Cards from Class by Linda and Tracy

Evening Everyone,
I hope that all you lovely Mums out there have been thoroughly spoilt on your special day.
I have had another wonderful day of teaching at SirStampalot.
We made a Stationery Box which I will share with you tomorrow, when I manage to get mine finished.
For tonight I thought you might like to see a couple of the cards that Linda and Tracy made to go inside their box.

This first card was made by Linda using the Field of Tulips stamp from Woodware. 

I did suggest this morning that I thought it would perfect for paper piecing and this is exactly what Linda has done here using the same papers that she used for her box. 

This second card was made by Tracy using Wildflowers with Label from Hero Arts.
I think you will agree that both of them have made a lovely card.
I'm off to bed now before the Internet decides to play up again, besides we have another early start again tomorrow, and shopping to do before we go in to work.
Well a Girl has to eat as well as craft you know lol.
hugs Kimx

Woodware Challenge - Colours of Spring

Good Morning Everyone,
I'm back again today with my latest card for the Woodware Challenge, where they are asking you for the 'Colours of Spring.
This should have gone live very early this morning, but the Internet crashed as I was writing it, and so now I have had to wait until everyone has resurfaced before I can get on any further.
I really must get a little more organised and then I could schedule it without panicking, still never mind, maybe one day lol.

This week they are asking for The Colours of Spring.
I have used FRS216 Field of Tulips.
It is a lovely big stamp which would work very well with paper piecing, but that's another card :)

I have stamped and embossed it onto a piece of Faux Mother of Pearl background and then coloured it with dye based inks.
I coloured the clouds, and also added some tiny dots with a white Gelly Roll Glaze pen.

Get Well Soon comes from another Woodware set FRCL198 Sail Away, but I think this card would work well for any occasion.

The background papers are all from the shelves at SirStampalot where I am staying for another week.
Of course there had to be some ribbon and Faux Card Candy.
I left the real thing at home so I improvised with a small circle punch and some of the background paper scraps.
I hope that this has inspired you and that you will join us this week with your take on The Colours of Spring.
Off to the shop now to get ready for my class.
Have a great Day.
Happy Stamping.
Kimx

Flower Labels with lemon juice

Evening Everyone
I hope that you have had a good start to your weekend.
It has been pretty wet in Peterborough, at least on and off, but I have still had a lovely day demoing here at SirStampalot.
Lots of lovely people have stopped in, including the sister of one my customers from the BP garage down in Surrey, it's a small world isn't it!!

This is the card that I made yesterday when I forgot to bring my camera home. It uses the lemon juice background technique that I have been showing people today.
I cut a lemon in half and tapped it onto white card stock which I then heated. The more lemon juice there is on the card the longer it will take to 'cook' and the darker it will turn, so you can control the colour to a certain degree.

Once the lemon juice has been heated I stamped and embossed Hero Arts K5583 Flower Label on to the card before sponging over the entire thing with Distress inks.
Best Wishes is taken from a Hobby Art clear set  which has been stamped and embossed into the label area of a second stamped image. This has been cut out and attached to the original panel using silicon to give it a padded effect.

The background papers used on the card are EB104 Okey Dokey Artichokey from Paper Loft and P442 Elm Point from Kaisercraft.
The border punch is by EK Succsess, and I added some stitching with a fine pen and faux card candy made from the left over lemon juice background.
I will be sharing this technique with the ladies in my class on Tuesday evening.
I must finish now as I still have my post to write for the next challenge over at Woodware. Perhaps you will stop by tomorrow and see what I have made.
hugs Kimx

Another card by Sylvie

Evening Everyone,
I can't believe that the first day of my holiday has finished already. I have been having a wonderful time sitting in the shop playing.
It's a bit like letting a child loose in a sweetie shop though, so I have been shopping for England lol.
I spent part of the day working on my next DT card for Woodware, which obviously I can't share yet, so I also managed to get a card finished for my demo tomorrow.
I carefully made a list of all the stamps and papers that I had used so that it would make it easier to write the post when we got back to the flat, and guess what, my camera is still sitting on the table at work, so there goes that blog post aaargg!!!!!!
I am too tired to try and find another card to share so instead I thought I would show you another of Sylvie's stunning creations.
Sylvie is one of the ladies from my classes in Purley, and she had asked to borrow this wonderful Woodware Egyptian stamp set from me.

I think you will agree that what she made is amazing, and so much better in the flesh since you can see all the Pearlex and gilding to best advantage.

