Allsorts Challenge #695 and my holiday pics

Good morning everyone, and welcome back to a new weekly Allsorts Challenge, following our pause for the past 2 weeks as a mark of respect following the death of our late queen, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.  While life in the UK still seems a bit strange and rather different, we must now adjust to our new normality and therefore we are back in the saddle with our normal challenge schedule.

This week Ellie has chosen the theme and it is

 Anything Goes with option of Spots and/or Stripes

If you want to go dotty or stripey you can use patterned papers, stencils, stamping, embossing or any other creative way to add spots or stripes ... I look forward to seeing your makes!

This week's fab prize has been kindly donated by Highlight Crafts

The winner will receive a Two Red Robins "Perfectly Potted" die set with co-ordinating Reflections printable download, along with tickets to Crafting Live in Peterborough which will take place 21-22 October.

Here's my card for this week.

Now I must confess that when our dear Queen passed away, I was on holiday in Crete so had already made a card and scheduled my post ahead of time. When the Design Team decided to pause our challenges, I published my original card separately  as I did not want to leave my blog "dormant" for 2 weeks ... so having returned home last weekend I have gotten a bit last minute making a new one in amongst all the washing, ironing, and taking most of Monday to watch the State Funeral... but here we are!!

I decided to go dotty (some might say I don't have too far to go!!), and I created a smoosh background with Distress Oxide ink, then stamped my focal flower and coloured it with a purple Posca sparkle pen - it is quite sparkly, but sadly the photo doesn't really show it.  I did some background dotty circle stamping with a mix of Versafine Clair and Brilliance pearlescent ink, and also stamped a tiny bit of stripey DNA across the flower stem, and my sentiment. I filled one or two gaps on the panel with some background dotty stencilling, then edged the finished panel with sponged DO and black marker pen and matted onto lilac dotty paper. I finished off with some light white Posca pen spattering.

Stamps: Visible Image Creative Chaos;

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks (Shaded Lilac, Wilted Violet); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Morning Mist); Brilliance Pearlescent ink (Pearlescent Lavender); Posca sparkle pen (purple); Posca pen (white);

Papers: LotV Nitwits - Bonnets & Bowties;

Tools: Tim Holtz stencil - Dot Fade.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Crafter's Cafe #289 - Monochrome - TOP 3

Craft Rocket #96 - Dots and/or Stripes (2nd entry)

Creative Inspirations (September) - Spots or Stripes (2nd entry)

DL.Art (September) - Anything Goes

Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2238 - Anything Goes

Path of Positivity #104 - Anything Goes Positive

Simon Says (Monday) - Sparkle and Shine

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

We Love Stamping (September) - Anything Goes With Stamping (2nd entry)

Word Art Wednesday #561/562 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Hope you can join us this week, and I look forward to seeing your entries. Don't forget to visit the challenge blog to see more fab inspiration from the rest of the team. 

I mentioned above that I had been on holiday to Crete - our first trip since Covid - woo hoo!! I have been very Covid-nervous so this was a really big step for me, but I'm really glad we went.... hotel was really nice, weather was great, gorgeous scenery and fabulous food - what more could we want?? We stayed in beautiful Elounda, 5km along the coast from Aghios nikolaos and with the sight of the beautiful island of Spinalonga in the bay ... here are a few pics.

1. Views from our hotel room

2. Elounda  by day and night

3. Spinalonga

4. Aghios Nikolaos

5. Other days out

6. Fabulous food!

7. Our wedding anniversary meal ❤️❤️

Just a shame we had to come home really ... hey ho back to reality!!

Thanks for visiting.

Hugs,