Dream Cottage

This week's challenge from Rainbow Lady is 'Home Sweet Home'.

For my card I've used a U Mount stamp for the main image and a Hobby Art flower border stamp for the base of the image. I've coloured with a mixture of Lyra Aquacolours and Art Kure watercolour paint brushes (like a water brush but with watercolour paint not water inside). The picket fence across the bottom is a Sissix die and the bp is from Joanna Sheen's Royal Horticultural cd. The ribbon is from my stash. The card is an A5 size but in a cheque book style - only possible coz I've got some lovely A3 white 300 gsm card.
I would love a place like this to live in except that I wouldn't fancy the spiders that tend to inhabit thatched rooves.
Thanks very much for visiting today.
Beryl xx

Bah Humbug meets Sunday CD

Time's still a bit short for me at the moment so I've combined two challenges this week. The ladies at
 Bah Humbug want to see 'ribbon' on our creations and the subject on the CD Sunday challenge this week is 'elegant ladies'.
The 'elegant lady is from a Debbie Moore cd, mounted onto mirri card,which in turn is mounted onto a piece of white card which I've stamped randomly with a Clarity corner stamp and then inked the edges with the same Distress ink. I've also added some glitter to the dress. The gold embossed swirl in the corner is a U Mount stamp - and is finished off with some green gems . The ribbon is from my stash.
Thanks very much for visiting.
Beryl xx

Sir Stampalot challenge #2

I missed the very first challenge from Sir Stampalot but have managed to get a card done for the current challenge which is 'Butterflies and Blossoms'.

I have used an Elusive Images stamp - coloured with Inktense pencils. I decoupaged the butterfly and some of the leaves.I also added another butterfly from the same set top right. I followed the poppy theme from the stamp and made some poppy blooms from a new punch that I bought at Port Sunlight. The paper used is some quite old Papermania paper, sprayed with Cosmic Shimmer spray. The flower centres are black punched card which I've then covered in black stickles. The flourish is white card - sprayed with Glimmer mist and then cut from a Sissix die.The bp is from a Graphicus Guild pack and the butterfly border is from a selection of punched borders sent to me by my Stateside friend - Martha. The card is just a tad under 8 x 8 - it had to be once I'd decided to use those poppies - which are quite large.

Thanks very much for visiting.

Beryl xx

Crafty Ann's challenge #15 and Blog Hop

It's already time for challenge #15 at Crafty Ann's and we're having our very first BLOG HOP! We're celebrating the launch of the Flower Collection of pre-coloured images. If you have come to me from seeing Ann's gorgeous work you are on the right lines but if not, you need to start at the beginning which is the challenge blog. To be in with a chance of winning these two sheets from the new collection, just leave me a comment. The theme this time is to use lots of colour.
   

Don't forget to collect the two words you need from me which are: AND,MORE. When you leave here, your next stop will be Kym who has some wonderful inspiration for you and two more sheets and two more words. When you have visited all the blogs you need to end up back at the challenge blog and follow the instructions on there to find out what to do to be in with a chance of winning the final 5 sheets.

For my card I've used the lovely daisies from the pre-coloured flower collection, cut out and decoupaged and then matted onto a black frame and some black lace. The backing paper is from Crafty Ann's Mottled Stone collection - printed onto glossy paper. Great if you want the effect of alcohol inks but without the mess.

Thanks very much for visiting.
Beryl xx

Bah Humbug #18

Over on the Bah Humbug challenge sight they want to see some punched borders this week. I've used a Martha Stewart punch for my borders, some paper from a Crafters Companion cd and an image which was given to me by Jem which has been coloured with Promarkers. It should have been a quick card to make but as I dropped a Promarkers (nib down) on the base card - which was red - I then had to find a way of disguising it - hence the blue snowflake paper layer. I hate it when that happens.

Thanks very much for visiting today.

Beryl xx

Rainbow Lady's Challenge #103

First of all - another apology for not visiting any blogs for well over a week. While the weather holds I'm spending most of my time in the garden - trying to make it look presentable for any prospective buyers. As we have over 3/4 of an acre this is taking some time. This is the first card I've made for over a week too - so it's not just the blog hopping that's getting pushed to one side.

