By or Under the Sea for CCM and WoodwareWitterings

Morning Everyone,
We have a new challenge over at CCM today, and as I am also on the DT for Woodware  who are our sponsors this time round I will be sharing first so you get a little bit of a head start.

Bec is hosting our By or Under the Sea challenge at CCM, so we want to see what you can come up with that is either an underwater scene or a coastal/beach scene. 

I wasn't sure what to make for this as I don't seem to own very much in the way of sea themed stamps, 

 however what I did find were several Dreamweaver Metal Stencils which worked every bit as well.

 A seahorse

and a rather nice tropical fish.

Of course the beauty of a stencil is that you can just turn it over, and hey presto your fish is swimming in the opposite direction lol.

If only you could do that with a stamp!

I also found that I had a rather nice fish scale stencil which I used to create the background.

The coral like structure is actually a tree die, also by Dreamweaver.

I added a strip of medical gauze along the bottom edge and sprinkled it with some Frantage Powders making sure to heat from underneath so as not to blow the powder everywhere. 

 Of course I had to play with my stencils before I came up with my finished design,

 so I made a second card with the leftovers.

 This card shows off the background stencil a little better.

 This time I used a Nautilus shell and some assorted ephemera from my stash.

This picture also gives you a better idea of how I used the stencils.
First I ran them through my embossing machine making sure to follow the suggested layering stack as recommended by Dreamweaver.
Next, keeping the stencil firmly in place I sponged the image with dye based inks and then used a fine black Micron pen to draw around the stencil to add in all the detail.
Finally I fussy cut the images and brushed them all with some gold gilding wax.
I hope that you will join us this week, both at CCM and WoodwareWitterings.
Have a marvellous Monday.
Happy Crafting and hugs
Kimx

Under the Sea with Crafty Cardmakers and More

Hi All
I know, this should have gone live yesterday, but you know how rubbish I am with blogging at the moment so I hope that I will be forgiven :O)
Julie is hosting the challenge this time over at Crafty Cardmakers and More, and she has chosen 'Under the Sea' for her theme. She would like you to create something with Mermaids, Turtles, Fish or other dwellers beneath the waves.

 I chose a lovely Woodware stamp set called Sea Life for the main focus of my card.

I stamped and embossed the three images onto Watercolour card and coloured them using Distress inks and what I call the 'Wet Watercolour technique'.

The background paper has been made using my Creative Palette, bubble wrap and inks.

I added some glossy accents to the stamped images and used some medical gauze under the main panel.
The 'coral' has been made from a piece of acetate (packaging from a newly acquired embossing folder) which I die cut using the fabulous Dreamweaver Leafless Tree. I added a little colour to it using Stazon ink.

The seaweed along the bottom of the panel is a Magnolia stamp that I bought a while ago during one of my 'holiday' visits to Sirstampalot who are one of our fabulous sponsors for this challenge.
Of course I always throw away the packaging so I can't find the code number for it, but Janice and Andy are very good and I 'm sure that they will probably know the number without even looking. Or you could always refer them to my blog for a picture if all else fails.

I had a narrow panel of background paper left over so I decorated the envelope.
Better post this now before another day passes me by. Please don't forget to check out the challenge HERE and show the rest of the team some love.
Night night.
Hugs Kimx

Happy Birthday Max

Hello Again,
I can't believe how quickly this weekend has come to an end.

This card was made for a young man who I jokingly refer to as my Grandson.
He is the son of my Daughters best friend, and spends rather a lot of time at our house so we laugh that he has become a surrogate Grandson. In fact he turned up first thing this morning to show me what he had been given for his birthday. How sweet is that :O)

He loves his football and supports Chelsea so I added some blue Spectrum Noir pen to this Lili of the Valley topper. I hope that he will get past the fact that the kit isn't accurate.

I made some patchwork background using blue, black and white papers and added some medical gauze behind the image to look like the goal net.

The flags are cut using a DooHickey and were the ideal way to add his name and age.
I even had a few left over bits to be able to make another card to put in my box. I'm sure that it will come in handy some time fairly soon.
Hugs Kimx

Best Friends

Evening Everyone,
I am currently writing this post at the lovely Sylvie’s, aka ‘Granny London’, as my phone/Internet connection has gone again.
I wouldn’t have bothered, but I set up a scheduled post for tomorrow full of gobbledygook when I was showing Sylvie how to do things on the blog last week.
I’m not sure that Dorothy would appreciate a post full of rubbish as my contribution to the Woodware challenge this week so I needed to get on line to change things.
So I figured that I might as well post something for tonight as well.

This card was made for my eldest daughter’s best friend who is 40 today. She decided that as you are only 40 once she is having a birthday WEEK so there has been lots of celebrating.

