HAPPY 5TH ANNIVERSARY -WOYWW 260

Today is a very special day as its WOYWW number 260 which can only mean one thing...the 5th Anniversary...A very big congratulations and well done to Julia at The Stamping Ground for being an outstanding host ...as without her we wouldn't be here celebrating today

.

It also means its the big ATC swap and I've excelled myself this year(last year I made just one)...I had made 10 in total 

this year ...initially I made 6 ATC's ...all but one has been posted to their recipents...I Still have the the one for the big swap. Last night I made another four which are still avaliable to swap...so if you would like to swap just let me know and I will foward my email address so we can make the necessary arrangments.No desk today as its a bit boring !...I've had a week off work and been away for a few days; so other than last night I have had no crafting time at all!...so instead here is a sneaky peak of some of my ATCs all of which are unique...a couple are similiar but none are identical

some of the "first" bacth of ATC'S 

Oops I forgot to take them out of there covers! not ...sorry I do not want to spoil the surprise for those who have not yet recieved .The first six I made have little covers; the ones I made last night don't,I unfortuantely run out of time ...I will be better organised next year!

So what does WOYWW mean to me? ...The pleasure of meeting a wonderful kaleidoscope of very artsitic,talented, kind and genuine people from all around the world. I have made some very good friends and look forward to my weekly hop ...its the one post I try not to miss each week and even if I do not post myself I still try and visit as many people as I can. I looked back to see when I first posted it was Oct 2012 ...my stash and enthusiasm has grown somewhat since then! ...but most importantly my friendships have grown and without WOYWW and Julia I probably would not have those friendships...So Julia a very big thank you from me and congratulations ...enjoy your day and I look forward to the next 5 years! Crafty hugs and best wishes to everyone Andrea X

PS I'm working a long day today so very unlikley I will get back in time to visit later ... but I  promise I will catch up with you all  in the next few days or over the weekend .

WOYWW 259

Only a week to go to the big event not sure what I'm talking about ...want to know more ?... go to the Stamping Ground and find out all about WOYWW and the 5th anniversary ATC swap I'm all set; my extra ATC's have been sent and almost all received, now I am just waiting for the big day for my last one to go to its new owner. I haven't posted any of them and keeping them all a surprise to next week; all will be revealed together on Wednesday. I am off work this week and last night had a great crafty session doing more of the online watercolour course and making cards from my growing supply of homework pieces. Sorry pics are a bit dark they where taken at 11pm last night. My desk  is quite messy for me as I was card Making whilst waiting for my latest painting to dry and watching the last few days lessons to see what I'm going to do next...I like to multi task where possible !

arty angle shot ...- note interesting "shelf "for laptop- no where else to put it! 

long desk shot -lots of finished homework in folder for making into cards 

My latest project is at the front of the desk waiting to dry and be die cut next; as I stamped the sentiment at an interesting angle! ...We are on to free hand now.. eeek scarey.. no stamps or props to use. This was a splatterer technique -definately needs practice to get right !

Most recent card -sorry not quite this bright in real life -note to self stop taking photo's at night time with flash and artificial light ! 

I liked this lesson,in this one glimmer mists /sprays where used to paint with instead of using water.I used Mister Huey ...will be doing this again ...definitely 

I hope you have a great day and I'm now off to have a nosey before hubby gets up and we plan today's day out...will catch up over next few days although I am away tomorrow until Saturday Thanks for dropping bye it is very much appreciated and I will return the visit.Have a fab week crafty hugs Andrea x 

Sorry Julia got a bit carried away again !..it would have been short and sweet if no photos ;-)

Cute Card and Annual Leave

Morning I am officially on annual leave as of today for one week...yipeeeee!...so to celebrate we have a new card...it's not made using watercolours' for a change...athough I do have quite a few still to post I am now at day 9 of the course...and stll very much enjoying it. I havent coloured a Tilda stamp in ages...so this cute Tilda stamp caught my eye and was begging to stamped and coloured...I do love the sweet bows in her curly hair. Sorry about the quality of the photos taken last night.

