Email problem!

For some reason, emails on my one-of-a-kind address are not getting through!!!
Please could anyone trying to contact me use christinestokes75@hotmail.com instead for a while. I'll try to investigate further!!
Chrissie

Tagged!

I have just been tagged by Lyndsey!
If you are tagged, you must firstly post these rules
1.Write 7 stange characteristics about yourself. They interest us all!
2.Tag 6 other people at the end of your Post.
3.Visit everyone that you have tagged and a leave a comment on their blog to let them know that they have been tagged.

Well I've never been tagged before so this is all a bit new to me, but here goes...

1. I collect etchings by Kentish artist Graham Clarke.
2. I used to be the conductor of a local Choral Society.
3. I can speak franglais.
4. I lost 3 stones in weight before my daughter's wedding last year.
5. I had my appendix removed whilst on holiday in France.
6. I always cry at curtain calls in theatres or concert halls.
7. I know most of the dialogue of 'You've got mail' word for word!

I would now like to tag Julanne, Deb, Rebecca, Sarah, Ikki, and Manda

I wonder what little gems we will glean from them!!!!

Sketch Saturday Challenge #12

Another little Maggie image from Bootiful Stampz.

I think she's being a little optimistic wearing a swimsuit with the kind of summer we've been having... we can but live in hopes.

Canon Scrapbook papers, prima flower.

We got a new car today, Phil is busy putting all his little bits and bobs into it... it will look very much like our old car soon! Then he will have to get his head around finding out how to operate the Sat Nav!

What excitement!

Our Creative Corner Saturday Sketch Challenge

I love this paper from Canon Scrapbook.

I took a few liberties with the sketch, but hopefully it is still recognisable.

TFL

4 in 1 I think! Friday Sketchers #15 ~ Stamp Something, Summer ~ Penny Black, Ribbons ~ Cute Card Thursday, Soft furnishings

I think I may have got the elusive four challenges in one here.

This is the sketch for this week's Friday Sketchers; something that I would never have had the imagination to come up with.

It's a summery image for the Stamp Something Challenge.

It's a Penny Black image with ribbons for that challenge and for Cute Card Thursday, it has a button and ribbons which hopefully fall into the soft furnishings category.

Phew!

The papers are from Canon Scrapbook free downloads and the image was coloured with Pearly Paints and Whispers pens.

Once more, I would be delighted to read your comments.

Wedding on the beach!

I was asked by a friend to make a card for a couple who are getting married on a beach somewhere. As the wedding is in October I can only assume that it will be somewhere hot!

I was given a few elements to include which were the couple's names, the date of the wedding and some reference to the beach. I was also asked to make the biggest card that I could.

This is a piece of A4 card folded in half, I'm not sure what size you call it when it's a card and not just a piece of card but I'm sure you know what I mean.

The die cuts are all Cuttlebug, using a variety of card, including pearlised.

I was quite pleased with this... what do you think?

One tip that I have picked up along the way when making die cuts, especially small fiddly bits like these, is to put double sided tape on the back of the card before putting it through the machine, so all you have to do once they're cut, is to peel off the backing and stick them in place.

Engagement card for my son's best man

I wanted to make a special card for my son's life long friend (they have been pals since playschool) who has just got engaged.

He was best man at my son's wedding last month and acquitted his duties superbly.

I am now looking forward to dusting off the posh hat for more upcoming nuptials!

The papers and image are from Papermania and the embossing from a Cuttlebug combo.

You can get a close-up by clicking on the image of the card.

Arty Girlz Recycle Challenge

Recycling has always been close to my heart! Being a teacher of young children for so many years made me worse I think.

I would save all sorts of junk for the kids to make models and collages etc.

The image on this card started life as an Easter Egg box.

I made a whole series of cards from one box last year and this year my daughter (having received a similar egg from her father-in-law) knew better than to throw the box away!

It is now having a diversion before going to be recyled in the traditional way!

The sentiment reads 'Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads'

Friday Sketchers Sketch 14

I haven't entered this challenge before.
The style of this sketch is not my usual style and so I found it rather difficult, I'm not sure if it comes off or not! The flower looks a little incongrous, but it was the best of the flowers I had available.
This cutie image was amongst my reward from the ABC Challenge. Can anyone tell me who she is and what make the stamp is?
I love the papers, from Papermania.

