Happy Spring!!

Hi there, Spring is definitely on the way, we've had some beautiful sunny days and it really does seem to be getting warmer at last :-) After the long winter we've had its great to see the blossom starting to appear on the trees and the spring flowers popping up in the garden.

Todays card features a gorgeous new image 'Oh Happy Spring' from Michelle Perkett, isn't this little bunny the cutest?? You can find him in Michelle's Etsy store here.

The little bunny is coloured with promarkers and I distressed the edges with pink and grey distress inks. The bp is from the Artylicious cd 'Decadent Brocade', its from the neutrals section but i've distressed with some pink ink to blend it in. The image and bp are both matted and layered on pearl grey and pastel pink card. The ribbon is from Crafty Ribbons and the gems and charm are from my stash.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

2 sisters: Furry friends

Bling it on: Anything goes + a charm

Card making Mamas: Animals

Crafty Sentiments: animals

Creative inspirations paint: animals

Do you stack up: Add a bow

Mamie Doodles: Celebrate spring

Some odd girl: think Spring

Wags'n'Whiskers: Spring

Woodware USA: Spring is coming

You still have time to enter this weeks challenge over at Michelle Perkett Studio, Shelley and her team have a fab St Patty's Day challenge lined up for you! If you don't have any of Michelle's lovely images you can grab a freebie from her groups on PCP, SNR or CDAC and join in the fun to be in with a chance of winning one of Michelle's gorgeous images.

Thanks for calling by today. I'm sorry if I haven't visited your blog lately, things are a bit hectic here with work and also my dear FIL is in hospital at the minute. Hopefully things will settle down soon and I'll have a bit more time for my lovely blogland buddies :-)

Claire xx

Celebrating St Patrick's Day with Rainbow Lady

Hello, lovely to see you visiting today. I've got a couple of days annual leave which means a long weekend off work so I'm really looking forward to some 'me time' in my craft room although I should really tackle some spring cleaning. This weeks theme over at Rainbow Lady's Challenge is 'St Patrick's Day', we are also celebrating the birthday of none other than Cynthia, our Rainbow Lady herself!! This week we are lucky enough to be sponsored by

CRAFTY NOTIONS ... our lucky winner will recieve a fab mixture of goodies! I'm really jealous and the Crafty Notions shop is a real Aladdins Cave of crafty loveliness :-)

Anyway my card this week features a gorgeous shamrock image which is a freebie from Waltzing Mouse (as is the sentiment, you can find them here). The image is coloured with promarkers and cut out with one of my favourite nesties and distressed with antique linen distress ink. The image and sentiment are both matted on green mirri card edged with a gold krylon pen.

I made the background with starburst stains, I love using these inks they are so shimmery! I had to use 'Lucky Shamrock Green' and Golden dubloons for the background on a St Patrick's Day card lol. After a layer of lucky shamrock green I added random splodges of golden dubloons and sprinkled it with lots of sea salt. When you dust the salt off the dry background it give a really lovely mottled effect. Its hard to see on a photo but hopefully this shows it a little better

The swirly corner stamps are from Elusive Images and the green and gold  stripy ribbon is from Crafty Ribbons and the gold gems are from my stash.

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

Allsorts: Luck of the Irish

Alota Rubber Stamps: St Patrick's Day green

Alphabet challenge: Stripes

Crafty Cardmakers spotlight: Make your own designer paper

Crafty Ho's Challenge: gold, green and white

Creative Card Crew: Green

Delicious Doodles: green for St Patrick's Day

ECP challenges: Green

If the shoe fits: St Patrick's day

Inspiration Avenue: St Patrick's Day

Mamie Doodles: Monochomatic green with a bit of the Irish

Sentimental Sunday: Let's go green

Sisterhood of Crafters: St Patrick's Day

Stamp something: something cream and green

Tellen's Place: St Patrick's Day celebration

Thanks for visiting, I'm really looking forward to seeing your

St Patrick's Day inspired cards this week.

