Anything Creative/Mixed Media goes at We Love to Create

Good morning my lovelies, it's been another busy week at work so I'm enjoying a lazy weekend with a wee bit of crafting thrown in. My project today is for our 'Anything Creative/Mixed Media Goes' challenge over at We Love 2 Create. As always we have some lovely crafty goodies just waiting for our lucky winner thanks to our generous sponsor Premium Craft Brands and you don't have to use our products to play along!

 I'd been looking through some old Craft Stamper mags for some inspiration and found a few techniques that inspired this tag. Seth Apter had created a gorgeous crackled background using Tinting base and acrylics so I had a go using my Pans and Tinting base.

I kind of thought my tag looked a bit like an old shed door so I added some grungeboard hinges, a key (again coloured with PanPastels). I stamped some Paper Artsy numbers here and there and added a shink plastic sign to my door, again using a Paper Artsy stamp. I added some grass to the bottom and some dotty flowers with white and yellow pens.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

A Perfect Time to Craft: anything goes

Artistic Stampers: Anything goes

Country View Crafts: blues and greens

Creative Artiste: Anything mixed media

Through the Purple Haze: Anything goes

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

Claire xx

Raw Umber PanPastel	Bright Yellow Green Shade	Phthalo Blue extra dark	Burnt Sienna PanPastel	PanPastel Phthalo Green
Bright Yellow Green Pan Pastel

Patchwork Butterflies from Chocolate Baroque

Good morning my lovelies, I've been chasing my tail for the last few weeks, work seems to get busier and busier! Anyway this morning I'm sharing a project made using the lovely Patchwork Butterfly stamp set. I love these stamps, they are so versatile.

To make the necklace and earrings I stamped the largest butterfly and the smaller coordinating butterfly on shrink plastic using Gold Stazon ink. I coloured the back of the butterflies with alcohol markers and cut them out. I punched holes for the jump rings using a crop-o-dile using the largest punch as the hole will shrink when heated. I heated the butterflies to shrink them, the largest one was flattened with an acrylic block but I curled the wings of the smaller butterflies while they were still warm. I added some beads from my stash to complement the colours of the butterflies.

I recycled a gift box to put the little butterflies in. I covered the box with some paper that I'd coloured with dye inks and mica sprays, crumpled and left to dry. I highlighted the texture with gilding wax and added some stencilling with gold texture paste. The butterfly was stamped on acetate and embossed with gold.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

Artistic Stampers: winged things

Creative Artiste: Anything mixed media goes

Dragonfly Dreams: add sparkle

Frillie and Funkie: Something old (recycled gift box)

Moving along with the times: embossing

Thanks for visiting today, have a lovely weekend

Claire xx

Animals at PanPastel UK

Good morning folks, I hope your Sunday has got off to a good start. Its time for a new challenge over at PanPastel UK and this time around our theme is 'Animals'. As always the lucky winner of our challenge will receive a fab prize of a PanPastel starter kit from the lovely Berni at Your Creativity Store so don't miss out on your change to win. I've made a little canvas for my DT project, I had so much messy fun making this lol. The focal image is from Gecko Galz, I couldn't resist this gorgeous image and thought it would be perfect for this weeks challenge theme. 

I began by applying Permanent Red and Black PanPastels to the canvas and then applied Maimeri Matte Gel to adhere the image. I 'blobbed' Maimeri light modelling paste all around the image for some texture. Once this was dry I added more Red and Black PanPastels and then used the encrusted jewel technique to create some sparkle and texture around the image. I applied Maimeri Matte medium to hold everything in place and added lots of different embossing powder - red, gold, black and clear and then added a little glitter, microbeads and some pretty red flower sequins.

I've added a red and gold bow with a button from my stash. I also made a heart charm using a stamp from Damask Hearts by Chocolate Baroque. I coloured some shrink plastic with Permanent Red PanPastel and stamped the image with gold Stazon. The heart is attached with jump rings and i've also added a little key charm.

Here's another pic of the texture around the image:

I'm entering this canvas in the following challenges:

Creative Corner: love and hearts

Delicious Doodles: Red red and more red

One Crazy Stamper: love

Sparkle and Glitter Rick St Dennis: hugs and hearts

Sugar Creek Hollow: romantic love

Totally Papercrafts: make your own embellies

WOW: love and Romance

Well i don't know about you but I'm planning a very lazy Sunday. I really should catch up with some housework but the temptation of putting my feet up has got the better of me lol. 

thanks for popping by today, 

Claire xx

A little haberdashery shop

Hi there, my card today uses the lovely new Haberdashery stamps from Chocolate Baroque. As soon as I saw these stamps I thought the accessories would look fab stamped on shink plastic. Its hard to see in the pic but I've used thimblies, pin cushion, scissors, cotton bobbins and balls of wool, stamped on shrink and coloured with distress stains.

