Here comes summer at MAWTT

Well - where does the time go - Thursday morning, and it is time for  Moving Along with the Times, and the theme is Here Comes Summer. 

This week we are sponsored by Beth from Squidgi Digi, and were each given an image to work with.  Naturally I had to choose ice-cream!

For my card I have layered up co-ordinating papers, which I think are Stampin Up' from a long time ago, an have used a burnt red/orange card to go with them.  I have used a digi  little girl in a bathing suit by A Day for Daisies -  I  have coloured this and the ice-cream in Copics.  The ice-cream has had stickles added to give it some shimmer.  The sentiment is from Raindrop Echo Designs by Ann Vento.

I am entering this for the following challenges:

Sketch n'n Stash - I followed the sketch
Divas By Design - Dies and Punches
My Mum's Craft Shop - Something Old, Something New - old is paper, new is icecream and sentiment digi
Paper Pretties - Red, Orange, Yellow, Neutral
Paper Shelter - Anything goes
Scrapbook Sisters - Summer Fun
Stampavie and more - More than 3 layers
Digital Tuesday - there are flowers on the background paper
Make It Monday - Anything goes
My Partner In Crime Crafting - Let's Hit the Beach
Paper Creations Ink - Beach theme
Stamps R Us - There was a little girl
Some Odd Girl - Bright and Blinding Colours
Sparkles Forum - At the beach
Bearley Mine - Summertime
Southern Girl - Inner Child - memories of seaside holidays


I really appreciate it that you take the time to look at my blog and leave such lovely comments. Thank you each and every one of you.

Hugs

My first DT card for My Time to Craft

Hi everybody

I wasvery lucky recently to be asked to join the new team at  My Time to Craft, and this is my first DT piece for them.  The theme for the challenge is Here Comes Summer, and I have chosen a Lili of the Valley stamp of a little girl on a swing, and lovely bright summery reds and creams to represent this.  Just loving these colours at the moment.

My image is coloured with Copics, the papers are Daisy Bucket,  found when I was having a bit a a clear up, and flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts.  Lace is from stash.

I am entering this for the following challenges:

Southern Girls - Anything goes
Craft your passion - Seeing red
Crafty cardmakers - Spots and Stripes
Critter Sketch Challenge - follow the recipe
KB Cute Monday - Use Flowers
Make It Monday - Anything Goes
Oh La La - Summer flowers
Stamps R Us - There was a little girl
There She Goes - use two different dies or punches


I really appreciate it that you take the time to look at my blog and leave such lovely comments. Thank you each and every one of you.

I'm in the mood for dancing with Anything Goes

Hi everybody

I adore the sun, but this sticky humidity is not for me.  What I could really do with is to be chilling out somewhere by a lovely pool with a mojito in my hand.  But I guess my craft room will have to do for the moment.

Sadly it is my last day as GDT for Anything Goes.  The challenge this week is the letter D.  This was right up my street as I have some lovely new stamps from Art Journey, and I have chosen Dancers.  The stance of these dancers reminds me of watching somebody on Strictly Come Dancing (probably Vincent and Flavia) dancing the Argentine Tango in a steamy underground nightclub or bar.

The background is coloured with Distress Inks.  I have chosen fairly hot colours, tempered with some cool blue.  I coloured two pieces of card, and on the larger piece I stamped a small swirl around the edge.  The black and orange card are from stash, as are the pearls.  The flower is Prima, and what luck that it toned in so well.

People often ask - what is your style - well - it really depends on what stamps, box, mirror or whatever, I am using, and how I think it can best be represented, and this is one look I am loving at the moment.  But, expect to see more Art Journey soon!

I am entering this card for the following challenges:

The Crafty Pad - Bold and Bright
Our Creative Corner - Your style - DT call
Creative Craft Challenge - Make your own backing paper
Sweet Stampin - Use something old with something new (old is my distress inks constantl
ly used but old - new is Art Journey stamp)
Class Act Insider - Vintage
Daring Cardmakers - Something old/Something new  (old is my distress inks constantlly used but old - new is Art Journey stamp)
Stampin' for the Weekend - Favourite things - Distress inks and my new Art Journey stamps
Cheerful Stamp Pad - Favourite background
Craft your Days Away - Vintage
Southern Girls - Anything goes
Make It Monday - Anything goes
Simon Says Stamp and Show - A Word
Sunday Stamper - Words



I really appreciate it that you take the time to look at my blog and leave such lovely comments. Thank you each and every one of you.

