Happy Birthday Jenni

Evening,

Today is a special day in our house, it's my eldest daughters birthday. Unfortunately she was working a split shift today, so not much celebrating, but it means that she can behave like the Queen used to and have a second birthday later in the year.

As you know by now, I am notoriously late with my cards, but since I retired I have definitely improved, so I am hoping that for once a card actually arrived on time.

I created the background to her card using inks and a fabulous stencil from Aall and Create.

Having added a little extra stamping to the background,

I then added a stamped, embossed, coloured and die cut image using a little silicon glue gell. I think the floral image is from Altenew but I really can't remember and it is far too late to go looking for the stamp.

A stamped and die cut sentiment and some gems complete my card for a special lady.

I hope that she managed to have a great day despite work and that the kids spoiled her rotten.

Thanks for stopping by.

Love and Crafty Hugs

Kimx

Embossing with Dies

 Evening All,

Definitely more crafting weather again today. Not nearly as windy, until this evening that is, but I did not feel like venturing out.

So, as it was so wet, I've been indoors playing with my dies again.

Just because it is designed to cut a pattern out of a piece of card doesn't mean that you can't use it to create an embossed pattern instead.

I used the die with a rubber mat in my Spellbinders machine,

and then I used a soft blending brush and some ink to highlight the pattern that had been embossed into the cardstock.

It makes a fabulous background to a card. Once again I used an Altenew stamped, coloured and diecut image. As you may have noticed this is rather a favourite of mine lol.

I'm hoping that it won't be quite so wet tomorrow, but I'm not holding my breath.

Thanks for stopping by.

Love and Crafty Hugs

Kimx

Best of Luck with Background Dies

Hello again,

I don't know what it has been like where you are, but it has been the perfect weather for crafting here........windy and pouring with rain. 

We woke up this morning to torrential rain, bins blown over and broken glass from the old greenhouse strewn around the garden. It's been too wet and windy to clear it up today especially since it is not in danger of hurting anyone. Besides which it's still blowing a gale so I might as well do the clean-up all in one go

So instead of cleaning today, I have been playing with my background dies in preparation for a crafty get together on Saturday. 

I have loads of larger background dies so it has been great fun trying to find lots of different things that you can do with them.

We all like to get more out of our supplies, especially when they are a little more expensive, like the larger style dies.

Here I have used my die with a rubber mat to create an embossed background rather than a die cut panel.

Same design, just different colourway.

I used the embossed panel across the card and then added a die cut floral image,

and a die cut sentiment which I covered with Glossy Accents.

I'm not seeing much let up in the weather here, so I can see more playtime in my future.

The physio came to see Mum again today, and while he is delighted with her progress, he has encouraged her to walk around the house at least every 60 - 90 minutes. I have been letting her do things for herself much more over the last few days, so we have agreed that I will just go in and nag her if she hasn't got up and walked around in the allotted time. It seems so harsh, but at least she agrees that it is for her own good.

Of course it will be much more difficult if I am out of the house for any length of time. You know yourself how easy it is to just sit and sleep when there is no-one else around, so I may have to rope in the rest of the family to take over on the nagging front at those times..........thank goodness for Facetime lol.

On that note it's time for another gentle reminder, and I need to get her pills ready so I will call it a day.

It's lovely to be back sharing things with you.

Thanks for stopping by.

Crafty Hugs

Kimx

Celebrate the Sunshine

Evening,

I had a wonderful weekend with the 'Littlies'. It was so nice to hear them out in the garden in the sunshine. I managed to get a bit of weeding done before the weeds get too big and strangle all the plants. Why is it that weeds seem so easy to grow, whatever the weather, but we have to be so careful with anything pretty that we plant. 

Thankfully I know enough about gardening to know that it was too early to plant anything despite the beautiful sunshine. I got an early lift home as reward for all my efforts, and there was a heck of a frost when we left. It would definitely have killed off anything fragile.

Here is a card that I made recently after our class on Altenew Stamps, Dies and Matching Stencils.

I do love these stamps, and they are so much quicker and easier to colour now that they have matching stencils.

This set also has coordinating dies which makes it even easier. I do like easy.

I layered the die cut and coloured floral images over a couple of plain stamped and embossed ones.

I used the stencil on a square of cream card and cleaned my brush though it to give a lovely subtle background.

Finishing touches, a few pearls and a die cut sentiment, stacked and covered in glossy accents.

Back to work tomorrow, so I had better get an early night.

Thanks for stopping by.

Crafty hugs

Kimx

Pretty in Pink

Evening,

We had some little unexpected, but very welcome visitors today, so my crafty endeavors didn't go quite to plan. I managed to get some bits finished, but nothing from yesterdays class, so once again here are a couple of cards that I made during a previous play session with my Altenew stamps and dies.

I used a layering stamp set and matching die for the main image.

I used a patterned die and embossing mat to create the background panel and then added a little pink ink with a blending brush which highlights the embossing created with the die.

