Live well, Laugh often, Love much

Well I managed to get it finished.

Those of you that stopped by earlier from WOYWW will know that just a little while ago this was a work very much in progress. Well now it is complete, including box :)
A friend asked me on Tuesday if I could make a card to congratulate his daughter on her Engagement. I hope that he feels that this will fit the bill.

I have used a lovely Lili of the Valley die cut some flowers and background papers all from my stash.

The leaves and swirls are Doohickeys that I bought from the fabulous Sir Stampalot. The Heart Border is from them as well.
The greeting is from a Printworks clear stamp set that I have had for a number of years.
I didn't have an Engagement stamp but I felt that this sentiment was just perfect.

I embossed the swirls with sticky embossing powder and then covered them with prisma glitter.
I am entering this in to several challenges

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Happy Highlights (Glitter on the swirls and glossy accents on the glasses)
Deep Ocean Challenge - Sparkling and or Glitter
Seems a Little Sketchy - I've used their Sketch
Allsorts Challenge  - Needles and Pins (Beaded hat pin in the flowers)
Winter Wonderland - Easel Card

I will be delivering it tomorrow, so I had better get it in it's box now that the silicon is dry.
Look at the time! Nite nite.
hugs Kimx

Whats on Your Worktop Wednesday (WOYWW)

Evening Everyone,

I decided I would share my Worktop with you since it is Wednesday, and I found the WOYWW site while I was doing my commenting for Crafty Cardmakers.

I really am not the tidiest of crafters as you can see from my desk this afternoon. I never quite know how a project is going to look when I first start, so I end up with a heap of papers, dies, flowers, inks..... you name it, and it is probably there somewhere.

Of course there has to be a cup of coffee there as anyone who knows me will tell you, I don't function without coffee lol.
I never seem to finish any of them though, and so far I haven't ended up with one all over my work, although that is now probably the kiss of death to that.

This is a sneak peek of  the card that I have been working on today. I will try and get it finished so that I can share it later. 

My coffee is cold now so I had better make another one :)

Happy Crafting.

hugs Kimx

More beads for Crafty Cardmakers

Evening All,
We are asking you to use beads on your projects over at Crafty Cardmakers this time.
Having struggled to make my DT card I am now on a roll. It must be seeing all the wonderful projects that the rest of the team have made. Do check them all out, there are some fabulous creations.
I made this card using various items from my stash, including the leftover backing from a peel-off!!!!!

How sad am I you might say? Don't I have enough stamps that I could use? Well of course the answer to that is that I have hundreds but this seemed like one of those things that you just have to try.
I first saw it done somewhere years ago. In fact I remember showing the ladies on a peel-off class once that this was a good way of using up the left overs.
Once the peel-off has been removed rub permanent ink or metallic rub-ons over the backing sheet and the image pops through.

I have cut around the image and mounted it onto a tag made from Bazill card stock which has had some peel-off lines and metallic rub-on added to it.
Having punched a hole in the top of the tag I added some wire which had been threaded with beads. I twisted the wire around a knitting needle to help keep the beads in place.

Not any more adventurous than my previous card when it comes to the beads I'm afraid but I do like the effect.
I am entering this in to the challenge at Make My Monday - where they want to see Flowers and Leaves.
Better get to bed now. I have to admit I found myself doing a bit of a nodding dog impression this afternoon so I had really better try and get some sleep. Maybe I will have a granny nap tomorrow. Oh the joys of getting older lol.
hugs Kimx

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 60 - Beads

Afternoon Everyone,

Today sees the start of a new challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers. 

This time it has been hosted By Jack. 

For this challenge she would like to see beads used. You can make a project using just beads or use them as embellishments on something you make. The important thing is that beads are there for all to see.

We are kindly sponsored for this challenge by The Stampman (and Lady of course!) who are offering the winner a £10 voucher for their store, you can spend this on line, in the shop or if you're lucky enough to see them at a show! They have a ton of items in store, enough to tickle any crafty taste bud.
We also have a new sponsor who is offering a $10 Gift Voucher.

