Tag time!

Hello there - I hope you are feeling well? My girls are off on a school trip today to Blackpool Zoo - I hope they have a good time - the weather's not looking very good but I'm sure they'll have fun anyway.

Well today I've made a tag - inspired by the challenge over at the Sunday stampers - and needing to get my Stampers Anonymous stamps played with a little more I had a play and this is what I came up with.

So I used weathered wood distress stain on the back ground the added some dylusions london blue spray ontop of a cheicken wire stencil. When dry I added tumbled glass and chipped sapphire distress inks then stamped the two images. The letters are grunge board and they were coloured with distress inks. Finally I added a couple of pieces of ideaology - then threaded the twine. Its fairly plain - but I like it! Hope you do too! Best of all I think my hubby will - when its attached to a bottle of something for valentines!

I'd like to enter this into the following challenges:

LEJlejdesignschallengeblog: Use two stamped images
Sunday Stamperpinkleart: Wishing well
Bearly Minebearlymine-challenges: Hearts Galore
AGCBanythingchallenge: Monochrome.

Hope to see you again soon and thanks for visiting today! Hugs

Rachel xx

creative Inspirations: For a man

Hello lovelies - I hope you are well? I've got a card to share with you today that I've made for the DT at cinspirationsCreative Inspirations. There's a new challenge starting over there today where you have to make a card for the boys!

I've made this card for my nephew Aaron who will be 17 in February. I think he'll like it! The papers are from the new chronology range from Do Crafts - the metallic cogs are also from that range - I treated myself to the goodie bag from docrafts and got these bits in it - I think I'll be investing in more because they're so gorgeous - love em! The image is, of course, from Mo Manning. Colouring has been by promarkers.

The challenge has two sponsors this time - our monthly sponsor of  jandccreations

and also 

who are offering the lucky prizewinner a £10 voucher.


I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
artisticinspirationscrafts: Anything goes
docraftsblog: For a man
onestitchatatimechallenge: use a digi
thesquirrelandthefox: something new - my papers and cogs
tuesdayalchemy: anything goes
twistedtuesdaychallenges: Anything goes


Thanks for visiting - hope to see you again soon.

Hugs

Rachel xx

Buttons and Bows for Crafty Sentiments Designs

Good morning all! I hope you are well and happy? I'm feeling good again - probably won't after my run since the weather's not been too brilliant - but it has to be done!!!! I'm waiting for news of whether or not I get into the Great North run this year via the ballot - I always run for charity - but its nice to not have to raise quite so much as with a guaranteed charity place.

Over at craftysentiments today there is a new challenge starting called ' Buttons and Bows'. See here for the full details and more fabulous inspiration from the design team.

I made my card using the stamp called collecting blueberries that you can get at the crafty sentiments store here.

I've been using that grand die again - 2 days in a row - its so pretty though - I love it! The cental die is also a spellbinders. My image is coloured with promarkers and I've added buttons and a bow from my stash. I've used tumbled glass to distress around the edges of the image whilst still in the die. The flowers are WOC.

I'd like to enter my card for the following challenges:

craftingforallseasons: Buttons and bows
willowsketchiechallenge - sketch
paper-craftingjourney: For a girl
pixieduststudiopixiechallenge: No squares
Jelly Parkjellyparkchallenges: Button up
fussyandfancychallenge: Circles
totallygorjuss Flowers

Thanks for popping by today - hope you have a fabulous Tuesday - and that you drop in again soon!

Big Hugs

Rachel xx

New baby boy paper piecing

Good morning lovelies! I have a spring in my step this morning - given that its a Monday. Is a good job I'm off to my aerobics class later - that'll sort me out!

When I saw the paper piecing challenge over at simonsaysstampschallenge blog I just knew I had to join in - I also knew the perfect stamp to use - one from LOTV that I hadn't inked up yet. I've made it into a New baby card - I have two pink ones in my stash - but no blue ones sitting ripe for the appropriate occasion!

I've cut the card from centura pearl card using a spellbinders grand die. I've used mostly papers from the blue colour capsule collection at Docrafts. The other papers are papermania and there's some bazzil basics on there too. The ribbon is from my stash and the lace and charm from the Ribbon Girls.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Allsortsallsortschallenge CB: Masculine
Glitternsparkle:glitternsparklechallengeblog Male
2 sisters2sisterschallengeblog: Its a boy
Jelly Park:jellyparkchallenges Button up
Crafty Catzcraftycatzweeklychallenge: Cute as a button
LLF: liliofthevalleythursdaychallengeAnything goes
Simon sayssimonsaysstampschallenge: Paper Piecing
Twisted Tuesdaytwistedtuesdaychallenges: Blue, brad and congrats plus metal charm
IDICrobynsfetishchallengeblog: Brad and ribbon
Sweet stampinsweetstampinchallengeblog: Ribbon.
Do Crafts Creativity Club card makers Challengedocraftsblog - Male

Thanks so much for dropping by - hope to see you again soon!

