Autumn/Fall colours at Crafts and Me

Evening all.  Fog is rolling in thick and fast here.  I've finally put the heating on and going to be snuggling down with the family to watch Hotel Transylvania for the evening.  We watched Hotel Transylvania 2 in the cinema the other day and it was brilliant, really funny.

Its my favourite time of year for card making, autumn.  I love using autumn colours and love seeing all the creations around with the rich browns, greens, oranges, reds, yellows and golds, love it!

The challenge this month at Crafts and Me is to use Autumn/Fall Colours.  For this I made a Thank You card using the new "Ravenora" by Hannah Lynn.  She's an absolute dream to colour.  I used promarkers and copics, added ink around the edges.  The papers are mostly handmade using autumn leaves starburst stains and moonshadow ink for the extra sparkle.  The larger flowers have also been dyed with moonshadow ink and starburst stains.

I'd like to enter into

Graph'It Colour Challenge - Autumn colours
Sisterhood of crafters - Fall
Crafting with friends - Anything goes
Simply Papercrafts - Anything Goes
4Crafty Chicks - Anything goes
Crafty Girls Creations - Anything Goes
Crafting with attitude - Anything Goes
Crafty Gals Corner - Anything Goes
Creative Moments - Anything Goes
The Crafty Palette - Anything goes autumn colour palette
Simon says Stamp - Anything goes
Ruby's Rainbow challenge - Birds of a feather
Digi chooseday challenge - Fav colour combo

Halloween at Crafts and Me

Hello!!!  I'm back again with a new creation for Crafts & Me Halloween Challenge.  For this I went with monochrome and chose Elainia by Hannah Lynn who is a cute little Vampire.  I thought I had some black flowers but a rummage through my stash and I have everything but black!  I did find these Cala Lilies though which I thought went well with the theme (I think it could also be used as a gothy birthday card)
I've coloured with promarkers in cool greys.  For the hair which you might find a bit scary from the stamp I just flicked lines ending in black (use a fine nib or a tria marker for the extra fine lines)
The face and skin I used the blender, cool grey 1, 2 and 3.

The background papers are Crafts and Me Floral Fantasy Monotone.  I mounted on a shimmer white card and some black/violet core'denations card which is a black card stock you scratch the top layer off to reveal the colour "core" in this case a violet.  I've added some white pearls and mirror squares.

I'd like to enter into...

Creatalicious - Halloween
Crafts Galore Encore - Halloween
Noor! Designs UK - Halloween
Crafting with dragonflies - Anything goes
Hiding in my craft room - Monochromatic
Crafty Calender - Halloween
CraftyCatz - Fantasy/Fairy
Really Reasonable Ribbon - Halloween
Simply Papercraft - Anything goes
Stempelsonne Challenge - Anything goes
Clear it out - Anything goes (cala lilies must be 10 years old!)

Vintage at Crafts & Me

Afternoon all!  Long time no blog!  Been busy, job changes and just life in general.  I've been colouring here and there and finally getting round to making some cards up.

Just a reminder you can enter the Vintage challenge over at Crafts and Me up until 3rd Sept before we have a brand new challenge on Friday.

For this challenge I used a Hannah Lynn called Punch of Color girls 7.  This one reminded me of Katy Perry :)

I've used promarkers then added distress ink to the edges and distressed the background paper with scissors and ink.  Most of the flowers have been dyed with moonshadow ink and starburst stains.

Thanks for looking and I'll be back soon as just finishing off a few more :)

I'd like to enter into

Frilly & Funkie - Vintage - A touch of gold

I Love Promarkers - Anything Goes

Crafting with Friends - Anything goes

Really Reasonable Ribbon - Autumn colours with ribbon

Simply Papercraft - Anything goes

Crafting with attitude - Anything goes

Crafty Girls Creations - Anything Goes

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Hannah Lynn quick make

Morning all!  I'm on the move again, start another new job on Tuesday which will hopefully lead to where I want to go ultimately.  I'm actually looking forward to it and have got over the "meeting new people" nerves as everyone in Denbighshire was lovely so moving around isn't so traumatic afterall :)
Off to sunny Wirral this time to do safeguarding and DoLS so I'm happy with that.

