INTAAS The colours of Fruit

This challenge theme is 'The Colours of Fruit' and was chosen by DT member Jennie over at International Art and Soul.

After much thought I decided to use some die cut leaves to show the colours of various fruits.

My card blank is a 7 x7 by Craft UK.

I used yellow card by Hobbycraft as the base mat and then topped it with a caramel coloured card by Sue Wilson which I'd embossed with a Crafter's Companion embossalicious folder of leaves. I then used my various Spellbinder leaf dies to cut out an assortment of leaves. I was thinking of oranges, lemons, grapes, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries but I'm not sure what I was thinking of for the bright green leaf at the bottom!  lol

After arranging them at the bottom of the mat my only addition was the Happy Birthday sentiment which I generated on the computer before backing with more red card and setting at the top right. The various card was all supplied by Hobbycraft, Papermill and Sue Wilson.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

Aud Sentiments - Summer + a Sentiment  (all these fruits remind me of summer)

Moving Alon with the Times - Anything Goes

Seize the Birthday - No Stamping

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

AAA Birthday - Anything Birthday Goes

Arty Divas - Birthday

Crafts Galore - Anything Goes

Once again, that's it till next time, hope to see you then. 

INTAAS - 4 Legged Friends

Please come along and join us at International Art and Soul to take part in our challenge theme of 'Four Legged Friends' which was set by Mimi.

My card blank is a 7x7 by Crafts UK. 

I think it was almost twenty years ago when I ordered a book of gold and a book of silver glitter paper and in that time I've used probably one sheet of each! They are by Papermania and I decided to use a sheet of gold for the background to this lovely image of our four legged friends. 

When I first started my blog in 2011 I entered a Stitchybear blog challenge and won three images = this was one of them. When Stitchy sent them to me she asked if I would let her see what I did with them and I duly did that. She then asked me if I would join the design team and so started my first role as a blog design team member. I've lost count of how many teams I've been on since but that has changed over the past few years as I've slowed down. INTAAS is my team now and we have a super group of team members. 

Back to my card - I coloured the image with my Promarkers and then set it directly on to the gold paper as the mat. My only addition was a Spellbinder die cut in top right and bottom left corners. They were cut in brown card by Sue Wilson. Another simple card but I like it and the gold is much brighter in reality.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

Cards 4 Galz - Die Cuts or Punches

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Critter Crazy - Anything Goes with a Critter

Classic Design - Anything Goes

Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes

Crafty Animals - Anything Goes with an Animal

Sweet Stampers - Animals

INTAAS - Dies or Punches

This theme was set by DT member Maggie, 'Dies or Punches', come along and join us at International Art and Soul and show us what you can do.

My card blank is a 7x7 by Crafts UK and all the coloured card is by Papermill. I had to use dies as I gave most of my punches to my great niece who likes to craft. I'm sure I've still got a few but can't find them in my craft room even though I searched. Oh well. 

The die on the left is by Sue Wilson and the Happy Birthday die is a Spellbinders die. Happy Birthday was generated on my computer. I love this cat image but I cannot for the life of me remember where it came from. I can remember cutting it out quite a while ago but have no idea whether it was a digi or whether it's a stamp. I've got a Really Useful Box full of cat stamps, etc so I might do a search in there and see if I can spot it for future use.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

Allsorts - Use a Die

Creative Fingers - Anything Goes

Crafty Critters - Anything Goes with a critter

Crafty Creations - Anything Goes

Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes

Show us Your  Pussies - Anything Goes with a Pussycat

Crafts Galore - Anything Goes

Thank you all for visiting. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and Holiday time. x

INTAAS - Use stitching or beads

This theme was set by team member Tricia/Josephine over at International Art and Soul. Why not come along and join us with this fun theme?

My card blank is a 7.7. by Craft UK. The red card used for the mat is by Hobbycraft and the teal card is by Sue Wilson. I embossed the red card with a Crafter's Companion embossalicious folder of buttons. I added a strip of white lace, from Craft Box UK, across one corner and then fixed the image from a Joanna Sheen CD and matted on to teal card, across the left side. In the top corner I added a small diamante buckle, bought from a friend a few years ago. I filled it with teal coloured seed beads from Craft Box UK along with three of their larger teal beads.

I've added two images as the first is a photograph which isn't perfectly clear although the colours are spot on. The second is s scan and is slightly better although the colours are dark. Hmm.

I'm adding this card into the following challenges:

Allsorts - Feminine, For a Lady

Crafts Galore - Anything Goes

Creative Sketchy Girls - Ribbon, Twine or Lace

Crafty Creations - Anything Goes

Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes

Thank you all for visiting, I hope you have a good day.

