Light up my Life!

It's Sugar Bowl challenge time again for me and I have been tinkering with the Gorjuss one! The sketch this time is by Judy which was really for a square card but I needed to make a different size format so this turned into an A5 card.
The lighting here today is bad...the weather is bad.....I feel bad!!!! Lingering cough plaguing me from my summer cold still.
I decided she needed to be sat on a string of Christmas lights.......still pondering my Xmas cards you see..............this is the first time I have included the little birdie....it's not that I don't like him/her but the other times it sort of didn't fit in!

The die cut swirls were just some plain card that I added glue and glitter to and I put 3D glaze to the bulbs which shows up a bit better in the close up...............added little blobs of glue to her dress and sprinkled on the glitter.....made up the flower........hope you think it is poinsettia like!!! The dotty and green papers are my own digital design again.........the striped bit is K&Co and the music paper is the web freebie from CS this month.....gave it the same treatment as my last card...........I like to think this would be equally suitable for a man to give a woman or for a woman to give a man.
Thanks for looking........happy stamping!
xoxo

Edit: Bl*&$£y H#!**l!!!! I've put the music on upside down.....unforgivable

Singing Ringing Tree

There is a sketch to follow over at Katherina's blog......if you make a card using a Whiff of Joy stamp you might get to join in the blog hop coming up on 25th July as a guest designer......how cool is that!!....and you get one of the new release stamps to showcase too.
Thought I'd give it a go.....can't win it if your not in it!


Because you can see both the inside of the card and the outside at the same time it was difficult to get the whole card in focus standing up............so I laid it down flat to get a better picture and took a separate one of the inside.
The papers are my own digital designs.......I am still messing around with Christmas themes hence the red and green!.........The piece of music paper was the free download from CS this month which I distressed even more...scrunched up...unscrunched...... bit of DI FB and WS added and sprayed with some Glimmer....the buttons were coloured with Alcohol inks....The fruits on the tree had gilding flakes added to follow the "Singing Ringing Tree" title.........loved that fairy tale from way back when.....thought the tree suited it.....you can read about it here.
Thanks for looking.
xoxo

Fly With Me? - Papertake Weekly

Once again the sketch by Dawny at Papertake Weekly has come up trumps just when I needed it....I'm beginning to wonder if she is psychic!!!.......fab sketch and suited what I had made as the topper/ATC itself had the sentiment already so no need for additions.....although I did decide to add a trio of gems top and bottom.

I stamped the Artistic Stamper birdie (free with CS) and the Paperartsy heart thingy and swirls onto some patterned paper for a change instead of making my own background as I did with this one...sometimes time is of the essence! LOL.......all the papers are K&Co Roam.

The yellow fibre stuff was from a stall at the Exeter craft show a few years back......it is coming again in September but I am thinking of giving it a miss as it just seems to be the same old stuff.....afraid it is one of the hazards of living down here on the way to nowhere else because it is a long way for a lot of companies to travel to......

Wondering whether to save up the pennies and have a look see at the NEC one coming up anyone any recommendations on that? Is it worth the trek up there and the extra cost for me considering I would most likely stay overnight to make the most of a full day there....any comments gratefully received.

Thanks for looking...........and thanks again for another super sketch.........loved it.

xoxo

Give it some Distress!

At Tuesday Taggers this week the theme is to distress using Tim Holtz techniques....can't refuse that one! There is a sponsor this week with a prize from The Craft Barn.

My tag has turned into a bit of a deep thought exercise......with making Christmas cards on my mind I started out with one thought but it turned into this thought..........that for everyone who celebrates Christmas and the Joy that surrounds the season............there will always be people in the world who will not be living in peace & harmony.....I did say it was a bit deep!!!
The wording and numbers are both Paperartsy, the head is from one of my computer fonts....DI's SS,FB,WS,PN,WL........Adirondack acrylics cranberry and butterscotch.

Thanks for looking........and as dear Dave Allen used to say "May your God go with you"
xoxo

Dead Faint Coming Up!

Just when I posted the other day about not winning candy and if I ever do I'd be so shocked I'd keel over in a dead faint....what do you know.......I win a set of stamps containing luscious phrases and words from the delightful Glenda over at Elusive Images Blog!

