Gothic Swirls

Hello from a very wet and dismal Yorkshire today. Will this rain ever stop!!!

I hope your weekend is going well and the weather is brighter in your corner of Blogland.

This week's Tag It On Challenge is to use an arch shaped tag and include something Gothic, swirls and scrolls. You are really challenging us now Frankie.


I Googled Gothic architectural images and came up with some beautiful drawings of buildings which I printed off. I cut out the front of a Cathedral and colour tinted it with watered down Dusty concord distress ink and stuck it onto my tag.

The swirls are from Creative Expressions and were stamped with the same ink and the edges darkened. The chipboard swirl was coloured again with Dusty Concord and clear embossed.

I must just thank all my lovely blogging friends for the wonderful comments you leave. I really get a thrill reading them and your support and encouragement is fantastic.

I have a very busy week coming up so may be a bit quiet, please forgive me and I will catch up with you all when I can.

Thank you for stopping by.

A Christmas Carol

The Allsorts challenge this week is a Christmas Carol or song and you wouldn't believe what a struggle this card has been. I'm still not happy with the end result but I've run out of time. Even the photo is wonky. Oh dear, must be one of those days.

The stamp is one I've had for ages and I like to glitter the roofs. I used a Sakura glue pen this time and after it had dried the glitter just rubbed off so back to the trusty wet glue and a fine nib. My hand shakes that much when I'm trying to do fine lines I find it really hard to control so it's not as good as I would have liked.

The rest of the image was coloured with watercolour pencils.

The backing sheet music was printed of the computer and coloured with distress inks. I've got to thank my Hubby for that idea!!

The green backing is from the Graphicus Christmas CD.

Short and sweet today. I've bored you enough this week with my ramblings.

I hope your week has gone well and wish you a lovely weekend. Apparently there could be snow!!

Thanks for stopping by.

Tags, Bags and Flu Jabs

I am so relieved that I'm at least a bit normal, thank you all those folk who agreed with the handbags and shoes thing!!!

My friends all think I'm nuts!! To me bags are just for stuffing all those things in you can't leave the house without, purse, camera, tissues, keys, wet wipes, phone, pen, tub of mints, carrier bag and many other assorted necessities. I then end up with Hubby's keys and phone when he's got nowhere else to put them and that half drunk bottle of juice we invariably seem to have after having a coffee out. Why can't children ever finish their drinks!! It's no wonder I need something the size of a suitcase that always weighs a ton.

At the end of the last post I promised you the tag for the Tag It On Challenge, the original reason we made the alcohol ink background,(the theme this week is alcohol inks and faces)... so here it is.


I cut the tag shape out of the photo paper and stamped all over with the same script stamp using Brilliance Galaxy gold. The ladies were stamped in Brilliance crimson as with the last card.


I stamped the swirl in the corners, covered the ladies with a mask and sprinkled gold embossing powder over the rest of the tag and very very carefully heated it. Photo paper buckles and bubbles really easily under heat but I got away with it... just!!!!!

I've really enjoyed playing with the inks and these stamps, they are something a bit different for me but I will definitely play with them again soon. It's been nice to get away from the Christmas thing for awhile. I've still got those cards to finish!!!!!! Keep finding more interesting things to do!!!!!

I hope your week is going well so far. Mine has been stressful, have you ever tried to get a flu jab appointment from a doctors receptionist. It's harder than getting into China!! My Mum is on the list of vulnerable people and has the flu jab every year but her surgery didn't contact her and she forgot this year. I also said it was a good idea if she has the Swine flu jab. She's on medication which means she has no immune system. Anyway, to cut a very long story short, when she rang to get an appointment yesterday, they said the earliest appointment she could have was for the next flu clinic in 2 weeks time!!!!
This is not good enough me thinks!! She could very easily catch flu in this time. After several telephone calls I ended up speaking to the practice manager who told me they hold flu clinics every day but these were totally full of chronically ill people. I appreciated they were very busy but pointed out the differing stories I was being told. She then said she had just noticed they had an appointment today at 9.30am!!! What is all that about!!