Di's Digi Downloads

$10 Gift Voucher

I'm not a great one for beads, although of course like most people I have loads of them, so this was a bit of a challenge for me. Then I remembered a card I once made for a magazine that had beads wrapped around a punched star and decided that I would make another card along the same lines.

I'm afraid that it is another Christmas card, but I'm on a bit of a roll at the moment so I hope that you will forgive me.
The main panel has been created by punching a large star from a piece of previously stamped and embossed card or paper.
Gold embossing on gold paper looks very classy I always think, and any Christmas background stamp will do.
Thread assorted beads onto some fine gold wire and twist it round a knitting needle or something similar. This will help to keep the beads in place once the wire has been attached to the card.

Wrap the beaded wire around the punched star and attach it to the finished card which has been made from various pieces of card matted and layered as illustrated.

The black card stock has been embossed using a cuttlebug folder.

I would like to enter this into a couple of challenges.

ABC Christmas Challenge - A for Anything Goes

Christmas Cards All Year Round - Non Traditional Christmas Colours

Truly Madly Crafty Challenges  - Anything Goes

I hope that it helps to inspire you. Don't forget to stop in on the other DT members and see the stunning creations that they have come up with.

I had better go and iron my uniform now, it's back to reality tomorrow lol.

Have a good evening.

hugs 

Kimx

A day for Celebrating with Hobby Art.

Evening Everyone
Well yesterday really was a day for celebrating. As well as my friend Danny's 50th it was also the birthday of my sister Tracy (I will be nice and not let on which one lol) and Haider one of the guys that I work with at the BP garage.

This is the card I sent my sister. It was made using Floral Border and Floral Branch, both from Hobby Art.

I stamped and embossed the images onto blue card stock and then painted them with thin undiluted bleach. You might have to experiment with your card stock since not all will bleach out.

 Once this has been done I then coloured the images with colouring pencils. Because you have bleached the card to start with the colour of the pencils shows up much better.

The card I gave Haider was also made using a Hobby Art stamp, Koi Carp Jewel.
I used the same bleaching technique only this time I painted the Koi with dye based ink.

Both cards have been mounted in a similar manner using a combination of torn card and woollen threads.
I have been working all weekend on some new Hobby Art samples for Jenny's next TV show.
She will be on Create and Craft channel 671 next Sunday (29th January) at 2pm and 7pm, unless they change the times on us.

I would like to enter these into the following challenges
Birthday Sundaes - Challenge 40 Birthday Wording on the Front.
Lets Ink it Up - Challenge 19 Anything Goes
ABC Challenges  - H for Happy Birthday

Hope you have had a good weekend.
hugs Kimx

My lucky day.

Today really is my lucky day, I found out that I have won 2 challenges!!!

The first one is the card that I entered into G is for Green over at ABC Challenges. I will let you know exactly what I have won when I get it sorted out.
I nearly missed this one as with all of the Internet problems I haven't been checking Feline Playful regularly. Thank Goodness they left me a message on my blog.

My second winning card is the  'Reindeer with a beauty spot' that I made for 52 (Christmas) Card Throwdown where I got the Top Honor .
Maybe I should go quickly and buy a lottery ticket, what do you think??
Hugs Kimx

A Special Birthday

Yeahhhh the Internet is sorted at last!!!!!
I seem finally to have sorted the problems that I have been having with Blogger. Or at least my lovely friend Joe has.
I now have a choice of 3 Internet browsers, so at least one of them should be OK, or at least I hope so.

Joe works with my Sin-in-law Jason, and another of the guys there has a very special birthday tomorrow.
He has reached that exclusive club to which many of us have now become members lol.

