It's officially Autumn .......

Happy Wednesday ........

How is your week so far?

Summer is officially over (sigh!), although looking at todays weather you wouldn't think so ..... it's gorgeous out there.  A little windy perhaps but hey, it's always windy on the Isle of Man!! 

It's the first day of Autumn today and CAS Mix Up have the perfect challenge ...... 

There's still a couple of days left before the deadline if you fancy playing along.

I've been going through a few boxes in the craft room ....... unfinished projects, cut off pieces of paper and card, mop ups, and my overflowing bits box, when I came across a piece that I thought was perfect for this challenge.

Coloured with Brushos in beautiful Autumn shades, it made the perfect background for one of my favourite floral stamps from Unity Stamp Co.

I stamped the image onto the coloured card and heat embossed with a clear powder, before adding more colour to the flowers.  I used the same shades of Brushos, mixed with a little water and used as a watercolour paint, building up the depth of colour gradually

A simple sentiment on the bottom, and a few splatters of gold paint here and there ......

And to finish everything off,  I added a frame around the edge using a gold marker pen, before attaching some co-ordinating cardstock to the bottom.

The challenge is open until the 24th of the month so you'll have to be quick if you do want to enter.

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

We're off out for tea today,  birthday tea actually with this young man, who was eleven yesterday!!!!

We would have gone yesterday but the restaurant where he wants to go only opens Wednesday - Sunday so he decided to wait.  He's already decided what he wants to eat ...... pork ribs followed by homemade churros and ice cream ...... yum!!  

Cheerio until next time .......

Products used:

Stamps: You are Forever Beautiful (Umnity stamps); happy snippets (Penny Black)

Inks: Versafine Clair - Nocturne, 

Others: Clear Embossing Powder (WOW!); Brusho Pigment Powders; Gold Fresco Finish Paint (PaperArtsy); Coloured cardstock, Gold Leafing Pen

Off the Edge for CAS Mix Up .........

Happy Sunday ........

Welcome to November!

It's the beginning of a new month again ......... I don't know about you but I think October flew by!  

Of course the first of the month means the start of new blog challenges ..... yeah!!

First one up for me is ........... the CAS Mix Up Challenge.  

It's our final challenge of 2020 (sigh!), and our host this month is ........ the lovely Bonnie.  

She's given us the theme Off the Edge and, it's a Watercolour challenge.  That means some form of watercolouring must be the main element of your design, and remember ..... keep things Clean and Simple (CAS)

Off the Edge is one of my favourite techniques, and I do use it quite a lot.  Just by taking a stamp. or even a stencil design, just off the edge of your card gives a bit of a different look 

I used this pretty floral design from Unity stamps ....... stamped it with a black ink and then heat embossed with a clear powder.  I like to do this when I'm watercolouring stamped images, it helps to stop the inks bleeding over the lines

I used ZIG Clean Color Brush Markers in Autumnal shades, and a waterbrush to add the colour.  

I painted the petals first with clean water and then added a touch of colour from the pen and used my waterbrush to move the colour around, building up the depth gradually, and adding a touch of shading in places

I added some splatters of ink onto the background .....

 a simple sentiment ........

and a little bit of the same stamp off the edge at the bottom of my card

We have a fabulous Guest Designer this month ...... Michelle (I Card Everyone) is joining in the fun so be sure to pop by and say hello.  

The challenge runs until the 24th November and I'm looking forward to seeing all your Off the Edge designs in the gallery.

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

We've been busy sorting out a couple of rooms and tidying cupboards, and the garage ....... getting rid of stuff we have no idea why we've been hanging on to.  I mean how many remote controls, for TV's we no longer have, do we need?!!!  And power cables ...... you yes, we had loads of those!  

Anyway we now need a trip to the recycling centre next week.

This is all because Lauren and the little man are moving back home for a while ...... long story but, it'll be nice having them here ........ so we need to make some space for all their stuff!

And in the process this has happened ........ ooops!

A little earlier than usual but,  at least I haven't started decorating the actual Christmas tree ........ yet!  Those decorations are in a different wardrobe!

Cheerio until next time .......

