Marbled Birthday ....

... Morning! I'm sharing another birthday card today - this was totally inspired by the photo and sketch on the current Fusion challenge - FUSION#0620:

Stamps: Gina K - Birthday Greetings, Peite Patisserie; Concord & 9th - Marbled Turnabout
Inks: Gina K - Sea Glass, Black Amalgam; Memento - Summer Sky; Stampin' Up! - Smoky Slate; Delicata - Golden Glitz
Dies: Lil Inkers - Long & Skinny Rectangles
Accessories: White Card; SU Card - Smoky Slate; Nuvo - Clear Aquashimmer Brush

I'm also playing along with Seize the Birthday - STB#186 where it's either Anything Goes or for the kids, I've gone for AG.

The inspiration photo shows a lovely tiered cake with pretty marbled hexagons. I decided to concentrate on the marbling and used my MISTI and the turnabout stamp to echo the colours in the picture. I die cut some strips of white card and on the longer portions stamped some gold tiered cakes - picking up on the gold in the picture. I added a simple, bold greeting. On the inside, I cut a mat layer of grey card and had fun on the white panel by adding a fun sentiment and lots of cakes. These are the best cakes for me as they are entirely visual!!

That's all from me for today. The sun has come out and I'm off for my daily walk. See you tomorrow.

Happy Birthday ....

... Morning! Start of week 2 in our new world of staying at home. I started this card yesterday afternoon/evening - so nice to have light evenings!! Anyway, I finished it this morning. A much needed birthday card for my stash:

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Blessed Easter, Itty Bitty Banners, Happy Happenings
Inks: SU - Pumpkin Pie; Memento - Morocco; Gina K - Black Amalgam, Wild Dandelion
Dies: Die-namics - Wonky Stitched Circles Stax #4; SU - Bitty Banners
Accessories: White Card; SU Card - Mango Melody; Nuvo - Clear Aquashimmer Brush; Copic Markers

I'm playing along with Freshly Made Sketches - FMS#428 and Fab Friday - FABF#186 - such pretty colours.

One of my resolutions this year is to use my older stamps and this card has no new stamps at all. Mind, some of the stamps have only just been used 😁😀😁. I stamped the tulips on white card and coloured them with Copic markers. I used a fancy stitched die to cut out the flowers and adhered it to a panel of bright card and trimmed to size. I adhered it flat to the card base. I stamped the greeting on white card, used the matching die to cut it out and used dimensional pads to attach it. I added a touch of sparkle to the tulips with a clear aquashimmer brush - wish you could see it in the picture! On the inside, I cut a mat layer of the yellow card and on the white panel added a birthday greeting along with some more tulips.

I've finished in my craft room this morning. Now I'm off to sort out the utility room cupboard. It's one of those jobs that always gets put off until tomorrow. Well, now that I'm not allowed out, I can't put it off until tomorrow. Who knows, I might find some loo rolls 😀. This afternoon, Mum and I will be starting her new compost bin. So glad we got it, the local council have stopped garden rubbish collections, so we'll be able to compost it and get good stuff for the new garden. This lockdown is turning me into a gardener! How did that happen?

See you tomorrow.

Make Tea ....

... Good afternoon! I hope your morning has been going well. I've been out for my walk - I'm up to 2½ miles now, it's lovely to hear the birds sing. Since being home, I've been in my office sorting things out, listening to music and making a card:

Stamps: Uniko - I Love Tea; Waltzingmouse Stamps - Afternoon Tea, Afternoon Tea Sentiments
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Gina K - Black Amalgam, Soft Stone; Memento - Angel Pink, Lulu Lavender
Accessories: White Card; Stampin' Up! Card - Highland Heather; Copic Markers; Clear Embossing Powder; Uniko Stencils - Broken Lines, Scattered Polka Dots

I've made this card for several challenges - CAS Colours & Sketches - CASC&S#363 - I turned the sketch, CASology - CAS#364 where the theme is Tea, Colour Throwdown - CTD#585, and Uniko Challenge - USC#58 to use spots and stripes.

I don't drink tea myself, but I do know many people who do, and I've got lots of tea stamps, so I had to play along with CASology. I stamped the teacup outline image and used two stencils to add some colour to the cup. I restamped the image in Versafine and heat embossed with clear powder. I added the lovely flower image from I Love Tea and heat embossed that too. I then fussy cut the image and coloured the opening - it's tea afterall! I made the card base from purple card. I cut a white panel smaller than the front onto which I stamped a sentiment which I think is very appropriate for our current strange time. I adhered the teacup above the sentiment and then stamped some steam curls. On the inside, I cut another white panel and added a couple of teacups along with another sentiment. I've left space for my own message.

