Monday 30 May 2011

LIM Choose a square#2

Hi I've been playing again with embossing powders this time and Smooch inks, lovely rich inks, yummy stuff, this is what I made.



The recipe at LIM is pick a square It's a great challenge, pop over and have a peek, join in it's fun!
 I chose the middle, again but only because my embossed piece was too big for the corners and didn't look balanced!
This was loads of fun, I've always loved embossing powder anyway but then they invented thick embossing powder, yum:0)
Stamped into the hot powder with
Stampendous Cling Peony Square
Painted with Smooch ink, Sassy pink and Luscious lime, yum yum:0) I got mine on my trip to the Craft Barn.
I liked the way the ink let the colour underneath show through and the leaves became translucent. Also I liked the way the melted powder oozed out off the square card when I pushed the stamp in.

More beauty sleep's needed and so many people are trying it now, I think it's a craze that'll catch on! If anyone has any success, please get in touch. I have yet to master the technique but as you know I won't let that stop me! TTFN peeps, have fun:0) xxx

Sunday 29 May 2011

Have you lost your followers?

Well I did and was most upset but Shirley sent me off to Blogger help and there I discovered that if you take your followers off in edit design and then reload them, they come back, well they did for me:0) So thanks to Shirley I now have you all back and you're all so welcome. May normal service resume LOL :0)

Saturday 28 May 2011

Squares mmmm.............sounds like fun! LIM 17

Hello and look it's squares all over LIM number 17, that's Less is More if you are a newbie and jolly welcome if you are :0)
Chrissy LadyLIM  and Mandi Diva LIM are challenging us,

For our challenge this week we have a multiple choice.... well sort of ... you can choose which of the 5 SQUARES from our plan you wish to use to place the image of your card, leaving the rest as PURE WHITE SPACE!







I chose the center because my image was small and I thought it needed center stage, I've left it as CAS as I dare!
I needed inspiration today so I took myself off to the Craft Barn again and here I found some new to me stamps, never heard of them before cArt-Us, lovely and cheap and very detailed. I just had to have it! Cheeky little chappies eh!!!
I thought Anniversary or wedding or engagement perhaps. They are Lovebirds after all :0)

I have coloured with Copics and their beaks are clear dimensional glaze. Off now, going to have a surf,  doesn't that sound as if I know what I'm doing?? 'course it does, LOL
Oh! and if anyone happens on my lovely followers on their travels will you please send them back, I'm getting lonely over here all on my own, I miss them :{ xxx


Thursday 26 May 2011

Update on that naughty dog!

Hi there from coffee headquarters. Still windy here, what's it like with you?


Remember this naughty boy?
Do you still feel sorry for him?
I'm not so sure, look at poor puss........... Slightly disgruntled I'd say!
I don't think they're even talking anymore!


 I couldn't leave you all guessing, that wouldn't be fair :0)

 OLW this week is at Jennifer's and she has asked us to make a one layer card with a cat or a dog, don't think this qualifies as an entry because it's really an insert or an update or something like that anyway:0)


Stamp by Penny Black Purrfect Day
Coloured with Copics: numbers E43 dull ivory, R11, pale cherry pink W1, warm grey no 1, oh and the blender pen to lighten his fur and make him look slightly, shall we say, ruffled, he he!
Details of dog on previous post

Wednesday 25 May 2011

OLW 55 Dogs

Hello again, 3 posts in one day, I am loosing it, anything to avoid the ceiling, the dreaded ceiling.
Jennifer asked us to make a CAS for OLW 55 with a dog or a cat............Okay  on to this little doggy, I didn't know I had so many dog stamps! Doesn't he pull at your heart strings, aaww! I just wonder what he's done.....

Dog Stamp by Stamps by Judith and sentiment stamp by Penny Black Purrfect day
Water colour painted with Lyra Aquacolor water soluble wax paints, I love these paints, pigment rich and great colours. That's it, at least for today, much fun was had by me, LOL :0)

OLW 55, It's a dog!

Hello there and welcome, Today is Wednesday and that means it's a new OLW number 55 to be prescise and Jennifer say's
 OLW55: Cats and Dogs
Make a one layer card with a dog or a cat on it (or both).
1. A one-layer card is defined as a single piece of cardstock folded in half.
2. Make a one-layer card with a cat or a dog on it (or both).

3. Please share your creation by posting your card online and then using  Inlinkz below to link to it.

This card involved some masking techniques, I have seen many people do this but I think the first was Barbara Gray at Clarity Stamps fantastic inspiration and wonderful brayering techniques.
The stamp dog is from Poppy Stamps in America, gorgeous but simple stamps and the trees are Memory Box, Swirly Trees. The sentiments from a Waltzingmouse, set and are brilliant!
I masked and stamped then coloured with Copics, you can find them everywhere and I'm fed up with doing links!!!!
Have a lovely day and have fun with your stamping everyone TTFN :0)

Monday 23 May 2011

More butterflies?

