playtime!

Well did you get the four day deal from Sheena? I didn't - but I did get a few bits of it from Crafters Companion! Here's the result of my first play with a couple of the embossing folders - all of which i love to bits!

This card is 8x8 and has been made using the A4 sunflower folder. I cut my A4 embossed card to 7x7 then set about the embossed images with distress ink - scattered straw, spiced marmalade, tea dye and walnut stain and mowed lawn. The offcut of the A4 I used to create the corner flowers - they were similarly coloured, then I added spray and shine and fussy cut before adding to the card. The leaves were cut using a spellbinders die and the ribbon came from my stash. The sentiment is from an LOTV set and was cut out using a spellbinders die.

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

As you like it asyoulikeitchallenge- fave style and why - I just love doing backgrounds and playing with inks!

PCJpaper-craftingjourney: Emboss it.

I also had a go with one of the smaller embossing folders and the faux leather technique - 

I've painted it with the primary elements too - I'm waiting for sheena to put her u-tube film up as I've gone and deleted the programme. I like the result but since it was done from memory it might be better next time! Lol!

Big Hugs to you - hope you have a wonderful Friday - I'll be travelling up to my craft course later - can hardly contain my excitement!

Big Hugs Rachel xx

Aaron's card

Happy Thursday to you! I hope you are well and happy! Things here are good and I'm currently getting very excited about heading off to Middlesborough tomorrow to a Hels Sheridan weekend course. I can hardly contain my excitement!!!! But I must! I'll try to remember my camera and take some pictures whilst I'm there for Mondays blog post!

Today I've got a card to share with you I made for my nephew Aaron who will be 18 in February.

I made the background of the card using a number mask from Tim Holtz. I applied the mask then sponged over metallic panpastels. I set this with spray and sparkle then stamped over the health wealth and happiness always sentiment - from Sheena douglass. I cut the spellbinders frame and cut some TH paper to fit then stamped the sheena douglass goblet onto TH metal tape. I stuck this onto the paper ontop of a beaded net from That Craft place then added the key from That Craft Place. The net ribbon in the background was also from That Craft Place. 

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

Pan Pastel:panpasteluk AG -Celebrations  use metallics

TPCtotallypapercrafts: one for the boys

Rhedd and rosiesrheddandrosies: AG

movingalongwiththetimes-birthday-boys

I'd also like to share with you the goodies I bought from Country View Crafts - I recently won a candy from the lovely Dawn at dawn-dawnscrafting and she let me choose a fave shop to spend some vouchers in - how kind is that - well this is what I settled on in the end - so thankyou so much Dawn - you're such a lovely lady! You cannot imagine the shopping pleasure I had getting these and I imagine the crafting pleasure will be even more!!!! I was going to wait to find out what tims tag was this month but I just couldn't sit on my hands any longer - lol!

Thanks for dropping by today and for any comments you choose to leave ..... Big Hugs to you!

Rachel xx

stamping at creative inspirations

Hello there - how are you? I hope you are well. Thanks for your lovely comments on my last post - you really are very kind.

Today we're starting a new challenge over at Creative Inspirations. The theme this week is an easy one - stamping!

This week's challenge is Stamping!
All you need to do is include some Stamping on your creations!

This week we are sponsored by STAMP & CREATE.

They are giving the winner a $20 GIFT CERTIFICATE!

I used a stamp from LOTV and made a new baby card for a neighbour,

such a cute stamp - I coloured the image with promarkers and cut using a spellbinders die. the papers are from dovecraft as are the buttons - then I added a muslin square and ribbon and the flowers.

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

TPCtotallypapercrafts: One for the boys

stampin sensationssirstampalotchallenge - ribbon, buttons and bows.

LOTV ideastoinspire challenge anything goes

Thanks for dropping by today. 

fishy wishy

Good morning to you! How are you today? I'm feeling good - I had a fasting day yesterday and feel so much the better for it - its hard but I find its great to do every now and again - just gives the old digestive system a rest!

Today I've got a card to show you made using stamps from Sheena's Oriental Range. I used an acetate overlay too - here it is.

I stamped the fish first of all in black archival and added clear embossing power and heat set - then I stamped the water ripples in the same way. I painted the fish using distress inks -fired brink, spiced marmalade and scattered straw. Then I painted the water using distress inks - chipped sapphire, pine needles, tumbled glass and faded jeans. Next I left this to dry and made the acetate overlay - I stamped the two lilies in black staz-on - then painted on the reverse with silkies from imagination crafts and left this to dry. Meanwhile I added some UTEE into my meltpot and when melted I poured it onto my craft sheet then stamped with the coin stamp inked up with archival ink.

Once everything was dry i assembled the card using some black card that I embossed with sheenas maple leaf folder and also some garden twine and brads.

