Totally Fruity,

Hi Folks, brilliant weather here today, hope you had some too! I've had a go at the LIM 26 challenge, Feeling Fruity, great title girls, love it:0)

FEELING FRUITY

We would like to see fruit on your cards or fruit colours...easy peasy 'lemon' squeezy!

I only have one stamp with anything even vaguely fruity and this is it, so I had no choice but to use it. Having said that I've seen some very interesting and innovative cards over at LIM, clever work going on:0)

There's brilliant inspiration from the Divas themselves, Mandi and Chrissie. Just click on their names and you will fly to their personal blogs :0)

I did struggle with this though, getting the colours in balance on the card and retaining the clean and simple ethos was quite a challenge.
Hope you like, It was good fun to use some really bright colours for a change.
I'm off now to check out all the lovely LIMettes work, could take a while TTFN, Gay xxxx

Wishing Well at the craft Barn......Oh Yeah:0)

The Wishing Well at the Craft Barn Question is from
Rose who said...                   I would love to see demo's and samples using Stampbord

In case you haven't encountered Stampbord before it's VERY hard MDF with a superior ceramic coating which is perfect for taking inks, you can heat set and emboss and I'm told you can make holes in it with a cropadile but as I don't have one, I'll have to take their word for that LOL.

I used Distress inks on the Stampbord and then Memento Tuxedo black for the Andy Skinner broken heart. When it was dry I scratched highlights in the Stampbord and used a black Copic around the edge of the pieces. I added the text sometimes because hearts do get broken 'Sometimes'.
The background, I drew the design on the card to resemble cracks in a broken window and stamped the Gothic text over this, I layered the fabric over because I liked the way the design showed through from behind. Then placed the Stampbord as if the heart was breaking and falling away.

More examples of stampbord over at the Craft Barn Blog



I used Stampbord 3x 2"by1"pieces
Andy Skinner Gothic stamps,   
Distress inks
Barn door, Dusty concord and Broken china.
Black Copic pen to do the edges of the Stampbord.

Click HERE for the sale

Don't forget to check out the Competition over at the Craft Barn Blog This time we are using Tim Holtz goodies. It could be good fun, and you may win £15 to spend at the Craft Barn!

LIM Recipe, challenge 25 number 2 :0)

Hi Folks, I've had a painful afternoon, I'm not one to be beaten by a challenge so I had another go at the LIM Challenge to use, buttons or ribbon.

This is a close up of the button! I know it's only a button but this is THE BUTTON, the first I've used on a card for years and years and years LOL

Well here it is, I hope you'll tell me honestly what you think :0)
I'll be honest, you wouldn't want to see the mess I've created in my crafty room, it looks like there's been a small explosion, definitely not a pretty sight, I shall be all evening sorting it out, ah! well small problem in the scheme of things!
I used Paper Smooches Boob Tubes by Kim Hughes
You sentiment is PTI die
Diamond Glaze for screen.

LIM Recipe, challenge 25 :0)

Hi crafty people! Lovely to see you here. It's been a bit cold here today, I've been busy but chilly, tonight I've played with ribbon for the LIM 25th challenge
Gorgeous examples over at LIM by Chrissie and Mandi . If you haven't had a go yet, join in, everyone's so kind :0) This week it's ...............

a recipe a

BUTTON OR RIBBON 

(or plurals thereof)

I don't often use ribbon or buttons so for now this little card sits here all on it's own.
I used PTI stamps from Mat Stack 2 set and some paper from Craftwork cards, the Vintage rose set.
 I made 5 small holes and threaded the beige ribbon through the first and last using the middle 3 for the thin black ribbon to capture and pucker the beige. It's uneven but that's how I wanted it :0)
One small Swarovski gem to finish and I'm done. Thank you for visiting, Gay :0)

Challenge time at the Barn!