Now..........if I was to post something in the same vein every week or so.........do you think the Blog Candy Fairy could be nudged into action? LOL

xoxo

p.s. I wonder what the third exciting thing might be?

It's So Exciting!....but I'm stumped!

I couldn't be more excited if I had won some candy..............and believe me if I ever do I will be so shocked I will no doubt keel over in a dead faint!!! LOL.........anyway.......I am so excited to see one of my cards in Craft Stamper this month in the "Inspired By" section.........hope you have your copy by now....I made a masculine version of the card first which you can see here and because I liked the free ticket stamp so much went on to make this card and decided to send it in....here is the blurb I sent with it that appears in the mag......

"Just wanted to say thanks for the great stamp this month………and thought I would send you one of the projects I did with it. I love collage stamps and drool over quite a few but on a limited budget it is hard to quantify the cost….so I decided to try and work out what it was that I liked so much and then have a go at creating my own with the stamps I already have…….so here is my collage homage to Crafty Individuals. Thanks again……………I can see me using this stamp quite a lot."

Actually I should be doubly thrilled because I also got a mention in the "Design a cover stamp" article..........well I am really.....but also a bit mortified that it was the stitches design that got a mention....It was my least favourite by a mile and it contained no drawing skills whatsoever!!!!.....it was all done digitally.......whilst my other two were hand drawn........I'm not sure if I can show them here though as CS now hold the copyright to all the designs sent in.......it was part of the conditions of entry..........with which I had a bit of bee in my bonnet about.......hey ho......I'm a bit stumped as I really wanted to use my drawing of a fancy bow and a tiger myself.....perhaps if I change them a bit that will get round it?

Love the dragonfly stamp this month by Kay and The Stamp Man and perhaps I'll send in something else soon.....it is very special to see something of your own in print. :)

xoxo

It's Christmas! - Ismaki 22/06

The sketch this week at Ismaki was just what I needed to kick start my idea's for my Christmas cards this year....I had already had a thought to do a design based on moo sizes and this sketch fitted that perfectly.........

I just could not stop when I started.............in the end I will not be making 65 of these for Christmas!!!!!!!!...LOL.............far too labour intensive....so will have to think again......I used Paperartsy stamps for the moo sized images and the background is an Anna Griffin stamp....made the flower up...the poinsettia that is........not the little burgundy ones near the swirls.........added a bit of stickles to the edges........distressed all layers a bit with DI FB.

It is a super gorgeous day here again....hope you are having good weather too wherever you may be.....It did seem a little odd making a Christmas card!

Thanks for looking.

xoxo

Enjoy Today - Sugar Bowl #13

The Sugar Bowl Challenge sketch this time is by Lilian and it was a pleasure to work with...although I like the look of lots of layers I don't always feel like making them all! LOL......
the please include is to use "Kraft" in your piece.....I loved how this turned out if I do say so myself.

I stamped the bunch of flowers all over a piece of Kraft card with DI TR for the background and wrapped some raffia round the middle.........the piece of DP in the top corner is my own design digital paper (the one I used for my blog background)......the bottom piece of DP is by Deja Views which I also used to make the flower....it is double sided so coordinates well.....

I distressed a couple of petal layers with DI to tie in with the colouring on the image......Yep my stamp arrived day after I ordered it how great is that!!!....masked off the flowers,butterfly and bees and stamped upside down one the right way up.....if you get my drift!........masked the girl and added a stamped background of script by Paperartsy (sub freebie from CS again) in DI TR.....coloured her with pencils and computer generated the word sentiment.

Thanks for looking.......I'm a happy stamper......I wanted that stamp........I needed that stamp!

xoxo

Upside Down & Round and Round - Yippee!

The title says it all really............that is how I felt when my new upside down stamp from Funky Kits arrived today.........YES! today........I only ordered it yesterday just before I went on the blog hop that launched the new range and here it is and here is the card I made almost straight away.........yes, Yes, YES!!...........I'm easily pleased LOL. ;)

As soon as I saw this design by Diane Duda I just had to have it............I was going to buy a new bra this week but I decided that could wait and went for the rubber instead!!!.........I have a multitude of ideas brewing for this one but for now I stamped her as is and coloured in with the pencils & baby oil technique........oooh dear bra's.........rubber.............baby oil..........hope a search engine doesn't come to the wrong conclusion! HOL. :)))
Thanks for looking....Happy Stamping.

xoxo
P.S. At the time of writing the stamp is still in stock.......I'd be inclined to go there quick and order though because I am sure there will be lots of great cards made with this one.