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

Craft Room Challengescraft-roomchallenge: The age of aquarius
The sunday stamperpinkleart - Orange

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

Chocolate Baroque Birdhouse

Hello Lovelies! How are you today? I hope you're all well and good. We had a nice family swim yesterday - I managed 20 lengths in total this time so things are improving!

Today I've got something to show you that I've made for me ..... its a money box to help me save up for some new trainers - running shoes are around £100 for a decent pair so it will take a while before I get them!!! But if money is in my bank it disappears onto craft - lol!!!!! I've used  two stamp sets from chocolatebaroque(Live out -Loud--Fly-Away-with-Me) to make this plus a script stamp from crafty individuals and a swirl stamp from sheena douglass.

The box is from the MDF man and I started the process by painting with gesso and then antique white acrylic paint. Next I painted the roof and added the tiles with a pen. Then I stamped the script and left everything to dry.

Whilst everything was drying I used distress inks (forest moss, shabby chic, crushed olive, )on some plain paper - then stamped and fussy cut the birds and stamped and cut the saying.

I thought this saying was particularly appropriate as when I'm running I often think about stuff - craft or otherwise.  Once the birds were sorted I did the scrolls by stamping in versamark and heat setting with holly green WOW powders. Finally I made the flowers using the Hels Sheridan method with the 6 petaled flower and then dipped them in the melt pot to give them a faux porcelain appearance. 

Finally I assembled everything. I'm very pleased with this - I do hope you like it too!

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

Our Creative corner ourcreativecorner6- shopping our sins - these bird sets from choc baroque were bought over a year ago and this is the first time some of the stamps on the sets have been used!

Country view craftscountryviewchallenges: Monochrome

The ribbon Girltheribbongirlchallengeblog: AG

Crafty Catzcraftycatzweeklychallenge: Monochrome

Thanks for dropping in today - big hugs to you! Hope to see you again soon!

Rachel xx

Thankyou for the Little Claire Challenge

Good morning lovelies! How are you? I hope you're feeling good. I'm happy this morning - Penny did her final night last night - which went well - and I won the lovely Dawn's candy yesterday - from dawnscrafting. Thanks Dawn - you really made my weekend!

Today I've got two thankyou cards I made to enter the Little Claire Challenge this month which is Thankyou!

The central stamps both came from Little Claire stamp club sets. The papers were a combination of dovecraft papers and some from trimcraft I think. I've added buttons and bows and ribbon. Quick simple cards but I think quite pretty! I loosely followed this sketch which is also part of the challenge: for the second card.



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

Little Claire - littleclairesdesignsthankyou

I hope you have a wonderful day!

Rachel xx

vintage pink

Hello there! How are you today? I hope you are well and happy!

Today I have a card to show you that I made with a few challenges in mind.

I used a Marianne Designs butterfly die and the main die is also from Mariannes Designs as is the focal thankyou stamp. I created the background directly onto the card using distress inks and a stamp from Crafty Individuals.

I stamped the focal image in black archival and cut it out with a circular die.

The butterfly I cut out from centura pearl card and then added roses down the body area of the butterfly.

All of the fabric came from That Craft Place. The pendant also came from That Craft Place and I stamped the image again in sepia and cut to fit. Then I set it in place with UTEE heated in my meltpot and poured in. 

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

Mariannes Design Divasmariannedesigndivas: Pretty in pink

rhedd and rosiesrheddandrosies: no white

frilly and funkyfrillyandfunkie - heart warming in winter

inkychicksinkychicks: bingo - metal embellie/flowers/butterflies

PCJ:paper-craftingjourney vintage/shabby/ distressed

winter wonderlandchristmasblogchallenge: butterflies

Fussy and fancy:fussyandfancychallenge vintage

allsortschallenge-vintage

Hope you have a great Saturday and thanks for popping along to visit me here today. We have Penny's final show tonight - hope it goes well!

Hugs Rachel xx

christmas again?

Hello there! How are you this fine morning? Well we're all good although Penny's tired after her opening night - all went well though so thats good. Here's a picture of most of the children involved in the changing room just before curtains up. They did so very well - amazing really! I get to sit in the audience tonight so I'm looking forward to that.



 Its not such good news with my dad - the doctor has diagnosed vascular dementia - although he still has to have a scan to confirm this. The symptoms are all there though - we just have to hope that he doesn't deteriorate too quickly I guess.

Today I have a Christmas card to share with you made using a set of Chocolate baroque stamps that I bought in the sale - I couldn't resist these and have enjoyed playing with them. I have been toying with the idea of applying for the DT - not that I would have stood a chance - but now the deadline has been brought forward and I'm too late - nevermind - obviously not meant to be! Lol!

