May Theme Swap - Owls

I have this lovely Owl wooden stamp from Tiger , I bought several different designs at the time but I just love this one.

I stamped several images using Versafine Sepia ink and fussy cut one of them out to use as a mask.  The base cards were cut from a piece of watercolour paper on which I had been trying out some Distress Oxides.

I stamped several images on various backgrounds using Versafine Onyx ink.
One background was a doily, sprayed with vintage ink and some gold so I used Sepia ink for this image. 
I stamped another image on a scrap of grey printed paper.
I fussy cut these images, using the head and wing from the printed paper, the body from the doiley and adhered them in place on one of the original stampings.
After adhering this pieced image to the base card, I painted in a branch and added a PC printed sentiment to the top of the card.


A second image, stamped on plain paper and fussy cut, I added to a blue base and then painted in a branch, adding the sentiment which I printed from my files on the PC.

For my third card, I used an image printed from my files and sized to fit an ATC.

I fussy cut this image and edged it with the Versafine Sepia ink pad, adding another PC generated sentiment along the top of the card.

I corner rounded all the cards and edged them with Versafine Sepia ink.

I have received the following cards:

Love the way this image has been used.  A coloured copy has been attached over a plain owl.
Thank you Margaret.

So much to see on this card, cobwebs....stars..... beady eyes...

Thank you Kate.

So much work on this card, from the colouring to the ribbon frame.  Love the real feathers!
Thank you Thelma.



Another great swap hosted by JanW.  Thank you.

Plasterer left site ..... Painter..... soon?

So the decorator came to assess the hallway and the work that would be involved. 
As we are not papering, he is passing on the job to a painter friend of his........who will come round on Saturday.

From this...

.... to this

He did say what a good job has been made of the plastering........we know......

..... allow me to indulge .....

From this....

..... to this

From this.....

....to this

From this.....

.... to this

I am certain that the end is in sight......sort of .... just the floors to be finished ......

WOYWW #473

This is What'sOnYourWorkdeskWednesday - checkout the tab at the top of the page for further info - and our thanks go to Julia for hosting again.

My desk today shows no creativity at all .....

I am going to sort through these magazines with a load of envelopes by my side.  I shall take out the papers that I need, 'put' a card together, take a photo of it and then place the pieces in an envelope.  Hopefully I will be able to craft a card without too much trouble .......
Being needed on the baby front means not much crafting for me at the moment so this should satisfy my creative need.  No doubt these creations will appear on the Blog at a later date.....

In case you missed my previous post .......
May I present Felix Marshall.

Born on 26.06.2018 at 11.10hrs weighing 11lbs 1oz.

Munched, cuddled and kissed then given to Grandad to do the same!!  Little Soldier had a look and then went back to singing songs and crawling under the curtains!!!

Hello Little One

DDC has left this view, gorgeous and pretty as it is...... 

........ and now looks at this one

It is with so much joy that we welcome to the family our newest arrival ....
Felix Marshall 
He arrived this morning in all this heat - does he look bothered?

We love him already although his big brother is not impressed.  I have had my first cuddles and kisses, looking forward to my next ones.
I suppose Little Soldier will have to change his name now ....but then again Felix weighed in at 11lbs 1oz so in theory HE is the big soldier!!!
I don't know how my daughter manages to produce such gorgeous babies, big enough to cuddle yet small enough to munch!
Lots of love and laughter and munches ahead methinks........

May Colour Swap - Blue

Sometime ago, I used DO inks to colour up some WaterColour paper using various stencils and then it was added to my stash.  This is the ideal swap to use up the paper.

I stamped one of my new stamps that I purchased from Stamping Ground Julia - thanks again - and then heat embossed the image.  I used DO inks to colour in the image and a white pen for the papers.

Some of the stamps from a Creative Expressions called 'Pack up your Troubles' for the second card.  They are clear stamps so I arranged them on my acrylic block and then stamped with Versafine Onyx ink and embossed.

For my third card I used a stamp from my stash - don't know what make it is but it's a lovely sentiment. I stamped and embossed the sentiment into the centre of the card.





I received the following cards:

Lovely image and layering, super blue spots on top right.
Thank you Gerry.

Stitching!  Beautifully done with great layers.

Thank you JanW.

Magnificent blue rose.

Thank you Madge.

Thank you Jan for hosting another great swap.

May Card Swaps

Noobie Swap

I love making these style of cards and they don't always make it onto the Blog.
I add three sheets of paper to a base card then adhere a ribbon across all three.
Adding a bought sentiment completes the card.

Bright and cheerful card, love all the tiny embellishments.

Thank you Kristie.

Style - May Day.

I found this poem and design some time ago and saved it to my files.  I used a piece of gold card along the lower edge and added the cutout out design to the centre of the card base.
I don't think it needs anything else ....... 




ATC

The ATC was the same style.
I used a printed to size piece of music sheet with a 'Dancing Round the Maypole' image.
I used a smaller card for the image, corner rounded it and attached it to the lower left of the ATC.  I then corner rounded the base card and outlined the image with blue Sharpie Pen.
I edged the base card with a black ink pad, giving it a slightly grungey look.

Flower Soft!  Can't be beaten and love the way it's been used on this card.

Thank you Olive.

Technique - Z fold card
I have wanted to make one of these cards for simply ages but 'never found the time!'

I printed out some of the designs from my Bear Creek Quilting folder and then set to work.
I cut the green base card to the two sizes I needed and scored and folded them ready.
I decorated the facing pieces with text paper and then cut out lots of elements from a fourth paper.  After adding the second pieces of papers to the Z strip for the lower edge, and the yellow card, I then added the elements.
Some of the elements were added after I had attached the Z strip card, such as the pot of herbs.