As you can see she has made an Easel card using papers from her stash. A truly wonderful work of art, and something I for one would be honoured to receive.
I'm off to bed now, another long day on the cards tomorrow.
I will be doing an all day Demo tomorrow at SirStampalot so I look forward to seeing you, the kettle will be on lol.
Hugs Kimx

A Birthday Card for Barbara

Evening Everyone,
On Tuesday it was the birthday of the lovely Barbara Grey, and this is the card that I made for her.

I'm rather hoping that she got so many cards that she won't notice that mine will be fashionably late as always lol.

I have, of course, used a Clarity stamp Snowdrop which has been stamped and embossed onto a piece of background paper created using the Faux Mother of Pearl technique.
The background papers are from my stash, although I have added some subtle stamping around the edges.
Happy Birthday is part of another Clarity Corner stamp.

I added some buttons made with a Stampin Up die and some metallic clips. I hope she likes it, when it finally arrives.
I started my holiday this afternoon, and am writing this from my 'Crafty Corner' at SirStampalot.
My table was ready for me on arrival along with a 'Challenge' pile and a crate for my shopping lol.
Why not stop by and say Hello, I'm here for over a week.
Hugs Kimx 

A Christmas card for Fetch a Sketch challenge 19

Evening everyone,
I have been babysitting this evening while my Daughter and Sin-in-Law went to Megan's first Parents Evening at Secondary School.
Of course we had to watch our favourite babysitting film Mulan and eat Cream and Caramel eggs.
Yes I am a bad Mamma, fill them full of sugar and E numbers just before bedtime. Still I did brush their teeth so I'm not all bad lol.

I have joined in with the latest challenge over at Fetch a Sketch and came up with another Christmas card.

The stamped panel was once again created using Stampin Up stamps and ink only this time I cut it into 9 squares and mounted them onto white card stock.

I tapped pine cone ink around the edges of each square, before mounting them onto the small white card.

I would also like to enter this into the picture inspired challenge over at Weekly Christmas Card challenges.

I had better get to bed now. 

I'm off to SirStampalot tomorrow for my holiday. Lots of late nights and early mornings, I am soooo looking forward to it.

Maybe you will pop in and say Hi, I look forward to seeing you.

Hugs Kimx

A Card for 52(Christmas) Card Throwdown

Evening Everyone,
Just a quick post tonight.
This is a card that I have made to enter into the challenge over at 52(Christmas) Card Throwdown, where this week they are looking for Red, Green and Blue, and of course a Christmas card.

The main stamped panel was made using a Stampin Up stamp and ink pad. The bauble has been stamped multiple times onto white card before re-inking.
I added a panel of chequered paper punched down one side using my Woodware Crafty Edger Japanese Fan cassette.

The greeting is also from Stampin Up. I have added some metallic nailheads and tiny drops of Glossy Accents   to the baubles.
Off to bed now, nite, nite.
Hugs Kimx

A couple of Thank You cards

Evening Everyone,
I don't know about you, but I have a drawer full of cards that I have made over the years.
Sometimes there is one there that is ready to go, although  most of the time I have to make something new because what is there is some how just not quite right lol.
These cards were made quite some time ago using a stamp that I got at a Stampin Up party.

Both of these cards use background paper made from Adirondack Colourwash inks.
As you may have guessed I do like playing around with inks and creating backgrounds.

The background on this first card has been made by spraying white card stock with a combination of Denim and Wild Plum ink sprays. This has then had cling film placed over it to create this stunning effect.
If the card stock is not quite wet enough when the clingfilm is applied, then the inks will not blend and it leaves a spotty effect, which can be seen in some places on this card.
I painted some of the images with thin undiluted bleach, another of my favourite ingredients to play with.

This second card has been made in the same manner as the first only I didn't use any cling film once I had sprayed the card.
Because the ink is water based, a wet paint brush will help to move it around without the need for any extra ink, so this is how I have painted the leaves.

I added a couple of extra images to both of the cards.
My daughter Becki gave these to the Nurses at the hospital where she completed her 2nd year placement recently.
I have my uses it would appear, even if it is only to provide handmade greetings cards lol.
Happy Crafting
hugs Kimx

Vintage Challenge at The Stampman

Evening Everyone
I am afraid that I am very late with another of my DT cards this week, so lets hope that you feel that what I have come up with is worth the wait.
The challenge at The Stampman this time has been set by Jill (Mrs Stamp Man) who has chosen Vintage for her theme. As usual there is a top prize of £10 to spend at The Stamp Man.

I have followed the lovely sketch over at Addicted to Stamps to help me create my card.

