Square or Not at AYLI

Hello everyone. Hope this week is being kind to you. I am here with inspiration for our new challenge at

where the theme is Square or Not? (with your reason of course)

In a bid to use excess card stock in my stash (and believe me there is a LOT!!) I have been making my own A6 card blanks. I also appear to accumulated many envelopes of the same size so win, win!!

This card was made using an old paper kit from Craftwork Cards. I subscribed to the monthly kits a very long time ago and this is Pretty Patchwork. All of the elements are from the kit.

Autumn is well and truly underway here in the UK and it's been glorious once more, after a week of much needed rain. Gales are forecase for tomorrow so I hope to get a little bit of crafty time. I am drowning in Wedding Invitations at the moment as Connor (youngest) and his Fiance, Amelia have asked me to make their wedding stationery...eeeek. 

See you soon xx

 

Woodland Critters at Allsorts

I am honoured to be hosting at Allsorts this time and my optional theme is 

Woodland Critters 

I have made a couple of fussy cut memorydex cards using some free digitals from Amanda Charlesworth (Scrimping Mommy) she is so inspirational with her journal making and generous with her freebies too. I really enjoyed fussy cutting the elements and had enough left over to make a little topper too. I hope that you will join us with your critters and if that doesn't appeal then anything goes is always welcome.

Have a good weekend, whatever you are up to xx 

Favourite Dies at Allsorts

 We would love to see your favourite dies at As You Like It Challenge this time.

My most used dies are probably my Tonic Essentials scalloped circle and square sets. 

As well as being perfect for mats and frames I decided to do something a little bit different with them and made some festive decor.

I die cut graduated sizes in two different colours of holographic card then stacked them with foam pads between for dimension. I then made holes top and bottom and popped a jump ring and chain at each end, one to hang and the other for some charms. I am going to pack them away for now and find somewhere to hang them in December!!

Thank you for sharing your day with me, it's much appreciated xx

Trees, Plants & Leaves at Allsorts

We are going green at Allsorts this week where the optional theme is

Trees, Plants and Leaves

There are two prizes this time.

I have gone with plants as in houseplants and stitched this little beauty.

 The pattern is a freebie from The Steady Thread and is called Macrame Mini. Clares site is amazing, she does beautiful modern style blackwork and shares some lovely freebies, so if you fancy a different craft go take a look. I used a 16 count aida that was in my stash and I soon discovered why I hadn't used it....too tiny!! Anyway I did it and framed it in a 5" hoop. A work colleague is soon moving away so I thought it would make a nice leaving/new home gift. I would actually quite like to keep it but Hubby has a bit of an aversion to houseplants, I can understand why he wouldn't welcome another.  I inherited a beautiful spider plant from my Grandma who passed away 17 years ago. I am obsessed with the fact that I mustn't let it die so grow on several of it's babies every year. Needless to say we have quite a few in the house and every member of the family has one too!!

As this goes live I hope to be watching a Mountain & Moorland Pony class at the Dorset County Show. Whatever you are up to this weekend, I hope it's a good one.

See you soon xx

AYLI Layered or flat

 Hello all, I hope that your week is going well. 

As it's Thursday I am here to encourage you to join in at

where the theme is Layered or Flat

As I LOVE patterned papers, and have a few in my stash, I generally go for layered cards in a bid to use at least some of them!! This one features a Digistamp Boutique doggo that I coloured with Promarkers to match the papers, all from various MFT paper pads.

Thank you for stopping by, your time is much appreciated xx

Birthday at Allsorts

Morning one and all. Donna is hosting at Allsorts this week and given an optional theme of 

BIRTHDAY

Here is my card.

 I do love a fun fold and always find inspiration at Sam Calcotts, Made to Surprise You Tube channel. this particular one is a napkin fold, looks really impressive but is so simple to make. I used spots and stripes from an old Craft Creations paper pack and dug out an equally aged Wild Rose Studio stamp, coloured with Promarkers.

Two prizes of two stamp sets

That's me for today. I hope the weekend has good things in store.

See you soon xx

AYLI colouring Medium

 Hello everyone. At As You Like It the new theme is

Your Favourite Colouring Medium (and why)

My go to medium is good old Promarkers. The first time I saw them on shopping tv they were being used by the gent from Little Claires. I bought a starter set and was hooked. They have always blended beautifully. Most of my collection have never run out and I've been using them for so long that I know all the blends.

