Floral abundance

Hello there! Its my final December post over at Chocolate Baroque Design team today - here's a sneak preview....

Check out the full post ....here.

Hugs

Rachel xxx

Julie's Card

Hello there! I do hope you've had a Merry Christmas! We've had a lovely time - very peaceful and family focused - really lovely!
Today I want to share a birthday card with you that I made for my lovely friend Julie ... I have used some paperartsy stamps from Elizabeth Borer that I got in the Countryview Crafts Advent offers.

I stamped the circular image on watercolour card and coloured using inktense pencils. The background was done direct to card and I used distress inks - lucky clover and wilted violet. I then added the other stamps and coloured parts in in the inktense pencils.

I also made a pennant for a swap I am involved in today - the theme was monochrome - this time I used Aallandcreate  stamps ...

Again the background was distress and the main flower was done in inktense pencils!

Its a funny inbetween time of year but I am really enjoying it this year - so glad we still have another week before school starts on the 7th - bliss!!! Hope you enjoy your break too!

Big hugs

Rachel xx

Tis the season!

Hello there! I have a post over at Countryview challenges today - the theme this month is super easy - its Christmas! I have made a card that is probably going to my mum...if it is she will have it by now so its okay to publish it here!

I used this stamp set by Kay Carley - I started by stamping in versamark and heat setting in sparkling snow wow powder. Next I used distress inks to complete the background then added some ranger stickles here. Here's the result!

and an arty shot!!!

I do hope you like this!

Big hugs

Rachel xxx

Elfie Fishyfeet

Hello there! How are you? I hope you are well and happy - things here have been a bit rotten over the weekend - my lovely Penny had a vomiting virus and has kept us all on our toes! Thankfully we have had a mess free day today and she can go back to school tomorrow! Phew! Just hoping the rest of us don't come down with it now!

Wanted to share Elfie Fishyfeet with you - he is a combined make - Penny did his body (felt around a jam jar) and I felted his head, hands and feet!

He was made for the school fair - and Lucy won him - which is cool because we all loved him!!!

Hugs

Rachel xx

15 minute makes at Chocolate baroque

Hello there! I'm back today with more makes from Chocolate baroque - this time its my quick makes mostly using the papers from last months show...

In this first one I just cut the square then cut out a smaller square centrally. Then I added black matting and layered them up...and finally added a sentiment.

In this one I used the tag stamp on the paper and then cut it out with scissors and mounted the whole thing on a quick brusho background.

In this final card I cut three circles of paper the size of AT coins then added the circles onto AT coins.  I added these to a DL card that I had covered in more of the paper and then finally I stamped on top of the coins.

Hope you like these ideas - there are many more super quick makes on the chocolate baroque design team blog today!

Big hugs

Rachel x

Floral grunge at Chocolate baroque

Hello there - I am on the chocolate baroque design team page today ...with two projects using the floral grunge stamp from Novembers shows.

Here's two sneaky peeks - you can check out the full post here.

Have a great day!
Hugs rachel x

Cute at CCC and a weekend workshop with Abs!

Sorry for being MIA - I am really struggling to keep up with everything - and I have been late possibly for the first time ever with my card for my Christmas card Club - the theme was cute - here are my makes ....

I have used two stamp sets from hobby art to make these cards - they're for two good friends I will see tomorrow!

Now for my weekend makes - I was on a course with the fabulous Autour de Mwa from Aall and create... on Saturday we made this journal... lots of painty fun...

These are the signatures!!!

On Sunday we did water colour work in the morning...

Sorry for the pics - not so good light!

In the afternoon we worked on tags!

I didn't get very far with these - largely because I was late having to get out to collect Penny from her jujitsu blackbelt grading;;;

Yay! Well done little chicken!!!

Final pic from the weekend - our naughty table from day 2....

