Jolly and Bright..........

..............Christmas at the Farm!!

Colour Challenge GC128 Yellow Red Brown

Another quick post and another quick Christmas card make  using the colours Yellow Red and Brown which is the current Colour Challenge over at Gingersnap Creations not sure if this card will fit the challenge ladies sorry if not but as I had used the colour combo and I hadn't been over to see you for a while I though I would enter........its Christmas at the Farm!!! lol. :-)

I used Alterations embossing folder Merry Christmas and DI inks vintage photo fired brick and mustard seed Inks were added to card first which then I spritzed lightly and dried before embossing then I lightly ran over the Merry Christmas with the same inks to highlight the letters even more

I added a brown ribbon and button threaded with bakers twine, a very quick card to make which is just as well considering I'm was needing to get them in the post.....

I will try and be back with more Christmas makes in between putting up decorations.... baking.... family visiting this weekend...... icing Christmas cake...only made it yesterday!!!!!........we never eat it until New Year ..... shopping..... Oh and tomorrow we are forecast lots of snow.......

bye for  now

Going Grey.........................

 Gingersnap Creations GC124


Firstly I want to say thanks for choosing me as a Gingergem for challenge GC124 Ravens........thanks ladies ......wearing my badge with pride. :-))

Right onto this challenge GC124 black and grey... well I nearly didn't play with this one as everything I tried I hated  these colours really challenged me until to today when my little grey (no pun intended) cells kicked in and I had a light bulb moment you know the ones I mean.....lol. A technique had popped into my head with Alcohol Ink, Acetate and  resist......... here is my finished card. I have used grey and black honest but for some reason the colour looks a little blue, the light here is awful another dull day so maybe that is why!

I started with a piece of acetate and used pitch black and slate alcohol inks and blending solution and applyed going over until I got the result I liked.  Flourish was then stamped on top with black archival ink leave a few moments and then rub away......this never ceases to amaze me how the designs pops here is a close up of the background

Bird was stamped and embossed in Silver Metalic embossing powder on the opposite side to the inks and then this was mounted onto grey mirri board with brads.  mounting on mirri board gives a metalic look to the background which is what I wanted,.....really it does in real life.
Black and grey card were used to mat and to cover the card blank, edges inked with black soot DI,  Sentiment was stamped in black archival and cut with  spellbinder shape and inked while in the die again with black soot.

I'm pleased with the finished card but wish I had thought of this technique earlier and avoided going  grey...... now you see where my title is comming from...... lol :-)  Thanks for the challenge it really did challenge me! 

I have enjoyed playing with this technique be warned I may be back with more................

Products used
Stamps Tim Holtz Take Flight and Sentiment stamp from a Visual Artistry plate
Alcohol Inks Pitch Black and Slate and Blending soloution
Inks DI and Archival Black and Embossing ink
Embossing Powder: Cosmic Shimmer Silver Metallic
Card Stampin Up
Acetate sheet
Brads SU

'till next time

Ravens

Woohooo!! I just had share with you that I have been picked as a GingerGem over at Gingersnap Creations GC123 Ravens.  There was some amazing art for this challenge and I am so honoured it has made my week..... wearing my badge with pride!!   Pop over and take a look at the art over there and great challenges too.

Here is the link for my entry if you want a peek

Bye for now

Gingersnap Creations GC123

Random Redheads Challenge Ravens...........

This subject really was a challenge...........we have 2 that come to the large tree on the edge of the garden daily and I love to watch their antics magnificent birds ....... anyway I had just recently purchased this stamp from Artistic Stamper and have had this project on the go for a while, I had stamped out several images with different effects and just could'nt put a card together..........I hate it when this happens lol!!!! 

Well with all that has been going on lately I only went back to it last night and everything just seemed to click and this is the result...

