Anything with a Bow at Eclectic Ellapu

Hello folks, I'm a wee bit late with this post as I'd completely forgotten is was 1st November today! I'm definitely getting old as time is whizzing by far too quickly. Anyway my project today is for our new challenge over at Eclectic Ellapu where the Pink team's  theme is Anything with a Bow so it's a nice easy one. Our lovely purple teamies have a great theme too, Let Sparks Fly (sparkle) so I hope you can join us.

For my DT project I've altered a little MDF box which was destined for the bin as one of the dogs had given the lid a bit of a chew lol. I used a paper from my stash of backgrounds, this one was made with gold and pink acrylic paint and Kroma crackle. I used some to cover the box and then die cut some using some of the fab new dies from Polkadoodles.

I die cut some leaves from glitter card and added some little white betties. I added some lace,ribbon and a bow to finish off.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Crafty Catz: Anything goes/die cuts/punches

Creative Artiste: anything mixed media

Creative Fingers: Anything goes

Dragonfly Dreams: think pink

Dream Valley: For the girls

Thanks so much for popping by today, hope to see you again soon

Claire xx

Tangled Baroque Ornament

Good morning folks, my project today is a little tag made with one of the gorgeous new stamps from Chocolate Baroque. This one is called Tangled Baroque Ornament but there are a whole selection of these beautiful mandalas, you can find them here.

I began with a piece of card from my scrap pile, it had a crackled background but I didn't like the colour so I recycled it by applying metallic acrylic paints and once they were dry I lightly applied some gilding wax to highlight the crackle.

I stamped the image four times and embossed with gold embossing powder and then painted them with distress inks (I used Peeled Paint, Forest Moss, Wilted Violet and Picked Raspberry). I cut the layers out and layered them up with 3d foam pads. To finish off I added some die cut swirls and a little scrap of rainbow ribbon attached with a brad.

I'm entering this tag in the following challenges:

A Beautiful Mess: Anything goes

Die Cuttin Divas: anything goes with die cuts

Incy Wincy: texture

Inspiration Destination: anything goes

Sisterhood of the Snarky Stampers: N for not a card

Wonderful Wednesdays: anything goes

Thanks so much for visiting today, hope to see you again soon

Claire xx

Frame it at PanPastel UK

Good morning folks, its time for a new challenge at PanPastel UK and this time around our theme is 'Frame it', you don't have to make or alter a frame, you can frame something on your project instead. Our lucky winner will get a gorgeous mask and a PanPastel from our generous sponsors Premium Craft Brands so I do hope you're going to play along with us.

I've altered a plastic frame from the local pound shop. I began with a coat of Maimeri White Gesso and once that was dry I added some colour with my PanPastels (Ultramarine Blue Tint, Permanent Green Tint, Turquoise Tint and a little Yellow Green). I sealed with cheap hairspray and then dabbed some versamark here and there and applied silver PanPastel to highlight the frame. Its got a lovely shimmer in real life but it doesn't show up too well in the pics.

I've used a layer of Kroma crackle over PanPastels on the background, sealed with Maimeri Matt Gel and sprinkled with glamour dust. The focal image is a stamp called Rocking Robin from Indigo Blu. I've stamped it on a PanPastel background and gilded the image and then stamped again and layered the robin up on 3d foam pads.

 Here's a better pic of the gorgeous Robin, he's been coloured with Graph'It markers

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

ABC: S is for shabby chic

Crafty Hazelnuts' Christmas extra: anything Christmas

Live and Love Crafts: things with wings

Natalie and Amy's: things with wings

Simon Says Stamp: Stamping

Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge: be bold

Simply Create Too: show us something new (new stamp)

Southern Girls: winter blues

Thanks so much for popping by, hope to see you again soon

Claire xx

Silver	Permanent Green Tint	Ultramarine Blue Tint	Turquoise Tint	Bright yellow green
Matt Gel	white Gesso

Metallics at PanPastel Premium Craft Brands Challenge

Good morning, Sunday and the last day of my week off so I'd better make the most of it. Before I go and play in my craft room here are my projects for this weeks challenge at PanPastel Challenge where out theme is 'Metallics', as ever there's a fab prize from our generous sponsor Your Creativity Store and lots of inspiration from my talented teamies so hop on over to the challenge bog and check out all the details.
 For my DT project I've had a play with my Pans and a couple of old picture frames

I began by covering the picture frames using versmark  and added lots of metallic PanPastels and a smidge of Magenta Extra Dark here and there too. I've also made a couple of pictures to pop in the frames by colouring crackle medium with Gold PanPastel and stamping around the focal images with versamark and applying more PanPastels. The stamps are from Indigo Blu, stamped with versafine and the butterflies have been stamped on acetate backed with gilding flakes

To finish off I've added some tiny pearls to the butterflies

I'm entering these projects in the following challenges:

A Vintage Journey: say it with words

Add a little dazzle: frames/anything goes

Altered Eclectics: Anything goes

Artistic Stamper: letters words and numbers

Creative Corner: a little texture

Kitty Bee Designs: things with wings

Rhedd's Creative Spirit: altered art

Rhedd and Rosies's: aged/distressed

Sisterhood of Crafters: sentiment as focal point

Well I'm away to play in my craft room now so have a great day and thanks for visiting today

Claire xx

Chocolate Orange Box

Good morning my lovelies, I've been playing with Kroma Crackle again, I think i'm addicted to this stuff lol. This months challenge at Indigo Blu is  Chocolate Orange, well I adore Chocolate Oranges but its not a colour combination I often use in my crafting but I couldn't resist having a play.

