My shining star

My shining star

Sunday 30 June 2013

Little Claire's male challenge

Good morning all! Hope you're well - I'm good and have schedule this post due to a planned early run this morning - I'm hoping to do 7 miles this morning - I'll do it but it may be very ploddy if my experiece of Friday evening is anything to go by!

Did you have a good Saturday? I took Lucy to her final exam ballet lesson before her exam next Saturday - then we all piled down to Blackpool zoo for the rest of the day - we were quite late getting there and saw lots of different things today - my favourite was watching the lions and tigers feeding time - and the meercats too - there were two or three very young ones eating dead chicks - I don't know why but I was quite surprised. You live and learn!

Today I've got the card I did for the Little Claire challenge this month which is masculine:


Such a cute stamp - I couldn't resist this one! Aren't they fun! The hedgies and trampoline are coloured with promarkers and cut with a spellbinder die before using teadye DI around the edges. I've used smaller versions of the same die for the sentiment and a larger one for the matt. I've tried to keep the colours as two blues, brown and white. The background paper has been embossed with an 8x8 embossalicious folder. The band across the middle is done using a Martha Stewart punch.

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

Little Clairelittleclairesdesigns: Masculine
Polkadoodlespolkadoodle: Animals
ccccardcrafterscircle: Happy Birthday
Incy wincy incywincydesigns- bingo - diecuts, blue, 5 stamps (each word was separate)
AIartisticinspirationschallenges: Fur or feathers

Thats it for today - so excited by tomorrow - its the start of the new challenge blog at Imagination Crafts - I hope you're going to join us!

Thanks for visiting and for any comments you have left - they really are valued!

Big Hugs

Rachel x

Saturday 29 June 2013

Aaron's card

Good morning lovelies! Well that was a tricky old run I had yesterday - not in the morning - the rain and the fact that I'd forgotten I had to do the shopping put me off - but I went whilst the girls were at jujitsu - at least it was dry - but I found it so hard - my poor calves don't seem to like my newish running shoes - or is it the extra 8lbs I'm carrying around with me!! 

Today I've got a boys birthday card to show you - this boy is in Lucy's year and also goes to Jujitsu so this stamp by LOTV was perfect!



The image has been coloured with promarkers and both the image and the sentiment are LOTV stamps. The image has been cut out using a spellbinders die - and the buttons were from my stash as was the paper.

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

LOTV Monthlyideastoinspire: Add a sentiment
Lili's little fairiesliliofthevalleythursdaychallenge -1,2,3 recipe
CCCcardcrafterscircle- Happy Birthday
TPSthepapershelter: Buttons or brads
comeandgetitchallenges: 3 embellies, 2 dp, twine

Hope you have a fabby Saturday - the forecast looks pretty terrible so I'm not sure what we'll be doing apart from taking Lucy for her final exam lesson before she does her ballet exam next saturday.  Thanks for dropping by!

Hugs

Rachel x

Friday 28 June 2013

silvia's card

Good morning lovelies - I do hope you're well and happy! I'm ready for a wet run this morning - I have to do it though as I know if I leave it until tonight it won't happen! The lady I go to aerobics with didn't turn up last night either so I had last night off!! My muscles will start to ache if I don;t go!

Today I've got a card I've made for my sister in law Silvia who lives in Germany. She loves fairies so I've gone for two Lavinia images - and I've used a green colour throughout.



I made the card using two green shades of pan pastel - a light one at the top - where I masked off a moon, and a darker one at the bottom. Then I stamped the top writing and covered it up with a post it. I added an Imagination crafts mask to the bottom of the card and used a cosmic shimmer mica spray in green, dried it, then moved the mask and used peeled paint DI to go over the image again.  Finally I added the Lavinia fairies at the bottom and the butterfly that I'd stamped onto bookprint on studio 45 fusible film that I cut out and heated to give it shape before colouring green and adding the bling.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
DoCraftsdocraftsblog: Coloured cards
charismacharismacardz 3,2,1: 3 fairies, 2 colours thrugh the mask, 1 butterfly.
Simon says stampsimonsaysstampschallenge: Anything goes
Inky Chicksinkychicks: Anything goes
Sunday Stamperpinkleart: Writing

thanks for popping by and I hope you like what I've made. Look forward to seeing you again soon! Big Hugs rachel xx





Thursday 27 June 2013

mum's birthday card from my dad!



