A Sketch challenge

Evening Everyone,
I made this card last week using the sketch at Sunday Sketch and Stamp and it has taken me till now to blog it, which is hopefully just before the challenge closes.

The chalked butterfly panel was in my stash box and I have stamped and embossed the fabulous Woodware stamp over the top of it.

I think this stamp is probably one of my favourites from this latest collect from Woodware.

The background card is also from my scrap box, so I guess that this will also fit very nicely into the Woodware challenge this week, which is Stash Busters.

These are pictures that I took this morning at the bottom of our road. This is the current state of the main A22 road, a direct link to the M25. You can imagine the chaos that its closure is causing. Please ignore the date on the photos as I had to put in new batteries and didn't think to re-set the calender properly.

At the moment the water treatment works just down the road is under threat and so if it is a choice between keeping that open and flooding us we loose :O(
Worryingly we have heard talk that the road could be closed for a couple of months!!!!! Given that no deliveries are able to get in to the garage I'm not quite sure how that will affect things for me, and of course my Sin-in-law works at Wraybury Tyres which is completely under water, so as you can imagine we are a pretty worried household at the moment.
Crafting keeps me from thinking of all these other things so I will be back again tomorrow. See you then.
Hugs Kimx

Masculine Challenge at Crafty Cardmakers

Hi All
Happy Monday, and welcome to the latest challenge at Crafty Cardmakers where our host Rebecca has chosen 'Masculine Birthday' as her theme. 

She would like to see a masculine birthday card that includes some technology or a gadget. The technology or gadget could be a computer, games console, rocket or car for example.

We are sponsored this time by DI'S DIGI DOWNLOADS who are offering a $10 Gift Voucher,and THE STAMPMAN  who are offering the winner a £10 voucher for their online store.

I have chosen to use a lovely Lili of the Valley die cut for my card.
I must admit that it was one of the first stands that I headed for at the show on Saturday, and was probably where I spent the most money lol.

This could well be a picture of one of my Grandsons who like nothing better than playing on a games console. I added some Glossy Accents to the TV screen for added reality.

I have cut the image out using a Nestie and added it to the background papers using the sketch at Sunday Sketch and Stamp.
(Edited : That will teach me not to read the challenge instructions before I made the card. I love the sketch but I know that my card won't count as there is no stamping on it . Never mind I will try again sometime)

I have also added some gingham ribbon, Card Candi and brads that look like spanners.
The challenge at Here Come the Boys is 'No Stamps Allowed' which really is a challenge for me.
I'm hoping that this die cut will count as one of the DT used one on their card.

Once again I have added some faux stitching, I really must get to grips with my sewing machine for my cards.
I would also like to enter this into the challenge at Creative Corner Challenges where they are looking for Designer Papers, well there are definitely plenty of those lol.
Don't forget to stop by and see what the rest of the team have come up with, there are some fabulous cards there.
Have a great day and enjoy the sunshine. Well we have some here anyway.
Happy Crafting
Hugs Kimx

Howdy Pardner

Evening Everyone
Just a very quick post tonight, I really don't know where today has disappeared to.

I have had several Birthday cards to finish this week, and amongst them is this one made for one of the children that my daughter looks after.

I took my inspiration from the sketch over at Sunday Sketch and Stamp and used another of my pre-coloured images from Lili of the Valley.
The background papers are from two of the new paper pads also available from Lili of the Valley. I used Country Gent and Bear Necessities.

I added some punched stars and Faux Stitching.
The challenge this week at Here Come the Boys is Westerns, so I picked this image specially.
Hope you like it.
Hugs Kimx

It's a Baby Girl

Evening Everyone
Another card tonight made with a couple of specific challenges in mind.
This time I took my inspiration from the photograph at
Totally Tilda Challenges

and the Sketch at Sunday Sketch and Stamp.
I would also like to enter it into the challenge over at ABC Challenges  where F is for Favourite Tilda Stamp.
The little cutie that I have used on my card certainly has to be one of my favourites, and is definitely the most well used of all my Tilda stamps.

I have stamped and embossed her onto watercolour card and then coloured her using Brushed Corduroy and Victorian Velvet Distress Ink.

The background paper is a double sided sheet from a Lost and Found 'Blush' 6 x 6 pad.
Once again I have used my favourite Martha Stewaert border punch along the bottom of the panel, and added some Faux stitching around the edge.

