Welcome

Welcome to my blog where I post regular photographs of cards I have made. I hope you enjoy looking through my cards and I would like to thank you for taking the time to stop by and also for leaving any comments and following my blog. I shall also be posting a few of my knitting projects too.

Followers

Monday 30 June 2014

Carpenter at Work - Crafting from the Heart Challenge 25

 

Good morning crafters and followers.  Gosh doesn't Monday come around quick?

Do you realise we are now half way through the year and the nights are drawing in, frightening isn't it.  Time just seems to be going so fast, I am told it is my age but I am not so sure!!!

Today also means a new challenge over at Crafting from the Heart - our 25th I might add which is a wonderful achievement.

As usual it is 'Anything Goes' and
 
Our Sponsors are: -
 
Offering a prize of 5 digi images



QKR Stampede
 
and
Offering a prize of 3 digi images

Oak Pond Creations 
 

My Shopping List

Carpenter digi stamp by QKR
white card
black card
brick embossing folder
tools embossing folder
spellbinders dies.

  1. cut black card down to size and emboss with brick embossing folder.
  2. die cut spellbinder die in white pearlescent and then emboss using tools embossing folder.
  3. print digi stamp image out, die cut using a different spellbinders die and then using black card make a faux nestie shape.
  4. I typed the sentiment in word, printed it out and then die cut using a spellie.
This is a very simple card to make and I deliberately kept it simple this time to show that card making does not have to be difficult with all the bells and whistles on to enter our challenge.

Yes the bells and whistles are brilliant and I love putting them on my cards but, anyone can enter, it is a chance for you to show case your project and possibly win a super prize at the same time whether you are a complete beginner or an expert.

I have also deliberately kept the digi stamp 'uncoloured'.  When I first got into crafting I wouldn't touch a digi stamp for love nor money in fact I wouldn't touch a stamp either and mention colouring - no way would have been my answer but I downloaded a freebie digi stamp from a magazine, eventually, and had a play at colouring, because I could print it out as much as I wanted to practice that digi stamp was so useful.  At that time my hand stamping was pretty rubbish, but again with practice I have no problem now. Digi stamps got me into colouring and I realised that I could use them uncoloured too, well I was hooked.  Another tool for my crafting.

Digi stamps can be coloured or uncoloured so if you are a new crafter, or a crafter who does not do colouring you can still use digi stamps. They are also a good basis to practice your colouring especially if you are not a confident stamper.

One piece of advice that I was given, when printing out digi stamps print in draft quality and the day before you want to colour them, if you are colouring, that gives them plenty of time to dry, or you can heat set them if you have a heat gun. Try to use a super smooth card if you are going to colour.

Why not pop over to our sponsors website and check out the digi stamps you would be surprised how useful they can be to ALL US CRAFTERS.

If you want to see more ideas do pop over to the blog at Crafting from the Heart to see what the rest of our design team have created and don't forget to join in the fun and enter your own creation.
Can I also say that we have a Facebook page, where there is other ' just for fun' challenges, so if you are not already a member of the group, I urge you to pop over and join us.

The winners and Top 3 from the last challenge can be found here.

Thank you for stopping by. See you again I hope and do take care.
 

Saturday 28 June 2014

Henry - Crafting at the Weekend Challenge 3



Good morning crafters.  Phew it has been a busy month, both at work and at home.  Not long got back from a gorgeously relaxing weekend in Derbyshire.  Such beautiful scenery and lovely walks.  We did so well with the weather too.

Then back to work and major catch up mode.  Thank god I only work 3 days.

Then yesterday was Friday, my weekend starts and a crafting afternoon with my chums on Skype having a catch up and a bit of a giggle.

Today starts a new challenge over at Crafting at the Weekend.  The challenge is 'Anything Goes'.


