Our village church in the mist

Our village church in the mist

Saturday 13 December 2014

In memory of Chile

This was sent to me by a friend following the death of our dear cat Chile.
 
 
 


To my dearest friend.
I stood by your bed last night; I came to have a peep.
I could see that you were crying you found it hard to sleep.
I spoke to you softl...y as you brushed away a tear,
"It's me, I haven't left you, I'm well, I'm fine, I'm here."
I was close to you at breakfast, I watched you pour the tea,
You were thinking of the many times, your hands reached down to me.
I was with you at the shops today; your arms were getting sore.
I longed to take your parcels, I wish I could do more.
I was with you at my grave today; you tend it with such care.
I want to re-assure you, that I'm not lying there.
I walked with you towards the house, as you fumbled for your key.
I gently put my paw on you; I smiled and said, "it's me."
You looked so very tired, and sank into a chair.
I tried so hard to let you know, that I was standing there.
It's possible for me, to be so near you everyday.
To say to you with certainty, "I never went away."
You sat there very quietly, then smiled, I think you knew...
in the stillness of that evening, I was very close to you.
The day is over... I smile and watch you yawning
and say "good-night, God bless, I'll see you in the morning."
And when the time is right for you to cross the brief divide,
I'll rush across to greet you and we'll stand, side by side.
I have so many things to show you, there is so much for you to see.
Be patient, live your journey out...then come home to me.


Author Unknown

Friday 5 December 2014

Sad times

I'm feeling quite fragile at the moment after the tragic and sad death of our 4 year old cat, Chile, on Tuesday 2nd December 2014 at 02.15 am.  I am always up at that time and he collapsed and died in front of me, I can't get the image of him out of my mind.  I gathered him up in my arms and ran into  the lounge where my husband was, but Chile had already passed.  So very traumatic and unfair.  We have 4 other cats and they are all looking around for him.  I took Chile to the vet at 8 am and they rang to say they couldn't find anything conclusive as to the cause of death.  His heart, lungs and other organs were fine, and he was a young cat in good condition, so the thinking is that he had a brain haemorrhage.  He was my pal and used to sit on me and lean into my shoulder, and I miss that closeness terribly.  Although we have lost cats over the years and it was always so very hard, they had all reached 18 years and had to be euthanized due to old age and ill health, that's why Chile's sudden death is so hard to deal with. We loved him so much and he will always be in our hearts  xx








Monday 1 December 2014

Sisters of Craft "Anything Goes" December Challenge

Well another month has flown by, and here we are again with a new monthly challenge.  This time we have been using the lovely artwork of Toni Arthur.....MyArtByToni



I used a Creata heart shaped easel card, decorated it with coloured hessian strips, then added the Toni Arthur digi image, which I had coloured in with promarkers, and dusted with distress ink.  I then added some flowers and a couple of Tattered Lace foliage die cuts.  The stamped sentiment is from Hobby Art, and I dusted the edges once again with distress ink.  I had a few short strips of hessian which I gathered into a bouquet, and I added a gem to each stem, and attached it to the point where the easel card stands up on the base.  I also added a few dabs of stickles to the image, in between the flowers, just to add a little sparkle.  I hope you like it !


 
Items Used
 
Creata cream easel card
Coloured hessian strips
Squeezed Lemonade distress ink
Promarkers
 (Putty, Gold, Meadow Green, Arctic Blue, Ivory, Mandarin, Mulberry, Pale Pink)
Stickles glitter (Orange Peel and Lavender)
Tattered Lace foliage dies
Hobby Art sentiment stamp
Assorted flowers
Gems
 
 

Saturday 1 November 2014

Sisters of Craft "Anything Goes" November challenge

Here's my DT project for the above challenge.  This time the sponsor is The Stamping Chef, lots of great digis available and the details can be found via this link:

http://thestampingchef.com/Shop/

The digi I chose is called "Toot My Scoot".  I used a Tonic Bevelled Edge frame, dusted it with distress ink, with a backing paper inserted from the one of Tattered Lace magazines.  I coloured the image using Promarkers, then cut a flourish, flowers and sentiment from mirror card, (and did a double layer of the sentiment to create a shadow finish) and added a gem and some glamour dust to finish.




