It's Only Words and .............

the BeeGees have always been one of my favourite groups and that song another of my favourites.

Good Morning Everyone,

This Sunday morning started out a bit damp and very dull but at 2:00 pm it's starting to brighten up a bit.  Typically for a UK bank holiday weekend it's definitely a tad chilly with the wind though which is a shame for those hoping to make the most of the outdoors.  No problem for me though as I am quite happy at home this weekend ;-)

It's time for swapping tags and ATCs with the group I'm in and the theme for this swap is 'Words'.  I loved this theme when it was announced but because of our recent family bereavement I haven't had much time (or mojo) and thought I wasn't going to make it but I got a spurt on over the past few days and my stuff is ready to post on Tuesday.

Tags

I was at a loss where to start and was going through some bits and pieces I'd saved from workshops years ago where I found the above tags which had been used for techniques but never made anything with.  It's so long ago I can't even remember what was on the first one but the second just had a lovely image stamped with Golden Interference paste and I built on it from there.  I'm pretty sure you'll be able to see it if you click on the pic and it created a lovely resist.

Over on the PaperArtsy blog the current challenge is, by coincidence, Words and there have been some absolutely wonderful blog posts to inspire us all starting with THIS ONE but there are several of the DT whose post have techniques I've used on these tags.  As I've used several PaperArtsy stamps and other products I hope my swap buddies don't mind me linking these up to the challenge this time. 

 

 I was quite pleased with the ATCs too because I used two previously unused stamps for the background (Inkylicious wood grain and a PaperArtsy stamp which is basically little bits of different script and finally the main image is another unused stamp by Chapel Road.

Since my last post when I shared all the gorgeous handmade birthday cards I'd received I've been lucky enough to extend my birthday a little because I've had a couple of beautiful late arrivals....

Kirsten 

 Thank you Kirsten it's fabulous! 

Debbie

This card was actually from the Chocolate Baroque birthday card swap group which is a closed group but it was designed and made by Debbie.

And if you made it to the end of the post here's another photo from my garden.  I used to have lots of these stunning double daffies but think the slugs have got them all bar this one. Isn't it a beauty!

Hugs

Lesley  Xx

And a 'not so quick' Birthday Card post......

Hi Everyone,

Last week I had a birthday (60+++.... :D) and count myself so lucky to have some extremely talented crafting friends so my lounge was beautifully decorated by awesome creations for a week.  Before I put my gorgeous cards in my box of treasures to be taken out and lovingly stroked every so often yesterday I got round to taking photos and share them now with you all.  I've added the blog links where possible and you would find some fab inspiration on each one!

Here we go in no particular order.........

Claire

Lynne

Sally

Linda

Sam

Helen

Margaret

Lin

Julie Ann

Blogger seems to be playing up for Julie Ann's link.  I do hope it works because her blog is very special!!!

Not only did I get the gorgeous card but she also sent me one of her fabulous peg dolls. Isn't she wonderful and I need to choose a name ;D!

Sarah

Corrine 

Hazel

Hazel also decorated the envelope with the same fab seed pod image but I forgot to take a pic :-(

Chris

I can't find a link anywhere for Chris's blog but if you are looking Chris, DM me the link & I'll edit this post ;-)

The final 3 are from my lovely longstanding crafting buddies who I met over the internet through our mutual love of Chocolate Baroque stamps (way back in the days when they were Elusive Images).  What an amazing 'match maker' the internet and crafting can be as every single card in this post comes from someone I have 'met' this way and gone on to meet many in real life.  They are all amazingly supportive through thick and thin and I'm very grateful for their friendship.

Jo

Jo's interests have taken a different route (for the moment) but she still made me a stunning card!

Elaine

and last but most definitely not least

Judith

I so appreciate all the time and effort my friends put into making these little works of art and they will always be treasured by me.

Finally, for those of you who don't already know last Friday, after being very ill for some months after breaking her hip last November, my lovely Mum passed away.

Nora Kemp

26.7.28 - 8.5.15

Rest easy now Mum.

This is the card I have made to take to the nursing home to thank them for their care and kindness to Mum, my brothers and myself during the short time she stayed with them.

See you all again soon when hopefully normal blogging will resume.  Enjoy the rest of your day!

Hugs

Lesley  Xx 

Another quick birthday card post

Morning All,

Today I have another birthday card I made for a crafting friend.  Two of my friends have birthday's a few days before my own and my last post showed you Hazel's and today I am sharing the one I made for Sally.  Sally is another fabulous crafter and does the most awesome scenic cards, amongst others.  When I've had time to take photos I'll be sharing the fabulous cards I received for my own birthday including one from Sally.

I stamped the swirly 'stem' and then ran the piece of card through an embossing folder.

I then stamped several of the flowers and leaves (which both come in two different sizes) onto white card and coloured them with pencils before cutting them out, shaping and layering them and arranging them on the embossed background.

Finally I stamped the sentiment, cut it out and layered it onto co-ordinating card, added it to the main image with 3D foam and layered the whole piece onto more co-ordinating card before layering onto the base card. Finally I added some dew drops to the flower centres.

The stamps I used are from Honey Doo Crafts with a sentiment from JoFY for PaperArtsy.

Have a good Monday everyone.

Hugs

Lesley  Xx

And once more .... by the skin of my teeth......

I have an entry for the current PaperArtsy Blog Challenge!

Hi Everyone and I hope you are having a lovely Sunday doing what you love best.

I didn't think I was going to manage an entry to this fortnight's PaperArtsy Blog Challenge which is all about sprays as Leandra describes so well HERE.  The PaperArtsy DT have shared some absolutely stunning makes, as always, and I can't wait to try some of them.  However, I had a couple of birthdays for the beginning of the month and decided to try something using sprays for one of them.

It was the very lovely and also very talented Hazel's birthday just 3 days before my own (more about that in another post).  Please drop by her blog if you get chance as she shares some fabulous makes and her enthusiasm for anything involving craft is so contagious!  Anyway, for her card I took inspiration from Leandra's introduction to the various sprays and found a card on Pinterest by the brilliant Eileen Godwin which I wanted to try but using a different method to her altogether. I will try her tissue paper method at some point though because it looks great.

I have several different types of sprays in my stash all sadly neglected but by far the majority of them are Glimmer Mists which I have had for years and I daren't count them ;-/  These are the ones I chose to use here.

I used the stencil I made myself for the bokeh technique and kept moving it around using a different colour spray each time and drying thoroughly with the heat tool in between each spray.

I then added some stencilling using Versamagic ink and finally stamped some Artemio silhouette images and the butterflies over the top before layering onto the card base.  Obviously with using a stencil I got a bit of bleed underneath which could also have been due partly to the card I used but I quite liked the effect and overall I was really pleased with the outcome.

Off to link up my entry now and catch up on the details of each of the PaperArtsy DT share over the past two weeks as I've only managed a brief look at the photos and I know there's lots of tips and ideas to soak up.

Thanks for dropping by.

Hugs

Lesley  Xx