Gone Fishing

Hi All
No Internet connection yesterday, so there went all my good intentions.
The start of the new school year also saw the birthday of the Twins Headmaster. They both wanted to give him a card, so here is the one that Ciaran chose.

Luckily I have quite a stash of cards for just such an occasion, although not too many are cards for men.

I wonder if this is how the Head likes to spend his weekends?

The fish panel has been coloured using Distress Inks.

I painted the fish in the green panel with thin neat bleach, and added some fishing line and a charm.

The back of the card has been embossed with leaves and then sponged with more Distress Ink.
There is a combination of Woodware and Hobby Art stamps here which just goes to show how lucky I am to work with two such fabulous companies.
Better try and  get some sleep, my arm is giving my jip tonight.

Hugs Kimx

Belated Birthday Wishes for Sylvie

Hi Guys,
I am so glad that I have so many things already made to share with you since my crafting today has consisted of one handmade envelope and three card inserts and that's me done for!!
I tried a little bit of sponging with a Tim Holtz handle, and the Woodware variety and it was excruciating, so that's a definite no no for the moment at least.
Now the Doctor at the fracture clinic did recommend gentle exercise so I am not doing anything that I shouldn't, it's obviously not quite gentle enough lol.

The day of my little mishap was also my good friend Sylvie's 70th birthday. In all of the fuss getting to the hospital it completely slipped my mind so her card was a little late in it's delivery. Still that just extends the celebrations doesn't it!

Fortunately I made her card before I went away, otherwise she might still be waiting.
The background has been created using my Gelli Plate, acrylic paints, stencils and dye based inks.

It was in my stash of backgrounds and was actually one of the first that I ever made using the Gelli Plate so please don't expect me to remember exactly what I did to create it.

The vase of flowers is from a Hobby Art stamp set Sharon's Birthday Vase which I have coloured using Distress inks and the 'Wet Watercolour Technique'.

I cut the panel out with a Nestie and added some Faux Stitching, ribbon (from SirStampalot) and a button from my stash.
I also added some Crackle Medium to the vase and used a little bleach on the Lili of the Valley flowers.
I know that Sylvie likes her garden, as well as her crafting so I thought that this was a good way of combining both.

 

My elbow is now starting to turn lovely shades of purple and yellow, very colourful don't you think?
Have a good evening,
hugs Kimx

Welcome to the Weekend, I'm only a week late with CCM&More

Evening Everyone,
Are you having a good weekend? I'm sorry that it has taken me so long to get this card posted, but everything seems to be taking me such a long time to do. Even simple tasks seem to take forever.

Monday saw the start of a new challenge over at CCM&More where our lovely new Teamie Pamellia has chosen the Triple 'B' for her challenge. You need to pick at least 3 of the 5 options below and use them on your project. Not 3 butterflies for example, but butterflies, birthday and buttons would be 3 and so on. 

Butterflies
Blue
Birthday
Banners
Buttons

 

I chose a fabulous butterfly stamp from Stampendous for my first B, stamped and embossed onto a piece of handmade background paper created using dye based inks and the Creative Palette.

My second B is Blue and I have used more of the dye based ink to colour my butterfly, along with a little clear Wink of Stella for a little sparkle.

It is hard to see in the picture I'm afraid, although it is perhaps a little more obvious in this one.

My third B is Birthday which I have used in both the background,

and also the Banner above the Butterfly.

This Hobby Art sentiment is so useful and is part of a fabulous clear stamp set called  Birthday Collection.

I so enjoyed this challenge that I actually got a little bit carried away, and made another couple of cards.

This one fits all the criteria for the challenge - Butterfly, Birthday and Blue.

While this one would be deleted as it only has two of the required elements - Butterfly and Blue.
I hope that you will join us in our challenge. You still have a week to go, but PLEASE, PLEASE read the challenge rules properly, and don't forget to stop by and show the rest of the team some love. There are some truly stunning creations from my fellow Teamies.
Off to bed now, my arm is really aching from all this typing so I think that I had better rest it. Although sleeping is always a challenge when you can't get comfortable.
I'll try and post again tomorrow as I have so many cards to share with you, but I make no promises, just in case lol.
Hugs and sleep well.
Kimx

Welcome to your New Pub

Evening All
Sorry I have been missing for a few days but I have been visiting my daughter and her partner in their new Pub, so plenty of train travel and no Internet.
My 'trip' has also ended rather eventfully as I stumbled and fell on the way to the station to come home and have ended up with a fractured elbow!! It was x-rayed at A&E last night and I am now waiting for an appointment at the fracture clinic on Thursday.
Of course it would be my right hand, so everything is taking forever to do, even the simplest of things like putting on your bra, or doing up a zip, but at least I can do somethings, just no lifting.

 This is the card that I sent to welcome Becki and Andy to their new home.

The central image is fabulous Lili of the Valley topper that is just perfect for a New Home card.
I created a 'Patchwork' panel down the left hand side with papers that matched the colouring on the image.

The flowers are all hand made,

and I also added some die cut leaves.

The sentiments are also by Lili of the Valley die cut on Kraft and cream card using a fabulous Magnolia DooHickey die set.

I also die cut the fence twice and offset it slightly so that it showed up better.

They took their three cats with them, so they had to be added to the card along with some die cut grass.

I added Glossy Accents to the vase, clock and TV.

My card now has pride of place at the end of the bar,

in amongst the beer.

