistahs challenge colours just fitted perfectly and I love the believe stem that adds a beautifully subtle encouraging sentiment.  I used distress inks with a blending tool for the background and with my water brush for the flower and leaves.  

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Calling All Sistahs Challenge #3 - Colours
Happy Little Stampers July Watercolour Challenge
Stamping Sensations July Challenge - Anything with Flowers
Stamplorations July Theme Challenge - Warm Colours 
Stamplorations Summer CAS Card Challenge 

 

She Thinks You Can Win

Hello.  Welcome.  Lost Coast Designs have a new release of fabtastical stamps and we are partying over at the Lost Coast Portal to Creativity.  I made a card using the stunningly gorgeous Steampunk Mermaid

Isn't she just stunning??   

I also used the ever wonderful Bubbles Background

Do hop over to the Portal of Creativity to see all the wonderful inspiration from the design team.  Leave comments on the daily posts for your chance to win some Lost Coast Design dollars.  See you there.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Happy Little Stampers July Watercolour Challenge
One Crazy Stamper July Challenge - Anything Goes
Hjerteboden Juli Utfordring - Alt Er Lov
De Egel Juli Challenge 37 - Zeedieren hope mermaids count LOL

Works Well to a Deadline

Hello.  Welcome.   I have been looking at the Camp Create posts over at MFT and have decided to finally get my craft on.  There are actually 5 post but I am finding they work very well together.  I decided to have a go at the masking challenge using this cute Unity stamp.  

This is Unity My Main Squeeze.  I stamped the girl, masked and then, inspired by the background bonanza video, used the heart group to stamp the background with VersaMagic Red Gold ink.  Then I masked the top of the card and did a colourwash with Tea Dye distress ink.  I used the same colour for the bear and her hair and Picked Raspberry for her clothes.  I cut the panel with Simon Says Stamp Stitched Rectangle die and mounted on a raspberry pink panel.  

Thanks for dropping by.   Hugz

Joining the fun at
MFT Stamps Camp Create 2016 - Magnificent Masking
Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday June 2016 
Hobbygarasjen Utfordring 38 - Alt Er Lov 
Hjerteboden Juli/August - Alt Er Lov 

Beach Safari Postcard

Hello.  Welcome.  It's my turn over at the Rubber Dance blogs today.  I'm all bi-lingual, so check my post in 

English 

or

Norsk

Here's a little peek...........

There's a giveaway as well so make sure you check it out.  Hugz

S is for Siren

Hello.  Welcome.  Just a quick post for another altered playing card.

I kept this one pretty simple.  I used two mdf pieces from Things to Alter, the small mermaid and the circle flourish.  I have coloured with distress inks.  Mustard Seed hair went yellow.  Blueprint Sketch skin looking a little smokey.  Mermaid Lagoon tail looking very green.  Interesting.  I strategically added a small shell and the dictionary definition from OED.  I am looking at the second definition - dangerously fascinating woman - but maybe that shell has multiple uses........

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
The Craft Barn Alpha Dictionary Challenge - S and a shell
Things to Alter Challenge - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Clover Castle Fun

Hello.  Welcome.  I am starring over at the Rubber Dance Scandanavian blog today.  Drop over and see what I've been doing with one of the fun new stamps from Rubber Dance

There's still loads of time to join this months challenge using this beautiful moodboard for your inspiration

Hope to see you there.   

Don't forget you can get 15% off your order at 

Rubber Dance Stamps 

with the code gail2016.  

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Have You Danced In The Rain

Hello.  Welcome.  Finally I have found some time to craft.  Spring is a busy time here with the garden.  Planting, tidying, watching the flowers bloom.  I take my own advice and remember to take the time to breathe.  So Unity have a photo inspiration challenge and to me it looked like coloured raindrops.  

