Watercoloured Stencils

It was another icky showery day, with a few good thunder showers thrown in for good measure, so it was a good day to get crafty ;)

I spotted this card over in Joanne's gallery, this week's featured stamper at Splitcoast.  I couldn't find my hexagon stamp, so used a stencil and just puddled in some watercolours, and then added a few splatters for good measure.  I LOVE how it turned out! I used some of my old bees from There She Goes - coloured with watercolour pencils, glitter added to their wings, and then all popped up on dimensionals.  Little gold flower gems from stash, more oldies!

• Simon Says Stamp - anything goes
• Seize the Birthday - splatter
• Glitter'n'Sparkle #250 - things with wings
• CRAFT #426 - summer

I loved my bee card so much, I had another go with my brick stencil.  It's so quick and easy, reckon I'll be using this technique again!

This time I've used my little LOTV bunny - again coloured with watercolour pencils, clear gloss added to the balloons and sparkle to the cupcake icing.

• CASology - 5 year balloon blog hop
• Through the Craftroom Door - anything goes
• Addicted to Stamps #252 - make your mark
• Word Art Wednesday #292/293 - anything goes

Arthur Alooishus at the Beach

Here's a wee row of beach huts for you - we don't really have them here at any of our beaches in Northern Ireland, but I loved seeing them when we holidayed in Devon and Cornwall.
I've had this beach hut stamp in my stash for years now, and think I've only used it once!  Bad me!  But I've paired it here with Arthur Alooishus from Eat Cake Graphics and they work well as a background stamp :)

Coloured with watercolour pencils.  Chalked clouds.  Arthur popped up on dimensionals.
Sentiment also from ECG: Happy Birthday (fun text)

This card is also posted over at A Sprinkling of Samples and Techniques blog, where you'll find lots more loveliness from Eat Cake Graphics

• Pile it on #132 - beginning with S - seaside
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - anything goes
• Crafty Creations #346 - anything goes
• Craftaholics R Us #29 - anything goes
• Addicted to Stamps #252 - make your mark

Thanks SCS!

So this is this week's sketch from Splitcoaststampers - if you'd like to play along please link your card here.
This is my last week for playing along as a Guest Designer with the SCS team - I don't know how they keep up with not only making cards every week, but also coming up with sketches!

Here's my effort for this week's challenge.  I noted my central panel down wrong when I was scribbling out the sketch, so mine's centred instead of off to the right.

I came across this lovely DP in my stash so that dictated my colour theme.
I've used this cutie from Tiddly Inks - coloured with watercolour pencils and sparkle added to all the blue bits.

My Tim Holtz stamp positioner finally arrived, and I couldn't have stamped this sentiment without it, took a couple of goes with that 'h' and even then, I still had to touch it up with a marker.
Old Martha Stewart punched butterflies aren't even covering an ink splodge, there for decoration only ;)

Fish 'n flowers

It's such a beautiful sunny, calm evening out there. Pity it hadn't been more like it at the Antrim Agricultural Show earlier today!  It was a bit drizzly and damp, but it could have been worse and it was lovely to have a dander round with Mum and see all the animals up close.

I'm lovin this porthole die I got from MFT recently - I've doubled the layer here just to give it a bit of dimension.  Not so happy with my colouring on the fish, think it was just the wrong colour choice.  Bonus points though for using these ric rac dies I got aaaaaaages ago and never use, I kinda thought they'd look like waves.

• Layout from Tuesday Morning Sketches #412
• As you like it - I definitely prefer gems, I love a bit of sparkle!  
• Get Creative #60 - CAS
• Addicted to stamps #251 - anything goes

I've no sympathy cards in my stash, so need to get a few of these made.  

I've gone for this good old Whipper Snapper stamp, bit of a go-to one for sympathy cards!  Not sure of make of diamond DP.  Flowers coloured with water color pencils, and some sparkle added to the blooms.  I hadn't intended to add so many gems but had some inky marks that needed disguising ;)

• Sparkles #94 - sympathy
• Fab'n funky #360 - patterned paper
• Word Art Wednesday #292/293 - anything goes
• Stamping Sensations July - anything with flowers

SCS654 - A Birthday Mouse

So this is this week's sketch from Splitcoaststampers - if you'd like to play along please link your card here.