The heart has been cut from a piece of white card which was first dry embossed using a Cuttlebug folder.
After cutting the heart out using a Nestie, I sponged it with a combination of Brushed Corduroy and Victorian Velvet ink before adding Walnut Stain Distress Ink around the edge.

By allowing the ink to dry before adding the final coating of Walnut Stain around the edge I was able to heat emboss the edge using clear embossing powder.
The greeting is from Lili of the Valley cut out using a circle punch. I added some tiny dots around the edge.

I'm trying to be good with the envelopes, it is a great way of using up the little left over pieces.
Off to bed now, my cold has really kicked in and I am having trouble breathing, time for some medication I think.
hugs Kimx

Another 'Painted' Christmas card

Evening Everyone,
I've been at it again, another Christmas card, and just as the radio operator has finally stopped playing Christmas songs lol.
We are back with some good old songs from the 60's to the present day, and some that I am hearing for the very first time. You can't help but sing along, rather quietly and under your breathe, and definitely not when serving a customer :O) It's just a shame that for once there is no presenter so I have no idea who is singing.
While we are on the subject of things from the past I have used a sketch from the archives at Sunday Sketch and Stamp where challenge 137 is Free Choice using a previous sketch.

It is amazing what you can find lurking in that box of Christmas bits. this time it is the lovely Magenta stockings which were stamped and embossed using black versafine and clear embossing powder, and then sponged with ink from the Kaleidacolor Berry Blaze ink pad.

The white patches have been created by painting the image with bleach and then the entire panel has been embossed using Crystal Embossing powder.
Once again I have used a panel of Faux Mother of Pearl background (instructions HERE). So I would like to enter the card into the challenge at Christmas Card Challenges where they are asking you to use paint. Pearl Acrylic paint is used to create the Mother of Pearl background.

I stamped and embossed the main card with some Stampendous Snowflakes and Frantage Shabby White Embossing Enamel and then sponged some more of the Berry Blaze ink around the edges.

The purple panel has also got Snowflakes stamped onto it using a Versamark ink pad.
The white corners are peel-offs.
Oh dear another late night, good job I can have a lie in tomorrow since I am not at work.
Hugs Kimx

Use Paint for a Christmas Card Challenge

Evening Everyone,
Well Christmas may be over for another year, but someone needs to tell the radio operator for our store, he keeps sneaking in the occasional Christmas classic.
Just as well I've been a good girl then and made my first Christmas card for 2013.
At Christmas Card challenges this week they are asking you to use paint.
Now it may not be immediately obvious to you, but I have used Pearl Acrylic Paint to create my favourite Mother of Pearl background.

 I love this technique, which I found HERE. I have used a Penny Black stamp Christmas View which I got when I was at SirStampalot in November.

I have used Distress Inks to colour the background and the main image. I did a little decoupage and added some Stardust Glitter Glue and some tiny gems.

The other background papers are all from my stash and include Bo Bunny, October Afternoon and Bazzil.
As you can see I even got carried away and decorated the envelope. I wonder how long that little extra will last lol.
The card started out using one of the sketches over at Sunday Sketch and Stamp but I got a little carried away so I will have to have another try, maybe tomorrow.
Thanks for stopping by.
Hugs Kimx

Christmas is just Around the Corner

Evening Everyone
Another Christmas card tonight and this time I used a sketch from Sunday Sketch and Stamp - Challenge 126 Sam's Sketch.
I do find it so much easier if I have a bit of a creative block to have a sketch to follow.
I am so pleased to see that my stash of finished Christmas cards is getting larger by the month. I really must update my tally.
You never know I might even get them written this side of the New Year, although that might be tempting fate lol.

Once again I have used a Lili of the Valley die cut, nestabilities and background papers from my stash.

The snowflakes are stamped and embossed using Frantage Shabby White Embossing Enamel.
I need a lie down now, my sciatica has been dreadful today, so much for a couple of days off to catch up lol.
hugs Kimx

Up, Up and Away

 Evening Everyone,
Are you well? I'm starting to feel a little less yucky, I'm just at the totally bunged up stage. Oh aren't colds wonderful lol.

The card that I am sharing tonight was made for the Grandson of a friend at work.
I followed the lovely sketch over at Sunday Sketch and Stamp challenge 116. I do love a sketch to get me started.

The main image is one of the Lili of the Valley stamps that I bought when I was at Port Sunlight earlier in the year. I coloured the bear using distress inks, but stamped the balloons onto scraps of the background papers used for the strips across the card. The greeting is also from Lili of the Valley.