I stamped Harmony Girl with London Fog archival.  Then I watercoloured around her using distress inks and my water brush.  This always has a drop of Windsor and Newton irridecent watercolour mediium mixed in so all the colours glitter.  You may also be able to see a bit of the card texture near the top of the picture.  I tried to use the colours of the inspiration photo.  Maybe I should have bled the colours out more at the edges but trying to keep it CAS..........

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
MFP Stamps Challenge 14 - CAS and Rain

It's a Bunny Time of Year

Hello.  Welcome.  MFP want to see CAS and bunnies, and since I had this snazzy dude out, I thought I'd make a QACAS card using the Share the Joy colours

For me March is a busy birthday month and then April, well that's just wall to wall birthdays.  So I decided to use this cute Anita's bunny to make a birthday card for a friend who has an Easter birthday this year.  I stamped and embossed the bunny and the sentiment from MFP's Tiger set.  Then I gave it a water colour wash using pink, blue and yellow distress inks.  I have added Windsor and Newton Iridescent watercolour medium to my waterbrush so now everything has bling........

Thanks for dropping by.  I have a little giveaway going on.  Check this post for details.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
MFP Stamps Challenge 10 - CAS and Bunnies
Share Joy Challenge 25 - Colours
Happy Little Stampers Mixed Media Challenge - Water
DRS Designs Challenge 216 - Bling it on
Addicted to Stamps Challenge 184 - CAS 

Warts And All

Hello.  Welcome.  Over at Paperartsy this fortnight the challenge is image transfer.  Something I've never had much success with.  I don't have all those products that people use to transfer an image and quite honestly, except for occasionally wanting to reverse a stamp, it's not really something I've tried.   So I have been lurking, picking up tips but not putting my toe in the water.  Then I saw Kaz's post, where she uses grunge paste as a transfer medium.  Got that!!  So I photocopied an image of a lady and followed the process.  Whilst waiting for GP to dry I thought I'd give Keren's super easy transfer ideas a go.....

Here's a Do Crafts fox with it's very sketchy reversed image.  I used brown archival.  Maybe not the best choice.  It would also have helped to have had layers underneath maybe.  I decided the real fox would look good coloured with Spiced Marmalade.  I used distress inks to colour the water, grass and sky as well.  The sentiment is from Rubber Dance Affirmations set.  It's sweet, but I think I need practice.  

The GP lady??  Maybe it wasn't dry enough but she made a good ghostly apparition, but a very poor image transfer............

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Paperartsy Topic #4 - Image Transfer
Penny Black and More - Feature a Creature

Jelly Beans and Butterflies

Hello.  Welcome.  It's been a while since I joined the DRS challenge.  The weeks seem to go by so fast!!  But I love the pretty jelly bean colours this weeks so, with hours to spare LOL, I decided to combine the DRS and the Happy Little Stampers CAS challenge together.

HLS want to see Embossing Folder Stamping.  So I rattled through my embossing folders and found Mod Flower by Sizzix.  I inked it with Mustard Seed, Cracked Pistachio and Festive Berries distress inks and stamped on my card.  

I stamped DRS Butterfly Kiss sentiment and a DRS butterfly that I coloured with the same inks.  

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
DRS Designs Challenge 214 - Inspired By Color
Happy Little Stampers February CAS Challenge - Embossing Folder Stamping
Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday February 2016 - Something Floral
Nordsalten Hobbyklubb Utfordring 133 - Sommerfuggel i Vinterland 
Bunny Zoe's Crafts Challenge - Things with Wings 

Starry Starry Distress

Hello.  Welcome.  Still feeling the jingle and another christmas card, this time with a distress ink background inspired by the tutorial at MFP.  

I sponged two shades of green distress ink onto a pre-embossed card, added some splats using a distress stain dabber and sprinkled with water.  I stamped the sewn star from MFP USA Heros set and embossed with black powder.  I added some ric rac ribbon and small buttons.  The sentiment is from MFP Dear Santa set.  

