Sketch Saturday #24

I’m well and truly into making my Christmas card orders now and for this card I’ve used this weeks template from Sketch Saturday


Here's my card


Card – Craft Creations, Creative Hammer Embossed,
Patterned Papers – Basic Grey Fruit Cake
Inks – Tsukineko Staz-On & Encore
Pencils – Prisma Color
Rubber Stamps – Fun Stamps (Choirboy), Elusive Images Christmas Flourish Plate (Greeting), Rubber Stamp Tapestry (Holly & Ivy)
Glitter Glue – Stickles
Embossing Folder – Cuttlebug D’vine Swirl
Embossing Powder – Stampendous Detail Gold

Sparkle & Bling

It’s Dottie and George week over at the Daring Cardmakers and not only do we have a wonderful sponsor, we have a Sparkle & Bling theme too.

This week its Jozza's turn for the Dare and as its Fireworks week here in the UK she has gone all sparkly - so the brief was lots of bling!!

We are sponsored this week by Louise Brigden (the designer of Dottie and George plus a whole host of other fabulous images) and Charmed cards and Crafts (the shop who sell the downloadable images).

I‘ve never used the Dottie and George images before and I have to say it was impressed. They were fun to use and printed out so well. Not only that, you get a choice of coloured or uncoloured imaged to print, so if you’re feeling lazy all the hard work is already done for you.


The dare was very timely for me because I needed to make a card for a friend who was leaving work to have her baby, so Dottie came in very handy indeed.
The problem was I made the card, took some photos, then gave her the card and pressie and then remembered, after it had gone, that I hadn’t given the card the sparkly, bling finish needed for the dare.........So now I needed to make another card.

As Christmas cards are firmly on my mind at present I decided to go with the Dottie and Snowman image which I coloured with Prisma Pencils, cut out and decoupage onto my card.

It also gave me the opportunity to bring out the lovely Artylicious Season’s Greetings CD by Glenda Waterworth to print my backing paper.
There was a fair bit of embossing, chalking and glittering going on here too although my glitter doesn’t really show up that well in the photo……….I promise you it’s there’s………..in no less than four colours.

I may as well give you a glimpse of the first card I made. For this I used one of the precoloured images of Dottie.


Card – Craft Creations Creative Hammer
Patterned Papers – Artylicious Season’s Greetings CD, DCWV Baby Stack
Images – Dottie Downloads
Dies – Sizzlits Nouveau Alphabet, Nestabilities
Embossing Folders – Cuttlebug Snowflakes, Cool Round Snowflake,
Punches – Xcut Snowflakes
Glitter – Stickles
Chalks – Pebbles Inc. I kan’dee
Flowers – Prima

Other BitsFibres
Brads
Ribbon

Craft Stamper

I’ve been buying this magazine for a few years now and aspire to create work as beautiful as the samples that they show each month……alas, I have a long way to go but it always inspires to keep trying.

The great news about this mag is that they have just started a Blog to complement it and as a celebration they have this blog candy up for grabs.


They also have a great subscription gift in the magazine this month……some wonderful PaperArtsy stamps.

Papertake - Simply Sparkling

Another of the birthday cards I had to make was done with this weeks Papertake challenge in mind.

This weeks challenge was inspired by all the bonfire and fireworks displays there have been lately! lol Simply sparkling - glitter, gems, or anything that is simply sparkling or along a bonfire/fireworks theme!

No rubber stamping for me this time ……..I’ve decided to play with my Sizzix Flower Parts set and the new Leaf Embossing folder that Lythan brought me for my birthday.

Oh, I've just realised I lied…….my greeting is rubber stamped……..I forgot about that!

You’ll notice that I’ve embossed the flower petals to give them some texture and the matt that the flower is assembled on was embossed with the leaf folder and then I ran an ink pad across the top the highlight the design.

