SNG - Journal Pages .....

...  Good morning!  It's the last day of December and, once again, I can't quite believe just how fast this year has gone by.  It's my pleasure to host the last post of the year over at Sparkle and Glitter.  It is rather bittersweet too - it's my last post as a member of Rick St Dennis's Elite Design Team.  I had the great good fortune to be picked to join Rick's EDT last year and I've had such fun creating with Rick's fabulous images.  I've made cards and I've made journal pages.  Today, I'm signing off with a couple of journal pages featuring Rick's wonderful women.  Here's the first page:

Stamps: Rick St Dennis Digi - Bearded Lady; Dylusions - Further Round the Edge, Graphic Backgrounds, Basic Backgrounds; Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz - Way With Words; Uniko - English Country Garden
Inks: Dylusions Sprays; Archival - Jet Black, Leaf Green, Forget Me Not, Rose Madder
Accessories: Dylusions Large Journal; Wink of Stella - various; Signo White Pen; Copic Markers; Glitter; Stencils - Various; Glossy Accents

I created the background page at one of our Kitchen Roll Sprayers club meeting.  I love the colours and the ghosted pattern which I thought would be a perfect background for the Bearded Lady.  I printed the image on white card, coloured her with Copic markers (this is the second one - see below), cut her out and added glitter, Wink of Stella and Glossy Accents.  I think this is a wonderful image - she's a beautiful women (wish I had her figure), she's elegant, she's brave and she has a beard!  I think the sentiment I used is perfect with the image.  She's no circus clown, she's gorgeous. Here's a close up of the finished image:

For my second page I picked one of Rick's fabulous Morning Goddess images:

Stamps: Rick St Dennis Digi - Morning Goddess BathTime Burlesque; Dylusions - Inbetweenies; Your Next Stamp - Whatnot Sentiments One
Inks: Dylusions Sprays; Archival - Jet Black, Leaf Green, Forget Me Not, Rose Madder
Accessories: Dylusions Large Journal; Wink of Stella - various; Signo White Pen; Copic Markers; Glitter; Stencils - Various; Glossy Accents

The background was created at a club meeting.  I think the stencilled circles and hexagons look a bit like bunting, balloons, party confetti, which is just right for this image.  I love her.  She's a full-figured women (wish I had her figure too!) who just loves to party! And she's a bit of a cat-lady too.  Once again I printed the image on white card, coloured with Copic markers, cut her out, added Wink of Stella, glitter and Glossy Accents.  I got some new stamps yesterday and I think this sentiment is brilliant and goes so well with her.  She is quite unique.  Here's a close-up of the image - taken at a bit of an angle to try and show the sparkle in her jewellery - I added Wink of Stella before applying the Glossy Accents and in real-life the gems shimmer!

I'll be adding both these pages to my journal soon.  Now, the reason this post is a bit late (sorry guys, I did it again) is because I tore the first completed image of the Bearded Lady.  I run my images through a Xyron to make them self-adhesive, but I didn't realise that I was at the end of the roll and the image tore - the air was blue!!!!!!  I was so cross.  Fortunately I was up silly early this morning and had time to do another image.  Here's what's left of the first one!!

Both these gorgeous ladies are available at Rick's Zibbet shop along with many of their beautiful, fun, quirky and elegant friends!

I am very sad to be leaving Rick's EDT, but there's lots going on at Chez Frings this year - can't say much yet, but it involves moving.  So I'll have a lot less time to craft and play!  I'd like to thank Rick for asking me to join the team and thanks also to my team mates - it's been wonderful!  And you'll still see me about.  That's all for now.  I hope everyone has a fun filled New Year's Eve!!  See you soon.

All I want for Christmas ....

.... is you!  Hello!   I hope that you all had a great day yesterday.  It's Boxing Day today - something that is celebrated in the UK and former British colonies.  It used to be when employees got a "Christmas Box" from their bosses - not so much now!  It is however another fun day being spent with family.

