Bonjour Paris!

We are visiting France this month at Make My Monday, so there are going to be lots of French inspired things around.

Fliss has chosen this theme, and our first outing is Paris.  It's a long time since I visited - we always seem to bypass it when driving - but have fond memories of it - both work and play.

My card is a mixture of stamps from various companies, and show some iconic images of Paris.  This is also reflected in the label matted on the front.

There are some fabulous piece of work from the team and our special guest, Julia,  at Make My Monday, so please pop across to have a browse.

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,

Early Autumn Blog at Fred She Said

Welcome to the Fred, She Said,  Early Autumn Blog Hop!  Summer has ended and memories remain!  The FSS team wants to share with you the newly released FSS images!

If you have arrived from Zehra's blog,  you are right on track. If you are just happening by, you will want to start on the Fred She Said Blog. 

Collect a secret word on each blog along the way, leave us some love on our posts and follow the directions at the end of the hop for your chance to win this FABULOUS PRIZE!

One winner will receive ALL of this:

$25 GC to CropStop (provided by Fred She Said)

$25 GC to Fred She Said Store

The Blog Hop ends Friday, October 5,  midnight EST.

I have used a fabulous poppy image for this card.

Your secret word on my blog is Autumn

Your next stop on the hop is Michelle's  blog.

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,

Vintage Travel

Good morning everybody

At least I hope it is, but this is a scheduled post, so you never know, what it is likely to be.  The rain scuppered all my plans for Sunday, and the road outside was like a river.

At Make My Monday this week, everybody is on their travels - Vintage style.  So cars, bikes, balloons, steam trains, sailing ships - the choice is yours - just make sure it has a vintage flavour.

I have used a combination of stamps for my card.  I used distress ink on the background, and overstamped just to give a bit of interest in some lines, and then script.  The car image is Crafty Individuals, and the lady sitting at the side is a favourite B Line stamp called Stylish Traveller.   All the main stamping is done with Stampin Up Expresso.

Please pop across to Make My Monday.  As usual, the team have come up with some brilliant pieces of work for your inspiration.


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,

Vintage at make My Monday

Good morning everybody

Do you have that Monday morning feeling - dull, grey and miserable outside.  However, I am off out to lunch with a very good friend for some wine and girlie chat - just what I need.

Today we are are looking at Vintage Childhood at Make my Monday, and what I have done makes me think of my childhood, and I guess if it is over 50 years ago it must be vintage.  What is does remind me of is that fact that we lived in the country surrounded by fields and copses, which we played in, and this dress reminds me of what I used to wear - mum was a tailor and seamstress, and made all our clothes, so we had pretty little dresses, often with lots of smocking on the front or some sort of embroidery, and our garden was full of roses and vegetables.

The stamp I have used is from a set of Sheena Douglass stamps.  Background papers are from Tilda.  I have used a doily behind the main image and also lace cut from a die, and a scrap of vintage lace,  Lots of pearls and roses are also used.

I am entering this for the following challenges:

Creative Stamp Friends - New Stamps - this is the first inking of this stamp
Challenges 4 Everybody - Anything Goes
Jellypark Challenges - All about the children
Joanna Sheen Challenge - So Sweet
Sugar Creek Hollow - Pretty in Pink



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,

It's vintage again ....

Good morning everybody

It was lovely seeing all the vintage fashion in our challenge last week, so thank you to all who joined in.  This week we are continuing our Vintage theme at  Make My Monday,  and this week the theme is Vintage Weddings.  So time to get all your cards done for any up and coming weddings you may have.  And please pop along to the challenge and have a look at all the lovely creations.

For my card I took an old photograph of a lovely couple as the focus.  The background is a paper from Maja Designs - their vintage look papers are so pretty.  My sentiment is computer generated, but I added a border around it with a stamp from Heartfelt Creations, using Victoria Velvet and embossed with Ranger Antiquities Bridal white.  However, all the embossed did was tone the colour down and there did not seem to be any real finish to it.  I have embellished with lace, ribbon and flowers.


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,

Vintage Fashion at Make My Monday

I am sorry this is so late - I had internet problems, which I needed my son to sort out and he could not come around until this evening.  Anyway, i am up and running again, but just shows I should have written it up and scheduled it.

This is the first challenge after our summer break at Make My Monday, and the theme chosen by me  for the month of September is Vintage, and the first is Vintage Fashion.

My card is based on one of my favourite B Line images called Le Brun.  I think she is just beautiful.  I have used Pan Pastels to make the background for her, and stamped over in Archival ink.  Around the edge I have used a tiny stamp with some words on and used two different colours, which work well with the background paper I have used.  I had added a label which is from Hero Arts, and some lace and gems to embellish.



