Cheers!

 Hello there

It's cooled down a little over here and it's a lot more bearable but I'm still spending most of my time indoors. I've done a fair bit of sewing but the past couple of days I've pulled out my paints again. 

Today's card is for my friends over at Double D Challenges

 

 

I couldn't resist when I saw that board... Guess what caught my eye? Yep, those drinks

 

 

The drinks are digital images, printed onto vellum and fussy cut to add to the scene I painted - Care to join me?

I may not be having a holiday this year but I still have my imagination - I did resist putting a beach in the scene... One thing I am trying to do is to keep my scenes and painting CAS... I may have cracked it where cards are concerned but when it come to painting, it's knowing when to stop. The focus here are those inviting drinks and with the weather we've been having, what could be better.

I hope to share a few more cards with you soon... I've had a little burst of inspiration but who knows how long that will last.

I hope you are enjoying your day... Be safe

~ Ros ~

Help! A/C Needed

Hello friends!

Oh my...  It is so hot and I'm melting. I know it s nowhere near the temperatures that some of you have experienced lately but we just are not used to it and we don't have A/C. I went to my exercise class on Monday and came out like I'd just stepped out of the shower!

Even those pesky pigeons are feeling it... This guy came for a shower in my garden water feature and I couldn't help but giggle

I do have a card to share, not that I've done much recently, but I needed a card to send to my friends son in the Netherlands who recently obtained his Masters

 

 I used a NBUS compass stencil which I got really cheap ages ago - So entering at Darnell's  

NBUS Challenge.

 

 

I thought it was suitable for a guy starting out on his journey. I only used a part of the stencil (it's big) and painted some leaves weaving through

DH is away for a few days visiting his brother so I am enjoying some 'me' time, no having to stop what I'm doing and cook a dinner and generally enjoying time with Mikey, though we are very alike and enjoy our solitude.

Thanks for your visit, have a beautiful day

~ Ros ~

Paintings

 Good morning...

We are having a heat wave at the moment and my thoughts go out to all the people in Europe who have experienced devastating floods...I can't even begin to imagine the heartache.

Today I am sharing two very different creations...

This first one I did ages ago inspired by something I saw on Pinterest which I think was Cows parsley

You can see the original here

I did my own version and added a Rubon butterfly

 

What you can't see is the sparkle I added... Here's a tip for you

You know how you can tap on a paintbrush or a Posca pen to create splatters? Well if you have something like a Nuvo glue pen you can do the same and then sprinkle the glitter on, just a shame the photo doesn't show it

My next card is made from part of a painting I did and a couple of painted die cut pieces

The mouse, flower and mushroom I sketched and painted then fussy cut before adding the die cut bits

You know I am sitting here in my craft room with the doors wide open and looking out onto the little area I recently created and the birds are singing... It's my little piece of heaven

Have a beautiful day

~ Ros ~

Alcohol Inks on Vellum

 Hello again...

Have you tried alcohol inks on vellum? I hadn't until yesterday. I didn't even know you could use them on  vellum but I live and learn, courtesy of those clever ladies at The CAS Mix Up and all you talented people who share tips and tricks.

So whilst clearing my desk I found a small piece of vellum and thought I'd give it a go... I grabbed the first few AI's that would open (it's been awhile so some are stuck tight) and I was amazed. What to do next? Well, it's taking me a little time to get back into card making but I got there

So I have a card to for my friend's birthday and I one can enter at

And at The Flower Challenge

My splatters and liquid pearls are the spots...

I have no idea what vellum this is... I bought tons for wedding invitations I made a few years back but many of the packs I got were not white enough so I didn't use them. However, it worked well with AI's and the stamping / embossing of the flower, which I fussy cut and added white gel pen to.

I don't know what you call those teeny tiny beads or why I had 2 packs in my stash (now 1.5 packs as the floor got the rest) nor do I get how you are supposed use them... Heck they roll EVERYWHERE but somehow I got a bunch to stay. Maybe I should have used a dish? Splattering gold Poca paint is so much easier

Now you know what I'll be doing with all those pieces of vellum from now on

By the way the flower is an Hibiscus but I can't stop seeing a pansy now... Huh

Enjoy your day/evening

~ Ros ~

And it's raining

Hello! 

