Barbara is on the Box

Evening Everyone
Are you well? I don't know about you but I'm very glad that it is the weekend, and of course as it is the first one in the month it is time for the next 'Classroom with Barbara' 11am - 1pm on Saturday.

This is a card that I made for Barbara's last show.

I'm so glad that she has finally added some basic greetings to her collection. As much as I like all of her poems and sayings I do prefer to add just a plain sentiment to most of my cards.

I have added tiny black dots to the embossed panel as well as Faux Stitching to the card.
Don't forget that Barbara will also be on the box on Sunday.
Have a great weekend.
hugs Kimx

The Great Escape

Evening Everyone
Well, no one could say that life living in the same house as your 4 Grandchildren could be considered uneventful!!
Usually when I get up in the morning the house is silent as everyone is still sound asleep (5am has that effect on most sane people lol)
This morning however was a totally different matter with footsteps up and down the stairs and lots of giggling from as early as 4am.
I discovered the reason for all the hilarity when I got home this afternoon and discovered that we had had an escapee during the night. My Grandsons hamster 'Fang' had somehow managed to get out of her cage and climb 3 flights of stairs to the room in the loft.

She managed to evade capture for quite some time, taunting everyone with appearances which looked like she was standing there saying 'Nuh nuh I'm here come and get me' before disappearing again. 

 I'm afraid that the pictures aren't up to much, she wouldn't stay still for long enough!!.

I thought that this card reflected the feelings of everyone in the house. This is how they would have liked to have spent the afternoon.

 It was made using a Lili of the Valley die cut and my Nesties.

The background papers are from a couple of Basic Grey 6x6 paper pads. I added Glossy Accents to the dots on this section.

The 'tree' is actually a Marianne die of a branch.
I would like to enter this into the challenge over at Lili of the Valley where they are looking for cards for Boys or Men.
Let's hope that everyone gets a little more sleep tonight.
All I can say is Thank Goodness it is nearly the weekend.
Hugs Kimx

A Crafty Collaboration.

Evening Everyone
One of my many crafting challenges last month was to make samples for Janice and Andy to take with them to the show at Port Sunlight.
Time was of the essence and I knew that I wouldn't be able to manage all of the stamps that they had asked me to use, so I enlisted the help of a couple of 'Crafty' friends of mine.
They come up trumps bless them and the parcel was duly dispatched, including this one which was a bit of a collaboration.

Sue coloured the image and cut it out using a nestie and then ran out of steam, and time.
I thought that it was just too good to waste so I finished it off as you see it here with a bit of background paper, ribbon and some stamped words.

He's rather cute, I really should use my Penny Black stamps a little more but there always seems to be something else to make for everyone else that I never get the chance to play just for me.
Never mind, there's always tomorrow......or the next day lol.
Happy Crafting
hugs Kimx

Magic Backgrounds

Evening Everyone,
I don't know about you guys but it has been pouring with rain here, all day. I'm pleased to see that at least the weather seemed to get it the right way round this time - nice Bank Holiday, rain when everyone is back at work lol.
I even braved getting drowned to pop to the Post Office with my parcel for Barbara.
Why is it that drivers seem to hug the side of the road and head for the large puddles as soon as they see a pedestrian?? There were definitely some expletives filled the air as I got soaked on more than one occasion.

The challenge this week over at Woodware is 'Backgrounds' which put me in mind of this couple of cards that I made last year after the Retailers weekends that I helped with.
We had great fun working with the 'Magic Stamp' (the blue block in the right hand corner) and assorted items, like the pile of buttons.

The background was created by pressing the heated foam block into a pile of buttons while it is still warm.

The block retains the shape of the item that it is pressed onto but can be reheated to remove the image if you don't like it, or get fed up with using it.

It is fabulous stuff. I have a box full of blocks which I would never reheat including 4 that contain the impressions of my Grandchildrens hand and foot prints at only 5 or 6 days old. (You can use both sides of the block so I have a hand on one side and a foot on the other for each child)
What a keepsake!! And it makes fabulous background paper for a baby card, I really must make a card to show you. I will add that to my 'To Do' List.
I used ColorBox pigment ink and glossy card stock for the main panels on both cards and stamped all over the background of the second card without reinking.
Why not give it a try, it is great fun.
Hugs Kimx

A card from Sylvie

Evening Everyone
Just a quick post tonight as I am frantically parcelling up my cards for Barbara ready to take to the Post office straight after work tomorrow.
I have also got a pile of birthday cards that all need addressing, so I had better get back to it.