Claire xx

Princess Oceana

Tuesday again and that means it time for my DT card for Michelle Perkett Studios. Princess Oceana is Michelle's signature image and she is the most beautiful mermaid! You can find her in Michelle's Etsy store. I decided to give her blonde hair for this card and to keep the card pretty simple to make the image stand out.

Princess Oceana is coloured with promarkers and i've added pearls and blue gems to her hair with viva pearl and gloss pens. I've also added some teeny tiny little shells from my stash although they don't show up too well in the pic, you can see them a little better here

The image is edged with gold krylon pen as is the pale blue mat. I got the idea for the background from the one of the Clarity Stamp project sheets. Its quite simple and give a beautiful 'watery' effect. I've brayered big &juicy waterfall inkpad over glossy card, spritzed generously with water and the covered with crumpled cling film. and left to dry. To finish off i've added some white ribbon from Crafty Ribbons, some shells and some faux pearls with a viva pearl pen.

I'm entering Princess Oceana in the following challenges:

CCEE Stampers: blues

Craft us Crazy: Nature

Crafts and Me: Under the sea

Crafty Cardmakers Spotlight: Make your own designer paper

Crafty Creations: Baby blue

Digi Doodle Shops Best: Pearls

Our daily bread: Leather or pearls

Today there is another challenge over at Michelle Perkett Studios, this week its Shelley's team's challenge and they have a fab theme lined up - use green/ St Patty's Day so pop over and check out the fabulous work from Shelley and the rest of her team of talented mermaids!!

Claire xx

Neverland

Here's another card from my inky playtime at the weekend. I couldn't resist the 'Never land' themeplate from Artistic Outpost and thought it would be perfect for my friends birthday. He's getting on for 60 but is a big kid at heart lol

The background is made using a freebie stamp from Craft Stamper masked and stamped with vintage photo. tea dye and stormy skies distress inks and spritzing with water.

I stamped the row of buildings and John and Michael on some glossy card, masked the images and masked the moon and then inked the background with various shades of blue and black ink and a shaving brush. I added some stars with a white inkssentials pen and coloured the stamped images with promarkers.

The main image and background are mounted on some copper card. I stamped the sentiment (also from the Never Land themeplate) on vellum and embossed with antiquities EP and added a brass button from my stash to finish off.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Aly's Sunday challenge: anything goes

Crafty Emma's Challenge: Men only

Creative Card Crew: No flowers

Fairytale challenge: Children

I did it creations: Masking

I love promarkers: Babies (not a baby card but it does have a baby on it so I hope it counts)

Moving along with the times: Card for a male

Ooh La La: Its a man thing

Sweet stampin challenge: Favourite movie (Peter Pan, I  must have watched it a million times when my son was small but it never loses its magic)

Thanks for popping by, i'd better get my skates on and get ready for work. My Monday blues aren't as bad as usual as I've got a day out of the office as I'm going to an all day meeting with some lovely people AND last time we had the most yummy buffet lunch. I'm totally addicted to buffet food, so for once I'm quite looking forward to work

Claire xx

An aperture card for Bah Humbug

I'm back on a roll with my weekly Christmas cards for the challenge over at Bah Humbug after my bad start to the year. I love making christmas cards so its great to make them through the year and save that last minute panic. Anyway the lovely ladies of Bah Humbug Hall have challenged us to use an aperture in our creations this week. For my card i've used a circular aperture for the moon on this little scene I created

I've just got the 'New England Winter' stamp plate from Elusive Images or perhaps I should say Chocolate Baroque now and I was itching to use the beautiful cottage stamp. I stamped and masked the large cottage on some glossy card and stamped the smaller house and trees (also from Elusive images) and then inked the background with a shaving brush. I bravely splattered water all over my carefully created background to create the effect of snow.

