A Sneaky Peek

Hi All,
I hope that you have all had a great start to the weekend, even if the weather has been less than kind.

Just a quick sneak peek for you tonight to remind you that Barbara will be back on the box tomorrow morning. Create and Craft Sky channel 674 at 9 - 11am.
Can you believe that it is the first Sunday in the month tomorrow, and March no less.
I turned the page in my birthday book this morning, and if I thought that February was heavy in birthdays then March is way worse.
Better get a wiggle on if I am going to get them all made in time.
Bye for now.
Hugs Kimx

Down On the Allotment

Evening Everyone,
I don't know what it has been like where you are, but here it has been beautiful if rather cold here.
Some glorious and welcome sunshine which will have started people thinking about working in their gardens and allotments,I'm sure.
How appropriate then that one of 'Hobby Art Jenny's' fabulous new stamp sets should be gardening / allotment related.

She has been on the TV today, and this is one of the cards that I made for her show.
It is very simple but quite effective, and would make a good card for a man or any keen gardener for that matter.

I stamped the Garden Shed from The Allotment  stamp set onto Watercolour card stock using Pesto Adirondack dye based ink.

Then I used a damp paintbrush to 'move' the ink and create a monochrome watercolour finish.

The background is a fantastic new embossing folder from Crafters Companion that I just HAD to have.

It is one of their new Texture 8x8 Range called Leaf Vein.
I embossed a piece of card stock that matched the Pesto ink, and then swiped the ink pad repeatedly over the embossed paper which shows up the pattern beautifully.

I hadn't realised that the card stock was actually slightly ribbed until I ran the ink pad over it, but I think that it just adds to the effect.
I watched out to see the card on the show. It is always such a buzz to see something that you have made get shown on the TV.
The Grandchildren think it's quite cool when I point them out.
Speaking of the Grandchildren, it was the School Disco tonight.

 This is how grown up you can look when your big sister helps to get you ready. How scary is that!!

Ciaran looked very cool too although he was rather annoyed that his hair wouldn't spike up like he wanted it to. Oh dear I really am feeling very old. The kids seem to grow up far too quickly these days.
Off to play now, I have a 21st birthday card to make this weekend as well as several other things.
Bye for now. Have a great weekend.
Hugs Kimx

To Brighten a Rainy Day.

Hi All
I can't believe that we are already near the end of yet another week and it's nearly March. Where on earth did January and February go to?
I've got some nice spring colours for you today to make up for all the rain that we have had. In my neck of the woods anyway.
They have been made using some more of the wonderful Woodware stamps that I have had the privilege of playing with.

One of the things that I have to do when making cards for the catalogue is a Gallery Page. Six cards all using a similar colour palette.
As you know I never know quite what is going to happen until I start to play, so more often than not I end up with a pile of bits and pieces all in a similar vane.
So these are a selection of cards made with those 'leftovers'.

I created a panel of stamped and embossed background using this lovely floral corner, and then coloured it using Watercolour Pearlex from the Stargazer Palette.
I cut the panel up to create this first card which was then mounted onto complimentary orange card stock.

The next card really has been made from the 'leftovers' and a hexagon punch.

Once again I mounted them on to orange card stock and added a sentiment from another of the Woodware stamp sets.

 The panel on this last card was made in the same way just using a slightly different stamp.

I also used the same Pearlex palette and the 'Wet Watercolour Technique.

This time I mounted the finished panel onto blue card.
I trimmed around the sentiments in a random manner and mounted them onto the card using silicon.
I sent one of these cards to my lovely Clarity team mate Janet Pring for her birthday this week.
Oh dear doesn't look like I'm going to get anything done again tonight. Thank goodness it is nearly the weekend.
Bye for now.
Hugs Kimx

Hobby Art is back on the Box

Hi All
Just a very quick post tonight to remind you that 'Hobby Art Jenny' will be back on the box (Create and Craft Sky channel 674) on Friday at 2pm and then again at 7pm.
There will be some fabulous new stamp sets, but for tonight you will have to be content with a card made for her show last month.

 This would make a rather nice card for someone who has just moved.

I stamped the image onto watercolour card using Distress Inks and then 'moved' some of the ink with a damp paintbrush.

I cut the image out using a Nestie and mounted it onto a patterned card base from Woodware.
Bye for now, but don't to forget to set your recorders for Friday.
Hugs Kimx

Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday

Hi All
I've got a birthday card to share tonight made for a lovely neighbour celebrating her 96th Birthday.

