Messy butterfly card

I had loads of fun making this card as I used all sort of lovely inks and things and generally had a very messy time.

The scan is rubbish and doesn't show the colours accurately at all maybe because I've used a lot of glimmer mists and moonshadow inks. The BP is a from Joanna Sheens country lace pad, the other papers were made using lots of inks and messy things lol. The oval is a piece of glossy glittery card which I splodged with raisin, espresso and gold alcohol inks - it looks fab 'in the flesh' so to speak. The lace was also coloured with moonshadow ink. The butterfly is a stamp by Wendie Rhodes that i've had for ages but rarely used, it is stamped on to acetate and embossed with gold detail EP then the back is glittered although again that doesn't show up too well on the scan.  The flowers are scraps of glimmer misted paper punched with a woodware punch, the gems were coloured with alcohol ink (raisin) and the velvet ribbon is from my stash. I love the sentiment from Elusive images which I have stamped in sepia versafine onto a scrap of card which has been used to mop up the other inks I'd used

I've made this card for quite a few challenges:

Roses on Paper, which is a gorgeous sketch

Paper Sundaes who have a recipe challenge -

Ice Cream: Chocolate, of course! (brown)Sauce: Strawberry (pink), Topping: Whipping Cream (lace), Finishing Touch: Flowers

Flutter By Wednesday - an open challenge this week but of course including a butterfly, angel or fairy

Quixotic challenge which this week is Flutter By

Tanda Teaser which this week is 'ink it up'

and last but not least this weeks challenge from Pile it on, which is warm wishes

Thanks for looking

Claire xx

Copper christmas card

I can't believe how many cards I've already got in my Christmas box. Here is another to add to it

Its made out of bits from my scrap box - the BP is one of Joanna Sheens and the snowflake paper is made using resist technique and glimmer mists with some punched and glittered snowflakes. The houses and baubles are stamps from Elusive images stamped onto scraps of copper card and embossed using vanilla ice EP

This card is for 3 Challenges this week:

Crafty Ann's challenge which this week is Metallic

Bah Humbug challenge which is Baubles

and Fab's Big Christmas Challenge which is Snowflakes and punches

thanks for looking

Claire xx

An award from the lovely Tess

What a lovely surprise this morning to find that Tess has given me this award. So a big thank you to Tess for my first award, Tess'  blog and fantastic creations were one of the things that inspired me to start my own blog so thanks for that too

The Rules

1 : Copy and Paste the award on my blog


2 : List who gave the award and link back to their blog


3 : List 10 things that make you happy (in no particular order)


4 : Pass the award onto other bloggers and visit their blog to let them know

The 10 things that make me happy are:

1. My wonderful hubby
2. My son, he's 19 and is a lovely boy although he has given me lots of grey hairs over the years
3. My pets - Mia and Benji (2 white german shepherds who are regularly glimmer misted and glittered); Sammy (a yellow crowned amazon parrot) and 3 giant african land snails
4. My rubber fetish .... stamps of course lol
5. My friends and of course all the cyber friends I have made through forums and blogging
6. Crafting and my tiny messy craft room - its my little sanctuary away from the world
7. My garden, it was a wilderness when I moved here and took 2 years and a lot of hard work to boss but now is beautiful
8. Feeding the birds who visit my garden, I just love to watch them
9. Beads - I've recently started jewellery making classes and have a growing addiction to all things beady
10. My lovely MIL and FIL who have really welcomed me into their family and given me so much support when Paul was ill

I'd like to give this award to Jenny, her blog Starcyl's Daily Doings is amazing and her work is always gorgeous and also to Cynthia who also has a fantastic blog Rainbow Lady's Crafty Blog 

Claire xx

House mouse easel card

The challenge this week over at the Corrosive Challenge blog is to use fancy folds, now I really struggle with measuring and generally being neat so I had to have a go at this and see if I could manage it. I've seen so many fabby different folded cards on other peoples blogs but I decided to start with something fairly straightforward and came up with this easel card

I used one of Joanna Sheen's gorgeous house mouse decoupage sheets as the challenge at the Alphabet Challenge this week is 'M is for .... mouse'. I chose the cross stitch sheet as it is a crafty friends birthday soon and also for the Daring Cardmakers Challenge which is 'What's the point'. Those mice were so fiddly to cut out but all tails are intact,  the needle was a real battle for me as I am very scissorly challenged but I managed not to snip it off lol. I used a BP from my scrap box, its from an artylicious cd but I'm not sure which one and some lace.  I had planned to make a the sentiment from aida and leave a pin in it but I was worried she would prick herself opening it so I've played safe and stuck to a sentiment stamp from Elusive Images and a couple of red gems from my stash.