Bit Slow off the mark with this one!

Zoe very kindly sent me this award and as yet I have failed to pass it on.

It's called the WYLDE WOMEN award and the purpose of it is "to send love and acknowledgment to women who brighten your day, teach you new things and live their lives fully with generosity and joy"
The rules are:
1. You can give it to one or one hundred or any number in between - it's up to you.
2.Make sure you link to their site in your post.
3. Link back to this blogsite http://www.tammyvitale.com/ so Tammy can go visit all these wonderful women,and
4. Remember the Purpose of the Award.
I am sending this award onto SBS22 Sister Tina , Sarita , and Eileen.

Eileen is new to blogging, but does some fabulous work....watch her space!

My new Cuttlebug Combo

I was having a play with my new Cuttlebug Combo embossing folder and die. This is what I came up with.

The card is from my local Paper Mill shop and the paper from Laura Ashley.

A Thank You card is always useful!

You can get a close up by clicking on the image of the cards.

Papertake Weekly Challenge ~ Buttons

Another card using my Pink petticoat CD.

I just love these papers and images.

If only I could wear shoes like this for more than half an hour!

The Papertake challenge said 'buttons'. Sadly I have only one, but hopefully it will qualify!

Double Challenge Sketch Saturday #11 ~ Caardvarks, From Your Closet

This is my first entry into a Caardvarks
Challenge. It's entitled 'From Your Closet'. Looking at this card it seems that it should have been called 'From my Grandmother's closet'... however I do have a pair of lace-up boots similar to these which come out each Christmastime when I go to a Victorian Farm to sing Carols with a group of my friends at the annual Christmas Market. We dress in appropriate clothing for the period and then return to my house to enjoy mulled wine and lunch. It will be here before we know it!
The second challenge is the sketch from Sketch Saturday #11
Laura Ashley Paper, Prima Flower, See Ds image
I enjoyed doing this one.
TFL & do please leave your opinion!

What a lovely Surprise today!

I was delighted to receive this fab award from Sarah today! (I love your Blog too!)

So the rules are:
I have to pick 7 of my favourite blogs and...

1. The winner can put the logo on their blog

2. Link the person you received your award from

3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs

4. Put links of those blogs on yours.

5. Leave a message on the blogs of the girls or boys you’ve nominated.

So the nominees are Zoe , Jools , Natalie , Tara , Kerry , Cathy and Julanne

Long may your Blogs inspire!

Tilda & Co Challenge ~ Christmas is coming

This is an image sent to me by Fiona in a swap on the Docrafts site. It's always a little worrying when colouring a swapped image as there's no chance of stamping another should it all go pear-shaped!
The greeny papers were free with a magazine, can't remember which, and the red is a free download from the Canon Scrapbook site.
I heat embossed the little brads with moss green embossing powder as I didn't have any that matched the colours of the papers. It also gives an enamelled finish, which I much prefer to the original brads.

To heat emboss brads, this is what I do
1. Holding the brad in tweezers (very important as they get very hot) tap on a clear Versamark ink pad
2.Dip in the desired colour of embossing powder and shake off the excess
3. Carefully melt the powder with a Heat gun and repeat with another layer if required.
4. Allow the embossing to cool slightly before putting down and to cool completely before using on your project.

I hope that this may have been of some use to some of you!

Daring Cardmakers Challenge, Scrumdiddlyumptious ~ OCC Challenge Limited Supplies

This is a 2 in 1 challenge card.
I don't feel that it is my finest work, I think that the idea was fine, but somehow it just doesn't quite come off.
The OCC Challenge was to make a card without using designer papers, the Daring Cardmakers, for which this is my first entry, was to have a card reminiscent of scrummy summer food!

I wanted to round the corners of the card itself, but left it too late and by the time I tried to do it the card was too fat to fit into the punch!
Hey Ho, put it all down to experience.

Triple Challenge Cute Card Thursday Challenge #22 The two of us ~ Penny Black Challenge 9, Sketch #2, Stamp Something Color Challenge Pink Green Blue

This one taxed my brain somewhat.

Trying to get a pleasing mix of the colours for the Stamp Something Challenge proved a little difficult with the range of papers I had available. Also trying to get a Penny Black image to tie in with Cute Card Thursday's challenge took a lot of pondering.

