My shining star

My shining star

Wednesday 31 July 2013

Creative Inspirations DT: AG with option of a sketch

Morning lovelies! How are you? I'm good and looking forward to having a bit of time today as the girls are at a mad science day up at the University in Lancaster. After my run and doing the shopping/some cleaning  though I daresay there won't be much time left lol!!!Just wanted to thank Susan of craftinsuzie for your donation to my run Charity fund for Asthma UK- thanks Susan - its very kind of you! Susan is one of my teamies at Crafty Sentiments and being Wednesday there's a new digital Harriet coming:

This one looks gorgeous - might just have to have a play with this! And there's a freebie of Harriet too for this weeks challenge - check it out here.


Onto today - over at Creative Inspirations (cinspirations)there's a new challenge starting - its anything goes but there's the Option of a Sketch!
Natalie has added the option of a Sketch for those who still like to have a little theme to play along with!


This week we have 2 prizes up for grabs!
The first is from BEARLY MINE DESIGNS which is a £10 GIFT VOUCHER!




The next prize is of course from our Monthly Sponsor J&C CREATIONS who are offering a
£10 GIFT CERTIFICATE!


I used the sketch and this is what I did:



I'd seen these two LOTV images used like this in the recent release and just fell head over heels with these stamps - I also loved the idea of combining them so thats what I did - I know its a copy - but I just had to have a go!!!! The images are coloured with promarkers and Distress inks and the word stamps are from dylusions.

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

IDICrobynsfetishchallengeblog: Friendship card
SSSSsimonsaysstampblog: Ode to sunshine
Cardmaniacardmaniachallenges: Summer blooms

Thanks for dropping by and sharing in my crafty journey! Hope to see you again soon! Lots of love and big crafty hugs

Rachel xx


Tuesday 30 July 2013

Zach's card

Hello there! How are you today? Hope you're well and if not hope you feel better soon! We had a fun day yesterday - took the girls to Williamsons Park in lancaster where they were booked onto do T shirt design for an hour. After the hour was up they came out beaming with the t shirts on - they were fab - not washable though - covered in stickers! But they enjoyed it!!!!

At the weekend Lucy is going to a classmates party at a local play barn - this is the card I've made for her to give to him.



He's going to be 7 and apparently likes monsters! I thought this pink cat digi was perfect. I followed a sketch from Here come the boys and coloured the image with promarkers.

 

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Joanna sheenjoannasheenchallenge: Boys card
HCTBherecometheboysblogchallenge: Sketch
PIOpileitonchallenge: AG
Come and get itcomeandgetitchallenges: Humourous birthday
AIartisticinspirationschallenges: Celebration.

Thanks for dropping by today and a big thanks to Sue of suescraftycorner for sponsoring me yesterday - and to Anne (Redanne) for sponsoring me on my previous plea - two wonderful ladies - I do appreciate it.

See you tomorrow!

Hugs

Rachel x

Monday 29 July 2013

Whoopsi daisy: Things with wings

Good morning all you lovely people - how did you enjoy the rain yesterday? Well we had rather a lot in the morning when I was running - and I was soaked through to the skin!  I managed my 10 miles though - only another 3 to go and I'll be already for the Great North Run which is now less than 7 weeks away! With that in mind I just want to plug the charity I'm running for again - its Asthma UK - and my just giving page is here. Please support me if you can but believe me I understand if you're not able - times are hard!

There's a new challenge starting today over at whoopsi daisy where the theme is things with wings. I used one of my bargain dies from the show at Doncaster and cut a nice shaped card:


The image is of course from whoopsi daisy and is from sheet 461 - which you can get here. I've coloured her with promarkers and cut using a smaller die then used tumbled glass DI around the edge of the die. The leafy branch is from memory box and the flowers are all WOC. The backing paper is from K and Co and the sentiment was cut using a Britannia die.

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

PTWpapertakeweekly: Dies and /or punches
PCJ:paper-craftingjourney Diecuts and /or punches
OSAATonestitchatatimechallenge: AG

Thanks for dropping by and for any comments you choose to leave! I really do appreciate hearing what you think!

Big Hugs!

Rachel xx

Sunday 28 July 2013

Pretty in pink

Hello there! Well it was a gorgeous day yesterday up here - we had a wonderful day out at Stanley Park in Blackpool. I wonder if we'll be so lucky today - the forecast is pretty awful - looks like I'm in for a wet run!!!

Today I've gor a card I made using the pink (magenta twinkle) embossing powder that I bought at the show in Doncaster. Its fabulous - and makes my card really sparkle.



I used Sheena Douglass Hibiscu stamps and stamped them in versa mark onto centura pearl pink card from crafters companion - then I added the wow powders and heat set.  I used spectrum noir pens to add colour to the flowers centres - OR1 and BP2. The leaves were stamped in a similar way and embossed with wow holly green. The central stamp is from LOTV and I stamped this in archival black and cut it out with a spellbinders circular die. The backing paper is already pink - then I altered it with dylusions bubblegum spray and distress stain worn lipstick.