Thanks for looking

Claire xx

Another fairy card

I love fairies and used this image from Selina Fenech, coloured with promarkers and a little clear sakura stardust for this weeks challenge at Flutter by Wednesday which is to use Embossing  and for the challenge at Cute Card Thursday which is Fairy Fantastic.

The BP is from my stash, with a swirl stamp used with sepia versafine to make the border. The tag is embossed with vanilla ice EP from sparkle and sprinkle and then inked with versamagic in purple. The vellum wrap is stamped in versamagic and embossed with clear EP.  I've used a couple of floradoodles and coloured gems for their centres with espresso alcohol ink and added a ribbon which I heated to crinkle it a little. The colour scheme of cream, plum, brown and lime is from this weeks challenge at The Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge which is a colour challenge based on this pic

Love the colours, it makes me feel I should start decorating though lol

thanks for looking

Claire xx

Fur & Feathers

I couldn't resist this cute little digistamp from Karens Doodles (she has a fab freebie offer on if you become a follower too) as he just reminded me of one of my dogs when he was a puppy, unfortunately he ripped up a duvet not a pillow and you've never seen as many feathers in your life lol.

I've made this card for several challenges:

Cynthia's challenge at the Rainbow Lady challenge blog which is 'fur and/or feathers'

Paperplay challenge which is to use your own handwriting on a card (you're right it is scary lol)

I've followed the lovely sketch for this weeks Truly Scrumptious challenge.

and added some buttons for the Dare you to Digistamp challenge

The little dog is coloured with promarkers and a dab of glossy accents on his eyes and nose. The pale blue card has been stamped with a background stamp and embossed with Firecracker red from Sparkle and  Sprinkle. The image and the band are matted onto red card and I've used a pale blue gingham BP from Magenta. The buttons, ribbon and feather are from my stash. The sentiment is hand written using a black sakura glaze pen

Unfortunately it hasn't scanned too well because the buttons make if very 3d so it looks a bit  wonky.

Thanks for looking

Claire xx

This weeks Christmas card

I can' believe I've already started this years Christmas cards. I'll be sat twiddling my thumbs in December at this rate lol. This card is for three challenges, Fab's Big Christmas Card Challenge which is to use a sentiment and to use gold. Bah Humbug's challenge this week is "All that glitters". Your Next Stamp Challenge this week is 'Anything that sparkles'. The glitter doesn't show up very well in the scan unfortunately

I've used a sentiment tree stamp I've had forever, stamped on to acetate and embossed with gold detail EP. I've mounted this onto some sticky back film which i've covered with prisma glitter. Then I've used gold mirri and some ivory card with a little glitter in it (not sure where thats from but its really pretty in the flesh so to speak). Finished off with gold brads and a gold bow

My Christmas card box is filling up already thanks the these challenges. They are really getting me to think and make some different cards instead of rushing at the last minute and making lots of similar cards

Thanks for looking

Claire xx

M is for ... masking

Is this weeks challenge from the ABC Challenge blog. Well I just had to have a go at this as my new speedball brayer and big and juicy ink pads arrived this week. I haven't had a lot of time or energy for crafting as I've been really busy at work but I have had some messy fun with this lol. It always looks so easy when you see a demo but I've ended up covered in ink, fingerprints all over everything but i've finally come up with this

I've used masking for the moon and the hills as well as their reflections and also for the base of the tree in the foreground. The stamps are from Elusive images and I used the Mountain Meadow big and juicy inkpad

Its not perfect by a long way, I forgot to reverse the image for the castle reflection too,  but I've had so much fun making it, I did get some comments about having multicoloured hands at work though lol

Thanks for looking

Claire xx

Buttons ...

Is the theme for this weeks challenge from TMTATC.