Anyway it's all done with now. Sorry to rant. I don't get upset often but when I feel an injustice is being done I can't leave it alone.

Thank you for stopping by.

A Hint Of Green

This weather is certainly perfect for crafting and not a lot else, although we did have a lovely morning shopping in Harrogate yesterday.

Lots of little bits of secret Santa shopping needed doing so plenty of sneaking into shops while creating a diversion was going on. Freya is very good, we can get away with buying things when she's with us and saying it's being sent away to Santa, although she will be getting plenty of surprises so don't worry!

It was thick fog and drizzly rain while we were out and by the time we got home the wind had got up and it was pouring. A perfect excuse for a crafting afternoon.

Freya and I had a play with alcohol inks, her results were better than mine, I was too heavy handed so I did them all again. Fancy being shown up by an 8 year old. Anyway this was all in aid of Frankie's Tag It On Challenge which was to use alcohol inks and faces. I have made my tag but you'll have to wait to see that one 'cos I had so many bits of inked paper left I decided to make a card and while I was putting it together realised it fitted the Tuesday Taggers challenge this week of red, gold and green. I have to confess to having to think hard how to get the green in but if you look closely you'll see the little green gems!!!


We made the background by putting the alcohol ink onto a craft mat and squirting it liberally with blending solution and then twisting some cheapy photo paper around in it and just kept going until we had something we liked. The gold ink was added in the same way at the very ink. I think I used Cranberry and Denim Blue for the card.

The Crafty Individual ladies were stamped in Brilliance Crimson and the background was a script stamp also from Crafty Individuals which was stamped several times and gold embossed. I gold embossed the chipboard swirls to match.


I was also honoured by receiving this lovely award from the very talented Rhonda who lives in beautiful Vancouver and makes gorgeous tags.

Apparently, I have to tell you 5 interesting facts about myself, how hard is that!!!!

Well here goes-

I'm very grumpy first thing in the morning until I've had my first cup of tea, which my lovely hubby brings me in bed every day, how lucky am I!!!!

I love to be outside in the sunshine, it just makes me so happy, which is why Spring and Summer are my favourite months.

I can't understand people with a handbag and shoe fetish, I only have one bag and a couple of pairs of shoes for Winter and Summer, but I absolutely love buying plants and craft stash instead.

I love my music. Music of all kinds, I don't really have a favourite. Some music makes me happy and want to dance (not very well I hasten to add) and some just makes me want to sit and listen. But I have music on all day!

I adore silly American dramas like Everwood, Brothers and Sisters and ER and cannot miss them, yes I know ER has finished now. I shall be in mourning for ever. If I'm going to miss an episode I'll go to any lengths to see it!!! Sad I know.

Blimey that was a struggle.

I don't normally pass awards on, it's so hard to choose but because I'm nosey and some blogs especially make me smile I'd like to pass this award to the following.

Jill (Mrs Stampman)
Sarah (In The Zone)
Polly
Kathy
and Ei for her wonderful e-mails.

and everyone else who'd like it.

Well I hope you are all having a lovely weekend. I'll be back soon with that tag. I think I've wittered on enough for one day.

Thank you for stopping by.

For The Children

Happy Children In Need Day. I have been busy baking Pudsey Bear biscuits for the school bun stall this week and Freya has gone to School in funny tights!!!! We love CIN, I think when you have children of your own the plight of other youngsters less fortunate than your own becomes far more poignant.

My thoughts are also with those poor people not that far from here who are suffering with such terrible floods. I can't imagine what they are going through. The weather can be very cruel sometimes.

Over on the Allsorts Challenge they have asked us to do something for a child, which seemed very appropriate this week.


I have used a beautiful reindeer doodle drawn by the very talented Claire and shared with us here.


I coloured him with watercolour pencils and gave him a glittery red nose. Stickles were rubbed over the background and then he was matted onto glitter paper and some BP from the Artylicious Christmas CD. I printed the greeting on the computer and gave it the same border that Claire has given the reindeer so that it all tied in.

