April Showers Bring May Flowers

At the end of February I was very lucky to win the Challenge over on the Stamping Sensations Challenge blog. The lovely ladies at Stamping Sensations have have asked me to be their guest this month April, for their new challenge which for this month is April Showers Bring May Flowers. I used a mixture of stamps to make my card starting with the Rain Drops stamps by Ryn, which I embossed with white embossing powder before blending blue ink all over the background. I then stamped and coloured some Heartfelt Creations stamps, Cheery Pansies and adding some micro beards to the centres. I mounted the background and the pansies onto some gold mirri card and popped onto a 7x7 card base. Finally I settled on a sentiment from Stampscapes which I felt went with the nature theme of the card. Do pop over to the Stamping Sensations blog and take a look at the fabulous cards that the DT have provided for inspiration this month, along with a great prize too provided by Be Creative who are giving a £25.00 voucher to spend in their store.

Thank you for taking the time to look and your kind comments which are always appreciated.

Sue

AWOL again

I don't know what's wrong with me at the moment, I just can't seem to get my act into gear. I've gone another week without posting anything on here, so today I'm going to post two cards. The first is for the Stamping Sensations challenge this month which is Close To Nature. This was a perfect excuse for me to get the Stampscape stamps out and inked up. Below is the result, I coloured the scene with pencils and added a little clear sparkle over the water (it doesn't show in the photo I'm afraid). I've not added a sentiment yet as I'm not sure who is going to receive it.

Next up is my card for the Allsorts challenge which is Fancy Folds this week. It's not a very fancy fold as I just folded back the front of the card. I had a lot of off cuts left over from a Graphic 45 project I made earlier this year which were calling out to be used. So after rummaging through the off cuts this is what I came up with. As it was using off cuts it also qualifies for Pixies Snippets Playground challenge, which is to use snippets/off cuts somewhere on your card. I added some clear sparkle pen to the fairy wings, a little glitter on the borders and a few gems on the front as well.

Thanks for taking the time to look and your kind comments which are always appreciated.
I promise to try harder and blog more often too.

Sue

Birthday Card For A Friend

I made this card for the friend who we travelled during our trip to America earlier this year. My inspiration for the card was the picture below the card. While visiting Yosemite National Park we drove down part of a road and all of a sudden rounded a bend and the church nestled in the trees came into view. As soon as I saw the scene I said " I have stamps at home that look just like that Scene". So when it came to making a card for our friend this year I knew I had to use these Stampscape Stamps to make the card.  After stamping the scene I used masks and distress inks to colour it. I'm glad to say that our friend loved the card.

Thanks for taking the time to look and your kind comments which are always appreciated.

Sue

A Very Special Weekend

So back track a few weeks and you would have seen myself and fellow UKSN member frantically trying to get onto the Art From The Heart website to obtain ticket for a workshop with Tim Holtz. After 2 hours of trying we both managed to complete checkout getting 3 tickets each. However then came the news that the website had crashed and they were re-releasing the tickets later on in the week. However we had been lucky and had managed to complete as the website died. So fast forward to Saturday and four very excited ladies were driving up the M1 towards Harrogate getting ready to first meet up with two other members who were making their own ways there and attending the final workshop on Sunday afternoon. The photo below shows us waiting to go into the workshop.

All to soon the four hours were over and we had all managed to make 10 tags using distress inks, distress paints, distress crayons and not forgetting the new distress oxides. Tim was a wonderful teacher and had us all laughing most of the time too. Mario worked away in the background clearing away any rubbish that was made during the class and then handing out the goodies that Tim had bought over for us too. Below is a photo with Tim and the six of us that attended and underneath that
a photo of myself with the Tim.

We even managed to get three of us with Mario too. Six ladies went home on Monday very happy.

My card today was a order that someone had asked me to make, It made me feel old as I know the person that I made it for and he used to be a former Scout when I was a Scout leader many years ago.
It was made using stamps from Stampscapes, some masking, brushes and distress inks.

 

Thanks for taking the time to look and your kind comments which are always appreciated.

Sue

Gone Fishing

It's my husbands birthday next month, and now that he has retired I find it difficult to make his card as he can wander into my craft room at any time time. So yesterday while he was fishing I set to and made his card, it was great to have no interruptions. I've used several different stamp sets to make this card, including Stampscapes, Inkylicious and Woodware. I started by making a backing paper using distress inks to add colour to the paper and then again for the over stamping. Next I created my scene stamping in black memento ink first and than adding the colour with my brushes again using Distress Inks. The sentiment was from an Inkylicious set, this along with the scene were popped onto some silver mirri card (somehow it looks more gold in the photo). Finally I cut out To My Perfect Husband which was from a tonic die, this I cut out in black and in silver mirri card and offset one over the other to create a shadow.

I'm going to enter this into the Stamping Sensations Challenge, which this month is One For The Guys.

Thanks for taking the time to look and your kind comments which are always appreciated.

