Bearing gifts

 Today started out great- lovely bright sunshine and a good breeze...now it's dull and wet! Wouldn't have been quite so annoyed if I hadn't pegged Marvin's 'furry' bed on the line to give it an airing, forgot it was there, so it got very wet. Now in washing machine and will have to tumble dry it or I will have one very disgruntled dog later. 

Had a visit from a kitchen designer this morning, head spinning even more now- there is just too much choice and too many things to decide on, not my idea of fun at all... and that's before I find out how much it's all going to cost.....(gulp).

I'm trying to get some Christmas cards made  as 25th December seems to be approaching very fast now, aiming for quicker makes but will probably go off on a tangent before long. I had already stamped and coloured this cute Whippersnapper polar bear so at least this was a quick one. I was trying for a snowy look to my background so added a little grey distress ink with a stencil brush- then had the idea of adding snowflakes by masking an area with a die cut snowflake and brushing the grey ink around it- the first one (top of card) worked- the second one did not!!! so I stuck a glittery die cut over it...doesn't look great but a lot better than in the photo, taken in poor light- the stuck on snowflake is white like the card, I think the glitter is reflecting the artificial light.. Will try the technique again but next time BEFORE I colour the image!

Thanks for visiting

Hope you have a good week.

Chris

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Challenge entries:

allsorts #804

jinglebelles Christmas animals

MTTCC #98

hollyandivy #171

rudolphdays October Challenge

peaceonearth #74

A little witch in all of us...

 Good morning, last weekend of October, the clocks go back and the days will seem so much shorter. My husband is always pleased to have the lighter mornings as he likes to be out with Marvin as early as possible- even with his flashing collar (dog-not husband) it's not a good idea to try to walk around woodland in the dark! 

A new challenge starts today over at Sweet Stampin', the theme is 

HALLOWEEN/ HALLOWEEN COLOURS.

I took the opportunity to give this beautiful Pink Ink stamp another airing, I wanted it to have a mystical, dreamy look so thought I'd try out some new-to- me techniques I'd picked up from watching some U-tube tutorials, sorry can't tell you who the tutorials were made by as I spent a whole afternoon watching various different talented ladies demonstrating their stamping and inking techniques, but whoever they were, thank you for the inspiration.

First I smooshed some light coloured Distress Oxides onto a piece of white card, selected the part I wanted to use and cut a rectangle. I stamped the witch directly onto it then used diluted DIs to colour her dress and hat. I masked her off to stencil the background using a tree stencil (Memory Box) and a cobweb stencil (Aall & Create). I distressed the edges of the panel and mounted it onto a larger rectangle of design paper which I had distressed with ink and embossing powder.

We'd love to have you join in with our challenge this fortnight- don't worry if you don't 'do' Halloween, there is the option of using the colours, so as long as you remember to stamp something (real stamp or digital) you can enter with that.

Thanks for visiting

have a great weekend

Chris

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Challenge entries:

craftrocket #119

craftygalscorner #260

addictedtostamps #479

TIOT Halloween

mmm #237

conjurerofdreams - witch wisdom

do-allkreatives #94

morgansartworld October Challenge

...you just want cake!

 Hello, I'm back again with my second post today, this time the card is for this fortnight's challenge at Crafty Catz which starts today. Our host for this week is Christine who has chosen the optional twist of 'use dies or punches'. We have a lovely sponsor for this challenge- 

BECCYS PLACE 

Beccy very kindly allowed the design team to choose images to play with, thank you Beccy, I chose Kenneth one of the Flockstar digital stamps, isn't he fantastic! I coloured him with my markers and fussy cut him. I used my Aall & Create circle frame dies to create the card base, the background is an A&C stencil and distress oxide ink. The fun sentiment is also part of the Flockstar set. 

As always there's plenty of inspiration to enjoy over at Crafty Catz so please do hop over and see what the rest of the team have created, remember it's always Anything Goes at Crafty Catz if you want to join us- and I hope you do.

Thanks for visiting today.

