Unity tag.

I have labelled another of my stamp files, getting there slowly. This time it is Unity Stamps, and I used the caravan Itty Bitty stamp with a house from the Pixie Lane set to stamp the front of my tag. I coloured the images with Promarkers. The tag is die cut with a Sizzix Tim Holtz designed tag Bigz die.

The back of my tag is stamped with a snowpeep and an owl, I love that owl - looks like my Dad with those glasses. I coloured them with Prismacolor pencils.

Now before I did this I microwaved around 150 Prismacolor pencils, a tip someone pointed me towards when I was having a rant about the constantly breaking pencils, so much so that some were down to stumps before being used and most of them had not been sharpened because I was disheartened. Well I had tried the microwave method on a couple and it seemed to work, so I thought I would go for it and do all of them. This had mixed results, most were fine I managed to sharpen them afterwards and I even sorted them into shades of a colour. Around 40 of them were still breaking, and my metallic set suffered terribly both blistering on the outside and the wood developing pencil length cracks - oh dear. The 40 I redid, half of them worked, the remainder I microwaved for a third and forth longer time, I think they mostly gave in.

Oh and I just upgraded to Windows 10, it is free to do, was really easy and looks good. At first I thought it was a scam, but I found out it is genuine! 

I have entered the following challenges:

Passion for Promarkers - Summer lovin (Tues)

Papertake Weekly - anything goes (Tues)

Crafting by Design - windows (Wed)

I love Promarkers - in the garden (Wed)

Inspiration Destination - #45 anything goes (Wed)

Addicted to stamps - #156 anything goes (Wed)

Allsorts - inspired by Summer, what is more summery than a caravan? (Sat)

Die Cut Divas- favourite holiday - (Aug)

A swallow's journey

I used my Rubber Dance stamps again, and this time I used this gorgeous swallow stamp stamp on kraft, coloured with Prismacolor pencils and masked to stamp some background before die cutting with a Sizzix stamp die. I added some Tim Holtz paper string to one side of the die cut and a boat charm to the waves.

Then I decided to add another background, using a stencil and Distress Ink I sponged some waves and stamped the bird in Ranger Van Dyke Brown. On the Kraft card it is stamped in black, as is the shell and the "waves". 

The card I used for the card blank is textured and that showed through the inking. My bird is on a migratory journey over the sea - can you tell?

This card has swooped into the following challenges:

Rubber Dance Blog - colour and travel (July)

Craft Stamper - take a stamp anything goes (Jul)

Left of Centre - use texture (Fri)

Graph'it Markers - colour Duos (Fri)

Love to scrap - anything goes (Aug 2nd)

We love to create - #15 anything mixed media/creative/inky goes (Sun)

Vintage Stamping - #34 travel (Sun 3rd)

Papertake Weekly - take your pick blue and green (Tues)

A Sprinkle of Imagination - anything goes with something from the shop (Jul - Aug 11th?)

Fab n Funky - no patterned paper (Aug 11th)

Fussy and Fancy - #144 things with wings - picked randomly to be GD

The dance of life

Rubber Dance that is! I finally got to use some of the stamps from my wonderful prize from Bibi of Rubber Dance, I posted about them and the very arty envelope they arrived in a couple of weeks back.

So here is another tag to add to my stamp folders to identify which stamps are where, and this is a case of the last stamps to arrived get tagged nearly first, as you might remember I did complete one tag ages ago! I cut a second tag from Kraft after stamping and colouring the image, with Memento Ink and Prismacolor pencils - not the best combination but I didn't attempt to blend the pencil so the ink survived - Stazon next time. I stamped the couple and two words - "together" comes with this stamp, then added colour to fit the Rubber Dance challenge which is a colour challenge with optional theme of travel. You don't have to have Rubber Dance stamps to take part either.

This could be a couple on vacation or honeymoon, they look so happy!

I added some blue lace and mother of pearl heart buttons, I distressed the edges and inked with Distress ink in Mahogany.

This is the back of the tag, a montage of some of the other stamps I won.

