Penny Black Teddy Cards

Snook off to my hidey hole again last night - getting away from that Britains Got Talent thingy. I used another of my new Penny Black stamps. It's such a cute image and would do for a boy or a girl card. Again stamped in vintage sepia versafine and watercoloured. Cut out Sizzix tag and layered bear and balloon on top. The backing papers are from a Little Sizzles "country" pad. Added ribbon, brads and words from stash.

Forest, Leaves and Fathers Day Card

I love this leafy track picture below, I could just climb into it and wander off for an hour or so!

Well despite the rain we decided to go for a walk in Delamere Forest on Wednesday afternoon. Macs and brollys were the order of the day although it was not cold at all, just wet.
Phoebe thoroughly enjoyed herself in the mud with her wellies on. I love going to the forest and always feel like I can really breathe there. It seemed like we virtually had it all to ourselves as people must have been put off by the weather. They don't know what they missed - peace, quiet and the pitter patter of the rain on the leaves.
So when I got into the loft later I knew I had to do a Fathers Day card sometime soon and decided to do a leaf theme and here it is. Not quite the lovely greens we'd seen earlier in the day though.

The leaf is one by All Night Media stamped in versafine vintage sepia and coloured with chalk pads. I cut the "Dad" out of Ellison Design Curlie Girlie sizzlits. Happy Fathers Day is a Inca stamp. Backing papers are from the Little Sizzles "Earth Tones" and "Classics" Pads. I stamped the main card with chalk ink pads using the leaf stamp.

Windy Day Tilda

Well hope everybody had a lovely long weekend despite the weather. Nothing on TV to interest me last night so off I went to my hidey hole. Couldn't think what to do at first then remembered I still had some Tilda stamps I haven't used. Yum! Decided to do Windy Day Tilda which was quite apt for the weather yesterday.
Stamped her in Versafine Vintage Sepia, cut her out and watercoloured her. Stamped her again onto K and co, Brenda Walton "Small Wonders Girl" mat pad and layered her on top. I've had the Stampendous word stamp for a long time and thought it went really well with Windy Day Tilda. The little corners and green flower were from a K and Co, Brenda Walton tin with loads of embellishments and sayings in. Added ribbon from stash which is actually hiding a little brown smudge underneath!!!!

Christmas Cards In May!!!

So sorry about this but I promised myself I am going to be ready for Christmas this year. I'm trying to do a few cards every month so I've got a good stock ready and wont have to buy any at all,unlike last year when I had to begrudgingly purchase some extra.
Making Christmas cards is probably my favourite thing to do. I can use sparkly card and lots of glitter.

This is a Penny Black stamp borrowed from my Mum ( Thanks Mum). I've watercoloured it and then layered on to mirror card. The backing paper is from DCWV 6 x 6 Christmas Pad. The little "Merry Christmas" was from 2 sheets I got from a stand at the NEC. Sorry don't know who or what make they are. You'll have to take my word for it as you can't see it in the photo but the snowflake has got lots of twinkly glitter on. I can't take credit for the pretty little bow as it is a recycled item from a gift.

Clean and Simple Card

Grabbed a little time this afternoon to disappear into the loft, put the radio on and "play". Decided to use my new Lavinia Stamps and do some cards with a clean and simple design similar to the ones that were displayed on the Lavinia stand at the Happy Stampers Fair a few weeks ago.

I used Versafine Smokey Grey Ink pad and then dabbed on some coloured chalk to the flower heads and stalks for just a hint of colour. Added some glitter around the flower head. Added tags and ribbon from stash. I love the textured card on the single flower card although you can't see it very well on the photo. I should have used it on both as it makes the card look a bit more special.

Had to put my little heater on up there today - can you believe it at nearly the end of May? The wind was howling around the roof and I could hear the rain falling on the roof outside.Bbrrr. Still if the weather had been nice I might have felt guilty for not been outside doing the garden and it soooo needs attention.

Last Nights Work

Made another Tilda card last night. Stamped Tilda in Versafine Grey and then watercoloured her. The backing paper is K and Co Hopscotch Girl pad, Word stamp is Hero Art stamped in versafine Sepia, the little corner stickers are K and Co Doll House Stickers to Go.

Hoping to do quite a bit of crafting in the evenings in the coming week as Drew is off work and so I can "disappear" into my loft while he's there with the children. he he!