Card – Craft Creations Creative Hammer Embossed
Patterned Paper – Crate Paper Cow Girl Collection
Rubber Stamp – Stamps Away greeting
Inks – Ranger Distress Ink, ColorBox Fluid Chalk
Pen – Staedtler Triplus Fineliner
Glitter Glue - Stickles

Other BitsRibbons
Gem
Eyelet

CPS #89

I’ve finally finished making all the birthday cards I need to take me to the end of the year, so unless I get anymore special orders I can concentrate on Christmas stuff from now on.

This is one of the birthday cards I made using the template from CPS


I started by inking over my card blank with Distress ink and then going over it a second time with a brayer.


The patterned paper panels have been embossed in a couple of different Cuttlebug embossing folders to add some texture and the car image had been stamped and embossed twice onto a piece of the patterned paper and then cut out and decoupaged.

Card – Craft Creations Kaskad
Patterned Papers – Basic Grey Archaic Collection
Inks – Ranger Distress Ink, Anna Griffin Pigment Ink
Embossing Powder – Fun Stamps Clear
Rubber Stamps – Fun Stamps V. W. Beetle, Stamps Away greeting

Other BitsBrads
Eyelets
Fibres

Sketch Saturday #23

Another card made for the order that I’ve recently received and I’ve used yet another template.

This one’s from Sketch Saturday and it’s Coco’s first ever sketch. I have to say, she’s done a good job because I really did enjoy working from it and I’m sure that I’ll use it again.


Here’s my card……but be warned……it’s bright.


I think the construction of the card speaks for it’s self but I was having great problems sorting out what type of greeting to use.
Sometime I stamp them and other times I like to design and print them on my computer but in the end I decided to do something I’ve not done for a long time…….stamp directly onto the ribbon using Staz-On.


Card – Craft Creations, Creative Hammer Embossed, Bazzill Bling
Patterned Papers – Basic Grey Color Me Silly
Inks – Tsukineko Staz-On
Pencils – Prisma Color
Rubber Stamps – Stamps Away (Boy) Line Dots Alpha’s
Paint – Pébéo 3D Gloss Touch

Other BitsBrads
Photo Anchor’s
Ribbon

I love the template from Papertake this week and thought I would use it for a very special birthday card I’ve been asked to make.

I had in mind to use my lovely Penny Black Lily stamp but when I started to look didn’t really have any patterned papers in the yellow and Orange shades that I needed for it. Then I remembered the ‘Now That’s Funky’ DC I brought from Funky Hand little while back and managed to find the perfect colours in the Sunrise collection.
Instead of printing the paper and sticking it to card as I would usually do I decided to have a go printing directly onto the card. I was really pleased with the results especially as it was printed onto a hammer effect card and as an added bonus, it made the card look posh because the back has the pattern on it too!

To go over the top of this I made a matt by putting some cream card through my Cuttlebug in an embossing folder and gave it a quick swipe with an ink pad to emphasize the design.



Card – Craft Creations Creative Hammer Embossed
Patterned Paper – Funky Hand CD printed directly onto card
Inks – Color Box Fluid Chalks, Versa Magic Chalk, Adirondack Dye Pad
Rubber Stamps –Penny Black Brush Lily, Whispers Words Greeting

Other BitsRibbons
Buttons
Stick on pearls
Peal Off Borders

CPS #88

I just managed to get this card made using the template from CPS before they do a new one tomorrow. One day I will shock you all and get it done on the same day as it's launched but I wouldn't hold your breath if I were you, Lol!

I've used my Penny Black Critter Party stamps again for this card.

When I brought them I was worried that I wouldn't use them very much because they are quite small but I really love them and think I may get some of the other sets that they make.

Card – Craft Creations Kaskad
Patterned Papers – Crate Paper Birdie Collection
Inks – Tsukineko, Black Staz-On. Ranger Distress Ink
Rubber Stamps – Penny Black Critter Party (Image & Greeting)
Pencils – Prisma Color Pencils
Pen – Uniball Signo Metallic Gel Pen
Die Cuts – Crate Paper Brackets

Other Bits
Brads
Dunelm Blooms

Dust Off Those Broomsticks!