Wahooooo, another challenge at the Craft Barn and it's Timmy Time (Holtz that is) hop over and check it out, you could win your self £15 to spend at the Craft Barn  Click on the name to be magically transported ( another technical term!) over to the right place to get all the info, co'mon we all love using Tim's stuff don't we!!!! :0)

The sale's still on at the Craft Barn, pop over and pick your self up a bargain,

Tim Holtz at the Barn (I wish)

Oh! yes! I wish he were actually coming again, now that would be real fun but we have the next best thing! Our design team members have been busily making lots of luverly stuff with TH products, Yippee!!!
Check out the Craft Barn Blog for all their lovely samples

This card I made with the Tim Holtz embossing folders.
First I dabbed Bundled Sage DI onto the embossing folder then ran it through my Cuttlebug, then selectively inked or raised parts of the design adding gold leaf to my favourite parts like the clock, heart and the crown. The background was stamped with the splash from Bitty Grunge set,




This next card was made with the Steampunk set, ooh it's a gorgeous set.
I used shrink plastic ( I sanded the side I was going to stamp on )  with the plans stamp using Stazon Timber Brown and then cut it out with the TH Weathered Clock die. The piece behind the shrunken clock is the waste from the middle of the die, I certainly didn't want to waste it and thought it fitted well behind and certainly shows how far shrink will reduce!

This photo shows the plans stamp, inked in Versamark ink and brushed with perfect pearls, I sprayed with hairspray to set it so hopefully it won't rub off when handled.
Whoa, bit of a heavy post sorry! I could have made so many more examples, Tim Holtz's stamps are so easy to work with, I love working, sorry playing with them.
Don't forget there are loads of inspiring examples on the Craft Barn blog, and a big  Thank You for reading if you got this far!!!

I used:
Embossing Folder/texture fade, Patchwork
Tim Holtz Bitty Grunge stamps and his Steampunk set
TH Bigz Die, Weathered Clock. 
Neat videos on the CB site from TH showing how to use, nice!
Perfect Pearls, Mica Powder
Gold leaf, Oxidating Red

Round I go again, more Less is More, :0)

Hello again, I've got circles on the brain, just a few more for LIM.

I should really be getting on with other stuff but as I said, circles on the brain......................

Bathing Beauties
Coloured with Copics





                                                                          
  I've loved this set and used so many of them. Circles are a favourite of mine I've always liked circular things in design they appeal to me, haven't a clue why?


 On this next card I used several Nestie's as templates and inked through them stamping the butterfly over the top.

 This next card I made with Andy Skinner's stamps another set recently purchased and used so many times, I just love it.
The circles were embossed then I stamped the sentiment stamp onto red card, punched out the circles and placed them at different hieghts, you can see the embossing better if you click and enlarge the photo.
Thank you for your visit, please come back again :0)


 I used
Isabelle Norris Eclectic Butterfly, out of stock, ATM  sorry
Isabelle Norris, with KatzelKraft, Nature and Travel quotes
Crafty Secrets, Bathing Beauties
 Andy Skinner's Gothic set
Waltzing mouse Fancy Phrases                                     

Got my computer fixed, whooppeee!!!!

As you can no doubt see I'm a happy bunny, computer fixed, oh yeah, showing off now:0)

Here is a Stampotique card it's for the Stampotique Designers Challenge Flower power. I've had this charming creature for a few years and she's always had a small special place in my heart, I sort of identify with her. It's the pained expression on her face, sour lemons mmm and I love her handbag, let's face it who wouldn't want one of those? Delightful!


Loads of stages to this card, first I used Andy Skinners alcohol technique and his stamps, Gothic.
Tim Holtz Tattered Florals die and Martha Stewart Cherry Blossom edge punch. Flower centers from my stash and the sentiment stamp is a Hampton Art BG9288, Whoop De Doo
I think the Stampotique stamps are just so much fun, and I really enjoy using them, hope you like my feeble efforts, I just loved getting all inky again:0) xxx


 

Click HERE to go to the sale

LIM24 round and round in circles !!!

Hi crafty people, it was a bit wet here today, a stark contrast to yesterday which was totally brilliant, wall to wall sunshine:0) Less is More is all about Circles.
 This is what the Ladies had to say

We have a theme which this week is 

CIRCLES

Please note that this is in the plural... we need to see more than one circle, so not just a circular card base or the odd circle thrown in just to qualify... we need you to think circles and see what you can come up with. Whilst you're thinking of your design however, we don't want you to forget the white space element and the CAS feel for your card.