Rachel x

Final GDT card for Christmas Card Challenges

Morning Lovelies - hope you're all okay! We're good and enjoying a lazy weekend - my parent help day was cancelled yesterday - and we went to the playbarn with the children instead - I managed to get two DT cards made which is good. Today we'll be off to the swimming pool with the girls - I'm hoping to get a few lengths in! We'll have to wait and see if that happens.

Today sees my last post for Christmas Card Challenges where I've thoroughly enjoyed being a GDT for the month of January. Its great to have made a start on my Christmas cards already! The challenge this time is red, white and brown and you can see the full details here.

My card features an image from Delicious Doodles - I think she's called Angelina - but don't quote me on that! I've coloured her with promarkers and added glitter to the wings and large snowflake and cut her out using a spellbinders grand die. The card itself and its mat was cut using a Go Kreate Die. I've added a brown ribbon and brown twine with a snowflake charm - the charm was from the Ribbon girls and the poinsettias are WOC. The sentiment is from LOTV grunge Christmas sentiments.

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

AGOACpinkgemchallengeblog: Holidays
Fat Pagesfatpageswithattitude: Anything goes
MAWTTmovingalongwiththetimes: Bling it on
Cute card Thursdaycutecardthursday: Out of this world
Happy Campershappycamperscc: Flowers but use digital - the image is digital
DS4Jdigistamps4joy-sa: Anything goes
abcchristmaschallenge: B is for Bows
inkychicks tictactoe: Ribbon, sentiment, flowers
Passion for promarkerspromarkerchallenge: Fave colour combo: red and white
Digital Tuesdaydigitaltuesdaychallenge: Fave colour combo: Red and white.

I hope you have a great Sunday and thanks for visiting today! See you again soon!

Crafty Hugs

Rachel x

all you need is love!

Hello there crafting buddies - hope you're well? I'm feeling good and glad I got my run in yesterday despite the snow - a day off exercise today - but we are supposed to be having a parent help day in school. However, most of the jobs are outside so I'm thinking it might get cancelled! We'll see.

I've got an altered item to show you this morning - I picked up this wooden LOVE sign at I think it was the paperartsy stall at the Harrogate show in September - and finally I've got around to making a wall hanging with it.

I've decopatched the wooden sign then cut a couple of birds using a Marianne die and added them to the top - also some WOC roses and the string to hang it with. I had lots of fun making this and it will be a fabulous addition to our bedroom wall - which is blue so this is perfect!

I'd like to enter this into the following challenges:

Delicious Doodles:deliciousdoodleschallenge All you need is love
creativemomentsbloggersnetwork Anything goes
cypc:craftyourpassionchallenges Totally teal
artisticinspirationscrafts Anything goes
OSAATonestitchatatimechallenge: Love
ABACanythingbutacard: Tie it up
Sunday Stamperpinkleart - Birds

Hope you have a fabulous weekend - and thanks for visiting my crafty world today! Big Hugs

Rachel xx

a crafternoon with my mum

Morning all - hope you are well and the lastest batch of weather isn't too bad for you! I'm writing this on Thursday night but scheduling for Friday morning - so fingers crossed its not too bad here - I want to run again!!!! Crazy woman I hear you say!

Today's card came from a crafternoon with my mum - also on Thursday - I take mum to do her shopping on a Thursday morning and we had a little time left over so we crafted today - this is what I made:

Its a pretty simple card - I used papers from Wild Rose studio, the image is LOTV and so is the sentiment - and the flowers/leaves are WOC. There's also a doily in there from my mum - thanks mum! I also used my mums new distress pads to colour around the edges - mowed lawn and salty ocean are the colours - yum!!!!

The image is coloured with promarkers.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Lili's Little Fairiesliliofthevalleythursdaychallenge: Anything goes
WOCwildorchidchallenge: Coming up roses
Pan Pastelpanpasteluk: Nature

Hope your Friday is good - I'm off to the Royal Grammar School in Lancaster this afternoon with my eldest daughter and her year group - they're going to do some gymnastics - I'm making up numbers - and taking my craft bag with me!!!!

Thanks for dropping by!

Hugs

Rachel xx

A CAS one layer card

Morning lovelies - hope you are well? I've got a CAS card to share with you today - using a stamp from Little Claire.

