Merry Christmas

 Just popping in to Wish you all a Merry Christmas. 

My Best Wishes for a Happy, Healthy  and Crafty New Year.

Avril xx

Stamping Sensations Mid Month

We're halfway through our last challenge of the year at Stamping Sensations and it's a nice easy one - Select the Theme and Stamp It.  I've been on a mission with the Christmas cards, so another great opportunity for me to get some more done.

My background was cream card that had been dipped into a watery mix of Tarnished Brass stain, which of course doesn't show in the photo.  The poinsettia was masked before adding some stamped greenery.

My greeting was stamped and embossed, with WOW Metallic Gold Rich powder, which looks very pale in the photo, but it does have a lovely sparkle - except on dull days when you need to take a photo!!

The rest of the Design Team have some great makes on show, so please pop over to the main blog, where you will also find all the challenge details.

Thanks for calling in, have a great weekend.

Avril x

Snowflakes at Try it on Tuesday

 

Snowflakes is our last challenge of the year at Try it on Tuesday - where has this year gone!

Another Christmas card for me, I used texture paste through a TH stencil, sprinkled with white EP and left it to dry before heating with a heat gun.  I used Speckled egg distress spray for the background, I like to dab with kitchen towel to move the ink, but it still retains that sprayed/mottled look.  I heat set white EP as an edging for my panel and then sprayed Shimmer spray for a gorgeous sheen, which of course doesn't show in the photo!

 I cut two snowflakes - one glitter card, the other from silver Angel fibres that I'd stuck onto pearl card and slightly off set them to add some depth and added a large crystal.  'Believe' was originally cut in white glitter card, but didn't show well, so I rubbed it with glue and added blue glitter, the little snowflake was cut with off cuts from the large snowflake.  This card has 

The rest of the DT have some fabulous inspirations, so please pop over to the main blog to find out what they've been up to.  Details of the challenge and some dates for your diaries are also included.

Thanks for visiting, I do appreciate it,

Have a great day, Avril xx

Choose a Theme and Stamp It at Stamping Sensations

 

Morning folks, it's time for a new challenge at Stamping Sensations and it's the last on of the year - so a nice easy one  Choose a Theme and Stamp It -  and it can be for any occasion.  

There's also a fabulous prize from Stix2 containing lots of practical goodies that we all use in our day to day crafting.

I've made another Christmas card using my jolly snowman and I've given him a lovely snowy scene as a backdrop, and as I've still got a few cards to make, this was a  great challenge theme for me.                         

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 challenge details.

I am going to enter this at We Love Stamping - Anything Goes with the option of CAS - mine's more AG!

Thanks for calling in, have a great day. 

Avril x

Snowy Bauble

 

Well, this post was supposed to be for yesterday but........... anyhow, it still fits in with our challenge of Winter Wonderland at Try it on Tuesday and there's still almost another week to join in, we'd love to see you there.

Anyhow, after seeing lots of inspiration last year using the Sweet Poppy Snowflake Bauble, I bought it this year as I knew I would be able to make some quick cards with it.  The stencil is so detailed it doesn't need a lot, so there have been a few makes with just a greeting stamped inside the bauble.  

However on Saturday, I decided to have a play with different scenes inside the bauble.  This little scene (stamp has lost it's packaging and I'm not sure of the maker) was stamped with Versa Fine Clair Twilight and there's lots of snowy glitter on there too, but it doesn't show in the picture.

I really do like this stencil and it so versatile and I did a few with Artistic Outposts Snowy cabin.

I am entering this at Allsorts - Hand Stamped or Digital image

Thanks for calling in, have a great day.

Avril xx

Winter Wonderland at Try it on Tuesday

 Our new challenge at Try it on Tuesday is Winter Wonderland.  I 've used these sweet girls from Crafty Individuals and created a Winter Wonderland scene around them.  Some masking for the hills along with white Fun Flock for the snow on the pine trees and a good sprinkling of Chunky White embossing.

The rest of the team have some great inspirations for you, so please pop over to the main blog where you will also find all the challenge details.

Thanks for calling in,

Avril xx

Christmas Magic

It's Mid Month inspiration time at Stamping Sensations and the DT have come up with some fabulous projects to inspire you, so please pop over to the main blog, where you will also find all the challenge details, plus,  there's a chance to win a £25 online spend from  'be Creative'
 

Also, there's an extra prize of these dies and stamps

I built up a little snowy scene for my jolly snowman using Distress inks and torn paper masks for the hills, he has a sparkly scarf and hat and I used fun flock and chunky white embossing for the snow, well that's another for the Christmas box - but I think I might be buying some this year!

