No Boundaries

Good Morning bloggers, it's Saturday morning so It's time for a new challenge today at Allsorts.
This week is our lovely Brenda's turn to host and she would like to see 'It's All In The Message'
Here is what I did, I used a computer generated sentiment, it's my motto I use at Weight Watchers but without Life Has at the beginning, and decided to use a shaped card.  Not an easy card for me, no colouring or central image.  The flowers were a win from Mulberry crafts and are so pretty.

Don't forget to head over to Allsorts for all the details of this challenge, and to check out all the fabulous inspiration from my very talented team mates.

Here are the prizes on offer:-

Nicecrane Designs offer a huge range of high quality Vintage inspired design sheets and images to create and compliment all your crafting projects. They are offering this weeks lucky winner a $20 voucher to spend at their on line store.

This is for the following challenges:-
1. Simon says - Anything goes
2. Paper crafting Journey - Anything Goes


Thanks for popping by my blog.
Happy crafting
Tracy x

What's Your Transport

Hello, it's Bank Holiday Monday. I hope you’re all OK and have had a lovely weekend and having a good Bank Holiday too.
It is time for another theme over on the House Mouse and Friends Monday Challenge, this time it was our lovely Dorte's turn to choose the theme and she chose "Transport" - Use something on your creation that has some kind of mode of transport on it.  I decided to use PR1024 Beary Big delivery, and make my first Christmas card.  Well we all need to start somewhere.
Of course you must use a House Mouse, Happy Hopper or Gruffie to join in.

We are sponsored by

$25 Gift certificate

And

£10 gift voucher


Thanks for looking, the DT have all made gorgeous cards for your inspiration so hop on over to the HM&F Monday Challenge to see them.

This is for the following challenges:-
1. Paper Crafting Journey - Anything Goes
2. Challenges for Everybody - challenge # 27 - Anything Goes
3. Diva's By design - Use Some twine


Thank you for popping by my blog.
Happy crafting
Tracy &

Lace Rosette Tutorial

Today I am showing you this tutorial that I have done for the Joanna Sheen Challenge blog, now I know many of you may already know how to make these lace rosettes, but I do know there are new crafters coming to blogland all the time, and might want to make something a little different to embellish their creations.

Here is what you need:-
Needle and Thread
Buttons
Lace - the wider lace is 24" long and the narrower lace is 16" long

Thread your needle and knot your thread, then start threading along the top of the lace.

Get to the end of your lace and pull the thread to gather up the lace, then tie it off.

I always tidy up the cut edges by stitching them together, this is optional as you can hide it underneath each other.

It should look like this, insert the hoop on the back of the button through the centre and stitch through to attach.  The wider the lace the bigger the rosette, but they are all made in the same way, this is how I used my Rosette:-
On a card made using the Shirley Barber Project Book from Joanna Sheen

Hope this has given you an idea for an embellishment to use.
Happy crafting
Tracy x

Pretty In Pink

Good morning my blogging friends.
Today is a Sunday and so it's time for a brand new challenge over at the Joanna Sheen Challenge.  The theme this time is "Pretty In Pink".  And I have used the Shirley Barber project book, it's absolutely gorgeous and you can find it here, from Joanna Sheen.

The Rosette I made for this card will be in a tutorial that will be posted tomorrow, both here and on the Joanna Sheen challenge blog.

There is a £15 gift voucher up for grabs to the random lucky winner so why not come and join us!







And the rest of the team have made some fabulous creations, please do pay them a visit too.

This is for the following challenges:-
1. Papertake weekly - Flower Power
2. Oldie But A Goodie - Embossing
3. Twisted tuesday - Use Pink + Outdoors

Recipe:-
Stamps - Shirley Barber Project Book, 
Papers - Sirley barber C
Tools - Needle, thread, embossing folder, cuttlebug,
Embellishments - lace, button, ribbon,

Thanks for popping by my blog
Happy crafting
Tracy x

A Christmas Project

Good Morning bloggers, it's Saturday morning so It's time for a new challenge today at Allsorts.
This week is our lovely Helene's turn to host and she would like to see 'Acetate'
I decided to do a candle in a gift box, and used acetate for the windows of the gift box.  I used a Sarah Kay image and I think he's my favourite Santa and one that comes out every year.

