Crazy Birds Birthday

I still love these Crazy Birds from Tim Holtz and came across them when I was having a small rejig in my craft room.  Nice, too on a loose inky background and with a Woodware sentiment.

Hoping to sort a few cards today for Holly's shop.

Enjoy your day.

Juliexx

Lavinia Lupin and Berries

I've been getting inky fingers with these cards using the gorgeous Lupin from Lavinia Stamps and following a tutorial that Tracey from Lavinia posted on social media - showing how to use the new Distress Glaze from Tim Holtz.  It's fabulous!!

I'm always nervous when getting inky fingers and often wonder how to get started so the tutorials are the perfect way to dive in until you grow in confidence with this way of making cards.

It's nice too as you get to do a bit of colouring - I've used Arteza watercolour brushes to colour Lupin here.

Have a great weekend.

Juliexx

Tim Holtz Christmas Couple Die

I loved this Tim Holtz die set from a couple of years ago but haven't gotten round to using it.  It makes for quite a simple card even though cutting out all the bits and assembling is a bit fiddly.  But I did do a bit of mixing and matching, hence three cards.  I like the completed figures against these grungy Xmas papers from my stash.

I've seen the new Christmas release from Tim this year - love the snowmen and bottle brush tree stamps but I'm sitting on my hands!!

The Die set is this one- Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 664731.

Thanks for popping in!

Juliexx

Mo Manning Sadie With Apples - New!!

Hi folks - have you seen this gorgeous new image at Mo's Digital Pencil?  She's called Sadie with Apples - what a sweetie!!

I meant to take a picture of all the pens I coloured her with - Promarkers and Copics mostly but a few Shinhan Touch too!  Must have been around 40 of them!

The cut -out die is from Tim Holtz and the papers are Summer Picnic from Marianne Designs.  

The weekend is nigh so hope you have a good one, and thank you for popping by.

Hugs, Juliexx

Inky fingers!!

This is my card for my daughter's partner, who celebrated his 30th birthday this year (one of a number in our family!).  Happy Birthday Jack - present when we see you!!

I've used a Marianne Design Leaf Stencil for the background - PS8041.  The  main Dragonfly stamp is Visible Image and the smaller one, bee and flying geese are from Lavinia Stamps.  The tree top stamp and birds are Inkylicsous.

The little phrases are from Tim Holtz.

That's it for today - I'm recovering from a major walk yesterday- so shattered but did add two Wainrights to my count - 95/214!!  Need to get much fitter to carry on!

Have a good day!!

Julie

Pussywillows - new challenge at Mo's Digital Pencil challenge blog

Morning - think we need a bit of yellow in our lives to overcome the rain we've had for the last couple of days!

So, this is Pussywillows from Mo's Digital Pencil for the new challenge today on Mo's challenge blog here.  The theme is Birthdays  which as always, is optional  - just make sure you use a Mo image of course!

I think Pussywillows must be up there with my favouritest of Mo images!

The papers are Dovecraft, and the gorgeous dies are from the Wildflowers sets 1 and 2 from the Tim Holtz range for Sizzix.  The corner honeycomb cut out die is also from the Tim Holtz range. Of course, it wouldn't be complete without a Marianne Die or two, as follows!

Marianne Dies Used

Lace circle Die - CR1474

Text Banner Die  COL144

Butterfly - LR0356

Hope you can come and join in the challenge and don't forget to share your cards in the Bella and Bronte group on Facebook.

Hugs, Juliexx

New Mushroom Home anyone?

I love this little Mushroom Hut image from Mo's Digital Pencil and it's just great for a new home card, especially teamed up with the Mushroom Stencil from Marianne Designs.  The image comes either merged or separated from the little chair and stool so you can choose your preference - I've used the merged version.

There's my usual list of Marianne products below - I didn't really think the bird/cat dynamic through - it's either a humungus robin or a teeny cat - you decide!!

The papers are from KaiserCraft - Magnolia Grove and the words are from a Tim Holtz set - I do love the little phrases he uses!

Marianne Products Used

Mushroom Mask Stencil - PS8015

Sign Post Die - LR0535

Grass Die - CR335

Cat Die - LR0591

Robin Die - LR0548

The weather's been glorious this week up here in Cumbria and our Em is home Monday to celebrate getting a first for her Art Degree - what a star she is!  Happy Days!