Big hugs

Rachel xx

Christmas at Stamps and Stencils

Hello lovelies! How are you? I am well and happy and feeling a bit like a swan ...gliding gracefully along on the surface but actually frantically paddling to keep afloat! Still, soon be holiday time - really looking forward to it!

Today is the time for a new challenge over at stamps and stencils. The theme is Christmas so it couldn't be easier! Here's my mixed media card... I started with an gelli print made using acrylic paint.

Next I used a stencil from indigoblu and iced spruce distress ink...

Next to stamping - I used one from the cover of craft stamper and then two from a last years tim holtz set...

Finally I added a paper doll from TH... I do hope you like it!

I hope you can join our challenge.

Big hugs

Rachel xx

Where inspiration meets reality

Hello there! Hope you are well! I am posting over on the Chocolate Baroque blog today - I decided to show my piece from the November show .... I loved making this box - more details over here.

 Hope to see you over there!

Hugs

Rachel xx

Christmas at Countryview Challenges

Hello there! How are you? Hopefully you're feeling the festive spirit and are ready to join us in a new challenge starting today - the theme is Christmas - so nice and easy! Here's what I made:

I have used a Tim Holtz blueprint stamp  and stamped it onto a distress oxide background. I also stamped it onto a distress ink background and fussy cut the stocking before adding it to the image. I mounted this then added die cuts around the edges.

A quick and simple card - hopefully you feel inspired enough to join in! You can get more inspiration and link up here.

Big Hugs

Rachel xx

A lovely day with Jo Rice

Hello there! How are you? We are good and having fun getting ready for the silly season! We had our first Christmas party on Saturday when we went to Cumbria Crafters. It was a Lavinia day and we enjoyed making three cards and a tag...

We started with a wreath card - I enjoyed doing this but had to add an owl centrally - I also did some stamping on the card too.

My favourite card of the day - really lovely - gorgeous complex layers all gradually built up.

This one came after our substantial lunch - a really cutie of a card ...love those cute little mice!!!

and finally a simple and quick tag!

Great day was had by all! Thanks Jo!

Big hugs

Rachel xx

All wrapped up at Christmas Card Club

Hello there! Its Christmas card club again - how on earth have we reached out penultimate challenge this year already? The theme this time was 'all wrapped up' and I have made just one card - this time its for my lovely Lucy - she loves purple and is fond of cats and so I decided to use my new hobbyart stamp...

I have used brushos to complete the background after I stamped and masked the image. Then I coloured the image using distress inks and finally added a bit of stamping and stenciled the snowflakes with snowtex!

I hope you like it!

Hugs

Rachel x

lift ink and a journal for chocolate baroque.

Hello there! I am over on the chocolate Baroque blog today - I have a card I made using alcohol inks and lift ink and also a journal I stamped using the Harebell butterfly set.

Please pop over and get a closer look!

Hugs

Rachel x

Festive fun ATCoins

Hello there! More AT coins for the challenge at Countryview Crafts Challenges this month - this time I have gone a bit festive! I have used stamps by Darcy at Paperartsy ...here...

Here's where I started - with my ready painted coins ....great crackle on this metallic crackle paint! 

After stamping, colouring and fussy cutting the images this is where I landed up! Simples!!!!!!

Hugs

Rachel xx

15 minute makes for Chocolate Baroque

Hello there! I'm back today with more inspiration for quick cards using your stamps from chocolate baroque. There's even more inspiration on the blog which you will find over here.

This one was so simple - I just used distress inks through a circular stencil then stamped some grass stamps over the top!

For this one I used the butterfly mask from chocolate baroque and also one of their stamps. I used distress ink through the mask and then overstamped...again very simple but I think it is pretty effective.

Finally a distress ink background and then overstamping in like colours before adding the main image and again painting in like ink colours.

Check out the quickies from my teamies - you'll be amazed!

Big hugs

Rachel x

CoffeePot

Hello all! How are you? We are good but definitely suffering from a lack of time - apologies if I haven't found the time to visit your blogs - but things are getting on top of me just slightly! Its all this jobs fault!!!But really its me - 11 years out of teaching really may be too long! I keep trying though!