Well, it’s the last day of October (surly it can’t be already!) and we all know what that means don’t we?

It’s Halloween!

I don’t usually make any themed cards for this but Rachel has set a dare for us Daring Cardmakers this week with Halloween in mind so it’s a good reason to break a habit of a lifetime.

Scaredy Pants!!

We couldn't really choose any other theme could we!!!!!So what we would like to challenge you with today is producing something with a Halloween theme - it can be a card or something else (well not everyone sends Hallowe'en cards do they!) so bags, boxes, lanterns or whatever!!!

I must admit that I love the Oranges and Brown colours that seen to be associated the All Hallows Eve and it’s given me the opportunity to use up some papers that I’ve had laying around for ages.




The Pumpkin and Cobwebs have been stamped directly onto some of the patterned papers, then cut them out and mounted onto the card.


Card – Craft Creations Creative Cover (Brown)
Patterned Papers – DCWV Earth Mat Stack
Inks – Tsukineko, Black Staz-On.
Rubber Stamps –Tanda, Mini Halloween Set 2

Other BitsBrads
Fibres
Button

Sketch Saturday #22

I know I’ve said this before but it’s away a great help to have a template to work from when you need to make several cards in quick succession. I’ve gone with the template from Sketch Saturday

Instead of a square I decided to go with a standard A6 card but I still think the template works well. It was also a good opportunity to use up some of my older papers and Prima Flowers that I don’t use so often now.

Card – Craft Creations, Creative Cover, DCWV Textured Mat Stack
Patterned Papers – K&Co Brenda Walton Scrapbook Designer Paper Pad
Inks – Tsukineko, Black Staz-On, ColorBox Fluid Chalk
Pencils – Prisma Color
Rubber Stamps – Rhonna Farrer Flower Stems, Whispers Words Happy Birthday
Glitter Glue – Stickles
Paint – Pébéo 3D Gloss Touch

Other Bits
Brads
Prima Flowers

Yah.........the front is finished!!

I’m pleased to report that my front garden is completely finished at long last.

The plants in the border went in a couple of weekends ago and I went straight out and brought some lovely Plum coloured slate to put down and help suppress the weeds. The trouble was I misjudged the amount I would need and had to go back for another three bags which I finally did yesterday.

As the sun is shining this morning I thought it would be a good opportunity to get out and finish it all off.

This is the mess it was in before the work was done

And this is how it looks now.

My second post today and this time it’s with this weeks template from Di Hickman’s Blog.


I love Di’s templates and have done quite a few of them in the past but because I don’t always managed to do them for the week of the challenge I don’t always post them on my blog.

The good news is that I’ve actually succeeded in doing this one on time so I thought I would pop it on here for a change.

I decided to turn the template around on its side to do my card and yet again I’ve one of my new Penny Black stamps from the Critter Party set because they are so cute.

Card – Craft Creations, Creative Cover.
Patterned Papers – Blonde Moments, Sugar Dumpling
Inks – Tsukineko, Black Staz-On.
Pencils – Prisma Color
Rubber Stamps – Penny Black Critter Party (image and sentiment)
Glitter Glue - Stickles

Other BitsBrads
Fibres
Ribbon

Button

Sketch This, Cards #72

I’ve been working on a couple of orders today and used a couple of the template challenges to help me along my way.

This is the template from Sketch This

And here’s my card.
I’ve used a couple more of the new stamps that I brought when I was at the Ally Pally Stamp & Scrapbooking show a few weeks back and thought I'd have a go at colouring them in using Distress Inks. I was fairly pleased with my first attempt because the colours come out quite intense.
I think I need to practise thought because if you look too close you'll see it's a little patchy.........still we all have to have a first go and I'm hopeful that the next attempt will look better!