Today I'm sharing the card that I made for my wonderful husband, Jonathan.  He's an amazing man - great dad, friend, partner, supporter and my love!  Here's the card:

Stamps:  Dylusions - Shrooms, Seasonal Christmas Set; Stampin' Up! - Christmas Messages
Inks: Memento - Tuxedo Black; SU - Real Red, Crumb Cake
Dies: Waltzingmouse - Stitched Tag, Folding Tag
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Kaisercraft DP - Home for Christmas; Copic Markers, Raffia

I had fun with this card.  I used a few challenges in the design.  Merry Monday - MM#185 want to see boots on the card - done.  I've used the layout from Mojo Monday - MOJO#428.  And, of course, the theme at The Male Room - TMR#25-15 is masculine Christmas.

I used several different papers to cover the card.  I stamped Santa's (Jonathan's) boots on white card, coloured them with Copic markers and cut them out.  I die cut a couple of stitched tags.  I stamped a tree, some holly, a heart and Ho Ho Ho on the tag in the background, and on the foreground tag I stamped the sentiment - which continues inside the card.  I used a mat of design paper and on the white panel added another tree and some parcels.

And that's all from me today!  Bye for now.

Merry Christmas ...

... to all my family and friends.  I hope that wherever you are, you are safe and well and enjoying this festive period.  And to those friends who don't celebrate Christmas, have a great holiday period.

I took this photo in January this year at the Plymouth Ice Festival, Michigan - it seemed appropriate as I'm in Plymouth, Devon, UK at the moment.  No crafting today - just time spent with the family. Bye for now and see you soon.

Baby Boy Congrats ....

....  Morning!  It's Christmas Eve and we've been travelling all night to be with family.  As this post goes live, we should just about be arriving in Plymouth, Devon and no doubt we are all absolutely shattered, but excited too.

I made this card for Alyx's family as they had a new member arrive earlier this month - a baby brother for the three girls.  Kat asked me to make something special and here it is:

Stamps: Uniko - Sweet Baby; Waltzingmouse - Little Darling Sentiments
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Memento - Tuxedo Black
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Stampin' Up! Card - Real Red, Bashful Blue; SU DP - Bashful Blue; Copic Markers; Wink of Stella - Clear; Cuttlebug EF - Swiss Dots; Clear Embossing Powder

 I used a few challenges in this card:

• Inkspirational - INK#98 where the theme is BaH Humbug! Anything but Christmas
• Freshly Made Sketches - FMS#217
• Cupcake Inspirations Challenge - CIC#340 - I picked the colours

I have almost used up my supply of Bashful Blue card and design paper, but it is just the perfect colour to use for a baby boy card.  I stamped the little onsie on design paper, heat embossed with clear powder and carefully cut out it out.  I stamped the tiny bear on some white card, heat embossed with clear powder and coloured it with Copic markers.  I like the bold red bear.  I cut a panel of white card which I embossed with tiny dots and layered it on to some red card.  I finished the front with a simple, but heartfelt sentiment, on a blue strip of card.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of pale blue card and on the white panel added a greeting.  I also added a larger version of the red teddy.

It was lovely to take this card and a few welcome gifts over to the family before we left the States for Christmas.  It's going to be especially fun for them with the new baby.  That's all for now - take care.

Scary Creepmas - 12DOC ...

.... Hello.  It's Wednesday and only two more days to go before the big day!  It's also the last day of the 12 Days of Creepmas Blog Hop sponsored by Smeared Ink.  I hope you've enjoyed my venture into the odd mix of Halloween and Christmas that is Creepmas.  Our daughter, Kat, has loved all the cards that I've made and when she saw this image by Rick St Dennis, she just said "That's my Christmas card!!!  Love him!"  So, here is my final card, especially for our unique and much loved daughter, Kat:

Stamps: Rick St Dennis Digi - Creepmas Scary Creepmas; Uniko - Essentially Christmas; Paper Source - Joy & Cheer
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Real Red
Dies: Spellbinders - Lables 25 (S5-077) #5
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Kaisercraft DP - Holly Jolly; Copic Markers; Wink of Stella - Clear; Glossy Accents; Glitter

