End of year

Hello, and thank you very much for stopping by to visit me today. As the year is drawing to an end 

I thought I would share some of my makes from the year. 

This was my first make as a member of the Fiskarettes UK Design Team. I very much enjoyed my time on their team. 

I enjoyed making this card, I always enjoy using items from nature in my art. This card was made for Indigoblu 

I enjoyed being a Guest Designer for Crafty Individuals.

It took a lot of time and patience, but I stamped this flower onto real pressed rose petals. I also used real leaves to stamp the leaves onto

I love Lavinia Stamps, and I was thrilled when this card was featured in Craft Stamper.

The reason why I created this canvas is not very pleasant, the crafting world can be very nasty place... but I was thrilled when a magazine asked me if they could publish this canvas.

I look forward to hopefully being able to continue  to craft in the new year, I have a lot of serious health/ disability problems which  are getting worse and I am also developing new ones. 

Myself and my family are all under tremendous stress which is seriously affecting our health and well being. 

Heartfelt thanks to everyone who took the time to visit and leave a comment, I appreciate it very much. 

I wish my crafting friends and crafting visitors good health and happiness in 2019.May you have lots of time to enjoy your crafting.

I look forward to hopefully having new crafting adventures in 2019.

“Imagination is the only weapon in the war against reality.”

Lewis Carroll

Be The Light

I recently received this gorgeous stamp by the super talented Phyliss Harris, she is one of my favourite artists.

I used watercolours, texture paste and flowersoft  to bring this little girl to life. 

Thank you for stopping by.  I hope you are having an enjoyable December. We hope to decorate our Christmas  tree this weekend.I have lots of gifts  to wrap up too.  No handmade tags to go on them this year though! 

 I am still waiting for my treatment and MRI scan....

I would like to enter “Be The Light”  into the following challenges 
Craft Stamper Anything Goes

That’s Crafty Anything Goes

Paperbabe Stamps Anything Goes

Artistic Stamper Christmas

Lost coast Cold and Frosty

Stamping Sensations Winter Sparkle 

Drawing and Painting onto wood slices

Hi how are you? Have you made all of your Christmas cards yet? I am pleased to say that I have! I also enjoy making ornaments to give instead of cards. I recently had my first experiment with drawing and painting directly onto wood slices.

I drew them from my imagination so some look like hares, or bunnies, others look like an entirely new species! But at least they all are 101% original!

I am giving these to my friends for Christmas, and I would like to enter them into the 

Paperbabe Challenge Anything Goes

Take care xx

Winter Animals Shrine

Hello I am back again with another glittery Christmas ornament, there is no escaping the glitter!  I made this one a while ago, I often make ornaments to give instead of Christmas cards.

I used a lovely little stamp set from Hero Arts to make this snowy scene, called Winter Animals, it is just adorable with bears, hares and lots more.

I used lots  of texture paste and glitter to cover the shrine. 

I fussy cut the stamped animals before embedding them into the snow.

I hung up some die cut stars from inside of the roof.

To add a little bit of colour I added some natural berries and leaves.

Thank you for visiting me today, I hope all s going well with you, and you are enjoying a magical December so far. I am still waiting for my treatment and mri... hopefully it will be before Christmas! 

I would like to enter this into the following challenges

Try It on a Tuesday Winter Wonderland 

That’s Crafty Anything Goes

Artistic Stamper Christmas

Lost coast Cold and Frosty

Stamping Sensations Winter Sparkle 

Snowy Winter Foxes

Hello and Happy December! How are all your Christmas plans going? I have started making lots of Christmas decorations and cards  so that of course means glitter everywhere!

I am sharing how to make this Snowy Winter Foxes scene over on the Indigoblu Blog today, I hope you can pop overl

I will be posting more Christmas Decorations and cards soon. It is a slow process creating them with my problems. I am now waiting for an MRI scan, and an ultrasound guided injection which will hopefully help the pain. Take care and have a magical December xxx

I would like to enter my Snowy Foxes scene into the following challenges.

Try It on a Tuesday Winter Wonderland 

That’s Crafty Winter Wonderland

Artistic Stamper Christmas

Lost coast Cold and Frosty

A Proud Deer Making A Wish

Hello, how are you today? Today I am sharing this proud Deer he is making a special wish on a star.  I used aqua markers spritzed with lots of water for the background and a Lavinia Stamp die cut.I added some white flower soft under his feet. I hope his wish comes true... 
I would like to enter it into the Paperbabe  challenge Animals/Pets

We went to The Shrouds Of The Somme at the Olympic Park this morning to pay our respects, and to look for our relatives names.We had to wait to go in as Princess Anne had made an impromptu visit. It was heartbreaking to see so many shrouds, I found only one relatives name, but when I asked it was explained that the 72,396 shrouds only represented those who had died with no known grave.Some of my relatives who died at the Somme have known graves. A very sad morning.

