Craft-a-scene DT: Down on the Farm!

Hello there all - and a very Happy Easter to you! We've been having a fabulous family time - the gnome hunt at Rufford Old Hall was lots of fun yesterday - the girls really enjoyed themselves tearing around the garden lloking for gnomes. Then they enjoyed the Easter Egg they got for the prize. After a lovely lunch we then played a little gnome hoopla - then took the girls to a craft session - making Easter bonnets. Don't they look fab?







I think they enjoyed it .













Now onto my news - I 've been asked to join the DT at Craft-a-scene! I'm so thrilled - it really is a challenge for me - but its one I really want to do! I hope I don't let them down!

My first card is for their new challenge which starts today - its called 'down-on-farm'. The idea is to create a scene relating to the months theme - and see how you do!

Here's mine:

I've used stamps from Sheena douglass - they were the create a scene stamps that she did when she was at creative Expressions. This set is called Countryside I think. My brayer wasn't behaving but I used cut and dry foam and shabby shutters DI and some hill masks that I cut from paper to make the background. The tractor and wall were added in the foreground and the trees and cows were stamped in the background. Looking forward to creating my next one which will be for next Sunday.

I'd like to enter this card for:

Sunday Stamperpinkleart.: Nature
Panpastelpanpasteluk: Anything goes

I hope you have a truely wonderful Easter Sunday. I've got to set my girls off on their Easter Egg hunt at home - not sure what else the day will bring! Have fun yourselves and thanks for dropping by!

Big Hugs

Rachel xx

Shiny shiny shiny

Good morning all! Did you have a good good Friday? We had a lovely time - I managed a run with my friend Sue in the morning then we all went on an Easter Egg Hunt in nearby Ingleton. Then we chilled out for the afternoon - and took the girls to jujitsu in the evening.  Bliss. Hoping to go off to Rufford Old Hall today and do a gnome hunt! Sounds exciting - I'll let you know if it was!!!!

Todays offerings are down to Hels Sheridan's Shiny challenge over at the sunday stamper and watching Sam Poole on Create and craft last week. There's a card that my mum got for Easter and a tag too.

The card includes two stamps from the new Sheena Douglass range - one stamped onto card that had been coloured using DI Victorian Velvet, spiced marmalade and wild honey. The feather was stamped onto card that I had foiled with winter dawn indigo blu flakes. The flowers were cut using spellbinders dies from paper foiled with Brighton Pier Flakes. This paper was also used for the bird below - he's cut using a red cardinal spellbinder die that Hels was using a few weeks ago. On the tag the background is one of my shaving foam marbing papers that I made last week. The branch and flowers are cut using the spellbinders cherry blossom set.

I'd like to enter these pieces into the following challenges:

Sunday Stamper:pinkleart Shiny
Totally Papercraftstotallypapercrafts: Metal
Creative Momentscarabbiemomentsofcraft: Animals
Divas:divasbydesignchallenge Use Metal

Hope you have a fabulous day! Thanks for dropping by and big Crafty Hugs to you!

Rachel xx

An easter tutorial and news of a show - see red at bottom of post!

Good morning all and a happy easter to you! I hope you all have a wonderful time doing whatever it is you'll be doing. If you've got some crafting time - stay tuned - I have a tutorial for you on how to make that card shape I showed you earlier on in the week. If you've forgotten - here's a new card I made from this tutorial card.

Okay - so the question is - how did I make the card shape? I followed the steps below:

1.This is the Marianne die I used

 2. And below is the part of the die needed. I cut a piece of folded card as wide as the die and placed the die at the top of the card as shown. You can make your card whatever length you want.

 3. Using the Grand calibur I added the die and card to the cutting plates but only the top portion that I wanted to cut - the bottom half of the die and the rest of the card remained sticking out of the cutting plates. Then I ran the die and card through.

 4. This is the result.

 5. At this point I cut the parts of the back of the card that weren't actually cut but were impressed enough to show the outline.

 6. Then, with the die repositioned on to the front of the card I added the unfolded card to the baseplate and put the embossing plate and mat above and ran it through the machine again. it would be a good idea to tape the die in position so that it doesn't move during embossing.

 7. Once I had done this I had to poke out all the little cut bits - but the whole die was now embossed.

 Here's the final card before I decorated it as above.

Hope that helps those of you that were wondering - I think its neat and will start looking at my dies differently now - so thanks so much to that lady in Manchester who was demonstrating this technique!

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

Spring Card Makers Challengedocraftsblog: Do Crafts
Crafty Ribbonscraftyribbonschallenge: AG with ribbons
Simon Sayssimonsaysstampschallenge: Anything goes
Sisterhood of craftersthesisterhoodofcrafters: Easter/Spring

Thanks for visitng today and have yourselves a fabulous long weekend!