 
                                                                             I used Anna Griffin DP from my stash, nesties to cut the circles and TH embossing folder circles. Some card candy from Craftwork cards and a small amount of Bazzil card stock. I also used Isa Norris' stamps from KatzelKraft,  English notes. 

Had fun with this one, I may have a go later with stamps, have an idea I'm mulling over:0)

Pop over and check out the LIM challenge it's loads of fun:0) Thank you again Chrissie and Mandi, another interesting challenge.

                                     

p.s There's a new challenge over at the Craft Barn today, pop over and check it out, if you have time there is a £15 voucher to be won, all about alcohol inks, great opportunity to get  inky again, Gay x

Wishing well at the Craft Barn, luvly jubbly :0)

Hi there, It's Wishing Well time at the Craft Barn and the wish was made by

KarenB    who said...I'm hopeless with alcohol inks so I'd love some simple and effective ideas about how to use them.
Any kind of 'wet' techniques really - paint, masking, misting - tips, techniques and sample projects.

I covered a whole page of shiny card ( photo paper's good) with Alcohol inks, with an applicator. One end of the paper had silver tones and the other was gold but the colour mix was relatively random. Now I've got a large supply of marble effect paper to use as a background or focal point on cards.

The card was created with the Impression Obsession Cover a page stamp, thin stripes. You may be seeing quite a lot of stripes coming up, I think, I love this stamp, LOL






Here are some more backgrounds that I've been working on, the pink is like a faux check might be good for baby / feminine cards. The green also has some Cosmic Shimmer green gold on it, yum yum :0)

 Hope you like and as you can see just by making background papers the possibilities are quite large.
Over at the Craft Barn there's been a whole lot more projects using Alcohol inks some of the projects have been truly amazing.





Alcohol Inks, Ranger
Hobby Art Happy Birthday Stamp Cover a page stamp by Impression Obsession Thin Stripes

Hope you like, have fun folks, Gay x

TIOT#1

Hello there, I'm here with very limited internet but I wanted to join TIOT for the first time and share a tag that I made today, I just fancied getting really inky and messy, this time with Birds and Bees
Need a change from all the Clean and Simple stuff, so I've gone full on, I had a great time:0)




Stamps
Bees by Inkadinkadoo
Bird by Katzelcraft
Tim Holtz Steampunk
Basic grey border
Bind and Measure, just for fun
friendly plastic heart, idea from Liz Welch.
Copics for colour

Click HERE to go to the sale

Help!!!! I've got no internet..................... I'll be back asap, I hope!!!

It's all about legs or at least what has them!!

Okay, Hi folks, The lovely ladies over at LIM this week have challenged us to make a CAS card, a

ONE LAYER CARD

For our challenge today we would like to see 

SOMETHING WITH LEGS

 I was a little flummoxed, so many things with legs but not to be too confused I thought I'd stick to two legs, I have made more..........................

 I couldn't decide which ones to share so I've put most of them here, you can choose, 'cos I got carried away. There is at least one more that is sitting on the computer and I don't think it's going to be up here because it's probably got too much ink! My favourite is the two little girls  (last card), hope you like:0)

If you would like to pop over to the LIM site, (link at top of page) you will be amazed at the sheer amount of entries and the talent that is evident. Thank you Chrissie and Mandi, great challenge and your dedication visiting us all is amazing, Thank you :0) Gay x

I used,    

First card,  Worried, by Kathy Hare at Sugarnellie. Sentiment by Hero arts, Live Life set

Second card, Stamp from Zelacrafts (eBay), sentiment PTI Balloons from Darcie's stamps, the teddy bear birthday set.

Third card Cherry Pie (Girls) sentiment PTI

Fourth card, Precious Moments, Art Journey, sequin waste stamp from Happy Daze

Katzelcraft at the Craft Barn, oh yeah!

