A Little Jug Of Cheerfulness!

Hi everyone,

Blogger is having more fun with me today. Thanks to Heidi, I am now able to comment on some sites but not all. Now I am unable to choose my font style! It is this or nothing!! I apologise in advance if the lay out of this posting is a bit odd like the previous couple. Grrrrr!!

This card is a 'Get Well' card for Blogger. I hope it works!!

I hope you are all having a lovely Bank Holiday. The weather here in West Sussex is quite gloomy today. I have spent the last 2 days in the garden, clearing areas of overgrown shrubs and potting up planters with flowers. I was going to venture out today to do more but I generally need a bit of sun on my back!

This card is made using the Daisy Pitcher and the new Claire's Sentiments stamps from Little Claire. Unfortunately blogger will not allow me to link to Little Claire, so the web site is, http://www.littleclaire.co.uk/

I love stamps that you don't have to always use the whole image. If you just ink up the flowers with Versamark Watermark ink and stamp randomly over a piece of white paper, you can then dust over the images with either chalks or cosmic shimmer powders, for a gorgeous background paper that is unique.

I of course painted the image with Distress Inks, which I also used to stamp the Sentiment stamp.

Distress Inks or any other water based dye ink tends to form dots on most clear stamps, which then gets transferred onto the card when stamping. With Little Claire Stamps this does not happen. You always get a clear, sharp impression which is very important to me, as an avid dye ink user.

Enjoy the rest of your Bank Holiday and I hope Blogger gets Well Soon. Lol!

Thanks for stopping by,

Luv,
Carol S.xx

I Am Seriously Fed Up With Blogger!!!!!

Hi Everyone,

I am afraid I am still unable to leave comments on your amazing cards!! All I get is a Google sign in box and when I sign in, it just goes back to a sign in request again!! Grrrrr!!!

How long is this going on for ?! I am going to check out if there is any updated info on the 'fix'.

Deep breath! These are another 3 boxes I have decorated, to go with the 2 smaller long boxes.

They are all a good size. The middle one will take packets of seeds standing up and would be an ideal use for it. A nice gift for somebody that has everything! I bought them from The Craft Barn in Lingfield, Surrey.

I painted them with Ivory Emulsion paint, and then used Walnut Stain Distress Ink to 'age' them. The fern leaves are made using The Fern Leaf Die from Little Claire. I just love this Die and it cuts beautifully every time.
The roses and leaves on the top of the boxes are Woodware punches, also from The Craft Barn.

Hope you have a good bank holiday weekend.

Well now I am going to see if I can still post!!



Signing off,

pretty fed up ,

in the Sussex countryside,

in the wind,

Luv,

Carol S.xx

At Least I Can Post!!!!

Hi Everyone,

I am really getting fed up with Blogger. When are they going to sort out the problem, as I am still unable to leave comments on blogs. It's very frustrating.

I hope I am able to actually publish this post!

This card is made using the Wheelbarrow Stamp set from Little Claire.

You get both the Wheelbarrow and the text in the set. It makes a very nice quick card. I do love stamps that are made for speed!! Yet looks as if you have spent hours on it !Lol!


Coloured with Distress Inks with a touch of Stickles. I cut all 3 layers with Label 4 from Nesties.

Well here goes, lets see if it will publish. ( It took me 2 goes to get it to work and the layout was a bit weird!!)
Thanks for stopping by,
Luv,
Carol S.xx

Little Boxes

Hi everyone,

Well we actually had a drop of rain on Saturday night! I didn't do very much but some is better than none I suppose.

Here are 2 Paper Mache boxes I bought from The Craft Barn at Lingfield. They measure 17 x 6 x 4cm and 14.5 x 4.5 x 4cm, so both nice sizes. They are in the 'Altered' section. I painted them with an ivory coloured emulsion paint. It took 2 coats and then using Dry Foam, I swiped Walnut Stain Distress Ink around the edges and lightly on the flat areas.

The rose was a Woodware Punch also from The Craft Barn. I used a lightly textured paper from my stash (can't remember where it came from!). I edged each piece with Walnut stain before construction.

The fern leaf is a Die from Little Claire. I use this quite a lot as it can be cut down to any size. I also edged the leaves with the Walnut Stain ink.
I was tempted but managed to refrain myself, from putting Stickles on the flower!Lol!!