Sue

Craft A Scene - By The Silvery Moon - Week 1

October has snuck up on me while I was crafting. I can't believe how fast this year has gone by. Anyway as it's the beginning of a new month, it's time for another new challenge over on the Craft A Scene blog. This month we're asking for your entries to have moonlight in it. For my card this week I've used this wonderful new stamp from Visible Image (part of a collection of stamps celebrating The Wizard Of Oz). This also fell just right for my nieces birthday which is today, and she is a massive fan of the musical Wicked, which is why the witch is coloured green. I also used Stampscape stamps for the trees in the background. First I stamped the witch onto stamping card and the onto some copier paper and masked her. Next I stamped the trees over the top and masked these. I cut a circle with a large circle punch and place onto the card to make the moon. This then allowed me to get my brushes out for the background colours, which were different shades of blues starting with the lightest to the darkest in distress inks and then a couple of different greens, again in distress inks. After removing all of the masks I then coloured the witch with spectrum noir pens. The sentiment was from the same set as the witch. I do hope that you can find the time to pop over to the challenge blog and take a look at the wonderful cards the DT has made for your inspiration this week.

Thanks for taking the time to look and your kind comments which are always appreciated.

Sue

Craft A Scene - Week 3 - Autumn Splendour

After being a few hours late with my post last time for the Craft A Scene challenge blog, I thought I had better be on time this week. I started my card with some white card stock and coloured the bottom with a green distress ink and the top with an Orange and yellow. The stamped some trees in the background of my scene, these were from Stampin Up, Lovely As A Tree set.  These I coloured with distress markers to give the appearance of autumn leave on the trees and the ground underneath. Also from the same set are the oak leaves which I stamped into each of the bottom corners and again coloured with distress markers. The walking figures are from Stampscapes, the birds from one of the Hobby Art sets and the sentiment also from Stampscapes. I then ran a black marker pen around the outside of the card to give the appearance that it had been matted before popping the finished scene onto a 6x6 craft card base. I do hope that you have time to pop over to the challenge blog and take a look at the wonderful cards the DT has made for your inspiration this week.

Thanks for taking the time to look and your kind comments which are always appreciated.
I'm off now to play with my new goodies that I bought at Ally Pally yesterday.

Sue

Craft A Scene - Week 3 - Include A Four Legged Animal

Were onto week 3 over on the Craft A Scene blog, and we're still asking to see you scenes with a four legged animal. For my card this week I've used mostly stamps from Stampscapes, the moose is from Stampin Up. I started by stamping the boulders and the moose, masking them off then adding the trees and grasses. With brushes I added the colour to the sky and to the ground, I then coloured the trees and grasses with a piece of cut and dry foam. The moose was coloured with pencils, and the boulder promarkers. Finally I finished by adding the walker and dog, the birds in the sky and the sentiment which is also from stampin up. I hope that you can take the time to pop over to the blog and take a look at the cards the DT have made for your inspiration.

Thanks for taking the time to look, and your kind comments which are always appreciated.

Sue

Craft A Scene - Week 3 - Fantasy

Week three over on the Craft a Scene blog,and for my card this week I've stamped straight onto the card itself. The foliage was from Chocolate Baroque, the tree branches are from Stampscapes and the little fairies are from a set that I bought at the Newbury Show a couple of weeks ago and are from Magestix, along with the little dragonflies too. Before adding the fairies I inked a background through the trees and foliage using distress inks. I do hope you have time to pop over to the blog and take a look at the inspiration from the DT.

I seem to have been very quite on the blog just recently. I have been crafting, but catching up with DT stuff for next month and having a play. I will be away for two weeks from Friday, Hubby and I are taking my Mum and his Dad on a cruise to the Baltic sea and Capitals around the sea. We're not sure if this was a great Idea because I'm sharing a cabin with my Mum and Hubby with his Dad, still it's only for two weeks and it may be the last Holiday we take them on like this as they are 83 and 86. Hopefully I'll have some lovely photos to show you when we get back.

Thanks for taking the time to look and your kind comments which are always appreciated.

Sue

Craft a Scene Week 3 - Hills and Mountains

It's week 3 over on the Craft a Scene blog, and we're asking for your Scenes with Hills and Mountains this month. This week I've incorporated my card with Hubby's birthday which is on Wednesday 23rd April. He's a very keen fisherman, so every year I try to come up with something a little different but including fishing somewhere. For this card I've used all Stampscape stamps, except for the fisherman which is a Woodware stamp that I bought at a show last year. I then coloured it by masking areas off and using a brush and various colours of Adirondack ink pads. I do hope you have the time to join us this month, or even just pop over to the blog and take a look at the wonderful inspiration the DT has made for you.

Thanks for taking the time to look and you kind comments which are always appreciated.

Sue

Craft A Scene Week 3

I'm back again with my second post today. It's week three over on the Craft a Scene blog, so time for a little inspiration for you. We are still asking for you to show us your Park scenes, there is an added prize up for grabs by making it a Picnic In the Park. For my scene I've used mostly Stampscapes stamps to make my scene with the exception of the two girls on the bench, which is from Jayne Nestorenko. I used masking after stamping the girls onto the blank card, and then built up my scene around them. It was coloured using promarkers, and after matting onto an 8x8 white card base, I added some yellow flowers cut using a die from crealies, and I added some red flat backed pearls to the centres.

