July 2015 ATC Swap!

Hi friends......hope you're all well!

Time for a new ATC Swap theme & this month we're going with

EMBOSSING

(can be wet or dry)

As usual, ATC's should be 3.5 x 2.5 inches, you make & send me 4 & once 

everyone's arrive I'll send you 4 back......and if you could enclose a

stamped addressed envelope that would be great.

(UK only)

If you want to play along leave me a comment to let me know you're

in.....& so's I know to watch our for Postie!

Have fun!

Ooh, nearly forgot......do you like my new badge?
I'd love it if you'd share it on your blog with a link back to mine!
xx

Midway reminder over at Oddball Art!

Hi friends, happy Wednesday.....hope you're all well!

Another Christmas card to share today, this one's my midway reminder for the

challenge over at Oddball Art where the theme is DIE CUTS! 

I used Kitten #173....she's so cute catching snowflakes on her tongue, reminds me

 of my daughter.....and me too many years ago lol.

As usual, fab prizes to be won....you can find all info here & if you fancy

 treating yourself I have a discount code for you to use - DTJO10 will save you 

10% on anything in Lizzy's Oddball Art Etsy shop!

Don't forget we also have a Facebook challenge too, the theme is always 

Anything Goes so you could enter there too!

Rightio, that's my lot for today....thanks for calling...see you soon!

(You can enter my candy giveaway HERE)

ingredients

image & sentiment - Oddball Art

papers - Dovecraft

Tree die - Marianne Designs

coloured with Copics

challenges

something cute at Crimbo Crackers

anything goes at Brown Sugar

Christmas in July at Morgan's Artworld

2 or more patterned papers at Polkadoodles

Christmas in July at My Time to Craft

anything goes at Christmas Card Challenges

Christmas in July at Crafty Boots

Blog Birthday Candy!

Morning friends, happy Saturday & I hope you're all well!

Next month I will have been blogging for 4 years!!!! Can't believe how fast
the years have gone.....and I have almost 300 followers......still can't believe
people actually follow my little blog lol! So to celebrate and to say
thanks to you all........IT'S CANDY TIME!
Time to say thanks for all the lovely comments you leave me, I appreciate
each & every one so much.

Candy 1
Dovecraft 6x6 paper pack
Spellbinders sentiments dies
Ribbon/Lace/Crochet trim
Asst embellishments

Candy 2
Clear Impressions rose garden stamp set
Marianne Creatables rose die

How to enter:
I'd love for you to follow my blog.
Add pic to your sidebar & link back to my blog
Add your name to linky below
Leave a comment to let me know which candy you'd prefer

Candy will be open until the August 31st ....thanks for joining my
birthday celebrations & good luck!
xx

Anything Goes with Lil Patch of Crafty Friends!

Hi friends.....hope you're all well & having a lovely weekend!

I have some news to share today.....I just joined the Design Team over at

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends......thank so much for asking me Denise!

Today is my 1st challenge with Team B & the theme as always is

ANYTHING GOES

I made a tag this time using an image called A Cupcake For You from Fresh

 Brewed Designs ....just some simple distressed layers, some colouring & I paper

pieced her dress!! Never done that before & not sure I will  again lol....then I

 added  ribbon, gems, alphabet stickers & some cheesecloth.

We have some fantastic sponsors this time offering amazing prizes:

Cottage Rose Graphics

$20 to spend instore

Fresh Brewed Designs

3 images

Ching Chou Kuik

1 image

If you pop on over to the main blog you find all the rules (not many) and

some gorgeous Dt inspiration (lots).....we'd love to see you!

Thanks for calling today......see you soon!

xx

Memory wire bracelet

Hi friends......hope you're all well & your weekend got off to a good start!

We're now officially on Summer break, yes....at last......no school til Sept 10th

for Miss Rebecca.....almost 8 weeks!!! Better get my thinking cap on, gonna

need lots to keep her busy lol!

So today I have a bracelet to share....this one made with a coil of memory

wire, assorted beads, skulls & finished with a couple of heart charms.

Love making these as it's a great way of using up lots of oddments so they're

ever so cheap.....and very effective too!

Rightio, lots to do today, thanks for calling & I'll see you tomorrow!

xx

A journal page.....

Morning friends......hope you're all well.

