SALS 49: a new sketch at seems a little sketchy

Morning lovelies - hope you had the weather that we did yesterday - its been a superb weekend - so god to be out and about enjoying the sunshine!

This morning over at Seems A Little Sketchy there's a new sketch challenge starting - we're sponsored by My Graphico and got some fun images to play with -

here's the sketch



and here's what I did:

I turned the sketch upsidedown - and added the banner! A little monsters birthday party.

Hope you can check out the challenge blog here to see what the other DT did and maybe have a go yourself!

Have a good Monday - thanks for dropping by!

Hugs

Rachel xx

A little bit oriental

Morning lovelies - wow - wasn't it amazing yesterday? What a stunning day! We had a walk/bike ride along the prom in Morecambe and had lunch on the pier. It was glorious - little Penny has just managed to get confident on her bike and is able to start herself off now - its been a long road since the stabilisers came off in July - but we're finally there!!!!

On Thursday I had a bit of a crafternoon with my mum - we did the first project on Sheenas new CD - although the results are far from perfect I thought I'd show it here as we had such a lovely time! I've mounted the project onto black card run through the grand calibur with the maple leaf folder from sheena. It wasn't mounted onto a card whan I took the picture but it is now.

I used brass regular wow powders, pebeo acrylic paints and stamps from the lantern, silhouette and sakoura stamp sets. My overstamping needs work - but I'll get there - but all in all I'm quite pleased!

I'm not entering this card into any challenges as its a copy of a design - but I did want a go so here it is.

Have a fabulous Sunday - and big Crafty Hugs

Rachel xx

A little bit of sewing

Morning all! I hope you are well and happy. Thanks so much for the lovely comments on my hanging yesterday - you're so kind! Just to let you know we managed to raise £499.45 for Macmillan yesterday so thats really amazing! So pleased!!!!

Today I've got two sewing themed cards to share with you - the first features the Makey Bakey mice from Crafters Companion - I just love this image particularly - had to have it!

The embossing folders are also from crafters companion - the A4 patchwork folder and the 8x8 buttons folder both from the everyday range. The diecuts on the front are from spellbinders and the one on the side is sizzix. The mice were coloured with promarkers.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Crafters Companion Embossing challengecrafterscompanion:
Totally Papercraftstotallypapercrafts: Stitching
cardmaniacardmaniachallenges: use buttons


My second offering today is one i made for the Joanna sheen forum cardswap - the theme this month was patchwork.

this image is from the paper shelter and I've used the crafters companion patchwork embossing folder again. Colouring again is by promarkers.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
TPSthepapershelter: Stitching real or faux - the image is stitching - but there's aux stitching on the one above...
Divas:divasbydesignchallenge Monochrome

Thanks for dropping by today and for any comments you may choose to leave. Hope to see you again soon! Big Hugs rachel xx

autumn hedgies

Morning all! Well there's certainly an autumnal feel about the days now....is it the same where you are? The trees here are starting to shed plenty of golden leaves and its all very colourful! Fabulous for inspiration don't you think?

Well its going to be another busy morning for me - our PTA host a Macmillan Coffee morning at school between 10 and 12 so as soon as I've dropped the girls off I'll be hot footing it around to the front of school to help get tables and chairs set up for the coffee morning and get the cakes and biscuits put out for people to buy. We're having a raffle too and have got lots of fabulous prizes from the community - I'll let you know tomorrow how much we raise!

Today I'm sticking with the autumn theme and showing you a hanger I've made with a few challenges in mind.

The hedgie stamp is of course Penny Black and its been stamped onto sheena shapes and coloured with promarkers. The leaf stamp is also a sheena stamp. The bottom hearts have been coloured with distress stains and stamped with leaves. I've added the word autumn to the middle heart and a crafty emblie wooden leaf to the bottom heart.