This card was made for him using a Hero Arts bamboo stamp that I am very fond of.
It's great for masculine cards.
I have stamped it onto glossy card stock using versamark ink and then sponged blue dye based ink all over the image. This is called a resist technique, and gives a lovely ghosted image.
Heat set the image and wipe over it with an anti static cloth before stamping and embossing the bamboo again using black versafine ink and clear embossing powder..

The '50th' has been taken from the Woodware stamp set that I bought with my prize money for winning the December Woodware Challenge. Although it is actually a Wedding set it will be very useful for some of the milestone birthday.

The main greeting comes from Hobby Art. It is actually a larger background stamp that I have cut up, using only 3 lines from it on this occasion.

I have stamped the bamboo onto the main card using versamark ink and then added some matte brads, dotted ribbon and peel-off dots from my stash.

I had better try and catch up with some commenting now. 

Marie, bless her, has been covering my numbers for me while I was having problems, but now that appears to be fixed I had better at least post a few comments don't you think!

Thank you so much Marie, and a very Happy Birthday Danny.

Welcome to the club xx.

hugs Kimx

Seeing Red with Clarity

Evening Everyone,
What is it with a day off, you never seem to get anywhere near as much done as you had planned.
I seem to have spent most of today trying to get my computer sorted so that I can comment like all good DT members are supposed to !!!
I have ended up sending my computer home with my friend so that he can hopefully sort it out for me tonight, which means that I have had to borrow my daughters one so this will have to be quick.

This is a card that I made for the last Clarity show on Create and Craft. I saw it get to the top of the pile although it was never actually shown.
It has been made using Small Dippy Toe.
I stamped and embossed it repeatedly onto red card stock to form the background which was then mounted onto a square white card

The main panel has been stamped and embossed onto white card stock and then layered onto red and gold before it is added to the card over a piece of ribbon from my stash.

I would like to enter it in to the challenges at

Creative Card Crew - Seeing Red

The Stampman Challenge - Use Red

I'm pleased with how it turned out, shame it didn't get shown, still never mind there's always next time.

Lets hope that Joe has fixed my laptop so that I can get back to normal and maybe find time to get down to some crafting.

Nite nite

Kimx

It's Love in Craft Stamper

Evening Everyone.
See, what did I tell you, find my thermals and the weather changes lol. Thermal undies, power surges and warmer weather are not a good combo as any lady of a certain age will tell you. I was in danger of stripping off at the tills on a couple of occasions - never a good idea at ANY age.
I don't know if you have got the latest copy of Craft Stamper, always worth a coffee and a sit down as I look through all the wonderful projects that people have created.

Well this month I am in it. Page 40 as part of the 'All you need is Love' gallery. There is also an advert for Sir Stampalot on page 19 that is all cards designed by Me.
In the past they put the instructions for the cards in the Gallery on to their web extra page on line, but I have been waiting for it to appear and it still hasn't so I thought that I would share the card here complete with instructions as written for the magazine. Not the usual sort of detail I go in for on the blog but as it was written already it makes sense to share.

Stamp Woodware FRN005 Geometric Heart onto an A5 piece of white card using versamark and white embossing powder.
Sponge Tumbled Glass and Broken China Distress inks over the entire panel. Paint the hearts with Broken China ink.

Cut out a large circle using a Grand Nestie Circle LF114 and add a hand stitched border to it with a fine black pen. Stamp and white emboss Art Impressions I3082 Love and sponge as before. Cut to size and matte and layer onto silver mirri card.

Create an easel card from a 14.5 x 14.5cm square white card and add square panel of Echo Park Capture the Flag paper and red card stock to the folded half of the card as illustrated.

Cut a rectangle from the left over stamped, embossed and sponged heart panel and mount it onto the red and blue card the same as the main panel. Add hand stitched borders as illustrated, and mount onto the base of the card.
Make flowers from Marianne Creatables LR0162 and LR0163 using the Bo Bunny's Pink Flourish paper and attach to the base of the card as illustrated. Add some Marianne Creatables LR0150 flourishes, punched leaves, small ready made flowers and chandeliers.
Add a little glitter glue to the large flowers, and four silver metallic dots to the corners of the main panel.