I stamped onto a background of DI tumbled glass, which was made by putting ink onto craft mat and spritzed with water and swished card through it, then when dry I stamped with versamark and embossed in black, tore the edges and mounted onto black card,  Tim Holtz Ranger Distress collection card in weathered storm was embossed using a mask of cog wheels and sanded........ I am loving this Distress card and all the colours match the DI's  - fabulous...... now you may be wandering why I didn't use the same colour as the background....... simple the same colour looked wrong and weathered wood looked right.....see simple lol :-))  The edges were distressed with scissors as I can not find my distressing tool I have hunted everywhere I am very distressed I expect it is buried somewhere in my very very untidy craft room - note to self tidy up!!...........sorry back to card... I inked these edges with black soot and mounted onto card.  Dream ticket was stamped in black soot and with  Ideaology pin stuck into bakers twine which was tied in a knot.

Hope you like my interpretation of  "The Raven" poem by E.A. Poe I had not read this poem until I googled so this was something else I learned this is the reason I love challenges not only do they challenge me out of my comfort zone but I am always learning something.  Pop over to Gingersnap Creations and see some amazing art.  Thanks ladies for some amazing challenges and DT work.

I am also playing at Artistic Stamper Creative Team blog where this month challenge is backgrounds.

Items used

Stamp Raven - Artistic Stamper

Ticket Stamp, Mask, Black embossing powder - Creative Expressions

Inks DI  Tumbled Glass, Black Soot , Distress Card - Tim Holtz/Ranger

Butterfly Dress.........

........ and combining 4 challenges!

I have been having such fun with my new Sewing Room Tim Holtz Die I just love " dressing up" the dress form, this one today I have combined onto a tag.

I embossed the body with a cuttlebug folder and inked with Distress Ink wild honey and tea dye  which toned down the colour a little, I attached the lace and the ribbon around the waist, both found after a rummage in my sewing box.
My tag is made using Adirondack Colour Wash which just happens to be the Grungy Monday Challenge at Studio L3, now I only own 1 colour wash which is the colour Stream, so I combined it with wild honey DI which I blended onto my tag first before spraying with the colour wash, the colours blended so well together. 
Simon Says Stamp and Show challenge this week is show some Distress, so my tag enables me to play along with them too, and over at Gingersnap Creations GC98 Spicy Supply Challenge is Mists , wow I get to play over there as well and I haven't had the opportunity for  too long to join in a Gingersnap Challenge so I was well chuffed to find my tag followed their criteria - I do love it when a plan comes together; LOL.

Stamps used on the tag were from Papillon Tim Holtz collection I stamped the large background in DI Tea Dye and the butterflies (under the flowers!) in Vintage Photo, flowers were made from brown paper cut with the Tattered Flowers Die using the very small one which were layered and crumpled, I cheated here as brown paper was my "spraying booth" so it was already covered in a mist of Ink, I really like the way they have turned out,  my butterflies were cut using the new Stampin' Up! Embosslits Dies which cut and emboss with a negative and positive image and inked with wild honey, tea dye and broken china.  They are so cute and so easy to use  I have lots cut in all colours because I couldn't stop playing, you might just see these a lot!! ROFL.
I have just realized the Sunday Stamper Challenge is Blue this week, so it would be rude not to join in there too, wow 4 challenges in one has never been done before - by me anyway!!

Thanks for looking

Metal Bird Lucky again

OMG!  I have been picked for Home Page Artist over at Gingersnap Creations for their Challenge GC91 Crowns Oh wow I'm  speechless  - how much excitment can a girl take - lots and lots ROFL.  Click on the link to see some amazing work and great challenges.  Got to go have to make hot chocolate to celebrate!!!


bye for now

TIME FOR TEA

GC85 - Hot Beverages

I have managed to get in some crafting time this afternoon and made this fridge magnet inspired by the GC85 Chesnut Theme Challenge over at Gingersnap Creations.  I used Tim Holtz Alterations Die for the background, card and papers and Ink are Stampin' Up! Stamp was Craft Stamper Magazine Free stamp which I stamped onto two different papers and cut out, flower I made from punching out flower shapes and crunching them up when wet and leave to dry.