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

Penny Black and Morepennyblackatallsorts: Autumn
Penny Black Saturday Challengepennybfriendssaturdaychallenge: ABAC
Crafty Little Fairiesliliofthevalleythursdaychallenge: Autumn colours


Thanks for your lovely comments yesterday and I hope you've enjoyed your visit today. Looking forward to seeing you again soon! Big Crafty Hugs

Rachel xx

Tims tags of 2013: September - and a 40th birthday card

Good morning all! I hope you are well and happy! We're good - we had lots of fun at Rainbows last night - we made chocolate cake hedgehogs - lots of fun and super delicious too!!!!

Today I've got to show you my Tims tag for September - well mine is not quite like sir Tims - infact mine is a bit of a mess - but I really njoyed making said mess so thought I'd share it with you!!!

Here's sir Tims for this month:



Now mine followed the step by steps of tims that you can find here - 12-tags-of-2013-september but not having yet had the chance to purchase tims stencils I had to use what I had available - oh and I think I've discovered why tim only pasted up the top corner - because the stamps don't work so well onto of the embossing paste - lol - you live and learn!!!!

I did warn you! Oh but the fun factor was immense! I have to say I loved doing this!!! I'd like to enter it into timholtz.com/12-tags-of-2013-september challenge anyway!

Something else I've been having fun with is the making of my friend and ex chemistry teacher colleague  Cheyl's 40th birthday card/box. Her birthday was yesterday so its safe to show it now - and its all Tim Holtz stuff so I thought I'd show the two together.

This is the front of the card - I had lots of fun with distress inks, some sprays - colourwash and dylusions, and some stencils and pastes. The stamps are from the Tim Holtz set called The chemist. I coloured the images with promarkers.

 This is inside on the rhs - the book was part of my winnings from LEJ Designs CB where I got goodies from Mishelflo - the service was fabulous - thanks Michelle! I also got the Tim Holtz vials from that win too - they're brilliant.

 I've used the paperstash that accompanies the chemist stamp set - also Tim Holtz - and these letters are grungeboard sprayed up with dylusions.

This is the back of the 'card' - Cheryl loved the whole thing - I'm really glad as it took quite a lot of time!!!!

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

Rhedd and Rosies:something-for-men16th-challenge( I did send this to a girl I know but generally I think of this as being more masculine!!!)
Bearly Minebearlymine-challenges: AG
PFPpromarkerchallenge: One for the boys
Kaboodle doodleskaboodledoodles: Use orange
AI: artistic inspirationsBright colours
FSCfashionablestampingchallenges: Autumn colours
Pan pastelpanpasteluk: AG
simonsaysstampblog-anything-goes
charismacardzinside

Thats it for today folks - thanks for looking and I hope you have a great day today. Thanks for any comments you leave - I do love to read what you think!!!

Big Hugs to you!

Rachel xx

Fave stamp brand at Creative Inspirations

Morning all - hope you're having a good day. Thanks for all of your lovely comments yesterday - its always nice to hear what you think!

This week's challenge at Creative Inspirations  (cinspirations) is Your Favourite Stamp Brand!
Simply use a Stamp on your creations from your favourite stamp brand.

This week we have 2 prizes and the first one is from CLASSY CRAFTS who are giving away a

£10 Voucher!

The next prize is of course from our monthly sponsor J&C CREATIONS who are offering another 

£10 GIFT CERTIFICATE!

 My favourite stamp brand - is probably Sheena Douglass - so that's what I chose to use here. Its was a great excuse to use this fabulous stamp from the little bit magical set.

To make my card I started out stamping and colouring the image with promarkers and then masked it off. Then I stamped the leaves and ivy trails in versamark and added embossing powder and heat set. Next I used distress inks to create the background using cut and dry foam. Next I cut the card with a spellbinders die and mounted it onto a piece of brown card that I had embossed with a darice woodgrain embossing folder. I repeated the procedure of the distress inks with the base and then added the leaves and sentiment that I stamped and cut out.

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

Kaboodle Doodleskaboodledoodles: Use orange

FSCfashionablestampingchallenges: Autumn colours

Crafters Companioncrafterscompanion: Embossing

Passion for promarkerspromarkerchallenge: One for the boys 

Before I go here's a quick look at the card I made with my coffee pot ladies  on Monday morning. I stamped on acetate and coloured with Imagination Crafts silkies. After drying I cut out the flowers and mounted on the background using silicon glue.  The background is distress inks and the sentiment LOTV. They enjoyed doing this!