This week at the Craft Barn Blog  the design team have been using Katzelcraft stamps. Quality red rubber and brilliant design :0) I've had the Bird set for a couple of years, I just love 'em! and come back to them time and time again,


My card was made using the Trees 1 set, it has two very stylised trees and a pretty Christmas scene. I took one of the trees set it on it's side and stamped in Versamark clear ink then embossed with white detail powder.

The pretty bird came from the sheet of Birds, there are so many on this sheet they'll keep me going for years! I just love the sweeping tails of this elegant bird, two tiny orange gems, don't forget you can colour clear gems any colour with Copics or Promarkers (handy huh?) I used Distress ink Broken China behind the bird to give more definition and I'm done!








Thank you for visiting here today, I love to read your comments. I appreciate each and every one and I do my best to visit you in return:0) Bye for now xx

A couple of weeks ago, I was asked if the Craft Barn have an owl stamp like their Logo, I'm sorry to say at the moment there isn't one but it may be possible in the future, I will keep you posted, Gay x 

OLW 61 Clouds!!!!

Ha ha! people it's all about clouds over at OLW. Great! I thought! Do I have a cloud stamp? ahhhh no, so nothing else for it have to get the distress inks out and paint, bit of Weathered Wood later, one failed attempt and here we are

One Layer Wednesday is at Jennifer's this week and she said
OLW Rules
1. A one-layer card is defined as a single piece of cardstock folded in half.
2. Make a one-layer card incorporating clouds.
(Short version, pop over to check it out:0) )
Stamp by Scrolls Work Stamps they are closing and having an enormous sale!

That's all for today folks, Hope you're all having an okay day and if not that,,,,,,,,, a great day, YAY!! TTFN Gay x
P.S, Don't forget to pop over to the Craft Barn Blog there's loads of inspiration going on it's Katzelcraft week, !!!

LIM at last!!!

Hello everyone, and welcome here today, it's taken a long time to get here but finally I've a card or two to share for the LIM 22 Challenge

For our challenge this week we would like to see you use 

SHADES of BLUE

You can use a white card base, but we do want to see more than one colour of blue, not just one!

 

 

I've come to the conclusion that blue is not my favourite colour but by sticking to it I produced three or four cards and some will be relegated to either the bin or salvaged in some way probably by cutting up!!   Drawing around the stencil was a big challenge, LOL There is blue card and inked paper and DP all over the place........not a good day:{

The stencil is Tattered Angels and the ink is a Marvy blending block shades of Blue

Stamps by Rubbadubbadoo, the UK firm but now out of business:{ Sentiment by PTI and jewel peel offs by Stampendous.

About time I checked out the other entries at LIM, loads of inspiration there:0) TTFN 

 

Tando creative week, oh yeah!

Hello there all, This week at the Craft Barn we've been having a play with Tando products and a fun old time we've been having too, if you have a moment you may like to pop over and check it out, there are some really fantastic creations.
My first offering is a card.














I know I know it's a Christmas card, sorree but they have to be made and when I saw this beautifully laser cut branch I just had to have it:0)

Then I found some Tando ring binders  I had so much fun making this. Big Smiles, I would like to have somewhere for the photos of my family's Christmas this year. For many years now I take the photos and then they sit in the camera, doing nothing. This year I'll be storing the best in this folder. It had to be clean and simple though :0)
I painted the folder with Viva paints they're rather yummy and I nearly left it just like that, tempting but then I got out my velveteen paper. I used a Crafty Individuals stamp the three wise men  I inked it up with Versmark ink and then taking a medium heat iron I ironed on the back of the paper over the stamp( this melts the velveteen off the front of the paper, a bit like Devore fabric) and ended up with the design imprinted on the front which I stuck onto my album, job done. Now all I have to do after Christmas is spend a little crafty time on the inside pages. I hope you like:0)

Card ingredients
Tando creative
Red Oxide gold leaf 
Crystal gems, coloured with copics, yeah any colour you like:0)

Ring Binder ingredients
Tando Ring Binder
Crafty Individuals stamp CI 270
Velveteen paper
Inca gold, Lava green paint
Inca gold Lava red paint