Well, we've reached the end of our first week having to stay in the house. I suspect that many of us have been catching up with jobs that we've been putting off. I did the shed last week, and next week I'm tackling the utility cupboard. There is a strange feeling in the village - the main road through our village is so much quieter, I don't really hear planes, just birdsong and dogs. Oh yes, there's also the sound of children playing in their gardens. It's a tough time for us all - be safe. See you soon.

MM - Idle Hands .....

... Hi! When we came home to North Wales in October 2018, we were living, temporarily, in Chester. On one of our shopping trips we past an art gallery where they were about to host a show for Todd White. In the window was a painting called "Idle Hands" and I feel in love with it. Now, in the past I've seen other canvases that I've really liked, but this was the first one that I felt I had to have. I went in and just looked at the picture and then I headed off and mentioned it to Jonathan. He simply said - go buy it!! So I did!! The picture had to stay at the gallery until we were able to move back into our house. And now, "Idle Hands" hangs on the wall and I see it everyday and it fills my heart with joy. I was lucky enough to attend his show and meet Todd - he's a fab guy and signed the book I bought.  I made this spread to celebrate my lovely new picture:

Stamps: Dylusions - Dependable Dotty, Around the Edge, Bordering on the Edge, Anatomy of a Page, Three Little Maids
Inks: Dylusions Inks - Crushed Grape, London Blue, Dirty Martini, Squeezed Orange, Tangerine Dream, Postbox Red, Bubblegum Pink, Lemon Zest, Cut Grass, Fresh Lime
Accessories: Dylusion Large Journal; Ranger Archival Ink; Brochure for Todd White Show; Skull from Todd White Carrier Bag

I have several of Dyan's journals with lots of backgrounds started - this one was started while living in the States. I picked this background and added a simple border, along with some shadow stamping using Dylusion stamps. In the catalogue was a section of 'my' picture which I cut out, mounted on black card and adhered to the page. I then cut out some images, coloured them with Dylusions inks an added them to the page. I finished by cutting out the large 'day of the dead' skull from the carrier bag, added some colour and glued it down. Here are a couple of close-up shots of each page:

I'm submitting this spread to Love to Craft Challenge Blog - LTCCB#44 where it's anything goes, and to More Mixed Media Challenge - MMMC#03 where it's anything goes with the option of green.

Before I go, I took a photo of my picture to show where it hangs in the house. I know the picture is called "Idle Hands", but I call her Sally as she reminds me a bit of the character from The Nightmare Before Christmas.

I am so lucky to have this picture - I see something new in it everytime I go by. That's all for today. Wherever you are, keep safe.

MM - Covid-19 ...

.... Good afternoon! It's a beautiful day here in Northop Hall and in normal circumstances I would be going out for a walk, but it's not normal and I've already done my daily exercise. So, I've been working on a spread in my art journal. You've probably guessed by the title of this post that my spread has been inspired by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Stamps: Dylusions - Graphic Backgrounds, Toadstool Town, Say It How It Is, Basic Background, Branching Out, There's Not Mushroom in Here; Dylusions Clear Stamps - Numerology, Creative Dyary Stamps, Others (from the USA)
Inks: Dylusions Sprays - Lemon Zest, Fresh Lime, London Blue; Ranger Black Archival; Gina K - Black Amalgam; Versafine Clair - Golden Meadow
Accessories: Dylusions Large Journal; Dylusions Collage Sheets; Dylusions Paint - Black Marble, Lemon Zest; Copic Markers; Posca Markers; Dylusions Stencils - Bubbles, A Stitch in Time; Joggles Stencil - Starlight; Images from the Internet

I'm submitting this spread to More Mixed Media Challenge - MMMC#03 (anything goes with option of green), Addicted to Stamps and More - ATSM#382 (make your mark) and Love to Craft Challenge Blog - LTCCB#44 (anything goes). I'm also playing along with the Dylusions Facebook Challenge March.

