T is for Tile.

This weeks Alpha challenge over at The Craft Barn is to use the letter T.
As usual I made a short list of words that would fit  and as I had been using the Faux Tile method on a card last week decided to stick (well I was using Glossy accents!) with that theme and chose the word tile.

 

Page has been given a wash of  Matchpot paint in Willow Tree.

Tiles made from an off cut of paper in my stash which had a tile pattern effect.

Coated with Glossy accents.

Letter created using the Sizzix alphabet strip 656133

 

Entering into the following challenge:

The Craft Barn: Alpha letter T.

 



So not Amused!!

I don't believe it!! My email account has been High Jacked for the second time in as many months. 
So no the dog has not had a nasty accident and requires money for a huge vets bill,my suitcase has not been stolen, I have not been kidnaped and a large ransom needed to release me  but what I am is totally hacked off with it.
I am safe and here in the UK just sat in front of my pc watching my emails filling up by the second with perilous nonsense. My IT tech has placed filters on my account which will weed it out and hopefully move my legit  emails into a safe place to be opened. As my blogging comments from you all  go into that account  I may take a few days to respond but anything with a strange message header will not be touched.

On a lighter note  these are the rest of The Zandra stamps that  I bought at the Newbury show. My set of Graph'it pens have arrived in the post so I'm  now going to spend some time having a play and learning how to colour with shading.

Christmas Decree.

Whilst I'm still on a roll here is the 2nd card for the challenge over at Lady Anne's using the digi images provided by Nana Vic.
As soon as I saw this digi I knew that it just had to be done as a scroll and the card to be CAS. I also knew exactly which paper in my stash to use for the backing which again came from my blogging friend in America. Thank you Barbara.
So without further ado here is the card that I made.

 

Digi was printed off onto white card stock and distressed around edges

Ribbon and pearls from my stash.

 

Entering into the following challenges:

Lady Anne's progressive challenge #7: Use digi provided by Nana Vic.

The Pink Elephant #209: Use monochromatic.

Sweet Stamps #127: Christmas greenery.

Crafting By Designs: Christmas in July

Creative Belli #174: Christmas.

Crafting For All Seasons #57: Christmas in July.

Card Makin Mamas #72: Monochromatic.

Crafty Catz #193: Christmas in July.

Glitter 'n' Sparkle #43: CAS clean and simple.

Shelly's Images: Christmas in July.

Pixie's Crafty Workshop: Use your snippets.(green ribbon)

Hiding In My Craft Room #108: Christmas in July.

 

 

 

 

 

 



Santa's got a tree.

I seem to be on a Christmas card roll at the moment. This is my first card for the challenge over at Lady Anne's using the two digi's provided. These have been supplied this month by
Nana Vic's Digitals.
I love this santa digi and decided he looked mega cute on his own so have kept to using a fairly simple design for the layout. 

Digi by Nan Vic

Coloured using Promarkers and Pearlescent chalks.

Backing paper part of a12"x12" sent from a friend in America.

Corners left  from an intricate die that I had used earlier in the week.

Coloured to match the Christmas tree.

Pearls and cardstock from my stash.

Digi edged using a silver highlight pen by Papermania.

 

Entering into the following challenges:

Lady Anne's Progressive challenge #7:  Use image by Nana Vic.

Ginger Loft  #69: Trees.

Lexi's Creations #95: Christmas in July.

ABC Christmas challenge: O is for O' Christmas tree.

Little Scrap Pieces: Christmas in July.

Jelly Park Friends: Christmas in July.

Card Crafters Circle #85: Christmas in July.

Totally Gorjuss #194: Christmas in July.

Christmas Cards All Yr Round: It's all about Santa.

Sparkles Christmas challenge #30: Christmas trees.

Pixie's Crafty Workshop #83:  Use your snippets (punched out corner left overs)

Crafty Hazelnuts Extra #7: Anything goes Christmas themed.

 

 



Owls about this.

I have finally gotten round to using one of the House of Zandra stamps that I bought at the beginning of the month at the Newbury show. This one is called Barny and whilst not especially a Christmas stamp I thought with the hat and scarf, using the right colours  and a little decoupage I could turn him into one.





 The blue night sky design paper is part of a 12"x12" that I had sent to me by a kind blogging friend in America. It actually has a Christmas snow scene along the bottom which I have cut and saved for another day (Already used some of it on previous card). I found colouring him in using Promarkers was quite hard for some reason even though I had used the correct paper and Memento ink pad.
It didn't help that having already decided to decoupage I needed to colour in 4 identical owls to get enough for the layering effect. (Never make life simple when complicated will do!)





