Bauble card

Good Afternoon my friends.  I hope you are having a reasonable day.  I've just got two loads of bedding dried and after I post I will be ironing and making the beds up again.  Carolyn, Molly and Hamish are coming on Friday for the weekend, and as most of you know both Annie and I are attending a Tim Holtz workshop on Thursday. We leave early on Wednesday morning for Coventry, and staying in the hotel where the course is being held till Friday, so everything will have to be left in order before I leave.  Carolyn will make the dinner for us coming home, so at least I don't have to cook till Saturday.  We are both so excited and looking forward to meeting the great man himself.  Got my camera all charged up and ready to snap, so hopefully I will be able to show you some fun pictures of our escapades.
My card to-day was a Gift card that I got last year and I saved it to use as a template.  So my card is actually made from the original bauble and matted on to red card, and I punched the corners with snowflakes.  My poinsettia is a mixture of Vellum and white centura card that I highlighted with glamour dust. before adding the large gem in the centre.  Finished of with a red satin bow and a sentiment.  We have just got word this morning that the Finnabair course that was cancelled on Saturday, is now on the 5th and 6th October, so we will look forward to that now as well.   I'll try and catch as many of you as I can and leave you comments.  Hugs Rita xxxx

Christmas Angel

Good Morning my friends in Blogland. I hope you are all set for a lovely weekend. The skies are blue here at the moment and its so warm and humid.
After my disappointment on Thursday that to-day's class with Anna Dabrowska had been cancelled I did not want to do anything.at all. I know ( how childish )  Yesterday we had a visit from my lovely daughter Annie and she produced a lovely present of a large Gelli Plate for me.  I was over the moon to say the least.  We do tend to surprise each other with crafty things now and again, but this one I was gob-smacked. 
So after all that I best show you my card. Its from a Hearfelt Creations stamp and I also bought the Spellbinders die to match, as it makes much easier to cut.  The backing paper is from Graphic 45 Christmas Emporium and the papers are gorgeous. The holly is a Marianne die and again the small Merry Christmas is from Cheery Lynn. The 'Silent Night' stamp is also from Heartfelt Creations and it comes with theCandle set I used in my last card.  So at least I,ve made a start now.
To-day I will be at my sewing machine as my Grand-daughter Julie starts a new job on Monday and her scrubs are a size to big. She is a dental nurse and of course everything has to fit properly.  Gran to the rescue.
I hope you are all set to enjoy your weekend and do something nice.   Hugs Rita xxxx

Christmas by Candlight

Good Morning my blogging friends and after a busy few days with hospital and doctors appointments I thought I would make a start on my Christmas cards.  I see by your lovely blogs that lots of you have already started on yours.  My card to-day was inspired by good friend Selma.  Last year she used the Heartfelt Creations stamps on my Christmas card and to say that I was blown away would be an understatement. So after the celebrations were over I duly sent for the stamps and the spellbinders dies that matched, knowing I would use them again and again this year.  I stamped and embossed the candle and poinsettias and further stamped the poinsettias another 3 times  as wanted to decoupage them.  I used my Pebeo paints to add some colours. My base card is cream hammered that I matted with gold card that had been cut and embossed using my Marianne half doily die (LR0269 ). The 'Merry Christmas' dies are  Cheery Lynn and this is the bigger of the two dies in the pack.  I love these stamps and I definately will be using them this year.

 Just heard that our class in Glasgow with 'Finnabair' ( Anna Dabrowska ) has just been cancelled as she cannot fly because of illness.  However, I'm sure she will re-organize another date.   Thank-you so much for all the lovely comments on my little book as they certainly gave my inspiration a much needed boost.
Hugs to Everyone.  Rita xxxx

Mini Book of Quotes

Hello to All of my Blog Friends.  Thank you so much for all the lovely comments.  Even though I have not had time to post very much of late, I try my best to get round you all and leave comments.  The weather has not been so nice here over the week-end, very windy with rain and sun in between.
Today I'd like to show you a little mini book I made after becoming hooked on mixed media, its only 4.5" by 3.25" so it is very small.  Still got lots of practice to do, but maybe after my Finnabair course next Saturday I will learn some more about it.  So far my good friend Astrid has played an enormous part in getting me to where I am with all the different techniques I've had to learn.  Sorry if my post is a bit photo heavy.  I had made the pages of my little book ages ago ,but never got round to giving it covers. So I started by covering mount board with canvas and coating them with Gesso a few times. Once it was dry and using masks I put on some texture paste and let it dry.  I then painted on to the canvases three different colours of Acrylic paints and dried them off with my heatgun.  The angel was from a table napkin torn to suit and carefully put on with special glue for napkin,.you can actually see where where I was a bit heavy handed with my brush and it removed a tiny piece on her neck, another lesson learned.  Then it was decorated and highlighted with treasured gold and then I added  my pages, the papers I used were from the G45 French Country 12x12 pad.   I have always loved quotes and poetry so my little mini book will hold some of my favourite quotes and will be given to my best friend Jan.  Lots of messy,inky fingers, but I had great fun yesterday for a few hours.  I hope you like what I've done.  Keep Calm and Carry on Crafting.
 Hugs Rita xxxx
I'm entering into the following challenge.