 Next weekend - 6th April to be precise - there's going to be a craft show in Doncaster. Crafty Sentiments will be there with all of their new releases - stamps, stamp sets and dies and the old ones too! The show takes place at Doncaster Deaf Academy on Leger Way - which is opposite the racecourse. The postcode is DN26AY for those of you with sat navs. The show is on from 10am until 3.30pm. Its a chance to get the new releases before they go on the website on the 10th April. and

Crafty Hugs

Rachel xx

Vintage Christmas

Hi there! Well its nearly time for the Easter Holidays - my girls break up this evening so normal service may be abnormal for a couple of weeks - I apologise in advance if I don't get the opportunity to get around all of your blogs as frequently in the next fortnight - I'll try though!!!

Today I've got a Christmas card to share with you - I got hold of the Goose Girl Paintbox Poppets stamp by Crafters Companion a while ago but their Vintage challenge has prompted me to get her inked up. I've combined her with the stampendous snowy cottage stamp - I think it works though.

She's been coloured with promarkers and the flowers are WOC. The papers are a cobination of papermania and Anna Griffin. There's also a fluted vine memory box die in there!

I'd like to enter her for the following challenges:

Crafters Companioncrafterscompanion: Vintage
TPS:thepapershelter Anything goes
Ladybug Crafts TLTladybugscraftsinkchallengeblog: AG
AGCBanythingchallenge: Mail it
LEJlejdesignschallengeblog: Retro or vintage
CHNCcraftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge: Use three (three geese, three white poinsettias)

Have a fabby Thursday and thanks for dropping by!

Hugs

Rachel xx

DT Post for Creative Inspirations: Easter Wishes

Hello there lovelies - how are you all? I'm feeling good - did my usual aerobics last night and always feel better for it. Got to prepare for the fact that I'm off out tonight for a chinese with 15 ladies from my Rosemary Conley class! We are naughty aren't we?? But you do have to live a little!!!

Today there's a new challenge over at Creative Inspirations - it should be good for many of you - the theme is Easter Wishes.

Seeing it is the last challenge of the month they have 2 fantastic prizes to give away!

The first of our prizes is from our Monthly Sponsor J&C CREATIONS who are giving 1 Winner a £10 GIFT CERTIFICATE!

 The second of our prizes is from our sponsor PRETTY LITTLE RIBBON SHOP who are giving another Winner ....

For a limited time at the Pretty Little Ribbon Shop we have reductions on nearly all ribbons, seam binding, embossing powders, rubber stamps, twine, buttons and much more. Stock up on all of your crafting essentials while stocks last HERE

Thats brilliant news - must pop over there myself! You can never have too much can you!!

Here's the card I made for the challenge - its using one of the stamps from the Easter release at Crafty Sentiments - its called Field of flowers and you can get it here. Not just for Easter this little chappie me thinks!

I've sent this card over to New Zealand to my sister so I hope its there already!! The card shape was cut with a die from .... the centre of the card is a spellbinders die - the ivy leaf from the recent releases. The seam binding is from the Pretty Little Ribbon shop and the flowers are WOC. The image is coloured with promarkers and I've used spun sugar DI around the outside of the image.

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

:tuesdayalchemy Pastels monochromatic - might have too many colours going on here - just delete me if so!!!

PFPpromarkerchallenge: Bingo - I've gone for ribbon, free, blooms.

Digi Darladigidarla: Flowers

Kaboodle Doodleskaboodledoodles: Spring/Easter

PIOpileitonchallenge: Dots

Sweet Stampinsweetstampinchallengeblog: Lots of layers

Hope you have a fabby Wednesday. Got my last Rainbows session tonight before we break for easter. We've got a promise party - for my little Penny. And two girls are leaving to go to Brownies - so it will be fun and games tonight!!!!

Thanks for dropping by and for any comments you choose to leave - I love reading them! Big Hugs

Rachel xx

 

Penny's Easter card

Good morning folks - hope you are well and happy? I'm feeling good - back to the exercise after far too many days off - I did a hill run yesterday - only 4.2 miles but it was enough - and very much enjoyed!

I've got Penny's Easter card to share with you today - it uses a digi image from Crafty Sentiments. This one is called Nature watching and features Benson Bear and you can get it here.

I think Penny will like it - she's always been a pink girl but seems to be favouring yellow a bit more sometimes now so hopefully I've got the colour scheme right! The image has been coloured with promarkers and cut out with a spellbinders die. The papers I think are WRS - a pad that came free with CMPC over a year ago now I think. I made the card blank using my mums hougie board - I took a strip of paper and then creased at 1 inch, 2 inches, 4 inches, 6 inches, 10 inches. This gave me my steps.

