Just a reminder

Just a quick reminder you still have a week to enter our challenge at Let's Ink It Up and have a chance to win £20 to spend at Caroline's Rubber stamps!!

 

The theme for our challenge is 'Use your favourite stamp, with a twist - add a charm'

So dig out your favourite stamp and join us to be in with a chance to win

Claire xx

What's cooking with Katie this week?

Its time for a new recipe at Cooking it up with Katie, and this week we are sponsored by Sassy Studio! Our recipe is:

• 
  
  Digi
• 
  
  Yellow
• 
  
  Sparkle

The DT were lucky enough to be able to use a fab image from Sassy Studio, here's my card using this gorgeous image called 'Reading Rachel'. I haven't put a sentiment on as I thought this image would be fab for allsorts of occasions but I'll probably use it for my son's girlfriend as she has a birthday coming up soon.

The image is coloured with promarkers as usual. BP and card from my stash. The pink dotty ribbon is from Crafty Ribbons, the gingham ribbon is again from my stash. The little flowers were made using a punch and a dot of pink stickles in the centre. The larger flowers are made using a digistamp from Crafty Ann's, coloured with promarkers, sprayed with glimmer mists and  with pink glitter in the centres.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

CRAFT: Teenagers

Alota Rubber Stamps: Handmade flowers

Lollipop: Glitter, sparkle and gems

Karber Monthly: Anything goes

Karber Weekly challenge 7: hobbies and leisure

Thanks for calling by today. I hope you're going to cook up somthing with our recipe this week

Claire xx

A new challenge at Michelle Perkett Studios!!

Hi there, hope you  are having a good week. Its really grey and miserable here at the minute so hopefully this card with brighten things up a little. There is a new challenge today at Michelle Perkett Studios and the theme this week is 'Girly with Bling!'

 I've used the beautiful 'Bella the Baker' from Michelle Perkett Etsy Store and bps from Raspberry road designs for this card.

Bella is coloured with promarkers and some sparkly sakura stardust highlights on the flowers and cake for a little bling. Its matted on matching card from my stash. I've made the border with a MS punch, added some velvet ribbon, paper flowers and some swirly corners cut on my cricut to finish off.

I'm entering Bella in the following challenges:

Incy Wincy: Anything goes

One Stitch at a time: anything goes

Alphabet: V is for Vintage

Charisma Cardz: Anything goes

Tuesday throwdown: all about punches

Fab'n'Funky: Quote me happy ( I love the quote on this image from Michelle, the only thing is whenever I colour it, I end up singing the song all day - no wonder its raining lol)

Thanks for looking. Don't forget to pop over to my teamies blogs to see their fab cards using Michelle's images and remember if you don't have any of Michelle's images yet you can pick up some fantastic freebies over at CDAC, PCP and SNR (links on my sidebar)

Claire xx

Fancy a grape?

Hi, we've had a really grey and rainy Sunday here so I haven't done much other than crafting today. I got some lovely new Sweet Pea stamps from Jazzlins Designs and used one for this card. I love the way she is peeping out from the grapes.

The image is coloured with promarkers and sakura clear stardust on her wings and then matted on some purple card. I made the swirly background by inking up a cuttlebug folder and using the debossed side. I used some flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts, and made a 2 layer lace flower too. The velvel ribbon, lace, gems and charm are from  my stash. The lovely silver swirly corners are also from Jazzlins Designs.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

A pocketfull of posies:Lavender and Old Lace

Wild Orchid: Ribbons and Bows

Sweet Pea Stampers: Charmed I'm sure

Fussy and Fancy Friday : Sketch

Flutter By Wednesday: Anything with wings

Delightful Challenges: Make it Sparkle

Paper Sundaes: Winged things

                   Thanks for looking, Its time to go and watch the X factor now and before I know it      Monday will be here again.

Claire xx

White on White...

Hi, i'm having  a lovely lazy day today. I've managed to finish a couple of cards including this one which uses a gorgeous Sweet Pea Stamp 'Holly Night' by ching chou kuik. There are quite a few 'white on white' challenges around which was great news for me as I coloured the image and then couldn't seem to find any papers that looked right with it (how annoying is it when that happens?? ) Anyway some white card and vellum and I was away

The image is stamped on pearlescent card and coloured with promarkers, I added the snow with a white inksentials pen. The image is matted on some white and then blue silk mirri card.