Our Creative Corner:  Words Words Words.
Craft Room Challenge: Bingo Grid.   Rubber Stamping, Mask, Brown

Its a Blue Christmas card

Well, here I am as promised, a bit later than I thought mind you.  Still got a few things to clear away in my cupboard, but nothing like the mess I gave myself.   I used to be so organised when I was working , but since retiring I have totally changed.  Never mind, the card that made today was the first of this years Christmas cards and like most of us I'm trying to keep the postage down a little bit where I can.  So with that in mind I chose an image from the Giordano Collection by Joanna Sheen.
 The basic card is white with a blue matted layer.on top. I then used a mask through the Grand Calibur and using distress inks in Pumice stone, Weathered Wood and Stormy Sky  all touched up with wax and that was to be my background. The image again was layered with silver hologram card and added to the card. At this stage I used my glue pen and glamour dust to highlight the snow etc ( not very noticeable ) The Merry Christmas is a die from Cheery Lynn and the snowflakes with a Martha Stewart punch and I added some tiny diamonte's to them give it some blind.  First one of many still to come.
Hope you are all having a good day.  Hugs Rita xxxx
ps: I was really overwhelmed by the comments on both my canvases and I think I'm hooked. xx

This was in my youngest daughter's kitchen, and I thought it was hilarious.

Being Creative with Paint

Hello my  Friends.  I've certainly been busy since my last post, and amongst other goings on I managed to finish my second creation that I didn't get finished at Astrid's on Saturday.   This has definately been a learning curve for me, as I really have never worked with Acrylic paint before. Its been such fun, but I had no idea how vivid a lot of the colours are.  However, I'm really pleased with the outcome and learned so much on this, my first journey in to Mixed Media.  In between I am rearranging my craft room and my walk in cupboard as both have the wrong things in the wrong places. What an wonderful mess I have created, but hopefully I have got it right this time around, the main reason is I have had far too many hobbies over the years and I'm loathe to part with any of them.  Maybe by Thursday I'll be back creating again as I need to make a start on some orders and of course the dreaded Christmas cards.
 Take Care and I'll be around your blogs, even if I'm not posting.   Hugs Rita xxxx

Fabulous Day

Hello again my trusty friends. I hope you are all well and enjoying your Sunday. Especially for those of you not doing so good, please accept my gentle and comforting hugs.
Well, Annie and I had a Fabulous day with our friend Astrid again, we laughed and had fun and we did a couple of canvases each, with Astrid guiding us along. I had never done any media work before and I was so excited at how my first piece turned out.  After a very mouthwatering lunch and exchanging recipes, once again we prepared our second canvas of the day. I think we managed to share a lot of tips and ways that we do things too. The highlight for me apart from creating was in Astrid's craft studio, where a superb array of her work is kept in all its glory.  Most of the pieces I saw before ,but in reality they are completely different.
Our day together went far to fast and after coffee and cake we said our goodbyes and left for home.
I'll leave you with a peek at my first canvas and see what you think. Its so good to do something out of your comfort zone.   Lots of Hugs.  Rita xxxx

In the beginning.......

 ...... and finally my first media creation was complete.

Sorry, this picture is slightly muzzy

Three Happy Crafters at the end of the day.

 

Napkin Tag

Hello again Folks. I don't want to bore you with this, but a few people have asked how it's done.  So I'll try and talk you through it as its so lovely when its done.  Here is a Tag I quickly made from a butterfly napkin, just to let you see what can be done.   Off to get rid of the ironing bundle before the week-end as Annie and I are off to visit our dear friend Astrid.  I've said to the grandchildren to read your comments as I think they'll enjoy that.    Take Care.     Hugs Rita xxxxx