I have a journal page to share today...I love getting creative with inks, paints, 

gesso, stencils..........anything messy & it's got me......not so fun to clean up 

afterwards though.......but so worth it! My journal is a Dylusions Creative

 Journal & I love it although I have to say I don't get to play in it as much as I'd

like.....roll on the Summer holidays lol! 

The words were the starting point for this page, they're small talk by Tim Holtz:

'No beauty shines brighter than that of a good heart'

How true is that? It doesn't matter what you look like, whether you're fat,
 thin, rich, poor, tall short....true beauty comes from within & it always starts
 with a good heart. 

My hearts were hand cut from old book pages then I added colour with Caran

 D'Ache wax pastels, blended the colour with water & dabbed some off to let
 the words show through then edged them with black. The background is an

assortment of acrylic paint, stencils & circles made with paint tube lids! For the

frame I used a black Posca pen & a white Signo Uni-ball pen.
Rightio, that's me for today, thanks for calling.....see you soon!
xx

Die Cuts with Oddball Art!

Hi friends.....hope you're all well & having a good week!

Today I'm here to share my Dt make for the new challenge over at Oddball Art

where the theme is DIE CUTS!

Another Christmas card from me....it's never too early to get your Christmas

craft on & Lizzy has the best images....I can see most of these going to

Miss Rebecca's friends this year! You can find all the info you need over on

the challenge blog along with some gorgeous Dt inspiration.....and if you fancy

treating yourself you can use code DTJO10 to save yourself 10% off anything

in Lizzy's Etsy store! 

Don't forget....there's also an Oddball Art Facebook group where the challenge

theme is always Anything Goes......even more chances to win!!

Thanks for calling......see you soon!

xx

ingredients

image - Oddball Art Etsy Store

papers - Dovecraft

fishtail banner die - Dienamics

sentiment - LOTV

snowflake die - Cheery Lynn

coloured with Copics

challenges

Christmas in July at Sassy Studios

Christmas in July at Kitty Bee Designs

Christmas in July at Sweet Stampin'

Christmas in July at Come & Get It

Christmas in July at Quirky Crafts

die cuts at Creative Card Crew

Christmas in July at Deep Ocean

Share an Oldie this Friday!

Hi friends......happy Friday.........hope you're all well & have something nice 

planned for the weekend. One of my Boys, Chris is cooking for Jessie J 

today....she's playing a concert in our town......& I think if we listen carefully

 we might just hear her from our house!

Other than that, not much happening here, we've been such busy bees these

 past few weekends I think we'll be spending this one at home.....I'm sure I'll

 find something to do....& it might even be crafty!

So as it's Friday you know what that means....time to join in with our lovely

hostess Erika over at Snappycrafts as she invites us to share an oldie...../.but

craft style, of course lol. Pop over & leave a comment so she knows you're

in & you'll get lots back! My oldie is a birthday card I made for another of 

my sons......Cameron  loves books, the older the better so this book elf was

perfect for him. Some matting & layering, some inky & distressed edges,

some machine stitching....a bit of everything on this card & I know he still 

has it!

Rightio, better go do the dreaded h****work....after I've had a quick cuppa

& a quick peek at your blogs. Thanks for calling today & thanks also for 

the lovely comments you left yesterday......means a lot.

xx

Believe in the magic......

Morning friends......hope you're all well!

Thanks for all your lovely comments on my last post....those pesky

kittens are sure keeping me on my toes lol!

Something a bit different to share today.....I started with the blank canvas then

 made the background by melting some cheap wax crayons & then swirling the

 colours together...while it was still wet I sprinkled it with glitter and oh my,

 in real life it looks gorgeous! Next I stamped my image into tissue paper then

 coloured it with Copics & used matte medium to adhere it to the canvas....

then I made the mistake of drying it with my heat gun which  re-melted 

the wax underneath the face hence the slightly grainy look....but no worries

......I'm still happy with it & it was my 1st attempt. Some words, stars, a spray 

of white Dylusions,  a painted border & that's it......finished....thankfully Rebecca

 loves it as it's gonna be the start of a wall of assorted canvas in her room.

Weather's not too bad today so I'm off for an hour or two's work in the

 garden......wish me luck lol.

Thanks for calling..........see you son!

xx

ingredients

canvas - The Works

image - Moondrop by Lizzy Love

wax crayons - that shop where everything's a £1!

acrylic paint - The Works

glitter - stash

words - Tim Holtz chit chat stickers

challenges

anything goes at Art by Miran

anything goes at 613 Avenue Create

anything goes at Anything but a Card

anything goes mixed media at That Craft Place

anything creative at Love to Create

Don't wake the kitty cats!!!!