Beautiful monochrome card, Black and White is just so smart.
Thank you Olive.





For Show - Pop Up Box
This is a new swap - well, not really a swap..... just a make ..... we make a card and just show the photo as postage swaps could be expensive.


I used a kit for this card and some of my own embellishments that matched.
I like making this style of card and presented the finished card to my DDN for her birthday...... she loved it!

May Swap - Ribbons & Bows

How to stamp this theme?  Thinking........

I will stamp a background with bows and then add some ribbons .....

...... add stamped and embossed black silhouette ......



I sorted some bow stamps from various sets, not being able to find the particular one I wanted!  I stamped them with Versafine Sepia ink and then used my Inktense pencils to colour.

Paper ribbons, from The Works, would help match up the colours.  I added a strip down one side of each card.

A few weeks ago PJ gave me some coffee filter papers, he thought I might be able to recycle them ......

I decided to stamp the vintage images from a Creative Expressions set onto these papers and then fussy cut them out.

I was pleased I had my TH Stamping platform as these images needed to be stamped several times before being 'solid' enough on the filter papers.
I fussy cut the images and attached them to the backgrounds.  

My first thought when creating these cards was to add a black ribbon to each card but after attaching a piece to this card, I decided it was boring so used this to attach the male image of the set ....... maybe he would have looked better being 'anchored' under the ribbon!!!

I edged each card with a Promarker pen using the dominant colour.


My swap cards arrived at the end of the month:


Beautifully stamped and collaged.
Thank you Julie Waters.

Very pretty, love the way the ribbon matches the stamping colour.

Thank you Pat Crossland.

This superb card came in its own envelope.  So pleased I received this one as I really wanted one of this set.

Thank you Sandie Wright.

Thank you Sid for hosting another super swap.  I received a great selection by return.

WOYWW #472

This is What'sOnYourWorkdeskWednesday - checkout the tab at the top of the page for further info - and our thanks go to Julia for hosting again.

My desk, this morning, is a very good illustration of my life at the moment!!  A real hotch potch of 'things'!

As you can see, lots going on but nothing completed.  The days seem to fly away, I no sooner sit down to do something and I have to leave it to go do something else ......

I am trying to complete an ATCs For All swap.  The two of the cards are completed and I have just this third card to finish...... before tomorrow's post .....
Also on my desk, various tools used in the process so far including the acrylic blocks (used to flatten my cut out .....).  Some stamps fallen from the shelf above and a cut up box (finished Father's Day pressie) which will be either ATCs or ATCCs .... I haven't decided yet.

Short but sweet today, we have a BBQ down at Tyseley, a staff thank you which includes all the Volunteers.  Very welcome social time.
Talking of Tyseley.... I grew these Escholzia flowers in the centre bed last year ....... they have self seeded and some escaped ....... Weed or flower?

Thanks to all my visitors last week, and 'see' you on my visits to you.

WOYWW #471

WOYWW - All the deets on how to link up etc. and, more importantly, why you should, can be found at the top to the page.  Thank you Julia for hosting another week of fun and mayhem.

I'm afraid my desk has just been dumped on this week.  I emptied the remnants of my Craft & Chatter bag onto the desk yesterday and there it has stayed.

There you have it!
A Zentangle book, pencil set & sketch pad - no prizes for guessing what we were about!
An envelope with ATCC (ATC Coins) inside.  I put them in my bag to share with the girls as they often query what I have been 'doing', and most of my work goes straight into the post, so I thought I would share the latest fad on Facebook.  I joined Artist Trading Coins UK Group and these are my first month's swaps (more later).
The cover and stamp of a cat outline .... I attempted to zentangle one or two ..... really not good at this but, no doubt, they will appear on this Blog at a later date.   lol
The large white strip to the right of my desk is an experiment.  I know I'm not in that 'market' but this was too tempting .....  I cut a cornflake box into (26) coins but before I cut the last side I covered it with a piece of the cotton sling PJ was given at Solihull Hopsital.  I have already tried stamping on this material (ATC size) and it held the stamping perfect.  The material for that was not attached to the backing card, just taped down flat to a piece of paper so this time I glued it down.    We shall see what happens ....

Thank you to my visitors last week, sorry I didn't manage to visit many desks, my 'other' laptop has gone it's own way and I usually 'play' on that one while watching tv..... a 'new' one will be bought eventually.

One more ATC arrived this week, thank you Margaret (Glitter and Glue).  No photo yet I'm afraid.
have a good week and stay crafty

WOYWW #470

WOYWW - All the deets on how to link up etc. and, more importantly, why you should, can be found at the top to the page.  Thank you Julia for hosting another week of fun and mayhem.

Well, I have changed my desk from this.....

to this ....

All my ATCs and ATCoins swaps for the month of June are created and now I am about to parcel them up and post them out.  I can't believe that I have finished them so soon........ but there's the evidence!  
Hurrah! for me.

I am also taking the time to say thank you to 


Lunch Lady Jan, Wipso and Twiglet.

Thank you so much Jan, Annie and Jo for swapping Anniversary ATCs with me.  Such a fun time.


Thank you to all my visitors this past week, I did not manage to visit many, if any, at all last week.  The heat affects me so much and I have had several asthma attacks which have laid me low.  I haven't been able to have Little Soldier for a few weeks and DDC brought him round to visit on Monday ..... he looked soooo grown up ..... growing so fast now, it's getting difficult to keep up!!  lol
Have a good week and, hopefully, we can meet up at your desk ......