Snowflakes

Hello

I've had another trip down memory lane thinking back to Craft Barn DT days. Here's another of my favourites which has stood the test of time. You can see the original post and details here.

I still like the colours and delicate details.

Next week I should be ready to start sharing with you some makes for this year. 

Thank you for stopping by. Have a lovely week xx

Snarky cat

Hello
Today's post is another project for the #craftingwithgiogio challenge. With a project every other day for April, I must confess to a little slippage, but I'm hoping I can finish on time. It's such a pain when work gets in the way of crafting. The theme for the 25th was 'stamping'.

I was given the fabulous Stampers Anonymous Snarky Cat stamps for my birthday.  I went back to a technique I posted about a long time ago in The Craft Barn design team days. You can still read it here.

 

 
I have some dear friends who will find the sentiments very funny. The good news is these are only one half of the stamps. More to come sometime.

Hope you have a happy week ahead xxx

Lioning Around

Hello
I've had to do a bit of enforced relaxation recently due to a bout of shingles. You'd think that would mean an opportunity to craft but sadly all I have managed so far is a bit of colouring in! Still it has meant that finally I have used the lovely Lion with Bird stamp from Stampendous. Perfect for this sort of situation as it took AGES to colour in and I made a batch of 6!

I added a little decoupage mindful that most will need to be posted, but you could really go to town and layer it up.

I've been waiting for a sunny day to take photos but have given up so they have a slightly pink tinge to them.

I'm off to catch up on other people's blogs. Thank you for stopping by xxx

Materials used:

Stampendous: lion with bird

Giogiocraft stencils

Archival ink

Distress ink

watercolour pencils

Pizza Poses

Hello
Here's another card made with the fun frog yoga set by Stampendous.You can see a couple more here if you missed them.

 Hope you have a great day. Thanks for taking a look xx

Materials used:

Stampendous: frog yoga

Giogiocraft stencils

Distress ink

Archival ink 

watercolour pencils

In the Zone

Hi there
Today I bring you a couple of cards made with a fun set of stamps I was given as a present. The sentiments are perfect for this time of year when people might be struggling with resolutions!

The frogs were stamped and masked off before the background was stencilled in.

I hope your resolutions are going well...me?...my resolution is not to make any!

Thank you for stopping by. Your interest and support is always greatly appreciated xx

Materials used:

Stampendous: frog yoga

Giogiocraft stencils

Distress ink

Archival ink 

watercolour pencils

Beary Christmas

Hello there
If you're feeling a little frazzled with Christmas preparations here's a little something to make you smile...

 

Can't have too many bears!

Thank you for stopping by xxx

Gifted

Hello
I've been off on my travels for a while and so didn't get to share this with you when it went live last week on The Craft Barn blog. The last couple of weeks of August and the beginning of September see a rush of birthdays for me...something must have been going on around Christmas and New Year! Here's a simple idea to jazz up a boring gift card and make it a little more personal.

For full details of how to make it have a look at The Craft Barn blog as it's still available.

Snowflake

Hi there
It's snowflake week at The Craft Barn. I really had fun with this project. For full details pop over to The Craft Barn blog. There are lots of very pretty projects this week.

It's definitely been getting chillier. Only a matter of time before we get the snow! Best we all stay indoors and do a bit of crafting! 😉

Wax, Paper and Acetate

Hi
The temperature has really dropped and it is beginning to feel a lot more wintry. I'm even beginning to think about Christmas just a few weeks away. Over at The Craft Barn this week the projects have all used different forms of wax, paper and acetate. I've made a winter scene diorama and you can get full intructions by following this link.

Maybe grab a hot chocolate and check out all of the fabulous projects on their blog this week.

D is for Dance

The latest dictionary challenge at The Craft Barn is the letter D with the added twist that there has to be some pink included.  It was easy for me to think of a word as I have a much loved stamp which came immediately to mind.

Scanning is a bit wonky but never mind.  Made this challenge with just a few hours to spare!

Materials used:

Stampendous: tutu toad

Joy Crafts:dance to the music

Fancy Pants: bella brush

Clarity stencil: trellis

script stencil

PaperArtsy Fresco Finish paints

Cosmic Shimmer shimmer paints

Archival Ink: jet black

L is for letter

Just in the nick of time, my entry for The Craft Barn dictionary challenge.  This fortnight the letter is L.  A very quick one done this morning before getting ready to go out for a Mother's Day outing.  Very far from perfect but I didn't want to miss a letter out so early on in the year. 

 

 Materials used:

Stampendous: timeless memoirs

Stampers Anonymous: classics3, art from the heart, solar system

PaperArtsy: EDY10

Impression Obsession: C-A-C flourishes, 

script stencil

 PaperArtsy Fresco Finish paint: inky pool, mermaid, London bus, snowflake, chalk, buff, chocolate pudding

DecoArt: glorious gold

Stabilo All pencil: black, blue

gold gel pen

Winter Trees

Some of my Christmas cards this year were inspired by Kay Carley and how she uses Brusho.  The joy and frustration of using Brusho is that no two came out exactly identical!

Materials used:

Woodware: trio of trees

Brusho: gamboge, sea green, prussian blue, yellow, canary

Stampendous embossing powder: detail white opaque, frantage shabby white

Stickles glitter glue

Aurora Borealis

The last theme for The Craft Barn calendar challenge is silver/gold and trees.  Last year I was lucky enough to see the northern lights in Iceland and so my entry is inspired by that visit.
 

 Our sightings weren't quite as dramatic as the scene I've created!

