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Wednesday, 12 February 2025

All stitched up


 Good morning, is it just me or has it been a long week so far??? Probably something to do with the early starts- the kitchen fitters arrive at death o'clock in the mornings. I am not a morning person. Th novelty of doing the washing up in the bathroom has definitely lost its appeal... but not complaining, soon (please!!!) I will have a lovely new kitchen with a sink and taps and an oven and all those luxuries that we take for granted until we don't have them, so counting blessings!

Today sees the start of a new challenge at Fab'n' Funky, hosted this fortnight by our lovely and talented Pat K. who has chosen the theme of Stitching- real or faux.

I used an older stamp from Wee Stamps, coloured with markers, papers from stash, one panel embossed with a heart EF. I added a stamped sentiment and a little wooden button tied with twine. The stitching is course faux- I am far too lazy for real stitching even though it does look lovely!

There's some fabulous inspiration from the rest of the team over at Fab'n' Funky Challenge Blog so do hop over for a visit, hope to see you play along this fortnight.

Thanks for visiting

Chris

x

Challenge entries:

shoppingourstash #541

crafterscafe #315

mmmchallenge #245

lovethoseprettypapers Feb Challenge

CRAFT #748


Friday, 7 February 2025

Guest Design for FQCCCB


 After winning a previous challenge I was delighted to be invited to Guest Design for 
I thought it would spur me on to get started with this year's cards, so thank you ladies.
The  Challenges are always 
Anything Goes with an outdoors farm/country Christmas theme
I used a lovely holly frame  stencil from Poppy Stamps together with Elements inks
The stamps are from various companies- the trees and lake are Stampscapes, the tiny deer and stars are Card-io, and a stamped sentiment.

There are some lovely inspiration cards from the talented DT to be enjoyed over at FQCCCB, so please do hop over and check them out.
Thanks for visiting and have a lovely weekend
Chris
x

Challenge entries:
abcchristmas A- anything Christmas
MLCCB #60

thefourseasons- Feb Challenge
POE #81

thecardconcept #213 Inspired by the deer and trees


Buttercup Cottage



 

Good morning, today sees the start of a new challenge at Crafty Catz
sponsored by 


The theme is ANYTHING GOES, the optional twist is Use a die.
The team were given some of the Sponsor's lovely images to use, I chose Buttercup Cottage.
I used my dies to cut 2 rectangular panels with apertures from white cardstock, inked them in shades of green and stencilled some leaves, layered them together using foam pads and popped the 
 image, coloured with Copic markers behind the aperture. I added die cut grass, toadstools, squirrels and leaves to complete the little scene. 

I now have no kitchen- old one ripped out yesterday, new one to be delivered today, (please!!!) installation  work starting on Monday. Kind friends and family have invited us for meals most of the coming week, which is lovely as all we have at the moment is a temperamental microwave on a makeshift worktop...not even a sink or water in the kitchen. I'm sure we'll survive and it will be lovely when it's all finished. 

Thanks for visiting, have a great weekend
Chris
x

Challenge entries:
craftssgalore # February Challenge
LTCCB #84
acutabove February Challenge
HQFCB #2



Sunday, 2 February 2025

A winter anniversary

 


Good morning, today sees the start of our February Challenge at

Stamping Sensations

the theme is Anything Goes with an optional twist of 'Romance'

There are 3 Romance themed prizes from Aall and Create

Once again, I went with an anniversary card, this one was for my son and DIL who had a December wedding- Jen was desperate for some snow on her wedding day, to make sure she wasn't disappointed her twin brother provided a snow machine, just as well because although it was a cold and frosty day the skies were bright blue and cloudless. 

I used a variety of stamps from different companies to create my card, the little sprites are Lavinia, the twigs are Card-io and the snowflakes are Crafty Roo Designs.
Please hop over to Stamping Sensations for some wonderful inspiration from the rest of the design team and for full details of how to join in. 
Have a good day
Chris
x

Challenge entries

avenue613. Feb. Challenge
MAWTT #175
craftygalscorner #263 (Snowflake)
allsorts #816



Saturday, 1 February 2025

Hearts


 Hello, back again with my second DT card for today- this time it's for
the February Challenge starts today, the theme for this is
 'Hearts'.

