Add a Critter for CCM challenge 242

Afternoon Everyone,
We have another new challenge at CCM, where on earth is this year disappearing to?
This time our lovely host Judy is looking for you to 'Add a Critter'
Any critter will be fine, four legged, two legged, six legged, or even many legged as in millipedes! 

My card was actually made at the beginning of the year for the then new Woodware catalogue. Boy that seems such a long time ago now, I have done several more catalogues since then.

I fussy cut the owl and the fox from the set

and layered it over a panel created form another Woodware sentiment stamp set.

As usual I finished off all of the bits and pieces left over from creating my card to finish of another one.

The panel at the back of both cards has been created from a piece of dark brown cardstock and a leafy embossing folder.

A little bit of gilding wax helps to highlight the embossing.
I hope that you can find the time to join us with our 'Critter' challenge.
Have a wonderful crafty day.
Happy Crafting and hugs
Kimx

Paint Purley Purple

Morning Everyone,
How did you spend your Thursday afternoon?

I spent mine, sandwiched in between two shifts at work, Painting Purley Purple.
Well wrapping trees and benches with purple knitting anyway.

It's amazing the stupid questions and comments that you get, including 'are we keeping the trees warm for the winter'!!!!!!!
Still I suppose at least it shows they noticed something.
We do it to raise awareness, and support the local Cancer Centre whose logo colour is purple.
One man didn't care who it was being done for, he just hates purple!!
There were of course a lot of wonderful positive comments, including one foreign gentleman working on one of the building site. In his country all of the towns and villages have a colour associated with them and as his village colour is purple, it reminded him of home which made him very happy.
The plan is for this to remain in place for the whole of October so if you are passing through Purley during that time do look out for our handiwork.
Off to class this afternoon. It will seem strange not to see piles of knitting dotted around the place. I'm sure that there will be the odd bit of wool still on the carpet, but as we are working with dies this afternoon I told Davina that it would be a complete waste of time to vacuum before we arrived lol.
Have a great crafty afternoon.
Happy stamping and hugs
Kimx

Inspired by Sue Wilson

Afternoon Everyone,
I told you that I liked leaves and Autumn colours, so here are a few more cards which will hopefully inspire you to join us in our Autumn Colours challenge at CCM.

I found this background technique a few years ago on Sue Wilson's Blog and thankfully bookmarked it on my computer.

I came across my samples a few weeks ago and thought that it would make a good class.

I used Distress Oxide inks to apply colour to my card, which I then covered with pale gold mica powder.

Next I stamped my chosen image with Versamark ink across the background, cleaning the stamp in between each inking.

The versamark lifts the mica off the background leaving a sticky image which you can cover with a darker colour of mica powder.

The final step is to stamp across the background using a dye based ink.

 As you can see I had a great time playing with the technique,

as did 'The Girls'.

It works every bit as well with butterflies, or even snowflakes.

Sue's original was done with a torn paper mask across the centre of the card.
I was less than impressed with my initial effort.........it's a good job card stock has two sides, but this snowflake one isn't too bad I suppose.
I think I'll stick to all over backgrounds though.
No crafting for me today as I have to go back to work again. Never mind everything will still be there to play with another day.
That's the alarm, so I had better get ready to go.
Happy crafting, and have a fabulous evening.
Hugs Kimx

LOTV to the rescue again

Evening Everyone,
Well it looks like my second post from yesterday went live so let's see if I'm pushing my luck by trying another post :O)
I did finally manage to get a little bit of crafting done on Sunday, due to a couple of very last minute requests from my daughters.

 First a New Home card.

Once again I opted for the fabulous LOTV Simply Print digi images.

They are an absolute god send when you need to make last minute cute cards.

Chloe has her last swimming lesson on Sunday so Becki needed a Thank You card.
Unlike Emma she is really not enjoying the structure of the sessions very much, so I decided that this fabulous image was much more Chloe's style of water play.
Not that I am suggesting that she is a drinker you understand, although she does get through an awful lot of juice over the course of a day.

Next a couple of  Baby Congratulation cards.

I love all of the really cute images that you can find at the LOTV Etsy shop.

Finally I used this little cutie with a fabulous Groovi background that I found in my stash.
All in all a very successful day. I told you they made it easy to create cards in a hurry.
Have a great evening.
Happy stamping and hugs
Kimx

Autumn Colours at CCM challenge 241

Evening Everyone,
We have a new challenge over at CCM, we are looking for Autumn Colours.

I love the Autumn, definitely my favourite season. Now it may have something to do with my birthday being on October,

 or the fact that it can be lovely and bright, but not nearly so hot as the summer,

or it may just be all the beautiful rich colours. Whatever it is I love it.