I took a little wooden box and painted it with brown acrylic paint and sealed it with Maimeri Gloss Medium, sanded it a wee bit for a distressed look and then edged with some treasure gold. I coloured some Kroma Crackle with orange acrylic paint and spread it over some brown card. Once it was dry, I sealed it and  used it to cover the box

The butterfly is an Indigo Blu Dinkie stamp, I stamped on vellum with Flitter glu and applied Autumn Blaze gilding flakes. I cut the butterfly out and then used a little ball tool to add some texture to the butterfly wings. I coloured some little pearls with my Graph'It markers and used them for the butterfly's body.

I'm also entering this in the following challenges:

4 Crafty Chicks: anything but a card

Crafting for all Seasons: Autumn colours

Crafty Creations: Autumn Colours

Docerela Creations: Brown and orange

Flutterby Wednesday: brown

The Hobby House: Pearls

Wags'n'Whiskers: Fall colours

Well as usual I'm scooting off to work so have a good day and thanks for popping by

Claire xx

A fun new challenge at Premium Craft Brands PanPastel UK

Good morning folks, and happy Sunday to you, its a very exciting Sunday for us girlies in PanPastel Land because the lovely Nikky Hall will be on C&C at 2pm demoing all sorts of gorgeous goodies from Premium Craft Brands so don't forget to book your place on the sofa! The scrummy metallic Pans will be star of the show so you really don't want to miss it. We've also got a fab new challenge at Premium Craft Brands PanPastel UK Challenge so pop on over and find all the details as there is a fab prize from Your Creativity Store for our lucky winner and of course some amazing artwork from my talented teamies!

I've altered a little photo frame, it was a very plain boring frame so I got to work with Maimeri Bronze Acrylic paint followed by a layer of Kroma Crackle, once that was dry I added lashings of Metallic PanPastels. The image is a stamp from Stampendous, I just stamped with versarmark and then swooshed over it with a Sofft sponge that I'd been using with Copper and Bronze PanPastels. I added a little glitter to highlight the snowy areas

I layerd a die cut coloured with Light Gold PanPastel and die cut numbers were made with Thermomorph. The little cardinal was also made with Thermomorph, this time in a silicone mould and painted with Maimeri Bronze Acrylic

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Charisma: Anything goes

CRAFT: Christmas

Crafts 4 Eternity: anything but a card

Inspired by Stamping: vintage

LEJ Designs: monochromatic

Penny's Paper Crafty: lots of layers

Stamping Sensations: Christmas

Totally Papercrafts: glitter

thanks so much for visiting today, hope to see you again soon

Claire xx

Traditional Christmas at Flonzcraft Vintage Stamping Challenges

Good morning, where did the weekend go? I can't believe its Monday already and its November too!! Eek it'll soon be Christmas and with that in mind we've got a Traditional Christmas theme at Flonzcraft Vintage Stamping Challenges. You don't have to make a vintage project, just a traditional Christmas project: a card,tag, altered art project ... what ever you fancy. As always my lovely teamies have created some amazing projects to inspire you and of course there is a fab prize of a $20 voucher from our sponsor Flonzcraft!

For my DT project I'ave made a little wall hanging using MDF hearts that I painted with pale blue acrylic paint . I stamped the images, both from Flonzcraft and the sentiment which is from Chocolate Baroque on whhite card using sepia versafine and glued them to the hearts, next I then smothered the hearts with Kroma Crackle. Once it was dry, I gave it a coat of Maimeri Matte Gel and sprinkled over a layer of glamour dust, the sparkle doesn't show up too well but you can see the gorgeous crackle better in this pic

I edged the hearts with tea dye distress ink and then a little treasure gold. I added lots of embellies, some glittered die cut snowflakes, ribbons, buttons, bows, die cut kraft holly vines, a kraft reindeer and some tattered pine cones too. Once everthing was dry I used my hot glue gun to fix the hearts together.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