All the items I used are available from Sir Stampalot for whom I made the card.
You have to work so far in advance for magazines that sometimes it is hard to get in the right mood for Valentines when we haven't even finished the summer let alone Christmas lol.
I have got a couple of days off work now, but I can see that I will be spending most of it trying to catch up with my commenting on the Crafty Cardmakers challenge.
I didn't realise how far behind I had got with my commenting until I tried this evening. What is it with Blogger lately I don't seem to have been able to even view the cards on most of the numbers that I have been allocated, let alone leave a comment. It is so frustrating and such a waste of time.
So I apologise in advance to all the lovely people who have entered their cards in to our latest challenge, and boy there are certainly a lot of you, if I don't leave a message it is not for the want of trying!!
I think I will stop now and try again tomorrow before I end up throwing the lap top at the wall :)
Oh I nearly forgot to enter the card into the following challenges
Scrapbook Sisters - My Sweet Valentine
Penny Black and More at Allsorts - Love and Hearts
Nite nite.
hugs Kimx

A Christmas Flourish

Evening,
It has been so cold at work today, seasonal weather I know, but we never seem ready for it what ever the weather is like!!
We didn't have any snow just a very heavy frost, and cold enough to make me think of Christmas more than Spring so it must be time to share another Christmas card with you.

This card has been made using another stamped image from my Christmas bits box. I think it is by Stampendous, but I'm sure that Dorothy will let me know if I am wrong :)
I have stamped and embossed it and then watercolored it using dye based inks.

I have layered the panel over Bazzill Dotted Swiss card stock that has first been stamped and embossed with a lovely swirl.
I think the watercolouring is cool enough to enter into the challenge over at Woodware where they are looking for Winter Wonderland, cool, cool colours, even if the purple does warm it up a little.

Of course the swirls just screamed out for a little bling.
I would also like to enter this into the challenge over at Weekly Christmas Card Challenges where they are looking for Flourishes, and Christmas Cards All Year Round where the challenge is Non Traditional Christmas colours with the added bonus of Embossing.
Better get some sleep now. Perhaps I ought to get my sexy thermal underwear out of storage ready for tomorrow first or will that mean that we have above average temperatures lol.
Nite nite.
hugs Kimx

With Love Mum xx

Evening Everyone,
Well I don't think I will be going to Sandown after all!
I had to make a trip to the dentist today, just the usual check up and clean up with the hygienist (I do love that bit I have to say, even if she does always nag me a little).
All of that is expensive enough with out finding that the tooth I chipped before Christmas is going to need a crown!!!
I did joke about an instalment plan, which fortunately they agreed to. I knew there was a reason for sticking with one Dental Practise all your life!
As we drove home this morning I got my friend to make a little detour to the local Church to leave some flowers for my Dad, today being the Anniversary of his death. I can't believe how quickly the last 10 years seem to have gone by.

This is the card that I have sent my Mum for today.
The main image is another lovely Hobby Art stamp Floral Delight which I have stamped and embossed in black.

I have then stamped the Diamond Background over the top of the image using second generation dye based ink. This stamp is also by Hobby Art as is the Greeting.
I have decided to enter this into the challenge over at Die Cut Dreams where they are looking for Sympathy.
It has certainly been sent with love.
I really must try and do some commenting now, if Blogger will let me that is.
Nite Nite, and love to all, especially my Mum, Brother and Sisters.
I'm thinking of you.
hugs Kimx

A couple of Christmas challenges

Evening Everyone,
I hope that you have all had a nice restful weekend.
I have been working on some samples for Imagination which I will be able to share with you soon.
I was a little bit naughty and digressed slightly by making a couple of cards for the challenge over at 52 (Christmas) Card Throwdown where Colour Challenge No 1 is Black and White with a Hint of Red.

I did use a lovely Imagination Decoupage stamp for one of them so it wasn't all bad lol. I adore this stamp, it was certainly one of my favourite Christmas stamps from last year.