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

CYPCcraftyourpassionchallenges: Cute
incywincydesigns: Use Pastels
thesquirrelandthefox: Easter
OSAATonestitchatatimechallenge: Use a digi
Glittern sparkleglitternsparklechallengeblog: Animals
Jellyparkjellyparkchallenges: Pastels
PCJpaper-craftingjourney: Ribbon or lace
In the pinkinthepinkchallenge: Spring/pink Easter

Thats all for today - thanks for visiting and have a fabulous Tuesday.

Hugs

Rachel xx

Peace Canvas

Morning all! I hope you are still all wrapped up. Fridays snow was mostly gone here by yesterday - I wonder what the rest of the week will bring? Lets hope it warms up soon!

I've got a canvas to share with you today - and a picture of my girls at their Jujitsu grading - they both passed - Lucy is now a yellow belt and Penny a white belt.

Both very proud of themselves - as is mum of them xxx

Anyway - before I go onto the canvas - I've made a tutorial of how I created yesterdays card - I'll save it until I use the card blank that I created - but thats one in the pipeline for you - thanks for asking folks - its always nice to be asked!!!!

Here's my canvas:

I've been at that embossing paste again - the stencil is one by that special touch and I've used black dreamweaver embossing paste. The background was created with a colourwash of spiced marmalade distress stain overstamped with a script stamp that doesn't show up in these pictures. Then I did the embossing and whilst it dried I made the butterflies with bookscript on mouldable film from studio 490. I stamped the image from craft stamper magazine a while ago then cut out and added teadye DI. The butterflies were then heated and moulded and added to the now dry canvas. The embossing paste was then attacked with renaissance gilding wax - treasure gold - thats my shiny bit Hels.

I'd like to think this canvas is of the style of Brenda over at floral fantasies - so I'd like to enter this into her challenge - and also the following others:

Floral Fantasiesstamping-fantasies: 4000 followers competition
ABAC:anythingbutacard Spring
Crafting for all seasonscraftingforallseasons: Anything but a card
Pan Pastelpanpasteluk - Photo Inspiration
Sunday Stamperpinkleart: Shiny

Here's hoping you have a lovely day - and thanks for dropping by! Big Hugs!

Rachel x

Easter for my auntie

Hello there! Brrrr - isn't it chilly - that cold wind thats blowing up here could cut right through you.

 I've got another Easter card to share with you today - this one is for my Aunty Brenda and uncle Bernard.

This one is made using a Marianne die that I was lucky enough to get for Mothers Day - I got it from the Manchester show in February - I stood at this stall and watched this lady cut the top of her card in this way - well I was hooked - I'd never seen anything like this done before.It looked so easy but it wasn't so easy once I got it on mothers day - but finally I've sussed what I was doing wrong and think it will be much easier from now on. Pretty isn't it? I've teamed it up with some WOC flowers and the green diecut is a memory box one.

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

Marianne Design Divasmariannedesigndivas: Gardens
Incy Wincy:incywincydesigns Shaped cards
LEJlejdesignschallengeblog: Add a flower
LMMlittlemissmuffetchallenges: Easter
Polkadoodlespolkadoodle: Embossing
ccandccchocolatecoffeecards Bring on Spring
Totally Gorjuss totallygorjuss- something borrowed - the cutting idea
2 Sisters2sisterschallengeblog: Easter/Spring

Hope you have a happy Sunday and thanks for dropping by. Looking forward to getting some crafting done this afternoon with my mum and this evening in my attic. Both my girls have their Jujitsu gradings today. Penny will be doing white belt and Lucy yellow belt. Fingers crossed they're okay!

Hugs

Rachel xx

Easter wishes

Good morning to you! Its all snowy here - very cold and blustery and a proper wintery day - hope you're wrapped up where you are and nice and snug and warm!

Today I've got Lucy's Easter card to share with you - the image came from a win over at lexiscreations a couple of weeks ago - thankyou!!!!

The image is called Lillie and tulips and is on page one of the digital images from Fairy dust crafts. Super sweet. I've coloured her with promarkers and cut out using the adorning squares die from spellbinders. I've then added memory box die cut fluted vines and also used the waste to ink through with crushed olive DI to form more dies. The sun and the cloud are both sizzix dies and the sentiment is LOTV.

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

Cutie Piecutiepiechallenge: Cute Easter
DTCdigitaltuesdaychallenge: Easter
DS4Jdigistamps4joy-sa: Easter
TPS: thepapershelterSpring
Simon Says Stampsimonsaysstampschallenge: Easter/spring
Creative Momentscarabbiemomentsofcraft: Animal
Cute card Thursdaycutecardthursday: Easter Parade
Pattiespattiescreationschallenge: Easter
Fussy and Fancyfussyandfancychallenge: Spring Days
Totally Papercraftstotallypapercrafts: Easter

Just got a couple more piccies to show you of the papers me and my mum made on Thursday afternoon - using shaving foam and dylusion sprays.