I made a white staggered side step card (thanks Lynne, i had no idea what this card was called lol) and added panels of white card which was cuttlebugged with a swiss dots embossing folder. For embellishments I used more white pearl card to make the flowers and leaves using Marianne floral fantasy and starry garland dies, pearls and silver bead caps and some vellum fern leaves with a Leone Em punch, all from Jazzlins Designs

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Die cut dreams Christmas: Christmas Furry Things

Crafty Emma's Challenges: Animal Antics

I love promarkers: White on White

Incy Wincy: All white apart from the image

Colour Create: All white

Paper Jewels: Friendship

Papertake: Animal Magic

Thanks for looking, I've got some more lazing about to do now lol. X factor tonight so I'll be glued to the TV with a glass of wine (or 2) and some chocolate :-)

Claire xx

Autumn ...

Hi, Autumn has defintely arrived here in the UK, the weather has turned really chilly and the wind is starting to blow the leaves off the trees. I thought  'Autumn', another beautiful digi from Michelle Perkett would be perfect for a card this weekend. You can find Autumn at Michelle's store along with lots more beautiful digi stamps. We also have a fab 'Tag You're It!' challenge at Michelle Perkett Studio's this week and you still have time to enter :-)

I don't know what this kind of fold is called but it took me a while to work it out lol. I've used bazzill bling for the base card, the dps are from Artylicious 'Essence of Nature' cd. Autumn is coloured with promarkers, cut out and layered on some foam pads. The leaves are punched using my lovely new leaf punch from Jazzlins Designs. I punched the leaves out of plain white card. To colour them I wiped a Kaleidacolour 'Autumn leaves' ink pad along my craft mat, sprayed it with a little water and swooshed the leaves through, I love the effect of the changing colours. The tiny flowers are punched from copper card.  The larger flowers were made by cutting tissue paper with Marianne Floral fantasy dies (I used 6 layers for the big flower and 4 for the smaller one), inking them red/orange ink from the same ink pad. I scrunched them up and once they dry just layered them up. The centres are made from little plastic circles, dabbed with lots of Autumn sparkles CS glitter glue and a little lime and gold stickles.

I'm entering Autumn in the following challenges:

Order of the Opus Gluei: Ease(l) into Fall

Paper Sundaes: Fall/Halloween colours

Passion for Promarkers: Make your own flowers

Everybody Art Challenge: Autumn

Crafty Creations: Falling leaves

Paper romance: Handmade flowers

Paper Playtime: Autumn

Claire xx

Blog hop at the Stampman!!

 
 

Don't miss out on the Stampman blog hop!! It starts at The Stampman Challenge blog and there are some fab prizes up for grabs!! Have a look here for more info, I'm off to start hopping ;-)

Claire xx

Crafty Ann's Challenge ...Anything but a card

The latest challenge from Crafty Ann's Challenge blog is 'Anything but a card'. I love altered art so I decided to alter an old jewellery box from the huge pile of bits and bobs waiting to be altered in my craftroom. It started life as  a watch box made from study card.

I gave it a really think blobby coating of gesso (thats the technical term lol) and left it overnight to dry. Next came a couple of coats of metallic blue paint (Stewart Gill, I think) While the paint was drying, I printed off Crafty Ann's short petal flower (available  at Crafty Ann's Digi Shop) and painted the flowers in blue shades of twinkling h20s. Once the flowers were dry, i cut them out, curled the petals with my pokey tool and layered them up. The centres are made using gold microbeads.

I attached some blue and gold check ribbon around the box and popped one of the small flowers on each of the 4 sides. I used the large flower on the box lid with the leaves from the same digisheet. To finish off I made some tiny flowers using seed beads. I'm going to make some earring using the same little beaded flowers when I get a minute. I love making these flowers, once you get the hang of them they are pretty quick and easy

I'm entering my altered box in the following challenges

Crafty Calender: blue and flowers

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge: Anything goes

Stampin Royalty: Anything but a card

Digital Tuesday: All about the girls

AiFactory: Anything goes

Charisma Cardz: Anything goes

Thanks for calling by, I hope you're going to join us for our challenge. Its certainly crafting weather here, its chilly and pouring with rain. Can you tell its nearly weekend lol?