I am entering the following 4 challenges:

Anything but a card - anything goes (4 challenge rule) End July?

Rubber Dance blog - see colour and theme above (July)

The Artistic Stamper - tags (July)

Craft Stamper - Take a stamp anything goes (July)

Do you have a guardian angel, maybe a Quirky one?

Two cards for the Quirky Crafts reminder today. My first has a Sweet Pea image by Molly Harrison called Orchid of the Night , it is so beautiful. I spent several hours colouring it with Promarkers and drawing (doodling) in the veins on the wings, then going over them with silver Prismacolor pencil, and the stamens. Then I die cut the image and mounted it on silver mirri card. Only then did I spot a huge streak of purple (well huge for the tiny face) on her face just above the chin!!!! I tried the ivory I had used to blend it away but she ended up with a very rosy face. In the end I used white pencil on top and hope it looks ok now.

The card blank is folded from sparkly glittery purple card, I added fibres and two star charms to the fibres. The sparkle sentiment was a freebie from Sweet Pea Stamps, and Birthday Wishes is cut with an IO set. I added gems for the dots this time.

My second card uses Strength Fairy from Bugaboo, and this sums up what I have been going through lately. It would be good as a canvas to put on the wall too, or a door hanger. I had a lot of trouble with ink bleed on this one, and her tummy had ended up looking bruised sadly. She is coloured with Promarkers, die cut with Spellbinders dies. The tag is also a Spellbinders die. I added a bow eyelet and fibres. The paper is DCWV cup cake stack.

To see more fabulous examples and to play along with us - hop on over to Quirky Crafts Challenge blog.

These two angels have flown into the following challenges:

TTCRD - anything goes May 12-18 (Mon)

Tuesday Throwdown - add a doodle (veins on wings)

I love Promarkers - flowers (Wed)

The Paper Shelter - charming (Wed)

Little Miss Muffet - many layers (Thurs)

Creative Fingers - #80 anything goes (Fri)

Polkadoodles - things with wings (Fri)

Allsorts - No squares allowed (Sat)

Sentimental Sundays - cute or funny sentiment (hope the sparkle one is cute)

Pile it on - not cute (Sun/Wed)

One Sweet Challenge - things with wings (30th May)

ABC challenges - J is for Jewels (31st May)

Top 3/4/5 or won:

Blue and Purple challenge at:

with the Sweet Pea angel.

Double birthday

It was Dad's birthday as well as my brother's at the weekend. I had to make some quick cards because we are still dashing around to hospital appointments in between emergency call outs to Mother in Law in the night, and sorting out her carers etc, and not telling her all that is going on so we don't worry her.

We bought my Dad a couple of duck sculptures from the National Trust shop a few weeks ago, it is hard to know what to get him really, but I had this stamp in mind. Oh Duck is by Sheena Douglas, I haven't used it before on a card but I remembered I had stamped sheets of it (I hoped I remembered correctly - I did phew!), and after searching through 3 boxes of stamped and printed images I found it (might have been quicker to stamp it again lol). I added a bit of colour with Prismacolor pencils, a bit of manly ribbon from Crafty Ribbons and die cut Dad (Spellbinders) and Happy Birthday (Impression Obsession). Unfortunately the words ended up decidedly crooked and the the permanent Xyron sticker adhesive was unforgiving so they had to stay wonky!

My Brother's card, he asked me if this was because he lives in S Wales (hadn't even crossed my mind, it was a toss up between this and the Silly Moo image). This is also a Sheena Douglas stamp, again the words are wonky and you can see the adhesive - I did rub a bit more off before I gave it to him. I used more of the masculine ribbon from Crafty Ribbons, and die cuts by Spellbinders and IO dies as before.

I have entered the following challenges (rubbish entries but you have to try):

Creative Card Crew - Easter Critters (Tues)

TTCRD - anything goes week of 24th March (Tues)

Addicted to Stamps - make your mark (Wed/Fri)

Crafty Gals - anything goes (Wed)

Crafty Ribbons - anything goes with ribbon (Thurs)

Creative Fingers - #73 anything goes (Fri)

Stamping Sensations - for the guys (March)

Quirky CAS reminder time, with a cute doggie.

