Welcome to your New Pub

Evening All
Sorry I have been missing for a few days but I have been visiting my daughter and her partner in their new Pub, so plenty of train travel and no Internet.
My 'trip' has also ended rather eventfully as I stumbled and fell on the way to the station to come home and have ended up with a fractured elbow!! It was x-rayed at A&E last night and I am now waiting for an appointment at the fracture clinic on Thursday.
Of course it would be my right hand, so everything is taking forever to do, even the simplest of things like putting on your bra, or doing up a zip, but at least I can do somethings, just no lifting.

 This is the card that I sent to welcome Becki and Andy to their new home.

The central image is fabulous Lili of the Valley topper that is just perfect for a New Home card.
I created a 'Patchwork' panel down the left hand side with papers that matched the colouring on the image.

The flowers are all hand made,

and I also added some die cut leaves.

The sentiments are also by Lili of the Valley die cut on Kraft and cream card using a fabulous Magnolia DooHickey die set.

I also die cut the fence twice and offset it slightly so that it showed up better.

They took their three cats with them, so they had to be added to the card along with some die cut grass.

I added Glossy Accents to the vase, clock and TV.

My card now has pride of place at the end of the bar,

in amongst the beer.

I seem to have spent most of today sleeping, not from the influence of beer either lol.
Let's hope that I can manage to do a little more tomorrow. This post seems to have taken me all day!!
I would like to enter it into the following challenges

Blue Ocean Challenge - At least One Flower
Pinspirational Challenges - Any Kind of Project
Sweet Stamps Challenge - Dies
Through the Craftroom Door - Anything Goes
Crafty Bloggers Network - Anything Goes

Happy Crafting and Hugs
Kimx

You are in my thoughts Sylvie

Evening Everyone.
Unfortunately, as well as hand delivering a Wedding card to Sylvie on Saturday morning, I also had to deliver a sympathy card.

Her Son-in-law sadly lost his battle to cancer on Friday morning and so I wanted to let her know that I was thinking of her.

The panel on this card was made using Versamark Ink, Decorating Chalks and a sentiment from Woodware.
Sylvie will be attending the funeral tomorrow so my thoughts will be with her and her family.
Hugs Kimx

To Have and To Hold

Evening Everyone
Have you had a good Monday?
Time really does seem to be running away with me just lately. Friday evening saw me frantically finishing a card for my good friend Sylvie to take with her to her son's wedding, the following day!!!

Fortunately I had a Lili of the Valley panel already die cut and mounted in my 'bits box'.

The embossed background was also lurking amongst the goodies, so I just added a little Spanish Topaz Treasure Gold to highlight the beautiful embossing.

I added some pearls and and Cosmic Shimmer Black Pearl dots, as well as some glitter to the Brides flowers.

I added some ribbon and lace across the center of the card,

and a LOTV sentiment from a limited edition stamp set that I bought from Create and Craft some time ago.
I left the card to dry overnight and then hand delivered it to Syvie's in the morning. It was so early I even managed to catch her in her nightie. I am hoping that I will get to see some rather more fetching pictures over a cup of coffee tomorrow lol.
She tells me that the wedding went brilliantly so I shall look forward to a catch up, and maybe a picture or two.
Here's to the Happy Couple. Have a great life.
Hugs Kimx

Magic Painting for Grown Ups!!

Hi Guys
I really am turning into a rubbish blogger. I don't know where the time goes to, but here I am a week late with my DT post for Hobby Art.

I decided that I would share a card that I made in a recent class using one of my all time favourite stamp sets.

I have created a panel using the Resist Technique. (Stamp image onto Glossy card stock using a Versamark Inkpad, heat set, sponge with Dye Based Ink to reveal your stamped images.) 
Magic Painting for Grown Ups!!

It is possible to use both fine line and detailed images with this technique. It even works really well with words as you can see. Once the panel has been sponged with colour (I used a Kaleidacolor Inkpad for this piece) buff with a piece of kitchen paper to remove any excess ink. I have also stamped and embossed a sentiment into the corner using Onyx Black Versafine and clear embossing powder.

The background card has been dry embossed using a Dotty Embossing folder and then mounted onto a white card base. I'm afraid that the pictures make it all look dark blue, where in fact it is a rather subtle mixture of pinks and purple.
Let’s hope that my next post will be a little more on time, or I may find myself sacked from the team lol.

I'm off to finish a couple more samples for Jenny’s next TV appearance. I've had more lovely new stamps to play with, how lucky am I?

 Hugs and happy stamping Kimx

Ribbons/Lace and Pearls for Crafty Cardmakers and More

Hi All
It's Monday again, so it is time for a new challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers and More. Jackie is hosting our challenge today and her theme is 'Ribbons/Lace and Pearls', so she would like to see ribbons or lace, {or both} AND pearls on your creations.
We are sponsored by WOODWARE CRAFT COLLECTION and also by DI'S DIGISTAMPS.

For my card I have used one of my all time favourite stamps from Stampendous CRP107 Agapanthus Cluster, and a Black and White colour combo, another favourite thing. 

