First Swallow of the Year

Very quick note, saw the first swallow this morning.

Kathy xx

Cherry Blossom & Cuckoo

Hi this is a short blog post today, we are having some super weather the alpacas are loving it, sunning themselves.

This morning I heard the cuckoo for the first time this year.

The white cherry tree is gloriously covered in masses of flowers, out in time for Cassius's birthday, 11th April. I have some lovely photos of him as a cria with the cherry blossom in the background.

Just look at that blue sky.

And a close up of the super scented blossom

The rape seed flowers are starting to show, the blackthorn is blossoming and the bluebells are just peeping out, bumble bees and butterflies are about. Such an exciting time of the year.

And finally, two young males, enjoying the day.

Brave on the left and Terracotta on the right.

Off to get my dinner. See you soon.

Kathy xx

Sunny January Day

Hi, today is such a lovely sunny day. Tuesday, muddy underfoot, we were alpaca toe nail trimming, today would have been so much better. The alpacas are happy though.

Here are some photos of our happy alpacas in the sunshine

First a group pose of mums and babies
I think that the babies were trying to hide, they are there, in the middle of the photo.

This is a photo of Rococo and her son, Sunset's Terracotta

Finally, today, a photo of my bottle fed baby alpaca, Kashmir. He was born on Indian Independance Day.

Please check out my new craft based blog, Kathy's Crafting Adventures, for more craft based blogging and card designs.

Kathy xx

Clarity Stamps December Challenge

Hi, hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas.

Here is my card design for the current Clarity Stamps Challenge - TREES (still in a Christmas mood)

I used a tree scape stamp, "Forest Ridge" and added in some extras with trees from "In the Bleak Mid Winter Carol" set and the Christmas remountables set for more trees and the santa sleigh.

The sentiment "Christmas Greetings" is one of the first Clarity stamps I purchased from a smallish craft fair locally, when to my good fortune, Barbara was demonstrating and I was captivated.


There was a lot of ink in the background to colour the sky, added with Clarity stencil brushes. a moon mask, and shadows on the snow. Mounted up on a dark blue mat.

My photograph is not showing the shadows too clearly, and the sky is looking a little washed out too, which is a shame.

Thank you for visiting and reading about my card design.

Kathy xx

Waltzingmouse December PJ Party

Hi, these are my cards for the December Waltingmouse PJ Party,

First is my card using older Christmas Stamp sets

I used Festive Foliage for the holly spray, Very Vintage Christmas set for the red frame, Seasons of Love for the sentiment, the heart stamp from Nordic Winter, Sewing Box Christmas for the bauble with the red stamp again from Nordic Winter. I added a bit of bling in the centre of the bauble.

My second card is for the sketch

I used the new sets of stamps, and this photograph as colour inspiration

Old Country Roses and Vintage Postcards, With Love came from Gift Card It.
The background has die cuts from Tattered Lace, aiming for the appearance of vintage lace.

I thought that a co-ordingated tag would be a great addition
Taking elements from my main card, I made a double faux stitched tag using the Old Country Roses stamp set.

I have just tried out an idea for the tree decorations, using three circles and scoring them before sticking together.

Stamped with Jolly Old Elf and a sprig of holly added.

This one is stamped with Around Chrismastime.

This photo is from a differnet angle to show how the circles join together, using different stamps on each side.

Thank you for visiting and reading about my cards.
If you are a Waltzingmouse Fanatic, check out the Challenge Blog we have an "Anything Goes" challenge, using Waltzingmouse Stamps. Plenty of time to create your card and enter.

Kathy xx

Last Ever Waltzingmouse Fanatics Challenge...

Hi, this is the last Waltzingmouse Fanatics Challenge. Sadly.

I have made a co-ordinated Christmas Card and Tag.

Using Jolly Old Elf for the stockings and 'Tis the Seasona and Folk Art Christmas for the Sentiments. With Pinstripe Background for the large faux stitched tag. Doubled up with the medium tag, using an idea on Claire's Waltzingmouse Blog, for a double tag.

Thank you for visiting and reading about my card.

Don't forget to add your Waltzingmouse Stamp design to the Waltzingmouse Fanatics Challenge Blog and be in with the chance of winning. Claire Brennan, designer and owner of Waltzingmouse Stamps, is offering a £20 prize voucher for the winner of this challenge.  The voucher is valid to March 2015 and is for use at the Waltzingmouse Stamps online store.  In order to be considered for the winner or top three you must use at least ONE Waltzingmouse stamp, sentiment or digi on your project.

Looking forward to seeing your designs.

Best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy Crafting New Year.

Kathy xx

Waltzingmouse Fanatics Challenge No 32 Sketch

Hi, our new challenge at Waltzingmouse Fanatics is a sketch.