"best friends"

close up 

products I used

White base card

Lilac green and white cardstock layering and die cuts

Papers-floral-Riverbank Revels sorry not sure where spotty paper came from  

Rectangle die,Flourish die

Banner die,stamp used from magazine freebie Fancy Border edge die

Tilda -Ribbon Hair stamp coloured Promarkers /Copics , gel pen used on cheeks,

purple glitter on rose as I didn't like the pen colour I initially used !

From Stash

Best friend stamp- magazine freebie

Lilac organza and satin ribbon 

Buttons 

Mulberry and satin ribbon roses

I have lots planned for this week, alhough I am not expecting this wonderful sunny weather we have had the last few days to last...but not to worry, I will still enjoy it...we are off to London for a three days on Thursday including Chelsea Flower Show on Friday which was a Christmas pressie from hubby...I am really looking forward to that.I hope you have good week whatever you are up too and a big thank you for visiting...crafty hugs Andrea X

I would like to take part in the following challenges-

Artistic Inspirations -Challenge#92- Anything Goes Punches and or dies 

The cheerful stamp pad - Challenge#86-A bouquet of flowers 

Dutch Magnolia Lovers #81- Spring use flowers on your card

Timbroscrapmania Challenge-#94-Ribbons and Bows 

Allsorts Challenge#259 - Purple Passion

Kit and Clowder - May Challenge- Flowers 

Paper Creators Challnege#24 - Flowers and Bows 

The Ribbon Girl -May Challenge -Lilac and Purple 

More Watercolour Cards

Good morning today I'm posting a few more cards that I completed following the online watercolour course I've been doing. The actual course lessons have now stopped but is still accessible; which is great as I didn't get much opportunity this week to do any painting and I still have 4 days of lessons to watch which is 12 lessons !..so lots still to learn...I have really enjoyed it and have created several cards that are not in my usual style but I really like. 

 soft watercolour wash background card

The cards today are using some of the first techniques from day 1 and 2; creating watercolour washes and watercolour backgrounds.I found that dye cutting or shaping the watercolours was a much better for me to see a way of using the 'art pieces 'in a card. there are a few that I haven't altered from the finished piece but mainly I have either trimmed or die cut as I like a neater finish ...one day I will be a bit more loose and free and go with the flow.

The card above was a bit of a struggle initially on what to do with it ?...as I wasn't keen on the black splats and felt it was much nicer before I added them...but with the addition of the sentiment, black card and Candi ... its growing on me.

"catch your dreams" 

This card was created using bright coloured inks; I used distress inks creating bands of colour across a acrylic stamping block then spritzing with water and  placing directly onto  the watercolour card and when you lift it off you have this bright bold background... I wasn't sure initially how I would use this but once I die cut it and mounted in onto some bright coordinating card stock I had the plan of adding a bright die cut butterfly.I finished it off wth some stamped stars,a sentiment and a couple of co-ordinating biutons .

That is it for today... I'm hoping to get some craft time over the weekend... although I have lots planned..so we shall see how it goes ...I hope you have a lovely weekend whatever you get up too. thanks so much for visiting and I hope that my new found enthusiasm for water colouring encourages you to think about getting those  paints /inks out and using them in an alternative way crafty hugs Andrea X

I would like to take part in the following challenges- 

Catch your dreams Buttrefly card -

Splenidferous Creations- Bloggers Challenge-Things With Wings

Card Makin Mamas Challenge-#CMM87- Over The Rainbow 

Craftitude Challenge-#65-Use a Die

Crafts 4 Eternity-  Challenge #176 Use a Die

Bright Silly Happy Card 

Fantastic Tuesday -Challenge#35-Clean and Simple 

WOYWW 258

Wow its Wedensday already, I can't believe a week has passed again and its now almost mid May ...wher does time go?...that does mean its  WOYWW time for us inquisitive nosey lot to check out each others workdesks/crafty spaces; hop over to Julia the generous host at the The Stamping Ground to take a look for yourself. As you can see from my desk all is quiet and looking a liittle bit neglected again!