I made a round card this time and matted with First Edition papers. Little Harry from Stamping Bella was coloured using Promarkers.

As the number of mediums has grown over the years it will be really interesting to see what your favourites are.

Until next time, take care xx

Allsorts I Spy B

 It's all about B at Allsorts this time and I have gone with buzzy bees!!

I made an arch shaped card using a Daisy Mae nested die set (that I cannot find a link for). The bees and hive are courtesy of a little used My Favorite Things set called Meant to bee that I coloured with Promarkers. The little buzzy bees themselves are layered and I gave them a little sprinkle of glamour dust too. The spotty paper was in my bits and pieces basket but I've a feeling it was from a First Edition pad. I went "all out" with this one and added layers to the inside too but forgot to photgraph it before posting!! It's the heat!! 

2 prizes of coordinating stamps and dies

It's been relatively quiet Chez Wills, the fields are brown and the pony shouts at me regularly throughout the day asking for carrots, apples and a hay top up as he has no grass!! I am sure Mother Nature will provide some rain at some point and when she does, won't be able to stop it!!

Thankyou for your time and I'll see you again soon xx

Favourite Season

 Oh my life, I am extremely late to the start of the new challenge at

no excuse except ageing grey matter!! Anyway the theme is

Your Favourite Season (and why)

I am a winter baby (born in February) and love colder snuggly weather. Within that season there is, of course, Christmas. 

I took advantage of a discount at LOTV and bought the photo strip reindeer

I coloured them with Promarkers, matted them on silver mirri and die cut some snowflakes too.

I might have over exposed the pic a bit, it's not really as dazzling as that in real life.

Lovely to see you xx

Allsorts Animals

The optional theme at Allsorts this time, chosen by Helen is

ANIMALS

Two prizes of Lavinia Stamps, stencil and stampscapes (photos not to scale). Please note, we (Lavinia) cannot provide exchanges/replacements/refunds for any products received through this third-party giveaway.

I have gone with a horsey make and am sharing a lovely little folio. It was made using a digital kit from  Pretty Prints by Nicole.

I do enjoy a little bit of a cutting out session followed by gluing and sticking!! The little closure is a hidden paperclip. There were heaps of little tags included in this kit and I had a chuckle sifting through them to find suitable messages. I think the two I picked are absolutely bang on!!

Thank you for your visit. See you soon xx

 

AYLI - Cats or Dogs

I have chosen the theme at

and it's cats or Dogs

 It's dogs in our house. We've had dogs since before our eldest Son was born so that's a very long time now!! Our current "twins" are nine years old and have Martin just where they want him. Every word on the card I made for his Birthday is absolutely true!! We buy them their own ham when doing the weekly shop and Bowie, in particular, has finely tuned ears and sits by the fridge as soon as we put the kettle on. He knows that we will be opening the door for milk!!

It's a large card this time an 8x8 card base covered with Nitwits digital papers from the Woof Collection. The sentiment was done on the computer and layered between the papers with a photo of the boys, Bowie and Bumble (+ball). That said we've another cat that has made itself at home in the stable yard. He is quite shy but at least doesn't scoot as soon as he sees us coming now.

We finally had some rain and I got soaked riding Wills yesterday morning!! It was very refreshing though!!

See you soon xx

Flowers

   We are embracing the blooms this time at Allsorts Challenge. Lynn has chosen the optional theme of 

FLOWERS

Of course your Anything Goes projects are also welcome.

Here is what I made.

I have remained very good and have been using my stash this year. The pretty stamp that I used for my card is among one of my first crafty purchases. Flourishes was the company, probably long since ceassed trading as I cant find them anywhere. It was heat embossed and then colourwashed with mica paints for a bit of shimmer. The paper layers are from a pad from The Works and die cut with torn edge dies from here.

Despite the lack of rain my own garden is faring very well, the roses are glorious and we invested in bedding plants for the pots and borders this year so it is really lovely and colourful. The lawn and fields are looking pretty parched though and there's no rain of any consequence in sight.

Whatever you are up to, have a good weekend.

Non-Card Project

 At As You Like It Challenge we have a theme to get you thinking outside the box. We would love to see your  non card project.