Hiya there! Hope you are well - and if not hope you are soon! Big Hugs. As you can see from the banner Crafty Sentiments have got some new Christmas stamps coming out - they're just gorgeous - I just know you're going to love them - I've got lots of bits and bats to show you that I've made using them - but not until the launch!!! You'll have to wait until next week!

Today I want to share with you a photograph of two very happy little girls:

 The lovely Diane at dianesrambles sent me and my girls a package yesterday - well she had asked me if the girls would like her fabulous tag book that she made last week - and I knew they would - so I said yes please! Little did I expect the big parcel of extra goodies that came with it - thankyou so much Diane - Lucy and Penny will be sorted now for their Christmas and other card making acitivities in the summer holidays! Aren't crafty people just so wonderful! You've made my day Diane - never mind theirs!

Now onto my card for the day - this is the one I made for my dad to give to my mum - it was her birthday on Monday so its safe for me to show this now!





I made this using my wonderful housemouse CDRom that I won from the Joanna sheen blog candy - love it to pieces and it really comes in handy for the old housemouse challenges!!! I decorated the inside too and wrote a little poem - words that I thought my dad would say to my mum and that she would love to hear!

The card went down well anyway - with both mum and dad - so thats all good!

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Housemousehmfmc147: Add a charm
simon says stampsimonsaysstampschallenge: anything goes
crafts and mecraftsandmechallenges: Anything goes
creative momentscarabbiemomentsofcraft: flowers
LEJlejdesignschallengeblog The sun has got his hat on
that craft placethatcraftplaceblog: flowers
crafty friendscraftyfriendschallengeblog: Use a charm

Hope you have a good Thursday - I've got the usual reading in school followed by shopping for my mum and dad - and hopefully some messy crafting with my mum in the afternoon. Then once I've picked the girls up from school I've got friends dropping in who are on their way back home to scotland and finally I'll be rounding it all off with an aerobics class! Good stuff!Soon be Friday!!!

Thanks for dropping by today and I hope to see you again soon! Big Crafty hugs Rachel xx


Wednesday 26 June 2013

DT Post for Creative Inspirations: Anything goes with the option of ribbons

Good morning all! I hope you are feeling well and happy and enjoyed the sunshine yesterday! We had a gorgeous day and it looks like we might have another today! Over at Creative Inspiration there's a new challenge starting. This week's challenge theme is Anything Goes + An Option of Ribbons!

This week's prize is form MEL JENS DESIGNS who are giving 1 Winner
4 IMAGES OF THEIR CHOICE!



Our next prize is of course from our monthly sponsor J&C CREATIONS who are giving a second Winner a £10 GIFT VOUCHER!


So its all to play for! This is what I did:


What a cute little bear - he's called Scuba Bear- and you can get him here. My image was coloured with promarkers and I distressed around the edges with DI. I cut the image using a spellbinders die and added the pearls on all of the air bubbles in the design. This topper was then mounted on card and I punched holes in the side to thread some ribbon. I used the same ribbon at the bottom of the card and added the sentiment. Finally I added the whole thing to a card blank! Quite CAS I think!

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

PFPpromarkerchallenge: Name that tune - An Octopusses garden (the beatles) or 'under the sea' from the little mermaid.
Cupcakecupcakecraftchallenges: CAS no flowers
PMSpapermakeupstamps: All tied up
AGOACpinkgemchallengeblog: Male birthday

Hope you have a great day whatever it is that you're doing - I've got to prepare for Rainbows after my run - tonight we'll be making swaps for our daycamp in July - I'll take a picture if they're any good!!!! Other than that its cleaning all the way I'm afraid! Yawn!!!! Still it has to be done!

Thanks for dropping by - and for any comments you choose to leave!

Before I go I just wanted to let you know about another piece of Imagination Crafts Blog Candy and some upcoming shows on QVC:

 Imagination Crafts will be back on QVC on 11th July 2013 at 11 pm with some new products.  They  are really looking forward to showcasing the Design Team's and Jayne's fabulous samples using these new products.