Yep, it's still raining and the temperatures is around 63F... The great British summer. But I'm not stressed about it, there's always something to do. Yesterday I decided to do a little sketching and painting and discovered quite a lot of paintings I have done over the year that I never did anything with... Maybe I will turn them into cards.

The two I did yesterday I did turn into cards...

 

 Because I did these on watercolour CS which is not as white as I'd like, I printed the background cardstock and believe it or not, it is actually a green ombre but it looks more gold on my photos...

...Which is okay as I used gold paint anyway

I really enjoyed doing these, it's been awhile

Thank you so much for all your lovely comments on my garden! I was hesitant to share the photos but as always you guys lift my spirits

My pretty Lilies are flowering in the garden right now..Actually I don't know what they are called but I'm sure they are from the Lily family and no doubt someone out there will know the correct name

 

And there are plenty more in the mini jungle I call a garden

Finally before I go I have to tell you that I got to go back to my exercise class last week, the first in almost a year. How I survived I have no idea... I ached in every part of my body Lol!

I'm not a fitness fanatic - more like a clock watcher when I have to exercise, hoping the time goes quickly but I have to try and keep this stenosis at bay and oil the joints.

Okay... Have yourselves a beautiful day

Till soon

~ Ros ~

Hello July

Well hello

I hope you are all well and enjoying summer. We've had rain for days now with a few intermittent bouts of sunshine but it's not what you would call summer weather or temperatures in my neck of the woods and yet I know a lot of you are over heating... Crazy!

 

I've still nothing crafty to share but I have a some garden photos (still a work in progress). Unfortunately DH can't tell a flower from a weed so I've lost quite a few of my perennials and his eyesight is now really poor but I've found him lots to do.

You may remember that I bought a new garden swing awhile ago but I decided to see f I could repair the old one

 

Well, Ginger just loves it and sits out there even in the pouring rain, so I got new parts, fitted them with Ian's help and then re-covered the seat in a thick waterproof fabric. That was hard work! The fabric is so tough but it's definitely waterproof and Gingerboy is happy.

Then there was an area where we (weather permitting) like to dine outdoors but it was quite dull - You can see it on this photo I took in May, just on the left

Before

... And now it looks like this

With a little water feature, made from a planter that I painted and it has a few succulents in there. Solar lights, a string of heart lights and pretty plants. To the side on the wall...

The photos are a little dull because the weather is wet and dull but you get the idea.

My goal was to try and use up as much stuff as I already had so the only new thing here was the mirror and the seat fabric. I had those shutters stored away from years ago and like the fencing they just needed a coat of paint, courtesy of DH. The seat cover (for 2 chairs I joined together) was made by me with some foam I had and a metre of water resist fabric

I've spent a lot of time cutting back trees and one had to go altogether which left an ugly space that I look out onto from my craft room so I transformed that with plants and flowers and bits I already had

The little bird cage held a candle but now it has greenery and solar lights that shower down when it gets dark. The mirrors were 2 old frames and I bought 2 pieces of acrylic mirror to fit them. DH helped me to hang them and if you look closely you can see the nod of approval from a little robin.

 

DH gave my little shed a coat of paint...

 

 All the added extras I had, the owl hanging to the left to which I added chimes, the the cat hook on the door and a plaque that I recovered and varnished.  The metal jug I painted and added lights that stream down at night. Ignore the chair, it's where the morning sun hits and Ginger heads off there every morning.

I said it was a work in progress and in the next month or so we are having all this gravel replaced with artificial grass and I'm really excited about that

The fountain in the middle will stay, it was leaking badly but now with some waterproof cement and new bags of pebbles it works a treat.

You could say I have been crafty but in the garden rather than with paper... 

I will catch up with you all soon and I hope you enjoyed seeing what I've been up to along with all the other things life throws up. There have been a few hospital visits for DH and he is now having to have eye surgery, though we don't have a date yet. 

Stay well and thanks so much for your visit

Till next time

~ Ros ~

All's well..

 Hi friends!

It's been a while since I posted and though I still don't have anything to share with you, I just wanted to let you know that I'm just taking time out to do other things  There is so much to do and the weather has been favourable to finally gets to grips with stuff that needs doing in the garden.

