Autumn magic at Countryview Challenges

 Hello there! 

Our new challenge at Countryview is now hosted over on facebook - but I am still blogging my makes over here.

This time I have made a card using Lavinia stamps which are sold on Countryview Crafts.

I used spiced marmalade and other distress inks to create this card plus a few different colours of versfine clair inks. The stamps are all Lavinia. I did the orange circle first, then stamped the fairy and did a little faux bleaching on the fairy.

Hope you have a great day!

Hugs

Rachel x

More Flowers for mother's day

 Hello there! 

Well more flowers here today for the mother's day challenge over on the Countryview Challenges blog. This time I have used the same Kay Carley set as last time - but chose the muscari flowers. I love muscari - they were the main flower in my wedding flowers/invitations when I married Shaun many moons ago. 

I started this card by making the background - I used a lavinia stencil first of all and used distress oxide tumbled glass in the background - I think my sponge must have been dirty as it doesn't really look like tumbled glass. Then I used a Kay Carley stencil to stencil in some background muscari before stamping and colouring the main images. I used clean colour pens to colour the stamped images. 

There's still plenty of time to join the challenge - just link up here.

Big hugs

Rachel xx

A frosty Christmas

 Hello there!

Well its time for another Christmas make for the Christmas anything goes theme from Countryview Challenges this month. This time I used a couple of new to me stamps from Lavinia.

I teamed it up with some older Lavinia stamps and distress oxide hickory smoke plus a Lavinia stencil. I used clean colour pens to do most of the colouring on the houses. Stamping was done using morning mist versafine clair.

I do hope you can join the challenge.

Enjoy the festive season!

Rachel xx

More Christmas Gifting

 Hi there! I have another post for Countryview Challenges theme this month and this time I have decorated a gift bag. 

This time I decided to play with the very beautiful Villianous Potion distress oxide spray here and added to it snowflake diecuts from Tim Holtz. I think my purple loving niece is going to love this gift!

Big hugs

Rachel xx

Christmas Gifting at Country View Challenges

 Hello there!

Well November has rolled around again and its time to start thinking about the dreaded C word - Christmas. I am lucky in that I do the Christmas Card Club all year but this time we have the theme of Christmas Gifting at Countryview challenges - its an ABAC sort of challenge where we would like to see gifts or gift wrap, etc etc. 

For the first of the month I have decorated some brown paper with those cheeky sprouts from Hobby Art and then wrapped some gifts in it.

These are very tricky to photograph but I hope you get the idea!

Big hugs

Rachel xx

More Autumn at Countryview Challenges

 Hello there! 

I am on the Countryview Challenges blog today with my second make for the current challenge which is all about Autumn and Autumn colours - this make again uses a Bipasha stamp from Aall and Create - 

To create this one I used some matte sprays from IndigoBlu to create the background and once dry overstamped it with the main image I was going to use. I also stamped this image on a separate piece of white card and coloured it in using clean colour watercolour pens. Great image - love this stamp set - so useful!

You've got until the end of the month to get your entries in  - you can link up and get more inspiration here.

Big hugs

Rachel x

Autumn at Countryview Crafts

 Hello there,

Well its hardly seems possible but its the first of October today and because of that there is a new challenge at Countryview Crafts - and the theme is Autumn colours.

To make my card I used an image from Bipasha at aall and create - no.448. I coloured this using watercolour pens then used the hexgonal stencil and some inks on the topper background and also onto the paper (from Lavinia) before adding the tattered leaves from Tim to either corner. You can find more inspiration and link up to the challenge here

Have a great 1st October!

Hugs

Rachel xx

More leaves at Countryview Challenges

 Hello there!

I am over on the Countryview Challenges blog today with more inspiration for their current challenge which is all about leaves. This time I decided to use an older Aall and Create stamp and add some resin leaves that I made using a mould.

I used luscious powders to colour the resin before adding it to the moulds to set....and when I had stamped the main image I used the closest coloured water colour pens I had to add some colour to the images and detail.

I am enjoying playing with the resin!

Have a great day!