The image is coloured with promarkers, now I love promarkers but colouring on glossy card is a totally different ball game to ordinary card. I've seen Barbara Gray recommend letting each colour dry but I haven't the patience for that lol. I've found it best to lay down a layer of a really pale colour like ivory and then add the other colours over it. I've added some white gel pen snow and lots of snowflake white glitter although its a bit camera shy :-)

Now the aperture was a bit of a headache as I suddenly decided I wanted to use this beautiful sentiment by Clarity stamps in side the moon but my card was too small to fit the circle in. I'd planned on using my cricut but after a lot of head scratching I went for it with my Lighthouse shape cutter and cut the circle part way round until I got to the trees and housetop and then carefully cut round them. Talk about crafting by the seat of your pants lol! I'd have been really miffed if I'd snipped off the top of one of the trees. Anyway all went smoothly and I managed not to lop the trees. The sentiment is stamped on vellum and the main image is layered up with 3d foam and edged with gold krylon pen.

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

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas challenge: use gold

Crazy 4 Challenges : Include a tree on your project

I did it creations: Masking

Paper Romance: Use as many colours as possible

Pollycraft: Fly me to the moon

Stampin Vacation: Glitter

Sweet Stamps: Parchment/Vellum

Lawnscaping: Use a stamp in an unusual way (stamping the sentiment on the moon)

Thanks for visiting today. i've had a lovely day messing around with ink and stuff. I'm going to grab my place on the sofa now ready for Dancing on Ice. I love Sunday evenings, its such a shame Monday mornings follow so quickly lol

Claire xx

Arianna in green

Hellloooooo, don't you just love the weekends?? I'm planning a day in my craft room today as hubby is going to watch the football but before I go and get inky I wanted to share this card. Arianna is one of Michelle Perkett's gorgeous digi stamps, and I thought she'd be perfect for all the 'green' challenges around at the minute. You can find her in Michelle's Etsy Store here

Arianna is coloured with promarkers and cut out. I've layered her up over a doiley and some white ribbon and lace. I added some white flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts and as I'd coloured the flowers in her hair red I added a few little red rose buds for some extra colour. The beautiful bp is a from the mottled stone collection at  Crafty Ann's and I've stamped a swirly border with a HOTP border stamp and embossed it with white EP. The green gems are from my stash

I'm entering Arianna in the following challenges:
Allsorts: Luck of the Irish
Crafty Purple Frog: Thinigs with wings

Creative inspirations paint: Gone green

Corrosive Challenge: green
Delicious Doodles: Use green for St Patricks Day

Kaboodle Doodles: go green

Little REd Wagon: St Patty's day - green
Meljen's Designs: Green

House of Gilli: Green
Paperplay: green/good luck
Patties Creations: go green

Penny's Paper Crafty: going for the green

Scrap Creations: Going green

The Shabby Tea Room: Luck of the Irish

Thanks for calling by. You still have time to enter our fab Ribbon and Lace challenge over at Michelle Perkett Studio this week so if you haven't got any of Michelle's gorgeous images grab a freebie from Michelle's groups on PCP, SNR and CDAC and join in for the chance to win one of Michelle's images :-)

Right I'm going to go and potter around in my craft room before I'm tempted to start some housework lol. Hope you are having a good weekend

Claire xx

A little reminder ....

There's still time to enter the latest challenge over at Let's Ink It Up

There's a fab prize from Inky Impressions up for grabs so don't miss out!!

The theme is 'Show us your embossing' so get out those heat guns, embossing folders etc and have a play!!

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

Best friends at Rainbow Lady's challenge

Good morning, time for a new challenge at Rainbow Lady's challenge blog and this week our theme is 'Best Friends' and we the DT were lucky enough to be able to use images from our lovely sponsor Chi Chi Memories.

The image is coloured with promarkers and I inked in a cloudy sky before attaching the buttons to make the number '3'. The bps are from my scrap box. I've used a MS border punch and scraps of ribbon for the border. I hardly ever use this border punch for some reason so it was good to give it an airing.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Catch the Bug: Anything goes

Craft your passion: anything goes

Creative Card Crew: No flowers

Fairytale Challenge: something for a child

Floweret: Play or child birthday party

Paper Sundaes: Stripes

Send a smile 4 the kids: Anything goes

The Crafty Pad: Use ribbon

Thanks for calling by. Its great kite flying weather here today, we're definitely getting our fair share of March winds :-)

Claire xx

Embossing at Bah Humbug

Here's a very quick and easy addition to the Christmas card box for this weeks challenge from Bah Humbug where the theme is embossing.

