Tatty's White Christmas

Hi guys,

It has been a wierd one this weekend. One minute wet and cold, the next the sun is blazing and you are boiling away! We were out at an arachnology event and so the weather was very annoying at times, but the area was gorgeous. I don't have any photos to share unfortunately as I left my camera at home.

However, I do have a Christmas card to share with you all:

I wanted to keep the design very clean, so I stamped the Me to you image straight onto the card base and then coloured with papermania watercolour markers (I did try stamping with these but they didn't quite work as they are very pale). Once I finished the colouring I realised that the bear on the left is supposed to be a snowbear! DUH!
I stamped the sentiment using the Tatty Teddy grey ink pad, and then stamped snowflakes (also from the same stamp set) using gold and silver ink pads. Finally I punched a couple of snowflakes into the bottom corners.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Simon Says Wednesday - Use more than one stamp

craftingbydesigns - Get Ready for Christmas

ATSM #293 Holiday

CCEE1821 NEWS (N for New (ink pads), E for Empty Space (and also empty holes for the punches), W for watercolours (and wrapped up), S for snow (and seating))

craftycatz #418 Christmas

craftyhazelnut Christmas #387 Use some silver

inkspirational #161 Photo inspiration (I was inspired by the girl being seated under an arch)

 

ABC Christmas - K for Keep it Simple

Christmas @ Sweet Stampin' - Anything Goes

 

Thank you for looking - I will have a new book review for you next time :)

Hugz Tinz

Summer @ Aud Sentiments

Hi guys,

We have a new challenge starting over at Aud Sentiments today with the theme of Summer (but don't forget that sentiment). We are sponsored by the amazing  Bugaboo Stamps

and I have used butterfly rose girl for my creation:

I used a pearlescent blue 6x6" base card to match the colours in the image. The image I coloured with Promarkers in very summery colours (which certainly look more summery than the grey weather we have here at the moment - but I cannot complain as the garden did need some water lol). I simply cut the image close to the border and layered onto a die-cut pearlescent silver paper. I added some matt green pearls to the corners. To finish I added a sentiment sticker and two rose stickers.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

613 avenue create #209 Mainly Blue

dragonflydreams - here come the girls

MMM #71 Hint of summer to come

The card Concept #93 (Clean and Layered) Inspired by the flowers

 

AYLI - Flora or Fauna. I actually like using both on my cards, especially feminine ones, although flowers tend to be much more feminine. Therefore, I have used one butterfly and several flowers.

fussy and fancy #212 Favourite Florals. Roses are such great flowers to colour!

SOS #355 April Showers bring May flowers

The Paper Players #394 CAS Blooms

Hugz Tinz

You're a Petal

Hi guys,

I have made a second card to remind you all of our current challenge over at Creative Moments, where the twist for the next week is to make us giggle (although the main theme is Anything Goes, as always).

I struggle with puns - I managed with my first card, but after having to take the guinea pig to the vets I really ran out of inspiration for this one - so I was happy with maybe just getting a little chuckle instead.

I coloured the image with watercolour pencils, and was quite happy with the effect that I achieved. However I didn't blend with water as I had only used a basic cardstock. I did layer the image onto a funky background before printing though. I then used a floral base card and peel-offs for the sentiment.

I would like to enter this card into the crafting by designs and not just cards Anything Goes challenges.

Thanks for looking, and here is another book review for you guys:

Come and Find Me by Sarah Hilary

This is a crime drama, and a good one! Mickey is in prison for attenuated burglary (I might have the first word wrong!) and there are two women writing to him, both seemingly obsessed. When Mickey escapes on the back of a riot DI Marnie Rome is worried that it may be too late for one, or both, of these women. Marnie understands obsession as she has her own addiction to her foster brother, who is also in the same prison due to murdering her parents. She has her own demons to face, whilst also trying to find the monster that is on the loose.

This is a gripping story of half truths and assumptions. It shows how making assumptions can cause the trail to go in completely the wrong direction. Throughout the story you get an insight into the lives of the main characters, who also have their own problems to deal with, and there is a commentary from the most severely injured in-mate, who was also Mickeys cell-mate. I really liked the way the commentary gave you inside information about life in the cells, without shedding any light on the on-going investigation. Information is gleaned at the same time that the police find out about it, so that the reader has an in-depth knowledge of what had happened, but without spoiling the story. This means that you as the reader also follow down the wrong path and have to re-think what you thought you knew. There is a good twist at the end of the story and I would be very surprised if anybody figures it out too far in advance of it being revealed. A very good story.

Hugz Tinz

Magical Rainbows

Hi guys,

I finally got round to creating with the new progressive challenge image from IKEsART (check out the facebook page here for more info). This one came as a complete digi stamp, but also with the unicorn and rainbow separate - perfect for paper piecing. However, due to lack of time I decided to use the combined image and colour with papermania metallic pens, to give a magical effect.