This is the lovely prize on offer


I was going to make another anniversary card when  this cute Mo Manning Patreon image dropped into my inbox and I couldn't resist colouring her up straight away!
I printed the image onto a square of white cardstock , masked her and tore a heart shaped hole from the centre of a piece of copy paper, sponged pale grey distress ink over the torn out heart shaped hole, then stamped the script stamp (Lavinia) using grey Versafine Clair. I coloured the image with my markers.
I haven't added a sentiment, the card will be for one of my younger granddaughters to give to her Mum on Mother's Day or her birthday.

Please hop over to Crafty Calendar for more inspiration from the Design Team.
Thanks for visiting today, enjoy the weekend
Chris
x

Challenge entries:

ilovepromarkers #575 (atg)







Love, love love...


 Good morning and the start of a new month- January is done and dusted, February is a short month and then March...I always think it's the start of spring, even though it's often still cold the days are longer and lighter and there's more signs of life in  the garden which makes my heart happy! 

I have two posts today with 2 DT cards to share. The first is for our new challenge at

  Sweet Stampin'

The theme for this fortnight is Love Love Love, doesn't have to be Valentine (which is good for me as I just don't 'do' Valentine!). I made an anniversary card -always need those- using a Stamping Bella stamp that I've had for years and may have used once before! I used copics to colour and added a chipboard frame I found lurking in a box. I triple heat embossed it using Blonde Moments Sweet Pink Iridescent embossing powder - another blast from the past! I stamped the sentiment...again from a very old stamp set- lost the packaging so no idea of brand, this sentiment set remains a firm favourite! Two little hearts using Nuvo drops to finish.

There's plenty more to see over at Sweet Stampin' so please hop over to see what the rest of the team have created for this theme.

I'll be back later today....

Chris

x

Challenge entries:

kraftychicks #753

allsorts #816




Wednesday, 29 January 2025

Rogue Fairy


 Good morning, it's my turn to host this fortnight's challenge, starting today over at
I picked the theme of 
Include a stamped IMAGE-
 it can be a digital stamp or  a 'real' one but not just a sentiment.
I gave this Lavinia, Rogue Fairy stamp another outing. I love creating  scenes with these magical stamps but I also think that they work beautifully on their own- the lovely delicate details stand out more.
For this one layer CAS card I masked the lower left corner and used an Aall & Create Teardrop stencil with Elements inks.
I stamped the fairy and sentiment with Black Versafine Clair, added some sparkle to her wings and hair. 

Please hop on over to Fab'n' Funky for more inspiration from my lovely team, hope you'll be tempted to play along.
Chris
x
Challenge entries:

stencilfun January Challenge




Friday, 24 January 2025

Up and away!




 Good morning, two weeks have flown by and it's time for a new challenge at Crafty Catz.
We have a fabulous sponsor for this fortnight's challenge



with a prize of 2 digis for a lucky winner.

Billie is our lovely host this time, her optional twist is 'Use Blue and Green' 
but as always 
ANYTHING GOES
The taem were given some fun images to play with - I chose 
Bertrand's Balloon Break, and thoroughly enjoyed colouring this fabulous image with my markers. 
I made a bendi card with stencilled clouds and a row of cute little houses, also coloured with markers and fussy cut. and die cut trees.
I added the fussy cut image to the card along with stamped sentiment.
Loads more inspiration to be enjoyed over at Crafty Catz, hope you have time to join us for this challenge.
Thanks for visiting
Chris
x

Challenge entries :
aplacetostart January Challenge
MTTC #552

Saturday, 18 January 2025

One post- Two cards...


 Good morning, it's time for a mid month reminder and today I have two cards to share. 
The first is my DT card for Stamping Sensations, as always the theme is anything goes,  the optional twist is 'hand coloured image'.
I made another CAS card, seems to be where my head is going so far this year. The little fairy is a Whimsy Stamp, had her for some years but this is the first time she's seen an ink pad! I've coloured her up with copics and used some circle dies and a stencil to mask and colour the circle for her to sit on, then stamped the sentiment.