Chris

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Challenge entries:

CRAFT #738

addictedtostamps #479

shoppingourstash #533

acutabove - October Challenge

hereisaplacetostart October Challenge

aaabirthday #66

crittercrazy #91

beccyschallenges October

Guest Design for Creative Creases

 Good morning, I was invited to Guest Design for the lovely team at Creative Creases, I was very happy to accept. I made this card after seeing the fold several times online- I have no idea what it's called but I like it! I didn't have a template or instructions but the fold is simple and easy to copy just by looking at the photos. The papers were a cover gift with a recent  issue of a magazine, they're lovely and I didn't need to add anything else. I honestly can't remember the last time I made a card with no stamping and no colouring!

Here's the link to the challenge post, just click on it for details of how to join in and some wonderful inspiration from the designers.

Thanks for visiting

Chris

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Challenge entries:

kraftychicks #739

I spy... colours of the season

dreamvalley #324

beautifulblossoms #22

lovethoseprettypapers October Challenge

tripleb October Challenge

thefourseasons October Challenge

inspirationstation #66 (inspired by sunflowers, colours)

...love at first sight???

Good morning, hope everyone is well- there seems to be a lot of nasty cold/covid /flu bugs going around just now, suppose it's that time of year again. It's been a busy few days here- daughter and granddaughter's birthdays plus we've been looking around to get some ideas for a new kitchen- there's so much to decide and choose from and NOT looking forward to the disruption but we can't put it off forever, so hoping to get it all ordered ready to start in the new year.

My card today is for our new Challenge at Fab'n' Funky, hosted this fortnight by our lovely Buffy. 

The theme is AUTUMN/ HALLOWEEN

I don't really need Halloween cards as I only ever send them to my granddaughters with a little treat inside but I do love some of the images, mainly the cute ones but can be quite taken with scary too. (Would never send a scary one to a child though-that would be mean!!) this little cutie is by Mo Manning, a Patreon image, coloured with markers. I gave her a stamped cobweb with spider to gaze up at... I think it's love at first sight for her! The background is sponged with Distress Oxides and a stencil, (hoping it looked like more cobwebs)

For any Mo Manning fans that aren't already Patreon members there's a really cute freebie that anyone can grab over at her Patreon page, she's planning to post a freebie every month, so it's worth joining- and you can do it for free!

Please do pop over to Fab'n' Funky to see what my lovely teamies have created- then I hope you can find the time to join in.

Thanks for visiting

Chris 

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Challenge entries:

stencilfun October Challenge

PFM #762

TIOT Halloween

mmm #237

conjurerofdreams Witch Wisdom

creatalicious  #282

twooldbats October Ch.

Mid month reminder at Stamping Sensations.

 Good morning, here I am with a reminder of our October Challenge at Stamping Sensations.  Yes, it's another card using my Lavinia stamps, have been playing with these quite a lot this month! I do have quite a few (although there's always more I 'need' but tbh they are so versatile you can create many different designs with just a few, I have some favourites that I use time and time again. Again it's a smooshed background (I did make quite a few of these as I love the colours! 

Please hop over to Stamping Sensations Challenge blog for lots of inspiration, details of how to join in and the fabulous prize sponsored by Stamp Addicts. There is an optional theme of AUTUMN COLOURS which the DT have used- you are more than welcome to use the theme but there is always an option of Anything Goes as long as you include stamping on the front of your project.

Thanks for visiting

Chris

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Challenge Entries

creativefingers #287

creativeinspiration #19

MAWTT #171

thesisterhoodofcrafters Oct 9th Challenge

paperfunday October Challenge

colorfuloptions -orange

pearlysparkles #100

creativecrafters #81

Autumn magic

A late-in-the day post from me today, with a card I made 'just because'.

 I'm feeling a bit sore this evening, had flu and covid jabs earlier, covid arm is fine but flu arm really hurts! Have never had both jabs at the same time before, seemed like a good idea at the time but now I'm not so sure. Oh well, too late to change my mind and at least it's done! 