Oh! Yes, be careful what you ask for :0) Butterflies, Warning, Warning, picture heavy post. I've been a busy bunny and there are avoiding tactics going on here, I should be painting my ceiling:0)


 Okay this butterfly is from the Artylicious CD, Butterfly Bliss, printed first onto shiny card and then onto acetate.
The background is a stamp Aspects of Design, Nautical and the splatter stamp from, Mr Timmy Holtz himself .
Distressed with TH inks weathered wood and barn door and spun sugar.
I stamped and clear embossed the text then  distressed. The butterfly is held on with Pinflair glue gel.                                                                                       




This  is stamped with Hero Arts, Wild Delphinium using Marvy pens and Stickles . Butterfly Stamp by Tim Holtz onto acetate and coloured from behind with copics, small butterflies, MS punch using waste from first stamping. Sentiment Penny Black.     




Trying to achieve a guy's card this time, (dunno what I do wrong, I just cannot get it quite right) Tim Holtz Pappillion stamps just stamped onto my favourite (ATM!)colour olive green:0)
I'm off, I've got a ceiling to paint. Have fun:0) xxx




I removed this from LIM because I used the same stamps as somebody else and she was first with them, only fair :0)

Butterflies?

Hello and welcome, I hope you had a good weekend? I was a bit busy this weekend and had only a little time to indulge in my obsession :0)  Over at Less is More the theme is ............in the words of  Chrissie Lady LIM and  Mandi Diva LIM .......
Butterfly/Butterflies
How easy peasy is that! We are so good you you! [But what are they building up to we hear you cry!
So as usual, as long as your design is CLEAN & SIMPLE, the worlds your oyster...or butterfly!
You can do one or a whole flutter, it's entirely up to you.
Not a favourite subject of mine but I love a challenge!
Stamps Personal Impressions, Count my Blessings, by Lindsay Mason. 
Hero arts, Live Life! Sandra at Stamping For Pleasure  used them on a card and I just thought they were delicious and I really needed them, of course. Great inspiration from Sandra and many Thanks from me :0)
Stamp for text and flourish Bella boulevard, sorry can't remember name.

Stamping in layers, three times I stamped the butterfly, with Adirondack Autumn Sunset then black ink and Versamark onto which I used mica powder and then painted the wings with Lyra aquacolour paints. Glitter is black diamond stickles. The background is painted and sprayed with Moonglow mica.







So..... off I go it's late and I need my beauty sleep, been trying it for years but hasn't worked yet, maybe tomorrow:0) TTFN

Edited to add, 
Sheila in Cyprus, I'm so sorry I cannot get to you to Thank You on your blog so I would like to say Thank You so much for your lovely comments, you're a sweetie :0) xxx






Thursday 19 May 2011

Baby, Oh! Baby!! OLW 54. And Help for Daisy

Hi, Hello, How are you? Fighting fit? Well, if not I hope you are very soon.

It's a gorgeous sunny day over here at coffee towers and I've had 24hrs to mull over a great challenge....................................
It's OLW 54( One Layer Wednesday) time at Simplicity. Susan has challenged us to make a card for a baby using inspiration from Cake Wrecks I chose, as my inspiration, this yummy cake,
 

Isn't it sumptuous? nom, nom nom:0)


Here is my interpretation,  using one of the free Cuttlebug folders that I got when I first purchased the machine. This is the first time I've used it. I inked inside the folder to get a greater impact, just love white on white but this definitely needed something else. I used VersaMagic Chalk ink, Pixie Dust.

The picture is a bit dull I'm afraid the sun went in just at the wrong time :{


The folder was too big to get a square impression so I masked off some of it, seems to have worked, I'm pleased with the result anyway.
So, no stamping today, I did colour my ribbon (seam binding) with a Copic pen using R11 Pale cherry pink, gorgeous colour one of my favourite for cheeks!

 I was so tempted to add a border around the image or maybe some gems but I totally resisted and kept it CAS, does it need anything more, let me know? Please? LOL. Hope you have a grand day. :0)

Help For Daisy
Click here for Kirsties page

If you have time, Kirsty Wiseman is raising funds for a wonderful cause and you may win some wonderful prizes, it's for a little lady called Daisy and her family. Pic pinched from Hels Sheriden's blog, I hope she doesn't mind. :0)

Daisy needs an operation after an accident and her family need her. Please pop over and see for yourself the situation, Thank you for taking the time to read this:0) xxx

Tuesday 17 May 2011

Change of card!

