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Friday 29 April 2011

Two Special Messages Today

Congratulations to HRH Prince William and HRH Catherine Duchess of Cambridge on their very special wedding day today. I have greatly enjoyed your marriage ceremony, I have been so proud to be British today. Your dress was absolutley stunning, simply elegant, as you are.


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My next message is on a sad tone. My deepest sympathies to everyone who has suffered in the Southern states of the U.S.A. due to the horrendous devastation caused by the many tornadoes ripping through. I hope you all receive the assistance you will need as soon as practically possible. My heartfelt sympathies to those who have lost those dear to them. God bless you all.


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Tuesday 26 April 2011

Off Centre Challenge No 12

This week at Less Is More the required element is Off Centre. I have used a Crafty Individuals stamp, stamped onto 3 x 1" squares - inchies- then coloured with several Distress Inks. I added Thinking of you for I think this card lends itself to being a subdued card. I am so pleased Mandi and Chrissie are having such a huge success with their challenge blog.




Monday 25 April 2011

At the beginning of every month, over at Try It On Tuesdays, we announce the challenge theme of the Altered Art piece for the 4th Tuesday in the month. This month it is Pat's suggestion to Alter a tin. Do pop over to check out everyone's tins, as usual the team have some wonderful samples. Being honest this is not a fresh idea of mine, but my tins were in need of being re-juvernated so two of them have been re-freshed. My grandchildren love having baked beans, so I always have enough supply of tins. Firstly, with my spotless clean tin, I cut a piece of cloth, any spare old cotton, e.g. a torn pillowcase is ideal, cut a piece to go around the tin, and about 1.5" wide, with PVA glue adhere this around the top of the tin, this provides a protective soft edge to the top of the tin. I then measured and cut a piece of masterboard card from my stocks to wrap around the tin, gluing it securely all the way around the tin. (If you want to know more about the masterboard card go to my tutorial blog - here ). I then wrapped some mataching ribbon around the top of the tin, madea bow and secured to the tin. Once again I have nice clean and fresh tins to hold my watercolour pencils and brushes. P.S. If your wondering what the mass of blue hairs are at the back of the yellow tin, it is my computer and keyboard brush which makes the greatest brush to get rid of glitter and EP which seems to get everywhere. I got it at Poundland. I look forward to seeing your altered tins, most of all have fun. Don't forget The Craft Barn sponsor our altered art week so there is a good prize available, but you do need to give them a mention.

Squares before my eyes!







Currently in Blogland I am using a lot of squares, mostly for a forthcoming challenge, I spotted over on


Just for Fun, they are asking for something Square. I made this oragami box for a very good friend who I can safely say loves anything created with the theme of time. I started with two sheets of 12"square paper, to make the base and lid of the box. Once I had folded and shaped the box, I knew where to stamp, before the box was assembled. I reinforced the sides, base and inside the lid with some firm card, covered in toning papers. I stamped on a piece of paper for the first layer on top of the box, then added paper around a piece of card, lastly following with a stamped piece of paper, again wrapped over card. the final embellishments were added.
Stamps used are from Creative Expressions Time A5 plate.
I am also entering this box into the Top Tip Tuesday challenge.





New Challenge Blog

Crafty Individuals, one of my favourite stamping companies have created a blog, April is the first of their planned monthly challenges, they have begun with 'Simply Squares.' Now I do have a number of stamps but only a few are actually square, so thinking out of the square box, I have created a panel with the fabulous poppy stamp, cutting up the stamped image into as nigh as possible 6 squares. I added it to a square panel which is covered with the same colour inks using the splash it on the card, soaking ink up from your craft mat method, onto a resist background. I also used a resist method with the poppy panel. Crafty Individuals Poppy stamp


TH Distress inks Peeled Paint, Spiced Marmalade, Fired Brick and Mustard Seed.


I am also entering the card into The Stampman Challenge which is Resist Technique.



Saturday 23 April 2011

Happy Easter

Wishing you all a very Happy Easter, I am taking a few days break.

Monday 18 April 2011

Royal Wedding

Crafty Cardmakers new challenge is to celebrate the forthcoming Royal Wedding, we are given a choice, to either make a red, white and blue card, or a wedding card with red white and blue or simply a wedding card of colours of your own choice.
We're sponsored again by the lovely Joanna Sheen who is offering a £10 voucher for her online shop which is crammed full of goddies with new stock arriving all the time! Thanks once again Joanna! My Wedding Congratulations is a textured A5 card, a sheet of A4 folded in half. I stamped the image with a La Blanche Bride stamp, one of my most favourite stamps which I don't get to use as much as I would like. I have gently added colour to her skin with Ivory and Almond Promarkers and watercolour pencils for the remainder colours. Matted onto pink card and then layered onto textured silver card. I added a selection of flowers from my stash, and silver embossed Congratulations. I think she looks a Victorian bride so I added my grandmother's pearl necklace and my ear rings for a touch of realism. Once again I look forward to visiting your blogs, thanks for popping onto mine, I greatly appreciate you took the time.