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,

A beautiful flower ........

Hi everybody

I realise it is a long time since I have blogged - nearly four weeks, but I am working on some other things at the moment that are taking up my time.  However, I have had several commission cards to make recently, so I am going to start showing those.

This is stamped with a Hero Arts image, and coloured with Promarkers, building up the colours to get this dark pinky mauve.  The centres have stickles added in Diamond.  Flower embellishment is a Cheery Lynn die, and I have embellished with pearls and lace,  I am not sure which paper pack the background came from.

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,

Split Complimentary Colours at MMM

This is the last week of our Colour Wheel challenge at Make My Monday, and this week we are looking at Split Complimentary Colours.  You start with one colour, find its compliment, and instead of using the compliment, use the two colours beside the compliment.  The colours Mynette has chosen for us this week are Yellow, Bright Green, and Fuchsia.  Please pop along to the challenge for some inspiration.

For this I have used a set of Papertrey stamps I have had for a long time and never inked them.  They were stamped in Raspberry Razzle, and then coloured with Promarkers and Copics in various toning colours.  I filled the gaps in around the edge with a lime green.  The background is yellow card with a Hero Arts stamp used for the green lines.  A piece of dark fuschia paper lace along the bottom cut with a Cheery Lynn die completes the picture.

I am entering this into the following challenges:

Cheery Lynn Designs Challenge - Hot summer colours

Sadly, one of our DT,  Suzanne B, has recently left the team.  I know I am going to miss her truly inspirational work, and wish her well.

At Make My Monday we are taking August as a summer recess.  This challenge will stay open throughout August, and the top 3 and overall monthly winner will be announced in the first week of September.

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,

Winged Things at the Fred, She Said Blog Hop

Welcome to the Fred, She Said Winged Things Blog Hop! Summer is in full swing and flying by fast, and the FSS team wants to share a winged wonderland with you!

If you have arrived from the blog of a very talented lady called Nancy, you are right on track. If you are just happening by, you will want to start on the FSS Blog. 

Collect a secret word on each blog along the way, leave us some love on our posts and follow the directions at the end of the hop for your chance to win this FABULOUS PRIZE!

One winner will receive ALL of this:

$25 GC to CropStop

£15 GC to Bearly Mine Designs

$25 GC to Fred She Said Store

The Blog Hop ends Friday, August 3, midnight EST.

I have used a pre-coloured Hibiscus image - available here, and multi-layered it to give a group of flowers.  I always think Hibiscus are so exotic, and they certainly remind me of Caribbean holidays.  


My design paper is printed on to linen card stock.  The butterflies are all punches, and I have coloured the pearl brad in the silver flower with Copics to the same colour as the satin ribbon.

Your secret word on my blog is flower.

Your next stop on the hop is the equally talented Karen's blog.

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,

Analogous colours at MMM

Hi everybody

This is the fourth week of our Colour Wheel challenge at Make My Monday, and this week we are looking at Analogous Colours.   Analogous colours are colours that sit in a group of three right next to each other on the color wheel.  We usually use these combinations when doing monochromatic artwork.  This week we are focusiing on blues -  turquoise, light blue, and dark blue with white or cream as your neutrals.

This is my take on it.  I must admit I found this the hardest of the colour combinations so far.

I have layered up card in Navy blue, light blue and turquoise with butterflies embossed across the top layer, and a light blue sheer ribbon sound around it.  I have used a Hero Arts stamps and dies, and used a lightish blue ink to stamp.  The flowers have been embellished with gems and a bit of sparkle.

We have a fabulous monthly sponsor for one lucky participant~

My Heart Pieces

Priyanka from My Heart Pieces is offering 3 digis of choice to the July monthly winner. The DT were very generously given 5 digis to uses for these challenges and you will see them throughout the month!

There is lots of inspiration on the MMM Challenge Blog... pop across and be inspired to join us this week we'd love to see your creations.


I am entering this card into the following challenges:
Crafting When We Can - Monochrome
Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge - Monochromatic
Crazy Amigo's Challenge - Free Theme
Samuel Taylor's - Die Cuts
Stamptacular Sunday - To Die For (2 or more dies)

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,

The Winner!

As far as sport goes I can take it or leave it, unlike my OH, who has an interest in in a fair few areas, but his passion after rugby and football has always been cycling, particularly as he was a fairly good long distance cycler in his teens and early twenties (before I met him), so this year I decided I would join him on the sofa to watch the Tour de France, and yes, I really enjoyed it.  As we have holidayed in France quite a bit it was great to see the country from a different perspective as well.