Today I have a really quick make for you.  I know some of you see other people's colouring and think I could never do that or are afraid to show your creations then this is a really quick and easy one that looks good and you don't have to be the best colourist on the block to do it.

The image I used is by my favourite Hannah Lynn and is called Punch of colour girls 8 available along with loads of other fab designs from Hannah at Crafts and Me

For the hair I used  light and a mid colour promarkers in pink, blue, purple, yellow and green.  Dot around randomly with your lighter colours to fill in the hair area and then use the darker shades on top but add less than the lighter ones.  Fill it in until you're happy with it and colour the face in as normal.  I would normally be a lot more detailled on the face but this is a quick make so only has a couple of layers.  I used purple, pink and yellow on the fan then distress ink around the edges and a gold dauber quite roughly to finish.

The background is also Crafts and Me, its from the Floral Fantasy 6x6 set and I used a program to turn it greyscale.  Try something free online if you don't have one like Pixlr Editor which you can use online and don't have to download anything.

Hope its been useful and you give it a try!

I'd like to enter into

Sister Act card challenge - Anything goes
Party time tuesdays - Anything goes
Crafting from the heart - Anything goes
Craft your passion - Anything goes

Circes at Crafts & Me

Morning all!  Where has this last month gone?  As usual been a busy bee, spending time on the boatervan and having adventures and wooooooork!

Consequently I'm running a little late to the party and have a new card for the Crafts and Me challenge which this month is Circles.  Pop on over for some lovely inspiration from my teamies too, they've really stepped up to the plate on this one.

I've used Willow digi by Hannah Lynn  coloured with promarkers.  The background is handmade, if you scroll down I'll walk you through it.  The clock die has been altered with Viva croco cracking paint in silver, just slap it on nice and thick and let it dry for about a day.  I put mine on my fishtank hood to dry it from underneath.

Background walk through.  First take a piece of card stock (250gsm and above) and paint on some walnut ink.  I've used Moonshadow Ink which is a walnut stain tinted with colour which is gorgeous.  Next, whilst it's wet, drop on some ROCK SALT. Yep rock salt.  They make the pitted dots you can see on the pic.  Set it aside to dry and then brush the salt right off.

Next have a rummage around the house for something circular.  I used the lid off a roll on deodorant I'd just finished.  Have another rummage for anything "painty" - Acrylic paint, liquid pearls, distress dabbers, what you fancy.  I used pink liquid pearls and dabbed around my circle lid and stamped straight on.  I'm throwing it out anyhow but if you needed to clean set some baby wipes aside.  I then used some green distress pain dauber and did the same and finally my gold distress dauber and just splatted that right on as its circular afterall.
Easy peasy!

Here's a close up of my hair.  I used the fine tips on promarkers and just intermingled frency navy, lush green and mulberry and blended in with powder blue, apple and baby pink.  The lighter colours I only used one or two on each strand so you get a dominant colour giving a more rainbow look. Flick the darker shades in from each corner at varying lengths and combinations so blue and pink, blue and green, pink blue and green mix them right up.

Thanks for stopping by and hope I've been useful!

I'd like to enter into...

Crafty Cardmakers - Make your own background
One crazy stamper - Anything goes
Rosey hearts - Things with wings
Crafting Muskateers - Use a diecut
Crafting from the heart - Anything goes
Craft your passion - Anything goes
Crafty Boots - Things with wings



Vix

Photo Inspiration at Crafts & Me

Evening all!  I have a great challenge for you tonight from Crafts & Me.  The winner for April will receive the full set of the first release of Art by MiRan stamps so as they say you have to be innit to winnit!

For this challenge we are using a photo inspiration which was kindly supplied by Karen Marshall and is a view from Anglesey, isn't it just a beautiful pic.

I've coloured up Aurora 11 by The East Wind digi stamp from Crafts & Me.  There's some stunning stamps in stock in digi and rubber there and also 20% off at the minute.

I interpreted the image as a Spring sunrise so picked out the sun in the centre and coloured the centre flower in the red/orage/yellow from the pic with promarkers.
The photo has every colour of the rainbow in, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet as well as brown and black so you really can use almost anything.
I originally coloured her blonde but felt she disappeared somewhat when I added the yellow around the edge so went with brown to represent the trees in the pic.