P.P.S. It must be my lucky day..........I was looking for some challenge inspiration and this card fits the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge to use pink & green....I love pink & green........

spooky!!!.........off to buy a lottery ticket. LOL

Award from Jennifer

A quick heartfelt thanks to Jennifer for this award.........

I am very bad at passing these things on though :( I still have not finalised the 5 remaining people for the "Makes my Heart Smile" and that was ages ago!!..........I feel awful about missing someone out you see........and then lots of people I want to give them to already have them................

Vicious circle......life's too short for vicious circle's! LOL

I am really pleased to have been given it though and will endeavour to do better........soooooooon!

Can I also take this opportunity to say a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who comments on or follows my blog......it gives me such a thrill......I was so excited today to have 20 followers.....I think that is not half bad considering I am not associated with any challenge sites/design teams/businesses......

there must be quite a few of you who are stalking me though as my hit counter keeps creeping up!!! Why not leave me a comment to let me know you have been?

xoxo

Dotty Nellie with a Masking Technique

Yesterday I had a play with masking those flower pots I used the other week with Fitz........but it was just not working out as I wanted it to........so I had to draw a flower pot outline myself and then add the flower spray........here is how I managed it........ran out of time to post this yesterday on my Dotty Nellie for the challenge.....................learn from my mistakes LOL...........feel free to laugh when you get to the end of it!!!!!!!!!

I stamped the main image of Nellie with Flower then stamped the sunflower with pot on scrap card and cut out the stamped flower pot only.........as you can see in the top corner...... BTW the pen is a "Pilot" drawing pen....they come in different nib widths, this one is 01.

I placed the cut out of the pot where I wanted it just a little higher on the page than the main stamp and drew a line around it but left the top of the pot open as you can see on the left hand side.

Now.....please make sure you now mask your main Nellie image........I forgot to the first time round arrrrrrrrg!!! LOL...........I couldn't just use the flower pot mask to stamp the bunch of flowers as the stems were too big and would have shown.....also the rim of the pot had to be cut away or I would have masked out more of the flowers............so I had to first cut a smaller pot mask then cut a larger piece of card and attach underneath the pot mask and then stamp the flowers!!!................This still meant that part of the flower image was lost because of the mask as you can see on the other side.

So I had to draw in the missing bits with the pen!.....added a bit of shading with the pen to edges of pot and at last a finished stamped piece ready to colour in and here is a reminder of the card I made with it.

If anyone has a tip for me on how I could have achieved this in an easier way I'd really like to know!!! LOL .............I suppose I should have just used the original stamp but I wanted a change.......I hope you find this useful.

Thanks for looking...........Happy Stamping.

xoxo

Dotty Nellie

At Stamp with Fun the challenge is to use dots.........I'm feeling in a dotty mood myself at the moment so I'd better join in!
I've used those digi freebie papers again from The Shabby Princess........my friend loved the thanks card I did the other day BTW.

I wanted to have a play with masking those flower pots I used the other week with Fitz........but it was just not working out as I wanted it to........so I had to draw a flower pot outline myself and then add the flower spray...........hope you think it works........I'll be posting a Tips & Tricks on this tomorrow if you want to take a look.
Thanks for looking...........must dash.......Happy Stamping.

xoxo

Perfect Pie

It has been a beautiful day here weather wise.....hope you have been as lucky where you are........Yesterday I was dreaming of Mojacar in Spain........today Greece.........ate a beef Stifado outside in the garden.......had a cool beer to wash it down.......dreamed of the day my olive tree (bush!) will be big enough to sit beneath it's boughs in the dappled shade...........

DH did the cooking as per usual and he also made an apple and raspberry pie......it was scrummy!

Digital photo mounts framing the pie were a freebie from Digital Scrapbook Place.

Getting back to Spain............I have been looking for that view from the terrace in Mojacar Pueblo that I mentioned yesterday.........but can I find it!............Can I heck! LOL....whoops I think I am repeating myself again.....I can only point you to a You Tube site I found that has a slide show of the area ......the view is stunning but I don't think photo's do it justice at all.........It also got me thinking about how long it was since I was there.......I was a bit shocked at all the buildings around the beach area!.........Time flies because it was around about 1990.........no wonder it has changed. LOL

TTFN

xoxo

edit.....found another little vid of Mojacar on you tube that is spectacular.....makes me want to go again.