My second card is a reminder for We Love Stamping, I have the honour to be a guest designer this month.

The theme is again anything goes, the optional twist for this challenge is Anything but Square.

I kept the design very simple, a tent fold card with a rectangular panel added to  the front. I've used some sweet stamps from Colorado Crafts, stencilled the clouds and coloured the rest with my markers.

There are some wonderful prizes on offer from both these challenges, please hop over to the main challenge blogs for details and for some fabulous inspiration from both Design Teams. There's still plenty of time to join in with both of these challenges, so hope to see you there.

Thanks for visiting, hope you have a lovely weekend.

Chris

x

Wednesday, 15 January 2025

Bright and beautiful


Good morning, Fab'n' Funky Challenges are back with our first challenge for 2025.

Hosted by our lovely Pat who has chosen the theme of 

ALL THINGS BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL

Just what we need in these cold dark winter months.


Once again I've used a Mo Manning image, this one is only available on Patreon. I've coloured her with Copics and fussy cut. To make the background I blended Distress Oxide Inks over a rectangle of white cardstock and then used an A&C stencil with the same coloured inks. I stamped the sentiment, flowers, border and little ladybird then coloured them with watercolour markers and acrylic ink with touches of white gel pen- the colours are brighter IRL, couldn't get a very good photo. 

For more bright and beautiful inspiration from my fabulous team please check out the challenge Blog, then have fun creating and join  in! 

Thanks for visiting
Chris
x

Challenge entries:
PFM #761
aperfecttimetocraft January Challenge
pearlysparkles #103 (Old stamps, new digi)
SAS4Kids Jan Challenge






 

Tuesday, 14 January 2025

She did it!


 Good morning, a quick post today to share the card I made for my granddaughter who passed her driving test last week, so proud of her! She's absolutely over the moon and can't wait to get behind the wheel of her little car. She's having to wait another week as it makes a considerable difference to her eye-watering insurance cost ??? I just pray that she stays safe, 17 seems so young to be driving, the roads are so busy and many drivers are so impatient, I'm thankful that she's a calm and level-headed girl.

I chose this Mo Manning image and coloured her with my markers to look like my lovely girl, kept the design very simple as I had to make it quickly. 

Thanks for visiting, have a good week.

Chris

x

audsentiments #321 new beginnings- new driver!

dreamvalley #328 (new driver)

Simply Clean and Simple January Challenge

PFM #771

daisychain #92



Friday, 10 January 2025

First challenge of the year at Crafty Catz

 

Good morning,  Crafty Catz challenges are back ! For this first challenge of 2025 we are sponsored by 




with 2 lovely digis as a prize for our lucky winner.

The theme for this fortnight is Anything Goes
the optional twist is
Clean and Simple.

I used a sweet digi I already owned, Wellie Boots, she's all coloured up with Copic markers. I added a stamped sentiment, a swoosh of green Distress Ink , stamped and embossed some little white daisies with tiny pearls for the centres.
Please hop over to Crafty Catz Challenge for lots of lovely inspiration from the rest of the DT

I really knew I didn't like snow and ice- nasty dangerous stuff! Came a cropper yesterday on a patch of black ice, fell onto my back and bumped my head. It hurt! Fortunately no broken bones, just black and blue and stiff and aching so it could have been a whole lot worse. I think I'll stay indoors now until the spring!

Thanks for visiting
Chris
x

Challenge entries:
disdigidesigns hand coloured image
CRAFT #746



Thursday, 9 January 2025

Icy penguins

Good morning, brrrr it's cold here! Snow last night but nearly all gone now, thank goodness! I know it looks beautiful when everything is covered with a fresh white blanket of it but I am not a fan of slipping and sliding about when it turns to ice or dirty slush- which it soon does here in a busy town.

