Another go at layered backgrounds.

I had another go at Shari's layered background technique , this time I used earthy tones and I love the result.
Busy day again so another short post, be sure to check back tomorrow when the new challenge at Wee Memories starts!

supplies: Hero arts stamps, CG172 Garden Bouquet, G5507 Envelope pattern. Distress inks, Old Paper, Spiced Marmalade, Crushed Olive and Scattered Straw. Spellbinders Lacey Circles.

Layered Backgrounds!

Hi ladies its been a beautiful sunny day here but still very cold so I needed another bright card to cheer me up.  I have at last been successful with Shari's Layered background technique, after quite a few attempts hitting the bin this is the card I ended up with.  Its still not perfect but I love the reds and purples.


Supplies:-Stamps by Hero Arts CL430 Real Garden Petals, CL383 Antique Engravings , S5507 Envelope pattern.  Distress inks:- Old Paper, Barn Door, Crushed Olive, Dusty Concord.

Spring flowers.

Just a quick post tonight, I decided to get my marker pens out of the drawer as I haven't used them in ages and this seemed the perfect stamp for them!  I wanted to make a Spring like card , so I used the markers to colour the stamp then spritzed with water before putting on the paper, I love the soft effect it has created

Hope you are all having a great week.

Supplies. Hero Arts stamps: CG172 Garden Bouquet and S5507 Envelope pattern. Marker pens and Tumbled Glass Distress Ink.

Guest Designer for March !!!

I was so thrilled when sweet Jenny from The Wee Memories Blog contacted me a few weeks ago and asked if I would like to be their March Guest Designer , for the "Scrappy Saturday Challenges".  I jumped at the chance as I have been a follower of her blog for ages and often take part in the weekly challenges.

This is my inspirational card for this weeks challenge  #46, the theme is "Woodland Friends" and a card or project  inspired by woodland creatures and nature!

To make my card I used an old owl stamp that I had and enlarged the stamped image on my computer, I then cut it out and added strips of Patterned Paper cut with a border punch.. The balloons are coated with UTEE to give a shine.

 The challenge is sponsored by Serendipity stamps and the prize this week is a stamp set.

So, ready to play along? I hope you will! Link up your finished creation on the Wee Memories blog. You have until midnight PST on Fri., Mar. 11 to be eligible for the prize.  Have Fun.

A card for a male!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just a quick post today but I had to share this card with you.  Its a card for a man eeek!!!  always a difficult card to make. This great stamp set from Hero Arts is perfect for those tricky cards. This months challenge is also to decorate envelopes so I have just stamped the car image with Tea Dye distress ink onto the edge of the envelope.
Have a great day.

Birthdays cards

Part of this months challenge theme at the Hero Arts Blog is Birthdays and as Birthday Cards are always useful to have in stock I decided to play with my new stamp and make a couple!

This Hydrangea stamp is fast becoming a favourite of mine, the image is so crisp and detailed I just love it.  I have been visiting Jacquelines blog she makes the most beautiful shabby chic cards with this stamp and she has inspired me.

 The background is the Musical Collage stamp, I masked out the bird image and stamped with bundled sage distress ink, Then I stamped the Hydrangea using Dusty Concord  and Crushed Olive.

The second card is really simple, the Hydrangea is stamped with Crushed Olive and Worn Lipstick, and the background Kraft is stamped with the Old Letter stamp.

Hope you are having a good week, its turned really cold again here, still no sign of spring unfortunately.

Supplies Hero Arts Stamps:Top Card. S5501 Musical Collage and K5376 Hydrangea. Bottom Card CG197 Old Letter and K5376 Hydrangea.

Another colour challenge.

Look at these yummy colours, don't they remind you of spring!! I couldn't resist playing along with this challenge at CR84FN and using two new stamps that I have just received.

I found it quite hard to photograph this card so that you could see the embossed background, I have this new powder called "White Pearls" and I love the shimmery effect it gives.  The main image is stamped and embossed with white powder and then coloured with distress inks.  Quite a simple card but I am pleased with the result.