Lest we Forget 100 years

In memory

My Great Uncle he was killed at The Somme aged just 19.

I don’t have a photo of my My Great Grandfather, but he also died at The Somme aged 41 and is remembered on this plaque. 

My Grandfather fibbed about his age and joined up at just 14 years old. He was 18 when the war ended, he is pictured here with the Belgium family who looked out for him.

I made paper poppies, and my sister crocheted poppies, so we could decorate our porch. To say thank you to all those who fought for our country and those who continue to do so.

The Weeping Window at The Imperial War Museum.

Lest We Forget 

Multi PocketCard

What could be better than receiving a handmade card - a handmade card containing gifts! I am over on the Indigoblu Blog  today with an easy step by step to make this multi pocket card. Hope to see you there xx

I would like to enter my multi pocket card into the following challenges.

Artistic Stamper Square it

Stamping Sensations Getting Ready For Christmas

Penny Black Make Someone Smile I think the goodies in the card would do that!

Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge

An Autumn Collection

How exciting the lovely Sally Jarvis of Making Cards magazine has included this blog in her “Ones To Watch” thank you so much! If this is your first time here a very warm welcome xx 

Unfortunately I have not been as active on my blog as usual due to problems with my arm. I am seeing a specialist at the end of November so hoepfully we can find some treatment. 

I have created a few Autumn whatnots which are below. If you would like to be updated when I add something new to this blog please click on the become a follower on the left. 

I used the gorgeous Bo Bunny Beautifully Brisk Collection which I was recently fortunate to have won. I used a box canvas and coloured it with  watercoloirs and Brushos. I also had fun using items from nature. 

An Autumn Card using Aquamarkers to create the background. 

A snuggled up Fox is happily sleeping on this card. 

As I don’t have many craft projects at the moment, I thought I would share some recent photos. My friend is a trustee and he asked me to accompany him to an opening event, Michael Parkinson was cutting the ribbon, there were politicians and other “famous”  faces there. I have to admit I did not recognise them all, but everyone was very friendly and I had some interesting conversations. My friend was on the tv news luckily I wheeled away into a quiet corner!

Thank you for stopping by, I hope to see you again soon xx

Staircase to Heaven

Hello and welcome ! The days are certainly drawing in and there is an Autumn crispness in the air.I am going with this Autumnal feeling and turning it into a little canvas. I used a lovely deer from a new stamp set by Craft Consortium. She is visiting the forest in search of some Juicy berries, and I  think she found some.

I used a 5 x 7 canvas and created the background with aqua markers and brushos. I have discovered that to achieve the brusho look I like I need a teeny tiny amount of brushes sprinkled on before lightly spritzing. 

After stamping and colouring my lovely deer I fussy cut her and adhered her to the canvas. I tried some new to me glue as I normally use 3d sticky pads to add dimension but I have been told that these dry out and become unstuck if a card has been left up for a long time. I tried a glue which said it was a 3d glue. I put quite a bit of glue on but it didn’t hold the deer up at all, and just looks flat, so that didn’t quite work out! I will try again maybe there is a special technique in using it! 

I added the all important berries, and some art stones which I coloured  with brushos, oh my goodness those art stones roll everywhere! All of my crafting has to be done on a lap tray balanced on my knee which is always precarious! I also die cut and watercoloured some autumn leaves. 

"My soul can find no staircase to Heaven unless it be through Earth's loveliness." 

I finished my canvas with this wonderful quote by Michel Angelo. It came with a stamp set made by Unity and created by the wonderfully talented Phyllis Harris, I love all of her work. There are so many talented artists to admire.  

I really enjoyed making this little Autumn scene, and I would like to enter it into the following challenges.

Stamping Sensations Shades of Autumn

Penny Black Autumn Splendour 

Craft Stamper Anything Goes with Stamping

Paperbabe Stamps Anything Goes

I am not wearing my splint all of the time now, as my dr does not think it was the correct treatment, although he does not know what the treatment is. if any...I am waiting to see the specialist at the end of November, I continue to craft as much as I can. Thank you for stopping by xx

Pastel Painting Charlie

Hello how are you today? I hope you are all ok. I have my specialist appointment for my arm at the end of November. I am managing to craft just a little at a time.

