Welcome to my blog!

From x stitch I moved into card making - now I am playing around with mixed media! I am taking part in different workshops and with help from crafty pals, learning about different mediums and techniques. Hope you feel inspired to create after a visit to my blog - Happy Crafting!

Monday 30 July 2012

An Atc Journey

After binning 3 previous attempts at atc's I had 'another' idea. I know there are supposed to be no mistakes but these truly looked c**p! One of my friends on CraftBubble is setting up an ATC swop with the challenge of 'what inspires you'....after thinking long and hard..I decided my friends do!!

For some reason I decided to photograph all the stages of my journey... Hope you don't find it too boring!


I started off with a House Mouse sentiment


Added a Stampin Up 'Friend' text sentiment


I ran it through the cuttlebug to add some texture



Stamped and coloured (pm's) my new LOTV stamps and distressed with DI Tattered Rose


added some butterflies (fiskars punch) and done!

I did a second batch this time using Pollycraft Sentiment ' A friendship to treasure'


I used a floral embossing folder but it makes the text hard to read on a photo. Distressed with dried marigold DI and used a fiskars punch for the blooms. Gems from meiflower - clear coloured with pm's.


I will be entering these atc's into the following challenges;

Simon Says Stamp and Show - What do you say?
Make it Monday - Linky party
Incy Wincy Designs - Anything but a card
Joanna Sheen Challenge  - Animal Crackers
One Stop Craft Challenge - Just Good Friends
Saturday challenge - Bright and Cheerful


Sunday 29 July 2012

New House

For a pretty cas card I really sweated over this image...I had to spend aaaages with the nail file to get the stamp to pick up the ink...hmmm...


Faithful MS flower edger punch
Gems from meiflower
Card from stash


New Heidi Grace stamp set
Card from a stall @ Newbury


There are a few people at work who are moving house and I saw this lovely quirky stamp set..takes a bit of getting used to but I do like the images! Finished off with a little house stamp on the envelope

I am entering this card into the following challenges;

Daring Cardmakers - The House that Jack built
Crafts and Me - Anything Goes
Inky Impressions - Use Dies or Punches



Saturday 28 July 2012

Simply Elegant



I bought this stamp with a handful of others a while ago and the packaging does not say who it is by so I cannot give credit - it is lovely though!

Tuxedo black memento ink
Derwent pencils
gems from stash (in the middle of the flowers)


I will be entering this card into the following challenges;

Sparkles Monthly Challenge - Wedding




Hope your Saturday is going well


Friday 27 July 2012

Dog of the Week

(sorry this is late...thought it was scheduled!)


Drum roll please!!!! Introducing.....



Duckbill!!!

Duckbill has never raced.  He would need to be the only dog in the home, as he is not too keen on other dogs, but he doe enjoy the company of humans.
Duckbill has not been tested with domestic dogs or cats.

This lovely looking boy is aged 6 and is still looking for his forever home.




If you would like to take this gorgeous girl home with you please contact Oxford Retired Greyhound Trust
If you would like to make a donation to this very deserving Trust
  please make a bank transfer to
 Oxford RGT – Account No 00515200  -  Sort Code  30-12-51
or send a cheque to Oxford RGT
c/o 
Oxford Greyhound Stadium, Sandy Lane, Cowley, OX4 6LJ
  Any donations would be greatly appreciated.
 

Wednesday 25 July 2012

Another Cas Christmas Card

I previously made a card with a snowflake cut out or negative and hadn't done anything with the actual die cut.


I backed the die onto white card and then the spotty paper. Another craftwork cards sentiment and some nailheads and voila! 


I will be entering this card into the following challenges;

Rudolph Day - Festive Card
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes


Sunday 22 July 2012

Twinkling Penny Black

Louise has set a just for fun challenge in the CMLI group which is Christmas in July. I used my new PB stamp (Twinkling) and stamped in brilliance pearlescent poppy.




I coloured the circles in with a glitter gold spica atyou pen. I am not sure how Christmassy it looked or whether I pulled it off or not...honest opinions please!


