Theme Thursday: 'Happy/ Happiness'

This is the first time I've taken up the Theme Thursday challenge and here's my happy card!......

Think Monday, Think ATC and Wednesday Stamper: 'Angel/s'

Well, what a lovely way to begin doing blog challenges again after so long.....two challenges with the same theme of 'Angel/s' and one of my current favourite themes too!

I made two ATCs this time, quite different from each other for Think Monday, Think ATC.....

I adore this vintage lady image on the first one which I got from After Midnight at Flikr, the wings are stamps from Stampland and the words are computer generated from a font at Dafont. I used a Glimmer Screen and Glimmers mists for the background and edged it with Diamond Glaze.

One the second ATC the stamp of the pagan man is by Non Sequitur as is the tree background stamp you can just see a tiny bit of. I got the wings from 'T' at Flikr. This is also my entry to this week's Wednesday Stamper.

Please click on each photo for a closer look if you feel the urge!

What a busy summer!

Click on photos for a
clearer look

I can't believe I haven't posted anything on here since July but life has been SO busy this summer. John and I have been here, there and everywhere visiting people and our suitcase has been a permanent fixture, open on the spare bed, when we have been home ....I've been unpacking, washing, ironing and then packing again so many times!!

Not that I'm complaining, it's been exciting but I must say I'm rather glad we don't have anywhere else to go for the time-being.....I'm a bit of a home-bod at heart and am enjoying the chance to unwind a bit now.

I'm also looking forward to being able to do some creative stuff again soon and made my first card for ages this evening.

I finally gave in and bought a Cuttlebug machine a couple of months ago but am only just getting the chance to really try it out. This card, above, is using the Stylised Flowers embossing folder, also a Style Stone embellished with some wire and stamped with Stazon using part of a Crafty Individuals stamp. The sentiment is from a clear set by Hero Arts - yes, I know I said I hated polymer but Hero Arts have some great ones out now and, in spite of myself, I just couldn't resist.

Well, hey, it's good to be back and I hope there might be someone out there looking in......???

Dress Form Swap

My fab dress form made by Stephany.

I've been busy lately decorating a blank mini dress form, made by Creative Imaginations which I bought at A Trip Down Memory Lane online.

This was for a swap with my great online friend and swap-buddy Stephany.

Well - today mine arrived and I love it to bits. We sent each other photos of the rooms we wanted to put our dress forms in and so decorated them to go with the decor in those rooms.

I had never done one of these before so it was quite a challenge but I enjoyed it.

Here are some photos of the one Steph made for me.....isn't it just GORGEOUS?!!!!

Click on each photo for a closer look.

And what a lovely few days I'm having because not only did I get this beautiful piece of art in the mail today but I also got my husband back on Sunday! He's been working abraod and we've been apart for the last three and a half months. I can't tell you all how great it is to have him home again.....wahey!!! I'm so HAPPY!!!!!......

Stamp Club night!

Yes it's come around again - it's Stamp Club at Crafty Clare's this evening and this month we're doing ATCs with a swap at the end.

I haven't had time to do much crafting just lately but did make these ATCs for tonight.

The background of the Singapore Post one is a direct lift from Kim Reygate and a demo she did at the recent Craft Barn Extravaganza - I love the effect of this Versamark resist technique and even managed to get hold of the same stamp Kim used because I thought it worked so brilliantly. The floral stamp is called Clique and is made by Penny Black.

The postage stamp is a real one - isn't it beautiful?!

And hey, look!! I only noticed when I'd finished the ATC that the franking stamp of Singapore has slightly missed part of the word out and all you can see clearly is 'Sing'....rather adds to it, I think. So, thank you Singapore postal services for your contribution!!

The little Pierrette is an image I got from Nancy Dooren's blog - thanks again Nancy for some great vintage images! The background stamp is by Invoke Arts.

Tennis

Haven't been on here in a while - life's just been too busy.

On Tuesday my mum and I went to watch the International Ladies Tennis which is held every year at this time in Eastbourne.

Here are a couple of images from the day. So far the summer has been sporadic but we were so lucky to get the most perfect weather on the day we went. There was a cool sea breeze blowing which kept us from stewing in the sun and we had a really nice day there.

Next year the competition is being extended to include the men so that's good news for Eastbourne.

Think Monday - Think ATC: 'Towers & Columns'

This is my entry to this week's Think Monday - Think ATC challenge. The theme this week is 'Towers and Columns' and it immediately reminded me of an ATC I made when I first joined an ATC group a few years ago. So I've made it again with slight variations to the original.

I'm afraid all the unmounted stamps used here, the tower, the Mystery word and the eye (which is one of a pair!), were won on EBay and I don't know who they are made by.

The dark blue is not a border on the ATC, just a piece of card behind it for the photo.

Hey and I got in a bit earlier this week - pat on the back for me!