Saturday Slot - Our Beautiful World

Just squeezing in timewise for a new link up all to do with photography. If you follow me you'll know how much I love to take photos, nothing very technical or brilliant, just for the sheer joy of recording everyday life. So, of course, when I saw this blog -

   

                                                                                                       - I was hooked straight away.

So each Sunday a prompt is given, DT photos and their stories are shared - love that idea of telling the story behind the photo, isn't that the basis of scrapbooking? Then it's up to you to take a photograph and link up. It's not a challenge, it's just a sharing of photographs from all over the world.

This week the prompt was  BROKEN

Here's my photo:

And here's the story:
                                  As I walked through the church yard to my dad's each evening I became fascinated by the growth of these toadstools growing round the base of an old tree stump. People looked at me and I could see them wondering what I was doing as I knelt down to take a photo each evening. Then of course one evening the inevitable had happened and I found them broken down on the ground. Sad for me, but a reminder of the power of nature and a lesson to grab opportunities as they arise.

 And as this post is all about photography it seems a good time to share my three things that have made me smile in May.

1. My youngest grandson trying out my cot for the first time. And here's hoping it will be used loads more! Aw bless. The two fingers being sucked - all three of my boys did this too.

2. A photo of me deep in concentration pricking out some flower seedlings. This was taken completely unknown to me by my husband, so imagine my surprise when this popped up as I was uploading photos from the camera to the computer. Definitely made me smile!

3. Some of my favourite colours planted up in tubs, a welcome splash of colour and the promise of Summer to come.

Something a little different on my blog today then, hope you enjoyed looking and many thanks for your visit.

And keep your camera handy!

CAS Colours & Sketches #126

The last of Stef's challenges as hostess for May this week over at CAS Colours & Sketches. And a beautiful summery bunting theme.

 

Apart from Summer Fayres and Fetes it's also a time for weddings here in the UK. And that curve of the banners reminded me of the swags of flowers often used to decorate the top table at wedding receptions. So my imagination was spiked and this is what I came up with.

Now I'm thinking I could use this card for my middle son's wedding anniversary coming up in June and chose colours inspired by their table decorations. And I just love this stamp set from Uniko Studio - so very flexible and versatile.

I inlaid the first of the die cut squares and popped the second smaller square up on foam pads.

Supplies:
Stamps: Uniko Studio, Background Builders Vines & Vines Winter Additions; Papermania, sentiments
Inks: SU, wild wasabi, sahara sand, pink pirouette, blushing bride, whisper white
Dies: Lawn Fawn, large stitched square stackables & large stitched circle stackables

Such a great sketch and as I've said before - one card leads to another - so here's a purple version.

I'm going to pop this one into the challenge at Inkspirational where they want purple themed wedding cards to celebrate the upcoming marriage of their DT member Pia.

 

Supplies:
 Stamps: Uniko Studio, Background Builders Vines, Vines Winter Additions & Flower Power #3
Inks: SU, pistachio pudding; Memento, lulu lavender, elderberry
Dies: Lawn Fawn, large stitched square stackables & large stitched circle stackables

So now it's over to you, so looking forward to seeing how you interpret the sketch. And don't forget loads more inspiration from the DT - here.

Thanks so much for your visit today, I so appreciate you taking the time. And keep crafting!

The Male Room #11

Washi tape for the new challenge at The Male Room. And who doesn't love washi tape? Bet you've got an under used stash just like me. Well now's the perfect opportunity to get on and make a bit of a dent in it.

I chose two blues and stuck them onto card before die cutting into waves. These were adhered to a die cut square and then the fun began. I used the left over bits to extend the waves at the bottom and top of the square and then echoed them by stamping some extra waves in two colours of blue.

The boat was stamped and die cut, mounted onto pads and placed to bob along on the sea.

And as it's a Father's Day card the sail was stamped with #1.

Supplies:
Stamps: Clearly Besotted, Best Dad
Inks: Memento, bahama blue, danube blue, lady bug, tuxedo black
Dies: Clearly Besotted, Best Dad & Wave Edge; Lawn Fawn, large stitched square stackables
Washi tape from my stash

Now I'm wondering how you will all use washi tape, hoping to get lots of new ideas by visiting your blogs. As always there's more inspiration from the DT over at The Male Room - go check it out!

Thanks for your visit today. Hope you liked what you saw. And keep crafting!

AAA Cards Game #40 The Masculine Touch

It was my turn at AAA Cards to choose a theme for this fortnight's challenge. And of course I was very predictable and chose cards for the men in your life. Now they could be little ones or older ones or brand new ones as long as the card is for a fella.

Also quite predictably I went with purple colours, but I'm thinking my card is a style a bit different for me. I had my oldest son in mind when I created it as he's a very talented guitarist, plays all different genres, but rock is one of his favourites.