Thanks for looking

Bye for now

Oh what a lovely Day........

Oh what a beautiful feeling.......... 

Over at Gingersnap Creations I have been chosen as a Ginger Gem for my entry in the GC84 Snow, Pine and Mahogany Challenge Wahooooooo, thank you very much, just in case you may not have seen it .....scroll to bottom of post for  picture of my Christmas Card.

Moving on but staying with Gingersnap Creations  SP6 Once in a Blue Moon - Ginspiration Challenge - is coming to a close there are several challenges within this one challenge and today I made a Single Layer Card as challenged by Jo Capper-Sandon Now this was not as easy as first thought as I love my layers so this was quite a challenge.  I decided to go with  a sketchy look and try out my new Stamp set Every Moment from Stampin' Up! I love the sketchy look these stamps give. Main card blank in a creamy caramel colour from my stash. 

Firstly I inked my acrylic block with Crumb Cake ink ( SU) and then spritzed with water and stamped onto card......... using the block as a stamp is a fun thing to do......... then I stamped in darker ink Early Expresso (SU) the large flower, butterfly and quote going off the edge a little. 

Quote Reads  "When we see with our hearts, every moment is the most wonderful gift in the world"

Hope this does qualify as a 1 layer card for this challenge.  Hope you like it.

Bye for now

Santa has been..................

Snow-  Pine - Mahogany

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas and Santa bought all you had wished for we had a great day with family and plenty of excitement Christmas Eve with our grandson who was sooooooooo excited that he hardly slept all night and crept into our bed at 2.30 am telling me "Santa's been" bless him I did get him back in his own bed but I really don't think he slept although he was quite!!.  In the morning there were sledge tracks in the snow and footprints to the door.............much excitement by one little boy ..........

Now I made this card for DH with the theme above which is the Gingersnap Creations Colour Challenge GC84 and I apologise for posting after Christmas but with the last min mad rush I forgot to post... Tag was made using DI aged mahogany, pine needle peeled paint I made the moon after applying aged mahogany around a circle, stamped and embossed forest with green glitter embossing powder (one in my stash with no name)  (also  stamped trees in the background with pine needles) and because it was rough to the touch by dragging embossing ink over them and dusting with white fine line embossing powder this gave the effect of snow on the trees I was really very pleased how this technique turned out as I was just experimenting..... Snowflakes were stamped and embossed in white and Santa stamped and embossed in black, I dry embossed white card with snowflakes (if you look really hard you can see them lol) and mounted all onto Burgundy (nearest I had to mahogany).

Ingredients Tim Holtz stamp snowflakes and DI 's and Tag; Stampin' Up! Card, punches, merry christmas stamp white embossing powder; Santa stamp and trees Creative Expressions; Sizzix Embossing Boards snowflakes

Also I'm sorry to say I have had to change the way comments are received on this blog and have switched on word verification hope you will bear with me on this as I have had some very weird and not very nice comments left so hope this will deter them. 

Bye for now

Glitter Glitter Everywhere..............

A quick post to show this card and enter it into the Gingersnap Creations Challenge White Glitter as you can imagine there is quite literally glitter everywhere the house sparkles and twinkles as the glitter trail has followed me even though I made this card a few days ago taking a photo of glitter is not easy and this is the best of .. a lot.....


Must dash and go and make jelly for trifle or it won't be set for tomorrow.......








Stamps Used Dasher and snow burst sets, Marina Mist, whisper white and night of navy, scallop border punch and glitter all Stampin' Up!

Bye for now

SNOW PEOPLE

Hi everyone are you snowed in we are 6" has fallen  altogether and although looking out of my window is like winter wonderland I can't get to the main road today so Christmas Shopping has been postponed until tomorrow hopefully ...... yes you heard right still have some to do not panicking ....much mostly food and DD was off work due to snow yesterday and walked to shops and she reported manic shoppers everywhere so she went home again, Oh well it is Christmas! I will do battle with the shops tomorrow and take DH to carry everything.

