Together in Electric Dreams

Hello Lovelies! How are you today? I hope you are feeling fine? I am doing good - I was really pleased yesterday as I swam a mile for the first time ever! Brilliant! I'm going to see if I can repeat it today - woohoo!

Today I have a canvas to share with you - its A4 in size. Its done mostly with the FSC stamping challenge Lovers in mind.

I created the background using a stencil from clarity - I applied some wendy vecchi crackle paste through it then left it to dry. Once dry I painted it with black gesso and let that dry. Then I applied some silver pebeo gilding wax from pebeo and rubbed over this with a variety of alcohol inks.

The central stamp is from a christmas set by Sheena douglass - I coloured it in distress inks.

Here's a close up of the effect on the crackle paste of the gesso, gilding wax and alcohol ink.

I thought it looked dreamy - thats why I chose the song. It just came to me - then that got me thinking about my lovely Shaun - we'll always be together in electric dreams!! Quite fitting as he was a physicist!

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

fashionablestampingchallenges-96-lovers

simonsaysstampblog wednesdaychallengeanything-goes-15

inspiration emporium - everything goes

welove2create challenge-9-anything-creativemixed

Big Hugs!!

Rachel xx

a little birdie

Hello there! How are you today? I am fine and well and pleased to not be running today! I've got swimming to do instead! Lol! I'm sure my muscles will feel better for a change of exercise!!! Here's hoping!

I've decided to go for the cut n boss - I hope I don't regret it - I ordered it last night - I'm a platinum member at crafters companion so get a good deal. I looked at the one on create and craft but I seem to have most of the goodies they were giving away with it - so thats no good. I'll let you know how I get on with it.

Today I have another chocolate baroque colour challenge card to share with you - I've made it with my sister in mind - she's very into birds just now - hope she'll like it.

I stamped the image then coloured the background with spun sugar distress paint. Next I masked the image then stamped the script in the background in picked raspberry - next I coloured the image in distress inks then cut with a marianne die.

Finally I made the background using distress inks then added a die cut sentiment.

I would like to enter this in the current challenge at chocolate baroque.

chocolatebaroquechallenge-ten

Thanks for dropping by today! Big hugs!

Rachel x

flapper girl

Hello Lovelies! How are you? I hope you are well and happy! We are all good - got another few miles in my legs yesterday and coffee pot went well despite my die cutting disaster - thanks to those of you who shared your opinion - I'm going to try my mums large sizzix this afternoon and will decide from there. This morning I'm off to run with my friend Sue.

I have a card I made for the chocolate baroque colour challenge this month - here's the banner:



Great colours - I took it as a chance to ink up one of the fabulous flappers. Love them!

I coloured the lady with spectrum noir pencils then masked her off and masked off the edges leaving a horizontal strip showing. Using spun sugar distress ink I covered the strip then used picked raspberry to stamp over it using one of the other stamps from the flapper set. The sentiment is from chocolate baroque also.

Here's a closer look at the lady!

I should like to enter this into the following challenges:

chocolatebaroquechallenge-ten

sweetstampinchallengeblog i-can-sing-rainbow

I hope you have a great Tuesday and look forward to seeing what you've all been up to!

Hugs

Rachel x

coffee pot - music request

Hello lovelies - how are you this morning? I hope you are well and have enjoyed your weekend. We had a nice quiet sunday - I'd managed to lose 2lb so was very pleased and the girls went to a party in the late afternoon so I took the time to go for a run - perfect! They enjoyed their party too so we were all happy.

I'm running again this morning - then its off to coffee pot where I'm in charge. I made the mistake of asking if anybody had any themes they would like us to do and the theme that came back was music - well I found I didn't have much but came up with two possibilities:

This one involved using an embossing folder and a stamp set from imagination crafts. I coloured in using distress markers.

This one involved using versamark and 6 different rainbow wow powders, a spellbinders grand circle die, embossing folder and a stamp from clarity.

I'd like to enter this into the rainbow challenge over at wowembossingpowder.

sweetstampinchallengeblog/i-can-sing-rainbow

Well in actual fact the ladies will make a version of the first card - my grand calibur decided to die on me - so there'll be no die cutting or embossing at class today - lol!!!! we'll manage though!