Daisy Chains

Hi everybody

The Lili of the valley Challenge have a sketch I really liked, and as I have a few of their new girly images, I decided to use one for this challenge.  I don't think I will ever tire of using these, they are so easy to work with. 

 The image is Lili of the Valley 'Daisy Chains', which I have coloured with Copics, and brushed around the image with distress inks.  My papers are Memory Box Brioche - very pretty they are too.  The sentiment is also LOTV.  Flowers are from WOC, lace and gems from stash.

I am entering this into the following challenges:

Lili of the Valley - sketch
Phindy's Place - Going round in circles
Crafty us Crazy - Red, White and Blue or a Summer theme - mine is Summer
The Rubber Cafe - Summer
Southern Girls - Anything goes
Amber's Craft and Stuff - Summer
Cooking it up with Kaie - use a little yellow and follow a sketch from any current challenge
Crafting for all Seasons - Summer
Crafty Creations - Let it shine - I have sparkly gems
Fab 'n' Funky - Summer Lovin'
The Paper Variety - It's Summer
Bearley Mine - Summer is here
Ladybug Craft Inks - Use Red
Make it Monday - Anything goes
Stamps R Us - 1, 2, 3 Recipe - i image, 2 patterned papers, 3 types of embellishment

I really appreciate it that you take the time to look at my blog and leave such lovely comments. Thank you each and every one of you.

It's CAS at MAWTT

Good morning everyone

We are going Clean and Simple at Moving Along With The Times, which means

a card with clean lines, minimal elements, areas of white space and few or no embellishments.

Now this is a theme I often have trouble with - I really want to go all out and embellish like mad, and this card was my third attempt at getting something I was happy with - I had tried several colour combinations before I decided to go with this one, and this is the one for me that really seemed to 'pop'.  I love the colour combination and the blocks of colour, and it does make it easier to stamp something over it.  So in the end a fairly simple card.

The block stamp is a very old Hero Arts one, the image is from Ippity stamps,  the sentiment is Stampin' Up, and the card is  from Craftwork Cards.

This week at MAWTT we are sponsored by Crafty Emma's Store, and there is a £10 Gift Voucher waiting for the winner of the challenge this week. 


I am entering this for the following challenges:

Ambers Crafts - Summer - these are definitely colours of summer
Crafting for all Seasons - Summer
Little Darlings Challenge - Favourite colours
Scrapbook Sisters - Anything Goes
The Paper Variety - Summer
Everybody Art - Anything Goes
Ladybug Crafts Ink - Use red somewhere on your project
Dutch Dare - Clean and Simple

I really appreciate it that you take the time to look at my blog and leave such lovely comments. Thank you each and every one of you.

Floral Notelets

This is just a quick post to show you some floral notelets I have made as a gift for a friend.  It is often difficult to know what you give someone as a thank you for a favour they have done for you - it usually ends up as wine or chocolates, or both,  This particular friend looks after my cats if I am away for the night, and as a result of a conversation I was having with her one day, I discovered that she has a long list of elderly ladies who are in her care with social services, and she likes to give them a card  for their birthday.  So I made several sets of notelets for her.  The card blanks are from Craftwork Cards, and I have used images from Fred She Said, which you can buy here. 

 Apologies for the quality of the photos, I had put them into plastic packaging, and sealed them, before I took the photos.

I am entering these into the following challenges:

Deep Ocean Challenge - Flowers
Everybody Art - Anything goes
Bows and Berries - Thank you / Appreciation
Karen's Doodles - Flower Power

I really appreciate it that you take the time to look at my blog and leave such lovely comments. Thank you each and every one of you.

We are Celebrating Summer at Sentimental Sundays

Welcome to the Sentimental Sundays “Celebrate Summer” blog hop.  Tuesday, June 21 is the official first day of summer in the northern hemisphere and we are ready for all the summer fun to begin.  For our friends down under who are moving into their winter months and may not feel like creating a summery project, they may be making “Sparkly or Shimmery” projects. What girl doesn’t like her bling?