Avril xx

Make it Magical at Try it on Tuesday

 Make it Magical is our new challenge this fortnight at Try it on Tuesday and we would love to see your interpretation of this - be it the Magic of Christmas, a Magical Scene or a Magical Moment or whatever 'Magical' means to you.

Believe in the Magic of Christmas was my inspiration for this challenge, there's nothing more magical that believing in Santa in his sleigh, journeying around the world on Christmas Eve sliding down the chimney and leaving all the good boys and girls presents to open on Christmas Day.

The design team all have different interpretations of 'Magical' so please pop over to the main blog where you will also find all the challenge details.

I am going to enter this at We Love Stamping - Christmas

Two posts in two days!!!  I really must try harder and not neglect this blog as much, but when DD says - "What are you doing today, can we pop over? /Do you want to meet up and go for a walk" 

 

well I can't say no to those two little munchkins,  so all those good intentions go .....

Thanks for calling in, Avril x

Just Christmas at Stamping Sensations

The first Sunday of the month means that there's a new challenge at Stamping Sensations and this month it's all about Christmas.  We have  be Creative!  sponsoring our 'Just Christmas' challenge with a £25 store voucher

I've used  Crafty Individuals CI 556 as my main image on a stencilled background. I heat embossed the image and after colouring I added glossy accents to the pinecone. I masked the image and then stamped

 some music script and embossed with gold EP in gold

The Design Team have some wonderful inspiration for you, so please pop over to the main blog, where you will also find all the challenge details.

I am going to enter this at the newly renamed  We Love Stamping  - Christmas

Have a great day,

Avril x

It's All About Time at Try it on Tuesday

 

It's All About Time for this challenge at Try it on Tuesday and It's up to you how you interpret 'Time'

I've decided it's Party Time - especially with a quote that says 'Time to Drink Champagne'' which was from a magazine.  My lady is  an old Flonzcraft stamp and I've coloured the die cut alarm clock with Brushed Pewter stain.

The rest of the Design Team have all interpreted 'Time' differently, so please pop over to the main blog to see what they have been up to.

I've not been up to much, except help look after poorly babies every day last week, but I'm pleased to say they're back to their normal happy selves, just in time to go to their Toddler Group Halloween Party, which was fancy dress and of course they just had to call in and show off their Pumpkin costumes.

Look at us!

But don't worry, I look just as silly as you!

Thanks for calling in,

Have a great day, Avril xx

Mid month for Animals, Birds and Bugs at Stamping Sensations

 

It's Mid Month Inspiration time at Stamping Sensations for our challenge Animals, Birds and Bugs, 

and I'm going very CAS compared to my previous piece for the challenge.  I've used a stamp from Colorado Craft Company, along with one of the sentiments included in the stamp set.  I've stamped onto linen card and Versamark ink and a little watercolouring. very CAS, but this sweet bear doesn't need anything else.

The rest of the Design Team have some great inspiration for you, so please pop over to the main blog and while you're there, you'll see that we are having a DT call and you'll also find the details of how to apply.

Thanks for calling in,

Have a great day, Avril x

Halloween at Try it on Tuesday

 

It's a new challenge at Try it on Tuesday and it's time to show us your spooky creations because it's October and that means Halloween!  The Design team have some fabulous inspiration so please pop over to the main blog for all the details.

I don't know what that bird is eating, but it looks juicy and that looks like blood dripping!  I borrowed the bird stamp from my friend and used some branches/trees to create  the spooky forest after masking off a moon.

Talking of moons, we visited Durham Cathedral's 'Museum of the Moon Exhibition'  by Luke Jerram.  The installation is a seven-meter diameter moon hung in the nave.  It really is amazing to see in real life.

Thanks for calling in today, 

Avril xx

Animals, Birds and Bugs at Stamping Sensations

It's time for a new challenge at Stamping Sensations and this month it's all about Animals, Birds and Bugs and one lucky winner could win a £25 online voucher from  Stamp Addicts .

I've use one of the Crazy Dogs from Tim Holtz on a resist background, using an AALL & Create Circled numbers stamp, which was embossed with white EP and then coloured with watercolours and Distress inks.

The rest of the Design Team have some fabulous inspiration for you, so please pop over to the main blog, where you will also find all the challenge details.

A busy day here as we've had the twins for a sleep over last night,  Mummy and Daddy are celebrating their Wedding Anniversary, so a well deserved night off to go out for a meal.

Enjoy your day, whatever you're doing.

Avril xx

Autumn Blessings

 Autumn is such a beautiful time of the year and that's what we're celebrating this fortnight at Try it on Tuesday.