Claire xx

DT Call at Let's Ink It Up!!

Just to let you know that we are having a DT call at Let's Ink It Up!!

Sadly Sam has had to step down from the DT as she is busy studying, I wish her all the best for the future and will really miss her. So we are looking for 2 new members for our DT - if you love stamping and fancy getting inky with us pop over to Let's Ink It Up and enter our latest challenge and add DT after your name. If you've already entered, just pop over to the challenge blog and email Suzanne to let her know you are interested.

Our challenge is running until October 8th, 12 noon Syndey time so you've got plenty of time to enter - the theme is 'Use your favourite stamp' with a twist - use a charm too.

Claire xx

'Baby Love' from Cowgirl Up and a little heads up....

Hi everyone, hope you are having a good day. I've got a couple of days off work, the sun has been shining and I've spend most of the day crafting ... what more can a girl want lol?

This card is made using 'Baby Love' a supercute image from CJ at Cowgirl Up Designs Stamp'en Ranch. I love the little baby with butterfly wings and bleeding hearts are such gorgeous flowers. We have a new challenge starting on Sunday at Cowgirl's Sunday Stamp'en Challenge and our theme is going to be 'Flowers Galore'!! You still have time to enter our current challenge which is 'Hip not to be Square'

The image is coloured with promarkers and the wings are highlighted with sparkle EP. I added lots of tiny flowers to the baby's hat using a tiny flower punch and I punched the centres with my cropodile. The hat really made me giggle, it just reminds me of a swimming hat I had when I was a little girl, it was covered in great big multicoloured flowers - I haven't got a pic fortunately lol. The bps are from Joanna Sheens' Baby Love cd, punched with a MS Border punch. The ribbon and flowers are from my stash.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Crafty Emma's Challenge: Baby Bonanza

Allsorts challenge : Use at least 3 punches

Scrap it with a Song: Little wonder

A spoonfull of sugar: Anything goes

Scrapbook Sisters: Over the edge (this is a new challenge for me, love the theme

Thanks for calling by,

Claire xx

Sneaking in ....

Here I am sneaking in at the last minute with my tag for this weeks challenge at Dragons Dream Tag it on which is 'Bead-dazzle'. I've made a bracelet with twisted bugle beads, cube beads and size 11 seed beads and attached it to my tag for this weeks challenge. I did get it finished yesterday but the internet was soooooo sloooooooow I gave up trying to post it lol.

I love bead stitching but it takes so long I really don't make as much jewellery as I'd like to. This is the second of these bracelets I've made, my friend loved the design so this will be a perfect pressie for her.

The tag is a large manilla tag from Graphicus, I coloured the tag with dusty concorde and milled lavender distress inks and stamped the Stampman dragonfly stamp with dusty concorde. The edges and sentiment are embossed in silver although it hasn't shown up too wellin the pic. The words read 'Imagine the possibilities' , another stamp from Elusive Images.

I made a couple of little holes with my cropodile and attached the bracelet with a little purple ribbon, it looked a bit plain so inspired by Cynthia's fab challenge at Rainbow Lady's Challenge blog this week which is 'feathers' i added a purple feather.

I'm also entering this tag in this weeks challenge from Tuesday Taggers where the theme is 'Anything Goes' and the sponsor is Ribbon Oasis who are offering a gorgeous selection of ribbons to the lucky winner 

Thanks for looking. We look to be having some better weather today,

I hope you get some sunshine too 

Claire xx

Tag You're it with Michelle Perkett Studios

This weeks challenge from Michelle Perkett Studio's is 'Tag You're it'. For my DT card i've made an easel card using one of Michelle's new images 'Put on your Party Dress' which you can find in Michelle's store