The central stamped panel has been made using a technique that I found in an old issue of Craft Stamper. It has been made by using lemon juice on card stock which is then heated till it goes brown. 

It does take quite a long time, so do be patient, but once dye based ink has been sponged over it, it makes the most fabulous background. Here I used Tumbled Glass, Stormy Sky and Broken China distress ink pads.

I will try and find the actual issue so I can give you all the details, but I have so much more to do today that it may have to wait.

The floral stamp that I have used is from a Magenta clear stamp set CS043 Botanical stamped and embossed with Vintage Sepia versafine ink and clear embossing powder.

The background papers are from my stash, and I have used a Martha Stewart punch along the edge of the script panel. I also added some lace and a Tim Holtz Adage Ticket. 

The brown panel has been made by painting coffee onto card stock and covering it with cling film. Leave the cling film in place until dry and you have fabulous handmade background paper.
They have a Bingo challenge over at Fashionable Stamping and so I have used the central line from that which requires Lace, Distressing and Buttons.
I had better go and do some visiting now, I might even get around to leaving comments if blogger will allow, although looking at the time I think perhaps I had better get to bed lol.
Hugs Kimx

Good Luck with the Woodware Challenge

Hi,
It's me again, back for the new challenge over at Woodware, where I am lucky enough to be the Guest Designer for the month of March.
The challenge this week is Good Luck, and I have found it to be a tricky one. For starters I hadn't realised just how few Good Luck stamps there seem to be available.
I asked several Crafty Friends what they thought of as being suitable for a Good Luck card and the list was fairly small - 4 leaf clover, Leprechauns and Black cats.
I did consider an Oriental card with a Good Luck symbol on it, but then finally decided on some black cats. It's amazing what you come across when you are actually looking for something else lol.

The main image on this card is an old Magenta stamp 23.293J Double Cat Squares. I stamped it out 3 times and have then done a little bit of decoupage. 

I also added a couple of metallic swirly clips and some stitching.

The square panels have been painted using Gelly Roll glaze pen. Scribble it onto your craft mat and then pick it up with a waterbrush and use it just like paint. Thank you Francoise for that little tip.
Each of the four small coloured squares have been cut out and embossed from the back on a foam mat using a large ball tool.

I stamped the cats onto black card and then cut them out. The squares have been added to the main panel using silicon glue to add a little depth. The black cats have been added on top of this, again using silicon.
Tip to self - make sure the silicon is dry from adding the squares, before trying to attach the cats :)

I have added some stitching and then mounted the square onto black glossy, and then blue card stock.
The green background panel has been made from a piece of paper from my stash which has been stamped and embossed using Good Luck from FRCL080 Mixed Greetings and the paw print from FRCL124 Groovy Cats. Both of these sets are made by Woodware.

This is not a very good picture of the items that I have used, but I thought it might make it easier for you to know what to look for.
I had so much fun making this that I got a little carried away and made a second card :)

This uses another old Magenta cat stamp 23.395K. I have created a background panel by stamping and embossing the image repeatedly onto white card stock. I added the same small Good Luck stamp that I used on the previous card into the gaps.

I have sponged Weathered Wood and Black Soot distress inks around the edges of this panel and then tapped a black versafine pad along the edge before embossing them with clear embossing powder. 

Once again I have painted the squares using Gelly Roll glaze pen.
Good Luck is from FRCL080 Mixed Greetings and I have used a small circle punch to add the cats heads to the panel.

I really should have got these made earlier this week as I needed one of them for my youngest daughter Becki. She took her 1st semester, 2nd Year Nursing exam on Friday.
Fortunately she passed so she didn't need any help from my black cats after all lol.
I do hope that you will join in HERE with the challenge this week, I look forward to seeing what everyone else comes up with.
Happy Crafting
Hugs Kimx

Better late that never to the challenge at Crafty Cardmakers

Evening Everyone,
I hope that you have all been having a wonderfully creative day.
I'm afraid that I am a week late with my card for the challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers.
This time Susie is the host, and her challenge is a Sketch.

We are sponsored for this challenge by ONE STOP CARD CRAFTS who are offering a £10 voucher for their store as a prize, and also by DIGI DOODLE SHOP who are offering a $10 Gift Certificate for the store.

I do love using sketches to help me when creating a card so here is what I made using Susie's.

This is once again a card ordered by my friend Lorraine.
She is very specific with her list of requirement, which this time were a Thank You card to include flowers, pale blues, bling and a message inside.

