Flutterby Spring Butterflies

Evening Everyone,
It has been wonderfully mild in my neck of the woods today, even if it hasn't been particularly sunny and so it has started to put me in mind of Spring which is hopefully just around the corner.
How very appropriate then that when I got home from work today my copy of Craft Stamper should be waiting for me.
Everything has to be made so far in advance with the magazine deadlines that it can be very difficult to get in the mood for spring when it is actually Christmas lol.

The card on page 37 in the Butterflies Gallery is the one that I made for the lovely Janice and Andy at Sirstampalot using Magenta Butterflies CSET29.

I used distress inks to watercolour the images from the stamp set  and then layered them onto various background papers from the amazing range that Janice and Andy stock.

A punched border, some ribbon and pearls, and of course some hand drawn stitching. The greeting is from the Hobby Art Sentiments clear stamp set.

The Magenta set also contains a small butterfly so I added a couple of them, which I cut out and attached using silicon.
I am really pleased with how it looks in the magazine, I hope you like it.
Happy Crafting.
hugs Kimx

A heartfelt Thank you

Evening Everyone
In light of the allegations against me that I referred to in my blog post yesterday I have been humbled by the wonderful kind and generous comments that I have read.
Your messages of support have been truly overwhelming and have gone some way to restore my faith in the wonderful crafty people that it has always been my pleasure to serve.
I would just ask once again that the people that it is that I am supposed to have copied please contact me direct so that this matter can be sorted out once and for all and we can all get back to the business of crafting.
It is after all why we share our work on Blogger.
hugs to All
Kimx

Such a hard post to write

Evening Everyone
I have always thought of Craft as a safe haven full, for the most part, of generous and lovely people who are prepared to share their talents with the rest of us.
Craft has saved my sanity on more than one occasion and I am lucky enough to count some of the top names in the craft industry as friends.
I have always enjoyed teaching, and in particular demonstrating, and have always viewed it as a way of sharing what I have learnt from others over the years, and I have always tried to credit others where possible.
You can imagine my surprise and utter dismay when I discovered at the weekend that I am apparently being accused on line, although not by name, of stealing other peoples work and passing it off as my own.
We all get our ideas from all over the place be it TV, the Internet or magazines. I defy anyone to say that they have NEVER used an idea that they first saw somewhere else. That is what it is all about, or at least so I thought.
The worst of it is that I am being accused by this 3rd party who will not tell me who it is that I have supposedly copied or even which of my posts are the offending ones.
I have never been e-mailed on this matter by this 3rd party as she purports to have done, nor have I ever removed posts from my blog in an effort to tidy up and hide what I have done as she claims.
If I have offended someone by making a card using an idea of theirs then I sincerely apologise but I would like the opportunity to do that to their face.
At the moment I am being accused of something that I was completely unaware that I had done, and I am not being given a chance to defend myself since this 3rd party will not substantiate her accusations by giving me the information necessary to defend myself.
I am afraid that this to me smacks of a cowardly and underhand way of deflecting the issues that she so obviously has with her own plagiarism.
A scroll through her blog will lead you to a host of cards which although beautiful could be seen as direct copies of work done by Barbara Grey with no credit to her for her inspiration, something that I am of course accused of failing to do.
I am really not sure how to end this post other than to ask that the parties that I have apparently offended in such a public manner have the decency to contact me in person and allow me the chance to clear this mess up.
I sincerely hope that your day has been better than mine however please let it be understood that I will continue to be creative, because that is my God given right.
hugs
Kimx

Don't forget to watch Hobby Art

Evening Everyone,
This is just a quick reminder that Jenny from Hobby Art will be on Create and Craft (Sky channel 671) at 9am tomorrow morning and then again at 3pm.
Still no mojo I'm afraid so this is a card that I made for Jenny's last show on the box.

I have used the Butterfly Kisses Lilies stamp and some from the Decorative Backgrounds set.

I kept it monochrome by stamping and colouring with the same ivy green brilliance ink pad.
I added some extra fine dots to the image with a Gelly Roll glaze pen and cut it out using a nestie.
Don't forget to set the Sky box or video recorder.
hugs Kimx

Missing one mojo, if found please return.

Evening Everyone,
I hope that you are having a great weekend, and if you are out and about and find my missing mojo please return it to me.
I should be spending the weekend making a start on DT samples for the TV but I just can't seem to get going, so instead I decided that I would make a couple of cards just for the hell of it and see if that gets my mojo going again.
I have managed to make 6 Christmas cards which I will share with you as soon as I can get some pictures taken, but I guess tomorrow will tell on the missing mojo front.