Once again my lovely 'Crafty Friend' Sylvie has come up trumps with a fabulous card for the Woodware Sketch challenge.

Good Ole Sylvie she can always be relied upon to make something for the challenge.
You still have time to enter, so why not check it out HERE.
Back to the address book now, then off to bed.
Night night.
Hugs Kimx

Nothing to do with the weather

Evening Everyone,
I have had a very successful day, how about you?
I have managed to finish most of my cards for Barbara, so I should be on track to get them in the post on Tuesday,
We sorted out the June class dates at Davina's on Saturday, so I really must update my sidebar.
As we used Pearlex Powders along with the Gold Leaf we have decided that the first class in June will be a more comprehensive look at Pearlex both in powder and watercolour form.

By happy coincidence one of the cards I made for my Christmas stash last month uses just that.
Yes I know I need to update my Christmas card tally as well. The trouble is I have been having way too much fun making cards to spend any time on the computer, my commenting shows that lol.

 I have used wet glue and powdered Pearlex for the background paper,

and watercolour Pearlex for the stamped and embossed image in the centre of the card.
Wow quite an early post for me, but I have to go and iron my uniform for work tomorrow. Yes, some of us in the UK still have to go to work!!
Have a great Bank Holiday.
Hugs Kimx

A good use for a Peel-off

Evening Everyone
Are you having a good weekend?
We had another fabulous class at Davina's, and more cake, at this rate I will be the size of a house very soon lol.
We have spent the afternoon opening the doors to cool us down and then closing them again to stop the Gold Leaf flying all over the place.
The Girls did a fabulous job with their tags. Why is it that you always like the colours that other people pick better than the ones you have chosen yourself.

As well as this fabulous Stampendous Tree Poem stamp and Sticky Embossing Powder I also showed them how to use Acetate, Double-sided Sticky sheets and Pearlex as shown on TV by Barbara. Well at least my version of it anyway.

The card on the left uses an image stamped straight onto the double sided sticker sheet as per Barbara, and the card on the right is my simplified version using a peel off.

Unfortunately my sticker sheets are old and quite thin so they screwed up slightly when I added the acetate, still it added texture so all is not lost.

This version with the peel off did call for some extra sticker paper to attach the acetate to the card but it allowed me to use up all those tiny dust like particles of Gold Leaf that seem to end up at the bottom of the box and all over the table.
Once again I have been a good girl and finished off all the bits and pieces once I got home, including a couple of pieces that have lain in my Gold Leaf teaching folder for years.
The only trouble is that it has put me even further behind with my samples for Barbara, I really must get on with them tomorrow if I am to get anything done.
Better get some sleep.
Hugs Kimx

A Nautical Birthday Card

Evening Everyone
I hope that you are all well and looking forward to your Bank Holiday weekend, well if you are in the UK at least.
I have managed to cross another project off my 'To Do List' today.
A friend has asked me to make a card for her Dad for his birthday. He was in the Navy for a number of years and so when I asked her if she had any suggestions for her card she just said 'Maybe something Nautical'.
I won't share the card that I made for her yet, I don't like to, at least until she has had a chance to see it :O).
However I did have quite a few left over bits, so in my 'use it all up' mode I made another card to add to my stash.

I had ordered several new 'Nautical' stamps from Woodware which arrived yesterday, so I used a couple of them here.
Woodware Clear Magic JGS163 Old Map Frame and JGCL554 Frigate and Stampendous CRR163 Cling Old World Map have all been used here as well as Aged Bronze Frantage Embossing Enamel and Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

I stamped and Embossed the 'Old Map Frame' onto white card stock using Sepia Versafine ink and clear embossing powder and sponged it with Vintage photo Distress Ink before tearing round it.
The circular panel with the Sailing Ship has been created in exactly the same way with the addition of a little Stormy Sky Distress Ink.
The sails have been painted with thin undiluted bleach.

I added a Compass charm which I found in my stash. I think that it came from The Hobby House at one of the shows that I have attended. They have a fabulous range of items and all so very reasonably priced.

