A Woodware Sneak Peek

Evening Everyone,
Just a very quick post tonight and a sneak peek of one of the wonderful new Woodware stamps that I have once again been lucky enough to play with.
Making samples for the new catalogue was one of the main reasons why I struggled to keep up with challenges and commenting before Christmas. Perhaps once you see the catalogue I will be forgiven, I do hope so. It is at the printers as we speak, so it shouldn't be too long now.

In the mean time this is a card that I have made for my class at Davina's on 26th January. I always try to take a sample with me so that the girls can get some idea of what they will be learning.

The background has been created using Jane's new Grasses Background and Decorating Chalks.
The greeting is from Hobby Art.

I thought that I would also show the Girls how to 'Shrivel' Organza Ribbon, and recap on the Faux Stitching.
Of course they will create a tag to add to their Technique Book.
Off to bed now, night, night.
Hugs Kimx

A Blue Fairy

Evening Everyone
Well so much for early blogging and then play time.
Still I had a very good excuse, babysitting two lovely little people while the rest of the family went out. It was such a hardship watching Kung Foo Panda and eating ice-cream. I will have to have crafting playtime tomorrow so that I can catch up again.

It's no wonder that writing my Christmas cards took me so long.
It's what happens when your Boss announces, as you are about to leave work, that he needs a card for his daughter's 13th Birthday - THE NEXT DAY!!!!!!
Boy am I glad that I have a large stash of the wonderful Lili of the Valley die cut images, all of which arrived pre-coloured and ready for use. Perfect when you are in need of a card in a hurry lol.

I cut this lovely little lady out using my Circular Nesties and mounted her over a couple of Scalloped circles.

The card is large 8 x 8 card which I stamped and embossed using a couple of favourite background stamps and Frantage Aged Ivory Embossing powder. I added colour with sponged Distress Ink.
The circular sentiment is also from Lili of the Valley.

The flowers are handmade from co-ordinating cardstock.
Finishing touches were added with some punched leaves and tiny pearls.
I know that she liked it which made my late night well worth the effort.
The kids are in bed now and the rest of the family is home so I think I will get an early night too.
Thanks for stopping by, it's very much appreciated.
hugs Kimx

Aqua and Pink + Flower for Our Creative Corner

Evening Everyone,
I'm starting the New Year as I mean to go on, or at least that's my hope anyway.
I've been trying to get a little more organised when checking out my favourite challenges, so I've been writing copious lists and printing pictures of sketches that I want to use. I'm sure that it can't last...........but at least for the moment let's give it a go.
This is the card that I made for the first challenge of 2013 over at Our Creative Corner where they are looking for Aqua and Pink plus Flowers.

The main panel on the card is a Penny Black stamp Floral Thread 40-135 which has been stamped and embossed using Versamark and White Embossing powder.

I have sponged it with Distress inks Victorian Velvet and Evergreen Bough, before trimming it and mounting it onto a piece of pink gingham paper.
The zig-zag stitching has also been stamped and embossed in white using a clear stamp that I have. Sorry not sure who makes it.

I have added several flowers which were coloured and fussy cut out of a second stamped image.
The sentiment is from a Woodware clear stamp set designed by Jane Gill, and has been cut out with one of my trusty Circular Nesties and mounted onto an Aqua coloured Scalloped Circle.

I added a piece of Medical Gauze under the circular panel before attaching the shaped flowers, stamen and pins using Silicon glue.
I got the idea for the gauze from the lovely Sara when she brought some of her fantastic samples into SirStampalot when I was staying there in November.

I rushed straight out and bought some, and then forgot all about it, as you do.
I had to laugh when the assistant asked if I wanted Sterile Gauze!!
I hadn't got the heart to tell her I wanted it to adorn a greetings card not a cut knee, I'm not sure that she would have understood.

I've been a very good girl so far this year and I have made myself write my blogpost and catch up on a bit of commenting and e-mails before I allow myself time to play.
The trouble is that I can see me being very late to bed now if I am going to get any playtime in at all.
Better press publish, I have a card to finish!!
hugs Kimx

I got a little carried away.....

Evening Everyone,
I told you that I got a little bit carried away with the lovely colour combo at Inkspirational Challenges, so here we are with more vibrant pink, green and black.
Once again I have used one of Jane Gill's solid floral images Ferns JGS274 stamped and embossed using Black Versafine  and clear Embossing powder.

The colours have been added by sponging Picked Raspberry and Mowed Lawn Distress Ink over the stamped image, and the ghosting is the result of stamping with a wet but clean stamp onto the background.

The sentiment is also from a Woodware Clear stamp set Mixed Greetings FRCL080.

I have used more of the lovely Magenta MEMOR-212 Spring Tapestry background paper with a little additional stamping on it.

This year we are going to try something a little different in class at Davina's.
How many times do you take a class and then when you get home you can't remember how you achieved the results on your card?
Well now, inspired by the Tag class that I did at SirStampalot last year, which was in turn inspired by a Tim Holtz class that they did at CHA, I will be creating an Information Tag to accompany every class. so over the year they should build up quite a library of techniques.
I have made my tag and written the instructions for everyone so all that's left is to pack bag for class, I'm bound to forget something.