Hi friends......hope you're all well!

Having myself a sneaky afternoon in the craft room today.....listening to some

Poison,  got Wimbledon (on mute)....and those pesky kitty cats are

fast asleep lol! Honestly, it's like having 2 toddlers in the house, they're

always on the go, always up to mischief....but they're soooooocute!

Poppy always looks so sad, she loves cuddles & likes to fall asleep in my

arms on her back while I rub her tummy....don't know who's daftest........me

or the cat lol! Lola is pure mischief, she'll snuggle only when SHE wants to 

& her favourite place is halfway up the curtains at the patio doors!!

Today's craft offering is a little wall hanging I made for Rebecca to hang

onto the dining room door when they're asleep.....in the vain hope that the

boys won't go in & disturb them.......as big as my lot are they can't resist

kitty snuggles! I used a Lizzy Love stamp, you can find it here at Whimsy

stamps....I love how she looks like she's tip toe-ing past the sleeping cat!

Rightio, better go get some tea on, thanks for calling.....see you soon!

xx

challenges

anything goes at Crafting by Design

anything goes at Inspiration Destination

anything goes at Penny's Paper Crafty

animals at Aud Sentiments

anything goes at Crafty Catz

anything goes at Simply Papercraft

Christmas in July & Dt call with Crafty Calendar!

Morning friends, hope you're all well!

I woke very early this morning to thunder, lightning & some light, cool

rain.....oh, it was bliss.....a welcome relief from the heat we've been having!

So today I'm here to share my Dt make for the latest challenge over at 

Crafty Calendar

 where the theme this time is........ CHRISTMAS IN JULY......it's never too

 early to get your Christmas craft on lol! I wanted to keep my card fairly flat 

for posting so I just did some simple matting & layering, added a  printed 

sentiment, a sprinkle of glitter & a wooden snowflake to finish. As usual we

 like to see any & all crafts (so long as it fits the theme) over at Crafty 

Calendar, you can enter up to 3 times & you have until July 29th to play....

.and the prize this month is a Christmas Goody Bag!

Don't forget to pop on over to the main blog where you can find some

gorgeous Dt inspiration......and we also have a Dt call....if you fancy joining

our fun, friendly team you can find all info there!

Thanks for calling today.....whatever you're up to.....have fun!

xx

 ingredients

image - LOTV

papers - Dovecraft

fishtail banner - Dienamics die

everything else - stash

challenges

anything goes at Craft Your Passion

snow or glitter at Christmas Stampin' All Year Long

anything goes at Crafty Catz

for a child at QKR Stampede

get ahead for Christmas at Simply Create Too

anything goes at Simply Papercraft

all that glitters at Winter Wonderland

Sharing an Oldie this Friday with Snappycrafts!

Morning friends....hope you're all well & enjoying this awful heat!

 Friday again & time to join in with Erika over at Snappycrafts as she

hosts a weekly look back at past crafty makes. If you fancy joining in

all Erika asks is that you leave her a comment so's she knows & can pop 

over & visit you back........and we can too lol. I chose a not too old make

to share today...just from last year in fact but the first time I had something

appear in a mag! It's my 'Little Book of Christmas 2014'.... I make one every

year, usually in July & it's where I keep track of all things Christmas.  Gift

ideas, card lists, recipes....anything & everything goes in to this book!

Rightio, off to get the jobs done.....I figure an hour in the garden equals

2 hours in the craft room.....so I better get cracking!

Thanks for calling & whatever you're up to.....have a lovely day.

xx

Myth & Magic with Delicious Doodles!

Morning lovelies, hope you're all well! Oh boy, am I struggling with this

heat we're having in the UK......but it's a good excuse to shut myself away

in my craft room with the fan on full lol. So today I'm sharing my make

for the new challenge over at Delicious Doodles where the theme for July

is MYTH & MAGIC......a great theme, perfect for lots of Teri's fab images.

I made a tag this time, some simple layering & I used mica pearl paints on

the crystal ball, doesn't show up too well in the pic but in real life.....wow..

they give a gorgeous sheen. Some amazing digi's to be won, gorgeous Dt

makes for your inspiration & rules can be found over on the main blog.

Thanks for calling today, take care......see you soon!

xx