First Christmas Tag 2013

Good Afternoon all and hope your having a good week so far. This is my first christmas tag for 2013. Last year I was a bit late and I am going to try and do a couple each month.

The background uses the white acrylic paint technique and distress inks. The main stamped image is a very old stamp in my collection(Actually 10 years old) and is on a wooden block. I have coloured the image using distress inks randomly.
I have used die cuts and some little bells at the tie top for embellishments.

This tag is for the following challenge:

Cupcake Craft challenge 227 -with Bells on

Thanks for stopping by and see you soon

x catherine

Games Night

Good Monday morning all. I thought the weekend went really quick !1 Couldn't believe it was Monday again!!! Hope you all had a good one.

Todays card uses stamps from Creative Expressions (Vintage Games). This is a new set for me so is it's first outing.

I have used this sketch from Sketchy Colors and rotated it:

I stamped using black and red Archival inks the playing cards and arrange them with a spinner brad.
All the number pieces were stamped the same and cut out.

The background is a Darice embossing folder(Crafter's Companion) and using Distress core card I have sanded it back. Love this effect on the dominoes.

I have used a Tim Holtz Die for the wavy border edge.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:
Sketchy Colors challenge#148-Marianne Sketch(I have rotated the sketch)
Stamptacular Sunday challlenge #200- Spots and Stripes
Fussy and Fancy Friday challenge#81 - Circles

Thanks so much for visiting and hope you all have a good week ahead
See you soon

x Catherine

Just To say Hello

Good evening everyone and here is my second post for today. Please scroll down for my challenge post at Allsorts this week and it is me hosting the challenge this time !!

You know you start of with a card in mind - and it ends up nothing like that- well this was one of them moments ! But I really like how it has turned out so a bonus !!!

I have used the sketch from Sketch Saturday and rotated it:

I have used the new stamp sets from Sheena Douglass (A little bit Sketchy sets). I love the sentiments and the big flowers. I have used Adirondack inls(Wild Plum, Twilight Purple, Sail Boat Blue).
The middle piece has been embossed using a folder and the cuttlebug.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:
Creative Inspirations challenge #198 - Anything goes (with an option of flowers)
Sketch Saturday #243- Jen's sketch
Crafts 4 Eternity challenge R#108- Tic Tac Toe(Sketch from above challenge, ribbon and flowers)
Sweet Stampin challenge - Ribbon

Thanks for stopping by and see you again soon.

 x Catherine

Masculine challenge at Allsorts

Good morning everyone and welcome to another new challenge over at Allsorts this week.
Now today it is my turn - my very first time in hosting a challenge so I would love you all to pop over and join us all.

I chose the theme "Masculine" because we are all going to need those cards throughout the year and some of us struggle so I thought it would be nice to get a head start - so to speak!!

This week we are also being sponsered by:

DIGI DARLA and THE CRAFT BARN

Now for my card, I have used a stamped image of a nautical theme and used distress inks for the colour. I have added a sentiment from Digi Darla and some rope for embellishment.
I'm sorry about the shiny bit in the middle - embossing powder loves to reflect !!!

Please pop over here and see all the other DT 's work for some inspiration. They have done a fabulous job.

Thanks for stopping by and see you again soon

x Catherine

Window Scene

 

Good morning all. We still have the snow but the sun is out. Schools are all open again now!

 

Welcome to my new follower Lynne and thanks for joining me and  hope you enjoy your visits.

 

A bit more time playing with inks again and this card uses Airondack inks - Raspberry and Twilight Purple. I have used a stamp from Woodware and chose to stamp it as a balck image for effect.

 

I have made this into a window scene by cutting the image into squares and matting and layering.

 

A couple of stamped butterflies for the embellishment.

 

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

 

Sketchy Colors challenge#147 - Pink, Lilac and Brown(TOP 4 SPOT)

Sketch Saturday challenge#242 - Jen's sketch

Cupcake Craft challenge 226- make a scene(TOP 5 SPOT)

Creative Inspirations challenge 197-one for the girls 

 

Thanks a lot for visiting today and see you again soon

x catherine

 



Let Your Soul and Spirit Fly

 

Good afternoon everyone. Well it started snowing last night here in North Yorkshire and it still is snowing now. Schools were closed and very thick snow!!

 

Today's card has been inspired by a background technique from a previous Craft Stamper magazine. I have cleared embossed images and blended Adirondack inks over the top. Then there is further stamping with the same colour inks.

I wanted to try some backgrounds for cards where the sentiment is a focal point.

 

The sentiment is from Indigo Blu and is a really good sized stamp. It has been stamped in black and embossed.

 

I thought it would be nice to bring in a different colour and really liked the red.

 

Now I am by no means very good at making these flowers, but like to keep having a go. I have sprayed this one with some glimmer mist spray.

 

I hope you are all keeping  warm in this cold weather and your plans aren't being disrupted by any snow.