Items Used
 
Tonic Bevelled Edge frame
TSC "Toot My Scoot" digi
Tattered Lace backing paper
Creata mirror card
Spellbinders Blooms 4 dies
Tattered Lace Flourishing Vine die
Spellbinders Sentiments
Brushed Corduroy distress ink
Promarkers (Meadow Green, Plum, Cool Grey 3, Ivory, Lilac, Pastel Yellow, Pastel Pink, Dusky Pink)
Gem and Glamour Dust


Monday 20 October 2014

Christmas decoration

The recent challenge over on Kerrie's Kraft Korner has been to make "Anything but a card for Christmas".  I remembered I had a free gift of two wooden hearts from a mag which I hadn't used, so I got the larger heart, coloured it with a red Whisper pen, then decorated with red and white poinsettias and mulberry paper reindeers, with a few gems, glamour dust and a piece of ribbon.  I was rushing to get it done and loaded in time, and just found out this morning that I won Top Pick #2 !  As I am feeling a bit unwell at the moment it has cheered my Monday up no end :)  I got a blog badge too which I will add to the side bar section.


Monday 13 October 2014

Visible Image "Halloween" Challenge

Well it's not long now till Halloween and here's my entry into the above challenge.  I used a Tonic frame, and before assembling it I dusted the back section with Forest Moss and Faded Jeans distress inks, then I stamped the castle, cut a circle for the moon and dusted that with ink, adhered it and stamped the bats, then the trees. I got my water brush out and just dabbed it around on the grass hill to bring the colour out a bit more.  I then assembled the frame, stamped Edward on a separate sheet of card, coloured him in and cut him out.  I stamped a couple of trees on the outer edge of the frame, then some chain links and I then placed Edward on the right hand corner, and gave him a couple of little fangs !  After adding the webbing in two corners I stamped out some skulls and dusted with ink, then cut and placed them in both corners, then stamped two large bats, cut them out and stuck them in the top right hand corner. I added a couple of charms and a stamped out padlock, with a sprinkling of glamour dust to finish.  I dare you to enter the castle !

Here's the link to the challenge http://visibleimage.co.uk/2014/10/get-spooky-with-visible-image-stamps/

 
Items Used
 
Tonic square edged frame
Once Upon a Time stamp set
Max Rocks stamp set
Edward/Immortal stamp set
Faded Jeans and Forest Moss distress inks
Black and Brown Memento ink pads
Promarkers (Prussian, Maroon, Cardinal Red, Black, Ivory, Cool Grey 4 and 5)
Black webbing ribbon
Clock and key charms
Glamour dust

Saturday 11 October 2014

Strawberry Tea tag

Here's a tag I made using Craftwork Cards "Al Fresco" papers and bunting.  I added some dual colour ribbon and glamour dust to finish it off.

Flowers in a row

I made this card for a friend who has recently had surgery.  I used a beige DL card and made it into an easel card, covering it with Craftwork Cards Kitsch collection papers and bow, with a sentiment from one of the pads in the Mini Mania 4 Day Deal on Create and Craft, together with flowerpots cut from kraft card using the templates supplied in the deal.  I used cocktail sticks for the flower stems, colouring them green with Whisper pens, and the flowers are Prima. I cut the leaves myself and scored a few vein lines in them. I also added a piece of jute string and a card candi to each pot.  I sent the card to the recipient in a Craftwork Cards box from the Potting Shed collection, which I also decorated with kitsch papers.


Wednesday 1 October 2014

Sisters of Craft October challenge - "Anything Goes" theme

Can't believe it's the 1st of October already, where does the time go ?  This time I made two projects for the above challenge, using the Ditzie Design digi image "Hello Sweetie".  I saw the idea for the notepad and pencil holder on a Create and Craft show, and I tried to give my card a "Cruella de Vil" theme from the film "101 Dalmations", except this time with kitties instead of puppies !

Here's the link to the challenge http://thesistersofcraft.blogspot.co.uk/

 
I cut a piece of white card 10 x 26 cm, then scored at 1 cm and 9 cm in, and folded the card up to make the base.  Then cut another piece of card 10 x 16 cm to form the easel section on which the image is attached.  I coloured her in using Promarkers and added a feather for a bit of fun !  Bakers twine was used to edge the card base and easel section, with a couple of gems to finish.

 
I cut a piece of card large enough to form a tube in which to place the pencil, (including placing a small strip across the bottom of the tube so the pencil didn't fall through) and stuck it to the back of the image, and then stuck this to the easel section of the card.  This section was then attached to the 1 cm scored flap of the white base card.  Once the post-it notepad is in place you have the "stopper" for the easel section.

 
I covered a kraft card with black and white patterned paper, coloured the images using Promarkers, matted and layered on to black and red mirror card and placed onto card.  Then I stuck a peel off of kitties to a piece of card to give it more support, cut around it and placed in the centre of the card.

