Creative Expressions 30 Day Challenge - Day 21 - Dark

Morning Everyone,
Well I made it through my first day back at work.
I was greeted with huge smiles and 'How are you', although I'm not sure that I needed the 'Lovely to see you.....haven't you got chunky' reminder from one of them!!!!!! I could have lamped him one.
It has seemed really weird with a screen between me and the customers, and a colleague who kept moving to the other side of the store like I have the plague, but I'll get used to it.
Still I did enjoy being able to get a nice fresh salad for my lunch, along with eggs and toilet rolls. Come on now, there has to be some perks to being on the front line lol.

Todays challenge at Creative Expressions 30 Day Challenge  is Dark.

Now I wasn't quite sure what they were looking for here, so this is as dark as I could find.

A Gelli Plate background, stamps by Jane Gill, of course lol, and some lace and ribbon.

Just to show how versatile her lovely stamps are, here are a couple more cards made using the same stamp set. Another Gelli Plate background for this one.

Kaleidacolour ink randomly brayered on to yellow card stock for this background.

And a nice bright Bleedin Art tissue background for this one.

Have a great day, stay safe, and thanks for stopping by.
Hugs Kimx

Vintage and Lace with Woodware

Morning Everyone,
I hope that you have had a good week.
Today it is my turn to share a card with you over at Woodware.

This week we are looking at Vintage and Lace.

I have stamped and embossed JGS308 Heart Garden in gold and then coloured it using Watercolour Pearlex.

I used a Dreamweaver stencil to create the background panel, dry embossed and coloured using brown dye based ink. I attached a strip of lace and ribbon to the panel before adding it to the main card.

I stamped and embossed the same image around the edges of the main card and then sponged the whole thing with dye based inks.
A few tiny pearls continue the vintage theme.
I hope that you will check out what the rest of the team have made this week HERE.
Have a great weekend.
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

What a Wonderful Wedding Day

Hi All,
Sorry for my long absence, but the family have been away, so as well as enjoying the calm, I have taken the opportunity to do a little bit of sorting out in my craft/bedroom.
It is a kind of annual thing which I strangely look forward to (it can only be tackled when the family are away and I can leave everywhere covered with STUFF which I don't need to worry about for several days.)
Every year is the same though as I am suddenly filled with an overwhelming sense of 'WHY EVER DID I START THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have so many projects that need finishing, and who knew the treasures that were lurking at every turn. Stamps that I didn't even remember I had - how naughty is that!!
I have been quite ruthless, although perhaps still not as brutal as I should be, and there is a rather large box of things for my family and friends to sort through.
I had to make sure that the decks were cleared this week as they are all due home this evening, and I also had a very special card to make for yesterday.
My little sister Gail finally got married to Alistair, her Prince Charming. It has only taken them 19 years to tie the knot !!

I decided on a circular card, my go to shape for something that little bit special.

The image is a Lili of the Valley topper which I cut out and layered using more circular nesties. I also added some faux stitching, glitter and glossy accents.

I opted for cream card as well as some real lace and tiny pearls

The sentiment is also from Lili of the Valley and I have added some die cut leaves and flowers.

Of course to make it really special it had to have a box which I also decorated.

The Registry office ceremony was lovely, and my sister looked amazing.

Unfortunately I didn't manage to get a very good picture of the happy couple together so you will have to be content with this one of Gail and Mum who looked equally radiant.

Gail had suggested that everyone dressed 'to be comfortable' so her groom took her at her word. The first thing I noticed about Alistair were his shoes. Very laid back!!
STOP PRESS - The family have arrived home now so I got things tidied up just in time lol.
hugs Kimx

Happy Anniversary

Evening Everyone,
Much better weather today don't you think! Much more like that heatwave they have been threatening.
Just a very quick post tonight as I have to be at work at 5am tomorrow.
My Grandchildren looked shocked when I warned them of my early start. Hearing me in the shower in the morning is their usual signal that it will soon be time for them to get up. I think 4am will be a little too early for them lol.

