Scallops, Curves and Curls at Woodware and a new blog address

Hi All
I think that I may have given Dorothy a bit of a problem with my card for the latest Woodware challenge, which this week is Scallops, Curves and Curls.
I had terrible trouble sending her the photos, and it seems my picture of all the products used never arrived at all which means that she has had to do a bit of educated guessing.
She did a very good job of that by the way lol.

I have used the Crafty Edger cassette Japanese Fan on the white panel.

I sponged the edges of this panel with some Stardust Stickles using a piece of Cut and Dry Felt, it's very subtle and hard to photograph.

The flowers have been made using 3 different sizes of Flower Punch. Nearly right Dorothy :O)
I fastened 3 or 4 punched flowers together with a brad  and then spritzed them with some water and screwed up each layer.
After they have dried out a bit you can move the petals to create fabulous realistic looking flowers.

The 'curls' have been created using an old Artemio stamp set which I stamped and embossed onto acetate using Versamark and Shabby White Frantage Powder.
I picked this idea up off one of the crafting shows on the TV that I saw recently.

I fussy cut, which really doesn't take very long at all, but does make them look like leaves.

Of course, because of the flowers, the card will need a box, so I rustled up one of those. Also very easy to do, even if my friend Gill hates making them lol.

This is just to give you a reminder of some of the products used even if it didn't make it to Dorothy.
I thought that I had broken the Woodware blog, it always seems to breakdown when ever I am due to post on it,  but they have just moved it after it was hacked again before Christmas.
So HERE is the new site where we will be sharing weekly challenges with you.
I am honoured to say that I have been asked to help out on the DT for a while longer, so please stop by and show your support.
Why not FOLLOW them and continue to be inspired by a very talented team.
Hugs and happy crafting.
Kimx

A Sketch at Woodware

Morning All
Well here is my take on this weeks sketch over at Woodware, after my initial little senior moment.
For those of you not in the know I made a card for todays post using next months sketch!!!

As luck would have it I had created this little stamped panel the night before in an effort to use up a piece of background paper that I had made while cleaning up one of my small acrylic blocks.
I told you I'm very sad, and on a mission to use up all my left over bits and pieces. I had better live till I'm 106 to be in with a chance of ever fulfilling this lol.

I had used the block as a paint palette (I tapped the kaleidacolour inkpad onto it and then picked up the ink with a waterbrush), but there is always too much ink left to just wipe away.

So I spritzed it with water and stamped the block onto a piece of plain white card stock.

Do this several times to create a piece of background paper before stamping and embossing on to it using an Artemeo stamp set.

The background papers are from my Woodware stash and matched the panel perfectly.

I stamped and embossed on to them using a combination of dye based inks, versamark and clear embossing powder and gold metallic ink.
The sentiment is from one of Jane Gill's peel-offs, and the butterflies and border are from a sheet of Magenta

peel-offs from my stash.
I do love working from a sketch, which is just as well after my little glitch. At least I didn't have to think too hard which is probably just as well.
Have a great day.
Happy Crafting and hugs
Kimx

Anyone for Tea and Coffee?

Evening Everyone,
Isn't it funny how crafting techniques are just like fashion, they keep coming back.
I have just watched Sue from Imagination Craft using coffee to age an image on her show this afternoon on Create and Craft.

Tea and Coffee was actually a class that I taught at Davina's a few weeks ago and as I got rather carried away with the left overs I have several more cards to share with you.

The background paper has been made by soaking card with diluted instant coffee and then sprinkling some more coffee granules into the wet card while it is drying. 

I stamped and embossed images from Plant a Meadow Petals and Dots one of the new Woodware stamp sets.

I edged the panel with Gold Gilding Wax, which is also from Woodware.

I stamped more of the images over the background as well as some Artemio script using Distress ink.

The main panel on this card has been made in a similar manner to the one above. I think that there is also some spritzed tea on them as well.

I also added some hedgerow plants from an old Artemio set stamped using Distress inks.

 I added Glitter Glue to some of the tiny dots.

The sentiment is from the same stamp set.
I do love this technique so I am sure that it pop up now and again here on the blog.
Happy Stamping and hugs
Kimx

At last Something Old, and Something New at CCM&More

Evening Everyone,
So I can finally cross one thing off my ever expanding 'To Do List'.
Who knew that it would take so long to complete my blogged cards picture listing,  or that I had shared so many cards with you guys for that matter, over 1500 since October 2009.
So let me add to that number with my latest offerings.