My card for the challenge was actually made several years ago (I told you I had hundreds of cards yet to be shared with you) using a fabulous old Stamps Happen stamp, and a mop up background.

I thought that I would take this opportunity to share a few more autumnal cards from this stash.

Another mop up background and a lovely Woodware tree designed by Jane Gill.

I have numerous leaf stamps,

and dies in my stash, and I absolutely love working with white embossing powder and inks for a bit of multiple resist.

Another leafy card, this time a little less Autumnal in colour.

Finally, where would the Autumn be without a few cobwebs and a wize old owl once again from Woodware.
I hope that you get the chance to play along with us. Please don't forget to check out what the rest of the team have come up with to inspire you.
Now I wonder what happens when I press post...…..how many times will I have to write this one before it finally gets past the Internet gremlins!!!
Happy Crafting and Hugs.
Kimx

Thank You for sticking with Me

Hi Everyone,
I'm sorry that I have been MIA again, but it has been a hectic couple of weeks, and definitely rather quiet on the crafting front for me.

My Granddaughter Emma started at 'Big School' and I went to stay and help out for a few days.

These last few years seem to have flown by, it seems like only yesterday when I witnessed her arrival, and here she is starting school.

I have to say that I was there more as support for Mum than Emma, who has taken to school like a duck to water. 

She is on silly 2 hour days for the first couple of weeks (she was at Nursery full time) so she was heard to complain to her Mum that she had 'only been there for 4 minutes'.

It might only be a short time, but it has certainly tired her out as the days have gone on, probably because it is far more structured than playing at Nursery School. Little brother misses her, although I think he is secretly glad of the rest, his sisters can be a little full on at times.

Mummy has even mastered the art of a French plait, after plenty of practise on one of Emma's dolls :O)

We did get a little bit of crafting done while I was there.

I have been promising Emma for a while that I would show her how to use the die cutting machine that I bought her for Easter, so we had a great time cutting out unicorns, fairies, seahorses along with other assorted shapes.

Chloe tried to get in on the act which I don't think impressed Emma very much, check out the expression!!

This post seems to have taken me ages to write as the Internet keeps dropping out. I have given up two days in a row, so I will call it a day and try and sort out my CCM post for later...…….if technology will let me lol.

Have a great evening.

Crafty hugs

Kimx

Pearls and/or Gems for CCM Challenge 240

Hi All
We have a brand new challenge starting today over at CCM where our lovely host Dr Monika is looking for Pearls and/or Gems on your creations.

Now it was not a problem to find a card for this challenge, my problem was narrowing it down, since adding a couple of bits of bling to a card has become one of my favourite things to do.
This is all courtesy of the wonderful Jennifer McGuire and her influences. She has cost me a fortune in sparkly bits and pieces.

I found this Alcohol Blend colouring technique on her blog which I shared with the Girls a couple of weeks ago.

Basically an image is stamped and embossed onto a piece of alcohol inked background that has been prepared on Yupo paper or in this case Grafixarts Craft Plastic.
Do be careful when heating the embossing powder or your background might shrivel up a bit. Ask me how I know this :O)

Next remove the alcohol ink from this stamped and embossed image with an Alcohol ink Blending tool and use it to paint another image, this time on regular card stock.

 The flowers are from one of my new stamp sets from Alpaca Pals.

I love their cute stamps as well as this fabulous floral design.
I cut my painted panel up to create two finished cards, and as you can see they all have a smattering of tiny gems. Perfect for this challenge.
I hope that you will find the time to join us, and don't for get to pop over and see what the rest of the team have come up with to inspire you.
Happy Crafting and hugs
Kimx

A Spot of Paper Piecing.

Evening All
How is it possible to loose quite so many hours looking at Pinterest!!!
I promise myself that I will only get to the end of the page and then stop, but the page just seems to get longer and longer, it's like it hears me and doesn't want to let me quit lol.

My excuse for visiting is usually when I am prepping ideas for class, which is what happened today.
I think that this had therefore better be a rather short post if I am to get anything else done tonight.

Recently we held a paper piecing class using Woodware stamps. I decided this time to limit the stamps that I bought with me and use a Christmas card idea that was inspired by something that Davina did in a previous class.

This was the card, so I looked through my not inconsiderable selection of stamps to find anything that was similar, just in case someone didn't fancy Christmas cards.

I have been trying very hard to keep up with the instruction tags for their book, and so this was my little reminder of the technique that we played with on the day.
I'm definitely not going to get much else done tonight, so I think I had better call it a day before it turns out to be midnight again :O)
Happy Crafting and Hugs.
Kimx