I had loads of fun making this card. I started by making a background using a variation of a  technique from this months Craft Stamper magazine. I took a sheet of a4 card and coated it with gesso, tore some strips of some left over mint green and pink bp up and  put them on the card leaving lots of blank space and gave it another light coat of gesso. Once it was dry I sprayed with Glimmer Mists in Pink Ink and Robin's Egg and then overstamped with a stitchy flower from Elusive images. The edges of the bps and the kraft card were distressed with a craft knife and vintage photo distress ink

I printed the image out twice and coloured it with promarkers, one was cut into a tag shape and matted on some kraft card. I wanted the underskirt to look like lots of frothy layers of netting so I added some art institute glue and some tiny microbeads. I cut out the other dress and decoupaged it. I inked round the image using a turquoise versamagic ink pad and a shaving brush. I'm really pleased with the effect of the microbeads, I've tried to show it a bit better in this pic.

I added some very rough, 'tacking' stitches around the bps and the tag and matted the bps on more kraft card. The sentiment is cut out with a Marianne die from Jazzlins Designs. The butterflies are punched with an Anna Griffin punch. The flowers and fb pearls are also from Jazzlins Designs, the flowers are coloured with glimmer mists in pink ink.  I wanted to add some buttons but didn't have any the right colour but fortunately these printable embellies from Crafty Ann's were just the job - i coloured them with promarkers and embossed with with clear EP

I'm entering this litte party dress in the following challeges:

Creatalicious : Pink Green and Brown

Flutter by Wednesday: Buttons + of course butterfly angel or fairy

Polkadoodles: Easel Card

Totally Papercrafts: Happy birthday

Stampin for the weekend: Tag it

Stampin Royalty: Stitching madness

ABC challenge: D is for Distress

Thanks for calling by, I hope you're going to play 'tag' with us at Michelle Perkett Studios this week. If you want some fab ideas and inspiration, pop over to my teamies blogs and have a look at their gorgeous creations

Claire xx

Simply Betty

The very first challenge at Simply Betty Challenges has started, I love Simply Betty images although I only have one lol. I've used her to make this card

The challenge theme is a photo inspiration - how fab are these socks??

Betty Summer is coloured with promarkers and matted on some black card. To create the background, I brayered dye inks from a kaleidacolour pastels ink pad on some coated card and then stamps and ink blog (from Stamp it Crazy) randomly over the top. To finish off I found some colourful bobbly trim in my stash for the corners.

I'm also entering Betty in the  following challenges:

The Artistic Stamper: Sing a Rainbow (ihave to confess I tried to brayer a rainbow but it all went horribly wrong, after several  disasters I totally gave up and went for stripes lol)

Papertake Challenge: Photo inspiration (love those colours!!)

Thanks for calling by today, I hope your week has got off to a good start

Claire xx

Another for the Christmas card box

This weeks challenge from the lovely ladies over at Bah Humbug is to use text as the focal point of your card. I've used a text stamp from Elusive Images for this card

The text is stamped in versamark and then brayered over with inks from the blue/green end of Hydrangea big and juicy inkpad.  The text was cut out with a Marianne die (as is the shimmery star frame) from Jazzlins Designs. I stamped the snowflakes (Tim Holtz stamps) with versamark and brayered  over with the same blue green ink. I added a little white organza ribbon, some fb diamante gems and a little charm.

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

Truly Scrumptious: Sketch + optional blue and green

Die Cut Dreams Christmas: Words only

Winter Wonderland: Monochromatic Christmas

Tuesday Taggers: Diamonds are forever

Thanks for looking, sorry about the shine on the pic. My new camera is still totally baffling me lol

Claire xx

Cowgirl's Sunday Stamp'en Challenge - Hip NOT to be square :-)

Another Sunday and another  challenge over at Cowgirl's Sunday Stamp'en Challenge, this week the theme is 'Hip not to be square', we want to see your shaped cards (anything but a square or rectangle). Once again we have a wonderful sponsor - Delicious Doodles!! Some of the DT got digistamps from Delicious Doodles to work with for this weeks challenge and I was lucky enough to get this gorgoeus lily!! I love flowers and have lots of lilies in my garden so I've really enjoyed colouring this beautiful image.