Parfum d'Orange - WOJ # 34

Woooh!!!! Here I am for the first time at the WOJ challenge........I have saved up my precious pennies and chosen just two stamps so that I can enter the challenges here........you know me I like to dip into different ones depending on which theme/colour/sketch/style grabs me at the time.......

I chose this citrus tree as........a) It could so easily be a number of different fruits depending on how you colour it........b) because it reminded me of a beautiful plaza in Mojacar Pueblo, Spain where there are Orange trees all around and the view from the terrace is to die for........stunning views to the coast and inland........I'll try and find a picture if I have one and post it.......dreams over for the day!.............here is my card.

I coloured the image with pencils using the baby oil technique and added a bit of Adirondack Pesto to distress the edges and the mat layers......made up the flower and used my circular sentiment thingy again for the "THANKS".....I love this and find it so useful.

By the way the tree comes with the "Love grows happiness" sentiment stamp so that was an added bonus! The papers are digital ones again that were a freebie from "The Shabby Princess" I love the free desktops she does each month via her blog........cheers up my computer work space.

Thanks for looking..........Happy Stamping.

xoxo

Picture Enlargement in Blogger Posts - Tutorial

A couple of weeks ago I was asked by a new blogging friend why her photo's did not enlarge when she clicked on them on her blog as mine do......the answer is not as simple as a quick one liner so bit by bit.....and testing as I went along.......I got together this info to help her out.....I would have pointed her to the site where I found the info myself in the first place but could I find the link again? Could I heck!

Now that she has had time to sus out my tutorial and confirmed that is was not full of complete nonsense and more importantly that it now works for her on her blog........thanks for that Laura..........I have decided to post it here as a resource for all the new bloggers in the future......or just in case I go ga ga myself and forget how to do it!
Go to the create post and type your text
in the Compose screen. (Fig. 1)

Fig 1.

I like to type most, if not all, my text before I
upload any pictures.....but this is up to you. (Fig. 2)

Fig 2.

If you click on the edit HTML tab you would see something like Fig. 3. This is what my text in Fig. 2 looks like on my HTML tab

It looks like this because I have used "justify" to align my text and the font "Arial" and I have pressed the return/line key after each full stop. Each line of text has a beginning piece of code and an end piece of code so the computer knows how this is to look on screen.

I am explaining this as it will help to place your pictures in the steps that follow.

Fig 3.

Now add your image and it will be uploaded and will appear at the beginning of the post, as will any subsequent image. The HTML screen will look like Fig. 4 (minus my highlighting!) with your photo coding starting and ending with an "a" that has <> before or after it......(with what looks like a lot of gobbledygook in between!)

Fig 4.

Now Mr Blogger gets a bit devious from now on! Whilst it is possible to go to the compose screen and drag you photo down the page to where you would like it...........by doing this Mr Blogger decides to take away some of the coding that tells the computer/browser what to do and your photo will no longer be click able to enlarge!!!

If you want all your photo's to be at the very beginning of your posts then that is fine.....but if like me you want to have a bit of writing before an image or you want to have more than one image then this is what we have to do................

Go to the edit HTML tab and click to place your cursor at the beginning........

(where your photo code is) and drag to highlight all the info for your photo. Fig. 5

Fig 5.

Right click on the highlighted part and choose copy then go to where you want your photo to be (I chose to insert mine between the second and third lines of text)......then click to place the cursor just before the "div align" of your chosen line......right click and choose paste.

You will now have the photo information twice as highlighted in Fig. 6

If you like......go to the compose tab and see how it looks before you do the next step. Return to the HTML tab and highlight the first lot of photo code again......right click and press delete. Your single photo is now where you want it within the body of your text and is able to be clicked for enlargement. To add more photo's just repeat all of the above....................

Fig 6.

Remember.........Mr Blogger always puts a new photo at the beginning of a post........and always copy and paste the photo info to ensure your photo can be enlarged, also be aware that if your original photo is very small Mr Blogger cannot enlarge it ad infinitum!!!