I was given the die to cut the card base, it was in a sealed package but no brand name so no idea of make....but it cut perfectly. I cute the base in black, an orange layer and the top layer from a piece of card I'd previously smooshed with Distress Oxides. I used my Lavinia stamps to create the scene, the toadstool houses were stamped onto a spare piece of card and cut out to add some dimension.

 Thanks for stopping by, have a pleasant evening.

Chris

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Challenge entries:

daisychain #90

incywincy October challenge

mixitup #73

pearlysparkles #100

sparklesforum #181

allsorts #802

inspirationstation #66 (colours, season, leaves)

Autumn Birthday

 Good morning, it's time for a new challenge at Crafty Catz and it's my turn to host this fortnight.

 I chose the optional twist of Autumn Colours- because I love them :)

Our wonderful sponsor for this challenge is 

ALL DRESSED UP

The sweet image I used is Piggy Back, I 've used my Copic markers to colour, stencilled the sky and stamped some autumn leaves. Papers are Halloween Harvest from Honey Bee Stamps. The die cut acorn and toadstools are Tim Holtz, also coloured with Copics.

Hop over to Crafty Catz to feast your eyes on the lovely creations from the rest of the DT. 

Remember 'Anything Goes' if you want to join in.

Thanks for visiting,

Chris

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challenge entries:

MTTC #544

thepapershelter #613

addictedtostamps #478

unicorn #103

aperfecttimetocraft #9

classicdesign #9

daisychain #90

alldressedup #155

Imagination...

 Good morning, I have absolutely no idea where the last two weeks went but it's already time for a new challenge at Fab'n' Funky

This fortnight our lovely Pat has chosen the theme of 

FUR or FEATHERS,

we would like to see animals or birds on your creations.

I made a card using a set of Visible Image stamps that I've been itching to ink up. The background is created using Brushos, Distress Inks and stencils, a few highlights added using a white gel pen, quick to make as no colouring involved! 

I hope you can find the time to hop over to Fab'n' Funky to enjoy what the DT have created for the challenge, hopefully you'll be inspired to join us.

Thanks for visiting

Chris

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Challenge entries:

cardz4galz #235

craftygalscorner #260

stencilfun #October Challenge

do-allkreatives #94

conjurerofdreams #1

Colours of Autumn

 Good morning. The first Sunday of the month means a new challenge at Stamping Sensations.

This month we are sponsored by

 Stamp Addicts

The theme is Anything Goes with an option of Autumn Colours. I made an easel card using various Lavinia stamps and distress inks to create the fairy scene. The DP is from stash, no idea of make (I've had it for years) sentiment is a magazine freebie stamp. The die cut leaves are Tim Holtz.

As always, there's loads of fabulous inspiration over at the challenge blog so don't forget to check it out, you won't be disappointed.

Thanks for visiting.

Chris

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Challenge entries:

avenue613- October challenge

welovestamping Oct. Challenge

allsorts #801

craftrocketchallenges #119

MAWTT #171

I spy ...#19

TIOT-Autumn Magic

thefourseasons October Challenge

Crafty Calendar October Challenge

 Good morning, I'm happy to say that Crafty Calendar Challenges are back up and running again, and our October Challenge starts today. The theme for this month is Anything Goes and there will be a lovely prize for our lucky winner

I made a Halloween card for little Charlotte using a cute Polkadoodles digi. I've coloured her with markers and fussy cut to pop her on the front of my tunnel card. The background is made with Distress inks and a Card-io MageMask stencil. The little cauldron in the centre is from an old set of stamps, not sure of make. 

I have a busy weekend ahead- I'm off to my son's house to look after my two younger granddaughters. It's my DIL's birthday and he's spoiling her (as he should do, she so deserves it!) with an overnight stay in London.

I'm really looking forward to spending some time with the girlies...they have made plans...

Thanks for visiting today, please check out the challenge blog for some lovely inspiration from the rest of the team, I do hope you can join us this month.

Enjoy your weekend

Chris

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Challenge entries:

polkadoodle #40

cardz4galz #235

digichoosday #39

ilovepromarkers #568

stencilfun October Challenge

unicorn #103

halloweencraftsallyearround #19

twooldbats October Challenge