Don't forget to head over to Allsorts for all the details of this challenge, and to check out all the fabulous inspiration from my very talented team mates.

Here are the prizes on offer:-

Winners choice of three pack of die cuts

from

 

and

4 images of winners choice

from

Mt daughter Jodie got her exam results on Thursday, she was worried about them, but I knew she had nothing to worry about:-

Maths  - B

English - B

History - B

Science - C

ICT - Distinction

 

So now in year 11 she is going a bit further on her English to get an A* and can take up a new subject which she has decided to take RE, now this subject is so different to what it was when I was at school.  I couldn't believe the subjects it covers, arranged marriages, abortion, war etc.......

So really proud of her, WELL DONE Jodie!!!

Recipe:-
Stamps - Sarah Kay,
Colouring Mediums - Promarkers,
Tools -Grand Calibur, nesties, tissue paper, 
Embellishments - ribbon, gems, 


Thanks for popping by my blog.
Happy crafting
Tracy x

By The Fire

Hello, it's Monday again, it comes round so quickly. I hope you’re all OK and have had a lovely weekend.
It is time for me to remind you of the theme over on the House Mouse and Friends Monday Challenge, this time it was our lovely Christine's turn to choose the theme and she chose "Liquid Refreshment" - Use something on your creation that has any kind of drink on it.  I used "Quiet Evening With Friends" HMTR1046, with my gorgeous Nitwit Country Gent papers.  There's a fair bit of colouring to do but loved doing it.
Of course you must use a House Mouse, Happy Hopper or Gruffie to join in.

We are sponsored by :-
Simon Says Stamp - $25 gift certificate

AND
Di’s digi Downloads  - $10 gift certificate

AND
Mousey candy from our lovely Christine too (thank you hun, very generous)

Thanks for looking, the DT have all made gorgeous cards for your inspiration so hop on over to the HM&F Monday Challenge to see them.-


This is for the following challenges:-



Recipe:-
Stamps - HMTR1046 Quiet evening With friends,
Papers - Nitwit Country gent,
Colouring Mediums - Promarkers,
Tools - corner punch, 
Embellishments - gems, stickles, ribbon,


Thank you for popping by my blog.
Happy crafting
Tracy &

In The Garden

This is my Midway reminder challenge creation for Penny black & More @ Allsorts, where the theme is "In The Garden" So you can use flower stamps, or anything to do with the garden for this challenge.  I used this cute Hedgehog sat on the flower pot with the snail.  Now I have wanted to add to my dies for some time, I don't have a lot and one that I have been after is a Fence die, still don't have one and really wanted to put a fence on this card.  So I thought about it and had a go at making a fence myself, and I'm quite pleased at how it turned out.  I used a fair bit of Frayed Burlap Distress Ink on my fence and papers.  It's funny but I have Vintage Photo but use Frayed Burlap and Brushed Corduroy more, I find them a bit more subtle, and sometime Vintage Photo a bit strong.

We have prizes from Penny Black, Crafts U Love and Classy Crafts. Now isn't that a lot of prizes, definitely worth getting your animal stamps out isn't it!!!!!!

Now if you would like to be a GDT for us, all you need to do is make a creation to fit the theme following our rules.
Are you wanting some inspiration, pop on over to the challenge blog and then you can see all the wonderful creations from the rest of the talented team.