This is my second attempt at this post. When I went to Rainbow Lady's challenge blog to pick up the link I realised that I had forgotten to add an initial to the theme of 'Ocean Shades of Blue and Green plus...' - thplus being an initial. So, back to the drawing board - or to be more precise - back to the Daisy Trail Scrapbook programme. I had created the background image in the Daisy Trail programme - then added the topper which is a digi from Dewdrop Craftz - coloured with Promarkers and chalks. So - I took the photo of the card back into Daisy Trail and added an initial - the beauty of this is - I

Thanks very much for visiting. I'm hoping we have a rainy day sometime soon so I can catch up with you all.

Beryl xx

Crafty Ann's Challenge #14 and News of a Special Event

The them for Crafty Ann's challenge this time is 'Anything Goes'. This means you can enter the challenge with a project you have made using your own ideas, colours, techniques - anything goes in fact.
I do hope you join in for this challenge and also read to the bottom of this post to find out about the next challenge which will be a little different.
For my card this time I've used Crafty Ann's Armchair stamp, printed and coloured with Promarkers and used a Cuddly Buddly image (also coloured with Promarkers) to sit upon it. Behind the image is a piece which has been Cuttlebugged and lightly inked then matted onto a Nestie shape. The bp is from my stash and the MS punched border courtesy of my friend Martha who lives in the states. The flowers in the corner are from Crafty Ann's Blossom sheet and the sentiment is computer generated.
As usual Ann will be giving away a prize to one lucky entrant.

Don't forget to join us for the next challenge on 21st of May because we have our very first BLOG HOP to celebrate the launch of something new at Crafty Ann's but you'll have to wait until the 21st for that bit - but there are prizes to be won on every blog so don't forget to put the date in your diary!"

Thanks for visiting today.
Beryl xx

Rainbow Lady's challenge 102 and anyone for Port Sunlight

This week's challenge from Rainbow Lady is 'no printed papers'. I been waiting for the chance to use this Crafter's Workshop stencil which I bought at the NEC.

I sponged through the stencil with Distress inks - mustard seed - scattered straw and spiced marmalade then oversprayed with Sunlight Mist Cosmic Shimmer spray. I sponged the edges with the spiced marmalade. The flower is made from of several layers of ready made flowers I've had in my stash for ages. Too big to use with an image but ideal (I hope) for showing off my handmade background. It's sitting on a nestie circle of orange card - also sprayed with the Cosmic shimmer. The patterned strip and the sentiment are Crafty Individuals stamps - again using the spiced marmalade. I keep thinking it needs something in the top right hand corner but a.) I don't know what and b). it would cover the background even more. I'll keep thinking on that one.

I'm off to the Happy Stampers show at Port Sunlight on Saturday. Hope to see a few familiar faces there and some not so familiar if I get the chance.

Thanks very much for calling by.

Beryl xx

New Arrival

I don't often get the chance to make a new baby card but my friend's daughter is due any day now and we know it's a boy so I've made this card for them and I'm also entering the new CD Sunday challenge for the first time. The theme this week is 'Baby Talk' so this card should fit the bill. The CD I have used is Joanna Sheen's Precious Petals for the backing paper which is printed onto Conqueror paper. The MS punched border down the side is one strip of the bp over one strip of vellum - both inked lightly with pale blue ink. The image is a Sketching Stamper digi stamp - coloured with pencils, cut out with a Wizard die and lightly inked while stil in the die. The flowers are made from Nellie Snellen punches and the sentiment is a Rubbadubbadoo magnetic stamp - embossed in gold ep.
Thanks very much for visiting today.
Beryl xx

Bah Humbug Challenge #16

The challenge this week over on the Bah Humbug blog is 'Snowflakes'. The bp is from the Artylicious cd

Season's Greetings. There are snowflakes all over the paper but the colours are graduated and it doesn't show up too clearly on here. The image is a digi by Delicious Doodles and while I was getting the link for this post I just saw some others that I'm gonna have to go back and buy. The border down the side was made using an MS border punch, edged with Stream Adirondack inkpad and some black ribbon added down the middle. The snowflake in the corner was made using some glitter card and a Wizard die.

Thanks very much for visiting.

Beryl xx