The sentiments are stamped, die cut and stacked for added dimension.

I used the same layering stamp set for the main image on this second card.

This time I used a floral heart die and embossing mat to create the embossed background 

before adding the stamped and coloured die cut and sentiment panel.

Hopefully I will be able to catch up a little more tomorrow as I have a day off. Still the best laid plans and all that, perhaps I an tempting fate by planning too much lol.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs Kimx

Just a Note

Evening,

I've spent a very productive day clearing the decks of crafty projects in preparation for a parcel from the lovely Janice from SirStampalot. I'm helping her out with some samples so it was good to get a few things finished so that I could get the old brain cells working on what she is sending me.

Here are a couple of cards made a while ago for a class on stencils and pastes.

I used the brick wall stencil and some texture paste over the top of some stamped background paper.

The tulips are a layering stamp set from Altenew which also has a co-ordinating die.

Same idea and layout just a different stencil for this card.

Off to bed now, much later than it should be given my early start tomorrow, but it can't be helped.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs Kimx

Layering Stamps and Dies

Evening,

I'm so glad that it's Friday, and tomorrow we have a crafty get together. Our last class before Christmas saw us playing with Altenew Layering stamps and dies.

I do love the Altenew layering stamps, they make colouring images so easy especially if you are not very confident with it like me.

I used my stamping platform/Misti to create several similar floral images.

There are co-ordinating dies available which makes the cutting out so much easier. I'm all for anything that makes crafting quicker and easier, and there are lots of tips out there from people like Jennifer McGuire.

I layered my die cut leaves and flowers onto a piece of handmade background from my stash.

Even one flower is enough to create a simple yet elegant card.

More handmade background paper and a diecut wreath along with a stamped and embossed sentiment.

Better go and get packed up for class tomorrow. I always worry that I will forget something.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend.

Hugs Kimx
 

We Must Never Forget

Evening,

I think we all have the occasional bad day, or week for that matter, but when you read the harrowing stories and conditions faced by the survivors of the Holocaust, it puts a whole different perspective on things.

There are several programs available this week, especially since today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. I must admit to being glad that I can watch them on my own. The articles in the daily papers have nearly had me in tears, so I am sure that the programs will.

No matter what my week has been like, it isn't a patch on what they had to endure, so I should think myself very lucky and snap out of it.......................so much easier said than done of course. Classes and a takeaway in the evening with crafty friends on Saturday is sure to help. In fact here is a card made during one such crafty get together.

The oval panel in the background was created using Distress Oxide inks, black card stock and a hexagonal embossing folder.

The oxide inks work perfectly on the dark card stock. Ordinary distress inks would not show up.

The flowers and leaves are from a stamp and co-ordinating die set from Altenew. 

I stamped and gold embossed them on black card before die cutting them and adding them to the main  card using silicon glue for added dimension.

Thank you for stopping by.

Hugs Kimx

Stamping with Embossing Folders and Inks

Evening All,

No babysitting this weekend, so I've had a very productive day finishing off bits and pieces. 

We held a class on stamping with embossing folders last Saturday, so here is a card created with an oval panel using one of my favourite embossing folders and Distress Oxide inks. 

Distress Oxide inks work beautifully with this technique, 

and have the added advantage that you can use them on dark cardstock, as I have done here.

I added some gold stamped, embossed and die cut flowers and leaves from Altenew,

along with a sentiment banner.

Let's hope that tomorrow proves to be just as productive, it would certainly make a change.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs Kimx

Mop Up Background and Leaves

Evening All,

I hope that you have escaped all the flash flooding that seems to be happening all over the place at the moment. Emma was most concerned that I get home safely last night after the heavy rain and thunder that we had had during the day. Apparently there was flooding in London, although I didn't see any signs of it.

As you know I am on a mission to use up bits and pieces from my stash, so these Altenew stamped and die cut leaves were a happy find after my class on Distress Oxides a few weeks ago.

They match perfectly with this mop up background created with my Distress Oxide inks. I layered the panel onto a piece of embossed brown cardstock,

and then added a die cut sentiment, some assorted sequins and gems.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs Kimx

Mica Techniques Inspired by Jennifer McGuire

Evening All,

As you know I am a big fan of Jennifer McGuire, as are my littlest Grandchildren, so here are a few cards inspired by something that I saw on her blog a while ago. 

They were made for a class on Mica powders.

I love this dotty effect on the leaves.

I will have to try and find the post where Jennifer showed how to achieve this particular technique.

These were made during the same class using some Altenew stamps and a pearlized stamp layering technique.

I think this was the Mica Removal Technique, but I have found various clips on YouTube that Jennifer has done HERE. They are all fabulous, so settle yourself down with a cuppa and prepare to be inspired. The problem is then finding enough time to play.

Better get to bed, it back to work for me tomorrow.

Thanks for stopping by.

Stay safe and hugs

Kimx