You should have arrived here from Joanna .  If you didn't arrive from Joanna's  blog and would like to join in the hop, please start at the Sentimental Sundays challenge blog.

One of the things I love about summer are the butterflies that seem to miracuralously appear once the weather warms up and all the flowers start coming out.  So this is my take on Celebrating Summer.

My main image is a butterfly stamp designed by Jo Capper-Sandon for Stampotique.  I coloured some card with Distress Inks and then stamped the butterfly with Distres Inks.  I then darkened the colours by adding a bit more ink.    I have added diamond Stickles to the wings to give it a slightly ethereal feel.  My papers are 5th Avenue by Melissa Frances, and these have a slightly dreamy ethereal feel to them as well.  The lace is from stash.  I followed the sketch from Crafting Life's Little Pieces. 

We hope you will join in our “Summery or Sparkly” (plus a sentiment) challenge this week.   Our sponsor is the marvelous Ann Vento of Raindrop Echo Designs. This prize will be four INDIVIDUAL sentiment sets from the Raindrop Echo Designs Whimsy Stamps Digital Collection


Your next stop on the hop is Kimberly.   If you should happen to get lost along the way, you can find the blog hop list over at the Sentimental Sundays challenge blog.  Don't forget to leave comments along the way because there are 3 mystery DT members who will each choose a winner from the comments left on their blog hop posts.  The winners will each win a $10 gift certificate to Whimsy Stamps!   The hop ends on Friday, June 24 at midnight EST.  The winners will be announced on the Sentimental Sundays challenge blog on Sunday, June 26th.   So, hop on over to the next stop and good luck!

I am entering this for the following challenges:

Crafting Life's Little Pieces - I followed the sketch
Sweeet Stampin - Things with Wings
Delicious Doodles - Things that Flutter
Fairy Knoll - Sparkle
Inspire me Fridays - Always anything goes
Simply Create - Come Fly with us
The Stamp man - Butterflies and Dragonflies
Stamp Something - Something with pretty papers
The Rubber Cafe - Simply Summer
Alots Rubber Stamps - Summertime

I really appreciate it that you take the time to look at my blog and leave such lovely comments. Thank you each and every one of you.

Do you want to get sticky at One Stop Crafts?

Hi everybody

Saturday morning dawns, and the weather is much like I have been this week.  Dear OH and I have had some sort of fluey bug, and we have both been pretty grotty.  Unfortunately very little in the way of crafting has got done, but I have 'attempted' to sort my craft room out, only now I seem to have even less space.  I think I need to go on a stash diet.  Having sorted all my plain card I have a 4ft shelf stuffed to the gunnels, and that is only the coloured stuff, I probably have almost as much white and cream!  Enough rambling ...

On to the challenge this week at  One Stop Crafts.  The theme is Stick It, and we want to see Stickers on your work.  How difficult is that you may think - well I cannot remember the last time I used them, so it was a case of hunting for them.  They are barely visible on my card - I have outlined the image and sentiment with gold lines.  This is a card for my father - he likes old cars and flowers.  Hence the flower, and a little lace to soften it a bit.  Until a few years ago Dad was an avid gardener, and the garden was full of the most amazing flowers, but ill-health has prevented him gardening in recent years.  My image is The Old Truck  from Fred She Said, and the paper is from the Memory Box Valise paper pack.

We are sponsored this week by Sassy Studio Designs.  They have a range of modern digi images which are very charming.  The winner will receive 4 digi images as their prize.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Bloggers Challenge - It's Manly Baby!
Glitter Geeks - Male / Fathers Day
Mami Doodlrd - Card for a boy or man
Poodles Parlour - Anything goes
Wags 'n' Whiskers - One for the boys
Craft us Crazy - Masculine
Crafty Sentiments - Father's Day
Delightful Challenges - Anything goes
Dutch Dare - For the boys
Southern Girls - Anything goes

I really appreciate it that you take the time to look at my blog and leave such lovely comments. Thank you each and every one of you.   Have a fabulous weekend.

It's anything but a card ...

Hi Folks

This is a very quick post as I am off in the morning to Cardiff to see Elton John, so I hope this posts as it is supposed to do.

