Inspiration from Carol Quance for PaperArtsy challenge

Hello and welcome,

Over on the PaperArtsy blog the lovely and very talented Carol Quance has been giving us lots of inspiration this week with some fabulous projects but as I had rather a lot on my plate this past week I had decided I really didn't have time to join in the challenge.  However, it kept niggling at me and on the spur of the moment late yesterday evening I decided to have a go at something taking Carol's first gorgeous project of the week as my inspiration.  I don't have one of the pencil cases Carol used (must rectify that very soon) so I dug a little box out of my stash to alter. 

Please bear in mind that I did all the work on this box by artificial light including taking the photographs and I have a distinct feeling that when I see it in daylight later in the morning (it's currently 01.30) I am not going to be happy with the paint job, lol!  When I was editing the photos just now, the paint looks patchy to me but I'll reserve judgement till daytime.  I hope I still like it though because the crackle is gorgeous!  No 'how to' in this post as I've more or less followed Carol's method HERE.

Do pop over to the PaperArtsy blog if you get chance.  August has seen the 10th birthday of this fabulous company and there have been blog posts every day throughout the month from some wonderful designers together with a weekly challenge and random draw giveaways.  I was a lucky winner of some fab newly released stamps last week ;D!

Right, I'm off to link my little box to the challenge and then it's off to bed.  I'm going to be busy in the morning getting ready for my lovely daughter to come visit for a few days with Izzy and Charlie so I won't get much chance for blog hopping and none at all for crafting I should think.  Never mind, it will still be there when they go home and time with them is precious 'cos they are growing up far too fast.

Enjoy what's left of the weekend, including the extra day off for us here in England, and I hope the week ahead is a good one for you all.

Until next time

Hugs
Lesley  Xx

It's a Happy Birthday to one of my VIPs!

Hello and Good Morning to everyone.  It's always lovely to 'see' you, lol!

Today someone who has become very dear to our family has a birthday so HAPPY BIRTHDAY (V)YVONNE and I hope you're having a wonderful day being thoroughly spoiled.  Yvonne is my DS Jamie's lovely partner and 'Vyvonne' is how his little girl, Alexa used to say her name when they first met and even though she can say it properly now it's sort of stuck, lol!

Here they are on a day at Chester Zoo that we had together a couple of months ago.

Anyway, I had a mad dash (for me, lol) yesterday because instead of making her birthday card as I was supposed to on Monday evening, I decided to make her a pendant as I still had my Melt Pot out from doing the ATCs in my previous post.  Then, I must have been dreaming about making the card during the night because when I woke up yesterday morning I had the idea that I'd got to make a card, a gift bag and a couple of tags.  I don't know what came over me but I wish it happened more often, ;D!

This was the result of my dreaming and I just managed to get them finished and photographed before Jamie came to collect them.

The card, gift bag and tags are all quite clean and simple, a style I seem to have dropped into recently so I won't go into the how to details.  If there is anything you want to ask about them leave me a comment and I'll respond but here are more detailed photos.

The giftbag with a peek of the scarf which was one of her pressies

The card.  The stamps are from Indigo Blu except for the main butterfly which is from a PaperArtsy set.

And this is the impromptu pendant.

Having watched Hels' fab Melt Pot shows on craft telly a few months ago I was determined to get my much neglected pot out before too long so I bought the heart bezel (plus a few more, ahem) and the Spellbinder dies to go with them (from Country View Crafts - fab service and good prices too) and then ................ they sat there and ................. they sat there.  I'm so glad France Papillon got me going with her inspirational beeswax covered ATCs over on the PaperArtsy blog last week otherwise they'd probably still be sitting there.  Anyway, I was really pleased with the result and as I'm scheduling this post as of yesterday evening, I can't wait to find out if Yvonne likes it too.

I forgot to mention poor Yvonne had an operation on her foot last week so is more or less chair bound for another week, then crutches for a further 4-6 so I hope her birthday cheers her up a bit ........ the poor lass is bored silly!

