Moving this Blog ....

.... as part of my 2018 tidy up I am moving this Blog over to one of my other Blogs - Artistic Thoughts and Colours - where I will be popping in much more often to Blog up my Art works, cards, travels etc.  It will be much easier for me to maintain one Blog (which I hope will interest everyone) than to try and keep up with THREE Blogs and lose my momentum.

I am now over there permanently.

Christmas Day!!

Happy Christmas to you all.

May God bless you with peace and joy at this wonderful time of the year.

December Birthday

Not the best day to have a birthday and I know how she must have suffered while growing up! My birthday is also in December but a bit before ... not on the day!  
No doubt she had the 'I haven't bought you a birthday present cos I thought you'd like a big Christmas present'.  Bet they never said it to anyone with a birthday in July!!  lol

Anyhow, when I first saw this Woodware stamp I just knew that I could use it for C's birthday.  Once I had removed it from its backing paper, I used my craft knife to cut out the 'Christmas' word.  

My theory was that once this was removed, the stamp would leave a blank space on which I could write the word 'Birth'.
So I now have a customised stamp for C's Birthday.

This year I have made her card in Teal, Turquoise, Blue - its December's birthstone.

I used Versafine Onyx to stamp the image onto watercolour paper and then trimmed the paper to fit onto a piece of glitter paper (6 x 6in pad from The Works) which I had already trimmed to fit my white base card.


I used my Neocolour crayons to colour in the digits, holly, border and highlight the word in yellow and, using a very fine (size 1) brush, added some water.

Once the image was dry I attached it to the glitter paper, which I attached to the card base. 

I used some blue paper to make an insert, punching a rose out of each corner to complete the card.

Oh! I forgot to say - I wrote the 'Birth' word with a fine nibbed black unnamed pen!

I have posted the card now so, if you're reading this C .. happy Birthday Darlin'.

November Swaps

Noobie Swap

I made this card some time ago and couldn't think of an appropriate sentiment but looking at it today I don't think it needs a sentiment.      The teabag tiles are split tiles and I embossed the corners the old fashioned way using my Fiskars embossing board ... such excitement when they brought it out !!!

I have received this very pretty decoupaged and embossed card.  Thank you LindaS.

Sketch Swap

I used some of my stash paper for the background and then couldn't really find an image to fit the card.  I am not very good with square cards so I have bought a pack for me to practise on next year.

I found this image, also in my stash and managed to cut it to a better size using fancy edged scissors.

I die cut the sentiment and added it as near to the sketch position as I could.  

I hope partner likes it.

My return card is beautiful, extremely well made and thought out.

Thank you ChrisN.

Technique Swap - Parchment

I really looked forward to this swap but when I settled down with my image and started to emboss, I realised that it's been a long time since I last attempted parchment!!!

I embossed the image and coloured the back of the parchment with Inktense pencils.  It didn't look right so I added small amounts of water to the back and outlined the 'stained glass' sections with a black gel pen.  Once it was all dry I wanted to attach it to a dark blue card but could not think how ..... in the end I used glue dots along the long sides.  I sealed the edges of the parchment with a peel off ribbon and border, not only hiding the glue dots but securing to the card.

I was thrilled to receive my partner's card.  She had gone to all the effort of finding a design with a 'C'.  Clever!

Thank you Olive.

October Swaps

I have only entered one swap this month, I always try to keep away from celebrating the end of October ..... I find it very pagan but that is just my opinion.
Noobie Swap



This is my card .... courtesy of Helen who was a member of CardWorkshop.  I love the impression of Autumn and happiness and a really cheeky face that makes me smile....
.... and there's glitter!







My return card is fabulous!  I don't know how it was made, I shall certainly have to look into it a bit more closely!!!

It opens out like this .......

...... and there are gold peel off decorations.......

Thank you MaryC.

September Swaps

I entered three swaps this month.

Noobie

This card is courtesy of Helen, a panelled card with lace, ribbon and flowers.

Super Card, love the doilies!

Thank you Olive.

Sketch Swap

I used some embossed papers from a pad of papers bought from The Works.  A diecut sentiment horizontally raised over the vertical papers.

I have just noticed that the Sketch has 'Seasonal' printed above the sentiment ..... oops!  Sorry.



Technique Swap

I used a pop up die set to make this card.  I don't think I have quite cracked this technique but I will definitely try again...... when? ..... hmmm.....


I found the instructions very easy to use and added some Hunkydory toppers for the tabs and also for the front.



I have not received any other cards by return post ..... shame.....

August Swaps

Noobie Swap


I finally get to post my little train - details - I hope it's liked, I still love the technique and colours.

Superb centre stepper card - love it.

Thank you LindaS.

Colour Swap - Yellow

I used a plain yellow card and a piece of acetate.  I added peel offs to the centre and corners of the acetate and then backed foil onto the back. 
I attached the acetate to the yellow card along the centre spine.

This is a really beautiful card.

Thank you Olive.

Technique Swap - Stencil



This is my third attempt to make this card.  I tried various mediums but this one - Cosmic Shimmer Chalk Cloud - has worked out tremendously, so pleased with it.  I backed it onto a lavender paper onto a white card.  The sentiment was also stamped with Chalk Cloud.







I received this stencilled card with Metallic Paint as the medium.  Sparkles and shines great.
Thank you Caro.


Caro had the forethought to make all her swap cards prior to her going into hospital.  Kudos to her and I hope she's feeling better now.

Style Swap - Summer Holidays

I used one of the images given away on the Group page to make this card.  I used the Cosmic Shimmer Chalk Cloud colours again.  The backing paper is taken from a pad of small paper bought from The Works.  I smudged the card when adding the sentiment but luckily I found a suitably printed length of tape ribbon which just fitted neatly across the corner and my smudge!!!

I received this beautiful Parchment card by return - wow! is all I can say.

Thank you JackieP.

Jackie also enclosed a local postcard, shows Yorkshire and this was very interesting as my parents used to visit that county when I was young.





Sketch Swap - Bikini
Not exactly a sketch more an interesting project!!  You can catch up with all the fun here.


The 'Bikini' is created from a sheet of paper from one of the paper books bought a couple of years ago.  Some smidgens of lace as trimmings and then a diecut gold initial and some gold thread for a necklace.


I forgot to add the sentiment which should have read: - 


I'll support you ....   
                        .... if only from behind!