Merry Christmas to you all

Hi everyone, I hope that this blog finds you all in good health and not to stressed with organising for the big day ahead.  I am so sorry for the lack of posts recently - time has just run away with me.  I just wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  Thank you for taking the time to read my posts.  I look forward to catching up with you all soon.

Enjoy whatever you get up to

Best Wishes

Tracy
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As promised - New goodies

Hi everyone, what awful weather we have had today eh !  Yesterday ran away with me yet again and I didn't get much crafting time again!!!!!!!! As promised yesterday please see my new goodies that I purchased at the NEC.

No where near what I would normally buy but I am pleased with my new stash.

This is what I was able to complete yesterday evening with my little bit of craft time

I used my new Inkylicious stamps, chipped sapphire distressed ink, the Inkylicious mountains and valleys dusting tool and highlighted with a little glitter glue.  Hope you like it.  Enjoy your evening

Tracy

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Another Christmas Card

Hi everyone, hope that life is treating you all well.  Sorry for the lack of posts recently, life has been a little hectic.  I completed this card last week, I was quite pleased with the results as I completed it in a limited amount of time.  I felt so craft starved I had to do some crafting or I felt I would combust.  I used the Inkylicious film strip - Clarity mini Christmas stamp set and an Indigo Blu Christmas sentiment.  I stamped everything in Black Momento Ink and added some Stardust glitter glue just to high light areas.

Next I would like to say a big thank you to my good friend Wendy, we had a fantastic trip to the NEC yesterday.  It was an early start and a very busy day but well worth it.  We walked our little legs off and fought our way through the crowds.  One thing I did think was a little off was the fact we had to pay £10 to park!!!!   I brought a few goodies which I will try and post a picture online a little later today.

A big thank you to Sally Holmes @ Crafty Salutations for my fantastic Blog Candy win on Saturday, I was so pleased on Monday when my package popped through the door.  Have a look at her blog (theres a link at the side).  I really want to try and do a little crafting later and try out my new goodies. Enjoy your Remembrance day everyone and thank you so much for dropping by.

Love and hugs
Tracy

Weekend Away

Hi everyone hope you are all well.  The nights are drawing in, and its getting cold outside, but we were lucky enough to have a weekend away in Norfolk last week.  We stayed in a lovely lodge on a lake so my husband and son could do some fishing and I got to do some crafting.  I started my Christmas cards.  My stash supplies were limited as car space was a problem with all their fishing gear.  This is what i managed to complete.

Hope you like my creations.  Have a good weekend, thank you for stopping by.

Tracy 

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Last Minute Entry

Hi all, I hope that you have enjoyed your weekend! Gosh hasn't it been a wet one today.  I am sharing my entry to the Indigo Blu challenge today, and I have had a mare trying to complete it.  I had something very definite in mind and it just hasn't worked out - I have walked away from this so many times.  I hope you like it! The challenge is Things with Wings - All the stamps used are off the Grand Tour II set.  I have combined Distressed inks, chalks, Flitterglu and sequins waste to adapt my background.  Thats all for now.  Thanks for popping in Tracy xxxxx

Birthday Decorations

Hello everyone hope that this post finds you well.  I have had a busy time making birthday decorations for my daughters 21st Birthday.  I made boxes and a banner which has taken some time to complete so I thought I would share them with you.

 

I had loads to make, it was hard going but worthwhile when she said how pleased she was with them and all her friends were blown away with them.

Last but not least is a picture of the card I made her.

All that remains is for me to say sorry for not posting anything for a while, have a pleasant evening 

 and thank you for taking the time to drop by x. Take care x Tracy x

Such Great Service

Good evening hope you are all well.  I know I have told you all this before but I will say it again, I am so lucky to live next door to Bellaboo.  I placed an order online late yesterday afternoon and Kate delivered it to me yesterday night!  Such great service.  Thank you so much Kate I really appreciate it.  I was very naughty and ordered myself some more Indigo Blu stamps.  I had a little play with some of the stamps today and thought I would share them with you.

This one was created with my New Grand Tour II and I stamps and Tim Holtz faded jeans distressed inks

This one is made using Sewing Mends the Soul stamps and Tim Holtz vintage photo and tattered rose distressed inks.  This isn't a new set but I just love the stamp set.

