Congratulations Christina

One of my Design Team sisters on International Art and Soul gave birth to a beautiful little boy earlier this month and this card is to welcome him into the world. I hope the new family enjoys lots of wonderful times in the years ahead. All the very best to Christina, Joshua and Ramesses.

I used an 8x8 Craft UK ivory coloured card blank. The yellow background paper is from a pad by The Works and I matted it on to Papermill pale blue card. The giraffe image is by Bugaboo and after colouring it with my Promarkers I cut it with a large classic oval Spellbinder die. It was then matted on to the scalloped oval die which I'd cut in the pale blue card. I set it to the right of the base mat and added two Memory Box dies of hearts on ribbons, again in the blue card. Next I used a small blue envelope which I bought from Create and Craft about twelve years ago! The giraffe is holding a letter in his mouth so I thought it could be a message to Ramesses, the new baby. I fixed the envelope in the bottom left corner and added a short 'letter' saying 'Welcome to the World Ramesses'. I haven't made a new baby card for so long and so I really enjoyed making this one. 

My eyes aren't too good at the minute but I'm hoping it's just because I've been using my laptop a bit too much. I'm still having injections every eight or nine weeks and they certainly help but I think I'll have to stay away from my laptop as much as possible. I was so pleased that they behaved themselves as I made this card. 

I'm entering it into the following challenges:

Dragonfly Dreams - 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

Happy Little Stampers - Anything Goes with Dies

IAAS Add Some Sparkle

Come along and join us at International Art and Soul in this challenge, set by Maggie, of 'Add Some Sparkle'. This challenge will last for four weeks so you've got plenty of time to make a beauty.

My card is an 8x8 by Craft UK. The background paper with the bunting is by My Mind's Eye. I matted it on to red glitter card and added a strip of the glitter card towards the bottom of the mat. Green metallic card was used for the die cut Christmas tree which I think is by Joanna Sheen. The sentiment 'Christmas Wishes' was printed on cream paper and matted on to gold metallic card. Five sparkly cabochons, by Craft Box UK, were added to the strip of red glitter card.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

Crafty Creations - Anything Goes
Crafty Gals Corner - Anything Christmas Goes
The Crafty Addicts - Anything Goes/It's Christmas
Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes
The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes
A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes
Christmas Crafts All Year Round - Anything Goes, Must be Christmas card
Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes


I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and I wish you all the very best for 2019.

IAAS Funny Christmas

Come and join in with this theme, 'Funny Christmas', at International Art and Soul. 

I used an 8x8 card blank by Crafts UK. The image is by Rick St Dennis and after printing the image I coloured her with my Promarkers. I used a large classic oval Spellbinder die to cut it out and then edged it with Barn Door Distress Ink before setting it one side while I arranged the background. The circle behind the image is embossed with an embossing folder that came with a magazine pack from Joanna Sheen. The two patterned papers are from a pad that I have but I'm blowed if I can find which one! They are matted on to bright green card by Papermill. I generated the sentiment on the computer and then cut it with a Spellbinder oval die before edging with a green Distress Ink. Three red gems from Hobbycraft complete the design.

I'm entering my card into the following challenges:

2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Anything Goes with a critter

A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes

A Perfect Time to Craft - Always Anything Goes

Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes

Crafty Animals - Anything Goes with an animal

Digi Doodle Studios - Christmas/Winter

Merry Little Christmas - Anything Christmas

Crafty Creations - Anything Goes

I Love Promarkers - Anything Goes with option of 3 layers

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Thanks once again for visiting. 

IAAS Wild Animal

I chose the theme for this challenge and it's 'Wild Animal'. Come and show us your wild animals at International Art and Soul.

The card blank is an 8x8 by Crafts UK. The base mat is yellow card by Papermill. The next layer was dark brown card, again by Papermill, and down the centre I set a section of 'giraffe skin' paper by Hobbycraft. I'm not even sure that they still make this paper as I've had it for years, along with other animal skins. After fixing to my card blank I printed the image of the giraffe and matted it on to yellow card before setting at an angle across the top of the card. The image is from Jayne Netley Mayhew's CD by Joanna Sheen. The sentiment is SnipArt by Craft Box UK. I coloured the SnipArt with Rowney's yellow acrylic paint before fixing to brown card matted on to yellow. This was set at a jaunty angle across the bottom of the 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

Crafting with an Attitude - 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 - Anything Goes

Crafty Animals - Anything Goes must have animal

Thank you all for visiting. 

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

Moving Along with the Times - Male

I'm busy making items for a Christmas Fair in the village and when Beckie chose a theme of 'For a Male' over on Moving Along with the Times I decided to make a boy's bedroom door plaque.

The wooden plaque was from Joanna Sheen and I used Crackle paste to make green crackles appear through the white paint. I love this as it give a real grungy feel to the project. The cogs and metal items were all by Craft Box UK as is the SnipArt 'mechanical dreams' in the centre. Instead of using ribbon or rope as the hanger I bought a length of chain from Maxwell's and managed to tie it together with a Tim Holtz ' Breathe' medallion and fastener. I hope that any young male who is in to cogs, wheels or anything mechanical might like this, but if not, I enjoyed making it. lol

I'm entering my hanger into the following challenges: 

Creative Artiste - Anything Mixed Media

A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes

A Inky Mess - Anything Mixed Media Goes

A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes

Altered Eclectics - Anything Goes Mixed Media

Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes

Love to Craft - Anything Goes

Through the Craft Room Door - Always Anything Goes

I'm sorry that this will be my last post for Moving Along with the Times. I've enjoyed working with all the DT members over the years but I'm sure I'll see most of them again.