I stamped the word Spirit and added some glittery flowers.  Image coloured with promarkers and a little coloursoft pencil to the hair.

Thanks for looking!

I'd like to enter into...

Crafty Catz - Anything goes
Fairy Tales - Many colours
Simply papercraft - Anything goes
Stemplesonnen challenge - Image as main focus

A pair of Blues

Evening all, I'm back again, bit like a bus me really hey?  Hope you're enjoying a few extra days off, thats if you're lucky enough to and thinking of those in the 24/7 services.

Well what's new?  I'm learning knitting!  I'm actually doing ok!  Several have tried to teach me but it just didn't click.  The ladies at a dementia day centre tried and laughed lots that I just couldn't get it, my Nan has attempted a few times without success but Miss Mookins started knitting club at home and she could do it I thought I'd better learn so I can actually help her.  Had a mooch round you tube and what I found is that there are lots of different ways and I had too search around until I found one I could follow, I think its very much each to their own and you'll find one that suits you.  I'm currently making a headband/ear warmers, only a couple of holes so far so I'm getting better!

Anyway I have 2 cards for you tonight.  Yes I'm joined again by Miss Moo who loves colouring in all my images, stash raider!

The first one is a new image called Mornings by Jeremiah Ketner available as a digi from Crafts & Me.  I LOVED colouring this one in, I could see her as a monotone but she looks awesome in any colour combo, have fun with this one as she is a pleasure to colour. I did this one with promarkers.
I asked on the Facebook group how I should put the card together, lots of bitty bobs or keep it simple and the latter was the consensus.  The white card I just doodled on with an acrylic pen.  The stars I filled in with a sakura glue pen and added glamour dust crystal glitter, I also added to the flowers.  I went round the edges with distress inks as this makes the image pop out.  I use the distress ink tool and pads and pull from the outside in starting with the lightest colour (broken china) and ending with black, I don't have a black distress so just use the brilliance ink.

I'd like to enter into....

Passion for promarkers - Blue skies

Moving along with the times - Birthstone colour (December)

Brown Sugar - Use glitter

Simply Papercraft - Anything goes

Sister Act card challenge - Anything goes

Creatalicious - Anything goes

Noor! Design UK - Anything goes

Next up is one from Miss Moo who has informed me she is now 6 and 3/4!  She loves entering challenges, she gets so excited reading her comments.  She was let loose with some flexmarkers, think she did a great job, she's very funny about going over the lines and tuts at me when I do haha!  This one is Glowing Love Boy by Sara Burrier from Crafts & Me.  The background is a fab set also from Crafts & Me here.  They're lovely printables, this one was coloured a different way so I use an online editor like Pixlr and change the colour settings then save a new version.  That way the papers go much further and you will always have something that matches your project as if you're anything like me you always colour first then rummage round trying to find things to match!

Molly would like to enter into....

613 Avenue Create

Crafty Catz - Anything goes

Digitally sweet - Anything goes

Really Reasonable Ribbon - Things with wings

Cute as a button - Anything goes

I love promarkers - Kids have fun

Simon says stamp - Happy Birthday

Sisterhood of crafters - Come fly with me

Thanks for stopping by x 

World Autism Awareness Day

Morning all!  How are we all feeling this bright and sunny day, well we can hope can't we!  Today is a very special day in the calendar, its World Autism Day!
As you may or may not know both my son Ethan and I have Aspergers which now falls under the autism umbrella however as far as I'm concerned we're still Aspies :p
Being a female with Aspergers isn't as rare as was previously thought, the studies were just of boys so there are still tons and tons of us female aspies out there who probably haven't been diagnosed yet, I didn't get mine until 3 years ago!  Here's a site with a list of female aspie traits - interesting read :)

Anyway, I have created this card for Lacy Sunshine called Peyton's Puzzle Enchantress in hommage to World Autism Day, whats more its off in the post for a surprise for another aspie girl who is celebrating her birthday next week and her mom has arranged for a few of us to send her a card however that number has now grown considerably and I think she'll be blown away by the response she's getting :)

A bit about the card.  The image was coloured with promarkers, I use the promarker fine nibs for the tiny flicks.  I used a glue pen on the jigsaw wings and added glamour dust.  The jigsaw pieces are from a blank jigsaw which I bought from the craft shop in Llandudno - Yes its still there (I get asked sometimes!)  They have really good sets of 6 of them in a pack which will be brilliant for mixed media.  They're also coloured with promarkers and I edged with a gold acrylic dabber.
The wording around the image was a simple text box in MS Word as you can change the direction of the wording and hide the box :)

I'd like to enter into...