I love the colours of Autumn leaves and I feel lucky living on the edge of a wood where I can see them changing day by day, although I don't always feel so happy when I have to gather the piles of fallen leaves up!

When my children were small we loved nothing better than a walk in the woods, kicking the leaves and gathering the most interesting to take home and make collage pictures, leaf paint prints and etchings and I've tried to capture this with my journal page, using some die cut leaves and some little Autumn gatherings from a recent walk.

The rest of the Design Team have some lovely inspiration for you, so please pop over to the main blog and pay them a visit.

I'm going to join in the fun at Art Journal Journey where this month Wendy has chosen the theme of Vintage as I'm hoping my picture of this young woman and my 'vintage' quote qualify.

Thanks for calling in today, I really appreciate it.

Avril xx

Mid Month Favourite at Stamping Sensations

 

Hello, we're halfway through the month at Stamping Sensations where our theme is Favourite Stamp of the Moment and I've another favourite image to share with you - an all time favourite of the moment as regular visitors will realise - Visible Image Creative Chaos.

It's another Oxide ink on Glossy paper background and |I've stamped an extra flower head onto watercolour card and coloured with pinks to match the Kitsch Flamingo ink used in the background.  A simple go to greeting, again stamped in black.

Please pop over to the main blog to see what favourites the DT have chosen and you'll also find details of our Sponsor Crafting.co.uk.

Thanks for calling in, have a great day,

Avril xx

Going Round in Circles at TioT

 We're Going Round in Circles at Try it on Tuesday this fortnight, a fun challenge so I thought I'd do a fun card as I do need some 'girly' cards for birthdays this month.

I've used a Flonzcraft image and a circle stencil for the background.  I've lost the packaging for the quote, so not sure where this came from.

The rest of the DT have some great inspiration,  so please pop over to the main blog  and pay them a visit, you'll also find all the challenge details.

Avril xx

Favourite Stamp of the Moment at Stamping Sensations

 Good morning, it's time to tell you about the latest challenge at Stamping Sensations  with is 

Favourite Stamp of the Moment.   We have  Crafting.co.uk as out sponsor and they are offering one lucky winner this fabulous prize of clock making kit and rice papers.

I'm sure we all have a must have 'favourite' and mine is the rose from Dearly Departed, I'm not sure I'll used the other stamps in this set, but I love this rose.

I stamped the rose on an inky background using various green DIs and used a water brush to draw the ink in to colour the leaves.  The flowers were stamped on water colour card with black and fussy cut before adding to the image.  I used Kitsch flamingo and water colour paint to colour.

The rest of the DT have some fabulous inspiration, so please stop by the main post to check them out and you'll also find all the challenge details.

I a going to enter this at Chocolate Baroque where the challenge is Any Celebration.

Have a great day whatever you're doing.

Avril xx

Use Book Pages at Try it on Tuesday

 

It's time for a new challenge at Try it on Tuesday (how time flies) and this fortnight it's for you to Use Book Pages. 

As I've got quite a few birthdays coming up, I've put my time to good use and made another birthday card using one of the backgrounds I created with the TH Vines and Roses a couple of weeks ago (here).I've coloured some Wildflower stems with Distress inks to match the background  and layered them over some torn book paper.

The rest of the Design Team have come up with some ingenious ways to use bookpaper, so please pop over to the main blog for some great inspiration.

Thanks for calling in,

Avril xx

Mid Month Celebrations at Stamping Sensations

Two posts in two days!  what's happening - It's mid month inspiration at Stamping Sensations where the challenge is Any Celebration

I'm slowly catching up,  and as I've got a few birthdays coming up in the next month, this is a good theme for me.  I've used Movie Strip Collage from Chocolate Baroque, I stamped it on an inky mono print background and again on watercolour card, and fussy cut the flower head after colouring.. I've also added a couple of inky splats to extend the image.

Don't forget, we have Craft Stash as our sponsor this month and one lucky winner could win this great bundle.

The Design Team have some fabulous makes to inspire you, so please pop over to the main blog for all the challenge details.

I'm on Grandma duties today, so I'll catch up with you later.

Avril xx

 

Summer Blooms at Try it on Tuesday

We've a new challenge at Try it on Tuesday and this time it's Spring Blooms a nice easy one for you, as I'm sure we all love flowers.

I've eventually got round to using my new Brushstrokes dies, which were coloured using Kitsch Flamingo and Picked Raspberry inks.  The background was linen card coloured with Antique Linen and some second generation stamping using Frayed Burlap.

The Design Team have some fabulous inspiration for you, so please head over to the main blog, where you will also find the challenge details.