This card is an 8x8 it uses my new Enjoy Life stamps and Tim Holtz spiced marmalade, mustard seed and black soot distressed inks and some sequin waste.  I got this set as its full of different phrases.

Hope you like them.  Thank you for stopping by.  Enjoy the rest of your evening.  Tracy xxxx

Crop Creations

Hope your weekend is going well everyone.  Today I thought I would share a few cards that I created at the Bellaboo crop on Tuesday.  They all use Tim Holtz distressed inks and my Inkdusters, Inkylicious stamps and Black card. All the cards are 6x6 sizes.

I had to add a bow on this card as I had a little ink on my fingers and marked the card.  Argggggghhhhh annoying.  

I did one like this a few weeks ago that was an 8x8 size and I used a different sentiment.  I got the idea for this one from a demo that Sally from Crafty Salutations.  I just love the fact that everytime I do this I get a very different effect.  I love Inkdusters thank you Inkylicious.  

Enjoy the rest of your weekend

Thank you for stopping by.

Tracy

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I'm back!!

Hi everyone, I hope that this post finds you all in good health and enjoying the last of the summer sunshine.  I have not long got back from my holidays so haven't really had much time for much crafting.  This is a project that I wanted to do for an Uncle and Aunt who are celebrating their Ruby wedding anniversary this weekend.

I cut my letters out with my Cricut and stamped the red card with a majestix peg star stamp,I then added some glitter glue to bling it up a little (unfortunately you cant really see it all that well on the pictures).  The Happy Anniversary is also covered with glitter glue to.  I hand made the chocolates inside the little bags and stamped the heart on the wrapper then embossed it with white embossing powder.  The stamp is this months freebie from the Craft stamper magazine.  Hope you like my creations.  Have a wonderful weekend all, be back soon.

Thank you for stopping by

Tracy 

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Inkdusters are back in action

Hi everyone hope you are all well on this cold wet day, I am trying to get ready for my holiday but its hard to be getting out shorts and sun tops when I am dressed for arctic conditions.  I was really inspired to get my ink dusters and inkylicious stamps out this week after I watched a demo on Crafty Salutations blog which is run by a lady called Sally Holmes.  I just want to say a big thank you to Sally as her demo was so clear and inspiring it spurred me on to have a go myself.  My card is no where as good as Sallys but I was really pleased with my first try with wet inkdusters.  I didnt use the same stamps that Sally did as I dont have them so I used my faithful Gone Fishing Stamps and I used Tim Holtz distressed Inks.  Here is my 1st try with Wet dusters, hope you like it.

My next card is done with dry Ink dusters and the Inkylicious Ikebana stamp set, and again I used Tim Holtz inks.

So a big thank you again Sally. Have a great evening everyone. Thank you for stopping by.  Lets hope the sunshine shows its face again soon.  Bye for now. Tracy xxx

Monster Madness

Hi everyone, hope that you are all well.  I borrowed this wonderful stamp from my friend Kate, I just love it.  I coloured the little chap with my Spectrum Noir pens and tried the blowing technique for the background on the blue and green one (place an old empty biro pen next to the chisel end of the spectrum noir pen and blow through the top of the pen). For the brown and orange one I used distressed stains and literally just splatted the different colours onto the card.
I masked the monster off on both cards so that he looks like he is in front

of the backgrounds.  I edged both cards with fine line markers.  Hope you like them. Thank you for taking time to visit.  Take Care.

Tracy
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Indigo Blu Challenge

Hi everyone, hope you are all well.  I thought I would enter this peg into the Indigo Blu challenge this month which is call Shabby Chic.  I painted it with some distressed paint then stamped it with one of the stamps from the Grand Tour 1 set with Versa Fine sepia Ink.  I added feathers, Flowers that I made using the cricut flower shoppe cartridge.  The butterfles were stamped onto acetate.  I added some glitter glue just to make my stamped images pop a little more.  Wish me luck.  Have a wonderful day.

Lots of love n stuff

Tracy

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Bad Blogger

Hi everyone, hope this post finds you all well and enjoying the sunshine.  So sorry for being such a bad blogger, normal problem work! work! work!!!!!!!!  Anyway I have done a little crafting so I have a few cards to show you.  Here they are.

 This was made with a stamp that I got free with the Creativity magazine, I coloured the teddy in with Spectrum Noirs.