I can't resist a cute critter, and this Bassett Hound by Crafty Girl from our sponsor Stitchy Bear is the cutest new addition to the dog basket!

I coloured him with Promarkers, cut him out (still using my new Spellbinders Grand Labels 1 dies) and mounted him on a die cut panel which is embossed with Creative Expressions clouds and coloured with blue chalk.

The sentiment is die cut with an IO die set.

This card has snuggled into the following challenges:

Through the Craft Room Door - anything goes (Tues Jan 13th)

ABC - A for anything goes (15th Jan) 10 only

Pink Gems - something new (16th Jan)

Allsorts - new and cute (Sat 17th)

Cute Card Thursdays - Something new 

Coffee Chocolate and Cards - no circles (Fri)

Creative Fingers - #62 anything goes (Fri)

Creative Card Crew - for a child (Jan)

This card is a copy of the one I made last week, except that I printed the two images on kraft card and coloured them with Prismacolor pencils this time. If you want to find out how cross this made me - read the previous post! Following some great tips by fellow WOYWWers Nikki C and Shaz in Oz I know there is a possible solution to the breaking leads, and that the splintering wood is due to quality of manufacturing! I need new pencils, different make I think.

Anyway, I die cut the panel and card out with my new Spellbinders Grand Labels 1 again, I am having fun with these. I love the end result, despite the Prismacolor pencil problems.

The images I used are Blue Tit 4 by IkeSart, and A Sign of Spring by Lil Diva both available from Stitchy Bear Digital Stamps.

This little bird has flown into the following challenges:

Divas by design - anything goes (Wed 14th)

Simon Says Wed - something new 

Ike's Art World - something old (Prismacolors) Something new, dies and images) (Tues 20th)

Pan Pastels - clean and Simple (25th Jan)

Choo choo - BANG!

I made this card for my eldest, his birthday is just before Christmas and he was in bed ill with the flu on the day.

He didn't get this until today when visiting for Christmas. I used Stampendous Tim Holtz cling rubber stamps, not used these before, I stamped the train and tracks on kraft card in brown Memento ink, then added white highlights with my Sharpie white paint marker and added a bit of green with a Prismacolor pencil. Son is stamped with a clear stamp from a Papermania Set and Happy Birthday to You is die cut with an IO set. The three panels are cut with Spellbinders 5"x7" card maker die set. I added square antique brass brads to each corner. 

Oh and Christmas day - just as we were preparing the food to cook our dinner - the cooker blew up! Well the electric part of it, the gas hob still worked but required matches to light. So we had roast potatoes and parsnips cooked in the Actifry in three lots, veg in the steamer, and the boys went round to Richard's house with the meat (apart from the beef which I had cooked for a couple of hours before the cooker went "BANG") and stuffing and cooked it there, then brought it back. We had 10 people to dinner, and the table all set up.

We went through a few options for cooking, including the barbeque before doing what we did in the end! It was all a bit exciting really, and everyone enjoyed their dinner even if some of it wasn't as hot as it could be - and it was really healthy!

This card has chuffed its way into the following challenges:

Papertake Weekly - take your pick - one for the boys (Tues)

Simon says stamp - Wednesday challenges, anything goes.

Paula Holifield - anything goes except Christmas (Dec)

Less is More - family (Sat 3rd Jan)

Stampotique - anything goes (Jan 5th)

Further down The Quirky Silk Road....reminder

For my first reminder card, at the Quirky Crafts challenge blog, I used Lucy Loo Fire Dancer from The East Wind. I printed her in two sizes and this was the largest, she is still very intricate to colour and I think she needs to be bigger still!

I coloured her with Promarkers, added a bit of Spica pen to the flames for sparkle then rough cut her out to go on the dark background. The paper is more (other side of red double sided) Papermania, and so are the stickers.