Morning bloggy friends, I had change of card, wasn't 100% happy with this card so I changed it, ( see last post) now am much happier. I added a flower, a stamp from Stampendous onto velum and coloured from behind with pencils and copics. I stamped with Versamark and embossed the flower in Heat it Up Enchanted gold, it's  a real favourite of mine a soft gold, yummy. Gem came from my stash.
Have a wonderful day and thanks for dropping by  :0)

Sunday 15 May 2011

Hi there, LIM 15, here we go, here we go, here we go!

Hello everyone, how did you manage without blogger then? After surfing a little, I've come to the conclusion that most seem to have felt either bereft or glad they could get on with other stuff! We are a funny lot :0)  Myself, I missed catching up but went out for the day with some friends so it wasn't too painful and luckily I hadn't posted, I did loose about 10 comments from my last post :{  but it seems I was lucky. Some lost whole posts :{
Today I'm catching up with Less is More
One Layer card


EMBOSSING
You may use heat or dry embossing.


Today my card is embossed with silver embossing powder, I bleached out the colour so that I could  paint with Twinkling H20's and then Diamond glazed.
Stamps Hero Arts, clear poppies and
Andy Skinner text Gothic. Stamped in Brilliance, pearlescent Orchid.

Second card, trying to save you having to comment twice :0)


Embossed with craft concepts folder, Budding Vine that had been inked with Versa colour celadon and then I heat embossed the result with Kaleidoscope clear embossing powder, not sure you can see that.
Then top text (as above) Andy Skinner text in Brilliance peacock ink. SU sentiment. Copics to highlight flowers and for blue strip.

Not too sure I like the way the card is distorted by the embossing but it's 300gsm card, I've had it under a heavy book, nothing more I can do about it.
Okay! Enjoy what's left of the weekend and TTFN  Thank you so much for joining me here, you really are most welcome :0)

Notes on bleaching.
If you've not done this technique before. Do take care! bleach is not the nicest thing to inhale or get on your clothes or you!
You will achieve differing degrees of success, not all card stock bleaches well, you need to test the card before you start.
Emboss your image. Then with the cheapest, thinnest bleach and using an old paintbrush, carefully paint the bleach inside the design.  When you've got the degree of lift that you need let it dry and either leave or paint with the colour of your choice.

Hope that helps if not my email is at the top of the page I'll be happy to help :0)


Wednesday 11 May 2011

OLW 53, Home Sweet Home!

Hello There................
One Layer Wednesday is at Jennifer's today and is for a new home card, simples!


Rules for OLW 53
1. A one-layer card is defined as a single piece of cardstock folded in half.
2. Make a one-layer “New Home” card using at least two colours of ink.
3. Please share your creation by posting your card online and then using  Inlinkz below to link to it.
4. Please make sure you are linking directly to the relevant post – not just to your blog.
5. Most important of all…HAVE FUN!
(More rules at Jennifer's)

I have used Artemio stamps Picoti Picota (chickens) and peg stamps for the sentiment. I stamped the coop then made a mask for the coop and a circle mask and coloured over both with a Blending Blox (Dee Gruening) shades of orange, coloured the chicken and coop with copics.......Hope you like!!!

Short and sweet today, I'm running very late!
Have a wonderful crafty day my friends:0) xxx

OOOh! I'm so excited I've now got 94 wonderful, gorgeous followers... you lovely ladies. Welcome and Thank You so much for following  :0) xx

Monday 9 May 2011

White on white, cool!


Hi crafty peeps, (sounds cool anyway!) Hope all's well with you?
I've made a card for LIM where the challenge is White on white and for the Spotlight challenge my first attempt at their challenge and where the challenge is to use at least 3 inchies. Here goes.............................

2 cards today I've tried to make it easier so that you don't have to comment twice, although I can't guarantee this will happen all the time! I always think I can do it just that little bit better and want to have another attempt. There's an awful lot of us now and it can be a little daunting to try and reach everyone. I really appreciate it when folks comment.







 This card's made with 2 dies and 1punch and 1 stamp.
Sentiment from PTI Mat stack 2.
Tim holtz texture fade, circles.
Quickcutz pop up door.
Punch papermania
 The back of the card is showing here I've embossed it and will use a lining to send but it's a failed attempt at this challenge, interesting back though :0)

This card is made from 2 dies
Quickcutz WISH.
Sizzix  Bigz die Stars Primitive.
Embossed with Tim Holtz texture fade, glazed with distress crackle and glittered with Hero Arts Prisma Glitter.
stamp by Cherry Pie, in VersaMark ink and mica powdered.