I have to admit that I love this creepy pumpkin Santa as much as Kat does.  I printed him on white card, coloured him with Copic markers and cut out the image with a die.  I added tinsel glitter to his hat, cuffs and collar.  I used a clear Wink of Stella brush on all the little Creepmas lights and then added Glossy Accents.  I covered the card with some bold red design paper featuring festive words and adhered the finished image directly on top.  On the inside I cut another piece of design paper and added a simple greeting and some stars.  I'm submitting this card to the current Colour Throwdown Challenge - CTD#373 where they want any Christmas card, and this really is a Christmas card, in any colours.  I'm also submitting this to Left of Centre - LOC#109/110 where it's Anything Goes.

Here's a close up of the finished image showing all the lovely sparkle and shimmer - I took this photo a few days ago - when it was much brighter!

And here's the link to all those taking part in the 12 Days of Creepmas Blog Hop.  It's been such fun playing along and I hope you've enjoyed it too!

Fiona
Black Dragon
Susan R
Jessica
Suzi
Airless Chambers
Deborah
Susan S
Val
Sarah
Kat
Leigh
Lady Brayton
Sue

That's all for today - lots of Christmas preparations to do today!  See you soon.

Happy Birthday ....

.....  Morning!  It's silly warm here, in a relative way of course, and yesterday we had so much rain!!!  I've a birthday card to share with you this morning.  I made this for Kat's best friend, Alyx, who is 15 years old today.  I took Kat over to Alyx's place yesterday lunchtime and we don't get her back until this evening!!! Yea!!

Stamps: Sweet Pea Stamps Digi - Minerva by Enys Guerrero; Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz - Crazy Talk; Stampin' Up! - Endless Birthday Wishes
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black
Dies: Lil Inkers - Dual Stitched Rectangles #4
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Bazzill Card - Green; Copic Markers; Wink of Stella - Clear, Gold

Kat picked this image from my digital collection.  I got it from Sweet Pea Stamps (sadly now closed) and the artwork is by Enys Guerrero - I love her style.  I printed the image three times on white card.  I cut out one image using the stitched edge die.  I coloured the background on this image.  I coloured the other images and cut out layers Minerva as the middle layer and the roses as the top layer.  I used Copic markers and added lots of sparkle to the roses, the feather in her hat, and to the gold edges (see photos at the end of the post).  On the inside I cut a mat layer of green card and added a birthday cake image.  I left the panel blank as Kat wanted to write her own message.  I've based this card on the sketch over at Fusion - FUSION#45 - it is a loose take on the sketch!  Oh yes, I've also used the colours as inspiration!

Here are a couple of close-up photos of the sparkle:

We had a fun day on Sunday making Alyx's birthday present.  Kat wanted to create a personalised memory picture, I think she'd seen something on Pinterest (no idea where).  She collected lyrics from some of Alyx's favourite bands, got quote from some books and also Alyx's favourite quotes.  She finished by picking three photos of them.  We sized them to fit the Stampin' Up! heart punch and adhered them to a green background (Alyx's favourite colour).  We put the finished page in a simple black frame:

Kat gave this to Alyx yesterday when I took her over.  I'm pleased to say that Alyx was really pleased with the picture and the card!  That's all for today!

Merry Creepmas - 12DOC ...

....  Morning!  How are your holiday preparations going?  We're all getting quite excited here.  And it's lovely to have both Jonathan and Kat at home - we're all on our holiday.  It's also day 11 of the 12 Days of Creepmas, sponsored by Smeared Ink.  If you look at today's card really quickly, you might almost think it's entirely Christmas, but it isn't, check out the letters!!!