The image has been coloured with promarkers - the friendship stamp is one from a set by Sheena Douglass. I'm quite pleased with this one as my attempts at one layer cards are few and far between!

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
ilovepromarkers: Anything goes
thepapershelter: Anything goes
Less is moresimplylessismoore: Friends
totallygorjuss: KISS
littleclairesdesigns - I've used the theme of flowers - but not the sketch - delete me if necessary!!!

Hoping to have a crafternoon at my mums today!

Big Hugs and thanks for dropping by.

Rachel xx

Ian's card - a clean start!

Hello there lovely blogland people - I'm hoping you're having a good day so far - I'm feeling quite relaxed because although its my rainbows session later we have a promise party tonight and these really tend to run themselves - usually anyway!

Today I've got a card to show you made from some house mouse decoupage from Joanna Sheen - I've made the card for my friend Ian who keeps several rather large greyhounds - so I thought a doggie card might go down well this year!

I made this card using the housemouse decoupage as I wanted to make a new begininings card for the joanna Sheen/ housemouse challenge - well I thought the card is for a birthday - that's often a new begining - and the image depicts a clean start! Well thats my logic anyway!

So I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

housemouse-challenge: New Beginings
joannasheenchallenge: New Beginings
CACBcraftyannschallengeblog: recipe
willowsketchiechallenge - theme - cute
MAWTT:movingalongwiththetimes happy birthday
tuesdaythrowdown: Furry friends
papertakeweekly: A bow.

Thanks for dropping by today and for any comments you choose to leave - it really is fabulous to read your thoughts!

Big Hugs

Rachel xx

GDT for Crafty Sentiments: WOW (white on white)

Hi there lovelies - still enjoying the snow? It should get you in the mood for the challenge over at craftysentiments this week which is WOW - white on white - with a coloured image. I've used the stamp called Annabel Happy Days - she's just beautiful:

Isn't she just stunning? You can get her and many other beautiful stamps at the Crafty Sentiments shop - here. My backgound is an embossing folder from embossalicious called floral frenzy. The image has been coloured with promarkers and I used tumbled Glass DI around the outside after cutting out with a spellbinders die. Then I've added roses on ribbon from WOC and a flower and pearl.

I'd like to enter this card for the following challenges:

kaboodledoodles: Ribbon
The Cutie Piescutiepiechallenge: 3 Different textures - embossed card, rose ribbon and flower)
addicted-to-stamps-challenge: Use material/texture
sweetstampinchallengeblog show us your frillies
allsortschallenge: Flower Power
A gem of a challengepinkgemchallengeblog: Emboss it
stampinfortheweekend: Something Girlie
ilovepromarkers: Layers

I hope you're managing to keep warm - we are but isn't it freezing? Thanks for popping by today and I hope to see you again soon!

Crafty Hugs

Rachel xx

DT for seems a little sketchy - sketch 31

Good morning all! I hope you are still keeping warm despite the continued weather - we're still waiting on snow - some arrived on Friday night but it was limited and short lived - maybe since I'm scheduling this on Sunday night we'll have some in the morning - its still mighty cold here though!!!

Over at seemsalittlesketchy they have a new sketch for you:

The sponsors are bugaboostamps and eurekastamps . You'll need to pop over to the site here to find out what the prize is.

Here's what I did with my Bugaboo image:

I think its such a funny image - the sentiments a bit on the risky side - but my district commissioner plays the harp - so I thought it might be useful as a birthday card for her husband!

I've coloured the image with promarkers and then distressed around the image using shabby shutters DI. The image was then cut out using a fancy circles grand die from spellbinders. The background paper is from the docrafts chronology range.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
herecometheboysblogchallenge - Tictac toe (patterned paper, distressing and image)
Docraftsdocraftsblog Colour challenge
Crafts and Mecraftsandmechallenges: Something new - the chronology paper
incywincydesigns: Make us laugh

Thanks for dropping by today and I hope you have a great Monday - I'm off to aerobics - weather permitting - then its cleaning time, blog time and then pick the girls up from school and take them to ballet time! Should be fun.

Happy Crafting

Hugs

Rachel xx

3rd GDT for Christmas Card Challenges

Good morning lovelies - I trust you are all keeping warm - we are although our snow is minimal - may be more will come today.....

Over at christmascardchallenges they have a sketch challenge today - I've used my favourite Christmas stamp from Stampendous for it - you'll see this a few times over the next year - this time I've gone for a more red and white colour scheme. What do you think?

