Strange Weather for Pumpkins

Hello.  Welcome.  The other day I was hopping about, seeing what folk were getting up to and doing some serious lurking, although occasionally so overwhelmed I did take the time to comment LOL, when suddenly I found myself being directed to Unity Stamps who were having a sale.  Always keen to check out a bargain and an unknown stamp company I hopped and, oh, perhaps not unknown after all.  

When I was a total newby to blogland, many moons ago, I did a few blog hops.  Didn't really understand what I was doing but it's a great introduction to find some blogs that interest you.  Anyway, I was hopping and commenting, cos they said leave a comment, you could win.  Would you believe I wasn't even sure what it was I was trying to win??  And then I did.  Win, that is.  Still not sure what I had won but sent my address and after a time an A4 set of stamps arrived.  Wow, impressed I was.   Really nice stamps.  Real red rubber.  Used very little since except for the 'never a dull moment' sentiment which has popped up now and again.   Then suddenly I'm over at Unity Stamps and realise this is one of their sets, neglected in a corner.  So, after a little shopping, I was having a look around and found a Challenge.  Well, you got to have a go haven't you.........  

All stamps on my card are from the Unity Stamps September 2012 SMAK kit.  I masked with ripped paper and stamped on the LHS with the numbers and DI Dusty Concord.  Then I coloured with DI Seedless Preserves.  I stamped the check border with ColorBox Plumeria Chalk on white card and tinted with DI Dried Marigold.  Then I layered two offset borders onto some orange card.  I stamped the frame and fussy cut and added my photo.   Not sure why the snow looks so blue!  Maybe it was a grey day. 

Every year I try and grow a giant pumpkin and at the end of October I have a big harvest/halloween party.  After the party the star of the show is moved out into the garden and I light a candle in it every night until it melts with the first frosts.  Obviously this year it either held out a long time of we had an early snow shower.   I thought my favourite sentiment from the SMAK kit worked perfectly.  I added glossy accents to the small orange punched circles. 

Joining the fun at
The Unity Stamp Challenge 18 
Papertake Weekly - Spots and Dots

I think I will have to add this to my annual party decorations.  Thanks for your visit.  Hugs

Messing About With Fish

Hello.  Welcome. This was another one of those projects that started going one way and ended up swimming in a totally different direction.  Over at Cheery Lynn the challenge this week is Fun With Letters and I had a bit of a lightbulb moment.  I seem to be suffering from that at the moment and am getting entries in to some of my favourite challenge sites days before the deadlines.  It's amazing!  Well, for me it's amazing.  Maybe at long last I am getting organised!  *quick look at desk* Well, maybe not........

For this card I have used blue and gold metal sheets.  I embossed the blue with Sizzix Carnivale embossing folder and wrapped some IKEA blue paper tape around the edge to add a border, and also make sure there were no sharp edges.  Then I layered it on a piece of black paper and a gold base card.  The fish were cut using Cheery Lynn Koi Fish from the gold metal.  I left all the negative cuts in place.  The Birthday is a Cheery Lynn die and 'Fishes' is Cheery Lynn Old Barn Board die, but I played around a bit with the letters.  Just like what it says in the challenge theme.  Because of where I started, and the challenge of sticking metal to metal, this took a lot longer than planned.  I do have a small collection of Koi in various colours to show for the afternoon play work session, so I expect there will be more koi at a blog near me soon.   

Joining the fun at
Cheery Lynn Designs Challenge 145 - Fun With Letters
Bunny Zoes Crafts August Challenge - Summer Colours
Eclectic Paperie August ePlay Challenge - Embossing
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Make it Sparkle 
Add A Little Dazzle Challenge 37 - Word Play 

Thanks for your visit.  If you are just lurking, it's lovely of you to drop by.  If you have something to say, don't hold back.  I believe in freedom of speech and would love to discuss art, laughter, the weather, your favourite colour or food, if you are for or against sprinkles and whether the world would be a better place if our economy was based on love.  Hugs

Just a Big Softie

Hello.  Welcome.  Been working on an ATC for Wicked Wednesday where this week the challenge is Leo.  I don't have many zodiac related items but I did remember I had this cute stamp by Kadoodle called Little Leo.  Time to ink it up........

I cut my ATC using Sizzix ATC and corners die, painted with three different shades of yellow acrylic and stamped Little Leo

 

I masked the stamped image and used PaperArtsy PS007 stencil and Whispers orange dye ink,  a sun stamp with red ink, a homecut Leo sign with DI Walnut Stain and woodblock letters to stamp LEO.   I used red ink first but it didn't show up very well so I over-stamped with black archival.  I quite like the off-set effect.  I have used DI Walnut Stain and Dried Marigold to add a bit of colour to Little Leo

Joining the fun at

Wicked Wednesday ATC Challenge 148 - Leo 

Papertakeweekly - Anything Goes 

Thanks for your visit.  I appreciate the time you take to drop by and all your lovely comments.  Hugs 

Grateful For Small Mercies

Hello.  Welcome.  I was working on a little something for Stampotique, where I haven't had much chance to play recently, and also for Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge, cos I do like Simon.  Then The Craft Barn published their new challenge and, lo and behold, it fits perfectly.  So I will be able to link there in the first few hours, rather than the last few, as usually happens.