Crafting by designs - Anything goes

Inspiration destination - Anything goes

Penny's paper crafty - Anything goes

Sisterhood of crafters - Come fly with me

Fairytale stampers - Anything goes

Suzy Bee's Bloomin challenge - Anything goes/add sentiment

Serenity

Evening all.  Hope all the mummies out there have had a nice relaxing day.  We spent last night on Boo's new boat Amanzi (Zulu for Water) and first time the kids have slept over on a boat.  T'was very comfy indeed, you could not tell we were on a boat at all, we call it the Boatervan!
Can't wait for some summer adventures now :)

I have one to share tonight then off to do more scribbling and CV writing.  This one is Hearts on Bench by Robin Pushay which I've actually done in pencils!  Not like me I know but thought I'd have a go!  I did feel that doing her dress in orange made her look a bit naked from a distance so I added some spots with the molotow pen and job done ;)

I had a rummage through my peel offs (another shock horror from me!) and found this one I must have had for about 10 years lol!  See never throw anything away you never know when it will come in useful!

Hope you like and please do pop by Crafts and Me as there are some fantastic new artists there including Robin Pushay, Hannah Lynn, Jeremiah Ketner, The East Wind and Sara Burrier or the Crafts and Me Facebook group as there's a freebie to be had there at the mo!

This is our Molly and I on Amanzi with our new friend Timmy the Swan.  Molly must have called him a goose 20 times!  He introduced himself yesterday when I was loading the boat and trying to step off the dock to the boat by hissing at me!  He's chilled out a bit now :)

I'd like to enter my card into

Allsorts - Flowers & Pearls
Crazy for challenges - Bring on the bling
Fairy Tale - Flower Power
Fab n Funky - Focus on image
Penny's Paper Crafty - Ribbon & Bows

Crafts & Me Challenge - Flowers

Evening all!  Gosh where did that month go?  Its flown by!  I've had all change this past month, I just started a new job which is much much closer to home which is really nice.  My views now are sheep and hills.  I loved working in Liverpool but the travelling every day and roadworks got a bit too much and its NOISY!  I had a whole office to myself a couple of times this week and I'm resisting the urge not to break out singing Oh so quiet!

Anyway I'm back with a new creation for Crafts & Me challenge, this month is to "Add Flowers"  I've coloured the new Sharlotta by Hannah Lynn.  I went for this one as a kind of homage to Liverpool as she reminds me of the girls I see in town on Fridays with their rollers in!
The tail has some very fine detail on, I used a blender pen to get the scales then a clear glitter.  I also added clear glitter bubbles to the background.  The necklace and headband white dots are done with molotow acrylic pen, these are fab and dont clog up like the sakura equivalents.

Please do pop by the Crafts & Me blog to join in the challenge this month and see the fab creations from the rest of the team.  There is an awesome prize of 5 yes 5 stamps by Aurora Wings which are a brand new release this month!  Here's just 3 of them up for grabs!

Crafty Cardmakers - Stripes

Fan-Tastic Tuesday - Add ribbon

Papertake weekly - Anything goes

Through the craft room door - Anything goes

Bunny Zoe's - For the girls

Craft your passion - Anything goes

Fairytale stampers - Anything goes

My time to craft - Fantasy

Digitally sweet - Anything goes

A welcome return to Crafts & Me

Afternoon all!  Hopefully it is the afternoon as I scheduled the post, I should actually be hard at work about now and haven't scheduled a post in donkey's so hopefully it worked!

