Welcome


Hello, my name is Dionne and I have been crafting for a very long time. As a very young child my mother tried to teach me to knit, it was a disaster. However, it must have sparked an interest in making things and, partly to prove that I was not totally useless and partly because I really wanted to make things, I taught myself to crochet. Over the years I have developed a love of cross stitch and all types of paper craft ..... I eventually even taught myself to knit.


I am married to a very understanding man, thank goodness, because I spend all my time either crafting, thinking about crafting or talking about crafting. I am hopeless at housework and dinner is often late!


Thank you for visiting my blog.


Dionne

Monday 27 April 2015

Things with Wings

I hope you had a wonderful weekend, I have been crafting, what more could I ask for?

Today a new challenge starts at Crafty Boots Challenges and it is one of my favourite themes - 'Things with Wings'.  Some of my favourite craft items fall into this group, butterflies, birds, bees, fairies and dragonflies, to name just a few.

The project I wanted to share with you today has taken me quite a long time to make.  It has taken me completely out of my comfort zone and there have been a few false starts and mistakes along the way.


Back in March I made a white mixed media canvass but I wanted something different for this project and I decided to make my design over three canvasses.  I started by giving the canvasses a coat of Gesso, followed by a coat of white acrylic paint.


Next I mixed up a batch of Pamellia Johnson's fantastic texture paste and created a distressed brick wall background.


I also added some ripped and distressed corrugated paper.  I made my own flowers from lilac tissue paper and some stamen.  I used one of my floral dies but, to be honest, I cannot recall which it was.


I made the butterflies by painting some card with purple acrylic paint and using a Sizzex thinlit die.

I wanted to give the brickwork some depth so the camera would pick up the texture.  I used Metallic Gilding Wax - Amethyst, Pearl Moon, Pewter and Golden Lilac.  However I was a little heavy handed so I went over the wax with white acrylic paint.  You can still see the gilding wax all over the brickwork but it does not show very well in the photographs.

I purchased a new staple gun to attach the ribbons because I was sure glue would not hold the weight, it was quite a nerve wrecking experience!  

The fabulous Crafty Boots Challenges Design Team has been busy making inspirational pieces, make sure you check them out.

Good luck.


Dionne

Wednesday 22 April 2015

Little Sailor Boy

I have a lot of family birthday's in April and last week saw the birthday of my brother-in-law.  He is a great guy and the love of my sister's life, they are been together forever.  I have something of a nautical theme going on at the moment and I chose this image for his card.


The image is from Mo's Digital Pencil, it is called 'Solemn Sailor'.  After colouring it with Promarkers I mounted it on silver mirri and red card.


The backing paper was a freebie from Bearly Mine (sadly no longer available).  The charm is from my stash and the sentiment is from Craftwork Cards.


Dionne

Monday 20 April 2015

Waiting for the Parade

Another Monday, the weeks pass by so fast and it is true what my grandmother use to tell me, the older you get the faster time passes.

It is mid challenge reminder time at Crafty Boots Challenges and the theme of the current challenge is 'Red, White or Blue'.  Your projects can contain just one of the colours, all three colours or any combination of the three.  Just use red, white or blue somewhere in your project, it is as simple as that.

It was my little sister's birthday last week and I chose this image for her card, as a toddler she has the cutest sailor suit with a skirt and our little brother had the matching suit with shorts.  They looked so sweet.


The image is from Mo's Digital Pencil, it is called 'Waiting for the Parade'.  After colouring it with Promarkers I mounted the image on silver mirri and red card.


The backing paper is from a Dovecraft pack and the sentiment from Craftwork Card.  I cannot remember where I got the lace from but it was ebay.

The Crafty Boots Challenges Design Team have been busy, please pop by and take a look when you enter your projects.


Dionne

Friday 17 April 2015

Little Red Tractor


It's the weekend and I am hoping it is a little better than last weekend.  After probably the warmest say of the year so far last Friday, we got up Saturday morning to sleet.  It was so heavy you could not see more that 20 or so meters.  Then on Sunday the wind was so strong it was hard to walk into it and it quite literally took my breath away, very strange weather.

So I am hoping that neither sleet nor wind put in an appearance this weekend.

A quick card to share with you today, it features on of my vintage stamps,  I find this stamp very difficult to colour, too many pipes and metalic bits, so this time I decided to put all of the colour into the card and backing paper.


I just added a few highlights of red on the tractor.  The sentiment stamp and card are from Stampin' Up and the faux pearls and backing paper came from my stash.


