Saturday 1 April 2017

Crafts & Me - Things with Wings and a catch up

Good Evening!  Haven't been here for a while have I?  So much has happened since I last blogged, I've just had to take some time out for my own sanity.
Back in September, I learnt my father was terminally ill.  He was kind of aware but in denial.  My mother was also admitted to hospital last August having stubbed her toe and being diabetic on dialysis that was not good.  She ended up losing her leg then fell out of the chair in hospital afterwards, breaking her "good" ankle.  I had both parents set up to move to a nursing home not too far from myself and other family but unfortunately before she could get there I got that dreaded 2am call to say to get to the hospital immediately and we were too late.  My mum passed away at 2:40am on 6th Nov.  Needless to say my Dad went downhill pretty rapidly after that and I was with him holding his hand as he deteriorated over a weekend and passed away exactly 2 weeks later on 20th Nov.  Both were only 69 so it was quite a shock.

Adding to that I also have damaged the radial nerve in my right shoulder, I slept funny on it and its been sore since December.  I've had some physio so just need to persevere.  This sometimes also travels down my arm causing carpal tunnel which can be anything from mild discomfort to scale 9 pain.  I'm not 100% sure but that may be linked with my thyroid which I'm on meds for.

So I've had some time out as I still have a family to look after, work to go to, myself to look after.  Feeling a bit brighter after last weekend as the clocks went forward, much more light and I planted a couple of conference pears trees for my folks as they had 2 in their garden.

So onwards to summer and of course the things with wings come out.  Thats the bit I like least about summer is the buzzy stingy bitey things!  The theme this month over at Crafts & Me is Things with Wings but we're all going for a nicer winged thing such as fairies and butterflies.  You can of course use anything with wings!

For the challenge I have used Heart Pixie by Sara Burrier.  I do love this particular range of hers, they are so lovely to colour and look great in any colours you choose.





I've coloured this with coloursoft pencil on Kraft card, adding copious mounts of stickles glitter glue.  The base card is made with starburst stains, not sure you can get them anymore, they're a mica spray so its all sparkly.  Most of the flowers are also hand dyed in starburst stains and moonglow ink so again super sparkly :)

Anyway thanks for having me back, please leave me a comment to say hello and I'll pop over and visit you.

I'd love to enter my little card into the following challenges


Creative Moments - Anything goes (Spring colours - Mine is purple and green like the Viola's flowering now)


Saturday 1 October 2016

Crafts and Me challenge - World cardmaking day

Hellooooo!  We have a new challenge starting on Crafts and Me and to celebrate World Card Making Day today its simply to make a card, any card!

For this I'm using a stamp by Sara Burrier called Praying Puppy which is in the Crafts & Me store. I've coloured with pencils, added distress ink to the sides and gold paint dabber.  I'm using new toys with this one, I got glow in the dark paints and been having a bit of fun!  There are also tons of new Hannah Lynn digi's in the store, many halloween themed so I'm off to go play with them and my paint!
Paints are from Killabitzzz who do a really good quality paint unlike some of the other brands which have poor results or damage your work.
I'll try and get a better daylight pic but weather is so miserable at the moment!


In the dark :)



I've also been having more of a play recently as when we go away to the boat its difficult to take pens so I've opted lately for pencils and have got a thing for Kraft card.  This is another new Sara Burrier rubber stamp called Country Bumpkin, was really pleased how the skin tones turned out.


I'd like to enter into 

Fussy & Fancy - My favourite things (Kraft card, pencils and glow in the dark paint!)



Tuesday 20 September 2016

Fantasy Crafters #3

I don't know, late to the party again!  I've been away for a couple of weeks, haven't had a 2 week break in over 3 years!  Back into work full steam and a few other issues going on so I'm a tad disorganised but think I've got a handle on things now phew!

Anyway, we have a brand new challenge over at Fantasy Crafters and this month I opted again to challenge myself a little bit and learn how to use my pencils a bit better!  Image is done in a mix of derwent coloursoft and polychromos.  Have to say I much prefer the coloursoft which are much nicer to use.  The image I chose this month is Adrianna by my favourite Hannah Lynn and the card is sprayed with mica sprays and I laid a piece of kitchen towel over it when wet to give it some little subtle swirls.

I hope you can join us over at Fantasy Crafters this month, anything fantasy goes!




I'd like to enter into....





Also want to show this which I did for Crafts & Me challenge back on 1st but unfortunately didn't get time to put on my blog until now.  Again I was experimenting with pencils, this time on blue card.  Image is Ainia by Charmaine Flannery coloured in coloursoft and polychromos.  Background is mica sprays and I've overstamped some swirls in stazon white.  The corners are stamped and embossed.



I'd like to enter into....



Thanks for stopping by!


Monday 15 August 2016

Fantasy Crafters #2 - Anything (Fantasy) Goes sponsored by Crafts & Me

Evening all, still playing catch up!  I had a good day today, in my new job I can can work from home from time to time, its funny how much you actually get through without office distractions.  Last week they gave us Skype and it is absolutely fantastic to work from home with.  If I want my boss for a quick question I just IM him, make a call easy peasy and no messing with the teeny council issue nokia, I can copy and paste a number and dial, its absolutely great!  I've started Bling Wars with my headset though.  Of course I had to custom design it hehe!  I'm a crafter, its what we do!

Anyway onto my next card of the evening and that is for Fantasy Crafters.  We're a new blog just finding our feet and its for anyone who loves fantasy themed cards and creations. We're also sponsored by Crafts & Me who have kindly given us a £10 digi voucher to spend in their store.



I absolutely love anything fantasy related so this gives me a good kick to get creating.  I also made a promise to myself to try and use different techniques and products that I have knocking about so for this one I got out my Inktense pencils which I've had for maybe 7 years or so and scribble a little and put away again.  I saw a card coloured on Kraft and I don't have any Kraft I can print on so had a rummage and pulled out some card that would go through the printer and just played.  I couldn't quite get the skin tones right so persevered and used a mix of the white, poppy red, willow and a dark brown scribbled on a piece of card and just mixed them and played and I think I've done alright!  Its on sparkly gold card so has a lovely shimmer to it.
I had a further rummage and found some shimmer sprays by Carol's Crafts I probably picked up at a show sometime years ago.  They have held their colours beautifully.  I even embossed too so really rolling the boat out!

The image I used is Autumn by Hannah Lynn, I love colouring her as she suits any colours really not just autumnal.

I hope you can pop over and come and see the other designs by the Team and enter the challenge.



I'd like to enter into...

Sweet Stampin' - Favourite stamp (The Hero Arts fabulous flourish is a firm favourite!)

Crafts & Me August - Anything goes

OMG I'm such a numpty!  I write the challenge post over at Crafts and Me which I did on the 1st, added my card to there and completely forgot about posting on my blog!  Well I have had a busy couple of weeks, well hectic so mind has been focussed elsewhere!

Nevermind I'm here now and want to share with you what I've made.  I made it for somebody leaving work who loves her cats, and purple so thought she might enjoy this image which is Kitty's Kard by Hannah Lynn.  I've coloured with promarkers and added a touch of distress ink around the edges.
There's touches of gold glitter on the image using a sakura glue pen which are fab and I added a really blingy AB clear heart embellishment.
There's still time to enter our new challenge for August which is an easy peasy Anything Goes x



I'd like to enter into...

Classic Design Team open challenge - DT for Crafts & Me
Crafts Galore Encore - Stamp or digi
Crafty Hazelnut's patterned paper - Anything goes with patterned paper
Emerald Fairies - Make it bling
The sisters of craft - Anything goes