She lives in the flats behind us and likes nothing better than watching the children play out on the green in the good weather. She says it keeps her young.
I made her a circular card using a piece of Gelli Plate / Creative Palette background from my stash.
The stamp is one designed by Jane Gill and was made specifically to be used with Card Candi.

I stuck the Candi on with silicon and then dry embossed the entire panel using a dotty embossing folder.

The sentiment is another Jane design.
Of course a girl has to have some sparkle so I added gems around the edge of the scalloped circle.
Chris is looking forward to Fish and Chips for her birthday treat, and I'm sure that there will be flowers and chocolates heading her way too.
Bye for now
Hugs Kimx

Stripes at Crafty Cardmakers and More

Hi All
Welcome to Monday, and another new challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers and More.
Our host this time is Leslie who is looking for STRIPES.

I went through my stash of 6x6 paper pads and found some lovely My Minds Eye papers full of stripes.

The stamped and embossed image was actually in my Bits Box but it matches the papers perfectly.

The image was stamped using pigment ink cubes and then embossed with Moonglow Iridescent Embossing Powder.
I added a few peel-off lines as well, all in keeping with the stripy theme.
Don't forget to pop by and show the rest of the team some love. I know that they will appreciate it.
Bye for now.
Hugs Kimx

Waxed Paper Resist

Hi All
I hope that you have had a good weekend.
It has been rather wet here today which makes for a very good excuse to craft lol.

I have had several 'Girly' cards to send this last week.
They should have arrived by now, so I think I'm pretty safe in sharing them with you.
They were actually made quite a while ago when I was very much inspired by a colour challenge somewhere out there in Blogland.

I was having fun playing with some waxed paper resist, embossing folders and these lovely bright Distress inks.

As you can see I got rather carried away, and ended up making several cards all with a similar theme.

I rather liked the idea of only using part of the Hobby Art greeting on this card.

The beauty of waxed paper is that if you sandwich it between two pieces of card when you iron it you end up with two pieces for the price of one.

One piece always seems to have a much more defined image than the other, but they are both very useful.
Better get back to work on my DT samples.
Both Hobby Art and Clarity will be on the box next week so I am a very busy bunny.
Bye for now.
Hugs Kimx

Just a little thought

Evening Everyone,
Another lovely class today, even if I was rather more under prepared than usual.
I did take along some ideas that I had put together on a Pinterest board and plenty of stamps and dies to play with.

Unfortunately I also had to take along a card for my wonderful friend Sylvie who has just lost a second Son-in-Law to a brain tumour.

My card for her was made using some of Jane Gill's lovely stamps and some Distress inks.
I hope that play time today helped to take her mind off things for a little while at  least.
Bye for now,
Hugs Kimx

A Little Birthday Girl

Evening Everyone
Another very quick post tonight I'm afraid as I am in danger of falling asleep as we speak.

This card is currently winging its way to the daughter of our local bobby (policeman to the non English amongst you lol).
She will be celebrating her birthday tomorrow so I hope that it arrives in time.
Bye for now. Let's hope that I am a little more with it tomorrow. I'm in a whole heap of trouble if I'm not, as I have so much to do and very little time to do it all in.
Hugs Kimx

The best Flapjacks in the World

Hi All
No crafting tonight I'm afraid, unless you count making flapjacks with the Grandchildren that is lol.
I took them with me to visit my Mum this wet and windy afternoon.
I knew that the kids wouldn't walk the last bit of the journey like I usually do so we waited for a Bus, and a very posh one it was too. All the seats had seat belts.
We spent a lovely afternoon with Mum where the kids helped her make a batch of Flapjacks

My Mum makes THE BEST Flapjacks and everyone was eager to help out, especially with taste testing lol.
Oh dear there goes the diet for another week.
Back tomorrow.
Hugs Kimx

Congratulations on your Happy News

Evening Everyone,
Wow, half way through the week already and I don't seem to have managed anything very much except lying down.
My sciatica has been playing me up something dreadful this week making sitting to craft for any length of time extremely difficult, which of course means that I'm behind with all of my DT work. So much to do and no time to do it in!!
One card that I have managed this week is for a friend who comes into the garage.
He asked me if I could make a card to congratulate a young couple on the happy news that they are to become parents.

I remembered that I had this cute little Tilda that I bought from SirStampalot ages ago, all coloured in and ready to go in my Bits Box

I managed to find some matching background papers and die cut shapes.