Back to work today after a week off and it has come hard, I am missing my crafting time :0(

Supplies Hero Arts Stamps. CG245 Classic Fabric, CG271Large Blossom. Distress inks. Bundled Sage, Worn Lipstick and Barn Door.

Hero Hostesses Colour Challenge 1

Emails have been flying between the Hero Arts Hostesses ever since we were appointed, we have been thinking of ideas to inspire you all and so  have decided it would be fun to run a few colour challenges over the next few weeks.  I am pleased to be the one starting this off and here is my colour inspiration photograph.  I wanted to have warm summery colours to cheer up all of us who live in the Northern Hemisphere, we have been experiencing a really cold winter this year and at the moment can only dream of summer!!!  The first photograph was taken in my garden last summer and I can remember it being a beautiful hot summers day with a clear blue sky, the second photo is taken in my favourite wool shop, the colours of this particular wool really caught my eye aren't they yummy!

This is the card I have made using one of my favourite new stamp sets "Blossom Art" I have layered up the two paper pieced flowers with pop dots and added the pearls.  The background is just stamped with Scattered Straw Distress ink.

Here is a little close up of the flower.

 Please download your cards to the Hero Arts Flickr group here and use the "hostess challenge1" tag . The challenge will run till 11pm PST  on 27th Feb or 7 am 28th Feb GMT.  Hope you find time to enter.

Hostesses cooking up a storm!!!

"When the Hero hosties are selected everyone looks forward to what they'll cook up!! Heather, Anita
Sharon, Linda and I have taken this literally and are cooking something up for you this week - one of our favorite recipes!" We are each posting a card or project inspired by one of our favourite recipes  and we are hoping that you will play along to.  Pease post your projects here and add the flickr tag "cookingupchallenge"


 This is one of my families favourite cakes its called a Lemon Drizzle Cake and it never lasts long in our house!!  I thought it would be fun to make a gift of "Tea and Cake" so I have also created these little gift holders that actually hold one tea bag.  The holder is based on a tutorial here, I have just adapted the front of it to add a ribbon tie.


This is the inside of the holder, don't you just love this yummy paper its from Echo Park !  The tea cup image is from the Hero Arts sparkle clear set CL188 and I have paper pieced this with a scrap of chintzy paper from my scrap box.
This is the recipe that I use its really simple to make:-
Cake
175gm unsalted butter softened
175 gm caster sugar
finely grated zest of three lemons
3 med. eggs
175gm self raising flour
Pinch salt
little milk
Icing
200gm icing sugar
75ml lemon juice

Method
Grease and line a litre loaf tin.
Beat together the sugar and butter till white and fluffy.
Add lemon zest and beat in eggs one at a time with a little of the flour.
Sift in the remaining flour and salt, add a little milk if the mixture is too stiff.
Pour into tin and bake in pre heated oven 170C or gas mark 3 for 45 to 50 minutes.
Mix together the lemon juice and icing sugar.
When the cake is cooked remove from the oven and while still hot and in the tin prod with a fine skewer to make a few holes, but don't go to the base of the tin!
spoon over icing so that it seeps into the holes.
Cool completely then serve.

Hope you find time to try it out, it really is yummy!!
SallyX

Colour Challenge!!

Love this pretty colour palette for the challenge at CR84FN this week, as you know I love colour challenges so had to have a go at this one!

Lots of stamps used here and I am really pleased with the finished card, so soft and feminine.

Here is a close up of the dragonfly, as you can see I have added some shimmer to the wings.  Sorry another quick post but if you stop by tomorrow I can reveal one of the things I have been working on!!

Sallyx
Supplies: Hero Arts Stamps, CL383 Antique Engravings. S5507 Envelope Pattern, CG197 Old Letter.G4917 Dandelion.  Distress inks, Worn Lipstick and Milled Lavender.