In between housework (only done at special times) and getting ready for the onslaught of family Christmas day if they can get here, baking and generally being a home goddess ....... one has to do ones duty at this time of year....... I have been crafting and making cards.

This one is for my Grandson who is very excited and I spoke to him on the phone today and we talked about Father Christmas coming in his sleigh and this year there is enough snow for him to glide over and he will not have to fly... also Rudolph will need plenty of carrots as it is very cold...... he was squealing with excitement by the time we had finished our conversation and was off to look at the roof in case Santa's sleigh had been there already as there would be tracks in the snow, (he is nearly 6) ahhhh bless so I expect DS was very pleased I called..................... anyway enough gossiping here is my card "snowpeople" love snow people which I will be entering into the Gingersnap Creations GC81 Snowpeople challenge. I made a shaker card which he loves cut out shape with nesties embossed the acetate with a Sizzix swirl folder, which I think makes it look like your looking through a frosted glass, the card was also embossed with same folder, stamp  is one I have had for years and years and there is no name on it, coloured with copics pens had to put red in somewhere as it it his favourite colour, ribbon and scallop punch Stampin' Up!

Better go now and ice the Christmas Cake will try to post others tomorrow if I have survived the shops!!!

Bye for now

Fly Free

I seem to have birds on the brain at the moment so I am going with the flow - my Mojo seems to have taken wings, think it is because I'm having a difficult time of it at present; so today I have been to my little craft room  and turned my thoughts to crafting and this creation is what appeared, so pleased with the result am I that I feel a set coming on........ watch this space!!!!

I am entering this into Gingersnap Creations GC57 Wings

Shape is cut from Tim Holtz Alterations Movers and Shapers Die in Grungeboard and Cordinations card stock, I sanded the card for a distressed look ; the Bird and Cage TH Alterations Die, I placed the bird outside the cage to be free, I embossed the card stock with cuttlebug embossing folder before cutting out, used TH DI shabby shutters over the bird and also the silk flowers and added brad to flower and gem for eye, added sheer white ribbon to bottom of cage and for the hanging; stamped words in shabby shutters cut with punch

Close up

I apologise for hanging on the chair to take piccy but that was the best light - couldn't move door to window!!!

Punch Flowers and Brad - Stampin' Up!

Stamps Creative Expressions

Gem and ribbon ribbon - my stash

everything else Tim Holtz

Bye for now

Happy, Happy, Happy..............

Whoo Hoo I have been lucky enough to be picked as again as A Ginger Gem at Gingersnap Creations  for my entry to challenge GC56: Burgundy, Ivory and Black which are some of my fav colours, scroll down to see my original post.  Thank you GC for a truly inspirational challenge blog.

Bye for now

GC 56 Colour Challenge - Wall Hanging

Hope you all had a lovely BH weekend  I had a fabby day yesterday we (DH and me) decided to have a restful day it was nearly a pj day only we don't wear them (ok way to much information)!!! so old sloppy clothes were slipped on and off I went to my craft room - bliss, I got inky very inky and then inky some more not just my fingers but all over my pale pink teeshirt own fault should have put on a black one- but I had fun.  My inspiration was the theme at Gingersnap Creations GC56 Colour Challenge, burgundy, ivory and black which is one of my all time favourite colour combo's.  Now I have in my box of things to alter - oneday - a few clipboards not saying how many though :-)  so this was my base for this challenge.

Firstly I went all around the edges of the clipboard with Black Soot Distress Inks, the Bravo Burgundy background card was then put through my bigshot with a sizzix embossing plate, which I then distressed with Black Soot DI. I also stamped the flourish from Tim Holtz Visual Artistry Collection - Regal Flourishes and embossed in black. Nesties were used to cut the sentiment panel which I stamped from Tim Holtz collection Stampers Anonymous- Good Thoughts in Bravo Burgundy Stampin' Up! and inked edges, applied stickles glitter to the heart and butterflies - got to have sparkle! the heart shape and scallop square under sentiment panel were cut with the slice and inked with aged mahogany DI and stamped in black - stamps used were from Stampin' Up! solid stripes and AtoZ. Twill tape is also SU. Altered Tag Tim's Idea-ology, flowers were in my stash. The cream scalloped edge panel was stamped with another Tim Holtz set as above called French Market - yes I am obsessed with his stamps!!!! The punch was SU.