After a break of many years I have picked up  aida and DMC threads again and have been cross stitching. I have finished quite a few projects so far this year and have some festive ones in the pipeline too.

I subscribed to a  cross stitch magazine about twenty years ago and tore out charts that I fancied stitching. This was one of them that I found in a dusty folder. 

It was a lovely project to do as it stitched up quite quickly and I did a couple of motifs at a time. The navy frame was re-used and I.m not quite sure I like it but will pop it on the kitchen dresser for now and live with it for a bit.

Thank you for popping by, it's much appreciated xx

For a Child at Allsorts

 Although I have tried to challenge myself this year, I am at my happiest when making cute cards so Liz's For a Child was right up my street as an optional theme at

I just knew I had the perfect stamp for this, a very old one from Wild Rose Studio. I found a lovely plaid paper from MFT and coloured the little sweetie to match, using my Promarkers. Some flame coloured glitter was perfect for the candles and added a little bit of bling too!!

The frame was from a MFT set and the tiny scalloped mats are from Tonic Essentials which I can't find anywhere to link so they are very old!! The dinky sentiment is equally old a grey rubber set from LOTV. This card will probably find it's way to Mollie next year for when she turns 9.

There will be prizes for 2 winners, Saturated Canary and HM stamps so well worth an entry or two!!

I hope you have a good weekend xx

Favourite colour combo at AYLI

 Hello everyone. I hope that you are all doing well and that life is being kind. Time seems to be flying this year yet, other than work, I don't seem to have achieved much else!! Thank goodness for DT deadlines that mean I get a little bit of time to indulge in my crafty hobby.

I am here to inspire you to join us at

where we are showcasing our favourite colour combo and would love you to do the same (with a reason of course).

I'm afraid I am sticking to a tried and tested combo...pink and green...because whatever shade or tone they go beautifully together in the garden and on cards!!

I managed to get myself the lovely Easter Florals clear stamp set from LOTV and coloured the wonderful chicken with pink and green Promarkers. After a sort through my papers I found some matching pinks and greens and put together my card using Jules Square Sketch #47 

(Thanks again Jules x).

Finishing touches were with some ribbon from my stash and pretty pearls too.

Here's Mother Natures' take!!

Thank you for your company today. I am still wayyy behind with my visits so I much appreciate that you still come this way even if I am not regularly returning the favour xx

Beside the seaside, beside the sea

 Happy Weekend!!

The Allsorts gang are off to the seaside this time (your Anything Goes entries are also welcome!!). A lovely seasonal option chosen by Christine.

Two prizes each of two Sentimentally Yours stamps from Grafton Crafts, a well stocked bricks and mortar and on line shop offering fee p&p on all orders over £15

I have used some old 12 x 12 scrapbook papers to make my cards. The first was cut with an Aall and Create die to make the collage frame effect. The stamp set is probably an antique one from Marianne Designs that was all things nautical. I stamped each of the little plates with various stamps from the set in different colours of ink.

I had a fancy to used kraft for these to continue the vintage/olde worlde look. The toppers on the second card were on the reverse of the papers and I simply added some twine to the tag for a little extra. 

We are having a bit of a heatwave here in the UK at the moment so a perfect time for a trip to the coast, hope you will join us!!

See you next time xx

Sentiment or Not?

 Some more Christmas card from me today. It is becoming a routine to make these as my DT inspiration for

where the theme this time is

Sentiment or Not?

I have chosen to make the sentiment the feature on these cards.

I seem to have a crafty affliction with symptoms of accidental purchases and that is exactly what happened where the JOY die was concerned. I totally blame Crafty Kiwi Mamma for this occurrence and for the Christmas Eve paper pack that fell into my basket at the same time (to be used at a later date)!! The papers that I used here were from a pack from either The Range or The Works.

In my defence I did use a very old LOTV rubber stamp set for the little O's and coloured them with Promarkers and gave a little bit of Stickles Star Dust on the snow. I used some pretty gems as a finishing touch.

See you soon xx

What makes you happy at Allsorts

Gail has given a fabulous optional theme at Allsorts Challenge this time.

What makes you happy? or Anything Goes

Two prizes of a Penny Black stamp and die set from Buddly Crafts

I have lots of things in my life that give me joy and my crafting life features many different types. Aside from papercrafting I have picked up Cross Stitch after a break of a few years. There are lots of amazing patterns available these days and this one really appealed to me after the long wet winter we endured.

