BASIC GREY CHALLENGE, AND WOYWW!

Hi lovely Bloggers - came home from holiday yesterday, and couldn't wait to get back to my blogging. I will try and visit everyone ASAP, once the washing and ironing is done (on second thoughts - bubbles to the washing and ironing)!!

I started this card before I went away but didn't have time to finish it, so I am just in the nick of time for the fortnightly Basic Grey Challenge which ends on October 1st. The fabulous sketch we had to work with is by Tara G, and the BG papers I used are from the Granola range and were a RAK from my crafting buddie Nicola - thanks Nicola!! I have also been longing to use these Lavinia stamps which I bought at the Harrogate Extravaganza a couple of weeks ago. Love Tracey's delicate designs - her work can be seen in the November issue of Craft Stamper, and the stamps can be bought at http://laviniastamps.com/ 

The inks used are Weathered Wood DI, and Night of Navy from Stampin UP, with some  Peach Pastel Color Box Chalk Ink around the main image. White glitter has been added, and some machine stitching (please don't look at the wonky bits). The base card is  Blind Date Bazzill Bling, used with the reverse side showing as I wanted a "flat" colour rather than a shiny one. Nestie circles for the image, and cream lace from stash. 

 

And here is my workdesk today (a bit late in posting) for WOYWW - you can just see a sneeky peek of my card for the BG Challenge in the bottom corner, and my li'l old sewing machine on the left. The trimmer is a new X-cut Super Trimmer and I absolutely love it. You can just see my ribbon holder in the background, which was a fab idea from another WOYWW-er, and I am sorry to say I cannot  recall the name of the lovely lady whose idea it was, so if you're out there, please let me know! The holder is actually a kitchen paper towel stand, and I found this one at Boyes - it's chrome and cost 99p - I love a bargain!!!! It holds a dozen or more rolls of ribbon as long as the central holes are large enough to pop onto the stand.

If you would like to know more about the phenomenon that is WOYWW - visit Julia's blog by clicking the link above.

Thanks for visiting - have a great week/weekend!

BAH! HUMBUG CHRISTMAS TEXT!

Hi Peeps - hope you have had a great weekend!

As I'm going away on my jollies in a couple of days,

I thought I'd better get something posted before I go as I've been a bit behind with things this last week or two. 

Thanks to the lovely ladies at Bah! Humbug for the current Challenge - the main focal point on your Christmas card must be TEXT, and I just happened to have this card which I made recently, when trying out a Square K Card Template from WS Designs, (which I have had for ages), and hey-presto - the

main focal point is TEXT - yay!!  The fabulous Holly paper is from Anna Griffin - a few last scraps which I had been clinging onto, as sadly they don't make it any more. The gold heat-embossed Text stamp is from Papermania/Anita's (again an old favourite).

This WS template (designed by Kay Carley) is really easy to work with - not very easy to photograph the finished results though! 

The inside layer is a concertina shape, and the greeting square pops out of the aperture when the card is opened, but lays flat when closed!

Soooo - one less Xmas card to make! Hope you like it!

WOYWW ! (NEW STASH)!!

Hope you are all well Peeps. 
I am aiming to be first on the list of Julia's WOYWW this week, instead of leaving it until WOYWThursday before linking my Post!  No particular reason for this - I would just love to be first at something!!
If you want to know more about the fabulous WOYWW -
click the link above and leave Julia some love!

Anyhow, there's nothing much going on in the way of work on my "work"desk as I am feeling rather grotty - (probably just the start of a cold - sniff). Sooooo, as I  am just sat here trying to get motivated, and stroking the stash I bought at the Harrogate Craft Extravaganza on Saturday, I thought I may as well take a piccie.

***

How come, that such a small amount of stash

cost  such a large amount of cash?

BLOG CANDY TO CELEBRATE 100 FOLLOWERS!

CANDY NOW CLOSED!
The lucky winner was Nicola of Nicola's Creations, and the Candy is now on it's way to her in sunny Spain! Many thanks to all the lovely followers who took part!

BASIC GREY CHALLENGE - PAPER PIECING!

Hi peeps! This is my entry for the Basic Grey Challenge 28, which requires some Paper-Piecing and the use of BG papers (of course)!!.

So - here goes!!

I have stamped one of my all-time favourite images - Gracious Lady from Hero Arts, which I have had for years. I have paper pieced her hat and coat with Basic Grey Bittersweet, and decoupaged the bow on her hat. (Her face, and the curved sides of the hat are lightly coloured with Copics).  

If you look reeeeeeally closely, you will see I have also added a tiny Bittersweet EK Success Retro Flower in the centre of Sir Tim's Tattered Florals flower, which is mainly made up of Basic Grey Motifica papers (again, which I have had for oooh - years).

The flower has been finished with a central coffee coloured pearl. The back of the flower petals have been stamped with the same Crafty Individuals text which I have used on the Motifica BP.

The Gracious Lady has been layered onto black cardstock, with Antique Linen and Vintage Photo DI applied around the edges.

I coloured the cream lace with Antique Linen, added the Crafty Individuals swirls stamp to the BP, and that's about it really!!! Bet you're glad that's the end of that!!!

PS - I have waited 6 weeks for my TH Tattered Florals die - it arrived 2 days ago, so this is my first attempt at using it! Not the best TH flower, but it was great fun to make!!!!

Have a great week my lovely bloggers -

DISTRESSED CHRISTMAS TEDDY !

Hi lovely bloggers! Just a quick post today, and yes it's another of those gorgeous LOTV Christmas images!! Ted is a little distressed (well, the backing paper is anyway), and he is now on his way to join two Challenges  - Lily Of The Valley Thursday Challenge - using a beautiful sketch by Bev, and Secret Crafters Saturday Challenge - which is Make a Start on Christmas. I have only just discovered their lovely blog, so have just managed to squeeze in at the last minute!

Gorgeous Ted is coloured with just a light touch of Copics, the BP is an old scrap piece from my stash, stitched around the edges. Punches are EK Success Retro Flower, Papermania Snowflake and Woodware star.

Fun Flock on Ted's hat and on the "snow" on the ground, Silver Stickles on Ted's star.

The sentiment is also from LOTV, stamped onto a CB die cut tag. The base card is SU Kraft.

Have a wonderful weekend!