I've made an octagonal easel card. The shape was an easy one to do as I found a pack of tri-fold shaped cards I got ages ago from Joanna Sheen. I cut one of the octagons off to decorate and made the base of the easel card from the rest of the card. I'd totally forgot I'd got these card blanks there are loads of different shapes from tags to perfume bottles etc. 

 The background is made using a resist technique - I stamped a sketchy bow all around the card base and the easel and embossed with clear EP. I then coloured the card with assorted starburst stains and glimmer mists. I embossed the edges with gold EP. The doily is coloured with pearl glimmer mists, unfortunately the glimmer isn't showing up in the pic. The beautiful lillies are coloured with promarkers and attached with silicone for some dimensions. The butterflies and ivory ribbon are from my stash. The ticket sentiment reads 'Special Friend' and is from Crafty Ann's

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Crafts and Me: Easel Cards

Corrosive Challenge: Clean up the dust

Cute Card Thursday: Tweet and a flutter (no tweets lol but a couple of fluttery little butterflies)

Stamp Something: Digi day

Lots to Do: Monochrome

Check out my teamies blogs for some fab inspirational shaped cards, some are using gorgeous images from CJs shop Cowgirl's Digital Stamp'en Ranch. I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with for this weeks challenge. You don't want to miss out on the chance to win a fab prize from Delicious Doodles, and don't forget the Top 3 get  a prize and a badge for their blogs too!!

Thanks for looking, I hope you are having a good Sunday. Horrible rainy weather here so I think an afternoon in front of the TV with my promarkers sounds a good idea :-)

Claire xx

A new challenge at Let's Ink It Up!!

Hi. its time for another challenge at Let's Ink It Up. There were some fantastic entries for Challenge 2, huge congratulations to the winner and Top 3.

Ou challenge this time is

 'Use your favourite stamp, with a twist - add a charm'

We have a fabulous prize again, a £20 voucher for

 CaroLines Rubber Stamps

Caroline is a lovely lady and she designs the most gorgeous stamps, I've used stamps from Caroline's Silhouettes 2 themeplate to make this project.  It is a fab set of stamps with 2 fab backgrounds and lots of little elements to build your scene. I've also used one of Caroline's Decor Plates, the large scalloped circle as the base for my wall hanging. I was lucky enough to win some of these in a challenge a few months ago, they are fab to work and take ink beautifully. Great value too, I just bought some more and some oriental ones too :-)

I coloured the Decor Plate with kaliedacolour inks and my trusty brayer and then sprayed assorted glimmer mists over the top. I then stamped with various leaf stamps from Joanna Sheen which were embossed with gold and copper EPs. The leaves are cut on my cuttle bug as is the flower which is a Marianne Die from Jazzlin Designs. The beautiful Autumn ribbon is from Crafty Ribbons and was a real bargain in their sale.

The central scene was created by brayering a background with the same kaleidacolour inkpad and then embossing the main scene with black detail EP. The fairy, toadstool and hedgehog were also embossed with the same EP. The leaves on the tree are from the same themeplate and stamped once again with Kaliedacolour inks.  I cut the scene out and embossed the edge with gold EP to frame it. To finish off, I added a tiny toadstool charm - if you look closely you can see it just below the flower.

I'm also entering this wall hanging in the following challenges:

City Crafter Challenge: Tree of Books

A spoonful of sugar: Fall into Autumn Colours

Incy Wincy : Autumn Colours

Paperplay challenge: Shaped Project

Everybody Art Challenge: Other Cardform

I hope you are going to dig out your favourite stamp and join us at Let's Ink It Up

I'm sure after seeing all your fab cards I'll have another long wish list of stamps I need!! Why not pop over to my teamies blogs and check out their favourite stamps too - they have some fab projects again this month

Claire xx

Angel of Hope

Hi everyone, how's the weekend treating you? The weather is decidedly chilly here, perfect for staying indoors and crafting lol. I've made this card using the gorgeous Angel of Hope from Michelle Perkett's Etsy store. I love this image, she is so serene isn't she? Perfect for 'Thinking of you' cards but I also think she'll be wonderful for Christmas cards too. You still have time to enter this weeks challenge over at Michelle Perkett Studios where the challenge this week is to make a birthday card for OWH!!