Card – Craft Creations, Creative Cover.
Patterned Papers – Crate Paper, Taylor Collection
Inks – Tsukineko, Black Staz-On. Ranger Distress Ink in Faded Jeans, Tattered Rose, Antique Linen & Peeled Paint
Pen – Staedtler Triplus Fineliner in Black
Rubber Stamps – Stamps Away, Dude & Happy Birthday

Other Bits
Brads
Fibres
Ribbon

DCM - Forever Autumn

Does this ring a bell with anyone?

The summer sun is fading as the year grows old,

and darker days are drawing near,

the winter winds will be much colder,

now you're not here.

I watch the birds fly south across the autumn sky

and one by one they disappear

I wish that I was flying with them,

now you're not here

It’s the words to the Justin Haywood song Forever Autumn, from the War of the Worlds.

Not a song you hear very often I grant you but I was working in my craft room the other day and it came on the radio. I just couldn’t get the song out of my mind after that so I decided that I would make Forever Autumn the theme for the dare over at the Daring Cardmakers blog this week, seeing as it is my turn to set the challenge.

Forever Autumn.

I decided on this one after hearing the Justin Haywood song of the same name playing on the radio. I couldn’t get it out of my mind and kept singing it as I was working.

So now I’m daring you to make a card that depicts Autumn.
It can be an Autumn scene or it can be something completely different but using a palette of Autumn colours……the choice is yours!
I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if a few of you are singing along by the time you’ve finished either, I know some of the DT were!

I thought I would make this a double dare and use the template that Kathy gave us for the Little Extra on Tuesday seeing as I hadn't had a go at it this week.
Card – Craft Creations Embossed Linen.
Patterned Papers – My Mind’s Eye, Signature Suite.
Inks – Tsukineko, Black Staz-On. Ranger Distress Ink in Peeled Paint, Antique Linen, Vintage Photo, Dried Marigold & Work Lipstick.
Pen – Staedtler Triplus Fineliner in Brown

Pigments - Ranger Perfect Pearls in Forever Green & Forever Red. Blonde Monents Pearl Pigments in Festive Gold
Rubber Stamps – Penny Black Critter Party clear stamps. Blonde Moments, Sweet Celebrations
Punches- Personal Impressions Oak Leaf. Larger Leaf unknown

Other BitsBrads
Fibres

I bet you all must have been thinking that I’ve left home.......................Well I’m sorry to disappoint you…no such luck. Lol!

As it happens I’ve been ill again and came down with that horrible virus that seems to be doing the rounds at the moment. It really knocked me for six and I've been in no fit state to craft. Even now, a week later, I’m still suffering from some of the symptoms but at least I feel ready to bring out my paints and have a go at this week dare from the Daring Cardmakers.

I hate not having something ready for the Friday launch and especially this week as we celebrate our 2nd birthday.

I’ve not been on the team from the start but I can remember as clearly as if it were yesterday the day the first ever card making challenge blog hit the World Wide Web. Little did I realize then that I would be asked to join the design team and be a part of this great challenge blog that's gone from strength to strength over the last two years. I love looking at everyones creations each week and I always try and leave as many comments as I can so that you know I/we appreciate your efforts…..after all, without all of you we wouldn’t be celebrating 2 great years, would we!

Anyway, on to this weeks dare. As I said my card wasn’t ready for the Friday launch so I’ve had to slip it in under the radar and it’s on the DCM blog now.

It was Rhi’s turn to set the dare for us.

Paint the Town........

red, green, sky blue pink with yellow dots on, or any colour you fancy, with acrylics, H2Os or watercolours, with brushes, sponges or splatters. We don't mind, as long as you use paint on your cards. So have some fun with the DCM and get Painty this week.

I decided to have a bit of play with some Twinkling H2O’s

and started by making my own background paper.
I pained three different shades onto some cling film and then scrunched it all together to mix the colours up a bit. I then flattened it out again and laid my paper over the top and pressed down firmly, spreading the paint across the paper. I love the different effects it creates.