Stamps: Rick St Dennis Digi - Creepmas Bones; Memory Box - Dancing Snowflakes; Stampin' Up! - Endless Wishes; Paper Source - Joy & Cheer
Inks: Memento - London Fog; Stampin' Up! - Bashful Blue, Pistachio Pudding, Pretty in Pink
Dies: Die-namics - Zig-Zag Stitched Rectangle Stax #5
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Smoky Slate; Copic Markers; Glitter

I really like the soft pastel colours and all the sparkle on the large sentiment.  I printed it on white card, coloured with Copic markers and cut it out with a die.  I used a glue pen to go over all the letters, allowed it to get touch dry and then added glitter - lots of it!  I cut a panel of white card slightly smaller than the base and stamped the background image of snowflakes in soft grey.  I've adhered the sentiment panel flat to the card, so it's easy to post.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of pale grey card and on the white panel added a Christmas greeting and some pastel snowflakes.  I also took a close-up of the sparkle - so pretty!

Here's the blog roll for those playing along with the 12 Days of Creepmas:

Fiona
Black Dragon
Susan R
Jessica
Suzi
Airless Chambers
Deborah
Susan S
Val
Sarah
Kat
Leigh
Lady Brayton
Sue

Jonathan has a photo shoot today and Kat is off out with her friends.  So while I think I should be doing some housework, I'm not, I'm going to craft!!  Bye for now.

On our way home ....

....  Hello!  We spent yesterday travelling from Plymouth to Heathrow, along with many thousands of other people.  There were long traffic jams on the motorway, but we made it to our hotel, only a bit late.  Well, okay, maybe it was a couple of hours!  As this post goes live we will be on the plane on our way back to Detroit.  I'm so looking forward to being home.  It was a wonderful Christmas and so nice to see the family - just very short!  That's it for now - I hope to be back to normal service later this week!  Bye for now.

Happy Birthday .....

... Good morning!  It's a lovely, but rather cold, morning in Northville.  All the snow that fell on Friday night has melted away and we're going to be warmer in the next few days.  It does feel weird not to have snow on the ground!  Anyway, enough of that!

I'm here with a birthday card to show you - makes a change from the Christmas and Creepmas card that I've been making lately.

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - You're a Doll, Folk Art Labels #25; Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz - Crazy Talk
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Memento - Tuxedo Black; Stampin' Up! - Real Red
Dies: Waltzingmouse - You're a Doll
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Crumb Cake; SUDP - Lucky Limeade; Copic Markers; Wink of Stella - Clear; Cuttlebug EF - Diamonds in the Rough

 I've combined a number of challenges in this card:

• CASology - CAS#177 where the cue word is TOY - yes, a Russian Doll
• Colour Q - cQCc#321
• Less is More - LIM#255/256 - where the theme is HOMESPUN - I think she's simple and unsophisticated
• Sketch Saturday - SS#391 (an old sketch, but I didn't get chance to play along)

I cut a panel of kraft card, added a strip of dotty design paper and embossed it with an uneven pattern to give texture in some areas and not in others.  I stamped the Russian Doll on white card, coloured her with Copics and cut her out with the matching die.  I cut a number of extra dolls, glued them together, finishing with the coloured image on top.  I added lots of sparkle to the image with a clear Wink of Stella brush.  I used my MISTI to position and stamp the sentiment.  And finished the front of the card with a little folksy flower.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of kraft card and on the white panel stamped a tiny Russian Doll, some flowers and a greeting.

As the shine is shining I took a close-up of the Russian Doll so that you can see the lovely shimmer that you get from Wink of Stella brushes:

We are all enjoying the start of our Christmas holiday.  Yesterday we went to a photo shoot with the gorgeous Stephanie Smith - there were seven photographers and we had a fabulous time.  I've not edited the photos yet, but here's a sneak peek at one from yesterday:

And today, while Jonathan is out at another photo shoot with Stephanie, Kat and I are home chilling! I put the finishing touches to this card and Kat is catching up on some TV.  So nice to know that we don't have to get up early tomorrow and rush around - we can relax!!!  That's all for now, see you again tomorrow!