No longer so distressed!

Well, 10.30pm has just passed, so it is time to declare the winner of my little competition. Not many entries - obviously nearly everyone but me had already got a Victorian Velvet Distress Inkpad! I loved Jules's suggestion that I had sneaked into her front room and taken a pic of her dusty coffee table, (which sounds a lot like mine!) but I'm afraid that was not the case! In fact there was just one correct answer, so my superfluous pad will be finding a new home with

CRAFTIMAMMA (LESLEY)

Well done, Lesley! I'll be posting it off to you tomorrow, and hope it cheers you up after your cold.

Thanks very much to everyone who did enter. The mysterious object was indeed a Tim Holtz/Ranger Blending Tool!

Out of my comfort zone

This week, the  fabulous Allsorts Challenge Blog is one year old! So their challenge for the week, is, naturally, birthdays. Here's my entry.

It's quite different from my usual style. Generally speaking, I don't do cute, and I don't do fruit! Nor do I do hot colours. I much prefer cool or muted tones - blues, purples, greens, and my work tends to be nature, arty or vintage inspired. However, I thought that for such a celebration something a bit more lively was called for!

The background paper (which includes the flourish & the trims at the bottom) was a freebie from Cardmaking & Papercraft magazine a while ago. The cake and sentiment stamps are from a set by Impression Obsession. It took me about 10 minutes to make, which again is unusual for me! Normally I like to take my time, and often get part way through a card, leave it & come back to it later, to see whether I'm still happy with the direction it's taking, or whether I've changed my mind, before I finish it off. That's because I hardly ever have a plan in mind before I start! I just collect a few things together and see where they lead me.

Anyway, you'll gather that this card was some way outside my comfort zone, and that being the case, I'm also entering it for this week's Tuesday Taggers, whose theme happens to be "Step out of your comfort zone"! Funnily enough, now I've done it, I actually quite like it! And I managed to use up a bit of old stash too!

I'm just too distressed!

Somehow (long story - don't ask!) I have found myself the proud owner of TWO brand new Victorian Velvet Distress Ink pads. Now, I don't need two, so I have decided to give away the spare. For a change, instead of blog candy, I thought I'd have a little competition.

To enter, identify the object in the picture below, and leave a comment to say what it is. Closing date will be this Sunday evening, May 16th, at 10pm. I will put all correct answers into a draw and Mr. Random Dot Org will select the winner. The prize may also include a little extra surprise!

You may enter as many times as you like, but one answer per comment, please. In the event that no-one correctly identifies the object, all entries by followers of my blog (which will include anyone who becomes a follower between now and the closing date) will go into the draw to choose the winner . Good luck!

Butterflies and Blossoms 2

I've been wanting to make an exploding box for ages. I got as far as making the box and decorating the outside a while ago, but never finished the inside. Anyway, finding myself with some time when for once I had nothing I needed to do and nowhere I needed to go, I set to work and completed it. And since I had always intended it to be on my favourite theme of butterflies and flowers, and since the Sir Stampalot Challenge this month is just that, and since the challenge allows two entries as long as they are different types, I'm entering it along with the card I made earlier!

Here's the closed box. The papers and butterflies are from the Artylicious Butterfly Bliss CD, with Prima flowers.

Inside there are three layers. The square printed pictures are from Crafty Individuals, stamps also by Crafty Individuals along with Cherry Pie and Art Impressions. Other decorations include stickers, more Prima flowers and text printed from my computer.

Looking down on the inner layer:

Middle layer:

And finally the outer layer:

I've really enjoyed this challenge, and all the other entries I've looked at so far are gorgeous. Of course, I know we wouldn't want the butterfly theme every month, but...... maybe every few months?? ;-)

Butterflies and Blossoms, and my favourite things!

Well, some of my favourite things! The Sir Stampalot Challenge for May is right up my street, as is the prize! Butterflies and/or blossoms tend to appear on most of my cards, and anything by Tim Holtz would find a good home in my craft room, so this is one challenge I couldn't miss.

The only materials I've used for this card are paper and one shade of ink. Having finally managed to get my hands on some of the new Distress inks, I think Chipped Sapphire is going to become my favourite colour. More of a purply-blue than the denim of Faded Jeans, and just what I was hoping there would be in the new range. The flower stamp is an old favourite, by Funstamps. I've had it for years but use it often, as it's so pretty and versatile. Here I've used a favourite technique to colour it. I'm not sure what it's really called, but I call it the magic painting technique, because it reminds me of those children's painting books which appear to have blank pages until you paint over them with plain water, and the picture magically appears. I used to love them when I was a child (and confess I still do!).

I stamped the image with Chipped Sapphire, and then, with a fine paint brush and clean water, drew out some of the colour from the outline to shade it in. By using more or less water and blotting areas you want to be paler, it's possible to vary the depth of colour. When I've used this technique before, I've always done it with Adirondack rainbow inkpads, and this is the first time I've tried it with a single colour, but I really like the result. The Distress ink works perfectly for it. And to think that when Distress inks first came out, I didn't see what all the fuss was about! Now I wouldn't be without them.

The background stamp is Dots & Flowers by Hero Arts, the sentiment by Darkroom Door, the circle and oval shapes were cut with my Nestabilities and the butterflies were punched from paper coloured with the Chipped Sapphire ink. The overall effect reminds me of Delft Pottery. And, of course, blue and white is one of my favourite colour combinations.

Thank You

I have been immensely touched by all the lovely comments, calls and emails I have received in response to my previous post. It has been such a comfort knowing that there are people out there thinking about me. It's wonderful how crafting brings people together and gives us all something in common. Maybe if the coming General Election doesn't improve things, we should start a new party - the Crafty Party! I'm sure we'd soon put everything to rights!