As you know I'm dipping my toe back into blogging and I make things here and there but what I lack really is motivation.  I thrive on challenge or reaching goals or I do tend to procrastinate and get distracted (I'm sure you all recognise that!) so I asked on one of the digi groups on facebook if anyone knew any monthly challenges with a DT call and I was answered by a few (thanks so much!) and Teresa over at Crafts & Me spotted and asked me to rejoin her team, needless to say I jumped at it as I spent quite some time with this team a while back and I do still admin on the Crafts & Me Facebook Group - Whaaaaat a facebook group? - YES, come show off your fab Crafts & Me creations!
So its a welcome return to the Crafts & Me Design Team :)

The challenge over at Crafts & Me Challenge & Inspiration this month is to Use a Ribbon.
I used a digi by Hannah Lynn called Mimi (Hint: which is also perfect for valentines!)
She's coloured with promarkers and flexmarkers and I used vintage photo distress ink round the papers (First edition: Love Letters)
I added some paper roses, pink and brown ones dyed with moonshadow ink and some 1" brown chiffon ribbon overlayed with rose coloured 1/4".  The crystal hearts I bought at a show a while back (saved for best as you do!) and the frames I have no idea where I got them from but may well be the craft shop in Llandudno.  The butterflies are punched from holographic silver then coloured in with a brown promarker, they didn't photograph very well and look streaky but you cant see that in the flesh.
Finally the sentiment is made from individual peel off letters - CARIAD which means SWEETHEART in Welsh.

Do hope you can join us this month, its easy peesy add a ribbon x

 

 

I'd like to enter into...

 

Bunny Zoes - Hearts

Dream Valley - Valentines Day

Aurora Wings - Valentines

Crafty Boots - Hearts & Valentines

Make it Monday with Kraft Outlet - Valentines

Digi Galore - Anything goes

Allsorts - Flower Power

CRAFT - Valentines

Crafty Catz - Stitching real or faux
Kit & Clowder - Anything goes

 

New baby and one from Molly

Evening all!  Thanks for stopping by.  I have a couple to share tonight, a new baby girl for my team leader who's just recently had her first baby and our Molly wants to join in the fun so expect to see some creations from her here and there as she's been itching to join in.

News is I passed my Best Interests Assessor course so I'm fully qualified to do Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards assessments.  Haven't done a big course in ages so I'm quite pleased!  Next mission is to start learning Welsh, even just basic to get by Welsh.  I can read a bit (mainly roadsigns!) but need to hear it spoken a lot more to pick it up so will look for an evening class later on in the year and maybe get a CD for the car.

Anyways first up is Baby Girl Bundle by Pink Gem Designs.  Coloured with promarker and added dots with my molotow pen and glamour dust.  Papers are First Edition love letters, added a strip of iridescent ribbon and a couple of flower gems, kept it quite simple as things tend to fall off over the years.

 

 

 

I'd like to enter into...

 

Sparkle n Sprinkle - Anything goes

Whoopsi daisy - pretty in pink

Left of Center - One for the kids

 

 

Next up we have our Molly's creation.  She nicked one of my Saturated Canary images and coloured with her Crayola pens.  She's welcome to my extensive collection of papers but I think she's a bit of a CAS girl and wanted to just make her own backgrounds.

 

Molly would like to enter into.....

 

One stitch at a time - Anything goes with the colour purple

Simon says stamp - Anything goes

Craft your passion - Anything goes

Without words - Je T'aime

613 Avenue create - anything goes/doodling

Glitter n sparkle - Anything goes

 

Twice in a week

Wow I must be on a roll, two cards in a week, must be time to go back to work, oh it is :( 
Have enjoyed some time off with the kids, our Molly loves colouring so I got her some Crayola pens, I'm not quite ready to let her loose on my promarkers just yet.  I know what she's like and will have permanent pen puddles on the furniture and table so for now she can have Crayola.

Went to a local panto of Snow white last night at Theatr Colwyn, the kids loved it!  We haven't been to a panto with the kids before as they usually go with school so I think that needs to become a Christmas tradition now to make an effort and go out to one :)

Did you get anything nice for Xmas?  Boo got me a coffee maker so I can make my own Latte's at home, we haven't slept since xmas day ha!