I stamped and embossed the image using Onyx Black Versafine Ink and Clear Embossing Powder and then die cut it using an oval Grand Nestie.
The large die cut is by Go Create and I have sponged it with Black Soot Distress Ink.

The embossed background has been embellished with tiny black flatback pearls.
Its amazing what can be found in your stash when you look hard enough. The fancy button was given to me by my friend Cheryl in a box of assorted buttons. It works just perfectly with the bow made from Organza Ribbon.
The sentiment is part of another favourite stamp, this time from Hobby Art. Here I have only used three lines from the stamped image.
I would like to enter this into the following challenges
Scrapbook Stamp Society Challenge - Anything Goes + option of use buttons
Pink Elephant Challenge - TPE268 Embossing
Vintage Stamping Challenge - Anything Goes

Don't forget to stop by and show the rest if the CCM team some love, and also check out the Woodware Girls as they are joining in with us this time.
Happy Stamping and hugs 
Kimx

Paper and Punches

Evening All,
I just don't know where the time has gone to. I can't believe that I haven't posted anything since this time last week.
I have been trying to be much more organised at home, but I'm afraid that this doesn't seem to have left me much time to blog, there just aren't enough hours in the day.
The wonderful Girls over at Woodware have been playing with punches this week, so I thought that it was about time that I joined in. Shame it has taken me till now to do so lol.

As usual I got a bit carried away, but then punched backgrounds are such a great way of using up those small bits of card and paper that are 'just too good to throw away.'

I chose some pieces of Bazill card stock and several different square and rectangular punches. I also rounded most of the corners with a 'Corner Rounder' punch.

I suppose that I did things a little bit back to front, since I didn't look through my bits box for some co-ordinating stamped pieces until after I had made the punched backgrounds!!

Note to self - co-ordinate your pieces better next time.
As you can see I have managed to finish a few more Christmas cards,

and an 'All Occasion' card as well.
I will be back again tomorrow as we have a new challenge over at CCM&More.
See you.
Hugs Kimx

Thinking of You xx

Hi All
I hope that you have been having a great weekend.
We had a fabulous class on Saturday doing Spotlight cards.
I finally seem to be getting back into 'crafty mode' after a rather barren few weeks. I just have to translate that into time spent blogging, but that will have to wait for yet another day as I really must get an early night tonight and there is still so much for me to get done.
Unfortunately my day started with a text message letting me now that the Mother of one of the boys at work had passed away, so here is the card that I have made for him and his family.

 The background is from my stash of Gelli Plate/Creative Palette pieces.

I stamped and embossed the fabulous Stampendous Poem Tree onto it using Onyz Black Versafine ink and clear embossing powder.

The sentiment is from a set I bought years ago at a show somewhere.
I cut the panel out using a Grand Nestie and added some faux stitching and brads. I may have to send this all the way to Sri Lanka, but I will find that out tomorrow.
Off to bed now as I have a very early start in the morning.
Hugs Kimx

More or Less Back to Normal

Hi there,
Well things really do seem to be more or less back to normal in our house.
We are still wading our way through the mountain of ironing, but at least the bags and suitcases have disappeared, or maybe they have just moved upstairs lol.
The kids started back at School this week, so even the roads are finally back to their usual congested normality.Tuesday was actually Reece first day at Secondary School.

He looked extremely smart in his new uniform,

if a little dwarfed by his new blazer.
Now if only I could get back into the swing of things with my crafting I would be a very happy bunny.
Maybe tomorrow.
Hugs Kimx 

Make an Impression at Crafty Cardmakers

Hi All
It's time for another challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers and More, and this time we are looking for you to 'Make an Impression' using Dry Embossing.
I have to admit that this wasn't a hard challenge for me. In fact the hardest part was deciding on a specific card to share with you, since so many of mine have embossing on them.

In the end I decided on something fairly plain and simple with a fabulous embossed panel down the centre.
I coloured this panel by using my Distress Inks and some Cut'n'Dry foam. This not only  adds colour to the entire panel but it also highlights the embossing on it beautifully.

The circular image is part of a very old, but very lovely Hobby Art stamp whose name and code escape me at the moment. I'm sure that Hobby Art Jenny would be able to sort it out if you were to contact her, she's very good like that.
I stamped and embossed it onto Watercolour card and painted it using the same inks as I used for colouring the embossed panel. Once it was dry I then die cut a circular section from it and mounted this onto the card over a scalloped circle.

The sentiment (or rather part of the whole stamped image) is also from Hobby Art and is such a useful stamp as you can cut it up so that it no longer has to be used just for a birthday.
I do like stamps like this that are multi functional, it makes their purchase seem so much more justified, as if we need an excuse of course.
The final touch were some assorted metallic brads in the centre of some of the embossed flowers.
I hope that you will join us for this challenge. And please don't forget to check out what the rest of the team have come up with HERE.
I think it is a pretty safe bet to say that we all like our dry embossing.
Thanks for stopping by, I do appreciate it, especially as I have been absent for so long. Your comment really do give me a lift if I am struggling.
Thanks again.
Hugs Kimx