Rudolf day for March

 It is time for Rudolf day again over at Scrappy Mo's! This month I have made two cards which are both snowy scenes and feature rabbits (or hares) and trees. All the stamps are from Inkylicious.  I have been searching for a particular sentiment stamp but not found it, so at the moment they have no sentiment. Maybe it is time for a spring clean, lol!

I added glitter using a quicky glue pen and some silver liquid pearls for berries on this second one. I am still not sure if the memento Paris Dusk works particularly well (blue hares??). I think I prefer the first card with its more natural colours (Stormy sky distress ink and tuxedo black versafine). I also added a few squiggles of sakura clear stardust pen along the snowdrifts.
Do join in with Rudolf day if you can. All you need to do is make a Christmas card or two for 25th of the month, and by Christmas you will have a lovely stack ready to go!
I am also linking my cards to Merry Monday where the challenge this week is Trees. Thanks for the heads up, Di!
Thanks for looking!

A bit of an adventure and my favourite 5 Christmas cards

Well, Boxing Day didn't finish the way we expected it to! It is the day we host family and cook our proper Christmas Dinner. We had a lovely day and were just enjoying our tea when Steve decided to check on the weather, only to discover that it was starting to snow. We quickly got both Dads organised and then set off to take them home. Steve's dad (now 94) was safely delivered home, but after a 3 hour 11 mile round trip we arrived back home with my dad still with us. Steve was a hero, pushing six cars up a hill with two other complete strangers so we could all get back home. It was a much improved picture this morning as you can see from the photo above and we did get Dad home safely and in time for his next medication. After a bit of slipping and sliding on our road we finally got home too. I think I will stay at home tomorrow!
I wanted to join in with Debby and share my favourite five Christmas cards with you for 2014. Several of these are getting their first airing today as I didn't get round to posting them before Christmas.
First is the card I made for Meg using all Inkylicious stamps.

My second was the card I made for Steve, using Inky Doodles stamps (including the background).

My third was my Dad's Christmas card, using Card-io stamps. When I saw this set I just had to buy it - love the bird feeders, tables and boxes.

 

My next card was made with Inkylicious stamps and a Chocolate Baroque sentiment

I am struggling to decide on my fifth card. It is another scene using the Inkylicious stamps, but I can't choose between these two:
The card I made for Lynne, using the thistle stamp to make a wreath...

 or Deer in the snow

some of these are quite similar and use the same colour inks and stickles etc, but I loved the variety I managed with just a few stamps.
Do pop over to Debby's blog and take a look at her favourites too.
Thanks for looking and stay warm xxx

More red squirrels and more snowy treescapes

 After the lovely comments on my last post I thought I would share some more photos of the red squirrels at Eskrigg Nature reserve. These wonderful creatures are rare here in the UK, but well managed nature reserves like Eskrigg help to keep them going. This first photo was the nearest Lynne and I have ever been to a red squirrel (less than 2 foot away!) unfortunately it isn't as sharp as I would have liked - they move so quickly!

 

They were a joy to watch!

As you may have seen in my last post, this treescape stamp from Inkylicious is great for a very quick Christmas card! This time I decided to make a purple version...

I used memento Grape Jelly and diamond stickles on the snow for this one.

I also made one using Memento Paris Dusk, but this time used my sakura clear stardust pen for the snow...

Thanks for looking!

Christmas and Birthday Scenes

Here is the Christmas card I sent to Brenda this year. I know she has received it so I can post it now! The base card was stamped with a Visible Image background stamp, Gaudette. The main panel was stamped on glossy card stock using a combination of memento Grape Jelly ink and Adirondack Pool. the trees are Inkylicious Black Forest and the stag is from Stampscapes. I used my mountains and valleys mask and ink dusters to create the snowy drifts and I pinched together the ink duster bristles to make the tree shadows. I finished it with ribbon and a sentiment from craftwork cards. Sorry about the awful photo. I don't see the house in daylight until the weekends at the moment.