I thought a little shop window would be a good way to show off my little Haberdashery bits and bobs. I began by using a Crafters Workshop template to create a brick effect. I swiped pumice stone distress ink over my card  and then applied the template. I began by sponging tea dye distress ink over the template and then adding some Vintage photo around the edges to give the bricks a  bit of dimension.

To make the window, I took some plain white card about 5cm wider than I wanted the window and cut out the window panes with  my craft knife and scored at 1.5cm in from each end and popped a square of acetate behind the window frames. I scored a line between the two window panes and added little pearls as handles . I used a scrap of paper from Prima Almanac collection for the background and added a couple of thin strips of card for the shelves and attached the shrink plastic bits and bobs with glue. To make the window I just attached each end of the card to the back of the prima paper using strong tape and as the card is bigger than the paper it makes a dinky little bow window. It looked a bit plain so I added some die cut strips created with Crealies dies.

To finish off I added lots of tiny paper roses around the window.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Crafty Boots: No girls allowed

Drunken Stampers: Use acetate

Southern Girls: Fancy Folds

Stamptacular Sunday: Loaded with layers

Touch Twin Markers: in the neighbourhood

Thanks for calling by today. Don't forget you still have time to enter the giveaway on the Chocolate Baroque Design Team blog !

Claire xx

Exciting news!!

Hi there,I'm back with my first DT project for Scrapbook Stamps Society. I was over the moon when I was invited to join such an exciting team, the hardest part was choosing the images to work with lol. For my first project I've made a little shadow box using a stunning digistamp by Heather Valentin called 'Butterfly Fae Fantaseyes' (you can find it here). I love to colour eyes so I couldn't resist this image.

I've coloured the image with promarkers and popped it in to the back of a canvas that I'd covered with glimmer misted scrunched paper to create a frame. I inked around the edges with some black versafine ink and added lots of flowers. The large black roses are made from grungepaper painted with Ranger crackle paint and a sprinkle of black glitter. All the smaller flowers started out white and were coloured with glimmer mists. I've added some black punched leaves and some gorgeous glittery green leaves. 

The little heart charm isn't showing too well in the pic, I made it by colouring translucent shrink plastic with green pigment ink and stamping over with a heart stamp before shrinking to size. Its attached with a couple of jump rings. 

The new challenge over at  Scrapbook Stamp Society Challenge  is open and the theme is 'Hearts and Flowers, there are some fab prizes on offer and some gorgeous freebies too

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

Crafty Emma's Challenge: anything but a card

Creative Belli: Fancy frames

Hotshot Crafts : Flowers

I love promarkers: anything goes

Stampin Sisters in Christ: Make a heart

Sunday Stamper: My eyes adored you 

Totally Papercrafts: Make your own flowers

Through the Craftroom Door: anything but a card plus make your own embellies

Truly Scrumptious: something forgotten 

(my canvas was gathering dust as were the flowers I coloured with glimmer mists)

Happy Crafting

Claire xx

Playing with pencils

Hi there, hope you've had a good week well better than mine anyway lol. Still its nearly the weekend and I can escape the horrors of work for a couple of days. Apart from being busy at work, i've also been busy with my 'homework' from My Creative Classroom Colouring 101 course which is amazing! I've got loads of colouring pencils and now I've started using them a lot more. Here's a card made using one of my favourite stamps from Chocolate Baroque, Fuchsia stamp sheet.

I stamped the fuchsia stamp to create the background and for the main image, coloured  with coloursoft pencils and decoupaged the two flowers in the foreground. The main image is diecut with nesties labels 4.  I've used some hot pink card to mat and layer, edged with gold krylon pen. The ribbon is from Crafty ribbons and I stamped the sentiment in copper stazon (I always think this looks more like gold than the gold one lol) on shrink plastic, edged with pink ink and gold krylon and attached with jump rings. The sentiment is also from Chocolate Baroque, 'Words of Gratitude' sheet. Its one of my favourite stamps and it reads "Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom". 

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Crafts and Me: Anything goes

Fab'n'Funky : Friendship

For Fun Challenge: anything goes

Ladybug Crafts Ink: favourite stamps

Kaboodle Doodles: In the garden

Sassie Studio Designs: Lets get sentimental

Sentimental Sunday: Its a garden party

Sugar Creek Hollow: make your own designer paper

The Paper Shelter: flowers, flowers, flowers

Thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Happy Birthday CD Sunday

CD Sunday is celebrating its first birthday!! So of course the theme for this weeks challenge is

"Happy Birthday"

I'm really pleased to be Guest Designer for such a special challenge and in honour of the occasion decided to put my stamps away and get printing. i've used a beautiful bp and decoupage from Debbi Moore's Evergreen' cd and printed them on pearlescent paper.

