A step out of my comfort zone

Good morning everyone and a very happy Sunday morning from a very damp North West.

I have been having a play with my Spectrum Aquas this weekend. I am not confident with these pens and need to practice, practice, practice. I also saw that the challenge at Allsorts this week was vintage so I thought I would combine the two.

I always struggle with vintage because to me it means brown and grungy but having read Brenda's blog yesterday I am rethinking my ideas of vintage.

The image is from Penny Black and is called Collage of wishes and comes with 4 different sentiments which fit in the banner across the bottom of the stamp making it a very versatile stamp. I stamped it onto watercolour card (from Crafter's Companion)with Stazon ink  and coloured it with my Spectrum Aquas.

Ingedients - 

• Collage of wishes stamp set from Penny Black
• Spectrum Aquas - begonia, burgundy, jasmine, moss, leaf green, chocolate, yellow, marigold and slate.
• Botanical notes paper pad from First Edition
• Tonic layering squares

I distressed and curled the edges of the papers and inked them with antique linen distress ink to make it more vintage (hopefully!).

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

http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.co.uk - Week 313 - vintage

http://fantasystampers.blogspot.co.uk - wings and things

Many thanks for stopping by.

Lesley

Rosie

Hello folks, Happy Saturday

On Monday Crafter's Companion are launching their Scruffy Little Kitten range (join Fiona at 8 o'clock on Create and Craft) so I thought I would show you another of the cards I made for the shows. 
This time I made a gate fold card base from centura pearl and decorated it with papers from the Scruffy Little Kitten CD. The papers on the CD are gorgeous and are suitable for both male and female cards.
The outside of the card......

And the inside.......

I coloured Rosie with the following Spectrum Noir pencils - 

• skin - 004, 005, 089 and 009
• hair - 117, 119 and 120
• coat and boots - 040, 038, 083, 061 and 052
• umbrella - 078, 080 and 082
• sky and puddles - 065 and 066
• ground - 114 and 118

The other ingredients used were - 

• purple core'dinations card
• papers from the Scruffy Little Kitten CD
• sentiment from the stamp set
• Die'sire essentials circle and scalloped circles
• Die'sire pretty petals flower die (this came free with the Crafter's Companion Inspirations magazine)
• dazzlers from my stash 

Don't forget to watch Fiona on Monday at 8 o'clock on Create and Craft TV. She has lots of fabulous demos planned, so don't miss it.

Thank you so much for stopping by

Lesley

My first Spectrum Noir TV design team project

Hello folks and a very happy Friday to you all

Today I am very excited! Why? I hear you ask. Well as you may remember I was asked to join the Spectrum Noir TV design team and I have been busy creating samples for some very exiting new products. Today is the day I can show you one of my finished cards and here it is - 

How lucky was I? Look what my first design team assignment was - to play with the new Scruffy Little Kitten stamps and CD rom. As you will know I love to colour the Scruffy Little Cat stamps and have collected quite a few of them so I was over the moon to be one of the first to play with these stamps. All the stamps are gorgeous with a good mixture of those suitable for boys and girls  but this one is my favourite. His name is Freddie, isn't he adorable?

He has been coloured with the following Spectrum Noir pens and pencils - 

• hair - GB4, GB8, GB10 and 103
• skin - FS2, FS4, FS9, TN2 and 089
• suit - LG1, LG2, LG3, BT6, BT7, BT9, CT2, CT4, 055, 046 and 017
• ground - EB1, EB2, EB3, IG3 and 087
• sky - IB1
• dragonflies - CT1 and CT2

The other ingredients used were - 

• green core'dinations card
• papers from the Scruffy Little Kitten CD (from Crafter's Companion)
• sentiment from Freddie stamp set (from Crafter's Companion)
• green ribbon from my stash

As I am back at work on Monday I will be setting my Sky box to record Fiona Clayton on Create and Craft at 8 o'clock as she launches a brand new 4 day deal.
If you can't wait until Monday then you can see some sneak peeks on our Pinterest boards.

I hope you like my first DT make. Feel free to leave a comment.

Thank you so much for stopping by

Lesley

Figgy pudding

Hello folks and a very happy Friday to you all.

As it is Friday them it must be time for another challenge at Winter Wonderland and for this weeks challenge we would like to see your designs featuring festive food. This week we are sponsored by 

Crafter's Companion

who have generously donated a £10 voucher for the winner. 

Here is my card for the challenge - 

I have used one of my favourite Christmas images called Figgy Pudding from Crafter's Companion which I have coloured with my Spectrum Noir pens and pencils.