This is the following challenges:-
1. Crafty Cardmakers - #97 - Recipe
2. Paper Crafting Journey - Distessed
3. Stampin' For The Weekend - Butterflies
4. Penny Black Saturday - August - Bright & Sunny
5. Totally Papercrafts - challenge # 180 - Favourite Colours
6. Aud Sentiments - #87 - Anything But A Birthday Card
7. ABC Challenge - T is for Thank You

Recipe:-
Stamps - Penny Black 1446J In The Garden, Popcorn Bear Sentiment,
Papers - Nitwit Country Lady, 
Colouring Mediums - Promarkers, Distress Inks,
Tools - butterfly punch, flower punch, Nesties, Grand Calibur,
Embellishments - stickles

Thank you for popping by my blog.
Happy crafting
Tracy x

Not My Usual Style

Good Morning bloggers, it's Saturday morning so It's time for a new challenge today at Allsorts.
This week is our lovely Jo's turn to host and she would like to see you 'Use Your Latest Craft Buy'.
Here is what I did, my daughter asked me to make her a box to put her bits and bobs in at the side of her bed.  She likes things a bit different, she's a bit Gothic/Emo (Although I get into trouble for stereo typing her).  She loves this box, my latest crafty buys that I bought to do this box are:-
Lacy Sunshine Image
Dusty Concord Distress Inks
LOTV Music Note Stamp.
Well it's fair to say I had real inky fingers after this, purple.  I didn't have an appropriate purple patterned paper and lilac just won't cut it with her, so I made my own.  I used some Punchenello (sequin waste, can you tell I worked in a haberdashery wholesalers using the correct terminology), and inked through it around the corners and edges.  Added some stamped corners and then the music note stamp in the middle.  I also used some black Broderie Anglaise and satin ribbon around the rim of the lid.  Used a spellbinders die from the Poinsettia set to make some black flowers and flower punches.


Don't forget to head over to Allsorts for all the details of this challenge, and to check out all the fabulous inspiration from my very talented team mates.

Here are the prizes on offer:-

4 images of winners choice

Whimsy Stamps 

 Yours and Mine Paper Crafts

This is for the following challenges:-
1. Fussy & Fancy - challenge 95 - Bingo (flowers, free, die cut)
2. The Squirrel And The Fox - challenge # 50 - Whimsical
3. Sweet Stampin' - Bold & Beautiful

Recipe:-
Stamps - Lacy Sunshine Black Eyed Susie, LOTV Music stamp, 
Colouring Mediums - Promarkers, Distress Inks, 
Tools - Poinsettia die, leaf die, flower die, 
Embellishments - gems, black broderie Anglaise, 


Thanks for popping by my blog.
Happy crafting
Tracy x

Totally Adorable

I just had to share this, I know some of you may find me strange but I adore mice, I'm not allowed to have one in the house, so I settle for my House Mouse stamps.   And the more whimsical they become the more I love them.  I have them on my cup, plant pots, and quite a few other things with them on.

One day Bobby brought this little mouse in from the garden.  Bless him he had rescued it from our Cat, Baby.  Little Monkey scared his sister half to death with it though.  He did want to keep it, and I nearly let him but instead we found a safe place to release it.  What will he bring home next I ask you???



Don't think he'll bring one of these home, I hope not anyway, he held a Kestrel on Sunday while we was at Whitby, he has also held an African White Faced Owl too.  He is just like his Mum, he adores animals, well he's is more of an obsession.  His ultimate dream is to stroke a Lion.



Hope you all have a wonderful week.
Happy crafting
Tracy x

Liquid Refreshment

Hello, it's Monday again, it comes round so quickly. I hope you’re all OK and have had a lovely weekend.
It is time for another theme over on the House Mouse and Friends Monday Challenge, this time it was our lovely Christine's turn to choose the theme and she chose "Liquid Refreshment" - Use something on your creation that has any kind of drink on it.  I used "Spa time" HMKR1011, with my gorgeous Nitwit Country lady papers.  And I always enjoy colouring this image, and it's my favourite drink too, a nice cup of tea.
Of course you must use a House Mouse, Happy Hopper or Gruffie to join in.