The current Challenge at Crafty Boots Challenges is 'Red, White or Blue', your projects can contain just one of the colours, all three colours or any combination of the three.

Use red, white or blue somewhere in your project, it is as simple as that, just as I have done here.


Dionne



Wednesday 15 April 2015

Red, White and Blue

Happy Wednesday to everyone and a very special happy birthday to my oldest and dearest friend.  This is the card I made for her.

This adorable little madam is called 'Mariko is Mad' and she comes from Mo's Digital Pencil.


After colouring her with Promarkers I mounted the image on some gold mirri.  The polka dot papers are from a Dovecraft pack and the red card is from Stampin' Up.


The sentiment is from Craftwork Cards ad the red ballerina shoes are from my stash.

I coloured the image with my red, white and blue pens because the current challenge at Crafty Boots Challenges is to use red, white and or blue in your design.  The rest of the design Team have made some stunning projects, make sure you check them out when you link up your projects.


Dionne

Monday 13 April 2015

Aha Me Hearties

Shiver me timbers and walk the plank!  It is not officially the International Talk Like a Pirate Day until Saturday, 19 September so you are not requires to slap your thigh and shout 'Ship Ahoy' today.

However, there is a new 'Red, White and/or Blue' Challenge starting at Crafty Boots Challenges today and it is my turn to host this Challenge so I have chosen some of my absolute favourite images for my Design Team pieces. 

Today's card features a Mo's Digital Pencil digi image called 'Captain Hugh'.


After coouring the image with Promakers I mounted it on silver mirri and some red and blue card.  The backing paper is from a Dovecraft pack.


The Sentiment is from Craftwork Cards and the little yacht charm is from my stash.

The rest of the Crafty Boots Challenges Design Team have been working so hard preparing inspirational pieces, they really are a talented group.  When you hook up your projects make sure you take a look at their amazing work.

Good luck.


Dionne



Friday 10 April 2015

Counting the Clouds

This week seems to have flown by.  Today I have another card featuring a Teddy Bo & Co image to share with you, this one  is called 'Counting the Clouds'.


After colouring the image with Promarkers I mounted on some gold mirri card and some Dovecraft paper.


All of the other papers are glittered and I added a couple of eggs cut from DCWV Glitzy Glitter card.  The 'ribbon' is by Dovecraft Santoro and is actually printed linen cotton.


A few days before Easter I received this rather gorgeous Easter tag from my good friend Mrs Beez, it's sooo sweet and I just love it (Pssst, don't tell Lisette but I stole this photo from her blog).


Dionne

Thursday 9 April 2015

Bluebird’s proposal

Those who visit my blog regularly may be pleased to hear that I only have one or two more Easter cards to post.  However, there is still plenty of time to enter your Easter projects in the Crafty Boots Easter Challenge.

Today's card features a Gorjuss Girl stamp called 'Bluebird's Proposal'.  Apologies for the poor quality photograph but the light has not been good recently and I had to use artificial light.


After colouring the image with Promarkers I mounted it on some silver mirri and  DCWV glitzy glitter card. The papers are from a Dovecraft stack.


I cut the eggs from some more DCWV glitzy glitter card.


Dionne

Wednesday 8 April 2015

Lambing Pip

Good morning, thanks to the long Easter weekend, we are halfway through the week already.

I have another Shertbet Pip image to share with you today, it is called Lambing Pip.  I am afraid the light has bounced off the pearlescent card so you cannot see the little chick very well.


I coloured the Sherbet Pip image Promarkers and them mounted it on some gold card.  Unfortunately the camera has not picked up the glitter on the daisy paper.


I cut the egg from some DCWV glitzy glitter card and the little chick is a Sizzix die.

For the rest of this week the theme at Crafty Boots Challenges is 'Easter' so don't forget to enter your Easter projects.


Dionne

Tuesday 7 April 2015

Easter Bunny Bo

The long weekend is over and most people are back to work today.  However, Crafty Boots Challenges is taking another week to celebrate Easter and you can enter your Easter projects anytime up until lunchtime Sunday.

I have another card to share with you today featuring a Teddy Bo & Co image called 'Easter Bunny Bo'.  Doesn't Teddy Bo look cute in his Easter Bunny costume?


I coloured the image with Promarkers and Wink of Stella pens.  I then mounted it on silver mirri and blue pearlescent card.


The backing papers are by Papermania Dovecraft. I cut the egg from some DCWV glitzy glitter card.

Have a great week.


Dionne



Monday 6 April 2015

Easter Carly

I hope that you are enjoying the long weekend.  I know that Easter Monday is not celebrated in all countries and I should love to hear how you celebrate Easter, if you celebrate it at all.