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

Krafty Handskraftyhandschallenge: Pretty in Pink
LOTV ideas to inspireideastoinspire.: Pretty in pink
Bearly minebearlymine-challenges: AG
In the pinkinthepinkchallenge: Hot Pink
wow embossing powder challengewowembossingpowder: summer and sunshine
stamping sensations july challengesirstampalotchallenge: summer colours
countryview crafts:countryviewchallenges Sizzling summer

Hope you have a great sunday - if I get back from my run early enough we're hoping to go off to Manchester - but that very much depends on me!!! Lol!!!

Thanks for dropping by and hope to see you again soon!

Hugs

Rachel xx

Saturday 27 July 2013

I'm back!!!!

Morning all! Well its been a fabulous week away - here's a little picture from yesterday - we were at Rushcliffe Country Park near Ruddington - and it was just beautiful - my girls and their cousin Holly were trying to catch butterflies. And here's Lucy giving us one of her wonderful toothless smiles!

 I'm sure they'll sleep well tonight! Its been so hot and we've been up really early every day and packed lots in - I'll put a few more piccies on my next post!

I did a little card making whilst away but I was very limited in what I could do! So here's a card I made with the housemouse challenge in mind - add some sparkle.


Sorry about the quality of the first piccie - it really isn't good but I think you can get the gist and the sparkle shows up in the second and better piccie. Its a digi stamp from the wonderful housemouse triple CD Rom that I coloured with promarkersand added glitter using a glue pen. The sparkly bling buttons are from the Hobby house and the ribbon is from my stash!

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

Housemousehousemouse-challenge: Add a little sparkle
Card Crafters Circle: cardcrafterscircleChristmas in July
Jellypark:jellyparkchallenges Christmas in July
Southern Girlssoutherngirlschallenge: Animal antics
CFAScraftingforallseasons: Christmas in July
I love promarkersilovepromarkers.: Christmas in July
Pennyspennyschallenges: Bling it on
Lexi's: lexiscreationsChristmas in July
IDICrobynsfetishchallengeblog: Christmas in July

 Thanks so much for your comments whilst I've been away - I've been trying to keep up but its not easy!!! 

Big Hugs to you all and thanks for dropping by!

Rachel xx

Friday 26 July 2013

A little bit of stamping:

Good morning all - this is my final scheduled post as I should be heading home today with my little pumpkins in tow!

I've got a card I made in response to a quick card makers 'challenge' over at the craft stamper magazine - its a colour challenge - which I got right - but its also supoosed to involve sparkle and bling - well I forgot that bit so I thought I'd show it here instead!!!!



The stamps I've used are all part of the papermania urban collection - I've used tumbled glass and milled lavender distress inks to create the background directly on the card blank. Then I've used water to spritz and flick and dried before stamping with a text stamp in seedless preserves DI and overstamping with the floral stamp at the bottom. The central panel was stamped in black onto white card and some milled lavendar was added to blend it in with the background more. A very quick but effective card I think!!!!

Thanks for dropping in today.

Fashionable stamping challengesfashionablestampingchallenges: Fauna and flora
Delicious doodlesdeliciousdoodleschallenge: summertime
Happy Campershappycamperscc: Summertime
TPSthepapershelter-anything-goes: AG
Divasdivasbydesignchallenge - anything-goes: AG
Crafts and mechallenge-139-anything-goes: AG



Big Hugs

Rachel xx

Thursday 25 July 2013

Tims Tags 2013: July

Good morning all - this is another scheduled post as I'm still away visiting family. Hope you are doing well and that the weather is staying fine.

Today I've got my Tims Tags July entry to share with you but first here's the master's masterpiece:

JULYTAG

You can see how Tim did this here.

I must confess to struggling with this one - its all because we don't have the 4th July thing over here in the UK but I decided to use the theme and some of the techniques but make it more appropriate for me as a British girl. Here's what I did:



I started by using a Do crafts embossing folder and embossing my union flag onto my tag - then I used Tims brayer technique with aged mahogony distress stain and faded jeans reinker - finally I added barn door DI around the edges of the tag. The letters are TH grungeboard and I treated them with crackle medium then once dry used DI to colourise them. The cogs are squidgey pins that have been colourised with DI and the ribbon was done during the initial brayering to mop up and clean the mat. I chose the word respect as a feeling for the fallen in the many wars we're been involved in as a nation - and I thought the heart with wings was appropriate with that thought in mind. The cogs were chosen again to represent the fallen as they were cogs in the greater machine of war. I used a little treasure gold to colourise the letters a little more and add a metallic lustre to parts of them.

I hope you like my tag which I'll link up wih Tims challenge just as soon as I get back home!

Thanks for dropping by and big crafty hugs

Rachel x

Wednesday 24 July 2013

Creative Inspirations: Bingo

Hello there - well I'm still away visiting family but hopefully this has come live at the right time - it should be Weds Morning!!! Here's hoping!

At Creative Inspirations we have a Bingo challenge going on this week:

Please use a line on the grid which can be either vertical or horizontal.
Don't forget to say which you have used though!


This week's prize is from CEDAR CHEST DESIGNS who are giving 1 lucky Winner a
$10 GIFT CERTIFICATE!




I have used the image called Spring Planting from CCD that you can get here.