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
MFP Stamps Challenge #5 - Anything Goes 
MFP January I Want To Go To The Beach Blog Hop 
CHNC Challenge #266 - Anything Christmas
OLCC Challenge #25 - Anything Goes 
VSC Challenge 41 - Splatters and Drips 

Whoa! Rudolf

Hello.  Welcome.  So the postman comes at lunchtime with happy mail.  He bought the Reindeer Games stamp set I won in the Stamplorations blog hop.  Thanks Shery.  So, drinking my coffee, checking out my new cute reindeer stamps and doing a little surfing.  And on the Stamploration blog there's Shirley doing a step by step of her cute cartoon cards.  Love these.  So I think, I'll have a go at that with me new deers.   

OMG, how fun is that?  I must admit, despite Shirley's brilliant step by step this took me ages to put together.  I knew I wanted to use Reindeer Games, but then I had to work out the size and orientation of my boxes and which stamps I was going to use.  But I got there in the end.  I am sure next time, oh yes, there will be a next time, it will be a bit easier.  So I made a one layer christmas card with the crazy deer and a couple of the sentiments.  Looking at it, I suppose it could double as a unseasonal valentine.  A twofer ho ho ho.  Thanks Shirley.  Love this look.  Coloured with distress inks and my waterbrush.  

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Stamplorations Spotlight Project Showcase 
Stamplorations Anything Goes Challenge
One Layer Christmas Challenge #25 - Anything Goes
CHNC Challenge 266 - Anything Christmas 
ABC Christmas Challenge - C is for Cute Critters 
The Daily Marker 30 Day Colouring Challenge 

One, Two Three, Many

Hello.  Welcome.  February, the month of Love.  And purification, according to the Romans.  So I've gone with love, and cat, and combined two of my favourite stamps in a simple card with a touch of pink.

This is Penny Black How Do I Love Thee? and a Rubber Dance Stamps sentiment from the Happy Birthday set.   I stamped and embossed and coloured with distress inks and my waterbrush.  It was going to be one layer but my card was a bit lightweight and didn't appreciate the water part, so I mounted on a hot pink base.  

Just a couple of public service announcements.  The new Rubber Dance Challenge is up and running and there is also a GIVEAWAY so hop over and check it out.  Better hurry...

The sign ups for the Card Chain Challenge are open for another couple of days.  You know you want to.....  If you need a little push to join the fun check out the January reveal.  

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
Nordsalten Hobbyklubb Utfordring 132 - Hurra For Deg
PBSC January - Anything Goes badge in my sidebar :->
Show Us Your Pussies - Cats Only Challenge #3
Papirlosjen Utfordring 1 - Favoritt 
The Daily Marker 30 Day Challenge

Forgive and Forget

Hello.  Welcome.  Working on a simple card for Rubber Dance Stamps using stamps from the Sew Sweet stamp set.

This months challenge at Rubber Dance has gorgeous colours and the optional theme of Autumn

I inked my paper with pumpkin shades of distress inks and then stamped and embossed the sentiment.  I made the border by partially stamping the button stamp repeatedly.  I stamped the thread, masked and stamped the dress form.  I mounted the stamped panel on a black base card.

Do check out the challenge post.  Lots of lovely inspiration from the DT and the chance to win some lovely Rubber Dance stamps.  You don't have to use Rubber Dance stamps to enter but of course we would love to see them.  Newsflash...... just between you and me.....  brand new lovely stamps in the shop this week and a chance for one lucky person who leaves a comment on this post to win the set of their choice.  Are you still here??  Wait!!  Before you hop off!  Maybe you'd like to leave me a little love as well.......

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Joining the fun at
Winnie & Walter WCMD 2015 - Partial Stamping with Kelly
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Autumn is in the Air
Penny Black and More October Challenge - Warm Autumn Colours
Stamping Sensations October Challenge - Colours of Autumn

In The Garden Of Captain Birdseye

Hello.  Welcome.  Well now, over at the Craft Barn the weekly challenge is the sea.  Now, last week they were featuring fish fingers and I was all ready for Jane to set that as the challenge.  When she didn't I shared my favourite fish finger joke 

Why don't fish have fingers?