As you can see I have also incorporated the Sketch from the latest challenge at Woodware. I'm hoping that it might inspire them to enter themselves.
I'm too late to enter this card into the Inkspirational Colour Challenge as the deadline has passed so I will just have to wait and see what they come up with for Week 2 which I believe is a Photo Inspired challenge.
I can't wait.
Hugs Kimx

Create a Fairytale Scene for Crafty Cardmakers first challenge of 2013.

Evening Everyone,
It's the start of another year of challenges over at Crafty Cardmakers, and Our hostess Eva is asking for you to create a Fairytale Scene. 
Once again we are sponsored by THE STAMPMAN  who are offering the winner a £10 voucher for their store, and DI'S DIGI DOWNLOADS with a $10 GIFT VOUCHER.

My card has been made using several of my lovely Magnolia stamps and DooHickey dies available from SirStampalot..

Root Cellar Door X9937M was stamped and embossed onto Watercolour card using Black Versamrk ink and clear embossing powder. It was then coloured using Distress inks and cut out and mounted with my circular Nesties.

Jester Tilda Y0087M and Lillyrose the Dragon Y0087M have been stamped and coloured in the same way before being fussy cut and added to the scene using silicon glue.

The background papers (Stella Rose and Bo Bunny) have been given a faux stitched border using a pricking tool and fine black pen.
The Grass Lace DooHickey has been used to ground the scene and I stamped a greeting into the Cloud.
I finished everything off with some tiny punched flowers, gems and Card Candi.
I hope that you will join us HERE this fortnight with your Fairytale Scenes, but please make sure that you read the rules. 
It was very disappointing last month that so few people actually made what they were asked to make.
It certainly made it easier to pick the winners though so maybe there was some consolation.
Have a great evening.
It's chaos here trying to get the Grandchildren to calm down and get things ready to go back to school tomorrow. I think everyone is going to need an early night.
Hugs Kimx

There's a new Kid on the Block

Hi All
Wow, two posts in one day, what can I say, it can't last!!
There is a new kid on the challenge block, Inkspirational owned and run by my lovely Teamie Mynnette.
It is a weekly challenge, and the first week of every month will be a colour inkspiration, this month it is Dark Pink, Kiwi and Black.
I decided that I just had to join in, and so I have used it as the basis for my class at Davina's next Saturday.
I love trying out new colour combinations and this is where the challenges are so brilliant, they make you think outside the box, or at least they do me.

I have used one of the Woodware Clear Magic stamps designed by Jane Gill. There were several in the last catalogue and they work so well for this technique that I got carried away, so expect several more posts using this colour combo.

I also like to use the sketch challenges for inspiration and here I have used the current sketch from Tuesday Morning Sketches. This in fact is the reason for the second blog post of the day, the challenge finishes in just over an hour. Nothing like cutting it fine!!

The panel has been created by sponging Mowed Lawn and Picked Raspberry Distress Ink over the stamped and embossed image. The ghosting is the result of stamping with a clean stamp that has been spritzed with water.

The double-sided background paper is Magenta MEMOR-212 Spring Tapestry, and I have added a faux stitched border to the stamped panel.
The buttons, threads and tiny black pearls are all from my stash.
I'm really pleased with the results, I love this combo it is so bright and vibrant. Thanks for the challenges Girls.
See you again tomorrow, I hope, I have so many things to share with you already.
hugs Kimx

A card for Fetch a Sketch

Morning Everyone
Thought I would post early today so that I can craft without interruption, that and the challenge over at Fetch a Sketch  finishes in a couple of hours and I made a card to enter.
I really will have to get my act together with scheduled posting this year, maybe that should be one of my resolutions, if I made then of course lol.

I am definitely going to get myself a light box for photography this year, photographs taken late at night on my craft table are not the best, sorry folks.
The central panel has been created using JGS273 Wheat, stamped and embossed using Versafine Vintage Sepia and then sponged with Victorian Velvet and Antique Linen Distress inks.

The ghosted images in the background have been created by stamping onto the background with the same stamp spritzed with water.
The greeting is also from Woodware FRCL154 Salutations.
I will be teaching this technique on Saturday at Davina's where I will also be showing them how to create the stitched border around the edge of the card.
Time for breakfast, my craftroom is calling, and the TV so that I can catch up with Barbara on Create and Craft. You never know I may see some of the cards that I have made for her.
hugs Kimx

Vintage Hearts and Love

Evening Everyone,
Have you had a good day full of crafting, I have.
I've managed to catch up on a few of the challenges and prep for my class next weekend, so all is good.
Let's hope that I can stay organised.

This week at Woodware Challenge 83 is Vintage Hearts and Love.
As usual I am very late to the party, maybe I will do better next week.
For my card I have used a fabulous Magenta stamp 37.257Q Retro Romance that I bought when I was in Skipton in August. It is such a fabulous stamp which has embossed beautifully using Versamark ink and Gold Embossing powder.