I have had a great time with this sketch and created a notelet, a Thank You card and a Christmas Tag.

My Notelet, stamped with a repeat flower outline from French Country stamp set, my sentiment is taken from Funky Feathers. The flowers are coloured with Spectrum Noir pens. A really simple stamped card.

My Thank You card is stamped using the Folk Art Medallions set in a colour theme from pink through purple to green. Another quick and easy stamped project. Thank you cards are always handy to have a supply ready for when you need one unexpectedly.

My last design is a Christmas Tag using the lovely new set Flurries. There are several snowflake designs all are gorgeous. The sentiment is from Elf Made, another super new set from Waltzingmouse Stamps.
I added a snowflake die cut with some glitter sprinkled on  at the top of the tag.
Colours are plum and purple with a distress ink edging and bakers twine tie.

You have plenty of time to get your card designs entered on the Waltzingmouse Fanatics Challenge Blog.
Looking forward to seeing your submissions.

Thank you for visiting and reading about my card designs.

Kathy x

Clarity Card Challenge : Travel

Today I am showing the card that I have entered into the Clarity Stamp Card Challenge.

This month the theme is TRAVEL

I was inspired by a project that Barbara detailed on her blog earlier this week.
Creating a background with various distress inks and some Adirondak ink colours.

Masking out the moon shape. Colouring the moon with a hint of Butterscotch, sounds yummy !

Finally adding the stamp of a young boy being carried away (possibly to the moon, in a flight of fantasy) by a flock of birds. This is such a strong image I felt that my card was complete.

I have used tea stain distress ink on the edge, stamped the boy and birds with Sepia Archival ink for a softer interpretation. Then mounting on kraft card and a dark green which seemed to fit with the colours, does not come out so well on the photograph though.

I have just read Barbara's blog today, Thursday, and seen the most amazing autumn leaf card, got to order the stencil and hook out my maple leaf stamps. Love the doodled edges to the print.


Thanks for visiting and reading about my card design.

Kathy x

Artisant Blog Challenge November

Hi, this time I have made a tag for the Artisant Blog Challenge

Based on the sketch and colours and the theme of Halloween (ready for next year !!)

Here is a photo of the elements for my tag

Die cuts from Waltzingmouse Stamps and Tattered Lace, I coloured and stamped on the tag background.
Cut out a witch from Waltzingmouse Stamps and die cut flowers and the sentiment tag from Spellbinders.

My finished tag

I added some gold liquid pearls dotted on the blue die cut. 3d foam pads for some dimension.

Thank you for visiting

Kathy xx

Waltzingmouse Fanatics Challenge No 31 Flowers

This posting is for the Waltzingmouse Fanatics Challenge No 31 Flowers

Using the Camillia stamp set and colours inspired by this design seed photograph

I had some blue and floral background paper and the sentiment is cut out using Spellbinders Label 22 and Decorative Label 22.

I have made a second card using the Camillia Set and new die cut Pretty Panel 1

All the colouring is using Spectrum Noir pens

Thank you for visiting, hope that you can join us at the Waltzingmouse Fanatics Challenge blog

Kathy xx

Waltzingmouse PJ Party

Hi, here are my designs for the Waltzingmouse PJ Party

Scandi Tags
In red and white using the Folk Art Christmas Stamps as the focal points with the backgrounds stamped using Nordic Winter stamps and Pinstripe background

Photographed with my Swedish Dala Horses.

Christmas Bag made up using paper stamped with a plaid design in red and green using Pic Nic Patterns Set and in the intersections small holly and candy cane stamps from the new set Jolly Old Elf.
A Christmas Gift Tag using Country Labels No 4, Compliments of the Season  No 2, and Festive Foliage Stamps and die cuts.

Using an older Christmas set,  Ornate Ornaments. I had plenty of ideas for making a 3D design stamping the ornament and cutting out several times. When I stamped the first one using plum ink on cream coloured card it just looked finished simply with a bow. A very quick to make Christmas card, for that last minute.

Looking at the photograph I think that the card design may benefit from a plum mat and layered edging.
May get chance to try that before the party gets started !!


My last card is for the bedtime story sketch,

Stamped with new set Flurries with added die cut snowflakes.
Thank you for visiting and reading about my cards.

PS. If you like a Waltzingmouse Stamps challenge pop over to the Waltzingmouse Fanatics Challenge blog
new today challenge with a flowers theme.

Kathy xx

Waltzingmouse Fanatics Challenge No 30

Hi, thanks for dropping by to see my designs for the current Waltzingmouse Fanatics Challenge.

This time it is colours.