Today I am sharing a special card which I made for a friend whose beloved dog Charlie sadly recently died. I have always loved pastel painting, I was doubtful how well I would manage with my arm, but I persevered... it is far from perfect but I tell myself that it is the thought that counts! I worked from a photo my friend had on Facebook, I hope it looks a little like her darling doggie. 

Have a great weekend xx

Snow White

Hello, Snow White is visiting the Indigoblu Blogtoday, I hope you will pay her a visit. She would love to see you!

It now seems that the splint for my arm was not the right treatment! The ultrasound has found three different and what the dr called very complicated problems. I need to see a specialist, and of course the waiting lists are several months long! I am managing to craft just a little at a time, thank goodness I can, as otherwise I would go bonkers!

Some good news a magazine contacted me and they think my “Actually I Can” canvas has a very positive message and they want to feature it in their magazine next month. So glad they liked it,  not everyone did!
I would like to enter Snow White into the following challenges.

Artistic Stamper Inktober
Altered Eclectics Anything Goes

Hugs xx

Are You A Good Witch or a Bad Witch?

Hello, I hope all is going well for you. I am still struggling to craft with my right arm in a splint, but I keep trying!

I  wanted so much to enter the this months Paperbabe Stamps Stars Challenge and Lost Coast Designs Follow the Yellow Brick Road Challenge. So I was determined to do my best to create something left handed! 

I found out my Wizard of Oz stamp set, and selected 3 stamps, I especially like the sentiment “ Are you a good witch or a bad witch” I think I would quite like to be a witch, and  have some of those witchy powers! I created my background including of course a yellow brick road with my Aquamarkers, they are nice and chunky and easy to hold left handed! I spritzed them quite heavily with water. 

My fabulous witch is a die cut, I added some sparkly stars to her dress, red glitter to her shoes, a few sparkly dots to her witchy hat a few markings to her broom and then she was all set. 

Thank you so much for visiting, take care xx

Making Cards All Dressed Up Stamps

I love the “All Dressed Up “stamp set in this months Making  Cards and Papercrafts  issue. Even though my right arm is in a splint I was determined to still play with this lovely set! I used the free papers to make clothes for the ladies. One of my ladies  told me she is a wheelchair user like myself, so she asked me to draw a wheelchair for her. Which I did even though it was more wobbly than my usual  wibbly  wabbly drawings! 

Fussy Cutting left handed is just impossible! I managed to hold my scissors with my right hand for just  a few moments at a time as it is extremely painful. I would have liked to have added more to this card, but in the end I just had to be grateful for getting this far with it!

I think these two friends are walking to the village for afternoon tea. 

Thank you so much for visiting.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges, thank you.

Penny Black Make it Feminine

Stamps Stencils Anything goes

Craft stamper Anything Goes with stamps

Let’s Craft and Create Friendship

Actually I Can

Hello how are you today? I currently have my right arm in a splint, but I am thinking of ways that I can still craft! 

Today I am sharing this very, very heartfelt canvas, which I completed some time ago. I began by drawing a lady in a wheelchair and die cut her. I also die cut the words  “Actually I Can” I used a box canvas and created the background with  Distress Oxides. I also used several Indigoblu Stencils, the rose stencil is one of my very favourites, it is so gorgeous and easy to use! I used  Indigoblu stamps around the edges of the canvas. I stamped some of the larger images  onto copy paper -  tissue paper would have been better, but I did not have any so copy paper had to suffice!  I added some colour to the stamped images, and adhered them to the canvas. 

I stamped and fussy cut paintbrushes and pencils from the Indigoblu Art stamps range. I stood some of them up in little glass jars, and added the others as embellishments.

Artistic Stamper Round and Round lots of circles on my canvas 

Crafteezee Anything Goes 

Penny Black Make it Feminine

Stamps Stencils Anything goes

Craft stamper Anything Goes with stamps

Happy Little Stampers Die Cut Challenge

Love to Craft Anything Goes 

Not Just Cards Anything Goes

Art Journal Journey World of Fantasy

Trust Canvas New Indigoblu Stamps!

Hello, and I hope you are well. 

Have you seen the stunning new Indigoblu stamps yet? I am over on the blog today with a step by step using Willow and Fox on a mixed media canvas.Hope to see you there!

I would like to enter this into the following challenges

Artistic Stamper Round and Round I have a lot of round nature items on my canvas. 

Crafteezee Anything Goes 

That’s Crafty Animal Magic

Simon Says Stamp Blog Wednesday Challenge

Guest Designer at Stampng Sensations

This month I am a guest Designer at Stamping Sensations for their September Challenge. 