This card has burned its way into the following challenges:

Graphit Markers - wk#30 Hot Colours (8th Aug).

The Paper Shelter - anything goes (5th Aug)

Paula Holifield Crafts - It's Magic (July)

For this masculine birthday card I used Junk Boat from Squigglefly with Chinese Happy Birthday from Squigglefly also. Both are coloured with Promarkers and I added a few waves with a white Prismacolor pencil.

I die cut the Junk Boat after marking the part that came outside the die which I cut around manually afterwards.

Paper is Papermania, and it has a slightly metallic sheen. The sentiment is not straight but the Affixit tape is so instantly permanent that I daren't try and peel it off to straighten it! I added a Chinese coin charm, might be Woodware.

This card has sailed into the following challenges:

Creative Fingers - #44 anything goes (8th Aug)

I thought I should show you the first prize for this challenge, it is so good!

Just look at all the goodies you can win from That Craft Place!

If you come second or third you can win some digis from Squigglefly or The East Wind, both sponsors have highly desirable digital images.

Groundhog day?

It feels like it, here is the challenge book again (see previous post), this time with all its ribbons and with a couple of wings and a crown added to the front cover, I think the front cover is finished! I inked over the gold clock hands, and the cogs and wings, might take it off the wings and do something else.

I used the Time background to make the covers, and the Clocks full page background (both from The Cutting Cafe) to make the pages, which I creased to make pockets and lined with either clocks on purple or green card. 

I made some slips which are currently supposed to be one per challenge, you write the date it ends, the blog, and the details. When you complete the challenge you move it to the "DONE" pocket, when winners have been picked it can be recycled, or kept if won maybe in the spare pocket at the back.

I have collected a load of links to challenge blogs in my sidebar, I found a whole bunch of new ones yesterday too. I spent ages looking down the list to see if there is a new challenge, trying to remember if I entered the last one, or if there was a challenge I wanted to enter, then visiting them. When they post additional posts between challenges I lose the challenge, especially monthly challenges! So I thought this way I could keep track of challenges I hope to enter, and enter them in time, not have to hunt around for a blog that was doing ribbons and lace only to find I missed it, or couldn't find it again!

I am already thinking that maybe I should have created a page a day, and that would make the whole thing easier, and maybe not have a slip for every challenge but one for a blog, that can be put back with the new challenge so used again until full - I might have to try that!

If I start over with a seven day and one month book I will give this one away - if anyone wants it! Hmmm, would I have to make it 14 plus 2, for days of the week a challenge starts - or ends, and a done pocket for each day, and month? This could grow into a big book! I will just try this one for now and see how I get on.

Don't forget to hop over to Quirky Crafts and enter your make by Saturday!

This book is ticking over into the following challenges:

Avenue 613 - make something for yourself  (Sun)

Art by Miran - anything goes 7 (4th July)

Milkcoffee - anything but a card (June 4th)

Moving Along With The Times - no image (Thurs)

That Craft Place - ribbon and lace (Sun)

Crafts Galore - use a digi or stamp (Jun)

It's still about Quirky Time!

It is reminder time for the Quirky Challenge, and this is my challenge book. It is not finished, I ran out of time, so I will add more photos later as I complete bits of it, in fact I could probably carry on decorating it for weeks! The idea is that I have pocket pages, and into the pockets I put slips with details of all the challenges I want to enter. 

I used Time background from our sponsor The Cutting Cafe, coloured with Prismacolor pencils, inked with Distress inks and edged with Treasure Gold. I found a few sheets of chipboard alphabets and decided to use those to spell Challenge, first colouring them with Krylon pen, then Treasure Gold. Real lace on the hinge side. The book is punched using my Bind it All, I had to watch the video tutorials again before I started using it and as you will see I wasn't totally successful in getting all the pages punched the same, and had to redo the back cover!

I got my Sizzix Tim Holts dies out to cut some metal gears and a weathered clock, and this would be so much further on IF the Ebosser had cut the metal instead of embossing mostly, cutting a little, and generally ruining my metal sheets. So out came the Trusty Big Shot which instantly cut them like they were butter, so another disapppointment about the eBosser, but gold stars to the Big Shot!

