A little Snowbird

Evening Everyone
I'm sorry that I have been missing for so long.
I seriously don't know where November disappeared to, and now it looks as if December is going by at the same breakneck speed.
My Christmas card tally for the year may look extremely healthy, but it looks as if once again I shall be late getting them all in the post - no change there then lol.
In fact November went by so quickly that I didn't even notice that I had missed posting my project for The Stamp Man 'Emboss It' challenge.
Even though the deadline has now passed for entries to this particular challenge (Challenge for December is In the bleak mid Winter) I see no reason not to share my card with you.

I love this stamp from Stampendous CRP169 Cling Snow Bird, he is just sooo cute. I stamped and embossed him using an Onyx Black Versafine inkpad and Clear Embossing Powder.

I coloured him using Festive Berries and Gathered Twigs Distress Inks and then cut him out using Nestabilities S5-027 Labels 21.

I left the die in place and gently sponged the edges of the image with Iced Spruce Distress Ink.

The background panel to the card has been created using Holly and Berries rollagraph and Versamark ink which I have embossed with Gold Embossing Powder. The entire panel has then been painted using distress inks Iced Spruce, Festive Berries, Evergreen Bough and Gathered Twigs using a Waterbrush.
I also coloured the berries with a White Souffle Pen.

I embossed the right hand side of the panel using a Cuttlebug Christmas Embossing Folder and then tapped the edges with a Versamark ink pad before adding Frantage Shabby White Embossing Enamel.
As a final touch I added some Glossy Accents to the berries and some Gold Brads.
I have been chained to my desk  for the last several weeks working on some top secret DT projects which I have finally finished, so I hope that I can now get back to Blogland on a slightly more regular basis.
I have definitely missed you All, and maybe you have missed me a little too.
Night night
Hugs Kimx

I'm nearly too late to the challenge

Evening Everyone
Long time no blog. I hope that you are all well.
I'm sorry that I have been missing for a while but pills and me don't mix. I would make an absolutely rubbish junkie lol.
I am suffering badly with my Sciatica and have gone from taking no pills at all to rattling!! As a consequence I am finding it hard to sit for any length of time and when I do I hope you will understand that making a card takes priority over blogging about one.
So please forgive me if I haven't stopped by to see you lately, and if I haven't left you a comment when you have entered the challenges that I am on the DT for, I aim to do better starting now, but please don't hold me to it :O)
I can't believe how late I am with this card, and it has taken me all day to write the post itself.
The challenge at The Stampman is nearly finished for this month, but don't forget to stop back again on Thursday for the start of a new one.

This is the card that I made for the current challenge where we were looking for Butterflies, Birds and Bees.
I used the Stampendous Cling Bird Frame CRP126 for the main image and Artemio Manuscript Background clear set 10001048 on the background paper.

The central panel has been sponged with Distress ink pads - Scattered Straw and Iced Spruce, and the musical score was stamped using Pumice Stone.

The background papers are all from Woodware and were also used to create the flowers using punches.

I added a strip of background paper across the middle of the card which has been punched using a Martha Stewart border punch. I also added some gingham ribbon and pearls.

The birds have been painted with thin undiluted bleach to remove some of the colour and then I added a little stardust pen to highlight.
I had better post this now before another day goes past and the new challenge starts.
I also need to take some more pain killers so I will probably start to talk gibberish lol.
Gentle hugs to All
Kimx

Challenge at The Stampman

Hello All
I hope that you are having a great Friday, and that Blogger is playing the game and has published this for me without incident.
(Amended to read - It helps if you don't try and shedule a post in Draft, I'll learn one day lol)
I am going to have to rely on him quite a bit over the next couple of weeks as I will be away from my craft room and I'm not even sure if I will have access to my laptop at all!!
Today sees the start of another new challenge at The Stampman - Summer Sizzlers - Use hot colours!

I seem to be in real Resist mode at the moment and this card came to me as I was serving at work. It's amazing what you can jot on the back of a receipt in between customers lol.

I stamped and embossed Stampendous CRP147-R Butterfly Post onto glossy card stock using Onyx Black Versafine ink and clear embossing powder.

Next I masked the image and stamped Artemio Clear set - Hedgerow Plants across the entire piece of card using Versamark ink.

