Another online workshop ........

Happy Thursday ........

I hope you're enjoying your week.  

It's been a craft filled few days for me.  I started the week at a crafty get together which was nice, haven't seen the girls for a while (and there was cake!)

I've also been catching up with the JOFY online workshops again.  This one was all about the recently released stamp set JOFY146

Another fun afternoon, with a workshop filled with lots of tips and techniques.  There was stamping, stenciling, using patterend papers, fussy cutting, heat embossing, using coloured pencils.  You name it, we did it!

I love how Jo comes up with different ways of using her stamps and stencils .....

I wasn't so sure about this next card when I started it but, I stuck with it and I'm pleased with the result.

As I've said before, if you haven't tried one of JOFY's workshops, give them a go.  They're so much fun to do,  and full of fabulous ideas.

Thanks for popping by, enjoy the rest of your day.

I'm off to tidy the craft room, I've one more workshop to do ..... or it might be two actually!

Cheerio until next time .......

More Stenciling for CAS Mix Up ........

Happy Monday ........

I hope you had a lovely weekend.  We had family and friends round for a BBQ which was nice, and hubby did all the cooking, well most of it, which was even better!

I've got a little reminder for this month's CAS Mix Up Challenge for you today.  There's still 2 weeks left to get your entries in if you want to play along.

It's a Stencil challenge this month, and the added prompt is ........ Stenciling over Patterned Paper 

Patterned paper is not something that I use a lot of really, but this challenge has been fun.

I've rummaged through my bits boxes and found a few paper pieces and here are the results.

First up ...... a touch of pink

The paper is from the Mixed Media Compendium Paper Pad from Funky Fossil.  I love all the different shades of pink, and the grungy look with the little touches of blue on there.

I've used an old Sweet Poppy stencil over the top. I think it was called Cornflowers, but I couldn't find it on the website so I assume its been retired ..... sorry!

I used black Versafine Clair ink and applied it through the stencil using a sponge, building up the depth of colour gradually.

I added my sentiment using a die cut, coloured blue to bring out the blue already in the paper, and then heat embossed the word friend underneath.

To finish off the card I added a doodled frame around the edge using a black fine liner pen.

Next up, another piece of patterend paper from the same paper pad, just a different colour.  This has more of an Autumnal feel I think

Another Sweet Poppy Stencil used over the top (one of my all time favourites this one) ..... Wildflowers

(this must be retired too as it's not on the website)

I used Distress Oxide Inks this time, a mix of Unchartered Mariner and Villianous Potion.  I used a sponge to apply the inks again, and built up the depth of colour gradually.  

Applying the ink gradually means that you get a cleaner image, not as much risk of the ink bleeding under the stencil.  Takes a bit more time but, I think its worth it.

The sentiment was simply stamped in black and then die cut.

One type of paper I do like to use is book pages, I love text.  And, it makes a great background for stenciling over.

If you do use book pages, just be careful.  Give it a quick glance over first, to make sure there's nothing 'naughty' on there!

In fact, JOFY gave a great tip during one of her recent workshops ........ she likes to use foreign language books, they're not as easy to read, which I thought was a great idea.  Guess what I'm looking for next!!

Not sure where this page came from, but I think it's ok .......

This is a real CAS card.  A circle cut from an old book page, pretty flowers stenciled over the top, then I attached it onto a larger die cut circle (black card), and added a white die cut frame over the top.

A simple sentiment stamped underneath to finish it off.  I used my MISTI for the sentiment and shaped it to follow the edge of the circle.

If you are playing along with this months challenge, please remember to follow the simple guidelines, and keep your cards CAS (Clean and Simple).

Thanks for popping by, enjoy the rest of your week.

It's going to be a quiet one here, well as quiet as it can be.  The Manx Grand Prix started yesterday so it's motorbikes again.  The weather's not playing nice though.  We had rain yesterday (Sunday), so the racing had to be called off ....... not good!

Cheerio until next time .......

Products used

Card 1

Inks ...... Versafine Clair - Nocturne; Versamark Embossing ink, Tumbled Glass DOX (for the die cut)

Stencils ....... Cornflowers - Sweet Poppy (retired I think)

Others ...... Patterned paper; WOW Gold Superfine Embossing Powder, Small 'hello' cutting die, Black Fine Liner pen

Card 2

Inks ...... DOX Unchartered Mariner; Villianous Potion, Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Stencils ....... Sweet Poppy - Wildflowers

Stamps ....... Opposites Attract stamps and matching dies;

Others ...... Patterned paper; 

Card 3

Inks ....... DOX  - Picked Raspberry, Spiced Marmalade, Rustic Wilderness; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Stencil .......  Imagination Crafts - Butterflyy & Daisy

Other ..... Old Book page; Circle Dies; Stitched Circle Frame Die; Sentiment from my stash

Catching up with Online Workshops ......

Happy Thursday .......

I hope you're having a good week.  

The weather is still glorious here on the island.  Not quite as warm as it is everywhere else but still nice.

Did you see the eclipse yesterday?  We went onto the beach to watch.  It wasn't quite as spectacular as expected but it was still pretty cool.  

Anyway, I've been catching up with some online workshops this week, run by the lovely JOFY (Jo Firth-Young)

I'm a little late as the Facebook lives were back in July but hey!  I'm getting there.

