Two Enjoyable Sessions

As soon as I saw Sheena with these little tins, I knew I had to have them... I bought 3 lots and have just finished these ones, as pressies... I am doing a couple more before I finally stop for the holiday. I used a variety of alcohol inks and made sure to wear some gloves, as it really is a bit messy!! YEY!!

I stamped with UMount stamps and used Moonglow twotone ep on them. The flowers and butterfly (because I got bored with the flowers!!) are on alcohol inked card, finished with diamond glaze to make them shiny and more robust. Pearlidoodles and a few gems have been used to finish off the patterns.


The second session this week was to make a card out of the gothic tag for a friend who lives over the road, who has a birthday on Friday. I hope he likes it. I just made a background in the same sort of style and colours, and thoroughly enjoyed the whole process, using those ubiquitous distress inks!!. It is full of texture and the hanging sun is quite a smiley touch!!

Thanks for looking and for commenting this year. It is coming up a year since I began this blog, and my life has taken many turns in that time. I have met so many lovely crafters and have appreciated each and every one of your visits and ideas. I notice I am almost on 10,000 so that will also be exciting!! Thanks SO MUCH for looking

xx

Crimble Cards - Venezia Bird

Hi ... I made my tag on TIO #26 with this image and liked it so much I decided to do my crimble cards with it, so here is a very small selection of the colours. I used alcohol inks on photo paper, and stamped the birdie, from Crafty Individuals, in black. The scrolls are coloured with various cosmic shimmers, brushed over a layer of sticky stuff, heated like ep after stamping with verasmark. This makes them permanent and removes the need to fix - so well worth using... I got mine from Stamp Addicts, by Judikins.... great product!!

Next week, over on TIO, there will be a Christmas theme for 2 weeks, so why not have a go? Then it will be New Year for a couple of weeks. By then, I will be back from visiting members of my new prospective family in the Canaries!!! Bit of sun and TLC will do no harm what-so-ever!!

What think you???

Thanks for looking

xx

Blue Moon... this week's TIO#25 Tag

Over on my challenge blog, I have reached a quarter of a century - 25 tags... would have been more but I did have a holiday and did have a major op!!! Glad to get to this though with people still joining in.

I made this tag using pale blue card, overprinted using Vivid ultramarine and distress ink in broken china, embossed in clear ep, as so often!! The stamps are basically from UMount, but the mon is my cloudy one from Judikins, via Stamp Addicts. Simple but quite effective... Thanks so much for looking - I am always so gratified to find your comments, and am sorry for those I lost... if I get any more spam, I shall have to relent and add a level of security...
Thanks and have a great week
xx

So sorry to say...

I have had a problem with my blog this week... have had some spam messages which interferred with some of your messages and I have, unfortunately, been unable to publish them without the spurious ones... so those of you who left kind messages here - thanks - I was not able to note down who you were. Please come back and visit again though... and I am sorry I have not been back to your blogs...

Dratted spam!!!

Birthday Cards for Son and his son

Here is the front of a card I have made for my son's partner's son... complicated!! I used my new shades of alcohol inks in line layers, to create the background, then overprinted trees and pergoda from Lavinia stamps. Below is the backer, where I used the tool to make a more dotty background. He is a young teenager and I don't know him well, so I hope he likes it. it is late as I was in hospital for his birthday.

My son (my baby!!) is 36 on Sunday!!!! Ridiculous that he is that old, cos I am SO young!!! This is the front, and below is the back. I used the pear tag and some wonderful Dove of the East paper. I hope he likes it... I have not seen him for nearly 2 years... Sad that I seem to have lost him when I lost his dad... he is busy with his partner and work and new house etc. Oh well...

Thanks for looking
xx

Save the Date Cards for Handfasting Ceremony

As many of you know, Freddie and I are having an alternative wedding ceremony next year, so we can make a public committment to each other without signing an official register... These are the "save the date" cards we have sent out, made with alcohol inks on photo paper, and printed with flowers from a UMount set, in Vivid raspberry, with a gold pearlydoodle centre.
Thanks for looking
xx

My Paintings From My Charles Evans Holiday in September

This was the first EVER water colour painting I did.. it has been so long since I said I was going, with Rainbow Lady, I expect you have all forgotten!! It was done on a wonderfully hot day in Quesmy, a chateau in the north of France.