Anyway I'm back with another, this is Elven Princess by Aurora Wings which I coloured over about 5 days inbetween a New Year clean.  I spotted these on Facebook so thought I'd drop by the shop and wasn't disappointed!  I used various dye inks on the edges, as I said in last post that really makes the image pop and I got me a new white pen which I'm having a ball with, called a Molotow pen, these are fab as its white acrylic in a pen, I'm sure you've been there with the banging and tapping of other white pens to get them to work well give this a go (I got 2mm nib) as you can see I went a bit mad with it ha!

Anyways the background is starburst stains dotted with new pen on a background by Crafts and Me (Floral fantasy)  I added lots of bling with some new sticky gems and mirror gem and the gold metal flowers with pearl centres I got from Chloe's Crafts at Port Sunny.  Added some very glittery gold ribbon and coloured in some butterly punches which were cut out of shimmery card.

I've got someone in mind to send this to, hope they like it :)  Thanks for looking!

I'd like to enter into...

Aurora Wings Challenge - All that glitters
Corrosive Challenge - Shiny & New
A gem of a challenge - Something new
Card Mania - Make it Sparkle
Emerald Faeries - All about the bling
That's Crafty! - Blue is the colour
CRAFT - Colour combo
Glitter n Sparkle - anything goes

Back in the land of blogging

Evening all!  I'm back again lol!  Thought I'd get more time in the winter, nope still a busy busy bee, think you really have to make time rather than expect to find it!
Still loving life in Wales, we've explored lots and lots, have our favourite places.  We've been out on the boat quite a bit, I discovered my sea sickness even when the sea is as smooth as glass.  I used to be in the Royal Navy Reserves as well go figure!  We even saw the dolphins swim past us *Squuuuuuueeeeeeeeee*  I'd been looking for them since we moved here and I saw them yay!  I love going over to Penmon Point in Anglesey, it has THE most awesome rock pooling going.  I could spend all day rock pooling!
Its funny we moved right by a beach in Colwyn Bay but you'd hardly ever find me there as I like pottering round the rocks, Colwyn Bay is a long expanse of sand and more sand so we pootle over to Penrhyn Bay and go crab fishing or The Beacons in Conwy, I love The Beacons especially when the tide is freshly out and the sand is new, it feels almost tropical.

Anyway other news is I'm having a nail biting time, I've been back to Uni for a course to qualify as a Best Interests Assessor so am a bag of nerves now as we get the results of the essay on the 9th, I haven't written an essay since 1999!

Kids are doing well, settled into school.  Ethan is completely and utterly fixated on Minecraft, if he's not playing it he's watching tutorials on you tube and sucking all the bandwidth! 
Molly has been colouring and getting quite good at it too so bought her a set of Crayola pens, not bad quality hey, not happy about letting her loose on my promarkers just yet though!

Hope you all had a good Christmas and wishing you all a fab New Year!

Anyway I made a card, yes I did!  I'm also 3/4 way through colouring another image, well I have been off work since xmas eve so have had a little more time!
This is a Tiddlyinks stamp called Dark Queen.  We got Maleficent on 3d for Xmas and I highly recommend, fantastic film. 
I coloured with promarkers and added some coloursoft pencil.  The trees are hand sketched with promarkers and blender pen, wanted them as a blurry background type effect.  I then edged with distress inks, doesn't half make the image stand out when you do that!
Clock is a die cut and I've added dots of glitter, gems, dyed lace and some flowers, the big ones are also dyed with moonshadow ink which I them cooked in the convection cooker to speed up drying hehe!  Papers are from god only knows stack, I have that many I lose track of which is which!  I punched a border on the brown one too.
I had some challenges in mind for this which I've listed below.  Hope you like and hopefully I'll be back again a lot sooner!

 

 

I'd like to enter into...

Passion for Promarkers - Mega Christmas Challenge - OMG girls, I had to keep checking back on the grid thinking dang I've not got a line yet haha!  I'm going with 3 lines now after all that and have "punches, glitter and blooms" and also the middle line of "gems, free and lace or die cut, free and glitter"

I Love Promarkers - Anything goes
Crafty Catz - Anything goes
Divas by Design - Anything goes
Simon says stamp - Anything goes
Creative Card Crew - Anything goes
Corrosive Challenge - Anything goes