2 Sisters: Christmas no red or green

Allsorts: Christmas Cheer

Artistic Stamper: Christmas

Aud Sentiments: Christmas Sentiments

Crafty Calendar: all things Christmas

Crafty Ribbons: anything goes with ribbon

Really Reasonable Ribbon: Christmas/winter plus ribbon

Sugar Creek Hollow: anything vintage

Totally gorjuss: anything goes with snow

Winter Wonderland: blue and white

Well its time for me to go to work so thanks for visiting, have a good day 

Claire xx

Haviing a crackling time

Evening all :-) I've been having a wee play in my craft room today after battling through loads of jobs in the house and garden and I couldn't resist trying the gorgeous crackle effect that Kay from Indigo Blu demo's on C&C last week and omg is its a fab technique! I love it :-)

I used a little black tag, swiped with flitter glu and then applied Kroma Crackle coloured with mica powders (copper and Pear green) and blasted it with a heat gun. Its a totally different crackle to when the Kroma crackle dries naturally but its really effective, kind of  like a rough bark effect. I didn't really want to cover it up lol but I decided to add an Indigo Blu sentiment and a couple of acetate butterflies, made with a freebie Indigo Blu stamp from Craft stamper. I stamped them with black stazon, cut out and then embossed the back with Palm Green and Copper Sparkle EPs from Sparkle and Sprinkle. To finish off I added a scrap of green seam binding and some pearls for the butterflies bodies.

I'm entering this tag in the following challenges:

Indigo Blu: things with wings

Divas by Design: autumn colours

Make my Monday: texture

Sparkle and Sprinkle: anything goes with EP/Glitter/ flocking

Try it on Tuesday: Texture

Well thanks for popping by, have a lovely evening - I've got a date with a bag of Maltesers and the tv lol

Claire xx

Pastel Colours at PanPastel UK

Good morning folks, Sunday morning already - isn't this year whizzing by? The nights are getting dark so much earlier so it won't be long until Autumn is here but we've had a lovely summer and hopefully we'll have a few more weeks of warm weather before we have to think about getting our winter woolies out. We've got a new challenge staring over at PanPastel UK this week and this time our theme is 'Pastel Colours'. You don't have to use Pans to enter but we love it when you do :-). There's a fab PanPastel Starter kit from our lovely sponsor Berni at Your Creativity store up for grabs for our UK winner so don't miss out on a chance to win

I've altered a little wooden box for my DT project, I gave it a coat of Maimeri Gesso and then added some texture with Maimeri Light Modelling Paste applied through a stencil and added some Kroma crackle. Once it was dry I added some colour with Violet Tint and Magenta Tint PanPastels and highlighted with lots of Renaissance Treasure Gold.

I've added a stamped sentiment (using just the word Friends from an Indigo Blu stamp) in an ideology Ornate Plate. The paper flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts except for the larger roses which I made with my Britannia petal die and coloured with PanPastels. I've added lots of little gems for some sparkly and a die cut butterfly.

Inside the box I've used stamps from Indigo Blu. The background was stamped in versamark and coloured with Pans and the sentiments were embossed with Gold EP

I'm entering this one in the following challenges:

Flutterby Wednesday: Embossing

Indigo Blu: Shabby Chic

Jellypark: things with wings

Oldie but goodie: embossing

(my oldie is the ornate plate, I soooo hoard these but had to man up and use one for this project lol)

Paper crafting Journey: anything goes

Paper Pretties: girly

Hope you're having a good weekend. Now my craft room is all nice and tidy I think I ought to go and mess it up a bit lol. Thanks so much for visiting today

Claire xx

Flower challenge at indigo Blu

Good morning all, some slightly dodgy pics of today's project, its really shimmery and I do struggle to get a decent pic of anything with a bit of shimmer, hence the dodgy angles on some of the pics lol. I've made a hanging heart for my entry in to this months challenge at Indigo Blu where the theme is 'Flowers'

I began by painting the A5 mdf heart with black gesso and then stamped Blazing Poppies (just love this stamp, sooooo detailed and pretty) with versamark and embossed with Gold EP. I also stamped the image on Neenah card a couple of times too and coloured the flowers in with promarkers.

Next came the Kroma crackle, coloured with turquoise PanPastel and a little spray of turquoise dylusions too. I absolutely adore Kroma crackle, such a fab-u-lous effect! Once it was dry I added a little Viva Precious Metal Paint and then higlighted the crackle with some gold ink (I'd blobbed a load on my craft mat while I was edging the heart with my krylon pen so waste not want not lol)

I've layered the flowers up, with a dewdrop and some black glitter in the centre of the poppies and a tiny dot of enamel accents in the centre of the forget-me-nots. 

To finish off i've added some turquoise ribbon and then a happy accident - I was sorting out a ginormous pile of bits and bobs on my worktable and had stuff everywhere, once it was almost put away I spotted that a tassel and a little chinese coin charm had ended up on this heart - serendipity as they say!

I'm also entering this project in the following challenges:

Crafts and Me: Floral Frenzy

Get Inky: Floral fun

Make my Monday: anything but a card

Word Art Wednesday: anything goes

Well I'm away to work again now (how boring)

have a lovely day and thanks for popping by

Claire xx