long desk shot 

I've not had any oppurtunities for craftying  the last couple of days.The online watercolour class is still ongoing and my current project when I get the time !...I have so far made 4 complete cards, have another 3 almost finished and a pile of "art" all ready to make into more cards which is pretty good going for me in just over a week so I  cannot complain really... I am now also 2 days (3 if you count today!)behind with the course, but I am under no pressure as you get have unlimited access to the lessons so hopefully it won't be long until I'm doing the next one.

Pile of finished ready to go and die cut "art peices "

I've learned so many new techniques and skills and I have developed a new card style which I like...so all is good. the latest lesson peice is on my desk...you can just see it in the right hand side, stamping with white embossing powder and the best bit was using a shimmer spray instead of water.I used a Mister Hueys colour mist which is all I had...the effect is pretty good...very shiny and shimmery; the stamping and painting wasn't perefct but the effect is very nice.Sorry the photo doesnt show the shine!...who would have guessed you could paint using a mist or shimmer spray instead of water!...fab technique. What  hasn't changed unfortunately is my  need to tidy up once I've finished for the day...I cant leave a mess...which means I spend a lot of time tidying when I could be crafting...oh well you can't have everything. Oops I do go on a bit...it's supposed to be short and sweet! I need to get ready for work too; but I will visit  over the next few days, I can never seem to do it all in the one day!...I hope you are having a good week and lots of crafty fun...take care and thanks for visting...crafty hugs Andrea x 

Birthday Card and Watercolour Update.

A very good morning too you I had a great craft session yesterday helped along by the foul weather we had.( still having ) as the craft room was definately the best place to be. I have two cards today so apoligies its a bit of a long post !

I bought these Tatty Twinkle stamps sets a few weeks ago and have had fun colouring all four sets in ,all blue I may add...different shades but all in my favourite colour!...another set has now been launchd and are on my wish list!...they are such fun characters to stamp and colour and the extra stamps you get are also great;especirally the fabulous butterflies in each set. This card is for my step daughters birthday at the end of the month (she doesn't read my blog so safe too post).I went to town a bit with the embellishments and even stamped the spots on the white card for the flowers to keep the dotty theme as I did not have a suitable dotty card to use.Its also the first time I have used my circle cutter...I need practice! I also made 3 cards using my homework peices from the online water colour course I started this week ...thats a record for me by far !

Happy Birthday 

Close up stamp

They are very diffrent form my ususal style but Iv'e enjoyed making them and would use the techniques again. Great for simple card designs and as I have found making male cards which I struggle with so that is a great added bonus.Today is a housework and food shopping day so I don't think I will be as lucky to spend a lot of time card making or painting !

Tatty Twinkle card -I have used the follwing products-                                                             White linen effect square base card 
White,blue and silver mirri card for layering and diecuts
Stripe and spotty papers for layering 
Tatty Twinkle ,butterfly stamps and sentiment coloured Promarkers and Copics
Dies used - ovals.English Roses, pinwheel posies ,chinese rose and flourish 
from stash-
large and small pearls 
organza ribbon 
blue sparkler jewel
silver candi 

This is one of the three watercolour cards I made yesterday.I'm really happy with this one sorry about the poor quallity photo! ...you can barely see the bottom right hand corner of the card !...the background was created using paint directly onto a stamping block spritzing with water before placing on the card and lifting off...It is one of easiest techniques I have tried so far and one of my favourites, ...the only thing I would change next time is too stamp the balloon at more of an angle its a bit too straight. I think this would make a good male card design...I am going to do another similair card but colour in the balloon this time .

