Back in the Zone

Evening,

Finally a successfully crafty day. I have been distracting myself with my cross stitch over the last few days, in the hope that following a pattern that I have chosen and love, will get my creative juices working. But with a deadline looming I have had to just sit and play, and I have finally got in to the zone.

Of course I can't share any of it with you, so here instead are another couple of cards made using fabulous Aall and Create stamps and Distress Oxide inks.

I do love a mop up background, they are always so different.

I have to admit though that sometimes it is a bit of stamping that turns them from something that I am really not sure about, into something that I absolutely love, and a bit of painting with bleach never hurts.

Another fabulous way to use Distress inks and Oxides is with this rather wet and wispy Watercolour stamping technique.

It is so much easier to achieve if you use a Misti or Stamping Platform of some type as the technique  requires that you re-stamp over the image once you have first stamped onto the wet card with your Distress inks.

Now I just need tomorrow to be as successful as today and I'll be a happy bunny.

Thanks for stopping by.

Love and Crafty Hugs

Kimx

Cards for Men

Afternoon,

What a lovely day it has been today, for the first time in weeks I actually managed to get washing out on the line..........without making it rain!!

I don't know about you, but there are some months when most of the cards I need to send are for men, and February seems to be one of those.

Now I know that a lot of men are gardeners and therefore like flowers, but I do think they want something a little less feminine than a lot of my floral cards turn out to be.

I went through my boxes of cards and found several that I think are more particularly suited to the men of our acquaintance.

A bit of mop up background, a die cut border and some leaves.

More mop up here along with some fussy cut leaves and coloured berries.

I used the same leaf that I die cut in black to create the stamped background. Dies have so many fabulous uses.

A beautiful stamped image and some fussy cutting.

Stamping with bleach and metallic embossing powders.

And this card made more years ago than I care to remember, but one that I have always loved.

Thanks for stopping by.

Love and Crafty Hugs

Kimx

Crealies Patchwork Dies

Evening,

I spent a lovely morning at 'Stitch and Bitch' today, although it was b....y freezing. We meet in a church hall and have to put the heating on when we arrive, so I have learnt the hard way that I need to wear a jumper and my fur lined boots. Mum's house has under floor heating so Wednesday is the only day that my jumpers come out lol.

I still haven't managed to take photos of the cross stitch that I have been working on, so here are some cards made using the fabulous Creilies Patchwork Dies.

They are fabulous for creating a stacked patchwork background to a card,

or for a single layer watercolour stamped image.

I inked the stamp and then spritzed it with a little water which had pearl mica powder added to it.

This final card used a stamped, embossed and coloured image along with a mop up background.

I do love these dies, and they make such unusual backgrounds. The bit that took the longest was cutting all the pieces. But then I guess that is the same with regular patchwork done with material.

Thanks for stopping by.

Love and Crafty Hugs

Kimx

Thought of You Today

Evening,

I've got another couple of cards to share tonight using the fabulous Sue Wilson Floral Panel Collection.

They actually come as a set of two, so although I have used the leafy die, 

the collection is called CED2055 Button Flower.

I die cut the panel once from a piece of mop up background,

and then again from kraft card, before doing a little bit of paper piecing.

I really liked the leafy spray, and as you know I don't like waste,

so I cut it away from the frame and added it to a panel with a little background stamping on it.

I stacked the sentiment dies, before adding some glossy accents.

My thoughts are with various people, as well as my Cousins who have no doubt been thinking about their Dad who died 3 years ago today.

Thank you for stopping by.

Love and Crafty Hugs

Kimx

Happy New Year

Happy New Year Everyone,

As expected I failed to see midnight again this year. At least I'm keeping up with tradition lol.

One of the many jobs that I have been tasked with since moving in with Mum, is finding the necessary paperwork to apply for help. In so doing I have come across numerous cards that I have sent her over the years. So I thought that I would start 2023 with a look back at just a few of the ones that I found.

A bit of mixed media.

Very 3D.

Alcohol inks and Lift ink, definitely a favourite technique.

More Alcohol Lift ink here.

Mop up background with Distress inks and a fabulous Jane Gill floral stamp.

More florals and background papers.

I hope that you liked my walk through some past treasures.

Have a wonderful day, whatever you are doing. Here's to a brilliant 2023 for us All.

Love and Crafty Hugs

Kimx

Reminds Me Of Blue Skies

Evening,

 We actually had some nice blue skies today, so here is a card that reminds me of them. A little cloudy perhaps, but blue nonetheless.

The mop-up background was created using some inks and a piece of watercolour cardstock.

I added a sentiment on a circular die-cut,

and some die-cut flowers

and leaves.

I also added a darker blue die-cut frame

along with a fine glitter mat and layer.

My eldest daughter popped in to see me today after work and said that she had heard that we are in for some snow!!!! 

So, let's make the most of the sunshine while we can. At least it has dried up our lake in the back garden, until the next deluge that is. 

Thanks for stopping by.

Love and Crafty Hugs 

Kimx

A Torn Twofer

 Evening All,

Just a really quick post tonight, since I have to be at work at stupid o'clock tomorrow morning.

These are a couple of cards that I made a while ago at SirStampalot.

The torn panel on both of them was made using the mop up technique,

and some white embossed holly branches.

One panel,

and two cards, a torn twofer.

I also used the same embossing folder on card one and the vellum on the second card.

Off to bed now. Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs Kimx

Festive Fuzzies Christmas Tree

Evening All,

Just a quickie tonight, I'm shattered.

A couple of cards using Jane's Festive Fuzzies Christmas Tree. I used an inked panel and layered it over an embossed background.

This card uses the same stamp and a piece of mop up background.

Another couple of cards to add to my Christmas stash. Now all I have to do is make sure I write and send them this year lol.

Hugs Kimx
 

Bubble Bauble and Branch

Evening All,

Sorting out my room has finally given me the spur that I needed to get crafty, it's just unfortunate that my time is very limited at the moment due to some unexpected babysitting duties.

I'm frantically trying to find time to work on Jane's next stamp release next month. So here in the meantime are a few more cards made using one of Jane's fabulous Festive Bubble stamps.

I do love this Christmas Bauble.

I stamped and embossed it on to a piece of mop up background and then added die cut gold 'candi', glitter glue and glossy accents.

I painted the bow with bleach and added some white ink splatters.

Same stamp, different colour combo.

I was a little bit over zealous with the glossy accents in the middle of this one, so I may well have to add a sentiment to cover it up.

A few more splatters and a silver matt and layer to finish it off.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs Kimx