My Fuchsia image is also stamped with Twinkling H2O’s

Card – Bazzill & Craft Creations
Inks – Twinkling H2O’s
Rubber Stamps – Penny Black Brush Fuchsia
Other Bits
Stickles Glitter Glue
Ribbon
Brad

While I was messy and covered in more paint than was on the card I decided to do another, this time in shades of Blue.
I stamped two images with my new Vine Flourish stamp from Scrappy Cat and painted them with the H2O’s and then cut one of the images into small squares. I then chalked all around the edges before arranging then on the card and added some doodling.

DCM – Gotta Wear Shades

There’s not much that puts the wind up me but I have to say that Lythan’s dare for the Daring Cardmakers this week is very, very scary indeed.

This week your challenge is to be
Bright!Clashy is good, hot colours are good, anything super duper bright is good too.
If you want to double dare then why not use the sketch that Vanessa made for her marvellous mid week dare?

I brought my papers a couple of week back, knowing what Lythan had in store for us but although Lavender and Turquoise happen to be my favorite colours, the patterns on the papers are way, way out of my comfort zone. Still, not to be beaten I’ve given it my best shot and this is that I’ve come up with.

In your face, or what?

I started by covering the base card with one of the papers and adding some doodling to the lines in the pattern to make them stand out. Then I got a bit carried away and added some small circles and dots as well.

The flowers were cut from another of the papers in the collection and I’ve stamped and glittered parts of them before attaching them to the card with 3D foam.

Papers – Pink Martine Designs ‘Flirtini’ collection
Inks – Ranger Distress Ink ‘Dusty Concord’, ColorBox Fluid Chalk
Rubber Stamps – Rubber Stamp Tapestry Pegs
Cutting Dies – Sizzix ‘Skittle Dee Do’ Alphabet,
Other BitsStickles Glitter Glue
Staedtler Triplus Fineliner Pen

Tanda Teaser - Just For You

I’ve just been sitting here in my craft room and watching as the builders put the finishing touches to my front garden. At the start of the week I really thought they would be hindered by bad weather as the forecast was for wind and rain but we’ve been so lucky and the garden is almost finished. Mind you, I’ve not been idly gazing out of my window….no….I’ve been busy making a card for this weeks Tanda Teaser

It also gave me the chance to have a little play with my barging PSX stamp that I brought on eBay last week. It’s a beautiful little Camellia which I’ve stamped onto Vellum and dry embossed from the back after colouring the image.



Papers – Crate Paper (Twirl)
Inks & Pencil – Color Box Fluid Chalks, Whispers Dye Based, Prisma Color Pencils
Stamps –Camellia- PSX, Border & Flowers - Rubber Stamp Tapestry, Just For You - Unknown
Embossing Powder –Fine Detail Gold

Other bits
Ribbon
Eyelets

DCM - What a Lot of Scallops!

I’ve had a couple of really hectic days one way or another and completely forgot that it was DCM day yesterday. It’s a good job that my card was ready to go and one of the girls (thanks Keryn) popped it on the Daring Cardmakers blog for me.

I say they were hectic days….it was more a case of a lot of running about really.
Thursday was the usual food shop with my dad and then in the afternoon I was at the hospital about my knee.
You may remember me mentioning back in July that I had done something to it and that I’ve been hobbling about on it ever since. Well an appointment to see the specialist eventually came through and it appears that I may have damaged the cartilage somehow. If that’s the case it will most likely mean an op but he can’t be sure until I have an MRI scan so it’s now back to the waiting game for the scan appointment to come through.

Then yesterday it was back to the same hospital, but this time for my dad.
He’s managed to break his hearing aid and a piece keeps falling off……not a big problem in itself you might think but because he has very little sight he can’t find the bit when he drops it. They are going to repair it for him and have also decided he will benefit if he has another hearing aid for his other ear so this is now being sorted out and we have to wait for yet another appointment to come through.

Yesterday afternoon was fun though….I was a lady that lunches!


Anyway, more to the point………my DCM card for this week.