 

This is another Anniversary card that I made recently.
The background paper has been created using the Gelli Plate, stencils and Acrylic paints.

The central image has also been stamped and embossed onto another piece of Gelli Plate paper and then cut out using a fabulous decorative Nestie.
Distress ink has been sponged over the image and then the Art Impression tulips have been painted using thin undiluted bleach.
The sentiment is by Hobby Art, and I added some brads, lace and ribbon.
Off to bed now.
hugs Kimx

Rock a Bye Baby

Evening Everyone,
How are you?
Part of me is very pleased that it is the weekend again, and the other part of me is horrified at how little I have done with Christmas quite literally round the corner.

One reason for the hiccough in my card writing was this card made after a last minute request from a friend.

The pre-coloured image is from one of the new Lili of the Valley pads, cut out and mounted using circular Nesties. I added some Glitter Glue and Glossy Accents to the image.

The background papers are also from Lili of the Valley cut out using my latest Go Create dies.
The ribbon and lace are from my stash, and the sentiment is also a die cut which has been heat embossed using Versamark and clear embossing powder.
There were buttons drawn on to the background paper, so I added some real ones.
Have a good and crafty weekend.
Hugs Kimx

Belated Birthday Wishes Suze

Evening Everyone,
Happy Monday to you all.
Yesterday was the birthday of a fabulously creative lady, the lovely Suze Weinberg.
I had been inspired by Suze in print before I was lucky enough to meet her when I worked at the Craft Barn, many years ago.
At that time the only good crafting magazines were from America and that is where I first encountered an article by Suze on the 'Polished Stone' technique.
Alcohol inks were not readily available in the UK at the time so I played with dye based inks and put my own spin on it to produce backgrounds by the 'Drip, Spritz and Smoosh' method lol.

Drip drops of dye based reinkers onto glossy card stock, spritz with water and smoosh a second piece of glossy card stock over the ink to produce two pieces of fabulous background paper.
They look a bit like ink blots to me but I won't try analysing them.
You have to leave them to dry which is always the hard part, but then you have handmade background papers ready for any eventuality.

With Suze in mind I thought that I would make a card using this ready made piece of background.

The stamp I have used is 4240K Flamboyant by Penny Black (how appropriate when I think of Suze) which I have stamped and embossed in black and then cut out using a nestie.
The background has been created using an Embossalicious folder and white card which is then sponged with pale lilac ink.
Of course there had to be some ribbon, lace and pearls.
I hope that you had a great day Suze, and thanks for all of the inspiration.
hugs Kimx

Happy Birthday Francis

Evening All

Where has another weekend disappeared to?

Here is another card from my 'To send' pile. This one is heading for Peterboro for Janice's Mum Francis.

The central panel has been made using an old Hero Arts Shadow stamp and pale lemon ink.
I have used this as a background to one of my favourite Hobby Art stamps which I have stamped and embossed and then coloured with dye based inks.

The other background papers are from my stash, as is the lace.
I had better go and get my uniform ironed,. Oh the joys of a Sunday evening lol.
hugs Kimx

Congratulations, It's a Boy

Evening Everyone,
Another fantastically hot one, I hope that you have been able to keep in the shade.
My friend took me to visit my Mum and even driving in her little car with the top down it was still incredibly hot.
I'm certainly very glad that I wasn't the Duchess of Cambridge, although I'm sure that her room was nicely air conditioned lol.
So here is a card that I made before my trip to Peterboro (I'm still paper sorting!!!!) which by happy accident was made to Welcome the birth of a new Baby Boy.

 I have used one of my favourite Lili of the Valley die cuts and background papers from my stash.

