Autumnal mushroom

 I'm back! Can't believe the end of September is in sight - we had a lovely dry summer (not much sun though!) and are not long back from a fab holiday to Spain with day trips to Barcelona and Gerona.

 I've had a bit of time off from blogging and haven't made too many cards this past couple of months but the darker evenings are here and it's time to knuckle down!  With the damp run of weather here there are lots of wild mushrooms sprouting up everywhere, so I thought I'd colour up this cutie from Creative Depot... I did have an unfortunate placement of my sentiment when it had a run in with a splatter of metallic paint! 

Layout inspired by CAS on Friday #318

Stamping Sensations September - CAS or anything goes

Make My Monday #261 - autumnal fall

Here's a wee pic of me on my jollies in Malgrat de Mar - my sister says this mural looks like it would belong on one of my cards!  There's even a Molly dog lying in front of the fire! 

And one of us in Barcelona, just off Las Ramblas...

Leaving card for Laura

 Hi all. I was asked to make a card for a student in work who has been with us these past few weeks.  Luckily I had already coloured up this cutie I'd bought from Creative Depot and the card just kinda made itself!

 I printed off my sentiment in a paintbrushy font, added some brick stencilling and some die cut flowers.  Oh and some metallic paint splatters too, though I maybe got a bit carried away with my splattering! The little tiny daisies are from a cheap nail art set that I bought on Amazon. 

Addicted to Stamps #495 - dies/stencils 

Word Art Wednesday #704/705 - anything goes 

As you like it - sentiment? - I almost always add a sentiment and the only time I don't is if I think it would be a useful one for my stash and might be suitable for several different 'occasions'

Stamping Sensations - furry friends 

Baby boy and birthday card for Catherine

 Hi all, and a Happy New Year! It's hard to believe that's the holiday over already, but in some ways it's nice to get back to a bit of normality.  And I do love to get the tree and deccies down and my house tidied!

I've been playing with my new bunny stamp from Creative-Depot and I love how this turned out! The blue card has a bit of sparkle in it and I also added clear gloss to the balloon and then popped him up on foam pads.

Time Out Challenge #254 - new

Word Art Wednesday #629/630 - anything goes

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - something new

Moving Along with the Times #162 - a new craft item

And just recording this one for future reference.  I don't know why but I always really struggle with this stamp!

Catch up!!

 Hi all, sorry I've been missing in action again, I just never seem to have time for blogging and the old mojo isn't being particularly co-operative either! Anyway I've lost to post this evening ...

I'm waaaay behind in my Christmas cards and the overseas ones should have already been away so they're going to be very CAS this year!!  

I cut an aperture for this one, blended the background and then stencilled in some snowflakes.  Polar bear stamp from Creative Depot.

Layout from MFT Wednesday Sketch #674

Colour theme also from MFT Colour Challenge #224

CAS on Friday #271 - Christmas 

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - anything goes

And a few more just for my reference as some of them are a bit samey to others I've done ...

Katie's 21st, using a Stamping Bella stamp

Baby Padraig (the Irish version of Patrick) using an old Lili of the Valley stamp

Sandra's birthday card using a Penny Black stamp. 

CAS Snowy Snowman

Hi all!  Such a dark drizzly day we've had today, it's definitely not a summer's day!  Indeed we've had no summer at all this year, the wettest July on record and not looking much better for August.   Storm Betty is due to hit this evening, so I'm glad I'm home in my PJs and not heading out anywhere! 

I've my Creative Depot snowdude out to make this little CAS card ... the 'CAS-ness' definitely does not reflect the mess on my table it took to make it 😂

Layout from CAS Colours and Sketches #518

Simon Says Stamp Monday - use your favourite technique - mine is definitely colouring and I do love to add splatters too

Snippets Playground #460 - my snippet is a leftover bit from fussy cutting the snowman that was just the right size for my snowflake die

Christmas with the Cuties #72 - something green

Snow dude in purple

 What?! Two cards in two days! It's well seen it was another indoorsy-type of day here!! Though I definitely shouldn't complain when you see the extreme weather all round the world on TV. It's all a bit scary. 

I've another Christmas card for the pile while my Creative Depot set was on my table.  Stripey blue DP from My Favorite Things.  Coloured with polychromos and large glitter crystals added to his hat. I also went over my purple die cuts and his scarf with my clear glitter pen, you can never have too much sparkle on a Christmas card! 