Well it's Friday again, don't the weeks fly, so I hope you all have a lovely weekend whatever the weather and thank you for stopping by.

More Funky Flowers

It's perfect weather for crafting here, damp, breezy and cool. I've spent the morning making stuffed felt birds at school as Christmas decorations and now it's back to the paper!


I've managed another card with the Funky Flowers stamps. This one was coloured with watercolour pencils and then stickles added for the bling factor. Dusty Concord distress ink was wiped around the edge and used to make the matting paper. I also used silver mirri board for matting.


I had a go at the background that Jill demonstrated recently, although I didn't have the patience to make masks, but I think it worked ok. The ink was brushed into the flowers with a water brush.

The greeting is from Crafty Individuals.

Short and sweet I'm afraid today. I've got that many ideas flying around my head at the minute that I must get back to the crafting table, well after Neighbours anyway, yes, I know I'm sad!!

Thank you for stopping by and I hope your week is going well so far.

Flowers Galore

I hope you are all enjoying the weekend. I know the weather has been a bit wild and woolly for some of you, hopefully things are calmer today.

We have been quite lucky. It was breezy yesterday but quite bright and today has been absolutely lovely. I even got to spend the morning in the garden tidying up all the dead leaves and cutting things back ready for the spring and it felt almost hot in the sunshine!! I don't know about you, but I always feel so much better when I've managed to get some fresh air.

The challenge over at Tuesday Taggers this week is to create something without using patterned paper. Now this is right up my street as I don't tend to use a lot of patterned paper anyway on my cards.

After a long awaited visit to The Stampman a few weeks ago I treated myself to Kay Carley's Funky Flowers stamp set and at last I've managed to have a play with them. After watching Jill on C&C recently I had lots of new ideas to try out.


I stamped out the flowers and coloured round the edge of them with the Sakura stardust pens and then spread the colour with a water brush. It certainly makes your pens last longer and I love the soft effect. I then used one of the single flowers to stamp all round the edge in orange. This was then matted onto some printer paper that had Shabby Shutters Distress ink wiped all over and then stamped on in the same colour to create a background paper.


Around the main card I used a stalk and leaf stamp from the Funky flowers and stamped in Brilliance pearlescent rust and galaxy gold.


I made the flower embellishment by stamping two of the single flowers in different sizes and cutting them out. They were coloured with watercolour pencils and some stickles added. The leaves were punched out of the distress ink BP and I added some extra stamping to darken them.

Tiny jewels were added to the corners to finish things off.

I'm learning lots of techniques for card making from all your lovely blogs and am beginning to find putting them together much easier so a big thank you for all your inspiration.

Thank you as always for stopping by.

What A Week

I've been a very poor blogger lately, I keep thinking I must do a new post and then something crops up and another day has gone so forgive me for the lack of new stuff and also for not getting round and visiting my favourite blogs this week. I will catch up, I promise!!

I had a day off this week and it seemed such a luxury. I spent the whole day making my Christmas cards. I've done about half the number I need but at least I've got going so that's been great.


These are two of them. The Christmas trees were pieces of cardboard painted with metallic blue craft paint and stamped and gold embossed using one of the Elusive Images Christmas plates.

The stocking stamps are from Stamptivity. I stamped them in Brilliance pearlescent crimson and painted them with watercolours. Stickles and little bells were added to the ends.


The BP on both was from the Elusive Images Christmas CD and I stamped snowflakes on the tree cards to break up the cream card.

I was feeling fed up on Monday. I had to go to the dentist and then found out that my favourite mag, Scrapbook Inspirations, is to be no more, not enough interest apparently!! so I logged onto Blogger to see what I could find to cheer myself up and discovered I'd won Enfys' wonderful Martha Stewart Blog candy. I couldn't believe it, she'd had so many entries I never gave a thought to being drawn. I am completely overjoyed. Thank you so much Enfys.