I've coloured the image with promarkers and added some sakura stardust highlights to the stars, moon and her wings. The bp is from Artylicious Decadent Delights CD. I followed the layout from this weeks challenge sketch at I love Promarkers and as the extra is 'Rip it up' I tore a border and a panel from the same bp and embossed the edges with gold EP. The ribbon is from my stash as is the glitter card, The flower is from Jazzlins Designs, coloured with glimmer mist and highlighted with gold stickles. These flowers are gorgeous, I love the slight texture they have. It doesn't show up too well in the pic though.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges

I love promarkers: Sketch and optiional theme of 'rip it up'

CD Sunday: Shades of Blue

Glitterbabe's Challenge: anything goes

Thanks for looking

Claire xx

Poinsettia Fairy

I've had this stamp a few weeks but only just got around to inking it up and making a card with it today. I've been sooooooo busy at work for the last few weeks as we've been putting in a big funding bid which will be a real boost for our little mental health charity. I finished it yesterday so its fingers crossed for the next couple of months until we know if it was successful. Hopefully now thats done things willl be a lot quieter and I'll have more time to craft :-)

 I love poinsettias and this poinsettia fairy from Sweet Pea Stamps is so pretty and delicate i thought she deserved lots of sparkle and bling. I decided to make a poinsettia pin to decorate the card and also as a little pressie and it has taken me hours lol.

I've used the sketch from Sweet Pea Stampers and made it into an easel card. I've coloured the image with promarkers and embossed her wings with sparkle EP.

The bps and ribbon are all from an Anna Griffin kit I've had for years and years, the papers have all been distressed with scissors and the rough edges embossed with Ranger Queen's Gold EP. I've also stamped Tim Holtz snowflakes around the edges of the poinsettia papers and embossed them in gold.

To make the pin, I stamped an Elusive Images poinsettia (its actually the centre of a poinsettia medallion stammp) 3 times on some grungepaper (i've had this ages but for some reason I'm really mean and stingy with it so its lasting me ages lol). I embossed with gold EP and cut out layers before painting with twinkling H2Os. While it was drying I made some flourishes using pearls from a charity shop find and gold wire. I made some 'berries' using red size 11 seed beads on green wire which I wound round my pokey tool to make spirals. Once the paint was dry I made tiny holes in the top flower layer and attached some yellow miyuki drops with gold wire. I'd planned to join the layers with wire but it went horribly wrong so it was back to plan B and i used silicone glue to attach the layers. The brooch pin at the back is attached with fine wire.

I'm really pleased with the way the pin has turned out but it will be a while before I make another lol.

The sentiment is from Elusive Images, I stamped it in gold brilliance ink and once the ink was dry I added some glossy accents - I'm really mean with that too for some reason. This card is for one of my bessie mates though so it was worth raiding my stash of grungepaper and glossy accents lol.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Sweet Pea Stampers: Sketch

In a Sweet Pea Dream: Show us your dreams

Wild Orchid Challenge: Pearls and Pins

Sew Many Challenges: Lets see your embossing

Alphabet challenge: U is for unused stash

Creative Belli: Old or forgotten embellishments (mine are the charity shop beads which I found while looking through my bead stash)

Sarah Hurley Challenge: Snowflakes

Sisterhood of Crafters: Simply Handmade

Thanks for calling by, have a good weekend

Claire xx

Cooking it up with Katie, another yummy recipe....

Hi everyone, I hope you are having a good week. I'm counting down to the weekend as work is mega busy this week but hopefully after this week things should settle down and I'll have a bit more time and energy to craft. We have a really scrummy recipe this week at Cooking it up with Katie! We'd like to see your creations with these ingredients:

• 
  
  Autumn
• 
  
  Embossing
• 
  
  Fancy fold

This weeks winner will win a prize from our fab sponsor Fairy Knoll too!!

I found instructions for this 3 steps card by Sheila Weaver  on Joanna Sheens website, now anyone who knows me will tell you that I don't do measuring and fancy folds completely baffle me so this was a real challenge lol. Its actually a lot easier than I first though it would be and I really enjoyed making it, definitely one of the easiest fancy folds I've had a go at so its my new favourite now lol

I began with a brown pearlescent A4 card and followed Sheila's instructions to make the card base.