I made the background using one stamp from this set - I simply stamped in versa and repeated the pattern down each side before adding red glitter Wow powders and heat embossing. Then I added pan pastels to add the colour. The main image was stamped onto card in versa and then heat set with black sparkling wow powders. Then I added more pan pastels with the colours intensified for the topper. The flower is an extra one I made from felt for the pan pastel GDT that I did in december - you can read about that here.....the sentiment was cut using a britannia die.

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

pan pastelpanpasteluk ; not just card and paper
wow powderswowembossingpowder: fabric
ABC Christmasabcchristmaschallenge: B is for bare minimum of embellishments


Thanks so much for dropping by today and for any comments you choose to leave! Big Hugs to you!

Rachel xx

add glitter at Lavinia

Goodly morning to you! I hope you are well and happy! Its Penny's opening night tonight - I'll take my camera along and hopefully have a piccie to show you tomorrow. Its also my dads appointment today so I'm hoping that goes well too.

Todays card I made to enter this months challenge over at Lavinia stamps where the theme is 'add glitter'. Here's what I made:

I made the topper first - I stamped the lavinia fairy stamp in versa mark and added black wow powders to the image then heat set. I repeated this process with the lavinia star group but used clear embossing powder before heat setting. Then I added the clarity moon mask and set about building up the background using the ombre technique from last months craft stamper magazine - I used seedless preserves, dusty concorde and milled lavendar distress inks. Then after removing the mask I added lavinia foliage on the left and two small lavinia fairies near the moon stamping this time in black. Finally I used the Clarity landscape mask and added the hills in at the bottom is black soot.

I added this to some black card then threaded the ribbon up using the Sue wilson technique that I linked to yesterday. I hope you like this magical card!

I'd like to enter the following challenges:

Lavinia:laviniastamps add glitter
craftstamper-take-it-make-it-challenge-six
CFAScraftingforallseasons: For the girls
Divasdivasbydesignchallenge: AG
Sunday stamperpinkleart - purple/violet
Wow powderswowembossingpowder - use fabric (I hope ribbon counts?)
Crafty catzcraftycatzweeklychallenge - use a fairy

Hope you have a great Thursday! Thanks for dropping by and \i hope to see you again soon! Hugs rachel xx

Ribbons at Creative Inspirations

Good morning lovelies - how are you today? I hope you are well and happy. Big hugs going out to you if you're not! My visit to my mum and dads was a short one yesterday - I ended up taking my mum off to a new exercise class so that curtailed the visit. My dad is getting increasingly confused which is a worry - I take him up to the memory clinic in Lancaster tomorrow so hopefully we'll get some answers soon. Chin up mum - we'll be alright! xx

Today there is a new challenge starting at Creative Inspirations - the theme this week is ribbons.

All you need to do is include Ribbons on your creations!

This week's prize is from CRAFTY RIBBONS and they are giving the winner this gorgeous bundle of cake themed ribbons!

Here's what I did following the Ribbon_Technique from the lovely Sue Wilson:

Sue tends to use a ribbon that is differently coloured on either side and \i think the effect is much better like that - but you have to use what you've got and this was what I had. The technique was very simple - you'll find it on tomorrows card too - very therapeutic!!!
The stamps I used are from paperartsy - Jofy set 10 - I bought them at thatcraftplace. I've coloured them with speccies.

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

Incy Wincy:incywincydesigns Floral Frenzy
MAWTTmovingalongwiththetimes: Card for a female

I'd also like to enter this into the craftyribbonschallenge dt-call

Hope you have a great day and thanks for dropping by - I think I've solved my commenting problem so if I've been absent for a few days I should be returning again very soon!

Big Hugs

Rachel xx

Happy Birthday at Crafty sentiments

Hello there! How are you today? I hope you are feeling good. We're all okay - the dress rehersal went okay yesterday and fingers crossed now it'll be alright on the night!

Over at Crafty Sentiments today there is a new challenge starting with the theme - Happy Birthday. There's a fabulous stamp from the new release up for grabs for the winner of the challenge:

Stamp 2 Hearts

What a great prize for this weeks challenge, and for a better chance to win this fabby prize, were giving you up to 6 chances to win...All you need to do is if us CS image put #3 after your name, If a follower of our Inspirational blog put #3 or if you've done both then #6..So yes up to 6 chances..Good luck everyone.

Here's what I did for this challenge - I had my gelli plate out again!

The image is called -Tobey-Arrr-Captain and you can get him by following the link. I've coloured him with my speccies and fussycut him then added him to the gelli plate background I created - they really are lots of fun! Must do some more very soon! Then I added the diecut stars .