Layout from MFT sketch #654

Colour theme also from MFT Colour Challenge #215

Cardz for Guys #326 - Christmas in July

Addicted to Stamps #450 - dies +/or stencils

Pink Polar bear

I figured seeing as our weather was being so un-summery I'd get another card into my Christmas stash.  This is only #3, so I'm just a tad behind schedule 😉

I've my bear from Creative Depot out again - there were a few images in this set so I'm hopeful the one set will do all my festive makes for the year.  I'm also on a mission to use up some of my coloured card, thus the pink theme!  Stencil was from a Simon Says Stamp set.  Flower gems added to the centre of the glittery snowflakes to give them a bit of zing; glitter to the little present ribbon and clear gloss added to his nose and footpads.

Layout from Freshly Made Sketches #594

Snippets Challenge #458 - my snippet is the white card for my bear - when I cut A4 card to make this this square size I always have leftovers that I keep and is handy for small images or die cutting 

Christmas with the Cuties #71 - fur or feathers

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - shimmer and shine

Ruth's Birthday card

 Hi all!  I'm trying to get back in the way of making cards (instead of faffing about on Facebook and the internet!) and the weather has been a bit rubbish this past while so I don't have the garden as an excuse!  Hopefully those few lovely weeks in June will come back again! 

So here's my card for this evening, it will probably be my card to my sister.  I've used this little girl from Creative -Depot, coloured with polychromos and clear gloss + glitter added to the flower centre - I might gloss up the petals to make it pop a bit. 

Layout from CASEing Tuesday #414

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - anything goes 

Colour theme from MFT Colour Challenge #214

As You Like It - plain or patterned papers - i used to have a huge stash of patterned papers but find myself more and more drawn to plain colours now, especially as my style is much more CAS than it used to be.  I much prefer to add stencilling or embossing instead.

Snowflake Snowdude

 Hi all.  Here this evening with a super quick Christmas card, the glue on the sequins isn't even dry yet!  I added a few layers of sparkle to the snowflakes and to his hat trim; clear gloss to his nose.  Snowman (from Creative Depot) popped up on foam pads.  Easy peasy lemon squeezy!

Layout inspired by the sketch at MFT Wednesday Sketch #644, though I've maybe gone too far off piste with this one!

My Time to Craft #507 - monochrome 

Addicted to CAS #237 - monochrome 

First Christmas card of the year!

 Well that was definitely a day for TV, it would have been fantastic to be in London!  I love all the pomp and ceremony of the Royal celebrations and was so pleased to see it all go off so well.  I'm sure they were all glad of a sit down and a cup of tea (or something stronger!) after it was all over.

I used the time while I was watching it to make a wee Christmas card, first of the year so I'm well behind schedule!  I stencilled my background, added some silver metallic splats, snowflake die cut (covered in gloss and glitter), and then a few little stars to finish.  Bear from Creative Depot popped up on foam pads.  

Addicted to Stamps #445 - dies/stencils

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - no patterned paper 

Cards 4 Guys #321 - get messy - inks and splats

Word Art Wednesday #593/594 - anything goes 

And here's a wee pic of Molly in our local woods, I think we hit it just at the right time for the peak of the bluebells display they were absolutely fabulous!

Hoppy Easter

Hi all! Such a beautiful bright sunny Spring day today!  A good day to get busy!  Both the spade and lawnmower made it out today so the garden's nice and tidy.  Poor Molly didn't escape either... dog showered, towels washed and bedding all lovely and clean too!  Definitely ready for a sit down this evening!  And as per usual, it was spent last minute making...

Layout from Try Stampin on Tuesday #601

Get Creative 120 - Springtime blues

Crafty Calendar April - die cuts

As You Like It - dies or gems - I prefer gems as they're nice and flat and have this little dispenser with every colour I would ever need 

Pastel birthday

Happy April!  Hopefully a drier month than March, it felt like it rained almost every single day!  Our garden is a sodden mess, I'd love to get out and get weeding and planting but it would need a few dry days first!

Anyway, I'm here this evening with another cutie from the set I bought from Creative Depot and the stencil is from them also.  Coloured with polychromos and clear sparkle added to her hat band and the flower centre.

The stencilling didn't show up great in the photo, so here's a different angle...

Layout from MFT Sketch Challenge 639

Colour theme MFT Colour Challenge #208

Simon Says Stamp Monday - stencil it

Fab'n Funky #569 - lots of layers

A little blue fairy

 Hi all, just popping on to add this one as I forgot to do it earlier in the week.  I'm in no form for crafting at the minute as I have a lovely tooth abscess. Which is no fun. Whatsoever.  Hopefully the meds will kick in soon and then a visit to the dentist to look forward to on Friday.

