Chocolate!

Hello - nothing for weeks and then 2 posts!   Well I had to be quick with this one as I am just squeezing in with  Artistic Outpost's September Show us Your Art.  I've had these bits on my desk just waiting to be put together, but couldn't remember where I put my stash of corrugated card when I did my craftroom revamp, fortunately a parcel arrived yesterday  and I couldn't wait to open it so I could have the box and finish the card!
I am also entering this at:
  Vintage Stamping Challenge - Tic Tac Toe (top line - Twine (on the little tag), Vintage tones and people).

Thanks for visiting, I do appreciate it,
Avril xx

Autumn - Colours or Leaves at TioT

Hello -  yes -  I'm still around - just needed to take time out to catch up on a few things, but now I can't wait to get started again, which is just as well as there's a new challenge at Try it on Tuesday where our theme this time is 'Autumn'  -   Colours / Leaves - it's up to you how you interpret this as long as it has that Autumnal theme to it.
My make this time started by wanting to use a piece of leftover card that had been embossed with a brick stencil, and the TH Grass EF on the bottom,  it had been coloured up for another project, but had ended up in the bits box.  I also wanted to use the TH Autumn Gatherings die strip that I bought recently,  as well as some tiny acorns that were picked up on a recent walk.  The words are from a free stamp with CS magazine.  The top 2 leaves were made with papercraft clay.
The rest of the DT have some fabulous Autumn inspiration for you, so please pop over to the main blog  and check out all the details.
I am entering this at :
  That Craft Place - Anything Mixed Media
  Simply Create Too - Autumn Splendor
  Make My Monday - Autumn Colours

Thanks for visiting and I'll catch up with you very soon.
Avril xx

Add some Metal for TioT

It's time for a new Challenge at Try it on Tuesday and this time it's 'Add some Metal'  as usual it's up to you what you make and how you interpret this, as long as we can see some metal.
I decided on a canvas with some metal embellishments.  After a coat of Gesso, I dry brushed it with mix of PaperArtsy Snowflake and Taupe, then embossing paste through the TH Gothic stencil and also TWC script stencils. I dry brushed on a little more Taupe around the edges just to shabby it up a bit.  My flowers were all hand made in different shades so I gave them a thin coat of Gesso as I wanted some paler colour to show through. and as a contrast I coloured the leaves with Peeled paint and Forest moss DIs.  The wooden embellishments and chipboard letters were Gessoed and then distressed with Frayed Burlap before highlighting with Bronze gilding wax.  The pen nib and little washers were rusted with Alcohol inks and wax.
The rest of the DT have some fabulous inspiration for you so please pop over to the main blog where you will also find all the details.
I am entering this at:
  Frilly & Funky - Stamps be Gone
  Altered Eclectics - Anything Goes
  Eclectic Ellapu - Pink Team Anything Goes

Thank you for visiting, I do appreciate it.
Avril xx

Words for FSC

It's time for another challenge at Fashionable Stamping and this month the theme is 'Words' and for all the details please pop over to the main blog where there is also some fabulous inspiration form the rest of the DT.  Our sponsor for this challenge is Flonzcraft who are offering 1 Lucky Random Winner a $20 spend in their online store.
I've gone for a 4 x 8 card, the background was made with embossing paste through a Tim Holtz Flourish Stencil, I then added clear Embossing powder. which was heat set when the paste was dry. I used spray stains in Dried Marigold and Victorian Velvet. My butterfly was cut with the Tim Holtz Duo Butterfly die, I stamped Hero Arts French Script and heat embossed with Bronze EP, a little bit of shading with Victorian Velvet and Evergreen bough and then a rub with Frosted Lace Stickles, there is also a vellum layer. My ticket was stamped with Potting soil Archival along with the main sentiment, but that got the heat embossing treatment with clear powder.
It would be lovely if you could join us for this challenge, but remember we are a stamping challenge and your stamping must follow the current theme of Words.
  I am entering this at:
    Love to Create -  Anything ixed Media/Creative
    The Craft Barn - Stencils/masks
    Penny Black and More - Anything Goes