We moved on to Nice, after a breakneck, high-speed journey, which did nothing to make my hip feel comfortable!!! I rested on the first day there, and sunbathed on the hotel roof - first time topless!!! WELL... other ladies were, so I did!!! Oh la la... This painting above was done, on the second day, in a little village up in the hills behind Nice, where we sat all day and had a wonderfully simple lunch looking out towards the sea... The owner of this house bought Charlie's painting of it.

We then travelled to Lucca, in Tuscany, where it was hot, hot, hot!!! An ancient walled city, it was a fantastic place to be. This building was in a square, close to our hotel. Improving the detail and the brush technique here, but could do it better now. Not bad for 3rd painting attempt!!

The following day, we set out up into the mountains of Tuscany, to find a typical view over the countryside. Tuscany is full of these hills that rise from nowhere, and often they have a village and a large church on top. This one was just wooded. I had to sit in a low chair, here, and so I painted in the wall. Apparently this is usually a no no, but Charlie said it was good, as it took the eye back in... houses and windows improving on this one...

Lucca city again for this one, above. What a pig for the perspective!!!! I did not have it all quite right and a couple of the windows were a bit awry, but I was basically very pleased with lots of it, especially the top left hand corner... and the colour was spot on - I bought a tube of "sand" paint, and that made all the difference!!!

On to Interlaken in Swizerland, our final destination. I was not too bothered to go there but HAVE to admit it blew my socks off!!! This is the Eiger!!! in the Grindlewalt....Was interesting trying to get so many trees in... some of them are a little flat, but the mountain was quite good, I thought. Charlie was very pleased with my efforts by now. Everyone else had been painting for yonks, so I had a lot to learn...

Well, this one is my bestist and favouritist!!! EVERYTHING seemed to come right here. The castle had to be small to give the mountains their full merit... and the two together was hard for many of the group. I painted this exactly a year to the day that I booked the holiday!!! So it was a really good one to finish with. Well, I and the rest of the group thought so!!!

Below is the second picture, re-drawn and re-painted and it will be framed as a gift for my Taiji Quan teacher... hope she's not looking, as she does not know yet. Had to put it in though, as I was so pleased with it. So much more careful and better roofs etc. Texted it to Charlie and he was very chuffed. My phone camera made the walls look not quite straight, but they are, honestly!!!

So, I love painting and will keep it up now. Really looking forward to doing a bit in Venice when Freddie and I are on holiday next year for our honeymoon.!!!

Thanks everso much for looking, and getting this far... Any of you water colour?

xx

An apology to AliMayes

Front - top, back below...

Ali, this is the card I made for you for your birthday. I am so sorry it seems not to have arrived... all I can think is that there was a postal disruption in the area at that time and it is sitting around in some sorting office or other. I will make it up to you when I get back from my hols... The colour of this scan was not very good, as I made it from the bird tag which was much more lively... boo hoo that it never arrived!!

xx

TIO #20 - Text it to me - make it purple!!

Here is my effort for this week's TIO challenge #20 - text it to me - make it purple!! I started it with a piece of semi gloss card, and printed it with some background text. I stamped in distress inks in worn lipstick and dusty concord with Lavinia and Dimension Fourth stamps. I also used UMount and Elusive images stamps, then overstamped with some of them in onyx black, with clear ep. Some of the images were blurred using a water spray, which has given a blotchy look to some parts. I really enjoyed this one and hope you like it too.
Thanks so much for looking, and making your comments...

WOO New Car too!!!!!!!!!!

Here is my new baby!!! I wanted to change my feeling about myself, now I am moving on and have a new life. My daughter will drive my Focus and this will be my new ride... it is lovely and I am now looking for a dragon decal!!! Nothing too large, but to personalise it to me... The inside is black and the whole thing is classy, and feels so good to drive...

Thanks for looking

xx

TIO #19 - Up, Up and Away...

This was my inspiration piece for the TIO #19 tag challenge this week... up, up and away. I decided to do dragonflies, but the theme is very open to different interpretations... I began with shiny cardstock and the usual distress inks in blues and yellows. I printed a whispy bamboo from Stamp Addicts by Judikins, in weathered wood and shabby shutters, then various plants from Lavinia Stamps in the other distress blues. The agapanthus and flower swirl from Stampendous and UMount, respectively, were stamped in onyx black then all inks were embossed in clear ep. The dragonflies are from a clear stamp but don't know where from and the ep around the border is a fascinating one from Stamp Addicts called Blonde Moments in festive fern. It is gorgeous and thick and yummy, shot through with green, blue and gold.
Thanks so much for looking again this week...