I chose thread colours to match the little scrap of patchwork cotton that I found in my sewing box. Once washed and ironed I got the sewing machine out and stitched the aida to the cotton and framed it myself. 

Here is the first photobombed picture that I thought might make you smile...

Honestly, the hairy kids get everywhere!!

I hope you have a lovely weekend and I will see you soon xx

 

AYLI Embossing

 Hello, hello. I hope you are all doing OK. 

I am here today with my DT inspiration for

The prompt this time is your Favourite Embossing method.

I am an enormous fan of heat embossing and still watch in awe as the powder melts.

For this little collection of Christmas cards I used the plaid paper as my starting point. I think it it was quite possibly from Dovecrafts Little Red Robin paper pack.

I stuck the papers on the card blanks and had a rummage through my christmas stamps. This set is from Crafters Companion Sara Signature Scandinavian Christmas Collection (probably still available somewhere!!)

I die cut some postage stamp edged rectangles (a shameful unbranded purchase on ebay) and stamped away. I used red, white and green embossing powders that are probably twenty years old and they still worked brilliantly. More Christmas cards to go on the pile.

See you soon xx

Allsorts Challenge Sweet 16!!!

 There is much excitement at Allsorts as we are celebrating our 16th Birthday and there are four, yes four prizes from Aall & Create up for grabs PLUS for US entrants

A $25 store voucher from Lawn Fawn

Three stamps from Colorado Craft Company

A $25 store voucher from Gina K Designs (Worldwide)

I have Aall and Create dies in my stash but, feeling the need, just had to invest in a few other bits so  made this...

using these accicental purchases

A7 Stamp set #360 Wish, Ephemera #13 Stems & Pods, and Washi #22 Flower Dancing

I had a little canvas that had been shifted from place to place over the years so thought it was about time that it got used. A lovely blogging buddy gifted me some duplicate Distress inks so now that I have quite a range of colours, I thought it was time to play. I am not confident with inking so literally splodged rainbow colours on my craft mat, gave a teeny spritz and squished the canvas down. I am really pleased with the result as the colours stayed true and didn't go muddy, which was my concern. I also had a can of spray and shine lurking so sprayed the inked canvas and sprinkled matching coloured glitters on certain areas and it actually stuck. I coloured the adorable little girl with Promarkers and had a think about her wings. I remembered Jayne Nestorenko on crafting telly years ago with the mandala stamps that she did on acetate and then added glitter on the back so that's what I did with the wings. Sadly my Stazon had gone dry so I used black Versafine which took a day to dry but nevertheless it worked and she has glittery acetate wings!! Finally I stuck some stems and pods down together with a strip of acetate, stamped wish and die cut Birthday and that's that!!

Please come and see us and participate in the Birthday celebrations. I really want to say an ENORMOUS thank you to Brenda who works tirelessly to keep this and other challenges running so beautifully xx

AYLI Sketch

 Happy Thursday everyone the weekend is just in reaching distance!! Before that though it's time for a new challenge at 

As You Like It Challenge

The theme is Favourite Sketch.

My long time followers will know that I LOVE Jules' sketches and I always visit her Sketch library when inspiration is lacking. She has tons of wonderful designs and there is sure to be one that takes my fancy. On this occasion I chose Square #56 

It was the perfect design to show off the lovely Doodlebug Designs Frosty Friends paper pad which perfectly compliments the adorable penguin (Crafters Companion Snow what fun). The sweet little penguin was coloured with Promarkers and I added lots of sparkly glitter too.

My team mates have some lovely inspiration for you so please go and take a look.

See you next time xx

Paper Piecing at Allsorts

 Lynne has chosen a lovely optional theme at 

it's paper piecing.

Here is what I did.

I used a large Woodware cling stamp called Sketchy Daisies as the elements were really easy to cut out. I stamped on lots of different papers from a My Favorite Things pad I tried different colour combos and the one above was my favourite!! The image was framed using a piece of blue Centura Pearl card which, I think, set it off nicely. The banner isn't wonky...I curled it so that there is a little bit of dimension, although I suspect it will go flat once in the envelope!!

We are having a Birthday bash very soon...here is your invitation!!

I hope that you have a lovely weekend.

See you soon xx