Little Claire have just announced a competition which ends on Thursday 26th May. It is on their Blog http://littleclairesdesigns.blogspot.com from some pictures of cards that they have put on their blog, you have to choose 2 favourites and leave a comment as to why you have chosen these two. On Thursday, they will then do a random draw and you could win both stamps or stamp sets that your favs are made with. Full details on the blog.

I would like to thank you very much for your kind comments on my fusion painting. I still have it at the moment!

Thanks for stopping by,

Luv,

Carol S.xx

Shh!! A Sneaky Peek!!

Hi everyone,

Just another quick posting, as I have to get up at 6am tomorrow morning!! This is a sneaky peek of the Great Outdoors set of stamps from Little Claire.

They will be launched next week but if you want to, you can purchase in advance.

All you have to do is telephone 0151 342 5715, mention that you saw this on my blog and you will also get a free gift.

The three stamps on this card are only the embellishment stamps. There are 3 other larger stamps in this set. What a tease!Lol!

This will be a very useful set, as it can be for male or female. With Father's Day in a few weeks, could be very useful.

Thanks for stopping by,
Luv,

Carol S. xx

Sale! Sale! Sale! Sale!

Hi Everyone,

Little Claire are having a Sale on this Spikey Flowers Set of stamps. There are the two floral stamps and one text stamp in the set.

It is reduced from £7.50 down to the bargain price of £3.50.

The offer is only on until 4pm tomorrow, Friday 20th May. So get over there and get your stamp set now.

It is a great set as there is very little colouring needed and ideal for a quick card.

Don't miss this offer, you'll regret it if you do!!

Luv,

Carol S.xx

Sort of Fusion!!

Hi everyone,

I can't believe I am saying this - is it ever going to rain?!! I sowed an area in my garden with wild flower seeds. Even though I watered every couple of days, nothing has appeared yet after nearly 4 weeks.

I noticed yesterday that Blogger have now installed the posting they removed. Now it is on twice as I had reinstalled it. Grrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is my first attempt of painting without stamps or even drawing an outline, for many, many years. Straight in without a safety net!! Just acrylic paint on my brush. I used the 'Fusion wiggles' with the brush and a bit of 'make it up as you go along technique'. Twenty minutes later, finished project.

With normal painting with Distress inks or even water colours paints, it would take hours to get the shading in each petal. You certainly would not get the texture, as the white areas are quite raised. I have put it in a frame and it will go up for sale on my charity stall. I did think of keeping it as it is my first one.

Let me know what you think of it and should I keep it!LOL!

Thanks for stopping by.

Luv,

Carol S.xx

How Sparkly Can you Get?!!

Good Morning All,

How sparkly can you get?

The Little Claire Challenge this time is 'Sparkle'. Now that is not difficult for me as you know. I do like a little drop of Stickles!! However, I did want to be a little bit different with my sample.

I decided to go down the Fusion technique route a bit. With a little bit of grunge thrown in. I painted a piece of Watercolour board with Ivory Matt Emulsion. Whilst still wet, I dragged a tiny bit of green Acrylic paint through and brushed it into the emulsion. Using Smokey Grey Versafine, my usual ink of choice (looks like a pencil line), I stamped Emma's Flower stamp from Little Claire, onto the card.
I then used acrylic paints and the fusion technique to paint the flower. The base coat for the daisy head was grey, as I like the definition it gives when you over paint with the white. I then added a watery grey paint for the shadow.

I used Little Claire's Spikey Flowers stamp with a gold Brilliance ink pad, to stamp around the edge of the card.
The sentiment is from the new set, Claire's Sentiments, a set of 12 stamps for all occasions.

After tearing the edges of the card, using Dry Foam, I added streaks of Walnut Stain Distress Ink, dragging it into the middle and then ran it around the edges.

I also did the same on the background papers.

For the 'Sparkle' I added Stickles to the centre of the flower and around every edge of paper and card!Lol! Then added a few gems and some gold paper raffia.

Now for your efforts you can be in the running for the fab prize below. So just add your link to your 'Sparkle' sample to Little Claire's blog challenge and as they say, 'You have to be in it to win it!!'

Good luck to all entries. The rules are on the blog so go for it.