Thank you all

INTAAS Off to Dinner

I'm the host for this challenge of 'Off to Dinner' so please come along and join us at International Art and Soul.

I would like to think that I would go off to dinner looking like this but I'm afraid it would never happen. lol I did enjoy going out for dinner with my husband but I never felt the need to get too dressed up, apart from the fact that we didn't go anywhere too fancy!

My 7x7 scalloped card blank is by Craft UK. The lilac card is foundation card by Sue Wilson and I used a Spellbinder large scalloped square die to cut it as the base mat. I used a sheet of Joanna Sheen's lace paper, which I've had for years, and then cut it with  another Spellbinder die to make a strip across the middle of the mat. The image is by Rick St Dennis and I love it. I coloured with my Promarkers and then cut it with a large oval Spellbinder die. I touched the edges with Distress Ink . The finishing touch was to add three small pearls to each scalloped corner of the lilac mat. I think that the pearls were a freebie pack from somewhere.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

Colour Crazy Craft - Anything Goes with coloured image NOT pre-coloured

As You Like it - Rubber, clear or digi and why - I prefer digis because they give a clear image and the Rick St Dennis classy ladies are all beauties!

Crafty Creations - Anything Goes

I Love Promarkers - Anything Goes

Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes

Passion for Markers - Celebrations - we're off to dinner to celebrate!

Crafts Galore - Anything Goes

INTAAS - Landscape

Come along and join us at International Art and Soul with our first theme of the New Year, chosen by Josephine, of 'Landscape'.

I'm afraid I wasn't feeling 100% towards Christmas as I'd just had a kidney stones operation. I'm beginning to feel my age catching up with me and so I took the liberty of what I feel is cheating a little. I didn't have the energy to make a landscape of my own so I used a painting that my late husband did as a Christmas card quite a few years ago. We had been out for a drive in Northumberland and he took a photograph of this wintry scene. When we got home he liked it so much he did a water colour painting of it and used it for our Christmas card that year. The painting was framed and has been in our sitting room ever since. When I moved to this smaller home I still wanted it near me so it hangs in my living room now.  When I took the photograph of it I caught the flash on the glass so it has a bright spot and I didn't know how to get rid of it. However, I think it adds a little something to the scene.

My card blank is a 7x7 by Craft UK. The caramel coloured card is by Sue Wilson and acts as the base mat. I trimmed the photo round the beige mount and then fixed it to a peach coloured card - I'm not sure if that's also by Sue Wilson. I used a Joanna Sheen die to cut the fancy border in the peach card and added that to the bottom of the image before adding it to the base mat. A quick and easy card which I hope passes judgement.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges: 

Crafts Galore - Anything Goes

All Sorts - Anything Goes

Crafter's Castle - Anything Goes

Inkspirational - Something in your Home

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL, THANKS FOR VISITING. STAY SAFE AND ENJOY THE TIMES AHEAD. 

INTAAS - Inspired by a Book

Come and join us at International Art and Soul in our challenge theme of 'Inspired by a Book'.

I did wonder if the card was to be inspired by a book or whether it was me who had been inspired by a book. I chose to make a card that shows a book that always inspires me. lol I love poetry and have quite a few poetry books but I go back time and time again to this one. The list on the top right of the photo shows some of the poems that are in this book. The lower list shows poems that I have loved and recited for many years. Jennie Lee is a poem that my mother taught me when I was very young. I've never met anyone else who knows it, apart from my cousins who were taught it by their father, my mother's brother. It was written during the reign of Queen Victoria but we have no idea who wrote it and I've not been able to trace it in any book. If I have trouble getting to sleep at night instead of counting sheep I recite the poems in the lower list plus Vespers. By the time I'm on to the fifth or sixth poem I'm asleep. I'd better stop waffling and get on to the details of my card.

It's a 7x7 card by Craft UK. The red card is by Papermill and the teal foundation card is by Sue Wilson. After mounting the red on to the teal I cut out a die in the teal, I think the die may be a Sue Wilson die but I'm not 100% sure. The fancy border was added to the lower section of the mat. I photographed my book and then shrunk it down to a suitable size before fixing to a teal mat. I typed the list of poems and then cut them with two Spellbinder dies before setting at an angle to the right of the photo. I added Mei Flower turquoise pearls to each list. The final touch was an Inspire charm by Craft Box that was set to the top left, tied with a little string of turquoise beads, also by Craft Box.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

Gem of a Challenge: Anything Goes

Crafty Creations - Anything Goes

Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Try  it on Tuesday - Words or Numbers

Dragonfly Dreams - Anything Goes

A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes

A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes

Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes

Love to Craft - Anything Goes

INTAAS No Focal Image

 

Come along and join us at International Art and Soul with our theme of No Focal Image

I'm sorry that I haven't written up details of my card. I've been poorly and am not yet 100%. I will try to give details later.