I trimmed the image and then sponged it with Antique Linen Distress ink. The hearts and flowers are painted using Victorian Velvet Distress ink and the leaves with Bundled Sage.
I also added some Stardust Gelly Roll pen which is very hard to see in this photo.

The gold embossed script  on the left-hand side of the card is actually one of the new Woodware stamps designed by the lovely Jane Gill. I hope that Dorothy doesn't mind me giving you a sneak peek.
I added some 30mm Cream Organza which I heated using my heat gun. It shrivels nicely to give added texture. Make sure that you tie the bow first, it's much easier that way.
Some assorted pearls complete the card.
I would like to enter it into the following challenges
Crazy 4 Challenges - Ribbons and Bows
4 Crafty Chicks - Ribbon and Bows
365 Cards - Be Mine Valentine
Hope you like it.
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

A Time for New Beginnings

Hi All
Are you back at work yet?
I have seen lots of Mum's today looking forward to next week. I know that you shouldn't wish away the weeks but the Christmas holiday always seems to be so much more stressful than the other school holidays. I'm sure that is due to all that sugar that there is lying around. The diet definitely needs to start real soon, but there are all of those lovely sweeties to finish off lol.
As well as Christmas cards I had several baby cards to make in December.

This card was made for a friends daughter on the birth of her first baby. Once again I reached for my Lili of the Valley pre-coloured images cut out using Nestabilities Labels 18.

The background papers are from my stash cut into squares. I added faux stitching to them using a fine black pen and then mounted them onto a square white card.

I added stamped greetings and several baby related items that were in a large bag of buttons I bought some years ago.
I would like to enter this into the following challenges where I think that a card for a new baby fits perfectly.
Lili's Little Fairies challenge - Something New
Winter Wonderland challenge - New beginnings
I think I have worked through my need for a granny nap, besides the Grandchildren are badgering me to use the computer so I think I might do a little crafting, oh the hardship :O)
Have a great evening.
hugs Kimx

Here's to a Happy and Prosperous 2013

Hi Everyone,
Happy New Year to You All.
I hope that you have not been suffering too much after all of the revelry last night. At work today we could tell when people got out of bed as we didn't start to get busy until about 11am lol.
What I want to know is who stole 2012 out from under me?? It seems to have positively flown by. Lets hope that 2013 slows down just a little or it will be Christmas again before we know it.
I'm not one for New Year Resolutions, although I did manage to blog every day last year until I had Internet issues when I was away in August, so lets see how far I get this year.
Did you make any resolutions?
I have been checking out the Christmas challenges already. As my friend Anne remarked Christmas cards are always so much easier to make once the pressure is off.
I shall definitely be following the challenges and adding to my card stash each month, it certainly made life easier last year. Maybe I should even consider writing them as I make them though since that is the bit that always seems to let me down.

This is the card that I made for my lovely Mum, she should finally have received it by now :O)
I just love this wonderful little bird from Stampendous.
He reminds me of winters as a child spent sitting watching out of the windows as the birds ate the berries and the food that we left for them. It always seemed to snow in the winter when I was a child, now we seem to get nothing but rain which I have to say I much prefer, I'm definitely getting old!!

The image has been painted using Distress inks and then cut out using Nestabilities Labels 18.
The lefthand background panel has been created using a Christmas Greetings Embossing folder which I spritzed with Goosebumps Shimmer Texture Spray and then coloured with Iced Spruce Distress Ink.

The Gold Embossed panel on the right hand side of the card has been created using a Holly Rollagraph, once again coloured with Distress inks Evergreen Bough and Festive Berries.

I added some stitching with a fine black pen, as well as some Glossy Accents and Stardust Stickles glue.
The ribbon was spritzed with water and screwed up before drying the creases in with a heat tool.
I would like to enter this into the following challenges.
ABC Challenges - E for Embossing
Crafty Hazelnut Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes
Have a very Happy New Year and a big hug from me.
Thanks for stopping by, I really do appreciate it.
Kimx

Someone to watch over Us

Hello All
I hope that you had a wonderful Christmas, in the company of friends and family, and that you are looking forward to 2013.

My Christmas was a little different than usual, but very enjoyable none the less.
My youngest Daughter's boyfriend runs a pub and so I went there after I finished work on Christmas Day. As it is a carvery and Andy had spent all day cooking roast dinners for everyone else, his tradition is to lock the pub (after the last guest has left) and the Assistant Manager cooks curry.
We had a great time sitting in the games room eating and watching Kung Foo Panda on the big screen - not a small child in sight. Perhaps this is the start of a whole new Christmas tradition for us.

This is the card that I made for Becki and Andy, and although Christmas is now a distant memory, it seems somewhat appropriate to post today for the Angel that has watched over us for the last 11 years, my Son Adam.

It will be difficult to celebrate, as it has been for a while, but I wish you All a very healthy and Happy 2013, and ask you to raise a glass to friends old and new, and those that are gone but never forgotten.
Have a good evening.
hugs Kimx