We are sponsored by :-
Simon Says Stamp - $25 gift certificate

AND
Di’s digi Downloads  - $10 gift certificate

AND
Mousey candy from our lovely Christine too (thank you hun, very generous)

Thanks for looking, the DT have all made gorgeous cards for your inspiration so hop on over to the HM&F Monday Challenge to see them.-


This is for the following challenges:-
1. Cute Card Thursday - challenge 281 - Die-ing to Punch
2. Fussy & fancy - challenge 95 - Bingo (pearls, free, lace)
3. 2 sisters Challenge - challenge #156 - Favourite Embellishments (Handmade flowers)
4. The Squirrel And The Fox - challenge # 50 - Whimsical


Recipe:-
Stamps - HMKR1011 Spa Time,
Papers - Nitwit Country lady,
Colouring Mediums - Promarkers,
Tools - order punch, flower dies, flower punch, Leaf dies, swirl dies,
Embellishments - pearls, lace,


Thank you for popping by my blog.
Happy crafting
Tracy &

A Gift For The Home

Good Morning bloggers, it's Saturday morning so It's time for a new challenge today at Allsorts.
This week is our lovely Catherine's turn to host and she would like to see 'Stitching real/faux'
Here is what I did, I used a Passion For stamps digi image called "The Scarecrow", and decided to make a door hanger for my cousin, he is just returning to Pittsburgh US, and has set up home with his Girlfriend. It is a wooden Hanger and had something wrote on it about the kitchen, so I altered it completely and everything I added apart from the silver heart.  I used stazon to stamp Welcome at the top.  I don't really like scarecrows but when I saw this one I thought he was kinda sweet. My stsiching is Faux around my image.

Don't forget to head over to Allsorts for all the details of this challenge, and to check out all the fabulous inspiration from my very talented team mates.

Here are the prizes on offer:-

4 images of winners choice

A Passion for Stamps offers a wide range of images designed by Ruth Hamilton. As the name of her store and blog suggests Ruth has a particular love of flowers and her designs have can also be purchased as rubber stamps, punches and dies all sold under the Tonic Studios name.

Crafty Devils are one of the UK’s leading paper craft specialists with over 10,000 card making, scrapbooking, stamping and die cutting products on line.  We aim to bring you the latest high quality products from all over the world, supplying quality branded products including Spellbinders, Marianne Designs, Molly Blooms, Tim Holtz, Ranger, Docrafts, Papermania, Promarkers, plus lots more at the lowest prices around and FREE postage to all UK postcodes for orders over £12.

This is for the following challenges:-

1. Papertake weekly - Anything Goes (optional extra - a bit of vintage)

2. ABC Challenges - S for Stitching

3. Creative craft challenge - challenge 16 - Tic, Tac toe - twine, ivory,distress

4. Craft Room challenge - 2 lines - blue, flower, lace and also blue, stamping, butterfly

5. Crafty Creations - challenge # 234 - Texture

6. Diva's By design - Bingo - distressing, lace, flowers

7. Addicted To stamps - #57 - Make Your mark

Recipe:-
Stamps - Passion For Stamps, See D's alphabet, Polkadoodles Butterfly,
Colouring Mediums - Promarkers, Distress Inks, 
Embellishments - Lace, flowers, brads, twine, 


Thanks for popping by my blog.
Happy crafting
Tracy x

A Christmas Candle

Good Morning, hope the weather is dry and still nice and sunny for you, It's hard to get as much done as I'd like to with the school holidays.  Although I did go last night and get the biggest part of the school uniforms.  Friday I think we are going to the Leeds City Museum, my youngest son is looking forward to that as they have a whole floor dedicated to stuffed animals, there's everything from Tigers, Polar Bears to even a Panda. Although I'm not sure what his reaction will be when he realises they are actually dead animals, he's so infatuated by animals and has toy ones (in the hundreds) all over the house and plays with them constantly.  Then there's a Mummy from Egypt, which I think he'll be OK with.

Now onto my candle, I decided to do a Christmas one using this LOTV stamp, I love this one although it was quite fiddly colouring it on tissue paper.  I glittered it too and added some glittered snowflakes.

 The flower is made using the Poinsettia Spellbinders die.

Here is the Christmas sentiment I put on the back of the candle.

I also made a gift box for the candle, I die cut an oval to the front and to the back and added an acetate window.  Also added the same die cut Poinsettia to the gift box.

