It's not easy being green...

My goodness me it's been a while since I blogged here; April 2020 to be precise! A lot has happened since then. We've been in and out of lockdown, we've now got a vaccine, but we also have various new variants. Which brings me onto my card. Variants. Not of the virus kind. 

Given all we went through in 2020, I expected to be feeling a lot more positive coming into 2021 with the vaccine, but another lockdown, another round of home schooling, bubbles bursting, and just more uncertainty has taken its toll on me since January. I've really struggled mentally this year so far.

One thing that has been getting me through various trials are the recent Marvel TV series on Disney+. From WandaVision, to Falcon and the Winter Soldier, both of which I thoroughly enjoyed. My latest obsession and by far my favourite, however, is the recently finished, Loki. If you're a fan, you'll get the reference to variants...

It's polarised quite a lot of Marvel fans, but with some fabulous and very engaging performances by the main characters, Tom Hiddleston, Sophia Di Martino and Owen Wilson, a brilliant score and writing, I loved it. Thankfully there will be a Season 2 sometime in the next 18 months, so the cliff hanger ending will get resolved - I hope... I highly recommend for some escapism in trying times, even if it at times isn't so cheery!

I was going through my card making stash, and having a bit of a clear out - some eBaying may be on the horizon - and found in my scrap box, this image of an MFT Viking that I stamped onto some watercolour card ages ago. The stamp is no longer available by the look of things, so I will be hanging onto it. Given Loki is from the Viking myths and legends, it was clearly a sign to use him up at last.

I got my Faber Castell Polychromos Pencils out and spend a happy few minutes colouring him in. It's not quite the fine Asgardian leather that Loki wears in the TV series, but you can't have everything, right? I don't have the die to go with him, so I simply fussy cut and kept him very simple on a green card base with a white background. With coloured images I find simple is best.

I made the card base out of some lovely green cardstock from Stampin' Up, and I ended up with two card bases, so I just carried on and made another simple card with a wax seal I bought from my lovely Etsy buddy Karen. She makes and sells wax seals that you just have to peel and stick to your card - I can get embellishments without the added need to buy more crafty paraphernalia.

Simply done, with some added sequins from Lucy's cards - I have so many and it was hard to part with them, so I'm using them up! - and I have two cards and had a very enjoyable session whilst the children played outside. A win win for everyone.

I hope you have managed to stay sane as much as you can since last April when I last posted, and I hope to be back here a bit more regularly, as I've found card making at least once a month, can really help. Keep going, it's all we can do!

Seven Hills Crafts Monthly Craft Challenge - July 2017

Hello Everyone. I'm getting in lateish to this month's Seven Hills Crafts Monthly Craft Challenge, which is a sketch. 

I've been playing around with my new MFT goodies that I got at the craft fair back in June - you can watch my haul video for more details.

I've been playing around with my ink dusters and that MFT cloud stencil that seems to be out of stock everywhere. Once I'd inked up my background panel I cut it out with the journalling card part of the WPlus9 Sunshine Layers die which I think is one of my most used purchases ever.

I stamped and Copic coloured the seagull - doesn't he just look so Zen and chilled? - and then fussy cut him out. It was a simple assembly adhering the cloud panel to an A2 (US) sized card and attaching Mr Zen Seagull with some bits of foam tape. I stamped the sentiment on some scrap card and then found a piece of scrap sunshine cardstock from the Whatever the Weather paper pad by Sugar Pea Designs. 

I hope this makes you as happy as a seagull with a chip! Thank you so much for joining me again and I wish you a fabulous weekend when it arrives :)

Birthday Bunnies for Steph

Hi Everyone! I've taken a break from Christmas Cards to make a birthday card for a very special crafty friend I've got to know over the past year. She puts masses of time and effort into her crafting and is the Queen of Mass Production. She is Steph from Steph Made It For You.

For her card I used some unused stash (she'll be proud of me!) and coloured them with my Gansai Tambi paints which she gave me as she didn't get on with them - amazingly kind!

I started by die cutting a piece of Hahnemuhle water colour card using my largest SSS stitched rectangle. This water colour card is really thick and I'm so glad I found it in a nearby Art Shop as I love it. I then stamped the marching bunnies and sentiment onto it with Archival Ink using the MISTI. As it was an unused stamp, I knew it would require repeated stampings.

I then got painting with my Gansai Tambi paints. These are lovely, and I find they are best used quite watery and if you build up the layers - it's all about the layers! I wanted to use some nice bright colours as whenever I see a marching band they have nice bright uniforms. Once it was dry, I mounted it onto an A2 (US) card base in grey.