I've been shopping at Creative-Depot again, this lovely little girl was in a set that I'm sure you will see more of.  The circular stencil is from them too and I love it!  I moved it just a touch to add in some clear glossy texture paste over the inked bits.  Not sure if I'll add a sentiment or not, I quite like it as it is.

And a wee close up of that stencil effect...

MFT Colour Challenge #207 - pretty in pink and blue

Snippets Playground #450 - I inked the centre of my die cut to make the butterfly 

Stamping Sensations March - anything stamped, option wings 

Easter Bunny

 Hi all!  I've a couple of Easter cards to share this evening, using this cute bunny from Creative Depot.  I inked up the background, added a fancy die cut, a few metallic paint splatters, and some blue and gold sequin discs.  The bunny is popped up on foam pads, sparkle added to his bow and clear gloss to the carrot.

As you like it - freestyle or stencil background - well, it kinda depends!  If I'm layering up as I've done here, I'll use a plain-ish inked background.  

Word Art Wednesday #585/586 - anything goes

I've been really struggling with my mojo  so I've been going back to basics, practising my colouring and just casing other cards.  This one was inspired from a card Simon Says Stamp had on their Facebook page (here's the link in case you want to see Yana's fab original), so I'm just sharing here to keep a record of it but not entering into any challenges..

Greg's Birthday card

 Hi all!  Gosh, Sunday evening already!  It was a bit of a dark damp old day today, not one to inspire you to go anywhere!  So I busied myself instead and got ahead of the game with Greg's Birthday card.  This adorable bear is from a set I bought from Creative Depot last month, destined to be 2023's Christmas cards, but I reckoned the bear would be fine for a birthday.

I got my scraps out for this one - I love all my MFT paper packs and always end up keeping end bits as they're too nice to chuck ...

I found a couple of little silver stars on my table (I mustn't have cleared it since Christmas LOL) so I stuck them on to use them up.  Some blue and green splatters with my metallic paints, and a bit of cord to finish.  Sentiment is from a Penny Black set.  I absolutely love how this turned out, I have sorely missed my mojo for such a long time that it is nice to make 2 cards in a row that I am pleased with!!

Snippets Playground # 445 - show us your snippets (it's their 11th Blogaversary and a brilliant prize up for grabs!!)

Layout from MFT Wednesday Sketch #627

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - something new

Your Next Stamp #194 - gifts

AAA card challe nge #231 - all about bears

Nautical Birthday for David

 Hi all!  Well I'm a bit more pleased with my card today than some of my recent efforts!  I love it when a sketch sparks some creativity! 

I think the bear, stripes and little hearts are stamps from Creative Depot.  I added splatters from my metallic paints and then a red twine bow just to lift it a bit.

Sketch Saturday - free choice of sketch. I used this oldie from 2018

AAA Birthday #45 - anything Birthday 

Sweet Stampers #75 - anything goes 

 

Baby Bunny

 Hi all!  I see blogger must have done away with the follow by email option, so apologies to anyone who used it on mine!

I was delighted to see that Just Us Girls challenge this week is to CASE a favourite designer, so here's mine!  I have been a long time admirer of the beautiful cards that Iris makes over at stempelideen.blogspot.com and have frequently been inspired to go shopping because of her!  Have a look at her much superior card here and you'll see what I mean! So here's my version of her card...

Stamps from Creative Depot, butterfly dies from Penny Black and new scalloped die from Pinkfresh Studios.

 Just Us Girls #643 - CASE a favourite designer 

Addicted to Stamps #435 - dies +/or stencil 

Word Art Wednesday #555/556 - anything goes 

Get Well Bunny

Hi all!  Well that was a bit of a damp grey day, definitely frizzy hair weather!  And the first evening in a while that I've needed the light on to craft.  

I've had my new stamps from Craft Depot out again. My first effort was using my watercolor pencils but I think I need to relearn how to use them!  I ended up starting again with my polychromos and just used the watercolours to highlight the stem of the toadstool.  DP from MFT.  My sentiment looks wonky here which I hadn't noticed before now, so I'll have to check it to see if it needs fixing.  Hopefully not as I'm down to the last scraps of this green card. 

And just to share, here's the original watercoloured bunny!

Layout from MFT Wednesday Sketch #604

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - anything goes 

Word Art Wednesday #553/554 - anything goes