 
I stamped Stampotique's Birdy Up onto kraft card and masked.  I used Hero Arts Lotus Background stamp with VersaMark ink and white embossing powder.  I cut family using Sizzix movers and shapers family die.  The other words were stamped using Anita's woodblock letters.  I added some white highlights to my bird family and cut a bow from the same embossed card for the daughter of the family (first from left, in case you weren't sure)  

I used the quote 'Insanity runs in my family'  Although I was almost certain that me and my sister have said this at some point, according to brainyquotes.com the only person in the world ever to have uttered these words is Cary Grant.  Way to go Cary. 

Joining the fun at
Stampotique Designers Challenge 159 - Bows
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - In The Family 
The Craft Barn Q&L Challenge - Family/Thing
A Blog Named Hero Challenge 49 - Die a Little
WOW Embossing Powder August Challenge - Monochrome 

Thanks for your visit.  Hugs

The Only Good Reason to Iron

Hello.  Welcome.  I admit, housework holds no pleasure for me.  OK, it's satisfying when everything is in it's place but it seems you turn around and the kitchen gremlins have thrown the flour in the mixer and every pan is miraculously dirty again.  And ironing!  Sorry, never understood that one.  Except, when you have gone a bit mad with the watercolours and the card will not lie flat.  Ahhh, the perfect time to reach for the dreaded flattening tool.  In this case my endeavors were only partially successful.  Gotta love those springy moths though........

 

I liked Keren's post over at PaperArtsy where she stamped on vellum and then added wire.  I was feeling green and summery and started by painting my base card with Cosmic Shimmer iridescent watercolour paints.  A bit sad that the shimmer doesn't show in the picture.  If you have never used these the effect is pretty amazing.  I used various green shades.  I stamped the botttom of the card with black archival using Crafty Individuals CI-395 Build a Meadow stamp. 

I stamped 6 moths from PaperArtsy USNT4 onto vellum using VersaMark and embossed with white embossing powder.  I used the PaperArtsy moth die to cut them out and coloured with green DI and green Wink of Stella.  I curled some green florists wire and stuck it between two moths.  The sentiment is from STAMPlorations Subway Art Builders Create set.

Love how the moths bounce gentle at the end of the wire over the summer meadow.  

Joining the fun at

PaperArtsy

WOW Embossing Powder Challenge - Monochrome

STAMPlorations August Challenge - Stamps and Dies

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Make It Sparkle

Craft-room Challenge - A Summer Garden 

Thanks for your visit.  Hope you are having a great day.  Hugs

More Fun Than A Box of Chocolate Frogs

Hello.  Welcome.  Special big Hi to Doreen.  Welcome and so glad you have joined my happy little following.  Well, the wind has been blowing, the rain has been raining and the mojo has been flowing.  Over at PaperArtsy there have been many great projects but the bright colours of Rachel's journal page really grabbed my attention.  Here's my version

 

I used Fresco Finish Limelight and Peacoat and some sky blue and violet acrylic to make my background.  

 

I stamped with the Tree and Be Beautiful stamp from EDY06 in black acrylic.  Then JM34 in brilliance galaxy gold.  I cut circles using sizzix dies from yellow card and coloured with DI Dried Marigold and Festive Berries.  The flowers are JM34 coloured with FF Pansy and Limelight.  I added some dots using black sharpie.   The check border is from Unity Stamps SMAK Sep 2012 kit.  Colours as the circles.  The words are letter stamps, except the 'your' which is from the SMAK set.   Be Yourself, those that mind don't matter, those that matter won't mind.  I've seen this on a sign, but the author is Anon. to me

Joining the fun at

The Craft Barn Q&L Challenge - Mind/Ignorance

PaperArtsy

Country View Challenge - Word Play 

Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

Penny Black August Challenge - Anything Goes

Thanks for dropping by.  Would love to hear your thoughts.  Any thoughts.  Especially wild crazy theories on the state of midnight.  Hugs

Cowboy Dreams

Hello.  Welcome.  They say there's a big storm coming.  I rushed around in the garden this morning sorting out the rabbits and the chickens, picking beans and tomatoes and courgettes, and generally tying everything down.  Now, in order to be safe from the storm, I have locked myself in my craft room.  LOL.  May have to be brave and venture out for a cup of tea, but I think this is a good place to wait out a summer storm.  ;-)     

I've been playing with Cowgirl Becky and that lovely tag die again.  Please do say if I am repeating myself too much, but you know how it is??  It's new, it's out, it's fun.  I did enjoy making those little tag cards so here's a western themed one.  

My base card is a folded piece of patterned paper sent by my CCC friend Jutta.  Thanks Jutta.  I cut it using Taylored Expressions Tag Stacklets 1 dies.   I stamped Prima Becky onto PaperArtsy Chatsworth paper and coloured her with Sharpies.  I added a Wink of Stella clear to her collar and the little Cheery Lynn flower which I cut using BAF #3 Embellishments.  The silhouettes are cut using Cheery Lynn Dream Catchers #2 and Fence Rider dies.  The wonky-tonk Howdy was stamped using Anita? woodblock stamps.  I added a black and white striped brad and some stripey wooly stuff to finish off my card.  Actually I suppose these would make great large tags.  Sort of parcel tag/card in one.  Plenty room to write.......

Joining the fun at
Cheery Lynn Designs Challenge 144 - Anything Goes
STAMPlorations August Challenge - Stamps and Dies
7 Kids Challenge 105 - Anything Goes with the option of words
Loves Rubberstamps Challenge 115 - Anything Goes (with a twist - Stripes)
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes 
Penny Black August Challenge - Anything Goes 

Thanks for your visit.  Hope you are having a fun and crafty day.  Hugs