Aren't they fab - looking forward to using them soon - I may well have to get my girls to play with this technique too - so much fun - you can find out how to do it here.

Hope you have a fab Saturday!

Big Crafty Hugs

Rachel xx

Billy's Card

Good Morning all! Hope you are well. Last weekend I had the pleasure to go to a friends baby boys Christening in our village - this is the card that I made for him.

The image I've used is from Crafty Sentiments is called Tobey - Lets Pray and you can find him here. The embossing folder is from Darice and the papers have been made up into a patchwork. I've cut the whole card out from centura pearl card from crafters companion. The cross is a spellbinders one.

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

Tuesday Alchemytuesdayalchemy: Anything goes

Charismacharismacardz: Diecuts

Crafty Ribbonscraftyribbonschallenge: Boys

Divasdivasbydesignchallenge: Babies and toddlers

Polkadoodlespolkadoodle: Embossing

Southern Girlssoutherngirlschallenge: Kiddies

Hope you have a lovely day!

Thanks for looking!

Hugs Rachel xx

Another crafternoon with mum

Hello there - hope you are all well! Its mine and hubbies wedding anniversary today - we chose to get married on the spring Equinox 8 years ago - and I'm so glad that we did. The date seemed significant then - and 8 years on it seems even more so. Best thing I ever did!!!!

Onto todays cards. On Tuesday afternoon me and mum had another crafty session. I made both of these cards that I want to show today - I'm not overly happy with either of them - but hopefully the next crafternoon will be a little more fruitful - we're hoping to play with shaving foam and create some backgrounds! Watch this space.

Todays cards then:

This first one is for the Christmas card pile. Its a Sheena Douglass stamp that I've simply inked up and coloured with promarkers. The dies are spellbinders.

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

I love promarkersilovepromarkers: Anything goes
Winter wonderlandchristmasblogchallenge: A little bird
Sparklessparklesforumchallenges: Birds

The second card uses a that special touch mask and crafty individuals crowned rabbits. The colours are inspired by Hels Sheridans Sunday stamper challenge which this week is Brown.

I've used black dreamweaver embossing paste with this one. The images were stamped in brown memento ink and I've left them uncoloured. The paper is part of the Engraver collection. I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Sunday Stamperpinkleart: Brown
J and C Creationsjandccreationschallenge: Easter
Polkadoodlespolkadoodle: Easter
Sweet stampinsweetstampinchallengeblog. - Easter
Papertake weeklypapertakeweekly: Easter

We're off out for a meal this evening - my Rainbows helper Alice is babysitting - I do wonder if the children will be well behaved! Hope so!

Have a lovely day! Thanks for visiting and for any comments you choose to leave.

Big Hugs Rachel xx

DT Post for Creative Inspirations: Colour challenge and an LOTV card

Good Morning to you! I hope you are feeling well? I'm running this morning after double aerobics last night - my poor body - it seems to be all or nothing at the moment!!! Nevermind - something to take my mind off it is this weeks challenge at Creative Inspirations. The challenge is  Spring Colours! Take a look at the lovely palette below and see if you feel inspired! If you do - join us!

This week's prize is from STAMP FAIRY who are offering a $10 GIFT CERTIFICATE!

Here's what I did - it was inspired by that patchwork tutorial on the LOTV site - only I didn't have hexagons so I had to use Octagons!!!!

I really enjoyed the technique and you'll see a few cards using this idea over the next few weeks!!! The card was for a boy in Lucy and Penny's class who was 7 last week - he did like his card so thats good!

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

Bearly Minebearlymine-challenges: Anything goes
PMSpapermakeupstamps: Pastels
OO La La:ooh-la-la-creationschallenges For the boys

I've got another card that I need to put on today also - its for the Lili of the Valley Challenge - TOTP - where you have to have a card relating to a song - well my song is Lets Dance - David Bowie.

 I realise its not a very traditional Easter image but its been made for a couple who dance so I thought I could get away with it. I'd like to enter it into the following challenges:

LLF: Inspired by a song

Thats all for today folks - if you look at the top of my blog you will see I'm now on Blog Lovin' - it was an easy change - but thanks to all you people out there that made me aware of it in the first place - I'm following all of you on Blog Lovin - I wouldn't want to lose you!!!

Big Hugs - and hope you have a fabby day - my girls are singing in a music festival at the town hall in Lancaster tonight so that will be very exciting for them - it will probably be a late one for me though!! Big Hugs

Rachel xx