I must admit to being a bit stumped by this sketch, but I just kinda followed the recipe and I think it turned out OK!
If I was making it again though, I'd have stamped my sentiment in white and I would also have stuck it on straight LOL

Whipper Snapper stamp - coloured with watercolour pencils, clear gloss added to the flowers and sparkle to the pot.

• Stamp Ink Paper #108 - fabulous flowers
• Glitter'n sparkle #248 - anything goes
• Daisy Chain #10 - floral
• Sweet Stampers #9 - favourite colours - this pink DP pad has been a favourite of mine this past few months, I can't stop using it ;)

A rainbow of seagulls

It was the most glorious sunny summer day today, I'm not so keen on the forecast of 25 degrees tomorrow though!  Our office has no air conditioning and even with every window open its absolutely stifling :(  Ah well, it's still lovely to see the sun, even if it is from the wrong side of the window!

I've just a wee silly card this evening.  I was actually looking for a different stamp, now officially added to the missing list, and came across these fun birdies.  I'd been looking for a stamp to use with the Muse challenge and there were just enough wings on show here to take in all the colours from the challenge :)
I added in a few little blue stars to make it a bit more 'blokey'.

• Muse challenge #224
• Penny Black and More July - for the boys
• Creative Inspirations #279 - anything goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty challenge # 337 - anything goes

Naughty or Nice - If the Shoe Fits

It's reminder time at Naughty or Nice, and this month's theme is 'If the Shoe Fits'
If you'd like you play along, please link your card here

I envy those girls who have towering stilettos and walk (and dance!) so effortlessly in them!  When I try a pair of heels, my feet instantly object!  Me, I'm more built for comfort and live in my trainers!

My card uses one of my new Lili of the Valley images - coloured with watercolour pencils.  Sparkle added to her ribbons, and little dots of clear gloss to their jewellery and her Mum's shoes.

• Happy Little Stampers July CAS challenge - birthday
• Always Fun #14 - anything goes
• Crafty Creations #345 - anything goes
• Word Art Wednesday #290/ 291 - anything goes

SC653 Hey gullfriend

I was a bit stumped by this week's sketch at Splitcoaststampers - I was stuck thinking they needed to be die cuts, and then I realised actually they could be anything which made it waaaaay easier!  If you'd like to play along, link your card here.

My MFT birdies are still on my desk so that's what got used again ;)  Any time I see seagulls they always remind me of our summer holiday to Lyme Regis, the seagulls there were massive!

Oh and this sheet of pretty bluey-green is from my world famous never ending pink stack!  I popped my gulls up on dimensionals and added clear gloss to their beaks.  Nice and easy :)

• Addicted to CAS #115 - summer
• Cuttlebug Mania - sea you
• Always Fun #14 - anything goes
• Crafty Hazelnuts Patterned Paper challenge July
• Stamp Ink Paper #107 - tic tac toe - I used blue, die, twine

Card for Aunt Jean

I've gone a bit artyfarty with this card for my Aunt!
I started with some watercolouring and some splatters, then added some background text stamping, then added some stenciling, and topped it off with these pretty butterflies and some bling!

I found some old silver card in my stash - it has a pattern of little leaves on it, but when I die cut it I ended up with a lovely pattern on my butterflies :)
I also popped the wings of the butterflies up on dimensionals and added extra bling on the stuck down centre bit.  With the little leftovers I punched some corner dies.

I like how it turned out, but if my Tim Holtz stamping thingy EVER turns up (I think I originally ordered it in January or February!) my spacing on my sentiment would (hopefully!) have been better.

• Pastels colour theme from Sweet Stampin photo inspiration
• Happy Little Stampers mixed media challenge July
• Pixies Snippets Playground #289 / 290
• Love to Scrap #99 - anything goes

Birthday gull

Monday again, but at least it's a nice short week!  We're off work Wed & Thurs for the Twelfth holidays and I treated myself to Friday off too, it was just too tempting to resist ;)  Hopefully the weather will smarten up a bit.