The Christmas tree and sentiment are stamps from Elusive images, stamped and embossed with clear EP on black card and then i've added lots of brilliance Galaxy gold ink over the top. The embossing acts as a resist and although the photo is pretty bad it looks quite nice in real life (honest lol)

To finish off I've added a gold bow, some gold gems and matted it on some gold mirri card. I made quite a few cards using this technique last year as its so quick and easy.

I'm also entering this card in the following challenges

Crafty Hazelnut's challenge: Embossing

Die Cut Dreams Christmas Club: Inspired by a song (Oh Christmas Tree )

Thanks for popping by today.

Claire xx

Ribbon and Lace at MPS

Hi there, Tuesday again so its time for a new challenge over at Michelle Perkett Studios and this week our theme is 'Ribbon and Lace'. I've used the beautiful 'Enchanted Slumber' image from Michelle's Etsy Store for this card.  If you'd like to enter but don't have any of Michelle's lovely images you can visit Michelle's groups on PCP, CDAC and SNR to pick up a goregous freebie or two!

I've coloured enchanted slumber with promarkers and embossed the wings and sun with clear sparkle EP. The bps are all from Raspberry Road Designs and the pink satin ribbon and rosebud ribbon are from Crafty Ribbons.

The lace and flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts and added a little pearl and diamante butterfly charm from my stash to finish off.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Aly's Sunday Challenge: anything goes

Challenge up your Life: Fairytale

Design Dollies: Pink with a splash of yellow

Dream Valley Challenge: New beginnings

Flutter by wednesday: Open challenge with butterfly angel or fairy

Gingerloft: Use those flowers

Incy Wincy: Pastel Colours

Little Claire's: flowers

Magical Monday: Spring colours

One Stitch at a time: Use a charm

Phindy's Place: Oh Baby

Stamp Something: something digi

the Crafty Pad: Ribbon

Totally Papercrafts: Pearls and Lace

Pop over to my teamies blogs and check out their gorgeous work this week, its the first challenge for some of our lovely new mermaids today so give them a big warm welcome :-)

thanks for calling by

Claire xx

A new challenge at LIIU!

Don't forget to check out the new challenge over at Let's Ink It Up today ... no card from me though as don't forget we are having a new challenge every 2 weeks now and my team will be making their debut for our next challenge.

The theme for the latest challenge is 'Show us your embossing' so pop over to Let's Ink It Up and have a look at the gorgeous work from our talented DT - we have some fab new teamies making their debut today and they have come up with some amazing creations!!

Claire xx

Welcoming our new mermaids and another card

Hi there, I'm sooooo pleased its the weekend, not just because it means some time off work but also because its time to introduce our fabulous new mermaids at Michelle Perkett Studios!!

We are so pleased to welcome Irene, Jenn, Karen, Elenor and Sharon to our team. They are all amazingly talented crafters so pop over to their blogs (links in my sidebar) and check out their gorgeous cards. I'm also pleased that some lovely friends from the DT are staying on, Marion, Shelley, Andrea, Mari and Pauline are continuing as Michelle's mermaids :-)

I was hoping to make a welcome card for my new teamies using one of Michelle Perkett's gorgeous mermaid stamps but unfortunately its been another one of 'those' weeks at work so the love Eva the glam mermaid is still waiting in my craft room but here is a card I made for my son's 21st birthday. I always  make him a card from our pets (I'm sad I know lol) and this fab image from Michelle's Etsy Store was perfect for his birthday card. Woofie's first birthday is such a fun image and I love the way Michelle has put the sentiments on the balloons.