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

AGOACpinkgemchallengeblog: For the boys

SFTWstampinfortheweekend: Happy Birthday

Charismacharismacardz: A boy thing

cute card Thursdaycutecardthursday: Warm colours

sparkles:sparklesforumchallenges new stash - gelli plate still new to me xx

I hope you have a great Tuesday - I'm going to see my mum and dad today - should be a nice day!

Big Hugs to you!Thanks for visiting and for any comments you choose to leave. 

Rachel x

Cock a doodle doo

Goodly morning to you all! Can you believe its Monday again already - are you ready for another mad week? I don't know where time goes - do you? Its performance week this week - we've got dress rehersal tonight and performances on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. I suspect this week is going to go even faster than ever.

Today I've got a card to share with you that I made using the chocolate Baroque steampunk birds set. As soon as I saw the cockerel I thought of kelloggs cornflakes and this card is a bit of a trip down memory lane for me.

I started off by using a mask from That special touch - I used wild honey distress inks onto card and covered it - then stuck the mask on and applied spiced marmalade  and barn door distress inks into alternate stripes. I stuck this to black card and stuck this onto a card. Then I stamped the cockerel onto card and also onto TH metal tape. I coloured part of the cockerel with my speccies then fussy cut parts of the metal tape and applied is to the image. Finally I fussy cut the whole bird and stood him atop a large wooden cog from That Craft Place. The sentiment is another one from the dylusions word set that I use so often!

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

PIOpileitonchallenge: Wood

AGOACpinkgemchallengeblog: For the boys

charismacharismacardz: A boy thing

sparklessparklesforumchallenges: Show us your new stash - stamp

tuesday throwdowntuesdaythrowdown: stripes

I hope you have a great day - and thanks for dropping by! Big Hugs from me! Oh and if I appear to have not been by for a week - I'm experiencing some difficulty with commenting on some sites - the side bar on the comment form freezes and I can't scroll down to publish my comment - its only a few of you that it has been affection - really sorry if I've been missing you - I only hope it sorts itself out soon!

Hugs

Rachel xxx

colour scheme for That Craft Place Challenge

Hello there!

This is my post for the That Craft Place Challenge which starts today - there is a colour palette to stick to if you wish to enter the challenge:



I really enjoyed making the piece I made for this challenge and its currently hanging on my bedroom wall.

I made a canvas and started by making some papers with my gelli plate - I used two colours of acrylic paint and made up a light blue by mixing a darkblue and some white. I made my prints using both sequin waste and a mask from That Craft Place - you can't see the image here because its all been cut up. I cut the prints up and backed them onto either brown or blue card. I made the central part of the canvas on paper that I coloured with distress inks then stamped using a script stamp from Crafty Individuals. Then I used a second mask from That Craft Place and added Gold shimmer texture paste from Cosmic shimmer.

On top of this paste once dry I added some metallic pan pastels - then I stamped the dylusions sentiment and cut it out and fixed it.

The heart came from That craft place and I coloured it with distress ink - antique linen/teadye. I made the flowers using the tattered florals die from TH and also cut leaves using the tattered leaves die. Then I assembled the whole thing on a 10 x 8 canvas. I hope you like it as much as I do!

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

Simon says stampsimonsaysstampblog - monday - anything goes

fantasy stampers fantasystampers: winged things

PCJ:paper-craftingjourney Vintage/shabby/distressed

PTWpapertakeweekly: New year new stash - gelli plate and gold shimmer texture paste

Incy Wincy:incywincydesigns Add texture

Sweet Stampin' - fave stylesweetstampinchallengeblog - distressed/grungey/ mixed media

panpasteluk-anything-goes

Hope you have a fabulous Sunday! big Hugs to you!

Rachel x

Sneak peak of new releases at Crafty Sentiments

Good morning to you! How are you today? Good I hope! We're all good and happy to report that the jumble sale raised about £165 yesterday - which isn't bad at all - I think we'll do that again some time.

Well I've got two posts today both scheduled for the same time - never had that before - I wonder what will happen? I guess I'll soon see!

This post is a sneak peak for the New release at Crafty Sentiments - there are some beautiful images in this release and they'll be in store on 22nd January.



I got the image called 'I Love you' to play with and I thought it would be fun to alter a letter rack - for all those love letters I get - lol! (not)......

I've coloured my image in using speccies and covered the MDF letter rack with papers from the secret garden series from Graphics 45. The flowers on the rack are made using an Imagination crafts stencil and texture paste. I pasted through the stencil onto my craft sheet, lifted and cleaned the stencil and left the paste to dry. Once dry they just peeled away from the craft sheet. I've added some pretty metal centres to the flowers and also added a dragonfly charm.

Hope you have a wonderful day!

Hugs

Rachel xx