So in the mean time this is a card that I made for Barbara at Clarity last month.
I have used the lovely Lily of the Valley stamp which I have painted using dye based inks and Pearlex.

The images have been cut out using a circular nestie and mounted on to a panel of gold card edged using an EK Success border punch.
I have added some stitching and Faux Card Candy.
Off to bed now, maybe my missing mojo will return while I sleep, I certainly hope so.
hugs Kimx

My special news

Afternoon Everyone
I hope that you are all having a wonderful day.
It has been very mild in my neck of the woods with even a hint of sunshine - perhaps I ought not to say that too loud or it will go away lol.
It has definitely felt like Spring and with that in mind I will share my fabulous news.
I have been asked to join The Stamp Man design team where their challenge this time is The Colours of Spring / Easter.
I didn't have to think for very long before I gave Jill my answer, I feel honoured to have been asked to join such a fabulous team.

This is the card that I have made for the challenge using my favourite Artemio clear stamp set 10001147 Hedgerow Plants.
I made a piece of background paper using the Faux Mother of Pearl technique that I so love. This was made using Adirondack Metallic Pearl Acrylic Paint Dabber and Distress inks - Antique Linen, and Spun Sugar.

Once I had made the piece of background I stamped over it using one of the images from the Hedgerow Plants stamp set and the distress ink pads.
I sponged ink around the edges of the panel using a blending tool and then embossed it with clear embossing powder.

The circular panel has been cut out using a nestie and then dry embossed with a large ball tool before adding it to the card over some lace and ribbon from my stash.
The greeting is from a Woodware Clear Magic stamp set FRCL078 Female Relatives.
Of course it just screamed out for some pearls.
I hope that you like it and feel inspired to join in with the challenge, after all there is a £10 Stampman Voucher for the winner along with the Blinkies for the Runners Up. 
Don't forget to check out the challenge rules on the sidebar.
Happy Crafting for the weekend
hugs Kimx

A quick card

Evening Everyone
Just a really, really quick post tonight as I'm shattered, but please pop back tomorrow as I have some really fab news to share, I'm a tease aren't I lol.

This is a card that I made for Barbara's last TV show. It uses the fabulous Reeds stamp, some dye based inks, background paper and card candy.

I left it like this for the TV but I figure that this would make a pretty good card for a man and I can always add a greeting before I send it.
Bye for now.
Kimx

Winter Blues

Evening All
Well that warm snap didn't last long did it! Although I must admit that I can live with any amount of rain just so long as it doesn't snow again lol.

Still no sign of anything vaguely crafty again today. I am sooo tired at the moment that I have come home and had a Granny nap, how sad is that.

This is a card that I managed to finish at the weekend. Once again it uses bits from my Christmas box, and these were definitely stamped quite some years ago. 

The background has been made using the resist technique (glossy card stock, versamark ink and dye based inks) and the image on black has been stamped and embossed and then painted with Pearlex. I also used a Versamark pen to cover the image with embossing powder.
I added a tiny blue gem to the centre of the star.
I would like to enter it into the challenge over at Christmas Cards All Year Round where they are looking for a Christmas Card with a Heart on it somewhere.
Tuesday Throwdown wants Winter Blues on your card.
hugs Kimx

A Little Lady from Lili of the Valley

Evening Everyone,
Well I have been a good Girl and I've caught up on most of my commenting.
I don't want to get behind, especially this fortnight since I am the host over at Crafty Cardmakers.

As a consequence of all this computer stuff though I haven't touched anything crafty since the weekend and I'm getting serious withdrawal symptoms lol.

This card was made a couple of weeks ago for my Boss's Daughter.
Once again I have used a Lili of the Valley pre-coloured topper cut out using a circular nestie.
I really must get some more of these. They are so useful especially when you are asked to make a card the night before they need it.

I have matched the colours from the image to background papers from my stash and added some flowers and plenty of bling.
The number was free with a magazine and I have coated it with embossing powder.
I had better have one last look on line before I go to bed.
Let's hope that tomorrow is as nice as today has been. Maybe we are finally getting that nice bit of weather that they have been promising, just because I finally got those long johns :)
hugs Kimx

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 62 - A Recipe

Hi All
Today is the start of another challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers, and it is my first time ever as host.
We are sponsored this time by DI'S DIGI DOWNLOADS with a fabulous $10 Gift Voucher.  

 

I thought long and hard about what to choose for my challenge, before I finally came up with a recipe, well I do like cooking as well as crafting after all.
I picked a 1,2,3 Recipe - 1 Image, preferably stamped, 2 Design Papers and 3 Embellishments, one of which must be a heart.
Please list the ingredients that you have used for your recipe in your post.

