Last job on the list .......

Happy Sunday,

How's your weekend going?  We had a lovely day yesterday, starting off at the Queenie Festival.  We did the usual, ate our Queenies, bought some lovely seafood, and caught up with the local chefs and their cooking demos on how to serve one of the island's delicacies.  This year it was pan fried Queenies on a Saffron Risotto with Cherry Tomates and Parma ham - nom! nom!
As always, we had a wander around the craft market and I treated myself to a little something ........

A beautiful shabby chic, vintage mirror.  Needs a little touch of paint here and there, but hey, I'm sure I can sort that out!  Something else to add to the 'to do' list.

Speaking of the list, there was just one job left on it for June - my tag for Tim's 12 Tags of 2013.  Seeing as today is the last day month, I thought I'd better do something about that.

This month it's all about watercolouring using the Distress Markers.  Here's Tim's tag ......

and here's my version ......

Not quite as colourful, the same design though, with a little LindyLou touch added.

I didn't really have a lot of time to play around with this month's tag - nothing new there, I'm always on the last minute!  So, I  followed Tim's instructions pretty much to the letter.  The only things I changed were some of the colours.  I used Mustard Seed, Tumbled Glass and Crushed Olive to colour the wings, blending the colours with my waterbrush, and Faded Jeans for the body.

I added in a touch of Worn Lipstick, and Dried Marigold into the background and used Pumice Stone for the shading.
Doing the splatters and spots onto the background was fun and gives a really nice effect.

To colour the tag itself, I used Gathered Twigs Distress ink, Salty Ocean Distress Paint and just a touch of Wild Honey stain.  Everything was stamped using Black Archival, first and second generation stamping, and I decided to add some words to the bottom (from the Dylusions stamp set 'Quintessential Quotes')

I also added some co-ordinating vintage seam binding ribbon, and mat the watercolour artwork and my finished tag onto some black cardstock.

To finish it all off I added a touch of  Clear Rock Candy Glitter to the wings ........

Phew!!  All finished in plenty of time.  That's June's list all done and dusted, July's is already pinned on the craft room wall.
It's going to be a busy, busy week next week, I've got some DT samples to make for Sam Poole's Create & Craft show on the 22nd - brand new stamp designs, looking forward to that.  I've got some DT work to do for Indigo Blu, and loads of prep work for something that's happening in a little under 3 weeks time .........
I can't say too much yet (because I don't know that much), but what I can say is, it's really exciting and it's going to be lots of fun.  It also involves me getting on a plane so whatever it is ....... it's happening in the UK.

Thanks for popping by today.
I'm off now to share the kitchen with the other half.  Tonight on the menu it's Hot Smoked Salmon for starters, followed by fillet steak, and a nice bottle of red.  Hubby cooks the steaks, and I do all the trimmings.  Pity he doesn't share in the tidying up afterwards though.  Thank goodness for the dishwasher!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Cheerio for now

Linda

xx

Thank Goodness it's Friday!

Hi there,

Finally I've got chance to grab a quick coffee and sit down and blog. 
How is everyone?  I've managed to keep the germs at bay thankfully - I haven't time to be ill!

Where has this week gone!  I don't seem to have done that much but I haven't had a minute to spare. The old craft room looks like a bomb has hit it - no change there then!  The rest of the house is beginning to look the same, but at least the mountain of ironing has disappeared, for now!

I've been busy all week trying to catch up with everything. There's just my Timmie Tag to do over the weekend and then that's June done!  Half way through the year already - eeeek!!

I've spent most of this week working with the Craftwork Cards Goody Boxes .......

I showed you a few samples on Mondays post, using the Happy Days box.  Here's some of what I made using the Black Magic ........

Just adding a touch of colour changes the look of one of the papers that you get in the kit

I've used Copic pens, but you could use watercolour pencils, chalks, inks, whatever you've got on your workdesk.
Of course I had to add, not one, but two of those adorable bows from the Paper Bows pad

Something quick and easy .......

A touch of Candi added to the centre of a punched daisy gives a nice finish.

I also made something for the craft room .......

Now you don't get the doorhanger in the Black Magic kit, I made mine from a piece of chipboard, and it's been covered using one of the papers.  It's then been decorated with die cuts, ribbon and candi all from the kit.  The only other things I've added are the words, done using the Printers Block Alphabet stamps and the bow .....

I've finished this one off with a piece of silver candi just for a different look.