I was lucky enough to win a lovely prize from Allsorts Challenge last month and have been playing with these fabulous Aall & Create penguin stamps, just one of the sets I won :)

I made a gift tag holder  with a matching pocket and envelope. First I cut a wedge shaped tag from white cardstock then I played around with a sheet of copy paper until I worked out how to fold the shape for the pocket, made a template and cut from the same white cardstock. I stamped and masked the penguins using Twilight Versafine, blended some blue and grey distress inks over the background and randomly stamped the words and white embossed snowflakes, added the eyelets and fibres to the tag and tabs. I finished the set by adding white faux stitching with a gel pen. 

I kept the template so I can make some more of these sets, I will be very glad of them next Christmas!


Front of tag

Back of tag with gift card/money pocket.

 Thanks for visiting today, keep warm and take care out there!

Chris

x

Challenge entries :

allsorts #814

abcchristmas Anything Christmas

paperfunday #72

TIOT Feeling Blue

avenue613 January Challenge

POE ~79

craftrocket something new (Penguin stamps)


Sunday, 5 January 2025

January Challenge at Stamping Sensations ...and A GD card


 Good morning, I'm back again - bright and early...well early! with another two cards to share. The first one is for our January Challenge at Stamping Sensations, the theme is Anything Goes with an option of Hand -coloured image. I stamped an old Magnolia Tilda stamp onto a square of kraft card and coloured with Copic markers, have never used alcohol markers on kraft as when I tried it once- many years ago- the ink wicked into the paper too much and made a horrible mess... I think I'm not as heavy- handed now as it wasn't a problem. I used a white pencil to add some highlights to her hair. I stencilled the circle pattern with brown ink ..it looked a bit dark and dull so I added some white dots...still a bit dingy so I used an Aall &Create circle die to cut the arch at the top, then matted both pieces onto a rectangle of dp onto which I'd stamped the  happy birthday sentiment. 

I am entering this card into these challenges-
Double D # Birthday


My second card is a  Guest Design card for 
 I was delighted to be invited to join the lovely DT ladies this month,
The theme- Anything Goes with an  option of Anything but Square.

I have no idea what this fold is called but it was quite simple to do and it show's off a smaller stamp quite well. The cute chick is a Stamping Bella stamp which I've coloured with markers. The background is stencilled using 2 shades of yellow Distress oxides then embossed. I've added some ribbon trim and a stamped sentiment.

For lots of fabulous inspiration, full details of how to enter and the lovely prizes on offer please check out the challenge blogs at Stamping Sensations and We Love Stamping.

I am entering this card into these challenges
tripleb Jan . Challenge

Thanks for visiting today
Chris
x

Saturday, 4 January 2025

Add a die cut


 Hello, I m back with my second DT make for today, this on is for our January Challenge 
The theme for this is ADD A DIE CUT.

There is a lovely prize for one lucky winner


As you can see I made a fairly CAS card, a tent fold card blank with 3 die cut and embossed whit rectangles matted onto the same size rectangles cut from a green gelli plate background made using distress inks and brushos. I die cut the vine leaves( Memory Box) from the same green paper. A stamped sentiment and clear drops, gems -whatever they're called- to finish.
There's more to see over at the Challenge Blog and we hope you can find the time to play along this month.

Thanks for visiting today
Chris
x
Challenge entries:
cutitup #320
simply clean and simple January Challenge


 

What's new with you?


Happy New Year everyone, it seems like ages since I last posted a card -and today I have two, Christmas went by in a flash and here we are in 2025... I'm hoping it's better than 2024!!!

My first card is my DT make for Sweet Stampin'

the theme is WHAT'S NEW- I went with new stash but could be new year, baby, job etc.

I used a new bottle stencil from Lavinia stamps, these reusable stencils are sticky and repositionable, very easy to use as they don't slip, the fairy stamp, also Lavinia, is new and so is the cracked effect stamp. 

There's more inspiration over at Sweet Stampin' - and we'd love to see what's new with you too, so don't be shy - come and join us.

Chris

x

Challenge entries:

MTTC #550

craftrocket #121

creativeinspiration #22

lilredwagon #788 - (new  stash)