I also added some lace, pearls and tiny heart shaped buttons.
I'm hoping that I should get my paper sorting finished tomorrow as I have gained some unexpected help.
My daughter needed a change of scenery from cleaning fire damage so she has come to stay for a couple of days and bless her heart she has offered to sort the papers for me while I am at work.
Well it would be rude to refuse the help don't you think :O)
Night night, and many congratulations to William and Kate.
hugs Kimx

Lavender and Lace

Hi All
Hasn't the weather been glorious today, maybe we are going to get some summer after all!!
One of the cards that I have had to make recently is this one ordered by a lady who comes into the BP garage where I work.
Her only request was Yellow, Lavender and Butterflies so I immediately thought of this lovely Clarity Montage stamp.
For once I was actually sensible and found my papers first instead of trying to match my coloured image to my papers. Who knew lavender was so hard to match up!!

The background papers are all from my stash and the inks were Dusty Concord and Squeezed Lemonade Distress Inks.

 I decoupaged the central butterfly and painted the tiny ones on the panel with thin undiluted bleach.

The Montage stamp has matching single butterflies which I am lucky enough to own, so I added a couple of them as well as a flower, lace and some die cut leaves.

I found some tiny butterfly charms in my stash and an appropriate greeting.

I never realized  I had so many butterfly related items lol.
I hand delivered the card on Monday, so no need for a box Gilly, it was actually surprisingly flat.
I would like to enter it into the following challenges
Totally Gorjuss - Anything Goes with Flowers
Make My Monday - Use Lace and/or Ribbon
Incy Wincy Designs - Bring on Spring
Hugs Kimx

Happy Wedding Day

Evening Everyone
What has it been like your way today? We seem to have had just about all possible weather combinations today, except glorious sunshine that is!!
I do hope that any stray sunbeams managed to find themselves shining over Leeds Castle in Kent today, where my best friend Suu was watching her daughter get married.
Suu and I spent several days last year making the invitations and so I used the same flower dies to make a card for her to give the happy couple.

The central image is a romantic Magenta stamp which I have stamped and embossed in gold on cream card stock.
I did a little bit of decoupage with some gold card stock and some of the hearts.

I made it as an Easel card which was impossible to photograph except in two parts.

The flowers and swirls are DooHickey dies cut from gold card stock and gold embossed paper.

'Happy Wedding Day' and

 'Always and Forever' are from a clear stamp set that I have had for ages.

 I added plenty of pearls, ribbon and  lace and a little bit of sparkle with a ribbon slider.

 The gold leaves are also cut from gold card using another DooHickey.

The stamping on the cream card has been done with two of my favourite things, Hero Arts Leafy Swirl and Aged Ivory Frantage powder.
I hope that Thyra and Jon have had a fabulous day along with all their guests.
I wish them much love and many happy years together.
Hugs Kimx

Lavender and Lace at Woodware

Evening Everyone,
I hope you are all well and warm.
I have had another lovely day at SirStampalot.
Chris and Mel from the DT arrived to play in the studio, and we have had a wonderful time sharing ideas, coffee and biscuits. I am going to be the size of a house by the time I get home lol.
I have also been treated to a 'shower voucher' by one of Janice's customers.
I can't wash my hair while I am up here since the flat doesn't have a shower attachment in the bathroom, and I really can't be bothered to use a jug.
Last time I was here Kay invited me to her house lto use her shower, and now it has become part and parcel of my visit lol. She even made me a lovely card with a voucher inside.
I have managed to be creative amongst all the talking and tea making, although I did have to wait for the Woodware order to arrive so that I could finish tonight's card, as I didn't have any lace with me.

 The theme this week at Woodware  is Lavender and Lace and so I made this card to enter the challenge.

The main image is another of the new designs from Jane Gill. I didn't have suitable colours with me, and my shopping basket is large enough as it is so I decided to try my hand at colouring with Janice's Copics.
Not the best shading in the world, but not too bad for a first attempt.
I do have to admit that I still prefer my dye based inks to colour with, but the colours in the Distress Markers and inks were just not right at all for this challenge.

I found some lovely papers in the shop for the background, and added some Faux Stitching and a punched border, but it needed some lace, so I had to wait for that to arrive.

I also found some lovely buttons from Woodware which matched perfectly.
I have another class to teach tomorrow evening so I need to finish a couple more samples in the morning.
Thanks for stopping by, and don't forget to check out the challenge HERE.
Hugs Kimx