Hope this has been of help......love to hear from you.

xoxo

Queen for a Day - Sugar Bowl #12 sketch

Over at The Sugar Bowl the sketch looked inviting so I gave it a go and used the "must include" to have the colours blue & green on your card.
I have gone back to the Gorjuss one and decided to play around a bit.......added a crown and sat her on the fairy kingdom ticket that was the free stamp with CS last month....love that stamp.

Me and bling don't usually go together but if you are going to be "Queen for a Day" then you've got to have it daaaaahlink......also embossed the swirly curls with disco black powder......actually I might put a few more on...not sure........made and inked the flower layers to match in..............and the sentiment was computer generated as I so often do.
Thanks for looking.....enjoyed the sketch by Lia........Oh! Nearly forgot to mention......there is a chance.........and in my case a very slim one!........of winning the upcoming new release stamps from Duda Daze. at the Sweet Shop..........have not seen any peeks yet but she does have some great art work in her Etsy shop (love the frogs)......Happy stamping.

xoxo

WOJ Candy from Rach

Now you will have to be quick for this candy at Rachaels (picture on side bar) as it closes on Thurs at 9.00p.m..............All the DT are celebrating the coming launch of new stamps from Whiff of Joy on 14th June......simply stunning just go take a look at the creations so far......you can find everyone at the Whiff of Joy Challenge on the side bar.

xoxo

Fitz amongst the Sunflowers - Papertake Weekly Sketch #16

I am warning you now this is a bit bright!!!
I had just finished colouring this for a thank you to a friend when I saw the sketch from Dawn at Papertake Weekly and spookily it was just the right layout for the image......had to use it then :)
I don't usually do this colour way and this is the first time I have used the K&Co Hopscotch Boy papers.....thankfully I think it works ok as I had coloured the image whilst watching the tele and there was not a lot of light and I put too much colour on.......obviously the eyesight is not what it used to be and it turned out a bit too intense!!! LOL

Sorry for using Fitz again so soon......but he is mine and I love him!.....The sunflowers in a pot I have had for years (QVC) and this is the first time I have used it.......shame on me.
Thanks for the sketch Dawn it was just what I was looking for....and thanks for looking........you can take your sunglasses off now!!! LOL

xoxo

Something Completely Different - #3

Something Completely Different has, for me, turned into something pretty much the same.........I have got a genuine reason though........honest!.........I am going to combine all three twinchies I have made into one larger piece so they have to have some sort of cohesion....don't they? LOL




The birdies were a free image from The Vintage Moth.....SSBFL...printed off and coloured with pencils......same stamped background used and the wording stamped with my little letter stamps.....I was really pleased to find this image as I thought the birds looked as if they were wearing masks......so they fitted in with the word disguise........it will all be crystal clear when you see the finished piece!!! LOL
xoxo

Tilda meets Fitz! Just Magnolia Week #7

I have been busy with life and other things but I am back at Just Magnolia for the challenge this week to use animals or insects.......I have used one of the much prized stamped images of Tilda that a very special person sent me :) and added a little twist with my own digital stamp of a cat......I used K&Co Classic K McKenna papers........made up my own flower, inking plain white card to match the papers.......ditto the swirls and a computer generated sentiment finished off with a corner punch/embosser that was a bargain on C&C many moons ago....the silver heart charm was in a bargain card making kit (£1.39!!) from my local Sue Ryder shop on Saturday.......images coloured with pencils using the baby oil technique.



I believe they say necessity is the mother of invention?.............I love stamping only problem is the monetary challenged position I find myself in which prevents me indulging very much in new stamps.........I have been hoping to buy some sort of cat stamp recently but.....well......I just could not seem to find the right one at just the right price!!!....the only solution..........draw your own!!!..........somehow I was inspired and came up with a design based on my gorgeous cat Fitzgerald......as he is a digital stamp I have re sized him so he can be a new friend for Tilda.......that is the best reason for doing him or any other stamp digitally IMO......being able to resize.......although nothing is perfect and there are limitations in using a digital stamp for certain techniques......Hope you have enjoyed looking at my card.......and if you have why not pop along and join in the challenge.........you might be lucky and the man of your dreams aka Mr Random might be knocking at your door!!
xoxo

Purrr...fect

I have been revisiting my art sketch book.....bit of a posh name for a doodling book!.....I tend to roughly jot down ideas in it.....which can be anything from a phrase that springs in my mind to a pattern I see.......or a doodle of something......not that much in it has ever turned into a bigger project or a full blown drawing...............I mentioned in an earlier post about wishing I had had some proper training when it comes to art........anyway I have been in "the mood" and have been refining (playing) with a doodle of my cat Fitzgerald.....finally transferring him to the computer in a digital format via my Wacom tablet...........I am by no means an expert at using this but it is an invaluable tool if you are interested in that sort of thing.......I then printed him off (what they call a digital stamp) and coloured him with the pencils my mum bought me all those years ago.