The News and Congratulations sentiments are from Clarity, and Time to Celebrate from Lili of the Valley.
I also added some Faux Stitching, Glitter Glue and a little duck button.
I'm off on my weekly visit to Mum tomorrow, only this time I will have plenty of company as the Grandchildren are all coming with me since it is half term.
I had better warn her in the morning of the impending invasion, it will give her time to prepare lol.
Bye for now.
Hugs Kimx

Woodware wants a card for a Special Lady

Evening Everyone,
Woodware have a new challenge this week. They are looking at cards for Mothers Day, or for a Special Lady in your life.
Of course there is nothing most Mums like more than some nice flowers (or maybe a bit of bling) so I thought that this card might fit in nicely with the challenge.

I stamped and embossed Jane's lovely JGS373 Clivia Bloom stamp onto Watercolour card and then painted it with Watercolour Pearlex from the Stargazers palette using the Wet Watercolour Technique.

I have also added some faux stitching and Card Candi.

The sentiment has been made from another couple of Woodware stamp sets JGS322 Relatives and FRCL078 Female Relatives.

Off to make pancakes now, although I don't think that I will try tossing them. Knowing my luck they would end up on the floor, or stuck to the ceiling.
Enjoy your evening.
Hugs Kimx

Spring Flowers

Evening Everyone,
Have you had a good start to the week?
It is my turn to share something on the Hobby Art blog today, so I thought that I would show you a card that I made for one of Jenni's shows on Create and Craft.

I don't know about you, but my DT cards are often influenced by the classes or other projects that I am working on at the time, and this is no exception.
I was prepping for a class on Tea and Coffee, a current favourite of mine, when my parcel arrived so that is what I have used here.

I stamped and embossed the beautiful Floral Frame onto a piece of background paper made using cold tea and instant coffee.
I also used coffee to paint the image and added white using a Gelli Roll glaze pen.

I have also spritzed the papers with more coffee and some Glimmer Mist.
I have a new parcel of stamps from Jenni eagerly awaiting my attention so I had better get on with it.
Have a great week,
Hugs Kimx

A couple of Cuties

Evening Everyone,
I have to say that February seems to be hurtling by at a scary pace.
It doesn't seem 5 minutes ago since the kids broke up for the Xmas hols and here we are at half term!!!
The weekend seems to go by in a flash and then we start all over again.
Once again my Lili of the Valley toppers have come to my rescue as I have had several 'Cute' cards to make over the last week.

This card was made for my Daughter Jenni whose birthday is today.
Fleur would be proud of me given all of the dies that I have used. I also managed to fine some ready made flowers in my stash that matched the papers perfectly, as well as ribbon and a sparkly ribbon slider.
Well a girl has to have a bit of bling on her birthday don't you think?

This second card was made for my Boss's daughter. I'm afraid that I used the same layout and papers although it does look a bit different. This is the nearest that I get to making the same card twice.

I had to do a bit of a Take 2 with this card as he decided that he wanted her name on it, after I had delivered it to him!!!! It's a good job I only live 3 minutes away from work don't you think?
Thank goodness for a die cut banner and some peel-off letters.

I have also had to make a couple of cards for a lovely lady that comes into the garage.
When she saw the card that I made for Rithika she asked for hers to be made along the same lines so that made my life a whole lot easier.
She gave me certain guidelines like colour, name and celebration and left the rest to me.
This card for Christine is rather well travelled as it was taken in hand luggage all the way to Dubai in order for it to be delivered on the correct day.

This final card is for Coral's Daughter who likes Pink, lots of Girly things and 'slushy words' as Coral put it.
I hope that she considers it Girly enough.
I would like to enter them in to the challenge over at ABC challenges where D is for Die cuts. I think there are plenty of them on these cards.
Bye for now.
Hugs Kimx

A Bird does not Sing

Evening Everyone,
I hope that you have all been suitably spoilt this Valentines Day.
I have spent the day putting the finishing touches to a couple of cards, one of which is for my eldest daughter whose birthday is tomorrow.
She has managed to drag her other half to the cinema to watch 50 Shades of Grey this evening so I have been back up baby sitter. My eldest Granddaughter has been in charge with me there for any major emergencies.

Here is a card that I made for Barbara's last TV show.
I had carefully written a post containing links and more pictures and it has all disappeared so I am going to quit while I am ahead.
Bye for now.
Hugs Kimx