 I created the sentiment using Britannia word and alphabet dies. The lower case set is quite small to use and you do  need to work out which letters are which from a process of elimination but I like working with them and they are surprisingly easy to glue and stick to the card. A side view of card below showing the layering which I used 2mm foam pads for.

Entering into the following challenges:
Crafty Hazelnuts Extra #7:. Anything thing goes Christmas cards
Me and Mine #8: Beat the Christmas Rush.
Stamping for Pleasure: Rudolph day 25th Monthly.
Pixies Crafty Workshop #82: Use your snippets (blue sheet had already been cut into)
I love Promarkers #178: Christmas in July and must use Markers pens.
Ruby's Rainbow #59: Layer it up.

Friends.

With all this nice summery weather around I fancied making a really bright card. I took a photo of one of my oil paintings, played around in word, shrunk the image down and printed off onto 160gsm cardstock. I then glued onto a piece of thick cardboard and cut into 1" squares. (I did this faux tiling on another of my paintings for my Dad's Fathers day card and thought I would have another go.) I coated each tile with Glossy accents and once they were dry I reassembled on white card to mimic the grouting .

 

 



 The flowers were made using Memory Box 'Fancy Blossoms' style 98312 and die cut from snippets of white card that I then coloured with Promarkers to match the colours of the Parrots. The leaves were die cut using Crealies Creative shapes CL CS 11,16 and 18. from various green snippets of paper/card. Feathers were dyed to match the flowers. Swirls were made using Sizzix set 656323 again from white card coloured using Promarkers.

 



Faux tiling and flowers were mounted onto plain green textured cardstock which was adhered to front of card. Sentiment is a Britannia word and alphabet dies.

 



 

Entering into the following challenges:

Pixies Crafty Workshop #82: Use up your snippets. (white cardstock).

Southern Girls #73: No Ribbons.

Totally Papercrafts #176: Make your own flowers.

Splendiferous Creations: Things with Wings.

Sister Act #16: Anything goes.

Brown Sugar :#51: Anything goes.

Rhedd and Rosie's #11: Anything goes.

Tuesday Throwdown #156: Anything goes.

Anything Goes #97: Anything goes.

Make It Monday #150: Paper crafts.

 



 

Y is for Year.

This weeks Alpha challenge over at The Craft Barn is to use the letter Y but with an added twist. You must use the colour yellow somewhere on your page.  Well there are not many pages in the dictionary for the letter Y but one word caught my eye in particular, Year.
A lot of the other entrants have chosen to decorate their dictionary pages in situ but I decided to take my pages out and make a small separate booklet. At the end of the year (we are doing a letter a fortnight) I will have 13 pages (double sided) plus a front and back cover. We are just over the half way mark now and my booklet is really beginning to take shape.
Anyway I digress as  to why I chose the word year. Well as this will have been a year long project when completed I thought a page which depicted the actual year created would be quite appropriate . 

Page has been coloured using watered down poster paint. Months are from current and old calendar pages. Ribbon from stash and letter created using  Sizzix alphabet strip 656133

Entering into the following  challenge:
The Craft Barn: Alpha letter Y using the colour yellow.

Decoupage Snowman.

This is my 2nd card for the current challenge over at Lady Anne's which is to use this digi image supplied by Digi Stamp 4 Joy.  I pondered quite a while over this one and finally saw the light so to speak!! Why not decoupage the little snowman I thought, so set about doing just that.

The camera has decided to make the front cardstock look a pink colour when in fact it is a red shade to match the candle. I used an oval XCut  Nestie to cut the red card and the card itself  for the aperture and adhered the digi image to the inside of the card. Snowman has been layered up on foam pads and the candle flame too. The holly on the front of card was left from printing several snowman to cut for the decoupage effect. Coloured using Promarkers and pastel chalks. Berries were given a covering of Glossy accents. Sentiment cut using Britannia word dies.

 

Side view showing the decoupage .

Entering into the following challenges:

Lady Anne's Progressive challenge #6: Use image by DS4J

Pixies Crafty Workshop #81: Use up your snippets. (green snippet used for the sentiment).

Eureka Stamps challenge #48: Christmas in July.

Platypus Creek #36: Christmas in July.

Crimbo Crackers #46: Anything goes.

