Madcap Manor

 Hello! We have a new challenge for you at  Dream Valley  which is to use dies or punches - or both! Our sponsor is the fabulous  Polkadoodles . I have used  Octavia Frosted Winter . I used an ancient Spellbinders dieset for the circle mat and the strip of paper lace.  The flowers and leaves and the sentiment came from an old set by  Love from Lizi , and I added one of her peel-offs over the join between the lace and the paper.  The gold gems are from my stash. Check out my teamies' lovely creations and have a go! Thanks for looking and take care. love Mags B x

 Good morning, my lovelies! I hope you're all looking forward to a great weekend.  I shall be sorting, cleaning and tidying the guest room, because we're having a visitor next week who will be staying overnight.  The trouble is, I have chucked a lot of 'stuff' in that room, so it's going to take a long time..... Once it's done it will be  My Time to Craft Christmas!  (Do you see what I did there?) We have an unusual theme this time - non-Christmas winter cards! New Year, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, Divali....  But keep it Clean and Simple. For a very useful list of CAS ideas, check out  this glossary  from the "Less Is More" Challenge blog. I have made a couple of Hannukah cards, using this lovely  Blessed Hannukah  stamp set by Altenew. I stencilled the background with Tumbled Glass distress ink.  The star is silver-embossed, and I used holographic card as my mats.  The sentiment is from an old Paper Smooches stamp set. My second card ...

 I am such a numpty! I was so sure that I'd scheduled my post for  My Time to Craft!  on Friday that I didn't check it on the day.  Massive apologies, everyone! Anyway, the theme is Wings  and I have used papers and toppers from a free gift of papers and toppers by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds which came with a magazine a few months ago.  My hubby and I have been members of the RSPB for many years, and it's lovely to see that they are now getting into card supplies! My first card uses a gorgeous kingfisher topper from the kit, it has some fabulous gold foiling on it. Our local RSPB bird reserve (Rye House) is notable for its kingfishers, which are even more beautiful in real life than this pretty image. My second card uses a dragonfly die by Love from Lizi, which is sadly out of print.  I cut it from blue mirror cardstock. The papers are from the same RSPB kit. Check out the fab creations thst my teamies have left on the challenge blog...

 Hello, my lovelies! I'm sorry this post is a day late, I managed to pick up a tummy bug which wiped out Monday and Tuesday this week! Well, it's one way to lose weight..... For our new Challenge at  The Holly and Ivy  I decided to make a stencilled background.  I used the Pretty Pink Posh  Layered Sunflower Stencils  to create poinsettias. It's an easy set to layer, and with different colours could be daisies or even Michaelmas daisies, I think.  I matted it on gold cardstock which I also used for the die-cut sentiment, which is an old one by  Love from Lizi .   In ;ess that 2 weks' time it will be November! Break out your Chrimbo stash and join in at the Challenge! You know it makes sense. Thanks for looking and take care! love Mags B x

 Hi there! It's time for a new challenge at  Dream Valley  and our theme is to use Pearls or Gems on your creation.  Our sponsor is Morgan's Art World. My printer is having a hissy-fit, so I was unable to print any of the gorgeous images that Morgan sent for the DT to use.  However, I had one of her images already printed - this is  Missy May. I used paper, ribbon and lace from my stash, and the flowers and leaves were cut with the  Stitched Blooms  dies by My Favorite Things.  The sentiment is cut with a die from the October card kit by  Love from Lizi.   The gems on the flowers are from my stash. Check out my teamies' fab creations, then join in the fun and scatter pearls or gems across yours! Thanks for looking and take care! love Mags B x

 Hi there! Happy Friday! Check out our new Challenge at  My Time to Kraft Khristmas  where the theme is to use Kraft/Brown and White.  I love this combo! My first card is stencilled onto Neenah Desert Storm cardstock. I used Altenew's  Fancy Star Builder Mask and Simple Coloring Stencil  and white pigment ink for the first layer, then added sparkling clear embossing powder over the second layer.  White pigment ink stays wet for a long time, so it's easy to emboss with it. The sentiment is from an old Paper Smooches sentiment stamp set.  I added stich-lines with a white gel pen for the 'rays' and some clear sparkle Nuvo Drops. My second card has a stamped background: I used the  Deck the Halls Turnabout Stamp  by Concord & 9th and added the sparkle embossing powder to the final layer.  The  Label Die  is by Creative Craft Products and the sentiment is a very old one by Lil' Inkers. Check out all the lovely variations on...

 Hi, guys! We have a new challenge for you at  My Time to Craft!  which is Geometrics.    My first card features circles, using a layering stencil.  Unfortunately I put the folder with all my stencils in a safe place and I just can't find it anywhere, so I can't tell you who made the stencils. My second card features triangles and an old Sizzix cover die. I used holographic card for the die-cut and sentiment, and inlaid some triangles with grey card.  A very masculine look, I think. Go to the challenge blog and see what my teamies have left to inspire you! Thanks for looking and take care! love Mags B x

 Good afternoon! I'm sorry my post is a wee bit late, it's been a busy day.  This morning was spent at the Toddler Club which I help to run at my church; then I had a dental appointment to have my gnashers cleaned; and then hubby and I had our Covid booster AND flu jab! Now it's time for a cuppa! Anyway, our new Challenge at  The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge  is under way.   I used an old die-set (now out of print) for the Snow person, it's so cute! I cut everything out of white card and coloured the pieces with copics.  The oval is die-cut from a scrap of embossed card, as is the sentiment, which is an old die by Love from Lizi.  The background paper and spotted card are from my stash. My stash of Christmas cards is looking quite healthy by now - although I will need even more to be sold at the Toddler Club for our funds.  It's a good thing I really enjoy making Christmas cards! Take a gander at the Challenge blog to be inspired by my t...

 Good morning! Happy Monday! I am actually feeling quite happy today because my horrible cold (not Covid, thank goodness!) which I have had since Thursday, is finally getting better.  I have almost stopped sneezing! And it's time for a new Challenge at  Dream Valley , our theme is Favourite Colours. I went with Blue and Yellow (and a bit of green.)  I used cheap'n'cheerful acrylic paints, watered down a little, and scrunched-up clingfilm (saran wrap) to dab colours onto a piece of card.  There's a fuller explanation in  this video  by Sasha Reade. There is so much sparkle and shine on this card, but I just couldn't get a decent photo.  I spritzed the background with a mica spray, then once it had dried I stamped the flower in Memento Ink and coloured the little blooms with yellow centres and blue flowers, using Copics.  The leaves were coloured in a green-blue.  Then I put the panel back in my Misti and re-stamped using Versamark and emb...