Thanks for calling in, have a great day,

Avril xx

Keep it Simple at Try it on Tuesday

The new challenge at Try it on Tuesday is Keep it Simple,  how simple,  is up to you.  

I've gone very simple with a little stamping and some soft water colouring.  I first saw these images on Eileen Godwin's FB page and the stamp company Colorado Craft Company was named. I don't normally do cute, but since becoming a Grandma, well, the soft side is making an appearance from time to time in crafting.

I've used white Linen card and Versafine ink and a little water colour paint - how simple is that.

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 challenge details.

Thanks for calling in, have a great day.

Avril xx

Any Celebration at Stamping Sensations

Hello, it's time for a new challenge at Stamping Sensations which is Any Celebration.  We have Craft Stash as our Sponsor this month and they are offering one lucky winner this fabulous prize.

I've made a Birthday card, but I must admit after being so busy and hardly in the craft room over the last 6 weeks, I struggled for motivation - so I watched one of Tim Holtz videos from earlier in the year where he used Distress Crayons to colour an image and because the crayons are wax resistant, you can then use spray inks over the top.  I stamped one of the floral sprays from Lady Rose, coloured with crayons and then used Antique Linen and Frayed Burlap Distress sprays.  There's also some subtle sheen, which doesn't show in the photo, from smudging over a little Tarnished brass crayon.  Some background stamping and paper lace trim to finish, along with a stamped Birthday  sentiment.

The rest of the DT have some fabulous inspirations for you, so please pop over to the main blog where you will also find all the challenge details.

Have a good day and I'll catch up with you soon.

Avril xx

Just Playing

Hello, I feel as if it's been ages since I last posted and I've been itching to get back in the craft room, but when I did - well the motivation just seemed to disappear, I think I really wanted just to use something new,  but couldn't decide what!  So I took my inspiration from Stacy Hutchinson and cased this card which I saw a while ago.

I bought the Vines and Roses stamp a couple of months ago and this is the first time using.  I coloured the stamp with Victorian Velvet, Aged Mahogany, Peeled Paint and Forest Moss Distress markers spritzing before stamping onto an Antique Linen inked background.  I die cut an oval frame and stamped AALL&Create Heartfelt onto Antique Linen sprayed card to fit behind, and then arranged my flowers that were coloured with Vic Velvet and Aged Mahogany.  The stamped sentiment was raised using 3D foam.

Thank you for all your well wishes for Laura, fortunately her symptoms weren't too bad, but I must admit it took me a good few days to recover after having the babies here for 10 days, so enjoyable but very tiring.  A good reason for hubby and I to have a few days away next week.

Avril xx

Mid Month at Stamping Sensations

It's mid month at Stamping Sensations for the current challenge of Feminine where we are Sponsored by Crafty Individuals and they are offering one lucky winner a £25 spend in their online store.

I did manage to get into the craft room last Monday and was able to make my card using a mono print stencil background and the ladies from CI-40, which were fussy cut and added, with a computer generated quote.

As always, the rest of the DT have some fabulous inspiration pieces, so please pop over to the main blog, where you will also find all the challenge details.

I won't promise to catch up with you soon as things didn't quite return to normal, daughter Laura tested positive for Covid last Tuesday, fortunately mild symptoms as she's had both vaccines, so we have the babies isolating with us probably till the end of this week.  Mummy will get a surprise when she sees them, they both have new teeth to show off!

Avril xx

Life's a Climb

 

Good morning,  well life is slowly returning to normal and I'm pleased to say my daughter has made a great recovery and with a few adjustments, is back home since the weekend with the twins - but I must admit I'm missing them.

Anyhow, it meant that I was able to get into the craft room yesterday and finish my card for the current challenge at Try it on Tuesday which is Travel and Adventure.  I've combined stamps that were free with a magazine last year to create my scene - it's about time that some of them were inked up, and I've added a little watercolouring to the background.

Thanks for calling in,

Avril xx

For a Lady at Stamping Sensations

The challenge this month at Stamping Sensations is For A Lady and Crafty Individuals are our sponsor and they are offering one Lucy Winner a £25 voucher to spend in their online craft store.

For my card I stamped CI 430 with a mix of colours - Speckled Egg, Weathered Wood and Peacock Feathers, each time using the Stamp Platform.  I shaded with Picked Raspberry, Speckled Egg, Kitsch Flamingo and Peacock Feathers.  The butterfly from CI 517 was stamped and fussy cut and coloured with Speckled Egg and the wings were brushed with Frosted Lace Stickles for a subtle sheen.

