I'm back crafting....

It's been a long six weeks but I'm finally back crafting after moving home from England to a mountain in Wales and with no internet for about four weeks.  I had to make the decision to cut back on most of my obligations to Design Teams but wanted to continue with Hand Stamped Sentiments and am so pleased Genny was pleased for me to stay.

So I finally made it into my craftroom to make something for this week's challenge.  Here's our sketch we are working with.  I chose to do a Christmas card for mine as it's getting near that time of year and I just love making Christmas cards.

I started off by masking the part in the middle and used some Distress Ink in Antique Linen from Tim Holtz to cover the panel. I then took a Tim Holtz stencil which has fir cones and leaves on it and stamped over it in Pumice Stone. For the panels at either side I used some Tim Holtz Collage Paper in Holly.  I added some Washi tape from my stash.

I used a Tim Holtz wreath die for the wreath in the middle.  I first covered a piece of card stock in the same Collage Paper and then cut it out with the die cut.  I used Liquitex Matte Medium for the collage paper.  I used some SU card stock for the bow and added some white dots with a white gel pen.  The Christmas Wishes banner was from my stash.

613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes with optional twist of Thanks

Our challenge this month at 613 Avenue create has an optional twist of Thanks.  I wanted to use this gorgeous toadstool stamp from Visible Image for my card.  the set is called Totally Toadstools. I started by using a Visible Image stencil for the background and some Tim Holts Distress inks.    The stamp was stamped over it and coloured in with Distress Inks. 

SPARKLES CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE - PRESENTS

Our challenge this month at Sparkles Christmas Challenge  is presents.  Years ago I remember doing a card which had presents as pop up's inside the card and wanted to do it again and managed to find some instructions on youtube.  

I started off the front of my card using some Tim Holtz christmas wallpaper and used the same papers throughout for the presents.  I added a panel on the front of the card which has been embossed with holly and added some paper shapes for the presents and added string.  The sentiments are from Clearly Besotted.

Inside the card there are three pop up presents which are really easy to do but they look so effective.

TRY STAMPIN ON TUESDAY - #TSOT530

Embellishments 

This will be my last Design Team entry for TSOT.  It's been a great few years and I'm grateful to Kaylin for giving me the chance to be on her team.  As mentioned previously a house move and a whole new life means I don't have as much time for crafting at the moment so until I get my routine sorted I need to give myself some time off.

Here's our sketch for you this week from Try Stampin on Tuesday #TSOT530 with the added option of Embellishments.  A lot of my craft items are packed as I recently had a big house move from England to Wales and couldn't have access to any embellishments so went just with the sketch.  

I used two Tim Holtz tag dies for my tags.  The larger one was covered in Stampin Up Silver Embossing paste using an SU stencil.  I loved how it came out on the black so added some black Washi tape for the word and some torn silver Washi tape for the bottom of the tag.  The smaller tag used Distress Oxide in Spun Sugar and Dusty Concord with an old Tim Holtz stamp for the words.  I added some SU Silver Edged ribbon in Berry Burst.

The background uses the same Spun Sugar ink and the stencil and another strip of the washi tape down the side of the card. 

SWEET STAMPIN - HALLOWE'EN AND FAREWELL

Our challenge for Sweet Stampin this week is Hallowe'en.  This will be my final entry as a Design Team member for this fabulous challenge blog.  I have recently had a big house move from England back home to Wales and my new life is going to be a lot busier than my old one in many good ways.  It means I have less time for crafting and sadly my commitments to Design Teams for challenges is going to have to be something I give up... at least until I get myself into more of a routine.  Being on a Design Team is a great motivator and being part of a team to regularly create can be a real help when your mojo goes missing and I can thoroughly recommend it if you get the chance.

I'm also finding I'm not crafting like I used to and cards are not my number 1 go to now when I craft.  I guess we all change and develop as we explore new ways.

So I leave you from Sweet Stampin' with this card.  Hallowe'en is a special time for me and I do despair sometimes when I hear all the negative press it gets mainly from people's perceptions of it and how Hollywood has portrayed it over the years.

I'm a Celt from Irish Celtic background and now Welsh and for my ancestors this time of the year was a sacred time.  It was a time to remember those who had passed before us, lay the table for them to come and sit with us one more time for a meal - hence the trick or treat which became trivialised into sweets and candy.  I have lost many close family members and my table would be overflowing with places for those who are no longer with me.  The idea of pumpkins being carved came from people going to bonfires to celebrate the old year and they needed lights - at the time they used swede's or turnips which were the vegetables we had in this country thousands of years ago.  They cut them to allow a candle to give them light and hence the pumpkin as we know it was born. 

I wanted to try and express how sacred this evening really is and for people not to fear it.  I've used stamps here from Visible Image, I love how that bird is flying out of the tree.

May you have a peaceful Hallowe'en.

MY BIG MOVE HOME

Finally after many years of trying and a full 10 months of turmoil with buyers pulling out we finally made our move back home to Wales.  We are in such a beautiful part of the country and can't wait to get settled and explore.  I have already joined the local WI and will be starting Welsh conversation classes next week.  

Some of my craft stuff has been unpacked but I haven't yet had the time to get inky - I'm sure it will come soon.  I have had to make the difficult decision to resign from some of the Design Teams I've been on for many years.  They have been invaluable to me over the years for inspiration and mojo.  I also find my crafting has changed over the last few months and cards are not my number one priority at the moment.  I'm getting more out of journaling and mixed media but they are not always something I want to share with the world just yet so my blog may go a bit quieter.

Here are some photos of our new place in Wales

TRY STAMPIN ON TUESDAY #TSOT528

A double challenge this week from Try Stampin on Tuesday.  I went just with the sketch.  