I used pan pastels to colour the sky for the image and promarkers for the cottage windows - there's glitter on the ground but its not showing up too well. The papers behind are Tim Holtz and the flowers and leaves are WOC. The sentiment is from the LOTV grunge christmas sentiments. The ribbon and charm are ribbon girls. I've used a die to cut the shape of the card from pearlescent card and also to cut the mount from the Tim Holtz paper.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

disdigidesignschallenge: Winter
jinglebellesrock: Red and White
Winterwonderlandchristmasblogchallenge: Vintage
papertakeweekly: Baby its cold outside
craftascene: snowy cottage 

Thanks for popping by today - hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend and I hope to see you again soon.

Big Hugs

Rachel xx

Ragged Angel

Good morning Lovelies - have you got snow? We have some - for a change!!! The girls are hoping for more so we can build a snowman - but we'll see!

I'm back in Christmas for todays card - before last Christmas I bought this image from Mo Mannings store and never managed to get around to colouring her up - so here she is now and I just adore her - she's gorgeous - I've used the sketch from the Friday Sketch challenge for the layout (Mariska's sketch).

 The papers are a mixtureof |Marianne papers free from a magazine and one  from my stash - the stipey geen one has been embossed with a dotty embossing folder. The image was coloured with a combination of promarkers and spectrum noir pens. The flowers are WOC.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

OSAATonestitchatatimechallenge: Anything goes
Glitternsparkleglitternsparklechallengeblog: Use a digi
Papertake weeklypapertakeweekly: Baby its cold outside
DP2mosdigitalchallenge: Emboss it
Totally Papercraftstotallypapercrafts: Embossing
Delicious Doodlesdeliciousdoodleschallenge: Winter
Card Crafters Circlecardcrafterscircle: Layers.

I hope you have a wonderful day and enjoy the snow if you've got some - if you don't like it watch from the window - it looks so beautiful! Thanks for visiting and I hope to see you again soon!

Big Hugs

Rachel xx

black and white cardswap

Morning lovelies - hope you're all well and more to the point warm! Wrap yourselves up if you have to go out there today!!!

Today I've got the card to show you that I've made for the Joanna Sheen Forum cardswap - the theme this month is black and white. I've been pondering for a while but I think you'll be able to see that I took the inspiration for this card from the Sarah McCrossan workshop I attended at the weekend. What do you think?

I've used the indigo blu stamp set bloomin great - and black paper - the stamping is with white staz-on. I've fussy cut and crumpled two of the flowers to give them dimension and added a button and bow in the centre. I've used the sketch and stash sketch 105 for the layout.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

twistedtuesdaychallenges - stamping off the page plus crumple
Anything goes challenge bloganythingchallenge - Buttons and bows
Sketch and stash 105sketchandstashchallenge - sketch only
Kaboodle doodleskaboodledoodles: Buttons
Divasdivasbydesignchallenge: Make it girly

Southern Girlssoutherngirlschallenge: Thankyou
Happy Campershappycamperscc: Buttons, beads or bows.

Have a fabulous Friday and thanks for popping over - hope to see you again soon.

Big Crafty Hugs

Rachel xx

more playtime - alcohol inks and other fun

Morning lovelies - I do hope you are well and wrapped up warm. I've been playing again - more techniques from the Chemistry 101 course - its great fun and I'm learning all the time!!! First I want to show you a tag that I made using the alcohol ink agates technique - what fun!!!

It features 6 different alcohol inks - the stamp is paperartsy and its done in archival black , the dragonfly is, of course a crafty emblie. I'd like to enter this tag into the following challenges:

ABACanythingbutacard: things with wings
panpasteluk: Try something new
Sunday Stamperpinkleart: Dream
fatpageswithattitude: Add a tag/anything goes
Cupcakecupcakecraftchallenges: ABAC

Here's a card I've made using the same technique but this time using Little Claire stamps:

The stamped image doesn't show up as well in the photo as it does in real life - maybe I should take a photography course?
Finally I've got two more tags - the first using the archival resist technique and the second that involves stamping on an embossing folder - neither is really as I would want it to be but I feel blogging progress/dabbling as well successes is important to me.

So thats all from me today - not sure what tomorrow will bring - we'll all have to wait and see!!!

Thanks for visiting and big hugs from me!

Rachel xx

DT for Creative Inspirations: One for the Girls

Morning all! I do hope you are all fit and well? I'm good and very happy - I've been playing with alcohol inks - but that's another days tale! I also got the CD through the post from Katy Sue Designs that I won over at Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas challenge at the weekend - what fabulous service is that - thanks to all involved!