TIO #17 A Circle Embraces, a line divides

This is my tag piece for the DragonsDream TIO #17 challenge this week, a circle embraces, a line divides. It was inspired by the lovely ring Freddie gave me for our engagement / betrothal on Monday, this week!!! This is it below... it is rose and yellow gold and the flower centre has a diamond set into it... so very pretty. Well, I think so, but then I would I suppose!!! Woo... the picture does not do it justice, as I could not capture the lovely pinky tones of the rose gold. Still, you get the idea...

I started with a piece of soft gold, pearlised card and printed the UMount swirls and flower in gold and rose gold, respectively. The face and keys are from a Judikins cube called treasure. I masked the face and overprinted with my Aspects of Design net, and stamped the UMount sentiment . I used distress inks and my inky tool to blot colour on to various areas, then covered it all with clear ep, to give a dreamy look. The lips and flower centre are highlighted with pearlydoodles, in red.

Thanks so much for looking, and following mine and Freddie's story... there will be more to come next June, but not necessarily what you are thinking!!... the Dragon has dreamed something quite different...

TIO #16 Strictly for the Birds

Here is my entry for the TIO #16 challenge - strictly for the birds. I used several sets of stamps again this week (when don't I??!!) Two are by Kodomo, cranes and bamboo lake. I also used some clear stamps of bamboo and leaves. I used my brayer again, for the colouring in... I used the happy birthday Big n' Juicy, printing vertically with it and using it flat on the brayer. The tie is a bit of raffia. I think it works.
Thanks for looking...
xx

TIO #15 - Nature's Beauty

Finally made it to the TIO #15 challenge, Nature's Beauty. I have had such an odd week, but am so grateful to friends, bloggers, Creating Rainbow forum members, and especially my lovely Fred, for getting through it quite well. This horrid period finishes Wednesday 12th, which would have been my wedding anniversary...

Thanks especially to the lovely Beth, who has been VERY poorly herself, and has managed to keep up with you all and her challenge. XXX to you, Beth, the Queen of Cups!!

I have used a sheet from Elusive Images and words from Butterfly Kisses. I love conkers and toadstools, so that's what I chose. They were masked and then brayered with gumdrop. I coloured with distress inks and Inktense pencils.
Thanks for looking...

A Wedding Card for Nicky

This is the card I made for Nicky and Baz, my grandson's godmother, for their marriage that I attended with Fred on Saturday. Her colour scheme was white, cream and red... that's why I wore my red lace suit!!! But Fred loves me in red (well, in anything really!! tee hee) so he was pleased. This is the front, decorated with hearts from an Elusive Images sheet, and butterlies, ditto... The cardstock is cream, but the scanner can not manage as much height as there is on this card!!

This is the centre, and it folds out. Two hearts and butterlies have become one, here in the middle of the piece!!

This is the back of the card. I used a red envelope and decoated it with a heart and butterfly, and put some money in the pocket!!! Well, they already have a home together, so they don't need a toaster!! I do hope she liked it, when she finally got to look at it... it was very striking!!

Thanks for looking ...

The Very Happy Couple!!

The very happy couple... After a difficult week, Fred and I attended the marriage of my grandsons' godmother, on Saturday. It was a wonderful day and the weather was glorious!! After all the horrid stuff we have had, and the miserable few weeks of death anniversaries and such, it was great to feel so happy again. Here you can see myself (don't think you have ever seen me before, some of you!!!) and my wonderful Fred, outside the church. The photo was taken by my daughter's partner, and I have to thank him for such a great likeness of us both...
Thanks for looking...

Happy Birthday, Mum for 7th August

This is a birthday card I have made for my mum. It is actually a four-fold concertina, even though it is split image here. I began by antiquing the white card with distress inks and my lovely field of sky and splatter stamps from Stamp Addicts, by Judikins. I then atached an image from Joanna Sheen's oriental cd, and made a roundle with the greetings stamp from Hobby Art and the coin from the Asian set, by Stamp in the hand. The lovely lady is from Cherry Blossom, by Curious by Design. I love this stamp, as she looks out at us in such a haunting way... The butterfly is another one that regular visitors will recognise, from Stamp Addicts by Judikins. I coloured it with alcohol inks. I hope she likes it... I expect she will!!
Thanks for looking, today...

Huppy Burpday Geoff!!!

This is the card I made for Geoff, Rainbow lady's wonderful other half, on the occasion of his 60th birthday!! Happy Birthday, Geoff, from Fred and I !!!

I used the "time flies" tag, as it seemed apt for a life reaching three score!!!! I know he likes it because I spoke to him earlier today...