We start the New Year over at Crafty Cardmakers and More with a lovely new challenge and some new Teamies.
Leslie is our hostess and she would like to see your creations incorporating something old and something 
new. This could be old stash and new stash combined, or perhaps an old technique and a new one.

I have used a combination of stamps old and new, and a very old technique which is bound to be new to some of you.
The background to the card has been made by spritzing white card stock with TEA and COFFEE.

Pour a little hot water on to a teabag and leave to soak.
The longer you leave the bag in the water the darker the colour. Don't add any milk, and transfer the resulting liquid into a spritzing bottle. Hey Presto instant ink.

I also made a similar solution using instant coffee. Melt instant coffee granules in a small amount of hot water. Once again the stronger the coffee solution, the darker the colour.

I stamped and embossed this fabulous, and brand new stamp from Woodware and then painted it using the coffee solution and a paint brush.

I used some old Artemio Hedgerow stamps and blue Distress ink on the background panel as well as some more tea and coffee.
The ribbon across the centre has also been coloured using tea.

As usual I got a little bit carried away and so I thought that I would share a couple more similar cards with you.

The central image has been coloured in the same manner but I added some dry embossing to the background panel using a Vintage embossing folder.

 I also added a punched panel across the centre of the card.

The main stamped image here has been coloured with a wash of coffee which has made it much paler.

The dark splodges in the background on this card are created by sprinkling coffee granules over the wet background and then leaving them to melt and dry.

These splodges can dry with quite a glossy finish.

As you can see I really did get carried away. In fact I have a folder full of pieces of Tea and Coffee background so I'm sure that this won't be the last time that you see this particular technique amongst my cards this year.
I'm sorry that it has taken me so long to share these, but I do hope that you feel that they were worth the wait.
I would like to enter them in to the following challenges.
Fashionable Stamping Challenges  - Something New (Main Stamp)
Crafty Calendar Challenge - What's New (Main Stamp)
A Gem of a Challenge - Something New (Main Stamp)
Cuttin and Stampin Challenges - Coffee
Thanks for stopping by, any comments would be greatly appreciated, and please don't forget to pop over and see what the rest of the team have come up with.
Happy Crafting and Hugs
Kimx

Happy Birthday Lin

Evening All
I hope that you have all had a good day, in particular my good friend and Teamie Lin who has been celebrating her birthday today.

 I am hoping that her card arrived in time and that I am not spoiling anything by sharing this with you.

The central panel has been created using a piece of waxed paper resist, dye based inks and a lovely Artemio stamp.

I added a little glossy accents some dotty ribbon and a few well placed gems.
I hope that you have had a wonderful day my friend. Resting and celebrating or maybe just crafting, whatever takes your fancy. All birthday girls should be allowed to celebrate in what ever way they wish, don't you agree?
Hugs from me and the gang.
Kimx

Back at last, Thank you for caring.

Evening Everyone.
I'm so glad to finally be back in Blogland.
Sorry that I have been MIA for so long, but I have had major Internet and laptop issues.
I had been blogging every day, as some of you had noticed. In fact I have been amazed by just how many texts and e-mails I have had from people asking if I am OK since there has been no activity on the blog for a while.
Thank you soooo much for your care and concern. It has been wonderful to think that so many of you have missed me.
I'm very much of a technophobe when it comes to the computer. I'm absolutely terrified of pushing the wrong button and downloading some virus or other.
Give me crafty stash and I will play, but if I'm honest I'm rather scared of the computer.
My good friend Joe has rescued me, yet again.
It is so easy for computer literate people to go 'Oh you just do this, this and this!!!
By the time I have walked away, I have completely forgotten what to do (seriously blond) so I think that I will have to get him to sit down with me and go through things so that I can take notes. Maybe I need to get hold of a copy of Computers for Dummies, if there is such a thing.
Another reason for the blogging delay is the fact that I have had to find the disc to reload my camera package. Why do we always put these things away somewhere so safe we can never find them again. It is now in my laptop bag so of course it will never be needed ever again lol.