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

Crafts Too Challenge You - Summer Days
Creative Fingers - Anything goes
Sister Act Challenge - Anything Goes
Inspire Me Fridays - Anything Goes
Artistic Inspirations - Die Cuts And Puches (die cut flowers and leaves)
Lady Anne's Challenge - Anything Goes (must use a stamp/digi)

Thanks for taking the time to look and your kind comments which are always appreciated.

Sue

Craft A Scene - In The Park

I'm back again with my second post today, and this time it's time for Craft A Scene. As it's the first Sunday of the month, it means a new challenge, and this month it's "In The Park". The design team have put together some great inspiration for you, so do pop over to the challenge blog and take a look, and hopefully join in with us. For my card I used a white 6x6 card base and some green card for matting the main image onto. I then started with a piece of white card stock 5 1/2x 5 1/2, and I stamped first the two girls, the dogs (from Jayne Nesterenko) and then the trees (Stampscapes) in the foreground, then masked these off. Next I used the smaller trees (Chocolate Baroque) and stamped these in the background, finally I stamped the silhouette figures (Stampscapes) into the background. After taking off the masks I coloured it all in using pro markers.

Thank you for taking the time to look, and your kind comments which are always appreciated.

Sue

Craft A Scene - Week 5 Realistic Forest Animals

I'm back again with a second post today, this time for Craft A Scene. There are five Sundays this month so you still have time to take part. For this card I used a green A5 card base and a golden green card  for the matting. I've used Stampscape stamps for the trees and foliage and the Stag is from Indigo Blu. I coloured my scene using Pro markers, and added a sentiment which was made using the PC.

I'm also going to enter this card into the challenge this week over on My Time To Craft, which is Masking. As I stamped and masked the stag before stamping the trees this qualifies for the challenge.

I've just returned from a week away, so have spent the day catching up with washing, ironing and blogging. I'm hoping that tomorrow I'll have time to catch up with a bit of crafting.

Thanks for taking the time to look and your kind comments which are always appreciated.

Sue

Craft A Scene - Forest Animals

I can't believe that we are nearly half way through the year, it's flown by so far. As it's the beginning of a new month, it's time for a new challenge at Craft A Scene, and this month we are asking that you make a scene using Forest Animals from the area/country you live in. I've made this card using this lovely stamp of a Badger from Joanna Sheen's Jayne Netley Mayhew collection, the trees and grasses are from Stampscapes. I started by stamping and masking the Badger, then I stamped the trees and masked them. Using soft brushes and Adirondack ink pads I graduated the colours through from green, yellows to blues, then removed the masks. I then added a some dark gray promarkers to the Badger just to deepen the colour of the black in his coat. The grasses were stamped using peeled paint distress ink, and I added a little brown promarker as shadow under the badger. Finally I've added a little bio on the European Badger. I know that these are in our area, as very early one morning when returning home after a trip out, one walk across the road in front of our car, I'm glad to say we were not going very fast and we were able to get a good look at him.

Thanks for taking the time to look, and your kind comments which are always appreciated.

Sue

Craft A Scene - Ships In The Night

It's week three over on the Craft A Scene blog and our theme this month is Ships In The Night. For this card I've used stamps from Creative Expressions for the main image (the Ship) and also the map background, I also used the sea stamp from Stampscapes. I stamped onto some glossy card stock and coloured the picture using Adirondack ink pads, making the moon by placing a punched circle onto the card before starting. I've using a 6x6 white card base and silver mirri card for the matting.

Thanks for taking the time to look, and your kind comments which are always appreciated.

Sue

Craft a Scene - Ships In The Night

This month the challenge over at Craft a Scene is Ships In The Night, so were asking that you make a scene with a ship/boat at night time. This one I made as the card for my Mother-in-law to send to my Father-in-law yesterday, I'm glad to say that he loved it. I want to call this one "Heading For Home" as I think the this small yacht looks as though it heading for a small port or cove the other side of the rocks that the lighthouse is standing on. For the card I've used all Stampscapes stamps along with a mixture of Adirondack ink pads for the colour, and just using a promarker for the lighthouse colour. I used some textured silver card for mounting the image and sentiment (which was made on the PC), and dark blue for matting. This was all then put onto a lighter blue 8x8 card base. Do pop over to the Craft A Scene blog and take a look at what the rest of my team mates have put together.

Thanks for taking the time to look, and your kind comments which are always appreciated.

Sue

Fishing You A Happy Birthday

It's hubby's birthday today, and this is the card that I've made him. I used Stampscapes and Inkylisious stamps to create this scene. It was stamped with Memento Tuxedo black ink, and then I coloured the mountains and fish with pro markers, and used Adirondack inks for the sky and lake, these were brushed on. I finished it by mounting onto some silver mirri card and then an 8x8 card base. I'm glad to say he love's it.

Thanks for taking the time to look, and your kind comments which are always appreciated.

Sue