Hope you have a fabulous Wednesday and thanks for dropping by!

Big Crafty Hugs

Rachel xx

New release from Crafty sentiments tutorial and not a card challenge at Crafty sentiments

Good morning folks - You'll be glad to know that most of my jobs for yesterday got done - but I did skip the library visit - will do that today!!! I just renewed over the phone - lol!!!!

Its a double post here for you today - its my turn on the Inspirations blog over at craftysentimentsinspirations and I'm doing a tutorial for one of the new images. Here's what I'm making:

 I started with a hanger from everycrafts a pound and gave it a coat of pebeo acrylic paint. Then using a mask from Imagination Crafts and some distress ink I created the diamond background on top  of the paint.

 After that I coloured my stamped image with promarkers and cut it out. Once cut out added this to the hanger along with the words stamped using clarity alphabet and box stamps.

Such a useful item for us to use at home - and I suspect my girlies will need one of their own for when they're older!

The second project I've got to show you today is from my challenge that starts at craftysentiments today - the theme is Anything but a card - and I made a picture and frame for my girlies bedroom:

The frame is a box frame that came as a bargain from the Joanna sheen site - I've just painted and decorated it and made the internal picture using Crafty Sentiments stamps available here. The mermaids tails I've done using fantasy film and fibre and decoupaged them up on the image.

Hoping you'll be able to join us at Crafty sentiments for the challenge this time - here's the link so you can check out what everybody did! craftysentiments

I'd like to enter my hanger into the following challenges:
As you like it challengeasyoulikeitchallenge: Fave sentiment and why - 'gone shopping' - what girl doesn't love this sentiment lol!!!
http://anythingchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/challenge-101-out-with-girls.html: Anything goes challenge blog
I'd like to enter my picture into the following challenges:
Divasdivasbydesignchallenge: Anything goes
Creative moments:carabbiemomentsofcraft Frame it
Crafty catzcraftycatzweeklychallenge - decoupage

Thanks for dropping by and for any comments you choose to leave - I appreciate them one and all!

Big Hugs

Rachel xx

Whoopsi Daisy - Ribbon and a bow

Good morning lovelies! And thanks so much for your comments about my post yesterday - it was a bit mad I know but it definitely fitted the brief!!! Todays card is much more sedate - its for the new challenge over at whoopsi daisy called ribbon and a bow. Here it is: I've used an image from sheet 451 that you can get here

I've used an 8x8 embossing folder from Crafters Companion (Embossalicious) with pink satin card to create the background. The image was simply coloured with promarkers and cut using a spellbinders die. The corner die is also from spellbinders - as is the sentiment mat - the words are from tattered lace.

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

Crafters Companioncrafterscompanion: Embossing
OSAATonestitchatatimechallenge: Use a digi
PFPpromarkerchallenge: Embossing
inky chicks:inkychicks pretty in pink
sweet stampinsweetstampinchallengeblog - glamour and glitz



Thanks for dropping by today - I've got a busy old day today - I'm running first thing then I've got my crafty ladies at the coffee pot. I'm treating them to stamping on acetate and painting with silkies today - hopefully I'll remember my camera! After that its the usual blogging and housework and then after tea I've got to chair the AGM for the PTA for school - we're going to the pub to hold the meeting. Very civilised. Oh yes - and I need to plan Rainbows for wednesday night - but I suspect I know what we're going to do so that shouldn't be too bad - oh yes and its library book return day! Phew - better get organised!!! Lol!!!!!

Big Hugs and hope to see you again soon!

Rachel xx

Siobhan and Martin's card

Hello Lovelies - how are you? I hope you're fine and well and having a good weekend. We're all good - we'll be losing 'Nana' today which will be very sad. Its always lovely when she comes to visit us! Still - hopefully it won't be too long before she comes again!


I've got a card to share with you today that I made for a commission. Its a wedding card for a lady in my village. She wanted it for a very flamboyant lady and her husband to be - it sounds like a very unusual wedding - hence the very unusual card! But I do like it!