Thanks for stopping by and for your lovely comments, all are very much appreciated.

Luv,

Carol S. xx

Little Claire's New Stamps

Hi everyone,

Hopefully this time this post will stay in place!! What a few frustrating days with Blogger!!

The Claire's Sentiments are the new set just launched. There are 12 stamps in the set, covering most occasions! They will feature on Thursday 19th May at 2pm on Create and Craft, along with yet more new sets. Set your TV to record if you will not be around.

The main image is the Spikey Flowers stamp which I love, as it is so useful if you find you have forgotten someones birthday. There is no colouring that is really necessary. I just stamped and embossed with black sparkle and added a bit of Stickles.

A very quick card to make but looks like you spent hours on it!!

Thanks for visiting my blog.

Luv,

Carolxx

Little Claire's May Club Stamp.

Hi Everyone,

What an exciting day I have had!!

This morning I went online to check my emails and there was one from Sheena Douglass's husband. Yes the Gopher himself!!Lol!

He asked me if Sheena could show photos of my Fusioned table (last posting) on her Create and Craft show this afternoon.

I took a little time to reply, about 2 seconds of thinking!!! Of course I said she could.

I watched the program and she was on with Leonie. Her husband had said she was quite excited about my table! She said on the program, that it was exactly what she had wanted people to do with the stamps. She also made sure that my name was read out, which was nice.

My husband watched it when he came home and was really chuffed to hear my name read out and to see our table on the TV!!

Right back to the title of this posting. This is the new set of Little Claire's Club stamps for May, Product Code is Bikeset

These are a great set of stamps and very useful. I love stamps that can be used for both ladies and men. This set is perfect. This card is more for a lady with the flowers.

This card below is more for a man, with booze and bread!!!

I love the little dog. He could be standing guard for his owner. I nearly put the dog on the saddle, with his front legs on the handlebars and with the bread stick in his mouth!!Lol!

After using only Acrylic paints on my table, I had to return to my Distress inks for these cards!

I glazed the bottle and the bike with Glossy Accents to add bit of dimension. Just a little touch of Stickles!

I used to love making these pinwheels with paper when I was a child. Not that many years ago!!
Well I just have to put together my last card for Little Claire's samples. These are for Steve's next show on C & C later this month. Will get them in the post tomorrow.
Thank you for visiting my blog and have a good weekend.

Luv,

Carol S.xx

A Bit More 'Fusion'!!

Hi Everyone,

Well as I said, I have 'Fusioned' my old garden table. It started off as a badly water marked, dark brown, very yukky, teak table.

Now we have a very usable, pretty table. I have bought some outside clear varnish today, so I hope it will not alter too much, the light finish or the detail in the flowers.

I think it was well worth the effort of all the painting and sitting in the garage for 4 days! I will now have to make some matching coasters. Can't have people putting their glasses on my Daisies!!Lol!Have you noticed, not a dot of Distress Ink or Stickles to be seen!!!

Even my husband is pleased that he didn't take the table to the tip!
I am now looking around to see what else I can find to Fusion! My husband won't sit still long enough!!

Adding at later date.... Photos of this table were shown 2 days running, on Create and Craft TV.

Thank you for stopping by and please come back soon.

Luv,

Carol S.xx

Little Claire Challenge 6

Hi everyone,

Sorry I haven't posted for a bit but have been so busy. Did have time to watch the Wedding though!!Lol! I must admit I did enjoy it.

This is the super prize for the new Little Claire Challenge. Pop over to Little Claire's blog and see the sketch for your cards.

I have been very busy doing samples for Little Claire's next Create and Craft programme on the 19th May.

Also, I have been working on an old garden table that my husband wanted to take to the local tip!! It's a teak table that had very bad water marks on the top. I was going to sand it and just put teak oil on it.

Then, I had a flash of inspiration and decided to paint it. It has taken 4 coats of primer and undercoat to nearly cover the marks. I then have done three coats of colour. Finally the marks are no longer visible. My job for this week is to try Paint Fusion daisies on the top.

If it looks OK I will post a picture!!Lol!

Well back to sample making.

Oh, I must say a special thank you for the lovely comments on my sisters' '0' card post. I was so thrilled to read them.

Thanks for stopping by and good luck with your challenge entries.

Luv,

Carol S. xx