Cos Captain Birdseye took them all.  

Jane obviously liked that one cos she set me a little challenge all my own - fish fingers.  So Jane, in the spirit of rising to the occassion.......

So here we are.  I was inspired by the VLVS inspiration board to use this girl swinging from a lampost with octopus.  Like you do.  And also fences.  Cos it's Captain Birdseye's house he of course has a fishfinger fence.  Yeah, really.  I think these are called fishsticks in the US.  

So I stamped and masked VLVS Swing Set and used brusho's to colour the background.  Then I used distress inks in many colours and partially stamped VLVS Steampunk Warrior to get the tree and the bush.  I used his plumes for the leafy bits and his shoulder armor for the branches.  What fun.  I made my skinny fish fingers using wooden coffee stirrers, sand and orange paint.  The gate is a piece of fishing net with orange glitter glue. I added a seahorse and a starfish to the gateposts.  

I wanted a white edge on this copper base card. I tried sanding, but that wasn't very successful, so I used white embossing powder.  I ripped around the edge of my coloured panel, carefully cutting out the lady's leg so it could go out of the frame.  I really wanted some fish to be swiming around but couldn't find any suitable.  Little metal ones would have been perfect.......

Joining the fun at

VLVS October Challenge

The Craft Barn Weekly Challenge - Fish Fingers

Winnie & Walter WCMD 2015 - Partial Stamping with Kelly
Country View Challenge 32 - Add Some Texture 
Love 2 Create Challenge 20 - Anything Mixed Media 
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Ombre

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz 

Winnie and Walter have also set a craftie challenge where we take pictures of us crafting, so here's me working on the fish finger fence

You might not believe it but I did actually tidy up yesterday.  Sorry you missed it LOL.

Flutter By Fast

Hello.  Welcome.  Just a quick make using Hero Arts Butterfly Collage stamp. 

I started with a card panel cut using SSS Stitched Rectangle die.  I masked off the RHS using a piece of ripped paper and stamped Hero Arts Stripes stamp with Ripe Persimmon distress ink.  Then I stamped Hero Arts Butterfly collage using black archival and mounted on a bright orange base card.  

Joining the fun at
A Blog Named Hero Challenge - Masking
Hero Arts - Nature Challenge
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - No Rules 

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Catch It While You Can

Hello.  Welcome.  Another exciting installment with altered playing cards.  I am all the way back at week 11 with these two.  Claudine was using paper towels as backgrounds and her theme was Snow.  Ah well, one out of two ain't bad.  Claudine's cards can be found HERE

Here's my first background.  I stuck my painty paper towel onto the card

I used a mop up tissue with paler colours for the second card.  I was supposed to peel it off again and leave just the ink transfer but I obviously didn't have the right glue.  Or maybe I got distracted and left it too long LOL.  

Wot no snow!!  I was looking for the perfect stamp for my background and used my new Unity Stamp Co. ...and there was a boy.  I had to shorten him slightly so he fit on my card.  Good job they are giant sized else he might have totally lost his legs.  Then he looked a bit lonely so I decided to add the hare from Unity's Sweet thoughts of Spring Set.  What do you mean that's a rabbit!  Today it's a hare, or my really bad pun won't fly.  

No snow here either!!  I've used stamps from Unity Stamp Co. Love Life set.   I stamped the lady onto the paper but she ended up a bit patchy, due to the texture, so I stamped her on card, fussy cut and stuck her over the stamped image.  I added some Mustard Seed distress stain splats.  Then I used the sunflower stamp all over with more Mustard Seed splats and a sentiment.  

Joining the fun at
Claudine's Art Corner ATC Challenge Week 11
NBUS Challenge 3 - Anything Goes all the stamps are NBUS, except the bunny hare who we have seen before here
Stampotique Designers Challenge 176 - Anything Goes Week 5
The Unity Stamp Co. Friends with Flair  

Thanks for dropping by.  Have a great week.  Hugz