A four day weekend is something which we look forward to and many of us spend it with family and friends.  When I was a child it seemed to be a time when people decorated a room or two in their homes, but I cannot remember the last time anyone said this is what they had planned for the long weekend.  Mind you, I would not object if my husband were to get his paint brushes out!

It is Mid Challenge Reminder time at Crafty Boots Challenges.  The current theme is Easter and I have another Easter card to share with you today.


This little cutie is from Mo's Digital Pencil and she is called 'Easter Carly'.  After colouring the image with Promarkers and Wink of Stella pens I mounted it on some gold mirri.


I cut the Sizzix little chick die out of some DCWV Glitzy Glitter card and pearlescent card.  The other papers are from my stash.

The Crafty Boots Challenges Design Team have been busy making more cards to inspire you, why not take a look.


Dionne

Sunday 5 April 2015

Who Ate all the Eggs?

Happy Easter Sunday.

I hope that no one n your family has over dosed on chocolate already this morning, although it would not be Easter if those of you with under 10's, do not have a house full of hyperactive children all on a sugar rush.  Thank fully it is nice and quiet here at the moment.

Today's card features a Teddy Bo & Co image, rather appropriately called 'Who Ate all the Eggs'.


After colouring the image with Promarkers I mounted it on some DCWV glitzy glitter card.  The papers are from a Dovecraft stack.


I cut the egg from some more DCWV glitzy glitter card.  The ribbon is part of my bargain buy from Amazon.

I hope you have a fabulous Easter Day.


Dionne



Saturday 4 April 2015

Chocolate Pip

As you probably know I do not usually post at the weekend unless it is a special occasion.  Well, I think Easter counts as a special occasion, so here I am.

The card I want to share with you today features Sugar Nellies 'Chocolate Pip' from their Sherbet Pip range.


I coloured the stamp with Promarkers and Wink of Stella pens.  I mounted it on some yellow pearlescent card.  All of the papers are glittered and I added a couple of eggs cut from DCWV Glitzy Glitter card


The ribbon came from a birthday cake - waste not want not!


Dionne

Friday 3 April 2015

I Love you Little Rabbit

Greetings and happy Good Friday.

I hope you are making the most of the long weekend, it's chilly here this morning and the forecast for the weekend could be better but they have promised some bright spots - I hope you are in one of them.

I have another Easter card to share with you today, in my quest for Easter stamps I dug out this old Gorjuss Girl stamp, which is called 'I Love you Little Rabbit'.


I coloured the image with Promarkers and mounted it on some DCWV glitzy glitter card and some Stampin' Up papers.


I cut the eggs from some more DCWV glitzy glitter card.  The backing papers is from a Dovecraft paper stack and the ribbon is from a birthday cake.

I hope that you have a wonderful weekend.


Dionne



Thursday 2 April 2015

Easter Egg Cards

Last year Lisette, a very close friend and Crafty Boots Challenges Team mate, showed me how to make egg shaped Easter Cards.

They are very quick and easy to make.


I folded in half a sheet of white card and then I used the largest egg shape from a X Cut nesting set of dies to cut the basic card, leaving a small area uncut to form the hinge of the card.  I then cut the shape out of a sheet from a DCWV glitzy glitter stack.


This gorgeous red bow came from our Christmas crackers - I always save the trimmings from our crackers, but this may be the first time I have actually used them!


This little chick is from a Sizzix die, I felt that their eyes did not really stand out so I gave him some little pearl eyes.


I recently found some really cheap ribbon on Amazon so I treated myself to about 60 meters.  Not that I really needed it, but who can resist a craft bargain.


Oww, I forgot to mention that I had to cut a little bit off the bottom of the card in order to get them to stand up.


Before I go I thought I would mention that the theme of the current challenge at Crafty Boots Challenges is 'Easter'.  Please share your creations with us.


Dionne

Wednesday 1 April 2015

Easter Bunny Bea

A pinch and a punch, it's the first of the month!  As children we all use to run around on the first of the month trying to be the first to say this.  I have often wondered when and why this tradition started.

For the next two weeks the name of the game at Crafty Boots Challenges is 'Easter' and I have another Easter card to share with you today.


This cute little bear in the bunny suit is from Teddy Bo & Co, the image is called Easter Bunny Bea.


I coloured the image with Promarkers and Wink of Stella pens.  Then I mounted it on gold card, the papers are from a Dovecraft stack and a freebe digi paper from Bearly Mine.


Dionne