I added a little red into the colour mix - rock always seems to be black, red and purple and used the gorgeous grungy stamp from Visible Image. While the inks were still damp I sprinkled some Glamour Dust over to sparkle it up - and it actually shows up in the photo above.

The 'you' was die cut once from the background and four more times from matching card and then placed back into the apertures.

Supplies:
Stamps: Visible Image, Rock Out
Inks: Brusho, brilliant red, crimson, violet, purple; Memento, tuxedo black
Die: Lawn Fawn, Louie's ABCs
Embellishment: Glamour Dust, crystal

As this card fits the grunge theme wanted by Time Out I'm popping it in over at their challenge.

 

I'm hoping you've enjoyed what you've seen today and will hop over to AAA Cards to check out the wonderful inspiration from the rest of the DT.

Thanks for visiting. And keep crafting!

Saturday Slot

Time for some grunge, with the optional twist of embossing, at Time Out. Mmm, this takes me back to my layered pre-CAS days and I wondered if I still had it in me.

 

Only one way to find out and here's what I came up with:

Seems it's a bit like riding a bicycle and in no time at all I was distressing edges with my scissors, layering up the paper and inking everything! All with the added bonus of indulging my passion for purple and using bang up to date stamps from Visible Image.

And I used embossing too!

Supplies:
Stamps: Visible Image, Flower Icognito & Live Life Now
Inks: Ranger distress, chipped sapphire, black soot, dusty concorde
Embossing:Cuttlebug, Diamond Plate
Wink of Stella

Thanks for dropping by today, I appreciate your visit. And keep crafting!

Uniko Studio - Guest Design Spot, part 2

Hello and welcome to my second slot as Guest Designer for Uniko Studio's May Challenge - Flowers. Such an honour to join the talented DT team and other GD Carol. I'm always drooling over their cards and storing away their wonderful inspirational ideas.

I got such a surprise too when I discovered one of Bev's new releases for May featured those milestone wedding anniversaries. And this card just had to be made! Oh yes, it's my 40th anniversary in July - that makes me feel so old!

No decision to be made about the colour then - a veritable sea of red was what was required.

There wasn't a stamp that said 40 long years so I had to go with sensational instead. And I suppose it is pretty sensational to have stuck it out for so long!

Supplies:
Stamps: Uniko Studio, Flower Power #7 & Classic Numbers
Inks: SU, real red, garden green
Die: Lil'inker, stitched mats rectangles
Embellishments: Doodlebug sprinkles, ladybug ast; Wink of Stella, clear; ribbon from my stash

And of course one card always leads to another. That unusual outline flower is just so appealing and there's someting about a simple line of flowers that makes my heart sing.

I was so pleased when I managed to trim the flower panel so that the line of Happy Birthdays on the black cardstock was revealed above and below. A simple sweet card that hopefully showcases Bev's stamps really well.

Supplies:
Stamps: Uniko Studio, Flower Power #7 & #5
Inks: SU, rose red, regal rose, pear pizzazz

Well that's me done for today. Your turn now to get crafty and enter the Uniko Studio Challenge. There are prizes to be won and everyone must have at least one flower stamp in their stash. Go on, give it a whirl!

Thanks for your visit. And keep crafting!

CAS Colours & Sketches #125

Another set of gorgeous colours for the new challenge at CAS Colours & Sketches. And as I've recently filled in some of the gaps in my SU inkpads I've actually got all three colours - makes life so much easier.

I decided to try a little watercolouring for my card and started by spritzing some water over the ink on an acrylic block. I painted stripes of colour, leaving a space between each one.

While the stripes were still wet I had fun flicking some of the leftover ink over them and onto the card. Then came the hard part - leaving it all to dry!

Back I came later in the day and stamped the beautiful dandelions on top of my watercolouring. The whole panel was then matted onto some coloured cardstock slightly off centre and down to the bottom right.

Supplies:
Stamps: Lavinia Stamps, Dandelions; Clearly Besotted, sentiment from Geometric Style
Inks: SU, crushed curry, elegant eggplant, garden green; Memento, tuxedo black

So what will you create with these colours? I know I'll be blown away by your imagination and creativity. Don't forget to check out what the rest of the DT has made to inspire you - here.

Thanks for visiting my blog today, I do appreciate you taking the time. And keep crafting!

Tuesday Talk

The theme at Less is More this week is Hello Sunshine. And guess what? I've actually got a stamp that says just that!

 

Apart from the obvious sentiment it was necessary to have a sun somewhere on my card - well in my opinion anyway. And I've had this tree edge die sitting waiting to be used for ever and that's how my little card came together.

A trio of sprinkles to highlight that sentiment and the determination to stop and not add anything else to this CAS card and my card was done. Yeah, that determination came from the ones that ended up in the bin!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU, Kinda Eclectic; Lawn Fawn, Hello Sunshine
Inks: SU, daffodil yellow; Memento, tuxedo black
Die: Clearly Besotted, On The Line
Embellishment: Doodlebug Sprinkles, beetle black asst.