Crafty Hazelnuts Extra #7: Anything goes.

Sweet Stampin Christmas #8: Snowmen or women.

Cut it Up Challenge #23: Christmas in July.

Fairy Tale challenges #72: Christmas in July.

Great Impressions #17:: Anything goes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

Nearly Always Open.

Oops sorry is that really the time! Should have posted this sooner but I changed my mind about the image and went in search for another one at 2 o'clock in the morning would you believe  and then had to wait for the download to arrive ,so this is either very late for last week or early for this one. Anyways this is another tale from The Docs mishaps pile.
 
Working close to the town centre meant that we could both  pop to the shops in our lunch hour. This particular day The Doc decided to call into the supermarket for a few items we had run short of so armed with his list off he went. As he only wanted a few items a wire basket sufficed his needs and having found the correct isle selected a carton of creamer and went in search  of the bread and cakes. He soon became aware of some muttering going on in the one of the isles he had vacated but thought nothing of it only catching a few words here and there about what a mess and how  someone should report it. He was just about to grab the loaf of bread he wanted when a firm hand gripped his shoulder and the store detective said in a rather loud voice "I think you need to come with me out the back Sir so we can clean you up and also we need to close the Isle where you have been". On looking down at his basket  (that he had been gaily swinging as he consulted his list) The Doc saw to his horror that the creamer had tipped on its side, caught on the wire  and had poured out onto the floor in a trail of destruction  behind him and had  also dripped down his coat and over his shoe! It took 15mins to reopen after cleaning the floor and The Doc up!!

Digi image by Handmade Harbour

Coloured using Promarkers and Pearlescent chalks.

Backing paper by Raspberry Road adhered to cardboard and distressed round edges.

Bakers twine, cardboard  and pearls from stash

Sentiment generated in word.

You may be able to work out from the colours used which local supermarket The Doc was in!

 

Entering into the following challenges:

Pixie's Crafty Workshop #81: Use your snippets. (B.P.glued to oddment of cardboard)

One Stitch At A Time #172: Use a digi.

A Gem Of A Challenge #88: Spots stripes or both

Cas-ual Fridays #109: Polka Dots.



It's My Party.

If you are looking For a Mrs A's Bloomer tale, one will be along shortly!!

Our Granddaughter will be 3yrs old on Friday and this is the card that I have made for her. She loves to dress up as a fairy and when I saw this LOTV knew it would be perfect for her as she is also a bit of a tom boy at heart.

Shaped card is from my friend. (Thanks Di).

Backing card is actually part of a custard tart box  (too nice to throw out). 

Stamp is by Lily of the Valley  ST125  'It's My Party'.

Sentiment created with   Britannia word and number dies.

Die cut is Spellbinders 'Majestic Elements'

Stamp coloured using Promarkers, Chalks and silver pen. 

Ribbon and pearls from my stash.

Our Granddaughter has the most beautiful Titian red hair which her parents insist on calling auburn, so whilst I have used a red chalk on her hair I have also toned it down using brown to keep them happy!

 

 

Entering into the following challenges:

Make It Monday #148: Paper crafts link party.

Use it Tuesday #59: Birthdays. (used hoarded cardboard box base).

Creative Craft #14: Numbers.

Ladybug Crafts Ink #49: Birthdays.

Sister Act #14: Anything goes.

One Stop Craft challenge #233: Anything goes.

Catch The Bug: Anything goes.

Pixies Crafty Workshop #80: Use up your snippets (back of custard tart box)

Natalie and Amy's Challenge #11: Trash to treasure. (custard tart box)

An Inky Situation #1: Anything goes.

 



 



B is for Blackboard.

This weeks Alpha challenge over at The Craft Barn is to use the letter B. I selected about 10 words and then waited for one of them to jump out at me. Finally after going back several times to look at the list Blackboard came to the fore. 

Page has been coloured in using Windsor & Newton soft pastel chalk.

Images are free paper by Sarah Hurley from Making Cards magazine.

Letter B created using Sizzix Alphabet strip  656133

Entering into the following challenge:

The Craft Barn: Alpha challenge letter B.



Nice Shiny Bauble.

This is my 1st card for the challenge over at Lady Anne's which is to use this digi image supplied by Digi Stamps 4 Joy. I also wanted to combine it with the sketch challenge over
at Christmas Challenges this week which had a twist to it. We had to use not only the sketch but 4 papers,3 brads, 2 flowers & embossing. I do so like a challenge!!!