Saturday 16 April 2011

Challenge 13 LIIU Stitching

We have a great sponsor for the challenge in Stamping Scrapping who are very kindly offering a set of the stamps for their custom Spellbinders dies to the winner. You can check out the fabulous online store HERE Challenge 13 (Team B) over at Let's Ink It Up for the next two weeks is STITCHING - real or faux. . I used to do a lot of sewing, but the little old fingers aren't quite as good as they used to be. Equally nor is the eyesight, threading a needle, even with those magic pull through loops, is a task on it's own. My heart went into overdrive with the challenge of sewing, but I do love these challenges, so I took this one in steps and stages, and had a great time making it, so please don't be put off, it's more fun than sewing on a button or taking up a hem. I made an 8" x 8" card. Most of the sewing is faux, using a selection of stamps. I did however, sew the lace flower on the lower right and upper left. I made the 3 small flowers on the lower right. The ladies face and head and shoulders were stamped onto tissue paper to give the see through effect. Background paper used is from an 8" x 8" pad of Victorian Rose paper, sorry I can't find the front page. Stamps used are La Blanche Swirl, Bavura corset, two ladies faces from Across the Miles by The Stampman. The faux stitches stamps from Tandastamps. My team mates have come up with some beautiful inspiring work for this challenge, so if you have time, stop by their blogs (links above their entries) and check out their work! I greatly look forward to visiting your blogs to see your stitching, have fun, but please remember we do not allow Digi Stamps. I am also entering this card intto a few other relevant challenges. Sir Stampalot monthly challenge Ladies and Fashion The Secret Crafter Stitching The ABC Challenge S -Sugar and Spice Simon Says Stamp and Show Distressing Frosted Designs Handmade Embellishment Truly Scrumptious Vintage

Thursday 14 April 2011

Less is More Challenge

I have missed the Less is More challenge for two weeks, so I am pleased I have found time to enter into this week's challenge of a one layer card with the sentiment as the focal point . I do like this sentiment for it could be a suitable description not only of me but of many paper crafters I have the privelage to know as friends. The Imagination stamp is a recent purchase from E-Bay and the flowers are from a Debbie Moore set.

Tuesday 12 April 2011

Red, Black and Cream Tag

Over at Try It On Tuesdays Emma has chosen for our tag this week, a colour palette of Red, Black and Cream. It is her birthday this week so she is kindly offering a super prize for the chosen winner. Pop over to see the terrific samples from the team and read the message from Emma. I have recently made two bookmarks for my grandsons, using the dragon stamp, like most crafters it was still lying on my desk, which directed me to the design of my tag. I stamped onto cream card, added Creative Expressions EP Tropic Red Blaze, the background is a clear stamp with Japanese writing. I look forward to visiting your blogs to see your tags. Thanks for popping in to my blog.

Monday 11 April 2011

Crafty Cardmaker's Spotlight - Teenage Boys

Over at Crafty Cardmaker's in the Spotlight this week is to make a card for a teenage boy. Out sponsor this week is "Stamping Scrapping is owned by Kevin and Cindy Echtinaw. We ship every in stock order within 24 hours and LOVE our customers.We pride ourselves on our customer service, speedy shipping and great prices on the newest products.We are offering one of our CUSTOM Spellbinders matching stamp sets to the winner! Value of $19.99. You will have your choice of one of three sets. " To be in with a chance of winning please remember to check the new rules before entering. The main one being there is a limit on the number of overall challenges, though you can enter this challenge as many times as you like. Good luck and have fun. Speed's the thing! I decided in making a card to suit a young teenager, dirt and mess wouldn't be out of place. I made an easel card, the section holding it up, made to look like a road, even with the stones to light the way. Neither are road bikes but if you don't tell, I won't either. The background is of course torn corrugated card, from a box, messed up with TH Distress Walnut Stain ink. Both the decoupaged bikes could be from Kanban, I'm not sure, I bought the sheet ages ago. I had fun making this card, something different to tackle.

Tuesday 5 April 2011

Inspiration from your home

This week over at Try it onTuesdays we are asking for you to take inspiration from within your own home. This being the first week in the month we would like you to make a card. Once again we are being sponsored by One Stop Card Craft their logo and direct access is on my side bar. I decided to go to the tidiest room in the house, my guest room, some may recognise the altered mirror with inchies adorning it, for I made this at the first Skipton retreat. I have made an Oriental card for the colours of red, black and gold seem to be just right for them. The poppy stamp is one from La Blanche stamps, which I have painted with H2O's and watercolours. I am looking forward to peeking into your homes (oops! I mean looking at what inspired you). Have fun and good luck to all who take part for the fabulous prize on offer from our sponsors.

Monday 4 April 2011

Recipe Challenge at Crafty Cardmakers

The challenge this week at Crafty Cardmaker's is a recipe, kindly set by Dee. The recipe is Mainly yellow - ebellishments - ribbon - rhinestones/gems and some faux or real stitching.
Once again we are sponsored by The Stampman , with a cash prize for the lucky winner. Pop over to the blog, the team have produced some terrific creations of the recipe. A lovely spring challenge from Dee, I decided to make this tag, to send to a poorly friend. Poppy seed head stamp is from Elusive Images. The ingredients in the recipe are Mainly yellow - Mustard Seed with a touch of wild Honey TH distress inks. Ribbons to tie the tag. Stitching, on a piece of Mullbery paper in the lower corner and finally rhinestones make the dragonfly's head, body and tail. The image in the corner hopefully represents the top of a poppy seed head, made by stamping a flower, gold EP applied, onto vellum. I look forward to seeing your ideas, remember we are Crafty Cardmaker's but you can make any piece of craft on any medium, the choice is yours. It doesn't HAVE to be a card.