This card has been made to say Thank You to 'Inspector Morse', a crafty friend of a friend who has managed to track down a couple of punches that I have been desperate to get hold of.

The main stamped panel was created a while ago using an Artemeo floral stamp set and dye based inks.
The sentiment is from Woodware.

I managed to find some background papers in my stash that complimented the panel perfectly and I added the flower and leaves die cut from scraps. I also added some faux stitching and nail heads.
Lets hope that normal blogging service has now been resumed, and thank you once again for your concern.
Happy Crafting and hugs
Kimx

Love in a Box with Swirls

Evening Everyone,
I hope that by now all the 'Woodware Girls' will be relaxing after another busy but enjoyable day.
Having just got over the Trade show, they are now being worked  hard by the lovely Lynell who is teaching them lots of fabulous techniques using Dreamweaver products. I'm just sorry that I wasn't able to join them, but I bet they are all having a good time.

This week Dorothy was looking for Flourishes and Swirls over on the Woodware Challenge Blog.
I really will have to have words with her as she has forgotten to add the link, but never mind, she has been rather busy so I will just have to e-mail this to her, if her internet is working of course lol.

 I used one of Jane's new stamps JGS335 Love in a Box painted using Kaleidacolor dye based inks.

The swirly background has been created using a large plastic stencil and some Artemio stamped swirls.
I also added a couple of the lovely metallic Swirly Clips.
I had such fun with the stencil. I ran it through my Cuttlebug first and then sponged the ink over the embossed images. I actually used the back of the embossing as I preferred the effect.
Oh dear, late to bed again, still at least I can have a bit of a lie in tomorrow so I will make the most of it.
hugs Kimx

Sorry Shaz it's a peel-off alert

Hi All
I hope you are all having a good weekend.
I have just finished another fabulous class at Davina’s in Purley. We always have such a good time, lots of chat and crafty catching up, and hopefully some learning along the way. I know I always learn something from the ladies there.

This week we have been revisiting Resist. I felt that there was so much more that you could do with this technique that I decided that I would split it into two classes so as not to confuse anyone.
This week we looked at Multiple Resist, using several different colours layered over the top of one another to create fabulous background panels.

This was actually one of the first techniques that I demonstrated at a major Craft Show (for Crafts Beautiful at Olympia in 2002) and also one of the first things that I had published in my own right, also for the October 2002 issue of Crafts Beautiful.

Once again we made a new tag to add to their book, complete with instructions for them to refer to when they get home.

The resist panel on my tag has been created using Mustard Seed, Barn Door and finally Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink, glossy card stock and Versamark Ink.
The stamps used are from two Woodware sets, JGCL567 Leaf Selection and JGCL566 English Leaves.

This card was also made using the Multiple Resist technique only this time I used an Artemio Swirl stamp set and Picked Raspberry, Salty Ocean and Chipped Sapphire Distress Inks.

I know that some of the ladies find it difficult to stamp on glossy card stock so this is where Peel-Offs really come in to their own. I know that my friend Shaz will be horrified, but all the ladies agreed that they work brilliantly here.
As I used dye based inks for the background I was able to paint some of the areas with bleach to remove the colour. I also added some Glossy Accents to some of the dots.
I'm off to play a little while I am feeling creative and before it's time for bed.
Have a good evening.
Hugs Kimx

A day filled with Daisies

Evening, How's your weekend?
We had another fabulous class at Davina's (in Purley) this afternoon. More cake too since it was the first time Blanche had been there since her birthday.

As usual they made a tag to remind them of the technique. I can't believe that we are on Tag 10 already!!

 The tag contained examples of both painting with bleach (the daisies by Stampendous) and stamping with it (the wording by Artemio).

The background has been created by spritzing card with bleach in a Mini Mister bottle. I stamped all over it with the Hero Arts Leaf Flourish, Versamark ink and Clear Embossing Powder.

Once you have painted the image to bleach out the colour it is easy to add colour back in using your inks as I have done here with the daisies.
We didn't make any cards but everyone had a great time painting images with bleach for use at home. In fact I have several lovely Magenta panels to make into Christmas cards, so watch this space as they say.
We are a very friendly crowd, so if ever you are up for a fun filled Saturday afternoon why not check us out.
Details of July classes are in the side bar, so maybe I will see you next time.
Hugs Kimx