I chose the LOTV topper as it makes me think of the two of them having a girly chat over coffee. I’m not sure that they ever get the chance what with the kids and everything, but a girl can dream lol.

The background papers are from my stash and I used my favourite Hobby Art stamp on the left hand side of the main element. This was cut out using a large Go Create die and my E-Bosser.
I also added a DooHickey heart, greeting and some girly charms.

I added a bit of medical gauze under the topper and used the frayed threads to tie on the charms.

The flowers and leaves are cut from background paper and card using assorted dies.
I also added a little bit of glitz to the flowers with a Wink of Stella brush pen.
I thought that I would enter this into the challenge over at Feeling Crafty where they are looking for 'One for the Girls.'
My Girls will be having a fun filled weekend, and in some very pleasant weather too.
Better get my scheduled post sorted out before I outstay my welcome.
Hugs Kimx

A Sleepover and The Wanderer Returns

Evening Everyone.
Wow has it been hot today. I have been indoors cultivating my 'Pale English Rose' complexion, and crafting of course lol.
My Grandson has gone to a party,and sleepover, at his friend Ethan's house, so here is the card that he took for the Birthday Boy.

Ethan, like Reece, is into his football so I made him a card using a fabulous Football Edwin stamp that I bought from SirStampalot.

I coloured him with Distress Inks in the Chelsea Team colours as this is his favourite team.
The circle behind Edwin has been embossed using a folder and I also added plenty of grass die cut using a Doohickey.

The hexagonal background has been made using papers from my stash and I added some medical gauze which I thought looked a little like a football net.

I added Edwin using silicon for dimension.
We have all had a very late night as my eldest Granddaughter has just returned from her school trip to France and we were all eager to hear about her travels. Even the twins stayed up so that they could go and collect her.
Everyone is safely tucked up in bed now, so I think that it is my turn now.
Night, night.
Hugs Kimx

Do fish drink coffee?

Evening Everyone,
I hope that you have all had a lovely Sunday, mine has been very productive.
I have managed to catch up with quite a few, not all, of my blog visits and commenting.
Sorry Guys if I haven't made it to you yet, I will try, honest.
All of my lovely followers will know that I am trying very hard to be a good girl and finish things off after a class or demo instead of adding more bits to my stash.
With this in mind I have been having a great time with all of the coffee bits and pieces from the class on Saturday.

My card tonight has been made for the Woodware challenge, which this week has been cards for Men. Now I know it is rather late, but I had such fun making it that I hope that Dorothy will forgive me lol.

The background to the card has been made using white cardstock that has been spritzed with water and then sprinkled with coffee granules. As they dissolve they leave lovely dark 'puddles' of coffee. Once it has dried I sponged it with blue Distress Inks.

I also stamped the background with Woodware FRS227 Curly Stitched Background and Sepia Versafine ink. The 3 underwater panels have all been stamped and embossed onto water colour card stock, which has been spritzed with coffee, using black Versafine ink, clear embossing powder and Woodware FRCL195 Sea-Life.

The colouring to these panels has all been done using more of the dissolved instant coffee and undiluted thin bleach.
I have also added some medical gauze and doodled lines.
I would like to enter this in to a couple of other challenges.

Sweet Stampin Challenge  - Oodles of Doodles (Hand drawn lines around the edge of the card)
Totally Gorguss  - Water (I hope that underwater creatures will count lol)
Creative Creations Challenges - For a Child (A fun card for a Child I hope )
Our Creative Corner - Anything Goes

I was thrilled to see that my last Kids card won the challenge over at Allsorts 'Any Sport' challenge, so I must remember to drop Brenda a line to claim my prize.
Hugs Kimx

A New Arrival at Lili of the Valley

Evening Everyone,
Well it has been another bright but cold day here in Surrey.
I have been quite happy to stay indoors and craft although I must admit to enjoying the sunshine I could see through the window.
In fact it was even a little too bright when I tried to take a couple of pictures of a card this morning, that hasn't happened in a long long time lol.

My youngest daughter needed a new baby card for a friend so I made a couple for her to choose from, that way I have one in my box for another occasion. I'm sure it will be needed at some point.

The stamped image I used on this card is from Lili of the Valley, Baby with Bunny, and I actually coloured this one myself which makes a change for me instead of using a topper.

I cut the image out using a Nestie and added some faux stitching.

The sentiments are also from Lili of the Valley and have been mounted onto a die cut DooHickey cloud.
The button has been embossed with several layers of Frantage powders and then stamped into while it is still molten to give it added texture.

