Embossing at Allsorts

 Happy Weekend Friends, we are paying with textures at Allsorts Challenge this week where the optional theme is Embossing (Dry or Wet) otherwise Anything Goes is most welcome.

I am a shocker, I have lots of embossing folders that were "must haves" back in the day but shamefully have had little use. So to put that right I searched through my heaps of folders and chose spots, flowers and a linen texture. I had a plan in mind and tried the design in plain colours first but didn't like it so that went in the bin!! Dug out an old Trimcraft pad instead and made this...

...still using my idea and it worked. The embossed floral layer was inked and heat embossed with clear powder and I inked the other layers so that the embossed detail would show up. My banner is wonky but what the heck!! An artistic whoopsie always adds to the charm I think!!

The lovely prize is this...

Lisa Horton Rambling Woodgrain Rose embossing folder and coordinating stencils.

Looking forward to seeing you there xx

Cute or Elegant At As You Like It Challenge

Hello friends I am back in my comfort zone today with my DT piece for

 where Elaine is hosting and the theme is

Cute or Elegant.

It will come as no surprise to my followers that I have gone with cute. I just love the cute genre, people, animals, and houses. You name it, if it's cute I will love colouring it!! Not to mention I can always find a patterned paper that fits!!

Here's what I made this time

a cute card for our Grandson, Jackson, who was 3 years old at the beginning of the month.

This time I hooked out a memory stick to find a cute digital image, this one fit the bill and I coloured him with Promarkers. The papers are also digital. I can't find the provenance of either I'm afraid. 

I hope that you will go and share some love with the team and take inspiration and join us.

See you soon xx

Hearts at We Love Stamping

 Love is all around at We Love Stamping this month where Faith has chosen 

💕Hearts💕

or Anything Goes

I used a very old Woodware stamp FRS170 Love that I coloured with Promarkers to match the pretty heart paper that was from First Edition "Sweet Nothings" paper pad. It really was a joy to colour and give some love to an old stamp and die too.

Looks like February is going to be just as wet as January was. I must confess that this winter I have seriously questioned my life choices when mucking out on cold, wet and dark mornings but then I get a lovely kiss from my boy and remember why!! I mean the pony not the Husband!!

Fingers crossed for an early spring. Our daffs are coming out and the snowdrops have been out for a little while now so it's on it's way!!

This was before Storm Chandra when we had a bit of blue sky!!

That's all for now. See you soon xx

Make your own Background at Allsorts

 Donna has chosen the optional theme at Allsorts this time (Anything Goes also welcome).

I've said it many times but I LOVE this DT because the themes encourage me out of my comfort zone to try different techniques and that's what I did with this card.

I have no idea where the stencil came from (Probably a magazine freebie from days gone by when I subscribed to a couple of magazines). Although I rarely use them, I do have quite a selection of Distress Inks in my stash, you know what it's like, see a fab technique, buy the stuff and never use it. I digress, I have a lot of inks, some purchased and some gifted so I thought why not, do some blending and that's what I did. I took the inspiration for the rainbow from the adorable Aall & Create Washi Tape, Flower Dancing. I am SO pleased with the rainbow blend that I achieved and mounted it on shiny black cardstock. The Whimsy Birthday die also shines beautifully and the Happy is just a random stamp.

A set of four background stamps from AALL and Create

Thank you for paying me a visit. See you tomorrow xx 

Favourite Die at AYLI

 Happy Thursday everyone, the weekend is in sight and I am here with my DT piece for

where we are itching to see your favourite dies

I used this as another opportunity to have a hunt through my stash and rekindle love for an old die. In doing so I unearthed Live, Love, Laugh by Frantic Stamper. I do like a BIG die on a card as it adds such a nice feature. Look  here for another card made 10 years ago!!

The lovely stamp is a very old Mollie Blooms, and actually one of my first purchases I think. She was coloured, as usual with Promarkers and I sat her on a wall (background)  made using a couple of papers from a paper pad by Anna Marie Designs. The spotty die cut sentiment was cut from a scrap of paper and, sort of, matches her dress.