I hope you have a fantastic day Steph and here's to more of your marvellous videos in 2017!

Here is a list of the main supplies used to make this card. I have signed up to affiliate links on some products (at present only through Simon Says Stamp). If you purchase any item after clicking on an affiliate link, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps support the running costs of my blog and your support is much appreciated. 

Hahnemuhle Watercolour Paper 300gsm 25 x 32.5cm 40 Sheets

MFT Strike up the Band

Ranger Archival Ink Jet Black

My Sweet Petunia - MISTI Mini

Simon Says Stamp SHAPES WITH STITCHES SetSS160 In Stitches

Kuretake Gansai Tambi 24 pan set

InLinkz.com

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to pop by, it really is much appreciated :) 

PS Apologies for the lack of better pictures. It is incredibly dark here at the moment and added to that, my camera has decided to pack it in, so I am photographing on the iPad. I am hoping it can be fixed or if not I can get a replacement as I am desperate to try out my new video arm set up that I got for my birthday!

Birthday Thanksgiving + GIVEAWAY

Today is a day that's been a few years in coming. 4 decades in fact. Yes, today is my 40th Birthday. It also happens to be Thanksgiving in the USA, so I also want to share my birthday happiness and thank all of you who read and comment on my blog, watch my videos and interact with me on Instagram. You can read about my Thank You GIVEAWAY below my card :)

To my card! I'm actually getting through my NBUS quite well - just as I get a whole load more as presents - but today's card had to be those Harvest Mice by MFT that I got in my recent win.

I started with a Kraft panel cut with my SSS Stitched Rectangle and stamped the mouse, sentiment and pumpkins, with a bit of masking, in VersaFine Onyx Black.

I then coloured with my Polychromos Pencils. If you haven't seen Stephanie Klauck's recent pencil colouring videos, please sit down with a cuppa and watch and be amazed! 

Mr Mouse's purple shoes were chosen by my eldest who loves all things pink and purple.

I distress inked an A2 card panel with Wild Honey, Mustard Seed and Spiced Marmalade and added the panel on top with foam tape, finishing off with some enamel dots.

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So onto the GIVEAWAY! I picked 4 things that I love - one for each decade. 

1. Sven, the Avery Elle Viking.
2. A set from Clearly Besotted Stamps - some cute Bookworms.
3. A Spectrum Noir Sparkle Pen in Crystal Clear
4. Some of Lucy's Shaker Sequins - these are Twinkle Lights.

Here they are

And I'll send them to you in one of my pouches that I've become slightly addicted to making. They will fit Copics, if you have any, and I use mine for taking on holiday with me.

All you have to do is add your link to the linky tool below and I will draw a winner. It would be nice if you said Hello too in the comments :)




Here is a list of the supplies I used on this card. I have signed up to affiliate links on some products (at present only through Simon Says Stamp). If you purchase any item after clicking on an affiliate link, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps to support the cost of running my blog and your support is much appreciated :)

Hobbycraft Clear Acrylic Stamping Blocks 2 pack	MFT Harvest Mouse	Versa Fine Onyx Black	A4 Super Smooth White Card - 250gsm - 100 Sheets	Faber Castell Polychromos Artists Pencils - Tin Set of 60 Pencils	Simon Says Stamp SHAPES WITH STITCHES SetSS160 In Stitches	Sizzix Big Shot Die Cutting Machine	Tonic Studios Maxi Guillotine
Martha Stewart Mini Scoreboard	Carta Bella IT'S A BOY Enamel Dots	Mini Distress Ink Pad - All Colours

InLinkz.com

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog - most especially today! Have a very happy weekend when it arrives :)

My Favorite Things Prize Unpackaging!

Well Hello! If you recall, I won a prize recently of $100 for My Favorite Things thanks to a comment I made on Stephanie Klauck's blog. I waited for a couple of things to come back in stock and then I spent it! 

Here's the video of me unpackaging it all. It's also available in HD on my YouTube channel.

Here's a list of what I purchased. I've linked to the US site as that's where I got them, but if you would like a UK or European stockist, I highly recommend Seven Hills Crafts - it's where I normally buy US supplies.

MFT Harvest Mouse

MFT Strike up the Band

MFT Adventure Is Calling

MFT Die-namics LLD Little Letters - Upper

MFT Die-namics LLD Little Lowercase Letters

MFT Die-namics LLD Little Numbers

InLinkz.com

Thank you so much for visiting today - have a great weekend!