This challenge Mandi Diva LIM and Chrissy Lady LIM drove me to distraction, you'll be happy to know that  I knuckled down ( like a true LiMette) when I felt like throwing in the towel.

I would like to say how chuffed I am to be in the Showcase for LIM and thank you so much Ladies for that honour. 
Have a great week people and I'm now going off to see what all the lovely LiMettes have been making! TTFN.
Edited, 10/5/2011
I have discovered a new to me challenge, Thanks to Zoechaos
It's called Just For Fun
You may like to check it out for yourselves, have fun:0) xxx
I would like to add here that I've tried on and off for a few hours to leave a comment on Crafty cat's blog but I'm not having any luck, Thank you for your great comments Crafty cat, sorry I can't return any to you, Loved your beautiful card:0) xxx

Saturday 7 May 2011

Poppies!!





Hi everyone, the Stampman challenge is for Poppies If you take part you could send your make to the British Legion or the Stampman and it may be sold to raise some much needed funds, great cause.So I've done a CAS Poppy card.


The stamp is from the USA. Blockheads
Their Flower garden set and it's one of my favourite poppy stamps. Poppies are difficult because they are so wafer thin, capturing that quality is darn hard. I stamped on photocopy paper then onto red velum and the copy paper was best but I had to trim the edges of the design away because of the dark line. Painted with Twinkling H20's and distress crackle paint after. The sentiment is from The Stampman, Non Sequitur Love Letters
I thought it was reminiscent of old typewriter font and just fitted. I deliberately miss stamped to give it an old feel. Stamped in Versamark ink and mica powdered.




Have a great day, I'm off to have a go at the White on White challenge over at Less is More It's so moody and atmospheric here today, rumbling of thunder in the distance...oooeerrr! Blooming hot too :0)

Tracy, I would like to Thank You for your lovely comment but I can't find you on Blogger!
Thank you so much you are a dear:0) xxx

Thursday 5 May 2011

Hello it's OLW 52, Round and Round !

Good morning to you, hope it's a bright breezy day for you,. Looks like rain, that'll be grand my poor garden is so thirsty! And on to Susan's Challenge, OLW 52


 This card was a very quick make and lots of fun. I spent ages going through my stamps and then stamping all sorts of LO's and then came back to the first idea and simplest.
I hope you like and that you have a good day today:0) xxx

Thank you all for your lovely comments, I read each and everyone and it means so much to get them, YOU ROCK!!!!



 OLW52 Rules

1. A one-layer card is defined as a single layer of cardstock folded in half...no other layers allowed.

2. Use a circle or circles on your card. Get as creative as you like! And remember to keep embellishments to a minimum.

3. Post your card somewhere online and link back to it using the InLinkz button on the sidebar of Simplicity.

4. The most important rule of all: HAVE FUN!!!!


Stamp; Tim Holtz (again!) Bitty Grunge.
Waltzingmouse Fancy Phrases (because they're clear more supple and I bent it around to fit around the circles)
Bling Card candy, Craftwork cards
Versafine, Deep Lagoon ink.

Monday 2 May 2011

Hello I'm back!!! ( sorry)






Hello again, I've had another crafty day and made another card for Less is More or LIM, I promise this is my last submission, I will be good and do no more this week. :0)


 Loving doing the CAS cards.

Okay the remit was, Lucky Dip and either 'Thank you' or 'Congratulations.'
If you've missed this super challenge I suggest you pop over and Check it out, So many lovely inspirational people.
This card is really simple I stamped the background images and then layered up, with glue gel, the gentlemen and glazed their hats, bingo job done!
The inspiration for using the top hat'd men came from Paula's entry to LIM last week her card is stunning, it made me get these stamps out and create, so thanks again Paula!
A very talented lady!
Have fun my friends :0) xxx

Inks
Momento Tuxedo Black and Adirondack Earth tones Lettuce.

Stamps,
Tim Holtz Steampunk  which I bought at the Craft Barn
SU partial clock from 2005
Hobby Art sentiment cut from the Wedding Day stamp.
I used Diamond glaze on the gent's hats and Copics.

I would like to enter this card in the Crafty Cardmakers challenge, This week it's steampunk so perfect for my card. I found this challenge thankfully due to Paula's beautiful card HERE




I was extremely lucky to be awarded this lovely little fella, he was here just a couple of posts ago so I won't bore you with my 5 sins again but I would really like to send a great BIG  THANK YOU out to Chris B who gave him to me, top lady and sweetie, pay her blog a visit and she will make you so welcome. She has made some really beautiful cards and albums.
I find it difficult knowing who likes these awards. I'm going to pass this on to anyone of my lovely readers, all of whom are worthy. If you would like to take this award and pass it on, please be my guest :0)