Filled with Flowers

Good Morning and Welcome!

At the weekend I got out some old pieces of gelli plate print which I'm trying to use up before making more.

I last used this print over a year ago for paper piecing here on  my Woodware sneakers.

I was able to make one other similar card similar to this with the rest of the print.

The sentiment is from a Woodware set and the swirls and leaves were scraps that I had  in a box which I cut up to fit.  I used Papermania dew drops for the centres of the flowers.

I would like to join in at:
Allsorts Challenge #42 Flower Power

613 Avenue Create Challenge Blog #198

I'm off up to my cabin now as I have to make a parchment card for a friend's special birthday.  That should keep me out of mischief for a couple of days!

Happy Family!

Hello and Welcome.

This is a card I made last week using a set of stamps and dies which came recently as a freebie with a magazine.

I think this set will work well for many occasions and I did use it to make a card for my hubby for our Wedding Anniversary earlier this month.


For this card I used a piece of background paper from Papermania which has been tucked away for several years.  The background piece, punched snowflakes and the little people were all done with offcuts of white card.  I still have a bulging carrier bag full of white snippets hanging up in my cabin waiting to be used.  Unfortunately it's being added to almost by the day!  I think you all know what I mean!!!

I would like to enter my card into the following Challenges:-
Pixies Snippets Workshop - Weeks 287 & 288
The Rudolph Day Challenge - June

Both are fun and really friendly places to play and I like to join in with both as often as I can.

Whitewash!

Hello and thank you for your visit.

Today's card was made for a friend's birthday last week and is my first attempt at the whitewash technique.

I used a Paper Artsy set and stamped the flower spray with versamark onto a piece of kraft card which was then embossed with white embossing powder.

For the whitewash technique I rubbed a white inkpad onto my craft sheet and watercoloured it onto the flowers.  Then using a pink inkpad in the same way painted a thin coat of colour over the white flowers.

I did the same with the butterfly on a small piece of kraft card, coloured the body with a promarker and fussy cut it.

I decided to make another card before cleaning my stamps.

The background stamp is from the same set and stamped with distress ink and the sentiments are from different companies.

I added clear gems to the centres of the flowers after colouring them brown with a peel off pen and the paper strips on the second card are the trimmings from the sheet of paper which I used for the square card.

I would like to enter my first card into Mr's A's challenge on her Butterfly Challenge Blog #80 (using the middle line of the Bingo lines - butterfly, blooms & bling).

Buzzing By

Thank you for buzzing by today.

I bought this Woodware set last week and decided to have a play with it today.  I made two watercoloured  cards and then as an afterthought  stamped onto a piece of a gelli plate print for this card

I used three Promarkers to add just a little colour and a white gel pen to brighten it up a bit.  The edge was tinted with a distress ink and I added glitter to the bee's wings and spotted some glitter randomly around the top right hand corner.

While the dinner was cooking I noticed, while doing some blog visiting, a  blog I've not seen before so decided this would fit the challenge quite well.

I would like to join in at the Quirky Crafts Challenge #4 Things with Wings

Fly Away!

Hello and thank you for dropping by.

My card today was made some time ago although it was never posted.

I recycled the front of a shop bought card for the background and used the now sadly retired Stampin' Up bird punch and a Marianne die for the cage.

I added the sentiment and a bow to finish the card.

I have used this idea several times using old card fronts with flowers for the background.  The punched and die cut elements were all snippets of scrap card.

I am joining in again with the challenge at
Pixies Snippets Playground Weeks 285 & 286.

My apologies for being absent for several challenges as I do like to join in with all the playmates.

A Quickie!

Hello and Welcome

Here's a very quick card I made as I've not had a lot of time for crafting over the past week or two.

I began by stencilling the background with Distress ink through sequin waste.

The Flower and leaves are from an Artemio set which I stamped with Archival ink and heat embossed with clear embossing powder.

I coloured with pencils and fussy cut the flower and leaves.  I added a little gold gel pen to the flower and scribbled a border round the card.

I would like to join in the challenge at
Moving Along With the Times #47
Wet and/or Dry Embossing

Loving my oxides!

Hello and thank you for your visit.

I recently bought five of the new Tim Holtz Oxide Distress inkpads and couldn't wait to have a play.

So I got out some Visible Images stamps  bought when I went to Ally Pally that hadn't been used before.

  I cut a piece of white A4 card into four and coloured each piece, by the smooshing method, with a different combination of colours.  Then I used a different set of  stamps onto each of the the backgrounds.

The jellyfish was stamped first and painted with fired brick oxide and I added a touch of sparkle pen to the top.