Enchanted ATC and Round Chipboard Book

This is another ATC that I have previously made. I did the background with water based ink and a bit of water on a brush to move it around and blend on the surface of the card. I think there may have even been baby wipes involved if I remember correctly!!! The beautiful stamp is a Lavinia Stamp done in versafine and then outlined in black permanent pen. I used an orange gel pen to put a glow in the windows of the mushrooms. The "enchantment" title is a sticker ( wish I could say I'd written it myself) I stuck little sparkly stars on to finish.

Finished my first little round chipboard book last night, so made it into a slide show as there are lots of pics of it. I painted all the pages in acrylic paint first but then covered nearly all in backing paper anyway. Note to self - don't bother with paint next time! -.

Its theme is My Family. I must admit there's hardly any stamping in it just lots of stickers and embellishments from my stash. It was fun and easy to make.

I'm really enjoying doing my blog so far (maybe a little obsessed) and thanks again for all the encouraging and complimentary comments

Tilda With Heart

Made this tonight. I bought 5 Tildas a couple of weekends ago ( got carried away) at The Happy Stampers, Port Sunlight show and said I wasn't going to use them until I'd finished a little memory book I'm working on. Well it over got me! Quite happy with the outcome but wish I had used cream card instead.

Tilda is stamped in Grey Versafine.The backing papers are K and Co Hopscotch Girl, ribbon from stash. The phrase is Penny Black stamped in Sepia versafine.

Mothers Day Card

Made this card for my Mum. I'd had the stamped image in a drawer for a couple of years and not done anything with it. I'd stamped it one night when we'd had a stamping"get together" (that's Chloe my Daughter, Mum, My Godmother Gill and Me) Colouring it and making a card with it made me rediscover my Penny Black thang ( obsession) and I've recently added a "few more" to my Collection. The lettering was Doodlebug rub-ons and very easy to use compared to others I've tried. Backing Paper was k & Co

This photograph is just so atmospheric and tender. I just had to do a LO with it.
It was taken a couple of years ago on a beach in Norfolk while we were on holiday there. The light was just going but it just adds to the softness of the photograph.
I don't know if I'm cheating here, putting on pages and cards I've already made - but hey my blog is new and I want to make it interesting.

Thanks for every ones comments so far, it's really encouraging.

Where I Create

Here are some pictures of my little loft space where I make my cards etc. I share it with my 14 yr old daughter. Its a bit of a tight squeeze when we are both up there but all my stuff is in one place now. I used to have it stashed under the stairs then we got a combi boiler and I had it all in that cupboard within the hour of the water cylinder being taken out.

The long drawers for my rubber stamps are great. I think my OH thought that they would all fit in there with room to spare - but they don't!! Tut tut me.

Scrapbooking

Here is a page from my first full scrapbook album. I loved this coat on Phoebe and was really sad to part with it when it didn't fit her anymore. The sunflowers, leaves and ladybirds are sizzix original shapes. The title was done with rub-ons. Bit tricky that!

My First ATC

This was the first ATC that I made last year. Looking at it again
it is probably my best so far ( if I do say so myself). ATCs are a great poject to do when
you're feeling the need to craft but haven't got a lot of time to
start a larger project, which happens quite alot when you have a 4 yr old daughter. You have to grab little pockets of craft time when you can get them. I will put some others i've done on here too at some point. The image is a Hero Art stamp layered on to backing paper with rub-ons and embellishments added.

I make ATCs but have never swopped any. I don't like to part with them. Is this Wrong? I know the whole idea is to create and swap little works of art but I do like to keep mine all in one place, in my little ATC tin from the previous post.

Cute Cat

Made this card to keep in as an "emergency" card. Used the Penny Black stamp then water coloured it. Backing paper is "Chloe" by Brenda Walton and I had the ribbon in my stash. You can't see it on here but there is glitter on the moon.

Thought I'd have a go at this blogging lark

Well here goes, into the "unknown to me world" of blogging. Have enjoyed perusing other peoples blogs so thought I would have a go myself. - not that I lead an exciting life but would like to share my creations with others. Not sure how often I will be able to update it but I will try my best.

This is one of my latest Birthday cards using 2 Penny Black stamps I purchased at the NEC hobbycraft show.