Thank you for spending some time looking at my blog today. I do appreciate your visit.

And Keep crafting!

The Memory Nest - Make It Monday 40

A super second sketch for May at The Memory Nest today.  It's one of those classic, simple, oh so easy to interpret sketches. It would make a stunning card layout too.

The photo I've used was taken specially for me to use on a scrapbook page. I was first introduced to Hedwig during our weekly skype chat and when he said he wanted to show me his owl I was expecting a furry soft toy to appear. But no! This homemade Hedwig was revealed instead and it still brings a lump to my throat and tears to my eyes as I type this up. So of course a photo was asked for and sent.

And I'm loving how the dinosaur has muscled in on the act!

I added a little embellishment cluster at the top of the page using the scraps from the main part of the page and linked it all up by repeating stamped circles to guide your eye.

Supplies:
Papers: Crate Paper, party day; Basic Grey
Alphas: Jillibean soup, Neopolitan Bean Bisque
Stamps: Uniko Studio, B Builders Round In Circles; Bo Bunny, MamaRazzi 2
Ink: SU, basic grey
Dies: Clearly Besotted, Superstar; Xcut, resting stars
Punch: ek success, scallop edger
Date stamp: AC, Dear Lizzy
Embellishments: Doodlebug sprinkles, day to day asst.

I really appreciate your visit today. I hope you will be inspired to join in at The Memory Nest - as always there's a prize to be won. So what are you waiting for?

And keep crafting! 

AAA Cards Birthday Blog Hop

So have you entered our birthday challenge at AAA Cards? We've been having a few problems with the linky tool - so frustrating! But all is sorted at the moment, so get on over there and be in with a chance to win!

I thought I'd just share a couple of cards I made featuring two of our wonderful sponsors. I've kept the same colour scheme for both cards, but they look very different.

First up is a stamp from the very arty and gorgeous Visible Image. I absolutely adore the background butterfly and how it splatters away at the edges. I also used their large butterfly stamped onto vellum and coloured to match the smooshed watercoloured backgound.

And the next card uses a set from my go to designer - Clearly Besotted. They have stamps that just about cover every topic and theme you want. And their service and delivery speed is first class.

Supplies:
Stamps: Visible Image, butterfly incognito & large butterfly; Clearly Besotted, Sunburst
Inks: Memento, rose bud, dandelion, bahama blue, tuxedo black
Promarkers: hot pink, tulip yellow, azure
Embellishments: Doodlebug sprinkles

I'm also going to pop this card into the surprise linky party for Sandie at Addicted to Stamps.

So pleased you dropped by today, hope you enjoyed looking. Now what are you waiting for? Remember to leave me a comment on my original blog hop page - here - and then get on over to AAA Cards and leave a comment, also hop around the DT blogs leaving comments and who knows you could be a winner!

And keep crafting!

Uniko Studio - Guest Design Spot

Wow! Wow! Wow! Today I get to be a Guest Designer at Uniko Studio's new challenge for May - FLOWERS. Yay! Here's my badge:

And it was Beverley's birthday yesterday and I'm hoping the card I made reached her by snail mail in time for her special day. The Uniko Studio DT have combined the current challenge with a celebration of Bev's day - so I'm even more delighted to get my guest spot to coincide with this.

So here's my card:

It uses the brand new Flower Power #7 stamp from this month's release and I chose the simple daisy flower to showcase today. I used an ombre inkpad and the solid stamp and then over stamped it with the matching outline flower in between the petals. Some sparkly gems just finished off the flowers perfectly. So pretty!

In fact I loved these stamps so much I didn't want to put them back into the box so I made another card.

I continued the ombre theme but this time I stamped each flower a shade or two lighter as I went across the card. And added in some oranges to the colour mix.

I filled the flower centres with glossy accents. A couple of sentiments and a mat of that polka dot card and then I reluctantly packed away my supplies.

Supplies:
Card 1:
Stamps: Uniko Studio, Flower power #7 & Simply Said Birthday
Inks: Hero Arts , ombre pink to red; Memento, lilac posies
Die: Spellbinders, labels 1
Punch: Xcut corner rounder
Embossing: Cuttlebug, Swiss dots
Embellishments: Doodlebug sprinkles, love glitter asst; Embroidery thread & polka dot card from my stash
Card 2:
Stamps: Uniko Studio, Flower Power #7, A Gift For You, Simply Said Birthday
Inks: SU, melon mambo, rose red, pumpkin pie; Memento, rose bud, tangelo, dandelion, pear tart, tuxedo black
Embellishments: Glossy Accents

Now it's your turn to get creative and enter the new challenge over at Uniko Studio. Looking forward to visiting your blogs and leaving some love.

Thanks for coming to my blog today, hope you liked what you saw. And keep crafting!