SPRING

We've been having some gorgeous Spring weather this week here in Wales - and doesn't the sun make a big difference.  It's been so long since we've seen it!  I've been busy digging my veg patch ready for planting my seedlings later and just generally having a tidy up of the garden.  I've still been doing a bit of crafting though and am loving these new stamps by Alison Bomber for Paper Artsy.  The one I have is called Apple Blossom and I also have one of her new stencils - Twiggy! 

And just to show that the stamps can also be used for non Springlike images - I've teamed it up here with a stamp by Lavinia to create a moody scene. 

I'm adding these into the following challenges:

DD Triple B - Bids, Blooms 

Let's Craft and Create - AG 

Stencil Fun - plus splatter 

The Paper Players - Spring flowers 

Dragonfly Dreams - Gardening 

Stamping Sensations - hello spring 

We love stamping - Spring 

KRAFTY CHICKS #696 - ALL OCCASIONS

This is my last week for being Guest Designer over at Krafty Chicks and it's been a pleasure to be part of their team for a month.  Our final one is All Occasions. 

I used this gorgeous mouse from Anita Jeram from the Colorado Craft Company.  I chose to do a Thank You card ready for all those cards needed for January to thank you for my Christmas gifts.  I stamped the mouse first then masked him off and added a Tim Holtz stencil behind him. 

I'm adding this into the Stencil Fun challenge 

CHRISTMAS CRAFT CREATIONS - ADD A HAT

Welcome back to another monthly challenge at Christmas Craft Creations - if you've been with us all year you will have a great start to your Christmas card collection.

Our challenge this month is Add a Hat.  This nearly had me stumped but then I remembered this older Tim Holtz set Carved Christmas 1 with the great linocut hat and knew I had to use it. 

I used a Tim Holtz stencil for my background using a soft palette of Aged Mahogony ink over an Antique Linen background.  I added some Tim Holtz collage Holly paper,  I embossed the stamp then cut it out and added it to a gold stitched circle.  I added a white gel pen to the word Jolly.  I cut out some Tim Holtz foliage and added it under the circle and added a twine bow.

I'm adding this into the following challenges:

Krafty Chicks - All occasions 

Time Out - Winter/Holiday

The Holly & Ivy - Christmas 

Tuesday Taggers - It's cold outside - cold enough for a woolly hat? 

Crafting from the Heart - AG 

SPRING GREENS

I'm still in the process of decorating and sorting out my craft room.  It is a room hubby and I both use for our respective hobbies - his is fly tying and his desk is even messier than mine!  So we've bought some Ikea units to try and sort out and make things look a bit tidy and given the whole room a makeover.  I therefore have limited space and supplies out at the moment but am missing the crafting!

I love these stamps from Tracy Evans with the wellington boots called The Great Outdoors. I found in my stash a background I had made with a Tim Holtz stencil using Distress Oxide Ink Iced Spruce.  I added the stamps of the boots and then cut them out to layer onto themselves.  The hares are from other Tracy Evans sets Miniatures for the small hares and the ants and Long Eared Mammal for the larger hare.  I used Tim Holtz Distress inks in Crushed Olive and Rustic Wilderness for the additional greens.

I'm adding this into the following challenges:

Try it on Tuesday - Green 

Allsorts - AG - trio of three - my three hares 

As You See It - Spring clean - actually re-arranging my craft room and finding old backgrounds I've made 

AIChallenge - Green 

COLOR MY HEART COLOR DARE - #524

I'm taking a break from the Christmas projects at the moment with this one for Color Dare Challenge.  I've used the lovely stamp from Visible Image called Break Free.

The background was made with Tim Holtz Distress Ink, a Tim Holtz stencil and a script stamp I use for backgrounds.  I masked off the flower image before creating the background so that it wasn't showing behind the vase.  I added some glossy accents to the bits of the glass to make it shine.

COLOR MY HEART COLOR DARE #510 - TIC TAC TOE

Welcome back to another Color Dare Challenge - this week we are offering you a Tic Tac Toe - these are my favourite challenges!   I chose to use the middle row on the vertical and the colours of sage, pine and shortbread - or at least the equivalent of those I could find in my inks.

I started off with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Very Vanilla and used a tim Holtz tree stencil for my background.  I stamped the tree from Visible Image Tree of Life and used Distress Ink in Rustic Wilderness for the leaves. I used Bundled Sage Distress Oxide for the halo around the tree.  The sentiment is also from Visible Image called Brighten The World.

I'm adding this into the following challenges:

Paperbabe stamps - AG 

Cardz4guyz - use a stencil

THE MALE ROOM CHALLENGE #164 - MONOCHROME

Our challenge for you this month at The Male Room is Monochrome.  I chose to use sepia for my monochrome colours. 

My card is for a 21st Birthday - with all the keys and the admission through the door to adulthood?  Maybe although they grow up much quicker now - don't I sound old lol!

I started my background with a Tim Holtz stencil and used Antique Linen Distress Ink.  The key stamps are from Kaisercraft and the door is from Stampin Up.  I added a ticket from Tim Holtz and one of his paper dolls which I haven't used much and I thought they'd work well for this 21st Birthday Card.  I added a little metal key which I  had in my stash.  I used Versafine Clair in Acorn for my dark browns, stamped off when I needed it a paler brown.

I'm adding this into the following challenge - 

Inkspirational - Monochrome

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.