Remove the main mask, add a circular mask in the corner of the image and sponge the entire panel with Distress Ink Pads - Mustard Seed, Rusty Hinge, Spiced Marmalade and Barn Door.
Remove the circular mask, replace the main one and ink the Hedgerow Plants using the same distress inks with the addition of Crushed Olive.

When you have finished stamping the images, remove the mask and emboss using clear embossing powder.

Trim the panel to fit a large white card and add a strip of torn vellum stamped and embossed with Happy Birthday from Woodware Clear Magic JGCL560 Just to Say.
I added some brads and ink to the edge of the vellum along with the  butterfly which I had stamped and embossed onto white cardstock and coloured with the same inks.
I attached it with silicon to add a little dimension to the project.
I also added some Card Candi and a little Glossy Accents.
I hope that you like it and that you will feel inspired to enter our challenge HERE with a Summer Sizzler of your own.
Have a great weekend, lets hope that it remains sunny for a few more days.
Hugs Kimx

Alter It for The Stampman Challenge

Hi Everyone,
It's Friday again, and time for a new challenge over at The Stampman.
This time we are looking for you to ALTER something making it different from it's original appearance.
You can alter a plain box, picture frame, book, bottle, tin, notebook cover, or any other item that inspires you to change it!!

I wasn't sure what to do for this one and then I remembered a box of plain wooden Picture frames that I bought, and a roll of Aluminium tape that my Sin-in-Law had got me at a car accessory shop.
And this is the result.

I meant to take pictures of the blank frame but I forgot, sorry.

Anyway, I cut some leaves and swirls using my Memory Box Swirly Tree and Cheery Lynn Olive Branches dies and stuck them to the frame using a Pritt Stick.

Next I covered the whole thing with the Aluminium Tape which is a bit like Sticky Backed Plastic on a roll about 2 inches wide.
I rubbed firmly all over the frame with a piece of foam to make sure that the full texture of the pattern shows.

Next comes the fun, and messy part, colouring the frame with a combination of Alcohol Inks - Denim, Meadow, Stonewash and Pearl.

I love how it turned out.
I had intended putting a picture of the family inside but couldn't get anything to print out so I decided to go with something a little more my style.

I love this Resist technique which I have used quite a bit lately and describe in more detail HERE.

This particular panel was created using Woodware Clear Magic JGS273 Wheat, FRS212 Alphabet Background and Distress Inkpads - Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint, Broken China and Faded Jeans.

The ghosted image in the background has been created by spritzing the stamp with water before stamping it onto the panel.

I also spritzed the entire panel with a little Glimmer Mist.

I felt that it need something to finish it off so I added text from a Hobby Art clear set Friends Sentiments.
I would like to enter this into the challenge at Frilly and Funky - How can you Resist.
Don't forget to check out what the rest of the team have come up with, there are some fabulous Altered items over at The Stampman.
As always there is a £10 gift voucher up for grabs, so get you thinking caps on and Get Altering.
Happy Crafting.
hugs Kimx

Precious Metals for The Stampman challenge

Evening Everyone, and welcome to a much earlier post from me than usual :O)
Didn't our Girls do well with their Gold medals yesterday?
With that in mind, how appropriate then that our new challenge from Angela over at The Stampman should be
Precious Medals/Metals - Olympics - Gold/Silver/Bronze.

In honour of all our absolutely amazing Olympians we are asking that your project feature some type of metal.
As usual there is a £10 voucher to spend at The Stampman online store up for grabs.

The circular panel at the centre of my card has been stamped and embossed using Hero Arts CG288 Leaf Clusters, versamark ink and Gold, Silver and Copper embossing powder.
I sponged the panel with a combination of Distress inks - Bundled Sage, Stormy Sky and Scattered Straw, before stamping the leaves again using the distress inks.

The background papers are from my stash and I have used the same stamps and more gold embossing powder on them.