Anyway, here we are... three challenges in one again. Still haven't managed the elusive 4 but there's always another day!

Does it work?

I've already made an extra 33 Wedding present Thank You cards (plus envelopes) for my son today, so it's just as well that it has been raining all day!

Triple Embossing Tutorial ABC Challenge E ~ Embellishment

For ages I couldn't manage to get a decent result with triple embossing, but now I think that I may have cracked it. This is what I do.
1. Cut out the shape of card to be embossed.
2. Stamp all over with clear Versamark ink.
3. Sprinkle embossing powder all over the card and shake off the excess.
4. Heat with a Heat gun until all the powder has melted.
5. Stamp again with Versamark and repeat stages 3&4.
6. I do a total of 4 layers of embossing powder to get a good finish.
7. On the final layer, when the embossing powder has become liquid and is still hot, press a stamp which has been inked with Versamark very firmly into the molten powder and hold for several seconds.

Voila!
I think that it is also important to choose a stamp which has a definite line and is fairly deeply etched.
These instructions helped me... I hope that they may be of use to you too!

To get a close up, simply click on the image of the card!

Our Creative Corner Challenge (OCCC) Pot Bunny from Bootiful Stampz

What a cute bunny!
Stamp by Bootiful Stampz, coloured with Prisma pencils & Sansador
Canon Scrapbook Papers ~ Faux Stitching
I would never have thought of doing a wavy line, so I'm grateful for this challenge, as I really enjoyed making this one!
I broke my paper trimmer the other day and so went out and bought a guillotine. I've now managed to mend my trimmer, after finally working out how to put it back together after I took it apart. SO now I have a choice of what to use. What joy!

This is me.......Chrissie

The Recipe For Chrissie

3 parts Superiority 2 parts Recklessness 1 part Silliness Splash of Naughtiness Sip slowly on the beach

What's the Recipe for Your Personality?

Papertake Weekly Challenge Sketch #8

I have just bought Lola's Boudoir CDs from Pink Petticoat and couldn't resisit having a go with them.
This is my take on this week's challenge for Papertake.
It seems a little cluttered on the bottom left; I just had to add the flourish in an attempt to balance it a little.

Tilda & Co Challenge #30

I think that this Tilda image is a sweetie.
Coloured with Prisma pencils.
Canon Scrapbook papers, Prima flowers, Papermania photo holders and brads, faux stitching.
I would be really glad to hear what you think!

To pass on this award, these are the rules that must be followed:
1. Only five people allowed.
2. Four have to be dedicated followers of your blog
3. One has to be someone new or recently new to your blog and live in another part of the world.
4. You must link back to whoever gave you the award.
Zoe gave me this award and I am so happy she passed it to me because I absolutely love her blog. She has such a great personality and her cards are absolutely gorgeous!
I am passing this on to these great bloggers because I love their blogs!
Sally
Manda
Sarah
Julie
Julie's was the first Blog I ever explored and gave me inspiration to try it for myself.
My person in another part of the world is Cindy
She has offered to be the admin of our new Sisters of the Blogging Stampers Group #22 Thanks Cindy!

Stamp Something Challenge ~ Thank You

This is my first challenge for the Stamp Something Blog.
Instructions:-Thank you
Penny Black Image coloured with Whispers pens ~ Cuttlebug Flowers ~ Inca Stamps sentiment
I would be grateful for your comments!

Triple Challenge ~ A Spoonful Of Sugar, Challenge #10, Animal Magic ~ Penny Black, NO PINK ~ Sketch Saturday, Sketch #10

Here I am again, trying to combine several challenges into one card.

Three again... I haven't managed more than that yet, but give me time.

I used an apricot colour instead of pink for the cheeks of Hedgie.

Laura Ashley paper, Penny Black image coloured with Whisper and Marvy pens.

I should be delighted to read your comments!

Double Challenge ~ 2 Sketches 4 you Laura's Sketch #5 & Cute Card Thursday ~ In the House

I find it fun to try to combine challenges from different blogs into one card. The most that I have managed to combine is three, but I'm still working on it.
This is a Hero Arts image stamp, coloured with Marvy and Whispers pens, with a free downloaded paper from the Canon Scrapbook site.
After rushing around the country visiting offspring, I'm finding it difficult to get into any sort of routine for card-making, but I'm having fun anyway!
Thanks for visiting!