Hugs, Juliexx

Get me to the church on time!!

Hello everyone - sorry I've not been about much, I was busy getting ready for a craft fair at the weekend, and it was followed by looking after Violet for a couple of nights while Holly and her Harry went away to celebrate her 30th!  Violet was such a lovely girl and as good as gold and so entertaining.

Anyway, normality is restored and I thought I'd share a some churches that I made for the craft fair using the Sizzix Tim Holtz die sets.  I love the church steeple too and think it makes a great wedding card or a little gift at the wedding.  I also made some matching cards to with them as it's not easy to write on the finished church!!

The flowers and trailing vines are from Marianne sets as are the grass panels on the side, details below, and the sentiment too!!  

Flowers from die set Petra's Special Circle - LR0511

Trailing Vine Dies - CR1396

Grass Patch Die - LR0360

Wedding Sentiments Stamps - CS0999

Oh and I love the little metal bell in the bell tower - took me a while to figure out how to fix it!!

I'm going to do a bit of gardening now while the weather remains so lovely!!xx

Hugs, Juliexx

Tea anyone?

I feel I've not  had much time for crafting lately so it was nice to get in my craft room this afternoon and complete this card using Lili of The Valley digi image, Jasmine coffee - but she's drinking tea here!!

I chose my colours with these Marianne papers in mind and of course tea/coffee colours. I love this sentiment from Marianne Designs and this gorgeous new circular die set that also includes the little bow - full Marianne details below:

Twine Circles Craftables Die set - CR1414

Tea sentiment stamp - KJ1710

Dark Vintage Papers -PK9082

I've also used a Tim Holtz die and some flowers and lace from stash.

That's all for now - hopefully I'll get some more crafting time this week!

Hugs, Juliexx

Penny Black Water Colour with my new Misti!!

Something a  bit different from me today, using my new Misti with one of the Penny Black Bliss stamps and my Tim Holtz distress markers.

I love the way the Misti alllows you to colour the stamp directly and then layer up the colours on your paper.  I also used my water brush a little to blend the colour directly on the paper.  It's then so easy to add your sentiment without fear of messing up your main image!

This was my card for my lovely friend, Lesley of Grenouille Greetings who I stayed with in London a few weeks ago, always a fab stay!!

Hugs, Juliexx

Lavender Card

Morning!  Today's card was made for my MIL for her 83rd birthday a couple of weeks ago - amazing she is too!!  The image is from a 12 x 12 page but I cannot remember the make, sorry but she is so lovely!  I've teamed her up with some Lili of the Valley papers and then loads of lush Marianne Dies which I've listed below.

Ivy Corners - CR1253

Lavender - LR0157

Foxgloves - LR0457

Large Bow - LR0447

I've also used a Tim Holtz die for the layer under the image, a wooden flourish and some lovely wooden miniature fretwork which I can only bear to use for special makes! I've also added some Vintage Lilac Frantage to the little wooden butterfly, along with Shabby White Frantage around the image and frame but it's not showing up to well in my pics but it does give a nice bit of shimmer!

I'm going to enter a few challenges today;

Fussy and Fancy - Anything Goes
That's Crafty - Bling It Up
Cardz4 Galz - Name your Powder - Shabby White and Lavendar Frantage
Crafting With an Attitude - Anything Goes
Crafty Girls Creations - Anything Goes
Cute Card Thursday - For Mothers/Ladies Only

I'm hoping to spend the day in my craft room, lots to make!!
Have a great day whatever you are up to!

Hugs, Juliexx

Heart Christmas cards cased from Craft Stamper magazine

If you are a fan of Craft Stamper magazine, you may have seen a canvas this month using embossing powders and this design!  I just loved using the idea for some Christmas cards and these are what I came up with.   (Lots of pics, be warned!) 

I had an MDF heart which I used as a template to make my paper ones ( thinking of cost/posting).  The swirly circles are a Tim Holtz die( the article used melted embossing powerd to make them), and a Woodware, primitive star-shaped punch.  I mixed and matched my Frantage embossing powders, and also used a couple of Marianne Stamps to add some texture, or a Stampin Up script stamp. For the image above, the stamp is a basket weave stamp, MM1603 from Matiannes' Eline's Mixed Media range. I used Silver Pearl embossing powder to keep it subtle.