So now I'm left with the question - cut n boss or large (A4) big shot? Or maybe something else? What are your thoughts?

A few of you have asked to see my sunshine - here she is: my hot mustard fiesta ecoboost!

I hope you have a really lovely day and thanks for visiting.

Rachel x

Christmas card club - stars

Hello Lovelies - this is a scheduled post - I took my mum and girls to see the Wizard of Oz last night in Morecambe it was lots of fun - they changed the story from the film somewhat but it was great to see - Oh and Lucy had a great night at her residential - sounds like it was action packed too - quad biking, archery, go karts, assault course and treasure hunts - plus they got to water bomb the head teacher from school!!! Sounds like he was dripping wet! Anyway I scheduled this so that I didn't have to do it this morning!!!

I would also like to thank those of you who have donated to my just giving page too for my run for Shaun in September - I've been really amazed at your kindness - you really are a fabulous bunch of people - thankyou!

The lovely ladies of the christmas card club are showing cards along the theme of stars today. Its Valery's choice - thanks Valery! I wish I had had more time - I only managed one this time around! Still its another card added to the pile.

I have used a creata card die from Crafters Companion.

And an image of the snowman!!!

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:

craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge-226-20-minutes-or-less

craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge2

Hope you like it!

Have a happy Sunday!

Rachel xx

Julie's silver wedding card

Hello Lovelies - well its a rainy one here today and feels a good way from the summer we had last week already. Lucy has been away all night on a residential - we're going to pick her up now - I hope she's had a really good time but got some sleep!

My good friend Julie and her husband are celebrating their silver wedding anniversary next week - this is the card I made for them! Its using the current stamp from chocolate baroque's year of stamping - its a stunning stamp!

I stamped the image in versamark then added silver wow powders  and heat set. 

I added some writing in the blank butterflies - happy silver wedding anniversary - then I restamped the three large butterflies and cut them out and decoupaged them up.

A close up of the main  butterfly.

Finally I added the gems.

I'd like to enter this into 

allsortschallenge-bring-on-bling

Hope you have a great day!

Big hugs Rachel x

an application

Hello lovelies - I hope you have had a great Friday. Its been quite an emotional day for me today - I had my first mammogram for a start - I had been told its horrid but thankfully I didn't find it too bad - that was a relief! Then I went to pick up my new car which is wonderful - but that was tinged with leaving shaun's old car behind - a little sad. I'm sure he would understand though!

Today I want to show you a sample I made for a call to make samples for a craft company - I made this one before re-reading the instructions and had to go back and remake it - taking step by step photographs. When I remade it I used a different stencil and colours - anyway I thought I would show the first one here!

I used the perspectives stamp set from Tim Holtz and a Tim Holtz stencil to make this card along with distress paints (cracked pistaschio, evergreen bough, dusty concorde and seedless preserves), metallic purple wow powders and also distress inks (dusty concorde and cracked pistachio).

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:

theartisticstampercreativeteam aprils-creative-challenge-flora-fauna

tuesdaythrowdown241-up-in-air

Have a great Friday evening!

Big hugs 

Rachel xx

More sunshine and my tomatoes

Hello Lovelies! How are you? I hope you are well and happy and enjoying the sunshine again! I did a 10km run this morning and since then I've been in the garden sorting out the sweet peas and my tomatoes. Oh and I did a hanging basket too that is going to be kept under cover for a while yet  - I hope the cooler weather we've got forecast doesn't do any damage! Fingers crossed!

I'd like to share the card I made for my friend and co rainbow leader Alice today. She's going to be 19 next Monday and is currently having a year off before university. I shall miss her when she goes. She has 'hired' a horse for this year and so I thought I would use the recent horsey image from Sheena Douglass to make her card - I've teamed it up with a background I made to do my wee folk ATB.

I've coloured the image using spectrum noir pencils and cut the image using an X cut die. The background was made using distress paints - cracked pistachio, abandoned coral and mermaid lagoon.

I would like to enter this into the facebook spectrum noir challenge. Thanks for telling me about that one Karen - will use it for the other one too! Ta lovely!!!

Have a good rest of your day! 

Rachel x

Card? for my dad!