The plaid background paper is from a Nitwits 8x8 paper pad, and I have embossed the Coredinations card using an Embossibilities folder.
I also added some ribbon, gems and medical gauze.
I would like to enter this into the challenge at Lili's Little Fairies where they are looking for Stitching either real or faux.
They are launching some new stamps tomorrow so I can see a new purchase in my future. I can never resist a new Lili of the Valley stamp or die cut for that matter.
I hope that you have had a good weekend, and thanks for stopping by.
See you tomorrow after my spending spree lol
hugs Kimx

Vintage Love at Crafty Cardmakers

Afternoon All
I hope you are making it through Monday OK, not skiving off work. According to the paper today is supposed to be the worse day in the whole year for people going off sick!!
Well, I was a good girl, although I have been waylaid from some paperwork by some small people and a cup of coffee, still tomorrow is another day lol.
Today sees the start of a new challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers.
Kylie is our host this time and she has chosen the theme of 'Vintage Love'.

As Valentine's Day is fast approaching Kylie would like to see your creations incorporating a Vintage Love theme. Your project MUST be VINTAGE and SHOW at least one object that portrays love. Perhaps a picnic basket, gold locket, love letter, hearts etc.

I do hope that Kylie considers my card vintage enough.
One of our sponsors for this challenge is Hobby Art who have provided us with two of their lovely stamps Heart Scroll and Love a fabulous background stamp.
I decided that I would use the same stamps to make my card, as well as a couple of my Nesties, a new border punch and a Memory Box die.

I had intended to use the background stamp on the front of the card as well but somehow it just didn't look right so I added it as a panel inside the card itself.
The lattice background is a Spellbinder Fancy Lattice die which I have cut out of cream card and added to the base of my Easel card.

The punched border is a new EK Success punch that I bought at Davina's last week. 
The Butterfly BU1915D and With Love GR1830B are also from Hobby Art

I have cut the front panel using the Fancy Lattice and Labels 28 and then coloured it using Vintage Photo Distress Ink. 

I also sprayed the panel with some Goosebumps Texture Spray in between layers of colour and added pearls and some medical gauze behind the central panel.

The flowers have been created using the hearts from the Heart Scroll stamp which have been painted using Vintage Photo Distress Ink, cut out and then shaped using an embossing tool and decoupage mat.

I added a punched circle to the centre to 'hold' everything in place and attached the 'petals' using silicon glue.

The swirls are the Memory Box tree die cut into pieces.

I would also like to enter this into the challenge at 

Addicted to Stamps - Pearls and Swirls

Dream Valley Challenges - Valentines.

Great Impressions - Have a Heart

Don't forget to share some love with the rest of the Gals on the team HERE, and PLEASE don't forget to follow the rules of the challenge.

Oh and I forgot to tell you that our other sponsor is Di's Digi Downloads.

Happy Crafting

Hugs Kimx

A Belated Birthday challenge at Crafty Cardmakers

Hello All
Here we are at the start of yet another week, I wish someone would slow things down please, this year is disappearing far too quickly.
Today we start a new challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers and it is my turn to be the host.
As I am always notoriously late with sending my cards it seems appropriate for me to choose a Belated Birthday challenge. Any image, Stamped or Digi, will do but your card MUST include a sentiment indicating that the card is for a belated Birthday, for example - Sorry I missed it, Have a very Happy Unbirthday, Better late than never, Your birthday came, your birthday went, here's the card I should have sent!!
Once again we are sponsored by  Milk, Coffee Digital Stamps with 5 images for the winner.
We also have a new sponsor joining us, the wonderful guys at Sir Stampalot  with a set of stamps and an Embossing Folder.

I made this card using a fabulous stamp set 11081MC Aviator Benton that I bought from SirStampalot.
I also used a Magnolia background Fence and Summer Background which I stamped, embossed and coloured using Distress inks.

The sentiments are all part of the stamp set and I have cut them out using a couple of Magnolia DooHickeys also available from SirStampalot.

Benton has been stamped and embossed on Watercolour card and then coloured using Brushed Corduroy Distress ink. I fussy cut him out and shaped him with my large ball tool and soft mat before adding him to the scene using silicon glue.

I made a mask and added some sponged clouds to the background and also the little dots using the tiny stamp from the set.

The blue background paper is from my stash and I added some tiny gems to the flower centres, and glossy accents to the ladybird.

The brown card has been embossed using a Sizzex Clock Folder and then sponged with Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink. It is a little hidden under the gauze, my new favourite embellishment.
I look forward to seeing what you all come up with for my little challenge, but please remember to follow the rules, and make sure that you have a suitable sentiment on your card.
Don't forget to check out what the rest of our lovely team have come up with.
Hugs Kimx