Why not add a touch of GOLD .......

Happy Thursday ........

I hope you're having a good week .... the sun is shining again over here which is nice, and I had a fab day yesterday spent in the company of some of my lovely crafty buddies.  I didn't seem to do much though except get messy ...... I only have to look at a pot of paint and I'm covered in it!!  I still have a beautiful shimmery green and blue manicure ....... I must get my nails done tonight!
I did end up with some nice background pieces for use on future projects ..... we put the world to rights as always and of course there was lots of cake and biscuits.  I do like crafting with friends.

It's a busy day again today ... this is the first of two posts ....... more fun blog challenges for you to play along with.

It's time to get this months STAMPlorations CAS Card Challenge started.  As always the theme is Anything Goes .... anything CAS that is ...... with an optional colour twist, and for August that colour is ........ GOLD!

I've used the colour twist .... a touch of gold embossing.

I love the ARTplorations Flutterby stencil ....... and I've just used part of it on my CAS design.
I simply applied Versamark ink through the bottom of the stencil (after carefully masking of the areas I didn't want) then sprinkled gold detail embossing powder over the top and heat set it

I added some colour to the butterflies using Distress Inks and a touch of water ......

and then brushed over the top using a clear Wink of Stella sparkle pen ......

not sure it comes across well in the photo, but the wings are so sparkly in the sunshine.

I finished off with a sentiment from the Happy Sentiment Builder set .....

and added a few splatters of the Distress colours I'd used for the butterflies ..... some on the inside too

Check out more fabulous inspiration from the rest of the Design Team over on the Challenge Blog and then why not join in the fun.

You don't have to use the colour twist .... although you could win a $10 gift certificate to spend in the STAMPlorations store if you do ........ and you don't have to use STAMPlorations products to enter the challenge.

Full details for all of the STAMPlorations challenges can be found over on the  STAMPlorations blog

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

Cheerio until next time .......

A new start .....

Happy Tuesday ...... mind you it's probably Wednesday now, so Happy middle of the week!

Sorry but I can't stop ...... it was Tuesday when I started this post, still March 31st, and still time for me to get March's Tag entered into this months 12 Tags of 2015.  I couldn't miss this one could I .... how gorgeous is this ..... and it's using one of my current favourite stamps

As usual, I'd left things to the last minute, busy moving house and all that this month.  But .... I did get chance to play along before the old craft room got completely packed away, well... sort of!! Everything went really well, I followed Tim's step by steps ....... and found all the bits that I needed. Mine's slightly different colours but just as pretty

I love the technique of using the embossing powder over the texture paste ......

And I do love this butterfly ....

Everything was going so well until I came to look for my embellishments ...... yep!  you guessed it .... they'd been packed!  Just as well I could remember which box they were in!!!

Well .... the move is done and we're finally in the new house.  There's boxes everywhere and the old craft room is a complete mess .... in fact half of it is still in the hallway!!!  But at least the internet is connected ...... it's beginning to feel like home!

Thanks for popping by ..... and just in case I don't get the chance to chat to you again this week ..... have a lovely Easter.

Cheerio until next time

Linda

xx

Country charm .... ???

Happy Saturday evening,

It's time to get all festive again with my Merry Monday make for the latest challenge. 

The theme for this week is ......

This was a tough one for me ..... I don't do country charm I'm afraid, Kraft card is about as rustic as I get ..... and the sewing machine well, that hasn't seen the light of day for a while!!! (hubby will tell you ...... it's in the cupboard, along with the ice cream maker, bought on a whim and never used ...... well actually the ice cream maker did get used on occasion ..... it just took up too much space in the freezer!!!  And the sewing machine will get used - eventually!! ..... but I digress)

Anyhow......  this is the best I could come up with for this week

I've got the button part of the challenge on there ...... a  pretty little wooden snowflake tied with white thread

  
(I have this thing about 'naked' buttons ..... I have to tie thread or ribbon through the holes)

The stitching part was done by hand .... with a white gel pen!

The pretty snowflake flourish was one of the first rubber stamps I bought many moons ago, and is from Inkadinkadoo I think, the sentiment is by Butterfly Kisses.  Both have been stamped onto Kraft cardstock using Versamark ink then embossed using a white embossing powder.
I also added a few more snowflakes to the design, just with the Versamark ink this time.

A touch of Fran-tage Chunky White Embossing Powder sprinkled around the card (I'd addicted to this stuff at the moment!), and some tiny red gems finish it all off

As always ..... I've done the inside to match .......

('Christmas Greetings' is by Clarity Stamps)

I've a busy week coming up next week.  Early Thursday morning I'm flying across to the UK on the first trip of the year - yeah!!  Only 5 more sleeps then it's off down to Nottingham, for the IndigoBlu Retreat.  Three days of getting inky and messy with my craft buddies and the lovely, very talented Kay Halliwell-Sutton .... I cannot wait!!  Don't worry I'll tell you all about it when I get back.

Thanks for popping by today ..... enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Cheerio until next time .....

Linda

xx