Well, I'm here and feeling better today so I'll do my write up while I'm able.

My card is a 7x7 by Craft UK. The bones paper is by Teri Sherman of Delicious Darkness and I matted it on to a black foundation card by Sue Wilson. The border on the left side is by Hobbycraft and that was also cut in black card. I generated the sentiment on the computer and after cutting it out backed it on to the black card. Job done.

International Art and Soul- Monochrome

Come and join us with our challenge of Monochrome over at International Art and Soul - the first challenge of 2020. 

I made a card with this sentiment just a few months ago but I decided to make another as I love this sentiment so much.

My card blank is a 7x7 by Craft UK and the red card is by Sue Wilson, the dark red card is by Hobbycraft. I embossed the red card with a Crafters' Companion embossalicious folder before matting it on to the dark red. I printed the sentiment on the computer and then cut it with a Spellbinder oval die. I used another Spellbinder die for the dark red mount for the sentiment. The butterfly die is by Joanna Sheen and I cut it in the dark red card and then added red mirri card behind each butterfly. The butterflies now look as if they have glistening wings. I set them to the left of the sentiment.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

Brown Sugar - Anything Goes

A Bit More to Craft - Anything Goes

A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes

Crafts Galore - Anything Goes

Love to Craft - Anything Goes

Crafty Creations - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes

International Art and Soul - Flowers

The theme over at International Art and Soul is 'Flowers' and was set by Maggie. Come and join us and show us what you can do with flowers.

My card blank is a 7x7 by Craft UK. I started by cutting the row of flowers with a Joanna Sheen die. I then used my Promarkers to colour them in.  The green mat is a 'grass' paper from a Joanna Sheen pad. I fixed the row of flowers to the bottom edge of the mat and then used a Sue Wilson die to make the fancy fence in Papermill brown card. This was set at the top of the 'garden'. lol The stamped sentiment is by Bee Crafty and I used Promarkers again to colour the tiny flowers. A Spellbinders die was used to cut out the sentiment and then I used a pale pink Distress Ink on the edges. I raised the sentiment on pads before setting slightly to the left of centre.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

Brown Sugar - Anything Goes

Cut it Up - Focus on Sentiment (must have die cut)

A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes

A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes

Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes

Scribbles Designs - Include a Sentiment

I Love Promarkers - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes

Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes

Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes

IAAS Autumn Colours

 The challenge theme is Autumn Colours at International Art and Soul so come along and join us. I'm sorry that the photo isn't very good - the flash has made the paper look faded on bottom left. I've now discovered how to get a decent photo with this camera  and using my table lamp instead of overhead light. 

I used an 8x8 card blank by Craft UK. The burgundy card is by Sue Wilson and I used that as the base mat. The autumn leaves printed sheet has been in my drawer for quite a while so apologies for not remembering who it is by. I set that against the base mat and fixed a strip of the burgundy card across it. The owl die is by Tattered Lace and I cut it out in beige card by Papermill. I carefully set it against a portion of the burgundy card and cut round it. This made the owl easier to see against the leafy background. The ivy and the corner are by Joanna Sheen and are cut out with more Papermill card in yellow and red. I generated the sentiment on the computer and backed it with more red card.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

Crafty Creations - Anything Goes

Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes

Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes

Through the craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Unicorn - Autumn or Halloween

Brown Sugar - Fall or Halloween

IAAS Black and Orange

My card blank is a 7x7 by Crafts UK. The theme over at International Art and Soul is 'Black and Orange. I don't send Halloween cards so decided on a birthday card for my second daughter in law.

She loves dogs so the image was easy, one of Tim Holtz's Crazy Dogs. I stamped it in Memento Ink and after only basic colouring (because I have a white dog - lol) I cut it with a Spellbinder wonky square die. I then matted it on to an orange wonky square slightly larger than the first. The background was a section of embossed orange card and a narrower section of black card. The orange card by Papermill and the black by Sue Wilson. I'm sorry I have no idea where the embossing folder is from. I fixed both sections to a black base that matted nicely on to the card blank. I used a strip of Hobbycraft pearls and black gems to the lower part of the card. The sentiment, if I remember correctly, is by Lili of the Valley. After carefully cutting it out I edged it with my black Promarker to give it more definition and then set it at the top right.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

Crafty Creations - Anything Goes

Creative Moments - Anything Goes

Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Anything Goes with a Critter

A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes

A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes

Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes

Crafty Animals - Anything Goes with an animal

Morgan's Artworld - Anything Goes

IAAS Art Nouveau

Art Nouveau is the theme for this challenge at International Art and Soul and it was set by Jane. Please pop over and see what the Design Team have made - and maybe join us?