Twinkling #2


I have added red stickles and a sentiment following some advice from a friend..I think it looks much better now.


I will be entering this card into the following challenges;

Creatalicious Challenges  - Christmas in July
Quirky Crafts Challenges - Christmas in July
Annabelle Stamps  - Christmas


Saturday 21 July 2012

Anyone for Volleyball?


The lovely Louise set the monthly challenge over on the CMLI group on CraftBubble and the theme was 'London 2012'.

Louise created some lovely inspirational cards and atc's which you can see over on her blog. I decided to pick a sport and found a lovely digi that was just right!


This cute bear is Barry Beach 1 from StampFairy and is coloured with promarkers.


I distressed the image with my new ink dusters using DI tumbled glass and memento cantaloupe. All the papers were from 12 x 12 paper scraps and I used a yellow spica atyou glitterpen. Sentiment is by Kraftin Kimmie stamped in versamark and sapphire mica powder. Gems and ribbon from stash.


I will be entering this card into the following challenges;

Sketch Saturday - fabby sketch
Saturday Challenge - Olympic or Sporty
Allsorts Challenge - Distressing
One Stop Craft Challenge - Olympics/Sports
Charisma Cardz - Favourite Animal
Waste not Wednesday  - neglected papers
Truly Madly Crafty  - Animals
By the Cute and Girly - A day at the....'Beach'




Friday 20 July 2012

Dog of the Week

Although it is usually the black boys that get overlooked for rehoming I think this lovely lady deserves some blog time! Let's have a cheer for.....


 Nonas




Nonas is a very affectionate, good natured girl.  She is one of the “Grand old Ladies” of the sport - she hung up her racing boots at the great racing age of 6 + years.  Her last race was on the 14th April 2009 and she has been waiting for a loving home since that time

This lovely girl has been in kennels for 3 years waiting to take a place in someone's heart and on their couch!  Please consider giving her a loving home! 



If you would like to take this gorgeous girl home with you please contact Oxford Retired Greyhound Trust
If you would like to make a donation to this very deserving Trust
  please make a bank transfer to
 Oxford RGT – Account No 00515200  -  Sort Code  30-12-51
or send a cheque to Oxford RGT
c/o 
Oxford Greyhound Stadium, Sandy Lane, Cowley, OX4 6LJ
  Any donations would be greatly appreciated.
 

Thursday 19 July 2012

Published again!

Thanks to crafty friends on CraftBubble for letting me know one of my cards had been published!

It was this one..


I sent this to a friend recovering from an operation from breast cancer and she was thrilled with it...now if I could just win the lottery.........



Sunday 15 July 2012

Mid Way Challenge Reminder

Just a quick reminder that the Ready-Teddy-Go Challenge for July is

Up, Up and Away!



Our Sponsor this month




What a fabby prize!!


I have used this lovely Penny Black image for my midway card



Papers from stash
Ticket by Tim Holtz
Coloured with Promarkers
Balloon Punch
Balloon Brad from local craft shop
Martha Stewart corner punch
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder 'Spots and Dots'
Nesties
Glossy Accents


Don't forget to check out the rest of the Design Team's fabulous work!

I will be entering this card into the following challenges;

Crafty Creations - Free for all
I Love Promarkers - Circles
Use It Tuesday - Emboss it (hoarded supplies - TH Tickets, balloon brad)
Truly Madly Crafty - Animals
Sir Stampalot Challenge - Crafty Passion (Promarkers, cuttlebug, corner punches)



Saturday 14 July 2012

So Distressing!



New crafty stash alert!!!!

I have been trying out my new duster brushes from inkylicious and the craftwork cards alphabet stamp set for stamping on candi - genius idea!!


I am battling with male cards and a good friend gave me a couple of these timepiece stamps to play with. I distressed the layers with tea dye and frayed burlap and added a bit of tuxedo black to the bottom layer as it was the same colour as the cardstock. I have used 'chips' candi which is basically plain cardboard candi that you can colour/dye etc whatever colour you want - I used tea dye. I then stamped 'Good Times' onto the candi with tuxedo black. Hmm maybe not a bad start , what do you think?