Our sponsors are:

Crafty Sentiments
Crafty Sentiments

My Shopping List

Henry digi stamp from Crafty Sentiment Designs.
Marker pens
white card
yellow card
blue backing paper from tattered lace magazine
leaf dies from Sue Wilson
Xcut die
Flowers from tattered lace and tonic
persimmon distress inks.

  1. mat and layer yellow card, blue backing paper.
  2. cut a strip of yellow card and another smaller mat of blue spotted backing paper
  3. cut a large rectangle of yellow card and another smaller mat of blue spotting backing paper
  4. colour in image using various markers and die cut using Xcut die
  5. cut a faux mat in yellow using the xcut die
  6. die cut flowers and leaves. 
  7. ink flowers using a brush and distress ink
I love putting flowers on my cards so little Henry holding his flower gave me a wonderful opportunity as normally flowers on a male card is a bit of a no,no I suppose! 

When you have finished making your creation this weekend, please pop over to Crafting at the Weekend challenge and take part, with some lovely prizes it is not to be missed. Just follow the link here.

Hope you enjoy my use of this digi and I look forward to seeing your projects over at the challenge.

You take care and see you all soon.




Monday 16 June 2014

Jacob - Crafting From The Heart Challenge 23

 
 
 
Good morning crafters.  Monday morning has come around again, hope you are having a lovely day whatever you are doing.
 
Today is the start of another challenge over at Crafting from the Heart, our 23rd .  As usual it is an 'anything goes' challenge so do pop over and join in there are some super prizes from our sponsors who are: -
 
 
Crafts and Me
Offering a prize of 3 digi images
 Crafts and Me
 
and
Limited Runs
 

 
My Shopping List
 
Copics - E000 | E00 | E11 | E21 | E25 | E27
               B26 | B28 | B29
               R46
5x7 basic white card blank
Red co'ordinations card
Plain white card
Navy card
Red ribbon
Black buttons
Football stamp
Stormy Sky Distress Ink
Embossing folder - dots
Spellbinders dies
 
 
  1. I coloured my image in using the above listed copic markers.
  2. I then matted some red co'ordinations onto my card blank.
  3. I have a small football stamp using blue versafine ink to make my backing paper.
  4. I embossed my backing paper using a 'dots' embossilicious folder and then inking around the edges with stormy sky distress inks.
  5. I cut out 3 pieces of white card, inked around the edges with the bullet end of a blue copic marker and when dry embossed them with a smaller embossilicious folder. 
  6. I then inked them using an inkilicious brush and stormy sky ink.
  7. They still looked a little bare so I wrapped some red ribbon around in a fairly haphazard way as this is a little boys card and I figured little footballers are definitely not the neat type!
  8.  Finally I matted my topper to some blue card.  I had cut my topper out using a spellbinder shape.
This image is a lovely image to colour and so useful because it can be coloured using any team colours.  Mind you I am no football supporter so heaven knows whose colours I have used. LOL
 
If you want to see more ideas do pop over to the blog at Crafting from the Heart to see what the rest of our design team have created and don't forget to join in the fun and enter your own creation.
Can I also say that we have a Facebook page, where there is other ' just for fun' challenges, so if you are not already a member of the group, I urge you to pop over and join us.
The winners and Top 3 from the last challenge can be found here.
Thank you for stopping by. See you again I hope and do take care.
  
 
 



Saturday 7 June 2014

TrainSpotting - Stitchy Stamps

 
Good afternoon crafters and followers.  Gosh it has been an awful day here in West Midlands.  Got up early to do our shopping (I hate food shopping when it is busy) and had to delay going because we had a terrible thunderstorm and I didn't want to leave our dog, Enya during the storm.  It pelted down with serious thunder and lightening.  Luckily it passed over after about 20 minutes, but it has been raining on and off all day.  Sods law isn't it now the evening has come around the sun is out and we have blue skies.  Still a little chilly though.  Honestly english weather!
 
Well my post today is a little boys card which was made as a DT sample for the challenge over at My Craft Creatoins.
 