Today was my penultimate coffeepot - we played today and all really enjoyed it - play was with the gelli plate...

These are some of the prints I pulled ....

I used one print to make a couple of cards too - as did the other ladies - a simply stamped arty card ....

and one using a clarity diecut! So quick and simple - and so pretty!

We had fun! More gelli print makes coming your way very soon!

Hugs

Rachel xx

CCC: Decorations or gifts

Hello there! How are you? I hope you are well and if not sending hugs to you and yours. Today its time for the lovely Rita's challenge at Christmas Card Club - she has asked for Decorations or gifts - I think maybe my card loosely fits the theme but it is really an anything goes kind of make! Its what I will give to my youngest Penny when its nearly Christmas....

The stamp is from paperartsy - love this little angel - it just reminded me of my Penny hence the choice!!! Sadly you can't see the sparkle on the wings or starts - you'll just have to trust me that it is there! The background is distress oxide... I do hope you have a lovely Sunday!

Big hugs

Rachel x

Beautiful Butterflies

Hello there! I have a post over on the Chocolate baroque Design team blog today - over here. Here are some sneaky peaks for you ...

 Hope to see you over there!

Hugs rachel x

All souls day

Hello all - Just been reflecting on the day and i thought about my visit to church this morning - Penny sings in the choir and today the service was all about all souls day... we lit a candle for loved ones who had passed. I really felt a sense of belonging at that point. It also put me in mind of my last make from Pottyroos - a plate I painted with a day of the dead theme...

The markings were mstly already present on the plate - I just added the colour so it was very simply done - I just added a few extra bits myself!

I loved it when I went to Mexico at this time of year - the day of the dead celebrations were amazing - it was so good to celebrate the dead rather than weeping and wailing - the colour was amazing - it was a time and a feeling I shall never forget. Thankfully it has been of help too!

Here's hoping you have had a great day!

Hugs

rachel x

Remember remember the 5th of November

Hello there! Second post of the day and its only 7am! Its time for a new challenge over at stamps and stencils. This time Toni has come up with the theme and here's what she had to say ....

I've got a 'bonfire night' challenge for you this month. As a child, I used to love bonfire night. My dad would come home from work with a box of fireworks and packets of sparklers for us and we couldn't wait to get outside and enjoy the show! I'd love to see your art works based on fire and fireworks. Think bursts of colour. Let rip with the colour sprays, glitter, and paints. Let's have a bit of fun and brighten up these dark days with COLOUR ! Just remember it must be mixed media and include stamps or stencils or even both.

I decided to make a card using stamps from visible image - I stamped with flitterglu and then added flake to the stamped images....

Next I added some pixie powders and spritzed with water ....

Finally I went in with two types of frantage....

I then added to a card blank and added a stamped sentiment again from visible image. Check out more inspiration from my teamies and enter the challenge here.

I do hope you can join us - please remember to use stamps or stencils and mixed media is the order of the day!

Big hugs

Rachel xxx

Artists trading coins at Countryview Crafts

Hello there! And a happy 1st November to you! I do hope you are feeling fine and happy and not to stressed with the way time seems to be accelerating towards the end of the year! Yikes! There is a new challenge at Countryview challenges today - the theme is artists trading coins... I have been  making these for a few months now and really have enjoyed this challenge. I decided to make 4 for today's post.... I used stamps from allandcreate ....a6-stamp-set-44 and also one of the A4 stamp sets too.

I started by painting my coins with distress crackle paints in 4 autumnal colours - I left these to dry.

Next I inked up various parts of one of the A4 stamp sets and pressed my coins into these areas.

Finally I added stamped images from set 44 along with words from this set.

I do hope you feel inspired to play along! Please checkout my teamies work and enter the challenge here

Big hugs

Rachel x