Tuesday 23 September 2014

My Garage, My Rules....

I made this card for my husband's friend, he owns his own garage so the little sign seemed very apt !  I used mostly Kanban products, and the sign was from a Studio Light sheet of various retro signs and posters.


Monday 15 September 2014

Thank you Flower Pots

I made a couple of "Thank You" cards at the weekend, using the lovely Craftwork Cards Potting Shed collection.  I decorated the backs as well using a selection of flowers, and as you can see I used Prima flowers too as I didn't want to use up all of the Craftwork Cards flowers.  I also used some of the Tattered Lace dies to add a bit of greenery.



Wednesday 10 September 2014

Dreaming of Paris

I made this card to enter into a challenge where the theme was "In Your Dreams".  We have been to Paris three times and I would love to visit again sometime.  I used Creata backing paper, Tres Chic topper, Creata mirror card, hessian, gems and a Visible Image stamp which I then cut into sections. 


Saturday 6 September 2014

A dull September day

Well, after going to a coffee morning earlier today to welcome two new neighbours, which was very enjoyable,  I have been getting all my pictures up to date.  It's a very dull, overcast, damp day so an ideal time to sort things out :o)  Here are three cards I made recently using stamps from Little Claire.  I coloured one of them, but decided to leave the other two as just inked images for a change.



Monday 1 September 2014

My first crafty contribution to the Sisters of Craft Challenge - "Anything Goes" theme

I am very pleased to announce that I have been asked to join the Design Team for the Sisters of Craft, and I became official as from 1st September :o)  Their challenges launch on the 1st of every month and the theme is always "Anything Goes", here is the link to their blog http://thesistersofcraft.blogspot.co.uk/

Here is my stepper card using one of the digis by Vince who is offering the prize this month.  Check out his blog at
http://craftymomentscardmaking.blogspot.co.uk/

 I coloured the mice in using Promarkers and added a sprinkling of glamour dust and some acetate strips with musical note dies attached to echo their carolling.


 
Items Used
 
Creata metallic card
Digi design
Promarkers
Joy Lamp post die
Christmas Tree die
Green and gold glitter card
Black cat peel off
Gems
Sentiment

Saturday 30 August 2014

Visible Image Inkognito stamps

I ordered some of the above stamps, and here's my first attempt with a couple of them.  I used Distress Inks for the background, a little bit random, and Stazon inks for the two VI stamps, and I did a second generation impression of the sentiment (trying to be a bit "arty" !), you can just about see the word "dream" on the right of the card. Then I matted and layered on to a piece of pink mirror card, then on to a cream card base.


Monday 18 August 2014

Time for Tea

I made this card for Phill Martin's birthday.  I used his butterfly stamp for the background and embossed it using three different embossing powders mixed together.  I matted and layered on to Creata mirror card, then added ribbon and used a Little Claire stamp for the cup and cakes panels, and an Acid Drops and Whatnots sentiment completed it, with a few gems in the corners and a ribbon flower.


Sunday 17 August 2014

Creata Challenge - Inspired by a Song

Here's my entry to the above challenge.  I chose the song "Somewhere Over The Rainbow".  I like the original version but also really love the Eva Cassidy cover.  Here's the link to the challenge
http://creatachallenge.blogspot.co.uk/


    Items Used
 
Kraft card base
Holographic rainbow design
Joy heart die
Creata kraft card
Creata mirror card
Tattered Lace alphabet die
Creata little girl topper from large double sided pad
Wooden bird embellishments coloured blue
Glamour dust
Glittery dots

 

Monday 4 August 2014

Working with Foils

I entered this card into the recent Foil Play challenge.  I used the free gifts that came with Papercraft Essentials magazine, and some metallic tape from my stash, together with a kraft card base and a slightly lighter (in colour) kraft card to mount the main topper onto.


Sunday 3 August 2014

Creata challenge - Vintage theme

One of my favourite crafty magazines is Creative Cardmaking, and I used one of the freebies in conjunction with Creata stash to make the card for this weeks challenge.  It may be a slightly different "take" on Vintage, but I just loved the image and the "Rock 'n' Roll logo, so thought I'd try something different.  I edged the frame with some pink gingham ribbon, to make a snugger fit ! Here's the link to the challenge   http://creatachallenge.blogspot.co.uk/

 
Items Used
 
White square card base
Creata backing paper
Heart doily
Spellbinder die
Creata Kraft card
Magazine freebie (main image and ice cream)
Pink gingham ribbon
Creata word dies, cut out of kraft card and coloured in with Promarkers
Pink gems



Sunday 20 July 2014

Creata Challenge - Colour Block

Here's my entry into the above challenge and here's the link -  http://creatachallenge.blogspot.co.uk/
I tried something new after seeing a demo on TV this morning and placed a variety of washi tape strips across a piece of card, then used a Creata die to cut the centre shape, which produced quite a good effect I think !  The little embellishments down the side are some of the waste pieces from the die.



