Festive makes

Hello there - I am on the Chocolate Baroque blog today with some more Christmas makes - here they are -

More details over here 

Have a great day!

Hugs

Rachel xx

A brilliant class with Jo Rice

Hello there! Well we had a treat of a class with Jo Rice yesterday. It was a Lavinia kind of day - and we made some fabulous cards .... here's my makes ...

Here they are all together ....I'll just briefly go through them ...

This was the first card - I used different colours from Jo and added the cat. The background is distress and I have used stickles around the dangling house image. All stamps are Lavinia.

This one was my fave make and is fairly similar to Jo's although I used slightly different stamps. Background is distress and all colouring is in distress although I added some liquid pearls. 

This one is entirely different to the one jo made at this point in the proceedings - I had just bought this little fella and really needed to use him. The background is distress and painting is distress. I also used a TH stencil and a Aall and create stencil plus green liquid pearls.

Finally I made two of the ATCs on the right  of the green man and swapped one for the ATC on the right. 

What a fabulous day - the girls did really well too - Lucy is now getting confident enough to not copy directly and after a few years of doing her own thing Penny has decided she wants to learn all the techniques properly so is keenly copying things! Times are a changing. 

Have a great Sunday - we're off to see Christopher Robin today. Looking forward to it!

Hugs

Rachel xx

Birthdays for Alec and Connie!

Hello there! I hope you are well. We are all good and looking forward to a day crafting up in Lindale with the super lovely Jo Rice. I'll share my makes another post - I am sure they will be simply beautiful.

Today I want to share two cards I made for you for brother and sister Alec and Connie, both friends of Lucy. Both were made in colours of Burnley football club that they support and using visible image stamps.

Both the backgrounds were made using distress oxides....

The stamps were stamped in black versafine.

Glad to note they went down well!

Hugs

Rachel x

Sun, sea and sand at Countryview Challenges

Hello there! More sun, sea and sand for you today from me - this time not photos! I have used a stamp from Countryview Crafts that I couldn't resist ... here. Its Art by Marlene chubby chicks range - lots of fun!!! Here's my card ....

I stamped her then used sheena-douglass---sparkle-pens from the cool and calm and the hot and spicy range to do most of the colouring. I coloured the skin tone in tattered rose distress ink and her hair in rusty hinge.

here's a closer look!

I do hope you can join our challenge... you can find the link up here. You could win £20 to spend in Susan's wonderful shop!!

Have a great day! 

Hugs

Rachel xx

Lucy's birthday celebrations

Hello there! How are you? We seem still to be rather busy so I am rather late posting this ... last week was Lucy's 12th birthday. I wanted to log the card I made for her and also her cake - you may already have seen this on FB!

Here's the card - She loves alice in wonderland - hence the theme! 

and this is supposed to be the cheshire cat!!!

12 candles ....

and here's the birthday girl!!!

I also had a card to make for my aunty anne ... distress background and a die from crafters...

Thats all folks!

Will pop around blogs tonight xxx

Nativity at CCC

Hello there! Yikes another Christmas card Club has rolled around and I have managed to get two made for the theme of Nativity.. both using the same die'sire die and both using sparkle pens but in different colours.

This one is using the hot and spicy pens ....

This one the cool and calm pens ....

Quick and simple - Penny has decided to make a few for her friends ...guess that will be the end of my pens ...but we shall see!!!

Have a great Sunday!

Hugs

Rachel x

Jane Gill Class makes

Hello there! How are you? I am good but chasing my tail somewhat at present! I went to a class with Jane Gill on Thursday and want to share two of our makes. We did three altogether but I'm not overfond of the third so won't be using the idea and haven't actually finished it!!!

The first one was a mini box card -

Here's the front ....

... and here's the inside - what a fabulous make - love this and I have already used the design to make another DT piece!

This card was the second make - another one that I will also be using again! Keep 'em peeled!!!

The girls have been in a theatre all week working towards a production of Grease. Last night they did the performance... I have a couple of pictures ... not the best but it gives you an idea...

This is where Penny was singing the opening verse of Grease is the word after the interval...

This was Lucy being Mrs Lynch the headmistress at the start of the dance.

They didn't have huge roles but really enjoyed it. A play in a week is quite an achievement!!!

Hope you have a great Saturday!

Big hugs

Rachel xx

15 min makes from the Christmas Chocolate Baroque show

Hello lovelies! How are you? Things here are busy but good. The girls are in the theatre all week preparing for a production of Grease on Friday Night. I am really looking forward to seeing it! Anyway - that means I can play and I had a lovely time at the pottery studio yesterday - and tomorrow I am off on a card making class with Jane Gill from Woodware. Should be good!

On the Chocolate Baroque blog today there are lots of inspirational cards that can be made in only 15 minutes - here are my makes...I will try to explain briefly how I did them!

I stamped the bauble in black archival, masked and also masked the card before applying red distress ink and spritzing and flicking with water. Once I removed the masks I added a little red distress in the bauble and added the sentiment.

A simple tag made by applying versamark to my stamp and stamping on a pre made background then setting in white embossing powder.