The image is coloured with promarkers and matted on some blue card. The bps are from one of my cricut paper pads and the blue ribbon is probably from Crafty Ribbons but I'm not sure as its been in my ribbon stash for ages.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Stamp Something: March digi day

Charisma Cardz: 4 legged friends

Crafty Sentiments: birthdays

Creative Belli: Animals + old/forgotten embellies

You still have time to enter our 'buttons and bows' challenge at Michelle Perkett Studios this week, if you don't have any of Michelle's images yet the stop by her groups on PCP, SNR and CDAC and pick up a fab freebie :-)

Thanks for calling by today. Have a good weekend. I'm so tired after such a hectic week at work I'm going to have a pj day today and hopefully lots of crafting time too.

Claire xx

Masked Ball at Rainbow Lady's Challenge

Hi there, i've had a really hectic week so far and I can't believe its Thursday already! My feet don't seem to have touched ground, I've been a real 'manic bird' lol. Anyway Thursday means a new challenge at the lovely Rainbow Lady's Challenge blog and our theme this week is 'Masked Ball'. We also have a generous sponsor, our lucky winner will receive a prize from Joanna Sheen!!

For my card this week I've used a beautiful stamp from Debbi Moore Designs, I love this elegant lady, she is such a 'glamour puss' lol. She is fab to colour, i've used promarkers and added a little glitter. The beautiful background scene is from Debbi Moore's 'Evergreen' CD as is the bp. The ribbon is from Crafty ribbons, the flowers are from my stash and the beautiful feather was kindly donated by my gorgeous Yellow Crowned Amazon Parrot 'Sammy'.

As a finishing touch I thought one of Crafty Ann's gorgeous Venetian Mask digi's would be  just the right embellie for this card. As usual I've coloured with promarkers and added green and gold glitter for some sparkle.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Catered Crop: I've chosen a few ingredients from the recipe -

patterned paper, ribbon and square

Flourishes Timless Tuesday: St Patricks or monochromatic green

Mami doodles: monochromatic green

Paperplay : Shabby Chic or Vintage

Stamptacular Sunday: You've been framed (I've used some gold hammered

card to frame the scene)

The Paper Variety: Let's see your green

Woodware USA: Anything goes

Thanks for visiting today, I hope you're having a good week. As usual I'm counting down to the weekend but it won't be long now :-)

Claire xx

Buttons and bows at MPS

White rabbits!! I don't know why you're meant to say that on the 1st but if it brings me luck then I'll say more or less anything lol. Anyway today is the day for a fab new challenge over at Michelle Perkett Studio and our theme is 'buttons and bows'! We will soon be announcing our new mermaids but we thought they'd need time to settle in so look out for their fab cards next week :-)

For this weeks DT challenge card I've used this stunning image from Michelle Perkett, she is called 'Vanessa the love goddess' but as a special treat Michelle did a stamp for each of the DT with our names on!!!!!! Thank you Michelle, its so kind of you!!

 I was so excited i couldn't wait to print her off and get colouring!!!

The image is coloured with promarkers and matted on some pale pink card. I've used a gorgeous bp from K&Co and layered the image over a heart shaped doiley colored with Adirondack Salmon dye ink. I've used some pink lace and green velvet ribbon and added some flowers and buttons from my stash.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Crafty Sentiments: Spring

Cute Card Thursday: Sketch

Freshly Brewed challenges: Ribbons and bows

Incy Wincy: Spring is in the air

One Stop Craft Challenge: Spring flowers

Paper Cutz: Spring

PaperPlay: Let's get sentimental

Passion for Promarkers: Sugar Rush

Sentimental Sundays: Anything goes

Stampin Sisters in Christ: At least 3 buttons

The Pink Elephant: buttons, lace and ribbon

Tellen's Place: Buttons

Thanks for calling by, don't forget to check out Michelle's Etsy store for Vanessa and lots more gorgeous images :-). We're finally getting sorted out after our leaky kitchen lol, we did have one more dis-a-ster yesterday when the chap who levelled the floor wasn't sure if it would be dry but after blasting out the heating all night it was fine today. Hopefully when I get in from work later the house will be back to normal, well as normal as things get at my house

Claire xx