Thank you for stopping by, and have fun creating!

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges.

Artistic Stamper Round and Round my bubbles are round!

Crafteezee Anything Goes 

Happy Little Stampers Watercolour Challenge I created my background with watercolours. 

Penny Black Make it Feminine

A Mixed Bag

Hello, 

I hope all is going well with you today. Well the summer certainly seems to have come to an abrupt halt, and it feels decidedly autumnal ! I have a mixture of whatnots to share today. 

This is my entry to the UK Stampers Gothic Arch Challenge on Facebook the theme is fashion. I love this quote by Audrey Hepburn, she really was the epitome of beauty both inside and out. 

This is a scribbly sketch in my art journal, I had written the word “Friends” over the top of the sketch but my handwriting is terrible so I cut that off the top of the photo!

On Bank Holiday Monday we took a trip to a store called Poundland. I had never been to one before,  but I had heard that they were selling Christopher Robin Craft items.... so we had to investigate! I found some small paper pads, some tape which looks like a duck tape type, stickers and some gems.All for £1 each!!  I will have fun creating with these. Poundland also sales food goods so we picked some up for our local food bank. 

Wishing everyone a lovely weekend hugs xx

Men’s Birthday Card

Oh dear what has happened to the lovely sunny weather we were enjoying! Blustery and cold here.

Men’s cards are always difficult, so I had to put my thinking cap on for my fathers upcoming birthday card. I was recently given a packet of Tim Holtz’s paper dolls. I don’t usually make a lot of vintage type items, but these looked very interesting, and I could conjure up whole life stories to go with them!

I selected one of a young boy, and his dog as he looks like a hard worker. My father grew up during the war, and he had to leave school at just 14 years old to do much needed work on a farm. After the war he went onto agricultural college. He has always worked hard, and has had many interesting and rewarding  jobs  -  a local councillor, a Justice of the Peace/Magistrate. Also like myself, and all of my family he has selflessly helped others, and has been committed to endless voluntary, and charity work. 

My father will be 88 years old on his next birthday. To remind him of his younger days doing farm work I decided to add some chickens from a Hobbyart stamp set, to go with my chosen paper doll. I coloured and fussy cut the chickens and eggs. I used my aquamarker pens to create a simple background. I added twigs and various bits from my ever bulging nature box. I finished of course by adding a large 88 at the top

Thank you for visiting today.I would like to enter this special card into the following challenges.

Craft Stamper Anything Goes

That’s Crafty Animal Magic

Artistic Stamper Anything Goes

Frilly and Funkie Back To Nature

Let’s Create Anything Goes

Paperbabe Anything Goes

Bee A Good Neighbour

Hello how are you? I haven’t posted for a little while as I have been rather poorly, and I am still not quite right yet. But I wanted to share a lovely surprise I had yesterday. A friend had given me a craft magazine as a get well gift earlier this week. I did not feel up to opening it until yesterday. I was flicking through the pages, and I recognised a card. It was one that  I had sent in to the magazine about 4 or 5 months ago! I would never have seen it  if my friend had not randomly picked up that magazine for me! 

I am especially pleased this particular card was published.

I have downloaded a digital copy of Craft Stamper, and was thrilled to see my card set on a beach, I have always loved the sea, many  thanks to Trish Latimer.

Some more news, today I received this little package from Indigoblu, there must be new stamps coming out! So as soon as I am better I will have projects to work on.

I am just grateful that I did not have Sepsis again, I have to rest and hope to improve. Stress apparently lowers your immunity, and there has been an awful lot of stress in my life. I am looking forward to the new Christopher Robin Movie coming out soon.I certainly don’t want to miss that! I think I have more Classic Pooh stamps than any others. I have had some since childhood.  I think I can see a lot of Pooh projects on the horizon.

Here is a trailer for the Christopher Robin Movie below

Have a lovely weekend xx

I would like to enter this into the following challenges

Artistic Stamper Anything Goes

Penny Black something beginning with B which is my bee by Indigoblu 

Craft Stamper September Issue

I am thrilled to say that this is a sneak peak of my card in the September issue of Craft Stamper Magazine. Lots of 

Gorgeous Seaside projects inside. 

 You can find a copy of the magazine at www.craftstamper.com to buy subscriptions, www.mags-uk.com for single print copies, digital copies from www.pocketmags.co.uk 

Overseas subscriptions are available too!

Lots of thunder storms and rain here yesterday, it maybe getting cooler.....

Thank you for stopping by  xx