Wrinkles Don't Hurt!

I have to apologise.....I've been on holiday....the Wifi in the hotel was totally appalling, the last blog post I did took ages to do and crashed several times in the posting so I kind of gave up and decided to wait untill I got home....our internet is pretty bad here too but not as bad as last week in Cornwall!So this is my third card using the Ethel and Murray stamps from Creative Expressions....and it just happened to fit in with two challenges....The winkled background was paper scrunched up and inked with distress inks...using tanned colours..(the inspiration for the background came from the sentiment)..Ethel was stamped in frayed burlap DI then water coloured before being covered with a layer of glossy accents....the flowers were left overs from some that I dyed/stamped and made up ages ago when I was making some sample cards for the Treasury. The ribbon was also a remnant from some sample cards I made for Patty.

So the challenges I am entering this card into are...

"365 Cards Wrinkled"

"Bearly Mine, Flowers, flowers, flowers"

Holiday!

The sun is shining here in Newquay, we've just been for a walk across the beach and through the rock pools.

My youngest seems to like it here...she even wants us to buy a place and come here every weekend....

My eldest is complaining that it's cold (typical, she's not happy unless she's complaining)....

I think it's lovely though! >
DH has found a pub showing Sky sports and has camped out there for the afternoon so he's happy.

The girls have just decided to go down to the beach and have left me to make the most of the Wifi here in the hotel. You have to pay, but you get a voucher for the same amount in drinks and snacks so it works out OK in the end....only problem is I keep losing the connection....just found out that I had lost everything I'd typed and have started again from scratch!

These pictures were taken this afternoon.

Yesterday I was looking for some challenges to enter my next Ethel and Murray creation into and holidays seemed like a good theme. For my card I have chosen Ethel looking glamorous on her sunbed. She reminds me of my late Grandma....do you remember the pink and purple rinses? Well that's what inspired this card.

I coloured Ethel using Copics. ;The background paper was some scraps left over from some sample cards made for the Treasury in Kidderminster...I thought they looked a bit like the tiles you would find around a swimming pool.

I've found three challenges that I would like to enter with this card......

My Sheri Crafts Challenge - "Vacation"

Stamping for the Weekend - "Holidays"

Sew Many Challenges - "Summer time"

You will not believe the problems I have had trying to post these links.....
>the internet here is really bad, so the copy/paste doesn't want to play ball...worked fine yesterday! So if they don't work I apologise and will try to fix them later.

O is for only 3 embellishments

Hi,

Just seen that the new "Alphabet Challenge" is O is for only 3 embellishments. I initially read this wrong....I was trying to read of my ipad (recent birthday pressie from my hubby) screen in the sunshine yesterday and thought that the challenge was zero or 3 embellishments..Today it is raining on the edge of Dartmoor so I can actually read my computer screen....a change of plan was needed....

I was going to show you my next Ethel and Murray creation with no embellishments..ho hum will have to find another challenge for that one.

In the mean time I can share a card using a digital download from Charmed Crafts. My 3 embellishments are 2 flowers and one ribbon. The flowers were made using Tim Holtz tattered florals die and handmade paper from Ikea. A bit like the string in the last post I haven't been able to get any more of this paper, but it does make the most beautiful flower embellishments...basically I cut loads of layers...screw them up and then sponge distress inks over them...in this case I have used Victorian Velvet Distress ink. The image has been stamped in Black Soot and coloured using copic markers. The background was stamped using my dotty stamp and sponged in Spun Sugar. The background papers are from a V&A set from Papermania, I think.

Other equipment used....Spellbinders dies...Martha Stewart Punch....SU punch....

The other day Zoe told me about a blog that has a summary of loads of Challenges called "Feline Playful" I've just been over there to check it out and realised that I can enter my card into four more challenges....so here we go.....

Fussy and Fancy - "3 or more of your favourite embellishments" , these flowers and gingham ribbons are my fave embellishments at the moment!

Crafty Ann's - "Scallops and or Fancy Borders", think my Martha Stewart punches get me in on this one....

Card Makin' Mamas - "Pink" - This card is predominantly pink...

Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge - "Pink and Brown" ...pink already mentioned...brown gingham ribbon and brown glittery brads as the flower centres.

Thanks for looking.....off to look for some challenges to enter my next Ethel and Murray card for "Creative Expressions"

Tanda Teaser - Monochrome

Hi just popped on to let you know that the next "Tanda" Teaser is Monochrome. My card uses Tanda stamps, spellbinder dies, my Dotty Stamp (exclusive to the Treasury), and Distress inks (Weathered Wood and Stormy Skies).

I punched holes and inserted eyelets using my Crop a dial and used white parcel twine from Ikea....not sure if you can still get it as they didn't seem to have any wrapping stuff last time I was there. The background for this card was done using the compass mask from Tim Holtz and Weathered wood distress ink.

Just a quick reminder!

Just a quick reminder.....the current "Tanda Teaser" , Ribbons and Bows ends tomorrow morning when the next Teaser goes live...so if you have the time to pop over we look forward to seeing you there.

See the Tanda Teaser for the details of stamps used. I used distress inks to stamp and colour the images and glossy accents on the main image....which was stamped on card die cut using nesties. The ribbon was from fantastic ribbons.

First card for Creative Expressions and a couple of challenges.

So here we go....my first stamps arrived from Creative Expressions on Friday morning together with the official agreement....I'm thinking, ooops...I'm going on holiday very soon, this is not going to look good...so I've spent the weekend and today working on samples so that I can schedule posts while I'm away! Not going far (because of Dad, but won't be online most of the time and not sure all my crafty stuff would fit in the car with two teenage girls and all their luggage!)

So drum roll please....here is my first card featuring Ethel and Murry.

I would also like to enter my card into two challenges....
namely

"the totally gorjuss round and round challenge"

plus

the "Navy and one other challenge from the alphabet girls"


The one other is silver for the brads and the Krylon pen.....

I can't help but think of Dad with this sentiment....he's all there up top...just moving a hell of a lot slower!

This is a really simple card...all you need is the stamps...nesties...white and navy card...a couple of brads.... and chipped Sapphire distress ink....maybe a bit of glue...some foam and a paintbrush...

Sue
x

Bitter Sweet?

Good news.....I got a place on the Creative Expressions Design Team!!! Looking forward to seeing Patty at the Treasury tomorrow coz she told me to go for it! Big hugs all round!

I spent the weekend with Mum and Dad....and a memorable 5 hours (on Saturday) sat on the M25 between junction 9 and 8 trying to get to the demo day at the Craft Barn. We finally got to junction 8 at 7pm...the on board computer said our average speed was 3mph..and since the engine was switched off for most of that we could have walked there quicker! well maybe not mum....she did say that the enforced inactivity helped her feet and they didn't hurt the next morning. Needless to say we missed the demos (I was so looking forward to seeing this Andy Skinner guy). Dad was pretty distressed when we got back...we had only planned to be 3 hours max. But at least mum got a break...not the sort you would choose but still a break.

So onto the bad news..Dad was supposed to have his biopsy today in London...he's been waiting for this since the New Year...it didn't happen. The doctors thought that he would either have a cardiac arrest on the table or tonight at home and die..so they wouldn't take the risk. I'm glad they didn't because the good news is I still have my Dad!

They have agreed to try again mid September if his salt levels are OK, that way Dad will hopefully see his 50th Wedding anniversary and my Brother is flying from the States so that we can have a little celebration. I need to think of a really fabulous desert...he's not up to going out so I told mum I'd do desert. Any ideas?

Sue
x

Relax!

Creative Expressions are doing a monthly challenge and the idea is that you use their stamps, other than that anything goes...I think that Tatty Button counts so I am entering this card into the "August challenge". For my card I have used Tatty Button and the button stamps...in addition to this I have used my dotty stamp, the running stitch from Tanda mini stitches set and the brick border from Tanda Architectural elements.
Tatty, the wall and the buttons were all coloured using copic markers....a serious amount of masking before using the distress inks (Weathered wood and Pumice stone) and the dotty stamp....then glossy accents on Tatty's lips and the buttons

I spoke to Dad today and he is a little better, he says he doesn't notice the difference but Mum has so fingers crossed.