My card blank is a 7x7 by Craft UK. The image is taken from an Art Nouveau book that Eric bought for me many years ago. It has a CD enclosed and I'm allowed to use each image a total of ten times. Well, there are hundreds of images in the book and on the CD and I've only used two images so far, this is my third. The book is Art Nouveau Designs by The Pepin Press, Agile Rabbit Editions. After printing the image I cut it with a Spellbinders classic die and edged with Distress Ink. I used a piece of green Mirri card matted on to Sue Wilson's cinnamon foundation card as the mat for the image. Using more of the cinnamon card I used Joanna Sheen's Art Nouveau mirror corner dies which set off the image beautifully.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:
A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes
Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes
Love to Craft - Anything Goes
Crafty Gals Corner - Anything Goes
Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes
Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

IAAS For Boy or Man

Come and join us at International Art and Soul to join in with the challenge theme 'For man or boy' which was set by Susie.

My card blank is by Craft UK and the cinnamon coloured foundation card is by Sue Wilson. The dark brown card is by Papermill. The stencil of cogs is by Andy Skinner of Deco Arts and I used three different Distress Inks to colour the cogs. I used Joanna Sheen's Signature die of a motorbike which I cut in pale blue before setting on a dark brown rectangle cut with a Spellbinders die. I generated the sentiment on the computer, printed it on pale blue paper and backed with more dark brown card. The metal cogs along the bottom are from Craft Box.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

Craftaholics R Us - Blue
Crafty Creations - Anything Goes
Pause Dream Enjoy - Anything Goes
Simon Says Wednesday - For the Boys
Brown Sugar - Masculine or Father's Day
Crafting with Friends - Anything Goes
Simply Papercraft- Anything Goes

IAAS Emboss and a Die

Come along and join us at International Art and Soul to show us what you can do with the theme 'Emboss and a Die'. You can choose dry embossing or heat embossing, or both, and use a die too.

My card blank is 8x8 by  Craft UK. I embossed pale blue card from Papermill with a Crafter's Companion embossalicious embossing folder of clouds. However, I don't think this is showing very well on my photograph. I matted it on to dark brown card, again by Papermill. I used a Sue Wilson die to make the focal point in dark brown. After setting it slightly higher than centre on the mat I started on the stamped image. The centre die of the Sue Wilson set was cut in beige card and on it I stamped birds in flight from a stamp set by Visible Image. It was stamped in Cocoa Distress Ink. I raised it on pads and set it in the centre. The sentiment is from the Visible image set and again it was stamped in brown and on beige card. I set it to the bottom right and added three brown gems by Mei Flower. The swirl in the bottom left is cut with a Spellbinder die in brown card.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:
Addicted to Stamps - Anything Goes
The House that Stamps Built - Anything Goes
Pause Dream Enjoy - Stamped Image
Simon Says Wednesday - Anything Goes
Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes
Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes
Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
Path of Positivity - Anything Positive

Thanks for calling in and thanks for any comments.

International Art and Soul - Flowers

Come and join us at International Art and Soul and join in with our theme of 'Flowers'. 

My card is an 8x8 by Craft UK and I've used my new stencil on it. I bought the Folkart stencil at Hobbycraft a few weeks ago and this is the first opportunity I've had to use it. I stencilled the base pattern in Distress Inks in varying shades of green and then matted it on to Papermill red card. The elephants were done in Barn Door coloured Distress Ink on a separate piece of white card before being matted on to red card. I set it at an angle across the base mat. The same red card was used for the curved dies which I think were by Sue Wilson. I set one at the top of the elephants and the other at the bottom left so that I could add the flowers and swirly leaves to the right hand corner. The flowers were made for me a good few years ago by a blogging friend, Nataliya Simpson. The green swirly leaves were made with Spellbinder dies.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes

Crafty Animals - Anything Goes with animals

Petal Lu - Anything Goes with Red

Crafting by Designs - Animals

Stampotique Designers - Stencil It

Thank you all for visiting and leaving me comments, they are all much appreciated.