The BP is matted on gold mirri card and the decoupaged lady is glittered to highlight the pattern on her dress. I've added some green ribbon from Crafty Ribbons, some gold mirri die cut swirls and made a shrink plastic 'Happy birthday' charm. I die cut the shink plastic (nestie labels 4) and stamped Happy birthday on it with ivy green brilliance ink and covered the back of the shink plastic with galaxy gold brilliance ink. I made holes with my cropodile and then heated it with my heat gun. I added a green heart shaped bead from my stash and attached it all with jump rings. To finish off I've added some pale gold dew drops from Crafty Emma's

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Sugar Creek Hollow: Monochromatic

Fabulous Friday: Homemade embellishment

Inspire Me Friday: anything goes

Aud Sentiments: Anything goes

Crafts and Me: ribbon

Thanks for calling by, I hope you're going to join in and wish CD Sunday a very happy first birthday :-) There are some fab prizes for the winners of this weeks challenge  too

Claire xx

Spring or a sketch this week at Crafty Ann's

This week there is a choice at Crafty Ann's Challenge blog, you can follow the sketch, use the theme of 'Spring' or do both. I've done both but rotated the sketch

I've used a pastel pink mottled stone BP and a pastel green polished stone bp. The Morning Glory image is one of Crafty Ann's new stamps, you can find it and the beautiful bps at Crafty Ann's Digi Store. Pop over and have a peep as Ann has some gorgeous new images, including some fab oriental designs.

The image is coloured with promarkers and dusted around the edges with spun sugar Distress ink. The flowers are decoupaged to give a bit of depth. I've punched the borders with a MS punch and used a nestie to cut an aperture in the green panel. The sentiment stamp is from Paperartsy. The flower is from my stash and the green and white button is made from shrink plastic stamped with an Elusive images heart stamp. I've added some faux pearls with a viva pearl pen to finish off.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Digi Doodle Shop's Best: Pearls

For Fun Challenge: Spring

Incy Wincy: Pastel Colours

KB Cute Monday: Pink

Paper Playtime: anything goes

Simon Says Stamp: anything goes

Thanks for visiting today, I hope you're going to play along with Crafty Ann's fab spring and/or sketch challenge this time :-) I'm going to get myself ready for work now, ah well its nearly weekend and i've got a short week at work next week :-)!!

Claire xx

Dragon Luck

I love all the cute dragon stamps by Lisa Victoria at Sweet Pea stamps but this is one of my favourites, Dragon Luck is just adorable and I thought he'd be perfect for a Valentine card with a difference. I was ready for a change after all the pink and red so I've got for bright and zingy lime green for this card

I've coloured the dragon with promarkers and cut him out with one of my lovely nesties that came with my gorgeous parcel of blog candy from the lovely Audrey. Make sure you check out Audrey's blog as she not only has the most awesome blog candy but lots of eye candy too - her cards are gorgeous!!

I've inked around the image with some peeled paint distress ink and I decided to try this weeks sketch from Clean and Simple Stamping. I love clean and simple cards but really struggle with them so this sketch was a real help. I used some scrunchy lime green ribbon down the side of the card and added a little embellie which i made. I concertina folded some lime paper that I'd punched with a MS punch to make the rosette and then made a shink plastic heart button using white shrink plastic stamped with an Elusive Images heart stamp using peeled paint DI. I threaded a little white narrow ribbon through the holes in the shrink plastic button and tied it in a little bow.

I'm also entering this little dragon in the following challenges:

In a Sweet Pea Dream: Anything this time

 The Stamp Man Challenge which is Hearts

 Daring Cardmakers which is a recipe challenge : 2 items of ribbon/trim/ twine (i've used 2 ribbons), one or more buttons and at least one heart element. I hope its ok to combine the heart and button ladies.There is a fab prize from the Ribbon Reel this week at Daring Cardmakers too!!

Samuel Taylor Crafts: copic Chic/Promarker gal (I'm a promarker gal!!)

Thanks for visiting, have a good day. I'm not keen on Monday mornings and going back to work but its a short week for me this week as I'm using up some annual leave and I've got a long weekend off work yippppeeeeeeee!!

Claire xx

This weeks challenge from Fairy Knoll

Don't you just love Fridays? Its nearly the weekend and its time for another fun challenge at Fairy Knoll!!This week our theme is 'Glitter' so we want to see some sparkle on your creations. You don't have to use a Fairy Knoll image but we'd love to see your creations if you do have any of Brandi's gorgeous images, why not have a look here and pick up a fab freebie or two.