More Candi finishes off the design.

Speaking of Candi, Simon Says Stamp Challenge Blog are showcasing Craftwork Cards Candi in their latest challenge ....... Anything Goes
There's 2 prizes up for grabs ........ a fabulous Card Candi Box from Craftwork Cards, full of lovely Candi designs and a set of Alphabet stamps that fits perfectly onto Candi, and there's also a $50 voucher to spend at the Simon Says Stamp store
Seeing as the theme is 'Anything Goes', I think my door hanger qualifies don't you.  Why don't you give it a go.  You don't have to use Candi on your projects, but it would be nice if you did!

I hope your weather's a bit nicer than we've got here today - it's raining!!!  Let's hope the sun decides to show his face again this weekend though, it's time for the local Queenie Festival down at Port St Mary

If you don't know what queenies are, they're Queen scallops, a Manx delicacy.

This weekend sees a celebration of the sea, with lots of events and entertainment going on. Local chefs will be doing cooking demonstrations on what to do with your Queenies and there'll be a market down there selling local produce.  So it's seafood on the menu here this weekend - yum!

Hope you have a good one.
Cheerio for now

Linda

xx

Monday again ......... and time for a winner

Morning everyone,

Happy Monday!  Hope you've all had a good weekend.  I've spent most of mine avoiding the rest of the family ....... they've got the dreaded lurgy!  There's been a lot of coughing and sneezing going on, so I'm keeping well out of the way.   I think Lauren started it all off last weekend when she came over, (what a nice sharing family we are).   I'm probably speaking too soon, but I've managed to avoid it so far, let's hope it stays that way.  The craft room door is staying firmly closed for now, with me on the inside!

First job this week is to announce the winner of the Create a Wreath Kit from my post last Thursday, as part of the Craftwork Cards UK/US  Blog Hop.
All the names were put into a hat .......

 and the winner was chosen at random (my son picked it out)

and the winner is .......... (drunmroll please) ............

It was the first comment on my blog post frommm ........  

 Lizzy

Well done Lizzy!

Please email ...... info@cratftworkcards.com with your postal address, and your prize will soon be on it's way - enjoy!

You'll find a full list of all last weeks winners, both in the UK and the USA, over on the Craftwork Cards blog  tomorrow.  Have you been lucky too?

Speaking of tomorrow, it's also my day to post on the Craftwork Cards blog.

I've been busy playing (oops!  there I go again) I mean ..... working with, the new Craftwork Cards Goody Boxes.  I was lucky enough to get all 3 just before I went away on holiday, and this is the first time I've had chance to have a look at what's in them.
They're great value for money, there's load in there.  The one I've been using is the Happy Days box ....

here's what you get inside ........

20 cards and envelopes

Brand new Happy Days 8x8" paper pack

Messages

Message bands

Ribbon

Diecuts

Flowers

Candi

Wow!  It's a really colourful selection, great designs, nice and bright for all those summer projects.  Here's just a few quick and easy card ideas ......

Do you like the pretty bows?  Aren't they cute?  They're available in a die cut Paper Bows pad that's absolutely full of them - 144 in fact!!!

They come in two sizes (you can see both on my cards),

the large one ....

and the smaller version

There's lots of different designs that all co-ordinate with the current Goody Boxes, and they are so simple to put together.  Definitely a must have, I think.

If you check out the Craftwork Cards Blog tomorrow, you'll find more of my designs using this kit.

I suppose I'd better get a wriggle on and get everything finished.

Before I dash off though, I'd like to say Hello and Welcome to my latest followers.  It's nice to see the number's still growing.  I really do appreciate you all taking the time to share my crafty journey.  It's nice to know I'm not talking to myself! 

Thanks for popping by today.   Have a great Monday, and enjoy the rest of your week.

Cheerio for now

Linda

xx

Summertime ........ Forever 21 Blog challenge

Happy Friday,

And it's the longest day too ....... more daylight time to spend in the old craft room - yeah!!
I've been up since stupid o'clock this morning so it really will be a lonnnnng day for me.  Just as well though, I had an early doctors appointment and I've still loads of catching up to do.  Well, I will go away on holiday I suppose!

As it's the 21st of the month it means we have a new challenge over on the Indigo Blu Blog. Before I tell you what the new theme is ....... thanks to everyone that took part last month, as always there were some amazing projects, you're such a clever bunch!  But, there can only be one winner, and  CONGRATULATIONS go to .................