watercolour painting - birthday card 

Tatty twinkle Card- I would like to take part in the following challenges -

A Gem of a Challenge-Challenge #119 - Your Favourite Colour Combo
Crafting At The Weekend -Challenge#1-Anything Goes 
Di's Digi Designs - Challange #- Use Those  Markers
Open Minded Challenge#10- Use Some Ribbon
Crazy 4 Challanges -Challenge #235- Bingo- Flowers- Sentiment - Bling  
Creative Fingers Challenge #35- Anything Goes 
Stampin With The Dragon May Challenge-Flowers 
Wags'n'Whispers Challenge#128- Ribbon and Bling


Ballon card - I would like to take part in the following challenges -
Left of Centre Challenge#31- Card for a Male
Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge#94 -CAS


Sorry for such along post. If I get the time after my chores etc I will post my other two finished cards later today.I hope you have a nice relaxing and enjoyable day thanks for visiting ...Crafty hugs...Andrea X

Progress Update Online Watercolour Course- Day 2 and 3

The online watecolour card course is going really well.I started on Monday and there has only been one day where I havent taken part...in a week that's really good for me; some of the lessons I'm finding easier than others and same goes for the techniques but where possible I'm tryng them all!.I've finished two complete cards and have at least 10 peices of work that I can use...not bad at all.

Day 2 masking techniques

The masking fluid technique above was from Day 2 watercolour backgrounds - I enjoyed all of the techniques and using the maksing fluid was easy once it dried !!!...the effect is good, not sure about the stamp I used though...need to give that more thought next time; but I would definately do it again .The buttrefly background and card below is made using the stamping background technique I dont have that many background stamps too choose from which was the hardest part...what do I use?...but I really like the results; again it was mixed some had too much water some not quite enough and the effect is very diffrent in each one;  but I do really like the effect. I think this so far is my favourite.

Day 2 backgrounds stamping

Day 2- background stamping  

Day 3 has been the most diffciult so far which began with stamping with watercolour. I found quite difficult and had very mixed results...but I am still working on it and will show all finished pieces at the weekend. I'm not sure wether its the techniques I don't like or the results, not helped that I dont have many stamps suitable and I was really struggling with ideas...again water issues...some had too much and not quite enough on others... so I havent quite got the balance right yet...but I guess practice makes perfect!...it has given me the oppurtunity to use my paints and inks diffrently which is not a bad thing at all. below I used diffrent memento ink directly onto the stamp.The one on the left was stamped second was spritzed with extra water  and gives a much more watercolour effect than the other.

day 3- stamping with watercolor/ink - I used memento ink pads

Thanks for visiting and I hope you have a great weekend.I know what I'm likely to be doing :-)...it's not somehing I would ever have thought about signing up for and the first online course I've ever taken part in; I am very grateful to the kind friend who signed me up for it...who ever knew painting could be so much fun!...I will keep you posted of my progress over the weekend !...Crafty hugs... Andrea x 

WOYWW 257

Well its the wee small hours again that I'm posting this is becoming the norm and not in a good way I've been awake since 1:30am ... that's even earlier than yesterday eek!...I'm sure it wont last !...So a very early and happy WOYWW...I will link it up to Julia later this morning...What's WOYWW... The very addictive weekly Wednesday snoop of desk and crafty spaces around the globe go check it out here

On a positive note getting up early it does mean I get to share with you my latest online creations from the online watercolour card course before I go to work this morning...its now day 2( three I suppose now!) and I'm doing very well for me; I've not completed all the lessons (close-still one form each day outstanding and the finished cards to create) as yet but managing a couple of the lessons a day. As you can see from today's photos my desk is in shock as has never seen such a mess for so long(must confess I need to tidy everything away each night...I really did try leaving it all out I can't do it yet!) today's lessons included resist techniques using embossing powders and masking fluid(I'm still waiting for the fluid to to dry !...think I used it too thick!.)

day 2 -light colour wash and embossing resist resist 

masking fluid...still not dry !!!