The image I have used is Tilda wearing Love Jumper which I have coloured using my Distress inks. I cut her out and added a stitched border using a fine black pen, before mounting her onto some dark blue card.

The background papers are from my stash and have Pinecone ink tapped around the edges.

I have a couple of very old Pigment ink cubes, hopeless for stamping with as they are too old and dry, but perfect for adding a bit of colour to the edge of background papers and cards.

I added some fine glitter, stardust pen and glossy accents to the image.

For my embellishments I added a die cut heart by Marianne Creatable and a DooHickey Small Vintage Daisy and some ribbon.
I must admit that I didn't realize how hard it would be to stick to my own recipe. I don't usually give much thought to just how many extra little bits I add to my cards, peel-off dots, gems, die cut flourishes to name just a few lol.
Please help me out by leaving me a list of the ingredients you have used in your recipe, but above all HAVE FUN, that's what it is all about after all.
Happy Crafting.
Hugs Kimx

Lily of the Valley from Clarity

Afternoon Everyone
I hope you are having a great weekend.

Just a quick post to share one of the cards that I made for Barbara last month. I seem to have made so many things just lately that some of the DT stuff seems to get forgotten about.

I have used the Lily of the Valley stamp coloured with distress inks and cut out using a nestie. I painted the flowers with a white pearlized paint.
I used the same stamp on the dark green card stock to form a background.
Have a great evening.
Hugs Kimx

More Sticky Embossing

Evening Everyone.

We had another lovely class at Davina's this afternoon, and such different weather to last week.
Torrential rain this time instead of several inches of snow. Rain is so much more my thing than snow lol.

This week we were once again playing with USArtquest products only this time it was Pearlex dry powders, combined with sticky embossing powder and foils.

As I explained to the ladies today, I prefer to focus the class on playing with a technique, rather than actually finishing a card, and they agreed that this gave them all far more opportunity to try the products out.
I have been trying very hard to turn the bits made whilst demoing the techniques into finished cards instead of just adding them to yet another box and so this is what I made when I got home.

The black panel has been created using Stampendous SSC1111 Agapanthus Thankyou and an Artemio Script stamp.
Amazingly the panel at the back of this uses the same colours of Pearlex, but has had distress ink sponged over it.

This second card has been made using the same Agapanthus stamp set only this time I have stamped and embossed it using Versamark ink and white embossing powder.

The images have had Distress ink sponged over them and then I have used some sticky embossing powder, Pearlex powder and foil around the edges of the smaller panel.

I have also stamped the Artemio script stamp over all of the images using Distress ink.
Do make sure that you wipe over the finished panels to remove any excess ink which won't dry where it has been stamped over the embossed images.
Off to bed now, I might see if I can manage a lie in tomorrow, if the Grandchildren allow that is lol.
Hugs Kimx

Merriest Wishes

Evening Everyone,
I have spent a wonderful, afternoon with my Mum who came for an unexpected visit.
It has meant however that I really am panicking over some design work that has to be finished by tomorrow afternoon when I will be teaching. Never mind, I will get it finished Teamies, I promise. 

In the mean time this is a card that I actually finished last week.
Once again it uses pieces from my Christmas bits box, in this case a lovely Hobby Art Poinsettia panel coloured using dye based inks.

I have layered it over a piece of background paper made using the resist technique which I have then coated with clear embossing powder which gives it a shiny finish.

The green background paper is handmade using Starburst stains available from The Stamp Man.
I have added some ribbon, stitching using a fine black pen and a greeting.
The challenge over at Winter Wonderland is to make a Christmas Card, any colour, any style, so I guess that this fits the bill don't you think lol.
Off to bed now so I can get my card finished in the morning. No doubt I shall be dreaming about what to do, or will it be a nightmare!!
hugs Kimx

Sticky Embossing for Saturday

Evening Everyone

Just a quick post tonight.
I have finally worked out why I never seem to get around to everyone and leave a comment.
I made a promise to myself that I would try and post every day in 2012. I have managed it so far, but in between making the cards and leaving the post there seems very little time to visit anyone else.So that is obviously what I'm doing wrong.
Oh well, I try never to break a promise so, so here I am again with a post but no comments. I'm a bad girl lol.

This is one of the cards that the ladies will be making on Saturday.
Sorry it doesn't show up terribly well. It is white embossing onto white card so it is very subtle, and hard to photograph :)

I have sponged some pale blue Distress ink over it to highlight the flowers, my favourite Stampendous Agapanthus.

I wanted to add a little foil to the image in the small panel. But since sticky embossing powder cooks so much quicker than white, mixing the two together on the image didn't work and so I resorted to adding it around the edge of the panel instead.
I'm actually quite pleased with how it has turned out.

