Last week of Autumn at MMM

This week brings us to the end of my choices for the monthly theme of Autumn at Make My Monday  I have chosen Leaves, anything you like as long as it has Autumn Leaves as a main image. Please pop over to the blog,  the remainder of the design team have created some wonderful samples with leaves.  For my card I first stamped the sentiment,  followed by a selection of leaves and an acorn with second generation Vintage Photo Distress ink to give a more subdued background.  I then added a torn piece of corrugated card, to give a textured effect, edged with Vintage Photo. I then added an assortment of autumnal colours to a piece of white card, edged with Vintage Photo. The coloured card was attached with silicone to attach to the  grooves. Onto the card I secured leaves which I had stamped out, using Distress Ink Black Soot, onto coloured Handmade Paper, this again provided various textures to the leaves.  There were some fabulous cards entered into the challenge last week, sadly a few had missed the rule of only being able to enter into a total of 5 plus ours. I again look forward to visiting you to see your creations with Autumn Leaves.

Stamps - Background and Sentiment Sheena Douglas

Leaves used on panel, sorry unknown, an un-named gift.

Variety of TH Distress Inks.

At the Races - St. Luke's No 4

I feel I'm on a race of time, this is my fourth card for the monthly St. Luke's Charity Card Challenge, I only have a few hours left to add another card for Let's Hear It For The Boys. Yesterday , I bought several Trinitage sheets to make a number of men's cards also for my next class, a little something different. Not everyone enjoys stamping every week. I'll probably be popping a few more over the next few weeks onto my blog. They are pop - up cards, which you can make as simple or more embellished , it's your choice.
I purchased them from Imag-e-nation which is fairly local to me, however they are available from their website at  http://www.imag-e-nation.com/ look for La Pashe designs .

The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge July

 

My third post today
It is now the seventh week of the Calendar Challenge over at The Craft Barn, this week I have found so much easier than last week's, for finding turquoise was very difficult.  Yet, Lilac and/or Purple with /without some Dry Embossing has been more fun. Thanks ladies for an easy week.  I used an Embossing folder on a piece of cream card. Used a brush to apply Dusty Concord TH Distress Ink over the card. Added a few purple jewels in the flowers. Added my calendar onto a piece of Crafty Cards paper, the same paper which the main image is matted onto. I added a home made flower, the instructions can be found for Spiral Roses on my tutorial blog. Finally added some lilac gingham and plain purple ribbon.

Page 3 - My Halloween Book

(My 2nd post today)

The third page of my Halloween Book, again uses Hocus Pocus papers. The skull's crown is decorated with gold glitter and small gems. Opening the card, lifting up and down the flaps, shows the decorated inside, I don't normally use stickers but these black glitter stickers were a must have for my book. The Halloween greetings are another download, not sure if from Brenda Brown at Bumblbees and Butterflies, for she has kindly offered so many free Halloween downloads. The small tags fit into the pocket behind the Skull's head.

                        The haunted house is on the reverse of the Beware tag.

Papers used Hocus Pocus - design sheets, black glitter sickers from Hocus Pocus, Stamps from Tandastamps. Black and Cream card.

Up-date on First Fat Pages Swap

Time for a reminder and an up-date, how are we doing ladies?
This is the list of who sends to who, I've added who I know has sent and or received.

Yvonne (Meggymay) sends to Cath    Sent
Cath sends to Amanda
Amanda sends to Joan                 Sent and received
Joan sends to Caz                        Sent and received
Caz sends to Jacqueline               Sent and received
Jacqueline sends to Yvonne          Sent and received
Can you please let me know of up-dates. Thanks to all.

Page 1 & 2 - My Halloween Book

My second post today.

My first page is a Tag Holder with a tag. The front.

The back of the tag holder and tag. My thanks go to Brenda Brown .here for her free downloads.

I used Hocus Pocus Papers, Black and Cream card, Tandastamps.

Orange and Black - Your Choice!

This week at Make My Monday our challenge to you is enter a project which is Orange and Black, it need not be a Halloween card, it can be anything you like, as long as it has the colours of our choice.

I think this card looks more red, but honest it is mainly orange and black. I need to make a number of such cards for my younger grandsons and of course the more creepy the better for the boys. I enjoy making shutter cards, they are really simple to make, it's the time consuming of measuring for all the sections that's a drag. I know every time I make one I say I must make a template. There are lots of samples of how to make on U tube if your interested. the plastic skeleton is from a pack of 4 from £ -land. All the stamps I used are from Tandastamps. I am looking forward to visiting your blogs to see what you have made for the theme. I greatly enjoyed the inchies cards last week, many fabulous creations, it is always a difficult choice to choose the Top 3. Well done to everyone.