I was also given this lovely award from the lovely Eiglas. I am supposed to pass it onto to 5 other bloggers but I couldn't possibly choose as you are all such a lovely lot so please help yourself if you haven't already got it. I'm also meant to answer some questions but forgive me if I pass on this one Ei, I'll never get any visiting done tonight if I attempt them.

Thank you for stopping by and I hope your week is going well so far.

Handbags and Gladrags

That's the theme of this weeks challenge on Tuesday Taggers. I'm not a Handbag or Gladrag kind of girl. Anyone who knows me always says that plants and craft stash are my handbags and gladrags!!


Anyway, I thought I'd have a go at this one as I have a slinky dress stamp that rarely sees the light of day, not sure why as it's lovely. I stamped it onto glitter paper, cut it out and stuck a fluffy pink feather behind and mounted it all on dark card to show the feather off.


The BP was cuttlebugged with ink rubbed over, one of my favourite techniques and cut into two circles. A pink peel off handbag and some stickles were added as finishing touches.

Thanks for a great challenge girls.

I hope you are all having a lovely weekend, the weather's not been too bad here and I even managed a few hours in the garden today. The tender plants need bringing into the greenhouse but I am fast running out of room!!

Thank you as always for stopping by and the wonderful comments you leave. I always appreciate them. For those who asked, this year's cake is still in the planning stage. I promise I'll blog it once it's done.

Winter Wonderland

I hope your week is going well so far. Doesn't it come round to Friday quickly.

There's a definite change in the weather now, today is decidedly chilly here, but at least it's dry for a change.


Everyone's thoughts seem to have turned towards Christmas in blogland and this month's By the Cute And Girly challenge is Winter Wonderland.


I was recently admiring a pop up card on Anne's blog and she kindly sent me the instructions. I was also inspired by an article in last months Craft Stamper using one of Sir Tim's stamps so I combined the two and this is what I came up with. I decorated the pop up bit in the inside and thought I'd finished and then realised I needed to decorate the outside as well. I don't think one card has ever taken me so long. It was done over two days and is not a patch on Anne's but I shall save it and send it to someone special as so much work went into it.


The reindeer and all the swirls were taken from the Tim Holtz stamp, the snowflakes were the free stamp on Craft Stamper and the sledge was drawn using an old template I unearthed recently. I think it was also a free magazine gift. I cut it out, inked it with brilliance crimson and then drew swirls on with a gel pen.


While on the theme of Winter and blue I thought I'd also show you our Christmas cake from last year. It matches this card quite well, being sparkly blue with snowflakes


Apologies for the poor photos. The candles were so tall that it was hard to know how to photograph it and our kitchen tiles are not exactly the best back drop.


I put it in the spare room after it was finished and went to fetch it on Christmas Eve only to find all the snowflakes had wilted!!!!!! I'd forgotten that the air was likely to be damp during the winter from the shower being used and this makes the sugar paste go soft. Luckily with a bit of time and patience I managed to straighten them and stick them back onto the cake so disaster avoided. Note to self, keep the cake in a dry place this year!!

Thank you for visiting and I hope you have a lovely weekend whatever you are up to.

Burst Of Colour

I hope you all had a lovely weekend. What a contrast in the weather. We had gorgeous sunshine on Saturday and howling gales and torrential rain yesterday. Perfect crafting weather with the photos I took on Saturday though so I'm not complaining.

I think I've just scraped in with the Tuesday Taggers challenge of a "Burst Of Colour" this week, which is again sponsored by The Craft Barn.
I hope my card is colourful enough to qualify, I got stuck with the blues again but tried to inject some colour with the green holographic matting card.


I've used one of the Stamptivity stamps again on a pencil watercolour background. The BP was made with a flower head stamp from an Autumn Leaves set and stamped with a mixture of watered down and full strength Faded Jeans and Dusty Concord Distress inks and the sentiment was from Crafty Individuals. The dragonflies were cut out and stuck on and then stickles added here and there.

I hope your Monday is going OK, we have had a Training Day which has extended half term nicely. Back to normal tomorrow though.

Thank you for stopping by.