It was Keryn’s turn to set the dare and here’s what she said:-

I'm just loving all the new scallop punches that are out at the moment, circles, ovals, squares, edges etc, etc and then there's the corner rounder and slit punches that can be used to scallop edges as well.Use your imagination, your scallop punches, your corner rounders, your cricuts and cuttlebugs to create any card to fit any style as long as it shows scallops.

I guess I could have used my Craft Robo to cut the scallops for my card but I was being lazy and couldn’t be bothered to set it up so I just decided to cut them by hand, following the pattern on the paper.

I’ve used Cream Hammer card stock for the base of my card, run a speckled brayer over it twice using two different colours and then added the larger stamped spots. The stamps I used for the spots are actually meant to be flower centers but I think they work well for this sort of thing…..very versatile me thinks!
Papers - Tres Jollie ‘Tres Bien’
Inks & Pens – Color Palette Pigment Ink (Celadon & Cinnamon) - Ranger Distress Ink (Vintage Photo) Staedtler Fineliner (Brown)
Stamps - Blonde Moments ‘Just Plain Dotty’- Fiskars Speckled Brayer Roller
Cutting Dies – Sizzix Hunky Dory Alphabet - Sizzlets Owl
Embossing Folder – Cuttlebug Number Collage

Other bits
Ribbon
Large Brads

Sketch This - Cards #69

Yet another challenge card from me today but it’s not been easy working in my craft room with the builders working right outside my window………I’m in the process of having my front block paved.

Some years ago when I started getting problems with my hip I had it crazy paved to save a lot of gardening. Then there was a problem with parking on our shared drive and I was forced to park on the front but the trouble with that was it was never reinforced to take the weight of the car. In time it all started to break up and the weeds took over. ….it looked a right mess.


I finally decided to get it sorted out as the longer it was left the worse it was getting.
They started on Monday when the weather was still quite fine here, so they made a good start.

Yesterday wasn’t so good because they were dodging the showers and the garden looked like this when they left.
We’re now into day three and it’s beginning to take shape.
Hopefully, weather permitting; they will start laying the blocks tomorrow.
Anyway, while they’ve been crashing and banging about outside my window, I’ve been very industrious and made a few cards but I can only show you the one I’ve made with the new template from Sketch This at the moment.
I’m trying hard to use up some of my old papers and dragged out the remains of the Rhapsody collection from 3 Bugs in a Rug.
StampsHappy Birthday Round – Stamps Away
Light the Night – Penny Black
Tiny Flowers – Tapestry Stamps

Other bits and bobs
Ribbon
Stickles Glitter Glue
Ribbon Slide

Papertake #31

I thought it was about time that I had another little go at a Papertake Weekly template, seeing as I’ve not done one for a little while.

At this time of year I always struggle for ideas because my two brothers have birthdays within a week of each other and in between is one brother’s wedding anniversary. I end up having to make three different birthday cards for each brother and two anniversary cards so it’s not in the least bit surprising that I run out of inspiration. The same thing happens at the end of June with my Dad’s birthday and Father’s Day the following weekend but in some ways this is worse because I have to do six different cards….all for Dad.

Anyway, I decided it would help matters along a bit if I used Katharina’s template and here’s my creation.

I’ve used ‘Crate’ papers from the Hampton Collection and some Bazzill card stock for the paper pieced computer, all edged with ‘Faded Jeans’ Distress Ink.

The Happy Birthday stamp is one that I brought at the stamp show at the weekend and is made by Stamps Away. ‘Brother’ is stamped using Line Dots Alpha stamps and both have been stamped in the same Distress Ink.

My card was finished off with some ribbon, a photo anchor, small brad and some faux stitching.

Thanks for looking.

Alexandra Palace - The Big Stamp & Scrapbooking Show

I had a wonderful day on Saturday at the The Big Stamp & Scrapbooking Show that was on at the Alexandra Palace last week end.

The ticket to the show and some crafty purchases were a birthday pressie from my lovely friend Lythan. The two of us spent all day admiring all the lovely goodies that they had on offer and we both came home with some nice new things…….lots in my case!
I went with the intension of buying some new rubber stamps because I’ve had most of mine for ages and I’m getting quite fed up with keep using the same ones over and over.