Thanks so much for visiting me and see you soon

x Catherine

 



Steampunk Butterfly

 

 

Good afternoon everyone and wow a second post from me!! That's not very often done!! This awful weather is just so tempting to stay in and craft.

 

Well this afternoon was a play time really and these new stamps from Chocolate Baroque were just the perfect excuse. They are from a set called "Steampunk Butterfly" and I just love them.

 

Perfect for using with distress inks and adding all the cogs and gears die cuts. I made the background squares using distress inks and stamped the cogs. Then I embossed using Walnut Stain  distress powders . You then rub away the embossing powder when cool and it leaves a lovely distressed look to it from the release crystals. The main image was stamped in various colous of distress inks. Love all the grunge effect.

 

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

 

Challenges 4 Everyone # 12 - anything goes

Totally Papercrafts challenge - It's Embossing time(embossing powder)

 

Hope you have all had a good weekend and thanks for stopping by. Please scroll down for my post on the new Sunday Sketch and Stamp challenge

Bye for now

x Catherine

Sunday Sketch and Stamp challenge

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Hello to everyone and hope your weekend is going ok. For those of you who have the snow hope it hasn't caused you any problems.

Today sees a new sketch from Claire and a new challenge over at Sunday Sketch and Stamp. Pop on over to the blog here and check out the DT inspiration.

We are being sponsered this week by:

 

 

My card uses a new stamp from La blanche. I particularly liked the vintage style to this stamp and have used my distress inks for the colour.I stamped and embossed the image using Vintage Photo embossing powder. I love these powders and the grunge effect you get when you rub away the release crystals.

 

I have used an embossing folder with my cuttlebug and the dies for the leaves and flowers are from Memory Box. I like these dies and find they cut really well.

 

Well hope you pop over and check out the challenge and new sketch. Thanks for stopping by and visiting

Bye for now

x Catherine



Flower Power at Allsorts



 

 

Good morning everyone and welcome to the weekend - a rather snowy one at that!!

Well it's been rather a cold week here in North Yorkshire and the snow we had last monday stayed all week and turned to ice and now lovely fresh snow on top of it again!! Hope your all keeping warm and travel plans aren't too disrupted if you have any.

 

Welcome to my new followers Carole Ann and Sue and so glad you have joined me and do hope you enjoy your visits here. Nice to meet you both.

 

It's time for another new challenge over at Allsorts this week and my team friend Tracy has chosen "Flower Power" What a fantastic amount of entries last week for Sarah's Dies and Punches challenge and such lovely projects from you all. I know your going to enjoy this weeks just as much.

 

This week we are being sponsered by:

 

and

 

 

 

I have used an image from Joanna Sheen's CD ROM- Floral Fantasy and teamed it with some spellbinders dies for the foliage and bitsy blossoms..

 

I hope you can pop over to the challenge blog here and look at the beautiful projects made by the rest of the team.

 

Hope you all have a good weekend and thanks for stopping by.

Bye for now

x Catherine 



Ladies' Day Diary journal

Good morning everyone and welcome to a snowy week here from North Yorkshire. It is coming down thick and fast and looks so lovely from my desk.

Hope you all had a good weekend. Today I am going to share a project with you from something I do apart from cards. I love mini albums and love Graphic 45 papers. A Ladies' Day Diary is a particular favourite of mine and sooo pretty.

It would be impossible for me to show you every page in the journal so here are just a few:

Cover

 

inside pages

 

 

 

 

Hope you can get an idea from these pictures of my mini album and hope you like what I have done with it. The pictures all come out to open as mini books for photo's and journalling.

 

I am entering this into:

 

Cupcake Craft challenge225 - anything but a card

 

Hope your all manging with whatever weather you have today and if you have to travel everything goes ok for you.  This was my garden a few hours ago nothing like that now - totally white!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by and hope you all have a good week

Bye for now

x Catherine 

 

 

Let Your Imagination...

 





Well it was just a play at the craft desk today. I  used some distress inks and picked a stamp set from the box. I love the faded background technique and thinks it works really well with the clocks masks.

 

I have added some crackle glaze to the butterflies and layered them for dimension.

 

I am going to enter this into:

 

Creative Inspirations challenge 196 - colour swatch challenge(TOP 3 SPOT)

Sunday Stamper week 239 - Things that Fly

 

 

Hope your all enjoying your weekend so far and maybe have had a little time today to craft and play!!

see you later

x Catherine 

 

 



Allsorts Challenge

 

 



Good morning everyone and hope your all looking forward to the weekend. I don't know about you but this has been a long week for me getting back into the routine and the early mornings !!

 

Anyway it's time for a brand new challenge over at Allsorts this week and Sarah has chosen "Dies and Punches"

 

We are being sponsered also by:

 

Crimson Cloud and A Passion for Stamps.

 

Please pop over to the blog here and check out all the wonderful projects from the team.