I've used pink card, some scraps of backing paper a decoupaged  baby image from Joanna Sheens 'Baby Love' cd. The little hands and script is a stamp I've had for ages but never used before, the ATC is finished off with little blue buttons and pink ribbon.
Thanks for looking
Claire xx

Spring flowers

I never seem to use yellows but the flower in this lovely image from Digital 2 for Tuesday seemed to cry out for yellow and green.

The background is made from yellow card, spritzed with glimmer mists and overstamped with a flower from Crafters Companion (I think). The border is from my stash, matted on to black tapestry card with a couple of black gems added. The main image  is coloured with inktense pencils and sprayed lightly with gold 'spray and sparkle'. Its not my usual colour choice but its very bright and hopefully a reminder that spring is on the way so I'm going to enter it into this weeks challenge from Sophisticat which is .. spring
Thanks for looking
Claire xx

Greaseproof paper and string card

I always struggle to make mens cards but with my lovely FILs birthday coming up I had to get cracking and came up with this

I was inspired by Jill from the Stampman on C&C as I'd forgotten I had their nautical themeplate, so I'm entering this card in this weeks Quixotic challenge which is 'ink up an old stamp'. The Tuesday Taggers challenge this week is to use leftovers. The scrunchy moonshadow ink paper and the alcohol ink background to the main image are left overs from making Christmas cards and the script panel and 'rope' embellishment are left overs from Christmas cooking lol. I used greaseproof paper stamped with the Stampman script stamp from the nautical themeplate using sepia versafine. I had a huge ball of string and had only used a bit to tie up the turkey so I cut some off and sprayed it with burnished brass Moonshadow ink to use as rope. Its really shimmery but unfortunately it doesn't show up well on the pic. The main image is stamped and embossed on acetate and matted on to an scrap of glossy card coloured with alcohol inks and then onto gold mirri, all attached with brads.

Thanks for looking

Claire xx

Butterfly Fairy

I've been dying to have a play with this lovely digi stamp from Sketching Stamper but I was a bit daunted by all the detail anyway I got out my inktense pencils and had a go - it kept me out of mischief for ages lol. This weeks Corrosive Challenge is 'Lets go digi" - I'm really enjoying using digi stamps but I do prefer to get inky and messy

I've used the sketch from this weeks challenge at the new Paper Sundaes Challenge blog to make a birthday card which is this weeks challenge at Sunday Stampers. I chose the colour scheme for this card after seeing the sample for the Allsorts challenge which is to use pink and brown, the papers are all from a pad by HOTP. The little butterflies are punched using an Anna Griffin punch and I used 3 knotted  ribbons to mirror the way the butterfly fairy has her little butterfly on a 'lead'; this weeks Pile it on challenge is to use 3 ribbons. I though this card would also be just the job for the Flutterby Wednesday Challenge which is an open theme this week but of course has to include butterflies/faires/angels etc. The sentiment is cut out on my circut and stamped with 'Just for you'

Thanks for looking

Claire xx

Poppy birthday card

I've made this card for my friends birthday next month. The image is from Digital Two for Tuesday coloured with promarkers and a gold gel pen. The bp is from my scrap box - another of Joanna Sheens. The poppies, ribbon and lace are from my stash. The sentiment is from Elusive images, the background is stamped with Brilliance Rocket Red and the sentiment stamped in black versafine and embossed with clear EP

The vintage little girl with poppies is such a beauty I think I'll be using her a lot. The Magical Crafts Challenge this week is 'vintage style', I think the red, black and cream with the lace have a real vintage look.The image is new to me and  I've used my new Brilliance ink pad to fit the theme for the Crafty Cardmakers challenge this week which is 'What's new?'

Thanks for looking

Claire xx

Some jewellery ...

I've been going to jewellery making workshops since the end of September, we have a great time and I've learnt so much. I really enjoy going so I thought I'd show some of the things I've been making

This is a bracelet made with seed and bugle beeds, a twisted rope made with seed beads myuki drops and the focal bead is rubber stamped and embossed, finally a spiral peyote stitch necklace with some fringing.

A bracelet and necklace made using mainly seed beads, 4mm cubes in right angle weave.

A poppy pin made using brick stitch and size 8 seed beads. The bag charm is a cube made from fire polished crystals and seed beads in right angle weave. the necklace again uses right angle weave in seed beads with branch fringing above and below the focal beads.

