'What you do speaks so loudly, I can't hear what you say.'
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Wednesday 29 January 2020

Hello!
I'm still merrily using up stuff hanging around (and acquiring more...) so I thought I'd share what I made.

First of all, for Allsorts 'Take Flight' Challenge, I used a mop up card, and images stamped on scraps of paper, plus a first try - too crookedly cut to use - die cut. I loved the colours on the card, so decided to use them to colour the images. This cute little girl always looks so happy and free, so I used the die cut scrap to create a hill she'd obviously just run up to gain the momentum she needed to leave the ground and take flight. I coloured it with Oxide Cracked Pistachio, spritzed to oxidise, then added some (very rough) grass using stamps and gel pens. Once I'd stuck her and the hill in place, I couldn't help but doodle a few little flowers to add to the scene, coloured with gel pens. I doodled the string in her hands, then had the idea of doing a heart shaped loop, because I'd seen a 'Use Hearts' challenge. I already had the heart shaped balloon, but my obsession with using odd numbers meant I had to add another one 😊 

The words arrived today and were part of a prize I won from Stamplorations - thank you! I wish I could say I deliberately stamped them crookedly, but I didn't...😉 I really must learn to stand up when I'm stamping words! The background words (run, walk, play, have fun, fly) were added in the Oxides on the background, using one of those 'click together' alphabet things...It's a bit primitive but very useful. I used a mixture of alcohol ink pens and Prisma Pencils for the colouring.
Linking to 
Simon Says Stamp Mondays, All Loved Up and
Double D Challenges, Use Balloons
Sweet Stampin, Use Your Scraps

This page in my journal started as a sponged A5 card, ready to use for my Iris stamp last week...BUT I tried it first on a mount, rather than using my clever stamping thingy...so it was useless. I painted and gessoed over the stamping and decided to use my new Startrish Designs girls, from Trish Latimer. I'd already used the two smaller ones but not the larger one, so I stamped them on some scrap painted and stamped paper, cut out the dresses, then stamped onto the card, stamping and cutting out again on white card to paper piece them. I just added stars and a bit of doodling. So this is for Jo's 'New' Challenge on the Art Journal Journey Blog. I trimmed it to fit into my A5 journal. I don't know why the colour on their cheeks and lips isn't showing...should've taken a photo! Love these colours.
This background was another reject in my stash, but too nice to throw away because it looks like marble. I thought I'd try using yellow on it, because I'd used Lemonade on the b/g, so I stamped an old Paperartsy brick wall, added some scraps of book paper, cut out the already stamped flowers, coloured with Prisma Pencils, edged them, drew some stems and voilà - I love the way they turned out. I found the perfect words in my word stash, attached with a tiny gold brad.
The card itself is a lovely pale banana shade - as you can see better in this photo. There's also a little gold text on there, but it's hard to see.
Linking to
Penny Black Saturday Challenge, with Optional Something new

Thank you for calling in today
Back soon
Cath
xxx

Tuesday 28 January 2020

Morning, all.
Just another White Space sample - because white space isn't necessarily white - just unpatterned 😉

Smooshed background (Oxides) and Simon Says Stamp Flowers, with a little Lemonade stamped text behind the flowers.


There's still one more week for you to join us over at Try it on Tuesday
The more the merrier - AND we're looking for two new DT members, so if you're interested, please mark your post entry DT.

Thank you for calling in today
Back soon
Cath
xxx

Thursday 23 January 2020

Still using up unfinished bits and using up arty 'scraps' hanging around, I found this 'reverse stencil' print I made when stencilling snowflakes. I'd already stamped the penguins both on the card and ready to colour, cut out and piece over, so this didn't take long. The border was scrappy because bits of ink had escaped into it, so I decided to add a washi tape border. I masked the top and bottom of these words to stamp in Versafine Majestic Blue and clear emboss.
I'm linking to
Shopping our Stash Winter Blues, Winter or Blue...I think this is both 😉
Retro Rubber, Winter Themed (stamp bought 2018)
Alphabet Challenge, U for Use Washi tape
Creatalicious, ATG, optional add a snowflake

This card celebrates my love of words - or inspiring sentiments. I love this Visible Image set, with its letters streaming from the typewriter. Words are so powerful - one single word of difference in what we say - and/or the way we say it - can effect people in both good and bad ways. What we say makes a difference! Boy, I wish I'd realised this much, MUCH earlier in life...😬
Linking to Everybody Art Challenge, Everything Goes

Thanks for calling in
Back soon
Cath
xxx

Wednesday 22 January 2020

Morning Bloggers!
I've been playing around lately, enjoying 'just messing' and having fun, while trying to use up bits that are on - or around - my workspace, or finishing off partly done bits. I found this (torn) piece of card that dripped rich colour, but was a little too dark to do much with - and it was rather autumnal looking. Not very appropriate for this time of year. That made me think of leaves, so I stamped and gold embossed these (new) leaves. My first thought was to bleach out the colour, but then I wondered if water alone would work...and it did! I get frustrated with non permanent inks because they fade, but this is one of the advantages of them. I really like the way it turned out, even if the words aren't perfect.I overheated the powder and because I used Versafine to stamp, that's what you see.
I finished it off with a bit of spattering of gold and brown.
Because it's a new stamp, I can link to the following 'New' challenges.
Daring Cardmakers, Something New
Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday, New Goodies/Old Favourites or Both

I also found this large die cut butterfly, already coloured in rainbow inks. It would have stood alone in a CAS card, but I wanted something a bit more striking. I wanted a stark background, for contrast, so I used a gessoed background (with a little very pale mint paint) in my  journal, but it looked TOO stark, so I added some words stamped in black, a black dotty border (stencilled) and these Visible Image words. I added arrows just to show which way the words go...
...and because it was a new use for the die cut - a repurposing - and new paint, I will link it to Art Journal Journey's 'New' challenge 😀😉😀 (and that's probably the most tenuous link you've ever heard!)

