Regency Flowers

Hi there,

As promised I am posting a new ATC collection. As we are not exchanging as often now, I decided to make this one an ATC and card set instead of an actual collection.

The same elements were used for both pieces to tie them together, but I used different colour schemes, to give them a bit of interest. They were both based on Sketch 159 from atlantic hearts:

I used a loose monochrome floral patterned paper for the background circle in both. Then for the card, as I chose a blue base, I used a blue stiffened ribbon, with attached flower, whereas for the ATC I used a floral lace ribbon in white. I then used scrap paper to find a co-ordinating top panel for both. The image came free with a papercrafting magazine and for the ATC I just fussy-cut the image out and added a white paper flower. For the base card I coloured the stamped image with Royal Blue, Pastel Blue, Pastel Green and Pastel Yellow promarkers. I should have used the largest scalloped circle die from the set, as this one has become slightly hidden behind all the elements.

I woudl also like to enter this card for these challenges:

The Challenge #72 (Colour)

 

Sweet Stampin' - May Flowers

Artistic Inspirations #156 Use a die

 Scrapbook stamp society - Layers

Deep Ocean #128 Flowers Everywhere

I love promarkers #308 Lace/Ribbon

Hanna and Friends #247 Flowers

Quirky Crafts #5 April Showers bring Quirky May Flowers

Card Mania #80 Flowers

Here are some pictures of Billie:

And also my allotment:

 Rhubarb

 Cherry Blossom

 Brussels Sprouts

????

Audio Book Review

Regency Buck by Georgette Heyer

This is a Historical Romance I believe, and as such it is full of the obvious clichés, such as the detestable man on the road turning out to be the person they are going to meet etc. This story was written in the early 1900’s and so has the obvious associations of the time. When the father of Perry and Judith passes away, leaving them in the guardianship of somebody whom they have never met, and their father seldom spoke about, their future is uncertain. Furthermore, upon reaching London they find that their new guardian appears to be an arrogant dandy who is out to make their lives difficult where he can. To make matters worse it would appear that London is not good for Perry as he falls in with the wrong crowd, causing Judith to worry about his fortune, and is nearly killed on several occasions.

This book keeps you guessing at who is actually the bad guy. Surely it cannot be the one person who should be most obvious? One minute you think one thing, then the story reveals something else that makes you question this assumption. I really enjoyed listening to this book, although each CD was slightly longer than usual, meaning that once or twice I reached my destination before the CD had finished. All in all I would recommend this story.

Thankyou for looking

Hugz Tinz

Stitching, sunshine and Mixed media

Hi guys,

I have been out enjoying the allotment today. Planted by Brussels Sprouts out under some netting, weeded the beds that have already been prepared, did a bit of strimming and watched the wildlife - spiders doing the courtship dance and some froggies hopping around the plot! Forgot to take my camera though to capture them in action.

I have managed to catch my baby Beau having a play with her toys though. Hopefully she will soon have some siblings, as mummy has two eggs in the nest.

She is such a little cutie-pie. I will try and get some new pictures of her daddy soon too.

As promised here is an update on my Dinosaur height chart - now at 70.5 hours:

Over on facebook the Technique in focus at Crafting Techniques is Mixed Media. This is not something I do often, but decided to give it a go with a bookmark. I still need to decide on a tassel for the bottom, but here is what I have so far:

I used Distress Crackle paint for the background in Shabby Shutters. Then I added foan butterflies and a flower, some wooden leaves and highlighted them with glitter glue. I then added a feather for the final touch.

I would love to see you join me in my facebook group if you are a fan of mixed media! In the meantime I would also like to enter this bookmark for the following challenges:

LOC #128 Mixed Media

Catch the Bug Anything Goes

Creative Card Crew - Anything Goes

The Card Concept 54 Spring Flowers (not really sure what style it would go under!)

Polkadoodle Things with wings

ABC-challenge G-Grande (anything but a card)

Crafting by designs May Anything Goes

Hopefully on Monday I shall have a new ATC collection to share with you, some pictures of my plot and some new pictures of Billie boy, as well as another audio-book review.

Thank you for looking,

Hugz Tinz

The cat who loves snow

Wow - has the weather finally realised what it is supposed to be doing. Sunshine for two whole days, and no rain for about three now!! Ok so I am having to water everything, which gets tedious when you have two allotments and two gardens lol, but at least things can start to grow properly now!