I have stamped and embossed onto both black and white card stock and mounted the focal panel onto a piece of Red. I used Weathered Wood and Black Soot distress inks to add a little colour to the edges, and a few tiny beads in the centre of the flower.

This card was made with an image that I have had in my box for quite some time.
We had him at the NEC some years ago when I was demoing for Janice and Andy and we sold him by the dozen.

This poor mite appears to have a little bit of a beauty spot on the side of his face which is why I ended up with him. I have given him a nice red nose and added a couple of swirly clips before mounting him on to some black paper. I think the greeting is by Hero Arts.

I made this card for the Sketch challenge last week but never quite managed to get the post done so I thought that I would add it here anyway.

More use of left overs, this time a Magenta image watercoloured with Fruitcake Kaleidacolor ink.
As these cards are all non traditional in colour I would like to enter them into the challenge over at Christmas Cards All Year Round where this month they are looking for Non Traditional Colours with a bonus challenge of some kind of Embossing, (dry, heat etc).
I have a nice short week at work this week since I have taken a couple of days holiday.
I am hoping to pop along to the show at Sandown on Thursday or Friday.
I haven't been to a show as a paying customer in years since I am usually demoing, but I need a few supplies and a catch up with a few friends who will be there.
Perhaps I will see you there, who knows.
Better get to bed now or I won't make it to the end of the week.
My cold has meant that I have had a very husky voice for the last few days. It sounds worse than it is but does make it a little difficult on the tills for 8 hours.
Oh well people will just have to lip read.
Bye for now.
Hugs Kimx

Handbags at Dawn at Woodware

Evening Everyone.
The week just wouldn't be the same if I didn't enter something in to the challenge over at Woodware.
The challenge this week as been 'Handbags at Dawn', and given that it will probably be nearly dawn by the time you read this it seems quite appropriate.

Given the lateness of the hour and the fact that the challenge has nearly ended I decided to look through my rather large stash of cards that I have already completed to see if there was anything that I would be able to use. 

The only piece of art work that I could find that had used a stamp sold by Woodware was actually a gift tag that I made some years ago as part of an article for either Cardmaking and Papercraft or Quick Cards Made Easy. As you know I don't really do tags so that is why it has never been sent.
I am pretty sure that the Hat, bag and shoe stamp is by Stampendous, but I am sure that someone will tell me if I have got it wrong lol.
I have remounted the coloured image and vellum background onto a piece of paper from the GCD paper pack Planes and Trains. The little retro flowers that have been added are peel-offs.
I had a lovely class today at Davina's. It was very full which was wonderful. In fact we actually had a couple of people that we weren't expecting. We managed to fit them in but we must remember to get people to confirm their booking in advance or we might have to have standing room only, not easy when you are crafting you will agree.

I was a very good girl and finished this card off this evening after I had put all my workshop equipment away. What a creep I can hear you all shouting. I just wanted to use up all the bits, and I do so love this stamp.

By the way I thought that you might like to see what I bought with my prize money for winning the December Sketch challenge.

I have had my eye on this stamp set for a while now. In fact I could have done with it last week when I had a 40th birthday card to make for a friend. I know it was designed for Wedding Anniversaries but it will work every bit as well for certain birthdays. Actually I have a 50th Birthday card to make next week so I can see it will get used straight away.
Thank You Woodware.
Hugs Kimx

Purple Poppies and Diamonds

Evening everyone,
I'm still not feeling great so am just going to share another of the cards that I am taking to class tomorrow at Davina's.

Once again it used the fabulous Framed Poppies, only this time I have cut it out using a Nestie.

Who says that you have to use the entire image. I think you will agree it looks every bit as good this way.

I used stamps from the Autumn Scene it  clear set, also by Hobby Art, to decorate the purple background card.
Off to bed now. I need my beauty sleep :)
Nite, nite.
Hugs Kimx