Products used:

Stamps: You are Forever Beautiful (Unity); happy snippets (Penny Black)

Inks: Versafine Clair - Nocturne, Delicata Metallic ink - Golden Glitz

Other: Clear Embossing Powder (WOW!); ZIG Clean Color Brush Markers, Water Brush

Cream and Gold for the Color Hues challenge ......

Happy Monday! .......

I hope you all had a good weekend ..... mine went just a little too fast!

The little man was here for a while.  We've had a lovely new bed delivered (it's soooo comfy!), and we were out on Friday evening. 

Because of the new bed, rooms needed re-arranging (always love moving furniture ...... not!!) 

We decided to put some of the garden furniture away for the winter (sigh!), which meant the garage had to have a tidy (now we just have a load of stuff to be taken to the tip and recycling centre ..... one of the jobs for this week!).  

And it didn't stop there ..... I made a start in the conservatory, it's all been cleaned and the furniture moved ready for .... wait for it ...... the Christmas tree!!  Productive or what!

I also spent some time in the craft room, supposedly tidying up but, as it was World Cardmaking Day on Saturday it would have been rude not to join in the fun now wouldn't it.

I'm playing along with the Color Hues Challenge again .......  this time they want us to use hues of Gold and Cream.

I do love this combination, especially with a touch of black so as they class this as a neutral my card fits the bill perfectly!

I simply stamped my image onto a piece of cream cardstock using Versafine ink, and then heat embossed with a gold EP

It's a fabulous stamp, the whole card stamped in one go ...... easy!  

I can't believe it's been sat in my box of NBUS (Never Before Used Stuff!) and I've not used this before.

Just think of all the possibilities for colouring it in.  For this challenge though, I've left it as it is, apart from the leaves ......

I coloured in all the leaves using a gold polychromo pencil, and then went over the top with a gold shimmer pen ...... so pretty!

The stamp is a beautiful frame for a simple sentiment ......... 

The only other thing I added was a few sparkly sequins here and there still in the gold and cream hues

As it's the stamps first outing, I'm also linking up to the latest NBUS Challenge

Thanks for popping by ..... enjoy the rest of your day and have a lovely week.

I'll be in the craft room, I've got some DT stuff to do and I'm going to try and spend some time on my journals I think.

Cheerio until next time ......

Products used:

Stamps: Delectable (Border Background by UNITY), kisses & wishes (Penny Black - sentiment)

Inks: Versamark ink, Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Other: Gold Polychromo Pencil (Faber Castel), Gold Sparkle pen (Crafter's Companion)

Happy Birthday CAS Christmas Card Challenge ......

Happy Tuesday ......

I'm squeezing in another Blog Challenge today ....... and we're getting a little bit festive.  I would normally say that it's a little bit early to be thinking about the 'C' word but ....... have to start on the Christmas cards at some point!  And seeing as the CAS Christmas Card Challenge is celebrating their 1st Birthday I thought it's as good a time as any to add to the festive box.

Happy 1st Birthday CAS Christmas!!!

The theme for the challenge this month is  ..... Deer

You don't get much more CAS than this ..... lots of white space, simple stamping and minimum embellishment.

I did use some of my festive favourites ...... Chunky White Embossing Powder and a few dots of glitter glue for the snow .......

A touch of sparkly glitter on the reindeer's antlers .......

And speaking of the reindeer, I just love these stamps from Unity ....... the reindeer look so elegant

Using my MISTI, I simply inked up the stamp with one shade of brown Distress Oxide ink, and stamped the image. Then using a darker shade of ink I inked up the stamp again only this time not all over, and stamped again. You can see how the two shades blend and the darker colour gives some  shading to the reindeer

I also like the texture that's on there too ....... that was purely by accident! I didn't do anything fancy it's just how the Oxides have dried.
The white dots were added with a gel pen once the ink was dry.

Then sentiment is from the same stamp set ......

And of course he had to have a little red nose .....

Thanks for popping by ..... enjoy the rest of your day.
It's time for a coffee break I think.

Cheerio until next time ......