Sue and Harvey decided to give one lucky follower a set of the new products.  Included in the prize is MDF Frame and Charm Set, stencil, DVD, Spatula, Sparkle Medium and MDF Paint.




To be in with a chance of winning this fabulous blog candy you need to do the following:
1. Become a follower of the blog,
2.  Be a friend on their Facebook Page
3. Leave a Comment with a link to your blog
4. Post the Candy photo on your sidebar.
5.  For those of you who haven't got a blog, please let people know about the Blog Candy on your Facebook profile.
The winner will be chosen by Random Org On Friday 12 July 2013

I hope that is all clear - looks like a super prize!!!


Big Crafty Hugs

Rachel xx

Tuesday 25 June 2013

Crafty Sentiments: Girl Power

Morning lovelies - I'm scheduling this on Monday afternoon - I usually schedule on an evening but I'm off out to the chinese again with those lovely Rosemary Conley class ladies - we are naughty - no wonder I never lose any weight these days!!!!

There's a new challenge over at Crafty Sentiments today and the theme is 'Girl Power'. The prize is a voucher for the Crafty sentiments shop:
 
 Here's what I did:



The image is called Jasmin lets swing and you can get her here. I've coloured her with promarkers and cut her with a spellbinder grand circle die. I've used tumbled glass DI to colour the edges of the die. The paper is from K and Co and the flowers are WOC. The heart die is from spellbinders Die lites and the floral branch is from Memory box. The lace was from my stash.

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

CYPCcraftyourpassionchallenges: In the garden
Lexi'slexiscreations: Summer holidays
ATS:addicted-to-stamps-challenge Gorgeous lace
that craft placethatcraftplaceblog: Flowers
didigidesigndisdigidesignschallenge: Summer fun
2 sisters2sisterschallengeblog.: summer fun
divasdivasbydesignchallenge: distressing

I hope you have a great Tuesday - thanks for dropping by and I hope to see you again soon!

Crafty Hugs

Rachel x

Monday 24 June 2013

GDT for the Cutie Pies: Paper Piecing

Hello there again! How's your day going? Mines okay - managed my run again this morning - so thats got to be good! I've already got 10.2 miles on the weekly clock and its only Monday lunchtime (managed 6 yesterday - yoo hoo!).Just wanted to say hello to followers old and new - there's a few new faces on my list - I hope you enjoy sharing my crafty journey and that you're not disappointed!Thanks for coming along for the journey!

So I guess you've already seen somewhere that the challenge at the Cutie Pies is paper piecing - I just love this techique and enjoyed using a crafty sentiments stamp to make my card. Here it is:



Isn't she adorable? The stamp is called  Catwalk and you can get her here. She is coloured with promarkers.  The papers came from a giveaway from the lovely Kath - thanks again Kath and the blingy buttons are from the Hobby House. The die cut is spellbinders and the flowers are from WOC.

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

OSAATonestitchatatimechallenge: Not square
Crafty Catzcraftycatzweeklychallenge: AG
A creative Romanceacreativeromance: Not Square
charismacharismacardz: Pink and green

Thanks for dropping by and for any comments you choose to leave! Big Hugs Rachel x

Before I go just wanted to tell you about a candy thats going on with the Imagination Crafts Challenge blog:





The challenge blog kicks off next Monday and as a celebration there will be a £10 voucher to giveaway to one lucky person on that day. All you need to do is:
become a follower of the imagination-craftschallenges Blog
Add this picture to and advertise in your sidebar with a back link to the Imagination crafts Challenge blog.
Leave a comment on the challenge blog.

Here's hoping you can understand that!

Big hugs

Rachel xx

SALS 42: Dt post

Morning lovely - just a quick post just now - wanted to let you know about the new sketch and challenge over at Seems a little sketchy this fortnight. Here's the sketch:

 The sponsor is 'sweet and sassy' and this is what I did:



Not really feeling the love with this card - I found the sketch a tricky one to work with - but some of the other DT seemed to work wonders - have a look and see if you feel inspired enough to join us!

Big Hugs - thanks for visiting and back later with the Cutie Pies GDT post!