Using the photograph as inspiration it reminded me of the Folk Art Medallion, which I stamped in teal then added leaf colours of lilac and pale green. The sentiment from a favourite set, 'Tis the Season, is in gold embossing powder and edged with bright pink and pale green, stamp from Country Labels No 4, die cut with Spellbinders die. A little gold die cut for the top of the Christmas Bauble just to finish it.

My second card is using Aqua Tints from Spectrum Noir for the background sky wash in bright pink and purple. Then stamped with the scene from Way Out West stamp set, also the lettering and stars were used along the base. With the sentiment from Yonder Star.

Thank you for visiting. Have fun with your stamping.

Kathy xx

Artisiant October Card Challenge

Hi, this project is for the current Artisant blog challenge

I love the card design, but have chosen to use pinks, blues and tea dye distress inks

So using the sketch as my inspiration I gathered together all my supplies. Die cuts, stamped images, foil bird cage and handmade flowers.

This is my finished card, hope that you like it. Completely different to my usual style, of simple stamping.
I used foam pads to get dimension, the flowers are die cut and shaped for dimension and there are butterflies that have been fussy cut  and their wings are shaped, to give more dimension.

Thank you for visiting.

Kathy x

Waltzingmouse Fanatics Halloween Challange

Hi, and a huge thank you for all your kind comments welcoming me to the Waltzingmouse Fanatics Design Team.

Welcome to our latest Waltzingmouse Fanatics Challenge, which is topical,

HALLOWEEN

inspired cards, tags or 3D items.

I have made a card using Vintage Witch, Country Cottage, and the Halloween Party Stamp and die sets.
The sentiment is from Hocus Pocus set. Spooky Tree Backgrounder is stamped in front of the cottage.

Stamped in blacks and dark purple, cottage coloured in shades of grey copics. Then the sentiment stamped in black with an orange hint of colour, to tie in with the bubbling cauldron and the eyes of the owl. Mounted up using a Spellbinders die. The background is about 1/4inch behind the kraft card mount to add depth, which sadly does not show in the photograph.

Card two is especially for my brother, his birthday is October 31st.

It is very simply stamped using The Count as the main focal point, with the frame and ruins from All Hallows Eve. Splat that provided the red blood and the sentiment stamped in red is from All Hallows Eve.

I have added my Halloween Tags made for a recent Waltzingmouse PJ Party

Using Stitched Tags die as the starting point, then adding the witch from Halloween Party and the new Owl stamp set. Great for adding to "Trick & Treat" goodies


My final card in this Halloween selection is a using a collection of greens and the All Hallows Eve stamp set and Spooky Tree Backgrounder with several layers and various Spellbinder dies.

Thank you for visiting and reading about my card designs.

The challenge is open to join in if you use Waltzingmouse Stamps, sentiments or digis.
Please visit the Waltzingmouse Fanatics Challenge Blog and enter before Thursday 30th October evening at 10pm.

Kathy xx

Waltzingmouse PJ Party Bedtime Story ...

The Waltzingmouse PJ Party, Bedtime Story Sketch Challenge.

I only got to finish my card as it is raining here so I could get a little time crafting.
Using colours and stamp sets that were to hand I put together this card

Yonder Star background, Yonder Star Stamp set for the sentiment and new Star Dies.

The colours in the photograph have come out a little brighter than in reality.

Thank you for visiting and reading about my challenge card.

Kathy xx

Waltzingmouse Pajama Party October

Hi, these are my cards for the Waltzingmouse PJ Party

For my first card : Texturise It.

I have created my texture by embossing over a Spellbinders Floral Oval die, and then highlighting with gilding wax. Using traditional colours red and green. I have used a background paper with diagonal stripes. Waltzingmouse stamp and die set, Little Lanterns and from one of the new Christmas Sentiments, 'Tis the Season, I used Noel. I love this set. Framed by a Spellbinders Label set.
To top the lantern I have used the holly from Festive Foliage stamp and die set.

For card number 2, Snow is Falling

I have made a snow scene using A Cottage Christmas and coloured with Copics pens.
My colour theme based on the design seeds photo

The two shades of blue are on the cottage, the greens in the trees and the sentiment and the pale stone on the two tree pots. After a lot of consideration I decided not to add glitter as the snow, prefering to leave the card white.

Card No 3 : Old Pajamas, Old Christmas Set

I have used the Yonder Star Set, Yonder Star Background and Festive Foliage, also die cut using the Picot Panel and the Stitched Tags set.

My colours were taken from this bright selection

I stamped the star from the Yonder Star set and arranged like a patchwork design. Then pieced in the spaces using the Yonder Star background stamp, with a vintage feel and to give a distressed look with plenty of tattered rose distress ink sponged around. The Holly berries were finished with a cosmic shimmer glitter and shine. I love the Picot Panel die, the sentiment has a light background stamped from the Yonder Star background stamp.

Thank you for visiting and reading about my cards.