Sunday Sketch and Stamp challenge

"On the pages of Life art can be the pen that writes your story"

Hello everyone and hope your all having a good weekend so far. I would like to wish you all a Happy Easter.

Wow it's all design team work for me this weekend and I am loving it!

Todays see's a new challenge over at Sunday Sketch and Stamp and this week it is Joni's sketch.
Here it is:

I'm sure you will agree it is a great one and hope you will pop over here and join in the fun.

For my card I have used the new stamps from Tim Holtz(Time Traveller) I just love this set. I have used some paper from my stash which I thought went really well with the image. I have also added some cogs die cut from grunge paper and coloured and distressed with distress stains.

Thanks so much for visiting this weekend and thank you for all the lovely comments . I really appreciate all of them.
See you all soon

x Catherine

Sweet Stampin challenge and my new DT Post

Hello again everyone and yes I said I had some exciting news to tell you all about.

I have been asked to join the wonderful design team over at Sweet Stampin Challenge blog. I am so excited to join them and today is my first day with them.

This weeks challenge is "Girly" and the design team have produced some wonderful inspiration for you. Please pop over here and visit them.

You will be able to see our sponsers:

and

For my first project with them I used my all time favourite stamp set(as many of you will know) from Stampers Anonymous (Papillion).
I used Adirondack inks(Raspberry and Purple Twilight )for colours.

If you missed my previous post please scroll down for the Allsorts challenge as I am hosting this week and would love you to join in and visit us.

Thanks for stopping by again today and see you all soon

x Catherine

Vintage challenge at Allsorts

Hello everyone and hope your all looking forward to the weekend. It's been a busy week for me and is now the start of the school Easter holidays.

We have a brand new challenge starting today for you over at Allsorts and this week it is my turn to host it.

I have chosen the theme of "Vintage" and would love to see all your vintage projects. there are so many images and stamps around that I am sure there will be some fabulous projects. Please pop over here to come and join the fun and see all the wonderful projects from the design Team.

We are being sponsored this week by :

Lots Of Buttons

 



I have made a tag for my project and have used this lovely vintage image for it. There were lots of possibilities for me to add embellishments and had to really stop myself at one point. I think everything has tied in nicely together with it all.

Thanks for visiting and hope you all have a good weekend. Stayed tuned for the next post for some exciting news of mine to tell you.
See you there!

x catherine 

Wishing you a happy Easter

Hello everyone. And welcome to a very snowy North Yorkshire. The snow has finally stopped but it's still cold enough not to be thawing out yet and turning to ice !!. Unfortunately I have made the decision to give the NEC a miss this time as I don't fancy the journey taking me twice as long!!! There's always next time and I have some good craft shops in my area to keep me going for now.

I have another easter card today and just love the stamped flowers from Sheena Douglass stamp sets. For the background to this card I have used a mask from Crafters Workshop called "Basketweave" I just thought it suited easter and Spring so well for an easter egg basket effect..I used distress inks(Antique Linen and Vintage Photo) for the mask

I have focused on spring and easter flowers for this card. I think it has all worked well.

This card is for the following challenges:

Fussy and Fancy Friday challenge #85-Spring Days
Crafts 4 Eternity challenge R#116 - Egg-cellent easter
Totally Papercrafts challenge #159- easter Eggstravaganza 

Thanks for visiting and see you again soon

x Catherine

Art Deco at Allsorts

Hello everyone and welcome to the weekend. Lots of snow up here in the North today and no sign of letting up !!
It's Saturday and that means a new challenge over at Allsorts. This week it is the turn of Tracy to host the challenge and she has chosen a great theme of "Deco Delight" .

We are being sponsered this week by:

 

and

 

 

Please pop over to the challenge blog here and check out the great projects from the Design Team.

I have chosen to use this image from my stash which I love and just says Art Deco to me. I have teamed it up with some die cuts and flowers for embellishments and asdded a litlle hand mirror charm.

If I could ever go back in time this is definately a period I would love-such elegance !!

Please pop over to the challenge blog here and check out the great projects from the Design Team.