These guys are supreme athletes, and it really made me proud to be British to see all the Union flags on the Champs Elysees cheering home Team Sky and in particular Bradley Wiggins as the first British winner of the Tour de France and Mark Cavendish winning this stage for the fourth year in succession.

Here's hoping they can repeat their success in the Olympics.


Hugs,

Complimentary Colours at MMM

Hello everybody

I cannot believe a week has gone by since I last blogged.  We are into week 3 of our colour challenge at Make My Monday,  and this week we are looking at complimentary colours - in particular yellow and purple.  Yes - they really do work together, but it is essential to get the right tones.  I have used fairly rich colours, but if you pop across to the challenge you will see that these colours have been used in all manner of ways, and I particularly like the way the soft tones have been used by several of the design team.

My card colours are both from the Tim Holtz distress range and I have teamed my image has been stamped with Dusty Concord to tone.  The yellow card has been through the bug in a embossing folder - one is honeycomb, and the other is a sort of basket weave.  As everything was plain I wanted to add some texture.  The image is a Justrite stamp and matches the Nestie.  The flower was made with a Cheery Lynn die and a pearl brad was added to the middle.  Ribbon is Stampin Up.

Mynette has certainly kept us on our toes with the colour wheel challenges, and each time I have been pleasantly surprised that the colours do work.  How sceptical is that of me ....

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,

Secondary Colours at Make My Monday

Good morning

This is the second week of our month long colour wheel challenge at Make My Monday, and this week we are looking at Secondary Colours, and in particular Orange, Green and Purple.  I have always known that these colours do look good tighter - it is a case of being brave enough to do it, and making sure that the tones are right.  Funnily enough I have used these colours before in a post last year here, and had not remembered it, but it popped up in the 'you may like' images at the bottom of my post from yesterday.

Please pop across to the challenge there are some wonderful pieces of work from the design team.

My mojo has taken a wander at the moment, so I decided to use an image from Fred She Said - this time Cala Lillies.  I have stippled distress ink around the edge.  I have used Core-dinations card stock and ribbon from Stampin Up, and some purple pearls from the Hobby House, which I purchased on Saturday at the Art Stamps show in Newbury.  I met my friend Anne and we both attended a fab and fun two hour workshop run by Barbara Gray of Clarity Stamp fame.  I also managed to purchase quite a few Clarity stamps as well as a few other bits and pieces.

We have a fabulous monthly sponsor for one lucky participant at the end of the month.

My Heart Pieces

Priyanka from My Heart Pieces is offering 3 digis of choice to the July monthly winner. The DT were very generously given 5 digis to uses for these challenges and you will see them throughout the month!

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,

Summer Flowers for OSCC

Hi everybody

A busy day for met - I am off to the Art Stamp show at Newbury Racecourse, and also attending a workshop by that lovely lady from Clarity Stamps, Barbara Gray.

At the One Stop Craft Challenge, we have a new challenge today, the theme of which is Summer Flowers, and we want to see a flowers as the main image rather than additions in the way of embellishments.

This is one of the new images from Fred She Said, which come in both ordinary digi images and pre-coloured versions.  For this card I have used background papers from a First Edition pad.  The dragon fly and leaves are Cheery Lynn dies, and flowers from stash.

We are sponsored this week by Fred She Said, and were given the opportunity to choose the images we wanted to use.  Tracey (aka Fred)  has some fabulous images, and I am particularly fond of the floral ones.

The prize is a $15 gift voucher to spend in store.

I am entering this into the following challenges:

Chocolate, Coffee and cards - Anything goes
Cute Card Thursday - Garden Inspired - I would love bearded iris like this in my garden - however, the rain probably would have mashed them up by now!
Tuesday Throwdown - Summertime
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
The Paper Shelter - Flower Power
Willow Sketchie - Sketch and floral - I followed the sketch

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,

Let's go girly .....

Hi everybody

The first of two posts from me today.

The first is my DT card for Let's Ink It Up.  We are going Girly.  Think flowers, lace, ribbons and pearls.

So for my girly card I have used a Sarah Kay image - I think she is very cute and pretty.  I have coloured with Promarkers.  My background papers are from FabScraps, with the base being Bazzill.  I have used Cheery Lynn dies for the paper lace, and for the lovely swag across the corner.   Other embellishments include pearls, flowers and a ribbon - just seen - underneath the paper lace.