Products used:
Stamps: Cheerful Prancing (Unity)
Inks: Distress Oxides - Gathered Twigs, Ground Espresso 
Others: Chunky White Embossing Enamel (Stampendous); Stickles Crystal Glitter Glue; Nuvo Crystal Drops - Autumn Red; Distress Glitter Dust - Vintage Platinum; White Gel pen

Twofer Card Challenge .......

Happy Thursday ......

We're heading nicely towards the weekend ..... and this time next week, hubby will be nearly home!
 
Today I'm playing along with this month's Twofer Card Challenge ..... two cards, for two occasions, made using the same stamp or die.
The theme for August is ...... Geometric

Hmmmm ....... took me a while, but I got there in the end (just in time too .... I think the challenge closes tomorrow)

I've used a Memory Box die ...... I think it's called Mod Squares Background ..... and yes it is on both cards.
First ..... the female version ......

This beautiful stamp from Unity is one of my current favourites.  Stamped and heat embossed in Rose Gold and then coloured using the new Spun Sugar Distress Oxide before being cut into using the Mod Squares die

I also cut the die again, three times, from white cardstock and then inlaid and layered the various squares back into the stamped image.
I varied the number of layers on each square so that they would be at different heights and add a little more interest and texture to the design

A simple stamped sentiment and a few ink splatters finish it off

Now one for the boys using the same die .....

This was so simple to do ....... I die cut the squares from a piece of black card cut to fit the front of my card blank.  I cut it again from another piece of black card and again from a couple of pieces of designer papers.

I layered up the various squares of card and papers and then inlaid them back into the main piece of card matching up the stripes on the papers ....

An embossed sentiment and few dots of Nuvo Crystal Drops and we're done!

Two cards, two occasions, same die!

I was out yesterday for a lovely afternoon tea.  I met up with some of our crafty group to celebrate Carol's BIG birthday ........ we couldn't let that one slip by now could we!

I can show you her birthday card now .......

Love this image from Stamping Bella ........ coloured with ZIG markers and fussy cut

The sentiment is from SU ....... and is a two parter.   This goes on the outside of the card ....

and I'm sorry, but silly me forgot to take a picture of the inside, which says ......

 ...... Like "WHY did I walk into this room?" 

(it made me smile)

That could actually be me at the moment ..... can't remember anything unless I write it down!!

Happy Birthday Carol ..... remember hun, it's only a number!

I do remember though we arranged another crafty get together at mine at the weekend which should be fun .... looking forward to that. There's going to be birthday cake!

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

The sun has just popped it's head out .... lets hope it dries up all the rain from the monsoon that we had about half an hour ago!  Typical Isle of Man weather,  all the seasons in one day.  There's supposed to be another practice session today for the Manx GP  ..... fingers crossed!

Cheerio until next time .....

Do you fancy feeling festive .......

Happy Sunday evening ......

I hope you've enjoyed the weekend. 
Today sees the start of the Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge

As always the theme is Anything Goes, with this month's optional twist ..... Hearts

I've used this cute little stamp from the ever growing mountain of NBUS in my craft room (Never Before Used Stuff!) 

This cute little guy is from Unity Stamps ..... I'm sorry I can't give you the name of the stamp as it's currently sat somewhere in this mountain of stash, in what is going to be my new craft room ...... I'm not looking forward to sorting all that lot out ........ and that's not all of it!! 

Anyway ...... he's been stamped onto white card, using black versafine ink and then I add a touch of colour with ZIG markers

A touch of fine crystal glitter to add a bit of sparkle

And a sprinkling of Chunky White Embossing Powder to give the look of falling snow

A  simple sentiment to finish off .....

And a little something on the inside ......

Our challenge winner will receive a $20 Gift Certificate to spend in the HLS store  and ....... if the winner has used Happy Little Stampers stamps on their project then the prize will be doubled!!

Happy stamping folks!

Thanks for popping by ..... enjoy the rest of your day and a have a great week.

We've been moving boxes all weekend ....... I'm sick of looking at bubble wrap and packing tape! Never mind, only one more day to go before the removal men arrive on Tuesday.
For now though, I have a date with a  G&T and a  large bag of popcorn ..... I've earned it!
Cheers!

Until next time .....