Thanks for visiting today and hope you all have a great weekend ahead and stay warm if you have bad weather.

x Catherine

On Your Special day

Hello everyone and the end of the week already. I woke up to yet another lot of fresh snow and school closures!!! My daffodils in the garden don't know if they are coming or going at the moment !

I think this card has a bit of an oriental theme to it- I don't know if it is the colours or the flowers which make me think this !
However I really liked it when I finished it .

I have used distress inks (Tattered Rose, Spun Sugar and Victorian Velevet) all very soft colours. I have again used the crackle stamp for the background(I'm slowly wondering how I have manage without this before!)
The stamped flowers are from Sheena Douglass stamps and I have die cut some leaf branches from a Memory Box die. The sentiment is from Inkylicious stamps.

This card is for the following challenges:
Crafts and me challenge #125 - Buttons and Bows(Use both)
Fab'n'Funky challenge#163 - colour Combo(Pink, Green and Brown)
C.R.A.F.T challenge #199 - Photo Inspiration
Charisma Cardz challenge #11 - Die cuts(Two for the sentiment and two leaf branches)

I am hoping still to go the NEC at the weekend dependant on weather conditions !!
Thanks for visiting today and see you soon

x Catherine

Happy Easter

Hello everyone and hope your week is going ok so far. The snow has gone(probably only for the time being and may return!!) I'm not sure about spring arriving it seems winter desn't want to go from up here in the North..

I have had this stamp for nearly 10 years. It is one of the medallion original stamps on a wooden block. Does anyone else still have any of these?

They are really lovely when stamped and embossed and then layered several times cutting away different sections as you go along.
I coloured all the card with Distress inks(Scattered Straw and Dried Marigold). The background panels have both been embossed using masks first and then highlighted with more colour.

This card is for the following challenges:
Papertake Weekly challenge - Easter Treats
Craft Your Passion challenge #154 - ribbons or Lace
Creative Inspirations challenge 206- Spring Colours
Crafty Creations challenge #214- Embossing(I have used wet and dry embossing)
Simon Says Stamp challenge - Easter/Spring

Thanks so much for visiting today and see you soon

x Catherine

Sprinkle a little Fairy dust

Good afternoon everyone and hoping your all well. The snow has melted here but still very cold. I'm looking forward to going to the hobbycrafts show at the weekend at the NEC so hoping the weather will behave itself now !!!

Welcome to my new follower Karen and glad you have joined me. Hope you enjoy your visits here

This week over at Cupcake Craft challenge the theme is "Mythical Creatures" and fairies are something I haven't done for a long time !! However I love the way this one has turned out .

I have used a stamp from Stamptivity for the main image and have used a flourish stamp and flower stamp from some of the  Sheena Douglass stamp set. I stamped  and then cut around it- the stamps are really nice for doing this and not too fidely!

I have used Adirondack inks(Sail Boat Blue and Purple Twilight). The sentiment is from a Crafter's Companion Flower Fairies set.

This card is for the following challenge:
Cupcake Craft Challenge #234 - Mythical creatures

Hope your all having a good day and thanks for visiting today. Hope to see you again soon.

x Catherine

Have a Wonderful day

Hello everyone and the start to a new week. I must have spoke to soon yesterday - it snowed again last night!! And quite a covering but all turning to slush now !This card had quite a bit to it. I first made a background piece using Walnut stain distress stain and then overstamped it with the crackle background stamp.
I inked a piece for the sentiment using Adirondack Latte ink and stamped the sentiment and crackle background again. For the embellishments I have stamped the branches stamp twice and cut them out. This meant I could layer it around the sentiment. the flowers were stamped onto a piece coloured with Adirondack Raspberry ink and each layered together.

All the stamps have come from the Sheena Douglass stamp sets( "A little bit Sketchy - Always floral, Only Words and Ageing Beautifully")from Crafter's Companion UK.

This card is for the following challenges:
Sketchy Colors challenge#155- colour challenge(Brown, Beige and Pink)
Fab'n'Funky challenge #162- Add a sentiment
Anything goes challenge 88- seeing double(Double leaf branch)
Crafter's Companion monthly challenge - Vintage

Thanks for stopping by and visiting today. hope to see you again soon

x Catherine

Easter flowers

Hello everyone and I'm back for a second post today.(Please scroll down for my Sunday Sketch and Stamp challenge post today as it's my first time hosting and designing a sketch for you to use.) Hope you are all enjoying your weekend. The weather is a bit miserable but at least no more snow !!