Thanks for looking

xx

My Garden Being Re-born... like Me!!

Above is the garden a couple of years ago... actually more like 4 years ago!! With the gate through, up the steps and its echo at the bottom, by the canal... you have seen this one before, I think, in my garden slideshow.

Well a few months ago, I was sitting on the wall beside it and noticed that the righthand (as you look here) post was wobbly!!! It had actually rotted... I did not want the gate to fall down, it would have been very distressing at the time, as I was very depressed about Pete's death again, having just found the wisteria flowering for the first time!!! So a couple of my lovely Taiji Quan lads said they would mend it for me... Below is the result. I decided to re-model it and add another post to the leftside... slats were then fixed in the two spaces, to echo those all round the existing woodwork. I LOVE it... the energy of this gate, now, is very strong, and leads you through to the bottom part of my garden, so well...


And lurking to the right, through the slats, is my new baby - the moongate.... I have re-modelled the "secret garden" - a small space to the right as you walk through the gate up the steps. It had an opening from the path, and now it is accessed through the moongate, which faces the canal... This picture is taken today - so this is part of my garden right now!!

And here is my new moongate... not completely finished, but some of the plants have gone back inside the space, and the floor just needs to dry off and be swept clean...

Woo, so exciting and so beautiful now the lines are softened by the plants... It will be a wonderful place for a very special time next year, but I shall save that for another day!!! I have a Taiji and Bagua Quan Master staying here in September, from Taiwan, so I hope he feels at home in my oriental garden... the grass here to the right, is a wonderful space to practise the form.

Thanks for looking...

TIO #14 - Time Flies - La Notte Scivola sul Mondo

My entry for the TIO #14 challenge on DragonsDream, is La Notte Scivola, on the theme of time flies. It means "the night creeps over the world..." My lovely Fred introduced Il Divo to me when we first met, and we play their music lots when we are together and when we are alone... you know how it is!!? The song it's from is Ti Amero. Well, we are learning Spanish together because he has family in the Canaries, and he has never managed to learn the language before... I have an ear for accents, so we are having a go!! For those eagle-eyes amongst you, I spelt a word incorrectly on the tag!! Never mind, I know what I meant!!! Tee hee...

How did I do it? Well, I stamped the moon - it is an old stamp from The StampMan, but not sure what sheet - on a piece of card, coloured with distress ink, then cut it out. The background card is black, pearly and gorgeous, stamped with splatter pattern from Stamp Addicts by Judikins, and embossed in Moonglow ep in midnight teal and midnight violet. The butterfly is an old, old real favourite, first seen used by Carol on a Stamp Addict's show, moons ago - I loved watching that lady work, she was SO inspiring!! Sorry to say, I cut his wings off, after embossing in clear ep and colouring with alcohol inks... The clock is from UMount, creative expressions, and the wings were stuck on with foam pads. I think this is quite a whimsical piece this week!!
Thanks so much for looking...

Mooning About!!

This simple ATC was created for 2 challenges - moon, and moon and stars, at TMTA and Created by Hand Tuesday challenges, respectively. I used my beloved cloudy moon and the small trees from StampAddicts, by Judikins. I masked the moon to keep it white and brayered over the shiny card, using the gum drop big and juicy!! I promised I would do different backgrounds this week!!! Field of sky stamp, also by Judikins, adds the illusion of grass in the corner.
Thanks for looking today
xx

Rainbow Friend Birthday Card #2

Rainbow Lady's challenge, hats, was the beginning of this card for another Rainbow Friend, who also does not blog, I think... sorry if she does!! I added two sets of ribbons and some beaded flowers to the piece, and mounted on dark blue card. Below is the back of the card, where I stamped her twice and decoupaged the hat!! The backing paper is another from the Joanna Sheen Victorian CD - daisies in a field of grass, and the colours just go so well... I hope she likes it...
Thanks for coming to look...
xx

Rainbow Friend Birthday Card

I used my flowers tag to create this card for a Rainbow Friend's birthday, over on the Creating Rainbows forum. Above is the front of the card, whilst below, is the back. I used a Wendie Rhodes stamp for this, embossed in clear, then splodged and painted with my alcohol inks, which I have not used in ages, and really enjoyed!! I do hope she likes it... don't think she blogs, so won't spoil the surprise!! I used some paper as an insert, from the flowers disc by Stephanie on her CD, and made use of the scrap left over, as a backer for my stamped image.

Thanks for looking!!

xx