I do enjoy a good online workshop, and the JOFY ones are always fun.  

I love how she shows ways of getting the most out of her stamp sets, using the stamps in so many different ways.  

This workshop was all about stamp set JOFY145, from a fairly recent release.  The set is a mix of funky floral images, along with a vase, perfect for creating your own floral displays.

The workshops are always full of techniques, nothing too difficult, but just ways of making the most of your craft stash.

On this workshop we used stencils, stamps, inks, and coloured pencils.  Did quite a bit of fussy cutting and layering, and also stamping onto patterned papers

We also used up some of those paper scraps we all have boxes of,  to create this super cute design ..... 

If you haven't booked on one of JOFY's Online workshops before (Facebook), I thoroughly recommend them.  You can find all the details HERE.

As you've probably guessed, I'm starting to feel a lot better after my recent fall.

I was back at the hospital last week for  a follow-up appointment, and the doctors said I was doing well.  New X-rays showed everything was healing well so, I've been discharged ..... yeah!!

Just need to continue to take things easy, build my strength back up ....... and be very careful on the stairs!!!  I'll definitely be doing that, I'm still terrified going up and down.

Enjoy the rest of your week, and make the most of this gorgeous summer we're having.

Thanks for popping by.

Cheerio until next time .......

CAS Mix Up Challenge ........

Happy Monday .......

It's the start of a new week, at the beginning of a new month, so that means there's a new CAS Mix Up Challenge.   

This month our Challenge Host is Viv,  and it's a Stencil Challenge with the added prompt  

Stencilling over Patterned Paper.

We've all got piles of patterned papers.  Some we love and can't bring ourselves to use (I've got lots of those)  Some that are nice but we're not quite sure what to do with them (got quite a few of those too).  And then, there's those that are not really our favourites (yep! got some of those too!) 

Well, here's a great way of using all those patterned papers ....... why not stencil over the top of them.

Add a little more detail and interest to those plain-ish sort of papers.  

Cover over a design or colour that you're not quite happy with.  Or, simply stencil a pretty focal point on a nice background paper.  The hardest decision will be which paper to use.

I've got a couple of ideas for you here.

First up, one of my favourite leaf stencils ...... Natures Treasures II from Uniko.  

I've used it here over a lovely paper from 49 and Market.  Beautiful mix of shades and colours with a pretty leaf detail here and there.  I simply added a bit more interest to the edges.

I used the stencil with Distress and Distress Oxide inks first (Peacock Feathers), and then I added another leaf over the top which I heat embossed in gold.

A bit of ink around the edge, a simple sentiment, and a touch of gold splatter finishes it all off.

For the second card I've used another pretty background paper, which I think is from the Spellbinders Beautifully Imperfect Collection.  Quite delicate colours with a little bit of detail, it just needed a bold focal point .........

The Tim Holtz Roses stencil did the job perfectly I think.  Simply stenciled onto the paper using black Versafine Clair ink

I heat embossed my sentiment using WOW's Platinum Embossing Powder,

and finished of with some tiny gemstones for a touch of sparkle.

I'm really looking forward to seeing how you stencil over patterned papers.

Check out the CAS Mix Up Challenge Blog for more inspiration from the Design Team, and you'll also find some great videos on there with more tips and techniques.

You have until the end of the month to get your entries in ...... happy stencilling!

Thanks for popping by ...... enjoy the rest of your day.

Cheerio until next time ....

Products used

Card 1

Inks ...... Distress and Distress Oxide ink (Peacock Feathers); Versafine Clair - Nocturne; Versamark Embossing ink

Stencils ....... Natures Treasures II - Uniko

Others ...... Patterned paper; WOW Gold Superfine Embossing Powder, Gold ink for splatter

Card 2

Inks ...... Versafine Clair - Nocturne; Versamark Embossing ink

Stencils ....... Tim Holtz Roses

Others ...... Patterned paper; WOW Platinum Superfine Embossing Powder; Small clear gemstones

What's this ..... another Christmas card!

Happy Wednesday,

I hope you are all enjoying your week.  

We're almost at the end of July, this year is just flying by!

I'm getting all festive today, and sneaking in at the last minute, with a card for the CAS Christmas Card Challenge. 

The theme this month is all about Snowmen .......

I love this cute little guy from Penny Black.  And this couldn't be more Clean and Simple.

He's been stamped in black ink, coloured using Zig Brush Markers, and a simple sentiment stamped underneath.  

A little touch of sparkle from some clear crystal glitter finishes him off perfectly ...... gotta have glitter on a Christmas card!

I may just do a few more of these, and make an early start on my cards Christmas!

Thanks for popping by ..... enjoy the rest of your day.

It's our wedding anniversary tomorrow so I think we're off out for a nice lunch somewhere.

I'm starting to feel a little more like myself again, thankfully.  Still can't do much though,, and I'm still very nervous on the stairs but, at least things are moving in the right direction.

Cheerio until next time, 

Products used .....

Stamps ........ Snowy - Penny Black; sentiment from Tim Holtz Mr Frosty CMS499                   

Inks ......... Versafine Clair -Nocturne (my go to black ink); Delicata Golden Glitz ink

Other ....... ZIG Clean Color Brush Markers; Quickie Glue Pen; Fine Crystal Glitter