All the decorated panels were made from a sheet of plain white card. I took a selection of inkadinks, distress inks and glimmer mists and made a big messy puddle on my craft mat and swooshed the white card in it and left it to dry. When it was dry I cut it into pieces and stamped and embossed the squares with various stamps from Elusive Images (from the Tall Trees and Spinney themeplates). The large tree also had lots of leaves embossed in assorted autumn colour eps. the leaves were painted with ink from an autumn coloured kaleidacolour dye inkpad. The sentiment is also from Elusive images and was stamped with sepia versafine and masked to stamp the trees around it.

I distressed the panels with my craft knife and then with distress inks (spiced marmalade and vintage photo) and cut'n'dry foam and added a scrap of copper ribbon and some gems from my stash to finish off.

I'm also entering my autumn card in the following challenges:

Our Creative Corner: Its all about the folds

Paperplay Challenge: colours of Autumn

Allsorts: Colours of Autumn

Alphabet challenge: T is for Trees

The Stampman: Distress

Raise the Bar: Orange, brown and Green

Daring Cardmakers: Masks

Charisma Cardz: Something new or not done before (my something new is the 3 step fold)

Thanks for calling in, I hope you are going to cook up an autumn project with us this week. You never know, when I see your creations I may be brave enough to try another fancy fold lol

Claire xx

Michelle Perkett Studios challenge for OWH

Hi everyone, todays new challenge at Michelle Perkett Studio's is supporting Operation Write Home with a birthday theme. A great cause so I hope you are going to join in and support it if you can. I've used 2 supercute puppy dogs from Michelle Perkett's Etsy store for this card - Scooter and Sprout. Aren't they adorable?

I coloured the doggies with promarkers and then cut Sprout out with snips and popped her close to Scooter with 3d foam pads. I've used some bp from my stash and kraft card for matting and layering. I put a scrap of the kraft card through my cuttlebug using the swiss dots folder too.

I'm entering Scooter and Sprout in the following challenges:

Totally Papercrafts: Lets go Dotty

Order of the Opus Gluei: Letters

I hope you are going to join the ladies at Michelle Perkett Studio's this week and support Operation Write Home!!

Thanks for calling by, have a good Tuesday

Claire xx

Back to School with Mary Margaret and Thomas

 It hasn't been the best of weeks with one thing and another but I've managed to make this little card and bookmark using 'Mary Margaret'  and 'Thomas' two more gorgeous digistamps  from Michelle Perkett. This weeks challenge from Michelle Perkett Studio's is 'stitching' and you still have time to enter. I've used faux stitching on this card and bookmark. I kept the card fairly plain and used Mary Margaret (available from Michelles Etsy Store) coloured with promarkers for the bookmark

I had already made the bookmark when Michelle released Thomas as a freebie for her groups at CDAC, PCP and SNR, I couldn't resist colouring him and adding him to the back of the bookmark. Isn't he cute?

I'm entering Mary Margaret and Thomas in the following challenges

Dutch Dare: back to school bookmark

Southern Girls: anything goes (good luck with your new challenge ladies:-)

Moving Along with the Times: Back to School

Just Scraps: back to school

The Pink Elephant: Back to school

Thanks for looking,

Claire xx

Christmas cards for the soldiers at CSSC

This week the posse girls at Cowgirls Sunday Stamp'en Challenge are supporting Operation Write Home, our challenge is to make Christmas cards for the soldiers to send to their families.

We have prizes from Cowgirls Digital Stamp'en Ranch as well as our fab sponsors, Whiff of Joy

and Whimsy Stamps too!!

 There are lots of chances to win as we have prizes for 1st place, 2nd place and a top 6 too!!! There is also a prize for if you post this pic on your blog and sidebar with a link to the challenge blog to promote this fantastic cause.

Our challenge then is to make a Christmas card (or cards) for this great cause, there are more details and the address to send them too on the challenge blog. We do ask that you don't use glitter on your cards as it can put soldiers at risk.