And the inside got a bit of decoration too....I used the Magnolia week 4 sketch....loved it but did not get the time to join in that week!!.........Papers are the same as I used on the digital post here only printed out this time for a bit of tactile crafting..........you can find them here under Mindy at Designer Digitals

That is my first post showing my very own design art...........Hope you like Fitz as much as I do........but then I am biased he is based on "My Cutie Pie"...Fitzgerald the purr...fect cat....IMO.

xoxo

Doodle Peek

Another quickie today........need to finish lots of other things!!!.....part planted front flower bed but too hot at moment so will finish later..............here is a little peek of the inspiration doodle that "My Cutie Pie" provided.

Be back tomorrow with a little something else.
xoxo

My Cutie Pie

Just a quick post to show a bit of digital work for a change..........a layout featuring "My Cutie Pie" Fitzgerald!

He has inspired me to really challenge myself artistically this past week.........I'll be posting more about that tomorrow............but only after some plants from the back garden find a new home in a new bed created today in the front garden.
xoxo

Friends Twinchie

It's the second week at Something Completely Different and we are still to make twinchies but the theme this week is a colour combo to use Pink and Green.

I realised that my twinchie last week also fitted this so decided to use the same background paper I had stamped with the idea I might make these into a picture or a card or something!!.......

however.....after I took the photo it looks like I have used gold as well!!.........Hey ho.......what is done is done.....

xoxo

As easy as "ABCDE"

This is the ATC I made for my first swap over at The Artist Trading Club. I hope everyone has received theirs now that I am posting this............mine arrived Saturday :) The theme was to include "ABCDE"......some included this all on the one ATC whilst others obviously made 5 different ones with one letter on each.........I have to say I find it challenging enough to make one design and re-create it 5 times.......never mind make 5 different ones!!.......................... Congrats to those who can.

I have included two shots as I wanted to try to convey the interference effect on the Paperartsy man..............this was stamped with black Versafine and then painted over with oyster H2O's...........I know this stuff will probably last ages but what happens when I run out?.....Panic!.....as they are going ,or have gone, out of business!!.......The red background was stamped with cranberry Adirondack and painted out with water and the butterfly/moth (not sure which!) was a mixture of DI and chalk on the wings with Adirondack acrylic - cranberry for the body. The old fashioned "Time Book" paper was a free download from Tim Holtz a couple of years ago........it was available as a workshop project sheet........not that there was any possibility of me going as it was in America........but hey! It was a freebie!!! Came in useful at last for this and I added the computer generated wording..............distressed a bit round the edges with DI walnut Stain......By the way............I kept this one as I had got a stain right in the middle of his eyebrows!!!

Here are the four great ATC's I received on Saturday

Chris Rollins

Love the image and stamping that has all been done on glossy card. Chris explains more about it on her blog.

Denise Long (sorry Denise..........don't know your blog link)

Love the background......I am presuming alcohol inks but I might be wrong........and to me it looks as if the moon is peeping out from a cloudy/misty night sky. Perhaps Oliver Reed is about to make an appearance as the "Werewolf"? Sorry..........I do have vivid dreams. LOL

Jaci Wright

Super six pack!! Just a hint of sparkle and I love the quotation "I don't care much for reality... I prefer art."........How true.......reality sucks!

Chris Rowe

Fantastic background..........again with Alcohol inks and I love that eye.....I can imagine almost anything looking at that!........also love the little white dots......just adds to the whole effect.

