Fun Times

Haven't had chance to do much crafting this week although I have done a little painting. Off to visit some friends for a few days and looking forward to sitting outside in the sunshine, gossiping and watching volleyball, then maybe a BBQ followed by our bi-annual cribbage tournament. How do you like the trophy?!


Sometimes we have a clear cut winner, sometimes we are still playing at midnight on the last night trying to find a winner. And yes, Martin, I have remembered to pack the trophy this time.

Happy Days!!

Butterflies

I've been at it again! Yes, spending £2 on jewellery. Whilst my daughters were looking at clothes in Dorothy Perkins I aimed for the sale section and found this necklace and earring set. Well I couldn't resist it - 8 metal butterflies in 3 different sizes and some chain to embellish cards, frames and canvases etc. Being cream I think they look very vintagey but I'm sure they'll paint too.



Off to find the pliers!!

Bargain Stash

Enjoying the summer hols and spending too much money - so much cheaper when the kids are in school all day!!!



Anyway we were wandering round the shops the other day and I came across these in Topshop. Aren't they fab!! When would I wear them I hear you cry!?? Well I have no intention of wearing them but I do intend to take them to pieces and use them for crafting. Two little birds and four leaves priced at £7, marked down to half price and when I went to pay for them I was charged only £2 - that's what I call a bargain.

I'm thinking those leaves will make great masks for inky backgrounds and when I get fed up with that, then I'll just paint/alcohol ink them!

Think I might be going back to get some more.

Poinsettias

For some reason I was thinking about christmas and decided to use the Build your Own Poinsettia stamps to make a card for a friend.



This is one of those stamp sets (3 different size leaves/bracts and a centre) that you can use all year round - yes it looks good done in red and green for christmas cards, decorations, crackers etc but choose another colour scheme and it makes a great flower for a birthday card. Just done in gold or silver this would be perfect for a wedding or anniversary card.

Here I've used a Kaleidocolor pad in blues and greens swooshed on a craft sheet to make the background. The leaves/bracts were embossed in gold on more of the inky background and stuck together with silicone to give it some height. Then I just added a few gold beads for the centre.

Hope you like!!

Sounds of the Sea

Here's my piece for the Sunday Stamper Challenge 115 on the theme of Music - for more details check out Hels blog.



Still stuck on seasidey projects and my shell stamps were on the table so thought I'd use them. The background is a resist distress one using Chipped Sapphire, Faded Jeans and Broken China spritzed with blue perfect pearls.

We were wandering round HMV looking for a new summery CD and came across a whole selection of groups that were seaside related - never heard of some of them but I liked the names!!!

Summer Heat

I've been working with hot colours recently and thought I'd show you one of a set of ATCs made using a distress background - Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade and Barn Door - with the shells embossed in gold.



At this time of year those hot colours remind me of the summer heat and beach holidays. Shame it's just gone dark grey outside but enjoy!

Old and New

Here's my piece for the Sunday Stampers Challenge 114 based on the theme of Something Old and Something New - for all the details check out Hels blog.


Hels has been using CDs recently so that's where the idea came from - an old CD, free with a Sunday newspaper, that I've covered in glossy card which has been swooshed with Stazon and stamped in black archival. I just swiped the pad on the card to produce the groovy effect. I also decorated the CD sleeve.

The new parts are the Flourish Swirl stamps from The Artistic Stamper - I won Jennie's blog candy a week or two ago and these stamps arrived in the post so thought I'd put them to good use. I love the solid black over the bright background. If you haven't already heard there's a new Artistic Stamper Creative Team blog with a monthly challenge - check it out here.

Hope you like my CD. Looking at it again, it looks like a giant bauble so maybe I'll get some more old Cds out and do some in christmas colours.