The vellum strip was added to hide the bad stamping on the main card. Remember 'It's never a mistake, it's an opportunity'.
I think I should have added a little sponged ink to the edge of the vellum though.
Still there is always next time lol.
hugs Kimx

Happy Birthday Jenni, I can share at WOYWW now!!

Evening Everyone

Well here it is, Wednesday again, and I am ashamed to admit that this is what my work space looked like when I left for work this morning.
A couple of Girlfriends popped round to play yesterday evening and when they went home I just couldn't face tidying up properly, so I just cleared the dining room table in order that the Grandchildren could have breakfast today, and then dumped everything onto my desk.
But as it is Wednesday at least now I can share the project that I was working on last week when I linked to WOYWW, cause today is my daughter Jenni's birthday.
Happy Birthday Hun I hope that you have had a fabulous day.
She has decided on Chinese for dinner - Birthday Person always gets to choose what we have for dinner - so this card is even more appropriate lol.

The black Bamboo panels were created using Sticky Embossing powder, foil and Pearlex, a technique that I will be teaching at Davina's on Saturday afternoon.
I was playing with this for the Koi Carp card but the colours weren't right so it ended up here.

This little cutie is Japanese Tilda.
I have coloured her using distress inks and then paper pieced her Kimono from Japanese paper.
The burgundy card has been dry embossed using a butterfly folder and the panels behind Tilda has been cut out using a Nestie.

 The circular greeting is from Lili of the Valley, and the Heart Swirl Branch is a DooHickey.
I managed to find the Happy Birthday on a Woodware clear stamp set FRCL070 Oriental Ladies.
I hope you feel that it was worth the wait to see the finished article.
By happy accident I have made this in my daughter's favourite colours.

Oh and by the way this is what my desk looks like now, ready for a burst of activity tomorrow, I hope.
What a difference a clean up makes lol.
I am sneezing like mad, with a barking cough, but I have so much to do, as always.
Lets hope that the tablets that I have just taken mean that I will be able to breathe properly in a minute or two and then I can maybe get some sleep.
Not looking hopeful so far :(
hugs Kimx

Happy Valentines Day

Evening Everyone,
Hope you have had a wonderful Day today and are being thoroughly spoilt.
I can't believe how many cards and bunches of flowers we have sold at work today.

This is the card that I spent so much of Sunday creating. Lorraine said that her Hubby liked elephants so this little cutie sprang immediately to mind. Penny Black 2892K Embrace.

He has been coloured using distress inks Gelly Roll glaze pens. (Scribble the ink onto a craft sheet and then use a water brush to paint with it)
I cut him out using a nestie and then added some sponged distress ink and a stitching with a fine black pen.

I've used an embossing folder and sanding block on the gold card stock.
While I was looking for the Elephant I found this lovely Penny Black Hen 2552J Chain of Hearts, another virgin stamp lol. I rather like her flying in with all of those hearts.

The background papers are from my stash, and once again I have used my favourite DooHickeys.

I was even a good girl and embellished the envelope.
I have just about managed to catch up with my commenting on the Crafty Cardmakers challenge blog, although by the time I look again there will probably have been another 20 entries and I will be back to square one lol.
Have a good evening, enjoy, and have a very Happy Valentines Day.
hugs Kimx

A Valentine Wish winging your way

Happy Monday to Everyone.
At least this one was warmer than last week, or at least it was in my neck of the woods.

As tomorrow is Valentines Day it seemed the right moment to share this card that I made a couple of weeks ago for one of the guys at work to send to his fiance in Pakistan.

I love this bear stamp. He is a Whipper Snapper stamp called 'Love Bear' (LY855) and is just perfect for Valentines Day, or any other romantic occasion for that matter.
 He has been coloured using coffee.

 I used a Cuttlebug Embossing folder which was then cut out using a heart shaped nestie, and sanded to give it a vintage feel. The flower and swirly foliage are both DooHickeys from Sir Stampalot, as is the Heart border.

I paper pieced the LOVE from old Penny Black background papers from my stash and added my favourite Hero Arts F5042 Leaf Flourish stamped with gold encore ink.
I would like to enter it in to the following challenges

The Stamp Man - Texture
Hooked on Craft Challenge 17 - Hearts
Make My Monday Week 36 - Hearts and Flowers
Ooh La La Creations Challenge 98 - Be My Valentine
Stamp and Create - Valentine's Day / Love
Dream Valley Challenge 25 - Valentine

I'm off to bed now, not feeling quite so cold ridden tonight but still not 100% so maybe a relatively early night will help.
Roll on the Spring is all I can say.
hugs Kimx