I also cut some circles from the same background paper using my Circular Nestabilities and added a sentiment from the Woodware JGCL 560 Just to Say set.
The finishing touches have been added with Woodware Dotty Ribbon and Gold Nailheads as well as a few timy black dots using my Micron pen.
Don't forget to check out what the rest of the team have come up with and share the love with our newest members  
Zoe Sanderson and Tony Robson.
I have to go and remake a card now. You see even DT members don't read the challenges properly sometime, or is it just that I got carried away and forgot that there was a colour element. Either way my craft room is calling lol.
Have a great weekend and Happy Crafting.
hugs Kimx

A twist on The Stampman challenge

Hello All
Are you ready for an amazing weekend?
I'm not really in to sport but I do wish all of our Olympians the very best of luck in their endeavours, and here's to a fabulous and safe couple of weeks.
Over at The Stampman we have a new challenge for you, Anything Goes / Celebrations.

The card that I have made for you was actually inspired by the challenge over at the fantastic Our Creative Corner who are asking that you give one of your cards a Makeover.

This is my original card which was made quite a number of years ago, and if I'm brutally honest I actually quite like it. I do however prefer the Do Over!!
Now the challenge requires you do a makeover on a card that you really dislike so perhaps I don't fulfil the first part of the challenge entirely, but I hope that I will be forgiven.

I have used the Hero Arts - S5601 Newspaper Background which I stamped and embossed onto a piece of white card stock, and then sponged with Weathered Wood and Black Soot distress inks.
Next I stamped around the edge of the trimmed panel with my favourite Hero Arts -  F5042 Leaf Flourish.
I cut this panel up and mounted it onto gold patterned card stock.

The greeting has been added using the wonderful new clear stamp set from Woodware - JGCL560 Just To Say.

The flowers have been cut from card stock and vellum using a DooHickey and I have added Faux Card Candi centres.

I used my new Memory box die - Honeyblossom Sprig as the base on which to place the flowers which I attached using silicon.

I am really happy with the results and having show it to the guys at work I have to remake it with Roses for a Special Birthday card and also as a Ruby Wedding Anniversary card, so watch this space lol.

Don't forget to check out what the rest of the team have come up with, and remember that there is a £10 voucher up for grabs for the winner.

Have a great Weekend.

Hugs Kimx

Summer Colours for The Stampman challenge

Evening Everyone
I hope that you are ready for another lovely weekend, even if the weather is not going to be up to much, if the weathermen are to be believed, that is!!
I'm afraid that I am very late with my post for the new challenge at The Stampman.
Our host for this challenge is Siobhan who is looking for Anything Goes / Summer Colours.

I actually made two cards for this. You know how I can get carried away lol.
This is actually the second card that I made. After I had finished the first one I realised that it was made from left over pieces from the previous challenge, so I made this one to show you instead.

This has been made using one of the lovely new stamps that will be available very soon from Woodware.
It's so new that I don't even have details of a code or title, so watch this space, as they say and I will fill you in as soon as I can.

The main panel has been created by stamping Hero Arts S5601 Newspaper Background onto a piece of white card stock and then stamping and embossing the grasses over the top using versamark and clear embossing powder. 
Next I sponged colour over the top of the image.
I used a mixture of distress inks Rusty Hinge, Seedless Preserve and Faded Jeans. The embossing acts as a resist and the white image shows up. I then spritzed the uninked stamp with water and stamped it onto the panel to give a lovely 'ghosted' image.

The background to the card has been created in the same manner using only the Rusty Hinge ink and 'ghost' stamping.
Isn't it spooky how I have chosen such a similar technique to that used by Siobhan on her card.
I never look at what the other girls have done until I add my card to the post so it just goes to show how similar our tastes are.
My first card was even more like Siobhan's, still I guess that shouldn't surprise me given that she is looking for Summer Colours.
I hope that you will join us, and don't forget to check out the rest of the DT, there are some really lovely cards.
Have a great weekend.
Happy Crafting.
hugs Kimx

Bling it on for The Stampman challenge

Evening Everyone.
Wow where has today gone!!
Today saw the launch of the new challenge over at The Stampman where we are asking for 'Bling' and plenty of it.
I'm afraid that my post is very late. I have been tired all day after my lovely evening out yesterday, and I had a granny nap which went on way too long lol.

My card for the challenge has used the lovely Stampendous clear stamp set Daisy Stem Trio. Having stamped and embossed the image I cut around the flowers at the right hand side of the panel to add a little interest.

I used distress ink pads Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge and Barn Door to colour the image and also to distress the edges.