 
Items Used
 
Cream base cardstock
Creata backing paper
Bazzill card
Creata (Joy) centre die
Washi Tape
Button
Bakers Twine
Sentiment banners


Saturday 19 July 2014

Two more Craftwork Cards characters

As you can tell, I'm really addicted to these Craftwork Cards characters and papers, so please meet Coleen and Amy !  They are coloured in using promarkers, and the framework on the card is the negative piece from Creata shaped Easel cards.



Monday 7 July 2014

Meet Hedgie the hedgehog !

Here's Hedgie, a regular visitor to our garden.  He has a companion but he is the braver of the two, and loves to crunch away on the cat kibbles.  The cats just watch him, bemused !



Friday 4 July 2014

Craftwork Cards

Here's a card I made for a birthday buddy.  It's mainly using Craftwork Cards papers, and the character is also from CC, I think her name is Cheryl, and it's the Dolly Mixtures range. I coloured her in with promarkers, and added some gems and glamour dust.  The heart frame though is not CC, it's the left over part from one of Creata's heart easel cards, they make perfect frames as you can see, so are definitely worth hanging on to.....waste not, want not !


Thursday 3 July 2014

Pearls and Lace Challenge

I entered the following card into the above challenge over at Kerrie's Kraft Korner.  I used a Hunkydory topper, Bazzill Basics card and a piece of lace threaded through the sewing machine...with the cat closely watching !!....and a few pearls and Cosmic Shimmer dots.

Pleased to say I got the Top Pick No. 1 award for this, and a new blog badge as well !

Monday 30 June 2014

Creata Challenge - Shake your tail feather !

Here's my entry for the above challenge and here's the link.... http://creatachallenge.blogspot.co.uk/




Items Used
 
Cream DL card blank
Creata double sided backing paper
Creata kraft card
Creata metallic rub-ons
Feathers
Gems

Sunday 22 June 2014

A Foilplay challenge winner

I should have posted this on here earlier, but never mind.  I entered a challenge in March on the Foilplay FB page, the theme was "Spring", and I used a Creata box card, with some Dufex additions, Creata mirror card inside the boxed area and a picture of two little rabbits sent to me by a friend.  I made it stand out a bit from the inner boxed section by making my own spring, using two strips of acetate folded across each other, as demonstrated by Sarah Trebilock on Create and Craft.  These box cards are great as they fold flat for easy posting !

Creata Challenge - My favourite things

Here's my entry for the above challenge and here's the link ....as I'm a crazy cat lady (we have 5 and I'm feeding a stray), the subject had to be cats....and mixed with craftiness it's a good combination !

The link to the challenge is here: http://creatachallenge.blogspot.co.uk/



 
 
Items Used
 
Kraft card blank
Magazine freebie backing paper
Creata (Joy) Fence and bird house die
Creata metallic style card
Black cats peel offs
Blue tit bird from Lucy Cromwell range
Glamour dust
Peel off sentiment

Friday 30 May 2014

Creata Challenge - Kraft card

Here's my entry into the above challenge and here's the link http://creatachallenge.blogspot.co.uk/
I weaved kraft card and mirror card to make the background.
I'm also entering this card into a challenge at Foil Play.



Items Used
 
Creata kraft card as base card
Creata kraft card
Creata mirror card
Nitwit sheep and butterfly
Peel off
Gems
Flower and butterfly punches
Cosmic Shimmer
Glamour dust
 

Sunday 25 May 2014

Creata Challenge - Colour Block

Here's my entry into the above challenge and here's the link http://creatachallenge.blogspot.co.uk/



Items Used
 
Creata backing papers
Creata Birds stamp
Stazon Inks
Creata Joy leaves die
Creata mirror card
Creata kraft card
Gems
Small leaf punch
White card blank


 

Sunday 11 May 2014

Creata Challenge - Bags and Tags

Here's my entry for the above challenge, and here's the link http://creatachallenge.blogspot.co.uk/


 
Items Used
 
White card blank
Creata backing paper
Tumble Ted decoupage image
Negative of Tattered Lace Alpha die
Creata gold rub-on
Blue tag
Peel Off sentiment
Gems

Sunday 20 April 2014

Creata Challenge - Monochrome

Here's my entry into the above challenge, and here's the link http://creatachallenge.blogspot.co.uk/ .
I wanted my predominant colour to be black and have got various shades of it in the decoupage image, but added white card as I think it blends quite well. I used Creata black mirror card and punched two buttons from it, and I coloured the Creata lace gel sticker with a black promarker.