Fashionable Stamping- Coffee, Cream and Dark Chocolate.

Starting today, for two weeks the stamping challenge over at Fashionable Stamping - definetly no digis, we are asking to see your take on a favourite type of drink, Coffee and Cream even with a hint of Dark Chocolate. Please pop over to the blog, for the description, by our wonderful leader Shirley,  is a delicious use of lip smacking words where you can almost feel a warm liquid passing your lips. The samples by the DT are once again a delight to see. For my flavour of Coffee, Cream and a Hint of Dark Chocolate I started with an 8" square card. I stamped the lady musician first, masked her, stamped the backgound music sheets, making sure it was in the centre of the card. I used Memento Rich Cocoa, even the ink fits the theme. In my stash I found an 8" sq. piece of dark chocolate brown, which I carefully tore out the centre section to expose the stamped images. I distressed and inked all the edges of the brown paper, adhered it to the main card. Secured two swirls, one coffee, one cream cut with a Marianne die, added flowers in opposite corners, with smaller flowers in the centre. I further added in opposite corners a pair of filigree metal corners. The final touch being the large gemstones onto a music sheet.
Stamps used
Violinist - La Blanche bought at the craft event last weekend for £1
Music stamps La Blanche from QVC.

My Halloween Book - Inside Front Cover

 Part Two - Inside Front Cover -  I used Hocus Pocus paper to decorate the inside of the front cover. I first secured and tidied the muslin of the arm, added a long strip of orange glitz ribbon to eventually tie the book. The chosen paper was scored around the sides and bottom to provide a pocket, within which is a large tag, with a Halloween title on a pumpkin, this can just be spotted on the front of the cover. A small triptych booklet has been added with "a night of fright" stamped with individual alphabet letters, tied together with a piece of twine around two punched circles in position with brads. Close up of the tags from the secret pocket and inside the triptych.  Page 1 will be added tomorrow - Saturday, thanks for visiting.  Click on Halloween Book in Labels to see previous Front Cover.

My Halloween Book - Front Cover

Some time ago I spent more hours than I intended, on U-tube,  looking at all of the marvellous, Halloween books which are so amazing and full of detail, most, I believe, made by American ladies. Halloween, for we in the UK has not been such a celebrated event in the past, though in the craft world, we seem to pick up what is going on over the pond, eventually. I have always loved Halloween, even in the pathetic way we used to recognise it. I only wish now we had celebrated it as actively when I was a young girl or even when my boys were young enough to enjoy it. This is probably why I so much wanted to make a Halloween book, for no one in particular,  none of my grandchildren, this book is for ME!  I am hoping I will get some photos of my grandchildren over the coming years to add to the pages and tags. I have managed to complete a number of pages but I am nowhere near where I want to be. I'll probably get it finished for next Halloween.

The Front Cover above,  measures 9" x 7", so it's not small.  I covered several sheets of cereal packets with some fabulous papers Damask Black paper. At the local £1 shop I bought the hanging skeleton (see pic below)  I could cut off his arm, glued it to the front of the book, then  attached some of the  black and orange muslin to the cover, added a circle of lace, added a button. The Spooky title is cut from a sheet of Hocus Pocus paper. I ordered a fair bundle of 12 x 12 designer papers from Craft Emporium who are based on the Isle Of Man, I would like to congratulate them on their fantastic and expediant service. I made some fancy corners with the Metal magic from Debbie Moore. I hope by now your wanting to see inside.

The £1 Skeleton ( actually it's only a skull and two arms, covered in muslin) -  is perfect.

 I'll show you and tell  all about the inside of the Front Cover tomorrow.

Fat Pages Swap

For the first month of our Fat Pages Swap I sent this one to Jacqueline, who I know has now received it. I made it so I could slip inside it a tag saying Trick or Treat. All the stamps are from Tandastamps, Ia set I bought a while back for the grandchildren's cards, which has proved very useful over the years. As you receive your swaps ladies, please share them with us.  

Taking to the Skies

This week over at Try it On Tuesday we are asking you to Take to the Skies, as you will see the Design Team have varied ideas for the meaning of this, I wonder how many we will get in the challenge? I still havn't quite mastered by brayer, doesn't the marvellous Barbara Gray make it look easy?  I tore some copy paper to make the seperation between the sand and the sky, I then used some distress inks to cover both areas. I have used a mixture of stamps , all listed below. I look forward to visiting and commenting on your entries. good luck to everyone. Oh! I forgot to say, the project, can be anything you want this week.
Stamps used Aeroplanes - Flight Creative Expressions, Beach markings - Coast - Creative Expressions, Grasses - Inkylicious.
I am also entering this into the St. Luke's Charity Card Challenge - Let's Hear It For the Boys.