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday,
Avril xx

Mini File Folder Album

Hello and thanks for visiting,  crafting time has been a little short lately, but over the last few weeks I've been making a little mini file folder, I was inspired by the fabulous ones the very talented Astrid makes and when she kindly shared some gorgeous freebie papers, well I just couldn't resist.  This was a great little project to make as it was so easy to just pick up whenever, and the pages were stuck with d/s tape (boring job) but which is a nice easy thing to do when watching t.v.
My little folder was made following this video here
My cover started out as a piece of grey card, I used embossing paste through a couple of stencils then gave it a coat of gesso.  It was then sprayed, inked, sprayed and inked to within an inch of it's live, but now it has a lovely soft  leather feel to it, I was afraid at one stage that it might disintegrate!  The floral embellishment is paperclay, coloured with DIs and then given a coat of Glossy Accents.
The papers, all freebies from Astrid - Thank you - had a little distressing and extra stamping with Weathered wood DI.  A little bit picture heavy...

 And the back cover was given the same 'treatment'. The album has lots of pockets to store journalling notes and photographs.

Well, if you're still with me, hope you like my little album.
I am entering this at:
  Creative Corner - Anything but a Card
  Creative Inspirations -  Vintage
  Fab & Funky - Shabby Chic
  Deep Ocean Challenge - Shabby chic

Have a great weekend,
Avril xx
   

Christmas No.2

Hello and thanks for visiting, it's a very miserable grey day here in the N.E, so much so I struggled to get a decent photo and had to use the daylight lamp.  Christmas card no. 2, thought I'd better make a start - last year I ended up buying quite a few. I've used the TH mixed media die, again,( I really must use the others as much as I've used this one)  sprayed a piece of red card with the Tarnished Brass Stain to fit under the die cut area,  heat embossed some music script in gold on the smallest of the Tattered Poinsettia flowers, a little bit of foliage brushed with Enchanted Gold wax, quick but effective, especially if you want to make a few - I think I will be doing some die cutting  with the CB on my knee while watching t.v.
I am entering this at:
   Holly Jolly Christmas - Die cuts

I would like to say 'hello' and 'thank you' to a couple of new followers, it's lovely that you want to join me on my crafty journey.
That's it for now enjoy the rest of your week,
Avril xx

A catch up

Hello, well my week didn't go as planned, but I did manage a little play time to finish this card which was die cut and stencilled a few weeks ago - I suppose that's a good thing as I didn't have to worry about the embossing  being dry before I inked and sprayed! I've used Milled lavender on the top and Dusty concord on the base layer.

My butterfly had lots of inks and sprays before being given a coat of rock candy Distress crackle, just love all that crackle and shine, but so difficult to photograph.
I am entering this at:
   Eclectic Ellapu where the pink teams theme is Anything Goes
  Artistic Stamper - Things with Wings

I thought I would share this photos, we had the most beautiful sunset a couple of nights ago, and I couldn't resist taking this view from my craft room window.

Also, a few years ago DD bought me a fig plant for Mother's Day and for the last 3 years I have had about 6 figs each year, this year I've got about 12 and this is the first that has ripened and it's the biggest ever!  A fig this size grown outdoors in the N.E of England!!

That's all for now, off to make a cup of coffee and a Blogland catch up.
Avril xx

Try Something New for TioT

Hello, I've made my first Christmas card this year!  Well, the new challenge at Try it on Tuesday is 'Try Something New' - now that could be new stash/new technique - whatever as long as it's new and you tell us what the 'new' is.
I've used one of the Tim Holtz Holiday Knits rubber stamps, I picked them up at a local craft fair for £8 and they were new, such a bargain.  I've also used a new Tim Holtz Thinlits Blueprint Snowman, thanks Diane for letting me use it first.  His 'broom' is a new technique for me - Pamellia our very talented teamie did a little tutorial (probably last year) on making winter greens with a fringed die and this is my 'take' thanks Pamellia.
So lots of 'new' on my card, I need to think about making the rest now.
The rest of the DT have some fabulous 'new' things to show you, so please pop over to the main blog.
I'm sure you all have lots of 'new stuff' so why not show us and join in with this challenge.
I'm entering the following challenges:
  Holly Jolly Christmas - Use a Die
 
Have a great week,
Avril xx