Here's the back of the gift box, showing the sentiment through the acetate window.
I loved making this candle, and not quite as hard as I originally thought.  There will definitely be some made for gifts this year, in some everyday designs too.

This is for the following challenges:-
1. The Hobby house - challenge 3 - Christmas
2. LOTV Ideas to inspire - Make It Festive (GDT)
3. Deep ocean - challenge # 57 - Christmas In July
4. Challenges 4 Everybody - challenge # 26 - Anything Goes
5. ABC Challenge - P is for ........ Post Letters, Poinsettia, Punched Border



Hope you have a good week
Thank you for popping by my blog.
Happy Crafting
Tracy x

Here's Some Flowers

Hello, it's Monday again, it comes around so quickly. I hope you’re all OK and have had a lovely weekend.
It is time for me to remind you of the theme over on the House Mouse and Friends Monday Challenge, this time it was Our lovely America's turn to choose the theme and she chose "Heat Embossing" -  For mine I stamped some Lilies then heat embossed them with clear embossing powder.  A little distress inks around the edge of my embossed card and then heat embossed my image "HMKR1028 Food For Thought",
Of course you must use a House Mouse, Happy Hopper or Gruffie to join in.

We are sponsored by House Mouse designs

The are giving one lucky winner $25 gift certificate


Thanks for looking, the DT have all made gorgeous cards for your inspiration so hop on over to the HM&F Monday Challenge to see them.

This is for the following challenges:-


Recipe:-
Stamps - Food For Thought HMKR1028, Creative Stamping Lilies,
Colouring Mediums - Promarkers, Dusty concord distress inks, ,
Tools - embossing folder, cuttlebug,  heat gun, embossing powder, 
Embellishments - ribbon, stickles,


Thank you for popping by my blog.
Happy crafting
Tracy &

Vintage, Wings And In The Garden!

Hi all,
And welcome, it's a new month for Stamping Sensations and Penny black & More @ Allsorts challenges, if you didn't get the chance to join in last month's challenge this could be the one for you.

At Stamping Sensations this month the theme is "Wings And Things With A Touch Of Vintage" So get out anything with wings on and give it a vintage look. It's really not as scary as it sounds so why not give it a try.  I made a note book for a change, used my Nitwit papers and used my favourite Distress Ink Brushed Corduroy to distress them.  I find that Vintage Photo can be a little dark sometimes, added some lace and  tickets with some sentiments on.

We have sponsorship this Month from

Crafty Devils

And of course, the Design Team have created some stunners to inspire you. Please do pay them a visit to their individual blogs - it means a lot to know you appreciate their efforts.

This is for the following challenges:-
1. Addicted To Stamps - challenge # 56 - Anything Goes
2. Crafty Calender - Anything goes
3. 2 Sisters challenge - challenge 155 - Anything Goes
4. Lili's Little Fairies - Here Come The Girls

And now onto my second challenge creation for Penny black & More @ Allsorts, where the theme is "In The Garden" So you can use flower stamps, or anything to do with the garden for this challenge.  I used this cute bear sat among the flowers, birds and bees.

We have prizes from Penny Black, Crafts U Love and Classy Crafts. Now isn't that a lot of prizes, definitely worth getting your animal stamps out isn't it!!!!!!

Now if you would like to be a GDT for us, all you need to do is make a creation to fit the theme following our rules.
Are you wanting some inspiration, pop on over to the challenge blog and then you can see all the wonderful creations from the rest of the talented team.

This is the following challenges:-
1. 4 Crafty Chicks - #153 - Bling
2. Ready Teddy Goes - challenge # 25 - Die Cuts & Punches
3. A Little Bit Crafty - Summer Sun
4. Penny Black Saturday - August - Bright & Sunny

Recipe:-
Stamps - LOTV On Tiptoes, Penny Black 30-034 Transparent Teddy & Co, LOTV script, sentiment tickets,
Papers - Nitwit Country Lady, 
Colouring Mediums - Promarkers, 
Tools - butterfly punch, 
Embellishments - lace, doily, brads, paperclips, ribbon, flowers, stickles

Thank you for popping by my blog.
Happy crafting
Tracy x