My lovely MIL and FIL gave me a gift voucher for beads which I used yesterday so I'm going to spend the afternoon playing with my new goodies - I just love beads, they really bring out the magpie in me

Thanks for looking

Claire xx

Snow

No we haven't had more snow thank goodness, although I think I preferred the white stuff to the rain and fog we've had this weekend. 'Snow' is the first challenge for Susie and Vicky's Christmas Club.
I've made this card using bits from my scrap box. The background uses a scrap of paper made using the Resist technique with glimmer mists and a scrap of cuttlebug'd card. The topper is made using cosmic shimmer ultra thick EP and an Elusive images snowflake stamp

I think I've put it in the scanner at a funny angle as it looks quite wonky but it isn't honest lol

Thanks for looking

Claire xx

Tea Time

Cynthia has really made me get my thinking cap on with her challenge on Rainbow Lady's Challenge Blog which this week is 'Teatime'. I thought I was going to have to dip out this week as I couldn't find anything suitable then while rummaging through my craft room I found loads (and I mean loads lol) of See d's stamps that I bought years ago and have never really used. Most of them are very small stamps ideal for ATCs so I made this

The background is scrap of paper from my scrap box - one of Joanna Sheens cds but I can't remember which one, sprayed with glimmer mists, I also used a scrap of newspaper sprayed with aqua ink for this weeks TMTATC challenge. The teapot and teacups are stamped and embossed with gold detail EP and watercoloured with stardust pens. The ATC is finished off with a scrap of aqua lace and edged with a pen touch sakura pen.

Thanks for looking and special thanks to Cynthia as I would never have found all those stamps without your challenge

Claire xx

Embossed peacock card

I've made this card following the sketch for this weeks Quixotic Challenge, I find sketches really useful as a starting point when I'm feeling a bit brain dead. I  haven't had a lot of time for crafting this week so the sketch really gave me a kick start.

I used a bp from my Graphicus Guild papers - I hoard these jealously and its very rare I ever use them but I've got so much stuff and so little cash I've decided to start using paper instead of just stroking it lol.

I didn't have any wide purple ribbon so I made a border using a papermania punch and a scrap of purple glitter card and matted it onto gold mirri although it doesn't show up well on the pic. The tag is made of glossy card sprayed with aqua ink and splodged with purple versamagic ink, perfect for this weeks challenge from Tuesday Taggers which is to use a tag and bird on your project.. I stamped with the same ink and embossed with clear EP. the peacock is made from a piece of acetate made using the 'caught in crystal' technique' which I stamped with an Elusive images peacock stamp and embossed with gold detail EP. Finished off with a scrap of gold ribbon and a sentiment made with the aqua ink and purple versamagic.There is a lot of embossing on this card so it is perfect for the lovely Crafty Ann's Challenge which this week is embossing.

Thanks for looking, have a lovely weekend

Claire xx

Bah humbug!!

Making Christmas cards in this weather is certainly a challenge lol. It was easier when we had all that snow and it looked Christmassy outside. Anyway this is what I have come up with for this weeks Bah Humbug challenge which is to use new or nearly new stash. This was really hard for me as I haven't bought many crafty goodies for ages. Anyway this is my effort - I quite like it apart from the wonky eyelets, that'll teach me to start crafting before I've woken up won't it?

I've used bp and cs from an Ann Griffin kit I've had for years, the ribbon is also from the same kit. I love the colours - perfect for this weeks challenge from Fab's Big Christmas Card Challenge which is to use vintage colours and/or stripes and the theme is 'Merry and Bright' (hence the sentiment which is from Elusive images. The main image is from Elusive images and is stamped on acetate and glittered using my new glitters. The bell is from my stash so I'll be entering this card into the ABC Christmas Challenge which this week is 'B is for Bells' with the extra of using glitter - I just love using glitter so I really enjoyed making this

Thanks for looking

Claire xx

New Year Card

I'm soooooo loving taking part in challenges, its really made me get my thinking cap on and start using some products and techniques I'd never tried or forgotten about. Great for getting me out of my crafting rut. Anyway, this card has a definite vintage feel although it is celebrating the start of 2010