The rest of the DT have some fabulous samples, so please pop over to the main blog, where you will find details of our Sponsor  along with all the challenge rules.

Life has been very hectic - daughter Laura was rushed into hospital with Appendicitis, so the twins came to stay with us and also Laura for a couple of nights when she came out of hospital.  Good news is Son-in-Law was able to take time off this last week, so they all went home.  He's back at work tomorrow, so they're all coming back as she's not supposed to do any lifting for the next few weeks, so if I'm an absent visitor, you know what I'm up to.

Have a great day, I've got all the family coming for lunch, so I'd better make a start.

Avril xx

Here Comes Summer at Try it on Tuesday

 The theme for the challenge this fortnight at Try it on Tuesday is - yes, you guessed - Here Comes Summer.  So, it's whatever summer means to you - Holidays, Days Out, Colours, Blooms, just to name a few, we'd love to see.

I love to see summer flowers and I'm always eager to see colour in the garden, not that I've ever grown Gerber Daisy's.  I've used a shaving foam background and then stamped, coloured and fussy cut the flower head before doodling a frame and adding the birthday greeting (which looks slanting - but it's not)

The rest of the Design Team have some wonderful projects to show, so please pop over to the main blog, where you will also find the challenge details.

Thanks for calling in - I'm on Grandma duty again,  Mammy is having a day off to catch up on some jobs.  The twins are just starting to be weaned, so Grandma is making Pear Puree for lunch!  I hope they like it.

Avril xx

I Love ..................at Stamping Sensations

 

It's Mid Month Inspiration Time for the current challenge of   I Love......   at Stamping Sensations and the Design Team have some wonderful projects to inspire you, so please pop over to the main blog where you will also find details of our sponsor Helping Hands Craft, who are offering a £25 store voucher to one lucky winner.

My card uses a mop up background using some Tyvek, I love the texture and sheen of this and I also love stencilling, so there's some using a couple of stencils and Picked Raspberry.  I also love using 'girly' images and this one was stamped direct on to the Tyvek and then I paper pieced her dress using Picked Ras. to colour.   I've used another 'love' this quote, which again I stamped direct - thank goodness for the Stamp Platform, making sure I could get good coverage.

I am entering this at We Love Chocolate Baroque - Hand Coloured or Paper Pieced

                                  613 Avenue Create - Paper Piecing

Thanks for calling in,

Have a great weekend, Avril xx

For the Man in Your Life at Try it on Tuesday

 For the Man in Your Life is the new challenge at Try it on Tuesday and we would love to see your masculine creations for whatever age or occasion you choose.

I've used a mix of stamps and papers from Artistic Outpost and Tim Holtz with a bit of grunge thrown in!

The rest of the Design Team have some great samples to show, so why not pop over to the main blog, where you will also find all the details.

I keep saying the twins and Grandma duties are taking priority these day, so I thought I'd share a couple of photos -  Teddy and Lucy yesterday - 5 months old already!

 These were taken a couple of weeks ago - Lucy wearing a dress that Grandma made.

I'm on Grandma duty today as Mammy is having  a 'grown up' lunch with her best friends, so I'll catch up with you later.  Have a great day - I know I will.

Avril xx

I Love.......... at Stamping Sensations

I Love ........  is the new challenge at Stamping Sensations , so basically tell us What YOU Love in your crafting.    I Love  Flowers and making my own backgrounds.

I've used the flower from the Tim Holtz Dearly Departed set of stamps, I did debate on buying this set, but I just love that flower, although I'm not sure I'll used the Halloween image. My inky background has stencilling and random script stamping.

The rest of the Design Team are sharing their 'Love's' so please pop over to the main blog and pay them a visit.  You will also find details of this month's sponsor Helping Hands Craft who are offering one lucky winner a £25 Store Voucher.

Thanks for calling in and enjoy your day, I've got the family over for lunch, so I hope it stays warm and sunny.

Avril xx

Butterflies at Try it on Tuesday

 

It's time for a  new challenge at Try it on Tuesday and this time the theme is Butterflies, or in my case just one.

I used a Wendy Vecchi Stencil and embossing paste, before spraying Speckled Egg and Antique Linen Oxide inks on the background, some script stamping with Speckled Egg DI and then used the TH rose stencil with Spun Sugar and Bundled Sage inks.  My butterfly was heat embossed using Oxidised Iron Embossing Powder and also the frame, which I'd  originally embossed with copper EP, was also given a coat of the Oxidised powder.  It's backed with scrap card left over from the base, and adhered over some pink and white threads.

The rest of the team have some fabulous inspiration, so please pop over to the main blog.

Thanks for calling in,  have a great day, 

Avril xx