Rachel xx

Sunday 23 June 2013

Lucy's card

Good morning lovelies! I'm writing this on Saturday night - exhausted after the summer fair - but happy that we raised £524 plus another £107 for Gardening club! Thats a fabulous amount for such a small school - I think we all did well! The weather was rubbish unfortunately - but it didn't hinder us any - and plenty of folk turned out to support us so thats great! If anybody that was there reads this - thankyou so much!

Anyway - today I've got my daughter Lucy's 7th birthday card to show you - her birthday's not until august but this image has een chosen since its launch - the only trouble is she now says she would like a one direction card - well she'll just have to have two cards!!! Lol!!!!



I made the background using a mask from Imagination Crafts and some sparkle medium - the black card is also from Imagination crafts. The card has been cut using a go kreate die and then layered up using further dies. The image is, of course, party paws from crafters companion - Lucy loves Pandas - so this is perfect for her - much better than one direction I think!!!!! I've used an embossalicious folder on some coordinations card then stamped on it and cut it out for the letters and the number. The flowers are WOC. The sentiment is from squidgey pins and this time I left it plain.

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

Totally Gorjusstotallygorjuss: Happy Birthday
Crafters Companioncrafterscompanion: Summer
Kraftyhandskraftyhandschallenge: Shaped card
Sweet stampinsweetstampinchallengeblog: cute and cuddly
SFTWstampinfortheweekend: AG
Whimsywhimsyinspires: Shaped cards

I hope you have a fabby Sunday - the forecast is wet so I'll be having a wet run I think - I'm going early - it'll be 5 miles if its wet and 8 if its dry - I've got to start stepping up the pace now and squeezing a fourth run in during the week - including a longer one at the weekend. The things I do!!!!

Have a fabulous Sunday and thankyou for dropping by!

Big Hugs

Rachel xx




Saturday 22 June 2013

All things bright and beautiful!

Well good morning to you and guess whats happening over at craftysentiments? There's a short sale on - why not pop over and have a look! Treat yourself - with 40% off its got to be a bargain!

I'm at the school fair this morning - we set up yesterday and its looking good - so hopefully lots of people will come and make it a success! Will let you know how it goes!

I've got a Mo Manning image to share with you today on a card for their bright colours challenge. What do you think?


I just adore this little guy - he's called baby fairy bee I think and you can get him from the Mo Manning digishop (here). I've coloured the image with promarkers and added glitter to his wings. The die is spellbinders and there's a memory box die that has cut the geen flower/vine on the lhs. The flowers I've added are from WOC. The sentiment is a squidgey pin banner and I've used spiced marmalade Distress stain to colour it.

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

Pattiespattiescreationschallenge: Summertime fun
Cute card Thursdaycutecardthursday: In the summertime
Crafty Ribbonscraftyribbonschallenge: Flowers Galore
DP2mosdigitalchallenge: Bright colours
Bearly Mine:bearlymine-challenges Flowers galore
Papertake weeklypapertakeweekly: Hot hot hot
Kaboodle doodleskaboodledoodles: Summer
PMSpapermakeupstamps: Punches/dies

Thanks so much for dropping by and I hope you have a fabulous day! Big Hugs Rachel xx

Friday 21 June 2013

CAS and masculine Penny Black

Morning lovelies! Hope you are well! Another nice day for us yesterday but this morning doesn't look like its going to be so good - just when I've got a run booked with my friend Sue! Oh well - we're both training for the Great North run in September so we have to go - whatever the weather!

Something completely different today - clean and simple - and Penny Black:


I've done this as a one layer card and I wish I hadn't - but its done now - its very simple and clean - but not sure if I like it! The colouring is in promarkers.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Penny Black Saturday Challengepennybfriendssaturdaychallenge: Masculine
Penny Black and morepennyblackatallsorts: CAS
Crafty Friendscraftyfriendschallengeblog: Colour combo - red,white and black
Joanna Sheen Challengejoannasheenchallenge: Masculine
I love promarkersilovepromarkers: AG

Hope you have a great Friday - have you got anything planned? Apart from my run I'll be setting up the summer fair this afternoon with some of the other mums at school. The fair is on Saturday morning - so I'll be baking too on Friday night! Fingers crossed for a dry day - and for a good turnout!