Hello lovelies - hope you had a good day - its been glorious again here - wall to wall sunshine! I did a 5 and 1/2 mile run with a lady from school - then after some cleaning and shopping went to lunch with my good friend Julie. It was lovely to see her - she and her husband will be celebrating their silver wedding anniversary next year - they married very young - anyway they are off to Palma for a short city break - sounds wonderful - i hope they have a great time.

Today I would like to share with you a 'card' I have made for my dad's birthday. Its made using a die from Eileen hull for a watering can - dad is still a gardener when he can - so I thought this was a good idea.

He also loves green - so I thought that would be a good colour for some of the flowers made using JOFY stamps coloured with distress markers.

The can was cut in more board from my local picture framer. I covered it in foil tape from ranger which I altered using picket fence distress paint and black soot distress ink.

the stamps were stamped and cut out - my watering can is a niche for these jofy flowers - I would like to enter my can into the latest paperartsy challenge which is all about niches.

paperartsy-topic-7-niches-challenge

I would also like to enter this into the following other challenges:

eileenhull art-with-heart-challenge-april-spring-break

theartisticstampercreativeteam aprils-creative-challenge-flora-fauna

Thanks for visiting me today and I hope you have a very happy Thursday.

Hugs

Rachel xx

Connie's card and a sunny day!

Hello lovelies - how are you? I hope you re well and have been enjoying the weather - its been stunning here! I went to the hairdressers today and got highlights done then went to see about my car - which I will get on Friday! All very exciting! I also cut the first asparagus in the garden today - mum and dad came over and we enjoyed eating it - Shaun would never have believed it was so very early! He always loved his asparagus. Bless him.

Anyway - I saw this image on the card I'm showing today over at tammyspot  (thanks Tammy)and had to get it - the recipient of my card is cow mad and is also going through a bit of a religious phase - I thought this really fit the bill!

I used a joggles mask and ripe persimmon dsitress ink too. Colouring of the cow was with spectrum noir pencils. 

I hope you have a great evening and a fab wednesday!

Big hugs!

Rachel xx

Coffee Pot today!

Hello Lovelies! Hope you've had a good day! I'm very excited as I saw my new car today - its in the garage getting sorted out but I'll get it one day this week - I'm going to call it my sunshine - you'll know why when I post a picture of it!!!

I had a great run this morning then met up with the ladies for coffee pot. Here's what I made today:

I did both of these - neither of them followed Diana's original inspiration - but I used ideas from both of her cards. The die and stamps were from two different magazines that she had bought - I think they looked beautiful.

I also used distress inks - evergreen bough, peacock feathers and salty ocean. 

Its nice to be in charge at coffee pot but its even nicer to create using other peoples stuff and just turn up! Thanks Diana - brilliant inspiration!!!

Thanks for dropping by and thankyou to those of you who have been able to sponsor me in my run for Shaun - I really do appreciate it!

Hugs Rachel xx

Atc's for March swap

Hello lovelies! How are you?Did you have a good weekend? I hope so! I had a good and of course busy time!!! Lol!!! The weather has been glorious and we've managed lots of outdoor time so thats great!!!



This was in Happy Mount Park at Morecambe this afternoon! The scent of those hyacinths was incredible!



Then there was my saturday night at the Village Institute where I attended a flowers and fizz charity fundraiser with a 1920's theme. It was spectacular - here's what the stage looked like at the end.



So a good weekend! Tonight I would like to share with you my ATC's I did for a swap over at mycraftingcorner-jo- the theme was steampunk.

Its great fun - why not contact Jo and join in!

Big hugs!

Before I go just wanted to leave you the link to my Just Giving Page - I'm doing the Great North Run in Memory of my wonderful husband this year and raising funds for the CTCCU at UHSM. If you can spare anything - no matter how small - I 'll be very grateful!

Rachel's run for Shaun!

Big hugs to you!

Rachel x

wee folk ATB stack

Hello lovelies! Did you have a good Thursday? I hope so - mine was busy and today sounds like it will be busy too - I won't bore you with the details!

I'd like to share an ATB stack that I made (Artist trading block) with you - its my entry for the current challenge over at Clarity where the theme is Wee Folk.