At  MAWTT, Pami is hosting this week, and her chosen theme is Anything but a Card.  Our sponsor this week is
Every Crafts a Pound, where you will find a host of really good deals on branded crafting goodies.

I have something that I have been trying to finish off for a while, and kept putting it aside, but I have finally finished it, so decided to use it for this challenge.  And, it really is anything but a card - it is a Configuration Box.  I actually started this at the ArtsyCrafts Tim Holtz event, and have been faffing about trying to decide what to put in it.  This is the finished result, and I am pleased with it.   The photo is poo!  But I will try and get some decent ones. 

I am entering this for the following challenges:

Bearley Mine - Anything goes
Craft Room Challenge - Anything goes
Creative Craft Challenges - Moveable parts
Deep Ocean Challenge - Anything goes
Everybody Art Challenge - Distress
Papertake Weekly - Anything goes
Shopping our Stash - Complete an unfinished project
Try it on Tuesday - Weird and Wonderful
Craft your Passion - Anything goes
Haunted House Design - Macabre Monday - Pleasure and Pain (you need to look closely at the doll!)
Make It Monday - Anything goes


I really appreciate it that you take the time to look at my blog and leave such lovely comments. Thank you each and every one of you.

Tiny Dancer for Sentimental Sundays

Good morning everybody

This is my first post for  Sentimental Sundays.  I am so excited to be part of this team, and there are some great challenges coming up over the next few months which I am really looking forward to.

The prize for this challenge will be four individual sentiment sets from the Raindrop Echo Designs Whimsy Stamps Digital Collection.

Please pop to Sentimental Sundays and have a look at all the fabulous pieces of work there, and don't forget that there are sentimental freebies offered as well - 5 this week, all worth having to embellish your projects.

The theme this week is Inspired by Song, which can give rise to many ideas, but also difficulties, which I had trying to choose between several that I wanted to use.  We want to see your creations Inspired by Song, and make sure to include a sentiment. Also make sure to let us know how the song inspired your project.

Anyhow, my song is Tiny Dancer by Elton John, and friends know that I have been a lifelong fan of his music,  It also seems appropriate to me that I have chosen an Elton John song, as I am going to see Elton John in Cardiff on Wednesday, with some of the best seats ever!  I just hope my knee holds up, I don't think I can do any more damage than I have to it this week.

My main images are both digis, the dancer is from A Day for Daisies, and the piano from Stitchy Stamps.  The piano key stamp is Clarity stamps, which I stamped and then embossed the black keys.  The dancer is coloured with Copics, and then I have brushed distress inks around here.  The sentiment is a The sentiment is one from the Raindrop Echo Whimsy Stamps range designed by Ann Vento.  They are available here   The background paper is Prima, as is the flower, which represents the flamboyant floral embroidery Elton John always has on the right sleeve of whatever he is wearing on stage.

I am entering this for the following challenges:

Catch the Bug - Anything Goes
Mark's Finest - Flowers
Crafty Ann's - Use more than one image
Delicious Doodles - Texture - I have embossed the piano keys and dry embossed the stars on the side panel
Inspire me Fridays - Anything goes
Stamp Something - Use a Digi
Stamp Insanity - Anything Goes
Fab 'n' Funky - What'eva + DT Call
Paper Sundaes - Let's get sentimental
Paper Crafting Journey - Anything goes
Party Time Tuesdays - Anything goes


I really appreciate it that you take the time to look at my blog and leave such lovely comments. Thank you each and every one of you.

It's all about Texture at One Stop Card Crafts

Good morning

A beautiful bright and windy morning, but lovely and warm.  This week it is all about Texture at  One Stop Card Crafts,  who are are also sponsoring the challenge this week.  So let's see lots of embossing, ribbons, lace or whatever you fancy to get that texture going.

I feel I have somewhat copped out on this, when I look at the other fabulous pieces of work from the team, but time has not been on my side.  For my card Craftwork Cards came to the rescue and I have used Warren the rabbit in th flower strewn tree roots for my image.  This is mounted on to card I put through the Bug.  The papers and sentiment co-ordinate with the Warren set of images.  The bow is seam binding.

 I am entering this into the folloiwing challenge:

Birthday Sundaes - Anything goes birthday card




I really appreciate it that you take the time to look at my blog and leave such lovely comments. Thank you each and every one of you.