Thanks for dropping by! By Crafty Hugs

Rachel xx

Thursday 20 June 2013

Embossing fun!

Morning lovelies! I hope you are well and enjoyed another day of sunshine yesterday! It was rather warm here - not complaining though - bring it on!

Today I have a tag to show you - all of the colour on the tag is from heat embossing - the black is stamping with archival ink. Its following the method in this months craft stamper magazine - lots of fun and I think an interesting result:



To make my tag I started with a manilla tag and rubbed versa mark over the entire surface - then I added three different colours of embossing powder in different sections of the tag then heat set. Then I did a little backgrouns stamping. Then using a mask I added more versa mark to make the dotted pattern and added white embossing powder - also added some thunm prints of versa mark and powder too. Then heat set. Finally I did the last bit of stamping with the freebie stamp from Craft stamper this month (from visible image) and some from Imagination Crafts.  What do you think?

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

Craft StamperMagazine blog:take-it-make-it-challenge-three
IDICrobynsfetishchallengeblog: Tags
TPSthepapershelter: ABAC
LEJlejdesignschallengeblog: Add texture
Pan Pastelpanpasteluk: Male
ABACanythingbutacard: Masculine

Hope you have a wonderful Thursday! Thanks for dropping by and for any comments you choose to leave! Big Hugs! Rachel xx

Just incase you didn't see it - there's also another new Harriet Stamp out at craftysentimentsdesigns:


Isn't she lovely xxx


Wednesday 19 June 2013

DT post for Creative Inspirations: New baby/card for a child.

Good morning lovelies - wow wasn't it a scorcher yesterday? We had a fabulous day! I spent it painting my mums bathroom for her - its not perfect but I think its okay!

This week's challenge theme at Creative Inspirations (cinspirations)  is New Baby / A Card For A Child!
Create something to celebrate a new baby or a card that would be suitable for a child to receive.



This week's prize is the chance to be our GUEST DESIGNER FOR JULY!


This is what I made:


I needed to do a baby girl card for my local shop and so this was the inspiration for this particular card. I bought this stamp about 8 months ago - but haven't used it yet - shame on me - still I think now that I have it will get a lot more use! Its so cute - Its from LOTV of course!The dies I've used are Marianne and the charm is from The ribbon girl.The flowers are WOC. I have coloured the image in promarkers.

I would like to enter this card into the challenges listed below:

Card Maniacardmaniachallenges: Kraft
LOTVideastoinspire: Use a sentiment
Ribbon Girlribbongirls: Pink shades
ALBCpaulaholifieldcrafts: Something sweet

Thanks so much for dropping by and I hope to see you again soon!!! Big Crafty Hugs!

Rachel xx

Tuesday 18 June 2013

Tims Tags June 2013 and a WOW workshop

Hello there! Well I got around to making my Tims tag for June and finally there came a month where I had most things I needed! I don't have many distress markers yet but I managaed to choose an image that allowed me to utilise the few I have got. I really enjoyed using them too so will definitely be getting more.

Here's tims tag:junetag


And here's mine:




the photographs don't show up the green too well - but its definitely there! I really enjoyed following the steps on this one and finally got to try out my distress paints - I used bundled sage and forest moss in distress paints and victorian velvet in distress stain swooshing them al together on the background. The pear image was stamped using archival ink on water colour card and I used ditress markers to colour the pear along with a water brush - again I used victorian velvet and also shabby shutters. I've also used the rubs from last month on the back of the tag and squidgey pins from the lovely kath to add the details of the cogs to the base of the tag. After tearing the base of the water colour card I also used cut and dry foam and tea dye distress ink to colour in the edges.

I'd like to enter this tag into the challenges Tims tags 2013june
and also the sunday stamper -pinkleart male.

Yesterday I also did a workshop with my ladies from the church - we did a WOW card this time - they enjoyed the embossing and diecutting - here's the card that they were trying to do.


Unfortunately I forgot my camera and although I took some pictures on my phone they don't look brilliant so I've not uploaded them here! I think the ladies had fun though and some followed the design whilst others did their own thing! I took lots of different dies along so they had choices!!

Thats all for today and thanks for your feedback - I do appreciate it! Big Crafty hugs!

Rachel xx