I added two glittery hearts to the top of the image panel and adhered to a peach base card. I added peel-off sentiment and glittery dragonfly. I hand-wrote DREAM and then layered the glitter sticker over the top, for the dreamlike quality, and also added a little portrait spot to give a slight medeival feel to the card.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:

Country view #63 Be humourous

notjustcards - Anything Goes

cute card thursday #230 The great outdoors (what is more fun about outdoors than a rainbow!)

SOS #354 for the kids

I also have a book review to share with you today:

The Break by Katherena Vermette

One evening a young mother is trying to get her child back to sleep when she spots somebody in trouble on the stretch of land she has called The Break. By the time the police arrive there is nobody there and all that is left is some scuff marks and blood in the snow. The story is told from various different perspectives, going through all the people that are connected to the victim and to the incident. The story for some of the characters starts before the incident and for some it starts at that exact time-point.

This is a really well written story that explains why people my act the way they do, and highlights how sometimes very unrelated events can actually be closely related indeed. It also highlights how difficult it is for victims and their families to process what has happened and to incorporate it into their lives, both at the time and afterwards. There is always something else going on that requires attention also, and life does not stop just because something bad has happened. If you like your drama’s then I think you will like this book.

I spent yesterday playing around in the garden (today has been spent sorting out the animals instead) when I haven't been at work. Here is some of what I have done :)

I did also plant a Gooseberry but apparently I didn't take a photo lol.

Thank for looking, hope you have all had an enjoyable weekend, whatever your weather has been like.

Hugz Tinz

Jingle Bells for Mum

Wow everything is growing really well now - I just need to find space to plant it all (oh and remember to water stuff too lol).

However in the meantime I have made a Christmas card using a House Mouse CD-Rom.

and the inside:

I wanted a CAS front, so I just chose the base image from the decoupage selection, and added the word mum to the side (this was in a matching yellow on the computer, but for some reason printed black!). However, it lacked that Christmas sparkle, so I added the washi-tape to the edges, keeping a CAS design, but having a little extra too lol.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Merry Monday #290 I hear Bells

CRAFT #468 Christmas

polkadoodle week 20 - beginning with B (Bells)

Addicted to CAS #136 MUM

SUYP #30 Furrything Goes

ABC Christmas - both J for Joy (mice are certainly having fun) and K for Keep it simple

And here are my parents kitty cats:

Thanks for looking,

Hugz Tinz

A little bit humourous over at Creative Moments

Hi guys,

We have a fun twist for you this time over at Creative Moments. We want to see some humour in your creations - a witty sentiment, or a funny image, or maybe even a technique that gives you a giggle when you see it. However, we are an anything goes challenge blog, so even if you can't think of anything to provide the giggles we would still like to see what you have been creating :)

I have used an image called Twinkle Toes from Polkadoodles. I do have another card, but I have not quite managed to get it finished as yet!

I used one of my heavily patterned base cards for this as I thought it worked well. I die-cut the frame using a spellbinders die and coloured the image with Promarkers before die-cutting with an X-cut oval nesting die.
Finally I hand-wrote the sentiment, which is a quote, and I thought it went quite well with the image :)

I will be entering this card intothe following challenges:

Dragonfly Dreams - Here come the girls

Countryview #63 Be humourous

AYLI - Pink or Blue - I have used mainly blue (I like this colour better for colouring clothes and it stands out well against a busy background), but I did add pops of pink for a hint of floral!

craftingbydesign - enjoy the little things (a small bunch of roses)

ATSM #292 Make your Mark

Catch the bug - say it with flowers

In the meantime Doris would like to say hi!

See you soon,

Hugz Tinz

Relaxing in the garden, with I Love Promarkers

Hi guys,

It is time for a new challenge for all you Promarker lovers! There is no twist this time, so it is a straight up Anything Goes challenge.

 

We are sponsored by  Digital Delights and I have used Relax Barnaby for my card:

I used a pearlescent blue base card and then die-cut a fancy oval frame and some 3D flowers using Spellbinders dies and self-adhesive vellum for a delicate effect. I also used the central die that went with the fancy frame to cut the flower centres with their embossed flowers. The sentiment was from Limited Runs.
I coloured the image with the following Prmarkers: Fuchsia Pink/Tropical Orchid/Pink Lobster/Bright Orange - Buttercup/Summer Sun/Mustard/Slate/Antique Pink - Denim Blue/Cyan. I then cut the image using X-cut fancy labels nesting dies.

Head over to the challenge blog for more DT inspiration and prize details. Don't forget that we do need to see you using Promarkers (or Flex/Tria/Aqua markers) on your project.

I will be entering this into these challenges:

Citycrafter #412 Honey, I'm Home

Die-cuttin' Divas #369 Fav colour combo (I think blue and pink are perfect colours for Spring)

craftingbydesign - Enjoy the little things

craftycats #416 Cute

CCM #211 No patterned paper

MMM #71 Hint of summer

crafty calendar - things with wings

613 avenue create #209 Mainly Blue

Here is my new Guinea Pig:

Unfortunately he is not getting along with Piggy (and their interactions have to take a backseat as Piggy has now hurt his leg also). However, he is a happy little pig.

Thanks for looking,

Hugz Tinz