The embossing on the background to the card has been created using 'Cling Old World Map' and Aged Bronze Frantage Embossing Powder.
I would like to enter this into the challenge at Tuesday Throwdown where the theme is 'Sail Away' and ABC Challenges where they want 'Stamped Backgrounds'.
I still have the instructions to write for the class tag tomorrow, but I think that I had better leave that for now as it may not make any sense if I try and write it now while I am tired.
Hugs Kimx

Glorious Gold Leaf

Evening Everyone.
OK, I admit it, the weather today has been all my fault, but at least I have been able to work with my Gold Leaf without wearing quite so much of it lol.
I have just finished my prep for class on Saturday. I still have to write the instructions, but I can do that tomorrow morning, when I'm not at work :O)

 I have used the Gold Leaf and Sticky Embossing Powder on this card and the tag for their book.

The stamp is the amazing Stampendous CRR164 Cling Tree Poem. It was one of those 'Must Have' stamps as soon as I saw it.

Once I had covered the stamped image with the Gold Leaf I created the background using Decorating Chalks applied with a cotton wool ball.

The Tag for their book was made in the same way, just in different colours.
I would like to enter this into the following challenges
Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes
Woodware Challenge - Colours of the Earth
Incy Wincy Designs Challenge - Metal Mania (I hope that Gold Leaf counts)
Off to bed now, more crafting to do tomorrow.
Night night.
hugs Kimx

Why does Barbara make it look so easy??

Evening Everyone,
I survived another day at work, and now I have started a couple of days holiday.
Well I call it that but actually it is a chance to catch up on some DT 'work', definitely my kind of holiday lol.
First on my list of Things to Do is prepping for my class on Saturday where Davina has requested Gilding Flakes / Gold Leaf.
I confess that I don't play with this medium as often as I should, and now I remember why. I am covered in it!! Why does Barbara make it look so easy on the TV.
I'm actually quite glad that it hasn't been too warm today because I haven't had to have the fan on, which quite frankly would have been a disaster.
Sorry folks I'm wishing for dull and miserable on Saturday and then we won't have to have the windows open or the fans on then either lol.
As usual I got carried away with playing and haven't got around to finishing a card yet, so I thought that I would give you a sneak peek of my work desk instead.

Messy or what??
There is a fabulous blog where everyone can share Whats On Your Workdesk Wednesday (WOYWW).
It would be quite wrong of me to link tonights post as there is absolutely no way that I will find the time to stop in on everyone, but do have a look if you get the chance.
It is actually quite gratifying to see that I am not the only one who works in utter chaos.

Ciaran has his school assembly tomorrow morning and I have promised him that I will come and watch, if I am awake in time that is. At this rate I suspect that I will be watching it as filmed by Mum, I was quite looking forward to a bit of a lie in.
That's a point I must remember to turn off my alarm, it's set for 5am!!
Off to bed now, I have a busy day ahead of me.
Night night.
hugs Kimx

Birds of a Feather

Evening Everyone,
I hope that you have had a good day.
It's been no brighter here, and with a Bank Holiday just around the corner I hope that it doesn't do its usual and pour with rain.
Another Woodware Peacock card tonight I'm afraid.

As I said before I have been using up bits and pieces, so this was made with a couple of specific challenges in mind, and they are due to end very soon.

Brown Sugar Challenges are asking you to use Pink, Orange and Yellow and Stampin for the Weekend are looking for Buttons.

I have used the sketch over at Crazy 4 Challenges and some background papers from my stash.

I even managed to find a couple of flowers in my box that matched perfectly.

Once again the colouring was done using Distress inks and I also did a little stamping and embossing along the edge of the background panel using Aged Ivory Frantage Powder.
I only have tomorrow to get through and then I have a couple of days off. I will have to be chained to my desk though as I have so much DT work to do it is untrue.
Thanks for stopping by.
hugs Kimx

Colours of the Earth for Woodware

Evening Everyone,
Well I don't know what it has been like in your neck of the woods, but here it has been more like November than May. I admit that I can't cope if it is too hot, but I would at least like to be able to take my fleece off at work at this time of year.
My card tonight is another that I made using bits and pieces from my 'Coffee Class' on Saturday.
As luck would have it, the new challenge over at Woodware is 'Colours of the Earth', and the colours that I chose for this card are almost exactly the same as the first DT card from Pam The Pampered Stamper.