This lilli of the valley was coloured in with spectrum noirs added a little sparkles glitter and die cut using my x cut die  I used a pm paper, and edged both items with the spectrum noir pen then added faux stitching with Tim Holtz distressed marker.

I used majestix tapestry stamps for this one and coloured the house with promarkers.  I added glitter and white cosmic shimmer glue to the flowers.  I edged the card with a fine liner and you cant really see it very well but a little doodling around the horse shoe shape.

Thank you for stopping by.

Take Care

Tracy
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WOYWW

Hi everyone hope you are all well.  On my desk today is a bag of Indigo Blu samples I am doing for Kate at Bellaboo, a film I have been watching whilst crafting (Marigold Hotel-I have loved watching it), some gems , my phone, the remote for the tv, a piece of dried spaghetti and a card I have just completed for a friend who had a baby last week.

This is a close up of the card - a little to close maybe - I made it using a Sizzix die.  Its personalised with the baby's name weight and date of birth then added some bling (hence the spaghetti) and roses, and what card would be complete without a little faux stitching.  Have a fab Wednesday.  Thank you for stopping by.

Tracy
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How did that happen?

Hi everyone I hope that you are all well.  Tomorrow my little boy (all 6ft of him) will be 17.  I cant believe it, where on earth did that time go?  He is so looking forward to getting his driving licence and taking the next big step on his journey and I find myself wishing that I could have a few of those younger years back with him and my daughter again! Sad really they are both wanting to press the fast forward button and I want them to rewind  and press pause.  Anyway as most of you are aware he is mad about fishing so I was able to pull out my Inkylicious Gone Fishing Stamp Set.

I have used my good old chalks to add colour to my picture and the rosette was made using the Tim Holtz die.  The wording on this card is really appropriate as every fishing trip Robert returns from he always says I had a big one mum but it got away, I always say how big was it and then he extends his arms and says it was this big.  So I just couldn't resist.  Enjoy the rest of your day, thank you for popping by.

Best Wishes
Tracy
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Back Again

And for my second Christmas in July entry for the Indigo Blu Challenge I decided to do something very different for me.  As I was working on it I kept thinking this is gonna be 1 for the bin, but do you know what I really quite like it ! Not my normal thing but sometimes its good to come out of your comfort zone.

I used the I Wish you a Merry Christmas dinkie stamp and the Retro Christmas stamp set.  I stamped the First I wish you a merry christmas then masked it off with a post it, changed colour the stamped in black around the red one, then masked off again the stamped in red.  I used my old Whisper markers to stamp with.  I stamped Santa and highlighted parts of his beard and hat with a grey whisper pen and used the red one again to colour his hat.  Again I added some glitter to add some sparkle and Voila something a little different.

That really is all for now folks.  Friday tomorrow hooooorraaayyyyyy.

Hugs and stuff

Tracy

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Christmas in July challenge

Hi everyone I hope that you are all well.  The evenings are starting to feel a little damp and autumnal now, its getting darker earlier and now everyone in the crafting world is talking Christmas!!!! Scary times. Indigo Blu have set their challenge for August as Christmas in July and as I was lucky enough to attend a workshop with them a little while ago I thought I would get out some of my Indigo Blu Christmas Stamps and have a go.  This is what I have come up with.  Hope you like them.

I have used the Stag Cliffhanger stamp.  I die cut a circle in the centre of a black piece of card and then stamped some elements of the tree with an embossing pad then used white embossing powder.  Then on a piece of white card I faintly drew the circle then stamped the stag and the tree.  I created the moon with a mask and my ink dusters.  I highlighted areas of the tree and deer with a white pencil just to add a little dimension.  The sentiment is part of  the same stamp and I just cut it out and matt it onto white card to lift it off the page.  I added the bow and some glitter just because you have to have sparkle at Christmas dont you.

Thanks for popping by.

Tracy

Patterned Paper

I am not sure if you know but I am soooooooooo scared of patterned papers, daft I know, I have loads of it.  I find them a real challenge to work with, so when Kate of Bellaboo told me of her idea for the August Challenge I was thinking Oh Noooooooooo, it was going to be a massive personal challenge for me. This months challenge is 3,2,1.  I main image, 2 patterned papers and 3 embellishments.  Here is my interpretation of it.