The 'Pile it on' challenge this week is  'New Year' so I've tried to include as many other challenges as I could.  The BP is from Joanna Sheens Fashion boutique cd as is the small image of a couple dancing. The music script was made using a cuttlebug folder and then embossed with gold EP and distressed with sepia ink to tie in with Frosted designs challenge of using ink and Your Next Stamp Challenge which is embossing. The 2010 is made using gold EP on a scrap of black mountboard, I tried using stamps but it looked too  neat so had a go with my versamark pen and preferred the messy result. The card is embellished with a pocket watch stamped onto acetate and backed with some gold leaf as the Paperplay challenge  this week is 'precious metals' and the Gingersnaps theme is Time and Embossing powder. To finish the card off I've added some chipboard stars coloured with gold alcohol ink (the 'If the Shoe fits challenge this week is to use chipboard). Lastly I used a fluffy black feather, some fused pearls, duck egg blue velvet ribbon and some lace as they made me think about all the lovely fabrics and trims we wear to go to new year parties (although this year it was pjs in front of the TV watching the hootenanny lol), for this weeks Tanda Teaser which is ' A touch of lace'

Thanks for looking, better get off and do some work now

Claire xx

Thinking pink

I don't usually 'do' pink, but as I'm trying to get out of Christmas card mode I decided to have a bash at this weeks Truly Scrumptious challenge - a lovely sketch with the extra of using pink green and black. I'm also using Tilda for this weeks Flutter By Wednesday Challenge which is 'New' and butterflies/angels/fairies and the ABC challenge - L is for layering

 I've used some new distress inks and glimmer mists to make the backing papers and the background of the main image. Tilda is coloured with inktense pencils and decoupaged to give her a bit more dimension. I 've used a little flourish stamp to edge the bp squares and added a stamped sentiment and some paper flowers.
Definitely not my usual style of card or colours but I've had a lot of messy fun making it.
Thanks for looking
Claire xx

My first attempt at image transfer ...

I've had loads of time for crafting this weekend thanks to the snowy weather. Its started to thaw today so it looks like I'll have to go to work tomorrow unfortunately. I decided to have a go at the image transfer technique using acrylic paint thats featured in this months craft stamper. I had some scraps of canvas and used white acrylic paint and some images I printed out ages ago from Joanna Sheens Dancing with Shadows. I had a lovely messy time and this is the result. Its not perfect by a long shot but I had loads of fun making it. It ended up looking very distressed, I think I got carried away rubbing the paper off lol

For the base I used a glossy white tag, stamped with black versafine and embossed with clear EP using a lace stamp from Tanda stamps. The next layer was a piece of my image transfer canvas which I distressed using a craft knife and sprayed with silver glitter spray. The main image is next, twined round a scrap of black felt fusion ribbon. Lastly I added a few clear black gems and some scraps of black lace.

I haven't made a tag for ages, its for the Tuesday Taggers Challenge which is 'Black and White'.

It also fits the bill for this weeks Corrosive Challenge (Distressing), Creative Card Crew's challenge which is also distressing and lastly Our Creative Corner challenge which is to make something 3D.

Thanks for looking

Claire xx

Another Christmas card ...

I seem to be stuck in Christmas card making mode at the minute, it must be all this snow and ice. I've made this card for several challenges, using a gorgeous little fairy from Digital Two for Tuesday . I'm a real fairy addict and I couldn't resist her pretty little face.

She is coloured with promarkers and matted onto silver mirri which doesn't show up too well on the scan. The bp is a bit from my scrap box - its started life as a piece of white glossy card, stamped with snowflakes using versamark ink then brayered using blues, lilacs and pinks. Overstamped with more snowflakes and flourishes. The stamps I used were from Elusive images and Tim Holtz. The card is finished off with a sentiment from Elusive images, a scrap of ribbon from a Christmas pressie and a little charm from my stash box. I'm also joining in the following challenges with this card:

ABC Christmas Challenge which this week is 'A for Angels' and use a charm or beads on your project.

Fab's Big Christmas Card Challenge which is to make a tall card and/or use frosty colours. I don't often make DL cards so this was great, really got me thinking

Thanks for looking

Claire xx

Recycled....