I've used CJ's image 'Frosty' from the 'seasons' collection at Cowgirl Up Designs. The image is coloured with promarkers and matted on some red shimmery card. I've used bps from my stash and some red satin ribbon. The flower is from Joanna Sheen and the sentiment stamped at the bottom of the image is from Elusive Images

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Ooh LaLa: Stripes

Bah Humbug: Favourite medium  - promarkers for me :-)

Fussy and Fancy: Christmas Colours

Sentimental Sundays: OWH Christmas

I do hope you can find the time to join our challenge and support such a good cause

Claire xx

Crafty Ann's Monochrome Challenge

Hi, wow Friday already and another challenge over at Crafty Ann's challenge blog and this time around the challenge is 'Monochrome' i've used Ann's fab Calla Lilies image and one of the beautiful mottled stone backing papers (check them out at  Ann's shop here) to make this card

I've painted the image with Twinkling h2o's and matted it on some brown card. I've also distressed the edges of the image and the bp with a craft knife and embossed them with gold EP. I punched borders from brown and cream pearlescent paper with a MS punch and added some brown velvet ribbon. The buckle is a printable embellishment from Crafty Ann's - I love these as you can colour and resize them to match your project and save a fortune!! I painted this buckle with h2o's and added gold stickles. To finish the card off I added some dew drops and a couple of calla lillies tied with a little brown ribbon. The lillies were white but I sprayed them with a little glimmer mist to colour them brown.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges

My time to craft: Jewelled

Gingersnap Creations: GC70: Punches

Fab'n' Funky: Whateva

Stamptacular: Distress it

Thanks for popping by, I'm looking forward to seeing your monochrome creations for our challenge this time

Claire xx

Happy Birthday wishes from Polly, Dolly and William

Its time for another challenge over at Michelle Perkett Studios and this week our challenge is 'Stitching', we want to see some kind of stitching on your cards this time around - real or faux its up to you. I've used this beautiful new image from Michelle's Etsy Store  for this birthday card

I love this image, they are so cute in their vintage costumes!! I coloured the image with promarkers and matted it on a little pink glitter card. The stripey  bps are from Raspberry Road designs and I though they'd be fab with this vintage inspired image. I punched borders with a Martha Stewart punch and added some pastel blue velvet ribbon. The stitching was done with my sewing machine, i struggled with the tension but I thought this would be fine for a shabby chic style card (well thats my excuse lol) I used a leafy stitch around the bps and a kind of zigzag around the image. I coloured some strips torn from a roll of canvas with brilliance ink and glimmer mists and made some roses to embellish the card. (You can find a tutorial for these fab roses on Lynne's blog here but be warned they are addictive lol)

I'm entering Polly, Dolly and William in the following challenges:

Fab'n'Funky : Material (mmm I think my canvas counts as material)

Moving Along with the Times:  In Stitches

Alphabet challenge: S is for Scallops

Paperplay Challenge: In Stitches

Cute card Thursday: Material girl

Ooh La La : Stripes

Meljen's : Stripes

I hope your're going to join us for our Stitching challenge at Michelle Perkett Studios this week, why not check out my teamies blogs for some fabulous inspiration

Thanks for calling by,

Claire xx

Happy Birthday Danni!!

Danni at Flutter by Wednesday is celebrating her birthday and has some fab prizes and a great challenge this week. The challenge is to make a birthday card using a really lovely sketch and of course to include a butterfly, fairy or angel. I've used one of my favourite sweet pea stamps to make this card

I've used bps from K&Co and some purple card and ribbon from my stash. The image is stamped on pearlescent card and coloured with promarkers and sakura stardust for a little sparkle. The paper flowers are from Wild Orchid crafts and Joanna Sheen and they are glimmer misted to make them match the colours of the card. To finish off I added a little butterfly charm, some lilac gems and stamped the sentiment in a shimmery purple EP on the card - it reads 'Have a fairy happy birthday' but doesn't show up too well in the pic.

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

One stitch at a time: Blooms butterflies and bling

Pocket full of Posies:  Floral fantasy

Totally Papercrafts: Charming

Lots to do: Butterflies

ABC  challenge - C is for charms

Crafts and me: Gems and sparkle

Thanks for looking,

Claire xx