 I stamped the Artemio Manuscript Background across the bottom of the panel using second generation ink.

The background paper is from my stash, and I have stamped and embossed  Hero Arts - F5042 Leaf Flourish down one edge of the panel using Frantage Aged Ivory Embossing Enamel. I also added 3 Card Candi. 

The panel at the right hand side of the card is created using another of the stamps from the set and more of the Aged Ivory Embossing Enamel.

 I added some coloured nailheads from my stash to 'bling it up' a little more.

 The flower centers have been covered in glitter glue and also some fine glitter.

I covered a button with more of the Aged Ivory Embossing Enamel and stamped the Leaf Flourish into it while it was still molten. I added it to the card over a ribbon bow, pin, flowers and stamen all from my stash.
I hope that you will join us for this challenge, and please don't forget to stop by and see what the rest of the team have come up with.
I would like to enter this into the challenge at
Hotshot Craft - Challenge 9 Distress inks
365 Cards - Sparkle and Shine (Glitter Glue, glitter and Frantage Embossing Enamel)
Sassy Cheryl - Summer
Have a great Weekend
hugs Kimx

Time and/or Travel at The Stampman challenge

Hi All
I can't believe that yet another fortnight has gone by and that we are back with a new challenge at The Stampman.
Our host this time is Frankie who is asking for projects featuring Time or Travel or Both !!
I have travelled to just about every country in Europe over the years but one place I have never been to is Africa.
I'm sure that it is a beautiful place to visit but I know that I wouldn't cope with the heat.
Lets face it I can't cope with English sunshine (if I could remember what it looks like) so I would have no hope in Africa.

My card for the challenge uses the lovely Woodware clear stamp set FRCL158 - African Holiday, what an appropriate title lol.
I stamped and embossed the main tribal images from the set using black Versafine ink and clear embossing powder.

The colouring has been done with Distress inks - Broken China, Brushed Corderoy and Rusty Hinge. I also used my favourite diluted instant coffee granules to paint with and also to spritz onto the backgound card. 
I embossed one side of the brown spritzed card and also the blue card using an embossing folder.

I have added a punched panel across the card and also some of the wonderful new Woodware ribbon.
The pots and all of the other images are from the same lovely set. I have used Sepia Versafine ink to stamp some of them. The orange background paper is from my stash. 
I hope that you will check out what the rest of the DT have come up with, and that you will feel inspired to join us. 
I have had a quick peek and I notice that my card is very different from the rest of the team. Oh well that's what it's all about isn't it. It would be very boring if we all made the same thing, so check it out and see what you think.
Have a great weekend.
Happy Stamping.
Hugs Kimx

Make it for a Man at The Stampman

Evening Everyone.
I hope that you are all now ready for your long weekend.
Somehow I have managed to get into major creative mode now that I know I haven't got to get up at 5am. It's a shame that I didn't feel the same during last week as I am now so far behind with everything. Still never mind I don't like the sunshine anyway so if it rains it will be a good excuse to be indoors crafting, not that I need an excuse you understand.
Anyway today saw the start of the latest challenge over at The Stampman, and we are looking for you to 'Make it for a Man'

I wasn't sure quite where to start with this challenge since like a lot of people I find cards for men much harder to make, so I decided that the best place to start was my 'Bits Box' to see if anything inspired me.

I do love leaf stamps and I think they are always good for masculine cards so when I came across a piece of background made using Moonshadow ink - Smoky Sapphire and Van Dyke Sepia and some cling film, I decided that that was a good place to start with the addition of a few leaves.

I stamped leaves from Stampendous SSC023 - Summer Leaves randomly over a square of the premade background and embossed them with Stampendous Aged Silver embossing enamel.

I added some extra leaves stamped with Walnut Stain distress ink and black versafine before mounting the panel onto a square white card.

Of course before I attached it to the card I wrapped some Bakers Twine around the panel and added a greeting from Woodware FRCL171 - All Through the Year.
This was cut out using a Nestie and I also added some stamped leaves using Walnut Stain ink. The white card had also had leaves stamped over it and a fine black stiched line drawn onto it.
I hope that you will join us this time, and of course don't forget to check out what my lovely Teamies have made.
Happy Crafting
Hugs Kimx