I've used one of Brandi's fab new images 'Thoughtful' (available in the Fairy Knoll shop). I love this image, she's so elegant isn't she?

I've coloured the image with promarkers and added black sakura stardust to her sweater, bag and bangles for a little sparkle. The bp is from my raspberry road designs, stamped with a clarity corner stamp and embossed with tea dye distress EP. The swirly frame is made from 2 marianne die cut shapes joined with dst and then a little ribbon added to cover the join. I made the flowers from circles of  crumpled tissue paper and added seed beads and black glitter to the centres. I added a couple of die cut flourishes and to finish off a shrink plastic charm that reads' Friends' which I made using a HOTP stamp.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Sentimental Sundays: celebrate friendship

One Stitch at a time: Anything goes

Catch the bug: Anything goes

Karber Weekly Challenge: Flowers

Lexi's Creations: Pink Winter birthday

Thanks for visiting today, I'm an early bird with this post as I'm dashing off to work.

Have a good day

Claire xx

Crafty Ann's challenge and a freebie

Where did Christmas go? This week has just flown by and with the New Year we have a fantastic new challenge over at Crafty Ann's Challenge Blog. Ann has a gorgeous new year treat for everyone - this beautiful digi stamp! Make sure you pop over to the challenge blog and grab your freebie as its only on offer for the duration of the challenge. The theme this fortnight is

'Same but Different' and if you are familiar with Ann's digistamps you'll recognise the scene in this gorgeous faberge egg stamp! You must use Anns' lovely freebie to enter this weeks challenge although you can use whatever colours, embellies, layout you want.

I've printed the digi on to encaustic art card and brayered the scene then added colour with promarkers to the seats and the tree and to deepen the colour of the sea at the horizon. The sun is masked and inked with a shaving brush as I wanted to create a more diffused effect. The faberge egg is cut out and triple embossed to create an enamel effect although as usual my photo doesn't show it very well. The bp is from Crafty Ann's Funky collection . I was loving  the 'same but different' theme so  I've die cut some shink plastic using labels 10 nestie and chalked the back to mirror the effect of the bp (I think you can get printable shrink but i dont have any), the sentiment is an Elusive Images stamp. I love this sentiment, its one of my all time favourites, its hard to see on the pic but it reads 'Make a wish and unwrap a beautiful day'. I added a big organza bow and attached the shrink plastic charm with jump rings.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Paper Pretties: RING in the New Year (I've used jump rings to attach my little shinkie)

Digital Tuesday: Anything goes

Party Time Tuesday: Anything goes Birthday Card

Paper Sundaes: Cut it Out

Daring Cardmakers: On the beach

Southern Girls: Anything goes

Thanks for looking, I can't wait to see what you're all going to create with Crafty Ann's wonderful freebie. Happy New Year to you all, I hope 2011 will be good to you

Claire xx

In the spotlight at Digital Delights

I'm over the moon to be this weeks Spotlight Guest Designer over at Delightful Challenges !! Thanks  so much to Wendy and the DT! How exciting, especially as I got to work with a gorgeous image from Digital Delights by LoobyLou -  I chose the supercute little bride and groom and used it for this easel card

The image is coloured with promarkers and I've added a little prisma glitter to the bride's dress and veil. The  backing papers are from DCWV and are edges with a silver pentouch pen. I've stamped a lace doily heart from Joanna Sheen twice on vellum and embossed with raspberry sorbet ep. Once I'd cut them out I attached them with a little silicone glue. I added some eyelet lace, pink ribbon and irridescent gems from my stash. I added a little charm made from shrink plastic - I stamped a heart (from Elusive Images) using silver brilliance on some clear shrink plastic and punched a hole with my cropodile. I used my heat gun to shrink it and while it was still hot, I shaped it using the curved side of a pot of glitter

 The sentiment is also from Digital Delights, I thought it was perfect for a wedding card. I've coloured the sentiment with some pink shimmer chalk, and added a little prisma glitter. To finish off, I've added a little lace and ribbon and a couple of paper roses (from Wild Orchid Crafts).

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

The Stampman: Easel Card

My time to craft: Glitter and Glitz

Dare U 2 Digi: Blooms and Charms

Glitterbabe's Challenge: Sparkle, glitter, bling and two flowers

Totally stampalicious:  Pink, Black and White

Thanks for popping by, and thanks again for putting me in the Spotlight - I'm usually very shy lol!!

I hope you'll check out Delightful Challenges and the lovely digi's at Digital Delights

Claire xx