I started by using the 3 box die from eileen hull to cut the boxes from hardboard kindly given to me by a local picture framer. I made the boxes up then coloured the white edges with abandoned coral distress marker. Next I made up the background card using ditress stains and inks in mermaid lagoon, cracked pistachio and abandoned coral. Next I cut the squares for the ATB sides then applied ripe persimmon distress ink through Jo's bubbles stencil

Finally I added the wee folk stamps and some highlights in white pen.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:

claritystampchallenge-26 - wee folk

Thankyou for popping by today - have a good Friday and enjoy that Friday feeling!

Hugs

Rachel x

Journal page prompt - use something new.

Hello lovelies - how are you? I hope you are well and happy. I'm okay - had a good swim - yesterday then went to see my mum and dad. Took dad to the hospital later on and dropped them both off - my mum said everything was fine though so thats good. I went to drama group yesterday evening too and actually read a part - it was fun!

Today I think I'm off to the gym - I'll do my weights circuit then a body balance class I think. Then I have to go and get my eyes tested! I'm hoping we get a bit of the better weather that you lucky people down south seem to be having then I may be able to go out in the garden for what's left of the day!

Today I have a journal page to share with you - the prompt was to use something new - so I've used a new to me 12x12 stencil from crafters workshop, pan pastels, distress inks, jofy stamps, distress markers and some round the edge stamps from dylusions. Here's my make:

I started by using the stencil and grungepaste then, once that had dried I used pan pastels to colour the main background. Next I did the staming and coloured the images with distress markers.

Then I used some other stencils (joggles and imagination crafts) and distress inks to change the background and finally reapplied the main stencil and added some black distress ink.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

mixedmediaworld--use-bright-colours

panpasteluk: anything goes with pan pastel.

I hope you have a great Thursday and please enjoy whatever you're doing.

Big huggles

Rachel xx

watch the birdie....

Hello lovelies! How are you? I hope you are all well and good. I am off to the pool today for a wee change - my run yesterday was hard work but I feel pleased at having reached 15 miles in total so far for the week - only one more run before the weekend!

I would also like to welcome my two new followers - its a long time since some new people started following and I really do appreciate it - so sorry that I'm unable to thankyou by adding your names - I can't figure out quite how to do that! But thankyou!

Today I have my effort in using kraft card to share with you. I always fancied colouring in pencil on Kraft so that was the main thrust of my make - although I have also used kraft card as the main background too. The stamp I have coloured is from Sheena douglass - I was keeping this stamp for shaun's birthday this year - but I have used it instead to make a card for a cardswap I am involved with. He would have loved this image.

I stamped the image in momento onto Kraft card then coloured the image in with spectrum noir pencils. I cut the image with a spellbinders die then coloured the outer part using distress marker. The background was a piece of Kraft card that I embossed with a crafters companion folder then swiped with sepia archival. finally I added distress inks (mermaid lagoon and ripe persimmon) to the background.

The other diecuts are from memory box. The sentiment is from Chocolate baroque.

I'm pretty pleased with this - hope you like it too!

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

countryviewchallenges-april-challenge - use kraft.

littleclairesdesignse-monthly-challenge-56-use kraft

unrulypaperarts-reader-art-quest

theartisticstampercreativeteam aprils-creative-challenge-flora-fauna.html

I was asked by sue of sue's crafty corner to show my make from coffee pot yesterday - here it is!

I love these colours - not sure whether I prefer this one or the other one!!

Hope you have a good wednesday.

Big hugs

Rachel xx

Lilly's card and coffee pot

Hello Lovelies - how are you today? I hope you are fine and well and if not sending healing hugs. I had a good day yesterday - the girls went back to school and I went for a run before coffee pot - I was very slow but its a few more miles in those legs. Then at coffee pot I made a brown/orange version of the card I'm showing today - all the ladies loved it!

Here's my make which I gave to my friend Heidi's daughter Lilly for her birthday last Sunday.

The image is from chocolate baroque of course - I think you've all seen this one around blogland at the moment - its a beauty - I love it!!!! I've used an embossalicious folder on pearlescent card from crafters companion. The image has been coloured with spectrum noir pencils. I cut the image using a spellbinders die and inked around with dusty concorde distress ink.

