to Layer or not to Layer?

Hello!! A DT card to share today for

As You Like It Challenge

where the theme this fortnight is to showcase your projects showing one or more layers...don't forget to tell us why!!

It's layers for me as I have a lifetime's worth of paper pads to use up!!

I started with a flat layer of LOTV backing paper (retired but available here in digi form) then mounted the frame on dimensional tape (layer 2), the darling little digi stamp Jillian is a freebie from Wee Stamps was coloured with Promarkers and made layer 3. Finally the Taylored Expressions "happy" was die cut twice and layered up making...well...lots of layers in my book!!

Some challenges

Crafty Gals's Corner #56 - Anything Goes
I Love Promarkers #301 - Anything Goes
Inky Impressions #282 - All about the borders
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - Anything Goes

Looking forward to seeing you there!!

Happy Birthday Dulcie

I have had quite a lot of orders lately and this one is rather special as it's for a lady called Dulcie who will be celebrating her 100th Birthday.

I was a bit out of my comfort zone here but Pauline helped out with a fabulous design which I...ahem...borrowed!! The pretty image was from the latest Crafters Inspiration Magazine  CD rom and after a rummage I found Nitwits Always and Forever was an almost perfect colour match. I dusted off a really old stamp set for Dulcie and 100 and distressed all the edges with Walnut Stain. To finish off I used some seam binding and complimentary pearls, ooh and a doily die cut out of vellum and then aged. It won't match the one from HRH but I hope she likes it!!

Some challenges

Crafting When We Can #111 - Celebration

Sweet Stampin - Vintage/Shabby Chic

Little Claire Designs challenge #65  - Just Add Bunting

Fab 'n' Funky #288 - Buttons and/or bows

Creative Moments #85 - Anything Goes

Crafty Boots challenge - Ribbon or lace

Have a good week whatever you are up to xx

Twinkle town

Hello friends, hope you are well and not suffering too much with the extreme weather at the moment, be it two feet of snow or blistering heat. Here in my part of the UK it's....raining...again, and just when I thought the fields couldn't get any wetter, still each day that passes is a day nearer to spring.

Anyway, weather report over!! I am here to share another Christmas card that I made with a New Year present to myself.

The fabulous stamp set is called Twinkle Towns by Mama Elephant and although very different, for me, I had to have it.

 Coloured with Promarkers the bauble then had a liberal Stardust stickling. 

I heat embossed the bough with a glittery green embossing powder that I had long since forgotten about and added a red cord to hang the bauble from. The sentiment came from a Wplus9 set called Woodland Wreaths (Carol...this one is all your fault!!).

Apologies for the appalling photography!!

So, another Christmas card for the box and some challenges to enter too.

Winter Wonderland - Something New (Stamp sets)

Simply Create Too #101 - Something New (Stamp sets)

Moving Along With The Times #12 - Embossing (Heat)

Craft Rocket #7 - Clean and Simple

Double D challenges - Brrrrrr

ABC Christmas - B for baubles

Crafting by designs - Winter, Glitter, Sparkles

Ooh La La challenge #196 - In the country

Crafting With Friends #12 - Anything Goes

Crafty Time January - Make it Sparkle

Until next time xx

January Blues

Hello peeps hope you are well today. 

I struggle with cards for men so am going to make an effort to join in with more male orientated challenges this year to increase my stock. So, here is the first attempt ( as promised Julie)!!

Now, I really didn't need any more stamps BUT another accidental purchase happened after Kat shared a couple of cards using the Taylored Expressions Party Grumplings so, unfortunately, I had to get them!! They are just right for man cards so I am intending to get value from them. He was coloured with Pro/Flexmarkers and the spotty paper was from a Craftwork Cards pad. The perfectly coordinated button was from my button tin and I added some hemp twine to finish off.

I am playing here

Cardz 4 Guys #103 - Blue is the colour

Ruby's Rainbow #121 - Animal Magic

Sparkles Monthly challenge #76 - January Blues

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - Create with critters

Ribbon girl challenge - Any image

Dream Valley challenges #123 - New (my stamp!!)

Love to scrap #70 - Anything Goes

Craft Your Passion #295 - Anything Goes

I'm off to do more of my crochet blanket, and to keep warm while in the process!!

Have a lovely evening xx

A bit of Cutie Inspiration

Morning Crafters. Monday again and I am here today with a bit of inspiration for you.

The current CUTIE PIE CHALLENGE is

 Krafty Cuties

and I am here with a mid-challenge post to inspire you if you haven't already entered.

We are being sponsored by 

and

Robyn's Fetish 

My sweet image is from the latter and is called Daisy Days, isn't she cute?!!

I used Dovecraft Curiosity Corner papers as it seemed to go with the  Presscut die  kraft card base and additional finishing touches.

Some Challenges to play

Little Claire's Digi Challenge #13 - 3,2,1
(3 flowers, 2 papers, 1 image)
Little Miss Muffet #129 - Anything Goes
The Pencil Case - K=Kraft and/or black

Wishing you a good week xx

Paper or Not?