Close up view

Ingredients used were from Stampin' Up!, Tim Holtz, Slice, Bigshot and my stash!

I think I missed the deadline for the GC challenge Read which was my last post, as I forgot to post - silly me memory not what it was, so this morning I came in to finish this challenge off and post it in plenty of time, omg you should see my desk; looks like the naughty crafting fairy has been in while I slept -  lol, I would show you a piccy but.................

Hope you have a lovely day and thanks for stopping by to look - please leave a comment if you stop by I like to know you've been!!

GC53 Chestnut Theme - Read

Edited Photo this morning as last nights effort was so bad!!
Here is my entry to the Gingersnap Creations Chestnut Theme - Read, Picture quality poor I forgot to photo this in daylight and I am late posting as the deadline is today - oooops!
I have stamped flowers onto a bookpage and embossed with white embossing powder and then inked the page with Tim Holtz distress inks tearing and distressing the edges of the page, the quote was printed onto paper and the edges torn and distress ink vintage photo applied to the edges.
Ingredients
card pretty in pink  vintage vogue stamp set brad, eyelet punch and taffata ribbon are Stampin' Up!,
Tim Holtz distress inks victorian velvet,tattered rose and vintage photo

Meadow Flowers

Well once I started playing I couldn't stop you know how it is you just get in the zone, I was really enjoying playing with my distress inks and so with a few pages from an old book and my new colours dried marigold and crushed olive I made this easel card, I have also used peeled paint, wild honey and shabby shutters, this is stamped as a background fern and doesn't show up on the photo which is a shame the corner is stamped and embossed with distress embossing powder shabby shutters I love the texture of this stuff. Flowers are made from punching circles and distressing them with inks and perfect pearls. I will enter this card as my 2nd entry into the GC51 Botanical Challenge at Gingersnap Creations.

bye for now

Field of Flowers

After my last creative journey for the GC  found challenge; I had to enter DH workshop and I have only just recovered,  I decided that the GC51 Botanical  Challenge on Gingersnaps Creations was more in my comfort zone and no trips to scarry places!! lol.  So this card developed, and I mean developed, when I sat down to create I was thinking girly colours so I could use my new Distress Inks - 0oooooops somehow and don't ask me how; my crafty brain has a mind of it's own I ended up with these colours and this card. 

I was pleased with the result but it was nothing like how I intended when I begain.  Oh well ART is a journey and we don't know where it will take us that is the journey. 

I used Distress Inks for Background also for the smaller flowers. Black archival ink and clear embossing for dragonflies 

I have made 2 others cards just couldn't stop will post them later I hope maybe even make another entry to the challenge!!!
Bye for now

Love Planet Earth Hanger

Well I'm on a roll now.  Over at Gingersnap Creations they have a challenge The good Earth GC49. I have been meaning to join in for some time and today it rained whoo hoo!  Not that I like rain but  I went to my little crafting space and created this instead of mowing the lawn and H*******k. Stamps used are from Creative Expressions a Travel plate and I have wanted to make a wall hanger for some time so here it is. 

I have been searching for over an hour!!! yes 1 hour to find the wires for the hanging loop I knew they were in my craft room somewhere buried under all the creative mess lol. Here is piccy I took in dispair and was going to post as this is only time I will have to join in. Don't you just love it when things get "lost" :-()
I also used Tim Holtz Distress Inks, Swirls Creative Expressions, Cosmic Shimmer Embossing Powder, Flower was die cut Sissix from background made with distress inks UTEE is in the centre of flower and buttons. Label maker for labels Love Planet Earth.
Hope you like my creations comments would be most welcome.

Bye for now