I'm  quite happy with the resist technique but I dont have that many suitable stamps to choose from but I will definitely be giving it another try.  The last photo is a bit strange I know it's my paint brush  holder  creation...my brushes are kept in a fabric wallet which means it takes a lot of room when open and falls over when propped up so...lighbulb moment, I rolled it up with brushes on the outside and used a roll of finger lift tape to keep in neatly rolled up and in place...taaadaaa... a handy holder with everything in easy view /reach

"new" paint brush holder

I hope you have an awesome Wednesday and  will visit you soon. Apologies about last week as I didn't get back to everyone I had hoped to...will do better this  week...promise...Crafty hugs and thanks for visiting...Andrea x

Tuesday Morning Insomnia

Good morning its 2:30 am...I should be asleep as I have work in a few hours but I'm not!...so rather than watch TV which is the norm when I wake up which is most mornings although not quite this early...I thought I would post my homework from yesterdays online watercolour card course.I impressed my myself by not only completing  two of the three exercises... I even have a finished card made from scratch. I still have two pieces of "art" to make into cards and a third exercise still to do...but managing to do any of it on the day the course started was a huge bonus...thanks to being off work yesterday due to the bank holiday. Its not as difficult as I thought it might be, but as I don't have much confidence or imagination yet I'm not able to create my own examples so have cased the tutors card...although I'm sure in a few weeks that might change...you never know.Here is my first attempts...the stamp was from a magazine freebie. It was also the first time I used my stencils which I have had for well over a year possibly two!... my camera hasn't picked up the colours great but you get the idea; probably not helped that they where not taken in natural light,

Completed watercolour card using as stencil technique 

Here is my card and the other exercise samples ... it's very different from my usual style of card making... but I really enjoyed making it;the buttons are my own addition to the design as you know I love them and I had to add something of my own to the design!The bright coloured panel is not perfect but for a first attempt its ok, this was created using distress inks not watercolour paint ;other than the yellow which created using an inkadinkado pigment ink as I don't have a yellow distress ink. 

finished card and other pieces 

Thank you for coming to take a look; I hope you had a good fun filled weekend and if you also had the bank holiday free you had the opportunity to do something enjoyable just for you... Crafty hugs Andrea X

I would like to take part in the following challenge-

Keep it Simple Challenge #39-Watercolour  

Bank Holiday Weekend Bliss

A very good morning too you.the sun may is shining and the forecast is for a bright and sunny bank holiday weekend. I've not had any craft time the last few days but will be making up for that some time today; after I have done some much needed weeding in the garden. I'm off work for the next two days and will definitely be making time to spend in the craft room...and my online watercolour course starts tomorrow which I  am very very excited about. 

Today's card was for a friend who was having a difficult time with her health a few weeks ago; they are now much better and she is out of hospital.Its the first time I've used these floral stamps or created a decoupage effect and I like the result... they are big stamps so its a larger card than my usual and didn't need much else other than the flowers and some butterflies 

Violets and butterflies

The pearls and candi where purple but look pink in the photos I'm not sure why that happened.The large butterfly on the right was a magazine freebie. I hope you have good bank holiday weekend and get the time to do something nice.Thanks for taking the time to visit me its very much appreciated....Crafty hugs...Andrea X

"close up" butterfly

I used the following products

A4 white card for base 

Purple and white card for layering and butterflies 

Sheena Douglass - floral fantasy stamps set- violets-coloured Copics and Promarkers

dies- radiant rectangles

various butterfly dies and punch  

from stash

purple candi

pearls-purple green

sentiment

white heart pearl on sentiment

glossy accents- for flower centres 

Arty angle-decoupage layers

I would like to take part in the following challenges -

Inky Impressions Challenge #157- Anything Goes

The Sisterhood of Crafts -Challenge-Things With Wings 

Stampotiques Designers Challenge- SDC145-Flowers 

Crafty Girls Challenge-Challenge#17-Anything Goes

Digital Delights Challenges - Add Dimension 

A creative Need Challenge#19- Mothers Day or for a Woman 

Stampin With The Dragon -Challenge-Flowers