Its lovely and warm in blogland, a different story outside though - sooooo much snow and ice this week its been a nightmare getting to work. I haven't had much energy for crafting when I've got in from work so as I was up early I've been up to my craftroom for a crafty fix. This card is for 2 challenges:
Cynthias challenge at Rainbow Lady's Challenge Blog which is to recycle something from the festive season and also for the  first Bah Humbug challenge (good luck with the new challenge blog gang!!) which is also recycling. This is what I came up with

I've used the cover of a box of Body Shop goodies as an acetate overlay on this card, which is probably why it hasn't scanned very well. The backing paper is a lovely freebie from Glenda which is available on her blog .... Artylicious. The stamps are also from Glenda - I think the Christmas Flourish themplate. They are just stamped on to the bp and matted onto some scraps of red mirri card.

I'm hoping to have lots of time for crafting this weekend as its too cold and icy to go far and we have lots more snow forecast. Fingers crossed for a few days off work next week if this weather continues

Thanks for looking

Claire xx

B is for .....

No not baby again lol, this time B is for Blue, Brads, Button, Bow, Butterfly, Bling ...
I just made this ATC when I spotted the One stop craft challenge which is 'Something beginning with B' and it fits the bill perfectly.

 I used a  scraps of card I'd made using the Serendipity technique, it hasn't scanned very well though as it has loads of glitter, glimmer mists etc on it. I love using that technique - great for using all your scraps of paper up and it always looks pretty. I stamped an Elusive images 'B' stamp and then stuck on a bow, a button, an acetate butterfly and added some brads.
Any tips for taking pics greatly appreciated - I've tried with my camera and can't get a good image and scanning isn't much better . I'll have to drop hints for a new camera lol
Thanks for looking and take care if you are venturing out into the cold
Claire xx

Peacock card

We've had friends round for lunch today but when they left I managed to sneak up to my craft room while Paul was watching the football and made this simple Peacock card

for the Tandastamps Challenge which is Pretty as a Peacock and also for this months challenge on the Joanna Sheen forum which is 'Feathers'. I've got some real peacock feathers somewhere but I think the craft room gremlins must have borrowed them lol.
The base card is Bazzil bling cardstock and the papers and stamps are all from Graphicus. The main image is stamped with copper EP on to acetate and then glittered on the back. For the border I used a little thingummyjig which was also from Graphicus - I'm not sure what its called but when you heat it up you can press it into a rubber stamp to copy a little section. I'd completey forgotten I had it but found it while I was rummaging around for feathers.
Thanks for looking, I'm back at work tomorrow so I won't have as much time for crafting. Roll on next weekend
Claire xx

New Year ... New Baby Card

I hope you are all keeping warm and snug in this wintery start to the new year. There's one good thing about the cold snap - lots of time for crafting as its been too cold to venture far since Christmas. I'm getting so much inspiration from looking at everyone's lovely blogs and I'm trying to join in as many challenges as possible. Wow, there are some really talented crafters out there. I can't believe I've missed out on all this until I started blogging.
I've made this 'New Baby' card for a friend who is having baby in the spring

I've used a digi stamp from Sketching Stampers and coloured the image with inktense pencils. I fell in love with this image, it so reminded me of my son's pram when he was a baby although his wasn't pink lol. The lovely backing paper with baby hand and foot prints is from Joanna Sheen. I CB'd and distressed some burgundy card and used scraps of the same card to mat the image and also for the beaded sentiment. The teeny pink nappy pins and flowers were from my stash.
I used a sketch from the Papertake Weekly Challenge , I sooooooo love sketches as I get stuck for ideas and layouts. This card also fits the bill for quite a few other challenges too:
Crafty Ann's Challenge - New Year, New inspiration
Rainbow Lady's Challenge - New
Daring Cardmakers - New Beginnings
Pile it on - anything digital
Thanks for looking
Claire xx

Happy New Year

Happy New Year, in fact Happy New Decade
I'd like to wish you all you wish yourself  for the new year.
I'm loving blogland, I've already met some lovely people and had so much inspiration ... thanks to everyone for all your help and support

Another quiet day for us, lots of time for crafting after lunch as hubby is going to watch the football if it hasn't been cancelled because of the snow. We've just had a sprinkling of snow overnight, it looked so pretty when I got up, it doesn't look so good now the dogs have been having a play lol
Claire xx