I hope those of you in the UK have managed to stay safe during storm Chandra. Our village, once again, became an island and there was widespread deep flooding so many of the roads in the county were closed.

Here is a snap of our own lakes

and  Bumble having a paddle

See you in the not too distant future xx

We Love Stamping

It's midway point at We Love Stamping so I am here to tempt you to join us with another little card featuring the optional theme 

"NEW"

This little darling is from a MFT stamp, New Best Friend, set that I LOVE and have used several times when friends have welcomed new fur babies into their families. The starting point was the little piece of gingham vellum that I found in my "green" drawer together with some spotted embossed card too. I tore the paper edges on the right to add a little texture and heat embossed both stamps, black for the image and white for the sentiment. The image was coloured with Promarkers.

That's all for now. See you soon xx

Men or Boys at Allsorts

 Ellie is holding the fort at Allsorts this time and her optional theme is

Men or Boys (anything goes also welcome)

This is a theme that I struggle with despite  Husband, two Sons and a Grandson!!

I had a little mooch through my paper pads and found a very old Craftwork Cards 8x8 pad called Coastal that inspired me. I have had a lot of fun heat embossing lately so chose a large sentiment stamp set (Mama Elephant, Make a Wish) and used Wow EP in Pepper. Matted and layered three of the papers and Bob's your Uncle...a male card!! 

Two A5 stamp sets from Sweet Poppy

    

Looking forward to seeing what you make. See you soon xx

Favourite Occasion at AYLI.

Hello friends and visitors.

It's time to kick off the first challenge of the year at

and the theme is Favourite Occasion.

In my house there are lots and lots of Birthdays during the next five or so months so I have gone with Birthday as my favourite occasion. They are always useful makes to have in your stash too.

Here is the card that I made for Mollie Rose, our Granddaughter, who turns 9 Today. It's hard to believe where the years have gone. She's a sassy little miss for sure, full of spirit and fun and is a wonderful big sister to Jackson!!

I used a very old BeBunni rubber stamp from Crafters Companion. The papers are from a doodlebug Designs Christmas pad and I cut the 9 freehand from a holographic scrap of card. I coloured the image with my Promarkers and matched the sweeties on top of the cake with the spots on the paper and then added glossy accents. The sentiment was heat embossed and is from a Clearly Besotted sentiment clear stamp set.

Thank you for your company and I hope that 2026 is being kind to you so far.

See you soon xx 

 

All Things New at We Love Stamping

Hello everyone, yes it's me again and I have HUGE news to share.

I was delighted to be invited to join the wonderful team at 

WE LOVE STAMPING

so this is my debut DT project and I am sharing inspiration for our January Challenge

 All Things New, chosen by Mervi

Here's what I made...a new baby card

I had a little tidy up back in December and found a box of Lili of the valley grey rubber stamps so she was perfect for my card. Keeping with the theme of older stash I used an old My Minds Eye paper pad called...and used Promarkers to colour the adorable image in shades to match. I even added some old cheesecloth and lace, some twine and a favourite stamp/die combo from Mama Elephant for the dinky tag.

We have two prizes of Tonic Verso dies (ones received may differ from the photo below) and a $20 Whimsy gift card for entrants Worldwide.

  

I am looking forward to my journey ahead with this talented team and taking inspiration from them all to use my rubber stamps.

See you soon

Winter Animals at Allsorts

Welcome or welcome back and Happy New Year everyone. I hope that 2026 brings Good Health and Happiness to you all. 

I am here with my first DT piece of 2026 for the brilliant Allsorts Challenge where the optional theme chosen by Helen is Winter Animals. 

I used a cute polar bear from a My Favorite Things stamp set, Polar Bear Pals. this set hasn't seen daylight for some time and I'd forgotten how useful it is for wintertime, with lots of different messages. I coloured him with Promarkers and tore strips of random blue papers for the background.

In keeping with the theme, the prize is from

 Visible Image stamps set and coordinating dies

                                              

We very much hope that you will join us .

See you soon xx