 
 
Items Used
 
Kaisercraft backing paper
White card
Creata lace gel sticker (coloured black)
Creata black mirror card
Le Suh decoupage
Kaisercraft banner
Black Jute twine
Woodware triple Button punch
 
 

Sunday 30 March 2014

Creata Challenge - Colour Block

Here's my entry into the above challenge, and here's the link http://creatachallenge.blogspot.co.uk/
It's a bit quirky, but I just went with the flow, the flowers are punched out from the papers and the stem with leaves is made from the pressed out shapes from the circular die, with a stem drawn in and some little flowers from a Creata peel off sheet which I won in a previous challenge.  I then went around the edge with little crosses using a Whisper pen and added some gems to the flowers.

 
Items Used
 
Square card
Coloured papers
Creata circular die
Creata butterfly border die
Butterfly embellishment
Gems
Peel offs

Wednesday 12 March 2014

Creata Challenge - A Touch of Class

Here's my entry to the above challenge, it gave me a chance to use the new Joy feather dies I bought recently after one of Carley's shows.  Here's the link to the challenge http://creatachallenge.blogspot.co.uk/



Items used
 
 
Hunkydory Art Deco card
DoCrafts decoupage
Joy feather dies
Creata black mirror card
Gems

Saturday 15 February 2014

Creata Challenge - Valentines

Here's my entry for the above challenge, and here's the link http://creatachallenge.blogspot.co.uk/

 
Items Used
 
Creata easel card
Creata stickers
Heart shaped doily
Buttons
Other stickers from crafty stash

Saturday 1 February 2014

Two more cards using Creata products

I haven't made very much lately, 2014 got off to a shaky start what with one thing and another.  Still, I have lots of stash to use so hopefully the creative mojo will return soon.  Here are a couple of cards I made using Creata products and Pampered Pets/Debbi Moore ranges.  Thanks for looking !



The view from our field

The view from our field

Decoupage Delights

Decoupage Delights

Moonflower

Moonflower

Faery Ink

Faery Ink

Lunagirl

Lunagirl

Digital Scrapworld

Digital Scrapworld

Nikki Burnette

Nikki Burnette

Lemon Shortbread

Lemon Shortbread

Julia Spiri Designs

Julia Spiri Designs

Paper Nest Dolls

Paper Nest Dolls

Polkadoodles

Polkadoodles

Sweet pea Designs

Sweet pea Designs

The East Wind

The East Wind

Lacy Sunshine

Lacy Sunshine

Art by Miran

Art by Miran

The Paper Shelter

The Paper Shelter

Toni Arthur logo

Toni Arthur logo

Monogram

Monogram

Tribe quote

Tribe quote

Vince

Vince

Great Challenges to be found here !

Great Challenges to be found here !

Shades

Shades

Awarded this for my Sewing Machine card

Awarded this for my Sewing Machine card

Lazy

Lazy
crop image

Ditzie Designs logo

Ditzie Designs  logo

KKK Christmas decoration badge

KKK Christmas decoration badge
Visible Image

My challenge entry got Top Pick rating !

My challenge entry got Top Pick rating !
Creative Studios by Sam Poole

Trimmies Rule !

My card featured on Little Claires Blog

My card featured on Little Claires Blog
Mr Darcys Christmas Post !

Another card featured on Little Claire's Blog

Another card featured on Little Claire's Blog
Embossed and distressed !

Used Lili of the Valley image sheet for this one

Used Lili of the Valley image sheet for this one
One for the cattery

More cute kitties

More cute kitties

Non-pyramage pyramage !

Non-pyramage pyramage !
What a cutie this little chap is !

Patchwork Kingdom rocker card

Patchwork Kingdom  rocker card
Made for Mollie on her first day at secondary school

My first shaker card

My first shaker card

A little book I made at a workshop !

A little book I made at a workshop !


Adjustable photo frames

Adjustable photo frames
Made using one sheet of 12 x 12 paper, some brads and a piece of ribbon



Post Pals - Putting a Smile on Childrens Faces