I started off using copper sparkle medium from Imagination Crafts through the peacock mask from That special touch and created the paper that I then die cut into hearts  and mounted on an orangey mirri board also diecut into hearts. I added the bride and groom name. Then I die cut the card shape and used distress inks to colour the base of the easel. The top of the easel was also die cut and I mounted the hearts onto this overlapping them slightly before adding the kingfishers cut from a delicious doodles image and coloured with promarkers and the butterflies - also cut from the same image and coloured with promarkers. I added the Maribou Orange feathers to the side - the bride is having three orange feathers coming from a head-dress and a theatrical orange gown! The flowers on the base are WOC and I added them around the edge of the card. The Congratulations was also stamped and added to create the lip behind which the easel could sit.
The lady in the village was ecstatic with the card. I just hope the bride was too!

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

I love promarkersilovepromarkers: Anything goes
Happy Campershappycamperscc: Show us your flowers
Charisma: charismacardzFave colour combo - blue and orange
Crafty Ribbons:craftyribbonschallenge AG with ribbons
Delicious doodlesdeliciousdoodleschallenge: Bling
Pattiespattiescreationschallenge: Animals
Fussy and fancy:fussyandfancychallenge Punches and dies
Sweet Stampinsweetstampinchallengeblog: Glamour and Glitz
Ladybug Craft Ink:ladybugscraftsinkchallengeblog No squares
Tuesday Throwdowntuesdaythrowdown: Things with wings


I hope you have a wonderful Sunday and thanks so much for dropping by today. Big Crafty Hugs!

Rachel xx

Follow your dreams

Morning lovelies - I hope you're well and happy. We're all okay - my Lucy had to have some blood tests yesterday - nothing serious we hope - she was a real trooper though - so brave xx

Onto todays post - I made this with two challenges particularly in mind - the sunday stamper and stamping sensations - it definitely looked better in my head than it has turned out!

The heart was part of a pack of two from the anycraftsapound store - I painted it with green acrylic paint then stamped some inkylicious poppies on it and some background script. Then I used a sweet poppy stencil and some sparkle medium from Imagination crafts and made the main focus of the hanging. Then I used a piece of neenah crest card and distress inks - crushed olive, forest moss, festive berries and barn door - and created a background that I stamped the sentiment and my recently rediscovered butterflies onto. I cut these out and added them to the hanging.

I'd like to enter this into
Sunday stamper pinkleart- make a hanging
Stamping sensationssirstampalotchallenge: Photo inspiration
PTWpapertakeweekly: Make it sparkle
Tuesday throwdown:tuesdaythrowdown Things with wings

Thanks for dropping by today and for any comments you choose to leave - I really do appreciate them and the time it takes you to visit. Big Crafty Hugs and hope you have a great day!
Rachel xx

Crafty Sentiments Sneak Peek day 2: Witches Broom

Good morning lovelies! How are you? I hope you are well and happy! Thanks so much for your lovely comments on yesterdays card - I really do appreciate them.

Before I show you todays effort just wanted to point out the craftysentimentsdesigns flash sale - until 5pm today there's 50% off at the website using the code Crafty24. Go get shopping!!!!

Today I've got another craftysentimentsdesigns sneaky peek to show you - this one is ideal for Halloween!

To make this card I started with the background. This was made by adding amethyst sparkle medium from Imagination Crafts through a leafy background mask also from imaginationcrafts onto black card. Once dry this was die cut to match the diecut card . The image was coloured with promarkers and the background created using my cloud mask and black soot distress ink.  The sentiment is also from Crafty sentiments and was diecut into a star shape and coloured with spiced marmalade DI. The extra bits were in a lovely candy from Kezzy at this time last year!!! Thanks again Kezzy x

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

PTWpapertakeweekly: make it sparkle
Crafty Ribbonscraftyribbonschallenge: AG with ribbons
I love promarkersilovepromarkers: Anything goes

Thanks for dropping by today and I look forward to seeing you again soon.

Crafty Hugs

Rachel xx