I've spent the last few weeks clearing borders, chopping down overgrown trees, trimming back huge laurels, repairing a leaking fountain and swing chair and re-modelling a new area. It's all been hard and heavy work and I'm not as agile as I used to be but we're slowly getting there. I'm still being creative it's just that my creativity is outdoors right now.

I hope you are all well and as it is now raining and DH is golfing I'm going to catch up with your blogs...

Enjoy the upcoming weekend

Till soon

~ Ros ~

Big Bee

 Now see what that bee started? 

You were all so complimentary and encouraging with your comments that I did another one....

 

 

This time a big bee inspired by a cushion I saw on Pinterest. It allowed me to paint a little more detail like the tiny hairs on his/ her legs.

But I'm not very good at doing wings so these are digital wings printed on Vellum and the veins painted over... In case you are wondering, I use a lovely paint brush by Pro Arte (from Amazon) that allows me to add fine detail. 

A mix of painted flowers and leaves with a couple of fabric ones thrown in, some rhinestones and a great deal of satisfaction. I hope you like it, sharing again at Double D Challenges

Have a Bee- utiful day

~ Ros ~

 

It's a Bee

 Hello... 

I'm back today with a card for two challenges

 

I always enjoy joining in with the CAS Mix Up and this month it's watercolour - How could I not?

And then there's the fabulous challenge with my friends at Double D who have supplied this lovely mood board for inspiration

And... I just love bees!

So I had to pull out my pens and paints, though I've never attempted drawing a bee before, yes I did have a stamp but I wanted to try my own and I am quite pleased with the result

 

 I tried to photograph the shine on his wings but I couldn't - Trust me it's there... My flowers and leaves are all hand drawn and there is sparkle in the centre of the yellow flower but again hard to capture

He is in 'flight' as per the prompt at the CAS Mix UP  

and judging by his legs, he's already visited a few flowers

 

 It's been a while since I sketched and painted and now I want to do more Lol!

 

Thanks so much for your visit, have a lovely day

 

~ Ros ~

Catching Up

 Hello!

It's been a while and suddenly it's June... I hope you are all doing okay, hopefully I will be catching up with you sometime today. 

All is well here, the sun is shining and I finally got to see my older brother who I haven't seen since his accident and subsequent operation. He's doing fine, cycling 35 miles a day and then complaining his knee hurts! Well I'm not surprised given his operation was not that long ago. Still it was so good to see him.

I also went to lunch with my GF's who I haven't seen for around 18 months. Oh that was such a joy and I was smiling all day long. Suffice to say not much crafting has been done but I do have a couple of cards to share with you... I have 11 birthdays on my calendar for June and have been sorting out cards to send and doing online postage. This is one that you haven't seen

It's a digital image printed onto vellum and fussy cut. It came out quite pale so I used pencils to enhance the flowers and mounted it to a background of ink blending and stenciling

My second card today is another one made up from stuff in the bits box

 

I've left room for a sentiment for later

I certainly have enough cards for months to come I think so I've also been concentrating on some sewing. The warm weather means a change of wardrobe and I've been altering all those things I should have done ages ago, trousers I never wore because they needed shortening, and tops that needed a tuck here and there. Now I've a few new outfits...

Have a beautiful day 

Till soon

~ Ros ~

Just a Note

 Hello friends... I hope you are well.

The sun is shining and we are promised some good weather for the next few days... Yay! 

Ginger boy and I will be enjoying some time in the garden or I may even venture out for a coffee and to watch the world go by... I've really missed doing that.

Today I have 2 more cards to share...

I haven't used this die before... It arrived from Ali Express and I'd forgotten about it. I had a piece of photo paper that I'd used AI on and I came up with this.

I used my glitter pen over the AI - You have to let it dry and when it does, the sparkle is lovely. For the both flowers I used double sided tape on the AI piece before cutting so I didn't have to piece together all those little bits

And my second card today again uses up a few bits

The flower was stamped onto ink blended CS and painted both with water and more distress ink. 

A couple more for my collection...

Have a wonderful day - I hope the sun is shining on you

~ Ros ~