Week 6 The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge

For my second entry onto my blog today I am entering my calendar page into The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge, which  is up to week 6, the challenge is Turquoise and Lace. This has been the most difficult for me, for what is Turquoise? A bluey-green, not easy to create.  However, I think I managed to achieve it with the butterflies. I coloured the base with Broken China, gave a couple of quick short sprays with Moon Glow Desert Moon Endless Sky and Sprinky's Amethyst for a little contrast. I cut out  leaves from a piece of patterned paper and stuck the shapes on the base card. Added the lace and the calendar.
I love these Tattered Butterflies by Lyndsay Mason from Personal Impressions, I stamped them onto a sheet of copy paper, which had been previously sprayed with various sprays during one of my messy sessions.

Inchies for Autumn

We are continuing the theme of Autumn at Make My Monday, this week the subject is Inchies to show Flora and Fauna. There were some wonderful Autumn trees last week, so once again I am greatly looking forward to visiting your blogs.I used a varied number of autumnal colours in the TH Distress Inks range to colour the main card, I then stamped some acorns and sycamore 'helicopters', using a Memento Rich Cocoa ink.

The inchies were cut out from a Masterboard, for more details of this please visit my tutorial blog here. 

(You will need to scroll down)

The stamps on the cards are by Sheena Douglas, the inchie stamps are numerous from varied sources.The    sentiment is from Inkylicious stamps.                                                 

Think Pink for October

I am thrilled to see Suzanne K is well enough to bring back the wonderful challenge blog, Let's Ink It Up. I wish her a pleasant return to good health and many best wishes. October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, the first monthly challenge is so apt - Think Pink. Now everyone by now should know I am not a pink girl, but lately, I have been drawn to it with some special challenges. Thank goodness I bought a Tim Holtz Shabby Chic Stash pad, which of course has some fabulous pages in pink.
Materials used.
Martha Stewart Garden Trellis punch.
Floradora stamp from Crafty Individuals
tattered butterflies from Lyndsay Mason - Personal Impressions
Roses from stash
TH Distress Ink - Frayed Burlap
I am also entering this card into the monthly challenge blog at Crafty Individuals - Winged Things
Tuesday Throwdown - Think Pink
Crafty Cardmakers - Anything Goes First week back after re-organizing. Welcome back.
Simon Says Stamp and Show Things with Wings

The Craft Barn Calendar - May

Over at The Craft Barn calendar challenge it is Week 5 already - onto May, the challenge being to use PINK and BIRDS - the details of my flip calender can be found on my tutorial blog here.
I edged and rubbed it all over the card Distress Ink Peeled Paint to provide the background colour. I then stamped the bird and decorative bar, another e-bay purchase from USA, added some gemstones to the centre of a few flowers. I stamped all around with a small Dovecraft oriental blossom flower. Edged it again with the same colour Worn Lipstick and then added the calendar and some pretty pink paper roses. Thanks for visiting my blog, always appreciated.

Peace and Tranquility

We all seek Peace and Tranquility in different places, during the spring and summer for me, it is usually near the coast, but during autumn and winter, I love the trees and rivers. I am so fortunate for I live within a short distance to reach both. This week at Try It On Tuesdays, it is time for us to make a tag, to depict Peace and Tranquility. I was very lucky to have received a set of landscape stamps from a Do Craft friend Barry - his stamps company name being BarjanB. I can almost feel the cool air and hear the birds from this stamp. I used only a few Distress inks to create the scene, Tumbled Glass, Shabby Shutters and Broken China. I look forward to visiting your blogs to see what you see as being peaceful and tranquil. Thanks for visiting mine.

A Lonely Heart

This is probably as Clean and Simple as I can get, I still find the concept of minimal to be difficult. The task at Less Is More has been made easier this week of the combination of the challenge being a Heart and of my discovery at a recent craft event of a new and exciting stamp designer at http://www.chloescreativecards.co.uk/

from whom I purchased the lovely heart stamp, which I stamped with a Black Memento ink pad and coloured the red berries with a Ruby Sparkle Gelly Roll Sakura pen.