Hello, here we are hurtling towards another weekend and I am here to shout about the first 

As You Like It Challenge of 2016!!

Our theme this time is

Paper or Non-Paper projects...simples.

I enjoy most crafts including sewing, knitting  and am actually crocheting a throw at the moment (my biggest project yet!!), however I LOVE paper and stamping most of all. There is so much scope with paper, the possibilities are almost endless.

We are sponsored by

who are offering a £10.00 spend!!

I made a gift bag using Ballerina Isla and some more papers that came free with a magazine. She was coloured with Promarkers to match. The sentiment came with her and I just added a coordinated bloom to the banner for a bit of decoration.

Another gift bag to put away for when the need arises.

I'd like to join in at these challenges

I love Promarkers #300 - Use something new (Isla digi)
Penny's Papercrafty challenge #260 - Anything Goes
Inky Chicks #61 - Anything Goes
Not Just Cards - Anything Goes
Craft Your Passion #294 - Anything Goes
In the Pink #85 - Anything Goes
Digistamp Boutique - January Customer competition

Hope you will find time to come and play along xx

Snowdrops

Hello everyone, hope the week has got off to a good start for you.

I managed to have a play at the weekend while it was raining...no change there then!! 

Apologies for the dreadful photograph, couldn't get a good one to save my life!!

 I decided to give my embossing powders an airing and rather than emboss the sentiment decided to heat emboss the image in white and then colour it in. The Clearly Besotted set ( Winter Florals...now retired) has been in my stash (unopened) for a year...how naughty, so technically it's new!! Anyway, it will definitely be used again. The sentiment is from the set and I stamped it in black for balance. The spotty paper is a scrap from my stash and I made the frame using various circle dies.

Some challenges

Moving along with the times - Spots and dots
Pile it on #99 - First initial 'S' for snowdrops
Stamping Sensations - Anything goes with a die
Crafting when we can #110 - Something New (stamp)
That's Crafty - Winter but not Christmas
Creatine Inspirations #342 - Florals
A gem of a challenge #160 - Female Birthday

Thank you for sharing your day with me xx

  

Owl Calendar

Hello crafters hope you have a nice weekend planned, with some crafty time if you can.

Now I'm not normally partial to feathery things close up but I couldn't resist having a go at this owl that was featured in a recent magazine. 

She looks quite at home hanging in my work room. All the papers were magazine freebies  and for a bit of texture I distressed the paper and then inked the edges for definition...wish I'd done the same with the eyes too!!

I'm playing at these challenges

Crafty Ribbons Challenge #141 - Anything But A Card

Moving Along With The Times #11 - Spots and Dots

Noor UK #14 - Anything Goes

Crafting By Designs - Anything Goes

Creative Fingers #100 - Anything Goes

Allsorts #345 - Ribbon and/or lace

Paper Creator Challenge #43 - Anything Goes

Crafting from the heart #93 - Anything Goes

I am off to do a spot of colouring while the men are at work.

Toodles for now xx

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas....

...oh no, that was a fortnight ago but I still have Christmas goodies on my desk so decided to carry on and make a start on this year's collection!! 

This is the first outing of one of a few new digis that have been printed out waiting to be used. This little bear and the sentiment are from the Bugaboo Winter Bears set and coloured with Promarkers. There are quite a few challenges asking for "new" elements so I'm off to join in here...

Allsorts #344 - What's New (digi)

Crafty calendar - Something new (digi)

Crafty Friends #22 - Use something new (digi)

Di's digis Challenge - New to you (digi)

Sweet Stampin' - Something New (digi)

ABC Christmas - 'A' Anything Goes

I haven't shared any pictures for a while so here are a few "watery" views from the weekend

Suzy investigating our flooded lane she will NOT, under any circumstances, be persuaded to get her feet wet. Can't say I blame her!! 

The lake that appeared in Max and Madge's field...I was pleased with my "arty farty" shot!!

Right, better get industrious there is a spider mocking  me from it's web behind where the Christmas tree was situated!! 

Have a good day xx

My favourite five of 2015

Happy New Year!! Before I miss the deadline I thought I would share my 2015 favourites with you and then pop over and join in with Debby again.

In no particular order

I just love Maggie!!

Now, this was my first attempt at painting with Distress ink...I impressed myself!!

One of my favourite colour combinations.

It's not often that I go mad with the embellishments but on this occasion I did!! Even did some machine stitching!!

This beauty was a far bigger image than I usually attempt and I love her so much I actually kept her!!

Sorry but number six sneaked in!! Another cute Maggie and the paper seems rather appropriate at the moment, especially for those unfortunate people (worldwide) that have been suffering as a result of the horrendous rain. I wish you better days.

Better go...a new member of staff starts today...so normality will soon return and I hope to be here a little more regularly...fingers crossed.

Until next time xx