After stamping the rest of the stamps I added white jelly pen to the jellyfish, fish eyes and the bubbles then finished by shading the outside of the card with black soot distress ink.

I love the way the inks blend together and how they turn chalky when water is added and will be collecting the rest of the colours that are available.

Wishing you a happy weekend, whatever your plans.

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge (Anything Goes)
A Bit More Time to Craft #45 (Anything Goes)
The Crafter's Cafe #174

Happy Rudolph Day!

Hello Everybody!  It's good to be back.

I'd expected to return earlier but it's been such a busy couple of months and I apologise for not visiting you as much as I had intended.

Many thanks to those who left comments on my previous post.

Well I left with an Easter card and am returning with a Christmas one to join in with Maureen's  Rudolph Day Challenge .  Each month she invites us to post a card between 25th until the end of each month.

I made my cards for friends last Christmas although it hasn't been posted before.

I used a Tim Holtz Crazy dog and Santa hat and a few snowdrop peeloffs.  The red ribbon is a pull tag for the kinetic inside  which I forgot to photograph.

Wishing a happy Bank Holiday weekend to those living in the UK.

"Happy Easter"

Happy Easter to you all!

I would like to say a big "Thank You" to all my followers and blog buddies.

I very much appreciate all your visits to my blog and the kind comments you leave.  It really does brighten my day and it's great keeping in touch with you all.

I'm taking a short Blog Break as things have been so busy here and I have a busy time ahead.

I'm afraid I am still playing catch-up but will continue to visit when I can during my break.

Love
Barb xx

Blue Skies Ahead

Hello and I hope you're enjoying sunshine too where you are.

My card today is made with a stamp from a new Artemio set that I bought at a discount price.  I loved the cute little images although the sentiments are all in French.

I used crayons on acrylic paper for the background and blended with my fingers.  I then dry brushed over the top with white gesso to dull the colours and mounted up onto black card.

To make the image stand out I scribbled more blue where the image would be.  The shell border was punched from the trimming of the background using a Martha Stewart punch which was recently given to my by a friend when she was having a clear out.  I just stuck the border to the bottom of the black card and the sentiment was also stamped onto a scrap of white card.

As I've used lots of snippets for this one I'm going over to join  Pixies Snippets Playground Weeks 275 & 276

I would also like to join in with Darnell's NBUS Challenge #11  where we're invited to share some
Never Before Used Schtuff!

Loobi Hoop!

Hello on this lovely sunny Monday.  I hope you are having a good day.

Yesterday I went to Loobi Crafts in Leighton Buzzard for a Dabble Day with some friends and we made a total of 8 projects.

Anne, Cobnut Crafter was there.  We first met at a Loobi class and it's the first time our paths have crossed since we started following each other.  So it was good to catch up in person again.

We had a lovely lunch and lots of cake and everybody enjoyed the day very much.

Here is one of the cards we made using a new Woodware set called Embroidery Hoop.

I was so tired when I got home I didn't even lift the lid of my laptop so I am again behind with my visits  but will pop in to see what everybody has been up to over the next few days.

I would like to enter my card into the challenge  at Crafting from the Heart #153 (Anything Goes)

Rudolph Day Elf

Happy Monday Everybody!

Well I never thought I'd be saying I'm "Crafted out" but I actually am.

I went to clubs last Monday and Wednesday and to two different workshops on Friday and Saturday then this morning to another club and I couldn't really think properly!

As I've been out and about so much I'm well behind with my visits but will get round to you over the next few days - I promise!

My card today was made using the super cute set of  Avery Elle stamps that I was delighted to win in last month's Rudolph Day Challenge.

I cut my card with the Presscut stepper die and used Cardwork Card papers and candi  from the Cheery Christmas set. A little fussy cutting - oops! I added a bit of sparkle pen to the elf's hat and the candi holly berry then found I'd got a huge smudge of red ink on the top of his scroll.  It actually turned out to be a good thing as I stamped again, cut out the top of the scroll and decoupaged over the smudge using 3D glue gel and was pleased with the result.

I'm entering my card into the  March Rudolph Day Challenge which runs every month from 25th until the end of the month.  Maureen very generously offers a prize each month to the lucky winner.
Also Christmas With the Cuties #4 - Red and Green

Just Weeds!

Hello and Welcome.

First I would just like to thank you, Karen D for your visits and kind comments.  I am so sorry but for the last couple of weeks I have been unable - goodness knows why- to leave comments on your blog although I have often called in.

My card today was made very quickly using just a small snippet of paper that has been around for a long time.  I did a bit of stamping with the Old French Writing stamp then added a die cut using a Tim Holtz wild flower die. The "Hello" was cut from a scrap and I used the remains of the tiniest piece of foil, left from a workshop, to the flowers and added the small bow and three black gems to finish.