 

My card uses Dies from Spellbinders to nest the main image in and the bunting flags. I have used dies from Marrianne's dies for the sentiment. The image is from Joanna Sheen's "All our Yesterdayss" collection and the sentiment is from little Claire's.

 

Well I hope you all have some great plans for the weekend and thanks for stopping by.

See you soon

x Catherine

 

Tim Holtz tags 2013

 

Good evening all and half way through the week already. must admit to struggling a bit with the early mornings again!!

 

Well it's the start of a new year and that means another new year of Tim Holtz tags 2013. I enjoyed working along with them last year so wanted to keep going again.

 

It was nice to get going with all the inks and techniques again and this is just so lovely to do.

 

I loved this technique and look so much I also went on to do the same again and make a card out of it.

 





 

 

The metal gears are a new addition to my Tim Holtz stash and really embellish the project so well.

 

 

I am entering the tag into the following challenges:

 

Tim Holtz tags 2013 challenge

Crafty Creations challenge #204- something new- New embellishments and new techniques)

Crafty Catz challenge #164 - anything goes

 

Thanks for stopping by and visiting today.

See you soon

x Catherine

Travel Card

 

Good evening all and hope we are all having a good week and getting slowly back into some sort of routines.

 

Over on the Craftbubble this month, Debs has set a challenge for "Noughts and Crosses". I choose to make this card for the challenge.

 

This card fits in with well for one of my new plans for this year which is what I have termed as "Walk 52". Basically it is a walk a week as life has a way of making you feel "sluggish at times" and creativity comes from an open mind . So this a new beginning for me!!.

 

I have used a grid stencil with distress inks for the background. This card uses a lot of new things in my craft room over Christmas.. The stamp is from Woodware Clear stamps and is perfect for adding a sentiment in the middle of it.

I have nested this onto my new Postage Spellbinders Die which is going to be a favourite die of mine now.

I have added a compass charm to embellish it with ribbon crossed over.

 

I am entering this into the following challenges:

Papertake Weekly challenge - Happy New..(New stash - stamp and spellbinders die)

Tuesday Throwdown challenge#129 - Shiny and New(New Stamp and spellbinders die)

Creative Craft challenges #1 - New Beginnings(New plans and stash)

Crafts 4 eternity challenge # R105 - something new(new plans and new Stash)

Totally Papercrafts challenge#148 - Something new - New plans and new stash)

 

Thanks for stopping by again and see you soon. Bye for now

x Catherine

 



Best friends

 

Good morning everyone and back to normal now. Everyone was out the door to school and college by 8.15 am and lots of peaceful time ahead for the day.

 

This card uses one of the "All our Yesterday" images and I just love these two being the best of friends.

 

I have used paper from my stash box as I'm sure it grew even more last year so need to start using some of it.

 

 

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Cupcake Crafts challenge 224- January Blues

Sketch Saturday challenge#240- Sarah Louise's sketch

Charisma cardz challenge #52- monochrome

Challenges 4 everybody challenge#11 - Anything goes

 

Well hope your all having a good start to the week and settling back into some sort of routine again!

Thanks for stopping by. See you soon

x Catherine



New design Team member at Allsorts

Good morning everyone and well all our Christmas decorations are down and that's it for another year!
Hello to all my new followers -Wynneth, Lillian and Donna. Thankyou for joining me and hope you enjoy your visits here

As you can see from the post title I have some news to share with you all today. I have become one of the newest design team members to join the Allsorts challenge blog. I am so excited and really looking forward to working alongside everyone in the team.

This weeks challenge is set by Emma and is Clean and simple. We have all been so busy lately making all these fancy christmas cards it is nice to do something different.

We are being sponsered this week by Digi Stamp Boutique and also Flonzcraft.

I have a lot of Thankyou cards to make at this time so Clean and simple suits this nicely as they can be easy but elegant and stylish too.
My card uses a flourish embossing folder for a background piece and a stamp from Papermania. Keeping the colours as they are makes for a stylish style of card.

Please pop over to the blog here and have a look at all the other design team members projects

Thanks for stopping by and visiting me today.
See you again soon.

x Catherine
 

Chocolat anyone?

Happy new year to everyone and wishing you all the very best . Hope you all enjoyed the festivities whatever you were doing.
My first card of this year uses an image from Joanna Sheens CD- Fashion Boutique. I love all the fashionable vintage images on this one.
The backing paper is a piece from Graphic 45 and I just thought it suited the image well.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:
Sketch Saturday challenge #239- Jen's sketch
Papertake Weekly challenge - Anything goes


I'm not making any resolutions because I don't think I'd be able to keep them(lol)
Instead if I want to do something I going to do it and anything I achieve will be a bonus!

Hope you'll come back and visit me on Saturday as I have some secret news to share with you!!

Thanks for stopping by and visiting.
Bye for now

x Catherine