 I have coloured the bauble using silver and gold ink pens by Papermania and then gluing /sticking pearls and gems following the design on the digi. Backing papers are all from my stash along with the gem brads. The sentiment is cut from an embossing folder which a friend had sent to me. The flowers are a  Memory Box die 'Fancy Blossoms ' No 98312.

Close up of the bauble. Believe it or not there are 55 gems/pearls on there and  I bet you just counted them!

 

 Entering into the following challenges:

Lady Anne's Progressive challenge #6: Use image by DS4J.

Christmas Challenges #80: Use sketch +twist.

Merry Monday Christmas Challenge: Anything goes.

Holly Jolly Christmas: Use something New. (Digi)

Crafty Hazelnuts Extra #7:  Anything goes.

Make my Monday: Christmas in July.

Card Mania #24: Christmas in July.

Whimsical Designs: Christmas in July.

The Squirrel and The Fox #47: Christmas in July.

 

 



Don't Move!

Wednesday again and time for another tale from Mrs A's Yarn pile  so grab a coffee and sit  a while. This yarn relates to 'The Doc' as well as me cos it was all his fault. I was just the innocent bystander.!
Many years ago when we first started going to Italy we were visiting Rome for only the second time so still did not know our way around very well. We were on one of the busy main streets and The Doc not being too sure of our whereabouts  decided to check the road name which was on the corner a few yards back from the way we had just come.  He instructed me to go and stand against the wall  of the building we were outside and not to move (so leaving room for people to walk on the pavement). Now when The Doc says don't move , you don't move even an inch.
All was well until I heard a distinct rumbling start up from under my feet.  Unbeknown to me I was standing over one of the  street gratings to a lower floor when all of a sudden a gust of hot air came shooting up from the air conditioning unit that had switched on! I leave the rest to your imagination. It was at this point The Doc came racing back . My wail of "Well you said to stand right  there" fell on deaf ears.

Digi image by Digital Images.

DP from Art Deco Rome cd. Freebie with Papercraft essentials magazine.

Image coloured using Promarkers and gold pen.

Ribbon and pearls from stash.

Roses made from scrap of gold  shimmer paper edged using Promarkers.

 

Entering into the following challenges:

Lacy Sunshine #11: Anything goes.

One Stitch at a Time #170: Anything goes.

Joanna Sheen Challenges: Don't be Square.

Pixie's Crafty Workshop #79: Use your snippets. (snippet used for roses).

Simon Say Stamps: Anything goes.

Cupcake Crafts #249: Anything but Square.

Through the Craft Room Door: Anything goes.

Papertake Weekly #105: Anything goes.

Bearly Mine #93: Anything goes.

Pin and Tack #11: Anything goes.

 

 

And the  moral of the story is:  Always wear nice  lace underwear!!

 

 



Flowers Finally.

Here is my make using the discarded green card from the Weekend.  Again not what I had a vision of to start with. It was going to be a cream Lily!! I know, I know all the best laid plans and all that. I changed the lace to a pale green to match and am happy with the result. Also had a go for the first time at cropping a photo. I know, I know where have I been all my life. I'm normally in a rush to load the post so just point the camera  and take a shot and upload it.

Digi backing paper by 'Raspberry Road' Home sweet home 010

Flowers are 'Floral Delights' Cornflower die.

Coloured using 'Colour Box' Cat's Eye chalk ink pads

'Spellbinders'  Label 4 Nestie

Corners using Spellbinders 'Majestive  Elements' S4-383

Leaves from 'Crealies' Creative shapes CL CS 18

Britannia Word die.

Pearls and old lace from stash.





 I originally had the flowers inside the frame and the sentiment on the lace but the flowers covered up quite a bit of the backing paper and I thought the wording looked better. Close up of the cornflowers below.

 

Entering into the following challenges:

Artistic Inspirations #48: Anything Goes.

Creative Moments #20: Flowers.

Charisma Cardz #25: 3,2,1 and tell ( 3 papers, 2 flowers, 1 lace)

Crafty Catz #189: Say it with Flowers.

Hiding in My Craft room #104: Free style.

Dream Valley #60: Make your own flower embellishment.

Pixies Crafty Snippets #79: Use up your snippets (Nestie frame left over from using inset)

That Craft Place: Flowers.

Challenges 4 Everybody #23: Anything goes.

A Little Bit Crafty #4: Die-ing for it.