This one I simply stamped the wreath using different green inks and different stamps then added the black image at the front and the sentiment centrally.

And finally this one I masked the top and bottom of the card and used yellowish ink to colour the colour the main background. Then I repeatedly stamped the tree and used a pen to add marks around them. Finally I stamped the sentiment.

I hope this has given you some ideas for creating some quick cards!

Have a great day!

Hugs

Rachel xx

Tag swap - and a special birthday!

Hello there! Well my big girl is 12 today! I can hardly believe it - she is really growing up! I'll post her card and cake later in the week! Today I have my tag and the tag I got in return from a swap to share with you ...

This is the tag I made for the swap - I used stamps from paperartsy....the background is done using brushos....

This is the tag I received ... made using Art by Marlene goodies - I love this! 

Off to get organised for Lucy's birthday - I have a cake to decorate whilst she and Penny are out at the theatre!

Big hugs

Rachel

Christmas Baubles

Hello there! I have a post on the Chocolate Baroque blog today - its Christmassy - using stamps from the Pears and baubles stamp set. Here's a taster ...

Full details can be found here.

Hugs

Rchel x

ATC swap - summer

Hello there! How are you? i do hope you are well and happy. We are good and enjoying being back again although both holidays have been fab! We've been busy today visiting my mum and I've get a few things done at home too - the washing pile has been tamed at least!

I've got my ATC swaps and returns from July to share with you today ... the theme this month was Summer - this was my take on summer ....

I used the carousel horses set from chocolate baroque to make these - love this set - its a beauty! 

These are the ones I got in return - three very different and very beautiful takes on summer - I especially love the boat one - gorgeous stamp!

Have a great day!

Big hugs

Rachel xx

Get your skates on ....

Hello there! Well I'm a day late but at least I'm here with my card for Christmas card club - there's only one card this time - I have to confess I forgot - all this holiday madness - I am begining to come unravelled!!! The theme this fortnight was 'Winter Activities' I made this whilst at my mums so took advantage of her dies!!!

The stamps are from woodware and the die is a tattered lace one for the frame and a marianne die for the spruce branch. I hope this will do - I would like to enter this into the rudolph challenge too here.

Big hugs and I hope all is well with you xx

Rachel xx

Party invitations and a trip to Devon

Hello there! How are you? I do hope you are well and happy! Lucy, Penny and I are just back from a week in Devon with friends - we have had a great time with lots of activities - more of that soon ... but first - as soon as I got home I had to make invitations for a double sleepover on Friday night - it will be Lucy's 12th birthday the following Monday so although her main party is in September, she is having friends over on Friday night!!! Here they are...

I have used some old stamps from Oxford Impressions and ready made backgrounds I had lying on the craft table!! I am sure they will be appreciated...

And now for the highlights of our Devon holiday ...

Lucy met a new friend ....

We all met a lovely sea unicorn ....

I caught up with friends ...

and we all had a fabulous holiday!

Great fun times - back soon with more craft!

Big hugs

Rachel xx

Industrial or grunge at stamps and stencils

Hello there! How are you? I hope you are well. Its time for a new challenge at stamps and stencils and this time its all about industrial and grunge. Here's what Cec has to say...

 Industrial/Grungy Create a mixed media project with some stamping and/or stenciling that puts off a very industrial and grungy vibe - be sure to include lots of metal and texture.


I decided to make a male card using some of the recently released Tracey Easson stamps ... the ones with the boys on.... here's my card...

I think it will make a great card for a young neighbour later this month. Here's a few steps ....

I started with some texture paste through a stencil.....

Next I applied some gesso using a spatula to a card then added some distress oxides in carved pumpkin, vintage photo, black soot and hickory smoke. I wiped this back using a babywipe then moved on to decoration on top of the background i.e the stamping.

Once fussy cut I added them to the card....

Have a great day and try and join us at stamps and stencils if you can! Hugs Rachel x

Pears plate for Chocolate Baroque

Hello there! Another post so soon! I am on the chocolate Baroque blog today with my pear plate that I did for the Christmas shows in early July. I do hope you can pop across for a look.... you'll find my post here. Just in case you didn't see the show ...here's my plate!

Have a great day!

Hugs

Rachel xx

Sun, sea and sand at Countryview Challenges

Hello there! I am hoping this blog post is coming your way as planned - I am treating myself today to a little sun, sea and sand ...at least I hope so! So, August 1st! We'll be back at school before you know it! More to the point its time for a new challenge over at Countryview Challenges. The theme this month is Sun sea and sand!!!

I have made a hanger, mostly with a sea theme, using -scrapcosy-11-a5 from paperartsy. 

I love these stamps and have been looking for a project I could use them on! I started with a piece of board and used paints and a brayer to cover it before doing some background stamping using the stamp set mentioned.

Next I set about painting lolly sticks and sticking them down. I added ink to this then added some string and a shell and finally the top image of the boat

Here's a closeup image of the topper. I also added the string to the back to make a hanger.

Hope you're having fun wherever you are and are able to enjoy a little sun, sea and sand ....even if its in the craft room!!!

Big hugs

Rachel xx