I still have a few things to do following my dad's passing, but I hope to be back to blogging again very soon. Life goes on, and there are cards I need to make...

Anyway, just wanted to say how very much I appreciate all your support. To everyone who took the time to get in touch, thank you. This card is for you.

A tribute

I see my blog mainly as somewhere to post my artistic efforts and keep in touch with like-minded crafters, rather than as a personal diary. However, since what talents I may have in that direction came to me from my parents, I feel that this is an appropriate place to pay tribute to them.

My father passed away on Good Friday morning 2010, after a long illness. He was the sort of person who enjoyed helping others, and gave unstintingly of his time and energy in doing so. Born in 1922, he was brought up by a stepmother (his own mother died when he was just three) and though he won a scholarship to art college, she would not allow him to take it up but made him go straight out to work when he left school at 14. It was then that he met my mother, also aged 14, at their local church in Leeds, when he was in the harmonica band and she in the church choir. My mother then also joined the band, and over their lifetime they gave pleasure to many with their music. I have fond memories of family get-togethers with mum & dad on their harmonicas, & mum's uncle on the piano, and all singing along to the old music hall songs which they loved. It was often embarrassing when I, from the age of 8 or so, was also made to do my "party piece" on the piano in front of the assembled company, but I have them to thank for encouraging my love of music, leading to my subsequent career.

They became engaged at 17, and married at 20, in 1942, only to be separated for a while because of the war. Mum was a Land Girl, posted to a farm in Somerset, while Dad went to Orkney as an aircraft fitter and then South Africa with the Fleet Air Arm. After the war Mum went to join him in South Africa and they would probably have emigrated there had not my mother's father become seriously ill, causing their return.They set up home in Leeds, and when I and my sister and brother came along they provided a secure and happy childhood for us. Dad worked his way up from shop floor to become MD of an engineering firm, and Mum, once we children were old enough to be independent, ran a highly regarded playgroup for 3 to 5 year olds.

Sadly my mum's retirement years were blighted by illness, firstly severe arthritis, resulting in two hip and one knee replacements. For as long as she could she kept busy, making floral displays and various other craft items which she gave to local charities for them to sell and raise funds. Then she was stricken with bowel cancer, needing emergency surgery, from which she made a miraculous recovery. It was therefore a great blow, some time later, to learn that she had developed Alzheimer's disease. Dad looked after her all this time. She could be a difficult patient, but he never complained. It was not until he too, devastatingly fell victim first to Alzheimer's and then lung cancer, that we were able to persuade him that he must accept help. They went to live with my sister, and even then Dad insisted on doing as much as he could for Mum. Despite their troubles, they both continued to delight in their family, including grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Mum's passing away in January 2009 I think hastened Dad's own. He simply did not know what to do without her, hardly surprising when they had been together for a remarkable 72 years. Their partnership was an example and inspiration to many people, and they will be greatly missed by many, who will remember them with gratitude.

Quick post

Just want to say that due to family priorities, I won't have much time for blogging for a while. If I don't get chance to do any posting or blog hopping it won't be for lack of inclination! I hope everyone has a lovely Easter, & I'll be back to visit all your wonderful blogs as soon as I am able to.

Lynne xx

Spring at last!

Well, today is officially the first day of spring. You wouldn't have known it here - wet, grey & dismal all day. But we have had some really nice days lately, and the spring flowers are beginning to come out in the garden. The snowdrops have been beautiful this year, and now the crocuses are blooming.

The daffodils, however, are only just coming into bud, so when I saw that this week's Allsorts Challenge  (Week 44) was "Spring is in the Air"  I thought I'd make a card with daffodils to brighten things up until the real ones take over. Lots of challenges with spring themes this week, so I'm also entering it in  Rosie D's and By the Cute and Girly. Another easel card! I really like making them - they are easy to construct, look lovely, and stand up so well!

The daffodil stamp is PSX, coloured with Promarkers, and the tiny butterfly is by Crafty Individuals. The background papers and printed sentiment (I added the butterfly) were free with Making Cards Magazine. The sentiment says " May your spirit keep the freedom of a butterfly in spring, and and may your heart be filled always with the joys of simple things" which I thought was rather nice and quite appropriate. The border is my favourite Martha Stewart punch, with ribbon from stash.

Tuesday Taggers 9th March

I haven't had much time lately for blogging, or for crafting, come to that. Unfortunately, at the moment real life is having to take priority. However, I have managed (at the last minute!) to make something for this week's Tuesday Taggers, where the theme is St. Patrick's Day. Since I don't have anything specifically to do with St. Patrick, I'm hoping a general Irish theme will be okay.

I decided (inspired by Debbie Dolphin's host of wonderful examples) to make a round easel card, which I cut with my Nestabilities. I have just bought the Celtic knot die by Joy!crafts (available from Crafts U Love ) and it seemed to be perfect for this project, mounted on to some My Mind's Eye paper. The base of the card is stamped with the Hero Arts Delicate Vine Background. The "Good Luck" stamp is one of a set of stamps free with the current (April 2010) issue of Papercraft Inspirations Magazine. The Irish Blessing & butterfly are Elusive Images from Graphicus. I finished the card with some shamrocks made from punched hearts. (Edit: I now realise, of course, that shamrocks have three lobes to the leaf, so these had better be lucky 4-leaf clovers!)

It was a bit of a rushed job (I should just about make the deadline!) but I think it turned out okay in the end.