Ingredients - 

• Spectrum Noir pens and pencils - IG1, IG2, IG3, IG5, PP1, EB8, 117, CG3, CG4, DG3, DR1, EB7, 033, 047, EB4, EB6, EB8, DR1, DR3, 089, true black, FS1, 104, 033, BGR1, BGR3, 116, BG1, BG3 and IB1
• Bebunni's Figgy pudding from Crafter's Companion
• Twas the night paper pad from LOTV
• Tonic's layering squares and Just a note die set
• Die'sire's Essentials circles and scalloped circles

The sentiment also comes with the stamp set.

Don't forget to pop over to the Winter Wonderland challenge blog to see the creations from the other members of the design team and why not join in the challenge yourselves - it is never too early to start your Christmas crafting.

Thank you for stopping by

Lesley

A few of my favourtite things

Hello Folks and happy Thursday to you all

Yipee it is Friday eve, even better a bank holiday weekend to look forward to and even better still a half term week. Unfortunately it will be spent having a clear out of my children's playroom which is more of a store cupboard than a room at the moment Always a tough job for the children who do not like to let go of toys but will be persuaded!! I am feeling very determind!!

Today's card started off as a what if moment and I liked the result so much I made it into a card - 

I made a card base using Spellbinder's A2 Filigree Delight and added a Penny Black image.

Ingredients - 

• Spectrum Noir pens - LG5, CG1, CG3, EB4, EB6, EB8, IB1, IB2, FS1, FS2, FS3, PP1, HB1, HB2 and HB3
• Poppy fields from Penny Black
• Spellbinder's A2 Filigree Delight die set
• white hammer card
• lilac centura pearl
• Promises paper pad from LOTV
• Die'sire flowers for all occasions
• butterfly charm from the Ribbon Girl
• lilac gems from the Ribbon Girl
• sentiment to fit scroll stamp set from LOTV

Sentiment to fit scroll from LOTV

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

http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.co.uk - week 311 - no squares allowed

http://pennybfriendssaturdaychallenge.blogspot.co.uk - trees or nature
http://pennyblackatallsorts.blogspot.co.uk - May challenge - dies and punches (3rd entry)

Thank you so much for stopping by

Lesley

Groovin' and some very exciting news

Hello everyone, I hope you are enjoying your weekend

The weather here is very stormy and cold, I am struggling to deal with the fact that this is May for goodness sake - where is the warm spring weather?? I put some grass seed down on my front lawn 2 weeks ago but there is no sign of life what so ever, I am beginning to think that it is too cold for the seed to germinate. Lets hope the sun decides to put in an appearance sometime soon.

So because of the horrible weather I am camped in my craftroom in the company of Captain Poldark (yes I pre-ordered the DVD so I could still get my Sunday fix) and doing a little colouring.

I challenged myself to only use Die'sire dies and embossing folders but just had to included the Memory Box Heart flourish as I think it looks a little like a music score.

Ingredients -

• Spectrum Noir pens and pencils - IG1, IG2, IG5, IG6, IG7, FS2, FS4, FS9, TN2, TN4, TN6, TN7, TN8, TN9, CR2, CR6, CR8, CR10, GT1, GT2, GT3, IB1, 089, 119, 095, 072, 094 and 023.
• First Edition's Boho chic paper pad
• Die'sire Aurora Create-a-card and Chantilly Lace stamping frame
• Memory Box heart flourish
• Embossalicious music embossing folder
• glitter
• tumbled glass distress ink
• sentiment - everyday grunge sentiments from LOTV

Background made using Die'sire Aurora Create-a-card die

I hope you can just make out the embossing. I inked the edges with Tumbled glass distress ink to add a little definition to the embossing. I cut out 2 pieces of the score to create the border.

The sentiment

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

http://ribbongirls.blogspot.co.uk - May colour challenge - Aqua

http://pennyblackatallsorts.blogspot.co.uk - May challenge - dies and punches (2nd entry)
http://fantasystampers.blogspot.co.uk - #36 - girl power

And finally for my news. Some of you may have noticed that I only use my Spectrum Noir pens and pencils these days (Don't worry my Promarker collection has been passed onto my eldest son for his Game Art degree), well this week I have been invited to join the Spectrum Noir TV design team. I cannot begin to tell you how thrilled I am - there was lots of happy dancing and I have been smiling to myself all week. I am now practicing madly trying to get the samples just right. It is very nerve racking I can tell you. My blog posts may be a little few and far between for the next week or so but as soon as I am given the go ahead I will share my makes with you.

Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing my news

Lesley

Blooms, blooms and more blooms

Hello folks and a very happy Wednesday to you all

Today 's card features a lovely stamp from Stamping Bella. This is the first stamp I have bought from this company and probably won't be the last!

I made a shaped card base using Spellbinder's Grand decorative circles and some white hammer card. I cut the largest die 3 times, scored one in the centre and one inch from the edge, made a base by attaching it to another circle by the one inch score line and then attached the remaining circle to one half of the base.

