A Diamond Wedding Anniversary

Hello again,

It's not often that we get a chance to make Diamond Wedding Anniversary cards and this is only the third one that I've made in the last seventeen years.  It's just a rare few that are lucky enough to make it through life's ups and downs and remain together for sixty years and what an incredible achievement.  I've made the card that I'm sharing with you today for a very special couple why will be celebrating their Diamond anniversary next week.  Sadly, due to the current Covid situation, there won't be a big party, just a quiet family celebration.  Here's the card that I've made:

 

For the main focal image, I've used the beautiful Harlequin Rose stamp by Chocolate Baroque.  I've coloured the rose using Victorian Velvet Distress ink.  I've also done something that I very rarely do which is to use a few silver peel offs but I felt that it just needed some finishing touches.  I've also added four diamond effect gems which I thought were quite appropriate. 

That's all from me for today but I hope that you all have a lovely day, whatever you're doing.  If I don't see you before, then I'll be back on Sunday with a new challenge over at Stamping Sensations xx

I'd like to add this card to the following challenge:

Allsorts - Flowers All Over

Anyone Fancy A Cuppa?

Hello there,

I'm here today with another one of my samples from June.  I've been looking though some old photos of my cards and I've realised how many of them I haven't posted, so I'll try to do some catching up over the next few weeks if I can.

The card that I'm sharing with you today is another CI sample from June:

The Tea Cup is one of the latest stamps by Crafty Individuals (CI-547) 

I painted the cups using distress inks and then mounted it onto a CI paper.  I do find their papers really pretty and they are strong enough to stamp on and colour too.

Jean Hardy from Crafty Individuals is back on Hochanda next Tuesday with more new gorgeous stamps and papers.  I know that the first show is on at 7am, so good if you're an early bird and you may need to set a recorder if you're not lol.  I'm not sure about the time of the second show but I'll let you know in my next post.

That's all from me for today and I hope to be back with you all very soon xx

A Sewing Theme Going On Today

Good morning my crafty friends,

Look at me.....two posts in two days!

Before I go any further, I just want to say a big thank you to all you lovely people who've left such kind comments over my last few post and I thank you for staying with me when I haven't been around very much.  I really appreciate each and every one of you xx

I'm here today to share a couple more of my June samples for Crafty Individuals.  They have some new shows on Hochanda on the 4th of August, so I need to show my last ones before then.  Here are two more of my card following a sewing theme:

This one features one of the latest stamps by Crafty Individuals - CI-545

And an older but till very useful set with lots of different sewing 

elements - CI-328

That's all from me for today so I wish you a happy day with lots of sunshine xx

Flowers All Over

Hello there my Crafty friends,

Just a quick post from me today to share a card that I made recently using a beautiful rose stamp by Chocolate Baroque:

I've used an old scrip stamp by Inkylicious and the corner stamp was a freebie from a magazine a couple of years back.  I've stamped and coloured the rose with Walnut Stain and the background was coloured with Tea Dye.  

Now over the last few months, for one reason or another, I haven't been blogging as much as I would have liked to but I've finished work now, so lots more free time for me.  One of the things that I've missed is entering some of my favourite challenges, so I'm rectifying that this week by by joining in at Allsorts.  Their challenge this time is 'Flowers All Over' so I would like to enter with this card.

That's all from me for today but I hope to be joining you again soon with a few more of my samples from June.  So until then, take care, stay safe and be happy xx

I think I'm just a little behind the times!

Hello there my crafty friends.

It seems like absolutely ages since I've had the time to sit down and write a blog post.  I've published a few that were scheduled but I've not had much time to catch up with things as I would have liked.  Loosing my lovely SIL really knocked me sideways and life is just about getting back to normal,  whatever normal is these days! Life will never be the same without her and I feel that one of my life's most precious jigsaw pieces is missing.  It's still a beautiful picture but it isn't complete any more.  I just need to keep reminding myself how lucky we were to have her in our lives xx

I've just finished my next lot of samples for a Crafty Individuals show that's on at the beginning of August and I've realised that I didn't share the ones with you from the June shows, so I'll reify that right now:

The first two that I'm sharing with you today featuring the fabulous new Camper Van stamp.  It's a great little stamp and perfect for those tricky masculine cards that we all struggle with.  I also think it would be great for making wedding cards and can just imagine it being trimmed up with flowers and ribbon.

That's all from me for today as I need to crack on with a card for a Pearl Wedding Anniversary at the beginning of August.  

Take care of yourselves, be happy and I hope to be with you again soon xx

  

Mid Month Inspiration - July 20

Hello their my lovelies,

Wow, how quickly is time flying?  We are more than half way to Christmas....time to start on the cards me thinks but for now, I will move on to the subject in hand which is some Mid Month Inspiration for out July challenge over at Stamping Sensations.  Here's the card that I've made:

As our theme this month is 'All Creatures Great And Small'  I've used a fabulous Owl stamp by 'Crafty Individuals.'  I stamped him using Nocturn VersaFine ink and then coloured my background using my Distress Inks that I applied with my Ink Dusters.  I made the mountains using a stencil and then I added some foliage at the base to add some interest.  The handsome Owl was coloured with Distress Inks.

Don't forget that we are very generously sponsored this month by Jean and Malcolm from: 

Crafty Individuals 

who are offering a £25 voucher to spend at their online store.

I hope to be back with you all soon but until then, take care and be happy x

All Creatures Great And Small

Hello there my wonderful friends and followers,

It's time for a new challenge over at Stamping Sensations and I'm really excited about this one for a couple of reasons.  The first one being that we are being sponsored by the lovely Jean and Malcolm over at Crafty Individuals and as you may or may not know,  I'm on their Design Team and have been for the last three years.  (Our lovely Sally and Dora are also on the team!) The second reason is that I've made a card using a Crafty Individuals stamp that was drawn by our very own Dora.  I won't keep you in suspense any longer, here's my card:

I started by colouring my background with Distress Oxide (Fossilized Amber) and (Broken China.) I then used a stencil over the colours to add a little variation.  Next, I used VersaFine Clair (Nocturn) to stamp my main focal image.  This is a beautiful stamp by Crafty Individuals (CI-515) and beautifully drawn by our very own Dora.  I used Distress inks to colour the image.  My next stage was to add a little texture using a stencil and some (All Purpose Filler!) Yes, I know it should be texture paste but I find it far too expensive and this does the same job and it's just £1 from a well known shop!  Once this was dry, I sponged over it with VersaFine Twilight and then waited for it to dry before rubbing it over with a sanding block to allow it to blend a little.  Finally, I used a blending tool and more of the Twilight ink around the edge to draw the eye into the image.

As I mentioned earlier, we are very generously sponsored this month by 

'Jean and Malcolm'

From

Crafty Individuals 

(www.craftyindividuals.co.uk)

who are offering one lucky winner the chance to win £25 worth of stamps from their online store.

I'd like to end be wishing you all a very happy and colourful Sunday xx