The Girls all laughed when I told them that I keep a sheet of card in the bottom of my 'Spray Booth' (old cardboard box to the rest of you) to capture all of the excess ink, coffee and glimmer mist.
The background has been made using just that piece of card stock. I added some more coffee and then when it was dry I ran it through my Grand Caliber using the lovely new (and huge) embossing folder that I bought from Davina on Saturday.

The peacock is part of a lovely Woodware stamp set FRCL205 Proud Peacock, coloured with Distress Inks.

The border is a DooHickey, sorry Dorothy not a Woodware punch I'm afraid, and I also added some pink Glimmer Mist to the background as well as tiny gems to the tail feathers.
Well this really is impressive, entering the challenge on the first day instead of 20mins before it closes lol.
Why not check out Woodware every day for new inspiration from the DT.
Hugs Kimx

Do fish drink coffee?

Evening Everyone,
I hope that you have all had a lovely Sunday, mine has been very productive.
I have managed to catch up with quite a few, not all, of my blog visits and commenting.
Sorry Guys if I haven't made it to you yet, I will try, honest.
All of my lovely followers will know that I am trying very hard to be a good girl and finish things off after a class or demo instead of adding more bits to my stash.
With this in mind I have been having a great time with all of the coffee bits and pieces from the class on Saturday.

My card tonight has been made for the Woodware challenge, which this week has been cards for Men. Now I know it is rather late, but I had such fun making it that I hope that Dorothy will forgive me lol.

The background to the card has been made using white cardstock that has been spritzed with water and then sprinkled with coffee granules. As they dissolve they leave lovely dark 'puddles' of coffee. Once it has dried I sponged it with blue Distress Inks.

I also stamped the background with Woodware FRS227 Curly Stitched Background and Sepia Versafine ink. The 3 underwater panels have all been stamped and embossed onto water colour card stock, which has been spritzed with coffee, using black Versafine ink, clear embossing powder and Woodware FRCL195 Sea-Life.

The colouring to these panels has all been done using more of the dissolved instant coffee and undiluted thin bleach.
I have also added some medical gauze and doodled lines.
I would like to enter this in to a couple of other challenges.

Sweet Stampin Challenge  - Oodles of Doodles (Hand drawn lines around the edge of the card)
Totally Gorguss  - Water (I hope that underwater creatures will count lol)
Creative Creations Challenges - For a Child (A fun card for a Child I hope )
Our Creative Corner - Anything Goes

I was thrilled to see that my last Kids card won the challenge over at Allsorts 'Any Sport' challenge, so I must remember to drop Brenda a line to claim my prize.
Hugs Kimx

Thank You.......for stopping by

Evening Everyone,
I hope that you have had a wonderful Crafty Day.
The class at Davina's was fabulous as always, with plenty of chat and coffee, both to play with and drink.
There was even cake!!

I've been trying desperately to catch up on some commenting since I got home, but I don't seem to have got very far, I keep getting sidetracked on to another card on another lovely blog. I need a few extra days in a week to be able to look at it all!!

As I haven't managed anything creative today (I never make anything in a class, I'm tea, and coffee maker lol) I will share one of the cards that I made a while ago for Janice and Andy at SirStampalot.
The panel was actually made using Copics directly onto the stamp, a technique that I saw over at Splitcoaststampers.
I hope that I will get to play tomorrow, so I had better get back to my commenting.
Happy Crafting.
Hugs Kimx

Anyone for Coffee?

Evening Everyone,
Hasn't it been cold today, much more like Autumn than Spring!
I've had a spot of babysitting to do this evening so I'm afraid even my half finished card didn't get a look in, let alone any commenting.
I am teaching at Davina's tomorrow afternoon which is always good fun, and it will be right up at least one persons street as we will be using Coffee in class and not just to drink lol.

 Once again we will be making a tag to add to their book as well as a card, or maybe two.

The panel on both the card and tag has been made using a lovely stamp set from Woodware. I stamped and embossed in brown on the card and then spritzed with coffee to create the background.

 The peacock has been coloured using Distress inks, and I decided to do a little decoupage.

The area around the bird has been painted with undiluted bleach to remove some of the coffee colour.
I will have to get the instructions for the back of the tag finished tomorrow. It's hard to write anything that make any sense when you have one eye on Ice Age the Movie.
Hugs Kimx