Ingredients

• Fiona loves flowers stamp from Stamping Bella
• Spectrum Noir pens and pencils - TN7, TN8, TN9, EB8, FS4, FS4, FS9, CR6, TN2, GB8, GB9, EB3, LV1, LV2, LV3, PP2, GT1, GT2, GT3, CT1, CT2, DG2, DG4, IG1, IG2, IB1, 063, 098, 110, 060, 082, 017 and 089
• First Edition's New Blooms paper pad
• Core'dinations card
• Spellbinder's Stately circles, Grand decorative circles, blooms 1 and blooms 3.
• Happy circular sentiments from LOTV

I used the sentiment as the stopper.

I fussy cut the flowers to get the centre of the flowers as above.

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

http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.co.uk - week 310 - die cuts, more than 2 (Spellbinder's stately circles, grand decorative circles, blooms 1 and blooms 3)

http://pennyblackatallsorts.blogspot.co.uk - dies and punches

http://www.ribbongirls.blogspot.co.uk - a shaped card or anything goes

Thank you so much for dropping by

Lesley

Tim Holtz shutter card

Good morning folks

Yesterday was my brother-in-laws birthday and this is the card I made for him - 

A while ago I won some Tim Holtz goodies from Brenda (Floral Fantasies) so I decided to put them to good use and challenged myself to make a shutter card. I found the instructions to make a shutter card on the tinternet and made it from kraft card which I stamped all over with a TH components stamp and walnut stain distress ink.

Ingredients - 

• Tim Holtz (TH) salvage stickers
• TH collage paper stash
• TH custom fasteners
• TH components stamp
• walnut stain distress ink
• kraft card (from Craftwork cards)

Thank you for stopping by

Lesley

MDF heart

Hello everyone and a very happy Sunday to you all

Well I have finally finished my college course, all assignments have been handed in and I have been told I that have passed - yipee!!! What a relief is all I can say. I will think twice before embarking on any other courses. Having a full time job and a family makes studying very difficult indeed not to mention stressful. So now I have a liitle more time to craft - yipee!!

I saw a similar heart hanger on Hope and Chances blog and I decided to have a go and here is the result -

Ingredients - 

• MDF heart from Hope and Chances Creativity
• white gesso
• Spellbinder's create a sunflower die
• Tonic's affections heart die set
• Fan die (this was a free gift with my Grand Calibur, sorry I have no other details)
• First Editions Botanical notes paper pad
• Love story script stamp from Hope and Chances Creativity
• yellow ribbon from my stash
• heart charm from the Ribbon Girl

I made the sunflower as per the instructions and put a foam pad in between each layer of the flower.

I painted the base of the heart with the white Gesso and then stamped the script onto the heart. I used momento ink to stamp with, it came out a little patchy but I was happy with the results.

Thank you for stopping by

Lesley

Oh Christmas tree

Hello folks

The new challenge at Winter wonderland is Oh Christmas tree. This week we are sponsored by

Stamp and Create

and the lucky winner of the challenge can win $20 voucher.

Here is my card for the challenge - 

The picture quality is a little poor, the weather has been terrible so the light isn't great and my little digi camera does like mirriboard. Apologies.

When I saw the theme for this week's challenge I knew exactly which stamp I would be using. It is one from Clarity Stamps and was the first one I ever bought from the wonderful Barbara Gray.

Ingredients - 

• silver mirriboard and white hammer card
• Holly and Ivy Christmas tree
• silver embossing powder
• Spellbinder's labels 11 and decorative labels 8
• Tonic twisted twine die set
• music embossing folder from Crafter's Companion
• silver ribbon from the Ribbon Girl (tied in a very scruffy bow)
• pearl trim from the Hobby House

You can join in the challenge at 

http://christmasblogchallenge.blogspot.co.uk

Thank you for stopping by

Lesley

Simple flowers

Hello everyone

Firstly I feel I must apologise for my tardiness on the blogging front - not really got an excuse just too much to do and not enough time. My college course finishes on the 14th May this year and I have frantically trying to finish everything although I have hit a temporary snag this weekend. I have left a file I need at work and the school is closed until Tuesday morning so I cannot finish off the last little piece of work. This means some late nights next week.

My lack of blogging has not stopped me from online shopping and today's card features a new die from Spellbinder's called dogwood (create a flower range).

It is a very simple card for me with not a single piece of stamping to be seen, not like me at all.

Ingredients - 

• white card and green coredinations
• Spellbinder's create a flower - dogwood and Spellsinder's sentiments 2
• Tattered Lace spring time embossing folder
• pearl swirls from Creative Expressions

As I said very simple but very effective I think. You could do the same layout with poinsettia flowers and a Christmas sentiment.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenge - 

http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.co.uk - week 303 - April showers bring May's flowers.

Many thanks for stopping by. Only another week of assignments and I promise I will not neglect my blog after that.

Take care

Lesley