The main piece of background paper is hand made using my distress inks.

I added a vellum panel stamped and embossed using a lovely Hobby Art greeting. Harry has been added using the Pergamano stamp set that I bought in a sale at Davina's. It has to be the best bargain I have found just lately.
Off to bed now before I fall asleep. I think I should really have eaten one of the puddings that the kids had for their tea. They were bouncing off the walls.It might have given me a bit of an energy boost at least.
I think they have finally calmed down and gone to sleep. Oh the joys of E numbers, guess what won't be on our shopping list next time lol.
hugs Kimx

A Camper Van for Jason

Evening Everyone.

Just a quick post tonight to show you the card that I made for my Sin-in-law Jason's birthday.

Jason desperately wants to get an old camper van to restore, he's very good at that sort of thing having already done it to an old Beetle and BMW.

Unfortunately this is the nearest that I am ever going to be able to get for him.
I actually got this image as part of a kit that I bought from Create and Craft to use with the Grandchildren, but I couldn't resist using it to make a card for Jason.
I cut it out using an oval nestie and mounted it on to a card using background papers from my stash.

The greeting is a Molly Blooms design available from SirStampalot, and I have added card candy and some bakers twine.

The card has been made using Marie's sketch over at Sunday Sketch and Stamp.

We have ended the day with a lovely roast lamb dinner and Saskia has had us all in stitches with her entertainment, quite the budding actress lol.

I suppose everyone else will be back to normal tomorrow after the long weekend.

I hope that you have all had a nice break even if the weather here at least has been typical Bank Holiday weather.........rain. Well what else would you expect in England lol.

Hugs Kimx

Wishing you Brighter days at Sunday Sketch and Stamp

Afternoon All
I hope that you are all having a good day. I have been having a bit of a tidy up as well as making a card for a friends Mum who is in hospital.

I made this card for him to give her using the lovely sketch over at Sunday Sketch and Stamp.

The floral stamp is one of my favourite Stampendous images Agapanthus Cluster which I have coloured using several different blue pigment inks, before stamping it out and embossing with clear powder. I have then restamped the image several times without adding any more ink which gives this slightly faded effect.
The technique is known as Embossed Resist and works particularly well with floral images.
The greeting is from Hobby Art Sentiments clear set.

The background papers are from my stash, and I added some card candy and a stitched border to the floral panel.

That's enough computer for now, back to crafting.

Have a good day.

Hugs Kimx

Thinking of You at Sunday Sketch and Stamp

Evening Everyone,
I hope that you have all had a wonderful day and haven't eaten too much. I wish that I could say that I hadn't but I can see some serious diet and exercise in my future lol.

As wonderful as this time of year is, it is unfortunately especially hard for some when they loose a loved one.
My next door neighbour lost her Mum the week before Christmas and so I made this to let her know that we are thinking of her and her family.

I have stamped and embossed Stampendous Wildflower Sprigs onto a piece of background card coloured with Alcohol inks and then cut out several assorted circles using a Nestie.
The circles have then been layered onto a panel cut with another nestie and coloured with distress ink while the nestie is still in place.

The background papers are from my stash and the card has been put together using the lovely sketch over at Sunday Sketch and Stamp.
I have added stitched borders with a fine black pen and some small white dots to the finished card.
Of course my favourite Swirl Flourish from Magnolia has managed to find its way onto the background papers.
Off to bed now, I'm sure that we will be just as busy at work tomorrow as we were today, I can't believe how much shopping people can do. You would think that shops were never going to open again :)
Hugs Kimx

Here's what I did with my winnings.

Evening Everyone
I can't believe how quickly my weeks holiday has flown by, I am waiting for my lovely daughter to pick me up as I write this post. Tomorrow I will be at home enjoying a little bit of a lie in.
So this is just a very quick post to share with you a card that I made using the beautiful dragonfly stamp that I chose as part of my prize for winning the Woodware Sketch Challenge.

I have used a lovely sketch that I found over at Sunday Sketch and Stamp, so this is a very quick post as I have to link my entry in the next few minutes or I will miss it.

I used some lovely background papers and ribbon from Sir Stampalot and the image itself has been stamped onto paper coloured with coffee.
Sorry about the Martha Stewart punch Dorothy but we had sold out of the Crafty edger so I still don't own one lol.

Also added a little bit of bling which shows up a bit better in this photo.
Hope you like it
Hugs
Kimx