My Shopping List
 
TrainSpotting from Stitchy Stamps
Copics - E000 | E00 | E08 | E11 | E31 | E33 | E35 | E59 | E74
              B91 | B93 | B95
              G000 | G02 | G05 | G07
              YG99 | Y15 | R35 | C1 | C3
Serif digikit 'Charlie' for background
Plain white base card
Black and orange card
Tonic die
blue gems.
 
  1. I coloured my digi stamp using the copic markers listed above.
  2. Matted some black card onto my base card followed bymy backing paper which was from serif digikit called 'Charlie'
  3. Layered up my image onto some black card
  4. Die cut my tonic die and layered that onto some orange card
  5. I then cut a couple of trains from the left over backing paper.
  6. Constructed my card and finished off with some blue gems.
 
It was a sweet image to colour and very suitable for those crafters who are starting out with their colouring.
 
Hope you like it and thank you for stopping by.
 
Take care and see you again soon.
 
 
 

Monday 2 June 2014

Eureka Scarecrow & Sunflower - Crafting from the Heart Challenge 21.

Good morning crafters and followers.  Monday 2nd June, gosh isn't this year going fast?  It's hard to believe we are half way through 2014 and I don't know where the first six months has gone - apparently that just means I am getting old hee hee.

Well, my post today is my DT sample for Challenge 21 at Crafting from the Heart. As usual it is 'Anything Goes' and

Our Sponsors are: -
Eureka Stamps
Offering a prize of 5 digi images

Eureka Stamps

Offering a prize of £15 voucher

My Shopping List

Eureka Scarecrow & Sunflower digi stamp
Copics - E30 | E31 | R37 | Y15 | Y11 | G29 | G94 | G99 | B24 | B28 | B26
Embossing folder - couture 'encaustic'
Tattered lace dies - lavish blooms aster | leaves | cherished centres
Spellbinders labels 23
Tim Holtz distress inks - gathered twigs | forest moss | wild honey
C5 plain white card base
piece of white card
piece of pale orange card
That special touch mask

  1. I always start with my image, print that out a couple of days before I want to use it and then colour it in using my copic markers as listed above.  I find this the best way for me because I can use whatever colours I feel like at the time and then design my card from there.
  2. I nearly always use a plain white base card and in this instance it is a C5 in size followed by a piece of pale orange card as a mat.
  3. I then took another piece of white card and using a mask and wild honey distress ink I inked through it - sorry but I have thrown the packet away so can't tell you exactly which one it was.
  4. I then ran that through couture encaustic embossing folder extending it because of the size of the card and matted that onto my pale orange card.
  5. Sometime ago Joanna Sheen was selling two lots of rafia type ribbon in green and red in her specials section and I bought some, as you do, this is what I have used behind my image, hopefully it will give my card that rustic look.
  6. I die cut my image using spellbinders labels 23 and inked around the edges with wild honey distress inks.
  7. I then cut a 'faux' mask out of the pale orange card. (for beginners, a faux mask is simply drawing around the around the outside of your die and hand cutting it out, this way you have a slightly larger mat).  I affixed my image to my card using pinflair so this would also help the rafia stick too.
  8. Now onto my embellishments.  For my followers and regular readers you will know I am flower mad.  So going through my flower die stash I used my tattered lace lavish blooms aster, leaves and cherished centres.
  9. I die cut two large asters in green and two lacey astors in yellow followed by the cherished centre in green. I always use hot glue to put my flowers together after shaping them a little.
  10. The leaves I die cut out of plain white card and coloured them using distress inks listed above and affixed them around my lavish bloom.
For more ideas do pop over to the blog at Crafting from the Heart to see what the rest of our design team have created and don't forget to join in the fun and enter your own creation.
Can I also say that we have a Facebook page, where there is other ' just for fun' challenges, so if you are not already a member of the group, I urge you to pop over and join us.
 
The winners and Top 3 from the last challenge can be found here.
 
Thank you for stopping by. See you again I hope and do take care.