Here's what I did:


I love this image - I think it colours up nicely and makes a fab card - male or female! The die I've used is a spellbinders die and the ribbon is from Creative Expressions - I picked it up at the Doncaster show from Chloe's stall. I've coloured the image with promarkers.i used the line flowers image ribbon.

I'll add challenges when I return!

Hope you are all well and thanks for dropping by!

Hugs

Rachel xx



Tuesday 23 July 2013

Bling it on with Crafty Sentiments

Good morning all - this is a scheduled post as I'm away for a few days in Nottingham with my girls - I hope Mr Blogger behaves himself! Over at Crafty Sentiments todays there's a new challenge starting - its called 'Bling it on' - so we want to see your blingy makes please. The prize this time is this:












 That's gotta be worth having!!!!

Here's what I did:





 I've used the image Jasmin winter skates that you can get here. In fact she's currently got 25% off - check it out!!!

I've coloured the image with promarkers and glittered her up then used a stepper card that I made using the hougie board and covered with tartan paper from my stash. The verse is from pinflair and the border is a memory box one.

Challenges I'd like to enter:
IDICrobynsfetishchallengeblog: Christmas in July
Lexislexiscreations: Christmas in July
Digidarladigidarlas: Christmas in July


Big Hugs!

Thanks for dropping by!

Rachel x

Monday 22 July 2013

SALS 44: New sketch at Seems a little Sketchy

good morning all! Another run beckons this morning before me and the girls hop in the car and head south to Nottingham for a few days with their nana. I should be able to keep up with commenting using my phone - but if not I apologise in advance for not getting around to you - I will make every attempt to sort that out once I return!!! My run was good yesterday - managed the 9 miles without too much difficulty as the weather had cooled so much! We went to the zoo too and I found two familiar looking monkeys in a tree:
Photo: At the zoo today - my monkies are climbing again x


Today sees a new sketch at seemsalittlesketchy.

 I rather like this sketch - a nice simple one for sure!!!

The challenge is being sponsored by Bugaboo - I love their images - such fun. I chose to use this one for a friend who sat her AS levels this summer - she also has a sheep so its rather appropriate.



The flowers are WOC and the punch is Martha stewart. There's also a memory box die up the side there. The limited colouring on the image was done with promarkers.

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

WOC:wildorchidchallenge Blue and/or purple
Digi Havendigihaven: any animal
Totally Gorjusstotallygorjuss: Furtastic


Hope you have a fabulous Monday and thanks for looking! Before I go I need to show you a banner -

Everybody loves a bargain! So check out the bargain basement section of the Crafty Sentiments store here
 Hugs rachel xx


Sunday 21 July 2013

doves mini canvas

Good morning all! When this goes live I should be just heading out of the door for a 9 mile run - I have to go so early because of the heat - I find its the only way to run and cope with this heat! Plus it means my exercise is all over by 9am - a pretty good feel good factor I think! I think we'll be heading off to the zoo at Blackpool later. I wonder how the animals there are coping with the heat. Here's how my two little monkies coped with the heat at Fell Foot Park Yesterday:

Photo: Bathing beauties x

Today I've got a mini canvas to share with you:



I've used distress paints on the background and overstamped with some  text stamps from paper mania. I did use some crackle medium on here too but without success. The doves are a mask by Imagination Crafts and I've used Amethyst Sparkle medium. The text is a dylusions stamp and the hills/ flowersare just torn paper and the same paper cut with spellbinders cherry blossom die. Its quite pretty - not what I initailly had in mind but okay!!!

I'd like to enter this canvas into the following challenges:
SFTWstampinfortheweekend: Sparkle and bling
A creative romanceacreativeromance: No DPs
Polkadoodlespolkadoodle: Let it fly
AGCBanythingchallenge: AG
Incy Wincyincywincydesigns: Things with wings.

Hope you have a good Sunday and are able to enjoy whatever you're up to! Thanks for dropping by and hugs! Rachel xx

Saturday 20 July 2013

Its a Penny Black Christmas

Hello there! How are you? Still enjoying the weather? We're hoping to have a family day out at Fell Foot Park in the Lakes today - will need to take towels and stuff for paddling!!! Sounds great!

I've got another Christmas card to share with you today! Well they do talk about Christmas in July in Craft - I've certainly been busy with Christmas cards this July thats for sure!!!! I've done this one with the Penny Black challenges in mind.




The image is a Penny Black slapstick stamp and I've coloured it with promarkers and added glitter and liquid pearls to it. The card base has been distressed with chipped sapphire DI and so has the clock centre - the Clock is a TH die and the snowflake hiding behind the sentiment is a Die'sire dire from Crafters companion.

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

Penny Black Saturday Challengepennybfriendssaturdaychallenge: Christmas in July
Penny Black and allsorts Challengepennyblackatallsorts: Dies and diecuts
I love promarkers:ilovepromarkers AG
Deep Ocean CBdeepoceanchallengeblog: Blue
sweetstampinchallengeblog: christmas in july

Hope you have a great Saturday - look forward to seeing you again soon and thanks for dropping by!

Big Hugs

Rachel x