This was my record of a picture I saw when talking to my best friend (AKA praying 😉)... it was virtually finished, but I spent a little time adding finishing touches to what I'd watercoloured.
Thank you for calling in today
Back soon
Cath
xxx

Tuesday 21 January 2020

Time for a new challenge at Try it on Tuesday
and it's
White Space OR Colourful Grunge

I decided to go for the White Space option because it's something I so rarely do. What's life without a challenge or two? So, I made a CAS card, using an image I've had for a while but only used once - till now. I used my lovely Prisma Pencils and a die I'm quite fond of the die I used for both card and borders - and a little gel pen. The words are from a different set, but I thought they were appropriate for this time of year.
You can't beat journalling with a cuppa (coffee in my case) and a little snack 😉

I used a glitter gel pen for a delicate glittery touch on some bits, as you can see here.

I'm linking this to Allsorts - More than one word
Penny Black and More, Make it Feminine
and to

You have two weeks to join with us, using any medium you like. I hope you do!
Please check the wonderful examples created by my teamies - it's fabulous, as ever!

Thank you for calling in today
Back soon (tomorrow)
Cath
xxx

Wednesday 15 January 2020

Hello bloggers!
I feel as if I've been away for weeks, but in reality it's less than one week. Every time I've set out to blog what I've been making, something has interrupted and I just haven't gone back to it. 

I've just been playing with a new stamp I was fortunate enough to win as a prize from Allsorts a couple of weeks ago. It's a (very) large iris from Bee Crafty and some lovely words, too! You can see them on the card I made. Thank you very much all you lovely ladies over at Allsorts! So how could I not join the current 'Say it with Flowers' challenge? 

I seem to have a 'thing' for pinks and purples and paler colours than usual - and I'm enjoying it. This one is just a smooshed background with my 'classic' design of (embossed) text and background stamp. I used mainly Oxides (Dusty Concord, Milled Lavender and Tattered  Rose) for both the background and the b/g stamping. It's a folded A4 card, so you can see how big the stamp is! I coloured it with Prismas.
I will probably link this one...it was the result of an enjoyable play time a couple of days ago. I used Peacock Feathers and Picked Raspberry on this one - smooshed - with a touch of Salty Ocean. It looks quite pale, though they're all strong colours. I used Prismas to colour and added a bit of stencilling to complete it, though it was okay without. I love these simple tulips. I noticed this morning that all of mine are growing well and I have a vase of them on my table. I love the colour variations in tulips.
I'm linking this to Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesay Challenge - something new or something old and loved, as well as to Allsorts, and to Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, Use a Stencil and Addicted to Stamps and More's Make your mark challenge, Tuesday Throwdown's Something New, and Stamping Sensations' Favourite StampS.

Thank you for calling in today
Back soon
Cath
xxx 

Wednesday 8 January 2020

I thought it was about time I got down to a bit of journalling, so I created this page for Jo's NEW challenge on Art Journal Journey, I used new stamps.
When I scanned it the colours were totally wrong, so I took a photo instead. The background is smooshed Oxides, Tumbled Glass, Antique Linen and Peacock Feathers, with some Prisma and white Gel pen. I stamped in Fallen Leaves, Warm Breeze and Acorn Versafine Clair, clear embossed. It was fun to make.
Here's a scan to show you what I mean and a close up of the various shades.
I also made some very simple little Thank Ewe cards to send out to some of the kind people who gave me presents this Christmas... I'm on a mission to clear the die cuts and scraps lying around, so that's why nothing is the same! The (rough) backgrounds are watercoloured Oxide inks.
This card has a border of triangles for the final Moo Mania & More Challenge. It's sad to see it end. I'll miss you, girls. The girls are coloured with Prismas.
Linking to 
Always Fun Challenges, Anything New
As You Like It, Thank you
Paperminutes, Embossing Powder
Alphabet Challenge, T for Try something different
(new stamps)

Thank you for calling in today.
I'll be back soon
Cath
xxx

Tuesday 7 January 2020

Happy New Year to anyone I haven't yet visited you.
I hope 2020 is a happy, healthy and creative year for all of you!

Today's the first challenge of 2020 for 
and it's
What a Cutie 
OR
Make Someone Smile
I chose the fun option of making someone smile. I'd seen these words a few times before I actually managed to get my hands on them, so I couldn't wait to use them. The main image is part of the stamp set, but I added the Katzelcraft potted plant to go with the room background I'd made, using a vertical striped stencil and Bundled Sage Oxide. 
I had planned to add a bit more furniture, but I wasn't happy with what I'd done, so decided to have a go at an aperture card instead. I have some great double stitched dies which leave stitched frames as well as cutting stitched shapes and this is one of them. I deliberately placed it off centre because I was going to staggr the words, then changed my mind... 
The chair is paper pieced in a chintzy fabric style paper. I die cut the speech bubble, too, though I cut it down to the size that worked best for the card.
Please do go to see all the wonderful samples from the Design Team - they're wonderful. I hope you'll join us with your fab art during the next two weeks.
I look forward to visiting you!

Thanks for calling in
Back soon
Cath
xxx