Here is a short tutorial so you can give it a try.  You will need Clingfilm, Paper Napkin, Lightweight card, Copy Paper.   Cut your napkin into 4 pieces and only use the top single piece with the images and discard the rest. To make the 'Sandwich' from the bottom, ( I use an old piece of cotton to save my ironing board from melted clingfilm) Then the card, clingfilm on top, the napkin face up,then the copy paper just to stop the film melting on the iron.Use a Dry Iron ( it doesn't work with steam ) and a moderate heat to press. Moving gradually over the whole piece. Check to see that its bonded, take away the copy paper and trim the excess film and give it a final iron. Sometimes after cutting the sides lift up a little ,but PVA glue is the best to stick it back down.  Hope you give it a try.  If your stuck at any point, just get in touch and I'll help you out.   Enjoy.  Rita xxx

Well I managed to find time to make a card to-day after an acute case of Lazyitus. I went into the loft space this morning to put the luggage away and came across a box of paper napkins from years back and found some all ready to put on to cards.  When I first started cardmaking about five years ago most of my cards were made with either decoupage or napkins.  I started by putting the narrow sticky tape along the edges and gave it a scattering of Cosmic Shimmer vintage mica flakes.  I used the SB Enchanted labels 28 for the large die cut and then cut the napkin (adhered to the card with clingfilm) using the SB Gold labels 4. The sentiment is from Inkylicious and the silk crush ribbon from the Ribbon Girl.  Hopefully now I can get my Mojo in gear again.  Thankyou all for the lovely comments left on my last post and I can assure you they were much appreciated.
I'm adding on to this post a couple of watecolour pictures by Molly and Hamish. Molly went to a class after school and this was what she produced, a pink porker. She is only 10 year old and just loves painting. Hamish has done an abstract painting, but never went to a class. Definately did not take it from me, but their mother was always good at drawing and painting.
  Thanks for Looking.    Hugs Rita xxxx

Robert Adam card

Hello my Crafty Friends. We came home from our 2 weeks holiday yesterday and enjoyed the journey through the beautiful Scottish Borders.  I always love when I go through to the East Coast, because its so different to where we live on the West, and of course they have more crafty places to visit as well.
My card today is for Neil my SIL who has just finished restoring an Adam fireplace that is the focal point of the original drawing room in their house, it has taken over a year to get it finished and working again as he had to repair the whole chimney too, inside and out.  I'm hoping he likes his card as it tells a little story.  As well as the card I did a scroll on the work and life of Robert Adam as he loves his historic Scotland.
I hope you have all been well crafting or not, I was thinking of you all.  Its lovely to get away on holiday, but its equally nice to come home.    Hugs Rita xxxx

Before being lit

After being lit, so beautiful. 

Ophelia Wall Hanging

Good Morning folks, and it certainly is, here on the West Coast of Scotland.  I cannot believe our holiday begins on Sunday.  So this will be my last post till I return, hopefully revitalized and replenished if this heatwave continues.
This was a Wall Hanging I made for my dear friend Anne ( redanne) for her Birthday. We became friends just after Anne started her blog, and share lots of similarities in our life too.  She absolutely loved it and has kindly allowed me to show you what I have done.  I started by using one of my recycled corrugated frames and painted it with gesso, then I added weathered wood and antique linen distress paint. When dry I used some treasured gold and patina wax to age it a little. The stamp I used was from Stampsmith called Ophelia and its such a stunning.stamp.  I die cut a gold frame from SB Enchanted labels 28 before adding my image at the back. The corners I tarnished a bit too, before adding my handmade roses and flowers that were carefully distressed very lightly with Barn Door DI. The leafy sprays are from Cheery Lynn. I think Ophelia just loved being surrounded with flowers.  The chain was bought from a bead shop in the town where we are going on holiday., so another visit there is in the offing.   Hopefully I have covered everything to let you know how I made my hanging.   Keep Well my Friends and I'll see you all when I return.  I'll try to comment whilst I'm away.    Loads of Hugs.  Rita xxx

Challenges I've entered is
The StampSmith : Shabby Chic or Vintage Grunge.
The Craftroom Challenge.:  Vintage ( No Cute)

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French Industrial card

Good Afternoon folks.  Absolutely wonderful spell of Summer weather.  I hope you are all making the most of it.   Its cooler in my craft room than it is outside, even under the parasol.
This is Ronnie's birthday to-day ( 21 again )  and I'm glad to report he is enjoying it. The last 2 weeks have seen a miraculous change ,considering all he's been through. So this is the card I made him, all from the Tim Holtz Paper Pad called French Industrial.  Its fabulous papers, and the only extras I used were elements from Wooden Embellies,( sorry if I got the name wrong. ) and one of Tim's cog wheels.  You will notice I've opted out of buying a present again,  but truly I'd rather they choose what they want for themselves.

       Keep Cool and Keep Crafting my friends.   Hugs Rita xx