I was very lucky recently to win some MFT $$ and blew them on this fab seagull set that I've been ogling for a while, and the porthole die.  Reckon you'll be seeing more of these critters, I love them!
My little fishies are from one of the older MFT kitty sets - covered with my clear sparkle pen. Seagull popped up on dimensionals.

• Layout from MFT Wednesday Sketch Club #340
• Crafty Cardmakers #192 - tic tac toe - I used gems, stamp and die cut
• Cardz 4 Guys #173 - beside the sea
• Creative Inspirations #278 - dots or stripes
• Word Art Wednesday #290/291 - anything goes

Weddings and Sausage Rolls

It's been a weekend of 2 halves ... yesterday was glorious and I got a good bit of my fence painted - a job I love doing!  No really, I could happily paint fencing all day long!
Today was a bit icky and damp, but I'd a few cards I needed to make so that was the perfect excuse to leave the rest of the fence painting for another day.

This first one uses this lovely Stamping Bella image.  Apparently the bride is a redhead, so I did my best with her hair.  Coloured with watercolour pencils.  Clear gloss added to the roses and sparkle to the bunting and to the 'frilly' bits of her dress.  My bunting is an oldie stamp from many moons ago - think it was from Creative Inspirations but I wouldn't swear to that.  I must confess, I love how this one turned out :)

• Word Art Wednesday #290/291 - anything goes
• Moving along with the times #49 - wedding
• Retro Rubber #66 - going to the chapel
• That's Crafty - anything goes
• Addicted to Stamps #249 - CAS

And here's one for a giggle ... its for a student we've had in work this past year who always judged how good an event he was at on the quality of the sausage rolls!  It's turned into a running joke with us, so I reckon he'll like this ;)

My picture was stolen from Google and then I just added the sentiment and a little gold star.

• Crafting by Designs - July anything goes
• Crafty Creations #345 - anything goes

SC652 Congratulations Bunny

It's challenge time over at Splitcoaststampers again, and it's a much easier sketch this week ;)  For me anyway, I loved this one!
If you'd like to play along please link your card here.

This card is for a friend of my Mum's who received a gong in the latest Queen's Honours List.  I've used this Lily of the Valley bunny again - reckon this stamp will be one of my much used faves!  Coloured with watercolour pencils and clear gloss added to the flowers.

• Stamping Sensations July - anything with flowers
• Just Us Girls #400 - celebrate
• Time Out #86 - celebrations
• Classic Design Team Open #16
• Crafty Animals #4 - any animal
• Crafty Calendar July - anything goes
• 
  

July calendar

Woops, only a day or two behind myself for this month's calendar for Mum ;)  I'm not sure what happened to June, it was a busy month and just seemed to absolutely fly by!  
This page is a quickie using some cuties from my last splurge at Lili of the Valley - coloured with watercolour pencils, sparkle added to their tails and clear gloss to the carrot.  My dates are hand written, cheaper than buying the little calendar inserts!

• Creative Inspirations #278 - dots / stripes
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - anything goes
• That's crafty - keep it simple
• Word Art Wednesday #288/289 - anything goes
• Crafty Creations #344 - anything goes

If the shoe fits ...

Wow, 1st of July .... and we have the heating on!  Guess the weather knows that the youngsters are off school now ;)
I've been busy decorating in my spare time these past few weeks, so I've been a bit quiet in blogland.  The weeds in the garden are taunting me now so they're next on my hit list this weekend!   Or I might just stay in and get crafty, well see which wins ;)

Anyway, it's time for a new challenge over at Naughty or Nice and this month it's for shoes!  Isn't that a fab graphic!

For my card I've used this oldie from Woodware.  It's not a great photo, it's much brighter in real life and my green DP kinda gets lost here against my backdrop.
Coloured with watercolour pencils and some little green metallic stars added from my stash.  I might add a 'happy birthday' banner to this, haven't quite decided yet.

• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - anything goes
• Word Art Wednesday #288 / 289 - anything goes
• Inspiration Destination #131 - anything goes