Hugs

Rachel x

Leaves at Countryview Challenges

 Hello there! Well September has rolled around very fast and its back to school for many - including me tomorrow! Its time, once again, to return to that hamster wheel that is an academic year ....and time, indeed for another new challenge at Countryview Crafts where the theme this time is Leaves. Jane would like to see leaves as a main part of whatever you make - not just a token leaf!

Here's my make - I used Crafty Individuals zebras and leaves from Chocolate Baroque....

I have taken a little artisitic licence with the leaves and their size - but hey ho! The background was created using peeled paint and rustic wilderness distress oxides and the stamping was don in black versafine clair and shady lane versa fine clair for the leaves.

I do hope you can join our challenge which you will find here.

Have a great wednesday!

Hugs

Rachel x

Monochromatic at Countryview Challenges

 Hello there,

Its the 1st August - this year is just running away - and there is a new challenge on at Countryview Challenges - where the theme is Monochromatic. I decided to used a recent Tracy Evans stamp set and the colour yellow.

It is a lovely stamp set - I also used the A4 aall and create hexagon stencil along with mustard seed distress ink to make up the background to this card. You can find out more about the challenge and link up to it here.Here

Have a great day - and enjoy whatever it is you are doing! Hugs rachel xx

loving the greenery

 Hello there! Well its my second outing with inspiration for the stencils challenge over at Countryview Challenges. This time its  Aall and Create stamp and stencil plus a touch of Tim too! 

The stamp is one from the very lovely Tracy Evans - I have coloured using clean colour pens. The triangular stencil is from Aall and Create and I have used peeled paint distress oxide through it. I also added that through a Tim stencil - and then a little mustard seed Distress oxide.

I have sent this to my brother in law who lives over in Germany - he's already seen it but doesn't follow my blog anyway!

I do hope you can join us. 

Big hugs

Rachel xx

One cat away from Crazy

 Hello there! Its my second post for the 100 challenge over at Countryview challenges. This time I have used lots of Aall and Create items to make up another card. 

I started by making the circular piece by stamping Tracy Evans stamps onto rice paper. The hears were a separate stamp that I stamped onto rice paper and painted the back with metallic paint. After that I used slap it on to stick the rice paper to a gessoed board circle then left that to dry.  Next I used the Aall and create A4 stencil and more of the same paint to create the dotty background. Next I added some background stamping in black to make the 100, amongst other numbers. Then I adhered the circle to the card and finally stamped and fussy cut the cats and added them to the card.

Hope you have a great day!

Love and hugs

Rachel x

Embrace the Journey at CountryView Challenges

 Hello lovelies!

Well my card for today is the second one I have for the current challenge at Countryview crafts which is ...we will always have Paris.....

To create this I have used two stamp sets from Tim one that you can find here wine-blueprint. The other is part of a set called Cityscapes. I also used distress oxides hickory smoke, aged mahogoney and pine needles plus a stencil from Aall and Create called lotza-diamondz.

I created the card by firstly stamping the Paris cityscape across my 7 inch square card 4 times. I then added the grey stencilling and also stamped the wine bottle and glass. Next I restamped the wine bottle and glass and added colour to the main features using watercolour pencils. Then I fussy cut them and added them to the card. 

Lastly I added a little more stencilling in colours to match the bottle and wine to bring the card together more. 

Hope you can join our challenge.

Good luck!

Hugs Rachel 

 

A robin's song

 Hello there lovelies - todays card includes a verse that is very close to my heart - the stamps are all from HobbyArt but i am showing this card for the CountryView Challenges monthly challenge which this month is all about the birds and the bees.

To make this card I used a piece of watercolour card that was a mop up piece when I was watercolouring with some IndigoBlu translucent paints (daffodil and cut grass). Onto this I first stamped and masked the robin, next I stamped the log and then the flower heads. Finally I added the other vegetation and drew in the flower stalks. Lastly, I did the colouring in - for this I used watercolour brush pens from Phil Martin. Then I added the verse - I think its so beautiful - and I am one of those people who sees a robin and feels they are those we have lost keeping an eye on us. We have robins in the garden and often call them Shaun or Grampsy or Daddad! Its silly but gives us comfort!