I know that Lorraine has a fondness for the large 8x8 cards, but as I needed to add flowers which would then require a box, I had to stick to something smaller, so an easel card seemed the way to go.

The stamped panel has been created using various Hobby Art stamps and dye based inks.
I have used Barbara's trick with the circle cut from a post it note placed onto the card before you start sponging on the colour.

The flowers were cut out using a Magnolia DooHickey Vintage Daisies, and I also added a Doohickey border, some ribbon and ribbon slider. The centres to the flowers are a mixture of homemade and shop bought Card Candy.

The background papers are from my stash, and I have also added some of my favourite magnolia swirls with 2nd generation ink. The greetings are by Hobby Art.

The message inside the card was written on my computer and then cut out using a nestie. The small flowers are also made from a DooHickey, and the leaves are from a Martha Stewart punch.

I added some stamen, a pearl headed pin and of course the required bling.

I know that Lorraine loved it, and I hope that you do too.

Don't forget to join us over at Crafty Cardmakers, you still have another week till the challenge ends, so why not check out what the rest of the team have come up with.

Happy Crafting

hugs Kimx

'Doggy Pile' shaker card

Evening Everyone
I made this card for Lorraine to give to her friend.
She actually wanted 'Real dogs' but the best that I could come up with was cute, and boy are they ever lol.

The main image is a lovely Whipper Snapper stamp called 'Doggy Pile' which I have coloured using distress inks.

No self respecting doggy card would be without a tree, so I added one X9623 Magnolia Tree.
I decided to make it into a shaker card.

The fence is a DooHickey with a Martha Stewart icicle punch to create the grass.

The paw prints and bones are from a Penny Black sticker sheet and the greeting was printed out on my computer, just as Lorraine requested.

The birthday greeting on the front of the card was stamped and embossed using letters and greetings from 2 different clear stamp sets.
I am really enjoying the challenges that Lorraine has given me lately. She is already planning what she wants for her Dad's birthday card, and Father's Day, and a wedding in August...... I can see I am going to have to get my thinking cap on.
Have a good weekend filled with Crafting.
Hugs Kimx 

THIS HAS GOT TO STOP

Evening Everyone
Even though I have been unable to sort the nasty issues that seem to have overtaken my crafting lately, due to the injured parties failure to come forward and contact me direct, I really had hoped that everyone had felt able to move on from it.
Unfortunately this does not seem to have been the case.
As much as I truly appreciate the messages of support that I have received, I have never once tried to whip people up in to a frenzy or suggest that they leave any sort of comment be it good or bad.
I would therefore respectfully ask that people stop.
My Grandmother always said that if you can't say anything nice perhaps it is better to say nothing at all, and I have to say that on this particular occasion I agree with her wholeheartedly.
I really don't know what else to say other than once again to ask that the person that I have appartently wronged so shamefully contact me direct.
As I have said before I am more than happy to admit my mistakes if I have made them, but l need to be given the evidence of my apparent wrong doing.
It has never been my wish for this to escalate into a slanging match.
All I have ever wanted is to get this matter sorted out once and for all but I can't do that if the person in question will not get in touch.
We are all human and capable of making mistakes, and I will willingly own up to mine but I have to be given the necessary information in order to do so.
This situation has gone too far and I am really not sure what else I can do to resolve it.
Perhaps we would do well to think of something that was in the papers today. Six of our brave troops were killed.
Doesn't that just go to show how short life is, and how there are matters of far greater importance than what feels to me like playground bullying.
PLEASE, PLEASE let it stop.
hugs
Kimx

Look what Sylvie made

Evening Everyone,

Nothing from me tonight, but I just had to share this card with you.

It has been made by Sylvie, one of the lovely ladies that come to my classes at Davina's.

In fact Sylvie acts as my taxi service to and from classes.

She lives just down the road from me and has always generously offered me a lift there and back.

I love it when people share with me cards that they have made, and this was something that Sylvie showed us on her camera last Saturday.

I asked her if I could see it in the flesh, and take a couple of pictures to show you all as I think it is just stunning. Believe me the pictures really do not do it justice.

I won't even attempt to list all of the equipment that she has used, but I do know that all of the flowers are handmade. Sylvie likes to sit in front of the TV in the evening and make them.

The card has been made using scalloped Nesties, and the greeting is from Lili of the Valley, but I don't know what the main image is.

I love all of the little extra details that she has added, like the 40th at the front.
I for one would be thrilled to receive this.
She even made a box for it Gill :)
Well done Sylvie this is perfect.
You have plenty of time to make more flowers, my birthday isn't until October lol.
hugs Kimx