I adore each and every one and now that I have a little collection started I am going to have to make something special to keep these in.

xoxo

New Life - Tuesday Taggers

This is the first challenge at Tuesday Taggers and this is the first tag I have made since "Tag your it" finished...........how sad is that?.......Still I have had lots of other challenges to occupy me! LOL

The theme this week is New Beginnings.......so here is my tag.......not much waffle today as a cold that started about 10 days ago has left me a little jaded over the past couple of days but I must be feeling a bit better as I made this when I got home tonight from work........ :)

A bit of masking involved......used DI's for the background.........Archival ink for the black bits.........butterfly heat embossed with clear powder and a word brad that was a QVC item a while ago......I've never seen any since.......so even though I have quite a few left.........I am beginning to have that sinking feeling that comes when you want to be able to get hold of a special product but can't anymore!!!

Hope your Bank Holiday Weekend is an Arty one!! Have Fun, fun, fun.

xoxo

The Next Level

There is a new challenge blog starting soon called "The Next Level" and to encourage participation there will be blog candy on offer to those who register as a follower and post about the challenge. Not sure exactly what will be happening there but they do mention that it will not be affiliated to a particular brand........which is quite useful when your stash is not as big as you think it is!!!!

Wishing them well......I know it must take a big chunk of time out of each week to run this sort of thing.

Head on over and get yourself registered before the draw day on June 1st.

xoxo

Something Completely Different

Alas................Monty Pythons Flying Circus is not returning to our screens :(..................no this is something much better :)..........a bit of twist on this new challenge site Something Completely Different..........The idea of "Something Completely Different" is to have a different challenge per month and a different theme each week - so that we can all have a go at something completely different to our nomal artwork........the DT team is Carol and Dawn who were part of "Tag your It" which I miss quite a lot..........and Gez and Ang.

Here is my "Twinchie"...........first I have ever done and a bit different to my norm I think.............background inked lightly with DI WL.......overstamped with same using a scroll stamp then stamped circular motif in black.....both stamps Anna Griffin..........the angel and flowers are scrapbook pieces that come on a sheet that I got from the Exeter show last year and not used till now......my own word stamp "angels" and a die cut heart grunged a bit with some DI FB.

Thanks for looking.............hope you can join in too.........have fun and get yourself over there pronto to see what it is all about.

xoxo

Sugar Bowl - #10 "Take Two"

This is a first!!! Posting twice for the Sugar Bowl..........loved the sketch so much I had to have another go. My first one is here.

Different papers and colours and a pansy flower that I have a bunch of............they used to decorate a room..............but tastes change and quite frankly they were dust gatherers................and life's too short to dust!! LOL.........The papers were a digital down load from Designer Digitals by Mindy Terasawa.....it was a freebie (they do some every week) and I have just had a look but it is not available anymore sorry........ if you register you can then download the ones that are there.........they must retire the older ones......I have had it some time.............. They only send out e-mails once a week so don't think you will be snowed under!!........I very much like Katie Pertiet's work.........and many of the other designers there.

Thanks again Marlene.......can you tell I loved the sketch! :)

Hoping to plant some of my veggies in the ground this weekend weather permitting.........Yes some of them have actually come up!!

xoxo

Stamptacular - #6

It's been a couple of weeks since I was last at Stamptacular Sunday and I had been thinking of practising a bit more masking with my stamps and this sketch suited it to a T.....how could I refuse to join in? LOL

I love the look of all the great collage stamps you can get........I drool for quite a few!!.......and the other day I took a long hard look at exactly what is is that appeals and tried to recreate the look with the stamps that I have.

All the stamps used here did not cost me a penny!!!....ooh sorry.......I lie.....the letter stamps for the word "time" cost me 99p...what a bargain.....so much so that when I drove to the shop a couple of weeks ago.........hoping to get a couple more different fonts.............they did not have any left and did not expect to get anymore :(

The rest were either free from a magazine, part of the subscription to CS from Paperartsy or part of a prize quite some time ago (again Paperartsy)......I was itching to use the ticket stamp that came as a freebie with Craft Stamper this month......The papers were again from the wodge that I got from Lyndsay (SSBFL)........I realised after a while that the papers looked familiar and it turns out I have quite few of them already in some 6x6 pads.........it's the same old story............had for ages can't bring myself to cut them.........so using these is not bringing me out in a cold sweat in case I can't get anymore! LOL.................................The wording "is Relative" was computer generated.

Here is a bit of a close up of the main panel.....Thanks for looking and thanks again Stamptacular for the great sketch..........will really be using this often................off to practise some more.

xoxo