White On White

Hello there,

I hope that you're all keeping well and happy.

I've had a busy morning, catching up with some housework and I've made two Christmas cakes which are just starting to smell amazing.  It's made me think that I really need to start getting organised for Christmas as today is the first time this year that I've given it a thought and it will be here before I know it!

I'm here today to share a card that I've made for this week's challenge over at Allsorts, their theme is 'White on White.'  Now is not very often that I make a card without using inks, so this one is quite different from my usual style and I hope that you like it.

I went to the Stamperama show at Harrogate on Saturday.  It was a fabulous show with lots of stalls and a great atmosphere.  I was quite relieved really after the last show at Doncaster had been so much quieter than it usually is.  I had a lovely catch up with Jean and Malcolm from Crafty Individuals and also with the Inkylicious crew.  I also met and had a chat with the lovely Judith Smith who's the head of Chocolate Baroque's Design Team.  There were lots of fabulous demos going on and I really enjoyed watching John Lockwood using the new stamps by Two Jays which he'd demoed on Hochanda last week.  It's the first time I've met him and he's such a lovely chap. The samples on his stall were beautiful and I was tempted into buying the Cut and Emboss Snowflake border that I've used on today's card.  There were some beautiful samples made with it and I just couldn't resist.  Here's my card:

Some of you may have noticed that I also used this folder on yesterday's Remembrance card too.  I've just a put it on a white 6 x 6 card and used a snowflake die which I think is by Memory Box, but don't quote me on that.  I've used Ranger Liquid Pearls on each of the border's snowflakes.  It's a very simple card to make and you could easily make large batches of this in a very short time, which is exactly what we all need in the run up to Christmas.  I may be temped to add a gem to the center but I've left it off for now to fit in with the them of the challenge.

I think that's all for today.  It's been lovely to have a little more time to chat as I seem to always be in a rush these days.

Take care and I wish you lots of happy crafting x

We Will Remember Them

Traditional Christmas Colours

Hello there,

It's time for a new challenge over at Stamping Sensations and our theme this time is 'Traditional Christmas Colours.'  The colours are Red, Gold and Green and you can use any or all of them.  Here's the card that I've made:

The image that I've used is by Crafty Individuals and I've heat embossed it in gold before using various inks to water colours it with.  I've also added a couple of little red gems in the center of each flower.  I've used distress ink with a little glycerine in the background.  I find that this gives a nice, smooth finish and you don't need to use as much ink.

We are very generously sponsored this month by Lesley and David from

'Chocolate Baroque'

The prize are these two fabulous Christmas themed stamp sheets 

    

We'd love you to join us this month and to be inspired by our 'Traditional Christmas Colours ' theme but please remember that Stamping Sensations is a 'STAMPING' challenge, so we must see a stamped image, sentiment or quote as the focal element of your artwork, this means: Stamping must be the central point of attention and interest.

All the details of our challenge rules can be found here

That's all from me for now, so I'll wish you a happy and peaceful day x

My Last Spooky Card For This Year

Hello there on this Friday morning,

It's almost the weekend and I hope that you've got some nice things planned.  I intend to make a start on my next lot of CI samples but before then, I thought I'd share another spooky card that I've made using an older CI stamp and a Visible Image stencil, here it is:

I created my background using Brushos and then I stencilled over to create the skull.  Next, I stamped the fabulous Crow stamp by Crafty Individuals (CI-500) and used a sentiment by Visible Image.  The tree, flying bird and barbed wire stamps are all by Craft Individuals (CI- 361) and I think that they work really well with the main focal stamp.  I don't celebrate Halloween in any way but I have really enjoyed creating something that I wouldn't usually make.  I think it's given me the chance to be quite creative and in an arty sense and I'm pleased with the result.

Take care and have a great weekend x

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Try It On Tuesday - Witches/Wizards/Halloween
The Male Room - Halloween

A Little Bit Spooky

Hello there,

Just a quick post from me today as I'm playing catch up again, so apologies if I haven't had a chance to visit your blog yet.

I'm here today to share a couple of card using two new stamps from Crafty Individuals, both drawn by Maria Kitano:

I made my background using Brusho inks and VersaFine Claire Nocturn ink.  The stars were created by splattering with white acrylic paint.  I'm really happy with how this one turned out, especially the glow around the moon.

CI-528

CI-529

The background on this one was again made using my trusty Brushos, a CI background stamp, a Spider's Web stencil and black acrylic paint, which went everywhere!  The blood was made by adding a drop of water to some Adirondack ink to create the drips.  The sentiment is by Visible Image and I was really annoyed that I didn't stamp the first bit a little lower as it's quite difficult to read but hey ho, what's done is done!  I have to say that I'm not into Halloween at all but I do seem to enjoy making Gothic type cards.

Both of these fab stamps are on offer for a short time on the Crafty Individuals web site.

That's all from me for today, so I'll wish you a very happy, peaceful and relaxing Sunday x 

I'd like to enter my second card into the following challenges:

Try It On Tuesday - Whiches/Wizzards/Halloween

The Male Room - Halloween

Mid Month Inspiration - October 19

Hello there my crafty friends,

It's time for some mid month inspiration over at Stamping Sensations and here's the card that I've made:

The stamps that I've used are by Inkylicious and I created my background with Brushos.

Don't forget that we are very generously sponsored by:

'Stamp Addicts'

 who are kindly offering the lucky winner a £25 voucher to spend at their online store.

There's still plenty of time to enter our challenge, so why not take out your stamps and inks and get creating.

We would really love it if you could join us with a piece of your artwork featuring this month's theme but please remember that Stamping Sensations is a 'STAMPING' challenge, so we must see a stamped image, sentiment or quote as the focal element of your artwork, this means: Stamping must be the central point of attention and interest.

All the details of our challenge rules can be found here

Stamp Magic and a few more samples

Hello there my crafty friends,

I've been to Stamp Magic at Doncaster today and it was lovely to catch up with some of my crafty blogland friends, Sally and Lynne from Stamping Sensations and also lovely Kath from Allsorts.  I have to say that I was surprised as to how quiet the show was, both in terms of exhibitors and people attending.  I just hope that this isn't the beginning of the end of craft shows.  The craft shops have all gone, one by one and I hope that craft shows don't go the same way.  It's possible that it was just the weather as the rain was pouring down and driving conditions were horrible.  Anyway, all that said, I now have enough card to last me for a year and a few new stamps to keep me happy for a while, so I'm a happy bunny!

I'd like to share a few more of my latest samples for Crafty Individuals:

These new stamps are fabulous and quite different too.  I've really enjoyed working with them.  Jean mentioned on the Hochanda shows that the Designer, Ellie Mulligan is working on some Christmas designs, so I can't wait to see them.

That's all form me for today as I'm off to play with my new stamps.  Take care and I hope to be back with you soon x