MAWTT Come Dancing

This week it's my turn to host the challenge over at Moving Along with the Times. I chose for my theme 'Come Dancing' and this is my card. Please pop over to the blog to see all of Team B's cards, they're all fantastic.

My base card is a 7x7 by UK Craft and the orange card is by Papermill. I embossed the white paper with a 'bows' embossing folder but I'm blowed if I can remember who made it, sorry. The embossed paper was matted on to the orange card and then I used a Sue Wilson die for the bottom fancy border. The two music dies are by Memory Box and I cut them in black card from Joanna Sheen. The dancing silhouette is by Stitchybear and is cut with a Spellbinders die. I used my new sentiment by Visible Image and cut with a smaller Spellbinder die, same shape as the silhouette, before edging with an orange Promarker. I raised it in the top corner and then all I had to do was add a few faux gems from JJD cards.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
Through the Craft Room Door - Always Anything Goes
Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes
Craft Your Passion - Always Anything Goes
Dream Valley Challenges - Girlie

Thanks for visiting and thank you for your comments.

Moving Along with the Times - Purple Haze

This week the theme of the challenge over at Moving Along with the Times was set by Jan Small. Come along and join us as I'm sure it's a theme that you will all love - Purple Haze, which means you can use as many shades of purple as you wish.

This is the first time I've used one of my 7 x 7 cards, by Craft UK, that I bought at Ally Pally in September! I used Crafter's Companion purple card as the base mat and then embossed a pale lilac pearlised card, from I know not where, with a CC embossalicious folder. The image was coloured with my Promarkers and she is by Saturated Canary. After cutting into a rectangle I edged with Dusty Concord Distress Ink. The fancy scroll at the bottom is a lace die by Sue Wilson and the banner and number 2 are both by Joanna Sheen. They are cut in bright purple Mirri card.

My eyes are much improved, not perfect but I can just about live with them like this, thank you all for your best wishes.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:
Crafting from the Heart - Always Anything Goes
Craft Your Passion - Always Anything Goes
Crafting with Dragonflies - Birthday Card

MAWTT Happy Birthday

It's almost the sixth birthday of Moving Along with the Times so we'd like to see lots of Happy Birthday cards.

This isn't a very good photograph as the sky was overcast and the white board behind the card looks blue. The birthday card itself is actually lilac though. lol

I've used a Joanna Sheen card blank and the pale lilac pearlescent card is by Payper Box. I matted the lilac card on to purple Mirri card and wrapped a length of lilac lace ribbon round the bottom. The purple frame in the middle is my new Portugese die by Sue Wilson. I coloured the pansy image with my Promarkers and cut it out, leaving a small white border round the edge. I offset it to the left of the frame and then added a Happy Birthday scroll that I've had for years. Three Mei Flower lilac gems were added to each of the top corners.

I'm sorry to say that after my first lot of injections my eyes aren't as good as I'd hoped. They are definitely better than they were but I'm still not able to read or watch TV. Every day they are open for most of the morning but then for the rest of the day that's it! :(

If I need to do shopping or visit my sister in her Care Home then I have to go in the morning so that I can see to drive. At least the improvement is lasting long enough for me to get to the Care Home and back. I have another two months to wait before my next set of injections and I'm wishing my life away by counting down the days.

The MAWTT cards are the only cards I'm making because I just can't keep my eyes open long enough to craft for any decent length of time. It also takes me ages to add the relevant post to my blog because I keep making mistakes and then have to go back. I'm a touch typist too so that doesn't bode well. lol

Fitztown 'Have a Heart'

Come and join us at Fitztown Challenge Blog for our theme this month of 'Have a Heart'. Of course, that means we want to see a heart somewhere on your card.

I've used the image Bridal Wedding Day 1 which I hope is still available in the Fitztown Etsy store. If anyone has a problem finding any of the images I use for Fitztown you can send an email to sales@Fitztown.com and someone will assist you in finding the image you want.

The card blank is by Joanna Sheen. I coloured the image with my Promarkers and a Sakura silver pen for the lace and head dress and then cut it into a rectangle. I used the Couture Creations 'Tied Together' embossing folder for the background paper and then matted it on to silver card. The heart and key are Spellbinder dies and I cut them in silver card from Papermill. The little heart and saying is from Tim Holtz - bought in Florida at Christmas and first time I've used them, so cute. I've used my new Sue Wilson bow dies again to make the bow at top left and, once again, put a rose in the centre. The flower is from Wild Orchid Crafts.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:
Crafting for all Seasons - Dies and/or Punches
Miriam's Crafting Blog - Romance
The Sisterhood of Crafters - Sweethearts and Roses
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Add a little Texture