Its the Indigo Blu Wild meadow set again.  My main focal is the dandelions that I stamped with Tim Holtz faded jeans, I then die cut and brushed the edges with same colour.  For my first patterned paper I used versamark ink to stamp the corner stamp randomly over a sheet of card, I then chalked the whole piece with a light blue.  For pattern paper 2 I covered a piece of paper with a darker blue chalk then stamped the dandelion seeds in various places but this time with flitter glue, then I went back over tje whole area with the same chalk again.  I ripped the edges just to give it a bit of texture. So viola I now have 2 pieces of patterned paper.  My embellishments are 1, the bow,  2, the dazzler on the bow,  3, I used a Memory box die that is quite a long one so I cut bits off it and added them to my card.  To finish it all off I added some glitter and a few sparkleys.  Hope you like it.

So then I thought I would look through all my papers and have a go with the real patterned stuff, and remembered some papers that I won in a competition that Bellaboo run last year, before I became a member of the Bellaboo design team. They are Prima Natures Garden Collection.  They are all colour co-ordinating.  So I gave myself a good talking to and decided to try.  As it happens I am pleased with the finished piece.

Then I was on a roll.  I made Kates son a birthday card with black and white papers, I thought that I couldnt go wrong with the neutral colours.  Happy 21st Will hope you had a fab time.

Hope you like my work.  I am pleased with my results.  As I say I normally really shy away from Patterned papers and have surprised myself.

Have a go at the challenge you will find all the details on the Bellaboo website. www.bellaboo.co.uk.  Good luck and thank you for popping by.  Lots of love and stuff

Tracy

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Chocolate lollys

Hi everyone I hope that you are all well on this glorious Saturday evening.  I have sooooo many birthdays in August and September, and I like my gifts and cards to have a personal touch for its recipient.  Next week is my nephew Edwards 3rd birthday and he loves pirates and peter pan at the moment.  So this is part of his birthday pressie from our family.

What do you think?  They are all chocolate so he is gonna get all messy to.  They were great fun to make, I cant wait to see his face.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend.  Thank you for stopping by.

Tracy
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Happy Birthday Kate

Firstly I would like to say a big Happy Birthday to Kate hope that you have a wonderful day.  Thought I would share her birthday card with you.

 

Its another House of Zandra template, they really are lovely to use.  I have used Indigo Blu Wild Meadow stamp plate and my ink dusters to create the scene inside the arch.  I used Tim Holtz Tumbled glass as my main colour.  I made the flowers with a die cut and dusted them with the tumbled glass to give it a bit if colour. Hope you like it x

Bye for now

Tracy

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A day full of crafting

What a day, up early to get all my jobs out the way, then a day of full on crafting.  I have so many projects that I needed to complete and I can now report i have nearly completed them.

I finished of a Wedding Album for my husbands cousin - finished some birthday gifts - finished off a sample for the Bellaboo August challenge and then made a pressie for my husbands aunt and uncle.  I am really pleased with how it turned out, and suprised my husband with it.  He is now talking about trying to do a mini family tree picture.  See what you think.

The picture doesn't do it justice as the pictures are really clear in the flesh.  I got the idea off the WOW embossing powder blog site.  Instead of using their embossing medium I used glossy accents - they have some great projects on there though.  You must have a look.  Its a good way of using up old bottle tops.

I have had a good day today, I could carry on crafting all night but best not I think I have pushed my luck a little to much now, best have some time with my hubby I suppose.  Hope that you are all well and enjoying your weekend so far.

Thanks for stopping by

Tracy

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As promised

Well another lovely sunny day, hope that you are enjoying  it.  This is my finished piece from yesterdays post.  The papers are Papermania ones that I have had since year dot of crafting so it was good to use them up, and as I said yesterday the letters were from the House of Zandra alphabet templates.  Enjoy the rest of you day .  Bye for now.