With all that's been going on with Covid-19, I wanted to get it out and on paper. Going through my art journals I found a pre-inked and stamped background spread using yellow, green, a touch of blue, and leaves - the perfect spread for the Facebook challenge. I'd already ghosted the page with a Joggles stencil, and I outlined a couple of the stars with black paint pen. I added a black stencil border to the areas that didn't have any leaves. I used some Dylusions background stamps to add some detail. I found a biohazard symbol on the Internet and printed off a few along with some words. I went through the collage images (all previously cut out) and found some that worked with the challenge theme, but also seemed perfect for the pandemic idea too. I stamped out a selection of different mushrooms, coloured them with Copic markers - some red and lots of shades of yellow - all suggesting danger/toxicity and cut them out. I created a hidden pocket on the spread for a tag. I painted the tag bright yellow, used the alphabet stamps to spell out "covid 19" and added some typed notes that I created on the computer. And I found the perfect quote from Dyan's word stamps "I am exhausted by how stupid everyone is getting" - mainly those that seem to think it's a good idea to stockpile loo rolls and pasta!!  Here are some larger photos of each page:

I've also taken photos of the tag - back and front. The data comes from various sources on the Internet - mostly the World Health Organisation and Public Health England.

I'm not sure that I've worked out all the anxiety and worry, and this theme may make another appearance in my journal, but it's helped for now. That's all - be safe and stay indoors.

C4Glz - Keep Calm & Read ....

.... Hello! I am delighted to say that I am now a member of the Design Team for Cardz 4 Galz - a challenge to make any kind of papercraft project for all your female relations and friends. Our challenge for the next couple of weeks is "Cute Animals", here's my card:

Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Bookworm Additions, Colour Chameleon; Sweet 'n' Sassy - Bookmark Bits 'n' Pieces
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Gina K - Black Amalgam
Dies: Clearly Besotted - Bookworm
Accessories: White Card; Copic Markers; Nuvo - Clear Aquashimmer Brush; Glossy Accents; Clear Embossing Powder

I'm playing along with Just Us Girls - JUGS#528 colours, and with Perfectly CAS - PCAS#07 to use die-cuts. Our challenge at Cardz 4 Galz - C4Glz#118 is CUTE ANIMALS.

 I was going through my stamps and saw this adorable bookworm and I had to use him.  I stamped "Booky" on white card, coloured him with Copic markers, heat embossed with clear powder and cut him out with the matching die.  I added some clear sparkle and used Glossy Accents on the lenses in his specs. I used a stamp from Sweet 'n' Sassy for the books, stamped it a number of times, coloured with markers and heat embossed with clear powder. There are only two books on the stamps, so I simply piled them up to create "Booky's" seat. To create the sentiment I used stamps from different sets and had to cut out the word 'read'. I used dimensional pads to attach the bookworm and leaning book. On the inside I stamped a quote which, I think, really resonates with the very strange time that we're living in right now.

I used some of the left over books for the inside too. I took a close-up photo of "Booky" to show the sparkle and the shine on his lenses:

Don't forget to go over and visit Cardz 4 Galz to see what the rest of the team have made.  That's all for today.

Simply Marvellous ....

... Good Morning! I hope that everyone is keeping well and healthy. Life has become very strange for us all now. Mum is a high-risk individual, so has to stay indoors (or her garden) for the next 12 weeks. I have to be very careful to keep my distance when I go out for supplies.

During our new world situation, I find that spending time in my craft room really helps me keep sane. So, I'm here today with my DT card for Seven Hills Craft Blog. I've made a clean, simple and floral card.

Stamps: Altenew - Ornate Foliage, Across the Pond, Dot Botanicals
Inks: Altenew; Gina K - Applemint, Black Onyx
Accessories: White Card; My Mind's Eye DP - Kiss & Tell; Nuvo - Clear Aquashimmer Brush

I'm submitting this card to Cardz 4 Galz - C4Glz#117 and to Penny Black and More - PBM#03, where they both want to see Spring Flowers.

In November last year I was lucky enough to attend an Altenew workshop at my local hotel with Lydia Evans. It was such a fun event. I stamped the front panel of this card there but didn't make it into a card until the other week. I cut the panel down to 5" × 3¾" and layered it on some pink dotty paper from my stash and adhered the whole panel to the front of the card. You can't see it in the picture above, but I added sparkle to the flowers with a clear aquashimmer brush - it's so pretty in real life! I really love the words in this set - they are all made specially for us Brits!! On the inside, I cut another mat layer of the dotty paper and on the white panel I stamped a dotty botanical image and tiny sentiment. There's lots of white space for my own personal message.

I'm keeping this card for my stash. That's all for today, do stop by again soon. Wherever you are, keep safe.