I started by using a mask from Stampin Up for the background bricks using some of the Cinnamon Cider ink.  I used a cobble stones stencil from my stash for the road part of the image and divided it into two pieces.  I stamped the image from Stampin Up and coloured in with Distress Inks.  I added some twine from my stash.  The sentiment is from an Anita Jeram stamp set.

HAND STAMPED SENTIMENTS #374

Another sketch challenge this week at Hand Stamped Sentiments .  I loved the CAS feel to this sketch so decided to keep my card quite clean and simple.

I created the background strip with a stencil and some Distress Ink in Peeled Paint.  I added some Washi tape from my stash to the top and the bottom.  The main image is from a new set by Tracy Evans called Foliage.  I added a touch of the distress ink and some Cinnamon Cider by SU.  I added some very old SU embellishments and some linen thread behind the circle.  The sentiment is from an Anita Jeram stamp set. 

613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes

Welcome to another month from 613 Avenue Create - this month we are all about the Anything Goes with no twist.  

I have some new stamps from Tracy Evans - a designer here in the UK and this one is from a stamp set called Foliage.  Just perfect for the Autumn days we now have - I love collage sets so was delighted to find Tracy's range of stamps.  

My background was made with a stencil.  I had used the stencil with some acrylic paint on another background and just stamped off what was left on the stencil.  This left a very light covering of the leaves and was just perfect for a soft background.  See, nothing is wasted in crafting.

I stamped the larger image from the stamp set directly on top of the background allowing the background to show through onto the stamps.  I picked out areas of the stamp to colour in and highlight.   I added some extra bits of stamping from the stamp around the edges just using my fingers to press it down rather than a block.  I double stamped the leaf and added it with some dimensionals.  The sentiment is from the same set and popped on dimensionals.  I used a Stabilo All pencil around the edges and softened it with an aqua brush.

SPARKLES CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE - FLORA /FAUNA

Flora/Fauna

Welcome to another month's challenge at Sparkles Christmas Challenge.  If you have been with us all year well done - you have at least 10 cards ready for the big day!

Our challenge this month is Flora/Fauna.  I wanted to use this delightful stamp set by Anita Jeram called Snow Happy.  It is so whimsical and I wanted to give it a slightly vintage feel.

I stamped the image using Versafine Clair in Acorn to give a softer feel rather than black.  I coloured it in with distress inks - added some white dots and some pearl drops for the deer's tail, the rabbit's tail and the snowball.  I used some distress ink around the edges to give it a wintry feel and added some pearls and some rickrack.  The sentiment is from an old set and I thought the font suited the card.  

TRY STAMPIN ON TUESDAY #TSOT526

Use Gingham/plaid

A great sketch for you this week at Try Stampin on Tuesday and a chance to have a play with those gingham or plaid papers you may have in your stash.  I had to dig deep to find this old SU DSP. 

On Saturday we celebrated my daughter's wedding and today we are moving house with a big move from England back home to Wales.  This post was made previously as my stash has been packed up for a while and internet is now off.

Here I've teamed up some old SU paper with a lovely flower and leaf combination from Wendy Vecchi which comes with the matching dies together with the butterfly.  The sentiment is from an Anita Jeram stamp set.

SWEET STAMPIN - CHRISTMAS IN SEPTEMBER

Our challenge for you today at Sweet Stampin is Christmas in September.  Today is actually my darling daughter's Wedding Day so, as you can imagine, this project was done a few weeks ago as I will be rather busy today!  It was also my 36th Wedding Anniversary a few days ago and in a few days time we will be moving home from England to Wales so a lot going on this month.  I still managed to sneak in some craft time though.

I've used the gorgeous stamp set from Anita Jeram for my card - these stamps called Snow Happy are so whimsical and very gentle.  I kept it simple with some simple watercolouring so as not to detract from the image.  There is some Stickles on the snowball and the deer and rabbit's tail to add a bit more interest.

I wonder if we will get snow here in the UK this year - I have more chance of seeing it in Wales than in England so fingers crossed, but not in September lol! 

HAND STAMPED SENTIMENTS - #IC373

We have such a gorgeous inspiration board for you this week at Hand Stamped Sentiments.  I just adore all these colours and Autumn is my favourite time of the year. 

 I used a set from my stash called Mug Hugs from Sunny Studio for the mugs.  I started off by masking off the background card and adding a leaf stencil in SU Cinnamon Cider ink.  I stamped the mugs and cut them out and added them to the top using marker pens to colour them in.  I added the sentiment from the same set in the middle.  There are some glossy accents on the heart on the one mug.

Today is my 36th Wedding Anniversary - in 4 days time my daughter gets married and three days after that I have a big house move from England back home to Wales.  This move has been nearly 9 months in the making with three sales falling at the last hurdle so I'm really hopeful this one makes it as I've been living out of boxes for 6 months and have limited craft stuff.  It will be like Christmas when I eventually get to open all my boxes.

TRY STAMPIN ON TUESDAY - #TSOT524

Optional Theme - patterned paper/dsp

Welcome to another week's sketch at Try Stampin on Tuesday.  I'm in the middle of moving home, plus my daughter's wedding in two weeks with the move the next day so time is short in my household at the moment and most of my crafting stuff has been in boxes for a long time.  So very quick posts from me over the next month or so til I get settled and internet gets switched on.

I've used some gorgeous papers from a pack from Pretty Papers called Rose Gold Memories.  The little bird is from a Clearly Besotted set with the cute sentiment which comes with the set.  I coloured him in with a touch of Distress Ink. I've added some strips of red washi tape between all the papers.