A Whimsical World

New Year, New Home...

Today I have a Whimsical make to share, a mixed media card using stamps and stencils from Angela, designer, creator and owner of
Polly Allsorts

A new home card called The Mouse Box
I've used fussy cutting for this and incorporated my love of creating miniature scenes and displays.

Using the individual stamps from the A5 Street Signs stamp set, 22 individual stamps on a red rubber sheet.

I stamped the Ivy leaf and branch with Versafine Clair inks and sponge coloured with distress oxides, I also heat embossed some of the leaves for variation and used second and third generation stamping.
These elements were stamped and fussy cut to create the branches and leaf layout.

 The main coloured background was created blending distress oxides and adding water for the bleaching effect, this formed the main centre square and was mounted on to a Kraft card blank.
The Mouse Box was stamped onto the main street sign board using a stamp press tool to align.

I added hessian and string along the top of the card along with the ladybird and butterfly embellishments and layered punched hearts.
The New Home wording was stamped from the set.

Using the 6 x 6 Whimsical texture stencil I created a cobbled path, I love the fine detail it shows when used with texture paste. The mini toadstools are created using the same stencil and coloured with distress oxides. I've also used flower soft in green for a mossy/grass effect and for flower blossom on the side panel along with some flower stamens.

Corrugated card sits behind the branches either side.
I cut the triangle mouse from felt and added string for the tail.
A perfect new home for this cute little chap.

Angela and her creations feature in the current edition of
Making Cards Magazine and her Whimsical houses, stamps and stencils can be purchased here at her Etsy store.
New designs and creations are on the way...

Thanks for reading today, crafty hugs xKx

Gift wrapping

Good Morning,

A short week this week after the bank holiday weekend, hope you had a good one and were able to relax a bit and enjoy.

Yesterday was my daughter, Jennifer's 30th birthday and I don't know where the years have gone!

She was born prem, 9 weeks early at 2lb 15oz so every birthday is special and this was no exception.

I organised a few surprises for her, one of which was to gather friends and family for a celebration lunch at a lovely pub/restaurant.

She had no idea anyone else would be there except for her, Paul and I as we had already done a few things and she had been given her presents.

We had a lovely meal with family on Friday evening, went to local gardens and historic house on Saturday and had cream tea and she had a day out in London on Sunday with family.

So thinking it would just be a quiet meal on Sunday she was very surprised when more family and friends joined us.

It was a brilliant day and such a happy time.

I decided to try something different for her present wrapping and chose kraft brown wrapping paper which I stencilled using 

 Imagination Crafts Starlights and stencils.

I was so pleased with the result and will definitely be doing this again.

You can really personalise gift wrap in this way and keep to a colour theme too, Jennifer's colour is purple.

Hope you have a good week, at least it will be a short working week.

Sending love and hugs xxx

Stencil and Starlights

A quick card made using two Imagination Crafts stencils, the background is called Retro Squares, I'm unsure of the name of the second which also has a butterfly on it but it caught my eye as really useful for a background or main feature/s.
Starlights were used randomly through the Retro Squares in both Lavender and Pink Sunset then I used black archival for the section of the second stencil, masking off other areas.
The black on the shimmer and sparkle gives such an elegant and striking design.
Finished with dream cut from a die.
Have a great day...x

Stamps, stencils, Brusho's and paper clay

Good Morning all,
Thanks so much for popping in this morning.
I'm so fortunate to have such wonderful support both here and on my Facebook page where I share my crafty journey along with 700 of you lovely crafters,
Wow! Sincere thanks from me to each of you.

I thought I'd get my jobs done early today as it's going to be another scorcher and I think my energy levels will be zapped pretty quickly!
First job on my list today, this blog update with some samples for my next Kent workshop in July.
For these I've used IndigoBlu stamps designed by Limor Webber, really loving these sets.
Also I've used various stencils, Brusho's and paper clay to make some added extra's.
Really had fun with these and they're so quick and easy.
Well I had better get on with my jobs for today.
Hope you can stay comfortable and take care in this heat.
Back soon
Love and Crafty Hugs xKx

A messy painty workshop full of fun and such laughter! Think I'll rename this workshop Fifty Shades! Lol

Welcome to Monday and the start of a fresh week.
I hope you enjoyed a lovely weekend, did you do anything nice?...

I started a new workshop yesterday and was so proud to introduce my lovely ladies to a super venue that fits the job just perfectly.
Despite horrendous journeys due to unforeseen traffic chaos caused by an accident and jams everyone arrived safely and definitely in need of a reviving cuppa before getting started.
It was super to welcome Laura and Anne to the group and see that they enjoyed themselves so much.

Part of the layering technique used torn book pages, well my goodness what a story unfolded there!
I had picked at random what looked like a nice romantic novel, ummmm lets just say that reading the snippets being glued on the work was hilarious!
They were supposed to be gluing randomly and not reading! Lol
These ladies made me blush like I haven't done in a long long while! Lol
It was hilarious.
We got more than we bargained for with this story, I might just as well of picked up a copy of Fifty Shades!
Haven't laughed so much in ages and that was before the "zip" jokes started...Jan! Lol

Anyhow we did get lots of work done and I was thrilled with the creativity and inspiration from everyone, all so talented.
We concentrated on painting and layering techniques using the lovely Candy Box Crafts Notelet Box.
Also using Decoart Americana Chalky paints, Pebeo Irridescent paints, Decoart modeling paste and doily stencil, Sizzix dies and all sorts of embellishments.
One project takes on a whole new look when everyone's creativity kicks in, it's wonderful to watch.

I'll leave you with pictures of the day and sneaky peeks of some of the projects.

Enjoy your craft and I hope you have a good week.

I'm taking the opportunity to catch up with friends.

Crafty Hugs xKx

My homework and class projects from Lisa B Designs Workshop

Morning all,

As promised here's my round up of the cards and techniques from
Lisa B Designs workshop last Friday.
We used Lisa' s new stamp sets from the Floral Collage series and Imagination Crafts stencils and their Stencil paint which I've been itching to have a play with since their release.
I've also used a Crafters Workshop Fragments stencil, Burlap Bits, which is a dinky size of 4 x 4" I love it!

Other items used include VersaColor inkpads and WOW embossing powders.

The first card I started on Friday and once home I added more detail and embellishment.
I've used Imagination Crafts stencil paint in Mallow and Lime Green with the Honeycomb stencil and a touch of Diamond Sparkle. The floral stamps are from the Clematis Elements set.

I then used the Poppy Elements with Boysenberry and  Bamboo VersaColor, this was my take on samples Lisa and Kirsten showed us at the class.

Lastly inspired by the class a design I came up with at home using stamps from the Pimpernel Elements set, the Burlap Bits stencil and Lime and Rose stencil paints.

Back later,

Crafty Hugs xKx

A little bit of Imagination...

Afternoon Everyone,

Nearly the Bank Holiday Weekend, do you have anything nice planned?

I wonder if the weather will be kind to us...

Part of my DT work for Lisa B Designs includes playing, I mean working!
with amazing products from Imagination Crafts.

Here on a 6 x 6 canvas I used their Grunge Elements stencil with
 Inkadinks sprays and Diamond Sparkle.

It's great sometimes to just play and see where we end up, this is where I ended up with this.

No overthinking just going with the flow...

Hope you like it.

Have a lovely evening, back soon.

Crafty Hugs xXx