I tied on a few ribbons from Crafty Ribbons, more to be added later!

 I made 5 pocket pages, one for weekly, or fortnightly challenges to do, one for monthly challenges to do....

one each for weekly and monthly challenges completed, and one that is spare for now!

I hope to add some more photos later when I complete more, and I will show you the slips I am going to use in the pockets. I am so happy I finally did this even if it is a bit Quirky and not perfect!

Love Ewe version 2

This is another version using the Love You Unity Itty Bitty stamp, this time on Kraft card again coloured with Prismacolor pencils. I stamped the sentiment on the main image so I could add Happy Birthday which is a Debbi Moore stamp. Die cut with Spellbinders, papers are from a pad called Hideaway by Trimcraft.

I have entered the following challenges:

Cards Galore - August bingo (die cuts, birthday, ribbon)

Cute Card Thursday - Anything goes

Inside the card, back and front of the paper used.

Pancakes again! I have had these every Thursday for the past 3 weeks, this time with different fruit, and using coconut flour.

WOYWW #217

This is the card on the desk, it looks a bit out of focus so I better try another one! The stamp is from Stampersaurus, I love this stamp and it seemed to me it should be dark, the lamps are on, there are stars and a lit candle in one window though I haven't seen it coloured like this! It took me a few hours to colour with Promarkers and Trias, then I die cut it with Spellbinders long deckled rectangles. I made the sentiment on the computer and cut a ribbon tag. Papers are Papermania, years old, and I added some fibres.

I have entered this card in the following challenges:

Creative Inspiration Paint - inspired by anything goes.

Some of you might not believe it but I had a good tidy up last night before taking this photo very late before I got to my bed!

You can see the card above, and a peeking kitty - work in progress, stamp from Crackerbox Palace, as well as some Unity Sheep, and the Alpha Challenge page which I will post seperately. Under the desk is visible, EEEEK!

View from the other end, and you can see Christmas images, well one of them by Penny Black, underneath you can't see I have Spyder Lyn and Dustin Pike images ready to go on cards. Yes I am trying to break the habit of a lifetime and get organised for Christmas! There are also some die cuts, I was playing with some new dies and made a fancy frame which I was considering putting peeking kitty into, but maybe it is a bit fancy for that!

In the background the tub of stash I am trying to sell is still there, I have taken a couple of bagfuls to the shop, and of course the minute I did someone asked if I had such and such. Well I retrieved one set of stamps from the shop, the other had sold. I saw an email Saturday when I logged on saying the shop was closed due to no volunteers, so I went over to open it up for a couple of hours. Not good to be closed on a Saturday afternoon. I didn't sell much, though there were lots of people coming in to look round, and later to shelter from the downpour. If I had seen the email earlier or had a phone call I could have got there at least an hour before I did.

The bench, eBosser surrounded by dies, and there are my Prismacolor pencils getting a long overdue airing!

This is an Itty Bitty stamp from Unity, the challenge for this week is to make something with a different Itty Bitty every day, however I only have one - can I do different versions do you think?

I stamped the image and sentiment onto black card with Stazon Cotton White, which is one of those weird pads that you get dry with a bottle of ink you put on the pad yourself. I added Prismacolour grass and a light blue shadow, or that is what it was supposed to be. DCWV paper. Die cut with Spellbinders.

Pancakes attempt 2, they are thinner. I used Doves Farm white bread flour which is made of rice among other things. I added some coconut milk too.Nom Nom.

This was a dish of quinoa, with samphire, passatta and Greek salad cheese. Maybe the passatta was a step too far.

 I've been making smoothie ice pops!

Sooty and Alfie met two young Mini Schnauzers while out walking, they always love other Schnauzers! The new boys were called Mikey and Toby and were two years old.

 Mikey eventually vanished into the crops, much to Alfie's amazement, and didn't come back out when we were there. He does it often apparently.

This was Sooty when he got back to the car!