My second card is for a friend for her birthday. For this I dusted the middle background in impress lemon yellow ink then added Memento Bahama Blue and Danube Blue each side of the yellow. I stamped the inkylicious grasses and seed heads (Build a meadow) in Danube blue and added a few silver gel pen highlights and stickles. I do like these colours, although again the photo doesn't do it justice!
Thanks for looking!

Less is more and snow

 The Challenge this week at Less is More is to include beads. I made this little tag a few weeks ago (must have been longing for some sunshine!)but hadn't blogged it, what with the inspection and everything. this seemed like the perfect opportunity to mount it on a card. The flip flop straps are my beads, threaded on wire. The stamp used on the flip flops is from Hero arts and the sentiment stamp is from Hobby Art.
Well, the snow here is still coming down, but I don't think it is getting any deeper, so I guess it must be melting a bit too. I popped out this morning whilst Meg was at Science on stage rehearsals to snap a few pics, but didn't venture further than a few steps from the door. I have a stinking cold with streaming nose as it is! Here are a few photos.

Hope you are staying nice and warm, and thanks for looking!

Snowy Cottages at Craft a Scene

Good Afternoon! The first Challenge of 2013 for Craft a Scene  is Snowy Cottages, and this month we are being sponsored by my good friend Teri of Delicious Doodles. This little scene is called A Crofter's Winter, and I coloured it with promarkers, adding a few bare twigs with berries on in the foreground (Inkylicious stamp). The base card is stamped with 'Snow Dust' (Penny Black) and dotted with diamond Stickles. To add to the Scottish theme I added a tartan ribbon and a die cut snowflake.
I do hope you will come and make a scene with us this month. Do visit the challenge blog where you will see some amazing scenes from my lovely teamies. Thanks for looking!
P.S. I am very aware that I promised some blog candy for when I reached 200 followers, which was a few weeks ago, but with all the hustle and bustle of the holiday I still haven't done it. I haven't forgotten, and as soon as I have the chance I will sort something out. I promise!

A fabulous day

Megan and I did make it to Sir Stampalot yesterday, despite the snow. It had snowed quite a lot more the previous night and I was beginning to doubt our chances, but slightly higher temperatures and a bit of rain soon gave me hope. The journey was fine, thanks to Meg's navigating and directions to bring us along more major roads from Janice. The inspiration from the ladies demonstrating was great, and it was wonderful to see my lovely friends Chris and Brenda once more.
Here is a card inspired by both Brenda and Chris.

I covered a piece of card in Fired brick, wild honey and shabby shutters distress inks then over stamped with a Woodware Clear Magic holly stamp. I added a pleated flower in black metallic card and a punched border. I finished it off with a bit of stickles on the berries, which you can see better in this picture.

Simple and quick, but I'm very pleased with the result! I'm entering this in the Keep it Simple Challenge where the theme is 'Deck the Halls...' and the sponsor is Whimsey stamps'
I've also made a couple more...

 Couldn't resist that PB stamp- sooo cute! It reminded me of Robert's dog, Harry that you can see here (look at that snow just ten miles north of us!)

Check this out. The set of stamps that I used for this card cost only £4.99 for 14 stamps! What a bargain! The Paula Pascual range are available here. Thanks, Janice, Andy, Chris and Brenda for a lovely day.  Well, better go and mark a few more books and stop enjoying myself quite so much!

Snow day!

Well, I made it in to work this morning, but it was coming down so heavily by eight o'clock that our school had to close, so I had an unexpected day at home with Meg (her school has been shut every day except Tuesday this week). We did a bit of baking, I made a few cards and we went out in the snow and took some photos.The first card is very simple using a penny black stamp, promarkers, a ready made sentiment and a cuttlebug folder. For the second I used a creative expressions stamp(Tree), my favourite leaf swirl (Hero Arts), creative colour sprays, rainbow drops (Crafty Notions) and a cuttlebug folder. The third was a free stamp from the Craft Stamper Magazine and lots of distress inks.  So now you have seen my cards, I will show you the snow.