Tracy 

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WOYWW

What a mess my little desk looks - I am working on some bunting for a family member at the moment, the theme is black and white, I am using the alphabet templates by House of Zandra again and some patterned papers (not my strong point)- I will show it to you when I have finished it.  I also have a bag of goodies from Indigo Blu that I cant wait to start playing with. I hope that you are all well on this Wednesday evening.  Carry on crafting
Love n Stuff
Tracy
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Birthday Card

Hi guys, just a quickie today as I am off to the Bellaboo crop in Stoke Poges tonight but wanted to share this card I made for my nephew Edward who is going to be 1 in a few days time.  I used an alphabet template by House of Zandra and covered it with some paper mania paper, the pirate image is by Lilli of the Valley and I coloured it with my spectrum noir pens.  I must tell you that when I stamped the image out first time I realised my character was facing the wrong way to go on the E, so I stamped it onto my ink blending mat and laid the card on top and pressed it carefully but firmly and hoped for the best.  The first transfer I did with Momento ink and it was a bit faint so then I tried Tim Holt black soot ink, I was really pleased with the result as the image was really clean and crisp.  I cut my Happy 1st Birthday on the cricut.

I just love this cheeky little character.  Hope that you are all well and the rain isn't depressing you to much.  Enjoy your evening.

Tracy

PS You still have 1 more day to enter the Bellaboo Flower Show challenge on line. www.bellaboo.co.uk

Fantastic day at Indigo Blu

Well what a day! Kate and I left the house at 5.30am, after she checked I had my shoes on of course, thanks for that Kate.  We watched the sun coming up and had a really lovely drive upto Retford to Indigo Blu headquarters.  What a great set up the shop was amazing and so was the training area.  They plied everyone with cake, refreshments , and a good hearty lunch.  We went through various techniques with Flitter Glue, I personally didn't realise you could use it with so many things. Flake, glitter, mica powder and distressed inks. We got to try out their Gesso and new paint range - we were stamping with them - the effects were amazing and the colour names of the paints brilliant.  We tried Slap it on and Korma crackle, I got to get me some of them let me tell u - the effects were stunning I must say.  We made a tag book to show how each product could be used.  We even got to try out some ice resin - it was great to try it as its something I probably wouldn't have a try at.  Kay and her crew were so friendly and made us feel very much at home. Kay even explained the process of how stamps are made.  It was really interesting.  Unfortunately I was poorly while I was there so didn't get to try any cake or lunch............... But I was determined to stick out the day as I was so looking forward to it, I just hope that I didn't spoil it for Kate.  We got home just after 8.30pm, and we were able to watch the sun set so it was a long day but a really enjoyable one. So a big thank you to Kate for inviting me and a big thank you to Kay and her team, we both learnt loads of new things.

First I covered a piece of card with some purple chalk then I stamped my images in Flitter Glue, I then went over the flitter with some more purple chalk.  The background was stamped in Tim Holtz Dusty Concord distressed ink.  The stamps are Indigo Blu Wild Meadow.  I added a little bit of stickles Stardust glitter.

We used pan pastels when we did this technique at Indigo Blu but I don't have any of them - I was pleased to get the chance to try them and have to say I am glad I didn't buy any, when I applied them with the sponges I had the same problem that I always get with inks and sponges.  So another lesson learnt.

Hope you like my project, thank you for popping by, enjoy your evening.

Tracy 

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Where has the time gone?

Hello everyone, hope that you are all well and enjoying the weather.  I am not sure where the time has gone or really what I have been doing, it has just run away from me.  I have a piece of work I would like to share with you.

I have made it using a template from the House of Zandra, I actually treated myself to a few of hers recently as they were a little bit different.  I have used a stampasaurus garden shed stamp for the inside of the clock and majestix stamps for the watering can and pots on the outside. 

The photos dont show up the inside as much as I would have liked, but I think you get the general idea.  I think that it still needs a little more work yet, but am not sure what else to add without going over the top, so all ideas will be gladly received.

I hope you like what you see so far.  I must tell you my next bit of news as I am really excited, tomorrow I am going to Indigo Blu headquarters for a workshop day with Kate from Bellaboo, we have got to leave home at 5.30am as it is quite a distance from us.  I have seen the itinerary for the day  and it looks like it is going to be a really full on interesting day.  I think that getting up so early must be playing on my mind as I keep dreaming that we nearly get there and I have go come back home as I forget to put my shoes on.  I have told Kate and she has promised to check I have my shoes on before we leave.  I will let you know what its like in a later post.  I don't know if any of you have entered the Bellaboo challenge this month but there is still time so have a look.


Thats all for now folks.  Enjoy the rest of your day

Love and stuff

Tracy