Number 8 ......... Sara 

Well done Sara, your tag was gorgeous.  Enjoy your prize.

On to the new challenege.  The theme is............  

SUMMERTIME

Lets see all your cards/canvases/altered art etc. with a lovely summery feel.
What does summer mean to you?  I think of blue skies, warm breezes, long walks and barbeques with friends (had to have food and drink in there somewhere!)  The blue skies we've had this week, and the warm breeze.  Did loads of walking while we were away on holiday, but not had a barbie yet!!! Maybe this weekend.

Oh well, here's my version of summer .........

I started by stamping the gorgeous Take Flight bird onto some Indigo Blu Stamping card, then I cut the circle aperture around him.  If you saw Kay on Create & Craft last night she gave a fabulous tip for doing this using Nestabilities.
Decide where you want your aperture to be, I place my nestie and draw round it lightly using a pencil.  Cut around the part of the bird that's inside the circle.  Place your nestie back into position underneath  the cut out part of the bird, you can use some low-tack masking tape to hold it in place, then cut as normal.

I then took another piece of white card large enough to go behind the aperture, and stamped the Wild Flowers.  My summer sky was done using Distress Inks and a mask to make the sun, and the poppies I coloured with Copic Markers.

The little bird I coloured using Distress Ink Re-inkers and a water-brush, but you would use Copics/Pro-markers, water colour pencils, whatever you have in your stash really.  I stamped the little guy again cut out one of his wings and layered it over the top to add a touch of dimension .......

I also used my trusty white gel pen to add some highlights, and a spot of Glossy Accents to his eye.

I used the Wild Flowers stamp again just in the corners of the front panel to add a bit more interest, and then added a touch of Distress Ink around the edges.

The little flower scene was mat onto a piece of black card then the aperture piece was layered over the top using foam pads.

A bit of doodling around the aperture finishes the card nicely.  Hope you like it.

It's been hard thinking of summer these last few days, things have been a little on the 'festive' side around the old craft room.  Myself, and the rest of the Design Team have all had our Christmas hats on making lots of seasonal samples for Kays shows on Create & Craft/Ideal World.  Hope you all tuned in to watch the launch of the 2013 Christmas range, what do you think? Have you all got your Christmas cards and gifts planned now?
Don't forget Kay's back on our screens today too - 3pm & 8pm on Ideal World.

Well that's it from me.  I look forward to seeing all your SUMMERTIME entries on the Blog.  You've got until 8pm on July 20th to get your designs in.   There'll be another great prize up for grabs so get those stamps out.

Have a lovely weekend.  Hope it's summertime where you are.

Happy crafting!

Linda

xx

My first Blog Hop

Happy Thursday,

We're having a glorious week over here, so I do hope the weather's behaving itself where you are too.

All this week members of the Craftwork Cards Design Team in the UK,  and our fellow DT members across the pond in the US, have come together and are hosting a  'Create a Wreath' Blog Hop.
Each day there's been 2 posts from each DT showcasing fabulous creations using some of the pretty Create a Wreath Kits, available from Craftwork Cards, and craft shops across the UK.

Now, I do love a good Blog Hop, and I'm so excited as it's my turn today, to join in the fun.
You may already be joining in and hopping, in which case today you'll have already seen Stacey's blog across in the USA.
So, once you've finished here, it's time to go back to the US and visit the lovely Mandee to find out what goodies she's been creating, then it's back to the UK with our very own sparklygirl Tina.
If you've only just found out about the hop and want to catch up with all the posts, you'll find a full schedule of who's posted when over on the US Craftwork Cards Candi Blog

My wreath was made using the Party Time kit.  How pretty is this ....... lovely bright colours, perfect for all those summer occasions.

Everything comes in the kit to make 2 complete wreaths.  You get 2 chipboard shapes, the papers to cover them with, loads of die cut flowers and 2 gorgeous co-ordinating organza ribbons.  Full instructions are also included, but it's really up to you how you decorate them.

 

You'll find more details over on the Craftwork Cards Blog.

Just to add to the fun too, Craftwork Cards are giving away Wreath Kits each day - 2 in the US and 2 in the UK.  To be in with a chance of winning one, all you have to do is leave me a comment, either here on my blog, or over on my Craftwork Cards Blog post today.  The winner will be chosen at random, and they will receive a Wreath Kit of their choice.

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

Happy Hopping

Linda

xx