I had another go this time with a black timepiece and tumbled glass and some masking tape which I haven't had that long but seems to have lost it's stick!

I can't decide which I like best, which one do you prefer??


I will be entering these cards into the following Challenge;

Top Tip Tuesday - 1 for the Men



Hope your Saturday is going well


Friday 13 July 2012

Dog of the Week

This week it is the turn of Hero!


How could you resist that handsome face???


If you would like to take this gorgeous boy home with you please contact Oxford Retired Greyhound Trust
If you would like to make a donation to this very deserving Trust
  please make a bank transfer to

 Oxford RGT – Account No 00515200  -  Sort Code  30-12-51
or send a cheque to Oxford RGT
c/o 
Oxford Greyhound Stadium, Sandy Lane, Cowley, OX4 6LJ
  Any donations would be greatly appreciated.
 

Monday 9 July 2012

Charity Cards

I am selling cards at work for £1 each to raise money for my local Retired Greyhound Trust

This is a batch I made last weekend


The stamp is a pink petticoat one that came free with a magazine. I have coloured them with promarkers.

I will be entering this card into the following challenges;

Make it Monday



If you would like to take this gorgeous boy home with you please contact Oxford Retired Greyhound Trust
If you would like to make a donation to this very deserving Trust
  please make a bank transfer to
 Oxford RGT – Account No 00515200  -  Sort Code  30-12-51
or send a cheque to Oxford RGT
c/o 
Oxford Greyhound Stadium, Sandy Lane, Cowley, OX4 6LJ
  Any donations would be greatly appreciated.



Saturday 7 July 2012

Spotty Snowflake



Yes it's a Christmas card but is is July!! I realised I don't use my dies as much or as well as I could so I came up with this very simple idea yesterday!



I found some spotty paper I had in my stash and added a Craftwork Cards Sentiments and silver nailheads (also from stash).


I really like the simple effect...hope you do too!


I will be entering this card into the following challenges;

Annabelle Stamps - Snowflakes
Crafty Catz - Spots
Ladybug Crafts - Christmas in July
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes



Hope you are having a good Saturday and staying out of the rain!!



Friday 6 July 2012

Dog of the Week

We have another gorgeous boy for you this week - Billy !!


Billy is one of our "gentle giants" weighing in at 36 kilos he has a very loving nature and is very laid back - clean within the Kennels      Billy has had 64 races and last raced in April 2010.  Has not been tested with domestic dogs or cats



If you would like to take this gorgeous boy home with you please contact Oxford Retired Greyhound Trust
If you would like to make a donation to this very deserving Trust
  please make a bank transfer to

 Oxford RGT – Account No 00515200  -  Sort Code  30-12-51
or send a cheque to Oxford RGT
c/o 
Oxford Greyhound Stadium, Sandy Lane, Cowley, OX4 6LJ
  Any donations would be greatly appreciated.
 

Sunday 1 July 2012

Ready-Teddy-Go July Challenge





Can you tell what it is yet??

Up, up and away...

I'm sure you all love balloons as much as I do but there are many more possibilities!
Take a peek at the rest of the Dt's projects!!

Of course we want to see a teddy bear on your project as well :)


This gorgeous Digi is from StampFairy and is called Barry Balloons 2.

Coloured with Promarkers
White gel pen
Border Punch by Martha Stewart
Nesties


Yum! love these papers! They remind me of strawberry and pistachio ice cream :)

Kraft Card by Stampin Up!
Ribbons and Pearls from stash
Papers by First Edition 'Summer Breeze'



This month's sponsors are the wonderful MeiFlower


and this is the yummy prize you could win!



Can't wait to see what you all come up!



I will be entering this card into the following Challenges;

Charisma Cardz - Anything Goes
I Love Promarkers - Anything Goes
Craft Your Days Away - Teddy Bears (winner)
Creatalicious Challenge- Anything Goes
TotallyPaperCrafts - Use a Digi
The Paper Shelter - Punches and Dies
Creative Inspiration - Anything Goes
Digital Tuesday - Amazing Animals