Autumn - A Tree

The theme this month at Make My Monday remains to be AUTUMN, the topic this week is either Tree or Trees. Hunt out your tree stamps, or search your other sources for trees and decide how your going to use it. Remember it is Autumn, so please hold back on the Christmas trees for now. I look forward to seeing your creations, it is so nice to visit your blogs. Please take a look at the main blog for the girls have produced some fantastic tree cards. For mine I used an Elusive Images tree and verse stamp. The remainder stamps are from Inkylicious and a few of my tapestry stamps for the higher foilage. I used several TH Distress inks. I produced a scene using torn pieces of paper and an ink blender. Thanks for your comments.
i am alsoe ntering this card into:-
St. Luke's Charity Card Challenge  Let's hear it For the Boys

My Fat Pages Book - Fashionable Stamping

For our challenge at Fashionable Stamping Challenge for the next two weeks we would like to see ANYTHING BUT A CARD- but remember there must be some stamping on view,  DIGIS are a NO NO!
I greatly enjoyed visiting the blogs the last two weeks to see some amazing and beautiful Vintage creations.
I created the back and front of my book ready in preparation for when I start receiving the monthly Fat Pages of the swap I am hosting on the Do Crafts ATC forum. If your interested I am also (seperately) hosting a swap on my blog. For my book, I decided to use something strong to be able to hold 12 months pages. I have had some grungeboard for ages and not used it, time to use it I decided. I first embossed it with  a snakeskin pattern embossing folder in my Cuttlebug. Then I sprayed it with Cosmic Shimmer Mist Aqua Lagoon and Sprinkys Colour Spray - Amethyst. I then stamped a grasses spray from a new set of stamps from My Paper World, the butterfly was stamped seperately, then adhered to the book. I used a cameo  button, lace, ribbon and flowers to decorate, along with, of course a bit of glitter here and there, along with a few pearls. The label holder is attached with brads, the label was typed. The inside and back are as the background on the front, for it will be holding 12 decorated pages from 12 folk, exciting stuff.
I again look forward to visiting your blogs, I know there will be some exciting creations to see. have fun.

The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge Wk 4

Better late than never for a chance to win a tenner voucher at The Craft Barn. This is week 4 and the challenge is to produce a calendar or a calendar page for April - Yellow and to use Masks.  I first covered my calendar page with TH Distress Inks Mustard Seed and Wild Honey. I secured a 6 x 6 template from The Crafter's Workshop, and stencilled over it with Spiced Marmalade, leaving the required yellow to pop.
I added a sentiment from Lyndsay Mason's Tattered butterflies and used one of my favourite swirl stamps to balance the black at the top. I finally lightly coloured the dges with Frayed Burlap. Phew! done before tomorrow's draw. Fingers crossed.

Minimal cards for TIOT

This week at Try It On Tuesday we are returning to making a card. The clean and simple style has become very popular, so we are challenging you to make a MINIMAL card. At a recent card class I run, we tackled one of the diffficult cards we all dread making, Sympathy and Thinking of You cards. From one dark green A4 (UK) card, here are two cards I made. They are the same in size and style, only the stamps are different. The first cArd I used for the background a fantastic background stamp from Anita's, it is so versatile. I used TH Distress ink Peeled Paint for all of the stamps used. The daisies are from Sheena Douglas. The second card, I created the background using a piece of Christmas Sequin waste, secured it to the card, then with a piece of cut and dry foam, I stencilled through to achieve the strip of stars.  the stamp is again a favourite of mine, the agapanthus which looks so calm and serene. i do hope you like my two samples. I look forward to visiting you this week, hoping you will enjoy the relaxation of making, if not a simple card, then certainly a minimal card. Good luck and enjoy.

New theme for MMM-Autumn

I am hoping you ladies do enjoy the next month's theme of AUTUMN at Make My Monday.  This is my choice, not unexpected, but it is one of my favourite seasons, though the first few days have been an amazing Indian summer. Each week the theme will remain Autumn with a different subject to challenge you. The first topic is RESIST TECHNIQUE, now there are so many ways you can achieve the resist technique, any is acceptable. Be sure to pop onto the main blog to see the DT cards, they have again excelled. I have added the heat embossing resist technique to my tutorial blog here for the card above. All the details are on the blog so I won't repeat them here. I look forward to visiting your blogs to see your beautiful cards during the British Autumn. Have Fun.
I am entering this card into these challenges:.........................
Stamptacular Sunday   Autumnal Photo Inspiration
Our Craft Lounge   Fall Foilage
Hybrid Card Caravan No 3 Autumn
Cupcake Inspirations - Photo
St. Luke's Charity Card Challenge For the Boys

First Fat Pages Swap

Are you ready ladies, the excitment now begins. for the month of October, our fat Pages are to be stamped, to produce a Halloween Fat Page. All details are in the section FAT PAGES SWAP on the right side of my blog. I am sending each of you an e-mail with name and address of your partner, the list is below. Remember it will change each month. Anyone else who would like to join us in the swap is more than welcome, we sign up for the 2nd of the month to send by the last day of the month to our partner. Please add any comments or questions to the permanent page. Thanks.
For October -Halloween.......

Yvonne (Meggymay) sends to Cath
Cath sends to Amanda
Amanda sends to Joan
Joan sends to Caz
Caz sends to Jacqueline
Jacqueline sends to Yvonne
Have fun girls.