I love the rusted vibe here with Aged Copper Frantage.  I started using Treasured Gold Sapphire wax on the stars, and got some on the card surface.  However, as with all accidents, I liked the effect and added some to all the cards!  I think it looks a little celestial!

Anyway, hope you like, and don't forget to check out the original article in November 2016 Craft Stamper magazine, so inspirational!

Thanks for looking, Juliexxx

New Challenge at Mo's Digital Pencil Too - always Anything Goes!

Hi there - have you seen that a new challenge has started today over on Mo's Digital Pencil Too Challenge Blog? 

Well, I've been busy making little Christmas Houses for a craft market this weekend, and thought that one of Mo's little carolers would be a perfect addition to this one.  I've used Victoria Caroling and shrunk her right down so she looks reasonably  in proportion - the beauty of digi images eh!!

And these teeny, tiny versions take no time to colour up either!

I'll have a pic soon of my new village, so watch this space.  

Do come and join in our challenge, you could win a $5 voucher to spend here in Mo's Store!

Hugs, Juliexx

And a few more Crazy Birds and a little dose of Marianne Goodness!

Happy Bank Holiday Monday to all in the UK today - rather wet and miserable here but we've been promised some sun later!  I'll get that anyway when we see our little Violet!

I thought I'd share some more cards using Tim Holtz Crazy Birds dies and stamps and also an array of Marianne dies and Papers.

I felt this little guy had a touch of the Michael Jacksons about him with this hat, and I love him matched with these papers and dies, details below:

Pop-Up Card and Frame set - LR0371 and honestly the easiest pop-up set to use!

Trees - LR0370

Papers - Pretty Paper Bloc Dark Vintage

The letters are from a Cosmo Cricket set that I bought years ago, the label is from Spellbinders and I think the sentiment is from Fiskars but again from the depths of my stash!

The next one uses some steampunk papers from Papermania, and I kept my little birdie very simple as the papers and lettering are quite fussy.

The lettering set are from Marianne and are a letter/die combo and you can either cut them with a round or square die- I haven't used these nearly enough!

Collectibles Letters/Die set - COL 1380

I must admit to being a little unsure about this final one, but hey, I do like the drunken look you get by adding googly eyes.  It's the birthday die/stamp combo which doesn't quite work, maybe the colour.

That's all for now folks, enjoy the rest of your  days

Hugs, Juliexx

The Engineer - A Mo Manning Image available in rubber at Penny Black

Today's card is for Stamp It Saturday - using a Mo image but from the rubber collection at Penny Black.  This image is a great one for the men in your life and is called Engineer and the rubber version can be found here at Penny Black.  You can also get the digi version here at Mo's Digital Pencil.

I coloured him with my Promarkers and then teamed him up with some Webster's Pages, a Tim Holtz On The Edge die for the cogs and a Tim Holtz ticket.  Luckily, I had coloured him up a few weeks ago, as have been pretty busy cuddling our lovely Violet - she gave the biggest of smiles today to her Grandad! 

Now, I don't normally wish the weekend away, but DD number three is arriving Sunday night, by train, but a slightly faster Virgin train than the one above!  She's coming to meet her new niece for the first time, so can't wait for her to be here! 

Enjoy your weekends everyone!

Hugs, Juliexx

Hold on to Your Hat from Mo's Digital Pencil

I'm not usually one for making many  Halloween cards but have you seen all of the wonderful new images from Mo's Digital Pencil that Mo has been giving us lately?  I just adore so many of them and had to use this one immediately - Hold On To Your Hat!! (Click on the link to take you to the image in Mo's Store.)

I took my colour scheme from some My Mind's Eye Wicked 12 x12 papers that I bought in California a couple of years ago as they were so cheap!!  The funny thing is that Carlisle is now our nearest City here in Cumbria although we didn't know that we were moving then!! The trees and graveyard edges are from Tim Holtz Alterations and the Ghosts, Spider's Web and Stars are from Memory Box.

I'm sure she's going to have a fab time at the dance!!  Happy Days!

I'm entering my card into the following challenges

Die's R Us Challenge-"Ghoul" Friends

Naughty or Nice Challenge - Feeling Witchy

The East Wind Challenge - Halloween

Glitter'N'Sparkle - Halloween

The Crafty Calendar - Halloween

Crafting With Friends - Anything Goes

Simply Create Too - Halloween Colours

Hugs, Juliexxx