It's fascinating, this white stuff, but I'd really like it to go away now, as my trip to Sir Stampalot's ultimate rubber stamping Demo day is seeming more unlikely.

Another christmas card and snow

Here is another Christmas card using the same technique as the last two, but this time using Broken China, Chipped Sapphire and Dusty Concord distress inks.
Papers are from my Artylicious  Seasons Greetings cds. The Christmas tree stamp is from Crafty Individuals and the snowflakes are Docraft stamps.
Finally I thought I would share a photo of yesterday's snow on my Dad's greenhouse. They had about six inches of snow in Warsop. It was like that all day and could well still be like it with today's temperatures! 

A magical day!

What a magical day I've had! This morning was spent crafting and waiting for the postie (who brought my Allsorts goodies!). The two cards were made after I was inspired by Chris, to look at my Inkadinkado inchie stamps. On the Butterflies and Birds plate I found the lovely dove which I stamped and embossed with, yes, more Kaleidoscope embossing powder.
Just before 12 we set off for a bowl of soup and a wander round Rufford Park. It was truly magical! We had many close encounters with the robins, chaffinches and squirrels in the park who were busy feeding on the grain the rangers had left for them. The ducks and geese were skating beautifully and the sun was just strong enough to give everything a lovely glow! Meg took some fantastic photos too that you can see on her blog 'My Little World'. I don't know how many Robins live in the park, but everywhere we looked there were so many! Hope you have had a great day too!
P.S. On behalf of the animals you might want to check this out!

Today got better!

Today might not have started off too well, but it has got better. Just after lunch I got a phone call to say Julie was home! She had her operation on the 26th January and she has already come home. To quote another friend, 'What a fighter!' Mohamed Ali has got nothing on her! Meg and I popped up to see her for a little while, and she looks great! The trip back from Manchester was without problem until they got to our street. Julie wasn't going to be defeated though - she walked the last little bit with a hand from her hubby Paul. She is still going to be recouperating for a couple of months yet, with no lifting -not even the kettle, but she is surrounded by those who love her which I am sure will help alot.

Snow and Teaching

Today I have decided to have a bit of a rant. Over the past few days the press have been very negative about teachers, and I really want to set the record straight. Today is the first day I have not made it into school and that our school has been closed. I set off at 7.15 - ten minutes earlier than usual, and took an hour to get just less than a mile. Our school was announced as closed at 7.50 and I still haven't heard how many staff have made it back home safe and sound. I spent over half an hour stuck on a road in Sherwood. The ring road was down to a single lane. I eventually managed to get myself back to the road where I live, but had to leave my car at the bottom of the hill after hitting the curb several times whilst attempting to get up the road. I am feeling really fed up. Believe it or not I really wanted to go to work today. Some children in my class are really beginning to make good progress and I want to use every possible moment to make sure they succeed. When I've finished my rant I will be making some resources to use with them and planning for next week.
I feel a responsibility towards the children in my class that is not very far removed from the responsibility I feel as a parent. I teach them, yes, but I also put plasters on their knees, mop up their sick, return their hugs and tell them that I am there for them every step of the way, because in some cases I'm the only adult in their lives that will be. So, when some local radio presenter says that Teachers are lazy, am I over-reacting by feeling upset? What is that saying about walking a mile in someone elses shoes? This week I have delivered staff meeting, dealt with cuts and bruises, 'Choral' vomiting (Why do parents send their children to school when they have been throwing up all night?) headlice as big as rodents, computer gliches, snowball fights, falling out over football and still managed to teach 5 lessons each day to a class of 27 wonderful, vibrant, positive children who want to make me proud of them. I'd love to see that Radio presenter do the same.