Our sponsor this month is Magnolia-Licious

Magnolia-licious is an online store for Magnolia Stamps from Sweden. We have a new pricing policy for ongoing Collections that is going to give you the lowest prices online. We have an exciting new Club you can join for $15.00 a year. Membership is going to give you lots of benefits, extra discounts, freebies and lots of surprises.

and the prize is Snowman with  Snowflakes Stamp

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Cooking it up with Katie - Lace and flower
Crafts and Me - 1 image, 2 papers, 3 embellishments
Scrapbook Sisters - One stamp
Whimsy Inspiration - Anything Goes
Creatalicious Challenge - Anything Goes
Crafting Life's Little Pieces - Sketch
Crerative Card Crew - Swirls and Pearls
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Stamp 'n' Plus - Anything Goes
Try it On Tues - Bingo - I have used Diecut, 2 background papers - pearls


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,

Primary Colours at MMM

It is the start of July, so we are welcoming in a new theme for July at Make My Monday.   Mynnette is our hostess this month, and we are focusing on Colour and the use of the Colour Wheel for the whole month.  For this first week it is Primary Colour - and the colours we are using are Red, Yellow and Blue.

I have used three long forgotten B Line Design stamps, from my hoard purchased from Linda at LB Crafts some years ago.  The quality of these is just amazing - never ever a duff image.  I used linen texture card to stamp on to give a bit of texture.  For the odd flowers filled in on the shoes I have used a
Promarker.

Please pop across to the challenge  - there are some wonderful pieces of work there from the design team.

We have a fabulous monthly sponsor for one lucky participant~

My Heart Pieces

Priyanka from My Heart Pieces is offering 3 digis of choice to the July monthly winner. The DT were very generously given 5 digis to uses for these challenges and you will see them throughout the month!

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,

Fred She Said Fabulous Flowers

Hi everybody

This is to let you know that Fred She Said is having a blog hop starting today, and that there some fabulous prizes to be won by one very lucky person.

$25 GC to CropStop

£15 GC to Bearly Mine Designs

$25 GC to Fred She Said Store

This is one of Tracey's fabulous pre-coloured images, which I have used for a very simple card mounted on to kraft, with a little tag of ribbon.

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,

Polkadots

Hi everybody

It's time for another challenge at  Anything Goes,  and this time we are all about Polka Dots.

Once again the team have come up with some lovely pies of work, so please pop across and have a browse.

My image is  Sarah Kay, coloured with Promarkers.  The patterned papers are from Fab Scraps in vintage style prints, so this little lady goes really well with them.  The base card is Bazzill swiss dots.
Embellishments are lace, scrunched up seam binding, and a some Prima flowers pinned together with a spotty brad.

Paperplay - Use a die
Shelley's Images - Anything Goes
Bunny Zoe's- Girls, girls, girls
2 Sisters - 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. Hugs,

Mid summer colours of Red, Green and White/Cream

Hi everybody

This is the last week of our June and Associated events at  Make My Monday,  and Jacqueline has chosen a colour theme for this week, Red, Green and White/Cream - Strawberries and Cream if you like - think Wimbledon which starts today!

For this card I have used a fabulous Stampin' Up set which I bought on that well-known auction site.  I have mixed the red inks, but the predominant one is DI Barn Door, and then dabbed over with other reds.  Strange how the top flower looks a lot darker when in real life it looks the same as the others.  The sentiment is from the same set and inked with a DI marker.  The edge of card is inked in the same green.  The layering card is Tim Holtz, and the corner die cut is Cherry Lynn.

i am entering this into the following challenges:

Clearly Inspired - Red, White and Green
Charisma Cardz - Here comes summer
Cute card Thrusday - here comes summer


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,

Christmas in June

Hi everybody

At the  One Stop Craft Challenge  we have decided to switch the pace, and I know it is mid-summer, but for us it is Christmas in June!  So peeps, look at the scope you have to produce some great Christmas cards for us.

My card is a very simple one.  My image is Stampin Up, which I bought some time ago and never used.  I embossed the background card with an M-Bossabiltiies folder.  The background I have stamped on is inked with several shades of distress ink, and I used the same shades on the stamp, but with the addition of some darker dye ink as well.  Sentiment is Penny Black.

We have two sponsors this week:

Firstly, we are sponsored this week by Crafty Emma, who has provided a lovely set of stamps as a prize.  Sadly Emma has decided to close her business, so this is the last time we will see her as a sponsor.  We wish Emma well for the future.

And, secondly, we are sponsored by One Stop Card Crafts - our very own Shelley, who has very kindly provided a prize of of £10 voucher to spend in her store.





I am entering this card into the following challenges:

2 Sisters - Anything Goes
Challenge Up Your Life - No Lines
Crafty Hazelnut Christmas Challenge - Let's get Inky
Fat Pages and Cards with Attitude - 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. Hugs,