Watercolour Father's Day...

Hello Everyone!!

Just flying by with a very quick post as the end of the month has snuck up on me but I am determined to keep my 'One Post A Month for 2016' goal alive... this is the card I made for my Grandad for Father's Day this year...

My Grandad used to be in the RAF so planes are always a good idea for his cards... this one is a new SU! set from the Sale-abration sets... all it needs is a little ink or embossing powder and you're good to go!! :)

I created a quick and simple background with my new Molotow Masking Pen (purchased, like so many things, after seeing the uber-talented Debby Hughes using it a while ago!) by drawing in some sketchy clouds and then washing some gorgeous Gansai Tambi watercolour in blue over that... I've used the Molotow pens and fluid a few times now and I'm loving what they let me do!! :)

I cut the panel with and SSS Stitched die and then added a sentiment and a few perfectly-coordinated sequins to finish this simple but effective card off just nicely!! :)

{The List}

Cardstock - Simon Says Stamp - Fog

Stamps - Stampin' Up - Sky's the Limit Sale-abration Set; Winnie & Walter - The Big, the Bold and the Happy; Craftwork Cards - Typewriter Alphabet

Dies - Simon Says Stamps - Stitched Rectangles

Colouring Medium - Gansai Tambi Paints

Inks - Versamark

 Tools - Cuttlebug, Heat Tool

Embellishments - Little Things by Lucy's Cards Sequins - Forget-Me-Not Sparkly Shaker Selection

Challenges: SSS Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes; Addicted to CAS #91 - Fly

Right... it's 11:38pm so I'd better get this published and linked pronto!! ;) Thanks for stopping by... I'll hopefully be back with an 'In My Crafty Life' post for June before we get too far in to July as I really enjoyed doing that last month!! Have a great weekend, folks!! :)

#ThrowbackThursday :: Cute & Cuddly :)

Hello :)

Long time, no blog again... health stuff... life stuff... etc., etc.... I won't bore you all with the details or excuses again!! ;) I'm glad to be back, anyway, and thought I'd get things going again with an idea I had a while ago whilst going through the mountains of photos on my computer... I realised I have a huge number of photos of cards, jewellery and other crafty things from quite a while back which I have never got around to posting and, since I am finding myself with less energy for crafting (cardmaking in particular) at the moment, I thought I would start a little as-and-when series of throwback posts... which I will post on a Thursday and tag with the well known #ThrowbackThursday or #tbt hashtag :) I will still be posting new cards when I can, of course, but I'm hoping this may help me to fill the gaps of time a little ;) 

So... up first in my #tbt series, a little CBS Baby card from about 18 months ago...

It was for my cousin to celebrate the birth of her little girl... I kept it simple as I was having trouble with the old mojo at the time but I ended up loving it :)

A stamped, diecut and watercoloured giraffe, along with an assortment of stamped hearts on the notebook page and two sentiments, all from CBS, and then a sprinkling of diecut hearts and gems was all there was to it... of course, we crafters know nothing is ever as 'simple' as that at the time but, looking back on it now, it seems like should have been!! ;)

I also stamped a few of the hearts on the inside lining papers to prettify it all a little... excuse the slightly grey area between the two hearts on the inside front in the photo above- I stamped the baby's name and birthdate in that gap but blanked it out for my post :)

{The List}

Cardstock - PaperMill Direct - Baby Pink, White Linen and assorted scraps for the hearts

Stamps - Clearly Besotted Stamps - Cute & Cuddly, Baby Love, Many Thanks, Many Messages and Just A Note

Dies - Clearly Besotted Stamps - Cute & Cuddly; Simon Says Stamp - Holiday Shapes and Large Holiday Shapes; MFT - Notebook Edge

Inks - Memento - Rose Bud, Lulu Lavender, Angel Pink and Lilac Posies

Colouring Medium - Watercolour with Brilliance Pearlescent Purple and Pearlescent Orchid

Embossing - Versamark Ink and Crafter's Companion White Embossing Powder

Tools - Heat Gun

Embellishments - Docrafts Anita's - 3mm and 2mm gems

Finishing Touches - Sakura Stardust Pen - Clear

Challenges I'd like to enter: Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Anything Goes ; Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes ; Addicted to Stamps and More - Make Your Mark :)

I thought I would also share a pic of the felt heart decoration I made to send with the card with the little one's initial on it... this was my first felt decoration and, while not perfect by any means, I was pretty pleased with how it came out :) I did go on a search for a more solid felt after this though, as this wool/acrylic blend really wasn't very strong for sewing and stuffing... it is lovely and soft though and will get used for less demanding purposes :)

Okay, that's all from me today... I'll hopefully be back before *too* long, though, and will maybe share a few pics from my amazing outing to see the Cherry Blossoms at out local park last week, something that has been a dream through years of living housebound!! :) :) :)

Wonderful Watercolour...

Hello :)

I'm back with a card today- I've not been well enough to make many cards at all since before Christmas but this last week I've managed to make four... most of them very simple but I'm very happy!! :) 

If any of you follow my little blog over on Facebook or Instagram, you may have already seen a sneak of this card as I was simply so excited I had to share it straight away...

... but I have since taken some better pictures on my proper camera so please keep reading!! ;)

Last week saw yet another fabulous release from Stephanie at Clearly Besotted... I seem to say this almost every time but I really think this may be my favourite release so far!! :) I couldn't wait to play with this particular set as it is just stunning... so I just had to drag myself to my desk the evening they arrived despite not really feeling too well... and I am so glad I did as I love what I made!! :)

Having seen so many of the fabulous DT creating gorgeous samples from this set with watercolour, I decided it was time I gave it another go... and for once, it actually came out looking the way I wanted it to!! :) If I had had the energy, I would have danced for joy!! ;D ;D I used the 'Wet on Wet' technique, which is truly wonderful with a heat embossed image as the embossing pools the paint so beautifully :) I also added some ink splatters... my technique with this needs some serious practise as I ended up being a little (okay, a lot!) heavy handed when trying to get a *few* *slightly* larger splatters :/ lol 

{The List}

Cardstock - Papermill Direct - Smooth Cream

Stamps - Clearly Besotted Stamps - Friends Forever

Inks - Versamark

Tools - Heat Tool

Embossing Powder - WOW! Metallic Brass

Colouring Medium - Distress Inks - Tattered Rose, Spun Sugar, Picked Raspberry, Wild Honey, Forest Moss, Peeled Paint, Weathered Wood, Pumice Stone

Finishing Touches - Shimmer Sprays - Perfect Pearls Perfect Pearl, Tattered Angels Antique Gold, Wink of Stella Clear

{Challenges}

Simon Says Stamp - All Things Bright and Beautiful

And I'll leave you with another quick pic from my Instagram of my messy desk... believe it or not I had already done some of the tidying away at this point!! ;)

Thanks for reading, I'll hopefully see you soon!! :) Have a good week folks!! :)