I hope all my visitors here in the UK have something lovely planned for the Bank Holiday weekend we have coming up.  We have a visit from 3 more of my VIPs to look forward to ....... DD Jenna and grandchildren, Izzy and Charlie so looking forward to some special cuddles.

Till next time

Hugs

Lesley  Xx

Aaargh, am I gonna make it???

Hi Everyone,

Good Morning on this beautiful sunny Sunday.  By necessity this is going to be the shortest of blog post for me, the habitual waffler.  I've was inspired by France Papillon HERE on the PaperArtsy blog last week and for the first time in at least 3 years I got out my Melt Pot and beeswax.

I won't give you any details of what I did because I more or less followed France's tutorial I think except for the encaustic wax stuff which I don't have, so I did more layers of beeswax.  These are the results and whilst not perfect I am quite chuffed with them ;D.

 

Waddya think?  If you click on the pic you should be able to see my mistakes, lol!

Off to add my link to the fab PaperArtsy challenge.  Load of brilliant entries this week and I am just so pleased with myself that I managed to do one this time (only my second entry 'cos I'm too slow to catch a cold).

Byeeee!

Hugs

Lesley  Xx

Eeeek! It's Snazzy's time again!

Helloooo lovely visitors and welcome on this lovely Monday morning............. well actually as I'm scheduling this post I don't yet know if it's going to be lovely or not but let's think positive for now, lol!

Yes, it's time for me to post on Snazzy's DT blog again and the Eeeeek! is because it ain't 'alf coming round quick every month!  Some bright spark keeps posting on my Twittter timeline every Saturday telling me exactly how many weeks, days, minutes, etc., it is to Christmas!!!! Did you know it's only 19 WEEKS TILL CHRISTMAS, lol!  Are you panicking yet?

Anyway, this month over on Snazzy's DT blog we have had some beautiful papers to play with and here is a little snippet of my offering which you can whizz over to see in it's entirety by clicking HERE.

I hope you have time to pop over and leave me a little comment and then leave a comment on Gillian's first post of the month if  you'd like to win these papers plus a set of Hero Arts border stamps and a stencil.

Have a good week everyone and until next time

Hugs
Lesley  Xx

A Card for my Mum

Hello everyone and thanks for dropping by.

Just over a week ago it was my Mum's birthday and although creative card ideas have been a bit thin on the ground recently I knew I had to make one and not resort to buying .............. she'd never forgive me, lol!  Now, a week or so before Mum's birthday I went over to the opening of Indigo Blu's new shop and I have to say it I was very impressed.  If you're thinking of popping over, the shop is only going to be open 1 Saturday a month I think so check first.  Anyway, I was late getting there and after a good browse in the beautifully set out shop which has lots of artwork on display, I almost missed the demos.  I did manage to catch a few bits though and there was one card I glimpsed that stuck in my mind so I decided to make my version.  I think it was Indigo Blu DT member Linda whose table I saw the card on so I do hope I'm giving credit to the right person.  If I'm wrong and someone would like to let me know I'll change that detail.

This is a clean and simple card for me and I knew my Mum would love it especially the colours I chose.

NB If you click on the pics you can see an enlargement of the images.

I used a selection of Versamark chalk inks to stamp the images which are Indigo Blu's set called Stylised Flowers.

For one single flower I used black Versafine and when it was completely dry I placed a mask I had made by cutting a circle from a piece of card over it and blended Distress Inks over the flower.  I removed the mask and added tiny spots of Glamour Dust fine glitter.

I stamped the sentiment which is from a Chocolate Baroque set (love that font) along the bottom again using black Versafine.

Finally I added the ribbon and the diecut butterfly and then layered onto co-ordinating card and then again onto the basecard.

That's it from me today.  Thanks again to Linda for the inspiration and thank you for your visit today. Until next time ..........

Hugs
Lesley  Xx