Materials used:

Faber-Castell gelatos: black licorice, boysenberry, blueberry, cotton candy, 

snow cone, acqua dolce, spearmint, lime, margarita mix, coconut

Archival ink: jet black

Distress embossing ink

Hobby Art: winter scene-its, in the country 

Stampendous detail embossing powder: silver opaque

I've had a great year taking part in the calendar challenge and now I will get to enjoy all of the projects again throughout 2016.  I'm looking forward to next year's projects...I have my dictionary ready and await instructions!

Here's a look at all of the pages together...

Thank you for your support and lovely comments throughout the year xx

Mushroom magic

Hi there
Whilst waiting 3 hours for my computer to update my iPhone I thought it was a good chance to crack on with my Craft Barn calendar challenge for September.  The theme this month is brown trees/leaves.  The mushrooms and leaves were stamped and embossed in white (with a little bit of masking).  The Brusho was applied a little at a time by wetting the area and sprinkling a colour on.  While wet the colour can be moved around or lifted off with a paper towel.  The mushroom stalks and shadows were added with Promarkers.

The good news is we seem to be set for a few days of sunshine so we can enjoy the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness.

Materials used:

Dylusions stamps: doodle parts, further around the edge

Stampendous embossing powder: detail white opaque

Brusho: light brown, crimson, lemon, gamboge

Distress Ink: clear embossing 

Promarkers: burnt sienna, oatmeal, satin

They know me here

I've not been up to much crafting recently for various reasons but hopefully that's about to change and you will notice a flurry of activity on my blog.  First up a CAS card for The Craft Barn weekly challenge - Clean and Simple.  In the spirit of CAS I'm keeping it brief!

Thanks for stopping by, it's much appreciated x

Materials used:

Stampendous: Cling Tutu Toad

Doo Lally Pip / Lindsay Mason: Don't Be Afraid

Spectrum Noir Aqua markers

Ranger Distress Inks

Ranger Archival 

gems

Crafty Coasters

Hi there
I've not been doing much crafting recently (as most evenings I've had my leg up after a rather embarrassing tumble) but my lovely husband acquired me a large bag full of beer mats just crying out to be altered.  I thought this was a good opportunity to combine the new Lindsay Mason, Doo Lally Pip stamps I've just bought with a few bits and pieces lying around which I wasn't sure what to do with.

Materials used:

Personal Impressions clear stamps: Don't Be Afraid, Happiness Verses
Stampendous: Tutu Toad
Craft Individuals: Crowned Bunnies

Spectrum Noir Aqua Markers

PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Paints

Ranger Distress Ink: black soot, faded jeans

Ranger Archival Ink: jet black

Singing in the Rain

The April calendar challenge at The Craft Barn is Blue and Umbrellas.  I must admit I struggled with inspiration and had to resort to Pinterest to get the ideas going. 

Firstly I embossed the umbrella and the dog and masked them off. I wet the paper all around the mask and sprinkled Brusho at the top of the paper, letting it drip down.  Once the blue was dry I wet the paper under the umbrella and let the yellow run upwards.  Using a wet paint brush some of the paint could be moved around to create the puddle underneath.  The sentiment was stamped and rain drops added with paint on the edge of a credit card.  Finally a little stamping was added to the edge to create a frame before adding the calendar.

Materials used:

watercolour paper

Brusho: ultramarine, turquoise, black, lemon, yellow

Ranger Archival Ink: jet black

Ranger Distress embossing ink

Stampendous embossing powder: midnight black

PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Paint: little black dress

Tando mask: accessorise

Creative Expressions: dreamy sentiments

Kaisercraft clear stamps: edges

Thank you for taking a look.  Why not pop over to The Craft Barn to see some of the other entries?

January Cat

Getting a bit ahead of myself I'm making a start on next year's calendar! I'm taking part in The Craft Barn's Calendar Challenge.  For January the entries must include the colour aqua and snowflakes.

The large snowflakes were clear embossed on a background of white gesso.  Next weathered wood distress ink was added and the smaller snowflakes were clear embossed, with a little additional embossing powder sprinkled top right and bottom left.  Torn paper hills were added and distress ink colours were built up around the edges.  A stencil was used to add the branches and ground.  Water was spritzed and flicked onto the card and blotted.  The cat was stamped in archival ink and highlighted with white gel pen.  Finally (the photo doesn't really pick this up) the edges were embossed with transparent glittery embossing powder to give it a bit of sparkle and the calendar was added.

Materials used:

white gesso

Stampendous Embossing Powder: detail clear transparent, kaleidoscope transparent

Ranger Distress Ink: weathered wood, evergreen bough, faded jeans, black soot

Ranger Archival Ink: jet black

Ranger: multi medium matte

Clarity Stamps: moon mask, woodland stencil

Katzelkraft: chatool KTZ63

Stampendous: retro border SSC062

Leaving it to the last minute!

In the summer I bought three Artemio small cube candle holders with every intention of decorating them for the table for Christmas.

Well tonight is the night my family are coming for a big meal together and with 3 hours to go I decided now was the time to sort out the table decorations!  A quick base of Fresco Finish Mermaid...stamp some snowflakes in DecoArt Glorious Gold (the snowflakes are actually flower centres)...

...some London Bus on the edges...a few gems and some Star Dust Stickles...a bit of ribbon...red felt on the base...on the table and the glue isn't even dry yet!

They will go beautifully with the coasters made at The Craft Barn with Helen Chilton earlier in the year.

Off to sort the veggies now... 

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Creative New Year xxx