So, in celebration of the lovely weather, I have made a Christmas card based around snow lol.

So - I used the challenge sketch (#71):

I used a free embossing folder from Cardmaking and Papercraft 135 on white card for the first strip. I then rubbed VersaMark ink over the raised areas and heat embossed with white and glitter embossing powder to give a subtle sparkle. For the second strip I covered card with two different Washi tapes (which should have been for the Jingle Belles challenge, but I finished too late!). I used a blue die-cut circle and stamped a kitty from Pepper's Christmas Party stamp set, with tatty teddy grey ink. I coloured this in with promarkers and added liquid pearls where the snowflakes should have been on the scarf. A sentiment was added to the topper, a ribbon to the bottom, and finally a snowflake button to the top. Peel-off snowflakes were also added to the Washi layer.

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

PFP #344 Nature

crafty hazelnuts christmas #279 Anything Goes

ABC Christmas I for Ink

aud sentiments #154 Animals

crafty ribbons #149 Button it up

Art Impressions 183 Creative Critters (use of washi tape and embossing folder)

Alphabet Challenge E for Embossing folder

Christmas @ Sweet Stampin Animals

Now onto my animals - I have taken a couple of pictures of Arthur and Doris, my two rabbits (currently looking for new homes in the Rutland area lol).

And I also managed to get a picture of mummy bird taking some bits back to the nest:

Growing veg - I finally got my new mini greenhouse up, and have transfered all my tomato seedlings into it - making room in the propagator for more seeds to be sown lol:

And finally for today, before I go and work on my height chart (update on Saturday) here is an audio book review.

The cat who turned on and off by Lilian Jackson Braun

This is another Qwilleran and his cat’s story. I do love these, the humour is just brilliant and the storyline is always good too. These books definitely keep you guessing and giggling – and you just want to meet those kitties! This particular book sees Qwilleran doing a feature on ‘Junk Town’, a neighbourhood of antique dealers, with an uncalled-for bad reputation. His story aims to show the real community behind Junk Town – but Qwilleran cannot feel easy with the apparent accidental death of a favoured dealer. Koko assists Qwilleran through his ability to turn things on and off (although this is only a brief part of the story, but it is the part that answers all the questions). Definitely a must read/listen from me :).

Thank you for looking

Hugz Tinz

Creative Moments DT

Love Balloons

Hi everybody,

I have a Love themed card to share with you today – made almost completely with die-cuts:

I took an A5 card blank and cut it down to make a square base. I then cut a piece of red pearlescent card slightly smaller than the card base, and added a white glitter ribbon across the bottom (which ended up being the top once I stuck it down as I had accidentally turned the card around!). I cut a starburst design from some white card, originally used for packaging, using a Nellie’s nesting die. I then cut a scalloped heart using X-cut nesting dies 3^rd heart size and papermania red card. I added a free stamp – ‘Love You’ balloon letters – from Crafters Inspiration magazine with white Pretty Colour ink and heat embossed with enamel embossing powder. I then layered them and added a pearl and diamantes according to the sketch (below).

This card was based on the Sweet Sketch Wednesday – Sketch 88:

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

Creative Card Crew #111 Embossing (wet or dry)

CCEE1617 Baseball (OK so being English Baseball is not such a big deal, so I decided to go for the ball colours of red and white – then hubby said ‘isn’t that cricket?’! – I hope I can still get away with it as I did have the best intentions!

Crafting by design – For the boys/men

Die-cuttin Divas – Daisies or diamonds (diamantes and embossing powder)

Casology – Sprinkle (embossing powder)

I have had to change my cat’s medication as we think the last one was causing issues – she is hyperthyroid and has started to lose her fur, have runny eyes and has had a stroke and lost her hearing since being on this medication, so time to try something different. So fingers crossed that she will start to improve, if she can cope with daily tablets instead of every other day.

Also, although the weather has been awful recently so I have not managed to get down to the allotment, I have got lots of chilli seedlings, tomato seedlings and lemongrass seedlings come up. It is going to be interesting growing the lemongrass! I will try to take some pics as they grow but at the moment they are just little spikes.

Thank you for reading,

Hugz Tinz