Hope you have a great day! Don't forget to get your birds and bees makes into Countryview Challenges to be within a chance of winning a £20 voucher!

Hugs

Rachel xx

More silhouettes

 Hi there! I do hope you are well! We are all trying to get our heads around going back to school next week - and figuring out the logistics of getting us all tested before we return. Which is no small feat as we are all at different schools! 

Onto the matter at hand - I am sharing my second make for the silhouettes challenges over at Countryview Challenges all month - all you need to do is make something with a silhouette as the main focus and link it up with the challenge blog to be in with a chance of winning a £20 spend. Here's my second make:

My bunnies are leaping off into the sunset, very much following their hearts! To create this card I made a scene first using a moon mask outtie to create the sun then a landscape stencil line and distress inks/stencil brushes to create the sky and hills. I then added some stencilling using an Aall and Create Stencil and also a little stamping too - again with aall and create stamps. Finally I added the bunnies which are a Tim die cut. They are lots of fun aren't they? More inspiration and a link up here

Hope you have a great Wednesday!

Hugs

Rachel xx

Silhouettes at Countryview Challenges

 Hello there! Its the first of the month already - and this month the challenge at Countryview Crafts is 'Silhouettes'. Apparently its my theme - love this one - so I am so glad that I came up with it! This is my first make for it!

As soon as I saw these silhouettes from a recent Tim release I knew I had to have them - big Mary Poppins fan so I guess these are just practically perfect for me!

To create the background I used my gel press and inked it up using my brayer with crackling campfire distress ink, I then used part of a rose stamp with more ink on it to add details to the plate before pulling the print. Very simple but I think it worked nicely!

I do hope you will be able to join us for this challenge. You can get more inspiration and link up here

Big hugs

Rachel xx

More signs of Spring - Countryview challenges February

 Hello there! 

I've got another card to tempt you to join in with the February challenge at Countryview challenges. The theme is First signs of Spring and this time - I have gone for flowers and bees this time!

I made this using some hexagonal dies, stamps from aall-and-create and IndigoBlu and colouring was done using watercolour blending brush pens. 

I cut the black hexagons then a white one which I stamped with the bees in black versfine that I heat set with clear embossing powder.  Next I added fossilised amber and scattered straw distress oxides. Then I added a little bit more stamping from the honeybee stamp set. Then I added another smaller black hexagon plus a smaller still white hexagon with stamping over the top. Next I stamped, coloured and fussy cut 3 bees and two of the flower images. Finally I assembled the card.

Hope you can join us!

Hugs

Rachel xx

First signs of Spring at Countryview Challenges

 Hello there! First of February already! There's a new challenge over at Countryview challenges where the theme is 'The first signs of spring'. I decided to go with very early signs that are already coming....snowdrops!

I created my card using stamps from IndigoBlu - the sky I did using a mask from Clarity and distress oxide (broken china) applied using a distress tool. I painted the snow using some mica powder and painted the snowdrop stalks in rustic wilderness. I love snowdrops - such brave little souls!

Hope you can join us - you'll find the challenge page here.

Hugs

Rachel x

More 'squares' at Countryview Challenges

 Hello there! Well I am on the Countryview Crafts Blog today - the theme this month is to use one or more squares. I made a card this time using some leftover pieces of paper that I cut into squares and layered up on a square piece of card and added some stamping using the Toucan set from Pink Ink Designs.

Those toucans are so cute - you can find the stamp set here.

I do hope you can join the challenge!

Big hugs

Rachel x

Use Squares at Countryview Crafts

 Good morning all! And a very happy New Year to you! Lets hope 2021 is a better year for all of us - and the planet too! We have a new challenge starting over at Countryview Challenges where you are invited to use a square of squares on your project. I have made 2 cards for my first installment - lots of male cards needed at this time of year so I went for AAll and Create Stamps and an AAll and Create Stencil. I used the balloon stamp from a set by bipasha in the DL card and the train from the archway set by -bipasha on the large square card.

They were both made using the aall and create A4 squares stencil. Very similar cards - definitely very masculine!

Hope you have a great 2021!!!

Big hugs

Rachel xx