We also made a point of stopping by the Scrap Revolution stand to say 'Hi' to our friend Sue who was working her tiny socks off, poor love.


Anyway, today is the first chance I’ve had to try out some of my new stamps and here’s the card I made.



I’ll own up and admit that the card is not my own design but a near copy of a card on the Lavinia Stamps gallery, mind you; it’s no where as good as their's.
I’ve never tried making a card with this much brayering on before so I hope I can be excused for the blatant copy on this occasion.


This brayering technique is something that I’ve wanted to have a go at for a little while, in fact ever since Lythan pointed me in the direction of Michelle Zindorf’s blog. If you’ve never seen her work you’ve no idea what you’re missing. Her cards are perfect little works of art…..simply stunning.

As we were walking around the show on Saturday there was a lady on the Lavinia Stamps stand giving a demonstration. She made it look so easy so I came away with three of their silhouette stamps, three new ink pads and the intension of giving it a go. With hindsight I should have also brought a new smooth brayer too because mine is only a tiny one and it proved pretty useless.

I can’t believe that another week has flown by, here we are at Friday again and of course you know what that means, I’m sure.

It’s dare day with the Daring Cardmakers.

Jo here this week.... My Majestic theme is quite a simple one.... I would like you to incorporate a Crown (or Tiara) somewhere upon your card!

I can’t say that crowns or tiaras are things that I use a lot so I had fun trying to find a way to make one of them fit in with look of my cards.

In the end I went for all things circular……..all except for the crown that is!



The papers are all from the DCWV Black and White Prints stack with some doodling added for effect.

I hand cut the little crown from a sheet of thin Silver metal, inked the edges with Black Staz-On and added some embossing with my Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder.

I cut various sized circles using my Nestability dies, inked the edges with Black Soot Distress Ink and embellished a couple of them with screw head type brads before layering them onto a piece of Black card that had also been embossed, this time using the Dots & Spots embossing folder.


I finally added the text.
‘My Prince’ is stamped with Black Staz-On using the Line Dot alpha stamps that came with an old Scrap Goods Kit and the circular greeting is from the Funky Hand, greetings sheet that I printed out for last weeks dare. I’ve inked the edges with Distress Ink and added a spiral clip, ribbon and a brad.

Who's in your Garden?

I was standing at my sink in the kitchen, washing up a little while ago and thinking what a lovely day it’s turned out to be……..the sun is shining, although it’s getting a little cooler now.

While I was looking out of the window I had a few little visitors to my bird feeder.

First was this little Blue Tit

who came and sat on the fence directly in front of me and then this cute Robin.
I was always under the impression that Robins were ground feeders but this chap has taken to eating from the feeder……well when he can get anywhere near it that is. I say that because I also keep getting visits from this little fellow.
I know that people say the squirrels are vermin and that you shouldn’t encourage them but I’m of the opinion that they are only doing what comes naturally and if we make it easy for them then why shouldn’t they help themselves.

Mind you, having said that, Mr squirrel isn’t my best friend at the moment. Bo my cat chases him if he sees him and I think they have had a couple of rucks. The night before last Bo came in with what looked like a burst abscess. I took him to the vets and sure enough he had been bitten……..most likely by the squirrel.
The vets trip cost me an extortionate £80 for antibiotics and pain meds, but what I was most upset about was that it was money I had put aside to spend at the Alexandra Palace Stamp and Scrap show this coming Saturday.

60,000 blog hits

No, not me.......

I’ve just been doing a bit of a catch up, looking around all the blogs that I like to stalk and noticed that Sheila, better know as Manic Stamper, has reached a great milestone on her blog…….over 60,000 hits….how amazing is that.

To celebrate, Sheila is offering not one but two lovely lots of blog candy, so get over there if you want to be in with a chance of winning. Mind you, while your there don’t forget to have a look at her amazing work.