I'd like to enter this into the current incy wincy challenge which is all about embossing

incywincydesigns - embossing-wet-or-dry

Big huggles to you and hope you have a wonderful day!

Rachel x

A soggy run and tims tag april

Hello Lovelies! How are you? I hope you are well and happy! We've had another busy day yesterday- my race was extremely wet but I managed! I wasn't last but I was in the last bundle - nevermind! At least I did it!!!! We also visited my mum and dad and then went to the pictures for a friend of Lucy's birthday - we saw Home - not really my sort of film but the girls enjoyed it!

Today I would like to share with you my Tims Tag for April - I did enjoy this one - so very pretty. I followed all of Tims instructions here.

I had to do faux stitching around the edge - I'm not up to sewing lol!!!!

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

timholtz 12-tags-of-2015-april

countryviewchallenges-april-challenge

I am going for a run with my friend Emma this morning - then doing coffee pot - looking forward to that!

Hugs and thanks for visiting!

Rachel x

Vintage at Christmas card club

Hello Lovelies! Well its my choice over at Christmas Card Club this fortnight and I chose Vintage - I have so many suitable things to use but I chose 2 crafty individual stamps and a Tim Holtz. Here are my makes:

this is a CI stamp in both green archival and sepia archival. The backing is some packaging from some sheena christmas embossing folders.

This is a Tim stamp and I used a Tim stencil too.

Another CI stamp used with a card pack from Little Claire.

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

craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge add some texture

craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge2.-extra-for-april-2015

When this is published I'll be running around trying to get organised for the race. Hope it goes okay!!!

Big hugs to you - and I hope you have a great Sunday!

Rachel x

Off the edge at Indigo Blu

Hello Lovelies! I hope you are well and happy? Have you had a good day? I have had a good one - I went for a swim rather than running today - then had a few minutes in the jacuzzi and then a sauna - bliss - I hope that means my legs will be race ready for sunday - I'm doing a 10K in Lancaster - it will be a slow one as I'm not race fit as yet but its a start!

Today I would like to share a card with you I have made for the Indigo Blu challenge where the theme this month is Off the edge.

First I created the background using mermaid lagoon, cracked pistachio and mowed lawn distress stains, I added the stains to my craft mat then ran card through. I applied splats of water and blotted the excess water off before drying the background. Then I stamped some of the limor circles in the corresponding distress inks. Next I stamped the dreamer image and coloured with spectrum noir pencils the masked it and used distress inks to create the background.

I put the card together and stamped the discover your passion sentiment on the background. 

I'd like to enter this into indigoblublogchallenge-26-off-edge.

Hope you have a good Friday evening - I've got a date with my distress ink spray tool which I finally unearthed today!!!! Big huggles!

Rachel xx

Altered mirror for AVJ

Hello lovelies!How are you? Hope you've had the sunshine we had! Its been glorious! A very warm run this morning was hard work but its another one in the bank. I may do another tomorrow but if its too warm I'll swim! Lets just wait and see.

I spent two hours in my attic the afternoon - it was a tidying day - maybe I will need tomorrow afternoon too before my attic is back in a workable state - things have gotten pretty bad up there but I'm determined to whip it into some sort of shape! Lol!!! The tidying was started all because I can't find my distress ink air splatter tool - still not found it so no Tims tag tonight - but more tidying! Hopefully it will appear soon!!!!

This evening I would like to share with you whats been keeping me busy since Tuesday - I've been altering a mirror using Tim Holtz stamps, distress markers, white tissue paper and glue and seal.
Here's the result:

The images were stamped in versafine onto tissue paper then coloured - I used the following distress markers: 

Chipped sapphire

Mermaid Lagoon

Gathered twigs

Squeezed Lemonade

Ripe Persimmon

Salty Ocean

Once coloured I cut each flower out and decoupatched them onto the frame which I had first painted with tea dye distress crackle paint.

I'm pretty pleased with the result and it adds a little femininity to my bedroom.

I would like to enter this into this months challenge at A vintage Journey through-looking-glass.

I should also like to enter this into pinkleart sunday-stamper-week-352-true-blue. 

I hope you like it - and thanks for any comments you have - I'm off to have a look at what you've been up to.

Big Hugs

Rachel x