I seem to have spent most of today sleeping, not from the influence of beer either lol.
Let's hope that I can manage to do a little more tomorrow. This post seems to have taken me all day!!
I would like to enter it into the following challenges

Blue Ocean Challenge - At least One Flower
Pinspirational Challenges - Any Kind of Project
Sweet Stamps Challenge - Dies
Through the Craftroom Door - Anything Goes
Crafty Bloggers Network - Anything Goes

Happy Crafting and Hugs
Kimx

You are in my thoughts Sylvie

Evening Everyone.
Unfortunately, as well as hand delivering a Wedding card to Sylvie on Saturday morning, I also had to deliver a sympathy card.

Her Son-in-law sadly lost his battle to cancer on Friday morning and so I wanted to let her know that I was thinking of her.

The panel on this card was made using Versamark Ink, Decorating Chalks and a sentiment from Woodware.
Sylvie will be attending the funeral tomorrow so my thoughts will be with her and her family.
Hugs Kimx

To Have and To Hold

Evening Everyone
Have you had a good Monday?
Time really does seem to be running away with me just lately. Friday evening saw me frantically finishing a card for my good friend Sylvie to take with her to her son's wedding, the following day!!!

Fortunately I had a Lili of the Valley panel already die cut and mounted in my 'bits box'.

The embossed background was also lurking amongst the goodies, so I just added a little Spanish Topaz Treasure Gold to highlight the beautiful embossing.

I added some pearls and and Cosmic Shimmer Black Pearl dots, as well as some glitter to the Brides flowers.

I added some ribbon and lace across the center of the card,

and a LOTV sentiment from a limited edition stamp set that I bought from Create and Craft some time ago.
I left the card to dry overnight and then hand delivered it to Syvie's in the morning. It was so early I even managed to catch her in her nightie. I am hoping that I will get to see some rather more fetching pictures over a cup of coffee tomorrow lol.
She tells me that the wedding went brilliantly so I shall look forward to a catch up, and maybe a picture or two.
Here's to the Happy Couple. Have a great life.
Hugs Kimx

Magic Painting for Grown Ups!!

Hi Guys
I really am turning into a rubbish blogger. I don't know where the time goes to, but here I am a week late with my DT post for Hobby Art.

I decided that I would share a card that I made in a recent class using one of my all time favourite stamp sets.

I have created a panel using the Resist Technique. (Stamp image onto Glossy card stock using a Versamark Inkpad, heat set, sponge with Dye Based Ink to reveal your stamped images.) 
Magic Painting for Grown Ups!!

It is possible to use both fine line and detailed images with this technique. It even works really well with words as you can see. Once the panel has been sponged with colour (I used a Kaleidacolor Inkpad for this piece) buff with a piece of kitchen paper to remove any excess ink. I have also stamped and embossed a sentiment into the corner using Onyx Black Versafine and clear embossing powder.

The background card has been dry embossed using a Dotty Embossing folder and then mounted onto a white card base. I'm afraid that the pictures make it all look dark blue, where in fact it is a rather subtle mixture of pinks and purple.
Let’s hope that my next post will be a little more on time, or I may find myself sacked from the team lol.

I'm off to finish a couple more samples for Jenny’s next TV appearance. I've had more lovely new stamps to play with, how lucky am I?

 Hugs and happy stamping Kimx

Ribbons/Lace and Pearls for Crafty Cardmakers and More

Hi All
It's Monday again, so it is time for a new challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers and More. Jackie is hosting our challenge today and her theme is 'Ribbons/Lace and Pearls', so she would like to see ribbons or lace, {or both} AND pearls on your creations.
We are sponsored by WOODWARE CRAFT COLLECTION and also by DI'S DIGISTAMPS.

For my card I have used one of my all time favourite stamps from Stampendous CRP107 Agapanthus Cluster, and a Black and White colour combo, another favourite thing. 

I stamped and embossed the image using Onyx Black Versafine Ink and Clear Embossing Powder and then die cut it using an oval Grand Nestie.
The large die cut is by Go Create and I have sponged it with Black Soot Distress Ink.

The embossed background has been embellished with tiny black flatback pearls.
Its amazing what can be found in your stash when you look hard enough. The fancy button was given to me by my friend Cheryl in a box of assorted buttons. It works just perfectly with the bow made from Organza Ribbon.
The sentiment is part of another favourite stamp, this time from Hobby Art. Here I have only used three lines from the stamped image.
I would like to enter this into the following challenges
Scrapbook Stamp Society Challenge - Anything Goes + option of use buttons
Pink Elephant Challenge - TPE268 Embossing
Vintage Stamping Challenge - Anything Goes

Don't forget to stop by and show the rest if the CCM team some love, and also check out the Woodware Girls as they are joining in with us this time.
Happy Stamping and hugs 
Kimx

Paper and Punches

Evening All,
I just don't know where the time has gone to. I can't believe that I haven't posted anything since this time last week.
I have been trying to be much more organised at home, but I'm afraid that this doesn't seem to have left me much time to blog, there just aren't enough hours in the day.
The wonderful Girls over at Woodware have been playing with punches this week, so I thought that it was about time that I joined in. Shame it has taken me till now to do so lol.

As usual I got a bit carried away, but then punched backgrounds are such a great way of using up those small bits of card and paper that are 'just too good to throw away.'

I chose some pieces of Bazill card stock and several different square and rectangular punches. I also rounded most of the corners with a 'Corner Rounder' punch.

I suppose that I did things a little bit back to front, since I didn't look through my bits box for some co-ordinating stamped pieces until after I had made the punched backgrounds!!

Note to self - co-ordinate your pieces better next time.
As you can see I have managed to finish a few more Christmas cards,

and an 'All Occasion' card as well.
I will be back again tomorrow as we have a new challenge over at CCM&More.
See you.
Hugs Kimx