Can I just say Welcome to my new followers and hello to my existing followers - just made the 150 mark - so thankyou very much - it means alot to me. xxx

Today sees my first post for a new design team to me - Creative Inspirations. I was thrilled to get the email from Natalie asking me to join  - so here I am! Anyway the challenge is to create a girly card - you can get full details here. The prize this week is a £10 voucher for bunnyzoescraftss:

Here's my card:

The image is of course Saturated Canary - its a stamp given to me by the lovely Elaine over at Wheelers Craftiness - so thanks Elaine - she's just gorgeous. The papers are bazzil basics and the flowers WOC. I've added ribbon and a charm from the Ribbon Girl too. I'd like to enter my card into the following challenges:

http://pinandtack.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/spark-your-creativity-now-challenge-5.html: Anything goes
bearlymine-challenges: Anything goes
LEJlejdesignschallengeblog: Add metal - pins and pincase plus charm
Cardmania:cardmaniachallenges Oh so girly
Digidarla:digidarlas AG
comeandgetitchallenges: Tie a ribbon round it
totallygorjuss: Spotty

On a sad note I made this card for my friend who has just been diagnosed with breast cancer - she has a mastectomy to cope with next week - fingers crossed that all goes well for her.

Thankyou so much for visiting  and for any comments you may leave - I hope to see you again soon!

Big Hugs

Rachel xx

GDT Post for Crafty Sentiments: Winter fun

Good morning all - I hope you're keeping warm? Its looking chilly out there - but I guess I can just wrap up!

Over at craftysentiments challenge blog they're starting a new challenge - its called Winter fun - and remember if you enter using a Crafty Sentiments image you get entered twice into the draw for winner.
My card uses the stamp Jasmine Warm Cuppa that you can get here.

I've made a little background for the card using my brayer then added the cherry blossom branch from spellbinders - then Jasmin who has been coloured with promarkers. She looks like she's having fun sitting up there on that branch with a snuggly warm drink! 

I'd like to enter my card into the following challenges:

artisticinspirationscrafts: Anything goes

bunnyzoescrafts: Anything goes

jandccreationschallenge: Something old, something new - I've used my trusty old brayer and my new cherry blossom branch die

thesquirrelandthefox: Anything goes

willowsketchiechallenge -theme -  in the Garden

Thanks for dropping by today - and I hope to see you again soon! Hugs Rachel xx

A workshop, 4 cards and some snow

Good morning all - as I sit scheduling this post there's about an inch of snow lying and more falling - I wonder what it will be like in the morning when this post goes live? If you've got snow wrap up and stay safe!!!

On Saturday I was lucky enough to go to a workshop at Inspirations in Preston with Sarah McCrossan - who ran a workshop on indigo blu stamps - specifically the set Bloomin' great - I think that was the name - the workshop was great fun - we were there 10 til 4 and made 4 cards - here they are:

Cards 1 and 4 involved making up a background by stamping with different DI - bundled sage, spiced marmalade, pumice stone, antique linen and rusty hinge. Card 2 is my personal favourite - this and card 3 involved papers from Kaisercraft. Card 3 involved using whie staz on on acetate to form a wrap - its really much prettier in the flesh so to speak! Anyway - it was really good value - £30 for the whole day plus you got to keep your set of indigo blu stamps - fantastic!!!!! Sarah was a great teacher too - thanks Sarah and to my mum for a lovely day xx

Todays card for challenges is one using an image from delicious doodles - I was lucky enough to win 4 images from over there and this is the first opportunity I've had to use one of them - more in the pipeline!

Its such a gorgeous image I'm sure I'll be using it on a few more Christmas cards. The image has been coloured using promarkers and then cut out using a grand die, I've cut the card out using another big die from Go Create - and matted it with a layer cut likewise. The flowers are woc and the cheesecloth and charm is ribbongirl. The sentiment is LOTV.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Patties Creationspattiescreationschallenge: Fun in the snow
Delicious Doodlesdeliciousdoodleschallenge: anything goes using fave colours  (blue)
Cute card Thursday:cutecardthursday Beat the blues
MAWTTmovingalongwiththetimes: Floral Delights
Pixiepixieduststudiopixiechallenge: Winter
Fan 'n' funkyfabnfunkychallenges: winter
Sisterhood of craftersthesisterhoodofcrafters: Baby its cold outside
CHNC: Monthlycraftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge2: Anything goes
ABC Christmas challengesabcchristmaschallenge: A is for animal
Jellyparkjellyparkchallenges: Winter animals

Hope you have a fabulous Monday and thanks again for visiting - hope to see you again soon!

Hugs

Rachel xx