I have used a floral theme for my easter card and used distress inks for colours(Mustard Seed and Spiced Marmalade- just love them!!)
The image is a stamp from La Blanche and I have embossed it in black. The extra flowers are from Sheena Douglass stamps and look so pretty and dimensional.

The background has been coloured using distress stain(Scattered Straw) and overstamped with a crackle stamp.

This card is for the following challenges:
Sweet Stampin challenge - Easter
Fussy and fancy Friday challenge 84 - Flowers
Sketch saturday #250- Jen's sketch
One Stop Crafts challenge #220- Anything Goes
Challenges 4 everybody challenge #16- Anything goes

Also Brenda from Floral Fantasies is celebrating her 4th blogaversary and has set up a little fun challenge with some great goodies on offer.(Link is in the sidebar)
The challenge is to make something that reminds you of and based on her blog.
Well this card certainly reminds me of Brenda's blog and more so- the stamp is one I won in one of her recent fabulous giveaways. As soon as I saw it I was reminded of Brenda.

Please pop over and have a look at the challenge giveaway.

Thanks for visiting today and see you soon

x catherine

Sunday Sketch and Stamp(my first sketch)

Hello everyone and hope we are all enjoying the weekend so far. I had a good time at the show yesterday and picked myself some really good bargains.

Today sees a new challenge over at Sunday Sketch and Stamp and this week it is my first time to host a challenge and design a sketch. I hope you will pop over and have a look at the fabulous work from the DT and have a go with my design.

I have chose to use my very favourite stamp set from Stampers Anonymous( I don't think this will ever leave my side sometimes!!)

I have used distress inks for the colour.

Hope you will pop over here and join us this week and thanks for stopping by and visiting.
Have a good day and see you all soon

x Catherine

Allsorts New Challenge

Good morning everyone and hope you are all enjoying the start to your weekend. I am going to the papercraft show in Harrogate today so looking forward to that. The weather has been really miserable here this week and lots of snow!! Raining today!

Today sees a new challenge starting over at Allsorts and this week Sarah is hosting the challenge. The theme is "As easy As 1,2,3 " and please pop over here and look at the wonderful inspiration from the team.

We are sponsored this week also by:

My Heart Pieces and Flonzcraft

 

 

My piece uses an image from the Tim Holtz paper stash books and some of the papers too.I have tried to keep the embellishments to fit the vintage theme.

Hope you all have a great weekend and thanks for visiting today.
See you soon

x catherine

Springtime challenge at Allsorts

Hello everyone and the start to another weekend. This means a new start to a new challenge over at Allsorts.
This week it is Wendy hosting the challenge and the theme is "Springtime" Please pop over here to see the fabulous creations from the Design team.

We are being sponsered this week by:

A Passion For stamps

 

For this card I have used a little postage stamp which I received with a magazine and layered up the butterfly. I have used distress inks for the colour and an embossing folder for the background piece.

 

Hope you all have a good weekend and see you soon

x catherine

Sunday Sketch and Stamp

Hello everyone and today there is a new challenge sketch over at Sunday Sketch and Stamp.
This weeks sketch has been designed by Berit and please pop over and have a look at the sketch and the fabulous cards from the design team

I have chosen to use my Alice in Wonderland Tea Party stamp from Indigo Blu and kept to my traditional blue colour.

Thanks for stopping by and see you later.

x Catherine

New challenge at Allsorts

Good evening everyone and hope your all enjoying the weekend so far. I had to escort my daughter at last minute up to Newcastle today for a wheelchair basketball match - so hence why my post is a bit late tonight !!

Today sees a new challenge over at Allsorts and this week it is Tracy's choice and the theme is "For a lady".
We are being sponsered this week by:

Digi Stamp boutique and Pin and Tack

 

I chose to use a floral image from a Joanna Sheen CD Rom (Floral Fantasy) and is a lovely vintage image of a rose.

Please pop over to the challenge blog here and check out all the fabulous projects from the rest of the team.

Thanks for stopping by and visiting and see you soon

x Catherine