I decided to make a twofer from the piece of black  card that was left after cutting the wild flower.  I used the copier paper that I'd used to stamp-off  on the first card as my backing.


I am popping over to join in with the playmates at
Pixies Snippets Workshop Weeks 273 & 274 

Lady in Red

Hello and thank you for your visit.

I recently went to a class where we used the  Stampin Up set "Gorgeous You".  I really enjoyed using this lovely set and ordered them straight away.

I've made two quick cards using the same lady and a set of Spellbinders dies for matting and layering.

The papers I used are also from Stampin Up.

Just a bit of paper piecing and some ribbon and twine from my stash and the cards were soon finished.


I would like to enter this card into the challenge at

Try it on Tuesday - Lady in Red 

On Yer Bike!

Hello and thank you for your visit today.

I stamped my bike (a magazine freebie) onto a piece of white card and a piece of kraft.

Next I tore the centre out of the white card and stuck the two sides to the kraft card, matching up the design.  For the flowers in the basket I stuck on small bits of flower soft.

The sentiment is an old wooden stamp and heat embossed with copper embossing powder.  I used snippets from my box t for decoration and mounting.



I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:

Fashionable Stamping Challenge #121 Modes of Transport
Sweet Stampin' Challenge  (anything but Birthday)

Thanks for your Waste Jacky!

Hello and thank you for visiting me.

A very quick post from me today as it's one of those weeks where I seem to be chasing my tail and getting nowhere.

  I'm sorry that I'm playing catch up again with my visits!!!

I like to join in with Mrs.A's Butterfly Challenge and although I made this card several weeks ago thought it fitted the requirements.

I have just gone for the colour this time not the edge but will try better next month Mrs. A, I promise.

My friend recently did a class with 20 very elderly ladies who haven't done crafting before so she prepared the class to make it as easy as she could for them to take home a finished card.

The green card was embossed and the ladies cut out their oval centres so Jacky gave me the green waste to make into cards for my charity box and this was one that I made.

I inked the inside of the scalloped ovals, added a diecut sentiment, a diecut butterfly and finished with glittery peel off strips that have been in my stash for years.

I would like to join in at the Butterfly Challenge #74 E for Edges /and or the colour Mint Green.
I have just used the colour mint green this time.

Spotted in the "Neck" of Time

Good Evening Folks,

First I would like to give a warm welcome to my two new followers Babs and Kelly .  I hope you will be able to visit their blogs to see the lovely work they do.

My card today was made with a scrap of paper from my snippets box and a small piece of core card which I embossed and rubbed back.  I distressed the edges and matted onto a scrap of black card.

The giraffe was stamped onto a scrap of white card with a Lawn Fawn stamp and cut from the matching die.

The sentiment is from a set by Lindsay Mason.

I'm taking my card over to join in with the playmates at Pixies Snippets Playground - Week 271 & 272

Love turned around!

Hello and Welcome.

This card was made some time ago but not shared as I can't work out how show more than one picture in a post!!!

I sprayed through a Heidi Swapp stencil then turned the stencil over and pressed the paint onto a piece of white card.  I replaced the cleaned stencil and drew round the letters with a fine liner pen (second picture).



I did some tangling in the letters,

added a bow,  a strip of washi tape and the pearls.

After matting onto some black card I stuck it onto a 5" square card which I had cut out with a
Spellbinders die.

Punch Art Puppy

Hello to you and thank you for dropping by.

Many of you may remember Wendy Stenton who used to be a regular guest on Create and Craft some years ago.

Since she returned to the village she's started giving monthly workshops again.

This is one of the cards that I made at Wendy's workshop a couple of weeks ago.

This little fellow is made entirely (other than his eye patch) with punches and a card candi for his ball.

Isn't it fun and it can be made with just a few small pieces of card.

I would like to enter the following challenges:
Creative Fingers Challenge #125
A Bit More Time to Craft #39 (Anything Goes)

Baa Humbug!

Hello and thank you for your visit.

I'd like to welcome my latest follower Janet who I met last year when she did a class at a Retreat I went to in November.

As I was so behind with Christmas cards last year I've made a good start for 2017 and already have 75 done.  Another 35 and I'll have them all finished!

I have done lots of batch making and made a dozen similar to this card (not all the same sentiment!) using  Hobby Arts stamps set.  It is a favourite of mine and  has  several sheep and different hats in the set.

The background was done with distress inks and flicked with water and the hills die, which I've used over and over again I won in one of Darnell's NBUS challenges some time ago.

I would like to join in with Mo's Rudolph Day Challenge which she runs each month from 25th till the end of the month.